Monday, August 03, 2015

3rd August (Monday),2015 Daily Exclusive ORYZA Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Bangladesh Urged to Maximize Use of Rice Bran for Edible Oil Production

Jul 31, 2015
The Bangladesh Tariff Commission (BTC) urged the government to maximize the use of rice bran in order to increase the edible oil production in the country, according to Financial Express.A study titled 'Rice Bran Oil and its Prospect in Bangladesh' by the BTC found that only 500,000 tons, or less than a quarter of around 2.5 million tons of rice bran produced in the country is used by local oil companies to produce edible oil. 
It noted that local edible oil companies produce hardly 100,000 tons of rice bran oil annually while the country has the potential to produce nearly 700,000 tons yearly. 
The study noted that currently only 70% of rice mills are automatic or semi-automatic while the remaining are yet to be modernized. BTC member and the team leader of the study noted that Bangladesh produces nearly 51 million tons of paddy yearly and if all the mills are automated, the production of rice bran could reach over 3.6 million tons. 
He states that by 2021, demand for edible oil is expected to increase to around 2.47 million tons from the current 1.5 million tons. If all rice mills in the country are automated and use of rice bran in maximized by 2021, rice bran oil could cater to about 30% of the total edible oil demand. 
However, the study found that the export of rice bran has been declining over the past few years. Bangladesh exporters shipped around 27,076 tons of rice bran in FY 2013-14 compared to around 90,781 tons in FY 2012-13.
The study also recommended that the awareness about the use of rice bran oil should be increased among the consumers. 
The President of the Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mills Owners Association expressed optimism that demand for rice bran would increase in the country over the next five years.

Improved Monsoon Rains Support India 2015-16 Main Paddy Rice Crop Sowing

Jul 31, 2015
Total area planting to India's 2015-16 Kharif (main) rice crop (June - December) stood at around 22.8 million hectares as of July 31, 2015, up about 6% from around 21.5 million hectares planted during the same time last year, according to a press release by the Agriculture Ministry. 
Indian monsoons which were 7% below normal in the previous week have improved and are 4% below normal as on July 30, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). Central, south peninsular and north-east regions received 2%, 19% and 9% below average rains during the week. However, the north-west region received 12% above-average rainfall. 
Monsoon rains in July were originally forecast to be 12% below normal. However, due to the monsoons' sudden peaking on the west an east coast of the country brought some respite to agriculturists. Last week, the Economic Times quoted the Director of the Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) as saying that the 2015-16 kharif rice output may not be significantly impacted if the monsoon deficit is curbed at 10%.
A likely drought-inducing El Nino this year is expected to lower production prospects this year. The IMD has forecasted the El Nino pattern to reach to moderate to a strong one during the monsoon season (June – September). Indian-based private weather forecaster Skymet, which earlier predicted rains to be 102% of 50-year average, has told that the rains may be 98% of the average. “El Nino is strong and we have factored this into our forecast,” Bloomberg quoted the Skymet Chief Executive Officer as saying.  
Global rice prices are expected to increase by 10-20% as drought-inducing El Nino is likely to dampen production prospects in Asian countries, including India, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.
The total Kharif crop sown area stands at 76.4 million hectares as on July 31, 2015, up about 9% from around 70.3 million hectares during the same period last year, according to the Agriculture Ministry.

South Korea Buys 30,000 Tons of Non-Glutinous Brown Rice in Tender

Jul 31, 2015
South Korea's state run Agro Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (KAFTC) has purchased 30,000 tons of non-glutinous brown rice of Chinese and U.S. origins for delivery between October 15, 2015 and February 29, 2016, according to a statement on its website.
The following table shows the tonnage and prices of the rice purchased.

KAFTC originally sought to purchase about 41,000 tons of non-glutinous rice via five tenders for which the bidding took place on July 31, 2015. 
It will announce the results for the remaining 11,000 tons of non-glutinous brewers milled rice after the sample tests.

Government of Nigeria Urged to Withdraw Waivers on Rice Importation

Jul 31, 2015
The Senate has urged the Federal government of Nigeria to withdraw all waivers on rice importation in order to encourage production in the country, according to local sources.
It noted that waivers and concessions in the recent years have led to huge quantities of rice imports and eroded the government's rice production policy.
The Senate also emphasized that the government has been losing about N71 billion (around $356 million) annually due to duty waivers on importation of rice and other agricultural products. It also stressed on the need to recover all duties due to the government.
It set up a nine-member committee to look into all waivers, concessions and grants. The committee is also responsible for reviewing policies to recover all government revenues and block leakages. 
The President of the Senate noted that the government needs to focus on increasing self-sufficiency in rice and other agriculture products rather than relying on imports. He added that the newly set up committee will ensure that every penny owed to the government will be recovered. 
Earlier this year, some importers were alleged to have exceeded the import quotas allocated to them under a new rice policy introduced in May 2014. Under the policy, the government allows for a preferential import duty of 10% and a levy of 20% against an import duty of 10% and levy of 60% for foreign firms in order to encourage investment in local rice production and milling. However, nearly five foreign importing companies have together exceed their import quota by 70%. The accused importers have been asked to pay back the extra amount to the government. 
Recently, the government resorted to closing down of some warehouses that pertained some importers who have been evading taxes. 

Indian Researchers Identify Rice Varieties for Diabetic Patients, Says Minister

Jul 31, 2015
The Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR) under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has identified three varieties of rice that are suitable for diabetic patients, according to local sources.
The Minister of State for Agriculture told the Upper House of Parliament that rice varieties with glycemic index value equal to or lower than 55 are considered suitable for diabetic patients. He noted that the IIRR Hyderabad has identidied three varieties - Lalat (GIS.17), BPT 5204 (GIQ.42) and Sampada (GIQ) - as having low glycemic values.
He also added that these three varieties are being cultivated in different states in India.

Indonesia 2015 Paddy Production May Fall Below Estimate, Says Agriculture Ministry Official

Jul 31, 2015
The government of Indonesia is expecting the country's 2015 paddy rice output at around 75.2 million tons, slightly below the 75.5 million tons, estimated by the statistics agency, Bloomberg quoted the Secretary General at the Agriculture Ministry.
Extending drought conditions as said to have affected around 111,000 hectares of rice planted area and around 8,900 hectares of cultivated land may see a failed harvest, according to the official. Around 14 million hectares of land is planted with rice, said the official.
The government has allocated around 2.8 trillion Rupiah (around $208 million) to support rice sector. With the allocated funds, the government is planning to develop water supply for drought-affected areas. 

UPDATE: Iraq Bought 142,000 Tons of Rice from Argentina, Uruguay

Jul 31, 2015
Iraq has bought 142,000 tons of rice from Argentina and Uruguay, inlcuding:
30,000 tons from Uruguay at $605 per ton
30,000 tons from Argentina at $602 per ton
30,000 tons from Argentina at $603 per ton
52,000 tons from Argentina at $608.85 per ton

Oryza Overnight Recap – Chicago Rough Rice Futures Continue to Show Strength as Cash Market Appears to be Tightening

Jul 31, 2015
Chicago rough rice futures for Sep delivery are currently seen trading 10.5 cents per cwt (about $2 per ton) higher at $11.540 per cwt (about $254 per ton) during early floor trading in Chicago. The other grains are seen trading mixed this morning; soybeans are currently seen trading about 0.4% lower, wheat is listed about 1% higher and corn is currently noted about 0.1% higher.
U.S. stocks opened mildly higher on Friday, the final day of trade for July, as investors digested data and soft energy earnings. Crude oil traded lower near $48 a barrel. The energy sector fell about 1.5% as the only declining sector in the S&P 500. The employment cost index disappointed analysts with a rise of 0.2%, below expectations of 0.6%.The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged after the conclusion of its July meeting on Wednesday. The statement indicated a more optimistic outlook on U.S. economic growth, but second-quarter GDP missed expectations on Thursday, while first-quarter GDP was revised from negative to slightly positive.
Other data scheduled for release include the July Chicago PMI and the final University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey, at 9:45 a.m. ET and 10:00 a.m. respectively. Overseas, European stocks traded narrowly mixed. The Greek stock exchange is set to reopen on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded up 13 points, or 0.07%, at 17,757. The S&P 500 traded up 3 points, or 0.13%, at 2,111, with utilities leading nine sectors higher and energy the only decliner. The Nasdaq traded up 12 points, or 0.24%, at 5,140. Gold is currently trading about 0.9% higher, crude oil is seen trading about 0.4% lower,  and the U.S. dollar is currently trading about 1.2% lower at 9:00am Chicago time. 

Oryza Weekly: Global Rice Prices Expected to Surge on Concerns of Lower Asian Supplies

Jul 31, 2015
The Oryza White Rice Index (WRI), a weighted average of global white rice export quotes, ended the week at about $397 per ton, down about $7 per ton from a week ago, down about $8 per ton from a month ago and down about $86 per ton from a year ago.
The El Nino weather phenomenon associated with drought and low rainfall in Asia is likely to lower prospects of production in Asian countries, including India, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. Global rice prices, which have fallen significantly since the beginning of this year due to increased supplies and lower demand, are expected to surge 10-20% by the end of this year on concerns of a fall in production.
Thailand
Thailand 5% broken rice is today shown at about $370 per ton, down about $10 per ton from a week ago, unchanged from a month ago and down about $65 per ton from a year ago.
Thailand’s government has postponed an auction for 1.29 million tons of sub-standard rice, moving the auction from early July to August, in order to allow officials to conduct the rice separation process thoroughly.
Meanwhile, the government has struck preliminary deals to export about 760,000 tons of stockpiled rice to African nations, including MozambiqueNigeria, and South Africa.
Separately, the government of Thailand plans to extend support to Brunei to help the country achieve self-sufficiency in rice production.
Vietnam
Vietnam 5% broken rice is today shown at about $340 per ton, down about $10 per ton from a week ago,  down about $15 per ton from month ago and down about $130 per ton from a year ago.
During the period January 1 - July 23, Vietnam exported about 2.926 million tons of rice, down about 19% from the first seven months of 2014.
The UN’s FAO forecasts Vietnam’s 2015 rice exports are around 6.3 million tons, down slightly from last year’s below-average level of 6.5 million tons. 
Rice exporters in Cambodia are concerned about losing market share in the EU if the EU-Vietnam Bilateral Free Trade Agreement is finalized.
India
India 5% broken rice is today shown at about $390 per ton, unchanged from a week and a month ago, and down about $50 per ton from a year ago.
Total area planting to India's 2015-16 Kharif (main) rice crop (June - December) stood at around 22.8 million hectares as of July 31, 2015, up about 6% from around 21.5 million hectares planted during the same time last year. Improved monsoons are said to be providing support to the ongoing kharif rice planting.
The Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR) under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has identified three varieties of rice - Lalat (GIS.17), BPT 5204 (GIQ.42) and Sampada (GIQ) - that are suitable for diabetic patients.
The Bangladesh Tariff Commission (BTC) urged the government to maximize the use of rice bran in order to increase the edible oil production in the country.
Pakistan
Pakistan 5% broken rice is today shown at about $355 per ton, down about $25 per ton from a week ago, down about $30 per ton from a month ago and down about $90 per ton from a year ago.
In FY 2014-15, Pakistan exported about 3.93 million tons of rice, an increase of about 6% from FY 2013-14, according to preliminary data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
Central & South America
Brazil 5% broken rice is today shown at about $500 per ton, unchanged from a week ago, down about $50 per ton from a month ago and down about $165 per ton from a year ago. The Brazilian paddy rice index maintained by CEPEA reached around 33.71 real per 50 kilograms as of July 27, 2015, up about 0.30% from around 33.60 real per 50 kilograms recorded on July 20, 2015.
In terms of USD per ton, the index reached around $203 per ton on July 27, 2015, down about 3% from around $209 per ton recorded on July 20, 2015.
Argentina has exported about 99,279 tons in the first four months of 2015 (January-April), a decrease of about 53% from the same period in 2014, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.
Five percent broken rice from Uruguay and Argentina is today shown at about $540 per ton, unchanged from a week ago, down about $25 per ton from a month ago, and down about $85 per ton from a year ago.
Bloomberg reports that Iraq has bought 112,000 tons of rice from Argentina and Uruguay.
Rice paddy production in Mexico is projected to be little changed y/y at about 240,000 tons in the 2015-16 marketing year (October-September).
U.S.
U.S. 4% broken rice is today shown at about $475 per ton, unchanged from a week ago, up about $20 per ton from a  month ago and down about $80 per ton from a year ago.
High night time temperatures, along with bacterial panicle blast, are reportedly threatening rice production in the state of Arkansas.
Japan plans to propose a 70,000 ton tariff-free rice import quota for the U.S. in efforts to expedite the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations that have been stalled due to an impasse between the U.S. and Japan over access to Japan’s rice market and U.S. tariffs on automotive parts.
Other Markets
The Myanmar Agribusiness Public Company Limited will export 3,000 tons of rice to China as part of the 100,000 tons to be exported under a memorandum of understanding signed between the Myanmar Rice Federation and China’s National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation.
Cambodia’s Commerce Ministry will invest about $450,000 as a one-time seed capital in the country’s rice sector to help boost exports.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has warned that the El Nino phenomenon, which started as a weak one in March and turned moderate in June, is heading to the most intense stage by October.
South Korea's state run Agro Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (KAFTC) has purchased 30,000 tons of non-glutinous brown rice of Chinese and U.S. origins for delivery between October 15, 2015 and February 29, 2016.
The government of Indonesia is expecting the country's 2015 paddy rice output at around 75.2 million tons, slightly below the 75.5 million tons, estimated by the statistics agency, due to extending drought conditions in the country.
During the period September 1, 2014 to July 21, 2015, Italy has exported about 113.068 tons of milled rice, up about 3.8% from the same period last year.
Milled rice production in Russia is expected to increase to around 700,000 tons in MY 2015-16 (Jan-Dec 2016), up from an estimated 682,000 tons in MY 2014-15, according to the USDA Post.
The government of Iran has extended its deadline for registration of rice, milling wheat, vegetable oil, and raw sugar importers until August 17 (the previous deadline was August 6).
The Senate has urged the Federal government of Nigeria to withdraw all waivers on rice importation in order to encourage production in the country.
The Ebola virus is still affecting West Africa’s agricultural activities, and rice production in Sierra Leone is expected to decline because of it.

Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan Rice Sellers Lower Some of Their Quotes Today; India Rice Quotes Unchanged

Jul 31, 2015
Thailand rice sellers lowered their quotes for 5% broken rice and Hommali rice by about $5 per ton each to around $365-$377 per ton and $860-$870 per ton respectively today. Vietnam rice sellers lowered their quotes for 5% broken rice and 100% broken rice by about $5 per ton each to around $335-$345 per ton and $310-$320 per ton respectively. Pakistan rice sellers lowered their quotes for 5% broken rice by about $10 per ton to around $345-$355 per ton. India rice sellers kept their quotes mostly unchanged.
5% Broken Rice
Thailand 5% rice is indicated at around $365 - $375 per ton, down about $5 per ton from yesterday and about $30 per ton premium on Vietnam 5% rice shown at around $335 - $345 per ton, down about $5 per ton from yesterday.
India 5% rice is indicated at around $385 - $395 per ton, about $40 per ton premium on Pakistan 5% rice shown at around $345 - $355 per ton, down about $10 per ton from yesterday.
25% Broken Rice
Thailand 25% rice is shown at around $350 - $360 per ton, about $25 per ton premium on Vietnam 25% rice shown at around $325- $335 per ton.
India 25% rice is indicated at around $350 - $360, about $35 per ton premium on Pakistan 25% rice shown at around $315 - $325 per ton.
Parboiled Rice
Thailand parboiled rice is indicated at around $380 - $390 per ton. India parboiled rice is indicated at around $375- $385 per ton, about $40 per ton discount to Pakistan parboiled rice was last  shown at around $415 - $425 per ton.
100% Broken Rice
Thailand broken rice, A1 Super, is indicated at around $320 - $330 per ton, about $10 per ton from premium on Vietnam 100% broken rice shown at around $310 - $320 per ton, down about $5 per ton from yesterday. India's 100% broken rice is shown at around $305 - $315 per ton, about $20 per ton premium on Pakistan broken sortexed rice shown at around $285 - $295 per ton.

Oryza Afternoon Recap - Chicago Rough Rice Futures Finish the Week on a Positive Note as Technicals Point to Bullish Trend

Jul 31, 2015
Chicago rough rice futures for Sep delivery settled 8 cents per cwt (about $2 per ton) higher at $11.515 per cwt (about $254 per ton). The other grains finished the day mostly lower, with wheat being the only component to manage a higher close; Soybeans closed about 1% lower at $9.4025 per bushel; wheat finished about 0.6% higher at $4.9925 per bushel, and corn finished the day about 0.7% lower at $3.8125 per bushel.
U.S. stocks traded in a range Friday, the final day of trade for July, as investors digested energy earnings misses and soft data that could push an initial rate hike further out. The Nasdaq held higher, while the S&P 500 Dow Jones industrial average struggled to climb out of negative territory as declines in energy stocks weighed. The major averages are on track for weekly and monthly gains, with the Nasdaq outperforming. The employment cost index disappointed analysts with a rise of 0.2%, the smallest increase in 33 years and below expectations of 0.6%.The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged after the conclusion of its July meeting on Wednesday.
 The statement indicated a more optimistic outlook on U.S. economic growth, but second-quarter GDP missed expectations on Thursday, while first-quarter GDP was revised from negative to slightly positive. In other economic news, the Chicago PMI came in at 54.7 for July, the highest since January. The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded down 32 points, or 0.18%. The S&P 500 traded down 1 point, or 0.04%, at 2,107, with utilities leading five sectors higher and energy the greatest decliner. The Nasdaq traded up 9 points, or 0.17%, at 5,137. Gold is trading about 0.7% higher, crude oil is seen trading about 2.6% lower, and the U.S. dollar is seen trading at about 0.5% lower at about  1:00pm Chicago time.

Thursday, there were 1,775 contracts traded, up from 606 contracts traded on Wednesday. Open interest – the number of contracts outstanding – on Thursday increased by 208 contracts to 8,839.



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3rd August (Monday),2015 Daily GlobalRice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

News shared by PhilRICE
Lucy Torres-Gomez is new rice ambassadress
Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez was named as new Rice Ambassadress in a recent meeting at the House of Representatives, Quezon City.As rice ambassadress, Gomez will promote non-wastage of rice and the consumption of brown rice and rice mixed with corn or other staples.

A multi-awarded television host, Gomez agreed to appear in videos and photos promoting the Be RICEponsible advocacy to be shown in television, radio, billboards, and social media.

As public servant, she is a member of the 16th Congress and Assistant Majority Leader, representing Leyte’s fourth district. Her priorities as legislator include public order and safety, women, children, health, and education.
She had sponsored an amendment to the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009, which revises the provisions on breastfeeding babies during work hours, and had pledged “no classroom shortage by 2015” in her district.
Hazel V. Antonio, director of the Be RICEponsible campaign, said Gomez was chosen because of her ideal image as a mother and her excellent track record as a public servant.

“Lucy is well-loved by many Filipinos and we believe that her influence as a policy-maker and as a TV personality can inspire the millions of people to be part of this nationwide advocacy,” Antonio said.

The Be RICEponsible is an advocacy campaign that aims to promote the RICEponsibility of every Filipino to their bodies and to our country.

PhilRice gives tips on how to prevent rice spoilage

In most households and restaurants, rice leftovers typically get spoiled and thrown out.

Dr. Riza G. Abilgos-Ramos of the Rice Chemistry and Food Science Division (RCFSD) at PhilRice recommends that to prevent spoilage, we should cook rice in smaller quantities at several times of the day to reduce storage.

According to Dr. Alonzo A. Gabriel, a professor and food science expert at UP Diliman, a bacterium called Bacillus cereus that causes food poisoning is present when cooking rice.

“Foodborne diseases and outbreaks start at home due to insufficient knowledge of households in proper food handling,” said Gabriel who gave a lecture titled Food Security and Protection: Updates on Quality, Safety, and Defense organized by RCFSD, 29 July.

Gabriel explained that the bacterium can survive heat while boiling and is most capable of germination and outgrowth after the rice is cooked.

In preventing the said bacterium, Abilgos-Ramos suggested that after cooking, “it is best that rice should either be kept hot (> 63°C) or cooled quickly then transferred to a refrigerator within two hours.”

She added that boiled or fried rice must be stored outside the temperature range of 15-50°C and not under warm conditions.

The seminar was part of the Nutrition Month celebration at PhilRice. Other events conducted in this month-long celebration include a feeding program for elementary students and an institute-wide Zumba competition. 
PhilRice shares tips for the rainy days
Science City of Mu̱oz РPhilRice experts advise farmers to practice synchronized community planting, and to mechanize the harvesting and drying processes to cope with the rainy season. PhilRice-rainy season.
“Under rainfed conditions, our farmers need to practice synchronized planting in their communities. Dry land preparation is desired, as when the rain comes, they can do direct-seeding. With this technique, the seeds will start to germinate within five days,” said Dr. Norvie L. Manigbas, PhilRice’s head of the Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Division.
Synchronized planting reduces incidence of pests and diseases in a specific area, thus minimizing yield loss.
He also explained that under irrigated lowland conditions, land preparation should be done at the onset of heavy rains so that fields are well-soaked in water. Levees and dikes should be repaired to avoid water loss.
Farmers can use the wet bed or dapog method for seed establishment depending on field conditions.
PhilRice also suggests proper drainage to avoid flooding, use of machines during land preparation, harvesting, threshing, and drying to save time and labor.
“Time is vital during the wet season especially during harvest. As the rain usually comes in the afternoon, we suggest the use of combine harvester to hasten harvesting operations. If it is unavailable, farmers can use reaper and collect the straws for threshing,” Manigbas explained.
“It is important to finish these field operations in the shortest possible time to prevent yield loss,” he added.
PhilRice recommends drying of palay in flatbed dryers and on nylon nets or canvas for easier turnover when the rain comes.
“The general rule is to harvest and thresh the crop within a short period of time and dry the seeds to a desired moisture content (usually 14%),” Manigbas concluded.
For more rice farming strategies, please contact the PhilRice Text Center at 09209111398.

Century-Old Rice Blight Finally Toppled? Key to Immunity Discovered

Aug 03, 2015 03:55 AM EDT
Description: rice crop
Rice crops have been battling a deadly bacterial blight for over a century - one that decimates crops and can leave entire farms in ruin. Now researchers think that affected regions may finally stand a chance after discovering a rare mechanism that leave some lucky plants resistant to infection.That's at least according to a study recently published in the journalScience Advances, which details how an international team of researcher finally uncovered the key to Xoo immunity.Xanthomonas oryzaepv.oryzae, or Xoo, is traditionally characterized by a discoloration on the leaves of young rice plants. It quickly escalates from there, turning the leaves brittle and grey, and rendering them useless in photosynthesis. Starved for energy, affected plants quickly die, sometimes devastating up to 80 percent of a single season's crop. In Japan alone, annual losses are estimated to be between 22,000 and 110,000 tons.What's worse, this pathogen affects rice in a unique way, rendering industry standards for combating bacterial infection, such as the application of copper compounds or antibiotics, largely ineffective.That's why researchers have turned to closely analyzing those few plants that were lucky enough - in the wacky roulette of genetics - to wind up with strong resistances to Xoo. (Scroll to read on...)
Description: http://images.natureworldnews.com/data/images/full/17419/5038205788_6b336f6f43_z-jpg.jpg?w=600
(Photo : Neil Palmer (CIAT))
Only six year ago, modern research practices revealed that immune responses in rice are triggered to battle the blight when a Xoo protein dubbed Ax21 binds to the plants' cellular receptor XA21.
"We were ecstatic with our results in 2009 because identifying the molecule that XA21 recognizes provides an important piece to the puzzle of how the rice plant is able to respond to infection," Pamela Ronald, a plant geneticist for both JBEI and UC Davis, explained in a statement.
It was theorized that once understood. experts could craft a crop (via genetic editing) that could easily shrug off Xoo. However, after a century of researching the blight (historically starting in 1901) could it be that easy? The answer was no.
As it turned out, Ax21 wasn't the savior Ronald and her colleagues thought it was. In fact, it was more like the housemate of the protein they needed. In other words, when Batman was the hero Gotham deserved, the researchers wound up with his butler, Alfred. (Come on guys, nerd out with me for a moment. We're talking about rice pathogens after all).
"We hypothesized that the activator of XA21 might be encoded in the proximity of the molecular machinery that we already knew was involved," added Rory Pruitt, a member of Ronald's research group.
So the researchers kept looking. Now, six years later, they've announced that this time for sure, they have their hero. (Scroll to read on...)
Description: http://images.natureworldnews.com/data/images/full/17417/96210_web-jpg.jpg?w=600
(Photo : Roy Kaltschmidt, Berkeley Lab)
"Our results show that RaxX, a small, previously undescribed bacterial protein, is required for... immunity to Xoo," Ronald happily reported. "XA21 can detect RaxX and quickly mobilize its defenses to mount a potent immune response."The researchers added that even if the ultimate goal of their work - the development of a fully-immune rice crop - is still a ways away from being realized, the results can still be immediately useful for rice farmers.During their numerous tests, the team also determined which strains of Xoo are heartier than others, even when running up against plants with the XA21 response.

"Like prescribing the best vaccination for the flu each season by monitoring which flu strains are going to be the most prevalent, it should be possible to screen wild Xoo populations in the rice-growing regions of Asia and Africa for whether they encode RaxX alleles that are recognized by XA21," Schwessinger explained. "We can then inform farmers which rice varieties will be resistant to those bacterial populations."
For more great nature science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).
http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/15926/20150803/century-old-rice-blight-finally-toppled-key-immunity-discovered.htmNigeria imports rice worth over 2 billion USD since 2012: official

LAGOS, (Xinhua) -- Nigerian central bank said Tuesday the Africa's most populous country has spent 2.41 billion U.S. dollars on rice importation between January 2012 and May 2015.The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele made this known at an investors meeting in Abuja, Nigeria's capital city. He said the bank's decision to ban foreign exchange for importation of rice, fish and other items would not be reversed.According to him, the apex bank has no plans to reverse the ban, adding that the reason for inclusion of rice in the exclusion list was not far-fetched.

"Unfortunately, this trend has resulted in huge unsold stock of paddy rice cultivated by our farmers and low operating capacities of many integrated rice mills in Nigeria," he added.
The apex bank chief told his audience that the CBN in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development would come up with a comprehensive financing model to support rice millers and other investors in the sector.He said the bank's decided to intervene in the sector through funding and other packages because the country would not achieve its true potentials if it imported everything it could produce locally.
The bank will make funds more accessible to farmers through some of its funding program such as the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme and the over one billion U.S. dollars Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development fund, he added.Emefiele said those that defaulted in the payment of customs duty after bringing in excess quotas of rice into the country at concessionary rates would be penalized.He said the CBN would take up the issue to the highest level in government to ensure that the money was paid.The governor also assured rice producers that the bank would work closely with the Nigerian Customs Service to address the issue of smuggling.  
 http://www.coastweek.com/3831-agriculture-05.htm

Wanted: Proposals for sustainable rice production

July 31, 2015 11:28 pm
by BERNICE CAMILLE V. BAUZON

The Philippines and the United Kingdom have joined forces to support research projects that will boost resilience and sustainability of rice production in Southeast Asia.In a statement, the UK Embassy on Friday said “food security is one of the greatest global challenges we currently face.”To address this, the UK collaborated with four countries in Asia–China, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.“In a country where rice is a main part of almost every meal, enhancing rice production is a major priority.

The headlines report that El Niño may be the most intense the country has experienced in recent years. Studies have shown that climate change will have a devastating effect on food security if it is not addressed now,” British Ambassador Asif Ahmad said.“Unli [unlimited] rice may no longer be a promo offer. This project will help farmer productivity and enhance trading in rice, when necessary. We encourage all researchers who are working toward the adequate supply of this staple food to submit their applications to the Newton Fund,” he added.

The British Embassy in Manila has been calling for proposals on collaborative inter-disciplinary research that will focus on long-term sustainable production of rice, as well as utilizing combined strengths of academic research groups within China, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and the UK.This initiative is supported by the UK Government’s Newton Fund, which helps build science and innovation partnerships with key emerging economies.

The UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (UK BBSRC) and the UK Natural Environment Research Council, in collaboration with Philippine Partners Department of Science and Technology Philippine Council for Agriculture Aquatic and Natural Resources Research & Development (DOST-PCAARD) and the Department of Agriculture Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) are calling for submissions of research proposals that will address the following challenges in the Philippine context: greater resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses; improved resource use efficiency (including Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Water); improved quality of rice (including nutritional enhancement and grain quality); utilization of rice by-products; novel research tool and technology development supporting the above areas (including systems biology, bioinformatics, screening and characterization of germplasm for gene and trait discovery).
These priority areas in sustainable rice research have been agreed though a regional workshop in Bangkok in April, which brought together relevant funding agencies, key research organizations and leading academics from China, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and the UK.The proposed projects should be up to a maximum duration of three years and will requirea UK Principal Investigator as well as a Philippine Principal Investigator with the options of additional Principal Investigators from other partner countries.

The deadline for submission of applications is on August 13, 2015.For more information on this opportunity, the embassy invites researchers to visit the UK BBSRC website at
http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/funding/opportunities/2015/newton-fund-joint-call-in-rice-research.

http://www.manilatimes.net/wanted-proposals-for-sustainable-rice-production/205365/

Special rice for the diabetics identified by Indian Institute of Rice Research

Friday, 31 July 2015 - 5:17pm IST | 
Description: http://cdn.iamin.in/sites/all/themes/project2welve/images/iamin-v3/blank.png Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR) under the aegis of Indian Council of Agricultural Research has identified three rice varieties with low glycemic index values which are considered suitable for diabetic patients, Minister of State for Agriculture, Sanjeev Kumar Balyan said in Rajya Sabha on Friday."According to the IIRR Hyderabad, Lalat (GIS.17), BPT 5204 (GIQ.42) and Sampada (GIQ) are considered suitable for diabetic patients. Any variety of rice with glycemic index less than or equal to 55 is considered diabetic-friendly," he said.
"Presently, these varieties are under cultivation in different states of India," he added.

http://www.iamin.in/en/west-delhi/news/special-rice-diabetics-identified-indian-institute-rice-research-65990

Newton Fund seeks PH researchers for food self-sufficiency
06:30 AM August 1st, 2015
 The British Embassy Manila recently sounded the call for new tie-ups for food security studies, especially rice resilience, production and sustainability, between Filipino researchers and their counterparts in the United Kingdom.Through its Newton Fund, the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the UK Natural Environment Research Council, in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development, and the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute, are calling for research proposals dealing with greater resilience, improved resource use, improved quality, utilization of byproducts, and novel research tool and technology development for rice.
Farmer productivity
“In a country where rice is a main part of almost every meal, enhancing rice production is a major priority,” British Ambassador Asif Ahmad said. “Studies have shown that climate change will have a devastating effect of food security if it is not addressed now. This project will help farmer productivity and enhance trading in rice, when necessary.”Proposed projects should be up to a maximum duration of three years and will require a counterpart British principal investigator, with the options of additional principal investigators from other partner-countries.
An initiative by the UK government, the Fund aims to strengthen research and innovation partnerships with emerging economies such as the Philippines. Launched in 2014, the Fund is to be shared across 15 partner-countries in the course of five years for joint research on development topics, capacity-building projects, student and researcher fellowships and other partnerships.
Covering three broad activities, the Fund focuses on:
People by improving science and innovation expertise (capacity-building), student and researcher fellowships, mobility schemes and joint centers;
Research, through collaborations on development topics;
How to apply them in actual practice.
The call adds more opportunities to the Fund, which had already been looking for health research collaborations between the country and the United Kingdom. It has also paved the way for PhD programs and travel grants for individual researchers and institutional links for academic institutions. Workshops to allow Filipino researchers to connect with their international counterparts are also being offered.
The deadline for submission of applications is on Aug. 13, 2015. For more information on this opportunity, please visit the UK BBSRC website: http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/funding/opportunities/2015/newton-fund-joint-call-in-rice-research.



http://business.inquirer.net/196301/newton-fund-seeks-ph-researchers-for-food-self-sufficiency#ixzz3hbb4Mrk1

InterContinental Hotel Lagos, Refutes Claims of Closure by Customs

03 Aug 2015

 InterContinental Hotel, Lagos

Demola Ojo̢۬
Description: InterContinental-Hotels-Group-1307.jpg - InterContinental-Hotels-Group-1307.jpgThe InterContinental Hotel, Lagos has  clarified reports that it could be closed down. This was against the backdrop of reports by some media  last week that the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) was moving against the parent company of the hotel over non-payment of duties on rice imports.However, in a statement by Milan Industries, which was made available to THISDAY on Sunday, the hotel said it has no relationship with rice whatsoever.   “We Milan Industries Limited are the owners of InterContinental Hotel Lagos.

 We write this re-joinder to clarify and correct the misinformation being disseminated in the media concerning our refusal to pay import duty on rice and the decision of the Nigeria Customs Service to shut down InterContinental Hotel.“We are not in the business of importing rice and are a limited liability company; we cannot be held responsible for the alleged indebtedness of another company,” the statement said.It said that, “the general public should disregard various media reports that InterContinental Hotel is to be shut down because of our indebtedness to Nigeria Customs Service.

”In a related development, the NCS has also found it necessary to clarify its position on its on-going battle to compel defaulting rice importers pay outstanding duties owed the federal government.According to the Public Relations Officer of the NCS, “The confusion was created in view of the association of its owners, Milan Nigeria Limited with one of the defaulting importers. Our records have shown that Intercontinental Hotel is not indebted to the Nigeria Customs Service, and will therefore not be shut down as insinuated.“It is also necessary to clarify that the defaulting importers targeted for sanctions, Conti Agro Nigeria Limited, is a separate legal entity from Milan Nigeria Limited, owners of Intercontinental Hotel,” the statement stated.


http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/intercontinental-hotel-lagos-refutes-claims-of-closure-by-customs/216435/

NARS, ICAR Develop Flood Tolerant Crops

By Express News Service
Published: 03rd August 2015 03:44 AM
Last Updated: 03rd August 2015 03:44 AM
BHUBANESWAR: The National Agricultural Research System (NARS) in collaboration with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and State agriculture universities have developed flood and drought tolerant crop varieties for different regions of the country including Odisha.The rice varieties of Swarna Sub-1, Sambha Mahsuri Sub-1, Varshadhan, Gayatri, Sarla, Pooja, Prateeksha, Durga, JalaMani, CR Dhan 505, CR Dhan 502, Jalnidhi, Neerja, Jaladhi-1, Jaladhi-2, Hemavathi will be made available to farmers facing water logging problems for longer period.
Swarna Sub-1 is bred from a popular Indian variety of rice Swarna by upgrading it with Sub-1, the gene for flood tolerance. Swarna was developed by Andhra Pradesh Agriculture University.The new variety can withstand floods for two weeks unlike existing varieties which would wilt if it remains under water even for a few days resulting in economic loss to farmers. However, Swarna Sub-1 can rise back to life after having submerged for two weeks.
As the demand for this variety is increasing, the Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack is ready to provide the breeder seeds to the States affected by frequent floods including Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Odhisa and Andhra Pradesh.

Similarly, drought tolerant varieties like Sahabhagi Dhan, Vandana, Anjali, Satyabhama, DRR Dhan 42 (IR64 Drt 1), DRR Dhan 43, Birsa Vikas Dhan 203, Birsa Vikas Dhan 111, Rajendra Bhagwati, Jaldi Dhan 6 are made available to the farmers.


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