29th november,2017 daily global regional local rice e newsletter

Daily Rice E-Newsletter

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter November 29, 2017 Volume 9 | Issue XI

 Minister Calls for Reinstating Rice Import Ban  Soon-to-be partnership to expand rice exports  Domoguen: DA Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol supports the Golden Rice Project  Rice Webinar: Thursday, November 30  International Rice Leadership Class Travels to Nicaragua and Colombia  Domoguen: DA Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol supports the Golden Rice Project  Senate OKs Balik Scientist Bill on final reading  Wheat recovers on increased offtake by flour mills  RiceBran Technologies (RIBT) Rece hold rating  Over 68 lakh tonnes paddy arrives in Haryana  Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- November 29, 2017  FG supports local farmers with rice milling equipment  First Lady sells "stable and peaceful" Ghana to Chinese investors  Lake rice is safe, doesn’t cause low sperm count –Govt adviser  Must we fear GMOs or start listening to science?  Scientists hope new rice variety will provide better yield  Coffee Bean, Rice Husk Ash, and Natural Rubber – New Procurement Research Reports Now Available From SpendEdge  Planting The Seeds Of Food Security

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

Minister Calls for Reinstating Rice Import Ban

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

In a letter to the Minister of Industries, Mining and Trade Mohammad Shariatmadari, Agriculture Minister Mahmoud Hojjati has called for reinstating the ban on rice imports until further notice due to excessive imports.More than 1.06 million tons of rice worth over $1 billion were imported during the seven months to Oct. 22, indicating a 40% rise in weight compared with last year’s similar period, which exceed domestic demand when added to the annual local production, Mehr News Agency reported on Monday.

Every year, during the rice harvest season, the government bans rice imports to support local farmers and production. Import tariffs have increased from 22% four years ago to 40% at present for the same reason.The temporary ban was lifted last Tuesday as per a directive by the Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade and was supposed to last until July 22, 2018.“We need imports, but imports that are limited and controlled,” Hojjati said earlier.

Iranians consume 3 million tons of rice a year while domestic production stands at 2.2 million tons. Therefore, there is a need for around 800,000 tons of imports every year.According to the Central and West Asia Rice Center, with around 54% of Central and West Asia’s paddy fields located in Iran, the country accounts for 61% of the regions’ combined rice production.The two northern provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran are home to a majority of Iran’s paddy fields. https://financialtribune.com/articles/economy-domestic-economy/76995/minister-calls-forreinstating-rice-import-ban

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Soon-to-be partnership to expand rice exports Sok Chan / Khmer Times Share:

Workers from a company in Phnom Penh carry sacks of rice to a client. KT/Chor Sokunthea

Australia-based rice exporter SunRice is negotiating an agreement with local conglomerate Soma Group to export Cambodian rice to Australia, according to a senior official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to further negotiations between the companies was already signed last week in Australia, presided by Cambodian Minister of Agriculture Veng Sakhon.

Hean Vanhan, director-general of agriculture at MAFF, told Khmer Times yesterday that the ministry is acting as facilitator during the talks.“The result of the meeting between SunRice and Soma is positive. Sun Rice is interested in Soma, and they will do further discussion,� Mr Vanhan said.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Talks are now focused on whether Soma Group will sell its produce directly to the Australian agricultural giant, or whether SunRice will partner up with the Cambodian company to invest in the local agriculture sector and export Cambodian rice under its own brand, Mr Vanhan revealed.

“If Soma and SunRice bring milled rice from Cambodia to process it in Australia their market will be much bigger,” Mr Vanhan said. “Soma will send a sample of rice to Australia for analysis to check whether or not this is possible,” he said.

SunRice supplies about 720,000 tonnes of milled rice per year to 50 different countries.

However, the company is only capable of producing 600,000 tonnes, so they are seeking new partnerships to meet demand for their products, Mr Vanhan explained.He said that SunRise is looking for partners that have quality products and are able to maintain a stable supply, adding that it is a great opportunity as Cambodia had a 5-million ton rice surplus last year.

Mr Vanhan pointed out that SunRice is Australia’s biggest rice exporting company and has one of the most recognisable brands of the Oceanian nation.

From January to September 2017, Cambodia exported nearly 422,000 tonnes of milled rice, an increase of more than 16.5 percent compared with the same period last year, according to the latest report from the secretariat of the One Window Service for Rice Export Formality.

The report finds that nearly 70 countries have been importing Cambodian rice, with China being the largest buyer, importing more than 120,000 tonnes of Cambodian rice, followed by France, with over 50,000 tonnes, and Poland, who buys around 35,000 tonnes. http://www.khmertimeskh.com/92932/

Domoguen: DA Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol supports the Golden Rice Project Tuesday, November 28, 2017

By ROBERT L. DOMOGUEN MOUNTAIN LIGHT I WAs unable to talk to Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol on the joint Golden Rice (GR) project of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Philippine Rice Research Institute (Philrice) on those occasions I was in Metro Manila earlier this quarter of the year.

To put this matter into perspective, I have been writing a series of articles last October, this year, about Golden Rice, with information inputs from Dr. Roel Suralta, team leader of the GR Project at Philrice. I wanted our good Secretary to personally share his views on the merits of this special

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter rice crop and the joint GR Project in the Philippines through our Mountain Light column at Sun Star Baguio. Golden Rice is a genetically engineered crop created by borrowing the carotenemaking gene from corn and placing that gene into rice. Carotene is an important plant ingredient that our bodies convert into vitamin A. The nutrient is essential to the development of bones and eyesight. The Filipino diet has highlighted to policymakers and rice scientists the importance of the GR Project. We eat rice three times a day for our energy needs. Vitamin A can be had from vegetables and fruits. It is argued that VAD can be addressed with proper education and fortification programs. After decades of government and private sponsored vitamin A fortification and nutrition education, even in areas with ample supply of vegetables and fruits, one might believe that VAD should not be an issue in the Philippines. However, research studies show otherwise. The results of a food and nutrition survey among pre-school children revealed VAD increased from 15.2 percent in 2008 to 20.4 percent in 2013.

These figures translate to about 2.1 million Filipino kids who are at very high risk of becoming blind or even dying due to preventable infections. Experts say VAD increases vulnerability to illnesses including measles, respiratory infections, and diarrhea, which are the leading causes of death among children in developing countries. It is not only the proponents of the GR Project who are advocating for Golden Rice. The cream of the world’s science community, particularly Nobel Laureates (more than 100 of them), including a former Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore, are supporting both the science and merits of golden rice in addressing VAD. Upon assumption to office, former Secretary of the DA, Proceso J. Alcala, once an ardent proponent of organic farming in the Philippines, warned that GMO crops are not safe for consumption. However, I was informed by a staff at PhilRice that he (Secretary Alcala) supported the GR Project. When Secretary Piñol came over to the Cordillera last week for the conduct of the 6th National Congress on Goats and Sheep, I wanted so much to get his statement on the GR Project that I have been waiting for. When we met in La Trinidad, Benguet, I kept silent. I did not plunge into the interview I wanted to have. Everybody wanted to have a brief chat with their photos taken with him. I simply followed where he went, cautious not to intrude in his thoughts, time and priorities while he was around. As a guest of honor and speaker during the occasion, he shared his thoughts as a goat raiser. “I love goats, I know goats,” he said.

That is true. When we visited Cotabato way back when he was yet governor of the province, we toured his goat farm. “I was a breeder of goats,” he added. Indeed, he had the best goats I ever saw at that time in the Philippines.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter When he shifted his talk to hybridization and its benefits, my mind was imagining almost every living creature on the planet that could be genetically improved through the process are actually hybridized throughout time. For several centuries, human beings have been intermarrying with each other. Wherever people went, they also brought with them livestock and crops that were used to improve the native stock. Unexpectedly, on my part, Secretary Piñol took this public occasion to express his support to the GR Project in the Philippines, “notwithstanding the opposition of Greenpeace and non-government organizations (NGOs).”

Golden rice is natural rice. The genetic alteration done in the intervention is to introduce a critical natural and helpful ingredient in the crop for the benefit of farmers and consumers of rice over the long term, Secretary Piñol said. Last February 28, 2017, the IRRI and Philrice submitted an application for a biosafety permit with the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI). Approval of the permit will bring Golden Rice – the vitamin A-enriched rice variety that can help combat vitamin A deficiency one step closer to consumers. The permit will allow “direct use of Golden Rice (GR2E) as food and feed or for processing.”

In a previous email from Dr. Suralta, he said that “PhilRice and IRRI are working together in the Philippines to develop Golden Rice as a potential new food-based approach to improve vitamin A status.” He said that completion of the biosafety assessment is a prerequisite for the conduct of human nutrition studies of Golden Rice. The human nutrition studies are an important component in demonstrating the value of Golden Rice in complementing other approaches to mitigate vitamin A deficiency. After a dinner meeting with several guests at the DA Regional Office Conference Hall, which I waited on, I finally told Secretary Piñol my appreciation of his speech earlier in the day.

“Specifically, your statement of support to golden rice was something I waited on for quite some time,” I said. Reading my account on FB about this encounter, Dr. Roel Suralta immediately thanked me, saying that the good Secretary simply reiterated his kind support to the GR Project.

On that day, we are both grateful souls on behalf of the nation’s farmers‫۔‬ http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/opinion/2017/11/28/domoguen-da-secretary-emmanuel-f-pinolsupports-golden-rice-project-577140

Rice Webinar: Thursday, November 30 www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

Tune in Thursday, November 30, at 10:00 a.m. Central Time, for a new rice webinar hosted by Dr. Bobby Coats, with the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at the University of Arkansas. Arkansas' Senior Rice Plant Breeder Dr. Karen Moldenhauer will discuss her rice plant breeding program and provide insight into International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) rice breeding efforts.

Go here to register for the webinar.

International Rice Leadership Class Travels to Nicaragua and Colombia

By Steve Linscombe NICARAGUA & COLOMBIA -- Earlier this month, the 2017 International Rice Leadership Class visited several rice production operations, processing facilities, and public and private research stations in both countries. During the week-long trip, class members also met with senior officials from Proarroz, the national rice organization in Nicaragua, and Fedearroz, the national rice organization in Colombia. Members of this year's class are alumni from previous Rice Leadership Development classes and include: Jonathan Hobbs, New Orleans, LA; Mike Martin, Bernie, MO; Christian Richard, Kaplan, LA; Tim Walker, Memphis, TN; and Fred Zaunbrecher, Duson, LA. The first stop was in Nicaragua where we visited two large, private rice farms, both working through their second harvest of the year. Tropical climates in this region allow planting of backto-back successive rice crops, although the two full-term growing seasons differ greatly in sunlight and rainfall, making it challenging for local farmers to breed and plant varieties that flourish in both environments.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

"The farms we toured in Nicaragua were amazingly self-sufficient," said Mike Martin. "They did their own research on varieties, fertilization, and chemicals. Also, due to the fact that labor is economical and plentiful, production practices there included utilization of many small machines and manual labor for much of the cultivation and harvesting of the crop." The quality of rice produced in Nicaragua is very important to consumers there who demand low chalk and high amylose. At one time, Nicaragua was a 100,000 MT market for the U.S. industry, but due to quality and preference concerns, demand diminished to zero and has slowly climbed back to 4,000 MT. After a tour of Agricorp, a modern dryer/mill facility in Chinandega, the class had dinner with the company's CEO, Amilcar Ybarra-Rojas, and talked about the quality of imported rice from the United States. Ybarra-Rojas said he hoped to buy more rice from the U.S., but that it needed to meet the same low chalk standards of his brand varieties. "It was heartening to hear that Nicaragua has not completely abandoned the possibility of buying U.S.-grown rice," said Tim Walker. "Approximately 5,000 tons of identity preserved, pure-line rice was shipped to Agricorp in the winter of 2017 and a minimum of 10,000 tons of the same will be sent within a month or so. Mr. Ybarra-Rojas told our group he hopes the day is soon where he buys 150,000 tons of rice produced in the United States."

Fedearroz mill built with TRQ funds

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

Colombia's rice farms are situated in fertile valleys at 1,500-2,000 feet above sea level. Much like Nicaragua, Colombia's climate and environmental conditions allow for agricultural diversity including grains, fruits, coffee, and cattle. And also like Nicaragua, their roads make it arduous for farmers to get their crops to market.

"What caught my attention right away was the system the farmers there used to irrigate their crops," said Christian Richard. "Most of the water used to flood the fields comes down from the mountains through man-made canals using gravity. The idea of capturing this water, holding it, and using it on fields further downstream was very important, so much so that the first farm we saw had just constructed an on-farm reservoir to hold rain water and runoff as a source of water for future rice crops."

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter In Colombia, the group also toured newly constructed research and processing facilities and an irrigation project, all funded with TRQ funds made available by the U.S. Colombian Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Innovative use of these funds for research, production, processing, and marketing, has allowed them to develop and expand the rice market extensively.

As Fred Zaunbrecher explains, "Nearly 60 million dollars has been recognized by each partner in the Colombia FTA. The United States has dedicated their share to an investment in research and Colombia has elected to use theirs for improvement to their rice industry infrastructure."

Fedearroz, a private company made up of 700 employees, hosted a tour of their rice seed farm, their rice seed processing plant near Villavicencio, and their rice mill located in Casanare. Like Agricorp in Nicaragua, Fedearroz is vertically integrated, taking rice from the seed, farm, and mill, to their own stores for retail sales.

"Fedearroz does everything -- rice research, breeding, seed production and distribution, member-farmingincentivizing, drying, milling, and retail marketing," said Jonathan Hobbs. "Their research and breeding center was new and impressive, as was their seed production plant. Their new mill was not huge, but it was by far the nicest and most modern mill I have ever seen."

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

The class met a local husband/wife team who farmed about forty five minutes from the mill and they asked many questions about U.S. government lending programs, subsidy programs, and even import taxes on equipment. As Richard said, "Even though we work a couple thousand miles apart, our day to day struggles were very similar."

"I was very impressed by how warmly we were welcomed, and the hospitality and openness extended by the people of Nicaragua and Colombia," said Martin. "Programs like this help keep the channels of communication open for progress in the future. The contacts that were made on this trip, and the relationships built in a short amount of time, makes me hopeful that our countries will continue to work together for the mutual benefit of the entire rice industry." The Rice Leadership Development Program is sponsored by John Deere Company, American Commodity Company, and RiceTec, Inc. through a grant to The Rice Foundation and is managed by USA Rice.On the loading dock at the Agricorp mill near Managua, Nicaragua

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Domoguen: DA Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol supports the Golden Rice Project Tuesday, November 28, 2017 By ROBERT L. DOMOGUEN MOUNTAIN LIGHT I WAs unable to talk to Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol on the joint Golden Rice (GR) project of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Philippine Rice Research Institute (Philrice) on those occasions I was in Metro Manila earlier this quarter of the year. To put this matter into perspective, I have been writing a series of articles last October, this year, about Golden Rice, with information inputs from Dr. Roel Suralta, team leader of the GR Project at Philrice.

I wanted our good Secretary to personally share his views on the merits of this special rice crop and the joint GR Project in the Philippines through our Mountain Light column at Sun Star Baguio. Golden Rice is a genetically engineered crop created by borrowing the carotene-making gene from corn and placing that gene into rice. Carotene is an important plant ingredient that our bodies convert into vitamin A. The nutrient is essential to the development of bones and eyesight. The Filipino diet has highlighted to policymakers and rice scientists the importance of the GR Project. We eat rice three times a day for our energy needs.

Vitamin A can be had from vegetables and fruits. It is argued that VAD can be addressed with proper education and fortification programs. After decades of government and private sponsored vitamin A fortification and nutrition education, even in areas with ample supply of vegetables and fruits, one might believe that VAD should not be an issue in the Philippines. However, research studies show otherwise. The results of a food and nutrition survey among pre-school children revealed VAD increased from 15.2 percent in 2008 to 20.4 percent in 2013. These figures translate to about 2.1 million Filipino kids who are at very high risk of becoming blind or even dying due to preventable infections.

Experts say VAD increases vulnerability to illnesses including measles, respiratory infections, and diarrhea, which are the leading causes of death among children in developing countries. It is not only the proponents of the GR Project who are advocating for Golden Rice. The cream of the world’s science community, particularly Nobel Laureates (more than 100 of them), including a former Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore, are supporting both the science and merits of golden rice in addressing VAD. Upon assumption to office, former Secretary of the DA, Proceso

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter J. Alcala, once an ardent proponent of organic farming in the Philippines, warned that GMO crops are not safe for consumption.

However, I was informed by a staff at PhilRice that he (Secretary Alcala) supported the GR Project. When Secretary Piñol came over to the Cordillera last week for the conduct of the 6th National Congress on Goats and Sheep, I wanted so much to get his statement on the GR Project that I have been waiting for.

When we met in La Trinidad, Benguet, I kept silent. I did not plunge into the interview I wanted to have. Everybody wanted to have a brief chat with their photos taken with him. I simply followed where he went, cautious not to intrude in his thoughts, time and priorities while he was around. As a guest of honor and speaker during the occasion, he shared his thoughts as a goat raiser. “I love goats, I know goats,” he said. That is true. When we visited Cotabato way back when he was yet governor of the province, we toured his goat farm. “I was a breeder of goats,” he added. Indeed, he had the best goats I ever saw at that time in the Philippines.

When he shifted his talk to hybridization and its benefits, my mind was imagining almost every living creature on the planet that could be genetically improved through the process are actually hybridized throughout time. For several centuries, human beings have been intermarrying with each other. Wherever people went, they also brought with them livestock and crops that were used to improve the native stock. Unexpectedly, on my part, Secretary Piñol took this public occasion to express his support to the GR Project in the Philippines, “notwithstanding the opposition of Greenpeace and non-government organizations (NGOs).”

Golden rice is natural rice. The genetic alteration done in the intervention is to introduce a critical natural and helpful ingredient in the crop for the benefit of farmers and consumers of rice over the long term, Secretary Piñol said. Last February 28, 2017, the IRRI and Philrice submitted an application for a biosafety permit with the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI). Approval of the permit will bring Golden Rice – the vitamin A-enriched rice variety that can help combat vitamin A deficiency one step closer to consumers. The permit will allow “direct use of Golden Rice (GR2E) as food and feed or for processing.”

In a previous email from Dr. Suralta, he said that “PhilRice and IRRI are working together in the Philippines to develop Golden Rice as a potential new food-based approach to improve vitamin A status.” He said that completion of the biosafety assessment is a prerequisite for the conduct of human nutrition studies of Golden Rice. The human nutrition studies are an important component in demonstrating the value of Golden Rice in complementing other approaches to mitigate vitamin A deficiency. After a dinner meeting with several guests at the DA Regional

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Office Conference Hall, which I waited on, I finally told Secretary Piñol my appreciation of his speech earlier in the day. “Specifically, your statement of support to golden rice was something I waited on for quite some time,” I said.

Reading my account on FB about this encounter, Dr. Roel Suralta immediately thanked me, saying that the good Secretary simply reiterated his kind support to the GR Project. On that day, we are both grateful souls on behalf of the nation’s farmers.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/opinion/2017/11/28/domoguen-da-secretary-emmanuel-f-pinolsupports-golden-rice-project-577140

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

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

MANILA, Philippines – A proposed measure to help attract Filipino scientists and experts back home has hurdled the third and final reading at the Senate.The Senate passed Senate Bill No 1533 or the Balik Scientist Bill on third and final reading with a vote of 13-0. It aims to provide incentives and benefits for Filipino scientists based overseas who decide to return home to help in the country's research and development sector. It aims to help address the shortage of scientists, engineers, and experts in the Philippines, who are lured by other countries with better pay and working conditions and facilities.

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

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

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

This figure pales in comparison to South Korea (5,300), United States (3,500), Malaysia (2,100), Singapore (6,700), and Israel (8,300), which leads the world in the statistic."This is a step towards improving the country’s research and development sector. We must support more initiatives to empower our scientists and researchers," Aquino said in a statement on Monday, November 27.The DOST previously said that the Balik Scientist Law will significantly increase funding for the Balik Scientist Program.

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

Wheat recovers on increased offtake by flour mills PTI | Nov 28, 2017, 14:57 IST

New Delhi, Nov 28 () Wheat pries recovered by Rs 15 per quintal at the wholesale grains market today due to increased offtake by flour mills against restricted arrivals.

However, rice basmati ended lower on easing demand.

Traders said increased offtake by flour mills amid pause in supplies from producing regions mainly attributed the rise in wheat prices.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter In the national capital, wheat dara (for mills) rose by Rs 15 to Rs 1,835-1,840 per quintal. Atta chakki delivery followed suit and traded higher by a similar margin to Rs 1,840-1,845 per 90 kg.

On the other hand, rice basmati common and Pusa-1121 variety fell by Rs 200 each to Rs 7,700-7,800 and Rs 6,200- 6,300 per quintal respectively.

Following are today's quotations (in Rs per quintal): Wheat MP (desi) Rs 2,125-2,325, Wheat dara (for mills) Rs 1,835-1,840, Chakki atta (delivery) Rs 1,840-1,845, Atta Rajdhani (10 kg) Rs 260-300, Shakti Bhog (10 kg) Rs 255-290, Roller flour mill Rs 990-1,000 (50 kg), Maida Rs 1,030-1,040 (50 kg)and Sooji Rs 1,060-1,070 (50 kg).

Basmati rice (Lal Quila) Rs 10,700, Shri Lal Mahal Rs 11,300, Super Basmati Rice Rs 9,800, Basmati common new Rs 7,700-7,800, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs 6,200-6,300, Permal raw Rs 2,300-2350, Permal wand Rs 2,350-2,400, Sela Rs 2,600-2,800 and Rice IR-8 Rs 1,950-1,975, Bajra Rs 1,200-1,205, Jowar yellow Rs 1,350-1,400, white Rs 2,700-2,800, Maize Rs 1,320- 1,325, Barley Rs 1,480-1,490. SUN KPS ADI MKJ https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/wheat-recovers-on-increased-offtake-byflour-mills/articleshow/61833520.cms

RiceBran Technologies (RIBT) Receives Hold Rating from Maxim Group Posted by Rex Bailey on Nov 28th, 2017 inShare

RiceBran Technologies (NASDAQ:RIBT)‘s stock had its “hold” rating reissued by equities researchers at Maxim Group in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday, November 10th.The analysts wrote, “3Q17 revenue of $3.4M, up 6.0% y/y on an apples-to-apples basis, was inline with consensus of $3.4M, but slightly below our

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter estimate of $3.6M. Gross margin of 33.1%, up 800bps y/y, was above both our estimate of 27.6% and consensus of 26.4%. GAAP EPS of $0.30 was below our estimate of $0.42, but above consensus of $0.13. This includes ($0.38) from continuing operations and $0.67 from discontinued operations.

Positive adjusted EBITDA is the next major initiative for the company. Management believes it can achieve this by reaching $19M$22M in revenue and expects this to occur within the next 12-24 months.””

Separately, ValuEngine upgraded shares of RiceBran Technologies from a “strong sell” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, September 15th.Shares of RiceBran Technologies (NASDAQ RIBT) remained flat at $$1.24 during mid-day trading on Friday. 12,100 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 45,781.

RiceBran Technologies has a 52-week low of $0.69 and a 52-week high of $1.40.

A hedge fund recently bought a new stake in RiceBran Technologies stock. First Eagle Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in RiceBran Technologies (NASDAQ:RIBT) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 199,978 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $256,000. First Eagle Investment Management LLC owned 1.19% of RiceBran Technologies at the end of the most recent reporting period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 5.49% of the company’s stock.

About RiceBran Technologies RiceBran Technologies is a human food ingredient, functional food ingredient, packaged functional food and animal nutrition company. The Company is focused on processing

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter and marketing of nutrient dense products derived from raw rice, an underutilized byproduct of the rice milling industry. The Company has two operating segments https://weekherald.com/2017/11/28/ricebran-technologies-ribt-hold-rating-reiterated-at-maximgroup.html

Over 68 lakh tonnes paddy arrives in Haryana Chandigarh, Nov 28 More than 68.57 lakh tonnes of paddy had arrived in the 'mandis' of Haryana until yesterday as compared to over 69.56 lakh tonnes during the corresponding period that arrived during the last year.Out of the total arrival of paddy until yesterday during the current procurement season which began last month, government agencies had procured over 58.71 lakh tonnes of paddy whereas the remaining over 9.85 lakh tonnes was procured by the millers.

More than 27.36 lakh tonnes of paddy has been purchased by the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, over 19.18 lakh tonnes by Hafed, over 6.40 lakh tonnes by the Haryana Warehousing Corporation, over 5.56 lakh tonnes by the Haryana Agro-industries Corporation and 19,667 tonnes by the Food Corporation of India, an official release said here.

Giving details of paddy arrival in different districts, it said that maximum quantity of paddy has arrived in Karnal which is over 14.47 lakh tonnes followed by Kurukshetra at over 12.12 lakh tonnes. https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/over-68-lakh-tonnes-paddy-arrives-in-haryana/1198014

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- November 29, 2017 NEWSNOVEMBER 29, 2017 / 1:22 PM Nagpur, Nov 29 (Reuters) – Gram prices reported strong in Nagpur Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) on increased demand from local millers amid weak supply from producing regions.

Fresh rise in Madhya Pradesh gram pries and reported demand from South-based millers also pushed up prices, according to sources.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

FOODGRAINS & PULSES

GRAM * Desi gram raw recovered in open market on renewed buying support from local traders.

TUAR

* Tuar Karnataka firmed up in open market on good demand from local traders amid tight supply from producing regions.

* Moong Chamki moved down in open market on lack of demand from local traders.

* In Akola, Tuar New – 4,000-4,150, Tuar dal (clean) – 5,700-5,800, Udid Mogar (clean) – 8,000-8,500, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,000-7,300, Gram – 4,525-4,675, Gram Super best – 7,300-7,500

* Wheat, rice and other foodgrain items moved in a narrow range in scattered deals and settled at last levels in thin trading activity.

Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg 19 FOODGRAINS

Available prices

Previous close

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Gram Auction

4,200-4,400

Gram Pink Auction

n.a.

Tuar Auction

2,100-2,600

n.a.

Moong Auction

3,800-4,400

3,822-3,927

n.a.

Udid Auction

n.a.

Masoor Auction

3,900-4,200 4,300-4,500

n.a.

Wheat Mill quality Auction

2,600-2,800 1,600-1,680

Gram Super Best Bold

1,600-1,696

7,000-7,800

Gram Super Best

n.a.

Gram Medium Best

7,000-7,800

n.a.

6,400-6,800

6,400-6,800

Gram Dal Medium

n.a.

Gram Mill Quality

4,700-4,800

4,700-4,800

Desi gram Raw

4,950-5,050

4,900-5,000

Gram Kabuli

n.a

12,400-13,000

Tuar Fataka Best-New

12,400-13,000

6,200-6,400

Tuar Fataka Medium-New

5,900-6,100

Tuar Dal Best Phod-New

5,900-6,000

5,400-5,700

Tuar Dal Medium phod-New Tuar Gavarani New

6,200-6,400

5,400-5,700

5,100-5,350

4,050-4,150

5,100-5,350

4,000-4,100

Tuar Karnataka

4,550-4,850

4,400-4,700

Masoor dal best

5,000-5,200

5,000-5,200

Masoor dal medium Masoor

n.a.

4,600-4,800

4,600-4,800

n.a.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Moong Mogar bold (New)

7,100-7,500

Moong Mogar Medium

6,300-6,700

Moong dal Chilka

5,200-6,000

7,100-7,500 6,300-6,700

5,200-6,000

Moong Mill quality

n.a.

n.a.

Moong Chamki best

7,000-7,500

7,100-7,600

Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 8,500-9,000

8,500-9,000

Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG)

5,800-7,000

Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) Batri dal (100 INR/KG)

5,800-7,000

5,300-6,400

5,100-5,200

Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg)

2,850-3,000

3,100-3,200

Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG)

2,900-3,000

3,400-3,800

1,900-2,000

Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG)

5,100-5,200

3,000-3,100

Watana Dal (100 INR/KG)

Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG)

5,300-6,400

3,400-3,800

1,900-2,000

1,850-1,950

1,850-1,950

2,100-2,300

Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG)

2,100-2,300

2,200-2,450

2,200-2,400

Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,150 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG)

n.a.

n.a.

MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,600 MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG)

Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG)

3,100-3,600

2,300-2,700

3,000-3,500

Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG)

2,300-2,700 3,000-3,500

2,800-2,900

2,200-2,400

1,900-2,100

2,800-2,900

2,200-2,400

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG)

2,500-2,600

Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG)

2,500-2,600

2,300-2,400

3,600-4,000

Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG)

2,300-2,400 3,600-4,000

3,250-3,600

3,250-3,600

Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG)

4,800-5,100

4,800-5,100

Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG)

4,400-4,600

4,400-4,600

Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 10,200-14,000 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG)

5,200-7,500

Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 5,000-5,500 Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG)

10,200-14,000

5,000-5,500

4,700-5,000

2,000-2,200 1,800-2,000

5,300-7,500

4,700-5,000 2,000-2,100

1,700-2,000

WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 31.5 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 11.6 degree Celsius Rainfall : Nil FORECAST: Mainly clear sky. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 31 and 12 degreeCelsius 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/pope-asia-myanmar/pope-calls-for-peace-in-myanmar-on-diplomaticallyfraught-trip-idINKBN1DT0E3

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter FG supports local farmers with rice milling equipment November 28, 2017

Collins Nnabuife - Abuja Agriculture Collins Nnabuife - Abuja AgricultureMinister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh (middle) waiting to receive a plaque from Dr. Mrs. Nike Akande, Chairman of NEPAD NBGN in his office.The Federal Government has promised to support local farmers across the country with rice milling equipment such as destoners and threshers. The Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, made this known during a courtesy call on him by the Chairman of NEPAD Business Group Nigeria (NBGN) Mrs. Nike Akande (CON).He noted that with this support, it will further assist the farmers to reduce the cost of production and consequently the local price of rice will drop tremendously.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter The Minister also noted that according to reports from Thai Rice Exporters Association, the volume of rice importation has dropped from a whopping 644,000 tons to 20,000 tons from 2015 till date.Earlier, Dr. Mrs. Nike Akande (NBGN) called for the support of the Ministry in the organization of the 4th Nigeria Rice Investment Forum scheduled for 2018 and moreover assured the Minister of the continuous collaboration and support of the NBGN in the bid to grow the agriculture sector.

Dr. Mrs. Nike Akande seized the opportunity to present a plaque to the Honourable Minister of Agriculture for his efforts in driving the agriculture sector forward.NEPAD was inaugurated in 2004 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo with the sole objective of job and wealth creation for poverty alleviation in the African continent

First Lady sells "stable and peaceful" Ghana to Chinese investors Source: Ghana | Myjoyonline.com Date: 28-11-2017 Time: 07:11:31:am

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo has assured Chinese investors at a conference to promote trade relations between Ghana and China in Hunan in the Changsha Province of China.Addressing the “2017 Ghana-Hunan Economic and Trade Conference” hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the First Lady touted Ghana’s credentials as a safe and profitable place for Chinese investors.

She stated that Ghana is a ”globally acknowledged democracy” which has changed governments successfully since 1992 “without causing any dislocations to the political, economic or social systems of the country” therefore “all investors are assured of a stable and peaceful country to invest in.”

Mrs. Akufo-Addo added that Ghana has “an assertive parliament, an independent judiciary and a vibrant media” and these are “safeguards against unpredictable actions of any one person or government and further serves as security for the protection of investment.”

25

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter The First Lady noted that Ghana as the second largest ECOWAS economy with a total market of about 500 million people is strategically placed to open up new and additional markets to boost their investment.

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

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

Listing some of the investment opportunities in Ghana, she said agriculture and agroprocessing was an area that was ripe for investment.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

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

The Deputy Head of Macroeconomic Research Unit, Ministry of Finance, Dr. Millicent DeGraftJohnson who spoke on the governments short to medium-term development programme said it was aimed at providing opportunities for growth and job creation through the private sector, and had developed concrete reform actions to tackle key challenges to private investment such as ensuring macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, improving the ease of doing business and enhancing access to affordable and long-term financing and de-risking instruments.Ghana’s Ambassador to China, Mr Edward Boateng in a remark said the summit will go a long way to deepen the relationship between Ghana and China as well as facilitate investment into the OneDistrict-One-Factory (1D1F) initiative.

The First Lady later witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement on Economy and Trade between CCPIT Hunan and the AGI and an Agricultural Cooperation Project between the CRI and the Hunan Hybrid-rice Research Center.https://www.myjoyonline.com/business/2017/November-28th/first-lady-sells.php

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Lake rice is safe, doesn’t cause low sperm count –Govt adviser Published November 28, 2017 Sodiq Oyeleke The duo of award-winning agribusiness expert, Anita Okoro; and Special Adviser to Lagos State Government on Food Security, Mr. Ganiu Sanni, have expressed disparate opinion over the standards of Lake Rice.

While Anita argued that Lake Rice needed improved processing, the Special Adviser countered that the rice was safe enough for consumption; adding that it does not cause male consumers to develop low sperm count.

They both spoke at the fifth annual lecture organised by the Lagos State Polytechnic Alumni Association, entitled, ‘Agriculture and its value chain potentials: Challenges and way forward.’

The lecture, which held on Tuesday, had experts speak on the development of agricuture and rice processing in the country.

Speaking on the title, ‘Rice processing, empowerment and safety,’ Anita explained that her research showed that the processing of Lake Rice was faulty.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Anita, who is the initiator of ‘We_have_rice,’ said, “Lake rice is actually chem ical- and preservatives-free; but there is something that is wrong with the processing that you people (Lagos State Government) don’t know.”

Narrating her experience in rice production business, she said, “I was in Kebbi where I have my farm and went to a processing company dealing with rice, which I will not mention.

“I was there to research how they process Lake Rice. From my research, the rice needs to be well processed. I rest my case.

“Those handling it need to know how to identify a very good paddy. T here is also a challenge with milling in Nigeria and that is because of inadequate equipment.

“The northerners do abuse us that we (those in South West) are not wise enough. The kind of rice they bring to us from other countries are not safe.

“They contain chemicals that cause low sperm count and it is also affecting us. It is better to take local rice that are well processed.”

Responding, Sanni faulted Anita’s position on Lake Rice. He explained that the production of Lake Rice aided jobs creation and ensured food security.

Sanni, who is the chairman of the discussion session, said, “I cannot sit here and such a comment on Lake Rice will be made and I will not reply.

“Kebbi State having a large expanse of land and Lagos having the market, we collaborated. That was after we searched all the South Western states and found no major mill.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter “The quality of rice given to us is not a bad one, as against the imported ones. Lake Rice is fresh, 100 per cent natural, no addictive, no chemical preservation.

“It doesn’t cause low sperm count. Instead, we are using it to generate thousands of jobs.”

The president of the LASPOTECH Alumni Association, Muyiwa Olugbile, said the theme was necessitated by the challenges facing agriculture in the country.

He added that the annual lecture was to motivate alumni of the polytechnic to diversify into agriculture.

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Must we fear GMOs or start listening to science?

By Michael Makabenta Alunan AS we are bombarded by scare tactics against plants with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) like Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn and Bt eggplant, we do not realize that almost everything we eat, many of the medicines we take, the cotton-based apparel we wear, the detergents we use in washing clothes and many of the beverages and processed canned goods we take are already genetically modified (GM).

30

Professor Saturnina C. Halos revealed this in a news conference at Ka Tunying’s Café in celebration of the 13th National Bio-Technology Week from November 20 to 24 with the theme

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter “Safety Food Products Derived from Modern Biotechnology,” and organized by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Philippine Rice Research Institute and the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines.

GMOs are all over? “Starting at breakfast—the cheese, corned beef, cheese, canola oil, eggs, sausages and coffee mate we blend with our coffee are all processed using genetically modified enzymes,” said Halos of the Biotech Coalition of the Philippines, who has a PhD in genetics from University of Berkley and 40 years of biotech research and teaching work to her name.

“Clothing apparel from dresses to pants made out of cotton cannot escape GMOs. When you wash the same clothes, probably all the detergents contain some enzymes made out of GMOs. The same goes for medicines from vaccines, antibiotics, growth hormones and vitamins,” she added.

Almost all imported crops and fruits from soy, corn, papaya, eggplants, potatoes, apples, etc., were developed because of GMOs. Halos said “all the brands we commonly see and purchase in all groceries are made of GMOs. In fact, there are over 2,000 types of food preparations, including junk foods and canned foods, that have long been established to be containing GMOs. So why fear GMOs, if we have long been taking them anyway?” she added.

From almost negligible levels in 1996, acreage planted to biotech crops in developing countries shot up to 99.6 million acres in 2016 and in industrial countries to 85.5 million acres.More gains realized from GMOs. Multiple gains from GMOs vary depending on the specific crop, fruit or product modified. Apples, for instance, which turn brownish immediately as they oxidize once exposed to air, have now been modified genetically to prevent this from happening.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter “Studies we made in 2014 show that 83.4 percent of farmers exposed to genetically modified corn declared that it resulted in higher yields and income,” Halos said.

About 78.7 percent of them also said Bt corn reduced their daily costs or expenses, particularly on pesticide use as most GM crops have been inserted with genes resistant to pests. From 1996 to 2016, when GM crops grew tremendously, it is estimated globally reduced pesticide usage hit 620 million kilos, and in 2015 alone, 37.4 million kilos.

She estimated that benefits from GM corn alone has meant additional income for local corn farmers of over P10 billion, which translates to bigger budgets for children’s education, home improvements, additional farm capital or surplus funds for a vehicle and other needs or wants.

Research rigors make GMOs safe. Professor Nina G. Gloriani, professor of UP College of Public Health and president of the Biotech Coalition, explained the process and rigors of research on GMOs, which take 10 to 14 years from laboratory, greenhouse evaluation, contained field trials, precommercial testing with actual feed use, before they are released commercially.

GMO products also follow the rigid “Codex Alimentarious Commission Standard,” or the international food standards involving the Organization for Economic Cooperation, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Health Organization, International Food Biotechnology Council and the International Life Sciences Institute and the Allergy and Immunology Institute.

Many of the uneducated would tend to shirk in fear if told to take GMOs, without knowing that foods considered “traditionally safe” may be worse, for some people, as “they contain so much toxins and anti-nutritional substances.”

Gloriani explained that “many traditional foods often contain allergens like nuts, seafood, chicken, wheat, rice and milk. Cassava contains cyanogenic glycosides that can be toxic to some.

Legumes like beans have inhibitors. Chili, squash flower, pepper have toxins that can kill insects, while the popular coffee contains over 300 toxins.” However, we continue to consume them as the risks taking their toxins and other substances are manageable, she stressed.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Non-GM corn, for instance, looks dirty being infested with corn borers and contaminated with bacteria and fungi, which produce aflatoxins that cause liver cancer. Worse, the corn may be treated with chemical pesticides, but farmers don’t know they are still not protected by corn borers. In contrast, GM corn looks clean as it is resistant to corn borers, aflatoxin and fungi, and does not need chemical pesticides. Moreover, GM corn produces higher yields.

Enriching rice through GMOs. Russel Reinke, PhD in plant science and a rice breeder from IRRI, cited IRRI’s successful Golden Rice program, which aims to fortify rice with proteins and vitamins through genetic modification, which perfectly adapts and is carried over in succeeding generations in compliance with Mendel’s law on genetic trait transfer and selection that makes it easier for propagation.

Vitamin A deficiency, which is high in many children of the poor, can be corrected with the insertion of the Beta-carotene gene into what is called “Golden Rice,” because of the goldish color from Beta-carotene, which is nontoxic and converts to vitamin A in the body.

She added that the cotton-based clothes we wear are made of GMO cotton, or the medicines we take and rising obesity among Asians that is traced to excessive intake of bad carbohydrates like rice, white bread, sugary drinks and sweets, can be checked with simple changes in diet behavior, a shift to brown rice and the recent launching of the IRRI’s new thrust towards biofortification of rice.

A study by Professor Jeyakumar Henry of the University of Singapore noted that because diets of Asians are 67 percent rice on the average, and much higher among the poor, it is a welcome move to fortify rice itself with protein genes and vitamins, only made possible because of GMO research.

The high percentage of rice consumption and, subsequently, the high gIycemic index, which measures bad carbohydrates, have been confirmed scientifically to be the reason behind the rise in obesity among Asians. This means glucose released from excessive carbs can trigger spikes in insulin from the pancreas that could develop into diabetes, which worsens further with sedentary

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33

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter lifestyles of sitting idly most of the time, and lack of exercise. Henry noted that about 1.4 billion people are now struggling with obesity.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/must-we-fear-gmos-or-start-listening-to-science/

Scientists hope new rice variety will provide better yield The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) is releasing a new high-yielding fine rice variety – MGR 100 – in memory of M.G. Ramachandran coinciding with the late Chief Minister’s birth centenary celebrations in Thanjavur.Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami is all set to release the rice variety for popular use at the granary of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.

‘MGR 100’ is the rechristened nomenclature of CO 52, which, in fact, is a derivative of the cross involving BPT 5204 and CO (R) 50.The new variety was developed through marker-assisted pedigree breeding, combining quality, yield and blast resistance features of the two popular varieties.Maturing in 130 to 135 days, MGR 100 is medium tall in stature and displays efficient tillering capacity and long droopy panicles with highly acceptable plant characters.

TNAU scientists hope this variety could be a good replacement for BPT 5204 due to its high yield, superior grain quality and pest and disease resistance.The variety recorded a mean grain yield of 6,879 kg per hectare over three years of ‘station trials’ with 16.10% and 20.93 % improvement over CO (R) 49 and BPT 5204, respectively.

In multi-location trials conducted over the last six years, the variety registered steady increase in yield. Adaptive research trials for the CO 52 rice variety were conducted at 158 locations during 2013-14 and 2014-15 in 21 districts during which yields crossed 7,000 kg/ha in 24 locations, says V. Ravi, Director-in-charge, Aduthurai Rice Research Institute.During the ‘annual rice meet’, the variety was recommended for large-scale demonstration based on its consistent high yield performances over the years.Following that, the ‘on farm trials’ (OFT) were conducted with CO 52 during 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 in 36 locations across Tamil Nadu on oneacre plots.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

Overall, the CO 52 rice variety recorded a mean productivity of 6,191 kg/ha in six years of trials with 11.29% increase over the existing BPT 5204 and 8.14 % over ADT 49.

Wait for notification At Therku Kadayam village in Tirunelveli district, the variety recorded the highest yield of 10,416 kg/ha among the trials conducted, demonstrating the highest yield potential of this variety, according to K. Ganesamurthy, Director-in-charge, Centre for Plant Breeding and Genetics, TNAU. Though the CO 52 is being released as MGR 100, the TNAU is awaiting the gazetting of the variety by the Central Seed Sub Committee for Variety Release and Notification, which is expected shortly.“Releasing the new variety is welcome but we need to popularise it. The new rice variety will be acceptable to the farmers only if it delivers the promised yield. The release of new paddy varieties needs to be seen against the backdrop of the farmers’ current preference and

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter penchant for traditional rice varieties for their innate strength,’’ said M.J. Prabhu, Programme Coordinator, Green Cause Foundation, Morappakkam, Kancheepuram district.

Earlier too, the TNAU had released rice varieties named after Chief Ministers. In 1970, it brought out Karuna (CO 33) by crossing IR 8 and ADT 27 which was a short duration paddy variety, while in 1993 it had come out with JJ 92 (ADT 41) that is a white aromatic rice and a mutant of Basmati. In fact, way back in 1994, the TNAU had released MGR (COR H1),

which is the first hybrid rice in India.The new MGR 100 follows that variety from the TNAU lab.

Coffee Bean, Rice Husk Ash, and Natural Rubber – New Procurement Research Reports Now Available From SpendEdge Coffee Bean, Rice Husk Ash, and Natural Rubber - New Procurement Research Reports (Graphic: Business Wire) November 28, 2017 04:15 PM Eastern Standard Time

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

The increasing demand for coffee bean from the end-user segments has led to the growth of the coffee bean market Tweet this

Global Coffee Bean Category - Procurement Market Intelligence Report: The growth of the global coffee bean market can be attributed to the increasing demand for coffee bean for the end-user segments. Coffee beans are used in food products, personal care products, dietary supplements, and in pharmaceuticals. There is a high demand for instant coffee as it offers the advantage of easy and timely preparation when compared with regular coffee.

Moreover, it offers higher convenience as it is easier to carry.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Looking for more insights from this report? Request a free sample report Coffee Bean – Procurement Challenges:  

Difficulty in monitoring sustainable farming practices.

Challenges in procuring high-quality coffee beans due to certain obstacles in the supply chain such as aging and other factors.

To overcome the above-mentioned procurement challenges, the buyers in the coffee bean market should collaborate with farmers and assist them in producing coffee beans so that they can benefit from it. The buyers also need to formulate specific buying guidelines for ethical sourcing of coffee beans both environmentally and socially.

This report is available at a discount for a limited time only: View the report snapshot before purchasing Global Rice Husk Ash Category - Procurement Market Intelligence Report: The growth of the rice husk ash market can be attributed to the rise in demand for rice husk ash (RHA) from end-user industries such as building and construction sectors, and tire manufacturing industry. Also, rice husk is affordable and acts as a cost-effective option to obtain silica. It is used as a reinforcing agent in the rubber industry, as an anti-caking agent in the food industry, and as a gel abrasive in toothpaste.

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

The lack of visibility in product testing.

Challenges and costs incurred in obtaining the history and quality of products.

To overcome the above-mentioned procurement challenges, the buyers in the rice husk ash market should engage with suppliers who provide flexible transportation and cost-effective and packaging options. The buyers prefer to engage with suppliers that assist them in selecting the best means of transport, handling and packaging solutions for rice husk ash products. This helps buyers to optimize transportation costs and helps in avoiding litigation costs due to nonadherence to regulations.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

Global Natural Rubber Category - Procurement Market Intelligence Report: The growth of the natural rubber market can be attributed to the rising demand for natural rubber due to its usage in various end-user sectors especially the automotive industry. Natural rubber is used for the production of tires and various other automotive components. The growth of this market is also fueled by the adoption of technological innovations. Also, it is possible to produce different varieties of rubber via chemical modification to cater to the buyer's demands.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Looking for more insights from this report? Request a free sample report Natural Rubber – Procurement Challenges:  

The environmental impact of using natural rubber.

The odor-related problems due to the use of ammonia for preserving latex.

To overcome the above-mentioned procurement challenges, the buyers in the natural rubber market should adopt commodity-procurement strategies which outline the actions to be followed in managing the commodity for the long-term. Also, the buyers should study the weather patterns for the last 10–15 years to gain clarity on the suitable period for the procurement of agricultural commodities.

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

Contacts SpendEdge Shilpa Balakrishnan US: +1 (844) 746-0600 hello@spendedge.com 39 http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171128005922/en/Coffee-Bean-Rice-Husk-Ash-NaturalRubber

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Planting The Seeds Of Food Security

In Asia In Asia, the humble rice grain has far-reaching impacts on lives and economies. Dr. Bruce Tolentino of the International Rice Research Institute shares his insights. SHARE SHARE TWEET SHARE Bruce Tolentino Deputy Director General (Communication and Partnerships) International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Los Baños, the Philippines AsianScientist (Nov. 29, 2017) – As global populations rise, food security—the supply of and access to nutrition that fulfils dietary needs—becomes an increasingly pressing issue. In Asia, where population growth is most rapid, rice is a staple food, thus the supply of rice needs to be carefully managed to avoid feast and famine situations.

This means that rice seeds, irrigation practices and farmer welfare are among the many factors that need to come together synergistically to enable stable rice production, reduce hunger and poverty as well as buffer against the effects of climate change. Dr. Bruce Tolentino, Deputy Director General (Communication and Partnerships) at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) headquartered in Los Baños, Philippines, has spent a large part of his career developing deep insights into the dynamics of rice production and food security in Asia and around the world. He shared with Asian Scientist Magazine his experience managing large scale

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter governance, rural, agricultural and agro-enterprise development programs across the globe. What got you interested in socioeconomic reform and food security?

My academic background is economics–an area that I entered into coming from a background in rural and agricultural development work in Southern Philippines. While working with NGOs in poverty-stricken rural communities, I saw how powerful government policy and public investment can be in either improving the lives and welfare of communities, or even worsening poverty. The daily lives of poor communities are dominated by their need for adequate food and basic nutrition, and any additional income that impoverished families earn often goes immediately into buying more food staples—rice—especially across Asia. What are some commonalities you have observed that determine the success of of large-scale agricultural and agro-enterprise development programs? What are some common pitfalls?

The key success factors are clarity of mission and stable donor support. Through most of modern history, these types of development programs are largely supported and financed by donors and governments–often from the West. Such support is often unstable and inconsistent, prone to ebbs and flows caused by politics and fashionable development notions among policymakers in the donor countries, which are far removed from the realities on the ground in the beneficiary nations and communities. Unstable funding environments cause development organizations to behave erratically and chase money instead of focusing on their core missions of enabling poor communities to rise out of poverty. You have written extensively about how food security is a regional, even international effort. How do you think countries can better collaborate to eliminate hunger and malnutrition?

Agriculture—which produces food—cannot be confined to the artificial borders of countries.

Food is a product of human ingenuity applied to natural resources—land, water, sunlight, rainfall—that also spill across borders. Some countries, especially the large countries like the US, China, India, have more than enough food. Many other, smaller countries—such as Singapore, Malaysia, Korea—are largely dependent on food produced by others. With worsening climate change and resource degradation, as populations continue to grow, open international trade and global cooperation is becoming even more imperative to ensure that all populations of all nations share in the bounty of the earth as a whole. What is your role in the IRRI? I serve as Deputy Director General, responsible for fundraising, communication, partnerships, and legal affairs . These are necessary support tasks to IRRI’s overall mission to ensure adequate, high-quality rice for the world, while improving the welfare of farmers and protecting the environment. Why

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter is rice research important in Asia? Rice is important not only in Asia, but across the world.

Ninety percent of the world’s rice is produced in Asia. China produces 30 percent, India 26 percent, ASEAN 27 percent. Rice is also produced in Australia, the US, Latin America and, increasingly, in Africa. As African economies grow, and their populations’ incomes increase, their staple foods are shifting away from root crops and plantains to rice. Rice research is very important to enable all rice-growing nations to meet the challenges of growing populations, more discerning and quality-conscious consumers, and to raise the incomes and welfare of rice farmers. Rice is very much a public good, and thus public investment in research is necessary to produce the germplasm and scientific technology that enables continuous growth and improvement of the global rice industry.

In your opinion, what is the most urgent problem that needs to be solved regarding food security in Asia? To develop rice varieties and planting technologies that can withstand the impacts of climate change—increased temperatures, serious droughts, flooding and salinity. How do you think organizations such as the IRRI can help solve these problems? IRRI is one of the world’s most important international agricultural research centers—producing public good science useful for all countries and all populations—without worrying about commercial objectives. The one and only focus of IRRI is to ensure that consumers have the rice they need for nourishment, and for farmers to derive decent incomes from their labor. ——— Copyright: Asian Scientist Magazine; Photo: Bruce Tolentino Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff. #Agricultural Sciences #Agriculture #Asian rice #Food Security #International Rice Research Institute #Policy & Perspectives #Public Policy #Science Policy Jeremy Chan Jeremy received his PhD from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, where he studied the role of the tumor microenvironment in cancer progression. He believes that behind each scientific discovery is a fascinating story waiting to be told, and he hopes to tell these stories as an assistant editor at Asian Scientist Magazine. Read more from Asian Scientist Magazine at: https://www.asianscientist.com/2017/11/features/irri-rice-food-security-asia-brucetolentino/

Multi-institutional biomedical informatics training grant wins 6th competitive renewal

By Kendall Schoemann | November 28, 2017

Training more students and fellows to conduct research that has the potential to benefit personalized medicine and improve the understanding of health and disease has been made

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter possible with funding from the National Library of Medicine (NLM).The NLM Training Program (NLMTP) in Biomedical Informatics and Data Science was awarded a $3.1 million renewal following a competitive review process by the NLM. The multidisciplinary and multi-institutional grant will support seven predoctoral students and four postdoctoral fellows each year for five years.The Gulf Coast Consortia (GCC) and its training arm, the Keck Center, manage the training program, which includes faculty from Rice, Baylor College of Medicine, University of Houston, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, MD Anderson Cancer Center and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB). The NLMTP is the largest of five competitively funded training programs overseen by the Keck Center.

“We aspire to train a generation of scientists who are comfortable crossing traditional boundaries and who can find bold solutions to biomedical problems,” said Lydia Kavraki, principal investigator and program director of the NLMTP. She is the Noah Harding Professor of Computer Science, professor of bioengineering and professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Program trainees are selected through a competitive application process and are co-mentored by two faculty members with complementary expertise. Trainees and their dual mentors are drawn from across the six NLMTP institutions.

“This novel mentoring arrangement, in which a computational faculty member and a biomedical sciences faculty member or a clinical investigator jointly mentor a trainee, has been instrumental in the success of the NLMTP since its inception,” Kavraki said.

For the program’s sixth consecutive renewal, 40 core faculty have been assembled who collectively have more than $104 million in federal funding. The NLMTP faculty are currently mentoring 167 predoctoral students and 93 postdoctoral fellows.

“Our greatest strengths are our mentoring structure as well as our flexibility and willingness to help each trainee on an individual basis,” Kavraki said. “These combined with our strong academic programs, our extensive research activities, our well-equipped laboratories and our incredible faculty and students provide an unparalleled training environment.”

Building internationally pre-eminent graduate and Ph.D. programs and enhancing research achievement and reputation are goals of Rice’s Vision for the Second Century, part two.

The NLMTP has evolved over its 25 years. Initially the program was conceived as training in computational biology and was led by Tony Gorry, who was Rice’s Friedkin Chair in

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Management and professor of computer science. The new grant is focused on biomedical informatics and data science.“Biomedical informatics broadly encompasses the design and implementation of novel methodologies and technologies to solve challenging problems across the entire spectrum of biology and medicine,” Kavraki said. “Our training program puts emphasis on quantitative methods and data science. I cannot imagine dealing with biomedical problems in the future without strong foundations in computer science, statistics and data science.”

The new NLMTP program will support research in translational bioinformatics, clinical informatics and clinical research informatics. Collectively these areas advance personalized medicine and connect data and knowledge to health and disease.The program has had many successes in the last five years. Among recent trainees, Christine Peterson is currently an assistant professor at MD Anderson; Kevin Liu is an assistant professor of computer science and engineering at Michigan State University; Risa Myers is a lecturer in computer science at Rice University; and Raphael Rosengarten has started his own biomedical informatics company.

Others are continuing their studies or have taken positions in academia or industry.

“I am most proud of our trainees,” Kavraki said. “They have assimilated and combined elements from our rich environment and their individual training and have produced truly exceptional work.”The NLMTP trainees travel to the yearly NLM conference, where they have the opportunity to present their research. Over the last five years, they have consistently returned with multiple awards presented to them by their peers and the NLM leadership.The training program also received a supplemental award for developing a graduate course on data science.

The goal is to create a course that will teach data science principles with emphasis on the systems that are needed for the analysis of biomedical data.“There is a growing need for investigators trained at the intersection of computer, statistical and information sciences with one or more biomedical application domains,” said B. Montgomery (Monte) Pettitt, the director of the Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, the Robert A. Welch Distinguished Chair of Chemistry and professor of pharmacology and toxicology and of biochemistry and molecular biology at UTMB. Pettitt is also a founder of the Keck Center and a member of the steering committee of the NLMTP. “The NLMTP fills a critical need,” he said.

“Our NLMTP is a proof of the strength of our combined community.”

Kavraki echoed similar thoughts. “The NLMTP would not have been possible without the combined forces of Rice, Baylor College of Medicine, University of Houston, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, MD Anderson Cancer Center and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston under the collaborative environment fostered by the Keck Center and the GCC,” she said. http://www.tmc.edu/news/2017/11/multi-institutional-biomedical-informatics-training-grant-wins-6thcompetitive-renewal/

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