9th november,2017 daily global regional local rice e newsletter by DAILY RICE NEWS LETTER

9th November,2017 daily global regional local rice e-newsletter by riceplus magazine mujahid.riceplus@gamil.com

www.riceplusmagazine.blogspotcom

Baba Farid Free Eye Camp to begin tomorrow RECORDER REPORT NOV 8TH, 2017 KARACHI Baba Farid Free Eye Camp will begin from Thursday in Pak Pattan to provide free eye treatment to less-privileged people of remote areas. The free camp is being setup by the Haji Razzak Janoo Memorial Trust-one of the largest free eye camp trust in Pakistan under the management of Janoo family that holds free eye camps throughout the year in various cities of Pakistan as well as in Bangladesh and Afghanistan. In these camps, the prominent eye surgeons and specialists undertake laser eye surgeries/operations and approximately 100,000 patients' surgeries were done in free camps. The one of the largest Baba Farid Free Eye Camp will be organized at Pak Pattan from 9th to 15th November with a targeted 3,000 Phaco surgeries. Last year some 2,600 surgeries were done in a week. Chairman Haji Razzak Janoo Memorial Trust and former chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) Abdul Rahim Janoo said that all the medicines and food to the patients and their attendants are being provided "free of cost" by his trust. The camps are being setup with an aim to provide latest facilities to less-privileged people of remote areas because they cannot bear the huge expense of such facilities at the modern hospitals. The trust has organized 252nd a free eye camp at Dadu in February 2017, wherein 4,000 patients were attended in free OPDs and prominent eye surgeons and specialists had undertaken 500 latest laser eye operations. He informed that another free eye camp would be held at Rajanpur from 26th to 28th December, 2017, while another camp would be held at Bahawal Nagar in 2017. First camp of 2018 will be held in January in Dadu, he added.

This year, some 100 volunteers including 10 surgeons will perform duties at the Baba Farid Eye Camp where operations of 3,000 patients are expected. Janoo said that eye camps began in 1989 and since then total 252 free eye camps have been arranged in different location and approximately some 2.5 million patients were treated and some 0.1 million surgeries were done at these free eye camps. He said that all expenses of these free eye camps are borne by Haji Razak Janoo Memorial Trust, being owned and run by Janoo family in memory of Haji Razzak Janoo, who also suffered this disease and promised to work for eye patients. He said that Muhammad Mian Soomro former Chairman Senate, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali (the then Prime Minister), Rafique Suleman, chairman REAP and several other respected dignities have provided moral support to the volunteers of eye camps during their tenures. "We have adopted Free Eye Camping as a mission to help restore the lost vision of poor eye patients through treatments, surgeries, medication, lenses, spectacles and all such related services and materials absolutely free of cost", he mentioned. Janoo said that this year, for the first time, foldable lenses will be used for the treatment and surgeries. Although it is very expansive, however, we have decided to use it as it is the latest technology, he said, adding that several eye camps were also arranged in Bangladesh, however; due to their anti-Pakistan campaign, now camps are not being setup there.

https://fp.brecorder.com/2017/11/20171108233155/

Karandaaz launches study on warehouse receipt financing Staff Reporter Islamabad Karandaaz Pakistan, a Section 42 company working to promote access to finance for small businesses and financial inclusion in the country has launched a study on Warehouse Receipt (WHR) financing in Pakistan. WHR financing is a form of institutional credit that is extended by banks to farmers and traders against physical commodities stored in licensed warehouses. The study assesses the current status of uptake of WHR financing in Pakistan through in-depth interviews with current and potential users, suppliers and regulators of the scheme including the

State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), provincial food departments in Sindh and Punjab, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Habib Bank Ltd. (HBL) and Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd. (ZTBL). In addition, the study provides important insights on how WHR financing, through a well-developed ecosystem and strong institutional linkages between borrowers, banks, warehouses, and service providers, reduces post-harvest losses of agricultural commodities and enables growers to command better prices for their produce by avoiding distress sales immediately after harvest. A comprehensive analysis of the price trend of major agricultural commodities over the last five years reveals that WHR financing could be a viable source of credit for wheat, rice, cotton and maize farmers in Pakistan. These commodities are storable and their post-harvest price trends over the last four to five years justify delayed marketing.It is worth noting that the majority of farmers in Pakistan have small landholdings – over 72 percent hold less than 8 acres of land. Once the system is strongly established, small farmers will also be able to benefit from WHR financing. Sharing his thoughts, CEO Karandaaz Pakistan, Mr. Ali Sarfraz said, “WHR financing ecosystem is still a new concept. Pakistan has no licensed warehouse currently and there are no proper procedures in place for licensing and operating warehouses. In absence of proper information and data about the existing warehouses, the uptake of WHR financing will not be possible. Recent regulations by the SECP will enable the formation of collateral management companies and this will in turn have positive impact on this mode of financing.”

https://pakobserver.net/karandaaz-launches-study-warehouse-receiptfinancing/

Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil). It will be the first Brazilian participation in the fair, which will gather this year 520 brands from 214 exhibitors from 32 countries. According to the event’s organization, imports of food and beverages by Saudi Arabia should climb from the current USD 21 billion to USD 34 billion in 2020. “It’s not a very large fair, if compared to this type of events in Latin America, but it’s very focused on food products and attracts a large number of rice producers, especially from India, Pakistan, Thailand and United States,” says Diogo Thomé, trade promotion executive of the Brazilian Rice project. The executive came to Foodex Saudi last year in a survey mission to plan this year’s actions. According to him, the Saudis consume a lot of Indian rice, but there’s room for Brazilian parboiled rice. “It’s a market that import a lot of rice. Besides India, the United States are a large supplier and it’s in this spot that we can compete,” he says. Saudi Arabia is one of the target markets of the Brazilian Rice project – and it will remain this way, since it kept its status in the renewal of the partnership this year. From January to October of last year, the Brazilian rice sector exported 5,000 tons of rice to the Saudis, a volume that climbed to 7,000 tons in the same period this year. Counting on the results of the fair, the expectation is to reach 10,000 tons exported in 2018’s first ten months, according to the executive. Thomé takes off to Jeddah on Friday’s (10) early hours and will work on the assembly of the Brazilian stand the next day. From the companies set to take part in the fair, only Josapar, producer of brand Tio João, already exports to Saudi Arabia. Since it’s the first time that Brazil takes part in the trade show, Thomé refrained from a forecast on deals. In addition to exhibiting products, the Brazilian stand will hold a cooking and tasting marketing action to display the different features of the Brazilian rice. *Translated by Sérgio Kakitani

http://www2.anba.com.br/noticia/21876797/business-opportunities/brazilian-rice-to-be-ondisplay-in-jeddah-fair/

Treasury and State Departments Tighten Restrictions on Cuba Relations By Michael Klein

WASHINGTON, DC -- The other shoe dropped on U.S.-Cuba relations today when the U.S. Treasury Department released follow-up guidance to President Trump's June announcement that he would be tightening sanctions and travel restrictions on Cuba. The policy roll backs, including a State Department list of 180 hotels, stores, and businesses Americans are no longer allowed to visit, are being officially announced tomorrow in an attempt to ensure economic activity is channeled away from the Cuban military, intelligence, and security services. New travel restrictions are also being announced, including a tightening of "people-to-people" outreach and educational and cultural exchange groups. "This is a move in the absolute wrong direction for our interests and those of Cubans who need and want to buy our rice," said Betsy Ward, USA Rice president and CEO. "This news, coupled with the recent expulsion from the U.S. of Cuban embassy staff who were quite helpful to U.S. rice, is disheartening."

More Options Now Available for Rice Fortification By Rebecca Bratter

HOUSTON, TX -- Key stakeholders and decision makers in U.S. food aid policy recently determined that rinse resistant coated fortified rice is similar in nutrient delivery to extruded fortified rice. While extruded fortified rice is already available for use in global food assistance programs, implementing agencies can expect to see a revised commodity requirements document for both kinds of fortified rice no later than January 2018. USA Rice has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the World Food Programme (WFP) to fully incorporate fortified rice into U.S. food assistance programs, and the addition of rinse resistant coating will ensure greater supply and economies of scale for rice in food aid. As rice is the most consumed food in the world, all U.S. food assistance agencies and WFP have made it clear that their best option to reduce the impact of poverty is to invest in rice. This year, six of the eight McGovern Dole School feeding programs are using fortified rice in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. "The tonnage of rice used in all U.S. global food assistance programs has grown over the past three years to more than 100,000 MT in 2017. The fortified rice tonnage has started to grow this past year with about

25,000 MT in call forwards on the books," said USA Rice Food Aid Subcommittee Chairman Bobby Hanks. "We anticipate the policy changes agreed to will lead to increased tonnage of fortified rice in 2018 and beyond, and are grateful for the ongoing partnership with USDA and USAID. The addition of a new technology and thus additional suppliers, means more options to procure fortified rice kernels and continual improvement of nutrient bioavailability with the ultimate goal of saving more lives."

Minister warns rice millers against exploiting farmers PTI | Nov 7, 2017, 20:17 IST

Cuttack, Nov 7 () Odisha's Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Surya Narayan Patro today warned rice millers of stringent action if found purchasing paddy from farmers below minimum support price (MSP). The minister was briefing media persons after reviewing the preparations for kharif paddy procurement at Revenue Divisional Commissioner's (central division) office here. "People who purchase paddy from farmers will have to pay the fixed MSP of Rs 1,550 per quintal. We do not have any objection if someone pays more than the MSP. But if anybody tries to pay less than the MSP, he will invite action as per the provisions of Essential Commodities Act of 1955", Patro said. The farmers having accounts in cooperative banks will get their payments within 24 hours and others within three days, he said. The state has decided to procure 53 lakh tonnes of paddy during the current kharif season and a quarter of this quantity will come from districts that fall under the central division, including Cuttack, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Mayurbhanj, Balasore and Nayagarh, Patro added. Like previous year, the entire procedure of paddy procurement will also be done through Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS), sources said. The review meet was attended by principal secretaries Veer Bikram Yadav and Ranjana Chopra along with collectors of all the ten districts under the division. Revenue Divisional Commissioner D V Swamy asked the district collectors to ensure that paddy procurement is conducted in a fair manner, without putting farmers into trouble. COR SKN RMS https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/minister-warns-rice-millers-againstexploiting-farmers/articleshow/61549397.cms

Gene editing technology, plant breeding focus of Nov. 16 webinar Webinar will discuss new gene editing techniques such as CRISPR/Cas9 and their potential impact on plant breeding.

Bobby Coats | Nov 08, 2017 Dr. Jeremy D. Edwards, USDA research plant molecular geneticist, will be featured on the Nov. 16 webinar from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. He’ll discuss “Gene editing technology and new opportunities for plant breeding.” Edwards is with the USDA Agricultural Research Service at the Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center located at Stuttgart, Ark.The webinar, which starts at 3 p.m., Nov. 16, will provide an overview of new gene editing techniques such as CRISPR/Cas9 and their potential impact on the future of rice and plant breeding. Gene editing offers greater precision and speed compared to conventional breeding and previous biotechnological approaches, and opens new opportunities for scientific discovery. Current and prospective applications, and technical and consumer acceptance challenges will be discussed. Register for the webinar at http://bit.ly/UAEX-CRISPR. Edwards’ research involves the use of genomics, bioinformatics, and big data to facilitate gene discovery and to develop technology for accelerated rice breeding. He has a Ph.D. in plant

breeding and genetics from Cornell University and a B.S. in horticultural science from the University of Florida. Dr. Anna McClung, plant breeder and research leader at the Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center, said, “CRISPR/Cas9 is a new molecular technique that is being used to modify genes in living systems. It is being evaluated in many organisms and has the potential for dramatically impacting plant breeding. Dr. Edwards’ webinar presentation will give an overview of the technology and how it is being proposed for use in public and private plant breeding programs.” Dr. Julie Gunderson, assistant professor in the physics department at Hendrix College, said, “CRISPR-Cas9 is a gene-editing tool which can be used to modify targeted sequences of DNA, the fundamental code of living organisms. This technology has many potential applications including revolutionizing the investigation, prevention, and treatment of human diseases and improving crop yields and aiding in the development of new varieties.” Dr. Bobby Coats is a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, Division of Agriculture, University of Arkansas System, Cooperative Extension Service. Email: recoats@uark.edu. TAGS: BIOTECHNOLOGY

Cambodian rice among the world’s best three Chea Vannak / Khmer Times Share:

Cambodian rice has consistently been voted one of the world’s best. KT/Chor Sokunthea

Cambodia’s premium fragrant rice was voted one of the best in the world in the latest global competition, coming in the top three.Thailand’s Horm Malis rice came out on top, taking home the title of World’s Best Rice.The 9th edition of the World Rice Conference took place in Macau yesterday, with seven counties – Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, the US, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar – entering 21 different rice varieties. Cambodia entered three brands – two premium fragrant rice varieties and one fragrant rice – selected during a national competition held last week. Moul Sarith, the secretary-general of the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF), congratulated Cambodian rice farmers for the great results, but lamented that the kingdom did not take home the accolade. “It was a close call for the judges, but ultimately the Thai variety, which is very similar to our own variety, won,” Mr Sareth said. He believed the positive results will help boost sales of the Cambodian commodity.

A Cambodian variety called Phka Rumduol, but often also called phka malis or Cambodia jasmine rice by millers and traders, won the competition from 2012 to 2014, but lost its crown in 2015 to a rice variety from California. Last year, another Thai brand from Chiang Mai took home the coveted prize at the eighth edition of the event. Chan Sokheng, the chairman of rice export company Signature of Asia, said that after Cambodian rice was crowned the world’s best in 2012 his sales rose dramatically. Phou Puy, the president of Green Rice Miller in Battambang province, said participating in the international contest alone will enhance the reputation of the Cambodian grain. “Whether we win or lose, we can expect more orders from international buyers, as the competition will serve as a window to showcase our products,” he said.

http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5089690/cambodian-rice-among-worlds-bestthree

Nigeria: Smuggling Costs Nigeria $5bn Yearly As FG Approves N5 Bn for Erosion Control By Omololu Ogunmade Abuja — The federal government wednesday resolved to deal decisively with rice smugglers whose activities, according to a World Bank disclosure, cost Nigeria a whopping $5 billion annually. This came as the Federal Executive Council (FEC) also approved N5.567 billion for erosion control under the aegis of Erosion Control Intervention and Acceleration for the control of erosion in six states in different parts of the country. Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, listed the beneficiary states to include: Sokoto, Kano, Ondo, Enugu, Bayelsa and Osun States. In his own briefing, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said activities of smugglers were undermining the progress being made on local rice production in the country.

According to him, rice was mainly smuggled into Nigeria from Benin Republic and sometimes from Niger Republic. He said people of Benin Republic don't eat parboiled rice, hence every bag of parboiled rice which arrives Benin Republic is brought to Nigeria. He said the smugglers' commitment is to ensure that Nigeria's drive to boost local rice is frustrated, recalling how smugglers bring in bags of rice at N12,500, a price he said is not affordable to local rice millers as a result of local rice production adding that the delays in the coming of several rice millers are caused by activities of smugglers. "The delays happen because many of the millers tell me that they can't mill because of the activities of smugglers. They mill the rice. The smugglers dump them at N12,500. And the smugglers can dump at N12,500 because they are subsidised from Thailand. They are determined to see that we don't succeed. We can't do that because we can't subsidise to that level. "We say if everything goes well without the smugglers, our people should be able to sell here at N13,500 per bag. They agreed, but then the smugglers are coming and the millers are holding back. I, alone can't solve the problem. That was why the president had to say yesterday (Tuesday) that we will come down hard on activities of smugglers because they are doing us a lot of damage. In fact, the World Bank says that they are costing us $5 billion worth of loss per annum. We keep fighting, a little here, a little there. We 'll get there," he said. Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari and the Head of Service, Winifred Oyo-Ita, wednesday resolved their differences and embraced each other before the commencement of wednesday's FEC meeting. Both of them had engaged each other in a heated argument last week before the start of a similar meeting over a leaked memo on the controversial reinstatement of pension thief, Abdulrasheed Maina. Their reconciliation wednesday was spearheaded by Oyo-Ita who first reached out to Kyari who is her immediate neighbour in the council's siting arrangement. In response, Kyari stretched forth his hands to her and after a handshake, he drew her closer in a warm embrace to the admiration of others in the chamber who cheered them with a round of applause. Ogbeh said as a show of government's commitment to halt the trend, it had resolved to revisit the existing memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Nigeria and Benin Republic during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He sad the agreement centred on a pledge by both countries not to compromise the interest of each other, disclosing that FEC had in accordance with President Muhammadu Buhari's declaration while presenting the 2018 budget before a joint session of the National Assembly,

resolved that activities of smugglers would no longer be condoned as FEC had resolved to fully implement the agreement. According to the minister, FEC had mandated him to work with the committee headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo comprising of the Minister of Finance and Comptroller General of Customs to revisit the agreement. He said: "The president has given instructions. There is an existing memorandum of understanding between Nigeria and Benin Republic entered into when President Olusegun Obasanjo was in office that we would work together, not to compromise each other's interest. "That MoU has not been implemented strongly. We are going to take it up from there. Already the vice-president has been working together in a committee which he heads with the Minister of Finance with the CG, Nigeria Customs and we in Agriculture Ministry. We 'll take it up." In his own briefing, the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, said the council approved a bilateral air services agreement between Nigeria and Canada with the aim of opening up businesses between the two countries and boost commerce and trade. He described the agreement as a standardised form of agreement that will enable Canada to land, take-off, bring passengers, cargoes and repatriate their monies and consequently get Nigeria connected to the country in trade and business. Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari and the Head of Service, Winifred Oyo-Ita, wednesday resolved their differences and embraced each other before the commencement of wednesday's FEC meeting. Both of them had engaged each other in a heated argument last week before the start of a similar meeting over a leaked memo on the controversial reinstatement of pension thief, Abdulrasheed Maina. Their reconciliation yesterday was spearheaded by Oyo-Ita who first reached out to Kyari who is her immediate neighbour in the council's siting arrangement. In response, Kyari stretched forth his hands to her and after a handshake, he drew her closer in a warm embrace to the admiration of others in the chamber who cheered them with a round of applause.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201711090076.html

Nigeria loses $5bn annually to rice smuggling, Ogbeh says November 8, 2017

Olalekan Adetayo The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, has expressed regrets that the activities of rice smugglers has led to a loss of $5bn annually for the country. He said the government would, however, intensify efforts to curtail their activities. He disclosed this during a press briefing by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Wednesday. Ogbeh identified the delay by rice millers to set up mills as one of the reasons smuggling is thriving. “That was why the President had to say during the 2018 budget presentation at National Assembly that we will come down hard on smugglers because they are doing us a lot of damage. “In fact, the World Bank says they are costing us $5bn worth of loss per annum. We keep fighting, a little here and a little there. We will get there,” Ogbeh said. He said the Federal Executive Council has approved the development of foundation seeds for maize at the Institute of Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He said the research, which will cost N165m for 30 tons of foundation seeds multiplied by 265 tons of improved seeds which is to be given to seed companies to multiply. The minister said one of the problems facing maize production in the country is the lack of right quality of seeds and that the nation’s agronomic practices are not very high.

According to him, this is responsible for the yields per hectare being among the lowest in the world

http://punchng.com/nigeria-loses-5bn-annually-to-rice-smuggling-ogbeh-says/

Brazilian rice to be on offer in Jeddah fair 08/11/2017 - 07:00hs Companies Arrozeira Pelotas, Camil Alimentos, Josapar and Nelson Wendt will appear at the stand of Brazilian Rice at Foodex Saudi, an important food products trade show in Saudi Arabia. André Barros* andre.barros@anba.com.br São Paulo – Four Brazilian rice producers will take part in the Foodex Saudi, a food products trade show in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. From Sunday (12) to Wednesday (15), companies Arrozeira Pelotas, Camil Alimentos, Josapar and Nelson Wendt will exhibit their products to the Saudis and other importers of the region at the stand of Brazilian Rice, a sector project carried on by a partnership between the Brazilian Rice Industry Association (ABIARROZ) and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil). It will be the first Brazilian participation in the fair, which will gather this year 520 brands from 214 exhibitors from 32 countries. According to the event’s organization, imports of food and beverages by Saudi Arabia should climb from the current USD 21 billion to USD 34 billion in 2020. “It’s not a very large fair, if compared to this type of events in Latin America, but it’s very focused on food products and attracts a large number of rice producers, especially from India, Pakistan, Thailand and United States,” says Diogo Thomé, trade promotion executive of the Brazilian Rice project. The executive came to Foodex Saudi last year in a survey mission to plan this year’s actions. According to him, the Saudis consume a lot of Indian rice, but there’s room for Brazilian parboiled rice. “It’s a market that imports a lot of rice. Besides India, the United States are a large supplier and it’s in this spot that we can compete,” he says. Saudi Arabia is one of the target markets of the Brazilian Rice project – and it will remain this way, since it kept its status in the renewal of the partnership this year. From January to October of last year, the Brazilian rice sector exported 5,000 tons of rice to the Saudis, a volume that

climbed to 7,000 tons in the same period this year. Counting on the results of the fair, the expectation is to reach 10,000 tons exported in 2018’s first ten months, according to the executive. Thomé takes off to Jeddah on Friday’s (10) early hours and will work on the assembly of the Brazilian stand the next day. Since it’s the first time that Brazil takes part in the trade show, Thomé refrained from a forecast on deals. In addition to exhibiting products, the Brazilian stand will hold a cooking and tasting marketing action to display the different features of the Brazilian rice. *Translated by Sérgio Kakitani http://www2.anba.com.br/noticia/21876797/business-opportunities/brazilian-rice-to-be-on-offerin-jeddah-fair/

CBN Expands Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, Targets Additional 2mt From 300,000 Rice Farmers Agriculture S

Wednesday, November 08, 2017 09:29 PM / CBN

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has formed strategic partnerships with agricultural commodity associations in the country in its effort to expand the implementation of the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP). Disclosing this in Abuja on Wednesday, November 8, 2017, the Acting Director in charge of Corporate Communications Department (CCD) at the Bank, Isaac Okorafor, said the decision to enter into strategic partnerships was to consolidate on the gains of the ABP and reach more deserving small holder farmers nationwide. According to him, “the CBN is forming these partnerships to further ramp up domestic production of identified commodities by leveraging the existing organized structures of the agricultural associations nationwide, thereby providing huge economics of scale in the implementation of the programme.” Mr. Okorafor said the strategic partnership had begun to yield results with the commencement of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) Anchor Borrowers’ Programme with the Bank of Agriculture where about 300,000 rice farmers across 20 States would be supported under the ABP during the upcoming dry season cultivation.

Continuing, the CBN Spokesman said an additional two million metric tonnes of paddy rice was expected to be produced under the dedicated RIFAN Anchor Borrowers’ Programme. He added that the strategic partnership with RIFAN was in tandem with the Federal Government’s agenda for Nigeria to be self-sufficient in rice production in the future. Okorafor further said that all registered agricultural commodity associations could key into this strategic partnership by simply approaching any of the Participating Financial Institutions (PFI) collaborating with the CBN in the implementation of the programme. It will be recalled that the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Anchor Borrowers’ Programme was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari on November 17, 2015 in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State. The ABP has so far achieved success in terms of outreach and coverage, making it one of the most successful CBN development finance interventions to date. About N45.5 billion has been released through 13 Participating Financial Institutions in respect of over 218,000 farmers cultivating nine commodities across 30 States.

https://www.proshareng.com/news/Agriculture/CBN-Expands-Anchor-

Fighting Climate Change, Doubling Incomes: Rice Variety Developed with Nuclear Techniques Expands in Indonesia Borrowers’-Programm/37214

Miklos Gaspar, IAEA Office of Public Information and Communication

Farmers examining their rice. They have doubled rice yields using a variety developed using irradiation. (Photo: M. Gaspar/IAEA)

Mangaran, East Java, Indonesia -- Stocky, strong and quick to ripen – that is how Indonesian farmers like their rice, and that is exactly what nuclear science has delivered to them. And higher income, to top it all. It is the second season that some 200 farmers in this region of East Java have used the variety Inpari Sidenuk (“nuclear dedication” in Indonesian), arming themselves against the effects of climate change while doubling their yields to 9 tons per hectare. Inpari Sidenuk is one of 22 rice varieties developed by scientists at the country’s National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN) using irradiation, a process often used to generate new and useful traits in crops(see Breeding new varieties using nuclear techniques). The IAEA, in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supports researchers in 70 countries, including Indonesia, in the use radiation for agricultural research. The development of new, improved varieties helps increase food supply and therefore food security around the world. “It is particularly important for us to have varieties that meet the new, more erratic weather conditions brought about by climate change,” said Abdul Rasyid Afandi, a farmer in Mangaran who has planted the new variety on over half of his 2-hectare plot.

Farmers here are able to plant rice three times a year, once in the dry and twice in the rainy season. The length of the seasons has varied more than usual in recent years, resulting in drier overall weather and the spread of new pests and diseases, he explained. As a result, farmers had seen yields with previously used varieties dip below 5 tons per hectare. The introduction of Inpari Sidenuk has not only led to the recovery of previous yield levels, but at 9 tons per hectare has significantly surpassed earlier harvest rates. The variety is much shorter, making it less vulnerable to strong winds, which used to destroy around a tenth of the crop. The only problem is the lack of seeds available to farmers, said A. Sidik Tanoyo, an Agriculture Ministry extension officer in the district. “It is important that more seeds are produced to increase the area of cultivation, which will contribute to increased productivity and farmers’ incomes,” he said. It is now the task of the country’s agriculture authorities to produce more seeds of the new variety. Such mass production no longer requires irradiation, only the conventional multiplication of seeds.

Workers at Indonesia’s National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN) planting rice varieties developed using irradiation. (Photo: Yustantiana/BATAN)

Seamless cooperation between BATAN and agriculture authorities is crucial in ensuring the distribution of any new variety to farmers, said Ita Dwimahyani, a plant breeder at BATAN’s Centre for Isotope and Radiation Application. Inpari Sidenuk was developed from a local variety in 2007, and released by BATAN in 2011. However, difficulties with distribution have meant that it has taken a few years for it to get to farmers. “It is difficult for us to pick among the new varieties available and depend on the extension officers for advice,” Afandi said. “We are very enthusiastic for this new variety.” He added that the extra income he hopes to earn in coming years will contribute to the university education of his children and also allow him to save more for his old age. In the meantime, at BATAN research will continue to develop new varieties in order to keep up with the needs brought about by climate change, Dwimahyani said.

THE SCIENCE Breeding new varieties using nuclear techniques Twenty-two rice varieties have been developed by BATAN scientists through a process known as mutation breeding. Applied since the 1930s to accelerate the process of developing and selecting new valuable agronomic traits, mutation breeding uses a plant’s own genetic make-up, mimicking the natural process of spontaneous mutation. The mutation process generates random genetic variations, resulting in plants with new and useful traits. BATAN scientists use gamma irradiation to induce mutations in seeds and considerably speed up the natural mutation process. After seed irradiation, they test the new mutant plants for various characteristics, and select those displaying useful traits for further breeding and subsequent distribution to farmers.

https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/fighting-climate-change-doubling-incomesrice-variety-developed-with-nuclear-techniques-expands-in-indonesia

Ghana: South Korea invests $9 million in rice farming in Central Region

Wednesday, 08 November 2017 - 16:14

(Ecofin Agency) - South Korea has provided Ghana $9 million to boost rice farming in the Central Region. This was announced by Ghana’s minister of agriculture, Owusu Afriyie Akoto (picture). The official explained the choice of the region by its potentials for the large scale production of the cereal, not only for local consumption but for export as well. Let’s recall that 70% of Ghana’s demand for rice is satisfied with imports. Actually, between 2007 and 2015, rice imports in the country soared from $152 million to $1.2 billion. In Ghana, rice farming is practiced mainly on a semi-intensive basis by small farmers in swamps.

http://www.ecofinagency.com/agriculture/0811-37709-ghana-south-koreainvests-9-million-in-rice-farming-in-central-region

FEC okays N5.5b for erosion control in 6 states November 8, 2017

•AIR SERVICES WITH CANADA TOO Leon Usigbe Abuja Top News

THE Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the sum of N5,567, 314,541.76 as third quarter soil control acceleration for six states the different geopolitical places in the country. Special Adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of the FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Wednesday. The benefitting states he said include Kano, Sokoto, Ondo, Osun, Enugu and Bayelsa States. Also speaking at the briefing, Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, disclosed that FEC also approved bilateral air services agreement between Nigeria and Canada. He said this was as part of government’s effort to connect every Nigerian engaged in trade and commerce to business. According to him, this will open businesses, connect Culture trade and Commerce between Canada and Nigeria. Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbe, spoke on the effort to stamp out smuggling of agriculture products, regretting that continued smuggling of foreign produced rice was discouraging local millers from producing more. He pointed out that a concerned President Buhari had spoken about it and warned of stern action against smugglers in his budget address to the National Assembly. He explained: “In Mr President’s speech to the National Assembly yesterday, he gave a very strong warning about smugglers who bring in unauthorized commodities through the unauthorized borders into the country. “We have to deal with that because, while we are making a great deal of progress in our grains productions, smugglers are busy compromising the success we have achieved.

“Between September 2015 and now, rice importation through the ports has dropped from 644,131, tonnes to 20,000 tonnes in September, this year. This means that by the early part of next year, we can literally say, that we are close to total self-sufficiency in rice. “On the other hand, to the west of Nigeria, rice importation has increased to 1.33million tones in the Republic of Benin. They don’t eat parboiled rice but the white rice. So, every grain of rice landing there is heading for Nigeria through illegal smuggling. “Some of it also comes in through the Niger Republic. These are issues we have to deal with because we are creating jobs through our local rice production. There are 12.2 million rice farmers in the country now.” On specific measures to tackle smuggling, he points out that a MoU exists between Nigeria and Republic of Benin, entered into during the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration which said prescribed that “we would work together not to compromise each other’s interest.” He added: “That MoU has not been implemented fully. So, we are going to take it up. Already, the Vice President has been working with the committee which he heads and he is working with the Minister of Finance, Comptroller General of Customs and also the Ministry of Agric. We will brief you as we progress.” The minister regretted the role of middlemen in the high cost of rice in the country but disputed that a 50kg bag still sells for as much as N20,000 in the open market. He said even though rice millers sell a 50kg bag of rice for N15,000 in their factories, middlemen ensured it got to the final consumers at much higher cost or hoard the commodity. He said: “I was in the largest mill in the country in Kano two days ago, they were selling rice for N15,000 for 50kg. “You know your country very well, there are middlemen who do all kinds of things and I told the millers to increase the number of their distributors because there is no point saying it is N15,000 in their factory when out there, somebody is hoarding. “The same thing happened to maize. Some people fill their warehouses with maize and shut the place so that the prices were so high that poultry farmers could not get access to maize in the market. “So, people went to import, crash the prices and they started complaining. There is nowhere rice is selling for N20,000.” Ogbe said Council also gave approval for the development of foundation seeds for maize to the Institute of Agricultural Research, ABU Zaria. According to him, one of the challenges was that “we do not have the right variety of seeds. So, the yield per hectare is very poor. We have the lowest in the world. “So, that is research is going on and the funds is N155 Million for 30 tonnes of foundation to multiply to 230 tons of improved seeds which will be given to seed companies to multiply.”

http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/fec-okays-n5-5b-erosion-control-6-states/

Facelift for Koraput mandis By Express News Service | Published: 09th November 2017 02:24 AM | Last Updated: 09th November 2017 09:44 AM | A+A A- | JEYPORE:The administration has estimated a budget of `16 crore to develop different mandis under Regulated Market Committees (RMC) in Koraput district to facilitate paddy procurement. As per reports, paddy procurement of both Kharif and Rabi seasons is conducted at 41 mandis in Jeypore and Koraput sub-divisions every year. But due to lack of basic amenities like threshing floor, rest shed, drinking water and godowns facilities, farmers face difficulties during paddy procurement. Though farmers bodies and Pani Panchayats of different blocks of the district have been demanding for upgradation of the infrastructure at the market yards (mandis) since long. Even the Rice Millersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association of Koraput had appealed to the district Collector for development of the mandis for smooth procurement. Recently, Collector A Saha allotted a fund of `16 crores and directed the officials of RMCs to take up infrastructure development work at the mandis soon.Informing this to mediapersons here, Jeypore Sub-Collector and RMC Chairman CS Rathod said development of the infrastructure at market yards will begin soon for the benefit of farmers. In the first phase, 28 mandis will be developed and later, others will be covered. Sources said about 21 lakh quintals of paddy are procured through the mandis every year. T he RMC officials collect `4 per quintal for development of market yards.Meanwhile, the administration has decided to organise the district-level procurement committee meeting ahead Kharif season in Koraput town on Thursday.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2017/nov/09/facelift-for-koraputmandis-1696215.html

Rice basmati, wheat weaken on sufficient stocks position PTI | Nov 8, 2017, 14:27 IST

New Delhi, Nov 8 () Weak conditions prevailed at the wholesale grains market today as prices of rice basmati and wheat drifted lower by up to Rs 100 per quintal due to reduced offtake against sufficient stocks position. Barley also slipped on muted demand from consuming industries. Traders said easing demand from retailers and rice mills against adequate stocks position mainly led to decline in rice basmati prices. Adequate stocks position on higher supplies from producing belts against low demand from flour mills, kept pressure on wheat prices, they said. In the national capital, rice basmati common and Pusa-1121 variety fell by Rs 100 each to Rs 7,800-7,900 and Rs 6,300-6,400 per quintal, respectively. Wheat dara (for mills) also eased further by 15 to Rs 1,820-1,825 per quintal. Atta chakki delivery followed suit and shed Rs 5 to Rs 1,825-1,830 per 90 kg. Other bold grain, barley too declined by Rs 20 to Rs 1,520-1,530 per quintal. Following are today's quotations (in Rs per quintal): Wheat MP (desi) Rs 2,145-2,350, Wheat dara (for mills) Rs 1,820-1,825, Chakki atta (delivery) Rs 1,825-1,830, Atta Rajdhani (10 kg) Rs 260-300, Shakti Bhog (10 kg) Rs 255-290, Roller flour mill Rs 980-990 (50 kg), Maida Rs 1,025-1,030 (50 kg)and Sooji Rs 1,060-1,080 (50 kg). Basmati rice (Lal Quila) Rs 10,700, Shri Lal Mahal Rs 11,300, Super Basmati Rice Rs 9,800, Basmati common new Rs 7,800-7,900, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs 6,300-6,400, Permal raw Rs 2,250-2300, Permal wand Rs 2,300-2,350, Sela Rs 2,500-2,700 and Rice IR-8 Rs 1,900-1,925, Bajra Rs 1,160-1,165, Jowar yellow Rs 1,350-1,400, white Rs 2,700-2,800, Maize Rs 1,300- 1,305, Barley Rs 1,520-1,530. SUN KPS SBT

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/rice-basmati-wheatweaken-on-sufficient-stocks-position/articleshow/61560135.cms

Viáť&#x2021;t Nam, Mexico promote trade, investment co-operation Update: November, 08/2017 - 16:33

The first meeting of the Joint Committee of Economic, Trade and Investment Cooperation between the Việt Nam Ministry of Industry and Trade and Mexico Ministry of Economy was held in Hà Nội on Tuesday. - VNA/VNS Photo Trần Việt

Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam and Mexico were looking to enhance trade and investment cooperation at the first meeting of the Joint Committee of Economic, Trade and Investment Co-operation. The meeting was held between the Việt Nam Ministry of Industry and Trade and Mexico Ministry of Economy in Hà Nội on Tuesday. The two sides discussed mechanisms to hold dialogues periodically to create opportunities for businesses to exchange information and promote co-operation. Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Đỗ Thắng Hải, proposed to Mexico to consider removing the temporary ban on imports of Vietnamese shrimp products. Hải also urged further co-operation in the trade of rice. Specifically, Hải expected Mexico to regularly provide updates about its rice import quotas and information about rice importers with granted quotas for Việt Nam to look for opportunities to export rice to Mexico. At the meeting, Việt Nam also shared updates about trade policies and co-operation opportunities in training, technology transfer and hi-tech agriculture.

Minister of Economy, Juan Carlos Baker, said that Mexico had interests in promoting exports of healthcare and agricultural products to Việt Nam, besides cooperation in intellectual property, information technology and financial services. He said that the two sides should speed up the negotiations of memoranda of understanding in quarantine checks. Mexico is the third largest trade partner of Việt Nam in Latin America. In the first nine months of this year, the bilateral trade reached more than US$2.2 billion, in which, Việt Nam’s export to Mexico was worth $1.8 billion. — VNS

Read more at http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/417150/viet-nam-mexico-pr http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/417150/viet-nam-mexico-promote-trade-investmentco-operation.htm

Experts study pest affected fields in Odisha's Ganjam district Team MP | 2017-11-07 17:06:37.0

Berhampur: A team of experts from National Rice Research Institute (NRRI), Cuttack, on Tuesday conducted a study in the pest-affected fields of Odisha's Ganjam district, officials said. This comes a few days after a similar review was carried out by specialists from Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT). A three-member team, led by Mayabini Jena, head of the crop protection unit of the NRRI, visited several villages in Kukudakhandi, Digapahandi and Sanakhemundi blocks and interacted with the farmers there. The team also collected sample pests and plants for study, deputy director of agriculture (DDA), Ganjam, Manoj Behera, said. Ganjam is one of the worst pest-affected districts in the state. Official sources claimed around 24,000 hectares of crops were destroyed due to insect attack in 20 out of 22 blocks of the district so far, but local people maintained the loss was much higher. Behera said the volume of crop loss in the district was yet to be assessed fully as reports of damage from all blocks have not arrived. "It will take some more days to make a final report," Behera added. Besides brown planthopper (BPH), some other pests were also found to have affected the crops, he asserted. A six-member team, led by entomologist Bhagaban Patra of OUAT, had visited the district on Friday. The team interacted with the affected farmers and agriculture officers of Aska, Hinjili, Sorada and Bhanjanagar blocks. Before leaving the district, Patra had said the team would submit its report to the government with suggestions.

http://www.millenniumpost.in/nation/experts-study-pest-affected-fields-in-odishasganjam-district-270018

Rice Protein Market Growth Trends by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022

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http://www.military-technologies.net/2017/11/09/rice-protein-market-growthtrends-by-manufacturers-regions-type-and-application-forecast-to-2022/

Brazilian rice to be on display in Jeddah fair Companies Arrozeira Pelotas, Camil Alimentos, Josapar and Nelson Wendt will appear at the stand of Brazilian Rice at Foodex Saudi, an important food products trade show in Saudi Arabia. André Barros* andre.barros@anba.com.br São Paulo – Four Brazilian rice producers will take part in the Foodex Saudi, a food products trade show in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. From Sunday (12) to Wednesday (15), companies Arrozeira Pelotas, Camil Alimentos, Josapar and Nelson Wendt will exhibit their products to the Saudis and other importers of the region at the stand of Brazilian Rice, a sector project carried on by a partnership between the Brazilian Rice Industry Association (ABIARROZ) and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil). It will be the first Brazilian participation in the fair, which will gather this year 520 brands from 214 exhibitors from 32 countries. According to the event’s organization, imports of food and beverages by Saudi Arabia should climb from the current USD 21 billion to USD 34 billion in 2020. “It’s not a very large fair, if compared to this type of events in Latin America, but it’s very focused on food products and attracts a large number of rice producers, especially from India, Pakistan, Thailand and United States,” says Diogo Thomé, trade promotion executive of the Brazilian Rice project. The executive came to Foodex Saudi last year in a survey mission to plan this year’s actions. According to him, the Saudis consume a lot of Indian rice, but there’s room for Brazilian parboiled rice. “It’s a market that import a lot of rice. Besides India, the United States are a large supplier and it’s in this spot that we can compete,” he says. Saudi Arabia is one of the target markets of the Brazilian Rice project – and it will remain this way, since it kept its status in the renewal of the partnership this year. From January to October of last year, the Brazilian rice sector exported 5,000 tons of rice to the Saudis, a volume that climbed to 7,000 tons in the same period this year. Counting on the results of the fair, the expectation is to reach 10,000 tons exported in 2018’s first ten months, according to the executive. Thomé takes off to Jeddah on Friday’s (10) early hours and will work on the assembly of the Brazilian stand the next day. From the companies set to take part in the fair, only Josapar, producer of brand Tio João, already

exports to Saudi Arabia. Since it’s the first time that Brazil takes part in the trade show, Thomé refrained from a forecast on deals. In addition to exhibiting products, the Brazilian stand will hold a cooking and tasting marketing action to display the different features of the Brazilian rice. Author Name: http://www2.anba.com.br/noticia/21876797/business-opportunities/brazilian-rice-to-be-ondisplay-in-jeddah-fair/

Cambodia’s rice export to China up 59% in 10 months PHNOM PENH — Cambodia had exported 142,768 metric tons of milled rice to China in the first 10 months of 2017, a 59-percent rise over the same period last year, according to the latest report on Thursday. The report released by the Secretariat of One Window Service for Rice Export showed that China is the top buyer of Cambodian rice, followed by France and Poland. Export to China accounted for 29 percent of the country's total rice export, the report said, noting that the total export was 492,115 tons during the January-October period this year, up 17 percent over the same period last year. The Southeast Asian nation is expected to export 200,000 tons and 300,000 tons to China in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Cambodia produces more than 9 million tons of paddy rice a year. With this amount, it has over 3 million tons of milled rice for annual export. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2017-11/09/content_34318474.htm

It’s official: Thai rice is the world’s best

A rice grower from Roi Et province displays his fragrant Hom Mali rice at a market near Government House. Thailand's Hom Mali rice was declared the world's best rice on Wednesday. (File photo) The World... Please credit and share this article with others using this link:https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1356968/its-official-thai-rice-is-the-worlds-best. View our policies at http://goo.gl/9HgTd and http://goo.gl/ou6Ip. © Post Publishing PCL. All rights reserved. Date: 09-Nov-2017

Thailand’s fragrant Hom Mali rice voted world’s best

The World Rice Conference has declared Thailand's fragrant Hom Mali variety the world's best rice, maintaining Thailand's number one position.

It's official: Thai rice is the world's best Phusadee Arunmas The World Rice Conference has declared Thailand's fragrant Hom Mali variety the world's best rice, maintaining Thailand's number one position after several years of lower rice quality due to a previous rice-pledging scheme. Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said that the conference in Macau on Wednesday declared the Hom Mali 105 varietythe world's best rice in 2017, while the second and third rankings went to Cambodian and Vietnam. He said the referees were chefs from hotels in Macau, and the criteria were the taste and shape of the rice grain. It was the second consecutive year that Thailand's fragrant rice won the championship. It had lost the title to Myanmar in 2011, Cambodia in 2012-2013 and the US in 2015. Winning the title again this year would boost Thai rice revenues, Mr Chookiat said, as it would increase both global demand and prices. He added the price of Thai Hom Mali rice was already much higher than that of Cambodian and Vietnamese varieties, with Thai Hom Mali quoted at US$850 a tonne, compared to Cambodia's at $750 and Vietnam's at $550. Over the past four years, the price of Cambodian rice approached the Thai price, Mr Chookiat said, as Cambodian rice was judged the world's best rice in 2012 and 2013. This year's contest involved 21 rice varieties from rice-producing countries. Thailand nominated three varieties. "Thailand lost the championship for four years because the quality of Thai rice dropped due to the rushed rice cultivation that resulted from a previous pledging scheme that accepted every grain. We're champions again because we're

emphasising rice quality once more," Mr Chookiat said. He encouraged the government to promote organic rice cultivation, which he said would bring back the naturally fragrant Hom Mali rice of the past, when paddy fieldswere not contaminated with chemicals. Author Name: https://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/advanced/1357353/thailands-fragrant-hom-mali-ricevoted-worlds-best

Not possible to practice traditional farming in India anymore; here is why For most consumers, ‘organic’ is probably a code for ‘safe’ or ‘residue-free’, not necessarily produce grown without chemical fertilisers and pesticides.

For most consumers, ‘organic’ is probably a code for ‘safe’ or ‘residue-free’, not necessarily produce grown without chemical fertilisers and pesticides. (Image: IE) For most consumers, ‘organic’ is probably a code for

‘safe’ or ‘residue-free’, not necessarily produce grown without chemical fertilisers and pesticides. But marketers use the tag to tap into a seam of fear in some urban parents who are so anxious about health that they are willing to pay for advertising that spells ‘well-being’. A brand of ‘organic’ jaggery, for example, on the shelves of Reliance Fresh stores claims to be free of genetically modified organisms (GMO), when GM sugarcane is not even undergoing field trials in the country. Only one variety of cane that has been geneticallyengineered for drought tolerance is being tested in India and that too in glasshouses at the Sugarcane Breeding Institute of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Even if it passes the tests, it will be years before it jumps the regulatory hoops; perhaps, never at all. “Organic is the result of activism,” says Parag Sinha of NAPL Advisors, a consultant to food parks and dairies. It is a nice tag, he says, but it is difficult for produce to earn that label unless grown in isolated areas like Sikkim or Arunachal Pradesh. Sinha was in the business of growing residue-free chilli for export to the European Union (EU) at Khargone in Madhya Pradesh. He says he signed up farmers on contract for 250 acres the first year and 1,250 acres in the second. Farmers were paid the market price prevailing on the day of purchase, if their produce had residues below the maximum levels permitted by the EU. Chilli is prone to pest attacks and needs repeated sprays. A small team advised farmers about the chemicals to use and when to use them. In the third year, Sinha contracted 5,000 acres, but ran out of working capital and defaulted on purchases. But prices were high that year, so farmers did not suffer losses. In 2016, Sinha suspended the business after a viral attack as farmers cannot revert to the crop for three years. Sinha found that 70% of the produce, on average, was residue-free. Some farmers cheated. Some others followed the prescribed practices, but their plots were so small they could not escape contamination from neighbouring fields. “Residue-fee farming is not difficult,” Sinha says, “It is not even costlier.” But for people like Rangu Rao, chemical pesticides are anathema. He considers them environmentally unsustainable; bugs develop resistance to them over time. They also kill beneficial microbes in the soil. And they have to be bought for cash, which is financially oppressive for smallholder farmers who have little marketable surplus. Ideally, Rao would want smallholder farmers to grow all they wanted. But they can’t. They have to buy clothes, for instance. So, they need cash. He would like them not to use chemical fertilisers. For him, they are like steroids. He believes farmyard manure (FYM) can do the trick. But tribal farmers do not own plots large enough to keep cattle. It is also not possible to scour the landscape for enough quantities of the dung of free-range cattle to supply crops the nutrients they need. Huge quantities of manure would be needed to replace chemical fertilisers. The Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research near Delhi says FYM is rich in micro-nutrients and organic carbon, but it has just 0.5% nitrogen, up to 0.4% phosphorus, and 0.3% potassium. In comparison, urea has 46% nitrogen, single superphosphate is 16% phosphorous and muriate of potash 60% potassium. Rao is one of a group of idealists from Jawaharlal Nehru University and Delhi University who, three decades ago, decided to work among tribals in Madhya Pradesh’s Dewas district. Rao is CEO of Safe Harvest, a company whose chairman is Mihir Shah, former member of the erstwhile Planning Commission. About two dozen kitchen staples including pulses, rice, spices, millets and wheat flour grown without pesticides are sold under that brand. Safe Harvest buys produce from farmer producer companies and non-governmental organisations who work with farmers. They use neem, garlic and weed extracts to repel or kill pests. Rao thinks there is a toss-up between high yields and sustainability. He prefers the latter. High-yield agriculture, for him, is risky because it is high in inputs, which have to be purchased.

Smallholder farmers can be self-contained if they do traditional, non-chemical agriculture. The Green Revolution, he believes, has helped certain regions and a certain class of farmers. It has been propped up with subsidies. Remove the subsidies, and traditional agriculture will come out superior. Sadly, it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t possible to practice truly traditional farming because the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agricultural system is geared for high-input agriculture, whether in its emphasis of hybrids or advice at Krishi Vigyan Kendras (agricultural science centres). Safe Harvest has a list of farmers who have undertaken to follow Non-Pesticide Management (NPM). They have to promise to abide by the entire protocol. There is a system of regular audits. A diary is maintained for each farmer. Are customers willing to spend more for organic? Big Basket, an online grocer, says it wants to be entirely organic as that is where fussy customers seem to be heading. But when it charged a premium, sales dropped, so it settled for a mark-up of about 10% over conventionally grown fruits and vegetables that account for the bulk of its sales. In January 2016, the prime minister declared Sikkim as a fully organic state, the only one in India. But a report in The Indian Express in October says its farmers have come to grief as they are being undercut by non-organic produce from West Bengal. A farm in Sikkim that yielded 40 quintals of tomatoes with chemical fertilisers is now giving 18-20 kg. The producer wanted at least `60 a kg, but with nonorganic tomatoes selling for less, he has very few buyers at that price. As a relatively isolated state, Sikkim has natural advantages for organic farming. But it will not be sustainable unless farmers profit from it. This has lessons for the agriculture ministry at the Centre which is pushing organic farming because it conjures up images of tradition and a pristine past. For the left parties, chemical equals corporate, which is a red rag. It is time to take the dogma out of agriculture and see it for what it is: a business and a livelihood. Chemical need not mean contaminated if protocols of use are observed. http://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/not-possible-to-practice-traditional-farming-in-india-anymore-hereis-why/925407/