David Moyer: From the
wastewater pond to the kitchen table
Columns | May 16,
2019
David
Moyer
As
a retired person, I find it easy these days to retreat from the concerns of the
world and mindlessly watch TV. However, the other day two articles on the
internet and a television ad jolted me out of my entertainment-mediated somnolence.
But first, some context.
In
1989, scientists discovered a soil bacterium surviving in a
glyphosate-contaminated wastewater pond in Louisiana owned by a company that
makes a popular weed killer. Normally, glyphosate kills plants by blocking proteins
essential to plant growth. The bacterium should not have survived in the toxic
brew, but it did. Long story short, scientists went on to splice the gene from
that bacterium into various crops so they too could survive glyphosate. Sounds
good, so far.
Today,
glyphosate is found in genetically modified crops such as corn, soy, alfalfa,
and crops that are not genetically modified such as rice and wheat. Farmers
desiccate their non-GMO crops with it to promote homogeneity during harvest.
Millions of us use the stuff to kill weeds in our yards. It is in our breakfast
cereals. It is in our water supplies.
Now
for the not so good. It is ubiquitous. Since 1970, the frequency and volume of
glyphosate-based herbicides increased 100 fold. Additional use of glyphosate is
expected due to the expected evolution of more glyphosate-resistant plants.
Currently 41 species of weeds resist the weed killer. Numerous glyphosate
related health risks have been identified, but here we will focus on just one,
the effect it has on our livers.
The
FDA should have banned glyphosate years ago.
The
first article in the Jan 9., 2017, issue of Scientific Reports is
entitled “Multiomics reveal non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in rats following
chronic exposure to an ultra-low dose of Roundup herbicide. Rats exposed daily
to levels of glyphosate well within the guidelines of the European and American
regulatory agencies developed fatty liver disease.
The
second was a CNBC article dated Dec. 30, 2018, entitled,
”The $35 billion race to cure a silent killer that affects 30 million
Americans.” This silent killer is Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), also
known as non-alcoholic fatty lever disease. According to the article, “The
National Institutes of Health estimates as many as 30 million people, or 12
percent of U.S. adults, now have NASH.” The article attributes this to rising
obesity rates. “Today we are seeing people in their 20s and 30s with NASH,”
According to Dr. Leona Kim-Schluger, a hepatologist and professor at the
Recanati/Miller Transplantation Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York,”
the disease is even reaching the pediatric population. Caused by fat? Hmm …
MIT
research scientists Samsel and Seneff, in a review of the scientific literature
demonstrated that exposure to glyphosate causes or contributes to a host of
chronic medical diseases, including fatty liver disease and kidney failure.
In
the TV ad mentioned at the beginning of this article, lines of folks are
waiting for their liver transplant. The narrator announces hopefully that you
can move to the front of the line if you find a donor willing to share a part
of their liver with you before you get too sick. In other words, find a partial
donor before the line gets too long, before it is too late. The ad is
foreboding and dystopian. The abnormal is normalized.
In
a book I wrote in 2015, I introduced the term “perilous symbioses” in the
context of mental illness. Here is simple example. An industry manufactures a
toxin that increases the risk for depression (e.g., mercury) and the
pharmaceutical industry comes up with a treatment for depression (e.g.,
antidepressants).
With
glyphosate, we have an example of “perilous symbiosis.” Corporations
manufacture glyphosate. The pharmaceutical industry works to develop a
treatment to mitigate one of the harmful effects. Actually, when the toxic
effects are particularly onerous, a third symbiotic beneficiary class, the
lawyers, enter the fray. Note the appeal of the August 2018 $289 million
finding against Monsanto for a glyphosate-linked terminal cancer. The court
settled on $80 million. (I digress. I promised to only talk about livers.) To
summarize, the beneficiaries of the perilous symbioses win. We, the public
lose.
The
FDA should have banned glyphosate years ago. For now, the most we consumers can
do is to stay away from it, whether it is in our weed killer, our breakfast
cereal, our nonorganic bread or our fast foods. As a prophet said of old, “They
that sow the wind shall reap the whirlwind.”
David
Moyer lives in Penn Valley.
Team from China Visits
Potential U.S. Rice Trading Partners
By Jim Guinn
WASHINGTON, DC -- This week, USA
Rice hosted a team of rice traders, academics, and staff from the China
National Association of the Grain Sector (CNAGS) who were in the United States
visiting mills approved by the Chinese government as potential exporters of
U.S. rice to China. Led by Zhi Ren,
executive vice president at CNAGS, the self-funded team had requested USA Rice
assistance in coordinating the schedule during their week in U.S. rice country.
California was the first stop on the
team's U.S. tour. They went to three
mills there -- Sun Valley Rice, American Commodity Company, and Farmers Rice
Cooperative -- and attended a reception hosted by the California Rice
Commission. Next, the team traveled to
Texas where they toured the U.S. Rice Producers Association (USRPA)
headquarters and the Riviana Foods rice facility in Freeport, and enjoyed a
Texas barbeque lunch. The last stop was
Washington, DC, where they met with USA Rice staff to discuss areas of
collaboration including consumption research in the domestic Chinese market and
an invitation to their annual forum in October.
The team also was scheduled to visit
two mills in Arkansas, but that leg of their trip was cancelled due to
government of China regulations on the length of time certain individuals may
travel internationally.
"When the tariff war is
successfully navigated, we are likely to see many more of these teams and/or
individual companies from China coming to the U.S. to learn more about the
industry and deciding whether they want to import U.S. rice to China,"
said Sarah Moran, USA Rice vice president international.
In the coming months, USA Rice is
scheduled to host three seminars in China about the logistics of the pending
rice trade as well as a reverse trade mission where Chinese importers will
travel to the U.S. to meet with prospective trading partners here.
At the California Rice Commission
reception
WMP Subcommittee Chair Keith Glover (left) shows a rice
pretender to FDA's Mayne
USDA and FDA Weigh In On U.S. Rice Industry Issues
By Jesica Kincaid
WASHINGTON, DC -- The USA Rice World Market Price (WMP)
Subcommittee held its spring meeting here yesterday to discuss U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) reports on projected planting intentions and production
figures, and to compare those numbers with their own forecasts.
The consensus was that throughout Arkansas and in parts of Texas,
Mississippi, and Missouri, total plantings will be slightly lower than USDA
projections due to frequent and heavy rainfall this spring. Louisiana expects total plantings will be
similar to the USDA projection, and California projects plantings will be
slightly higher than USDA figures.
Staff from USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)
and Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) also attended yesterday's meeting. NASS officials outlined their projection
methodology and noted the new projections provided by WMP Subcommittee members. FAS staff discussed a wide range of
international trade issues, including recent favorable World Trade Organization
(WTO) rulings, market access updates, and forthcoming free trade negotiations
with Japan and the EU.
Dr. Susan Mayne, director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied
Nutrition at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also joined the
meeting to discuss key topics for the U.S. rice industry. Mayne heard from the Subcommittee on
mislabeled products using the word "rice" on their packaging when
there is no rice in the product. As a
scientist, Mayne stressed the importance of acquiring consumer data on labeling
perception that could give FDA hard proof these products are causing consumer
confusion and that agency action needs to be taken.
The definition of "ready-to-eat" under Food Safety
Modernization Act (FSMA) regulations was another topic of discussion. USA Rice emphasized that rice and ingredients
like rice flour and rice bran oil cannot be consumed without cooking and should
not be covered under that definition.
Mayne said FDA has been working on guidance to clarify what is and is
not covered under the official definition.
Market Information
Daily Rough Rice Prices
(updated daily)
Market Year Average Price Tracker (updated monthly)
Quote of the Day
"Be true to your work, your word, and your friend."
- Henry David Thoreau
In the News
California Rice Planting Back on Track After Getting a Late Start
AgNet West
As rice planting gets back on schedule, the majority of the crop is
expected to be planted by June 1.
USDA Announces CRP Signup, Peterson Vows to Block It
Fence Post
Beginning June 3 USDA will accept applications for the Conservation
Reserve Program (CRP) and will also offer extensions for expiring CRP
contracts. USDA also announced it will not hold a general CRP signup until
December and that a Grasslands CRP signup will be held still later.
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USDA
and FDA Weigh In On U.S. Rice Industry Issues
WASHINGTON, DC -- The USA Rice World Market Price
(WMP) Subcommittee held its spring meeting here yesterday to discuss U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports on projected planting intentions and production
figures, and to compare those numbers with their own forecasts.
The consensus was that throughout Arkansas and in parts of Texas, Mississippi, and Missouri, total plantings will be slightly lower than USDA projections due to frequent and heavy rainfall this spring. Louisiana expects total plantings will be similar to the USDA projection, and California projects plantings will be slightly higher than USDA figures.
Staff from USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) also attended yesterday's meeting. NASS officials outlined their projection methodology and noted the new projections provided by WMP Subcommittee members. FAS staff discussed a wide range of international trade issues, including recent favorable World Trade Organization (WTO) rulings, market access updates, and forthcoming free trade negotiations with Japan and the EU.
Dr. Susan Mayne, director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also joined the meeting to discuss key topics for the U.S. rice industry. Mayne heard from the Subcommittee on mislabeled products using the word "rice" on their packaging when there is no rice in the product. As a scientist, Mayne stressed the importance of acquiring consumer data on labeling perception that could give FDA hard proof these products are causing consumer confusion and that agency action needs to be taken.
The definition of "ready-to-eat" under Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) regulations was another topic of discussion. USA Rice emphasized that rice and ingredients like rice flour and rice bran oil cannot be consumed without cooking and should not be covered under that definition. Mayne said FDA has been working on guidance to clarify what is and is not covered under the official definition.
The consensus was that throughout Arkansas and in parts of Texas, Mississippi, and Missouri, total plantings will be slightly lower than USDA projections due to frequent and heavy rainfall this spring. Louisiana expects total plantings will be similar to the USDA projection, and California projects plantings will be slightly higher than USDA figures.
Staff from USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) also attended yesterday's meeting. NASS officials outlined their projection methodology and noted the new projections provided by WMP Subcommittee members. FAS staff discussed a wide range of international trade issues, including recent favorable World Trade Organization (WTO) rulings, market access updates, and forthcoming free trade negotiations with Japan and the EU.
Dr. Susan Mayne, director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also joined the meeting to discuss key topics for the U.S. rice industry. Mayne heard from the Subcommittee on mislabeled products using the word "rice" on their packaging when there is no rice in the product. As a scientist, Mayne stressed the importance of acquiring consumer data on labeling perception that could give FDA hard proof these products are causing consumer confusion and that agency action needs to be taken.
The definition of "ready-to-eat" under Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) regulations was another topic of discussion. USA Rice emphasized that rice and ingredients like rice flour and rice bran oil cannot be consumed without cooking and should not be covered under that definition. Mayne said FDA has been working on guidance to clarify what is and is not covered under the official definition.
California Rice Planting Back on Track After
Getting A Late Start
The rice planting season got off to a late start this year after
late spring rains came through many areas of California. However, growers
were able to compensate for the delay as the weather began to dry out and warm
up. The expectation for rice acreage is similar to the past few years, at
about 500,000 acres.
COURTESY: CALIFORNIA RICE COMMISSION
“May is a busy month as it is
every year in California rice country and once again, we’ve had this for
several years now, there was a bit of a delay upfront because of spring rains,”
said Communications Manager for the California Rice Commission Jim Morris.
“Fortunately, we’re gaining momentum every day. There’s a lot of progress
being made, and I think for the vast majority of the rice-growing region there
should not be an issue getting rice in in time.”
Wet conditions in rice fields
prevented many growers from leveling the ground in preparation for seeding,
causing some concern about how condensed the harvest season will be later in
the year. “Fortunately, things have smoothed out and we’re on a much
better track. This is highly sophisticated equipment so they can cover a
lot of ground in a hurry,” said Morris. “If things are condensed too much
then you may have harvest occurring in many fields at the same time, and then
you have the issue of infrastructure being a little more taxed. But I don’t
think that’s going to be the case this year.”
As rice planting gets back on
schedule, the majority of the crop is expected to be planted by June 1.
“That’s an important date to achieve because rice planted after June 1 raises
the risk of complications during harvest and the later you go in the season
with harvest, fall rains could slow the harvest process and also lower yield,”
said Morris.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brian German
2019/05/17, World
Proposal to Export Donkey Hides From Pakistan to China Incites
Outrage
Credit: Reuters / TPG
A donkey export plan drawn up as part of
the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has incensed environmentalists and animal
rights advocates.
Donkeys support millions of Pakistanis with agriculture,
transport and access to markets in both urban and rural settings. They work in
brick kilns, are key to water supply for families which travel vast distances
to obtain freshwater, and are of great value when traversing rugged terrains.
Over 2,500 donkeys in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and the
capital of Sindh province, are being used to collect garbage, according to Dr.
Sher Nawaz, Brooke Pakistan’s Regional Manager in Sindh. Donkeys, he says, play
a substantial but unrecognized role in managing the city’s solid waste.
Credit:
Waleed Tariq
They are the lifeblood of many
communities, but concerns over their health are often ignored.
Pakistan has close to five million donkeys, according to surveys
conducted by the Pakistan Livestock Census and the UN’s Food and Agriculture
Organization. However, there is a scarcity of the animal in China, which has
witnessed its donkey population being halved since the 1990s.
This is mainly because the demand for ejiao,
a traditional Chinese medicine made out of boiling and extracting donkey skin,
has risen drastically in China. The popular “miracle elixir” is thought to
enrich blood and cure many illnesses including low-immunity and impotence.
Hence, donkeys are being imported into China for slaughter.
And as the economy takes a downturn in Pakistan with the current
government facing a sheer foreign exchange shortage, the provincial government
in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in the northwest of Pakistan plans to export
live donkeys to China.
Initially conceived in 2017, the provincial
government plans to collaborate with the Chinese government to export 80,000
donkeys to its “all-weather friend” in three years.
The US$14.7 million “Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa-China Sustainable Donkey Development Program” is part of the
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project to attract investment in the
province’s agriculture sector.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa livestock department official Dr. Asal Khan
says that since donkeys have an economic value in China, a joint venture was
proposed. However, he adds, the project has not been materialized because the
province has so far been unable to attract an official bid from China. “Inshallah [God willing] we
will begin with the joint venture once we find a state-owned Chinese company or
investor,” he says.
Credit:
Reuters / TPG
Given the existing vulnerable
conditions of the pack animal in Pakistan, animal welfare organizations have
expressed concern over Pakistan’s plan.
Some have urged the government to drop these plans. Others are
worried about the welfare of animals caught up in skin trade, and the
sustainability of the project itself.
In a letter to Pakistan’s Federal
Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sahibzada Mehboob Sultan, the
People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India appealed to “spare donkeys
suffering” by shelving the project. It cited a PETA Asia investigation into
the inhumane donkey slaughter in China which, it says, has insufficient laws to
protect animals.
Zain Mustafa, head of the Karachi-based Society for Protection of
Animal Rights (SPAR), terms the farming and export of live
donkeys a “desperate measure and entirely unnecessary.”
“At SPAR, we do not agree with the live donkey farming and
export project,” he says, adding that the deal “needs to be nipped in the bud”
before it sets a precedent.
The Donkey Sanctuary,
meanwhile, has called to cease the trade “until it can be shown to be humane
and sustainable.”
“We are extremely concerned about the welfare of the animals
caught up in the skin trade. Sourcing, handling, holding, transport and
slaughter are all major issues where we have seen horrendous animal welfare
violations as part of this trade,” says Catherine Rice, a spokesperson for the
UK-based charity, in an email interview with The
News Lens.
As witnessed in other countries, Rice adds, even if a donkey
dies an inhumane death through poor handling, i.e. stress, starvation or
dehydration, its skin will still be used for ejiao.
“We have heard reports from some middlemen that dehydration makes the skins
easier to remove,” she says.
Brooke Pakistan’s advocacy manager Syed Nadeem Abbas has a
similar apprehension. He believes that if trade starts without enough attention
given to animal welfare, there could be serious risks in the transit and
slaughter of thousands of donkeys similar to those witnessed in Africa before.
Reacting to the outcry by animal rights organizations, the
livestock department’s Khan says there is nothing on the ground so far. “Why
have they become so active when the project has not even started… there is no
issue of animal welfare [in this project],” asserts Khan.
Credit:
Reuters / TPG
Since Pakistan does not seem to
have anything close to 80,000 “spare” donkeys, breeding farms will be
established by the provincial livestock department in the towns of Dera Ismail
Khan and Mansehra.
Donkeys, animal rights groups say, are an extremely challenging
species to breed, and undertaking an enterprise like this is not feasible.
Therefore, holding the small herd in larger groups could lead to greater stress
and lower reproduction.
In such an event, the supply of donkeys will have to come from
the poor Pakistani equine owning communities. The declining numbers could then
further increase the already high prices of the animals – between 35,000 and
50,000 Pakistani rupees, or about US$250 to US$350 – having long-term,
detrimental effects on the livelihoods of the poor.
A Brooke Pakistan survey shows that livelihood of at least six
people is dependent on one animal.
Assuming that approximately 12 family members would directly or
indirectly benefit from the work of a donkey through its life, Rice says that a
million Pakistanis will be negatively impacted by removing 80,000 donkeys from
their livelihoods.
According to currently available data, the number of animals has
dwindled for countries engaging in trade with China. For example, in
Kyrgyzstan, the population has fallen by over 50 percent between 2012 and 2016.
Are there any
alternatives?
Since the deal appears highly unsustainable, animal welfare
bodies have urged the Pakistan government to boost the country’s economy
through industry programs to replace donkeys with tractors and other forms of
modernization.
“Mechanized technology can be provided to existing donkey owners
through micro-finance banks,” says the head of SPAR. “Continuing to use the
donkey to move heavy goods is an archaic and cruel practice and should be
discarded for good.”
The Donkey Sanctuary calls for investment in donkey welfare,
saying that routine vaccination programs, basic owner-level hoof-care and
wound-care, and investing in working-equid courses for vet students can bring
significant improvements in the lives of both donkeys and the people that
depend on them.
Restructuring the existing animal welfare law, the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals Acts, 1890, for better implementation, is also the need of
the hour.
However, working with humans and animals simultaneously is
paramount as most of the issues are management issues.
Besides providing medical treatment, food, water and shelter to
the donkeys, owners through capacity building and community awareness programs
need to be educated on how treating their animal better will help them in the
end.
Credit:
Reuters / TPG
Is it legal to
export live animals in Pakistan?
Regardless of the status of the project, Pakistan government’s
Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), following a push-up in the prices of
meat and leather in the domestic market, and reports of illegal sale of donkey
meat in different parts of Pakistan, banned the export of live animals as well
as donkey meat and hides.
The bans are still in place, Khurshid Qureshi, Director
Livestock Dairy and Development Board, Punjab confirmed.
The Express Tribune reported that in the 2013-14 financial year,
as many as 59,634 donkeys’ hides valued at 44 million rupees (US$310,680) were
exported, mainly to countries such as China, Vietnam and Hong Kong. The figure
rose to 129,898 hides worth 147 million rupees (US$1.04 million) in 2014-15.
The Ministry of Commerce says the country has good potential to
export donkeys to China. A ministry official, speaking on the condition of
anonymity, told The
News Lens that products be should be seen in accordance with
their economic benefit rather than anything else. “Anything that has economic
potential should be put up for trade… why not?”
Editor: Nick Aspinwall (@Nick1Aspinwall)
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US sanctions:
Islamabad, Tehran working on barter trade deal mechanism
Pakistan and Iran are working on a barter trade deal mechanism
to enhance bilateral trade which is negligible due to sanctions imposed by the
United States of America on Tehran. This was disclosed during a heavily
attended meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce and
Textile presided over by Syed Naveed Qamar. It was the worst day in terms of
the response to the briefing given by the Commerce Division, despite the
presence of many officials from the ministry.
Prime Minister's Advisor on Commerce, Textile, Industries and Production, Abdul Razak Dawood, who recently accompanied Prime Minister Imran Khan during his visit to Iran, informed the committee that he held a meeting with the Iranian Trade Minister and discussed the ways and means of a barter trade deal between the two neighbours.
He said both countries have decided to select two or three items each which can be traded through barter, adding that Iran has identified electricity and Liquefied Natural Gas (LPG) whereas Pakistan will export agri products.
"Pakistan is considering three proposals for trade with Iran which include seeking waiver on sanctions from US, barter trade and setting up a special bank to do business with Iran," said a Ministry official.
Chairman Standing Committee argued that except petroleum products, all other products can be traded through barter between the two countries. Director General Trade, Commerce Division, Muhammad Ashraf informed the committee that informal trade between Pakistan and Iran is continuing. However, Chairman Standing Committee asserted that informal trade means smuggling, sarcastically querying whether it should continue.
Additional Secretary, Commerce Division, Capt. Javed Akbar (retired) further explained that both countries are working together to improve the barter trade mechanism and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is extending help in this regard.
He further stated that Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and Iranian Chamber are actually taking the lead in this deal.
An insider stated that a committee under the chairmanship of Minister of State for Revenue comprising public and private sector (Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industries) representatives has been constituted. During the meetings, the SBP revealed that since the entire banking sector is under sanctions, it is not possible to open branches of Iranian banks in Pakistan. Following deliberations, the committee has come up with the following proposals to overcome the payment problem with Iran: (i) seek waiver from the US on sanctions; (ii) establish a mechanism for barter trade; and (iii) set up a dedicated bank to do business with Iran. These proposals are under examination by the relevant Ministries and Department in the light of their possible economic and political repercussions.
There has always been demand for medical/ surgical instruments and Pakistani rice and fruits in Iran. Pakistan is quite capable of meeting such needs of Iran by improving the requisite logistics/infrastructure in this regard.
Additional Secretary further stated that Pakistan's kinnow is already being exported to Iran, adding initially Tehran had imposed unjustified non tariff barriers which have now been removed. Pakistan's exports to Iran are about $ 22.5 million which are expected to increase after barter trade deal is made operational.
Shaista Pervez Malik informed the committee that the European Union (EU) has written a letter to the Prime Minister with respect to GSP plus, seeking Commerce Division's viewpoint on it.
Abdul Razak Dawood said he feared that this can be a big issue for Pakistan. However, Secretary Commerce, Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera promised that Commerce Division will brief the committee in detail on the subject in its next meeting. He said a committee headed by Attorney General is working in this regard.
Answering a question regarding wheat, he said that Ministry of National Food Security and Research, in a briefing to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, acknowledged that 1 million tons of wheat will probably be wasted this year with the government procuring 5.1 million tons. He said best quality wheat is produced in Multan and Rahim Yar Khan.
He further stated that there is no grading of wheat in Pakistan and if this is done, Pakistan can easily export 1 million tons of wheat or flour per annum.
Director General Trade, Muhammad Ashraf gave a presentation on export of agriculture products, rice, wheat, sugar ad cotton horticulture products like mangoes and kinnows.
Commerce Advisor stated that presently 45 million tons of surplus wheat is available in the country but there are no good arrangements to store wheat. Chairman Standing Committee suggested silos for this purpose.
During discussion, he stated that China had shown a willingness to import 0.3 million tons of sugar and 0.2 million tons of rice. He said there should be no subsidy on sugar export and federal government has already taken this decision. He further stated that the government intends to increase rice exports from $ 2.5 billion to $ 5 billion. The issue of dates also came under discussion. Secretary Commerce updated the committee about the meeting he held with dates' stakeholders in Karachi last week.
The issue of Geographical Indication (GI) laws was discussed and the Advisor informed that Pakistan does not have any law to protect its domestic products at the international level. Other countries are selling Pakistan's unbranded goods with their own logo. The government is working on GI laws and once enacted Pakistan would be able to safeguard its products internationally.
The committee rejected a crop insurance "ambiguous" plan by National Insurance Corporation Limited (NILC) as none of the committee members and Commerce Division officials understood the scheme.
According to official statement, Abdul Razak Dawood briefed the committee on Strategic Trade Policy Framework (STPF) 2019-2024. The policy objectives of STPF are to make the exports a driver of economic growth, transition from factor-driven to efficiency-driven exports in the short to medium term and innovation driven exports in the long term, improve competitiveness and efficiency of industry especially export-oriented sector by reducing input costs and increasing productivity, attract efficiency-seeking investment into export-oriented production, reduce relative "disincentive" for exporting activities by reducing structural anomalies, and to improve the trade ecosystem by increasing institutional efficiencies and reducing cost of doing business. The vision of STPF is to make Pakistan to become a dynamic and efficient domestic market and a globally-competitive export-driven economy, and its mission is to transform Pakistan from a factor-driven to an efficiency-driven economy integrated into the global and regional value chains in the medium term and an innovation-driven economy in the long term.
The committee showed serious concerns over the crop insurance schemes offered to the farmers and asked the Ministry and National Insurance Company Limited to come up with better packages. Although the wheat crop has been damaged due to the weather calamities but there are sufficient stocks left from the past. He opined that wheat should be deregulated and grading of wheat is necessary. Syed Naveed Qamar, Chairman Standing Committee stressed to change the policy regarding sugar cane and said that this is high time to invest in other crops. For dates' crop, the committee asked the Ministry to resolve the issue of running finance and remittance by taking the farmers into confidence. The committee desired to have more crops covered by Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd. (ZTBL).
The meeting was attended by Abdul Razak Dawood, and MNA's, Ali Khan Jadoon, Muhammad Yaqoob Sheikh, Muhammad Asim Nazir, Ahmed Hussain Deharr, Mian Muhammad Shafiq, Wajhia Akram, Sajida Begum, Tahira Aurangzeb, Shaista Pervaiz, Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani, Secretary along with Senior Officers.
Prime Minister's Advisor on Commerce, Textile, Industries and Production, Abdul Razak Dawood, who recently accompanied Prime Minister Imran Khan during his visit to Iran, informed the committee that he held a meeting with the Iranian Trade Minister and discussed the ways and means of a barter trade deal between the two neighbours.
He said both countries have decided to select two or three items each which can be traded through barter, adding that Iran has identified electricity and Liquefied Natural Gas (LPG) whereas Pakistan will export agri products.
"Pakistan is considering three proposals for trade with Iran which include seeking waiver on sanctions from US, barter trade and setting up a special bank to do business with Iran," said a Ministry official.
Chairman Standing Committee argued that except petroleum products, all other products can be traded through barter between the two countries. Director General Trade, Commerce Division, Muhammad Ashraf informed the committee that informal trade between Pakistan and Iran is continuing. However, Chairman Standing Committee asserted that informal trade means smuggling, sarcastically querying whether it should continue.
Additional Secretary, Commerce Division, Capt. Javed Akbar (retired) further explained that both countries are working together to improve the barter trade mechanism and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is extending help in this regard.
He further stated that Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and Iranian Chamber are actually taking the lead in this deal.
An insider stated that a committee under the chairmanship of Minister of State for Revenue comprising public and private sector (Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industries) representatives has been constituted. During the meetings, the SBP revealed that since the entire banking sector is under sanctions, it is not possible to open branches of Iranian banks in Pakistan. Following deliberations, the committee has come up with the following proposals to overcome the payment problem with Iran: (i) seek waiver from the US on sanctions; (ii) establish a mechanism for barter trade; and (iii) set up a dedicated bank to do business with Iran. These proposals are under examination by the relevant Ministries and Department in the light of their possible economic and political repercussions.
There has always been demand for medical/ surgical instruments and Pakistani rice and fruits in Iran. Pakistan is quite capable of meeting such needs of Iran by improving the requisite logistics/infrastructure in this regard.
Additional Secretary further stated that Pakistan's kinnow is already being exported to Iran, adding initially Tehran had imposed unjustified non tariff barriers which have now been removed. Pakistan's exports to Iran are about $ 22.5 million which are expected to increase after barter trade deal is made operational.
Shaista Pervez Malik informed the committee that the European Union (EU) has written a letter to the Prime Minister with respect to GSP plus, seeking Commerce Division's viewpoint on it.
Abdul Razak Dawood said he feared that this can be a big issue for Pakistan. However, Secretary Commerce, Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera promised that Commerce Division will brief the committee in detail on the subject in its next meeting. He said a committee headed by Attorney General is working in this regard.
Answering a question regarding wheat, he said that Ministry of National Food Security and Research, in a briefing to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, acknowledged that 1 million tons of wheat will probably be wasted this year with the government procuring 5.1 million tons. He said best quality wheat is produced in Multan and Rahim Yar Khan.
He further stated that there is no grading of wheat in Pakistan and if this is done, Pakistan can easily export 1 million tons of wheat or flour per annum.
Director General Trade, Muhammad Ashraf gave a presentation on export of agriculture products, rice, wheat, sugar ad cotton horticulture products like mangoes and kinnows.
Commerce Advisor stated that presently 45 million tons of surplus wheat is available in the country but there are no good arrangements to store wheat. Chairman Standing Committee suggested silos for this purpose.
During discussion, he stated that China had shown a willingness to import 0.3 million tons of sugar and 0.2 million tons of rice. He said there should be no subsidy on sugar export and federal government has already taken this decision. He further stated that the government intends to increase rice exports from $ 2.5 billion to $ 5 billion. The issue of dates also came under discussion. Secretary Commerce updated the committee about the meeting he held with dates' stakeholders in Karachi last week.
The issue of Geographical Indication (GI) laws was discussed and the Advisor informed that Pakistan does not have any law to protect its domestic products at the international level. Other countries are selling Pakistan's unbranded goods with their own logo. The government is working on GI laws and once enacted Pakistan would be able to safeguard its products internationally.
The committee rejected a crop insurance "ambiguous" plan by National Insurance Corporation Limited (NILC) as none of the committee members and Commerce Division officials understood the scheme.
According to official statement, Abdul Razak Dawood briefed the committee on Strategic Trade Policy Framework (STPF) 2019-2024. The policy objectives of STPF are to make the exports a driver of economic growth, transition from factor-driven to efficiency-driven exports in the short to medium term and innovation driven exports in the long term, improve competitiveness and efficiency of industry especially export-oriented sector by reducing input costs and increasing productivity, attract efficiency-seeking investment into export-oriented production, reduce relative "disincentive" for exporting activities by reducing structural anomalies, and to improve the trade ecosystem by increasing institutional efficiencies and reducing cost of doing business. The vision of STPF is to make Pakistan to become a dynamic and efficient domestic market and a globally-competitive export-driven economy, and its mission is to transform Pakistan from a factor-driven to an efficiency-driven economy integrated into the global and regional value chains in the medium term and an innovation-driven economy in the long term.
The committee showed serious concerns over the crop insurance schemes offered to the farmers and asked the Ministry and National Insurance Company Limited to come up with better packages. Although the wheat crop has been damaged due to the weather calamities but there are sufficient stocks left from the past. He opined that wheat should be deregulated and grading of wheat is necessary. Syed Naveed Qamar, Chairman Standing Committee stressed to change the policy regarding sugar cane and said that this is high time to invest in other crops. For dates' crop, the committee asked the Ministry to resolve the issue of running finance and remittance by taking the farmers into confidence. The committee desired to have more crops covered by Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd. (ZTBL).
The meeting was attended by Abdul Razak Dawood, and MNA's, Ali Khan Jadoon, Muhammad Yaqoob Sheikh, Muhammad Asim Nazir, Ahmed Hussain Deharr, Mian Muhammad Shafiq, Wajhia Akram, Sajida Begum, Tahira Aurangzeb, Shaista Pervaiz, Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani, Secretary along with Senior Officers.
De-hyphenation Dilemma
MAY 16, 2019
De-hyphenation in general is
perceived as a policy of the U.S. to deal with Pakistan and India in different
silos without linking to their bi-lateral relations. Under this policy, the
U.S. relations with Pakistan and India are to be carried out by an objective
assessment of its interests towards each state (Pakistan and India) keeping in
view their merits and de-merits. This policy operationalized when the then U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced the Washington’s decision to
De-hyphenate U.S. policies towards India and Pakistan in 2007.
As per Stephen P. Cohen, this
policy of the U.S. to deal with two nuclear armed neighbours in the South Asian
region can be regarded as an Aristotelian approach where justice meant to each
as per their virtues and assets free of each other’s.
According to Ashley J Tellis,
there are a few reasons behind this strategic shift in the U.S. policy. First,
the vital importance of India as a rising power in international arena with a
population of 1.2 billion having democratic credentials. Second, a huge
consumer market for the U.S. to explore in terms of military equipment, raw
material and white goods. Third, the potential ability of India to counter
China, defending the freedom of navigation, safeguarding lanes of communication
and space race. Fourth, a unique way that could provide the U.S. with the
ability to build its relations with Pakistan and India on separate tracks.
Lastly, the U.S. is in dire need to share weight of regulating the global norm
and values based on internationally recognized principles. This task has become
critical in Indo (Asia) pacific region where India is ready to share the
burden.
De-hyphenation has severe
ramifications both for Pakistan and the region. Not only has it strained
Pakistan’s relation with the U.S. but also has tilted the South Asian Balance
of Power in favour of India. This has also triggered an arms race in the region
that could prove catastrophic because both the states possess credible nuclear
weapon capabilities. Under this policy, the U.S. relations with India
flourished to such an extent that India became a strategic partner whereas, its
relations with Pakistan deteriorated to an extent that in 2011-2012 some South
Asian experts in the U.S. administration started talking about ‘containing’
Pakistan and ‘talking tough’ to Pakistan.
De-hyphenation
has severe ramifications both for Pakistan and the region. Not only has it
strained Pakistan’s relation with the U.S. but also has tilted the South Asian
Balance of Power in favour of India
Under this policy the U.S.
abandoned Pakistan’s legitimate concerns vis-à-vis India which proved to be a
sheer discrimination on its part. Pakistan felt cheated on the pretext that
having sacrificed more than eighty thousand lives and suffering an economic
loss of $120billion, still it is Pakistan that is being accused of harbouring
terrorist’s safe havens, double game in Afghanistan and is being subjected to
“do more” mantra.
Now question arises that to what
extent De-hyphenation has really taken place between Pakistan and India in
terms of their relations with the U.S. and the answer is very obvious; to much
extent. First, the U.S. signed civil nuclear cooperation with India not with
Pakistan. Second, India is granted a pro-active role in Afghanistan despite
having no direct geographical link with it. Third, the U.S. has also supported
Indian request for the membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group. Fourth, the U.S.
has granted India waiver to import oil from Iran despite sanctions on Iran.
Fifth, the U.S. has no objection from India to purchase state of the art S-400
surface to air missiles from Russia. Sixth, the U.S. is helping India modernize
its military and technological capabilities and last but not least, in post
Pulwama scenario the U.S. did not play its due role as super power of the world
to de-escalate tensions between Pakistan and India rather, acknowledged that
India has the right to defend herself. This encouraged India to violate the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan resultantly; Pakistan had to
respond for the sake of strategic stability in the region.
All these developments are seen
with suspicions in Pakistan. Now, it is left only with a few options to
readdress this altered notion of security dilemma so as to keep the strategic
balance in the South Asian region. Pakistan can either go for self-help or
alliances formation with its friends and neighbours or else cash its vital
geo-strategic significance.
Regarding self-help, Pakistan has
already started producing its indigenous JF-17 Thunder aircrafts along with
Al-Khalid tanks. Pakistan has also successfully tested Ababeel missile which is
regarded as a game changer because it can carry both conventional and nuclear
warheads including multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRV).
However, in terms of alliances
formation, Pakistan has started close cooperation with its neighbours. For
example, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is going to be strategically
vital for Pakistan both for its economic growth and military cooperation.
Pakistan has also started working for close cooperation with Russia as a result
Russian forces took part in multinational Naval exercise AMAN that took place
in Pakistan from February 10 to February 14,2017. In addition, Pakistan and
Russian army have been conducting joint military “Friendship” drills since 2016
with the most recent one held in Pakistan’s northwestern town of Pabbi from
October 21 to November 4, 2018.Both the states agreed to upgrade their
bi-lateral relations to Strategic partnership in the near future.
Apart from that Pakistan has to
convince the U.S. to Re-hyphenate it with India in the region because Pakistan
has become a lynch pin for the safe exit of the U.S. forces from Afghanistan.
To quote Pakistan’s Foreign Office statement “US President Donald Trump, in his
letter addressed to Prime Minister Imran Khan, has stated that his most
important regional priority was achieving a negotiated settlement of the Afghan
war. In this regard, he has sought Pakistan’s support and facilitation”.
Moreover, he also maintained that both the states should “explore opportunities
to work together and renew partnership”. Mr. Trump also “acknowledged that the
war had cost both USA and Pakistan” therefore, “Peace and stability in
Afghanistan remains a shared responsibility”. Thus, Pakistan must use this
window of opportunity to neutralize the De-hyphenation induced Security Dilemma
in the region.
The writer is a Research
Affiliate at the Strategic Vision Institute (SVI) Islamabad
California Rice Planting Back on Track After
Getting A Late Start
The rice planting season got off
to a late start this year after late spring rains came through many areas of
California. However, growers were able to compensate for the delay as the
weather began to dry out and warm up. The expectation for rice acreage is
similar to the past few years, at about 500,000 acres.
COURTESY: CALIFORNIA RICE COMMISSION
“May is a busy month as it is
every year in California rice country and once again, we’ve had this for
several years now, there was a bit of a delay upfront because of spring rains,”
said Communications Manager for the California Rice Commission Jim
Morris. “Fortunately, we’re gaining momentum every day. There’s a lot
of progress being made, and I think for the vast majority of the rice-growing
region there should not be an issue getting rice in in time.”
Wet conditions in rice fields prevented many growers from
leveling the ground in preparation for seeding, causing some concern about how
condensed the harvest season will be later in the year. “Fortunately,
things have smoothed out and we’re on a much better track. This is highly
sophisticated equipment so they can cover a lot of ground in a hurry,” said
Morris. “If things are condensed too much then you may have harvest
occurring in many fields at the same time, and then you have the issue of
infrastructure being a little more taxed. But I don’t think that’s going
to be the case this year.”
As rice planting gets back on
schedule, the majority of the crop is expected to be planted by June 1.
“That’s an important date to achieve because rice planted after June 1 raises
the risk of complications during harvest and the later you go in the season
with harvest, fall rains could slow the harvest process and also lower yield,”
said Morris.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rice prices fall hits farmers hard
Farmers count loss of Tk 300 per maund of rice in B’baria
17 May, 2019 12:00:58 PM / LAST MODIFIED: 17 May, 2019 03:22:32
PM
Independent Online Desk
Photo shows the biggest rice wholesale market of the
country’s eastern region at Ashuganj in Brahmanbaria. Photo: UNB
Farmers have been counting about
Tk 300 loss per maund of rice here in the current Boro season due to fall in
rice prices.
Visiting Ashuganj rice market, the biggest rice wholesale market of the
country’s eastern region, the UNB correspondent found farmers from
Kishoreganj, Netrakona, Habiganj, Mymensingh, Sunamganj and Narsingdi bring
rice by river route. Rice mill owners buy rice directly from farmers at
this spot.
Farmers said they have been
counting huge losses as they are not getting a fair price this year. Mill
owners are buying maximum rice at a low price produced in the haor areas
instead of the government.
The production cost of per maund
of rice including the labourer cost is near Tk 1,000 while its selling price is
only Tk 550 to Tk 750 in the local markets, they said.
Ramzan, a farmer hailing from
Sarail upazila, said he paid Tk 600 to a day labourer for harvesting paddy with
an extra amount of Tk 200 for food.
In addition, he has been waiting
for three days at Ashuganj rice wholesale market with 1,400 maunds rice and
being forced to sell those at low price. “I have to count a loss of Tk 4 lakh
if I sale rice of one boat,” he said.
Another farmer, hailing from Nikli
village in Kishoreganj, said he will have to count a loss of Tk 80,000 this
year.
According to local sources,
frustration gripped farmers as each and every farmer counting losses who bring
50,000 maunds of rice rice daily on an average to Ashuganj rice wholesale
market.
Nazrul Islam, a farmer said, the
government has fixed price of per maund rice at Tk 1,040 , but they are being
forced to sell rice at only Tk 520 to Tk 750 per maund.
District Controller of Food Subir
Nath Chowdhury said, farmers should sell rice in their own upazila food godown
to get fair price.
Shahajahan Siraj, District Rice
Mill Owners Association General Secretary, said to protect farmers in this
situation the government should stop rice import and buy more rice from
farmers.
He also demanded a rice
procurement center of the government in Ashuganj rice market to buy rice
directly from the farmers.
Ashuganj Food Control office
sources said it would collect 33,923 metric tonnes of Boro rice in the current
season. Of that, 24,437 mts would be boiled and 9,486 mts non-boiled.
Ashuganj Food Godown will collect
22,090 metric tonnes rice from 246 mills. Collection will continue till August
31.
Decline in Boro rice prices were
also reported from other parts of the country.
A Tangail farmer set his Boro
paddy field on fire protesting the paddy price fall and the serious scarcity of
day labourers in the district on Tuesday.
Farmer Abdul Malek Shikder staged
this unusual protest at Bankina village in Kalahati upazila of Tangail.
Farmers in different parts of the
country staged protests in different ways demanding fair prices of their
produces. Students of different universities, including Sher-e-Bangla
Agricultural University and Rajshahi University, also joined the protest
prgrammes.UNB.
Cambodia’s rice exports to China continue to rise in
first 4 months
Christine
Zenino from Chicago, US [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
By Xinhua Net
May 17, 2019
Phnom Penh – Cambodia exported
95,066 metric tons of milled rice to China in the first four months of 2019, a
66-percent increase over the same period last year, showed an official report
released on Thursday.
China is still the top buyer of
Cambodian rice during the January-April period this year, said the report of
the Secretariat of One Window Service for Rice Export, adding that export to
China accounted for 44.5 percent of the country’s total rice export.
It said the Southeast Asian
country exported a total of 213,763 tons of rice to 46 countries and regions in
the first four months of this year, up 8.3 percent over the same period last
year.
Indian
rice prices slide to seven-month low as demand stalls
Harshith Aranya
MAY 16, 2019 / 6:25 PM
BENGALURU (Reuters) - Rice export
prices in top exporter India slid this week to their lowest in nearly seven
months as demand continued to stagnate, while rates for Vietnamese rice dipped
on expected increase in stockpiles after the summer harvest.
A worker uses his feet to spread
rice for drying at a rice mill on the outskirts of Kolkata, India, January 31,
2019.Picture taken January 31, 2019. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri
India’s 5 percent broken parboiled
variety was quoted around $362-$365 a tonne this week, down from last week’s
$371-$374 for a sixth weekly decline as it also came under pressure from
depreciation in the rupee.
“Demand has dried up in the West
African market, as they are sitting on high inventories,” said Nitin Gupta,
vice president for Olam India’s rice business.
Aggressive selling of old
inventories by China to African buyers is also weighing on prices, exporters
said.
The rice-growing southern peninsula
of India could receive 95% rainfall during the forthcoming monsoon, private
weather forecaster Skymet said.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Bangladesh
is planning to export surplus rice to protect farmers’ interests, food minister
Sadhan Chandra Majumdar said, amid growers’ increasing frustration over low
rice prices.
Farmers say that 40kg of paddy is
being sold at about 500 taka ($5.90) against an average production cost of 700
taka, while the harvesting of the summer rice crop, known as Boro, is in full
swing.
In Vietnam, rates for 5 percent
broken rice fell to $355 a tonne on Thursday, compared with $365 a week
earlier, on expectations that stockpiles will increase when the early harvest
of the summer-autumn crop begins late this month.
“Rice exports from Vietnam this year
are forecast to stay flat on last year but will gradually fall as the rice
growing area is shrinks to give way to growing fruit trees,” a senior official
with the Vietnam Food Association told Reuters.
“Though Chinese importers have reopened
the door to Vietnamese rice, it’s not yet easy for Vietnamese exporters to
boost their sales to China as several technical barriers are still in place,”
the official added, referring to regulations on quality management, packaging
and origins.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s benchmark
5-percent broken rice prices were unchanged at $385-$400 a tonne free on board
(FOB) Bangkok.
But Thai traders said they were
worried that Thai rice, currently priced higher than Vietnamese and Indian
rice, is also losing competitiveness because the Thai baht is the
strongest-performing currency in Asia this year.
The Thai Rice Exporters Association
stood by its January forecast for Thailand to export 9.5 million tonnes this
year, falling from last year’s 11 million tonnes because of the strong baht.
Thailand’s deputy commerce minister,
Chutima Bunyapraphasara, on Wednesday said the country had exported 3.2 million
tonnes of rice in the first four months of the year.
Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat
in Bangkok, Khanh Vu in Hanoi, Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai, Ruma Paul in Dhaka;
Editing by Arpan Varghese and David Goodman
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters
Trust Principles.
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