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Daily Rice E-Newsletter

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter November 06,2017 Volume 9 | Issuu XI

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Editorial Board

Rice News Headlines...

Chief Editor



Hamlik

 Panasonic showcases premium kitchen and home appliancesManaging at Pakistan’s Editor11th Masala Family Festival  Abdul Sattar Shah  Rice Exporters of Pakistan wants zero-rated sales tax status  Rahmat Ullah  Mechanization Promoting Agro Development  Rozeen Shaukat  Republic of Korea supports Ghana with $9 million to develop rice industry in English Editor basmati Central RegionTraders’ cartel offers lower prices, growers start stocking  Maryam Editor  PCA says wild rice rule won't bankrupt Northland  Legal Advisor  Protect wild rice, technology will follow  Advocate Zaheer Minhas  Scientists develop rice that grows in seawater  Protect wild rice, technology will follow Editorial Associates  Low-hanging fruits in the rehabilitation of Marawi  Admiral (R) Hamid Khalid  NRRI team to assess crop loss by pest attacks  Javed Islam Agha  After farmer suicides and crop burning in Odisha, lens on ‘substandard’ pesticides  Ch.Hamid Malhi  ‘Rice smuggling may drag Nigeria back to importation era’  Dr.Akhtar Hussain  Food Security In Doubt: Current Phase Of Bangladesh – OpEd  Dr.Fayyaz Ahmad Siddiqui  Dip in basmati export earnings worrisome  Dr.Abdul Rasheed (UAF)  Pakistan Faces Serious Water Crisis, Warns Expert  Islam Akhtar Khan  Pakistani farmers harvest rice  Smog not that alarming: govt Editorial Advisory Board  Pakistan’s dry future  Dr.Malik Mohammad Hashim  Book Now and Save! Assistant Professor, Gomal  La Niña watch begins; rice output seen growing University DIK  Developing Rice That  Dr.Hasina Gul Assistant Director, Agriculture KPK  China: Old Country, New Tricks  Dr.Hidayat Ullah  Iran to Buy 30,000 Tons of Indian Rice Assistant Professor, University of  La Niña watch begins; rice output seen growing Swabi  First-in-S'pore products from Japan and premium rice  Dr.Abdul  Photo essay: Navara, the medicinal 'wonder rice' grown in Kerala's PalakkadBasir Assistant Professor, University of  Scientists develop rice that grows in seawater Swabi  Rice drives India’s agri exports  Zahid Mehmood  Traders’ cartel offers lower prices, growers start stocking basmati PSO,NIFA Peshawar  ‘Find right markets’ before hiking organic rice  Falak Naz Shah  Odisha pest-attacks: National Rice Research Institute team to assessHead crop lossScience & Technology 2 Food  National Rice Research Institute team to assess crop loss by pest attacks ART, Peshawar  Jesuit scientist’s controversial rice system flowers in poor nations  Did You Know: November is National Rice Awareness Month

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter  Judge considers wild rice protection: Some say sulfate rules could triple Duluth sewage bills, force closure of mills  Gov’t promotes use of rice varieties  Odisha farmer suicides: ‘Pesticides failed to kill pests, they killed my father’  Dedication sees growth of 'super rice' yields  Paddy output likely to hit new record despite floods

Rice News Detail…

Panasonic showcases premium kitchen and home appliances at Pakistan’s 11th Masala Family Festival by Haider Ali Sindhu | Published on November 6, 2017 LAHORE – Panasonic Marketing Middle East & Africa FZE (PMMAF) showcased its premium range of kitchen and home appliances at the 11th Masala Family Festival, which ran from 4th5th November, 2017, at Expo Centre Lahore.Panasonic’s quality products displayed at this festival were designed for Pakistani consumers and appeared as a perfect addition for any Pakistani household.Panasonic’s Kitchen and Home Appliances offer a broad spectrum of microwave ovens, vacuum cleaners, irons, refrigerators, TVs, juicers and blenders, mixer grinders, and more. These appliances assure amazing functionality and durability and boast advanced Japanese technology that provides comfortable life for various households.The brand has recently launched one of its biggest consumer marketing campaign in the Middle East ‘Makers of Quality. Mastered in Japan.’ which will be rolled out in Pakistan later this month. With this new campaign, Panasonic aims to continue delivering on its century old heritage of Japanese craftsmanship and quality innovations laying emphasis on ‘Japan Quality’. The brand is looking to further empower its regional customers, by offering products that not only provide comfort, ease, and convenience on a daily basis, but match their premier lifestyle as well.Mr. Iwai Akira – Director, Middle East Consumer Sales Division, PMMAF, said: “Pakistan is an important market for us, and our commitment is to bring to the market, our premier range of Japan Quality products that possess proven innovations. Our products are very well received in the country by the discerning customers who appreciate quality, and this exhibition gives us the platform to showcase our new range of kitchen and home appliances, that are a right fit for Pakistani homes. Visitors at Masala Family Festival this year will be thoroughly impressed with

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter live cooking demonstrations using our new products.”Panasonic booth hosted the visitors at Masala Family Festival with exciting activities such as live demonstrations of Juicers, Meat Grinders, Microwave Ovens and Rice Cookers and also raffle draw contest. The winners of the raffle draw enjoyed various brand gifts from Panasonic.Some of the key highlights Panasonic’s product display at the festival were latest Meat Grinder MK-ZJ3500 & MK-ZK2700, Microwave Ovens – NN-SD681, NN-CD997, Vacuum Cleaners – MC-CG711R149, MC-CJ915R149, Irons – NI-GSE040PTH, NI-P300TRTV, Refrigerator – NR-BS60MSAS and TVs – TH-32D310M, TH-40D310M.

Panasonic has been strongly catering to the ever-changing consumer demands in Pakistan and actions to deliver phenomenal lifestyle experience through its unmatched Japanese quality products which are a reflection of the company’s commitment to endeavor ‘A Better Life, A Better World’ for its customers. The Masala Family Festival has witnessed a footfall of more than 400,000 visitors in the previous years and was expected to cross this number this year. The festival offered an array of stalls for visitors and a huge kids’ area where more than hundred activities could be performed. The Masala TV celebrity chefs conducted live cooking demos for these large number of attendees. https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/panasonic-showcases-premium-kitchen-and-homeappliances-at-pakistans-11th-masala-family-festival/

Rice Exporters of Pakistan wants zero-rated sales tax status By Yasir Zeb Nov 6, 2017

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

The Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) has requested the government to recognize the second largest export industry of Pakistan and give it a status of Zero-rated sales tax. Exporters in the rice industry are facing liquidity issues due to large amounts of pending tax refunds. Chaudhry Samiullah, central chairman REAP told The Nation, besides textile industry, rice exports are the largest among four export-oriented sectors. He feared that ignoring rice exports would negatively impact the rice exports, as well as overall exports of the country and rice exporters, would lose their traditional markets. The chairman said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The government should treat rice as a separate industry and put under the umbrella of zero-rated sales tax category along with five major export sectors.â&#x20AC;? The government restored the zero-rated tax on five major export sectors in Pakistan last January including Textiles, Leather, Sports Goods, Carpets and surgical equipment. The Chairman REAP said it was a very good decision by the government to restore the zero-tax regime for the biggest exporters but keeping rice out of the regime is questionable, rice exports are the second largest sector in Pakistan, ignoring the sector could lead to a high trade deficit.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter He also said that the association REAP has written several letters to the ministry of commerce and ministry of finance pushing them to include rice in zero-rated tax category, the rice industry is earning $2 billion annually but exporters in this sector are not facilitated like other export sectors. The Chairman said the government should adopt the policy of “no payment no tax” in order to ensure the corruption free export trade. It wastes exporters time to first pay the taxes and get them refunded later, it hinders the cash flow and creates liquidity issues which the sector cannot afford at this time. As the funds in tax refunds are held by FBR, exporters have to borrow money from banks and pay extra on interest to keep their money supply up running.

https://www.researchsnipers.com/rice-exporters-of-pakistan-wants-zero-rated-sales-tax-status/

Mechanization Promoting Agro Development

Monday, November 06, 2017

The government is investing 15 trillion rials ($395.5m) on agricultural mechanization in the current year (March 2017-18), 25% more compared with last year’s investment. 6

The agricultural mechanization coefficient in Iran presently stands at 1.5 horsepower per hectare, which is expected to increase to 2.1 hp/ha by the end of Hassan Rouhani’s second presidential

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter term (August 2021), the head of Agricultural Mechanization Expansion Center with the Ministry of Agriculture. “About 53.5 trillion rials (more than $1.3 billion) worth of investments have gone into the mechanization of different fields of agriculture since August 2013 when President Rouhani first took office,” Kambiz Abbasi was also quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency. The official added that close to 70% of cultivation and 95% of harvest on the country’s grain farms are mechanized. The share of mechanization in rice harvest stands at 80-85%. “The incumbent government has invested a record high of 6 trillion rials ($156 million) in the mechanization of rice production,” he said. Abbasi said mechanization has helped lower costs of production and harvest by 60% and 70% respectively and increased productivity. Pre-harvest, harvest and post-harvest stages of rice production on 250,000 hectares of paddy fields have been automated over the past four years. “Corn and sugarbeet cultivation is entirely mechanized and 70-75% of saffron cultivation are carried out via mechanized machinery. Yet saffron harvest is still in need of modern technology and investments,” he said. “Today we have over 440,000 tractors, 35,000 seed sowing machines and more than 16,000 combines in the country.”The government says it is investing about 15 trillion rials ($395.5 million) on agricultural mechanization in the current Iranian year (March 2017-18), 25% more compared with last year’s investment. “Of the total sum, about $211 million, $80 million, $40 million, $20 million and $10.5 million will be dedicated to farming, horticulture, livestock and poultry, fisheries and seafood, and medicinal herbs respectively,” Abbasi said.Morteza Shahidzadeh, the head of Keshavarzi Bank, said close to 15 trillion rials (nearly $370.28 million) worth of banking facilities will be earmarked for the expansion of mechanization in agricultural fields in the current year. “During Rouhani’s first four years in office, 40 trillion rials [$987.41 million] worth of banking loans were granted to the private sector,” he said.According to Abbasi, about 95% of Iran’s agricultural machinery are produced domestically and the rest is imported. Iran’s agriculture sector grew by 4.2% in the fiscal 2016-17 compared to the preceding year, according to the Central Bank of Iran. Mechanization to Curb Agricultural Waste

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Between 25% and 30% of Iran’s agricultural machinery have been repaired or renovated since the beginning of Hassan Rouhani’s presidency, Abbasi said.Old machinery used in this sector is the main reason behind agricultural waste, which is said to cost Iran’s economy over $5 billion per annum. The volume of agricultural waste in Iran is twice the global average. Currently, up to 30% of agro products go to waste in the country during the pre-harvest, harvest, post-harvest and supply stages, IRNA reported.According to Food and Agricultural Organization, 1.3 billion tons of food, mainly fruit, vegetables, fish and grains, are wasted globally every year and Iran is responsible for 2.7% of it, equal to about 35 million tons of the total sum. “Thanks to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [the formal name of the nuclear deal Iran signed with world powers in 2015], renowned brands of rice cultivation machinery, heavy tractors, combines and orchard tractors were imported last year,” Abbasi said. Most of the imports came from Germany, Italy, France, South Korea and Japan. Domestic Tractor Production Domestic producers recently voiced concerns regarding import of tractors. Amir Hossein Shiravi, the director general of Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing Office with the Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade, said on Saturday that in the 18 months to Sept. 22, only 2,220 tractors, including 1,740 light- and medium-weight and 480 heavy tractors, were imported into the country, while over the same period, some 22,400 tractors were produced by local manufacturers. “Imports constituted less than 10% of our domestic production. Heavy tractors are imported since we cannot manufacture them inside the country and there is demand for them. Also, light and medium-weight tractors were imported legally and all the tariffs and customs duties have been paid,” Shiravi was quoted as saying by IRNA. The official noted that local companies have recently started the domestic production of heavy tractors. One heavy tractor manufactured by Iran Tractor Manufacturing Company was unveiled on March 2015 during a ceremony attended by Minister of Agriculture Mahmoud Hojjati. The company has yet to start mass production. https://financialtribune.com/articles/domestic-economy/75697/mechanization-promoting-agrodevelopment https://financialtribune.com/articles/domestic-economy/75697/mechanizationpromoting-agro-development 8

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Bangladesh wheat imports jump 30% Reuters . Dhaka | Update: 19:22, Nov 05, 2017

Bangladesh’s wheat imports climbed nearly 30 percent to more than 2.1 million tonnes in the July to October period from a year earlier, food ministry data showed, with traders expecting the same pace in the coming months.The South Asian country has emerged as a major buyer of rice and wheat after floods destroyed its latest crops, sending staple rice prices to record highs that prompted many to switch to flour.

This upwards trend in imports will continue until end of this year, said a Dhaka-based wheat importer. “What we are seeing is that there is a robust demand in the domestic markets as many people are switching to flour given the high prices of staple rice,” he added. Traditionally the world’s fourth-biggest rice producer, Bangladesh’s rice imports are set to hit their highest levels in a decade as the government races to shore up depleted stocks and combat high prices. “I am buying more flour and less rice these days to cope with the situation,” said Raqib Hasan, a private sector employee and the sole earning member in a family of six. “We used to eat rice three times a day. .. now we are taking only one meal with rice.” Bangladesh imported 5.8 million tonnes of wheat in the year to June 2017, making it one of the world’s biggest importer of the grain. Bangladesh has turned to the Black Sea region for wheat as supply from India dwindled to meet growing demand while the country’s output has stagnated at around 1 million tonnes. The government has bought 200,000 tonnes of wheat in an inter-state deal at $252 a tonne from Russia, which is set to overtake the United States as the world’s biggest wheat exporter this year. Bangladesh also buys smaller quantities of high-quality Australian and Canadian cargoes for blending. The government is signing two separate loan agreements with the World Bank...

http://en.prothom-alo.com/economy/news/165485/Bangladesh-wheat-imports-jump-30%25

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Republic of Korea supports Ghana with $9 million to develop rice industry in Central Region DAILY GRAPHIC 05 NOVEMBER 2017

An official of the Ghana Rice Inter-Professional Body (GRIB) explaining the Ghana Rice Business Centre Model to Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto (2nd left), the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Nana Kwabena Adjei Ayeh II (right), Vice President of Ghana Rice InterProfessional Body (GRIB), and some dignitaries during the exhibition. The Republic of Korea has offered Ghana $9 million to develop a rice industry in the Central Region.The choice of the region for the project followed a recommendation by some Korean rice experts that it had the potential to produce enough rice to feed the country and also for export.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, who made this known when he opened the fourth Ghana National Rice Festival in Accra yesterday, said the experts had assessed the rice production potential in all the 10 regions of Ghana. The two-day festival is on the theme: “Ghana Rice for food! Ghana Rice for Jobs! According to the minister, the experts established that even though all the regions had the potential to produce rice on a large scale, the Central Region was more endowed. Importation Between 2007 and 2015, Dr Akoto said, the value of rice imports escalated eight-fold from $152 million in 2007 to a peak of $1.2 billion in 2014 and 2015. “In the same period, the volume of rice imports climbed from 441,000 metric tonnes to 630,000 metric tonnes”, he added. The minister said the statistics implied that pressure was not only being put on the nation’s trade balance but also made the country vulnerable to global price increases and supply shortages in the rice market. Dr Akoto said in the past few months, innovative efforts had been made to transform the entire agricultural sector into a vibrant and high-yielding sector to save the country from unnecessary importation and huge import bills. He explained that the overall objective of the “Planting for Food and Jobs” by the government was to provide enough food to ensure “food and nutrition security in the country.” According to him, about 750,000 jobs in both direct and indirect employment would be created during the first year of its implementation. Appeal The President of Ghana Rice Inter-Professional Body (GRIB), Mr Imoro Amoro, appealed to the government to support the body to expand and establish Ghana Rice Business Centres to help create more employment in the country. He said the Ghana National Rice Festival had come to stay to help create awareness and promote local rice brands to create jobs, food security and wealth in the country.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter “I also urge the companies importing rice into the country to come and invest in Ghana rice production to promote industrialisation in the country,” the president added. For her part, the Policy Advisor of the John Agyekum Kufuor Foundation, Nana Ama OppongDuah, said the festival would encourage rice farmers to work hard and produce sufficient rice for both the local and international markets, adding that, it would also help promote sustainable food systems in Africa. “I would, therefore, encourage value chain members to include nutritious crops in their farming systems to ensure not only self-sufficiency in rice but also the production of nutritious food,” she stated. Writer's email:rebecca.quaicoe-duho@graphic.com.gh https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/republic-of-korea-supports-ghana-with-9-million-to-develop-riceindustry-in-central-region.html

Traders’ cartel offers lower prices, growers start stocking basmati Nov 6, 2017, 1:20 AM; last updated: Nov 6, 2017, 1:20 AM (IST)

Des Raj has refused to sell his produce in the Fazilka grain market due to the lower rates. Tribune photo Praful Chander Nagpal Fazilka, November 5 Basmati growers here are up in arms as the popular 1121 aromatic variety is fetching a lower price in the Fazilka market compared to other markets due to a cartel raised by the private traders. Traders, including exporters and rice millers, are the bulk buyers of the variety. As farmers are being offered lower price, they have started stocking the paddy. Sources said traders have been purchasing paddy at Rs 3,100 per quintal compared to Rs 3,300-3,400 per quintal in nearby districts for the past five days.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

“Private traders and exporters have connived to keep prices low. The farmers are left with no other alternative but sell it to private traders in the absence of minimum support price and government policy,” alleged Des Raj of Balluana village who has been waiting to sell his produce at Fazilka. “Farmers switched over to the less water-consuming variety on the persuasion of the government which has now let them down,” said another farmer Angrej Singh. Basmati growers of Theh Qalandar village said villagers have decided not to sell their produce at lower rate. They claimed that about 20,000 bags (each weighing 35 kg) of basmati have been produced in the village so far. Out of those, only 3,000 bags have been sold by farmers. The rest has been stored in the hope of getting a better price after the dismantling of the cartel. Official sources said the arrival of 1,46,567 tonnes of paddy had been recorded in the district so far. “I have directed the market committee authorities to look into the matter and take action,” said DC Isha Kalia. http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/traders-cartel-offers-lower-prices-growers-start-stocking-basmati/493027.html

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

PCA says wild rice rule won't bankrupt Northland By John Myers on Nov 4, 2017 at 10:00 p.m.

If state administrative law Judge LauraSue Schlatter agrees that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency proposal to protect wild rice from sulfate is officially "reasonable," she will be among the few people to publicly say so. Schlatter's job in coming months will be to pore over testimony about the PCA sulfate standard and determine whether the proposal is legal, follows state rules and is needed and reasonable. So far, after multiple public hearings, it seems almost everyone is saying it's not.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Mining supporters want no sulfate rule at all, saying there's no major crisis with wild rice downstream of where mines operate. Business and government groups say the rule would be too costly to meet. "The rule being proposed raises significant technical, ecological and economic questions which must be addressed prior to moving forward," Marianne Bohren, executive director of the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District, testified last week at a public hearing on the rule. Environmental groups want to stick with the current, statewide sulfate standard of 10 parts per million, saying it's simple and potentially effective at protecting wild rice if it's enforced. (So far, it hasn't been.) "What WaterLegacy is saying, and what tribal leaders, both Chippewa/Ojibwe and Dakota are saying, is that we should keep the existing standard and enforce it consistently and rigorously in all wild rice waters," said Paula Maccabee, attorney for Minnesota-based WaterLegacy. Scientists have found that sulfate â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which can come from sewage effluent, mine discharges and other industrial processes â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is converted to sulfides in the sediment of many wild rice lakes and rivers. The rate of that conversion changes depending on the amount of carbon and iron in the water (generally, more sulfides with high carbon, less sulfide with high iron). It's those sulfides that prevent wild rice from thriving in some areas; the proposed new rules would study the water chemistry of each wild-rice lake and river to determine what sulfate level they could handle and still grow wild rice. Maccabee also noted that research appears to show that higher sulfate-sulfide levels increase toxic methyl mercury, a pollutant already targeted because of its potential impact on human health."The need to prevent sulfate loading from wastewater in Minnesota is driven by public health as well as environmental quality," she said. "The old rule, if it were enforced, already protects against mercury methylation. The new rule could make it worse .... That's not reasonable."

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Doomsday scenarios Iron Range leaders are warning that the new wild rice sulfate rule could end mining as we know it, closing taconite plants and putting thousands of people out of work. (That contrasts with PolyMet's guarantee that it will meet the state's current sulfate standard by using reverse osmosis treatment that's already included in its copper mining plan.) Critics of the new rule say the PCA should delay any action until next year, when a cost analysis is completed on the rule's economic impact. Larry Sutherland, head of U.S. Steel's Minnesota mining operations in Keewatin and Mountain Iron, which employ some 1,700 miners, said adding reverse osmosis treatment to remove sulfate at Keetac's wastewater system could cost $200 million, a price tag that would be prohibitive for the plant to remain competitive in the global iron ore market. The implication is that the plant could close if the new rule is adopted. "And you still can't guarantee any benefit" for wild rice, Sutherland said at the Virginia public hearing on the rule, adding that the PCA concedes the error rate for each water body's sulfate standard could be as high as 20 percent. In testimony last week in Brainerd, the WLSSD's Bohren said the proposed sulfate-sulfide standard could cost the district millions of dollars to meet. Wastewater treatment plants simply aren't designed to remove sulfate, and Bohren said the cost of adding reverse osmosis treatment to remove sulfate — the only known method — could be $500 million and raise the plant's electric costs 600 percent. Those extra costs could dramatically raise Duluth's monthly sewage rate for residents, from $40 to $75 per month and as high as $140 per month for homeowners if large industrial customers — namely Verso in Duluth and Sappi and USG in Cloquet — were forced to shut down. The Sappi mill already pays WLSSD about $10 million per year for its wastewater treatment. If reverse osmosis was required, that bill could hit $28 million, Bohren said.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter "We're assuming the large industrial users would not continue to operate if that happened," she said, foretelling a major hit for Twin Ports jobs. Bohren also noted that several scientists have raised questions about the PCA's conclusions on the relationship between sulfate, sulfide and wild rice. "We're not saying wild rice shouldn't be protected. We're saying we don't think the PCA has had enough time to get to where they need to be," Bohren told the News Tribune. PCA officials say Bohren's and other testimony critical of possible compliance costs is premature. The new sulfate rule wouldn't even apply to the WLSSD because the Duluth harbor, where the WLSSD releases its outflow, is not on the official state list of wild rice waters. (Upstream sections of the St. Louis River are considered wild rice waters but would not affect the WLSSD permit. Bohren countered that there's no guarantee other groups wouldn't petition to put the Duluth harbor on the wild rice list.) "As it stands now the rule wouldn't apply to them," said Shannon Lothamer, the PCA official charged with ushering the wild rice sulfate rule through the process. "We understand their concerns, because the cost of what's out there for treatment now is so high. But these are really worst-case scenarios that are being thrown out there."

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter PCA officials say if those changes are too expensive, the state will include variances in specific discharge permits for municipalities and companies that discharge sulfate. The closing of a plant and the community upheaval that would cause clearly meets the state's criteria for variances, Lotthammer noted. "That's where we certainly plan on issuing permit variances. But first we have to find that point (for each waterway) where we think wild rice is protected," she said. Several municipal wastewater plants have variances for phosphorus removal because of the high cost of treatment, Lotthammer added. And the WLSSD already has a discharge permit variance for mercury pollution because it proved there was no feasible way for it to meet the mercury standard for discharge into Lake Superior. The WLSSD already is discharging water with less mercury than the rain that falls on Duluth. The PCA realized that, and granted the variance in the agency's operating permit, Lotthammer noted. Critics counter that the variance process can take years, is expensive and isn't guaranteed because variances also require federal agency approval. PCA officials note that there are myriad examples of how regulation inspired technical breakthroughs that make pollution control more affordable than naysayers predicted. Coal-fired power plant operators said they couldn't affordably reduce acid rain- and smog-causing pollutants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, yet have done exactly that with so-called smokestack scrubbers. They also have moved to reduce mercury. Reserve Mining Co. argued that it wasn't feasible to stop dumping taconite tailings into Lake Superior, that on-land disposal was too costly. Now, Northshore Mining is thriving at the Silver Bay site decades after moving to on-land disposal. 18

Minnesota's wild rice sulfate rule will help push development of new, less expensive sulfateremoving technology, Lotthammer said. (The University of Minnesota Duluth's Natural

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Resources Research Institute already is developing bacteria that can eat eliminate sulfate, testing it in Iron Range mine pit lakes in a process where, if successful, sulfate treatment would be dirt cheap.) "We really think that there will be innovation to help us get to where we need to protect wild rice," she said. "Until those innovations happen, until their are options out there that are affordable, we're not going to force anyone out of business."

What's the rule? The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency in August unveiled details of the new wild-rice sulfate standard â&#x20AC;&#x201D; years in the works, developed after an old sulfate standard was deemed too vague and too difficult for the industry to meet. A law in place since 1973 limited sulfate pollution in all Minnesota waters that hold wild rice to 10 parts per million. The rule was rarely enforced until tribal and environmental groups began pushing the PCA to include sulfate in pollution discharge permits. State lawmakers tried to stifle the sulfate rule but failed, as did court challenges. So the state funded research to find out what it was about sulfate that harms wild rice. Studies found that it's not sulfate that directly harms wild rice. Instead, wild rice is inhibited when sulfate converts into sulfides (but because the sulfate pollution leads to sulfides, sulfate is still the target of the regulation.) Because that conversion is different in each lake and river (depending on water chemistry, carbon and iron), the PCA proposed eliminating the old, statewide sulfate limit and instead studying the water chemistry of each wild-rice lake and river to determine what sulfate level they could handle and still grow wild rice. The new rule, if enacted, would limit sulfides to 120 parts per billion. Ultimately pollution discharge permits for wastewater plants, mines and other

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter sulfate-emitters would be changed to limit sulfates with the goal of keeping sulfides below the benchmark of 120 parts per billion and protecting wild rice. There are about 1,300 lakes and rivers listed so far on the statewide list of wild-rice waters. About 350 of those wild-rice waters are downstream of industries or cities that discharge sulfate and are the most likely to be affected by the changes.

What's next? If state administrative law Judge LauraSue Schlatter rules the wild rice sulfate rule unreasonable, the PCA has to go back to the drawing board and start over (although the old sulfate rule would remain in effect). If she finds it reasonable, it will be up to PCA Commissioner John Linc Stine to decide when and how to move forward. Any legal challenges to the PCA rule would be heard in the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Then, it will be up to the federal Environmental Protection Agency to decide if the state rule meets the Clean Water Act standard to protect wild rice. Public comments on the wild rice rule will be accepted through Nov. 22, with comments sent to: minnesotaoah.granicusideas.com/discussions or mail to Office of Administrative Hearings, P.O. Box 64620, St. Paul, MN 55164-0620 (Docket 80-90030-34519). https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/4354574-pca-says-wild-rice-rule-wont-bankrupt-northland

Scientists develop rice that grows in seawater S H A ZM A K H A N

N O V 4 T H, 2 0 1 7

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

Due to the growing shortage of freshwater, the rice cultivation has declined which is a primary source of food for over half of the global population. In order to overcome the problem, a Chinese scientist has developed a process to grow rice in seawater.

China contains a third of its land with swamps, bogs, and clay-like or salty-like costal water. These waters make processes like photosynthesis and respiration difficult as the salt stresses plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water-absorption process. This in turn slows the plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growth converting it to its death. 21

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Thus, the 87-year-old Chinese scientist Yuan Longping created a new high-yield strain of rice able to grow in saltwater. Longping planted 200 various saltwater-tolerant rice strains on the Yellow Sea to see which one would grow best in salty conditions. His work yielded 8,030 pounds of rice per acre in comparison to the US growers that harvest around 7,200 to 7,600 pounds per acre annually, as per China’s Xinhua News Agency. Chinese scientists create artificial yeast Yuan exclaimed, “If a farmer tries to grow some types of saline-tolerant rice now, they most likely will get 1,500 kilogrammes per hectare. That is just not profitable and not even worth the effort. Farmers will have an incentive to grow the rice if we can double the yield.”

However, the experiment did not exactly imitate the actual situations in the country. Instead, it used water with comparatively lower salt concentration than it is actually present in nature. “It’s still only maybe 10% the level of salt in sea water. So the ‘salt-proof’ rice does have a long way to go before it could help ordinary farmers,” said Assistant Director General for Agriculture at the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) Ren Wang while talking to Business Insider.

According to Wang, China is already making more rice than any other country and this technique could increase the country’s food supply drastically. The saltwater rice can also free up freshwater lands, which are reserved for rice at present, in order to grow other foods.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter The saltwater rice has already been available to consumers with a price around eight times more than ordinary rice. Yet, people buying the rice are appreciating its texture and flavor. The rice also has many health benefits including being rich in calcium. https://www.brecorder.com/2017/11/04/378893/scientists-develop-rice-that-grows-in-seawater/

Protect wild rice, technology will follow Lotthammer said the PCA is under legal obligation, under the Clean Water Act, to protect wild rice. It's also a social obligation, she said. The PCA plans to move ahead to develop a scientifically defensible rule to protect wild rice, then come up with affordable ways to meet that rule. Only when the rule is adopted and specific sulfate-sulfide limits are set for each lake and river where wild rice exists, and then only as pollutant discharge permits are renegotiated to meet the rule, would businesses or municipalities have to make changes. PCA officials say if those changes are too expensive, the state will include variances in specific discharge permits for municipalities and companies that discharge sulfate. The closing of a plant and the community upheaval that would cause clearly meets the state's criteria for variances, Lotthammer noted. "That's where we certainly plan on issuing permit variances. But first we have to find that point (for each waterway) where we think wild rice is protected," she said.Several municipal wastewater plants have variances for phosphorus removal because of the high cost of treatment, Lotthammer added. And the WLSSD already has a discharge permit variance for mercury pollution because it proved there was no feasible way for it to meet the mercury standard for discharge into Lake Superior. The WLSSD already is discharging water with less mercury than

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter the rain that falls on Duluth. The PCA realized that, and granted the variance in the agency's operating permit, Lotthammer noted. Critics counter that the variance process can take years, is expensive and isn't guaranteed because variances also require federal agency approval.PCA officials note that there are myriad examples of how regulation inspired technical breakthroughs that make pollution control more affordable than naysayers predicted. Coal-fired power plant operators said they couldn't affordably reduce acid rain- and smog-causing pollutants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, yet have done exactly that with so-called smokestack scrubbers. They also have moved to reduce mercury. Reserve Mining Co. argued that it wasn't feasible to stop dumping taconite tailings into Lake Superior, that on-land disposal was too costly. Now, Northshore Mining is thriving at the Silver Bay site decades after moving to on-land disposal. Minnesota's wild rice sulfate rule will help push development of new, less expensive sulfateremoving technology, Lotthammer said. (The University of Minnesota Duluth's Natural Resources Research Institute already is developing bacteria that can eat eliminate sulfate, testing it in Iron Range mine pit lakes in a process where, if successful, sulfate treatment would be dirt cheap.) "We really think that there will be innovation to help us get to where we need to protect wild rice," she said. "Until those innovations happen, until their are options out there that are affordable, we're not going to force anyone out of business." https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/4354574-pca-says-wild-rice-rule-wont-bankrupt-northland

Low-hanging fruits in the rehabilitation of Marawi November 4, 2017, 10:00 PM 24

By Dr. Emil Q. Javier Rice hybrids

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter This is a further elaboration of how we can build better in Marawi through inclusive agribusiness.The announcement this week by Henry Lim that SL Agritech Corporation, the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading hybrid rice breeder, is partnering with the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) regional government, Go Negosyo and the Department of Agriculture (DA) to develop a 50-hectare model rice village around Marawi is precisely the kind of private sector initiative needed to exploit the low-hanging fruits in building better in war-torn Lanao del Sur. Intensive hybrid rice cultivation is highly productive and will immediately raise income of small farmers while having long-term, sustainable implications to industry competitiveness and national food security. Hence, the strategic direction set by DA Secretary Manny PiĂąol to progressively devote our rice farms to hybrids. Technology is available and it is a matter of approximating the conditions where hybrid rice cultivation has proven to be successful e.g. in Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan and Pangasinan. There are five key success factors, namely, good seeds, water, fertilizers, mechanization and markets. Out of necessity the inputs will initially have to be provided for free to help the farmers who have little cash but have land and family labor. Since the inputs can pay for themselves, the real challenge is putting in place linkages and institutions that will provide these inputs and services to the small farmers on a pay-as-you-go basis in the long-run.However, family labor is invariably not enough. Availability and cost of additional labor are key constraints. But the cost of tractors for land preparation, rice transplanters, grain combines and grain dryers are beyond the means of individual small farmers. The machines can be acquired and operated by cooperatives and/or by small and medium scale enterprises. There is room for both business arrangements. The Go Negosyo connection is therefore vital. SL Agritech is well-placed to provide the primary production technology requisites. Go Negosyo for its part will supply the organization and management expertise to support the cooperatives and small- and medium- scale enterprises (SMEs) who will ultimately provide the institutional back bone for the provincesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rice sector. The expected volume of production is small and can readily be absorbed by the National Food Authority (NFA) and the Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD) for their emergency rice distribution requirements.

Yellow genetically modified (GM) corn hybrids Actually the bigger, even more immediate opportunity is the upside from raising the productivity of the 106,000 hectares in Lanao del Sur planted to corn which is twice as large as the area planted to rice (54,000 hectares). Unlike rice which requires irrigation for high productivity, corn is rainfed and there is no pressing, constraining demand for development of irrigation.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Yellow corn is the major feed ingredient of our vibrant poultry and livestock industries. We used to import a lot of corn but now we are self-sufficient with feed corn but we need more. Hybrid yellow GM corn which has built-in resistance to insects and has tolerance to the herbicide, glyphosate, is now being very successfully and profitably grown on 800,000 hectares. The leading provinces engaged in hybrid yellow GM corn production are Cagayan, Isabela, Pangasinan, Bukidnon, North and South Cotabato. Similarly the successful introduction of hybrid yellow GM corn cultivation in Lanao del Sur is another low-hanging fruit just waiting for a push from the private sector. Many Maranao farmers are traditional corn growers. The GM corn hybrid technology is now widely adopted in the neighboring provinces of Bukidnon, North and South Cotabato. From an agro-ecological point of view there is absolutely no reason why Maranao farmers cannot benefit from the same. The SL-Agritech-Go Negosyo-DA-ARMM connection is a template the other agribusinesses can take a leaf from. The feed millers and the poultry and livestock producers should be part of the action.

Just apply more fertilizers But even more immediate than introducing highly productive rice, corn coconut and cassava varieties (the four major crops) is the opportunity to raise yields and incomes of farmers in Lanao del Sur simply by applying additional fertilizers on their existing crops. By now all rice farmers are using the improved inbred varieties released by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). However, the amounts of fertilizers most farmers apply to their rice crops are way below the recommended levels. The same is true with corn. In fact, hardly anybody applies fertilizers on coconut and cassava. And yet, in most places coconuts benefits from the simple application of sodium chloride, the common table salt. Thus, if we want to make an immediate impact on the lives of Maranao farmers, government must find a way to scrupulously provide them fertilizers without the ghost farmers, ghost and/or overpriced fertilizer program which have bedeviled past subsidized fertilizers in the past. This is the challenge Henry Lim, and Presidential Adviser on Entrepreneurship, Joey Concepcion, and DA Secretary Manny PiĂąol hopefully can address more intelligently than previous government bureaucrats.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Diversification, relay cropping and intercropping with other valuable crops ought to be in the development agenda for Lanao del Sur but that will require more deliberation, institutional planning, irrigation and human resource development.

***** Dr. Emil Q. Javier is a Member of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) and also Chair of the Coalition for Agriculture Modernization in the Philippines (CAMP). For any feedback, email eqjavier@yahoo.com. https://business.mb.com.ph/2017/11/04/low-hanging-fruits-in-the-rehabilitation-of-marawi/

NRRI team to assess crop loss by pest attacks Berhampur (Odisha), Nov 5 A team of experts from the National Rice Research Institute (NRRI), Cuttack, is scheduled to review and assess the damage caused to crops because of pest attack in Ganjam district.As Ganjam is one of the worst-affected districts due to massive pest attack in the state, experts of the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) have already reviewed the croploss on Friday, officials said. They said crops on around 19,904 hectares of land were destroyed due to the insect attack. Crops on 13,009 hectares area were destroyed by brown plant hopper (BPH). Paddy was cultivated on 2.16 lakh hectares area in the district. The NRRI team will soon visit the fields to asess the damage, said Deputy Director of Agriculture (DDA), Ganjam, Manoj Behera.They are likely to study the pesticides used by the farmers to control the pest menace, while the extent of damage due to pest attack would be known after getting reports from all blocks, he said.Meanwhile, the state government is contemplating sending the pesticides used by the farmers for laboratory test to the Central Insecticides Laboratory (CIL), Faridabad, to ascertain their quality, officials said. Several farmers complained that the pesticides, which they used, were not effective. 27

A six-member expert team, led by Bhagaban Patra, professor in entromology department of OUAT, visited different blocks in the district and interacted with the farmers about the use of

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter pesticides. "We'll submit our report to the government soon with some recommendations," said Patra after visiting the affected areas of Aska, Sorada, Bhanjanagar and Hinjili blocks. Farmers in different areas staged demonstrations, displaying their damaged plants. They demanded compensation for the crop loss. Many farmers said they expected a bumper crop this year due to favourable climate, but all hopes were shattered due to the pest attack.Bhubaneswar, Nov 5 The Odisha government today said it would soon dole out compensation to farmers who have suffered crop losses due to pest attack.Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will chair a meeting tomorrow to discuss the situation arising out of pest attack, an official said. Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan today reviewed the situation during a high-level meeting here.It was decided during the meeting that steps will be accelerated to tackle the situation and the affected farmers would be compensated according to the relief code, a senior official said.The collectors and other officials of various districts provided information about the prevailing situation in their areas through video conferencing.Balakrishnan said the situation was under control and there was no need to panic as the area under pest attack was not very large. The district collectors have been asked to intensify awareness drives. Revenue officials, self help groups (SHGs) and grassroot level workers would be mobilised for the purpose, he said.The state government has already given the nod for disbursal of assistance for rabi crop loss, he said.Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupad Sethi said Rs 216 crore has been sanctioned for drought-affected farmers.Experts at the meeting felt that the incidence of pest attack increased in some areas due to irregular rainfall and moisture content in the atmosphere, said an official. Also, mixing of different insecticides, absence of proper gap between plants and excessive use of urea helped the pest spread, he said.It is estimated that crops in about 1.78 lakh hectares of agricultural land in nine districts of Odisha have been attacked by pests, officials said.Standing crops in 8,211 villages in 92 blocks and 19 urban local bodies in nine districts are reeling under pest attack, an official of the SRC office said. Unable to control the attack of brown planthopper, many farmers have burnt their paddy crop in about 10 districts of the state. P Nabin Kumar, a farmer of Bargarh district who had consumed pesticide last night, died during treatment at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) today, officials said.Opposition parties including the Congress and the BJP have mounted a scathing attack on the BJD government in the state over the issue. They have alleged that distribution of spurious pesticides in many areas aggravated the problem. https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/nrri-team-to-assess-crop-loss-by-pest-attacks/1182174

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter After farmer suicides and crop burning in Odisha, lens on ‘substandard’ pesticides Dr Saurabh Garg, Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture, said there was no reason to worry. “It (BPH) is not an exotic pest. It is local to the area. It is nothing farmers are not aware of." Written by Sampad Patnaik | New Delhi | Updated: November 5, 2017 7:29 pm The state government has reportedly announced compensation for farmers who have lost more than a third of their crops. At least three farmer suicides and crop burning in eight districts of Odisha over the last 10 days have given rise to allegations that pesticides provided to affected farmers may not have been suitable for their pest problem, and prompted the state government to announce compensation for crop loss. Farmers in Ganjam, Bargarh, Koraput, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Bolangir, Sambalpur and Subarnapur districts have reported crop damage by the brown planthopper (BPH), known as chakada poka, said an official in the agriculture department. Brunda Sahu, a farmer in Bargarh district, allegedly committed suicide after torching his pest-affected crops. There are allegations that Sahu’s despair over crop loss was compounded by the apathy of local government officials. Media reports have alleged that the crops were damaged because the pesticides provided were either substandard, or unsuitable for planthoppers. The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has sought reports on the suicides from principal secretaries of revenue, agriculture, superintendent of police and collector of Bargarh, officials said. The state government has reportedly announced compensation for farmers who have lost more than a third of their crops. However, the government may not award any compensation to the farmers burning their crops, an official said. It is difficult for government officials to establish the causes and extent of loss if crops are burnt, the official added. The BJP has alleged a scam in the distribution of pesticides in the state. State BJP president Basanta Kumar Panda told The Sunday Express, “The Odisha government has given distribution rights of pesticides to an institution named Surabhi. No such institution exists. This, as per my

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter information, will reveal a scam worth Rs 500 crore.” Pramod Kumar Mohanty, who is part of a three-member team sent by the state government to test pesticide samples, told The Sunday Express over phone, “The samples will have to be tested in Bhubaneswar to determine quality.” Mohanty, Deputy Director in the Agriculture Department, also said that Bargarh is “the most affected district”. Bargarh is referred to as the rice bowl of Odisha. Dr Saurabh Garg, Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture, said there was no reason to worry. “It (BPH) is not an exotic pest. It is local to the area. It is nothing farmers are not aware of. There is no reason for farmers in the state to assume there is a pesticide crisis,” he said. “The pest attack is a recurrent problem. The government has been aware of it for 17 years. They are apathetic to the plight of farmers in Odisha,” said Panda, who is also the MLA from Nuapada. KTR Wants Cotton Farmers To Get Optimum Price For Their Produce

Odisha’s Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout was unavailable for comment until Monday, his office said.According to Rice Knowledge Bank, a website partnering the Indian Institute of Rice Research, a high number of planthoppers initially turns leaves orange-yellow and then brown and dry, a condition called hopperburn. While hopperburn kills affected plants, BPH can also transmit two incurable diseases, rice ragged stunt and rice grassy stunt, the website notes. http://indianexpress.com/article/india/after-farmer-suicides-and-crop-burning-in-odisha-lens-onsubstandard-pesticides-4923050/

‘Rice smuggling may drag Nigeria back to importation era’ By Hussein Yahaya & Maryam Ahmadu-Suka (Kaduna) | Publish Date: Nov 5 2017 3:00AMAlhaji Muhammad Abubakar is the Chairman of Umza International Farms in Kano, the farm which at moment concentrates mainly on milling hundreds of bags of paddy rice per day. In this interview, he explains how rice smuggling into the country will kill the nation’s rice industry if not urgently curtailed.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Paddy rice being offloaded at the Umza International farm, Kano PHOTOS: Hussein Yahaya On our way to your farm, we saw a long queue of trailers waiting to offload paddy riceâ&#x20AC;Ś cut in. What you have seen is the paddy we are buying from all over the country from farmers. We started this procurement on 7th October, 2017 and since then, this has been the situation on daily basis. In a day, we receive 100 to 120 trucks of paddy. This is a significant progress over what we saw over the years since we were into production. This year, there is tremendous increase in the production of paddy and the good thing is that, other states are trying to take over from the states that are known for producing paddy. We have seen a lot of progress from Kaduna, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina and Bauchi states. This is a very good and I must say that the quality of the paddy coming in is not like what we used to see because there is also tremendous development in that regard. The paddy is of good quality and long grain because the seeds have changed and the after harvest handling by the farmers has also improved to some extent. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talk about your milling machine. You said you receive over 100 trucks of paddy per day, what is the capacity of your mill? We have opened a new mill which increased the capacity by 120 metric tons per annum which brings our combined capacity to 190 metric tons per annum. We are using a new brand of machine from Japan which is the best in the world now. There is none better than that in terms of rice milling. It will enable us consume more of the paddy and our requirement for paddy has now increased to an extent that we have to look for it from all over the country. You talk about the improvement of the paddy coming from all parts of the country. As an expert in the industry, what do you think farmers can do to further improve their produce? If you compare the paddy we bought from farmers seven years ago to what we are buying now, you will see that there is tremendous development in terms of the quality of the paddy which means there is transformation from the old seeds to better seeds. This is due to the intervention from the government, the improved seeds from seed companies as well as efforts of extension workers in training farmers on how to handle the paddy after harvest.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter These changes have impressed me a lot because I have been buying paddy for over eight years and I have seen the quality of paddy when we started and its quality now. So I am sure there is a lot of development in that regard. You have been interacting with some of these farmers as you get the paddy from them. What do you think are the challenges they face and where do you think the government and other stakeholders can come in? Of course the farmers have challenges, but through the intervention of the government and so many groups, most especially the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), most of these challenges are being addressed. I must identify CBN because it has helped farmers with various intervention funds, especially through the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP); and also the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. But we still have a common challenge with them. Initially, they had challenge of market. They produced but didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know where to sell the paddy, now they have a market; there are mills like ours and others all over the country where farmers can sell their paddy at premium price. But still you can only sell if you have a buyer and a buyer can only buy if he can sell, so our challenge is their challenge and the ultimate challenge is the menace of smuggling. You mentioned the issue of market, but the farmers complain that some of the millers take their paddy at giveaway prices. How would you react to this? This has changed in the last four years because paddy has been on the increase. In the last four years, we were buying a ton of paddy for N60,000, today we are buying at N120,000. Last year, we bought it for as high as N150,000. So the claim that we are buying the paddy at giveaway price is a thing of the past, now, all farmers are getting better prices for their commodity and we thank God for that and they also have market where they can sell and get their money at once. You have mentioned smuggling as a major challenge in the milling industry, how do you think this can be curbed? 32

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter This is a question I cannot answer because we have done everything humanly possible to tell the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) that smuggling is going on and it is a challenge to us, it can kill our industry, it can kill the farmers, but there is little they have done in that regard. But let me be fair to the Comptroller-General of NCS, retired Colonel Hameed Ali. He listens to us anytime we want to talk with him and we can see the zeal and the effort of his office to make sure that they curtail this issue of smuggling. But I don’t think there is any other officer that is on the same page with the CG with regards to stopping rice smuggling into the country. Which area do you think is prone to rice smuggling into the country? There is no border in the country that is immune to smuggling because the smuggling is not hidden. You can go to the border as a journalist and you will see how the smuggling is taking place. People will come on motorcycles with five to six bags and they will pay the custom officials N500 per bag and if you come with a truck load, you will pay more. So you see, it is not something that is done secretively. You go to the borders and you will see many motorcycles and vehicles bringing in bags of rice and this is what they do all through the day because they know no one is checking. Some are saying smuggling in Nigeria has persisted because the smugglers still have a market to sell and partly because people still believe that foreign rice is better than the local variety in terms of quality and sometimes price…. We have mentioned it a hundred times that fresh rice cannot be compared with stale rice. Here in Nigeria, we don’t even have rice to stock for years and you should know that whatever any country will sell for you has to be something they don’t need. So what they are bringing in as foreign rice is rice that has stayed for about three, four years in their warehouses and everybody knows the principle of warehousing; it is first in, first out. They cannot produce rice this year and mill it and bring it to you. Compare that to what we have here in our mills which is usually from hand to mouth. It is what we get this year that we mill immediately and sell immediately. So you cannot even compare the quality of local rice with that of foreign rice. I want to assure Nigerians that

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter definitely Nigerian milled rice is better in terms of quality, nutrients and safety from health hazards. Any hope for reduction in the price of local rice? I give you from now to next year, you will see a reduction in the price of local rice because last year, as I told you, we bought paddy for N150,000 and this year we are buying at N120,000. Once we continue like that, definitely, we will reduce our prices to be at per or even far lower than foreign rice. https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/-rice-smuggling-may-drag-nigeria-back-to-importation-era.html

Food Security In Doubt: Current Phase Of Bangladesh – OpEd November 4, 2017 Zulker Naeen* 0 Comment

By Zulker Naeen* Bangladesh has made significant progress in the context of its food security. The country has achieved self-sufficiency in its rice production; however, it is still vulnerable towards the loss of its food production that is caused by natural calamities. This improved production of rice has helped Bangladesh increase its Global Food Security Index from 34.7 in 2012 to 36.8 in 2016, but is still in the vulnerable category.

Bangladesh is especially dependent on rice, a food source that causes an unbalanced nutrition intake when being too dominant in a diet. However, the production of rice has helped in reducing the prevalence of undernourishment, it has managed to improve its average dietary energy supply too.The achievements as regards to food security in Bangladesh have been somewhat satisfactory. However, natural calamities like floods, cyclones and droughts have made the records unstable. This year, the challenge has been intensified by the influx of an estimated 604,000 forcibly displaced Rohingyas of Rakhine State of Myanmar. The recent threats to food security are largely a result of the damage caused by two successive floods: the flash flood during April and the monsoon flood since late June. It was estimated that farmers lost two million tons of rice this year because of the floods.Just three months into the 2017-18 financial year, the government and private traders imported over a million tons of rice, an eight-fold rise already from last fiscal’s import. “Rice import has increased significantly. There are macroeconomic pressures. Such a huge influx of Rohingyas in a short span of time, it is really admirable that Bangladesh is tackling this

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

humanitarian crisis,” said Dr. Sue Lautze, FAO country representative in Bangladesh.The most evident threat to food security is the recent price volatility in the rice market. Apart from the production loss of mainly Boro during the floods, the incompetence of the responsible authorities in handling the initial uncertainties also made the food grains market unstable. Similarly, the opportunistic rice millers; information asymmetry regarding the export of rice by the Indian government; the government’s lack of vigilance; and phased reduction of import duties on rice have fuelled the upheaval in the rice market. As a result, the lack of availability of food grains at a reasonable price has started afflicting households below the poverty line. Even, the marginally non-poor, food-secure households are in the poverty trap with no access to food.The current food shortage and price hike crisis would persist beyond November when farmers would start harvesting Aman paddy. However, on the question of Rohingyas, a lot depends on the international community’s assistance and food supports. During critical situations like this, the inflation of the food price cannot be ruled out. However, the government has taken market-based procurement policies, it has been able to attain only onefifth of the targeted procurement for Boro.What is encouraging yet is Bangladesh’s ranking has gone two notches up in this year’s global hunger index, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) said in a report.Bangladesh has ranked 88 out of 119 countries on the global

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter hunger index. However, Bangladesh is ahead of its neighbors India and Pakistan. Bangladesh stood at 90 positions among 118 countries in last year’s ranking. According to the report, among other South Asian countries, India ranked 100, Pakistan 106, Nepal 72, SriLanka, 84, and Afghanistan 107. Between the early 1990s and 2007, Bangladesh drastically cut the number of its malnourished people from an astounding 36.1 percent to 16.4 percent. According tothis year’s global hunger index, some 15.1 percent of the Bangladeshi population still faces hunger.Bangladesh is in a vulnerable position, as a flood-prone country, and it is an alarming prospect that climate change is making this worse. In 2017, three episodes of severe flash floods affected large areas of the country, particularly the northern districts. The floods affected the livelihoods of at least 8 million people. The country sits at the head of the Bay of Bengal, across the largest river delta on Earth. Nearly one-quarter of Bangladesh is less than seven feet about sea level; two-thirds of the country is less than 15 feet above sea level. Sea surface temperatures in the shallow Bay of Bengal have significantly increased, which, scientists believe, has caused Bangladesh to suffer some of the fastest recorded sea level rises in the world. According to the Bangladesh government’s 2009 Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, “in an ‘average’ year, approximately one-quarter of the country is inundated.”Every four to five years, “there is a severe flood that may cover over 60% of the country.”A three-foot rise in sea level would submerge almost 20 percent of the entire country and displace more than 30 million people. Some scientists project a five-to-six-foot rise by 2100, which would displace perhaps 50 million people. These changes are happening to the people of Bangladesh, not caused by them. As a country, Bangladesh emits only 0.3 percent of the emissions producing climate change. About Author: *Zulker Naeen is a South Asian Fellow at Climate Tracker. He is also a communication graduate of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), e-mail: naeenzulker@gmail.com References: Ahmad, R. (2017). Rising from dire straits. Dhaka: The Daily Star. Desk, T. (2017). Bangladesh ranked higher than India, Pakistan in global hunger index. Dhaka: Dhaka Tribune. Farin, S., & Bari, E. (2017). Going regional to tackle local food crisis. Dhaka: The Daily Star http://www.eurasiareview.com/04112017-food-security-in-doubt-current-phase-of-bangladeshoped/

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter

Dip in basmati export earnings worrisome

G. CHANDRASHEKHAR Lower availability, higher prices have hurt the export prospects of this aromatic rice Basmati rice, a multi-billion dollar export commodity, is unfortunately on a decline over the last three years. This year (2017-18) it could get worse, with tighter availability, higher domestic prices and lower exports. Following deficient south-west monsoon in the principal growing States of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana, the area under Basmati rice cultivation is estimated to be about 8 p... http://premium.thehindubusinessline.com/portfolio/real-assets/spotlight-dip-in-basmati-exportearningsworrisome/article9944105.ece?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RS S_Syndication

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Pakistan Faces Serious Water Crisis, Warns Expert

Islamabad, Nov 3 (Prensa Latina) Pakistan faces today a serious water crisis that will threaten the country''s food security if the situation persists, warned an expert on the issue.Speaking at a senatorial forum, Chairman of the Indus River System Authority, Sher Zaman Khan, urged to build new dams to avoid large levels of fluid loss. If we do not build more reservoirs soon, in the near future Pakistan will not be able to carry out important crops such as wheat, rice, sugarcane, cotton and corn due to the acute shortage of water, he warned.At the meeting, Muhammad Ashraf, President of the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (Pcrwr), criticized the absence of a national policy on this vital issue.Recently, the Central Bank (SBP) stressed that the

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter growing gap between demand and supply of water is an important social and economic concern for the country. Any delay in the reforms would only aggravate the situation as the water deficit will expand due to the growing demand, derived from the increase in population, urbanization and development, and a decrease in available supplies, SBP warned in its annual report on the national economy.For the institution, the aim of the transformations is to improve the efficiency in the consumption and management of water, as well as to develop the capacity of the organisms in charge of regulating hydrological resources.

The current storage capacity is inadequate since the three main water reservoirs in Pakistan: Mangla, Tarbela and Chashma represent only 30 days of consumption, when the amount is set to 120 by international standards.In September, Pwrwr revealed that the shortage of water and diseases caused by the poor quality of the liquid in the country provoke annual losses amounting to almost 28 billion rupees (about 266 million dollars).Pcrwr cited data from the UN Commission on Sustainable Development, which estimates that in Pakistan about 200,000 children die every year from diarrheal diseases due to the consumption of contaminated water.

A report by a team of Pakistani experts was released in July, according to which 90 percent of the drinking water in Karachi city, with 20 million inhabitants, is contaminated by several bacteria and human waste http://plenglish.com/index.php?o=rn&id=20522&SEO=pakistan-faces-serious-water-crisis-warns-expert

Pakistani farmers harvest rice Source:Xinhua Published: 2017/11/3 21:26:33

39 0

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Pakistani farmers pack sacks of rice on the outskirts of eastern Pakistan's Lahore on Nov. 3, 2017. Pakistan's rice exports surged by 28.74 percent during the first three months of the country's current fiscal year starting from July 2017, according to a statement from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). Photo: Xinhua

40 Pakistani farmers harvest rice on the outskirts of eastern Pakistan's Lahore on Nov. 3, 2017.Photo: Xinhua

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Pakistani farmers harvest rice on the outskirts of eastern Pakistan's Lahore on Nov. 3, 2017.Photo: Xinhua

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Pakistani farmers harvest rice on the outskirts of eastern Pakistan's Lahore on Nov. 3, 2017.Photo: Xinhua

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1073466.shtml

Smog not that alarming: govt Intikhab Hanif Updated November 04, 2017

Sale of masks has picked up due to smog. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; White Star LAHORE: As the smog cover over Punjab further thickened to the detriment of public health on Friday and officials saw no immediate relief against it, Environment Minister Zakia Shahnawaz termed it a regional phenomenon being caused mainly by pollutants from neighbouring countries

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter (India).At a news conference she said there were local contributions (of smog causing particulate matter) but they were lesser than from India where rampant crop stubble burning itself was a huge problem. Indian farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, start burning paddy stubble by mid-October every year which leads to plumes of smoke blackening the skies. Pakistani Punjab farmers too follow the suit but the ratio of farm fire here is stated to be much less than in India. A drop in temperature and increase in humidity makes the pollutants remain close to the ground, causing smog that choked many cities in Punjab, including Lahore, for the first time last year. Environment Secretary Saif Anjum said there was smog over Punjab but its intensity was less than last year when the eye and throat irritation was rampant. Wind too carried pungent smell. Now the situation was not that alarming, he told media persons. Reports from different cities indicated thickening of fog or smog because of further drop in night temperatures, also causing poor visibility. Lahore, too, remained under a thick blanket of smog throughout the day. It was particularly troublesome in areas where roads have been dug or on the construction path of the orange metro train. Motorway and National Highway Authority Spokesperson Imran Shah said thick fog blanketed the central and south Punjab last night and on Friday, reducing visibility on the motorway and the national highway from Sahiwal, Khanewal, Multan to Bahawalpur (20 metres), Lahore to Pattoki (50 metres), from Bahawalpur to Sadiqabad (100 to 40 metres, from Kala Shah Kaku to Kot Momin (100 to 50 meters) and Pindi Bhattian to Faisalabad (60 meters). The Met department said enhanced moisture and lowering temperatures had thickened fog turning into smog by trapping the ever-increasing particle matter.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Official sources said stubble was still being burnt in Pakistani rice growing areas despite a ban under Section 144.“SUPARCO satellite’s imagery is being restricted by thick canopy of fog or smog. Therefore, the figures showing farm fire in our Punjab may not be correct,” an official claimed. Minister Zakia Shahnawaz nevertheless blamed Indian farmers for the smog which was causing trouble for them also. They had burnt 35 million ton of paddy residue last year and “are doing so again.” She said local contributions included emissions from vehicular traffic using substandard fuel, and industrial emissions. But the government was aware of the hazards of smog and was adopting strict measures to control local contributions. The smog policy was also in place engaging all departments to fight the menace. Mr Saif Anjum said smog had moved towards Attock and Bahawalpur and also beyond New Delhi on the Indian side. Easterly wind was carrying smoke and particulate matter from Indian Punjab to Pakistan. The incursion would be stopped only after reversal of the wind direction. He said the provincial government was struggling to reduce local pollution contributions. As many as 197 cases had been registered against farmers for burning crop residue under Section 144 and 65 arrested so far. In Lahore alone 175 steel factories had been sealed for burning cheap fuel like used tyres. Cases against defiant owners of 22 factories too had been registered. He said the agriculture department was creating awareness among farmers on the hazards of burning crop residue, teaching them how to alternately use it instead. Traffic police had challaned 15,718 smoke emitting vehicles in the last one week, realizing Rs 4.6 million fine only in Lahore. Several vehicles were also impounded and fitness certificates of 91 others were cancelled for causing pollution.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Mr Anjum said the EPD had installed five pollution monitoring units in Lahore and was constantly watching the situation. Prof Ehsan Wahid Rathore of the health department said there was no significant disease development in Punjab due to smog. There was no need of any panic but children and the elderly should be protected against smog as they already were vulnerable to disease in changing weather. Met Departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chief Riaz Khan said dry weather in the past two months was causing smog but its ingredient was less than the last year.Mr Saif Anjum said brick kilns were generating smoke because of their age-old technology. His department had established a model kiln near Lahore where emissions were zero and the brick quality the highest. This technology would be shared with local brick kiln owners. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed (from London) all departments concerned to take necessary measures to effectively deal with smog. He has directed that recommendations of experts should be implemented to avoid ill-effects of smog, especially protecting children and the elderly from it. He said all departments had been activated to meet the challenge. Dawn, November 4th, 2017 https://www.dawn.com/news/1368299

Pakistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dry future Daily Times

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter NOVEMBER 4, 2017

While the mainstream media spend plenty of time and resources covering the squabbles of the nation’s political leadership, pressing issues don’t get the time and space on our television channels and newspapers that they should. Water continues to grow exceedingly scarce in Pakistan. The situation can soon become so dire that every social and economic facet of life will get affected adversely. This Thursday, the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) told the Senate Forum for Policy Research that Pakistan dumps water worth 21 billion dollars into the sea every year. This is happening despite the fact that- according to the Falkenmark Indicator — Pakistan is a country suffering from water scarcity. Today, the population of the country is 207 million and there is 861 cubic metres of water available for every person. By the year 2050, it is estimated that the population of Pakistan will be 371 million and there will be 482 cubic metres of water for every person. The Falkenmark Indicator classifies this as absolute scarcity. IRSA said on Thursday that the country is forced to lose 21 billion dollars worth of water because the country does not have a sufficient number of water reservoirs. They further stated that Pakistan needs three Mangla sized dams to stop this loss of precious water. While the problem of water loss is severe, the authorities must not give such sweeping statements given the environmental degradation associated with large dams like Mangla. Instead, they have to look towards innovative solutions to the country’s water crisis that are designed in consultation with environmentalists, anthropologists and communities that stand to be affected. Nonetheless, it needs to be stressed thatwe can only store 30-days worth of water. Meanwhile, our neighbour to the east can save up to 320-days of water. This is not surprising, since unlike India, Pakistan is yet to develop a national water policy. Pakistan also loses water because of uncontrolled dumping of industrial, animal and human waste which contaminates ground water reserves, because of our outdated and inefficient irrigation system and because of our dependency on water intensive crops such as rice and sugarcane. It’s high time that this country’s leaders put less time into politicking and more into issues which actually affect the common man. The media has an essential role to play here, because until it stops feeding the circus which our national political narrative has become and brings more

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter attention to these matters, issues like Pakistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s upcoming drought will not gain any political significance. * Published in Daily Times, November 4th 2017. https://dailytimes.com.pk/134145/pakistans-dry-future/

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Hotel: Book rooms at the Hilton Palacio Del Rio Hotel by November 9. Call 210-222-1400, or toll free 800-445-8667, and ask for the USA Rice block or group code URF to secure the reduced rate of $149 single/double. And for those looking to sponsor and/or exhibit at this year's conference, please contact Jeanette Davis at 703-236-1447, no later than November 10.

Crop loss' suicide Sunil Patnaik Berhampur: A farmer killed himself in the state on Friday allegedly because of crop loss due to pest attack.Alaya Jena of Erendra village in Patapur police limits allegedly killed himself after failing to address the pest problem."Jena was worried by the attack by the brown plant hopper pest in his field. He had administered some pesticide five days ago, but in vain. On Friday when his wife was preparing dinner, he consumed pesticide," said his younger brother, Pintu. Jena was shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital at night, where he died.BNPur police station inspector-in-charge Ajay Kumar Mishra said: "We have registered an unnatural death case after Pintu Jena lodged a complaint."Ganjam collector Prem Chandra Chowdhary said: "I have asked the tehsildar and the agriculture officer of the area concerned to visit the spot and submit a joint report."Deputy director of agriculture Manoj Kumar Behera said paddy crops in 12 out of 22 blocks in the district were reeling from crop loss due to brown plant hopper pest attacks. Earlier on Friday, another two farmers, K. Bakeya Reddy and D. Dhanalaxmi of Rampa village in Chikiti block in the district, set fire to their crops.A six-member team of agriculture scientists, led by Bhagaban Patra of the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, visited affected areas in six blocks of the district. The team collected samples of pesticides used by the farmers. It also recorded the statements of farmers about pest control, he said.Another team of the Central Rice Research Institute from Cuttack will visit the affected areas on Monday, said Behera. https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/odisha/crop-loss-suicide-183486

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter La Niña watch begins; rice output seen growing By:Karl R. Ocampo - @inquirerdotnet Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:10 AM November 04, 2017 Despite heavy rainfall due to cyclones that plagued southeast Asia this year, conditions for growing rice remained favorable in most parts of the region, according to the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS).However, the La Niña watch was declared this week, with the weather phenomenon expected to affect the Philippines starting this month until February. While El Niño brings drought, La Niña is marked by heavier-than-usual rainfall.But despite the onset of La Niña, global trade still points to a modest expansion next year, with import growth to be concentrated in Asia.The Philippines, for its part, plans to lift its quantitative restrictions on rice imports, which means that there will be no more limit to the volume of rice it could buy from other countries. As for this year, despite tropical storms entering most countries in Asia including the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand, global rice production still managed to inch up to 500.8 million tons in October from September’s 500.7 million tons.Harvest of wet-season rice is ongoing in Asia except Indonesia, where dry-season rice is being harvested.Based on the AMIS report, recent cyclones did not significantly affect crop conditions. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that production of unmilled rice for the second semester is expected to rise by 6.76 percent from last year’s record of 7.01 million metric tons (MT) for the period.For the first semester this year, the agriculture sector was able to produce 8.57 million MT of paddy rice.As for the commodity’s local price, an increase is being mulled by the state agency National Food Authority, which currently buys palay at P17 a kilo. http://business.inquirer.net/239894/la-nina-watch-begins-rice-output-seen-growing#ixzz4xSx1o7fx

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter China: Old Country, New Tricks More than half the global population relies on rice to survive, but meeting that demand is difficult due to the increasing scarcity of freshwater, which is required for rice cultivation. To get around the problem, an 87-year-old Chinese scientist named Yuan Longping is developing a new high-yield strain of rice that grows in saltwater. Swamps, bogs, and clay-like or salty coastal waters make up roughly a third of the total arable land in China. Growing rice in these locales is nearly impossible because salt stresses plants’ water-absorption process. Specifically, saltwater makes photosynthesis and respiration more difficult for stalks and slows their growth to death. Salt from coastal flooding and tides has left just a fraction of China’s total land open to freshwater rice farming, and in Dongying, a region on China’s eastern coast, 40 percent of land has a salt concentration higher than 0.5 percent, according to the World Bank. Experts expect the rising waters from global climate change to exacerbate this problem. For his research, Longping planted 200 different saltwater-tolerant rice strains at the Qindao Saline-Alkali Tolerant Rice Research and Development Center on the Yellow Sea. According to China’s Xinhua News Agency, his efforts yielded 8,030 pounds of rice per acre. For comparison, most commercial U.S. growers harvest between 7,200-7,600 pounds per acre annually. Though promising, Longping’s experiment did not mimic the actual conditions in China, instead using water with a much lower salt concentration than could be found in nature.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter “It’s still only maybe 10 percent the level of salt in sea water,” Assistant Director General for Agriculture at the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) Ren Wang told Business Insider, so the “salt-proof” rice does have a long way to go before it could help ordinary farmers. The Future of Food China already produces more rice than any other country on Earth, but if Chinese farmers had access to rice that grows in saltwater, they could plant it in the vast saltwater lands of their country, increasing the nation’s food supply significantly, Wang told Business Insider. Longping’s rice could also free up freshwater lands that are currently reserved for rice to grow other foods. More affluent Chinese citizens are demanding more meatand less grain-based food, but meeting that need has proven increasingly difficult given the amount of freshwater land reserved for rice cultivation. Longping’s early success with rice that grows in saltwater also comes at a time when rice producers are reporting particularly unfavorable conditions.According to the UN FAO’s 2017 global rice production forecast, Sri Lanka and South Korea are experiencing “abnormal dryness,” and Bangladesh recently suffered the worst flooding to hit South Asia in a decade. Nepal and India were also hit by floods and droughts this year, and citizens of those nations will consequently see an increase in prices. With ice shelves the size of Delaware breaking off the Antarctic with increasing frequency, Longping’s approach to agricultural innovation may determine how future generations cope with 51

the food scarcity that could follow the loss of freshwater land to saltwater flooding. https://futurism.com/china-developing-rice-grows-saltwater/

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Iran to Buy 30,000 Tons of Indian Rice Saturday, November 04, 2017

Iran’s state grains buyer Government Trading Corporation has issued an international tender to buy 30,000 tons of rice to be sourced from India, European traders said on Wednesday.The tender closes on Dec. 12, Reuters reported.The rice is sought in three consignments of 10,000 tons for shipment in early 2018, they said.More than 1.05 million tons of semi- and whollymilled rice worth close to $996 million were imported into Iran during the first half of the current Iranian year (March 21-Sept. 22), registering an 84.4% and 108.4% surge in weight and value respectively compared with the corresponding period of last year. Rice imports accounted for 6% and 4.2% of the volume and value of Iran’s overall imports respectively during the six-month period.Imports are taking place while every year and during the rice harvest season, the government bans rice imports in support of local farmers and domestic production. “The ongoing seasonal ban on rice imports will be in effect until Nov. 21,” Deputy Agriculture Minister Yazdan Seif recently said, noting that the ban went into effect in August.Rice importers bypass the ban during the harvest season by receiving the import permit before the ban period.Deputy Agriculture Minister Abbas Keshavarz said nearly 2.3 million tons of rice have been produced in the country in the current crop year. Iranians annually consume 3 million tons of rice. 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/75541/iran-to-buy-30000-tons-ofindian-rice

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter La Niña watch begins; rice output seen growing By: Karl R. Ocampo - @inquirerdotnet Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:10 AM November 04, 2017

Despite heavy rainfall due to cyclones that plagued southeast Asia this year, conditions for growing rice remained favorable in most parts of the region, according to the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS). However, the La Niña watch was declared this week, with the weather phenomenon expected to affect the Philippines starting this month until February. While El Niño brings drought, La Niña is marked by heavier-than-usual rainfall. ADVERTISEMENT

But despite the onset of La Niña, global trade still points to a modest expansion next year, with import growth to be concentrated in Asia. The Philippines, for its part, plans to lift its quantitative restrictions on rice imports, which means that there will be no more limit to the volume of rice it could buy from other countries. As for this year, despite tropical storms entering most countries in Asia including the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand, global rice production still managed to inch up to 500.8 million tons in October from September’s 500.7 million tons. Harvest of wet-season rice is ongoing in Asia except Indonesia, where dry-season rice is being harvested. Based on the AMIS report, recent cyclones did not significantly affect crop conditions.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that production of unmilled rice for the second semester is expected to rise by 6.76 percent from last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s record of 7.01 million metric tons (MT) for the period. For the first semester this year, the agriculture sector was able to produce 8.57 million MT of paddy rice. As for the commodityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s local price, an increase is being mulled by the state agency National Food Authority, which currently buys palay at P17 a kilo. http://business.inquirer.net/239894/la-nina-watch-begins-rice-output-seen-growing brand from Korea

First-in-S'pore products from Japan and premium rice

Nov 04, 2017 06:00 am

RAFFLES CITY SHOPPING CENTRE www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Unwanted lipsticks donated by people have been used as part of an art installation by Cultural Medallion recipient and multimedia artist Chng Seok Tin. A collaboration between the Raffles City Shopping Centre and Very Special Arts Singapore, the artwork comprises 46 brightly coloured flowers handmade from treated aluminium foil and decorated with the lipsticks Called No Indecent Assault In Speech, the installation was unveiled at a ceremony on Wednesday. Ms Chng also designed three red lip sofas in different sizes for shoppers to rest on while appreciating the main installation, which is on display at Raffles City Shopping Centre from now till Nov 7.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter The local rice importer and distributor has brought in Super Oning Koshihikari, a premium rice brand produced in Pyeongtaek City and used in many Korean restaurants. Its quality is ensured through strict management and the product was conferred the Good Agricultural Practices certification in South Korea.

http://www.tnp.sg/lifestyle/shopping/first-spore-products-japan-and-premium-rice-brandkorea

Photo essay: Navara, the medicinal 'wonder rice' grown in Kerala's Palakkad Navara is cited as a special cereal with properties to remedy the basic ill affecting the circulatory, respiratory and digestive system. Susheela Nair

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As we approached the Navara Eco Farm (NEF) located on the banks of the picturesque Chittur River at Karukamani in Palakkad district, we saw vast vistas of green paddy fields straddling the Navara crop. Peacocks strutting around with their feathers spread out herald a welcome to the ancestral home of Narayanan Unny, an enterprising agriculturist who specializes in the cultivation of Navara rice.

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A peacock perched on a roof in the farmhouse.

Strolling around the farm and the paddy fields, we got a whiff of the countryside, learnt about traditional techniques of farming and watched workers toiling hard in the fields to transplant the rice. We also stumbled upon a resting place which was used as a surveillance post in olden days to keep vigil against pilferage of grain. A surveillance post in the paddy fields.

The ambling pathways in the sprawling 18acre farm offers excellent exercise coupled with scenic views. The farm teems with medicinal herbs, coconuts and lovingly tended fruit trees droop with the weight of mangoes, jackfruit, lemons, papayas and pomegranates.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter The dense foliage in the farm shelters a bewildering variety of birds and butterflies. An organic vegetable garden has several varieties of vegetables which keep the kitchen well supplied. We saw workers winnowing, thrashing paddy after the harvest and having a siesta under an enormous mango tree overlooking the ancestral home. The old tree has been a silent witness to the sweat, toil and success of three generations of traditional agriculturists.

After the harvest.

NEF flaunts many claims to fame â&#x20AC;&#x201C;it is not only the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest Navara farm but also the only certified organic medicinal farm. The prime focus here is the cultivation of Navara, the wonder rice. What makes it distinct are its medicinal properties and therapeutic qualities.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Tracing the origin of this indigenous plant of Kerala, Unny said, "The rice finds mention in ancient Ayurvedic text like 'Ashtanga Hridaya' and 'Susruta Samhita' which refers to it as a 'pious grain' used on auspicious occasions."

Drying paddy after the harvest.

Grown from time immemorial, Navara is known as 'Shashtika rice' as it takes a short span of 60 days to grow and mature. It has been used in Ayurvedic treatment from the ancient times and prescribed as a health food for people of all ages. Navara is cited as a special cereal with properties to remedy the basic ill affecting the circulatory, respiratory and digestive system. But the yield and quality of Navara varies from location to location. As the cultivation of Navara was restricted to a limited area and did not multiply substantially, it is considered an endemic crop. It is hailed as the 'gold with fragrance' because if a farmer has a stock of seeds with him he can earn a good price in any season.

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Narayanan Unny in his farm.

Grown mainly in Palakkad, the rice belt of Kerala, Navara is Kerala's indigenous medicinal cereal plant. Herbal healers have endorsed its rich medicinal properties. The paddy is used for Ayurvedic treatments since time immemorial. Traditionally 'Navarakhi' and 'Navaratheppu' are two major treatments in Ayurveda for arthritis, paralysis and neurological disorders. Navara Kizhi is also used in Ayurveda for treatment of polio, psoriasus, rheumatism, diabetes, snake bite, peptic ulcer, emaciation of limbs, lifestyle maladies while the porridge of Navara grains in milk is prescribed as special food for invalids and infants. It has also anti-cancer properties. Navara, the native genetic resource of Kerala, famed for its extensive use especially in Panchakarma treatment (traditional rejuvenation therapy), is popular among foreign tourists and stressed out executives.

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Navara, 'the wonder rice'.

Scientists at the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) have identified an anti-cancer gene in the rice and say it is effective against breast cancer. According to a scientist of KAU research wing, once clinically developed it will be a great boon to cancer patients. It is a unique cereal having high content of free amino acids. Describing his experience of cultivating this singular strand of rice, Unny, the third generation owner who took over the farm in 1995 said, "The cultivation of this medicinal rice variety was almost extinct when I took it up as a mission to rescue this fragile heritage rice. Non-availability of pure seeds, low yield and high cost of production leading to commercial non-viability and conversion to organic farming posed great challenges." Tireless in spirit, Unny relentlessly pursued his venture. Unny's strenuous efforts have not gone unnoticed. He bagged the maiden organic certification for Navara cultivation in 2006. He formed rice clusters for Navara and Palakkadan Matta varieties of rice and applied for Geographical Indication (GI) certification.

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Vast vistas of paddy fields and swaying coconut trees. In 2007, these two varieties were the first agricultural products in India to earn the GI tag. Navara Eco Farm epitomizes environment friendly farming, preservation of ecology, and biodiversity. He was honoured with the Plant Genome Savoir Community Recognitive Award for his conservation efforts. To cater to the increasing number of visitors and growing breed of researchers and scientists to his farm, Unny has joined the bandwagon of agro-tourism promoters, synergizing both agriculture and tourism. He has ambitious plans to start the first rice museum in India showcasing different varieties of rice and traditional farming implements. All photographs by Susheela Nair. Susheela Nair is a Food, Travel, Lifestyle Writer and Photographer contributing content, articles and pictures on food, travel, lifestyle, photography, environment, and ecotourism to several reputed national publications. Her writings constitute a wide spectrum which also includes travel portals & guide books, brochures and coffee table books. http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/photo-essay-navara-medicinal-wonder-rice-grownkeralas-palakkad-71006

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Scientists develop rice that grows in seawater ď&#x201A;ˇ

S H A ZM A K H A N

ď&#x201A;ˇ

N O V 4 T H, 2 0 1 7

Due to the growing shortage of freshwater, the rice cultivation has declined which is a 63

primary source of food for over half of the global population. In order to overcome the problem, a Chinese scientist has developed a process to grow rice in seawater.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter China contains a third of its land with swamps, bogs, and clay-like or salty-like costal water. These waters make processes like photosynthesis and respiration difficult as the salt stresses plant’s water-absorption process. This in turn slows the plant’s growth converting it to its death. Thus, the 87-year-old Chinese scientist Yuan Longping created a new high-yield strain of rice able to grow in saltwater. Longping planted 200 various saltwater-tolerant rice strains on the Yellow Sea to see which one would grow best in salty conditions. His work yielded 8,030 pounds of rice per acre in comparison to the US growers that harvest around 7,200 to 7,600 pounds per acre annually, as per China’s Xinhua News Agency. Yuan exclaimed, “If a farmer tries to grow some types of saline-tolerant rice now, they most likely will get 1,500 kilogrammes per hectare. That is just not profitable and not even worth the effort. Farmers will have an incentive to grow the rice if we can double the yield.”

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter According to Wang, China is already making more rice than any other country and this technique could increase the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food supply drastically. The saltwater rice can also free up freshwater lands, which are reserved for rice at present, in order to grow other foods.

The saltwater rice has already been available to consumers with a price around eight times more than ordinary rice. Yet, people buying the rice are appreciating its texture and flavor. The rice also has many health benefits including being rich in calcium https://www.brecorder.com/2017/11/04/378893/scientists-develop-rice-that-grows-in-seawater/

Rice drives Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agri exports Farm exports, led by rice, jumped by 13 per cent during April-September as dealers overseas built up stocks amid fears of a ban by the EU, which strengthened quality norms.

According to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), exports of agricultural products registered with it jumped to $8.73 billion in AprilSeptember from $7.69 billion in the corresponding period a year ago. In rupee terms, Apedaregistered exports jumped by 8.64 per cent to Rs 56,183 crore from Rs 51,499 crore.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter The rise in farm exports was primarily driven by rice, both basmati and non-basmati, which contribute nearly 44 per cent to the country’s annual farm shipments. Exports of rice rose by over 30 per cent in dollar terms and 25 per cent in rupee terms during April-September as European buyers built inventories in anticipation of tighter quality tests effective November 1. “European buyers built their inventories on fears a smaller quantity of rice would pass the quality tests. Iran, too, purchased a huge quantity of rice, resulting in an increase in overall exports,” said Gurnam Arora, joint managing director, Kohinoor Foods. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), in a communication to Apeda, said basmati rice from India needed to pass through a pre-shipment residue test for 22 pesticides from November 1. Apeda clarified that the minimum residue limit for propiconazole was under review.

The value of basmati rice exports jumped to $2.13 billion in April-September from $1.63 billion in the same period a year ago. Exporters’ realisation rose to $997 a tonne from $789 a tonne last year. Rice exports were 2.13 million tonnes in April- September, up from 2.07 million tonnes in the same period of 2016.

Guar gum also witnessed a sharp rise in exports from 163,958 tonnes ($180 million) in AprilSeptember 2016 to 252,568 tonnes ($317 million) in the comparable period this year. Increasing demand from shell gas companies for oil drills yielded 14 per cent higher realisation this year at $1,255 a tonne.

http://www.business-standard.com/article/markets/rice-drives-india-s-agri-exports-117110500008_1.html

Traders’ cartel offers lower prices, growers start stocking basmati Basmati growers here are up in arms as the popular 1121 aromatic variety is fetching a lower price in the Fazilka market compared to other markets due to a cartel raised by the private traders.Traders, including exporters and rice millers, are the bulk buyers of the variety.As farmers are being offered lower price, they have started stocking the paddy. Sources said traders have been purchasing paddy at Rs 3,100 per quintal compared to Rs 3,300-3,400 per quintal in

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter nearby districts for the past five days.“Private traders and exporters have connived to keep prices low. The farmers are left with no other alternative but sell it to private traders in the absence of minimum support price and government policy,” alleged Des Raj of Balluana village who has been waiting to sell his produce at Fazilka. “Farmers switched over to the less water-consuming variety on the persuasion of the government which has now let them down,” said another farmer Angrej Singh.Basmati growers of Theh Qalandar village said villagers have decided not to sell their produce at lower rate.They claimed that about 20,000 bags (each weighing 35 kg) of basmati have been produced in the village so far. Out of those, only 3,000 bags have been sold by farmers. The rest has been stored in the hope of getting a better price after the dismantling of the cartel.Official sources said the arrival of 1,46,567 tonnes of paddy had been recorded in the district so far. “I have directed the market committee authorities to look into the matter and take action,” said DC Isha Kalia. http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/traders-cartel-offers-lower-prices-growers-startstocking-basmati/493027.html

Find right markets’ before hiking organic rice THE GOVERNMENT has to find the right market for organic rice before it encourages farmers to increase the area producing the crop from 300,000 rai (48,000 hectares) this year to 1 million rai in 2019, Thai Rice Exporters Association president Pol Lieute-nant Charoen Leothamatas said. He added that when farmers grow organic rice for export, they need a certificate to prove it matches global standards, and that was both difficult and expensive to achieve. If the government wants to promote the country as an organic rice producer, it has to help farmers to apply for global organic rice certification, help develop rice seed and find a market with the right demand for the product, Charoen said recently. Currently, the export of organic rice from Thailand accounts for only 5,000 tonnes of a total of 11 million tonnes exported per year. However, there is a potential market for rice farmers if they can control the quality of their crop and develop rice seed to match the niche demand, he added. Montri Gosalawat, the secretarygeneral of the Progressive Farmer Association who has grown organic rice since 1995, said that although organic rice was still a niche product, the demand has led to double-digit growth each year since 2009. It is especially popular in quality markets such as the United States and Europe.

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The global demand for organic rice average 10,000 tonnes a year, of which Thailand exports half. With the market growing at an average 20 per cent a year, Thailand has great potential to develop and export organic rice if the government supports knowhow, applications for certification, development of seed and market sourcing, Montri said. Production costs for organic rice are normally cheaper than on chemical rice farms. However, the organic rice price is higher because growing time is longer – meaning there is just one crop a year -– and demand is higher both in the domestic market and overseas. The government target is to have 3 million framers harvesting organic rice from 10 million rai by the year 2021. That would boost the supply of organic rice in the market by more than 200 per cent, but it will also reduce the price of organic rice, and mean that new markets have to be found. Man Samsri, head of organic rice farming at Naso district in Yasothorn province, said the global price was not a factor when his area changed to growing organic 10 years ago. “We changed our ways to grow organic rice because we need to improve our quality of life [that has suffered from farming with chemicals], and also to produce quality rice for our families to consume,” Man said. The group has a total of 2,131 farmers who have combined their land to produce organic rice on 42,694 rais. Their rice now fetches a higher price in the market, Man

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter said. Currently, the group produces about 300 tonnes of organic rice a year. It has global “Hom Mali” certification, and 90 per cent of production is exported to Europe and the United States. The remaining 10 per cent is sold in the domestic market at an average price of Bt80 per kilogram – higher than the regular Hom Mali price of about Bt45 per kilogram. “The high price is the final reason why we produce a high quality of organic rice, but our main benefit of producing organic rice is our strong health from consuming it,” Man said. “This is the way to be sustainable farmers for the long term. If we have quality products, we can find the market that has the purchasing power to pay for quality products.” http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/Economy/30330875

Govt should fix MSP for basmati, say farmers Buoyed by the steep increase in the prices of 1121 Basmati rice this season in comparison to last year, farmers of Punjab have demanded that the Centre should announce the minimum support price (MSP) for basmati rice to help the farmers to come out of financial mess.The 1509 basmati rice fetched Rs 2,500 as compared to Rs 1,600 last year, while the 1121 basmati rice fetched Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,000 this year as compared to Rs 2,500 last year. The price of superior basmati rice variety of 1121 has witnessed 25 per cent jump in the wholesale market as the rice which was available for Rs 8,000 per quintal was now being sold for Rs 10,000.Interestingly, in view of the 1121 basmati rice fetching higher price in the Nabha grain market, farmers from Sangrur district were also bringing their produce to the local grain market.Basmati traders Rakesh Gupta and Deepak Gupta, while confirming the steep increase in the prices of basmati this year, said the main reason behind the increase was lesser farmers going in for Basmati rice which had witnessed slump last year. They said this year, the arrival of basmati had witnessed steep decrease and hardly any farmer brought their produce to the grain market. Another wholesale Basmati trader Ashok Arora said even though the new crop was yet to arrive, the prices of basmati had started touching new heights. He said the prices were likely to go up further as the production was very low this year with fewer farmers sowing the 1121 paddy variety this year.Onkar Singh Aghol, general secretary, Bharti Kisan Union (Rajewal), said like normal rice, the Centre should also fix the MSP for Basmati rice so that more and more farmers could sow the crop to get better remuneration. He said this would also help the farmers to come out of the financial mess.http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/chandigarh/govt-should-fix-mspfor-basmati-say-farmers/493100.html

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Odisha pest-attacks: National Rice Research Institute team to assess crop loss By PTI | Published: 05th November 2017 03:07 PM | Last Updated: 05th November 2017 04:58 PM

They said crops on around 19,904 hectares of land were destroyed due to the insect attack. (File | Reuters) BERHAMPUR (ODISHA): A team of experts from the National Rice Research Institute (NRRI), Cuttack, is scheduled to review and assess the damage caused to crops because of pest attack in Ganjam district. As Ganjam is one of the worst-affected districts due to massive pest attack in the state, experts of the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) have already reviewed the croploss on Friday, officials said. They said crops on around 19,904 hectares of land were destroyed due to the insect attack. Crops on 13,009 hectares area were destroyed by brown plant hopper (BPH). Paddy was cultivated on 2.16 lakh hectares area in the district. The NRRI team will soon visit the fields to asess the damage, said Deputy Director of Agriculture (DDA), Ganjam, Manoj Behera. They are likely to study the pesticides used by the farmers to control the pest menace, while the extent of damage due to pest attack would be known after getting reports from all blocks, he said. Meanwhile, the state government is contemplating sending the pesticides used by the farmers for laboratory test to the Central Insecticides Laboratory (CIL), Faridabad, to ascertain their

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter quality, officials said. Several farmers complained that the pesticides, which they used, were not effective. A six-member expert team, led by Bhagaban Patra, professor in entromology department of OUAT, visited different blocks in the district and interacted with the farmers about the use of pesticides. "We'll submit our report to the government soon with some recommendations," said Patra after visiting the affected areas of Aska, Sorada, Bhanjanagar and Hinjili blocks. Farmers in different areas staged demonstrations, displaying their damaged plants. They demanded compensation for the crop loss. Many farmers said they expected a bumper crop this year due to favourable climate, but all hopes were shattered due to the pest attack. http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2017nov/05/odisha-pest-attacks-national-riceresearch-institute-team-to-assess-crop-loss-1692718.html

National Rice Research Institute team to assess crop loss by pest attacks TNN | Updated: Nov 6, 2017, 14:32 IST

71 Representative image

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter BERHAMPUR (ODISHA) - A team of experts from the National Rice Research Institute (NRRI), Cuttack, is scheduled to review and assess the damage caused to crops because of pest attack in Ganjam district. As Ganjam is one of the worst-affected districts due to massive pest attack in the state, experts of the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology(OUAT) have already reviewed the croploss on Friday, officials said. They said crops on around 19,904 hectares of land were destroyed due to the insect attack. Crops on 13,009 hectares area were destroyed by brown plant hopper (BPH). Paddy was cultivated on 2.16 lakh hectares area in the district. The NRRI team will soon visit the fields to asess the damage, said Deputy Director of Agriculture (DDA), Ganjam, Manoj Behera. They are likely to study the pesticides used by the farmers to control the pest menace, while the extent of damage due to pest attack would be known after getting reports from all blocks, he said. Meanwhile, the state government is contemplating sending the pesticides used by the farmers for laboratory test to the Central Insecticides Laboratory (CIL), Faridabad, to ascertain their quality, officials said. Several farmers complained that the pesticides, which they used, were not effective. A six-member expert team, led by Bhagaban Patra, professor in entromology department of OUAT, visited different blocks in the district and interacted with the farmers about the use of pesticides. "We'll submit our report to the government soon with some recommendations," said Patra after visiting the affected areas of Aska, Sorada, Bhanjanagar and Hinjili blocks. Farmers in different areas staged demonstrations, displaying their damaged plants. They demanded compensation for the crop loss. Many farmers said they expected a bumper crop this year due to favourable climate, but all hopes were shattered due to the pest attack. COR SKN PR PR https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/cuttack/national-rice-research-institute-team-to-assesscrop-loss-by-pest-attacks/articleshow/61528742.cms

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Jesuit scientistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s controversial rice system flowers in poor nations ď&#x201A;ˇ

Shannon Levitt November 6, 2017 BUSINESS MANAGER / ASSISTANT EDITOR

Rice fields outside of Mumbai, India. (Credit: Shannon Levitt.)

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Imiddle of the 20th century, a French Jesuit and missionary in Madagascar named Father Henri de Laulanié pioneered an approach to expanding rice crops called "System of Rice Intensification." It's derided by some others in the field as a collection of folk practices rather than real science, but it lives on, including in a Nepal project by "World Neighbors," a non-profit organization devoted to promoting sustainable agriculture.

Many in the West, convinced of the benefits of low-carb diets, also understand quite well how important certain carbs remain, especially when they’re the staple of an entire nation. Without those crops, wide swaths of people around the globe would be in immediate danger of malnutrition. One 20 th century French Jesuit, for instance, saw rice for the lifepreserving staple it could be, and developed an innovative system that came to be known as the “System of Rice Intensification” (SRI). Now, twelve years after his death, the system he pioneered is critical to anti hunger strategies in various parts of the world, including the improbable Madagascar. Father Henri de Laulanié de Sainte-Croix received his education as an agronomist at the renowned Institut National Agronomique in Paris, where he studied the treatment of rice in the works of Japanese scientists. When Laulanié was 41, he went to work in Madagascar to put his budding ideas into practice, and he remained there until he died in 1995 at the age of 75. Upon his arrival in 1961, one problem that was obvious to Laulanié was the low quality of food production and agricultural practices in general among the Malagasy people. He grasped the cultural and historical significance of rice, not to mention its centrality to the diet - to this day, it accounts for more than half of people’s daily calories. Laulanié also saw that the island nation’s poor did not have the mone y to let this crop fail, or to buy another food staple that could sustain them, so he focused his energy on the productivity of rice, since on the island’s already-eroding soil expanded planting wasn’t an option.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter For the next 34 years, Laulanié worked on SRI and wrote a book about it before he died and was buried in Ambohipo, Madagascar. His book, Rice in Madagascar, is summarized briefly in a set of frequently asked questions into four principles: 1. Establishing plants early and quickly, to favor healthy and vigorous root and vegetative plant growth. 2. Maintaining low plant density to allow optimal development of each individual plant and to minimize competitions between plants for nutrients, water and sunlight. 3. Enriching soils with organic matter to improve nutrient and water holding capacity, increase microbial life in the soil, and to provide a good substrate for roots to grow and develop. 4. Reducing and controlling the application of water, providing only as much water as necessary for optimal plant development and to favor aerobic soil conditions. Despite Laulanié’s noble intentions, his system is not without its detractors. In 2013, Forbes described it as “possibly one of the most important, and most controversial, advances in modern agriculture.” Usually, the complaint is that SRI is sort of a folk solution that ignores the input of the sciences. The International Rice Research Institute and other prominent rice scientists, for instance, say SRI is, at best, a “methodology” with some of the individual practic es long promoted by researchers. Other parts of the system, they say, run directly counter to well established, scientifically proven best practices. Thomas Sinclair, at the time a plant physiologist in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, dismissed SRI completely in 2004 in an article he wrote in Rice Today. “Discussion of the system of rice intensification (SRI) is unfortunate, because it implies SRI merits serious consideration,” Sinclair wrote. “SRI does not deserve such attention.” Sinclair caustically wrote that evidence for the effectiveness of SRI is based on what he called “Unconfirmed Field Observations,” or UFOs, suggesting the scientific case is about as strong as evidence proving the existence of the other kind of UFO. None of that has stopped Laulanié’s system, however, from proliferating around the world. Recently, the global non-profit group World Neighbors, founded on helping people help themselves, was asked by people in Nepal to help develop an SRI system for rice farmers there.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter The organization’s CEO, Dr. Kate Schecter, told Crux, “We only work in rural areas, we tend to look for or reach out to communities that may have not been assisted in the past. They come and ask us to work with them. “Everything is about figuring out what assets you have in your own community,” Schecter said. In Nepal, rice is one of those assets. When a group approached World Neighbors for help in sustaining small rice farms, they brought the work of Laulanié and his SRI to serve a population distant in miles from Madagascar, but with some of the very same problems including poverty, and a keen dependence on a staple food such as rice. Despite debate about just how many of its promises the SRI system fulfills, Schecter said in her somewhat limited experience, “You get results very quickly.” As an added benefit for naysayers, she said, “It’s organic. There’s no tinkering with it. You get more yield with less water. And that’s what makes it more efficient.” Schecter says the real difficulty is convincing farmers who have been doing things a certain way for generations to change, based on what academics are telling them about things such as rainfall. “A lot of the older farmers are nervous about changing,” she said. “They’ve been doing it this way for centuries, and for someone to come in and say let’s do it this way, it’s just too radical for people, and some aren’t willing to do it.” From the farmer’s point of view, she said, such caution makes sense. “You only have one chance to grow your rice, and don’t want to take the risk,” she said. Schecter understands that doubt, but also says that World Neighbors has been successful in convincing people they do know what they’re talking about. The organization is also invested in making sure they get it right, and Schecter said it’s been pretty successful thus far. For a small group, she said, they’re currently in 13 countries and they’ve touched millions of lives - which, as Schecter put it, “is a pretty wide reach.” During his lifetime, Laulanié said he had no interest in trying to trademark his system or profit from it, calling SRI part of “the heritage of humanity.” According to the foreword in a 2003 edition of Rice in Madagascar, Laulanié also took his missionary identity seriously, at one point developing a “seminary without teachers,”

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter essentially self-taught and self-funded, to help less well-educated adults prepare for the priesthood. “He was a mystic, who always believed that the Holy Spirit guided him and did everything for his good,” the foreword said, “while at the same time asking him to be very careful and modest to discern what God expected of him.” https://cruxnow.com/global-church/2017/11/06/jesuit-scientists-controversial-rice-systemflowers-poor-nations/

Did You Know: November is National Rice Awareness Month Inquirer Research / 05:00 AM November 06, 2017

November was declared National Rice Awareness Month by virtue of Proclamation No. 524 signed on Jan. 5, 2004, by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Its observance coincides with the anniversary of the Philippine Rice Research Institute created under Executive Order No. 1061 signed on Nov. 5, 1985. The Department of Agriculture is in charge of heading the celebration of National Rice Awareness Month. —Marielle Medina http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/943166/did-you-know-november-is-national-riceawareness-month#ixzz4xeLp9xRS

Judge considers wild rice protection: Some say sulfate rules could triple Duluth sewage bills, force closure of mills By John Myers Today at 6:00 a.m. 3

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DULUTH â&#x20AC;&#x201D; If state administrative law Judge LauraSue Schlatter agrees that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency proposal to protect wild rice from sulfate is officially "reasonable," she will be among the few people to publicly say so. Schlatter's job in coming months will be to pore over testimony about the PCA sulfate standard and determine whether the proposal is legal, follows state rules and is needed and reasonable. So far, after multiple public hearings, it seems almost everyone is saying it's not.Mining supporters want no sulfate rule at all, saying there's no major crisis with wild rice downstream of where mines operate. Business and government groups say the rule would be too costly to meet. "The rule being proposed raises significant technical, ecological and economic questions which must be addressed prior to moving forward," Marianne Bohren, executive director of the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District, testified last week at a public hearing on the rule.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Environmental groups want to stick with the current, statewide sulfate standard of 10 parts per million, saying it's simple and potentially effective at protecting wild rice if it's enforced. (So far, it hasn't been.) "What WaterLegacy is saying, and what tribal leaders, both Chippewa/Ojibwe and Dakota are saying, is that we should keep the existing standard and enforce it consistently and rigorously in all wild rice waters," said Paula Maccabee, attorney for Minnesota-based WaterLegacy. Scientists have found that sulfate â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which can come from sewage effluent, mine discharges and other industrial processes â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is converted to sulfides in the sediment of many wild rice lakes and rivers. The rate of that conversion changes depending on the amount of carbon and iron in the water (generally, more sulfides with high carbon, less sulfide with high iron). It's those sulfides that prevent wild rice from thriving in some areas; the proposed new rules would study the water chemistry of each wild-rice lake and river to determine what sulfate level they could handle and still grow wild rice. Maccabee also noted that research appears to show that higher sulfate-sulfide levels increase toxic methyl mercury, a pollutant already targeted because of its potential impact on human health."The need to prevent sulfate loading from wastewater in Minnesota is driven by public health as well as environmental quality," she said. "The old rule, if it were enforced, already protects against mercury methylation. The new rule could make it worse. ... That's not reasonable." Doomsday scenarios Iron Range leaders are warning that the new wild rice sulfate rule could end mining as we know it, closing taconite plants and putting thousands of people out of work. (That contrasts with PolyMet's guarantee that it will meet the state's current sulfate standard by using reverse osmosis treatment that's already included in its copper mining plan.)

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Critics of the new rule say the PCA should delay any action until next year, when a cost analysis is completed on the rule's economic impact. Larry Sutherland, head of U.S. Steel's Minnesota mining operations in Keewatin and Mountain Iron, which employ some 1,700 miners, said adding reverse osmosis treatment to remove sulfate at Keetac's wastewater system could cost $200 million, a price tag that would be prohibitive for the plant to remain competitive in the global iron ore market. The implication is that the plant could close if the new rule is adopted. "And you still can't guarantee any benefit" for wild rice, Sutherland said at the Virginia, Minnesota, public hearing on the rule, adding that the PCA concedes the error rate for each water body's sulfate standard could be as high as 20 percent. In testimony last week in Brainerd, the WLSSD's Bohren said the proposed sulfate-sulfide standard could cost the district millions of dollars to meet. Wastewater treatment plants simply aren't designed to remove sulfate, and Bohren said the cost of adding reverse osmosis treatment to remove sulfate — the only known method — could be $500 million and raise the plant's electric costs 600 percent. Those extra costs could dramatically raise Duluth's monthly sewage rate for residents, from $40 to $75 per month and as high as $140 per month for homeowners if large industrial customers — namely Verso in Duluth and Sappi and USG in Cloquet — were forced to shut down. The Sappi mill already pays WLSSD about $10 million per year for its wastewater treatment. If reverse osmosis was required, that bill could hit $28 million, Bohren said. "We're assuming the large industrial users would not continue to operate if that happened," she said, foretelling a major hit for Twin Ports jobs. Bohren also noted that several scientists have raised questions about the PCA's conclusions on the relationship between sulfate, sulfide and wild rice.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter "We're not saying wild rice shouldn't be protected. We're saying we don't think the PCA has had enough time to get to where they need to be," Bohren told Forum News Service. PCA officials say Bohren's and other testimony critical of possible compliance costs is premature. The new sulfate rule wouldn't even apply to the WLSSD because the Duluth harbor, where the WLSSD releases its outflow, is not on the official state list of wild rice waters. (Upstream sections of the St. Louis River are considered wild rice waters but would not affect the WLSSD permit. Bohren countered that there's no guarantee other groups wouldn't petition to put the Duluth harbor on the wild rice list.) "As it stands now the rule wouldn't apply to them," said Shannon Lothamer, the PCA official charged with ushering the wild rice sulfate rule through the process. "We understand their concerns, because the cost of what's out there for treatment now is so high. But these are really worst-case scenarios that are being thrown out there." Protect wild rice, technology will follow Lotthammer said the PCA is under legal obligation, under the Clean Water Act, to protect wild rice. It's also a social obligation, she said. The PCA plans to move ahead to develop a scientifically defensible rule to protect wild rice, then come up with affordable ways to meet that rule. Only when the rule is adopted and specific sulfate-sulfide limits are set for each lake and river where wild rice exists, and then only as pollutant discharge permits are renegotiated to meet the rule, would businesses or municipalities have to make changes. PCA officials say if those changes are too expensive, the state will include variances in specific discharge permits for municipalities and companies that discharge sulfate. The closing of a plant and the community upheaval that would cause clearly meets the state's criteria for variances, Lotthammer noted.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter "That's where we certainly plan on issuing permit variances. But first we have to find that point (for each waterway) where we think wild rice is protected," she said. Several municipal wastewater plants have variances for phosphorus removal because of the high cost of treatment, Lotthammer added. And the WLSSD already has a discharge permit variance for mercury pollution because it proved there was no feasible way for it to meet the mercury standard for discharge into Lake Superior. The WLSSD already is discharging water with less mercury than the rain that falls on Duluth. The PCA realized that, and granted the variance in the agency's operating permit, Lotthammer noted. Critics counter that the variance process can take years, is expensive and isn't guaranteed because variances also require federal agency approval. PCA officials note that there are myriad examples of how regulation inspired technical breakthroughs that make pollution control more affordable than naysayers predicted. Coal-fired power plant operators said they couldn't affordably reduce acid rain- and smog-causing pollutants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, yet have done exactly that with so-called smokestack scrubbers. They also have moved to reduce mercury. Reserve Mining Co. argued that it wasn't feasible to stop dumping taconite tailings into Lake Superior, that on-land disposal was too costly. Now, Northshore Mining is thriving at the Silver Bay site decades after moving to on-land disposal. Minnesota's wild rice sulfate rule will help push development of new, less expensive sulfateremoving technology, Lotthammer said. (The University of Minnesota Duluth's Natural Resources Research Institute already is developing bacteria that can eat eliminate sulfate, testing it in Iron Range mine pit lakes in a process where, if successful, sulfate treatment would be dirt cheap.)

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter "We really think that there will be innovation to help us get to where we need to protect wild rice," she said. "Until those innovations happen, until their are options out there that are affordable, we're not going to force anyone out of business." What's the rule? The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency in August unveiled details of the new wild-rice sulfate standard â&#x20AC;&#x201D; years in the works, developed after an old sulfate standard was deemed too vague and too difficult for the industry to meet. A law in place since 1973 limited sulfate pollution in all Minnesota waters that hold wild rice to 10 parts per million. The rule was rarely enforced until tribal and environmental groups began pushing the PCA to include sulfate in pollution discharge permits. State lawmakers tried to stifle the sulfate rule but failed, as did court challenges. So the state funded research to find out what it was about sulfate that harms wild rice. Studies found that it's not sulfate that directly harms wild rice. Instead, wild rice is inhibited when sulfate converts into sulfides (but because the sulfate pollution leads to sulfides, sulfate is still the target of the regulation.) Because that conversion is different in each lake and river (depending on water chemistry, carbon and iron), the PCA proposed eliminating the old, statewide sulfate limit and instead studying the water chemistry of each wild-rice lake and river to determine what sulfate level they could handle and still grow wild rice. The new rule, if enacted, would limit sulfides to 120 parts per billion. Ultimately pollution discharge permits for wastewater plants, mines and other sulfate-emitters would be changed to limit sulfates with the goal of keeping sulfides below the benchmark of 120 parts per billion and protecting wild rice. There are about 1,300 lakes and rivers listed so far on the statewide list of wild-rice waters. About 350 of those wild-rice waters are downstream of industries or cities that discharge sulfate and are the most likely to be affected by the changes.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter What's next? If state administrative law Judge LauraSue Schlatter rules the wild rice sulfate rule unreasonable, the PCA has to go back to the drawing board and start over (although the old sulfate rule would remain in effect). If she finds it reasonable, it will be up to PCA Commissioner John Linc Stine to decide when and how to move forward. Any legal challenges to the PCA rule would be heard in the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Then, it will be up to the federal Environmental Protection Agency to decide if the state rule meets the Clean Water Act standard to protect wild rice. Public comments on the wild rice rule will be accepted through Nov. 22, with comments sent to: minnesotaoah.granicusideas.com/discussions or mail to Office of Administrative Hearings, P.O. Box 64620, St. Paul, MN 55164-0620 (Docket 80-90030-34519).

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Gov’t promotes use of rice varieties November 5, 2017, 10:00 PM By Madelaine B. Miraflor The government is set to intensify its campaign towards use of pigmented rice varieties as it encourages the public to be “calorie-wise” and be more responsible in terms of their rice consumption.“We encourage the public to be calorie-wise,” said Myriam Layaoen, campaign director of “Be Riceponsible”.“Instead of white rice, we may want to consider brown and pigmented rice and eat more corn grits, saba, cassava, and camote.” The Be Riceponsible Campaign is the government’s nationwide initiative to promote responsible rice consumption by reducing rice wastage in households and eating healthier forms of rice such as brown rice and pigmented rice varities.A Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) study recently found that unpolished pigmented rice (red or black rice) has high phytochemical contents and health-promoting properties making it a healthier alternative to white rice.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter To complete the study, 45 red rice and 25 black rice varieties were collected from various provinces in the country and were compared with white rice (Enolayan variety). They were characterized in terms of proximate composition, phytonutrients, and health-promoting components. Results showed that pigmented rice has higher amounts of crude protein, crude ash, crude fat, and crude fiber compared with white rice. PhilRice food scientist Marissa Romero said that pigmented rice is rich in antioxidants such as phenolic compounds, vitamin E derivatives, and y-oryzanol that are effective free radical scavengers. The unique color is determined by the amount of anthocyanin (also an antioxidant) in the bran layers resulting in various shades of red and black.The government’s campaign towards the use of pigmented rice will be further intensified this month as the Department of Agriculture celebrates the National Rice Awareness Month (NRAM). The celebration encourages the public to eat the right proportion of rice and its healthy forms such as brown rice and rice mixes. “The Philippines is still no doubt a rice-loving country. With the various diseases associated to eating too much rice, however, it is imperative to increase Filipinos’ awareness on how to enjoy our rice, the healthy way,” Layaoen said.Kicking-off this week at Liwasang Aurora, Quezon City Memorial Circle, NRAM will start with the launching of pedal-type brown rice mill, technology bulletin, and a rice Exhibition.Just a few months ago, a slight reduction in the country’s daily consumption for rice has been observed after several years. Based on a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data, which was cited by National Food Authority (NFA) spokesperson Marietta Ablaza, the country’s daily consumption requirement is now at 31,463 metric tons (MT) or 629,260 bags.This, after the country’s average requirement had stayed at more than 32,000 MT or 654,600 bags for so many years.Ablaza said this is a welcomed development since the country’s rice consumption had been outpacing the harvest for so many years. Hence, the need to import.She also said that reduction in rice consumption may also be good for the health of the Filipinos.Based on a Harvard School of Public Health study, the carbohydrate content of a bowl of rice is equivalent to two cans of soft drinks. To be healthy, rice should only be 33 percent of a person’s plate. https://business.mb.com.ph/2017/11/05/govt-promotes-use-of-rice-varieties/ 85

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Odisha farmer suicides: ‘Pesticides failed to kill pests, they killed my father’ Brown planthoppers have been particularly pestilent in the kharif season this year. Distressed farmers from the nine affected districts in Odisha are setting fire to their destroyed crops. INDIA Updated: Nov 06, 2017 07:28 IST

Farmer Brunda Sahoo’s nephew and friend in the field at Kalapani village in Bargarh district where he set his destroyed crop on fire, and committed suicide a day later by drinking poison. (Debabrata Mohanty/Hindustan Times)

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Landless farmer Brunda Sahoo’s hopes soared early October when he saw lush green paddy crop standing on 15 acres he cultivated as a sharecropper. He told his family they could repair their house and marry off his daughter after selling the harvest. But then a swarm of brown planthoppers struck. The green leaves turned orange-yellow. Sahoo, 51, tried fighting the insects, known to feed on rice plants, with pesticides. It didn’t work.Soon, the leaves were brown and plants bone dry, signalling the onset of hopper burn, a condition that kills the plant as the insect sucks the sap. Sahoo knew his crop had no chance against the pest and neither did he.On October 31, he set fire to his wasted crop at Kalapani village in Bargarh district, about 350km northwest of Odisha capital Bhubaneswar.According to his family, it was a debt-ridden farmer’s desperate bid to catch the government’s attention. The next day, Sahoo drank poison and died while being taken to hospital. Farmers Alaya Jena of Sanakhemundi block in Ganjam district and P Nabin Kumar of Nuakhairpali village in Bargarh have done the same since then, unable to fend off the brown planthopper that Odisha farmers call Matia Gundi (brown insect that reduces crops to dust). Jena died on Sunday, the fourth Odisha farmer driven to suicide this year by a pest attack. On October 25, chief minister Naveen Patnaik announced a drought relief package for farmers in 15 of the state’s 30 districts. There was no mention of crops ravaged by pests.On Sunday, the government acknowledged pests had hit crops in nearly 1.78 lakh hectares (1 hectare = 2.47 acre) across nine districts.

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A brown planthopper. (International Rice Research Institute, Philippines) State development commissioner and additional chief secretary, R Balakrishnan, reviewed the pest damage with district collectors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pest attack is a natural calamity and affected farmers will be compensated as per Odisha relief code,â&#x20AC;? he told HT. Odisha farmers are familiar with the brown planthopper but the infestation is severe this season. Reports of farmers setting fire to paddy fields are coming in from the nine affected districts.

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Sahoo’s elder brother, Nagat, also a sharecropper, or a tenant farmer who gives a part of the crop as rent, blames pesticides. “We faced the pest onslaught successfully in 2015, but this year pesticides have been ineffective,” he said.Patnaik and his ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) are facing criticism from farmer bodies and opposition. The agriculture department was late in sending subsidised pesticides to the state’s 314 blocks this year as discussions dragged on over a notification indicating price list of several farm products.The notification that helps farmers get pesticides on 50% or even 100% subsidy was issued on November 1, the day Sahoo died.“The notification is usually ready by August. Even if

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter delayed, we get it by September. But it came in very late this year,” said an agriculture department official who did not want to be named.

Farmer Brunda Sahoo’s daughter, Preeti, outside her home. (Debabrata Mohanty/Hindustan Times)

Kalapani sarpanch and farmer Bhira Reddy said the pesticide might have been of inferior quality. “The local dealers are stocking sub-standard pesticides manufactured by smaller companies in Chhattisgarh,” he alleged. The views were echoed by Sahoo’s daughter, Preeti. “The pesticides failed to kill the insects, but killed my father,” said the 18-year-old. Bijay Sahoo, a pesticide dealer in Bargarh, said he had not compromised on the quality. “I think the humid climate played a role.” Mayabini Jena, principal scientist and head of crop protection division of National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack, said early action is the best bet against the brown planthopper. “Once humidity and temperature increase, the female moths lay more than 100-150 eggs every day. If there is a delay in spraying of pesticides, it becomes difficult to control,” she said. To add to the problem, these insects populate the roots and in areas where farmers plant paddy very close to each other. “It is difficult to spot such insects. Most farmers don’t spray on the paddy roots where the insects thrive,” Jena said. 90

The pest attack has dealt a body blow to farmers battling high input costs. Sharecroppers such as Sahoo often depend on local moneylenders who demand exorbitant rates of interest.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Sahoo’s son, Rajesh, admitted his father, too, was worried about money. “Also, the pesticides and fertilisers were taken on credit from local traders who would have taken a share of the harvest in return,” said Rajesh. Sahoo would also have to give a bulk of the produce to the land owner as per their contract. “It is agriculture minister Damodar Rout who is responsible for the death of the farmers. Why were pesticides not supplied on time?” asked Anant Padhi, president of Bargarh district Congress committee. Odisha BJP chief Basant Panda demanded that Patnaik sack Rout, who faced criticism on Saturday for saying the government would not extend aid to farmers who set fire to their crops. http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/odisha-farmer-suicides-pesticides-failed-to-killpests-they-killed-my-father/story-wnlGUkUCFLB07O1UgZktUI.html

Dedication sees growth of 'super rice' yields 2017-11-06 09:56China DailyEditor: Wang ZihaoECNS App Download

Wang Huayong poses with super rice on the farmland he manages in Shaoyang, Hunan province. (He Shangsheng/For China Daily) While Yuan Longping and his "super hybrid rice" may be household names in China, Wang Huayong is less well known. But without the efforts made by Wang and his colleagues, recordbreaking rice yields might have been no more than a theory.Wang, 47, is the director of a rice yield research project in his native Yangguao village in Shaoyang, Hunan province. This year, he is expecting the rice yield in his field to reach a record 17,000 kilograms per hectare.

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"Yangguao has an agreeable environment for rice growing, and in 1996 it was selected by the Ministry of Science and Technology as a national experimental base," Wang said. "But when I took over the task in 2009, the village had failed to meet the target set by the ministry for four consecutive years." Wang was born into a poor farming family in 1970. After graduating from high school, he went to work in a brick works to ease the financial burden on his family. In 1999, he bought his own brick works and became one of the village's wealthiest residents. When the experimental base failed to meet the rice yield target for the fourth year in a row in 2008, the local agricultural authorities turned to Wang for help. They believed that large-scale farming under unified management, as opposed to scattered farming by individual farmers, was the key to the problem. "At the time, the local authorities were badly in need of someone who was financially capable of managing paddy fields of more than 100 mu (6.7 hectares), and I was one of the few people to choose from," he said.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Though a successful entrepreneur, Wang knew nothing about agriculture. Besides, all the previous super rice yield research projects had been undertaken by local governments, and the prospects for an individual were unclear. Wang chose to take on the challenge because hunger had been a constant memory for him when he was young, and the chance that he could make a difference interested him. "Just as President Xi Jinping once observed, 'The bowl of the Chinese people should be firmly in the hands of Chinese'. Only by developing our own agriculture will food security be guaranteed," he said. In 2009, Wang contracted some 10 hectares of farmland from villagers and became the first individual in China to manage an experimental field of super rice. "My family was unsupportive at the beginning, because my brick business was lucrative, and I knew nothing about agriculture," he recalled.To make up for his lack of farming knowledge, Wang frequently consulted Yuan Longping, experts at the local agrotechnical station and experienced farmers, and spent hours every day in the fields studying the plants. He also put 2.1 million yuan ($316,570) his entire savings at the time - into the project to fund the initial experiments. One year later, the yield was more than 13,000 kg per hectare, surpassing the target of 12,900 kg, according to the Ministry of Science and Technology. The success continued for the next seven years, with the yield exceeding 16,000 kg last year. In 2012, Wang set up a super rice agrotechnical promotion center to provide advisory services to farmers as well as a cooperative to purchase super rice above market price and encourage villagers to plant it."I became a farmer when I took up the task in 2009, and I want my fellow villagers to benefit from cutting-edge agricultural technology," he said. http://www.ecns.cn/2017/11-06/279757.shtml

Paddy output likely to hit new record despite floods SANGAM PRASAIN, Kathmandu Nov 6, 2017-The August floods which caused widespread death and destruction were a traumatic experience for the people in the southern Tarai plains, but the nutrients they brought to the farmlands enriched the soil and boosted productivity, prompting officials to predict another record harvest and hike in economic output.

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The country suffered record floods following torrential rains from August 11-14 that inundated huge tracts of land in 31 districts. Initially, the government had estimated that the summer paddy output would be hit severely as transplantation had been completed on 95 percent of the 1.5 million hectares of paddy fields. “The paddy acreage may have shrunk this year, but we are expecting a higher output due to the silt and nutrients brought by the floods that have boosted productivity,” said Shankar Sapkota, deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Agricultural Development.He added that paddy productivity could increase to 3.57 tonnes per hectare compared to last year’s 3.37 tonnes per hectare. The initial figure is based on reports sent in by district agriculture offices, he said. Before the floods, the ministry had projected paddy output to swell to 5.4 million tonnes from the record production of 5.2 million tonnes in the last fiscal year. “Output reports are yet to come. However, based on the district reports, we think that production will increase slightly from last year’s level and set another record this year,” said Sapkota..The supply of chemical fertilisers also reached a record 330,000 tonnes during the paddy growing season. A fall in global prices prompted the government to boost imports which allowed farmers to obtain adequate quantities of the soil nutrients. Increased use of fertiliser plays a key role in boosting output.

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Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter Bhaba Prasad Tripathi, senior associate scientist at the International Rice Research Institute Nepal (IRRI-Nepal), said floods could be beneficial in many ways despite their immediate ill effects. The results were visible this year. Deposits of clay, silt and sand carried by flowing floodwaters normally used to cover the Tarai paddy fields, but this year this did not happen, he said. “This year, the floodwaters deposited nutrients on the soil that has increased paddy productivity,” Tripathi added.“We looked at the paddy fields in Kailali, Kanchanpur and some districts in the Eastern Region, and the outcome is very encouraging,” he said, adding that there could be another bumper harvest this year. Some experts said that the August rainfall originated in the Chure range, the lowest foothills of the Himalaya, and that the impact on the paddy fields in the southern plains was not so great. Tripathi named three key factors behind the boost in paddy productivity this year. One, instead of depositing clay, silt and sand, the floodwaters brought down nutrients or organic manure from the hills to the Tarai. Two, the country witnessed uniform rainfall after the floods until the pre-harvest period. And three, a majority of farmers in the rain-fed lowlands have been transplanting submergence-tolerant paddy varieties like Swarna Sub-1 and Sawa Mansuli Sub-1 that can survive more than two weeks of complete submergence. “The plant recovers well from submergence by growing new shoots,” Tripathi said. The farm sector’s contribution to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) amounted to Rs691.2 billion in the last fiscal year. Paddy accounts for 20 percent of the total agricultural output. In the last fiscal year, the country achieved a 23-year-high economic growth rate of 6.9 percent on the back of a good monsoon that boosted agricultural output. Nepal’s farm sector registered a nine-yearhigh growth rate of 5.32 percent. 95 http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2017-11-06/paddy-output-likely-to-hit-new-record-despitefloods.html

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