CCMB scientists decode bacterial
blight in rice
The
first barrier encountered by the bacterium when it comes in contact with the
rice plant is the cell wall of the plant cells, which confers structural
integrity and protection to the cell.
Hyderabad: The genetic researchers at
Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) have managed
to understand the interplay between bacterium Xanthomonas and rice crop. The
findings of the study were published in the Journal Molecular Plant Pathology,
a publication of the British Society for Plant Pathology.
The bacterium Xanthomonas causes a bacterial
blight infection in rice. The first barrier encountered by the bacterium when
it comes in contact with the rice plant is the cell wall of the plant cells,
which confers structural integrity and protection to the cell. In order to
breakdown the cell wall, Xanthomonas secretes certain cell wall degrading
enzymes.
This is sensed by the plant which then
activates its innate immune responses to fight the bacterium. But the bacterium
has also evolved to secrete specialised proteins (called the effector proteins)
that can suppress the plant immune responses.
“It is the balance between the two that decides
if the plant succeeds to protect itself from the bacterial attack.
Understanding the molecular players in plant immune response pathway offers new
ways of blocking the bacterial hijack as well as strengthening the defence
responses of the plant cells,” said Dr Ramesh V Sonti along with Dr Hitendra K
Patel and research scholar Sohini Deb.
The team has identified the principal players
behind this process and discovered a new plant‐bacterial interaction which renders the plant
to be resistant to bacterial infection. The researchers found that a bacterial
effector, named XopQ, suppresses rice immune responses by interacting with
certain class of proteins in the rice plant cells.
In an interesting experiment, researchers
altered the sequence of the effector protein and consequently, they found that
the mutant form of the bacterial effector protein, is now unable to suppress
the plant immune responses but makes the plant resistant to bacterial
infection, a press release said.
US to help Pakistan introduce
genetically-engineered corn
May 20, 2019
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Agricultural Service of the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) has said that future collaborative projects
between the US and Pakistan include using American soybean feed in poultry,
fish farming and dairy industries, introducing genetically-engineered maize and
working with various government departments to develop uniform food safety
standards.
“Soybean from the United States will serve as raw material for
poultry, fish farming and dairy industries in Pakistan. We are working
collaboratively with the government and the industry not only in poultry but
also in the new and exciting area of fish farming which is in the pipeline,”
Casey E. Bean, USDA official based in US Embassy in Islamabad, told Dawn.
“Approval of genetically-engineered maize is currently being
considered in Pakistan. It would offer farmers a tool to increase their
production and reduce use of agricultural chemicals,” he claimed.
Talking about the complicated relationship between the two
countries, Mr Bean told Dawn,
“While political highs and lows in the relations between the two countries
occurs, US-Pakistan cooperation in the agricultural sector has always been an
important part in our bilateral relationship of seventy years.
“The deep relationship between the agricultural scientists of the
two countries is evident in the collaboration on developing seeds for wheat,
rice, sugarcane and cotton. Agriculture sector is an incredibly important
sector in Pakistan and is a priority for the US. For these reasons the USDA
mission has an office in Islamabad,” he said.
Allies in fighting terrorism, Pakistan and the US have a knotty
relationship, especially over Afghanistan. In the past the Washington has
accused Islamabad of playing a double game but in February this year US
President Donald Trump said that the United States had developed a “much better
relationship” with Pakistan.
Uniform food safety standards and food security are two other
areas where the USDA is working with local government departments, Mr Bean
said. USDA is working with the Department of Commerce, the Ministry of National
Food Security and agribusiness sector to implement food safety standards such
as food labels illustrating ingredients contained in food products.
The federal government’s food security authority would be able to
provide oversight to provinces to adhere to international standards
consistently ultimately benefiting consumers, Mr Bean said.
USDA will assist the ministry of national food security and
research for the national food system project, as after devolution, it has
become important for Pakistan to have a central food security authority. In
this area, USDA is working with Pakistan Agriculture Research Council
scientists for reducing aflatoxin (toxic fungus) in food crops.
USDA and USAID launched a programme sometime last year to
introduce aflatoxin control in Pakistan currently at field trial stage.
Aflatoxin is produced by molds, and it often grows on food crops such as corn,
peanuts, chillies, ground nuts but even cotton seeds are susceptible. US
scientists were working with a private sector maize company in Pakistan to
develop a technology to combat aflatoxin, said the US official.
About cotton, he said this sector is tremendous win-win situation
for Pakistan. Textile is a large export earner for Pakistan in which cotton as
raw material imported from the US has a significant share in Pakistan’s
textiles.
Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2019
Removal
of 232 Tariffs is Step in the Right Direction for Passage of USMCA
By Sarah Moran
WASHINGTON, DC -- Last Friday, President Trump announced an
agreement with Canada and Mexico for the removal of U.S. Section 232 tariffs on
steel (25 percent) and aluminum (10 percent) for Canada and Mexico. In
return, those two countries have removed their retaliatory tariffs imposed on
some American goods.
Both Canada and Mexico had indicated that they would not sign the new trilateral deal, U.S. - Mexico - Canada Agreement (USMCA), without the removal of these tariffs which have been in place for the past year. Following last Friday's announcement, Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said that Canada will move quickly to ratify USMCA. Their parliament adjourns on June 21 ahead of their October national election, so time is short. Mexico has made steps forward by passing labor laws last month which help it comply with the new standards in the USMCA.
"While rice was not subject to retaliatory tariffs in Mexico or Canada, we appreciate the Administration lifting these tariffs as it signals the passing of USMCA is one step closer," said Betsy Ward, USA Rice's President & CEO.
The U.S. issued separate joint statements with Mexico and Canada following this announcement stating that in addition to the removal of the tariffs, the two countries would also implement measures to prevent the importation of aluminum and steel that is unfairly subsidized and/or sold at dumped prices. There is also the safeguard stipulation that if aluminum or steel imports surge then the duties can be re-imposed.
"In all of our recent meetings on the Hill, we've reiterated how important USMCA is to our industry," said Ben Mosely, USA Rice vice president of government affairs. "With Mexico and Canada accounting for nearly 30 percent of U.S. rice exports, we want to use all means at our disposal to legislatively protect these markets. By reinforcing the importance of these markets with Members of Congress and staff through our advocacy work, we have demonstrated the value that USMCA will bring to U.S.-grown rice and conversely, what could be at stake if we lost access to these vital trading partners."
Additionally, the Trump Administration will delay tariffs on cars and auto parts imports for six months as trade deal negotiations with Japan and the European Union are ramping up. USA Rice is also strongly supportive of trade deals with both Japan and the EU given that they include improved access for U.S. rice exports.
Both Canada and Mexico had indicated that they would not sign the new trilateral deal, U.S. - Mexico - Canada Agreement (USMCA), without the removal of these tariffs which have been in place for the past year. Following last Friday's announcement, Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said that Canada will move quickly to ratify USMCA. Their parliament adjourns on June 21 ahead of their October national election, so time is short. Mexico has made steps forward by passing labor laws last month which help it comply with the new standards in the USMCA.
"While rice was not subject to retaliatory tariffs in Mexico or Canada, we appreciate the Administration lifting these tariffs as it signals the passing of USMCA is one step closer," said Betsy Ward, USA Rice's President & CEO.
The U.S. issued separate joint statements with Mexico and Canada following this announcement stating that in addition to the removal of the tariffs, the two countries would also implement measures to prevent the importation of aluminum and steel that is unfairly subsidized and/or sold at dumped prices. There is also the safeguard stipulation that if aluminum or steel imports surge then the duties can be re-imposed.
"In all of our recent meetings on the Hill, we've reiterated how important USMCA is to our industry," said Ben Mosely, USA Rice vice president of government affairs. "With Mexico and Canada accounting for nearly 30 percent of U.S. rice exports, we want to use all means at our disposal to legislatively protect these markets. By reinforcing the importance of these markets with Members of Congress and staff through our advocacy work, we have demonstrated the value that USMCA will bring to U.S.-grown rice and conversely, what could be at stake if we lost access to these vital trading partners."
Additionally, the Trump Administration will delay tariffs on cars and auto parts imports for six months as trade deal negotiations with Japan and the European Union are ramping up. USA Rice is also strongly supportive of trade deals with both Japan and the EU given that they include improved access for U.S. rice exports.
USA Rice DAILY
Perseverance
By Jim Morris
I give great credit to the
families that ran in today’s Run Around the Rice in
Richvale, a fun race that benefits Biggs Elementary School students. The
enthusiasm, smiles and camaraderie outlasted the strong rain, wind and muddy
conditions.
This is the fourth Run Around the
Rice, and, fortunately, our family has run in all of them. The fact that
today’s event went off so smoothly is testament to the hard work members of the
community, headed by Jolene Sheppard, put into it.
Today reminded me a lot about the
resilient nature of farmers. Weather has not been kind this growing season,
with rain at the start and finish. It’s still a challenge for many growers, as
they work to plant their rice in the next few weeks.
Mirroring those who grow rice in
the Sacramento Valley, today’s runners focused on persevering to the finish
line, and made the push even though it wasn’t Chamber of Commerce weather. I
have that same faith in growers, pilots and all of those finishing up planting
season. They’ll do whatever it takes to get the job done.
Jim Morris is Communications Manager for the California Rice
Commission. Jim has worked in communications for more than 20 years. When he’s
not on the job, he enjoys his family, faith, football, outrageous monster
stories and running marathons.
Sri Lanka's exports to Pakistan plummet after anti-Muslim violence
20 May 2019
Exports from Sri Lanka to Pakistan have plummeted, the Pakistan-Sri
Lanka Business Forum said this month, after days of anti-Muslim violence
attacking Muslim businesses, homes and mosques.
"It is the Muslim community in
Sri Lanka that imports Pakistani products and sells them there. They are
partners of Pakistani exporters,” the Forum's chairperson, Aslam Pakhali told
the Express Tribune.
"Their shops, super stores and
godowns are being targeted. The goods exported from Pakistan have been unloaded
at the Sri Lankan port, but the importers are not getting them cleared because
of the deteriorating law and order situation there," he added.
"Rice and textile exports to
Sri Lanka from Pakistan have stopped. Potato export has also reduced
drastically."
"The loss to the Muslim
community by now is estimated at $500 million and payments to the Pakistani
exporters amounting of $30 million have been withheld.”
His comments come as videos have
emerged appeared to show military personnel colluding with the mobs and a
saffron robed Buddhist monk taking part in the rioting.
The army said it had launched a
special inquiry into an incident which took place in Thunmodara where one
soldier was accused of standing by whilst the mobs attacked Muslim
property.
"If the inquiry confirms that
the person in question happens to be an Army member, the Army will take all
necessary disciplinary actions against the said member," the army
said.
A video released by Journalists for
Democracy in Sri Lanka yesterday shows military and police personnel not just
standing by but actively joining in with rioting Sinhala mobs.
"The CCTV recording from the
mosque shows an army soldier apparently calling the mob towards the premises
with a hand signal around 6.45 pm. In less than a minute later, at least three
policemen and five soldiers can be seen among the mob that started pelting the
windows with stones," JDS said, publicising the video.
Read more here.
Over 60 people have been arrested
in relation to the anti-Muslim riots, which left one Muslim man dead and
hundreds of homes, businesses and mosques destroyed.
The riots are reminiscent of
anti-Tamil pogroms from the 1950s-1980s, where state security forces were well
documented to have colluded with the attacking Sinhala mobs.
https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/sri-lankas-exports-pakistan-plummet-after-anti-muslim-violence
Citizens Urged To Consume Adequate Nutrients During
Ramazan
Health experts Monday urged the
citizens of federal capital to consume adequate nutrients in sehr and Iftar
meals in order to maintain good health during the holy month of Ramazan
ISLAMABAD,
(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - APP - 20th May, 2019 ) :Health experts
Monday urged the citizens of federal capital to consume adequate nutrients in
sehr and Iftar meals in order to maintain good health during the holy month of
Ramazan.
According
to them, due to change in diet pattern and limited supply of required nutrients
to the human body during fasting, people started experiencing discomfort
throughout the day.
Dr
Akhtar Bandesha, a health expert at Pakistan Institute of Medical Science said
fiber-rich foods like wheat bread, brown rice, lentils, beans, barley,
fruits and vegetables should be consumed, particularly in Sehri.
It
helped maintain the energy and blood glucose levels of human body, he added.
"Meal
should be a meal and not a feast" eat slow and chew the food well, because stomach remains empty for
entire day, he advised while pointing out that the tendency of heavy intake
during Iftar.
Dr
Fayaz working in Federal Government Poly Clinic hospital as Nutritionist
said asleep soon after fasting may lead to Gestroesophageal Reflux Diseases as your
body requires 2 to 3 hours after meals to digest the food.
He
advised to consume three dates and two glass of fresh juice during Iftar to
normalize sugar level and provide the much needed "instant" energy
along with hydration to the body.
Drink
as much fluid (preferably water) as possible, at least 8 to12 cups between iftar
and bedtime so that your body may adjust fluid levels in time for the next day,
he maintained.
Fayaz
said foods containing too much sugar such as glucose, energy drinks and sweets
did not provide the body required amount of calories.
Fried and junk foods like french
fries, sweets, samosa, fritters, parathas, greasy curries and biriyani should
be avoided as such foods had rich calories with meager amount of
nutrients lead towards an imbalanced diet, thereby
increasing sluggishness and fatigue during Ramazan, he added.
To grow or not to grow: Farmers lock horns over Sattha
rice
While one group says Sattha
requires massive irrigation and depletes underground water, the other group
says small farmers cannot sustain without its cultivation.
LUCKNOW Updated: May 20, 2019 15:26 IST
Chandan
Kumar
Hindustan Times, Lucknow
Hindustan Times, Lucknow
This short grain variety of rice
develops seeds within 60-70 days of sowing which makes it suitable for
cultivation in summers i.e from April-June. (Representative image)
Last
week, farmers in Powayan area of Shahajahanpur district of West UP held a
meeting on the ground of a rice mill to reach a consensus on a basic yet
intrinsic question: Whether or not to cultivate Sattha variety of rice in their
fields.
While
one group says Sattha requires massive irrigation and depletes underground
water, the other group says small farmers cannot sustain without its
cultivation.
The
burning question has divided the otherwise close knit community to the extent
that police and district administration have had to intervene.
Last
week’s meeting too was moderated by the circle officer (CO) and sub divisional
magistrate (SDM) of the area.
However,
the meeting was indecisive and the farmer groups failed to reach any consensus.
The
issue took centre-stage started in 2016 when several Sikh farmers of the area
decided against cultivating Sattha rice in their fields. They argued that the
water requirement of the variety was high and its cultivation led to depletion
of the underground water table. “No one in our village cultivated Sattha last
year and we have decided not to do so in coming years,” said Kunwarjeet Kaur,
head of Garwapur village. The then district magistrate Vijay Kiran Aanad also
issued an order to stop the cultivation of Sattha. The order was followed by
farmers with large land holdings.
However,
unlike the farmers of Garwapur, those of the other villages, especially in
Khutar, are opposed to this decision and are rooting to continue Saatha
cultivation. “The rice variety helps us to overcome losses incurred in rabi
season. Poor and marginal farmers cannot continue farming without Sattha,” said
Hardayal Singh, a local farmer leader who opposed the order. “We have written a
letter to the chief minister and agriculture minister to provide us an
alternative. We are not against the environment but we cannot afford to lose
income we get from cultivating Saatha,” he added.
This
short grain variety of rice develops seeds within 60-70 days of sowing which
makes it suitable for cultivation in summers i.e from April-June. But as it is
cultivated in peak summers, the crop requires huge quantities of water which
puts stress on the underground water table.
In
Shahajahnpur, the rice variety is cultivated in Khutar, Powayan and Jalalbad
blocks. The same blocks, according to a 2012-13 report, have the most tube
wells 11049, 8728, 8894 respectively in the district.
Kulwant
Singh, a village head from nearby Khutar block who also attended the meeting
said, “The water table in my village that was at 30 feet has gone below 80 feet
because these tube wells have pumped all the water out. Now half of the hand
pumps in the village have no water and people are complaining about it.”
Kulwant is worried about the situation in peak summer ahead.
The
majority of farmland in Powayan is owned by Sikh farmers and any decision on
the issue will be pivotal for the ecosystem and future of farmers of the area.
What
is Sattha rice
It
is a short grain paddy variety which is cultivated after rabi crop. The
cropping starts in April. The crop matures within 60-70 days (hence the name
Sattha). According to scientists, the water requirement is almost double
compared to normal paddy crops. “The water requirement is more because the crop
is cultivated in summers. The water consumption is high because of the climate
and not because of physiology of the crop,” said Dr RK Sarkar, principal
scientist of plant physiology department of the National Rice Research
Institute, Cuttack.
NEDA pushes
for speedy release of rice fund
MANILA — The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)
is urging the administration’s leadership to immediately release the
PHP10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) that aims to help
modernize and boost the productivity of rice farmers.
“It should be released hopefully early third quarter or earlier
so needed certified seeds and machinery can be provided in time for the wet
season or if not this season, the dry season,” NEDA Assistant Secretary
Mercedita Sombilla said in a mobile phone message to the Philippine News Agency
(PNA) on Monday.
NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon said the RCEF needs to be
released “fast” to make support readily available to farmers since it is part
of the mitigating measures of Republic Act (RA) 11203.
“Also, to catch the next planning season,” Edillon said in a
separate message.
RA 11203, or the rice tariffication law, mandates the
establishment of an RCEF that guarantees the rice sector a PHP10-billion
financial support annually for the next six years beginning 2019.
Edillon said PHP1 billion for credit is already available.
The NEDA official further said the specific implementing
guidelines and work program of all concerned agencies are being finalized.
“There is a tech budget hearing of DA (Department of
Agriculture) at DBM (Department of Budget and Management) today and probably it
will be tackled,” she added.
Based on the law’s implementing rules and regulations signed by
NEDA, the DBM, and the DA, half of the rice fund amounting to PHP5 billion annually
will be used to procure rice farm equipment by the government through the
Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech).
Equipment such as tillers, tractors, seeders, threshers, rice
planters, harvesters, and irrigation pumps will be given as a grant-in-kind
primarily for eligible farmers, rice farm associations, and registered rice
cooperatives.
Under the rice tariffication law, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel
Piñol, in his Facebook post Monday, said PHP3 billion of the RCEF is allocated
for inbred seeds to be handled by the Philippine Rice Research Institute
(PhilRice), and PHP1 billion for credit.
The remaining PHP1 billion is earmarked for technical skills
development and training to be handled by the Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (PHP700 million); PhilRice (PHP100 million); PhilMech
(PHP100 million); and Agricultural Training Institute (PHP100 million), he
said.
For the latest updates about this
story, visit the Philippine News Agency
website
NEDA pushes for speedy release of rice fund
By
Leslie Gatpolintan May
20, 2019, 4:34 pm
MANILA -- The National Economic and
Development Authority (NEDA) is urging the administration's leadership to
immediately release the PHP10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund
(RCEF) that aims to help modernize and boost the productivity of rice farmers.
“It should be released hopefully
early third quarter or earlier so needed certified seeds and machinery can be
provided in time for the wet season or if not this season, the dry season,”
NEDA Assistant Secretary Mercedita Sombilla said in a mobile phone message to
the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Monday.
NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie
Edillon said the RCEF needs to be released “fast” to make support readily
available to farmers since it is part of the mitigating measures of Republic
Act (RA) 11203.
“Also, to catch the next planning
season,” Edillon said in a separate message.
RA 11203, or the rice tariffication
law, mandates the establishment of an RCEF that guarantees the rice sector a
PHP10-billion financial support annually for the next six years beginning 2019.
Edillon said PHP1 billion for
credit is already available.
The NEDA official further said the
specific implementing guidelines and work program of all concerned agencies are
being finalized.
“There is a tech budget hearing of
DA (Department of Agriculture) at DBM (Department of Budget and Management)
today and probably it will be tackled,” she added.
Based on the law’s implementing
rules and regulations signed by NEDA, the DBM, and the DA, half of the rice
fund amounting to PHP5 billion annually will be used to procure rice farm
equipment by the government through the Philippine Center for Postharvest
Development and Mechanization (PhilMech).
Equipment such as tillers,
tractors, seeders, threshers, rice planters, harvesters, and irrigation pumps
will be given as a grant-in-kind primarily for eligible farmers, rice farm
associations, and registered rice cooperatives.
Under the rice tariffication law,
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, in his Facebook post Monday, said PHP3
billion of the RCEF is allocated for inbred seeds to be handled by the
Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), and PHP1 billion for credit.
The remaining PHP1 billion is
earmarked for technical skills development and training to be handled by the
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (PHP700 million); PhilRice
(PHP100 million); PhilMech (PHP100 million); and Agricultural Training
Institute (PHP100 million), he said. (PNA)
NEDA pushes for speedy release of rice fund
By
Leslie Gatpolintan May
20, 2019, 4:34 pm
MANILA -- The National Economic and
Development Authority (NEDA) is urging the administration's leadership to
immediately release the PHP10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund
(RCEF) that aims to help modernize and boost the productivity of rice farmers.
“It should be released hopefully
early third quarter or earlier so needed certified seeds and machinery can be
provided in time for the wet season or if not this season, the dry season,”
NEDA Assistant Secretary Mercedita Sombilla said in a mobile phone message to
the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Monday.
NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie
Edillon said the RCEF needs to be released “fast” to make support readily
available to farmers since it is part of the mitigating measures of Republic
Act (RA) 11203.
“Also, to catch the next planning
season,” Edillon said in a separate message.
RA 11203, or the rice tariffication
law, mandates the establishment of an RCEF that guarantees the rice sector a
PHP10-billion financial support annually for the next six years beginning 2019.
Edillon said PHP1 billion for
credit is already available.
The NEDA official further said the
specific implementing guidelines and work program of all concerned agencies are
being finalized.
“There is a tech budget hearing of
DA (Department of Agriculture) at DBM (Department of Budget and Management)
today and probably it will be tackled,” she added.
Based on the law’s implementing
rules and regulations signed by NEDA, the DBM, and the DA, half of the rice
fund amounting to PHP5 billion annually will be used to procure rice farm
equipment by the government through the Philippine Center for Postharvest
Development and Mechanization (PhilMech).
Equipment such as tillers,
tractors, seeders, threshers, rice planters, harvesters, and irrigation pumps will
be given as a grant-in-kind primarily for eligible farmers, rice farm
associations, and registered rice cooperatives.
Under the rice tariffication law,
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, in his Facebook post Monday, said PHP3
billion of the RCEF is allocated for inbred seeds to be handled by the
Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), and PHP1 billion for credit.
The remaining PHP1 billion is
earmarked for technical skills development and training to be handled by the
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (PHP700 million); PhilRice
(PHP100 million); PhilMech (PHP100 million); and Agricultural Training
Institute (PHP100 million), he said. (PNA)
Pakistan’s trade with Sri Lanka comes to a halt
Published: May 20, 2019
KARACHI: Trade between Pakistan and Sri Lanka has
come to a screeching halt. The reason behind the stoppage is said to be the
rising violence against the Muslim community in Sri Lanka in the wake of recent
terrorism and suicide attacks over there, which resulted in heavy casualties.
“Rice and
textile exports to Sri Lanka from Pakistan have stopped. Potato export has also
reduced drastically,” said Pakistan-Sri Lanka Business Forum Chairman Aslam
Pakhali.
“It is the
Muslim community in Sri Lanka that imports Pakistani products and sells them
there. They are partners of Pakistani exporters,” said Pakhali, adding that the
properties of Muslims were damaged during the recent wave of violence over
there.
“Their shops,
super stores and godowns are being targeted. The goods exported from Pakistan
have been unloaded at the Sri Lankan port, but the importers are not getting
them cleared because of the deteriorating law and order situation there,” he
added.
“The goods,
especially fruits and vegetables, in godowns are perishing.
Sri Lanka is
a major importer of Pakistani rice and textile products, but the exports have
come to a halt,” he added.
Pakhali said
a delegation of the forum held a meeting with the Sri Lankan ambassador in
Pakistan and emphasised that the Muslim community over there be protected.
The
delegation condemned the terrorist activities in Sri Lanka and condoled the
loss of precious lives over there.
They demanded
of the Sri Lankan government to compensate for the losses inflicted upon the
Muslim community and provide them with protection.
Pakhali said,
“The loss to the Muslim community by now is estimated at $500 million and
payments to the Pakistani exporters amounting of $30 million have been
withheld.”
He said the
exports would not resume till the law and order situation in Sri Lanka
improved. “Pakistan will face difficulties in achieving the export target in
the final months of this fiscal year,” he added.
A Sri Lankan
businessman Zainul Abideen told The Express through WhatsApp that the Muslim
community in Sri Lanka was facing a ton of problems and was under siege.
“The law
enforcement agencies are searching properties of Muslims. They are being
attacked by mobs,” said Abideen. “Most of the losses to Muslims occurred in
Negombo, Kurunegala and Puttalam districts. Violent mobs are attacking Muslims
in the presence of security personnel.”
He said mobs
were attacking Muslim neighbourhoods while the authorities were silent. “The
national media of Sri Lanka is keeping its citizens in the dark about such
injustice,” he added
Govt to restrict import of rice:
Kamal
Independent Online Desk
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa
Kamal on Sunday said that the government would restrict import of rice and
try to export it abroad to give relief to farmers.
“From the government we’ll restrict import of rice and we’ll definitely take
steps in this regard. Import of rice can’t be banned and it will not go to the
banned items’ list. We’ll do that through fiscal and monetary measures and I
believe our Prime Minister will actively consider this,” he said.
The Finance Minister said this
when country’s renowned agriculture development and media personality Shykh
Seraj placed a set of recommendations before the Finance Minister at his ERD
office on agriculture and its sub-sectors for considering those in the national
budget for FY20.
He said the government would have
to save the farmers on the whole as they are the lifeline of the country since
they supply food to the countrymen.
Kamal said the country unusually
witnessed huge food grains production including paddy in this year side by side
the neighboring countries also witnessed huge production. “That’s why there is
no such demand of rice in the neighboring countries, but we’ll definitely try
to go for export,” he said.
Citing that supply of paddy is
now much higher compared to the demand, Kamal said for this, the farmers are
not getting their proper price and in some cases, they are not getting the cost
of production itself.
The Finance Minister said that
the production of vegetables in the country has increased significantly due to
the government’s steps to export vegetables through giving subsidy and now
Bangladesh has became 4th in the world in vegetables production.
He also suggested that the
government export rice through giving subsidy adding that steps would be taken
in this regard after consultation with the Prime Minister.
Kamal said not only vegetables,
the government could go for export of those food grains and items which would
be in excess production as it will help reduce the mismatch between demand and
supply and thus the farmers would get the just price of their produce.
About the use of agricultural
machinery, the Finance Minister said massive awareness has to be created so
that the farmers use modern agricultural machinery in their farming and
harvesting which would ultimately reduce their production cost and enhance
productivity.
He also spoke of introducing
insurance in the poultry sector to help protect this sector from sudden
collapse side by side with reducing import duty on agricultural machinery to
reach them to farmers with ease, comfort and with less cost.bss.
Northern
California almond, walnut, rice farmers face problems with persistent rain
Almond trees like these, seen
Thursday in south Chico, could face hardships if persistent rain keeps up.
(Brody Fernandez — Enterprise-Record)
PUBLISHED: May 18, 2019 at
7:06 am | UPDATED: May 18, 2019 at 7:19 am
CHICO — With more upcoming storms this weekend and more rain into
next week, local agriculture officials are in unison saying “rain rain go
away.”
As the end of May nears, Butte County’s main agricultural drivers
— almonds, walnuts and rice — will likely face some setbacks as more showers
cause more precautions taken by farmers for the county’s multi-million dollar
industry crops.
“All this precipitation is causing major headaches for farmers
here in Butte county,” said Colleen Cecil, executive director for Butte
County’s Farm Bureau. “This rainstorm is big and it’s saturating the ground,
making it tough on our local farmers. With the amount of rain and cold weather
on the horizon, it could cause some problems for Butte County’s crops.”
With Butte’s precious almond and walnut trees having relatively
shallow roots, Cecil says this rain combined with high winds could prove
disastrous for some of these trees.
“Right now the walnut and almond trees already have their leaves
on them. This means they’re more prone and vulnerable to disease,” Cecil said.
“Because we’re well into May, it’s warm and more water and saturation on the
orchard means more water getting inside the trees. This will cause our farmers
to use more ‘spongecides’, which we use to control fungus and excess water on
trees. It’s a term often wrapped up with the word pesticide.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, walnuts, almonds
and rice are continuously Butte County’s top selling crops, nothing else even
comes close. Since the USDA releases crop reports a year behind schedule, the
next annual crop report will be released in August of 2019 for the 2018 year.
“It’s the rice growers who are impacted the most with these
storms,” Cecil said. “It took awhile for them to get back out into the field
and get rice planted. However this rain has caused a few to fall behind.”
Clark Becker is the owner and operator for CE Becker and Sons, a
custom rice farming company in Gridley.
“Right now we are probably at 75 percent through the planting for
this year,” Becker said Thursday. “We got a late start because of the recent
rains. If not for these storms, we would have finished planting this week or
early next week.”
After nearly two inches of rain falling Wednesday and an estimated
two inches expected to fall over the weekend, Becker has no time table for when
or if the farm will finish planting its rice.
“At this moment we don’t know when we can finish planting,” Becker
said. “If we get another two inches of rain, some fields located in the south
part of the county simply won’t get planted. Cooler temperatures are not
optimal for the growing season, definitely not optimal for late May. Hopefully
we can get these fields dry enough before our June 1 deadline. We are getting
pretty close.”
Even with the forecasted rain ahead, Becker anticipates only six
days needed to finish up 25 percent of the planting season for his rice crops.
There was a major wind advisory posted for Butte County through
Thursday evening with wind gusts up to 40 miles per hour. According to
forecaster Karl Swanberg with the National Weather Service, the rain will not
“go away” until the middle of next week.
“There
will be redeveloping showers and a slight chance of thunder storms late
Thursday night with winds decreasing into Friday evening,” Swanberg said.
“There will only be a slight chance of rain on Friday. Saturday will bring rain
in the morning and afternoon. Sunday will be mostly cloudy with rain showers
likely and a slight chance of rain into Monday with highs in the upper 60s.
Toward the beginning of next week we’ll see more slight chances of rain well
into Tuesday and Wednesday with mostly cloudy skies expected.”
NFA to focus distribution of rice
Louise Maureen
Simeon (The Philippine Star) - May 20, 2019 - 12:00am
MANILA,
Philippines — The National Food Authority (NFA) is now finalizing the list of
select areas that would benefit from the government’s subsidized rice program
amid a new rice regime in the country.
NFA
officer-in-charge Tomas Escarez said the grains agency would soon come up with
the list of its focus distribution areas as NFA will still unload rice in the
domestic market.
“It
is up for approval already. It will be more on the provincial levels. In areas
where commercial rice is cheap, no need to distribute,” Escarez told The STAR.
“In
Batanes, for example, almost 70 percent is dependent on NFA rice and once you
pull that out, it will be costly for them to buy commercial rice. Government
can only handle that,” he added.
With
the open market for rice, NFA has been clipped of its importing powers and is
now focused on local procurement for buffer stocking emergency.
NFA
will continue to refresh its stocks which means that excess supply would have
to be released to market.
NFA’s
move for focus distribution aims to ensure that only poor households will
benefit from cheap rice prices.
This
after the National Economic and Development Authority urged the NFA to study
which areas would continue to be given supply of NFA rice in case there are
extra stocks.
“We
are going to be studying because there are different factors – calamity,
deficiency of rice supply, portion of poor households in those areas. There are
several factors we have to study,” NEDA said.
The
government assured that NFA would retain its selling price of P27 per kilogram.
Based
on the 2015 Family Income and Expenditure Survey conducted by the Philippine
Statistics Authority (PSA), NFA rice accounted for only 7.2 percent of total
rice consumption in the country.
Of
this, around 43 percent was consumed by non-poor households
NFA restructuring under way
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:08 AM May 20, 2019
The restructuring of the country’s grains agency National Food Authority (NFA)
has finally begun more than a month after the government released the
implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the rice import liberalization law.
The Department of Agriculture said on its
website that the members of the agency’s policy-making body convened last week
to discuss proposals on how NFA must proceed with its tasks now that the rice
industry has been deregulated.
Under the new policy, the grains agency
will be limited to securing and maintaining the country’s rice reserves for
emergency situations, and will be stripped of its power to license importers
and regulate the entry of imported rice.
The NFA Council, composed of officials from
various agencies including the Department of Trade and Industry, National
Economic and Development Authority, Land Bank of the Philippines and
representatives from the farm sector, met last Thursday to discuss the agency’s
inventory, procurement, and distribution.
Nothing specific was mentioned about the
displacement of NFA employees with the agency’s eventual downsizing.
NFA Council chair and Agriculture Secretary
Emmanuel Piñol said the body would “have to work fast” as the agency was given
just 60 days from the effectivity of the IRR to restructure and reorganize.
Farm-gate
price of unhusked rice up in May
By
May 20, 2019
Workers
collect unhusked rice grains that were dried along the highways of Arayat,
Pampanga. The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that traders offered a
higher price for palay for the first time in four months.
The average farm-gate price of unhusked rice in the first week
of May recorded an increase for the first time in four months, according to the
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
In its “Updates on Palay, Rice and Corn Prices,” the PSA said
the average palay quotation nationwide of P18.45 per kilogram, was 0.27 percent
higher than the P18.40/kg in end-April. This is the first time since the fourth
week of December that traders offered a higher price for local palay.
“On an annual basis, it dropped further by 12 percent from its
previous year’s same-week level of P20.97 per kg,” the PSA added.
From May 1 to 7, the PSA observed the highest price of farm-gate
price in Northern Mindanao at P20.34 per kg. The PSA noted the lowest average
palay buying price in Caraga at P15.81 per kilogram.
The average farm-gate prices of palay have been declining since
January as traders feared that cheap imports will flood the country following
the liberalization of the Philippine rice trade.
Despite the slight hike in farm-gate prices, average quotations
for both wholesale and retail prices of regular-milled and well-milled rice
continued to go down during the period.
On a weekly basis, the average wholesale price of well-milled
rice went down slightly to P39.55 per kg, from the previous week’s P39.72 per
kg. It was also 3.9-percent lower than the average of P41.13 per kg recorded in
the same period last year, PSA data showed.
“At the retail trade, the average price of well-milled rice at
P43.30 per kg decreased further by 0.5 percent during the week from its
previous week’s level of P43.52 per kg,” the PSA said.
“Similarly, it declined by 1.3 percent from the same period of
previous year’s level of P43.88 per kilogram,” the PSA added.
The PSA observed the same price trends in the average quotations
of regular-milled rice nationwide.
“On the average, the wholesale price of regular-milled rice at
P36 per kg fell by 0.5 percent compared with its previous week’s level of
P36.18 per kg,” it said.
“Likewise, it posted a 4.5-percent decline compare with the same
week of previous year’s level of P37.7 per kilogram,”
it added.
it added.
At the retail trade, the average price of regular-milled rice
fell by 0.5 percent to P38.97 per kg from P39.15 per kg in the previous week,
the PSA said. The latest average quotation was 2.7 percent lower than the
P40.04 per kilogram recorded in the same week last year, it added.
After harvesting rice from February to April, farmers are
expected to start planting rice for the wet season this month.
The Department of Agriculture is targeting to produce 20 million
metric tons of palay this year, nearly 5 percent higher than the 19.06 MMT
produced in 2018
Piñol asks DBM to release P10b for rice farmers
Agriculture
Secretary Manuel Piñol asked the Budget Department to immediately release the
P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund to help farmers affected by
the El Niño dry spell.
Piñol
said while the DBM released P5 billion to support the rice program in December
last year, it was not a part of the P10-billion RCEF, contrary to the claim of
the National Economic and Development Authority.
Piñol
said acting Budget Secretary Janet Abuel assured him that the agency would
release a part of RCEF this year. He said of the P10-billion budget for
RCEF, only the P1-billion credit component was available with Land Bank of the
Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines.
“There
was an initial confusion on the total amount still to be released by DBM
because on Dec. 28, 2018, DBM released P5 billion for ‘Support to the National Rice
Program’,” said Piñol. He said this was different from RCEF which was
mandated by law that became effective only in March 2019.
He
denied rumors accusing the Agriculture Department of mishandling RCEF which
would be collected from rice import tariffs under the Rice Tariffication Law
that opened rice importation in the country.
Piñol
said the money released in December was immediately downloaded by the
rice-producing regions and disbursed according to programs approved by the
Budget Department.
RCEF
is a major provision of Republic Act No. 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law
which became final in March 2019.
Under
the law, about P10 billion would be allocated for RCEF including P5 billion for
the mechanization program to be handled by Philippine Center for Post-Harvest
and Mechanization; P3 billion for inbred seeds to be managed by the Philippine
Rice Research Institute; P1 billion for credit; and P1 billion for technical
skills development and training.
Rice import to
be restricted
Export to be encouraged
Staff Correspondent | Published: 01:13, May
20,2019
He also said that incentives would be given to encourage export of rice to ensure fair prices of the crop in the local market.
The finance minister made the comments at a pre-budget discussion on agriculture with Shykh Seraj, a TV personality and agricultural activist, at the Planning Commission.
The comments by Mustafa Kamal came against the backdrop of farmers across the country protesting at falling paddy prices.
A farmer in Tangail even torched his paddy field to attract the attention of the government. Not only the government has not set the price of 40 kgs of paddy at Tk 1,040, demanded by the farmers, they are not even getting back the production cost of Tk 800 for 40 kgs of the crop.
They are forced to sell 40 kgs of paddy at Tk 500 and incur a loss of Tk 300.
Amid a bumper harvest and the falling prices of the crop this season, rice import by both the government and private sector are still on.
The food ministry’s import data shows that more than 2 lakh tonnes of rice were imported till May 9 from July 1 while the private sector brought in 1.3 lakh tonnes.
The current duty on rice import is 28 per cent.
Mustafa kamal hinted at increasing the duty in the coming budget as he noted that the rice import could not be banned. ‘What we can do is restrict its import,’ he said.
He noted that the sufferings of the farmers would be solved through fiscal incentives and monetary measures.
Mustafa Kamal said the export of vegetables from the country has substantially increased because the government provides subsidy for the exports. He said the government should encourage exports of not only vegetables but also those agricultural crops that are grown in abundance.
The farmers would get fare prices when there would be a right balance between the production and the supply, he added.
Shykh Seraj, however, suggested that the government should procure paddy and rice directly from farmers instead of collecting them from millers.
He also suggested introduction of crop insurance policy, streamlining marketing of agricultural outputs, strengthening the state-owned seed supplying agency and waiver of the duty on import of agricultural machineries.
The finance minister said he is planning to introduce crop insurance in haor areas on a pilot basis from the next fiscal year and to encourage use of machineries to grow cost effective agricultural products.
Presently the government does not get much duty from the import of farm machineries, he noted.
More about:
Kenya embraces technology to boost rice
production
Source:
Xinhua| 2019-05-20 19:48:10|Editor: ZX
NAIROBI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's agriculture ministry said on
Monday it will collaborate with researchers and technologists in Africa to
increase rice production and thus boost food security.
Hamadi Boga, principle secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture,
Livestock, Fisheries and Irrigation said Africa's solution to rice deficit
relied on adopting innovative technology in rice production.
"The importance of hybrid rice seed in increasing
productivity and improving farm incomes is critical in Kenya, it is notable
that rice development in Asia has been achieved through the use of quality seed
especially hybrids, replication of this technology in Africa is a welcome
intervention," Boga said in Nairobi during the launch of the Alliance for
Hybrid Rice in Africa.
He said the introduction of hybrid seeds will address rice
productivity gap in Kenya and Africa at large.
"Our annual production is about 150,000 metric tons (MT)
which is far much below the average demand of 570,000 MT, the deficit is met
through imports which on average cost the country 13 billion shillings (130
million U.S dollars) annually," he added.
Boga said that the government targets to increase annual rice
production to 406,486 MT by 2022, highlighting modern technologies in
irrigation, mechanization, and adoption of high yielding seed varieties among
the interventions to reduce the import bill.
Rice Prices
as on :
20-05-2019 02:31:14 PM
Arrivals in tonnes;prices in
Rs/quintal in domestic market.
|
Arrivals
|
Price
|
|||||
|
Current
|
%
change |
Season
cumulative |
Modal
|
Prev.
Modal |
Prev.Yr
%change |
|
|
Rice
|
||||||
|
Bangalore(Kar)
|
2640.00
|
77.9
|
23857.00
|
4550
|
4450
|
7.06
|
|
Gadarpur(Utr)
|
2370.00
|
131.9
|
29288.00
|
2205
|
3375
|
-
|
|
Varanasi(Grain)(UP)
|
350.00
|
16.67
|
3125.00
|
2380
|
2390
|
4.62
|
|
Roorkee(Utr)
|
210.00
|
40
|
699.00
|
5870
|
2300
|
-
|
|
Hardoi(UP)
|
200.00
|
25
|
2930.00
|
2340
|
2360
|
-4.49
|
|
Siliguri(WB)
|
187.00
|
1.08
|
2914.00
|
3700
|
3700
|
-
|
|
Gondal(UP)
|
154.00
|
6.21
|
5072.00
|
2450
|
2450
|
13.16
|
|
Kanpur(Grain)(UP)
|
140.00
|
-22.22
|
3690.00
|
2360
|
2200
|
11.06
|
|
Ghaziabad(UP)
|
120.00
|
20
|
2920.00
|
2750
|
2700
|
3.38
|
|
Bindki(UP)
|
120.00
|
-33.33
|
2810.00
|
2400
|
2330
|
-
|
|
Agra(UP)
|
110.00
|
-12
|
2670.00
|
2545
|
2670
|
0.20
|
|
Rampurhat(WB)
|
102.00
|
-3.77
|
403.00
|
2230
|
2250
|
-10.80
|
|
Bazpur(Utr)
|
100.40
|
165.61
|
3526.60
|
2250
|
2450
|
-10.00
|
|
Pilibhit(UP)
|
100.00
|
11.11
|
10655.50
|
2525
|
2470
|
3.48
|
|
Azamgarh(UP)
|
90.00
|
12.5
|
9124.00
|
2445
|
2450
|
-
|
|
Bareilly(UP)
|
85.00
|
41.67
|
1148.50
|
2450
|
2470
|
2.94
|
|
Aligarh(UP)
|
80.00
|
-5.88
|
2360.00
|
2520
|
2520
|
NC
|
|
Kalna(WB)
|
79.50
|
-16.32
|
540.50
|
2900
|
3000
|
-13.43
|
|
Ballia(UP)
|
70.00
|
-6.67
|
1115.00
|
2360
|
2330
|
4.89
|
|
Kalipur(WB)
|
64.00
|
-5.88
|
850.00
|
2400
|
2450
|
-
|
|
Karimganj(ASM)
|
60.00
|
-
|
60.00
|
2450
|
-
|
-
|
|
Hapur(UP)
|
50.00
|
NC
|
1590.00
|
2890
|
2700
|
9.06
|
|
Beldanga(WB)
|
50.00
|
-9.09
|
1660.00
|
2750
|
2700
|
-1.79
|
|
Pandua(WB)
|
50.00
|
NC
|
597.00
|
2900
|
2850
|
-14.71
|
|
Karimpur(WB)
|
45.00
|
NC
|
1105.00
|
2950
|
3100
|
-16.90
|
|
Gauripur(ASM)
|
43.50
|
8.75
|
974.50
|
4500
|
4500
|
NC
|
|
Cachar(ASM)
|
40.00
|
NC
|
2681.00
|
2400
|
2400
|
NC
|
|
Faizabad(UP)
|
40.00
|
-16.67
|
798.00
|
2375
|
2280
|
10.47
|
|
Lalitpur(UP)
|
40.00
|
33.33
|
1336.00
|
2600
|
2600
|
-
|
|
Indus(Bankura Sadar)(WB)
|
40.00
|
-11.11
|
2072.00
|
2700
|
2700
|
-1.82
|
|
Jaunpur(UP)
|
39.00
|
95
|
1278.70
|
2340
|
2340
|
7.34
|
|
Saharanpur(UP)
|
38.00
|
-5
|
834.50
|
2860
|
2755
|
7.92
|
|
Akbarpur(UP)
|
36.00
|
-5.26
|
847.00
|
2360
|
2310
|
-
|
|
Allahabad(UP)
|
30.00
|
NC
|
907.50
|
2380
|
2300
|
-
|
|
Kandi(WB)
|
26.00
|
NC
|
383.00
|
2520
|
2500
|
-9.03
|
|
Mathura(UP)
|
25.00
|
25
|
710.50
|
2750
|
2730
|
8.27
|
|
Bharthna(UP)
|
25.00
|
-83.33
|
5588.00
|
2550
|
2270
|
7.14
|
|
Holenarsipura(Kar)
|
22.00
|
120
|
51.00
|
1900
|
1750
|
-
|
|
Wansi(UP)
|
22.00
|
10
|
611.00
|
2110
|
2110
|
9.04
|
|
Rampur(UP)
|
21.00
|
-30
|
487.50
|
2540
|
2550
|
8.55
|
|
Fatehabad(UP)
|
20.00
|
31.58
|
264.40
|
2450
|
2320
|
-
|
|
Kayamganj(UP)
|
20.00
|
NC
|
688.00
|
2650
|
2570
|
16.23
|
|
Dadri(UP)
|
20.00
|
NC
|
518.00
|
2850
|
2730
|
8.37
|
|
Falakata(WB)
|
20.00
|
NC
|
740.00
|
2600
|
2600
|
-5.80
|
|
Alipurduar(WB)
|
20.00
|
NC
|
560.00
|
2600
|
2600
|
-7.14
|
|
Atarra(UP)
|
19.50
|
21.88
|
217.50
|
2330
|
2280
|
5.91
|
|
Karsiyang(Matigara)(WB)
|
18.50
|
1.65
|
510.10
|
3000
|
3000
|
NC
|
|
Muzzafarnagar(UP)
|
18.00
|
28.57
|
462.00
|
2875
|
2760
|
-
|
|
Soharatgarh(UP)
|
18.00
|
24.14
|
372.50
|
2390
|
2420
|
15.46
|
|
Sahiyapur(UP)
|
16.00
|
-48.39
|
1028.50
|
2380
|
2370
|
10.70
|
|
Ghatal(WB)
|
16.00
|
28
|
260.00
|
2450
|
2500
|
-10.91
|
|
Champadanga(WB)
|
16.00
|
33.33
|
361.00
|
3000
|
3150
|
-11.76
|
|
Jayas(UP)
|
15.00
|
-28.57
|
780.70
|
1980
|
1975
|
-6.38
|
|
Vishalpur(UP)
|
14.50
|
-30.95
|
625.50
|
2550
|
2550
|
5.15
|
|
Sirsaganj(UP)
|
14.00
|
86.67
|
326.50
|
2550
|
2750
|
-3.77
|
|
Khatra(WB)
|
14.00
|
16.67
|
718.00
|
2650
|
2650
|
NC
|
|
Saidpurhat (UP)
|
13.00
|
NC
|
86.00
|
3250
|
3260
|
62.50
|
|
Islampur(WB)
|
13.00
|
NC
|
747.00
|
3550
|
3600
|
5.97
|
|
Farukhabad(UP)
|
12.00
|
9.09
|
466.00
|
2640
|
2550
|
12.82
|
|
Raiganj(WB)
|
12.00
|
-20
|
792.00
|
3450
|
3500
|
6.15
|
|
Paliakala(UP)
|
11.50
|
21.05
|
463.30
|
2290
|
2260
|
NC
|
|
Mahoba(UP)
|
11.20
|
-35.26
|
416.50
|
2285
|
2230
|
5.79
|
|
Karvi(UP)
|
11.00
|
37.5
|
146.50
|
2295
|
2275
|
6.74
|
|
Banda(UP)
|
10.00
|
17.65
|
134.00
|
2315
|
2275
|
-
|
|
Kishunpur(UP)
|
10.00
|
150
|
151.00
|
1800
|
1800
|
NC
|
|
Vilthararoad(UP)
|
10.00
|
NC
|
601.00
|
2150
|
2150
|
2.87
|
|
Kaliaganj(WB)
|
10.00
|
NC
|
320.00
|
3450
|
3550
|
6.15
|
|
Bishnupur(Bankura)(WB)
|
10.00
|
-16.67
|
412.00
|
2650
|
2650
|
NC
|
|
Badayoun(UP)
|
9.00
|
80
|
427.50
|
2480
|
2475
|
4.64
|
|
Robertsganj(UP)
|
9.00
|
-22.41
|
275.45
|
2345
|
2310
|
3.08
|
|
Kannauj(UP)
|
8.50
|
13.33
|
175.80
|
2500
|
2500
|
10.62
|
|
Muradabad(UP)
|
8.00
|
-60
|
277.40
|
2600
|
2525
|
5.05
|
|
Kottayam(Ker)
|
6.00
|
-14.29
|
26.00
|
3500
|
3300
|
-10.26
|
|
Fatehpur(UP)
|
6.00
|
-67.57
|
850.10
|
2300
|
2300
|
1.32
|
|
Gadaura(UP)
|
6.00
|
200
|
51.60
|
2100
|
2100
|
10.53
|
|
Tamkuhi Road(UP)
|
6.00
|
20
|
434.50
|
2200
|
2200
|
3.53
|
|
Ruperdeeha(UP)
|
6.00
|
50
|
228.00
|
2150
|
2150
|
-
|
|
Dahod(Guj)
|
5.00
|
-82.76
|
126.40
|
4300
|
4200
|
-
|
|
Buland Shahr(UP)
|
5.00
|
NC
|
99.30
|
2640
|
2650
|
2.72
|
|
Chitwadagaon(UP)
|
5.00
|
NC
|
32.00
|
2100
|
2100
|
-
|
|
Chhibramau(Kannuj)(UP)
|
5.00
|
NC
|
124.00
|
2500
|
2600
|
11.61
|
|
Ranaghat(WB)
|
4.50
|
7.14
|
70.30
|
3550
|
3600
|
1.43
|
|
Etah(UP)
|
4.00
|
NC
|
172.00
|
2560
|
2560
|
-
|
|
Jahangirabad(UP)
|
3.50
|
NC
|
110.00
|
2625
|
2600
|
2.14
|
|
Kalyani(WB)
|
3.50
|
-65
|
195.50
|
3400
|
3400
|
NC
|
|
Bangarmau(UP)
|
3.00
|
66.67
|
80.70
|
2250
|
2250
|
3.45
|
|
Bijnaur(UP)
|
2.50
|
212.5
|
136.40
|
2320
|
2230
|
-7.20
|
|
Tundla(UP)
|
1.80
|
-64
|
181.80
|
2520
|
2530
|
-1.18
|
|
Kalimpong(WB)
|
1.80
|
80
|
19.40
|
4800
|
4800
|
-14.29
|
|
Nautnava(UP)
|
1.50
|
-40
|
227.90
|
2200
|
2230
|
-
|
|
Gurusarai(UP)
|
1.50
|
87.5
|
13.50
|
2310
|
2350
|
-1.70
|
|
Doharighat(UP)
|
1.50
|
NC
|
69.00
|
2100
|
2100
|
-
|
|
Ujhani(UP)
|
1.50
|
NC
|
23.40
|
2500
|
2490
|
8.70
|
|
Jambusar(Kaavi)(Guj)
|
1.00
|
NC
|
41.00
|
3200
|
3200
|
-
|
|
Anandnagar(UP)
|
1.00
|
NC
|
196.90
|
2350
|
2350
|
-
|
|
Auraiya(UP)
|
1.00
|
-50
|
349.00
|
2450
|
2350
|
-7.55
|
|
Achnera(UP)
|
0.80
|
14.29
|
30.10
|
2540
|
2550
|
0.79
|
Published
on May
20, 2019
Iran demand
ups price of Basmati rice
Shishir Arya | TNN | Updated: May 20, 2019, 12:07 IST
NAGPUR:
After initial apprehensions that ban on oil imports from
Iran on account of US sanctions would hit trade of Basmati rice with the
country, there has been a sudden demand
for the grain from the Middle-Eastern nation now. This has pulled up
the rates of Basmati
— a premium variety of rice — by 14% within a fortnight.
Traders say even as Indian Basmati rice is consumed in most of the Middle-Eastern countries, the highest demand is from Iran. There were apprehensions that stopping oil imports from Iran may have a negative impact on trade in other commodities like the Basmati rice.
Secretary of The Itwari Grain and Seeds Merchants Association Pratap Motwani said the rates of Basmati rice have touched Rs100 in Nagpur. Amid other varieties of Basmati, most of the demand is for the 1120 variety, which is mainly consumed in Iran. This shows that the spurt in demand from Middle East is led by Iran. Basmati rice, which was priced at Rs84-87 a kg a fortnight ago is now in the range of Rs97 to 98. After calculating the transportation cost, it comes to over Rs100 a kg at Nagpur.
There was a slump till a month ago, but there was a sudden demand for the rice. Middlemen are scouting for stocks from every possible source, which has led to sporadic increase in the prices, said Veerbhan Tulswani of M/s Dadumal & Co in the city.
Traders say even as Indian Basmati rice is consumed in most of the Middle-Eastern countries, the highest demand is from Iran. There were apprehensions that stopping oil imports from Iran may have a negative impact on trade in other commodities like the Basmati rice.
Secretary of The Itwari Grain and Seeds Merchants Association Pratap Motwani said the rates of Basmati rice have touched Rs100 in Nagpur. Amid other varieties of Basmati, most of the demand is for the 1120 variety, which is mainly consumed in Iran. This shows that the spurt in demand from Middle East is led by Iran. Basmati rice, which was priced at Rs84-87 a kg a fortnight ago is now in the range of Rs97 to 98. After calculating the transportation cost, it comes to over Rs100 a kg at Nagpur.
There was a slump till a month ago, but there was a sudden demand for the rice. Middlemen are scouting for stocks from every possible source, which has led to sporadic increase in the prices, said Veerbhan Tulswani of M/s Dadumal & Co in the city.
Motwani said the increase in rates of Basmati rice has fuelled the prices of other varieties too. Rates of local varieties like Chinore and Jai Shriram, have gone up by Rs8 to 9 a kg in the wholesale markets. The current rates of Chinore are in the range of Rs50 to 55 a kg and Jai Shriram is Rs44 to 49 a kg, he said.
Umesh Srivastava, a trader in Delhi, said on one hand the crop was down by around 10% and now there is demand for the month of Ramzan. During fasting days, rice is the preferred food in the Middle East. However, Ramzan comes every year and it’s not usual for the rates to rise at such levels. Now, with fresh crop six months away, there are chances that the price may even cross Rs100 a kg mark.
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