26th March , 2014
TOP Contents - Tailored for YOU Latest News Headlines‌ o This Food Could Help Save 2 Million Lives, But Now People Are Fighting to Block It o Japanese Government Assists Agric Ministry o Gov't allows foreign private firms to join 800,000-ton rice tender o Philippine gov't sets tender for rice imports o India exported Basmati rice worth $240 million to the United States in the year 2012-13 o It’s harvest time in Kuttanad o Kharif season Irsa body projects 5 to 10 percent water shortage o CORRECTED-Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- March 26 o El Nino threat looms with 5-10% less rainfalls this season
NEWS DETAILS: This Food Could Help Save 2 Million Lives, But Now People Are Fighting to Block It
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A global problem: Vitamin A deficiency is a serious public health concern. Around the world 2 million people suffer from it, and it's estimated to kill 670,000 children under the age of 5 each year. According to the World Health Organization up to 500,000 children a year become blind due to vitamin A deficiencies. Sounds like a global problem that could use all the technology that we have, right?.One of the promising solutions is a grain called "Golden Rice." Around the world, 3.5 billion people consume over 80% of their daily calories from rice. Golden Rice is infused with a high amount of vitamin A and is a low-cost, efficient way for local diets to incorporate vitamin A into the daily routine. Yet no one's eating Golden Rice, and over the last decade it's been besieged by criticism, protests and even sabotage. Why? Because Golden Rice is a Genetically Modified Organism (GMO).A recent study conducted by environmental economists has estimated the cost of opposition to Golden Rice. In monetary terms, it's over $2 billion. But the striking figure is another metric. The researchers estimate that over 1.4 million "life years" have been lost in India alone because this vitamin A-rich rice was not accessible. Prevalence of vitamin A deficiency. Red is most severe, green the least. Image Credit:Wikipedia How does it work? Golden Rice boosts vitamin A levels because it contains copies of a vitamin A producing gene called beta carotene, which has been extracted from plants such as carrots or corn and inserted into the rice genome. Because of the nature of this process, there are no new genes in the rice grain itself, just the plant that produces it. Nutritional studies have shown that the rice significantly boosts vitamin A to levels as good as nutrient supplements and more than the natural beta-carotene in spinach, without any notable side-effects.
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Unlike some other GM crops which were designed to withstand herbicides sold only by certain chemical companies, and have been highly criticized, Golden Rice was designed to directly benefit the consumer. Image Credit: TIME Magazine One of the important critiques that anti-GMO groups put forward against the technology is the concentrated corporate control of the food commodities system. By contrast Golden Rice is a publicly funded, non-profit technology. In an effort to bring wide access to Golden Rice, proponents have arranged for royalty-free access to over 70 patents held by various biotechnology companies. This allows non-profits like the International Rice Research Instituteto further develop the grain free of charge, with no biotech companies receiving royalties from its distribution. What's the debate? Despite the potential of Golden Rice, the GM crop has become a lightning rod for antiGMO activists. Many groups see Golden Rice as a PR stunt, a Trojan horse that will allow a flood of for-profit, less socially focused GM products onto the market.Two things are absolutely essential: A focus on corporate accountability and a food system that is humanitarian and prioritizes people's needs. However, solving the world's food security problems will require a diversity of tactics. To dogmatically oppose a technology despite supporting evidence is poor advocacy. Golden Rice is not Roundup.
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Yet hard-line, provocative retorts by GM crop proponents like the one seen in this study are unlikely to help ease the situation. Playing the morality card — some proponents have even called anti-GM activists "wicked" — and positioning Golden Rice as silver bullet solution only leads to more polarization.What's needed is a much more nuanced discourse. Research into GM technology should be encouraged because of its track record of success and its potential to solve many of the world's health and food problems. It's irresponsible to attack the technology without even allowing the necessary, responsible research. Science can and should be supported while always questioning how technology should be managed for public benefit over private corporate gain.It is exactly this spirit of radical openness and collaboration in science that we need if our civilization is to survive.
Iamge: This Food Could Help Save 2 Million Lives, But Now People Are Fighting to Block It
Japanese Government Assists Agric Ministry The Japanese Government has handed over agricultural machinery worth GH¢ 6.4 million to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to be given to underprivileged farmers to increase food production.The machinery, which was donated yesterday, is to be distributed among farmers on hire purchase, to boost rice production and make the country less dependent on rice importation. Mr Naoto Nikai, Japanese Ambassador to Ghana said the agricultural machinery procured under the Japanese Government grant assistance, is to help revamp the rice sector in the country as well as build solid relations between the two countries.Mr Naoto said the machinery comprises of 70 agricultural tractors, with matching implements, 43 power tillers, 35 rice threshers, 20 rice reapers and five rice mills.
He said this would support Ghana's government effort to achieve poverty reduction and accelerate growth through modernisation of agriculture.Mr Naoto said with more inputs readily accessible and affordable to farmers, farmer-based organisations would be strengthened to obtain higher leverage in the provision of public support in the agricultural sector.Mr Clement Kofi Humado, Minister for Food and Agriculture, thanked the Japanese government for the grant assistance. He said the equipment would enhance the agricultural transformation agenda of farmers.Mr Humado said the agricultural machinery would make it possible for small holder farmers to achieve timely field cultivation, high level of field bed preparation, planting and harvesting which are important in rice production.
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He said the grant assistance facility extended to Ghana by the Japan government was important since it would allow tractor owners and operators realise how economical it was to use such machines on a small and large land capacities.He, however, urged the local agents of the machines to render satisfactory after sales services on the machines throughout the target regions and appealed to beneficiaries to honour their installment payments on time.Mr Humado said the Ministry would ensure that the necessary inputs required for the high production levels were provided to these farmers, in order to make smallholder rice production profitable.
Gov't allows foreign private firms to join 800,000-ton rice tender By: Orti March 26, 2014 5:20 PM
Despuez,
InterAksyon.com
Photo by Bernard Testa InterAksyon.com means BUSINESS MANILA - The Philippines is importing 800,000 metric tons of rice this year to boost its inventory.National Food Authority (NFA) spokesperson Rex Estoperez said the agency's governing council approved the importation and scheduled an open bidding on April 15.The decision to hold an open tender means that the bidding would be open to private parties, and not limited to foreign governments with which the Philippines has outstanding supply agreements.In previous auctions, NFA had opted to limit bidders to foreign governments with which the Philippines has outstanding supply agreements, particularly Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam.―The bidding will be omnibus, or open to all qualified private and government-backed rice suppliers,‖ Estoperez said. He said the winning bidder should deliver the rice in four tranches, with a quarter of the supply due between April and August. The Philippine tender requires long grain white rice, 15 percent of which is broken and well milled.Last year, the Philippines imported a total of 705,700 metric tons of rice, 500,000 of which came from Vietnam and the balance representing the Philippines' minimum access volume (MAV), an import quota subject to 40 percent tariff.The government held two tenders, the second meant to shore up the country's buffer stock after heavy withdrawals brought about by relief efforts for survivors of Typhoon Yolanda.In 2011 and 2012, the Philippines imported 860,000 and 500,000, respectively.
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InterAksyon.com means BUSINESS
Philippine gov't sets tender for rice imports English.news.cn 2014-03-26 19:12:12
MANILA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine government said Wednesday that it will purchase 800,000 metric tons (MT) of imported rice via a tender set on April 15.The Philippines is racing to boost its stockpile to stabilize rice prices and to ensure that the country will have enough stocks during the wet season, when the country is usually visited by strong typhoons.State-run National Food Authority (NFA) said the bidding will be open to all qualified private and government-backed rice suppliers. NFA spokesman Rex Estoperez said the government would require successful bidders to deliver imported rice in four tranches between April and August.The government was forced to import more rice this year after typhoon Haiyan (local name: Yolanda) destroyed rice farmlands in central Philippines and forced the Department of Agriculture to push back its target of attaining rice self-sufficiency.Last year, the country's unmilled rice production grew by 2.27 percent on year to 18.44 million metric tons.Following the onslaught of typhoon Haiyan, the Philippines had announced the importation of an additional 500,000 metric tons of rice from Vietnam.
India exported Basmati rice worth $240 million to the United States in the year 2012-13 India exported Basmati rice worth $240 million to the United States in the year 2012-13. In the first 10 months of the current fiscal, Basmati exports to t ...
India exported Basmati rice worth $240 million to the United States in the year 2012-13. In the first 10 months of the current fiscal, Basmati exports to the country are at about $121.8 billion. The United States has assured India again that it will relax its stringent tolerance norms for fungicide found in Basmati rice shipped from the country. B y: Skymetweather.com
It’s harvest time in Kuttanad The HinduPaddy harvesting in progress at Vengal in the upper Kuttanad village of Peringara, near Thiruvalla, on Tuesday. Photo: Leju Kamal
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Weak summer showers come as a blessing in disguise Paddy harvest that began on a happy note in the backdrop of the lean summer showers is fast progressing in the upper Kuttanad region in Thiruvalla taluk.The farming community in the area considers the weak summer showers in the region a blessing in disguise. The rest of the district, especially the hilly tracts, has received three to four heavy summer showers in the past two weeks.Enthusiastic farm workers heaping the paddy harvested by the combine harvesters, braving the scorching summer heat, is a common scene in this part of the State. With the elections round the corner and campaigning by candidates picking up, many farm workers having close association with one or the other political party too were busy working over-time so as to complete the harvesting at the earliest and join the campaign machinery, said Sam Eapen, Upper Kuttanad Nelkarshaka Samiti leader and Peringara panchayat president.As many as 18 combine harvesters have been pressed into service for the paddy harvest in the region at the initial stage due to shortage of farm labour. Summer heat
Mr. Eapen told The Hindu that the unprecedented summer heat was likely to affect the paddy production this year. The paddy harvest began in Mepral and Peringara a week ago.The harvesting began in the Padavinakom ‗A‘ and ‗B‘ fields as well as the 400-acre Mepral Puthukad-Kaipuzhaka fields spread across the two villages of Peringara and Paipad. Harvesting was progressing at the Vengal Irukara, Veloor Mundakan, and Valavanaly fields too. More combine harvesters were expected to reach upper Kuttanad in the coming days so as to compete the harvesting by April last week, said Mr. Eapen. He said it would take more time for completing the paddy harvest in the vast fields of Chathankary, Valavinaly and Manakeri.The increasing costs of production as well as harvesting were affecting farmers. The heavy farming cost and harvesting expenses had already eaten into their profits, he alleged.The rent for the combine harvester is Rs.1800 an hour.Mr. Eapen said the government had fixed handling charge for the harvested paddy at Rs.12 for every 100 kg way back in 2001-02 which remained the same even after 13 years, despite the manifold increase in the labour cost during the period. 16,000 quintal procured Meanwhile, the Civil Supplies Corporation has started procurement of paddy from the fields itself.R. Ajayakumar, Paddy Procurement Officer, told The Hindu that a total of 16,000 quintal of paddy had been procured from upper Kuttanad as on Tuesday.The Corporation was procuring paddy at the rate of Rs.1,900 per 100 kg, besides Rs.12 towards handling charges on every 100 kg of the paddy procured, Mr. Ajayakumar said. Keywords: Paddy harvest, Kuttanad, paddy cultivation in Kerala, Kerala harvest season
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Kharif season Irsa body projects 5 to 10 percent water shortage March 26, 2014 5:39 am Technical Committee of the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) on Tuesday projected 5 to 10 per cent water shortage in upcoming Kharif season starting from April 1, due to better flows in rivers. However, Irsa body anticipated that the country would face the water losses of 30 per cent in Indus system and 20 per cent losses in Jehlum syste m during the early Kharif season that starts from April 1 and ends at September 30.Sources said that Irsa technical committee, which met Director Operation Mohammad Khalid Idrees Rana in the chair, had also projected that the system losses in Indus System would come down to 20 per cent in Indus and 15 per cent in Jhelum systems in late Kharif season. The technical committee also attended by Directors Regulations of Punjab, Sindh, KPK, chief engineer, hydrology and water management from Wapda worked out the probabilities with regard to water availability according to which the country will have 108 million acre feet of water in its rivers in the Kharif season.According to the estimates of water availability, the country would be facing 5-10 per cent water shortage which has never been in history but the final approval would be given by Advisory Committee of Irsa,‖ official added. The working paper will, he said, be presented in the meeting of Advisory Committee of Irsa that is scheduled on March 31.It has been estimated that the country would also have the carry over of water of 1.5 million acre feet as 1 million acre feet (MAF) of water in Mangla dam and 0.50 million acre feet in Terbela dam. The system has managed to gather the carry over because of better inflows and recent rain falls. Business Recorder
CORRECTED-Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- March 26 Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:47pm IST
Nagpur, Mar 26 (Reuters) - Gram prices in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) showed weak tendency on poor demand from local millers amid high moisture content arrival. Easy condition on NCDEX in last three sessions, downward trend in Madhya Pradesh gram prices and release of stock from stockists also pushed down prices, according to sources. * * * * FOODGRAINS & PULSES GRAM * Desi gram raw showed weak tendency in open market in absence of buyers amid profittaking selling by stockists at higher level. TUAR * Tuar black recovered strongly in open market on good buying support from local traders amid weak supply from producing belts.
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* Major rice varieties reported higher in open market on increased buying support from local traders amid thin arrival from producing regions like Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. * In Akola, Tuar - 3,900-4,100, Tuar dal - 6,100-6,300, Udid at 6,100-6,500, Udid Mogar (clean) - 7,200-7,700, Moong - 8,000-8,200, Moong Mogar (clean) 9,300-10,000, Gram - 3,200-3,300, Gram Super best bold - 3,800-4,200 for 100 kg. * Wheat, rice and other commodities remained steady in open market in thin trading activity, according to sources. Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close Gram Auction 2,210-2,800 2,300-2,820 Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600 Tuar Auction n.a. 4,300-4,400 Moong Auction n.a. 6,100-6,300 Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500 Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800 Gram Super Best Bold 4,000-4,300 4,000-4,300 Gram Super Best n.a. Gram Medium Best 3,500-3,700 3,500-3,700 Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a. Gram Mill Quality 3,650-3,700 3,650-3,700 Desi gram Raw 2,800-2,930 2,900-3,000 Gram Filter new 3,300-3,600 3,300-3,600 Gram Kabuli 8,500-10,800 8,500-10,800 Gram Pink 7,900-8,300 7,900-8,300 Tuar Fataka Best 6,400-6,600 6,400-6,600 Tuar Fataka Medium 6,000-6,200 6,000-6,200 Tuar Dal Best Phod 5,900-6,000 5,900-6,000 Tuar Dal Medium phod 5,700-5,800 5,700-5,800 Tuar Gavarani 4,300-4,400 4,300-4,400 Tuar Karnataka 4,500-4,600 4,500-4,600 Tuar Black 7,700-7,800 7,600-7,700 Masoor dal best 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000 Masoor dal medium 5,600-5,700 5,600-5,700 Masoor n.a. n.a. Moong Mogar bold 10,000-10,500 10,000-10,500 Moong Mogar Medium best 9,500-9,800 9,500-9,800 Moong dal super best 8,800-9,000 8,800-9,000 Moong dal Chilka 8,100-8,300 8,100-8,300 Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a. Moong Chamki best 8,400-9,200 8,400-9,200 Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG) 7,500-7,800 7,500-7,800 Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,500 5,800-6,500 Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 4,900-5,100 4,900-5,100
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Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 4,500-6,000 4,500-6,000 Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 3,200-3,300 3,200-3,300 Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 3,350-3,450 3,350-3,450 Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,500 3,400-3,500 Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 4,800-5,100 4,800-5,100 Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,800 1,700-1,800 Wheat Mill quality(100 INR/KG) 1,850-1,900 1,850-1,900 Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 1,650-1,850 1,650-1,850 Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,500 2,400-2,500 Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,100 2,050-2,200 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a. MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,600 3,000-3,600 MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,900 2,400-2,900 Wheat 147 (100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,700 1,600-1,700 Wheat Best (100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,750 1,700-1,750 Rice BPT new(100 INR/KG) 2,700-2,900 2,600-2,900 Rice BPT old (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,500 3,000-3,500 Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,850 1,700-1,850 Rice Swarna old (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,800 2,500-2,700 Rice Swarna new (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,400 2,300-2,400 Rice HMT new (100 INR/KG) 3,800-4,100 3,800-4,000 Rice HMT old (100 INR/KG) 4,400-4,600 4,400-4,600 Rice HMT Shriram (100 INR/KG) 5,300-5,800 5,200-5,800 Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 12,000-13,500 11,000-13,500 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 6,500-9,000 6,300-8,500 Rice Chinnor (100 INR/KG) 5,600-6,000 5,500-6,000 Rice Chinnor new (100 INR/KG) 5,100-5,500 5,000-5,500 Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 1,400-1,600 1,400-1,600 Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,800 1,700-1,800 WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 36.2 degree Celsius (97.1 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp. 22.1 degree Celsius (71.7 degree Fahrenheit) Humidity: Highest - n.a., lowest - n.a. Rainfall : nil FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Rains or thunder-showers likely towards evening or night. Maximum and Minimum temperature likely to be around 39 and 22 degree Celsius respectively. Note: n.a.--not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices.)
El Nino threat looms with 5-10% less rainfalls this season Dilip Kumar Jha/Mumbai 26 Mar 14 | 04:18 PM With the threat of El Nino becoming real resulting into fear of less rainfalls in the ensuing monsoon season, the Ministry of Agriculture has suggested farmers to focus on sowing of short and medium duration crop.Paddy (rice), corn and soybean are major kharif crops sown largely in May-June for harvesting in October – November period. Commonly,
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paddy requires at least three-four spells of heavy rainfalls with plant‘s knee deep of water logging for superlative crop germination. Deficiency of rainfalls, therefore, affects the paddy output badly. Related Stories GM field trials: Regulator proposes but most states decline Come clean on water 2014 farm output at risk, CPI might spike again 2014 farm output at risk, CPI to spike again Farmers driven to suicide as unseasonal rains, hailstorm ruin crops ―Anticipating less rainfalls this monsoon season especially in the north-east region, we are preparing for short duration varieties of rice and other kharif crops for which advisory has already been issued to the public sector seed research organization – Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA)," said Jeet Singh Sandhu, Agriculture Commissioner, Department of Agriculture& Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture.The government is promoting hybrid and stress tolerant varieties of paddy seeds from popular private and public firms including ―Swarna-sub 1" for flash flood and ―Sahbhagi dhan" for drought and low rainfall areas in addition to other salt tolerant varieties. According to experts, these paddy varieties of crops become ready between 60-80 days as compared to 90-'120 days of conventional paddy varieties.Also, short duration varieties of summer moon crops like SML-668, Samrat, IPM 02-01, Pusa Vishal etc are heavily being promoted in major growing states including Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.These varieties of moong can be harvested in 60-65 days as compared to over 90 days of conventional seeds varieties. The government is also focusing on seed treatment, weed management and irrigation at critical stages with additional fund release.Interestingly, private weather forecasting firm – Skymet Weather Services – estimates 5-10% deficiency of rainfalls in India this year due to El Nino affect resulting into precipitation towards South America and sucking away moisture from the Bay of Bengal.While the agency, remained cautious on distribution of rainfalls across the country this monsoon season by forecasting some sub-divisions in the north regions to witness dry spell, others may see heavy rainfalls as well. Going by the historical evidences of El Nino effects, India will witness between 90 and 95% of rainfalls this year as a whole, Skymet founder and chief executive officer Jatin Singh, said.Sandhu said that the contingent plans for less rainfall are ready. The government has directed agencies to raise community of nursery of rice, timely placement of inputs, arrangement of seeds and other required inputs, weekly video conferencing of regular liaison and follow up, mobilizing extension staff for field deployment and regular monitoring of crops.Meanwhile, there is less likelihood that farmers will adopt short duration crops especially in the north eastern regions where chances of rainfalls deficiency are very high.―Indian agriculture is fragile. Farmers generally prepare sowing plans at the time of plantings of seeds. Hence, advisory for sowing plans over two months in advance may create a distortion among farmers and hit their annual incomes," said Madan Sabnavis, Chief Economist, Care Ratings.Short duration crops like pulses and horticulture may be adopted in the areas equipped with irrigation facilities. Farmers in the states like West Bengal may face huge difficulty in adopting short duration crops, he added.Kharif crop sowing pattern Crop Kharif share (%)* Total annual output estimates for 13-14 (lakh tonnes) Final output for 2012-13 (lakh tonnes) Rice 87 106.19 105.24 Corn 100 23.29 22.26 Castorseed 100 16.46 19.64 Groundnut 75 91.4 46.95 Sesamumseed 80 6.72 6.85 Sunflower 23 4.7 5.44 Soybean
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100 124.48 146.66 Tur 100 3.34 3.02 Urad 65 1.59 1.9 Source: 2nd Advanced Estimate by Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, * Figures change every year .
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