October 26 ,2018 Vol 9 ,Issue 10
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CPEC moves into agriculture Khurram HusainUpdated October 25, 2018
The writer is a member of staff. A VERY interesting annexure in the latest State Bank’s annual report provides much-needed detail on the entry of Chinese firms in Pakistan’s agriculture sector. Agriculture appears to be one of China’s top
priorities in CPEC, contrary to how the Pakistani government has presented the enterprise as being built around transit trade. And now, possibly for the first time, we have an official source where this is fleshed out in further detail. It begins by noting that the CPEC Long Term Plan (LTP) lays great stress on agriculture, with wide-ranging engagement across the entire sector. Boosting yields in the crop sector, reducing losses from harvest and transportation, and engaging with livestock and dairy are some of the thrusts envisaged under the plan. The eventual goal appears to be to boost Pakistan‘s food exports to China.
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The report adds this intriguing sentence, without elaborating: ―It is important to note that the nature and direction of such a progress critically depends upon changes currently under way in the agriculture sector of the Chinese economy.‖ The annexure points out that agriculture is a big priority for China‘s overseas investments in all countries under the Belt and Road Initiative. The motivation is China‘s growing food deficit at home and the erosion of arable land. ―China‘s food import dependence is rising amidst continued degradation of arable land and depletion of its livestock and fisheries resources. To address these concerns, it is investing heavily under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by outsourcing its food supplies, while moving towards high value-added food products to contain its food trade deficit.‖ The biggest concern in the whole enterprise is not mentioned: what does it mean for Pakistan’s own food security? So China is ―outsourcing its food supplies‖ to address its growing food-security vulnerability, and this involves growing investments in the agriculture sectors of other countries. The benefits for Pakistan are nicely laid out in the annexure. They include improved yields through superior seeds, mechanisation of farms as well as introduction of drip irrigation technology on a wider scale, increased use of formal credit systems for agri-lending, and greater documentation of the rural economy and especially its land registries. Much work has already been done along these lines. For example, China has pursued hybrid rice cultivation in Pakistan for almost two decades now, trying new varieties that promise higher yields and are more temperature resistant. This year, the first export consignment of hybrid rice was sent to the Philippines. Now more land is expected to be brought under rice cultivation after this initial marker of success. A programme has just been concluded in Mansehra, Swat, Sahiwal and Larkana (among other areas) to grow hybrid rice, where the testing was done on a certain variety to be grown under the very different temperature conditions in each of these regions. Likewise, a cold storage station has been erected in Khunjerab, on the Chinese border, for seafood exports to China. It is active for eight months of a year, according to the annexure, and will handle sales to the Xingjian region, as well as Shanghai and Beijing according to the authors. As per the LTP, more cold storages are planned in Karachi, Gwadar, as well as Lahore and Peshawar. Chinese enterprises are also scouting for possible investments in Pakistan‘s agrarian economy. More recently, ―on July 31, 2018, Fauji Foods Ltd disclosed on the stock exchange that Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Company Limited, a Chinese state-owned enterprise, has expressed interest in acquiring up to 51 per cent of the voting shares and/ or control in the former with the intention of expanding R&D operations and manufacturing high-value-added dairy products to be exported to China.‖
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This is an interesting strategy to acquire controlling stakes in a large agro enterprise in the country, then fanning outwards from there. In due course, cotton will also come on this radar, since the LTP has specifically mentioned the interest of Chinese officials in Pakistani yarn and coarse cloth to feed Xinjiang‘s growing textile industry. Some structural problems will need to be addressed, the authors of the annexure state, for the benefits of this opportunity to flow smoothly for Pakistan. These include low levels of farmer literacy and awareness, low levels of formal credit for farmers, ‗cluster farming‘ — or the land holding pattern of the country where the majority of farmers own small pieces of land (typically 12.5 acres or less) which inhibits economies of scale — poor state of land records and of course a highly dysfunctional water economy. The biggest concern in the whole enterprise is not mentioned: what does it mean for Pakistan‘s own food security? Boosting agricultural yields and reducing losses in the food supply chain are clearly required for Pakistan, but as exports grow and more land is brought under water-intensive rice cultivation (as an example), what will happen to our local food needs? Soon the enterprise will move into its next phase, where land acquisition for demonstration projects gets going and large agro enterprises in the country start being bought out, like what is happening with Fauji Foods Ltd. Long before that happens, it is imperative that the government of Pakistan ensures that the country‘s own needs are in the driving seat. We need to ask whether new varieties of hybrid rice (particularly sticky rice) are the best place to lay the emphasis for the future of this engagement, since it means devoting large tracts of land as well as enormous water resources, to growing something that is not a staple food here. Perhaps more emphasis on wheat in the coming days will also materialise. Pakistan‘s agriculture needs support of the sort that the Chinese are offering — there is little doubt about that. But our agriculture is the lifeblood of our economy, and the biggest pillar of our stability is our hard-fought food security. There is very little bargaining room with these priorities. Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018
https://www.dawn.com/news/1441188
New heat-resistant rice variety to be launched next year OUR STAFF REPORT October 24, 2018
LAHORE - A local firm and Chinese company are jointly set to introduce heat resistant rice variety for the first time in country‘s history. The variety ‗LP18‘ will be commercially available for sowing in Pakistan from the next year. The main objective behind introduction of this modern seed is controlling the damage to yield during high temperature season.Agriculture scientists of Guard Agricultural Research &
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Services (Ltd) and Chinese hybrid rice giant Longping Hi-tech conducted a series of research to develop this modern variety. A group of Agriculture Journalists Association visited the areas of Sindh to study the development in agriculture sector of Sindh where the seed will be launched initially.
―Guard and Longping are jointly introducing heat-tolerant variety in Sindh as the province is experiencing extreme heat for last some years, causing damage to rice yield,‖ announced Shahrukh Malik, Guard Group Senior Executive, while addressing a farmers‘ gathering in Larkana. He said company was also working on introducing such seeds of different crops and vegetables with the major focus on rice which could face the wrath of climate change and produce more. He said company was working on a plan to produce 95 per cent of the total hybrid seed being used in Pakistan in the rice sector within the country. The move, he believed, will reduce country‘s dependence on imports. He hinted the goal will be achieved in next two years, brining Pakistan into the ranks of rice seed exporting club. Longping High-Tech representative speaking on this occasion said the company was working in agricultural sector of Pakistan for last 20 years. Guard and Longping, he said, enjoyed 40 percent share of country‘s hybrid rice market. He informed farmers that more research was underway to produce saline resistance, Basmati hybrid and more heat tolerant varieties. ―China is not only selling seeds but transferring technology to its partners. Both companies exported a small consignment of rice seed recently on the pilot basis.‖
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Larkana Chamber of Commerce & Industry President Abdul Ghaffar Sheikh also spoke on occasion and appreciated the efforts of the companies for brining betterment in Sindh agriculture sector.
https://nation.com.pk/24-Oct-2018/new-heat-resistant-rice-variety-to-be-launched-next-year
USA Rice Outlook Conference Registration, Exhibitor Prices Set to Increase By Deborah Willenborg
ARLINGTON, VA - Early bird registration and the corresponding $100 discount for the 2018 USA Rice Outlook Conference will expire on November 9, so attendees are encouraged to save money and register today, as well as book their room before the hotel block fills up as well. The conference is scheduled for December 5-7 at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina and will feature a broad range of programming from farm estate planning and how to avoid grain bin
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entrapment to the Trump trade agenda and the macroeconomic outlook for agriculture - and more in between. "We will be looking at sustainability and conservation from many angles with multiple sessions planned, as well as a near-term look ahead in a session called 'The Future of Retail,' and a longterm look into the future with our keynote speaker, food futurologist Dr. Morgaine Gaye," said Michael Klein, USA Rice vice president of communications and marketing.
Klein said the Exhibit Hall and schedule for the Innovation Stage is filling up, but that some opportunities remain - and rates on these increase this weekend.
Full details on programming and registration, as well as links to make hotel reservations can be found at usarice.com/outlook.
Eat Real Rice Cookbook Now Available
No kitchen is complete without it
By Lesley Dixon
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS - Arkansas Rice has released a new cookbook that shines the spotlight on U.S.-grown rice with 17 recipes inspired by those who farm, mill, and eat Arkansas rice every day. Eat Real Rice was created by Tisha Gribble, who does marketing and promotions for Arkansas Rice, in collaboration with Favorite Recipes Press, and contains essential facts and information about rice in addition to delicious recipes for every meal of the day.
One of the most unique things about this book is that each recipe can be removed and used as an individual recipe card, a concept developed by Gribble and Favorite Recipes. "You can pull the recipe cards out to put in your recipe box. There's really nothing like it on the market," said Gribble. "You could even make the recipe for someone and give them the recipe card along with it."
From the traditional Spanish rice with sausage to the comforting chicken and rice casserole,
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many of these recipes are fresh spins on well-loved classics, dishes that will please the entire family-even picky eaters. But the range of recipes is broad, and this little book isn't afraid to get a little adventurous. The spinach and rice quiche is a French staple with a twist, and the beef stroganoff with tarragon rice is a lighter variation of a meal usually served with heavy egg noodles.
This writer is personally most excited about trying the pesto and pea oven-baked risotto, which somehow manages to walk the line between decadent and garden fresh.
So what inspired Eat Real Rice? Gribble has wanted to create a rice cookbook for years. She hopes that the book will be practical, but also informative. She's particularly proud that the first four pages are dedicated to Arkansas rice facts, including statistics, maps, nutrition, and a sustainability story. There's also a handy guide to cooking the perfect pot of rice, so the recipes couldn't be easier. But the book isn't just for those who love Arkansas rice. It's for everyone who loves U.S.-grown rice, period. The first two copies Gribble sold went to Texas and Georgia. "It makes a great Christmas gift for friends near and far, whether they've got Arkansas roots or if they're from another rice state." The title of the book, Eat Real Rice (with "real" emphasized), is a gentle jab at rice pretenders such as riced cauliflower. Gribble wants people to know that the recipes call for real, honest-to-
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goodness U.S. rice, and that any kind of substitute or imposter would detract from the heart and soul of the dishes themselves. Arkansas Rice has printed 3,000 copies of Eat Real Rice and is considering creating more cookbooks in the future. With the removable recipe card format, home chefs can add as many recipes as they want to their own collection, and rice is so versatile it's a limitless source of inspiration. If you want a copy of Eat Real Rice, you can find it on www.ArkansasRice.org along with other merchandise bearing the Eat Real Rice logo. They'd fit perfectly in a Christmas stocking, and several of the recipes would be right at home on a Thanksgiving table.
Visalia-based Citrus Research Board and UC create $1million endowment for citrus research Posted by: Archives Posted date: October 24, 2018 In: News, Visalia |
Citrus Research Board, University of California establish an endowment for long term sustainability research @TheSunGazette
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VISALIA – Central Valley citrus has managed to fend off the far-reaching Asian citrus psyllid and the fatal tree disease it spreads, huanglongbing (HLB). But that has not come without innovation, research and of course cost. Fortunately, the Citrus Research Board and University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources are continuing to help out with the last part. The CRB announced on Monday, Oct. 22, they and UC ANR have established a $1 million endowment to fund the Presidential Researcher for Sustainable Citrus Clonal Protection at the UC Lindcove Research and Extension Center. The endowed researcher will provide a UC Cooperative Extension scientist a dedicated source of funds to support scholarly activities focused on the longterm sustainability of the citrus industry. The new endowment supports the UC Citrus Clonal Protection Program, which distributes pathogen-tested, true-to-type citrus budwood to nurseries, farmers and the public to propagate citrus trees for commercial and personal use. The CCPP maintains blocks of trees that serve as the primary source of budwood for all important fruit and rootstock varieties for California‘s citrus industry and researchers. The CCPP is a cooperative program between UC ANR, CRB, the California Citrus Nursery Board and the California Department of Food and Agriculture. CCPP director Georgios Vidalakis, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in plant pathology at UC Riverside, shared his appreciation for the efforts that led to the creation of the new endowed researcher position. ―I wish to thank the Citrus Research Board for establishing the Presidential Researcher for Sustainable Citrus Clonal Protection at LREC endowment,‖ said UC ANR vice president Glenda Humiston. ―This gift, coupled with the $500,000 match from the UC Office of the President, will help to ensure the longterm success of exemplary research focused on the California citrus industry.‖ UC President Janet Napolitano provided half the funds for the endowed researcher; the CRB donated the other half. ―We are gratified that President Napolitano has selected the CRB for this prestigious match program,‖ said CRB Chairman Dan Dreyer. ―It will be invaluable in helping us to pursue critical research that will yield beneficial findings to support the sustainability of the California citrus industry.‖ ―My thanks to the citrus growers for their decades-long support, especially the members of the CCPP committee of the CRB for their vision, and UC‘s Greg Gibbs for coordinating all of the efforts,‖ he said. Vidalakis also praised Lindcove director Elizabeth Grafton-Cardwell, ―For making the case to our growers about the importance of this endowment and for making plans to house the UC ANR endowment at the LREC.‖
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A selection committee will award the endowment to a distinguished UC ANR academic. An annual payout will be used to provide salary, graduate student and/or program support. The researcher will be named for a five-year term. At the end of that period, the appointment will be reviewed and either renewed or taken back to a selection committee to choose another UC ANR academic. ―I would like to thank the CRB for this generous gift and their continued support of our research for CCPP at the LREC,‖ said UC ANR Director of Major Gifts Greg Gibbs. The CRB administers the California Citrus Research Program, the grower-funded and growerdirected program established in 1968 under the California Marketing Act as the mechanism enabling the state‘s citrus producers to sponsor and support needed research. More information about the Citrus Research Board may be found at www.citrusresearch.org. The Presidential Researcher for Sustainable Citrus Clonal Protection is the fifth $1 million UC ANR endowment to support California agriculture. The other endowments are: UC Cooperative Extension Presidential Chair for Tree Nut Genetics, formed with the California Pistachio Board in October 2015 UC Cooperative Extension Presidential Chair for Tree Nut Soil Science and Plant Water Relations, formed with the California Pistachio Board in October 2015 UC Cooperative Extension Presidential Chair for California Grown Rice, formed with the California Rice Research Board in September 2016 UC Cooperative Extension Presidential Chair for Agricultural Education in Orange County, formed with the Orange County Farm Bureau in October 2017 http://www.thesungazette.com/article/news/2018/10/24/visalia-based-citrus-research-board-and-uccreate-1million-endowment-for-citrus-research/
This ingenious way of cooking rice slashes 60 per cent of the calories BY MARTA SUBAT ON OCTOBER 23, 2018 One cup of cooked white rice contains an average of 200 calories so it‘s treated by many as a ‗sometimes‘ food.
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However, scientists from the College of Chemical Sciences in Sri Lanka are making the delicious carb-filled staple healthier for all by sharing a simple trick to reducing the calories. And all you have to do is add a little bit of coconut oil to the cooking process, then allow it to cool overnight, Better Homes and Gardens reported. Adding these two steps to your rice-cooking repertoire minimises the calories in your final dish by 60 per cent. And because obesity is a growing problem worldwide this could be the food-based solution we so desperately need to know about. The reason why adding a substance like coconut oil works to reduce the overall calories is relatively simple: the fat molecules find their way inside the rice during the boiling process and double as a digestive barrier. Couple that with letting it cool for 12 hours – which makes the bonds in the rice form stronger ‗resistant starches‘ and makes it difficult for digestive enzymes to break down – and you‘ve practically got a cheat meal on your hands. The study‘s team leader Sudhair A. James said ‗the increasing rice resistant starch (RS) concentrations was a novel way to approach the problem of obesity‘. But doctors have warned that reheated rice has the power to cause food poisoning. In a bid to fend off bacteria, they recommend not leaving it in the fridge for longer than a day and making sure it is piping hot after microwaving. Also, never reheat rice more than once. Researchers are currently trying to figure out whether other oil types act in the same way. http://infosurhoy.com/cocoon/saii/xhtml/en_GB/top-stories/this-ingenious-way-of-cooking-rice-slashes60-per-cent-of-the-calories/
A fight against vitamin A deficiency By Henrylito D. Tacio
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October 25, 2018
‗THE soul, fortunately, has an interpreter—often an unconscious but still a faithful interpreter— in the eye,‖ wrote Charlotte Bronte in her famed Jane Eyre. Marcus Tullius Cicero had the same view when he said: ―The face is a picture of the mind with the eyes as its interpreter.‖ A survey was conducted on which is the most important among the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. It was found that their eyesight is the mode of perception they value—and fear losing—most. Unknowingly, there are those who suffer from night blindness even at a younger age. This is true in the Philippines. A study was conducted in three provinces (Quezon, Northern Samar and
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Zamboanga del Sur) among 11,378 children between six and 83 months of age. Prevalence rate ranged from 1.6 to 4.4 percent. Known in medical science as nyctalopia, night blindness is a condition making it difficult or impossible to see in relatively low light. A symptom of several eye diseases, it may exist from birth or be caused by injury. Oftentimes, night blindness is triggered by vitamin A deficiency (VAD). ―The vitamin A status of the Philippines is considered severe subclinical deficiency affecting children six months to five years [8.2 percent] and pregnant women [7.1 percent],‖ a report from the UN Food and Agriculture points out. ―Two forms of vitamin A are available in the human diet: preformed vitamin A and provitamin A carotenoids,‖ and the Office of Dietary Supplements of the US National Institutes of Health. Concentrations of preformed vitamin A are highest in liver and fish oils. Other sources of preformed vitamin A are milk and eggs, which also include some provitamin A. Most dietary provitamin A comes from leafy green vegetables, orange and yellow vegetables, tomato products, fruits and some vegetable oils. The top food sources of vitamin A include dairy products, liver, fish and fortified cereals, while the top sources of provitamin A include carrots, broccoli, cantaloupe and squash. Night blindness is one of the first signs of VAD, which is common in poorer countries but rarely seen in more developed countries. The Geneva-based World Health Organization estimates between 250,000 to 500,000 children who become blind each year because of a lack of vitamin A in their diets. Not only that, about half of these children die within 12 months. VAD also depresses the immune system, raising overall mortality among children from other causes, such as diarrhea, measles and pneumonia. For these diseases the additional toll is estimated at 1 million preventable deaths a year, or around 2,700 per day, mostly among children younger than five.
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The eighth National Nutrition Survey of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute to showed VAD remains a persistent public health issue in the Philippines. There was an increase of VAD incidence (among children ages six months to five years old) from 15.2 percent in 2008 to 20.4 percent in 2013. ―This is equivalent to 2.1 million children who are at risk of getting sick, blind, and even dying if left untreated,‖ Dr. Reynante L. Ordonio, a visionary young scientist working at the Philippine Rice Research Institute said. A number of Filipino pregnant and nursing mothers are also vitamin A deficient. ―Vitamin A deficiency in pregnant women could preprogram babies to grow into obese children and adults,‖ according to study done by Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California. According to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2009, daily consumption of a cup of rice—about 150 grams uncooked weight—could supply half of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A for an adult. Balancing cereal diets with vegetables and animal products is one approach used in some developing countries to address the VAD. But results were frustrating. Vegetables and animal products are expensive and seasonal, subject to spoilage and transport facilities. Experts see golden rice as one possible solution to the problem. ―Make no mistake—this agricultural innovation is not a game changer, it‘s a life changer,‖ said Dr. Siang Hee Tan, executive director of CropLife Asia, a non profit science-based organization. Golden rice is a product of biotechnology, defined as ―any technique that uses living organisms to make or modify a product, to improve plants or animals or to develop microorganisms for specific uses.‖ In recent years, modern biotechnology—through genetic engineering—has been used to increase plant and animal food production, to diagnose disease, improve medical treatment, produce vaccines and other useful drugs and to help dispose of industrial wastes. This paved way to the buzzword, genetically modified organisms.
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In the case of golden rice, respected scientists Ingo Potrykus and Peter Beyer used a gene from daffodil and an ordinary microbe and introduced it to rice through genetic engineering. Using the same microbe and another gene from yellow corn, the second version of golden rice came into existence. The new form has been found to contain 20 times more beta carotene than the original one. Golden rice had to go through a series of rigorous testing and regulatory procedures. To ensure that golden rice is safe for the environment and health, the planting materials used were subjected to confined field testing in fenced and isolated areas for at least two crop seasons in three different locations in the country. ―During the tests, any discrepancy or variation from the original variety in terms of appearance, and any unusual disease, pest or weed incidence at the sites, were carefully assessed,‖ Ordonio reports. ―Once the technology has passed the rest of the biosafety procedures, only then will it be approved by government for commercialization,‖ Ordonio added. ―Ultimately, we expect that golden rice will not only pass biosafety regulations but also be proven efficacious in fighting Vitamin A deficiency, the real reason for its conception.‖ Golden rice has been promoted as a staple that can reduce the incidence of VAD in the Philippines. About 89 percent of Filipinos consume rice on a daily basis. Normally, rice plants produce beta-carotene in their green parts, but not the grain that people eat. Golden rice is genetically engineered to produce beta-carotene in the edible part of the plant. The beta-carotene gives the golden color to the cereal (as well as to fruits and vegetables like squash, papaya and carrots). The body converts beta-carotene in golden rice to vitamin A as needed. https://businessmirror.com.ph/a-fight-against-vitamin-a-deficiency/
Device smaller than rice grain to deliver cancer therapy sans side effects: Study PTI:PublishedOct 25, 2018, 9:13 am IST
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UpdatedOct 25, 2018, 9:13 am IST
Nanofluidic seed to deliver one-time, sustained-release dose that would eliminate need for patients to undergo several treatments.
Invented by Alessandro Grattoni from the Houston Methodist Research Institute in the US, this tiny device is smaller than a grain of rice. (Photo: Pixabay) Houston: Scientists have developed an implantable nanodevice to deliver immunotherapy without side effects to treat triple-negative breast cancer. Inserted straight into a tumour, this nanofluidic seed makes it possible to deliver a one-time, sustained-release dose that would eliminate the need for patients to undergo several treatments over time, according to the study published in the Journal of Controlled Release. Invented by Alessandro Grattoni from the Houston Methodist Research Institute in the US, this tiny device is smaller than a grain of rice and, once inserted inside a tumour, can deliver the medication little by little, gradually releasing the drug from its reservoir. "With this research we are trying to establish a novel strategy to deliver immunotherapy straight into a tumour instead of delivering it to the whole body of a patient," Grattoni said. "And we're trying to understand whether delivering it this way would actually be more effective and have less side effects as compared to conventional immunotherapy, which today is given to the entire body of the patient," he said.
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What distinguishes the approach from others is the use of the implantable nanodevice that can be placed inside the tumour very accurately, with just one, simple procedure and with the ability to sustain the delivery of the immunotherapy over a prolonged period of time. "Timing of the release may be extremely important," said E Brian Butler from Houston Methodist. "These immunotherapy payloads come in a little metal device with nanochannels that release the medication at a constant rate in a controlled way," said Butler. Grattoni said that by providing sustained doses, their implant maintains an active level of the drug for extended periods of time. This would reduce the need for continual clinic visits, which are usually required for immunotherapy and other cancer treatments. By contrast, most other methods currently under preclinical and clinical trials require multiple injections into the tumour and, in many instances, necessitate repeated invasive procedures to access it. Injecting drugs straight into a tumour as a single dose may not be very effective, as only a part of it will stay, with the rest being rapidly eliminated due to the high-pressure nature of a tumour's microenvironment. Grattoni's intratumoral sustained-delivery method prevents this from happening. "We are in the middle of an exciting time in medicine, because if we can get it to work, you decrease the toxicities to the patient," Butler said. "This offers the opportunity of treating locally and getting the systemic response without all the side effects," he said. https://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/health-and-wellbeing/251018/device-smaller-thanrice-grain-to-deliver-cancer-therapy-sans-side-eff.html
Water-strapped Sindh faces big fall in non-basmati paddy yield KARACHI: The production of rice, other than its popular slender-grained aromatic variety basmati, is feared to drop 30 percent in Sindh due to acute shortage of water during the cropping season, officials said on Wednesday. ―Due to water-scarcity-led late sowing, the yield had decreased to near 50 maund (40kg)/acre from around 80 maund (40kg)/acre, in various rice growing areas of the province,‖ Kabool Muhammad Khatian, President Sindh Chamber of Agriculture, said while talking to The News.
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Khatian pointed out that currently non-basmati varieties like Irri-6, Irri-8 and hybrid paddy were fetching Rs1,200 to Rs1,300 in the market, but farmers were unable to make the most of these rates owing to lower yield. Pakistan‘s non-basmati exports were recorded at 472,702 tons in the first quarter of FY19 (JulySept 2018), down only two percent against 487,562 tons during the same period last year. However, the value in dollar terms reduced 8.94 percent during this period. The agriculture chamber official said water shortages were taking a huge toll on farmers‘ income. ―Only half of the lands were cultivation,‖ he said and added that harvesting, which usually ended by October, was still underway, which was affecting yield. Khatian said the quality of rice was also affected due to old machines being used as processors. In order to cope with this problem, State Bank of Pakistan and Sindh Board of Investment were providing soft loans and subsidy on installation of new machinery, as well as replacement of the old one, he added. ―Growers have to pay 30 percent of the total amount, while 70 percent will be paid by the banks. Besides, the interest on that amount will be paid by the SBI for three years,‖ the official said. He remarked that rice was an exportable crop, as the domestic consumption was only 20 percent of the total production. ―Wheat is our staple food crop, which fulfills 80 percent of our total food demand,‖ he said. He also draw the authorities attention to the fact that as no crop monitoring mechanism was in place the total Sindh crop production numbers were hard to come by. Safder Hussain Mehkri, Chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), told The News that seed companies were forecasting no more than a 10 percent decrease in the yield, while numbers shared by growers were telling a different story.
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Mehkri said rice export earned a foreign exchange worth around Rs2.0 billion every year. ―We have challenges due to unstable exchange rates,‖ he said adding competition with India was tough in terms of rates and the fact that they had a surplus crop. Besides, old Chinese crop was also being auctioned at lower rates, he said. He said the government, usually, did not fix any price of rice, as it was an exportable commodity. ―Small growers, however, are demanding of the government to announce a support price for paddy, as mills were forcing them to sell it at lower rates,‖ Mehkri said. Mumtaz Uqaili, a paddy grower from Thatta, said they were under pressure to reduce rates and they might surrender the crop to the mills mafia, if a support price was not announced. ―The growers are being compelled to sell paddy at half the price they sold their rice last year, as government continues to remain silent on the issue,‖ Uqaili warned. https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/385041-water-strapped-sindh-faces-big-fall-in-non-basmati-paddyyield
India hopes to sell more rice, sugar to China to cut trade gap OCTOBER 25, 2018 A man packs sugar for sale inside a shop at a marketplace in Ahmedabad, India, September 19, 2018. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India said on Thursday it was keen to sell more rice and sugar to China to bridge a widening trade deficit and cleared five more rice mills for exports of non-basmati varieties of the grain, taking the total to 25. India, which sent its first consignment of 100 tonnes non-basmati rice to China last month, said the south Asian nation has potential to export 1 million tonnes of rice to China ―in a few years‖. India‘s trade ministry also said in a statement the country could sell 500,000 tonnes of rapeseed meal to China every year after Beijing recently lifted a ban on imports of the animal feed from India. https://in.reuters.com/article/india-trade/india-says-china-agrees-to-increase-imports-from-countryidINKCN1N00K6
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Basmati paddy price surges 25% on expectation of output decline
India produces close to 9 lakh tonnes of basmati paddy each year, from which nearly six lakh tonnes of rice is produced - YinYang Rising demand also behind rise in price KOLKATA, OCTOBER 25 Shobha Roy Basmati paddy prices have firmed up by 25-30 per cent on the back of speculation of a drop in production and firm demand both in domestic and export markets. The price of the premium Pusa 1121 variety of basmati paddy is presently ruling at around ₹3,700 a quintal, as against ₹2,800 a quintal during the same period last year, recording a rise of nearly 32 per cent. The price of Pusa 1509 is also up by 29 per cent at ₹3,100 a quintal. Harvesting of basmati paddy, primarily cultivated in Punjab and Haryana, starts in October and continues till December. ―As per satellite data the area under basmati paddy cultivation is down by 2-3 per cent this year and the carry-forward stock from last year is also low. This, coupled with a firm demand for exports, has helped push up prices,‖ Vijay Sethia, President, All India Rice Exporters‘ Association (AIREA), told BusinessLine.
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While the area under paddy cultivation is slightly lower this year, the yield is better because there has been a shift to Pusa 1509, a high-yielding variety that produces close to 24-28 quintal an acre, as compared to Pusa 1121, which yields 18-22 quintal an acre. The country produces close to 9 lakh tonnes of basmati paddy each year, from which nearly six lakh tonnes of rice is produced. According to Suraj Agarwal, CEO, Tirupati Agri Trade, unseasonal and heavy rains in the months of August and September have affected the standing crop marginally, which may have an impact on production. However, the rise in prices is more on account of a strong demand from overseas markets. Typically there is a dip in price when the new crop begins to arrive in the market; however, prices have increased in the last 15-20 days, sources said. Pusa 1509 has moved up by nearly 19 per cent from ₹2,600 a quintal and Pusa 1121 by close to 9 per cent from ₹3,400 a quintal just about 20 days ago. ―Production is almost similar to last year; the price rise is more due to speculation of a possible dip in production,‖ said Gurnam Arora, Joint Managing Director, Kohinoor Foods. Rice prices firm up Firming up of paddy prices over the last two procurement seasons coupled with a strong demand from overseas markets, particularly Iran, has helped boost average realisation of basmati rice. The price of basmati rice has increased by nearly 12 per cent to ₹73,000 a tonne this year, as compared to ₹65,000 a tonne last year. In the period from April to August of the current fiscal, India exported close to 1.85 million tonnes of basmati rice valued at ₹13,629 crore. The country exported over four million tonnes of basmati rice valued at around ₹26,870 crore in FY‘18. Iran and Saudi Arabia together account for nearly 50 per cent of imports. ―In the first four months of the current fiscal year, Iran has already imported close to 70 per cent of its previous fiscal‘s total basmati rice imports from India,‖ said Deepak Jotwani, assistant Vice-President, ICRA. AIREA along with APEDA and the Punjab government, has also been taking several initiatives to boost exports to the US and Europe by educating farmers against pesticide use.
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It is to be noted that several export consignments of basmati were rejected by the US and the EU because of high pesticide residue last year. Saudi Arabia has also been following the European Union by tightening pesticide residue parameters. https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/basmati-paddy-price-surges-25-onexpectation-of-output-decline/article25324995.ece
Unhusked rice production to reach 56.54 million tons: BPS Reporter: Antara 25th October 2018
Farmers in Kasreman, Ngawi, East Java. (ANTARA FOTO/ARI BOWO SUCIPTO) Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia`s unhusked rice production is expected to reach 56.54 million tons during the period between January and December, the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) stated here on Wednesday. BPS Chief Suhariyanto noted that based on the area sampling frame (KSA) method, unhusked rice production from January to September had reached 49.65 million tons, while the potential for unhusked rice production could reach 2.66 million tons in October, 2.10 million tons in November, and 2.13 million tons in December.
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"We can see the potential during the next three months. Of course, this potential can change. It can be lower due to `puso` (harvest cannot be completed)," Suhariyanto stated. Three provinces forecast to record the highest rice production are East Java, with 10.54 million tons of production; West Java, 9.54 million tons; and Central Java, 9.51 million tons. According to Suhariyanto, data correction on rice production will allow the State Logistics Agency, or Bulog, to set the monthly unhusked rice absorption in each province. The unhusked rice production of 49.65 million tons during the January-September period is equal to 28.47 million tons of the commodity. Taking into account the rice production potential in the next three months, total rice production in 2018 is forecast to reach 32.42 million tons. As compared to rice consumption during the period that is expected to reach 29.57 million tons, the country will enjoy a surplus of 2.85 million tons of rice, he remarked. The BPS has improved its methodology of rice production assumption to have the food data correction. The agency has cooperated with the Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology, Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning, Geospatial Information Agency (BIG), and the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space or LAPAN. Under the cooperation, the institutions will improve the methodology using KSA to calculate harvesting area using BIG`s satellite image technology and paddy field land mapping from the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning. Reporting by Mentari Dwi Gayati Editing by Sri Haryati, Rahmad
Editor: Fardah Assegaf https://en.antaranews.com/news/119854/unhusked-rice-production-to-reach-5654-million-tons-bps
Agriculture Ministry says its data on rice production valid The Jakarta Post
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Jakarta | Thu, October 25, 2018 | 05:31 pm
A worker carries a sack of rice in a warehouse at a Cipinang wholesale rice market in East Jakarta. (Antara/Sigid Kurniawan) The Agriculture Ministry has said that its data on rice production is valid despite it being different than the data issued by Statistics Indonesia (BPS). The ministry's director of grains, Bambang Sugiharto, questioned the data issued by the BPS. ―It would be illogical if the surplus was calculated from the rice at warehouses of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and from [rice] in households,‖ he said as quoted by kompas.com. The BPS announced on Wednesday that this year's rice production was estimated at 32.42 million tons, while household spending was at 29.57 million tons, putting the surplus at 2.85 million tons. According to the ministry, however, this year's rice surplus was at 13.03 million tons, with total rice production estimated at 46.5 million tons and spending at 33.47 million tons. President Joko ―Jokowi‖ Widodo previously said the government had referred to BPS data that was based on a survey carried out by the BPS, the Geospatial Information Agency (BIG), the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (Lapan) and the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT).
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Bambang said Bulog reportedly had 1.5 million tons of rice in stock and 150,000 tons of rice reserves, 700,000 tons of which had been distributed for social assistance, market operations and survivors of natural disasters. Given the information, he added, the amount of rice in households would be 1.9 million tons, or about 19 kilograms per household per year, which was unlikely because, based on a 2015 BPS survey, each household stocked bout 7.5 kg of rice per month, or about 90 kg per year. (bbn) http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/10/25/agriculture-ministry-says-its-data-on-riceproduction-valid.html
Fiji imports $40m worth of rice annually: Agriculture ministry JESSICA SAVIKE 25 October, 2018, 9:20 pm Ministry of Agriculture deputy secretary Jone Sovalawa and Li Zhi with the senior agriculture officials and representatives from China after the signing. Picture: SUPPLIED
FIJI imports about $40million worth of rice every year. This was revealed by Ministry of Agriculture‘s deputy secretary Jone Sovalawa during the signing of a new contract between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Yuan Longping High in an effort to strengthen Fiji‘s rice industry. Mr Sovalawa said the Tech Agriculture Company Limited of China would continue with the second phase of the rice project between the two countries. He said the ministry was ready to work together with the Chinese team to ensure rice production was increased and expanded to potential rice growing areas in Vanua Levu and Viti Levu. Mr Sovalawa said during phase II of the project, a specialised machinery expert would be part of the team who would look into the issues in regards to machinery repairs and availability of spare parts. He said it was expected that seed quality system would be established and also provide agro inputs/spare parts and technical services to the Fiji National Rice Breeding Laboratory. Mr Sovalawa said that two new hybrid rice varieties would also be introduced, which would assist in maximising rice production. https://www.fijitimes.com/fiji-imports-40m-worth-of-rice-annually-agriculture-ministry/
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Mekong Delta likely to face drought, salinity in winterspring crop 25/10/2018 The Mekong Delta region’s rice farming area in the 2018-2019 winter-spring crop is 1.57 million hectares, with production being expected at about 7 tonnes per hectares, but the region is forecast to face drought and salinity, especially in coastal areas.
According to the Department of Cultivation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the El Nino-Southern Oscillation, which brings about abnormal wind and sea level, is likely to switch into El Nino in early 2019. Meanwhile, the rainy season in the southern area may end earlier than the average time in many years. Therefore, coastal areas of the Mekong Delta region are likely to suffer from drought and salt water intrusion during the crop, with affected rice areas being about 100,000 hectares. To cope with the situation, the department advised regional localities to reserve water for the crop, and sow rice between October 2018 and early January 2019. The localities should use high quality and resilient rice varieties such as OM 4900, OM 7347, OM 6976, OM 4218, OM 5451, and Jasmine 85, according to the department. Coastal areas should cultivate extra short-term varieties with strong resilience amidst severe drought, while choosing right cultivation time to avoid salinity.
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Meanwhile, the region should focus on upgrading major canal systems and reinforcing dykes. Localities should give guidelines to local farmers on the sowing time and choosing of varieties, while keeping a close eye at weather developments and designing responding plans, the department asked.-VNA https://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/210873/mekong-delta-likely-to-face-drought--salinityin-winter-spring-crop.html
Indian rice rates dive on low demand and bumper crop outlook Eileen Soreng OCTOBER 25, 2018 / BENGALURU (Reuters) - Rice export prices in top producer India fell this week to their lowest in 21 months, pressured by tepid demand and an expected bumper crop, while hopes of deals with Philippines propped up rates in Vietnam. Farmers plant rice saplings in a field in Shamli in Uttar Pradesh, July 19, 2014. REUTERS/Anindito Mukherjee/Files India‘s 5 percent broken parboiled variety was quoted around $361-$367 a tonne, the lowest level since January 2017, down from $365-$370 last week.―In two weeks new-season supply will become available. Traders are not sure about prices since the government has raised the support price (for farmers),‖ said one exporter based at Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.Production of summer-sown rice is estimated to grow 1.8 percent to 99.24 million tonnes. In July, the Indian government raised the prices paid to local farmers for common-grade paddy rice by 13 percent from a year ago to 1,750 rupees ($25.50) per 100 kg for the year.
The higher government-fixed price, which would entail increased procurement costs for exporters, was unlikely to translate into higher export rates because of a weaker rupee, traders said.The Indian rupee fell to a record low of 74.48 against the dollar this month, increasing exporters‘ margin. Output in neighboring Bangladesh, meanwhile, could rise by 6 percent from a year ago to about 34.54 million tonnes in 2018/19, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture attache in Bangladesh.―The prior market year‘s production shortfall forced farmers to recover their loss through expansion in cultivated area of the three rice-producing seasons this year,‖ it said in a report.Bangladesh first emerged as a major importer in 2017 after floods damaged its crops
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In Vietnam, rates for benchmark 5 percent broken rice rose to $410-$415 from $405-$410 a tonne last week, supported by higher demand from traders and concern over lower domestic supply.―Exporters are increasing their purchases from local farmers in anticipation of more government-to-government deals with the Philippines,‖ one Ho Chi Minh City-based trader said. However, activity was muted because prices were comparatively higher than those offered by other major exporters, the trader added.Farmers in the Mekong Delta provinces, Vietnam‘s rice bowl, have started sowing the winter-spring crop but forecasts of lower rainfall in the next two months have raised concerns of a drought, traders said. In Thailand, rates for 5 percent broken rice slipped to $400-$402 a tonne free on board (FOB) Bangkok, from $405–$407 last week, on the lack of fresh demand. Traders added that some exporters have stopped purchases in expectation of a further dip in prices. ―There will be more supply of seasonal rice from the middle of November until December, and this could impact prices going forward,‖ a Bangkok-based rice trader said. Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um in Bangkok, Khanh Vu in Hanoi and Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai and Ruma Paul in Dhaka; Editing by David Goodman https://in.reuters.com/article/asia-rice/indian-rice-rates-dive-on-low-demand-and-bumper-crop-outlookidINKCN1MZ1WD
Rice values and exports up surges 25% on By webfact, Yesterday at 04:55 AM in Thailand News
webfact
Rice values and exports up BANGKOK, 25th October 2018 (NNT) – The value of Jasmine rice has risen significantly to 18,000 baht per ton, and rice exports overall have increased with 9 million tons already sold this year. Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) Adul Chotinisakorn has reported that from the start of the year to October 19 Thailand exported 8.9 million tons of rice, worth a combined 4.6 billion USD and 2.71 percent more on-year. Major buyers have been Benin, Indonesia, the Philippines, China and South Africa with orders still pending from the Philippines, where Thailand won an auction to sell 18,000 tons of rice and could potentially sell up to 750,000 tons. Japan has also struck a deal to purchase over 87,000 tons of rice.
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With orders still incoming from many countries, it is expected that Thailand will hit its rice export target of 11 million tons this year.
-- nnt 2018-10-25
https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1064877-rice-values-and-exports-up/
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- OCT 26, 2018 OCTOBER 26, 2018 Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-October 26, 2018 Nagpur, Oct 26 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices firmed up again in Nagpur Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) on good seasonal demand from local millers amid weak supply from producing belts. Notable rise in Madhya Pradesh pulses and repeated enquiries from South-based millers also boosted prices. About 300 bags of gram and 250 bags of tuar reported for auctions in Nagpur APMC, according to sources. GRAM * Desi gram recovered in open market on good demand from local traders amid tight
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supply from producing belts. TUAR * Tuar varieties ruled steady in open market here but demand was poor. * Moong dal Chilka showed upward tendency in open market here on good buying support from local traders amid weak supply from producing belts. * In Akola, Tuar New – 3,900-4,000, Tuar dal (clean) – 5,700-5,900, Udid Mogar (clean) – 6,800-7,700, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,400-8,500, Gram – 4,150-4,250, Gram Super best – 5,700-5,900 * Wheat 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 3,550-4,000 3,550-3,960 Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600 Tuar Auction 3,450-3,753 3,300-3,690 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 1,900-2,050 1,900-2,040 Gram Super Best Bold 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000 Gram Super Best n.a. n.a. Gram Medium Best 5,400-5,600 5,400-5,600 Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a Gram Mill Quality 4,200-4,300 4,200-4,300 Desi gram Raw 4,100-4,200 4,050-4,150
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Gram Kabuli 8,300-10,000 8,300-10,000 Tuar Fataka Best-New 6,000-6,200 6,000-6,200 Tuar Fataka Medium-New 5,700-5,800 5,700-5,800 Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 5,300-5,500 5,300-5,500 Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 4,900-5,200 4,900-5,200 Tuar Gavarani New 3,750-3,850 3,800-3,900 Tuar Karnataka 4,250-4,350 4,250-4,350 Masoor dal best 5,200-5,500 5,200-5,500 Masoor dal medium 4,800-5,100 4,800-5,100 Masoor n.a. n.a. Moong Mogar bold (New) 7,500-8,500 7,500-8,500 Moong Mogar Medium 6,500-7,200 6,500-7,200 Moong dal Chilka New 6,200-7,000 6,000-7,000 Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a. Moong Chamki best 7,500-8,800 7,500-8,800 Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 7,000-7,500 7,000-7,500 Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,200-6,500 5,200-6,500 Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 3,800-4,000 3,800-4,000 Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 6,000-6,200 6,000-6,200 Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 4,000-4,100 4,000-4,200 Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 5,500-5,600 5,500-5,600 Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,100 5,800-6,100 Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,200 2,100-2,200
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Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 2,150-2,200 2,150-2,200 Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,500 2,400-2,500 Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,600 2,400-2,600 Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 2,250-2,350 2,250-2,350 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a. MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-4,000 3,200-4,000 MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,800 2,400-2,800 Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,200 2,100-2,200 Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-4,000 3,200-4,000 Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 2,700-3,300 2,700-3,300 Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,000 2,900-3,000 Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,700-2,800 2,700-2,800 Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,700 Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 4,000-4,500 4,000-4,500 Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,600-4,000 3,600-4,000 Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG) 5,000-5,500 5,000-5,500 Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 4,600-4,800 4,600-4,800 Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 9,500-14,500 9,500-14,500 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 4,800-7,200 4,800-7,200 Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 6,700-7,000 6,800-7,000 Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 6,100-6,500 6,200-6,600 Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,500 2,300-2,500
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Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,200 2,000-2,200 WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 34.9 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 16.1 degree Celsius Rainfall : Nil FORECAST: Mainly clear sky. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 34 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.reuters.com/article/india-amnesty/amnesty-india-says-raid-frozen-accounts-aimed-atsilencing-government-critics-idINKCN1N00HU
$12.6 Million NIH Grant Will Advance Research on Aging and ALS, Other Neurodegenerative Diseases OCTOBER 25, 2018 BY ANA PENA IN NEWS.
A research team led by Northwestern University has been granted $12.6 million by the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study the role of protein quality control in aging and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer‘s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The project brings together researchers at five U.S. institutions and will be known as the Proteostasis Institute. Led by Richard I. Morimoto, PhD, biology professor and director at the Rice Institute for Biomedical Research in Northwestern‘s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, the collaboration includes a team of scientists from Stanford University, Harvard Medical School, the University of California, San Francisco and The Scripps Research Institute.
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―We have the ‗A-team‘ on the mechanisms of protein quality control,‖ Morimoto said in a press release. ―Together we can accomplish much more than a single lab could achieve.‖ Researchers‘ goal is to learn which molecular events increase the susceptibility for neurodegenerative diseases and other age-related diseases in older people. Specifically, they will look into protein homeostasis, or proteostasis, the biological quality control processes that ensure proteins are made at the right levels and perform their correct function. A protein lifecycle is a multi-step process that includes its production, its proper 3D folding, its transport to target sites (within or outside cells), and degradation. Cells need to keep all these steps in check to maintain healthy proteins and, with that, keep overall health. ―As humans age, quality control of proteins declines,‖ Morimoto said. ―Our goal is to understand both how the cellular machinery functions in health and also how it fails in aging, increasing the risk for protein misfolding, aggregation and proteotoxicity. A priority will be to develop successful small molecule strategies to prevent and restore proteostasis in neurodegenerative diseases,‖ he said. Morimoto is a recognized expert in protein homeostasis. He and his team at Northwestern identified the human heat shock genes, which instruct for the production of key players in protein homeostasis, known as molecular chaperones — proteins that assist in the correct folding and assembly of other proteins. The research team recently funded by the NIH will combine genetic model organisms such as yeast and Caenorhabditis elegans (a free-living roundworm), as well as mouse models of disease and patient-derived nerve cells, to identify the molecular events that accompany aging and underly neurodegenerative diseases including ALS, Alzheimer‘s, Parkinson‘s and Huntington‘s disease. https://alsnewstoday.com/2018/10/25/nih-grant-will-further-research-aging-als/
Scientists develop transgenic rice that can grow under high salinity, drought A team of Indian and international scientists hit upon the idea while studying a wild rice variety, Pokkali, grown in coastal regions of Kerala
By Sunderarajan Padmanabhan Last Updated: Friday 26 October 2018
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Tests showed that the plant expressed the gene, OsIF, four times more than in traditional plants. Credit: Getty Images A group of researchers from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) and University of Illinois have developed transgenic rice that promises to generate high yields even under conditions of high salinity, high temperature and drought. The scientists hit upon the idea while studying a wild rice variety, Pokkali, grown in coastal regions of Kerala. When they tried to figure out its ability to survive and thrive in highly saline environment, it emerged that it had very high level of a gene, OsIF. Tests showed that the plant expressed the gene four times more than in traditional plants. Using this insight, researchers raised another rice plant, IR 64, with OsIF over-expressed in it. They did so by using a promoter derived from cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV). It was found that over-expression of OsIF improved the growth and yield of this plant significantlyin adverse conditions of high salinity, high temperature and drought. This plant had a yield of 20 per cent more than a normal one. Further studies showed that over-expression helped by stabilising the process of photosynthesis in the plant. The OsIF gene encodes a protein in rice for cell components called intermediate filaments (IFs). These filaments protect cells from external forces, besides participating in cell adhesion and tissue integrity. They also act as a molecular scaffold that controls intracellular organisation and contribute to signalling events in response to cell stress. The research group has been engaged in understanding biochemical and molecular basis of salinity tolerance of the Pokkali rice for the past two decades. ―Pokkali is a beautiful example for how new stress tolerant genotypes have evolved under natural selection pressure. It posed a challenge before us to find out as to how it is able to survive and set seeds under salinity stress,
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through relatively less in number,‖ said AshwaniPareek, research team leader at JNU, while speaking to India Science Wire. Besides OsIF, he said, ―We have identified and functionally validated over one dozen stress responsive genes from the plant. Our study has shown unique involvement of intermediate filaments in cellular protection against abiotic stress in rice.‖ Besides Pareek, the research team included Neelam Soda, Khalid Anwar, Ashutosh Sharan (School of Life Sciences, JNU); Brijesh K Gupta and Sneh Lata Singla-Pareek (ICGEB); and Govindjee(University of Illinois). The research results have been published journal Scientific Reports. (India Science Wire) https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/agriculture/scientists-develop-transgenic-rice-thatcan-grow-under-high-salinity-drought-61938
‗Anti-poor‘ development By BusinessMirror Editorial October 26, 2018
The argument for a federal government is confusing. If the purpose is to give local government units (LGUs) more autonomy and responsibility, we should look at the Local Government Code enacted in 1991. It reads in part: ―It is hereby declared the policy of the State that the political subdivisions of the State shall enjoy genuine and meaningful local autonomy to enable them to attain their fullest development as self-reliant communities.‖ That might be easier said than done, unless the LGUs have the tools. But in addition to revenue sharing with the national government, LGUs ―may negotiate and secure financial grants from local and foreign assistance agencies.‖ Here is the most important part of the financials: ―Any local government unit may create indebtedness, and avail of credit facilities to finance local infrastructure and other socioeconomic
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development projects subject to the rules and regulations of the Central Bank and the Securities and Exchange Commission.‖ A community could build a passenger/freight terminal, issue revenue bonds to fund it and pay the loan from the income private companies would pay to use the facility. Some LGUs have done that but it is a drop in the ocean of the potential. If local governments are going to achieve ―fullest development as self-reliant communities,‖ they must work with and have the support of the private sector. Every development project has inherent risks. But nothing is ever accomplished if we wait for ―risk-free.‖ LGUs must have the ―political will,‖ the ―political guts,‖ to proceed with calculated projects that come with risk. The Makati City government has awarded listed firm IRC Properties Inc. the permit to construct and operate a $3.7-billion subway system that will move 700,000 passengers a day over an 11kilometer line. IRC is partnering with several major Chinese firms to fund and build. No public money will be used. All required national and local government rules, particularly in regard to the environment, must be followed. Already, questions of viability are raised. However, no private company raises $3.7 billion without having done its homework. No investors are going to put up that kind of money without doing their homework. Now comes the ―anti-poor‖ argument. Are the ―poor‖ going to be able to afford to ride the subway? Why isn‘t the same question asked when a fast-food restaurant raises burger prices? Development is always ―anti-poor‖ before it becomes ―pro-poor,‖ particularly in transportation. Every highway first required eliminating some ―poor houses‖ and ―poor businesses.‖ The national railway rehabilitation is anti-poor for relocating hundreds of thousands from the tracks. And when completed will create tens of thousands of jobs in the poorer southern areas.There will be people relocated to make way for the Makati subway stations. But because of this, thousands of brand-new, affordable homes will be built that would never happen without this project.
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Rice prices burden the poor. The answer is to allow the importation of as much ―cheap‖ rice as possible. That is too simple a solution, so now we have rice ―tariffication‖ for ―unrestricted imports‖ but with a 35-percent tariff, which will fund ―mass irrigation, warehousing and rice research.‖ Except, that will not lower the price of rice to the poor because it will not be cheap rice that is imported. The Manila Light Rail Transit System Line was anti-poor. Adding another runway at the airport is anti-poor because of the areas affected. Maybe the only pro-poor idea is riding atop a carabao on a dirt path. What is genuinely anti-poor are governments without the political will to do what is best for the development of the community. https://businessmirror.com.ph/anti-poor-development/
Rice import takes its toll on local mills; 600 closed in Naogaon
UNB NEWS
PUBLISH DATE - OCTOBER 26, 2018, 12:33 PM ASADUR RAHMAN JOY - UNB NAOGAON CORRESPONDENT OCTOBER 26, 2018, 02 :46 PM
Millers at a press conference in Naogaon recently. Photo: UNB
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Naogaon, Oct 26 (UNB) – More than 600 rice mills in the district have been closed due to staggering losses reportedly caused by rice import, leaving thousands of labourers out of job. Millers claimed that they have been compelled to roll back their business as the price of local rice dropped due to ‗unnecessary‘ import from India. According to the millers, they had taken loan, amounting to Tk 500 crore, from different banks and financial institutions for the development of their business, but they could not repay it due to sharp fall in the rice prices. There are some 1,800 rice mills across the district. Of them, some 600 have been closed while 300 will be closed in the coming days if necessary steps are not taken immediately, the millers said. On October 7, the leaders of district Rice Mills Owners‘ Association sent a memorandum to the Commerce Minister through the deputy commissioner of the district after organising a press conference at Alupotti in the town. At the press conference, the millers described their sufferings caused by the ‗unnecessary‘ import of rice from the neighbouring country. They urged the authorities concerned to immediately stop the rice import to protect the interest of the local millers. They also urged the banks and financial institutions to bring the interest rate to nine percent as suggested by the government. Rafiqul Islam, president of district Rice Mills Owner Association, said the country experienced food shortage due to a natural disaster in the past years. ―Then the government cut down the import duty from 28 percent to two percent and opened the door for the importers to import huge rice to meet the local demand,‖ he said.
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The millers also said the government fixed bank interest rate at 9 percent for industries, but the local banks are still charging 12 to 14 percent interest from the rice millers. Although the farmers across the country have harvested bumper yield of rice this year, the government continues the rice import from India, said Rafiqul Islam. As a result, he said, around 80 percent of rice mills have been closed. ―This also makes the rice growers and farmers to face huge losses because customers are not interested to buy local rice,‖ the leader added. Contacted, district food officer Md Abdus Salam said this is not true that 80 percent mills in the district has been closed. ―Except the automatic rice mills, a section of mill owners, in fact, do seasonal businesses and keep their mills closed in other time,‖ he added. http://www.unb.com.bd/category/Special/rice-import-takes-its-toll-on-local-mills-600-closed-in-naogaon/5089
Officials buying high-moisture paddy to face action: Minister Oct 26, 2018, 1:10 AM
Minister Vijay Inder Singla (centre) at the Sangrur grain market on Thursday. Tribune photo
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Tribune News Service
Sangrur, October 25 Minister Vijay Inder Singla on Thursday ordered immediate departmental action against government purchase agencies‘ officials who are purchasing paddy with high moisture content. He also sought detailed report about all those officials. Singla with all senior officials of the administration visited Sangrur and Bhawanigarh grain markets and listened to the grievances of farmers on Thursday. ―I have got information that some officials of various government purchase agencies are facilitating the purchase of paddy with moisture content higher than permissible limit of 17 per cent. I have directed senior officials of the administration to take quick departmental action against those officials,‖ said Singla after taking a meeting of all senior officials and rice millers here. Sources informed that some rice millers during the meeting alleged that some officials were helping farmers to sell paddy with higher moisture content.
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Sangrur Deputy Commissioner Ghanashyam Thori, SDM Avikesh Gupta, District Food and Supply Controller Jaspreet Singh Kahlon, District Mandi Officer Darshan Kumar and Chief Agriculture Officer Baldev Singh accompanied the minister. ―I have been personally checking all arrangements of paddy purchase in the district. If farmers face any problem, officials concerned would face strict departmental action. But farmers should also cooperate and follow the norms of the Punjab government while selling their paddy,‖ said Singla. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/officials-buying-high-moisture-paddy-to-faceaction-minister/673858.html
IRRI and Crop Trust Team Up to Protect the Future of Rice.
Two organizations, Crop Trust and The International Rice Research Institute, announced their agreement providing US$1.4 million a year, in perpetuity, funding the world‘s largest rice collection. This agreement, set to be signed on World Food Day, is intended to finance ―the conservation and sharing of 136,000 varieties of the staple crop that feeds more than three billion
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people worldwide,‖ says Crop Trust. The funding of this gene bank is provided by Crop Trust‘s endowment fund and will go through five-year phases. Climate change is increasingly putting pressure on farmers and the global food systems, according to researchers from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and the transdisciplinary International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES). Scientists at IRRI‘s facility in Los Baños are currently working toward developing varieties of rice that can survive climate change using the stored seeds. ―Our work to conserve rice has a proven track record in bringing benefits to the world,‖ says IRRI evolutionary biologist Ruaraidh Sackville-Hamilton. ―With this collection safely conserved, we can continue to use it to develop improved rice varieties that farmers can use to respond to the challenges in rice production, and to adapt to the changing tastes and preferences of consumers everywhere.‖ The collection houses a variety of rice species used to create strains resistant to extreme climate. One variety to assist farmers across Asia is called scuba rice. Scuba Rice is designed to tolerate up to two weeks of flooding. Other developments include varieties developed to withstand drought, pests, diseases, and iron toxicity. Not only is the IRRI one of 11 genebanks of the CGIAR, but it is spearheading a new permanently funded conservation effort that Crop Trust hopes to replicate in the future according to Marie Haga, Executive Director of the Crop Trust. The agreement also ensures that other conservation efforts benefit from the funding, asking IRRI to provide advice to five other genebanks. The lasting effects of this agreement could be significant, impacting the ability of farmers to successfully farm the staple crop for years to come. ―Rice is and will continue to be a vital crop for rural development, for improving the economic fortunes status of millions of people and for establishing sustainable, resilient food systems,‖ says Elwyn Grainger-Jones, Executive Director of the CGIAR System Organization. https://foodtank.com/news/2018/10/protecting-the-worlds-largest-rice-collection/
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Snap, crackle, pop: Aussie scientists saving the world‘s ice shelves from collapsing – using Rice Bubbles
By Lauren Broomham on October 26, 2018Science Science & Technology The Environment Yes, really. University of Sydney researchers are working out how to stop our planet from falling apart by using the beloved breakfast fare to imitate snow and rocks. Apparently, the puffed rice cereal is a good stand-in as it breaks down under pressure and disintegrates in fluid – just like snow and rock. The process can also be observed in just minutes – and unlike an ice shelf or a dam, a cereal bowl can fit into a lab. How does it work? Researchers Itai Einav and François Guillard pour the cereal into a vertical tube over a filter. Applying a constant amount of pressure at the top, they then added milk into the bottom. The result? A series of snaps, crackles, and collapses, which they‘ve dubbed ―ricequakes‖. Sounds bizarre, but from the simulation, the scientists have created a mathematical equation that can explain when and why the ―ricequakes‖ happen – and could even be used to predict dam collapses.
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―I believe puffed rice offers a real opportunity into studying the new and rich physics of brittle porous materials,‖ Professor Einav told Cosmos Magazine. Suddenly that bowl of Coco Pops seems a whole lot more interesting. https://www.agedcare101.com.au/the-donaldson-sisters/snap-crackle-pop-aussie-scientistssaving-the-worlds-ice-shelves-from-collapsing-using-rice-bubbles/
A fight against vitamin A deficiency By Henrylito D. Tacio October 25, 2018
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‗THE soul, fortunately, has an interpreter—often an unconscious but still a faithful interpreter— in the eye,‖ wrote Charlotte Bronte in her famed Jane Eyre. Marcus Tullius Cicero had the same view when he said: ―The face is a picture of the mind with the eyes as its interpreter.‖ A survey was conducted on which is the most important among the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. It was found that their eyesight is the mode of perception they value—and fear losing—most. Unknowingly, there are those who suffer from night blindness even at a younger age. This is true in the Philippines. A study was conducted in three provinces (Quezon, Northern Samar and Zamboanga del Sur) among 11,378 children between six and 83 months of age. Prevalence rate ranged from 1.6 to 4.4 percent. Known in medical science as nyctalopia, night blindness is a condition making it difficult or impossible to see in relatively low light. A symptom of several eye diseases, it may exist from birth or be caused by injury. Oftentimes, night blindness is triggered by vitamin A deficiency (VAD). ―The vitamin A status of the Philippines is considered severe subclinical deficiency affecting children six months to five years [8.2 percent] and pregnant women [7.1 percent],‖ a report from the UN Food and Agriculture points out. ―Two forms of vitamin A are available in the human diet: preformed vitamin A and provitamin A carotenoids,‖ and the Office of Dietary Supplements of the US National Institutes of Health. Concentrations of preformed vitamin A are highest in liver and fish oils. Other sources of preformed vitamin A are milk and eggs, which also include some provitamin A. Most dietary provitamin A comes from leafy green vegetables, orange and yellow vegetables, tomato products, fruits and some vegetable oils. The top food sources of vitamin A include dairy products, liver, fish and fortified cereals, while the top sources of provitamin A include carrots, broccoli, cantaloupe and squash.
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Night blindness is one of the first signs of VAD, which is common in poorer countries but rarely seen in more developed countries. The Geneva-based World Health Organization estimates between 250,000 to 500,000 children who become blind each year because of a lack of vitamin A in their diets. Not only that, about half of these children die within 12 months. VAD also depresses the immune system, raising overall mortality among children from other causes, such as diarrhea, measles and pneumonia. For these diseases the additional toll is estimated at 1 million preventable deaths a year, or around 2,700 per day, mostly among children younger than five. The eighth National Nutrition Survey of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute to showed VAD remains a persistent public health issue in the Philippines. There was an increase of VAD incidence (among children ages six months to five years old) from 15.2 percent in 2008 to 20.4 percent in 2013. ―This is equivalent to 2.1 million children who are at risk of getting sick, blind, and even dying if left untreated,‖ Dr. Reynante L. Ordonio, a visionary young scientist working at the Philippine Rice Research Institute said. A number of Filipino pregnant and nursing mothers are also vitamin A deficient. ―Vitamin A deficiency in pregnant women could preprogram babies to grow into obese children and adults,‖ according to study done by Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California. According to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2009, daily consumption of a cup of rice—about 150 grams uncooked weight—could supply half of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A for an adult. Balancing cereal diets with vegetables and animal products is one approach used in some developing countries to address the VAD. But results were frustrating. Vegetables and animal products are expensive and seasonal, subject to spoilage and transport facilities.
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Experts see golden rice as one possible solution to the problem. ―Make no mistake—this agricultural innovation is not a game changer, it‘s a life changer,‖ said Dr. Siang Hee Tan, executive director of CropLife Asia, a non profit science-based organization. Golden rice is a product of biotechnology, defined as ―any technique that uses living organisms to make or modify a product, to improve plants or animals or to develop microorganisms for specific uses.‖ In recent years, modern biotechnology—through genetic engineering—has been used to increase plant and animal food production, to diagnose disease, improve medical treatment, produce vaccines and other useful drugs and to help dispose of industrial wastes. This paved way to the buzzword, genetically modified organisms. In the case of golden rice, respected scientists Ingo Potrykus and Peter Beyer used a gene from daffodil and an ordinary microbe and introduced it to rice through genetic engineering. Using the same microbe and another gene from yellow corn, the second version of golden rice came into existence. The new form has been found to contain 20 times more beta carotene than the original one. Golden rice had to go through a series of rigorous testing and regulatory procedures. To ensure that golden rice is safe for the environment and health, the planting materials used were subjected to confined field testing in fenced and isolated areas for at least two crop seasons in three different locations in the country. ―During the tests, any discrepancy or variation from the original variety in terms of appearance, and any unusual disease, pest or weed incidence at the sites, were carefully assessed,‖ Ordonio reports. ―Once the technology has passed the rest of the biosafety procedures, only then will it be approved by government for commercialization,‖ Ordonio added. ―Ultimately, we expect that golden rice will not only pass biosafety regulations but also be proven efficacious in fighting Vitamin A deficiency, the real reason for its conception.‖
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Golden rice has been promoted as a staple that can reduce the incidence of VAD in the Philippines. About 89 percent of Filipinos consume rice on a daily basis. Normally, rice plants produce beta-carotene in their green parts, but not the grain that people eat. Golden rice is genetically engineered to produce beta-carotene in the edible part of the plant. The beta-carotene gives the golden color to the cereal (as well as to fruits and vegetables like squash, papaya and carrots). The body converts beta-carotene in golden rice to vitamin A as needed. https://businessmirror.com.ph/a-fight-against-vitamin-a-deficiency/
Five more non-Basmati rice mills cleared for exports to China By Kirtika Suneja, ET Bureau| Oct 25, 2018, 03.42 PM IST
NEW DELHI: Five more rice mills have been cleared for exporting non-basmati rice, from India to China, taking the total to 24 rice mills, the government said on Thursday. The development comes weeks after the first consignment of nonbasmati rice, of 100 tonne, was shipped to China, from Nagpur. ―India is keen to export agri products like rice and sugar to China in order to bridge widening trade deficit,‖ the commerce and industry ministry said in a release. In May this year, officials from China inspected rice mills that are capable of exporting non-basmati rice to China and 19 rice mills and processing units were registered for export to China. The two sides had in June agreed on phytosanitary requirements for exporting rice from India to China. The 2006 protocol on phytosanitary requirements was amended to include the export of nonbasmati varieties of rice from India. China is the world‘s largest producer and importer of rice and buys more than 5 MT/year. There is potential for India to export 1 MT of rice to China in a few years. India‘s total rice exports increased from 10.8 MT a year earlier to 12.7 MT last fiscal. This allowed India to retain the top slot in global trade of the commodity.
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Recently China also lifted the ban on import of rapeseed meal from India. Rapeseed and soybean meal are used as protein source for animal feed in China. China has imposed tariffs of 25% on a list of American products including rapeseed meal and soybean meal in July this year and has removed tariffs on these products from five Asian countries including India.
IRRI partners with Corteva Agriscience to develop advanced rice technologies Neel Kamal | TNN | Oct 25, 2018, 17:30 IST SINGAPORE: Aiming to develop advanced rice technologies and to make efforts to raise rice production in the world, International rice research institute(IRRI) have announced a multi- year framework agreement for collaborative rice research with US based DowDuPont' agriculture division Corteva Agriscience. The collaboration is also aimed at deployment of new breeding technologies, development of breeding programs. The Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) was signed at the 5th International rice congress at Singapore between Jim Godfreyn, chairman board of tustees, IRRI, Remy Bitoun, head of tech transfer, IRRI, Peter Brothers, chief of staff, IRRI and Corteva Asia Pacific president Peter Ford and executive vice president business platforms Rajan Gajaria. While inking the MoU it was said that though the rice is the most important staple food in the world, directly feeding people than any other crop but to meet the demand of a growing global population, rice production needs to increase by 25 percent over the next 25 years. The increased competition for dwindling resources such as land and water, unpredictable climates, farm labor shortages and lack of technical expertise are some of the issues threatening the future of rice, which will be addressed by this collaboration. ―Our shared goal for this partnership is to help rice farmers to become more productive and sustainable,‖ said Peter Ford. This collaboration will allow us to offer farmers high-performing products and effective science-based innovations that will optimize yield and crop quality, he said. The agreement provides both parties with access to advanced technologies, including IRRI‘s germplasm, hybrid and inbred rice programs and Corteva Agriscience‘s breeding technologies. The partnership seeks to improve the genetic outcomes of breeding programs, encourage sustainable rice cultivation, and develop new rice varieties which deliver higher yields and are
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more resilient against biotic and abiotic stresses. Other areas of collaboration will include the development of holistic agronomic and crop protection programs to enhance the adoption of direct seeded rice, a resource-efficient technology that overcomes limitations of traditional cultivation techniques and improves the productivity and profitability of rice farming. IRRI is committed to harnessing the best of agriculture innovations to build a sustainable and equitable global rice sector,‖ said Jacqueline Hughes, deputy director General for Research, IRRI. ―We recognize the critical role private sector organizations can play in achieving this goal. She said IRRI‘s technology platform, expertise, and genetic assets combined with Corteva Agriscience‘s global expertise in breeding technologies, including their gene editing technology, means we can anticipate innovations in our hybrid and inbred programs. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) promotes a sustainable and equitable global rice sector in a world challenged by climate change. Earlier Corteva External affairs and chief sustainability officer Krysta Harden said that the company apart from finding ways to increase rice production and nutritional values is working for empowering women in farming. A video slide showing thirty one year woman farmer Pratima Devi of village Chari in Jharkhand in India into farming was projected as icon of women empowerment. Pratima tells how she adopted farming after got married at the age of 13 years in year 2000 and made her children to get quality education. The delegates from across many countries appreciated the effort of Pratima
In bid narrow trade gap, India aims to export 1 mn tonnes of rice to China India had sent its first consignment of 100 tonnes non-basmati rice to China last month Reuters | New Delhi Last Updated at October 25, 2018 14:35 IST India said on Thursday it was keen to sell more rice and sugar to China to bridge a widening trade deficit and cleared five more rice mills for exports of non-basmati varieties of the grain, taking the total to 25. India, which sent its first consignment of 100 tonnes non-basmati rice to China last month, said the south Asian nation has potential to export 1 million tonnes of rice to China "in a few years".
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India's trade ministry also said in a statement the country could sell 500,000 tonnes of rapeseed meal to China every year after Beijing recently lifted a ban on imports of the animal feed from India. https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/in-bid-narrow-trade-gap-india-aimsto-export-1-mn-tonnes-of-rice-to-china-118102500452_1.html
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