Wheat varieties susceptible to new strains of
yellow rust fungus: study
This infection is capable of causing up to 70 per cent decline
in wheat yields
By Aditi Jain
Last
Updated: Wednesday 08 May 2019
Agriculture scientists have
cautioned about the likely spread of extremely virulent strains of fungus that
causes yellow rust in wheat, to which currently used wheat cultivars show high
susceptibility. The situation is particularly grim as the bread wheat cultivar,
HD267, that currently occupies 10 to 12 million hectare (ha) area is
susceptible to these new strains.
Yellow rust disease of wheat,
also known as stripe rust of wheat, is a disease caused by fungus Puccinia —
frequently found in cold wheat growing regions such as North Western Plains
Zone and Northern Hills Zone.
This infection, which causes
reduction of kernel numbers per spike and decreases the weight of wheat
kernels, is capable of causing up to 70 per cent decline in wheat yields.
Currently used wheat cultivars in
India have a part of rye chromosome which confers resistance to yellow rust and
powdery mildew disease. Over the years, the strains of fungus which can infect
these resistant cultivars have become prominent and are spreading.
Although fungicides such as
propiconazole, tebuconazole and triadimefon are being used to combat yellow
rust of wheat, the imparting genetic resistance to plants is preferred as it is
cheap, effective and eco-friendly way of fighting plant diseases.
Scientists from Indian Council of
Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research
(IIWBR) at Shimla and Karnal have identified three new extremely virulent
strains of this fungus capable of causing severe loss to wheat productivity in
India.
First detected in India during
2013-2014, these three strains (110S119, 238S119 and 110S84) are now
aggressively growing in numbers.
To better understand evolution of
this resistance, scientists have studied composition of a part of their genomes
to understand their relationship with other fungal strains. Sucha genetic
cataloguing of pathogens also aids in keeping a track of spread and
damage caused by a particular strains.
Further, scientists tested 56
newly released varieties of wheat for resistance against these new strains. For
this, the seeds of these varieties were grown and the seedlings were infected
with these strains. To their dismay, none of the newly released variety was
found to be resistant to all resistant strains.
Scientists also screened 64 new
advanced lines of wheat for resistance and found that 11 of them were resistant
to these newly emerged resistant fungal strains. Deployment of these advance
lines can help to fight these newly emerged pathogens.
“To combat these new strains, we
are ready with the resistance sources and at the same time regularly screening
‘advance varietal trial’ material. Our regional station keeps a watch on the
occurrence of new races and are designing strategies for management of new
virulent strains,” said Subhash Chander Bhardwaj, member of the research
team and a scientist at IIWBR- Shimla.
The study has been published
in Journal
of Plant Pathology. The research team from Shimla included Om
Prakash Gangwar, Subodh Kumar, Pramod Prasad and Subhash Chander Bhardwaj; and
Prem Lal Kashyap and Hanif Khan from Karnal. (India Science Wire)
Dangerous pest detected in Northeast India: ICAR scientists
raise alarm
TNT
BUREAU - 1 day ago in
IMPHAL | May 8, 2019:
For the first time in Northeast Indian state including Manipur,
a devastating pest native to tropical and subtropical North America has been
detected by the scientist from Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
Manipur Centre.
The insect is called Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) which
lays to waste crops like maize was detected in the maize research farm of ICAR,
Manipur Centre in the outskirt of Imphal city and also at Chandonpokpi village
farm in Chandel district.
“We have detected and started monitoring the new insect since
last month and can now officially confirm its presence,” said scientist
(Entomology) Dr Arati Ningombam of ICAR Manipur centre.
It was also reported from Nagaland, Mizoram and Tripura this
month.
In India, it was detected for the first time in Karnataka in May
2018 and rapidly spread to other parts of India including Chhattisgarh in
January this year.
This pest was earlier confined to America until 2015 and by 2017
spread to some African countries, wreaking havoc in the continent.
On the rapid spread, Arati said, “These insects can fly more
than 100 km a night. Besides being an exotic species, they have no natural
enemies in the new environment which is similar to their native tropical and
sub-tropical America.”
It is a pest that can feed on many host plants, she added. It
can cause complete devastation of a field within short time if appropriate
control measures are not taken. It has been reported to feed on rice, sorghum,
sugarcane and many economically important vegetables.
Any invasion by a new, exotic insect is always a threat to the
farmers and biodiversity of a place, another ICAR scientist (Agronomy) Dr MA
Ansari said.
“This new invasion should be considered seriously and knowledge
about this new insect is the only way to manage the insect pest rather that
blindly using insecticides recommended by pesticide dealers to control it,” he
said.
The scientists have advised removal of weeds around the crop
field, manual destruction of egg masses and caterpillars, setting up pheromone
traps at the rate of 4/ha for monitoring and 10/ha for mass trapping of adult
insects etc.
The detection of the new insect is likely to pose a major threat
to the ongoing collaborative project of ICAR, Manipur Centre and ICAR-Indian
Institute of Maize Research, Punjab to promote improved technology for maize
production in the northeast.
Traditional rice shows good promise
A project being undertaken by the
Ilocos Norte Research and Experiment Center (Inrec), hosted by the Department
of Agriculture (DA)-Ilocos Region office, showed a number of traditional rice
varieties have a better nutritional profile than modern varieties and
respectable yields.
Funded by the Bureau of
Agricultural Research, the project “Collection, Characterization, and Seed
Multiplication of Traditional Rice Varieties in Region 1” aims to collect,
characterize and evaluate traditional varieties to mass produce them so quality
seeds can be provided to stakeholders such as rice growers and scientists.
“Studies showed that traditional
rice varieties contain less fat versuss hybrid rice, making them an excellent
source of minerals and vitamins such as niacin, thiamine, iron, riboflavin,
vitamin D. It is also known to possess high amounts of fiber and lesser sugar,”
DA-Ilocos Region said in a statement.
Photo shows a farm planted to a
traditional rice variety in the Ilocos Region, where a project to identify
varieties that can provide good yields and better nutrition in currently being
undertaken. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
It added that traditional rice
varieties carried exceptional characteristics like resistance to pests and
diseases, and high-yielding capabilities. There are also traditional ride
varieties that building blocks to develop new varieties through genetic
engineering.
Project leader and Inrec Center
chief Wilma Ibea said that the conservation and profiling of traditional
varieties also reinforced genetic improvement, leading to the development of
new and better varieties.
Under the project, 71 traditional
rice varieties were collected from different municipalities of Ilocos Norte,
Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan, and planted in the experimental farm at
Inrec in Batac, Ilocos Norte, during the wet season of cropping years from 2014
to 2017.
Growth cycle traits, vegetative
properties and reproductive traits before and after harvest were the primary
data gathered during characterization following the “Descriptors for Wild and
Cultivated Rice” by Bioversity International, International Rice Research
Institute, and The Africa Rice Center.
However, out of the 71 varieties,
only 53 survived and were categorized because some did not adapt locally. Some
were prone to the rice blast disease.
Promising varieties
The isik pugot came out to be the
most promising traditional rice variety, producing the most number of
productive tillers resulting in a yield of 4.3 tons per hectare.
Ibea said isik pugot could be
recommended to farmers, especially those in rainfed and lowland areas.
Other promising traditional
varieties include kamurus, gal-ong, makandaras and black rice, which are all
drought-tolerant and need lesser amount of fertilizers. They also provide good
eating qualities and nutritional content.
To date, there are nine farmers
and 12 local government units who have adopted and are continuously planting
traditional rice varieties that came out of the project. Each
farmer-participant was given 40 kilograms of seeds while 350 kilograms were
provided to LGUs.
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Export
Marketing Summit in Arkansas Offers Assistance to Farmers
By Lauren Ward
LITTLE ROCK, AR -- Agriculture Trade Promotion (ATP)
experts with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) met with Arkansas
producers and millers last week to talk about foreign sales of their products and
discuss cost-share assistance available to U.S. agricultural exporters through
USDA programs.
Mark Slupek, deputy administrator of USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA) Executive Director Bernadette Wiltz provided detailed information about how to access the USDA assistance programs designed to help U.S. farmers identify and access global markets.
The ATP program is one of three USDA programs created to help agriculture mitigate the effects of unjustified trade retaliations against U.S. farmers and exporters, and, according to Slupek, "of the $400 million total in export development promotional funding available [including the Market Access Program (MAP), Foreign Market Development (FMD), and ATP], $8 million will go to the rice industry."
SUSTA was awarded more than $12.5 million in ATP funding over three years to help with new market development by providing cost-share assistance for activities such as consumer advertising, public relations, point-of-sale demonstrations, participation in trade fairs and exhibits, market research, and technical assistance.
"It's really important that producers take advantage of these programs, especially now with the current challenges with trade," said Wiltz. SUSTA works with the USDA's Agriculture Trade Offices all over the world to provide up-to-date information on global markets to southern-region exporters.
Prior to the Export Marketing Summit, Slupek and Wiltz toured Producers Rice Mill in Stuttgart and visited Arkansas rice farmer Dow Brantley's farm in nearby England.
"While he was on our farm, Mark said he gets 'reenergized' visiting with producers," said Brantley. "I think my fellow rice farmers would reciprocate that feeling - we, too, get energized learning about trade possibilities and USDA funding that exists to help us capitalize on those global markets. If we could just get some cooperation from Mother Nature and get this year's crop in the ground, I believe we would all be more optimistic about trade prospects."
Mark Slupek, deputy administrator of USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA) Executive Director Bernadette Wiltz provided detailed information about how to access the USDA assistance programs designed to help U.S. farmers identify and access global markets.
The ATP program is one of three USDA programs created to help agriculture mitigate the effects of unjustified trade retaliations against U.S. farmers and exporters, and, according to Slupek, "of the $400 million total in export development promotional funding available [including the Market Access Program (MAP), Foreign Market Development (FMD), and ATP], $8 million will go to the rice industry."
SUSTA was awarded more than $12.5 million in ATP funding over three years to help with new market development by providing cost-share assistance for activities such as consumer advertising, public relations, point-of-sale demonstrations, participation in trade fairs and exhibits, market research, and technical assistance.
"It's really important that producers take advantage of these programs, especially now with the current challenges with trade," said Wiltz. SUSTA works with the USDA's Agriculture Trade Offices all over the world to provide up-to-date information on global markets to southern-region exporters.
Prior to the Export Marketing Summit, Slupek and Wiltz toured Producers Rice Mill in Stuttgart and visited Arkansas rice farmer Dow Brantley's farm in nearby England.
"While he was on our farm, Mark said he gets 'reenergized' visiting with producers," said Brantley. "I think my fellow rice farmers would reciprocate that feeling - we, too, get energized learning about trade possibilities and USDA funding that exists to help us capitalize on those global markets. If we could just get some cooperation from Mother Nature and get this year's crop in the ground, I believe we would all be more optimistic about trade prospects."
Agricultural Trade Promotion Program
The Agricultural Trade Promotion
Program (ATP) will help U.S. agricultural exporters develop new
markets and will help mitigate the adverse effects of other countries’
tariff and non-tariff barriers. The ATP provides cost-share assistance to
eligible U.S. organizations for activities such as consumer advertising, public
relations, point-of-sale demonstrations, participation in trade fairs and
exhibits, market research, and technical assistance. The ATP is available to
all sectors of U.S. agriculture, including fish and forest product producers,
mainly through partnerships with non-profit national and regional
organizations. FAS administers the ATP under authorities of the Commodity
Credit Corporation Charter Act.
High resolution rice maps can help boost
production
The maps for Northeast India and Bangladesh will help study
cloud-prone rice paddy cultivation regions in South Asia.
By Sanghamitra Deobhanj
Last
Updated: Monday 06 May 2019
Mapping and monitoring of paddy cultivation areas can help make
effective strategies for the spread of new technologies, sustainable crop
management and diversification options among rice growing farmers.
Large scale paddy mapping at medium or high spatial resolution
is rare, primarily due to limited availability of cloud-free optical imagery.
The rice paddy maps, which are freely distributed by International Rice
Research Institute, Philippines are of coarse spatial resolution and more than
nearly seven years old.
Scientists from China have now developed high resolution maps
with crucial information, by using cloud-free Synthetic Aperture Radar images
from Sentinel-1 satellite, the Random Forest classifier, and the Google Earth
Engine cloud computing platform. The Sentinel-1 satellite was launched by
European Space Agency and its data is available for free.
These high resolution maps for Northeast India and Bangladesh
will help study cloud-prone rice paddy cultivation regions in South Asia.
“We mapped ricegrowing areas accurately in India and Bangladesh
using microwave satellite images. The knowledge of spatial extent and rice
cropping intensity is an asset to the government and other agencies for
efficient land and water resources management along with environment
sustainable growth to ensure food security for all the people in the world,”
said Mrinal Singha of Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing.
The team studied three distinct rice cultivation seasons — Boro, Aus and Aman
— in the Northeast India and entire Bangladesh. Boro rice
is sown in winter and harvested in summer, while Aus rice
is sown in summer along with pre monsoonal rains and harvested in autumn.
And Aman rice
is sown in rainy season and harvested in winter.
The study area was divided into several levels like paddy rice,
natural vegetation, water, built-up land, and others. Then random points were
generated in each level and further categorised as circle buffers in the maps.
The researchers used backscatter signals from Synthetic Aperture
Radar of Sentinel-1 as an indicator for tracking rice paddy growth. These
backscatter values change with varying conditions of the three paddy rice
stages — transplanting, vegetative and after-harvest. These stages provided
distinct backscatter values that were utilised for remote sensing analysis.
“To meet the growing global as well as local demand for rice,
production needs to be monitored and increased. These high resolution
rice maps would be very useful for assessment of rice paddy cultivation under
clouded environment particularly in Northeast India where paddy cultivation
usually starts in rainy season,” commented Upendra Kumar, Scientist
(Microbiology), National Institute of Rice Research, Cuttack, while speaking
to India
Science Wire. He was not associated with the study.
For the study, scientists selected computationally efficient
random forest machine learning algorithm particularly to handle large satellite
data for entire Bangladesh and Northeast India.
Rice paddy maps were evaluated against independent validation
samples, and compared with existing products from the International Rice
Research Institute and the analysis of Moderate Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data.
The maps were then validated using ground samples from multiple
sources including field survey data and field photographs, visual
interpretation with very high resolution images and of Sentinel-2 visual
images.
It was found that the Synthetic Aperture Radar-based mapping had
three benefits — reduction of data acquiring and pre-processing time,
significant decrease in computational time, and the method could be quickly
extended to larger regions.
It is proposed to extend the dataset to cover more countries in
tropical Asia involving more detailed information. New versions would be
periodically updated and uploaded to the repository upon the availability of
new datasets.
Threat to paddy rice cultivation is increasing these days. The
reasons are changing patterns of rainfall, global temperature rise along with
rapid urbanisation and industrialisation. In this context, high resolution rice
paddy maps could be useful to researchers and findings beneficial to rice
farmers.
These maps can also be used to study regional food security,
freshwater use, climate change, and transmission of avian influenza virus.
“In future, the maps produced in our study will help to assess
or identify the flood-prone region particularly in the Brahmaputra basin areas
to prevent production loss and minimize damage,” said Jinwei Dong, another
member of the research team.
The research finding has been published in the journal Scientific
Data.
High
resolution rice maps for NE may help boost production
May 7, 2019
Dr Sanghamitra Deobhanj
CUTTACK, May 6: Mapping and monitoring of paddy cultivation areas is essential for making effective targeting strategies for the spread of new technologies, sustainable crop management and diversification options among rice growing farmers.
Recently, scientists have developed high resolution seasonal maps for Northeast India and Bangladesh to study cloud-prone rice paddy cultivation regions in South Asia.
Large-scale paddy mapping at medium or high spatial resolution is rare, primarily due to limited availability of cloud-free optical imagery. The rice paddy maps, which are freely distributed by the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute, are of coarse spatial resolution and more than nearly seven years old.
Scientists from China have now developed high resolution maps with crucial information, by using cloud-free synthetic aperture radar images from the Sentinel-1 satellite, the random forest classifier, and the Google Earth engine cloud computing platform. The Sentinel-1 satellite was launched by the European Space Agency and its data is available for free.
“We mapped rice-growing areas accurately in India and Bangladesh using microwave satellite images. The knowledge of spatial extent and rice cropping intensity is an asset to the government and other agencies for efficient land and water resources management, along with environment-sustainable growth to ensure food security for all the people in the world,” said Dr Mrinal Singha of Beijing-based Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The team studied three distinct rice cultivation seasons – Boro, Aus and Aman – in Northeast India and entire Bangladesh. Boro rice is sown in winter and harvested in summer, while Aus rice is sown in summer along with pre-monsoonal rains and harvested in autumn. Aman rice is sown in rainy season and harvested in winter.
The study area was divided into several levels, like paddy rice, natural vegetation, water, built-up land, and others. Then random points were generated in each level and further categorized as circle buffers in the maps.
Researchers used backscatter signals from the synthetic aperture radar of the Sentinel-1 as an indicator for tracking rice paddy growth. These backscatter values change with varying conditions of the three paddy rice stages – transp-lanting, vegetative and after-harvest. These stages provided distinct backscatter values that were utilized for remote sensing analysis.
“To meet the growing global as well as local demand for rice, production needs to be monitored and increased. These high resolution rice maps would be very useful for assessment of rice paddy cultivation under clouded environment, particularly in Northeast India, where paddy cultivation usually starts in the rainy season,” commented Dr Upendra Kumar, a microbiology scientist at Cuttack-based National Institute of Rice Research, speaking to India Science Wire. He was not associated with the study.
For this study, scientists selected computationally efficient random forest machine learning algorithm, particularly to handle large satellite data for entire Bangladesh and Northeast India. Rice paddy maps were evaluated against independent validation samples, and compared with existing products from the International Rice Research Institute and the analysis of the moderate resolution imaging spectro-radiometer (MODIS) data.
The resultant maps were validated using ground truth samples from multiple sources, including field survey data and field photographs, visual interpretation with very high resolution images, and of Sentinel-2 visual images.
It was found that the synthetic aperture radar-based mapping had three benefits – reduction of data acquiring and pre-processing time, significant decrease in computational time, and the viability of the method to be quickly extended to larger regions.
It is proposed to extend the dataset to cover more countries in tropical Asia, involving more detailed information. New versions would be periodically updated and uploaded to the repository upon the availability of new datasets.
Threat to paddy rice cultivation is increasing these days. The reasons are changing patterns of rainfall, global temperature rise, and rapid urbanization and industrialization. In this context, high resolution rice paddy maps could be useful to researchers and the findings beneficial to rice farmers. These maps can also be used to study regional food security, freshwater use, climate change, and transmission of avian influenza virus.
“In future, the maps produced in our study will help to assess or identify the flood-prone region, particularly in the Brahmaputra basin areas, to prevent production loss and minimize damage,” commented Jinwei Dong, another member of the research team.
The research team included Mrinal Singha and Jinwei Dong (Institute of Geographic Sciences & Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences), Geli Zhang (China Agricultural University), and Xiangming Xiao (Centre for Spatial Analysis, University of Oklahoma). The research finding has been published in the journal Scientific Data. (India Science Wire)
Researchers identify key genes
that help rice adapt to water scarcity
Hyderabad
May 8, (Research Matters): 
Very soon, the shortage of water
and population explosion in the world may cost you your plate of biryani, and
for many, their livelihood. Rice, a staple food for over 3.5 billion people in the world, is facing a
threat in recent years due to the scarcity of water across the globe.
Traditionally, rice is a water-intensive crop, grown by puddling water in the
fields. The mounting pressure to conserve water in agriculture makes rice an
obvious target because it requires about 4000-5000 litres of water to produce a kilogram
of the grain! Hence, researchers across the world are developing rice varieties
that consume less water and can grow in non-puddled fields with aeration. Such
rice is called ‘aerobic rice’.
In a recent study,
researchers from ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad and
Telangana State Agricultural University, Hyderabad, have identified essential
genes that help in the adaptation of aerobic rice to water-scarce conditions.
The researchers have sequenced and quantified the RNA (ribonucleic acid), found
in the cells of the rice plant, to reveal the genetic mechanism of a cell at
the molecular level. The study was published in the journal Scientific
Reports and funded by the University Grants Commission.
The researchers studied the root
and shoot systems of two varieties of rice—an aerobic variety (CR Dhan 202)
that can grow in well-drained, water-scarce conditions and another variety (BPT
5204), which is grown conventionally with water puddled in the fields. They
analysed the RNA present in the tissues of the root and shoot and decoded the
patterns of the thousands of RNA present in the cells through a technique
called next-generation sequencing.
Based on the results of the
sequencing process, the researchers categorised the genes into three types. The
first category was transcription factor genes, which are responsible for
producing proteins. Transporters genes, the second category, made specific proteins
that help in the to-and-fro passage of glucose and other nutrients into the
plant cells. The third category of genes were root trait-associated genes,
which provide specific features to root, such as its length and depth, that are
necessary for its functioning.
The results of the study showed
that the root system of rice plays a more significant role than the shoot, in
acclimatising the plant to aerobic conditions present in a water-scarce
environment. One of the critical genes expressed in roots was a transcription
factor gene called DREB1F, which produced 1.5 times more proteins in aerobic
conditions than in anaerobic conditions. Besides, the transporter gene for
inorganic phosphate, PHT1;6, expressed 4.42 times more in the aerobic variety
compared to the other, indicating its role in the adaptation. A root
trait-associated gene, OsMT2A, was expressed almost three folds more in the
roots of the aerobic variety, suggesting the sensitive role of roots in
water-deficit conditions.
“The genes highlighted in this study can pave a path for others
to implement the idea of genetic improvement of rice to cope with the
unavailability of water. Besides, similar ideas can be extended to other
important crops too”, say the researchers about their findings. They also found
evidence for some hormones, like ethylene and abscisic acid, in imparting
aerobic adaptation. “The mechanism of aerobic adaptation, to some extent,
follows that of drought tolerance”, they add.
This study is the first to have
unravelled the genetic mechanism behind the adaptation of rice to aerobic
conditions. The researchers believe that this knowledge can be used to develop
more varieties that can be grown in water-scarce regions and help feed the
world in times of drought and despair. For a country like India, which is the
second largest producer of rice with 105.4 million tonnes, and with just half of
its rice-cultivated land under irrigation, the study gives hope that one would
not have to starve as water scarcity grips the world.
Source:
Sandiganbayan junks Padolina’s appeal
Published May 8, 2019, 11:47 AM
By Czarina Nicole Ong-Ki
The Sandiganbayan Sixth Division
has denied the motion for reconsideration of former Department of Science and
Technology (DOST) Secretary William Padolina to suspend the proceedings of his
graft case.
Sandiganbayan (MANILA BULLETIN)
Padolina, in his capacity as
Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) Board member is facing graft
charges along with former Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap for violating
Section 3(e) and (g) of the Anti-graft and corrupt practices act.
“At the onset, accused Padolina
offers no compelling reason to warrant a reversal by this court of its earlier
resolution.” The anti-graft court said Padolina’s “motion is simply a rehash of
the arguments raised in his motion to suspend proceedings…which this court has
already passed upon.”
Padolina elevated his case before
the Supreme Court with a petition for certiorari and was asking the Sixth
Division to suspend proceedings until the SC has ruled on his petition.
Since there is no temporary
restraining order (TRO) or Writ of Preliminary Injunction issued by the SC in
relation to Padolina’s petition for certiorari, the Sandiganbayan saw no basis
to suspend the proceedings.
The charges against Padolina and
his co-accuse stemmed from a car plan from 2008 to 2009 that allowed several
employees to obtain personal loans amounting to P15.8 million from the
Philippine National Bank (PNB) for the purchase of private cars.
Hold Out Agreements (HOA) were
signed to enable the PhilRice Car Plan, even though it subjected “PhilRice’s
deposit with PNB to the agreement that said deposit will not be withdrawn until
the car/personal loans guaranteed are paid in full amounting to P15,780,000,”
their charge sheet read.
The private cars were even leased
by PhilRice for the official use of all the beneficiaries despite the fact that
they were still entitled to transportation allowances.
As a result, PhilRice was not
able to utilize its deposits with PNB during the subsistence of the loans and
its failure to obtain the best possible car rental deals, among other things.
Similarly charged aside from
Padolina are PhilRice Board of Trustees members Johnifer Batara, Fe Laysa,
Winston Corvera, Gelia Castillo, Senen Bacani, Rodolfo Undan, Executive
Director Ronillo Beronio and Cashier Fe Lumawag.
MoFA to support farmers under
Special Rice Initiative project
Dr Owusu
Afriyie Akoto, Minister of Food and Agriculture
The Director of Crop Services of the Ministry of Food and
Agriculture (MoFA), Mr Seth Osei-Akoto, has disclosed that the ministry under
the Planting For Food and Jobs (PFJs) will support farmers to go into rice
farming as part of the government’s Special Rice Initiative Project this year.The Director who disclosed this last Friday, at Zuarungu in the Upper East Region to stakeholders during an Input Dealers Conference on behalf of the sector minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, stated that the strategy was part of the government’s intention to empower many farmers to contribute to making the country becoming self-sufficient in rice production by the year 2024.
The forum which attracted input dealers, farmers and directors of MOFA among others from all the 15 municipal and district assemblies in the region was organised by the Petasgo Enterprise, the main distributor of agriculture inputs in the region.
The minister gave the assurance that as part of the process aimed at achieving the set target, the government through the ministry in this crop season would empower farmers in regions that have a comparative advantage in rice production with 5,000 metric tons of rice seeds to begin with.
He stated the beneficiary farmers would also be made to enjoy the fertiliser component under the PFJs programme as well as be assisted with combined harvesters, millers and planters, among others.
“The government through the ministry has already started bringing into the country some of these state-of-art farming machines to help ensure that Ghana becomes self-sufficient in rice production come the year 2024,” he stressed.
He stated that as part of the process, the ministry had recruited 2,700 agriculture extension officers (AEOs) who would go round the fields across the beneficiary regions to educate and sensitise the rice farmers on the needed technology for the effective growth of the crop.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Ms Paulina Patience Abayage, who stated that the country had already become food sufficiency in the area of maize production as a result of the PFJs, indicated that Ghana as a country this year around did not import maize as it used to do but rather exported the crop to other neighbouring countries to earn foreign exchange.
She said the Upper East Region particularly Gbedembelsi in the Builsa North and South Districts, the Tono and Vea Irrigation dams in the Navrongo and the Bolgatanga municipalities respectively including many valleys in the Kassena-Nankana West and other parts of the region were endowed with rice production.
The regional minister, who encouraged many farmers particularly the youth to take advantage in the government’s Special Rice Initiative, disclosed that the Africa Development Bank had also planned to support many farmers to go into maize and soya beans cultivation to feed animals under the Rearing for Food and Jobs which is to be introduced this crop season.
The Executive Director of Petasgo Enterprise, Mr Peter Adongo, explained that his outfit decided to create the public space for the duty bearers in MoFA to help address the challenges confronting the input dealers and farmers in general.
He said last year crop season his company encountered some fake coupons under the PFJs and commended MOFA for abolishing the coupon system this year but reiterated the need for all stakeholders to support government accomplish its dream of ensuring food security.
The economic mess
MAY 8, 2019
The economic mess in Pakistan is getting worse with every
passing day. Depleting foreign exchange reserves, unfavourable trade balance,
fiscal deficit, mounting circular debt, regressive taxation, the energy crisis
and the free fall of rupee are all factors in this crisis.
Most of the exports from Pakistan are manufactured goods. The
textile industry constitutes a major share of th exports; it includes cotton
fabrics, cotton yarn, thread, knitwear, and bedwear. Rice, fish, fruits,
vegetables, leather, carpets, cement and sports equipment are some of the other
exports. It is pertinent to note that most of these exports are low-value
commodities. These do not create a trade surplus. Industrial production of
high-value goods can turn the trade balance in a country’s favour. For
instance, Japan’s automotive industry is the single largest source of income
for the country. Similarly, China’s rapid economic growth over the last four
decades is due to its industrial sector. Pakistan has to shift its focus to
industrial products to have a trade surplus.
Secondly, Pakistan has an inefficient tax system that is unable
to implement progressive taxation. Regressive taxation is not only hindering
the collection of taxes but is also responsible for increasing hardships for
the poor. According to the State Bank of Pakistan, despite having a Rs 34.39
trillion economy, only Rs 5.228 trillion was collected in taxes.
Pakistan is also facing a crisis of circular debt. According to
the PAC, the circular debt now stands at Rs 1.4 trillion. An inefficient energy
sector is the major cause of that. According to the World Bank, energy losses
cost the economy $18 billion in 2015.
The external debt is yet another issue. It has touched $100
billion for the first time in its history. Pakistan is all set to go for an IMF
programme once again. This will further increase the debt. Despite getting financial
aid from friendly countries to stabilise foreign exchange reserves, Pakistan
has to pay back the debt.
According to the latest World Bank report, the GDP growth rate
of Pakistan is expected to go down to 3.6 per cent. This will cause an increase
in unemployment. For the current population growth, Pakistan has to create 1.2
million jobs annually. It is feared that the unemployment rate will soon reach
6 per cent.
Economic reforms are never a
short-term process. An economic boom requires determination and the political
will to take the necessary unpopular steps
Gender inequality is also a serious problem. According to the
World bank, bridging the gender gap will increase Pakistan’s GDP by 18 per
cent. Pakistan is currently standing at 148 out of 149 countries. Unemployment
ratio in women is greater than men in almost every part of the country.
These crises are not easy to solve. First of all, one must keep
in mind that a short-term programme will not work at all. Our revenue
generating system needs to improve. A good tax intelligence system can help.
The FBR needs to build an intelligence unit that will gather information about
non-filers so that the government may pressure them. Many industries hide their
original production data to avoid taxes. Similarly, many retailers do not show
their real sales to avoid taxation.
Secondly, the government needs to incentivise tax filers so that
more and more people contribute to the development of the country. The tax
collection system needs rigorous reforms. According to a World Bank report, a
company needs almost 594 hours to submit their taxes due to the red tape.
Moreover, the government can privatise some of the state
institutions. Private businesses are usually known for their efficient
management. Privatisation of some entities may be good for the economy in the
long term.
The second phase of CPEC is all set to start. This will
establish Special Economic Zones in all provinces. By focusing on engineering
goods more than the already developed textile sector, the trade balance can be
improved. The unemployment can be addresed by giving jobs to people of the
respective provinces in these economic zones. China’s economic boom in the last
four decades is due to its success in economic zones. Pakistan needs to learn from
China’s experience in this regard.
Structural Adjustment Programmes of the IMF should be
implemented carefully. It may raise electricity and gas prices in the short run
but can become beneficial in the long run.
Economic reforms are never a short-term process. An economic
boom requires determination and the political will to take the necessary
unpopular steps.
The writer is a chemical engineer
Import payments grow 7.3pc in 9 months, but
capital machinery import falls
HM Murtuza | Published: 00:00,
May 08,2019
Country’s
overall import payments grew by 7.32 per cent or $2.81 billion in the first
nine months of the current fiscal year 2018-19 despite fall in import of
capital machinery.
According to Bangladesh Bank’s latest data, settlement of letters of credit, considered as actual import, increased to $41.22 billion during the July-March period of FY19 from $38.41 billion in the same period of the previous fiscal.
Although the country’s import growth was significant, the import of capital machinery has been falling for last several months.
Capital machinery are considered as the driving force for the industrial sector of countries like Bangladesh.
Import of capital machinery dropped by 9.45 per cent to $3.61 billion in July-March of FY19 from $3.99 billion in the same period of last fiscal year.
Growth in capital machinery import was 6.24 per cent in the entire FY18.
Besides, growth in import of industrial raw materials slowed down in first nine months of FY19 along with sluggish private sector credit growth that hit 54-month low in March this year.
Import of industrial raw materials grew by 9.74 per cent to $14.73 billion in July-March period against import of $13.43 billion in the same period of previous fiscal.
Growth in industrial raw materials import was 10.08 per cent in the first nine months last year and 12.36 per cent in the entire fiscal.
Higher import payment for fuel oils also increased up the overall import expenses during the period, officials of Bangladesh Bank said.
With 25.43 per cent growth in petroleum import payment in first nine months of FY19, the total cost for this purposes increased to $2.81 billion from $2.24 billion during same period last fiscal.
On the other hand, import of food grains, particularly rice and wheat, dropped by 56.88 per cent to $1.06 billion from $2.47 billion.
BB officials, however, said that the cost for food grains import might increase in the coming months as the cyclone Fani that crossed the country on May 5 damaged crops of vast area.
As per a statement of agriculture minister Abdur Razzak, Fani damaged crops of over some 63.06 hectares of land in 209 upazilas and 35 districts.
According to Bangladesh Bank’s latest data, settlement of letters of credit, considered as actual import, increased to $41.22 billion during the July-March period of FY19 from $38.41 billion in the same period of the previous fiscal.
Although the country’s import growth was significant, the import of capital machinery has been falling for last several months.
Capital machinery are considered as the driving force for the industrial sector of countries like Bangladesh.
Import of capital machinery dropped by 9.45 per cent to $3.61 billion in July-March of FY19 from $3.99 billion in the same period of last fiscal year.
Growth in capital machinery import was 6.24 per cent in the entire FY18.
Besides, growth in import of industrial raw materials slowed down in first nine months of FY19 along with sluggish private sector credit growth that hit 54-month low in March this year.
Import of industrial raw materials grew by 9.74 per cent to $14.73 billion in July-March period against import of $13.43 billion in the same period of previous fiscal.
Growth in industrial raw materials import was 10.08 per cent in the first nine months last year and 12.36 per cent in the entire fiscal.
Higher import payment for fuel oils also increased up the overall import expenses during the period, officials of Bangladesh Bank said.
With 25.43 per cent growth in petroleum import payment in first nine months of FY19, the total cost for this purposes increased to $2.81 billion from $2.24 billion during same period last fiscal.
On the other hand, import of food grains, particularly rice and wheat, dropped by 56.88 per cent to $1.06 billion from $2.47 billion.
BB officials, however, said that the cost for food grains import might increase in the coming months as the cyclone Fani that crossed the country on May 5 damaged crops of vast area.
As per a statement of agriculture minister Abdur Razzak, Fani damaged crops of over some 63.06 hectares of land in 209 upazilas and 35 districts.
More about:
Mishtann Foods Reports 110%
Increase in FY2019 PAT at INR 11.8 Crore
08 May, 2019, 11:59 IST
AHMEDABAD, India, May 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/
--
Total revenue for FY2019 at INR 481.8 crore, up by 24%
Mishtann
Foods Limited (MFL), one of the leading agro-product companies with primary
focus on Basmati rice, has announced its audited financial results for the
fourth quarter and twelve months ended on March 31,
2019. The Board of Directors recommended final dividend of Rs. 0.002/-
per equity share of face value of INR 1 each, which is subject to approval
by shareholders of the Company.
For Q4
FY2019, MFL reported total revenue of INR 123.66
crore, as against total revenue of INR 134.2 crore reported
in Q4 of FY2018 and INR 119.6 crore reported
in Q3 FY2019. The company's net profit for Q4 FY2019 at INR 3.4 crore was up by 192% y-o-y and was up 16% q-o-q.
For FY
2019, MFL's total revenue at INR 481.8 crore was
up by 24% over FY 2018 revenue. Net profit for FY 2019 at INR 11.8 crore was up by 110% over the net profit of
INR 5.61 crore reported during FY 2018.
Ahmedabad
based, MFL is one of the fastest growing branded Basmati rice companies with
strong established relationship with farmers, suppliers and customers. During
FY 2019, Basmati rice contributed 95% to the total revenue, followed by wheat
and pulses contributing 1% and 4% respectively. MFL's Basmati rice sales volume
for the year was 55,596 MT as against volume of 38,742 MT achieved
in FY 2018. The sales realisation for basmati rice for FY 2019 was INR 82.65
per kg as against INR 85.76 per kg in FY 2018. The sales realisation for wheat
for FY 2019 was INR 21.12 per kg as against INR 22.33 per kg in FY 2018. The
sales realisation for pulses for FY 2019 was INR 75.07 per kg as against INR
69.85 per kg in FY 2018. The overall sales realisation for FY2019 was INR 80
per kg as against INR 67.45 per kg in FY2018.
Commenting
on the financial performance, Mr. Hitesh
Patel, Managing Director, Mishtann Foods Limited, said,
"We are happy to report robust revenue and profitability growth for FY
2019. This shows increasing acceptability and the popularity of Mishtann brand
of Basmati rice. Our wider offering within Basmati segment has found great resonance
with the end-users as well through our penetration in modern retail. We are
working towards further increasing our market penetration by intensifying our
marketing efforts."
About
Mishtann Foods Limited:
Mishtann
Foods (BSE: 539594) is India's leading
agro-product company with primary focus on Mishtann brand of Basmati rice. The
company also has presence in Wheat and Dal segment. MFL's 100,000 metric tonne
per annum rice processing facility is strategically located at Himatnagar in
Gujarat, in a close proximity to port giving the company cost advantage for the
export market. Mishtann's wider portfolio of Basmati rice include Raw, Sella
and Steam that cater to wider customer segment in wholesale as well as retail.
For more information, please visit http://www.mishtann.com.
DISCLAIMER:
The data
mentioned in the press release are provided for general information purpose
only. The information contained in the press release is accurate only as of the
date it was originally issued. The figures mentioned in the data are rounded
off. Mishtann Food Limited strictly denies the responsibilities of any
obligation to update the information contained in such press releases after the
date of their issuance.
For
further information, please contact:
Karnik Pillai
Manager HR & Admin
Mishtann Foods Limited
+91-9824623116
hr@mishtann.com
Mehul Mehta
President - Financial PR
Dickenson World
+91-98202 80325
Mehul.mehta@dickensonir.com
Karnik Pillai
Manager HR & Admin
Mishtann Foods Limited
+91-9824623116
hr@mishtann.com
Mehul Mehta
President - Financial PR
Dickenson World
+91-98202 80325
Mehul.mehta@dickensonir.com
SOURCE
Mishtann Foods Limited
Central Valley growers say late rains kept them out of the fields
Despite
a late start, rice planting is now underway throughout the Sacramento Valley
area, although some places like the Yolo Bypass are still waiting for water
levels to fall. DAILY DEMOCRAT ARCHIVES
By CHING LEE |
AgAlert
PUBLISHED: May
7, 2019 at 1:29 pm | UPDATED: May 7, 2019 at 1:40 pm
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Tuohu Township promotes farming crayfish, rice
together in paddy fields to boost farmers' income
Source:
Xinhua| 2019-05-08 21:46:34|Editor: ZX
Aerial photo taken on May 8, 2019 shows villagers catching
crayfish in the paddy field at the Dagang Village of Tuohu Township in Wuhe
County, east China's Anhui Province. In recent years, the Tuohu Township has
promoted farming crayfish and rice together in paddy fields, as a measure to
help boost farmers' income. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi)
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129,000 bags
of NFA rice still up for distribution
NFA logo courtesy of NFA's Facebook page
+
AA
-
May 8, 2019
THE National Food Authority (NFA) in Negros Occidental has yet
to distribute about 129,000 bags of government rice in the province, its top
official said.
Frisco Canoy, provincial manager of NFA-Negros Occidental, said the remaining buffer stocks up for distribution until August this year still form part of the province's import allocation from Myanmar and Vietnam.
Canoy said they programmed the distribution at 30,000 to 35,000 bags of P27 per kilogram NFA rice covering at least 160 accredited outlets every month.
“We have not received new instruction from the Central Office about the distribution of the remaining buffer stocks,” he said, adding that “unless there will be an order to stop the distribution, then we will do so.”
On February 14, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11203, which lifted import restrictions on rice to make the price of the staple commodity affordable for all.
Effective March 5 this year, the Rice Import and Export Liberalization Law has removed the regulatory functions of the NFA over international and domestic trading of rice.
NFA-Negros Occidental, like other provincial offices, can no longer act on licensing and registration of persons and entities engaged in the grains business, and collection of regulatory fees.
Other functions stripped from the agency included issuance of negotiable warehouse receipts, warehouse inspection, authority to seize hoarded stocks, and enforce rules and regulations in the grains business.
As this developed, Canoy said the current demand for NFA rice in the local markets remained steady as accredited retailers can still sell fully their respective allocations.
This means that the public, many of them, are still consuming the “cheaper yet quality” government rice, Canoy said.
“We noted that some imported rice sold in the market still cost up to P35 per kilo thus, consumers would still opt to buy the P27 per kilo of NFA rice,” he said.
NFA-Negros Occidental expects that possible concerns from the buying public on non-availability of government rice may rise in the last four months of the year.
“By that time, we have no more rice to distribute. Our concentration would be on buffer stocking mainly for emergencies and calamities,” the provincial manager said.
Frisco Canoy, provincial manager of NFA-Negros Occidental, said the remaining buffer stocks up for distribution until August this year still form part of the province's import allocation from Myanmar and Vietnam.
Canoy said they programmed the distribution at 30,000 to 35,000 bags of P27 per kilogram NFA rice covering at least 160 accredited outlets every month.
“We have not received new instruction from the Central Office about the distribution of the remaining buffer stocks,” he said, adding that “unless there will be an order to stop the distribution, then we will do so.”
On February 14, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11203, which lifted import restrictions on rice to make the price of the staple commodity affordable for all.
Effective March 5 this year, the Rice Import and Export Liberalization Law has removed the regulatory functions of the NFA over international and domestic trading of rice.
NFA-Negros Occidental, like other provincial offices, can no longer act on licensing and registration of persons and entities engaged in the grains business, and collection of regulatory fees.
Other functions stripped from the agency included issuance of negotiable warehouse receipts, warehouse inspection, authority to seize hoarded stocks, and enforce rules and regulations in the grains business.
As this developed, Canoy said the current demand for NFA rice in the local markets remained steady as accredited retailers can still sell fully their respective allocations.
This means that the public, many of them, are still consuming the “cheaper yet quality” government rice, Canoy said.
“We noted that some imported rice sold in the market still cost up to P35 per kilo thus, consumers would still opt to buy the P27 per kilo of NFA rice,” he said.
NFA-Negros Occidental expects that possible concerns from the buying public on non-availability of government rice may rise in the last four months of the year.
“By that time, we have no more rice to distribute. Our concentration would be on buffer stocking mainly for emergencies and calamities,” the provincial manager said.
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Mekong Delta prepares for summer-autumn rice crop
Update: May,
08/2019 - 08:52
In areas where there is a water shortage, rice farmers have been encouraged to switch to grow drought-resistant crops.
With assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s plant cultivation department, the southern region is scheduled to sow the rice between April and June.
The delta, the country’s rice granary, plans to grow a total of 1.6 million hectares of rice. Of the figure, farmers have sowed nearly 857,000ha so far, according to the Southern Plant Protection Centre.
image: http://image.vietnamnews.vn/uploadvnnews/Article/2019/5/8/9440_02-Thuyloi1.jpg
A sluice gate to keep out saltwater
in the Mekong Delta province of Hậu Giang – VNA/VNS Photo Hồng Thái
The delta suffers from saltwater
intrusion in coastal areas and a shortage of water in many other areas since it
is the fag end of the dry season.The delta’s provinces and Cần Thơ City have taken measures to combat the drought and saltwater intrusion.
In Trà Vinh Province, the Irrigation Work Exploitation and Management One Member Limited Company has been closing sluice gates to prevent saltwater intrusion when the salinity rate is high and opening them to let freshwater into channels in rice fields since the beginning of the crop.
Đỗ Trưng, director of the company, said drought and saltwater intrusion have damaged the crop in recent years.
This year the province upgraded irrigation works in rice farming areas by March to ensure irrigation canals have a water level of 60 – 180 cm to provide sufficient water for rice cultivation.
Trần Văn Hồng, who grows rice in Tân An Commune in Trà Vinh’s Càng Long District, said unlike previous years water is abundant this year in irrigation canals in rice farming areas.
Farmers did not lack water early last month when they began sowing the crop according to schedule, he said.
In Trà Vinh, farmers were instructed to sow between April 15 and 30 in areas with freshwater, between May 5 and 25 in saltwater intrusion-prone areas and between June 5 and 10 in other areas.
They have so far sowed more than 30,000ha of the province’s 77,000ha.
The crop is developing well because there is enough irrigation water, according to the province’s Plant Protection and Cultivation Sub-department.
In Bạc Liêu Province, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is working with people’s committees in districts and towns and Bạc Liêu city to dredge irrigation canals and ditches in rice fields.
It has asked localities to regularly inspect sluice gates and dams to ensure enough water is available for agriculture.
If Bạc Liêu faces a water shortage, it will ask the neighbouring province of Sóc Trăng to open some sluice gates and release freshwater, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Bạc Liêu has encouraged farmers to pump freshwater into ditches and ponds to store for irrigation and invest in pumps. – VNS
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Cambodia's rice exports to China on
the rise
5/8/2019 9:00:07 AM
·
·
·
·
(MENAFN) Cambodia's rice exports to China had increased after
the European Union (EU) imposed tariffs on rice from the kingdom.
In January, the bloc has imposed duties for three years on rice importing from Cambodia attempting to curb an increase in rice imports from the kingdom and protect European producers.
The EU brought back the normal customs duties of 175 euros per ton in year one, progressively reducing it to 150 euros per ton in year two and 125 euros per ton in year three.
In its Cambodia Economic Update, the World Bank said: "As a result, in February 2019, Cambodia's milled rice exports to the EU reached only 10,080 tons or a 57.8-percent month-on-month decline."
In January, the bloc has imposed duties for three years on rice importing from Cambodia attempting to curb an increase in rice imports from the kingdom and protect European producers.
The EU brought back the normal customs duties of 175 euros per ton in year one, progressively reducing it to 150 euros per ton in year two and 125 euros per ton in year three.
In its Cambodia Economic Update, the World Bank said: "As a result, in February 2019, Cambodia's milled rice exports to the EU reached only 10,080 tons or a 57.8-percent month-on-month decline."
MENAFN0805201900450000ID1098491400
Rice – Group warns gov't against sowing 'pricier and less
nutritious' seeds
Zikri Kamarulzaman | Published: 8 May 2019, 12:35
pm | Modified: 8 May 2019, 12:35 pm
· 
· Item
1
· Item
2
A+ A-
Rice, which is Malaysia's number
one staple food, could become more expensive as well as less nutritious and
tasty if a new law controlling agriculture seeds is enacted, a group warned.
The Malaysian Food Security and Sovereignty Forum
said this is because the proposed seed law could encourage monocultures of
crops and an oligopoly by big companies...
For the rest of this story and more
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rice
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seed law
Punjab Food
Outlook Report for Kharif launched
0
Lahore: The Punjab Food Outlook
report for Kharif season was launched in Lahore today. This first of its kind
report for Kharif has been prepared in response to a request from Punjab
government with the technical support provided by Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and International Food Policy Research
Institute (IFPRI), following the lines of FAO’s Global Food Outlook.
The main objective of the report
is to provide estimated gaps between consumption and production and provide
information to Punjab government to take timely steps to address these within
the province.
Following the first Punjab Food
Outlook Report for Rabi 2018-19, the current report is prepared for the
upcoming Kharif 2019-20 period for the crops of rice, cotton, maize (autumn),
and sugarcane. These crops together make up 70% of the total area under
cultivation during kharif season in Punjab.
These reports will be
instrumental in providing an outlook at the national level.
Minà Dowlatchahi, FAO
Representative in Pakistan, in her remarks said: “It is important to review the
findings of this report to help reach solutions based on evidence and better
understand crucial factors such as area under cultivation, costs of production,
impact of climate change, availability of agricultural inputs and other issues
that small farmers face and their impact on the food outlook of Punjab. This
work ties up with the setting up of the National Food Security and Nutrition
Information System for providing an outlook and enhancing forecasting
capacities at the national level to support evidence based policy making.
It will eventually help reduce poverty and improve food security and
nutrition in Pakistan.”
Speaking on the occasion, Malik
Nauman Ahmed Langrial, Minister of Agriculture government of Punjab termed the
report as an impetus to agricultural development in Punjab and appreciated the
efforts of FAO and IFPRI in the preparation of the report to help agriculture
enter a new era of evidence based decision making.
According to the report, the area
for cotton cultivation is predicted to increase by 3.85%; and the area under
maize and rice overall to decrease by 5.85% and 1.06% respectively. Within the
category of rice, basmati rice is expected to increase by 1.3% while area under
irri-rice is forecasted to decrease marginally by 0.9%.
Analyzing these results purely on
the basis of historic values, these estimations do not depict a drastic change
from their previous trends. Over the past few years, some amount of area is
shifted between cotton and maize depending upon the market situation. This can
be seen in the forecasted values as well. For rice, expansion in basmati area
is predicted to be driven by a higher export demand.
The report will also help
strengthen national capacities for managing and utilization of food security
related information.
A Food Outlook report describes
the situation of different food crops and products within specific geographical
boundaries. It shows trends, fluctuations in production, cropped area and
yield, and predicts production and prices, thereby allowing farmers and other
stakeholders and decision makers to make better and more informed decisions.
When done well, a food outlook analysis is useful for preventive actions to
anticipate upcoming shocks or take advantage of new or growing opportunities.
Rice Prices
as on : 09-05-2019 11:12:39 AM
Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.
Arrivals Price
Current %
change Season
cumulative Modal Prev.
Modal Prev.Yr
%change
Rice
Lakhimpur(UP) 32.00 -8.57 1216.50 2320 2300 6.18
Soharatgarh(UP) 14.50 NC 354.50 2420 2400 17.48
Nautnava(UP) 2.50 66.67 226.40 2230 2200 -
Jambusar(Kaavi)(Guj) 1.00 NC 40.00 3200 3000 -
Published on May 09, 2019
TOPICS rice (commodity)
Rice export to benefit
farmers planned
By UNB, DHAKA
08th-May-2019
The government is considering an option to export rice to benefit
the farmers, Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque said Tuesday. "We're in
talks with the food and commerce ministries about it. A decision will be taken
within 15-20 days after high-level discussions," he told reporters at the
Secretariat.
Razzaque said that only the surplus rice will be exported.
"Rice export won't affect the market. Last year, we produced 1.3 million
ton more than our target," he said, replying to a question. "Overall,
we have about 2 to 2.5 million tonnes of surplus rice each year."
Rice crisis
over? Philippines looks at removal of suggested retail prices as market
stabilises
08-May-2019 - Last
updated on 08-May-2019 at 02:26 GMT
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The
Philippines Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is considering the removal
of suggested retail prices (SRPs) for rice in the wake of the rice
tariffication law being signed earlier this year. ©iStock
The
Philippines Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is considering the removal
of suggested retail prices (SRPs) for rice in the wake of the rice
tariffication law being signed earlier this year.
Amid
rapidly rising prices due to a shortage crisis last year, in
October the government had implemented SRPs of (per kilogramme),
PHP39 (US$0.73) for imported well-milled rice, PHP40 (US$0.74) for imported
premium (Pakistan, India, China), and PHP43 (US$0.80) for imported premium
(Thailand, Vietnam).For local varieties, SRPs for local regular-milled rice were set at PHP39 (US$0.73), local well-milled at PHP44 (US$0.82), and local premium at PHP47 (US$0.87).
According to DTI monitoring, rice prices are now mostly hovering in the range of PHP 34 (PHP0.66) to PHP39 (US$0.73) per kilogramme, and as low as PHP32 (US$0.62) per kilogramme in some areas.
“We saw the prices now and we think that this is the right range, [and] we're hoping that it goes even lower,” said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez to Rappler.
That said, he maintained that any decision to remove the SRPs still lies with the Department of Agriculture, which has yet to make any official statement on the matter.
However, Agriculture Undersecretary for Operations Ariel Cayanan had previously said in a press briefing that the PHP10bn (US$193mn) Rice Competitiveness and Enhancement Fund (RCEF) under the recently-signed rice tarriffication law is expected to increase rice farmer productivity, and this reduce the cost of rice production.
The rice tarriffication law was signed by Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte earlier this year, and constitutes several components including lifting import restrictions on rice and higher import tariff rates at 35% (from ASEAN countries), 40% within 350,000 metric tons (outside ASEAN) or 180% (above 350,000 metric tons (outside ASEAN).
According to Inquirer, the release of the upcoming implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the law is expected to bring rice prices even further down by up to PHP7 (US$0.14) per kilogramme, and bring down inflation by 0.6%.
Lopez added that ‘natural control’ of prices was expected in the market as a result of the rice tariffication law.
“The government will simply monitor because the private sector will determine if they are importing the right quantity and if they can sell it at a profit as well,” he said.
“Of course, if there are a lot importing rice...there will be more competition and we can see what's the cheapest price they can offer while still profiting.”
Addressing concerns
Others
have suggested that instead of a complete removal of the SRPs, a lowering of
the rates may be more prudent.Former Trade undersecretary and consumer group Laban Konsyumer founder and president Victorio Dimagiba said at a roundtable discussion on the rice tarriffication law that: “Maybe it’s premature to remove the [SRPs. Perhaps] it can be lowered, but it serves a purpose. So don't remove it yet.”
Major concerns of course prevail around any possibility of recurrence of last year’s rice supply crisis, where rice prices and national inflation rates both hit the highest rates in the last several years.
With regard to the law itself, farmers had earlier also expressed concerns that the rapid lowering of prices for rice imports would hurt their selling opportunities. The Department of Agriculture (DA) has addressed this by implementing a ‘rolling buffer stock’ scheme for the National Food Agency (NFA).
In a statement on his Facebook page, DA Secretary Emmanual Pinol said: “[Based on the ‘Rolling Buffer Stocking’ scheme], the National Food Authority (NFA) whose main task is now buffer stocking will buy local farmers' produce all-year round with an optimal level of buffer stocks good for 30 days.
“The new IRR will allow NFA to release ‘aged stocks’ to prevent spoilage, [in contrast to previous interpretations of the law where] it will stop buying farmers produce when it reaches its ‘optimal level’ of buffer stocks at 30 days.
“This means that stocks in excess of the 30-day buffer will be released to the market on a "First-In, First-Out" system, and the ‘Rolling Buffer Stocking’ system will allow the NFA to [continuously] buy local rice, thus protecting the farmers from a feared drop in the buying price.”
https://www.foodnavigator-asia.com/Article/2019/05/08/Rice-crisis-over-Philippines-looks-at-removal-of-suggested-retail-prices-as-market-stabilises
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