December 21 ,2018 Vol 9 ,Issue 12
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Rice production: Nigeria will take on the world Governor Bagudu 10 hours ago 4241 views by Nnenna Ibeh - Governor Atiku Bagudu has said that Nigeria will soon take over the world in rice production - The governor said the President Buhari-led administration has shown unprecedented commitments to agriculture development in Nigeria - According to Bagudu, N174 billion has been disbursed as credit to small holder farmers under the anchors borrowers programme The Kebbi state governor, Atiku Bagudu, has said Nigeria is on the path of taking on the world in terms of rice production. The governor said this on Wednesday, December 19, at a Gala night organised by beneficiaries of the government‘s Anchor Borrowers Programme held at the State House Conference Center, Abuja. Bagudu who is the vice chairman of the national food security council, noted that President Muhammadu Buhari has shown unprecedented commitments to agriculture development in Nigeria. Speaking to journalists outside the banquet hall, Bagudu said N174 billion has been disbursed as credit to small holder farmers under the anchors borrowers programme. He said this has provided more food, and therefore ensuring Nigeria's food security. RE also said the fact that millers have easy access to rice paddies is indicative of a level of self sufficiency. About maize farmers he said: "The maize farmers say this year they are expecting an output of about twenty million tons up from about twelve million tons and even the prices we are seeing which are thirty percent lower than they were at this time last year indicates sufficiency." "The fertilizer producers confirm that they are capable of meeting Nigeria's needs and the President indeed confirmed he has banned the importation of fertilizers Reps ask IGP Idris to arrest Obono-Obla over alleged fake WAEC result The gala night was graced by Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) and Fertilizers Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN). The associations donated N1.77 billion to fund the re-election bid of President Buhari in next year's presidential election. The president of RIFAN, Aminu Goronyo, said with a membership of about 12.2 million and with each member donating N100 to the campaign, they were able to raise the N1.2 billion. Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the federal government had approved N60 billion in support of its rice subsidy programme aimed at bringing down the price of the commodity across the country. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigeria‘s #1 news app The minister of agriculture and rural development, Audu Ogbeh, made the announcement while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of a meeting of the National Food Security Council. The meeting was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday, November 16 https://www.legit.ng/1210915-rice-production-nigeria-world-governor-bagudu.html
Rice farmers confess moving from poverty to wealth 2|www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com
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Rice
By Ismaila Chafe Counting their blessings as the year comes to an end, Nigerian rice farmers have confessed that they have been transformed from poverty to wealth. The farmers attributed their fortunes to the Anchor Borrowing Programme which made many of them to improve on their inputs especially fertilizers, seedlings, and water pumps. The owed their successes to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari which introduced the programme through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The Chairman, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Aminu Goronyo, commended the administration for introducing the Anchor Borrowers Programme, which was inaugurated on Nov. 17, 2015, in Kebbi state. ―Mr President, with the Anchor Borrowing Programme many farmers have improved their inputs especially fertilizers, seedlings, water pumps etc.
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―Farmers are benefitting from your administration because rice farmers have transmitted from poverty to wealth,‘‘ he said at a Gala Night organised by Rice Farmers in honour of beneficiaries of the Anchor Borrowers Programme at the old Banquet Hall of the State House in Abuja. To this end, Goronyo, announced that the 12.2 million rice farmers had pledged their support for the re-election of President Buhari. According to him, the farmers have contributed N100 each, amounting to N1.22billion, to promote and boost the Buhari/Osinbajo campaigns for the 2019 presidential election. Goronyo urged the president to thank the Kebbi State governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu; the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele and the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, for their support to the farmers. The President of the Fertilizers Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN), Mr Thomas Etuh, who also spoke at the event, lauded President Buhari for his efforts in the revitalization of the nation‘s fertilizer sector.He announced the contribution of the association amounting to N570million towards ensuring the re-election of the president in 2019 general elections. President Muhammadu Buhari had also directed the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to commence the restocking of all its Strategic Grains Reserves nationwide.He said the directive had become imperative following the completion of a comprehensive survey on damages done to farmers and fishing communities in the riverine areas as a result of flood disaster. He said the report indicated that over 160,000 farmers and additional 70,000 fishermen were affected by the disaster. ―For about three months the National Food Security Council working with the National Emergency Management Agency conducted comprehensive survey of the farmers, fishermen and livestock owners affected by the flood disaster,‘‘ he said.
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President Buhari, who was honoured at the event with an award of excellence for his administration‘s favorable policy that had impacted positively on the country‘s agricultural sector, pledged that all the affected persons would be compensated to cushion their hardship. He thanked the organisers of the event, and assured that the federal government would continue to implement policies and programmes meant to uplift the standard of living of the Nigerian farmers as well as boost food sufficiency in the country. Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, who is the vice Chairman of the National food Security Council, spoke on the essence of the award given to the President Buhari by the rice farmers. He congratulated the president for the award, and assured that Nigeria would soon commence the exportation of rice to boost the nation‘s revenue base.The CBN governor, Emefiele, in his contribution, said the Anchor Borrowers Programme had remained the most successful agricultural programme in Africa. According to him, many African countries are now under studying the programme with a view to replicating the success in their countries.―The program is changing the narrative of agricultural investments in Nigeria. ―It has brought the era of food security and sustenance leading to a cut in forex being used for importation of rice and other food items into the country,‘‘ he said. He stated the programme had received support from stakeholders across the country including state governors. The CBN governor revealed that the bank was also in partnership with other commodity associations who were working to reduce importation bills and to create jobs. Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, who is the vice Chairman of the National food Security Council, spoke on the essence of the award to President Buhari.
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In his remarks, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Audu Ogbeh, noted that Nigeria had remained the world largest producers of maize, cassava, yam and other staple foods due to the progressive agricultural policies and programme of the Buhari administration. He stressed that the fortunes of farmers across the country had improved, adding that the farmers had told him that they would `reward‘ the President in 2015.(NAN) https://www.nan.ng/agriculture/rice-farmers-confess-moving-from-poverty-to-wealth/
FRSC: we’re not abetting rice smugglers Posted By: Our Reporter On: December 21, 2018
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The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Badagry-Seme Command, says its officers are not abetting smugglers of rice as being speculated in some quarters. Unit Commander Mr. Fatai Bakare made the clarification yesterday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Badagry, Lagos State. He said FRSC operations begin at 6am and end by 6pm, ―except when we are on special patrol, which extends to 10pm.‖ ―This special operation is restricted to the metropolis and not outside the metropolis because we are not armed. ―You don‘t expect us to be in a secluded point when we are not armed. http://thenationonlineng.net/frsc-not-abetting-rice-smugglers/
Rice production: Nigeria will take on the world Governor Bagudu 10 hours ago 4210 views by Nnenna Ibeh - Governor Atiku Bagudu has said that Nigeria will soon take over the world in rice production - The governor said the President Buhari-led administration has shown unprecedented commitments to agriculture development in Nigeria - According to Bagudu, N174 billion has been disbursed as credit to small holder farmers under the anchors borrowers programme The Kebbi state governor, Atiku Bagudu, has said Nigeria is on the path of taking on the world in terms of rice production. The governor said this on Wednesday, December 19, at a Gala night organised by beneficiaries of the government‘s Anchor Borrowers Programme held at the State House Conference Center, Abuja. Bagudu who is the vice chairman of the national food security council, noted that President Muhammadu Buhari has shown unprecedented commitments to agriculture development in Nigeria. Speaking to journalists outside the banquet hall, Bagudu said N174 billion has been disbursed as credit to small holder farmers under the anchors borrowers programme. He said this has provided more food, and therefore ensuring Nigeria's food security. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Governor Bagudu also said the fact that millers have easy access to rice paddies is indicative of a level of self sufficiency.
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About maize farmers he said: "The maize farmers say this year they are expecting an output of about twenty million tons up from about twelve million tons and even the prices we are seeing which are thirty percent lower than they were at this time last year indicates sufficiency." "The fertilizer producers confirm that they are capable of meeting Nigeria's needs and the President indeed confirmed he has banned the importation of fertilizers." READ ALSO: Reps ask IGP Idris to arrest Obono-Obla over alleged fake WAEC result The gala night was graced by Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) and Fertilizers Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN). The associations donated N1.77 billion to fund the re-election bid of President Buhari in next year's presidential election. The president of RIFAN, Aminu Goronyo, said with a membership of about 12.2 million and with each member donating N100 to the campaign, they were able to raise the N1.2 billion. Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the federal government had approved N60 billion in support of its rice subsidy programme aimed at bringing down the price of the commodity across the country. The minister of agriculture and rural development, Audu Ogbeh, made the announcement while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of a meeting of the National Food Security Council. The meeting was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday, November 16. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Nigeria Latest News: Father Mbaka On Buhari, Atiku In Nigeria Election 2019 | Legit https://www.legit.ng/1210915-rice-production-nigeria-world-governor-bagudu.html
FRSC denies helping rice smugglers Published December 20, 2018 FRSC boss Adeboboye Oyeyemi The Federal Road Safety Corps, Badagry-Seme Command, says its officers are not aiding and abetting rice smugglers as being speculated in some quarters.The Unit Commander, Mr Fatai Bakare, made the clarification on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Badagry, Lagos State. According to Bakare, the operations of FRSC commences by 6am and ends by 6pm, except when are on special patrol which extends to 10pm. ―This special operation is restricted to the metropolis and not outside the metropolis because we are not armed. Man in court for allegedly filming policemen on duty.You don‘t expect us to be in a secluded point when we are not armed.―You don‘t expect our staffers to be in a secluded point around 1am, when bad boys, armed to the teeth move around,‖ he said.
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Bakare said that FRSC officials were not trained to arrest smugglers, who usually move at night at high speed,and armed with sophisticated weapons.―If you look at the operations of smugglers, you will notice that they move in the night and in a convoy. ―They are very reckless when they move, ready to kill. They are armed with assorted weapons like swords, cutlasses, charms and at times gun.
―How can you expect a non-armed organisation to arrest such vehicles and people? ―There have been several attacks by the smugglers and other agencies which led to death.―Have we not been seeing obituaries in the dailies of some people from different agencies that were killed by the smugglers despite the fact that they are armed? ―So, what do you think will happen if our staffers make attempts to arrest them? ―We only restricted our programme to enlightenment; we go to Churches, Mosques, marketplaces, palaces and motor parks.
―We use these media to pass our information across since we do not have the wherewithal to confront them on the road,‖ he said. https://punchng.com/frsc-denies-helping-rice-smugglers/
India rice rates hit more than three-month high, Chinese rules weigh on Vietnam By Reuters December 21, 2018 | 10:39 am GMT+7
A man gets sample for quality checking at a rice processing factory in Vietnam's southern Mekong delta, Vietnam. Photo by Reuters/Kham Rice export prices in India rose to their highest in more than three months as a key producing region hiked procurement rates for domestic paddy. Top exporter India‘s 5 percent broken parboiled variety was quoted at $375-$382 per tonne this week, the highest since Sept. 7.
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The central state of Chhattisgarh, a leading rice producer, raised the minimum paddy buying price to 2,500 rupees per 100 kg, from 1,750 rupees earlier this week. "Importers are not ready to pay a higher price. Exports are likely to slow down in coming months," said an exporter based at Kakinada, in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. Prices of Vietnam‘s 5 percent broken rice declined for the fifth straight week to $385 a tonne as activity remained muted, traders said. "Prices fell further because we are concerned that China‘s move to impose stricter conditions on Vietnamese rice will have a long-term impact," a trader based in Ho Chi Minh City said. "It‘s not clear if China is buying more from Cambodia and Myanmar to compensate for the possible declining shipments from Vietnam." Another trader said supplies from Vietnam will increase from late next month when the winterspring harvest begins. In Thailand, benchmark 5 percent broken rice prices were quoted at $390-$391 per tonne, free on board Bangkok, versus $385-$393 a week ago, as the market is expected to remain quiet until well after the New Year period. "This is a reasonable level as we‘re nearing the end of the year. There is not much overseas activity and we‘re also in the harvesting season," a Bangkok-based trader said. Meanwhile, Bangladesh, which emerged as a major importer of rice in 2017 due to stock depletion following floods, has stepped up efforts to procure more rice locally after output of the staple grain improved, a food ministry official said. "The response from farmers is very good and the procurement drive will be continued," the official said. The country‘s production for 2018/19 is expected to recover to 34.7 million tonnes, up 6.3 percent year-on-year, according to estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture attaché in Bangladesh. The South Asian country has procured more than 1.3 million tonnes of rice locally so far in the current season to build state reserves. https://e.vnexpress.net/news/world/business/india-rice-rates-hit-more-than-three-month-highchinese-rules-weigh-on-vietnam-3857530.html
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The Hindu Business Line
21 Dec 2018
ABHISHEK LAW VISHWANATH KULKARNI
FMCG major ITC Ltd has made a quiet entry into the packaged rice segment, mainly the nonbasmati variety. Market sources say the company is piloting with the ‗sona masoori‘ variety in Bengaluru. FMCG major ITC Ltd has made a quiet entry into the packaged rice segment, mainly the nonbasmati variety. Market sources say the company is piloting with the ‗sona masoori‘ variety in Bengaluru. ‗Sona masoori‘ is one of the fine varieties of non-basmati rice and is largely grown in the Tungabhadra belt of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It is largely consumed in South India, mainly in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. ‗Sona masoori‘ is one of the fine varieties of non-basmati rice and is largely grown in the Tungabhadra belt of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It is largely consumed in South India, mainly in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Under the present pilot, that began a couple of weeks ago, ITC is selling in 25-kg packs offering ‗free home delivery‘ at an special offer price of ₹1,400 per bag. Hemant Malik, Divisional Chief Executive, Foods Business, ITC Ltd, said ―Leveraging the company‘s agri-sourcing expertise, we have initiated a pilot in Bengaluru to sell Sona Masoori rice under the Aashirvaad brand. The approach in the initial phase of this pilot is like that of a startup and the focus is on enabling consumer feedback and insights.‖ Tough competition The entry of large players like ITC, which have a wide distribution network, into marketing of staples will result in increased competition, say traders and rice millers. There are hundreds of non-basmati rice brands which are sold in 5-, 10- and 25-kg packs. Already, Patanjali and Adani Wilmar (Fortune brand) have launched sona masoori variants in select markets. Other major branded packaged rice companies include the likes of KRBL (that owns India Gate brand), LT Foods (Dawaat), Kohinoor, Patanjali and so on. However, most of these are basmati rice offerings Already, Patanjali and Adani Wilmar (Fortune brand) have launched sona masoori variants in select markets. Other major branded packaged rice companies include the likes of KRBL (that owns India Gate brand), LT Foods (Dawaat), Kohinoor, Patanjali and so on. However, most of these are basmati rice offerings
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The ‗Aashirvaad‘ brand was set up in 2002 to sell atta and later expanded into other categories such as spices, salt, ghee, milk, and instant mix offerings. The brand has a consumer spend of over ₹4,000 crore. The ‗Aashirvaad‘ brand was set up in 2002 to sell atta and later expanded into other categories such as spices, salt, ghee, milk, and instant mix offerings. The brand has a consumer spend of over ₹4,000 crore. It is not known by when ITC plans a formal foray or a panIndia presence into the packaged rice segment. Nor is it still clear if the company will look at regional variants. Market sources said, ITC already exports both basmati and non-basmati rice to some African and West Asian markets. And naturally then it has its own procurement and logistics network. Market sources said, ITC already exports both basmati and non-basmati rice to some African and West Asian markets. And naturally then it has its own procurement and logistics network. https://www.pressreader.com/india/the-hindu-business-line/20181221/282110637714685
Corporate Corner: TDAP making efforts to facilitate trade bodies By Press Release Published: December 20, 2018
Representational image. PHOTO: REUTERS
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KARACHI: The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) is making efforts to facilitate the trade bodies in resolving their regulatory issues with different government agencies with the aim that exporters can invariably focus on their export activities, TDAP RDCentral Director General Riaz Ahmad expressed these views while chairing a meeting with Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) delegation headed by Safder Hussain Mehkri who visited his office on 17 December, 2018. During the meeting, matters related to defunct Quality Review Committee were discussed. It was explained that there is a dire need to conduct research for rice sector. New markets for rice exports are also needed to be explored as appreciated by the chairman. The meeting was concluded with a vote of thanks from the REAP chairman and other senior office bearers of REAP. Published in The Express Tribune, December 20th, 2018. https://tribune.com.pk/story/1870612/2-corporate-corner-tdap-making-efforts-facilitate-tradebodies/
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Why Eating Rice Is The No. 1 Cultural Appropriation Guilt Trip If you eat rice, you should be ashamed of yourself. You are stealing from so many cultures at once that you might not even know who to apologize to.
By J.C. Bourque DECEMBER 19, 2018
If you are, like me, a Right Thinking Person, you recognize that everything is political. (I‘m also on the Right Side of History, but only as compared to the Left Side of History.) This means that every action, thought, impulse, hankering, whim, or tendency has ramifications distributed somewhere along the oppressor/victim axis, and no matter what you do—or don‘t—someone, somewhere, is going to be offended.
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Despite how cognizant I am of my white, cis, Judeo-Christian, AngloAmerican male privilege (as if the left would ever let me forget), and how vigilantly I try to check all that murderous privilege, I was making some rice the other evening when I realized I was thoughtlessly going about the task without analyzing the political ramifications of my dinner. Not Locally Sourced Rice Who was being exploited in bringing this food to my table? How far was this rice transported to get here? There are no rice paddies in Colorado that I know of, so certainly I must have broken some ―slow food‖ directives. And if I have a second helping, is someone going to starve to death somewhere else? After careful consideration, I realized that by making a pot of rice, I was appropriating someone‘s culture. But whose? At first blush, you‘d probably choose Asians. But which Asians? There are so many. It was time for a little research (which is the only kind of research I do—and I‘m darned good at it, I‘ll have you know). I was stunned to discover that by making rice I was appropriating from almost every culture on the planet and throughout much of history. There is, for example, Persian Jeweled Rice, which I am eager to appropriate once I can find the unobtaniumingredient: barberries. There‘s arroz rojo (Mexican red rice), rice pilaf (stolen from the hapless Pilaffians during typical brutal colonial aggression), black rice (a superfood), Spanish rice, sushi rice, and Basmati from India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Armenians have a rice dish with noodles and chicken broth, while the Haitians have a version all their own with red beans. East African Swahili Shrimp Pilau (recipe available at Jambo Imports in Santa Fe, New Mexico) is a rice dish with cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. Alternatively, if you cook some rice with onions, garlic, cilantro, and lemon juice, you‘ve got a favorite Brazilian side dish. Although it is believed that aboriginal North Americans cultivated a form of wild rice, it was not among the strains commercially farmed in North America. Therefore, it is possible that rice is
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the only thing that we aren‘t guilty of stealing from Native Americans (whew!), and the only culture I‘m not ripping off by cooking the stuff. Here‘s a fact I found in my research that will blow the circuits of the social justice warrior mind: Rice was introduced to North America from Africa, and slaves from the Senegambia region of West Africa brought high prices at auction due to their prior knowledge of rice cultivation. Southern plantation owners made a fortune in rice production until the Civil War made them start paying for labor. Keep that in mind, sneering hipsters, when you‘re proudly showing off your enlightened, woke, vegan, slow food, farm-to-table, multicultural credentials. Eating Rice Is an Act of Violence Despite rice‘s bloody history, people in Western cultures persist in using it in all sorts of foodie preparations, particularly in vegetarian and vegan diets, without a trace of remorse. Perhaps it‘s due to ignorance. Certainly no self-respecting SJW would knowingly use a product inextricably linked to racism, oppression, and brutal murder. Nevertheless, we Westerners, using our vaunted free market creativity and privileged obliviousness to other cultures, have managed to appropriate cultural artifacts from all over, creating white-ified versions of almost everything. Jazz music, for example. Think Louis Armstrong morphing into Kenny G. Or Italian cuisine (SpaghettiOs). Regarding rice, we have developed complex and original recipes using the ubiquitous staple grain, imbuing it with ponderous cultural significance and exciting, bold new flava‘. In other words, we‘ve made it our own. Consider a few examples. White Liberal Rice is served clammy and riddled with guilt; Trans Rice is actually corn, but it identifies as rice (don‘t sayanything); Steamed Pouting Rice has become wildly yet morosely popular since President Trump‘s inauguration; and Social Justice Rice comes out exactly the same, every time, in equal portions for everyone, no matter how you cook it. There‘s Helsinki Rice––a dour, stuffy varietal where 65 percent of your serving is confiscated and given to others; Havana Rice, which is an empty bowl the same size as everyone else‘s empty bowl; Rice Merkel, in which you continually add other ingredients until there‘s no rice
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remaining; Border Rice, prepared by violently separating the grains as soon as they are on your property and cooking them in different pots. The two batches can never be served together and must be sent to random destinations without accurate record-keeping. Triggered Rice cooks itself at the mere mention of making dinner; Snowflake Rice is a sensitive little grain that must be very carefully cooked using as little heat as possible. Even if you manage to cook it successfully, you can‘t eat it, because that wouldn‘t be fair. Condoleezza Rice is accused of being an ―Uncle Ben‖ traitor to the rice race. Lastly there‘s Rice Dolezal, an imitation brown rice whose color washes off with a good rinsing. As it happened, we were making Lamb Rogan Josh, so I must plead (and feel) guilty of robbing the entire Indian subcontinent of its treasured culture, although I imagine—my dinner notwithstanding—they‘re still making it over there, so who exactly got robbed? J.C. Bourque is a recovering liberal whose rantings can be found in his book “Squeezed: RearEnded by American Politics.” If you didn’t care for this essay, you won’t like the book, either. https://thefederalist.com/2018/12/19/eating-rice-no-1-cultural-appropriation-guilt-trip/
‗Trade cooperation between Maldives and Pakistan must increase‘ Staff Report DECEMBER 20, 2018
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―The Maldivian businessmen are very much interested in enhancing economic cooperation and bilateral trade with Pakistan. The main purpose of this delegation‘s visit is to commence a new chapter of bilateral relations‖. This was stated by Mr Abdul Bari Abdulla, Member of Parliament and Leader of the Maldives delegation to Karachi at an exclusive meeting organized by Economic Council of Employers‘ Federation of Pakistan. Mr Abdulla informed that there is an imperative need to reduce shipping cost between Karachi and Malé which is 60% more than the shipping cost between Karachi and Colombo. He said that generally businessmen trade with their old established importers and exporters. There is this psychological factor of confidence among both parties. Ahmed Marzoog, Member of Parliament, said that he is also an importer of rice, fruits and vegetables from Pakistan. He said there is a growing demand for building materials, cement, furniture and even sand. He also said there is a substantial need for doctors and para medics. He said now trade with China is increasing and there will be more Chinese goods entering Maldives. Earlier, Majyd Aziz, President EFP, in his welcome address stated that the bilateral trade is very low and there is ample scope for enhancement of trade. He added that under SAFTA agreement, there is every possibility to source for products that Pakistan can supply. Majyd Aziz informed that EFP is a member of South Asian Forum of Employers and he is the President of SAFE. He said that since Maldives is not member of SAFE, he would like to invite the President of the Maldives Business Federation to attend the Annual Meeting of SAFE in New Delhi in February 2019 as an observer. Ismail Suttar, Chairman EFP Economic Council, highlighted the need for interacting with foreign delegations and diplomats to find ways and means to increase bilateral business relations. He said that the Economic Council is the right forum to assist foreign businessmen and industrialists with their local counterparts. Zaki Ahmed Khan, Vice President EFP, discussed pharmaceuticals exports. He said that Pakistan is exporting to many countries but still not to Maldives. He also said that pharma products from Pakistan are certified Halal. Asif Zuberi, Co-Chairman of EFP-EC, also said that EFP represents industries and large and medium enterprises unlike Chambers and Associations who are dominated by traders. Therefore, the services of EFP-EC are offered to all foreign institutions and individuals. The meeting was attended by other members of EFP-EC, Zafar Tapal Hon Consul General of Maldives and representatives from TDAP. Mementos and copies of EFP Economic Vision 2030 were also presented to the delegation.
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Rice Farmers In Murang‘a Decry Loss Occasioned By Snails
KNA December 19, 2018 Editor's Pick, Murang'a0
Murang‘a farmer, Catherine Syovata standing along part of her rice farm which was destroyed by snails. Photo by Bernard Munyao For the last three years, a group of small scale rice farmers in Murang‘a County have been counting losses occasioned by snails. About 50 farmers affiliated to Thathawa irrigation scheme in lower parts of Kiharu constituency have decried increase of snails in their farms that destroy their crops. The farmers now claim that the snails migrated from a neighbouring farm owned by a foreigner who rears the pests for export. One of the farmers, Peter Irungu told KNA that the snails started appearing in his farm back in 2015 and they have spread fast to more than 80 acres of land under rice growing. He noted that the pests have occasioned drastic reduction of rice production in his two-acre of land resulting to meager earnings. Irungu remarked that before infestation by the snails he used to generate more than Sh350, 000 from his two acres. He said the snails affected the crop at early stages, adding that they have been forced to drain water at least to make them inactive. ―We have been unable to control the snails which multiple very fast. The option we adopt is to
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empty water from the rice pads forcing the snails to hibernate under soil,‖ added Irungu. The farmers appealed for help from the county government claiming that rice farming was their only source of livelihood. Rice is commonly grown in the neighbouring Kirinyaga County, but since 2009, a section of Murang‘a farmers adopted it through irrigation with help of water drawn from River Sagana. In 2005, the Ministry of Water provided funds to support horticultural farming in Nyangathi area but some farmers put their farms under rice farming. Another farmer Catherine Syovata narrated that rice farming is more profitable despite losses occasioned by the snails. She said some agricultural officers who had visited their farms were of little help, while appealing for more assistance from the government. The farmers also want assistance to get their own water specifically for rice farming, noting that currently they were sharing the rare commodity with so many other farmers. ―If we can get our pipes and tap water for our farms, it will help us put more acres under rice growing. Currently we share water with farmers who are growing horticultural crops,‖ said Syovata. Meanwhile, poor road network linking farms in the area continue to subject rice farmers to exploitation by brokers who buy their produce at low prices. ―We sell our rice to middle men who visit our farms during harvesting. If we can have better roads we could be able to transport our produce directly to markets for better prices,‖ the farmers noted. By Bernard Munyao http://www.kenyanews.go.ke/rice-farmers-in-muranga-decry-loss-occasioned-by-snails/
A STAPLE PROBLEM?A HISTORY OF RICE CRISIS IN THE PHILIPPINES While the Philippines is known for its agricultural lands, the country continues to face recurring rice crises over the years BY ALEX EVANGELISTA DECEMBER 19, 2018 Published 11:00 AM, December 19, 2018 Updated 11:00 AM, December 19, 2018
MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte's administration was mired in rice problems during his second year in office, pulling it away from his target of 100% rice self-sufficiency by the end of the year. While cause for deep concern, these issues are not entirely new to Filipinos. Soaring prices, weevil infestations, and the depletion of reserves in several areas worried Filipinos in 2018, causing an uproar and even raising questions on the leadership of National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator Jason Aquino.
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The situation hit a low point in April when Aquino revealed that the agency had only less than two days' worth of buffer stock. The NFA is required to maintain a 15-day stock at any given time, and a 30-day stock from July to September to prepare for calamities. Filipinos continued to feel the brunt of the impending crisis, as prices in September reached up to P46 for well-milled rice, and P43 for regular milled rice. It was only in October that the rice situation seemed to have eased, when Duterte finally lifted restrictions on rice imports to reduce inflation. In the previous year, he discouraged rice importation in order to protect local rice farmers. (READ: [OPINION] Solving our 'unli' rice crisis) The Department of Agriculture also set suggested retail prices for rice to combat inflation. Rice prices have gone down week-per-week from October, and have eased to 8.1%during the first week of December. For a country teeming with agricultural land, the Philippines continues to suffer from rice crises every few years. Here‘s a look at the rice woes that previous administrations had to deal with in the past.
Marcos administration: 1965-1986 President Ferdinand Marcos opened his term with the Green Revolution which pioneered scientific research into high-yielding varieties of rice in the country. However, things took a turn when Martial Law was declared and as millions of Filipinos faced a dwindling rice supply due to various political and environmental factors. In the 1970s, the country was visited by strong storms that caused tremendous damage to the agriculture sector. Things worsened in 1972 when Typhoons Edeng and Gloring ravaged Luzon, causing great floods especially in the central plains. The country also suffered from a major drought the months after. Aside from these, political tensions in Mindanao and a growing incidence of tungro, a riceinfecting pest, contributed to low rice supplies. Local rice production also dropped to a low 17%. To address this, the government relied on heavy imports with 455,000 tons in 1972 from just 10 tons in 1968. This, however, failed to address the problem.
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Rice stocks were almost gone in 1973 that they had to mix in corn grits to continue supply. A New York Times reportsaid that white rice disappeared from the markets and ―block-long double lines‖ of people waiting for rice rations swamped Manila and other provinces. It took 6 years before the rice supply finally stabilized.
Corazon Aquino administration: 1986-1992 Still recovering from the rice crisis in the 70s and Martial Law, former president Corazon Aquino‘s government was not safe from impending rice issues. Increases in rice prices were also felt during this time, brought about by the looming Asian financial crisis and El Niño A sudden spike in rice imports was seen from 1988 to 1990, around the same time El Niño affected agricultural regions such as Cagayan Valley and Southern Mindanao. According to a PAGASA study, the affected rice and corn area from the 1989-1990 drought totaled 283,562 hectares. While Aquino failed to dismantle the NFA‘s monopoly on the international trade of rice, she launched the Grains Sector Development Program (GDSP) in 1990 which sought to finance agricultural programs and overcome institutional and investment constraints that can hinder food security. However, agreements with financial companies on the GDSP were only finalized in 2000.
Ramos administration: 1992-1998 Filipinos suffered the brunt of the 1995 rice crisis in the country which stemmed from poor government planning. Rice demand increased by 5.7% in that year, but local output was stagnant due to droughts the year before. Despite this, Ramos took the advice of then agriculture secretary Roberto Sebastian to import only about 300,000 metric tons (MT) of rice, as compared to the 700,000 MT suggested by the NFA. Price ceilings imposed by the National Price Coordinating Council, along with panic-buying from consumers, aggravated the shortage problem. Like Marcos, the Ramos administration resorted to heavy rice imports, which reached as much as 722,000 MT in 1997, and 2.17 million MT in 1998.
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Millions of Filipinos queued for hours at NFA‘s Bigasang Bayan outlets to buy cheaper rice at P10.25 per kilo, as commercial rice prices soared from P21 to P28 per kilo.
Estrada administration: 1998-2001 While there were no huge rice problems during former president Joseph Estrada‘s term, his administration was the second largest importer since the Marcos era. Under Estrada, yearly average rice importation was at 1.02 million MT – nearly double that of the yearly average importation of 520,562 MT during Ramos‘ time. In 1998 alone, rice imports reached 2.2 million MT from 722,756.50 MT in the previous year. The huge increase in imports was influenced by the effects of El Niño on palayproduction, which prompted the government to seek ways to stabilize rice prices. Estrada, however, managed to increase average rice production growth to 12.47% and imports returned to lower levels in the next two years at about 800,000 MT.
Arroyo administration: 2001-2010 The Arroyo administration had to face the 2008 global rice supply crisis that drove international rice rates upwards. According to the World Rice Statistics and Food and Agriculture Organization, the Philippines, despite being the 8th largest rice producer in 2008 (at 16.8 million MT), was also the world‘s top rice importer (1.8 million tons) which could mean that the country was directly affected by the crisis. By March, NFA reserves were down to up to two weeks' worth of supply, and average price for regular milled rice had gone up to about P43 per kilo by June – almost a 50% increase from the usual P25 to P30 per kilo. The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) claimed that Arroyo had known about the impending rice crisis as early as February that year. It is also important to note that Arroyo, together with the NFA, signed contracts with other countries like Vietnam in 2007 to import 2.2 million MT – the highest in a decade. The government, however, was quick to deny the existence of a rice crisis, insisting only on a ―price crisis.‖These events fueled panic among Filipinos, who began stockpiling rice in homes and lined up for government-subsidized NFA rice for cheap prices at P18.25. Due to the huge number of people lining up, however, NFA had to decrease the limit of rations from 3 kilos per family to just one.
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Arroyo ordered a crackdown on hoarders and rice smugglers – who allegedly bought subsidized rice and sold them at higher prices – to ―ensure that cheap government rice ends up on the tables of the intended consumers – the country's poor.‖ The rice crisis drove millions of Filipinos to poverty and hunger. In a study by the Asian Development Bank, the number of self-rated poor Filipinos peaked at 59% in the second quarter of 2008. While prices stabilized a year after, heavy imports continued until the end of Arroyo‘s tenure in 2010.
Benigno Aquino III administration: 2010-2016
AGRICULTURE DOWN. Production of palay went up by 3.28% but the agriculture sector, as a whole, slowed down in the first quarter of 2014. AFP file photo
One of former president Benigno Aquino III‘s promises when he started out was to achieve 100% rice self-sufficiency in the country by 2013. However, he failed to fulfill this promise. As early as April 2011, just a year into Aquino‘s term, a confidential report by the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (Nica) that was leaked to the media warned the former president of a looming rice shortage brought by changes in the international food market and weather systems.
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Quelling fears, the government managed to increase rice production in the same year and slashed rice imports from 1.3 million MT to 660,000 MT. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization also saw stable production for the next two years. It was in 2014 when rice prices began to rise, with average retail prices going beyond P40 per kilo, reminiscent of the 2008 rice crisis. Because of this, the government had to resort to more imports, adding 500,000 MT for immediate importation to the original set imports of 800,000 MT for the year. Aquino also urged a crackdown against hoarders who allegedly stockpiled NFA rice for selling at higher prices. Rice smugglers were also targeted. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, rice smuggling was more prominent during Aquino‘s time at 2.3 million tons from 2011-2014, as compared to 500,000 tons smuggled in 2005 to 2009 under Arroyo. According to the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, however, price spikes must not be blamed on smugglers, but on reduced imports in 2013 in line with the rice self-sufficiency program. In 2015, the Philippines was hit by El Niño which drove prices higher again due to low production. Rice self-sufficiency fell to 88.93% from 96% in 2013, as imports continued to boom. Aquino managed to boost this number to 95% by the end of his term in 2016. – Rappler.com https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/212410-history-rice-crisis-philippines-yearend-2018
Duterte to sign rice tariffication bill into law ‗soon‘ – Palace Last updated Dec 19, 2018 By Prince Golez Malacanang has assured that President Rodrigo Duterte will sign into law the Rice Tarrification Bill ―soon enough.‖―I suppose it will be signed any time. Siguro maraming trabaho si Presidente,‖ presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a press briefing Wednesday. On November 22, the bicameral committee approved the measure that aims to lift the quantitative restriction on rice imports and to allow importation of the staple by the private traders.To help the local farmers, the bill would allocate P10 billion to the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund for the improvement of farm machinery and equipment, seed production, training for rice farming, and loan program.
https://politics.com.ph/duterte-to-sign-rice-tariffication-bill-into-law-soon-palace/
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Seed Co mulls rice, potato seed production On Dec 20, 2018
By Michael Tome Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) listed seed producer, Seed Co Limited, says it is considering venturing into rice and potato seed production in a move that will help the country cut on a huge import bill for the crops that is gobbling significant amounts of foreign currency.
Seed Co Limited group finance director John Matorofa (left), group chairman David Long and group CEO Morgan Nzwere at the group‘s financial results presentation The Southern Africa country imports over 95 percent of the rice it consumes, translating to nearly $100 million annually despite having potential to grow the crop and a ready market of the ever growing domestic demand for the cereal. Zimbabwe imports rice from China, India, Malawi and Indonesia among other major rice producers.
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Addressing journalists at a luncheon hosted by the seed producing company in Harare this week, Seed Co Chief Executive Officer Denias Zaranyika, said his organisation was working on rice seed varieties compatible with the local climate. Mr Zaranyika said the work on the new rice varieties was aimed at boosting production of the crop in the country with an overall goal to curb the importation of the cereals at a time Zimbabwe is battling biting foreign currency crisis. He said rice was produced erratically in communal areas dotted around the country. ―We are busy working on some rice varieties, they are now under trial and we are trying to make sure that they perform under this environment. ―This is so that we either reduce or stop rice imports because almost every grain of rice save for what is produced in the communal areas is imported. ―You have always heard us saying we are slowly getting into rice, reason being lot of imports that are coming into the country are dominated by Asia,‖ said Mr Zaranyika. Mr Zaranyika also said his company was working on potato seed varieties suitable for local production. His company was committed to improve Zimbabwe‘s economy through effective and competitive agricultural practices. ―We are also working on potatoes seed (varieties), we must make sure that we have the right varieties for our country. ―Agriculture is one of the main key drivers in the economic recovery process for Zimbabwe. ―Our organisation is determined to ensure that we put our best foot forward and do everything necessary to ensure we work with the Government and the farmers to prop up Zimbabwe‘s economic environment,‖ he said. The Herald https://nehandaradio.com/2018/12/20/seed-co-mulls-rice-potato-seed-production/
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By Newsday December 19, 2018
Regional seed producer Seed-Co says it is working on developing rice varieties suitable for the local climatic conditions in order to scale back the country‘s reliance on rice imports. BY Staff Reporter Naturally, the cereal requires more water than any other crop; it grows well in fertile river basins. Zimbabwe, which is striving to become a food self-reliant nation, imports upwards of 90% of its rice requirements, with government estimates putting money spent on rice imports at $80 million annually. ―As Seed-Co, we are working on developing rice varieties; our research and development department is currently undertaking trials, and soon we should be able to report back to the market that we have a product,‖ regional managing director Denias Zaranyika told journalists in Harare yesterday. ―Almost all the rice that is consumed in this country is imported mostly from Asian countries, and we are looking to stop that so that we can produce it on our own and save the scarce foreign currency,‖ he said. The top 10 rice-producing countries in the world account for 90% of the world‘s rice consumption. These are India, China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, the Philippines, Cambodia and Pakistan. Zaranyika added that the company was also working on developing potato varieties. Over the past seven years, Seed-Co has invested over $28 million towards research and development, as the company intensifies efforts to compete on the global market. This year alone at least $6 million has been budgeted towards the same cause.
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The agro company, which unbundled its regional operations and subsequently listed on the Botswana Stock Exchange, reported a fair set of earnings for the half-year to September 30, 2018.Revenue for the period rose 82% to $29 million from $15 million during the same period in the prior year, driven by a 115% jump in maize sales. During the period under review, profit from continuing operations amounted to $5,9 million from a loss position of $35 million, mainly driven by earlier than normal timing of maize seed sales as well as growth in finance income. Net finance income doubled due to income earned on Treasury Bills held.Other income came in 24% lower on account of lower commodity sales. Operating costs largely remained flat due to cost containment measures prior to the inflation run that ensued from October. Margins remained steady due to better product mix. Assets declined to $191 million from $248 million during the prior comparable period due to the unbundling of regional operations under Seed Co International that listed on the Botswana Stock Exchange. https://www.newsday.co.zw/2018/12/seed-co-developing-rice-varieties/
Sotto hits Piñol over pullout of NFA rice BY JAVIER J. ISMAEL DECEMBER 20, 2018 SENATE President Vicente Sotto 3rd on Wednesday took exception to Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol‘s announcement that the government could no longer afford to sell subsidized rice once the Rice Tariffication Law takes effect. The Senate chief, however, said that with the yearly P10-billion subsidy under the Rice Tariffication Law for farmers, Filipinos would not go hungry even without rice from the National Food Authority (NFA). SENATE President Vicente Sotto 3rd
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In the yearend press conference of the Department of Agriculture on Tuesday, Piñol said the NFA would stop the sale of subsidized rice upon the depletion of imported stocks.
―The moment that all of NFA‘s rice imports are sold in the market, there will be no more rice priced at P27 a kilo,‖ he said. ―NFA will turn into a welfare agency and it will be in huge debt. The P27 rice variant is not realistic and should have been removed a long time ago,‖ Piñol added. President Rodrigo Duterte is set to sign the rice tariffication bill, which will liberalize the rice industry by removing the quota on rice imports.Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol Under the measure, NFA‘s role will be limited to keeping the country‘s buffer stock for emergency purposes and buying unmilled rice from local farmers. The tariffication bill, Senate Bill 1998, replaces quantitative import restrictions on rice with tariffs, and creates the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund or Rice Fund.
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Sen. Cynthia Villar, Agriculture committee chairman, earlier said: ―Remember, the need to impose tariff is an obligation under the World Treaty Organization agreement, which the country entered into years back. It will be more difficult to deal with trade sanctions if we don‘t abide by the agreement.‖ https://www.manilatimes.net/sotto-hits-pinol-over-pullout-of-nfa-rice/485262/
Debunking the lies in Buhari‘s budget Reno ON DECEMBER 19, 201810:06 Buhari said ―Through hard work, and by the special grace of God, we have weathered these storms‖. What storm did you weather when under you, 20.93 million people became unemployed and your country became the world headquarters for extreme poverty? #Buhari2019BudgetLies Pastor Reno Omokri Buhari‘s double: Lauretta Onochie bombs Fani-Kayode over fake news Buhari said ―The economy has recovered from recession and we have had six quarters of growth since then.‖ That is technically not true. Our population continues to grow almost 3 times faster than economic growth. Poverty is inevitable under such conditions #Buhari2019BudgetLies We have done more work with less resources in agriculture‖. Not true. More work than whom? According to the US Department of
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Agriculture, Nigeria now imports more food than under former President Goodluck Jonathan. We are billed two be the 2nd largest rice importer in the world next year. Google it. #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said ―We have made strenuous and successful efforts to overcome the insurgency in NE‖. A blatant lie. Nigeria fell in the Global Terrorism Index from #4 under GEJ to #3 this year. More soldiers died this year than at any other time eg, Metele #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said ―The FG has been working in a unified and patriotic manner to tackle tension between herdsmen and farmers‖. Blatant lie. 2018 has been the worst year of herdsmen killing in Nigeria‘s history with over 3,000 killed and not one killer convicted #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said ―The FG has also sustained its efforts to fight grand corruption‖. Another BIG lie. According to Transparency International, Nigeria is now more corrupt than at any time in its history and fell 12 places from 136 to 148 in the latest CPI #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said ―We recorded successes in economic management.‖ How can this be when in 2019 we simultaneously became world headquarters for extreme poverty, out of school kids & infant mortality? BillGates called Nigeria one of the worst places to be born #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said ―We have increased foreign exchange reserves from a low of $28.57B in May 2015 to $42.92B‖. Another lie. Buhari failed to tell you our debt doubled from ₦11 trillion under GEJ to ₦24 trillion today. You can‘t increase reserve with debt #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said ―, Nigeria was spending $5 million dollars a day on rice importation. Today rice imports have virtually stopped‖ This is the biggest lie of all. Only a man without shame can lie like this. Read this exposé by yourself https://t.co/6MBzCMEhNM #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said ―In the railway sector, we completed and commissioned the Abuja-Kaduna Rail‖. This is an unnecessary lie. Google it. That project was completed by the GEJ Government. What was outstanding in 2015 was importation of the trains from China #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari claimed the ―construction of the Oju/Loko-Oweto bridge over River Benue‖ as his achievement. Fellow Nigerians, here is a picture of that bridge being constructed in 2013. My question to Buhari is this-are you a time traveller sir? #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said ―In power, we are working on over 90 transmission projects across the country.‖ Notice he did not say Generation. He said ‗transmission‘ (apologies to IGP Idris), because Buhari HAS NOT built even ONE power station. The last was built by GEJ #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said ―we are also looking at rolling out similar off grid solutions to Universities―. What an amazing lie. Never in the history of Nigeria has education been underfunded as today under Buhari. As you read this, both ASUU and ASUP are on strike #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said ―297,973 households in 26 states across the country are benefitting from the Conditional Cash Transfer program.‖ I don‘t need to debunk this lie. If you know that President Buhari lied on this claim, simply retweet this and
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comment after #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said ―We are most encouraged by the improved performance of the economy‖. This shows Buhari is divorced from reality. In 2018, the World Economic Forum officially makes Nigeria the world headquarters of extreme poverty and he says this? #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said ―we have returned to the path of growth‖. You yourself know that nothing is growing. 5 days ago, Buhari himself held a close door meeting with the 36 Governors and told them ―things will get worse‖. This is a deliberate lie to cover failure #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said ―we have since the 2016 Budget created a revenue line in the budget for stolen and recovered funds.‖ Another LIE. In July 2018 this govt claimed to share $330 million Abacha loot to the poor only to borrow $328 million from China in August #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari boasted of a ―67 percent budget performance‖. Why do his handlers keep doing this to him? Please do yourself a favour and read the truth here https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/11/forget-2018-budget-it-was-a-waste-of-time-anyway2/amp/#click=https://t.co/A1eM2PUOUA #Buhari2019BudgetLies Buhari said he targets ―Real GDP growth of 3.01%‖. What is on ground to justify this expectation? We did not even get 1.5% growth this year and the President told Governors ―things will get worse‖, so even he knows he is lying #Buhari2019BudgetLies Finally, Buhari should note that when he lies so blatantly to the Nigerian public, he can deceive some of the people some of the time but he can‘t fool all of the people all of the time. Everything I have exposed can be verified via a Google search #Buhari2019BudgetLies.
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/12/debunking-the-lies-in-buharis-budget-reno/
GM seeds may face hurdles US agency says in a report on Bangladesh Sohel Parvez
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12:00 AM, December 20, 2018 / LAST MODIFIED: 12:06 AM, December 20, 2018 A lack of purchasing power in the farming sector dominated by small and marginal people may restrict the wider use of genetically modified (GM) seeds in Bangladesh, said the US Department of Agriculture recently. Farmers believe GM seeds are higher priced in comparison to non-GM varieties, according to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service's Bangladesh Agricultural Biotechnology Annual 2018 report. ―GM seeds for planting may also experience difficulty gaining market acceptability unless apprehensions about multinational seed companies are addressed.‖ The report was released on December 12. However, Md Jahangir Hossain, country project director of Feed the Future Biotech Project (potato and Bt brinjal) of USAID, said Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) sells both GM and non-GM brinjal seeds at the same price at Tk 700 per kilogram. He said the price of Bt eggplant seeds of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) is Tk 5,000 per kilogram. But it will not affect farmers as BARI does not sell directly to growers, he said. The USDA said there was a general recognition within Bangladesh's scientific and policy community that agricultural biotechnology offered a tool to provide food security to the country's growing population. Nevertheless, some local advocacy groups publicly question GE technology, it added. ―Because there is a dearth of reliable information, many Bangladeshi citizens are not wellinformed. The quality of publicly disseminated information is not always accurate or supported with sound science. Gaining future market acceptance will greatly depend on education efforts,‖ said the report. Since 2013 Bangladesh has released four GE eggplant varieties infused with genes that are resistant to fruit and shoot borer (FSB) disease, the most devastating pest in South and Southeast Asia.
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BARI released the GM vegetable and is seeking approval from the government to release three more varieties of eggplants. Farmers apply heavy doses of pesticide to protect eggplants from pest infestation. Bangladesh Rice Research Institute and Cotton Development Board are working to release GE rice and cotton which bear the names Golden Rice and Bt Cotton respectively. The USDA terms Bangladesh a role model in case of accepting and advancing modern biotechnologies in daily life. It said with innovative biotech support from the world scientific community, Bangladesh was progressing gradually to initiate research and trials of new GE varieties. The government is also supporting scientists in this advancement, but regulatory policies are not fully developed to cover all aspects of production and marketing, it added. ―Although, government funding for research is limited, Bangladesh became a leader in GE vegetables, such as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) brinjal production, for commercial use and consumption,‖ said the report. Since the release, the Bari has been producing and distributing Bt brinjal seeds among farmers. The highest amount of seeds of GE eggplant, 1,827 kilogrammes (kg), was produced in fiscal 2016-17. Production of seeds of Bt brinjal by BADC slumped to 612 kg in 2017-18, according to the USDA report, which says 1,400 kg of seeds are in stock.The USDA said seed multiplication was continuing through increased interest of farmers. Some 1.50 lakh farmers produce brinjal on their farms and 23 percent of them are producing Bt Brinjal.It is estimated that 5.95 percent of 80,000 acres of farm land set aside for growing brinjal are cultivated with Bt brinjal, according to the report.Dilafroza Khanam, chief scientific officer and head of the biotechnology division of the Bari, said farmers got higher production as the fruit and shoot borer disease did not affect the crops for use of GE seeds. https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/gm-seeds-may-face-hurdles-1676104
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Do your job, stop scaring consumes on impact of rice tariffication bill —Pangilinan to DA chief Published December 19, 2018 5:34pm By AMITA LEGASPI, GMA News Senator Francis Pangilinan said the rice tariffication bill, when it becomes law, should not be used as an excuse to alarm the consumers about available and affordable rice. Instead, Department of Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol should do his job in ensuring that Filipino farmers are equipped and able to produce rice that can be sold at competitive price. Pangilinan issued the statement a day after Pinol declared that the government will stop selling the P27 per kilo NFA rice starting March 2019 if rice tariffication pushes through. The agriculture chief said if NFA rice will be sold, it will be priced at P35 per kilo and up. Instead of causing alarm, Pangilinan said Piñol should act on his mandate as Agriculture secretary to make rice farmers more productive and competitive through cheaper farm inputs and lower rice wastage. ―He should ensure bigger incomes for local rice farmers,‖ Pangilinan, a member of the Senate committee on agriculture and former presidential adviser on agroculture and food, said. He added the Agriculture chief should be more vigilant and should be able to use his authority under the Price Act to ensure that affordable rice is available to the public. ―Under this law, he has the power to ensure no overpricing, hoarding, profiteering, delay of importation, and other forms of price manipulation happen with respect to our country's staple,‖ he said. ―The Agriculture Secretary should work on ensuring that there is sufficient land for agriculture, especially rice,‖ he added.
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For his part, Senator Aquilino Pimentel III agreed with Piñol that the NFA would no longer need to sell low-priced rice, which was the objective of the law. ―Yes, that is the objective of the law. To allow competitors for NFA. Because NFA has gotten too complacent, to put it mildly, given its monopoly or power to import rice. Naka idlip ang NFA kaya gumawa ang Kongreso ng radikal na hakbang para magising sa katotohanan ang NFA,‖ he said. "Under the bill, NFA will concentrate on keeping buffer stock of rice. The idea is to have low priced rice in the market through competition. Low priced rice doesn't have to be NFA imported,‖ Pimentel added. Senator Francis Escudero said the provisions on safeguard and assistance to farmers should be given equal importance. ―Prices will go down but we also have to give safeguards and support to our farmers. "It‘s a balancing act because prices have to be low for consumers but, at the same time, we should help our farmers make a living,‖ he said. The Rice Tariffication Bill, certified as urgent, is set to be signed by the President. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/economy/678759/palace-rice-tariffication-bill-upfor-duterte-s-signature/story/?just_in https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/678784/do-your-job-stop-scaring-consumerson-impact-of-rice-tariffication-bill-pangilinan-to-da-chief/story/
Customs seizes N137m smuggled rice ON DECEMBER 20, 20186:37 By Ike Uchechukwu CALABAR—
The Strike Force Team of the Nigeria Customs Service, NIS, has intercepted 5,662 bags of smuggled rice and 137 bales of secondhand clothes all valued at N137 million. Briefing newsmen at government warehouse yesterday in Calabar, Cross River State, Mr. Abdullahi Kirawa, National Coordinator, Headquarters of the NIS Strike Force Team, Abuja, said the
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seizure was made within Cross River and Akwa Ibom states Area Command of the service. File: Rice-Smugglers intercepted by Customs His words: ―Of the 5,662 bags of rice, 2,153 were handed over to the Strike Force Team by the Nigerian Navy. This shows the collaboration and synergy that exist between the NIS, Nigerian Navy, the Police and other sister agencies. ―This seizure would not have been possible without the motivation of the Comptroller General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali(retd), who has given us all required to do the job.‖
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/12/customs-seizes-n137m-smuggled-rice/
Agriculture to reap harvest of modernity 2018-12-20 10:06:05China DailyEditor : Mo Hong'e
Machinery will help ensure vital produce delivered China will accelerate agricultural mechanization and widen the use of agricultural machines, which experts said will increase efficiency for diverse cultivations and help increase farmers' incomes. The move was decided at a State Council executive meeting on Dec 12, presided over by Premier Li Keqiang, which adopted five measures.More machinery should be used for harvesting major crops, such as rice, wheat, corn, potato, cotton and sugar cane, said a statement released after the meeting. Subsidies will be given for operations such as deep ploughing.
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Machines made by domestic and overseas producers will be used while financial institutions are encouraged to grant loans for buying such machinery. Other technologies, such as irrigation, will be promoted along with agricultural machinery. Small and medium-sized machines should be developed for hilly areas or for small family run farms. Meanwhile, the meeting decided to build a smart agriculture network by integrating internetbased technologies with agricultural machinery. Production consortiums will be established among machinery service providers, family farms, large-scale growers and agricultural enterprises. Li Guoxiang, a senior researcher at the Rural Development Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the meeting targeted green and high-quality development for the agricultural sector. China still has some shortcomings in agricultural machinery and the new measures are expected to ease such problems, he said. In recent years, China's overall agricultural mechanization has climbed to more than 60 percent, with that for wheat production exceeding 90 percent, the researcher said. The rise in such mechanization reduces the need for human labor and plays a vital role in the development of agricultural production, he said. Over the past four decades, China's agricultural machinery sector has seen fast growth. In 1977, the overall value of production in this sector was only 5.4 billion yuan ($785 million). In 2017, the agricultural machinery sector saw profits of 24.3 billion yuan, up by 8.1 percent year-on-year, according to Ning Xuegui, deputy secretary-general of the China Association for Agricultural Machinery Industry. Overall revenue for 2,429 key agricultural machinery makers hit 429 billion yuan last year, a year-on-year increase of 6.15 percent, Ning said. All 12 subareas of agricultural machinery accomplished increases last year, showing that promoting such machines led to healthy and sustainable development of the sector, Ning said. However, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, hills and mountains are not suitable for large machine cultivation and they cover about 64 percent of China's land area, especially in southern China. Imbalances still exist in China's agricultural mechanization, partly due to its diverse farmlands, Premier Li said at the meeting. Therefore, infrastructure should be improved for hilly areas, including water resource facilities and road upgrading, he said.
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The executive meeting also pledged to improve the quality of farmland by integrating differentsized plots and supported land renovation in hilly areas, allowing them to be accessible to machinery. Liang Qiying, a 45-year-old farmer in Yuanyang county, Yunnan province, said agricultural machinery cannot be used in many mountainous areas, because each piece of farmland is separated from each other, such as terraces. "In addition, the younger generation in rural areas is different from the old-generation of migrant workers. They are less willing and don't have the skills to do farm work," Liang said. "That demonstrates that much of the farm work will probably be done by machines in the future." If more machines are to be used, the farmland should be converted into large zones, Liang said. Then some farmland should be rented out to a single grower to realize large-scale production, he said. "Otherwise, it remains difficult to carry out the new favorable policies in many counties in southern China," he said. In the past, agricultural machinery was adapted to be used on difficult types of farmland and in diverse conditions, whether good or not, the institute's Li said. Now the country aims for higher efficiency by upgrading farmland and other facilities, he said. Some farmland can be rented from original farmers to realize bigger-scale cultivation, and more farmland will be rented to make it easier in the future, the researcher said. http://www.ecns.cn/news/2018-12-20/detail-ifzaxhck8714784.shtml
Duterte to sign rice tariffication bill into law ‗soon‘ – Palace By Prince Golez Malacanang has assured that President Rodrigo Duterte will sign into law the Rice Tarrification Bill ―soon enough.‖―I suppose it will be signed any time. Siguro maraming trabaho si Presidente,‖ presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a press briefing Wednesday. On November 22, the bicameral committee approved the measure that aims to lift the quantitative restriction on rice imports and to allow importation of the staple by the private traders. To help the local farmers, the bill would allocate P10 billion to the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund for the improvement of farm machinery and equipment, seed production, training for rice farming, and loan program https://politics.com.ph/duterte-to-sign-rice-tariffication-bill-into-law-soon-palace/
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Agriculture to reap harvest of modernity 2018-12-20 10:06:05China DailyEditor : Mo Hong'e
Machinery will help ensure vital produce delivered China will accelerate agricultural mechanization and widen the use of agricultural machines, which experts said will increase efficiency for diverse cultivations and help increase farmers' incomes. The move was decided at a State Council executive meeting on Dec 12, presided over by Premier Li Keqiang, which adopted five measures. More machinery should be used for harvesting major crops, such as rice, wheat, corn, potato, cotton and sugar cane, said a statement released after the meeting. Subsidies will be given for operations such as deep ploughing. Machines made by domestic and overseas producers will be used while financial institutions are encouraged to grant loans for buying such machinery. Other technologies, such as irrigation, will be promoted along with agricultural machinery. Small and medium-sized machines should be developed for hilly areas or for small family run farms. Meanwhile, the meeting decided to build a smart agriculture network by integrating internetbased technologies with agricultural machinery. Production consortiums will be established among machinery service providers, family farms, large-scale growers and agricultural enterprises. Li Guoxiang, a senior researcher at the Rural Development Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the meeting targeted green and high-quality development for the agricultural sector. China still has some shortcomings in agricultural machinery and the new measures are expected to ease such problems, he said. In recent years, China's overall agricultural mechanization has climbed to more than 60 percent, with that for wheat production exceeding 90 percent, the researcher said. The rise in such mechanization reduces the need for human labor and plays a vital role in the development of agricultural production, he said. Over the past four decades, China's agricultural machinery sector has seen fast growth. In 1977, the overall value of production in this sector was only 5.4 billion yuan ($785 million). In 2017, the agricultural machinery sector saw profits of 24.3 billion yuan, up by 8.1 percent
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year-on-year, according to Ning Xuegui, deputy secretary-general of the China Association for Agricultural Machinery Industry. Overall revenue for 2,429 key agricultural machinery makers hit 429 billion yuan last year, a year-on-year increase of 6.15 percent, Ning said. All 12 subareas of agricultural machinery accomplished increases last year, showing that promoting such machines led to healthy and sustainable development of the sector, Ning said. However, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, hills and mountains are not suitable for large machine cultivation and they cover about 64 percent of China's land area, especially in southern China. Imbalances still exist in China's agricultural mechanization, partly due to its diverse farmlands, Premier Li said at the meeting. Therefore, infrastructure should be improved for hilly areas, including water resource facilities and road upgrading, he said. The executive meeting also pledged to improve the quality of farmland by integrating differentsized plots and supported land renovation in hilly areas, allowing them to be accessible to machinery. Liang Qiying, a 45-year-old farmer in Yuanyang county, Yunnan province, said agricultural machinery cannot be used in many mountainous areas, because each piece of farmland is separated from each other, such as terraces. "In addition, the younger generation in rural areas is different from the old-generation of migrant workers. They are less willing and don't have the skills to do farm work," Liang said. "That demonstrates that much of the farm work will probably be done by machines in the future." If more machines are to be used, the farmland should be converted into large zones, Liang said. Then some farmland should be rented out to a single grower to realize large-scale production, he said. "Otherwise, it remains difficult to carry out the new favorable policies in many counties in southern China," he said. In the past, agricultural machinery was adapted to be used on difficult types of farmland and in diverse conditions, whether good or not, the institute's Li said. Now the country aims for higher efficiency by upgrading farmland and other facilities, he said. Some farmland can be rented from original farmers to realize bigger-scale cultivation, and more farmland will be rented to make it easier in the future, the researcher said. http://www.ecns.cn/news/2018-12-20/detail-ifzaxhck8714784.shtml
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GM seeds may face hurdles US agency says in a report on Bangladesh Sohel Parvez
12:00 AM, December 20, 2018 / LAST MODIFIED: 12:06 AM, December 20, 2018
A lack of purchasing power in the farming sector dominated by small and marginal people may restrict the wider use of genetically modified (GM) seeds in Bangladesh, said the US Department of Agriculture recently. Farmers believe GM seeds are higher priced in comparison to non-GM varieties, according to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service's Bangladesh Agricultural Biotechnology Annual 2018 report. ―GM seeds for planting may also experience difficulty gaining market acceptability unless apprehensions about multinational seed companies are addressed.‖ The report was released on December 12. However, Md Jahangir Hossain, country project director of Feed the Future Biotech Project (potato and Bt brinjal) of USAID, said Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) sells both GM and non-GM brinjal seeds at the same price at Tk 700 per kilogram. He said the price of Bt eggplant seeds of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) is Tk 5,000 per kilogram. But it will not affect farmers as BARI does not sell directly to growers, he said. The USDA said there was a general recognition within Bangladesh's scientific and policy community that agricultural biotechnology offered a tool to provide food security to the country's growing population. Nevertheless, some local advocacy groups publicly question GE technology, it added.
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―Because there is a dearth of reliable information, many Bangladeshi citizens are not wellinformed. The quality of publicly disseminated information is not always accurate or supported with sound science. Gaining future market acceptance will greatly depend on education efforts,‖ said the report. Since 2013 Bangladesh has released four GE eggplant varieties infused with genes that are resistant to fruit and shoot borer (FSB) disease, the most devastating pest in South and Southeast Asia. BARI released the GM vegetable and is seeking approval from the government to release three more varieties of eggplants. Farmers apply heavy doses of pesticide to protect eggplants from pest infestation. Bangladesh Rice Research Institute and Cotton Development Board are working to release GE rice and cotton which bear the names Golden Rice and Bt Cotton respectively. The USDA terms Bangladesh a role model in case of accepting and advancing modern biotechnologies in daily life. It said with innovative biotech support from the world scientific community, Bangladesh was progressing gradually to initiate research and trials of new GE varieties. The government is also supporting scientists in this advancement, but regulatory policies are not fully developed to cover all aspects of production and marketing, it added. ―Although, government funding for research is limited, Bangladesh became a leader in GE vegetables, such as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) brinjal production, for commercial use and consumption,‖ said the report. Since the release, the Bari has been producing and distributing Bt brinjal seeds among farmers. The highest amount of seeds of GE eggplant, 1,827 kilogrammes (kg), was produced in fiscal 2016-17. Production of seeds of Bt brinjal by BADC slumped to 612 kg in 2017-18, according to the USDA report, which says 1,400 kg of seeds are in stock.
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The USDA said seed multiplication was continuing through increased interest of farmers. Some 1.50 lakh farmers produce brinjal on their farms and 23 percent of them are producing Bt Brinjal. It is estimated that 5.95 percent of 80,000 acres of farm land set aside for growing brinjal are cultivated with Bt brinjal, according to the report. Dilafroza Khanam, chief scientific officer and head of the biotechnology division of the Bari, said farmers got higher production as the fruit and shoot borer disease did not affect the crops for use of GE seeds. Stay updated on the go with The Daily Star Android & iOS News App. Cli https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/gm-seeds-may-face-hurdles-1676104
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UA LITTLE ROCK RECEIVES $1 MILLION TO STUDY GENETICS OF HEAT-TOLERANT RICE 
December 19, 2018
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A University of Arkansas at Little Rock professor and several doctoral students are researching heat tolerance in rice in hopes of helping rice farmers improve their yield – and ultimately – reduce hunger. Dr. Mariya Khodakovskaya, a biology professor and interim associate dean in the College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences, received a $1 million grant to study the genetic qualities of rice to determine its heat tolerance. She is part of a consortium of researchers from the University of Arkansas Fayetteville, UA Little Rock, Oklahoma State University, and Louisiana State University. Dr. Andy Pereira, professor of crop, soil and environmental science in the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the UA Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, leads the consortium. The four universities collectively received $4.65 million from the National Science Foundation to support their work over a four-year period. The team is studying the genetics of more than 400 rice varieties collected from around the world. The goal of the project is to ensure active, stable rice production to keep up with future population growth and environmental changes. The results will be shared with farmers. ―We are working in live science,‖ Khodakovskaya said. ―This is important because it is close to the needs of society and close to industry. We target a lot of practical problems, and the final results will be results that public can assess and use.‖ The consortium will study rice grown in two different environments: one under heat stress and one under the actual air temperature of the environment. By comparing the two groups of plants, the researchers will be able to identify varieties of rice that produce high-quality grains in spite of rising temperatures. At UA Little Rock, four doctoral students in applied science are assisting Khodakovskaya – Diamond McGehee, Sudha Shanmugam, Zoya Nadeem Faruqui, and Kamal Pandey. Kamal Pandey also manages the greenhouse located atop UA Little Rock‘s Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences, where the students grow and monitor rice specimens. Their study examines the links between plant metabolism and heat response in rice in order to identify proteins and biomolecules, called metabolites, associated with heat tolerance. The team will use liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to monitor rice metabolism. ―Using that and other data, we can go through and find out which compounds are being produced and identify different sensitivities to heat stress,‖ said Diamond McGehee of Conway. ―We hope it will give us insights into mechanisms for heat tolerance in rice.‖ Shanmugam, who is from India, said the research is important for the long-term applications.
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―Rice is a staple food for half of the world‘s population,‖ she said. ―Millions of farmers are having trouble growing rice because of climate. Each year, 40 percent of the crops are lost due to drought. Because of that, it‘s better to create a drought-tolerant rice if it will help the farmers.‖ Arkansas is the country‘s largest producer of rice, which is also the state‘s top export. The project is funded by the National Science Foundation‘s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.
Dr. Mariya Khodakovskaya (right) and her team of applied science doctoral students are researching the heat tolerance of rice. Students include (from left) Diamond McGehee, Zoya Faruqui, Kamal Pandey and Sudha Shanmugam. Photo by Benjamin Krain https://ualr.edu/news/2018/12/19/rice-research/
India rice rates hit more than three-month high, Chinese rules weigh on Vietnam K. Sathya Narayanan DECEMBER 20, 2018 /
BENGALURU (Reuters) - Rice export prices in India rose to their highest in more than three months as a key producing region hiked procurement rates for domestic paddy, while concerns over stricter Chinese rules weighed on the Vietnamese market. A man gets sample for quality checking at a rice processing factory in Vietnam's southern Mekong delta, Vietnam July 6, 2017. REUTERS/Kham Top exporter India‘s 5 percent broken parboiled variety was quoted at $375-$382 per tonne this week, the highest since Sept. 7.The central state of Chhattisgarh, a leading rice producer, raised the minimum paddy buying price to 2,500 rupees per 100 kg, from 1,750 rupees earlier this week.―Importers are not ready to pay a higher price. Exports are likely to slow down in coming months,‖ said an exporter based at Kakinada, in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. Prices of Vietnam‘s 5 percent broken rice declined for the fifth straight week to $385 a tonne as activity remained muted, traders said.―Prices fell further because we are concerned that China‘s move to impose stricter conditions on Vietnamese rice will have a long-term impact,‖ a trader
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based in Ho Chi Minh City said.―It‘s not clear if China is buying more from Cambodia and Myanmar to compensate for the possible declining shipments from Vietnam.‖ Another trader said supplies from Vietnam will increase from late next month when the winterspring harvest begins. In Thailand, benchmark 5 percent broken rice prices were quoted at $390-$391 per tonne, free on board Bangkok, versus $385-$393 a week ago, as the market is expected to remain quiet until well after the New Year period.―This is a reasonable level as we‘re nearing the end of the year. There is not much overseas activity and we‘re also in the harvesting season,‖ a Bangkok-based trader said. Meanwhile, Bangladesh, which emerged as a major importer of rice in 2017 due to stock depletion following floods, has stepped up efforts to procure more rice locally after output of the staple grain improved, a food ministry official said. ―The response from farmers is very good and the procurement drive will be continued,‖ the official said.The country‘s production for 2018/19 is expected to recover to 34.7 million tonnes, up 6.3 percent year-on-year, according to estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture attaché in Bangladesh.The South Asian country has procured more than 1.3 million tonnes of rice locally so far in the current season to build state reserves. https://in.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-china-oil/crude-refusal-china-shuns-u-s-oil-despitetrade-war-truce-idINKCN1OK0FG
Rice stock sufficient to meet demand until early 2019: Minister Jakarta / Thu, December 20, 2018 / 09:32 am DECEMBER 20, 2018 /
A warehouse worker rests on top of sacks of rice on Jan. 19 at the Cipinang Central Rice Market in East Jakarta. (Antara/Sigid Kurniawan)
Coordinating Economic Affairs Minister Darmin Nasution has given an assurance that the country‘s rice stock of 2.2 million tons is sufficient ahead of the seasonal holidays, the stockpile is enough to meet market demand until early next year.
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―State-owned logistics company Bulog has expressed its readiness to supply the market. There will be no more imports up to yearend,‖ said Darmin in Jakarta on Wednesday as reported by kontan.co.id. Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman also stressed that the rice stock was adequate in Jakarta as there was still 50 million tons of rice at the Cipinang rice market in East Jakarta. Bulog president director Budi Waseso said the company was ready to carry out market intervention to stabilize the price. ―We are ready to fulfill the demand for the next four months,‖ he added.The government always pays serious attention to the adequacy of the stock of rice, the main staple food in the country, and attempts stabilize the market price as the commodity is very sensitive to inflation. The data on rice supplies is often confusing as various institutions present different figures. The Agriculture Ministry says that the country produced 46.5 million tons of rice this year, while the total consumption was 33.47 million tons. Meanwhile, Statistics Indonesia has calculated that the country‘s rice production only reached 32.4 million tons this year.Indonesia imported more than 3 million tons this year. (bbn) https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/12/20/rice-stock-sufficient-to-meet-demand-until-early-2019minister.html
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Autonomous rice transplanter set to head for the paddies Ben Coxworth December 20th, 2018 3 PICTURES
It was just this July that Japan's Yanmar Agri Corporation unveiled a line of driverless agricultural tractors. Now, as part of the same Smartpilot system, the company has announced an autonomous rice seedling-transplanter. Known as the YR8D, A, the new diesel-powered vehicle is wirelessly programmed/monitored via an included waterproof 10.1-inch tablet. It can operate in either of two modes, depending on rice paddy conditions and other factors. In Linear Mode, it automatically moves in straight lines through the paddy, with an onboard driver manually steering the vehicle through the turn-arounds at the end of each row. In Auto Mode, it's able to remain completely driverless, handling the turns on its own. Additionally, its seedling-planting mechanism automatically moves up and down in response to the level of the terrain.An onboard GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) module allows the vehicle to know where it is within the paddy. Users can also set up an optional ground-located base station, with which the vehicle wirelessly communicates to more accurately gauge its location. "The phase where planting is performed in the paddy is almost exactly the same as with a regular transplanter and there are no additional yield benefits," Yanmar's Paul Bartels told us. "Where the efficiency is realized is in the rearing of the seedlings that are planted by the transplanter. By utilizing the 'dense seedling' process, one tray of seedlings contains far more rice seedlings than the same sized tray grown in the regular process. Therefore, there is a saving in labor and space, compared to the regular process for producing seedlings. The YR8D, A transplanter can utilize these dense seedling trays, whereas a regular transplanter cannot." The YR8D, A will initially only be available in Japan, as of Feb. 1st. Pricing will range from ¥3,955,000 to ¥5,545,000 (about US$35,230 to $49,392). It can be seen in action, in the video below.
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- DEC 21, 2018 Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-December 21, 2018 Nagpur, Dec 21 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices showed weak tendency in Nagpur Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) on
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poor buying support from local millers amid increased arrival from producing regions. Good arrival in other foodgrain mandis and high moisture content arrival also affected prices in thin trading activity. About 100 bags of gram and 100 bags of tuar reported for auctions in Nagpur APMC, according to sources. GRAM * Desi gram reported down in open market here on lack of demand from local traders. TUAR * Tuar varieties ruled steady in open market here on subdued demand from local traders amid ample stock in ready position. * Watana dal recovered in open market here on good demand from local traders. * In Akola, Tuar New – 4,200-4,600, Tuar dal (clean) – 7,000-7,300, Udid Mogar (clean) – 7,300-8,200, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,800-8,300, Gram – 4,600-4,700, Gram Super best – 6,700-6,900 * Wheat, Rice and other foodgrain items moved in a narrow range in scattered deals and settled at last levels in thin trading activity. Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close Gram Auction 3,800-4,290 3,800-4,375 Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600 Tuar Auction 3,700-4,150 4,000-4,300 Moong Auction n.a. 3,900-4,200 Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500 Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800 Wheat Mill quality Auction 1,950-2,004 1,950-2,990 Gram Super Best Bold 7,000-7,200 7,000-7,200 Gram Super Best n.a. n.a. Gram Medium Best 6,600-6,800 6,600-6,800 Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a Gram Mill Quality 4,800-4,900 4,800-4,900
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Desi gram Raw 4,400-4,500 4,450-4,550 Gram Kabuli 8,300-10,000 8,300-10,000 Tuar Fataka Best-New 7,100-7,300 7,100-7,300 Tuar Fataka Medium-New 6,800-7,000 6,800-7,000 Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 6,400-6,600 6,400-6,600 Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 6,000-6,300 6,000-6,300 Tuar Gavarani New 4,550-4,650 4,550-4,650 Tuar Karnataka 4,850-5,050 4,850-5,050 Masoor dal best 5,200-5,400 5,200-5,400 Masoor dal medium 4,700-4,900 4,700-4,900 Masoor n.a. n.a. Moong Mogar bold (New) 8,000-8,500 8,000-8,500 Moong Mogar Medium 6,000-7,000 6,000-7,000 Moong dal Chilka New 6,200-7,500 6,200-7,500 Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a. Moong Chamki best 7,800-9,000 7,800-9,000 Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 7,800-8,500 7,800-8,500 Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 6,000-7,000 6,000-7,000 Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 4,000-4,400 4,000-4,400 Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 5,500-5,600 5,500-5,600 Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 4,800-4,900 4,900-5,000 Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 5,550-5,650 5,500-5,600 Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,100 5,800-6,100 Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,300 2,200-2,300 Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,150 2,100-2,150
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Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600 Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600 Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,400 2,200-2,400 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a. MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,600-4,000 3,600-4,000 MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,600-3,100 2,600-3,100 Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,200 2,100-2,200 Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,800 3,200-3,800 Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 2,600-3,000 2,600-3,000 Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,000 2,900-3,000 Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,700-2,800 2,700-2,800 Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600 Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 4,000-4,400 4,000-4,400 Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,500-3,900 3,500-3,900 Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG) 5,200-5,500 5,200-5,500 Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 4,800-5,000 4,800-5,000 Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 9,500-14,000 9,500-14,000 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 4,800-7,000 4,800-7,000 Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 6,800-7,500 6,800-7,500 Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 6,500-6,700 6,500-6,700 Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,350-2,550 2,350-2,550 Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 2,050-2,250 2,050-2,250 WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 26.8 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 8.3 degree Celsius Rainfall : Nil FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Maximum and minimum temperature likely to be around 25 degree Celsius and 8 degree Celsius. Note: n.a.—not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices) https://www.foodnavigator-asia.com/Article/2018/12/19/Mandatory-rice-fortification-for-publicprogrammes-in-India-by-December-2019
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Myanmar earns US$495 M from rice and broken rice export 20 DECEMBER 2018 ZEYA NYEIN Myanmar earned over US$495 million from over 1.4 million tons of rice and broken rice export from April to November in this year, according to Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF).
It is 732,000 tons less compared with the same period last year while export earnings were reduced to over US$174 million in that period.
Myanmar exported US$669 million worth of 2.18 million tons of rice and broken rice in the same period last year.
The rice export broke records in over fifty-year time as Myanmar found new markets for its rice export sector in 2017-18 FY.
Myanmar exported rice through border trade and maritime trade in previous years and more than 70 per cent of total rice export are made via border trade routes.
The rice export amount from maritime trade increased in 2017-18 FY and it was reached to 48 per cent of total rice export.European Union (EU) is planning to suspend the Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP) for three years for rice export from Myanmar in coming years, according to the MRF.
The EU is planning to withdraw the GSP that the 16 mm-long rice imported from Myanmar is mainly grown in the EU member countries - Italy and Spain. It plans to collect taxes on exports of long-grain rice in order to protect the interests of these countries.
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Myanmar is exporting rice to the EU and Africa via maritime trade and China via Muse border trade center. https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/myanmar-earns-us495-m-from-rice-and-broken-rice-export
Mandatory rice fortification for public programmes in India by December 2019 By Cheryl Tay 19-Dec-2018 - Last updated on 19-Dec-2018 at 02:45 GMT AddThis Sharing Buttons 9
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Fortified rice will contain folic acid, iron, niacin, pyridoxine, riboflavin, thiamine and vitamins A and B12. ŠGetty Images The use of fortified rice will be mandatory in all midday meal schemes, and public nutrition programmes under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) in India by December 2019. In the Indian government's latest effort to combat malnutrition in the country, the Ministry of Women and Child Development pushed for the use of fortified rice across the board in these
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nutrition-based schemes, having already made the use of fortified wheat, salt, milk and oil mandatory. Government sources have revealed that by December 2019, midday meals at schools, as well as food served at ICDS centres, will be prepared using fortified wheat flour and edible oil. Currently, the use of double-fortified iodised salt under these programmes is already mandatory. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) also said that by January 2020, fortified rice, wheat flour, salt and edible oil would be supplied throughout the country‘s Public Distribution System (PDS). Phasing out Speaking from an international conference called Aligning Food Systems for Health Diets and Improved Nutrition, held at the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) in Hyderabad on November 11, joint secretary for the Department of Women and Child Welfare Rajesh Kumar said he and his colleagues would be meeting with officials from the Food Ministry and the FSSAI over the next few weeks. The purpose of these meetings would be to discuss how best to introduce rice fortification through the ICDS and in schools. The department will also ensure that the double fortification of rice, wheat, salt, milk and oil will be implemented in several phases. He also said that the fortification of food was just one of the ways in which malnutrition, which has plagued India for a long time, could be alleviated. Addition of nutrition The rice used in the aforementioned schemes will be fortified by the addition of vitamins and minerals, many of which are lost when rice is milled and polished. Fortified rice and wheat flour will contain folic acid, iron, niacin, pyridoxine, riboflavin, thiamine and vitamins A and B12, while fortified milk and edible oil will contain vitamins A and D, all in amounts that can help consumers reach their RDI (recommended daily intake). The Indian government has made multiple attempts to lower the incidence of malnutrition in the country over the years, with its most recent effort involving pearl millet fortification, carried out in conjunction with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and US-based firm HarvestPlus.However, while the fortification of staple foods in general has been welcome by the public and complied with by many companies, the FSSAI has received criticism from industry over its push for the mandatory fortification of edible oils, with the main complaint being that it is likely to be too impractical and far too costly to implement. http://foroyaa.gm/fasdep-hands-over-d35-million-worth-of-agric-machinery/
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As decision deadline looms, farmers fearful of EU tariffs December 21, 2018 Chea Vannak / Khmer Times
The European Commission has been tasked with making a final decision on the tax in early January. KT/Chor Sokunthea
It is the beginning of the harvest season, and a rice farmer in Takeo province walks to his field, located just behind his house, ready to inspect the rented machinery he will use to collect the crop. Over the next few weeks, 60-year-old Yun Yorn will use the rented rice harvester in his 4.5 hectare farm, expecting to collect around 10 tonnes of paddy rice for the season. With him is his wife and two grandchildren, all looking forward to a busy day at the farm. ―This harvest season, production is higher because there is plenty of water since it rained a lot this year … The price that I am being offered is really high,‘ Mr Yorn says while carrying sacks to the machine, now parked in a corner of the rice field, after finishing work for the day. Mr Yorn is upbeat: he says this year he will be able to sell his rice at a higher price than last year. He is surprised to find out that the situation may change in the near future, as the European Union considers triggering a safeguard clause that will impose tariffs on Cambodian rice. Sickle in hand, Mr Yorn says he does not know whether the rice he is collecting will be sold in Cambodia or exported to another country, explaining that his main preoccupation is always his farming work. ―I don‘t know exactly what countries buy our milled rice,‖ he said, adding that, ―I am concern about the market for my rice: if demand abroad decreases, my income may decrease as well.‖ Harvesting twice in a year, Mr Yorn earns a yearly income of around $3,000 from selling his rice, but spends about $1,000 on fertilizers, gasoline, and renting machinery. Earlier this year, Italy and Spain, along with five other European Union countries, filed a request to activate a ‗safeguard clause‘ that allows EU member states to impose barriers to protect against trade imbalances. In March, the European Commission launched a safeguard investigation to see if the volume with or without prices of imports of semi-milled and milled Indica rice from Cambodia and Myanmar resulted in serious difficulties to EU producers of similar or competing products.
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Later, in December, the European bloc failed to come to a consensus on taxing Cambodia fragrant and white rice. The vote, hailed as a positive sign for Cambodia, failed to deliver a decision on the regressive rice tariff imposition that is expected to start from Jan 1 next year, with 15 of 28 member states either rejecting the proposal or abstaining from the vote. As a result, the EC has been tasked with making a final decision in early January. If the clause is activated, Cambodian rice will be hit with taxes equal to 175 euros per ton in the first year, 150 euros in the second year, and 125 euros in the last year. To express their dissatisfaction with the situation, the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce and the Cambodia Rice Federation asked EU officials to ensure that the investigation into the matter is in-depth and accurate, and demanded that the European bloc reconsiders its position. ―Imposing tariffs on Cambodian rice would impact EU‘s effort to alleviate poverty in
least developed, and developing countries. In addition, the tariffs would affect EU importers and its own consumers,‖ Song Saran, CEO of Amru Rice, a leading rice exporter, says. Farmers put paddy rice in sacks in Takeo province‘s Bati district. KT/Chor Sokunthea Mr Saran says the evidence used in the March investigation is outdated, with data that goes back as far as four years, when Cambodian rice exports to the EU were made up mostly of white rice. ―We‘re really shocked because the data they are using does not reflect the current reality. It‘s totally different from what‘s happening now. They are looking at data from the years 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016,‘ Mr Saran says. ―Cambodia exported a lot of Indica rice in the past, and that‘s what they are focusing on. But this is not fair, because they are not looking at the present or at years to come. According to the law, you have to look at data from the current and coming years to see the impact in the market.‖ Mr Saran explains that if the investigation is carried out properly, the EU cannot possibly impose the tariffs. ―They should listen to our complaints and to the voices of Cambodian farmers. If they followed developments in the Cambodian rice sector, they would know that we have transitioned to fragrant rice. Cambodia‘s fragrant rice has, indeed, achieved fame around the world,‘ Mr Saran says. The proposed tariffs will make local rice less competitive in its main market, the European Union, and this will have a particularly negative effect on the farmers, Mr Saran says, adding that these farmers will be forced to change crops to survive.Chim Yoab, also a farmer in Takeo, has no plans yet to diversify her farming into new crops, explaining that if the price of rice decreases drastically, she will use it for personal consumption.
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―It worries me that the price of paddy may plummet. If this happens, I would not sell it. Instead, I will store it in the house and wait for the price to surge. I would also keep it for my family to eat,‖ Ms Yoab, who owns 2.5 hectares of farmland in Bati district, says Pak Pum, meanwhile, another rice farmer in Bati district, expects his Romdul rice to fetch a high price this year. Walking into his farm to check whether the rice is ready for harvesting, Mr Pum says the price rice fetches depends on quality and variety. ―When demand for our rice abroad is high, there will be many brokers coming to buy from farmers. When there are not many brokers, the price they offer is lower,‖ he says. ―However, if your product is high quality, it will fetch a higher price.‖ CRF vice president Hun Lak said early this month that he does not expected the safeguard clause to be activated, as it would harm local farmers. ―It was a positive result that the majority of EU member countries did not vote for the tariffs, with some countries voting against them. The countries that voted against them obviously feel that it will impact the livelihoods of farmers,‘ Mr Lak said. ―Better be safe than sorry,‖ Amru Rice‘s Mr Saran says, explaining that farmers must prepare for the worst. If the tariffs are put in place, it would be a ―disaster‖ for Cambodian farmers, he says, adding the best way for farmers to secure their livelihoods is to diversify their farming into new crops. He says Cambodia must also strive to find new markets and become less reliant on the European market. ―We must not depend on just one market,‖ Mr Saran says. ―We are a free-market economy. If they impose the tariffs, we will look into other markets, particularly in Asia and Africa. ―We will find new markets, but we will also try to keep selling to the EU, which will always be an important market.‖ Cambodia produces every year around 10 million tonnes of paddy rice. Around 5 million is used domestically, for human consumption, animal feed and other activities. The rest is exported. As he places a sack of paddy rice over his shoulder to carry it home, Mr Yorn says tariffs in the EU affecting the price of his rice is not his only concern. He says the next few seasons may come with severe droughts, which could hurt production severely. https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50561723/as-decision-deadline-looms-farmers-fearful-of-eutariffs/ https://www.industrychronicle.com/global-broken-rice-market-research-report-marketrapid-growth-in-robotic-technology-to-fuel-the-demand/
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