27th november,2017 daily global regional local rice e newsletter

Daily Rice E-Newsletter

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter November 27, 2017

 Spurious seed firms warned Spurious Volume 9 | Issue XI  Rice Bran Oil Market: Dynamics, Segments, Size and Demand, 2017-2021  Govt allows foreign JVs to trade agri machinery  As rains grow erratic, Pakistan taps irrigation to protect Punjab crops  Senators for review of FTAs with China  Australia provides $500,000 to improve access for Punjab farmers to quality seed  IRRI scientist develops BPH pest resistant gene  Hold off on pledge to Saudis, Senate tells govt  Improving the position of Vietnam’s rice  Organic farming: Perceptions and reality (Part I)  Viable price eludes ryots  Select edible oils up on rising demand  A passion for home-grown science  Kingdom Rice to help fill Uganda’s 200,000 tonnes deficit 1  Sumayya Usmani: 'I've always been guided by the Urdu concept of "andaza", which I define as the art of sensory c www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com  ImprovingContact the position of Vietnam’s rice Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

Link to Register for Webinar: Curse of Smog: Causes & Remedies

28 November, 2017 from 03:00 pm to 04:00 pm https://tinyurl.com/ybauy4rk www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter News Detail‌ Spurious seed firms warned NOVEMBER 27, 2017 BY RAHUL JADHAV

THE HANS INDIA | Nov 27,2017 , 12:53 AM IST

Minister for Agriculture Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy addressing the Maize Research Centre inaugural meeting at Vijayarai village in Pedavegi mandal in West Godavari district on Sunday Eluru: Minister for Agriculture Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy said that stringent action would be initiated against the manufacturing companies of spurious seeds in the state. He assured that the government will help the farmers who incurred losses due to spurious seeds.

The Minister inaugurated Maize Research Centre at Vijayarai village in Pedavegi mandal on Sunday. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said the government has taken various steps to save farmers and instil confidence among them. Recently, the government has directed Kaveri

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Seeds Factory to pay Rs.2.90 crore compensation to the farmers who incurred losses due to spurious seeds supplied by the company.

The Minister said that the state government would establish a Seed Research Centre at a cost of Rs 1,700 crore with the collaboration of international companies. He said the Bill Gates Foundation would extend technical cooperation for soil testing through satellites.

He said recently concluded Agritech meeting at Visakhapatnam has achieved good results and several international companies have come forward to extend technical cooperation to the state.

He pointed out that Gujarat and Maharashtra are studying the loan waiver schemes as it was implemented in the state to benefit the lakhs of farmers. He said that the government is encouraging natural cultivation and 400 clusters have been identified in this connection.

Five lakh acres have been targeted to take up the natural farming. He said that Aziz Premji organisation has given Rs 100 crore to the state to encourage natural cultivation. The United Nations team has also agreed to give technical cooperation. Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy said that the government will strengthen the National Oilpalm Research Centre in Pedavegi.

He said state secured first place in the maize production and Pedavegi bagged first place in seed production of maize. In view of the achievement, the government has selected Vijayarai to establish the Maize Research Centre. Eluru MP Maganti Venkateswara Rao urged the Minister to announce minimum support price to oil palm farmers.

Government Whip and Denduluru MLA Chintamaneni Prabhakar said that farmers are incurring losses due to spurious seeds and asked the Minister to discuss and enact Seed Act. Acharya NG Ranga Agriculture University Vice-Chancellor Vallabhaneni Damodara Naidu, Additional Joint Collector MH Sheriff, agriculture department joint director Gousia Begum, Maruteru Rice Research Centre principal scientist PV Satyanarayana participated in the meeting. http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Andhra-Pradesh/2017-11-27/

Rice Bran Oil Market: Dynamics, Segments, Size and Demand, 2017-2021 Global Rice Bran Oil Market Research Report provides information on Products, Services, Trends, Top Companies, Verticals, Countries, Material, Application, and

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Geography globally. This report will help the viewer in Better Decision Making ,offers by OrbisResearch.com Description: Rice Bran Oil Market Report by Material, Application, and Geography – Global Forecast to 2021 is a professional and in-depth research report on the world’s major regional market conditions, focusing on the main regions (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific) and the main countries (United States, Germany, united Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and China).

The report firstly introduced the Rice Bran Oil Market basics: definitions, classifications, applications and market overview; product specifications; manufacturing processes; cost structures, raw materials and so on. Then it analyzed the world’s main region market conditions, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, supply, demand and market growth rate and forecast etc. In the end, the report introduced new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.

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The report includes six parts, dealing with:  Basic information  The Asia Rice Bran Oil Market  The North American Rice Bran Oil Market  The European Rice Bran Oil Market  Market entry and investment feasibility  The report conclusion Browse the full Global Rice Bran Oil Market Research Report @ http://www.orbisresearch.com/reports/index/global-rice-bran-oil-market-researchreport-and-forecast-to-2017-2021 .

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Some of the points from table of content: Part I Rice Bran Oil Industry Overview Chapter One Rice Bran Oil Industry Overview 1.1 Rice Bran Oil Definition 1.2 Rice Bran Oil Market Classification Analysis 1.2.1 Rice Bran Oil Main Classification Analysis 1.2.2 Rice Bran Oil Main Classification Share Analysis 1.3 Rice Bran Oil Application Analysis 1.3.1 Rice Bran Oil Main Application Analysis 1.3.2 Rice Bran Oil Main Application Share Analysis 1.4 Rice Bran Oil Industry Chain Structure Analysis 1.5 Rice Bran Oil Industry Development Overview 1.5.1 Rice Bran Oil Product History Development Overview 1.5.1 Rice Bran Oil Market Product Development Overview 1.6 Rice Bran Oil Market Global Comparison Analysis 1.6.1 Rice Bran Oil Global Import Market Analysis 1.6.2 Rice Bran Oil Global Export Market Analysis 1.6.3 Rice Bran Oil Market Global Main Region Analysis

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter 1.6.4 Rice Bran Oil Market Global Comparison Analysis 1.6.5 Rice Bran Oil Market Global Development Trend Analysis Chapter Two Rice Bran Oil Up and Down Stream Industry Analysis 2.1 Upstream Raw Materials Analysis 2.1.1 Upstream Raw Materials Price Analysis 2.1.2 Upstream Raw Materials Market Analysis 2.1.3 Upstream Raw Materials Market Trend 2.2 Down Stream Market Analysis 2.1.1 Down Stream Market Analysis 2.2.2 Down Stream Demand Analysis 2.2.3 Down Stream Market Trend Analysis Part II Asia Rice Bran Oil Industry (The Report Company Including the Below Listed But Not All) Chapter Three Asia Rice Bran Oil Market Analysis 3.1 Asia Rice Bran Oil Product Development History 3.2 Asia Rice Bran Oil Market Competitive Landscape Analysis 3.3 Asia Rice Bran Oil Market Development Trend Chapter Four 2012-2017 Asia Rice Bran Oil Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and Forecast

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter 4.1 2012-2017 Rice Bran Oil Capacity Production Overview 4.2 2012-2017 Rice Bran Oil Market Production Share Analysis 4.3 2012-2017 Rice Bran Oil Demand Overview 4.4 2012-2017 Rice Bran Oil Supply Demand and Shortage 4.5 2012-2017 Rice Bran Oil Import Export Consumption 4.6 2012-2017 Rice Bran Oil Cost Price Production Value Gross Margin The Report Contains: 165 Pages.

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Govt allows foreign JVs to trade agri machinery THIHA KO KO 27 NOV 2017 In a bid to industrialise and further develop Myanmar’s agriculture sector, the Ministry of Commerce will permit foreign joint ventures operating in the country to import and sell agrirelated machinery.The move will also help to modernise the local agri-products manufacturing sector by raising productivity and longer term cost-efficiency.The companies are permitted to sell machinery at retail or wholesale prices.“I think it is good because demand for machinery in the agriculture sector is huge. It is also good news for the farmers as they will have more options,” U Soe Tun, vice president of Myanmar Rice Federation, said.He added that the move will not only encourage competition in the local market, making capital machinery such as tractors, harvesters and seed planting equipment, which is what many farmers need.It will also draw new companies and foreign direct investment in the domestic agriculture sector. https://www.mmtimes.com/news/govt-allows-foreign-jvs-trade-agri-machinery.html

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter As rains grow erratic, Pakistan taps irrigation to protect Punjab crops

LAHORE: Most of Tajammul Abbas’s 17 acres of farmland produces nothing but fodder for his buffalo and three goats. His land, and that around him in Punjab , depends on rain to grow crops and rainfall has become much more uncertain as climate change takes hold, leading to lost harvests.

But things are now looking more promising for him and for about 384,000 other people living in the Pind Dadan Khan-Khushab area, three hours drive from Lahore, after the government on Friday announced plans to build an irrigation system for the area.

The effort is expected to convert 68,000 hectares of minimally productive farmland to full production, using water from the Jhelum River.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Friday approved a $275 million loan for the project, which is supported by the Indus River System Authority (IRSA), a government agency that oversees water sharing between provinces.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter “Having a sufficient and effective irrigation system is fundamental in the development of Pakistan’s agriculture sector, a significant driver of the country’s economy,” said Ryutaro Takaku, a water specialist at the bank’s Central and West Asia Department.

The project ”will help increase agricultural production and improve food security in Pakistan”, he noted in a press release.

Agriculture contributes 20 percent of Pakistan’s gross domestic product and employs 42 percent of the labor force, with Punjab producing more than 80 percent of agricultural output, according to Pakistan Economic Survey data.

Pakistan’s semi-arid climate means more than 90 percent of harvests depend on irrigation through the Indus Basin Irrigation System, which draws water from the Indus River.

However, about 20 percent of the country’s cultivable area – including the project area, bounded by salt hills on the northwest and the Jhelum River in the southwest – is outside the system.

Making end meets Abbas, who farms in the area, said a growing lack of water for crops has made surviving on the land increasingly difficult.“We are barely making ends meet. We have had only 2,800 kilograms of wheat from two acres of land. The rest of our land remained uncultivated. We have a small stock of animals, some of whom we sell whenever we can,” Abbas told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a telephone interview from Soduwall, his village.

The 40-year-old said one of his brothers has joined the army and another has gone abroad for work, thanks to a lack of income from the farm. His wife, he said, has to walk two hours each day to fetch water in the arid area.

Officials said the irrigation project will involve building a 117-kilometre canal to carry water diverted from the Jhelum River, 97 kilometers of secondary canals, and a range of other structures – some of which may require those now living on the land to relocate.The system aims to catch floodwater and monsoon runoff at heavy rainfall times of the year and channel it into the irrigation network.“There are about 128 structures that would need to be dismantled and land will have to be bought from people for the irrigation system. But there is no other option,” said Muhammad Javed Iqbal Goraya, a water expert with South Asian Conservation Network, a nongovernmental organization.In an area with poor rainfall, “irrigation (is) essential for crop production. The irrigation network will help the farmers in the area to adapt to climate changes and have more crops,” he said.

The area, if irrigated, could grow wheat, cotton, rice, sugarcane, maize, and other crops, said Goraya.The project will introduce advanced technologies such as laser land leveling and highefficiency irrigation, according to the ADB press release. About 6,000 farmers also will have the opportunity to learn climate-smart agriculture practices and more profitable farm management, the release said.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Goraya said that managing the new water resource and existing water with care will be key to ensuring the sustainability of agriculture in the area.

The project envisions 485 water user associations being formed to have a say in planning, designing and constructing the new irrigation system.

“Such associations and committees have been very helpful in some other areas of the country in managing watercourses and collecting water charges from users,” Goraya said.For landholders such as Abbas the new irrigation system offers promising new opportunities.“Water through this system will be like gold,” Abbas predicted. https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/248720-as-rains-grow-erratic-pakistan-taps-irrigation-toprotect-punjab-crops

Senators for review of FTAs with China ZULFIQAR AHMAD NOV 25TH, 2017 ISLAMABAD The lawmakers in Senate on Friday called for immediate review of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with China, saying any delay in this regard may turn Pakistan into an industrial zone of China like Kashghar. They insisted that businessmen and traders should be taken onboard while reviewing the FTAs and these agreements must be presented in the Parliament, particularly in Senate, for consideration and approval.

Some of the senators contended that China had signed CPEC with Pakistan because of Gwadar but the entire Balochistan province was being overlooked which needs to be addressed. The senators were discussing an admitted adjournment motion by Atique Sheikh of MQM-P for nonprofitability of FTAs with China as well as non-utilization of concessions granted by China under the first phase of these agreements in order to promote local industry.

They regretted that it was not the job of federal secretaries to thrash out and sign such agreements as there is a dire need to involve all the stakeholders and take them onboard before finalizing such agreements. The senators from Balochistan including PkMAP's Usman Khan Kakar and Sardar Azam Musakhail and Kulsoom Parveen of PML-N, were particularly upset

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter over the way their province was being overlooked with regards to CPEC and developing Gwadar port.

"In the given scene of FTAs, Pakistan will become a market of capitalist and imperialist forces for dumping their products," cautioned Senator Kakar, adding it will be disastrous for the country and the Parliament must step in to rectify the flaws in these FTAs. He said that labor class of the country must not be punished as there is nothing for the laborers despite billions of rupees projects being undertaken in the country.

Senator Mohsin Leghari pointed out that at present, the total volume of Pakistan-China trade was $12.2 billion: Islamabad's share in it was merely $1.6 billion and the rest belongs to Beijing. "It is a matter of serious concern and under these circumstances, we cannot compete with China when there is such a meager trade margin in our favor," he maintained.

He said it is good that Pakistan-China friendship is so strong and time-tested but it might be noted that despite having signed an FTA, on Pakistan's main export ie cotton-related items, China had imposed 3.7 percent regulatory duty while for ASEAN states, it was just 0.4 percent and 3.5 percent for India's such exports, with which it had no such agreement.

For Pakistan's rice, he said that there was 65 percent duty imposed by China but for ASEAN countries, it was just 33 percent, which he warned, may further increase the trade deficit after inception of the CPEC. He proposed that in $43 billion investment from China, Pakistan should focus on engaging its local industry and laborers, adding there is a need to produce electricity towers and cables to feed local industry instead of relying on import.

Senator Nauman Wazir Khattak of PTI wondered why Pakistan signed 7-8 FTAs and PTAs when it was turning out to be the loser and the other side as winner. "There are a total of 7550 tariff lines of which Pakistan used only 335...is there anything wrong with these agreements or with our exporters and businessmen?" he questioned.

He wondered how the widening trade gap can be bridged if cost of production, particularly of energy, remains high. He also called for keeping the rupee floating against dollar and opposed restricting it to Rs 104-05 against one dollar and wanted it to be jacked up to Rs 120 to boost exports and curtail imports. He also wanted to know that China had been offered tax holiday but locals have been deprived of this.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Senator Mohsin Aziz, who also belongs to PTI, strongly opposed devaluing of rupee and said it would benefit a few, cautioning such a step would be very dangerous for the rest of the people.

He said how Pakistan could reverse the trend of its falling exports if it fails to manage trade surplus and bring down cost of production which is very high.

He pointed out that India had given the status of Most Favored Nation to Pakistan yet it had been dominating the bilateral trade and one of the reasons is imposing of non-trade barriers. PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar complained that information on CPEC-related projects is not being shared with the CPEC committee.

He said the committee was to leave for China to seek answer to the questions that were not answered during the committee meetings by the government but the visit was postponed as Senate was to take up the 24th constitutional amendment bill. To this, Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani asked Senate Secretariat to inform him who is denying information to senators.

Senator Babar said they came to know that 91 per cent of the revenue from Gwadar port would go to China and 9 percent to Pakistan and added they were not informed when they had asked about Balochistan's share. He complained going beyond its powers, Nepra had included in electricity bills the cost of CPEC security. "But no one knows how much is the cost and when one looks at the economic side of the Gwadar project, where it costs half a dollar to desalinate 264 gallons of water but the local population of 0.2 million is looking for drinking water," he lamented.

Similarly, the toll tax collection contract would go to FWO on roads, connecting Gwadar but again no one knows how much would be the share of Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as these would pass through these provinces. He called for transparency in security-related matters pertaining to CPEC and safeguarding Pakistan's interests.

PkMAP Senator Azam Musakhail claimed the two chairmen of CPEC-related committees - one of the parliamentary committee and the other of the Senate - favored China. Senator Kulsoom feared the future generations might face consequences of CPEC and insisted on strengthening Pakistan by exploiting this opportunity.

Australia provides $500,000 to improve access for Punjab farmers to quality seed www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter 11:07 PM, November 25, 2017

The Australian Government announces an AUD500,000 program to train around 4,000 smallholder farmers from Sheikhupura and Gujranwala, Punjab , to produce quality seed , improve crop yield and gain better access to the market.The initiative is part of the Australian Government’s Business Partnership Platform support to Engro Corporation Limited Pakistan and Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) Australia and aims to connect around 4,000 smallholder farmersfrom villages in Sheikhupura and Gujranwala into a larger seed supply chain. The project will also train and support farmers to produce their own quality seed and register as seed suppliers.

The Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Margaret Adamson said that engaging with the private sector is the cornerstone of Australia’s modernised aid program in Pakistan, supporting economic growth, incomes and jobs.

"The partnership lays the foundation to enhance the livelihoods of smallholder farmersand enable them, for the first time, to become part of Pakistan’s large seed supply chain for rice,

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter wheat and vegetable. It will also benefit from MEDA’s expertise as an international economic development organisation that creates business solutions to tackle poverty in developing regions around the world,” Ms Adamson said.

The Business Partnership Platform aims to accelerate Australia’s collaboration with businesses in addressing development challenges around the world. The platform recently expanded to include 19 private sector partnerships around the world with the conclusion of the second round of submissions.

Engro Corporation Limited is one of Pakistan’s largest corporations and works in a range of agriculture commodities including seeds, fertilizers and food http://nation.com.pk/25-Nov-2017/australia-provides-500-000-to-improve-access-for-punjab-farmers-toquality-seed

IRRI scientist develops BPH pest resistant gene

By Hemant Rout | Express News Service | Published: 26th November 2017 02:06 AM | Last Updated: 26th November 2017 08:16 AM | A+A A- |

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter BHUBANESWAR: Odia agriculture scientist and a plant breeder at the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Kshirod Jena has developed a high potential resistance gene for protection against Brown Plant Hopper (BPH) which is a cause of concern for Odisha farmers.Jena recently drew the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during ASEAN Summit for his salinity resistant rice varieties.A native of Kendrapara district, Jena has developed the Near Isogenic Lines (NILs) of the IR24 rice variety. It is a short duration (about 100 days) variant with medium slender grain and good quality.

The NILs are the first in the world and those have 10 different resistance genes inserted into the susceptible variety IR24 by conventional breeding.As extensive use of pesticides proved to be more harmful for environment and made the insects pesticide resistance, Jena said his team started working on host-plant resistance as an effective and environment-friendly approach to reducing insect damage and increasing rice yield.“We have developed the NILs with different high potential resistance genes for protection against BPH. I am helping the Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) at Cuttack to use this in Odisha. Some very good resistant lines are now in the pipeline. I have also cloned a new resistance gene for BPH and I am sure my work will help to solve the problem in future,” he told ‘The Express’ in an e-mail conversation.

Though earlier agro scientists had discovered 30 genes linked to the plants’ resistance to the BPH insects, those were not properly identified. Jena has successfully isolated the actual genes and pinpointed their location in the rice chromosome. His team has studied how these genes interact with the insects and understood the vector protein and receptor protein interaction.He said these can be tested in the fields against BPH population in Odisha and looked for the lines showing resistance to the insects. The agronomic characteristics such as yield potential of the lines in those areas also can be tested, Jena said and suggested that part of his work can be taken up by CRRI and the lines put to tests in the institute if they have those insects collected this season.

Since the BPH infestations have intensified in many areas as the insects developed resistance to widely used pesticides to overcome genetic resistance in plants, the researchers at IRRI are combining different resistance genes that have been identified through gene cloning. Instead of producing one kind of receptor protein, the plant with cloned gene can produce three types of receptor proteins to fight off the vector protein.

“We are making a package of resistance genes and developing BPH resistant IRRI breeding lines using IR24 variety. These genes can be transferred into other lines of Odisha for cultivation in the affected areas. If the State Government seeks any support, we are ready to extend help from IRRI. We can also provide seeds to look for solutions to the current problem,” Jena added. http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2017/nov/26/irriscientist-develops-bph-pest-resistant-gene1711240.htmlhttp://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2017/nov/26/irri-scientistdevelops-bph-pest-resistant-gene-1711240.html

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Hold off on pledge to Saudis, Senate tells govt

By Irfan Ghauri

Published: November 24, 2017

The Gwadar Port, an integral part of CPEC. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Friday asked the government not to make any commitment on the terms of the Islamic Military Counter-Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) without bringing it to its notice.The matter was raised in the upper house of parliament just two days before Defence

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan’s sojourn to the Saudi capital for the formal launch of the alliance.

On Sunday, Khan will attend the first meeting of defence ministers of coalition countries, which will also outline the coalition’s “strategy, governance, activities and future plans”.Speaking during points of public importance segment, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Farhatullah Babar said a few months ago, then defence minister Khawaja Asif had assured the house that the terms of reference for participation in the alliance would be placed before the Senate before taking any decision.

Babar said the military commander of the coalition has also been quoted as saying that the coalition encompasses four key areas – ideology, communications, counterterrorism financing and military to fight terrorism and to join other international security and peacekeeping efforts.

Each of these areas, particularly the one relating to ideology, would have far-reaching consequences for Pakistan, Babar said. He demanded clarity on the issues involved and laying of facts before Parliament.

Endorsing Babar’s contention, Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani said that then defence minister Khawaja Asif, who is now the foreign minister, had assured that the Senate would be taken on board before joining any venture with the Saudi-led military alliance.

The alliance was announced in December 2015 and has 41 members. Pakistan was part of the initial list of 34 countries to join the coalition. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will inaugurate Sunday’s defence ministers’ meeting.

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FTAs with China

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter During discussion on an adjournment motion by Atique Sheikh of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), senators belonging to different parties demanded of the government to review the free-trade agreements (FTAs) with China.

Lamenting the non-profitability of the FTAs and non-utilisation of concessions granted by China, the senators said that it was not the job of federal secretaries to thrash out these deals, rather the real stakeholders should be taken on board before finalising such agreements.

At present, Senator Mohsin Leghari pointed out, the Pakistan-China trade is worth $12.2 billion but Islamabad’s share in it is merely $1.6 billion.

He noted that despite an FTA, China has imposed 3.7% regulatory duty on Pakistan’s main export –cotton-related items. He added that for the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) the duty is just 0.4% and 3.5% for India, which has no such agreement.

For Pakistan’s rice, he continued, the duty is 65% but for Asean countries, it is just 33%. He warned that the duties might increase trade deficit after inception of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Senators Azam Musakhail, Kalsoom Parven, Atique Sheikh, Javed Abbasi, Farhatullah Babar and others also spoke on the matter. The relevant minister will give the policy statement on the issue on Monday.

FIA report on PECA The Senate chairman ordered the government that a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) report on implementation of Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act 2016 be laid in the house and thereafter referred to the relevant committee for an in-camera discussion.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter He directed the government to provide complete information during the in-camera proceedings of the committee. The ruling also directed the government to formulate rules for preparing the report and present in the house in 30 days.

The ruling came after discussion that the FIA report could be laid in open house or treated as classified document to be discussed in an in-camera meeting of the I&T committee of the Senate.

Earlier the chairman sought opinion of opposition leader Aitzaz Ahsan and senators Javed Abbasi, Barrister Saif and Farhatullah Babar on how to deal with the report in view of the ambiguity in the language of the act.

Delimitation bill The lawmakers, belonging to both sides expressed dismay over the absence of senators, during voting on the delimitation bill, which is pending before the house for more than a week. They were unanimous that the parliament may lose the opportunity of holding elections on time the lawmakers continued with the attitude.

Faizabad lockdown Chairman Raza Rabbani evaded a request from some members to play a role to help end the sit-in staged by clerics at one of the most import junctions of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad for around three weeks.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Najma Hameed and Sheikh Atique of MQM-P said people from all walks of life face serious hardships due to the protest sit-in and requested the chairman Senate to use his office to find a solution to the problems.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Senator Hameed said that she had to leave Rawalpindi for Islamabad too early to attend the Senate session on time.

A visibly helpless Rabbani read out an adjournment order with a smile, saying: “Just for Najma Hameed, the house is adjourned to meet again on Monday at 4pm instead of 3pm so that she could attend the session on time”. https://tribune.com.pk/story/1567438/1-senators-say-pakistan-suffer-freed-trade-pacts-china/

Improving the position of Vietnam’s rice

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Sunday, 2017-11-26 00:04:25 Vietnam's ST24 rice variety was ranked second among the three most delicious rice varieties in the world.NDO - The country’s rice exports in the first ten months of this year increased in comparison to the same period in 2016, both in volume and value, thanks to the growth of exports to key markets including China, Malaysia, the Philippines and Bangladesh.

Strong growth of rice exports In 2015, the rice variety AGPPS 103, developed by Loc Troi Corporation, was listed among the world’s three most delicious rice varieties. Immediately after receiving the title, the group continuously received export orders for this type of rice, a good sign in the context of rice exports facing numerous difficulties a few years ago. Currently, it is more important to enhance the export of high quality rice.

According to statistics released by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam exported five million tonnes of rice in the first ten months of this year, an annual increase of 21.6%, earning US$2.23 billion (up 20.3% over the same period last year). The structure of Vietnam's export rice has shifted positively, with a sharp decline in the middle and low-grade rice segment and a strong increase in the volume of rice varieties with high quality and value (such as sticky rice, japonica and brown rice). The change has been also consistent with the directions for the development of export markets.

The country’s rice exports in the first ten months of this year increased in comparison to the same period in 2016, both in volume and value, thanks to the growth of exports to key markets including China, Malaysia, the Philippines and Bangladesh.

Specifically, China is now the largest market, accounting for nearly 40% of the total rice export turnover of Vietnam, with 2.03 million tonnes (equivalent to US$909.04 million), an increase of 35% in volume and 34% in turnover over the same period last year. Over the past few years, types of high quality rice, including fragrant and glutinous rice, have been the main commodities exported to this market.

Following China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Ghana and ASEAN are the main export markets of Vietnamese rice. In addition, in the first ten months of the year, the exports of rice to Senegal and Iraq saw a sharp increase. Vietnam exported 98,000 tonnes of rice to Iraq (up 91 times over the same period in 2016), worth US$51.45 million (up 108 times); meanwhile the exports to

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Senegal increased 178 times in volume and nearly 90 times in turnover (reaching nearly 25,000 tonnes, worth US$8.18 million).

In addition to the advantages in the markets, the prices of exported Vietnamese rice have increased sharply from US$360 per tonne in early June to US$509 per tonne by October. The average rice exports price reached US$448.6 per tonne in the first ten months of the year, the highest price level in recent years.

There are many opportunities for the growth of rice exports, particularly in China where Vietnamese 5% broken white rice is cheaper than domestic rice. In addition the 23 Vietnamese enterprises that have been checked and granted permission for exports, nine more rice enterprises are undergoing the evaluation process for the license from the Chinese side to export their products to this market. Other markets, including Sri Lanka and the Philippines have also launched many rice import packages in the last few months of the year. Africa and Iraq have a great demand for rice, opening more opportunities for the growth of this commodity.

Grasping the demand of the markets, many Vietnamese enterprises have paid greater attention to the production of high quality rice varieties and specialty rice. Provinces in the Mekong River Delta have increased the cultivation of jasmine rice varieties, including Jasmine 85, Tai Nguyen (natural resources), VD 20, and OM 4900. The enterprises have also enhanced the use of the latest rice varieties from the Mekong River Delta Rice Institute, Southern Seed Centre and Soc Trang Rice Research Team to improve the quality of rice. As a result, the short-life ST24 rice variety, which can yield over five tonnes per hectare and has the aroma of pineapple, has been successfully produced. ST24 has become an honour to Vietnam’s rice as it was recognised as one of the three most delicious rice varieties in the world.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade is actively implementing the strategy for developing the country's rice export market towards a reduction in the volume and an increase in the value of exported rice. The Ministry will develop plans and solutions to develop each rice export market and respond to market changes, as well as building a database of rice market information.

The localities also reorganised their production towards the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification, strictly controlling the production process to ensure hygiene and food safety and meet the criteria and standards of importing countries. For example, Dong Thap province has planned and built large-scale raw material areas, in association with developing the brand of the local rice. The province has also focused on the investment for essential infrastructure and techniques that can create favourable condtions for the application of VietGAP and GlobalGAP procedures. In addition, Dong Thap is actively popularising the information on the strategy for

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter developing the country's rice export market to enterprises, aiming to gradually improve the efficiency of rice exports.

With the satisfactory results of rice exports, the Vietnam Food Association has raised the target of rice exports to 5.6 million tonnes, instead of 5.2 million tonnes this year. To date, the country has reached 91% of the target. http://en.nhandan.org.vn/business/item/5668502-improving-the-position-of-vietnam’srice.htmlhttp://en.nhandan.org.vn/business/item/5668502-improving-the-position-of-vietnam’s-rice.html

Organic farming: Perceptions and reality (Part I) November 25, 2017, 10:00 PM

By Dr. Emil Q. Javier ‘There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why… I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?’– Robert Kennedy Last week’s issue of Manila Bulletin’s Panorama magazine was dedicated to organic farming.

The weekly featured the experiences of individuals who appeared to be fairly affluent and who have “discovered” the happiness of shifting from their stress-filled urban lifestyles to the romantic idyll of healthy living in the farm growing crops, poultry and livestock in a “natural” or organic way.Indeed, this kind of farming is growing worldwide as people from developed countries, and increasingly the urban elite in the developing countries, willingly pay a premium for food grown in this manner.

But organically grown foods are not cheap. Because of the lower yields and higher costs of production, organic food have to be sold at a premium for the farmers and retailers to keep their margins.Consumers are willing to pay higher food prices in exchange for the perceived benefits of organic produce being more nutritious, safer, more palatable, and more benign to the environment.The impression one gets is that organic agriculture is the way to go as far as meeting the world’s future food needs and saving the environment.

However the reality is not as rosy as organic farming advocates would make us to believe. The claimed benefits from organic farming are more perceptions than reality.

In the same Panorama magazine, one of the authors, Bulletin regular columnist Cheshire Que, a registered nurse, articulated her misgivings and posed the question: Is organic really worth it?

The following articulates more clearly the background to the pros and cons of organic farming.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Organic farming – what it is not It is important that we define organic farming in contrast with conventional farming for which it is claimed to be a better alternative.Actually organic farming embraces a number of traditional, broadly accepted but scientifically proven agronomic practices and techniques. Among these are minimum tillage; legumes cover cropping; land fallowing (resting); application of animal manures and compost; multiple cropping and crop rotation; use of improved resistant varieties; deployment of biological control agents to suppress pests and diseases, etc.

However, these agronomic practices are not unique to organic farming. Conventional farmers adopt them as well to varying degrees depending upon local soil, climate, labor and market conditions.

But what really set organic apart are the growing methods it prohibits.Organic farming under international convention, and as defined by law under Republic Act 10068, prohibits the application of chemical fertilizers, use of synthetic pesticides and use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), whether crops, animals and microorganisms.

Total ban on chemical fertilizers devoid of scientific bases The Rothamsted plots in England, the widely recognized longest running crop experiments of their kind, had been continuously sown to wheat, potatoes and beans and fertilized with chemicals since 1843 and these fields are still around.The Morrow plots continuously planted to maize and chemically fertilized since 1876 are still there in the center of the University of Illinois campus in Midwest America when I last visited my Alma Mater.

And closer to home, the rice plots at the gate of the International Rice Research Institute in Los BaĂąos started by the late Dr. Robert Chandler in 1963 and continuously planted to three crops of rice a year, look as green and as productive as ever.

Continuous fertilization with chemical fertilizers will not render soils unfit for growing crops, provided the fertilizers are not applied in excess, and the nutrients appropriately balanced and some of the plant residues retained to preserve soil organic matter.

The real problem is excessive fertilization. But this problem applies as well to excessive application of manures, like the massive environmental and aquifer problems created by unregulated, excessive spreading of hog and dairy farm manures in pastures in Holland (where I lived for three years). And closer to home, excessive application of chicken manure on vegetables in Benguet.

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In the first place, the plant roots cannot distinguish nutrients coming from composts from those out of a chemical fertilizer bag.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Neither will gastric juices in our stomachs discriminate between plant proteins from organic versus conventional farm products. All proteins regardless of source are digested into amino acids which our bodies need.

Reality of lower yield And higher food prices But what are real are that the yields from organic farms are less than conventional farms. And prices of organic produce in the market are higher to compensate for the lower yields and generally higher costs of production.Meta-analyses of hundreds of studies worldwide have consistently affirmed that organic produce are not any more nutritious nor tastier than conventionally grown food.

Claims of superiority of organic foods over conventional foods are therefore for the most part just perceptions — not reality.However, published data as reported by US and Canadian scientists show that organic crops consistently lag behind their conventional counterparts by 10 to 35 percent in a yield per acre basis.

The yield penalty on organic crops is worst on annual row crops. In 2014, a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientist reported that organic corn, organic soybean and organic cotton yields were 35 percent, 31 percent and 45 percent lower than their conventional counterparts.

Imagine how much more forestlands and grasslands have to be plowed under worldwide to grow the same amount of food if all these crops were organically produced. That much more native vegetation plowed under will have massive consequences to soil erosion and loss of biodiversity on a global scale. Besides for a land-poor country like the Philippines, we do not have that luxury.

Why the yield penalty?

The yield penalty on organic farming especially on short maturing row crops is associated with the low concentration of nutrients and the slow rate of nutrient release from manure decomposition and their lack of synchrony with the nutrient demand at different stages of the life cycle of plants.

In addition to being short of the major nutrients, particularly nitrogen which crops demand in the large amounts, the rate of release of nutrients from manures is more of less uniform throughout the year. But the nutrient demand of crops is not even and surges at the rapid vegetative, flowering and fruit development stages. The plants run out of nutrients when they are most needed. Hence, the need to supplement with nutrient-dense chemical fertilizers at these crucial stages for high yields.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Because of their low nutrient density, crops would require tons and tons of manure and compost per hectare to meet the crop nutrient requirements. A few hundred kilos of manure to fertilize small vegetables plots or gardens is manageable but not if we grow crops commercially by the hectare.

Manures if at all available are bulky and expensive to assemble and spread.

Merits of manures and composts Nevertheless, the application of more animal manure and compost is meritorious for two reasons: The organic matter in manures and composts improve soil aggregation and allow for better aeration and supply of oxygen to the roots of crops for healthier plant growth.

Moreover, the complex micro-biota in manures and composts replenish/enhance the proliferation of beneficial soil microorganisms which crops need. Chemical fertilizers which are inert and devoid of soil microorganisms are not helpful at all.

Hence, the ideal is the judicious balanced application of manures as basal fertilizers and chemical fertilizers as nutrient-rich supplements.Not the total ban of chemical fertilizers as organic purists prescribe.

To be continued‌ (Part II) ***** Dr. Emil Q. Javier is a Member of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) and also Chair of the Coalition for Agriculture Modernization in the Philippines (CAMP). For any feedback, email eqjavier@yahoo.com

https://business.mb.com.ph/2017/11/25/organic-farming-perceptions-and-reality-parti/https://business.mb.com.ph/2017/11/25/organic-farming-perceptions-and-reality-part-i/

Viable price eludes ryots N. Rahul HYDERABAD , NOVEMBER 25, 2017 23:11

File photo of a farmer drying paddy produce at the market yard. | Photo Credit: Singam venkataramana A few get higher than MSP, others struggle to meet costs

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter A super fine variety of rice — Sriram — which is grown in Nizamabad was purchased in large quantities by rice millers from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu a month ago at a price which was far higher than the minimum support price (MSP), raising hopes among farmers of the district.After the requirement of millers from the two States was met, the price of this variety of rice produced in the just concluded Kharif plummeted to MSP. The grouse of the farmers is that they are often deprived of a price higher than MSP for super fine varieties like Sriram in the later stages of procurement of rice every year.

Agriculture Secretary C. Parthasarathi, however, contends that the government had no control over prices beyond MSP as they were ruled by market forces. The government will step in only if the MSP was not assured.

Procurement centres Sriram was purchased by millers from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu at ₹ 1,800 to ₹1,900 a quintal while the MSP was only ₹ 1,590 a quintal for ‘A’ grade rice. Nizamabad, Kamareddy and adjoining Jagtial together were expected to deliver 6.5 lakh tonnes of rice produced in recent Kharif to the Civil Supplies Corporation. The total paddy proposed to be procured this season by Corporation is 27.68 lakh tonnes, of which 9.4 lakh tonnes is already with the Corporation.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Last year, the Corporation purchased a record 53.66 lakh tonnes from 10.93 lakh farmers in both Kharif and rabi. The MSP then was only ₹ 1,510 for grade ‘A’ variety and ₹1,470 for common variety. Telangana stood fourth behind Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh in paddy procurement.

Though the MSP has been hiked by ₹80 up to ₹1,590 now, farmers said that the rate was far less than the cost of production which worked out to ₹ 2,100 a quintal. The brown plant hopper pest which attacked the crop, particularly in Jagtial, further dashed their hopes of a good price.

Meanwhile, the State government has written to the Centre to be allowed to implement price support scheme for procurement of red gram which will arrive at market yards from December to March. About 1.65 lakh tonnes of red gram was expected to be produced at 633 kgs per hectare.

The government has also sought permission from Centre to extend time for procurement of black gram by 30 days and also enhance ceiling from 66,800 quintals to 1.5 lakh quintals. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/viable-price-eludes-ryots/article20941438.ece

Select edible oils up on rising demand New Delhi, Nov 25 Select edible oil prices firmed up at the wholesale oil and oilseeds market during the week on increased offtake by vanaspati millers, driven by rising demand from retailers against tight supplies.Firm trend overseas also influenced sentiment.Castor oil in the non-edible section showed some strength on increased offtake by consuming industries.Traders said increased buying by vanaspati millers to meet rising demand from retailers in view of the ongoing wedding season against tight stocks position on fall in supplies from producing regions mainly led to rise in edible oil prices.Positive leads from overseas markets also influenced sentiment, they said.In the national capital, groundnut mill delivery (Gujarat) oil rose by Rs 200 to Rs ,8,900 per quintal.Mustard expeller (Dadri) and cottonseed mill delivery (Haryana) oils moved up by Rs 150 each to Rs 7,950 and Rs 6,450 per quintal respectively.

Sesame mill delivery also jumped up by Rs 500 to Rs 8,400 per quintal.Tracking a firm trend overseas, palmolein (RBD) and palmolein (Kandla) oils too shot up by Rs 350 each to Rs 6,450 and Rs 6,500 per quintal respectively. Crude palm oil (ex- kandla) went up by Rs 150 to Rs 5,000 per quintal.

Soyabean refined mill delivery (Indore) and soyabean degum (Kandla) oils followed suit and enquired higher by Rs 200 each to Rs 7,400 and Rs 7,000 per quintal respectively.Coconut oil quoted higher at Rs 2,650-2,700 instead of Rs 2,550-2,600 per tin.In the non-edible section,

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter castor oil got fresh buying support from consuming industries and ended higher by Rs 100 to Rs 8,600-8,700 per quintal.(MORE) Bajra and maize also ended higher on pick up in demand from consuming industries.

However, wheat eased further on reduced offtake by flour mills against sufficient stocks position on increased arrivals from producing belts.

Traders said rising demand from stockists and rice mills against tight stocks position on fall in arrivals from producing regions mainly kept rice basmati prices higher.

In the national capital, rice basmati common and Pusa- 1121 variety edged higher to Rs 7,9008,000 and Rs 6,400-6,500 from previous levels of Rs 7,800-7,900 and Rs 6,300-6,400 per quintal, respectively.

Non-basmati rice permal raw, wand and IR-8 also settled higher at Rs 2,300-2,350, Rs 2,3502,400 and Rs 1,950-1,975 per quintal respectively in line with rice basmati trend.

Other bold grains like bajra edged up by Rs 10 to Rs 1,200-1,205 per quintal. Maize rose by Rs 20 to Rs 1,320-1,325 per quintal.

On the other hand, wheat dara (for mills) fell by Rs 20 to Rs 1,820-1,825 per quintal. Atta chakki delivery followed suit and traded lower by a similar margin to Rs 1,825-1,830 per 90 kg.

Atta flour mills, maida and sooji also shed Rs 10 each to Rs 990-1,000, Rs 1,030-1,040 and Rs 1,060-1070 per 50 kg respectively. (MORE) mills amid adequate stocks.

However, masoor and malka found some buying support and managed to closed higher.

Marketmen said easing demand from retailers and dal mills against sufficient stocks position on increased supplies from producing regions mainly affected kabuli gram other pulses prices.

In the national capital, kabuli gram small variety suffered the most by tumbling to Rs 8,0009,000 from previous level of Rs 8,500-9,700 per quintal.

Urad eased to Rs 3,800-5,650 against last close of Rs 4,100-5,850 per quintal. Its dal chilka local, best quality and dhoya were down by Rs 300 each to Rs 5,000-5,100, Rs 5,100-5,600 and Rs 5,500-5,700 per quintal respectively.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Moong and its dal chilka local also weakened by Rs 100 each to Rs 4,500-5,200 and Rs 5,2005,400 per quintal. Its dal dhoya local and best quality enquired lower by a similar margin to Rs 5,800-6,300 and Rs 6,300-6,500 per quintal.

Arhar and its dal dara variety fell by Rs 100 and Rs 200 to Rs 3,850 and Rs 5,600-7,500 per quintal respectively. Moth shed Rs 100 to Rs 3,500-3,900 per quintal.

On the other hand, masoor small and bold rose by Rs 50 each to Rs 3,650-3,750 and Rs 3,7003,850 per quintal respectively. Its dal local and best quality traded higher by Rs 200 each to Rs 3,800-4,300 and Rs 3,900-4,400 per quintal.

Malka local and best quality quoted higher by Rs 100 each to Rs 4,100-4,300 and Rs 4,200-4,500 per quintal, respectively.(MORE) osition amid higher output reports.

Marketmen said besides easing demand from bulk consumers such as ice-cream and cold drinks makers, ample stocks position on increased supplies from mills mainly kept the sweetener prices lower.

The country's sugar production has touched 13.73 lakh tonne (LT) till November 15 of the ongoing 2017-18 season, up 79 per cent from the year-ago period, the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said.

ISMA has pegged the output at 25.1 million tonne in 2017 -18 season as against 20.2 million tonne in the last sugar season (October-September).

In a statement, ISMA said higher output so far was on account of early crushing operation.

Sugar ready M-30 and S-30 weakened to Rs 3,740-3,940 and Rs 3,730-3,930 from previous levels of Rs 3,780-3,980 and Rs 3,770-3,970 per quintal, respectively.

Mill delivery M-30 and S-30 followed suit and slipped to Rs 3,445-3,690 and Rs 3,435-3,680 instead of Rs 3,500-3,750 and Rs 3,490-3,740 per quintal, respectively.

A similar trend extended to millgate section as most prices finished with losses.

Sugar Mawana, Kinnoni, Asmoli, Dorala and Budhana settled lower at Rs 3,600, Rs 3,690, Rs 3,665, Rs 3,595 and Rs 3,610 as compared to previous week's levels of Rs 3,650, Rs 3,750, Rs 3,695,Rs 3,650 and Rs 3,660 per quintal, respectively.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Thanabhavan, Dhanora, Simbholi, Khatauli, Dhampur and Ramala also eased to Rs 3,610, Rs 3,645, Rs 3,665, 3,670, Rs 3,560 and Rs 3,445 against previous levels of Rs 3,655, Rs 3,655, Rs 3,695, Rs 3,740, Rs 3,620 and Rs 3,500 per quintal, respectively.

Anupshaher, Baghpat, Morna, Sakoti, Chandpur, Nazibabad, Modingar, Shamli and Nanota too finished down at Rs 3,465, Rs 3,475, Rs 3,465, Rs 3,580, Rs 3,580, Rs 3,460, Rs 3,580, Rs 3,575 and Rs 3,440 from previous levels of Rs 3,510, Rs 3,530, Rs 3,525, Rs 3,615, Rs 3,610,Rs 3,515, Rs 3,635, Rs 3,625 and Rs 3,500 per quintal, respectively. (MORE) Muzzafarnagar and Muradnagar mandis also displayed a similar trend.

Marketmen attributed the fall to muted demand from local parties as well as stockists against ample stocks position on increased arrivals from producing regions.

Weak trend in sugar prices also weighed on prices, they said.

At Delhi, gur chakku, pedi and dhayaa slipped to Rs 2,800-2,900, Rs 2,950-3,100 and Rs 3,1003,200 from previous week's close of Rs 2,900-3,000, Rs 3,100-3,200 and Rs 3,200- 3,300 per quintal respectively.

In Muzzfarnagar, gur chakku and khurpa also drifted lower to Rs 2,500-2,800 and Rs 2,4002,500 as compared to last levels of Rs 2,500-2,900 and Rs 2,600-2,650 per quintal respectively.

At Muradnagar, gur pedi and dhayya too finished lower at Rs 2,650-2,700 and Rs 2,700-2,750 against last close of Rs 2,900-2,950 and Rs 2,950-3,000 per quintal respectively. (MORE) dryfruits market during the week with almond and pistachio prices rising, supported by uptick in demand from retailers and stockists, driven by ongoing wedding and winter season.

Tight stock positions following restricted arrivals from producing regions and overseas markets also influenced prices.

Trading sentiment improved mostly on increased offtake by stockists and retailers to meet ongoing marriage and winter season demand.

Almond (California) prices rose by Rs 200 to Rs 17,300- 17,500 per 40 kg, while its kernel went up by Rs 5 to settle at Rs 620-630 per kg.

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Almond gurbandi and girdhi also increased up to Rs 200 to conclude at Rs 11,800-12,400 and Rs 4,800-5,000 per 40 kg, respectively.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Chilgoza-roasted rose by Rs 200 to settle at Rs 2,700- 2,800 per kg.

Cashew kernel No 180, No 210, No 240 and No 320 increased up to Rs 15 to finish at Rs 1,0851,095, Rs 985-995 Rs 920-930 and Rs 820-830 and its kernel broken (2, 4 and 8 pieces) also rose

by Rs 10 to settle at Rs 665-770, Rs 640-760 and Rs 540-660 per kg, respectively.

Kishmish Indian (yellow and green) prices were up by Rs 100 each to conclude at Rs 3,4004,000 and Rs 6,000-10,000 per 40 kg, respectively.

Pistachio hairati and peshwari prices also rose by Rs 10 each to end at Rs 1,405-1,480 and Rs 1,580-1,655 per kg, respectively. (MORE) jeera prices ended higher in the national capital during the week on increased buying by stockists and retailers driven by domestic and export demand, while a few others remained weak owing to slackened demand against adequate stocks.

Traders said increased offtake by stockists and retailers against tight arrivals from producing regions mainly pushed up coriander and jeera prices.

Adequate stocks position against lack of buying support kept other spices weak, they said.

Coriander prices increased by Rs 100 to conclude at Rs 6,100-12,700 per quintal.

Mace-red and nutmeg traded higher at Rs 700-930 and Rs 400-410 against previous week's closing of Rs 640-850 and Rs 390-400 per kg.

Poppyseed (China, UP and MP-Raj) increased by Rs 20 each to finish at Rs 480-500, Rs 470-490 and Rs 510-520 per kg, respectively.

Turmeric prices rose by Rs 100 to finish at Rs 8,600- 11,700 per quintal.

Jeera common and jeera best also traded higher at Rs 19,500-19,700 and Rs 21,800-22,100 against previous week's closing of Rs 19,100-19,300 and Rs 21,500-21,800 per quintal, respectively.

On the other hand, black pepper prices declined by Rs 10 to conclude at Rs 440-620 per kg.

Cardamom brown-jhuindiwali and kanchicut prices eased by Rs 20 each to settle at Rs 520-530 and Rs 580-900 per kg.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Cardamom small varieties such as chitridar, colour robin, bold and extra bold drifted lower up to Rs 50 to close at Rs 975-1,075, Rs 880-900, Rs 900-920 and Rs 990-1,050 per kg, respectively.

Red chilli prices also declined to Rs 6,000-12,500 against previous closing of Rs 6,100-12,600 per quintal. (MORE) Bullion: Both gold and silver prices slipped for the week at the bullion market owing to muted demand from local jewellers and retailers at prevailing levels amid a weak global trend.

Traders said sentiment was downbeat, largely in tandem with a weak global trend as the dollar surged against a basket of currencies that eroded the metals' appeal as safe-haven assets coupled with fall in demand from local jewellers and retailers at the domestic spot markets.

Globally, gold slipped from USD 1,293.40 to settle the week lower at USD 1,287.90 while silver fell to USD 17.01 an ounce in New York, from USD 17.28.

In the national capital, gold of 99.9 and 99.5 per cent purity commenced the week lower at Rs 30,700 and Rs 30,550 per 10 grams respectively on sluggish demand and slipped further to a low of Rs 30,400 and Rs 30,250, respectively.

Later, the precious metal recovered to hit a high of Rs 30,550 and Rs 30,400 before settling the week at Rs 30,450 and Rs 30,300, still showing a steep fall of Rs 325 each.

Sovereign, however, moved in a narrow range in limited deal and settled at previous level of Rs 24,700 per piece of eight gram.

Silver ready remained under pressure throughout the week due to absence of demand from coin makers and other consuming industries and ended lower by Rs 850 at Rs 40,300 per kg, while silver weekly delivery lost Rs 910 at Rs 39,240.

On the other hand, silver coins remained steady at Rs 74,000 for buying and Rs 75,000 for selling of 100 pieces during the period. https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/select-edible-oils-up-on-risingdemand/1195903https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/select-edible-oils-up-on-risingdemand/1195903

A passion for home-grown science 12:00 AM, November 27, 2017 / LAST MODIFIED: 12:43 AM, November 27, 2017

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

Khulna farmer hopes to create a beneficial new paddy variety

Aruni Mondal in his paddy field. The photo was taken recently. Photo: Star Dipankar Roy and Andrew Eagle To see deep green paddy as it sways to a gentle breeze is anybody's delight. The paddy fields of Aruni Mondal, 42, from Gangarampur village in Khulna's Batiaghata upazila are no less picturesque. But this farmer finds in his fields another type of beauty: the beauty of science. He has no academic qualifications or journal publications to show, yet when it comes to developing rice plant hybrids, always-inquisitive Aruni is a long-term enthusiast. He's a scientist of that most natural kind. “My father used to send me to plough the fields,” says Aruni, who in addition to being a farmer works as a day labourer. “He grew different rice varieties. My curiosity for paddy stems from my boyhood.” Aruni dropped out of high school to tend the farm full-time. Friends and neighbours knew of his interest to cross-breed rice strains. They shared what knowledge they had.

“Then in 2010, local non-government organisation LOCOS, which has as one of its goals the preservation of native seeds,” Aruni recalls, “chose me to attend a three-day workshop in

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Pirojpur led by a Filipino expert, on rice hybridisation. With some practical knowledge in hand I decided to dedicate my life to this activity.”

Aruni's dream is to create a high-yield climate-adaptable paddy for farmers like him that can reduce poverty. Since 2010, on his modest landholdings he has been experimenting, drawing on ten plants each of two local varieties, namely the Shaheb Kochi and Kanchra strains of Aman paddy, as 'mother' and 'father' donors for his hybrid. He believes these varieties have a lot to offer the Khulna region due to their tolerance for saline soils. He also hopes his hybrid will be fast growing. “To create a new variety takes at a minimum eight years,” he says.

To ask Aruni to describe the process is to open the floodgates of a broad passion. “What about pollination?” he poses. “It has to be done with care. At the time of flowering pollen samples from the father variety might optimally be taken in the afternoon, but the prime time for pollinating the mother variety might be in the morning hours.” He also needs to emasculate the chosen mother flower by removing its stamens such that it cannot self-pollinate.

With the work on seven generations of paddy already completed, Aruni is currently on the eighth and final stage. When this season's cross-pollination is done, he will have created his new strain.

“At stage seven I observed that this new variety has high productivity and fast growth, as well as climate endurance qualities” the farmer-scientist says. “I have high hopes for it.”

“It's true that the main agro-scientists in our country are the farmers,” says Dr Monirul Islam Ripon, an agriculture technology professor at Khulna University. “What Aruni is doing is crossbreeding, and he's on the right track. But he has to maintain the characteristics of the new variety, and to prove them clearly if he wishes to submit it to the National Seed Board for recognition. It's a long process. After eight years we call it a 'pure line'. It will take ten to twelve years to create what we call a 'regional line'. Finally the new hybrid is tested for its suitability for widespread cultivation.”

Aruni likewise thinks farmers are true scientists. “Farmers need to experiment with new ideas in their work lives,” he explains. “They need to keenly observe their surroundings and engage in growing their crops with enthusiasm. Farmers are the ones who spend all day with their crops.

They should be aware if a new variety is desirable, if cross-breeding is suitable.” “And beyond that,” he continues philosophically, “every man has his inclination for creativity. He'd best nurture it, for the benefit of humankind.” http://www.thedailystar.net/city/passion-home-grown-science-1497010

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Kingdom Rice to help fill Uganda’s 200,000 tonnes deficit The Independent November 27, 2017 Museveni at the FOL rice farm in Nwoya. FOL produces the Kingdom Rice brand. PHOTOS PPU Nwoya, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has called upon Ugandans to adapt commercial agriculture. Speaking at the commissioning of the FOL Rice Farm in Lamoki village, Anaka Sub- County, Nwoya district in Acholi Sub-Region on Saturday, the President said that Ugandans needed to understand the difference between modern and local farming.He observed that commercial agriculture is good because it uses modern farming methods, which create a number of employment opportunities for the local population.

“When you are involved in small scale farming, you do all the labour as a family but when you are involved in commercial agriculture you cannot do all the work yourself and, therefore, you must hire people,” he explained.

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Museveni added that unlike traditional farming, commercial agriculture allows high volumes of

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter produce. He said that the FOL Rice Farm would help to fill 200,000 tonnes deficit of rice grown in the country.“With over 40 million acres of land for agriculture, Ugandans are not producing enough rice and but are instead importing rice,” he said.

He said that Ugandans should not only stop at importing rice for eating but also start growing and exporting it. “Rice is not only for eating. You can get animal feeds, rice oil and electricity from the husks,” he advised. President Museveni criticized the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) for not taking action to help farmers. He called upon UWA to put up control measures around the Murchison Falls National Park boundaries so that animals do not disturb the people and destroy their crops.

“In Kanungu, they grow tea on the boundary of the Park and farms so that elephants fear crossing into gardens. I do not know the explanation for how tea stops elephants but they cannot pass near it,” he explained.

The President also warned cattle farmers who do not fence their land and leave their animals to destroy other people’s crops. He, therefore, called upon the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, to pass a law making it criminal for someone’s animals causing destruction to other people’s crops.

Museveni applauded Nwoya district administration for the initiative to identify land for investment.

“I am glad that Nwoya is becoming a center for commercial farming and that you are offering me land for Industrial Parks. We need to replace towns of shops with factories,” he said. https://www.independent.co.ug/kingdom-rice-help-fill-ugandas-200000-tonnes-deficit/

The contamination accumulates on crops and grains when there are high moisture levels in the atmosphere

By Munene Kamau and Rael Jelimo | Published Mon, November 27th 2017 at 00:00, Updated November 26th 2017 at 23:23 GMT +3 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Sorghum on a farm in the Kano plains in Kisumu County. Scientists are developing crop varieties that are not susceptibility to aflatoxin. [Photo:Denish Ochieng|Standard] Crop researchers are in the process of developing a maize variety that cannot be easily harmed by aflatoxin.

John

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

Kimani said aflatoxin was more prevalent in maize, rice, wheat and groundnuts but other similar crops were susceptible if not properly dried before storage. Kenya shifts attention to Sh200b fish export market “The research is more biased towards the development of a maize variety that has low aflatoxin susceptibility since the crop is the country’s staple food,” he said. Dr Kimani said the recent harvesting of rice at the Mwea Irrigation Scheme before the grains could attain the optimum 14 per cent moisture content was a classic example of high susceptibility to aflatoxin.

“Any crop harvested before attaining the optimal moisture content, whether to be dried or not before storage, is exposed to bacterial infection that is harmful to human beings when consumed,” said the researcher. Kimani, who is the Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro) Mwea centre manager, said the less the moisture content at the harvesting and storage period, the lower the level of aflatoxin. He said depending on the grain type, aflatoxin cases could be diminished and save consumers from poisoning and other ailments.

High risk “Some maize varieties are soft while others are hard at the harvesting stage. Those with the soft cover are highly susceptible to aflatoxin, “he said.

Kimani said once the maize variety currently on trial was certified and approved by the relevant biosafety bodies, farmers would no longer have to be concerned much about aflatoxin in their crops. ALSO READ: Vet: I made my first million from these tomatoes Meanwhile, it has emerged that consumers of maize products are at high risk of aflatoxin exposure following the heavy rainfall that has affected the harvesting season. Tests conducted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter maize producing counties found high moisture content of up to 18 per cent above the recommended 13 per cent in maize produced in the North Rift region. FAO reports that the country’s grain basket region now risks aflatoxin contamination if measures are not taken to ensure that all harvested grains are properly dried before storage. https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001261362/the-contamination-accumulates-on-crops-andgrains-when-there-are-high-moisture-levels-in-the-atmosphere

Sumayya Usmani: 'I've always been guided by the Urdu concept of "andaza", which I define as the art of sensory c 26th November Sumayya Usmani

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter MY Nani (maternal grandmother) always used to say: "A recipe is but a recipe, flavour is in your hands, and no-one else’s flavour is the same." In a world where many guard their recipes, others share theirs openly and some are handed down – what is it that makes a recipe special? Is it the set of ingredients or is it the story the method tells? Or can we make any recipe our own, through the way we make it?

I've always been guided by the Urdu concept of "andaza" which literally translates as "estimation", but which I define as the art of sensory cooking. It is when you work through recollection, using your hands as tools and creating remembered flavours by trusting your mind and heart. Cooking something to eat is in essence an act of relying on your senses; touching, tasting and breathing in the scents at every stage.

Ultimately, the big question is, do we learn this instinctual cooking, or does it just come naturally? Many people are crippled by the very thought of deviating from a written recipe, lest it blow up in their faces and I have met many of such people while teaching cookery, but there are others who breeze effortlessly through the concept of trusting their intuition.

Is it because it comes naturally to them, because they grew up experiencing it around them, or is it because they are talented? Some people are born with the flair of adding magic to anything they touch, but others can learn to trust their hand. It comes from feeling that, rather than being a slave to a recipe, you are simply using it as a guide, a lesson, concentrating less on its rigidity and more on it’s ethereal nuance. A recipe tells a story. Read it. Absorb it. Imagine what it will taste like from the memory of the sum of its parts. And then cook it, trusting you will know when you stop or start any process. The worst that can happen is that it won’t taste perfect this time.

But there is always next time.

Understanding flavour isn’t learned forcefully, it is a combination of different personal exposure.

It is a path we are put on from the moment we are born. Those first smells, flavours, textures and sounds we experience as babies, are imprinted in our minds and hearts, creating a memory. This is probably why we either find comfort in certain reassuring food memories or close our minds to ones that did not have a positive connotation.

We can learn to understand flavour at any time in our lives of course, and many people come to it later in life, finding a passion for different cuisines through travel, or merely a desire to cook good food at home, and that is fine. But without wanting to sound preachy, I believe it is important we encourage our children to learn to observe, listen, hear, taste and feel the food that is put before them. It means, trying to take at least one day a week to cook with them, or have them around while you’re cooking, letting them touch and understand where food comes from.

Not everyone has this much time, but not making it is a shame. It is, in effect, robbing children of memories that will guide them to trust their hands in making the food on their table taste of happiness, love and comfort.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter When I think back to my most treasured childhood memories, I am taken back to weekend lunches at either of my grandmothers' homes. The energy in the kitchen, an assembly of five aunts and my grandmother, each with their own job cutting, chopping, making pastes on the "sil bata" (large flat stone mortar and pestle). I can almost smell the fresh herbs, the haunting spices infusing in oil or the sharp tang of tamarind paste being squeezed. Each person in my family had their own flavour; using the same recipes, no two dishes every tasted the same.

Maybe it is still not too late for anyone to learn to use instinct. Taste curiously and hear the story – instinct will find its way through your hands and into the pot you’re cooking in. Use your cookbooks, but let their methods and not merely the ingredients, act as a guide; let them hold your hand on your journey towards trusting your own hands with flavour.

Sumayya’s mother’s Aaloo Ki Teyri (turmeric rice with potatoes) I always make this recipe using "andaza", when I can smell the deep rich warmth or turmeric exuding from the pan as I lift the lid – I am transported back to Sunday lunches with my parents, growing up in Karachi.

4 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds 1 small red onion, finely sliced ½ tsp grated ginger ½ tsp crushed garlic 2 tomatoes, chopped finely 1 teaspoon turmeric 3-4 baby potatoes, par-boiled, cut into two 80 grams basmati rice, washed and soaked for 1 hour before cooking 1 tablespoon dill or coriander leaves 42

Method Heat the oil in a saucepan (which has a lid). Once hot add cumin seeds, allow to splutter.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Add the red onion slices and soften, add ginger and garlic and cook until the raw smell leaves the pan.

If the garlic sticks to the pan, add a splash of water. Add tomatoes and allow to soften.

Next, add the turmeric and potatoes.

Stir and then add rice, add the dill leaves, toss, add enough water to lightly cover the rice. Then lower heat and cover the pan for 5-7 minutes, checking once or twice. If the water has been completely absorbed and the rice isn’t done, add a tiny bit more water. Do the same until rice and potatoes are totally cooked and water is completely absorbed (about 10 minutes).

Turn off heat and add remaining dill. Cover. Serve hot with a simple raita or yoghurt http://files.heraldscotland.com/life_style/15684517.Sumayya_Usmani__39_s_culinary_journey__My_mo ther__39_s_Aaloo_Ki_Teyri__turmeric_rice_with_potatoes_/?ref=rss

Improving the position of Vietnam’s rice

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Vietnam's ST24 rice variety was ranked second among the three most delicious rice varieties in the world. Strong growth of rice exports In 2015, the rice variety AGPPS 103, developed by

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Loc Troi Corporation, was listed among the world’s three most delicious rice varieties.

Immediately after receiving the title, the group continuously received export orders for this type of rice, a good sign in the context of rice exports facing numerous difficulties a few years ago.

Currently, it is more important to enhance the export of high quality rice. According to statistics released by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam exported five million tonnes of rice in the first ten months of this year, an annual increase of 21.6%, earning US$2.23 billion (up 20.3% over the same period last year).

The structure of Vietnam's export rice has shifted positively, with a sharp decline in the middle and low-grade rice segment and a strong increase in the volume of rice varieties with high quality and value (such as sticky rice, japonica and brown rice). The change has been also consistent with the directions for the development of export markets. The country’s rice exports in the first ten months of this year increased iin comparison to the same period in 2016, both in volume and value, thanks to the growth of exports to key markets including China, Malaysia, the Philippines and Bangladesh. Specifically, China is now the largest market, accounting for nearly 40% of the total rice export turnover of Vietnam, with 2.03 million tonnes (equivalent to US$909.04 million), an increase of 35% in volume and 34% in turnover over the same period last year.

Over the past few years, types of high quality rice, including fragrant and glutinous rice, have been the main commodities exported to this market. Following China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Ghana and ASEAN are the main export markets of Vietnamese rice. In addition, in the first ten months of the year, the exports of rice to Senegal and Iraq saw a sharp increase. Vietnam exported 98,000 tonnes of rice to Iraq (up 91 times over the same period in 2016), worth US$51.45 million (up 108 times); meanwhile the exports to Senegal increased 178 times in volume and nearly 90 times in turnover (reaching nearly 25,000 tonnes, worth US$8.18 million).

In addition to the advantages in the markets, the prices of exported Vietnamese rice have increased sharply from US$360 per tonne in early June to US$509 per tonne by October.

The average rice exports price reached US$448.6 per tonne in the first ten months of the year, the highest price level in recent years. There are many opportunities for the growth of rice exports, particularly in China where Vietnamese 5% broken white rice is cheaper than domestic rice. In addition the 23 Vietnamese enterprises that have been checked and granted permission for exports, nine more rice enterprises are undergoing the evaluation process for the license from the Chinese side to export their products to this market. Other markets, including Sri Lanka and

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter the Philippines have also launched many rice import packages in the last few months of the year.

Africa and Iraq have a great demand for rice, opening more opportunities for the growth of this commodity. Grasping the demand of the markets, many Vietnamese enterprises have paid greater attention to the production of high quality rice varieties and specialty rice. Provinces in the Mekong River Delta have increased the cultivation of jasmine rice varieties, including Jasmine 85, Tai Nguyen (natural resources), VD 20, and OM 4900.

The enterprises have also enhanced the use of the latest rice varieties from the Mekong River Delta Rice Institute, Southern Seed Centre and Soc Trang Rice Research Team to improve the quality of rice. As a result, the short-life ST24 rice variety, which can yield over five tonnes per hectare and has the aroma of pineapple, has been successfully produced. ST24 has become an honour to Vietnam’s rice as it was recognised as one of the three most delicious rice varieties in the world. The Ministry of Industry and Trade is actively implementing the strategy for developing the country's rice export market towards a reduction in the volume and an increase in the value of exported rice.

The Ministry will develop plans and solutions to develop each rice export market and respond to market changes, as well as building a database of rice market information. The localities also reorganised their production towards the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification, strictly controlling the production process to ensure hygiene and food safety and meet the criteria and standards of importing countries. For example, Dong Thap province has planned and built largescale raw material areas, in association with developing the brand of the local rice. The province has also focused on the investment for essential infrastructure and techniques that can create favourable condtions for the application of VietGAP and GlobalGAP procedures. In addition, Dong Thap is actively popularising the information on the strategy for developing the country's rice export market to enterprises, aiming to gradually improve the efficiency of rice exports. With the satisfactory results of rice exports, the Vietnam Food Association has raised the target of rice exports to 5.6 million tonnes, instead of 5.2 million tonnes this year. To date, the country has reached 91% of the target.

http://en.nhandan.org.vn/business/item/5668502-improving-the-position-of-vietnam%E2%80%99s-rice.html

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