4th july ,2017 daily global regional & local rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

Daily Global Rice

E-Newsletter

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July 4,2017 Vol 8 Issue VII

Today Rice News Headlines...                          

Govt may support PACSs to open rice godowns, mills Rice price soaring in kitchen markets of northern dists China remains Vietnam's top rice importer Pak Agri scientists praised USA Rice Attends Louisiana Field Days and Meetings James surveys the varieties Top 5 health benefits of purple rice Dalex Finance provides credit for over 10,000 rice farmers Technology discovered for rice cultivation without water 40 hospitalised in Shikarpur after eating contaminated rice House probe on state of PH rice inventory sought China remains Vietnam's top rice importer INDONESIAN RICE PRICES DOUBLE GLOBAL AVERAGE OLIVIANA HANDAYANIJUL 03, 2017NEWSCOMMENTS OFF ON INDONESIAN RICE PRICES DOUBLE GLOBAL Proposed rice storage facility to boost capacity Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- JUL 04, 2017 Nagpur Foodgrain Prices 5 July 2017 Grains: Prices of rice basmati and wheat fell at Climate change to hurt wheat, rice crop yields Drought Threatens Crops, Wildlife Along Spain's Guadalquivir River Delta China remains Vietnam’s top rice importer Indonesian Rice Prices Double Global Average Rice crop insurance scheme draws little interest Workshop in Ho Chi Minh identifies market potentials for rice straw Chinese researchers create antioxidant-rich purple rice to combat cancer risk Arkansas Rice Farmers Reach Dry Land on Carbon Credits

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News Detail...

Govt may support PACSs to open rice godowns, mills Abhay Singh| TNN | Jul 4, 2017, 02.00 AM IST PATNA: If the state cooperative department gets green signal from CM Nitish Kumar, all the active primary agriculture credit societies (PACSs) would be provided support to open rice mills and godowns in their respective areas, giving protection to farmers apart from boosting agricultural industry in the state.

As per the proposal submitted to the CM, an active PACS would be authorized to open a rice mill and godown. "The purpose is to ensure that farmers from whom paddy is procured by the PACS during the harvest season also get money from the PACS concerned for the milled rice and, thereby, the farmers are not cheated and their interests are also protected. Further, the rice so milled from procured paddy would be stored in the godown of the PACS concerned," sources said.

From the 2016-17 financial year, the state government empowered PACS to procure paddy from farmers for which the cooperative department was made the nodal department. At present, there are 8,463 PACSs in the state, but 1,600 of them have been blacklisted for indulging in irregularities.

The cooperative department has made the ambitious move to let the active PACS open their rice mills and run their godowns, as the state made record production of paddy during 2016 Kharif season and, accordingly, the proposal is deemed to be highly viable. Further, the move is aimed at promoting agri-based industry in the state.

Most importantly, it would free the farmers from the nefarious activities of private rice millers who, as the recent experiences of paddy procurement and consequent milling of paddy by rice millers recently showed, procured paddy from farmers, but did not pay them money.

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The farmers were put to an estimated loss of around Rs1,000 crore, although the actual figures would be calculated only after the investigation of the defaulting rice millers is completed.

Meanwhile, on the direction of the government, the state vigilance department constituted a team of 22 police officers to investigate the cases and arrest the culprits. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/bseb-maintains-strict-vigil-during-compartmentalexam/articleshow/59430470.cms

Rice price soaring in kitchen markets of northern dists Rice being sold at high price across Rajshahi division for the last few days. — FE photo Roving Correspondent

NAOGAON, July 3: The price of daily essential rice is soaring unbridled across northern eight districts from last couple of weeks despite bumper production.The low, middle income and the poor people of the region are the worst suffering for frequent increasing price of different quality of rice from last few days while the government is trying to mitigate the demand of the item, said a customer Lokman Hossain, 56, at Gunaher village under Dupchanchia upazila.

Rice traders of Bogra, Sirajganj, Pabna, Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Joypurhat, Natore and Naogaon districts condemn that they are buying rice at high price from the millers as the supply is short in the markets against the demand. They also said the rice traders raised price again after the festival due to negligence of authority concern.

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"I am sorry to say that I have not seen such instability in rice markets across the region in my 45 years of life." said Prodip Kumar Mohonta, 56, under Khetlal upazila of Joypurhat district. Prodip again said, "The concern department should come forward to douse the problem by any cost."

In a recent visit this correspondent found Miniket, high quality rice is being sold from Tk 55 to 57 each kg, BR-28 rice variety is being sold at Tk 51 to 52 while Swarno is being sold at Tk 49 per kilogram. In wholesale market, each 50kg bag of Miniket is sold at Tk 2,700, BR-28 at Tk 2,400 to 2,300 and Swarna at Tk 2,350 to 2,400.

Retailer Golam Rabbany said, "As we are to buy rice from the millers at high prices, so we are to sell it at increased prices. Besides, the millers have formed syndicate and are storing rice, so the price has increased," he added.n an interview, the traders denied of the syndication but admitted the storing of the rice. The price will come down next week if the government ensures the import enterprise.

"I have bought ten KG Miniket variety rice at Atrai bazar yesterday for Tk 550 but the price has raised to Tk 49 to 55 each KG now." said Kushanal Chandra Barmon, 50, at Gopinathpur bazar under Akkelpur upazila of Joypurhat district.Concerned sources said, the price has increased across the area as the millers refused giving rice in this season. After some days when the harvesting of Aus rice begins, the price will come down, sources added.

China remains Vietnam's top rice importer China is importing 46.5% of Vietnam's rice, a huge increase from the previous 35-36% seen in previous years.

Worker looks over the rice

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam exported 2.8 million tonnes of rice valued USD1.2bn in the first six months of 2017. Both the volume and value increased by 6.3% and 4.9% respectively compared to last year. However, average prices in the first five months decreased by 0.9% to USD445.5 per tonne compared to last year.

China continues to be Vietnam's top importer. In the first five months, Vietnam exported 1.1 million tonnes of rice to China for USD488m as demands from China is huge. Chinese traders often buy rice directly from the firms' storage and then imported into China via border gates or commissioned another importer. They also re-export the rice to other countries.Pham Thai Binh, director of Trung An Hi-tech Farming JSC, said requirements from Chinese traders were getting tighter, similar to other markets like the US and Japan. Not only the rice must be safe but their origin could also be tracked. Currently, only 22 out of 150 Vietnamese firms were able to export

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to China.

Despite exporting huge volumes of rice to China, Vietnam is still unable to build a recognisable brand name there as most of the rice is repackaged by Chinese traders.Loc Troi Group is the only firm that have a contract with Hunan Leading Science and Technology Development Co Ltd to officially distribute rice and other agriculture products in an attempt to build a Vietnamese rice brand in China. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/181306/china-remains-vietnam-s-top-riceimporter.html

Pak Agri scientists praised Lahore Agricultural scientists of Pakistan deserve appreciation for inventing new technology to grow rice without using water. Secretary Agriculture Punjab Muhammad Mehmood said this while talking to APP here Monday.He said the said technology would have far reaching benefit for the agriculture sector and farming community of Pakistan and other countries. ―Our agri-scientists have proved that they are second to none in the world and they are working hard to serve the mankind,‖ he said and added that Pakistan‘s scientists were best in the world.— APP https://pakobserver.net/pak-agri-scientists-praised-2/

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USA Rice Attends Louisiana Field Days and Meetings

By Deborah Willenborg

KAPLAN, CROWLEY, & NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - If it's hot and humid in Louisiana it must be time for field days - an exciting time of year. USA Rice staff participated in sessions here last week - first the HorizonAg Field Day at the farm of Christian Richard in Kaplan.

Growers came from all over Louisiana, with a few also coming down from Missouri and Arkansas and over from Texas. Despite the heavy rains that kept attendees on buses, there was an excellent turnout to hear about and see the new Provisia lines in the fields, and a new low chalk variety that HorizonAg's General Manager, Dr. Tim Walker says shows great promise.

"Clearly, as we ride around south Louisiana we can see that there is a need for the Provisia Rice System and we are very excited to highlight what this technology brings to the industry," Walker said. "Provisia is a technology that can help us get back to those cleaner rice-growing environments that we've become accustomed too for a number of years with the Clearfield system. Many of the attendees today had not seen a large-acre field production of Provisia rice, so we had a 20-acre demo field here they could view that looks very good in terms of weedy rice control."

The weather was more cooperative the following day for the 108th LSU Rice Field Day that was marked as the last for Dr. Steve Linscombe after 35 years at LSU, 16 as the director of rice

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breeding at the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station in Crowley. Linscombe is retiring following this year's harvest, but did speak about a new Clearfield jasmine rice that he believes shows promise for the industry.

Other speakers shared results and research projects on topics from hybrid-Clearfield cross breeding, insect pressures, best chemical practices, rice pathology, and the new use of drones to aid in pollination.

Following reports from rice farmer Clarence Berken on the activities of the Louisiana Rice Research Board and a world market update from LSU's Dr. Michael Deliberto, USA Rice's President and CEO Betsy Ward shared examples of unique partnerships USA Rice undertakes in an attempt to both broaden the rice industry's collaborative footprint, but also stretch limited resources available.

"We are particularly proud of our partnerships with the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service and Foreign Agricultural Service, both of which rely on industry and partner contributions," Ward said. "We supplement the NRCS programs with $25 million in private funds and services, and add about $28 million to FAS funding. Additionally, we partner with end users like PF Chang's restaurants who use their own resources to spread the word about U.S.-grown rice."

Arkansas rice farmer Jennifer James and chair of the USA Rice Sustainability Committee spoke about the importance of sustainability programs and the need for rice farmers to be willing to talk about what they are doing on the farm, since 98 percent of Americans are not involved in agriculture.

Jennifer James

James surveys the varieties "I challenge you all, over the next 52 weeks, to commit to talking to at least one person each week who doesn't know about rice, and share with them something you're doing on your farm to aid in sustainability and conservation," she said to the crowd.Dr. Linscombe was then honored by several colleagues for his work and dedication over the previous 35 years and he received two standing ovations from the appreciative crowd. "Thank goodness he never became a grain sorghum breeder as he had originally intended," joked Dr. William Richardson,

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vice president for agriculture at LSU AgCenter.

Ward and USA Rice Vice President of Domestic Promotion Michael Klein, who conducted several member visits during the week, also attended the Louisiana Rice Promotion Board meeting where they provided updates on USA Rice activities and led a discussion of challenges facing the rice industry. The Board later approved the USA Rice Council funding request for the 2017-18 year. Klein also shared results of a recently completed USA Rice research program to the Louisiana Rice Research Board, that helped underwrite the project.

On Saturday, Ward then addressed the Rice Commodity Conference meeting at the 95th Annual Louisiana Farm Bureau Meeting in New Orleans, providing up to the minute analysis of happenings in Washington, DC and the impact policies and actions or inactions are having on the rice industry.

Jemison receives recognition from Bergen Jemison (l.) is recognized Linscombe was again honored at this meeting for his contributions to the industry, as was USA Rice's Director of Field Operations for Louisiana, Randy Jemison, who, after 16 years in the field for USA Rice, is retiring this summer.

"When we were planning this meeting we felt Betsy was the person most qualified to talk about what is happening in Washington and the expected impact on rice. We were very pleased that she was able to work us into her busy schedule," said Donald Berken, chairman of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Rice Advisory Committee.

Top 5 health benefits of purple rice The researchers will also try to create more purple endosperm cereals grains and cereals like maize, wheat, and barley which are rich in anthocyanins.

Nupur Jha July 3, 2017 21:25 IST

Qinlong Zhu of the South China Agricultural University

Chinese researchers have created genetically modified rice which is purple in colour. The rice has been created using a new technique -- transgene stacking vector system -- which enhanced the nutritional quality of the rice making the rice more health boosting.This is the first time researchers have tried to trigger the production of anthocyanin in rice with the help of genetic

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engineering, previously scientists have developed rice rich in folate and beta-carotene. Though this pigment is present in black and red rice grains it is found to be absent from the grains of polished rice from which the germ, husk and bran are removed.

"We have developed a highly efficient, easy-touse transgene stacking system called TransGene Stacking II that enables the assembly of a large number of genes in single vectors for plant transformation," the lead author Yao-Guang Liu, a researcher at the South China Agricultural University in Guangzhou, China stated.

Scientists have planned to find out how safe the purple endosperm rice is, which they have defined as a biofortified food. They will also try to create more purple endosperm cereals grains and cereals like maize, wheat, and barley which are rich in anthocyanins. The researchers now plan to use the new technique to boost the production of other nutrients in grains.

Here are top 5 health benefits of purple rice: Rich in antioxidants: The researchers used genetic engineering to increase the production of anthocyanins – pigments which help in raising the production of antioxidants in the endosperm of the rice. Endosperm is the seed tissue which is present in most flowering plants after fertilisation, it surrounds the embryo and provides it nutrients.

Lowers the risk of cancer: According to the research, this rice has the qualities to lower the risk of cancer by shielding the body from cancer-causing cell damage.

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Regulates blood sugar: This GM rice is very beneficial for type-2 diabetics as it doesn't raise the blood sugar levels like the white rice does. Consuming whole grains with dietary fibre, like the purple rice aids in depleting the risk of getting type-2 diabetes by almost 400 percent.

Enhances heart health: Including more of this genetically modified rice in your diet would help in improving your cardiovascular health by increasing the levels of good cholesterol -- high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The rice was found to keep heart failure at bay by preventing the arteries from hardening.

The rice also helps in combating other chronic diseases.

Improves digestion: As the purple rice is rich in fibre, it improves digestion by preventing digestion-related problems and constipation http://www.ibtimes.co.in/top-5-health-benefits-purple-rice-733233

Dalex Finance provides credit for over 10,000 rice farmers Executives of Dalex Finance and some of the farmers at the meeting Dalex Finance and Leasing Company Ltd. has announced a partnership with Shinkaafa Buni Rice Farmers Association to provide credit to over 10,000 rice farmers in Northern Ghana. The funds will be used to provide farming inputs such as fertilizer, improved seeds, and combined harvesters to ensure prompt and efficient harvesting of the rice. Speaking on the programme the CEO of DALEX – Kenneth Kwamina Thompson said that DALEX decided to fund the project provide a profitable and sustainable model for funding small-holder farmers who are the bedrock of Ghana‘s agricultural sector. He further called on other financial institutions to follow the lead of DALEX and fund the Agriculture sector. ―It can be done. SHINKAAFA BUNI is a for-profit organization. We are mining the value chain by also engaging Avnash Rice Mill, who has guaranteed to purchase the rice from the farmers,‖ he said.

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Mr. Thompson called on the Ministry of Agriculture to expedite action to avert the looming disaster posed by the Army Worm. He indicated that the Army Worm has been found in the Eastern, Brong- Ahafo, Ashanti and Western Regions. ―Since 2016, the Army Worms have destroyed more than 5,870 hectares of maize, cowpea and cocoa. The effect of these pests could be worse than the ‗biblical plague of locusts‘ if unchecked,‖ he warned. The press conference was also addressed by Nbanty Dagbanja, a rice farmer from Dagbanjado and beneficiary of the credit programme.

He commended SHINKAAFA and DALEX for providing the seeds that had improved their yields, for the chemicals and fertilizers, and for the harvesting services which has improved the prosperity of his fellow farmers. Touching on the challenges in milling rice in Ghana, the Head, Northern Region, Avnash Industries Akshay Sharma bemoaned difficulties in the rice farming industry. ―The local paddy (raw material) prices are too expensive, as the yields per acre achieved by the farmers generally in Ghana are as low as 800 Kg/ acre compared to minimum of 2.4 MT / acre internationally in Thailand, Vietnam, India, USA, Pakistan, etc. The local rice price is as a result uncompetitive in comparison with imported rice.‖ The Executive Director of SHINKAAFA – Samuel Sarpong said SHINKAAFA has strengthened the rice sector by engagement at community level. He observed that the partnership with DALEX was part of their mission to develop sustainable models for finance to assist the smallholder farmer. The DALEX Rice farmer credit program delivers credit to farmers over the innovative Dalex SWIFT mobile platform.

The SWIFT platform gives subscribers access to investment/ savings services. Farmers receive their payments through mobile money and then can make deposits into their investment accounts. They have real-time access to their account balances whiles SWIFT provides call center support in Dagbani https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/Dalex-Finance-provides-credit-for-over-10-000rice-farmers-554752

Technology discovered for rice cultivation without water Lahore Pakistani agriculture scientists have discovered a technology through which rice can be cultivated without water. Punjab Agriculture Secretary Muhammad Mehmood said this in a statement issued here on Sunday. He said: ―Our agriculture scientists are fully capable who are

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proving their metal through hardwork‖.The secretary said the latest research of scientists would directly help poor farmers. A research wing of the agriculture department had given a message to the scientists across the world that they were not less than any one.—APP http://pakobserver.net/technology-discovered-rice-cultivation-without-water/

40 hospitalised in Shikarpur after eating contaminated rice KARACHI

SHIKAPUR: A woman and children among 40 people were hospitalised after eating contaminated rice here on Sunday.Police said that health condition of 40 persons, including a woman and several children, deteriorated after they ate contaminated rice, purchased from a local food point in Lakhi Ghulam Shah area of Shikarpur.The affectees were shifted to the Civil Hospital and Taluka Hospital Shikarpur. An emergency was declared in both the hospitals.

The police arrested the rice seller and after registering a case against him started an investigation. https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2017/07/02/40-hospitalised-in-shikarpur-after-eatingcontaminated-rice/

House probe on state of PH rice inventory sought 

July 2, 2017

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Written by Ryan Ponce Pacpaco

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Published in Nation A HOUSE leader has urged the House of Representatives to pursue its inquiry into the ―true state‖ of the country‘s rice inventory amid the scheduled arrival of the first tranche of imports of the grain this July and the lower rice inventory ahead of the traditional post-summer lean months.

Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte,vice chairman of the House committee on appropriations, reiterated his call for a congressional inquiry following the latest report by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)

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Villafuerte cited an earlier report to him by NFA CamarinEs Sur provincial manager Dr. Yolanda Navarro that the province‘s buffer stock only totaled 42,293 cavans (or 50-kilo bags) as of April 30, or equivalent to only three days‘ consumption at CamSur‘s daily rice requirement of 13,840 cavans.

Navarro informed Villafuerte in her letter that the Legislative-Executive Department Advisory Council (LEDAC) had prescribed for the NFA a buffer stock level equivalent to 30 days‘ consumption at the onset of the July-September lean monthshttp://www.journal.com.ph/news/nation/house-probe-on-state-of-phrice-inventory-sought

China remains Vietnam's top rice importer China is importing 46.5% of Vietnam's rice, a huge increase from the previous 35-36% seen in previous years.

Worker looks over the rice According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam exported 2.8 million tonnes of rice valued USD1.2bn in the first six months of 2017. Both the volume and value increased by 6.3% and 4.9% respectively compared to last year. However, average prices in the first five months decreased by 0.9% to USD445.5 per tonne compared to last year.

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China continues to be Vietnam's top importer. In the first five months, Vietnam exported 1.1 million tonnes of rice to China for USD488m as demands from China is huge. Chinese traders often buy rice directly from the firms' storage and then imported into China via border gates or commissioned another importer. They also re-export the rice to other countries.

Pham Thai Binh, director of Trung An Hi-tech Farming JSC, said requirements from Chinese traders were getting tighter, similar to other markets like the US and Japan. Not only the rice must be safe but their origin could also be tracked. Currently, only 22 out of 150 Vietnamese firms were able to export to China. Despite exporting huge volumes of rice to China, Vietnam is still unable to build a recognisable brand name there as most of the rice is repackaged by Chinese traders.

Loc Troi Group is the only firm that have a contract with Hunan Leading Science and Technology Development Co Ltd to officially distribute rice and other agriculture products in an attempt to build a Vietnamese rice brand in China http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/181306/china-remains-vietnam-s-top-riceimporter.html

INDONESIAN RICE PRICES DOUBLE GLOBAL AVERAGE OLIVIANA HANDAYANIJUL 03, 2017 NEWSCOMMENTS OFF ON INDONESIAN RICE PRICES DOUBLE GLOBAL

Buying rice in Indonesia is over double the international standard price, despite the country being a major rice producer, the United Nation‘s food safety agency Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has found.Last year, Indonesia‘s rice price was around US$1 per kilogram,

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while the international standard had it around US$0.4 per kilogram.As of March this year, FAO recorded the average price of rice per kilogram in Indonesia at around US$0.79. This is one of the highest figures around the region, with other ASEAN members paying far less — Cambodia pays US$0.42 per kg, Thailand pays US$0.33 per kg, Vietnam pays US$0.31 and just US$0.28 per kg in Myanmar.

Chairman of the national rice association (KPPB) Soetarto Alimoeso said the dominant cause of high prices in Indonesia is the excessive use of fertilisers which can lead to overdosing of the crops.

Soetarto pointed to a case of excessive fertiliser usage in Karawang, West Java, where each hectare of paddy field was given 500 kgs of fertilizer. The ideal dosage is 300 kgs per hectare, he said. Excessive usage leads to high prices for consumers as producers pass on costs. ―It‘s a common misunderstanding among farmers that more fertiliser means better rice. On the contrary, we actually just need a proportional dosage of fertilizer to foster the growth of rice,‖ Soetarto said, as quoted by Detik.

Soetarto compared Indonesia with other producers among ASEAN members, such as Thailand and Vietnam, which heavily control the use of fertilisers. On average, Thai and Vietnamese producers use 90 percent less than Indonesian farmers.

Limited space is also a factor contributing to high prices, with growers in Indonesia harvesting on average 0.3 hectares compared to two hectares in Vietnam or Thailand.

Indonesian farmers are largely cultivators but not landowners, with farmers raising prices to pay rent. ―Though there is not much gap in the advancement of rice cultivating technology between Indonesia and other ASEAN rice producing countries, our rice price is higher due to the limited amount of field owned by our farmers,‖ Soetarto said p://indonesiaexpat.biz/news/indonesiahigh-rice-price/

Proposed rice storage facility to boost capacity Mon, 3 July 2017

Cheng Sokhorng Farmers prepare to plant rice seedlings in Kampot province in 2015. Pha Lina A proposal for a massive warehouse and silo that has attracted two Chinese investors aims to fill the Kingdom‘s conspicuous gap in paddy rice storage capacity, which still falls 60 percent short of the level needed for the country to achieve its goal of 1 million tonnes of annual rice exports.

Private Chinese firms Jilin Province Investment Group Co Ltd and Jilin Tianzhong Agriculture Development Co Ltd signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday with local conglomerate Soma Group to build a ―huge‖ storage facility to serve Cambodia‘s rice producers.

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According to Hun Lak, vice president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, the companies will conduct a feasibility study to determine the location and investment size of the initial storage complex, with Battambang and Takeo provinces favoured. Additional storage facilities could be developed in other areas, he said.Lak said the Chinese investment would be substantial and would help fill the rice sector‘s gap in storage capacity. ―It will help to narrow down the rice industry‘s gap in storage facilities, which is necessary if it is to reach the goal of 1 million tonnes of rice exports,‖ he said yesterday, estimating that the country has just 40 percent of the storage capacity needed to realise Prime Minister Hun Sen‘s export target of 1 million tonnes of milled rice a year.―Even now that we have some huge rice storage warehouses and silos we still need more investment in these facilities to fill the gap,‖ he said.

Cambodia exported 530,000 tonnes of milled rice last year, with mills running production for about six months of the year before using up their stores.Phou Puy, CEO of Thaneakea Srov (Kampuchea) Plc, which operates the country‘s first large-scale ―rice bank‖ storage facility, said the new Chinese investment could allow local millers to operate year-round.―We welcome any new investment in rice storage warehouses and silos as our rice industry still need more capacity in order for mills to run full production for the entire year,‖ he said.

Thaneakea Srov‘s storage warehouse in Battambang province has a storage capacity of around 40,000 tonnes, while the company is building a 200,000 tonne facility due for completion next year. Yet, even this will still fall short of the country‘s needs.―Currently, our capacity can only handle the [paddy rice of] western Cambodian producers,‖ he said.―We will need more warehouses and silos to handle the rest of the country‘s production. http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/proposed-rice-storage-facility-boost-capacity

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Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- JUL 04, 2017 Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-July 4 Nagpur, July 4 (Reuters) – Gram and Tuar prices reported higher in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) auction on good buying support from local millers amid thinsupply from producing region because of rains in parts of Vidarbha. Notable rise in Madhya Pradesh pulses and repeated enquireis from South-based millers also boosted prices.

About 1,100 of gram and 700 bags of tuar were available for auctions, according to sources.

FOODGRAINS & PULSES GRAM * Gram yellow firmed up in open market on renewed demand from local traders amid weak supply from producing regions.

TUAR * Tuar varieties ruled steady in open market here but demand was poor. * Moong Chamki recovered in open market on good marriage season demand from local traders. * In Akola, Tuar New – 3,900-4,100, Tuar dal (clean) – 5,7005,800, Udid Mogar (clean) – 8,200-9,200, Moong Mogar (clean) 6,800-7,200, Gram – 5,6005,800, Gram Super best – 7,800-8,500 * Wheat, rice and other commodities 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 FOODGRAINS Gram Auction Gram Pink Auction Tuar Auction

Available prices Previous close 4,400-5,082 4,400-4,900 n.a.

2,100-2,600 3,500-3,770 3,470-3,700

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Moong Auction n.a.

3,900-4,200 Udid Auction n.a.

4,300-4,500 Masoor Auction n.a.

2,600-2,800 Wheat Mill quality Auction 1,550-1,644 1,550-1,661 Gram Super Best Bold 7,500-8,000 7,500-8,000 Gram Super Best n.a. n.a.

Gram Medium Best 6,600-7,000 6,600-7,000 Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a Gram Mill Quality 5,100-5,200 5,100-5,200 Desi gram Raw 5,400-5,500 5,400-5,500 Gram Yellow 7,100-8,100 7,000-8,000 Gram Kabuli 12,300-13,400 12,300-13,400 Tuar Fataka Best-New 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000 Tuar Fataka Medium-New 5,400-5,600 5,400-5,600 Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 5,200-5,400 5,200-5,400 Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 4,800-5,000 4,800-5,000 Tuar Gavarani New 3,500-3,700 3,500-3,700 Tuar Karnataka 3,900-4,100 3,900-4,100 Masoor dal best 5,000-5,200 5,000-5,200 Masoor dal medium 4,600-4,900 4,700-4,900 Masoor n.a. n.a.

Moong Mogar bold (New) 7,000-7,500 7,000-7,500 Moong Mogar Medium 6,300-6,600 6,300-6,600 Moong dal Chilka 5,200-6,000 5,200-6,000 Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.

Moong Chamki best 6,600-7,600 6,500-7,500 Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 8,000-9,000 8,0009,000 Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 7,000-7,500 7,0007,500 Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 4,900-5,200 4,900-5,200 Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 5,100-5,500 5,100-5,500 Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 2,950-3,150 2,950-3,150 Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,000 2,900-3,000 Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,500-3,700 3,5003,700 Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 4,100-4,600 4,1004,600 Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,950-2,050 1,950-2,050 Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 1,850-1,950 1,8501,950 Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,150-2,350 2,150-2,350

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Wheat Lokwan new (100 INR/KG) 1,800-2,000 1,8002,000 Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,300 2,1002,300 Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,800-2,000 1,8002,000 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.

MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,500 3,100-3,500 MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,800 2,3002,800 Rice BPT new (100 INR/KG) 2,800-3,200 2,800-3,200 Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,500-4,000 3,500-4,000 Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,200 3,0003,200 Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,800 2,500-2,800 Rice Swarna new (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,400 2,2002,400 Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,600-2,800 2,600-2,800 Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,500 2,4002,500 Rice HMT New (100 INR/KG) 3,600-4,000 3,600-4,000 Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 4,500-5,000 4,5005,000 Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 4,100-4,300 4,1004,300 Rice Shriram New(100 INR/KG) 4,800-5,200 4,8005,200 Rice Shriram best 100 INR/KG) 6,500-6,800 6,500-6,800 Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,200 5,800-6,200 Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 10,000-14,000 10,00014,000 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 6,000-8,000 6,0008,000 Rice Chinnor New(100 INR/KG) 4,600-4,800 4,6004,800 Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000 Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 5,400-5,600 5,4005,600 Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,200 1,900-2,200 Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,800-1,900 1,800-1,900 WEATHER (NAGPUR)

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Maximum temp. 31.0 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 25.7 degree Celsius Rainfall : Nil FORECAST: Generally cloudy sky with One or two spells of rains or thunder-showers likely.

Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 33 and 25 degree Celsius respectively.

Note: n.a.--not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices) ATTN : Soyabean mandi, wholesale foodgrain market of Nagpur APMC and oil market in Vidarbha willbe closed tomorrow, Wednesday, on the occasion of Ashadi Ekadashi Parna. http://in.reuters.com/article/nagpur-foodgrain-idINL3N1JV31S

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices 5 July 2017

Grains: Prices of rice basmati and wheat fell at Sat, 1 Jul 2017-01:31pm , PTI wholesale grains market during the week due to reduced offtake against adequate stocks position.A few other bold grains also eased amid subdued demand from consuming industries.Traders said ample stocks position against fall in demand from stockists and retailers mainly pulled down rice basmati prices.

Reduced offtake by flour mills put pressure on wheat prices, they said.In the national capital, rice basmati common and Pusa- 1121 variety eased to Rs 6,400-6,700 and R 5,400-5,500 against last close of Rs 6,700-7,000 and Rs 5,700-5,800 per quintal respectively.

Wheat dara (for mills) also slipped by Rs 15 to Rs 1,725-1,730 per quintal. Atta chakki delivery followed suit and traded lower by similar margin to Rs 1,730-1,735 per 90 kg.

Other bold grains, bajra fell by Rs 100 to Rs 1,100- 1,110 per quintal. Barley and maize also declined by Rs 50 and Rs 15 to Rs 1,400-1,420 and Rs 1,275-1,285 per quintal respectively.(MORE) (This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed http://www.dnaindia.com/business/report-grains-prices-of-rice-basmati-and-wheat-fell-at-the-2489417

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Climate change to hurt wheat, rice crop yields Islamabad: The global warming-induced by rising global temperatures can badly affect the country‘s food production system in shape of crop yield losses and reduced growing cycles in the various climatic zones of the country. Spokesperson of ministry of climate change Mohammad Saleem said that wheat crop yield will be reduced by 3.4 to 12.5 per cent in semi-arid irrigated areas including Faisalabad, Sheikhupura and 3.8 to 14.5 per cent in arid areas including Hyderabad, Badin, Bahawalpur and Multan.

He said, around 16 per cent decline in overall wheat produce in rain-dependent areas has been forecasted in various areas of the Potohar region including Chakwal district under different climate change scenarios towards the end of ongoing century. ―The rice crop yields are likely to register fall by 12 to 22 per cent in almost all rice growing areas of the country by end of this century because of the rising global temperatures,‖ he estimated quoting findings of the GCISC‘s crop simulation models. He said that growing temperatures pose a serious risk to Pakistan‘s efforts for achieving sustainable food security and meet food consumption needs of the spiking population, according to studies based on various projections of climate change impacts on the country‘s agriculture and water resources. He said that like the most developing countries, Pakistanis staring at the radar of food insecurity, with its food production out of sync with population growth.

The food availability scenario is further aggravated by shifting weather patterns with recurring severe droughts and floods that affect the country‘s overall crop production, the spokesperson added. He explained that studies carried out by the Global Change Impact Study Centre (GCISC), a Ministry‘s research wing, pointed out that average temperature over Pakistan would increase in the coming decades at a pace faster than that of the average global temperature increase.―The temperature rise in Pakistan may exceed by about one degree Celsius by the end of this century, Saleem said quoting the GCISC studies.

He said that these simulation models further indicate that length of cultivation periods of these important crops would shorten, which would lead to pronounced plunges in yields of not only rice and wheat but also other crops such as maize and vegetables. The water requirements of different crops including wheat and rice could register steep rise in coming decades on account of local impacts of global warming induced by untamed rise in the global temperatures. ―The climate simulation models have revealed that net crop water requirements would sharply increase because of the global warming impacts on Pakistan‘s already rapidly shrinking water resources.

However, reduced water availability for these food crops in coming decades, which are vital to the country‘s sustainable food security, may not help meet the rising water requirements of the various crops,‖ Saleem said. As a result, overall productivity of different food crops would decline as long as water conservation technologies, drought-resilient and high-yield crop

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varieties, rainwater harvesting programmes and direct seeding technologies were not deployed on war-footing,‖ he cautioned. https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/214275-Climate-change-to-hurt-wheat-rice-crop-yields

Rice Tender | Bangladesh RICE TENDER: Bangladesh's state grains buyer issued its fourth international tender since May, looking to import 50,000 tonnes of parboiled rice as it grapples with depleted stocks and record local prices. The deadline for offers is July 9, with the rice to be shipped within 40 days of signing any deal, a senior official at the country's state grains buyer said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/export-summary-u-s-sells-cornsoymeal-wheat-algeria-seeks-wheat/articleshow/59432506.cms

Drought Threatens Crops, Wildlife Along Spain's Guadalquivir River Delta July 2, 20178:30 AM ET Heard on Weekend Edition Sunday LAUREN FRAYER Wild horses graze at the Doñana National Park, in the Guadalquivir delta, in southern Spain. Last year, UNESCO threatened to put Doñana on its so-called 'Danger List' of World Heritage Sites where wildlife or conservation are at risk.

Wild horses and cattle graze on the marshy banks of southern Spain's mighty Guadalquivir River.From the mouth of this river, Christopher Columbus set off for the New World.But since then, the river has gotten more salty. As fresh water is extracted for agriculture, drought — made more frequent by climate change — means less rainfall replaces it. Tides send salt water farther upriver.

Inside a cement building straddling part of the river, pumps suck 800 gallons out of the Guadalquivir per second — diverting it to irrigation canals.

Inside a pumping station on the Guadalquivir River, José Godoy tests the water for salt content.

When drought hits, the water becomes too salty, and can poison crops.

Lauren Frayer for NPR "Depending on how many grams of sodium chloride [salt] are in the water, it can do real damage to crops in the area," says José Godoy, who works at the pumping station. "We test the water

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every hour. We have to be vigilant. When the salt level rises, we have to cut off flow to the canals."

Either crops die of salt poisoning — or the water is cut off and they die of drought.

That's happened at least three times in the past two decades. Whole harvests have been lost, when there isn't enough fresh water to irrigate.

"We have to care for the environment, but we also have a right to make a living," says rice farmer Manolo Cano Lopez, looking out across his rice paddies. "When I was a kid, people lived here without running water or electricity. I want a certain standard of living for my children, without damaging the environment."

But making a living without damaging the environment is getting harder on the Guadalquivir River delta. Locals note weather patterns have changed.

"The rain comes less often, but when it does, there are violent storms!" Cano says. "It's damaging my crops. They're like my babies, these delicate rice plants."

Farmer Manolo Cano Lopez stands next to his rice paddies on the Guadalquivir River delta in southern Spain.

Lauren Frayer for NPR

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This summer, an early heatwave sparked wildfires much earlier than normal, in both Spain and Portugal. More than 60 people died in one fire in central Portugal, ignited by dry lightning.

This is what scientists say farmers and residents can expect from a warming planet. Alreadyfragile ecosystems like the Guadalquivir delta are where climate change could have the most deadly impact.

Scientists predict all of southern Spain, with its varied landscapes — arid Mediterranean terraces, partial deserts and delicate wetlands — will be reduced to one big desert by the end of this century, if current rates of greenhouse gas emissions continue unchecked. Manmade water shortages are already compounding those effects.

The Guadalquivir delta is Spain's biggest rice-growing area. (It used to be Valencia, the famous homeland of Spanish paella. But during the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s, when Valencia fell to Republican forces, the military dictator Francisco Franco ordered that rice be planted on the Guadalquivir delta, which his Nationalist forces still controlled. Acreage of rice farms in the area has expanded ever since.)

It may sound strange to grow rice — which grows best submerged in water — in such a hot, dry climate. While reporting on the delta in June, daytime temperatures hovered around 104F. Farm workers start their days 4 a.m., in order to finish by noon, before it gets too hot. It's a severe climate — and it's forecast to get worse.

But rice is not the biggest offender to the environment here, because rice farmers draw water from the river, extractions from which are regulated. The bigger problem is berries. The Guadalquivir region supplies about a third of all of Europe's strawberries — and strawberry farmers drill wells into the aquifer.

"The problem with the aquifer is that it's something you don't see, because it's an underground pool," says Felipe Fuentelsaz, who tests groundwater levels for the local branch of the World Wildlife Fund.

Eighty percent of the region's aquifer has dried up because of intensive agriculture and the drilling of illegal wells, the WWF says. Some farmers rent drilling rigs and haul them out into secluded forests in the middle of the night, or on holiday weekends, to drill wells for which they don't have permits. The WWF estimates there are at least 10,000 illegal wells in the entire region, and it contends that local officials aren't doing enough to stop them.

Following GPS coordinates provided by the WWF, NPR was able to locate a secret reservoir in the forest near Doñana National Park, where farmers store water they have sucked out of the aquifer illegally, without permits to drill wells.

Lauren Frayer for NPR Local officials said they closed about 300 illegal wells last year.

Following GPS coordinates provided by the WWF, NPR was able to locate a secret reservoir hidden in the forest, where farmers store the water they've sucked out of the aquifer illegally. It's a huge turquoise blue pool, about half a football field wide, and perhaps just as deep, with more than a dozen pipes spewing water into it, apparently from illegal wells scattered across the area.

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This isn't only about farmers stealing water. It's about farmers stealing water that won't be replenished as quickly by rainfall, because of increasing drought. Climate change is already driving up local temperatures, experts say.

"At the moment, they are increasing 0.07 degrees [Celsius] every year. So it's something that's really high," the WWF's Fuentelsaz says. "The normal seasons have been moved. This is really a complete change for biodiversity — for flora, for fauna, for everything."

And the Guadalquivir delta has some of the most varied flora and fauna in Europe. Alongside miles and miles of big industrial commercial farms, the delta is also home to Doñana National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its biodiversity — with wild horses, pink flamingos and six million migratory birds. Water shortages — from over-farming and from climate change — affect them, too.

Last year, UNESCO threatened to put Doñana on its "Danger List" of World Heritage Sites where wildlife or conservation are at risk. The Florida Everglades has also appeared on the list.

Doñana would be the first national park in the European Union to make the list. In its warning, UNESCO cited all the illegal wells in the area. As farmers drain the aquifer under the Guadalquivir delta, lagoons shrink in the national park next door.

"Look at all the ducks, flamingos — so many species of birds in this one lagoon alone!" says Doñana's director, Juan Pedro Castellano, during a tour of the park. "It's just like climate change — we don't know exactly what will happen and how fast. But where we'll see change is in these lagoons and wetlands right here."

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Man-made water shortages, the park director says, are essentially giving us a preview of how this whole region will experience climate change. Scientists predict rising temperatures will dry out this area.

Pink Flamingos in Doñana National Park, a site famous for its biodiversity. Water shortages from over-farming and from climate change puts this natural habitat at risk.

Cristina Quicler/AFP/Getty Images "If the aquifer is drained, this area gets dominated more and more by desert plants," Castellano says. "It reduces the biodiversity in this sandy part of the park."Castellano disputes assessments

by UNESCO and the WWF that Doñana might be in danger. He says his efforts at conservation have been successful, and that he's working with local officials in nearby towns to discourage the drilling of illegal wells by farmers.

UNESCO's 21-member World Heritage Committee is meeting July 2-12 in Krakow, Poland, where it will review Doñana's conservation and decide whether to classify it as endangered.

For the rice farmer Manolo Cano, the seasons have already changed. Spring seems to come earlier every year, he says. None of his children has taken up the family business. He wonders what it must have been like 500 years ago, when Christopher Columbus sailed through the Guadalquivir River, right next to where his rice paddies now are."They must have been able to water their crops as much as they wanted, and never worry," he laments. "Nowadays, we farm so much, we take too much water out of the river."

Cano sighs and kicks at some weeds alongside one of his rice paddies. It's an invasive plant, not native to the area. He thinks the seeds were probably carried in on a truck of gravel from another province or country. He describes waking up at 4 a.m. to come out here and yank the tough stems out of the ground."It's the price we pay for modernity," Cano says. "We have to grow food.

But to do it, we've changed this landscape forever."

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China remains Vietnam‘s top rice importer

China is importing 46.5% of Vietnam's rice, a huge increase from the previous 35-36% seen in previous years.

Worker looks over the rice According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam exported 2.8 million tonnes of rice valued USD1.2bn in the first six months of 2017. Both the volume and value increased by 6.3% and 4.9% respectively compared to last year. However, average prices in the first five months decreased by 0.9% to USD445.5 per tonne compared to last year. China continues to be Vietnam's top importer. In the first five months, Vietnam exported 1.1 million tonnes of rice to China for USD488m as demands from China is huge. Chinese traders often buy rice directly from the firms' storage and then imported into China via border gates or commissioned another importer.

They also re-export the rice to other countries. Pham Thai Binh, director of Trung An Hi-tech Farming JSC, said requirements from Chinese traders were getting tighter, similar to other markets like the US and Japan. Not only the rice must be safe but their origin could also be tracked. Currently, only 22 out of 150 Vietnamese firms were able to export to China. Despite exporting huge volumes of rice to China, Vietnam is still unable to build a recognisable brand name there as most of the rice is repackaged by Chinese traders. Loc Troi Group is the only firm that have a contract with Hunan Leading Science and Technology Development Co Ltd to

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officially distribute rice and other agriculture products in an attempt to build a Vietnamese rice brand in China. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/181306/china-remains-vietnam-s-top-riceimporter.html

Indonesian Rice Prices Double Global Average

Buying rice in Indonesia is over double the international standard price, despite the country being a major rice producer, the United Nation‘s food safety agency Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has found. Last year, Indonesia‘s rice price was around US$1 per kilogram, while the international standard had it around US$0.4 per kilogram. As of March this year, FAO recorded the average price of rice per kilogram in Indonesia at around US$0.79.

This is one of the highest figures around the region, with other ASEAN members paying far less — Cambodia pays US$0.42 per kg, Thailand pays US$0.33 per kg, Vietnam pays US$0.31 and just US$0.28 per kg in Myanmar. Chairman of the national rice association (KPPB) Soetarto Alimoeso said the dominant cause of high prices in Indonesia is the excessive use of fertilisers which can lead to overdosing of the crops. Soetarto pointed to a case of excessive fertiliser usage in Karawang, West Java, where each hectare of paddy field was given 500 kgs of fertilizer. The ideal dosage is 300 kgs per hectare, he said.

Excessive usage leads to high prices for consumers as producers pass on costs. ―It‘s a common misunderstanding among farmers that more fertiliser means better rice. On the contrary, we actually just need a proportional dosage of fertilizer to foster the growth of rice,‖ Soetarto said,

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as quoted by Detik. Soetarto compared Indonesia with other producers among ASEAN members, such as Thailand and Vietnam, which heavily control the use of fertilisers. On average, Thai and Vietnamese producers use 90 percent less than Indonesian farmers. Limited space is also a factor contributing to high prices, with growers in Indonesia harvesting on average 0.3 hectares compared to two hectares in Vietnam or Thailand. Indonesian farmers are largely cultivators but not landowners, with farmers raising prices to pay rent. ―Though there is not much gap in the advancement of rice cultivating technology between Indonesia and other ASEAN rice producing countries, our rice price is higher due to the limited amount of field owned by our farmers,‖ Soetarto said. http://indonesiaexpat.biz/news/indonesia-high-rice-price/

Rice crop insurance scheme draws little interest  

3 Jul 2017 WRITER: CHUDATE SEEHAWONG

A farmer transplants rice shoots in his flooded paddy field in Chai Nat. (Photo Chudate Seehawong)

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CHAI NAT - The government‘s rice crop insurance scheme kicked off quietly on Monday with farmers saying they have little information about it and see it as a waste of scarce money.The scheme allows farmers to insure first crop rice for the 2017 harvest against losses incurred by six natural disasters - flood, drought, storm, cold, hail or fire - and also againt pests and disease.

Premiums were approved by cabinet last week at 97.37 baht per rai for farmers with less than 25 rai, down from 107.427 baht per rai last year, and 108.07 baht per rai for those with more than 25 rai. It is applicable to 25-30 million rai of rice farmland. However, many rice farmers say they have to little information about the insurance scheme to make a decision to buy it, while others just think the money would not be well spent.Supharp Khumtapao, who grows rice in tambon Thammamoon of Muang district, said farmers leave home for the fields early in the morning and return at night, so have little opportunity to learn the details .

No government officials had met with local farmers to explain the scheme and its benefits, he said.He was interested in getting compensation for disaster-related damage, but would have to think carefully before paying an insurance premium.For the same amount of money he could buy fertiliser and chemicals that would ensure good and relatively tangible yields. Insurance would not produce anything unless there was a disaster, he said.

If the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives would lend farmers the money to pay the premiums it would be more attractive to them, Most did not have the ready cash to pay.They believed efficient management of the water supply would reduce the risk of severe flooding or drought, and any pest problem was manageable, he said.

Preecha Puangnoiprapa, director of Chai Nat office of state-owned Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), said farmers should take out crop insurance. It was a good investment.Farmers with insurance would be paid 1,260 baht per rai if their crop was damaged by any of the six natural disasters, and 630 baht per rai for crops damaged by pests or disease.According to the Office of Agricultural Economics, there are 58.7 million rai of rice fields across the country. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1280147/rice-crop-insurance-scheme-drawslittle-interest

Workshop in Ho Chi Minh identifies market potentials for rice straw Tuesday, 04 July 2017 06:32 The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) organised a two-day workshop in Ho Chi Minh on 1-2 June 2017, aiming to identify market prospects for potential use of rice straw products and explore future potential to develop market value chain for the use of rice straw The rice-straw can effectively develop a market value chain by finding new market outlets for the byproducts. (Image source: Brief/Flickr)

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The Vietnamese rice experts across the fields of academia, research institutions, private sectors and farmer groups participated in the workshop. The workshop configured the dynamics of rice straw market for various sectors such as agriculture, food and feed, energy and other industries. The participants also mapped out key drivers and the latest trends in the rice straw market, in order to explore future market pathways.Commenting on the workshop, Matty Demont, value chain expert at IRRI, stated, ―We have developed a new workshop tool that can help generate out-of-the-box thinking with respect to future market prospects for rice straw.‖―More importantly, we now have a lot of insights into upgrading the strategies that are needed to achieve sustainable rice production in Vietnam,‖ Demont added.

The IRRI‘s rice straw project has been funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which funded several other IRRI-projects since 1974.On the rice-straw project, Martin Gummert, postharvest and mechanisation expert at IRRI, said, ―Over the last 10 years, we have looked at technology alternatives to handle rice straw, however, we have not contemplated the market potential for straw products, which is also a critical component that will ensure that the byproduct is sustainably managed.‖Dr Duy Duong Dong, the vice-president of Nong Lam University, said that the workshop in Ho Chi Minh could effectively push towards a better utilisation of rice straw in the country.He further commented, ―I can see that the team has clear and targeted activities towards this goal and I can assure you that the university will continue to work with IRRI to out scale the benefits.‖ http://www.fareasternagriculture.com/crops/agriculture/workshop-in-ho-chi-minh-identifiesmarket-potentials-for-rice-straw

Chinese researchers create antioxidant-rich purple rice to combat cancer risk The new purple rice as biofortified food, and they will also try to engineer the biosynthesis of anthocyanins in other crops to produce more purple cereals.PHOTO: CHRIS TAN JUL 3, 2017, 10:28 AM SGT WASHINGTON (XINHUA) - Researchers in China have successfully created genetically modified purple rice that is rich in antioxidants and thus has the potential to reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases, according to the study published this week in the journal Molecular Plant.

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The added health benefits of the new rice came from high levels of anthocyanins, a group of antioxidant-boosting pigments that also provide the purple, red or blue colours of many fruits and vegetables.

Consumption of rice rich in anthocyanins can benefit human health, decreasing the risk of certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other chronic disorder, said the journal Molecular Plant.

However, previous attempts to engineer anthocyanin production in rice have failed because the underlying biosynthesis pathway is highly complex.

To address this challenge, Mr Liu Yaoguang of the South China Agricultural University and his colleagues first set out to identify the genes related to anthocyanin production in different rice varieties.The team also pinpointed the defective genes in japonica and indica, subspecies that do not produce anthocyanins.

Then, the researchers developed what they called "a highly efficient, easy-to-use transgene stacking system" and used it to insert eight genes needed to produce anthocyanin into the japonica and indica rice varieties.

As expected, the resulting purple rice had high anthocyanin levels and antioxidant activity.

"This is the first demonstration of engineering such a complex metabolic pathway in plants," Mr Liu said in a statement.In the future, the researchers believed that their strategy could be used for the production of many other important nutrients and medicinal ingredients.The researchers now planned to evaluate the safety of the new purple rice as biofortified food, and they will also try to engineer the biosynthesis of anthocyanins in other crops to produce more purple cereals."Our research provides a high-efficiency vector system for stacking multiple genes for synthetic biology and makes it potentially feasible for engineering complex biosynthesis pathways in the endosperm of rice and other crop plants such as maize, wheat, and barley," Mr Liu said. http://www.straitstimes.com/world/chinese-researchers-create-antioxidant-rich-purple-rice-to-combatcancer-risk

Arkansas Rice Farmers Reach Dry Land on Carbon Credits

By ANN KENDA

A narrow plank leads to an eddy covariance machine on the fields at Florenden Farms.

CREDIT ANN KENDA / ARKANSAS PUBLIC MEDIA

Listen Listening...

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Four Arkansas farms have made a deal with the world‘s largest software maker, Microsoft. The Whitaker Farms in McGehee, Isbell Farm in Stuttgart, Hooks Family Farm in Hazen and Florenden Farms in Burdette join two farms in California and one in Mississippi as the first recipients of carbon credits for rice production.

The program rewards farmers for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from rice, considered among the more environmentally damaging of all crops. With a carbon credit, companies can exceed emissions caps by paying for reductions elsewhere, such as on a farm.

The dollar amount was not disclosed, but the credits were purchased by software giant Microsoft at ―fair Farmer Mike Sullivan at his Florenden Farms in Burdette.

CREDIT ANN KENDA / ARKANSAS PUBLIC MEDIA market value,‖ according to Shahira Esmail, an agronomist with Terra Global Capital, the SanFrancisco based company that managed the deal.

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Microsoft will use the credits to voluntarily offset emissions from its business, which exceed the cap set in California. Under the program, companies can purchase the value of gasses that were contained or never produced in other industries, even in other states, in order to reduce their own overall carbon footprints.

At the other end of the market, rice farmers earn the credits by reducing methane, a greenhouse gas emission, in various ways, and sell them to California companies. At the Florenden Farms, farmer Mike Sullivan is using an alternate wetting and drying system on his rice fields, which stretch along State Highway 148 from Burdette to Luxora in Mississippi County.

Grant Camp with Ducks Unlimited, Josh Hankins with USA Rice, Michele Reba with ASU listen to farmer Mike Sullivan describe his progress with an alternate wetting and drying system for his fields CREDIT ANN KENDA / ARKANSAS PUBLIC MEDIA ―Rice is a huge methane emitter, and there‘s a lot of rice around the world,‖ said Sullivan. The methane is produced from bacteria that breeds in the ground during the rice farming process.

Traditionally, farmers are taught to flood their rice fields all the time, but under an alternate wetting and drying regimen, the methane-producing bacteria that thrives only in wet conditions is reduced during the dry periods.

Farmers who have only known the traditional method may have some initial resistance to alternate wetting and drying, according to Merle Anders, a private consultant for farmers.

Dr. Michele Reba of Arkansas State University with her Eddy Covariance machine at the Florenden Farms CREDIT ANN KENDA / ARKANSAS PUBLIC MEDIA ―Huge reservations. The big one is that daddy said if the field got dry, you were done, you were going to lose money and you were going to be out of business,‖ Anders said.

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Sullivan got some help with implementing alternate wetting and drying from researchers such as Michele Reba, a research hydrologist and lead scientist at the Delta Water Management Research Unit at Arkansas State University. They tested the method on smaller fields first. ―In the studies that we‘ve done, during the treatment phase, the amount of water that‘s applied has been reduced by as much as 45 percent, and the yields have been consistent,‖ Reba said.

Sullivan, who‘s known as a forward-thinker willing to take risks, got credit from researchers for being willing to serve as an early adopter of alternate wetting and drying, which is common in the Philippines but still catching on in the U.S. ―He does some amazing management practices on his irrigation,‖ said Josh Hankins, a coordinator for the Rice Stewardship Partnership with USA Rice.

By the time rice hits the dinner table, supporters of alternate wetting and drying say, there is no difference in taste or quality.

Solar panels on the fields at the Florenden Farms CREDIT ANN KENDA / ARKANSAS PUBLIC MEDIA ―Absolutely none,‖ said Anders.

If anything, he said alternate wetting and drying, when done correctly, may produce a little bit less of the trace amounts of arsenic that naturally occurs in rice.

This story is produced by Arkansas Public Media. What's that? APM is a nonprofit journalism project for all of Arkansas and a collaboration among public media in the state. We're funded in part through a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, with the support of partner stations KUAR, KUAF, KASU and KTXK. And, we hope, from you! You can learn more and support Arkansas Public Media's reporting at arkansaspublicmedia.org. Arkansas Public Media is Natural State news with context arkansaspublicmedia.org

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