28th november,2017 daily global regional local rice e newsletter

Daily Rice E-Newsletter

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter November 28, 2017

 Rice imports planned Volume 9 | Issue XI  Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- November 28, 2017  Record rice harvest seen  Punjab Cabinet reviews progress of paddy procurement  Agriculture ministry and IRRI to boost rice production  Senate OKs Balik Scientist Bill on final reading  Ogbeh: Rice Importation from Thailand Has Dropped to 20,000 MT  Higher oil bill overshadows strong growth in exports  Workers’ remittances suffer sharpest decline  New Study Confirms Buying Red Yeast Rice Supplements is a Crap Shoot  Customs Area Command generates N2.1bn ON NOVEMBER  Ogbeh: Rice Importation from Thailand Has Dropped to 20,000 MT  Kingdom Rice to help fill Uganda’s 200,000 tonnes deficit  Global Baby Rice Flour Market 2017 – Heinz, Gerber, Hipp, Nestle, Beingmate, Engnice  From the scene] Gyeonggi Province seeks independence from Japanese rice seeds 1  APPSA ready with 17 technologies to improve production; Malawi leads on maize  Ghana is a stable and peaceful country to invest www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com in - First Lady tells Chinese investors Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874  DA official highlights PHL’s biotechnology advancement

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter News Detail…

Rice imports planned

Nicholas IRIN

Nigeria’s government has announced it will import 500,000 tonnes of rice up to a value of US$600 million to curtail the effect of the global rise in food prices on Nigeria. The decision was taken after an emergency meeting between the Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua and the governors of Nigeria's 36 states. “The whole essence of this importation in the short term is to create availability and reduce the skyrocketing prices,” the governor of south-western Ondo State, Olusegun Agagu said.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter "We cannot say there is famine in Nigeria yet, but the prices of foodstuffs are going up and availability in a number of places is diminishing," the governor added. Over recent weeks, the price of a bag of rice on markets in Nigeria has doubled and tripled to between US$85 and US$102. In the administrative capital Abuja, the price of butter, beans and bread have doubled just in the last two weeks. Traders from Nigeria have reportedly been buying up stocks of rice and grains from around the West and Central Africa region.

The government says it plans to sell the imported rice at half the market price – around US$50 per 50kg bag. It expects delivery in around 3 months. Some observers are questioning the way the massive rice import – the largest in Nigeria’s recent history - will be managed.

“The problem is the implementation,” a western diplomat in Abuja told IRIN on condition of anonymity. “Once it comes in, how is this rice going to be shared and distributed? Let’s pray the rice will not go to politicians,” the official said. Nigeria, a former agrarian nation, abandoned agriculture in the early 1980s when the government refocused the economy on oil exploration, which now accounts for more than 90 per cent of total government revenue. Nigeria is as a result chronically dependent on food imports. The country only produces 500,000 tonnes of rice while the annual consumption is 2.5 million tonnes. http://www.irinnews.org/report/78035/nigeria-rice-imports-planned

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- November 28, 2017 Reuters | Nov 28, 2017, 13:50 IST

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices - APMC/Open Market-November 28 Nagpur, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Gram prices firmed up in Nagpur Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) on good seasonal demand from local millers amid weak supply from producing regions. Healthy rise in Madhya Pradesh gram pries and fresh enquiries from South-based millers also boosted prices, according to sources.

FOODGRAINS & PULSES GRAM * Gram varieties ruled steady in open market here but demand was poor. TUAR * Tuar gavarani recovered further in open market on good demand from local traders. * Lakhodi dal and Watana dal reported higher in

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter open market on increased demand from local traders. * In Akola, Tuar New - 4,0004,100, Tuar dal (clean) - 5,700-5,800, Udid Mogar (clean) - 8,000-8,500, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,000-7,300, Gram - 4,500-4,650, Gram Super best - 7,300-7,500 * Wheat, rice and other foodgrain items moved in a narrow range in scattered deals and settled at last levels in thin trading activity. Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/openmarket prices in rupees for 100 kg FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close Gram Auction 3,600-4,200 3,600-4,400 Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600 Tuar Auction n.a. 3,600-3,940 Moong Auction n.a. 3,900-4,200 Udid Auction n.a.

4,300-4,500 Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800 Wheat Mill quality Auction 1,6001,696 1,600-1,696 Gram Super Best Bold 7,000-7,800 7,000-7,800 Gram Super Best n.a. n.a. Gram Medium Best 6,400-6,800 6,400-6,800 Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a Gram Mill Quality 4,700-4,800 4,700-4,800 Desi gram Raw 4,900-5,000 4,900-5,000 Gram Kabuli 12,400-13,000 12,400-13,000 Tuar Fataka Best-New 6,200-6,400 6,2006,400 Tuar Fataka Medium-New 5,900-6,100 5,900-6,000 Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 5,400-5,700 5,400-5,700 Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 5,100-5,350 5,100-5,350 Tuar Gavarani New 4,150-4,250 4,000-4,100 Tuar Karnataka 4,500-4,800 4,400-4,700 Masoor dal best 5,000-5,200 5,000-5,200 Masoor dal medium 4,600-4,800 4,6004,800 Masoor n.a. n.a. Moong Mogar bold (New) 7,100-7,500 7,100-7,500 Moong Mogar Medium 6,300-6,700 6,300-6,700 Moong dal Chilka 5,200-6,000 5,200-6,000 Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a. Moong Chamki best 7,100-7,500 7,100-7,600 Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 8,500-9,000 8,500-9,000 Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,800-7,000 5,800-7,000 Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 5,300-6,400 5,3006,400 Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 5,100-5,200 5,100-5,200 Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 3,000-3,100 2,850-3,000 Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,200 2,900-3,000 Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,800 3,400-3,800 Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,9002,000 1,900-2,000 Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 1,850-1,950 1,850-1,950 Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,300 2,100-2,300 Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,450 2,200-2,400 Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,900-

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter 2,150 1,900-2,100 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a. MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,600 3,100-3,600 MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,700 2,300-2,700 Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,500 3,000-3,500 Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 2,800-2,900 2,800-2,900 Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,2002,400 2,200-2,400 Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600 Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,400 2,300-2,400 Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 3,600-4,000 3,600-4,000 Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,250-3,600 3,250-3,600 Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG) 4,800-5,100 4,800-5,100 Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 4,400-4,600 4,400-4,600 Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 10,200-14,000 10,200-14,000 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,200-7,500 5,300-7,500 Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 5,000-5,500 5,000-5,500 Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 4,700-5,000 4,700-5,000 Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,200 2,000-2,100 Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,800-2,000 1,700-2,000 WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 31.3 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 11.0 degree Celsius Rainfall : Nil FORECAST: Mainly clear sky. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 31 and 11 degree Celsius respectively. Note: n.a.-not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices) https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/nagpur-foodgrain-prices-open-november-282017/articleshow/61832578.cms

Record rice harvest seen November 24, 2017 | Filed under: Headlines,News | Aided by constant rains as with the intensified campaign on using better seed varieties, the country is projected to see a record rice harvest of about 19.4 million metric tons for 2017, according to Agriculture Secretary Manny PiĂąol. The record harvest means the Philippines will need just 600,000 metric tons more to reach its self-sufficiency target of 20-million metric tons per year.Until recently, the country imported about 1.8-million metric tons of rice.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter The shortage fell to 500,000 metric tons of late, with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) noting rice production has grown by 14.7 percent in the third quarter of this year.Reports from Department of Agriculture (DA) regional offices indicate the fourth quarter harvest might fare even better given how typhoons have been bringing in much needed rains, doubling the usual crop yield.

Pinol said the rice sector’s improved performance is also attributed to local farmer’s increased willingness to adapt to modern technology, including the use of hybrid seeds as developed by private agricultural companies in collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).

According to a report, Nueva Ecija rice farmers using hybrid seeds posted harvests of 10-metric tons, higher than the national average of 4.38-metric tons per hectare per harvest.

Currently, though, only 360,000 out of a possible 4.9-million hectares are planted with hybrid seeds.

The DA has since set a target of one million hectares to be planted with hybrid seeds by 2020 with a modest production goal of six metric tons per hectare.

This is expected to result in an additional annual production of four million metric tons per harvest per year. http://tempo.com.ph/2017/11/24/record-rice-harvest-seen/

Punjab Cabinet reviews progress of paddy procurement Chandigarh, Nov 27 (UNI) The Punjab Cabinet on Monday reviewed the progress of paddy procurement in the state in the current season, which began on October 1, 2017 and will end on December 15, 2017. A spokesperson for the Chief Minister's Office said that a detailed presentation was made to apprise the Council of Ministers about the progress of ongoing paddy procurement. The cabinet expressed satisfaction over the procurement process.The cabinet meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, was informed that as of November 26, 2017, 174 lakh MT paddy had been procured by the five state procurement agencies viz Pungrain, Markfed, Punsup, PSWC, PAFC and FCI, selected for procurement on MSP as per specification laid down by the central government. The Centre has fixed Rs 1550 for common variety and Rs 1590 for 'A' grade paddy per quintal as minimum support price during Kharif Marketing Season 2017-18.

With the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) releasing Cash Credit Limit amounting to Rs 33800.22 crore for procurement, the state government had paid Rs 27,409 crore to farmers and artiyas till November 26, 2017 by the state agencies, the cabinet was further informed.

The Agriculture Department has informed that 154 lakh MT paddy would arrive in the

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter state mandis during KMS 2017-18 and the state government had made elaborate arrangements for procuring 182 lakh MT paddy. During previous KMS 2016-17, a total of 168.88 lakh MT paddy was procured, out of which 164.88 lakh MT paddy was procured by Government agencies, while traders/millers had procured 1.04 lakh MT paddy.

During current KMS 2017-18 state agencies have been given the target to procure 172.90 lakh MT and FCI will procure 9.10 lakh MT paddy. State agencies require 9.22 lakh gunny bales for packaging of paddy. As per Government of India Policy/guidelines, arrangements for 50 per cent of the gunny bales have been made by state procuring agencies while rice millers have arranged for the remaining 50 per cent Read more at http://www.uniindia.com/punjab-cabinet-reviews-progress-of-paddyprocurement/states/news/1059224.html#DjFucCDhjFAHOjch.99 http://www.uniindia.com/punjab-cabinet-reviews-progress-of-paddyprocurement/states/news/1059224.html

Agriculture ministry and IRRI to boost rice production November 27, 2017 The agriculture ministry, in signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) on November 24, stated that it has identified rice production as a priority in the 12th Plan.The MoU, according to agriculture minister Yeshey Dorji, is expected to accelerate rice production.

He said that owing to the topography and geographical landscape, the country has less rice cultivable land. “The MoU is expected to explore ways to increase and diversify rice production with the limited rice cultivable land.”The country is around 50 percent self-sufficient in rice production and the ministry aims to achieve 60 percent in the next five years.

“We have initiated spring rice cultivation to achieve the target. We hope the organisation would help in this endeavour,” said the minister.He said that Bhutan’s association with IRRI began around 1984 where it provided human resource development and technical expertise. “IRRI played a vital role in 1995 when rice blast epidemic affected around 1,800 acres of land and resulted in a loss of nearly 1,100 metric tonnes of rice.”

Records show that scientists from IRRI helped in identifying the cause of the epidemic and found ways to prevent future outbreaks. “But the collaboration stopped since 2000,” the minister said.

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Lyonpo Yeshey Dorji said that the MoU signing marked a renewed collaboration.The government and the IRRI agreed to revive and strengthen the partnership in July last year to assist the country’s rice industry, to solve challenges and emerging needs to diversify and

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter increase rice production.The director general of IRRI, Matthew Morell, who signed the MoU with agriculture secretary Rinzin Dorji, said the collaboration would bring technology, knowledge and diversify production through germplasm in Bhutan. “But the biggest reason to be optimistic is that the MoU marks the renewed relationship and mutual commitment to taking us forward.”

He said that IRRI could bring in global research, facilitate training to help the country increase rice production and diversify the varieties.

He also said that the challenges of pressure on the land with urbanisation, labour shortage, availability of water, affordability of fertilisers and other inputs and climate change impacts are common issues faced by many rice-growing countries. “We can work together and exchange available technologies.”

Matthew Morell said IRRI could help Bhutan continue improving the productivity of traditional rice variety and make them more tolerant to drought, cold and nutrient deficient. “We can also work towards exchange knowledge on Bhutan’s organic produce with other countries.”The MoU is also expected to explore ideas to solve the issues of rice blast and common problems faced in elevated environment and facilitate human resource development. Other areas of collaboration are in the management of rice production to change the rice production duration and explore spring cropping season with research and training to enhance productivity.

Nima http://www.kuenselonline.com/agriculture-ministry-and-irri-to-boost-rice-production/

Senate OKs Balik Scientist Bill on final reading The Senate passes Senate Bill 1533 or the Balik Scientist Bill on third and final reading with a vote of 13-0 Rappler.com Published 10:17 AM, November 28, 2017 10:17 AM, November 28, 2017

PINOY SCIENTIST AT WORK. In this photograph taken on October 10, 2015, gene bank manager Flora de Guzman checks rice samples at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Laguna, south of Manila. Noel Celis/AFP

MANILA, Philippines – A proposed measure to help attract Filipino scientists and experts back home has hurdled the third and final reading at the Senate.The Senate passed Senate Bill No 1533 or the Balik Scientist Bill on third and final reading with a vote of 13-0. It aims to provide

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter incentives and benefits for Filipino scientists based overseas who decide to return home to help in the country's research and development sector.

It aims to help address the shortage of scientists, engineers, and experts in the Philippines, who are lured by other countries with better pay and working conditions and facilities.

SB 1533 aims to institutionalize the Balik Scientist Program, a program of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) that gives incentives and benefits to Filipino scientists who return to work the country.

The DOST defines "balik scientists" as Filipino citizens, former Filipino citizens, or foreigners of Filipino descent who live abroad and are contracted by the government to work in the Philippines for a certain period of time.

At present, the Philippines only has 189 scientists per million people, which Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV said is a far cry from the UNESCO standard of 380 scientists per million.

This figure pales in comparison to South Korea (5,300), United States (3,500), Malaysia (2,100), Singapore (6,700), and Israel (8,300), which leads the world in the statistic.

"This is a step towards improving the country’s research and development sector. We must support more initiatives to empower our scientists and researchers," Aquino said in a statement on Monday, November 27.

The DOST previously said that the Balik Scientist Law will significantly increase funding for the Balik Scientist Program.The 2017 budget for the program was at P25 million.The late strongman Ferdinand Marcos established the Balik Scientist Program through Presidential Decree No. 819 in 1975, and was implemented until 1986. President Fidel V. Ramos revived the program through Executive Order No. 130 in 1993, placing it under the DOST. – Rappler.com https://www.rappler.com/science-nature/society-culture/189726-balik-scientist-bill-passessenate-final-reading 9

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Ogbeh: Rice Importation from Thailand Has Dropped to 20,000 MT November 28, 2017

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh 3

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja 10

Nigeria has drastically cut the volume of its rice shipments from Thailand to 20,000 metric tonnes from 644,000 mt it was importing by September 2015, the Minister of Agriculture, Chief

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Audu Ogbeh, said.He made this disclosure at the weekend when he received the Comptroller General of Nigerian Customs Services (NCS), Col Hammed Ali (rtd), and a team of senior officers of the customs command.

Thailand used to be one of the three major exporters of parboiled rice to Nigeria until a policy by government banned the export in 2015, to stimulate local production of the food staple.The minister said the figures were released by Thai Rice Exporters Association, which complained that customs curbs in smuggling had led to reduction in rice importation.

He also said some Thai investors had indicated interest in establishing rice milling plants in Nigeria.The step is one of the ways to end Nigeria’s dependence on imported rice and ensure self-sufficiency in rice production by next year. The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at another forum said Nigeria is inching towards achieving its 7 million target in rice production by 2018.

Mohammed said attaining that target would leave the country with a surplus of 700,000 metric tonnes as the current local demand for rice is 6.3 million metric tonnes.He premised his optimism on the inauguration of two private owned rice mills in the country this year.

The mills include the WACOT Mill in Argungu, Kebbi State, with an installed capacity to process 120,000 metric tonnes of parboiled rice annually, and the integrated Dangote Rice Mill, projected to produce 1,000,000 metric tonnes per annum.

“Today, in continuation of these efforts, we are happy to tell Nigerians of a giant stride made by the administration in the agriculture sector, specifically rice production: Nigeria is inching closer to achieving self-sufficiency in rice, due to the success recorded by the administration in the local production of rice. There is more good news to report,” Mohammed said.

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The minister attributed the improvement in rice production across the country to government’s Anchor

Borrowers’

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Programme initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari, which supports farmers through inputs distribution and loans to boost rice production.Presently there are 12.2 million nigerians cultivating rice according to the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2017/11/28/ogbeh-rice-importation-from-thailand-hasdropped-to-20000-mt/

Higher oil bill overshadows strong growth in exports 2017-11-28 00:39:23

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Despite a double-digit growth in exports revenue, surpassing the US $ 1 billion mark, Sri Lanka’s trade deficit in September widened due to higher fuel and rice imports, the data released by the Central Bank showed.

Accordingly, the September trade deficit widened to US $ 656 million from US $ 610 million last year and the deficit in the first nine months expanded to US $ 6.84 billion from US $ 6.13 billion recorded for the same period, last year. Earnings from exports, which grew since March 2017, continued its increasing trend in September 2017 as well. For September, export earnings registered a growth of 12.6 percent year-on-year (YoY) to US $ 1.01 billion.

This growth was mainly led by higher earnings from industrial exports owing to the increase in exports of textiles and garments as a result of improved garment exports to the USA and European Union market due to the restoration of the GSP Plus facility.

Earnings from textile and garment exports rose 12.9 percent YoY to US $ 431.5 million.

Earnings from petroleum products exports also soared over 100 percent YoY to US $ 40.2 million.

Industrial exports earnings overall rose 11.1 percent YoY to US $ 744.5 million. The agricultural exports, which rose 17.3 percent YoY to US $ 262.7 million, were largely helped by tea and seafood exports. Due to the higher tea prices at the global market place, tea export earnings during September fetched US $ 136.9 million, up 19.2 percent YoY. Seafood exports, bolstered by the removal of the EU ban for Lankan fish exports, rose 68.5 percent YoY to US $ 20.8 million.

Export earnings from spices also rose 22.5 percent YoY to US $ 48.9 million.For the first nine months of the year, the cumulative earnings from exports grew 8.2 percent YoY to US $ 8.42 billion. The USA, UK, India, Italy and Germany were the leading markets for merchandise exports of Sri Lanka in September 2017, accounting for about 51 percent of total exports.

However, this positive growth in exports was overshadowed by higher import expenditure, which rose 9.7 percent YoY to US $ 15.26 billion for the cumulative period and 10.5 percent YoY to US $ 1.66 billion during September. Expenditure on fuel imports during September rose 69.3 percent YoY to US $ 298.5 million and the cumulative figure stood at US $ 2.45 billion, up 46.2 percent YoY. “Expenditure on fuel imports increased significantly due to the combined effect of high prices in the international market and higher volumes of fuel imported for thermal-based power generation,” the Central Bank said.

Further, base metals led by iron and steel, mineral products led by cement clinkers and building materials led by cement imports increased notably, reflecting higher demand by the construction sector.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Meanwhile, expenditure on consumer goods imports declined owing to lower prices and volumes of sugar imports.However, following the measures taken to fulfil the shortage of rice in the domestic market, expenditure on rice imports continued to increase in September 2017, adding around 497,889 metric tonnes so far during 2017 from 21,457 metric tonnes imported during the corresponding period of 2016.

As a result, expenditure on rice imports rose to US $ 22 million from US $ 1.4 million YoY. Meanwhile, vehicle imports fell 8.9 percent YoY to US $ 55.4 million as people were expecting duty reductions from the November budget.

With regard to the origin of imports, India, China, Singapore, the UAE and Japan were the main import origins during September 2017, accounting for about 58 percent of total imports.

Workers’ remittances suffer sharpest decline Continuing with its disturbing trend, workers’ remittances during the month of September fell almost 17 percent YoY or by US $ 97 million to US $ 481 million, recording the sharpest monthly decline for this year.For the first nine months of the year, earnings from workers’ remittances fell 7 percent YoY or by US $ 397 million to US $ 4.98 billion.“Slower growth in economic activities and adverse geopolitical conditions prevailing in the Middle Eastern region continued to have a negative impact on workers’ remittances,” the Central Bank said.

The diplomatic row between oil-rich Qatar and its Arab neighbours appears to be the key reason for the decline in remittances.About two million Sri Lankans work overseas, mostly in the Middle East and in construction and hospitality sectors or as housemaids. Money they send back is Sri Lanka’s biggest source of foreign exchange and helps to cover up 80 percent of the trade deficit. Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy told reporters in Colombo recently that the declining remittance income could be a blessing in disguise because the country’s small businesses, which are expanding, are now looking for workers.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Higher-oil-bill-overshadows-strong-growth-in-exports-141193.html

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter New Study Confirms Buying Red Yeast Rice Supplements is a Crap Shoot November 28, 2017 Savvy Supplement Shopper is a blog by CSPI senior staff scientist David Schardt. This blog aims to parse the good from the bad from the truly awful in the supplement aisle.

If you’ve been thinking about buying a red yeast rice supplement to lower your cholesterol levels, you’ll need a lot of luck on your side. That’s because you won’t really know what you’re getting.

These supplements are produced by fermenting rice with various strains of a yeast that makes monacolin K, which is identical to lovastatin. That’s the active ingredient in the prescription statin drug Mevacor.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Red yeast rice with enough monacolin K in it can lower LDL cholesterol levels, but identifying a product that has enough is hit-or-miss, a new study confirms.Researchers at Harvard University and the University of Mississippi recently bought 28 brands of red yeast rice from Walmart, Whole Foods, Walgreens, and GNC and measured how much monacolin K they contained.

Two brands didn’t contain any at all!

In the 26 that did contain at least some monacolin K, the amounts ranged more than 60-fold among brands! Some had barely any, some had a lot. Six of the brands, in fact, had more of the statin than what the Food and Drug Administration considers legal for a dietary supplement.

And consumers following the different dosages recommended on the labels could get 120 times more monacolin K from one product than from another. Not good.

Since none of the red yeast rice supplements were labeled with their amounts of monacolin K, consumers have no way of knowing whether they’re buying a potentially-effective product or a dud. (The researchers did not identify the brands they tested.)

Researchers at Harvard University and the University of Mississippi recently bought 28 brands of red yeast rice from Walmart, Whole Foods, Walgreens, and GNC and measured how much monacolin K they contained.

Two brands didn’t contain any at all!

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Plus, we now know that red yeast rice can cause some of the same side effects as statin drugs, such as muscle pain in a small fraction of users. Yet only 2 of the 28 brands the researchers tested advised consumers not to take red yeast rice if they’re also on a prescription statin. Taking both would likely increase the chances of suffering side effects.

How much can red yeast rice lower cholesterol levels? A 2014 meta-analysis of 13 clinical trials in people with high cholesterol levels found that the supplement lowered total blood cholesterol by an average of about 38 mg/dl and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by about 34 mg/dl. Of course, these studies probably were careful to make sure the red yeast rice they were using was potent.

Consumers, on the other hand, are on their own. These new results showing that buying red yeast rice is a crap shoot are consistent with earlier studies by ConsumerLab.com, a supplementtesting company.In addition, ConsumerLab found that the amount of monacolin K could fluctuate wildly from year to year even within the same brand. So even if you find one red yeast rice product that seems to lower your cholesterol levels, you won’t know if another batch of the same brand will do the same. That’s a lot of uncertainty – some might call it gambling – when you’re trying to control a major risk factor for heart disease, the number one killer in the United States.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Companies are supposed to be following new quality-control regulations governing the manufacture of supplements so that this kind of mess doesn’t happen. Looks like the red yeast rice folks didn’t get the memo.

David Schardt David Schardt is a Senior Scientist at CSPI and authors the Savvy Supplement Shopper blog. Schardt has been writing about nutrition for the general public and for professionals for more than 30 years. His reports on nutrition and dietary supplements have been featured in the monthly Nutrition Action Healthletter. In 1988, he helped to write and edit the landmark Surgeon General's Report on Nutrition and Health. His book Eating Leaner and Lighter, published by Warner Books, was recommended for sensible nutrition by the USDA's Food and Nutrition Information Center. He has been featured on numerous television and radio programs and is widely quoted in the print media, especially on the subject of dietary supplements. David has graduate degrees in nutrition and biochemistry.

https://cspinet.org/news/new-study-confirms-buying-red-yeast-rice-supplements-crap-shoot20171128

Customs Area Command generates N2.1bn ON NOVEMBER 27, 20176:46 PMIN NEWSCOMMENTS Customs Area Controller for Niger, Kwara and Kogi Mr Benjamin Binga, said the command generated N2.1 billion revenue from January to date.

Binga disclosed this in Minna on Monday while briefing newsmen on the activities of smugglers in the area. He said that the command’s revenue target for the year from the Federal Government was N2.8 billion. He said the command impounded over 2000 bags of rice and 1, 500 25-litre vegetable oil, clothing and concealed items in the last three months.

The controller said that N43 million worth of rice and vegetable oil, with duty value of N16.8 million were also confiscated during the period. ”These seizures were made in Bosso, Babana, Okuta, Bokoro and Chikanda borders of the command. “The command also confiscated 16 vehicles with camouflage plate numbers just to beat being arrested. “The owners tried to beat the Customs by trying to haulage it through the rail system, but we got privileged information and

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter ambushed and arrested the owners and their smuggled rice,’’ he said. Binga said that smuggling was a multi-faceted monster, adding that country could survive economically if smuggling was not allowed to thrive. He promised to stem the menace in the command, saying that smuggling was no longer viable as officers of the command were out to fight them to a standstill. Binga, however, said that the command was saddled with logistics problems and inadequate manpower.

“You can imagine three states in one command; it is not easy managing it without adequate working tools to combat the smugglers’ activities,” he said. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/11/customs-area-command-generates-n2-1bn/

Ogbeh: Rice Importation from Thailand Has Dropped to 20,000 MT

20 November 28, 2017

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh 3

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja Nigeria has drastically cut the volume of its rice shipments from Thailand to 20,000 metric tonnes from 644,000 mt it was importing by September 2015, the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said.He made this disclosure at the weekend when he received the Comptroller General of Nigerian Customs Services (NCS), Col Hammed Ali (rtd), and a team of senior officers of the customs command.

Thailand used to be one of the three major exporters of parboiled rice to Nigeria until a policy by government banned the export in 2015, to stimulate local production of the food staple.The minister said the figures were released by Thai Rice Exporters Association, which complained that customs curbs in smuggling had led to reduction in rice importation.He also said some Thai investors

had

indicated

interest

in

establishing

rice

milling

plants

in

Nigeria.

The step is one of the ways to end Nigeria’s dependence on imported rice and ensure selfsufficiency in rice production by next year.The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at another forum said Nigeria is inching towards achieving its 7 million target in rice production by 2018.

Mohammed said attaining that target would leave the country with a surplus of 700,000 metric tonnes as the current local demand for rice is 6.3 million metric tonnes.He premised his optimism on the inauguration of two private owned rice mills in the country this year.

The mills include the WACOT Mill in Argungu, Kebbi State, with an installed capacity to process 120,000 metric tonnes of parboiled rice annually, and the integrated Dangote Rice Mill, projected to produce 1,000,000 metric tonnes per annum.

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“Today, in continuation of these efforts, we are happy to tell Nigerians of a giant stride made by the administration in the agriculture sector, specifically rice production: Nigeria is inching closer

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter to achieving self-sufficiency in rice, due to the success recorded by the administration in the local production of rice. There is more good news to report,” Mohammed said.The minister attributed the improvement in rice production across the country to government’s Anchor Borrowers’ Programme initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari, which supports farmers through inputs distribution and loans to boost rice production.Presently there are 12.2 million nigerians cultivating rice according to the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN).

Rice, Hinode Rice, California Family Foods, American Commodity Company, Sun Valley Rice Deerfield Beach, FL — (SBWIRE) — 11/27/2017 — The Research report titled with Global Calrose Market 2017 to 2022 divided by regions, key players, type, applications and provide whole aspects including Calrose statistics, growth factors and recent trends. This analysis in a depth investigation of prime Calrose industry players, supply chain structure, marketing methods and Calrose expansion layout offers during this report. Numerous characteristics such as Calrose growth plans, deployment status and landscape summary and value chain analysis are given in this report. The forecast info associated with Global Calrose industry situations are also delineated in this report.

Global Calrose Market report present Calrose forecast details to help the users in designing the business plans and order the business which can result in immense market returns. The major Calrose manufactures and their industry profiles, business methods, and shares in the market are also studied at depth. The key information of Calrose market such as the description of product, demand, cost and supply situations of Global Calrose market are analyzed at depth.

Do Inquiry Before buying Report Here: http://www.qymarketresearch.com/report/152724#inquiry-for-buying The report begins with data associated with the essential Global Calrose introduction, top manufacturers, their company description, growth & sales ratio, demand and supply volume, Calrose market gains throughout 2016 and 2017 within the Global. The competitive situation of all the Global Calrose market contenders on basis of the profit gains is explained in the next section. The report additionally presents the Global Calrose market information in a very clear and decisive manner.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Global Calrose Market Segmentation: To produce details overview associated with Global Calrose market, the report is split into key players, types and applications.

– The top manufactures Calrose market includes, California Family Foods American Commodity Company Farmers’ Rice Cooperative Pacific International Rice Mills Doguet’s Rice Milling Company Far West Rice Hinode Rice Sun Valley Rice Get Sample Here: http://www.qymarketresearch.com/report/152724#request-sample – On the basis of Type, the Calrose market is split into, US Source Australia Source – On the basis of application, Calrose market is split into, Direct Edible Deep Processing – This analysis document can answer the subsequent questions: – What is the predicted market growth opportunities and size of Global Calrose in 2022?

– Which are the most important Global Calrose players and what are their marketing strategies on a worldwide scale?

– Which are the key factors that affect the market growth? Which are the prime Global Calrose producing regions?

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter – Which factors affect the Global Calrose market growth and what challenges are faced by the major market players?

Moreover, the Global Calrose industry report represents the comprehensive study the current market situation and future forecast which can assist the rising and current Calrose competitor to draw market plans consequently. On the basis of regions, the Calrose research analysis provides the expenditure details, region wise Calrose market growth, share, revenue forecast for 2022.

This report ready within the tables, type of graphs, pie-charts can facilitate all the Calrose analysts, users, buyers and suppliers, selling individuals, business professionals in distinctive the business opportunities.

In conclusion, this study report covers all the crucial information concerning the Global Calrose market that helps a modern and brand new user to understand the market completely. http://www.satprnews.com/2017/11/27/global-calrose-market-2017-2022-far-west-rice-hinoderice-california-family-foods-american-commodity-company-sun-valley-rice/

Kingdom Rice to help fill Uganda’s 200,000 tonnes deficit 27.11.2017 | UkrAgroConsult 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.

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

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter 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.

Global Baby Rice Flour Market 2017 – Heinz, Gerber, Hipp, Nestle, Beingmate, Engnice

By James Gordern November 27, 2017 Global Baby Rice Flour Market 2017 Survival Strategies explore Economic Impact in International Industries Manufactures, Growth, Size, Share, Trends, Development Challenges and Opportunities till 2022 Baby Rice Flour Global Baby Rice Flour Market 2017-2022 research report by QY Research provides an essential information and statistically evaluated data about the Baby Rice Flour . The MRS Research Group report provides a detailed study of the Baby Rice Flour market, enlightening the major areas such as future market scenario, market growth factors, market growth restraints, and others.

The advanced technological trends and various new opportunities are also provided in this research report.

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Get Free Sample Copy Of Report @ www.mrsresearchgroup.com/report/101818#requestsample

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter The research report provides the Baby Rice Flour market’s classification in detail. The Baby Rice Flour market is bifurcated into a number of segments on the basis of materials,types,applications,and end-users. The geographical analysis of the global Baby Rice Flour market is also coveredin the report. The vital information mentioned in the research report helps in significantly predicting the future scope of the global market.

The Major Players in global market, including : Heinz, Gerber, Hipp, Nestle, Beingmate, Engnice, Eastwes, Weicky, FangGuang The various segmentation of the global market is based on the overall product profit, costing, global market growth, and manufacturing processes. The report covers a region-wise analysis which provides the customer with different market studies that give a detailed analysis of the product and its impact on the global market. The Baby Rice Flour report also highlights the growth statistics depending on the supply and demand in the different regions.

Read Complete Report with TOC @ www.mrsresearchgroup.com/market-analysis/globalbaby-rice-flour-market-2016-production-sales.html The Report Explore Application Areas Including : Application 1, Application 2 The Region Covering : United States, China, Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia, India Highlights of Baby Rice Flour Research Report :

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter 1. The market analysis of the global market share, position, and size from the different regions are done.2. The admired players in the market and their share in the global market are discussed.

3. Suggestions and the strategic plans that will help the new market players to maintain the competitive edge are also included.

4. Several other major points that are included in the Baby Rice Flour Market report are growth factors, limiting factors, challenges that are faced, new upcoming opportunities, the technological advancements, and much more.

5. On the basis of the estimations of the global market, the recommendations and the observations are included in the business segments.

6. The current trends that are being followed in the market are included along with examples.

7. How the technological advancements and the research and development activities are impacting the market are further explained in detail.

The Baby Rice Flour report covers the precisely studied and evaluated data of the global market players and their scope in the market using a number of analytical tools. The analytical tools such as investment return analysis, SWOT analysis and feasibility study are used to analyze the key global market player’s growth in the Baby Rice Flour industry.

Enquiry Before Buying Report @ www.mrsresearchgroup.com/report/101818#inquiry-forbuying http://editionanalyst.com/global-baby-rice-flour-market-2017-heinz-gerber-hipp-nestlebeingmate-engnice/

From the scene] Gyeonggi Province seeks independence from Japanese rice seeds

By Son Ji-hyoung 27

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Published : Nov 28, 2017 - 15:52

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Updated : Nov 28, 2017 - 16:48

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter HWASEONG, Gyeonggi Province – Though many don’t realize it, South Korea’s most populous province has long relied on Japanese seeds for rice production.

As of last year, Akibare and Koshihikari crop seeds from Japan grew on some 80 percent of 784.8 square kilometers of rice paddies in Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds the capital and is home to some 330,000 farmers.

Confronting the need to curb reliance on Japan and cultivate seeds most suitable for Korean soil, the Gyeonggi Province Agricultural Research and Extension Services, an agency under the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, created homegrown rice seeds.

The seeds, dubbed “Mot Dream” and “Cham Dream,” are the results of decades of work by GPARES.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Kim Soon-jae, director-general of the Gyeonggi Province Agricultural Research and Extension Service.

(Son Ji-hyoung/The Korea Herald)

“The government-led plans to develop rice seeds since 1970s had fallen short of developing crop seeds most suitable for the land in Gyeonggi Province,” Kim Soonjae, director-general of the agency, told reporters, recalling the days when late President Park Chung-hee developed seeds called “Tongil,” which contributed to the nation’s self-sufficiency.

“So I thought, why not develop seeds by ourselves?”

More than a decade ago, Kim took part in developing Mot Dream and Cham Dream by hybridizing homegrown seeds. Created in 2001, Mot Dream underwent tests for crop yield and soil adaptation from 2008 to 2011, while Cham Dream, developed in 2004, went through six years of tests until 2014.

Commercialized in 2015, the medium-maturing Mot Dream -- designed to replace Koshihikari -- is a grain seed suitable for climates north of the Han River. The following year, the agency showcased the medium-late-maturing grain Cham Dream - a substitute for Akibare -- optimized for growth in the south of the Han River.

In Gyeonggi Province, rice is grown on humid soil, mostly categorized as either Alfisol or Ultisol. Alfisol refers to clay-enriched soil containing minerals such as aluminum and iron. Ultisol, also known as red clay soil, refers to soil with less than 10 percent weatherable minerals. Despite its humidity, Ultisol’s relatively high acidity requires farmers to use fertilizers.

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Both Mot Dream and Cham Dream outperformed Japanese seeds in yield, according to the agency. Mot Dream seeds yielded 6 percent more than Koshihikari, while Cham

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Dream produced 13 percent more rice than Akibare.

The seeds’ enhanced productivity could help farmers secure higher income, said the 59-year-old Kim, who has been in charge of developing, promoting and marketing agricultural and horticultural products for farmers in Gyeonggi Province since taking office in July 2016.

This year, Gyeonggi Province harvested Mot Dream rice from 22.3 square kilometers of paddies, while Cham Dream rice grew on 22.8 square kilometers. When combined, they took up nearly 6 percent of all rice seed production in the province. The rest of the seeds -- other than Japanese seeds and GPARES’ seeds -- are supplied by the Agriculture Ministry-affiliated Rural Development Administration.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

Kim expects the size of paddies that use Mot Dream and Cham Dream seeds to double next year.

A promotional picture of Cham Dream, developed by the Gyeonggi Province Agricultural Research and Extension Service. (GPARES)

However, GPARES is facing an unanticipated challenge in the wake of the recent oversupply of rice across the nation.

To avoid grain price fluctuations, the Korean government unveiled plans in July to carry out the third round of rice supply control for the next two years, mainly by inducing farmers to cut rice production on some 1,000 square kilometers of paddy fields, using government subsidies.

Furthermore, the high productivity of Mot Dream and Cham Dream left farmers’ coop Nonghyup hesitant to purchase them, and even prevented Cham Dream from being certified by the Rural Development Administration.

To curb oversupply, the RDA has set the upper cap of crop yield at 570 kilograms on 1,000 square meters of paddy field. However, Cham Dream yields over 590 kilograms on 1,000 square meters.

The agency has been in talks with a number of rice-growing towns in Gyeonggi Province, such as Paju, Goyang and Anseong, to designate them as a special zone to grow the two new rice seeds. Kim said the towns appear willing to substitute Akibare seeds with the homegrown ones.

Moreover, the government’s plan to curb rice production is not carved in stone, Kim said, as no one can predict a shortfall in rice due to the monsoon or typhoons.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

“Through the seeds, Gyeonggi Province will be ready to cope with any possible rice shortage,” Kim said.

By Son Ji-hyoung Korea Herald Correspondent (consnow@heraldcorp.com) http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20171128000570

APPSA ready with 17 technologies to improve production; Malawi leads on maize

By Lloyd M’bwana / Monday, 27 Nov 2017 05:43PM

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The region’s research body, Agricultural Production Program for Southern Africa (APPSA) on Monday disclosed that is ready with 17 technologies in the next three month aimed at improving production.The regional project led by Malawi has for the past three years released three technologies including two on rice seed and irrigation technologies.

Malawi is leading in seven out of 22 research and development projects reaching out to 840,403 beneficiaries against a target of 1,200,00. Lead farmers constitute 6,260 (females).

In its three day annual review conference with the World Bank mission under way in the capital Lilongwe, Dr. Mackson Banda, APPSA Project coordinator lauded the successes the initiative has impacted on rural farmers with improved varieties for high production.With the same ecological and rainfall pattern for the three countries namely Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi, Dr. Banda says the project has shared technologies coupled with messages and infrastructure development including laboratories among others.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter He however lamented on the language usage in the three nations as only Portuguese is spoken in Mozambique which must be integrated in the project which ends 2020 from 2013.

“The project has managed to produce various technologies on rice and maize which among notable one is Yellow Maize variety which has vitamin A for sight improvement. This variety will be liked by many based on health aspect.

We anticipate releasing 17 technologies in the next three months to improve production. Each nation concentrates on its research including maize, rice and regumes in Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia respectively. These technologies are shared for use,” says Dr. Banda.

Echoing on the same, Monica Murata of Center for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA), a regional coordination body on research expressed gratitude on the project impact saying it was bearing fruits.

Murata emphasized the need for participating nation in the projects to invest must on effective research that will improve the rural farmers’ production amid effects of climate change.

With loan of US$29 million and US$1 million grants to each participating nations, the projects ends 2020 as Malawi leads on maize, rice by Mozambique and Zambia on legumes researches of various technologies. http://www.maravipost.com/appsa-ready-17-technologies-improve-production-malawi-leadsmaize/

Ghana is a stable and peaceful country to invest in - First Lady tells Chinese investors Rebecca Akufo-Addo, First Lady of Ghana First Lady Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo has assured Chinese investors at a conference to promote trade relations between Ghana and China in Hunan in the Changsha Province of China that their

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter investments in Ghana will always be safe.Addressing the “2017 Ghana-Hunan Economic and Trade Conference” hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the First Lady touted Ghana’s credentials as a safe and profitable place for Chinese investors.She stated that Ghana is a ”globally acknowledged democracy” which has changed governments successfully since 1992 “without causing any dislocations to the political, economic or social systems of the country” therefore “all investors are assured of a stable and peaceful country to invest in.”

Mrs. Akufo-Addo added that Ghana has “an assertive parliament, an independent judiciary and a vibrant media” and these are “safeguards against unpredictable actions of any one person or government and further serves as security for the protection of investment.”The First Lady noted that Ghana as the second largest ECOWAS economy with a total market of about 500 million people is strategically placed to open up new and additional markets to boost their investment.

She further said “Ghana’s acclaimed educational system has ensured that the majority of its work force has the needed skills that industry requires or where those skills do not exist, the workers could be easily trained to become productive.”

The First Lady also indicated Ghana has a generous investor incentive through the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), free zones enterprise and other institutions adding that “regardless of where the investment was, the government had instituted a number of generous incentives for the investor depending on the activity or the location of the investment to ensure that their investment thrived.”Listing some of the investment opportunities in Ghana, she said agriculture and agro processing was an area that was ripe for investment.

She added other priority areas such as energy sector especially renewables as well as infrastructure sector such as roads, railways, ports, airports, public housing and real estate development, manufacturing and Industry, mining industrial salt, gold, bauxite and iron ore and tourism, ICT and in the financial services sector especially equity financing.The Deputy Head of

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Macroeconomic Research Unit, Ministry of Finance, Dr. Millicent DeGraft-Johnson who spoke on the governments short to medium-term development programme said it was aimed at providing opportunities for growth and job creation through the private sector, and had developed concrete reform actions to tackle key challenges to private investment such as ensuring macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, improving the ease of doing business and enhancing access to affordable and long-term financing and de-risking instruments.

Ghana’s Ambassador to China, Mr Edward Boateng in a remark said the summit will go a long way to deepen the relationship between Ghana and China as well as facilitate investment into the One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) initiative.The First Lady later witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement on Economy and Trade between CCPIT Hunan and the AGI and an Agricultural Cooperation Project between the CRI and the Hunan Hybrid-rice Research Center. https://www.ghanaweb.com/

DA official highlights PHL’s biotechnology advancement

By Jasper Y. Arcalas November 27, 2017 Biotechnology has allowed Filipino scientists to hasten the development of new crop varieties, cutting breeding processes by at least five years, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).“Biotechnology helps improve rice like it does to soy sauce, bread and beer. Through biotechnology, varieties are developed [from] five to seven years. In conventional breeding, it takes 10 years to 12 years,” said Roel R. Suralta, head of DA-Crop Biotechnology Center, in news statement issued on Monday.

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), an attached agency of DA, said it has developed 14 climate change-ready varieties through biotechnology, with some of these being resistant or resilient to drought, flas flood and salinity.Varieties include Tubigan 7 (NSIC Rc142), the country’s first product of marker-aided selection; Tubigan 3 (NSIC Rc130), PhilRice’s first variety developed through anther culture; and Submarino 1 (NSIC Rc194), which can survive after submergence in floodwater for two weeks.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Suralta said farmers could gain more income as biotechnology-developed rice varieties are 35 percent more productive than high-yielding varieties in the market.“Promoting these varieties is one of the things that we can do to help the farmers,” he said. “Cleaner and greener environment is also expected through varieties that have high resistance to diseases and harmful insects.”

PhilRice noted there is a need to produce climate change-ready varieties, as the Philippines is among the top 10 most vulnerable countries to climate change.“The Global Climate Risk Index for 1996 to 2015 showed that the country suffered $2761-million loss from the 11,000 extreme weather events during the period,” it said. https://businessmirror.com.ph/da-official-highlights-phls-biotechnology-advancement/

Agriculture ministry and IRRI to boost rice production November 27, 2017

The agriculture ministry, in signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) on November 24, stated that it has identified rice production as a priority in the 12th Plan.The MoU, according to agriculture minister Yeshey Dorji, is expected to accelerate rice production. He said that owing to the topography and geographical landscape, the country has less rice cultivable land. “The MoU is expected to explore ways to increase and diversify rice production with the limited rice cultivable land.” The country is around 50 percent self-sufficient in rice production and the ministry aims to achieve 60 percent in the next five years.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter “We have initiated spring rice cultivation to achieve the target. We hope the organisation would help in this endeavour,” said the minister.He said that Bhutan’s association with IRRI began around 1984 where it provided human resource development and technical expertise. “IRRI played a vital role in 1995 when rice blast epidemic affected around 1,800 acres of land and resulted in a loss of nearly 1,100 metric tonnes of rice.”Records show that scientists from IRRI helped in identifying the cause of the epidemic and found ways to prevent future outbreaks. “But the collaboration stopped since 2000,” the minister said.Lyonpo Yeshey Dorji said that the MoU signing marked a renewed collaboration.The government and the IRRI agreed to revive and strengthen the partnership in July last year to assist the country’s rice industry, to solve challenges and emerging needs to diversify and increase rice production.

The director general of IRRI, Matthew Morell, who signed the MoU with agriculture secretary Rinzin Dorji, said the collaboration would bring technology, knowledge and diversify production through germplasm in Bhutan. “But the biggest reason to be optimistic is that the MoU marks the renewed relationship and mutual commitment to taking us forward.”He said that IRRI could bring in global research, facilitate training to help the country increase rice production and diversify the varieties.

He also said that the challenges of pressure on the land with urbanisation, labour shortage, availability of water, affordability of fertilisers and other inputs and climate change impacts are common issues faced by many rice-growing countries. “We can work together and exchange available technologies.”

Matthew Morell said IRRI could help Bhutan continue improving the productivity of traditional rice variety and make them more tolerant to drought, cold and nutrient deficient. “We can also work towards exchange knowledge on Bhutan’s organic produce with other countries.”

The MoU is also expected to explore ideas to solve the issues of rice blast and common problems faced in elevated environment and facilitate human resource development. Other areas of collaboration are in the management of rice production to change the rice production duration and explore spring cropping season with research and training to enhance productivity. http://www.kuenselonline.com/agriculture-ministry-and-irri-to-boost-rice-production/

Philippine investors keen to invest in various sectors Karachi

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter KARACHI: Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair stated that Pakistan had to suffer a big loss of life and financial assets front-line role in the war against terror and that Zarb-e-Azb operation has restored the peace and security of the country.

Muhammad Zubair was talking to a 16-member delegation of Pak-Philippine Business Forum led by Ambassador of Philippine Daniel Ramos Espiritu at the Governor House where both the sides discussed the bilateral ties, economic cooperation and exchange of delegations.

Sindh governor said that Pakistan had a right of access to the world market and that the bilateral relations between the two countries were being strengthened every passing day.

After the increased demand for Pakistani medicine in Philippine, an agreement had been signed for the export of rice and more trade agreements are likely to be signed between the two countries.

The Governor invited the Philippine investors to invest in Karachi, which had once again become an attractive place for the investors.The delegates informed the Governor that Philippine investors were keen to invest in various sectors of Pakistan.

https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2017/11/27/philippine-investors-keen-to-invest-in-varioussectors/ 38

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