October 03 & 04 ,2018 Vol 9 ,Issue 10
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Onions, potatoes to cushion Sri Lanka depreciation shock Oct 03, 2018 10:30 AM GMT+0530 |
ECONOMYNEXT - Onions, potatoes and rice which are now grown in the country will cushion the people against currency collapse, Central Bank Governor Indrajit Coomaraswamy said, as the rupee's unstable soft-peg with the US dollar saw its second run in 2018 despite weak credit growth. Sri Lanka was no longer the country it was when it got independence in 1948, as it is producing more rice domestically and in a good rainfall year, no rice is imported, he said. "Things like potatoes and onions we are producing more which can compete with imports," Coomaraswamy told reporters. "So the whole scenario has changed in terms of the impact of the exchange rate on the cost of living. It still does, please do not get me wrong. It does have an impact. "Though currency deprecation may lead to bus fare hikes, train fare hikes and some imported items going up in price, the impact is relatively low because we have had fairly decent Yala (minor cultivation season) and Maha (major cultivation seaon) harvests." "And also things like onions and potatoes which we import, domestic production is competitive so there is a limit beyond which import prices can go up." Import Substitution Sri Lanka started to grow onions and potatoes –effectively, non-tradable import substitution products supported by protection—in the 1980s when the country saw the worst monetary instability and currency depreciation in its post-independent history, triggering waves of strikes that eventually gave the 'open economy' a bad name. Sri Lanka's balance of payments troubles began shortly after a money-printing central bank was created in 1950 with a soft-peg where the exchange rate and interest was simulataneously targeted, abolishing a hard peg with a floating interest rate, unlike countries like Singapore, which kept floating interest rates. In the 1970s, SriLanka closed its entire economy as the Bretton Woods soft-peg system, which was based on similarly contradictory policy, collapsed, as gold prices shot up in a commodity bubble and oil-shock fired by the Federal Reserve with the Vietnam War in progress.
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In the US, President Nixon slapped import restrictions for a few months after the dollar stopped gold convertibility in 1971 eliminating the conflict of the soft-peg with gold, until the start of the short-lived Smithsonian agreement. The second deal also collapsed in 1973 leading to floating fiat-money exchange rates seen today. At the time people in Sri Lanka were urged to grow and eat manioc (cassava), sweet potatoes, taro (kiri ala) and other native yams like hingurala, to save 'foreign exchange' as the central bank bought government securities with printed money to maintain a fixed pattern of interest rates. Great Inflation There were no Treasury securities auctions with a secondary market in the 1970s but sugar and rice were rationed and red onions were grown in the North of the country. Black markets were rife amid price controls. At the time, reserve currency central banks were also struggling to come to grips with operating floating exchange rates without an effective peg to anchor their operations. Until 1971, the Bretton Woods system was anchored to gold. Consumer prices ran riot, in the so-called 'Great Inflation' period, growth fell, leading to stagflation. The monetary instability ended when Paul Volcker was appointed Fed Governor who tightened policy with double digit interest rates. The Sterling was stabilized with quantity targeting. Exchange controls were eliminated. But floating exchange rate regimes (except in Germany and Japan which had the strongest exchange rates and became export power houses) struggled without a credible anchor until inflation targeting was formalized by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand in the early 1990s. Inflationary Pressures In Sri Lanka credit growth is muted and until the first quarter of 2018, the central bank was actively sterilizing foreign exchange purchases and contracting domestic credit. Sri Lanka is just recovering from a full blown balance of payments crisis the central bank generated in 2015 and 2016, by releasing over 300 billion rupees of liquidity tied up in term repos and buying up another 250 billion rupees of Treasury bills to keep interest rates down. "Fortunately the currency depreciation has come when inflationary pressures are muted within the economy," Coomaraswamy said. Under Coomaraswamy, a potentially bigger property bubble had been averted, analysts say. But despite credit still being weak, the central bank had managed to generate two runs on the rupee so far this year. The second run came despite market pricing oil and a narrower budget deficit on the part of the Finance Ministry, giving the lie to the long term claim that budget deficits de-rail monetary policy.
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Coomaraswamy said all kinds of reasons were being forward for currency falls in the media, but the culprit was the lack of exports, and imports were much larger than exports. Imports were double that of exports, because it came from an 'overvalued exchange rate' which needed to depreciate, he said. "Now it has come to a competitive rate," Coomaraswamy said. "But I understand that it can have an impact on the cost of living and clearly inflation is a highly regressive tax on the poor, because rich people have (non-financial) assets which increase in value during inflation. "Having a competitive exchange rate is critical to support our domestic producers." Trumpism Sri Lanka slapped overtly Mercantilist import controls over the weekend dealing a severe blow to the free trade agenda of the government as well as its credibility overall. Ex-President President Mahinda Rajapaksa also agreed Sri Lanka's currency problems were due to the trade deficit rather than monetary stability. Sri Lanka's central bank generated two balance of payments crises during his time but the rupee was allowed to bounce back in 2009, leading to a quick recovery. "President (Donald) Trump has strengthened the US economy through a policy of giving incentives to indigenous businesses and imposing tariffs on imports to encourage local production," Rajapaksa crowed in a statement. "My government also had a policy of producing whatever we could locally and reducing imports particularly of foodstuffs such as dairy products, maize, soya, sugar, onion, potato, fruits, vegetables, poultry and certain industrial products. "This government in contrast believes in limitless liberalization andfree trade without a clear strategy to increase exports and reduce imports." The import controls strengthened that hand of infant industry and import substitution ideologues and economic nationalists. Activists who favour giving more powers to coercive politicians and bureaucrats taking away from the ordinary people and community are also having a field day blaming trade and other freedoms of ordinary people rather than contradictory state interventions in money and forex markets. "Why did they not restrict imports and implement mechanisms to slow capital flight," asked Ahilan Kadirgamar, an activist, writing Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror newspaper. "Discussing reductions to imports was taboo and mentioning import substitution was forbidden.
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"While politicians are finally talking about restricting imports, some of their ideologues have gone silent, and others seem to accept the crisis and consequent suffering of people as inevitable, in their bid to push the economy further down the path of liberalisation". But analysts who knew about the central bank's dangerous juggling of dual anchors had already warned that trade freedoms were incompatible with simultaneous state interventions in money and forex markets. That the central bank's targeting of multiple anchors will lead to this situation was warned by analysts familiar with its past record. (Sri Lanka's Central Bank has to be restrained for free trade to succeed). Under Governor Coomaraswamy the central bank is also targeting a real effective exchange rate, which analysts have warned is a slippery slope involving a never ending race to the bottom to out do the policy errors of the worst central bank in the REER basket. Unsound Money When a currency falls (against a relatively stronger reserve currency central bank like Fed), the prices of all traded goods inflate—whether an import like sugar or an export like tea. The more export competitive a product is, the faster it will go up to reach the world market (dollar prices). Potatoes or onion prices may not go up immediately because they already get import protection due to being uncompetitive and partly due to bad quality, and behave like non-traded goods and are not exported. However for 'domestic producers' to get the full benefit of currency depreciation, prices eventually have to move up to world market levels as the expense of all wage earners or domestic currency salaries. Since currency depreciation eliminates the need to boost productivity, costs eventually catch up and famers call for protections when the full effects of depreciation spreads to the broader economy. Currency depreciation destroys salaries and lifetime savings (which is why foreign investors run), and depending on how steep the fall is can kill domestic demand. It can halt an economic recovery in its tracks as people and businesses try to protect their financial savings from being expropriated (speculating in bureaucratic parlance) instead of focusing on productive work. This can trigger business failures and even lead to stagflation. Depreciation will also destroy investible capital, forcing savings to be sought for investment from abroad leading to chronic external current account deficits as well as chronically high nominal interest rates even if capital accounts are open, critics of unsound money say. Currency depreciation is a subsidy paid to exporters and inefficient domestic producers by an entire society, and sometimes the ruling party as well, who will face the music in the polls as citizens react to the effects of unsound money.
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China saw the Tiananmen Square protests after several years of continuous depreciation and inflation, and Korea faced the Great Workers Struggle after explicit attempts to lower the Real Effective Exchange Rate by keeping wages of the export sector down and with continuous currency depreciation, analysts say. Meanwhile Governor Coomaraswamy claimed Sri Lanka inherited an economy from colonial rulers where most of the rice was imported because they focused on tea rubber and coconut, which led to a pre-occupation with exchange rate stability. "One of reasons we think that when the exchange rate depreciates the whole world comes to an end, ..it harks back to a much earlier age," he said. "After independence we had to import almost all of our rice. And in 1952, Sri Lanka had to sign a barter agreement with China, the rubber-rice pact with China to get rice from them." Monetary Instability When Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) was hard pegged from 1885 to 1950, with the Indian rupee, Sri Lanka's economy was ahead of many Asian nations. During that period, the rupee fluctuated against the pound only when silver and gold prices changed, because the Sterling had a gold anchor. The rupee had a silver anchor until the Reserve Bank of India was created and the anchor was later switched to gold. But increasingly, draconian exchange controls were slapped from 1952 onwards, after the hard peg was abolished in favour of the soft-peg operated by the central bank. In the early 1950s Sri Lanka's rice subsidy costs shot up, as the US Fed fired an inflation bubble in the middle of the Korean War and an economic recovery, threatening the US dollar's own peg with gold. Primarily, liquidity came from an undertaking to buy Liberty Bonds, issued for war financing at a 3/8 percent fixed rate, and pressure from the Treasury to roll-over bills at a fixed rate. Governor Marriner Eccles' comments published in minutes said that the Fed was making it possible to "convert government securities into money to expand the money supply," by holding down rates and it had to stop. "We are almost solely responsible for this inflation," Eccles had said in the February, 1951 open market committee discussions. It is not deficit financing that is responsible because there has been surplus in the Treasury right along; the whole question of having rationing and price controls is due to the fact that we have this monetary inflation, and this committee is the only agency inexistence that can curb and stop the growth of money." "We can not pass this responsibility; we should tell the Treasury, the President, and the Congress these facts, and do something about it."
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It is not known whether Sri Lanka's rate setting Monetary Board ever had a discussion of this type or members had admitted that they were "almost solely responsible" for price controls and rationing that took place in this country, or for mis-managing a soft-peg with dual anchors, which leads to exchange controls, because minutes are not published. Only ex-Central Bank Deputy Governor W A Wijewardene has pointed out that central banks caused both currency depreciation and inflation. Neither has the public or media aggressively called for accountability of central bankers in the belief that actions from which the people suffered were done with the best intentions amid overall lack of knowledge even among reserve currency central banks at one time. But policy errors of soft-pegs, the relative success of true floating exchange rates and the clear success of hard pegs linked to better managed free floating central banks is now there for anyone who cares to observe them. (Colombo/Oct03/2018)
https://economynext.com/Onions,_potatoes_to_cushion_Sri_Lanka_depreciation_shock__CB_G overnor-3-12091.html
DTI recruiting major retailers to sell P38/kilo imported rice October 2, 2018 | 11:00 pm A rice store in Kamuning Market -- PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS
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THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will invite major retailers to import 350,000 metric tons (MT) of rice to supply supermarkets by the end of October, noting that two such groups have expressed their willingness to import the staple. ―We are writing now to the retailers, and even the traders, who will guarantee to sell at [P38 per kilogram],‖ Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez told reporters on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Inclusive Innovation Conference 2018 held in Pasay City. ―While prices remain high, we will apply pressure by encouraging sales at P38,‖ Mr. Lopez added, referring to the suggested retail price for regular-milled rice, which is the variety typically purchased from the National Food Authority (NFA) by lowincome families. He added that the DTI will propose 350,000 MT in rice imports to the interagency NFA Council (NFAC) which assesses the domestic rice supply and demand before approving importation. A member of the NFAC, the DTI said the 350,000 MT is estimated to fill the ―immediate needs‖ of the B, C, D and E market segments.
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Said he has discussed the scheme with retailers that he declined to identify, adding that they are ―willing‖ to sell P38 rice in their stores. ―They are major retailers who can guarantee selling rice at this price. They are also trusted by the public and have systems we can audit.‖ He said the import scheme is open to all parties that commit to sell at P38, but threatened unspecified sanctions against any parties that violate these terms. Those who violate the proposed conditional rice importation scheme. Mr. Lopez expects the availability of the volume in supermarkets by the end of the month after President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed Administrative Order 13 to ease the rice importation process. — Janina C. Lim
https://www.bworldonline.com/dti-recruiting-major-retailers-to-sell-p38-kilo-imported-rice/
Excess nitrogen fertilisers hamper germination, root growth in rice: study Indian scientists have now identified rice varieties that are efficient in nitrogen use
By Aditi Jain Last Updated: Thursday 04 October 2018
excess of nitrogen compounds such as urea and nitrate in the soil can increase the time required for germination of rice seeds and also limit their root length. Credit: Getyy images Excessive use of nitrogen, phosphate and potassium based fertilisers is causing environmental contamination and abuse of fertiliser subsidies. Now Indian scientists have identified rice cultivars that are efficient in nitrogen use.
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The study also shows that excess of nitrogen compounds such as urea and nitrate in the soil can increase the time required for germination of rice seeds and also limit their root length. The study has been published in journal Frontiers in Plant Science. Researchers surveyed 21 rice varieties and categorised them as slow (Panvel 1, Triguna and Vikramarya) and fast (Aditya,Nidhi and Swarnadhan) based on time they took to germinate. It was found that all varieties take longer to germinate in soils supplemented with additional nitrogenous compounds. However, the magnitude of delay is more for slow germinating varieties as they are more ‗nitrogen responsive‘ and effectively utilise nitrogen compounds. In addition, slow germinating varieties (long duration varieties) gave better yields when not supplied with additional urea relative to fast germinating varieties (short duration varieties). Also, at the lower levels of the nitrogen, longer duration varieties showed lesser yield losses as compared to short duration genotypes possibly due to their better nitrogen use efficiency. ―Our study shows that in laboratory conditions, excess of nitrogenous compounds such as nitrate and urea restrict root growth. In future, we would like to extend our work to field to check if similar patterns exist there as well,‖ explained N Raghuram, Professor at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and a member of the research team. ―This study is important as it suggests that integration of crop varieties that demonstrate nitrogen-use efficiency will lower fertiliser load in fields and environment. In addition, such varieties can be grown efficiently in marginalised lands for increased production,‖ commented Anandita Singh, Professor at TERI School of Advanced Studies, who is not connected to the study.
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The research teamincluded Narendra Sharma, Vimlendu Bhushan Sinha, Neha Gupta, Soumya Rajpal and N. Raghuram (Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University); Surekha Kuchi (Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad); Vetury Sitaramam (Former professor, Savitribai Phule Pune University) and Rajender Parsad (Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi). The study was supported by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and the Department of Biotechnology. (India Science Wire) https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/agriculture/excess-of-n-fertilisers-hamper-germination-rootgrowth-in-rice-study-61786
Excess of N fertilizers hampers germination and root growth in rice: study By Dr. Aditi Jain October 3, 2018
Image: Public Domain Excessive use of nitrogen, phosphate and potassium based fertilizers is causing environmental contamination and abuse of fertilizer subsidies. Now Indian scientists have identified rice cultivars that are efficient in nitrogen use. The study also shows that excess of nitrogen compounds such as urea and nitrate in the soil can increase the time required for germination of rice seeds and also limit their root length. The study has been published in journal Frontiers in Plant Science. Researchers surveyed 21 rice varieties and categorized them as slow (Panvel 1, Triguna and Vikramarya) and fast (Aditya, Nidhi and Swarnadhan) based on time they took to germinate. It was found that all varieties take longer to germinate in soils supplemented with additional nitrogenous
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compounds. However, the magnitude of delay is more for slow germinating varieties as they are more ‗nitrogen responsive‘ and effectively utilize nitrogen compounds. In addition, slow germinating varieties (long duration varieties) gave better yields when not supplied with additional urea relative to fast germinating varieties (short duration varieties). Also, at the lower levels of the nitrogen, longer duration varieties showed lesser yield losses as compared to short duration genotypes possibly due to their better nitrogen use efficiency. “Our study shows that in laboratory conditions, excess of nitrogenous compounds such as nitrate and urea act as stress for plant as it affects their germination and root length. In future, we would like to extend our work to field to check if similar patterns exist there as well,” explained Dr N Raghuram, Professor at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and a member of the research team. “This study is important as it suggests that integration of crop varieties that demonstrate nitrogenuse efficiency will lower fertilizer load in fields and environment. In addition such varieties can be grown efficiently in marginalized lands for increased production,” commented Dr. Anandita Singh, Professor at TERI School of Advanced Studies, who is not connected to the study. The research team included Narendra Sharma, Vimlendu Bhushan Sinha, Neha Gupta, Soumya Rajpal and N. Raghuram (Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University); Surekha Kuchi (Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad); Vetury Sitaramam (Anant Cooperative, Pune) and Rajender Parsad (Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi). The study was supported by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and the Department of Biotechnology. https://www.techexplorist.com/excess-of-n-fertilizers-hampers-germination-root-growth-ricestudy/17469/
U.S. could ship more rice in 2018-19 — if prices decline Prices of all classes of U.S. rice are expected to decline in 2018-19.
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Forrest Laws | Oct 03, 2018 U.S. exporters are expected to ship more milled and rough rice in 2018-19, according to analysts with USDA‘s Economic Research Service. Exports of long-grain and medium- and short-grain rice are both forecast to rise about 13 percent. That‘s the good news. The not-so-good news is that despite the higher sales, all-rice ending stocks are expected to be up 53 percent and long-grain ending stocks 54 percent. Prices of all classes of U.S. rice are expected to decline. ―None of these numbers are anywhere near a record,‖ says Dr. Nathan Childs, senior agricultural rice economist with the USDA Economic Research Service, referring to the latest USDA rice supply and demand projections. ―And even to achieve these growth rates, the U.S. has to be more competitive.‖ Childs was the speaker for a University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Food and Agribusiness webinar (https://youtu.be/KzndmYUInvs.) The series is moderated by Dr. Bobby Coats, professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at the university. It was the second Food and Agribusiness Webinar presentation by Childs in about a month. The earlier event came just before USDA‘s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates Board gave its September forecast. ―I believe I was here about 30 days ago,‖ he said. ―We‘ve had a new lockup, a new WASDE report and we‘re going to spend the next 45 minutes talking about these changes and their implications.‖ U.S. producers account for a very small portion — 1 to 1.5 percent — of the world‘s rice production, Child‘s noted. Nevertheless, U.S. exporters typically are responsible for 6 to 7 percent of the world‘s rice trade.
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Global market important ―The global market is very important for the U.S., and changes in world production resonate with U.S. producers,‖ he said. ―World rice production for 2018-19 is projected at 487.2 million metric tons or almost 4.5 million below the 2017-18 record. But global rice supplies are projected to be record high.‖ In part, that‘s because China and India — the world‘s largest rice producers — each had record crops in 2017-18. Both will be down somewhat in 2018-19, but a number of other countries, including the United States, are expected to harvest larger crops in the current marketing year. India, which has continued to emphasize becoming more self-sufficient in all crops, produced 113 million metrics tons in 2017-18, while China‘s farmers harvested almost 146 million metric tons. Both are expected to be down in 2018-19 due to decreases in planted area. Normally that would be positive for world rice prices, but larger crops are forecast for at least 15 countries, some of which have not traditionally been players in the world rice markets. Besides the United States, all are in Asia or Africa. ―Production is expected to be larger for Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Côte d‘Ivoire, Ghana, Guyana, Indonesia, Laos, Madagascar, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the United States and a slight increase in Vietnam,‖ he said. USDA made major revisions in its September World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates, according to Childs. The September report provides the year-end estimates for the rice marketing year, which runs from August to July for U.S. growers. Imports lowered All rice and long-grain imports were lowered fractionally based on year-end census trade data, he said. Medium-grain and short-grain supplies were increased slightly. 14 | w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o g s p o t . c o m , mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com
―Those numbers had little impact on overall supply,‖ Childs noted. ―But ending stocks were not a small adjustment — this was large. Ending stocks of all rice were lowered by 5.4 million hundredweight to 29.4 million, based on the August NASS Rice Stocks report. Long-grain was lowered 3 million hundredweight; medium-grain, under 200,000; and brokens, 2.1 million. ―Total exports for 2017-18 were increased 500,000 hundredweight to 87 million after the census data came in a little higher. Long-grain increased 300,000 hundredweight; medium-grain, 100,000 hundredweight. But that wasn‘t much.‖ Domestic and residual use of all rice was increased 4.8 million hundredweight with long-grain raised 2.6 million hundredweight and medium-grain and short-grain rice 2.2 million hundredweight. USDA is forecasting the 2018-19 U.S. rice crop will be 4 percent bigger at 219.5 million hundredweight ―due to a larger area estimate reported by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service that incorporated Farm Service Agency sign-up data.‖ The department reduced carry-in stocks by 5.4 million hundredweight based on NASS stocks data, he noted. Domestic and residual use of all rice was increased 2 million hundredweight to 133 million hundredweight. Ending stocks of all rice were increased 3 percent to 44.9 million hundredweight, which would be up 53 percent from 2017-18. ―That (219 million hundredweight) is a big crop,‖ he said. ―The national average prices were lowered due to the larger supplies. There‘s plenty of rice out there, a lot of rice in the global market.‖ Questions remain
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Questions remain about where the U.S. can increase its export shipments. ―South American exporters continue to gain market share in Mexico,‖ he said. ―The U.S. now accounts for really less than 70 percent of Mexico‘s rice imports. Ten years ago, it was close to 99 percent. ―Export opportunities and concerns, lower and more competitive prices, which I showed earlier, will allow the U.S. to regain some lost market share in Mexico, Central America, and Venezuela,‖ he said. Other questions include whether Asian exporters will ship milled rice into South America, Central America, and Mexico? And whether the U.S. can increase its sales from the current 30,000 tons to Iraq, compared to 94,000 tons in 2017-18? Analysts are also asking if the U.S. can make sales of medium-grain rice to North Africa, one of the fastest-growing rice markets in the world, and the Middle East? ―Will the U.S. pick up some of Egypt‘s former market or could it sell rice to Egypt?‖ he said. ―If it did, what type of class?‖ https://www.deltafarmpress.com/rice/us-could-ship-more-rice-2018-19-if-prices-decline
Project leads countries to food security 2018-10-04 08:45:50China DailyEditor : Liang Meichen
Green Super Rice initiative bringing African, Asian nations high-yield crops Chinese agricultural researchers have helped plant more than 2 million hectares of superior rice species in more than a dozen Asian and African countries, yielding harvest increases of up to 30 percent per hectare in some, in an international cooperative project over the past 10 years. The Green Super Rice project, geared at alleviating poverty through cultivation and promotion of a drought and disease resistant rice species, covers 16 Asian and African countries where rice is a staple, said Li Zhikang, a professor and researcher of rice breeding at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and a leading member of the project. Working with authorities in the 16 countries, which include the Philippines, Vietnam, South Africa and Uganda, researchers have developed and introduced about 70 superior quality rice species, and dozens more are expected to be planted, he said.
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In both the Philippines and Vietnam, about 700,000 hectares of new rice species have been planted. The new species, compared with those originally cultivated, have increased yields by 20 to 30 percent in both countries, Li said. "Due to superior characteristics of the new species, such as being insect resistant, they require either no or less synthetic fertilizers, and that helps protect the environment," Li said. "With the planting of the new species, the concept of 'green rice' is also being promoted and gradually accepted." The project, launched in 2008 and sponsored by the Chinese government and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is led by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. It is China's largest international agri-technology cooperative project in recent years, Li said. Chinese and international institutes — including the International Rice Research Institute in Manila, the Philippines; Africa Rice, in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire; and Huazhong Agricultural University in Wuhan, Hubei province — participated in the project, Li said. "Many of the countries involved rely on imports because of insufficient agricultural production," Li said. "For example, the Philippines imports about 1 million metric tons of rice every year. By increasing harvest yields, the project can improve food security in these countries." Li said the project is also beneficial to China, the world's biggest importer of grains, including rice. Last year, China imported 4 million metric tons and exported 1.2 metric tons of rice, according to the General Administration of Customs. "Increased rice production in these countries can leave them with surpluses for export, which help to diversify China's rice imports and improves food security in China," he said. Li said the project, which is due to end in March 2019, may be extended to cover more countries. "Some other countries, like India, Bangladesh and Indonesia, have contacted us about taking part in the project," Li said. "We hope for continued support for the project from the Chinese government in order to benefit more countries, including China," he said. http://www.ecns.cn/news/sci-tech/2018-10-04/detail-ifyyqtvy2868683.shtml
Rice farmers pinched by flooding Pav Suy / Khmer Times
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Farmers ride a boat along their flooded rice fields in Ek Phnom district. KT/Mai Vireak
In Prek Norin commune, the majority of residents are rice farmers and flood water can be seen covering their fields as far as the eye can see. Ek Phnom District, Battambang province – As farmers here steered a boat through flooded rice fields, they took the opportunity to also do some fishing as they spoke of their crop losses. Any chance to buttress their livelihoods and put food on the table must be taken advantage of as the floods this year have been worse than usual. Slinging a lure into the water, Phy Sokun, 31, says half of his rice fields were recently flooded and he knows he will be incurring big losses. ―I have six hectares and three of them were flooded, while the three others were fine because they are in a different location,‖ he says. ―Eighty percent of the three hectares were destroyed and I only got about 20 percent of the rice because the water keeps rising very quickly and we cannot collect the yield in time.‖ More than two thousand hectares of rice fields and farmland in Ek Phnom district have been inundated by water overflowing from the Tonle Sap; rice farmers are feeling the effects. In Prek Norin commune, the majority of residents are rice farmers and floodwater can be seen covering their fields as far as the eye can see.
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Navigating the boat through the fields, the farmers point to places where the water is at least one to two meters deep, with just the tip of plants protruding. Several houses are flooded and trees litter the ground after being ripped from their roots due to strong winds during thunderstorms. Mr Sokun says the water level this week is lower than a month ago, but the floods are receding very slowly, leaving farmers anxious and wondering why authorities have not stepped in to help. ―We cannot do anything about the water because it seems like there is no way to release it,‖ he says. ―We have no choice but to incur losses.‖ ―It is hard for us to harvest. Last year, we suffered from a drought and there was no water source nearby, but this year it is flooded from Tonle Sap,‖ he adds. Farmer Yang Leap, 42, says that her house is flooded along with her rice crops. A flooded home in Ek Phnom district. KT/Mai Vireak
―I have six hectares and almost all of them were destroyed,‖ she says. ―I could not harvest on time when the flood came. I got only about four tonnes and it is still green actually; if we did not harvest, they would have been lost. Every year, I usually get about 18 tonnes from the six hectares.‖ Ms Leap adds that farmers in the district are scrambling to hire labourers and riceharvesting machinery to secure any possible harvest from crops not yet lost.
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―All the rice farmers are in need of machine operators to harvest,‖ she says. ―If we do not hire them quickly, others will do so first and we will be at a loss. Sometimes, the machine owners do not even want the work because they know the farmers will not harvest much and will struggle to pay their fees.‖
Ms Leap says she usually earns about $2,500 from all of her crops, which include rice, zucchinis and beans. However, she has only managed to pocket about $500 this year. ―It is a big loss for me,‖ she says. ―I borrowed money from the bank to operate my farm and we need to keep paying it on a regular basis. But we don‘t have money now.‖ ―There is no one coming to help us,‖ she adds. ―If authorities cannot do anything, they should at least give us some rice seeds.‖ Ms Leap may be in luck, as the Agriculture Ministry has plans to distribute about 3,000 tonnes of rice seeds to farmers affected by floods, according to Ngin Chhay, director of the general department of agriculture. Mr Chhay says the seeds could arrive in Battambang soon. Chhim Vorchirea, director of the Battambang agricultural department, says the damages to crops from floods are not too severe. ―There is no big damage to the rice fields and the water is getting back to normal conditions,‖ he says. ―This problem is nothing new to Battambang because it is not far from the Tonle Sap lake and Sangke river. The people need to change their rice
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seedlings according to the water condition.‖
Provincial Hall spokesman Soeum Bunrith says farmers do not thoroughly study weather conditions to adapt their farming techniques and seedling timing. ―The farmers take the risk of changing the type of rice seedling. Because they saw other farmers using the dry-season rice seedling, they changed to grow it,‖ he says. ―They are supposed to grow the rice seedling that is resistant to water and floods right now.‖ ―However, the water is now starting to recede,‖ he adds. ―The water here is not controllable because the farms are close to the Tonle Sap.‖ Floods have wreaked havoc across the Kingdom this year, with the National Committee for Disaster Management reporting that more than 50 people have died during floods in the past few months. The NCDM also reported that the floods have affected more than 100,000 families, with thousands of residents in multiple provinces forced to evacuate their homes and seek shelter on higher ground. In response, the Cambodian Red Cross has been visiting victims and offering provisions and China also stepped in, pledging $1 million worth of jasmine rice to aid those affected by the floods. https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50539239/rice-farmers-pinched-by-flooding/
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Limited access to land and water affects productivity of women farmers in Africa FAO study reveals the constraints that make women more vulnerable to climate change and environmental degradation
By DTE Staff Last Updated: Thursday 04 October 2018
Size of land owned by women in Africa is 20 to 70 per cent less than that owned by men. Female households (households without male adult) have 45 per cent less land on an average. In fact, 25.2 per cent of female, as compared with 23.7 per cent of male, are food insecure in sub-Saharan Africa. These are the findings of the Regional Outlook on Gender and Agri-food Systems jointly prepared by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the African Union Commission (AUC).
The findings are a result of a review of existing statistics, gender audits of 38 National Agricultural Investment Plans and in-depth gender assessments carried out in 40 countries. Agriculture is the most important economic sector in Africa that employs over 50 per cent of the population. Women represent about 50 per cent of the labour force in agriculture, yet gender gaps in agriculture are holding back progress towards ending hunger. ―Women‘s deficits in agricultural productivity range between 20 and 30 per cent in the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Closing such gender gaps could increase production and consumption by 1.5 to 10 per cent and reduce poverty by 1.2 to 13 per cent,‖ the report observes. Constraints
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The AUC and FAO reviewed constraints that make women more vulnerable and less resilient to risk, climate change and environmental degradation. The recent study shows that:
Women not only have less access to irrigated land, but also the land is often of poor quality. About 43 per cent of men against 32 per cent of women own agricultural land in 27 SSA countries. Women own land mostly through joint ownership. Only 13 per cent of women against 40 per cent of men have sole ownership on all or part of the land they own. Besides limited sole ownership, women also lack sufficient access to water. Short-term user rights lent by their husbands or traditional authorities are often discontinued, preventing them from installing irrigation equipment and adopting long-term conservation practices. Women have limited livestock assets despite the fact that livestock ownership is linked to poverty reduction and enhanced resilience. Owing to low literacy rate and lack of awareness, women do not have the capacity to access and use their resources efficiently and sustainably to generate income. They have 13 to 200 per cent less access to advisory services.
―Women have insufficient individual and collective capacities, leadership and voice to access services and influence institutions to better address their concerns and needs,‖ the report argues. Recommendations Arguing that reducing gender gaps is a low-hanging fruit and a quick win for achieving zero hunger and sustainable development, FAO recommended making regional and national agricultural investment plans more responsive to women‘s needs. It urged the AU and its member countries to integrate compulsory gender analysis and enhancing women‘s effective participation in key policy processes.
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Scaling up women‘s entrepreneurship and economic empowerment in agribusiness, and developing multi-sectoral programmes with other institutions to tackle gender issues beyond the agricultural sectors are also on the list of recommendations. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/agriculture/limited-access-to-land-and-water-affects-productivityof-women-farmers-in-africa-61793
Govt could allow retailers to import rice, sugar BY ANNA LEAH E. GONZALES ON OCTOBER 3, 2018
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it was looking at allowing major retailers like supermarkets to import rice and sugar provided they guarantee retail prices of P38 per kilogram for rice and P50 per kilo for sugar. ―We are in talks with some of the retailers and traders. We will write to them today (Tuesday). These could be supermarkets because they have retailing outlets already. We will also announce that they can apply for imports and they will be given approval if they can guarantee to sell at the set price,‖ Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez told reporters in an interview. Lopez said the proposal, which he dubbed as a ―price setting approach‖, was part of the government‘s efforts to make cheaper rice and sugar available in the market. It is also in response to President Duterte‘s recent directive to find ways to facilitate importation and availability of basic commodities. ―This way, we don‘t need to worry about layers of traders who will just make margins in the process. With this scheme, we allow retailers who will undertake to sell all their imported stocks at the set price,‖ said Lopez.
Lopez said retailers could initially import 350,000 metric tons of rice which would be enough for two weeks consumption of the B,C,D market. He said he already talked to Agirculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol and other economic managers about the said proposal. ―I did some computation. For immediate needs, assuming its 50 percent of the daily consumption of the B,C,D which are the market for P38 per kilo, two week period requirement is about 350,000 metric tons for this program. That could be the volume which will be divided to the retailers,‖ he said.
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Lopez however clarified that the volume is still not final as they are still in the process of developing the procedure for the program. ― I spoke to Secretary Pinol and he supports the idea because this can be done faster and that there will be undertaking and guarantee that the low price will reach the consumers. We will make the import conditional on this undertaking and they will be given permission,‖ he said. ―Their sales will be audited to verify that all stock permitted to import are sold at the desired price. Basically we will allow to import those who will give undertaking to DTI and DA that they will sell at those prices. This is just another idea to have quickly more P38 rice available in mainstream supermarkets where all people go to always nationwide,‖ he added. The trade chief said the import permit can be given to supermarkets or rice traders for specific volume per period. This, he said, will ensure that prices ―won‘t dive.‖ ―They [importers]will pay tariff too for revenues and protection of farmers. With this we immediately make available the rice. Why supermarket? Because we have greater control as to their sales record. https://www.manilatimes.net/govt-could-allow-retailers-to-import-rice-sugar/447879/
Karnal millers want bank guarantee waived Karnal, October 3 Rice millers in the district are unhappy over the government‘s directive to provide a bank guarantee or pledge property worth 5 per cent of the cost of paddy allocated for custom milling. Vinod Goel, state vice-president of the Haryana Rice Millers and Dealers Association, said the government had earlier demanded bank guarantee of 75 per cent of the paddy cost, but it scaled it down to 5 per cent. ―We do not have money to spare for depositing it as bank guarantee. Most of us do not have land which can be pledged. We request the government to waive this condition,‖ he said. ―Millers are ready to deposit cheques in advance instead of this guarantee. If any rice miller fails to return the rice, the government can encash the cheques,‖ he said. The DFSC, Kushal Boora, said the condition had been incorporated in view of the failure of several millers to deliver rice in return for the paddy allocated to them.
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Thirty rice millers had been declared defaulters. Several similar cases had been reported across the state, after which the government took this step. The DFSC said paddy would not be allocated to defaulting rice millers and those who had misappropriated paddy or rice stock during the previous season. He said all millers would have to install CCTV cameras at the entrance to their mills and maintain stock registers. The physical verification of paddy stock would be conducted on a fortnightly basis, he added.— TNS https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/karnal-millers-want-bank-guaranteewaived/662796.html
Miller accepts fault for rejected Panama rice shipment - measures to be put in place to avoid repeat By Staff Writer
The rice miller responsible for shipping the rejected containers of rice to Panama has accepted blame for the error, Head of the Guyana Rice Exporters and Millers Association (GREMA) Rajendra Persaud said yesterday, while noting that the body is awaiting the return of the containers in order to ascertain the extent of the situation. Last week, Head of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) Nizam Hassan had confirmed that 20 containers were stopped in Panama and denied access into the country after investigations revealed parboiled rice had been shipped instead of white rice, which the millers are contractually obligated to supply. Hassan explained that more than a week ago, the GRDB received communication from one of its representatives in Panama about a shipment being flagged. As a result, investigations identified a miller who was then given the directive to stop packaging rice at night. After more shipments were flagged, the miller was then instructed to stop using his facilities and then eventually ordered to stop shipments temporarily until the investigations are completed‌.. https://www.stabroeknews.com/2018/news/guyana/10/03/miller-accepts-fault-for-rejected-panama-riceshipment/
"The change must be cultural" - Audu Ogbeh, Agriculture minister, Nigeria By Nicholas Norbrook in Lagos
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Nigeria's agriculture minister, himself the son of a farmer, talks to The Africa Report about the future for small-scale producers and how to solve the root causes of herder/farmer clashes Something refreshing happened when Nigeria‘s minister of agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, arrived ‗on seat‘ in November 2015. He maintained and deepened the programmes of his predecessors rather than replacing them. This included, for example, the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending, launched by Akinwumi Adesina – now president of the African Development Bank. ―We did not throw it overboard,‖ says Ogbeh. ―It is helping the big-scale operators to be able to access credit with the commercial banks, given their allergy to lending to agriculture.‖ But if Ogbeh has a passion, it is for the smallholder. ―By far, the majority of farmers in Africa today own no more than a football-field worth of land. And there are so many that managing their demands and production is beyond the capacity of any single office.‖ Reaching them demands an army of extension workers – so called for their ability to extend advice and improve access to inputs like seeds and fertiliser to farmers in the field. Ethiopia claims to have several hundred thousand extension workers. In contrast, ―We have a very poor ratio of farmer to extension worker,‖ admits Ogbeh. ―[Extension programmes] existed in the past under a World Bank scheme, but they withdrew and the system died. But we are reviving them.‖ Ogbeh says he wants to have four or five extension workers for each of Nigeria‘s 774 local government areas. The legacy of coups Extension workers are particularly useful in educating farmers about practices that have been proven to increase productivity elsewhere. Ogbeh offers an example: ―In Minnesota, at a corn farm, the planting distance of maize on the ridge is six inches apart. In Nigeria, they are one metre apart. In between, the weeds take over. So they have to weed the farm twice, lose all their money and the yield of the farm is so low – two tonnes per hectare, compared to the farmer out in Europe or the US who has 15, 20, 25 tonnes per hectare.‖
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Ogbeh argues that Nigeria‘s periods of military rule were particularly devastating to farming knowledge. ―India never had a coup! So they could work through serious problems of poverty, but not us,‖ he explains. For example, before independence there were clear grazing areas for cattle herders in the north covering 5m hectares. These lands were then encroached on by a growing population and seized by generals. This plays into the current deadly conflict pitting pastoralists, who are suffering from environmental degradation, against settled farmers, whose crops are trampled and eaten by hungry cows. ―We are inviting people to go into farming, and then their farms get destroyed,‖ says Ogbeh. ―We are also interested in the wellbeing of the cattle because we need the beef and milk.‖ He adds that on their forced marches to find sources of water and food, cows abort if they become pregnant and produce little milk. ―And the beef getting to Lagos is as good as plastic.‖ The government is seeking to create a system of ranches. That will require finance to create dairy processing plants and feed mills for cattle. It would include reviving grazing areas – ―or what is left of them. There were 415 of them before, some gazetted, some not,‖ Ogbeh says. Then, the idea is to start building mini-dams to provide the water cattle need. That is to be done in conjunction between the state and federal government. But the real change will have to be a cultural one, argues Ogbeh. ―We are saying to them, stay in one spot. Things do change. We [Nigerians] used to kill twins because they were seen as horrors – that has changed.‖ Whether or not he is able to convince herders to change, one thing that is starting to shift is perceptions around the amount of money in farming. Central bank governor Godwin Emefiele claimed last year there were 88,000 newly minted naira millionaires from the rice revolution that has swept Kebbi State.
This, claims Ogbeh, is thanks to government efforts: the Anchor Borrowers‘ Programme, which has provided more than 70,000 farmers with enough inputs to grow a hectare of rice in Kebbi State; the lowering of import duties on agricultural equipment like tractors and rice mills; and a deal with Morocco‘s OCP to supply phosphates. It is not just smallholders who are doing big things. Minister Ogbeh singles out rice producer Coscharis Group for praise at the other end of the scale. ―[They are] about to become one of the largest rice producers of the country. [They have] an 8,000ha rice farm, with some of the most sophisticated combine harvesters I have ever seen,‖ says Ogbeh. The ministry has given Coscharis free access to a government silo and is importing an additional 10 rice mills, each able to process 30,000 tonnes a year, adding to Nigeria‘s existing 27 mills. ―The first set of big rice mills were bought by the federal government and sold to millers at a whopping discount, with interest rates of 4% down from 25%,‖ says Ogbeh. Reversing migration At a smaller scale, Ogbeh says that farming has the opportunity to provide employment for young people. The Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises scheme is commissioning a slew of projects, including small rice mills and palm-oil mills, as well as aggregating farmers into cooperative arrangements where they can pool their purchasing power for inputs. ―It‘s a strategy for reversing migration both from the village to the city and from the city to Europe,‖ says
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Ogbeh. ―We will set these things up in village communities where so many young graduates from schools, polytechnics and universities return back to their villages with nothing to do.‖ It is quite an agenda. But Ogbeh says the traditional roadblock to reform – a sclerotic administration – is tempered when he reminds colleagues about the crisis to come. ―I say to them: ‗When the crisis of population comes, I won‘t be here. You will,‖ the 70-year-old minister says. ―How are you going to feed [Nigeria‘s] 415 million people by 2050?‖ http://www.theafricareport.com/West-Africa/qthe-change-must-be-culturalq-audu-ogbehagriculture-minister-nigeria.html
Army Assures Rice Farmers of Food Security By Texas Chukwu - Posted: 39 mins ago1163 Nigerian Army Army Assures Rice Farmers of Food Security The Nigerian Army has assured legitimate rice farmers and millers of food security in the country. The Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division Brigadier General Abdulmalik Bulama Biu, gave the assurance on Tuesday 2nd October 2018, during a visit by members of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) Borno State Chapter, to the Headquarters 7 Division in Maiduguri. He stated that, rice farmers were critical partners in the sustenance of the country’s economy. He assured RIFAN of security support while charging them to be law abiding and diligent in their operations. The Acting GOC enjoined them to ensure due diligence in clearance of their products with other sister security agencies particularly with Nigeria Customs Service.
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Earlier, the Chairman of RIFAN Borno State Chapter, Alhaji Bulama Maina Mohammed stated that, the Association is the largest stakeholder in rice production in Nigeria. He said that the RIFAN had come to solicit security support for movement of their product and services. He also commended the Nigerian Army for restoring peace and security in the North East and assured of the Association’s cooperation. The Chairman was accompanied by the Vice Chairman Bukar Modu Yari and Managing Director of Coplad Mills Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Kyeri Goni Ali, among others. https://prnigeria.com/2018/10/03/army-rice-farmers-food-security/
This Week in PNAS Oct 02, 2018 A Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute-led team describes copy number variants occurring midway through neurogenesis in the cerebral cortex in a mouse model. Using a single-cell, whole-genome sequencing method with transposases-based amplification, the researchers assessed hundreds of individual cells in developing or fully formed cerebral cortex samples from dozens of mice, using a machine learning informatics method to toss out false-positive CNVs. Their search uncovered thousands of new CNVs — many spanning less than a million bases of sequence — that became more prominent during neurogenesis. "These data demonstrate the existence of myriad CNVs, which genomically diversify neural cells before incorporation into the mature organization of the brain," the authors write. GenomeWeb has more on this, here. University of Ottawa researchers explore drivers of genetic and phenotypic variation in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which often causes opportunistic infections in individuals with cystic fibrosis. The team followed a dozen parallel populations of P. aeruginosa, grown in the lab under a range of cystic fibrosis-relevant conditions for hundreds of generations. Based on their findings, the investigators suggest that "nutritional complexity and reduced dispersal can drive evolutionary diversification of P. aeruginosa independent of other features of the [cystic fibrosis] lung such as an active immune system or the presence of competing microbial species." A team from China and Australia reports on DNA demethylase enzyme mutations in rice that appear to boost the nutritional value of the grains by prompting the production of a thicker-than-usual layer of protein-, vitamin-, and mineral-rich material on the outside of the seed, known as the aleurone. After screening for thickened aleurone in tens of thousands of grains from more than 6,000 mutant rice plants, the researchers characterized the nutritional content of such seeds and used mapbased cloning to narrow in on an alteration affecting an intron of the DNA demethylase-coding gene OsROS1. Their subsequent bisulfite sequencing analyses suggest that this mutation bumps up methylation at some sites in the genome, including regions that dial down expression of transcription factors suspected of contributing to aleurone differentiation.
https://www.genomeweb.com/scan/week-pnas-200#.W7X43nszbm4
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Think Rice Road Trip Taps into U.S.'s Largest Rice Market By Katie Maher MILWAUKEE, WI -- The newest promotion program that focuses on the U.S. rice industry's largest market - the domestic one - is the Think Rice Road Trip. USA Rice acquired a Ford F150 from Cavanaugh Lincoln Ford in Jonesboro, Arkansas, wrapped the vehicle with messages and delicious looking rice images, and set off on a 4,000-mile trip to distribute 3,000 household rice cookers obtained from Aroma Housewares, and more than 3,000 one and two pound samples of U.S.-grown rice donated by USA Rice members. The team left Crowley, Louisiana on Monday, September 24 and over the next seven days traveled 2,200 miles, conducted 16 events, and made Road Trip-specific donations to four charitable organizations in two states.
Rice gives back The crew interacted with more than 800 consumers, distributed 725 consumer rice cookers and more than 850 pounds of rice, as well as five commercial cookers and 400 pounds of bulk rice to organizations working with the chronically homeless and families in crisis in St. Louis and the greater Chicago area. "It felt really great to be able to make these donations on behalf of the industry," said Deborah Willenborg, USA Rice director of communications and one of three drivers for the trip. "To see the excitement on the faces of the volunteers, and to let them know that they are not alone, that someone else cares and wants to help; I will remember that feeling for the rest of my life." The group used social media, word of mouth, and local media appearances to drive awareness of their activities and they had no trouble distributing all the rice cookers they had designated for each location. On the air with KSIG in Crowley LA "At first people were sometimes skeptical, 'Free? What's the catch?' they'd ask, but once we explained all they had to do was fill out a card with their name and email and answer a few questions about their rice routine, they were quite excited," said Cameron Jacobs, USA Rice manager of domestic promotion and trip driver. "More than a few people told me we made their day and that they were going home to make rice for dinner!"
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"We explained to people that we were working for U.S. rice farmers and millers and that they wanted Americans to eat more rice. And while using a rice cooker is not the only way to cook rice, it is pretty foolproof," explained Michael Klein, USA Rice vice president of domestic promotion.The long and short of the rice story Willenborg said it was interesting to note that of the hundreds and hundreds of people she talked to, nobody had a negative impression or bad word to say about rice. "They maybe didn't know it was grown in the United States until we talked to them, but so many of them said they eat a lot of rice or that their family loves rice. It was nice to hear." The team is returning to USA Rice headquarters in Virginia while the Think Rice Truck is transported to Seattle, Washington. A Pacific Northwest leg will begin in mid-October with stops throughout western Washington and Oregon and possibly Vancouver, BC, Canada. A California leg is planned for November and the truck will be at the USA Rice Outlook Conference in San Diego in December, where it will be raffled off. You can follow along with the team by watching #RideWithRice on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and monitoring the USA Rice YouTube page for exclusive videos from inside the truck.
In Photo: A worker carries a sack of rice on his head at a rice store in Makati City in this file photo. The National Food Authority Council has just approved the mandatory inspection of foreign rice warehouses that are the source of rice imported by the Philippines, whether by the government or private sector. Agriculture Secretary
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Emmanuel F. Piñol said technical teams will fly to the foreign countries before the stock is shipped to the Philippines to avoid incidents such as the recent case of weevil infestation. Piñol said the National Food Authority Council (NFAC) has approved the measure, which would authorize a technical team—with representatives from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the NFA—to inspect warehouses abroad, where rice imports by the government and private traders are coming from. The inspection is a validation of the sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPSIC) issued to the accredited and licensed rice trader and importer, Piñol explained. Piñol said the inspection would determine if the warehouses are SPS-compliant and are safe for human consumption. Furthermore, the additional SPS measure will prevent unwanted situations with rice shipments arriving in the country, such as the recent case of the weevil-infested imports by the NFA, Piñol added. The mandatory inspection will cover all rice shipments arriving in the country, whether imported by the private sector or the government, Piñol explained. If a shipment is found to be unsafe for human consumption or in violation of SPS standards, then the supply would not be given clearance for shipment to the country, according to Piñol.
Supplies declined, not the bid However, the supplier would be given the chance to change the supply or stocks to be exported to the Philippines. ―We would issue the SPS and then inspect at the port of origin. If the shipments would not pass SPS [standards] then we will decline it,‖ he said in an interview with reporters on the sidelines of the Asean Agriculture Summit 2018 on October 1.
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―It is only the supply that we will be declining but not the [winning] bid,‖ he added. Piñol, who is the chairman of the NFAC, said the highest policy-making body of the NFA has approved the measure and it will be implemented in the next round of importation. Furthermore, Piñol said the government will shoulder the additional costs incurred in sending technical people abroad to conduct the inspection and evaluation.
Asked if the government is willing to shoulder the possible additional costs of sending technical teams abroad, Piñol replied, “What is that if we are protecting the interest of the Filipino consumers?” In the latest terms of reference (TOR) for the private-sector rice importation under the minimum access volume scheme, winning bidders are required to submit an SPS-IC, Certificates of Origin, Fumigation and Inspection Certificate pertaining to the condition of the vessels prior to the arrival of their shipments. However, the TOR did not specify the issuing authority of the Certificates of Origin, Fumigation and Inspection Certificate and how they will be obtained by the importers, unlike in the TOR for the government rice importation. Under the two TORs for the NFA‘s rice importation this year, the cost of fumigating the cargo vessel carrying the shipment will be shouldered by the winning supplier. Furthermore, the winning suppliers should tap a ―reliable, first-class independent international surveyor‖ to supervise and ensure that the rice stocks from their warehouses are fit for human consumption and comply with pertinent SPS measures. https://businessmirror.com.ph/govt-oks-mandatory-inspection-of-foreign-rice-warehouses/
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VN sees rice export growth by year-end Update: October, 01/2018 - 11:00
A worker moves rice bags at a private agricultural processing company in Phước Lộc Commune, Tuy Phước District, Bình Định Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Vũ Sinh
Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam expects rice exports to regain strength by the end of the year after a brief lull, said Trần Văn Công, deputy director of the Agro Processing and Market Development Authority under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
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Over the first nine months of this year, Việt Nam shipped 4.9 million tonnes of rice abroad, earning US$2.5 billion, up 22 per cent from the same period last year. Công said that this is an impressive result, attributing the achievement to the effective rice sector restructuring programme which focuses on developing high-quality and fragrant rice to bolster exports to choosy markets. Up to 80 per cent of exports now are classified as high-quality rice and sold at more than $500 per tonne, he said, adding that market diversification has been a catalyst for Vietnamese rice shipments. China‘s sudden imposition of a 50 per cent tariff on rice imports from July affected rice consumption in this market, especially sticky rice. At some points, Chinese traders paid only $380 per tonne for sticky rice, compared to the $530-540 per tonne at the beginning of the year. However, Vietnamese firms have worked to enhance rice exports to Iraq, the Philippines, Malaysia, the Ivory Coast and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The price of sticky rice has also increased from just below $400 per tonne in July and August, to $440 per tonne now. Furthermore, as local firms reduce export costs, Vietnamese rice will gain a competitive edge over that grown in India and Thailand, Công noted. In the coming time, purchase demand will is forecast to pick up in some countries, such as the Philippines, which will be needing to import an additional 500,000800,000 tonnes of rice by the end of this year to refill exhausted reserves and stabilise the domestic rice price. Meanwhile, Indonesia and several African countries also hold great demand for rice imports in response to output decline due to floods and storms. Besides, the Government‘s new Decree 107/2018/NĐ-CP replacing Decree 109/2010/NĐ-CP, which takes effect from October 1, will remove difficulties and legal barriers for rice exporters to expand their foreign markets. According to the decree, rice exporters will no longer be required to own rice storage, paddy milling and grinding facilities with processing capacities of 5,000 tonnes of rice. In addition, customs procedures will be simplified, creating favourable conditions for enterprises to export more to large consuming markets like China, Europe, Africa, Iraq, Cuba and the UAE. Phạm Minh Thiện, general director of Cỏ May Co Ltd, said many provisions on rice export have been modified to suit the development of enterprises. It has created more
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favourable conditions for businesses to enter the market and to reduce costs significantly. The amendments to the Decree 109 which was issued eight years ago will promote businesses and farmers to put more investment in the production and trading of highquality rice. Farmers are encouraged to supply high-value rice for rice exporters. — VNS https://vietnamnews.vn/economy/466854/vn-sees-rice-export-growth-by-yearend.html#IKJlexMTAGQDjY2C.97
Rice policies and fallacies By: Cielito F. Habito - @inquirerdotnet Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:06 AM October 02, 2018 Every administration in recent memory experienced a rice crisis, all traced to mistakes (on importation) made by the National Food Authority,‖ asserted former UP School of Economics dean Ramon Clarete in a recent Management Association of the Philippines panel discussion on rice policy. ―We should never put ourselves under that kind of vulnerability, where one agency‘s mistake can harm the entire economy,‖ he went on. We need an environment where no single market player‘s actions can disrupt the entire supply-demand balance, which implies that government‘s decades-old exclusive control over rice importation must go in favor of open trade. That‘s what ―rice tariffication,‖ the subject of House Bill No. 7735 and Senate Bill No. 1998, is all about. It‘s about increasing competition in rice trading by opening it to all, rather than allow a few favored licensed players to corner supplies enough to determine who gets what, and what price prevails. It‘s not about removing protection of our rice producers from much cheaper imports, but about using appropriate import tariffs to provide that protection in a transparent and measurable way. And it‘s about not using hard-earned taxpayer money to pay for rice imports. That money, running into billions of pesos annually, is better spent helping rice farmers raise productivity, reduce costs and stand up to cheaper imports from our neighboring rice surplus countries. It must also be used to help rice farmers in less suited lands shift to other products that will not keep them mired in poverty, stuck in lower-yield rice production in a stubborn pursuit of rice self-sufficiency.
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I‘ve never said that the Philippines cannot be rice self-sufficient, as scientists and others often insist. The issue has always been: at what cost? With the right science and inputs, we can squeeze as much rice as we can from our much smaller rice area relative to our Greater Mekong Subregion neighbors, and yes, be self-sufficient—but it would still cost much higher than our neighbors can provide that rice to us. It makes far better sense to produce as much as we can only to the extent that its cost is comparable to that of our rice surplus neighbors. I have no doubt that, with proper efficiency improvements, we have enough competitive farms and scientific resources to permit us to still produce the bulk of our rice needs, even at or close to Southeast Asian prices that are only about half ours. But maintaining our age-old policy of shielding the domestic rice market via import restrictions will only keep permitting our domestic rice prices and production costs to remain up to twice higher than what other Southeast Asians pay for the staple. Government is not supposed to be helping our farmers persist as high-cost producers; it‘s supposed to help them become high-productivity, low-cost and competitive ones. That is where budgetary allocations of taxpayer money for rice should go, not for directly importing the commodity, which private traders could do better. And yet it is this flawed approach that has been our rice policy for ages, all because of our romantic attachment to the elusive idea of rice self-sufficiency. The economy-wide harm that high-cost rice does is especially obvious now, as spiking rice prices have triggered inflationary expectations feeding on itself and fueling more inflation. As a dominant part of the Filipino worker‘s budget, it has also forced our wages up to less competitive levels, impacting on our competitiveness and impeding jobs well beyond rice farming and agriculture itself.Romblon, Masbate and other differently endowed provinces do not aspire for rice selfsufficiency for a good reason. In this age of a much more integrated Asean Economic Community, which as a region is a global rice surplus producer, the Philippines need not insist on producing all its rice for the same reason. An Asean-wide approach to food security makes far more sense now than one that aims for national self-sufficiency in the guise of food security. That position forgets that lack of affordability is the biggest contributor to the food insecurity of millions of malnourished Filipino poor.
https://opinion.inquirer.net/116477/rice-policies-fallacies#ixzz5SxftVG00
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IRRI opens regional office in Africa With a new office in Nairobi, IRRI will help African nations improve rice productivity and reach selfsufficiency. Photo courtesy of IRRI. 10.02.2018 By Holly Demaree-Saddler
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) opened a new regional office in Nairobi to help Africa boost rice productivity and self-sufficiency. The office was inaugurated by Professor Hamadi Boga, Principal Secretary, Kenyan State Department of Agriculture Research, who was represented by Margaret Makelo; Jim Godfrey, chairman of the board of trustees and Matthew Morell, director general, for the IRRI. The office and IRRI‘s regional research initiatives will be led by Abdelbagi Ismail, IRRI‘s regional representative for Africa. Hosted by fellow CGIAR center the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and working closely with AfricaRice, the new regional hub will speed IRRI‘s ability to translate its 60-year history of success transforming the Asian rice sector to the African context. ―IRRI is very grateful to ILRI for hosting our regional office here within their headquarters,‖ said Abdelbagi Ismail, IRRI‘s regional representative for Africa. ―Their generous support, as well as their extensive experience and network in the region, will be invaluable in helping IRRI work with governments and national institutions to accelerate the agricultural opportunity across the continent.‖ According to IRRI, increasing urban populations, higher per capita incomes, and changing consumer preferences have made rice the fastest-growing food staple in Africa. Over 130 million hectares of inland valleys are suitable for rice farming, yet only about 10 million hectares are utilized, mostly growing low-yielding traditional rice varieties. IRRI noted, that because of insufficient production, many African nations have had to import 50% to 90% percent of their rice to keep up with demand, creating a considerable strain on their economies. IRRI‘s efforts in the region is working to help national agriculture priorities and a continent-wide strategy, ‗Boosting Africa‘s rice sector‘, that was developed by CGIAR sister center AfricaRice and national partners. The plan aims to reduce reliance on rice imports and reach 90% rice selfsufficiency by 2025. IRRI initiatives that support these priorities include deployment of highyielding and climate-smart rice varieties, dissemination of locally adapted best practices in crop management and intensive farming, building the capability of rice scientists, and fostering partnerships that work towards efficient, sustainable and profitable rice-based systems.
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According to IRRI, rice consumption in sub-Saharan Africa is growing at the expense of traditional staples like cassava, millet and sorghum, and demand continues to surpass local production. While continued investments by African countries have led to improvements in their rice sectors, there is an urgent need to accelerate the process. ―It is important to foster greater regional and international collaboration on the development and diffusion of improved technologies in sub-Saharan Africa to sustainably meet increasing demand,‖ IRRI said. IRRI and AfricaRice will work even more closely with national partners in sub-Saharan Africa to deliver on the rapidly growing needs of the African rice sector in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. ―We are very excited to intensify our engagement here in Africa,‖ said Matthew Morell, director general of IRRI. ―Africa‘s rice sector has enormous potential for growth. With strong leadership from governments and institutions, Africa can be self-sufficient in rice production and become a top producer globally, contributing to worldwide food security.‖ He continued, ―IRRI‘s researchbased solutions for the rice sector coupled with the work of our sister CGIAR centers, national partners, and the private sector can help deliver these results.‖ https://www.world-grain.com/articles/11045-irri-opens-regional-office-in-africa
DTI wants retailers to import rice, sugar By Kris Crismundo October 2, 2018, 9:13 pm MANILA -- Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said retailers may be permitted to directly import rice and sugar, but retail prices will be set by government. Lopez told reporters that this price setting system is in line with the Administrative Order 13 released by Malacañang Palace last month, directing National Food Authority (NFA), Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to remove administrative constraints and non-tariff barriers on the importation of agricultural products. This AO aims to curb food inflation. ―[We] proposed to have a price setting approach where we will allow importation, only if retailers or importers who can guarantee retailing price at PHP38 per kilo for rice and PHP50 [per kilo] for sugar,‖ he said. ―This way, we don‘t need to worry about layers of traders who will just make margins in the process. With this scheme, we allow retailers who will undertake to sell all their imported stocks at the set price,‖ he added.
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Lopez added that import permits can be provided to the retailers or importers for specific volume per period. For rice, in particular, he said some 350,000 metric tons of rice, which is good for two weeks, can be initially imported for this program. This on top of the volume that the NFA is currently importing, Lopez said. He said the PHP38-per-kilo rice is mostly consumed by the B, C, and D markets. The price level of this commercial rice is now more than PHP40 per kilo, he added. Lopez said his department wants to partner with major supermarkets in the country for this initiative. Local supermarket giants are Sy-family‘s SM Supermarket, Gokongwei‘s Robinsons Supermarket, and Co-family‘s Puregold, among others. Aside from supermarket, imported rice and sugar with fixed price will be sold at DTI‘s Suking Outlets and Department of Agriculture‘s Malasakit Stores. ―Why supermarkets? Because we have a greater control as to their sales record,‖ Lopez said. ―[I] hope, this is one quick solution while awaiting for rice tariffication. This will keep traders on their toes,‖ he said. Lopez said the importers will still be paying tariffs, which goes to government's coffers and also protects local farmers. (PNA) http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1049763
India eyes rupee-route, barter for Venezuelan crude VISHWANATH KULKARNI RICHA MISHRAT+ T-
May be used for exports, especially of rice, too BENGALURU/NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 30 India is considering setting up a rupee-payment mechanism for trade with Venezuela, besides exporting rice and drugs to the South American nation, all in return for crude oil.
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The Ministries of Commerce, Finance and Petroleum are looking into the proposal. ―Venezuela is among the top 10 crude oil suppliers to India. Since the size of the business would run into several millions, it needs to have a proper trade balance. So, there could be the possibility of using the rupee-payment system as a trade off: Venezuela wants to sell oil, India has to look at what it can sell besides rice and pharmaceuticals, to make the mechanism more attractive,‖ an official said, adding that the arrangement ―could work like a barter system‖. The rupee-payment mechanism is not a new concept, but there is a general agreement that the strategy for Venezuela cannot be similar to that for sanctions-hit Iran. This mechanism is also being considered to benefit Indian exporters, particularly pharmaceutical products and non-basmati rice. ―Rice is well-consumed in Venezuela and we see a huge potential, provided a proper payment mechanism is established,‖ said BV Krishna Rao, President of the Rice Exporters Association. So far, the efforts of exporters to tap the Venezuelan market through the Dubai route have not been successful due to payment issues. Rao estimates that India could export up to half-a-million tonnes to Venezuela on a regular basis, if a rupee-based payment mechanism is set up. Crude oil imports are of prime concern for India in its relations with both Venezuela and Iran. Sri Paravaikkarasu, Director - Asia, Oil at FGE, a global oil and gas consultancy, said: ―In the previous round of sanctions (on Iran), India did use rupee payment and barter arrangements for its Iranian crude imports. India is no doubt considering these options to side-step the soon-to-beimposed US sanctions against Iran. But we must remember that this US President is taking a hardline against Iran, compared to his predecessor.‖
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Private refiners have already decided not to import oil from Iran. ―Even if the national oil companies consider other payment options with Iran and to some extent with Venezuela, they would only achieve limited success. The US intends to track tanker movements out of Iran and monitor the crude/condensate supply-chain down to recipient countries. So, energy firms with any sort of exposure to the US financial system will come under sanctions if they are caught circumventing the sanctions in any way,‖ she said, adding that Indian companies may well avoid creating the ―high-risk scenario‖. As estimate by Vanda Insights, based on shipping information, said that India‘s oil imports from Iran stood at 4.81 lakh barrels a day in September, about 4.17 lakh barrels August, and about 6.28 lakh barrels in July. In September 2017, about 3.52 lakh barrels a day came in. https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/india-eyes-rupee-route-barter-forvenezuelan-crude/article25089927.ece
New rice battleground BR RESEARCH
O C T 1 S T, 2 0 1 8
Being elbowed out of traditional markets by India is not a new circumstance for Pakistan. The latest red flag is raised by China removing phytosanitary restrictions that prevented non-Basmati rice imports from India.It has been fairly accepted by all corners that the Pakistan-China FTA has not been in the best interests of the country. However, while the trade agreement has been a driving force in creating the $9.7 billion trade deficit, the simple fact of the matter is that Pakistan‘s resource based goods cannot offset Chinese value added imports. The only stance that trade agreement negotiators can take is for unilateral concessions with Pakistan getting preferential access that has been eroded away because of China Asean trade agreement. (For more information read ―Pakistan-China FTA farce‖, published on September 22, 2017)
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Rice is a particular bone of contention because it is an export that can be increased manifold, if not for the tariff constraints. The nearly $2 billion rice market of China is dominated by Asean countries since the 33.7 percent tariff levied on their imports is nearly half of the 65 percent custom duty faced by Pakistan‘s exporters. If Pakistan was to be given similar preferential tariffs, current exports of $124 million could grow fairly easily.
Recall that China is not a Basmati rice eating country. China had given Indian basmati rice access but banned all other varieties based on phytosanitary requirements. However, this protocol was amended during Modi‘s visit to China earlier this year. Since there is limited demand for Basmati rice, Pakistan was the only major non-Asean rice supplier. This can change as the amended protocol allows Indian non-Basmati rice imports, the first of which will be exported this year.
India and Pakistan face the same tariff on rice imports therefore going forward, the rival countries have a new battleground to butt heads in. At $7 billion exports in 2017, it is needless to say that India is a much bigger rice producer and exporter compared to Pakistan‘s $1.6 billion. UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UK, USA, and Australia are some of the other destinations that Pakistan and India compete with each other in the rice arena. As per a 2010 TDAP report, India is ahead of Pakistan in all these markets.If the Pak-China FTA is not renegotiated to allow for better tariff access, it is possible that Pakistan will lose one of its biggest rice markets to India. Given the importance of rice in Pakistan‘s export basket and the incumbent government‘s aspirations for $27 billion exports, increased Indian access to Chinese market may put a crimp in national plans.https://www.brecorder.com/2018/10/01/442717/new-rice-battleground/
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Scientists try seawater to save Europe's rice from rapacious invasive snail Now Reading:
Scientists try seawater to save Europe's rice from rapacious invasive snail
Slowly but surely, a creeping threat is destroying Spanish rice paddies. Global losses from the Apple snail are estimated at tens of billions of euros per year. Futuris takes a look at how scientists are tackling this problem in a simple and environmentally friendly way. The boundless rice fields of the Ebro Delta: more than 90,000 tons of famous Catalan rice are grown here every year. Global demand is rising, but the threats are expanding as well: from the changing climate to pest infestations. How do we protect European rice from the creeping threat? https://www.euronews.com/2018/10/01/scientists-try-seawater-to-save-europe-s-rice-fromrapacious-invasive-snail
IRRI opens regional office in Africa With a new office in Nairobi, IRRI will help African nations improve rice productivity and reach selfsufficiency. Photo courtesy of IRRI. 10.02.2018
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By Holly Demaree-Saddler
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) opened a new regional office in Nairobi to help Africa boost rice productivity and self-sufficiency. The office was inaugurated by Professor Hamadi Boga, Principal Secretary, Kenyan State Department of Agriculture Research, who was represented by Margaret Makelo; Jim Godfrey, chairman of the board of trustees and Matthew Morell, director general, for the IRRI. The office and IRRI‘s regional research initiatives will be led by Abdelbagi Ismail, IRRI‘s regional representative for Africa. Hosted by fellow CGIAR center the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and working closely with AfricaRice, the new regional hub will speed IRRI‘s ability to translate its 60-year history of success transforming the Asian rice sector to the African context. ―IRRI is very grateful to ILRI for hosting our regional office here within their headquarters,‖ said Abdelbagi Ismail, IRRI‘s regional representative for Africa. ―Their generous support, as well as their extensive experience and network in the region, will be invaluable in helping IRRI work with governments and national institutions to accelerate the agricultural opportunity across the continent.‖ According to IRRI, increasing urban populations, higher per capita incomes, and changing consumer preferences have made rice the fastest-growing food staple in Africa. Over 130 million hectares of inland valleys are suitable for rice farming, yet only about 10 million hectares are utilized, mostly growing low-yielding traditional rice varieties. IRRI noted, that because of insufficient production, many African nations have had to import 50% to 90% percent of their rice to keep up with demand, creating a considerable strain on their economies. IRRI‘s efforts in the region is working to help national agriculture priorities and a continent-wide strategy, ‗Boosting Africa‘s rice sector‘, that was developed by CGIAR sister center AfricaRice and national partners. The plan aims to reduce reliance on rice imports and reach 90% rice selfsufficiency by 2025. IRRI initiatives that support these priorities include deployment of highyielding and climate-smart rice varieties, dissemination of locally adapted best practices in crop management and intensive farming, building the capability of rice scientists, and fostering partnerships that work towards efficient, sustainable and profitable rice-based systems. According to IRRI, rice consumption in sub-Saharan Africa is growing at the expense of traditional staples like cassava, millet and sorghum, and demand continues to surpass local production. While continued investments by African countries have led to improvements in their rice sectors, there is an urgent need to accelerate the process. ―It is important to foster greater regional and international collaboration on the development and diffusion of improved technologies in sub-Saharan Africa to sustainably meet increasing demand,‖ IRRI said.
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IRRI and AfricaRice will work even more closely with national partners in sub-Saharan Africa to deliver on the rapidly growing needs of the African rice sector in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. ―We are very excited to intensify our engagement here in Africa,‖ said Matthew Morell, director general of IRRI. ―Africa‘s rice sector has enormous potential for growth. With strong leadership from governments and institutions, Africa can be self-sufficient in rice production and become a top producer globally, contributing to worldwide food security.‖ He continued, ―IRRI‘s researchbased solutions for the rice sector coupled with the work of our sister CGIAR centers, national partners, and the private sector can help deliver these results.‖ https://www.world-grain.com/articles/11045-irri-opens-regional-office-in-africa
Minnesota has convened yet another panel on wild rice. Can it actually get anything done? By Walker Orenstein | 10/01/2018
Creative Commons/Brett Whaley
The wild rice rule has been one of the state‘s most divisive natural resource issues, and has left some doubting whether any compromise on the regulation can ever be reached among environmentalists, tribes and industry groups.
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Gov. Mark Dayton‘s task force on wild rice kicked off in Grand Rapids last week, marking the latest attempt to find common ground on protecting Minnesota‘s most famous grain from pollution. The panel was created in May by an executive order from the governor after he vetoed efforts to undo the state‘s unique and controversial wild rice standard, which limits the release of sulfate in water that‘s home to the grain. Sulfate is notably discharged by taconite mining operations and by wastewater treatment plants. The wild rice rule has been one of the state‘s most divisive natural resource issues, and has left some doubting whether any compromise on the regulation can ever be reached among environmentalists, tribes and industry groups. How’d we get here? In many respects, 2018 was a long and winding road back to square one for Minnesota‘s wild rice standard. At the direction of the Legislature, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) proposed new rules in 2017 after years of studying the effect of sulfate on wild rice. But administrative law judges threw them out earlier this year — in part for being too complex. Separately, lawmakers tried to take their own route on changing the standard, approving bills that would nullify it altogether. Legislators supporting the bills argued that the current wild rice rule, created in the 1970s, is outdated and if enforced would saddle industry and municipal governments with millions in costs for technology to treat sulfate. Dayton, however, vetoed the measures. In a letter to House Speaker Kurt Daudt, he called nullifying the sulfate standard ―an extreme overreach that eliminates important protections for wild rice.‖ He also said they would cause the state to fall out of compliance with the federal Clean Water Act. The federal law requires states to protect ―beneficial uses‖ of their waters, according to an analysis of the sulfate rule from the MPCA. Minnesota‘s wild rice standard was approved by the EPA under that provision, and is believed to be the only rule of its kind in the United States. This is because Minnesota has an unusual abundance of wild rice, which sustains wildlife, provides a boost to the state economy and is considered sacred by tribes such as the Ojibwe.
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Kathryn Hoffman, the executive director of the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA), said standards approved by the EPA can‘t simply be eliminated — there must be a ―scientific basis‖ for changing them. Hoffman is one of more than a dozen people appointed by Dayton to the task force. While on the books, however, the existing wild rice standard is not widely enforced in part due to the cost concerns from industry and wastewater plants. Will a task force do anything? Political fault lines have been pretty stark on the wild rice standard. Many tribes and environmental groups, including Hoffman‘s MCEA, have argued the existing standard is based on sound science and can be kept. That standard was created based on work from scientist John Moyle, who in the 1930s and 1940s found fewer wild rice stands in water with higher sulfate levels, according to the MPCA analysis of the rule. The document says Moyle was ―a highly respected biologist‖ who worked for the state. Hoffman said waivers and exemptions can be used to mitigate the high cost of sulfate treatment for mines and wastewater groups. Kelsey Johnson, president of the Iron Mining Association of Minnesota, on the other hand, argued the wild rice rule is ―not defensible by science.‖ Her organization supported the bill to nullify the standard, she said. The MPCA‘s own study found a more complex relationship between sulfate and wild rice than the current standard would suggest. For instance, the MPCA says sulfate is not directly toxic to wild rice, but can be converted by bacteria to sulfide, which actually is toxic. Johnson criticized how that study was conducted, too, and called for the task force to find existing ―holes in the science‖ of how wild rice and sulfate interact to inform further research. There are two independent scientists with expertise in wild rice research on the panel. ―I think that there are a lot of things left to learn, and I think that‘s what the task force is kind of charged with,‖ she said. Johnson is not on the task force, but association board member Chrissy Bartovich is. Bartovich works for U.S. Steel, which operates two taconite mines on the Iron Range.
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The task force itself is not explicitly intended to recommend a new standard for wild rice protection. Instead, Dayton‘s executive order says the task force must decide which waters should be given protections under any wild rice rule and best practices for ―restoration and protection‖ of the grain. The panel must also review existing science on the impact of sulfate on wild rice and identify ―information gaps‖ where further research is needed. That course is intended to produce some compromise and consensus on some of the most divisive issues surrounding wild rice protection. The task force report is due by Dec. 15. Of course, lawmakers don‘t have to heed the task force‘s advice. State Sen. Justin Eichorn, RGrand Rapids, a member of the chamber‘s environmental policy committee, told MinnPost that if the GOP remains in control of the House and Senate and Jeff Johnson wins the governor‘s race, he‘s inclined to simply re-pass the bill to nullify the wild rice standard. Eichorn was the primary sponsor of the 2018 Senate bill intended to do just that. He said he wasn‘t concerned about the EPA approving the nullification of the standard, in part because the agency is now run by President Donald Trump, who has supported the rollback of environmental regulations elsewhere. Although he did say virtually any change to the current wild rice standard would would likely invite litigation from outside groups. ―We would like to put this to bed, so to speak,‖ Eichorn said. But Eichorn also said the ―additional dialogue‖ and work of the task force could be useful for lawmakers going forward if they offer next steps for the Legislature and said he wished the panel had more time to operate. ―I think the best thing they can hope for is a bit of consensus,‖ he said. Johnson and Hoffman expressed optimism the task force would bring about enough new information to make some headway on the issue. The second meeting of the group is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Oct. 11 in Anoka. ―Our priorities are to find a solution that is protective of wild rice and uses best available science,‖ Hoffman said. ―So I hesitate to prejudge any outcome because that‘s what the process is for. But if those two values are followed, then I think it will be a really exciting thing to be a part of.‖ https://www.minnpost.com/environment/2018/10/minnesota-has-yet-another-task-force-onwild-rice-can-it-actually-get-anything-done/
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DA, NFA to inspect rice imports in source countries By Catherine Teves October 2, 2018, 8:17 am
Department of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pi単ol (PNA photo by Ben Briones)
MANILA -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) and National Food Authority (NFA) are set to form and deploy a technical team to inspect warehouses in countries from where the government and private rice traders import rice. DA Secretary Emmanuel Pi単ol said the NFA Council approved the measure tightening the monitoring of imported rice and would ensure what enters the country is of good quality and free from infestation. Pi単ol said the inspection would determine if the warehouses are sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPS-IC)-compliant and rice are safe for human consumption. "It will be a way of determining quality of rice we buy," Pi単ol said Monday at the ASEAN Agricultural Summit 2018 in Metro Manila. He said the team will reject rice that would not meet government requirements or is infested with insects like weevil. He added the inspection will cover all rice shipments in the country, whether imported by the private sector or the government, The implementation will commence with the country's next rice importation, he said. Last month, the NFA Council approved the importation of rice totaling to 750,000 metric tons for sale nationwide at lower price to increase market availability of affordable rice.
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The discovery of weevil or "bukbok" raised concern over some rice NFA imported this year. Weevils are naturally-occurring pests in rice, corn and palay stock and are transported across countries through trading, NFA said. "NFA assures the public it follows international standards in good warehouse-keeping" and "certifies that only good-quality stocks fit for human consumption will come out of its warehouses for sale in the markets to final consumers," the agency said. (PNA) http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1049696
Govt mulls more rice importers to enhance food security
Tuesday, October 2nd, 2018 at , Business | News
Minister says a long-term model being formulated to cut dependence on a single importer and improve access to the staple food By AFIQ AZIZ & ALIFAH ZAINUDDIN / Pic By MUHD AMIN NAHARUL THE government is looking to increase the number of local rice importers and formulate a longterm model for the industry, which will enhance the country‘s food security. The model, which is being formulated, will reduce the dependence on a single importer, improve the access to the staple food, and create an umbrella body to oversee and represent the industry, millers and producers.
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Presently, Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) is given the sole right to import rice. Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Salahuddin Ayub said it is important to rely less on Bernas, which concession ends in 2021, due to the implications to the country‘s imports and food security. ―The idea is to not have a monopoly. In the long run, it‘s not safe in terms of security because only one player controls the industry. ―If anything happens in the future, it will jeopardise the country and our people, so we need to break the monopoly,‖ Salahuddin told The Malaysian Reserve (TMR) in an exclusive interview yesterday. Salahuddin said the special Cabinet committee to disband industry monopolies is currently conducting a feasibility study on three models produced by agencies under Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry (MoA). Upon the completion of the study, the best model will be presented to the Cabinet for final approval. In addition to the monopoly replacement model, the government is also proposing a softlanding approach that will ease the transition for Bernas as the sole rice importer. ―The concession for Bernas ends in 2021, so if Bernas agrees to discuss with us before their contract ends, we have what is called the soft-landing approach. ―Maybe Bernas can agree to allow two or three companies to import the rice as part of the approach,‖ he said. The Pulai MP said Bernas has been consulted on the offer, but the company has yet to provide a response. Salahuddin said among the companies that could partner Bernas in the process include leading rice wholesalers like Jati (Serba Wangi Sdn Bhd) and Jasmine Food Corp Sdn Bhd. However, the government is also considering agencies such as Pertubuhan Peladang Kebangsaan, Felcra Bhd and the Federal Land Development Authority or Felda in the approach. ―Ultimately, it is up to the Cabinet to decide. We may have a duopoly, we can even have five to 10 companies (to import rice) — it depends on the Cabinet,‖ he said. In 1974, Bernas was appointed as the single gatekeeper for imported rice. The aim was to protect local farmers, the welfare of consumers, as well as keeping the national stockpile to safeguard food security. With Bernas, the pricing of local rice has so far remained relatively fixed, allowing local farmers to make fair profits while consumers enjoy a stable rate. The current price of RM2.60 per kg is the secondlowest in South-East Asia, similar to Vietnam and behind only Thailand which sells at RM2.35 per kg. Despite the stability, certain parties claim that the country‘s rice price can be lowered further if the monopoly by Bernas is put to an end.
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Salahuddin said after a four-decade long monopoly, it was time to ―share the portion of the cake‖ and bring in competition among industry players. However, in order to strike a balance and be fair to all stakeholders in the rice industry, Salahuddin said the government will seek to establish Lembaga Perindustrian Padi dan Beras Negara (LPPBN), which will act as a price regulator. ―This regulator will look into stabilising the price of rice and protecting the farmers. Should any unexpected incident happens, it will have the authority to take control of the situation,‖ he said, adding that a new price model is scheduled to be announced next year. Salahuddin said all rice importers are expected to be members of the new regulator, including Bernas. The MoA is also positive that the country will achieve the rice self-sufficient level of 78.15% this year and 80% by 2020, if production levels increase with the addition of more paddy fields, implementation of new technologies and new incentives by the government. https://themalaysianreserve.com/2018/10/02/govt-mulls-more-rice-importers-to-enhancefood-security/
Government taps Robinsons, SM to sell imported rice posted October 02, 2018 at 08:30 pm by Othel V. Campos
The Trade Department tapped top retailers SM Supermarket and Robinsons Supermarket to sell 350,000 metric tons of imported rice at P38 per kilogram to ease the tight supply of the staple in the local market.Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the shipment would be on top of the 750,000 MT approved by the National Food Authority. ―We want to be able to provide consumers options while solving the problem of price and availability,‖ Lopez said Tuesday at the sidelines of the Inclusive Innovation Conference 2018 in Manila. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez The proposed importation is a pilot undertaking in price setting that should fix the price of the imported staple at P38 per kilogram, Lopez said. Lopez said the shipments were expected to arrive within three weeks or before end-October 2018, if the top retailers would agree to the importation. The Trade Department said it would do away with the traditional permitting process and documentation for rice imports because of the exigency of the situation. President Rodrigo Duterte earlier issued Administrative Order No. 13, removing non-tariff barriers and streamlining administrative procedures on the importation of agricultural products. The president asked the National Food Authority, Sugar Regulatory Administration, in
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coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry to ―undertake immediate measures to remove administrative constraints and other non-tariff barriers on the importation of agricultural products‖.
Lopez said in case of succeeding importation, the Trade Department would tap other retailers who are also members of the Philippine Amalgamated Groceries and Supermarket Association Inc. He said that as locally-produced commercial rice was priced higher by P6 to P8 a kilo, importing commercial rice at a fixed retail price would bring relief to the low-income income groups. Lopez also proposed that the NFA focus on ensuring that the market had a stable supply of lower-priced rice, while the Trade Department would make sure to have ample supply of affordable commercial rice. Lopez said despite the infusion of 2.3 million MT rice by the NFA into the market, the local supply remained tight. The NFA increased its market participation to 20 percent of rice trade, from 14 percent to avoid rice queues. Lopez said the Trade Department needed to act immediately and stop relying on the importation by the NFA.
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―If we wait for the approved rice importation, when will that 750,000 importation arrive‖ If only NFA is within my jurisdiction, we won‘t have problems in price and inventory,‖ he said. http://manilastandard.net/business/economy-trade/276973/govt-taps-robinsons-sm-to-sellimported-rice.html
THE FIGHT AGAINST THE CREEPING THREAT magictr | October 1, 2018 | Entertainment |
Denis Loctier The vast rice fields of the Ebro Delta: are grown here every year more than 90 thousand tons of the famous Catalan rice. Global demand is growing, but increases the scale of problems, from changing climate to pests bred. How to protect the European rice from the creeping threat? This seemingly harmless mollusk came here from South America and has now become a real scourge of the local rice fields, rivers and swamps. Apple snails are eating the rice shoots, Podgrusha stems at the base. One such snail is able during the night to destroy a square meter of rice fields – and in the absence of natural predators they multiply rapidly. Is it possible to slow their spread, says a local farmer. – It‘s like a plague that is hard to eradicate, we will have to adapt to it and do everything possible to prevent its spread. To help the farmers find themselves in a desperate situation, came the researchers. Applying pesticides is prohibited, since there are bred oysters. But there is a safer chemical that is deadly to snails: sea water. Depending on the specific location, you can use these or other approaches, explains agronomist IRTA Maria del Mar Catala Forner. – The use of sea water in rice fields can in some cases be the most economical, efficient and environmentally sound method of pest control.
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But salt is harmful to local varieties of rice. Due to climatic changes in salinity of soil in many regions is increasing, leading to a drop in yield of rice plantations. In an effort to solve both problems – salinization and invasion of snails – biologists derive salt-tolerant rice. We crossed different varieties of rice – Asian and local Spanish, says Kamio Lopez Cristofani, an employee of the University of Barcelona. – The resulting hybrid grain coffee brown, they are ripe and ready to be processed. We are trying to transfer Spanish rice biological resistance to salt, typical of Asian varieties. Our goal is to bring the rice that by purchasing this stability, retain their high productivity. In this experimental greenhouse, scientists from rice flowers and remove the stamens, and then artificially pollinate the remaining pistils with pollen of another variety to bring the hybrid. Work is carried out in the framework of the European research project NEURICE. Then, hybrid rice shoots grown in salt water and carefully studying on the subject of productivity. – Here we see that some hybrids of Asian and European varieties really are resistant to salinity. They are of great interest. Field testing will show whether they are yielding European varieties. But we already know that they inherited the Asian salt resistance, therefore will be able to combat climate change. Through such experiments, going to Spain, France and Italy, farmers in these countries will be able to obtain salt-tolerant and high-yielding varieties of rice. New varieties already grown in this experimental field near the shore. Data on the salinity of water is constantly transferred from wireless sensors, providing reliable results. – Soil salinity is not a local problem in the Delta of the river Ebro, it concerns the entire Mediterranean region, whole Europe. In fact it is a global problem. As for snails, the question is not whether they will get to France or Italy, and when it happens. They will definitely get there – if we do not act.
https://ktelegram.com/the-fight-against-the-creeping-threat/38889/
‘More than 40% of my crop has fallen flat, can’t be harvested for two weeks’ Bacterial blight, a disease that dries up leaves, could be the after-effect of high humidity and fluctuating temperature. Written by Anju Agnihotri Chaba , SUKHBIR SIWACH | Chandigarh, Jalandhar | Published: October 2, 2018 10:34:35 am
FARMER Davinder Singh, 32, grows an early variety of basmati, named PUSA 1509, on his 40acre land at Khuh Raje Wala village in Tarn Taran district. Till recently, he was buoyant as he had a bumper crop. He harvested 10 acres, which fetched him Rs 2,500-2,600 per quintal – Rs 300 more per quintal than last year‘s opening price. But just three days after his first harvest
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came the unseasonally three-day-long heavy rains in northern India that in one fell swoop blighted his fortune, damaging paddy, cotton crop and exposing plants to diseases. Basmati in Singh‘s remaining 30 acres lie in knee-deep water and he has no hope of reaping the same yield, quality or price. And the problem could worsen if water doesn‘t drain quickly. ―More than 40 per cent of my remaining crop have fallen flat, which can‘t be harvested till the field dries up completely. It could mean another two weeks,‖ Singh said. And in this period the grain might also turn black or germinate, he said. Singh faces double jeopardy. ―There would be a cut of around Rs 200 to 400 per quintal based on the extend of discolouration, and the yield may also go down by 2-3 quintals per acre,‖ he said. Punjab accounts for 28 per cent of India‘s rice output, which rose to a record 19.1 million tonnes last year with a contribution of 13.1 million tonnes to central pool. India is the leading exporter of the Basmati rice, and has exported 40 lakh tonnes of Basmati in 2017-18. Amrik Singh of Jandiala Guru in Amritsar district too had sown the same PUSA 1509 on his 25 acres and was supposed to begin the harvest on Sunday – the day when heavy rain hit the state. ―The loss could be 25 per cent or more. And water stagnation could lead to diseases,‖ he said. Like them, there are thousands of farmers who suffered major loss in the early basmati and paddy varieties. ―According to the initial surveys of the Punjab Agriculture Department, basmati and paddy crops have suffered losses due to waterlogging and PUSA 1509 and PR-126, PR-127 varieties of paddy got hit mainly,‖ said Director of Punjab Agriculture Department Dr Jasbir Singh Bains. ―Five to 10 per cent waterlogging was reported in 2.79 lakh hectares under different rice varieties, including PUSA 1509 basmati and short-duration paddy (PR-126) crops.‖ Bacterial blight, a disease that dries up leaves, could be the after-effect of high humidity and fluctuating temperature. Dr Narinder Singh, the senior plant pathologist at Punjab Agriculture University in Ludhiana, said the present weather condition might trigger attacks from sheath blight‘ and ‗plant hopper‘ on paddy crop. For late crops like Basmati PB 1121, which is grown in ?70 per cent of the total area under basmati rice cultivation in India, blast is a major threat.
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Ashok Sethi, a senior member of Punjab Rice Millers and Exporters Association, said traders and exporters had procured over 2.50 lakh quintals of PUSA 1509 Basmati and the rate was very good. ―But now farmers will not get the same price,‖ he said. ―Exporters are getting good orders from across globe and have pinned their hopes on Basmati 1121, which will reach the market by October-end.‖ Vijay Kalra, president of Arhtiya Association Punjab, said now there would be a pause in the supply for the next two weeks as the crop is totally under knee-deep water in majority area. In Haryana, paddy was sown in 13.29 lakh hectares this year. Apart from Pusa-1509 Basmati, the rains have also damaged some non-basmati varieties like PR-11 and PR-14. President of All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA) Vijay Setia said Haryana farmers were expecting a bumper crop of paddy this year, and had cut down on pesticides because of favourable weather. But because of recent rains, Setia said, ―the paddy farmers may face losses up to 50% in production‖. ―The farmers have to spend more money not only in harvesting but also in drying the produce,‖ said Setia, a Karnal-based rice exporter. Cotton belt In the cotton-growing districts of Punjab and Haryana, the rains have raised moisture content and damaged crops. Of the 2.83 lakh hectares under cotton cultivation in Punjab, 1 to 10 per cent damage was reported in 91,010 hectares, including 62,000 hectares in Bathinda district and 28,000 hectares in Mansa district. Senior entomologist at PAU Vijay Kumar said that first picking was going on but due to waterlogging at some places, cotton got discoloured – a price damper. At present, the crop was getting very good price of Rs. 5,400 to 5,800 per quintal in the market much above the last year‘s opening rate of Rs 4,100-4,200 per quintal. For Haryana farmers, the rains came at a time when they had started plucking cotton balls in some areas of the 6.69 lakh hectares under cultivation. ―The rains will lead to moisture in the blooming balls of cotton, which will blacken them,‖ said Jagraj Dhandi, Joint Director of Haryana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department.
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https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/more-than-40-of-my-crop-has-fallenflat-cant-be-harvested-for-two-weeks-5382137/
Sierra Leone News: China Hunan to cultivate 35,000 hectares of rice The Minister of Agriculture Jonathan Joseph Ndanema has revealed that a company in the Hunan State in China will cultivate 35,000 hectares of rice. The Minister said his Ministry is committed in ensuring they promote public private partnership toward achieving rice exportation from the present status stressing that apart from the 35,000 hectares of rice farm to be cultivated by the company, they had as well expressed interest in the area of planting 10,000 hectares of rubber in the country. Minister Ndanema said based on the proactive moves by the government one of the best high breed rice seeds research institute in China along with the Hunan state based company will jet in the country to kick start the already planned activities. He said this moves would help in changing the narratives in the country from importation into export. The Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Sam King Brima, said moves are on the way to empower local farmers by putting documents for the use of 100% home food for the school feeding program. He said this would add more money into their pocket hence will open space for more cooperation and production, which according to him will account for huge number of people directly benefiting as a result of local content policy. The Deputy Minister called on nationals to embark on farming at chiefdom and district levels so that when the discussion would have materialized farmers will be contacted per chiefdom and district to supply home grown food to schools in their respective areas, a model he said is being practiced in Brazil where one of the best school feeding program in the world is implemented. https://awoko.org/2018/10/02/sierra-leone-news-china-hunan-to-cultivate-35000-hectaresof-rice/
Soggy weather devastating for Louisiana's soybean crop 
Advocate staff report OCT 2, 2018 - 5:07 PM A run of humid, wet weather is devastating Louisiana's soybean crop and will lead to "countless acres" of farmland going unharvested, LSU AgCenter specialists said.The damage is particularly focused on southwest and central Louisiana.
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―Because of this wet weather, many producers have not been able to harvest a crop that has been ready to harvest for as long as three weeks,‖ said Todd Spivey, a soybean specialist with the AgCenter. ―This extended period of wet conditions has reduced grain quality tremendously, with samples harvested by producers being graded with as much as 60 percent total damage." This is the second year in a row that the soybean season started off well, with high yields and low damage, only to have the crops decimated by poor weather, Spivey said. In 2017, it was Hurricane Harvey's arrival in early September that hurt the soybean harvest. This year, it was Tropical Storm Gordon that was the culprit. Before Gordon arrived, 1 to 3 percent of the soybean crop was damaged. Now, some producers are reporting damage between 5 and 10 percent. This has caused some problems because grain elevators have limited the amount of acceptable damage at 5 to 7 percent. Farmers are running out of options for what do to with their crops, and some grain elevators are only accepting soybeans under contract. Between Sept. 19 and Oct. 1, the LSU AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station in Crowley received more than 3 inches of rain. During this period, only one day had no measurable rainfall. ―Harvest had been progressing quickly through the first 2½ weeks of September and has since stalled with only 3 percent of the statewide crop being harvested from Sept. 23 to Sept. 30, compared to 15 percent in the week prior,‖ Spivey said. Most of the damage currently being found includes weather-damaged kernels, mold and sprouting, depending on the stage of the soybean when the poor conditions began, he said. Weather-damaged and rotting soybeans are typically brown to black and often misshapen. Mold can also begin to develop on seed exposed to extended wet conditions and can either invade the seed or occur on the surface. https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/business/article_88abb6e8-c68f-11e8-a419d71d1d29e42e.html
U.S. could ship more rice in 2018-19 — if prices decline Prices of all classes of U.S. rice are expected to decline in 2018-19. Forrest Laws | Oct 03, 2018:U.S. exporters are expected to ship more milled and rough rice in 2018-19, according to analysts with USDA‘s Economic Research Service. Exports of long-grain and medium- and short-grain rice are both forecast to rise about 13 percent.
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That‘s the good news. The not-so-good news is that despite the higher sales, all-rice ending stocks are expected to be up 53 percent and long-grain ending stocks 54 percent. Prices of all classes of U.S. rice are expected to decline. ―None of these numbers are anywhere near a record,‖ says Dr. Nathan Childs, senior agricultural rice economist with the USDA Economic Research Service, referring to the latest USDA rice supply and demand projections. ―And even to achieve these growth rates, the U.S. has to be more competitive.‖ Childs was the speaker for a University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Food and Agribusiness webinar (https://youtu.be/KzndmYUInvs.) The series is moderated by Dr. Bobby Coats, professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at the university. It was the second Food and Agribusiness Webinar presentation by Childs in about a month. The earlier event came just before USDA‘s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates Board gave its September forecast. ―I believe I was here about 30 days ago,‖ he said. ―We‘ve had a new lockup, a new WASDE report and we‘re going to spend the next 45 minutes talking about these changes and their implications.‖ U.S. producers account for a very small portion — 1 to 1.5 percent — of the world‘s rice production, Child‘s noted. Nevertheless, U.S. exporters typically are responsible for 6 to 7 percent of the world‘s rice trade. Global market important ―The global market is very important for the U.S., and changes in world production resonate with U.S. producers,‖ he said. ―World rice production for 2018-19 is projected at 487.2 million metric
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tons or almost 4.5 million below the 2017-18 record. But global rice supplies are projected to be record high.‖ In part, that‘s because China and India — the world‘s largest rice producers — each had record crops in 2017-18. Both will be down somewhat in 2018-19, but a number of other countries, including the United States, are expected to harvest larger crops in the current marketing year. India, which has continued to emphasize becoming more self-sufficient in all crops, produced 113 million metrics tons in 2017-18, while China‘s farmers harvested almost 146 million metric tons. Both are expected to be down in 2018-19 due to decreases in planted area. Normally that would be positive for world rice prices, but larger crops are forecast for at least 15 countries, some of which have not traditionally been players in the world rice markets. Besides the United States, all are in Asia or Africa. ―Production is expected to be larger for Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Côte d‘Ivoire, Ghana, Guyana, Indonesia, Laos, Madagascar, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the United States and a slight increase in Vietnam,‖ he said. USDA made major revisions in its September World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates, according to Childs. The September report provides the year-end estimates for the rice marketing year, which runs from August to July for U.S. growers. Imports lowered All rice and long-grain imports were lowered fractionally based on year-end census trade data, he said. Medium-grain and short-grain supplies were increased slightly. ―Those numbers had little impact on overall supply,‖ Childs noted. ―But ending stocks were not a small adjustment — this was large. Ending stocks of all rice were lowered by 5.4 million
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hundredweight to 29.4 million, based on the August NASS Rice Stocks report. Long-grain was lowered 3 million hundredweight; medium-grain, under 200,000; and brokens, 2.1 million. ―Total exports for 2017-18 were increased 500,000 hundredweight to 87 million after the census data came in a little higher. Long-grain increased 300,000 hundredweight; medium-grain, 100,000 hundredweight. But that wasn‘t much.‖ Domestic and residual use of all rice was increased 4.8 million hundredweight with long-grain raised 2.6 million hundredweight and medium-grain and short-grain rice 2.2 million hundredweight. USDA is forecasting the 2018-19 U.S. rice crop will be 4 percent bigger at 219.5 million hundredweight ―due to a larger area estimate reported by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service that incorporated Farm Service Agency sign-up data.‖ The department reduced carry-in stocks by 5.4 million hundredweight based on NASS stocks data, he noted. Domestic and residual use of all rice was increased 2 million hundredweight to 133 million hundredweight. Ending stocks of all rice were increased 3 percent to 44.9 million hundredweight, which would be up 53 percent from 2017-18. ―That (219 million hundredweight) is a big crop,‖ he said. ―The national average prices were lowered due to the larger supplies. There‘s plenty of rice out there, a lot of rice in the global market.‖ Questions remain Questions remain about where the U.S. can increase its export shipments. ―South American exporters continue to gain market share in Mexico,‖ he said. ―The U.S. now accounts for really less than 70 percent of Mexico‘s rice imports. Ten years ago, it was close to 99 percent.
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―Export opportunities and concerns, lower and more competitive prices, which I showed earlier, will allow the U.S. to regain some lost market share in Mexico, Central America, and Venezuela,‖ he said. Other questions include whether Asian exporters will ship milled rice into South America, Central America, and Mexico? And whether the U.S. can increase its sales from the current 30,000 tons to Iraq, compared to 94,000 tons in 2017-18? Analysts are also asking if the U.S. can make sales of medium-grain rice to North Africa, one of the fastest-growing rice markets in the world, and the Middle East? ―Will the U.S. pick up some of Egypt‘s former market or could it sell rice to Egypt?‖ he said. ―If it did, what type of class?‖ https://www.deltafarmpress.com/rice/us-could-ship-more-rice-2018-19-if-prices-decline
Rice Prices as on : 03-10-2018 01:31:46 PM Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market. Arrivals Current
Price % change
Season cumulative
Modal
Prev. Modal
Prev.Yr %change
Rice Shahjahanpur(UP)
520.00
372.73
5036.40
2280
2300
-
Sultanpur(UP)
265.00
NC
1030.00
2365
2350
-
Siliguri(WB)
159.00
0.63
8366.00
2700
2700
NC
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English Bazar(WB)
122.50
-0.57
1206.10
3700
3600
7.25
Jafarganj(UP)
120.00
300
1602.50
2160
2350
-
Panchpedwa(UP)
86.00
-
172.00
2350
-
-
Ghaziabad(UP)
80.00
NC
3810.00
2725
2725
13.54
Kasimbazar(WB)
77.00
2.67
2405.50
2800
2830
12.90
Hapur(UP)
70.00
75
2010.00
2740
2750
20.18
Beldanga(WB)
70.00
NC
1435.00
2650
2650
6.00
Indus(Bankura Sadar)(WB)
60.00
-14.29
3795.00
2800
2800
9.80
Vasai(Mah)
49.00
32.43
1268.00
3350
3640
15.52
Basti(UP)
40.00
-14.89
1988.50
2165
2165
2.36
Karimpur(WB)
40.00
NC
1120.00
3500
3450
11.11
Bindki(UP)
30.00
-40
23857.00
2240
2250
-
Khatra(WB)
30.00
NC
856.00
2550
2600
-
Naugarh(UP)
28.00
-4.76
483.20
2230
2065
7.47
Jasra(UP)
25.00
-63.24
268.00
2300
2350
-
Ulhasnagar(Mah)
20.00
NC
211.00
4000
4000
60.00
Kayamganj(UP)
18.00
-10
645.00
2390
2390
4.82
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Bishnupur(Bankura)(WB)
16.00
14.29
424.00
2600
2650
23.81
Karsiyang(Matigara)(WB)
15.80
1.28
683.40
3000
3000
11.11
Kishunpur(UP)
15.00
200
156.00
1800
1800
-
Dhekiajuli(ASM)
13.50
-3.57
373.00
2400
2300
4.35
Pukhrayan(UP)
13.00
225
30.00
2150
2150
0.47
Mugrabaadshahpur(UP)
12.00
33.33
103.30
2300
2300
-
Tamkuhi Road(UP)
11.00
10
894.00
2150
2150
-
Paliakala(UP)
11.00
-8.33
872.10
2270
2270
-
Mahoba(UP)
10.30
-14.17
405.20
2190
2170
-
Vilthararoad(UP)
10.00
NC
251.00
2190
2190
1.86
Ranaghat(WB)
8.20
2.5
254.43
3500
3500
52.17
Atarra(UP)
8.00
60
278.00
2200
2200
10.00
Farukhabad(UP)
8.00
-20
323.60
2370
2380
7.24
Khurja(UP)
8.00
-15.79
844.00
2600
2620
-
Chitwadagaon(UP)
7.00
16.67
297.70
2100
2100
-1.41
Chorichora(UP)
7.00
-30
532.00
2225
2180
-
Sahiyapur(UP)
6.50
-18.75
2162.50
2190
2165
-
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,
Chhibramau(Kannuj)(UP)
6.00
20
441.50
2260
2320
0.89
Ruperdeeha(UP)
6.00
20
136.00
1800
1600
-
Anandnagar(UP)
5.00
400
26.00
2200
2250
-
Kasganj(UP)
5.00
-28.57
89.50
2760
2760
-
Mau(Chitrakut)(UP)
4.10
2.5
17.20
1785
1785
-
Kalyani(WB)
4.00
-60
164.50
3200
3200
-5.88
Kolar(Kar)
3.00
200
31.00
5847
5500
5.35
Tanda Urmur(UP)
3.00
NC
15.70
2000
2000
-
Jahangirabad(UP)
3.00
NC
160.00
2620
2630
11.49
Mirzapur(UP)
3.00
-14.29
801.00
2220
2220
-
Sehjanwa(UP)
2.00
-50
108.50
2160
2160
-
Doharighat(UP)
1.50
NC
18.00
2000
2000
-
Tundla(UP)
1.20
NC
143.50
2550
2570
-
Penugonda(Mah)
1.00
NC
12.00
4080
4080
0.25
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/rice-prices/article25110837.ece
Key to boost nitrogen efficiency in rice found M SOMASEKHART+ T-
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Discovery to help minimise input costs, reduce pollution HYDERABAD, OCTOBER 2 Nitrogen use in soils is among the most important activities that determine crop health and productivity. For generations, the efficient use of fertiliser nitrogen content by plants has been limited due to various challenges. In a significant finding, Indian researchers have identified the key to breaking this barrier in the rice crop. They have found some easily identifiable visual features to differentiate high yielding rice cultivars based on ‗nitrogen use efficiency‘ (NUE). Benefits of using nitrogen efficiently The immediate implication of the researchers‘ finding is that the fertiliser NUE could rise from the present 30 per cent. It will have dual benefits—save on input costs and reduce environmental pollution. Nitrogen (N) compounds such as urea and ammonium nitrate are the most predominant and expensive components of chemical fertilisers. Traditionally, to increase crop yields and feed the growing population, farmers have been liberal with their usage of these fertilisers. ―We have discovered the phenotype for fertiliser NUE in rice. It is crucial in seed germination and crop duration. It can also be used to screen robust rice cultivars,‖ says the study published in the October 1 edition of the journal Frontiers of Plant Science by N Raghuram and Narendra Sharma from the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi.
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Nitrogen (N) compounds such as urea and ammonium nitrate are the most predominant and expensive components of chemical fertilisers. Indian agriculture consumes over 30 million tonnes of chemical fertiliser N per year, but about 70 per cent of it is not utilised by the crop and causes pollution of soil, water and air. Nitrous oxide emissions According to the Indian Nitrogen Assessment (2017), co-edited by Raghuram, agriculture accounts for over 70 per cent of all nitrous oxide emission in the Indian environment, out of which 77 per cent is contributed by chemical fertilisers. Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas (GHG) that is 300 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. It has replaced methane as the second largest GHG emission from Indian agriculture over the last 15 years. ―As 75 per cent of the market price of urea is subsidised, poor N use efficiency harms recovery of investment worth tens of thousands of crores and instead causes pollution. Drastic reduction in fertiliser usage without improving efficiency adversely impacts crop yields and farmer livelihoods. This is why we must improve the fertiliser nitrogen use efficiency of crops,‖ said Raghuram, who was recently elected the Chair of the International Nitrogen Initiative. Foodgrain crops account for over 69 per cent of the total consumption of N fertilisers in India with rice topping the list at 37 per cent, followed by wheat (24 per cent). The importance of NUE ―We expect our findings in rice will also be relevant to other crops, though it needs to be validated. In any case, rice has the least NUE among cereals and is consumed by over half of the world‘s population,‖ he told BusinessLine. The lack of a simple ‗phenotype‘, or a visually identifiable feature to distinguish N-efficient and inefficient cultivars has hampered crop improvement for NUE for over half a century, says V Sitaramam from Pune University The findings have shown the importance of germination for other traits such as yield and stress. Germination and crop duration are such simple features that even farmers can screen and choose cultivars on that basis, while breeders can use them for crop improvement,‖ says Raghuram. ―Reduction of crop duration has been an important research goal in Indian agriculture, but we have to be mindful of not losing NUE in the process,‖ says Narendra Sharma.
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https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/key-to-increasing-nitrogenefficiency-in-rice-found/article25103098.ece
Kano farmers expect over 2m tons of local rice this year By Ibrahim Musa Giginyu | Published Date Oct 3, 2018 8:14 AM
Farmers in Kano state are expecting over two million tons of rice during this year‘s harvesting period, the state Deputy Governor, Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, said.Dr. Gawuna, who double as commissioner of agriculture, disclosed this while addressing newsmen on the achievements recorded by the ministry in the last three years. He said, ―From 2015 to 2017, there has been a significant increase in the yearly harvest. In 2015, we harvested about 690,000 tons of rice, in 2016 it increased to 1.5 million tons, also in 2017 we recorded another increase to about 2 million tons and we are optimistic that this year, we will harvest over 2 million tons of local rice.‖ Gawuna said the development recorded in agriculture was due to series of interventions given to farmers in the state.The deputy governor said since the inception of Ganduje-led administration several efforts were made to uplift agricultural activities in the state. He said despite the enormous challenges affecting the development of the sector in the country in terms of mechanization and technology, government was able to reduce the issue of rice importation into the state, thereby saving the sum of $20 million every year. https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kano-farmers-expect-over-2m-tons-of-local-rice-thisyear.html
Retailers’ expenses blamed for rice prices By Elmer Navarro Manuel October 4, 2018 12:20 AM
Arise for rice Members of militant group Akbayan take up their placards in protest of the rice crisis which they allege resulted from a conspiracy between unscrupulous
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private traders and insiders within the National Food Authority. ANALY LABOR
The National Food Authority (NFA) yesterday cited that some other expenses by retailers are the main reasons they have been unable to lower the price of rice. NFA spokesman Rex Estoperez said the price of palay has already gone down to P22 a kilo from P27, but the cheapest rice in the market remains at P42 a kilo. He added it could have dropped to around P38, but because of the retailers‘ other expenses, the current rate is still being implemented. ―We are looking at why our retailers still have at least P5 or P6 additional price,‖ said Estoperez in a radio interview. ―The retailers cited that they have trucking expenses, payment of rent and we pay for the services of labor, electricity and water.‖ The NFA spokesman added that local governments should help reduce rice prices by slashing the monthly rent for market stalls of rice traders, citing that the NFA has
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reiterated that their P17 buying price should be increased so they can compete with private traders. http://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2018/10/04/retailers-expenses-blamed-for-rice-prices/
Goodbye bukbok? Gov’t to inspect imported rice before shipment to PH A Department of Agriculture-National Food Authority team will check rice shipments at the source, to ensure the quality of the imported grains to be sold to Filipino consumers Ralf Rivas Published 5:15 PM, October 03, 2018 Updated 5:15 PM, October 03, 2018
BYE WEEVILS. The Department of Agriculture says rice imports will be inspected for weevils and chemical residue before shipment to the Philippines. Shutterstock photo
MANILA, Philippines – After getting flak over bukbok or weevil-infested rice, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced that a government team will check rice bound for the Philippines before the imports are loaded and shipped to the country.
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Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol announced on Tuesday, October 2, that the DA and the National Food Authority (NFA) will form joint inspection teams to check rice imports from Vietnam, Thailand and other sources before they are brought to the Philippines. (EXPLAINER: What is bukbok?) With this, Piñol claimed that the teams will be able to check if there is weevil or chemical residue in the imports. (ANALYSIS: Filipinos don‘t deserve fumigated nor weevil-infested rice) ―The measure is also expected to check on the compliance by private importers to the new policy of the NFA Council which allows the importation only of rice classified as 25% broken,‖ Piñol said. The agriculture chief said that the measure could thwart technical smuggling through the shipment of fancy or premium rice instead of the lower quality 25% broken rice specified in the NFA Council policy. The Philippines will import some 500,000 metric tons (MT) of rice before the end of 2018. Piñol plans to import some one million MT of rice on 2019. Piñol was heavily criticized after recent rice imports were found to be infested with weevils. He assured consumers of the safety of consuming bukbok rice and even ate it live on national television. Rice imports had been projected to tame the rising cost of commercial rice but prices continued to soar as of the second week of September. – Rappler.com https://www.rappler.com/business/213422-agriculture-nfa-team-inspect-imported-ricebefore-shipment-to-philippines
Key to boost nitrogen efficiency in rice found Breakthrough promises to save input costs, reduce environmental pollution
The Hindu Business Line
3 Oct 2018
M SOMASEKHAR
For generations, the efficient use of the nitrogen content in fertilisers by plants has been limited due to various challenges. Now, in a significant finding, Indian researchers have identified the
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key to breaking this barrier, in the rice crop. They have found some easily identifiable visual features to differentiate high-yielding rice cultivars based on ‗nitrogen use efficiency‘ (NUE). Now, in a significant finding, Indian researchers have identified the key to breaking this barrier, in the rice crop. They have found some easily identifiable visual features to differentiate highyielding rice cultivars based on ‗nitrogen use efficiency‘ (NUE). Indian agriculture consumes over 30 million tonnes of chemical fertiliser N per year, but about 70 per cent of it is not utilised by crops and causes pollution of soil, water and air. The immediate implication of the researchers‘ finding is that the fertiliser NUE could rise from the present 30 per cent. It will have dual benefits — save on input costs and reduce environmental pollution. Nitrogen (N) compounds such as urea and ammonium nitrate are the most predominant and expensive components of chemical fertilisers. Traditionally, to increase crop yields and feed the growing population, farmers have been liberal with their usage of these fertilisers The immediate implication of the researchers‘ finding is that the fertiliser NUE could rise from the present 30 per cent. It will have dual benefits — save on input costs and reduce environmental pollution. Nitrogen (N) compounds such as urea and ammonium nitrate are the most predominant and expensive components of chemical fertilisers. Traditionally, to increase crop yields and feed the growing population, farmers have been liberal with their usage of these fertilisers Improving crop efficiency ―We have discovered the phenotype for fertiliser NUE in rice. It is crucial in seed germination and crop duration. It can also be used to screen robust rice cultivars,‖ says the study, published in the October 1 edition of the journal Frontiers of Plant Science by N Raghuram and Narendra Sharma from the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi. ―We have discovered the phenotype for fertiliser NUE in rice. It is crucial in seed germination and crop duration. It can also be used to screen robust rice cultivars,‖ says the study, published in the October 1 edition of the journal Frontiers of Plant Science by N Raghuram and Narendra Sharma from the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi. According to the Indian Nitrogen Assessment (2017), coedited by Raghuram, agriculture accounts for over 70 per Indian agriculture consumes over 30 million tonnes of chemical fertiliser N per year, but about 70 per cent of it is not utilised by crops and causes pollution of soil, water and air.According to the Indian Nitrogen Assessment (2017), coedited by Raghuram, agriculture ac-
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counts for over 70 per Indian agriculture consumes over 30 million tonnes of chemical fertiliser N per year, but about 70 per cent of it is not utilised by crops and causes pollution of soil, water and air. cent of all nitrous oxide emission in the Indian environment, out of which 77 per cent is contributed by chemical fertilisers. cent of all nitrous oxide emission in the Indian environment, out of which 77 per cent is contributed by chemical fertilisers. Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas (GHG) that is 300 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. It has replaced methane as the second largest GHG emission from Indian agriculture over the last 15 years. ―As 75 per cent of the market price of urea is subsidised, poor Nitrogen use efficiency harms recovery of investment worth tens of thousands of crores and instead ―As 75 per cent of the market price of urea is subsidised, poor Nitrogen use efficiency harms recovery of investment worth tens of thousands of crores and instead causes pollution. Drastic reduction in fertiliser usage without improving efficiency adversely impacts crop yields and farmer livelihoods. This is why we must improve the fertiliser NUE of crops,‖ said Raghuram, who was recently elected the Chair of the International Nitrogen Initiative. causes pollution. Drastic reduction in fertiliser usage without improving efficiency adversely impacts crop yields and farmer livelihoods. This is why we must improve the fertiliser NUE of crops,‖ said Raghuram, who was recently elected the Chair of the International Nitrogen Initiative. Foodgrain crops account for over 69 per cent of the total consumption of N fertilisers in India, with rice topping the list at 37 per cent, followed by wheat (24 per cent). ―We expect our findings in rice will also be relevant to other crops, though it needs to be validated. In any case, rice has the least NUE among cereals and is consumed by over half of the world‘s population,‖ Raghuram told BusinessLine. ―We expect our findings in rice will also be relevant to other crops, though it needs to be validated. In any case, rice has the least NUE among cereals and is consumed by over half of the world‘s population,‖ Raghuram told BusinessLine. The lack of a simple ‗phenotype‘, or a visually identifiable feature to distinguish Nefficient and inefficient cultivars, has hampered crop improvement for NUE for over half a century, says V Sitaramam formerly of Pune University
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,
The lack of a simple ‗phenotype‘, or a visually identifiable feature to distinguish Nefficient and inefficient cultivars, has hampered crop improvement for NUE for over half a century, says V Sitaramam formerly of Pune University The findings have shown the importance of germination for other traits, such as yield and stress. Germination and crop duration are such simple features that even farmers can screen and choose cultivars on that basis, while breeders can use them for crop improvement,‖ he said. The findings have shown the importance of germination for other traits, such as yield and stress. Germination and crop duration are such simple features that even farmers can screen and choose cultivars on that basis, while breeders can use them for crop improvement,‖ he said. ―Reduction of crop duration has been an important research goal in Indian agriculture, but we have to be mindful of not losing NUE in the process,‖ said Narendra Sharma.
Rice self-sufficiency paves the way to end hunger in Africa
By Bukar Tijani Assistant Director General and Regional Representative Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
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The past month has been a sad one for Ghana, for the collective world with the passing of the former Secretary General Kofi Annan. As a bastion of hope and a champion of the world, he saw that sustainable development is achievable, and he looks into agriculture as the fertile land where we can start ploughing for the continent‘s future. To quote, he once said, ―It is time to change the way we think. Farmers are not the cause of Africa's poverty; they are a potential solution.‖ Africa‘s economies are reliant on foreign exchange to pump prime development from improving education systems to road infrastructure, healthcare services, etc. As the countries try to stem the import bills, it is interesting to note that rice, a staple in many African countries, is still heavily imported. Data shows that in 2015 alone, African countries imported about 36% of their domestic rice requirements, amounting to over 4 billion US dollars. Projection also forecast that by 2020, the amount would reach 4.8 billion US dollars annually. Given the huge rice import bill and projection, self-sufficiency in rice production in Africa would save the rice importing countries immense financial resources—an opportunity to channel these savings into socio-economic development. With the demand for rice consumption in Africa currently increasing at a rapid rate of 5.5% per annum, the only option for countries to be on track on development goals is to achieve selfsufficiency in rice production. This is through sustaining a higher rate of production and productivity along the rice value-chain. In the prevailing circumstances, self-sufficiency in rice for Africa will be strategic and consequential, not just in terms of meeting consumption requirements locally, but also through its multiplier effects. These include reallocating the much-needed foreign exchange and investing in rice-value chain development, an area that has the potential of creating and expanding employment opportunities for youth and women. Countries that have successfully increased their rice production point to government leadership in putting in place the right policies, strategies and appropriate and adequate institutional mechanisms. Such mechanisms include national rice platforms that have facilitated enhanced investment and effective coordination of multi-stakeholders in the rice sector. The national platforms have been an important feature of rice policy reform—a portal bringing together wide range of stakeholders including seed producers, farmers and women groups who have received support on business plan development. The encouraging success achieved in increased rice production of a number of countries is also a proof and demonstration that with effective leadership and political will, as well as concerted efforts of all stakeholders, the twin goals of achieving self-sufficiency in rice production and ending hunger are achievable.
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It is important to note that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is the custodian of the Zero Hunger goal of the SDGs. FAO continues to support regional and national efforts on sustainable intensification of rice production along the whole value-chain. Currently, FAO is consolidating partnerships with regional and global development entities to support the transformation of Africa‘s rice sector by boosting productivity, strengthening rice value chains, and supporting improved coordination of regional markets. The organization works closely with AfricaRice, African Development Bank, International Fund for Agricultural Development, Coalition for African Rice Development and International Rice Research Institute. All in an effort to support the African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities, and country partners for the benefit of farmers and consumers alike. These partnerships promote and disseminate best practices on rice to other countries, and have contributed immensely to improvements in seeds, post-harvest, irrigation and technology adoption. However, there is still a need in strengthening partnerships and collaboration among technical and donor partners at the country level, such as enhancing mutual accountabilities for results. Enhanced leadership and increased investment by African governments in the rice sector would indeed help sustain the momentum towards the attainment of rice self-sufficiency and the creation of gainful employment for the youth and women along the entire rice value chain. With the huge potential benefits for investments in Africa‘s rice sector, the urgency of implementing appropriate strategies to realize the opportunities provided by Africa‘s strategic commodities cannot be overemphasized. Against this backdrop, the High Level Ministerial Conference on Rice in Dakar, Senegal last week looked into these issues. The ongoing conference delved into strengthening synergies and effective collaboration between national governments, development partners, the private sector, and producer organizations. To call into mind once again the words of the late Kofi Annan, farmers are a solution to sustainability. FAO, as a strong partner of farmers, will be on hand to propel Africa‘s rice sector to achieve its full potential as a platform for regional agricultural growth and rural transformation.
URA toughens against sugar, rice re-exports Smuggled sugar has had an impact on local manufacturers. FILE PHOTO
In Summary
They are usually concealed in jericans or rebagged into brands of the existing bags or even concealed under charcoal or agricultural products.
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
Most of the impounded sugar originates from Egypt, Brazil, Mozambique, Thailand, India and South Africa. And impounded rice mostly originates from Pakistan. By ISMAIL MUSA LADU
Kampala. Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has issued strong guidelines with the view of curbing the smuggling of sugar and rice. Mr Dicksons Collins Kateshumbwa, the URA commissioner customs, said in a press briefing that a total of 125 seizures of smuggled sugar were raised from 18 customs stations country wide. The seizures lead to the recovery of nearly 123,000 kilogrammes of sugar from which a total of Shs712m worth of taxes was collected. He also disclosed that a total of 213 seizure of smuggled rice were made at 20 custom points, leading to a recovery of nearly 191,000 kilogrammes with of Shs807m in uncollected in taxes. Sugar and rice, according to URA, are among the most smuggled commodities. Mr Kateshumbwa said it is the duty of URA to facilitate trade as well as protect the economy from smugglers.
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―From today onwards, all re-exports of sugar, rice, wheat flour and cooking oil will be accompanied by a valid sales agreement. We will also need to see evidence that you have paid taxes for the commodities,‖ he said, adding: ―We also want a bond in terms of bank guarantees and all these products will be under electronic tracking, with the exporter taking responsibility in case the seals are tampered with.‖ Re-exports of such commodities headed to DR Congo will be required to produce Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) while those re-exporting to South Sudan will be required to make available copies of their business registration documents. Mr Kateshumbwa emphasised that smugglers are economic saboteurs thus laws must be used to regulate re-exports even when it means there will be occasional delays and inconveniences. Ms Agnes Nabwire Asobola, the URA assistant commissioner enforcement, said the dodgy nature in which smuggled goods end up in the country is a tale-tell sign of how dangerous and hazardous they could be. Re-exports, according to URA spokesperson Vincent Seruma, must be critically regulated because many hazardous goods enter the country before they are re-exported to other countries. Mr Wilberforce Mubiru, the Uganda Sugar Manufacturers Association secretary, said smuggled sugar is dangerous to the local sugar industry as it has the potential to distort prices and production capacity. ―Smuggled sugar tends to be cheaper. So on the basis of price alone we cannot compete with them. We have enough sugar here [so smugglers must be] eliminated,‖ he said. Smuggled goods Most smuggled goods in the last three months according to URA included sugar, rice, cooking oil and wheat flour. They are usually concealed in jericans or rebagged into brands of the existing bags or even concealed under charcoal or agricultural products. Most of the impounded sugar originates from Egypt, Brazil, Mozambique, Thailand, India and South Africa. And impounded rice mostly originates from Pakistan.
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http://www.monitor.co.ug/Business/Markets/URA-toughens-against-sugar--ricereexports/688606-4790428-1jen7/index.html
Rice self-sufficiency paves the way to end hunger in Africa Tuesday 2nd October, 2018
By Bukar Tijani Assistant Director General and Regional Representative Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) The past month has been a sad one for Ghana, for the collective world with the passing of the former Secretary General Kofi Annan. As a bastion of hope and a champion of the world, he saw that sustainable development is achievable, and he looks into agriculture as the fertile land where we can start ploughing for the continent‘s future. To quote, he once said, ―It is time to change the way we think. Farmers are not the cause of Africa's poverty; they are a potential solution.‖ Africa‘s economies are reliant on foreign exchange to pump prime development from improving education systems to road infrastructure, healthcare services, etc. As the countries try to stem the import bills, it is interesting to note that rice, a staple in many African countries, is still heavily imported. Data shows that in 2015 alone, African countries imported about 36% of their domestic rice requirements, amounting to over 4 billion US dollars. Projection also forecast that by 2020, the amount would reach 4.8 billion US dollars annually.
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,
Given the huge rice import bill and projection, self-sufficiency in rice production in Africa would save the rice importing countries immense financial resources—an opportunity to channel these savings into socioeconomic development. With the demand for rice consumption in Africa currently increasing at a rapid rate of 5.5% per annum, the only option for countries to be on track on development goals is to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production. This is through sustaining a higher rate of production and productivity along the rice valuechain. In the prevailing circumstances, self-sufficiency in rice for Africa will be strategic and consequential, not just in terms of meeting consumption requirements locally, but also through its multiplier effects. These include reallocating the much-needed foreign exchange and investing in rice-value chain development, an area that has the potential of creating and expanding employment opportunities for youth and women. Countries that have successfully increased their rice production point to government leadership in putting in place the right policies, strategies and appropriate and adequate institutional mechanisms. Such mechanisms include national rice platforms that have facilitated enhanced investment and effective coordination of multi-stakeholders in the rice sector. The national platforms have been an important feature of rice policy reform—a portal bringing together wide range of stakeholders including seed producers, farmers and women groups who have received support on business plan development. The encouraging success achieved in increased rice production of a number of countries is also a proof and demonstration that with effective leadership and political will, as well as concerted efforts of all stakeholders, the twin goals of achieving self-sufficiency in rice production and ending hunger are achievable. It is important to note that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is the custodian of the Zero Hunger goal of the SDGs. FAO continues to support regional and national efforts on sustainable intensification of rice production along the whole value-chain. Currently, FAO is consolidating partnerships with regional and global development entities to support the transformation of Africa‘s rice sector by boosting productivity, strengthening rice value chains, and supporting improved coordination of regional markets. The organization works closely with AfricaRice, African Development Bank, International Fund for Agricultural Development, Coalition for African Rice Development and International Rice Research Institute. All in an effort to support the African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities, and country partners for the benefit of farmers and consumers alike. These partnerships promote and disseminate best practices on rice to other countries, and have contributed immensely to improvements in seeds, post-harvest, irrigation and technology adoption. However, there is still a need in strengthening partnerships and collaboration among technical and donor partners at the country level, such as enhancing mutual accountabilities for results. Enhanced leadership and increased investment by African governments in the rice sector would indeed help sustain the momentum towards the attainment of rice self-sufficiency and the creation of gainful employment for the youth and women along the entire rice value chain.
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,
With the huge potential benefits for investments in Africa‘s rice sector, the urgency of implementing appropriate strategies to realize the opportunities provided by Africa‘s strategic commodities cannot be overemphasized. Against this backdrop, the High Level Ministerial Conference on Rice in Dakar, Senegal last week looked into these issues. The ongoing conference delved into strengthening synergies and effective collaboration between national governments, development partners, the private sector, and producer organizations. To call into mind once again the words of the late Kofi Annan, farmers are a solution to sustainability. FAO, as a strong partner of farmers, will be on hand to propel Africa‘s rice sector to achieve its full potential as a platform for regional agricultural growth and rural transformation. http://www.ghananewsagency.org/features/rice-self-sufficiency-paves-the-way-to-end-hunger-inafrica-139541
Gov Bagudu Donates Bags of Rice to Prisoners in Kebbi By FAISAL NAMADI - Posted: 1 day ago3178 Awaiting Trial inmate in Prison Gov Bagudu Donates Bags of Rice to Prisoners in Kebbi As Nigeria Celebrates its ―58‖ Years of Freedom and Independence from Colonialism, Inmates of Medium Security Prison(New Prison) and BirninKebbi Old Prison Jubilate when His Excellency The Executive Governor of Kebbi State Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu donated to them 20 Bags of Rice, 20×10kilograms of Semovita, 20 Cartons of Spaghetti and 6×25liters of Groundnut Oil respectively. The highly elated inmates pray for Peace,Unity,Long life and Prosperity in the State and the Country as well as pray for success of the State Governor in his future political aspirations. While distributing the Foodstuffs to the two Prison facilities the Controller of Nigerian Prisons Service in charge of Kebbi State Command Alhaji Sani adamu Potiskum, (FICEN), asked the inmates to be law abiding and live in peace while their terms of incarceration elapse. The Controller expressed his sincere appreciation to the Governor for addressing the plight of Inmates in Kebbi State. ASP FAISAL NAMADI Command Public Relations Officer, Nigerian Prisons Service, Kebbi State. Share this: Read more at: https://prnigeria.com/2018/10/02/gov-bagudu-donates-rice-kebbi/ https://prnigeria.com/2018/10/02/gov-bagudu-donates-rice-kebbi/
Japan Agrees to Trade Talks with the U.S., But How Far on Rice? By Lesley Dixon
WASHINGTON, DC -- Last week President Trump and Japan's Prime Minister Abe issued a joint statement announcing that the two nations intend to enter negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement. According to the joint statement released by the White House, "The United States and Japan will enter into negotiations, following the completion of necessary domestic procedures, for a United States-Japan Trade Agreement on goods, as well as on other key areas
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including services, that can produce early achievements." Japan has long urged the Trump Administration to return to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a free-trade agreement among the United States, Japan, and 10 other countries that Trump withdrew from in 2017 as one of his first acts in office. The joint statement lists important bedrock concerns of both sides: "Market access outcomes in motor vehicles will be designed to increase production and jobs in the United States. Japan's commitments on market access for agricultural, forestry and fishery products made in previous trade agreements will "constitute the maximum level" of market access (for these products) in a trade agreement with the United States." "The joint statement is good news and we congratulate the Trump administration for obtaining agreement from Japan to negotiate bilaterally," said USA Rice COO Bob Cummings. "We've called for a U.S.-Japan trade deal since the U.S. withdrew from the TPP. These talks are an opportunity to improve on the TPP deal, both in terms of quantity and for quality of access for U.S. rice and we will engage with U.S. officials on both fronts." U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has told reporters that the two leaders would begin the process with discussions on uncontroversial items that might enable "an early harvest" in relaxing trade barriers. "We know that rice falls into the 'controversial' category and we'll need to work with this Administration to identify the best opportunities to improve market access for U.S. rice in Japan," concluded Cummings. USA Rice Daily
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Haryana Rice Millers urge govt to relax rice procurement conditions Kaithal, Sep 28 (UNI) Haryana's Rice Millers and Dealers Association on Friday urged the government to provide 4-5 per cent relaxation to Rice Millers doing custom milling during the procurement, beginning on October 1. Amarjeet Chhabra, president of the association, said that they have urged the government to withdraw the condition of five per cent bank guarantee sought from the Millers, who had taken rice mills on lease to do custom milling, as heavy rains in September had damaged the paddy crop, affecting the quality of rice. About 200 rice mills will be affected by this decision, he said, adding that rice industry was already reeling under recession and if the government failed to address their genuine demands, it will adversely affect the market scenario and discourage the Millers from making paddy purchases, while facing adverse market conditions. The farmers may not get remunerative price, which may create problems for the government. Mr Chhabra urged Chief Minister Manohar Lal to personally intervene to save the Rice industry, which had been earning substantial foreign currency through exports.
ITC to sell rice, compete with India Gate, Daawat Avik Das | TNN | Updated: Sep 29, 2018, 16:59 IST BENGALURU: ITC is entering the packaged rice segment under the Aashirvaad brand, the brand under which it sells flour, salt, spices and instant mixes. The maker of cigarettes to cookies is doing a pilot in Bengaluru with rice, and doing it in a unique way. Rather than putting it on retail shelves, ITC has decided to go door-to door, giving customers a 500 gm sona masoori rice sample. If they like it, they can call up the company‘s call centre and place a minimum order of 25 kg, which ITC says, suffices for a south Indian family of 5 for a month. ―There is no reason why this pilot should not work. The only thing that can hold us back is if we fail in the product,‖ Hemant Malik, divisional chief executive (foods), ITC, told TOI, adding that the company worked with the Central Rice Research Institute to develop the rice variant. Asked what would be considered a successful pilot, Malik said the company expects 30 people out of every 50 it talks to in a neighbourhood to taste the product and six of them to place an order. ―If not, then I will have to worry,‖ he said. The rice market is fragmented and mostly unorganised. One of the biggest brands is KRBL‘s India Gate.
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Then there‘s LT Foods‘ Daawat basmati rice, Amar Singh Chawalwala‘s Lal Qilla rice, and McCormick‘s Kohinoor basmati rice. ITC pegs the south India rice market alone at about Rs 1 lakh crore. Malik said ITC is ageing the rice for at least six months. ―That is when it becomes better when you cook. If you make the rice when the paddy is fresh, it is very soft as the starch is not ready for eating. Old rice is fluffier and does not stick,‖ he said.
Based on the success of the pilot, ITC will spread to other zones and will sell the dominant variety there. It is selling sona masoori in Bengaluru, the most favoured rice in Karnataka, but will opt for a gobind bhog variety in West Bengal. Aashirvaad is ITC‘s biggest foods brand and drives the sales of its non-cigarette business. Total sales of ITC‘s branded food business was Rs 8,668 crore for the fiscal ended March 31. In comparison, HUL ‗s food and refreshment business stood at Rs 6,379 crore, Britannia‘s at Rs 9,990 crore and Nestle India‘s at Rs 10,192 crore. Nestle follows a calendar year.
ITC‘s foods business includes brands like Sunfeast biscuits, Bingo salted snacks, Yippee noodles & pastas, and Kitchens of India ready-to-eat gourmet cuisine. Earlier this month, it said it plans to launch ready-to-drink, milkbased beverages that will compete with products from the likes of Coca-Cola, Amul and Britannia. That product, Sunfeast Wonderz, will initially be launched in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Food & supplies department recovers 36,000 unaccounted bags of rice TNN | Updated: Oct 4, 2018, 11:58 IST Punjab food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu (File photo) CHANDIGARH: Continuing with its drive, food and civil supplies department on Wednesday seized 36,000 bags of unaccounted rice from four mills in the Jalandhar and Kapurthala. The departmental teams found 16,500 bags at Shiva Rice Mill in Phagwara, 3,600 bags at Jai Shankar Rice Mill in Jalandhar, 14,100 bags of rice at Shiv Shankar Rice Mill in Sarhali, Jalandhar; and 1,600 at Sawtantarta Rice Mill in Dhilwan, Kapurthala.
Punjab food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said the unaccounted rice found in godowns of the said four mills belonged to public distribution system (PDS) of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. These bags has been illegally brought to Punjab, he added.
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―Had the millers not been caught, the same rice would have been recycled into the current marketing system,‖ added the minister.
With the Punjab government keeping a vigil on godowns and mills, those indulging in malpractice have change their modus operandi. Instead of keeping the stock in godowns, they are now keeping the illegally procured rice in village cattle sheds.
One such case was unearthed at Ranipur village near Phagwara where 750 bags of rice were found stored in an animal shed. According to sources, this rice was off loaded from two trucks about two days ago. The department has recovered nearly 1.10 lakh bags of unaccounted rice during raids conducted last week at mills in Ferozepur, Zira, Jalalabad and Moga.
India's April-Aug rice exports drop 4.3 pct year on year: govt body REUTERS| Oct 01, 2018, 03.40 PM IST
The country's exports of pulses more than doubled during the period to 144,608 tonnes, while dairy exports surged 29.3 percent to 50,561 tonnes, the agency said.India's rice exports between April and August dropped 4.3 percent from a year earlier to 5.03 million tonnes as leading buyer Bangladesh trimmed purchases due to bumper local harvest, a government body said. The country's buffalo meat exports during the period edged down 1 percent from a year ago to 499,186 tonnes, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority said. Guar gum exports rose 1.8 percent to 222,055 tonnes on robust demand from the United States. India is the world's biggest exporter of buffalo meat, guar gum and rice. The country's exports of pulses more than doubled during the period to 144,608 tonnes, while dairy exports surged 29.3 percent to 50,561 tonnes, the agency said. https://af.reuters.com/article/beninNews/idAFL4N1WH312
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