September 24 ,2018 Vol 9 ,Issue 9
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Minister Eatala Rajender's prod to keep tainted rice millers Minister-Eatala-Rajenders-prod-to-keep-tainted-rice-millers-at-bay/413667at bay THE HANS INDIA | Sep 23,2018 , 04:09 AM IST Minister Eatala Rajender's prod to keep tainted rice millers at bay Hyderabad: Caretaker Finance and Civil Supplies Minister Eatala Rajender on Saturday directed the officials concerned not to supply procured farm produce to rice millers, who were facing cases of irregularities. The caretaker Minister held a review meeting on the preparedness of Kharif procurement of farm produce with the Joint Collectors and other officials, including Civil Supplies Commissioner Akun Sabharwal and others here.
http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Telangana/2018-09-23/Minister-Eatala-Rajendersprod-to-keep-tainted-rice-millers-at-bay/413667
Rice with nutritious kernels for midday meal in Kakinada THE HANS INDIA | Sep 24,2018 , 12:34 AM IST
East Godavari Joint Collector A Mallikarjuna reviewing the paddy and rice procurement in the present khariff season at East Godavari Collectorate in Kakinada on Saturday evening
Kakinada: East Godavari Joint Collector A Mallikarjuna has said that efforts are being made to supply rice mixed with fortified nutritious kernels to welfare hostels and for mid day meal for schoolchildren. He reviewed procurement arrangements for both paddy and rice in the present khariff season in 2018 at district Collectorate here on Saturday evening.
The JC asked the officials of State Civil Supplies Corporation (SCSC) and Food Corporation of India (FCI) to get ready for the season and for linkage of the godowns to the nearest rice miller, who provides bank guarantee for stocking rice after custom milling.
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The JC expressed dissatisfaction over the issue of identification of godown space for 4 lakh MTs of paddy by the SCSC and lagging behind by FCI in this aspect.
Mallikarjuna on this occasion, directed the civil supplies authorities to cut the quantity of allocation of custom milling to those rice millers who did not honour custom milling procedure properly.
The JC also directed the civil supplies authorities to see that one technical person presence at the purchase points of paddy to check the quality. East Godavari DSO P Prasada Rao, civil supplies DM N Jayaramulu, East Godavari Rice Millers Association president Ambati Ramakrishna Reddy and FCI officials participated http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Andhra-Pradesh/2018-09-24/Rice-with-nutritiouskernels-for-midday-meal-in-Kakinada/413770
FG, stakeholders map out strategies to bring down price of rice September 23, 2018 John Oba .Abuja Business
The Federal Government (FG), Rice Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), the Rice Processors Association of Nigeria (RIPAN) and rice distributor has concluded arrangement to bring down
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the price of local rice in the market. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, who disclosed this yesterday when he met with stakeholders in the rice Industry, revealed that the government is ready to provide fund to assist stakeholders in the rice value chains to enable them bring down the price. Ogbeh said the government has set aside funds for farmers, millers and marketers to bring down the price of rice. ―We have been discussing the modalities to put in place to make sure that local rice sells much cheaper and that the prices can fall to the levels of foreign rice and eventually, below the levels of foreign rice. Every country in the world supports agriculture whether they call it subsidy or support, it is exactly the same thing. ―We are happy that the CBN has agreed to bring down interest rates on agric and manufacturing to one digit. We applaud that decision but at the level of FMARD and BOA, we have set up a fund which we intend to manage to support both the farmers, millers and marketers to bring down the price of rice because we are concerned about the cost of rice for the Nigerian family. We want our people to feed well and feed cheaply but these things have to be managed carefully because we are dealing with public funds,‖ he said. He stated further that in a forth night the Ministry in two weeks will meet with BOA and the millers to strategise on how to support rice millers in order to lower prices as Christmas approaches. ―So in two weeks time, a letter will be sent to you by the director agribiz and also talk with the CBN but be sure that we want you to succeed, to be rich, to make a success like other countries have done but one day, we want foreign rice to be a very rare commodity in this country,‖ he said. He lamented the activities of smugglers and promised that decision will be take to put a final solution to the problem. ―We have to produce here and we have to create jobs and while government is trying to stabilise power and putting railways and roads, the private sector and Nigerian as a whole must resolve that we cannot survive as a country if these things doesn‘t end early enough, where are the jobs for our children and we ask the media, please take on these words, it is about you. ―We will bear your suggestions in mind and when the BOA is finally privatised, 30% of the shares would be reserved for farmers, please buy shares, make it your bank, let it become your bank, let is become the farmers bank then we can discuss interest rates and take control of agriculture because even the 9 percent offered us still has to go down but the bank has to survive
https://www.blueprint.ng/fg-stakeholders-map-out-strategies-to-bring-down-price-of-rice/
Science exposition draws students Updated: September 22nd, 2018, 22:22 ISTBhubaneswar: A two-day science exposition and open day was held at Institute of Life Sciences here Saturday.
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The event was jointly organised by Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) and Regional Medical Resear ch Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar, and attended by Minister for School and Mass Education & S cience and Technology Badri Narayan Patra, who presided as the chief guest.
Speaking on the occasion Patra said, ―Such joint ventures should be held more often to attract stu dents towards science and its wonderful experiments.‖ Commissioner-cum-secretary in Excise & Science and Technology department Nikunja Kumar Dhal said, ―It‘s a wonderful effort by these two renowned science institutes. Science is learnt thr ough experiment and by science communication activities. In the coming days the state governm ent is planning to organise more such programmes for the development of science in school level s.‖ Director, RMRC, Sanghamitra Pati interacted with the children and congratulated them who hav e come from several colleges from across the district to participate in this open day programme. ―The aim of the event is to create interest amidst students regarding science. Students from sever al colleges have participated and I am glad that our initiative has been rewarded through this outr each programme.‖ Jyostna Sahoo, a science student in BJB Autonomous College, said, ―Science is king of all strea ms. If you are a science graduate, then you have multiple options to choose from. This event will surely be helpful to many like me.‖
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Professor Sudhakar Panda, director NISER, said, ―Every school must attract students who are ke en to learn science. It‘s a welcoming attitude of children who are asking questions regarding ever ything, especially about science.‖
Several education institutes, private and government-run, for instance Orissa University of Agric ulture and Technology (OUAT), Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI), Cuttack did setup their stalls exhibiting various products like black ric e, taal misri, coconut, black meat, fishes and much more. From showcasing 32 types of rice to ex hibiting various pulses the event witnessed a huge footfall by students, scientists and officials of RMRC and ILS. Students were also given a real-time experience on live laboratory tests of virus and bacteria. Scientists Debdutt Bhattacharya, JS Kshatri, B Sahoo in collaboration with Rajib Swain and Tus har Beuria of ILS coordinated the event.
http://www.orissapost.com/science-exposition-draws-students/
GRA warns against importation of rice through inland borders General News
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Mr Frank Lawson, an Officer of Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), has warned importers to stop importing rice from neighbouring countries through inland borders, particularly in the northern parts of the country. He said the GRA would move to enforce a directive banning rice importation through inland borders in the north because many dealers evade tax. Mr Lawson said this during the 3rd quarter of 2018 tax education seminar organized by GRA in the Upper West Regional capital, Wa.It was held to enlighten Ghanaians on the need to pay tax in order to facilitate development. Mr Lawson said 50 per cent taxes were being applied on commodities such as alcoholic beverages and cigarettes in order to discourage their importation due to the health hazards associated with such commodities. However, he said, in the case of rice, ―it is prohibited and when you try, your product would be seized totally from you‖. He said GRA was only enforcing a directive by policymakers and advised those who have concerns over the matter to table it before their representatives in Parliament.Participants at the event backed the statement saying it is a move in the right direction and appropriate. Mr Imoro Alhassan Anas, a participant, said: ―Our farmers are equally good and are even doing better than farmers in other countries and so the ban on importation of rice would empower and motivate the local farmers to expand their production and employ other people‖.
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He urged custom officials to monitor the borders critically in order to ensure that no individual or groups importing rice from the inland borders got away with it. Mr Anas said: ―How can Ghana import rice from Burkina Faso when we are singing the song of Ghana Beyond Aid‖. ―Our farmers deserve better and should not be discouraged since imported rice creates an impression that our local products are inferior,‖ he said.
https://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2018/09/21/gra-warns-against-importation-of-ricethrough-inland-borders/
ON RICE SHORTAGE September 22, 2018 - Venjo Tesoro Price of rice has risen and to an ordinary worker, the increase in value seemed meteoric; from the usual P30 to P50+ in just a span of weeks. Farmers could only express dismay since the farmgate price is the same reduced amount except that the market price is considerably high. There are only the traders who should be blamed. But without the traders, they who provide loans and other farm appurtenances to farm workers, rice production would grind slowly. We have to accept the fate that indeed, our staple food of rice is doomed to reach ceiling high. But there are people who ask how come rice, tons of them, smuggled from abroad are much cheaper? How come rice from Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia are well below the amount our local farmers produce. We pride ourselves some time ago that wizards in rice production in Asia studied their wares from our local schools at that! UP Los Banos was once a haven for agricultural miracles. Representatives from our neighboring Asian nations who graduated from this facility come to be experts and eventually became agricultural leaders in their respective countries and through their learning transformed their idle lands into high yielding farms. Their classmates, the local boys in agriculture, never flexed their knowledge and could not apply whatever they have learned since most of them do not have the political connection needed for exposure. Most of them would end up in the academe.
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There is no such thing as meritocracy when it comes to government posting unlike in other developed countries. That ended our trifling with the idea of attaining progress, much more so, rice sufficiency. We either must provide direct fiduciary assistance to farmers or provide incentives to the farming sector so that rice production will not be hampered. Those who can do much cared little. As it were, we cannot even pride ourselves as a delicate and serious culture. We are dumpsites of anything banned, like medicine and other poorly crafted appliances. Sometime past, we even discovered that waste from Canada packed in several 40 footer freight cargo were even smuggled into our shores. We are even into the business of Ukay-ukay. And now this. The rice delivered to us is the infected variety and we do not even have the boldness to cast it off. I don‘t think the issue of ―bukbok‖ rice is an issue at all. If sacks of rice have been pestered by weevil, then it should out rightly be rejected. Why do we have to suffer the consequence of being consumers of infected rice when we can reject and require another clean delivery? Why feel disappointed. Authorities could just seek warranty of the product. Whoever negotiated that infected rice should be charged in the court of law. It is not a question whether weevil infected rice can still be eaten or not. It is a question of product integrity: that is, rice to be delivered to us should be clean and without any accompanying pest. We have been too lenient when it comes to importing food. In Japan, if a commodity had a speck of toxic chemical in its units even for a whiff of it, it is out rightly rejected. Not here unfortunately. We are not cautious at all. We are even grateful to receive donations from other countries even if such donations were actually banned for use already. Instead ofdisregarding and showing disgust for being disrespected, we just compute for its commercial value and accept it. Such is our fate.
https://philippinenews.com/on-rice-shortage/
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No NFA rice shortage in Baguio, Benguet – DTI Published September 22, 2018, 5:26 PM
By Zaldy Comanda BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) assured the ample supply of imported National Food Authority (NFA) rice in Baguio and Benguet and that the prices of basic commodities are within the range of the suggested retail price (SRP).
(Flickr
| Manila Bulletin)
DTI Baguio-Benguet provincial officer Freda Gawisan said that there is no NFArice shortage in Baguio and Benguet, based in the latest monitoring of the local rice task force (TF) composed of their department, NFA, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG). ―As of today, there is enough supply of NFA rice on display and piled at the market stalls selling NFA rice. There are no queues at the stalls and the task force will assure the public that supply is not only available but that the NFA rice is not being sold like commercial rice,‖ she said. The DTI and the the local task force was created and monitors on a daily basis the supply and prices of NFA rice in the area and make sure that NFA rice is not sold as commercial rice.
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She bared that 17,000 bags of imported rice from Thailand arrived at the NFA warehouse in Loakan Road, which is expected to last for two weeks. The rice supply will be distributed to the different NFA retailers in Baguio and Benguet
https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/09/22/no-nfa-rice-shortage-in-baguio-benguet-dti/
Ministry must have realistic reasons for importing rice Reporter: antara 22nd September 2018
Illustration. Imported rice from Vietnam was unloaded from ships at the Indah Kiat Port, Merak, Cilegon, Banten, 07/31/2018. President Director of Perum Bulog Budi Waseso said that he would not import rice again in the near future because Bulog's stock currently reaches 2.7 million tons. (ANTARA /Asep Fathulrahman) Purwokerto, C Java (ANTARA News) - The Trade Ministry must have realistic and rational reasons while deciding to import rice, agriculture expert Totok Agung Dwi Haryanto of Jenderal Sudirman University (Unsoed), Purwokerta, Central Java, said. "Farmers so far have focused all their attention and dedicated time, energy and mind to providing food for all the Indonesian people," Haryanto said in Purwokerto, Banyumas District, Central
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Java, on Friday. He said that the efforts of the government to improve the welfare of farmers were, however, not yet optimal. This is evidence from the fact that until now farmers still make up the largest portion of Indonesia`s poverty rate. "Rice imports during the rice harvest time will reduce the price of farmers` rice production. Therefore, restricting or stopping rice import is part of the effort to work on the side of the farmers," he said. Haryanto said that the policy of President Director of state-logistics Board (Bulog) Budi Waseso to hold back imports was the right step, in addition to other efforts to optimize the role of the National Logistics Agency. Meanwhile, he said, Minister of Trade Enggartiasto Lukita as an assistant to the President who is responsible and handles trade issues, must have very realistic and rational reasons when deciding on rice imports. "For example, the decision to import rice is only made and the type of rice that is consumed by the community cannot be produced by our farmers," he said. Nevertheless, he said, what`s certainly needed is to continue to consider siding with and giving appreciation to farmers. In the meantime, Waseso said that Indonesia will not need to import rice, as it has an adequate supply of the staple commodity to meet demand until June 2019. The Bulog President Director informed the press in Jakarta on Wednesday (September 19) that he had formed a team involving the Agriculture Ministry, Bulog, and independent experts to analyze the national rice demand and supply. "The team has recommended that we do not need to import until June 2019. Moreover, Bulog might also not have to release its imported rice stock. We have to maintain it. We should not rely on imports," Waseso, popularly known as Buwas, revealed. According to Buwas, Bulog`s rice stock is currently 2.4 million tons, and with imports in October, the total rice stocks had reached 2.8 million tons. Of the total stock, some 100 thousand tons will be utilized for the distribution of rice for the poor (Rastra) that will bring the staple food supply in Bulog`s warehouses to 2.7 million tons by the
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end of December. The agency has forecast that the rice end-stock could reach three million tons, with an additional four thousand tons of daily unhusked rice production during the dry season. "I do not want to continue the polemic on whether we will import (rice), since according to the analysis, we do not need to import. Supply until June 2019 is safe," Buwas pointed out. He also questioned the authenticity of data on rice consumption in Indonesia that has reached 2.4 to 2.7 million tons per month, which meant rice consumption per capita had reached 130 kilograms per month. Buwas noted that ambiguous data led to assumptions that rice demand had surpassed its actual demand. "It means that infants would need the same quantity of rice. This data did not categorize according to age, so the assumption (of rice demand) has reached 2.7 million tons. In its calculation, our production has never met the demand," Buwas added. Reporting by Sumarwoto Editing by Andi Abdussalam, Bustanuddin
https://en.antaranews.com/news/118798/ministry-must-have-realistic-reasons-for-importingrice
High levels of carbon dioxide could be making rice less nutritious Posted on September 22, 2018 By Anna M. Porretta
Rice is the culinary foundation for much of the world and provides 25 percent of the total calories consumed globally. According to research in Science Advances Critical, nutrients found in rice which include protein, B vitamins, iron and zinc are poised to decline. ―It is the primary food available for the poorest people in the world, particularly for those in Asia,‖ said Lewis Ziska, co-author of the new study. Ziska and his colleagues studied 18 rice strains grown around the world using a technique called Free-Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment (FACE). The rice was grown at sites in China and Japan using an open-field method within standard rice fields. Plants were subjected to atmospheric
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carbon dioxide concentrations of 568 to 590 parts per million. Current concentrations are 410 parts per million – and growing each year at about 2 parts per million. After harvesting the rice, researchers found an average of 10.3 percent reduction in protein across all the tested varieties and one cultivar showed a 20 percent drop in protein. Iron content fell an average of 8 percent, while the average decline in zinc was 5.1 percent, with some strains experiencing a 15 percent fall. Vitamin B1, B2, B5 and B9 concentrations also fell as CO2 levels rose. The research aligns with a common theme in climate findings, which is that poor and marginalized communities around the world would be most affected by the reduction of nutrients. It also shows that these individuals would find it difficult to adjust and diversify their diets to obtain nutrients that they would be lacking. Approximately 600 million people in countries including Bangladesh, Cambodia and Indonesia get more than half of their daily calories and protein directly from rice. The finding has serious public health implications, especially as CO2 emissions are projected to increase in the coming decades. This may push the international community to adopt more effective initiatives to lower our global production of CO2. However, not all varieties of rice responded the same way. Future research may examine the possibility of finding varieties of rice that can remain nutritious despite the change in the atmosphere – a project that is critical to maintaining standards of global public health. (Visited 13 times, 13 visits today)
https://www.downsviewadvocate.ca/2018/09/high-levels-carbon-dioxide-making-rice-lessnutritious/
Politicians hit for causing, riding on rice woes By: Julie Alipala - Reporter / @alipalajulieINQ Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:43 AM September 23, 2018
SELLING STATION NFA rice is sold at barangay stations in Zamboanga City to make it available to the communities. —JULIE ALIPALA/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO ZAMBOANGA CITY — Local politicians are using the National Food Authority‘s (NFA) distribution of rice in the countryside to suggest that they helped solve the shortage of the staple in the area. ―These local government officials were responsible [for the shortage in the first place] because of their failure to look ahead,‖ said Edgar Araojo, a political science professor at Western Mindanao State University.
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―Now they want to show they are solving the crisis by helping the NFA sell government rice to the poor? That‘s 110 percent hypocrisy,‖ Araojo said.
Officials’ failure Araojo said he was dismayed to find some local officials and political aspirants, making themselves visible at the NFA‘s ―Tagpuan sa Barangay‖ rice distribution events when they did nothing to prevent the problem in the first place. ―Our local leaders failed to do their job,‖ he said, noting that only two areas in the city‘s riceproducing farms were irrigated. ―At the outset, they knew the city was not producing rice for its population. We have rice fields getting dry, but they did not do anything,‖ he said. Now, they participate in the Tagpuan sa Barangay events as if they had a part in solving the rice shortage, the professor added. Elimar Rigindin, provincial manager of NFA Zamboanga, said his office did not invite city or village officials to join the rice selling programs.
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―We don‘t invite them and we cannot prevent them from going there,‖ he said. Political reality ―Rice is a political commodity and it‘s up to the voters [whether they will accept] that kind of political strategy. We cannot do anything,‖ Rigindin said. Rigindin said there would no longer be a rice shortage in Zamboanga in the coming months, as the NFA had enough stocks to last until 2019.
https://thechronicleindia.com/rice-flour-market-research-2017-market-size-share-trendsanalysis-and-growth-forecast-to-2022/
Early Basmati variety hits Punjab markets, farmers fetch better opening price The farmers are selling the early Basmati variety at Rs 2,500-2,600 per quintal against Rs 2,200 to 2,300 per quintal opening price of last year, even as the main paddy crop will start arriving the markets in the next 10 days. Written by Anju Agnihotri Chaba | Jalandhar | Published: September 22, 2018 2:11:27 am Farmers are fetching at least Rs 300 more per quintal this time for the basmati variant. (Express photo) An early variety of rice, PUSA 1509 — a kind of Basmati — has started hitting the grain markets across the state with farmers fetching at least Rs 300 more per quintal this time as opening price than last year. The farmers are selling the early Basmati variety at Rs 2,500-2,600 per quintal against Rs 2,200 to 2,300 per quintal opening price of last year, even as the main paddy crop will start arriving the markets in the next 10 days. It was sold for Rs 1,000 to 1,100 per quintal in 2015 and 2016. This crop, however, is being procured by the private players now because the government will enter the market from October 1 when the main paddy varieties reach. With its good opening
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now the growers of the late Basmati variety — 1121 — which is a superior variety, are expecting good rates. Ravinder Singh Cheema, president of Punjab Arhtiya Association, said currently over 1,000 metric tonnes of 1509 variety has reached Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Batala, Tarn Taran, Dhuri, Sunam, Phagwara, Fazilka and Sultanpur Lodhi grain markets. ―It is a very good opening in Punjab and Haryana. In Punjab, we are expecting around 2-3 lakh tonnes of this variety,‖ he said. A farmer in Sultanpur Lodhi grain market said Basmati 1509 variety is sown by those who go for winter vegetable sowing. This year total 30.42 lakh hectares was dedicated to the rice crop in the state, out of which 26.05 lakh hectare was under paddy (parmal) and 4.37 lakh hectare under Basmati, mostly 1121. ―We will be able to make up for our past losses,‖ said Satbir Singh of Sultanpur Lodhi who had brought his crop, cultivated on around two acres, on Thursday. Agriculture department Director J S Bains said that the area under Basmati is less because farmers go for assured crops like paddy due its fixed price. ―The trend of one year good and second year bad rates of Basmati deters farmers to take the risk of growing it. More Basmati area is needed in Punjab because more paddy means more exploitation of water table,‖ said he. Basmati area has come down from 8.61 lakh hectare in 2014 to 4.37 lakh hectare in 2018
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/early-basmati-variety-hits-punjab-markets-farmersfetch-better-opening-price-5369208/
Minister Eatala Rajender's prod to keep tainted rice millers at bay Speaking on the occasion, Rajender asked the officials to avoid distributing the procured stocks to tainted rice millers and expedite the process of procuring the produce. ―Let the farmers sell their produce for MSP and the payment of the procured produce should be paid immediately into their accounts‖, he said. He also said the completion of the irrigation projects and Mission Kakatiya scheme has augmented the cultivation and farm production this time in a significant manner.
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Keeping the rising farm produce this Kharif, the officials should make all arrangements for procuring complete produce from the farming community in all districts. ―We have already provided minimum support price (MSP) to the procured produce and see that the Joint Collectors do the same in future too, he said. Since the farmers are with hope that they will get MSP for their produce, necessary arrangements have to be made in advance, Rajender said.
Eatala Rajender said they have set up 3,140 purchase centres to procure 34 lakh metric tonnes of farm produce. In future, the department will get 70 lakh metric tonnes of produce, he added. He said that the 3,140 purchase centres be equipped with necessary machinery, material, workers to procure the same. ―There shall not be any sort of delay in procuring the farm produce and payment of the amount to the farmers‖, he said. He also warned of serious measures if the officials neglected to procure the produce showing lame ducks. http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Telangana/2018-09-23/Minister-Eatala-Rajendersprod-to-keep-tainted-rice-millers-at-bay/413667
Science exposition draws students Updated: September 22nd, 2018, 22:22 IST
Bhubaneswar: A two-day science exposition and open day was held at Institute of Life Sciences here Saturday.
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The event was jointly organised by Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) and Regional Medical Resear ch Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar, and attended by Minister for School and Mass Education & S cience and Technology Badri Narayan Patra, who presided as the chief guest. Speaking on the occasion Patra said, ―Such joint ventures should be held more often to attract stu dents towards science and its wonderful experiments.‖ Commissioner-cum-secretary in Excise & Science and Technology department Nikunja Kumar Dhal said, ―It‘s a wonderful effort by these two renowned science institutes. Science is learnt thr ough experiment and by science communication activities. In the coming days the state governm ent is planning to organise more such programmes for the development of science in school level s.‖ Director, RMRC, Sanghamitra Pati interacted with the children and congratulated them who hav e come from several colleges from across the district to participate in this open day programme. ―The aim of the event is to create interest amidst students regarding science. Students from sever al colleges have participated and I am glad that our initiative has been rewarded through this outr each programme.‖
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Jyostna Sahoo, a science student in BJB Autonomous College, said, ―Science is king of all strea ms. If you are a science graduate, then you have multiple options to choose from. This event will surely be helpful to many like me.‖ Professor Sudhakar Panda, director NISER, said, ―Every school must attract students who are ke en to learn science. It‘s a welcoming attitude of children who are asking questions regarding ever ything, especially about science.‖ Several education institutes, private and government-run, for instance Orissa University of Agric ulture and Technology (OUAT), Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI), Cuttack did setup their stalls exhibiting various products like black ric e, taal misri, coconut, black meat, fishes and much more. From showcasing 32 types of rice to ex hibiting various pulses the event witnessed a huge footfall by students, scientists and officials of RMRC and ILS. Students were also given a real-time experience on live laboratory tests of virus and bacteria. Scientists Debdutt Bhattacharya, JS Kshatri, B Sahoo in collaboration with Rajib Swain and Tus har Beuria of ILS coordinated the event.
Naive use of rice to address rural and urban poverty September 22, 2018, 10:00 PM
Dr. Emil Q. Javier The most immediate concern of most Filipinos these past weeks is rising inflation and escalating food prices, particularly rice. And as far as rice is concerned the convenient scapegoat is the inutility of the National Food Authority (NFA). Hence the popular call for the head of the agency to roll and the agency‘s outright abolition.The derision is partly deserved (rotting stocks and bukbok infestation; alleged diversion of NFA rice to traders) but the simplistic attribution of our rice conundrum to the inutility of NFA glosses over the real problems and will lead us nowhere.
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The real culprit always had been the impossible, conflicting mandates NFA had been tasked to perform. NFA is supposed to help raise income of rice farmers by supporting the farm gate price of palay. In the same breath, NFA is expected to help bring down retail price of rice by selling rice below cost to make the staple affordable to poor urban consumers. As a consequence of this quixotic business model of BUY-HIGH; SELL-LOW, NFA incurred P246 billion losses between 1981 to 2016. As of 2016, the agency is indebted to banks and other lenders in the amount of P159 billion. Hence our suggestion to limit NFA‘s role to maintaining our grain buffer stocks and for emergency food distribution during calamities. With its onerous task simplified, NFA can be re-engineered to become at least a revenue-neutral if not profitable logistics service provider. Naive use of rice to address rural and urban poverty At the higher level of national policy, the roots of our rice problem can be traced to: 1) our national obsession with rice, a cultural trait we share with our Asian neighbors, and the goal of self-sufficiency, and 2) our naive use of rice as an instrument for simultaneously addressing rural and urban poverty. Rice as an instrument of simultaneously increasing incomes of farmers and improving welfare of consumers with affordable food is well-meant. It can be effective up to a certain point but not beyond. We have to be clever on how to employ it. The key metric is the domestic cost of producing a kilogram of palay. Our national average cost of producing palay is P13 per kilogram. The average costs for Vietnam and Thailand are P7 per kilogram and P9 per kilogram, respectively. At these relative prices, it is better for us to just import rice to bring down the cost of food for all Filipinos. But we grow rice under two ecological conditions: 1) lowland rice with irrigation, and 2) rainfed lowland and upland rice. Our rice average yields are brought down by the latter due to lack of water. Irrigated rice with the high-yielding inbred varieties developed by PhilRice and IRRI, with 10 bags of fertilizers and proper culture, easily yield six tons per hectare. At this level of production, the cost per kilogram of palay is about P8 — which with tariff protection and additional freight and insurance costs is competitive with imported rice from Vietnam and Thailand. With hybrids, yields can go up to 7-8 tons per hectare thus bringing down unit costs further. At the current NFA palay support price of P17 per kilogram, the irrigated rice farmers will realize a gross margin of P9 per kilogram. With a yield of six tons per hectare, this translates to P54,000 per hectare, which is already good income for farmers. On the other hand, at a farm gate price of P17 per kilogram of palay, regular milled rice should retail at P34 per kilogram, i.e. double the palay farm gate price (standard conversion). The call therefore by some politicians to raise the NFA palay procurement to P22 per kilogram is misplaced and can only fuel further inflation.
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So by strategically focusing our efforts on the productive rice farms with irrigation, our rice farmers will realize reasonable levels of income while helping maintain the retail price of domestic rice competitive with inputs. The rainfed lowland and upland farms which are not productive for rice culture, should be diverted to other crops like vegetables, legumes, fruits, even ornamentals. These other crops in fact can provide incomes higher than rice provided the markets can be organized for them. However, the rice farmers will need both technical and financial support during the transition from rice to other crops. Conventional price supports and input subsidies (free seeds, fertilizers, farm equipment) are not sustainable and prone to corruption. Hence, our suggestion of time-bound direct payments to bonafide rice farmers based on hectares declared in land titles and tax declarations. The funds from direct payments to rice farmers during the transition can be sourced from the 35% tariffs on imported rice. However, the diversion/diversification of rainfed rice fields away from rice will reduce our national production and would therefore require supplemental rice imports. Still and all, as long as rice self-sufficiency is a symbolic national aspiration, not as a firm production target, we should be fine. Better ways of attaining rice self-sufficiency than by imports In any case, there are better ways of attaining rice self-sufficiency than by imports i.e. by reducing demand for rice by substitution. Unmilled rice where only the husk is removed (brown rice) gives a higher grain milling recovery of 10% (63% vs 73%). We regularly produce 90% of our total rice requirement. If all Filipinos can be educated to eat brown rice, we do not need to import rice. The other alternative is promoting production and consumption of pure white corn grits or white corn grits mixed with milled rice. Both brown rice and white corn grits are cheaper and healthier than milled rice. They have higher contents of protein, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber and lower glycemic index (good for diabetics). DA as the key player The clever, discriminating use of rice as a policy instrument to simultaneously address rural and urban poverty as described in the foregoing depends on the Department of Agriculture (DA). We are therefore glad to see that the President restored the NFA under the DA. The Philippine Coconut Authority, the National Irrigation Administration and Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority should similarly be returned to DA for better coordination of the totality of our efforts in agriculture.
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***** Dr. Emil Q. Javier is a Member of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) and also Chair of the Coalition for Agriculture Modernization in the Philippines (CAMP).
DCI arrests top Kebs, KRA officials over substandard rice imports Sep. 22, 2018, 3:00 pm By NANCY AGUTU @nancyagutu
KEBS offices in Mombasa. Five officials at the standards were arrested on Saturday, September 22, 2018. /FILE
Detectives have arrested 17 senior KRA and Kebs officials, amona them managing director Charles Ongwae, for allegedly allowing substandard Thai rice into the Kenyan market. They were arrested for 'willingly permitting the release' of the rice into the market, DCI Boss George Kinoti said on Saturday.
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Other Kebs officials taken up were Martin Nyakiamo - Coast regional boss, Erick Cheshire, Erick Onyango, and Peter Ndungu. Others are Daniel Kimonge, Roy Mwanthi, Karim Dharamshi, Felix Simon, Bassam Hakem and Irene Githendu. KRA officials Kiprono Bullut, David Mbogori, Dorothy Wanja, Michael Juma, and Ahmed Dhahir were among those arrested. Most of the accused persons are based at the KRA Mombasa station. The detectives also arrested Pole Mwangemi - a Port Health official. "The suspects will be charged on Monday with abuse of office and neglect of official duty," Kinoti said. In June, Ongwae and nine other senior officials were arrested over the importation of substandard fertiliser. The top managers at the standards agency were questioned in May over the proliferation of contraband goods as well as circulation of fake Kebs stamps.. "Detectives are still looking for other suspects connected with the release of the said consignment of Thai rice into the country," DCI said in a tweet https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2018/09/22/dci-arrests-top-kebs-kra-officials-over-substandard-riceimports_c1823105http://www.orissapost.com/science-exposition-draws-students/
Smuggling rice is not immoral By: Mahar Mangahas - @inquirerdotnet Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:02 AM September 22, 2018 Smuggling is the act of illegally transporting certain goods across the international border. It is illegal only on account of some applicable law, rather than due to an intrinsic harm it does to society. If the smuggling is done to avoid paying an immorally high legal tariff, or to avoid the cornering of the supply of the product by an unscrupulous monopolist, then is it not socially beneficial, and hence justifiable?
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Freedom for all ordinary persons to import or export, using mutually acceptable money, is the natural state for economic exchange across international borders. Such freedom benefits both buyers and sellers, since both parties are also free not to buy or not to sell, if the price is not beneficial to them. Imposition by law of any restrictions on the traded product, such as on the maximum quantity allowable for entry, or the levy of a tax or tariff on it, reduces the trade and raises its price, and thus harms consumers, compared to the natural state of free trade. Barter, which is the direct exchange of goods for goods, is an abnormal system for conducting trade, whether international or domestic. Its great inconvenience, compared to trade through the medium of money, unnecessarily adds to the cost of the goods and thus lessens the benefits from them. Of course, there are some products with good social reasons to be subjected to restrictions or regulations by the government before entering the country. For example: dangerous drugs, weapons, explosives. BUT NOT FOOD. Not the most fundamental food of Filipinos: RICE. The Philippines has the most expensive rice in Asean. A private person cannot import it without a permit from the National Food Authority (NFA). The NFA has a legal monopoly, since time immemorial, on the international rice trade. Only a favored few can get permits to import it; and even then, they must still pay a minimum 35-percent tariff. This setup has led to the NFA‘s reputation as one of the most corrupt agencies of government, in ALL administrations. This was also true of the NFA‘s predecessors, namely the Naric (National Rice and Corn Council), RCA (Rice and Corn Administration) and NGA (National Grains Authority). Advocacy of freedom of trade in rice is not just my personal view, but also that of Filipino economists in general (see ―Abolish the NFA!,‖ Opinion, 9/1/18).
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The simplest way to relieve the present economic suffering of Filipinos is to remove the NFA‘s legal stranglehold over rice imports. It will not cost the government any more money, and will thus reduce its dependence on taxes. Liberalizing imports will lower rice prices and thereby benefit rice consumers, whether they buy imported or domestic rice. The welfare of consumers, who are virtually all of the people, should matter more than that of rice farmers, whose families are only 5 to 10 percent of the population. In the first place, just how much the farm price of palay will decline once imports are freed still remains to be seen. I expect some part of the impact will be to reduce the margin of middlemen instead. In the second place, the cost of growing rice is not the same for all Filipino farmers. Many of them do have good technology, plus irrigation, to grow rice at a cost competitive to Thailand or Vietnam. Those that have no chance to do so should shift to different crops. They deserve government assistance to make the shift. The government doesn‘t need a budget to solve the supposed ―problem‖ of smuggling of agricultural products. It just needs to decriminalize it. https://business.mb.com.ph/2018/09/22/naive-use-of-rice-to-address-rural-and-urban-poverty/
Govt orders steps to check recycling of rice for poor Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 21 A day after The Tribune uncovered a scam involving efforts to recycle ‗rice for poor‘ in this year‘s custom milling of paddy by some unscrupulous millers, the state government on Friday ordered sterner measures to check the fraud. Ram Niwas, Additional Chief Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, wrote to the Deputy Commissioners of paddy growing districts of Karnal, Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Ambala,
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Rohtak, Palwal, Yamunanagar, Fatehabad, Sirsa, Jind, Panipat, Faridabad and Sonepat, listing some measures to stop this fraud. In a news item ―Rice for poor finds way to Haryana mills‖ on Thursday, The Tribune had highlighted how PDS rice meant for the poor has allegedly landed in some rice mills of Haryana, where it is likely to be recycled into the milling process for this year‘s paddy by showing bogus procurement of the crop. The report has highlighted how poor lose their share of subsidised rice they ought to get for Rs 2 a kg while the government loses by paying MSP for the crop that never was. ―As you know procurement of paddy is to begin from October 1, some unscrupulous rice millers may try to recycle PDS rice meant for the poor in different parts of the country. The recycled rice may be used against bogus bills to supply to the FCI showing it as genuine purchase from farmers,‖ the ACS has said in his communication. Niwas has ordered that 100 per cent verification of all rice mills, which are to be giving rice for custom milling, by committees headed by senior officers and comprising officers of the procurement agencies, marketing board, sales tax, and representatives of the rice millers‘ association. The order says that if any stock of rice is found with any millers, the committees must verify the purchase bills to its last source so as find whether these bills are genuine or bogus. Sources say that it has come to the notice of the department that millers often generate first bill of PDS rice through a bogus firm and then route the stock through a number of genuine or fake firms who all show its purchase and sale to the other so that it is difficult to reach to the bottom of the fraud. Since rice attracts zero GST, it is easier for the millers to get the PDS rice routed through any number of firms they desire. The ACS has sought compliance of all these measures before September 30.
No farm produce to tainted rice millers: Etala | Sunday | 23rd September, 2018
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Hyderabad: Finance and Civil Supplies Minister Eatala Rajender today directed the officials concerned not to supply procured farm produce to the rice millers, who were facing cases of irregularities. Keeping the rising farm produce this Kharif, the officials should make all arrangements for procuring complete produce from the farming community in all districts. The Civil Supplies Minister said they have set up 3,140 purchase centers to procure 34 lakh metric tons of farm produce. “Let the farmers sell their produce for MSP and the payment of the procured produce should be paid immediately into their accounts”, he said. “There shall not be any sort of delay in procuring the farm produce and payment of the amount to the farmers”, he said.
https://www.nyoooz.com/news/hyderabad/1218639/no-farm-produce-totainted-rice-millers-etala/
FG To Partner Farmers In Local Rice Price Reduction By Emmanuel Egobiambu September 21, 2018
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Audu Ogbeh has said it would partner with farmers to reduce the price of local rice during the festive season.Ogbeh noted this on Thursday in a meeting with rice farmers, millers, and processors.
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According to him, ―We have been discussing the modalities to put in place to make sure that local rice sells much cheaper and that the prices can fall to the levels of foreign rice and eventually, below the levels of foreign rice. ―Every country in the world supports agriculture, whether they call it subsidy or support, it is exactly the same thing. ―We are happy that the CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria) has agreed to bring down interest rates on agric and manufacturing loans to one digit.
―We applaud that decision but at the level of FMARD (Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) and BoA (Bank of Agriculture), we have set up a fund, which we intend to manage to support both the farmers, millers and marketers to bring down the price of rice, because we are concerned about the cost of rice for the Nigerian family.
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―We want our people to feed well and feed cheaply, but these things have to be managed carefully because we are dealing with public funds.‖ He noted that ―There are those who do not believe that Nigerian rice exists, but we know it does and we are very proud of the millers for their tenacity, investments and the pains they have gone through in the last few years in trying to respond to a national call. ―We cannot say enough about RIFAN (Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria), we are very proud of you because there are those who didn‘t believe it could happen; so, we thank all of you. ―A nation does not thrive on an import bill of food of $22bn a year. We just can‘t manage it and I want this message to reach those who keep thinking that importation is the answer; we don‘t have the money. ―In two weeks‘ time when we meet with the BoA and the millers, we will put in place a strategy to support rice milling so we can see what we can do for lower prices at Christmas.‖ https://www.concisenews.global/2018/09/21/fg-to-partner-farmers-in-local-rice-pricereduction/
NFA to import more rice in December – Piñol BY EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2018
THE National Food Authority (NFA) will import more rice in December to ―flood the market‖ with cheap commercial rice and bring down the price of the staple, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said. Piñol, now the chairman of the NFA Council, told The Manila Times that the grains agency would bring in more rice to tame high prices and ensure that the agency will have ample supply. He said President Rodrigo Duterte has directed him to ―import more than what the country needs because that‘s the only way we can bring down the prices in the market.‖ ―Before December, I will call for additional rice imports. Let‘s see if prices will not go down with this,‖ Piñol said.
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―By next year, I will import more rice ahead of time. We will really flood the market,‖ he added.
CHEAPER BUT… Residents of Bagong Silang in Caloocan City line up to buy governmentsubsidized rice for P27 a kilo. However, one person can only buy three kilos. PHOTO BY ROGER RAÑADA With the additional importation, the NFA‘s total rice imports this year will reach more than 1 million metric tons (MT) following the council‘s recent approval of 250,000 MT rice importation, and its purchase of 250,000 MT via government-to-government scheme and another 250,000 MT via open tender in the first half. The DA chief lamented that despite the importation of the staple, the prices of the staple in Commonwealth market in Quezon City was over P50 per kilo. He said fancy rice like Jasmine and Long Grains are priced high and only the importers and traders are making money. ―I will tell the [NFA] council that starting next year, we will not anymore import fancy rice. Let the Filipino farmers produce the fancy rice. We should import only the ordinary rice as help to local consumers and bring down prices,‖ Piñol said. He said local farmers can also produce Dinorado, Jasponica, RC160 and Jasmine rice.
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―I will propose that starting next year, the private sector should import the same quality of rice that the NFA is bringing in at 25 percent brokens [which]should be sold in the market at less than P40 per kilo,‖ he added. The NFA Council and top national and regional officials of the NFA will meet on Monday, Sept. 24, to discuss important issues, including rice stock assessment nationwide. 2019 rice imports Meanwhile, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said the Philippines would import more rice in 2019 because local production will still not be able to cover the national demand. In its Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) report, the USDA said the Philippines will likely import 1.5 million metric tons (MT) of rice next year, up 15 percent than this year‘s estimated 1.3 million MT. ―High rice prices due to tight supplies, rising fuel prices, and market distribution inefficiencies will force the Philippine government to import more rice to stabilize prices and contain inflation, which is at a nine-year high,‖ the USDA said. ―Increasing rice prices are forcing the Philippine government to import more to augment supply and stabilize prices [next year],‖ it added
https://www.manilatimes.net/nfa-to-import-more-rice-in-decemberpinol/444599/
Kibitzing on perennial rice shortage Published September 24, 2018, 12:05 AM
BELOW THE LINE By AMBASSADOR JOSÉ ABETO ZAIDE
Ambassador José Abeto Zaide A paradox for rice-eating Filipinos is that we host the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Banos, but we seem to have the perpetual need (except for one exceptional year) to import this basic staple. The Philippines is the world‘s eighth-largest rice producer, but our rice area harvested is small compared with those of the other major riceproducing countries in Asia. More than twothirds (69%) of our rice area is
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irrigated. Furthermore, although yield improved from 2.8 t/ha in 1995 to 3.6 t/ha in 2010, it is still way below the yield potential of modern varieties. Rice is a highly political commodity. The Philippine rice sector is central to the government‘s agricultural policy. The focal points of the policies revolve around promoting rice selfsufficiency and providing high income to farmers while making rice prices affordable to consumers. President Rodrigo Duterte says that there is no rice shortage; but he also authorized the National Food Authority to import 250,000 additional metric tons for 2018. He also, threatens rice traders to stop hoarding or else.. The price of regular quality well-milled rice has gone from P46-P48 last year per kilo to P52- P58 per kilo today, exponentially higher elsewhere. The mechanism of supply and demand says that there is a deficiency. KERNEL OF A SOLUTION. I yield my space to Alfonso G. Puyat, president of Philippine Orchard Corporation (Philcor), who offers unsolicited prescription to achieve what could be real rice self sufficiency in the Philippines. Puyat recommends adopting some rice industry changes: 1) Government should promote & incentivize production of high-quality low amylose (less than 18%) rice varieties. Amylose is a resistant starch (a type of insoluble fiber), meaning it is not digested but fermented in the gut by some strains of healthy bacteria.) To contribute in this advocacy, Philcor introduces foundation quality seeds GSR 8 and GSR 12 from IRRI for propagation into very pure good seeds for sale and distribution to rice farmers. 2. MULTIPLIER EFFECT. Brown rice gives a high milling recovery of 80%; (against 60%65% for white rice). Further, when cooked, brown rice gives a cooking expansion advantage of another 23%. In total, 50%–70% additional cooked rice on the table will be given by low amylose brown rice. Effective cost per kilogram of cooked brown rice will likely decrease, thereby countering the current unusual high trend of inflation. Brown rice contains more nutritional content than white rice because the milling process includes the removal of only the hull. This rice is an excellent source of fiber, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin B1, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, potassium, selenium and calcium (much of which are lost in the milling to white rice.). The Post-War miracle elixir Tiki-Tiki Zamora was a product of the washings from the white rice. PROOF OF THE PUDDING: There‘s no prophet in one‘s own country; but Puyat gave his brown rice variety to IRRI and Philippine Rice Research Institute who have both given the sample high marks for taste and productivity. Puyat needs 1,000 hectares for final proving of this variety. To jump ahead of the story, he dreams of a Philippines from rice importer to rice exporter. https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/09/24/kibitzing-on-perennial-rice-shortage/
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Sep. 24, 2018, 12:30 am By MAURICE ALAL @alalmaurice
Rice farmers at Ahero irrigation scheme/MAURICE ALAL
Western Kenya Schemes made huge rice production despite high costs and dilapidated facilities, regional manager Joel Tonui has said. The schemes produced 22,550 tonnes against the country‘s annual rice production average of 120,000 tonnes in 2017-18 main season. The production translates to Sh789.3 milion. WKS comprised of Ahero, South West Kano, West Kano and Nokiso irrigation schemes. Tanui said Ahero which has 2,168 acreage produced 5,000 tonnes, West Kano (2,230 acres) produced 5,050 tonnes while South West Kano (3,000 acres) and Nokiso (2,500 acres) produced 7,000 and 5,500 tonnes respectively. The schemes constinue to grappled with high production costs, high electricity costs, dilapidated irrigation facilities, aging structures which cause low efficiency and credit access and repayment delays.
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Farmers also have to contend with perennial floods in Ahero and West kano. The floods cause massive losses. Directors of the National Irrigation Board who recently toured the schemes in Kisumu county to assess progress and production status, commended the WKS for its good record. Chairman Mudzo Nzili called for increased funding to expand irrigation schemes countrywide. Nzili said the government should increase allocation to the NIB for the country to achieve food security. ―We need to put more farmers put under irrigation programmes to grow food for the growing population,‖ he said. Nzili said the board had already approached the Ministry of Agriculture and was negotiating for funding, which would see more land put under rice. He said funding remained the biggest challenge after the slashing of the boards 2018-2019 budget. The chairman said more efforts are required on infrastructure and employment of additional personnel boost operations in rice-growing-schemes. ―We want in place extension officers to advise the farmers of new farming methods,‖ he said. The chairman said food security as envisaged in the Big Four Agenda by President Uhuru is key for the development and must be prioritised. He called on WKS management to provide sufficient technical support to the farmers and extension, capacity building to farmers as well as rice seed production. This, Nzili said is aimed at enhancing food production, create employment and make Kenya a food secure nation in line with the Big 4 Agenda. The board also called on government to relook at the taxation for imported rice to protect local farmers. He proposed that rice should be taxed more, saying the imports have created an influx and unfair competitive market thereby discharging local farmers from growing rice. Nzili and NIB General manager Mugambi Gitonga said Kenya was better placed to produce enough rice if the government increases funding. He blamed the imported grain for creating a situation where the country was not producing enough rice to feed its people. Mugambi said the country consumes about 450,000 metric tonnes of rice annually but has been producing about 120,000 metric tonnes, leaving importers to bridge the gap.
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The WKS is a significant contributor to the 120,000 metric tonnes. ―We want proper taxation on imported rice grain. This will enable our farmers to grow the grain and compete fair,‖ he added. Mugambi said plans are underway to boost rice production in Ahero, West Kano and South West Kano irrigation schemes. He added that they are looking into expanding Mwea by 10,000 in order to produce more rice. "We are also looking to build Lower Kuja scheme in Migori county, which has the potential to produce 80,000 metric tonnes of rice every year,‖ Mugambi said. Click here for the latest political news https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2018/09/24/valiant-schemes-produce-more-rice_c1823414
Senate to probe P2-B bribery uncovered by Hontiveros at NFA September 24, 2018, 6:15 PM By Mario Casayuran The Senate leadership asked Monday two of its committees to investigate allegations that bigtime corruption at the state-owned National Food Authority (NFA), under former administrator Jason Aquino, triggered the current rice crisis.
Senator Risa Hontiveros (JOHN JEROME GANZON) Senator Risa Hontiveros delivered a stinging privilege speech that the rice crisis resulted from a conspiracy between unscrupulous private traders and insiders within the NFA. Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III assigned the probe into Hontiveros‘ claim to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chaired by Senator Richard J. Gordon and the Senate Agriculture Committee chaired by Senator Cynthia A. Villar. Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto supported Hontiveros‘ call for a Senate probe of the NFA after it amassed a staggering debt of P150 billion. Recto said it is the Filipino people who will again pay for the debt incurred by the NFA that was tasked to maintain buffer stocks to be released and sold during crisis situations.
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He said other foreign countries do not have an equivalent of the NFA.
2 ‘corrupted’ pathways Citing her sources, Hontiveros said corruption is rampant in the entry of imported rice through the country‘s two main pathways: Through the Minimum Access Volume Program, which is a program of the NFA aligned with our commitments to the WTO, and is the private sector‘s program for importing rice; and through the G2G (Government to Government)/ G2P (Government to Private) program which is the government‘s program for its importation of rice for the NFA buffer stock. ―In both these pathways, corruption is endemic,‖ claimed Hontiveros. She said this is done by ―gaming the price of rice through the manipulation of the buffer stock.‖ Another is by consolidating the hold of rice cartels over stocks of imported rice through the use of front cooperatives and farmers association, among other strategies, she explained. Hontiveros maintained that Aquino is at the center of the alleged massive corruption. Multi-billion racket ―We are looking at a multi-billion peso enterprise. A multi-billion enterprise that has lined the pockets of a privileged few, and caused hunger to untold numbers of Filipinos,‖ she explained.
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The lady lawmaker alleged that the corrupt in the NFA pocket as bribe P100 per bag of rice from friends or P150 from those not close to NFA officials. Since the country imports 20 million bags of rice and NFA officials demand P100 per bag from their friends, ―we are looking at some P2 billion,‘‘ she pointed out. This figure does not include other fees imposed by NFA insiders, she said. The opposition Senator then enumerated the NFA‘s alleged ―favored individuals.‖ She identified them as Marlon Barillo, Marigold De Castro, Richie Carpio, Mercedes Yacapin, Rocky Valdez and Judy Carol Dansal. Hontiveros said that Aquino might be liable for ―economic sabotage.‖ ―How much was paid to Aquino by private importers for allowing this modus operandi? We can only surmise. What criminal offense can be charged against him? Here, there is no surmising. Economic sabotage under Republic Act No. 10845,‖ Hontiveros asserted. Hontiveros asserted that the government must file charges against Aquino and all the private traders and importers involved in the large-scale corruption. ―We can talk about rice tarrification and other important policy measures. But without addressing rice tara-ffication, our policies remain inutile,‖ she said. https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/09/24/senate-to-probe-p2-b-bribery-uncovered-byhontiveros-at-nfa/
Philippines ramps up rice imports to stem high retail prices September 24, 2018, 04:04:00 AM EDT By Reuters
Reuters
MANILA, Sept 24 (Reuters) - The Philippines on Monday decided to ramp up its rice imports before year-end, announcing a decision to purchase an additional 500,000 tonnes apart from the 250,000 tonnes it planned to buy via an open tender. The Southeast Asian county, one of the world's biggest rice buyers, also planned to buy 1 million tonnes of rice next year, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol said, as the government
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moves aggressively to curb rising retail prices of the grain.
The increasing demand for rice from the Philippines could boost export prices of its main suppliers - Vietnam and Thailand. "So the message that we want to get across for those hoarding rice - you better release your stocks in the market," Pinol told reporters after a meeting of the National Food Authority (NFA) council, the state panel that approves rice import deals. Retail prices of the staple grain began to climb when government-subsidised rice sold by the NFA became scarce early this year, boosting demand for grains sold by private traders. The steady rise in rice prices prompted the NFA to rush the importation of 500,000 tonnes in recent months, apart from the maximum 805,200 tonnes the private sector is allowed to bring in under an annual quota scheme. The Department of Trade and Industry will take over NFA's job of importing rice and ensure only the cheapest varieties will be brought in, said Presidential spokesman Harry Roque. Massive crop losses in major rice-growing provinces due to a strong typhoon this month added to concerns about supply availability and high prices. https://www.nasdaq.com/article/philippines-ramps-up-rice-imports-to-stem-high-retailprices-20180924-00119
Rice Imports Based on Detailed Analysis and Studies: Lawmaker 39 | w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o g s p o t . c o m mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com
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SUNDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER, 2018 | 20:08 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A lawmaker said the decision on rice import, which has triggered controversy, was based on detailed analysis and study by the government. "The decision to import rice was made not without a study," Hamdhani, a member of the Commission V of the House of Representatives said on Saturday. The controversy, first triggered by split of opinions between government officials over the need for imports, was fanned into public debate by politicians and government critics. Critics said the government imported rice when the surplus was abundant resulting in the farmer in difficulty to dispose of their surplus. Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita defended the government policy saying imports is needed to guarantee enough stock in anticipation of shortfall in domestic supply. Head of the Board of Logistic Budi Waseso and Agriculture Minister Andi Amran were against imports. Hamdani said the decision was made not by the Trade Minister alone but it was decision at a coordination meeting under the Coordinating Minister for Economy Darmin Nasution also signed by the Bulog chief and the Agriculture Minister. The import decision was to maintain stock to keep inflation under control especially as the Agriculture Minister had said that food crop farms were shrinking in size.
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Head of the Presidential Staff Moeldoko, who is also the general chairman of the Indonesian Association of Farmers(HKTI), said there was no cause for making a big issue of the ricer import. "One of my feet is in HKTI, and one with the government. I have to explain especially to farmers, that we have to import rice to keep the price stable," Moeldoko told reporters in Surabaya, on Thursday. Moeldoko said whether it is necessary to import rice depends on the condition of stock held by Bulog. In separate place, Coordinating Minister Darmin Nasution said he would invite the Trade Minister and the Bulog chief and the Agriculture Minister to a meeting in a bid to end the polemic on rice import. "Certainly I would bring them together. I am looking the right time," Darmin said. Darmin said he hoped that after the meeting there would be confirmation that the rice import policy was approved at an earlier meeting. He said the decision to import rice was made in the third quarter of 2017 when rice price was rising and Bulog stock was only 978,000 tons as against the country`s monthly requirement of around 2.3 million-2.4 million tons. https://en.tempo.co/read/news/2018/09/23/056921900/Rice-Imports-Based-on-DetailedAnalysis-and-Studies-Lawmaker
NFA says rice dealers do not want to sell lower-grade grains September 24, 2018 | 12:05 am
A woman buys NFA rice at a store set up by Department of Trade and Industry in Brgy. Commonwealth in Quezon City last Sept. 18. -- PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS THE National Food Authority (NFA) said the market is running short of regular-milled rice, which it says should force a rethink of the private-sector led-importation rules to increase the availability of the affordable type of the staple. ―Nobody wants to sell regular milled, which is not the whitest variety. Everyone wants to sell well-milled,‖ Judy Carol L. Dansal, Deputy Administrator for the grains agency‘s Marketing Operations, told Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez during talks at the NFA headquarters last week.
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The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has threatened to issue an order that will revoke business permits of retailers who do not sell the more affordable type of rice, as consumers have been left to choose between well-milled and other higher-priced varieties.
The DTI was seeking to bring down the price of the staple grain after inflation hit 6.4% in August. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, well-milled rice sold for an average of P48.93 per kilogram in the second week of September, up 15.73% from a year earlier and up 1.1% from the prior week. Regular-milled rice prices averaged P45.71 per kg., up 20.26% from a year earlier and up 0.97% from a week earlier. The suggested retail price for regular-milled rice is P39 per kg. set by the Department of Agriculture (DA) in June.
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Due to the unenforceability of the DA price ceiling after the NFA reported the disappearance of regular-milled rice from the market, the DTI asked the NFA to accredit importers shipping in rice graded at 25% brokens. For domestic procurement, the NFA recognizes three categories of regular-milled rice, graded RD1 to RD3 in descending order of price, and three grades of well-milled rice graded WD1 to WD3. A seventh category, WD1-A, commands the highest wholesale procurement price of P30 per kg. For imported rice, the NFA lists five categories, the lowest quality being 25% brokens. Outgoing NFA Administrator Jason Laureano Y. Aquino has said that key rice suppliers like Vietnam may be ―uncomfortable‖ supplying lower-grade rice. The world‘s top rice exporter has been improving its rice quality to minimize the content of grain fragments, which command lower prices. The Philippines is moving to liberalize rice imports and impose a rice tariff system. House Bill 7735 seeks to amend Republic Act No 8178 or the Agricultural Tariffication Act to implement a system of rice tariffs. It proposes a 35% duty on imports from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with a 40% rate applying to imports from non-ASEAN countries.It was approved on third and final reading in August while its counterpart measure in the Senate is being discussed at plenary level.Identified as a priority bill by the LegislativeExecutive Development Advisory Council, economic managers have also cited rice tariffication as one of the levers for containing inflation. — Janina C. Lim https://www.bworldonline.com/nfa-says-rice-dealers-do-not-want-to-sell-lower-gradegrains/
Rice racketeering in any NFA setup GOTCHA - Jarius Bondoc (The Philippine Star) - September 24, 2018 - 12:00am The National Food Authority is back to its old setup. President Duterte reverted it last week to the Dept. of Agriculture. That, he thinks, would enable the agency to bring down rice prices and
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stabilize supply. The governing NFA Council was revamped. The agriculture secretary is now the NFA chairman, while the NFA administrator remains as vice chair. Council members will come from economic agencies and state banks. That‘s how the NFA was before 2014. But then-President Noynoy Aquino transferred it from the DA to a newly minted Office of the Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization. That was because the NFA was running wild – importing smelly rice at overprice two years in a row. It also was abetting one of two factions of rice smugglers. Before the OPAFSAM took over, the agriculture secretary-chairman and NFA administrator-vice chair allegedly were in cahoots. They hailed from the same provincial district. The latter was political aide to the former as congressmen. When the NFA came under the new OPAFSAM, the favored smuggling faction fell from influence – but not before implicating the OPAFSAM in an extortion scam. Duterte had no OPAFSAM when he came in 2016. Still he initially retained NFA under Malacañang, through the Office of the Cabinet Secretary. Duterte‘s NFA administrator-vice chair never saw eye-to-eye with the CabSec-chairman. They accused each other of corruption. One of the latter‘s undersecretaries was sacked. The NFA continued to run wild. Rice buffer stocks suddenly ran out last January within a month of delivery. A third smuggling ring allegedly became dominant. During Gloria Arroyo‘s Presidency, 2001-2010, the NFA was moved around too, first from the DA to Malacañang, then back to the DA. NFA rice imports then, bought at commissionable overprice, reached nearly two million tons a year. The kickbacks were used for election campaigns. The first two smuggling rings rose or fell depending on who headed the NFA. Contraband frequently were sneaked in to Cebu and Davao. Smuggling went on right from the start of Aquino‘s tenure, 2010-2016. His first NFA chief remarked that the agency‘s warehouses were brimming with excess imports by the previous admin. Thus they slowed down on imports. But then a huge volume was smuggled into Subic. The Senate inquiry showed that the contraband was from the first smuggling faction. The other gang jealously had tipped off the authorities. Rackets occur in rice trading and imports under any NFA setup. The powers of the agency breed corruption. It alone is authorized to import grains tax- and duty-free. That tempts the bosses to pad the import price during closed-door negotiations with foreign suppliers. The NFA can delegate its tax- and duty-free importing to rice traders. That too spurs corruption. It grants the import permits and quotas to the highest bribers. Rice farmers naturally complain that the imports are killing them off. The NFA devises supposed solutions – letting so-called farmers‘ cooperatives do the importing. That spawns yet more bribery – from big traders disguising as farmers.
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The true solution is to remove from NFA the power to import and retain only the duty to keep an emergency national buffer. Let all big rice and grains users – chain restaurateurs, hoteliers, feed millers – import on their own. A standard duty is to be paid in advance to Customs. Any excess import volume shall be confiscated like any other contraband. The multibillion-peso duties collected from rice imports can then be used to improve domestic harvests. Irrigation, harvesting, threshing, drying, and storage facilities can be built. Transport and trading networks can be formed. High-yield rice varieties can be researched and disseminated. Safe fertilizers and pesticides can be distributed cheap to farmers. Agriculturists can be trained and fielded to farming communities. Alternate seasonal crops can be introduced with subsidies. That way, rice farming can become lucrative in the Philippines, like it is in Thailand and Vietnam, India and Pakistan. Farmers can even specialize in certain varieties, as do Japanese millionaire-planters. *
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Catch Sapol radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., DWIZ, (882-AM). Gotcha archives on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jarius-Bondoc/1376602159218459, or The STAR website https://beta.philstar.com/columns/134276/gotcha NATIONAL FOOD AUTHORITYRICE
https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2018/09/24/1854103/rice-racketeering-any-nfa-setup
USDA expects Egypt to import 300,000 tonnes of rice during this planting season In January, Egypt decided to reduce rice cultivation area from 1,100m feddans to 724,000 feddans Nihal Samir
Egypt will import 300,000 tonnes of rice during the 2018/2019 rice planting season, according to a recent report by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Moreover, it forecasts that Egypt‘s rice production will drop this year by 15% to reach 2.8m tonnes, instead of the USDA`s previous forecast of 3.3m tonnes. Notably, the Egyptian government has taken measures, and enacted legislation to reduce cultivated areas of water-intensive crops such as rice, in order to conserve vital River Nile
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resources, as Ethiopia prepares to fill the reservoir behind a colossal dam which it is building upstream. In January, Egypt decided to reduce the rice cultivation area from 1,100m feddans to 724,000 feddans.
Then in May, the government agreed to increase the area allocated for rice cultivation by 100,000 feddans only during this season, bringing the total area of rice cultivation to 824,000 feddans,In June, Egypt announced that it would begin importing rice, but the quantities were not declared. For his part, Mostafa Al-Najari, member of the grain division of the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce and chairperson of the Rice Committee of the Agriculture Export Council, stated to Daily News Egypt earlier, that he expects Egypt to import 400,000 tonnes of rice in the period from August 2018 to August 2019. On the other hand, Vice President of the rice division, in the Chamber of Grain Industry, in the Federation Of Egyptian Industries Mostafa Al-Saltisi, told DNE that importing rice threatens the local market in Egypt.
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He noted that Egypt‘s main problem in importing rice is that the quality of the other countries‘ rice is inferior to Egypt‘s rice quality. He elaborated that the decision of reducing the area of rice cultivation is one of the most dangerous decisions that Egypt took, explaining that Egypt‘s main agricultural crops are grain and rice, defining the decision as 100% wrong. On the other hand, the USDA expects that Egypt‘s wheat imports during the current fiscal year (FY) 2018/2019, will increase by 1.62%, to reach 12.5m tonnes instead of 12.3m tonnes. Meanwhile, it predicts that the local production of wheat would remain stable at 8.45m tonnes this year.Notably, the Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Aly Meselhi, indicated last April that Egypt aims to import 6m tonnes of wheat in the FY 2018/2019. https://dailynewsegypt.com/2018/09/23/usda-expects-egypt-to-import-300000-tonnes-ofrice-during-this-planting-season/
Angara: Rice tariffication law will solve grain problem posted September 23, 2018 at 10:30 pm by Macon Ramos-Araneta
Senator Juan Edgardo Angara on Sunday expressed support for the proposed rice tariffication law, which seeks to address rice supply issues in the country. ―There should be a clear policy regarding rice. It is important to pass the proposal because under it, not only those accredited by the National Food Authority can import rice,‖ said Angara, who has been named the new president of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, the party founded by his late father, former Senate president Edgardo Angara. Senate Bill No. 1998 replaces the quantitative import restriction on rice with tariffs and lifts the quantitative exports restrictions on rice. Under the bill, a 35 percent duty will be imposed on imports coming from member-countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations while a 50 percent duty will be slapped for imports coming from non-ASEAN states. The measure has been certified as urgent by President Rodrigo Duterte.
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Economic managers claimed that liberalizing rice imports will reduce the retail price of rice by P4 to P7 per kilo and reduce inflation rate by 0.4 percentage points. A key feature of the bill is the creation of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund or the Rice Fund consisting of an initial appropriation of P10 billion sourced from the national budget until such time that there is enough collection from tariff. http://manilastandard.net/news/national/276256/angara-rice-tariffication-law-will-solve-grainproblem.html
Bumpers Faculty Honored with Service, Honors Mentor and International Education Awards Sep. 24, 2018
Photo by Robby Edwards Donn Johnson (center) with Bumpers College Dean Deacue Fields (left) and Ken Korth, interim head of the departments of entomology and plant pathology, was recognized for 40 years service at the college's Faculty Recognition Reception.
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Faculty members in the U of A's Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences were recognized with service awards at a reception on Sept. 20 at Fayetteville's Hilton Garden Inn. Dean Deacue Fields presented service awards, and Jason Apple was named the Outstanding Honors Faculty Mentor Award winner and Kathi Jogan the Outstanding International Education Award winner. Faculty recognized with service awards included: 
40-Year Award
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Donn Johnson, professor, entomology 35-Year Award o Paul Counce, professor, Rice Research and Extension Center o Richard Norman, professor, crop, soil, and environmental sciences 30-Year Award o Fred Bourland, professor, crop, soil, and environmental sciences o David Miller, professor, crop, soil, and environmental sciences 20-Year Award o Nilda Burgos, professor, crop, soil, and environmental sciences o Andrew McKenzie, professor, agricultural economics and agribusiness o Mike Richardson, professor, horticulture, landscape and turf sciences o Mike Thomsen, professor and undergraduate coordinator, agricultural economics and agribusiness 10-Year Award o Burt Bluhm, associate professor, plant pathology o Ashley Dowling, associate professor, entomology o Steve Halbrook, professor, agricultural economics and agribusiness o Sun-Ok Lee, associate professor, food science o Garry McDonald, clinical assistant professor, horticulture o Lanier Nalley, professor, agricultural economics and agribusiness o Leigh Southward, associate professor, human environmental sciences - apparel merchandising and product development o Ionnis Tzanetakis, professor, plant pathology o Lisa Wood, clinical assistant professor, crop, soil, and environmental sciences, and director, Bumpers College International Programs
Apple is a professor and Jogan instructor, both in the Department of Animal Science. About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences:Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture. About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.CONTACTS:Robby Edwards, director of communications Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences 479-575-4625, robbye@uark.edu https://news.uark.edu/articles/43878/bumpers-faculty-honored-with-service-honors-mentor-andinternational-education-awards
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