Saturday, November 16, 2019

16th November,2019 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter


5 great family-friendly holiday attractions on Chinese tropical island of Hainan




In partnership with: Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province
  



5 great family-friendly holiday attractions on Chinese tropical island of Hainan

China’s tropical island resort of Hainan is the perfect place for families – offering a wide array of attractions and luxury resorts that will please both parents and children.
November 15, 2019
By Maggie Hiufu Wong
Choices range from a trip to a vast, cinema-themed town, a dinosaur-focused study park, an ecologically protected rainforest – or a stay at one of the stunning hotel resorts with offerings tailored specially to your needs.

Check out 5 holiday attractions that should suit the needs of any family.

Explore the great outdoors and rainforests


Yanoda Rainforest, which means “hello” in Hainanese, is an ecologically protected jungle offering both rainforest hikes and action-packed trekking adventures for those who love nature. Photo: Shutterstock

With more than 60 per cent of Hainan covered in green forest, the island resort is never short of adventurous outdoor holiday pursuits that will appeal to budding Tarzans and Indiana Jones. 

If you have time to visit only one of the many rainforests in Hainan, then you must visit Yanoda Rainforest Cultural Tourism Zone in Baoting Li and Miao Autonomous County.
Love Gate, located along the hiking trail in the picturesque Yanoda Rainforest, features a wooden pendant bridge with an arch that symbolises love. Photo: Valery Bocman / Shutterstock
Yanoda – spanning 45 square km (17 square miles), and surrounded by another ecologically protected area covering 123 square km – is literally translated as “one, two, three”, which means “hello” in the local dialect. It comprises two main areas – Rainforest Valley and Dream Valley. Rainforest Valley features easier rainforest hikes, routes and family-friendly activities, while Dream Valley offers a two-hour action-packed guided trekking adventure for the physically fit.

“Hainan has great natural scenery and clean air, so we think it is a good destination for families to visit,” says Angie Qi from Wuhan, who travelled to Yanoda with her husband, their two-year-old son and her husband’s parents. 

“Yanoda is great for older children, but Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park also has easier scenic trails if you’re travelling with toddlers and elderly people,” Qi, who visited both parks during her trip, says.

Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park became widely known in China after being featured in the hit Chinese film, If You Are The One 2, starring Ge You and Shu Qi.
Yalong Bay, in Sanya, which rose to national prominence after being featured in a hit feature film, offers stunning views along the coast of Hainan. Photo: Shutterstock
Some of the park’s attractions include a suspension rope bridge and a pagoda, offering panoramic views of Sanya’s sea shore. Attractions that were featured in the film include a hillside chapel and the Yalong Bay Earthly Paradise Bird’s Nest Resort. 

For families staying in the north of the island, Haikou Volcanic Cluster Global Geopark is only 15km (9 miles) from Haikou, the island’s capital. 
Qiong Bei, a dormant volcano located only 30 minutes away from Hainan’s capital, Haikou, is recognised by Unesco as a Global Geopark for its unique rock formations and geological landscape.
Listed by Unesco as a Global Geological Park in 2006, its main tourist attraction is its dormant volcano, Qiong Bei – believed to have last erupted 13,000 years ago. But the park also offers a further 36 volcano craters, a geological-themed museum, a 200-year-old temple and the Volcano Restaurant, which serves rustic local offerings, such as mountain goat meat.

Let’s head to the Jurassic world!


China Dinosaur Park, located outside Sanya, features more than 300 life-size dinosaur models of species that once roamed China. Photo: Tropicalhainan.com
Driving along the road outside the Yuan Longping R&D Center, you would never guess that it is a world-renowned scientific research centre.
The Yuan Longping R&D Center is carrying out important research into new sustainable and productive rice crops to feed China’s growing population. Photo: Tropicalhainan.com
Named after Chinese agronomist Yuan Longping, the “father of hybrid rice”, scientists at the park are working on developing sustainable, high-yield and disease-resistant strains of Asia’s staple food, which can feed larger populations while taking up less land. 

Outside the R&D centre is a China Dinosaur Park with more than 300 life-sized dinosaur models (of species once excavated from China), a vast flower-viewing park and a restaurant. 
Some of China Dinosaur Park’s life-size dinosaur models are up to 38 metres tall, providing a vivid introduction to the giant reptiles that once lived on Earth. Photo: Tropicalhainan.com

Guests at Sanya’s five-star Mangrove Tree Resort World Sanya Bay – comprising more than 3,000 rooms and 71 restaurants and outdoor attractions including the Amazon Jungle Water Park and Adventure Zone – can also enjoy some great indoor activities, away from the hot summer sun.
Mangrove Tree Resort World Sanya Bay, a luxury child-friendly hotel, features both an outdoor water park and an adventure zone. Photo: Zhudifeng / Getty Images
Today X Bookstore, inside the resort, has been dubbed Hainan’s most beautiful bookstore. The 4,800-square-metre premises offer many more facilities than most other bookshops, including a spacious children’s playroom with a treehouse-like reading room. 
Bookstores may not always be an ideal tourist destination, but the X Bookstore, at Mangrove Tree Resort World Sanya Bay, includes a spacious area that features a treehouse-like reading room. Photo: Alex Chan@zennotgraphy

Staff also host educational activities for youngsters, while parents can also sign up their children for local handicraft workshops.

The bookshop also has a café, painting area, hi-fi zone and “Zen area” for those visitors who want to zone out.

Round the clock cinematic magic


Feng Xiaogang Movie Town, named after a renowned Chinese film director, offers movie-themed attractions where guests can immerse themselves in an interactive cinematic experience. Photo: Tropicalhainan.com
Hainan has its fair share of unusual theme parks that are sure to attract families. Feng Xiaogang Movie Town, in Haikou, is built on a 1,500-acre (607-hectare) site and features specially designed period streets and buildings – all created for use as film and television production locations by nearby studios – where visitors are free to walk and relive scenes from cinematic history.
Haikou’s Feng Xiaogang Movie Town, which opened in 2013, comprises many period buildings and streets for use in film and television productions, including buildings that resemble those from scenes in some of director Feng Xiaogang’s most famous films. Photo: Tropicalhainan.com
“The worlds in films seem to be out of reach for most people, [but] we’re trying to bring the movie characters and scenes [to life] here so people can be a part of those worlds,” Zhang Daobao, the park’s performance manager and director, says.

The park is named after Feng Xiaogang, a renowned Chinese film director, whose work includes If You are the One and its sequel, If You are the One 2Back to 1942 and I Am Not Madam Bovary. It features recreated buildings from a number of Feng’s atmospheric films. Feng’s favourite art director, Shi Haiying, was the mastermind behind the design of the town, Zhang says.

“Shi has influenced everything in the town, even the typefaces for all the shop signs in the towns.”
Haikou’s Feng Xiaogang Movie Town features regular performances of short martial arts dramas. Photo: Tropicalhainan.com
There are six main attractions where guests can enjoy an immersive cinematic experience. Nanyang town, featuring architecture resembling Haikou’s qilou (old shophouses with influences from Southeast Asia), is the most photogenic attraction and 1942, which comprises mostly retro wooden architecture, offers visitors the chance to take part in martial arts scenes. There is also a street displaying the autographs of dozens of Chinese and international stars.

Short dramas are performed regularly around the different towns, but Zhang says the theme park plans to expand the performances in the near future. 
Sanya Haichang Fantasy Town – China’s first theme park that never sleeps – offers a variety of rides and shows 24 hours a day. Photo: Tropicalhainan.com
For families who still have energy to spare after sunset, hahha – China’s first 24-hour theme park – offers 13 major day-and-night attractions in a variety of different zones, including various exciting rides, theatre shows, an aquarium, observatory wheel, a multi-sensory cinema, themed restaurants, shops – and even a beer bay.

... if Mum and Dad need a break


Hainan’s city of Sanya is home to many luxurious family-friendly resorts. Photo: Shutterstock
As a family-friendly resort island, Hainan’s luxury hotels have been designed to allow parents to enjoy their holidays with their children without having to leave the properties.  Most of the hotels offer customised family services.

Crowne Plaza Sanya Haitang Bay Resort – which resembles a gigantic cruise ship sailing into Haitang Bay – has its own private beach area, four outdoor pools and an indoor rooftop pool.

Special features for youngsters including a well-equipped playroom, cooking classes and a restaurant dedicated to children, which serves inventive, colourful and nutritious meals. Guests can opt to book sea-viewing family suites, which have interiors designed for the needs of both parents and children.

The Ritz-Carlton Sanya, Yalong Bay runs special family activities at its resort each day. A noticeboard in the family corner provides up-to-date details.

Activities include poolside film screenings and a professional photoshoot at the beach with a tag-along photographer.
The Atlantis Sanya Resort, which cost US$2 billion to build, provides a panoramic view of Haitang Bay and comes with an open-air aquarium for guests to do scuba-diving. Photo: DreamArchitect / Shutterstock.com
Costing US$2 billion and four years to build, Atlantis Sanya, Haitang Bay, Sanya, has taken the city of Sanya’s luxury family resorts to another level. 

The 1,314-room hotel, which overlooks Haitang Bay, features its own full-sized Aquaventure Waterpark, and an enormous open-air aquarium where guests can go scuba diving.

Parents can relax in the resort’s Ahava Spa, while their children immerse themselves in the numerous state-of-the-art attractions offered at Club Rush, where the emphasis is on adventure, fun and exploration.

Coming soon … Hello Kitty and Legoland



New theme parks are on the way - a new Hello Kitty-themed resort is expected to hit Hainan by 2024. Photo: ARTYOORAN / Shutterstock.com
In the future, Sanya plans to open China’s second Legoland Park (Shanghai will be the first). The new Sanya Legoland Park will be water-themed and is expected to combine elements of existing Legoland Parks and Hainan’s tropical features.Untimely rains hit India's summer crops, delay rural economy recovery
NOVEMBER 15, 2019
Rajendra Jadhav
KALAMB, India, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Heavy rains in October and November have brought more misery to India’s farmers, after summer-sown crops such as soybean, cotton, rice and vegetables suffered rain and flood damage during the wettest June-September monsoon season in 25 years.

“We couldn’t harvest soybeans last month due to continuous rainfall,” said Shantabai Chikhale, 65, while harvesting with her son on a one acre plot central Maharashtra, India’s second largest soybean production state.

Chikhale had been expecting a bumper crop, but now estimates that two-thirds of the soybean pods on her farm in Kalamb village were knocked off by the rains, while much of the remaining crop has been damaged.

The recent wet spell is also forcing farmers, like Chikhale, to delay sowing winter crops, placing a further drag on the rural economy at a time when India’s economic growth has slumped to a six-year low.

After the ample monsoon rains, The Solvent Extractors’ Association (SEA) had expected India soybean harvest to be more than 10 million tonnes, just a little down on 2018’s 10.3 million tonnes.

But heavy recent rains damaged the crop in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, which account for more than 85% of India’s output, and forced the trade body to cut that estimate to below 9 million tonnes, said B.V. Mehta, executive director of the SEA.

As a result local soybean prices have risen to their highest in 3-1/2 years, making exports of soymeal uncompetitive, traders said.
Lower soybean production could force India, the world’s biggest importer of edible oils, to import more in 2019/20 marketing year that started on Oct.1, said a Mumbai-based dealer with a global trading firm.
OTHER CROPS HIT
The deluge also hit cotton in the world’s biggest producer.Cotton bolls were damaged by late rains in the western states of Maharashtra and Gujarat, which account for over half of the country’s output, said Arun Sekhsaria, managing director of exporter D.D. Cotton.

Until a few weeks ago, industry officials such as Pradeep Jain, president of Khandesh Ginning and Pressing Factory Owners and Traders Association, were expecting a 20% jump in cotton production in 2019 from a year ago.

But now Jain says the production could rise by 10 to 12%.Cyclone Bulbul also soaked the eastern states of Odisha and West Bengal last week, damaging rice crops in these key producing states, said Nitin Gupta, vice president for Olam India’s rice business.

“Supplies from the new season crop for exports have been delayed by around two weeks,” Gupta said.Sugar mills in Maharashtra, the No. 2 sugar state, were forced to delay the start of the new crushing season by a few weeks due to wet fields, said Prakash Naiknavare, head of the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Ltd.

The heavy downpours also elevated prices of vegetables such onions and tomatoes and lifted food inflation to 7.89% in October from a year earlier.
That in turn pushed inflation above the central bank’s medium-term target of 4% in October for the first time in 15 months.
The untimely rains also delayed winter sowing of wheat, chickpeas, vegetables and other crops.
“I need to harvest soybean before planting sugarcane. But soybean harvesting has already been delayed,” says Chikhale. (Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Euan Rocha & Simon Cameron-Moore)

Gov’t on alert on rice smuggling, hoarding

With rice imports surging, the government is shoring up tariff collections while also looking into possible hoarding and smuggling amid falling retail prices, according to the head of the Duterte administration’s economic team.
In a speech at the 14th World Rice Conference on Wednesday, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said revenues from import tariffs slapped on rice already amounted to P11.4 billion at end-October.
Under Republic Act No. 11203, or the rice tariffication law implemented since March, the following tariff rates apply: 35 percent if rice was imported from Asean; 40 percent if within the minimum access volume (MAV) of 350,000 metric tons, from countries outside Asean; and 180 percent if above the MAV and coming from a non-Asean country.
Since collections this year already exceeded the annual P10 billion to be automatically allocated to the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, Dominguez said the government had “ample means to do even more to make our agricultural production more efficient.”
Dominguez said the government would extend help to farmers especially affected by the drop in palay prices.
Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the finance chief said prices had declined to its current average of P15.71 per kilo from its “normal” price of P17.23 during the 2015 to 2017 period.
He said this meant an average loss of P1.52 per kilo. He noted, however, farmers in some provinces even lost P5.63 while others saw a P3.75-increase.
“The government is constantly monitoring location-specific prices so that interventions may be deployed on an evidence-based and tightly targeted manner,” Dominguez said.

Asia Rice-Indian rice falls on weak demand; cyclone damages fields in Bangladesh
NOVEMBER 14, 2019 /
Karthika Suresh Namboothiri
* Cyclone Bulbul damages 23,000 hectares of paddy in Bangladesh

* Thailand braces for dry spell amid low water levels

* Vietnam October rice exports down 5.9% from September

By Karthika Suresh Namboothiri

BENGALURU, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Indian rice export prices extended losses for a second week as the rupee weakened and demand from Africa remained low, while a cyclone damaged paddy fields in neighbouring Bangladesh.

Top exporter India’s 5% broken parboiled variety RI-INBKN5-P1 was quoted around $363-$368 per tonne, down from $365-$370 last week.

“In dollar terms, export prices are down due to the weak rupee. Local paddy rice prices are firm,” an exporter based at Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh said.

The Indian rupee fell to a two-month low on Wednesday, increasing exporters’ margins.

Tepid demand from African countries for non-basmati rice has also played a role in dampening exports, which were down 29% year-on-year in August at 644,249 tonnes.

Many rice-growing states received rainfall earlier this month, which delayed harvesting and damaged paddy crops ready for harvesting, exporters said.

Last week, cyclone Bulbul ripped through coastal areas of Bangladesh and eastern India, damaging 23,000 hectares (56,834.24 acres) of paddy fields, as per a preliminary assessment by Dhaka’s agriculture ministry.

“We will get a clear picture of the extent of the damage by next week,” said Mizanur Rahman, a senior official of Department of Agriculture Extension.

This could be a major blow to the country at a time when farmers have been unable to secure benchmark prices for produce, with no fresh overseas deals in sight.

Elsewhere, Thailand’s benchmark 5% broken rice RI-THBKN5-P1 edged up to $395-$409 a tonne from last week’s $390-$408.

Demand for Thai rice has remained relatively flat despite some optimism over a recent rice deal with Iraq, traders said

However strength in the baht - Asia’s best-performing currency this year - continued to dent demand for Thai rice, making it more expensive than grain from competitors such as Vietnam and India.

“Right now, domestic prices are too low for farmers,” a Bangkok-based trader said. “Prices could go up as supply may shrink, or the government could step in to buy rice at a high price.”

“But the current prices are already higher than our overseas competitors, so it is tough to export.”

The Thai government has asked farmers in 22 rice-growing provinces not to grow off-season crops as the country braces for a dry spell amid low water levels in main reservoirs.

In Vietnam, rates for 5% broken rice RI-VNBKN5-P1 stayed flat at $345-$350 a tonne. The market was dull, with trading done only on previously signed contracts, a trader said. “I think the market will stay this quiet until the end of next year.”

In October, Vietnam exported around 450,000 tonnes of rice, down 5.9% against September, customs data showed. (Reporting by Phuong Nguyen in Hanoi, Patpicha Tanakasempipat in Bangkok, Ruma Paul in Dhaka and Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai; Editing by Arpan Varghese and Jan Harvey)

Rice Prices

as on : 15-11-2019 03:00:01 PM

Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.
Arrivals
Price
Current
%
change
Season
cumulative
Modal
Prev.
Modal
Prev.Yr
%change
Rice
Gadarpur(Utr)
3612.00
-16.37
87117.00
2368
2312
-
Pilibhit(UP)
3000.00
-25
59212.50
2555
2545
11.57
Sultanpur(UP)
350.00
NC
5340.00
2385
2350
0.42
Hardoi(UP)
200.00
11.11
6300.00
2440
2480
-1.61
Barhaj(UP)
200.00
NC
8843.00
2390
2390
6.22
Muzzafarnagar(UP)
160.00
-11.11
3500.00
2675
2695
1.71
Gondal(UP)
144.00
-0.69
7066.50
2460
2460
-1.20
Dhing(ASM)
130.00
NC
3008.00
2750
2750
4.96
Lucknow(UP)
124.00
24
3159.50
2600
2675
15.56
Auraiya(UP)
107.00
13275
425.60
2550
2600
15.91
Madhoganj(UP)
105.00
200
2442.50
2320
2350
4.04
Naugarh(UP)
85.00
9.68
3391.50
2525
2490
11.73
Aligarh(UP)
80.00
14.29
3735.00
2540
2550
1.60
Kalipur(WB)
72.00
24.14
2326.00
2400
2400
-
Azamgarh(UP)
65.00
5.69
3102.50
2470
2480
9.29
Mathura(UP)
65.00
-7.14
1425.50
2570
2570
-1.15
Saharanpur(UP)
62.00
-7.46
1542.50
2600
2620
-0.38
Ballia(UP)
60.00
-14.29
2605.00
2435
2430
1.04
Gauripur(ASM)
50.00
-7.41
2201.50
4500
4500
NC
Dadri(UP)
50.00
25
1123.00
2860
2850
4.00
Kayamganj(UP)
45.00
-10
1479.00
2700
2690
14.41
Karimpur(WB)
45.00
NC
1190.00
3390
3260
-4.51
Pandua(WB)
43.00
19.44
2010.00
3050
3050
1.67
Cachar(ASM)
40.00
NC
3260.00
2400
2400
NC
Allahabad(UP)
40.00
-11.11
1545.50
2600
2600
13.04
Sahiyapur(UP)
40.00
33.33
1281.50
2470
2470
9.78
Beldanga(WB)
40.00
NC
1865.00
2700
2700
3.85
Vasai(Mah)
38.00
2.7
1403.00
3410
3425
7.91
Ghaziabad(UP)
30.00
20
2280.00
2920
2915
6.18
Mohamadabad(UP)
30.00
-
60.00
2730
-
-
Lakhimpur(UP)
30.00
-25
1985.00
2400
2360
7.62
Bankura Sadar(WB)
30.00
-6.25
587.00
2500
2500
-3.85
Islampur(WB)
30.00
7.14
436.00
3800
3750
-
Muradabad(UP)
28.00
-6.67
658.40
2560
2560
6.67
Chhibramau(Kannuj)(UP)
28.00
7.69
461.50
2750
2700
19.57
Partaval(UP)
26.50
17.78
468.50
2390
2400
11.68
Howly(ASM)
26.00
NC
635.00
2500
2500
6.38
Lalitpur(UP)
26.00
-31.58
1344.00
2365
2345
-9.04
Chorichora(UP)
26.00
36.84
378.00
2485
2510
11.19
Raiganj(WB)
25.00
4.17
392.00
3700
3650
-
Ulhasnagar(Mah)
24.00
-4
588.00
4000
4300
33.33
Puranpur(UP)
23.50
-88.25
3857.00
2650
2560
13.25
Nalbari(ASM)
23.00
9.52
605.90
2500
2500
NC
Rampur(UP)
23.00
4.55
502.50
2560
2700
4.92
Sitapur(UP)
23.00
NC
837.00
2420
2410
6.00
Wansi(UP)
23.00
15
888.00
2110
2110
NC
Pukhrayan(UP)
21.00
-4.55
560.00
2340
2360
5.88
Naanpara(UP)
20.80
-22.96
842.20
2220
2280
-3.48
Indus(Bankura Sadar)(WB)
20.00
33.33
1791.00
2800
2800
NC
Choubepur(UP)
19.40
-2.02
1565.60
2480
2635
5.53
Bhivandi(Mah)
18.00
50
927.00
2500
2300
7.76
Banda(UP)
18.00
350
204.50
2350
2350
6.33
Farukhabad(UP)
18.00
12.5
742.50
2760
2740
17.95
Fatehpur(UP)
17.20
4.24
960.30
2365
2370
9.49
Jayas(UP)
15.00
36.36
1050.40
2050
2050
6.49
Maharajganj(UP)
15.00
-40
312.00
2000
2300
-
Champadanga(WB)
14.00
-6.67
521.00
3150
3150
1.61
Akbarpur(UP)
12.80
-24.71
885.20
2400
2430
7.14
Ghatal(WB)
12.50
-21.88
417.50
2650
2650
6.00
Nawabganj(UP)
12.00
20
423.25
2460
2470
13.89
Kannauj(UP)
12.00
20
419.50
2725
2750
18.48
Vilthararoad(UP)
10.00
NC
821.00
2150
2150
NC
Sehjanwa(UP)
10.00
66.67
284.00
2460
2480
13.89
Kaliaganj(WB)
10.00
-16.67
178.00
3650
3650
-
Mahoba(UP)
9.50
-12.04
228.90
2310
2280
-
Hamirpur(UP)
8.50
-43.33
32.00
2400
1900
-
Puwaha(UP)
8.00
14.29
377.20
2500
2500
-0.79
Nadia(WB)
8.00
-11.11
458.00
3800
3800
-5.00
Badayoun(UP)
7.00
-22.22
650.50
2675
2650
20.22
Etah(UP)
7.00
16.67
276.50
2560
2570
0.79
Mirzapur(UP)
7.00
NC
339.50
2410
2425
6.87
Dibrugarh(ASM)
6.70
17.54
396.40
3100
3100
6.16
Khurja(UP)
6.50
-7.14
440.30
2575
2575
-1.72
Tamkuhi Road(UP)
6.50
-18.75
584.40
2250
2250
4.65
Amroha(UP)
6.00
200
67.80
2640
2600
1.54
Achalda(UP)
6.00
50
43.30
2500
2500
31.58
Kasganj(UP)
5.00
NC
230.00
2580
2610
1.98
Shikohabad(UP)
5.00
150
111.50
2750
3000
-8.33
Kosikalan(UP)
4.80
-4
213.70
2530
2550
1.20
Tundla(UP)
4.50
-10
219.70
2565
2545
4.27
Buland Shahr(UP)
4.00
33.33
150.80
2645
2670
NC
Badda(UP)
4.00
11.11
141.10
2500
2500
-
Muskara(UP)
3.90
NC
43.00
2300
2240
1.77
Kalyani(WB)
3.50
NC
170.00
3450
3450
1.47
Ranaghat(WB)
3.20
NC
81.60
3700
3700
1.37
Anandnagar(UP)
2.60
-48
222.80
2445
2445
11.14
Khatra(WB)
2.50
-7.41
581.80
2650
2650
NC
Mangaon(Mah)
2.00
-33.33
80.00
3200
2800
-8.57
Melaghar(Tri)
2.00
-33.33
44.00
2800
2800
3.70
Baberu(UP)
1.90
11.76
55.30
2350
2350
-
Kalimpong(WB)
1.20
-40
37.90
2800
2800
-39.13
Nandyal(AP)
1.00
NC
44.00
4250
4250
-
Jambusar(Kaavi)(Guj)
1.00
NC
99.00
3000
3200
11.11
Alibagh(Mah)
1.00
NC
112.00
4200
4200
-16.00
Murud(Mah)
1.00
NC
113.00
4200
4200
5.00
Charra(UP)
1.00
-33.33
51.80
2550
2550
2.00
Maudaha(UP)
1.00
-16.67
117.00
2375
2365
6.74
Bharuasumerpur(UP)
0.80
-46.67
15.00
2500
2500
25.00
Khair(UP)
0.80
-20
45.70
2570
2580
4.90
Ujhani(UP)
0.80
33.33
19.20
2570
2650
12.23
Tikonia(UP)
0.80
-60
133.90
2400
2340
-4.00
Achnera(UP)
0.70
NC
35.10
2550
2550
-0.39
Bangarmau(UP)
0.60
-80
226.30
2425
2475
6.59
Published on November 15, 2019

China’s rice imports from Kingdom on the rise

November 15, 2019
Chhut Bunthoeun / Khmer Times  
China imported 40 percent more rice from Cambodia from January to October this year over the same period last year, according to government data.
For in depth analysis of Cambodian Business, visit Capital Cambodia
.
The Middle Kingdom is the biggest buyer of the crop. Cambodia sent 457,940 tonnes of milled rice to foreign markets, a 5 percent hike over the corresponding period last year. Of that, Cambodia shipped 184,844 tonnes of milled rice to China, according to the Secretariat of One Window Service for Rice Export Formality (SOWS-REF).
The Kingdom’s rice exports to China during the first months of this year is considered as a positive move toward achieving its goal after the Chinese government allowed Cambodia to export 300,000 tonnes to its market.
“We are confident that we could reach the target this year with the quota that the Chinese government allowed,” said Lun Yeng, secretary-general of the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF).
Last year, the Kingdom was unable to meet its rice export quota in the Chinese market, shipping only 170,000 tonnes out of the 300,000 allowed.
“This year, however, things will be different because we are aiming to increase exports and reach 300,000 tonnes,” he noted, adding that after reaching 300,000 tonnes in exports, the CRF will begin working towards the new target for next year: 400,000 tonnes.
During a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Beijing earlier this year, Chinese president Xi Jinping pledged to increase the rice quota by purchasing 400,000 tonnes of rice from the Kingdom. The move is part of boosting bilateral trade between the countries.
CRF president Song Saran told the Khmer Times recently that the federation is now focusing on expanding exports to China and other countries in the region to reduce reliance on the European Union.
With his optimism about the Kingdom’s rice exports, Mr Saran believes that Cambodian rice will gain more and more popularity in the Chinese market.
According to the figure from SOWS-REF, the European Union is the second-biggest buyer of Cambodian rice, purchasing a total of 155,950 tonnes of milled rice from January to October – an increase of 34 percent when compared with the same period last year.
The report showed that 83 companies exported Cambodian rice to the international market, including Baitang (Kampuchea) Plc, the biggest rice exporter, who shipped 60,358 tonnes. Amru Rice (Cambodia), the next biggest exporter, shipped 41,068 tonnes.
DOF sees no need to amend rice tariff law
Mary Grace Padin (The Philippine Star) - November 15, 2019 - 12:00am
While emphasizing the benefits of Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Liberalization Act, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez also acknowledged that the law has brought some “short-term transition challenges,” particularly the drop in farmgate price of palay in some areas.

MANILA, Philippines — The government will not repeal nor suspend the implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law, as measures are already being implemented to address the challenges posed by the law to rice farmers, according to the Department of Finance (DOF).
While emphasizing the benefits of Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Liberalization Act, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez also acknowledged that the law has brought some “short-term transition challenges,” particularly the drop in farmgate price of palay in some areas.
Nevertheless, Dominguez expressed confidence that these issues are only “temporary,” especially with the government already starting to take action to provide relief to rice farmers.
As such, he said the government is not considering any moves to repeal, amend, nor suspend the measure.
“We are confident that these transition challenges are temporary. Nevertheless, the government is responding to them with decisiveness. There is no inclination to repeal, revise or suspend the Rice Tariffication Law,” Dominguez said in his speech during the 11th World Rice Conference in Makati City.
To cushion the negative impact of the law, Dominguez said the government is constantly monitoring prices so that interventions may be deployed to areas that are in need.
He said some agencies are also working with Congress to provide unconditional cash transfers to affected rice farmers and distributing rice as part of a subsidy program for disadvantaged families.
The finance chief said the Department of Agriculture is also working on the implementation of the Survival and Recovery or SURE-aid program – a P15,000 interest-free loan payable over eight years.
“Complementary programs include the procurement of paddy rice above production costs by local governments, and the provision of loan programs to enable local governments to buy this season’s harvest from domestic producers,” he said.
The finance chief said the government is also closely monitoring possible distortions in the market, particularly the widening gap between farmgate prices for paddy rice and rice retail prices in specific provinces.
He said the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs have formed strike teams to look into possible smuggling and hoarding activities, as well as tax evasion.
Over the next months, Dominguez said the government’s anti-smuggling and anti-hoarding efforts would also intensify as the DA and the Philippine Competition Commission investigate possible collusion to undermine the market. He said President Duterte has also issued instructions to investigate and prosecute those involved in economic sabotage.
“We will never return to the old regime of unstable rice supplies, high retail prices, profiteering, and low productivity. This is not the future of our agriculture. We should let the Rice Tariffication Law do its work and give the economy time to adjust for further easing of rice prices for all Filipinos and for support programs to lower production costs of our farmers,” Dominguez said.
Meanwhile, the finance chief said additional government revenues from the implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law has reached P11.4 billion from March 5 to Oct. 31.
He said this has already exceeded the P10 billion needed for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), giving the government more resources to support rice farmers and improve their productivity and competitiveness.
“Tariff revenues in excess of P10 billion will be earmarked for financial assistance, titling of agricultural lands, expanded crop insurance programs, and crop diversification initiatives,” he said.
Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Liberalization Act opened up the importation of rice imports in the country by imposing tariffs in lieu of quantitative restrictions.
The law also provides for the creation of the RCEF, which is set at P10 billion annually for six years, for programs to boost productivity and global competitiveness of Filipino rice farmers.
Specifically, the fund will be used for the provision of post-harvest equipment to farmers, the development and distribution of seeds, the provision of credit, and for the training of farmers

DA issues tougher rice import guidelines

Description: https://businessmirror.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/agri01-102119-696x490.jpgThis file photo shows different varieties of rice being sold at a local market in Manila.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has issued a memorandum order (MO) requiring traders to ensure that their rice consignments will arrive within a prescribed period of time.
The DA issued MO 28 dated November 11, which provided supplementary provisions for rice imports to ensure that these are safe for consumption and free from pests.
The MO strengthened the current registration procedures for importers of rice and also prescribed a validity period for sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPS-IC) issued to eligible traders.
It effectively amended pertinent orders and guidelines issued by the DA related to the importation of rice.
“There is a need to strengthen registration procedure for importers planting materials and plant products, and specify the validity of the sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance, to safeguard from entry, establishment and spread of exotic plant pests and comply with food safety requirements,” the DA said in the MO, which was released to the media on Wednesday.
The MO clarified certain provisions of Republic Act 11203, or the rice trade liberalization law, pertaining to the deadline on the arrival of imported rice in the country.
“The actual product/consignment must be shipped out from the country of origin within the prescribed date in the approved SPS-IC and must arrive not later than 60 days from the ‘must ship out date,’” the order read.
The MO outlined the requirements needed for first time registration and renewal of rice importers. It also stipulated the requirements to prove that importers can store imported rice.
Importers are required to submit notarized application form with picture of the owner, mayors’ permit or business permit, proof of business establishment, proof of existence and authority to use storage or warehouse, updated and current registration with the Bureau of Customs, annual income-tax return with audited financial statement of the importer for the last three years.
The DA issued the guidelines eight months after RA 11203, which eased the restrictions on importing rice, took effect.
According to government data, some 2.99 million metric tons (MMT) of imported rice have arrived in the Philippines in October. The DA said imports could exceed this volume as there are still a number of SPS-ICs issued by the government that have not been used.
The United States Department of Agriculture has earlier projected that the Philippines’s rice imports this year will reach 3 MMT. The anticipated volume is bigger than the 2.5 MMT projected for China this year.
Planters have been urging the government to roll out safeguard measures that will cushion the impact of the surge in imports, which has pulled down the farm-gate price of the staple in recent months.
However, the DA was forced to abandon the plan after the National Economic and Development Authority warned that slapping safeguard duties on rice would increase the price of the staple and accelerate inflation.
The country’s economic managers have attributed the slowdown in inflation in recent months to the rice trade liberalization law, saying this helped cut the retail price of the staple.

‘Golden Rice’ Review: Against the Grain

An estimated one million people—mostly children—die annually from vitamin-A deficiency. Golden rice could reverse that.

By  Hugo Restall
Nov. 13, 2019 6:25 pm ET
Why has it taken more than two decades to develop “golden rice,” the genetically modified crop that promises to save millions of lives? The many delays have been costly. Every year an estimated one million people, mostly children, die, and another half a million more lose their eyesight, from vitamin-A deficiency. Golden rice—with its yellow grains rich in beta carotene, which the human body turns into vitamin A—could virtually eliminate this problem in countries where rice is the staple food.
After scientists developed the...
TO READ THE FULL STORY

Japan to help Nepal in agri research

Published On:  November 14, 2019 09:41 AM NPT By: Republica

Description: Japan to help Nepal in agri research
KATHMANDU, Nov 14: Japan has showed interest to Nepal to conduct research in plant breeding, seed production and gerplasm.
Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC) and Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Kathmandu on Wednesday to collaborate in the research. Japan has also agreed to help in Nepal in agriculture, trade and investment through its research.
Tek Bahadur Gurung, acting executive director of NARC and Masaru Iwanaga, president of JIRCAS, signed the MoU on behalf of their respective institutions.
Earlier in January, researchers from Japan had come to Nepal for their research. The visit was a stepping stone for signing of MoU between the two institutions.
“JIRCAS and NARC are collaborating with each other for research in Nepal. Japanese food scientists have already done research on gerplasm and field derivation in Kathmandu Valley. Findings of the study will help to enhance phosphate nutrients in soil which will help to increase rice production," Iwanaga said at the signing ceremony. "Both Nepal and Japan have common culture in fermented food. A study of this tradition could be a promising research area,” he added.
At the program, Japanese government officials assured their Nepali counterparts that they would explore the probability of research in various fields. They also said Japan could accept foreign workers in agriculture sector in the near future.
Similarly, Gurung of NARC said that the collaboration with JIRCAS will help agriculture sector of Nepal. "We will hold discussions with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development to finalize priority of the government and conduct research accordingly," Gurung said, adding: "Plant breeding could be one of the areas in collaborative research work. Promotion of underutilized crop, which can withstand impacts of climate change, will benefit us in the future.”
It is the umbrella agreement between NARC and JIRCAS. According to officials of NARC, Japan is interested to help Nepal in increasing production of rice. The researchers are focusing on hybrid rice which gives high yields.
Japan is also interested to conduct research on buckwheat farming. According to the MoU, Japanese scientists will come to Nepal to conduct research on different crops.

Plant growth promoter effective vs tungro virus, leaf blight

November 14, 2019
VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon -- Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) Director Marlita Carlos said that the recently commercialized plant growth promoter of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is effective in helping rice crops resist tungro disease and leaf blight.

Carrageenan Plant Growth Promoter (PGP), which the DOST had been promoting for farming applications after it was proven to be compatible with different cropping systems, helps develop rice resistance against rice tungro virus and bacterial leaf blight.

Rice tungro disease is caused by the combination of two viruses, which are transmitted by leafhoppers. It causes leaf discoloration, stunted growth, reduced tiller numbers and sterile or partly filled grains.

Tungro infects cultivated rice, some wild rice relatives and other grassy weeds commonly found in rice paddies. Meanwhile, bacterial blight is caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. It causes wilting of seedlings and yellowing and drying of leaves.

Carlos said that the plant growth promoter had been shown to improve rice resistance to tungro virus and bacterial leaf blight based on several field tests of cultivated rice in different regions.

Carrageenan also helps in strengthening the rice crops' extensive root systems, which can better withstand the effects of lodging during typhoons.

The PGP also had the effect of driving away harmful pests without harming insects and arthropods which are naturally beneficial to crops. Not only does the PGP increase the number of cavans, but it also made each cavan heavier and fully-laden with rice. With the PGP, farmers could earn up to an additional P16,000, an increase in income by over 19 percent.

Red seaweed extract carrageenan, which is widely used in the food industry as an additive, has now been successfully processed for agricultural use as a foliar fertilizer that is expected to boost rice production and pest resistance.

The DOST had in fact made the technology available to the private sector in Central Luzon recently.

Aside from the recent launching in Central Luzon, the product is currently being launched nationwide by various technology adopters, distributing it through various dealers, cooperatives and other possible arrangements.

The Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) had even certified the carrageenan PGP for commercialization in rice, with plans to widen its coverage to include other crops in the near future. For an optimal amount of nine liters per hectare, farmers could use the PGP along with conventional fertilizers.

Carrageenan is extracted from seaweeds and is mostly used as a food additive for its gelling, thickening, and stabilizing properties.

The technology developed by the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PNRI), led by Dr. Lucille V. Abad, has been able to unlock the other beneficial applications of carrageenan through irradiation technology.

Scientists from DOST-PNRI developed the PGP from carrageenan, a natural polymer extracted from red seaweed. Using the fabricated liquid handling system at PNRI's Electron Beam Irradiation Facility, the carrageenan solution is processed using electron beams into a foliar fertilizer sprayed at certain stages in the plant's life.

The PGP was funded by the DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development and tested in cooperation with the University of the Philippines-Los Baños National Crop Protection Center.

Through radiation processing, carrageenan was modified into an effective plant promoter. The growth promoter had been proven to contain essential micro and macro nutrients that help in the growth of crops like palay, pechay peanut and mungbeans.

Dr. Abad said the technology had been a product of almost 10 years of testing in seven regions that included several verification trials. Pilot tests for the positive effects of the carrageenan were initially carried out in Pulilan town in Bulacan. This later expanded to 5,000 hectares in seven regions for verification trials.

The formula was set for field trials by the Department of Agriculture (DA) from 2015 to 2019 to cover several provinces in Luzon, Panay Island, Zamboanga and Davao, for a total of around 35,000 hectares of farmland.

Farmers can maximize the potential yield of their crops when using PGP in conjunction with more efficient farming methods and proper timing.

Other food crops such as mungbean, peanut, leafy vegetables, corn, sugarcane, and banana are also being subjected to PGP field tests, where results showed an increase in yield by around 35 percent for mungbean and around 40 percent for peanut.

According to Dr. Abad, the formula has been proven to increase rice yields by as much as 30 percent versus the yield from average farmer practices.

She said the growth promoter fits well in the smarter rice production model, which promotes the use of mechanical rice transplanting, hybrid seeds and the use of plant growth promoter.

Rice Road Warriors Part Two:  Unprecedented Efforts 
By Deborah Willenborg

MILLSBORO, DE & SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV -- This year, the Think Rice Road Trip has been traveling around the Mid-Atlantic, conducting consumer events to educate the public about U.S.-grown rice and handing out samples and Aroma rice cookers.  The team took some major risks to pull off two of the most unique events for this year's trip, but both have paid huge dividends for the team and the industry they are representing.
First, at the Fifth Annual Southern Delaware Wine, Food, and Music Festival, the team joined dozens of area restaurants to compete for the attention of the more than 600 attendees.  But the food and wine samples were no match for the free household appliance and the USA Rice booth was "The Hot Spot" of the festival with the team going through more than 300 cookers and collecting consumer information from more 400 attendees who were happy to sign up for the Think Rice Newsletter even after the cooker supply had run out.  The event also nicely dovetailed with USA Rice's foodservice outreach program.
Rice at the ready during Wine & Food Fest cooking competition
2019 Foodservice Farm & Mill Tour participant Chef Hari Cameron was the director of culinary competition for the event and he saw to it that U.S.-grown rice was the secret ingredient for the competition.  He also made a delicious horchata for the Road Trip team to hand out along with all those cookers that kept bringing people back to the booth.

"This was definitely a very affluent crowd and we weren't sure how we would be received," said Cameron Jacobs, USA Rice director of domestic promotion who had negotiated a prime location for the USA Rice booth and claimed a prominent spot for the Rice Truck.  "It was really nice to see how positively they reacted to us and how grateful they were to learn U.S. rice farmers were out there working hard to feed them."

The "All Things U.S. Rice Pop-Up Shop" was the talk of historic Shepherdstown, West Virginia, with the team taking possession of the storefront at 106 W. German Street on a Friday and working into the night to create a U.S. rice consumer experience like no other.
"It's a small town, and people had been watching us all evening moving about 500 cookers and 1,000 pounds of rice inside and setting everything up," said Sean Mullen, USA Rice accounting manager who volunteered to give up his weekend for the cause.  "They were talking about us all night and there was a line out front when we opened the next morning at 10.  People couldn't wait to get inside!"

The buzz on the street is U.S.-grown rice
And when they did, they were rewarded, wandering past giant towers of Aroma rice cookers, to displays of rice from all six major rice producing states, each variety with a story that the USA Rice staff was happy to share.

"We had long grain brown and white, sprouted brown, Calrose, jasmine, purple, and red rice," explained Lesley Dixon, USA Rice staff writer who helped staff the store.  "People had loads of questions and were really interested to hear what we had to tell them about each variety.  They always had trouble choosing, but that was the deal - one bag per person!"
"One of the hallmarks of the Road Trip is how efficiently we are able to visit with the consumers we interact with - we could generally get them to complete our survey, pitch the U.S.-grown message, and answer their questions in five minutes or less," said Michael Klein, USA Rice vice president of domestic promotion.  "But the pop-up store was different.  People spent a lot of time with us.  They came in and really browsed, comparing varieties, and asking us all kinds of questions - including which was our favorite kind of rice."

Klein said the answer was always the same: "any rice grown in the U.S.!"
It's been almost two weeks since the All Things U.S. Rice store captured the collective culinary imagination of the community, but USA Rice is still reaping benefits. 
Sales pitch in the pop-up
"Thank you so much for bringing awareness (and rice cookers) to our grateful town!" one civic leader wrote to USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward this week.  "I recently visited your USA rice pop-up shop here in Shepherdstown and came away very impressed with your marketing work to get the word out on U.S.-grown rice."
The team has just a handful of events and a few hundred cookers left in this year's tour, which means about the only thing left to give away is the Think Rice Road Trip truck itself.  As was done last year, the team is selling raffle tickets to win the truck.  A maximum of 2,000 tickets will be sold and the winner will be drawn at the USA Rice Outlook Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas, on December 10.  (You don't need to be present to win, and you can even take the wrap off, though why would you?) 
To read more about this year's Road Trip, see Part One of this story here.  And to purchase raffle tickets for the truck, go here.If you're thinking about winning this truck, click on it to buy a raffle ticket

Bilawal rejects Rs50 per maund increase in support price of wheat

BY STAFF REPORT , (LAST UPDATED 2 DAYS AGO)
Description: https://cache.pakistantoday.com.pk/BILAWAL-MUNAFIQAT-SOT-11-03-640x448-2.jpg
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has rejected the increase of Rs 50 per maund (40 kg) in wheat support price.
In a statement here on Thursday, Bilawal Bhutto said that after five years, increasing the wheat support price by a mere 50 rupees is a joke with the farmers. After the last PPP tenure, all successive governments have ignored the plight of the farmers. During the last PPP government the wheat support price was increased from Rs 450 to Rs 1200. This increase resulted as an incentive for the farmers and we were able to shift from a wheat importing country to a wheat exporting one.
“Wheat support price should at least be increased to Rs 1,600 per maund,” he said.
The PPP chairman said that the world over, currently wheat price stands at Rs 1,575 while our farmers are only to get Rs 1,350.
“Governments across the world protect and support the rights and interests of their farmers and agricultural communities but in Pakistan, the exact opposite is happening. Our government is anti-farmers.”
Bilawal pointed out that the prices of inputs for farming community like urea, DAP and energy have skyrocketed and the meagre increase in support price is not in line with production costs and inflation.
“This government’s anti-agriculture policies have destroyed our farming communities and as a result agricultural produce has declined. This policy will lead to food shortages.”
The PPP leader said that all major crops have seen reductions in output like cotton wheat and rice. This year decline in cotton production stands at almost seven million bales. Government has left farmers at the mercy of market forces, leading to chaos.
“After destroying our industrial sector, the PTI government is now destroying agriculture. If our farmers stop tilling their land, our country will not have enough food to survive. Agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan. He urged the government to immediately bring forward a well thought out farmer friendly agricultural policy and place it before the Parliament for approval.”

International Rice Tech Expo launched in Kakinada Hans News Service  
15 Nov 2019 11:40 PM IST HIGHLIGHTS The international exhibition and conference on rice processing technology 'Rice Tech Expo' commenced at the Ananda Bharati grounds here on Friday. Important updates in your mailbox  Subscribe Kakinada: The international exhibition and conference on rice processing technology 'Rice Tech Expo' commenced at the Ananda Bharati grounds here on Friday. Inaugurating the Expo, Andhra Pradesh Rice Millers Association president Dwarampudi Bhaskara Reddy explained the process of preparing value added products with rice. Reddy said that many of rice millers have suggested that rice be exported with modern technology from the East and West Godavari districts. ADVERTISEMENT He informed that leading multinational companies had displayed their products at the Expo. He suggested some valuable tips for the preparation of boiled rice and steam rice with latest technologies. He suggested the millers to use the latest equipment to get good results in rice processing. A huge number of rice millers from the district attended the programme. Kakinada Rice Millers Association president Rama Reddy, exhibition convener SK Baji and others were present.

Genetic advances in barley overcome climate impacts, TropAg hears

Description: Sally Cripps
Sally Cripps@sallyQCL15 Nov 2019, 11:30 a.m.

 Carlsberg Research Laboratory vice president Birgitte Skadhauge explains the brewing dilemma and how science is tackling it. Picture - Sally Cripps.
There has been plenty in the news about the impact of climate change on the way we live our lives - battling temperature extremes, more cyclones and storm surges, and subsequent impacts on health - but an international study has found it could lead to a beer shortage.
Speaking at the TropAg 2019 conference in Brisbane this week, Carlsberg Research Laboratory vice president Birgitte Skadhauge shared results of an international study that showed barley yields could decrease by, at best 3 per cent and at worst up to 17pc, as barley growing locations became hotter and drier.
"This is quite depressing news - it would mean less money for farmers and the quality of beer could be affected," Ms Skadhauge, who had flown in from Denmark for the conference, said.
"What we see when we have droughts or extreme heat is that barley has lower yields, smaller kernels and a lower starch quality.
"Poorer starch quality leads to less tasty beer."
Thankfully though, the work of her institute and other plant scientists across the globe who have been exploring the cereal's genomes for new brewing traits, means this crisis may be averted.
A major milestone was reached in 2017 when scientists sequenced barley's genome. Given that it's roughly twice the size of the human genome and took a team of 77 international scientists 10 years to complete, this was no mean feat.
It means they now know which genes control various traits so that varieties can be developed that will be more tolerant of drought and heat.
Developing more resilient varieties is also work that the University of Queensland's Centre for Crop Science is undertaking and senior research fellow Lee Hickey said gene editing, a breeding method that involves making small changes to a plant's genetic code, was particularly promising.
"We're able to make varieties that are drought-resistant more efficiently than ever before," he said, news that beer lovers worldwide will be toasting.
Meanwhile, Ms Skadhauge told TropAg that work was also being done on identifying mutant breeding lines to eliminate traits that gave beer an "off" flavour after it had been stored for a week at 30 degrees.
Together with other work on a trait that gives out a cooked cabbage taste in the malting process, all these innovations are being 'stacked' into the latest barley grains.
A screening process is also being applied for barley varieties that are more drought and heat tolerant, which has found ones grown in Russia, Portugal and Spain are giving good yields.
For the pale ale fans, the Carlsberg laboratory is also looking at climate resistant rice, taking core samples from Chinese paddies that are up to 8000 years old.
"It might be a long shot but we hope to find traits that have been lost in modern rice that we can reintroduce, using modern breeding techniques, thus helping face the challenges of today," Ms Skadhauge said.
Description: https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/88uitQDCBZnXA8enwGJ5Zd/e6411385-8358-461b-a0f5-9b090d268a54.jpg/r0_80_3600_2112_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
Covering all its bases, Carlsberg is also working to reduce its water and carbon footprints in the environmental sphere, while on the social side, has zero irresponsible drinking and zero accidents caused by alcohol by 2030 written into its charter.
Savings to date include 20pc carbon reduction and 9pc water efficiency, including a 50pc reduction in water usage at its breweries, which is equivalent to 8112 Olympic-size swimming pools.
Environmentally beneficial packaging has been developed whereby cans are glued together with a carry handle, which has already saved 1200 tonnes of plastic.

EPFL creates a solar cooker with solid potential in Switzerland

The solar cooker and authors of the study on the roof of their lab. © Alain Herzog / EPFL
EPFL scientists have developed a glass-paneled solar cooker that delivers exceptional performance. Their patented design can operate an average of 155 days a year in Switzerland’s cloudiest regions and up to 240 days in its sunniest.
Solar cookers – or solar-powered ovens – can be used to cook foods at low temperatures (60-120°C) for anywhere from 30 minutes up to four hours. This makes them perfect for a range of dishes, such as potatoes, vegetables, rice, stews and even cupcakes. EPFL scientists have been working on an enhanced version of the conventional solar cooker since 2018. In research that appeared in Solar Energy, the scientists show how their design can operate in Switzerland’s sunniest areas, such as Valais Canton, for 240 days per year – or two thirds of the year. And in the country’s cloudiest areas (such as Zurich), it can operate for 155 days per year, a figure that surprised even the researchers.
The scientists in question work at EPFL’s Solar Energy and Building Physics Laboratory (LESO-PB). But how did building experts come to be interested in cookers? “It all started with a chocolate cake – and it’ll all end with a chocolate cake,” says Andreas Schüler, a research associate at LESO-PB. One day, Olivia Bouvard – a scientist at the lab – arrived at work with a cake she’d baked in a solar cooker. That got her colleagues interested in how these devices work. They ordered one from Solemyo, an association based in Geneva, and began to reverse-engineer its design.
Like a miniature building
“A solar cooker is actually like a tiny building with glazed facades,” says Schüler. Which is right up his alley, since he has been working on advanced window-glazing technology for the past few years. Schüler and his colleagues at LESO-PB made improvements to the size of the cooker they’d ordered and added more glazing – using, of course, their innovative type of glass. That boosted the amount of sunlight entering the cooker, but it did not increase the amount of heat loss, thanks to their glass’s superior insulating properties. The scientists worked with the Swiss Design Center to create a prototype of their model, and they filed for a patent in 2018. Then, using an EPFL Enable grant and an ENAC InnoSeed grant awarded the same year, they teamed up with TZ Menuiserie SA – a carpentry firm based in Valais – to manufacture ten prototypes.
The EPFL model is designed specifically for Switzerland. In addition to glass, it uses pine wood and is surrounded with aluminum to reflect and guide the sun’s rays. The cooker’s shape and glazing are engineered to create a “sunlight trap” so that it doesn’t have to be moved during cooking to follow the sun’s rays. With dimensions of 33 cm x 33 cm, it is large enough to hold a standard casserole dish. “We also looked into the idea of creating a collapsible, portable cooker, along with a fold-up casserole dish, that people could use when they go hiking or to the beach,” says Schüler, who himself is a proud owner of one of the prototypes.
“We believe our cooker could help reduce the load on Switzerland’s power grid during the peak lunch and evening hours. Cooking is the third-biggest use of household power in Switzerland, behind heating systems and water boilers. With our cooker, you could put all the ingredients in before going to work, for example, and have a meal ready for you when you get home – without using gas or electricity,” says Schüler.
Designs for other countries, too
The method for calculating how many days a year the solar cooker could work was developed by Dasaraden Mauree, an LESO-PB scientist specialized in modelling techniques. “We combined climatic data for Switzerland with our cooker’s operating data to develop a mathematical model that can subsequently be used for any other region in the world,” says Mauree. The scientists tested their model by collecting data from their cooker over one month, on the roof of their lab, and comparing the data with the model’s predictions. In addition to validating the model, these tests showed that their solar cooker, when equipped with aluminum reflectors, can deliver 55% more cooking days per year than the same cooker without reflectors.
Today the scientists are working on further increasing their cooker’s efficiency and on making it a “smart cooker” by incorporating an app that would let users monitor the oven when they’re not at home and that would send an alert when a meal is ready. They are also thinking about adjusting their design so it can be used in other countries through a technology-transfer approach. “We’ve had Master’s students work with us on this project, and their ideas and enthusiasm really helped us move it forward. We owe them a lot!” says Schüler. Now they can apply the lessons learned while developing the cooker to their research on making buildings tighter. So after shifting their focus from buildings to cookers, the researchers can now apply what they learned on cookers to buildings.


Kafer: Reducing the threat of food insecurity here and abroad


A decade ago, on Colorado’s windswept eastern frontier, I met a scientist working with farmers to conserve water, improve the soil and increase harvests. I was amazed that Colorado State University’s reach extended that far from Fort Collins.
Little did I know that for well over 100 years the university has been improving lives and livelihoods in the state’s 64 counties through education, training and on-the-ground problem-solving. These extension programs are the bridge between CSU’s formidable research laboratories and the field. From an urban garden in Denver to a cattle ranch in South Park; from a 4-H youth development program in Pueblo to a sustainable energy project on the eastern plains, CSU’s field spans the entire state.
The university’s field of vision, however, exceeds the horizon. Through partnerships with research institutions and foundations, CSU scientists are involved in bettering the lives of people around the world through teaching, research and application. I just got back from Saint Louis — not Missouri — Senegal, West Africa. I participated in an advanced crop improvement course conducted by CSU, partner universities, AfricaRice and other research institutions with support from the Griffin Foundation and the National Science Foundation.
In the rice paddy, the lab, the mill, and the lecture hall, class participants — mostly masters and PhD students, and post-doctoral researchers from the U.S., France, and several African nations — saw firsthand advancements in crop breeding, genetic science, farmer training, food processing, finance, and access to tractors and combines. These ongoing efforts are increasing harvests for poor farmers, creating healthier plants, lowering the use of pesticides, and creating more affordable food for everyone.
From a position of plenty, it’s hard for most of us to envision not having enough food or income to meet basic needs. Imagine looking at a disease-ravaged field and knowing your kids won’t be getting new shoes this year, and there will be no money for school fees.
Most rice farmers in Senegal eke out a living farming a few acres of rice and cash crops like onions and okra. The profit margin for rice is small and a good year doesn’t bring much. Every season, the specter of disease, pests, bad soil, or drought haunts the fields. Throughout Africa and Asia, rice farmers face these challenges. Since rice is the staple food for four billion people around the world, poor harvests impact whole communities.
Although the stakes are higher for those living on the margin, farmers, fruit growers, and ranchers around the world including the U.S. face significant challenges from disease, pests, and extreme weather events. Whether it’s waterlogged Midwest soils, tenacious drought in southern Colorado, funguses and bacteria infecting Florida’s citrus groves, the daily threat to food production is everywhere. We need solutions. Most of us aren’t farmers. All of us are eaters.
Fortunately, CSU, other Colorado universities and research institutions, foundations, and businesses are playing a pivotal role in meeting these challenges through research, dissemination, and training the next generation of scientists and agriculturalists. These efforts, however, rarely make headlines. Unlike college sports, controversial speakers, or student protests, the daily work of these institutions to improve the lives of people here and around the world often goes unnoticed.
Krista Kafer is a weekly Denver Post columnist. Follow her on Twitter: https://www.denverpost.com/2019/11/15/kafer-reducing-the-threat-of-food-insecurity-here-and-abroad/

Imee Marcos says DTI plan to import rice for fast food chains is ‘insensitive’

Published November 15, 2019 12:22pm
The government’s plan to import rice on behalf of fast food chains, grocery stores, and small supermarkets, instead of buying local, is insensitive, Senator Imee Marcos said Friday.
Marcos is seriously disappointed that a government-owned corporation under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) would prioritize imports over local produce at a time when rice farmers nationwide have been selling their harvest at depressed prices or even at a loss.
“The announcement of Secretary Lopez is insensitive and ill-timed. Cheaper imported rice is not worth the breakdown in the livelihood of Filipino rice farmers,” she said.
The DTI chief announced the plan on the sidelines of an international rice conference in Makati City, noting that up to 300 containers could be shipped into the country in the next few months.
“Where is our conscience and what got into the heads of these businessmen who choose foreign goods over our very own at a time of crisis?” Marcos said.
“Have pity on our rice farmers who could hardly make a living. Just drop it!” she added. —VDS, GMA News


October rice import volume down sharply
November 15, 2019 at 08:45 pm by Othel V. Campos
Rice imports have declined significantly after the government imposed more stringent sanitary measures.Agriculture Secretary William Dar said rice importation volume dropped to 85,000 metric tons in October from a monthly average of 254,000 MT in the first nine months of the year.
“We will continue to be strict and continue to elevate [food safety] measures before the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPSIC),” Dar said.
Description: http://manilastandard.net/panel/_files/image/Personalities/Dar_William/William_Dar.jpgAgriculture Secretary William Dar
He stressed the department would continue to implement the measures, especially during harvest season, to protect local palay farmers from the further influx of cheaper imported rice.
The government has informed Vietnam and Thailand, the main sources of Manila’s rice imports, on the tighter measures.
“We are not afraid because we are after food safety,” Dar said.
Manila to date has imported 2.9 million MT.
Dar said the review of the Rice Tariffication Law was premature amid calls by lawmakers and farmers, noting that the surge in volume of imported rice was a natural market reaction as a result of trade liberalization of the staple.
“In fact, a surge in imports is natural for any commodity being traded in a newly liberalized market. Give the law a chance. We want RTL to work for both farmers and consumers. At the end of the day, this is a reform that has been long wanting and should be implemented now,” he said.
The government started imposing tariff on imported rice in March in lieu of import quotas to ease inflation.
The measure, however, significantly depressed the buying of palay at the farm gate level.
The Agriculture Department said the situation was just temporary and that the market would correct itself soon.

Imee slams PITC plan to import more rice
posted November 15, 2019 at 11:20 pm 

Senator Imee Marcos has denounced the plan of the Philippine International Trading Corpo. to import rice in behalf of local fastfood chains, grocery stores, and small supermarkets.
Marcos expressed dismay that a government-owned corporation under the Department of Trade and Industry would prioritize imports over local produce when rice farmers nationwide have been selling their harvest at depressed prices or even at a loss.
“The announcement of Secretary [Ramon] Lopez is insensitive and ill-timed,” Marcos said.
Description: http://manilastandard.net/panel/_files/image/Personalities/Marcos_Imee/Marcos_Imee02a.jpgSenator Imee Marcos
She said cheaper imported rice is not worth a breakdown in the livelihood of Filipino rice farmers.
The DTI chief announced the plan to import rice for select businesses at an international rice conference in Makati earlier this week and also said that as many as 300 containers could be shipped to the country in the next few months.
“Where is our conscience and what got into the heads of these businessmen who choose foreign goods over our very own at a time of crisis?” Marcos asked.
“Have pity on our rice farmers who could hardly make a living. Just drop it!” Marcos fumed.
Meanwhile, Senator Francis Pangilinan said Filipinos should all be deeply worried by news that the Philippines has surpassed China as the world’s biggest importer of rice.
He said this means that the country has become perilously dependent on other nations for its everyday food, (“sa ating araw-araw na sinaing.”)
“We are set to reach a record-high three million metric tons of rice imports this year while China is only importing 2.5 million metric tons,” Pangilinan said.
“What will happen to if other countries would not sell rice to us?” he asked.
He said this food insecurity is aggravated by the impact of rice imports on the farmers.

Brazilian rice exports fall, imports climb

Rio Grande do Sul crop hampered by rains, price rises

·       15 Nov 2019
Rice exports from Brazil decreased in October as imports rose, leaving a balanced market. Meanwhile, heavy rain is impacting planting in the country’s leading producing-state, Rio Grande do Sul.

For Third Consecutive Month in October, Exports Dip 1.11%; Major Drop in Tea, Rice, Carpet Shipments

Imports too declined by 16.31 per cent to USD 37.39 billion in October, narrowing the trade deficit to USD 11 billion, according to the government data.

Updated:November 15, 2019, 9:03 PM IST
For Representation
New Delhi: India's exports contracted for the third month in a row in October by 1.11 per cent to USD 26.38 billion mainly on account of a significant dip in shipments of petroleum, carpet, leather products, rice and tea.
Imports too declined by 16.31 per cent to USD 37.39 billion in October, narrowing the trade deficit to USD 11 billion, according to the government data released on Friday.
Gold imports increased by about 5 per cent to USD 1.84 billion in the month.
The trade deficit stood at USD 18 billion in October 2018.
Out of the 30 key sectors, as many as 18 segments showed negative growth in exports during the month under review.
Shipments of petroleum goods, carpet, leather products, rice and tea contracted by 14.6 per cent, 17 per cent, 7.6 per cent, 29.5 per cent and 6.16 per cent respectively.
The country's outbound shipments have remained subdued so far this year. It may have a bearing on the overall economic growth, which fell to over six-year low of 5 per cent in the first quarter of the current fiscal. Industrial output declined by 4.3 per cent in September due to poor performance by manufacturing, power generation and mining sectors.
The outbound shipments contracted by 6 per cent in August and 6.57 per cent in September.
In October, oil imports declined by 31.74 per cent to USD 9.63 billion, and non-oil imports fell by 9.19 per cent to USD 27.76 billion.
Cumulatively, during April-October 2019, exports were down 2.21 per cent to USD 185.95 billion while imports contracted by 8.37 per cent to USD 280.67 billion.
Trade deficit during the period narrowed to USD 94.72 billion as against USD 116.15 billion in April-October 2018-19.
Meanwhile, an RBI release showed that services export for October 2019 stood at USD 17.22 billion while imports were at USD 10.92 billion.
Services exports in September 2019 were USD 17.54 billion (Rs 1,25,090.78 crore) registering a positive growth of 7.05 per cent in dollar terms, vis--vis September 2018.
Services imports in September 2019 were USD 11.10 billion (Rs 79,151.87 crore) registering a positive growth of 11.56 per cent in dollar terms, vis--vis September 2018.
Ludhiana-based exporter S C Ralhan called for the immediate release of foreign trade policy by the government to arrest the downfall.
"Government should immediately announce foreign trade policy. If it will be delayed, the government would not be able to control the damage," Ralhan said.
Trade Promotion Council of India Chairman Mohit Singla said that the figures reflect global slowdown which has led to the slackening of demand, which is also seen in fall of imports especially in the raw material used for either production or manufacturing.
"I am sure in the next few months efforts taken by the government will show positive results and exports incentives announced by the government will have a positive rub on India's exports," Singla said.
Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President Sharad Kumar Saraf said that trade tensions and rising protectionism has led to this marginal decrease in exports during the month.
"Sluggishness in the economies across the globe coupled with the trade war between US-China, Brexit and developments in Iran, Turkey, Iraq other gulf countries has continuously unsettled the slowing world economy which has further escalated the problem," he said.
He added that the downside risks remain and the projections for the near future depends on a return to more normal trade relations among countries.

Anil Ambani Resigns as Director of Reliance Communications

According to the filing, Ambani along with Chhaya Virani, Ryna Karani, Manjari Kacker, Suresh Rangachar have resigned as directors of RCom.

PTI 
Updated: November 16, 2019, 4:15 PM IST
File photo of Anil Ambani. (Reuters)
New Delhi: Anil Ambani has resigned as director of Reliance Communications, the debt-ridden company said in a filing on Saturday.
According to the filing, Ambani along with Chhaya Virani, Ryna Karani, Manjari Kacker, Suresh Rangachar have resigned as directors of RCom.
"Your good office may also note that Shri Manikantan V., has also tendered his resignation as a director and Chief Financial Officer of the Company earlier. The aforementioned resignations shall be put up to the committee of creditors of the Company for their consideration," the filing added.
RCom, which is currently going through insolvency process, has posted a consolidated loss of Rs 30,142 crore for July-September 2019 due to provisioning for liabilities after the Supreme Court ruling on statutory dues.

 

Weekly Stocks Update: Top Gainers and Losers for the Week Ended November 15

For the week ended on November 15, the S&P BSE Sensex inched up by just 33 points, or 0.08%, to settle at 40,356.69, while the Nifty slipped marginally by 13 points, or 0.1%, to end at 11,895.30.

Updated: November 16, 2019, 9:34 AM IST
Indian stocks closed flat on a weekly basis for a second consecutive time as macro data raised some concerns for growth outlook of the economy. For the week ended on November 15, the S&P BSE Sensex inched up by just 33 points, or 0.08%, to sDescription: facebookettle at 40,356.69, while the Nifty slipped marginally by 13 points, or 0.1%, to end at 11,895.30. Here is a look at the top five gainers and losers for the week:
TOP 5 GAINERS
Bharti Airtel: Bharti Airtel Ltd shares gained 6% this week after the firm posted a solid operating performance in the September quarter, but yet posted a net loss due to AGR liabilities.
ICICI Bank: ICICI Bank Ltd shares jumped 4.2% during the week as the Supreme Court delivered its verdict in Essar Steel case, saying the ultimate discretion on distribution of funds is with the Committee of Creditors (CoC) which mainly favours banks. ICICI Bank has an exposure of over Rs 2,500 crore in Essar Steel.
Yes Bank: Yes Bank Ltd was up 3.7% for the week after ratings agency ICRA said the bank has adequate liquidity for now. The rating agency maintained most of the ratings on YES Bank’s bonds.
Bajaj Finserv: Bajaj Finserv Ltd shares rose 2.5% this week to settle at Rs 9,057.90 apiece.
Zee Entertainment: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd gained 2.5% this week after a media report said that promoter Essel Group is likely to sell the company’s shares to institutional investors soon via block trades.
TOP 5 LOSERS
Indiabulls Housing Finance: Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd shares dived 11.8% this week on reports that he government is confident of wrapping up the on-going probe against the company before 29 November, which is also the next date of hearing for the case in the Delhi High Court.
Vedanta: Vedanta Ltd shares cracked 11.7% during the week after the mining company reported a 44% year-on-year rise in consolidated profit at Rs 2,730 crore for the September quarter mainly due to a one-time deferred tax benefit of Rs 1,891 crore.
Hindalco: Hindalco Industries Ltd declined 8.5% this week after the company reported 33% year-on-year fall in its consolidated net profit for the September quarter on the back of global slowdown and lower commodity prices.
UPL: UPL Ltd shares dropped 8.2% during the week after the company’s quarterly profit missed estimates because of a one-time expense. Net profit was Rs 89 crore in the September quarter compared with a profit of Rs 270 crore a year ago.
Adani Ports: Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) shares were down 6.2% for the week even as the company reported a 72% surge in its net profit in the September quarter to Rs 1,059.20 crore, boosted by a deferred tax write-back of Rs 290 crore.

Govt Not Releasing Consumer Expenditure Survey 2017-18 Due to 'Data Quality Issues'

The ministry also mentioned that an expert panel has recommended that 2017-18 would not be an appropriate fiscal to be used as a base year for new GDP series.

PTI 
Updated: November 15, 2019, 11:38 PM ISTPhoto for representation. (Image: Reuters)
New Delhi: The Statistics and Programme Implementation Ministry (MOSPI) on Friday said it has decided not to release the Consumer Expenditure Survey results of 2017-18 due to data quality issues.
The MOSPI also mentioned that an expert panel has recommended that 2017-18 would not be an appropriate fiscal to be used as a base year for new GDP series.
On the consumer expenditure survey, the ministry stated that it is separately examining the feasibility of conducting the next Consumer Expenditure Survey in 2020-2021 and 2021-22 after incorporating all data quality refinements.
The statement came against the backdrop of the Congress attacking the Modi government over the National Statistical Office (NSO) survey which reportedly points to a fall in consumer spending for the first time in four decades in 2017-18.
A media report has claimed the survey was approved to be released on June 19 this year but was withheld by the government agency owing to its "adverse" findings.
"Modinomics stinks so bad, the government has to hide its own reports," Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet, tagging the news report.
The MOSPI said that it has seen media reports regarding consumer expenditure survey by the NSS stating that consumer spending is falling and the report has been withheld due to its 'adverse' findings.
"We would like to emphatically state that there is a rigorous procedure for vetting of data and reports which are produced through surveys. All such submissions which come to the ministry are draft in nature and cannot be deemed to be the final report," it noted.
The National Statistical Office (NSO) of MOSPI carried out an all-India survey on household consumption expenditure in the 75th round during the period July 2017 to June 2018.
"Further, the results of the survey were examined and it was noted that there was a significant increase in the divergence in not only the levels in the consumption pattern but also the direction of the change when compared to the other administrative data sources like the actual production of goods and services," the MOSPI said.
"Concerns were also raised about the ability/sensitivity of the survey instrument to capture consumption of social services by households especially on health and education. The matter was thus referred to a Committee of experts which noted the discrepancies and came out with several recommendations including a refinement in the survey methodology and improving the data quality aspects on a concurrent basis. The recommendations of the Committee are being examined for implementation in future surveys," it added.
The NSS Consumer Expenditure Survey generates estimates of household Monthly Per Capita Consumer Expenditure (MPCE) and the distribution of households and persons over the MPCE classes.
It is designed to collect information regarding expenditure on consumption of goods and services (food and non-food) consumed by households. The results, after release, are also used for rebasing of the GDP and other macro-economic indicators.
The MOSPI also said that an expert panel on national accounts has recommended that 2017-18 would not be an appropriate fiscal to be used as base year for new series for measuring gross domestic product (GDP).
The ministry is in the process of finalising the base year for new series of GDP to be unveiled shortly. At present, 2011-12 is the base year for tabulating national accounts.
"The Advisory Committee on National Accounts Statistics has also separately recommended that for rebasing of the GDP series, 2017-18 is not an appropriate year to be used as the new base year," MOSPI said in a statement.
Earlier this month, MOSPI Secretary Pravin Srivastava had said that the MOSPI would decide on a new base year for the GDP series in a few months.
He had also told that though the ministry is considering 2017-18 as the new base year, no decision was taken as the committees of experts are awaiting some more data (Annual survey of industries, consumer expenditure survey) before finalising their opinion.

Rice genetics specialist honored as role model

Source: Xinhua| 2019-11-15 23:30:54|Editor: Mu Xuequan
BEIJING, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on Friday conferred the title of "role model of the times" on Lu Yonggen, an expert on rice genetics.
Lu, also the former president of the South China Agricultural University and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, passed away in August due to illness.
He had devoted himself to research on rice genetics and breeding and made great contributions to the country's agricultural development, according to a decision of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee in granting the title.
He lived a simple and selfless life. He donated over 8.8 million yuan (about 1.25 million U.S. dollars) to establish an educational foundation, as well as his own body for medical research and education.
After being broadcasted by media outlets, Lu's story caused a warm response throughout society as a whole.

NRRI Organizes ‘Rice Walk: Walk with Rice, Know Your Rice’ Programme

15 November, 2019 8:38 PM IST By: Chander Mohan
The ICAR-National Rice Research Institute (NRRI) in Cuttack had organized “Rice Walk: Walk with Rice, Know Your Rice” Programme on 13th November 2019. Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Director of the Institute inaugurated the event. He highlighted the main purpose of the walk was to exhibit the NRRI technologies, farm & laboratories to spread awareness about rice among students as well a general public. He also released an extension bulletin entitled – ‘Know Your Rice’ encompassing all important field & lab research activities and achievements of the institute for distribution to all students & visitors.
The participants visited the Institute’s Research Farm of about 200 acres with full grown crops of newly developed high yielding rice varieties. They were also exposed to the development of rice varieties, rice varietal cafeteria and other agro-technologies related to rice production, plant protection, biofortification (high protein rice) and climate-smart rice with tolerance to drought & submergence, etc.
The participants also visited the Institute’s Rice Museum, Rice Gene Bank with collection of over 35,000 rice germplasm.
Around 1,500 students & teachers (from 15 schools in and around Cuttack and Bhubaneswar), farmers, scientists from ICAR Institutes & Centres and State Government Officials participated in the event.