News
Detail…
Indian Agri Scientists
Close To Releasing Vaccine To Resist Major Disease In Paddy Plants
byM R
Subramani-Oct
7, 2020 12:54 PM
Snapshot
·
Till now, the resistance of the paddy plant was
being strengthened with the introduction of genes known as “Resistance R” which
involved manipulating the genes. This took a considerable amount of time and
man-hours.
Indian agricultural scientists are set to
release a vaccine that will boost the immune system of paddy (rice). This
vaccine, to start with, will tackle the Xoo bacterium (Xanthomonas
oryzaepv.oryzae), that causes bacterial leaf blight in paddy plants.
https://swarajyamag.com/news-brief/indian-agri-scientists-close-to-releasing-vaccine-to-resist-major-disease-in-paddy-plants
India Under WTO
Scrutiny, Actively Tries to Avoid Rice Subsidy Challenges
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND -- Late last month, members of the World
Trade Organization's (WTO) Committee on Agriculture held a regularly-scheduled
meeting to discuss existing ministerial decisions, COVID-19, and impacts on
farm policy around the world. While global COVID-19-driven food security
measures took up a significant portion of the meeting, the United States kept
up the pressure on outstanding domestic support concerns regarding other
members, like India.
India was targeted by other member countries for
lack of transparency around their agriculture policies and incomplete
notifications to the WTO that tally their farm subsidies over the years.
India was questioned over, admittedly, providing prohibited export subsidies
through the Transport and Marketing Assistance scheme that was introduced in
2019. The program reimburses part of the freight costs for exported
agricultural products to North America, Europe, and other regions, ultimately
allowing exporters to reduce the price for which they sell their commodities
overseas.
WTO members also grilled India on their public
stockholding program, where the government purchases commodities from farmers
at a set/floor price and then sells the commodities to the public, usually at a
loss. The value of the public stockholding program expenditures far
exceeds India's WTO subsidy limit. The Indian government has admitted its
rice stockholding program violates WTO commitments, but uses flawed methodology
to disguise the scale of its support.
For nearly a decade, India has been the world's
largest rice exporter and the second largest producer. India also is
responsible for providing the second highest tonnage of rice imports into the
U.S. Their admitted export and domestic support subsidies, along with a
series of subsidies for inputs like fertilizer, irrigation, seed, and fuel,
have all contributed to their dominance on the world stage. Many of these
subsidies, both separate and in aggregate, appear to be violations of India's
WTO commitments.
"India continues to claim that a number of
abstruse exemptions from WTO rules allow it to provide virtually unlimited
subsidies, especially for rice, but we know that they're way out of compliance
with their subsidy commitments," said Bobby Hanks, a Louisiana rice miller
and chair of the USA Rice International Trade Policy Committee.
In May 2018, the U.S. issued its first ever
counter-notification to the WTO against how India reports its rice and wheat
subsidies. The U.S. continues to press India for transparency in how they
administer their agricultural subsidy programs, calling for a level playing
field for American producers and ultimately, WTO compliance.
"The limited exemptions in the WTO decisions
do not allow for programs that distort trade, like India's programs do,"
said Hanks. "India is abusing this flexibility to the detriment of
other rice producing nations, including the U.S, and has stretched it past the
breaking point. The scale of India's programs and rice exports mean
avoiding trade distortion is impossible. If India wants to be a
responsible world power, it should ensure it abides by its WTO commitments and
not hide behind its status as a 'developing' nation that happens to ship more
than $5 billion in agricultural products to the U.S. annually. We would
like to see India held accountable through dispute settlement, especially since
attempts to shield its programs don't stand up to scrutiny."
L.G. Raun, El Campo, Texas, says the main rice crop looked good but
production was not as good as expected.
Texas
rice notches good year
The
average yield expected to be more than 7,800 pounds per acre on the main crop.
It’s been a good year for Texas rice with yield
estimates topping 7,800 pounds per acre, dry, on the main crop.
“It’s been a very good year for rice yield,”
says M.O. Way, professor of entomology, Texas AgriLife Research and Extension
Center, Beaumont.
“We still don’t have reliable yield data, but
average yield should be better than 7,800 pounds per acre on the main crop. The
ratoon crop is also looking good, but recent cool weather may negatively affect
the second crop.”
Jefferson County farmer Chris Latta says his
crop is “just okay. Yields run in the low- to mid- 50s per acre on a green
basis. Milling yield is also down,” Latta says.
(Texas rice acreage should
remain stable in 2021, “unless other commodity prices go way up,” says El
Campo, Texas rice farmer L.G. Raun. Photo by L.G. Raun.)
He’s not certain why milling yield is down but
says it could be from showers at bloom. “But we didn’t get high winds with the
rain; that’s what usually affects milling yields.”
Harvest conditions were good. “We had dry
harvest weather. Moisture dropped drastically as we began harvest, from 18% to
20% when we started down to 13% to 14% when we got through.”
Latta says he’s not sure how his ratoon
crop will turn out.
Okay yields
L.G. Raun, El Campo, says his main rice crop
looked good before harvest, “but was not what we hoped for. Yield is above
average but is not what we expected. The ratoon crop also looks good, but we
will not know how good it is until we get the combine in.”
Shelley E. Huguley
El Campo, Texas, rice producer L.G. Raun, left,
Dick Ottis, Rice Belt Warehouse, center, and Raun's wife Linda, at the 2018
Texas Ag Forum. The Raun family has grown rice in the area since 1915.
He’s also concerned that storms building in the
Gulf of Mexico can threaten the second crop. “We’re keeping an eye on two
storms building in the Gulf now.”
Latta says markets are good, unusually so for
this time of year. “Price usually tanks at harvest. But exports are up, and
imports are not flooding the market. Price is around $13.”
Weedy rice
He’s concerned about increasing difficulty
controlling weedy rice. “We’ve had a big problem, similar to what we used to
have with red rice.”
See, Rice
market volatility: ‘get used to it’
He says herbicide resistance seems to be part
of the problem. “And in recent years, all the water we’ve had seems to make it
worse. We’ve tried different tillage methods, water seeding and other measures
— similar to what we did with red rice infestations. We need a new herbicide
and variety to help us control weedy rice.”
Latta says weedy rice “has characteristics
similar to red rice, but it seems to be more vigorous. It comes on quicker.”
He says red rice almost put a lot of producers
out of business back in the ‘90s, before Clearpath herbicide came along.
“In 1996, we cut and baled rice because of so
much red rice infestation. Clearpath saved us when other control measures
stopped working.”
He says weedy rice is an issue across the Rice
Belt. “The technology is out there,” he said. “We expect new chemistry in 2022.
We hope we can hold on that long.”
In addition to rice, Latta grows hay and raises
cattle.
Usual challenges
Way says rice producers experienced the usual
challenges in 2020. “Disease problems have been minimal, but we’ve seen some
kernel smut. We’ve also had some complaints about low head rice yield,
associated with very high yields.
“Insect pressure from rice water weevil and
rice stink bug has been average or greater than average. Virtually all our rice
farmers apply an insecticide treatment. Treatment of choice is Dermacor X-100,
which controls both rice water weevil and stem borers.”
He says most farmers also apply Tenchu 20SG for
rice stink bug control. “This product has good residual activity, so many
farmers are only spraying once, sometimes twice for this pest.”
Way says rice planthoppers have shown up
in some fields. “Either populations are low, or farmers have sprayed with
Endigo ZC.”
A new wrinkle showed up late, he says. “Late in
the main crop season, some farmers were reporting damage from the English grain
aphid, which is a new one on me.”
Hurricane impact
He says overall damage from Hurricane Laura has
not been significant.
“As far as I know, we’ve had no direct loss of
rice to Laura, but the impending rain caused farmers to harvest rice before
fields were dry, which rutted up the fields affecting ratoon crop production.
Some rice lodged here at the center, but I don’t think any (or on a very small
number of acres) lodged commercially.”
Latta says the hurricane affected less than
one-third of his main crop. Most was harvested before the storm hit. “We
had some shattering but not a lot blown down.”
Way says the 2020 Texas rice crop totals about
180,000 acres.
That’s an improvement over 2019, Raun said.
“Texas rice acreage was down to 153,000 last year. We’re back to 180,000 this
year and that’s been pretty stable.”
Those numbers pale in comparison to the 500,000
acres Texas farmers once planted.
Raun says acreage has dipped in East Texas
where farms compete with urban encroachment and industry for land and water.
Raun’s family has grown rice in the area since
1915, when his grandfather planted his first crop. Now, he, his wife, Linda,
his brother and nephew are the only Rauns still growing rice.
He thinks Texas will plant about the same
acreage next year. Further acreage declines will affect the infrastructure
necessary for a rice industry.
“Prices
are a bit flat, now,” Raun says. “They might be marginally better, and futures
are up a bit. Still, I think Texas will plant about the same acreage next year
unless the price of other commodities go way up.”
https://www.farmprogress.com/rice/texas-rice-notches-good-year
Scientists identify a gene that
could help increase help productivity
By India
Science Wire
New Delhi, Wednesday, October 07, 2020
Prof. P.V.
Shivaprasad and his team at NCBS, Bnegaluru
In a major
development in the search for methods to improve the productivity of rice, a
team of scientists at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research’s
Bengaluru-based National Centre for Biological Sciences has identified a
protein that has a critical role in the holding of the grains in the panicles of
rice crops.
Small RNAs are
regulators of gene expression. They decide which protein should be made and how
much of it should be made in a given cell/tissue/organism. They are present
across all organisms. Plants. Animals. Fungi. Bacteria. Name it. These small
RNAs are tiny, but they perform critical roles in different aspects of life.
There are hundreds and thousands of them in any given species.
Small RNAs are
also key regulators in initiating and maintaining heritable changes in gene
expression without changes in the DNA sequence (called ‘epigenetics’). Numerous
pioneering studies have shown that small RNAs and epigenetic modifications are
central to plant development and defence.
Small RNAs are
also key regulators in initiating and maintaining heritable changes in gene
expression without changes in the DNA sequence (called ‘epigenetics’).
Small RNAs are
made in cells by a set of proteins called Dicers (proteins that dice longer
RNAs into shorter bits). Once they are made, they associate with another protein
called Argonautes (abbreviated AGO). For acting as gene regulators, this
association between small RNAs and Argonautes is a must. There are a minimum
of10 different Argonautes in plants performing different activities. There are
at least 19 of them in the group of plants called monocots, which include
cereal crops.
In a new study,
a team of scientists led by Prof. P.V. Shivaprasad has shown that a previously
unknown AGO named AGO17 is essential for the growth of panicles that hold rice
grains. When the researchers expressed it at higher levels in plants, they got
plants with longer panicles and more yield. On the other hand, plants had poor
growth if they removed this gene by knockdown strategies.
Speaking to
India Science Wire, Dr. Shivaprasad said, “It is clear that AGO 17 is a new
player that can be used to increase yield. Last year, we showed what exactly
was changed during the domestication of rice from wild grasses to high yielding
cultivated lines. In that work, we showed how the loss of small RNA led to a
change in the rigidity of rice stems as in current rice lines that are st
urdier and can
hold more grains. AGO17 is also related to domestication. Its expression has
been altered during the domestication of rice. Since our results show that this
gene can be used to improve yield, natural lines having a higher expression of
this gene can be used by breeders to produce new crops with a higher yield. As
we have demonstrated in this new study, genetic engineering can also provide
rice plants with enhanced yield. In the era of genome editing, we can increase
the yield by altering the expression of this gene”.
Dr. Kannan
Pachamuthu, who is the first author of the paper, is equally enthusiastic that
this finding has a direct application. ‘Panicles have a very dynamic gene
expression pattern during its development. We are happy that we found one major
regulator in panicle development’, he says.
The study team
consisted of Chenna Swetha, Debjani Basu, Soumitra Das, Indira Singh, Vivek
Hari Sundar and T.N.Sujith, besides Dr. Shivaprasad and Dr. Pachamuthu. They
have published a report on their findings in springer’s journal, Plant
Molecular Biology.
:https://vigyanprasar.gov.in/isw/Scientists-identify-a-gene-that-could-help-increase-rice-productivity.html+
S.
Korea's Rice Output Forecast To Dip 3 Pct In 2020
South Korea's rice output is
expected to shrink 3 percent in 2020 due mainly to bad weather conditions and
reduced cultivation area, government data showed Thursday
SEOUL (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News -
8th Oct, 2020 ) :South Korea's rice output is expected to shrink 3 percent
in 2020 due mainly
to bad weather conditions
and reduced cultivation area, government data showed Thursday.
The country's rice production is likely to come
to 3.63 million tons
this year, compared with 3.77 million tons a year earlier, according to the data
compiled by Statistics Korea.
The amount would represent the lowest level
since 1980, when South Korea produced 3.55 million tons of rice. It would also mark the fifth
consecutive year of on-year decline and the fourth straight year for the country's
rice output to fall below the 4-million-ton level.
The weak output forecast comes as South Korea was hit by an unusually long rainy
season and a series of typhoons in recent months, the agency said.
A drop
in the cultivation area for rice was also responsible.
Consumption of rice, a key staple food for Koreans, has been on a steady decline in
recent decades due largely to changes in diet and eating habits.
https://www.urdupoint.com/en/agriculture/s-koreas-rice-output-forecast-to-dip-3-pct-1051173.html
Mango diplomacy: UK Prince Charlies lauds Pakistani mangoes as ‘very
tasty’
President Alvi had sent Pakistani mangoes to
the heads of state of various countries under ‘mango diplomacy' to promote a
soft image of Pakistan.
-
October 8, 2020
Prince Charles, of UK’s royal family, has
thanked President Arif Alvi for sending the royal family a gift of Pakistani
mangoes, said a statement released from the President’s Media Office on Tuesday.
Prince of Wales, and heir-to-throne, in a
letter addressed to President Alvi, said he and his wife, Camilla Parker, were
appreciative of the excellent gift. The Prince had described Pakistani mangoes
as ‘very tasty’ in the letter.
President Alvi has sent Pakistani mangoes to
the heads of state of various countries under ‘mango diplomacy.’
President Alvi tweeted: “Mango diplomacy, that
was done this year, is the best way to expose heads of states & govts,
princes & kings to Pakistan, creating a soft image describing Pakistan as a
‘strategic economic hub’ with exquisite culture, traditions, cuisine, fruits,
and above all its people.”
The initiative is aimed at introducing
one of the best produces of Pakistan to the world and to increase the export of
Pakistani fruits to other countries. Pakistani fruits, especially mangoes, are
recognized for their quality and taste globally.
Mangoes make up a substantial export item of
Pakistan and are a major contributor to the economy.
According to recent reports, Emirates Skycargo has transported 10million mangoes from
Pakistan this season despite disruptions from pandemic coronavirus. The mangoes
were transported to UAE, UK, US, Canada, Australia, France, Singapore, and
Malaysia markets this season.
Read more: Japan eager to import famous Pakistani exports like
mangoes, rice, and textiles
By August 2020, mango export has earned the
country $72 million in foreign exchange, reported Dawn News. The newspaper
reported that the country exported 45,000 tonnes above the set target.
Companies okayed to import rice to Uganda tax free
By Henry
Sekanjako
Added
7th October 2020 08:33 PM
According
to the Rice Business sector association Limited, the three companies were
cleared last month by both the ministry of finance and that of trade, to import
the rice into the country.
Currently
the demand for rice in Uganda stands at around 380,000 metric tons per month.
File/Photo
At least
three rice trading companies have been exempted from Value Added Tax (VAT), to
import rice to Uganda to deal with the scarcity of rice created by the COVID-19
Pandemic.
The three companies include Gotovate Uganda limited, Williex Commodities
limited and Akhcom Limited.
According to the Rice Business sector association Limited, the three companies
were cleared last month by both the ministry of finance and that of trade, to
import the rice into the country.
Isaac Kashaija, the chairman Rice Business sector association said currently
the demand for rice in Uganda stands at around 380,000 metric tons per month,
with total local production of approximately 180,000 metric tons per season
leaving a deficit of about 200,000 metric tons per month.
"If we need rice, we either have to help farmers grow more rice or
increase the quality and quantity of our rice to lower the demand, but before
we do that, we have to allow rice imports," Kashaija said.
He noted that to address the rice shortage in the country one of the companies,
Gotovate Uganda Limited, was allowed to import tax free, 50,000 metric tons of
rice from Tanzania, to Uganda.
He said the company requested for the tax waiver between the period of August
to December 2020, to save Ugandans who were in total lockdown.
The move to exempt Gotovate from tax was however challenged by other stake
holders saying it would affect local rice farmers.
Kashaija defended the issuance of an import permit to Gotovate saying it would
help address the scarcity of rice in the country.
He also noted that the government had cleared other 14 rice companies to import
rice into the country in 2014, after they challenged parliament legislating
against tax exemption on imported rice from Tanzania and other East African
Community (EAC) member states, to Uganda.
"It is not only one company that is importing exempted rice from Tanzania
to Uganda, 14 companies have been importing the same rice for the last six
years, with exempt taxes of over sh1 trillion," Kashaija said.
According to the rice business sector association, a decision was taken
following the East African customs Union protocol article 15 that prohibits
partner states from imposing duties on products originating from partner states
as urged by the 14 companies in the court case against URA in 2014.
The rice companies challenged URA in court, for charging them tax on rice
imports, despite the EAC protocol barring such taxation.
"The government through the attorney general should expeditiously dispose
of the case in the court of appeal. It has broken the records of justice system
of Uganda by taking now close to seven years," Kashaija noted.
Fourteen rice trading companies appealed to court against the 18% VAT charge
then and court declared an injunction and since then the case has never been
resolved.
The growers of rice also implored the government to help rice farmers to
improve and increase on quality and quantity of rice that can easily compete on
the market.
They attributed the high volume of rice importation from Tanzania and Pakistan
to Uganda, to the bad quality of rice grown in Uganda.
"When you buy rice from Uganda and that from Tanzania, the aroma is
different, most Ugandans go for Tanzania rice because the aroma is different
and good," Kashaija said.
https://www.newvision.co.ug/news/1528768/companies-okayed-import-rice-uganda-tax-free
Cost of
wheat touches Rs 60 per kg in Pakistan as soaring food prices crush citizens
Updated
Oct 08, 2020 | 15:52 IST
Pakistan is
looking at a massive wheat and flour crisis as higher food prices continue to
push inflation up.
Image for
representation only. | Photo Credit: IANS
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
·
Inflation in
Pakistan has gone up from 8.2 per cent in August to 9 per cent in September in
the nation
·
The prices
of 94 life-saving drugs too have been increased
·
'India is
trying its best to push Pakistan to the black list of the Financial Action Task
Force', Pakistan minister alleged
Islamabad: The cost
of rice in Pakistan has skyrocketed to Rs 2400 per 40 kg. For the first time in
the history of the nation, the price of wheat has touched Rs 60 per
kg. Pakistan is looking at a massive wheat and flour crisis as higher food
prices continue to push inflation up.
The
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) last week released data that confirmed that
inflation has gone up from 8.2 per cent in August to 9 per cent in September in
the nation. The prices of 94 life-saving drugs too have been
increased at a time the world is fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. The
country is also looking at an acute shortage of gas during the winter.
While
the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is expected to help its citizens
with controlling the inflation, panic buying, the wheat and sugar hoarders
and the cost of medicines, the government is busy continuing to target
India despite failing repeatedly.
Pakistan's
Minister of Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz, speaking to media
persons over rising prices of edible items, accused India for the mess
Pakistan finds itself in right now. "He said India is trying its best to
push Pakistan to the black list of the Financial Action Task Force. The
Minister said Pakistan's adversaries are attempting to weaken our institutions
to create a situation prevailing in Libya, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He said they
want to create chaos, political instability and economic unrest in Pakistan,"
a report in The Nation, said.
Notably,
a couple of months ago, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had said,
"People talk about inflation now. If we are placed on the (FATF)
blacklist, we will experience inflation that would ruin our economy, the
country would face destruction."
Pakistani Expatriate wins 1 million
in Dubai duty free draw
The lucky winner Mohammed Shafique
Mohammed Siddique with his family Image Credit:
Supplied
Dubai: A
Pakistani expatriate in the UAE has joined the long list of $1 million
winners when the latest Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire and Finest
Surprise draw was held on Wednesday at Concourse B of Dubai International
Airport.
Mohammed
Shafique, 48, became the latest dollar millionaire when his ticket number
4422 in Millennium Millionaire Series 340 was drawn on October 7, 2020.
Shafique had purchased his ticket, which was only his second ever Millennium
Millionaire ticket, online on September 10.
Shafique runs
his property managment company in Abu Dubai. He could not
contain excitement when Gulf News called to congratulate him. “I don’t
know what to say. All that I have won will go to my children. I feel blessed,”
said father of seven children.
“My
oldest child, a daughter and her younger sibling are both studying in
university. My priority will be to spend on their education. My youngest is
three years old and his schooling has begun as well. So this win is a huge
relief and blessing for me,” he said.
Siddique
is second generation Pakistani expat living in the UAE. His parents came to the
UAE when Siddique was still a teenager. “UAE is home to us,” he
said, adding that this was his second attempt at the DDF raffle draw.
His
winning ticket number 4422 in Millennium Millionaire Series 340 was drawn on
Wednesday, October 7 at the Concourse B of Dubai International Airport.
Siddique who hails from Lahore in Pakistan is the 19th Pakistani national to
win the mega US$1 million since the start of the Millennium Millionaire
promotion in 1999, according to DDF statement on Wednesday.
Other winners
Following
the Millennium Millionaire draw, the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise draw for a
Luxury car and two motorbikes was also conducted. Indian expat and businessman
Angkur Sanghvi, 35, living in Dubai won a Bentley Bentayga V8 (White Sand) with
ticket number 1653 in Series 1759, which he bought online on September 27.
Another
lucky Indian Rabiya Begum, 47, a mother of two and resident of Dubai since 14
years won a Harley Davison Fat Bob (Black Denim) with ticket number 0695 in
Series 424.
Latvian
expat from Dubai and a self-confessed biker, Mihails Kovals, 42, could not be
more excited with his Aprilia Tuono Factory (Superpole) motorbike win. His
winning ticket number 0836 was picked in Series 425. Kovals is the first
Latvian national to win a motorbike at DDF Finest Surprise promotion.
Wednesday’s
draw was conducted following strict social distancing by Colm McLoughlin, Dubai
Duty Free’s Executive Vice Chairman & CEO; Ramesh Cidambi, Chief Operating
Officer; Salah Tahlak, Executive Vice President – Corporate
Services; Sinead El Sibai SVP – Marketing; Michael
Schmidt, SVP – Retail Support; Sharon Beecham, VP- Purchasing and Zayed Al
Shebli, VP – Corporate Security and Loss Prevention.
Trending
https://gulfnews.com/uae/pakistani-expatriate-wins-1-million-in-dubai-duty-free-draw-
RTL, RCEF to regain PH rice sector’s strength, resiliency
By Kris
Crismundo October 8, 2020, 5:18 pm
MANILA – Department of Agriculture (DA)
Secretary William Dar has reiterated the benefits of the Rice Tariffication Law
(RTL) and the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), saying these
reforms will regain the strength and resiliency of the Philippine rice sector.
At the RTL webinar on Thursday, Dar said the
RTL meant to achieve these goals by increasing productivity and reducing
production cost.
But this would also involve some adjustments
among farmers as they have to organize themselves into cooperatives to obtain
economies of scale and benefit from modern farm mechanization, he added.
The RTL has been enacted more than a year ago,
lifting the quantitative restrictions (QR) on rice and placed it under a
general tariff regime.
It aims to protect local farmers by imposing
tariffs on imported rice, while tariff collection will fund mass irrigation,
warehousing, rice research, and other assistance to farmers that will be
affected by the RTL.
It targets to lower domestic rice prices and
makes it affordable to greater number of the population.
Dar stressed that the enactment of the RTL is a
major game-changer in the country’s rice history.
“We hope to see that after six years of RTL, we
have raised the productivity of our farmers from the current average harvests
of four metric tons per hectare, to at least six metric tons per hectare.
Secondly, we should have reduced average production costs by 30 percent of the
carrying costs, ranging from PHP12 to PHP14 per kilogram to ensure bigger
profit margins. We need higher productivity and lower production costs,” he
said.
The agriculture chief added that the RTL will
help the Philippines secure the staple for its growing population in the
future.
He noted that the national rice consumption is
projected to reach 14.45 million tons in 2022, 15.18 million tons in 2026, and
15.88 million tons in 2030.
In 2019, palay production reached 18.81 million
metric tons (MT), or equivalent to 12.3 million tons of rice. This accounted
for 90 percent of the projected local rice utilization of 13.91 million tons,
Dar added.
‘Good results’
“Initially, we are seeing good results,” Dar
said, noting that palay production in the first semester of the year increased
to 8.39 million MT from 8.27 million MT in 2019.
He cited the latest survey among 5,000 RCEF
beneficiaries in 55 provinces, who harvested an average of 4.14 MT per hectare,
reported an additional yield of 440 kilograms, or close to nine cavans of rice
per hectare.
The improvement in yield translates to PHP7,500
additional income per hectare for farmers, which farmers and their families can
use amid the pandemic, Dar said.
RCEF benefits
A key provision of the RTL is the RCEF, which
provides free seeds, machinery and equipment, access to credit facilities, and
trainings to farmers.
Annually, the government earmarks PHP10 billion
for RCEF for the six years from the tariff revenues of rice imports.
Dar mentioned that from the dry season in 2019
to 2020, over 1.37 million bags of certified inbred seeds were distributed to
554,512 farmers covering 68, 586 hectares.
On the other hand, more than 2.27 million bags
of inbred seeds were given to 862,854 farmers covering over 1 million hectares
during this year’s wet season.
In terms of rice farm machinery and equipment
grants, some 2,938 postharvest machineries were already distributed. Of the
number, 1,108 were distributed to 625 farmer cooperatives and associations in
rice-producing provinces.
In terms of credit facility, RCEF has loaned out
PHP1 billion to 5,671 individual farmers and 22 cooperatives last year.
For this year, there is an obligation to
release PHP670.88 million worth of loans. Some PHP102.71 million was already
released to 610 farmers and 15 cooperatives.
National Scientist Emil Javier, also former
president of the University of the Philippines, said it is better if a big
portion of the annual PHP10-billion RCEF fund will be provided as a
low-interest loan with generous insurance to farmers.
Javier said this credit facility should be
available not only to members of farmer cooperatives but to all farmers to
expand the beneficiaries of RCEF.
Measures to stop falling palay prices
Meanwhile, Dar said measures are in place to
prop-up palay prices.
These measures include a partnership with local
government units to procure palay from farmers in their area; procurement,
processing, and marketing of palay by multipurpose cooperatives from their
farmer members; multinationals to buy directly from farmer cooperatives and
associations for their employees’ rice allowance; and potential of giving cash
assistance.
For the Department of Trade and Industry,
Undersecretary Ruth Castelo said that since the enactment of RTL, prices of
rice in the market have gone down.
The RTL has contributed to the taming of the
food inflation, Castelo said. (PNA)
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1117933
East-West shows vegetable
farming viability
October 8, 2020
For more than four months, East-West Seed
trained the farmers on crop diversification, improved vegetable production
techniques, and good agricultural practices (GAP) through the Sa Palay at
Gulay-May Ani, Hanapbuhay, Oportunidad at Nutrisyon (Pag-ahon) Project.
On September 23, farmers under Pag-ahon
celebrated the fruits of their labors in a harvest festival together with
representatives from collaborating organizations of the project: Department of
Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice), East-West Seed,
the municipal government of Lupao in Nueva Ecija province and the Lupao
Vegetable Growers’ Association (LVGA).
Launched in May as part of the DA’s “Plant,
Plant, Plant” program, Pag-ahon aims to give farmers a sustainable income
source and ensure food security in their communities amid the coronavirus
disease 2019 pandemic.
“Vegetables have great economic power.
Diversification into vegetables presents a good business opportunity for our
farmers,” said East-West Seed Philippines General Manager Henk Hermans.
He also said vegetables are “cash crops”
because they grow faster and can be grown throughout the year, citing that the
average income per hectare is also higher. For example, a 1,000-square meter of
land planted with bitter gourd (ampalaya) can generate the same income as one
hectare planted with rice, he added.
Lupao Mayor Alex Rommel Romano said Pag-Ahon
was a “big help” to his town, “especially that we only produce rice once a
year.”
“Through this project, more sources of income
will be provided to our farmers while ensuring their own food supply,” he
added.
Farmers under the project were also trained on
how to market their produce to direct buyers, and were linked to Dizon Farms,
which has purchased around 5.9 tons of vegetables from them.
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PH recognized in food visioning competition
October 8, 2020
The Philippines has received “special
recognition” from the prestigious, Rockefeller-funded Food System Vision Prize
for its entry that envisions to reduce the country’s food imports worth billions
of dollars by 2050.
The Philippine team, led by the National
Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), submitted its entry “Feeding Metro
Manila in 2050” that aims to wean Filipinos from a rice-based diet. In place of
rice, consumption of other staples like banana, sweet potato and other root
crops and tubers are pushed.
Food will also be sourced from more affluent
farmers who directly deliver to consumers more nutritious food through a
digital-based distribution system. Also, the future food system will transform
waste into economically valuable resources, such as fertilizers or renewable
energy.
“The traditional sewage treatment plant will be
transformed [into] a ‘factory’ where domestic waste will be processed to
produce recycled water, energy and fertilizers. Consumers will earn from the
daily waste they generate,” Eufemio Rasco of NAST said in the entry.
Food will also be produced with less water, and
more land will be transformed into watersheds, forests and habitat for a richer
biodiversity.
Among the visions of the entry is the extensive
use of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies for agriculture, like
soil-less farming and smart sensors.
The competition is being pushed by the New
York-headquartered Rockefeller Foundation, OpenIDEO and SecondMuse. Its goal is
to help economies develop a vision for sustainable and nourishing diet for
their people. It has established a $2-million fund for the prizes.
Government collaborators in the Philippines’
entry include the Institute of Plant Breeding of the University of the Philippines
(UP) Los Baños and Philippine Rice Research Institute. From the academe, the
participants were De La Salle Araneta University, De La Salle
University-Manila, Ateneo de Manila University and UP (SPICE project).
The private sector was represented by East West
Seeds, Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc., and Management
Association of the Philippines-Agribusiness, and Countryside Development
Foundation. Research associations and other civic groups include Coalition for
Agricultural Modernization of the Philippines, National Research Council of the
Philippines, Urban Agriculture PH, Pambansang Kilusan ng Mga Samahang Magsasaka
and Young Professionals for Agricultural Development.
Hybrid Rice Research: Current Status
and Prospects
Open access peer-reviewed chapter - ONLINE
FIRST
By Diptibala Rout, Debarchana Jena, Vineeta Singh, Manish Kumar
Ahlavat, Pandurang Arsode, Prakash Singh, Jawahar Lal Katara, Sanghamitra
Samantaray and Ramlakhan Verma
Submitted: May 26th 2020Reviewed: August 21st
2020Published: October 7th 2020
DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.93668
Abstract
Heterosis is a solitary means of exploiting
hybrid vigor in crop plants. Given its yield advantage and economic importance,
several hybrids in rice have been commercialized in more than 40 countries,
which has created a huge seed industry worldwide. India has made commendable
progress and commercialized 117 three-line indica hybrids for different ecology
and duration (115–150 days), which accounted for 6.8% of total rice area
in the country. Besides, several indigenous CMS lines developed in diversified
genetic and cytoplasmic backgrounds are being utilized in hybrid rice breeding.
NRRI, which has been pioneering to start with the technology, has developed
three popular rice hybrids, viz., Ajay, Rajalaxmi, and CR Dhan 701 for
irrigated-shallow lowland ecosystem. Biotechnological intervention has
supplemented immensely in excavating desirable genomic regions and their
deployment for further genetic enhancement and sustainability in rice hybrids.
Besides, hybrid seed production creates additional job opportunity (100–105
more-man days) and comparatively more net income (70% more than production
cost) than HYVs. Hence, this technology has great scope for further enhancement
in per se rice productivity and livelihood of the nation.
Keywords
·
hybrid rice
·
CMS
·
genetic gain
·
heterosis
·
restorer
·
breeding value
Chapter and author info
1. Introduction
Heterosis is the superiority of F1 offspring
over either parent, a solitary means of harnessing complete hybrid vigor in
crop plants. This phenomenon has aided agriculture and captivated geneticists
for over centuries for the development of superior cultivar in many crops [1]. Suitable allelic combination and manipulation has
made yield advantage in hybrid than HYVs. It covers large acreage for many
crops, including rice, and has affected agrarian practices and the seed
business across the world. Heterosis had been exploited in several practical
ways for centuries before Darwin provided an early scientific explanation in
maize. In rice, heterosis was first reported by Jonse [2]. However, owing to its self-pollinating nature
(0.3–3.0% out-crossing), heterosis could be realized during middle of second
half of the twentieth century after identification and development of the
cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) source. Subsequently, China, under the leadership
of Yuan Long Ping, started work on the development of hybrid rice (HR) with a
vision to make it possible to be commercial. He identified a natural male
sterile mutant plant in rice (indica) and pollen abortive genotypes in the wild
rice (Oryza rufipogon; Li 1970), which later served as donor of male sterile
source (male sterile cytoplasm) for CMS development. In 1973, through recurrent
back-cross breeding, several promising indica wild abortive CMS, viz., Erjiunan1A,
Zhenshan 97A, and V20A CMS-WA, and good restorers, viz., Taiyin1, IR4, and IR1,
were developed. Later during 1974, first indica rice
hybrid, Nanyou 2, was released for cultivation in China. Afterward, relatively
more heterotic hybrid rice (HR) breeding approaches like two-line system
(1987 AD) and super hybrids (1996 AD) were adopted which supplemented
substantially toward Chinese food security and livelihood.
In India, systematic research on hybrid rice
was initiated during 1989 when the Indian Council of Agricultural Research
(ICAR) launched a special goal-oriented and time-bound project, “Promotion of
Research and Development Efforts on Hybrids in Selected Crops,” for rice at 12
network centers. Around 4 years (1989–1993) of rigorous research efforts
have rewarded substantially, and India became the second country after China to
develop and commercialize hybrid rice. The first hybrid variety APRH-1 was
released by APRRI, Maruteru, for Andhra Pradesh in 1993–1994. So far, 117 rice
hybrids (36 from public organization and 81 from private sector) were
developed, suitable for different ecology and duration ranging from 115 to
150 days, covering 3.0 mha, which accounted for ~7.0% of the total rice
acreage in India (Varietal Improvement, Progress report) [3].
Hybrid rice technology has substantial yielding
ability that is able to enhance farm productivity ~15–25% more than inbred
varieties. Given its yield advantage and economic importance, several hybrids
in rice have been commercialized in more than 40 countries, which has created a
huge seed industry worldwide. Moreover, this venture also has great service
opportunity and generates additional employment for the poorer [1]. However, it has some limitations in generation of
hybrids, seed production, and marginal heterosis. Success of the hybrid depends
on their parental combination, adaptability, and allelic interactions, and
hence, faces several problems like unstable male sterility (MS), non-abundancy
in cytoplasmic diversity, inherited CMS load, low seed producibility in seed
parent, poor grain and eating quality, lack of responsive parents for biotic
and abiotic stresses, hybrid sterility, marginal heterosis in indica hybrids,
etc. This chapter deals with information on: (i) research status of HR, (ii)
breeding system and methods involved in hybrid rice development and production,
(iii) trait-specific parental line improvement, (iv) molecular dissection of
genes and QTLs for parental line improvement, and (v) economic opportunity (Figure 1).
Figure 1.
A schematic representation of hybrid rice
technology (seed production, trait improvement, yield evaluation, etc.).
2. Breeding component and system in hybrid rice development
Rice is a strict self-pollinated crop; commercial
exploitation of heterosis requires some parental specificity which could
excludes manual emasculation. The invention of naturally occurred male
sterility (MS) in rice thus played substantial role in realization of heterosis
in rice. Following are the genetic tools as mentioned in various heads are
required for development and commercialization of hybrid in rice:
2.1 Male sterile system
The male sterility (MS) in plants is the
condition where the male reproductive organ, anthers, loses its ability to
dehisce and produce viable pollen and thus encourages the allogamous nature of
reproduction. This is crucial breeding tools to harness heterosis that exclude
additional efforts of emasculation which is cumbersome process. In plants, male
sterility is conditioned either by mitochondrial or nucleus genome or in
associations. The male sterility in plant was first observed by Joseph Gottlieb
Kolreuter in 1763 and later it was reported in >610 plant species. In rice,
it was reported by Sampath and Mohanty [4] at ICAR-NRRI (formerly CRRI), Cuttack by studying
the differences in male fertility in indica/japonica reciprocal
crosses. The male sterility in plant is found to be determined by several
biological as well as environmental factors. In rice, it is conditioned either
by cytoplasmic genes in association with nuclear genes (CMS) or nuclear genes
alone (GMS) which cause abnormal development in sporogenous tissue (either
sporophytic or gametophytic tissue). The sporophytic male sterility is governed
by genetic constitutions of sporogenous tissues like tapetal and meiocytes
which creates improper nourishing to developing microspores and cause pollen abortion,
whereas in gametophytic male sterility, microspore and pollen development get
affected. Sporophytic male sterility is quite useful in hybrid rice breeding as
it gets fertile in heterozygous state and encourages complete fertility in
resulting hybrids. To date, several types of male sterile system, viz.,
cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS), environment sensitive male sterile (GMS), viz.,
thermo-sensitive genetic male sterility (TGMS), photo-sensitive genetic male
sterility (PGMS) and reverse photo-sensitive genetic male sterility (rPGMS),
etc. have been identified and substantially being utilized in hybrid
development (Table 1).
|
CMS group |
Associated ORF |
Protein |
Cytoplasm source |
Representative CMS-line |
|
1. Cytoplasmic male sterile line |
||||
|
1. BT-CMS and their lineage |
||||
|
BT-CMS (G) |
B-atp6-orf79 |
Membrane protein |
Chinsurah Boro II/Taichong 65 |
Liming A, Xu 9201A |
|
LD-CMS (G) |
UK |
UK |
Lead Rice (Burmese indica variety)
× Fujisaka 5 (japonica variety) |
Fujisaka 5A |
|
Dian1-CMS (G) |
UK |
UK |
Yunnan high altitude landrace rice
(indica)
cytoplasm |
Yongjing2A, Ning67A |
|
HL-CMS (G) |
atp6-orfH79 |
Membrane protein |
Red-awned wild rice (Oryza
rufipogon) cytoplasm |
Yuetai A, Luohong 3A4 |
|
1. WA-CMS and their lineage |
||||
|
WA-CMS (S) |
rpl5-WA352 |
Membrane protein |
Wild abortive rice (Oryza
rufipogon) cytoplasm |
Zhenshan97 A, V20A, IR58025A,
CRMS31A, etc. |
|
Kalinga-I-CMS (S) |
UK |
UK |
Kalinga-I (indica)
cytoplasm |
CRMS 32A |
|
D-CMS (S) |
UK |
UK |
Indica rice Dissi D52/37 |
D-Shan A, D62A |
|
DA-CMS (S) |
UK |
UK |
Dwarf abortive rice (Oryza
rufipogon) cytoplasm |
Xieqingzao A |
|
GA-CMS (S) |
UK |
UK |
Gambiaca (indica)
cytoplasm |
Gang 46A |
|
ID-CMS (S) |
UK |
UK |
Indonesia paddy rice (indica)
cytoplasm |
II 32A, You1A |
|
K-CMS (S) |
UK |
UK |
K52(japonica) cytoplasm |
K-17A |
|
CMS-RT102 (S) |
rpl5-orf352 |
Membrane protein |
Oryza
rufipogon, W1125 |
RT102A |
|
CMS-RT98A (G) |
orf113-atp4-cox3 |
Membrane protein |
Oryza
rufipogon Griff,
W1109 |
RT98A |
|
LX-CMS |
UK |
UK |
Luihui rice (indica)
cytoplasm |
Yue 4A |
|
Maxie-CMS |
UK |
UK |
MS mutant of Maweizhan (indica)
with Xieqingzao (indica) |
Maxie A |
|
NX-CMS |
UK |
UK |
Selected from F2 male sterile
plants in the progeny of Wanhui 88 (indica) × Neihui 92–4 (indica)
nucleus |
Neixiang 2A, Neixiang5A |
|
Y-CMS |
UK |
UK |
Yegong (indica landrace)
cytoplasm |
Y Huanong A |
|
CW-CMS (G) |
orf307 |
Mitochondrial protein |
Oryza
rufipogon Griff. |
IR24A, IR64A |
|
1. Environment-sensitive genetic male sterility
(EGMS) |
||||
|
PGMS |
pms3 |
Noncoding RNA |
Nongken 58S, PGMS mutant of japonica cultivar
Nongken 58 |
7001S, N5088S |
|
P/TGMS |
p/tms12–1 |
noncoding RNA |
Photoperiod and temperature
sensitive genic male sterile (P/TGMS) derived from Nongken 58S |
Pei’ai 64S |
|
TGMS |
tms5,
RNase ZS1 (loss in
function) |
Nuclease enzyme |
Spontaneous TGMS mutants of Annong
S-1 and Zhu 1S |
Guangzhan 63S5, Xinan S |
|
rPGMS |
csa OsMST8 |
MYB transcript regulator |
Carbon starved anther (csa) mutant
of japonica cultivar
9522 |
9522S |
Table 1.
Cytoplasmic
diversity in rice CMS.
Note:
“S” stands for sporophytic male sterility and “G” stands for gametophytic male
sterility.
2.2 Diversity in male sterile system and their mechanism
The CMS is a maternally hereditary trait
instigated by improper communication between cytoplasmic and nuclear genome [5]. Gene(s)/genic block(s)-conditioned cytoplasmic male
sterility is chimeric construct, which evolved due to rearrangement of the
mitochondrial genome (Figure 2). In rice, several types of CMS have been
identified and characterized, having diversified mechanism in MS expression.
Wild abortive (WA-CMS), a sporophytic MS system, is widely utilized in hybrid
development. It is found to be caused by a constitutive mitochondrial gene
WA352c located downstream of rpl5 (comprised four mitochondrial genomic
segments, orf284, orf224, orf288,
and cs4-cs6) and encodes a putative protein (352-residue)
with three transmembrane segments. The WA352c inhibits nuclear-encoded
mitochondrial protein COX11 (essential for the assembly of cytochrome
c oxidase, TCA) and triggered premature tapetal programed cell death and pollen
abortion [6]. In contrast, BT-CMS is a gametophytic MS reported
in the Indian rice variety, Chinsurah Boro-II, in which pollen development get
arrested at the tri-nucleate stage. The mitochondrial chimeric (dicistronic)
gene B-atp6-orf79 encodes a transmembrane protein,
cytotoxic peptideORF79 [7], which accumulates preferentially in the microspore,
was found to be responsible for male sterility. The orf79 reside
downstream to the atp6 and interact with P61 and mitochondrial
complex III and impair the activity of this complex which lead to dysfunctional
energy metabolism and elevate oxidative stress and thus causing sterility.
However, in HL-CMS, which is also a gametophytic MS system, pollen development
gets arrested at di-nucleate stage. A chimeric aberrant transcript of the
mitochondrial geneatp6-orfH79, located downstream of atp6is
confirmed as candidate gene of this MS. Transcript of orfH79 gene
preferentially accumulates in mitochondria which interacts with P61 (a subunit
of ETC complex III) and impairs mitochondrial function [8] and leads to MS. The MS in CW-CMS is conditioned by
mitochondrial orf307, which causes anther-specific mitochondrial
retrograde regulation for nuclear gene expression. It is a gametophytic MS in
which pollen grain appears normal but unable to germinate.
Figure 2.
Schematic presentation of rice CMS types, where
WA stands for wild abortive, BT is for boro type, HL for Honglian, LD for lead
rice, CW is for Chinese wild rice, RT102A and RT98A, respectively.
2.3 Genetic male sterility (GMS)
The GMS in rice is conditioned generally by
recessive nuclear genes and exert showing normal Mendelian inheritance. Owing
to difficulties in their maintenance (occurrence of only 50% sterility in F1),
GMS could not be part of rice hybrid breeding program. Some GMS lines has shown
threshold nature in MS expression where male sterility occurs in specific
environmental regime (high temperature and long day length); hence called
environment sensitive genetic male sterile (EGMS). The GMS line shows male
sterility at elevated temperature, that is, >30°C is called temperature
sensitive male sterility (TGMS) whereas male sterility in long day length, that
is, >13.5 h is called photoperiod-sensitive genetic male sterility
(PGMS). The male sterility in EGMS line is found to be revert into male fertile
in favorable temperature (<30°C) and day length (<12.5 h) which
provide its unique opportunity to be utilized in hybrid rice breeding program.
The rice lines exert MS impression under long photoperiod and elevated
temperature are referred as P/TGMS, for example, Pei’ai 64S. The EGMS lines,
PGMS-Nongken 58S (NK58S) and TGMS-Annong S-1 and Zhu1S or derivatives are
utilized extensively in majority (>95%) of the two-line hybrid program.
Among, derivatives of NK58S are exerts either P/TGMS or even TGMS (e.g.,
Guangzhan 63S), the mechanism underlying to such dramatic changes yet to be
revealed. Recently, a novel type of EGMS (csa-carban starved anther mutant) in rice called
rPGMS (reverse PGMS). These lines expresses MS under short photoperiod
(<12.5 h) and revert to normal fertile when exposed to long days
(>13.5 h). This is found to be suitable for seed production of two-line
hybrids in tropics and subtropics [9].
2.4 Transgenic cytoplasmic male sterility
The genetically engineered male sterile line
M2BSin rice is developed by transformation of indica rice
maintainer M2B with partial-lengthHcPDIL5-2a (Hibiscus cannabinus protein
disulfide isomerase-like) genetic construct. Male fertility in this CMS is
reported to be arrested due to tapetum degeneration which leads pollen
abortion. The genetic analysis revealed this MS a maternally inherited
inability as of CMS. Besides, by combining cysteine-protease gene (BnCysP1) of
Brassica napus with rice anther-specific P12 promoter (promoter region of Os12bglu38 gene),
a transgenic MS system was successfully created which is restored by transgenic
rice plants carrying BnCysP1Si silencing system [10]. Zhou and co-workers [11] could develop 11 “transgene clean” TGMS lines by
editing most widely utilized TGMS gene tms5 through CRISPR/Cas9.
2.5 Genetics of fertility restorer gene
The rice CMS is found to be restored by nuclear
genome, that is, mono or oligo nuclear loci called restorer gene. In rice, a
total of 10 Rf genes (Rf1a, Rf1b, Rf2, Rf3, Rf4, Rf5, Rf6 and Rf17,
Rf98 and Rf102) have been identified, of those seven (Rf1a,
Rf1b, Rf2, Rf4, Rf5, Rf17, and Rf98) are characterized. All Rf genes
are found to be dominant in nature (except Rf17, restores
fertility in CW-CMS), which can restore male fertility in heterozygous state.
Restorer genes are very specific to male sterile genome in the mechanism of
fertility restoration. Genes Rf1a and Rf1b (Chr.-10)
encode pentatricopeptide-repeat (PPR)-containing proteins and have functional
affinity of fertility restoration in BT-CMS; RF1A promotes endonucleolytic cleavage of
the atp6-orf79 mRNA andRF1B promotes degradation
of atp6-orf79 mRNA [7] and revert the male sterility into fertility.
Whereas, HL-CMS is restored either by Rf5 or Rf6 gene, these genes can produce 50% normal
pollen grains in F1 plants individually; however, both genes in complementation
could restore more than 80% spikelets’ fertility in hybrids. The Rf5 encodes
a PPR family protein PPR791 and which bind with GRP162 (glycine rich protein)
and atp6-orfH79 transcripts and makes a RFC (restoration
of fertility complex). The RFC cleave the aberrant transcript of atp6-orfH79at 1169
nucleotides position [12]. TheRf6 gene encodes a novel PPR family protein
(duplicate PPR motif 3–5) which in association with hexokinase (osHXK6)
targets mitochondria and process defective transcript of atp6-orfH79 at
1238 nucleotide position. Thus, PPR protein family cause editing of aberrant
transcript, inhibit their translation, and at the end, fertility restoration.
Besides, male fertility in WA-CMS is found to be counteracted by Rf3 and Rf4 genes
(chrom.-1 and 10, respectively). The genes Rf3 and Rf4 encode
a pentatricopeptide protein (PPR) where RF4 cleave the abnormal WA352 transcript
and RF3 suppress translation of WA352 into polypeptide and helps in restoring
fertility in WA-CMS. Fertility in LD-CMS is reported to be restored by
either Rf1 or Rf2. The Rf2 gene
encodes a glycine-rich protein in mitochondrial; replacement of isoleucine by
threonine at amino acid 78 of the RF2 protein causes functional loss of
the rf2 allele. Moreover, CW-CMS is reported to
be restored by a single recessive gene (Rf17) which is a retrograde-regulated male
sterility (rms) gene (Table 2) [20].
|
S. No. |
Rf genes |
Locality |
Marker |
CMS system |
Restorer line |
Causative gene |
Encoded product |
Reference |
|
1 |
Rf1a,
Rf1b |
Chr-10 |
InDel-Rf1a |
CMS-BT |
BTR, IR24, MTC10R; C 9083 |
PPR8–1, PPR791,Rf1A,
Rf1B |
PPR |
[13] |
|
2 |
Rf2 |
Chr-2 |
CAPS42–1 |
CMS-LD |
Kasalath, Minghui 63 |
LOC_Os02g17380.1 |
Gly. Rich protein |
[14] |
|
3 |
Rf3 |
Chr-1 |
DRRM-Rf3–10 |
CMS-WA |
Swarna, PUSA 33 |
— |
PPR |
[15] |
|
4 |
Rf4 |
Chr-10 |
RM6100 |
CMS-WA |
IR 24, Pusa 33, CRL 22R |
PPR782a |
PPR |
[15] |
|
5 |
Rf5(t) |
Chr-10 |
RM3150 |
CMS-HL |
Milyang 23 |
PPR791 |
PPR |
[16] |
|
6 |
Rf6 |
Chr-10 & 8 |
RM5373 |
CMS-HL |
— |
— |
— |
[16] |
|
7 |
Rf17 |
Chr-4 |
AT10.5–1, SNP 7–16 |
CMS-CW |
CWR |
PPR2 |
RNA interference |
[17] |
|
8 |
Rf98 |
Chr-10 |
UK |
CMS-RT98A |
RT98C |
PPR762 |
PPR |
[18] |
|
9 |
Rf102 |
Chr-12 |
UN |
CMS-RT102A |
RT102C, K102-Oryza
rufipogon. T |
UK |
UK |
[19] |
Table 2.
Restorer
genes in rice plants.
2.6 Breeding system
Commercial hybrid seed production in rice where
natural out-crossing (ranged only 0.3–3.0%) is very low, cumbersome, and an
expansive task. To be practical and readily adoptable, it requires some
specific parental requirements and agro-management practices. Invention of male
sterile lines thus provided unique opportunity to start with the technology in
rice. Based on mechanism of male sterility, threshold nature in male sterility
expression and number of parental lines used, three types of hybrid seed
production system namely three-line system (involving three parents, A, B, and
R), two-line system (two parents, A and R), and one-line system
(apomictic-based) exist. Among them, CGMS-based three-line system is more
suitable, hence widely utilized (>90% of world’s hybrids developed utilizing
this) in hybrid rice varietal development and seed production.
2.6.1 CGMS
system
This system involves three parents such as male
sterile line (A-line, cytoplasmic male sterile), B-line (maintainer), and R
(restorer) lines and two steps in seed production, that is, CMS multiplication
and hybrid seed production under strict isolation (spatial or temporal or
physical barrier). Male sterile line (A-line), because of their eliminated
manual emasculation needs, served as seed parent and facilitates large-scale
seed production. A suitable CMS line to be utilized as seed parent should have
complete and stable male sterility, substantial seed producibility, wide
compatibility, and good combining ability with minimum CMS load. The wealthy
panicle and narrow semi-erect leaf configuration in seed parent has additional
impact, assures more seed production. In Indian perspective, hybrid seed
production is a major dilemma, generally keen to Rabi season,
hence, CMS lines should have substantial cold tolerance at seedling stage and
heat at flowering stage.
The maintainer (B-line), on the other hand, is
an isogenic to the CMS line (differs only for fertility/sterility) in their
genetic constitution, able to produce functional pollen and maintain the
sterility in male sterile line/seed parent. The maintainer line can maintain
100% male sterility in seed parent thus utilized to perpetuate CMS with their
inherent male sterile ability.
In contrast, restorer line can restore male
fertility in F1s produced on male sterile parent, thus utilized as
pollen parent in hybrid seed production. A good restorer should have
substantial genetic distance with seed parent which is prerequisite and major
determinant of the extent of heterosis in hybrids (more genetic distance more
heterosis and vice-versa). Restorer is the major contributor of
heterosis in three-line hybrids, hence, should have good combining, strong
fertility restoration ability (dominant Rf gene(s) responsible for fertility restoration
in CMS). Besides, restorer line with ideal plant type, acceptable grain quality
parameters, substantial source-sink balance, heavy pollen load, and broad
spectrum of resistance/tolerance against multiple biotic/abiotic stresses is
imperative in maximization of genetic gain in hybrids.
2.6.2 EGMS
system
This system is a simple and more efficient
hybrid breeding system in rice, involves only two parents, that is, A and R
line in seed production, thus, referred as two-line system. This is a threshold
of genetic male sterility (EGMS)-based hybrid rice breeding system, where male
sterility is conditioned in specific environmental regimes such as long
photoperiod (>13.5 h day length) and at elevated temperature
(>30°C). In this system, male sterile parents are to be maintained by
selfing under favorable conditions (below critical sterility point, i.e.,
<30°C temperature and at below CSP of photoperiod length, <12.5 h.).
Two-line hybrid seed production system is an
easy and effective alternative to CMS and has specific advantages as it
requires only one step for seed production. In this system, any good combiner
genotype irrespective of their fertility restoration ability can be utilized as
a pollen parent. EGMS system is normal and does not exert any ill effect in the
growth and development of carrier plant, and thus, exploits comparatively
higher extent of heterosis (up to 5–10%) in F1 than the
CGMS-based three-line system. The EGMS traits are governed by major genes, thus
are easily transferable to any genetic background; besides, no CMS load could
be helpful in reducing the potential vulnerability among the hybrids. Because
of its eliminating needs for restorer genes in the male parents, this is ideal
for developing inter-subspecific (indica/japonica) hybrids.
2.6.3
One-line system (apomictic-based)
In this system, seeds of rice hybrid once
generated need not to be further produced in the hybrid seed production plot.
This system is solely based on apomixes phenomenon (embryo developed apart from
mixing of sexual gametes/fertilization) where the embryo developed without
fertilization. In this system, hybrid seeds once generated will be maintained
through apomixes in their original heterozygous form. The apomictic embryo is
formed in the ovule via two fundamentally different pathways, sporophytic or
gametophytic, which define the origin of the apomictic embryo [21]. In sporophytic apomixes, the embryo arises
directly from the nucellus or the integument of the ovule in a process
generally called adventitious embryony. In gametophytic apomixis, two
mechanisms are generally recognized, diplospory and apospory. In both of these,
an embryo sac is formed and the two mechanisms are distinguished by the origin
of the cells that give rise to the apomictic embryo sac. In diplospory, the
embryo sac originates from megaspore mother cells either directly by mitosis
and/or after interrupted meiosis. In apospory, the embryo sac originates from
nucellar cells. In both gametophytic mechanisms, the resulting nuclei forming
the embryo sac are of the same ploidy as those found in the female parent
because the reduction division cycle of meiosis does not occur. The embryo
arises autonomously from one of the cells in the embryo sac.
In a recent adventure, Delphine et al. reported
three genes such as SPO11–1, REC8, and OSD1 in the sexual model plant Arabidopsis
thaliana, which were combiningly mutated to turn
meiosis into mitosis and its nourishing tissue from the female gametophyte
without contribution of a male genome. This results in the production of clonal
male and female gametes, but leads to doubling of ploidy at each generation
when self-fertilized. Crossing a MiMe plant as male or female with a line whose
genome is eliminated following fertilization (lines expressing modified CENH3)
leads to the production of clonal offspring [22]. The MiMe technology was also implemented in rice
to get diploid gametes. Furthermore, a study was conducted by Reda et al. to
induce apomixis and fix heterosis in the sterile Egyptian Hybrid1 line using
0.2% colchicines [23]. It was observed that as colchicine is an alkaloid,
which during cell division binds to tubulin protein of the spindle fiber and
stops microtubules formation, and during meiosis, it prevents chromatids
separation and inhibits cytokinesis. So ultimately, colchicines lead to meiosis
aberrations, which produce aberrant microspores, pollen sterility, ovule
sterility, as well as loss of fertility. Recently, a strategy based on the
advanced technique, that is, CRISPR/Cas 9, has been utilized to introduce
apomixis into rice (Oryza sativa) by mutating the three combined genes
OsSPO11-1, OsREC8, OsOSD1, and OsMATL to get a MiMe phenotype [24].
3. Progress in hybrid rice research and development
3.1 International status
Hybrid technology is one of the greatest
innovations in the modern era, contributed greatly in yield enhancement in
several important crops. Over the decades of rigorous research, Chinese could
develop parental lines, that is, cytoplasmic male-sterile line, maintainer
line, and restorer line which assisted in the realization of heterosis
exploitation in rice. Subsequently, hybrid seed production system was refined
and world’s first hybrid rice was released for commercial cultivation during
1974 AD. The first generation wild abortive CMS line, that is, Zhenshan
97A was widely utilized and several elite hybrid rice varieties were
commercialized. Besides, several CMS with altered genetic mechanism of male
sterility expression were also identified and characterized.
At beginning, low seed producibility with
WA-CMS was a concern for its commercialization. However, with the keen interest
of agronomist, management practices for hybrid seed production were sustainably
rationalized. The Chinese government has supported this venture in pilot mode
and established large and effective hybrid rice seed businesses in the late
1970s at all levels. Besides, intensive mechanization of hybrid seed production
helped in modification of planting ratio (2R: A as 6–8 rows to 40–80 rows) and
reducing the cost of production. Therefore, China could achieve seed yield by
2.7–3.0 t/ha on a large scale in hybrid rice seed production, which is
further enhanced to 3400 kg/ha and maximizes their acreage.
Over past three decades, hybrid rice varieties
have been substantial for national food security in the China which accounted
for approximately 57% of the total 30-million-hectare rice planting area. The
Ministry of Agriculture, China, has launched project on super hybrid rice
development during 1996 which resulted altogether 73 super hybrids (52
three-line hybrids and 21 two-line hybrids) for commercial cultivation. Super
hybrid P64S/E32 released recently has recorded new height of yield potential
of17.1 t/ha with some striking characteristics [25].
Beside China, this technology has also been
introduced and promoted by more than 40 countries around the world. At
beginning, IRRI helped technically and supplied prerequisite parental
materials. Later, most of the countries could establish their own hybrid rice
breeding program and developed several heterotic hybrids. India was the second
country after China that adopted this technology in 1989 and made substantial
progress. At present, hybrid rice covers around 3.0 mha in India that has 6.8%
of total rice area. Vietnam was the next to adopt this technology in 1992,
harnessing yield of 6.3–6.8 t/ha from 0.7 mha, which covers around 10% of
their rice area. In Philippines, it was introduced in 1993. Several popular hybrids
like Magat, Mestizo, Mestizo 2, Mestizo 3, Bigante, Magilla, SL8H, Rizalina 28,
etc. were developed and commercialized. Hybrid seed production in Philippines
has been handled by “seed growers” cooperatives that are to produce around
60–70%. In Bangladesh, several rice hybrids were introduced and commercialized
from China, India, and Philippines. They are almost self-sufficient in hybrid
seed production, producing around 8000 tons to cover about 800,000 ha. In
order, Indonesia also has substantial hybrid rice area, developed several good
rice hybrids like Hipa7, Hipa 8, Hipa9, Hipa10, Hipa11, Hipa12 SBU, Hipa13,
Hipa14 SBU, Hipa Jatim1, Hipa Jatim2 and Hipa Jatim3 were extensively
commercialized, having yield superiority of 0.7–1.5 tons/ha over the lowland
inbred varieties.
USA has adopted this technology during 2000 and
has developed and commercialized several two-line and three-line hybrids. Most
of the hybrid rice cultivars in USA employed Clearfield (CL) technology
offering selective control of weedy red rice. Rice hybrids, viz., Clearfield
XL729, Clearfield XL745, Clearfield XP756 (a late maturing) and Clearfield
XP4534 (new plant type) has shown yield advantage ranging from 16 to 39% over
inbred cultivars are being commercialized by RiceTec.
3.2 National status
In India, systematic hybrid rice research was
initiated in 1989.The first hybrid rice was released in Andhra Pradesh during
1993–1994 and India became the second country after China to commercialize
hybrid rice. India has made substantial progress and developed total 117 (indica/indica) rice
hybrids having 15–20% yield superiority with 115–150 days duration for
various rice ecosystems. Recently, Savannah Private Limited from India has made
another landmark by developing two two-line rice hybrids, viz., SAVA-124and
SAVA-134, for commercial cultivation. In addition, more than 100 CMS in
diversified genetic and cytoplasmic backgrounds have been developed and
utilized. Among, the promising CMS lines CRMS 31A, CRMS 32A, CRMS 8A, PMS10A,
PMS 17A, APMS 6A, DR8A, PUSA 5A, PUSA6A, RTN 12A, etc. are substantially being
utilized in development of rice hybrids in India and abroad. Notably,
medium-duration seedling stage cold-tolerant CMS, CRMS 32A, developed at NRRI
under Kalinga-I cytoplasm is more suitable for development of hybrids for boro ecosystem.
Two popular hybrid rice varieties, namely, Rajalaxmi and KRH 4 were developed
using CRMS 32A as one among the parent.
Hybrids released in India having unambiguous
specificity like specific to ecosystem, tolerant to several abiotic/biotic
stresses and consumer preferences (Table 3). These hybrid varieties can be utilized to up
scale the hybrid rice cultivation and productivity enhancement per se in
the respective area.
|
S. No. |
Stress |
Promising hybrids |
|
1 |
Rain-fed upland |
DRRH-2, Pant Sankar Dhan-1, Pant
Sankar Dhan-3, and KJTRH-4 |
|
2 |
Salinity |
DRRH-28, Pant Sankar Dhan-3,
KRH-2, HRI-148, JRH-8, PHB-71, and Rajalaxmi |
|
3 |
Alkalinity |
Suruchi, PHB-71, JKRH-2000,
CRHR-5, DRRH-2, DRRH-44, and Rajalaxmi |
|
4 |
Boro/Summer season |
Rajalaxmi, CRHR-4, CRHR-32, NPH
924–1, PA 6444, Sahyadri, and KRH 2 |
|
5 |
BB resistant |
BS 6444G, Arize Prima, Rajalaxmi,
Ajay, CR Dhan 701, PRH 10, etc. |
Table 3.
Rice
hybrids tolerant to various stresses.
Hybrids like CRHR 105, CRHR 106, 25P25, 27P31
are suitable for high-temperature regime which has a more deleterious effect on
seed development in hybrids. The hybrid varieties, US 382, Indam 200–17, US
312, DRRH3, and JKRH 401 having high N use efficiency are thus found suitable
for cultivation in N-deficient soil. Besides, hybrids PNPH 24, RH 1531, and
Arize Tej are under mid-early maturity group which can sustain substantially
under drought situations. The problems of coastal and shallow lowland ecosystem
sharing around 32% of total rice area can be addressed by adopting
long-duration hybrids like CRHR 32, Arize Dhani, CRHR 34, CRHR 102, and
Sahyadri 5 (Table 4).
|
Aerobic condition |
PSD 3, PSD 1, Rajalaxmi, Ajay,
ADTRH 1, PRH 122, DRRH 44, HRI 126, JKRH 3333, and KRH 2 |
|
Early duration |
CRHR 105, CRHR 106, 25P25, 27P31
(heat-tolerant), US 382, Indam 200–17, US 312`, DRRH3, JKRH 401high N use
efficient; PNPH 24 and RH 1531, Arize Tej-mid-early drought-tolerant; DRRH2,
and KJTRH-4 (upland) |
|
Long duration |
CRHR 32, CRHR 34, CRHR 100, and
Sahyadri 5 |
|
SRI |
TNRH CO-4, KRH 4 |
|
Idly making |
VNR 2355+ |
|
MS grains |
CRHR 32, DRRH 3, 27P63, 25P25, and
Suruchi |
|
Aromatic |
PRH 122 (slight aroma), PRH 10 |
Table 4.
Hybrids
suitable for specific condition.
3.3 ICAR-National Rice Research Institute’s contribution
The ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack
has been pioneer to start with the technology in late of seventh decade of last
century, quite before the beginning of their project mode program in 1989 by
ICAR. In the beginning, ICAR-NRRI has acquired all the prerequisite materials
(CMS lines, viz., V 20A, Yar Ai Zhao A, Wu10A, MS 577A, Pankhari 203A,
V 41A, Er-Jiu nanA, respective maintainers, nine other maintainers, and 13
restorers) from the IRRI (NRRI annual report 1981–1982). Systematic hybrid rice
breeding was initiated in an interdisciplinary mode with objectives to develop
desirable parental lines, viz., cytoplasmic genetic male sterile (CGMS) lines,
maintainers, and restorers for the development of rice hybrids for irrigated
and shallow submergence. The farmers in the rain fed shallow lowland ecosystem
would be extremely benefited if the hybrid rice technology can be extended to
this ecosystem, which need hybrids of Swarna duration. Keeping in views,
ICAR-NRRI has developed three rice hybrids, viz., Ajay, Rajalaxmi, and CR Dhan
701 for this fragile ecosystem. Among them CR Dhan 701 is the country’s first
long-duration hybrid, substitute for popular variety Swarna. Besides, NRRI has
developed several promising CMS lines which have stable male sterility (WA,
Kalinga-I and O. perennis, etc. cytoplasmic background), maintainers, and
effective restorers. More than 45 CMS lines in diverse genetic and cytoplasmic
backgrounds have been developed among Sarasa A, Pusa 33A (WA), Annada A (WA),
Kiran A (WA), Deepa A (WA), Manipuri A (WA), Moti A (WA), Krishna A (O.
perennis), Krishna A (Kalinga I), Mirai (Kalinga I), Padmini A, PS 92A and
Sahabhagidhan A, etc., which are more prominent to be utilized in hybrid
development. The medium-duration CMS, CRMS 31A (WA) and CRMS 32A (Kalinga-I)
are significantly utilized for hybrid development at NRRI and elsewhere in the
country. The CRMS 24A and CRMS 40A, developed under the nucleus background of
Moti and Padmini are found suitable for late-duration hybrid breeding.
Moreover, short-duration CMS, CRMS 8A, CRMS 51A and CRMS 52A and CRMS 53A
having drought tolerance are also being used for development of hybrids for
drought prone ecosystem.
The latest release CR Dhan 701 (CRHR32) found
suitable for irrigated-shallow lowland of Bihar, Gujarat and Odisha having MS
grain type with an average yield capacity of 7.5 t/ha. This hybrid shows
substantial tolerance to low light intensity, thus having great scope in
eastern Indian states where low light limits the potential expression of
hybrids/varieties during wet season. Moreover, hybrid Rajalaxmi
(125–130 days) was developed utilizing native CMS line CRMS 32A, released
by SVRC 2006/CVRC 2010 for irrigated-shallow lowland of Odisha and boro ecosystem
of Odisha and Assam as it has seedling stage cold tolerance. Ajay is a
medium-duration, long slender grain-type hybrid, released for cultivation in
irrigated-shallow lowland of Odisha. As these hybrids are adaptable for eastern
Indian climatic condition with assured remuneration, 12 private seed agencies
over five states have commercialized them.
To make this technology more sustainable and
amenable to farmers, trait development strategy among the parental lines
becomes mandatory. The parents of ICAR-NRRI bred hybrids Ajay, Rajalaxmi and CR
Dhan 701 has been improved for bacterial blight, the most devastating disease
of rice [26]. The submergence and salinity are the major abiotic
stresses occur frequently in rain-fed shallow lowland area and causes
substantial yield loss in rice. Hence, to cope up with the problems, and make
hybrid rice more sustainable during these adversity, ICAR-NRRI has successfully
stacked submergence and salinity-tolerant QTLs in the seed parents CRMS 31A and
CRMS 32A. To enhance the seed producibility in seed parents, introgression of
stigma exsertion trait from O. longistaminata into CRMS 31A and CRMS 32A, are
under progress. To excavate the genetic region responding heterosis in rice,
transcriptomic analysis of hybrids Rajalaxmi and Ajay are completed and
interpreted. Availability of restorers for WA-CMS lines is very stumpy in
nature, only 15% of total rice genotypes having the ability to restore complete
fertility in WA-CMS-based hybrid rice [15]. Hence, good combiner genotypes having partial
fertility restorers Mahalaxmi and Gayatri were improved by introgressing
fertility restorer gene(s) Rf3 and Rf4 through
MABB approach. Further, to make clear cut identity and ensure pure seed of
parents/hybrids to the stack-holder, 12 signature markers that unambiguously
distinguish 32 rice hybrids were developed, which can be utilized for DNA fingerprinting
and genetic purity testing of hybrids.
4. Potential application of OMICS approaches in hybrid rice breeding
Recent advancement in molecular biology has
offered tremendous opportunities to the breeder and breeding per se in
enhancement in their efficacy and speed up the varietal development process. It
has diverse applications like mapping, tagging, amplification-based cloning,
gene pyramiding, marker-assisted selection (MAS/MARS), fingerprinting
applications, including varietal identification, ensuring seed purity,
phylogeny and evolution studies, diversity analysis, and elimination of
germplasm duplication. The progress in research related to application of DNA
marker technology in hybrid rice improvement may be valuable in following way.
4.1 DNA fingerprinting and genetic purity testing
Varietal identity of hybrids and parents is
imperative to assure the ownership (IPR issue) and pure seeds to the
stakeholders. The genetic purity testing of hybrid seed is done by conducting
Grow-Out-Test (GOT) which is time taking (needs one full growing season),
tedious and very expensive. Molecular markers in this context found to be a
suitable alternative, provide an unbiased means of identifying crop varieties.
Among available DNA-based markers, sequence-tagged microsatellites (STMSs),
which are co-dominant in nature, are widely used for speedy genetic purity
assessment of the hybrids and parental lines [27, 28]. Besides, ICAR-NRRI has developed another set of
nine signature markers which can distinguish parents CRMS 31A, CRMS 32A; and hybrids
Ajay, Rajalaxmi and CR Dhan 701, unambiguously.
4.2 Trait improvement in parental lines and hybrids
Hybrid rice has been one of the innovations
that led the quantum jump in rice productivity last century. However, the
challenge of meeting the increasing demand for rice and making hybrid more
sustainable under impeding climatic changes, trait development in parental
lines for ideal plant type with substantial yield, grain quality, and
resistance/tolerance to multiple biotic and abiotic stresses is necessary. In
this context, conventional breeding is more cumbersome, time taking and less
précised. The advancement in molecular breeding techniques makes it convenient
to improve the parents and hybrids for desirable traits with great precision.
Marker-assisted selection/MABB has provided strong utensils for indirect
selection/trace the trait of interest at any plant growth stage. The bacterial
blight and blast are the two-major destructive diseases affecting rice plant at
different growth stages and caused substantial yield loss. Resistant genes for
BB diseases have been deployed successfully in popular hybrids like Rajalaxmi,
Ajay [26], BS 6444G, PRH 10 [29], Shanyou 63, Guangzhan63-4S; seed parent of CR Dhan
701; restorers Minghui 63 and Mianhui 725 [5, 26], Zhonghui 8006 and Zhonghui 218, etc. The popular CMS
line Rongfeng A, Pusa 6A female parent of popular basmati hybrids PRH 10,
RGD-7S, and RGD-8S [30] were successfully stacked with blast and BB
resistant gene(s). Besides, CRMS 31A and CRMS 32A were deployed with
submergence and salinity tolerance QTLs (NRRI newsletter 2015). Grain and
eating quality in hybrids are concerns which are addressed by stacking
QTLs/genes for quality traits in parents. Zhenshan 97A seed parent of several
hybrids in China has been stacked with QTLs of AC, GC and GT [31]. Efforts were made toward quality improvement of
both the parental lines of popular indica hybrids, viz., Xieyou57, using
marker-assisted selection for Wx locus [32]. Yield-enhancing QTLs, yld1.1 and yld2.1,
from O. rufipogon to restorer “Ce64” [33] are successfully stacked. Hybrid sterility in
inter-subspecific (indica/japonica)
hybrids is reported to be effectively addressed by utilizing genome editing
tool “CRISPR/Cas9” [34].
4.3 Screening of Rf genes in parents
Limited availability of fertility restorer
system in rice makes three-line system very selective and less heterotic. Rice
genotypes have fertility restorer ability can only be utilized as pollen parent
in three-line hybrid breeding. Identification of genetically compatible, well
combining restorers is tedious process, involve laborious test cross generation
and evaluation steps. However, prior information on fertility restorer genes in
the pollen parent excludes test cross steps thus make it convenient for saving
time of hybrid development. Plenty of co-segregating molecular markers (tightly
linked or functional markers) for fertility restorer gene(s) having functional
specificity to diverse CMS systems are available (Table 2). The genic/functional markers, RM6100 and DRRM
Rf3–10 of restorer gene(s) Rf4 and Rf3,
respectively, are widely utilized for screening the fertility restoration
efficacy of unknown pollen parents for WA and lineage CMS well in advance [15].
4.4 Screening of parental lines for wide compatibility genes
Hybrid sterility is common nuisance menacing
breeder to exploiting heterosis in inter-subspecific (5–10% more heterosis)
hybrids. Generally, indica × japonica hybrids are sterile due to lack of wide
compatibility (WC) between parents. It is reported that hybrid
sterility in inter-subspecific crosses is mainly affected by the genes at Sb, Sc, Sd,
and Se [35] loci causes male sterility in F1and the
gene at S5 locus cause female sterility in F1.
Presence of these genic regions in at least one parent ensures complete
fertility in resulting hybrids. These gene(s) can be assessed in advance by
utilizing co-segregating markers (S5-InDel, functional marker to S5n)
[36] and G02–14827 (genic marker) PSM8, PSM12, and
PSM180 (linked SSR); IND19 and ID5 (indel markers) to Sb, Sc, Sd,
and Se, loci). Thus, it helps breeder in selection
of WC-positive parent in more predictable way which
circumvents laborious test-cross and their evaluations steps.
4.5 Prediction of heterosis
Genetic distance and level of genetic
gain/breeding value in parents are major determinants of extent of heterosis in
the resulting hybrid. Molecular markers help in assessing the genetic diversity
among parents and breeding values in progenies (through genomic selection,
high-density SNP genotyping) with great convenient. There are abundant STMS and
SNP markers available which can be utilized for assessment of genetic
diversity/genetic distance between parents and genomic selection in progenies
easily [37]. Hence, this is helpful in the selection of diverse
parents with maximum breeding values in turn higher heterosis or genetic gain
in hybrids.
4.6 Determination of heterotic group and heterosis pattern
The extent of genetic variation and selection
strategies are keys to the success of heterosis breeding. Accurate assessment
and assignment of parental lines into heterotic groups “group of genotypes
(related or unrelated) having similar combing ability and heterosis response
when crossed with the genotypes of other diverse group” are fundamental
prerequisites. Usually it is evaluated by combining ability analysis of parents
and hybrids in multi-environment trials. However, advances in molecular marker
technology have made it possible to combine information on parental pedigree
and field trials with molecular marker data to detect and establish heterotic
groups. Several heterotic groups have been developed and utilized for
three-line and two-line hybrid development in rice [38].
4.7 Excavating QTLs/gene(s) responses heterosis
Omics techniques reported to have great
potential in excavation of QTLs/gene(s) responses heterosis in rice. By
utilizing genomics tools, many QTLs/genes for several important traits has been
mapped, validated, and deployed in trait development in rice. The
transcriptomics, an emerging technique helps in genome-scale comparisons of the
transcripts of different individuals within the same species/population. It
helps in understanding the level of variation for gene expression, as measured
by transcript abundance that exists within plant species and between hybrids
and their parents. This is useful for identification of transcript and
gene per se involves in heterotic expression.
Moreover, epigenetics, a posttranslational biochemical regulation of gene is
found to be playing substantial role in trait expression. Individuals of the
same species can have epigenetic variation in addition to genome and
transcriptome content variation. A potential role for epigenetic regulation in
heterosis has been proposed. It is possible for epigenetic variation to affect
heterosis by creating stable epialleles that would behave similarly to the
genomic or transcriptomic differences. Alternatively, hybrids may exhibit
unique epigenomic states that lead to heterosis.
5. Major challenges and potential research opportunities
5.1 Major challenges
Despite of being remunerative and varietal
abundancy, HR technology could not make substantial dent in the rice farming
system outside China. The following are the inherited void led poor
acceptability and acreage expansion of hybrids:
5.1.1 Lack
of cytoplasmic diversity in countries outside China
Outside China, WA-CMS or their lineages are
commonly utilized as seed parent in more than 90%rice hybrids. Several
alternative MS cytoplasmic sources such as BT-CMS, HL-CMS, and CW-CMS are
identified in China, but the hybrid breeding program of other countries relied
only on WA-CMS which has several inherited abnormalities. These narrowed
genetics of sterile cytoplasm limits the extent heterosis exploitation and make
hybrids vulnerable to many biotic and abiotic stresses.
5.1.2
Marginal heterosis in intra-subspecific hybrids
Two-lines and inter-subspecific (indica/japonica)
hybrids are comparatively more heterotic (5–10%) than three-line indica hybrids.
But owing to several inevitable difficulties in seed production of two-line
hybrids and poor grain and eating quality in inter-subspecific hybrids, both
could not be exploited in the countries like India who has vast climatic and
food affection diversity. We are utilizing three-line indica hybrids
which are comparatively less heterotic hybrid breeding systems giving low
yields. Hence, focused and intensive research is proposed to make above said
hitches be addressed in future.
5.1.3 Poor
grain and eating quality
In hybrids, consumable parts are F2 grains,
segregating for various quality traits hence very poor in quality limits its
acceptability among stakeholders. Therefore, make hybrids more sustainable and
popular, quality traits in hybrids needs to be addressed urgently in the
country like India where people have vast category of food fondness. Hence, a
strong breeding strategy for quality concern in hybrids is needs to be devised
and implemented.
5.1.4
Subtle information on QTLs/gene(s) responding heterosis
Although heterosis, or hybrid vigor, is widely
exploited in agriculture, but despite extensive investigation, complete
description of its molecular underpinnings has remained elusive. It appears
that there is not a single, simple explanation for heterosis. Instead, it is
likely that heterosis arises in crosses between genetically distinct
individuals because of a diversity of mechanisms. Hence, mining factors
responding heterosis in rice will have a substantial role in development and
exploiting heterosis in most precise way.
5.1.5
Inter-subspecific hybrid sterility
Hybrid sterility is key nuisance in
inter-subspecific hybrids, limiting development and commercialization of more
heterotic indica/japonica hybrid
in rice. The sterility in hybrids (inter-subspecific)
generally occurs due to non-functional pollens as well as sterility in female
reproductive organs. It is reported that mutant of S-i alleles
at Sb, Sc, Sd, and Se loci
produce sterile pollens; and mutants of S5locus causes sterility in female gamete. Hence,
trait development for wide compatibility in either parent has great opportunity
in addressing the hybrid sterility in rice.
5.2 Potential research opportunity
5.2.1
Exploitation of inter-specific heterosis
Inter-subspecific (indica/japonica)
hybrids as discussed in earlier section are more heterotic than
intra-subspecific hybrids. However, owing to hybrid sterility and poor grain
quality, this genetic pool remains untapped. Grain quality of inter-subspecific
hybrids proposed to be improved by utilizing parental combinations having good
combining ability but similar in quality parameters, might reduce the concern
of segregation for quality traits. Hybrid sterility problem in
inter-subspecific hybrids can be addressed by stacking indica allele
(S-i)
at Sb, Sc, Sd, and Se loci
and the neutral allele (S-n) at S5locusin to japonica genetic
background [35] or by silencing the S-i and S5 mutant
loci through genome editing tools [34].
5.2.2
Utilization of Iso-cytoplasmic restorers
In three-line hybrid system, cytoplasm of CMS
exerts various unwanted effect (called CMS penalty) and reduces the complete
heterosis expression (up to 5–10%) in CGMS hybrids. Iso-cytoplasmic restorer is
fertile transgressive segregant of CGMS hybrid, having same cytoplasm as of
CMS. In combination with iso-cyto-CMS, it can normalize the fatal cyto-nuclear
conflicts, hence enhances the heterosis to substantial extent. In rice, several
iso-cytoplasmic restorers has been developed and utilized in hybrid rice
research [39].
5.2.3
Out-crossing enhancement in seed parent
Low seed producibility (1.5–2.5 t/ha) in
the CMS remains a concern, restricts seed abundancy, and area expansion in
India. Trait development in seed parent for out-crossing traits like stigma
exertion, complete panicle exertion is important and needs to be addressed
strategically. Recently, a CMS line, IR-79156A possessing more than 50%
out-crossing, developed by IRRI showed seed producibility of 3.5 t/ha.
5.2.4
Ideotype hybrid breeding
To maximize genetic gain in rice, breeding of
ideal plant type was started long back in Japan and subsequently adopted by
China. Through morphological improvement and adopting inter-subspecific (indica/japonica) hybrid
strategies, substantial progress in ideotype hybrid breeding “super hybrid”
have been achieved. China, indeed has made considerable progress and released
more than 100 high yielding super hybrids [25]. Hence, inclusion of inter-subspecific quality type
inbreds “super rice” in hybrid development will have substantial impact in
attaining quantum genetic gains in hybrids.
6. Economic importance
Inspite of being more cumbersome and high input
intense practice, hybrid rice seed production is a profitable venture. It
creates additional job opportunity (requires 100–105 more-man days) and
provides more net income (around 1050 USD/ha net income, 70% more than the unit
production cost) as compared to seed production of HYV (192.0 USD/ha, only 18%
more than production cost) (Table 5). The market price of hybrid seed is 3.5–4.25
USD per kg. The farmers producing the hybrid seed get only 1.15–1.30 USD per
kg. In case of low production (<5 quintal/acre) farmers get minimum 635.0
USD as compensation from seed production agencies.
|
Item |
Quantity/number (per hectare) |
Cost/income (USD) |
||
|
Hybrid seed |
HYV |
|||
|
Seed cost |
Male |
5 kg @ 0.71 USD/kg |
4 |
28 |
|
Female |
15 kg @ 5.65 USD/kg |
42 |
Nil |
|
|
Labor cost |
250/145 @ 2.83 USD/labor/day |
707 |
410 |
|
|
FYM and fertilizer cost |
N:P:K (100:50:50) (based on market
price) |
76 |
76 |
|
|
Irrigation |
18–20 Irrigation (weekly) @
21.20USD/ha/irrigation |
425 |
425 |
|
|
Gibberellic acid |
28 |
Nil |
||
|
Others |
212 |
141 |
||
|
Total cost |
1494 |
1080 |
||
|
Average production |
2.0 t/ha |
4.5 |
||
|
Gross income |
Price @ 1.27USD/kg and 0.28USD/kg a |
2544 |
1272 |
|
|
Net income |
1050 |
192 |
||
Table 5.
Cost
analysis of hybrid rice seed.
a
Price of
seed is the price given to the farmer.
Source:
Verma et al., [40].
7. Way forward
Hybrid technology has been substantial in
enhancement of rice productivity per se production in temperate countries,
however, owing to low photo-intensity during growing period in tropics, its
impact remains meager. Under changing climatic and agriculture scenario, rice
hybrid is likely to face stiff competition to sustain in future. Despite having
great potential to enhance production and productivity, it has not been adopted
on large scale as was expected. This is due to several constraints like lack of
acceptability of hybrids in some regions such as Southern India due to
region-specific grain quality requirement. Moderate (15–20%) yield advantage in
hybrids is not economically very attractive and there is a need to increase the
magnitude of heterosis further. Lower market price offered for the hybrid rice
produce by millers/trader sis acting as a deterrent for many farmers to take up
hybrid rice cultivation. Higher seed cost is another restrain for large-scale adoption
and hence there is a need to enhance the seed yield in hybrid rice seed
production plots. Efforts for creating awareness and for technology transfer
were inadequate in initial stages. Involvement of public sector seed
corporations in large-scale seed production has been less than expected. Hybrid
rice for aerobic/upland, boro season and long-duration hybrids for
shallow lowland conditions are to be developed. Most of the constraints
mentioned above are being addressed with right earnestness through the ongoing
research projects and transfer of technology efforts.
8. Conclusion
Since inception, this technology has a
substantial impact in enhancing the productivity and production in crop plant
and livelihood of the farming community. In rice, it is adopted worldwide over
40 countries; however, it could not make a substantial dent in outside of
China. This chapter has represented the holistic status of hybrid technology in
rice along with future research and developmental road map to make this venture
more substantial and sustainable for benefiting all stakeholder involves. This
chapter identifies the ambiguities held responsible for slow adoption of this
technology and probable strategies to get rid of those. Therefore, this chapter
will be helpful for researchers and students in planning of future hybrid rice
breeding strategies.
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- 1.Introduction
- 2.Breeding
component and system in hybrid rice development
- 3.Progress
in hybrid rice research and development
- 4.Potential
application of OMICS approaches in hybrid rice breeding
- 5.Major
challenges and potential research opportunities
- 6.Economic
importance
- 7.Way
forward
- 8.Conclusion
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Diptibala
Rout, Debarchana Jena, Vineeta Singh, Manish Kumar Ahlavat, Pandurang Arsode,
Prakash Singh, Jawahar Lal Katara, Sanghamitra Samantaray and Ramlakhan Verma (October
7th 2020). Hybrid Rice Research: Current Status and Prospects [Online First],
IntechOpen, DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.93668. Available from:
https://www.intechopen.com/online-first/hybrid-rice-research-current-status-and-prospects
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Indian Basmati Rice Exporters Renegotiating Terms & Conditions with
the US, Canada and Australia Importers
Chintu Das 9 October, 2020 11:00 AM
IST
Indian Basmati rice exporters are renegotiating
the terms and conditions with the importers from the US, Canada, Australia and
western Europe. The new agreements are to be signed by the mid of October after
the abroad cargo rates moved about 50% in the course of the last one month.
Freight rates have also risen by $1200 to $1800 per ton.
"In spite of the fact that we will be
attempting to renegotiate the agreements with foreign purchasers in the scenery
of this increasing cargo rates, there is no assurance that we will get higher
rates." India yearly fares 4.4 - 4.5 million tons of basmati rice to the
worldwide business sectors. Miglani included that due to oversupply of basmati
rice in the country, the exporters are not in a great situation to request more
prices from other importing countries. "In addition, the pandemic has
seriously affected the financial state of the majority of the nations on the
planet. So we are dubious of getting greater prices," he said. A major
basmati rice exporter from Amritsar who wanted to remain anonymous said that
"Freight rates have been increasing since the lockdown was pulled back.
However, over the most recent one month, they have gone up forcefully. We had
losses in the prior agreements because of high cargo rates. In any case, in the
forthcoming overseas arrangements, we should incorporate the excessive cost of
cargo."
The business players are likewise stressed over
Pakistan's transition to begin trading their basmati rice to Iran under the
barter framework. "Payment issue with Iran is not sorted in the near
future, we won't be having the option to export to the nation and hence lose the
market there. It is the greatest export destination for Indian basmati
rice," said Miglani. BV Krishna Rao, leader of Rice Exporters Association,
said that the non-basmati rice exporters are additionally feeling the warmth of
rising cargo costs.
Political will needed
By: Arsenio Tanchuling - @inquirerdotnet
Philippine Daily Inquirer /
05:26 AM October 09, 2020
It is ironic that with
hunger rising, agriculture is dying. This disaster can be solved only with
political will.
Last Aug. 21, Boy
Montelibano, special projects head of Gawad Kalinga (GK) and chair of Ateneo de
Manila University 616569 Foundation, sounded the call for a private sector
“Walang Iwanan Alliance” (WIA), as he saw hunger getting worse.
WIA stated: “Hunger
incidence has doubled from 10 to 20 percent. Since nothing of significance has
been done to reverse this condition, 20 percent is not just a snapshot but the
beginning of a trajectory.” Last Sept. 27, Social Weather Stations (SWS)
confirmed the WIA’s predicted trajectory. Hunger increased from 9 percent last
December to 21 percent in July, and to 31 percent in September. Seven and a
half million Filipinos are now hungry.
A few days ago, the
Department of Social Welfare and Development decreased the number of people it
was helping from 18 million to 14 million families. It even wanted to return to
state coffers P10 billion in unused funds at a time when things are getting
worse.
WIA continues: “Given
these conditions, we must all join in averting a deepening hunger from
provoking unrest. A strong response by ordinary citizens will show the
government what is important, and should trigger a review of budget and
allocation of resources (WIA website: walangiwanan.com).” Let us now, discuss
agriculture, which provides the food for the hungry. On Oct. 5, Alyansa
Agrikultura, the coordinator of AgriFisheries Alliance representing farmers and
fisherfolk, agribusiness, science and academe, rural women and multisectors,
met to discuss the hunger crisis. They agreed that agriculture was dying. They identified
the culprit as the government’s lack of political will. Examples are given in
five critical sectors: rice, poultry, swine, corn and fisheries.
Rice. Because of the rice
tariffication law that imposed a 35 percent tariff on imports (when the tariff
that would equalize domestic and imported rice is 70 percent), rice farmers
lost more than P60 billion. Farmers selling dry palay in 2019 earned only half
the income per hectare compared to the previous year (P15,480 versus P31,240).
Those selling wet palay because of no access to drying facilities got only
P3,560.
These are way below the
poverty line of P10,700 for a family of five. This could have been prevented if
the government had the political will to institute added safeguard duties that
are allowed by both the World Trade Organization (WTO) and our own law
(Republic Act No. 8800). Rice farmers showed evidence of rice smuggling, but
got no action. Today, rice farmers continue to suffer.
Poultry. Small producers
cannot compete with subsidized poultry imports. Thousands have gone out of
business. They have lost more than P100 billion. In response to a request to
temporarily limit poultry imports (there are 26 import restrictions documented
at the WTO by several countries, while the Philippines has none), a videotape
showed a government official asking the producers to regulate their production
instead.
Even big companies are
decreasing their production and are now importing. The alleged restriction on
poultry imports from Brazil is being investigated on its proper implementation.
Instead of protecting our farmers, we see our political will in reverse.
Countries selling their excess subsidized production because of their own
lockdowns are welcomed into our shores to unfairly compete with our small producers.
Swine. There are hardly
any swine producers operating in Luzon now. Massive losses have been incurred
because there was no political will to contain the Asian swine fever. In
addition to the absurdity of our not having even one integrated quarantine facility,
we do not conduct the required 100 percent inspection at entry, which other
countries do.
In Taiwan, there is 100
percent inspection. We are not doing this because of alleged lack of people and
resources. Where is political will?
Corn. Today, corn farmers
are up in arms. They are getting P9 a kilo, instead of the P13.25 support price
that the National Food Authority no longer gives. Feed wheat is now being
imported as a substitute during harvest time, which is severely depressing
prices.
With political will, the
Department of Agriculture could have done the practice of the Department of
Trade and Industry. This is to call a meeting between producers and users to
determine the appropriate quantity and timing of the imports. The lack of
concern on this recurring issue is worsening our corn farmers’ situation.
Fisheries. Our fisherfolk
are the poorest sector in the economy. During the COVID-19 lockdown, they
became worse off because a curfew prevented the normal fishing at night.
There is also a lack of
political will in implementing a law that reserves municipal waters for small
fisherfolk. The legislated delineation of an area 15 kilometers from the
coastline for them is not being followed. Even when done, enforcement is poor.
Consequently, large commercial vessels get the catch reserved for municipal
fishers, excessively depleting our aquatic resources, and even export their
catch, much of which we import back.
Imported fish that violate
our laws (such as labeling) freely enter our wet markets, where our domestic
fish is primarily sold. No apprehensions are made.
It is not too late. In the
last two years of this administration, our government must exercise strong
political will to stop the rising hunger and inject new life into our dying
agriculture. This may then escalate our problem of food security into the more
perilous one of national security. INQThe author is the president of Alyansa
Agrikultura, a coalition of 32 federations and organizations covering
agriculture and fisheries sectors. Contact is pepetanchuling@gmail.com.
https://business.inquirer.net/309123/political-will-needed
NEDA: Rice tariff law pro-consumer, pro-farmer
October 9, 2020
The National Economic and Development Authority
(NEDA) on Thursday defended Republic Act 11203, or the “Rice Tariffication Law”
(RTL), claiming that the liberalized rice regime it introduced became a “game
changer” in further developing the Philippines’ rice economy.
During a webinar attended by rice industry
stakeholders, Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua
highlighted the benefits of the law, calling it “pro-consumer in the form of
lower rice retail prices. Prior to RTL, we pay double compared to our neighbors
for the same kilo of rice.”
“[It is also] pro-farmer, given the P60-billion
guaranteed Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), which aims to increase
productivity,” he added.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar said his
department had “been working overtime to implement components of the RCEF. With
the RTL and RCEF firmly in place and properly implemented, we in the Department
of Agriculture are confident that the rice sector will fully develop as
resilient and competitive rice industry.”
The law created RCEF to fund programs and
projects to increase the rice industry’s competitiveness.
Enacted in February 2019, RA 11203 removed
restraints on the importation, exportation and trading of rice. Restraints on
imports were replaced by tariffs to fund those programs and projects.The law
provides that RCEF would be endowed with P10 billion annually for six years to
improve farm mechanization, and access to seed and financing for qualified
farmers’ cooperatives and associations.
During the initial implementation of the new
rice regime, however, the country saw a steep drop in farmgate prices of palay
(unmilled rice), primarily because of the entry of cheap imported rice.
Some farmers have complained of delayed
government support, such as cash assistance and delivery of farm machineries
and inputs.
Citing data from the Philippine Statistics
Authority, Chua said farmgate price of palay was at P18.25 per kilo in August,
higher than the P17.66 per kilo in 2015 to 2017.
“This emerging trend indicates that farmgate
prices will not fall below the production cost of P12 per kilo, contrary to
some claims and projections. Today, with the help of production support, highly
competitive farmers can actually bring down the production cost to as low as P5
to P6 per kilo, or roughly the same cost our neighbors are able to produce at,”
he said.
“In the previous (quantitative restriction or
QR) regime, farmers may have earned more due to higher prices. However, this
was not because they are using better technologies or utilizing modern
machinery, but…because of the protection afforded by the old QR regime. This is
not sustainable in the long run and served as disincentive for them and the
rice industry as a whole to innovate,” Chua added.
According to him, the Rice Tariffication Law
was one of the country’s “insurance” during the coronavirus disease 2019
pandemic.
“When the ECQ (enhanced community quarantine)
started and shut down 75 percent of the economy, and affecting jobs and income
in a massive way, lower rice prices helped actually our low-income families
cope, tempering the rise in hunger and malnutrition. Without RTL, during the
ECQ and GCQ (general community quarantine) period, it would have been much
worse,” Chua said.
300,000 MT
DA rice importation questioned
Published October 8, 2020, 5:51 PM
A Makabayan lawmaker today questioned the
Department of Agriculture (DA) move to import 300,000 metric tons (MT)
amid the harvest season.
“Ngayon ay season ng anihan sa bansa. Dahil din
tag-ulan pa, hirap na hirap na pababain ng mga magsasaka ng palay ang moisture
content ng kanilang produktong bigas (It’s harvest season now in the country.
And since it’s also the rainy season, palay farmers find it difficult to dry
their rice crops),” Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Eufemia Cullamat said during the
Makabayan Bloc’s weekly virtual press conference.
“Tapos ay mababalitaan natin ang 300,000 metriko toneladang importasyon ng DA
para diumano sa estableng buffer stock? Dalawang milyong metriko tonelada na
ang nakapasok sa bansa ngayong taon. Napakalaking kumpetensya na ito sa
lokal na produksyon (Now we learn that DA imported 300,000 MT of rice
supposedly to stabilize buffer stock? Two million MT of rice have already
entered the country this year. This presents a huge competition for the local
production),” Cullamat said.
Palay or rice crops must be dried first before it can be processed to produce
rice – the staple food of Filipinos. It’s always a race against time to dry wet
palay because they may potentially rot if not dried immediately.
Adding to Filipino farmers’ hardships is the low farm gate price of palay,
which stood at a measly P12 per kilo as of end September. It is said to be the
break even amount, meaning there is no more profit margin.Farmers’ groups,
particularly the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura and Federation of Free
Farmers, expect farm gate price to drop further once peak harvest is achieved
later this month.
Ideally, the government, the National Food Authority
(NFA), should procure palay from local farmers for buffer stock purposes.
“Naghihikahos na ang sarili nating magsasaka sa labis na
pambabarat ng mga trader sa kanilang produkto. Rice liberalization ang
nagpalala nito (Our poor farmers have had to deal with the low-balling of
traders for their products. This was worsened by rice liberalization),”
Cullamat said, referring to Republic Act (RA) 11203 or the Rice
Tarrification Law.
Enacted in February 2019, the controversial law did away with the old
quantitative restrictions or limits on rice imports in exchange for tariffs,
liberalizing the entry of imported rice into the county.
“Mahalin naman natin ang sarili nating tagalikha ng
pagkain. Ibasura na natin ang Rice Liberalization Law (Let us love our own food
producers. Let’s junk the Rice Liberalization Law),” she said.
https://mb.com.ph/2020/10/08/300000-mt-da-rice-importation-questioned/
Nobel chemistry prize awarded to 2 scientists for
developing CRISPR gene editing tool
Social
Sharing
CRISPR-Cas9
method allows scientists to precisely edit specific genes to remove errors
that lead to disease
The
Associated Press · Posted: Oct 07, 2020
6:20 AM ET | Last Updated: October 7
American
biochemist Jennifer A. Doudna, left, and the French microbiologist Emmanuelle
Charpentier, pictured in Germany in 2016, have won this year's Nobel Prize in
Chemistry. (Alexander Heinl/dpa/The Associated Press)
comments
Two scientists won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Wednesday for developing a way of editing genes likened to "molecular
scissors" that offer the promise of one day curing inherited diseases.
Working on opposite sides of the Atlantic,
French microbiologist Emmanuelle Charpentier and American biochemist
Jennifer A. Doudna came up with a method known as CRISPR-Cas9 that can be used
to change the DNA of animals, plants and microorganisms with extremely high
precision.
It was only the fourth time that a Nobel in the
sciences was awarded exclusively to women, who have long received less
recognition for their work than men in the prize's 119-year history.
Charpentier and Doudna's work allows for
laser-sharp snips in the long strings of DNA that make up the "code of
life," allowing scientists to precisely edit specific genes to remove
errors that lead to disease.
"There is enormous power in this genetic
tool, which affects us all," said Claes Gustafsson, chair of the Nobel
Committee for Chemistry. "It has not only revolutionized basic science,
but also resulted in innovative crops and will lead to groundbreaking new
medical treatments."
WATCH | 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
announcement:
Gustafsson said that, as a result, any genome
can now be edited "to fix genetic damage."
Dr. Francis Collins, who led the drive to map
the human genome, said CRISPR "has changed everything" about how to
approach solutions to diseases with a genetic cause, such as sickle cell
disease.
"You can draw a direct line from the
success of the human genome project to the power of CRISPR-cas to make changes
in the instruction book," said Collins, director of the National
Institutes of Health, which helped fund Doudna's work.
But many also cautioned that the technology
raises serious ethical questions and must be used carefully. Much of
the world became more aware of CRISPR in 2018, when Chinese scientist He
Jiankui revealed he had helped make the world's first gene-edited babies, to
try to engineer resistance to future infection with the AIDS virus.
His work was denounced worldwide as unsafe
human experimentation because of the risk of causing unintended changes that
can pass to future generations, and he is currently in prison.
In September, an international panel of experts
issued a report saying it's still too soon to try to make genetically edited
babies because the science isn't advanced enough to ensure safety, but they
mapped a pathway for any countries that want to consider it.
First time all-female team
wins science Nobel
Charpentier, 51, spoke of the shock of winning.
"Strangely enough I was told a number of
times [that I'd win], but when it happens you're very surprised and you feel
that it's not real," she told reporters by phone from Berlin after hearing
of the award, announced in Stockholm by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
"But obviously it's real, so I have to get used to it now."
Doudna
and Charpentier have won numerous awards for their work. They are shown here
receiving the Kavli Prize in nanoscience, alongside Lithuania's Virginijus
Siksnys, from King Harald of Norway in Oslo in 2018. (Berit
Roald/AFP/Getty Images)
When asked about the significance of two women
winning, Charpentier said that while she considers herself first and foremost a
scientist, "it's reflective of the fact that science becomes more modern
and involves more female leaders."
"I do hope that it will remain and even
develop more in this direction," she said.
There have been three times a woman has won a
Nobel in the sciences by herself. In 1911, Marie Curie was the sole recipient
of the chemistry award, as was Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin in 1963. In 1983,
Barbara McClintock won the Nobel for medicine. This is the first time an
all-female team has won a science prize.
Scientists
mobilize for a fight over powerful gene-editing technology
Doudna told The Associated Press of her own
surprise — including that she learned she'd won from a reporter.
"I literally just found out, I'm in
shock," she said. "I was sound asleep."
"My greatest hope is that it's used for
good, to uncover new mysteries in biology and to benefit humankind," said
Doudna, who is affiliated with the University of California, Berkeley, and is
paid by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, which also supports AP's Health
and Science Department.
Research published in 2012
The breakthrough research done by Charpentier
and Doudna was only published in 2012, making the discovery very recent
compared to many Nobel wins that are often only honoured after decades have
passed.
Speaking to reporters from the Max Planck Unit
for the Science of Pathogens in Berlin, which she leads, Charpentier said
despite how recently it was developed, the method is now widely used by
scientists researching diseases, developing drugs and engineering new plants.
Among the most promising therapies already
being developed are those for eye diseases and blood disorders, such as sickle
cell disease and beta thalassemia, she said. It could also have applications in
the growing field of cancer immunotherapy.
Charpentier
and Doudna pose for the media during a visit to a painting exhibition by
children about the genome in Spain in 2015. (Eloy Alonso/Reuters)
Developing hardy crops is another promising
direction, said Charpentier.
"I think this is very important
considering the challenge we are facing of climate change."
The Broad Institute at Harvard and MIT have
been in a long court fight over patents on CRISPR technology, and many other
scientists did important work on it, but Doudna and Charpentier have been most
consistently honoured with prizes for turning it into an easily usable tool.
Third Nobel prize awarded this
week
The prestigious award comes with a gold medal
and prize money of 10 million krona ($1.5 million Cdn), courtesy of a bequest
left more than a century ago by the prize's creator, Swedish inventor Alfred
Nobel. The amount was increased recently to adjust for inflation.
On Monday, the Nobel committee awarded the
prize for physiology and medicine to Americans Harvey J. Alter and Charles M.
Rice and British-born scientist Michael Houghton, who currently works at the
University of Alberta, for discovering the liver-ravaging hepatitis C virus.
Tuesday's prize for physics went to Roger
Penrose of Britain, Reinhard Genzel of Germany and Andrea Ghez of the United
States for their breakthroughs in understanding the mysteries of cosmic black
holes.
The other prizes are for outstanding work in
the fields of literature, peace and economics.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/nobel-prize-chemistry-2020-1.5753279?cmp=rss
Researchers convert agricultural waste to building
materials
University
of Melbourne researchers examine how grapevine prunings can be mixed with
softwood chips and resin, before being converted into particleboards
|Oct 8|
Researchers
at the University of Melbourne are examining how plant and crop waste can be
converted into recycled building materials, thereby minimising waste and
improving sustainability within the construction industry.
While
agriculture is one of Australia’s most important industries, it also produces
millions of tons of plant and crop waste each year. This waste comprises a
diverse range of wood-like material, such as rice husks, flax shives, wheat
straws, bagasse, canola stalks, oat hulls and grapevines. Globally, crop waste
production is approximately 3.7 billion tonnes per year.
Despite
this abundance of waste, there are very few ways to recycle such a massive
amount of material, with most of it returning to the soil or burnt. However,
both these processes release huge amounts of greenhouse gases into the
environment. Therefore, it is imperative to find ways to reuse and recycle this
crop waste, especially in a future where there is increasing competition for
resources and materials. In addition, it also enables the industry to help
boost the economy and environment.
The
university report notes that breakthrough research from the University’s
Department of Chemical Engineering’s Ellis Research Group – led by Professor
Amanda Ellis – shows how these recycled waste materials can be made into useful
building materials.
“As the
human population increases worldwide, the global demand for particleboard is
growing rapidly and the need for woodchip is rapidly outstripping supply.
“Particleboard’s
niche within the construction industry is a result of the fact that it’s
commonly produced from post-industrial recycled waste wood and sold at a
correspondingly low price – but the increasing demand and cost of production
are rapidly making it less attractive,” the report notes. “By making
particleboard from another low-cost source, we would ensure the viability of
the industry, and the future of an environmentally-friendly building material.”
Globally,
grapevine prunings represent a major source of agricultural crop waste, with an
estimated 42 million tonnes disposed of yearly. Grapes are also grown almost
everywhere, but importantly in countries like China, the US, Australia, France,
and Spain – which all also all major producers of particleboard.
Therefore,
the grapevine waste could be used to replace the pine chip in particle board,
which would help minimise import and transportation costs. The waste can be
easily milled into chips using existing chips and mixed with softwood chips and
resin to make a hybrid grapevine-softwood particleboard.
By
adding as little as 10 percent grapevines into the particleboard, the boards
exceed all industry and durability standards, without changing any aspect of
the existing process, the report adds.
“While
10 percent doesn’t sound like a lot, the scale of particleboard production
globally means that even replacing as little as this much of the soft woodchips
relieves the pressure on supply while also reducing grapevine waste.
“In
fact, substituting 10 percent of softwood for grapevine in Australian
particleboard production alone could reduce the demand for wood by tens of
thousands of tonnes annually,” the report points out, adding that these
considerations enable manufacturers to switch to more sustainable materials,
without altering the strength, durability and reliability of their products.
“The
next steps in our research involve running a pilot trial of grapevine
particleboards in a facto
ry and
conducting a business case analysis to determine the overall cost of replacing
wood with grapevine.
“But our
findings have the potential to not only reduce the amount of pollution from
crop waste disposal, but to also ensure particleboard can remain a cheap,
staple construction material into the next century,” it concludes.
Abia
trains rice farmers, expects six tonnes per hectare
By Gordi
Udeajah, Umuahia
08 October 2020 | 3:24
am
A
three-month training course on Sawah Expansion Strategy of Sawah Ecotechnology
for Rice Farming is ongoing for farmers selected from the Abia State rice
growing Farmers’ Cooperative Societies in the state and Rice Farmers
Association of Nigeria (RIFAN).
During
the flag-off of the training at the Sawah Demonstration Field at
Ajataeretu in Umuahia North LGA, the Programme Manager, Abia State
Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), Chief Israel Amanze, said the state
was determined to attain a minimum of six tonnes per hectare in rice
output from next harvest.
The
training was organized by the state ADP in collaboration with the National
Center for Agricultural Mechanization NCAM who was represented in the training
by Mr Dada Temitope.
Temitope
said that the Sawah Ecotecnology training is a Federal Government Initiative to
empower rice farmers and boost their capacity through training and
demonstration.
https://guardian.ng/features/abia-trains-rice-farmers-expects-six-tonnes-per-hectare/
GIEWS Country Brief: Nigeria 08-October-2020
Format
News
and Press Release
Source
Posted
8
Oct 2020
Originally
published
8
Oct 2020
Origin
Attachments
FOOD
SECURITY SNAPSHOT
·
Extremely elevated price levels
recorded in July
·
Cereal import requirements forecast
at below-average level
·
Extremely high food prices
registered in July in most markets
·
Increased external assistance needs
in 2020
Cereal
production in 2020 estimated at slightly above-average level
Harvesting
of the 2020 main season maize crop was completed in August in the south, while
it is still ongoing in the rest of the country for rice, millet and sorghum
crops. Following a timely onset of seasonal rains, planting activities started
in February/March in the south and in May/June in the north. The cumulative
precipitation amounts were above average in most areas since the beginning of
the season, favouring crop germination, establishment and development as well
as improved vegetation conditions (see ASI image). However, in September,
below-average rainfall and moisture deficits are impacting main season cereals
in northwestern parts of the country. Moreover, flooding across northwestern
and northcentral parts of the country due to heavy rains in July and August,
coupled with the widespread high levels of conflict in the northern areas and
the effects of restriction measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, had a
negative impact on yields, curbing production prospects. In addition, localized
Fall Army Worm (FAW) attacks were reported, with high presence in Adamawa
State. Overall, the 2020 cereal crop production is estimated at slightly above
the last five-year average.
The
abundant rainfall in July and August boosted natural pasture conditions and
contributed to replenish surface water, improving livestock body conditions and
enhancing their market values. The animal health situation is generally stable,
with only small seasonal outbreaks of epizootic diseases, including
Trypanosomiasis in northern parts of the country. However, in the northern
parts of the country, pastoralist production systems are still affected by
armed and community conflicts, theft and banditry. As a result, a higher
concentration of animals is expected in the areas less affected by insecurity,
with a consequent rapid degradation of fodder and water resources.
Favourable
rainfall and the adequate supply of inputs by the Government and several NGOs
in 2019 benefitted crop production in most parts of the country. Despite some
pockets of drought and some FAW outbreaks, the 2019 national cereal production
is estimated at about 30 million tonnes, 16 percent above the previous
five-year average.
Below-average
import requirements forecast
Despite
the trade restrictions introduced since 2015 by the Government, the country
relies on imports of crops, including rice and wheat, to cover its domestic
requirements. Following the above-average 2019 production, cereal import
requirements for the 2019/20 (November/October) marketing year are forecast at
a below-average level of 7.1 million tonnes.
Extremely
elevated food prices registered in July in most markets
Prices
of coarse grains continued to increase significantly in most markets in the
past few months, supported by the effects of the restrictive measures
implemented to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and strong domestic demand. The
situation is exacerbated by the closure of the borders with neighbouring
countries, implemented since August 2019 to curb the smuggling of imported rice
and maize. In addition, the continued depreciation of the local currency, the
decline in foreign reserves and the high general inflation rate, coupled with
high transportation costs due to the 20 percent increase in petrol prices in
July, have contributed to the atypical price spikes. As of July, prices of all
cereal products were at least 50 percent higher than their year-earlier values,
with peaks in the conflict-affected areas of the northeast due to the impact of
persistent insecurity.
Increased
external assistance need in 2020
According
to the March 2020 "Cadre Harmonisé" analysis, without considering the
effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, about 7 million people were estimated to be
severely food insecure during the lean season between June and August 2020,
well above the about 5 million food insecure people estimated in the same
period in 2019. The main drivers for the significant increase in the number of
people in need of assistance are some localized cereal production shortfalls in
2019, the escalation of armed and community conflicts and high inflation rates.
The areas most affected by food insecurity are Borno and Yobe states, where
over 2 million people are food insecure. However, the current situation is
worse than expected as the COVID-19 containment measures adversely effected households’
livelihood activities and incomes, especially in urban areas.
Recent
attacks by Boko Haram insurgents and military operations across the northeast
continue to hinder the agro-pastoral and seasonal livelihood activities,
including access to fields. This is resulting in increased displacement,
humanitarian needs and food insecurity. Heavy rainfall in July and August
resulted in localized flooding in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi and
Niger states, affecting thousands of people and causing human casualties, loss
of livelihoods and damage to crops, livestock and infrastructures. As of August
2020, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) identified over 2.7
million people that have been displaced due to the insurgency in the northeastern
states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, due to communal clashes in
North-West/North-Central and to natural disasters. Most displaced households
have limited income and mostly rely on humanitarian assistance to cover their
basic needs.
https://reliefweb.int/report/nigeria/giews-country-brief-nigeria-08-october-2020
Prices of several staples up to multi-month highs
Format
News
and Press Release
Source
Posted
8
Oct 2020
Originally
published
8
Oct 2020
Origin
FAO
Food Price Index rises 2.1 percent in September, while new forecasts for global
cereal output, utilization, stocks and trade all point to well-supplied markets
08
October 2020, Rome - The benchmark price index for food commodities rose in
September, led by vegetable oils and cereals, according to a report from the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
The FAO Food Price Index averaged 97.9 points
during the month, up 2.1 percent from August and 5.0 percent higher than its
value in September 2019.
The
FAO Cereal Price Index rose 5.1 percent from August and is now 13.6 percent
higher than a year ago. Higher wheat price quotations led the increase, spurred
by brisk trade activity amid concerns over production prospects in the southern
hemisphere as well as dry conditions affecting winter wheat sowings around
Europe. Maize prices also rose, responding to lower production prospects in the
European Union and a downward revision of carryover supplies in the United
States of America. International sorghum and barley prices rose as well, while
those of rice subsided.
The
FAO Food Price Index, released monthly, tracks the international prices of the
most commonly-traded food commodities.
The
FAO Vegetable Price Index rose 6.0 percent in September, hitting an eight-month
high as quotations for palm, sunflower seed and soy oils all rose in step with
firm global demand.\ The FAO Meat Price Index declined 0.9 percent from August,
partly influenced by China's decision to ban imports of pig meat from Germany
after African swine fever (ASF) was detected among wild boars.
The
FAO Dairy Price Index was almost unchanged during the month, as moderate
increases in the prices of butter, cheese and skim milk power were offset by a fall
in whole milk powder quotations.
The
FAO Sugar Price Index declined 2.6 percent, mainly in reaction to expectations
of a global sugar production surplus in the coming season, driven by a
significant production recovery in India and strong output anticipated in
Brazil.
Cereal
markets remain well supplied
FAO
also released today new forecasts for world cereal production, slightly trimmed
from last month's projections, and now pegged at 2 762 million tonnes for 2020,
still an all-time high and some 2.1 percent higher than the previous year's
output.
The
new assessment, outlined in FAO's Cereal
Supply and Demand Brief, highlights expectations for global coarse
grains output of 1 488 million tonnes, marked down by 0.5 percent from the
previous report due to weather impacts on maize crops in several large
producing countries and buoyed by improving prospects for barley. Global wheat
production for 2020 is now seen at 765 million tonnes, a record high, marked up
by conducive weather in Australia. World rice production is expected at 509.1
million tonnes, also a record level and unchanged from last month's
projections.
World
cereal utilization in 2020/21 is forecast at 2 744 million tonnes, 2.0 percent
higher than the previous year. More than half entails coarse grains, now
forecast at 1 477 million tonnes, while wheat utilization is pegged at 757
million tonnes, rising with increased consumption in China and India. World
rice utilization is expected to hit a new record of 510.5 million tonnes.
World
cereal stocks are now forecast at 890 million tonnes at the close of seasons in
2021, a record high buoyed by growing wheat inventories in China. If the new
projections are confirmed, the world cereal stocks-to-use ratio in 2020/21 will
be 31.6 percent, only slightly down from the 2019/20 ratio but still relatively
high from a historical perspective.
Global
trade in cereals is also expected to reach an all-time high of 448 million
tonnes in 2020/21, up 2.4 percent from the previous year and higher than FAO's
earlier forecast in September. More details are available here.
https://reliefweb.int/report/world/prices-several-staples-multi-month-highs
S. Korea's rice output forecast to
dip 3% in 2020
Published
: Oct 8, 2020 - 13:13 Updated : Oct 8, 2020
- 13:13
|
(Yonhap) |
South
Korea's rice output is expected to shrink 3 percent in 2020 due mainly to bad
weather conditions and reduced cultivation area, government data showed
Thursday.
The country's rice production is likely to come to 3.63 million tons this year,
compared with 3.77 million tons a year earlier, according to the data compiled
by Statistics Korea.
The amount would represent the lowest level since 1980, when South Korea
produced 3.55 million tons of rice. It would also mark the fifth consecutive
year of on-year decline and the fourth straight year for the country's rice
output to fall below the 4-million-ton level.
The weak output forecast comes as South Korea was hit by an unusually long
rainy season and a series of typhoons in recent months, the agency said.
A drop in the cultivation area for rice was also responsible.
In 2020, the combined size of rice paddies is estimated to decline 0.5 percent
on-year to 726,432 hectares -- about half the size of the US state of
Connecticut.
Consumption of rice, a key staple food for Koreans, has been on a steady
decline in recent decades due largely to changes in diet and eating habits.
(Yonhap)
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20201008000717
S. Korea's rice output forecast to dip 3 pct in
2020
All News 12:00 October 08, 2020
All News 12:00 October 08, 2020
SEOUL, Oct. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's rice
output is expected to shrink 3 percent in 2020 due mainly to bad weather
conditions and reduced cultivation area, government data showed Thursday.
The country's rice production is likely to come
to 3.63 million tons this year, compared with 3.77 million tons a year earlier,
according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.
The amount would represent the lowest level
since 1980, when South Korea produced 3.55 million tons of rice. It would also
mark the fifth consecutive year of on-year decline and the fourth straight year
for the country's rice output to fall below the 4-million-ton level.
The weak output forecast comes as South Korea
was hit by an unusually long rainy season and a series of typhoons in recent
months, the agency said.
A drop in the cultivation area for rice was
also responsible.
In 2020, the combined size of rice paddies is
estimated to decline 0.5 percent on-year to 726,432 hectares -- about half the
size of the U.S. state of Connecticut.
Consumption of rice, a key staple food for
Koreans, has been on a steady decline in recent decades due largely to changes
in diet and eating habits.
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20201008003400320
China: Grain and Feed Update
July
2, 2020
Commodities
China’s 2020/21 feed and residual use for all
coarse grains and feed-quality wheat are forecast to increase about 5 percent
compared to the previous marketing year due to a projected recovery of swine
production and strong expansion in the poultry and ruminant sectors. Corn
production in 2020/21 is forecast down 4 percent from 2019/20 due to the impact
of Fall Armyworm and reduced planted area. A regional corn shortage in the
Northeast, increased feed demand, and insufficient corn imports have pushed up
corn prices. In response, the government started liquidating the temporary corn
reserve in May. China may rely on corn imports and stockpiled rice and wheat to
meet feed demand in the coming marketing year. Wheat production in 2020/21 is
forecast down by 1 million tons compared to the previous report due to adverse
weather before harvest, while consumption is adjusted higher by 2 million tons
based on higher feed-quality wheat consumption.
https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/china-grain-and-feed-update-13
Rice
tariff collection in excess of P10B to be used for productivity programs —DOF
Published October 8, 2020 4:50pm
By TED CORDERO, GMA News
The government will be using any excess of the
P10 billion tariff to be collected from rice imports for programs to enhance
the productivity of local rice farmers, the Department of Finance (DOF) said
Thursday.
“Ang taripang sosobra sa P10 billion ay ilalaan
sa ibang productivity programs para sa rice sector,” Finance Assistance
Secretary Tony Lambino said during a virtual webinar.
Under the Rice Tariffication law (RTL), of the
total tariff to be collected annually, P10 billion is automatically
appropriated for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).
The P10-billion RCEF is divided into four
components, namely farm machinery and equipment at P5 billion, certified inbred
seeds at P3 billion, credit at P1 billion, and training and extension at P1
billion.
The Rice Tariffication Law was signed by
President Rodrigo Duterte in February 2019.
It removed all quantitative restrictions on
rice importation in the Philippines and imposed a 35-percent tariff for rice
imports.
“Mula nang maisabatas ang RTL sobra po para sa
P10 billion para sa RCEF ang nalilikom mula sa taripa,” Lambino said.
As of the seven months of the year, rice tariff
collections amounted to P11.036 billion, up 4% year-on-year, and exceeding the
P10-billion worth of rice import tariffs aimed for RCEF.
“Lahat ng tariff collection na lalagpas sa P10
billion ay ilalaan sa iba pang tulong sa mga magsasaka,” Lambino said.
Without specifying how the government will
utilize the excess rice tariff collection, the Finance official noted that of
the P12.1 billion collected in 2019, the excess of P2.1 billion was used by the
Department of Agriculture for crop diversification program (P1 billion) and expanded crop
insurance on rice (P1.1 billion).
Noting that tariff collections have already exceeded
P10 billion so far this year, Lambino said, “Sigurading mapopondohan ang RCEF
programs.”
Agriculture Secretary William Dar, for his
part, cited the milestones done by the Department of Agriculture under the RCEF
programs.
Dar said the DA has distributed 1,375,125 bags
of certified inbred seeds to 554,512 farmers covering 698,586 hectares during
the dry season 2019 to 2020.
The agency has also distributed 2,274,165 bags
of certified inbred seeds to 862,854 farmers covering 1,006,537 hectares during
the wet season 2020.
For the RCEF mechanization component, Dar said
the DA has procured 2,938 machines, of which 1,108 were distributed to 625
farmer cooperatives and associations.
Under the RCEF credit component, the
Agriculture department loaned out P1 billion to 5,671 individual farmers and 22
cooperatives in 2019.
For this year, the DA has so far obligated
P670.88 million for credit, of which P102.71 million was released to 610
farmers and 15 cooperatives.
For the RCEF’s extension service component, the
Agriculture chief cited the following achievements:
- 53 farm schools established; 12 assisted
- 831 batches of training for farmers, with
20,803 participants, of which 20,231 received scholarships
- 163 batches of training of trainers, with
5,255 participants
- 8 batches of training of specialists, with
226 participants
- 31 batches of training of seed growers,
inspectors, analysts, and other extension intermediaries, with 809
participants
- technical briefings conducted to 691,761
participants
- 3,363,463 copies of information and
educational communication materials distributed
“We have generated more than enough revenues to
fully fund RCEF para pataasin ang competitiveness ng local rice industry,”
Lambino said.
Emphasizing how the RTL helped in increasing
the local industry’s competitiveness, Dar said that palay production increased
to 8.9 million metric tons in the first half of 2020 from 8.27 million metric
tons for the entire 2019.
Average production cost is also eyed to be
reduced by 30% from the current cost ranging from P12 to P14 per kilogram to
ensure bigger profit margins for farmers.
“With higher productivity and lower production
cost, farmers can offer to our consumers, particularly the poor, affordable
rice,” Dar said.
To shield the domestic sector from decline in
farmgate prices of palay due to the unhampered entry of imports, the DA
allocated P10 billion under the 2020 budget of the National Food Authority for
the procurement of palay from local farmers at P19 per kilo.
The NFA also established 558 palay buying
stations across the country and procured two million bags of palay for
September alone.
The DA also partnered with local government
units for the procurement of locally produced palay.
Multinational companies were also encouraged to
buy from farmer cooperatives and associations for their employees’ rice
allowance. -MDM, GMA News
Rice
Prices
as on :
08-10-2020 03:50:58 PM
Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in
domestic market.
|
Arrivals |
Price |
|||||
|
Current |
% |
Season |
Modal |
Prev. |
Prev.Yr |
|
|
Rice |
||||||
|
Bharwari(UP) |
40.00 |
60 |
415.50 |
1750 |
1750 |
- |
|
Vilaspur(UP) |
19.00 |
-90.95 |
1842.20 |
2610 |
2580 |
3.98 |
|
Mawana(UP) |
11.00 |
-26.67 |
568.20 |
2860 |
2850 |
- |
|
Alibagh(Mah) |
1.00 |
NC |
88.00 |
2200 |
2200 |
NC |
|
Murud(Mah) |
1.00 |
NC |
86.00 |
2200 |
2200 |
NC |
Follow
us on Telegram, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Linkedin. You
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India
Grain: Spot wheat prices up on firm demand, basmati down
Wednesday,
Oct 7, 2020
By
Sampad Nandy
NEW
DELHI – Prices of wheat across key spot markets rose today, while those of
basmati 1121 fell further in Amritsar. Maize and bajra prices remained steady
across spot markets.
* Prices
of WHEAT in Jaipur and Indore rose today due to firm
demand from bulk buyers amid largely unchanged supply, traders said.
*
Arrivals in Jaipur were steady at 1,000 bags (1 bag = 100 kg). In Indore,
supply was largely unchanged at 1,500 bags.
* Price of
the Pusa 1121 variety of BASMATI fell further today as an
anticipated rise in output in 2020-21 (Jul-Jun) continued to weigh on prices,
traders said.
*
Basmati rice output in the country is expected to rise 10% on year to nearly
6.3 mln tn in 2020-21 (Jul-Jun), said A.K. Gupta, director of the Basmati
Exports Development Foundation under the Agricultural and Processed Food
Products Export Development Authority.
* Weak
demand from bulk buyers has also weighed on prices of the premium variety of
rice, traders said. "Bulk buyers have reduced their purchases as they are
waiting for the fresh crop to hit markets," Amritsar-based trader Ashok
Sethi said.
* Prices
of MAIZE were flat in Purnea and Nizamabad today, traders
said.
*
Arrivals in Purnea were pegged steady at 1,200 bags (1 bag = 100 kg). In
Nizamabad, arrivals were steady at 1,000 bags.
* Prices
of maize are likely to fall in the coming days as the fresh kharif
crop has started hitting markets in Karnataka, traders said.
* Prices
of BAJRA in Jaipur rose today due to firm bulk demand, traders
said.
Following are highlights from trading in grain markets today:
|
Commodity |
Market |
Price/100
kg |
Change |
|
Wheat |
Indore |
1,630-1,650 |
10-20 |
|
Wheat |
Jaipur |
1,730-1,750 |
10-20 |
|
Maize |
Purnea |
1,250-1,300 |
— |
|
Maize |
Nizamabad |
1,250-1,300 |
— |
|
Pusa 1121 basmati paddy |
Amritsar |
3,100-3,120 |
(-)10-20 |
|
Bajra |
Jaipur |
1,290-1,330 |
— |
End
Edited
by Avishek Dutta
Cogencis
Tel +91 (11) 4220-1000
Send
comments to feedback@cogencis.com
This
copy was first published on the Cogencis WorkStation
©
Cogencis Information Services Ltd. 2020. All rights reserved.
http://www.cogencis.com/newssection/india-grain-spot-wheat-prices-up-on-firm-demand-basmati-down/
India’s
rice exports set to surge by 42%
India ships premium basmati rice to Iran, Saudi
Arabia, and Iraq and non-basmati rice to Bangladesh, Nepal, Benin, and Senegal.
Wednesday, October 7, 2020 11:58 PM
UTC
India’s
rice exports in 2020 could surge to 14 million tons, up by nearly 42
percent from last year’s 9.9 million tons due to reduced shipments from rival
exporters Thailand and Vietnam and a depreciating currency.
Higher Indian shipments could cap global
prices, reduce the country’s bulging inventories, and limit stockpiler
purchases from farmers.
Thailand is hounded by drought that could pull
down exports in 2020 to 6.5 million tons, its lowest in 20 years.
Meanwhile, Vietnam had to contend with low
water levels in the Mekong River Delta that limited its production.
India ships premium basmati rice to Iran, Saudi
Arabia, and Iraq and non-basmati rice to Bangladesh, Nepal, Benin, and Senegal.
A surge in demand for non-basmati rice from
African countries due to its attractive prices is expected to double India’s
rice shipments from a year ago to 9.5 million tons in 2020.
Basmati rice exports are expected to be stable
at around 4.5 million tons.
Indian exporters are able to offer rice at
lower prices because of the rupee’s depreciation, which declined 3 percent
against the US dollar this year.
India sells 5 percent broken parboiled rice at
$380 per ton on a free-on-board basis, while Thailand offers it at $490 per
ton.
L.G. Raun
Texas
rice notches good year
L.G. Raun, El Campo, Texas, says the main rice crop looked good but
production was not as good as expected.
The
average yield expected to be more than 7,800 pounds per acre on the main crop.
“We still don’t have reliable yield data, but
average yield should be better than 7,800 pounds per acre on the main crop. The
ratoon crop is also looking good, but recent cool weather may negatively affect
the second crop.”
Jefferson County farmer Chris Latta says his
crop is “just okay. Yields run in the low- to mid- 50s per acre on a green
basis. Milling yield is also down,” Latta says.
(Texas rice acreage should
remain stable in 2021, “unless other commodity prices go way up,” says El
Campo, Texas rice farmer L.G. Raun. Photo by L.G. Raun.)
He’s not certain why milling yield is down but
says it could be from showers at bloom. “But we didn’t get high winds with the
rain; that’s what usually affects milling yields.”
Harvest conditions were good. “We had dry
harvest weather. Moisture dropped drastically as we began harvest, from 18% to
20% when we started down to 13% to 14% when we got through.”
Latta says he’s not sure how his ratoon
crop will turn out.
Okay yields
L.G. Raun, El Campo, says his main rice crop
looked good before harvest, “but was not what we hoped for. Yield is above
average but is not what we expected. The ratoon crop also looks good, but we
will not know how good it is until we get the combine in.”
Shelley E. Huguley
El Campo, Texas, rice producer L.G. Raun, left,
Dick Ottis, Rice Belt Warehouse, center, and Raun's wife Linda, at the 2018
Texas Ag Forum. The Raun family has grown rice in the area since 1915.
He’s also concerned that storms building in the
Gulf of Mexico can threaten the second crop. “We’re keeping an eye on two
storms building in the Gulf now.”
Latta says markets are good, unusually so for
this time of year. “Price usually tanks at harvest. But exports are up, and
imports are not flooding the market. Price is around $13.”
Weedy rice
He’s concerned about increasing difficulty
controlling weedy rice. “We’ve had a big problem, similar to what we used to
have with red rice.”
See, Rice
market volatility: ‘get used to it’
He says herbicide resistance seems to be part
of the problem. “And in recent years, all the water we’ve had seems to make it
worse. We’ve tried different tillage methods, water seeding and other measures
— similar to what we did with red rice infestations. We need a new herbicide
and variety to help us control weedy rice.”
Latta says weedy rice “has characteristics
similar to red rice, but it seems to be more vigorous. It comes on quicker.”
He says red rice almost put a lot of producers
out of business back in the ‘90s, before Clearpath herbicide came along.
“In 1996, we cut and baled rice because of so
much red rice infestation. Clearpath saved us when other control measures
stopped working.”
He says weedy rice is an issue across the Rice
Belt. “The technology is out there,” he said. “We expect new chemistry in 2022.
We hope we can hold on that long.”
In addition to rice, Latta grows hay and raises
cattle.
Usual challenges
Way says rice producers experienced the usual
challenges in 2020. “Disease problems have been minimal, but we’ve seen some
kernel smut. We’ve also had some complaints about low head rice yield,
associated with very high yields.
“Insect pressure from rice water weevil and
rice stink bug has been average or greater than average. Virtually all our rice
farmers apply an insecticide treatment. Treatment of choice is Dermacor X-100,
which controls both rice water weevil and stem borers.”
He says most farmers also apply Tenchu 20SG for
rice stink bug control. “This product has good residual activity, so many
farmers are only spraying once, sometimes twice for this pest.”
Way says rice planthoppers have shown up
in some fields. “Either populations are low, or farmers have sprayed with
Endigo ZC.”
A new wrinkle showed up late, he says. “Late in
the main crop season, some farmers were reporting damage from the English grain
aphid, which is a new one on me.”
Hurricane impact
He says overall damage from Hurricane Laura has
not been significant.
“As far as I know, we’ve had no direct loss of
rice to Laura, but the impending rain caused farmers to harvest rice before
fields were dry, which rutted up the fields affecting ratoon crop production.
Some rice lodged here at the center, but I don’t think any (or on a very small
number of acres) lodged commercially.”
Latta says the hurricane affected less than
one-third of his main crop. Most was harvested before the storm hit. “We
had some shattering but not a lot blown down.”
Way says the 2020 Texas rice crop totals about
180,000 acres.
That’s an improvement over 2019, Raun said.
“Texas rice acreage was down to 153,000 last year. We’re back to 180,000 this
year and that’s been pretty stable.”
Those numbers pale in comparison to the 500,000
acres Texas farmers once planted.
Raun says acreage has dipped in East Texas
where farms compete with urban encroachment and industry for land and water.
Raun’s family has grown rice in the area since
1915, when his grandfather planted his first crop. Now, he, his wife, Linda,
his brother and nephew are the only Rauns still growing rice.
He thinks Texas will plant about the same
acreage next year. Further acreage declines will affect the infrastructure
necessary for a rice industry.
“Prices
are a bit flat, now,” Raun says. “They might be marginally better, and futures
are up a bit. Still, I think Texas will plant about the same acreage next year
unless the price of other commodities go way up.”
https://www.farmprogress.com/rice/texas-rice-notches-good-year
No safeguard duties yet to stem Philippine rice imports
·
Thursday, 08 Oct 2020
12:29
PM MYT
MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN): The
Department of Agriculture (DA) said it was not considering the imposition of
safeguard duties just yet to temper the arrival of imported rice in the
country.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar said at a
press briefing that the agency was still looking at other measures to prop up
prices of palay, including ramping up the procurement of the staple and giving
financial assistance to distressed farmers.
It has also been strict with the issuance of
food safety permits — a primary requirement to import.
Under the rice tariffication law, taxes imposed
on imports may be increased, reduced or revised by the President to protect
Filipino farmers and consumers from any unwarranted price or supply concerns.
Imposing safeguards would increase tariffs and
would make imports more expensive, thereby discouraging traders from bringing
in the staple to the domestic market and force traders to buy from local
farmers at higher rates.
Despite the insistence of the agency that
prices at the farm-gate were hovering between P16 and P19 a kilo, the
Philippine Statistics Authority reported that several provinces have recorded
palay quotations as low as P12.80 a kilo
The Federation of Free Farmers had blamed the
dip in prices to the unimpeded arrival of imported rice in the country, which
allegedly robs local farmers of a stable market.
The DA considered using safeguards to temper
the volume of rice imports, but this was shot down by economic managers for
being “inflationary.”
Other groups recommended a safeguard duty of 70
per cent on top of the current tariffs slapped on rice. Under the law, rice
coming from Asean countries are imposed a 35-per cent tariff while those from
non-Asean countries are slapped 50 per cent. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia
News Network
VN rice exporters gear up to
penetrate EU arena
Chia sẻ |
08/10/2020 19:10
GMT+7
Vietnamese companies have been stepping up
investment to boost rice exports to Europe – however, it remains a challenging
task penetrate the market efficiently.
|
Rice exporters gear up to penetrate EU arena |
On September 22, Loc Troi Group JSC exported
the first batch of 126 tonnes of fragrant rice to the EU. To reach this,
LocTroi upped its planting methods and quality control for the EU market in
2018. So far, the company has exported over 10,000 tonnes of rice to the EU
market.
Backed by the tariff exemptions under the new
EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), LocTroi chairman Huynh Van Thon said
that the group aims to become one of the major rice exporters to the EU. The
company will mobilise all its resources to satisfy the EU’s strict quality
requirements, expanding its growing area and export volume and diversifying
varieties.
Meanwhile, at the end of August Trung An
Hi-Tech Farming JSC also exported its first batch of fragrant rice in line with
EVFTA commitments. Pham Thai Binh, the company’s general director, said that
the shipment is part of the company’s current contract to export 3,000 tonnes
of rice to Europe.
Binh said the company made early preparations
during the EVFTA negotiation process to increase its rice exports. Among them,
food safety standardss were Binh’s focus as the bloc refuses products exceeding
pesticide residue limits. Therefore, Trung An focused on international
standards for planting, harvesting, preserving, and processing.
Elsewhere in 2019, Vinaseed also exported over
2,000 tonnes of rice to the EU with turnover of $2 million. The group
inaugurated the Centre of Seed and Agricultural Product Processing Industry in
Dong Thap province last year. Covering five hectares, the centre has capacity
to process and preserve 100,000 tonnes of rice and 50,000 tonnes of seeds per
year.
Nguyen Quang Truong, general director of
Vinaseed said, “With modern lines and technology from Japan, the new centre can
help us to produce rice meeting the EU’s rigorous inspection procedures, while
preserving its natural taste.”
In addition, Vinaseed has also purchased an
800ha forest in Kien Giang’s Hon Dat district. The company will spend 3-4 years
on preparing the land for agricultural use.
According to statistics from the Ministry of
Planning and Investment, Vietnam’s rice exports to the EU reached over $1.2
million in August, up 93.5 per cent against July and 35.6 per cent on-year.
Currently, many Vietnamese rice producers are negotiating new contracts with
European partners.
While these efforts show the hard work of
domestic companies in trying to raise their exports to the EU, it will remains
tough to conquer the market for some time.
Quach The Phong, co-chair of the Food, Agri,
and Aqua Business Sector Committee under EuroCham, said that rice and products
thereof are a sensitive category in the EVFTA. The agreed export quota from
Vietnam to the EU is set at 80,000 tonnes per year, including all types of rice.
For comparison, in 2018 Vietnam exported only around 20,000 tonnes to the EU.
The EVFTA only helps with a fraction of the
Vietnam’s total export volume, which is expected to reach 7 million tonnes this
year. In the short-term, it is expected that there will be a positive price
impact for the country’s rice exports. However, over the medium and long term,
benefits include many aspects for improving technology transfer and trusts for
a larger quota.
In addition to consumption rates, Vietnamese
rice is facing tough competition from Thailand and Cambodia. Between September
2019 and March, the EU imported 30 per cent of its rice from Thailand and 27
per cent from Cambodia as well as 16 per cent from Pakistan, 15 per cent from
India, and only 6 per cent from Vietnam, according to a report by the European
Commission in April.
“Even though Vietnamese rice has advantages in
terms of pricing, it is still difficult to change the consumption habits of
European customers, which is likely to pose obstacles for local producers to
fully take advantage of the EVFTA,” Binh said.
On the same note, Phong added that some firms
able to export to the EU will have opportunities to strengthen their production
locally as well as to understand and further adapt to EU standards as both the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Ministry of
Industry and Trade are closely observing and regulating the export process to
follow commitments.
“With the help of government bodies here, this
can become a reality to improve the entire rice export industry. This
initiative is also important since the MARD has identified that a value-based
export direction for rice will be the future for Vietnam, rather than a
volume-based one,” Phong stated. VIR
https://vietnamnet.vn/en/business/rice-exporters-gear-up-to-penetrate-eu-arena-679584.html
Drought
fears persist despite rainstorms
Khouth Sophak Chakrya |
Publication date 08 October 2020 | 00:28 ICT
A
view of Stung Sangke stream in Battambang Province on October 07, 2020.
Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology
Prime Minister Hun Sen urged farmers and
relevant local authorities to store water in reservoirs to avoid running low in
the coming dry season.
Hun Sen made the remarks on Wednesday during
the inauguration of the Prince Manor entertainment complex located on National
Road 1 in Kandal province.
He said according to the weather forecast of
the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, a low-pressure system from the
South China Sea was expected to hit Vietnam on Wednesday causing more rain to
fall in Cambodia.
However, he said the river levels are still
low, which requires well-organised water storage systems to store water for the
dry season.
“Our river levels now are very low compared to
previous years, about 4m to 5m lower. So I urge people to work together to
consider ways to preserve water,” he said.
The prime minister urged relevant ministries
and professional institutions to consider strategic stockpiling to be ready to
respond to the shortages. He also urged storm preparation.
“We need to stock up on soy sauce, noodles,
rice and all kinds of vegetables and medicines to save our people from
starving,” he said.
Kampong Chhnang provincial Department of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries director Ngin Hun told The Post on
Wednesday that his department’s strategy was to cooperate with the Department
of Water Resources and Meteorology and other relevant departments under its
jurisdiction.
He said the Kampong Chhnang Provincial
Administration inspected water sources in lakes, canals and canal systems to
take measurements to prevent water retention or open drains to prevent the
flooding of rice fields.
“Of course, the recent rains have caused the
Tonle Sap and some tributaries of the river to rise slightly, but not as much
as in previous years. This is what we are worried about. This season farmers
have planted more than 130,000ha of rice, which is more than 10,000ha over the
plan,” Hun Sen said.
According to Ngin Hun, his department has
cooperated with the water resources department and the Department of Public
Works and Transport in Kampong Chhnang province to prepare to pump water from
some streams and rivers into reservoirs.
Contact
author: Khouth Sophak Chakrya
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/drought-fears-persist-despite-rainstorms
RPT-Asia Rice-Thai rates dip for 6th week as
top hubs grapple with weak demand
OCTOBER
9, 20206:31
(Repeats story first published on Thursday, no
changes to text)
* India
rates steady as demand softens
* Prices
for Vietnamese rice quoted at $470 a tonne
*
India’s rice exports could jump to record this year - officials
Oct 8
(Reuters) - Rice export prices fell for a sixth straight week in Thailand, with
fresh supply expected to bring down rates further this month, as subdued global
demand crimped exports from most Asian hubs.
Thailand's
benchmark 5 percent broken rice RI-THBKN5-P1 prices eased slightly to
$470-$475 per tonne from $472-$477 last week, with traders attributing the
slight dip to fluctuation in the currency exchange amid relatively flat demand.
“There is
still room for prices to go lower because the harvest volume should be bigger
around the end of the month,” a trader in Bangkok said.
In top
exporter India, prices remained steady due to softening demand after a surge in
exports in the last few months.
Prices
of the 5 percent broken parboiled variety RI-INBKN5-P1 were unchanged
from last week, around $376-$382 per tonne.
“We
could not lower prices despite ample crop due to the appreciating rupee,” said
an exporter based at Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
However,
India’s rice exports in 2020 may rise by nearly 42%from a year ago to a record
14 million tonnes because of reduced shipments from rival exporters, industry
officials said this week.
In
Vietnam, rates for 5 percent broken rice RI-VNBKN5-P1 were quoted at
$470 a tonne versus $460-$480 last week, as demand from Philippines remained
weak.
“We have
seen some buyers from the Philippines having shown interest, but most of them
ended up only checking for prices,” a trader based in Ho Chi Minh City said.
Meanwhile,
domestic prices of rice kept rising in Bangladesh which officials blamed on
hoarding by middlemen, despite the government’s move to fix wholesale prices of
the staple grain for the nation.
Stern
action will be taken against those who are hoarding rice to create artificial
crisis to make windfall profits, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder said.
(Reporting by Brijesh Patel in Bengaluru, Khanh Vu in Hanoi, Rajendra Jadhav in
Mumbai, Ruma Paul in Dhaka, and Patpicha Tanakasempipat in Bangkok; Editing by
Shailesh Kuber)
Our
Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Commercial
aromatic rice farming shows bright prospects
ANM
Mohibub Uz Zaman
8th October, 2020 12:40:38
Prices of aromatic rice are much higher than
that of regular rice verities in the country.
Its prices range between Tk90 and Tk120 per kg
while prices of the regular varieties range between Tk45 and Tk60 per kg in
country.
Commercial cultivation of aromatic rice has
already gained popularity in Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagar, Rangpur, Naogaon
and Rajshahi districts.
Five varieties of aromatic rice, including
Kalizira, Chiniatab and Chinigura are popular in the country.
Currently, 37 varieties of aromatic rice are
being cultivated in the country.
Farmers get 12 to 15 mounds yield per bigha of
land on an average. So, the farmers are benefitting from growing the crop
commercially.
The prospect of producing more export-quality
aromatic rice in the northern region is very bright, said Shahjahan Kabir, DG
of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI).
Very smelly varieties of aromatic are chinigura,
kalijira, kataribhog, tulshimala, badshavog, khaskhani, bashful, durbashail,
begun bichi, kalpakhri etc. Medium smelly varieties are punia, kamini soru,
jiravog, chin chail, sadagura, modhumadhob, gobindovog, dudhshail etc.
BRRI also invent eight aromatic rice varieties.
Those are BR-5 (dulavog), BRRI dhan-34, BRRI dhan- 37, BRRI dhan- 38, BRRI
dhan- 70, BRRI dhan- 75, BRRI dhan-80 and BRRI dhan- 50 (banglamoti).
Aman and Aush seasons are the times to
cultivate the crop. Fragrances of this rice stay upto eight months from its
harvest.
Aromatic rice is used to make different
mouthwatering food usually cooked to host guests and celebrate festivals.
The rice is in great demand in Europe, America
and Middle East. It is being exported to 136 countries in the world, said BRRI
DG.
Bangladesh produces around 17.80 lakh tonnes of
aromatic rice per year while around 15,000 tonnes are being exported, he said.
No safeguard duties yet to stem rice imports
By: Karl R. Ocampo -
Reporter / @kocampoINQ
Philippine Daily Inquirer /
05:18 AM October 08, 2020
The Department of
Agriculture (DA) said it was not considering the imposition of safeguard duties
just yet to temper the arrival of imported rice in the country.
Agriculture Secretary
William Dar said at a press briefing that the agency was still looking at other
measures to prop up prices of palay, including ramping up the procurement of
the staple and giving financial assistance to distressed farmers.
It has also been strict
with the issuance of food safety permits—a primary requirement to import.
Under the rice tariffication
law, taxes imposed on imports may be increased, reduced or revised by the
President to protect Filipino farmers and consumers from any unwarranted price
or supply concerns.
Imposing safeguards would
increase tariffs and would make imports more expensive, thereby discouraging
traders from bringing in the staple to the domestic market and force traders to
buy from local farmers at higher rates.
Despite the insistence of
the agency that prices at the farm-gate were hovering between P16 and P19 a
kilo, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that several provinces have
recorded palay quotations as low as P12.80 a kilo.
The Federation of Free
Farmers had blamed the dip in prices to the unimpeded arrival of imported rice
in the country, which allegedly robs local farmers of a stable market.
The DA considered using
safeguards to temper the volume of rice imports, but this was shot down by
economic managers for being “inflationary.”
Other groups recommended
a safeguard duty of 70 percent on top of the current tariffs slapped on rice.
Under the law, rice coming from Asean countries are imposed a 35-percent tariff
while those from non-Asean countries are slapped 50 percent.
Read more: https://business.inquirer.net/309060/no-safeguard-duties-yet-to-stem-rice-imports#ixzz6aMm94hke
India’s rice exports could jump to record on
Thai drought effects
12:00 AM,
October 08, 2020 / LAST MODIFIED: 12:34 AM, October 08, 2020
Farmers plant
saplings in a rice field on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India. Photo:
Reuters/file
Reuters, Mumbai
India's rice exports in 2020 may rise by nearly
42 per cent from a year ago to record highs because of reduced shipments from
rival exporters and a depreciating rupee, industry officials said this week.
Higher shipments from India, the world's
biggest rice exporter, could cap global prices, reduce the country's bulging
inventories and limit Indian state stockpiler purchases from farmers.
India's rice exports could jump to 14 million
tonnes in 2020, up from last year's 9.9 million tonnes, the lowest in eight
years, said B.V. Krishna Rao, president of the Rice Exporters Association.
"Thailand's shipments are falling due to
the drought. Vietnam is struggling because of lower crop. That share is
naturally coming to India," Rao said.
Thailand, the world's second-largest rice
exporter, suffered through a drought earlier this year that has affected the
rice crop. Shipments in 2020 could fall to 6.5 million tonnes, the lowest in 20
years.
Vietnam, the third-biggest global exporter, has
contended with low water levels in the Mekong River Delta, the country's main
rice growing region, that has limited supply.
India mainly exports non-basmati rice to
Bangladesh, Nepal, Benin and Senegal, and premium basmati rice to Iran, Saudi
Arabia and Iraq.
India's rice shipments in 2020 will rise
because of robust demand for non-basmati rice from African countries, said
Nitin Gupta, vice president for Olam India's rice business.
"Basmati rice demand is more-or-less
stable, but in non-basmati we have seen a huge surge in demand due to
attractive prices," Gupta said.
India's non-basmati rice exports may double
from a year ago to 9.5 million tonnes, while basmati rice exports would remain
stable around 4.5 million tonnes, he said.
India was offering 5 per cent broken parboiled
rice at $380 per tonne on a free-on-board basis, while Thailand was offering
the same grade at $490 per tonne, dealers said.
Indian exporters have offered rice at lower
prices at a time when global prices have jumped on limited supplies because of
the rupee's depreciation, Rao said.The rupee has declined 3 per cent against
the US dollar so far this year.In addition to lower Southeast Asian sales,
China has also cut exports to Africa after floods hit local crops, said a
Mumbai-based dealer with a global trading firm.
"Unlike other countries, India has massive
surplus. Exports won't create shortage in the local market," the dealer
said.
Also, the higher exports should cut into Indian
inventories and limit government purchases from farmers at minimum support
prices, said Rao from the Rice Exporters Association.
Record-setting monsoon
season causes Southwest drought
Published
Oct. 4, 2020 12:06 AM
Copied
The
Southwest monsoon season has come to an end for many cities. AccuWeather's
Brittany Boyer recaps the season and has more on what lies ahead.
Across the Southwestern United States, what
should have been a season packed with thunderstorms and rain turned out to be
almost entirely parched -- and records were broken through the region as a
result.
Monsoon season runs from June 15 to the end of
September and is typically expected to bring a wash of wet weather to the area.
This year, however, the Southwest experienced a drier-than-usual monsoon
season, with many cities breaking records.
"Every summer, it gets really hot in the
Southwest and low pressure develops mainly over Arizona," AccuWeather
Senior Meteorologist Bob Smerbeck said. "This causes more air from the
tropics to get drawn northward out of Mexico into the Southwest, and then you
get your showers and thunderstorms."
The dry
desert soil cracks due to the lack of monsoon rainfall, Wednesday, Sept. 30,
2020, in Maricopa, Ariz. Cities across the U.S. Southwest recorded their driest
monsoon season on record this year, with many places seeing next to no rain
this year. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Smerbeck explained that usually, an area of
high pressure forms over the southern Rockies, and clockwise flow around the
area of pressure pushes tropical moisture into the Southwest. This year, he
said the area of high pressure built up over the Great Basin, farther west than
usual, which prevented the tropical moisture from traveling north.
For many Southwestern cities, this monsoon
season was the driest on record, including Flagstaff, Grand Canyon, Yuma,
Prescott, Show Low and Bellemont, all located in Arizona. Las Vegas tied with
its previous record dry monsoon season and broke its record for the longest
streak of consecutive days without rain.
"The monsoon season was pretty much a
dud," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok told
AccuWeather's Brittany Boyer. "It just tried to get going and it never
happened."
"We had a couple of days where it surged,
but there were a lot of days where there was just nothing going on,"
Pastelok told Boyer.
For any particular place in the Southwest,
Pastelok explained that about on third of the moisture it receives is dependent
on the monsoon season. So as a result of this year's dry season, the drought
will continue through the winter and possibly spring, and even the early parts
of the summer.
National Weather Service Meteorologist Kate
Guillet told AccuWeather during a phone interview in September, that the
dryness from the monsoon season could have been a contributor in the
out-of-control wildfires that continue to plague the region.
"Normally if it is drier we see heat be a
bigger problem because we don't have the moisture to kind of temper down how
hot it can get," National Weather Service Meteorologist Kate Guillet told
AccuWeather during a phone interview in September. "So this year we
had multiple heat waves that moved in and numerous records over the last few
months... in addition to fire weather concerns. Without that rain that helps
moisten up the vegetation the fire fuels are extremely dry right now."
Looking ahead, Pastelok is not optimistic that
the region can make up on lost precipitation.
RELATED:
Uganda envoy optimistic on Tanzania business relations on day of
independence
Friday
October 9 2020
Ugandan High Commission in Tanzania Richard
Kabonero.
By Rosemary Mirondo
@mwaikama rmirondo@tz.nationmedia.com
Dar es Salaam. Ugandan High Commission in Tanzania has said that
non-tariff barriers (NTBs) that have been hampering trade between Tanzania and
Uganda are currently being addressed at a bilateral level and the East African
Community.
This was said by the High Commissioner, Richard Kabonero
when speaking to The Citizen on the 58th Independence anniversary that is
celebrated on October 9.
He said while the NTBs are being addressed the EA Common
Market understands that products manufactured the in the EAC member states
should be duty free.
“We had challenges on the weigh bridge especially at
Mutukula which have currently been reduced tremendously , but currently sugar
exports, rice and fish imports taxes are being addressed at both bilateral and
EAC level,” he said.
He said trade between the two countries has been
increasing with Uganda importing rice from Tanzania as well as petroleum
products while also planning to import gas in their near future which the
latter has in abundance. Uganda on the other hand exports sugar and milk to
Tanzania.
He said that both countries have invested heavily in
infrastructure including the railway from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza that will
reduce the cost of transportation of goods by 40 per cent.
While at the same time Port Bell cargo vessel in Mwanza
and Uganda have also been invested on.
In another development, he said as Ugandans celebrate the
Independence Day they are happy with the resilience of the Ugandan people
despite challenges when the military took over.
“We appreciate the help of Tanzanians as many shed blood
for our freedom,” he said.
He added: On behalf of staff of the Uganda High
Commission, I take this opportunity to congratulate all Ugandans in Tanzania
and other countries of accreditation and all friends of Uganda on this
auspicious occasion of our country’s 58th Independence Anniversary.
He said, this year’s theme is “Celebrating Uganda’s
steady progress towards economic take off and self-sustaining economic growth”
According to him, the economy has been averaging an
impressive 7 percent growth, 13 million children are enrolled in primary and
secondary schools, and millions of Ugandan citizens have been lifted out of
poverty.
Last month the Heads of States of Uganda and Tanzania
signed an agreement to expedite the implementation of the East African Crude
Oil Pipeline, the largest project in East Africa that will create hundreds of
jobs while transforming the economies of the two countries.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54137090
Irked over slow paddy
procurement in US Nagar, farmers warn protest from October 11
Aakash Ahuja
| TNN | Oct 9, 2020, 04:09 IST
Rudrapur : Farmers of
Udham Singh Nagar district, which is known to be the food bowl of Uttarakhand,
have expressed displeasure over “undue delay” in the procurement of paddy
crops.
They are alleging that a “lack of coordination” between the government
departments and the procurement agencies is causing the delay. Farmers in Sitarganj
have been protesting for the last five days and they have been now joined hands
with the farmer organisations who have warned to intensify their agitation from
October 11.
Tejender Singh Virk,
president of the Terai Kisan Mahasabha, said, “Farmers have been waiting to
sell their crops for the past five days. The government should make proper
arrangement for farmers and ensure that the crop is procured as soon as the
produce reaches the grain market.”
Block president of Bhartiya Kisan Union, Gursahab Singh, said: “The district
administration is not serious on paddy procurement. The active procurement has
not been initiated and farmers are compelled to play in the hands of middlemen
who are paying them only Rs 1200 for a quintal against the minimum support
price of Rs 1880 per quintal. They are not clear about the moisture content and
are really unaware how many days they will have to wait till competent
authorities come into action.”
A majority of mandis
(paddy procurement centres) in several blocks are expressing their inability to
purchase paddy from farmers due to non-lifting by the rice millers.
“Paddy laden trucks, tractors and bullock carts are waiting for days near the
mandis to avoid the burden of extra transportation costs. In any case they have
to shell out more towards transportation as they have to pay the vehicle
halting charges,” said Ganesh Upadhyay, Congress leader and member of Akhil
Bhartiya Kisan Mahasabha.
Virk further said they apprised the situation to the administration and urged
the DM to take appropriate measures for smooth lifting of paddy. "We will
be agitating against the administration at DM office on October 11 if the
procurement is not embarked", he added.
“This is happening in all mandis. We have warned the ADM that the farmers will
be forced to hit the streets if such poor treatment will continue,” Navtej Pal
Singh, another farmer, said.
Farmers also alleged that the few paddy procurement agencies who are working
have not been paying the full cost of the paddy to the farmers. The agencies
are keeping the cost of 4-5 kg of paddy on the pretext that the grains are not
meeting the standard of fair average quality.
Meanwhile, the vice-chairman of the Farmers Commission, Rajpal Singh, has
assured the farmers that the procurement of paddy will come into full swing in
another couple of days and the farmers' demands will also be met.
https://www.farmprogress.com/rice/texas-rice-notches-good-year
India's rice exports could jump 42% to record
highs due to drought in Thailand
India's
rice exports could jump 42% to record highs due to drought in Thailand
ReutersLast Updated: Oct 07, 2020, 12:45 PM IST
Synopsis
Higher shipments from India,
the world's biggest rice exporter, could cap global prices, reduce the
country's bulging inventories and limit Indian state stockpiler purchases from
farmers.
India's rice exports could jump to 14 million tonnes in 2020, up from last
year's 9.9 million tonnes, the lowest in eight years, said B.V. Krishna Rao,
president of the Rice Exporters
Association.
"Thailand's shipments are falling due to the drought. Vietnam is
struggling because of lower crop. That share is naturally coming to
India," Rao said.
Thailand, the world's second-largest rice exporter, suffered through a drought
earlier this year that has affected the rice crop. Shipments in 2020 could fall
to 6.5 million tonnes, the lowest in 20 years.
Vietnam, the third-biggest global exporter, has contended with low water levels
in the Mekong River Delta, the country's main rice growing region, that has
limited supply.
India mainly exports non-basmati rice to Bangladesh, Nepal, Benin and Senegal,
and premium basmati rice to Iran, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
India's rice shipments in 2020 will rise because of robust demand for
non-basmati rice from African countries, said Nitin Gupta, vice president for
Olam India's rice business.
"Basmati rice demand is more-or-less stable, but in non-basmati we have
seen a huge surge in demand due to attractive prices," Gupta said.
India's non-basmati rice exports may double from a year ago to 9.5 million
tonnes, while basmati rice exports would remain stable around 4.5 million
tonnes, he said.
India was offering 5% broken parboiled rice at $380 per tonne on a
free-on-board basis, while Thailand was offering the same grade at $490 per
tonne, dealers said.
Indian exporters have offered rice at lower prices at a time when global prices
have jumped on limited supplies because of the rupee's depreciation, Rao said.
The rupee has declined 3% against the U.S. dollar so far this year.
In addition to lower Southeast Asian sales, China has also cut exports to
Africa after floods hit local crops, said a Mumbai-based dealer with a global
trading firm.
"Unlike other countries, India has massive surplus. Exports won't create
shortage in the local market," the dealer said.
Also, the higher exports should cut into Indian inventories and limit
government purchases from farmers at minimum support prices, said Rao from the
Rice Exporters Association.
Stronger kyat threatens exports, but presents
import opportunities
09 Oct 2020
Paddy
farmers seen working at the field in Kyee Tan village, Twan Tay township,
Yangon on June 29. Photo: Mar Naw/The Myanmar Times
Stronger kyat threatens exports, but presents import opportunities
Myanmar’s
exports have come under pressure as a result of the weakening US dollar, which
has made key exports such as rice more expensive in overseas markets, said U
Soe Tun, a committee member of the Myanmar Rice Federation.
While
the weaker exchange rate has made prices more attractive to local farmers,
falling demand from foreign traders has more than offset the gains. “Its not
profitable for exporters at the current exchange rate,” U Soe Tun said.
The
Myanmar kyat is now at its strongest levels against the US dollar since 2018,
with the Central Bank’s reference exchange rate on October 8 having fallen
under K1300 per dollar. This is despite the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM)
continuously purchasing US dollars in the market in attempts to stabilise the
exchange rate. In January, the exchange rate was more than K1400 per
dollar.
“Some
traders still have remaining contracts while others are still trying to
continue exporting as there are opportunities to fetch high prices although not
in huge volumes as trade is no longer profitable for overseas buyers at the
current exchange rate,” U Soe Tun said.
Although
the Ministry of Commerce had earlier imposed limitations on rice exports to
ensure sufficient reserves for the country in case of emergency during
COVID-19, these have been lifted as the new harvest seasons draws
near.
“As the
new paddy harvest season draws near and with sufficient reserves in the
country, we have allowed traders to export freely to prevent losses” said U Min
Min, Director General of the Department of Trade.
According
to data from the Myanmar Rice Federation, Myanmar exported over 2.5 million
tonnes of rice and broken rice to over 60 countries up to September 11 during
fiscal 2019-20, generating revenues of more than US$774 million.
On the
flip side, it could be time for Myanmar to take advantage of the stronger kyat
and raise imports of key commodities such as corn.
Myanmar
exports large quantities of corn to China and Thailand, and there is currently
a domestic shortage of the commodity, which is used as animal feed in the
livestock industry.
Last
month, traders and livestock breeders requested an import permit for corn, but
this was met by objections from local farmers, who fear a potential glut if
uncontrolled imports are allowed. Under the Law of Protection of the
Farmer Rights and Enhancement of their Benefits, the farmers’ market and price
stability should be taken into consideration, said U Ye Tint Tun, Director
General of the Department of Agriculture.
There
has typically been a surplus of corn in the domestic market but after more than
2 million tonnes were exported in fiscal 2018-20, there is a possibility that
the crop will need to be imported back, U Aung Htoo, Deputy Minister of
Commerce, told Pyidaungsu Hluttaw in August.- Translated
Gotovate Tax Exemption
Row: Rice Business Sector Association Defends Minister Kyambadde
Dedan Kimathi October 7, 2020
The Chairman of Rice Business Sector Association (RBSU) Isaac
Kashaija has on Wednesday trashed accusations being leveled against the
Minister of Trade Hon. Amelia Kyambadde for single handedly allowing a firm to
import 50,000 Metric Tons of untaxed rice from Tanzania.
It is understood that last week,
there was an uproar when news emerged that Gotovate Uganda Limited had been
exempted from paying 18% Value Added Tax (VAT) for a period of four months with
effect from August 2020, something stakeholders said was ‘crafty’ in nature.
Addressing the press on October 7,
2020, Kashaija defended the minister saying that Gotovate’s request was
approved way back in March after meeting a number of upfront pre-requisites and
protocols.
“The Trade Ministry does not give
exemptions. It only receives the request for a single company, forwards it to
the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry of Finance, based on who has applied and
the facts therein, is the one that decides to consider the applicant and then
informs URA,” Kashaija stated.
He elaborated that the reasons advanced by Gotovate were compelling in
a way that they were geared at fending off speculators and fixing the acute
food scarcity conundrum caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic.
“It requested the Ministry of Trade
and other authorities to allow them to bring in rice which can be sold off to
the public at a cheaper price. Because, shortly after the Covid-19 lockdown was
effected, people began hiking the prices of food,” Kashaija pointed out.
“Currently, the demand for rice in
Uganda stands at 380,000 MT per month with local production of approximately
180,000 MT per season leaving a deficit of about 200,000 MT per month,” he
stressed.
Fast forward, Kashaija attributed
this unbefitting criticism to Rachael Mbabazi’s Rice Association of Uganda
(RAU) whom he said was jealous and afraid of losing her monopoly.
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“The Rice Business Sector Association Limited has got information
that Ms Rachael Mbabazi, the purported chairman of the Rice Association of
Uganda, is one of the beneficiaries of the 14 companies that were exploiting
Ugandans,” he retorted.
“And she is not happy that Ugandans
are getting relief from the ‘sharks’ and is determined to disorganize the rice
industry for her own benefit,” Kashaija concluded.
To amicably solve this row which
might suck in East African Community (EAC) member states, Kashaija opined that
all stakeholders including rice farmers, millers, traders and Government must
sit on a round table.
Since 2014, it is understood that
fourteen companies which include SWT Tanners, Imba Foods, Zen Trading Limited,
Mabu Commodities, Ssunad and General Agencies among many others have not been
subjected to VAT pending conclusion of a court case.
To establish the truth of the
matter, the writer called Ian Rumanyika, the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA)
Public and Corporate Affairs Manager who unfortunately was not in office.
While the Food Agricultural
Organization (FAO) statistics indicate that the area under rice cultivation had
increased by close to 70,000 hectares in a space of ten years ending 2010, rice
imports have been on an upward trajectory.
Basmati
rice exporters from India are renegotiating with importers from Australia, Canada
and the US
The industry players are also
worried about Pakistan’s move to start exporting their basmati rice to Iran
under the barter system.
However, exporters say that even if they renegotiate with importers, they will
not be able to recover the entire price hike in cargo. Also, the prices of the
common variety of basmati rice, Pusa 1121,
have fallen about a fifth compared to last year after shipments to Iran were
halted because of non-payment of dues by the importers concerned. “Earlier,
containers were coming from China and we were facing no problem. But since
imports from China have come down, availability of containers has dwindled and
we have to pay huge sums to shipping lines for exports," said Gautam
Miglani, owner of LRNK, a Haryana-based basmati rice exporter.
"Although we will be trying to renegotiate the contracts with foreign
buyers in the backdrop of this rising cargo rates, there is no guarantee that
we will be getting higher rates.” India annually exports 4.4 -4.5 million
tonnes of basmati rice to the global markets. Miglani added that since there is
an oversupply of basmati rice in the Indian market, the exporters are not in a
favourable position to ask for higher prices from other importing nations.
“Moreover, the pandemic has badly impacted the economic condition of most of
the countries in the world. So we are doubtful of getting higher prices,” he
said. A leading basmati rice exporter from Amritsar who did not want to be
named said: “Cargo rates have been rising since the lockdown was withdrawn. But
in the last one month, they have gone up sharply. We have made losses in the
earlier contracts due to high cargo rates. But in the upcoming overseas deals,
we will have to include the high price of cargo.”
The industry players are also worried about Pakistan’s move to start exporting
their basmati rice to Iran under the barter system. “If the payment issue is
not sorted out with Iran, we will not be able to export to the country and
subsequently lose the market there. It is the biggest export destination for
Indian basmati rice,” said Miglani. BV Krishna Rao, president of Rice
Exporters Association, said that the non-basmati rice exporters
are also feeling the heat of rising cargo prices.
“Our product
price is much less than the basmati rice exporters. We are in real trouble. One
of the leading shipping companies has informed us that from October 15, it will
increase cargo rate by another $500,” said Rao.
Only 14 grain trains left
Punjab in October due to farmer protests
Sanjeev Verma
| TNN | Oct 9, 2020, 07:30 IST
Picture
used for representational purpose only
CHANDIGARH: Nearly 1,000 special goods
trains left Punjab with around 1.16 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of
wheat and rice for other states in September. However, only 14 special trains
could move out of the state in October till Thursday due to ‘rail roko’
agitation by various
farmer organisations against the Centre’s three farm laws.
Although Punjab food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Bharat
Bhushan Ashu said the state’s godowns have sufficient space to store rice after
it arrives from the rice shellers, he has requested farmer unions to allow the
movement of goods trains. “Each special train carries food grains
weighing between 2,500 metric tonnes and 3,000 metric tonnes. Agitating farmers
should allow these special trains to move out of Punjab because it is directly
linked to the transportation and stocking of their produce,” Ashu said.
‘FCI will transport grains
once trains start’
Ashu said such trains will also bring fertilisers and coal (for power
generation) to Punjab from other states, which are also directly linked to the
farmers.Nearly 130 LMT of wheat and 50 LMT of rice are lying in Punjab godowns
and as soon as the farmers allow trains to run, the Food Corporation of India
(FCI) would again start the transportation process of these food grains to the
other states. The FCI has 576 godowns in Punjab with the storage capacity of
235 LMT of grains.Punjab has 27.36 lakh hectares of area under paddy this year
and the state government is targeting total procurement of 171 LMT in the
kharif marketing season which started on September 27 and would end by November
30. The MSP for ‘common variety’ paddy is Rs 1,868 per quintal and for ‘A’
grade Rs 1,888 per quintal for this kharif season.
Lalu gets
bail in a fodder scam case, but to remain in jail
Piyush Goyal
gets additional charge of food ministry
Keep an eye on moisture content, says minister
Ashu said the Punjab government is ensuring that paddy is procured on MSP and
the farmers are paid by arhtiyas (commission agents) within 24 hours. Asked
about the complaints from some mandis, including Ajnala, in Punjab about the
paddy being procured below the MSP, he replied, “We are requesting farmers to
ensure that they bring paddy to the mandis that has moisture content not more
than the specification. Otherwise, arhtiyas sometimes either reject their
produce or purchase it at price below MSP on mutual consent with the farmer.”
But, he said, if any complaint is received against anyone indulging in illegal
activities, prompt action would be taken against the culprit.The maximum
permissible moisture content in paddy is 17%. Though some arhtiyas do purchase
paddy having moisture content even up to 22%, they impose the value cut as per
the increase in moisture. After the procurement, when the paddy reaches rice
millers, they have to deliver 67 kg of rice for every 100 kg of paddy to the
government or the FCI. So when the moisture content is more at the time of
procurement, it finally results in less rice out of paddy after milling
process.
Green
Bay fall wild rice seeding planned for late October
Small
teams of conservation professionals and volunteers from UW-Green Bay, Ducks
Unlimited, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources, UW-Madison Division of Extension, and others will seed 2,000 lbs. of
wild rice at coastal wetlands in the bay of Green Bay during the week of
October 26-30, 2020.
This
year marks the fourth year of seeding effort as part of the restoration
projects, informed by UW-Green Bay aquatic vegetation research in lower Green
Bay. See past efforts. Wild rice or “manoomin” holds
important traditional, economic, and spiritual value in the region for
Wisconsin’s First Nation tribes.
Wild
rice also benefits waterfowl as an important food source during fall migration
and contributes to fish nursery habitat and ecological diversity in coastal
wetlands. Historical records suggest the wetland grass occurred in the waters
of the bay of Green Bay; however, rice has been uncommon to rare in coastal
wetlands and tributaries in recent decades. UW-Green Bay graduate student
research helps conservation partners learn more about wild rice seeding success
and environmental conditions impacting aquatic vegetation.
Rice
re-establishment is one of a series of restoration projects in lower Green Bay
and along the Green Bay west shore to enhance coastal wetland habitat for fish
and wildlife and improve the health of the bay. Participants will hand seed the
rice at 6 sites in lower Green Bay and along the Green Bay west shore on the
following dates:
·
Monday, Oct. 26: Green Bay west
shore: Seagull Bar State Natural Area and Oconto Marsh Wildlife Area &
Oconto Sportsmen’s Club Tuesday
·
Tuesday, Oct. 27: Lower Green Bay:
Duck Creek and Ken Euers Nature Area
·
Wednesday, Oct. 28- Suamico: Sensiba
Wildlife Area & Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve
·
Thursday and Friday, Oct. 29 and 30,
Weather make-up days
Media
members may view seeding from an observation point on land at most locations.
All participants and observers will be expected to follow COVID-19 safety
guidelines. For more information about the project or the seeding effort,
contact Green Bay Restoration Project Coordinator Amy Carrozzino-Lyon (carrozza@uwgb.edu,
920-465-5029).
Mechanising Nigerian
Agriculture: Efforts and Challenges (II)
Nigeria
is amazingly blessed with both human and natural resources making other
countries grin with envy. Nigeria is richly endowed with 91 million
hectares of arable land and quantum of water resources, soil fertility,
favourable topography and climates. Land and water resources are certainly
important natural resources available for exploitation to develop the
agricultural sector. The country has mean annual rainfall of 1,390 mm resulting
to 305 billion cubic metres of water annually.
Thus,
Nigeria has seven distinct climate zones, which provide average annual rainfall
ranging from 700 mm in the far north (Sahel Savannah) to 4,000 mm in riverine
and mountainous areas in the South. Again, the third biggest river with a
length of 4,180 km in Africa, River Niger passes through the country and drains
an average discharge of 5,589 m3/s into the Atlantic Ocean. The river has six
major perennial rivers as tributaries criss-crossing the length and breadth of
Nigeria making it the most endowed country with unlimited water resources. Yet,
the country cannot produce enough food to feed her teeming population. Thus,
the nation has to massively import processed food items to augment the local
production to feed the citizenry.
So, what
is the way forward? This was the question posed in the first part of this
article. The way forward is to mechanise the agriculture. Mechanising
agriculture involves the design, fabrication and distribution of devices, tools
and techniques capable of reducing raw labour, increasing productivity and
enhancing efficiency of crop production/protection, harvesting, preservation
and processing. Thus, the answer is to develop, promote and adopt improved
indigenous technologies that are suitable to our farming system. The
technologies have to be efficient for peasant farming and affordable to the
generality of farmers. What are these technologies and where are they?
There
are many technologies developed by Nigerians from local fabricators to engineers
or scientists in several towns across the country. Samples of the locally
developed technologies are hand-held rice reaper, small-scale rice milling
machine, multi-crops thresher, small scale combined rice de-stoning, rice
de-husking, polishing and milling machine, groundnut harvester,
planting/transplanting machines, and many others.
Candidly,
in the last two decades, several agricultural machines were developed locally
to mechanise various stages of crops and livestock productions in Nigeria. In
fact, development of agricultural machinery from design concept to fabrication
and testing is not a rocket science that basically engineering graduate should
be able to execute. Technically, agricultural machines are designed to do the
kind of operation/practice people do as farm operation with higher speed,
efficiency and effectiveness. Fundamentally, farm or off-farm machinery is made
up of two major components; prime mover with source of energy
(electrical/mechanical) and machinery part for grinding, beating, crushing,
slashing, milling, etc depending on the type of desired operations. This is why
Nigerians with their ingenuity, were able to develop some agricultural machines
indigenously. The major drivers of indigenous agricultural machines are the
research institutes, universities and polytechnics and followed by a few local
fabricators who sometimes conceive the idea or cannibalise an imported machine
to “steal the technology”. Whatever the case, there have been success stories.
The
Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), ABU Zaria and the National Centre
for Agricultural Mechanisation (NCAM) are prominent research centres
championing the development of indigenous agricultural machines. They have
produced simple, local and cost-effective agricultural implements that would
reduce drudgery attached with agriculture. For example, NCAM has developed
processing equipment for cassava to remove drudgery right from the planting to
the final stage of processing including cassava peeling machines in different
categories of sizes and capacities. Similarly, the center has also developed
complete processing machines for cassava, for rice, cashew, and for yam
processing, and had made a machine that could make yam heaps. Nigeria happens
to be the largest producer of yam in the world, and there is no machine in the
world that can make yam heaps.
IAR, one
of the 17 national agricultural research institutes under Federal Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development and an agricultural research centre of Ahmadu
Bello University Zaria. IAR has a mandate of designing and fabrication of
simple agricultural implements and equipment in addition to genetic
improvements of 11 selected crops. Over the years, IAR has transformed its
complex and low capacity Multi-Crop Thresher to simple, robust, efficient and
high capacity machine. The new prototype machine specifically designed to
thresh sorghum, millet and soybean can also shell maize making it more
versatile and cost effective for farmers and hire service operators. The
machine performance in terms of output capacity, threshing and cleaning
efficiencies are 410 kg/h, 99.6 per cent and 98.4 per cent for sorghum; 472
kg/h, 99.3 per cent and 94.9 per cent for millet; and 200 kg/h, 100 per cent
and 89 per cent for soybean, respectively. This machine is unique when compared
with other available machines that can only thresh effectively one or maximum
of two crops with lots of grain damage and waste. The losses due to visible
grain damage and scatter loss for this machine are three per cent and 4.2 per
cent for sorghum; 0.01 per cent and 10.5 per cent for millet; and 0.01 per cent
and 4.2 per cent for soybean, respectively. Development is still ongoing to
improve the machine performance and also include other crops such as wheat and
rice.
Virtually,
in all agricultural engineering departments of polytechnics and universities
across the country, there are several prototype agricultural machines designed
and fabricated by students and their supervisors as part of their degrees or
diplomas programmes. The local fabricators and local companies are not left
behind. Why are these efforts not paying off? Nigeria continues to import
agricultural machines into the country. Small-scale farmers continue to use hoe
and cutlass to perform their farm operations. What are the missing links? To be
continued next week.
https://leadership.ng/2020/10/09/mechanising-nigerian-agriculture-efforts-and-challenges-ii/
Gov’t placates poor
farmers: Wait for rice law benefits
By: Karl R. Ocampo -
Reporter / @kocampoINQ
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:20 AM October 09,
2020
Four government agencies
on Thursday called on the consuming public to give the rice tariffication law a
chance, stressing that the benefits of the new policy would not be felt
entirely in its first year of implementation.
Key officials from the
departments of agriculture, finance and trade and industry and the National
Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said that while they recognized the
shocks brought by the reform, “this is not an indication of the impact of the
law.”
The collective statement
seemed to have been prompted by reports of palay prices drastically sliding to
P12 a kilo as farmers struggled to compete with the arrival of more affordable
imported rice.
Concerned Filipinos have
even started the “itaas ang presyo ng palay (increase the price of palay)”
challenge on social media. The online movement has already garnered thousands
of responses.
Acting Socioeconomic
Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua countered reports of low palay prices,
saying price trends showed the farm-gate price of the staple would not fall
below the production cost of P12 per kilo.
He added since the passage
of the law, rice was no longer among the top 10 contributors to the country’s
inflation uptick. It also led to rice prices declining and rice inflation
turning negative.
Agriculture Secretary
William Dar and Assistant Trade Secretary Ruth Castelo added that the
government has put in place several interventions to help palay farmers
transition to the new rice regime.The law funnels P10 billion annually to the
rice industry for seeds and machinery provisions, extension services and credit
to farmers. On top of that, both the Department of Agriculture and the
Department of Trade and Industry have instituted reforms to ease the buying and
selling of local palay and rice.
The new rice law also
minimized smuggling, Assistant Finance Secretary Tony Lambino said.
Ex-PhilRice
executive fined P15K for P15 million graft
Elizabeth Marcelo (The Philippine Star
-
October 8, 2020 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — A former executive
director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has been
ordered to pay a fine of P15,000 in connection with the approval of a car loan
worth P15.78 million for himself and nine other PhilRice employees.
Ronilo Beronio withdrew his not guilty plea to
three counts of graft and pleaded guilty to three counts of violation of
Section 7 (a) of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards
for Public Officials and Employees during a hearing at the Sandiganbayan’s
Sixth Division on Oct 2, the court said in a ruling issued on the same date.
Section 7 (a) of RA 6713 prohibits a public
official from having direct or indirect financial or material interest in any
transaction requiring the approval of his office.
Beronio
pleaded guilty to a lesser offense in exchange for the dropping the graft
charges, which carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison for each count aside
from perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
The
court said Beronio’s admission of guilt was in accordance with his plea bargain
agreement with the Office of the Ombudsman.
The
graft cases stemmed from the approval of a holdout agreement by the PhilRice
board of trustees that allowed Beronio and nine other PhilRice employees to
obtain loans from Philippine National Bank for the purchase of rent-to-own
cars.
The
ombudsman said the deal was approved without public bidding. The beneficiaries
were entitled to transportation allowance despite the use of the official
vehicles, it added.
Bohol
Gov. Arthur Yap, who was secretary of the Department of Agriculture and
chairman of the PhilRice at the time was the principal accused.The sixth
division had earlier denied Yap’s motion to dismiss the charges against him.
