8th december,2017 daily global regional local rice e newsletter

Daily Rice E-Newsletter

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter December 08, 2017

                             

Asia Rice: India Prices Rise as Demand From Bangladesh Offsets High Supply Arsenic in infant rice cereals compared with lead exposure ASU research offers hydropower dam energy solution without sacrificing Mekong food supply Phoenix Looks to India to Feed Africa as Part of Rice Expansion Foreign rice in Nigeria smuggled, some poisonous – FG Ogun Customs intercept truck loaded with 600 bags of smuggled rice Rice exporters urge Punjab governor to mediate between ministry, REAP Tunisia, Nepal stress enhanced trade co-op Basmati rice perks up Greek pilaf Arsenic in infant rice cereals compared with lead exposure Rwanda to stop rice imports to boost local production EU countries move to limit rice imports from Cambodia Kanayama rice terraces ‘an impressive feat of human ingenuity’ Very educational harvest festival at Atisco Farm Commodities Buzz: Pakistan Rice Exports Increase By 16 percent During July To October 2017 CARI Sensitises Nigerian Students To Benefits Of Local Rice Global Organic Rice Flour Market- Rice Flour, Brown Rice Flour, Glutinous Rice Flour BASF Philippines opens Rice Knowledge Center in Laguna Rice basmati looks up on buying Starch, Rice, and Sugar – New Procurement Research Reports Now Available From SpendEdge ASIA RICE-INDIA PRICES RISE AS DEMAND FROM BANGLADESH OFFSETS HIGH SUPPLY Bulog: Rice Stock Adequate Up to April 2018 Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- December 8, 2017 Infant Rice Cereal Has Worrying Levels of Arsenic, New Study Shows Should You Be Worried About the Arsenic in Your Baby Food?

BASF Philippines opens Rice Knowledge Center in Laguna Innovation makes poor land green CRI, Chinese centre sign agreement on rice research International rice clients are more interested to procure sustainable rice from Pakistan Azerbaijan, Pakistan keen to expand agricultural cooperation

Volume 9 | Issue XII

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

1

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

Corn, rice self-sufficiency campaign distorting Indonesia's market

December 7, 2017 - by Susan Reidy

WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. – Indonesia’s self-sufficiency campaign for rice and corn is causing market distortions and raising domestic prices well above international levels, according to a report from the Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The self-sufficiency campaign includes “clumsy market interventions, import restrictions and overly optimistic domestic production forecasts,” the USDA said.

The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) is not allowing feed corn imports and will not issue import recommendations for substitutes such as feed grade wheat, barley or sorghum. This has resulted in high corn prices of $311 per tonne, compared to the government reference price of $296 per tonne.

Wheat has become highly competitive as a feed ingredient. Feed mills have been buying imported wheat from flour mills. In October, the ministry said it would allow 200,000 tonnes of feed wheat imports as a complementary ingredient for feed production.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

2

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter “Local feed millers purchased the full quantity, mostly of Black Sea origin, and the imported wheat arrived in late October through early November,” the USDA said. “However, alarmed about the potential for more imported wheat to enter feed channels, which would be counter to MOA’s corn self-sufficiency drive, reportedly MOA is seeking measures to further clamp down on feed wheat imports next year.”

As a result, the 2017-18 wheat import forecast remains unchanged at 10.5 million tonnes. Wheat flour imports in the first part of 2017 decreased 74% because of an additional 5% duty.

Corn consumption in 2017-18 is slightly increased due to growing demand from wet mills. A new corn starch wet mill in East Java started production in April and is running at full capacity of 600 tonnes of corn per day. It produces corn gluten meal and corn gluten feed in addition to starch. The facility uses only imported corn because of its better quality and higher protein.

“To obtain approval to import corn for wet milling, mills must declare that the imported corn will only be used for industrial food use and will not be used as a feed ingredient,” the USDA said.

The Indonesian Bureau of Logistics (BULOG) is struggling to meet its target for rice procurement. Prices are well above the government purchasing price, and competition with private rice millers for domestic supplies is hurting BULOG’s efforts.

As a result, BULOG lowered its procurement target to 2.5 million tonnes from 3.7 million tonnes. It is required to maintain a minimum year-end stock level of 2 million tonnes.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

3

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter “BULOG’s stocks were 1.2 tonnes at the end of November 2017,” the USDA said. “However, MOA maintains its steadfast stance that imports won’t be allowed, even for BULOG to rebuild stocks and stabilize climbing prices.” http://www.worldgrain.com/articles/news_home/World_Grain_News/2017/12/Corn_rice_selfsufficiency_camp.aspx?ID={ 3BD53BF8-B44E-4519-A60C-E0E316F754F8}

Asia Rice: India Prices Rise as Demand From Bangladesh Offsets High Supply

Farmers plant rice saplings in a field in Shamli, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh July 19, 2014.

(Reuters Photo/Anindito Mukherjee) By : Koustav Samanta | on 3:00 AM December 08, 2017 Category : International, Asia-Pacific

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

4

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Bengaluru. Rice prices in India climbed this week as strong demand from neighboring Bangladesh counteracted fresh supplies from a new season crop in the world's top exporter.

India's 5 percent broken parboiled rice prices rose by $4 per tonne to $406-$409.

"Bangladeshi demand has improved sentiment. That is nullifying the impact of higher supplies from the new crop," an exporter based in Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh said.

Bangladesh, which has emerged as a major importer this year after floods hit its crops, will import 150,000 tonnes of rice from India in a state deal priced at $440 a tonne, two food ministry officials said on Wednesday (06/12).

India's state-run National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) will supply the rice within 60 days after signing the deal, which will take place soon, the officials said.

Bangladesh has tried to secure supplies through India's state-run trading houses, which have floated tenders in the local market for procurement, the Kakinada-based exporter said.

The country had already sealed a deal with another state agency in India, PEC, to import 100,000 tonnes at $455 a tonne.

Meanwhile, Thailand's benchmark 5 percent broken rice was quoted at $401-405 a tonne, freeon-board (FOB) Bangkok, up from $395-$400 last week.

Demand remained relatively quiet in the world's second-biggest rice exporter as supply remains more or less constant despite some losses due to floods, traders said.

"I don't think prices of rice will rise any more substantially before the end of the year. Next year, however, we might see some government intervention," said a Bangkok-based trader.

The Ministry of Commerce has a target to export 11 million tonnes by the end of the year, and traders are optimistic the target could be reached within a plus-minus five percent range.

Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and other agencies will hold the Thai Rice Festival 2017 in Bangkok from Dec. 15-20. Traders expect this to have a positive effect on demand.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

5

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter In Vietnam, the rice market continued to be quiet even as stocks remained low.

The country's 5 percent broken rice traded at $395 a tonne, free-on-board (FOB) Saigon, mostly unchanged from last week's $395-$398 range.

"We sold (5 percent broken rice) at $395 a tonne in a new private contract," a trader in Ho Chi Minh city said, but did not specify the buyer.

Traders were unsure when there would be new government-to-government deals, but the delivery of previous state contracts brought Vietnam's rice shipments closer to the target of 5.6 million tonnes in 2017. http://jakartaglobe.id/international/asia-rice-india-prices-rise-demand-bangladesh-offsets-high-supply/

Arsenic in infant rice cereals compared with lead exposure

BY DAN FLYNN | DECEMBER 8, 2017

To view a larger version of the graphic, please click on the image.

Infant rice cereals are popular with parents because they are affordable, easy to digest, and unlikely to cause allergic reactions. Infants typically begin eating cereals when they are between 4 and 6 months old.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

6

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter But, rice absorbs more arsenic from soil and water than other grains used for infant cereals; about 10 times more. Consequently, the level of arsenic in infant rice cereals is an ongoing concern among researchers and some public health advocates. Some are comparing the danger from arsenic with the dangers of children’s exposure to lead.

A new report by activist health researchers credits cereal makers for limiting arsenic levels in infant rice cereals since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s most recent study, which was for 2013-14.

Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF), an alliance of scientists, nonprofits and donors, published the report. It found 85 ppb (parts per billion) of arsenic, on average in rice cereals tested in 2016-17. That’s about a 21 percent improvement over FDA’s 2013-14 average of 103 ppb.

But HBBF says arsenic in nine favorite brands of infant rice cereal is still too high in light of “growing science on arsenic’ toxicity at low levels…” Arsenic toxicity, according to the new report, causes lung, bladder and skin cancer. It also retards neurodevelopment of children exposed in utero or during the first few years of life.

The findings include an analysis by Abt Associates, an economic and toxicology research group, that shows rice-based foods are resulting in a loss of 9.2 million IQ points among 0- to 6-yearold children. Lower IQs will decrease lifetime wages for those children when they are adults, costing the United States an estimated $12 billion to $18 billion annually, according to the report.

The FDA should have already taken high-arsenic cereals off store shelves, according to HBBF. “It hasn’t happened,” the report says. “FDA is, in a word, stalled. More than a year after issuing its 2016 draft guidance to cereal makers — the culmination of four years of assessment — FDA is falling short of protecting infants.”

HBBF says FDA has neither set a final limit for arsenic in rice cereal nor finalized the cap proposed in the draft guidance.

Arsenic levels in drinking water are strictly regulated, but there are no limits for infant rice cereal.

The new report is described as “parent-friendly” because it reviews 105 kinds of infant cereal showing non-rice and multi-grain cereals that contain as much as 84 percent less arsenic than leading brands of infant rice cereals. It says these alternatives are “reliable and affordable.”

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

7

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

Source: Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF)

While calling upon FDA to “act immediately to set an enforceable, health-based limit for arsenic in infant rice cereal and other rice-based foods, the report also called upon cereal makers to implement changes.

“We found no evidence to suggest that any brand has reduced arsenic levels in rice cereal to amounts comparable to those found in other types of cereal, despite at least five years of significant public attention to the issue that has included widespread consumer alerts and proposed federal action level,” according to the report.

The study — funded by the Forsythia and Passport Foundations and The John Merck Fund — warns parents to avoid rice-only infant cereals entirely. “Non-rice and multi-grain alternatives

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

8

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter have lower arsenic contamination, and are a healthier choice,” the nonprofit organization recommends.

Additional information about arsenic is available at FDA’s main arsenic page and at Arsenic in Rice and Rice Products.

“Rice has higher levels of inorganic arsenic than other foods, in part because as rice plants grow, the plant and grain tend to absorb arsenic more readily than other food crops,” according to the FDA website.

“In April 2016, the FDA proposed an action level, or limit, of 100 parts per billion (ppb) for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal. This level, which is based on the FDA’s assessment of a large body of scientific information, seeks to reduce infant exposure to inorganic arsenic. The agency also has developed advice on rice consumption for pregnant women and the caregivers of infants,” according to the FDA website.

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.) http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2017/12/arsenic-in-infant-rice-cereals-compared-with-leadexposure/#.WipeNVWWaM8

ASU research offers hydropower dam energy solution without sacrificing Mekong food supply December 7, 2017

The Mekong River is an economic engine for fishermen and a food source for millions of people worldwide. Nearly 100 hydropower dams are planned for construction along tributaries off the river’s 2,700-mile stretch, which flows through Burma, China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia.

But while the dams are expected to provide clean energy to the region, if not managed properly, they also have the potential to offset natural river patterns, which would damage food production, supply and business.A boat in Cambodia's Tonle Sap Fishing Village.

Photo by John Sabo/Arizona State University.Download Full Image

9

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Arizona State University professor John Sabo and collaborators have proposed a solution in the Dec. 8 issue of Science magazine that allows dam operators to generate power in ways that also protect — and possibly improve — food supplies and businesses throughout the Mekong river basin. “We have figured out the relationship between river flows and fish catch, and we have developed an algorithm for dam operators to use that will increase fish harvests and still generate power,” Sabo said. “Dams are going to be built no matter how much fuss we make; our research shows how we can be more strategic about the buildout and operations of these dams in the Mekong.”

10

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter The proposed solution, the first of its kind for this problem, can be applied to other large river systems around the world facing similar tradeoffs.

The Mekong river floods annually, and it is known that those floods are important for fisheries, Sabo said. New in this research is the recognition that seasonal droughts are equally important. Long droughts combined with short floods may create the ideal conditions for terrestrial nutrients to be entrained into the freshwater system.

With that in mind, the algorithm presented by Sabo et al. in Science recommends long low-flow periods punctuated by pulses of flooding, which will allow dam operators to co-manage their power generation priorities, while protecting livelihoods for fisheries downstream.

11

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

Fish from the Henicorynchus group are vital for food security in Cambodia. The whole fish, including brains and eyeballs, which are rich in vitamin A and omegas, is ground up and used as a paste in a soup with rice noodles and vegetables.

Photo Courtesy John Sabo/Arizona State University

Sabo worked with other ASU researchers on the project, as well as researchers from the University of Washington, University of Maryland, Conservation International, the University of South Florida, the Mekong River Commission and Aalto University.

12

“We have taken this conversation around fisheries and dams in the Mekong from a yes-or-no conversation, from a good idea-bad idea conversation, and we have come

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter up with an alternative, a mathematical formula that has the possibility to achieve dam operator goals and protect fisheries,� said Gordon Holtgrieve, an assistant professor at the University of Washington.

With recent funding from the National Science Foundation, Sabo, Holtgrieve and a team of researchers will expand the project to better understand how dam operators can balance power generation needs with other factors, including rice production, food nutritional quality and ecological goals. https://asunow.asu.edu/20171207-solutions-hydropower-dam-research-mekong-asu-john-sabo

Phoenix Looks to India to Feed Africa as Part of Rice Expansion

By Supunnabul Suwannakij December 8, 2017, 6:54 AM GMT+5

Company aims to boost rice trading volume to 2.2 million tons Plans to spend $300 million over 5 years to expand processing

Food and resources company Phoenix Commodities Ltd. will buy more rice from India as it expands its business in Africa to meet increasing demand.

The company wants to boost its rice trading volumes to between 2 million metric tons and 2.2 million metric tons over the next three to four years, Chairman Gaurav Dhawan said in a phone interview. That compares with 1.5 million tons this year. The company says it is already one of the top three rice traders globally.

Increasing incomes and changing food habits in Africa have created an opportunity for the company to increase sales of its flagship Happy Family brand rice, Dhawan said. Much of the planned increase in Phoenix’s supply will come from India, the

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

13

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter world’s biggest exporter, he said. It will be supplemented by rice from Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam.

While global rice trading is dwarfed by corn and wheat, it is a staple food for more than half the world’s population. Worldwide exports in 2018 will hold near this year’s record 45.7 million tons, on expanding consumption in Africa and the Middle East, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated in November. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for about 30 percent of global imports.

Phoenix, which began as a rice trader in 2000, expects to generate $1.3 billion in annual rice sales over the next three to five years, Dhawan said. That compares with projected total revenue of $4 billion. It recently secured a S$275 million ($203 million) borrowing facility that will give it more flexibility to buy rice in Asia and distribute it in Africa.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

14

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter The company plans to spend $300 million over the next five years, mostly on increasing processing and production, as well as expanding into farming in Africa, Kazakhstan and Ukraine, Dhawan said. Phoenix operates in 22 countries in 10 businesses including grains, sugar and coal with total supply chain volume of 11 million tons.

Louis Dreyfus Co. is estimated to be the world’s largest rice trader with volumes of about 2.6 million tons a year and Olam International Ltd. is estimated to sell about 1.7 million tons, according to California-based researcher the Rice Trader. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-08/phoenix-looks-to-india-to-feed-africa-as-part-ofrice-expansion

Foreign rice in Nigeria smuggled, some poisonous – FG Published December 8, 2017 Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (retd)

Okechukwu Nnodim, Abuja The Federal Government on Thursday declared that all foreign brands of rice in the country at the moment were smuggled, adding that some of them were poisonous.

According to the government, recent tests conducted by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development showed that most imported rice and poultry products were poisonous, as the commodities had been stored for several months before being shipped to Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

15

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter It also stated that the different varieties of rice currently consumed in Nigeria were smuggled based on submissions by the Consumer Protection Council that it had not seen any ‘Form M’ for rice importation since the beginning of this year.

An ‘e-Form M’, as it is popularly called, is a mandatory documentation process put in place by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria to monitor goods that are imported into the country as well as enable collection of import duties where applicable.

Speaking in Abuja at a stakeholders’ engagement programme on how to stop the importation and smuggling of frozen poultry and rice into the country, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, noted that it was the duty of the government to protect citizens against any form of harm.

He stated, “For imported rice, we don’t know how long it had been in their (exporters) silos. Recently, one country decided to bring in a shipload of rice into Nigeria so that we can use it to support the IDPs (Internationally Displaced Persons) in the North-East, but when we subjected the rice to a test, we discovered that the rice was actually poisonous.

“This means that most imported rice have been in silos for 10 to 15 years and have no nutritional value. So what we have told them is that anybody who wants to support the IDPs or any other person in Nigeria should please use our local rice. The argument is that local rice is more expensive, but we say even if it means buying half bags, do it.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

16

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter “It is better for us to eat a smaller quantity of nutritious rice than for us to take poisonous shiploads of rice. Also, we discovered that chemicals used for smuggled poultry products are the ones used for embalming corpses. So what we want Nigerians to know is that anybody who eats smuggled poultry products is actually embalming himself while still alive.�

Lokpobiri told participants at the event, including operators of superstores and international hotels, among others, that enforcement officers from agencies of the Federal Government would start visiting their outlets to ensure that smuggled and illegally imported products were not sold to Nigerians.

Copyright PUNCH. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH. Contact: theeditor@punchng.com http://punchng.com/foreign-rice-in-nigeria-smuggled-some-poisonous-fg/

Ogun Customs intercept truck loaded with 600 bags of smuggled rice Men of the Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun state Command have seized a truck loaded with 600 bags of smuggled rice and other contraband goods valued at 27 million naira along Abeokuta axis of the command.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

17

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

The Comptroller of Customs in the State Sani Madugu made this known in Abeokuta while speaking with journalists about the achievements of the command in the last 14 days.He confirmed that they have been seizing goods especially rice and vegetable oil every hours along the bush path.Magudu noted that aside from cars used by smugglers which has been forfeited to the federal Government, the smugglers also brought in shoes in large quantity.

On auction of vehicle, the comptroller said E-auction is ongoing and some vehicles have been taken from the command to Abuja. He appealed to people not to patronise touts as customs has eliminated man to man contact in auction of vehicles. http://tvcnews.tv/2017/12/ogun-customs-intercept-truck-loaded-with-600-bags-of-smuggled-rice/

Rice exporters urge Punjab governor to mediate between ministry, REAP ZAHID BAIG 18

DEC 6TH, 2017

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter LAHORE The Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) has called upon the Punjab Governor Rafique Rajwana to play a mediator's role between the provincial agriculture ministry and the REAP for implementation of phytosanitary standards at farm level and development of high yielding seed varieties. REAP Chairman Samee Ullah Naeem made this demand during a meeting with the Governor Punjab at the Governor's House here on Tuesday. He was leading a delegation of the rice exporters which also included Pir Nazim Ali Shah and executive committee members of the Association.

Samee raised the issue of disconnect between the agriculture policy being a provincial subject and rice exports being a federal subject. He said 70 percent of the Pakistani rice production is exported but this second biggest sector is being neglected.

He requested the Governor to mediate a dialogue between the Punjab Ministry for Agriculture and the REAP for implementation of phytosanitary standards at farm level, development of high yielding seed varieties and inclusion of NIBGE (National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering) in Rice Research Board Punjab and recognition of new high yielding varieties like 1121 of Pakistan.

While speaking on the occasion, Rajwana assured the rice exporters of his full support in resolving the issues faced by their sector. He said he would raise voice in their favour both at the federal and provincial levels to boost rice exports from Pakistan.

Meanwhile, REAP Chairman Samee Ullah Naeem expressed his displeasure that despite repeated attempts, representatives of the Association are not being heard by the Secretary Agriculture. He said they are trying for the last one month to get an appointment from the Secretary but to no avail. https://fp.brecorder.com/2017/12/20171206324686/

Tunisia, Nepal stress enhanced trade co-op December 07, 2017

Gujranwala-Tunisia Ambassador Adil-al-Arabi said that there are a lot of opportunities for Pakistani business community to investment in various sectors of Tunisia .

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

19

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter He said businessmen of both the countries should increase their exports and imports through mutual cooperation, and Tunisia Embassy in Pakistan would provide all the facilities for the business community in this regard. He expressed this while addressing the members of Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce after his visit to Gujranwala exhibition held in Business Center Gujranwala.

GCCI President Mian Amir Aziz, senior vice president Noshad Ahmed, vice president Irfan Yaqub Butt, chairman GBC Khawaja Zrar Kaleem, Noman Salah ud Din and others were also present.

Later, Nepal Ambassador Siva Tamaal Adhikari also visited the Gujranwal a Expo, and said that there are a lot of chances for Pakistani businessmen to invest in Hydraulic power in Nepal . He said that Pakistani rice is also a major demand in Nepal .

The exchange of information between the trade delegations could be helpful to businessmen of both the countries. He said that the Confederation of Nepali Chamber of Commerce in Nepal has signed an MoU with Islamabad, Karachi and Sialkot. “I hope that the Gujranwala Chamber will also joined the Nepali Confederation Chamber by signing the MOU. http://nation.com.pk/07-Dec-2017/tunisia-nepal-stress-enhanced-trade-co-op

Basmati rice perks up Greek pilaf

By Sara Moulton, Associated Press December 5, 2017 ASSOCIATED PRESS Greek-style rice pilaf served with chicken, from a recipe by Sara Moulton.

With the exception of ooey-gooey potato concoctions, side dishes rarely get any respect. Here, however, is a pilaf fully capable of stealing the limelight.

It’s basmati rice that makes Greek Style Rice Pilaf so special. An especially aromatic grain used for centuries in India and Pakistan, basmati doesn’t usually show up in a Greek-styled pilaf. But I prefer its naturally nutty taste to the blandness of the usual varieties of long-grain rice. The seasonings, of course, are also key: sauteed spinach spiked with red pepper flakes, feta cheese, olives and dill.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

20

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

Cooking the rice requires some care. It needs to be tightly sealed and cooked at a bare simmer to achieve the right texture. Place a wet paper towel under the lid to ensure that no liquid can escape. And of course, wait 10 minutes after it’s cooked before opening the lid.

If you’re no fan of feta, swap in ricotta salata, a kind of aged ricotta. You’re also welcome to lose the dill in favor of oregano, basil or mint. And if you don’t like olives, leave them out.

Born as a side dish, Greek Style Rice Pilaf easily converts to main-dish status. Just top it off with a little sauteed shrimp or chicken and call it a meal.

GREEK-STYLE RICE PILAF 

1/2 cup finely chopped onion



1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided



1 cup basmati rice, washed

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

21

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter 

1 teaspoon minced garlic



1 teaspoon lemon zest



1-2/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth



8 ounces baby spinach



1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes



2 ounces finely crumbled feta cheese (about 1/2 cup)



1/4 cup chopped Mediterranean olives



2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

In a medium pan over medium heat, cook onion in 2 tablespoons oil, stirring occasionally until golden, about 8 minutes. Add rice and garlic; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add lemon zest and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Turn down heat to medium-low, adjusting temperature to make sure broth maintains a bare simmer.

Cover top of pot with wet paper towel and tight-fitting lid and cook, without stirring, for 17 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.

While the rice is simmering, cook spinach. In large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high, add half the spinach and cook, stirring until wilted, then add half the pepper flakes. Stir and transfer to bowl. Repeat with remaining oil, spinach and pepper flakes.

Set aside.

When the rice is ready, add the spinach mixture, feta, olives and dill, then fluff rice with fork to separate the grains. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 259 calories, 12 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 8 mg cholesterol, 211 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 6 g protein .http://www.staradvertiser.com/2017/12/05/food/basmati-rice-perks-up-greek-pilaf/

Arsenic in infant rice cereals compared with lead exposure

BY DAN FLYNN | DECEMBER 8, 2017

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

22

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

To view a larger version of the graphic, please click on the image.

Infant rice cereals are popular with parents because they are affordable, easy to digest, and unlikely to cause allergic reactions. Infants typically begin eating cereals when they are between 4 and 6 months old.

But, rice absorbs more arsenic from soil and water than other grains used for infant cereals; about 10 times more. Consequently, the level of arsenic in infant rice cereals is an ongoing concern among researchers and some public health advocates. Some are comparing the danger from arsenic with the dangers of children’s exposure to lead.

A new report by activist health researchers credits cereal makers for limiting arsenic levels in infant rice cereals since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s most recent study, which was for 2013-14.

Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF), an alliance of scientists, nonprofits and donors, published the report. It found 85 ppb (parts per billion) of arsenic, on average in rice cereals tested in 2016-17. That’s about a 21 percent improvement over FDA’s 2013-14 average of 103 ppb.

But HBBF says arsenic in nine favorite brands of infant rice cereal is still too high in light of “growing science on arsenic’ toxicity at low levels…” Arsenic toxicity, according to the new report, causes lung, bladder and skin cancer. It also retards neurodevelopment of children exposed in utero or during the first few years of life.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

23

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

The findings include an analysis by Abt Associates, an economic and toxicology research group, that shows rice-based foods are resulting in a loss of 9.2 million IQ points among 0- to 6-yearold children. Lower IQs will decrease lifetime wages for those children when they are adults, costing the United States an estimated $12 billion to $18 billion annually, according to the report.

The FDA should have already taken high-arsenic cereals off store shelves, according to HBBF. “It hasn’t happened,” the report says. “FDA is, in a word, stalled. More than a year after issuing its 2016 draft guidance to cereal makers — the culmination of four years of assessment — FDA is falling short of protecting infants.”

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

24

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter HBBF says FDA has neither set a final limit for arsenic in rice cereal nor finalized the cap proposed in the draft guidance.

Arsenic levels in drinking water are strictly regulated, but there are no limits for infant rice cereal.

The new report is described as “parent-friendly” because it reviews 105 kinds of infant cereal showing non-rice and multi-grain cereals that contain as much as 84 percent less arsenic than leading brands of infant rice cereals. It says these alternatives are “reliable and affordable.”

Source: Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF)

While calling upon FDA to “act immediately to set an enforceable, health-based limit for arsenic in infant rice cereal and other rice-based foods, the report also called upon cereal makers to implement changes.

“We found no evidence to suggest that any brand has reduced arsenic levels in rice cereal to amounts comparable to those found in other types of cereal, despite at least five years of significant public attention to the issue that has included widespread consumer alerts and proposed federal action level,” according to the report.The study — funded by the Forsythia and Passport Foundations and The John Merck Fund — warns parents to avoid rice-only infant cereals entirely. “Non-rice and multi-grain alternatives have lower arsenic contamination, and are a healthier choice,” the nonprofit organization recommends.Additional information about arsenic is available at FDA’s main arsenic page and at Arsenic in Rice and Rice Products.

“Rice has higher levels of inorganic arsenic than other foods, in part because as rice plants grow, the plant and grain tend to absorb arsenic more readily than other food crops,” according to the FDA website.

“In April 2016, the FDA proposed an action level, or limit, of 100 parts per billion (ppb) for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal. This level, which is based on the FDA’s assessment of a large body of scientific information, seeks to reduce infant exposure to inorganic arsenic. The agency also has developed advice on rice consumption for pregnant women and the caregivers of infants,” according to the FDA website.

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.) http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2017/12/arsenic-in-infant-rice-cereals-compared-with-leadexposure/#.WipeE1WWaM8

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

25

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Rwanda to stop rice imports to boost local production

By CNBC Africa December 7, 2017

Watch Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvjcX0eQHI4 For years, Rwanda has been spending on rice imports to satisfy the growing demand for this convenience food especially in urban areas. However the country plans to stop importing rice by 2018 to help reduce the trade deficit, to achieve this particular target, access to farm inputs has been made easy for the crop growers in efforts to boost local production. https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/2017/12/07/rwanda-to-stop-rice-imports-to-boost-localproduction/

EU countries move to limit rice imports from Cambodia Cheng Sokhorng | Publication date 08 December 2017 | 08:31 ICT A farmer harvests his rice crop at a paddy in Phnom Penh’s Russey Keo district in 2015. Vireak Mai

Italy, along with six other European Union countries, has filed a fresh request to European Commission to limit the volume of rice imported from the Kingdom by activating a “safeguard clause” that allows EU member states to impose barriers to protect against trade imbalances.

The Italian government submitted an official request to the European Commission on November 20 calling for restrictions on the amount of imported rice entering the European market from Cambodia, according to a report yesterday by Euractiv news.

While the report called the request “trailblazing” and a more concerted effort compared to a similar submission to the commission in 2016, local industry insiders said that Italy’s statements usually fall on deaf ears and are an annual protectionist complaint.

Cambodian rice exports to Europe have more than doubled in the past five years, creating a trade imbalance that totalled $4.6 billion by the end of last year, according to the report.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

26

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

The Italian Ministry of Agriculture urged that its request was reasonable because the flood of Cambodian long grain rice into Europe, which registers at a third of the price of domestic rice, has led to a sharp drop in prices and overproduction.

Under the Everything But Arms (EBA) program, Cambodia does not pay any tax on its rice exports to EU member states.

Hun Lak, vice president of the Cambodian Rice Federation, said this was not the first time that Italy had tried to raise import limitations against Cambodian rice to the European Commission.

“EU member countries, especially Italy, always raise the same complaints about Cambodian imports every year, but this will not impact us because we offer types of rice that are different to anything that is grown in Europe,” he said. “We only export long grain fragrant rice to Europe, which is different than the short grains grown in Italy.”

He added that Cambodia’s long grain rice was popular among Asian consumers living in Europe.

“European delegates should be more concerned about how to maintain the quality of their rice in the long term,” he said. “We are now in a free market, so delegates should not be concerned.”

He added that he had met with a European delegate recently, but had been assured that Cambodia’s high volume of rice exports was not a highly contentious issue despite perceived concerns by the EU over the Kingdom’s political deterioration.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

27

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter “Political issues are separate and will not impact our rice industry,” he insisted.

Chan Sokheang, executive director of HCC group Co Ltd, was similarly optimistic that the political environment in Cambodia would not cause the commission to seriously consider Italy’s request.

“It is the right of the European Commission to decide to limit rice exports to the European market in light of Italy’s request and current political tensions in Europe,” he said. “Even so, a limit on our exports will not impact our rice industry, because we have a lot of deals with China.”

Long Kemvichet, spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce, said he was not worried about Italy’s recent request to limit rice exports, because the commission had never responded to such requests in the past.

“This issue has been raised several times already, but the commission never reacted positively to a request like this,” he said. “But we have other markets for export as well.

This is about an issue in the European market, it is not an issue for us.”

Contact author: Cheng Sokhorng

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/eu-countries-move-limit-rice-imports-cambodia

Kanayama rice terraces ‘an impressive feat of human ingenuity’

BY OEYSTEIN SOLLESNES

CONTRIBUTING WRITER DEC 7, 2017 113.48 The Kanayama rice terraces come alive with color each autumn just before harvest season begins in late September. | COURTESY OF ICHINOSEKI CITY

ICHINOSEKI, IWATE PREF. – Looking out the window as the bullet train crosses into northern Iwate Prefecture, the mighty Tohoku mountains stand tall behind deep forests, rice paddies and the occasional sleepy town. Long gone is the constant buzzing of cars and a view that stops on the other side of the street. If it weren’t for the train, this place must have felt the same 100 years ago as it does today.

In late September, the trees have only just begun changing their colors but the fields of gold swaying in the cool autumn winds are a sure sign that it won’t be long before the rest of the leaves also radiate autumn colors. With remnants of rice fields as far back as 2,000 years ago, Iwate is still today known for its organic agriculture and the country’s iconic terraced rice fields, tanada. In the mountains straddling the city of Ichinoseki is one unlike any other.

Kanayama Tanada, named after its owner, is more than 100 years old. Everything from planting to harvesting is done by hand, according to tradition. The blood and sweat of generations have carved out the mountainside and covered it with roughly 100 puddles of carefully planted rice plants. Still a hidden gem, it is slowly drawing more tourists from both near and afar.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

28

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

Walking up the mountain to the observation post at the top, one begins to notice the small things around: a frog jumping from the paddies; that earthy smell you only find in wet forests; deer tracks; small birds darting through green felicity. Urbanites spend so much time removed from nature that encountering it becomes almost an experience in itself.

Reaching the top, the path opens up to a clear view of the tanada, flanked on both the sides by Japanese cedar and cypress trees. The horizon is beautifully layered with dense green mountains, interrupted only by the golden terraces themselves. Ears of rice are hung up to dry, but in late September harvesting has only just begun.

Rice terraces are an impressive feat of human ingenuity. Lacking access to rivers, Kanayama Tanada utilizes an irrigation system that dates back to the late Edo Period. At the top is a pondlike reservoir giving easy access to ground water and rainwater. This water is released into waterways going down the terraces, allowing a stable flow that would otherwise be difficult to achieve in the mountains.

As modern agricultural machinery began to take over the country’s rice production in the 1960s, the cumbersome terraced landscape lost its utility as farmers adjusted to a more competitive,

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

29

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter efficiency-driven industry, and many fell into disrepair. However, terraced rice fields do more than just grow rice.

In periods of intense rainfalls, tanada helps prevent flooding and landslides by retaining rainwater and letting it seep steadily into the soil. Each terrace is a small watery garden, housing and nurturing thousands of species, including frogs, insects, snakes and, in some cases, even fish.

Now it also harbors a peek into bygone times.

Here in Ichinoseki, every person greets you with a smile and a thick accent. Not many people live here, and even fewer visit. The exception is spring and fall, when tourists come in from the big cities to experience a traditional, “rustic” Japan, one that is harder to find even in the remote Tohoku. In recent years, this trend is seen in tanada around the country, leading some to embark on a “Tanada tour,” in which visits include well-known tanada in Niigata, Ishikawa, Nagano and Nagasaki prefectures.

“I’m happy people come to visit,” says Yoshiharu Yoshida, a 64-year-old farmer busy harvesting in a neighboring field. “But it won’t matter if no one stays.”

Walking around you’d be lucky to encounter someone who stayed after graduating high school.

A regional specialty is mochi, a glutinous rice cake made from repeatedly pounding rice with a gigantic hammer. Community mochi-making events are held in winter, but some now worry how long there will be enough able men to wield the hammer. Tourists are more than welcome to try.

After all, tourists bring in revenue and vitality, and events and festivals connect generations of people to the community. Some hope that tourism will strengthen community ties, and bring jobs and opportunities back to the region, giving the young reason to stay.

In the wake of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake that devastated the prefecture’s coastal side, locals banded together to form the Kanayama Tanada Protection Association. With the city’s support for rural revitalization, the association works to preserve the tanada, along with its culture and traditions. For a small fee, anyone can step back in time and partake in planting and harvesting rice the way it’s been done for centuries.

Getting to Kanayama Tanada: Take the shinkansen from Tokyo to Ichinoseki Station, a twohour ride. From there you can take a 20-minute taxi ride (0191-23-1111) or a bus to Maikawa Post Office. Leaving the vehicle, turn right at the intersection and follow route 261 for 10 minutes until you reach a sign indicating that Kanayama Tanada is 900 meters down a small road on the right. Oeystein Sollesnes is a graduate student at Akita International University, Japan. This article is part of his course work in journalism at the Graduate School of Global Communication Practices https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2017/12/07/travel/kanayamarice-terraces-impressive-feat-human-ingenui

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

30

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Very educational harvest festival at Atisco Farm December 6, 2017, 10:00 PM

By Zac B. Sarian The visitors to the three-day Atisco Harvest Festival at the Atisco Farm in Tanauan City were amply rewarded with the doable ideas they were able to witness at the farm.One idea is the intercropping of ginger between coconut trees intended for harvesting for palm heart (ubod) when they will be three years old. The showcase dramatically demonstrates how production in a unit area in a farm can be maximized. The ginger plants are very robust and are expected to produce a high yield.

31

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter ASPIRING LADY FARMER AT THE HARVEST FEST – Mary Ann Roque, a travel agency manager who has started her own farm, was one of the early visitors at the Atisco Harvest Festival in Tanauan City on November 30 to December 2, 2017. She attended the harvest festival in the hope of getting practical ideas that she could adopt in her two-hectare farm in Altura Matanda, Tanauan City. She already has 1,000 posts of dragon fruit for a start.

She hopes to develop her farm into an agritourist destination. Photo shows her posing with a fruitful Diamante Max tomato showcased by East-West Seed at the Atisco farm.At present, ginger is a hot commodity that fetches a high price in the market. During certain times of the year, the going price could go as high as P150 per kilo or more. Aside from the ordinary ginger, there are a few plantings of langkawas which is prized for its medicinal attributes.One showcase that also attracted a lot of visitors was the showcase of grafted ampalaya by East-West Seed. The plants that are grafted on patola rootstocks have developed big vines that enable the plants to live longer than the non-grafted varieties so that they can produce higher yields. Instead of producing only 18 harvests in the case of the nongrafted ampalaya during its lifetime, the grafted varieties can produce six to 10 more harvests.

Aside from grafed ampalaya, East-West showcased its best-selling varieties like Diamante Max tomato, Django finger pepper (pangsigang), Fortuner eggplant, Mestiza ampalaya, and new watermelon varieties like Orange Delight, Yellow Delight and Red Delight. BLACK SESAME – Dante Delima, Atisco operations manager, said they have also showcased black sesame in their farm to convince people that there is a market and money to be made by growing the black sesame. Because there is no commercial supply of this crop locally, most of the local requirements are imported from other countries like Vietnam.ADLAI FROM MINDANA0 – Another new crop that was showcased at the Atisco farm was the adlai variety that is grown by Indigenous People in the mountains in Mindanao. This is a variety that yields grains for human consumption as rice substitute. The variety is ideal for growing in the unirrigated highlands because it is resistant to drought.LADY FARMERS – Many of the festival attendees were ladies who are into their own brand of farming. One of them is Mary Ann Roque, a travel agency manager who is developing a two-hectare farm in Brgy. Altura Matanda in Tanauan City. So far she has planted a thousand hills of dragon fruit. She attended the harvest festival hoping to pick up new ideas that she culd adopt in her farm. Her dream is to eventually develop an agritourism destination.SOLARPOWERED WATER PUMP – Something new was also showcased by Agri Component Corporation of Cauayan City in Isabela. This is the solar-powered water pump that can draw three cubic meters of water per hour. It is environmentfriendly beause it does not produce any pollution. The pump is a two-HP machine from Italy called Uflo.NEW PLAYER IN VEGGIES – Bayer CropScience is preparing itself for its entry into the lucrative vegetable seed business by showcasing three vegetables of its own. Next year, it will be launching in the local market its own varieties of tomato, ampalaya and upo. The company is better known in the past years as the supplier of crop protection products and rice seeds.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

32

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

KOREAN MACHINERY – Fitcorea Marketing Phils. which represents the Korea Agricultural Machinery Industry Cooperative (KAMICO), displayed in last year’s Atisco harvest festival the big Korean machinery like Branson tractors and various equipment. This year, it concentrated in showcasing the small machines like the tillers manufactured by Asia Tech. These small machines are efficient in land preparation, making planting beds, constructing drainage canals, installing plastic mulch and other functions.Overall, the Atisco harvest festival was most educational. https://newsbits.mb.com.ph/2017/12/06/very-educational-harvest-festival-at-atisco-farm/

Commodities Buzz: Pakistan Rice Exports Increase By 16 percent During July To October 2017 capital market | Mumbai | December 06, 2017 14:43 IST

Commodities Buzz: Pakistan Rice Exports Increase By 16 percent During July To October 2017 Rice export from the country during first 4 months (July-October) of current fiscal year increased by 16.87 per cent as compared to same period of last year.The rice export during the period under review rose to $457.66 million from $391.595 million during July-October 2016-17, according to latest data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

On month-on-month basis, the rice export also increased to $137.423 million in October 2017 from $96.306 million in September 2017, showing an increase of 42.69 per cent. https://www.indiainfoline.com/article/capital-market-commodity-futures-mid-sessioncommentary/commodities-buzz-pakistan-rice-exports-increase-by-16-percent-during-july-to-october2017-117120600529_1.html

CARI Sensitises Nigerian Students To Benefits Of Local Rice December 8, 2017

By Kudirat Musa

Abuja – Competitive African Rice Initiative (CARI) has started sensitising school children across the country to the benefits of locally produced rice in terms of its quality and availability.

Mr Kojo Sagoe, Policy Advisor for CARI, made this known on Thursday in Abuja at the celebration of Nigerian rice and cultural day of Asokoro Community Staff Secondary School.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

33

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

He said that the Policy Advocacy Unit of CARI just developed the initiative to convey the message on local rice to the parents through their children.

“The programme entails identifying one or two schools that would organise end-of-the-year party for students, while finding out the quantity rice they would need to feed the students and supplying it free of charge.

“CARI aims to significantly improve the livelihoods of rice farmers in selected African countries by increasing the competitiveness of domestic rice supply to meet the demand.

“It is also to announce the accessibility and availability of locally produced rice in the country, while promoting made-in-Nigeria rice, in line with the Federal Government’s policy,’’ he said.

Also speaking, Mr Micheal Ahmed, Agricultural Officer, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that Federal Government had been promoting the acceptance of locally produced rice via different strategies.

“One of the strategies put in place is the distribution of over 100 units of rice milling machines to rice farmers and millers. Besides, farm inputs like chemicals, fertilisers and seeds were also distributed as subsidised rates.

“All these were put in place to ensure we attain self-sufficiency in rice production and the Federal Government has been collaborating with different organisations to train rice millers and farmers to improve the standard of their production,’’ he said.

Earlier, Mr Seidu Ahmed, the Principal of the school, said that the cultural day of the school was also aimed at promoting the acceptability of local rice.

“We appreciate CARI for the initiative because our culture is highly represented, as some of the major indices of culture are food, dressing, greeting and music.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

34

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter “We showcase Nigerian cuisines and we selected some ethnic groups to cook rice in their local ways to enrich our cultural day,’’ he said.

Miss Bolutife Omowumi, Social Prefect of the school, said that the annual cultural day celebration was all about promoting the diverse cultures of Nigeria.

“Basically, the event is to create and foster the awareness of different cultures of the students of our school.

“The event will also enrich the people’s acceptance of local rice; Nigerian rice has very unique taste, compared to foreign rice, and it also contains basic nutrients which the body needs.

“We appreciate what the Federal Government is doing to promote local rice in schools; it is a very good initiative that will encourage more Nigerians to consume local rice, while improving oosting our economy,’’ she said. (NAN) http://sundiatapost.com/2017/12/08/cari-sensitises-nigerian-students-to-benefits-of-local-rice/

Global Organic Rice Flour Market- Rice Flour, Brown Rice Flour, Glutinous Rice Flour AuthornayanPublished onDecember 6, 2017Leave a commenton Global Organic Rice Flour Market- Rice Flour, Brown Rice Flour, Glutinous Rice Flour

The research report details the global Organic Rice Flour market in a granular feature by explaining the key aspects of the Organic Rice Flour industry that can have a moderate impact on its growth over the report’s forecast 2017 to 2022. The important drivers and limitations affecting the global Organic Rice Flour market are analyzed in detail, along with an exhaustive quantitative and qualitative classification of their projected impact on market’s future growth prospects.

The vast amount of Organic Rice Flour industry data available about a specific market makes it difficult to filter out the most important statistics and details that are relevant to the issue at hand.

Companies also often lack dedicated resources and specific competencies essential for undertaking in-depth Organic Rice Flour market research. Dedicated market research methodologies help companies in understanding the most important stakes in the Organic Rice Flour market that need proper consideration for efficient decision making.

Get Report Sample Pages here:https://www.eonmarketresearch.com/sample/7244 Key companies analyzed in the report include primarily split into, Rice Flour, Brown Rice Flour, Glutinous Rice Flour, Other

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

35

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter The Organic Rice Flour market research report, with the detailed information about all the key elements in the global Organic Rice Flour market that can impact the overall growth prospects of the market, helps in addressing these challenges with ease.

Global Organic Rice Flour Market, by Region, 2017–2022: North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India.

The report includes comprehensive data presenting an overview of the development observed in the global Organic Rice Flour market over the past few years. Key elemental data, analysis, and information presented in the Organic Rice Flour market report will provide the reader an understanding of the key trends in the market and give insights into details such as the changing consumer preference.

Browse Complete Organic Rice Flour Market Report Details with ToC Click Here: https://www.eonmarketresearch.com/global-organic-rice-flour-market-2017-7244 Analysis of recent developments in the Organic Rice Flour industry, case studies, and business profiles of some of the key companies in the Organic Rice Flour market included in the report make the report an information-rich data repository. It presents before the reader a 360-degree overview of the competitive landscape, thus helping understand the chief threats and opportunities that companies operating in this environment will be dealing with.

Along with developments of key Organic Rice Flour industry players, key market segments, and key regional segments charted through detailed historical statistics, the Organic Rice Flour industry research report also presents insightful projections about market’s future growth prospects. http://heraldofbusiness.com/2017/12/06/global-organic-rice-flour-market-rice-flour-brown-rice-flourglutinous-rice-flour/

BASF Philippines opens Rice Knowledge Center in Laguna

By Jasper Y. Arcalas December 6, 2017 Chemical firm BASF Philippines Inc. (BASF) would leverage its P5-million Rice Knowledge Center (RKC) in Laguna to boost the sales of its crop-protection products in the Philippines.Dion Banaay, BASF’s head of RKC, said the establishment of the center would allow the company to

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

36

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter source vital and pertinent information on rice production and formulate chemical solutions accordingly.

“Right now in Asia Pacific, the business of BASF in rice is very low, [it is only] around 3 percent of the market share of the whole Asia Pacific. We want to build the rice business in the region,” Banaay told the BusinessMirror on the sidelines of the inauguration of the BASF’s RKC in Bay, Laguna, on December 5. “We really have to improve our knowledge on rice. Knowing rice more [would allow] us to position our products also,” Banaay added.

Banaay said the RKC would serve as a product-launching platform for their pesticide products for rice. He added that they are currently selling two herbicide and two insectice products for rice in the local market.Through the RKC, the BASF said it would collect and manage technical information and data in regards to crop-protection solutions and bet practices for rice cultivation.

The RKC would also serve as a knowledge hub for the latest information, publications and training materials pertaining to rice cultivation to all BASF crop-protection staff across the region and around the globe, according to the company. Banaay said they are initially partnering with the Philippine Rice Research Institute and the International Rice Research Institute for the information on rice cultivation, including data on pests, planting methods and crop varieties.

BASF said the RKC would also serve as a venue for the conduct of hands-on technical trainings to develop and strengthen the technical expertise among the company’s research and development, technical support, marketing and sales teams.

Banaay added the RKC was conceptualized by BASF three years ago and expected to undergo three phases of development.

The first phase involves the establishment of the center and a digital library, which would contain information on BASF’s crop-protection solutions.The second phase, which is eyed to be completed by 2019-2020, involves the creation of farm-demonstration trials to help “rice champions” promote the company’s products. The third and final phase, which is expected to run

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

37

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter from 2021 to 2022, seeks to open the RKC to the public and share the knowledge the hub has collected and gathered for the past years to rice farmers.For next year, BASF plans to invest some â‚Ź100,000 (almost P6 million) for the development of the next phases of the RKC, according to Banaay. https://businessmirror.com.ph/basf-philippines-opens-rice-knowledge-center-inlaguna/https://businessmirror.com.ph/basf-philippines-opens-rice-knowledge-center-in-laguna/

Rice basmati looks up on buying PTI | Dec 7, 2017, 14:12 IST

New Delhi, Dec 7 () Rice basmati prices rose by Rs 100 per quintal at the wholesale grains market today on emergence of stockists buying against restricted supplies from producing belts.

However, wheat remained weak on ample stocks position.Traders said stockists buying against restricted arrivals from producing regions mainly led to rise in rice basmati prices.Some enquiries from rice mills also supported the upmove,they said.

In the national capital, rice basmati common and Pusa-1121 variety edged up by Rs 100 each to Rs 7,800-7,900 and Rs 6,300-6,400 per quintal respectively.

On the other hand, wheat dara (for mills) shed another Rs 10 to Rs 1,800-1,805 per quintal. Atta chakki delivery followed suit and traded lower by a similar margin to Rs 1,805-1,810 per 90 kg.

Following are today's quotations (in Rs per quintal): Wheat MP (desi) Rs 2,100-2,300, Wheat dara (for mills) Rs 1,800-1,805, Chakki atta (delivery) Rs 1,805-1,810, Atta Rajdhani (10 kg) Rs 260-300, Shakti Bhog (10 kg) Rs 255-290, Roller flour mill Rs 980-990 (50 kg), Maida Rs 1,020-1,030 (50 kg)and Sooji Rs 1,050-1,060 (50 kg).

Basmati rice (Lal Quila) Rs 10,700, Shri Lal Mahal Rs 11,300, Super Basmati Rice Rs 9,800, Basmati common new Rs 7,800-7,900, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs 6,300-6,400, Permal raw Rs 2,3252375, Permal wand Rs 2,375-2,425, Sela Rs 2,700-2,900 and Rice IR-8 Rs 1,950-2,000, Bajra Rs

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

38

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter 1,215-1,220, Jowar yellow Rs 1,375-1,425, white Rs 2,750-2,850, Maize Rs 1,300- 1,305, Barley Rs 1,480-1,490. SUN KPS ADI MKJ https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/rice-basmati-looks-up-onbuying/articleshow/61961101.cms

Starch, Rice, and Sugar – New Procurement Research Reports Now Available From SpendEdge

39 Starch, Rice, and Sugar – New Procurement Research Reports (Graphic: Business Wire)

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

December 06, 2017 04:15 PM Eastern Standard Time

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SpendEdge, a global procurement intelligence advisory firm, has launched three procurement research report on the agro commodities and raw materials category. To help clients understand the current supply landscape of the agro commodities and raw materials sector, analysts have covered reports such as ‘Starch Procurement Research Report’, ‘Rice Procurement Research Report’, and ‘Sugar Procurement Research Report’.

Growth of the starch market can be attributed to the rise in demand for native and modified starch Tweet this

Global Starch Category - Procurement Market Intelligence Report: The growth of the starch market can be attributed to the rise in demand for native and modified starch from end-user industries. The end-user segments include food processing, mining, textiles, construction, and packaging. To tackle the increasing demand for starch, the suppliers are making considerable investments to set up new plants and expand existing ones through joint ventures to increase their production capacity. Also, the high demand for cornstarch from various industrial segments is expected to drive the growth of this market.

Looking for more insights from this report? Request a free sample report Starch – Procurement Challenges:  

The fluctuations in raw material prices.

The challenges that arise due to the degradation of modified starch.

To overcome the above-mentioned procurement challenges, the buyers in the starch market should incorporate a contract clause wherein suppliers have to run multiple tests to evaluate the compatibility of the modified starch with the food product. They should also identify suppliers that posses the required market knowledge on price fluctuations of raw materials, as this can help them in estimating the procurement budgets accurately.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

40

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter This report is available at a discount for a limited time only: View the report snapshot before purchasing Global Rice Category - Procurement Market Intelligence Report: The growth of the rice market can be attributed to the growing demand for rice bran, RHA, and by-products of rice from end-use segments. There is a higher demand for nutritious varieties of rice, such as brown rice, from the rice consumers primarily from key rice consuming countries in APAC. Moreover, the rise in demand for RHA as a replacement of cement and its growing preference as a cost-effective source of silica is estimated to influence the demand for rice during the forecast period.

Looking for more insights from this report? Request a free sample report Rice – Procurement Challenges:  

The difficulty in evaluating suppliers' adherence to regulatory norms.

Hefty penalties and fines due to non-compliance.

To overcome the above-mentioned procurement challenges, the buyers in the rice market space should implement quality test measures which would help them to ensure the consistency in product quality. They should also ensure that the suppliers adhere to regulatory norms as inconsistency in product quality could result in hefty fines and loss of brand reputation.

Moreover, the buyers prefer to partner with rice suppliers that directly engage with growers, thereby avoiding any intermediaries.

This report is available at a discount for a limited time only: View the report snapshot before purchasing Global Sugar Category - Procurement Market Intelligence Report: The growth of the sugar market can be attributed to the rapid growth in global population. The various end-use segments that utilize sugar include retail, food and snack manufacturers, pharmaceutical, confectionery, baked goods, soft drinks, canning, and preserved fruits. The rapid growth in population is expected to increase sugar consumption in developing countries. Also, the changes in the dietary structure among consumers have led to high-energy-density diet with a more significant role for fat and added sugars in food.

Looking for more insights from this report? Request a free sample report

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

41

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Sugar – Procurement Challenges:  

The high logistics costs for procurement of sugar.

The challenges related to longship line-ups and congestion on the roads.

To overcome the above-mentioned procurement challenges, the buyers in the sugar market should identify and engage with suppliers that help them plan and control the design and development of products where applicable, including inputs, outputs, review, verification, and validation. They should also implement certain processes to monitor and choose suppliers based on their ability to provide written specifications of sugar supplied including its type and properties.

This report is available at a discount for a limited time only: View the report snapshot before purchasing To view our complete portfolio of agro commodities and raw materials procurement research reports, visit: https://www.spendedge.com/store/industries/agro-commodities-and-rawmaterials About SpendEdge SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are a preferred procurement intelligence partner for Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence that helps sourcing and procurement professionals make informed decisions. These innovative procurement solutions help enterprises transform structural capabilities, improve execution efficiency, and fast-track time to savings.

Contacts SpendEdge Shilpa Balakrishnan US: +1 (844) 746-0600 hello@spendedge.com http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171206005672/en/Starch-Rice-Sugar-–-New-ProcurementResearch

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

42

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter ASIA RICE-INDIA PRICES RISE AS DEMAND FROM BANGLADESH OFFSETS HIGH SUPPLY 12/7/2017

By Koustav Samanta BENGALURU, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Rice prices in India climbedthis week as strong demand from neighbouring Bangladeshcounteracted fresh supplies from a new season crop in the world's top exporter.India's 5 percent broken parboiled rice prices<RI-INBKN5-P1> rose by $4 per tonne to $406-$409.

"Bangladeshi demand has improved sentiment. That is nullifying the impact of higher supplies from the new crop," anexporter based in Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh said. Bangladesh, which has emerged as a major importer this yearafter floods hit its crops, will import 150,000 tonnes of ricefrom India in a state deal priced at $440 a tonne, two foodministry officials said on Wednesday.

India's state-run National Agricultural CooperativeMarketing Federation (NAFED) will supply the rice within 60 daysafter signing the deal, which will take place soon, theofficials said.

Bangladesh has tried to secure supplies through India's state-run trading houses, which have floated tenders in thelocal market for procurement, the Kakinada-based exporter said.The country had already sealed a deal with another stateagency in India, PEC, to import 100,000 tonnes at $455 a tonne. Meanwhile, Thailand's benchmark 5 percent broken rice was quoted at $401-405 a tonne, free-on-board (FOB) Bangkok, up from$395-$400 last week.

Demand remained relatively quiet in the world's second-biggest rice exporter as supply remains more or lessconstant despite some losses due to floods, traders said."I don't think prices of rice will rise any moresubstantially before the end of the year. Next year, however, we might see some government intervention," said a Bangkok-basedtrader.

The Ministry of Commerce has a target to export 11 milliontonnes by the end of the year, and traders are optimistic thetarget could be reached within a plus-minus five percent range.Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives andother agencies will hold the Thai Rice Festival 2017 in Bangkokfrom Dec. 15-20. Traders expect this to have a positive effect on demand.In Vietnam, the rice market continued to be quiet even asstocks remained low.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

43

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter The country's 5 percent broken rice <RI-VNBKN5-P1> traded at $395 a tonne, free-onboard (FOB) Saigon, mostly unchanged fromlast week's $395-$398 range."We sold (5 percent broken rice) at $395 a tonne in a newprivate contract," a trader in Ho Chi Minh city said, but did not specify the buyer.

Traders were unsure when there would be new government-to-government deals, but the delivery of previousstate contracts brought Vietnam's rice shipments closer to the target of 5.6 million tonnes in 2017.(Reporting by Mi Nguyen in Hanoi, Suphanida Thakral in Bangkok,Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai and Ruma Paul in Dhaka, editing by David Evans) https://www.agriculture.com/markets/newswire/asia-rice-india-prices-rise-as-demand-from-bangladeshoffsets-high-supply

Bulog: Rice Stock Adequate Up to April 2018 Thursday, 07 December 2017 | 23:39 WIB

44

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter JAKARTA, NNC â&#x20AC;&#x201C; People are asked not to worry about basic needs such as rice due to the Ministry of Agriculture warranty if the stock is enough until the end of this year.Logistics Agency (Bulog) data said if the current rice stock reaches more than 1 million tons.

"In the present meeting, God willing itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s alright, rice stock is quite big until today about 1.1 million tons of rice," explained Director of Human Resources and General Bulog, Febriyanto, at the Ministry of Agriculture on Thursday (7/12/2017).

According to Febriyanto, the stock can meet the needs of 4 months ahead or until April 2018.Meanwhile, for the procurement of rice at the end of the year still runs between 1,500-2,000 tons. Procurement of this rice will increase in January 2018 later due to enter the harvest period.

"God willing, January increase because there are more harvest, because some areas have more harvest," explained Febriyanto.

In addition, Bulog secures the supply of meat for Christmas to New Year's. One of them by preparing stock of frozen buffalo meat"Then the stock of buffalo meat is 18,000 tons.Japan Insya Allah will get additional import permit through Rakortas 31.000 tons if talking of availability or meat stock even Eid al-Fitr is not Christmas and new year," said Febri. http://www.en.netralnews.com/news/business/read/15982/bulog.rice.stock.adequate.up.to.april.2018

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- December 8, 2017 (Dec 08, 2017 14:10)

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- December 8, 2017

45

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices - APMC/Open Market-December 8 Nagpur, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Gram prices shot up in Nagpur Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) on increased demand from local millers amid weak supply from producing regions. Healthy rise in Madhya Pradesh gram prices, upward trend on NCDEX and repeated demand from South-based millers also helped to push up prices. About 250 bags of gram reported for auctions in Nagpur APMC, according to sources.

FOODGRAINS & PULSES GRAM * Gram varieties ruled steady in open market here but demand was poor.

46

TUAR * Tuar gavarani reported down in open market on poor demand from local traders.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter * Batri dal firmed up in open market here on increased seasonal demand from local traders amid weak arrival from producing regions. * In Akola, Tuar New - 4,000-4,150, Tuar dal (clean) - 5,700-5,800, Udid Mogar (clean) - 8,200-9,000, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,000-7,300, Gram - 4,525-4,675, Gram Super best - 7,300-7,500 * Wheat, other varieties of rice and other foodgrain items moved in a narrow range in scattered deals and settled at last levels in weak trading activity.

Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close Gram Auction 4,174-4,325 3,900-4,200 Gram Pink Auction n.a.

2,100-2,600 Tuar Auction 47

n.a.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter 3,400-3,880 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 1,600-1,690 1,600-1,698 Gram Super Best Bold 7,000-7,500 7,000-7,500 Gram Super Best n.a.

48

n.a.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Gram Medium Best 6,000-6,400 6,000-6,400 Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a Gram Mill Quality 4,550-4,600 4,550-4,600 Desi gram Raw 4,600-4,900 4,600-4,900 Gram Kabuli 12,400-13,000 12,400-13,000 Tuar Fataka Best-New 6,200-6,400 6,200-6,400 49

Tuar Fataka Medium-New

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter 5,900-6,100 5,900-6,100 Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 5,400-5,600 5,400-5,600 Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 5,100-5,300 5,100-5,300 Tuar Gavarani New 4,100-4,200 4,100-4,200 Tuar Karnataka 4,650-4,900 4,650-4,900 Masoor dal best 5,000-5,400 5,000-5,400 Masoor dal medium 50

4,700-4,900

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter 4,600-4,800 Masoor n.a. n.a.

Moong Mogar bold (New) 7,200-7,600 7,200-7,600 Moong Mogar Medium 6,600-6,900 6,600-6,900 Moong dal Chilka 5,600-6,500 5,600-6,500 Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.

Moong Chamki best 7,500-8,000 51

7,500-8,000

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 8,500-9,500 8,500-9,500 Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 6,000-7,500 6,000-7,500 Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 5,600-6,800 5,600-6,800 Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 5,300-5,500 5,200-5,500 Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 2,850-2,950 2,850-2,950 Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,200 2,900-3,000 Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 52

3,400-3,800

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter 3,400-3,800 Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,000 1,900-2,000 Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 1,750-1,850 1,750-1,850 Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,300 2,100-2,300 Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,400 2,200-2,400 Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,100 1,900-2,100 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.

53

MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG)

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter 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) 2,200-2,400 2,200-2,400 Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600 Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 54

2,300-2,400

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter 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) 4,900-5,200 4,900-5,200 Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 4,500-4,700 4,500-4,700 Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 10,200-14,000 10,200-14,000 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,200-7,500 55

5,300-7,500

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000 Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 5,200-5,500 5,200-5,500 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. 30.5 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 16.0 degree Celsius Rainfall : Nil FORECAST: Mainly clear sky. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 31 and 16 degree Celsius respectively. Note: n.a.--not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices) https://in.investing.com/news/commodities-news/nagpur-foodgrain-prices-open-december-8-2017873079

Infant Rice Cereal Has Worrying Levels of Arsenic, New Study Shows Cereals made from other grains may be a safer choice for babies

By Jesse Hirsch

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

56

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter December 07, 2017 Infant rice cereal contains an average of six times the level of arsenic as other grain cereals on the market, according to a new study conducted by Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF), a national alliance of scientists and child health advocacy organizations.

The findings affirm the results of Consumer Reports’ own testing in 2012 and 2014, which revealed high levels of arsenic in rice and rice products, including infant rice cereals.

“For years, rice cereal has been recommended as a baby’s first food,” says Jane Houlihan, research director at HBBF. “But until arsenic levels are significantly reduced across the board, we do not think it’s a safe choice.”

“Even exposure to low levels of 'inorganic' arsenic—the most toxic type of arsenic—in infant rice cereal can have a damaging effect on a baby’s developing IQ and neurodevelopmental system,” adds James Rogers, Ph.D., director of food safety and research at Consumer Reports.

Arsenic has also been proven to increase one’s risk of developing bladder, lung, and skin cancers, as well as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

To conduct the study, HBBF purchased 105 infant cereal samples (45 products) from nine brands at different retailers across the country. In addition to rice and brown rice cereals, the samples included cereals made from 11 other grains such as corn, oatmeal, and wheat, and multigrain cereals, some of which contained rice. On average, the non-rice and multigrain cereals had 84 percent less arsenic than the cereals made with just rice.

“Rice plants absorb more arsenic than others in part because they’re grown in water-flooded conditions,” says Rogers. “This means that the plants take up arsenic that would otherwise be stuck in the soil.”

How Much Arsenic Is in Baby Rice Cereal?

Averaging all the samples together in the HBBF report, the rice cereals contained 85 parts per billion (ppb) of arsenic, but there were several rice cereal samples that had 90 ppb or higher; 90

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

57

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter ppb is the maximum allowable level of arsenic Consumer Reports recommends an infant rice cereal should have.

"No amount of arsenic can be considered completely safe," says Rogers. "But there are levels below which risks are fairly low.”

Of the 45 individual containers of infant rice cereal the group tested—which included products from Beechnut, BioKinetics, Earth’s Best, Gerber, HappyBABY, and Healthy Time—one third contained levels of 90 ppb or higher. BioKinetics’ Brown Rice Sprouted Baby Cereal contained the most arsenic in the testing, with samples ranging from 128 ppb to 235 ppb.

MORE ABOUT ARSENIC How Much Arsenic Is in Your Rice?

FDA Proposes Limit on Arsenic in Infant Rice Cereal Arsenic in Your Food BioKinetics president Robert DenHoed said he was surprised by HBBF's results.

“We test samples ourselves and send some to an offsite lab in Toronto, and our readings are typically less than 10 ppb,” DenHoed said, adding that his company does not intend to make any changes.

Consumer Reports’ 2012 and 2014 tests of rice and rice products reported alarmingly high levels of arsenic—and also found this toxic heavy metal in both apple and grape juice. At that time, CR recommended limiting the consumption of these foods, including no more than a quarter cup of infant rice cereal per day, and asked the FDA to set tough arsenic limits for manufacturers to meet. While the amount of arsenic in rice cereals in the HBBF study is, on average, below what CR’s previous testing found, it is still concerning, says CR’s Rogers.

Guidelines on Arsenic in Rice Are Needed The only FDA restrictions regarding arsenic are on bottled water, with a limit of 10 ppb, the same as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limit on drinking water. The agency issued

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

58

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter draft guidance to manufacturers in 2013 and 2016 proposing a limit of 10 ppb for apple juice and 100 ppb for infant rice cereal, respectively. The next step would be finalizing these “best practice” arsenic guidelines for juice and cereal manufacturers.

The FDA still hasn’t issued final guidance. When asked about the delay, FDA spokesman Peter Cassell said in an email to Consumer Reports: “FDA testing of infant rice cereals in the marketplace—including as recently as this summer—has found most of the products to be below the agency’s proposed action level. In these samples, the agency has observed a decline in the overall levels of inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal since the proposed limit was issued. The FDA continues to advise consumers to feed infants and toddlers a variety of fortified infant cereals, rather than relying solely on infant rice cereal.”

But even if these guidances were finalized, manufacturers would not be required to follow them, says Jean Halloran, director of food policy initiatives at Consumers Union, the policy and mobilization division of Consumer Reports.

U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) wants the FDA to go even further: She's asking for mandatory limits on the amount of inorganic arsenic contained in rice and rice-based foods. DeLauro announced Thursday that she has reintroduced a bill to do just that, known as R.I.C.E (Reducing food-based Inorganic Compounds Exposure) Act. “The federal government has long known about the dangers of arsenic in our food supply,” said DeLauro in a written statement to Consumer Reports. “Yet high levels of inorganic arsenic—a known carcinogen—are still present in rice, rice-based cereal, and other foods many adults, children, and infants eat every day. ... That is why Congress must take up the R.I.C.E. Act to protect all Americans health and well-being.”

Consumers Union has endorsed the R.I.C.E. Act as an important step forward for public health, and is urging all members of Congress to support it.

59

CR’s Halloran says that while passing the R.I.C.E. legislation would be the best ultimate outcome, the FDA can act right away to finalize its draft guidance.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter “It is essential that manufacturers have a clear standard for how much arsenic is permissible in infant rice cereal—a food widely consumed by one of our most vulnerable populations," she says. "There is no excuse for delay—FDA should finalize its proposed guidance of 100 ppb for infant rice cereal immediately."

Although not as low as the majority of nonrice and multigrain cereals, some of the containers of different rice cereal products in the HBBF study did have arsenic levels below 90 ppb.

“This shows that it is possible to reduce the arsenic content of rice cereals,” says Halloran.

In response to the HBBF study, the major rice trade association, USA Rice Federation, said in a statement to Consumer Reports: “The U.S. rice industry is dedicated to understanding and addressing the issue of arsenic in rice, and are pleased to be able to say that according to the WHO and UN-FAO, the levels in U.S. rice are the lowest in the world.”

What Parents Can Do Now Because of the potential risks to babies of eating rice cereal with high levels of arsenic, HBBF is encouraging parents to stop feeding their children rice cereal altogether. Instead, the group suggests parents stick with iron-fortified grain cereals such as barley, oat, and multigrain—which share rice cereal’s nutritional benefits without the arsenic risk.Consumer Reports’ guidance does not yet rule out all rice cereal in a baby’s diet: Our experts suggested that parents feed babies no more than a quarter cup of rice cereal daily. In light of this new research, however, CR’s Rogers says: “Consumer Reports will review the HBBF data and recommendations in conjunction with our own ongoing research.”

In the meantime, Consumer Reports recommends varying the types of cereal parents feed their babies, in addition to limiting the quantity of rice cereal.“While parents often give babies rice cereal as their first food, other infant cereals, such as oatmeal and barley-based cereal, offer similar nutritional benefits,” says Rogers.Additional guidance for adults on how much rice is safe to eat can be found in this Consumer Reports article from 2014.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

60

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Should You Be Worried About the Arsenic in Your Baby Food?

By RONI CARYN RABINDEC. 7, 2017

Rice cereal is often a babyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first solid food, but it contains relatively high amounts of arsenic, a source of growing concern. Now an advocacy group reports that while the levels of this potentially toxic substance in infant rice cereals have dropped slightly in recent years, rice cereals still contain six times more inorganic arsenic, on average, than infant cereals made with other grains like barley or oatmeal.

The new report comes from Healthy Babies Bright Futures, an alliance of scientists, nonprofit groups and private donors that aims to reduce childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exposures to chemicals that may harm

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

61

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter developing brains. One step parents can take immediately to reduce children’s exposure to arsenic is to feed infants cereals made with other grains, the group suggests.

“Parents have a lot of easy ways to reduce their babies’ exposure now because there are so many new cereal options on the market, many are fortified with iron that babies need, and many are just as affordable as rice cereal,” said Jane Houlihan, research director for Healthy Babies Bright Futures. The group also notes that many snacks contain rice.

Arsenic is ubiquitous in the environment and found in many foods, but rice plants are particularly efficient at drawing it in from the surrounding soil and water, experts say. High levels have been tied to cancers of the skin, liver, bladder and lungs. Newer research has linked long-term low-level exposures to cognitive and behavioral problems in children, though most babies currently eating rice cereals and rice foods do not show adverse effects.

“Infants are especially vulnerable because their bodies are so small, and on a per-pound basis, they’re getting much higher exposure than anyone else in the population,” Ms. Houlihan said.

“They’re also vulnerable because it is a neurotoxic compound, and their brain is developing.”

For years, pediatricians have encouraged parents to introduce babies to a wide variety of grains in order to minimize exposure to arsenic. The Food and Drug Administration has proposed limits for the amount of inorganic arsenic allowed in infant baby cereals, but the agency has yet to finalize regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency limits inorganic arsenic in public drinking water, and the federal government also sets maximum permissible levels for eggs and some chicken, turkey and pork products.

The Healthy Babies Bright Futures alliance commissioned Brooks Applied Labs in Bothell, Wash., to test more than 100 samples of infant cereals, including 45 unique products made by nine different companies. The alliance’s report has not been published in a journal and has not been peer-reviewed, but is posted on its website.

The report found that over all, oatmeal, barley, buckwheat, organic quinoa, wheat and rice-free multigrain baby cereals contained much lower amounts of inorganic arsenic than rice cereals. In the six barley and buckwheat cereals tested, inorganic arsenic was present in such small amounts that it was either undetectable or the level had to be estimated, the report said. Some of the highest levels of inorganic arsenic were found in products made with brown rice, which tends to absorb more inorganic arsenic from the environment, experts say, though many nutritionists recommend adults choose brown rice over white because it is higher in fiber.

The new report notes that cereal makers have made progress at reducing inorganic arsenic in baby food products in recent years. The average level of arsenic in the rice cereals tested recently was 85 parts per billion, down from an average level of 103 parts per billion found by the F.D.A. when it tested baby cereals in 2013 and 2014, according to the new report.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

62

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Several manufacturers said they have taken steps to find sources of rice that are low in arsenic, and some companies said they had discontinued items that did not adhere to the F.D.A.’s proposed safety standards.Infant rice cereal accounts for 55 percent of a baby’s total dietary exposure to arsenic, one study found. But some experts caution the less, the better.

“It’s just like lead: we don’t think there is a safe level,” said Margaret R. Karagas, an epidemiologist at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth who has studied arsenic. “It’s not an essential nutrient like zinc and selenium, which you need but can be toxic if you take too much — there’s no known benefit to arsenic exposure.”“While waiting for the F.D.A. to set standards for arsenic,” which may take a while, “it makes sense not to eat too much of it, meaning not much, not often,” said Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition and food studies at New York University and book author. “What this comes down to, I think, is the most fundamental principle of good nutrition: eat a variety of foods, not too much of any one thing.”

To reduce your family’s exposure to arsenic, the report suggests choosing a variety of grains including those low in arsenic. If a family member has celiac disease and must avoid gluten, read the ingredient labels carefully — rice flour is a common ingredient in gluten-free foods.

Cooking rice in excess water — using six to 10 parts water to one part rice — and draining the excess water off before consuming rice can reduce 40 to 60 percent of the inorganic arsenic content, according to F.D.A. research.Be aware that many snacks and snack sweeteners, such as brown rice syrup, also contain rice. Adults who eat brown rice for its high fiber content might consider other high-fiber grains like barley and oatmeal. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/07/well/eat/should-you-be-worried-about-the-arsenic-in-your-babyfood.html

BASF Philippines opens Rice Knowledge Center in Laguna 07.12.2017

| UkrAgroConsult Chemical firm BASF Philippines Inc. (BASF) would leverage its P5-million Rice Knowledge Center (RKC) in Laguna to boost the sales of its crop-protection products in the Philippines.

Dion Banaay, BASF’s head of RKC, said the establishment of the center would allow the company to source vital and pertinent information on rice production and formulate chemical solutions accordingly.

“Right now in Asia Pacific, the business of BASF in rice is very low, [it is only] around 3

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

63

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter percent of the market share of the whole Asia Pacific. We want to build the rice business in the region,” anaay told the BusinessMirror on the sidelines of the inauguration of the BASF’s RKC in Bay, Laguna, on December 5.“We really have to improve our knowledge on rice. Knowing rice more [would allow] us to position our products also,” Banaay added.Banaay said the RKC would serve as a product-launching platform for their pesticide products for rice. He added that they are currently selling two herbicide and two insectice products for rice in the local market.

Through the RKC, the BASF said it would collect and manage technical information and data in regards to crop-protection solutions and bet practices for rice cultivation.The RKC would also serve as a knowledge hub for the latest information, publications and training materials pertaining to rice cultivation to all BASF crop-protection staff across the region and around the globe, according to the company.Banaay said they are initially partnering with the Philippine Rice Research Institute and the International Rice Research Institute for the information on rice cultivation, including data on pests, planting methods and crop varieties.

BASF said the RKC would also serve as a venue for the conduct of hands-on technical trainings to develop and strengthen the technical expertise among the company’s research and development, technical support, marketing and sales teams.Banaay added the RKC was conceptualized by BASF three years ago and expected to undergo three phases of development.The first phase involves the establishment of the center and a digital library, which would contain information on BASF’s crop-protection solutions.

The second phase, which is eyed to be completed by 2019-2020, involves the creation of farmdemonstration trials to help “rice champions” promote the company’s products. The third and final phase, which is expected to run from 2021 to 2022, seeks to open the RKC to the public and share the knowledge the hub has collected and gathered for the past years to rice farmers.For next year, BASF plans to invest some €100,000 (almost P6 million) for the development of the next phases of the RKC, according to Banaay. http://www.blackseagrain.net/novosti/basf-philippines-opens-rice-knowledge-center-in-laguna

Innovation makes poor land green 2017-12-08 09:06China DailyEditor: Wang Zihao 'Father of hybrid rice' grows crops in barren saline-alkaline areas A new technological breakthrough proposed by China's "father of hybrid rice" Yuan Longping has increased rice yields by nearly 20 percent on land considered too saline and alkaline to be useful for crops.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

64

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

The techniques are expected to be used domestically and abroad, officials said on Thursday.The aim is to improv started building four demonstration centers, in the north and south of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, in Daqing in Heilongjiang province and in Qingdao, each with over 66 hectares of experimental paddies. They would be used to determine the best ways to cultivate saline-alkali land, increase yields and reduce planting costs.

In September, the Qingdao demonstration center harvested four types saline-alkali resistant rice, with the highest yield reaching 9.3 metric tons per hectare, much higher than expected."One of the key steps to make it commercially viable is to cultivate highly resistant rice adapted to the environments of different saline-alkaline wastelands," Zhang said.Zhang said the research center is likely to build five to 10 more demonstration bases over the next two to three years across China to develop the best way to promote the technology."The Qingdao R&D center also plans to use the new technology in countries of Southeast Asia and the Middle East," said Zhang, who added he could not provide details because negotiations are underway.

Yuan's new breakthrough, called the Four-Dimensional Optimizing Method, is designed to tailor-make different solutions for different soils, according to the 87-year-old scientist."One of difficulties is to get rid of salinity in the soil," Yuan said at the second session of International Saline-Alkali Tolerant Rice Forum in Qingdao on Thursday.

The forum attracted more than 300 experts, scholars and entrepreneurs from home and abroad to discuss saline-alkali tolerant rice.Yuan said the only two solutions for boosting productivity are increasing the yield and expanding the planting area."Now it seems the latter is a more effective way because there are hundreds of millions of hectares of saline-alkali land in the world," he said."China alone has about 100 million hectares of saline-alkali soil, and that area is still increasing year by year. Rice is the first choice of crop for improving the soil," Yuan said.

He said he hopes global crop security issues can be effectively dealt with through further development of salinealkali tolerant rice."Rice itself has the biological function of reducing salt and is the preferred food crop for improving saline-alkali soil," said Ai Jichang, a government relations officer with the World Food Programme China Office.

"At present, more than half of the world's population lives on rice as a staple food. The comprehensive improvement technology for saline-alkali soil proposed by Yuan Longping's team is of great strategic significance for promoting integrated research and the commercial extension of rice improvement in saline-alkali soil, ensuring national food security," Ai said. https://www.ecns.cn/2017/12-08/283649.shtml

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

65

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter CRI, Chinese centre sign agreement on rice research REBECCA QUAICOE DUHO 08 DECEMBER 2017

Prof. Yuan Longping (middle) with Dr Stella Ennin (3rd left) and some of the women entrepreneurs of the First Lady's entourage

The Crops Research Institute (CRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has signed an agreement with the Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Centre (HHRRC) of China to undertake research into rice to improve the quality and increase the yield of local rice.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

66

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Under the agreement, the HHRRC will provide technical support for the CRI to grow high-yielding hybrid rice.

Currently, Ghana imports over $600 million worth of rice annually. The expectation is that the cultivation of hybrid rice will boost the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production, as well as the quality of local rice.

The HHRRC is a specialised institution for hybrid rice research and technology transfer in China.

The centre engages in applied and academic research activities on the development and application of rice hybrids with stronger heterosis, multiple resistances and improved grain and seed quality.

The Director of the CRI, Dr Stella Ennin, signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on behalf of the institute when the First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, visited China with women entrepreneurs to look for investment opportunities.

The Director, International Division, China National Hybrid R&D Centre (HHRRC), Dr Cao Nengliang, signed on behalf of the centre.

During the trip, the women entrepreneurs, who included contractors, hoteliers and other business owners, met with investors in their areas of business.

MoU In an interview, Dr Ennin said the MoU, which was an Agriculture Cooperation Project, would enable scientists from Ghana to under-study their counterparts at the HHRRC to acquire the technology.

That, she said, would help the country increase its rice yield, as well as improve on its quality.

She explained that rice was a self-pollinated crop and, therefore, did not produce high-yielding seedlings.

However, she explained, a Chinese scientist, Professor Yuan Longping, considered the father of hybrid rice, found a male sterility of rice which he used as an initial breeding material of male sterile lines to produce hybrid rice.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

67

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter She said although scientists in Ghana had developed varieties of rice, they had not been able to develop hybrid rice, saying the agreement with the HHRRC would be a big boost for the country’s rice production.

Dr Ennin, who was full of joy to meet the ‘Father of Hybrid Rice’ at the HHRRC when the First Lady and her entourage toured the facility, said the meeting was an opportunity which her institute had always been looking forward to and expressed gratitude for the opportunity.

Hybrid rice Prof. Longping is the Director-General of the HHRRC and he initiated hybrid rice research in China in 1964. He was awarded China’s first special class National Invention Prize in 1981.

The HHRRC has been involved in China’s South-South Cooperation (SSC) programme, particularly with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Writer's email-rebecca.quaicoe-duho@graphic.com.gh

Azerbaijan, Pakistan keen to expand agricultural cooperation Date 12/8/2017 5:22:13 AM

(MENAFN - AzerNews) By Sara Israfilbayova Baku hosted the first meeting of Azerbaijan-Pakistan Joint Working Group on agricultural cooperation on December 7.

Pakistani Minister for National Food Security and ResearchSikandar Hayat Khan Bosanand Azerbaijani Minister of Agriculture Heydar Asadov discussed the level of political relations between the two countries.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

68

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

Speaking of this, Asadov stressed that the political relations between the two sides are at the high level, adding that these relations are manifested in all spheres.Further, the minister noted that Azerbaijan, which is keen to diversifyits economy on the basis of further development of the non-oil sector, defines agriculture as one the main directions.The minister went on to say that the total value of agricultural products imported from Pakistan to Azerbaijan amounted to $3 million in 2016, while export from Azerbaijan to Pakistan amounted to $10,000, adding that it is necessary to strengthen the legal framework for improving the relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan in the agrarian sphere.

'The working group should investigate the structure of imports and exports and compare prices.

At present Pakistan annually imports agricultural products worth $7 billion, some of them, such as grapes, apples, and etc., can be imported from Azerbaijan at cheaper prices. The group should in a short time give concrete proposals for expansion of trade, the minister stated.Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan, in turn, said he is ready to provide the necessary support for cooperation.He also noted that Pakistani farmers are interested in tractors 'Belarus produced in Azerbaijan.Further, the Pakistani Minister mentioned that Pakistan is the 4th largest cotton producer in the world, adding the countries have the opportunity to exchange experience and cooperate in the production of cottonseed oil.

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

69

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter At the first meeting of the Joint Working Group, other issues of mutual interest in agriculture were discussed and a final protocol on cooperation in this sphere was signed.Moreover, he said that Pakistan is an exporter of rice. The country produces about 7 million tons of rice a year, of which 4 million are exported, according to him.In conclusion, Bosan proposed to hold an exhibition of Pakistani products in Azerbaijan, starting from May next year.The Islamic Republic of Pakistan was one of the first countries that recognized the independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan on December 12, 1991. The diplomatic relations between two countries were established on June 9, 1992.

The military cooperation takes a special place in Azerbaijan-Pakistan relations. Pakistan backed Azerbaijan during and after the Nagorno-Karabakh War and it is the only country that does not recognize Armenia.Pakistan also adopted a resolution strongly condemning the genocide

against the civilian population of Khojaly, which was committed by Armenian armed forces. http://menafn.com/1096206052/Azerbaijan-Pakistan-keen-to-expand-agricultural-cooperation

International rice clients are more interested to procure sustainable rice from Pakistan By press release December 7, 2017

SHEIKHUPURA: An Official from Van Sillevoldt Rijst (VSR) Netherland, VSR Director Henk Verschoor visited the Rice Partners Pvt Ltd (RPL) plant in Muridke, Pakistan. He had interaction with RPL staff talking to the management he said; he was really impressed to see the RPL sustainable rice production program.

Henk also visited farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s field and interacted with them, talking to the farmers he said Super Basmati Rice is very important to EU. He explained farmers are very important, if they buy rice from farmers then their people will be able to work and earn their livings. He bowed down to the farmers by paying his gratitude. He also said that farmers should adopt good agricultural

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

70

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter practices. He also added that all millers should keep interaction with farmers and listen to them as they are an integral part of their business.

He also said he is happy that RPL maintained a very close relationship with the farmers and give them technical guidance, inputs to grow good rice crop. Talking to the farmers and RPL management, VSR official said, now the world and EU will focus on sustainable sourcing of rice from like Pakistan, which is already providing sustainable rice in the global market, he emphasised other rice mills to follow the RPL program to grow sustainable rice.

During the RPL plant visit, he was briefed about the traceability and storages protocols. The VSR official further advised that buyers should interact with farmers to get to know their problems and issues, he is very happy to interact and meet the Pakistani farmers. He said that

sustainable rice production is the future of the industry, so every exporter, importer, rice mill, the farmer should follow and promote sustainable rice production. Henk added, farmers are the main asset of every miller, the world needs the farmers and farmers should be encouraged.

71 http://international-rice-clients-are-more-interested-to-procure-sustainable-rice-from-pakistan/

www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874