9th february 2015 daily local regional global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter

February 09 , 2015 V o l u m e 5, Issue I



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Flavours of the Lesser Known

By SANGEETA CAVALE RADHAKRISHNA

Published: 07th February 2015 10:00 PM

Last Updated: 07th February 2015 12:45 PM

Ali Baba, a small cosy eating place in Frazer

Town, Bengaluru, is where you get some

Persian and Arabian food at reasonable prices.

But what its USP is that its young and handsome

owner, Shaad Hassan Damudi, is a Bhatkali

Muslim and serves up some authentic Bhatkali

food. Bhatkal is a small town in Southern

Karwar district of Karnataka and has a rich and

relatively unknown cultural and culinary

history. The Muslims there are called Navayaths

or new people. The Navayaths speak a dialect

called Navayathi which is a fusion of Sanskrit,

Persian, Arabic, Marathi, Hindustani with

Konkani as its base.

Traders from the Persian Gulf—namely Yemen, Iran and Iraq—who traded mainly in horses,

textiles, timber, gemstones and spices, eventually settled on the Konkan coast and contributed to

the cuisine that is a ménage of Indian, Persian and Arabic cultures.Shaad Hassan DamudiThe

most famous dish has got to be the delightful Bhatkali Biryani, half-cooked in steam. Damudi

uses Sella basmati rice which is an aged rice and is exported to the Middle East and hence not

available in India.

―We use a lot of browned onions and tomatoes, and a red chilli paste which add colour. Our

food is moderately spicy and whole garam masala is added to biryani which is layered with rice

and then the onion, tomato, ginger garlic and garam masala mixture,‖ says Damudi.Popular TV

foodies—Rocky and Mayur of Highway on my Plate fame—recently visited Ali Baba and

gorged on the Bhatkali food and featured it on one of their shows.The kadang fry is a must-try

for vegetarians, its sweet potatoes with the ubiquitous red chilli paste, an interesting blend of

sweet and spicy flavours.

The boneless chicken tikka cooked on a barbeque does remind me of tandoori chicken but the

red chilli paste gives it that distinctly Bhatkali flavour. The people here use vinegar made from

sugarcane which is used in salads as well as in finely cut onions as an accompaniment. The

predominant flavour of the Chicken Khurma at Ali Baba is sweet.True to its Indo-Persian

origins, this dish is creamy and smooth, thickened and enriched with cashew nut paste. However,

the addition of one quintessentially coastal south Indian ingredient—coconut milk—not only



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sweetens it, but also stamps it as a Navayathi.Gawa Shaiyo was a pleasant surprise. It is wheat

vermicelli with mutton in it.

The mutton is amazingly tender, delicately spiced, and enhanced by the nutty flavour of fried

wheat vermicelli. For those who thought vermicelli was used only in vegetarian dishes and to

make kheer, this should come as a delicious revelation.The piece de resistance is the vermicelli

chicken biryani which is simply mouth-watering, surprisingly light and does not need any

accompanying gravy or burhani or raita. ―This biryani is best when made with chicken and not

mutton,‖ says Damudi. The prawn fry is pretty crunchy being deep fried with a bit of cornflour

added, along with the red chilli paste.

Surprisingly, hardly any coconut is used in Bhatkali cuisine.Tausha sherbat is made with grated

cucumbers to which a wee bit of sugar is added. The cucumber releases its own water and this

delightfully and refreshing simple drink is ideal on a hot summer’s day. All you need is a spoon

to dig into it.The desserts are pretty exotic. One made from, hold your breath, dill leaves with

condensed milk and eggs reminds one of good old caramel custard. It is steamed and very tasty,

except for its light green colour!

The ambience is exotic with doors and other accessories from old homes in Bhatkal innovatively

used as table tops and decorative pieces. Pricing is reasonable and portions pretty generous.

Indian Express News

Teach kids to cook virtuous whole-grain rice

Feb 6, 2015

I have often declared that I hope to send my kids into the real world knowing how to cook

nourishing food that can be prepared with few kitchen tools, nominal time and a minimal budget.

One obvious place to begin is rice. I know it sounds boringly basic, but you would be surprised

by how many teenagers and young adults do not know how to cook rice — and how many more

believe it ...

Farmers across country welcome lower gas prices

Posted: Sunday, February 8, 2015 4:00 am

By Brian Fanney Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Falling energy prices mean tractors are cheaper to run, water is less

expensive to pump and crops are more economical to ship. Farmers are benefiting from the same

forces that have driven down gasoline prices, though falling gasoline prices take the cost of

ethanol — and the money farmers receive to grow corn — down with them.―It’s certainly a

benefit for one side,‖ said Matt King, director of market information and economics for Arkansas

Farm Bureau.



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―But it hinders the other side.‖In 2014, the average

Arkansas farmer spent about $61,000 on diesel fuel and

other energy sources to farm 1,000 acres of land. That’s

about 16 percent of the average farmer’s total operating

cost.Those numbers could fall substantially this

year.Diesel — which powers irrigation wells, trucks and

tractors — has been slower to decline in price than

gasoline. But since December, retail prices have dropped

from $3.61 a gallon to $2.93 a gallon, according to the

U.S. Energy Information Administration.Farmers use mostly off-road diesel, which they don’t

pay state and federal taxes on.

King said prices are now around $2 a gallon for that form of fuel.Rabobank, a global financial

services company with a focus on agriculture, said Wednesday that lower oil prices could have a

large enough impact to make a noticeable difference in supermarket prices.―The size of the drop

in oil prices combined with the already significantly lower prices of agri-commodities will place

substantial downward pressure on global food prices, possibly reaching multi-year lows,‖ said

Clara van der Elst, a Rabobank analyst, in a news release.Cheaper fuel could have a large impact

on rice growers. The average Arkansas rice farmer spent $127,000 — $93,000 to run irrigation

pumps and another $34,000 on diesel fuel to apply chemicals and fertilizer — for every 1,000

acres of land.In fact, rice farmers spend more than 21 percent of their operating costs on energy

— far more than other farmers — because of the amount of water that needs to be pumped from

the ground to grow the crop.

K. Bradley Watkins, research assistant professor of agricultural economics for the University of

Arkansas Rice Research and Extension Center, said many rice farmers have adapted to high

prices by moving from diesel to electric pumps.―There’s been a sizeable movement,‖ he said.

―When fuel costs really skyrocketed, especially for diesel, that’s when the transition really

started.‖Though lower fuel prices will help farmers control the cost of growing their crops, other

factors could mean farmers won’t see an increase in profit margins.King said fertilizer costs have

yet to fall, though it is made from natural gas, which has declined in price. And the dollar is

gaining strength while the economies of Canada and Mexico — the United States’ largest trading

partners — are hurting from low oil prices.

―Our dollar has been fairly weak over the last few years, but we’re starting to see it strengthen,‖

King said. ―As the dollar gets more expensive, other countries buy less of our product.‖

Ranjit rice productivity increases by 66 per cent

Submitted by Chandan Kumar Duarah on Mon, 09/02/2015 - 10:32

Ranjit, a high yielding rice variety developed by Assam Agricultural University

(AAU) have shown 66 per cent increase in productivity. Technology Showcasing Programme on

Seed Production of crops was undertaken recently in five villages of Assam in and around Khetri

and Kamrup districts. Hemchandra Saikia, a subject matter specialist in Agricultural Economics

revealed that Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Kamrup intervened by providing quality seed of Ranjit



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along with recommended doses of fertilizers and required technical helps in the form of advices

and training to villagers of Deulguri, Chitalpur, Khaloibari, Nuwagaon and Bhadarkuchi and the

result was an increase of 65.86 per cent in productivity.

The gross return increases by 148.79 per cent over the previous level of productivity and gross

return (before the intervention of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra's programme). The concept of the

programme of Technology Showcasing Programme on Seed Production of crops was

propounded by Dr. K. M. Bujarbaruah, the Vice Chancellor of AAU and under his leadership

and guidence the programme was materialised and yielded very encouraging result in other

districts of Assam also.It may be mentioned that the Regional Agricultural Research Station

(RARS) of Assam Agricultural University at Titabor has developed a submergence resistent gene

in rice variety of Ranjit recently which brings good harvest to flood-hit farmers offering great

relief to them.

RARS is a research institute of Assam Agriculture University in Jorhat and has been devoting for

better scientific cultivation and production for years.Flood-hit farmers have successfully

harvested from the submergence-resistant Suvarna Sub-1(SS-1) variety paddy in 2013. In 2009

for the first time farmers of the state had harvested the water-resistant variety SS-1 in the flood

prone areas. The successful experimentation with SS-1 encouraged the Agriculture Department

to promote the production of the variety on a wider scale since that year. Scientists, working with

drought and water submergence resistant properties, feel those should be instilled in other

popular rice varities in India like Sambha masuri, IR-64 etc.

The Indian Agricultural Research (ICAR) along with Manila-based International Rice Research

Institute (IRRI) is planning to come out with upgraded version of SS-1. The IRRI had released

the seed 'Suvarna Sub-1' developed by India in six countries that include Bangladesh, Nepal,

Cambodia and Myanmar.

http://www.assamtimes.org/node/12968#sthash.azUBsCyv.dpuf



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H1 rice import on meteoric rise Yasir Wardad

Rice import surged 440 per cent in the first half (H1) of the current financial year, traders said, in

a peculiar paradox while the government has opted for and already begun export of the

staple.Millers lament that the rice import on such a large scale is posing a serious threat to local

rice mills.

Food Ministry officials said the volume of imports in the July-January period of the current

financial year (FY'15) surpassed the overall import made in the FY '14.Bangladesh Bank's latest

data shows private traders imported rice worth $248.5 million (settled LCs) in July-December

period of the current fiscal. The figure was only $46.1 million in the corresponding period of the

FY '14.

The overall import of rice amounted to $377.22 million in the FY '14.The central-bank data

shows that private importers brought in rice worth $60 million just in December.An official at

the Directorate-General of Food (DGoF) said importers brought 0.72 million tonnes of rice in the

July-January period of the FY '15. The overall import in the FY '14 was 0.371 million

tonnes.Local millers have almost trembled down as nearly 60 per cent of mills were forced to

stop their operation in the peak 'rice-milling season' following the import coupled with the

ongoing political turmoil that severely hampered transportation, said leading mill owners.

Secretary of Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mills Owners' Association (BAMHMOA), the

biggest platform of the country's rice millers, KM Layek Ali said that the sector was in a big

trouble due to the import and the ongoing blockade. He pointed out that the government fixed Aman-rice price at Tk 33 per kilogram while the

importers brought rice at prices below Tk 27-28 per kg from India."The millers are facing an

uneven competition which may have a disastrous impact on market stability in future," he

said.He made a disconcerting disclosure that 60 per cent out of 20,000 mills across the country

stopped their operation. It will, in his assumption, have a serious impact on the market as prices

of the staple may shoot up significantly.Shahidur Rahman Patwary Mohan, an executive member

of BAMHMOA, said: "Apart from imports, the ongoing political turbulence also has battered our

business.

"He said in peak seasons like Boro and Aman farming, millers husk nearly 60,000 tonnes of

paddy per day (for three months) which has been reduced to just 15,000 tonnes.The milling crash

occurred as orders from Dhaka, Chittagong and elsewhere in the country are being cancelled in

fear of vandalism on highways. He said truck owners were not willing to run their vehicles and

the owners who were taking risks were charging double fares.

According to him, in addition to about 22 million farmers, nearly 7.0 million people are directly

involved with rice milling while another 4.0 million indirectly depend on it.The industry leader

said: "The mill owners and the workers are passing a tough time due to the imports and

blockades."Most of the mills depend on bank loans and count interest of 17-19 per cent which is

adjusted on a three-month basis.



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And "hundreds of millers will turn loan defaulters, if this present trend continues".Economist Dr

Md Enamul Hoque said the government should have checks and balances on local production,

supply and price trend before initiating a perfect rice import policy. "It is necessary to safeguard

the local rice mills which are the compulsory segment for ensuring food security in the

country."According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, overall rice production in the last

financial year (FY'14) was at an all-time high of 34.35 million tonnes against the local demand

for 31.0 million tonnes.

[email protected]

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2015/02/09/80249

Apapa Customs generates N301bn despite drop in rice

import BY OUR REPORTER ON FEBRUARY 9, 2015BUSINESSWEEK

BY UCHE USIM

The Apapa Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) recorded an impressive

revenue generation in 2014 after raking in a total of N301,272,187,970.The command, dubbed

the flagship of the NCS, was able to beat its 2013 record of N230,505,251,443 despite the fact

that it had literally lost its major revenue generating artery being duties collected from imported

rice.At a stakeholders meeting held recently in Apapa Lagos, the command was extolled for

having performed well by rapidly strengthening its revenue generation from other commodities

other than rice.

It was also urged to sustain the tempo in the prompt issuance of the Pre-Arrival Assessment

Report (PAAR) after surmounting the initial hiccups it faced when the service was introduced.It

would be recalled that when the Federal Government announced a 110 per cent hike in rice

duties and charges early last year, the Apapa command appeared to be the worst hit as revenue

from rice hitherto accounted for over 90 per cent of the funds it generated, diminished.According

to the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Apapa Area 1 Command, Charles Edike, officers and

men had to work hard to enhance revenue generated and collected from other items to make up

for the shortfall.

―In 2013, our revenue from rice was N4,075,478,164 representing 1.77 per cent, while other

commodities stood at N226,429,777,279 representing 98.2 per cent of the revenue bringing the

total to N230,505,251,443. But in 2014, revenue from rice was N36,183,325,725 representing

12.06 per cent, while revenue from other commodities was N265,088,862,245 representing 87.9

per cent. The total revenue was N301,272,187,970,‖ he explained.Aside the improved revenue,

Edike said the command also transferred a total of 55,002 containers to less busy terminals

across the country to avoid congestion in the Lagos ports and to facilitate trade via swift cargo

clearing processes.Bond containers transferred stood at 12,963, while stemmed containers were

42,039.Among the items transferred during the year under consideration, according to him,

include 1,516,134,417 metric tonnes of crude palm, 478 vehicles, 15,072 coils and 11,095

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2015/02/09/80249

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?author=2

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?cat=26



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bundles of various items transferred to 23 terminals/commands across the country.Some of the

beneficiary commands were Kano, Kaduna, Oyo, Ogun, Calabar, Onne, Lilypond, KLT, Tin

Can. EMPCO, LFTZ, Stallion and Fano.In the area of discipline, the Apapa CAC said about four

Assistant Comptrollers of Customs were sent out of the command for indulging in

unprofessional conducts.―Last year in Apapa, about four Assistant Comptrollers were sent out of

the command because they delayed. In terms of trade facilitation; in Apapa, we have a target to

meet every month but we didn’t use that as an excuse to delay and to keep people’s cargoes. We

made efforts to move containers to less busy terminals.―At the same time, we must also generate

revenue for government. We cannot because of trade facilitation let government revenue drop,‖

he stated.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=103832

Investors eye Myanmar's rich potential for rice growing

PETCHANET PRATRUANGKRAI

THE NATION February 9, 2015 1:00 am

MYANMAR may go back to being one of the world's major rice exporters in five to 10 years, as

many Thai and foreign investors are looking to expand in rice mills and farms in the

country.Thai traders and experts all believe that Myanmar has great potential to become a major

rice producer in the near future because it has plenty of land with good quality soil for raising

rice, abundant water and a strategic location for distributing rice.

ichai Sriprasert, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said last week that

some rice millers and exporters have started exploring Myanmar to establish mills and parboiled

rice processing plants after realising the country's potential to produce large quantities of the

commodity for export. "Thai investors are studying Myanmar's investment laws and regulations.

Once all issues are clarified, they can start investing in a few years," he said. Most investors are

considering setting up large-scale rice mills to make their investment worthwhile.

To build a large mill that processes up to 500 tonnes of rice a year, an investment of up to Bt300

million is required, not including the cost of land. The areas that Thai rice traders are eyeing are

around Yangon and in rice-growing areas along major rivers in Myanmar, such as the

Ayeyarwaddy River and Bago, which flows through the central region, the Thanlwin or Salween

River, which connects to Thailand, and the Sittaung River, which lies in the east-central part of

the country. Besides the existing rice growing areas, 40 million to 50 million rai of land in the

country could be developed and promoted for growing rice.Other foreign investors that are also

keen on investing in the farming industry, including rice, come from mainland China, Japan and

Korea, and from the Middle East.

Myanmar used to be the world's largest rice supplier before the 1980s. However, after the

military government closed the country, local farmers shunned rice, as the returns became less

attractive. However, to invest in rice or other farming businesses, Thai companies need to form a

joint venture with local operators, as local farming businesses are restricted to only Myanmar

citizens.

Chareon Laothammatas, president of the association, said that with the food security policy of

many foreign governments, many rice importing countries are looking to expand to developing

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=103832



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countries including Myanmar and other countries in Asean.According to the US Department of

Agriculture, Myanmar is projected to export 1.3 million-1.5 million tonnes of rice this year, up

from about 1.3 million tonnes last year.

In 2014-15, rice production in Myanmar is forecast to increase by 1 per cent to 12.16 million

tonnes in anticipation of continued expansion of the growing area. The construction of eight

dams, which were targeted to be completed last year, and the renovation of drainage canals in

flood zones and deep-water areas in the Ayeyarwaddy region, are likely to increase the planting

acreage for dry season rice.Aat Pisanwanich, director of the Centre for International Trade

Studies, said Myanmar is one of the high-potential countries that have attracted the interest of

many Thai investors and rice is one of the potential businesses.

Rice production in Myanmar is cheaper than in Thailand, while Myanmar has many positive

factors including plenty of space, water supply and a location to support rice growing and

exporting.The study found the cost of rice production in Myanmar is about Bt7,122 per rai, and

could be lower after state dams are built and operating.The centre's study also forecast that

Thailand would lose a total of Bt87.5 billion (or Bt8.7 billion per year) in rice exports to 2022 if

a serious effort is not made to develop the industry.

The Thai share of the world market is tipped to drop to 2.3 per cent from 2.5 per cent last year.

The lost market share will go to neighbouring countries - Vietnam and Myanmar. Thailand's

market share in Asia would slump from 1.3 per cent in 2013 to just 0.3 per cent in 10 years

because other rice-exporting nations - mainly Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar - will play a

more significant role in supplying the continental market.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Investors-eye-Myanmars-rich-potential-for-rice-gro-

30253650.html

ICAR- Central Rice Research Institute recruitment: walk-in

interview TAGS:ICARCentral Rice Research InstituteWalk-in interviewapplyCRRI

ICAR-CRRI recruitment 2015

ICAR- Central Rice Research Institute is conducting walk-in

interviews for the recruitment against the post of Senior

Research Fellow. The candidates will be serving on

temporary basis. The interview is scheduled to be held on

February 18, 2015 at 10 am. The project to work on is 'All

India Network Project on Soil Biodiversity- Biofertilisers.'

Post details

Total post: 1

Name of the post: Senior Research Fellow

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Investors-eye-Myanmars-rich-potential-for-rice-gro-30253650.html

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Investors-eye-Myanmars-rich-potential-for-rice-gro-30253650.html

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/advanced_search.jsp?searchword=ICAR&searchtype=text&search_type=article

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/advanced_search.jsp?searchword=ICAR&searchtype=text&search_type=article

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/advanced_search.jsp?searchword=Walk-in%20interview&searchtype=text&search_type=article

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/advanced_search.jsp?searchword=Walk-in%20interview&searchtype=text&search_type=article

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/advanced_search.jsp?searchword=CRRI&searchtype=text&search_type=article


www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine Page

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Pay scale: The candidates will be paid Rs 16,000-18,000 per month.

Eligibility Criteria

Educational Quailification Must possess M.sc in Agriculture or Botany with specialisation in Plant Pathology/Microbiology

from a recognised university or institute.

Other Qualification

Research search in root endophytes and working knowledge of computers are desirable.

Age The age of the candidate should not have exceeded 35 years. Relaxation will be given as per the

rules.

Selection Procedure

The candidates will be selected based on their performance in the interview.

How to apply

Candidates have to appear for the walk-in interview scheduled on February 18, 2015 at 10 am at

CRURRS, Hazaribag 825301, Jharkhand.

Candidates have to bring four copies of resume with original certificates and attested

photocopies of certificates and documents and passport size photograph.

Important Date

Walk-in interview is on February 18, 2015 at 10 am. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/story/icar-central-rice-research-institute-is-hiring/1/417585.html

Goals of rice subsidy plan not achieved’

The Star/Asia News NetworkSaturday, Feb 07, 2015

KUALA LUMPUR - The rice subsidy programme,

which is aimed at benefiting the lower income group,

has failed to achieve its intended objectives, said

Malaysia Rice Wholesalers' Association president Ng

Chee Len. He said the 15 per cent broken rice, which is

sold at a controlled price of RM1.65 (S$0.62) per kg,

could hardly be found in the market nowadays."The

poor people have not managed to buy the subsidised rice

any more," he added.

Ng said that although it was a good plan implemented by the Government in 2008, it had

somehow become less effective in fulfilling its aims due to poor administration.He claimed that

the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry had granted much of the quota to "the people

outside the industry", who would then resell the rice at a higher price, since three years



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ago.According to Sin Chew Daily, a report was lodged with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption

Commission yesterday over alleged corruption in the subsidy policy.

The Malay Rice Millers' Association vice-president Marzukhi Othman has urged the

Government to come out with a comprehensive mechanism to ensure that the subsidised rice

goes to the deserving group.Asked on the MACC report lodged earlier, he said he was not aware

of it or whether it involved its members. However, he called on the commission to conduct a

thorough investigation into the report.The subsidy programme in aid of the lower income group,

in which the Government subsidises 60,000 tonnes of rice monthly at a cost of RM750 per tonne,

costs some RM500mil a year.

http://business.asiaone.com/personal-finance/%E2%80%98goals-rice-subsidy-plan-not-achieved%E2%80%99#sthash.3Y43ofCI.dpuf

Conviron Part of New State-of-Art Rice Research Facility in

Philippines

LAGUNA, Philippines, January

27, 2015 – A groundbreaking

ceremony at the International

Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

compound was conducted to

signal the beginning of

construction of a $10-million

modern research facility to help

scientists prepare rice for

climate change.A major section

of this state-of-art facility will

house several controlled

environments including the

installation of 18 Conviron plant growth chambers and rooms. In addition to these units, the

building will also include glasshouses, storage facilities, plant processing and potting

laboratories. This equipment will be integral in providing rice scientists and producers with the

information to enhance rice production and ensure environmental sustainability.

About Conviron

Conviron is the world’s largest designer and supplier of plant growth chambers and rooms.

Leading universities, government agencies and agricultural biotech companies around the globe

use the highly engineered products to solve many of today’s challenges in food production and

safety. Headquartered with design and manufacturing facilities in Winnipeg, Canada, it employs

a global sales and distribution network with offices in the US, Europe, Australia and China.

For more information, contact:

http://business.asiaone.com/personal-finance/%E2%80%98goals-rice-subsidy-plan-not-achieved%E2%80%99#sthash.3Y43ofCI.dpuf

http://www.rappler.com/science-nature/82103-lloyd-evans-facility-irri-climate-change



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Michael Robbie

Director of Marketing

[email protected]

P 204.786.6451

www.conviron.com

Climate-ready rice lab to rise in Laguna

Poised to become one of the most modern research facilities in the world, it will help scientists

prepare rice for climate change

Pia Ranada

Published 6:02 PM, Jan 27, 2015

Updated 6:02 PM, Jan 27, 2015

NEW FACILITY. The Lloyd T Evans Plant Growth Facility will feature the latest technology

to help scientists make rice ready for the worst of climate change. Pia Ranada/Rappler

LAGUNA, Philippines – Scientists and government officials led the

groundbreaking ceremony for a new research facility that will be devoted to studying the impacts

of climate change on agriculture.The ceremony took place on Tuesday, January 27, inside the

International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) compound where the building will rise.Named the

Lloyd T. Evans Plant Growth Facility, it is set to become a "state-of-the-art" building with 8

controlled-environment glasshouses, plant growth chambers, and plant processing and potting

laboratories. But the facility's most dominant feature will be a large seed processing and storage

facility.The construction of the $10-million facility, named after a world-renowned Australian

plant physiologist, was funded by the Australian government. It is expected to be operational by

the end of 2015, said IRRI Deputy Director General for Research Matthew Morell.

Although there are similar controlled-environment laboratories in Australia and Europe, this new

IRRI facility "will be one of the most modern," said Morell.What sets it apart are the latest in

sensor technology, computing power for collecting data and more precise controls for changing

environmental parameters. It is also one of the few facilities to be fine-tuned for rice

research.Equipped with such technology, the facility will allow scientists to study how rice is



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affected by changes in the environment. "It's important for us to predict future climates and

prepare plants or rice crops so they can flourish in those environments," said Morell.

Predicting nature

The controlled-environment glasshouses and plant growth chambers will enable researchers to

manipulate temperature, relative humidity, light intensity, photoperiod systems, water

management systems, and precise control of atmospheric gases.This would give them a more

accurate picture of how rice plants would be affected by wide-ranging environments, even the

extreme environments that may become the norm in a world with a rapidly changing climate.


Top PH biologist: Tech, data help us understand species better

New York University dean for science Michael Purugganan talks about mapping genes and

genomes and shares insights about evolution and how it helps us understand the world

Shaira Panela Published 10:55 AM, Feb 04, 2015

Updated 10:55 AM, Feb 04, 2015

MANILA, Philippines – The marriage of sophisticated computing technology and the abundance

of data in genomics is now allowing us to rethink how species – even our own – have evolved, a

top Filipino scientist said.

http://www.conviron.com/new-state-of-art-rice-research-facility-in-philippines

New York University (NYU) dean for science Michael Purugganan. File photo by Shaira Panela

In his brief visit to the Philippines, New York University (NYU)

dean for science Michael Purugganan still found time to talk to

Filipino students about mapping genes and genomes and share

his insights about evolution and how it helps us understand the

world."In 20 years, we've gone from getting data from single

genes to now looking at whole genomes in trying to understand

the same question.

Now we much have a larger set of data to answer the questions we've had," Purugganan said

during his talk at the auditorium of Institute of Biology in the University of the Philippines in

Diliman (UP Diliman) on January 30.He added, "Science is not only progressing in technology

but in our expectations on what it takes to advance science."Purugganan is one of the world's




14


leading biologists in plant genomics, a discipline in genetics that deals with the sequencing,

assembling, and analysis of the complete set of DNA within a single cell of an organism. The

complete set of DNA refers to the genome.A major part of Purugganan's research is on rice, a

staple food eaten by at least half of the world's population, including Filipinos."I am interested in

the diversification of rice species in different land types and how these things evolve," said

Purugganan. Among his current research interests is studying the evolutionary forces that act in

plant adaptation.Purugganan was asked about the relevance or relation of his studies to efforts to

develop climate-resistant rice varieties at the International Rice Research Institute (IRR) in Los

Baños, Laguna, and other rice-producing countries.

He replied: "What we're trying to do is to study rice adaptation in different ecological areas.

What we want to do is try to understand that. In trying to understand the genes, then we'll

understand how to make rice to adapt in different environments."Purugganan also shared his

fascination with the Banaue Rice Terraces and on growing upland rice.He briefly mentioned

some heirloom rice varieties in Banaue which they included in some of their genome mapping

projects such as tinawon and pinidwa.Tinawon is a variety of rice that thrives in a higher

elevation, takes a long time to flower, and could only be planted and harvested once a year.

Meanwhile, pinidwa could be planted and harvested twice a year.

Purugganan, his colleagues at his laboratory, and his other collaborators have mapped over a

hundred varieties of rice grown in different parts of the world.In 2011, a study he was a part of

was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). His team

found that rice varieties might have originated from the Yangtze Valley in China, contrary to

previous studies indicating two origins: India and China.Meanwhile, one of his most recent

works on rice was published in August 2014 in the journalNature Genetics.

It tackles mainly the cultivation (domestication) of African rice (Oryza glaberrima) and how its

evolution is parallel to the Asian rice species Oryza sativa.Purugganan also touched on other

evolution-related topics such as agriculture, especially plant domestication, and how it could be

studied using genomics, as well as his laboratory's researches on date palms and rafflesia.

Purugganan obtained his bachelor's degree from the University of the Philippines in 1985, and

has moved to the United States since to pursue graduate studies.He is part of the international

scientific advisory board of the Philippine Genome Center (PGC), a multi-disciplinary research

unit of UP Diliman, which organized the UP Diliman event. – Rappler.com

http://www.rappler.com/science-nature/life-health/82871-biologist-michael-purugganan-talk-genetics

http://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2011/05/02/rices-origins-point-to-china-genome-researchers-conclude.html

http://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2011/05/02/rices-origins-point-to-china-genome-researchers-conclude.html

http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/v46/n9/full/ng.3071.html

http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/v46/n9/full/ng.3071.html

http://www.rappler.com/science-nature/life-health/82871-biologist-michael-purugganan-talk-genetics



15


Take Sierra Club's agriculture policy off the menu

It’s no secret that the Sierra Club has long-since moved from worshipping the conservationist

vision of the organization’s founder, John Muir, to bowing before the altar of green druids.

Reading the Sierra Club Agriculture and Food Policy Task Force’s recommendations for

updating the group’s agriculture policy only reinforces this fact.The new agenda looks more

PETA-lite than conservation-minded. According to the Task Force, ―minimizing the production

and consumption of domestic animals‖ is necessary to stop global warming. The claim is

questionable: An oft-cited U.N. report claiming animal agriculture produced more greenhouse

gases than transportation conflicts with U.S. government statistics. (It seems that U.S. farmers

are much more efficient than their Third World counterparts. Who would’ve thought?)

The Task Force may have called for winding down of meat and cheese production and

consumption, but what of the group’s patron saint? According to an article on Sierra Club’s

website entitled ―John Muir’s Menu,‖ Muir did not shy away from eating meat. Quite the

contrary: On an expedition to Mt. Whitney, Muir and his companions brought ―a block of beef

about four inches in diameter,‖ he enjoyed eating ―veritable feast[s] of clam chowder, fired

porpoise, bacon and beans, [and] savory meat,‖ and grew up enjoying ―mutton for lunch.‖Sierra

Club’s Task Force goes on to ―call for a ban on the planting of all transgenic crops (whether or

not currently approved by the FDA).

‖ In other words, Sierra Club is advocating for a ban of all genetically modified organisms

(GMOs). This despite the fact that these genetically improved foods can allow farmers to

drastically decrease their use of pesticides and help stave off the starvation and malnutrition that

so often plague the developing world.Take for example the case of Golden Rice. Golden Rice,

developed by the nonprofit International Rice Research Institute, is a type of rice being grown in

the Philippines and endowed with genes from corn and a bacterium that allow it to produce

vitamin A.Well, in the Philippines, like many other areas of the world, a lack of vitamin A

causes blindness in up to a half-million children each year.

By genetically improving rice, a product eaten daily by half the world’s population, the welfare

of countless people will be increased.If malnourishing millions isn’t bad enough, prohibiting

GMOs might actually raise carbon emissions. A recent survey by the International Service for

the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) found that in 2011, GMO cultivation

reduced greenhouse emissions by the equivalent of 23 billion kilograms of carbon dioxide.It’s

clear that Sierra Club’s Agriculture and Food Policy Task Force is little more than one more

example of the organization embracing an ever-more radical agenda.

http://www.leaderandtimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19973:take-sierra-clubs-agriculture-policy-

off-the-menu&catid=29:opinion&Itemid=58

Traders eye deals at Gulfood 2015

Five-day show attracts 4,800 companies from across the world By Sarah Algethami, Staff ReporterPublished: 14:44 February 8, 2015Gulf News

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http://www.leaderandtimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19973:take-sierra-clubs-agriculture-policy-off-the-menu&catid=29:opinion&Itemid=58

http://www.leaderandtimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19973:take-sierra-clubs-agriculture-policy-off-the-menu&catid=29:opinion&Itemid=58



16


Image Credit: Zarina Fernandes/ Gulf News

Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum

inaugurated Gulfood 2015 yesterday. Many

exhibitors are looking for distributors — not

just from the UAE, but from other countries

in the region.Dubai: Professionals from the

food and hospitality industries gathered at the

Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) on

Sunday as Gulfood 2015 kicked off. The food

and hospitality trade show, which runs until

Thursday, has attracted 4,800 companies

from across the world, including Saudi

Arabia, India, Pakistan, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and France, among

other countries.

The event was opened by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and

Minister of Finance.Some of the exhibiting companies include IFFCO, Al Ghurair Foods, Al

Maya Trading, and Aujan Industries. They displayed a range of products, such as meat, fruits

and vegetables, chocolates, ice cream, juice and kitchen equipment.Many exhibitors attended the

show to look for distributors — not just from the UAE, but from regional countries.The UAE is a

hub for re-exports, which makes it attractive for international companies that want to extend their

operations in regional countries, beyond the UAE, said Hemen Shah, partner at Shah Brothers,

an Indian tea exporter.

―The [re-export] process is so mechanised and fast due to the support of the government and the

port infrastructure,‖ he said.Shah said that he is looking for buyers at Gulfood that want to buy

his company’s tea in bulk. His company exports between ―25 and 30 million kilograms‖ of tea

annually to countries including the UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Iran and Lebanon, among

others.Echoing Shah’s views, M.A. Basit, export manager at Pakistan-based Basmati rice

exporter, Guard, said he is looking for local and regional distributors.Basit, who exports

packaged rice, said that the drop in the price of rice has brought challenges for his business.―Rice

prices are going down. We are a little bit affected because India is more competitive with its

prices. akistani Basmati rice is priced at an average of $1,000 [Dh3,670] per tonne, but in India,

it is $100-$150 less,‖ he said. The company’s top importers are the Gulf countries, Europe and

North America, he said.

Adding to portfolio

In a nearby hall, Hussain Abdullah, executive manager at Habtoor International, a Dubai-based

catering equipment company, said that he is looking to add new brands and products to his

company’s portfolio.Habtoor International, which sells equipment to fast food and casual dining



17


restaurants, saw a 15 per cent growth in sales in 2014 over the previous year, helped by the

opening of new restaurants in the UAE. Abdullah said that this was supported by the rising

number of tourists in the country.

Aside from the exhibition, Gulfood will host a variety of conferences, starting Monday.The Halal

Investment Conference, for one, will discuss business opportunities in the global halal market

and the role of halal in Dubai’s vision to be the capital of the Islamic economy.Meanwhile, the

World Food Security Summit will highlight food security concerns in the region.Also, the Food

Franchising Forum will discuss ways companies can create a successful franchise.Gulfood is

expected to attract 80,000 visitors.

Sánchez Overpopulation and poverty

By Benedicto Q Sánchez

Monday, February 9, 2015

WITH the age of the Internet and social media, we can add to the environmental slogan, ―Think

globally, act locally‖ we can add ―connect‖ so that what’s local can become global. I received an

email addressed to Sun.Star Davao and cc’d to me from a Rowland ―Slow‖ Lane Anderson, a

Davao-based American permaculturist and a disabled veteran and senior from Santa Barbara,

California.He wrote: ―Thank you for the articles (referring to the Pope’s climate-change stand

deepens conservatives’ distrust on the Pope’s position on climate change that SSD published). I

agree absolutely that it is man-made and a result of a ―culture of waste.’‖

Mr. Anderson shared his experiences going around the country. ―As I traveled the country

pitching integrated rice duck farming (IRDF) to priests, educators and government officials, I

was impressed with the farmers, who have increased food production every year both in total and

by hectare, despite typhoons and disasters according to the International Rice Research

Institute.‖

He admitted that ―My own demonstration of IRDF at the Eco Farm of the Divine Word College

of Mindoro was less than successful due to my own ignorance of rice and ducks but many

farmers are having success throughout the Philippines and the world.‖I can connect with Mr.

Anderson’s experience. My learning curve on organic agriculture came not just from theories but

based on the successes – and failures – in working with mountain organic farmers.

However, the meat of his email to Sun.Star Davao and to me was to express his agreement with

Pope Francis on his upcoming encyclical that will touch on the UN talks in Paris and should

―include working for population stability. This should be key in safeguarding creation and

ensuring less poverty.‖Mr. Anderson went on: ―The Philippines recently celebrated exceeding

one hundred million population. With a land mass about half the size of the US state of Montana

(population one million), it has the fastest growing population in Asia.‖

That would be partially correct. According to Honolulu-based East-West Center’s Population,

Natural Resources, and Environment report, between 2000 and 2050, populations are expected to

―double or nearly double in Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Cambodia, and Laos.



18


Growth rates will also be particularly high in India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Mongolia,

Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam.‖

Mr. Anderson went on: ―The number of jobs available and the number of educated Filipinos

have also increased every year but so does the number of poor people. More Filipinos live in

poverty today than ever before. With GDP, food production and jobs all increasing every year,

why the increase in poverty? The answer of course is over population, the numbers born exceed

the increases in jobs, food and revenue.‖That is an assertion, unfortunately not backed with facts.

I came from a family of six, large by today’s standards. My maternal cousins grew up with nine

or twelve siblings. Yet none of us grew up poor. My sister Rorie has six kids who are

professionals or are studying in the best Metro Manila schools.

On a macro level, countries with the biggest populations include China (1), India (2), the USA

(3), Brazil (5), and Japan (10). These are also countries with the highest economic growth.What

countries have the highest population density? The Southeast countries or cities with the densest

population as of 2007 are Macau at 18,534 people per square kilometer; second is Singapore,

with 7,148; third, Hong Kong at 6,349; South Korea, ranked at 23rd, at 487. The Philippines

ranked at 45th.

These countries became prosperous because of sound economic policies on industrialization and

trade. And yes, good governance. Population policy played a supporting role.In 2025, more than

half of national populations will be urban in Brunei, China, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan,

Malaysia, Mongolia, North Korea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, and

Turkmenistan. Can increasing urbanization lessen poverty as experienced by countries (China,

Japan, Malaysia, and yes, the Philippines) in this list?

APEDA News Today

Today's Leads

Seller Leads Buyer Leads

Market Watch

Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 08-02-2015

Domestic Prices Unit Price : Rs/Qtl

Product Market Center Variety Min

Price Max Price

http://agriexchange.apeda.gov.in/tradeleads/BuysellArchives.aspx?buysell=sell

http://agriexchange.apeda.gov.in/tradeleads/BuysellArchives.aspx?buysell=buy



19


Rice

1 Bonai (Orissa) Other 2000 2400

2 Panisagar (Tripura) Other 2350 2450

3 Bolpur (West Bengal) Other 2340 2400

Wheat

1 Kadi (Gujarat) Other 1500 1725

2 Katol (Maharashtra) Other 1401 1619

3 Bolpur (West Bengal) Other 1550 1650

Apple

1 Barnala (Punjab) Other 6500 8500

2 Vikasnagar(Uttrakhand) Other 4000 4500

Cucumbar

1 Satara (Maharashtra) Other 2500 3000

2 Angul (Orissa) Other 2400 2800

3 Bharuch (Gujarat) Other 700 1200

Source: agmarknet for more products

Egg Rs per 100 No.

Price on 07-02-2015

Product Market Center Price

1 Ahmedabad 306

2 Chennai (CC) 305

3 Nagapur 283

http://agriexchange.apeda.gov.in/ind_prices/ind_prices.aspx



20


Source: e2necc.com

International Benchmark Price

Price on: 06-02-2015

Product Benchmark Indicators Name Price

Walnuts

1 Californian large light pieces, EXW UK (USD/t) 11884

2 Californian light halves 80%/pieces, EXW UK

(USD/t) 13530

Raisins

1 Californian Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK

(USD/t) 2558

2 South African Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK

(USD/t) 2320

Guar Gum Powder

1 Indian 100 mesh 3500 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 4680

2 Indian 200 mesh 3500 cps basis, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 2000

Source:agra-net for more products

Other International Prices Unit Price : US$ / package

Price on 06-02-2015

Product Market Center Origin Variety Low High

Onions Dry Package: 40 lb cartons

1 Atlanta Peru Yellow 17 19.50

2 Baltimore Peru Yellow 18 20

http://e2necc.com/

http://agriexchange.apeda.gov.in/int_prices/international_price.aspx



21


3 Chicago Washington Yellow 24.50 25.50

Cauliflower Package: 20 1-lb film bags

1 Atlanta California Baby Peeled 18.50 21

2 Dallas California Baby Peeled 17 17.50

3 Dallas Arizona Baby Peeled 20 20

Grapes Package: 18 lb containers bagged

1 Atlanta Chile Black Seedless 26 26

2 Baltimore Chile Black Seedless

Mounting threats from climate change Ahmad Fraz Khan

The year 2014 was the hottest ever since humans started

monitoring weather conditions in the year 1880, according to four

international agencies monitoring global temperature trends.These

four agencies are: two US (NASA and National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration), one Japanese (Japan Meteorological

Agency) and Australian Bureau of Meteorology.The year has

surpassed all previous scorchers — 1998, 2005, and 2010. More

worryingly, except for 1998, as per NASA’s claim, all 10 hottest

years recorded in human history came in the first 14 years of the current century.

Fortunately, the major rise in temperature was occasional, and soil, by and large, escaped the

impact. However, it was fourth hottest year for the land as well. For scientists, another concern

was the absence of El Niño (which usually accelerates the already up-trend in global average

temperature) in 2014. This year (2015), El Niño is part of meteorological forecast, which may

improve the heat record further this year.

The report complicates things for agri-businesses around the globe. The US Security and

Exchange Commission has told big food and agri chains to regularly furnish reports of global

warming impact on their businesses to their investors on stock exchanges. If the agri-businesses

start suffering, as fears are — the extent of impact is though still being debated between

companies and investors — the farmers and farming would be first to feel the heat, and it would

be especially true for countries like Pakistan.

________________________________________

http://www.dawn.com/news/1162333/mounting-threats-from-climate-change

http://www.dawn.com/authors/126/dawnahmadfrazkhan



22


These extreme weather events could cause a direct loss of 2-30pc in agricultural yields —

depending on the severity of the event in a particular year, say researchers

________________________________________

The report has not come in a vacuum for Pakistan. Its own official agencies have also been

studying the trend (variations in temperature and frequency and severity of weather-related

events) and have drawn almost similar conclusion that organisations around the world are

warning of.

Two years ago, the Federal Ministry for Environment, in its report — vulnerability to climate

change threats — identified a series of such pressures that farming in Pakistan would face due to

changing weather patterns. It identified nine areas, where they would impact human life in the

country.

Out of the nine areas, where, according to report, threat perception was increasing, six were

directly related to agriculture. They included considerable rise in frequency and intensity of

extreme weather events (droughts, floods, un-timely and heavy rains); recession of glaciers due

to global warming and carbon soot deposits from trans-boundary pollution; increased silt in dams

caused by frequent, flash and intense floods; increased temperature resulting in enhanced heat-

and water-stressed conditions, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions; intrusion of saline water

in the Indus delta, threatening coastal agriculture and mangroves and tension between upper and

lower riparian in water stress periods. These were on the top of carbonaceous filth that, it

warned, has started mixing into Indus water, pouring in from glaciers, and would have hazardous

consequences for life of every kind in the water ways. The activity was noted on all three

mountain ranges — the Hindukush, the Karakoram and the Himalaya — that feed Pakistani

rivers.

According to researchers, these extreme weather events could cause a direct loss of two to 30pc

in agricultural yields — depending on the severity of the event in a particular year — and it

would be especially true for cereals (wheat, rice and maize). Given Pakistan’s increasing

population at almost unknown rate, the country needs an annual increase of 5-10pc in those

cereals for its own food security, leave alone exploring exports potential. This would be a

herculean task, given Pakistan’s archaic technological and farming practices. In the last ten

years, the frequency of flash floods, extreme rains, severe droughts, shifting of monsoon season,

which gives Pakistan 80pc of its irrigation water and matures water-loving crops like rice, is

increasing and threatening crops like never before.

All the climatic changes documented by different federal, provincial and academic agencies need

to form basis of planning for agriculture for the next few decades. The agriculture pattern and

practices, as we know them for the last few millenniums, are bound to undergo changes because

of weather factors.The world is trying to adjust to these new realities by measuring the rate of

change, and then developing policy and technological responses to those changes. Pakistan

cannot be an exception. The scientists insist that rice is already suffering in quality and quantity

due to temperature variations, along with other factors.

Published in Dawn, Economic & Business, February 9th, 2015

http://www.dawn.com/news/1162333/mounting-threats-from-climate-change

9th february 2015 daily local regional global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

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