Punjab Minister for Management and
Professional Development (MPD) has called upon the research institutes in the
public sector to put in more efforts for improving the rice production in the
province, which is lagging behind as compared to many other countries.
He was speaking at a seminar titled "Khushal Kissan" organized by the Pakistan Basmati Heritage Foundation (PBHF) and convened by Galaxy Rice (Pvt) at Kabir Wala District Khanewal.
More than 1000 rice farmers attended the event aimed at improving Basmati rice production by providing technical and marketing support to ensure sustainable rice production and resource efficiency in Pakistan.
Key members of PBHF like Shoaib Zahid Malik, Sheikh Adnan Aslam, Dr Muhammad Athar, Dr Javed Arshad and Raja Arsalan participated in seminar. Imran Sheikh, National Coordinator PBHF moderated the event.
The minister took farmers in to confidence about the initiatives being taken by the government for rice sector. He said that a huge sum of Rs 6327 million rupees would be spent on promoting mechanization in this sector in Punjab for increasing the per acre productivity.
He also appreciated the PBHF platform and its efforts for the revival of basmati rice.
Shahid Hussain Tarar, Convener PBHF shared the vision of Pakistan Basmati Heritage Foundation regarding promotion of basmati rice. He said that Pakistan is lagging behind not only in yield of basmati rice but our rising cost of production from other rice producing countries is a major challenge.
Dr Anjum Ali Buttar, DG Agri (Extension) Punjab threw light on ongoing extension projects in the province while DG Pest Warning and Quality Control, Zafar Yab Haider Naqvi shared the strategies for controlling pests and responsible use of pesticides for increasing rice exports from Pakistan.
Safdar Hussain Mekhari, Chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan explained the road map for doubling rice export of Pakistan. He shared the expectations of PBHF from basmati growers and discussed the challenges in export of basmati rice.
Dr Muhammad Sabir, Director RRI KSK shared about introduction of the new basmati rice varieties with high yield and disease resistance and conveyed message to the rice farmers to adopt advance rice transplanting technique like mechanical transplanting and use specialized rice harvesters for minimizing harvest losses and avoiding smog.
Dr Asif Ali Khan, Vice Chancellor MNS University Multan elaborated the role of academia in transforming agriculture sector.
Leading input supplier companies and manufacturers including Chinese firms and Agri Machinery Research Institute (AMRI) established their stalls for the awareness and education and got great attention and interest from rice farmers.
He was speaking at a seminar titled "Khushal Kissan" organized by the Pakistan Basmati Heritage Foundation (PBHF) and convened by Galaxy Rice (Pvt) at Kabir Wala District Khanewal.
More than 1000 rice farmers attended the event aimed at improving Basmati rice production by providing technical and marketing support to ensure sustainable rice production and resource efficiency in Pakistan.
Key members of PBHF like Shoaib Zahid Malik, Sheikh Adnan Aslam, Dr Muhammad Athar, Dr Javed Arshad and Raja Arsalan participated in seminar. Imran Sheikh, National Coordinator PBHF moderated the event.
The minister took farmers in to confidence about the initiatives being taken by the government for rice sector. He said that a huge sum of Rs 6327 million rupees would be spent on promoting mechanization in this sector in Punjab for increasing the per acre productivity.
He also appreciated the PBHF platform and its efforts for the revival of basmati rice.
Shahid Hussain Tarar, Convener PBHF shared the vision of Pakistan Basmati Heritage Foundation regarding promotion of basmati rice. He said that Pakistan is lagging behind not only in yield of basmati rice but our rising cost of production from other rice producing countries is a major challenge.
Dr Anjum Ali Buttar, DG Agri (Extension) Punjab threw light on ongoing extension projects in the province while DG Pest Warning and Quality Control, Zafar Yab Haider Naqvi shared the strategies for controlling pests and responsible use of pesticides for increasing rice exports from Pakistan.
Safdar Hussain Mekhari, Chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan explained the road map for doubling rice export of Pakistan. He shared the expectations of PBHF from basmati growers and discussed the challenges in export of basmati rice.
Dr Muhammad Sabir, Director RRI KSK shared about introduction of the new basmati rice varieties with high yield and disease resistance and conveyed message to the rice farmers to adopt advance rice transplanting technique like mechanical transplanting and use specialized rice harvesters for minimizing harvest losses and avoiding smog.
Dr Asif Ali Khan, Vice Chancellor MNS University Multan elaborated the role of academia in transforming agriculture sector.
Leading input supplier companies and manufacturers including Chinese firms and Agri Machinery Research Institute (AMRI) established their stalls for the awareness and education and got great attention and interest from rice farmers.
Japanese company to build factory on
low-protein rice tech in Tarlac
TARLAC CITY,
Sept.28 (PIA) -- Biotech Japan Corporation (BTJ) will build a new factory for
its low-protein rice technology in Tarlac.
This is part
of its move to help the Philippines address its growing chronic kidney diseases
(CKD) health burden while also supporting the rice production initiatives of
the province.
"The
company has introduced its low protein rice technology to countries like the
Philippines to help delay progression of CKD and decrease the costs of medical
treatments of these patients," Japan International Cooperation Agency
(JICA) Philippines Project Formulation Advisor Yukinori Watanabe said.
In the
Philippines, CKD is a growing health burden with some 23,000 Filipinos
receiving dialysis treatments in 2013. This is four times higher than the
figure of CKD patients in 2004.
BTJ's
business in the Philippines is also a result of the Partnership with Japanese
Private Sector initiative of JICA where Japanese companies collaborate to share
their innovations towards addressing development issues in JICA partner
countries. BTJ was part of the program from 2016 to 2017, and has established
its first factory in Batangas in 2018.
"Japanese
private sector possesses technological innovations and human resources that can
have positive impact on the welfare of people in our partner countries. Through
this program, JICA welcomed the sharing of this innovation of low protein rice
technology to address one of Philippines' health burdens. It's also a win-win
partnership between JICA and the Philippines since the program will also
support business expansion of Japanese companies, while also making a social
impact in a partner country," Watanabe added.
The BTJ
project in Tarlac, set to commence operations in mid-2020, will have 20,000
rice packs production capacity per day and is part of the province's Rice
Revolution 21 program that aims to develop the province's rice supply chain.
Aside from
JICA, BTJ's initiative in the Philippines is also in partnership with the
Yuchengco Group, the Philippine Rice Research Institute and the Food and
Nutrition Research Institute of Department of Science and Technology.
"The
JICA support gave us the opportunity to explore business in the Philippines.
Since JICA has been supporting development cooperation projects here for many years,
being part of the JICA program also means the Filipinos can trust us and the
program gives us the chance to work with different Philippine
organizations," BTJ Philippines President Kiyosada Egawa said.
JICA's
Partnership with the Japanese Private Sector Program began in 2012 and has
since enabled technology transfer, human resource development, and job creation
in different parts of the Philippines.
Aside from
BTJ, there are currently 17 Japanese companies supporting various development
areas in the Philippines under this program. (CLJD-PIA 3)
The Ministry of Finance Friday claimed that
macro adjustment policies such as monetary tightening, exchange rate
adjustments and cuts in development spending have started paying the desired
results with stability and growing strength visible in many sectors of the economy.
In a detailed statement, the ministry has pointed out that the current account
deficit declined significantly by 32.1 percent to US$ 13.508 billion (4.8
percent of GDP) during FY2019 as compared to US$ 19.897 billion (6.3 percent of
GDP), which widened by 57.6 percent in last year. This trend continued during
July-August FY2020: current account deficit reduced by 54.7 percent to US$
1.292 billion as compared to US$ 2.85 billion during the same period of last
year.
Exports Pakistan's exports during FY2019 stood at US$ 22.979 billion compared with US$ 23.212 billion during FY2018. During the period under review, strong negative price effect dominates the positive quantity effect, hence exports declined by 1 percent. During July-August FY2020, exports increased by 2.79 percent to US$ 3.753 billion against US$ 3.651 billion in last year.
According to merchandise trade on disaggregated level, textile exports increased by 2.3 percent in value over the last year. This sector constitutes more than 60 percent share of total exports. Value-added exports of textile items like knitwear which comprises 14.4 percent of total exports increased both in quantity and value by 10.7 and 12.8 percent, respectively. Readymade garments constituting the share of 12.5 percent in exports increased both in quantity and value by 34.6 and 7.5 percent, respectively. Value-added exports increased due to growing demand and improvement in export competitiveness after exchange rate adjustment. Bedwear with a share of 10.7 percent in exports, increased both in quantity and in value by 20.4 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively.
Food group, which has a 17.3 percent share in exports, increased in value by 17.3 percent of which rice with considerable share of 8.9 percent in exports increased in both quantity and value by 47.6 and 48.6 percent, respectively. Basmati rice registered a growth in both quantity and value by 49.8 and 32.8 percent, respectively. Others: rice also increased both in quantity and value by 61.9 and 47.9 percent, respectively.
Imports Pakistan's imports during FY2019 stood at US$ 54.799 billion compared with US$ 60.795 billion in FY2018. The impact of stabilization efforts brings about a decline of 9.86 percent in imports in FY2019. During July-August FY2020, imports decreased by 21.41 percent to US$ 7.677 billion against US$ 9.769 billion in the same period of last year.
The present government imposed up to 60 percent regulatory duties on 570 luxury and non- essential imported goods to curtail rising imports.
The analysis of merchandise import data suggests that the import of Machinery group having a share of 22.4 percent in total imports, increased by 8.2 percent. This signifies an impressive picture ahead in terms of dwindling situation of LSM. Textile machinery, Telecom machinery and Electrical Machinery imports increased by 17.3, 11.1 and 20.3 percent, respectively. Other machinery increased by 20.1 percent.
Food group, which constitutes 9.1 percent of total imports, registered a decline of 26.8 percent during July-August FY2020. Minor and major crops of domestic agriculture have been improved during the current fiscal year which has lessened the dependency on imported food. Among the food group, the tea imports decreased in both quantity and value by 26.8 percent and 35.4 percent, respectively. The palm oil decreased in both quantity and value by 14.1 percent and 29.8 percent, respectively.
Remittances On the back of initiatives taken by the government, workers' remittances surpass the target of US$ 21.2 billion in FY2019 which increased by 9.7 percent to US$ 21.846 billion during FY2019. Although remittances during first two months of FY2020 declined. However, the ongoing scenario of overseas employment will be helpful in achieving remittances target this year.
According to overseas employment statistics, 373,000 of people went abroad during the first eight months of 2019. Whereas total 380,000 persons were registered as overseas employed in the whole year 2018. This will positively impact foreign exchange inflows in terms of remittances.
Further, Pakistan Remittance Initiative (PRI) has intensified its efforts by launching campaigns in local and destination specific foreign media to encourage overseas Pakistanis to remit through legal means. Moreover, PRI facilitated local exchange companies to increase their tie-ups with the international money transfer operators. This may be supporting the higher remittances inflows in the ongoing fiscal year.-PR
Exports Pakistan's exports during FY2019 stood at US$ 22.979 billion compared with US$ 23.212 billion during FY2018. During the period under review, strong negative price effect dominates the positive quantity effect, hence exports declined by 1 percent. During July-August FY2020, exports increased by 2.79 percent to US$ 3.753 billion against US$ 3.651 billion in last year.
According to merchandise trade on disaggregated level, textile exports increased by 2.3 percent in value over the last year. This sector constitutes more than 60 percent share of total exports. Value-added exports of textile items like knitwear which comprises 14.4 percent of total exports increased both in quantity and value by 10.7 and 12.8 percent, respectively. Readymade garments constituting the share of 12.5 percent in exports increased both in quantity and value by 34.6 and 7.5 percent, respectively. Value-added exports increased due to growing demand and improvement in export competitiveness after exchange rate adjustment. Bedwear with a share of 10.7 percent in exports, increased both in quantity and in value by 20.4 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively.
Food group, which has a 17.3 percent share in exports, increased in value by 17.3 percent of which rice with considerable share of 8.9 percent in exports increased in both quantity and value by 47.6 and 48.6 percent, respectively. Basmati rice registered a growth in both quantity and value by 49.8 and 32.8 percent, respectively. Others: rice also increased both in quantity and value by 61.9 and 47.9 percent, respectively.
Imports Pakistan's imports during FY2019 stood at US$ 54.799 billion compared with US$ 60.795 billion in FY2018. The impact of stabilization efforts brings about a decline of 9.86 percent in imports in FY2019. During July-August FY2020, imports decreased by 21.41 percent to US$ 7.677 billion against US$ 9.769 billion in the same period of last year.
The present government imposed up to 60 percent regulatory duties on 570 luxury and non- essential imported goods to curtail rising imports.
The analysis of merchandise import data suggests that the import of Machinery group having a share of 22.4 percent in total imports, increased by 8.2 percent. This signifies an impressive picture ahead in terms of dwindling situation of LSM. Textile machinery, Telecom machinery and Electrical Machinery imports increased by 17.3, 11.1 and 20.3 percent, respectively. Other machinery increased by 20.1 percent.
Food group, which constitutes 9.1 percent of total imports, registered a decline of 26.8 percent during July-August FY2020. Minor and major crops of domestic agriculture have been improved during the current fiscal year which has lessened the dependency on imported food. Among the food group, the tea imports decreased in both quantity and value by 26.8 percent and 35.4 percent, respectively. The palm oil decreased in both quantity and value by 14.1 percent and 29.8 percent, respectively.
Remittances On the back of initiatives taken by the government, workers' remittances surpass the target of US$ 21.2 billion in FY2019 which increased by 9.7 percent to US$ 21.846 billion during FY2019. Although remittances during first two months of FY2020 declined. However, the ongoing scenario of overseas employment will be helpful in achieving remittances target this year.
According to overseas employment statistics, 373,000 of people went abroad during the first eight months of 2019. Whereas total 380,000 persons were registered as overseas employed in the whole year 2018. This will positively impact foreign exchange inflows in terms of remittances.
Further, Pakistan Remittance Initiative (PRI) has intensified its efforts by launching campaigns in local and destination specific foreign media to encourage overseas Pakistanis to remit through legal means. Moreover, PRI facilitated local exchange companies to increase their tie-ups with the international money transfer operators. This may be supporting the higher remittances inflows in the ongoing fiscal year.-PR
Punjab Minister for Management and Professional
Development (MPD) has called upon the research institutes in the public sector
to put in more efforts for improving the rice production in the province, which
is lagging behind as compared to many other countries.
He was speaking at a seminar titled "Khushal Kissan" organized by the Pakistan Basmati Heritage Foundation (PBHF) and convened by Galaxy Rice (Pvt) at Kabir Wala District Khanewal.
More than 1000 rice farmers attended the event aimed at improving Basmati rice production by providing technical and marketing support to ensure sustainable rice production and resource efficiency in Pakistan.
Key members of PBHF like Shoaib Zahid Malik, Sheikh Adnan Aslam, Dr Muhammad Athar, Dr Javed Arshad and Raja Arsalan participated in seminar. Imran Sheikh, National Coordinator PBHF moderated the event.
The minister took farmers in to confidence about the initiatives being taken by the government for rice sector. He said that a huge sum of Rs 6327 million rupees would be spent on promoting mechanization in this sector in Punjab for increasing the per acre productivity.
He also appreciated the PBHF platform and its efforts for the revival of basmati rice.
Shahid Hussain Tarar, Convener PBHF shared the vision of Pakistan Basmati Heritage Foundation regarding promotion of basmati rice. He said that Pakistan is lagging behind not only in yield of basmati rice but our rising cost of production from other rice producing countries is a major challenge.
Dr Anjum Ali Buttar, DG Agri (Extension) Punjab threw light on ongoing extension projects in the province while DG Pest Warning and Quality Control, Zafar Yab Haider Naqvi shared the strategies for controlling pests and responsible use of pesticides for increasing rice exports from Pakistan.
Safdar Hussain Mekhari, Chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan explained the road map for doubling rice export of Pakistan. He shared the expectations of PBHF from basmati growers and discussed the challenges in export of basmati rice.
Dr Muhammad Sabir, Director RRI KSK shared about introduction of the new basmati rice varieties with high yield and disease resistance and conveyed message to the rice farmers to adopt advance rice transplanting technique like mechanical transplanting and use specialized rice harvesters for minimizing harvest losses and avoiding smog.
Dr Asif Ali Khan, Vice Chancellor MNS University Multan elaborated the role of academia in transforming agriculture sector.
Leading input supplier companies and manufacturers including Chinese firms and Agri Machinery Research Institute (AMRI) established their stalls for the awareness and education and got great attention and interest from rice farmers.
He was speaking at a seminar titled "Khushal Kissan" organized by the Pakistan Basmati Heritage Foundation (PBHF) and convened by Galaxy Rice (Pvt) at Kabir Wala District Khanewal.
More than 1000 rice farmers attended the event aimed at improving Basmati rice production by providing technical and marketing support to ensure sustainable rice production and resource efficiency in Pakistan.
Key members of PBHF like Shoaib Zahid Malik, Sheikh Adnan Aslam, Dr Muhammad Athar, Dr Javed Arshad and Raja Arsalan participated in seminar. Imran Sheikh, National Coordinator PBHF moderated the event.
The minister took farmers in to confidence about the initiatives being taken by the government for rice sector. He said that a huge sum of Rs 6327 million rupees would be spent on promoting mechanization in this sector in Punjab for increasing the per acre productivity.
He also appreciated the PBHF platform and its efforts for the revival of basmati rice.
Shahid Hussain Tarar, Convener PBHF shared the vision of Pakistan Basmati Heritage Foundation regarding promotion of basmati rice. He said that Pakistan is lagging behind not only in yield of basmati rice but our rising cost of production from other rice producing countries is a major challenge.
Dr Anjum Ali Buttar, DG Agri (Extension) Punjab threw light on ongoing extension projects in the province while DG Pest Warning and Quality Control, Zafar Yab Haider Naqvi shared the strategies for controlling pests and responsible use of pesticides for increasing rice exports from Pakistan.
Safdar Hussain Mekhari, Chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan explained the road map for doubling rice export of Pakistan. He shared the expectations of PBHF from basmati growers and discussed the challenges in export of basmati rice.
Dr Muhammad Sabir, Director RRI KSK shared about introduction of the new basmati rice varieties with high yield and disease resistance and conveyed message to the rice farmers to adopt advance rice transplanting technique like mechanical transplanting and use specialized rice harvesters for minimizing harvest losses and avoiding smog.
Dr Asif Ali Khan, Vice Chancellor MNS University Multan elaborated the role of academia in transforming agriculture sector.
Leading input supplier companies and manufacturers including Chinese firms and Agri Machinery Research Institute (AMRI) established their stalls for the awareness and education and got great attention and interest from rice farmers.
·
·
Int'l
Engineering, Machinery Exhibition 2019 Concludes
A three-day 'International Engineering and Machinery
Exhibition 2019' jointly organized by Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (PCJCCI) and E-commerce Gateway Pakistan (EGP) concluded here on
Saturday
LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Sep,
2019 ) :A three-day 'International Engineering and Machinery Exhibition 2019' jointly organized by Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) and E-commerce
Gateway Pakistan (EGP) concluded here on Saturday.
Over 250 delegates from seven countries: Belarus, China, Germany, Jordan, UAE, Japan and Austria etc. participated in the
exhibition in which 120 local and 130 foreign companies showcased over 200
products at 250 stalls, while event attracted around 40,000 trade
visitors from relevant fields, said EGP President Dr Khursheed Nizam,
while talking to media at the end of the event.
He added that exhibition led the way in
delivering the most outstanding opportunities for all participants in different sectors
like, Fiber Laser Cutting Machine, Brick Machinery, Mining Equipment, Road Building Equipment, Glass
Fiber, Oil & Gas Refined Products, Chemical;
Acrylic Fibers and Threads, chilled Iron Shot & Grit, Puff Smacks Machine,
Rice Machine, Stationary and mobile Compressor Station, Soya Protein
Machine, tyres of all Vehicles, Truck Mounted Concrete Pump, Electric
Screwdrivers, Power Shearing & Bending Machine, Truck, Buses, Prime Movers,
Block Making Machinery, Concrete Mixer, Diesel/Gas Generators, Drilling
Machinery, Fuel Dispenser ,UPS Inverter & Batteries, Power Cable &
Switchgear, Construction Hoist, Gantry crane, CNC Machinery etc.
He said that almost all sector of the world engineering industry showcased their latest technology, equipment and
innovative ideas of new products at the exhibition.
Nizam said that EGP and Lahore Chamber Of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) also facilitated Business to Business (B2B) meetings during the
events from September 26 to 28. The
exhibition, he asserted, was initiated to facilitate effective interaction
among several camaraderie of the machine tool, automation, and cutting tool and
user industries.
PCJCCI Senior Vice President Ahmed
Hasnain said that exhibition acted as a source of inspiration and real
opportunities for business ventures to the local businesses
and industries.
He said, it also opened doors for the
up gradation of local industry by introducing emerging technologies
and to develop businesses based on futuristic approach in order to take maximum
benefits out of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic
Corridor) and BRI (Belt and Road Initiative), he added.
PCJCCI Senior EC Member Daud Ahmed
said, 'This Business-to-Business Exhibition aims to be a one-stop shop
for all the engineering industry products from processing technology to the finished
products. Hence, the event was a wonderful opportunity to
see a range of products to thousands of potential buyers, who attended the
exhibition." PCJCCI Secretary General Salahuddin Hanif hoped that
exhibition would also help in developing a new international and domestic manufacturers
suppliers of machine tools and automation products/services, creating a unique
platform to leverage the rapidly growing Pakistan's market.
Basmati rice exports to be
muted this year
Published : Sep 27, 2019, 1:26 am IST
Updated : Sep 27, 2019, 1:26 am IST
During
the current fiscal, Basmati rice exports realisations stood at Rs 75,589/MT for
4M FY2020, only 2 per cent higher than the previous fiscal.
On a
comparative basis, Basmati rice exports in 4M FY20 stood at Rs. 10,847 crore, 6
per cent lower than Rs. 11,575 crore in the corresponding period in the
previous fiscal.
Chennai: Basmati exports are facing
headwinds in the current fiscal, after two years of strong growth.
Due to uncertainty over exports to
Iran as well as likely moderation in average export realisations, Basmati rice
exports are expected to be muted in FY20, finds Icra.
In FY19, Basmati rice exports were at
an all-time high at Rs 32,806 crore, primarily led by aggressive buying by
Iran. Iran has been making aggressive pre-emptive buying in the first half of
FY2019 due to anticipated impact on its global trade with re-imposition of US
trade sanctions later in that year.
On a comparative basis, Basmati rice
exports in 4M FY20 stood at Rs. 10,847 crore, 6 per cent lower than Rs. 11,575
crore in the corresponding period in the previous fiscal. During the current
fiscal, Basmati rice exports realisations stood at Rs 75,589/MT for 4M FY2020,
only 2 per cent higher than the previous fiscal.
India's
GDP is actually 0%, or in negative: Congress
Gourav
Vallabh, who is a finance professional, said that Prime Minister Narendra
Modi's 'Abki baar Trump Sarkar' call during his recent visit to the US could
put the Indo-US diplomatic relationship at risk.
Panaji
September
28, 2019
UPDATED: September 28, 2019 21:55 IST
Congress spokesperson Gourav Vallabh. (Photo: Twitter)
Congress national spokesperson
Gourav Vallabh on Saturday claimed that India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
was not five per cent as was articulated by the NDA government, but 0 per cent
or even negative.
Speaking at a seminar in the
state capital, Gourav Vallabh, who is a finance professional, said that Prime
Minister Narendra Modi's 'Abki baar Trump Sarkar' call during his recent visit
to the US could put the Indo-US diplomatic relationship at risk.
"Our GDP is not 5 per cent
it is 0 per cent. I will prove here. GDP is 0 per cent or maybe negative
because, in GDP calculation, only formal economy is taken into account. The
informal economy as per SBI is dipping down by 7 per cent per year and in our
country more or less (there is) 50 per cent is formal and 50 per cent is informal
(economy)," Vallabh said.
Commenting on the Prime
Minister's recent 'Howdy Modi' US tour, Vallabh said the visit was
"hyped", full of gaffes and a failure.
"Have you ever seen an
Indian PM go to US and say 'Abki baar Trump ki sarkar?' What if Trump loses the
election as there is a 50-50 chance, what is going to happen to Indo-US
relationship?" Vallabh said.
The Congress leader also said
that the Prime Minister, during his visit had failed to arrest the slide of
visa rejections of Indian nationals, especially those working in the
Information Technology sector.
"Why can't he (Modi) ask why
rejection of visa for our people has increased by four to five times. The
service industry is feeling the heat of this rejection. Our IT companies are
feeling the heat," Vallabh said, claiming that Modi had also failed to
back the supply of Indian produce like apples and basmati rice in US markets.
"'Howdy' is good, but why
can't he do howdy with the people of our country. Why can't he ask President
Trump. He says they are very close, they are buddies, then why can't he ask
trump why he excluded India from the GSP (Generalised System of Preferences)
list?
"Our goods are not going to
become competitive, because a lot of countries are on that list, so the price
of their goods is going to be less," Vallabh said, adding that in 2019,
India's exports to the US were less than in 2014.
Economic reforms begin paying desired
results: finance ministry
ISLAMABAD: Ministry of finance on Thursday said macroeconomic
policies, such as monetary tightening, exchange rate adjustments and cuts in
development spending, have started paying the desired results with stability
and growing strength visible in many sectors of the economy.
“Current account deficit declined significantly by 32.1 percent to
$13.508 billion (4.8 percent of GDP) during FY2019 as compared to $19.897
billion (6.3 percent of GDP), which widened by 57.6 percent in last year,” the
ministry said in a statement. “This trend is continued during July-August
FY2020. Current account deficit was reduced by 54.7 percent to $1.292 billion
as compared $2.85 billion during the same period last year.”
The ministry said exports fell one percent to $22.979 billion
during the last fiscal year as “strong negative price effect dominated the
positive quantity effect”.
Exports recovered by 2.79 percent to $3.753 billion in the
July-August period of FY2020. Exports from textile sector, which constitutes
more than 60 percent share of total exports, increased 2.3 percent year-on-year
in value over during the first two months of the current fiscal year.
Value-added exports of textile items like knitwear, which
comprises 14.4 percent of total exports, increased both in quantity and value
by 10.7 and 12.8 percent, respectively. Readymade garments, constituting share
of 12.5 percent in exports, increased both in quantity and value by 34.6 and
7.5 percent, respectively. “Value-added exports increased due to growing demand
and improvement in export competitiveness after exchange rate adjustment,” the
ministry said. Bedwear with a share of 10.7 percent in exports, increased both
in quantity and in value by 20.4 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively.
Food group, which has 17.3 percent share in exports, increased in
value by 17.3 percent of which rice with considerable share of 8.9 percent in
exports increased in both quantity and value by 47.6 and 48.6 percent,
respectively. Basmati rice registered a growth in both quantity and value by
49.8 and 32.8 percent, respectively. Others rice also increased both in
quantity and value by 61.9 and 47.9 percent, respectively.
The finance ministry further said stabilisation efforts dragged
imports down 9.86 percent in the last fiscal year. “The government imposed up
to 60 percent regulatory duties on 570 luxury and non- essential imported goods
to curtail the rising imports.”
Imports amounted to $54.799 billion in FY2019 compared with
$60.795 billion in FY2018. In July-August, imports decreased 21.41 percent
year-on-year to $7.677 billion.
In July-August, import of machinery group, having share of 22.4
percent in total imports, increased 8.2 percent year-on-year. “This signifies
an impressive picture ahead in terms of dwindling situation of LSM (large scale
manufacturing),” the ministry said. Textile, telecom and electrical machinery
imports increased 17.3, 11.1 and 20.3 percent, respectively. Other machinery
import increased 20.1 percent. Import of food group that constitutes 9.1
percent of total imports declined 26.8 percent in July-August FY2020.
“Minor and major crops of domestic agriculture have been improved
during the current fiscal year, which has lessened the dependency on imported
food,” the ministry said.
Among the food group, tea imports decreased in both quantity and
value by 26.8 percent and 35.4 percent, respectively. Palm oil imports fell in
both quantity and value by 14.1 percent and 29.8 percent, respectively.
The finance ministry said workers’ remittances surpassed the
target of $21.2 billion in FY2019, which increased 9.7 percent to $21.846
billion, “on the back of initiatives taken by the government”.
“Though remittances during the first two months of FY2020
declined, ongoing scenario of overseas employment will be helpful in achieving
remittances target thisyear.” The ministry, citing overseas employment
statistics, said 373,000 people went abroad during the first eight months of
2019, whereas total 380,000 persons were registered as overseas employed in the
whole year 2018. “This will positively impact foreign exchange inflows in terms
of remittances.”
The finance ministry said Pakistan Remittance Initiative (PRI) has
intensified its efforts by launching campaigns in local and destination
specific foreign media to encourage overseas Pakistanis to remit through legal
means. PRI facilitated local exchange companies to increase their tie-ups with
the international money transfer operators. “This may be supporting the higher
remittances inflows in the ongoing fiscal year,” the ministry added.
Rice worth $322.836 million exported in two months
By
-
September 28,
2019
931
ISLAMABAD, Sep 28 (APP):Rice exports from the country during
first two-month of current financial year grew by 48.64% as compared the
exports of the corresponding period of last year.
About 590,053 metric tons of rice valuing $322.836 million
exported from July-August,2019 as compared the exports of 399,633 metric tons
worth of $223.918 million of same period of last year, according the data
released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
Pakistan lags behind in
rice production
Share:
Our Staff Reporter
LAHORE
- Punjab Minister for Management and Professional Development (MPD)
has called upon the research institutes in the public sector to put in more
efforts for improving the rice production in the province, which is lagging
behind as compared to many other countries.
READ MORE: PM Imran recaps his resolve for J&K conflict
He
was speaking at a seminar titled ‘Khushal Kissan’ organised by the Pakistan
Basmati Heritage Foundation (PBHF) and convened by Galaxy Rice (Pvt) at Kabir
Wala District Khanewal.
More
than 1000 rice farmers attended the event aimed at improving Basmati rice
production by providing technical and marketing support to ensure sustainable
rice production and resource efficiency in Pakistan.
Key
members of PBHF like Shoaib Zahid Malik, Sheikh Adnan Aslam, Dr Muhammad Athar,
Dr Javed Arshad and Raja Arsallan participated in seminar. Imran Sheikh
National Coordinator PBHF moderated the event.
The
minister took farmers in to confidence about the initiatives being taken by the
government for rice sector. He said that a huge sum of Rs 6327 million would be
spent on promoting mechanization in this sector in Punjab for increasing the
per acre productivity. He also appreciated the PBHF platform and its efforts
for the revival of basmati rice.
Shahid
Hussain Tarar, Convener PBHF, shared the vision of Pakistan Basmati Heritage
Foundation (PBHF) regarding promotion of basmati rice. He said that our country
is lagging behind not only in yield of basmati rice but our rising cost of
production from other rice producing countries is a major challenge.
Dr Anjum Ali Buttar, DG Agri. (Extension) Punjab, threw light on ongoing
extension projects in the province while DG Pest Warning and Quality Control
Zafar Yab Haider Naqvi shared the strategies for controlling pests and
responsible use of pesticides for increasing rice exports from Pakistan.
Safdar
Hussain Mekhari, Chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan, explained the
road map for doubling rice export of Pakistan. He shared the expectations of
PBHF from Basmati growers and discussed the challenges in export of basmati
rice.
Dr
Muhammad Sabir, Director RRI KSK, shared about introduction of the new basmati
rice varieties with high yield and disease resistance and conveyed message to
the rice farmers to adopt advance rice transplanting technique like mechanical
transplanting and use specialized rice harvesters for minimizing harvest losses
and avoiding smog.
Shuaizab
Gardezi, a progressive farmer of Kabirwala shared his farm experiences and
highlighted the farmers’ prospective. He requested PBHF for the development of
basmati rice cluster in Kabirwala. Dr. Asif Ali Khan Vice Chancellor MNS
University Multan elaborated the role of academia in transforming agriculture
sector.
Leading
input supplier companies and manufacturers including Chinese firms and Agri
Machinery Research Institute (AMRI) established their stalls for the awareness
and education and got great attention and interest from rice farmers.
Southeast Texas rice crops damaged by Imelda
Friday, September
27th 2019
AA
Southeast Texas rice crops
damaged by Imelda, but farmers may be able to sell some of their crops.
Farmers in Southeast Texas are waiting for final numbers on crop
damage from storm Imelda.
Floodwaters damaged machinery and rice crops.
KFDM'Fox 4's Joy Addison explains that farmers may still be able
to sell some of their crops.
Farm
mechanization seen to boost other cropping systems
By Lilybeth
Ison September 27, 2019, 5:21 pm
Share
·
·
(Logo taken from PhilMech website)
MANILA -- The implementation of the mechanization
component of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Program (RCEP) would also
benefit other cropping systems even if the main intention of the program is to
make the country’s rice industry more competitive vis-à-vis its Southeast Asian
neighbors.
A document from the Philippine Center for Postharvest and
Mechanization (PHilMech) showed that a number of the farm equipment to be
distributed under RCEP are “crop neutral” or could be used in cultivating other
crops, like corn, cassava, and even vegetables.
“Other impacts of the program may include cost reduction in using
several mechanization technologies for other crops such as corn, cassava, and
others. It should be noted that some facilities included in the program are
crop neutral,” according to PHilMech.
Among the farm equipment that will be distributed to rice farmers
in the first quarter of 2020 are four-wheel farm tractors, hand tractors,
tillers, rice seeders, transplanters, irrigation pumps, small solar irrigation
systems, threshers, combine harvesters, mechanical dryers, rice mills, among
others.
The four-wheel farm tractor could be attached with implements
specifically designed for crops like corn and cassava.
The PHilMech said it has already designed a cassava digger that
can be towed by a farm tractor to facilitate the harvesting of cassava roots.
It has also developed a corn picker that is attached to a
four-wheel farm tractor and mechanically harvests matured corn cobs.
The corn picker can harvest corn cobs at a rate of one hectare per
day. Using manual labor, it would take more than one day to harvest corn from
one hectare of land.
Meanwhile, the PHilMech’s corn planter is attached to a farm
tractor and could sow seeds and apply fertilizer simultaneously at a rate of
2.5 hectares in eight hours.
Using manual labor, it would take one whole day to the same task
in just one hectare of land.
The irrigation pumps, especially those that are portable and
powered by small one-cylinder engines, could be used in cultivating almost all
other crops besides rice.
Hand tractors could also be used to till the soil for planting
other crops like vegetables and even corn.
Besides increasing the efficiency of rice farming, the PhilMech
sees the mechanization component of RCEP helping farmers deal with the effects
of climate change.
“Other potential quantifiable benefits are the prevented rice crop
damages/losses due to weather risks such as tropical cyclones and prolonged
rainy days. Machines such as combine harvester and mechanical dryer are found
to be effective instruments in reducing the exposure of rice farmers to adverse
weather,” it said.
In its recent survey of rice-producing provinces, the PHilMech
said it has observed that most rice farmers still dry their newly-harvested
palay (unmilled rice) along the roads, highways, basketball courts or
pavements.
Under the Rice Tariffication Law or Republic Act No. 11203, the
RCEP would be funded from the collection of tariffs slapped on imported rice.
The RCEP would be getting PHP10 billion annually starting this
year up to 2024.
Of this amount, PHP5 billion will be allocated for mechanization
of rice farms, PHP3 billion for provision of high-yielding inbred rice seeds,
PHP1 billion for credit support, and PHP1 billion for extension support and
education of rice farmers.
The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) will take the
lead in providing high-yielding inbred rice seeds to farmers while the
Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) and Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA) will undertake the training of farmers and
extension workers. The PHilMech will also develop and provide the modules for
the training of rice farmers.
Meanwhile, the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development
Bank of the Philippines will support the credit component of RCEP.
Based on studies by the Department of Agriculture, the cost of
producing one kilo of palay in the Philippines is PHP12.72 per kilo while it is
PHP6.22 in Vietnam and PHP8.86 in Thailand.
The components under RCEP can reduce the cost of producing palay
in the Philippines by PHP1 to PHP3 per kilo through farm mechanization. (PNA)
SEPTEMBER 27, 2019 5:30 PM AEST
Study gets
to root of rice’s resilience to floods
Climate change is increasing both the severity and frequency of
extreme weather events, including floods. That’s a problem for many farmers,
since rice is the only major food crop that’s resilient to flooding. A new
study, published in Science, however, identified genetic clues to this
resilience that may help scientists improve the prospects for other crops.
“Our work
is the most comprehensive look yet across species into what’s really going on
under the hood as plants respond to flooding,” says Roger
Deal,
associate professor of biology at Emory University and a lead author of the
study. “Understanding the mechanism for flooding tolerance is the first step in
understanding how you might increase it in plants that lack it.”
Rice was domesticated from wild species that grew in tropical
regions, where it adapted to endure monsoons and waterlogging. The Science
research looked at how other crops compare to rice when submerged in water. The
plants included species with a range of flooding tolerance, from barrel clover
(which is similar to alfalfa), to domesticated tomato plants, to a wild-growing
tomato that is adapted for a desert environment.
The results showed that, although evolution separated the
ancestors of rice and these other species as many as 180 million years ago,
they all share at least 68 families of genes that are activated in response to
flooding.
“That was surprising,” Deal says. “We thought we’d see different
gene expression responses among these species related to their adaptation to
wet or dry conditions. Instead, what was really different was that rice had far
and away the most rapid and synchronous response. In comparison, the other
plants’ responses were piecemeal and haphazard.”
View Full Story in eScienceCommons »
Tags:Biology, deal, Emory University, environment, food, Professor, research, science, Scientists, species, study, university, Water, weather
Mindanao organic rice finds market in United
States
By
-
September 28,
2019
57
DAVAO CITY—Organic rice produced in
Mindanao now has access to the US following the signing of an agreement between
farmers and an American marketing group here on Friday (September 20, 2019).
Dr. Adrian Tamayo, communications head of the Mindanao
Development Authority (MinDa), said on Saturday the deal would allow American
consumers access to organic rice and the heirloom Adlay variety produced in the
Southern Philippines.
Tamayo said Andrew Bolougne, head of the US Marketing Firm, told
the farmers to produce as much as they could and promised that they will market
it.
Bolougne’s group committed a buying price which would give
farmers double what they are earning by planting commercial rice, he added.
The signing of the marketing deal with unlimited volume of
white, brown, red and black rice and the exotic Adlay grown by the tribes
capped the Mindanao Rice Forum organized by MinDA.
The Mindanao Rice Forum was attended by Adlay and organic rice
farmers associations and cooperatives.
Tamayo added that an initial shipment of 5,000 metric tons is
expected by the end of the year.
During the forum, the participants, guided by the MinDA and the
Department of Agriculture Regional Field Offices in Mindanao and the
Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), organized themselves and formed
the Mindanao Organic Rice Council. Chosen as interim chairman of Morco was the
Don Bosco Multipurpose Cooperative with Agro Eco Philippines and SRII
Technology Group as vice chairmen.
Represented in the council are organic rice farmers’
cooperatives and associations from all over Mindanao, organic fertilizer and
soil ameliorants producers group, seed growers, and rice millers.
Tamayo said MinDA will be the lead government agency to support
the group with the assistance of the DA and PhilRice.
MinDA will establish a database of all organic rice and Adlay
farmers in Mindanao, including the geotagging of the production areas.
Availability of seeds for the black organic rice, which is the most
sought-after product, will also be determined, including the estimated
production.
Bolougne said the demand for organic rice, especially the Black
Rice which is reputed to have medicinal benefits, is huge and largely unfilled.
“You cannot imagine how huge is the market demand for organic
food today and we will cash in on that,” he said.
Don Bosco Vice Chairman and Marketing Officer Maria Helenita
Gamela said organic rice farmers are not affected by the Rice Tariffication
law, and the unimpeded entry of imported rice that resulted in low farm-gate
price for commercial rice.
“We have a niche market. The price is steady whole year round
but we cannot produce the needed volume,” she said.
Currently, Don Bosco buys from its members organic paddy rice at
P19 to P20 per kilo. This could go even higher with the forging of the
marketing agreement with the US group, Gamela said. PNA
The export deal for organic rice and Adlay is the second
marketing deal arranged by MinDA for Mindanao’s rice farmers. PNA
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https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/09/28/mindanao-organic-rice-finds-market-in-united-states/
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/09/28/mindanao-organic-rice-finds-market-in-united-states/
Busia picked to host rice research institute
County is the only county in Kenya to benefit
from the funding from the Venezuela and Madagascar governments
In Summary
• The institute is meant to
develop new seed varieties for lowland areas.
•
It will also focus on the demands of major market segments, including quality
and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses.
Rice farmer Martha
Wagwanda, DP William Ruto, Budalang'i MP Raphael Wanjala and National
Irrigation Board officials plant rice in Bunyala, Busia county
MAURICE ALAL
MAURICE ALAL
Busia county
has been picked by the national government to host a rice research institute
that is meant to develop new seed varieties for lowland areas.
It will also
focus on the demands of major market segments, including quality and tolerance
to biotic and abiotic stresses.
Jane
Ndung’u, the head of Rice Promotion Programme in the Ministry of Agriculture,
Livestock, Fisheries and Irrigation, on Tuesday said Busia is the only county
in Kenya to benefit from the funding from the Venezuela and Madagascar
governments.
She said the
Busia project will be funded to the tune of Sh400 million. It has undergone the
design stage, with the Ministry of Public Works working on the designs before
handed they are handed over to a contractor.
Ndung'u met
with officials from the county Agriculture department led by executive Moses
Osia. She said the money for the project is with the National Treasury.
Her two-day
visit to the border county is meant to assess rice groups. The county will
benefit from mechanised rice equipment, including mills and weeding machines.
“Rice is now
a strategic food item that the national government has taken as one of its Big
Four Agenda. We want Busia to add value to rice and uptake their rice in
marketing,” he said.
Dr Osia
thanked the government for picking Busia for the project. He said it will
create jobs and help identify the best right variety of rice for
growers. He said Bunyala will host the institute. Osia added that
residents identified land that is enough to house the project.
https://www.the-star.co.ke/counties/western/2019-09-28-busia-picked-to-host-rice-research-institute/
Another Pakistani drone found
near Attari border
Published : Sep 28, 2019, 4:09 am IST
Updated : Sep 28, 2019, 4:09 am IST
The drone was found at a warehouse
of a rice shelling unit in Chabhal area in Tarn Taran.
Earlier
this week, a terror module was busted wherein the police had recovered a
half-burnt drone that it claimed was used for smuggling weapons from Pakistan.
Chandigarh: Another drone was
recovered from the border at Attari in Punjab on Friday after terror accused
Akashdeep led the counter-intelligence unit of the Punjab police to the
location where the drone had gone down.
A police team took Akashdeep, a member of the Kalisthan Zindabad
Force KZB, to Mahawa village, where he had hidden the drone after it had
malfunctioned while returning back to Pakistan.
“The accused during the interrogation revealed that he had hid
the drone in Mahawa village near Attari border after it developed a snag and
couldn’t fly back to Pakistan,” deputy superintendent of police Balbir Singh
said.
“The drone was recovered from under the bushes on a drain near
the village. As per the initial investigation, the drone seems to be an
assembled one, having Chinese parts,” he said.
“The accused has confessed that the drone was used for
transporting arms, ammunition from Pakistan,” he added.
Earlier this week, a terror module was busted wherein the police
had recovered a half-burnt drone that it claimed was used for smuggling weapons
from Pakistan. The drone was found at a warehouse of a rice shelling unit in
Chabhal area in Tarn Taran.
The police busted a terrorist module of the revived Khalistan
Zindabad Force (KZF), backed by a Pakistan and Germany-based terror group, as
it seized a cache of arms and ammunitions, and arrested four suspects from the
outskirts of Chola Sahib village in Tarn Taran district. Since then, the police
has so far arrested six members of the terror module.
Investigation so far has revealed that the weapons were
suspected to have been delivered from across the border from Pakistan over
drones launched by Pakistan’s ISI and the state-sponsored jihadi and
pro-Khalistani terrorist outfits working under its command.
Police teams are also investigating the links of terror groups
involved in sending these drones from Pakistan, said an official, adding that
so far only two such drones had been recovered.
However, a statement issued by the Punjab police has said that
the Punjab Police has launched elaborate investigations to account for the
weapons consignments apparently smuggled into India from across the border by
the two drones recovered near the Indo-Pak border over the last around one
month.
Farmers to get machineries at subsidised rate from next season
Desk report: Farmers will be
provided with agricultural machinery at subsidiary rates in order to boost
production and save them from losses, said Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur
Razzaque.The minister told it to UNB news agency in a recent interview adding that machineries like combine harvesters, rippers and rice transplanters will be provided at 60 per cent subsidised rates from the next Boro season under a project.
The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) has already prepared a proposal seeking a Tk 5.62 billion allocation for the project.
“Farm worker crisis has pushed up the production costs of farmers. It has been created due to alternative job opportunities. Now farmers don’t get workers when needed and they’ve to pay higher wages if they get ones, resulting in increased production costs. Agriculture mechanisation is necessary to face the crisis,” he said.
The minister said the mechanisation of farming is aimed at reducing the production cost and boosting productivity.
“Once it’s done, farmers will be able to prevent crop wastage and save their both money and time,’’ said Dr Razzaque adding that the project also aims to increase production by making farming more profitable and commercially viable.
Replying to a question about the quantity of required machineries, the minister said agriculture officials during a recent survey received detailed information from farmers to determine the needs of cutting and planting machines. He said authorities will distribute these machineries as per requirement received through the survey from 58 districts.
Mentioning
some obstacles to mechanisation of farming, the minister said the services of
the machinery suppliers in the country are very poor and customers used to get
deprived of after-sale services.
Besides,
he said, spare parts of these machineries are not available in the country.
The
authorities concerned have been directed to make sure that farmers get proper
after-sales services for their machines after their purchase from suppliers.
To
ensure transparency in purchasing machinery, a representative from the
Bangladesh Bank will be placed in the subsidy coordination committee, he said
adding that representatives from the Bangladesh Agricultural Development
Corporation (BADC) will be included in the subsidy technical committee and the
subsidy market rate verification committee.
During
the last Boro season, farmers across the country was hit hard by low paddy
prices and counted about Tk 300 loss per maund. Farmers in different parts of
the country staged protests in different ways demanding fair prices of their
produces.
Students
of different universities, including Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University and
Rajshahi University, also joined the protest programmes.
Arranging
food silos
Replying
to a query about government steps to end deprivation of farmers due to the
existence of middlemen, the agriculture minister said the government is working
to ensure fair prices for their produces.
“We’ll
take initiatives to construct an adequate number of food silos so that famers
can preserve their produces.”
Pointing
out that some middlemen are buying food grains from growers at lower prices,
the minister said farmers would be more benefited if they could sell their
produces in the market directly.
In
some areas, he said, the growers sell their farm produces to middlemen at lower
prices for lack of storage facilities and poor transport system.
‘’We’ll
take steps at the grassroots level so that their produces can be preserved,
enabling them to store their produces and have fair prices by selling those at
a suitable time,” he said.
Commercialisation
of agriculture
The
government is now targeting commercialisation of agriculture, Dr Razzaque said
adding, “To achieve the goal, farmers will be provided with all kinds of
assistance alongside mechanisation of agriculture.”
Mentioning
that farmers were deprived of fair prices in the last season, he said the
government procured paddy directly from farmers and took initiatives for rice
export to address the crisis.
‘’We’ll
take action in advance to avoid the recurrence of such a situation in the
future,” he added.
Basmati rice exports to be muted this year
During
the current fiscal, Basmati rice exports realisations stood at Rs 75,589/MT for
4M FY2020, only 2 per cent higher than the previous fiscal.
On a comparative basis, Basmati
rice exports in 4M FY20 stood at Rs. 10,847 crore, 6 per cent lower than Rs.
11,575 crore in the corresponding period in the previous fiscal.
Chennai: Basmati exports are facing
headwinds in the current fiscal, after two years of strong growth. Due to
uncertainty over exports to Iran as well as likely moderation in average export
realisations, Basmati rice exports are expected to be muted in FY20, finds
Icra.
In FY19, Basmati rice exports were at
an all-time high at Rs 32,806 crore, primarily led by aggressive buying by
Iran. Iran has been making aggressive pre-emptive buying in the first half of
FY2019 due to anticipated impact on its global trade with re-imposition of US
trade sanctions later in that year. On a comparative basis, Basmati rice
exports in 4M FY20 stood at Rs. 10,847 crore, 6 per cent lower than Rs. 11,575
crore in the corresponding period in the previous fiscal. During the current
fiscal, Basmati rice exports realisations stood at Rs 75,589/MT for 4M FY2020,
only 2 per cent higher than the previous fiscal.
Author Name: https://asianage.com/business/in-other-news/270919/basmati-rice-exports-to-be-muted-this-year.html
Congressional Rice
Caucus Launches with Sustainability Update
WASHINGTON, DC -- Yesterday,
the Congressional Rice Caucus convened for its inaugural meeting of the 116th
Congress in the United States House of Representatives. The Rice Caucus
is co-chaired by Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and Congressman Rick
Crawford (R-AR) and comprised of 24 like-minded legislators from both sides of
the aisle all who agree that the mission of the Caucus is to provide a platform
to discuss the role of government in addressing current and future challenges
facing the U.S. rice industry.
More than 50 attendees were present at the meeting, including Reps. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) and Bruce Westerman (R-AR), to hear industry updates from Riceland Foods in Crawford's district and Mars Food in Thompson's district, and an overview of the U.S. rice industry's many sustainability initiatives, including the Rice Stewardship Partnership between USA Rice and Ducks Unlimited, which works with over 40 organizations and corporate partners to bring more than $80 million to rice farmers for the implementation of conservation practices through 2023.
Jennifer James, a rice farmer from Newport, Arkansas, and chair of the USA Rice Sustainability Committee, was on hand to talk about the importance of sustainability on her fourth-generation farm, which she hopes to be a fifth-generation operation when her son joins the family business. "Not only are we working to conserve the natural resources that provide for our livelihood, but we're helping our communities by providing jobs and injecting money into the rural economy," said James. "Because of these outstanding achievements in sustainability from U.S. rice, we in the industry want to showcase these efforts."
"American-grown rice is known throughout the world for its high quality, and is a major U.S. export, even to other rice-producing nations," said Thompson. "Rice is also an important part of Mississippi's economy."
"The American rice industry contributes more than $34 billion to the U.S. economy annually and supports more than 125,000 jobs. The First District Arkansas district is also the leading rice producing district in the country and produces roughly half of the U.S. rice crop," said Crawford. "Rice is an economic powerhouse and the backbone of many rural communities - we must strive to maintain sustainability in both the field and market. This coalition of Representatives will ensure the lasting viability and economic sustainability of rice growing in this country."
More than 50 attendees were present at the meeting, including Reps. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) and Bruce Westerman (R-AR), to hear industry updates from Riceland Foods in Crawford's district and Mars Food in Thompson's district, and an overview of the U.S. rice industry's many sustainability initiatives, including the Rice Stewardship Partnership between USA Rice and Ducks Unlimited, which works with over 40 organizations and corporate partners to bring more than $80 million to rice farmers for the implementation of conservation practices through 2023.
Jennifer James, a rice farmer from Newport, Arkansas, and chair of the USA Rice Sustainability Committee, was on hand to talk about the importance of sustainability on her fourth-generation farm, which she hopes to be a fifth-generation operation when her son joins the family business. "Not only are we working to conserve the natural resources that provide for our livelihood, but we're helping our communities by providing jobs and injecting money into the rural economy," said James. "Because of these outstanding achievements in sustainability from U.S. rice, we in the industry want to showcase these efforts."
"American-grown rice is known throughout the world for its high quality, and is a major U.S. export, even to other rice-producing nations," said Thompson. "Rice is also an important part of Mississippi's economy."
"The American rice industry contributes more than $34 billion to the U.S. economy annually and supports more than 125,000 jobs. The First District Arkansas district is also the leading rice producing district in the country and produces roughly half of the U.S. rice crop," said Crawford. "Rice is an economic powerhouse and the backbone of many rural communities - we must strive to maintain sustainability in both the field and market. This coalition of Representatives will ensure the lasting viability and economic sustainability of rice growing in this country."
USA RICe daily
USA Rice and Ducks
Unlimited Host 2019 Federal Duck Stamp Reception
WASHINGTON, DC -- Last
Thursday, USA Rice and Ducks Unlimited co-hosted the annual Federal Duck Stamp
Reception to showcase the strong partnership between rice and ducks, and to
promote ongoing conservation efforts to preserve wetlands and wildlife habitat.
Additional support for the event was provided by Anheuser-Busch, the Agricultural Retailers Association, Nestle-Purina, and The Fertilizer Institute.
Over 200 Congressional staff, industry partners, and others attended the event, including Representative Bruce Westerman (R-AR). Sushi and beverages brewed with rice were served. Attendees also had an opportunity to purchase their 2019/20 Duck Stamps, a required annual purchase for waterfowl hunters 16 and older, as well as allowing the stamp-holder free admission to any national wildlife refuge.
Proceeds from the sale of Federal Duck Stamps go toward the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, utilized as a conservation tool to protect habitats for migratory birds and other wildlife with 98 percent of all proceeds directly allocated towards conservation efforts.
Additional support for the event was provided by Anheuser-Busch, the Agricultural Retailers Association, Nestle-Purina, and The Fertilizer Institute.
Over 200 Congressional staff, industry partners, and others attended the event, including Representative Bruce Westerman (R-AR). Sushi and beverages brewed with rice were served. Attendees also had an opportunity to purchase their 2019/20 Duck Stamps, a required annual purchase for waterfowl hunters 16 and older, as well as allowing the stamp-holder free admission to any national wildlife refuge.
Proceeds from the sale of Federal Duck Stamps go toward the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, utilized as a conservation tool to protect habitats for migratory birds and other wildlife with 98 percent of all proceeds directly allocated towards conservation efforts.
Welcome to Rice News Today
30 September,2019
Pakistan lags behind in rice production
LAHORE - Punjab Minister for
Management and Professional Development (MPD) has called upon the research
institutes in the public sector to put in more efforts for improving the rice
production in the province, which is lagging behind as compared to many other
countries.
He was speaking at a seminar titled
‘Khushal Kissan’ organised by the Pakistan Basmati Heritage Foundation (PBHF)
and convened by Galaxy Rice (Pvt) at Kabir Wala District Khanewal.
More than 1000 rice farmers attended
the event aimed at improving Basmati rice production by providing technical and
marketing support to ensure sustainable rice production and resource efficiency
in Pakistan.
Key members of PBHF like
Shoaib Zahid Malik, Sheikh Adnan Aslam, Dr Muhammad Athar, Dr Javed Arshad
and Raja Arsallan participated in seminar. Imran Sheikh National Coordinator
PBHF moderated the event. The minister took farmers in to confidence about the
initiatives being taken by the government for rice sector. He said that a huge
sum of Rs 6327 million would be spent on promoting mechanization in this sector
in Punjab for increasing the per acre productivity. He also appreciated the
PBHF platform and its efforts for the revival of basmati rice.
Shahid Hussain Tarar, Convener PBHF,
shared the vision of Pakistan Basmati Heritage Foundation (PBHF) regarding
promotion of basmati rice. He said that our country is lagging behind not only
in yield of basmati rice but our rising cost of production from other rice
producing countries is a major challenge.
Dr Anjum Ali
Buttar, DG Agri. (Extension) Punjab, threw light on ongoing extension projects
in the province while DG Pest Warning and Quality Control Zafar Yab Haider
Naqvi shared the strategies for controlling pests and responsible use of
pesticides for increasing rice exports from Pakistan. Safdar Hussain Mekhari,
Chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan, explained the road map for
doubling rice export of Pakistan. He shared the expectations of PBHF from
Basmati growers and discussed the challenges in export of basmati rice. Dr
Muhammad Sabir, Director RRI KSK, shared about introduction of the new basmati
rice varieties with high yield and disease resistance and conveyed message to
the rice farmers to adopt advance rice transplanting technique like mechanical
transplanting and use specialized rice harvesters for minimizing harvest losses
and avoiding smog.
Shuaizab Gardezi, a progressive
farmer of Kabirwala shared his farm experiences and highlighted the farmers’
prospective. He requested PBHF for the development of basmati rice cluster in
Kabirwala. Dr. Asif Ali Khan Vice Chancellor MNS University Multan elaborated
the role of academia in transforming agriculture sector. Leading input supplier
companies and manufacturers including Chinese firms and Agri Machinery Research
Institute (AMRI) established their stalls for the awareness and education and
got great attention and interest from rice farmers.
Date: 28-Sep-2019
Pounding Mochi with the
Fastest Mochi Maker in Japan
Mitsuo
Nakatani is a mochi master, and to watch him do his work is a genuine thrill.
Turning sticky rice into Japan’s traditional soft and chewy treat requires
pounding, flipping and smashing the glutinous rice at high speeds in perfect
coordination with a team. While visitors come to Nakatani’s mochi shop to taste
the best, they stay to watch him make it.
LOCATION
Nara,
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Inflation for bottom-30% income bracket falls
further in Aug.
September 27, 2019 | 7:25 pm
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PHILSTAR
By Lourdes
O. Pilar, Researcher
INFLATION as experienced by low-income families, cooled further
in August to its slowest rise in nearly three years, according to the
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The inflation rate for households in the bottom 30% of the
income tables was 2.3% last month, well below the 3.1% in July and 8.3% in
August 2018.
The latest reading for bottom-30% inflation was the lowest in 32
months. The medium-term low point was 2.1% in December 2016.
Year-to-date, the inflation for this income segment averaged
4.2%, lower than the 6.4% average a year earlier.
This compares with 1.7% headline inflation experienced by the
average household in August, less than the 2.4% in July and 6.4% in August
2018. August’s reading matched the 1.7% logged in September 2016 and was the
lowest in three years. The medium-term low is 1.3% posted in August 2016.
The PSA uses the 2012 base year in computing the headline
consumer price index (CPI), while for the bottom 30% income households’ CPI, it
uses 2000 prices.
Aside from the two measures having different base years, the CPI
for the bottom 30% income segment of the population reconfigures the model
basket of goods, assigning heavier weight to food, beverage and tobacco (FBT),
as well as other necessities more representative of the spending patterns of
the poor.
Inflation in the FBT index was 2.3% in August, lower than the
3.2% in July.
Inflation was steady in services at 3.3% and housing and repairs
at 4.5%. Inflation fell for clothing to 2.8% from 2.9%; fuel, light and water
to 0.6% from 1.2%; and “miscellaneous” items to 2.3% from 2.4%
The food-alone index eased to 1.8% from 2.7% previously.
Food accounts for 35.5% of the theoretical basket of goods used
by the average household compared to a poor household’s 75%. Similarly, rice,
which is part of the food index, comprises 9.6% of an average household’s
consumer price index basket compared to 23% for a poor household.
PSA noted that indices for rice, corn and cereals each
registered declines of 1.9% during the month. Increases were noted for cereal
preparations (3.3% in August from 3.2% in July) and eggs (3.1% from 2.8%).
Meanwhile, weaker readings were recorded in the indices of dairy
products (to 2.5% from 2.8%); fish (to 7% from 7.8%); fruits and vegetables (to
3.8% from 6.3%); meat (to 1.3% from 1.7%); and miscellaneous foods (to 2.9%
from 3.2%).
UnionBank of the Philippines, Inc. (UnionBank) chief economist
Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion said in an e-mail that food and fuel prices have been
the “driver” for the slowdown.
“The decline in annual increases of food and fuel prices have
been the driver. Global oil prices have been on the decline and expectations
are for continuing decrease through 2021,” said Mr. Asuncion, adding that the
Rice Tariffication Law has had an impact on the price of domestically-grown
rice.
The law, which was signed on Feb. 14, liberalized imports which
now have to pay a tariff of 35% on shipments of Southeast Asian grain, and has
effectively reduced retail prices of the staple.
Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) economist Michael L.
Ricafort said in a separate e-mail that inflation for the bottom 30% was the
“slowest” in more than 2.5 years.
“It may have been largely due to lower prices of rice, food, and
basic commodities compared to a year ago amid the effects of the Rice
Tariffication Law that increased the country’s rice imports as well as the
local supply of rice, thereby also leading to the sharp year-on-year decline in
palay prices as well as some decline in the retail prices of milled rice,” he
said.
“Lower prices of food and agricultural products compared to a
year ago partly due to the government’s non-monetary measures since late last
year in an effort to increase local supply and lower the prices of rice, fish,
corn, and other food items in an effort to lower headline inflation also
contributed to the sharp slowdown in inflation for the poorest households,
since a larger part of their incomes goes to food and other basic necessities
compared to other households with much higher incomes,” Mr. Ricafort added.
Inflation experienced by poor households in the National Capital
declined to 0.1% in August from 0.9% recorded in July, while those living
outside of Metro Manila experienced inflation of 2.4%, down from 3.1%.
RCBC’s Mr. Ricafort expects inflation for the bottom 30% to fall
further in the coming months, adding that it “would remain relatively lower
largely due higher base/denominator effects.”
“This is seen to further decline and settle within the headline
inflation target of the government at 2.0% to 4.0%,” UnionBank’s Mr. Asuncion
said.
RECOMMENDED
SEPTEMBER 27, 2019
Study gets to root of rice's resilience to floods
The Deal lab
experimented on barrel clover (Medicago truncatula) as part of the study.
Credit: Marko Bajic
Climate change is increasing both the severity and frequency of
extreme weather events, including floods. That's a problem for many farmers,
since rice is the only major food crop that's resilient to flooding. A new
study, published in Science, however, identified genetic clues to
this resilience that may help scientists improve the prospects for other crops.
"Our work is the most comprehensive look yet across species
into what's really going on under the hood as plants respond to flooding," says Roger Deal, associate
professor of biology at Emory University and a lead author of the study.
"Understanding the mechanism for flooding tolerance is the first step in
understanding how you might increase it in plants that lack it."
Rice was domesticated from wild species that grew in tropical regions, where it adapted to endure monsoons and waterlogging.
The Science research looked at how other crops compare to rice
when submerged in water. The plants included species with a range of flooding
tolerance, from barrel clover (which is similar to alfalfa), to
domesticated tomato plants, to a wild-growing
tomato that is adapted for a desert environment.
The results showed that, although evolution separated the
ancestors of rice and these other species as many as 180 million years ago,
they all share at least 68 families of genes that are activated in response to
flooding.
"That was surprising," Deal says. "We thought
we'd see different gene expression responses among these species related to
their adaptation to wet or dry conditions. Instead, what was really different
was that rice had far and away the most rapid and synchronous response. In
comparison, the other plants' responses were piecemeal and haphazard."
Deal's research focuses on how plants build and adapt their
bodies. By digging deep into the developmental biology and genetics of plant
systems, he hopes to unearth secrets that could benefit both agriculture and
human health.
Marko Bajic, an Emory graduate student in the Department of
Biology and the Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, is
co-author of the Science paper.
The study was an international collaboration funded by the
National Science Foundation's Plant Genome Research Program. The authors
include scientists from the University of California, Davis; the University of
California, Riverside; Argentina's National University of La Plata and the
Netherland's Ultrecht University.
UC Riverside researchers conducted flooding experiments and
analysis of rice plant genomes, scientists at UC Davis did the same with the
tomato species while the barrel clover work was done at Emory.
The results suggest that the timing and smoothness of the
genetic response may account for the variations in the outcomes for the plants
during the experiments.
The wild tomato species that grows in desert soil withered and
died when flooded.
The team examined cells that reside at the tips of roots of
plants, as roots are the first responders to a flood. Root tips and shoot buds
are also where a plant's prime growing potential resides. These regions contain
cells with the ability to become other types of cells in the plant and serve as
a repair system in plants and other living things.
Drilling down even further, the team looked at the genes in
these root tip cells, to understand whether and how their genes were activated
when covered with water and deprived of oxygen.
"We looked at the way that DNA instructs a cell to create
particular stress responses in a level of unprecedented detail," says
Mauricio Reynoso, one of the lead authors from the University of California,
Riverside.
The group is now planning additional studies to improve the
survival rates of plants that currently die and rot from excess water.
This year is not the first in which excessive rains have kept
farmers from being able to plant crops like corn, soybeans and alfalfa. Floods
have also damaged the quality of the crops they were able to grow. This trend
is expected to continue due to climate change.
"We as scientists have an urgency to help plants withstand
floods, to ensure food security for the future," says Julia Bailey-Serres,
another lead author of the study and a professor of genetics at the University
of California, Riverside.
Central Bank disbursed N299 billion loans
through these Agricultural schemes in 2018
By
-
September 27,
2019
The Central
Bank of Nigeria (CBN) disbursed the sum of N299.16 billion
through six (6) Agricultural Schemes in 2018.
According to the Central Bank’s annual
report for 2018, the agricultural schemes include the Commercial Agriculture
Credit Scheme, Anchor Borrowers’ Programme and Paddy Aggregation Scheme.
The other schemes are the
Agri-Business/Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Scheme, Non-Oil Export
Stimulation Facility and the Export Development Facility and Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises Development Fund.
Breakdown of Disbursements:
Data obtained from the CBN 2018 annual report show that the Anchor Borrowers’
Programme received the biggest loans disbursement of N188.9 billion, followed
by the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (N79.71 billion).
Also, disbursement to other agriculture schemes are
Agri-Business/Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Scheme (N33.94 billion),
Paddy Aggregation Scheme (N30.4 billion), Non-Oil Export Stimulation Facility
and the Export Development Facility (N25.4 billion), Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises Development Fund (N6.37 billion) and the Agricultural Credit
Guarantee Scheme (N4.38 billion).
Anchor Borrowers’ Programme:
Under this scheme, the sum of N118.96 billion was disbursed in 2018 through 19
participating financial institutions to 646,213 smallholder farmers.
• The Commodities financed under the ABP include the castor
seed, cocoa, ginger, oil palm, sesame seed, tomato and cattle fattening.
• According to the report, the Northern part of the country had 581,336 beneficiaries who cultivated rice, maize and sorghum, while in the South, 64,877 farmers participated in the production of fish, oil palm, poultry and cassava.
• According to the report, the Northern part of the country had 581,336 beneficiaries who cultivated rice, maize and sorghum, while in the South, 64,877 farmers participated in the production of fish, oil palm, poultry and cassava.
Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme:
The CBN stated that the sum of N79.71 billion was released to 12 banks, in
respect of 40 projects, in the review year. This comprised 35 private projects,
valued at N57.12 billion, and 5 state government-sponsored projects, valued at
N22.60 billion.
The Paddy Aggregation Scheme: The
Paddy Aggregation Scheme (PAS) was approved in 2017 for integrated rice
millers. Disbursements under the first phase of the PAS were concluded in
November 2018, with the sum of N30.40 billion released to 4 banks to finance 8
integrated rice millers in the review year.
The Agri-Business/Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Scheme
(AGSMEIS): At end-December 2018, the sum of ₦33.94 billion was received
from 23 banks, compared with ₦26.86 billion from 21 banks at end-December 2017.
Cumulatively, the sum of ₦60.80 billion had been aggregated
under the Scheme for on-lending to MSMEs across the country.
The Non-Oil Export Stimulation Facility and the Export
Development Facility: The Non-Oil Exports Stimulation Facility
was sustained in 2018. The Facility was introduced to deepen the non-oil sector
by facilitating access to affordable financing by export-oriented firms and
reposition the sector for greater competitiveness and foreign exchange
earnings.
The sum of ₦25.4 billion was disbursed under the NESF, in 2018,
to eight (8) obligors who exported agricultural commodities such as cashew,
sesame seeds, among others.
The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund
(MSMEDF): A total of N6.37 billion was disbursed under the wholesale
funding and grant components of the scheme.
The breakdown of the disbursements under the wholesale component
indicated that N4.50 billion (70.6%) was disbursed to state government;
microfinance banks, N1.15 billion (18.1%); Non-Governmental Organisation –
Microfinance Institutions (NGO-MFIs), N93.00 million (1.4%); banks and N57
million (0.9%).
The Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme (ACGS):
According to the CBN report, under this scheme, a total of 30,612 loans,
amounting to N4.38 billion, were disbursed in 2018.
• A further breakdown in value terms shows that N4.26 billion
(97.4%) was granted to individuals; N470.0 million (1.1%) to self-help groups;
N470.0 million (1.1%) to cooperatives; and N16.0 million (0.4%) to companies.
• In terms of the value of loans guaranteed, food crops accounted for N2.42 billion; livestock N0.63 billion; mixed farming N0.49 billion; cash crop N0.45 billion; fisheries N0.30 billion and others N0.08 billion.
• In terms of the value of loans guaranteed, food crops accounted for N2.42 billion; livestock N0.63 billion; mixed farming N0.49 billion; cash crop N0.45 billion; fisheries N0.30 billion and others N0.08 billion.
Road to diversification? According to
the CBN, loans were disbursed through the different schemes in order to sustain
the bank’s developmental activities, in response to increasing demand for
economic diversification and sustainable development.
• While the government has disbursed N299 billion on a plethora
of policies, the agricultural sector failed to show much-needed growth in
recent times.
• It should be noted that in 2018, the agricultural sector grew the fastest at 2.12%. However, in terms of contribution to GDP, the sector contributed just 25% in 2018, behind the services sector (52%)
• Experts have questioned why the sector has dragged on for so long without significant growth.
• It should be noted that in 2018, the agricultural sector grew the fastest at 2.12%. However, in terms of contribution to GDP, the sector contributed just 25% in 2018, behind the services sector (52%)
• Experts have questioned why the sector has dragged on for so long without significant growth.
Nigerian Economy: A quick check in to
Nigeria’s employment data shows that the agricultural sector remains the biggest
employer of labour. As at the third quarter of 2018, the number of Nigerians
(employed and underemployed) in the agricultural sector stood at 32.3 million.
This represents over 46% of the total employed population.
In the meantime, while several policies
have been introduced to boost production in the sector, government needs to do
more as the sector holds the key to Nigeria’s economic stability in the face of
current global headwinds.
PDS rice weighing system at J'suguda found faulty’
Saturday, 28
September 2019 | RAJ KUMAR SHARMA | JHARSUGUDA
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Irregularities in weighing through a weighbridge managed by the
Odisha Civil Supplies Corporation have come to the fore.
At present, the PDS rice loaded in trucks is sent outside after
measuring in the weighbridge. But the measuring system is full of faults.
A godown of district Civil Supplies Corporation and rice
collection centre is operating near Bombay Chowk, which was earlier functioning
as a godown of Food Corporation of India. Now the Corporation is using
the godownon rent basis. The godown is now filled with rice besides those
returned by millers and custom milling rice. Rice is despatched from the godown
to Panchayats from where it is distributed to beneficiaries under various
Government schemes.
The Corporation has appointed transporters for transportation of
rice to all the five blocks and three municipal councils of the district. All
the vehicles loaded with rice are measured in this weighbridge before leaving
for their destinations.
One electric machine is available for weighing the rice with the
vehicle. Interestingly, no printed receipts are generated for weighing of rice
in the weighbridge. Later, a typed copy of the measurement is given to the
driver of the vehicle by the staff along with gate pass. This appears to be a
great deviation from the accepted principle in operation everywhere. There
should be a high level inquiry in the matter.
When asked about such irregularities, Procurement Inspector (PI)
Lingaraj Sahoo said that while the godown and weighbridge belong to the FCI,
the work is being carried out as per the existing arrangements. Although the
department has informed the FCI authorities for a totally computerised
weighbridge, no action has been taken till date. But, now whether any
irregularities are done in the existing arrangements remain to be verified by
the authorities.”
Transporters have also raised objections on the present system.
But, no action is forthcoming. Another aspect to be verified is that the rice
on receipt at the end point is not measured so as to verify the correctness of
the quantity measured and received by the officers. The correct picture will be
known after proper investigation in the matter.
Mindanao organic rice finds market in United
States
By
-
September 28,
2019
58
DAVAO CITY—Organic rice produced in
Mindanao now has access to the US following the signing of an agreement between
farmers and an American marketing group here on Friday (September 20, 2019).
Dr. Adrian Tamayo, communications head of the Mindanao
Development Authority (MinDa), said on Saturday the deal would allow American
consumers access to organic rice and the heirloom Adlay variety produced in the
Southern Philippines.
Tamayo said Andrew Bolougne, head of the US Marketing Firm, told
the farmers to produce as much as they could and promised that they will market
it.
Bolougne’s group committed a buying price which would give
farmers double what they are earning by planting commercial rice, he added.
The signing of the marketing deal with unlimited volume of white,
brown, red and black rice and the exotic Adlay grown by the tribes capped the
Mindanao Rice Forum organized by MinDA.
The Mindanao Rice Forum was attended by Adlay and organic rice
farmers associations and cooperatives.
Tamayo added that an initial shipment of 5,000 metric tons is
expected by the end of the year.
During the forum, the participants, guided by the MinDA and the
Department of Agriculture Regional Field Offices in Mindanao and the
Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), organized themselves and formed
the Mindanao Organic Rice Council. Chosen as interim chairman of Morco was the
Don Bosco Multipurpose Cooperative with Agro Eco Philippines and SRII
Technology Group as vice chairmen.
Represented in the council are organic rice farmers’
cooperatives and associations from all over Mindanao, organic fertilizer and
soil ameliorants producers group, seed growers, and rice millers.
Tamayo said MinDA will be the lead government agency to support
the group with the assistance of the DA and PhilRice.
MinDA will establish a database of all organic rice and Adlay
farmers in Mindanao, including the geotagging of the production areas.
Availability of seeds for the black organic rice, which is the most
sought-after product, will also be determined, including the estimated
production.
Bolougne said the demand for organic rice, especially the Black
Rice which is reputed to have medicinal benefits, is huge and largely unfilled.
“You cannot imagine how huge is the market demand for organic
food today and we will cash in on that,” he said.
Don Bosco Vice Chairman and Marketing Officer Maria Helenita
Gamela said organic rice farmers are not affected by the Rice Tariffication
law, and the unimpeded entry of imported rice that resulted in low farm-gate
price for commercial rice.
“We have a niche market. The price is steady whole year round
but we cannot produce the needed volume,” she said.
Currently, Don Bosco buys from its members organic paddy rice at
P19 to P20 per kilo. This could go even higher with the forging of the
marketing agreement with the US group, Gamela said. PNA
The export deal for organic rice and Adlay is the second
marketing deal arranged by MinDA for Mindanao’s rice farmers. PNA
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Content from UC Davis
Agricultural innovations help Cambodian farmers thrive
With help from American researchers, they’re growing nutritious
crops that boost their income.
By Brenda Dawson, UC Davis
SEPTEMBER 26, 2019
They say a farmer’s work starts
before dawn, but in Cambodia’s Battambang province farmers work together late
into the night to prepare their vegetable harvest for the overnight bus ride to
the capital city’s markets.
A metal barn that was empty hours
ago is now filled with colorful crates, buckets and bags of fresh produce—leafy
greens, nubby roots and heads of cabbage—and neighbors bustling to fill boxes.
This is a vegetable packinghouse, where members of the Tasey Samaki
Agricultural Cooperative collectively market their horticultural crops to
wholesale distributors and specialty retail stores.
These small-scale farmers have
been working with researchers from the University of California, Davis, and
Cambodia’s Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) to test new methods, like the
packinghouse, for growing and selling produce locally. Their work is part of
the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture, a global network focused
on fruit and vegetable research that is led by UC Davis and funded by the U.S.
Agency for International Development.
The impact of these innovations in
Cambodia has been huge.
Karen
LeGrand
“The impact of these innovations
in Cambodia has been huge,” said Karen LeGrand, a UC Davis researcher whose
work focuses on food safety and security. “Since we started working here 10
years ago, we’ve seen such a change in the food system.”
These innovations are helping
farmers benefit from growing and selling horticultural crops, amid rising
recognition that fruits and vegetables are not only critical to meet human
nutrition needs, but can help farmers in developing countries lift themselves
out of poverty.
Many Cambodian farmers have started to grow their vegetables
inside nethouses where the plants can be physically protected from pests and damaging
torrential rain. Horticulture Innovation Lab researchers first proposed nets
for pest management in Cambodia based on experience in Kenya where the nets
were low to the ground, but farmers here wanted to be able to walk inside.
Photo credit: Max Fannin for UC Davis
A creative solution for growing high-quality
vegetables
More than 75% of Cambodians live
in rural areas, and agriculture accounts for about a quarter of gross domestic
product. Even so, the country currently imports more vegetables than it
harvests.
“After the Khmer Rouge, the main
farming focused only on rice,” said Borarin Buntong, director of RUA’s Division
of Research and Extension. “But now people are not just thinking about rice
anymore. They’re thinking about vegetables, they’re thinking about fruit. Many
families now can have this kind of produce in their daily life. This is a big
change for Cambodia.”
Converting rice fields into
vegetable fields has allowed farmers to diversify their operations with
high-value crops. Studies have shown that profits from vegetables can be 3-14
times higher per hectare than from growing rice.
UC Davis researcher Karen LeGrand, center, discusses new features
of a nethouse on a farm near Battambang with graduate students from Cambodia's
Royal University of Agriculture. Photo credit: Max Fannin for UC Davis
To strengthen vegetable supply
chains, the international researchers introduced farmers to using nets to
protect their crops from pests. The idea came from Horticulture Innovation Lab
researchers and French CIRAD scientists working in Kenya, where farmers use
mosquito nets to cover vegetable plants. In Cambodia, the concept transformed
into “nethouses” so farmers could walk inside to care for their crops. The
nethouses reduce the need for costly pesticides and protect crops from
torrential rain, allowing farmers to grow vegetables year-round, even in the
rainy season.
One local family who has benefited
from using a nethouse is Cheang Sophat and wife Hem Champa. The added profits
made it possible to send their second child, a daughter, to college, and they
are confident they can provide this opportunity for their 14-year-old as well.
A worker at Natural Agriculture Village in Phnom Penh brings in
vegetables to begin repackaging for distribution to grocery stores. The
company's 'safe vegetable' displays in stores often include images of nethouses
to explain the growing practices that yields premium, pesticide-free
vegetables. Photo credit: Brenda Dawson/UC Davis
Tapping into a growing market
The absence of pest bites in the
nethouse means higher-quality vegetables. And produce marketers—whose customers
want “safe vegetables” that aren’t contaminated with harmful chemicals, toxins
or pathogenic microbes—are willing to pay higher prices for premium,
pesticide-free vegetables.
Bun Sieng is one such marketer.
Her company, Natural Agriculture Village, decorates their grocery displays with
photos of nethouses and works closely with farmers to meet demand.
Customers in supermarkets are willing to
pay more when they trust the quality.
Bun
Sieng
“Customers in supermarkets are
willing to pay more when they trust the quality,” she said. “I focus on buying
from smallholder farmers.”
It’s these market connections that
have helped make nethouses a popular innovation among Cambodian farmers. From
the first experimental models about six years ago, nethouses have spread
through multiple provinces and even spurred a start-up company to build them
for farmers.
“If you look at the demand [for
safe vegetables] … the supply does not yet meet those demands,” said Lang Seng
Horng, founder of a wholesale company called Remic. “But we see the trend of
safe vegetables, the supply increases from year to year.”
For many Cambodians connected to
this project—whether farmers, scientists, or marketers—the work is personal and
driven by an urge to improve the country’s food system for their compatriots.
A girl rides her bike along a smooth new village road and past a
nethouse under construction, both investments made possible by her family's
profits from vegetables sold through the packinghouse cooperative. Photo
credit: Max Fannin for UC Davis
“I enjoy working with smallholder
farmers because when we see their commitment, when we see they are
hard-working, it impresses me,” Bun Sieng said. “I’m not only the market, but
I’m also the consumer. I also need safe vegetables. We commit to improving the
farmers’ livelihood and to bringing safe vegetables to the market.”
Lach Song, center left, guides a box of freshly packed vegetables
onto a cart to wait for a late-night bus pickup that will deliver the farmers'
vegetables from this packinghouse near Battambang to markets in Phnom Penh.
Photo credit: Max Fannin for UC Davis
Gaining opportunities after harvest
Increasing fruit and vegetable
availability is not just about growing more, but also how crops are cared for
after harvest—a need the packinghouse concept helps address. At night, the
fresh vegetables are washed, air dried, sorted, trimmed and packaged for their
ride to the city.
“With this project, the
postharvest loss reduction is notable,” said Buntong, whose academic specialty
is postharvest technology, such as packaging and cold storage.
Farmers Nob Non, right, and Cheang Sophat, left, move unsold
bittermelon into the packinghouse cold room to keep the vegetables fresh for
future sale. Non is president of the cooperative that owns the packinghouse and
also the first farmer to be certified for 'good agricultural practices', a
certification used commonly in export products and that is made possible by
improved technologies at the packinghouse. Photo credit: Max Fannin for UC Davis
The cold storage room—central to
the packinghouse design—is built with a CoolBot, a device that tricks an air
conditioner into achieving colder temperatures and costs less to buy and
maintain than commercial refrigeration. Buntong first heard about the CoolBot
from Horticulture Innovation Lab colleagues, who have used this tool in other
developing countries.
“Cooling is the most important
element of keeping fruits and vegetables fresh, so we must find ways to
establish a cold chain in emerging economies,” said Elizabeth Mitcham, director
of the Horticulture Innovation Lab and postharvest specialist with the UC Davis
Department of Plant Sciences. “I’ve heard too many people write off fruits and
vegetables as just too perishable. But the interest in CoolBots and cold
storage in Cambodia is one example that shows this is solvable.”
I've heard too many people write off
fruits and vegetables as just too perishable.
Elizabeth
Mitcham
Improved technologies and
practices at the packinghouse also mean farmers who use the facility can become
certified in “good agricultural practices” or GAP, an international food safety
standard commonly used in export markets. Not coincidentally, the country’s
first GAP-certified farmer is one of the leaders of this packinghouse.
“Now many of the farmers … can
invest in new innovations for their farming,” said Buntong. “Because they have
a nethouse for safe vegetable production, the market trusts in [them].”
Horticultural crops are often a
way for farmers to earn quick money via short crop cycles on small plots of
land, but the strong market connections for Cambodian farmers mean consistent
income too.
Take farmer Chho Bunteoun for
example. He’s earned more income from the packinghouse cooperative and used
initial profits to improve the village road by his house, making it less muddy
and smoother for transporting crops. He’s building a nethouse now and is so
confident in its success that he’s making plans for a second one.
“If there is a chance for you to
come back here again, this road may be even nicer and my house may look nicer,”
he said in Khmer. “I will start growing [more] vegetables and constructing
[another] new nethouse, step by step.”
Cheang Sophat, left, and wife Hem Champa, far right, were able to
send their second child to college after earning more money from vegetables
grown in a nethouse. The couple is confident they will be able to send their
third child, 14-year-old Phat Daroth, second from right, to college as well.
Photo credit: Max Fannin for UC Davis
With local science to feed the future, innovations
spread
The partnership between UC Davis
and RUA has also advanced science at both institutions. More than 300 students
have worked on the project over the years, and the high-profile research has
helped the Cambodian university gain recognition among funding agencies and
donors.
The collaborative methods used by
UC Davis researchers have been key to the international research project’s
success.
“They do not give us the solution
directly, but we work to solve the problem together. Like on-the-job training,
it’s a very good approach for me,” Buntong said. “Because of this approach, the
Royal University of Agriculture is prepared to continue supporting the kind of
technical innovation that we have been working toward for the last 10 years.”
Because
of this approach, the Royal University of Agriculture is prepared to continue
supporting the kind of technical innovation that we have been working toward
for the last 10 years.
Borarin Buntong, Director of the Division Research and Extension
for RUA
Source: LEI Wageningen University and Research Centre
To learn more about how UC Davis researchers are helping solve
global nutrition and poverty,
visit horticulture.ucdavis.edu
visit food.ucdavis.edu
visit horticulture.ucdavis.edu
visit food.ucdavis.edu
Story by Brenda Dawson/UC Davis.
Video by Max Fannin for UC Davis. Produced by John Mounier/UC Davis.
This content is paid for by UC Davis and published by WP
BrandStudio. The Washington Post newsroom was not involved in the
creation of this content. Learn more about WP BrandStudio.
Credits: By Brenda Dawson, UC Davis.
Reduction in benchmark
values fails to lift imports
Source: Graphic.com.gh
Date: 27-09-2019 Time: 12:09:50:pm 
The reduction in the benchmark
values of imports has failed to yield the intended results, data from the Ghana
Shippers' Authority (GSA) shows that rather than increasing, goods coming into
the country fell by more than 11 per cent after the policy was implemented in
April, this year. The reduction in benchmark
values was expected to boost the volume of imports through the country's ports
but three months after its implementation, import volumes are rather dropping. The development is in spite of
the review of the benchmark values which translated into general goods being
slashed by 50 per cent and that of vehicles also seeing a 30 per cent reduction
in April this year. For instance, the total volume
of goods imported through the country’s two seaports ( Tema and Takoradi)
dropped from 7.16 million tonnes as recorded in the first half of 2018 to 6.35
million tonnes in the same period this year. This represents an 11.31 per cent
decline. While the first quarter
(January-March) of 2019 recorded a decline of 7.8 per cent to 3.57 million
tonnes against the 3.87 million tonnes recorded for the same period last year,
the data from the GSA showed that the second quarter (April-June) of 2019 also
showed a decrease of 16.89 per cent to 2.73 million tonnes to 3.29 million
tonnes in the same period last year. The data from the GSA released
recently indicated that the development was influenced by decline in imported
commodities such as petroleum products, bulk cement, bagged rice, chemicals and
bagged sugar. Benchmark reductions The data also revealed that
transit goods recorded a paltry growth of 2.89 per cent to 587,537 tonnes for
the period under review while export volumes on the other hand recorded an
impressive increase of 42.04 per cent to 5.72 million tonnes against the 4.03
million tonnes. However, the major gainers for
exports consisted of a 1.67 million tonnes rise in manganese, 191,223 tonnes
increase in bauxite, 169,758 tonnes jump in timber logs, 93,525 tonnes growth
in cashew nuts and 31,483 tonnes increase in cocoa beans. GUTA's position Rather than increasing volume
of goods, the President of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), Dr
Joseph Obeng, in an interview with the GRAPHIC BUSINESS on Friday, September 20
in Accra, observed that the reduction in the benchmark values had helped to
maintain prices of goods. According to him, the drop in
the volume of goods could be attributed to a litany of challenges which consist
of over populated markets and financial difficulties on the part of traders. He said the market had been
over-saturated with goods of which some were imported through unapproved
routes. "Based on our own
assessment, 80 per cent of these foreigners in our markets, especially those
from neighbouring countries, import goods through their home countries and then
transport them through unapproved routes where they are not recorded for the
right taxes to be paid to the state," he said. Also, Dr Obeng indicated that
most of the importers currently had their working capital locked up in some of
the financial institutions that collapsed through the funancial sector
clean-up. "One of our members
deposited money at a savings and loan company on Friday, the following Monday
when the person was going for the money, he was told that the said financial
company has collapsed," he added. Drop in consumer purchasing
power The views of the president were
corroborated by the Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters
Association of Ghana (IEA), Samson Awingobit Asaaki, who also blamed the
reduction in import volumes to a drop in consumer purchasing power. "Most of the warehouses
have been packed with goods yet no one is buying because there is no money in
the system and traders cannot also import new goods while the old ones are
still in stock," he said. He stated that uncertainty
among importers with regard to government trade policies such as the review of
the date used in calculating the exchange rate for duty on imported goods at
the country's ports could also be blamed for the drop in import volumes. “And so the review of the
benchmark values introduced in April 2019 had nothing to do with the declining
of import volumes,” he said it had rather encouraged the few volumes recorded
under the period. Changes to benchmarks The government had indicated
strongly that it would make changes to benchmark values in the 2020 budget. Tax expert and Managing Partner
of Ali-Nakyea and Associates, Mr Abdallah Ali-Nakyea, underscored the need for
the review of the benchmark values. He added that traders who
imported goods would take advantage of the loopholes in that particular customs
policy to cheat the state and so reviewing it was crucial to make it more
effective to serve its purpose.
SEPTEMBER
27, 2019 / 4:55 PM / 3 DAYS AGO
India's monsoon set for delayed retreat
·
·
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Current weather conditions indicate that
India’s monsoon is unlikely to start receding before early October, more than a
month later than usual, the head of the weather office said on Friday.
FILE PHOTO: A logo of India
Meteorological Department (IMD) is pictured at its headquarters in New Delhi,
April 15, 2019. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis/File Photo
Annual monsoon rains are crucial for India’s $2.75 trillion
farm-dependent economy. The monsoon generally begins in June and starts to retreat
by Sept. 1, but rains have continued beyond that date this year and triggered
fatal floods in western India, killing hundreds of people.
“The withdrawal of the monsoon, which is already delayed, is
ruled out for at least the next 10 days as weather conditions have not become
favourable for the season to end,” Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of
the state-run India Meteorological Department (IMD), told Reuters.
India relies heavily on the monsoon for irrigation, though crop
damage and delayed harvests can result if the rainfall persists.
This month’s rainfall has intensified over central, southern and
western India, causing floods that have swamped cane and rice fields.
“We can see that monsoon rains have improved steadily after a
weak, delayed start in June and we now believe that overall rainfall this
season will be either normal or above normal,” Mohapatra said.
Two senior weather department officials told Reuters this month
that monsoon rains were likely to be above average for the first time in six
years.
The IMD defines average, or normal, rainfall as between 96% and
104% of a 50-year average of 89 cm for the entire four-month season.
Monsoon rains, which deliver about 70% of the country’s annual
rainfall, arrived on the western Kerala coast on June 8, nearly a week later
than usual.
The driest June in five years and a below-average July stoked
fears of a drought, but rains picked up in August and September as both the El
Nino weather pattern and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) phenomenon turned favourable.
A strong El Nino, marked by a warming of the surface of the
Pacific Ocean, can cause severe drought in Australia, Southeast Asia and India,
while drenching other parts of the world, such as the U.S. Midwest and Brazil.
The IOD is characterised by higher sea-surface temperatures in
the Indian Ocean and southwesterly winds that bring rain to the Indian
sub-continent.
Reporting by Mayank Bhardwaj; Editng by Sanjeev Miglani and
David Goodman
SEPTEMBER
27, 2019 / 1:39 PM / 3 DAYS AGO
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- September 27, 2019
·
·
* * * * * *
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-September 27, 2018
Nagpur, Sept 27 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices showed weak tendency in Nagpur
Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) here on lack of demand from
local millers amid high moisture content arrival. Fresh fall on NCDEX in gram,
easy condition in Madhya Pradesh pulses and high moisture content arrival also
affected prices. About 450 bags of gram and 100 bags of tuar reported for
auction, according to sources.
GRAM
* Desi gram raw reported down in open market here on poor demand
from local traders.
TUAR
* Tuar Karnataka reported higher in open market on increased
demand from local
traders.
* Mot prices firmed up in open market here on good festival
season
demand from local traders amid tight supply from producing
regions.
* In Akola, Tuar New – 5,500-5,700, Tuar dal (clean) –
8,100-8,200, Udid Mogar (clean)
– 7,300-8,100, Moong Mogar (clean) 8,200-8,900, Gram –
4,300-4,400, Gram Super best
– 5,600-6,000 * 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 3,625-4,375 3,690-4,375
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction 4,920-5,325 5,100-5,450
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 2,000-2,045 2,000-2,010
Wheat Sharbati Auction n.a. 2,900-3,000
Gram Super Best Bold 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000
Gram Super Best n.a. n.a.
Gram Medium Best 5,400-5,600 5,400-5,600
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a
Gram Mill Quality 4,350-4,450 4,350-4,450
Desi gram Raw 4,350-4,450 4,400-4,500
Gram Kabuli 8,300-10,000 8,300-10,000
Tuar Fataka Best-New 8,300-8,400 8,300-8,400
Tuar Fataka Medium-New 7,800-8,100 7,800-8,100
Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 7,400-7,600 7,400-7,600
Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 6,800-7,200 6,800-7,200
Tuar Gavarani New 5,850-5,950 5,850-5,950
Tuar Karnataka 6,100-6,200 6,050-6,150
Masoor dal best 5,500-5,700 5,500-5,700
Masoor dal medium 5,200-5,400 5,200-5,400
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold (New) 8,500-9,000 8,500-9,000
Moong Mogar Medium 7,000-7,800 7,000-7,800
Moong dal Chilka New 7,200-7,800 7,200-7,800
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 8,400-8,900 8,400-8,900
Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 7,500-8,200 7,500-8,200
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 6,000-7,000 6,000-7,000
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 4,700-5,300 4,500-5,100
Mot (100 INR/KG) 6,000-7,000 5,800-6,800
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 4,700-5,000 4,800-5,100
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 7,500-8,000 7,500-8,000
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 2,250-2,350 2,250-2,350
Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,200 2,100-2,200
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,650-2,750 2,650-2,750
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,550-2,650 2,550-2,650
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,450 2,300-2,450
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-4,000 3,200-4,000
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,600-3,100 2,600-3,100
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,500 2,400-2,500
Rice BPT best new (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,600 3,200-3,600
Rice BPT medium new(100 INR/KG) 2,700-3,100 2,700-3,100
Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,100 3,000-3,100
Rice Swarna best new (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,700 2,500-2,700
Rice Swarna medium new (100 INR/KG)2,300-2,400 2,300-2,400
Rice HMT best new (100 INR/KG) 3,800-4,000 3,800-4,000
Rice HMT medium new (100 INR/KG) 3,300-3,500 3,300-3,500
Rice Shriram best new(100 INR/KG) 4,600-5,000 4,600-5,000
Rice Shriram med new (100 INR/KG) 4,200-4,500 4,200-4,500
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 8,500-13,500 8,500-13,500
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,000-7,200 5,000-7,200
Rice Chinnor best new 100 INR/KG) 5,400-5,700 5,400-5,700
Rice Chinnor medium new(100 INR/KG)5,100-5,200 5,100-5,200
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. 30.7 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 23.5 degree Celsius Rainfall :
10.0 mm FORECAST: Generally cloudy sky with one or two spells of rains or
thunder-showers. Maximum and minimum temperature likely to be around 31 degree
Celsius and 23 degree Celsius respectively. Note: n.a.—not available (For oils,
transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market
prices)
Up, up goes price of rice
Consumers have expressed concern as the price
of rice has continued to increase, a development, which has left vendors and
consumers bitter, JANE CHIJIOKE writes
Early this year, former
Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Audu Ogbeh said the country had
attained 90 per cent of rice production.
He said the country had
moved from being a major importer of rice to being self-reliant in its
production. He said it did not only have the capacity to feed itself, but had
also become a major player in agricultural export to other countries.
Like Ogbeh, the Rice
Farmers Association (RIFAN) said the country had attained a yearly production
of eight million metric tonnes of rice, with a target of 18 million metric
tonnes by 2023.
The contrast
These indices seemed to be
farfetched from what was obtained in some markets visited. Rice vendors
lamented the shortage. Since the border closure, they claimed that
manufacturers and distributors had distributed short supply and the goods were
rationed to get an even distribution in various markets across the country.
They said sometimes they
were out of goods because the manufacturers did not have rice to
sell. The shortfall they noted has been the major cause for the constant
increase in price as manufacturers cannot meet up with the demand.
Barely three weeks after
the closure of the border, the price of Nigerian rice skyrocketed from N12,000
– N13,300 to N15,000. At the moment, it is being sold for between N17, 000 and
N19,000, depending on the brand. Brands, such as Famous, Lake Rice, Bigbull,
Al-hamzad, Humza, and Olams Labana fall in this category. A derica
of rice sells for N350 to N400. It is believed that, in few days, the price
would go beyond N20,000.
Following the disappearance
of foreign rice from the market, some rice vendors refill empty foreign rice
bags with the local rice, branding it as ‘foreign’. Such rice is sold for
N21,000 and N23,000.
At various markets visited,
traders and consumers lamented the increase. They said it had become difficult
to eat rice, adding that the food item was going out of their reach. They
appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to reopen the borders as the country was
yet to attain self-sufficiency in food production.
For a consumer, Mrs. Gift
Maduka, the increasing price of rice is a nightmare to cope with in her family
of six.
Traders lamented that rice
had become a scarce commodity.
A trader at Iddo Rice
Market, Mr. Yemi Jelil said: “I requested for 25 bags of one brand of rice,
they refused to sell to me. I only got 10 bags at N17,800 per bag. There is no
rice. What they have is not sufficient. They ration the ones they have. It is
not just about the popular brands, the scarcity affects all brands. When you
request for a particular quantity, you get something lesser or, at worst, they
tell you they don’t have.
“On our part the sellers,
we make do with the little we have pending when we are able to get some to
sell. So the scarcity inflates the price and this is greatly affecting us. Our
customers are complaining. They buy at a particular price, by the time they
come again, the price would have increased. There is no regulation on the
price. Going by the way the price is rising, it will surely exceed N20, 000 in
few days,” he said.
Another wholesale trader at
the market, Mrs. Suliat said she had not been able to buy rice since last week.
“I have booked for supply
since last week, but no response yet. At the moment, I don’t have rice to
sell. I am a wholesaler that supplies to other traders in the market. So, imagine
me unable to get rice, so how much more for traders who buy in little
quantity from me to resell in the market?” When it eventually becomes
available, the price will skyrocket.”
A trader at Orile Market,
Iyana Ipaja, Lagos, who refused to mention his name, said the government ‘s
initiative to force Nigerians to consume homegrown rice was not realistic
given that there is shortage of supply and production nationwide.
Though a good initiative,
he said the escalation of price was a testament to the short fall of basic
requirements needed in the rice value chain.
“How many rice farmers or
millers do we have? How much of rice is produced on a daily basis.
In what ways is government making agriculture attractive for the
young one to venture into? Are there seed or soft loans for them? Do we
have enough mills in the country? Is the government subsiding rice paddy or
regulating price? he asked.
He lamented that a
state with large population, such as Lagos, depended on rice produced in
the North. Also, the infrastructural deficit makes it difficult to ferry
goods cheaply to their destinations.
He advised the government
not to depend on data from rice farmers, millers and distributors but also
monitor the markets to get feedbacks from sellers and even consumers.
This will help them to get
robust information to use to boost rice production, he added.
There is no scarcity of rice
The Iyaloja of
Daleko Rice Market, Mrs Jumlar Solaja, said there was no shortage of rice. She
said new rice paddy would soon be out. She remarked that the market always
received trailers of rice.
Asked why the price is
constantly on the increase she said: “The issue is that many people are not on
the farm. We need more hands in the farm because there is market for it. When
we have enough hands producing rice, there would be enough rice paddies and the
price will crash. This is our reality.”
On his part, the National
Vice President of Rice Farmers Association (RIFAN), Mr Segun Atho, explained
that there was no scarcity of rice as farmers were growing rice almost four
times yearly.
He noted that there was
surplus rice paddy. Asked why the price is high, he said: “I will not speak on
that. What I am sure of is that there is rice in the country. Let us be patient
with ourselves.”
Rice
Prices
as on : 27-09-2019
11:49:30 AM
Arrivals in
tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.
|
Arrivals
|
Price
|
|||||
|
Current
|
%
change |
Season
cumulative |
Modal
|
Prev.
Modal |
Prev.Yr
%change |
|
|
Rice
|
||||||
|
Siliguri(WB)
|
243.00
|
5.65
|
5508.00
|
3800
|
3800
|
-
|
|
Barhaj(UP)
|
100.00
|
-23.08
|
6938.00
|
2400
|
2400
|
6.67
|
|
Aligarh(UP)
|
70.00
|
NC
|
3370.00
|
2560
|
2550
|
2.40
|
|
Kasimbazar(WB)
|
67.00
|
NC
|
968.00
|
2700
|
2700
|
-4.59
|
|
Gazipur(UP)
|
57.00
|
16.33
|
5094.50
|
3230
|
3230
|
11.38
|
|
Gauripur(ASM)
|
50.00
|
NC
|
1824.50
|
4500
|
4500
|
NC
|
|
Cachar(ASM)
|
40.00
|
100
|
3521.00
|
2400
|
2400
|
NC
|
|
Karimganj(ASM)
|
40.00
|
-33.33
|
100.00
|
3500
|
3500
|
NC
|
|
Lakhimpur(UP)
|
35.00
|
25
|
1696.50
|
2450
|
2460
|
7.46
|
|
Vilthararoad(UP)
|
10.00
|
NC
|
781.00
|
2150
|
2150
|
-1.83
|
|
Sahiyapur(UP)
|
9.50
|
-13.64
|
1304.00
|
2450
|
2465
|
13.43
|
|
Jaunpur(UP)
|
9.00
|
-82
|
1454.70
|
2350
|
2350
|
5.38
|
|
Dibrugarh(ASM)
|
7.60
|
-10.59
|
207.60
|
3000
|
3000
|
2.74
|
|
Karsiyang(Matigara)(WB)
|
2.30
|
-89.45
|
751.00
|
3400
|
3400
|
13.33
|
|
Achalda(UP)
|
1.20
|
20
|
26.10
|
2600
|
2600
|
85.71
|
|
Jambusar(Kaavi)(Guj)
|
1.00
|
NC
|
63.00
|
3100
|
3100
|
-
|
|
Khair(UP)
|
0.80
|
-20
|
47.50
|
2600
|
2600
|
1.17
|
Published on September 27, 2019
Thailand: Finding ways to beat farm debt
| Updated on September 27,
2019 Published on September 27, 2019
The farm sector
has been a driving engine behind Thailand’s economic growth, but at the same
time, debt among farmers has been rising.
The main product
of farming is rice.
Last year, the
value of rice traded was 174.5 billion baht (US$5.7 billion), entailing 12.89%
of all farming products.
Logically, rice
farmers should be enjoying wealthy profits.
But the
uncertainties of farming - unmerciful weather, droughts and floods, fluctuating
prices and rising costs - enslave rice farmers to debts.
The government has
offered help, but to no avail.
Farming debt,
often incurred by rice farmers, rose from 2.4 trillion baht in 2016 to 2.8
trillion baht as of last year, according to the National Statistical Office
(NOS).
Among 3.8 million
debtors with state-funded loans, 1.1 million of them are farmers, according to
the NOS.
In August 2017,
hundreds of rice farmers gathering in front of commercial banks and the Bank
for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) demanded help.
The government
granted them debt relief, with interest cuts.
However the larger
question still remains: how can Thailand tackle farmers debt so it disappears
for good?
Cause of debt
Samree Treesawat,
a 54 year-old farmer from Ayutthaya province, was among the farmers who joined
the protest at the BAAC.
“I can see no
future. The price of rice has gone down every year since the coup. I make no
profit from rice plantations. I have been a farmer since I was young. I can’t
change to a new job,” Mr Samree told the Bangkok Post.
10 years ago,
Seree borrowed one million baht from the BAAC to develop his home and launch a
grocery business as a second job apart from growing rice.
During the early
years, he was able to make debt repayments, but stopped them over the past four
years.
Total interest
payments have reached 300,000 baht.
Mr Samree said he
does not own his own land, so the costs are higher, and production costs in
general have increased. Like many other rice farmers, Mr Samree rents land to
plant rice.
Although, the
harvest gave him plenty of rice to sell, he was still unable to make enough
money to repay his debt.
First, Mr Samree
needed to earmark 150 kilograms of paddy rice per rai (1,600 square metres) to
repay his landlord.
His landlord
prefers rice to cash. Landlords make easy money selling rice when the price in
the world market jumps.
If not, they can
still make money from a government subsidy under the rice mortgage scheme.
If droughts hit or
the weather is otherwise cruel, Mr Samree could end up owing rent.
Even if he had not
harvested enough rice to pay rent to his landlord, he still needed to pay for
production costs such as oil for tractors, chemical pesticides, chemical
fertilisers and seeds.
Too much help
Based on a study
by the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) in 2016, almost a quarter
of all farm debts are owed to state banks.
Kamphol Pantakua,
a researcher from the TDRI, said farmers have borrowed money from banks for
further investment, which can return benefits of up to 77%.
That makes good
sense economically, except farmers do not borrow for farming only.
Around 34% of them
borrow for developing or buying a house or residential plot, 15% for education,
14% for improving the farming business, 14% for doing business, 10% on general
consumption and 13% for other purposes.
The problem is
therefore not about lacking loans or financial help.
“Thai farmers are
getting into more and more debt because they can draw on all kinds of financial
sources. All governments have a raft of policies to help farmers get finance at
low interest rates. But farming is a high risk career with variable returns,”
said Kamphol.
He explained that
rice is a commodity that is easy to sell, but not much of a money-maker.
The price of rice
fluctuates greatly based on the world market, not to mention fierce
competition.
“Farmers could
reap a 50% profit or suffer a loss just as big at any time,” he said.
The TDRI
researcher also found that policies to help farmers are a problem in
themselves.
To tackle the debt
problem, many governments also implemented debt suspension schemes.
Governments also
provided other non-financial sources of support, such as coupons for cheaper
fuel and fertiliser.
They also offered
special loans with long-term payments and low interest rates to farmers.
Interest rates for farmers from state banks are the lowest in Asean - amounting
to less than 2%.
Kamphol said that
the government should reduce subsidies to the farming sector and cultivate
self-sufficiency.
He said the
government should play a new role as a “funding agency” to support farmers and
raise capacity.
The government, he
said, should pull in academics, local NGOS, and state officials to create a new
strategy to solve farmer debt.
“But if the
government still puts in large volumes of money to farmers with little efficiency,
it will burden the country as money is drawn away from developing other
fields,” he said.
More and better
loans
The president of
the BAAC, Apirom Sukprasert, said that non-performing loans at the BAAC
are still at an “acceptable” level.
“Most farmers have
skills in financial management. They can repay debt on time. But we still have
some with problems, and we welcome them to discuss them with us,” Sukprasert
said.
About 1.5 million
people who are debtors of the bank have registered as poor under the
government’s scheme to help those with little money and the value of their debt
is about 300,000 baht per person on average.
He said the bank
has more flexible channels to help farmers improve their quality of life,
compared with the past when loans were limited to agricultural purposes only.
“Now, our clients
can get financial loans for education or real estate purchases, with different
interest rates.”
However, the
important thing, he added, is the bank will work with agencies to create
“immunity” for those farmers.
Farmers are shown
how to cultivate financial discipline and increase personal savings.
The bank has also
offered measures to attract more savings from farmers.
Most popular among
clients are lucky draw competitions, with winners drawn from those with deposit
accounts.
Sukprasert said
the BAAC is approving soft loans to 452 cooperative farmers nationwide, which
will be allocated to support farmers to help cut production costs and increase
income.
This is done under
the government’s agricultural reform policy.
The private
sector, for its part, will help farmers distribute their products to customers.
“We can no longer
be focused on debt suspension or loans alone. We must focus on making farmers
more disciplined and more financially independent, as that is the way to become
debt free.”
This
story by Apinya Wipatayotin was first published by The Bangkok Post on November 4, 2018.
|
BEHIND THE STORY
In August 2017, hundreds of rice farmers converged in front of
commercial banks and the BAAC to demand for help after they were unable
to pay off farming loans. The significant gathering of these
farmers prompted The Bangkok Post to turn its attention to farmer debt
in Thailand. It also raised the question of how Thailand could better
tackle it.
Anucha Charoenpo, the news editor at the Bangkok Post, later discussed
the idea with the writer and encouraged her to investigate a number of
farmers in debt with state-funded loans, the cause of their debt and
what loan assistance packages each farmer received. The story has encouraged
all stakeholders involved - especially the Thai government - to
pay more attention to the problems of farmer debt while rice farmers
who were themselves in debt were alerted to the changes they needed to
make. This included practising increasing discipline and making themselves
more financially independent.
|
Published on September 27, 2019
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Myanmar rice exports should focus on raising
productivity, quality
SIDDHARTHA BASU AND
SUDHANSHU SHARMA 27 SEP 2019
Photo - EPA
Myanmar’s rice
industry can be reignited by reforms. However, key challenges need to be
addressed for the country to re-establish itself in the international market.
Myanmar once held the
distinction of being the world’s largest exporter of rice, accounting for
one-third of the global rice trade in 1934-35. However, post-independence
nationalisation of the industry resulted in a vicious cycle where low-quality
inputs led to low-quality outputs, which soon became uncompetitive in the
international market.
Reforms to the sector
and the wider economy over the past decade have led to a revival of Myanmar’s
rice export industry. With a target set by the Myanmar Rice Federation to
achieve four million tonnes in exports by 2020-21, it is vital to build on this
momentum by addressing the critical challenges that remain for the industry.
Of the many challenges
facing the rice sector in Myanmar, issues of productivity and quality are key.
Productivity along the
supply chain
Low productivity at
the farm level contributes to low yields in Myanmar’s rice industry. Many
determinants of farm-level productivity relate to inputs, including seed,
fertiliser and irrigation.
Since 1977, the
Myanmar government has promoted high-yielding varieties (HYVs) of rice seed.
However, the performance of HYVs in the country is frequently undermined by
factors such as relying on harvested paddy for seed – which leads to seed degeneration
over time – improper fertiliser use, insufficient irrigation and lack of
drainage facilities.
For instance, the use
of fertiliser is prevalent among Myanmar rice farmers but generally in low
amounts, with the quality, cost and availability of fertilisers as frequent
constraints. The situation is compounded by a lack of sound knowledge on the
part of many farmers, with potential negative implications for local
ecosystems.
For exports,
productivity further downstream plays an equally important role. For example,
in Myanmar’s case, low productivity at the mill level can be a severe
constraint for firms that may otherwise be in a position to export.
Significant challenges
that affect the productivity of Myanmar rice mills include outdated equipment
and a lack of reliable electricity, with the latter also weakening the
incentive for millers to upgrade their equipment. Generous state subsidies have
contributed to the unreliable supply of electricity, by discouraging the
construction of new power sources and maintenance of existing plants and
transmission lines. The recent hike of electricity tariffs is a welcome
development from this perspective.
The rice landscape in
Myanmar is currently being transformed by mechanisation. While mechanisation
can improve productivity, it can also be counterproductive without
complementary upgrades along the value chain. This is evident, for example, in
the fertiliser shortages that are now resulting from a decreased use of cattle
in the Myanmar agriculture. Similarly, technology that reduces harvest time can
inadvertently reduce the value of a harvest as well, as paddy that is left in a
damp condition for a few days becomes unfit for consumption.
Myanmar’s rice export
industry faces a quality paradox. Even though the country is a major cultivator
of certain premium varieties, rice exports are predominantly of low-quality.
More than 90 percent of rice exported in 2010-12 included at least 25pc broken
rice. Worryingly, the world demand for low-quality rice is declining rapidly.
Insufficient income
from exports of low-quality rice for farmers and other intermediaries coupled
with falling market demand abroad makes it unsustainable to export low-quality
rice for much longer. Thus, if Myanmar is to remain a viable rice exporter, the
question of quality needs to be urgently addressed.
Looking ahead
Due to its power to
formulate policies, provide public goods and set the agenda, the Myanmar
government is uniquely positioned to facilitate investments in the rice
sector. Effective implementation of the Ministry of Commerce’s Rice
Sector Strategy 2015-19 is critical if export targets are to be met.
Interventions would
need to target the challenges faced by different actors simultaneously, with a
broad understanding of how different actors and stages of the value chain
interact with each other. In many cases, multiple stages of the value chain may
be subject to common constraints, such as lack of access to credit.
The private sector can
also provide specific and innovative solutions along the rice value chain,
complementing the role of the government. Private investment, especially from
overseas, could provide the domestic rice industry with much-needed capital,
modern equipment, technical know-how and better management practices, while
helping producers achieve economies of scale and link up with foreign
distributors and buyers.
Siddhartha Basu and
Sudhanshu Sharma are Country Economists for IGC Myanmar. The original edition
of this piece was published on the IGC website. The views and opinions
expressed in this article are those of the authors.
Basmati rice exports to be muted
this year
Published : Sep 27, 2019, 1:26 am IST
Updated : Sep 27, 2019, 1:26 am IST
During the current fiscal, Basmati
rice exports realisations stood at Rs 75,589/MT for 4M FY2020, only 2 per cent
higher than the previous fiscal.
On a
comparative basis, Basmati rice exports in 4M FY20 stood at Rs. 10,847 crore, 6
per cent lower than Rs. 11,575 crore in the corresponding period in the
previous fiscal.
Chennai: Basmati exports are facing headwinds in the current
fiscal, after two years of strong growth.
Due to uncertainty over exports to Iran as well as likely
moderation in average export realisations, Basmati rice exports are expected to
be muted in FY20, finds Icra.
In FY19, Basmati rice exports were at an all-time high at Rs
32,806 crore, primarily led by aggressive buying by Iran. Iran has been making
aggressive pre-emptive buying in the first half of FY2019 due to anticipated
impact on its global trade with re-imposition of US trade sanctions later in
that year.
On a comparative basis, Basmati rice exports in 4M FY20 stood at
Rs. 10,847 crore, 6 per cent lower than Rs. 11,575 crore in the corresponding
period in the previous fiscal. During the current fiscal, Basmati rice exports
realisations stood at Rs 75,589/MT for 4M FY2020, only 2 per cent higher than
the previous fiscal.
Tags: basmati rice
Vietnamese rice has more opportunities to
enter the US
27/09/2019 14:00 GMT+7
Several
US importers have added rice to the list of product items they will buy from
Vietnam.
Vietsway, a company selling products on Amazon, has been buying
Vietnam’s Hoa Nang rice for the last six years for sale in the US market.
Erik Frankel, CEO of Vietsway, said the company buys Hoa Nang rice in small packs, which helps Vietnamese enterprises boost exports and develop the country's rice brand in the US market.
He said his company is seeking partners to offer Vietnamese products to American consumers. Frankel said his major concern is the quality of products and documents related to merchandise exports.
Vietnam’s rice accounts for 15 percent of the world’s total rice exports. However, the decrease in exports has forced Vietnamese enterprises to look for new and niche markets to reduce inventory levels and ensure revenue.
 |
|
Vietnam’s
rice accounts for 15 percent of the world’s total rice exports. However, the
decrease in exports has forced Vietnamese enterprises to look for new and
niche markets to reduce inventory levels and ensure revenue.
|
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)
reported that Vietnam exported 4.54 million tons of rice in the first eight
months of the year, valued at $2 billion, an increase of 0.3 percent in
quantity and decrease of 14.9 percent in value compared with the same period
last year.
The appearance of new American importers which buy rice in the short term helped ease pressure when exports to large markets such as China, Indonesia and Bangladesh decreased in H1.
In the medium and long term, with the annual growth rate of 13 percent in rice imports in the last two months, the US, together with traditional markets Africa and the Middle East are expected to help Vietnam implement the plan to export 4.5-5 million tons of rice in 2017-2020.
The US is not the biggest market for Vietnam, though it is the biggest rice importer in the western hemisphere.
The Philippines was the top importer of Vietnam rice in the first seven months of 2019 with 34.5 percent of market share (1.46 million tons, $589.4 million).
The Industry and Trade Information Center cited a report from the US Department of Agriculture as predicting that the US would increase import volume by 3 percent by 2020. In 2019-2020, the US plans to import 900,000 tons of rice.
Loc Troi is selling organic rice to the US. General director Huynh Van Thon said this is an important strategy that affirms Vietnam’s rice brand in the world market. However, he noted that Vietnam’s rice has to compete with Thailand and Cambodia in the US market.
Kim
Chi
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Ripening rice fields in Vietnam's northwestern region
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https://vietnamnet.vn/en/business/vietnamese-rice-has-more-opportunities-to-enter-the-us-571570.html
Major business groups support rice tariffication law
September
27, 2019 | 12:03 am
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REUTERS
AMID calls to amend or repeal the Rice Tariffication Law,
business groups urged the government to properly implement the law to ensure
any “temporary adjustment problems” will be addressed.
In a joint statement on Thursday, the American Chamber of
Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham), Bankers Association of the Philippines
(BAP), Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FinEx), Foundation
for Economic Freedom (FEF), Makati Business Club (MBC), and the Management
Association of the Philippines (MAP), expressed their support for Republic Act
11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law, which allowed importation of rice with no
limit, with the imposition of a 35% tariff.
“We urge the proper implementation of the RTL (Rice
Tariffication Law) to ensure that the temporary adjustment problems experienced
by our rice sector will be mitigated, and we are sure that out from the birth
pains, a new, vibrant, and modern Philippine Agriculture sector will emerge,” the
groups said.
The business groups issued the statement amid calls by some
lawmakers to amend or repeal the Rice Tariffication Law.
“To reverse it now is tantamount to consigning our agriculture
to under development and our farm families continuing child malnutrition. It is
for this reason why we support the current efforts of Secretary William D. Dar
of the Department of Agriculture to effectively implement the (law) to protect
our palay farmers and preserve the gains of the (law),” the business groups said.
The law took effect in March 2019, with the goal of improving
the productivity and harvest quality of Filipino farmers, pushing them to be
more competitive. The law also created the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement
Fund, which allots P10 billion for the rice industry annually until 2024. This
will be used to improve mechanization, distribution of high-yield inbred seeds,
credit, and extension support and education of rice farmers.
The industry is currently facing plummeting prices of palay, or
unmilled rice, which many associate with the implementation of the law.
To address this, the Agriculture department has launched loan
programs for rice farmers to lessen the impact of the drop, like the
P2.5-billion expanded Survival and Recovery Assistance (SURE Aid) program.
It is also looking into the possible imposition of safeguard
duties due to oversupply of imported rice. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang
S. Korea's rice output to drop 100,000
tons in aftermath of typhoons
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SEJONG, Sept. 27 (Yonhap) -- South
Korea's annual rice production is expected to drop by up to 100,000 tons in
2019, following major typhoons that struck the country this month, a research
institute said Friday, although no significant shortages are anticipated.
The country's production of rice, a
staple grain for Koreans, is expected to hover between 3.77 million tons to
3.81 million tons, according to the data compiled by state-run Korea Rural
Economic Institute (KREI).
The institute attributed the drop to
Typhoon Lingling and Tapah, which hit the country early this month, resulting
in shorter daylight hours that hindered the growth of rice.
"Considering the anticipated
demand, South Korea is expected to experience a shortage of 30,000 tons, or a
surplus of 10,000 tons," the researcher said in its report.
The drop in the rice production,
however, can also expand, as the South Korean government is still making
efforts to assess the damage caused last week by Typhoon Tapah.
colin@yna.co.kr
IGC Estimates Surge In Global Rice Production In MY 2019/20
IGC
Estimates Surge In Global Rice Production In MY 2019/20
September 27, 2019 9:28 IST | capital
market
As per the
latest update from International Grain Council (IGC), world rice output in
2019/20 is predicted steady y/y, at a high of 500m t. Population growth will
again be the key driver of demand as consumption advances further and, with
supplies expected to be boosted by heavy carry-ins, aggregate end-season
inventories are likely to rise by 2% y/y, to 178m t. Traded volumes could
recover in 2020 on firmer demand from buyers in Africa.
Japan to Mull Aid for Farmers after Trade Deal with U.S.
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Tokyo,
Sept. 27 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government is now seen starting in earnest
work to draw up measures to alleviate the possible impact on domestic farmers
of a just-agreed trade deal with the United States.
The
agriculture industry is relieved that no tariff-free quota will be set for U.S.
rice shipments to Japan, Toru Nakaya, chairman of the Central Union of
Agricultural Cooperatives, or JA-Zenchu, said in a statement on Thursday.
Japan
had agreed to introduce such a quota for up to 70,000 tons of U.S. rice during
Trans-Pacific Partnership trade talks, from which the United States withdrew
just after the inauguration of President Donald Trump in January 2017.
Meanwhile,
there are persistent concerns about lower Japanese tariffs on U.S. beef, pork
and other farm goods. "Farmers are more worried than ever about their
future," Toshiaki Tobita, head of JA Hokkaido Chuokai, a group under the
nationwide union, said.
Under
the bilateral trade deal, Japan will liberalize its markets for many
agricultural products to levels under the TPP
Sun Valley’s Calrose rice now sold at Costcos in Japan
A tasting station at a
Costco store in Japan offers Sun Valley rice to customers. COURTESY
September 27, 2019 at
3:05 am
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