Friday, June 21, 2019

21st June,2019 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter


Thai Hom Mali rice - A favourite for Hong Kong foodies
Description: https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/NFmFfgDnLkCJKqCEY013AA--~A/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjtzbT0xO3c9ODQ7aD04NDtpbD1wbGFuZQ--/https:/media.zenfs.com/creatr-images/GLB/2018-03-08/9e004e10-22e7-11e8-ab4d-c594513e2b46_prn_cision_logo.png.cf.jpg
PR NewswireJune 20, 2019
BANGKOK, June 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Department of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce, Thailand, has introduced a project called "Think RICE, Think THAILAND" to encourage international community to pay attention to consumer health and to raise awareness on the national crop by providing a wider range of knowledge, ranging from national agricultural history, standards and Thai rice quality.
Description: Mr. Kenneth Chan, Executive Director of Kui Fat Yuen Limited and Chairman of The Rice Merchants’ Association of Hong Kong
Mr. Kenneth Chan, Executive Director of Kui Fat Yuen Limited and Chairman of The Rice Merchants’ Association of Hong Kong
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Mr. Kenneth Chan, Executive Director of Kui Fat Yuen Limited and Chairman of The Rice Merchants' Association of Hong Kong, shared how Thai Hom Mali rice has become a favourite for Hong Kong foodies.
"Hong Kong people love to eat and they choose the best quality of food," he says. "Rice is no exception. And Thai Hom Mali rice has the highest quality among all the Thai rice."
Of all the varieties, Thai Hom Mali rice is preferred by Chinese communities for its "softness, aromas and appearance," according to Mr. Chan "Hong Kong importers are buying more Thai Hom Mali rice. Before it is cooked, it already has a unique smell. After cooking, the aroma emerged from the rice cooker is a distinct and very fresh fragrance for us."
"Once the Thai Hom Mali rice arrives in Hong Kong, we will immediately unload it in our warehouse. There is constant temperature of 18 degrees and humidity of 70 degrees to make sure the rice is as fresh as possible and to keep weevils away,"
In Hong Kong, Thai Hom Mali rice is the most popular variety of any rice globally. According to Hong Kong government figures, Thai rice had a 52.3% share of all global imports into the city and 90.4% of total Thai rice imports are Thai Hom Mali rice. "Because Thai Hom Mali rice only has one crop a year, it's quite valuable."
Global health trends show consumers are eating less carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, and bread. But Mr. Chan believes this won't have an impact on Thai Hom Mali rice. "People are more concerned about health and will often choose red or brown rice to eat but as a whole people still choose to eat Thai Hom Mali rice because of taste and smell," Mr. Chan says. "Once you try Thai Hom Mali rice you will not find another one to compare it with."
Think Rice, Think Thailand.

Cambodia, China to jointly build rice warehouses and silos

May Kunmakara / Khmer Times Share:    

Cambodia and China on Wednesday signed a commercial agreement to boost the production of Cambodian paddy rice and milled rice for export by building 12 warehouses and 10 silos in 11 provinces in a move to boost the country’s rice exports to the Chinese market.
For in depth analysis of Cambodian Business, visit Capital Cambodia
.
The agreement was signed between Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak and Chen Xiaojia, president of China’s CITIC Construction, at the Economy and Finance Ministry.
“The project is designed to help farmers, businessmen and milled rice exporters as well as to support the government’s rice export policy that targets to export 1 million tonnes of milled rice per year by constructing warehouses and silos at the designated areas,” a statement from the Ministry of Economy and Finance said. “At the same time, it also helps to curb the price fluctuation made by the brokers and helps farmers to store their paddy rice longer so that they can sell their paddy in an appropriate price.”
. .
The statement noted that the agreement does not cover rice mills to avoid any competition with local millers.
Song Saran, president of Amru Rice Cambodia, one of the largest rice millers and exporters, welcomed the move saying that it will help to boost the country’s rice storage capacity for export.
“We in the private sector, welcome the move and will cooperate with the government to improve the quality of our rice and boost our exports,” he said. “With this agreement, I think we need to have good management of the warehouses and silos because it is very important to maintain the quality of the rice to meet Chinese standards.”
“I do believe that CITIC Construction will build warehouses and silos in line with the needs of the Chinese market,” Mr Saran added.
He said that the country faces a problem to meet the export quota set by China because China only wants to buy good quality rice, conforming to its sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards, and also pricing.
. .
“So, we need to conduct studies on our farming, seeding, storage and milling methods and cooperate with the Chinese to ensure that the whole supply chain meets their market standard,” Mr Saran noted.
In April, China agreed to buy 400,000 tonnes of jasmine, fragrant, and white rice from Cambodia from August 2019 to December 2020, an increase of 300,000 tonnes from last year’s quota.
According to the announcement from the Ministry of Economy & Finance, under the agreement, state-owned Green Trade and Chinese-owned CITIC Construction will jointly build 12 warehouses that can store 827,000 tonnes of rice and 10 silos that can dry some 13,000 tonnes per day.
The warehouses and silos will be built in Pursat, Battambang, Takeo, Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap, Kampong Thom, Kampong Cham, Prey Veng, Kandal, Kampong Speu, and Preah Sihanouk provinces.
Cambodia exported 75,214 metric tonnes of milled rice to China in the first quarter of this year, a 59 percent rise over the same period last year, according to an official report from ministry of agriculture.
China was the biggest buyer of Cambodian rice during the January-March period this year, accounting for 44 percent of the country’s total rice export.
According to the report, Cambodia exported a total of 170,821 tonnes of milled rice in the first three months of this year, up six percent over the same period last year. It showed that the Kingdom exported 51,552 tons of milled rice to the European markets during the period, down 33 percent because European Union tariffs, imposed earlier this year, on rice exports from Cambodia in a bid to curb a surge in rice imports from the Kingdom.
Cambodia produced 10.8 million tonnes of paddy rice last year, up 3.3 percent year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

UK scientists develop drought-tolerant wheat plants

Description: © Tim Scrivener
Scientists have developed wheat plants engineered to better survive drought conditions associated with climate breakdown.
Researchers at the University of Sheffield found that engineering bread wheat to have fewer microscopic spores – called stomata – helps the crop to use water more efficiently, while maintaining yields.
Like most plants, wheat uses stomata to regulate its intake of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis, as well as the release of water vapour. When water is plentiful, stomatal opening helps plants to regulate temperature by evaporative cooling – similar to sweating.
In drought conditions, wheat plants normally close their stomata to slow down water loss – but wheat with fewer stomata has been found to conserve water even better, and can use that water to cool itself.
During the study, published in the Journal of Experimental Botany, the scientists grew wheat in conditions similar to those expected under climate breakdown – with higher levels of carbon dioxide and less water.
Compared with conventional wheat, the engineered plants used less water, while maintaining photosynthesis and yield.
Julie Gray, professor of plant molecular biology at the University of Sheffield’s Institute for Sustainable Food, said: “Wheat is a staple food for millions of people around the world – but as extreme droughts become more frequent, farmers face the prospect of dwindling yields.

Explore moreKnow How

 “Developing wheat that uses water more efficiently will help us to feed our growing population, while using fewer natural resources – making our food systems more resilient in the face of climate breakdown.”

Water scarcity

Agriculture accounts for 80-90% of freshwater use around the world, and on average it takes more than 1,800 litres of water to produce a single kilogramme of wheat.
Yet, as water supplies become scarce and more variable in the face of climate breakdown, farmers will need to produce more food than ever to feed a growing population.
The discovery raises hopes that drought-prone regions, such as Africa, will be more capable of feeding themselves in the future.
The research builds on the institute’s work to develop climate-ready rice, which found rice with fewer stomata used 40% less water than conventional breeds and was able to survive drought and temperatures of 40C.
In a separate study published in Plant, Cell and Environment, scientists at the institute also found that plants engineered to have fewer stomata are less susceptible to diseases. They hope to be able to replicate these findings in crops such as wheat and rice.
Opinion: China eager to take cooperation with Belarus to next level Politics 20.06.2019 | 17:10 fvkoktgm Ambassador Cui Qiming. Archive photo MINSK, 20 June (BelTA) – China is eager to take cooperation with Belarus to the next level, Chinese Ambassador to Belarus Cui Qiming said at a meeting of a debate club in the House of Friendship in Minsk timed to the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the People's Republic of China, BelTA has learned. The ambassador pointed out that China and Belarus have become strategic partners in a lot of areas. “Thanks to personal involvement of China President Xi Jinping and Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko, China-Belarus relations have reached a high level. China is ready to constantly step up friendly cooperation with Belarus in various areas and continue strengthening relations,” Ambassador Cui Qiming said.
The ambassador noted that this year celebrates the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the People's Republic of China. “Since its founding, our country has achieved considerable success in all areas, has begun a new stage of socialism development with Chinese characteristics. We have created an efficient national economy and have reached an unprecedented speed of economic development. China had second-largest GDP in the world in 2018,” Cui Qiming noted. The world has also recognized achievements of Chinese researchers in science and technology. “High-temperature superconductivity, nanotechnology, and other breakthroughs in fundamental science, super hybrid rice, high-performance computers, and other engineering achievements facilitate economic and social development of China,” Cui Qiming said. “Development of the Belt and Road initiative is another step to open China to the world. Since the launch of the initiative, China has been cooperating with other countries including Belarus to facilitate political contacts and free trade, develop economic infrastructure necessary for cooperation. The Belt and Road initiative is not only about economic cooperation. It also aims to improve the global development and governance model and help healthy development of economic globalization,” the ambassador added.
Read full text at: 
https://eng.belta.by/politics/view/opinion-china-eager-to-take-cooperation-with-belarus-to-next-level-122015-2019/
If you use BelTA’s materials, you must credit us with a hyperlink to eng.belta.by.
https://eng.belta.by/politics/view/opinion-china-eager-to-take-cooperation-with-belarus-to-next-level-122015-2019/
 Cambodia, China to jointly build rice warehouses and silos
June 21, 2019
May Kunmakara / Khmer Times

Cambodia and China on Wednesday signed a commercial agreement to boost the production of Cambodian paddy rice and milled rice for export by building 12 warehouses and 10 silos in 11 provinces in a move to boost the country’s rice exports to the Chinese market.
For in depth analysis of Cambodian Business, visit Capital Cambodia
.
The agreement was signed between Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak and Chen Xiaojia, president of China’s CITIC Construction, at the Economy and Finance Ministry.
“The project is designed to help farmers, businessmen and milled rice exporters as well as to support the government’s rice export policy that targets to export 1 million tonnes of milled rice per year by constructing warehouses and silos at the designated areas,” a statement from the Ministry of Economy and Finance said. “At the same time, it also helps to curb the price fluctuation made by the brokers and helps farmers to store their paddy rice longer so that they can sell their paddy in an appropriate price.”
. .
The statement noted that the agreement does not cover rice mills to avoid any competition with local millers.
Song Saran, president of Amru Rice Cambodia, one of the largest rice millers and exporters, welcomed the move saying that it will help to boost the country’s rice storage capacity for export.
“We in the private sector, welcome the move and will cooperate with the government to improve the quality of our rice and boost our exports,” he said. “With this agreement, I think we need to have good management of the warehouses and silos because it is very important to maintain the quality of the rice to meet Chinese standards.”
“I do believe that CITIC Construction will build warehouses and silos in line with the needs of the Chinese market,” Mr Saran added.
He said that the country faces a problem to meet the export quota set by China because China only wants to buy good quality rice, conforming to its sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards, and also pricing.
. .
“So, we need to conduct studies on our farming, seeding, storage and milling methods and cooperate with the Chinese to ensure that the whole supply chain meets their market standard,” Mr Saran noted.
In April, China agreed to buy 400,000 tonnes of jasmine, fragrant, and white rice from Cambodia from August 2019 to December 2020, an increase of 300,000 tonnes from last year’s quota.
According to the announcement from the Ministry of Economy & Finance, under the agreement, state-owned Green Trade and Chinese-owned CITIC Construction will jointly build 12 warehouses that can store 827,000 tonnes of rice and 10 silos that can dry some 13,000 tonnes per day.
The warehouses and silos will be built in Pursat, Battambang, Takeo, Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap, Kampong Thom, Kampong Cham, Prey Veng, Kandal, Kampong Speu, and Preah Sihanouk provinces.
Cambodia exported 75,214 metric tonnes of milled rice to China in the first quarter of this year, a 59 percent rise over the same period last year, according to an official report from ministry of agriculture.
China was the biggest buyer of Cambodian rice during the January-March period this year, accounting for 44 percent of the country’s total rice export.
According to the report, Cambodia exported a total of 170,821 tonnes of milled rice in the first three months of this year, up six percent over the same period last year. It showed that the Kingdom exported 51,552 tons of milled rice to the European markets during the period, down 33 percent because European Union tariffs, imposed earlier this year, on rice exports from Cambodia in a bid to curb a surge in rice imports from the Kingdom.
Cambodia produced 10.8 million tonnes of paddy rice last year, up 3.3 percent year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Agri varsity releases pest-resistant seeds

DECCAN CHRONICLE.
PublishedJun 21, 2019, 12:50 am IST
UpdatedJun 21, 2019, 12:50 am IST
The committee has approved three rice varieties and one each of sorghum, red gram, groundnut, sesame and cotton.
Description: Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University
 Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University
Hyderabad: Eight new varieties of rice, sorghum, red gram, millet and other crops have been developed by Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) and released by State Varietal Release Committee 2019.
The committee has approved three rice varieties and one each of sorghum, red gram, groundnut, sesame and cotton.

Four years ago, 13 high-yielding crops had been developed by the agricultural scientists and now eight new disease resistant, high-yielding crops have been developed.
The earlier varieties of Sona, Bathukamma, and KNM rice, Makka 1 in maize and red and green gram varieties are very popular in TS and adjoining states.
The eight new varieties have been developed after clinical trials. The scientists have found that making the plant disease resistant in terms of bacteria, virus, and damage to the leaves helps to improve the yield of the crops.

Chinese scientists complete chromosome-scale assembly of fall armyworm genome

Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-20 20:52:47|Editor: ZX
KUNMING, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists have announced that they had completed chromosome-scale sequencing and assembly of the genome of an invasive alien species -- spodoptera frugiperda, which is commonly known as fall armyworm, a species that causes heavy damage to crops.
The research was jointly conducted by several organizations including Yunnan Agricultural University, Shenzhen-based BGI (China's top gene-sequencing provider,) the Institute of Zoology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Scientists have assembled two chromosome-scale genomes of the fall armyworm, one male and one female, according to researchers from the Yunnan Agricultural University.
Liu Huan from BGI life science research institute said data related to the raw sequencing and chromosome-level genome assemblies have been uploaded to China National GeneBank and are freely accessible to the world.
Researchers said further population analyses of corn strain and rice strain revealed that the Chinese fall armyworm is most likely invaded from Africa.
Fall armyworms are native to the Americas, but they have been moving eastwards since 2016, sweeping across Africa before arriving in Asia. The pest has wreaked havoc in many countries, leading to a 20-30 percent reduction in corn and sugarcane output in parts of Africa and Asia. Some areas even witnessed complete crop failures.
It has spread across China's southern and southwestern areas since January, affecting farmland in more than 10 provincial-level regions including Yunnan, Guangxi, Guizhou and Henan.
"Preliminary estimates suggest that the armyworms may cause more than 200 million yuan (around 29 million U.S. dollars) of losses in agriculture of Yunnan without any effective control," said Gui Furong, a professor with Yunnan Agricultural University.
However, scientists have now identified effective chemical pesticides, a biopesticide, and several natural enemy insects to manage the spread of fall armyworms.

Cereal grains scientists fight hidden hunger with new approach

AACC INTERNATIONAL
    
Description: IMAGE

IMAGE: GLOBAL DEMAND FOR STAPLE CROPS LIKE MAIZE, WHEAT, AND RICE IS ON THE RISE -- MAKING THESE CROPS IDEAL TARGETS FOR IMPROVING NUTRITION THROUGH BIOFORTIFICATION. BIOFORTIFICATION IS THE PROCESS OF... view more 
CREDIT: N. PALACIOS AND V. GOVINDAN
After a prolonged decline, global hunger is on the rise--affecting more than 820 million individuals in 2017. Additionally, more than 2 billion people suffer from "hidden hunger," which occurs when individuals eat foods that don't provide the nutrients they need to lead healthy, productive lives. Children who suffer from hidden hunger have more difficulty developing to their full mental and physical potential.
Hidden hunger is more prevalent in developing countries that rely heavily on staple crops like wheat, maize, and rice. These populations often do not have access to nutrient-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and fish, and tend to suffer from vitamin A and zinc deficiencies. Vitamin A deficiencies can lead to vision-related disorders, such as corneal scarring and blindness, while zinc deficiencies increase the risk of diarrheal diseases, pneumonia, malaria, and even mortality.
Global demand for staple crops like maize, wheat, and rice is on the rise--making these crops ideal targets for improving nutrition through biofortification. Biofortification is the process of developing micronutrient-dense staple crops by combining traditional breeding practices with modern biotechnology.
Biofortification crop systems are highly sustainable one-time investments--the varieties developed and released will continue to grow annually, even without government attention or external funding, and breeding for higher levels of vitamin A and zinc does not penalize yield. There are currently 290 varieties of 12 biofortified crops, including rice, wheat, maize, that target the low-income households who rely on these staple crops and may suffer from hidden hunger.
"Maize and wheat are excellent targets for biofortification because they are widely cultivated, have wide agroecosystem coverage, are important in diets and trade, have useful native genetic variation for improving micronutrient density in the grain, and have a long history as subjects of breeding and genetic research," according to the authors of "Improving Nutrition through Biofortification: Preharvest and Postharvest Technologies," published in Cereal Foods World.
Organizations such as the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), HarvestPlus, and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture have worked to develop provitamin A-enriched maize varieties and zinc-enriched maize varieties, which have been released in South America and Africa. These organizations have also worked on enhancing levels of iron and zinc in wheat grain, releasing six biofortified wheat varieties in Pakistan and India in recent years.
Nutritional studies have found these biofortified varieties to be effective. A study in India found that young children who ate zinc-biofortified wheat experienced 17% fewer days with pneumonia and 39% fewer days vomiting than those children who ate conventional wheat products. Provitamin A-biofortified maize is a proven source of vitamin A. Additional studies are likely to reveal more positive effects of biofortified staple crops on nutrition.
Biofortification is one way to address hidden hunger, but it is not without challenges. According to the Cereal Foods World article, "To realize their full potential, biofortified maize and wheat varieties must be integrated as a core products in research, policy, and food value chains for these crops, which implies that all participants in the value chain, particularly farmers and consumers, must be convinced of their value."
###
Learn more about this exciting nutritional trend in Cereal Foods World.
Consumer Materials Now Available in Spanish 
By Deborah Willenborg

ARLINGTON, VA -- USA Rice has strengthened its arsenal of consumer resources with the addition of Spanish-translated versions of the popular RD Guide to U.S.-Grown Rice nutrition toolkit and a new recipe brochure.  The Spanish language materials are now available along with the rest of the USA Rice consumer resources collection regularly requested by members, extension agents, educators, nutrition professionals, and others for promotional purposes at events.

"Every time we are able to add new consumer-facing information such as recipe brochures, nutritional information, and infographics, we make strides toward our ultimate goal of increasing consumer awareness and consumption of U.S.-grown rice," said Cameron Jacobs, USA Rice manager of domestic promotion programs.  "The more recipes and resources we get in front of consumers, the more we should see U.S.-grown rice plated and USA Rice positioned as the go-to source for all things rice."
The new recipe brochure titled, "Rice: The Grain to Go With," incorporates Think Rice branding and U.S. rice messaging, and reiterates the theme of rice as the go-to grain for delicious and trendy meals any time of the day.  A major highlight is the versatility of rice across meal parts with recipes that include a Super Foods Bowl, Pesto Chicken & Rice Salad, Rice Pudding Pear Tart, Cheesy Bacon Rice Tots, and Crispy Rice Pot Pie.

The translated RD Guide (see USA Rice Daily, October 19, 2018) will increase exposure and circulation of the nutrition toolkit by reaching Spanish-speaking registered dietitians and consumers.  

"We create these resources on behalf of our members to spread U.S. rice messaging across various audiences," said Jacobs.  "I encourage anyone who is participating in a tradeshow, conference, presentation, or in-store demo to reach out and take the opportunity to utilize these new additions from domestic promotion."

Requests for physical copies of all USA Rice resources can be made by emailing USA Rice.

Market In

S. Korea to provide 50,000 tons of domestic rice to N. Korea via WFP  

Posted on : Jun.20,2019 16:27 KST Modified on : Jun.20,2019 16:27 KST
Unification minister announces plan to provide food aid in press conference in Seoul; suggests additional aid in near future
Description: http://img.hani.co.kr/imgdb/resize/2019/0621/156101557046_20190621.JPG
On June 19, South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul announces the government’s plans to provide 50,000 tons of domestic rice to North Korea through the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) at the Central Government Complex in Seoul. (Noh Ji-won, staff reporter)
The South Korean government plans to provide 50,000 tons of domestic rice as aid to North Korea through the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP).
“Following close discussions with the WFP in light of the North Korean food situation, the government has decided to provide initial support of 50,000 tons of domestic rice to North Korea,” said Minister of Unification Kim Yeon-chul in a press conference at the Central Government Complex in Seoul on the afternoon of June 19.
“The government looks forward to the food provided through the WFP being conveyed to the North Korean people as quickly as possible,” Kim said, adding that the “schedule and scope for additional food aid to North Korea will be decided at a later date after we observe the results of this support.”
First and foremost, the announced measures were intended as a fraternal and humanitarian gesture in response to the North Korean food shortage, which has been characterized as the “worst in the past 10 years” amid a shortfall of anywhere from 1.36 million tons (according to a joint WFP/FAO study) to 1.48 million tons (according to North Korean Ambassador to the UN Kim Song) compared to its needs. They represent a “goodwill pump-priming” measure aimed at ushering inter-Korean relations toward improvement amid their deadlock since the North Korea-US summit in Hanoi.
They are also poised to serve a stepping stone role to minimize the negative impact of a possible long gap between the provision of US$8 million from Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund for WFP and UNICEF nutrition aid and mother-and-child health support projects by WFP and UNICEF – the transfer of which was completed on June 11 – and large-scale direct aid with domestic rice, which has yet to be finalized.
Seoul reportedly decides to provide large-scale direct aid to the North with domestic rice
Internally, the South Korean government has reportedly decided in principle on providing large-scale direct aid to the North with domestic rice. It previously spoke publicly about the possibility of direct aid during an NSC standing committee meeting presided over on May 17 by National Security Office Director Chung Eui-yong.
“Regarding food aid to North Korea, we have decided to examine a specific support plan involving support through an international organization [WFP] or direct support while also amply investigating public opinion,” the government said at the time. While announcing the plans to provide 50,000 tons in domestic rice as aid, Kim Yeon-chul added the word “initial” to describe the support.
The government gave five reasons to justify the need for food aid: “ A food shortage that has been described as the ‘most severe in the past 10 years,’ our inability to ignore the survival struggles experienced by our fellow Koreans in the North, contributing to inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation and restoring homogeneity, unrelatedness to the international community’s sanctions [against North Korea], and contributing to establish trust and a positive atmosphere between North Korea and the US.” In effect, the aid has a multi-purpose function.
The chief reason for the South Korean government adopting the approach of aid through an international agency rather than direct aid for the first time in 12 years has to do with the intensive sanctions in place from the UN and the US and the resulting difficulties in transportation. Because of the large volume, the food aid would have to be transported by sea rather than by land, which would require a decision by the UN Sanctions Committee on North Korea to grant an exception for the vessel in question. The policy determination appears to be that it would relatively easier to clear the sanctions barrier for WFP – a UN-affiliated humanitarian agency that is currently operating in North Korea – than for the South Korean government itself.
Description: http://img.hani.co.kr/imgdb/resize/2019/0621/156101557017_20190621.JPG
Workers pile bags of rice in a North Korean storage facility sponsored by the World Food Programme (WFP) in 2016. (provided by the WFP)
The decision to provide 50,000 tons of domestic rice – as opposed to relatively inexpensive Vietnamese, Thai, or Chinese rice – reflected a combination of policy considerations, with the aim of reducing some of the difficulties for South Korean farmers and agriculture, and political considerations, with the hope of enlisting the tacit support of lawmakers from the Liberty Korea Party and other conservative opposition parties who represent agricultural communities.
Around 1.3 million tons of domestic rice has currently been stockpiled. With annual storage fees amounting to over 480 billion won (US$411.66 million), the result has been a severe waste of money and vocal complaints from farmers. The budget to cover the 50,000 tons in domestic rice aid would be paid by the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund, which is operated by the Ministry of Unification for the unhindered execution of North Korea policy efforts, and the Grain Management Special Account, which is administered by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to support domestic farmers and agriculture – reflecting the project’s status as both aid to North Korea and support for domestic farmers and farming.
Observers are predicting the government will use the aid as a stepping stone toward proceeding with large-scale direct domestic rice aid at an appropriate time in the near future and leveraging that for improvements in inter-Korean relations – including progress on the divided family issue, which is seen as having a major impact on public opinion.
By Lee Je-hun, senior staff writer, and Noh Ji-won, staff reporter
Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]

Karam Shyam clarifies on irregularities of rice distribution
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR
Imphal, June 19 2019: CAF&PD Minister Karam Shyam has conveyed that the State Government makes sure that the distribution of rice to the 60 ACs of Manipur is done on a regular basis through Fair Price Shops (FPS) and that the whole record and utilization certificate of distribution, are well-maintained.

He made the clarification during a press conference at his Old Secretariat office in connection with the claims made by Khurai Kendra MLA L Susindro Meitei on various TV channels on the June 17 that he had already taken 6 months worth of rice for 2017-18 and 2018 -19 and no positive actions have been undertaken even after registering a police complaint by the public.

The Minister also assured that he sincerely feels that NFSA rice items should reach the hand of the deserving citizens of the State and as such, necessary action will be taken up to nab those responsible in case of any leakage, with the help of Pradhans, Zilla Parishads and Councillors.

Talking to media persons, K Shyam explained that the Government made sincere efforts to clear the public dues with a huge sum of Rs 24 crore they received as subsidies from the Centre in 2017-18 and Rs 19 crore and another 5 crore in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

At present, a maximum of 87 percent foodgrains are distributed to the public, he added.

The Minister further elaborated that they had requested the Central Government to review the pending process in the distribution of the Welfare Institute of Hostel Scheme due to the recent election Model Code of Conduct and communication lapse.

Stating that the scarcity of local foodgrains is mainly due to floods and insecticides attack, he said that such grains are not priced below Rs 40 in any State of the country.

They are mostly sold in the price range of Rs 40-50 in the market, he said.

The Minister also assured that they will pressure the Centre to make the food grains available at minimum support rates (i.e.Rs 24.76 per kg) after discussion with related officials and work towards minimizing the burden on the public.

CAF&PD Commissioner Bobby Waikhom, Director Ranjan Yumnam and other officials were also present at the press conference.
http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=18..200619.jun19

Consumer Materials Now Available in Spanish

Arroz is arroz is arroz
Jun 20, 2019
ARLINGTON, VA -- USA Rice has strengthened its arsenal of consumer resources with the addition of Spanish-translated versions of the popular RD Guide to U.S.-Grown Rice nutrition toolkit and a new recipe brochure.  The Spanish language materials are now available along with the rest of the USA Rice consumer resources collection regularly requested by members, extension agents, educators, nutrition professionals, and others for promotional purposes at events.

“Every time we are able to add new consumer-facing information such as recipe brochures, nutritional information, and infographics, we make strides toward our ultimate goal of increasing consumer awareness and consumption of U.S.-grown rice,” said Cameron Jacobs, USA Rice manager of domestic promotion programs.  “The more recipes and resources we get in front of consumers, the more we should see U.S.-grown rice plated and USA Rice positioned as the go-to source for all things rice.”

The new recipe brochure titled, “Rice: The Grain to Go With,” incorporates Think Rice branding and U.S. rice messaging, and reiterates the theme of rice as the go-to grain for delicious and trendy meals any time of the day.  A major highlight is the versatility of rice across meal parts with recipes that include a Super Foods Bowl, Pesto Chicken & Rice Salad, Rice Pudding Pear Tart, Cheesy Bacon Rice Tots, and Crispy Rice Pot Pie.

The translated RD Guide (see 
USA Rice Daily, October 19, 2018) will increase exposure and circulation of the nutrition toolkit by reaching Spanish-speaking registered dietitians and consumers. 

“We create these resources on behalf of our members to spread U.S. rice messaging across various audiences,” said Jacobs.  “I encourage anyone who is participating in a tradeshow, conference, presentation, or in-store demo to reach out and take the opportunity to utilize these new additions from domestic promotion.”

Requests for physical copies of all USA Rice resources can be made by emailing 
USA Rice.

Why We Need To Talk About Microbes And Climate

Sea ice in Antarctica showing a brown layer of algae. Credit: Rick Cavicchioli, UNSW Sydney
We may refer to Earth as “our planet,” but it really belongs to the microbes. All the plants and animals on Earth are relatively new additions to the planetary ecosystem. But despite living basically everywhere on the planet, and playing a role in many of the processes that affect the climate, the connection between microbes and the climate is often ignored.
That needs to change, says a consensus statement published this week by researchers in the journal Nature Reviews: Microbiology.
Take the issue of methane emissions from agriculture, particularly beef production. “The methane doesn’t come from the cows,” said David Mark Welch, director of the Division of Research at the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole. “It comes from microbes in the cows.” In a similar way, emissions coming from rice paddies aren’t caused by the rice—they are caused by microbes living in stagnant water around the rice.
David Mark Welch, one of the co-authors of the consensus statement, joins Ira to discuss the deep connections between microorganisms and the climate, and why scientists and policymakers should pay more attention to microbes in the climate arena.

Revival of basmati brand: Rice exporters seek government’s help to develop
Revival of basmati brand: Rice exporters seek government’s help to develop Kalar Belt Rice exporters sought the government's assistance to develop Kalar Belt to produce more of the crop to help the country grow the commodity export to $5 billion annually, as Federal Economic Adviser, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, has affirmed his support to the sector. A meeting on Thursday with Hafeez Shaikh, convener FPCCI Standing Committee on Rice, Rafique Suleman sought a certain help from the government to develop Kalar Belt in a bid to revive the basmati brand. Rafiq Suleman, who is also the former Chairman of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap), said that the basmati has the potential to fetch alone $2 billion, as its existing export stands at $750 million. He told the adviser that the export of rice is over $2 billion a year, which makes it second largest sector following hosiery sector's export, saying that it, however, showed restrained while reacting on fiscal budget 2019-20. Advising to the exporting sectors, he said that business community should act responsibly and shun escalating the negativity on the country's already ailing economy.
"While we have our reservations the rice export sector represented by Reap continues to work on possible solutions which should come out as a win-win solution for rice sector and the government," the convener of the FPCCI Standing Committee on Rice said, showing a full trust and faith in the PTI's government and its Mincom Team and Finance Team. He hoped the government's endeavor will help it succeed against all the economic challenges. Showing satisfaction, Rafiq Suleman said that the Mincom and Hafiz Shaikh with his team are making headways to stabilize the economy through multiple PTAs and FTAs with different nations.
"PTAs and FTAs with Indonesia and China have immediately starting bearing results," he said, adding that in the long-run, the efforts of Mincom will start yielding results in a span of three years. However, he asked the Mincom to set up a stage for fair-play for all private sectors through correct policy decisions in consultation with the Federal Finance Ministry. He also demanded of the government to set up technical institutes on a full time basis to equip manpower with skills through professionals.
He said that the private sectors should remain only as consultative bodies to extend their feedback and advisories to the government in this connection. The former Reap head also highlighted the energy crisis in the meeting that the rice producing sector is faced with, saying that "this remains the most neglected area by all governments including the incumbent PTI one". He said that from a small rice miller in Gujranwala to those endeavoring in Shadadkot and Larkana are faced with extremely poor supplies of utilities and this continues to grip the entire agriculture value chain of the country. He said that the agriculture value chain continues to face the pre-and-post harvest losses between 3 times and 10 times. He demanded of the government to step up working on a war footing to revive the basmati heritage, saying that the development of Kalar Belt is expected to grow the country's export of this variety of rice to $2 billion from $750 million at present. "We are glad both Federal and Provincial Departments have given positive response and implementation has already started," he added. Showing disappointment, he said that the 80 percent of the KPT and PQA infrastructure is focused on import oriented as the exports suffer from lack of a priority.
 He said that the Ports and Shipping Ministry needs to work close with the Mincom to ensure the priority for exports in every planning that it undertakes. He said that all the country's container terminals operating with the world class infrastructure has brought excessive costs to trade in general and exports in particular. The Federal Finance Ministry, Mincom and Ports and Shipping should review all the existing agreements with the container terminals since the exorbitant tariffs they charge to have been hurting trade and the economy, Rafique Suleman said. He also recommended to Hafeez Shaikh to have the federal government to work with the provincial governments to promote agri-clusters to ensure developing plug and play facility for the stakeholders.
He also pleaded to the associations protesting against the budget announcements, saying that such an act is self-destructive to the businesses and exports besides to the country's economy. "I request all our business association brothers to please stop publicly issuing statements against the government or budget 2019-20 as it only causes more uncertainties and damage the market, which brings more loss to the business and economy as well," Rafique Suleman added.

JUNE 20, 2019 / 10:24 AM

S.Korea buys 20,000 T of rice for July-Aug arrival

    SEOUL, June 20 (Reuters) - South Korea bought 20,000 tonnes
of non-glutinous brown rice for arrival between July and August
via a tender that closed on Monday, state-run Korea
Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp said on its website (www.at.or.kr).
 
    Details of the purchase are as follows:
    TONNES(M/T)   SUPPLIER             ORIGIN   PRICE($/T)     
        20,000    Posco International  China    $759.68
    
    *Note: The rice produces will arrive at the port of Gunsan. 
 
 (Reporting By Jane Chung; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
  

A program for Filipino rice farmers, consumers

Published 
Many have long  wondered  why  we cannot meet the rice needs of our own people, why we have to import  from Vietnam and Thailand hundreds of thousands of metric tons a year.
The answer is that it costs an average of P12 to produce a kilo of  palay in the Philippines; it only costs half that much, P6, in Vietnam.  The big difference is largely due to mechanization, which has drastically reduced  labor  costs  in Vietnam and  Thailand.
Sen.  Cynthia  Villar, chairman of the Senate Committee on  Agriculture, told a forum of the Philippine Chamber of  Commerce and Industry last Friday that another reason for low Philippine rice production  is the continuing reliance of Filipino farmers on low-yielding  traditional rice varieties.
Our scientists in the Philippine Rice Research  Institute  have developed new rice varieties that are resistant to diseases, to drought,  and to flooding, and  produce  greater harvests, but their findings have not  reached down to the level of  most  Filipino  farmers.
Some years ago, Secretary of Agriculture Emmanuel  Pinol  said his department’s efforts to modernize Philippine agriculture were held back by inadequate government  funding.
Rice is at the center of  life  among Filipinos.  When prices started shooting up last year, with inflation reaching  6.7 percent in September, the government stopped  the rise in market prices by ensuring  adequate supplies  of  rice at low prices through the Rice Tariffication Law. Former import restrictions were  abolished  and  all importations, mostly from Vietnam and Thailand, were allowed as long as they paid proper tariffs.
Unfortunately,  however,  while that law ensured  an adequate supply  of imported rice for consumers, it was at the expense of local farmers.
In  the remaining years of the Duterte administration, we urge that the Philippine rice production be given the full  support  it  needs –  widespread  distribution  of high-yielding rice varieties to our farmers,  increased mechanization to bring down labor costs, wider use of irrigation to reduce dependence on rain water,  and  organizing  the farmers and giving them  the needed  financial support and helping them  in their marketing.
Senator  Villar  can play a big role in this total effort by getting the Senate to enact more laws to provide more  funding for agriculture. The administration  itself should see that while “Build, Build, Build” will push  the overall national economic development program,  a “Plant, Plant, Plant” program focused on rice will benefit  Filipino farmers and the masses of rice-eating Filipinos.

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- JUNE 21, 2019

JUNE 21, 2019

* * * * * *

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-June 21, 2018 Nagpur, June 21 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices firmed up again in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) on good seasonal demand from local millers amid tight supply from producing regions. Reports about delay in monsoon arrival in the regions, fresh hike on NCDEX and good recovery in Madhya Pradesh pulses also helped to push up prices. About 800 bags of gram and 250 bags of tuar reported for auction, according to sources.

GRAM

* Desi gram reported higher in open market on good buying support from local traders.

TUAR

* Tuar varieties ruled steady in open market here but demand was poor.

* Wheat mill quality reported down in open market on lack of demand from local

traders amid good supply from producing belts.

* In Akola, Tuar New – 5,900-6,100, Tuar dal (clean) – 8,400-8,600, Udid Mogar (clean)

– 6,700-7,600, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,700-8,400, Gram – 4,500-4,600, Gram Super best

– 6,200-6,400 * Wheat, rice and other foodgrain items moved in a narrow range in

scattered deals and settled at last levels in thin trading activity.

Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg

FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close

Gram Auction 4,000-4,215 3,900-4,180

Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600

Tuar Auction 5,000-5,585 5,000-5,550

Moong Auction n.a. 3,950-4,200

Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500

Masoor Auction n.a. 2,200-2,500

Wheat Lokwan Auction 1,850-1,948 1,800-1,895

Wheat Sharbati Auction n.a. 2,900-3,000

Gram Super Best Bold 6,400-6,600 6,400-6,600

Gram Super Best n.a. n.a.

Gram Medium Best 6,000-6,200 6,000-6,200

Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a

Gram Mill Quality 4,300-4,400 4,300-4,400

Desi gram Raw 4,450-4,550 4,400-4,500

Gram Kabuli 8,300-10,000 8,300-10,000

Tuar Fataka Best-New 8,700-8,800 8,700-8,800

Tuar Fataka Medium-New 8,300-8,500 8,300-8,500

Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 8,000-8,200 8,000-8,200

Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 7,500-7,800 7,500-7,800

Tuar Gavarani New 5,750-5,950 5,750-5,950

Tuar Karnataka 6,050-6,250 6,100-6,300

Masoor dal best 5,400-5,600 5,400-5,600

Masoor dal medium 5,200-5,300 5,200-5,300

Masoor n.a. n.a.

Moong Mogar bold (New) 7,800-8,500 7,800-8,500

Moong Mogar Medium 6,800-7,200 6,800-7,200

Moong dal Chilka New 6,500-7,600 6,500-7,600

Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.

Moong Chamki best 8,000-9,000 8,100-9,000

Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 7,000-7,800 7,000-7,800

Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,600-6,500 5,600-6,500

Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 4,000-4,400 4,000-4,400

Mot (100 INR/KG) 5,100-6,600 5,100-6,600

Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 4,800-5,000 4,800-5,000

Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 5,400-5,600 5,400-5,600

Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 6,700-6,900 6,700-6,900

Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,200 2,100-2,200

Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,100 2,100-2,200

Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600

Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,500 2,400-2,500

Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,300 2,200-2,300

Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.

MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,600 3,000-3,600

MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,700-2,900 2,700-2,900

Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,200 2,100-2,200

Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,500 3,100-3,500

Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,900 2,500-3,000

Rice BPT new (100 INR/KG) 2,800-3,200 2,800-3,200

Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,000 2,900-3,000

Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,700 2,500-2,700

Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,400 2,300-2,400

Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 4,100-4,600 4,100-4,600

Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,600-3,900 3,600-3,900

Rice HMT New (100 INR/KG) 4,000-4,400 4,000-4,400

Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG) 5,600-5,800 5,600-5,800

Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 4,600-5,000 4,600-5,000

Rice Shriram New (100 INR/KG) 5,000-5,500 5,000-5,500

Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 8,500-13,500 8,500-13,500

Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,000-7,000 5,000-7,000

Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 6,500-7,200 6,500-7,200

Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 6,200-6,400 6,200-6,400

Rice Chinnor New (100 INR/KG) 4,800-5,000 4,800-5,000

Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,350-2,550 2,350-2,550

Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 2,050-2,250 2,050-2,250 WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 40.6 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 26.1 degree Celsius Rainfall : Nil FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. One or two spells of rains or thunder-showers likely. Maximum and minimum temperature likely to be around 40 degree Celsius and 26 degree Celsius respectively. Note: n.a.—not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices)
RPT-Asia Rice-Demand lulls in top hubs; Bangladesh hopes for a deal with Philippines
JUNE 21, 2019
Diptendu Lahiri

(Repeats Thursday’s story with no changes to the text)

* Indian prices rise to $367-$370/tonne vs $365-$367 last week

* Bangladesh may export 200,000-300,000 T to Philippines-minister

* Thai baht hits near 6-year high, dampening rice demand

* Vietnam rates down with abundant supplies from ongoing harvest

By Diptendu Lahiri

BENGALURU, June 20 (Reuters) - Export prices for Indian rice edged up this week on the back of an appreciation in the rupee even as demand was lacklustre in most exporting centres, while Bangladeshi traders looked for an export deal with the Philippines.

For top rice exporter India, prices for the 5% broken parboiled variety RI-INBKN5-P1 were quoted around $367-$370 per tonne this week, up from last week’s $365-$367.

Export demand is weak and unlikely to revive in the next few weeks unless prices correct, said one exporter based at Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

In neighbouring Bangladesh, traders are in talks with the Philippines to strike a deal for rice exports, the country’s agriculture minister Abdur Razzak said earlier this week.

The South Asian country could export 200,000 tonnes to 300,000 tonnes of rice to the Philippines, he added.

Bangladesh, which usually produces parboiled rice, has lifted its long-standing ban on rice exports, hoping to sell as much as 1.5 million tonnes to support farmers after a sharp drop in prices.

However, it still finds it difficult to export rice even after a fall in domestic prices, given the produce is more expensive than in India and Thailand.

In Thailand, the world’s second largest rice exporter, prices widened to $390-$407 a tonne on Thursday, free on board Bangkok (FOB), from $393-$404 a tonne last week.

Traders say the increase in prices can be attributed to a seasonal decline in rice supply.

“It is normal that the price increases during the rainy season, there is less supply and the logistic cost is higher,” a Bangkok-based rice trader said.

Thailand’s baht, which hit its highest in nearly six years against the U.S. dollar on Thursday, is also boosting prices for the staple, which continue to dampen demand for Thai rice.

“Demand has been flat since the start of the year and exporters are only selling to their usual customers,” another Bangkok-based rice trader said.

“Supply will continue to decline through the rainy season until at least August, when a new batch of rice will enter the market.”

Demand was uninspiring in Vietnam as well, where rates for the 5% broken rice variety RI-VNBKN5-P1 fell to $340-$345 a tonne on Thursday from $345-$350 last week, traders said.

“Trading activities are quiet this week on lacklustre demand, though supplies from the ongoing summer-autumn harvest are abundant,” a trader based in Ho Chi Minh City said.

Traders said the harvest will end in two to three weeks. (Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um in Bangkok, Khanh Vu in Hanoi, Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai, Ruma Paul in Dhaka; Additional reporting by Swati Verma; Editing by Jan Harvey)

 

Cambodia awards Chinese firm to build rice warehouses, drying machines in 11 provinces

Source: Xinhua| 2019-06-20 22:39:33|Editor: yan
PHNOM PENH, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Thursday awarded China's state-owned CITIC Construction, to build rice warehouses and drying machines in 11 provinces, according to a statement from the country's Ministry of Economy and Finance.
The Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract was inked here between Cambodian Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak and CITIC Construction's Chairman Chen Xiaojia, the statement said.
The project is made possible under the concessional loan from the Chinese government, it said.
Under the contract, the Chinse firm would construct 12 rice storage facilities with a total capacity of 827,000 tons and 10 rice drying machines with a total capacity of 13,000 tons per day in 11 Cambodian provinces, the statement said.
Those provinces include Pursat, Battambang, Takeo, Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap, Kampong Thom, Kampong Cham, Prey Veng, Kandal, Kampong Speu, and Preah Sihanouk, it said.
"With this project, the government hopes that Cambodia will have enough capacity to increase its rice export to the international markets and to enhance Cambodian rice's reputation," the statement said.
It added that the construction of rice warehouses and drying machines would help Cambodia to achieve its target of exporting at least one million tons of milled rice a year in the future.
Cambodia exported a total of 250,172 tons of milled rice in the first five months of 2019, in which 109,234 tons, or 43.6 percent, were shipped to China, according to Cambodian government data.
The Southeast Asian country produced 10.8 million tons of paddy rice last year, up 3.3 percent year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

A program for Filipino rice farmers, consumers

June 20, 2019, 12:50 AM
Many have long  wondered  why  we cannot meet the rice needs of our own people, why we have to import  from Vietnam and Thailand hundreds of thousands of metric tons a year.
The answer is that it costs an average of P12 to produce a kilo of  palay in the Philippines; it only costs half that much, P6, in Vietnam.  The big difference is largely due to mechanization, which has drastically reduced  labor  costs  in Vietnam and  Thailand.
Sen.  Cynthia  Villar, chairman of the Senate Committee on  Agriculture, told a forum of the Philippine Chamber of  Commerce and Industry last Friday that another reason for low Philippine rice production  is the continuing reliance of Filipino farmers on low-yielding  traditional rice varieties.
Our scientists in the Philippine Rice Research  Institute  have developed new rice varieties that are resistant to diseases, to drought,  and to flooding, and  produce  greater harvests, but their findings have not  reached down to the level of  most  Filipino  farmers.
Some years ago, Secretary of Agriculture Emmanuel  Pinol  said his department’s efforts to modernize Philippine agriculture were held back by inadequate government  funding.
Rice is at the center of  life  among Filipinos.  When prices started shooting up last year, with inflation reaching  6.7 percent in September, the government stopped  the rise in market prices by ensuring  adequate supplies  of  rice at low prices through the Rice Tariffication Law. Former import restrictions were  abolished  and  all importations, mostly from Vietnam and Thailand, were allowed as long as they paid proper tariffs.
Unfortunately,  however,  while that law ensured  an adequate supply  of imported rice for consumers, it was at the expense of local farmers.
In  the remaining years of the Duterte administration, we urge that the Philippine rice production be given the full  support  it  needs –  widespread  distribution  of high-yielding rice varieties to our farmers,  increased mechanization to bring down labor costs, wider use of irrigation to reduce dependence on rain water,  and  organizing  the farmers and giving them  the needed  financial support and helping them  in their marketing.
Senator  Villar  can play a big role in this total effort by getting the Senate to enact more laws to provide more  funding for agriculture. The administration  itself should see that while “Build, Build, Build” will push  the overall national economic development program,  a “Plant, Plant, Plant” program focused on rice will benefit  Filipino farmers and the masses of rice-eating Filipinos.