Rice
exports up significantly
Update: September,
16/2017 - 09:00
|
Workers at
Trung An Hi-Tech Farming JSC pack rice for export. — VNS Photo
|
HCM CITY – Việt Nam has exported 3.87 million tonnes of rice
worth US$1.66 billion in the first eight months of the year.According to the
Việt Nam Food Association this represents increases of 17.7 per cent in volume
and 16.6 per cent in value year-on-year.
Asia remained the main market, accounting for 67 per cent of the
shipments, as exports to mainland China, the Philippines, Malaysia, and
Singapore increased.
But exports to Hong Kong fell significantly.
Africa was the second biggest market, accounting for 15.7 per cent
of the exports, with the Americas and Australia being third and fourth.
The association said high-grade white rice, fragrant rice and
glutinous rice were the main export items.
Việt Nam’s 5 per cent broken white rice is currently priced higher
than Thailand’s but lower than India’s due to limited supply, he said.
But the association said the price of common white rice would be
reduced to compete with Thai rice to meet new demand.
Huỳnh Thế Năng, the association’s chairman, said the summer-autumn
rice crop has been harvested, with output being lower than expected, and large
areas of newly planted autumn-rice crop are inundated and likely to be
affected.
Prices would remain high in the domestic market until the year-end
due to limited supply, he added.
Market forecast
The VFA said demand for common white rice and parboiled rice would
continue to increase this year mainly driven by imports by Bangladesh, Sri
Lanka, and the Philippines.
Fragrant rice exports would be steady thanks to continuing demand
from Africa and China and new demand from Iran and Iraq, it said.
The market for long-grained white rice, speciality rice, sticky
rice, and broken rice would continue to be dominated by China, while exports of
Japonica rice would continue to rise and the variety promises to become one of
the country’s key exports, with its main markets being countries in Oceania and
China, it said.
Exports are no longer based on demand for common white rice from
traditional markets under government-to-government contracts, with enterprises
actively promoting exports of speciality, high-quality, fragrant, sticky, and
broken varieties, it added.
Năng said despite difficulties, rice exports would rise this year.
At a meeting it held on Wednesday the association fixed a export
target of 1.8 million tonnes in the four remaining months to take the
whole-year volume to 5.6 million tonnes. — VNS
Bangladesh imports 100,000 tonnes rice from Myanmar
| Update: 19:15,
Sep 18, 2017
The move came amid the skyrocketing prices of rice in the local market.The rice will be imported at $442 a tonne, Qamrul said.Replying to a query as to when the imported rice will be arriving, he said the rice will come within the next three months.Meanwhile, food secretary Md Kaikobad Hossain said, "We had a meeting with the Myanmar delegation on Sunday over the rice import and the decision to procure 1 lakh tonnes of white rice was taken by the minister today (Monday)."
http://en.prothom-alo.com/economy/news/159913/Bangladesh-imports-100-000-tonnes-rice-from
Bangladesh gets lowest offer of $406.48 a tonne in rice import
tender
·
Published
at 03:01 PM May 29, 2017
·
Last
updated at 03:12 PM May 29, 2017
Flash floods
hit domestic output, pushing up rice prices to record high and bringing down
state reserves at 10-year lows
Bangladesh received a lowest
offer of $406.48 a tonne from Singapore-based Agrocorp International in a
tender that opened on Sunday to import 50,000 tonnes of white rice, Reuters reports
quoting officials at the state grains buyer.Five traders competed for the
tender issued by the Directorate General of Food at a time when local rice
prices have reached record highs and state reserves are at 10-year
lows.Government officials last week said Bangladesh
would speed up plans to import rice to build reserves and rein in prices after
flash floods hit domestic output.
As part of that, a Bangladeshi
delegation visited Vietnam to finalise imports of rice in a
government-to-government deal, a procurement official, declining to be named,
said without giving further details on the transaction.Ramped up demand from
Bangladesh, the world’s fourth-biggest rice producer, could underpin prices in
major exporters Vietnam, Thailand and India.“We are making frantic efforts to
boost state reserves and bring down prices of rice,” said the procurement
official.Local rice prices have reached record highs and state reserves are at
10-year lows in the wake of flooding in April that wiped out around 700,000
tonnes of output.
The state grains buyer earlier
this month said it would ship in 600,000 tonnes of rice after the flooding,
initially issuing two tenders for a total of 100,000 tonnes of rice, its first
such tenders since 2011.
Meanwhile, the procurement
official said the government had decided not to withdraw duty on private rice
imports, looking to protect farmers.
Bangladesh produces around 34
million tonnes of rice annually but uses almost all its production to feed its
population. It often requires imports to cope with shortages caused by natural
calamities like floods and droughts.
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/foreign-affairs/2017/05/29/bangladesh-gets-lowest-offer-406-48-tonne-rice-import-tender/
Sowing of kharif crops down by
8-lakh hectares
NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 15:
The area covered by kharif crops
has come down by nearly 8-lakh hectares (ha) to 1049.42-lakh ha compared to the
previous year, according to the sowing data released by the Agriculture
Ministry on Friday.
Among the crops that witnessed
subdued sowing till this week were arhar, soybean and groundnut apart from
rice. While the area under arhar cultivation was down by 9.39-lakh ha to 43
lakh ha, soybean declined by 7.8 per cent to 105.76-lakh ha on an year-on-year
basis. Urad, on other hand, witnessed 21 per cent jump to 42.65 lakh ha.
Rice, coarse cereals
Area under rice cultivation
dropped to 374-lakh ha from 379.12-lakh ha last year as sowing was affected in
drought-hit Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Groundnut cultivation, too,
was down by 12 per cent to 41.36-lakh ha compared to last year. The drop in
soyabean and groundnut acreage dragged the cumulative oilseeds cultivation by
8.8 per cent to 172-lakh ha.
The acreage under coarse cereals
was also marginally down to 184.50- lakh ha against 188.40-lakh ha last year.
Kharif crops that were found to
be the favourite of farmers during the season was cotton – its area increased
by 19 per cent to 121.51-lakh ha and sugarcane increased by 9.44 per cent to
49.95-lakh ha. A record increase in cotton production could be expected as most
farmers opt for Bt cotton other than the traditional varieties.
The area under Bt cotton is
estimated at 108-lakh ha compared to last year’s 85-lakh ha
Rice prices continue to go up
·
Published
at 11:09 PM September 17, 2017
·
Last
updated at 12:13 AM September 18, 2017
‘The price spiral is likely to stop within the
next few weeks as a good amount of rice would be available in the market
through private initiative’
The prices of the staple continue
their upward trajectory over the last couple of days, with no sign to abate.
According to the market insiders,
unless more import initiatives are taken, the hike in rice price would be far
from being tamed.
As per the on Sunday’s data
provided by Trading Corporation of Bangladesh, the retail price of per kg
coarse rice was ranging between Tk50 and Tk54 while it was Tk43 to Tk45 just a
week ago.
Weak public reserve, tremendous
damage to paddy during Boro season, recent monsoon flooding that hit Aman
cultivation, plus lackluster attempt to procure rice from international market
have worsened the situation all together.
Nirod Boron Saha, president,
Naogaon Rice Wholesalers Association, told the Dhaka Tribune, “The price spiral
is likely to stop within the next few weeks as a good amount of rice would be
available in the market through private initiative.”
He also hinted that the price of
the staple food could spike more by the end of the year unless a large volume
of rice is imported.
Regarding the upward price
spiral, Agro-economist Dr Qazi Shahabuddin said: “Rice price has already
increased a lot, but the situation will worsen because of more shortage in near
future as we will get less production in Aman season in December due to recent
flood.”
Causes
Earlier in April, the flash flood
in haor basin comprised of seven districts in the country’s north-eastern part
damaged around 20,00,000 tons of Boro rice.
Later in last month, this year’s
monsoon flooding damaged around 6,00,000 hectares of Aman paddy field,
projecting 15,00,000 tons of less rice production.
State of rice import
Amid the ongoing Rohingya influx,
Food Minister Qamrul Islam visited Myanmar recently with an aim to make an
import of 10,00,000 tons of rice from there, but failed.
As of September 13, the country
has imported around 6,75,000 tons of rice.
Meanwhile, the government has
signed separate agreements with Vietnam and Thailand to import rice. Of them,
Vietnamese rice has started to arrive.
As of today, the government food
grain stock stands at 4,61,000 tons. Of them, rice accounts for 3,39,000 tons
while wheat 1,22,000 tons.
The government has already
launched Open Market Sale (OMS) at Tk15 a kg to exert control over the market.
The government intervention
through OMS is being hailed as a good initiative to stem the price spiral.
“The more we
produce rice, the poorer and poorer we get”
By: Paul Millar -
POSTED ON: September 18, 2017 | BUSINESS
Economists say
farmers need to reduce their reliance on the crop in order to revitalise
Cambodia’s struggling agriculture industry
At the height of the Khmer Rouge
regime in Cambodia, once the cities stood empty and the fields teemed with the
worn-out workforce of a nation torn apart, Pol Pot had a plan. Inspired by tales
of the vast fields and limitless yields of the Khmer Empire, the man who would
eventually be blamed for the deaths of almost two million of his own people
dreamed of a Cambodia that would become the cornucopia of Southeast Asia. Rice
production quotas were set: more than triple what they had been in peacetime.
They were never met.
For millennia, rice has been the
backbone of Cambodia’s all-encompassing agricultural sector. But with global
rice prices falling and neighbouring countries such as Thailand and Vietnam
mobilising their vast resources and workforces to boost domestic production,
experts say the crop that has underpinned the nation’s rise and fall needs to
give way to more profitable alternatives.
Guillaume Virag, co-founder and
CEO of Project Alba, a for-profit social enterprise that partners with
smallholder farmers in developing countries, said that Cambodia’s
once-flourishing agriculture industry was in many ways locked in a futile
struggle against the nation’s more developed neighbours as long as it remained
focused on a few staple crops.
“You’re in an emergency state
with agriculture,” he said. “Irrigation techniques, soil work, soil strategy is
a strong issue, because people have grown rice over and over. And competition
with Vietnam and Thailand, China, countries that are much more advanced in
agriculture. There is a cost problem, inherently – a lot of inputs in the
agricultural sector don’t come cheap, and so all together there are very few
crops on which Cambodia is currently competitive on an international level.”
Nowhere is this lack of
competition more apparent than in the Kingdom’s staple rice crop, which
continues to make up the bulk of Cambodia’s agricultural exports. Despite
exporting almost 300,000 tonnes of milled rice in the first six months of this
year – an increase of more than 7% relative to the same period in 2016 – poor
infrastructure and high energy costs have left the market price for white rice
in Cambodia consistently higher than its competitors Thailand and Vietnam.
Cambodia has also failed to come close to the government’s own declared goal of
one million tonnes of rice exports per year.
In spite of this, many
smallholder farmers in Cambodia continue to rely on the cereal as the
cornerstone of their crop production. Jun Arii, board director of the Japanese
Business Association of Cambodia and a vocal proponent of agricultural
diversification, said that the Kingdom’s increasing levels of rice production
failed to reflect the nation’s needs.
“It’s not about expanding the
production of rice or enhancing the export of rice at all,” he said. “It’s
about trying to find an alternative crop for rice which will maximise the
return to the farmers and – I like to go along in line from a food securities
point of view – probably four million tonnes of rice production is ample
sufficiency for Cambodia.” Forecasts from the UN’s Food and Agriculture
Organisation predict that favourable rainfall will push this year’s domestic
rice production over ten million tonnes – just a slight increase on 2016’s
output.
Estimates of the total area taken
up by rice production range between two-thirds and three-quarters of the
Kingdom’s cultivated land – a fact that will come as little surprise to any
traveller threading highways that run through seemingly endless rice fields. In
2013, the total production area for rice in Cambodia was more than three
million hectares. The next most produced crop, maize, covered just under
240,000 hectares. According to Virag of Project Alba, the government’s focus on
improving poor conditions for the nation’s rice farmers was politically
predictable – just last month it pumped another $80m into the sector to keep
prices stable.
“If you’re in Cambodia, rice is a
quick win,” he said. “If you improve anything on rice you have a social impact
that’s very large. That’s why the focus is so strong on it – you have a very
strong base of farmers, and the path forward is relatively simple: just bring
millers into the country, invest in infrastructure, make sure you get contract
farming in place to improve your seeds and you see how to move forward with
massive volumes.”
For Thailand and Vietnam,
comparatively advanced nations with populations that dwarf Cambodia’s 15
million, plans to intensify rice production are supported by a large labour
force and infrastructure that leaves the Kingdom in the dark. Arii argued that
rather than blindly following in the footsteps of its neighbours, Cambodia
would do well to forge its own path in the world of agriculture.
“Creating the country’s direction
is rather important, instead of going to the labour-intensive, heavy industry –
you can have that in Thailand or Vietnam,” he said. “So Cambodia still can find
their own avenue for building a successful country.”
According to research by
Cambodia’s Centre for Policy Studies, the country imports anywhere between 200
to 400 tonnes of vegetables from neighbouring countries every day – a
staggering four-fifths of domestic consumption. According to Yang Saing Koma,
former president of the Cambodian Centre for Study and Development of
Agriculture, it is only by building up profitable domestic supply chains for
produce that Cambodia might outflank its competitors, rather than getting
bogged down in an unwinnable numbers game.
“Even if we continue to grow
rice, we need to go towards high-quality premium and organic rice,” he said.
“My idea is that we first focus on the replacement of imports, and secondly on
the export of high-quality, unique products – organic rice, premium rice,
pepper, Mondulkiri coffee. There are so many unique products that we have to
develop.”
For some crops, such as the
high-quality pepper cultivated in the nation’s south that has made Kampot part
of the lexicon of high-end cuisine, the rewards have already been realised for
many enterprising farmers. And while Virag suggested that farmers blessed with
large plots of land should continue to invest in crops that could be easily
mechanised to lower labour costs – such as the cereals that underpin
much of the existing infrastructure – he said it was a luxury that the
majority of Cambodian farmers could ill-afford.
“The average farm size in
Cambodia is half a hectare, so you’re not doing the same thing,” he said. “If
you have small land, you have to do higher-value crops if you want to improve
your income in the long-term. Switch part of your production to vegetables, for
example, or spices, fruits, to things that bring much more value per square
metre.”
Cambodia’s agriculture sector
will rely heavily on subsistence farming for years to come, although increasing
industrialisation and automation across the region is a difficult trend to
ignore. For Koma, the inevitable transformation of smallholders’ plots into
larger-scale commercial operations presents a major challenge for a sector that
has been historically slow to adapt to change.
“In the next ten to 15 years, we
will see maybe around 20 to 25% of all Cambodian farmers remaining commercial
farmers – so Cambodia will not be 70-80% farmers any more,” he said. “The
number would decrease, but would be more productive, more competitive and more
market-oriented. You will see the development of medium- to large-scale farming
in high-value products like durian, like pepper – this kind of farming system
that takes a big capital development.”
Perhaps more pressing than the
spectre of automation is a common struggle facing farmers across the region: as
the cities of Southeast Asia swell with the force of urban development, more
and more young workers are leaving family farms and looking for a more
lucrative living. Mey Kalyan, a senior advisor to the Supreme National Economic
Council and chairman at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, said that young
Cambodians were increasingly leaving the provinces to work across the border in
Thailand or in the factories surrounding Phnom Penh.
“The more we produce rice, the
poorer and poorer we get,” he told Southeast Asia Globe. “I roughly calculated
that to earn [the same] money as a normal worker in a garment factory, one has
to grow six hectares of rice. Can you and I do that? It’s tough work. It’s not
rewarding. That’s why it’s not attractive.”
Although critics within the
labour movement argue that the minimum wage remains too low to meet the needs
of everyday workers, the mandatory monthly salary in Cambodia’s crucial garment
manufacturing sector has more than doubled in the past six years to just over
$150 a month. By contrast, the average monthly wage for rice farmers is
estimated to be anywhere between $50 to $100. For a nation that has been so
thoroughly dominated by its agriculture industry throughout its history, Virag
said, it is a striking change.
“When you see the movement of the
general population, especially young folks, it’s going to be out of agriculture
very strongly,” he said, noting that the prevailing estimate that 80% of
households relied on farming was severely out-dated. “If you look at the
numbers today, you are going to be at something like 40%.”
And with more than half of
Cambodians now owning smartphones, the disconnect between the younger
generation and their parents is growing more pronounced. Ultimately, Kalyan
said, new entrants into the workforce could not be blamed for seeking a steady living
further afield than the failing family plot.
“People are looking for
opportunities – sometimes good sometimes bad, sometimes to serve the short-term
purpose, but not the long-term,” he said. “But people are still poor, so
they are hungry for improving their living standards. And combined with the
internet age, with TV, they know what is happening in other countries, how much
the salaries are. All this is difficult to stop. Instead I think we have to
make Cambodia more attractive.”
Programmes such as USAid’s
Cambodia Harvest and Virag’s Project Alba aim to do just that. As of 2013, more
than 10,000 households had diversified their cropping with the Harvest’s
assistance. And Virag said that his team has helped double the income of more
than 500 smallholder farmers in Kampot and Takeo provinces by helping them to
diversify their crop production, invest in drip irrigation and modern equipment
and by pledging to buy the resulting crop at a fixed price.
For Kalyan, though, this change
cannot be accomplished by the private sector – or foreign aid – alone.
“The main, main, main, main
problem in Cambodia is, for example, if I’m a farmer and I want to shift from
rice to pepper – but do I have enough support? Enough technical knowledge to
shift?” he said. “It’s very difficult. So that is the role of the government
and I think the government’s work on this is not sufficient.”
Koma argued that while more
government support in research and development, technology, quality control and
certification was urgently needed, it was also imperative that small-scale
farmers banded together as collectives in the face of fierce regional
competition.
“Our farmers need support to be
organised, because only a strong farmers’ organisation will be able to compete
in the market,” he said. “Big-scale farming, it can have access to capital, low
interest rates. But small-scale farmers, they have access to a small amount of
capital at a very high interest rate – two or three times higher than the
big-scale farmers.”
Ultimately, Kalyan said that
Cambodia’s agricultural sector would not be saved by scale, but by strategy.
“Cambodia has no need to do a big
production – number ten in the world, number five in the world, we can’t do
it,” he said. “We have to target the niche market, not volume, because we
cannot compete on volume. But we have to do something we are good at. To do
this with flexibility, with innovation, and with ownership from the people. I
think the people will answer.
http://sea-globe.com/cambodia-future-rice/
Nagpur
Foodgrain Prices Open- Septmember 18, 2017
Reuters
Staff
Nagpur
Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-September 18
Nagpur,
Sept 18 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices declined sharply in Nagpur Agriculture
Produce
and
Marketing Committee (APMC) here on poor buying support from local millers amid
increased
arrival
from producing belts. Easy condition on NCDEX, fresh fall in Madhya Pradesh pulses
and
high
moisture content arrival also pulled down prices.
About
300 of gram and 200 bags of tuar were available for auctions, according to
sources.
FOODGRAINS & PULSES
GRAM
* Gram mill quality reported down in open
market here in absence of buyers amid good
supply from producing regions.
TUAR
* Tuar varieties firmed up in open market
here on good festival season demand from
local traders amid tight supply from
millers. Government move to remove pulses
export restriction also boosted
prices.
* Moong varieties and Batri dal reported
higher in open market on good demand from
local traders amid weak weak supply from
producing belts.
* In Akola, Tuar New – 4,200-4,400, Tuar dal
(clean) – 6,200-6,400, Udid Mogar (clean)
– 7,700-8,700, Moong Mogar (clean)
7,000-7,400, Gram – 5,700-5,900, Gram Super best
– 8,300-8,700
* Wheat, rice and other foodgrain items
moved in a narrow range in
scattered deals and settled at last levels
in weak trading activity.
Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market
prices in rupees for 100 kg
FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close
Gram Auction 4,800-5,600 5,000-5,820
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction 3,500-4,130 3,700-4,130
Moong Auction n.a. 3,900-4,200
Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500
Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800
Wheat Mill quality Auction 1,600-1,682 1,572-1,614
Gram Super Best Bold 8,500-9,000 8,500-9,000
Gram Super Best n.a. n.a.
Gram Medium Best 7,600-8,000 7,600-8,000
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a
Gram Mill Quality 5,800-6,000 5,900-6,100
Desi gram Raw 6,000-6,200 6,000-6,200
Gram Kabuli 12,000-13,000 12,000-13,000
Tuar Fataka Best-New 6,500-6,800 6,400-6,800
Tuar Fataka Medium-New 6,200-6,400 6,100-6,400
Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 6,000-6,200 5,800-6,000
Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 5,500-5,800 5,400-5,700
Tuar Gavarani New 4,500-4,600 4,350-4,450
Tuar Karnataka 4,800-5,000 4,750-4,950
Masoor dal best 5,200-5,500 5,200-5,500
Masoor dal medium 4,800-5,000 4,800-5,000
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold (New) 7,200-7,800 7,000-7,500
Moong Mogar Medium 6,500-7,000 6,500-6,800
Moong dal Chilka 5,500-6,400 5,500-6,200
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 7,000-7,500 7,000-7,500
Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New)
8,000-9,000 8,000-9,000
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 6,000-7,000 6,000-7,000
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 5,500-6,500 5,500-6,500
Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 5,200-5,800 5,000-5,500
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 3,000-3,200 3,000-3,200
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,100 2,900-3,100
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 3,800-4,400 3,800-4,400
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,000 1,900-2,000
Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 1,800-1,900 1,800-1,900
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,300 2,100-2,300
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,400 2,200-2,400
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,100 1,900-2,100
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,300-3,800 3,300-3,800
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,800 2,200-2,800
Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,300-3,400 3,300-3,400
Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 2,800-3,200 2,800-3,200
Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,600 2,400-2,600
Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600
Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,400 2,300-2,400
Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 3,800-4,000 3,800-4,000
Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,500-3,800 3,500-3,800
Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG) 4,800-5,200 4,800-5,200
Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 4,500-4,700 4,500-4,700
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 9,500-13,500 9,500-13,500
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,000-7,500 5,000-7,500
Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 4,800-5,000 4,800-5,000
Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 4,300-4,500 4,300-4,500
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,100 2,000-2,100
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,700-2,000 1,700-2,000
WEATHER
(NAGPUR)
Maximum
temp. 31.8 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 21.6 degree Celsius
Rainfall
: Nil
FORECAST:
Generally cloudy sky with one or two spells of rains or thunder-showers.
Maximum and
minimum
temperature would be around and 34 and 22 degree Celsius respectively.
Note:
n.a.--not available
(For
oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but
included
in market prices)
https://in.reuters.com/article/storm-maria/hurricane-maria-pummels-dominica-barrels-toward-u-s-virgin-islands-idINKCN1BT1RU
As Bangla imports surge, rice
becomes costly
ABHISHEK LAW
The prices of common rice
varieties in West Bengal have increased by 10-20 per cent at the miller’s end
in recent weeks. Bangladesh has imported 600,000 tonnes in the last five weeks
KOLKATA, SEPTEMBER
18:
Panic over potential foodgrain
shortfall and opportunistic trading in Bangladesh have sent the price of rice
soaring on both sides of the border.
Over the last three weeks, the
price of common rice varieties in West Bengal increased by 10-20 per cent at
the miller’s end. The price of Swarna has gone up from ₹22 a kg to ₹27 a kg, Ratna from ₹28 to ₹30 and Minikit from ₹32 to ₹35. Retail prices are ₹2 to ₹5 higher.
The buzz in the market is that
prices will increase further after Durga Puja next week. Reason: The sudden
rise in demand from Bangladesh, which reduced import duty from 28 per cent to 2
per cent in phases between June and August.
According to customs sources,
approximately 2,300-2,400 tonnes of rice is exported to Bangladesh from West
Bengal every day; taking the total to over 600,000 tonnes in the last four-five
weeks. This is as much as the annual imports of Bangladeshi traders in 2014-15.
The intensity of trade can be
understood from the fact that Bangladesh imported roughly 700,000 tonnes of
rice in the whole of 2014-15. At least 230 trucks are crossing the Petrapole
border, which hasn’t seen rice exports for nearly five years.
The rise in prices is yet to
catch the attention of the West Bengal government. “We will assess the
situation,” State Agriculture Minister Ashis Banerjee told BusinessLine.
Opportunistic trading
The most confusing part of the whole story is that despite such heavy imports, the price of rice continues to rise in Bangladesh. The price of Minikitrose by around 18 per cent from approximately Taka 55 a kg to Taka 65 a kg in the retail market, says Golam Mortoza, editor of Dhaka-based Sapthahik.
The most confusing part of the whole story is that despite such heavy imports, the price of rice continues to rise in Bangladesh. The price of Minikitrose by around 18 per cent from approximately Taka 55 a kg to Taka 65 a kg in the retail market, says Golam Mortoza, editor of Dhaka-based Sapthahik.
That is not all; Bangladesh’s
media was abuzz last week with fictitious news of export restriction by India.
The Sheikh Hasina government in Dhaka, however, was quick to describe the
reports as “fabricated” and blame opportunistic trading for the crisis.
‘Vested quarters are trying to
create an artificial food crisis’ Bangladesh’s Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed
was quoted saying by ‘The Daily Star’ of Dhaka.
He is not entirely wrong;
Bangladesh achieved self-sufficiency in rice production during the last five
years with production reaching 34.5 million tonnes in 2015-16. Accordingly the
government buying from overseas markets has also stopped.
However, private buying continued
till 2015, when Bangladesh raised import duties to a steep 28 per cent to
protect domestic farmers.
The situation tilted in favour of
the traders due to a perceived 300,000-tonne production shortfall this year due
to climatic conditions and flooding. To mitigate this, the government planned
up to 600,000 tonnes.
However, Dhaka failed to
implement the import plan till Sunday when it struck an agreement with Myanmar
to import 100,000 tonnes of rice in three years.
Slashing the import duty sent
panic waves and traders took full advantage of the sentiments.
The mismanagement on the part of
Bangladesh came as a windfall opportunity to traders in Bengal. The rice
industry in the State was affected for the last five years due to the drop in
Bangladeshi imports.
West Bengal produced 15.9 million
tonne (mt) of rice in in 2016-17 against an estimated domestic demand of 14.5
mt. Apparently, therefore, the state has enough stocks even after supplying
600,000 rice to Bangladesh. Yet prices are spiralling
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/bengal-rice-price/article9864062.ece
Benchmarking Asean farm productivity and
growth
By: Rolando T. Dy - @inquirerdotnet
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 07:02 AM September 18,
2017
Productivity
is key to inclusive growth. Studies show that the Philippines lags behind its
Asean neighbors in farm productivity.
In this
article, two measures are compared across key Asean countries: total factor
productivity, and specific crop land productivity.
The
comparisons do not discuss the factors behind the numbers.
Total factor
productivity (TFP) is the most informative measure of agricultural
productivity.
Comparing
TFP over the past 28 years, the Philippines trailed behind its Asean peers.
It ranked
5th among seven countries in the 1980s, last in the 1990s and 2000s.
Table 1.
Growth in Total Factor productivity, percent a year
Crop yield
comparison
Crop yield,
on the other hand, measures the farm output per unit of area, i.e., tons per
hectare (ha). Five Asean countries were covered: Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
During
2012-2014, among nine key crops, Indonesia had five in the top two high yielders
compared to four each for Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand.
ADVERTISEMENT
The
Philippines had only one: Sadly, it dominated the lowest yield ranks.
Table 2.
Comparison average yield, 2012-2014 average
Yield
increases since 1986
Which Asean
country achieved the highest absolute yield increase since 1986? The leaders
were: Vietnam with six crops in the top 2, Thailand five, and Indonesia and
Malaysia, three each. The Philippines had only one (pineapple).
Table 3.
Comparison of absolute average yield increase from 1986-1988 to 2012-2014
Rice
Vietnam and
Indonesia were ahead in average rice yields in 2012-2014. The Philippines was
in the middle, ahead of Malaysia (a rice importer) and Thailand (a major rice
exporter).
Maize (corn)
Malaysia, a
small producer with only 9,700 ha, had the highest yield and growth. The
Philippines had the lowest yield among the five countries and the fourth
slowest in yield growth.
Coconut
Vietnam,
Malaysia and Indonesia had the highest yield. By contrast, the Philippines, the
country with the largest coconut area, had the lowest.
Sugarcane
Malaysia and
Thailand had the highest yields. The Philippines had the lowest yield and one
of the two countries with yield decline.
Banana
The
Philippines belongs to the world’s top banana exporters. Surprisingly, its
average yield was only third highest. This is to be expected. While Cavendish
banana averages over 40 tons/ha, those of other varieties—lakatan, latundan and
saba—are much lower.
Cassava
Indonesia,
Thailand and Malaysia were the high yielders. The Philippines was last.
Thailand and Vietnam are world players in cassava chips and starch exports.
Vietnam and
Indonesia posted the fastest yield increases. The Philippines was last.
Coffee
Vietnam and
Malaysia had the highest yields. The former is the world’s largest robusta
exporter; the latter is a small niche producer with only 3,700 ha. The
Philippines recorded the lowest yield.
Pineapple
Indonesia
had an incredibly high yield (with only 16,000 ha), distantly followed by the
Philippines (61,000 ha). Both posted the highest yield growth.
Rubber
Four Asean
countries namely, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, are among the
world’s top rubber producers. Vietnam and Thailand were far advanced in yields.
The Philippines had the lowest.
Conclusions
The analysis
shows that the Philippine farm yields were mostly behind those of its Asean
counterparts. It is also a laggard in boosting yields since 1986.
The year
1986 is a watershed. There was the Edsa people power revolution and the start of
the long-drawn CARP, the latter to distribute lands anchored on productive,
small farms. In Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, small farms co-exist with
large tree-crops estates.
The
Philippines had the highest national poverty (21.6 percent) in 2015 and the
highest rural poverty (30 percent) among peers.
Is high
rural poverty directly correlated with low productivity? Are strategies,
structures and institutions key levers? An international expert suggests an
integrated program that has direct impact on crop productivity across specific
value chain corridors.
Is execution
our weakness?
It is food
for thought for the Duterte administration
http://business.inquirer.net/237009/benchmarking-asean-farm-productivity-growth
Govt plans oms grassroots
3 ministers meet rice millers, traders today to discuss price
spiral; Tk 10 a kg rice programme for ultra poor put on hold
With no let-up in the spiraling rice price, the government has
planned to expand Open Market Sale of subsidised foodgrains to the upazilas
across the country.
The sale of rice at Tk 30 per kg was launched on Sunday at
divisional and district headquarters to ease the sufferings of hard-pressed
consumers when the rice price continued to go up in the retail markets.
With its food stock depleted significantly, the government has
decided to postpone the distribution of Tk 10 a kg rice among 50 lakh
ultra-poor, scheduled for launching today, and divert more rice into the OMS
operation.
Meanwhile, three government ministers will hold a meeting with
rice millers and traders in the capital today to understand the situation
around the rice market amid a countrywide vigilance against suspected hoarding
of rice.
In its desperate move to replenish the public food stock, the food
ministry reached a primary price agreement with Myanmar for importing one lakh
tonnes of rice.
The prices of coarse rice varieties have remained static at its
record high -- Tk 50 to 54 a kg -- in Dhaka's retail markets.
The rice market remained volatile with the government asking the
local administrations in rice-trade zones to go for occasional raids to ensure
that no one hoards the staple. But rice mill owners sharply reacted to the move
claiming no millers would stock rice during this pre-Aman lean season.
The millers rather attributed the price hike to domestic
production shortfall, panic following fake news of India's rice export ban and
the government's failure to maintain a good stock of rice in public granaries.
Abdur Rashid, president of Bangladesh Rice Mill Owners'
Association, and its General Secretary Layek Ali have been asked to attend
today's meeting with Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury, Commerce
Minister Tofail Ahmed and Food Minister Qamrul Islam.
Qamrul told The Daily Star that efforts were on to import more
rice, and strict monitoring put in place to stop any move to hoard rice by
traders.
Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury said the OMS operation would
be further extended so that people in districts and upazilas got subsidised
rice.
"It's good news that after the haor crop loss [in the last
Boro season] we just had a productive Aus season. In the Aus season, we
harvested 27 lakh tonnes of rice, five lakh tonnes higher from last
year's," she said.
She is expecting a good harvest of monsoon rice -- Aman -- in
November, but until that time, she said, all stakeholders should show restrain
in keeping the rice price at tolerable level.
ULTRA-POOR FOOD
PROG ON HOLD
The Tk 10-per kg rice distribution under “Food Friendly Programme”
was due since September 1.
After a delay for a while, the food ministry decided last Thursday
that the programme would be launched today.
However, food officials confirmed yesterday that considering the
low rice stock in hand and the need for higher allocation for the OMS
programme, the government decided to put the Tk. 10-a kg programme on hold.
"Let us build up the rice stock first and then we'll go for
the programme," said a policy planner seeking anonymity.
To run for three months (September to November) the Tk
10-a-kg-rice programme the government requires 4.5 lakh tonnes of foodgrains
while to operate the OMS beyond the district-level for a month it needs some
50,000 to one lakh tonnes of rice.
Until yesterday, the public food stock had 3.45 lakh tonnes of
rice while another 1.21 lakh tonnes were in the import pipeline.
WHITE RICE AND
PARBOILED RICE
Most of the foodgrains in the government stock at present is
imported white rice (Atap) while consumers largely prefer parboiled rice
(Shiddho) when they buy the staple from OMS points.
The agriculture ministry has asked the food ministry to allocate
more white rice in Sylhet, Chittagong and haor regions where consumers are
habituated to having Atap, and to allocate parboiled rice in other areas.
Sources said the government would distribute white rice to the 50
lakh ultra poor under Food Friendly Programme.
RICE IMPORT FROM
MYANMAR
After an overnight hectic bargaining between the visiting delegation
from Myanmar and Bangladesh's state grain agency -- Directorate General of Food
-- the two countries agreed yesterday on a price deal for rice import.
Bangladesh would get one lakh tonnes of white rice at $442 per
tonne.
The Myanmar delegation, however, did not agree to give any price
concession on export of parboiled rice and remained fixed at $485/tonne rate,
which Bangladesh didn't accept.
Earlier in June, Bangladesh bought two lakh tonnes of white rice
from Vietnam at $430/tonne and 50,000 tonnes of parboiled rice at $470/tonne.
ANTI-HOARDING
VIGILANCE CONTINUES
Local administrations in Rajshahi, Natore, Comilla, Kushtia, among
other districts, have continued keeping a watch on the rice situation to check
hoarding.
In Natore, four rice mills have been fined yesterday for operating
without license, and stocking more rice than they require for keeping the mills
operational. Two more rice mills were fined in Rajshahi.
Speaking at a press briefing in Dhaka, Inspector General of Police
AKM Shahidul Hoque warned against rice hoarding. He said police would take
action against those found to be hoarding rice in a bid to create artificial
crisis in the country.
Bangladesh to import 100,000 tons of rice from Myanmar
·
Published
at 03:57 PM September 18, 2017
·
Last
updated at 04:14 PM September 18, 2017
Sackloads of rice in a warehouse in Mohammadpur, Dhaka
Each ton of
rice imported from Myanmar will cost $442 or Tk35,360
The governments of Bangladesh and
Myanmar have signed a treaty to import rice. On Sunday evening, Food Secretary
Md Kaikobad signed the treaty with Aung Than, vice-president of Myanmar Rice
Federation. The representatives have 10 days to ratify the treaty with their
respective heads of government.
The treaty was confirmed by Food
Minister Advocate Kamrul Islam on Monday afternoon. The minister told the
media that Bangladesh proposed to import 1m tons of rice initially, but Myanmar
only agreed to export one-tenth of the amount.
Each ton of rice imported from
Myanmar will cost $442 or Tk35,360.
When asked how long it will take
for the imports to start, the food minister said the proposal will have to be
approved by the prime minister and several Cabinet Division committees.
“Following their approval, we
will open an LC to begin the imports,” the minister told the reporters
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/foreign-affairs/2017/09/18/bangladesh-import-rice-myanmar/
Delta Rice Luncheon Celebrates National Rice Month
USA
Rice staff talked with attendees about the organization's role in the industry
as well as how important rice is to waterfowl habitat, the Mississippi Delta
economy, and the state.
"This
was my first year at the luncheon and it exceeded expectations," said Kane
Webb, USA Rice director of field services. "There was a huge crowd
and more rice dishes than I'd ever seen in one place - they were all great,
too. The atmosphere was definitely 'All Things Rice.' I'm already
looking forward to next year here!
'Chinese experts extend help to boost rice yield’
By APP
Published: September 19, 2017
LAHORE: Chinese experts are ready to help Pakistan
in increasing rice production.
This was said by Dr Wang, head of Chinese delegation
during their visit to Rice Research Institute at Kala Shah Kaku on Monday.
Director of the Institute Dr Muhammad Akhtar welcomed the visitors.
Both sides stressed the need for increasing
liaison between the Rice Research Institute and Chinese Long Ping Hi-tech for
preparing rice varieties with higher yield.
On the occasion, Punjab Agriculture
Department Official Dr Muhammad Anjum Ali suggested promoting hybrid rice
varieties to increase per acre yield of paddy. He said that hybrid varieties
will decrease the cost of production of the rice crop and ultimately increase
exports.
Dr Wang pledged to take all possible
measures to provide better quality rice varieties. The delegation will also
take into confidence the local farmers and seed companies
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1510168/chinese-experts-extend-help-boost-rice-yield/
Prayut reaches
out to Central residents
Prime Minister General Prayut
Chan-o-cha rides a tractor planting rice during his visit to the Thailand Rice
Science Institute in Suphan Buri yesterday.
Prayut reaches out to Central
residents
politics September 19, 2017 01:00
By THE NATION
PM makes first visit to local
politicians during trip to provinces.
FROM PLANTING RICE and meditating to
lecturing citizens about elections, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha
kept busy during the first day of his field visit to Suphan Buri and Ayutthaya
yesterday.
The two-day trip by Prayut and his
Cabinet put a focus on Thailand’s Central region, with water management at the
top of the agenda during the flood season. Other issues for discussion included
land-sea infrastructure connectivity, irrigation, garbage management, and rice
research and development.
But the essential purpose behind the
field trip was for the premier to get his feet on the ground and come face-to-face
with local people from all walks of life.
The first local resident he met was
the abbot from Wat Pa Lelai Worawihan, where he made merit at the start of the
trip. “Whenever you get stressed, just inhale deeply and exhale 10 times,” the
abbot of Suphan Buri’s sacred temple told him. “Act like a hand. You can’t have
something new if you don’t let go of the old thing.”
Prayut abruptly replied: “But the
old things are not finished. What else can I do? Also, I can’t breathe and
count to 10. I can do as many as three and then I burst again. Still, I’ll keep
trying,”
Later in the day, he compared Thai
people with the frogs from Aesop’s fable “The Frogs who Desired a King”,
warning them that in next general election, they should choose the right person
and not a “stork” who would devour them.
“I alone can’t solve everything. You
have to seek your desired men or government by yourselves,” he said. “If you
want the future to be full of conflict, be my guest. But being where I am now,
I won’t let that happen.”
Despite his avowed aversion to
politics, Prayut met with local politicians from the Chart Thai Pattana Party
during a visit to the Thailand Rice Science Institute.
Among the party’s top figures in
attendance were MP-turned-soccer-manager Warawut Silpa-archa, son of the late
prime minister Banharn Silpa-archa, Prapat Pothasuthon, and Korawee and
Paradorn Prissanananthakul.
“Not all politicians are evil,”
Prapat told Prayut. “I would only ask the government to distribute some of the
budget from high-speed railway projects to help farmers. As long as people’s
wellbeing is sustained, you can stay for another eight or 10 years and I won’t
blame you for anything.”
Warawut added, “The election will be
decided by you. We’ll just wait to play by rules.” Prayut replied, “Just don’t
drag me in as a player. I’m just here as a referee to settle everything.”
At the institute, where paddy fields
are available for farmers to practice techniques and develop rice breeds, the
premier observed holistic rice development as well as cost-cutting production
procedures. He also took a turn driving a tractor, making an impression on the
field.
Because of the water supply, the
Central region is well known for rice cultivation, especially of its
world-class hom mali fragrant rice. But the region also suffers from flooding
in the rainy season, causing damage to hundreds of rai of paddy fields each
year.
Prayut also sought to create
agreements between millers and farmers to expand market opportunities and
support holistic practices in farming with irrigation equipment and technology
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30327065
Chinese
scientists to help Pakistan enhance rice production
LAHORE: Chinese scientists are ready to help Pakistan in increasing rice
production, said Dr Wang, head of a delegation of Chinese scientists, during
their visit to Rice Research Institute at Kala Shah Kaku, on Monday.
Director of the Institute Dr
Muhammad Akhtar welcomed the visitors. Both sides stressed the need for
increasing liaison between the Rice Research Institute Kala Shah Kaku and
Chinese Long Ping Hi-tech for preparing rice varieties with higher yield.
Dr Muhammad Anjum Ali, a senior
official of the Punjab Agriculture Department, suggested promoting hybrid rice
varieties to increase per acre yield of paddy.
He said that hybrid varieties will
decrease the cost of production of the rice crop and ultimately increase
exports.
The delegation will visit all
rice producing areas and give recommendations its recommendations as well.
It will also visit Sindh,
Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. In the next few days, the members will
reach Islamabad to prepare their recommendations and present them on Oct 11.
Dr Wang pledged to take every
possible step for the provision of better quality rice varieties. The
delegation will also take the local farmers and seed companies into confidence.
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2017/09/18/chinese-scientists-to-help-pakistan-enhance-rice-production/
China offers help in boosting rice production
By APP
Published: September 19, 2017
LAHORE: Chinese scientists are ready to help
Pakistan in increasing rice production, head of a delegation of Chinese
scientists Dr Wang said during their visit to Rice Research Institute (RRI) at
Kala Shah Kaku on Monday.
RRI Director
Muhammad Akhtar welcomed the visitors. Both sides stressed the need for
increasing liaison between the Rice Research Institute and Chinese Long Ping
Hi-tech for preparing rice varieties with higher yield.
Muhammad
Anjum Ali, a senior official of the Punjab Agriculture Department, suggested
promoting hybrid rice varieties to increase per acre yield of paddy. He said
that hybrid varieties will decrease the cost of production of the rice crop and
ultimately increase exports.
The
delegation will visit all the rice producing areas and give recommendations.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 19th,
2017.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1510146/china-offers-help-boosting-rice-production/
Chinese experts extend
help to boost rice yield’
By APP
Published: September 19, 2017
LAHORE: Chinese experts are ready to help Pakistan
in increasing rice production.This was said by Dr Wang, head of Chinese
delegation during their visit to Rice Research Institute at Kala Shah Kaku on
Monday. Director of the Institute Dr Muhammad Akhtar welcomed the visitors.
Both sides stressed the need for increasing
liaison between the Rice Research Institute and Chinese Long Ping Hi-tech for
preparing rice varieties with higher yield.
On the occasion, Punjab Agriculture
Department Official Dr Muhammad Anjum Ali suggested promoting hybrid rice
varieties to increase per acre yield of paddy. He said that hybrid varieties
will decrease the cost of production of the rice crop and ultimately increase
exports.
Dr Wang pledged to take all possible
measures to provide better quality rice varieties. The delegation will also
take into confidence the local farmers and seed companies.
Rice Milling
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September 18, 2017
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Chinese
scientists to help Pakistan in boosting rice production
LAHORE
(APP): Chinese scientists are ready to help Pakistan in increasing rice production,
said Dr Wang, head of a delegation of Chinese scientists, during their visit to
Rice Research Institute at Kala Shah Kak on Monday. Rice Research Institute
Director Dr Muhammad Akhtar welcomed the visitors. Both sides stressed the need
for increasing liaison between the Rice Research Institute Kala Shah Kaku and
Chinese Long Ping Hi-tech for preparing rice varieties with higher yield. Dr
Muhammad Anjum Ali, a senior official of the Punjab Agriculture Department,
suggested promoting hybrid rice varieties to increase per acre yield of paddy.
He said that hybrid varieties will decrease
the cost of production of the rice crop and ultimately increase exports. The
delegation will visit all rice producing areas and give recommendations. It
will also visit Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In the next few
days, the members will reach Islamabad to prepare their recommendations and
present them on October 11.
Yale
scientists develop novel genetic analysis model
After almost a decade of
research, Yale scientists in partnership with scientists from Howard University
have published a new genetic analysis tool that may soon change the way we
differentiate between humans and chimpanzees, our close genetic relatives.Published
in July, the paper describes a computational model, model averaged site
selection via Poisson random field, or MASS-PRF, that at the basic level looks
at small regions of our genes and determines the likelihood that the sequence
of the area will change.
Co-authors Jeffrey Townsend, a
professor of biostatistics at the Yale School of Public Health, and Michael
Campbell, a biology professor at Howard University, have been working on the
model since 2009, according to Townsend. Their model represents a breakthrough
in that it considers small portions of genes rather than whole genes,
distinguishing it from existing approaches.
“Suddenly we have a telescope
that can go 10 times as far,” Townsend said. “Anytime you find a small
difference, it teaches you not just that something’s changed, but about the
biology of that gene.”Townsend’s lab tested 58 genes common to chimps and
humans, and found that certain genes involved in memory, fighting disease and
reproduction were apt to change.
Zi-Ming Zhao, lead author of
the paper, said that the researchers’ results indicate that even though the
same list of genes could be shared by human and chimps, important novel
functions of these genes might be only seen in humans. She added that
Campbell’s lab at Howard University is currently working to clarify these
differences using MASS-PRF.
Deciphering the differences
between humans and chimps has a value beyond satisfying human curiosity,
however. There are important practical applications, including animal testing,
that this data can be used for.
“Understanding the evolved
differences is very important, so that, say that we are developing a treatment
for Parkinson’s and it’s being tested in chimpanzees, what we need to know is
if the gene we’re targeting is functioning in the same way,” Townsend said.
Current research with the model
includes studying species of rice to decipher the differences in genes and
their functions. Genetic engineers can later use this data to create more
efficiently producing rice, Zhao said.
She added that further studies
of such functionally important genes in domesticated rice might have great
economic benefits and help solve the poverty issues around the world.In the
future, MASS-PRF can be used to help treat cancer patients, according to the
researchers. The model can help clarify which cancer genes are more likely to
change, and in turn dictate what drugs to use on tumors.
“You can understand which genes
are being selected for in cancer and target your research in response to that,”
said lab member Daniel Lee ’16. “The real story for the model will arise when
we see people apply it.”
Over 200 cancer drugs are
available in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Anusha Manglik | anusha.manglik@yale.edu
http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2017/09/19/yale-scientists-develop-novel-genetic-analysis-model/
Plan
to organise vegetable, fruit production competitions
LAHORE
(APP): For the first time, vegetable and fruit production competitions
(2017-18) are being held at district and provincial level on the direction of
Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. A spokesman of the Punjab
Agriculture said this here on Monday. He said the purpose of these competitions
was to encourage the farmers and to boost their morale. He further said the
Punjab agriculture department was working on various projects to motivate
growers. Cotton, rice, mango, orange, potato, guava, corn growers could
participate in these competitions, he added. He disclosed that laser land
leveller, tractor sprayer, hot water treatment plant, tractor trolley, potato
digger, zero tillage drill, orchard sprayer, disc harrow, harrow with engine,
Rabbi planter, rotavator/off set rotavator, boom sprayer, DSR drill, cotton
ridger, maize shredder and others tools would be given as prize to the winners
of the competitions. He said modern machinery would not help farmers to
increase per acre yield of their crops but also save their time.
Rice plan focuses on value-added
19 Sep 2017 at 04:00 547 viewed3 comments
NEWSPAPER SECTION: BUSINESS | WRITER: PHUSADEE ARUNMAS
A variety of milled rice is available at Or Tor Kor market in
Bangkok. SEKSAN ROJJANAMETAKUN
A variety of rice products are available at Rangsit University as
part of a plan to help farmers sell rice. PONGPAT WONGYALA
To achieve the goal, Thailand's rice strategy covers a wide range
of information and data, starting with scientific information about rice and
how it should be grown to produce high-quality grains. Data will also include
the latest changes in rice demand and supply so Thai farmers and rice-product
manufacturers can estimate the market each year.Kriengkrai Kaewtrakulpong, head
of the farm machines department at Kasetsart University, said the study found
three rice products can create the highest added value for Thai rice. Rice
snacks and rice bran oil are two, which have a combined global market value of
up to US$600 billion a year.Another is rice flour, which can be used for many
rice products and has a global market of more than $270 billion a year, he
said.
"That's why we are encouraging other parties to join the
project, particularly private firms to apply new innovations to common-grade
rice to make value-added rice products," said Mr Kriengkrai.
Gene map
reveals how bajra survives extreme heat, drought
PTI|
Updated:
Sep 19, 2017, 02.19 PM IST
Commodity
Summary
MCX
NEW
DELHI: Scientists, including those from India,
have decoded the genome of bajra
and discovered how the crop survives high temperatures and drought, a finding
that may help boost production of other cereals in light of the impending
global climate change and food crisis. Rising temperatures and frequency of
extreme climate events like heat waves in many parts of the world will lead to
a drop in major staple crop production, researchers said.
A global team of 65 scientists from 30 research institutions decoded and sequenced the bajra (or pearl millet) genome and revealed critical coping strategies. The analysis has led to a better understanding of the ability of this dryland cereal to survive soaring temperatures of over 42 degrees Celsius and its exceptional drought tolerance.
The discovery published in the journal Nature Biotechnology may help develop climate adaptation strategies in other important food crops. This research co-led by the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in Telangana, BGI- Shenzhen in China and the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), used the latest innovations in DNA sequencing and analysis.
The team identified new genetic tools like molecular markers related to drought and heat tolerance, as well as other important traits. The findings may boost efforts to improve this crucial staple food for millions of people in arid and semi-arid Africa and Asia in particular, researchers said. Pearl millet is a nutritious drylands cereal, rich in protein, fibre and essential micronutrients like iron, zinc and folate. Nutrition studies have shown that this cereal has the potential to fight iron deficiency, the most widespread micronutrient deficiency and major cause of anaemia, affecting health and development of a third of global population.
Pearl millet is grown on about 27 million hectares worldwide and is a daily food for more than 90 million people, among the most vulnerable in arid and semi-arid Africa and Asia.
It is also an important source of fodder for millions of farms. However, pearl millet yields have remained low over the last six decades, as this cereal is mainly grown in poor soil conditions without irrigation, minimal and no fertiliser and other agricultural inputs. Investment in genetic research for this crop has been inadequate and breeders had limited genetic information to develop high yielding superior varieties and hybrids that respond to farmers' constraints, researchers said.
"Most cereals like rice or maize cannot support temperatures over 30 to maximum 35 degrees Celsius when they start forming their grain, whereas pearl millet will fill its grain in air temperatures of up to 42 degrees," said Professor Rajeev Varshney from ICRISAT, who coordinated the Pearl Millet Genome Sequencing Consortium. "We have found that compared to other cereals like wheat, rice or maize, pearl millet has a more diverse repertoire of genes for natural wax proteins, which act as thermal protection for the plant," said Varshney.
Such heat resistance is crucial as climate experts forecast further heat waves in years to come. ith the new biotechnology methods, we can foresee the transfer of such heat and/or drought tolerance to other important food cereals in a near future. "This research will lead to delivery of high yields of pearl millet in farmer fields in the marginal environments in Africa and Asia," said David Bergvinson, Director General of ICRISAT.
"Identifying better genes for heat tolerance in pearl millet can also help other crops like wheat, rice and maize become more climate change ready, showing the importance of investing in so called 'orphan' or neglected crops," Bergvinson said. MHN SAR MHN
A global team of 65 scientists from 30 research institutions decoded and sequenced the bajra (or pearl millet) genome and revealed critical coping strategies. The analysis has led to a better understanding of the ability of this dryland cereal to survive soaring temperatures of over 42 degrees Celsius and its exceptional drought tolerance.
The discovery published in the journal Nature Biotechnology may help develop climate adaptation strategies in other important food crops. This research co-led by the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in Telangana, BGI- Shenzhen in China and the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), used the latest innovations in DNA sequencing and analysis.
The team identified new genetic tools like molecular markers related to drought and heat tolerance, as well as other important traits. The findings may boost efforts to improve this crucial staple food for millions of people in arid and semi-arid Africa and Asia in particular, researchers said. Pearl millet is a nutritious drylands cereal, rich in protein, fibre and essential micronutrients like iron, zinc and folate. Nutrition studies have shown that this cereal has the potential to fight iron deficiency, the most widespread micronutrient deficiency and major cause of anaemia, affecting health and development of a third of global population.
Pearl millet is grown on about 27 million hectares worldwide and is a daily food for more than 90 million people, among the most vulnerable in arid and semi-arid Africa and Asia.
It is also an important source of fodder for millions of farms. However, pearl millet yields have remained low over the last six decades, as this cereal is mainly grown in poor soil conditions without irrigation, minimal and no fertiliser and other agricultural inputs. Investment in genetic research for this crop has been inadequate and breeders had limited genetic information to develop high yielding superior varieties and hybrids that respond to farmers' constraints, researchers said.
"Most cereals like rice or maize cannot support temperatures over 30 to maximum 35 degrees Celsius when they start forming their grain, whereas pearl millet will fill its grain in air temperatures of up to 42 degrees," said Professor Rajeev Varshney from ICRISAT, who coordinated the Pearl Millet Genome Sequencing Consortium. "We have found that compared to other cereals like wheat, rice or maize, pearl millet has a more diverse repertoire of genes for natural wax proteins, which act as thermal protection for the plant," said Varshney.
Such heat resistance is crucial as climate experts forecast further heat waves in years to come. ith the new biotechnology methods, we can foresee the transfer of such heat and/or drought tolerance to other important food cereals in a near future. "This research will lead to delivery of high yields of pearl millet in farmer fields in the marginal environments in Africa and Asia," said David Bergvinson, Director General of ICRISAT.
"Identifying better genes for heat tolerance in pearl millet can also help other crops like wheat, rice and maize become more climate change ready, showing the importance of investing in so called 'orphan' or neglected crops," Bergvinson said. MHN SAR MHN
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/gene-map-reveals-how-bajra-survives-extreme-heat-drought/articleshow/60748041.cms
