Expedite paddy, rice
procurement: Food Minister
- Publish- June 10, 2020, 08:21 PM
- UNB NEWS - UNB NEWS
- Update- June 10, 2020, 09:22 PM
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra
Majumder on Wednesday directed the officials to expedite the procurement of
paddy and rice to increase stocks at government warehouses.
At the same time, he asked to take strict action to cancel the illegal cards of the government food-friendly programme. If necessary, the food-friendly programme card will be digitised, he said.
He made the remarks while interacting with the Chittagong Division officials through a video conference from the official residence of the minister on Minto Road.
At the same time, he asked to take strict action to cancel the illegal cards of the government food-friendly programme. If necessary, the food-friendly programme card will be digitised, he said.
He made the remarks while interacting with the Chittagong Division officials through a video conference from the official residence of the minister on Minto Road.
Farmers are getting bumper yields
and fair prices in this boro season. The speed of government procurement of
paddy should be increased, said Sadhan.
In addition, the quality of food
grains should be checked and collected as per the instructions, said the
minister.
He also warned of strict
action against anyone committing irregularities in buying paddy and
rice.
Mentioning the food-friendly programme, the minister said some allegations about the list of beneficiaries under the programme have been found to be true. Therefore, a letter was sent to the Deputy Commissioners and District Food Controllers of each district in the first week of March to send a new list of the real poor and destitute after checking and sorting them.
Mentioning the food-friendly programme, the minister said some allegations about the list of beneficiaries under the programme have been found to be true. Therefore, a letter was sent to the Deputy Commissioners and District Food Controllers of each district in the first week of March to send a new list of the real poor and destitute after checking and sorting them.
He instructed to prepare the list by
including names of the real poor and destitute. He also directed to remove the
previous tag officers and to prepare a new list by updating it.
The minister said the cards of the
food-friendly programme will be digitised if necessary to curb corruption.
In a video conference, the minister
discussed the coronavirus situation in details in each district
under Chittagong division, current boro paddy harvesting and
thrashing, and official collection of paddy and rice.
Amid labour shortage, over 8 fold rise in direct sowing of rice in
Punjab
Experts
estimate that by the time sowing ends around 22 per cent to 26 per cent of the
total targeted area of paddy will be brought under DSR technique – a method
that saves water and is not labour intensive.
Written by Anju Agnihotri Chaba | Jalandhar |
Published: June 10, 2020 1:29:24 pm
Farmer Jagdeep
Singh (second from right) with the DSR machine at Sangrur’s Kanoi village.
(Express photo)
The acute
shortage of migrant labour to transplant paddy has helped Punjab achieve what
the state government has been unsuccessfully trying to do for over a decade.
For the first time ever this year, the area under ‘Direct Seeding of Rice
(DSR)’ is set to be the highest ever from the year the technology was
introduced in the state in 2009-10. The increase in area under DSR, even
according to initial trends, is already 8.60 times higher than last year, and
paddy sowing will continue till the end of this month. Experts estimate that by
the time sowing ends around 22 per cent to 26 per cent of the total targeted
area of paddy will be brought under DSR technique – a method that saves water
and is not labour intensive.
While paddy
transplantation using the traditional way – the puddle method – only begins
from June 10, DSR sowing can start around 2-3 weeks before. So, Punjab has
already completed paddy sowing with DSR on around 2 lakh hectares of the total
targeted paddy area before its traditional method transplantation even begins.
Even if the
state combines DSR area of past five years then this year’s area is higher. In
the last five years from 2015 to 2019 Punjab in total could bring less than 2
lakh hectares under DSR, while this year alone it has already crossed the 2
lakh hectares mark till date with three weeks of sowing left. For instance in
2018, the area under DSR was only 5,000 hectares and it was only 23,300
hectares in 2019. Compared to last year alone, the increase is 8.60 times.
Director,
Punjab Agriculture Department, Dr Sutantra Airi told The Indian
Express that they are surprised that the farmers are “running after
DSR this year while earlier they used to run away from it”.
“Due to the
migrant labour shortage and high rates demanded by the local labour around Rs
5,000 to 6,000 per acre, they are doing it. We have been educating them to use
DSR on medium to heavy soil only and telling them laser leveller is also must so
that entire field gets equal water,” he said, adding that already over 2 lakh
hectares area has been covered under DSR and there are expectations of covering
around 6 lakh hectares under it this year. Punjab has targeted to sow paddy on
around 27-28 lakh hectares, including around 7 lakh under Basmati rice (fine
aromatic rice), this year.
Traditional
method vs DSR
In normal
transplanting, farmers prepare nurseries where the paddy seeds are first sown
and raised into young plants. These seedlings are then uprooted and replanted
25-35 days later in the main field.
In DSR, there
is no nursery preparation or transplantation. The paddy seeds are, instead,
directly drilled into the field by a tractor-powered machine. The Punjab
Agricultural University (PAU) at Ludhiana has developed ‘Lucky Seed Drill’
which can sow seeds and simultaneously also spray herbicides to control weed
growth.
Punjab needs at
least 6 lakh migrant labours to transplant paddy on 27-28 lakh hectares with
traditional method which is highly labour intensive. DSR requires neither
nursery sowing nor transplanting, which itself entails minimum labour
requirement.
Also, in
traditional method, plants are transplanted in 6-inches deep water and have to
be irrigated almost daily (if there are no rains) to ensure water depth of 4-5
cm, but in DSR, water is replaced by herbicides.
The trend this
year
Almost all
districts of Punjab have shown a shift towards DSR according to data sourced
from the district agricultural offices across Punjab.
While Fatehgarh
Sahib, Bathinda, Ropar and Pathankot districts which had not gone for DSR last
year at all, these districts this year have sown 4,500 hectares, 2000, 1100 and
100 hectares using DSR, respectively.
Kapurthala till
date has seen 275 times increase in DSR usage this year. From total 100
hectares under DSR last year, this year it has gone up to 27,500 hectares till
date.
In Gurdaspur,
there has been 60-time rise in the area from 100 hectares last year to 6,000
hectares this year. Ludhiana has recorded 26 times increase in area under DSR.
In Sangrur
there has been 44 times increase from 700 hectares last year to 29,000 hectares
this year till date.
The trend is
reflected in Amritsar and Ferozepur too.
In Amritsar,
there has been 16 times increase (from 500 hectares to 8020 hectares) and in
Ferozepur, it is a 25 times upward swing from 700 hectares last year to 12,000
hectares this year so far.
In Mukatsar
Sahib, where last year 12,900 hectares was under DSR, this year the district
has already completed sowing with DSR on 26,000 hectares (64,220 acres).
“We are
expecting that our district will touch 50,000 to 55,000 hectares (1,23,500 to
1,35,850 acres) as our parmal rice sowing will be continue till June 15 and
then basmati varieties like will be sown with DSR,” said Chief Agriculture
Officer, Mukatsar Sahib, Dr Jalour Singh, adding that they had never expected
such a huge jump in the area under DSR. The district has 475 machines for
sowing rice directly.
In Jalandhar,
where only 1,300 hectares was under DSR last year, this has increased to 12,000
hectares till date, said Dr Naresh Gulati, Agriculture officer, Jalandhar,
adding that farmers, who never wanted to go for this earlier, are not shying
away this time from adopting DSR.
Barnala
district has seen a 20 times increase in the DSR area. It has gone up from
1,000 hectares last year to 20,000 hectares this year so far, said CAO Baldev
Singh.
This year
farmers have even gone the extra mile and modified their ‘Happy Seeders’, used
for directly sowing wheat, for direct sowing of rice, said the Director
Agriculture, Punjab.
“With DSR
sowing, we are not even spending one-fourth of what the labourers are demanding
for transplanting and it needs around 30-40 per cent less water as it is not
sown in the standing water but only a wet field and needs first water after
three weeks,” said farmer Jagdeep Singh from Sangrur’s Kanoi village, who has
sown paddy with DSR on his entire farm, adding that in his village majority
farmers are going for DSR technique this year.
In Kanoi,
farmers have sown around 30 per cent of the village’s total of 1000 acres
agricultural land with DSR.
In Kheri and Ugranhan villages too farmers have sown paddy with DSR in a huge areas. Farmers Gurpal Singh and Kuldeep Singh of Kheri village in the Sangrur district had never tried DSR ever before, but this year they have tried it on 9 and 18 acres, respectively – a trend that is true for many farmers in Punjab amid Covid-induced labour shortage.
In Kheri and Ugranhan villages too farmers have sown paddy with DSR in a huge areas. Farmers Gurpal Singh and Kuldeep Singh of Kheri village in the Sangrur district had never tried DSR ever before, but this year they have tried it on 9 and 18 acres, respectively – a trend that is true for many farmers in Punjab amid Covid-induced labour shortage.
Cristobal
Causes a Scare But Leaves No Scars
By Kane
Webb
LAKE CHARLES,
LA -- The past few days had growers in the Gulf Coast region watching the
weather and wondering what conditions Tropical Storm Cristobal would bring as
forecast models had the storm tracking along the coastline.
Although never forecasted to become a major hurricane, you can never discount Mother Nature's potential -- a storm that has earned a name can be scary. Making matters more intense for many farmers was a consensus that this year's rice crop along the Gulf Coast is looking more promising than it has in seasons past.
"With everything that has seemed to go wrong over the past few years, we feel like this year is going our way," said Christian Richard who operates Richard Farms in Kaplan. "Everyone I've visited with says the rice really looks good and is maturing quickly without the various issues we've had to struggle through in previous few years."
Across Louisiana, growers mentioned experiencing minimal rain amounts with very little wind, indicating no damage or lodging of maturing rice, which was a big concern early on as the storm headed for landfall over last weekend.
"We are thankful as the effects were hardly noticeable," said Fred Zaunbrecher, of GF&P Farms in Crowley. "Sure, we could have used more rain, but sometimes you get what you ask for: to not feel the effects of a tropical storm at this stage of the season!"
Growers to the west in Texas were relieved as well, not that anyone wishes a storm on someone else. According to crop consultant Glenn Crane, who works out of Houston, "the rice crop looks scary good this year."
Cristobal did move north, dumping 2-3 inches of rain on farmers in the hardest-hit areas of Arkansas, but fortunately there was little destruction. Meanwhile, farmers along the Gulf Coast are looking ahead to the next 30 days and hope the only "scary" thing they face is a "scary good" rice crop.
Although never forecasted to become a major hurricane, you can never discount Mother Nature's potential -- a storm that has earned a name can be scary. Making matters more intense for many farmers was a consensus that this year's rice crop along the Gulf Coast is looking more promising than it has in seasons past.
"With everything that has seemed to go wrong over the past few years, we feel like this year is going our way," said Christian Richard who operates Richard Farms in Kaplan. "Everyone I've visited with says the rice really looks good and is maturing quickly without the various issues we've had to struggle through in previous few years."
Across Louisiana, growers mentioned experiencing minimal rain amounts with very little wind, indicating no damage or lodging of maturing rice, which was a big concern early on as the storm headed for landfall over last weekend.
"We are thankful as the effects were hardly noticeable," said Fred Zaunbrecher, of GF&P Farms in Crowley. "Sure, we could have used more rain, but sometimes you get what you ask for: to not feel the effects of a tropical storm at this stage of the season!"
Growers to the west in Texas were relieved as well, not that anyone wishes a storm on someone else. According to crop consultant Glenn Crane, who works out of Houston, "the rice crop looks scary good this year."
Cristobal did move north, dumping 2-3 inches of rain on farmers in the hardest-hit areas of Arkansas, but fortunately there was little destruction. Meanwhile, farmers along the Gulf Coast are looking ahead to the next 30 days and hope the only "scary" thing they face is a "scary good" rice crop.
Rice Prices Spike to Highest Level Since 2011
Surging demand
from coronavirus lockdowns and global weather issues have dented rice
availability
Consumer
Spending Slid in April; Here's Why That Matters
Consumer
Spending Slid in April; Here's Why That Matters
Consumer
spending fell 13.6% in April, prompting further concerns about the impact of
the coronavirus pandemic on the economy. Here’s why consumer spending is so
important and how it can signal if the country is heading toward a recession.
Photo: Getty Images
Rice futures
spiked to their highest level in nearly nine years after the global pandemic
boosted shoppers’ demand for the grain.
One measure of
prices has soared 47% in the last two weeks to touch its highest level since
November 2011, making rice one of the fastest-climbing major commodities in the
recent market rally. Front-month rough rice futures on the CME traded as high
as 23.565 cents per hundredweight Friday before giving up some of that gain in
recent sessions. The front-month contract closed at 17.57 cents per cwt...
TO READ THE
FULL STORY
PHilMech starts farm machine distribution
June
11, 2020
The Philippine Center for Postharvest
Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) has released 31 four-wheel tractors,
13 rice combine harvesters and two riding-type mechanical rice transplanters to
36 farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCA) in Nueva Ecija, which forms
part of the first batch of farm machines worth P2 billion to be distributed
under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Component.
Left photo shows Agriculture Secretary William Dar delivering his
message via teleconferencing during the distribution of machines to farmers’
cooperatives and associations (FCAs) in Nueva Ecija at the headquarters of the
Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization in Muñoz on
June 5, 2020. Right photo shows some of those farm machines. PHILMECH PHOTOS
PHilMech Executive Director Baldwin Jallorina
Jr. said representatives from 141 FCAs in the province joined the ceremony to
release the initial batch of farm equipment at the agency’s headquarters in
Muñoz.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/06/11/business/agribusiness/philmech-starts-farm-machine-distribution/730911/
Undervalued rice imports cost government P890 million–farm group
June
11, 2020
File photo: Workers unload tons of
rice to be distributed to Quezon City barangays affected by the COVID-19
lockdown. (NONOY LACZA)
THE Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) on
Wednesday claimed that undervaluation of rice imports continues with at least
P890 million in lost tariff revenues from over 766,000 metric tons of staple
imported from January to April.
In a statement, the FFF alleged that the Bureau
of Customs (BOC) “continued to fail to check the gross undervaluation of rice
imports, which has resulted in huge shortfalls in tariff collections.”
Citing BOC data, the FFF said tariff
collections from January to April rice imports reached P4.8 billion, but noted
that some shipments entered the country at lower freight on board (FOB) prices
than the Customs’ own reference prices.
“Based on the FFF’s latest analysis, the BoC
failed to collect an additional P471 million in tariffs during the first four
months of 2020 due to the apparent undervaluation of FOB prices of imports,”
the group said.
“About one-third of the volume imported was
undervalued by at least 10 percent and accounted for 84 percent of the tariff
shortfall,” the group added.
Citing BOC data, FFF said one shipment of
6,014 metric tons of rice with 5 percent brokens arrived from Vietnam in April
2020 with a declared FOB value of $319.63 per MT, which was 30 percent lower
than the Customs’ $447 per MT reference price.
“BoC officials have maintained that they have
to respect the declared FOB values of importers for as long as documentary
proof is submitted, even if the values fall below their reference rates,” the
FFF said.
“If this is the practice, what then is the
purpose of the reference rates? What will now stop an importer from conniving
with the exporter to issue undervalued invoices or issue two separate invoices
to split the total cost of the imports?” the FFF added.
Furthermore, the FFF claimed that freight and
insurance costs of the rice imports were also “grossly” misdeclared, resulting
in lost tariff collections of about P416 million.
“An analysis of the BoC data reveals that
importers spent less than 2 centavos per kilo, or about $0.30 per metric ton,
to insure and ship rice from countries like Thailand and Vietnam all the way to
Manila,” it said.
“In comparison, internationally published rates
peg regular freight and insurance at a minimum of $33 per MT, or 110 times the
value declared by importers. An estimated P416 million in tariff collections
were lost because of this anomaly,” it added.
The FFF proposed that the BOC adjust its
reference prices “to include internationally recognized insurance and freight
rates so that it can properly detect undervalued imports.”
The FFF said it estimated that undervaluation
in rice imports last year resulted in a tariff shortfall of P1.9 billion.
“By not diligently enforcing its rules, the BoC
did not only reduce the government’s collection of much-needed tariff revenues.
More importantly, it deprived millions of small rice farmers of a cumulative
amount of almost P3 billion since the Rice Tariffication Law or RTL took effect
in March 2019,” it said.
The amount, he added, “should have helped
farmers cope with the ill effects of liberalized rice imports and even
Covid-19.”
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Related stories
Legislator seeks review of Rice Tariffication Law after gov’t rice
imports
June 10, 2020 |
8:23 pm
REUTERS
MAGSASAKA
Partylist Representative Argel T. Cabatbat called for a review of Republic Act
No. 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) after the government resumed
imports on its own account by declaring an auction for 300,000 metric tons (MT)
of rice via government to government (G2G) deals.
In a mobile
phone message, Mr. Cabatbat said the plan to import rice by the Department of
Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry, through the
Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC), is a “step back” from the
original intent of the RTL.
“It disempowers
Filipino farmers who deserve to be prioritized and protected because of the
impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19),” Mr. Cabatbat said.
Mr. Cabatbat
asked the DA to clarify why imports were resorted to despite the department’s
assurance that there is no impending rice shortage.
“It is more
expensive to import rice and it only adds to the burden of our rice farmers,
instead of helping them.” Mr. Cabatbat said.
On Monday, the
PITC conducted an online auction for rice imports amounting to 300,000 MT, with
four countries showing interest.
Myanmar, Thailand,
Vietnam, and India have posted bids to supply well-milled long-grain rice with
25% brokens, for delivery to five ports.
Half or 150,000
MT must be shipped not later than July 14 while the other half is due to arrive
on or before August 14.
The national
government, via the PITC, has allotted P7.45 billion for the G2G imports, while
the reference price was set at $497.62 per MT, equivalent to around P25,000.
Mr. Cabatbat
said that the reference price indicates that the government is willing to buy
rice at double the domestic production cost.
“We have the
current supply, and we can produce a metric ton of rice at P12,720,” Mr.
Cabatbat said.
“The amount
that the DA is planning to spend for imported rice could uplift the rice
industry from the visible damage the RTL has visited upon hundreds of thousands
of Filipino farmers who found themselves on the brink of bankruptcy during the
last planting season,” Mr. Cabatbat said.
On May 12, the
DA said that the 300,000 MT of rice will serve as a contingency supply during
the lean months.
“This is
because the bulk of the rice supply will come from the harvest during the
fourth quarter, coupled with continued imports,” the DA said.
According to
the DA’s food supply outlook, rice supply at the end of 2020 is sufficient for
94 days.
G2G imports
under emergency conditions are permitted under the RTL to ensure adequate
supply. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
Choice of increasing rice-growing or keeping water storage areas in Mekong Delta
Thursday, June 11, 2020 15:02
Farmers
in the Mekong Delta have started to harvest the summer-autumn rice crop. This
year, farmers enjoy a good harvest and high prices of rice.
Farmers
harvest rice in the Mekong Delta (Photo: SGGP)
Vietnam’s
rice exports have shown positive signs when the Government allowed to resume
rice exports and the global demand for rice increased. The prices of Vietnamese
rice also surged to the highest level in the past eight years, opening up many
export opportunities.
Mr. Dien Van Ut, a farmer in Phuong Binh Commune in Phung Hiep District in Hau Giang Province said that right after he finished harvesting rice, traders bought the OM5451 rice variety at VND5,400 per kilogram at the field, as high as the price of rice in the previous winter-spring rice crop. Currently, farmers in Hau Giang Province have harvested nearly 5,000 hectares of summer-autumn rice with productivity at nearly 6.5 tons per hectare.
Summer-autumn rice was bought at VND5,400-VND5,800 per kilogram at the field and dried paddy was bought at VND6,100-VND7,100 per kilogram. At present, many traders are waiting to buy paddy from farmers right after harvesting, said Mr. Tran Chi Hung, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Hau Giang Province. In the summer-autumn rice crop, farmers grew rice on an area of 1.5 million hectares.
The export price of Vietnamese rice in May this year is considered to be the highest in the past eight years when hitting US$527 per ton up 21.4 percent compared to the same period last year. In June this year, the export price of 5-percent broken rice reached $473-$477 per ton, lower than that of Thailand by $30 per ton but higher than that of India by $100 per ton. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), in the first six months of this year, rice exports of Vietnam might reach 3.7 million tons, much higher than the amount of rice for export of 3 million tons. Currently, many countries in the world pay great attention to food security amid the context of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The MoIT said that Vietnam has a great opportunity to surpass Thailand in global rice exports this year with competitive export prices and increasing rice exports after the export quota is removed.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) is considering increasing rice production to meet the increasing global demand for rice. According to the plan, the autumn-winter rice crop this year, the Mekong Delta provinces will maintain the rice-growing area at 750,000 hectares. However, the forecast said that the rice production of the world will possibly drop by 2.7 million tons and the demand for rice will increase by 3.7 million tons. The ministry will closely watch the developments of the market to adjust the rice-growing area of the autumn-winter rice crop to around 800,000 hectares if possible. It will focus on determining the crop calendar, the flood areas, the crop structure, and suitable technical solutions for the autumn-winter rice crop, said Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong of the MARD.
However, increasing the area of autumn-winter rice crop also makes farmers and scientists worry because with this expansion, how the downstream areas of Ben Tre, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, and Ca Mau provinces will be affected during the dry season. Earlier, farmers in the Mekong Delta provinces merely grew 200,000-300,000 hectares of autumn-winter rice crop. The regions of Long Quyen Quadrangle and Dong Thap Muoi (Plain of Reeds) are usually not used to grow the autumn-winter rice crop and left to be flooded by rains and floods. These two regions become two water reservoirs with a total area of about 1.2 million hectares to regulate water for the Mekong Delta. They keep water during the rainy and flood season then gradually release water to Tien and Hau rivers to help to reduce saltwater intrusion in the dry season. Therefore, farmers in the downstream area of the Mekong Delta, and scientists said that the MARD should consider and evaluate the pros and cons when increasing the area of autumn-winter rice crop. The impacts of saltwater intrusion and drought were extremely serious, damaging fruit trees, vegetables, and rice, causing a widespread shortage of fresh water in the coastal area.
Many people think that the rice-growing area of the autumn-winter rice crop should only be at 300,000-500,000 hectares and farmers should concentrate on growing high-quality rice varieties. Because in recent years, the ratio of fragrant, specialty, and high-quality rice of Vietnam accounted for more than 80 percent of the total export amount. Many institutes, universities, and Vietnamese rice exporting enterprises currently are focusing on researching and creating high-quality rice varieties following the market demand. Rice exports of Vietnam are facing a great opportunity to enter the EU market when the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement becomes effective. Although the export quota to this market is merely around 80,000 tons of rice, this is considered as a segment of high-quality rice. Some Vietnamese enterprises have prepared the raw material areas in the past few years to meet the strict requirements of this market, along with strict production processes. This is an important foundation for Vietnamese enterprises to diversify the segments of fragrant and high-quality rice to choosy markets.
Mr. Dien Van Ut, a farmer in Phuong Binh Commune in Phung Hiep District in Hau Giang Province said that right after he finished harvesting rice, traders bought the OM5451 rice variety at VND5,400 per kilogram at the field, as high as the price of rice in the previous winter-spring rice crop. Currently, farmers in Hau Giang Province have harvested nearly 5,000 hectares of summer-autumn rice with productivity at nearly 6.5 tons per hectare.
Summer-autumn rice was bought at VND5,400-VND5,800 per kilogram at the field and dried paddy was bought at VND6,100-VND7,100 per kilogram. At present, many traders are waiting to buy paddy from farmers right after harvesting, said Mr. Tran Chi Hung, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Hau Giang Province. In the summer-autumn rice crop, farmers grew rice on an area of 1.5 million hectares.
The export price of Vietnamese rice in May this year is considered to be the highest in the past eight years when hitting US$527 per ton up 21.4 percent compared to the same period last year. In June this year, the export price of 5-percent broken rice reached $473-$477 per ton, lower than that of Thailand by $30 per ton but higher than that of India by $100 per ton. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), in the first six months of this year, rice exports of Vietnam might reach 3.7 million tons, much higher than the amount of rice for export of 3 million tons. Currently, many countries in the world pay great attention to food security amid the context of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The MoIT said that Vietnam has a great opportunity to surpass Thailand in global rice exports this year with competitive export prices and increasing rice exports after the export quota is removed.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) is considering increasing rice production to meet the increasing global demand for rice. According to the plan, the autumn-winter rice crop this year, the Mekong Delta provinces will maintain the rice-growing area at 750,000 hectares. However, the forecast said that the rice production of the world will possibly drop by 2.7 million tons and the demand for rice will increase by 3.7 million tons. The ministry will closely watch the developments of the market to adjust the rice-growing area of the autumn-winter rice crop to around 800,000 hectares if possible. It will focus on determining the crop calendar, the flood areas, the crop structure, and suitable technical solutions for the autumn-winter rice crop, said Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong of the MARD.
However, increasing the area of autumn-winter rice crop also makes farmers and scientists worry because with this expansion, how the downstream areas of Ben Tre, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, and Ca Mau provinces will be affected during the dry season. Earlier, farmers in the Mekong Delta provinces merely grew 200,000-300,000 hectares of autumn-winter rice crop. The regions of Long Quyen Quadrangle and Dong Thap Muoi (Plain of Reeds) are usually not used to grow the autumn-winter rice crop and left to be flooded by rains and floods. These two regions become two water reservoirs with a total area of about 1.2 million hectares to regulate water for the Mekong Delta. They keep water during the rainy and flood season then gradually release water to Tien and Hau rivers to help to reduce saltwater intrusion in the dry season. Therefore, farmers in the downstream area of the Mekong Delta, and scientists said that the MARD should consider and evaluate the pros and cons when increasing the area of autumn-winter rice crop. The impacts of saltwater intrusion and drought were extremely serious, damaging fruit trees, vegetables, and rice, causing a widespread shortage of fresh water in the coastal area.
Many people think that the rice-growing area of the autumn-winter rice crop should only be at 300,000-500,000 hectares and farmers should concentrate on growing high-quality rice varieties. Because in recent years, the ratio of fragrant, specialty, and high-quality rice of Vietnam accounted for more than 80 percent of the total export amount. Many institutes, universities, and Vietnamese rice exporting enterprises currently are focusing on researching and creating high-quality rice varieties following the market demand. Rice exports of Vietnam are facing a great opportunity to enter the EU market when the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement becomes effective. Although the export quota to this market is merely around 80,000 tons of rice, this is considered as a segment of high-quality rice. Some Vietnamese enterprises have prepared the raw material areas in the past few years to meet the strict requirements of this market, along with strict production processes. This is an important foundation for Vietnamese enterprises to diversify the segments of fragrant and high-quality rice to choosy markets.
A Crusader for Revival of Jammu Basmati- Choudhary Dev Raj
By Northlines -
June 10, 2020
The speeches of Ch. Dev Raj commanded respect amongst listeners always as these were always stoked with anecdotes from rural culture of Jammu. The authorities would never ignore his unique personality and ever-smiling face. He remained draped in characteristically white attire graced with white short turban which captivated and impressed all. Even when annoyed, Ch. Dev Raj would make his point with dignity, grace and conviction.
Choudhary Dev Raj, the founder President of R.S. Pura Basmati Rice Growers Association (RBGA), was a bitter critique of the agricultural policies of earlier state governments. Up to the year 2004 there was a ban on the export of ‘traditional Basmati rice of R.S.Pura’. He was convinced that the ban had adversely impacted economic prosperity of farmers of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts, particularly of those living in R.S. Pura area and along the international border with Pakistan. Basmati rice, the main source of livelihood didn’t fetch these farmers the genuine returns because of restrictions in marketing. “In fact, the profitability and survival of the profession, which dealt with the prized crop of Jammu, was at stake” he had confessed once.
The ban was lifted in the year 2004 by the State government after a long struggle by the farmers, but soon it was re-imposed in the year 2006 on the plea of controlling its price in the State. Ch. Dev Raj therefore sensed a nexus which had put Basmati growers of Jammu at the mercy of the traders and rice-mill owners. Their upper hand in deciding the procurement price of Basmati rice was disadvantageous to the growers and therefore, the RBGA intensified its struggle to break this alleged nexus.
Meanwhile, Ch. Dev Raj had developed the ability to rightly feel the pulse of local farmers as well as the government. He never failed to remind that Basmati rice was cultivated by more than seventy thousand to one lakh farming families in three districts of Jammu, Samba and Kathua and it was more because of the characteristic quality (aroma) and sentiments of farmers attached with the traditional rice variety ‘Basmati – 370’ rather than the remunerations to growers. He would never fail to make a mention of the difficult conditions under which the Basmati growers work. He would press the point that more than 90 per cent of the Basmati growers had land along the 198-km long International Border which traversed through Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts and remained vulnerable to the enemy’s fire.
Quite recently he had explained that total area under Basmati rice had increased consistently from around 18.50 thousand hectares in the year 1997-98 to about 31.99 thousand hectares in 2007-08 with corresponding production level increase from 37.25 thousand tons to around 86.79 thousand metric tons, but according to Ch. Dev Raj it was to boost the economy of scale and quantum of trade. The latest estimated area under different basmati varieties like Basmati – 370, Sugandha, Sanwal, Ranbir basmati, RR-564, Pusa no.1 and Pusa basmati 1121 was somewhere between 50,000 to 62000 hectares and for this increase he shared credit with the extension efforts of SKUAST-J and Agriculture Directorate Jammu too.
Ch. Dev Raj never forgot to appreciate the efforts of Basmati Export Development Foundation (BEDF), Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and All India Rice Exporters’ Association (AIREA) who had made the Basmati rice growers and related stake-holders aware about the quality standards for exportable Basmati rice as well as about its production and post harvest technology in collaboration with the RBGA, SKUAST Jammu, and the State Agriculture Department.
Credit goes to Ch. Dev Raj, RBGA and other prominent farmers of the times who had played a catalytic role in the chain of events preceding approval to the exportability of Basmati – 370 variety of Jammu rice outside the country by Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of India during the year 2010-11. On their request the then State government had proposed to relax the norms regarding permissible length of uncooked Basmati rice to 6.61 mm against the 7 mm that was specified earlier.
Although the ban on export of basmati rice was finally lifted during the year 2009-10, but the septuagenarian Dev Raj Choudhary wasn’t fully satisfied with the efforts of successive governments to promote Basmati – 370 as a national and international brand. He wanted immediate formulation and implementation of an appropriate market intervention scheme to prevent exploitation of Basmati cultivators at the hands of monopolistic millers. His argument was that an estimated 30,000 metric tones of Basmati rice was procured by outside buyers, but in the absence of government intervention, these traders continued to exercise their sole competence to decide the price of the ‘prized produce of Jammu farmers’. Toeing the line of Ch. Dev Raj, many other prominent farmers have joined the clamour for market intervention by the government on the pattern announced for apples of Kashmir during the year 2019.
Choudhary Dev Raj as President of the RBGA played a very active role during the year 2014-15 when heavy rains and flash floods had extensively damaged wheat as well as rice crops. He complemented the voice of affected farmers of Pargwal, Marh, Suchetgarh, R.S. Pura, Arnia, Vijaypur and Hiranagar blocks at various forums and demanded compensation since Basmati crop had suffered an estimated 30% to 75% loss due to flash floods. He had vigorously raised the issue of loss to human and animal life including damage to about 75% tube wells. Simultaneously, he had brought to the attention of the State and Central governments the inability of farmers to look after their crops along the international border due to floods and heavy Pakistani shelling.
The continued persuasion by RBGA headed by Ch. Dev Raj led to the formulation and implementation of Suchetgarh Basmati Rice Cluster Project (Organic) and RS Pura Basmati Rice Cluster Project by Department of Agriculture Jammu in 2014 in consultation with SKUAST-J. Under these Projects, assistance is being provided to respective farmers for purchase and establishment of mini-rice shellers, improved seeds, latest machinery, bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides and vermi-composting units etc. Formation of farmer producer organizations (FPO), brand popularization and proper marketing of the organic produce of traditional Basmati are the main aims of the Projects to enable higher returns to farmers with reduced chain of middlemen.
A recent publication by SKUAST Jammu has duly acknowledged the contribution of Choudhary Dev Raj in agriculture by noting, “due to the farmer organizations, competency could see among the farmers. RBGA, Sarpanch Association Block R.S Pura and Baba Deep Singh Kissan Bhalai Kendra, R.S. Pura had taken up the farmers ’ issues and problems to the higher authorities, scientists and the related officials to find out immediate solutions.”
Choudhary Dev Raj’s latest wish was for enforcement of a complete ban on conversion of agricultural land for commercial and construction purposes to save Basmati growing areas. On 17th of May, 2020, Ch. Dev Raj while expressing his concern regarding relief package for farmers announced by the Union Government to mitigate the impact of Covid – 19, had told to a newspaper of eminence, “There is no mention of basmati growers of J&K in this package. This is quite unfortunate. Farmers were hoping some drastic measures to take them out of the prevailing losses”.
Though only in his early seventies, Choudhary Dev Raj, the founder President, R,S. Pura Basmati Rice Growers Association was having an ailing kidney compounded with a fracture in the leg. He passed away on June the 1st 2020, leaving a big void in the farming sector.
Pray
that God rest the noble soul in peace in the Heaven.https://www.thenorthlines.com/a-crusader-for-revival-of-jammu-basmati-choudhary-dev-raj/
China grows sea
rice on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
CGTN
Chinese
scientists have grown saline-alkali tolerant rice on a farm at an altitude of
2,800 meters in northwest China's Qinghai Province. This is the first trial of
"sea rice-planting" on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
For thousands
of years, rice has been planted in locations with high temperatures, humidity,
and short days, but this farm on the plateau's Qaidam Basin, specifically, has
a large area of saline-alkali land that makes it difficult for crops to grow.
It is also frequently affected by drought, hail, frost, and natural disasters.
A team led by
the "father of hybrid rice" Yuan Longping has worked on the research
to yield more rice in saline-alkali environments.
Pastures and
villages under the mountains of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China. /VCG
Last week,
researchers from the Qingdao Saline-Alkali Tolerant Rice Research and
Development Center moved strains of cold- and alkali-resistant rice they
cultivated from a greenhouse to the saline-alkali soil on the plateau for trial
planting.
They plan to
plant 6.67 hectares during the trial and use manual and mechanical methods to
conduct observation and provide samples for future large-scale planting, said
the center engineer Zhang Guodong.
Since 2019, the
center has promoted sea rice in seven major saline-alkaline areas in China and
the United Arab Emirates.
According to
researchers, new experimental centers and planting bases will be established in
Qinghai in order to explore new ways for plateau agricultural production.
(Cover image
via VCG)
(If you want to
contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com.)
12:00
AM, June 11, 2020 / LAST MODIFIED: 01:54 AM, June 11, 2020
Agriculture and livestock: Are they victims or perpetrators of climate change?
Ruminants,
manure and rice cultivation account for almost 25 percent of anthropogenic
methane emissions.
Though much of the world is focused on
transitioning away from fossil fuels as a way to fight climate change, there
are other often overlooked contributors to the conundrum resulting from climate
change. Two of them are agriculture and livestock. Sure, they provide us with
the food we eat every day. But cumulatively, they are also the second largest
contributor to greenhouse gas emissions after fossil fuels.
While the majority of global warming activities
give off carbon dioxide, the agricultural sector primarily releases methane,
which is a greenhouse gas 28 times as potent as carbon dioxide over a 100-year
period. The source is mainly rice that is grown on flooded fields with depleted
dissolved oxygen. In the absence of oxygen, organic matter in the soil
decomposes and produces methane that escapes into the atmosphere. Rising
temperatures would cause rice cultivation to release even more methane.
Another source of methane is ruminants,
particularly cows and goats. As part of their digestion cycle, they expel
intestinal gases, mostly methane, via belches. Methane can also escape from
stored manure and organic waste in landfills. If manure is stored as a liquid
or slurry in ponds, tanks or pits, it decomposes anaerobically (in the absence
of air) and emits a prodigious amount of methane. However, when handled as a
solid or deposited naturally on grassland, manure decomposes aerobically and
creates negligible methane emissions. Ruminants, manure and rice cultivation
account for almost 25 percent of anthropogenic methane emissions.
One of the methods of reducing methane
emissions from rice fields, as suggested by scientists at the World Resources
Institute, is to plant rice in a raised bed and flood only the furrows. This
method has the potential to cut methane emissions in half.
Controlling methane emissions from ruminants is
more difficult than trimming or regulating methane emissions from fossil fuels.
A large number of mitigation options—namely, diet manipulation, vaccines,
chemical additives and genetic selection—have been proposed. They have
different efficiencies in lowering production of intestinal methane.
Methane emissions from manure depend on
temperature and storage duration. Results from typical Canadian farms indicate
that use of underground manure storage tanks, maintained at lower temperatures,
lessens methane emissions. Additionally, farmers found that if they clean the
tanks regularly, it took longer for methane-producing organisms to grow back.
Consequently, methane emissions decrease substantially.
As for agriculture, according to a report of
the United Nations published last year, about 50 percent of the Earth's
cultivable land is dedicated to growing crops for humans and roughly 30 percent
is used to grow grain for livestock. Given how much land it takes to grow food
to feed livestock, a very vocal segment of environmentalists insist that
"meat is heat" and encourage consumers to go vegan.
Moreover, in line with the projected population
growth, global demand for food is expected to grow by up to 70 percent in the
coming decades. This substantial increase in demand would require clearing more
space for agriculture and cattle grazing, so that the per capita threshold of land
required for a nation to be self-sufficient in food production could be
maintained. Vast swaths of the Amazon Rainforest, along with lands and forests
in other places, are already being cleared for growing crops and grazing
cattle. If current trends continue, most of our planet's remaining land and
forests would need to be cleared to feed the world.
Deforestation and land degradation indirectly
contribute to the negative impacts of atmospheric carbon dioxide. One of the
main reasons for this is because forests are natural carbon sinks. They absorb
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and converts it into oxygen that we breathe
in. Hence, by cutting down big areas of forest without replacing the trees that
are removed, we are causing an inadvertent change in the amount of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere.
Several studies indicate that planting more
than two billion acres of trees could remove two-thirds of all the carbon
dioxide that human activity has pumped into the atmosphere since the Industrial
Revolution. Trees also recharge the water table and create microclimates that
increase local rainfall. In addition, deforestation puts biodiversity at risk,
further undermining nature's ability to cope with the impacts of climate, for
example absorbing heavy rainfall.
Clearly, agriculture in general, and livestock
in particular, contribute considerably to climate change. Nevertheless, climate
change is also a major threat to the sustainability of livestock globally. An
increase in air temperature as a result of global warming directly affects milk
and meat production, reproductive efficiency and health of the animals. Also,
excessive heat would reduce their body size and fat thickness.
Agriculture is also highly vulnerable to
climate change. It is affecting food security by raising the risks to food
supply due to heat waves, drought, flood, storms, soil depletion and
desertification. Over the coming dozen years or so, farmers in developing
countries, especially in South and Southeast Asia, will be the ones to bear the
brunt of global warming, as per a recent report of the Food and Agricultural
Organization of the UN.
It could, therefore, be said that agriculture
and livestock farming are caught in a vicious cycle that makes them both
victims and perpetrators of the harmful effects of climate change. Most of the
times when agriculture perpetrates its crimes, it is not even contributing to
feeding the ever-increasing world population. Instead, a good portion of the
agricultural products are consumed by livestock—mostly bovines—which
demonstrates this paradox.
How do we solve this complex problem? The
solution obviously requires a coherent and integrated approach to climate
change, energy usage and food security. Faced with global warming, competition
for scarce resources, and inaction by world leaders, we, the people, have to
transform the entire global food system and make it much more
resource-efficient while continuously curbing its environmental impacts,
including its greenhouse-gas emissions.
We also have to increase yields while
curtailing dependence on agrochemicals. Besides, we should minimise food waste,
cut down consumption of resource-intensive and greenhouse gas-producing foods,
notably meat, and switch to climate-friendly vegetables, such as the
nutritionally rich seaweed kelp. Farming kelp is beneficial for the ocean.
Furthermore, employing sustainable practices,
like organic agriculture, has enormous potential to help in the fight against
global warming, whereas maintaining the status quo with widespread industrial
agricultural practices will continue to be terribly detrimental to the climate.
In short, making agriculture and livestock industries and all associated
activities sustainable is the answer to win the battle against global warming,
as well as accelerate the transition to a healthier and more just society.
Dreaming of the next big science breakthrough
11
Jun 2020, 7 a.m.
Hediyeh
Tahghighi at work in the CCDM labs. Photo by CCDM.
A LOT of
people have to move for their dream job, but Hediyeh Tahghighi's relocation
from the most densely populated city in Iran to one of the most isolated cities
in the world - all so she could pursue a career in agriculture - is up there
with the most dedicated.
From an
early age, Ms Tahghighik new plant science was what she wanted to do and a
fascination with how the global population is fed and the science behind it led
her to Australia.
She
moved from her family home in the centre of Rashin, northern Iran to a much
quieter life some 10,000 kilometres away in Perth and landed a job as a
research assistant at the Centre for Crop and Disease Management (CCDM).
Ms
Tahghighi said she was fascinated with plant genetics and DNA in high school.
"I
loved the mystery of it all and the feeling of discovery that science offers, I
always wanted to be a part of that sense of discovery," Ms Tahghighi said.
She
began her agricultural journey working at the Rice Research Institute of Iran
for two years before moving to Australia to complete a Masters in Agricultural
Science.
After
winning a masters by coursework scholarship from the Australian Wool Education
Trust, she started working and volunteering at agriculture and plant research
companies, before landing the job at CCDM.
Her role
is in the centre's canola and pulse diseases research team and she is working
on screening lentil crosses to identify new sources of resistance against the
pathogen A.lentis, as well as working with A.rabiei, a pathogen of chickpeas.
Ms
Tahghighi said in research, every day was a new challenge and without
challenges life would be boring
"The
work we're doing at the CCDM is all about sustainably reducing the impact of
crop diseases and helping to make farm businesses and industry more
resilient," she said.
"Agriculture
plays such an important role and so I hope that every little bit I do in the
lab can go on to have a positive impact on food production and supply on a
global scale."
CCDM's
canola and pulse diseases research team leader Lars Kamphuis said pulse crops
had the potential to be an asset to more Australian farmers, but like most
crops, disease could be an issue.
"A
key research goal at the CCDM is to build confidence in the uptake of pulses
into cropping rotations by protecting pulse crops from destructive fungal
diseases," Dr Kamphuis said.
"We
are working collaboratively at a global and national scale to help develop
high-yielding, disease resistant pulse varieties and improve crop management
strategies to increase profitability."
Hediyeh
Tahghighi plans lentils for a CCDM trial. Photo by CCDM
The
lentil and chickpea ascochyta projects are aimed at working towards a better
understanding of pathogen populations and the factors that determine virulence
and aggressiveness in ascochyta blight-causing species.
The
project team is also looking at the genetics of lentil and chickpea to try to
find and characterise, new sources of disease resistance to use in plant
breeding programs.
Ms
Tahghighi is the youngest of four children and while one of her sisters lives
and works in WA, she misses her two other siblings and parents who are still in
Iran.
"It
was a big decision to move to WA but one I am so grateful to have made,"
she said.
"My
parents always encouraged me to follow my dreams and that's exactly what I'm
getting to do every single day."
CCDM
director Mark Gibberd said the enthusiasm and passion of researchers such as Ms
Tahghighi was helping drive the centre towards its end goal.
"The
science behind crop diseases is challenging and complex but it is also
increasingly important - we are working to achieve research outcomes with real
on-the-ground impact for the Australian grains industry," professor
Gibberd said.
"Not
a day goes by I am not reminded of the determination and commitment poured into
our work by our researchers.
"Watching
our young scientists develop and thrive under the guidance of some of the best
crop disease researchers in Australia and produce results valuable to the
grains industry, is among the many rewards of our research."
While
she is content to continue developing her research skills for now, Ms Tahghighi
doesn't hold back when it comes to her hopes for the future.
"I
believe that there are still many new and exciting discoveries waiting to be
found, hidden within nature, the kind that could be of great benefit to
humankind and the environment,'' she said.
"I
would like to be a part of the next big discovery, the kind of scientist who
creates history," she said.
Government paddy procurement fails: Jessore paddy farmers rush to
millers for higher prices and no extra hassle
Published at
07:01 pm June 10th, 2020
A farmer
receives cash after selling his paddy to a local miller at Khajura Bazar in
Bagherpara upazila of Jessore on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 Dhaka Tribune
The demand for
paddy is high at the local markets this year and it is expected to remain
unchanged till August-September, which is why the price is also unlikely to
fall
The
government’s paddy procurement project, which began almost a month ago, is
failing to acquire paddy from farmers in Jessore.
While
government food officials are offering prices lower than the market price, they
are also making paddy procurement a troublesome process for farmers.
While talking
to farmers who came to sell paddy at a local market yesterday, this
correspondent learned about some of the difficulties faced by farmers when
selling their paddy to government agents.
According to
farmers, government food officials often reject paddy, saying it contained too
much moisture, whereas the millers happily accepted it.
Besides, even
after thoroughly cleaning the paddy before handing it over to government
agents, which is not necessary when selling paddy to millers, the farmers still
hear the complaint that the produce is not clean enough.
And last but
not least, government agents always measure per maund of paddy at 43-44 kg (3-4
kg extra).
Meanwhile,
District Food Officer Liakat Ali said: “We are calling farmers according to the
list, only to find that none of them are willing to sell their paddy at the
government-set price as they are getting higher prices at the local markets.”
He also
confirmed that food officials had been instructed to collect perfectly cleaned
paddy with the moisture level below 14%.
Delwar Hossain,
a miller at Khajura Bazar, said: “The demand for paddy is high at the local
markets this year. Farmers are easily getting Tk1,000 per maund for their
paddy.”
The demand is
expected to remain unchanged till August-September, which is why the price is
also unlikely to fall, he added.
According to
the district agriculture office, farmers in the district have cultivated paddy
on 154,615 hectares, producing almost 974,000 tons of paddy due to favourable
weather conditions this year.
Farmer Abdus
Samad, of Johurpur in Bagherpara upazila, said that he had cultivated paddy on
a 35-bigha land this year. “I reaped 700 maunds of paddy and have already sold
it off at Tk1,070 per maund.”
Farmer Hashem
Ali, of Khajura in the same upazila, said he had harvested 200 maunds of paddy
this year. “I am very happy as this year’s market price for paddy is much
higher than last year. Farmers will survive if prices are like this every
year.”
Farmer Ataur
Rahman, of Hashimpur in Sadar upazila, said that he had cultivated paddy on a
12-bigha land. “This year, I got Tk1,150 per maund for my Basmati rice, whereas
in the last 3-4 years I couldn’t get anything near this price. I am satisfied
with this year’s price. I think it’s fair.”
UC Cooperative Extension monitoring for rice-eating pest
·
By Jake Abbott jabbott@appealdemocrat.com
Jun 10, 2020
As pest
populations are expected to increase soon, the University of California
Cooperative Extension is monitoring the presence of rice-eating insects called
armyworms throughout the north state.
Luis Espino, a
rice farming systems advisor for UCCE, said the most recent numbers were low
but are expected to climb in the next few weeks.
Larval
armyworms grow from caterpillars into moths. The insects are considered
agricultural pests because they can defoliate rice fields, and the bigger they
get the more they eat. Espino said in severe cases, armyworms could eat
all of a field’s foliage down to water level. While the rice crop can
recover, the pest’s presence can lead to yield reduction.
“The
defoliation happens really quickly,” Espino said. “I’ve heard numerous stories
where growers were used to some defoliation and would go on vacation, and after
the weekend they’d come back and see full defoliation.”
The region had
an outbreak of armyworms in 2015. To help control pest populations, the
industry turned to an insecticide called Intrepid that has worked well since,
Espino said.
The biggest
problem areas in the north state where yield reduction has occurred have been
in Butte, Glenn and Sutter counties. Espino and his team set traps at 15
locations across the valley to monitor pest populations weekly. The pheromone
traps are small buckets that attract male moths. They take the information
collected from the traps and notify farmers on whether or not they should begin
examining their own fields for the presence of armyworms.
“We usually
start to see numbers increase around mid-June and peak in late June or early
July,” Espino said. “Right now, numbers are very low but they will come up.
Over the years, we’ve learned that once we see the moth population peak, we see
a peak of the worm population a week later. Once we start seeing those go up,
we begin letting growers know to check their fields.”
Both Yuba and
Sutter counties have one monitoring site each. Espino’s team will visit each
site once a week and count the number of moths in each trap. They divide that
number with the number of days since the last check to determine the number of
true armyworm moths per night.
On June 1,
Colusa County had 0.1 armyworm moths per night at two monitored locations
located at Gibson and Marengo Roads and Maxwell and Four Mile Roads. Another
monitoring site located at State Route 45 at White Road had 2.1 armyworms per
night. Espino said a high number would be over 30, and the biggest peaks he’s
seen are as high as 80-90 moths per night.
“We will
continue to monitor and update growers. We also have some fields where we take
samples to assess how larva are growing, and we will have some trials for
insecticide products to see if we can get more options for control,” Espino
said. “When talking about pest management, we want people to make sure you
don’t put a pesticide down if you don’t have to, and our monitoring helps with
that.”
To view the
latest numbers, visit http://rice.ucanr.edu/armyworm_traps/.
Global market prices for rice recede from peak, but some remain above
pre-pandemic levels
·
By Ryan McGeeney, U of A System Division of
Agriculture
As several
rice-exporting countries around the world begin to ease COVID-related export
and other trade restrictions, global prices have become more competitive,
falling from their peak earlier in May. (Division of Agriculture photo.)
As several
rice-exporting countries around the world begin to ease COVID-related export
and other trade restrictions, global prices have become more competitive,
falling from their peak earlier in May, according to an economic impact report
from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
Alvaro
Durand-Morat, research assistant professor for the Division of Agriculture
and co-author of the report, said that while prices in the United States remain
higher than pre-pandemic levels, global trade and competition have brought
international prices to heel.
Durand-Morat
said that many key rice-exporting countries, including Myanmar and Cambodia
among others, are beginning to resurface after several months of import
restrictions designed to weather the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As the COVID
situation evolves, some countries have done quite well, and they’re relaxing
those export restrictions, and that’s easing prices,” he said.
“Prices in the
United States have been driven by short supply more than anything else,”
Durand-Morat said. “But in India and Thailand, for example, they’ve gone back
to pre-COVID-19 levels. In Vietnam, they remain about $100 above pre-COVID
prices. Overall, prices have become much more competitive after the peak a few
weeks ago.”
India, the
world’s largest rice exporter, continues to struggle with the spread of the
virus to a large degree, causing delays throughout its supply chain.
“While the
country has the lowest, most competitive price right now, they’re by no means
back to full activity on the export side of things,” Durand-Morat said. “They
still have stay-at-home orders, and that’s delaying shipments.”
There is no way
of knowing when the global rice market will truly return to pre-COVID levels of
efficiency, he said.
“Who knows
where this pandemic will go?” he said. “Some countries, such as Vietnam, have
done a very good job, domestically speaking, in terms of controlling the
pandemic. So, I’d expect them to be back to normal sooner, rather than later.
India’s outlook, on the other hand, is not very optimistic. It’s very hard for
them to maintain social distance, and their cases are increasing. They have
plenty of rice to export, but if the pandemic is not under control, we could
expect their export capacity to suffer and put pressure on the global rice
market.”
Durand-Morat
was one of four authors who contributed to the economic impact update report.
The Division of Agriculture has continued to publish economic analysis and
other reports throughout the pandemic, all of which can be found at https://bit.ly/AR-Ag-Eco-Impacts2020.
Impact on U.S.
rice
Given the
current stage in the U.S. agricultural planting cycle, it’s unclear what
opportunities the current situation may present for American producers in 2020.
“With planting
decisions, we know that for the last two months, all the economic factors favor
rice,” Durand-Morat said. “When everything’s said and done, we will likely see
an increase in rice acres.
“Is this an
opportunity for US agriculture? I think if we had our choice, no one would have
chosen this situation,” he said. “It continues to be a highly risky environment
for agriculture, and more so for cotton and corn; less so for soybean and
rice.”
GIEWS Country Brief: Bangladesh 10-June-2020
Source
Posted
10 Jun 2020
Originally
published
10 Jun 2020
Origin
Attachments
FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT
·
Cyclone Amphan severely affected
agricultural sector in southwestern parts of country
·
Output of 2020 “Boro” paddy crop
estimated at average level
·
Cereal import requirements in
2020/21 forecast close to five-year average
·
Prices of rice at high levels in May
·
Food insecurity concerns exist for
households affected by Cyclone Amphan. High levels of food insecurity persist
for Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar District
Cyclone Amphan severely affected
agricultural sector in southwestern parts of country
Tropical Cyclone Amphan hit the
southwestern parts of Bangladesh on 20 May 2020, causing devastation, loss of
lives and severe damage to the agriculture and fisheries sectors. The Khulna
and Borishal divisions were the most affected. Although assessments are still
ongoing, preliminary official estimates indicate that about 265 000 hectares of
cropped land, including rice, vegetables, jute, sesame, mangoes and maize, have
been adversely affected. Severe losses of livestock, poultry and fisheries in
the most affected areas were also reported.
Coronavirus lockdown: Shortage of labour leads to 8-fold increase in direct sowing of rice in Punjab
Last Updated : Jun 10, 2020 09:32 PM IST |
Source: Moneycontrol.com
Punjab requires at least 6 lakh labourers to transplant paddy on 27-28 lakh hectares of farm land.
Shortage
of migrant labourers has helped Punjab increase the area under ‘Direct Seeding
of Rice (DSR)’. Due to the coronavirus pandemic and resultant nationwide
lockdown, a large number of migrant workers have returned to the native states
causing a shortage of farm labour.
The
increase in area under DSR is 8.60 times higher than last year, the Indian
Express has reported.
According
to estimates, by the time sowing ends, around 22 to 26 percent of the total
targeted area of paddy will be brought under the DSR technique, which saves
water and is less labour intensive.
Paddy
transplantation using the traditional way, the puddle method, begins from June
10. However, DSR sowing can start around 2-3 weeks before.
In the
normal transplanting method, farmers have to prepare nurseries where the paddy
seeds are first sown. 25-35 days later, these seedlings are uprooted and
replanted in the main field.
However,
while using the DSR technique, nursery preparation or transplantation is not
needed, and paddy seeds are directly drilled into the field by a
tractor-powered machine. This also eliminates the need for manual
labour. Punjab requires at least 6 lakh labourers to transplant paddy on
27-28 lakh hectares of farm land.
Till
date, Punjab has already completed paddy sowing via DSR on around 2 lakh
hectares of the total targeted paddy area, even before the traditional method
of transplantation begins. In 2018, the area under DSR was 5,000 hectares,
while it increased to 23,300 hectares in 2019. Compared to last year alone, the
increase is 8.60 times.
Director
of Punjab Agriculture Department, Sutantar Kumar Airi said that they are
surprised that the farmers are “chasing DSR this year, when earlier they used
to run away from it”.
“Due to
the shortage of labour, more and more farmers are opting for the DSR
technique," Airi said, adding that over 2 lakh hectares area has already
been covered under DSR.
We
expect to cover around 6 lakh hectares under DSR this year, he added.
Brazil expects record grain output in 2020
June 10, 2020
By
Brazil
expects to see a record grain output of 245.9 million tons this year, or 1.8
percent more than the previous year’s 241.5 million tons, the state-run Brazilian
Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) said Tuesday.
As one
of the world‘s
leading grain producers, Brazil planted 64.6 million hectares of land this year,
2.1 percent more than last year.
Rice,
corn and soybean, the country’s three top agricultural products,
account for 92.2 percent of 2020’s projected output and 87.3 percent of the
land cultivated.
Soybean,
Brazil’s number one agricultural product and leading agricultural export,
is estimated to yield a record 119.4 million tons in 2020, followed by corn
with 96.7 million tons, and rice with 10.8 million tons.
Other
bumper crops expected this year include coffee, with a yield of 3.4 million
tons or 14.7 percent more than last year, and almonds, with 151,200 tons or 8.5
percent more than last year.
Brazil’s number of COVID-19 cases reaches 772,416
June 11, 2020
By
Expedite paddy,
rice procurement: Food Minister
· DHAKA
· PUBLISH- JUNE 10, 2020, 08:21 PM
· UNB NEWS - UNB NEWS
· 297 VIEWS
· UPDATE- JUNE 10, 2020, 09:22 PM
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on
Wednesday directed the officials to expedite the procurement of paddy and rice
to increase stocks at government warehouses.
At the same time, he asked to take strict action to cancel the illegal cards of the government food-friendly programme. If necessary, the food-friendly programme card will be digitised, he said.
He made the remarks while interacting with the Chittagong Division officials through a video conference from the official residence of the minister on Minto Road.
At the same time, he asked to take strict action to cancel the illegal cards of the government food-friendly programme. If necessary, the food-friendly programme card will be digitised, he said.
He made the remarks while interacting with the Chittagong Division officials through a video conference from the official residence of the minister on Minto Road.
Farmers are getting bumper yields and fair
prices in this boro season. The speed of government procurement of paddy should
be increased, said Sadhan.
In addition, the quality of food grains should
be checked and collected as per the instructions, said the minister.
He also warned of strict action against anyone
committing irregularities in buying paddy and rice.
Mentioning the food-friendly programme, the minister said some allegations about the list of beneficiaries under the programme have been found to be true. Therefore, a letter was sent to the Deputy Commissioners and District Food Controllers of each district in the first week of March to send a new list of the real poor and destitute after checking and sorting them.
Mentioning the food-friendly programme, the minister said some allegations about the list of beneficiaries under the programme have been found to be true. Therefore, a letter was sent to the Deputy Commissioners and District Food Controllers of each district in the first week of March to send a new list of the real poor and destitute after checking and sorting them.
He instructed to prepare the list by including
names of the real poor and destitute. He also directed to remove the previous
tag officers and to prepare a new list by updating it.
The minister said the cards of the
food-friendly programme will be digitised if necessary to curb corruption.
In a video conference, the minister discussed the
coronavirus situation in details in each district under Chittagong
division, current boro paddy harvesting and thrashing, and official
collection of paddy and rice.
East Timor rice exports ready to roll
Hin
Pisei | Publication date 10 June 2020 | 22:17 ICT
East Timor will soon begin importing Cambodian rice for the first
time. YOUSOS APDOULRASHIM
Cambodia
is prepared to export 30,000 tonnes of milled rice to East Timor soon, which
will open a promising new market for the rice sector.
At an
April 17 meeting with the Green Trade Company, under the Ministry of Commerce,
and the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF), Ambassador of East Timor to Cambodia
Ermenegildo ‘Kupa’ Lopes proposed a plan for the Kingdom to start exporting
rice to East Timor.
At a
meeting with Lopes on Tuesday, Minister of Commerce Pan Sorasak said Cambodia
was now ready to start the project.
He said:
“Cambodia has already prepared 30,000 tonnes of rice for export to East Timor
and has asked it for feedback.”
He also urged
East Timor’s private sector to invest in a rice mill in the Kingdom.
Lopes
said East Timor is intent on importing rice from Cambodia and added that East
Timor could export crops to the Kingdom as well.
He also
mentioned that his country could provide 3,000 fuel sector jobs to Cambodians.
CRF
president Song Saran told The Post on Wednesday that Cambodia has enough white
rice stockpiled to meet East Timor’s demand.
He said:
“With the efforts of the Cambodian government, we hope that East Timor will
become a new strong market for Cambodian rice exporters.”
He added
that East Timor has never bought rice from Cambodia and historically relied on
Vietnam to satisfy its demand.
CRF
board chairman Hun Lak told The Post in April that East Timor had first offered
to buy rice from Cambodia to prevent a food shortage due to Covid-19. The
country has yet to specify an amount.
Lak said
the government had requested East Timor to send a letter to the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation outlining the specifications of
their order.
At a
meeting with Lopes on May 27, Prime Minister Hun Sen said Cambodia wants East
Timor to set up a representative office for its rice-purchasing companies in
the Kingdom.
He said
he wanted the companies to build warehouses, factories and silos as well as
establish purchasing channels to facilitate rice exports to East Timor.
Rice
export reports show that in the first five months of this year, Cambodia
exported 356,097 tonnes of rice to the international market, a 42.34 per cent
year-on-year increase.
Last
year, the Kingdom exported 250,172 tonnes of rice worth $241 million.
East
Timor imported 6,800 tonnes of rice in the first two months of this year,
around 5,000 tonnes less than the year-ago period, Port Authority of Timor-Leste
data shows.
Contact author: Hin Pisei
Legislator seeks review of Rice Tariffication
Law after gov’t rice imports
June 10, 2020 |
8:23 pm
REUTERS
MAGSASAKA
Partylist Representative Argel T. Cabatbat called for a review of Republic Act
No. 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) after the government resumed
imports on its own account by declaring an auction for 300,000 metric tons (MT)
of rice via government to government (G2G) deals.
In a mobile
phone message, Mr. Cabatbat said the plan to import rice by the Department of
Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry, through the
Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC), is a “step back” from the original
intent of the RTL.
“It disempowers
Filipino farmers who deserve to be prioritized and protected because of the
impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19),” Mr. Cabatbat said.
Mr. Cabatbat
asked the DA to clarify why imports were resorted to despite the department’s
assurance that there is no impending rice shortage.
“It is more
expensive to import rice and it only adds to the burden of our rice farmers,
instead of helping them.” Mr. Cabatbat said.
On Monday, the
PITC conducted an online auction for rice imports amounting to 300,000 MT, with
four countries showing interest.
Myanmar,
Thailand, Vietnam, and India have posted bids to supply well-milled long-grain
rice with 25% brokens, for delivery to five ports.
Half or 150,000
MT must be shipped not later than July 14 while the other half is due to arrive
on or before August 14.
The national
government, via the PITC, has allotted P7.45 billion for the G2G imports, while
the reference price was set at $497.62 per MT, equivalent to around P25,000.
Mr. Cabatbat
said that the reference price indicates that the government is willing to buy
rice at double the domestic production cost.
“We have the
current supply, and we can produce a metric ton of rice at P12,720,” Mr.
Cabatbat said.
“The amount
that the DA is planning to spend for imported rice could uplift the rice
industry from the visible damage the RTL has visited upon hundreds of thousands
of Filipino farmers who found themselves on the brink of bankruptcy during the
last planting season,” Mr. Cabatbat said.
On May 12, the
DA said that the 300,000 MT of rice will serve as a contingency supply during
the lean months.
“This is
because the bulk of the rice supply will come from the harvest during the
fourth quarter, coupled with continued imports,” the DA said.
According to
the DA’s food supply outlook, rice supply at the end of 2020 is sufficient for
94 days.
G2G imports
under emergency conditions are permitted under the RTL to ensure adequate
supply. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
China plants upland rice on the eighth largest desert in the country
Source:
Xinhua|
2020-06-10 19:45:40|Editor: huaxia
Changing the
barren desert into profits! China is planting upland rice in the eighth largest
desert in the country.
Visit
on this Website to see the Video
Published: June 10, 2020 2:21 pm On:
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KARACHI: Pakistani rescuers recovered nine more bodies from beneath
the rubble of a building that collapsed earlier this week in the southern port
city of Karachi, bringing the death toll to 22, officials said Wednesday. There
are fears there may be more bodies.
The building collapsed on Sunday and
it was unclear how many people were inside at the time. It had 40 apartments
and most of them were empty because it was recently ordered vacated after it
was declared unsafe in March, following cracks that had emerged on the roofs
and walls.
Pakistani troops, rescue workers and
volunteers look for survivors amid the rubble of a collapsed building in
Karachi, Pakistan, Monday, June 8, 2020. Photo: AP
Rescue workers used heavy machinery
and were still removing the rubble, searching for more victims, according to
police and the Edhi Foundation, which owns and runs Pakistan’s largest private
ambulance service. The earlier reported death toll had stood at 13.
Altaf Hussain, a senior police
official, said the building collapsed after some of its residents went back
inside to try and retrieve some of their belongings.
Building collapses are common in
Pakistan as many are poorly constructed with cheap building materials and
safety guidelines are ignored to cut costs.
Also in Karachi, a multistory
building that was undergoing additional constructions and expansion, collapsed
in March, killing at least 11 people, including women and children.
https://thehimalayantimes.com/world/death-toll-from-pakistan-building-collapse-rises-to-22/
