Thursday, June 21, 2018

21st June,2018 daily global regional local rice e-newsletter

21th June,2018
Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter
www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com

Rice imports

Jun Dumaguing, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jun 20 2018 07:25 PM
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Workers unload sacks of rice totaling 25,000 metric tons imported from Vietnam at the pier of the Naval Supply Depot at Subic Bay Freeport zone on Wednesday. Rice imported by the National Food Authority from Thailand and Vietnam under the government procurement scheme will be delivered to different ports in the country for distribution to markets nationwide.

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Agriculture chief says PHL to import rice through 2020 despite rising output

The government is looking for ways to bring down prices of palay. -- AFP
THE PHILIPPINES’ paddy rice output is expected to rise to meet 95-96% of the country’s annual requirement by 2020, from 93% last year, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said on Tuesday.
The latest forecast misses Mr. Piñol’s own target for the Philippines to be self-sufficient in rice production by 2020, but is in line with comments last week by President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
Mr. Piñol said this year’s paddy rice harvest is likely to exceed the 2017 record-high level of 19.3 million tons, taking into account the 4.6% improvement in first-quarter output from a year ago.
The Philippines is a frequent buyer of rice — mainly from Vietnam and Thailand — usually importing more than a million tons of the staple grain each year to meet domestic demand and maintain stockpiles. The region’s second most heavily populated nation after Indonesia with about 105 million people, the Philippines consumes roughly 11.7 million tons of rice every year.
The country limits private rice imports to protect its farmers, buying up to 805,200 tons of rice with a 35% import tariff, under an annual quota scheme covered by a World Trade Organization deal.
The National Food Authority, also buys rice free of tariffs.
Recent rice shortages have pushed up domestic prices and put pressure on inflation.
Mr. Duterte’s economic team has suggested restrictions on the volume of imports should be scrapped in favor of a scheme where all imports are subject to the tariff, which could push up private imports during poor harvests.

UCs and rice importation

Published June 19, 2018, 11:00 PM
FEATURE
By NILO E. COLINARES
“PH to import 250,000 tons of rice from Vietnam, Thailand”
“Rice importation still needed, says PhilRice.”When headlines  such as these hog the front pages of major dailies, one is wont to ask:  Why all the fuss on importation with no mention of production?
Some say that there is a need to import rice to feed the burgeoning population of the country, and to enable consumers access to more affordable rice. Others, on the other hand, aver that importation “aggravates the situation of the hurting rice sector” because farmers cannot compete with cheaper and usually subsidized rice imports.
Controversies of this nature bring us to the role State Universities and Colleges (SUC) – Colleges of Agriculture play on rice production.
Erstwhile CHED Commissioner Carlito S. Puno stated in a Keynote speech “SUCs as Leaders of Economic Development” delivered during the Mid-Year Conference of the Philippine Association for State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) and in a “Symposium on the Rationalization of Public HEIs: Some thirty years ago, we taught the Thailanders how to plant rice. In five years’ time, they became self-sufficient in rice and in another five years, they became the world’s number one exporter of rice.”
In the same manner, 40 years ago there was hunger in South Korea so they sent their agriculturists to the Philippines to learn how to increase their rice production. Our engineers were also tapped to construct the first four-story building and other infrastructure projects in South Korea. In ten years’ time, the situation was reversed.
Commissioner Puno further observed that among our state universities and colleges, a good number are in agriculture. Our agricultural faculty members and researchers, he opined, are world-class academicians. We can see them providing leadership and expertise in international and regional institutions here and abroad. But why has the country’s agricultural sector not been so efficient?
Simply stated, why are we still importing rice despite the agricultural expertise of SUCs?.
Every national government administration promises to remedy this situation, Thus, a few years ago, the DA secretary assured the country that there will no longer be rice importation by 2013 under DA’s Agri-Pinoy program. The secretary told farmers, irrigators, local leaders, and various stakeholders at a Farmers Forum in Kalinga, that the Philippines will achieve rice sufficiency in three years and will stop importing rice from other countries. It is now 2018 and the recent headlines speak for themselves.
As to the SUCs’ rice production record, we take as sample a state university in the province — the University of Eastern Philippines, which celebrates its centennial anniversary today. Founded in 1918 as the Catarman Farm School, it metamorphosed into a National Agricultural  High School, to a state college as the  Samar Institute of Technology, later converted into the University of Eastern Philippines, a comprehensive  university currently with nine colleges  producing board topnotchers in nursing, engineering, teacher education, veterinary medicine, accounting; and  agriculture, criminology board passers and bar passers.
Rice production did not spread out much to the province. The agricultural school, however, had its moments of seeming abundance, ironically when the agricultural school was converted into the Samar Institute of Technology. Under the watch of its first president Lt. Col. Emeterio Asinas, faculty members and employees – from the president down to the lowliest gardener, were receiving a sack of rice and 2 dozen eggs every month, to the point that a few began selling rice and eggs in sari-sari stores. But nowhere was the plentiful  rice due to the presence of the agricultural college in the university. And the same may be said of the presence of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the UP Los Baños, or any big-name agricultural school  in an SUC. Not one can claim to have averted rice importation in a province, region and/or country because of its production.
What then is the answer to the past commissioner’s comment on the efficiency of the agricultural sector?
SUCs may claim that their main function is to teach and not necessarily to produce. In fact, the Chinese proverb, “Give a man fish and he will live for a day; teach a man to fish, and he will have food for life,” is now being paraphrased in the joke, “Teach a man to plant rice and he will know how to import.”
Time was when the SUCs tripod functions were Reseach, Instruction, and Extension. Now a fourth one has been added: Production, with many implications inclusive of manpower production, instructional materials, agricultural technology flyers research outputs, bookwriting, consultancy, and community services.
Rice importation they say, is not a technical question, nor an academic problem to be solved by the SUCs “world class academicians” and expert agriculture faculty and researchers.
So, to import or not to import? To produce or not to produce?
The question is political, to be addressed by the state and not by the academe.
Philippines to Import Rice Through 2020 Despite Rising Output: Minister
The Philippines' paddy rice output is expected to rise to meet 95 percent to 96 percent of the country's annual requirement by 2020, from 93 percent last year, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said on Tuesday (19/06). (Reuters Photo/Romeo Ranoco)
By : Enrico dela Cruz | on 7:00 AM June 20, 2018
Category : InternationalSE Asia
Manila. The Philippines' paddy rice output is expected to rise to meet 95 percent to 96 percent of the country's annual requirement by 2020, from 93 percent last year, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said on Tuesday (19/06).
The latest forecast misses Piñol's own target for the Philippines to be self-sufficient in rice production by 2020, but is in line with comments last week by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Piñol said this year's paddy rice harvest is likely to exceed the 2017 record-high level of 19.3 million metric tons, taking into account the 4.6 percent improvement in first-quarter output from a year ago.
The Southeast Asian nation is a frequent buyer of rice, mainly from Vietnam and Thailand, usually importing more than a million tons of the staple grain each year to meet domestic demand and maintain stockpiles.
The region's second most heavily populated nation after Indonesia with about 105 million people, the Philippines consumes roughly 11.7 million tons of rice every year.
The country limits private rice imports to protect its farmers, buying up to 805,200 tons of rice with a 35 percent import tariff, under an annual quota scheme covered by a World Trade Organization deal.
The state grains stockpiling agency, the National Food Authority, also buys rice free of tariffs.
Recent rice shortages have pushed up domestic prices and put pressure on inflation.
Duterte's economic team has suggested restrictions on the volume of imports should be scrapped in favor of a scheme where all imports are subject to the tariff, which could push up private imports during poor harvests

PH to import rice till ’20 despite rising output

June 20, 2018
The Philippines’ paddy rice output is expected to rise to meet 95 to 96 percent of the country’s annual requirement by 2020, from 93 percent last year, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said yesterdaay.

The latest forecast misses Piñol’s own target for the Philippines to be self-suffient in rice production by 2020, but is in line with comments last week by President  Duterte.

Piñol said this year’s paddy rice harvest is likely to exceed the 2017 record-high level of 19.3 million tons, taking into account the 4.6 percent improvement in first-quarter output from a year ago.

The Philippines is  a frequent buyer of rice, mainly from Vietnam and Thailand, usually importing more than a million tons of the staple grain each year to meet domestic demand and maintain stockpiles.

The region’s second most heavily populated nation after Indonesia with about 105 million people, the Philippines consumes roughly 11.7 million tons of rice every year.

The country limits private rice imports to protect its farmers, buying up to 805,200 tons of rice with a 35 percent import tariff, under an annual quota scheme covered by a World Trade Organization deal.

The state grains stockpiling agency, the National Food Authority, also buys rice free of tariffs.

Recent rice shortages have pushed up domestic prices and put pressure on inflation.

Duterte’s economic team has suggested restrictions on the volume of imports should be scrapped in favor of a scheme where all imports are subject to the tariff, which could push up private imports during poor harvests. – Reuters 

Egypt to import rice to avoid price shock

June 20, 2018 - by Arvin Donley

CAIRO, EGYPT — The Egyptian government has announced a decision to import rice to increase supply and avoid a potential price shock to consumers, according to a June 19 Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service in Cairo said that the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation’s January 2018 measure reducing cultivated rice areas may have led to grain hoarding.
“This has resulted in a decrease in the volume of rice being offered to the country’s subsidy procurement system,” the USDA said.
Although milled and paddy rice prices increased in April, the recent announcement to increase imports caused prices to fall, and the USDA said it anticipates prices will continue downward as the August/September harvest commences and imports start arriving.
Still, the USDA expects a shortfall in supply in marketing year 2019-20, and it sees an opportunity for U.S. paddy rice.
Paddy rice has not been imported in recent years due to the surplus of the local rice production, it said.
“Post understands that while opportunities reside in supplying the Egyptian domestic market, the best prospects are in milling, branding and re-exporting U.S.-origin paddy rice,” the USDA said. “Volumes that could be absorbed by Egypt range from 10,000 tonnes to upwards of 300,000 tonnes.”
Since a recent peak of 4.8 million tonnes in 2016-17, Egypt production fell to 4.3 million in 2017-18 and is forecast to drop to 3.3 million in 2018-19, according to the USDA.
Meanwhile, it forecasts 400,000 tonnes of rice imports in 2018-19, up from 50,000 tonnes in 2017-18. http://www.world-grain.com/articles/news_home/World_Grain_News/2018/06/Egypt_to_import_rice_to_avoid.aspx?ID={18C018EA-3B26-47FC-941D-C602EF9E51E6}&cck=1

Government must not abandon rice farmers

The President confirmed last week what some experts have been saying all along: That the Philippines will be hard pressed to achieve rice self-sufficiency. This self-sufficiency mantra gained traction during the Arroyo administration, when the Philippines struggled to buy rice from other countries in 2008. Despite having the money to import rice, supply was thin then as the combination of natural disasters and the need to feed their own people forced sellers to hoard their rice supply.
The realization that exporting countries would always prioritize their own citizens, coupled with the ill effects of climate change, prompted the government to reexamine its rice policy. To hike production and ultimately achieve rice self-sufficiency, the government raised its support price for paddy to P17 per kilogram, from P11.50 per kg in 2008. It also rolled out a program dubbed FIELDS (Fertilizer, Irrigation, Education and training farmers and fishermen, Loans, Dryers and other postharvest facilities, and Seeds of the high-yielding, hybrid varieties). FIELDS was a P43.7-billion program, which sought to help farmers increase their output. The government also pumped more money into irrigation and expanded irrigated rice areas.
Rice self-sufficiency means the Philippines would no longer have to depend on imports as the staple required by Filipinos are planted, harvested and purchased locally. The country has shown that it is capable of being self-sufficient in the staple. In 1992 the Philippines had rice surplus and was even able to export 35,101 metric tons (MT), according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). That year the Philippines produced 5.97 million metric tons and needed 5.7 MMT for 65.34 million Filipinos. The PSA noted that per-capita consumption of the staple was only at 87.13 kg or 238.71 grams per day. Rice cost only P10.25 per kg in the National Capital Region in 1992, about 8.7 percent of the minimum wage of P118 for nonagriculture workers.
The former chief of the National Statistical Coordination Board, Dr. Romulo A. Virola, and President Duterte both attributed the decline in Philippine paddy production to the loss of farmlands devoted to rice. Virola said it does not help that the conversion of irrigated lands into subdivisions and golf courses remain unabated. Also, millions of hectares of farmlands lack irrigation, which is crucial to growing a water-loving crop like rice. The government’s aspiration to increase mechanization to cut labor cost and improve productivity remains just that—a dream. Farmlands in Mindanao that are suitable for rice are being used for cash crops. This practice has not changed despite the continuous expansion of the country’s population.
These may have been the reasons the President seems exasperated about the country’s rice-supply situation. The task of fixing it is daunting, but this should not stop the government from trying. Duterte has shown he has the political will to go after criminals and drug addicts. This kind of resolve is needed in pursuing our rice self-sufficiency goal. Otherwise, rice farmers need an alternative livelihood if government is abandoning its self-sufficiency bid.
The government must give a clear signal if it intends to move the country away from producing rice to just importing its entire requirements. Sending out confusing signals would discourage farmers and even cause volatility in the international rice market as the Philippines is a major importer of the staple. Should it make up its mind about abandoning the self-sufficiency goal, the government must have a backup plan in place to help 2.4 million farmers cope with the certain loss of their livelihood.

RIFAN Lauds FG For Plans To Shut Borders To Curb Rice Smuggling

Alhaji Aminu Goronyo, the President of RIFAN, expressed the commendation on Wednesday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.
 On Jun 20, 2018

The Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria has commended the Federal Government for its plans to shut Nigeria’s border with a neighbouring country to stem rice smuggling into the country.
Alhaji Aminu Goronyo, the President of RIFAN, expressed the commendation on Wednesday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.
The RIFAN president was reacting to the statement of Chief Audu Ogbeh, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, concerning plans to close the border because of large-scale rice smuggling into Nigeria through the unnamed country.
Goronyo said that the move had become imperative in view of the current rice revolution in many states across the country and the strategic interventions which some Federal Government agencies had initiated.
He said that if adequate measures were not taken to stop the activities of the smugglers, they would have adverse effects on the expected bumper rice harvests in the country, while creating a glut.
He said: “It is a step in the right direction to ensure self-sufficiency, enable the country to make progress, crash the market prices of locally produced rice and make the huge investment on rice production to be more meaningful.”
Goronyo said that although rice importation through the land borders was banned since April 2016, rice smugglers still engaged in the unwholesome act.
He said that even before now, RIFAN and the Nigeria Customs Service had signed a Memorandum of Understanding to curb rice smuggling into the country through land borders.
The RIFAN president said that the joint efforts had reduced the activities of the smugglers, adding that the smuggled rice in the country, which largely came in through the informal sector, was just five per cent of what the citizens consumed.
He said: “Any smuggler bringing rice into the Nigerian market would have to think twice because it is no longer a profitable venture, as the landing cost of a 50kg. bag of imported rice is now N20, 000.
“So calculate how much the rice had to be sold for the venture to be a profitable one; honestly, rice smuggling is no longer a lucrative venture.’’
Goronyo said that as part of efforts to achieve the goals of the anti-rice importation policy, the Comptroller-General of Customs ordered the deployment of capable officers and men to the country’s borders to enforce the order.
He said that the Customs also re-organised its anti-smuggling patrol operations to strengthen efforts to enforce the ban on rice imports via the land borders.
He commended the efforts of the customs service to restore the confidence of RIFAN in its capacity, while assuring the country’s rice farmers of getting adequate markets for their produce.
Goronyo said that rice production in Nigeria had increased from 5.5 million tonnes in 2015 to 5.8 million tonnes in 2017.
He said that in 2015, Nigerians spent not less than N1 billion daily on rice consumption, adding that while spending had drastically reduced, rice consumption had, nonetheless, increased because of increased local production.
Goronyo said that available statistics showed that the rice consumption rate had increased appreciably, while the production rate had climaxed to 5.9 tonnes per annum.
He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for investing massively in rice production, adding that his policies had stimulated the nation’s development.
He assured Nigerians that with the sustained implementation of the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, RIFAN would assiduously work towards Nigeria’s attainment of self-sufficiency in rice production by 2020
Trade Mission to Japan Points to Market Opportunities 

TOKYO, JAPAN -- USA Rice Asia Promotion Programs Director Jim Guinn participated in a trade mission to Japan last week, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and led by Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney.  This mission, with approximately 100 participants, was the largest in USDA history, and was designed to reach new contacts and potential customers for U.S. agricultural products in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan's two largest cities and culinary centers.

U.S. Ambassador William Hagerty welcomed the delegation to Japan and provided an overview of the trade relationship between the two countries.  The group also heard a presentation on current food trends in Japan, and Guinn met with USDA staff prior to visits with trade associations and rice importers, including a formal conversation with Under Secretary McKinney and Office of Agricultural Affairs staff here.

"Japan is already a top market for U.S. farm and food products, but there are many new opportunities still waiting to be tapped there," McKinney said.  "Japan is an import-dependent economy and its 130 million consumers have a real affinity for U.S. food products because of their quality, affordability, and safety."

Meetings with traders, industry leaders, and politicians, pointed up two differing opinions on where rice production in Japan is headed and how it will affect imports.

Representing one side was the president of a food industry association who cited a recent Ministry of Finance study that concluded that within 10 years, Japan's rice production would fall from the current 7.3 million tons to five million tons due to farmer retirement, small plot abandonment, and competing cash crops, resulting in the need to import up to 1.4 million tons of rice.

A differing opinion was offered by a rice industry group who argued that government policies/subsidies aimed at consolidating small plots into larger farming units would ameliorate any loss in the number of farmers.  Coupled with a falling population and the continued trend of reduced per capita consumption of rice, the industry group surmised demand would be significantly less 10 years hence, allowing Japan to remain self-sufficient in rice production.


Actual market data shows rice importers and distributors for the foodservice industry have a sustained strong interest in U.S. rice, although there is increasing competition from Australian short grain rice that is priced on par with or marginally lower than U.S. Calrose medium grain.

"There are two types of foodservice end users currently using imported U.S. rice," said Guinn.  "Those who decide to purchase based solely on the lower price of imported rice and another group who appreciate the versatility and end use characteristics of U.S. medium grain.  Indications are the larger and growing segment is the latter group."

Japan continues to be the second largest single export market for U.S. milled rice at more than 300,000 MT, and the second most important export market in terms of value, nearly $200 million.




Arkansas continued to dominate national rice production in 2017

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net) 
Arkansas is commonly referred to as the Natural State, but it could also be called the rice state. Rice farmers in the state planted 1.161 million acres last year, about 47.1% of all rice acres planted in the U.S., according to the B.R. Wells Arkansas Rice Research study issued by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
Those acres accounted for 82.6 million hundredweight of rice, and it represented 46.4% of the 178.2 million hundredweight produced in the country.
During the last three years, Arkansas has accounted for more than 47% of the nation’s total rice production, the report found. Per acre, farmers had a yield of 164.4 bushels per acre or 7,400 pounds. It was the third highest yield on record in the state and a 570 pound per acre uptick from 2016.
Six counties – Poinsett, Lawrence, Lonoke, Jackson, Greene, and Arkansas – account for 43.6% of the rice crop in state in 2017. Planting during the last year outpaced the five-year average, the report found. By mid-April, farmers had planted 68% of the rice crop, as compared to the 38% average by mid-April on average. By the end of that month 89% had been planted, about 24% of ahead of normal pace.
There are a number of factors that have led to Arkansas becoming the top rice-producing state, Craighead County extension chair Branon Thiesse told Talk Business & Politics. Water retention is key to creating a successful rice paddy.
“We’ve got lots of soils that hold water really well,” he said.
Many parts of the state and especially in the eastern section have flat land that is easy to flood, he said. Clay is a common sub-soil in the region, and it doesn’t allow water to penetrate. The weather is suited to growing rice, and until recently the ground water supply was plentiful, he added.
Several other states grow rice, but none have enough suitable land to grow the same volume as the Natural State.
Rice is grown in 40 of Arkansas’ 75 counties and is predominately grown in the eastern section of the state. The first rice crop was grown on a single acre in Lonoke County in 1902, although there are reports of the crop in the state before the Civil War, according to historians. Rice acres steadily grew from then and by 1955 the federal government initiated a set of controls capping the number of rice acres at 500,000. Controls were lifted in the 1970s, and the number of rice acres continued to grow. The state set its all-time rice acreage record in 2010 when farmers planted 1.785 million acres.
TRADE CONCERNS
A UA Division of Agriculture report published March 8 estimated a negative impact on Arkansas’ rice crop if countries retaliate to tariffs and other trade barriers proposed by President Donald Trump.
The UA economists assumed that only Canada, South Korea, Mexico, Turkey, Japan, the European Union and Taiwan would retaliate to U.S. trade actions.
“Both the U.S. long grain and medium grain rice markets stand to lose from the retaliatory measures of the selected importing countries,” Alvaro Durand-Morat, assistant professor of agriculture, noted in the report. “We estimate total U.S. rice production and exports to drop 1.3 percent and 3 percent, respectively, and domestic consumption increases marginally, as a result of the implementation of import tariffs on U.S. rice.”
Other report findings include:
• The total value of U.S. rice production would decrease by $151 million due to a combination of lower producer prices and output;
• Rice producers’ welfare, measured by the producer surplus, would decrease by $118 million;
• U.S. consumers would benefit from the trade restrictions through lower prices, increasing their welfare some $66 million; and
• Exports to Mexico and Canada would decrease significantly, but the impact would be much smaller in Japan because it already imposes high restrictions on rice imports.
RICE RESEARCH
The crop is so important to the state that a new research center is being built to study rice production. The Arkansas Rice Research Promotion Board has dedicated $4 million toward the construction of a rice research center in Poinsett County.
The center will sit on a 614 acre swath about five miles south of Jonesboro on Arkansas 1 just over the border in Poinsett County. How much the center will cost has not been determined, and final plans are still being formulated, he said. A timetable for work to begin on the project was not released, but officials hope the facility will be operational by 2021.
The Division of Agriculture now conducts research on rice production in Stuttgart at the Rice Research and Extension Center and at the Northeast Research and Extension Center in Keiser. Soil differences are the reason why another research facility is needed, officials said.

Farmers advised to adopt SRI for better yield during crisis

TNN | Updated: Jun 20, 2018, 06:02 IST
Representative image
TRICHY: As the system of riceintensification (SRI) has proven effective for crops in times of water crisis, experts in the field have urged farmers to use the method to manage under drought conditions in their areas. Various scientists made the this appeal to farmers during one-day free training programme on improved production technologies in rice cultivation held here on Tuesday.
The constituent institution of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), located at Sirugamani, organised the programme to educate farmers on the improved and latest varieties and its selection in rice cultivation. Improved production technologies in cultivation like bio-control seed treatment, biofertilizers applications and agronomic practices were explained to a large number of farmers present at the training session to execute agriculture effectively.

Farmers were also told about using various methods involved in SRI method of cultivation such as integrated nutrient management, pest and disease management and the importance of using machines as much as possible as finding labourers for agriculture have become a task.


Scientists explained that the looming water crisis and water-intensive nature of rice cultivation are driving the search for alternative management methods to increase water productivity for cultivating rice.


“Experiments done in on-station and on-farm conditions to compare rice production using modified methods of irrigation, planting, weeding and nutrient management with conventional methods of cultivation has proved that SRI is the best one,” they added. At a time the groundwater level is going lower, farmers were asked to follow cost and water efficient method of cultivation.


Earlier, programme coordinator S Easwaran inaugurated the event and asked farmers to utilise the opportunity before they executing paddy cultivation.

High CO2 levels reduces nutritional value of rice-Study

The study found that rice exposed to elevated levels of carbon dioxide contains lower amounts of several important nutrients.

UN 20 Jun 2018, 02:36 AM Atmospheric methane (CH4) is recognized as one of the most important greenhouse gases and may account for 20 per cent of anticipated global warming. (Image Credit: Wikimedia)
Hundreds of millions of people in Asia rely on rice not only as a staple but as their main source of nutrition. But new research suggests the rice they eat will become less nutritious due to rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.
The study found that rice exposed to elevated levels of carbon dioxide contains lower amounts of several important nutrients.
Currently, levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere average around 410 parts per million, up from 350 parts per million in the 1980s, largely due to the burning of fossil fuels. The researchers, a New York Times article explains, looked at how crops responded to levels of around 580 parts per million, which could prove tough to avoid this century without drastic changes.
The research involved exposing experimental rice fields in China and Japan to the same elevated levels of carbon dioxide that are expected to occur worldwide later this century.
What did the study find?
The scientists found that the chemical composition of a plant depends on the balance of the carbon dioxide it takes in from the air and the nutrients it absorbs from the soil. Upset this balance, and the plant can change in unexpected ways.
“A strong correlation between the impacts of elevated CO2 on vitamin content based on the molecular fraction of nitrogen within the vitamin was observed,” says the study.
“Potential health risks associated with anticipated CO2-induced deficits of protein, minerals, and vitamins in rice were correlated to the lowest overall gross domestic product per capita for the highest rice-consuming countries, suggesting potential consequences for a global population of approximately 600 million,” it concludes.
“We used multiyear, multilocation in situ FACE (free-air CO2 enrichment) experiments for 18 genetically diverse rice lines, including Japonica, Indica, and hybrids currently grown throughout Asia,” the authors write.
“While these CO2 enrichment experiments do indicate the threat climate change poses to nutrition security, rice breeding programmes across the world all breed and select under conditions of increasing CO2 and many are cognizant of the need to maintain and increase nutrient concentration in newly released rice varieties,” says Oliver Frith, Head of Business Development at the International Rice Research Institute.
Challenges ahead
Rice is the primary food source for 3.5 billion people, and production will need to increase significantly by 2050 to meet global demand. One challenge is the likely scarcity of water for rice production due to competing demands for water, environmental degradation and the effects of climate change.
Another conundrum for policymakers is that rice also accounts for 9-11 per cent of global emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. This could be significant, given that for every one billion people added to the global population, an additional 100 million tons of rice needs to be produced every year.
Atmospheric methane (CH4) is recognized as one of the most important greenhouse gases and may account for 20 per cent of anticipated global warming.
“We know that higher concentrations of atmospheric CO2 can lead to significant reductions in the amount of zinc, iron and protein in staple crops like rice,” says Montira Pongsiri, former Commissioner of the Rockefeller Foundation-LancetCommission on Planetary Health. “Particularly in Asia-Pacific, this has important implications for nutritional security – in fact, this is a nutritional insecurity issue for Asia-Pacific communities.”
UN Environment’s rice work
In October 2017 UN Environment and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) signed a partnership agreement to promote climate-smart and innovative technologies for rice production in developing countries.
Furthermore, the proposed Global Environment Facility (GEF) programme Inclusive Sustainable Rice Landscapes - securing multiple environmental benefits and improved farmer welfare is under development by a multi-stakeholder consortium led by UN Environment and the Food and Agriculture Organization, in partnership with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
“The programme builds on the efforts of the Sustainable Rice Platform – hosted by UN Environment, and its 87 institutional members to work with governments and value chain actors at landscape level to drive adoption of proven climate-smart best practices and innovative technologies to reduce the environment footprint of the sector, as well as to benefit farmers’ welfare,” says UN Environment ecosystems expert Max Zieren.
The above partners will host a side event during the GEF Assembly in Da Nang, Viet Nam, on 25 June to introduce this new multi-stakeholder initiative

Scientists create new building material out of fungus, rice and glass

June 20, 2018 11.33am AEST
Fungal bricks have the potential to create safer and more sustainable buildings. V Anisimov / Shutterstock

Authors

1.      Tien Huynh
Senior Lecturer in the School of Sciences, RMIT University
2.      Mitchell Jones
PhD Student, RMIT University
Would you live in a house made of fungus? It’s not just a rhetorical question: fungi are the key to a new low-carbon, fire-resistant and termite-deterring building material.
This type of material, known as a mycelium composite, uses the Trametes versicolor fungus to combine agricultural and industrial waste to create lightweight but strong bricks. It’s cheaper than synthetic plastics or engineered wood, and reduces the amount of waste that goes to landfill.

What a fun guy

Fungal brick prototypes made from rice hulls and glass fines waste. Tien HuynhAuthor provided
Working with our colleagues, we used fungus to bind rice hulls (the thin covering that protects rice grains) and glass fines (discarded, small or contaminated glass). We then baked the mixture to produce a new, natural building material.
Making these fungal bricks is a low-energy and zero-carbon process. Their structure means they can be moulded into many shapes. They are therefore suited to a variety of uses, particularly in the packaging and construction industries.
A staple crop for more than half the world’s population, rice has an annual global consumption of more than 480 million metric tonnes and 20% of this is comprised of rice hulls. In Australia alone, we generate about 600,000 tonnes of glass waste a year. Usually these rice hulls and glass fines are incinerated or sent to landfill. So our new material offers a cost-effective way to reduce waste.

Fire fighter

Fungal bricks make ideal fire-resistant insulation or panelling. The material is more thermally stable than synthetic construction materials such as polystyrene and particleboard, which are derived from petroleum or natural gas.
Rice hulls, glass fines and the mixture of rice, glass and fungus, before baking. Wikipedia/Tien HuynhAuthor provided
This means that fungal bricks burn more slowly and with less heat, and release less smoke and carbon dioxide than their synthetic counterparts. Their widespread use in construction would therefore improve fire safety.
Thousands of fires occur every year and the main causes of fatalities are smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning. By reducing smoke release, fungal bricks could allow more time for escape or rescue in the event of a fire, thus potentially saving lives.

Bug battler

Termites are a big issue: more than half of Australia is highly susceptible to termite infestations. These cost homeowners more than A$1.5 billion a year.
Our construction material could provide a solution for combating infestations, as the silica content of rice and glass would make buildings less appetising to termites.
The use of these fire-and-termite-resistant materials could simultaneously revolutionise the building industry and improve waste recycling.
This is an exciting time to get creative about our waste. With China no longer buying Australia’s recycling – and new rules reducing plastic usein Australian supermarkets – we have the chance to move in line with communities in JapanSweden and Scotland that have near-zero waste.
Fungal bricks could be just one example of the creative thinking that will help us get there.

Chinese Scientists Spot Selfish Genetic Element in Plants 

English 


NEWS PROVIDED BY
Jun 20, 2018, 04:38 ET

NANJINGChinaJune 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- After being found in mice and nematodes, selfish genetic element is once again discovered in rice by Chinese scientists. This is the first time that selfish genetic element is found in plants, challenging the renowned Mendel's Law of segregation. The article introducing such new findings has been published by the world's top academic journals Science on 8th June 2018. Dr. Xiaowen Yu and Professor Zhigang Zhao are the first authors of this article, who are from the College of Agriculture of Nanjing Agricultural University. Jianmin Wan, an academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, is the corresponding author.
What about selfish genes? The core of Mendelian genetics is the concept that gametes are equally likely to carry either of the two parental copies of a gene. In fact, offspring traits might be more similar to those of its father or mother. The same also goes to the selfish genetic element in rice. What's more, such selfish genes weaken the advantages of O. sativa ssp japonica (DJY1) hybrids.
Theoretically, the Indica/japonica hybrids have a 15% yield advantage over the best existing indica/indica hybrids. However, Hybrid sterility, including pollen sterility, aborted embryo sac, low seed-set rate, is always together with hybrid vigor. According to the study by Wan's group, such phenomenon is caused by the selfish genetic elements.
Selfish genetic elements are pervasive in eukaryote genomes, but their role remains controversial. Professor Wan's group from Nanjing Agricultural University discovers the mechanism of hybrid sterility causing by the selfish genetic element. There are two closely related genes ORF2 and ORF3 in hybrid male sterility locus between O. sativa ssp japonica (DJY1) and wild rice (Oryza meridionalis). ORF2 aborts pollen in a sporophytic manner, while ORF3 protects pollen in a gametophytic manner. Moreover, wide compatible varieties created by CRISPR technology to facilitate utilization of the strong hybrid vigor in rice agriculture.
For further information, please visit: http://science.sciencemag.org/content/360/6393/1130 
SOURCE Nanjing Agricultural University
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U.S. Rice on China Retaliation List

  
ARLINGTON, VA -- The Trump administration announced on Friday an additional 25 percent import duty on $34 billion worth of high tech imports from China. China immediately responded by announcing a similar duty hike on $34 billion worth of U.S. imports, including U.S. rice. Both countries’ actions are effective July 6, 2018. The 25 percent duty on U.S. rice imports is consistent with China’s approach to retaliate against a wide variety of agriculture imports including soybeans, corn, wheat, cotton, beef, cranberries, orange juice, tobacco, and whiskeys.
In Friday’s announcement, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) stated that higher duties on an additional $16 billion of imports from China are authorized, bringing the total value of trade affected to $50 billion. China’s release also contained pending duty increases on an additional $16 billion of U.S. imports.
According to USTR, ”[Friday’s] action comes after an exhaustive Section 301 investigation in which USTR found that China’s acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation are unreasonable and discriminatory and burden U.S. commerce.” Section 301 is a part of U.S. trade law that allows the President to take certain actions, including raising U.S. import duties, to counter unfair foreign trade practices.
“The U.S. Sec. 301 investigation and the administration’s action are unrelated to rice trade,” said USA Rice COO Bob Cummings. “We are disappointed in China’s response and we will continue our decade-long press for access for U.S. rice in China. At the same time, we encourage the U.S. and China to resolve differences on technology transfer and intellectual property so duties on both sides can be removed.

Rice output seen hitting new record high in 2018

Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:02 AM June 20, 2018
The country’s rice output this year is expected to exceed last year’s record high as more farmers plant the staple due to higher buying prices for palay.
Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol posted on his Facebook page that with the first quarter output exceeding last year’s, it is likely that total output may hit another record-high this year.
In 2017, the country’s rice production reached 19.26 million metric tons (MT), which Piñol said “was the highest in the country’s history.”
During the first quarter this year, rice production reached 4.62 million MT from 4.41 million MT in the same period last year, PSA data showed.
PSA said the increase could be attributed to favorable weather conditions as fewer typhoons hit the country in the first three months.
The buying price for palay also hit the P21-mark for the first time in two years, encouraging farmers to plant more rice.
According to Piñol, the agency aims to produce 95 to 96 percent of the country’s total national rice requirement, with the remainder to be imported as part of the Philippines’ commitment to the World Trade Organization.
Piñol added that he was banking on the introduction and use of solar-powered irrigation systems across the country to sustain the steady increase in the country’s rice production.



NFA admin: Buffer rice to be released by June

By CNN Philippines Staff
Updated 17:13 PM PHT Wed, June 20, 2018
23

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 20) — The National Food Authority (NFA) has begun unloading shipments of imported rice and is set to release them in the market by the end of the month, its administrator said.

NFA Administrator Jason Aquino led the inspection of 340,000 sacks of rice sourced from Vietnam in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Wednesday.
Aquino said the unloaded sacks of rice have been allocated to Regions 2 and 3. Meanwhile, 1,000,000 sacks are still held up in the Manila Harbor pending distribution to markets in the Metro Manila.
NFA Spokesman Rex Estoperez said the public can expect the rice stocks to hit the market once unloading is complete.
"'Pag andiyan, naunload natin 'yung mga bigas natin, automatic 'yan very short lang naman ang inspection ng quality and documentation," Estoperez said.
[Translation: Once we unload the rice, it's automatic. It's only a short time for the inspection of quality and documentation.]
Aquino said this can be done by next week, in the hopes that it would immediately lower market prices.
"Hopefully next week, mamamximize natin ang distribution and hopefully this will have an effect na magdecrease ang presyo ng commercial price,"  he said.
[Translation: Hopefully next week, we can maximize the distribution and hopefully this will have a effect of decreasing commercial prices.]
The delivery of NFA buffer stock is expected to gradually pull down the prices of rice following recent surges in the market.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque announced the arrival of the buffer supply in the country on Monday saying consumers can purchase NFA rice at the price range of P27 to P32 per kilo.
Roque said the government predicts market prices of rice to taper off following the availability of the buffer stock given that it will rid off public "perception" of shortage.

In the meantime, price reductions will be placed on the NFA rice to aid poor families as per the directive of the social welfare and budget departments, Aquino said.
"We will implement a 10% reduction of price for NFA rice...This will be given to the poorest of the poor to be identified by the DSWD. We're just awaiting for the Implementing Rules and Regulations from the DBM," he said
http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2018/06/20/national-food-authority-vietnam-buffer-rice.html


NFA unloads imported rice from Thailand, Vietnam in Subic  
By Ruben Veloria  June 20, 2018, 9:11 pm
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT -- The National Food Authority (NFA) on Wednesday started unloading the 340,000 bags of imported rice from Thailand and Vietnam, which arrived in the Port of Subic last June 5. 
NFA Administrator Jason Aquino said the shipment was brought to Subic on-board MV TAY SON 2, which is currently berthed at the former Naval Supply Depot (NSD) here. 
The shipment is part of the 500,000 bags (25 metric tons) of imported rice the NFA has procured. Another shipment of 160,000 bags of rice is expected to arrive next week. 
Aquino said that 100,000 bags will be distributed in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley Region) while 400,000 bags will be distributed in Region 3 (Central Luzon). 
He said the shipment was done through the government to government procurement scheme, and in line with the call of President Rodrigo Duterte to fast track the importation of rice to maintain food security in the country. 
“As the President instructed, ‘Hindi na baleng sumobra, huwag lang kulangin (It is alright to exceed rather than lacking),” said Aquino, quoting the President. 
However, the official clarified that only the marginalized population, the indigenous and NFA-accredited retailers endorsed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Office (DSWDO) can avail of the rice at PHP27 per kilo. 
Although the shipment arrived in the Port of Subic, it was only today (Wednesday) that NFA decided to unload it due to the continuous rains brought about by Typhoon Domeng and the southwest monsoon in the country for over a week now.
With the arrival of the long awaited imported rice, with more coming in August, NFA is expecting a drop in the price of commercial rice between PHP1 to PHP2 per kilo. 
Aquino also clarified that NFA is not pro-importation, saying “as much as we would like to buy locally harvested palay, the price is too high and it is practically cheaper to buy imported rice.”
He also noted that more than one million bags of imported rice intended for Metro Manila has already arrived but could not be unloaded because of over-crowding of ships at the Port of Manila. 
Earlier, before proceeding to NSD Compound, Aquino and NFA provincial directors made a courtesy call to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman and administrator Wilma Eisma at the SBMA Board room. 
Eisma praised the NFA officials for making Subic an NFA Disport (disembarking Port) as this will generate additional revenue for SBMA. (PNA)

When rice fields sparkle in Vietnam’s northern highlands

The famous terraced fields in Mu Cang Chai turn into undulating reflecting pools during the watering season.

For a long time, the mention of Mu Cang Chai evoked images of a far away, remote, untouched place for many travelers; so much so that the name was used as a synonym and idiom for something very far away, almost unreachable.
Well, today, it takes just seven hours on the road to reach the mountainous district in Yen Bai Province, northwest of Hanoi.
And it is well known for the beauty of its terraced rice fields during the harvest season, when they turn golden yellow and glitter in the sunshine. This season lasts from late September to early October.
But, a lesser known fact is that the fields are equally eye-catching when they are waterlogged.
The watering season lasts from early May until late June when local farmers let rainwater flowing into their terraced fields from the Hoang Lien Son mountain range.
The fields then turn into huge, undulating reflecting pools, and are an arresting sight.
Mu Cang Chai is home to the H’Mong ethnic group who started carving rice terraces into the mountain range centuries ago.
The district last year received high applause from U.S. travel site Insider, which called it one of 19 most picturesque peaks on earth. The site called it “a hidden gem” where the “terraced rice fields are a shade of green so deep you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a painting.”
Lim Mong Valley sparkles as though mirrors have been stitched into a wide green tapestry when seen from the Khau Pha Pass, said to be one of the four most dangerous passes in Vietnam. 
Farmers work on a rice field that is a carved masterpiece. 
Gliding above the villages and their rice fields is another way to enjoy spectacular views 

Myanmar exports over one million ton of rice from Yangon ports

Myanmar exported more than one million ton of rice from Yangon ports between 2014-15 FY and 2017-18 FY, according to Myanma Port Authority (MPA).
“Myanmar exported one million ton of rice from Yangon ports within four fiscal years and most of them are exported from Sule port terminal,” said Managing Director Ni Aung from the MPA.
It exported over 160,000 tons of rice in 2014-15 FY, about 41,000 tons of rice in 2015-16 FY, over 195,000 tons of rice in 2016-17 FY and over 630,000 tons of rice in 2017-18 FY respectively.
There are seven jetties in Sule port terminal and four of them are handled between the MPA and a joint venture company. The rest are operated by the MPA alone. The MPA is upgrading the terminal to dock bulk carriers of 300,000 tons deadweight.
Myanmar exported about 1.7 million tons of rice in last fiscal year and about 700,000 of them are sent through Sule terminal.
Myanmar is expecting to export over four million tons of rice from Yangon ports and the MPA is carrying out dredging work to facilitate transportation of cargoes and installed nautical devices in the ports.
Bulk carriers of 300,000 tons deadweight can dock at Yangon port currently.
The Asia World port terminal, Myanma Industrial Port, Ahlone International port terminal, Bo Aung Kyaw wharf and Myanmar International Thilawa Terminal are handling cargo ships docked in Yangon harbour area.
Source: Eleven Media Group

US agency says monsoon may enter North-West India next week

Satellite image as of 10 am IST
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JUNE 20
The US Climate Prediction Centre (CPC) has said that the suppressed convection (dry phase) over the Indian Ocean would be replaced by active convection (rainy phase) during the next few days.
This coincides with the expected arrival of the weather-altering Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) as it returns to the West Africa-Indian Ocean stretch to signal the transformation.
Strength suspect
CPC expects a typical progression of the wave eastward over the Indian Ocean in the next few weeks, although there is considerable model disagreement about how strong it will be.
They are also not sure how far East it will propagate before breaking down, although it has the back-up of an atmospheric Kelvin wave during the week from June 27 to July 6.
The Kelvin wave is a special gravity wave that plays a major part in the generation and maintenance of an MJO wave. It is expected to 'recouple' convection (cloud-building) over the Indian Ocean.
CPC also hinted of 'moderate confidence' in the prospects of a low-pressure area over India bringing above-average rainfall to the North-Eastern States as well as over the Bay of Bengal.
Enhanced rain cover
This forecast is supported by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts guidance and the possible development of active MJO convection during the ongoing week (June 20 to 26).
CPC went on to show an area of enhanced rainfall from North-West India to North Andhra Pradesh-Odisha-Bengal coast into Bay of Bengal, Myanmar and Bangladesh during June 20 to 26.
It corresponded with the arrival phase of the MJO over the Indian Ocean, impacting the Arabian Sea and the Bay in that order, and likely setting up a low-pressure area.
The 'low' in turn would bring to life the crucial monsoon trough from the South-East (Bengal) to North-West (West Rajasthan), likely bringing in rains during this week.
Most of North-West India and Central India are likely to be covered under this scenario, although the prospects for Gujarat have not been brought into the picture.
Heavy rain forecast
Satellite pictures this morning showed rain clouds massing up along a stretch from North Kerala to Udupi in Coastal Karnataka on the West Coast. Heavier bands of convection are approaching the Panaji-Ratnagiri-Ganpati Pule-Mahabaleshwar stretch to the North by around 12 noon.
As for today, India Met Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places over Konkan and Goa, while it will be heavy at isolated places over Kerala, Coastal Karnataka, Madhya Maharashtra, Assam, Meghalaya and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Thunderstorms accompanied with gusty winds and lightning have ben forecast at isolated places over East Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.


Punjab expects paddy to cover 30 lakh hectares; sowing to begin on Wednesday

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 19
Press Trust of India
Paddy transplantation will begin Wednesday in Punjab, with the State expecting to have about 30 lakh hectares under the kharif crop. “We are expecting about 30 lakh hectares under paddy this year as against 30.65 lakh hectares of area last year,” Punjab Agriculture Department Director JS Bains said on Tuesday.
The State agriculture department had announced the paddy transplantation from June 20 instead of June 15 to preserve water and check the fast depleting ground-water table.
The five-day delay in paddy transplantation is expected to save nearly 24 lakh million litres of water, said an official.
However, some farmers at certain places defied the order by sowing paddy before June 20.
The agriculture department took action against those who flouted the order of not transplanting paddy before June 20.
“Action against farmers mostly in Barnala, Sangrur and Bathinda was taken for flouting the order,” said Bains.
As part of action, the crop sown before June 20 was destroyed at few places, official said.
The State agriculture department tried to allay fears of farmers who opposed the decision of transplanting paddy from June 20 on the ground that it would result in high moisture content in the crop after harvest.
However, farmers were advised not to transplant long duration varieties such as PUSA 44, which could possibly face high moisture content during harvesting, official said, adding that farmers were encouraged to sow varieties such as PR 121, 124 and 126 instead.
Meanwhile, the state owned power utility PSPCL today claimed to have made sufficient power arrangements to meet energy requirements during paddy sowing.
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/punjab-expects-paddy-to-cover-30-lakh-hectares-sowing-to-begin-on-wednesday/article24203854.ece

Egypt to import rice to avoid price shock

June 20, 2018 - by Arvin Donley

CAIRO, EGYPT — The Egyptian government has announced a decision to import rice to increase supply and avoid a potential price shock to consumers, according to a June 19 Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service in Cairo said that the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation’s January 2018 measure reducing cultivated rice areas may have led to grain hoarding.
“This has resulted in a decrease in the volume of rice being offered to the country’s subsidy procurement system,” the USDA said.
Although milled and paddy rice prices increased in April, the recent announcement to increase imports caused prices to fall, and the USDA said it anticipates prices will continue downward as the August/September harvest commences and imports start arriving.
Still, the USDA expects a shortfall in supply in marketing year 2019-20, and it sees an opportunity for U.S. paddy rice.
Paddy rice has not been imported in recent years due to the surplus of the local rice production, it said.
“Post understands that while opportunities reside in supplying the Egyptian domestic market, the best prospects are in milling, branding and re-exporting U.S.-origin paddy rice,” the USDA said. “Volumes that could be absorbed by Egypt range from 10,000 tonnes to upwards of 300,000 tonnes.”
Since a recent peak of 4.8 million tonnes in 2016-17, Egypt production fell to 4.3 million in 2017-18 and is forecast to drop to 3.3 million in 2018-19, according to the USDA.
Meanwhile, it forecasts 400,000 tonnes of rice imports in 2018-19, up from 50,000 tonnes in 2017-18.

Egypt- Decision to open door for rice importation is a blow for monopolists, I fully support it: former minister of irrigation





 
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(MENAFN - Daily News Egypt) class="p2">At a time when all Egyptians give great attention to the file of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and its impact on the Nile water and amid the conflicting news about negotiations regarding the issue with many rumours about Ethiopia filling the dam with water, we felt obligated to speak to one of the experts in this file. He headed the Egyptian delegation that took part in the meetings of the Tripartite National Committee on the Renaissance Dam, which started negotiations with the Ethiopian side and agreed, together with Sudan and Ethiopia, on the necessary studies to be conducted, in order to evaluate the impact of the dam on water share.
Daily News Egypt sat down for an interview with Hossam Moghazy, who evaluates the conduct of the negotiations and talks about the rationalization of water, in addition to some projects of the ministry, as well as ways to protect shores from climate changes and the way to provide new fresh water sources in Egypt. The transcript for which is below, lightly edited for clarity:
By Tamer Farahat
Egyptians are concerned about the negotiations of the GERD, what do you think of these negotiations?
There is a great misunderstanding regarding these negotiations and many rumours to shake the confidence of citizens in the state and its ability to maintain the Nile water share.
It must be made clear that Egypt will not give up the rights of Egyptians in the Nile and the Ethiopian side is well aware of this.
Additionally, Ethiopia has pledged not to fill the dam before the studies carried out by specialized offices are done. Everything else is a lie.
Moreover, the Sudanese side is playing a positive role unlike what is being said, and it has helped us overcome many obstacles we faced in this file.
President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi said, in a clear message to Ethiopia said that if the dam means development for them, Egypt understands and appreciates that, but to Egypt, it is a matter of life.
Do you think we delayed dealing with the file of the GERD for too long? When did we start giving real attention to it?
For sure there were delays. The real start was during the era of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces in May 2012, when Prime Minister Essam Sharaf went to Ethiopia and it was agreed to nominate four experts and six representatives of the three countries (Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan), in order to submit a report on the details of the GERD. The report said that there are some uncompleted studies with the Ethiopian side. The international panel of experts has recommended that a specialized office would conduct hydraulic, hydrological, and environmental studies. However, during the era of Adly Mansour, the interim president, the three countries were not able to agree on who would conduct technical consultations. When President Al-Sisi took office, the process started moving. I was honoured to head the team of Egyptian negotiators in partnership with the Ministries of Irrigation and Foreign Affairs. Negotiations started in Khartoum and a roadmap was agreed upon.
You were one of the people who laid out a mechanism to choose an advisory office to evaluate the impacts of the GERD and tasks of this office. How was that process done?
The mechanism to choose an office was conducted by Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan. The same went for choosing the tasks and the number of experts. An assisting office with a respectable reputation and wide experience was also chosen. All financial and technical details were agreed upon. The cost was estimated to be €4.5m distributed equally on Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan. An English legal office was assigned to write contracts on behalf of the three countries. We have a clear work plan.
The advisory office has several tasks. It is assigned to figure out whether the dam would have a negative impact on downstream countries, and if so, what will the plan be to deal with this impact? The plan would include the number of years to store water, and the number of expected years of drought, through a joint cooperation mechanism between the three countries, through reports for water management, in order to make sure there would be an impact from the GERD on other countries. The study would also determine the kind of impact the dam would have on various water creatures, fish, sand soil, in addition to the negative impacts it may have on the economy, and whether it would have social impacts.
Who is the Egyptian body responsible for the file of the GERD?
The file of the GERD and Nile River is not the responsibility of the Ministry of Irrigation or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Everybody contributes with their knowledge and works as an integrated team. Egypt is negotiating, and it will be remembered that Egypt knocked all doors and negotiated with all bodies over the two years I took office. There is a cooperation between all statesmen.
How do you see the performance of the Egyptian negotiators so far?
The Egyptian negotiator is a patriot who has responsibilities and ambitions to solve this issue. He is aware that there are historical responsibilities on his shoulders and that history will have no mercy on him if he did not do his best, but at the same time, he is dealing with two countries with full sovereignty and cannot force them to do anything. The nature of negotiations is an art of reaching the best results with the least losses without giving up historic and acquired rights.
What are our negotiation tools? Are they sufficient?
We have several tools. First, the Nile is an international river and no country should have authority over it. There must be coordination and negotiations regarding the technical details to be studied, so if the Ethiopian side does not give prior notice to the Egyptian side, this gives would be in favour of the Egyptian side. Second, Egypt is a downstream country and has no other water resources except for the Nile because it is a rainless dry country, located at the end of the Nile's journey. On the other hand, Ethiopia has rain and a soil proper for cultivation, unlike Egypt's desert soil. Therefore this means we stand before a challenge, as long as we do not have other water resources.
Egypt had two routes to walk down. Either to negotiate or resort to international arbitration. Egypt resorted to negotiations because it respects its neighbours. Egypt has started the phase of building confidence after the interview with former President Mohamed Morsi. The interview left a bad impression regarding the Egyptian negotiation.
President Al-Sisi stressed that Egypt wants all the best for the Nile Basin countries, but also wants to guarantee it has its rights in life. If we managed to do this, we would give a good example on how to solve issues in peaceful ways through negotiations rather than escalate to international levels.
How do you see the frequent announcements about the completion of the construction of the GERD?
When I resigned, they said that 40-45% of the dam construction has been completed. Actually, these declared rates always represent the project expenditure ratio, because the dam construction has structural, mechanical, and electrical details. The dam may be structurally completed, but other aspects have not been completed. Therefore, the announced rate does not reflect the reality.
What about the measures adopted to rationalise water consumption after the ban imposed on rice cultivation in several provinces?
Egypt undoubtedly suffers from water poverty. The country's annual average per capita of water is way less than the world's, estimated at 1,385 cubic metres. This water poverty has nothing to do with the GERD. The government fined farmers EGP 2,800 for each feddan cultivated with rice. The first year of the decision was considered transitional with 50% reduction, hence that it can be increased gradually in the following years. This step came in preparation for the complete ban on rice cultivation in several provinces. Each feddan of rice consumes 3,000-5,000 cubic metres annually, compared to other crops such as corn, vegetables, and fruits. I support the recent government decision to allow importing rice to save water and face monopolists who raise the local price of rice in markets. The rationalisation of water consumption is an important mission that must be shared by the Ministries of Endowments and Education, the church and Al-Azhar. During my service in the Ministry of Irrigation, I used to coordinate with The Ministry of Education to hold competitions for students about the rationalisation of water and preventing its pollution. We also coordinated with the northern coast's resorts to activate the desalination of sea water, instead of the Nile water. Some resorts have already started the desalination of sea water, while others are doing studies on the issue.
How will Egypt face the climate change effects on coastal cities, such as Alexandria and Kafr El-Sheikh?
Climate change is a scientific fact. It means a change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns when that change lasts for an extended period of time. Egypt is one of those countries overlooking the Mediterranean and will be affected by this change. For example, the Nile Delta will be subject to rising sea levels, but some people exaggerate about these effects. Actually, the Irrigation Ministry conducted intensive studies on the issue and found that Egypt will see an increase in sea level of 2 cm over 100 years. The ministry is also carrying out several coastal protection projects in Alexandria, Kafr El-Sheikh, Damietta, and others, to protect and mitigate these changes' effects on the beaches.
What is the aim of the Mahmoudiyah Canal project?
The Mahmoudiyah Canal axis will contribute to the provision of a new traffic artery in the city of Alexandria, which helps to reduce the traffic jam, as well as eliminating the manifestations of neglect suffered by the Mahmoudiyah canal over the past years and improve the situation in the areas surrounding the course. The Faculty of Engineering in Alexandria University has been commissioned to carry out consultancy studies for this project, including architectural, irrigation, transportation, and traffic. An integrated team of the faculty is coordinating with the Northern Military Region and the governorate of Alexandria to put the finishing touches to the design of the project, in preparation for its implementation under the supervision of the Northern Military Region.
Some claimed that filling the Mahmoudiyah Canal will lead to water shortages?
The project will include a network of pipes that will collect rain water and use them to irrigate the green areas around the canal. The canal used to receive sewage water from the surrounding areas, whereby the new project will include a special path for the sewage water to ensure the safety of the axis. Practically, the project will not fill the canal, but will only cover it.
How could you evaluate your term in office?
My term as minister of irrigation witnessed many challenges and mega national projects such as the 1m feddan project, which was then expanded to 1.5m feddan, the elimination of illegally built buildings on the Nile, the protection of South Sinai from floods, the revival of the Toshka project, tightening cooperation with the Nile Basin countries, and the GERD negotiations.
Did the 1.5m feddan project receive enough promotion?
I do not think so. This project did not receive enough promotion because it was not easy to reach the location of the project. About 40% of the project, equivalent to 600,000 feddans, is located in Minya governorate.
MENAFN1906201801530000ID1097037852
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- JUN 21, 2018
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-June 21, 2018

Nagpur, June 21 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices moved down in Nagpur Agriculture Produce
Marketing Committee (APMC) on poor demand from local millers. Fresh fall in Madhya Pradesh gram
prices and release of stock from stockists also pushed down prices in weak trading activity. 
About 1,450 bags of gram and 150 bags of tuar reported for auction in Nagpur APMC, according to
sources. 

    FOODGRAINS & PULSES   
     
    GRAM
    * Gram ruled steady in open market here but demand was poor.

    TUAR
    * Tuar gavarani recovered further in open market on renewed demand from local traders.
  
    * Batri dal reported down in open market on poor buying support from local traders.
                                                                       
   * In Akola, Tuar New – 4,000-4,050, Tuar dal (clean) – 6,000-6,300, Udid Mogar (clean)
    – 6,900-7,900, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,200-7,900, Gram – 3,300-3,400, Gram Super best
    – 4,600-4,800

   * Wheat, rice and other foodgrain items moved in a narrow range in
     scattered deals and settled at last levels in thin trading activity.
      
 Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg
   
     FOODGRAINS                 Available prices     Previous close  
     Gram Auction                  3,000-3,275         3,000-3,400
     Gram Pink Auction            n.a.           2,100-2,600
     Tuar Auction                3,450-3,750         3,450-3,790
     Moong Auction                n.a.                3,900-4,200
     Udid Auction                n.a.           4,300-4,500
     Masoor Auction                n.a.              2,600-2,800
     Wheat Mill quality Auction        1,700-1,800         1,700-1,780
     Gram Super Best Bold            5,500-6,000        5,500-6,000
     Gram Super Best            n.a.            n.a.
     Gram Medium Best            4,800-5,100        4,800-5,100
     Gram Dal Medium            n.a.            n.a
     Gram Mill Quality            3,650-3,700        3,650-3,700
     Desi gram Raw                3,550-3,650         3,550-3,650
     Gram Kabuli                8,000-10,000        8,000-10,000
     Tuar Fataka Best-New             6,200-6,400        6,200-6,400
     Tuar Fataka Medium-New        5,800-6,000        5,800-6,000
     Tuar Dal Best Phod-New        5,500-5,700        5,500-5,700
     Tuar Dal Medium phod-New        5,200-5,400        5,200-5,400
     Tuar Gavarani New             3,950-4,150        3,900-4,100
     Tuar Karnataka             4,300-4,500        4,300-4,500
     Masoor dal best            4,800-5,000        4,800-5,000
     Masoor dal medium            4,500-4,700        4,500-4,700
     Masoor                    n.a.            n.a.
     Moong Mogar bold (New)        7,500-8,000         7,500-8,000
     Moong Mogar Medium            6,500-7,200        6,500-7,200
     Moong dal Chilka New            6,100-7,000        6,100-7,000
     Moong Mill quality            n.a.            n.a.
     Moong Chamki best            7,500-8,500        7,500-8,500
     Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 7,300-8,300       7,300-8,300
     Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG)    5,300-6,300        5,300-6,300   
     Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG)        5,500-5,900        5,500-5,900    
     Batri dal (100 INR/KG)        5,200-5,500        5,250-5,550
     Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg)          2,650-2,750         2,650-2,750
     Watana Dal (100 INR/KG)            3,850-4,000        3,800-4,000
     Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG)    5,300-5,600        5,300-5,600  
     Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG)        2,000-2,100        2,000-2,100
     Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG)    2,000-2,075        2,000-2,075  
     Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG)         2,250-2,400           2,250-2,400        
     Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG)    2,300-2,450        2,300-2,450   
     Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG)   2,100-2,200        2,100-2,250
     Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG)    n.a.            n.a.
     MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG)    3,200-4,000        3,200-4,000   
     MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG)    2,400-2,800        2,400-2,800          
     Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG)        2,100-2,200        2,100-2,200
     Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG)        3,200-3,800        3,200-3,800   
     Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG)        2,700-2,900        2,700-2,900       
     Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG)         2,800-3,000        2,800-3,000     
     Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG)      2,700-2,800        2,700-2,800  
     Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG)      2,500-2,600        2,500-2,600    
     Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG)        4,000-4,500        4,000-4,500    
     Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG)        3,600-4,000        3,600-4,000       
     Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG)      5,200-5,600        5,200-5,600
     Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG)    4,500-4,900        4,500-4,900      
     Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG)    9,500-14,000        9,500-14,000    
     Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG)    5,000-7,500        5,000-7,500   
     Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG)    6,500-6,900        6,500-6,900   
     Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG)    6,000-6,200        6,000-6,200       
     Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG)        2,000-2,200        2,000-2,100   
     Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG)         1,800-2,000        1,700-2,000

WEATHER (NAGPUR) 
Maximum temp. 38.0 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 25.9 degree Celsius
Rainfall : Nil
FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky with possibility of moderate rains or thunderstorm. Maximum and
minimum temperature would be around and 37 and 26 degree Celsius respectively.

Note: n.a.--not available
(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but
included in market prices).

https://in.reuters.com/article/nagpur-foodgrain/nagpur-foodgrain-prices-open-jun-21-2018-idINL4N1TN3BX