Friday, December 30, 2016

30th December,2016 daily global,regional and local rice e-newsletter by riceplus magazine




December 29, 2016


City District Government Lahore (CDGL) notified new rates for essential edibles, including rice and grains and directed the price control magistrates to ensure strict implementation of the new rates across the provincial capital.Lahore District Coordination Officer (DCO) notified the new rates on Wednesday. As per the notification, new rates of essential edibles are: New Super Basmati rice (Rs90 per kg), old Super Basmati rice (Rs100/kg), Erri rice (Rs32/kg), Daal Chana small (Rs155/kg), Daal Channa big (Rs162/kg), Daal Masoor thin (Rs140/kg), Daal Masoor imported and thick (Rs115/kg), imported and washed Daal Mash (Rs180/kg), imported Daal Mash with cover (Rs165/kg), Daal Moong washed (Rs110/kg), Daal Moong with cover (Rs116/kg), black gram thick (Rs150/kg), black gram thin (Rs140/kg), white gram thick and imported (Rs152/kg), gram floor/Baisan (Rs160/kg), red chili (Rs210/kg), sugar (Rs62/kg), Roti 100g (Rs06), Naan 120g (Rs10), Khamiri Roti (Rs08), Milk (Rs70/litre) and Yogurt (Rs85/kg).Lahore DCO has directed all the price control magistrates to enforce new rates across the provincial capital and adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards shopkeepers involved in price-hike.

Innovative way to reduce irrigation cost

A farmer holds a perforated plastic bottle, used to measure requirement of water for plants, at his paddy field in Sutipara village under Nilphamari Sadar upazila. PHOTO: STAR
Farmers in the district are growing rice with reduced irrigation cost, thanks to a water-saving system developed by local experts.The method known as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) requires only 1,500 litres of water to grow a kg of rice whereas traditional irrigation method uses 2,500 to 3,000 litres for the purpose, said agriculturists and farmers.
In addition, the method can increase rice production by 0.35 to 0.80 tonnes per hectare.The innovative method using thrown away plastic bottles was introduced in 2009, after two years of experiment by the officials of International Rice Research Institute, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute and Rural Development Academy.
However, the method became popular only this year, thanks to its cost effective and user-friendly modification by Hossain Mohammad Khaleduzzaman, assistant engineer of Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) of Nilphamari Sadar upazila.The original device requires a PVC plastic pipe or a hollow bamboo around 30cm long and 10cm in diameter.
The pipes, two-thirds of which should be perforated, are set in the paddy field with the perforated part under the surface ten days after transplantation of paddy saplings, said agriculturists.After the water level goes below the surface and reaches the bottom of the pipe, the farmers should prepare for irrigation.
Developer of the cheap and user-friendly way to save irrigation cost, BADC Assistant Engineer Hossain Mohammad Khaleduzzaman explains the use of the method to farmers at Digholdangi village in Sadar upazila a few days ago. PHOTO: STAR

Unlike in traditional methods, farmers using AWD don't need to keep the whole field wet, and so, it saves both water and consequent cost of fuel for irrigation, agriculturists said, adding that the method can increase rice production by 0.35 to 0.80 tonnes per hectare.Despite such benefits, the system did not earlier become popular among farmers as PVC pipe is a bit costly and it is difficult to make holes in it.Against such a backdrop, Hossain Mohammad Khaleduzzaman modified the method at his own initiative.“In Nilphamari, we experimentally used the method, using thrown away plastic bottles with both ends cut and round holes made on them with thin hot iron rod. Finding positive results, I distributed around 1000 such tools free of cost to farmers and arranged 'farmers' irrigation school' in 30 villages," said Khaleduzzaman. 
BADC and BRRI have approved the local method, said BADC officials in Rangpur.BADC officials in Nilphamari said six to seven thousand farmers of Nilphamari Sadar upazila have adopted this technology.Farmer Asimuddin of Sutipara village said AWD helped him reduce irrigation cost by Tk 800-Tk 1000 per bigha.Prodip Roy of Kundapukur village said he got additional two maunds of rice from a bigha of land in this aman season by using the newly introduced method
http://www.thedailystar.net/country/innovative-way-reduce-irrigation-cost-1337755



North Korea imports of Chinese grain soaring, data show

29.12.2016


North Korea's imports of grain from China are soaring, doubling in November from a year ago.
It could be an indication the country cannot keep up with domestic demand despite an official policy of self-sufficient agriculture.According to Korea International Trade Association, a South Korean government agency, an analysis of Chinese customs data shows North Korea imported 3,400 tons of grain last month, Voice of America reported Wednesday.That amount is about $1.62 million worth of food, according to the report.

In November 2015, North Korea imported 1,742 tons of grain, or about half the volume of commodities Pyongyang recently shipped across the China border.Imported grains include rice, flour, corn, starch and beans.
Rice topped the list of imports. In November, North Korea imported 1,863 tons, or more than three times the volume of the same period last year.Imports of rice have fluctuated month to month. In September, rice accounted for 16,000 tons of imported food, an unusually high volume that surpassed total rice imports from January to August.

In November, a South Korean analyst said the value of the imported rice in September is about $990,000.
On Wednesday, Voice of America reported total grain imports from January to November was 48,805 tons, up 9 percent from the same time period in 2015. But South Korea's unification ministry stated the high volume of grain imports is not unusual.Unification ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee told reporters North Korea "has previously imported as much as 100,000-200,000 tons of grains" annually.Jeong said Wednesday the more important change is the recent increase in fertilizer imports.North Korea shipped in 158,000 tons of fertilizer from China January to November, twice the amount it imported in 2015, according to VOA.
http://www.blackseagrain.net/novosti/north-korea-imports-of-chinese-grain-soaring-data-show

Typhoon ‘Nina’ farm damage hits P4B

  
DAMAGE caused by Typhoon “Nina” to the farm sector has reached over P4 billion, affecting 65,247 hectares in two regions, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported on Wednesday.
DUTERTE WON’T DO IT Social Welfare and Development Secretary Judy Taguiwalo takes the lead in distributing relief goods to Typhoon ‘Nina’ victims in Pili, Camarines Sur on Tuesday. President Rodrigo Duterte eschewed the distribution of relief goods to typhoon victims, saying he hated using such occasions for ‘propaganda.’ MALACAÑANG PHOTO
In a report, Christopher Morales, head of the DA’s Field Programs Operational Planning Division, estimated production losses at 268,355 metric tons (MT) of rice, corn and high-value crops. A total of 66,963 farmers were affected in Calabarzon and Bicol regions.

The report said 168,581 MT of palay were lost, amounting to P2.36 billion, while corn posted 24,071 MT of losses worth P312.91 million. Damage to high-value crops amounted to P1.25 million.
Morales said drones were deployed to take photos of agricultural areas damaged by Nina. “This is to picture the magnitude of damage using unmanned aerial vehicles or drones, and to validate damage and losses,” he said.
The National Irrigation Administration reported that irrigation covering 3,540 hectares of land and 3,818 farmers in Calabarzon, Mimaropa and Bicol were affected.
Also, P83.5 million worth of damage to infrastructure (road and river control facilities) were reported in Marinduque and Oriental Mindoro.
In its Wednesday update, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said 132,908 families or 602,770 persons were affected by the severe weather conditions brought by Nina during its onslaught on December 25 and 26.
These individuals came from 785 barangays (villages) in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol and Eastern Visayas, NDRRMC executive director Ricardo Jalad said.
Strong winds and rains damaged a total of 30,897 houses.
Nine road sections and three bridges were still impassable due to debris and flooding in Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol and Eastern Visayas.
P500M in assistance approved
In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol announced that President Rodrigo Duterte had approved the allocation of an initial P500 million for the rehabilitation of the agriculture and fisheries sectors in typhoon-hit areas.
Of the total amount, P300 million will come from the Office of the President and P200 million from the DA.
About P55 million will be used for the immediate rehabilitation of the abaca industry in Catanduanes, the release of rice seeds and fertilizers for about 5,000 hectares of rice land, and repair of fisheries infrastructure.
In Catanduanes on Tuesday, Duterte eschewed the distribution of relief goods to typhoon victims, saying he hated using such occasions for “propaganda.”“Thank you for your warm welcome. There’s a peculiar government practice that I don’t like. That thing when I was supposed to distribute aid…ceremonial gift-giving. I detest that,” Duterte said
http://www.manilatimes.net/typhoon-nina-farm-damage-hits-p4b/304172/


Vietnam-Cuba diplomatic relationship marked in HCM City
The 56th anniversary of Vietnam-Cuba diplomatic relationship and Cuba’s 58th National Day were marked with a ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on December 28.


At the ceremony, Vice Chairwoman of the HCM City People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Thu shared sympathy with Cuban friends over the death of President Fidel Castro. She stressed that Cuban people’s strong will and perseverance in the struggle against dictatorship nearly six decades ago is not only the pride of Cuban people and Latin Americans but also a source of great encouragement to Vietnamese people in the resistance war against imperialism to reunify the country.Vietnam is one of the first countries establishing diplomatic relationship with Cuba (December 2, 1960) and the relationship has been ever growing since then.Thu affirmed the Vietnam-Cuba relationship has reached a new level while bilateral cooperation is being intensified. Vietnam is one of Cuba’s economic big partners and its biggest rice supplier while Cuba is assisting Vietnam in transport, biotechnology and agriculture.Speaking at the ceremony, Bernabe Garcia Valido, Cuba’s  Consul General in HCM City, said the Vietnam-Cuba relationship has been tested and nurtured through wars and ups and downs in the world situation.In the future, Cuba wishes the relationship between the two countries will develop in depth, bringing practical benefits to people of the two countries, he said.
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/government/170367/vietnam-cuba-diplomatic-relationship-marked-in-hcm-city.html

VN earns $2.2b from rice export this year

Update: December, 29/2016 - 11:28

The decline in rice export is attributed to the prolonged El Nino phenomenon in the central and Central Highlands, saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta and flooding in the north, central and Central Highlands. — Photo doanhnghiep.vn
NỘI  —  Việt Nam exported an estimated 4.88 million tonnes of rice this year, earning US$2.2 billion, down 25.8 per cent in volume and 21.2 per cent in value year-on-year.
This was revealed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. In December alone, 399,000 tonnes of rice worth $181 million were shipped abroad. China remains the largest rice importer of Việt Nam with market share of 35.9 per cent. In the past 11 months, Việt Nam shipped 1.61 million tonnes worth $722.2 million to China, down 20.5 per cent in volume and 11.7 per cent in value from 2015.

Ghana is Việt Nam’s second largest rice importer with an 11.1 per cent market share. Markets with strong drops in Vietnamese rice imports are the Philippines (down 65 per cent), Malaysia (48 per cent), the United States (33 per cent) and Singapore (30.7 per cent), as well as Indonesia (22 per cent), the Ivory Coast (21.5 per cent) and Hong Kong (19 per cent).

The decline in rice export is attributed to the prolonged El Nino phenomenon in the central and Central Highlands, saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta and flooding in the north, central and Central Highlands. Rice production this year decreased in both cultivation area and output, particularly in the south. Total rice output is estimated at 43.6 million tonnes, down 3.3 per cent from last year. — VNS
http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/348892/vn-earns-22b-from-rice-export-this-year.html#MzhKbFgZ9UeDSvuM.99

Gov`t Claims Success in Reducing Rice Imports in 2016
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government claims that it has successfully reduced rice imports in 2016.
The Agriculture Ministry spokesman Agung Hendriadi said that high volume of rice import in the first quarter of 2016 was attributable to agreements carried over from the previous year.
Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) show that the first quarter of 2016 saw rice import realization of 982,000 tons. Meanwhile, Indonesia continued to import rice from April to November, albeit on smaller volume of 17,000 tons to 38,000 tons.
“[Indonesia] did import rice in 2016; it was attributable to import decision in 2015, in September to December, to be exact, which include import recommendation of over 1 million tons that were carried out in the first quarter of 2016,” he told a press conference on Thursday at BPS office in Jakarta, as quoted by Bisnis Indonesia.
According to him, the success was made possible by rice cultivation management in the past couple of years in a bid to boost food production.
Sasmito Hadi Wibowo, BPS’s deputy for statistics distribution and services, said that rice imports between April and November were not carried out to meet national demand.
He explained that from January to October 2015, monthly small volume of rice imports was made to meet premium rice demand from Middle Eastern and Japanese restaurants. He, however, said that the government decided to import around 1.5 million tons of rice to bolster national rice stock.
The decision caused rice imports to jump in November 2015 to 318,920 tons and that of December 2015 to 291,890 tons. The increase continued until March 2016

http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2016/12/30/056831326/Govt-Claims-Success-in-Reducing-Rice-Imports-in-2016

 

 

Vietnam earns $2.2 billion from rice export this year
Vietnam exported an estimated 4.88 million tonnes of rice this year, earning 2.2 billion USD, down 25.8 percent in volume and 21.2 percent in value year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. 


In December alone, 399,000 tonnes of rice worth 181 million USD were shipped abroad. China remains the largest rice importer of Vietnam with a market share of 35.9 percent. In the past 11 months, Vietnam shipped 1.61 million tonnes worth 722.2 million USD to the country, down 20.5 percent in volume and 11.7 percent in value from 2015. Ghana is Vietnam’s second largest rice importer with an 11.1 percent market share. Markets with strong drops in Vietnamese rice imports are the Philippines (down 65 percent), Malaysia (48 percent), the US (33 percent), Singapore (30.7 percent), Indonesia (22 percent), the Ivory Coast (21.5 percent), and Hong Kong (19 percent). The falling rice export is attributable to prolonging El Nino phenomenon in the central and Central Highlands, saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta, and flooding in the north, the central and the Central Highlands. Rice production this year decreased in both cultivation area and output, particularly in the south. The total rice output is estimated at 43.6 million tonnes, down 3.3 percent from last year

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/170351/vietnam-earns--2-2-billion-from-rice-export-this-year.html

 

Thailand, Vietnam's rice dull amid year-end holidays
UPDATED : 12/29/2016 08:14 GMT + 7

Rice markets in the world's biggest exporters of the grain saw barely any deals amid Christmas and New Year holidays, traders said on Wednesday.Prices in Vietnam, the world's third-biggest rice exporter, were little changed from last week, with Vietnam quoting 5-percent broken rice RI-VNBKN5-P1 at $335-$345 a tonne, FOB basis, compared with $335-$350 a week earlier.
"Market is just quiet during this Christmas and New Year holiday; there's only a few traders selling domestically as they have some stockpile left, but no exports," said a Ho Chi Minh City-based trader.

"There's some private contracts with the Philippines about to be shipped and there's barely any order from China," said another trader in Vietnam.Vietnam is estimated to ship 4.88 million tonnes of rice in 2016, down 25.8 percent from a year earlier, the agriculture ministry has said.Thailand is also expected to have no new rice order until after the New Year holiday."It's quiet... prices are the same in Thai baht, but the depreciation of Thai baht made them look less in dollar terms," said a Bangkok-based trader.The trader quoted the benchmark 5-percent broken rice RI-THBKN5-P1 at $355-$360 a tonne on Wednesday, compared to $360 a week ago

http://tuoitrenews.vn/business/38780/thailand-vietnam-s-rice-dull-amid-yearend-holidays

Paddy production in Morang highest in five years

 December 29, 2016 09:34 AM , Binod Subedi

BIRATNAGAR, Dec 29: Paddy production in Morang has hit a five-year high of 418,200 tons in Fiscal Year 2016/17.According to District Agricultural Development Office, Morang, paddy production in 2016/17 increased by 100,000 tons compared to 2012/13 when the district had produced 318,841 tons. Paddy was planted in 97,860 hectares in 2012/13.Paddy has been planted in 92,300 hectares in 2016/17, according to the office.

Though paddy cultivation area has declined by 5,500 hectares compared to 2012/13, production has been satisfying, according to the office.Cultivation area is decreasing with every passing year due to conversion of farmland into residential plots. According to the office, more than 20,000 hectares of farmland has been converted into residential plots in the past five years. Manoj Kumar Yadav, chief of the office, said that paddy used to be cultivated in 112,000 hectares five years ago. “Now, paddy farming is done in only 92,000 hectares,” he added.

Despite shrinking cultivation area, paddy production has been increasing. In the last fiscal year, 382,713 tons of paddy was produced in 93,850 hectares. Paddy production in 2016/17 is up by 14 percent compared to 2015/16.According to the office, paddy production grew this year as farmers got fertilizers, inputs and improved seeds in time. “Sufficient rainfall is the other reason behind significant rise in paddy production,” Yadav said, adding that the number of farmers using System of Rice Intensification (SRI) technology has increased in recent years. According to Yadav, use of SRI technology has helped to increase paddy production.

  PADDY PRODUCTION

UP IN BARDIYA

Paddy production in Bardiya has increased in 2016/16 compared to last fiscal year.According to District Agriculture Development Office, Bardiya, paddy productivity increased by 4.05 tons per hectare, compared to 3.09 metric tons per hectare in the last fiscal year.Paddy production increased to 202,000 tons in the current fiscal year compared to 195,302 tons in 2015/16, according to the office. Paddy farming was done in 50,000 hectares this year, compared to 50,072 a year earlier.

 http://www.myrepublica.com/news/12042

 

Nigeria imports rice, wheat with N1tr annually, says CBN

Posted By: Our Reporteron: December 30, 2016
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele said yesterday that Nigeria spends the equivalent of N1trillion in foreign exchange annually to import rice and wheat.Emefiele spoke in Jibia, Katsina State, at the launch of the CBN Anchor Borrowers Programme and 2016/2017 Dry Season Farming.‘’Nigeria’s import bill is exceptionally high; top four import commodities, which include rice and wheat, consume over N1 trillion in foreign exchange annually,’’ he said.According to him, relying heavily on food importation fuels domestic inflation and depletes the country’s foreign reserves.The governor, represented by the Director, Development Finance, Mr Olaitan Mudassir, said food importation had negative effects on local production industries and created unemployment.


“Indeed, dependency, especially on commodities that have advantage, is not acceptable and sustainable either fiscally, economically or politically.“Increasing rice production is a necessity as rice importation proffers no future for any nation in the long term.“Nigeria cannot afford to continually depend on imported rice,” he said.He said the Federal Government banned food importation to boost farming and diversify the nation’s economy.
The governor said that the government had mapped out strategies to reduce its import bill on identified commodities by at least 10 per cent annually.“I firmly believe that Nigeria will no longer be one of the world’s highest importer of rice.“It will become an exporter of commodities in medium terms,” he said.
He added that no fewer than 219,837 farmers in 17 states are participating in the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) of the CBN
Emefiele said 246,837 hectares had so far been cultivated under the programme.He said the programme was aimed at supporting farmers with agricultural inputs to enhance productivity, create job opportunities and diversify the country’s economy.He said the CBN had linked more than 120,000 rice and wheat farmers with reputable millers.
According to him, the CBN had set aside some funds from the N220 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Funds (MSMEDF) in furtherance of the Anchor Borrowers Programme.Beneficiaries are to pay 9 per cent interest.Emefiele said the CBN would also empower at least 600,000 farmers in the rice, oil palm, wheat, cotton and fish value chains in the next five years.Bank of Agriculture (BOA) Managing Director Prof. Danbala Danju, said the bank had so far disbursed N22 billion as loan to farmers to boost productivity and ensure food security.
Danju, represented by Alhaji Muhammad Babangida, said the bank would continue to support farmers with loans to encourage all-year-round farming in the country.
He said all-year-round farming would create job opportunities and diversify the country’s economy.
The Anchor Borrowers Programme was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari in Kebbi State in 2015, with a view to boosting rice and wheat production.
http://thenationonlineng.net/nigeria-imports-rice-wheat-n1tr-annually-says-cbn/




100,000 MT of rice to be imported

12/29/2016 
Daily News (Sri Lanka)
Sri Lanka, Dec. 29 -- Finance State Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said that 100,000 MT of rice will be imported to the country by January 16, 17 as a remedy to the scarcity of rice and to bring down the price of rice.
He added that the process of registering rice importers will be completed by January 4.
After that suitable parties for rice importation will be selected. Then the selected parties can import rice under the direct supervision of the government. The decision on rice imports is jointly taken by a committee of Trade Ministry and the Committee appointed on the Cost of Living.
It is up to the joint committee to take measures on rice importation including calculate the volume of rice to be imported.
The State Minister added that of 800,000 acres of paddy lands, only 240,000 cares could be cultivated this season due to the drought and scarcity of water. This is the main reason for the price hike of rice.

Published by HT Syndication with permission from Daily News Sri Lanka. For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
http://www.world-grain.com/news/news%20home/LexisNexisArticle.aspx?articleid=2699140272



North Korea imports of Chinese grain soaring, data show

29.12.2016

North Korea's imports of grain from China are soaring, doubling in November from a year ago.It could be an indication the country cannot keep up with domestic demand despite an official policy of self-sufficient agriculture.According to Korea International Trade Association, a South Korean government agency, an analysis of Chinese customs data shows North Korea imported 3,400 tons of grain last month, Voice of America reported Wednesday.That amount is about $1.62 million worth of food, according to the report.In November 2015, North Korea imported 1,742 tons of grain, or about half the volume of commodities Pyongyang recently shipped across the China border.


Imported grains include rice, flour, corn, starch and beans.Rice topped the list of imports. In November, North Korea imported 1,863 tons, or more than three times the volume of the same period last year.Imports of rice have fluctuated month to month. In September, rice accounted for 16,000 tons of imported food, an unusually high volume that surpassed total rice imports from January to August.


In November, a South Korean analyst said the value of the imported rice in September is about $990,000.On Wednesday, Voice of America reported total grain imports from January to November was 48,805 tons, up 9 percent from the same time period in 2015.But South Korea's unification ministry stated the high volume of grain imports is not unusual.Unification ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee told reporters North Korea "has previously imported as much as 100,000-200,000 tons of grains" annually.


Jeong said Wednesday the more important change is the recent increase in fertilizer imports.North Korea shipped in 158,000 tons of fertilizer from China January to November, twice the amount it imported in 2015, according to VOA.
http://www.blackseagrain.net/novosti/north-korea-imports-of-chinese-grain-soaring-data-show



Plastic Rice, Indian Jollof, And Adeboye’s Gift To Fayose By Azu

 Ishiekwene

Superstition is the common thread. And that’s a commodity that’s never in short supply around here, even in a time of recession. When I first saw the headline on social media, it didn’t make sense. How could it? To suggest that Nigerians had become so rice-crazed that some folks were now importing plastic rice was beyond me. I thought it was just another social media fantasy. Nonsense.
BY AZU ISHIEKWENEDEC 29, 2016
Superstition is the common thread. And that’s a commodity that’s never in short supply around here, even in a time of recession.When I first saw the headline on social media, it didn’t make sense. How could it? To suggest that Nigerians had become so rice-crazed that some folks were now importing plastic rice was beyond me. I thought it was just another social media fantasy. Nonsense.
For decades now, rice has become the most rebellious item on the family menu, upending traditional staple and firmly embedding itself in our culinary experience. But I never knew the day would come when our desperation for this grain will create a market for the plastic variety.
Yet, it was all there in the story; shared so extensively I was forced to call on my faith to believe it is what they said it is: plastic rice.
Journalists serving the news on Christmas Eve fell over themselves to report that the Nigeria Customs had impounded 2.5 tonnes or 102 bags of 25kg each of plastic rice imported by “unscrupulous” business people to ruin our celebrations.
A Customs spokesperson was actually on record but neither the name of the importer nor the source of the import was mentioned. And journalists, all too eager to spread the bizarre news, did not bother to ask.
Readers were expected to accept, by faith also, that some nameless saboteurs had once again colluded with China, the world’s capital of adulteration, to undermine our health and safety.
Before China, it was India. The week before the plastic rice scare, the press had reported that some unidentified persons had imported a 20-feet container of “ready to eat”egusi soup, jollof rice, ogbono and yam porridge from India. None of the reports indicated that the journalists actually saw the food packs or that the items had been referred to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for testing.
Since nothing good can come out of China or India and there are lots of business people who would do just anything for money, the news of food adulteration mixes very easily with our faith and superstition. We don’t have to think to believe that China is at it again.
Reports of the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, having responded that his ministry had conducted tests that showed no evidence of plastic materials in the so-called plastic rice, failed to stem the rumour. We were too far-gone in our superstition and love of spreading the bizarre to stop and think.
Perhaps part of the problem is that we don’t trust our institutions. Or we believe that regulators will join providers of goods and services to kill us if the price is right. But can we just stop for a moment and think about the sense or nonsense of this plastic rice hoax, which first surfaced last year in Indonesia and Malaysia?
How did rice and plastic mix?
Rice is the seed of a species of grass, while plastics include materials composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, chlorine and sulfur. Yes, synthetic plastic may imitate the qualities of natural materials, but that’s as far as it can go. It can’t pass for the original anymore than stone can turn to bread. You only need to pour a handful of rice grains and a handful of plastics into water to find out.
But that seems to be a hard thing to swallow. It’s not as cool as hitting the Share button and spreading superstition and ignorance to a list-serve of 1,000 netizens. Yet, if you think of the cost to China of dicing 2.5 tonnes of polymer into rice grains, then bagging and shipping them thousands of miles, when thousands of paddies all around China are producing relatively cheap rice, you would wonder why they would prefer to bag polymer.
But that is what we have chosen to believe – that polymer grows on trees and that egusi for all its tendency to decay, can be preserved for 40 days on the high sea from Banglore to Apapa Wharf all the way to Oyingbo market in Lagos, where it is supposed to topple the real stuff from the menu.
There’s nothing that superstition – or its cousin, foolishness – won’t do to us. And that’s true about foodstuff as it is about holding public officers and persons in positions of authority accountable.
I’ve been shocked how many people will not say a word about Pastor Enoch Adeboye’s endorsement of Governor Ayodele Fayose’s style, because they think that doing so will offend God.
Adeboye has earned public respect because he is often very careful what he says, where he goes and the company he keeps. When, however, he decides to visit the obnoxiously iconoclastic Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, a fellow beside whom Donald Trump is a child’s play, then Adeboye should not expect the public to look the other way.The visit was controversial enough; his comment there was shocking. To praise Fayose’s “courage” and “boldness” and commend him to other governors as a role model in the defence of his people’s rights is a grave injustice to the memory of those whose deaths have been linked to the governor.
I’m not interested in Fayose’s politics with Abuja or even the allegations of the blood money bazaar that allegedly funded the governor’s reelection. We’ll wait and see how that plays out in court.
I’m saying that I’ll be shocked if Adeboye does not know of police, SSS and court records linking Fayose with the deaths of Tunde Omojola, Ayo Adaramola and Kehinde Fasuba, whose families have yet to get the justice they deserve. Or were these citizens also murdered in defence of the rights of the Ekiti people?
If it’s what comes out of a man that corrupts him and not what he consumes, then evangelical misstep is just as deadly if not more so than plastic rice from China or egusi from India.
Sure, we need to pay attention to the quality of what we eat and drink. But we must also hold our leaders – clergy, laity and apostates – accountable for what they do or say.
-Ishiekwene is the Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief of The Interview and a board member of the Paris-based Global Editors Network.
Azubuike Ishiekwene
http://saharareporters.com/2016/12/29/plastic-rice-indian-jollof-and-adeboye%E2%80%99s-gift-fayose-azu-ishiekwene


Forex, import ban threaten N1trn customs revenue target

By Simon Echewofun Sunday | Publish Date: Dec 30 2016 2:00AMThe year 2016, for the Nigeria Customs Services (NCS) may not have been a thriving one as its revenue generation drive has been greatly impacted by economic issues ranging from foreign exchange (forex) scarcity and import restriction on some 41 items, among others.


Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd)
The Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) at the International Customs Day on January 26 said the Service had targeted a one trillion naira revenue generation in 2016.“We normally set a target for ourselves and we are looking at and hope, working and blocking all leakages and making sure that our system work perfectly and hopeful the polices of government will also be in our favour, we hope to cross the N1 trillion mark,” he had said.To drive this, Col. Ali at the start of 2016 said he would improve the revenue generation mechanism, block leakages in the system and improve the digital aspect of its operations.

The Customs boss was hopeful that the decline in 2015 would not happen in 2016. The Service targeted N954billion for 2015 but fell short of that by N54billion as it generated N903billion. Ali then blamed the shortfall on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy that banned 41 items from being imported.Although the Service is yet to declare its total revenue generation for the year 2016 that will end in two days’ time, there are pointers that the Service may hardly hit the N1trillion target for the year.In August, the Customs Public Relations Officer (PRO), Wale Adeniyi said the Service generated N385.7billion in the first six months of 2016. In the same period of 2015, Customs generated N438.2 billion.

In the interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Adeniyi said the service generated N197.7 billion from import duties in cash and generated N203 million from import duty in non-cash receipts as Negotiable Duty Credit Certificate (NDCC).He said N21.8 billion was generated from excise duty; N910.9 million from fees; N41. 418 billion from federation account levies and N49.3 billion from non-federation accounts levies.
Mr. Adeniyi said the service generated N74.2 billion from Value Added Tax (VAT) during the period.
He had clarified that the decrease of N525.5 million in the revenue generated was due to economic recession. “Access to foreign exchange and the drastic fall in the value of naira have also affected the service’s revenue generation,” Adeniyi had said.

Although it said the 41 restricted import items still affected its revenue drive, the Service was hopeful of a rebounding economy in this last quarter of 2016 that could have a positive impact on its N1trillion earnings target.Besides the revenue target, the Service took critical decisions that have had huge on Nigerians and the economy in the year 2016. One of such is its decision to ban the importation of rice through the land borders, a policy it said has given value to home grown rice and given farmers value for their labour.

The Service declared the ban on rice imports at land borders in March 2016 after it had reversed the ban in October 2015. After a review session with Comptrollers of Border Commands and Federal Operation Units in Abuja, Customs said there was declining revenue from rice imports through the land borders which did not match the volume of rice landed in ports of neighbouring countries.

In a statement, Mr. Adeniyi had said: “Reports from border commands indicated an upsurge in the tempo of rice smuggling. Implementation of the restriction order got off to a smooth start, with a high level of compliance in October 2015. However, revenue started dwindling from January 2016, with importers blaming access to forex as major impediments.“During the five-month period when the importation was allowed, October 2015 to March 17, 2016, a total of 24.992 metric tons of rice valued at N2.3billion were imported through the land borders.”
“Revenue generated amounted to N1.6billion, which is considerably lower than the revenue projected to be generated with the removal of import restrictions,” he said.

The upsurge he said was evidenced in the seizures made by January 2016. In the first two months of the 2016, 9,238 bags of rice were seized, with Duty Paid Value of N64.6million.Meanwhile within the year, the Service said 117,034 bags of rice were seized between January and September. The seizures it said had a duty paid value of N774.2million.
Total ban on rice imports loom

The Service is further looking at a total ban of rice importation in 2017 to encourage local producers, it said in October.Reiterating the ban of rice import through land borders, the NCS said: ”While this restriction is in force, rice imports through the ports are still allowed, subject to payment of extant charges. The service will therefore advocate a total ban on rice importation into Nigeria with effect from 2017.”
The Service believes that the bumper harvests expected from the efforts of Nigerian Rice Producers (NRP) will address the supply gap in 2017.


Within its internal system, the NCS has shown this year that it is not resting on its oars on the fight against corruption and cutting cost. NCS under Col. Ali sanctioned about 51 officers in the last quarter of 2016 with most of them dismissed.

He started with the junior officers when 17 of them were fired for various offences that include drug addiction, certificate forgery, theft and absence from duty between January and September 2016.
Few days after, it announced the dismissal of 29 senior officers, and the sanction of 15 others. Col. Ali who clarified the process of the sanctioning at a management meeting convened to consider the report of the Disciplinary Committee on the cases, said: “We will give all officers fair hearing in line with the principle of natural justice. We will however insist that sanctions be punitive, not only to match the offence committed, but to serve as deterrent to others.”

The affected senior officers were sanctioned for their involvement in improper examination and release of containers without proper documentation and payment of duties, illegal release of goods in advance before the arrival of vessels and collection of bribe to release prohibited items.In November, NCS called for the bidding of two aircraft and one helicopter.  The  Dornier 288-101 models with registration 5N-AUN and 5N-AUX, and a helicopter, an AS 355-F2 with registration 5N-ABP at its Hanger in Kaduna airport in Kaduna state were described as unserviceable. The bid submission had closed since December 7. Many stakeholders said it was an apparent move by the Service to cut cost.

Land borders’ vehicles import ban starts by Sunday
The Customs early this month announced the ban of vehicles importation through the land borders beginning from Sunday January 1, 2017. It said the policy followed the success of the rice ban which came into effect since March this year. It had given about 21 day grace period to importers this month clear their orders before 2017.
Mixed reactions have continued to trail this policy as a section of Nigerians say it will boost activities at the seaports, promote local vehicle production and tackle vehicle smuggling.

www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/business/forex-import-ban-threaten-n1trn-customs-revenue-target/178323.html


Rice millers protest demand of bribe by FCI officials


Thu,29 Dec 2016
Summary: The rice millers also lodged a written complaint with the police alleging that the FCI authorities demanded bribe from them. “Earlier, we used to pay bribe to the FCI officials but after demonetisation, we are not able to pay bribe to them due to which we are being harassed,” alleged Hari Om. He also objected to the presence of RTI activist Kapil Bansal in the FCI office claiming that the FCI authorities accept bribes from rice millers through Bansal. The police tried to pacify the protesting rice millers. While raising slogans against the FCI authorities, the members of the association led by its Jagraon president Hari Om alleged that the FCI officials demanded bribe from them for dumping their rice in the depot.
Say they are being harassed as they could not pay bribe after demonetisation Jaswant Shetra Jagraon, December 28 A high drama was witnessed outside the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Jagraon depot, today when members of the Rice Millers Association, Jagraon, held a protest outside it. While raising slogans against the FCI authorities, the members of the association led by its Jagraon president Hari Om alleged that the FCI officials demanded bribe from them for dumping their rice in the depot. “Earlier, we used to pay bribe to the FCI officials but after demonetisation, we are not able to pay bribe to them due to which we are being harassed,” alleged Hari Om. 


He also objected to the presence of RTI activist Kapil Bansal in the FCI office claiming that the FCI authorities accept bribes from rice millers through Bansal. Bansal, on the other hand, said he had sought information about some rice mills under the RTI Act due to which some rice millers were targeting him. “I visited the FCI office today to ask about the status of information I had sought under the RTI Act”, claimed Bansal
http://www.nyoooz.com/ludhiana/697059/rice-millers-protest-demand-of-bribe-by-fci-officials


Parastatal head demands end to fake imported rice

FRIDAY DECEMBER 30 2016
Farmers deliver rice for milling at Nice Rice Millers in Kirinyaga County on February 26, 2014. The industry is battling importation of fake rice. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP |  

In Summary

Mr Kang’ara called on the Kenya Bureau of Standards and other relevant agencies to crack the whip on those killing the industry.
By MARTIN MWAURA

A parastatal boss wants the national government to block the importation of fake rice.Tana Athi Water Services Board Director Muriithi Kang'ara said it is unfortunate that fake plastic rice is being sneaked into the country.He said some people are bringing in fake and cheap rice then packaging it to appear as if it is from Kirinyaga County, which has caused loss of confidence in the farmers.
Mr Kang’ara called on the Kenya Bureau of Standards and other relevant agencies to crack the whip on those killing the industry.
He said rice farmers remain poor due to smuggling despite bumper harvests.He said to motivate the farmers, the State should provide water for irrigation.The national government had initiated the Thiba dam project but has stalled.The project will be constructed along Thiba River in Kabare and Baragwi locations in Gichugu constituency.Further, the board director urged the government to fight deforestation, which is adversely affecting water catchment areas such as Mt Kenya region.
He was speaking in Murang'a County.
The parastatal is in charge of Mt Kenya region: Kirinyaga, Embu, Nyeri, Tharaka Nithi, Meru and Murang'a.
http://www.nation.co.ke/counties/Kirinyaga/Agency-boss-calls-for-war-on-fake-rice/3444752-3501180-l7otui/

20,000 Katsina farmers for CBN rice scheme


By Habibu Umar Aminu | Publish Date: Dec 29 2016 5:29PM

About 20,000 farmers in Katsina are expected to cultivate 100,000 hectares of Rice and other cereals under the state and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Rice Farmers anchors borrowers scheme.Speaking at the flag up of the scheme at Jibia irrigation dam, the CBN governor Godwin Emefiele said so far no fewer than 219,837 farmers are participating with over 246, 837 hectares cultivated.According to him, the bank has received expression of interest from 26 states and 29 private anchors saying that ' implementation has commence in 17 states and 20 private anchors'

Emefiele who was represented by the Director Development Finances, Olaitan Mudassir, noted that the scheme is a decisive model that will boost the small farmers capability to transform the fortune of the country.In his address the state governor Aminu Masari said the administration has expended over N58 million for the repairs of the Dam's power generating sets, purchase of water pumps and diesel for the smooth take off of the scheme.

He said, other seven dams across the state are been upgraded and rehabilitated to key into the scheme to enable more farmers benefit. He said , a Rice research Center is to be established and a ware house to add value to the scheme.Earlier, the state commissioner of agriculture who is also the deputy governor, Mannir Yakubu the administration is committed to the advancement of the agricultural sector which informed the setting aside of N8 billion naira in the 2017 budget






Rice shortage: Culprit could be a sibling of prez – Ajith

December 29, 2016, 10:26 pm 



by Akitha Perera


Deputy Minister of Power and Renewable Energy Ajith P. Perera has said that the person responsible for the severe shotage of rice shortage is certainly not Rural Economic Affairs Minister P. Harrison and the real culprit could be a brother of President Maithripala Sirisena.Kalutara District MP was responding to Polonnaruwa-based Araliya Rice proprietor Dudley Sirisena, who accused Minister Harrison of releasing paddy stocks to middlemen from the Paddy Marketing Board.Comparing what he described as ‘Diesel Mafia’ and ‘Rice Mafia’ , Deputy Minister Perera said that the several big-time rice millers were responsible for the crisis. He alleged those involved in the racket made public statements to deceive people.
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=157987


Venezuela military trafficking food as country goes hungry

6:05 PM Wednesday Dec 28, 2016

PUERTO CABELLO, Venezuela (AP) " When hunger drew tens of thousands of Venezuelans to the streets in protest last summer, President Nicolas Maduro turned to the military to manage the country's diminished food supply, putting generals in charge of everything from butter to rice.But instead of fighting hunger, the military is making money from it, an Associated Press investigation shows. That's what grocer Jose Campos found when he ran out of pantry staples this year. In the middle of the night, he would travel to an illegal market run by the military to buy pallets of corn flour " at 100 times the government-set price.
"The military would be watching over whole bags of money," Campos said. "They always had what I needed."
With much of the country on the verge of starvation and billions of dollars at stake, food trafficking has become one of the biggest businesses in Venezuela, the AP found. And from generals to foot soldiers, the military is at the heart of the graft, according to documents and interviews with more than 60 officials, business owners and workers, including five former generals.
As a result, food is not reaching those who most need it.The U.S. government has taken notice. Prosecutors have opened investigations against senior Venezuelan officials, including members of the military, for laundering riches from food contracts through the U.S. financial system, according to four people with direct knowledge of the probes. No charges have been brought.
"Lately, food is a better business than drugs," said retired Gen. Cliver Alcala, who helped oversee Venezuela's border security. "The military is in charge of food management now, and they're not going to just take that on without getting their cut."
"WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?"
After opposition attempts to overthrow him, the late President Hugo Chavez began handing the military control over the food industry, creating a Food Ministry in 2004. His socialist-run government nationalized farms and food processing plants, then neglected them, and domestic production dried up. Oil-exporting Venezuela became dependent on food imports, but when the price of oil collapsed in 2014, the government no longer could afford all the country needed.

Food rationing grew so severe that Venezuelans spent all day waiting in lines. Pediatric wards filled up with underweight children, and formerly middle class adults began picking through trash bins for scraps. When people responded with violent street protests, Maduro handed the generals control over the rest of food distribution, and the country's ports.
The government now imports nearly all of Venezuela's food, according to Werner Gutierrez, the former dean of the agronomy school at the University of Zulia, and corruption is rampant, jacking up prices and leading to shortages.
"If Venezuela paid market prices, we'd be able to double our imports and easily satisfy the country's food needs," Gutierrez said. "Instead, people are starving."
One South American businessman said he paid millions in kickbacks to Venezuelan officials as the hunger crisis worsened, including $8 million to people who work for the current food minister, Gen. Rodolfo Marco Torres. The businessman insisted on speaking anonymously because he did not want to acknowledge participating in corruption.
Last July, he struggled to get Marco Torres's attention as a ship full of yellow corn waited to dock.
"This boat has been waiting for 20 days," he wrote in text messages seen by AP.
"What's the problem?" responded Marco Torres.
Although money was not mentioned, the businessman understood that he needed to give more in kickbacks. In the end, he told the general, the boat had to pull out because costs caused by the delay were mounting.
Bank documents from the businessman's country show that he was a big supplier, receiving at least $131 million in contracts from Venezuelan food ministers between 2012 and 2015. He explained that vendors like him can afford to pay off military officials because they build huge profit margins into what they bill the state.
For example, his $52 million contract for the yellow corn was drawn up to be charged at more than double the market rate at the time, suggesting a potential overpayment of more than $20 million for that deal alone.
The Food Ministry's annual report shows significant overpayments across the board, compared to market prices. And the prices the government pays for imported foods have been increasing in recent years, while global food prices remain stable.
This spring, the opposition-controlled congress voted to censure Marco Torres for graft. Maduro vetoed it as an attempt to hurt the Food Ministry, and Marco Torres stayed on as minister.
Internal budgets from the ministry obtained by AP show the overpayment continues. For example, the government budgeted for $118 million of yellow corn in July at $357 a ton, which would amount to an overpayment of more than $50 million relative to prices that month.
"What's amazing about this is it's like a clean form of corruption," said Carabobo state lawmaker Neidy Rosal, who has denounced food-related government theft worth hundreds of millions of dollars. "It's like drug trafficking you can carry out in broad daylight."
Marco Torres did not respond to several requests for comment by phone, email and hand-delivered letter. In the past, he has said that he will not be trapped in fights with a bourgeoisie opposition.
"SCRAPING THE POT"
By putting the military in charge of food, Maduro is trying to prevent soldiers from going hungry and being tempted to participate in an uprising against an increasingly unpopular government, said retired Gen. Antonio Rivero. Venezuela's military has a long history of coups against governments, and Maduro has arrested several officials for allegedly conspiring against him from within.
"They gave absolute control to the military," Rivero said from exile in Miami. "That drained the feeling of rebellion from the armed forces, and allowed them to feed their families."
However, it also opened the door to widespread graft and further squeezed the food supply. In large part due to concerns of corruption following the government's takeover of the food industry, the three largest global food traders " U.S.-based Archer Daniels Midland Co., Bunge Ltd. and Cargill " have stopped selling to the Venezuelan government.
One major scam involves the strict currency controls that have been a hallmark of the administration. The government gives out a limited amount of coveted U.S. currency at a rate of 10 bolivars to the dollar. Almost everyone else has to buy dollars on the ever more expensive black market, currently at 3,000 bolivars to the dollar.
The holders of licenses to import food are among the select few who get to buy dollars at the vastly cheaper rate. Alcala, the retired general, said some officials distribute these much-desired licenses to friends. The friends then use only a fraction of the dollars to import food, and share the rest with the officials.
"We call it 'scraping the pot,' and it's the biggest scam going in Venezuela," Alcala said.
In 2014, one general presented Maduro with a list of 300 companies suspected of simply pocketing the cheap dollars they obtained with their licenses and not importing anything. No action was ever taken and the general was forced into exile, accused of corruption himself.
Some contracts go to companies that have no experience dealing in food or seem to exist only on paper. Financial documents obtained by AP show that Marco Torres gave Panama-registered company Atlas Systems International a $4.6 million contract to import pasta. Atlas has all the hallmarks of a shell company, including no known assets and the use of secretive shares to hide the identity of the company's true owners. Another government food supplier, J.A. Comercio de Generos Alimenticios, lists on its website a non-existent address on a narrow, partially paved street in an industrial city near Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The two companies transferred more than $5.5 million in U.S. dollars in 2012 and 2013 to a Geneva account controlled by two young Venezuelans, according to bank and internal company documents seen by AP. The Venezuelans were Jesus Marquina Parra and Nestor Marquina Parra, brothers-in-law of the then-food minister, Gen. Carlos Osorio. Efforts to reach the brothers were unsuccessful.
Osorio is no longer food minister, but has an even more important role in overseeing food. He was promoted in September to inspector general of the armed forces, with the mission of ensuring transparency in the military's management of the nation's food supply.
Arturo Sanchez, a former supply chain manager at a multinational dairy company, recounted unpleasant encounters with Osorio. In one case, officers forced the company to buy fructose it didn't need because they wanted to unload merchandise he suspected was ill-gotten. Another time, he said, national guardsmen took four trucks of goods without paying. Sanchez fled to Florida in 2014.
"I spent a year living in the U.S. not being able to sleep remembering all the risky situations I lived through," he said.
Osorio did not respond to requests for comment. But in the past he threatened to sue opposition lawmakers for staining his honor with false accusations of corruption. He blamed an economic war for the food shortages.
The Defense Ministry and presidential press office refused to answer repeated calls, emails and hand-delivered letters requesting comment. In the past, officials have accused the opposition of exaggerating the problem of corruption for political gain. They have said that the military's hierarchical structure makes it ideally suited to combat the real culprits: Right-wing businessmen trying to bring down the economy.
From time to time, the government carries out raids of warehouses holding smuggled goods and arrests lower-ranking military officers accused of graft. For example, the night market in Carabobo state where Campos bought his corn flour was eventually shut down and 57 tons of smuggled food seized. Now Campos buys staples from intermediaries he suspects are working with the same military officials.
In January, the government quietly arrested 40 state employees for stealing large quantities of food from open-air markets. One of those still in jail is a colonel who had been named by Osorio to serve as president of a state agency that imported food.
"We have the moral fortitude and the discipline to take on this task of protecting what belongs to the people," the defense minister, Gen. Vladimir Padrino Lopez, said in September. "The state has an obligation to root out corruption in all levels of public administration."
"IT'S THE CUSTOMER WHO PAYS"
And yet the corruption persists from the port to the markets, according to dozens of people working in Puerto Cabello, the town that handles the majority of Venezuela's food imports.
Sometimes the officials who control access to the docks keep ships waiting until they are paid off, said a stevedore at the port, who spoke anonymously because he feared losing his job.
The stevedore said clients give him envelopes of dollars to pass on to officials. He described visiting the sergeant in charge and making small talk while placing an envelope in the wastebasket. Then he slides the basket under the table and leaves. That night, his client's ships are allowed in, he said.
After ships unload their cargo, customs officials take their share, according to four customs workers. They said that without a payment equivalent to a month's minimum wage, officials will not start the process of nationalizing goods.
Bribes are also required for any missing paperwork, and can exceed $10,000 for a single shipping container, customs worker Aldemar Diaz said.
"Sometimes you actually want to do it legally, but the officials will say, 'Don't bother,'" he said.
Luis Pena, operations director at the Caracas-based import business Premier Foods, said he pays off a long roster of military officials for each shipment of food he brings in from small-scale companies in the U.S.
"You have to pay for them to even look at your cargo now," he said. "It's an unbroken chain of bribery from when your ship comes in until the food is driven out in trucks."
Worst of all, he added, is that he is forced to pay to skip a health inspection. Officials make him buy a health certificate and don't even open the containers to test a sample, he said.
A version of this process also takes place on the border, said Alcala, the retired general who was once in charge of border control. He said officers allowed smugglers to pay bribes to bring in food without proper health and safety checks. This year, Venezuelans began posting photos and videos showing magnets pulling tiny iron shavings out of freshly opened bags of sugar smuggled in from Brazil.
Pena said his contacts at the port have offered to illegally sell him government-imported staples like sugar and rice, complete with falsified papers and a military escort.
"The military was supposed to step in and make sure the food got to the people, but it's been the exact opposite," said Pena, sitting in his warehouse. "They've made it into a business, and there's no one to appeal to. In the end, it's the customer who pays."
If he tries to get through the process without bribes, he said, the food sits and spoils.
Rotting food is a problem even as 90 percent of Venezuelans say they can't afford enough to eat. In some cases, partners buy food that is about to expire at a steep discount, then bill the government for the full price. The government has sometimes acknowledged that food it imported arrived already expired.
The problem of rotting food got so bad at Puerto Cabello that it drew rebuke in the most recent state comptroller's report, which expressed particular dismay that thousands of tons of state-imported beans had been allowed to spoil.
When the food is no longer usable, the military tries to get rid of it quietly. Puerto Cabello crane operator Daniel Arteaga watched one night last winter as workers at a state-run warehouse buried hundreds of containers of spoiled chicken and meat imported by the government.
"All these refrigerated containers, and meanwhile people are waiting in food lines each week just to buy a single chicken," he said.
Photos taken at the Puerto Cabello dump last year show men in green military fatigues helping bury beef and chicken. Residents at a slum down the hill said after the military visits the dump, they dig up animal feed, potatoes, even ham to give their children.
The docks are hidden behind high concrete walls, and guards watch every entrance. AP gained rare access in November. The low-ranking military members assigned to guard the port can be seen collaborating with thieves to steal what little food comes in, according to eight people who work behind the walls.
"You see people making off with whole sacks of flour or corn on their shoulders, and paying the guards on their way out," logistics coordinator Nicole Mendoza said. "You see the money changing hands, and you just lower your eyes and don't say anything."
Lt. Miletsy Rodriguez, who is in charge of a group of national guardsmen running security at the port, said people are just looking to scapegoat the military. If her unit wasn't around, looting would be even more widespread, she said.
"The majority of us are doing our best. And sooner or later we'll catch people who are not doing the job right," she said.
BRIBES ON THE ROAD
Just as bribes are needed to get food into the port, they are also required to move food out, truckers said.
The roads near the port are lined with trucks waiting to be let in. Drivers sling hammocks in their wheel wells and sometimes wait several days in the thick tropical heat. Trucking bosses recently banded together to stop paying bribes to port officials, and the officials are now punishing them by delaying the movement of cargo onto vehicles, said Jose Petit, president of the Puerto Cabello trucking association.
When the food is finally loaded onto the trucks, soldiers come by to take a cut. Photos and videos taken by truckers show officials taking sacks of sugar and coffee. As the trucks rattle off down the highway, hungry women in clothes that no longer fit chase after them to pick up anything that falls out.
Billboards lining the highway feature a drawing of an enormous ant beside a nonworking phone number to denounce corruption, and the warning, "No to bachaqueros." That's what Venezuelans call people who make a living illegally reselling food, after the leafcutter ants that haul many times their weight through the jungles.
On the roads, truck drivers face an obstacle course of military checkpoints, ostensibly set up to stop bachaqueros. Truckers say soldiers at about half the checkpoints demand bribes. Some invent infractions such as an insufficiently filled tire, and take cash along with sacks of pantry items, produce and even live chickens, the drivers said.
"It used to be you'd go your whole route and not have to pay any anything. Now at every checkpoint, they ask for 10,000 bolivars," said trucker Henderson Rodriguez, who was waiting for a third day to get into the port to pick up a load of sugar.
The surest way to move food through the network of checkpoints is to transport it under military guard. For a percentage of the product's value, military officers on the take will assign a moonlighting soldier to ride along in the truck, according to five store and restaurant owners.
Sugar and flour are among the items most in demand because they have become virtually impossible to find legally, and some businesses, like bakeries, cannot function without them. A half dozen bakery owners across the country said in interviews that military officials regularly approach them with offers to sell supplies in exchange for a bribe.
In the city of Valencia, bakery owner Jose Ferreira cuts two checks for each purchase of sugar: one for the official price of 2 cents a pound and one for the kickback of 60 cents of pound. He keeps copies of both checks in his books, seen by AP, in case the authorities ever come asking.
"You make the legal payment, and then you pay the kickback," he said. "We have no other option; there's no substitute for sugar."
The theft extends to the very end of the food supply chain, vendors said. At one market in Valencia, the military members who were appointed in August to stop contraband confiscated vendors' produce. They said the vendors did not have the right permits. The food was piled in an olive green cargo truck.
In Puerto Cabello, hungry residents said it feels like corrupt soldiers are taking food off their children's plates. Pedro Contreras, 74, watched more than 100 trucks carrying corn rattle onto the highway, and walked stiffly into traffic to sweep up the kernels that had sifted out. He planned to pound them into corn flour that night to feed his family.
"The military is getting fat while my grandchildren get skinny," he said. "All of Venezuela's food comes through here, but so little of it goes to us."
Associated Press writers Stan Lehman in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Gisela Salomon in Miami contributed to this report.
EXTRA: AP correspondent Hannah Dreier has been living through chaos this year as Venezuela edges toward collapse. This interactive collects her tweets to show daily happenings around the country.
___
Hannah Dreier is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/hannahdreier . Joshua Goodman is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/APjoshgoodman . More of AP's reporting on Venezuela's problems can be found at https://www.ap.org/explore/venezuela-undone

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11773973








Foreign exchange: Nigeria spends N1trn on rice, wheat importation annually — CBN


The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, said that importation of rice and wheat gulped over N1 trillion in foreign exchange annually.Emefiele said this on Thursday in Jibia, Katsina State, at the launch of CBN Anchor Borrowers Programme and 2016/2017 Dry Season Farming.‘’Nigeria’s import bill is exceptionally high; top four import commodities which include rice and wheat, consume over N1 trillion in foreign exchange annually,’’ he said.
According to him, relying heavily on food importation fuels domestic inflation and depletes the country’s foreign reserves.The governor, represented by the Director, Development Finance, Mr Olaitan Mudassir, said food importation had negative effects on local production industries and created unemployment in the country.Indeed, dependence, especially on commodities that have advantage, is not acceptable and sustainable either fiscally, economically or politically.“Increasing rice production is a necessity as rice importation proffers no future for any nation in the long term.
“Nigeria cannot afford to continually depend on imported rice,” he said.He said the Federal Government banned food importation to boost farming and diversify the nation’s economy.The governor said that the government had mapped out strategies to reduce its import bill on identified commodities by at least 10 per cent annually.“I firmly believe that Nigeria will no longer be one of the world’s highest importer of rice.“It will become an exporter of commodities in medium terms,” he said.The Nigerian Customs Service had announced a ban on the importation of rice through the land borders.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, retired Col. Hameed Ali, said 99 per cent of rice smuggled through the land borders is not fit for human consumption
The Mowgli Chip Butty, also known as the Bombay Chip Butty, at Mowgli in Water Street
M went for the Mowgli Chip Butty (£5.25) – known in Bold Street as the Bombay Chip Butty. It’s one of Mowgli’s key dishes, and for good reason.
It’s got echoes of the same tea-smoked flavouring found in my chickpeas, all dark and rich. But this one isn’t just about the flavours, it’s about the textures. Each small spud is crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy in the middle, while the onions and coriander provide a textural as well as flavourful contrast.
The bread itself is thin roti, just enough to hold the spuds and relish together.
And for those who need a bit more filling, it comes with a pile of spuds on the side. Perfect for stealing.
M also went for a Green Ginger and Rhubarb Dhal (£4.50). With plenty of green mung lentils, it was gently warm and sweet without challenging the chip butty for spiciness.
As a child, M tells me, she used to eat sticks of rhubarb dipped in caster sugar. The dhal was every bit as comforting as those childhood memories.

And on the side?

We shared the basmati rice that came with my tiffin box. And, on our server’s recommendation, we also had a portion of Puri flatbreads (£1.95 for two). they were crisp and puffy, like thin savoury doughnuts, and were great for mopping up spicy sauce.
Sweet finish
The watermelon sorbet at Mowgli
There’s a small but tasty selection of desserts on the Mowgli menu.
The watermelon sorbet, which comes in a chunky handmade cone (£2.40), was a refreshing finish to M’s meal.
By contrast, my Gulab Jamun (£4.50) was rich and indulgent – three syrupy dough balls, sticky and heavy, with a scoop of the creamiest ice cream I’ve had for years.

All in all...

Mowgli’s second Liverpool restaurant is bigger and grander than its first, but it’ll be very familiar to Mowgli fans – and a great introduction to the brand if you haven’t tried it before.
The food’s as good as ever, the neighbourhood is as buzzing as Bold Street, and the more spacious venue suits Mowgli well.
This is one sequel that’s at least as good as the original.

Everything you need to know

Mowgli (Photo: Ian Cooper)
Mowgli
3, Water Street, Liverpool L2 0RD
0151 236 6366
Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday: Noon-9.30pm
Friday and Saturday: Noon-10.30pm
Service: Enthusiastic, knowledgeable and helpful
Price: Small plates mean you can make your Mowgli visit as cheap or as indulgent as you wish
Disabled access: Yes

http://naija247news.com/2016/12/foreign-exchange-nigeria-spends-n1trn-on-rice-wheat-importation-annually-cbn/


REVIEW: Does Mowgli's new Water Street venue match up to the Bold Street original?

We paid a visit to the latest in Nisha Katona's growing restaurant empire

MOWGLI, WATER STREET

·     11:41, 29 DEC 2016
·   UPDATED11:41, 29 DEC 2016
WHAT'S ONOPINION
Mowgli in Water Street (Photo: Andrew teebay)
You can’t walk down Bold Street or Castle Street these days without tripping over a whizzkid plotting a bijou eatery.And that’s a good thing too. Not so long ago Castle Street was far too quiet when the offices closed for the night, while the future of Bold Street looked rather uncertain after Liverpool ONE opened.
But Bold Street’s now a proper food and drink hub, anchored by favourites like Indian street food restaurant Mowgli.
Nisha Katona’s eatery swiftly became one of the city centre’s most popular food and drink stops after it opened in 2014. Some people I know still haven’t been because it’s always just too busy – and you can’t book.
So now Nisha has opened a second restaurant just off that other hotspot, Castle Street.
So can Mowgli Water Street match the success of its Bold Street parent? I went to find out....

Welcome inside

First floor tables at Mowgli in Water Street (Photo: Andrew Teebay)
There’s still scaffolding around the outside, but inside Mowgli is finished and very impressive.
We could walk in and get a table for two straight away. The new Mowgli, by the way, does take bookings.
The first thing Bold Street aficionados will notice is that it’s big – much larger than the first Mowgli.
The old banking hall has been elegantly converted into an open and spacious dining area, with some more intimate seating to the side and in a mezzanine above.
Some of the original decor has been preserved among the familiar Mowgli touches, from the logo of the monkey with a tiffin box to the ropes and cages that are also part of Bold Street’s decor.
The two words I wrote down immediately were “pastel” and “twinkling”. The colour is indeed gently pastel below the gentle lights – and the place is packed with white fairy lights. It took my eyes a while to adjust, actually – but luckily the menu is very familiar.

What’s on offer?

The menu at Mowgli in Water Street
Mowgli is all about the small plates, which you can mix and match.
The menu is the same as Bold Street, with a mix of dishes you’ll recognise from other Indian restaurants and a selection of Mowgli specials.
There are plenty of items for carnivores and a great selection for vegetarians – and there’s even a separate vegan menu.
And if you can’t decide, you can always order a tiffin box – a four-tier metal tin with three curries and a rice.
Drinks-wise, there’s everything from lassi yoghurt coolers to cocktails, wines and bottled beers. I went for a Brazilian Devassa lager and a Curious IPA – which looked, curiously enough, almost blood red under Mowgli’s atmospheric lighting.

An intro

The Bhel Puri, left, Basmati Rice and Puri bread
The food arrives as it’s cooked, so there are strictly speaking no starters or mains
But if you order a Bhel Puri (£4.10) from the Street Chat menu, it normally arrives pretty quickly as a tasty appetiser with your beers.
It’s a tin of puffed rice with peanuts, “gram threads” and a sweet and sour dressing. it doesn’t sound like much, but it’s magnificent – tangy and crisp with a real bite from the chilis studded through it. Perfect beer food.

What about the mains... sorry, street food?

The contents of the Office Worker's Tiffin at Mowgli in Water Street, Liverpool - Tea Steeped Chickpeas, top centre, Mowgli House Keema, left, and the House Chicken Curry, bottom right
There’s so much choice on the menu that I took the easy way out and ordered an Office Worker’s Tiffin (£14) – which promises “food roulette”.
When it arrives your server tells you what’s in it. So our server – who was, by the way, super-friendly and enthusiastic about the food – told me I had the House Chicken, the Keema and the Chickpeas.
The Mowgli House Chicken was probably – just – my favourite. The tender chicken chunks come in a mellow and sweet coconut sauce, aromatically flavoured with mustard seed and curry leaves.The Tea Steeped Chickpeas come in a loose tomato chili sauce, rich and almost smoky.The Mowgli House Keema was thick, sweet and earthy. The minced lamb has, the menu says, been simmered for hours – it’s certainly deep and rich, with lovely cumin and nutmeg spice.

What about the veggie options?




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