Sun Valley Rice's Christine Birdsong Appointed as New

Undersecretary of California Department of Food & Agriculture

By Ali Cox

SACRAMENTO, CA -- California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office has appointed Christine

(Christy) Birdsong to serve as Undersecretary of the California Department of Food and
Agriculture (CDFA) on October 8, 2021.

Christine Birdsong

Since 2016, Birdsong has been general counsel to The Sun Valley Rice Company, LLC, where
she handles corporate legal issues, state and federal regulatory compliance, and assists in
industry and government affairs. In addition, Birdsong has represented Sun Valley Rice on the
USA Rice Regulatory Affairs & Food Safety Committee.“Christy has twenty years of experience
navigating complex regulatory environments on behalf of industry and agriculture,” said Ken
LaGrande, Sun Valley Rice CEO. “Her real-world, practical expertise with water, labor,
legislative, and trade issues will be invaluable. We’re so pleased to send her to the CDFA with
deep insights into the rice industry. She will be an extraordinary partner to my friend Karen
Ross.”
Birdsong will be reporting to Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and
Agriculture, to address the challenges facing one of the state’s greatest economic contributors.

“Serving as general counsel and director of human relations for Sun Valley Rice has provided a
deep understanding of the unique obstacles and opportunities agricultural businesses face,” said
Birdsong. “I look forward to applying the learnings gained in the rice industry towards my work
as undersecretary of the CDFA.”

Prior to Sun Valley Rice, Birdsong was general counsel for the National Cotton Council of
America from 2011 to 2016, counsel for the Committee on Agriculture for the United States
House of Representatives from 2005 to 2010, and federal government affairs leader for CropLife
America from 2004 to 2005.Birdsong earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of
California, Hastings College of the Law. Birdsong’s last day with Sun Valley Rice will be
Friday, October 15, 2021.

USA Rice Daily

Students Get Smart About U.S. Rice

By Kane Webb

CROWLEY, LA -- Every year during the third week of October, the town of Crowley,
Louisiana, stops everything they’re doing to celebrate all things R-I-C-E at the International Rice
Festival. The festival starts today and runs through the weekend but a group of local elementary
students got a jump on the festivities with a rice production tutorial that made a special visit to
their school.
Show-and-tell with

LSU's Dr. Adam Famoso

The second-grade class at St. Michael’s Catholic School has devoted this week to studying the
grain that has been the backbone of this area’s economy for more than a hundred years, learning
about research being done at the Louisiana State University (LSU) Rice Research Station,
meeting farmers who grow the crop, the importance of local rice mills, and the need for support
of affiliated industries such as equipment dealers. These second graders are studying it all.

Monday kicked off with a presentation by Dr. Adam Famoso of the LSU Rice Research Station
about rice breeding and how and why this work is so important. Dr. Famoso brought real rice
plants so the students could see them firsthand and learn about different rice varieties and their
different characteristics.

Local producers Robbie Broussard and Christian Richard helped students plant their own rice
seeds while learning step-by-step the processes that go into an annual crop.

Sunshine Quality Solutions, a farm equipment supplier in southern Louisiana, parked a combine
and grain cart in front of the school and students lined up to climb aboard. As you might guess, it
was a big hit! For many, it was their first time sitting inside a tractor cab.
 “This week allows those of us in the local rice industry to tell our story to these students, our
future consumers,” said Julie Richard, who farms with her husband Christian near Kaplan. “We
also connect with the future of our industry. Who knows, there may be a future rice breeder, an
engineer who designs tractors for John Deere, or the next group of producers right here at this
school. This is another crop for us as we, representing the U.S. rice industry, have planted seeds
in the minds of seven-year-olds. Let’s hope they grow!”

‫۔‬

Students Get Smart About U.S. Rice

By Kane Webb

CROWLEY, LA -- Every year during the third week of October, the town of Crowley,
Louisiana, stops everything they’re doing to celebrate all things R-I-C-E at the International Rice
Festival. The festival starts today and runs through the weekend but a group of local elementary
students got a jump on the festivities with a rice production tutorial that made a special visit to
their school.

Show-and-tell with

LSU's Dr. Adam Famoso

The second-grade class at St. Michael’s Catholic School has devoted this week to studying the
grain that has been the backbone of this area’s economy for more than a hundred years, learning
about research being done at the Louisiana State University (LSU) Rice Research Station,
meeting farmers who grow the crop, the importance of local rice mills, and the need for support
of affiliated industries such as equipment dealers. These second graders are studying it all.

Monday kicked off with a presentation by Dr. Adam Famoso of the LSU Rice Research Station
about rice breeding and how and why this work is so important. Dr. Famoso brought real rice
plants so the students could see them firsthand and learn about different rice varieties and their
different characteristics.

Local producers Robbie Broussard and Christian Richard helped students plant their own rice
seeds while learning step-by-step the processes that go into an annual crop.
Sunshine Quality Solutions, a farm equipment supplier in southern Louisiana, parked a combine
and grain cart in front of the school and students lined up to climb aboard. As you might guess, it
was a big hit! For many, it was their first time sitting inside a tractor cab.

“This week allows those of us in the local rice industry to tell our story to these students, our
future consumers,” said Julie Richard, who farms with her husband Christian near Kaplan. “We
also connect with the future of our industry. Who knows, there may be a future rice breeder, an
engineer who designs tractors for John Deere, or the next group of producers right here at this
school. This is another crop for us as we, representing the U.S. rice industry, have planted seeds
in the minds of seven-year-olds. Let’s hope they grow!”

USA Rice Daily

Steak, eggs and kimchi fried rice is a satisfying 10-

minute meal
This recipe from Gordon Ramsay’s new cookbook is ready in a flash and works at any time of
day, writes Ella Walker

B avette steak, or flank steak as it is known in America comes from a well-used part

of the cow, so has quite a different texture from more premium steak cuts, such as ribeye and
sirloin,” explains chef Gordon Ramsay.

“Since it has more connective tissue (and therefore more flavour), it needs to be cooked quickly
over a high heat, as here, or braised much more slowly at a lower temperature. When slicing it,
always remember to cut across the grain to maximise tenderness.”

Blackened steak with kimchi fried rice and pickled radish

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

2 x 175g (6oz) bavette (flank) steaks

Vegetable oil, for frying

140g (scant 1 cup) kimchi, from a jar, plus 1 tbsp of the juice

250g (1⅓ cups) cooked jasmine or basmati rice

2 spring onions (scallions)

2 eggs
6 breakfast radishes or 5cm (2in) piece of daikon radish

2 tbsp black sesame seeds or nigella seeds

1 tsp chopped chilli, from a jar

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Place a griddle (grill) pan or frying pan (skillet) over a high heat.

2. Put the hoisin and soy sauce into a bowl and mix together. Add the steak and stir to coat.

3. When the griddle or frying pan is smoking hot, drizzle over a little oil and cook the steaks for
two to three minutes.

4. Meanwhile, place a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add a little oil. While
the oil is heating, roughly chop the kimchi, then add it to the pan. Add the rice and stir to
combine.

5. Slice the spring onions, reserving the green tops for serving, and add to the pan with the rice
and kimchi.

6. Flip the steaks over and cook for a further two to three minutes.

7. Place a second non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add a little oil. When hot, crack in
the eggs and fry for two minutes, until the whites are firm and beginning to crisp around the
edges.

8. Finely grate the radishes into a bowl. Season with salt, then stir in the kimchi juice.

9. Divide the hot rice between two bowls. Put a fried egg on top and sprinkle with the sesame
seeds, followed by salt and pepper. Finely slice the steaks across the grain and place alongside
the rice.

10. Sprinkle over the chopped chilli and reserved spring onion greens before serving with the
radish salad on the side.

Extracted from ‘Ramsay In 10’ by Gordon Ramsay (published by Hodder & Stoughton, £25;
photography Jamie Orlando-Smith), available 14 October.https://www.independent.co.uk/life-
style/food-and-drink/steak-egg-fried-rice-recipe-gordon-ramsay-b1937406.htm
How Asia’s Rice Producers Can Help Limit Global Warming
Rice-producing countries could contribute decisively to meeting the new EU-U.S. target to cut

global methane emission.

By Oliver Frith, Reiner Wassmann, and Bjoern Ole Sander

October 13, 2021

Credit: Depositphotos

The United States and European Union want countries from around the world to join them in
slashing methane emissions by 30 percent by 2030. The recent EU-U.S. pledge recognizes that
rapid reductions in methane emissions are critical to limiting global temperature rise to within
1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial averages. Unlike carbon dioxide, which remains in the
atmosphere for centuries, methane has a half-life of a decade. Therefore, achieving deep
reductions now in emissions from methane, which has a Global Warming Potential 28 times
greater than carbon dioxide, can help rapidly stabilize global temperature within the time horizon
set out in the Paris Agreement.

Given that flooded rice paddy fields account for 12 percent of global anthropogenic methane
emissions, equivalent to 1.5 percent of the total warming effect of all greenhouse gases, it is
critical that rice production forms a key component of the new EU-U.S. pledge. Mitigation of
methane in rice production would not only help the EU-U.S. plan meet its reduction targets, but
also support adaptation and a just rural transition for some of the world’s poorest smallholder
farmers. However, among the world’s top 10 rice methane emitters, only Indonesia has so far
indicated it will join the new EU-U.S. initiative.

There are already several validated management options to mitigate methane emissions in rice,
which maintain or improve yields, enhance profitability, and increase climate resilience. For
example, integrating locally adapted best management practices with water-saving techniques,
such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), reduces methane emissions by 30-70 percent. In
Vietnam, this has also improved farm profitability by up to 13 percent (around $100 per hectare).

Therefore, investment in best management practices and improved irrigation infrastructure for
AWD deployment is one of the best ways to achieve the EU-U.S. methane reduction pledge. It
would also deliver financial returns through increasing yields and reducing chemical inputs and
water consumption. A recent assessment by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and
CGIAR Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security Program (CCAFS) estimates that AWD
deployment across suitable rice areas in Vietnam’s Mekong River Delta region alone could
annually mitigate 5.6 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, roughly equivalent in impact to
removing 2.9 million passenger cars from roads.

Implementation of rice mitigation strategies builds upon many existing national guidelines on
good agricultural practice that incorporate low-emission rice production principles. This
approach also aligns with the Sustainable Rice Platform’s (SRP) rice cultivation sustainability
standard, where water-saving is a core requirement.

However, due to rice farming’s fragmented nature, smallholders often lack knowledge and the
access to finance required to adopt low-carbon technologies. Successful implementation also
requires long-term investment in irrigation infrastructure and post-harvest facilities, which are
often challenging to finance in developing countries. Therefore, adoption of low-carbon
production technologies in rice-producing countries remains well below the levels needed to
make a discernible impact on GHG emissions.

The EU-U.S. methane reduction pledge represents a new opportunity to support policymakers,
businesses, and investors to address these current barriers and scale up mitigation outcomes. For
the upcoming U.N. COP26 meeting in November, we recommend three actions aligned to the
new EU-U.S. initiative that can transition rice value chains to a low-carbon pathway:

Include rice production as a key component of national mitigation targets: Under the Paris
Agreement, governments must define mitigation targets in their Nationally Determined
Contributions (NDCs). However, only some countries, such as Vietnam, have set rice production
targets. All major rice-producing countries can prioritize rice in their NDCs, as well as develop
strategies and investment plans to deliver on targets and measure progress. This can help guide
business and direct capital flows to transform rice onto low-carbon emission pathways.

Scale up sustainable finance for methane mitigation in rice: Large investments are needed
across rice value chains to transform the sector. To achieve this, governments can leverage
public finance to attract private investment. For example, the Thai Rice NAMA project in central
Thailand uses Overseas Development Assistance grants to finance a revolving fund for AWD
adoption in combination with Land Laser Levelling to facilitate private sector involvement.
More initiatives like this one are required to bridge current financing gaps. Sustainable investors
could also immediately include rice in their portfolios and investment strategies.

Mobilize rice consumers as agents for change: Rice feeds 4 billion people worldwide and there
is growing evidence that rice consumers increasingly care about food sustainability. Businesses
and governments can work together to provide consumers with access to transparent information
and green labels, such as the SRP standard. Furthermore, companies and governments could also
develop and promote carbon footprint labels for rice products.

Through joining the EU-U.S. methane reduction pledge, rice-growing countries can increase
visibility for their actions and foster cross-country cooperation to deliver significant reductions in
methane emissions. While rice is critical to global food security and highly vulnerable to climate
change, it has often been overlooked in climate change policy and as an investment opportunity
for GHG mitigation. Transforming rice production is vital for achieving the targets of the Paris
Agreement and would support a just climate transition for 144 million smallholder families
currently engaged in rice cultivation worldwide. The new EU-U.S. pledge and upcoming COP26
mark the moment to finally deliver on this promise.
AUTHORS

GUEST AUTHOR
Oliver Frith
Oliver Frith is the head of business development at the International Rice Research Institute in
the Philippines and has a master’s degree in Environment Change and Management from the
University of Oxford.
GUEST AUTHOR
Reiner Wassmann
Dr. Reiner Wassmann worked as senior scientist at the International Rice Research Institute and
the Karlsruhe Institute for Technology for over three decades prior to his retirement in 2020. He
was involved in several international initiatives, such as the development of the IPCC guidelines
on GHG inventories.
GUEST AUTHOR
Bjoern Ole Sander
Dr. Bjoern Ole Sander is a senior scientist at the International Rice Research Institute, with a
Ph.D. from the University of Kiel. His research focuses on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and
mitigation technologies in rice production systems.
https://thediplomat.com/2021/10/how-asias-rice-producers-can-help-limit-global-warming/

Lagos rice mill projects 2.4 million bags annually

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu
Victor Ayeni

14 October 2021

The Lagos State Government has said the integrated rice mill in Imota, in the Ikorodu Local
Government Area, will on completion produce 2.4 million bags of polished rice annually.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms Abisola Olusanya, disclosed this on Wednesday at
an Ofada Day Rice Symposium to commemorate the 2021 World Food Day in Lagos.
Olusanya who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Mr
Hakeem Adeniji, said the state was making efforts to produce Ofada rice to international
standard.
She said, “The Lagos State government’s 32 metric tonnes per hour capacity integrated rice
mill at Imota, in Ikorodu Local Government Area – the biggest in Nigeria and in West
Africa – is nearing completion and at full capacity will produce 2,400,000 bags of 50
kilogramme polished parboiled rice from about 200,000 metric tonnes of paddy rice
annually. It is expected that no fewer than 250,000 direct and indirect jobs will be created
along the rice value chain.”
Olusanya added that the state had upgraded the processing and packaging of Ofada rice to
put it on the global map.
Read Also
 Lagos mill will crash rice price – Govt

 Commissioner seeks partnership on Lagos rice mill

 Lagos to inaugurate state rice mill

 “The locally processed Ofada rice has a pungent smell as a result of fermentation during
parboiling (soaking). The acceptability of this brand has been hindered by its method of
processing and packaging. There is also the issue of impurities such as the presence of
stones in the rice. Most people have erroneously attributed the smell as a genuine property
of Ofada rice but this does not meet international standard.
“To correct these errors and to put Ofada rice on the global map, the Rice for Job
programme of the Lagos State Government in 2008 commenced the promotion of hot water
soaking of Ofada rice during parboiling. The dried paddy was then taken into a destoner to
eliminate stones and other impurities during milling,” she said.
https://punchng.com/lagos-rice-mill-projects-2-4-million-bags-annually/

PT-ASIA RICE-EXPORT RATES STEADY ACROSS

HUBS, SHIP SCARCITY WORRIES THAI
TRADERS
10/14/2021

(Repeats Thursday's story with no changes to text)

* Vietnamese exports rose 19% in Sept- customs data

* Bangladesh imports 550,000 tonnes rice in July-September

By Nakul Iyer

Oct 14 (Reuters) - Export prices for rice from major Asian hubs were steady this week, with the
Indian market navigating lower supplies, while Thai traders continued to struggle with shipping
constraints.

Top exporter India's 5% broken parboiled variety <RI-INBKN5-P1> was quoted at $360 to $363
per tonne this week, unchanged from last week.

"The rupee has been depreciating but local rice prices are also moving up because of lower
supplies. From the next month, supplies would rise from the new season crop," said an exporter
based at Kakinada in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Neighbouring Bangladesh, traditionally the world's third-biggest rice producer which emerged as
a major buyer after widespread flooding ravaged crops last year, imported 550,000 tonnes in
July-September, mostly from India, according to data from the food ministry.
In Thailand, prices for its 5% broken rice <RI-THBKN5-P1> remained unchanged from last
week at $385-$420 per tonne, with traders noting that ships remained scarce.

"Buyers will buy only from hand to mouth, only as needed without stockpiling," a Bangkok-
based trader said.Elsewhere, Vietnam's 5% broken rice <RI-VNBKN5-P1> was unchanged from
a week earlier at $430-$435 per tonne,

"Domestic demand for rice from the autumn-winter harvest is picking up slightly, but this hasn't
impacted export prices," a trader based in Ho Chi Minh City said.

Traders said the autumn-winter harvest has started in the Mekong Delta, but supplies won't
increase significantly until late this month or early next month.

Vietnam's rice exports in September were up 19% from the previous month at 593,624 tonnes,
according to government's customs data. The country's rice exports in the first nine months fell
8.3% year-on-year to nearly 4.57 million tonnes.

(Reporting by Khanh Vu in Hanoi, Patpicha Tanakasempipat in Bangkok, Rajendra Jadhav in

Mumbai, and Ruma Paul in Dhaka; editing by Uttaresh.V)

https://www.agriculture.com/markets/newswire/update-1-french-maize-harvest-stays-slow-
winter-cereal-sowing-picks-up
Vietnam likely to achieve rice export target this year
Vietnam is expected to achieve its export target of 6.3 million tonnes of rice worth 3.2 billion
USD this year due to high global demand and an increase in export prices.

VNA Thursday, October 14, 2021 15:29 

Farmers harvest spring-winter rice crop. (Photo:VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam is expected to achieve its export target of 6.3 million tonnes of rice
worth 3.2 billion USD this year due to high global demand and an increase in export prices.

Statistics from the General Department of Vietnam Customs, the country exported 593,600
tonnes of rice in September, worth over 293.1 million USD, increases of 19 percent in volume
and 20.5 percent in value compared to last year’s figures.

Vietnam shipped abroad 4.57 million tonnes of rice worth over 2.41 billion USD during the nine-
month period, a drop of 8.3 percent in volume and 1.2 percent in value year-on-year.

“The rice export has been resumed since September despite the fact that social distancing has
still being applied in many southern provinces and cities,” said Nguyen Quang Toan, General
Director of the Agro Processing and Market Development Authority under the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development.
Nguyen Thanh Phong, Director of Van Loi Company, attributed the increase in the Vietnamese
rice export prices to the fact that the Government has boosted its purchase for national reserves,
along with the rising demand in the global market since the beginning of September.

Other insiders also expressed their optimism as rice foreign importers allow the resumption of
rice trading once the COVID-19 pandemic is put under control.

Some major rice exporters are predicted to increase their rice imports in the last months of this
year and the first half of 2022, they said.

The export prices of Vietnam’s five-percent broken rice has soared to the highest level over the
past three months, according to Vietnam Food Association.

The country’s five-percent broken rice is currently sold at between 433 USD and 437 USD per
tonne, surpass those from other competitors such as Thailand, India and Pakistan.

Specifically, the prices of Vietnamese rice were 49 USD, 68USD and 55 USD higher than that of
Thailand, India and Pakistan, respectively.

In mid-August, the export price of Vietnam’s five-percent broken rice was offered at 393-307
USD, 8 USD lower than Thai product./.

https://en.vietnamplus.vn/vietnam-likely-to-achieve-rice-export-target-this-year/209729.vnp

Harvest season for Kurdish rice begins in Akre

12 hours ago

17 Photos

Bilind T. Abdullah @BilindTahir

AKRE, Kurdistan Region - The rice harvest season has begun in the villages of Akre district in
Duhok province. Farmers use traditional sickles to harvest rice.

Kurdish rice is typically associated with Akre, a small town in Duhok province 60 kilometers
north of Erbil, which is also known for its produce in the region.

Rice is planted between April and May. The harvest season usually begins in mid-October every
year. Akre cultivate more than ten types of local and global rice types, including those Chinese
and Japanese one. The famous local rice is called Sadri, which is in high demand.
This year's drought has led to a decline in rice production in the region. Engineer Fazel Mustafa
Rashid, head of Akre's agriculture department, told Rudaw "this year's production is down
compared to last year. Rice was cultivated on 12,000 dunams of land last year. As a result of
shortages of water and drought, the number is down to 6,000 dunams."

"Each dunam typically produces 800-1,000 kilograms of rice," said Mustafa.

The Kurdistan Region is in the midst of a water crisis due to a lack of rain, government funds,
and dams being built in neighboring Iran, officials have told Rudaw earlier this year.

“There’s a water crisis. This year there’s a drought, it’s very clear. The government should have
its own plan,” Akram Ahmed, the head of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Dam
Directorate told Rudaw in April.

Ahmed previously warned of a potential water crisis after Iran inaugurated a number of

important water projects in 2020. 

According to Hamdi Bapir Sultan, a rice farmer in the village of Bakirman in the Akre district,
the quality of their product is excellent, but the quantity is not up to their expectations, and the
cost of production has increased.

“The amount of rice produced in some areas has decreased due to the drought. To cultivate rice,
we depend on the Bakirman stream. Although rice is in high demand, we worry about the prices
of fertilizers. Fertilizer costs will impact rice prices as well. A bag of fertilizer used to cost
18,000 dinars ($12.30), but now the cost has doubled," said Bapir.

Depending on the quality of the rice, one kilogram of Kurdish rice sells for between 2,000 dinars
to 6,000 dinars. Ghanim Rashid, a local merchant in Akre, said, "There is a great demand for
Akre rice. People come to our town from Duhok and Erbil just to buy rice.”

Translation by Sarkawt Mohammed

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:MpKhqKunF1wJ:https://
www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/14102021+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pk

Local firm commends proposed ban on rice import

Date: Oct - 13 - 2021 , 14:15

BY: Maclean Kwofi

Category: Business
Ms Ama Adjem, Sale and Marketing Executive, Imaginario Company Limited

The Sale and Marketing Executive of the Imaginario Company Limited, Ms Ama Adjem,
has appealed to the government to support local rice farmers with modern storage facilities
to help save and store their grains to avoid post-harvest losses.

She explained that failure to increase storage facilities for farmers to store enough to meet
market demands would derail the intention of the government to impose a ban on rice
importation in the next four years. She said in view of the intention of the government, the
company, an importer of rice, was exploring an option to venture into the production of rice
locally for the market as part of efforts to help the government to realise its objective in local rice
production.

According to the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), Vietnam's 5-percent broken rice is
currently sold at US$433-US$437 per ton, up $40 per ton compared to mid-August this
year.

Rice harvesting in Hau Giang Province. (Photo: SGGP)

The price of rice increased slightly compared to September this year. Noticeably, when localities
loosen social distancing, travel and the consumption of rice become more convenient.
Enterprises have also boosted the export of rice when the transportation starts to be smooth. 

“Currently, paddy prices range from VND5,000 to VND5,400 per kg. The good thing is that
traders bought paddy right at the field as soon as farmers harvested rice,” said Mr. Tran Chi
Hung, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Hau Giang
Province, on the morning of October 13. So far, farmers in Hau Giang have harvested 10,000 out
of 35,000 hectares of autumn-winter rice.

The Mekong Delta is in the harvest season of this autumn-winter rice crop. Rice prices vary by
VND300-VND500 per kg, depending on the locality.

According to the VFA, rice prices in the Mekong Delta move differently among provinces. In
Can Tho City, Long An, and An Giang provinces, rice price is quite stable. Meanwhile, it tends
to increase slightly in Bac Lieu, Tien Giang, Dong Thap provinces. Accordingly, in Tien Giang,
Dong Thap, and Kien Giang provinces, the price of rice edged up by VND200-VND400 per kg
in the past week, reaching a selling price of VND5,250 -VND6,000 per kg, depending on the
variety.

Farmers sell paddy to traders in Kien Giang Province. (Photo: SGGP)

Vietnam's 5-percent broken rice is currently sold at $433-$437 per ton, an increase of $40 per ton
compared to mid-August. Meanwhile, Vietnam's 25-percent broken rice has risen to $403 per
ton, while Thai rice is at $373 per ton, and Indian and Pakistani rice both stand at $338 per ton.
According to a rice exporter in the Mekong Delta, the domestic and export prices of rice surged
because of many factors. Specifically, the government has increased purchasing for stockpiling,
stimulating both domestic and export prices; enterprises have received many new rice export
orders. By October this year, enterprises have exported more than 4.57 million tons of rice, with
a turnover of more than $2.41 billion.

https://www.sggpnews.org.vn/business/export-prices-of-rice-climb-95274.html

Legislator urges Indonesian govt to pledge not to

import rice
 13th October 2021
 Illustration: Workers offloading imported rice at Indah Kiat Seaport, Merak, Cilegon, Banten.
(Foto Antaranews.com)
Jakarta (ANTARA) - House of Representatives' (DPR's) Commission IV member Andi Akmal
Pasluddin has pinned high hopes on the government remaining committed to not importing rice
since the Agriculture Ministry had reported sufficient domestic rice stocks.

At a press conference here on Wednesday, Pasluddin noted that despite the state's budget being
less than half in comparison to that in 2015, the nation's agriculture sector is capable of providing
food for every Indonesian.

The Agriculture Ministry's data indicated that Indonesia's food resilience had increased during
the pandemic to the extent that rice exports had soared by 15.4 percent in 2020, and this trend
was estimated to continue well into 2021.

Pasluddin urged the government to not import rice for two years and to evaluate for potential rice
imports in 2021.

The House member pointed out that Indonesia had been importing 41.6 thousand tons of rice
worth US$18.5 million. In comparison, in June 2021, the realization of imports in July decreased
by 38.6 percent, while the value of rice imports in June 2021 had reached US$30.12 million.
The House member lauded the viewpoint of Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo on how
agriculture is not merely about food but also about jobs, the basic economy, and nutrition needed
for health and development.

"Sometimes, food, especially rice, is not just a commodity fought for the nation's idealism, but it
also a political tool that could create differences of opinions within the government between
technical and non-technical ministries," Pasluddin noted.

At the end of day, the import policy and the people become the victims as of result of this
conflict, he noted.

"I am optimistic that it would no longer occur, and we would accompany the government in
monitoring, so that for the next two years and perhaps longer, non-premium regular rice would
no longer be imported to fulfill requirements when there should have been adequate stocks," he
stated.

Reporter: Aditya Ramadhan, Fadhli Ruhman

https://en.antaranews.com/news/194081/legislator-urges-indonesian-govt-to-pledge-not-to-
import-rice
DA to aid flood-hit Antique farmers with free palay
seeds
By Annabel Consuelo Petinglay October 14, 2021, 6:40 pm

AFFECTED BY MONSOON. A ricefield affected by the southwest monsoon and enhanced by

Typhoon Maring. Antique Provincial Agriculturist Nicolasito Calawag said in an interview
Thursday (Oct. 14, 2021) that four towns in the province were affected by the monsoon from
Oct. 5 to 8, 2021. (PNA photo by Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay)

SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – Farmers in Antique province affected by the

southwest monsoon and enhanced by Typhoon Maring will receive palay seeds as replanting
material next week.

Antique Provincial Agriculturist Nicolasito Calawag said in an interview Thursday that they
received damage reports from four towns of the province amounting to PHP1,183,218 based on
the farm gate price, but that they had been assured of the Department of Agriculture (DA)
Regional Office 6 (Western Visayas) of their replanting material.

“We are expecting 600 bags of seeds from the DA to be delivered for the farmers affected by the
flooding,” he said.

The southwest monsoon on Oct. 5-8 affected 164 farmers whose crops in various stages, from
newly planted to maturity, were damaged.

“The towns that had been affected due to flooding are Anini-y, Hamtic, Sebaste and Patnongon,”
he said.

He added that from the four towns, 131.65 total hectares of rice land had been damaged.

He said that two bags of rice seeds will be given to the farmers for every hectare of a damaged
farm.

Serafin Yanga, Office of the Provincial Agriculture Planning Officer II and the Natural Calamity
Focal Person, said in a separate interview that in their final report the towns of Anini-y incurred
PHP217,098 total damage on its 11.85 hectares of rice land; Hamtic with PHP807,840 on its
92.5 hectares; Sebaste with PHP132,000 on its 20 hectares; and Patnongon with PHP26,280 on
its 7.3 hectares.

Meanwhile, 905 farmers affected by Typhoon Jolina on September 7 to 13 already received their
initial seeds assistance this week.
“We were able to receive an initial of 500 bags of seeds from DA that were immediately
distributed to the farmers reported by their Municipal Agriculture Officers to have been affected
by Typhoon Jolina then,” Calawag said. (PNA)

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:KHE0uHjIMqEJ:https://
www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1156703+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pk

Maring’ agri damage may drive prices up

By the Inquirer Staff /
05:32 AM October 14, 2021
The Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad, Benguet was flooded due to continuous heavy rains brought
by Tropical Storm “Maring” on Monday. /Photo Courtesy of Leah Lyn Bales

MANILA, Philippines — Corn farmers at Barangay Asinga-Via in Baggao town, Cagayan

province, waded through floodwaters on Wednesday to salvage what was left of their crop by the
torrential rains from Severe Tropical Storm Maring (international name: Kompasu).

One of them, Irene Pasion, collected the drenched corn from her farm so that her family could still
sell them to pay off debts, according to Bobby Dumayag Jr., one of the villagers.
The corn farms of Baggao were among the many agricultural areas in the northern Philippines that
were submerged in the muddy floodwaters which damaged rice and other crops that were supposed
to be harvested later this month.

The storm left 17 dead and nine missing, many in landslides, according to figures culled from the
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and local disaster
management officers.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) estimated that the storm caused losses of at least P608.50
million in the Cagayan Valley, Cordillera, Ilocos, Central Luzon, Bicol, and Western Visayas
regions.

The damage and production disruptions caused by the deluge are likely to create supply gaps and
push food prices up not only in the affected provinces but the entire Luzon.

The DA said that the storm affected at least 29,063 farmers who produce rice, corn, and high-value
crops. About 36,354 metric tons of produce across 32,882 hectares were lost.

Rice took the biggest blow. With the main harvest approaching, P453.8 million worth of the staple
was destroyed in flash floods. About P119.8 million worth of corn and P26.2 million in high-value
crops also were destroyed, according to the DA.

Livestock and poultry raisers were not spared with P4.7 million in losses, it said.

In Cordillera, Maring destroyed P147 million worth of crops, affecting close to 5,000 upland
farmers, according to DA regional director Cameron Odsey.

Damage to Benguet province’s most profitable vegetables, like carrots, cabbage, beans, and
lettuce, was estimated at P30.7 million as the floods destroyed about 4,554 MT of the high-value
crops.

Benguet supplies 80 percent of the salad vegetables sold in Metro Manila restaurants, major
groceries, and markets.

Possibly worse
The DA said the losses could have been worse had it not been able to advise farmers to harvest
early. As a result, P2.08 billion worth of rice and P780 million worth of corn were saved. The
amount of damage is expected to go up as more areas become accessible for inspection.

The DA has put aside P750 million of its quick response fund to assist farmers and others during
calamities in the fourth quarter. This assistance would include zero-interest loans, free seeds, and
indemnities for those insured under the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp.

The 17 who died, based on reports from the NDRRMC and local disaster officers on Wednesday,
included four children, two of them girls who were killed with their grandfather in a landslide that
buried his hillside house in Baguio City.

The deaths reported on Wednesday included some of the 22 earlier reported as missing, bringing
down the number still unaccounted for to nine. Five of them are in Palawan, two in Benguet, and
one each in Ilocos Norte and Pangasinan.

Appeal for help

The unusually heavy rains late last week up to early this week caused flash floods that caught
people by surprise and unprepared.

In Ilocos Sur, some residents appealed for help and rescue through social media as they climbed
rooftops to escape the rising floodwaters.

As a gauge of the volume of rainwater dumped over northern Luzon, 625.5 millimeters of rain fell
on Baguio City, more than what it normally receives for the whole month of October within just a
24-hour period ending on Tuesday morning, according to the weather bureau.

The NDRRMC said Maring affected around 6,100 families, or over 21,500 individuals, from 237
barangays in the three northern Luzon regions, Central Luzon and Mimaropa (Mindoro,
Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan). —WITH REPORTS FROM KARL R. OCAMPO,
JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE, VILLAMOR VISAYA JR., VINCENT CABREZA AND ROMAR
MIRANDA

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1501623/maring-agri-damage-may-drive-prices-up
 “Golden Rice” tastes, smells like regular rice, but more nutritious

Stakeholders favor “Golden Rice” over ordinary white rice in terms of its health
benefits during the former’s ceremonial tasting, held recently in Muñoz, Nueva
Ecija.
“It smells and tastes the same as ordinary rice, except it is colored yellow. But I
will choose ‘Golden Rice’ over white rice, because it has more health
benefits. Kung sana noong bata pa ako ay meron na nito, sana mas malusog pa
ako,” said Agriculture Secretary William Dar, during the rice-tasting event as part
of the inauguration of the Department of Agriculture’s Crops Biotechnology
Center (DA-CBC).
“It tastes almost the same. We will choose ‘Golden Rice’ because it has health
benefits. Kaya dapat, we should switch to ‘Golden Rice’ instead of eating the
regular white rice,” added Representative Micaela Violago, of the 2nd District of
Nueva Ecija.
“Indeed, ‘Golden Rice’ is a welcome development, as its regular consumption
would give children more Vitamin A and therefore clearer eyesight,” said
Representative Maricel Natividad Nagaño, of the 4th District of Nueva Ecija, who
is an ophthalmologist by profession.
“I couldn’t help myself, and I ate all of it. It is great. I am a fan, I will feed it to my
two daughters,” said US Agricultural Attaché Ryan Bedford during the taste-test.
“The respective comments of the four officials affirm the results of the first
sensory evaluation of ‘Golden Rice’ we conducted in 2019,” said Dr. Marissa
Romero, co-lead of the Healthier Rice Project, adding that “Golden Rice” is
indistinguishable in terms of taste, aroma, and texture from conventional rice
varieties.
“We will use the favorable feedback from the ceremonial taste-test and results
from our previous sensory evaluation tests to promote ‘Golden Rice’ to the
consuming public,” added Romero.
 “These favorable feedback will expunge doubts on the benefits of ‘Golden Rice,’
and the DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) will vigorously promote
it as a nutritious food to consumers especially to those with high malnutrition and
vitamin A deficiency, which is prevalent among children and pregnant women,”
said Secretary Dar.
Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is the leading cause of preventable blindness, and
contributes to stunting and malnutrition, among children five years old and below.
VAD weakens the body’s resistance to diseases and infections, and may even
result in death if left untreated.
In the Philippines, VAD incidence continues to be a significant public health issue,
affecting nearly 17 percent, or 2 million Filipino children under the age of five,
according to the 2018 Expanded National Nutrition Survey of the Department of
Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI).
“Golden Rice” is like ordinary rice but enriched with beta carotene, which the
body converts into vitamin A as needed. Beta carotene is also found in yellow-
colored and green leafy vegetables. The increased consumption of “Golden Rice”
by Filipino families would improve their dietary and nutritional requirements, said
Romero.
DOST-FNRI experts said that one cup of cooked “Golden Rice” can provide 30 to
50 percent of the estimated average requirement (EAR) of vitamin A for
preschoolers, and pregnant and lactating mothers. Their study further shows that
beta carotene-enriched rice, like “Golden Rice,” could improve vitamin A intake
and could reduce the prevalence of VAD among women and children.
In all, Secretary Dar said: “We take pride as the Philippines, under the leadership
of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, is the first country to approve ‘Golden Rice’ for
commercialization. As such, the rest of the world will be looking at our experience
before they join the bandwagon.”
With the release of the biosafety permit for the commercial propagation of
“Golden Rice” in July 2021, DA-PhilRice, in collaboration with the International
Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and other partners, are taking the step towards
bringing the vitamin A-enhanced rice to farmers through the production of seeds.
It will require three to four cropping seasons to produce sufficient supply of seeds
for commercial farm cultivation, said PhilRice Director John de Leon.
Limited amount of seeds may be made available for the pilot-scale deployment of
“Golden Rice” next year, while succeeding seeds will be distributed in target areas
with high prevalence of vitamin A deficiency by the last quarter of 2023, de Leon
added. ###