Saturday, April 25, 2020

25th April,2020 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter




Federal COVID-19 Assistance for Agriculture Becoming Clearer
By Jamison Cruce

WASHINGTON, DC -- As the coronavirus pandemic continues to evolve and unfold, the Federal government took actions this week that will provide assistance to the agriculture industry affected by COVID-19.
Last Friday, President Donald Trump and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), a $19 billion assistance package with two elements that will be facilitated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), including $16 billion in direct payments to producers and $3 billion in food procurement and distribution.

Direct payments will be based on actual losses due to prices and markets impacted by COVID-19.  Commodity procurement will be focused on beef, dairy, pork, fruits, and vegetables. 

This week, USDA Under Secretary for Farm Programs and Conservation Bill Northey told row crop stakeholders that USDA is still working to determine how losses will be calculated and other details on how the program will function.  For example, which prices are most appropriate to use for each commodity since they are all marketed differently.

The single direct payments will be based on market price losses as a direct result of the pandemic.  Payments will be commodity-by-commodity and will be capped at $125,000 per commodity or a total of $250,000 per individual or entity.  There is an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) cap of $900,000 for eligibility unless 75 percent or more of the income is derived from agriculture.

USA Rice has been closely monitoring rice prices throughout the pandemic, many of which have noticeably increased over the past several months.  Of particular note is the 70 cent drop in southern medium grain prices from January to February, which according to USDA's metric of a 5 percent or greater loss would trigger a payment.  USA Rice will continue working with USDA to provide information and details as officials continue developing CFAP.

USDA also announced commodity procurement details, which include purchases of $100 million per month for fresh fruits and vegetables, $100 million per month for dairy, and $100 million per month in meat products.  At this point, rice will not be included in these purchases.

"USA Rice staff continues to stay in contact with USDA officials to learn more about the CFAP details," said Ben Mosely, USA Rice vice president of government affairs.  "While overall rice prices haven't decreased as we've seen in other agricultural commodities, the industry has seen some impacts and we're working with USDA to show these damages."
USDA will reevaluate the situation for additional aid later this year, and said that additional funding will be required in order to provide aid to all agriculture industry sectors that have been affected by COVID-19, amidst an already tough year with low prices, weather, and trade issues.

Congress Provides Additional Funding for Small Businesses 
By Jamison Cruce

WASHINGTON, DC -- This week, Congress passed the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, which will provide additional funding for small businesses and hospitals.  The bill passed the Senate on Tuesday by unanimous consent, but House Members traveled to Washington for consideration of the bill, which ultimately passed yesterday afternoon.  President Trump has signed the bill.

The popular Payroll Protection Program (PPP) received an additional $321 billion in funding that provides loans to small businesses, including agribusinesses fitting the SBA's definition, to retain employees or hire back employees laid-off due to the effects of the pandemic.  The bill also provides an additional $60 billion for the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program and makes a technical correction that will allow agriculture enterprises with not more than 500 employees to apply and receive loans and grants through the program.

"The Payroll Protection Program and other small business programs have been key for some farmers and agribusinesses to keep their employees working and paid," Mosely said.  "USA Rice appreciates the work of Congress and the Administration to provide additional funding for these programs and extending EIDL program eligibility to agribusinesses."
http://www.tnledger.com/editorial/article.aspx?id=128480
How to fast properly for Ramadan according to health experts
Ramadan means a month of daily fasting but there are things you need to know - here are all your questions answered
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Ramadan is a time of fasting - but why is that and what is the best way to do it?
Muslims fast each day from early morning through to sunset.
That means going without food and drink - along with smoking, sex and other 'sinful behaviours'.
The aim of the fasting is to feel closer to Allah (God), reminding worshippers of their human frailty and need for the Almighty to provide food so they can survive.
The fasting also shows people what it feels like to be hungry and thirsty so they than have greater understanding and compassion for the poor and needy and therefore feel a greater duty to help.
Going without meals - including all the preparation, sitting down to eat and then cleaning up - also means Muslims have more time to focus their thoughts on prayer and spirituality.
Description: Some of the food on the Ramadan menu at Comptoir Libanais
Some of the food on the Ramadan menu at Comptoir Libanais
It's not advisable to fast in the last few days of the month that comes before Ramadan.
This is to create a gap between any voluntary fasts in the month of Shaban and the obligatory fasting of the month of Ramadan.
Not taking part in any fasting just before Ramadan would also mean you're in good health and ready for an entire month of abstaining from food and drink for a large part of every day.
Medical experts and Islamic researchers have also put together the following answers to key fasting questions for the NHS.
Preparing food during the holy month of Ramadan in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images
THE DOS AND DON'TS OF FASTING
Should you fast if you have diabetes?
People with Type 1 diabetes shouldn't usually fast, but people with Type 2 diabetes on insulin should be able to. Their GP may advise adjusting the dose of their insulin, or their insulin type may need to be changed.
I get severe migraines when I don't eat and they get worse when I fast. Should I fast?
People with uncontrolled migraines should not fast. But managing your migraines is possible with the right medicine and certain lifestyle changes. Ask your GP for further advice on controlling your migraines.
Should you fast if you have high or low blood pressure?
People with well-controlled high blood pressure can fast. Your GP may advise you to change your medicine to help you take tablets outside fasting times. Someone with low blood pressure who is otherwise healthy may fast. They must ensure they drink enough fluid and have enough salt.
Palestinians shop in the Alzaoya market on the first day of Ramadan, where observants fast each day. Dates are a popular choice for breaking the fast because they contain natural sugars to give the body a source of energy (Image: Getty Images)
Can you fast if you're getting a blood transfusion in hospital?
No. Someone receiving a blood transfusion is advised not to fast on medical grounds. They may fast on the days when no transfusions are required.
I am on regular medication. Can I still fast?
Speak to your GP for advice on specific medicines.
Can you take tablets, have injections or use patches while fasting?
Taking tablets breaks the fast. But injections, patches, ear drops, and eye drops don't break the fast as they're not considered to be food and drink – though there are differences of opinion among Muslim scholars on these issues. Islamic law says sick people shouldn't fast.
Is fasting harmful when a woman is expecting a baby? Must pregnant women fast?
There's medical evidence to show that fasting in pregnancy isn't a good idea. If a pregnant woman feels strong and healthy enough to fast, especially during the early part of the pregnancy, she may do so.
If she doesn't feel well enough to fast, Islamic law gives her clear permission not to, and to make up the missed fasts later. If she's unable to do this, she must perform fidyah, a method of compensation for a missed act of worship, such as paying for someone to be fed.
Does a breastfeeding woman have to fast?
No. Islamic law says a breastfeeding mother doesn't have to fast. Missed fasts must be compensated for by fasting at a later date, or fidyah, once breastfeeding has stopped.
Is Ramadan a good time to quit smoking?
Yes. Smoking is bad for your health and Ramadan is a great opportunity to change unhealthy habits, including smoking. To find your local service, visit the Smokefree website or ask your doctor or nurse to refer you to your local service.
You can also call the NHS Smokefree Helpline number on 0300 123 1044 (0300 123 1014 minicom) and ask to speak to an interpreter for the language you need. The helpline is open from 9am-8pm Monday to Friday, and from 11am-4pm on Saturday and Sunday.
From what age can children fast safely?
Children are required to fast when they reach puberty. It isn't harmful.
Fasting for children under the age of seven or eight isn't advisable. It's a good idea to make children aware of what fasting involves and to practise fasting for a few hours at a time.
Can I use an asthma inhaler during Ramadan?
Muslim experts have differing opinions on this issue. Some say using an asthma inhaler isn't the same as eating or drinking and is therefore permitted during fasting. In their view, people with asthma can fast and use their inhalers whenever they need to.
But other scholars say the inhaler provides small amounts of liquid medicine to the lungs, so it breaks the fast. They say people with poor control of their asthma mustn't fast until good control is achieved.
Some people with asthma may opt for longer-acting inhalers so they can fast. See your GP for further advice.
Can I swim during fasting?
Yes, but don't drink the water. A bath or shower, or swimming, has no effect on the fast. No water should be swallowed during any of these activities, as that would break the fast.
Aubergine moussaka on a Ramandan menu
Could dehydration become so bad that you have to break the fast?
Yes. You could become very dehydrated if you don't drink enough water before the fast. Poor hydration can be made worse by weather conditions and even everyday activities like walking to work or housework.
If you produce very little or no urine, feel disoriented and confused, or faint as a result of dehydration, you must stop fasting and have a drink of water or other fluid.
Islam doesn't require you to make yourself ill when you fast. If a fast is broken, it will need to be compensated for by fasting at a later date.
Can I fast while I have dialysis?
People on dialysis mustn't fast and should perform fidyah, such as paying for someone to be fed.
BEST AND WORST FOODS FOR FASTING
The Department of Health has given expert advice on fasting:
As the Ramadan fast only extends from early morning until sunset, there is plenty of opportunity to replenish the body's energy stores at pre-dawn and evening meals.
This prevents the body breaking down muscle to use protein as an emergency source of energy.
The fasts of Ramadan can improve a person’s health but - if the correct diet is not followed - could make it worse.
The diet should be simple and not differ too much from a person’s normal everyday diet.
It should contain foods from all the major food groups - fruit and vegetables; bread, cereal and potatoes; meat, fish and alternatives; milk and dairy foods; foods containing fat; foods containing sugar.
Complex carbohydrates will help release energy slowly during the long hours of fasting. They are found in grains and seeds, such as barley, wheat, oats, millets, semolina, beans, lentils, wholemeal flour and basmati rice.
It's all about the dates! This fruit is the secret to fasting success at Ramadan
Fibre-rich foods are also digested slowly and include bran, cereals, whole wheat, grains and seeds, potatoes with the skin kept on, vegetables such as green beans and almost all fruit including apricots, prunes and figs.
Foods to avoid are heavily-processed, fast-burning foods that contain refined carbohydrates in the form of sugar, white flour, etc. as well as too much fatty food (e.g. cakes, biscuits, chocolates and sweets, such as Indian Mithai).
It may also be worth avoiding the caffeine content in drinks such as tea, coffee and cola. Caffeine is a diuretic and stimulates faster water loss through urination.
Suhoor, the pre-dawn meal, should be a wholesome, moderate meal that is filling and provides enough energy for many hours.
It is therefore particularly important to include slowly-digesting foods in the suhoor.
Iftar is the meal which breaks the day’s fast.
This meal could include dates, following the Prophetic traditions. Dates will provide a refreshing burst of much-needed energy. Fruit juices will also have a similar revitalising effect.
The meal should remain a meal and not become a feast. Try to minimise the rich, special dishes that traditionally celebrate the fast and keep to the advice above.


NFA releases 33K bags of rice to Caraga LGUs

By Alexander Lopez  April 24, 2020, 9:47 pm

BUTUAN CITY – The National Food Authority in Caraga Region (NFA-13) said it has already released a total of 33,755 bags of rice to different local government units (LGUs) in the region as part of the government measures to cushion the impact of the 2019 coronavirus disease (Covid-19) crisis.

NFA-13 information officer Amielou Jane G. Mendoza said Friday the bags of rice were delivered from March 16 to April 17.

“We have enough rice inventory our stocks are stored in different NFA warehouses in the region. These stocks are ready for release if needed especially for the relief efforts of our LGUs,” Mendoza told the Philippine News Agency.

As of Friday (April 24), she said NFA-13 has a total inventory of 15,665 bags of rice while a separate 112,175 bags of palay now being stocked for on-going milling operations in contracted miller-contractors in the region.

Mendoza said NFA-13 Regional Manager Alojado signed memorandum of agreements with relief agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), and the LGUs that will allow them to withdraw rice on credit from the NFA for relief operations anytime--especially during calamities and emergencies.

“All the recently withdrawn sacks of rice were already fully paid by the respective LGUs. Through the MOA, the LGUs pay us through the voucher system and checks,” she said.

NFA-13 has a targeted procurement of around 200,000 bags of palay for the year 2020 from the local farmers.

As of this month, the agency has already procured 9,592 bags of clean and fresh palay from farmers at the price of PHP19 per kilo. (PNA)

Cebu City readies 150K more sacks of rice

By: Morexette Marie B. Erram - General Assignments Reporter/CDN Digital|April 24,2020 - 04:24 PM
Description: RICE | CDN FILE PHOTO
RICE | CDN FILE PHOTO
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Cebu City Government will be distributing another round of rice assistance to the city’s underprivileged soon.
Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella on Friday, April 24, 2020, announced in a press briefing that they have already purchased additional 150,000 sacks of rice.
Labella said the sacks of rice are part of the city government’s efforts in providing a ‘second wave’ of assistance to those who are direly affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) which has been extended to May 15.
“Since we declared an extension of our ECQ, we decided to give a second wave of 150,000 sacks of rice for those who needed assistance,” said Labella in Cebuano.
He added that the city government will be delivering the sacks of rice to officials from the city’s 80 barangays who, by then, are tasked to do an inventory and profiling of those who are qualified to receive the assistance.
Labella again reminded the public that the rice aid is intended only for those who were greatly affected by the economic impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
“We are a city with a population of 1.1 million but I would like to remind everyone again that not all will be provided with rice assistance,” Labella said.
“This is only for those who lost their jobs due to ECQ and those belonging in the informal sector,” he added.
Labella said habal-habal (motorcycle-for-hire) drivers are included in the city’s list of qualified beneficiaries for the rice assistance. /rcg

Farmers face new challenges in their ongoing quest for water


The Yolo Bypass is an active floodplain that is also used for agriculture. Local water agencies are looking to replicate this model elsewhere.
DENNIS MCCOY | SACRAMENTOO BUSINESS JOURNAL


By Emily Hamann  – Staff Writer, Sacramento Business Journal
Not a drop of rain fell in February in Sacramento until the end of the month, making it the driest February on record for much of Northern California. For many farmers it was a painful harkening back to the drought that reached its peak and 2015, and marked the driest period in recorded California history.
“Farmers get nervous by nature,” said David Guy, president of the Northern California Water Association. But it’s not time to sound the alarms just yet, he said.
“It’s not really a drought year; it’s more of a mixed year,” Guy said. The snowpack in the northern Sierra is at around 60% of normal, but the rivers and reservoirs are relatively full. Most growers, but not all, should be able to get the water they want, he said.
“There’s actually some folks right now in farm country that have had their water cut back,” Guy said. Some farmers have been told they’ll only be able to get around 75% of the water they normally would.
One dry year isn’t necessarily cause for alarm in the almond orchards, which cover more than 30,000 acres of farmland in the four-county Sacramento region.
“Almond trees are actually pretty resilient,” said Katherine Jarvis-Shean, a Sacramento-area orchard farm advisor with the University of California Cooperative Extension.
While the trees themselves can live through a drought year, insufficient water will reduce yields for the present season and seasons into the future, Jarvis-Shean said.

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But this year growers can also rely on groundwater pumped from wells drilled into a patchwork of underground aquifers.

“One year with low precipitation is not a problem with groundwater,” Jarvis-Shean said. “The problem is if we continue to have dry winters.”
That’s what happened during the last drought, when those with wells were taking water out of the ground faster than it was being replaced.
“Some wells had problems getting enough pressure,” Jarvis-Shean said. “The water table dropped below where the wells were deep enough to get it.”
It was more difficult for growers in the San Joaquin Valley, which has larger farming operations, less plentiful surface water and slower-replenishing groundwater. There, some almond growers were forced to take out some of their trees in order to concentrate their limited water resources. For the most part, in the Sacramento region, almond growers were able to make it through.
“It was a patchwork of solutions, really depending on your resources,” Jarvis-Shean said. “But everybody felt the squeeze.”
At the regulatory level, the drought left some indelible marks on the way farmers are allowed to use water.
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, which former Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law in 2014, has the potential to transform the way crops are farmed in California. It’s aimed at making sure groundwater isn’t pumped out of the ground faster than it can be replaced. By the most conservative estimate, 500,000 acres of agriculture land are expected to go fallow in the San Joaquin Valley as the SGMA is implemented over the next 20 years.
That region was the highest priority. In the Sacramento Valley, plans to manage groundwater are still being put together, so the impact on local growers isn’t clear at this point.

“Folks in the Sacramento Valley are working hard on their plans,” Guy said. “But they’re not due until 2022.”
In the shorter term, however, the looming threat of state regulations is causing some local farmers to make other changes.
The State Water Resources Control Board is working on new water quality standards for the Bay-Delta region, and the rivers, including the Sacramento, and tributaries that lead into it.
Instead of waiting for the state to come down with new restrictions, many water agencies, which represent farmers, cities and other consumers of surface water, have been working toward voluntary agreements with the state, to proactively try to improve water conditions and wildlife habitat.
“These are really important to the long-term viability of agriculture in the Central Valley,” Guy said. Growers have an incentive to participate, in order to preserve their access to water.

“If we can improve conditions for fish and wildlife, then there’s going to be less pressure on redirecting water away from farms and cities,” Guy said.
Along the Sacramento River, there's an ongoing project to try to restore some of the natural floodplain that used to replenish the river. Long ago, levees were built along the river and many of those floodplains are now used for farming.
“A lot of it involves having water in the right place at the right time for fish,” Guy said.
The land could be used for farming in the spring and summer, and flood in the winter. For decades, many rice farmers have been flooding their fields after harvest, to break down the leftover rice straw and provide habitat for birds.
Now these water agencies and the state are looking into whether flooding those fields, as well as fields used for other field crops, can help fish as well.
“The science is all really promising,” Guy said.
Currently, 5,000 to 10,000 acres of farmland has been identified for the experiment.
“We’d love to scale this up from 5,000 to 10,000 to hundreds of thousands of acres over the next several decades,” Guy said.
Doing that will require, in part, sign on from more landowners.
“I think there’s lots of interest in landowners doing this,” Guy said. “I think people just want to improve conditions for fish and wildlife.”

https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2020/04/24/farmers-face-new-challenges-in-their-ongoing-quest.html


Rice Growers Look Forward to ‘Normal’ Planting Season

 FIELD & ROW CROPS INDUSTRY

Description: https://i2.wp.com/agnetwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/RiceSeeding_CRC.jpg?resize=742%2C495
California rice growers are looking forward to a return to average conditions for planting this year, after experiencing inclement weather over the past few years that created delays for growers. Communications Manager for the California Rice Commission, Jim Morris said it is welcome news for the industry.
“It’s a normal start to the planting season and that may not sound like a lot but it’s actually very significant because for the past several years we’ve had a lot of delays. We’ve had late spring rains which has hampered our ability to get the fields ready, to get the airplanes flying,” Morris noted.  “Speaking with growers, they’re more often two weeks or so ahead of recent years.” 
The past few years rice growers have had to wait until later in the year to get into the fields to begin planting preparations. The delayed planting of years past resulted in a shortened planting period and put a strain on some of the resources the industry relies on. “The season is not as truncated and when you’re working with a finite amount of resources like flying services, etcetera, the fact that it’s going in a more orderly fashion really helps everyone out,” Morris explained.
The warm weather that is in the forecast should provide favorable conditions to allow growers to get into the fields to level the ground before applying water and allowing aircraft to drop pregerminated seed. Planting should be wrapping up at the end of May, into early June at the latest.
Figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service show that California growers are expected to plant 500,000 acres of rice this year, an increase of 2,000 acres over the previous year. “We’ll see how it plays out; 500,000 is a good solid crop and what we would expect. We think that there is a possibility that there actually could be additional acres to that, we’ll just wait and see,” said Morris. 

Pakistan's exports to Africa increases by 10 percent in previous 10 months: SAPM Razak Dawood

Description: Pakistan's exports to Africa increases by 10 percent in previous 10 months: SAPM Razak Dawood

APP

5:22 PM | April 24, 2020
The Prime Minister Adviser on Commerce and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood on Friday said Pakistan’s exports to African countries have increased by 10 percent from July 1st , 2019 to April 21st, 2020, as compared to the same period during last Fiscal Year.
The adviser said, “I would like to commend my team at the Ministry of commerce for the ‘Look Africa Policy Initiative’ under which rice exports has increased by 20 percent from US $ 500 to US $ 600 milliom, tractors from US $ 9 to 15 million, clothing from Us $ 4 to 50 million and bed linen from US $ 30 to US $ 36 million, he shared these view on his twitter account.
He also announced that Drawback of Local Taxes and Levies (DLTL) refunds of Rs 828 million for non-textile sector had been transferred to State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and reimbursement would start from today.
He said the western economic block would gradually opening up there market and there were trickles of order coming from them to provide huge opportunity to the local industrial sector.

The adviser said, “I am appealing to local textiles industry to take full advantage of these new opportunities to enter in new segment and new geography”.
He reiterated that the government would fully support to the Industrial sector in that regard.

State govt to provide wheat, rice to 66 lakh families

Ashwani Kumar added that the task of depositing Rs 1,000 as financial assistance in the bank accounts of 66 lakh PHH card holders under the NFSA is on. And till Thursday Rs 340 crore has been deposited in the bank accounts of PHH cardholders through Direct Bank Transfer (DBT).

By: Express News Service | Ahmedabad | Published: April 24, 2020 1:06:17 am
Description: Gujarat wheat procurement, Gujarat wheat procurement date, wheat production Gujarat, Gujarat Ahmedabad news
As part of its relief measures for the priority households (PHH) under the NFSA, the state government had allocated grains for the 66 lakh families in the beginning of the month. (Representational Photo)
The state government has decided to provide 3.5 kg wheat and 1.5 kg rice per person to around 66 lakh families falling under the purview of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) free of cost between April 25 and 29. This will include 3.25 crore people of Gujarat. Secretary to the Chief Minister, Ashwani Kumar made the decision public while addressing mediapersons here Thursday.
As part of its relief measures for the priority households (PHH) under the NFSA, the state government had allocated grains for the 66 lakh families in the beginning of the month. The latest allocation – from 17,000 fair price shops (FPS) in the state – will be in addition to that, said Kumar.
Kumar also said that as part of the state government’s efforts to bring normalcy to everyday life, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has also given instructions to district collectors to give working permission to self-employed workers like plumber, carpenter, electrician, motor-repairer, auto-mechanic.
Kumar added that the task of depositing Rs 1,000 as financial assistance in the bank accounts of 66 lakh PHH card holders under the NFSA is on. And till Thursday Rs 340 crore has been deposited in the bank accounts of PHH cardholders through Direct Bank Transfer (DBT).

Price of rice records a sharp increase in Tiruchi

TIRUCHI, APRIL 23, 2020 20:29 IST
UPDATED: APRIL 23, 2020 20:29 IST
Description: Most retail and grocery stores in Tiruchi sell one kg of high quality Ponni rice at ₹60 a kg.
Most retail and grocery stores in Tiruchi sell one kg of high quality Ponni rice at 60 a kg.   | Photo Credit: M_SRINATH

‘Upward revision is due to high cost of transportation’

Despite availability of sufficient stocks of paddy with rice mills, price of rice has recorded sharp increase in the retail market in Tiruchi.
On an average, the price has gone by 6 -12 a kg of boiled rice, depending on the quality and variety. In retail rice stores and grocery shops in Tiruchi, one kg of Mannachanallur Ponni (old) variety was sold between 56 and 62. The price of Mannachanallur ponni (new) was hovering between 45 and 50.
Before the imposition of lockdown, one kg of Mannachanallur Ponni (old) was sold at 48 -54 and new rice was sold at 42-46. Prices of Andhra and Karnataka ponni have also gone by 5-6 a kg. Similarly, the rates of idly rice have also risen by 5 a kg.
“Most retail and grocery stores in the city sell one kg of high quality Ponni rice at 60 a kg. The rate is 56 in a few stores. The upward revision is due to high cost of transportation of rice, says Manikandan, who runs a grocery store in Cantonment.
However, except a few old varieties of rice, the rates in Mannachanallur, where about dozens of rice mills are located, remain unchanged for the last five months. Though the supply chain was disrupted for a week after the lockdown, it was restored quickly with the intervention of the State government.
Due to sharp increase in prices of rice, several consumers visit Mannachanallur to buy rice directly from the mills.
M. Sivanandan, who owns a rice mill at Mannachallur, told The Hindu that the number of consumers from Tiruchi, who visited Mannachallur to buy rice directly from the mills, had gone up sharply over the last few days. It was mainly due to a big difference in price.
Industry sources attributed the price rise to a section of retailers, who have created an “artificial shortage” of rice in the wake of curfew restrictions. Some traders, who have taken, advantage of restriction in business hours and business days, have increased the prices.
Industry sources further said that there was no reason for price rise in the near future as rice mills have piled up stocks. Moreover, farmers also have a huge stock. The current price would likely to continue up to the year end.
Donations in China to combat virus over 10b yuan
PUBLISHED 1 FEBRUARY 2020

By Zou Shuo
BEIJING (China Daily/ANN) -Charitable donations in China to combat the novel coronavirus epidemic have reached more than 10.1 billion yuan ($1.46 billion) as of Thursday midnight, the China Charity Alliance said on Friday.
Chinese enterprises have donated more than 2.2 billion yuan by Thursday, with internet giant Alibaba contributing 1 billion yuan, and Baidu and Tencent each donating 300 million yuan to combat the epidemic, it said.
Donations from social charity organizations amounted to 287 million yuan by Thursday, the alliance said.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs has called on more charitable donations to help prevent and contain the epidemic on Jan 26.
The alliance called on charitable organizations to collect goods and raise money according to laws and regulations, strengthen information disclosure and be open to public scrutiny.
 

Bernas continues to safeguard local rice industryDescription: https://themalaysianreserve.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/24TR007A2-2.jpgFriday, April 24th, 2020 at , Economy | News
by SHAHEERA AZNAM SHAH/ pic by MUHD AMIN NAHARUL
WHILE there has been a surge in food prices in several countries, Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) will continue to safeguard the price stability and rice supply in Malaysia amid the Covid-19 crisis.
“The pandemic has caused some countries to increase their staple food prices including rice, and it has raised some concerns that it could disrupt Malaysia’s supply.
“As mentioned by the Agriculture and Food Industries Ministry (MoA) as well as other relevant ministries, Malaysia’s security and food supply is currently under control.
“The staple foods are still widely available and the prices have remained the same prior to the Covid-19 outbreak,” the country’s single rice importer said in a statement yesterday.
It added that Bernas is committed to ensuring rice prices will remain stable despite the rise in global food prices, and they will bear the additional costs of rice and operation to maintain its stability.
Bernas said it has also maintained the prices of local white rice and imported rice for the wholesale purchase.
Bernas was responding to a claim by the Malay Economic Action Council (MTEM) saying that rice millers and wholesalers are pressured by the price hike set by the rice importer.
It also refuted MTEM’s statement which claimed Bernas has been receiving subsidies and that the MoA is monopolising the rice import.
“To date, Bernas has been keeping to its responsibility in managing the rice industry development and its duty as rice importer.
“Bernas will continue to manage the subsidy payments to farmers, administer the Bumiputera paddy scheme, ensure paddy procurement from farmers at guaranteed prices and be responsible as the last buyer from farmers,” it said.
Bernas added that it will continue to cooperate with the MoA to ensure the viability of the rice industry.


Saturday, 25 Apr 2020
GENERAL

BERNAS says rice sales to Sabah up 10 pct in first 3 months

Description: http://pcms.bernama.com:7788/storage/photos/e4c4ce22d1679d91a435b8cd615777715ea260c81e2de
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24/04/2020 12:03 PM
KOTA KINABALU, April 24  — Padiberas Nasional Bhd (BERNAS) recorded a nearly 10 per cent rise in sales of rice to Sabah for the first three months of this year compared with the same period last year.
In a statement today, BERNAS said rice sales for April saw a 40 per cent jump over the average for the state.
“There was also a 27 per cent increase in the number of rice wholesalers with no record of purchase buying from BERNAS, while around 61 per cent of wholesalers in Sabah had bought more than the normal amount of rice.
‘Of this percentage, 37 wholesalers bought more than 100 per cent of the normal amount,” it said.
The statement was issued in response to a local news report on Wednesday entitled “BERNAS Urged Not To Ration Rice Supply in Sabah”.
The report quoted Malaysian Youth Council vice president Azuwan Marjan as saying he had been informed by wholesalers in Sabah that BERNAS had started rationing its rice supply to them since April 13.
BERNAS clarified that unusually high purchases had prompted the agency to take precautionary steps by restricting sales to certain wholesalers in order to prevent hoarding.
It was aimed at preventing the rice supplied to Sabah being sold to other countries like Indonesia and the Philippines in view of the rice price in Malaysia being the lowest in the Southeast Asia region.
The statement added that joint monitoring with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry will continue to ensure the supply of rice is controlled, especially for Sabah.
— BERNAMA


Australia and Cambodia work together to boost agriculture sector

Harrison White and Vannak Chea / Khmer Times 
Description: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/221221.jpg

Australian Ambassador Pablo Kang has met Cambodian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries HE Veng Sakhon to discuss strengthening agricultural exports and how Australia can assist boosting local food security and rural incomes.
The meeting was held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Phnom Penh and a key topic was Australia’s signature agricultural aid initiative – the Cambodia Agricultural Value Chain Programme (CAVAC) – that will provide more than $50 million to mobilise additional advisers to help the government maintain food security and resolve supply chain issues in the face of COVID-19 disruption.
The programme will also work with farmers, businesses and government to boost agricultural productivity, diversify crops and target new markets, all of which are critical given the number of Cambodian workers expected to enter the agriculture sector because of job losses elsewhere.
According to the Australian Embassy, CAVAC has already built irrigation schemes providing 12,000 Cambodian farmers with year-round access to irrigated water and is supporting 135,000 farmers to improve their farming practices.
In a statement released after the meeting, Veng Sakhon stated his profound thanks to the Australian Government and people for their continued support for the development of Cambodia.
“These projects have really contributed to improving productivity, creating jobs, ensuring food security, increasing exports, competing to improve living standards, reduce poverty, migration and promote national economic growth,” Veng said.
“In the context that Cambodia is facing a global epidemic of deadly COVID-19 and isespecially in line with the policy of Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has called on people to work hard to cultivate and promote agricultural production to increase the supply of domestic demand and increase productivity to ensure food supply for the daily living of the people and the economy,” Veng added.
In response, Pablo Kang told Khmer Times: “Australia is proud to be a long-standing supporter of the agriculture sector in Cambodia. The economic effects of COVID-19 make it even more important that we continue to this support, so Cambodian farmers can earn incomes and feed their families.”
Additionally, the two also discussed the potential for increasing “fragrant rice” exports to the Australian market with 9,700 tonnes rice having already been exported to Australia in the first three months of this year. Allowing some rice trading to continue after Hun Sen banned all exports of white rice and paddy to keep for local consumption from earlier this month until further notice to keep
According to Lun Yeng, secretary-general of the Cambodia Rice Federation, Australia has the potential to be a leading export destination for Cambodia’s fragrant rice exports now and general rice exports in the future.
“Australia is becoming a new and leading potential market for both Cambodia’s premium and general rice exports because over the last few years exports from Cambodia to Australia have increased significantly,” Yeng said.
“Also, we think Australia will be a good market because many buyers have partnered directly with local rice producers to ensure that quality and production is in line with good sustainable practices for our farmers.”

Mismanagement causes difficulties for Vietnam's rice exporters

Description: https://vnn-res.vgcloud.vn/ResV9/images/logo-bridge-vnn.pngHundreds of thousands of tons of rice in enterprises’ storehouses cannot be exported because of inconsistent policies.
On March 23, the government decided to stop rice exports as proposed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) to ensure food security during the pandemic.
Description: Mismanagement causes difficulties for Vietnam's rice exporters


On March 24, customs agencies stopped the customs clearance for all rice export shipments.

Later that day, MOIT unexpectedly asked the Prime Minister to allow resumption of rice exports.

Explaining the decision, MOIT said "there was a difference in statistics about stockpile and it was necessary to recalculate the total rice output".

The confusion of the state management agency can also be seen in the fact that the ministry also proposed stopping exporting sticky rice, though sticky rice is not a product for the national reserve.
Description: http://res.vietnamnet.vn/VietNamNet/Standard/v2015/images/quote-icon.png
Hundreds of thousands of tons of rice in enterprises’ storehouses cannot be exported because of inconsistent policies.
As a result, enterprises could not export sticky rice, despite the large inventory volume in An Giang and Long An provinces, 56,000 tons and VND152,000 tons, respectively.


After local authorities and rice exporters complained about this, MOIT asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) if sticky rice is among the product items for national reserve, and asked for the Ministry of Finance’s (MOF) opinion.

MOF affirmed that it expressed its opinions twice, on April 3 and April 30, but the opinions were ignored by MOIT.

MOF said it then suggested allowing export of sticky rice because it is not a product for the national reserve. It also suggested stopping the export of ordinary rice to ensure that the government can buy enough ordinary rice for the national reserve.

Talking to VnExpress on April 18 about MOF’s explanations, MOIT Minister Tran Tuan Anh said the "suggestions are unreasonable". The opinions from ministries and branches were collected by MOIT and forwarded to the Prime Minister in MOIT’s report on April 6.

The General Department of Customs (GDC) also complained about the issue.

On March 24, when rice was carried to ports and exporters prepared to make customs declarations for exports, they were informed about the decision on rice export suspension.

On April 10, the Prime Minister agreed to resume rice exports and allowed 400,000 tons in April. On April 11 (Saturday), rice exporters were waiting to register rice exports, but GDC’s VNACCS system (Vietnam Automated Cargo Clearance System) did not work.

At 0am on April 12 (Saturday), the system was unexpectedly opened without public announcement. Six hours later, the system was closed again and rice exporters were informed that 400,000 tons had been cleared, which meant that other exporters would have no more opportunities to export rice in April.

Making a Case for Safer Ways to Fight Rice Pests in the Greater Mekong

Description: rice pest monitoring in Laos
A new report in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management shares the successes and lessons learned from an advanced biological control-based IPM program that is helping rice growers in China, Laos, and Myanmar manage pests in more environmentally and economically sustainable ways. Here, scientists involved with the program sample for pests in a rice field in Laos. (Image originally published in Babendreier et al 2020, Journal of Integrated Pest Management)
By Dirk Babendreier
Rice is big business in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) in Southeast Asia—not only as a vital source of food but also as a crop that provides work and income for 80 percent of the population. However, despite positive developments in the last decade, millions of tons are still being lost to pests, diseases, and weeds.

Description: Dirk BabendreierDirk Babendreier
In a new paper titled “Biological Control of Lepidopteran Pests in Rice: A Multi-Nation Case Study From Asia,” published this week in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management, fellow researchers from China, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka join me in reporting on the impact of stem borers in rice producing countries, where they regularly cause yield losses of about 20 percent. Indeed, in some parts of the Philippines and Indonesia, white stem borer can cause tremendous losses to productivity and alternatives to insecticide use are urgently required.
While farmers have been fighting back with pesticides, this is not sustainable in the long run and instead my colleagues and I advocate the use of more environmentally friendly solutions. Working with partners, including the MARA-CABI Joint Laboratory for Bio-safety and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, we are making a case that integrated pest management (IPM) for rice production in the GMS can bring about a more environmentally and economically sustainable rice pest management strategy for southwestern China, Laos, and Myanmar.
Key to this strategy is the establishment of 12 Trichogramma spp. rearing facilities (TRFs), four in each of the participating countries. The most promising strains of T. chilonis and T. japonicus were selected for production in the TRFs based on extensive field surveys, as well as laboratory and field release studies. The project also considered the potential for Trichogramma spp. of each strain to withstand the high temperatures expected under a changing climate.
By implementing an IPM strategy, farmers are already reaping the benefits with higher rice yields (2-10 percent) and an increase in natural enemy abundance; for example, twice as many spiders! There have also been, on average, 1.5 fewer applications of insecticides on IPM plots compared to conventionally treated fields.
During a capacity-building program, IPM practices with strong cultural and biological control-based components were promoted among around 50 IPM trainers and more than 6,400 rice farmers. As well as teachings in the classroom setting, there were also demonstrations of IPM in the field.
Despite considerable efforts toward implementing biological control-based IPM in rice production, a number of challenges were apparent. At the farmer’s level, there was a lack of knowledge of IPM, including a lack of knowledge about the rational use of pesticides. For example, farmers often have a poor understanding of the environmental and health problems associated with pesticides. Moreover, the hot conditions, especially in Myanmar and Laos, made it tough to keep the TRFs free from pests. Very positive, however, was the considerable support from national stakeholders who were excited to increase their capacities in the area of IPM and biological control.
Our case study shared in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management indicates the potential successes of advanced biological control-based IPM systems. As such, our team believes these systems merit wider consideration, including adaptations for other regions and crops. By adopting a smarter and less pesticide-reliant way of fighting rice pests and diseases, we can help secure not only livelihoods but also local, national, and global food security.

How retailers inadvertently contribute to hoarding

BOB SIMISON | APR 23, 2020
SECTIONS MARKETING 
COLLECTIONS COVID-19 CRISIS
The COVID-19 pandemic brought out people’s hoarding instinct. Since social distancing and sheltering in place became the norm, stores have been sold out of toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and food staples as Americans worried about potential shortages buy ahead—and thereby create actual shortages. 
Governments often worry that shortages will lead to price gouging. In fact, big retailers fear being accused of unfairly hiking prices, but their delay in increasing prices in response to demand spikes may actually contribute to hoarding, according to Imperial College London’s Christopher Hansman, Columbia’s Harrison Hong, University College London’s Aureo de Paula, and New York University’s Vishal Singh
Humans have probably always engaged in hoarding, the researchers argue, but the role of modern marketplaces has been poorly understood, they write. To help rectify this, they studied consumer behavior in the United States during a 300 percent surge in global rice prices in 2008.
One of the challenges in studying hoarding has been a lack of granular, store-shelf-level data. Hansman, Hong, de Paula, and Singh mined the Nielsen Datasets at Chicago Booth’s Kilts Center for Marketing, drawing on a panel of more than 100,000 households that used handheld scanners to record every grocery-store purchase. The researchers extracted a sample covering 9,000 stores for 2007–09, with 1.1 million monthly observations of 42,000 households. This provided a window into US consumers’ behavior during the global rice crisis. 

Following shoppers’ hoarding binge, stores hiked prices

Hansman et al., 2020
The crisis started with India’s politically motivated 2007 ban on rice exports, and continued until Japan agreed to release rice reserves to the world market in mid-2008. Amid media reports of hoarding and surging international prices, American consumers went on a rice-hoarding binge between mid-April and mid-May 2008, increasing purchases by 40 percent just as international wholesale prices peaked, the researchers find.
Store-level prices didn’t budge until much later, according to the study. This is consistent with extensive research documenting the “sticky prices” phenomenon in a modern national market dominated by giant retailing chains. After the hoarding period, store-level rice prices eventually climbed 23 percent, consistent with where wholesale costs finally settled on the global market, the data indicate. This effectively gave consumers a 23 percent discount, which the researchers calculate accounted for roughly half of the hoarding observed in the study.
By estimating household rice consumption and stockpiling, the researchers find that a handful of households may have tried to buy enough rice that they could resell it at a profit. But the vast majority of hoarding appeared to be for households’ own use. 
There are two policy implications, the researchers write. First, governments needn’t particularly concern themselves with trying to regulate or crack down on price gouging by mainstream retailers. They observe that media reporting on COVID-19 hoarding and shortages suggests that attempts at profiteering mostly involve a small sample of opportunistic online resellers.
Secondly, what should concern policy makers is the finding that wealthier people bought more, while relatively low-income or otherwise vulnerable groups did less hoarding even as prices stayed flat, most likely because they lacked the resources, the researchers write. Consequently, controlling prices to prevent gouging won’t help people in these groups to retain access to necessities in hoarding episodes.
“Policies that ensure protected groups retain access to staples—as, for example, some grocery stores have done for the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic—should be considered within the regulatory toolkit,” the researchers write.












Making a Case for Safer Ways to Fight Rice Pests in the Greater Mekong

Description: rice pest monitoring in Laos
A new report in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management shares the successes and lessons learned from an advanced biological control-based IPM program that is helping rice growers in China, Laos, and Myanmar manage pests in more environmentally and economically sustainable ways. Here, scientists involved with the program sample for pests in a rice field in Laos. (Image originally published in Babendreier et al 2020, Journal of Integrated Pest Management)
By Dirk Babendreier
Rice is big business in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) in Southeast Asia—not only as a vital source of food but also as a crop that provides work and income for 80 percent of the population. However, despite positive developments in the last decade, millions of tons are still being lost to pests, diseases, and weeds.
Description: Dirk Babendreier
Dirk Babendreier
In a new paper titled “Biological Control of Lepidopteran Pests in Rice: A Multi-Nation Case Study From Asia,” published this week in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management, fellow researchers from China, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka join me in reporting on the impact of stem borers in rice producing countries, where they regularly cause yield losses of about 20 percent. Indeed, in some parts of the Philippines and Indonesia, white stem borer can cause tremendous losses to productivity and alternatives to insecticide use are urgently required.
While farmers have been fighting back with pesticides, this is not sustainable in the long run and instead my colleagues and I advocate the use of more environmentally friendly solutions. Working with partners, including the MARA-CABI Joint Laboratory for Bio-safety and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, we are making a case that integrated pest management (IPM) for rice production in the GMS can bring about a more environmentally and economically sustainable rice pest management strategy for southwestern China, Laos, and Myanmar.
Key to this strategy is the establishment of 12 Trichogramma spp. rearing facilities (TRFs), four in each of the participating countries. The most promising strains of T. chilonis and T. japonicus were selected for production in the TRFs based on extensive field surveys, as well as laboratory and field release studies. The project also considered the potential for Trichogramma spp. of each strain to withstand the high temperatures expected under a changing climate.
By implementing an IPM strategy, farmers are already reaping the benefits with higher rice yields (2-10 percent) and an increase in natural enemy abundance; for example, twice as many spiders! There have also been, on average, 1.5 fewer applications of insecticides on IPM plots compared to conventionally treated fields.
During a capacity-building program, IPM practices with strong cultural and biological control-based components were promoted among around 50 IPM trainers and more than 6,400 rice farmers. As well as teachings in the classroom setting, there were also demonstrations of IPM in the field.
Despite considerable efforts toward implementing biological control-based IPM in rice production, a number of challenges were apparent. At the farmer’s level, there was a lack of knowledge of IPM, including a lack of knowledge about the rational use of pesticides. For example, farmers often have a poor understanding of the environmental and health problems associated with pesticides. Moreover, the hot conditions, especially in Myanmar and Laos, made it tough to keep the TRFs free from pests. Very positive, however, was the considerable support from national stakeholders who were excited to increase their capacities in the area of IPM and biological control.
Our case study shared in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management indicates the potential successes of advanced biological control-based IPM systems. As such, our team believes these systems merit wider consideration, including adaptations for other regions and crops. By adopting a smarter and less pesticide-reliant way of fighting rice pests and diseases, we can help secure not only livelihoods but also local, national, and global food security.