Basmati exports under threat?

BR Research 01 Oct 2020

According to news in Indian media, on September 11, Pakistan’s forever frenemy neighbour
applied for exclusive Geographical Indications (GI) tagging for basmati rice in the European
Union’s official registry of Council on Quality Schemes for Agricultural Products and Food
Stuffs. According to EU’s rules of business, any competing trading nation has up to three
months’ notice to contest the claim from the date of its publication.
The news comes as a bombshell for Pakistan’s rice exporters as well as its Commerce policy
czars, who for the past two years have been banking on EU’s revised regulations on fungicide
acceptability levels in food products. Background discussions at the time had indicated that
basmati rice originating from India has higher tricylazole levels, a chemical spray heavily used
on paddy crop to fight fungal pests. As a result, Indian exporters began to find it hard to maintain
market share, leaving open field for Pakistani exporters. Between FY17 – FY20, total volume of
Pakistan’s basmati exports increased by nearly 1.90 times – often misattributed to improved
competitiveness due to currency devaluation.
It is not as if the policymakers had not seen this coming. In March earlier this year, federal
government promulgated the Geographical Indications (Registration and Protection) Act 2020,
allowing Pakistan to also claim right to unique geographical origin for its products, aimed to
counter a long-awaited attack from the neighbour on country’s export destinations.
But like most Pakistani things, the country moved at a snail’s pace in operationalizing the law,
which as per sources at Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) had remained dormant at
least until end of August. In MoC’s defence, the pandemic hit during the intervening months,
both slowing down country’s exports – and, possibly leading it to lower its diplomatic guard.
Afterall, nobody expects a neighbour – even the unfriendly ones – to strike at a time of global
tragedy.

Now that the enemy is at the gates, what will it take to operationalize the law? Consider that
India enacted its Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 at
the turn of the century, anticipating increased competition to its rice exports in the aftermath of
trade liberalization under TRIPS and WTO. Yet, it has taken two decades for the country to
demand an exclusive right from the EU, which begs the question whether Pakistan would prove
to be the long-eared bunny in this tale of the tortoise and the hare.
But why did it take India so long? India’s story of addressing competing claims of GI origin of
its basmati producing region deserves some context. Despite producing up to 7.5 million tons of
basmati-claimant rice varieties per annum across the country, India assigns GI tagging to basmati
originating only in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, western
Uttar Pradesh and select districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Despite protracted court battles, the central government of India has resisted temptation to assign
basmati tagging to crop originating in the semi-agrarian state of Madhya Pradesh (central India),
as historically it has not been considered contiguous with the basmati producing north-western
subcontinent – the region stretching between Indus and Ganges-Yamuna rivers.
According to official communication between the CM of (Indian) Punjab and the central
government earlier this year, “proliferation of GI tags to any more state will dilute the market
value of basmati rice and harm the interest of exporters”. This has hurt India’s ability to grow the
quantum of its rice export, which have been stuck under 4.5 million tons for several years, even
before the EU revised its regulations on fungicide use had come into force.
It takes no rocket scientist to figure out that the distinctions maintained by Indian central
government even within the country buttresses its claim for exclusive rights to basmati’s GI
tagging, indicating that the country’s export policymakers take the geographical origin business
seriously.
In sharp contrast, Pakistan so far lacks any geographical jurisdiction for its ‘true basmati’.
Although the basmati bowl has traditionally been associated with the north-eastern districts of
Punjab stretching from Narowal, Sialkot, Gujrat, Gujranwala, and Hafizabad, the Lahore and
Gujranwala divisions belt is no longer the only top basmati producing region in the province.
According to several unofficial definitions discovered by BR Research in background
stakeholder discussions, the government of Punjab (Pakistan) includes as many as 18 districts of
the province in the “basmati belt”. Also consider that central and southern Punjab regions such as
Okara, Bahawalnagar, Pakpattan, Jhang and Toba Tek Singh are among the top 10 producers of
basmati rice in the country, far ahead of traditional basmati districts such as Gujrat, Kasur, and
Lahore. Never mind also that over the past decade, basmati has made inroads all the way into
Sindh and even Balochistan provinces, risking whatever exclusivity that the variety could have
claimed, if any.
In the less than 10 weeks now available to Pakistan to contest Indian claim, the country needs to
urgently develop rules to geographically demarcate regions with rightful basmati origins. In
order to maintain the authenticity of its claim, it will need to exclude some regions to the benefit
of the others. That will lead to a lot of protracted regional politics, an art Pakistani policymakers
have often lacked. The second – and the much more difficult - challenge will then follow: to
prove to EU that Pakistan has the requisite infrastructure to maintain exclusivity of its basmati
sourcing from the true basmati regions.
Pakistan’s rice exporters have a nervous two months ahead of them. It will take all the
negotiation craft and diplomatic courage Pakistan can muster to register its claim with EU. Tick
tock.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40022630
Kenya: Scientists Find Solution for Destructive Mwea Rice
Snails
30 SEPTEMBER 2020

By George Munene
Research scientists from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology have
embarked on controlling snails which are wreaking havoc at the giant Mwea Rice Irrigation
Scheme in Kirinyaga County
Already the snails have destroyed 40 percent of the planted rice, causing panic among the
farmers.
Wipe out rice crop
Led by Dr Paul Kinoti, the scientists are using a farm chemical extracted from chenopodium
quinon tree to fight the voracious feeders which are threatening to wipe out more than 22,000
acres of rice crop.
The scientists came up with the chemical after research financed by the Japan African Innovation
Project Organisation to the tune of Sh12 million.
Earlier, the scientists used extracts from garlic and neem plants but they were not effective in
controlling the snails.
"The extract from chenopodium quinon plant, known as saponins, worked wonders. We made a
pesticide from saponins and it is killing snails when applied in water," Dr Kinoti, who is the
Biosnail Project Coordinator at JKUAT, explained.
Dr Kinoti observed that the snails are highly destructive but there was no cause for alarm since
research on an effective pesticide had borne fruit.
"The snails have destroyed 40 percent of the crop and farmers are replanting," he said.
He revealed that his team was coordinating well with the scheme manager Innocent Ariemba to
make the control measure successful.
Most affected areas are Kimbimbi, Mathangauta, Thiba, Kiorugari, Murubara and Nguka where
rice is grown in large scale.
According to the farmers, the aquatic snails are eating up the young rice plants, leaving a trail of
destruction in the rice fields.
Urgent measures
The farmers had expressed fear that the snails may clear everything if urgent measures were not
taken.
A farmer, Mr Robinson Kibicho, recalled how the snails destroyed his crop at Kimbimbi.
"I had to plant again after the rice I had planted was eaten by the snails," he explained.
A majority of the farmers are counting losses and they had appealed to both the national and
county governments to intervene.
The farmers said they depended on rice to feed and educate their children and thanked the
scientists for coming up with a solution to their problems.
"This is the first time the snails have invaded the scheme. Prior to the invasion, we did not know
they feed on plants," another farmer said.
The scheme, which is the largest in East and Central Africa, produces 80 percent of the rice
consumed in Kenya.
Another farmer, Edwin Muriuki, said the snails had defied the locally available pesticides,
leaving him and his colleagues a frustrated lot.
" We have been spraying the snails but they are not dying. It is very demoralising to farmers,"
said Mr Muriuki
https://allafrica.com/stories/202009300833.html

Consumer Campaign Builds on Historic Results 

By Deborah Willenborg
 
ARLINGTON, VA -- Having a strong online presence has been crucial since the onset of the
COVID-19 pandemic.  Fortunately for USA Rice and its domestic promotions efforts, the
organization has an ongoing partnership with FeedFeed, a digital network connecting people
who love to cook, and has just completed a year-long social media campaign celebrating U.S.-
grown rice using visual storytelling via Instagram, blog posts, and recipe videos.

FeedFeed selected four of their influencers to promote U.S. rice, each creating four unique and
on-trend rice recipes accompanied by photography, a blog post, and an Instagram post for each
recipe.  These new influencer recipes were then included in FeedFeed's weekly meal planners
and on their site's special page featuring USA Rice recipes, and also highlighted on IGTV
through FeedFeed's digital TV series.

"In late March, as the response to the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown resulted in changing
consumer shopping and cooking habits, the overall recipe production strategy for this campaign
was tweaked to incorporate more pantry staples and minimal steps to create more approachable
recipes for new at-home cooks," said Cameron Jacobs, USA Rice domestic promotion director.   

The campaign's final numbers are impressive! In all, 16 U.S.-grown rice recipes were developed,
posted, and amplified by the network of influencers, FeedFeed, and USA Rice.  Together, the
recipe posts, regrams, blogs, and videos generated a new social media record of more than 31.7
million consumer impressions and 1,021,668 engagements.
"For two straight years USA Rice has been heavily engaged in the social conversation, exposing
a new consumer segment to U.S.-grown rice, reaching demographics like millennials, foodies,
and conscientious consumers," said Jacobs.  "This program not only surpassed last year's record-
setting 31.6 million impressions, it more than doubled the engagements to more than one million
which demonstrates how well our content and messaging is resonating."

The collection of recipes also are available on the thinkrice.com recipe database:  Crispy Pork
Rice Salad, Mediterranean Brown Rice Salad, Purple Rice Coconut Pudding, Vegan Brown Rice
Stuffing, Crab Fried Rice, Thai Peanut Crunch Rice Salad, Stir Fried Tomato Beef Rice Bowls,
Japanese Curry, Beet Salad with Wild Rice, Chicken & Rice Soup, Roasted Squash with Purple
Rice, Instant Pot Spanish Rice, Teriyaki Meatballs, Jasmine Rice Bibimbap, and Wild Rice
Soup.

In addition to the immediate impact of the campaign, USA Rice retains the right to use and
access all created recipes, videos, and photos.

"Through our ongoing partnership with FeedFeed, we are making tremendous progress
connecting with U.S. consumers -- our largest market.  We're excited about USA Rice's
evolution in the digital space and look forward to this ongoing collaboration," Jacobs said.

USA Rice Daily

CCD holds virtual fair, student-run night of networking to

be held Oct. 8

Illustrated by Yifei Zhang

By Hajera Naveed     9/29/20 11:14pm
The Center for Career Development held its first virtual career fair two weeks ago and the
student-run “Night of Networking”, for STEM students, will be held on Oct. 8. With recruiting
season coming soon, both the CCD and Rice students have committed to bringing opportunities
for networking and recruiting to students virtually. 
The career fair had 1,607 students and 93 employers at the virtual event, similar to the numbers
at past in-person career fairs. According to Katelyn Holm, events specialist at the CCD, the
feedback from students was positive.
“We know that Fall Expo is a huge, loud and crowded event with space restrictions,” Holm said.
“That type of environment can be intimidating. The Virtual Expo offered a very different
experience, and we received great feedback from students that felt more comfortable networking
in this way.”
The career fair was held through the Handshake platform with informational sessions and one-
on-ones with representatives, according to Holm. Students were required to preregister for the
event, as well as RSVP to the events they wished to attend. 
Vinay Tummarakota, a sophomore at Hanszen College, attended the career fair and felt that the
format of the virtual fair allowed students to better prepare for interactions with company
representatives, as they knew exactly who they were going to meet with and when. 
“I think the CCD did a good job of running this career fair in terms of preparing students for
what it would be like,” Tummarakota said. “I also really liked the format of signing up for
sessions beforehand because I actually went to a separate career fair that was not affiliated with
Rice and they didn’t have this feature, which led to a lot of chaos.”
Students also had the opportunity of making their resume accessible to recruiters through
Handshake, where representatives could access public resumes from student profiles.
“Through putting my resume on Handshake, one recruiter actually found and contacted me, so
it’s actually been more helpful than I expected,” Tummarakota said. 
According to Loren Goddard, a senior at Hanszen College, the virtual format allowed for longer
and higher quality interactions with recruiters than one would get at the in-person fair. However,
Goddard said there were some setbacks to the virtual format.
“One thing that was different was that in person I would go up to random booths sometimes even
when I had no idea what the company was just to learn more about it or who they are hiring,”
Goddard said. “But in this case, I couldn’t just randomly talk to people because I had to sign up
before.” 
Students at Rice also continue to host their own virtual events to allow students more
opportunities to connect with companies and aid in the recruitment process. 
Leslie Arrazolo, external vice president for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, said
that she is leading the organization for the Night of Networking event. This event began as a way
to introduce members of the SHPE to more professional development opportunities. 
The event expanded with the help of student leaders from multiple Rice organizations, including
the Rice Center for Engineering Leadership, Society of Women in Space Exploration, National
Society of Black Engineers, Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers and Rice Climate
Alliance. 
According to Arrazolo, the virtual platform provided a great opportunity to get companies that
usually would not come to Rice to recruit students, either due to distance from Rice or because
no one had reached out to these companies in the past. 
“The reason I signed up for [Night of Networking] is because there are a lot of companies going
that I have never seen at the career fair before,” Goddard said. “So that’s the initial thing that
really stood out to me, because they have all these companies attending that don’t usually hire
from Rice.”
The Night of Networking event will have companies such as Intel, SpaceX, Honda and
McKinsey & Company, along with many others. The full list of companies can be found on the
event webpage.
Arrazolo believes that in this time of the pandemic it is important to increase student’s access to
opportunities, especially with rising job insecurity and internship cancellations.
“During this pandemic, job insecurity has increased,” said Arrazolo, a junior from Brown
College. “Students worry about their future plans; companies have canceled internships, and
other companies have even stopped recruiting. We thought bringing in additional companies that
are hiring would be a great opportunity to expand student’s opportunity to continue developing
their professional skills and hopefully land a summer internship or full-time job.”
This event will be held through the Gatherly platform and will mimic an in-person career fair.
Students registered will receive detailed information about the format but, generally, students
will be able to “line up” to talk one-on-one with company representatives through this platform,
according to Arrazolo. 
The Rice Computer Science Club is another student-led organization that is now hosting virtual
recruiting and informational events for students. Over the past month, the club has hosted events
with Facebook, HubSpot, Two Sigma and other smaller companies. 
According to Kelly Huang, external vice president of the Computer Science club, these events
often consist of a panel with a Q&A session where students can find out more about the
company and what type of hires they are looking for. 
“To simulate an in-person experience, I have been utilizing Zoom’s breakout rooms in these
events so students can talk to recruiters in a smaller, more personal setting,” Huang, a Lovett
College sophomore, said. “Personally, I really enjoy these breakout rooms because when
popping into them I always hear a lot of discussion with students and recruiters.”
While virtual recruiting and networking does not fully mimic an in-person experience, Holm said
she believes there are many benefits for students, and opportunities are still readily available
through the CCD and student-led events. 
“Virtual recruiting can offer a more personal experience,” Holm said. “The one-on-one sessions
with employers and students were truly individual conversations.”
https://www.ricethresher.org/article/2020/09/ccd-holds-virtual-fair-student-run-night-of-
networking-to-be-held-oct-8

Thousands of edible plants identified by Kew as scientists say

we need to move on from rice and wheat

Report commisioned by Royal Botanic Gardens warns climate change will require us to move
away from eating foods like rice, corn and wheat
ByEmma Gatten30 September 2020 • 7:00am

https://allafrica.com/stories/202009300833.html

Eating rice will not increase weight, know the right way to cook
and eat it

 by Bhavi Mandalia
 
 September 30, 2020

Health Tips: Nowadays people often distance themselves from their favorite things because of
their fitness. Many things have to be killed while eating. Now, who does not like rice in food?
But people consider rice as unhealthy and do not eat rice for fear of gaining weight.
Carbohydrates are found in plenty in rice. Those who work to increase energy in the body, but by
consuming a large amount of corbohydrate increases both weight and sugar, which is why obese
people are advised to eat less rice.
Often some people also have craving to eat rice. Chole-rice, Rajma-rice, Kadhi rice are made in
almost every household. Apart from this, Biryani, Pulao, Pea-Pulav, Fried Rice, Manchurian
Rice and how many delicious dishes are made from rice, if you want to eat a little rice everyday
in food, then eat it with passion. Because now you are not going to be obese by eating rice. Yes,
the team of scientists from neighboring country Sri Lanka have found a way to cook and eat rice,
which reduces the calories present in the rice. This method is being liked worldwide. If you also
make a habit of cooking and eating rice like this, then you will never become fat by eating rice.

What is the science behind reducing calories?

Actually, on cooling the rice, the substance named amylose in its starch gets separated from
the grains of rice. When you keep this cooked rice in the refrigerator for 12 hours, the
molecules of this amylose combine to form hydrogen bonds, converting the simple starch
into the registered starch. Regent starch is easy to digest for enzymes present in your body.
So when you eat rice after 12 hours, the starch present in it consumes the bacteria present
in your intestines, which gives you fewer calories. Another advantage of this is that after
eating this starch, your intestinal bacteria increase their numbers, which keeps your
stomach healthy and your metabolism works faster. Therefore, by eating such rice, your
body burns more calories and sugar also does not increase in the body.
Rice To Like thisOfAnd And do eat
1 allFrom you first Rice To Wash wellFrom 15 minutes till Soak in water.
2 Now 1 tbsp in cooker ToToNut oil ie coconut Of Add oil.
3 Now In this oil Rice To 1 minute till Fry up And Then close the cooker by adding
water And On very low heatFrom Cook Give
4 Rice To Cook Cool after HoGave And ThenFrom 12 hours till Keep it in the fridge.
5 12 hours later you Rice To If you are normal HoEat warm on or or again.
Scientists claim that eating rice cooked in this way reduces the 50% -60% calories present
in it. Which reduces the risk of weight gain. Apart from this, if you eat such cooked rice for
a long time, it can also reduce your weight.

https://pledgetimes.com/eating-rice-will-not-increase-weight-know-the-right-way-to-cook-and-
eat-it/

Why local rice varieties struggle on local market

By 
Michel Nkurunziza

Published : October 01, 2020 | Updated : October 01, 2020

Elias Dufitumukiza inside his firm in Ruhuha Sector Bugesera District. /File
to encourage farmers to grow rice on large scale, especially in different rehabilitated marshlands
across the country, the uptake of locally grown rice remains low, compared to imported varieties.
Farmers say that the imported rice is usually a long grain variety with quality that is most liked
by many consumers while most locally grown rice is short grain.
“Local short-grain rice variety known as Kigori even at a lower price does not compete
favourably with the imported long grain varieties. Consumers prefer rice imported from Pakistan,
Tanzania, and Thailand among others despite the higher cost,” said Peter Niyodushima, who
owns a retain shop in Remera sector, Gasabo District.
Imported long-grain rice is retailed at between Rwf800 and 1, 200 per kilogramme while short-
grain rice known as ‘Kigori’ is retailed at only between Rwf650 and Rwf750, but demand for the
latter remains low.

Farmers say that the growing less appetite for local varieties only leads to more decline in prices,
which leaves them and everyone along the value chain on a sharp edge.
In 2019, at least 5,000 tonnes of unprocessed “Kigori” varied was left stuck in stores after it was
rejected by processing plants, leaving farmers in losses.
About 70 per cent of rice grown in Rwanda is Kigori, which raises concern for farmers.
Theogene Mugabe is a farmer who Kigori paddy rice in Gatsibo District but has been struggling
to get buyers for his less than one tonne of harvest he gets each season.
“We take time to get buyers for our produce and when get them, they will take it in smaller
quantities at a time because there is no demand for it. In the end, we are left with almost
nothing,” he said.
“We sell Kigori paddy rice at over Rwf200 per kilogramme but we understand that long grain
rice can attract over Rwf300 if you have grown it,” he said.
Vedaste Harorimana, the representative of CORIMI cooperative that processes 20 tonnes of
Kigori rice per day in Ngoma sector said that the variety faces low demand in other areas such as
Kigali, Northern and Western provinces because people are used to consuming long-grain rice.
He said that things became even worse for them when schools closed due to Covid-19, where
they are now stuck with over 700 tonnes of rice for which they are yet to find buyers.
Harorimana said that much of their produce is supplied to schools.
He said that they are in trials of three new varieties of long grain rice to see if they can substitute
the less attractive variety.
“A kilogramme of paddy Kigori rice can be sold at between Rwf200 and Rwf300 while paddy
long-grain rice fetches up to Rwf500 per kilo,” he said.
Reason for hope
The issue of local rice has left   Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board
(RAB) with homework to develop more varieties of long rice grain that are in high demand.
Charles Bucagu, the Deputy Director-General in charge of Agriculture Research and Technology
Transfer at Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) told The New
Times that there are five new varieties of long grain that have been released to seed multipliers.
“Many consumers prefer long-grain rice and our research is geared towards this to ensure we
have the right varieties of long grain. Rwanda is dominated by short-grain rice because it thrives
in wetlands with low temperature. But we are working on long-grain rice varieties that can
adapt,” he said.
These, he said, include varieties named Gwiza, Umutebo and Cyuzuzo released in Eastern and
Southern provinces.
Three varieties namely Kira, Cyuzuzo and Kageno were released in Western Province but are
still in trial phase.
And he said two varieties named Twigire and Ndamira are being tested in Bugarama in Rusizi.
“Buryohe and Fashingabo are the new long-grain varieties that can even compete to those
imported because they even have a good aroma. The varieties also resist diseases and highly
productive. You can harvest over five tonnes on a hectare,” he said.
Reducing trade deficit
In 2016, Rwanda announced plans to stop importing rice by 2018 with 7 tons/ha by 2018 and
increasing cultivation area from 7,000 hectares in 2008 to 28,500 ha.
But Bucagu said that Rwanda is still importing rice as local production is yet to satisfy demand.
https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/why-local-rice-varieties-struggle-local-market

Farmers blame Rice Tarrification Law for declining palay

prices

Published September 30, 2020, 2:04 PM

by Madelaine B. Miraflor
Farmers are seeking the intervention of lawmakers for the declining prices of palay, which
was triggered by several factors including the National Food Authority’s (NFA) limited
capacity to procure rice as well as traders’ decision to delay their purchase in anticipation of
more imported rice entering the country.
(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
For the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF), all of these things should be blamed on the
implementation of Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), which allowed unlimited rice importation
in the country starting last year.
Farmgate prices have reportedly dropped to between ₱11 per kilogram (/kg) to 13/kg for wet
palay and ₱14/kg to 17/kg for dry palay.
This means that farmers are barely making money since the cost to produce rice in the
country is still about P12/kg due to the lack of machinery and relatively high fuel cost.
The government, through the NFA, buys palay from farmers at ₱19/kg, but NFA
Administrator Judy Dansal said the state-run grains agency can’t afford to buy all the rice
being produced in the country.

Prices, FFF estimated, are expected to go down even more when harvests reach their peak in
October and November.
“Many traders are playing safe and buying low because imports might flood the market
again like last year and make it unprofitable for them to dispose of their stocks. Other
traders have decided not to take risks and have reportedly stopped buying for the
meantime,” FFF National Manager Raul Montemayor said.
“Difficulties in drying and transporting grains and the limited outreach of the NFA have
also contributed to the drop in prices,” he added.
According to him, Congress, particularly the Senate, is to a large extent responsible for the
problems farmers are facing now due to RTL.
He noted that it was the senate version of the RTL, authored by Senator Cynthia Villar, that
was enacted into law and unlike the house version, the senate did not only remove volume
restrictions on imports as required by the World Trade Organization (WTO) but it also
unilaterally liberalized the
whole rice sector by removing NFA’s direct involvement in the market and ceding the
management and control over the rice industry to the private sector.
“They have a moral responsibility to promptly rectify any deficiency or omission in the law
before these bring more harm to our farmers. They also need to address indications that the
benefits of rice trade liberalization have been captured mostly by market intermediaries,
while consumers have not benefitted significantly from cheaper rice prices,” Montemayor
said.
The FFF has proposed that the law should make it mandatory for the DA to avail of the
safeguard provisions of the WTO and local laws.
This will allow the government to impose additional customs duties on imports for a
specified period in the event of an import surge and proof that the surge has caused
significant harm to local farmers.
The DA considered imposing safeguards in 2019 but terminated the initiative without any
explanation.
The FFF further pushed for an amendment of the RTL that will allow for the temporary
reinstatement of quantitative restrictions on imports under certain conditions, which is also
allowed by the WTO.
Two weeks ago, as the prices of palay started to sink, Senator Risa Hontiveros
acknowledged that there’s a need to amend the RTL and promised to convince Villar about
it.
The DA already pledged to help intensify its palay procurement through the NFA, whose
main task is to beef up the government’s buffer stock for emergencies and calamities.
 
https://mb.com.ph/2020/09/30/farmers-blame-rice-tarrification-law-for-declining-palay-prices/

Rice Tarrification Law blamed for declining palay prices

By
 Margret Fermin
 -
October 1, 2020
Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) blamed the implementation of the Rice Tarrification Law,
which allowed unlimited importation of rice for the continuous decline of palay prices.
Reports said farmgate prices of palay dropped to between ₱11 per kilogram (/kg) to 13/kg for
wet palay and ₱14/kg to 17/kg for dry palay.
As a result, farmers are barely earning since their capital to produce rice is still around P12/kg
due to the lack of machinery and relatively high fuel costs.
As for the government, NFA buys palay from local farmers at ₱19/kg. However, NFA is not
capable of buying all the rice the country is producing, its Administrator Judy Dansal said.
FFF projected that palay prices are expected to decline even more during the peak of harvests in
October and November.
“Many traders are playing safe and buying low because imports might flood the market again
like last year and make it unprofitable for them to dispose of their stocks. Other traders have
decided not to take risks and have reportedly stopped buying for the meantime,” FFF National
Manager Raul Montemayor said.
Also read: Philippines to produce less, import more rice in 2020 – report
Rice Tarrification Law blamed for declining palay prices
Montemayor also blamed the Congress and the Senate for passing the Rice Tariffication Law,
which created the problems farmers face now.
He said the Senate version of the law, which was authored by Senator Cynthia Villar, did not
remove the volume limits on imports as required by the World Trade Organization (WTO). The
Rice Tarrification Law also removed NFA’s direct involvement in the market and removed the
agency’s authority to control rice prices in the private sector.
“They have a moral responsibility to promptly rectify any deficiency or omission in the law
before these bring more harm to our farmers. They also need to address indications that the
benefits of rice trade liberalization have been captured mostly by market intermediaries, while
consumers have not benefitted significantly from cheaper rice prices,” Montemayor said.
The FFF also urged for an amendment of the Rice Tarrification Law that will allow for the
temporary reinstatement of volume restrictions on imports under certain conditions, which is also
authorized by the WTO.
https://philippineslifestyle.com/rice-tarrification-law-blamed-palay-price/

Agri leads the way

October 01, 2020 at 12:05 am by Charlie V. Manalo

"This, amid the disruption that the pandemic is causing the economy."
 
With COVID-19 aggressively wreaking havoc on the global economy, the
agriculture sector continues to lead the way to economic recovery.
Last Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary William Dar led the ceremonial send-off
of the first batch of okra or ladyfinger export to to Japan at the Pair-Pags
Center in Naia Road, signaling the country’s attempt to corner a large chunk
of Japan’s high demand for agricultural products.
Next in line will be the first batch of edamame export, also to Japan.
The okra export were harvested from different farms from 14 barangays in Tarlac – Victoria,
Balayang,  Palacpalac, Batang-Batang, Lalapac, Mayang, San Pascual, Villa Bacolor,
Matayumtayum, San Jose, San Manuel, Balingcanaway, Cutcut, and Lapaz.
The project involved 300 farmers led by young farmer-entrepreneurs Jeffrey Fernandez and Rap
Pelayo of Jel Farms.
According to Fernandez and Pelayo, with the present set-up, a farmer is can earn up to P90,000
to P100,000 net of expenses per hectare. Same goes with edamame. Both products are in demand
in the cities of Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe and Nagoya in Japan. 
Dar is ready to throw his office’s support for the okra and edamame industry saying he would
prioritize the setting-up of cold storages for the said purpose, which he said, could effectively
increase the farmers’ income to up to P120,000 per hectare.
Targeted for okra and edamame plantation expansion are 900 to 1,000 hectares.
“Under my watch, I assure you that the Department of Agriculture will extend all the assistance
we can give to every farmer, including the group involved in this okra-edamame exportation to
Japan, to enhance our agricultural production, and in the process, advance the livelihood of our
farmers,” Dar said during the send-off ceremony.
Actually, the Department of Agriculture, under Dar’s watch, has been among the first to render
economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic, implementing nationwide the Duterte
administration’s “Plant, Plant, Plant Program” or “Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat (ALPAS) Laban
sa Covid-19” program to benefit farmers, fishers and consumers as early as April. This was one
month after the country was placed under community quarantine.
Under the Plant, Plant, Plant Program, Dar conducted  regional teleconferencing consultations
and planning nationwide with the agency’s different partners – local government units, and
regional and provincial agriculture and fishery councils – updating them on developments due to
the COVID-19 national emergency situation and enhance the implementation of refocused DA
programs.
To ensure the smooth implementation of the program, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the
Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases approved the agency’s request for a P31-billion
supplemental budget aimed at increasing national agri-fishery output through intensified use of
quality seeds, appropriate inputs, modern technologies to increase levels of productivity across
all commodities, and thus ensure food productivity, availability, accessibility and affordability
amidst the threat of Covid-19 pandemic,.
Of the P31-billion additional budget, Dar said they have successfully pursued an P8.5-billion
Rice Resiliency Project aimed at producing more rice to increase the country’s sufficiency level
from the present 87 percent to 93 percent.
By the end of December, Dar said he expects palay production to reach 22.12 million metric
tons. This is equivalent to 13.51 MMT of rice or 93 percent of the country’s total demand at
14.46 MMT.“Right after the current dry season, we will urge farmers to plant more areas by
providing them quality seeds, fertilizers, and appropriate technical assistance,” said secretary
Dar.Dar also said the DA would continue to provide support to the farmers through the Rice
Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, which guarantees a P10-billion allocation annually from
rice tariffs. RCEF is appropriated to provide farmers with machinery and equipment, certified
inbred seed, credit, and training.
He made the announcement during the Distribution of Livelihood Assistance to Fisherfolk and
Farm Machinery to Farmers which took place in Malolos City, Bulacan after the send-off of the
okra export to Japan.And Dar could have never described agriculture’s contribution to the
country more aptly when he said that while other business sectors continue to bleed on account
of an economic slowdown due to this COVID-19 pandemic, the country is still blessed to have a
sustained activity on the agri-industry front.At this most crucial time, agriculture leads the way to
our economic recovery.

https://manilastandard.net/opinion/columns/naked-thought-by-charlie-v-manalo/335555/agri-leads-the-
way.html

Climate change will continue to widen gaps in food security, new

study finds
Countries already struggling with low crop yields will be hurt most by a warming climate.
Hannah Seo

Oct 01, 2020

    
With storms to the east and wildfires to the west, the climate crisis is currently at the forefront of
public consciousness. But aside from dramatic disasters there is another, pernicious threat that
comes with a warming climate: diminishing global crop yields.
In a new study published in Nature Food, researchers assessed global yields for 18 of the most
farmed crops—wheat, maize, soybeans, rice, barley, sugar beet, cassava, cotton, groundnuts,
millet, oats, potatoes, pulses, rapeseed, rye, sorghum, sunflower and sweet potatoes—crops that,
all together, represent 70 percent of global crop area and around 65 percent of global caloric
intake.
The authors found that climate change will not only hamper farmers' abilities to maintain current
harvests, but that countries already facing food insecurity will be disproportionately affected.
The researchers investigated temperature variations, but didn't examine climate impacts to
precipitation patterns or other weather phenomena like flood or drought.
The most negatively impacted countries across most crops, their models found, were those in
sub-Saharan Africa, and certain countries in South America and South Asia like India, Brazil,
Indonesia, and Venezuela, among others.
"Generally the countries with low existing productivity also expected a high negative impact of
climate change...these happen to be mostly non-developed countries," Paolo Agnolucci, an
environmental economist at University College London and a co-author of the study, told EHN.
Agnolucci and his team used data from the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) on global crop yields, and used statistical models to predict how current croplands across
the globe will react to a warming climate. The researchers made sure to control for such factors
as fertilizer and pesticide use, and differing irrigation techniques.
Their statistical models yielded oddly symmetrical results: they predicted that countries with
already high yield for a crop will, on average, benefit from a 1 degree Celsius rise in temperature
while countries that struggle with that same crop will struggle even more with their yield.
Agnolucci and his team found the same trend with caloric consumption: countries with higher
average calorie intake per person per day were more likely to benefit from that 1 degree Celsius
rise in global temperature than countries where average caloric intake is lower.
The data show that the issue of climate change is also one of food security, said Agnolucci,
where the beneficiaries of a warming climate are the ones who don't necessarily need more
arable land or more available calories—"on average, the losers are those countries who are
already losing."
Counting calories vs. healthy foods 
The unequal burden poorer countries will face is no surprise, Ephraim Nkonya, an agricultural
economist with the International Food Policy Research Institute who was not involved in the
study, told EHN. It is well known that climate change disproportionately affects poorer nations;
it also disproportionately affects poorer communities within nations. Climate change, by
exacerbating income and wealth inequalities, will of course widen food security disparities, he
said.
But Nkonya questions whether caloric intake should be used as an indication of food security.
"The current thinking is that we really need to look at a healthy diet." He said the FAO has
pivoted their focus in recent years from raising caloric intake in food insecure areas to fostering
systems that yield accessible, healthy diets. Simply raising a nation's average caloric intake does
not translate necessarily to a more food secure nation, he said, and relying on a measure like
caloric intake obscures population well-being.
For example, Nkonya quotes the FAO's "The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World
2020" report and said that around 60 percent of the population in sub-Saharan Africa cannot
afford a healthy diet. That information is lost if you only look at average caloric production and
consumption, which have been on the rise.
Farmer in Indonesia, which was one of the countries found to be most negatively impacted in the
new study. (Credit: defika hendri/Unsplash)
Crop comparisons 
Beyond countries, the study shows that there are losing and winning crops, too. The models
show that not all crops will respond equally to rising temperatures, with yields for crops like
barley, millet and rapeseed reacting quite volatilely. More robust crops were cassava, potatoes
and soybeans—those for which the models predict that a 1 degree Celsius raise in temperature
will help yields almost universally.
The results also showed symmetry in that dramatic negative crop yield changes in some
countries for one crop would also be accompanied by strong positive yield changes in other
countries. For rice yields, for example, a 1 degree Celsius temperature rise predicted an
approximate 20 percent yield decrease in India, but an approximate 10 percent yield increase in
Russia.
These data show us where future efforts need to be concentrated, and which crops need to be
focused on when planning agricultural strategies with climate change in mind, said Agnolucci. In
India's case, rice is such a culturally important food, but it may not be worth the resources to
double down and try to maintain their crop levels. But, "a substitution in production does not
necessarily imply there needs to be a substitution of consumption," he added. Rather, it's more
likely that "the winning strategy might take a combination of things, including shifting the
production to a different crop and exporting that crop while importing rice."
The study has its limitations. Not every country has comprehensive, reliable data on crop yield or
standard farming practices, for one. Also the statistical models could not account for the dynamic
changes in farmland that will occur as the climate changes. Their model only represents how
existing arable land will react with changing temperatures, when in reality, a warming climate
will shift the area and location of farmable land over time. Lastly, Agnolucci said that the data
they used were numbers averaged across nations, which erased any nuance or variability across
large countries such as the U.S. or China, and so on.
Nkonya takes greatest issue with all these generalizations, and specifically with one line in the
study: "In 10 of the 18 crops assessed in this study, an increase of 10 millimeters in precipitation
induces a decrease in the yields, evaluated at the global mean, while in the remaining crops the
impact is positive."
That line is counterintuitive, said Nkonya, likely because the global mean they used again
obscures the reality for poorer countries. That average almost certainly does not reflect the
reality of poorer, drier countries where an increase in precipitation will almost definitely increase
crop yields. Such generalizations are not helpful, he said, and possibly counterproductive when it
comes to food security initiatives.
Agnolucci concedes, and believes that further research will build upon and improve the accuracy
of the data and show greater nuance. These data, he said, will hopefully allow countries and
communities to tailor toolkits and strategies to meet their own needs and combat climate-related
agricultural challenges. After all, he says, "there is no magic wand here."
Banner photo: Palacode, Tamil Nadu, India. (Credit: Deepak kumar/Unsplash)

https://www.ehn.org/climate-change-and-food-security-2647870834.html?
rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1
Renowned rice scientist Dr Tamal Lata Aditya passes away
 Tribune Desk
Published at 03:43 pm October 1st, 2020

Dr Tamal Lata Aditya, director (research) of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI)
and eminent rice scientist has passed away on Wednesday after suffering a serious heart
attack Collected
As a rice breeder, she made important contributions to the innovation, development and
expansion of many rice varieties
Dr Tamal Lata Aditya, director (research) of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI)
and eminent rice scientist, has passed away.
She breathed her last at 11:45pm on Wednesday after suffering a serious heart attack.
She is survived by her husband, two sons and numerous admirers.
Mourning her passing, BRRI expressed their deepest condolences and sympathy to the
bereaved family.
Dr Aditya was born in 1968 in Kundal Balia village of Phulpur upazila of Mymensingh
district. She graduated from Bangladesh Agricultural University in 1993 with a degree in
agriculture. She received her master's degree in botany and plant breeding from the same
university in 1997, and her PhD in plant breeding and biotechnology from Imperial
College, University of London in 2002. She joined the BRRI plant breeding department
as a scientific officer in 1994 and was later promoted to the post of chief scientific officer
in 2010. She joined the post of research director in 2017 and held the post till her death.
She played an important role in the formulation, implementation and monitoring of
BRRI's research program. She published more than 30 articles in various research
journals at home and abroad.

Dr Aditya was also involved in the work of various agricultural organizations including
Krishibid Institution Bangladesh, Bangladesh Agricultural University Alumni
Association, Plant Breeding & Genetics Society of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Association
for Plant Tissue Culture & Biotechnology, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute Scientist
Association, and Bangladesh Academy of Science.
As a rice breeder, she made important contributions to the innovation, development and
expansion of many rice varieties. 
In the course of her career, she won the PBGSB Young Scientist Award 2013-14, the
Professional Excellence Award 2014, the Rotary Club, Dhaka, Best Scientist BRRI
Award 2014, the STRASA Award 2018 and the International Senadhira Rice Research
Award 2018 for her outstanding contribution in rice research. Under her leadership,
BRRI's plant breeding department won the Bangabandhu National Agriculture Award in
2016. Dr Aditya was also awarded the Jaya Alokit Nari 2020 on International Women's
Day.
LEAVE A COMMENT

https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/2020/10/01/renowned-rice-scientist-dr-tamal-
lata-aditya-passes-away
Nigeria Loses a Quarter of Rice Production to Floods
By Ifiok Ettang
September 30, 2020 02:23 PM
ARGUNGU - Farmers in northern Nigeria have lost more than two million tons of rice, a quarter
of the country's projected harvest, due to flooding.  Despite the loss, Nigeria is so far upholding a
year-long ban on land-based imports of rice to crack down on smuggling and boost local
production. 
Ibrahim Adullahi is looking at what remains of his 350-hectare rice farm in Nigeria’s Kebbi
state.
Abdullahi was expecting a harvest of 600 tons of rice, but weeks of severe flooding means he
will be lucky to get 100.
“Since when I started farming, I have never experienced intensive cultivation of rice like now,
because a lot of people are into the rice farming. But unfortunately, we experienced this
intensive flooding that we are still experiencing now, and farmers are now counting losses
because 90 percent of our farmers have lost what they have cultivated,” he said.
Nigeria’s biggest rice producing state, Kebbi, had projected 2.5 million tons this year.
But heavy September rains washed away two million tons. Local rice miller Mohammad Anuana
said this could cause a further jump in the price of the grain.
“If rain has already washed away all the farm product, you know the goods will be rising up (in
price) because the little one they have on ground - they will make sure they recover (the value of)
the one that the water moves away. And, so they’ll double the price,” he said.
With Africa’s largest population, Nigeria annually imports billions of dollars of rice and wheat.
But the country hopes to become self-sufficient.
Last year, the government banned land-based rice imports to crack down on smuggling and boost
local rice production.
Despite the lost rice, the Nigerian officials say the ban will remain in place.
Chairman of the All Farmers Association in Nigeria John Wuyep said affected farmers will be
compensated.
"The government and even the financial institutions have a machinery in force.  So many who
have lost now are already preparing for the dry season farming,” he said.
Nigeria’s farmers association says better groundwork is needed to prevent flooding and have a
steady water supply during the dry season.
Flood reduction would also help save homes and the displacement of thousands of Nigerians
from overflowing rivers.
https://www.voanews.com/africa/nigeria-loses-quarter-rice-production-floods

As palay prices plunge, RTL review sought

ByJasper Y. Arcalas
October 1, 2020
A farmer uses a hand tractor to plow a rice field before planting palay seedlings in Tanay, Rizal,
in this BusinessMirror file photo.
THE Federation of Free Farmers Inc. (FFF) is urging lawmakers to review the rice trade
liberalization (RTL) law in light of falling palay prices and reimpose the powers of the
government to place quantitative restrictions on imports under certain conditions.
In a statement on Wednesday, the FFF asked Congress to conduct an immediate review of the
law that ordered the deregulation of the rice industry, paving the way for easier entry of imports.
The FFF made the call following reports they received from farmers that wet palay prices have
dropped to between P11 per kilogram and P13 per kilogram and P14 per kilogram to P17 per
kilogram for dry palay.
The prevailing market prices, the group pointed out, are “significantly lower” than the National
Food Authority’s (NFA) P19 per kilogram buying price for dry palay.
The P12 price prompted Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto to lament that this made
palay much cheaper than a face mask or face shield used as safeguard against Covid-19.
“Prices are expected to go down even more when harvests reach their peak in October and
November,” the FFF said.
Uncontrolled imports

The FFF attributed the price declines to “uncontrolled entry of rice imports and uncertainty over
[Department of Agriculture’s] policy for the decline in prices this early in the harvest season.”
“Many traders are playing safe and buying low because imports might flood the market again
like last year and make it unprofitable for them to dispose of their stocks,” it said.
“Other traders have decided not to take risks and have reportedly stopped buying for the
meantime.  Difficulties in drying and transporting grains and the limited outreach of the NFA
have also contributed to the drop in prices,” it added.
The FFF is proposing that Congress amend the law and reinstate government’s powers to allow
the temporary imposition of quantitative restrictions during times that imports have caused
injuries to the domestic sector, in this case the palay farmers.
“The FFF has proposed that the law should make it mandatory for the DA to avail of the
safeguard provisions of the WTO and local laws.  This will allow the government to impose
additional customs duties on imports for a specified period in the event of an import surge and
proof that the surge has caused significant harm to local farmers,” it said.
The BusinessMirror first broke the story in March 2019 that the version of the RTL law that was
passed removed the government’s authority to reimpose import restrictions in times when an
import surge causes harm or injury to the local agriculture sector.
Then Agriculture Undersecretary Segfredo R. Serrano told the BusinessMirror that reimposing
QR as a general safeguard measure, which is allowed under WTO rules, has become a “collateral
damage” and is now “useless” since the RTL law was enacted.
(Read story here: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/03/14/what-philippines-gave-up-with-
the-recent-enactment-of-rice-trade-liberalization-law/)
Other proposals

The FFF explained that the RTL law has tied the hands of the government in addressing crisis
situations, citing the cancellation of the planned rice importation by the Philippine International
Trading Corp. (PITC) that did not have any legal basis under existing laws.
The FFF also argued that programs funded by the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund
(RCEF) are experiencing delays in implementation since the law mandated small research
agencies to oversee the programs.
“The FFF has also proposed the restoration of a provision allowing farmers to be represented in
the management and monitoring of the RCEF,” it said.
“This provision was contained in the House version and the RTL’s draft Implementing Rules and
Regulations, but was inexplicably removed from the final version of the law,” it added.
Image credits: Bernard Testa
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2020/10/01/as-palay-prices-plunge-rtl-review-sought/

Review of rice tariff law sought as palay prices plummet

By: Karl R. Ocampo - Reporter / @kocampoINQ
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:16 AM October 01, 2020
An industry group has urged Congress to review the rice tariffication law (RTL) as palay prices
continued to drop and are expected to worsen when harvests reach their peak this month and in
November.
According to the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF), the rice policy must make it mandatory for the
Department of Agriculture to make use of the safeguard provision under the World Trade
Organization (WTO) and local laws. This will allow the government to impose additional taxes on
imported rice whenever they would be proven to hurt local farmers. Additional taxes are expected
to discourage importation of the staple.
The group also recommended an amendment to the law that would permit the temporary
reinstatement of a cap on imports under certain conditions, which was allowed by the WTO.
The drastic slide in palay prices to P12 a kilo from P20 a kilo earlier this year was blamed on the
overwhelming volume of imports that came in due to the surge in the demand for rice as people
went into panic buying during the height of the quarantine restrictions.
Imported rice comes cheaper than local rice, making it hard for Filipino farmers to compete. With
the cost of production still at an average of P12 per kilo, palay growers are left with little to no
income, sometimes they even incur losses.
Rice prices, however, have not gone down at the same rate as that of palay prices. Data from the
Philippine Statistics Authority showed that the average rice price in the market for regular-milled
rice was P35 a kilo.
“[Lawmakers] have a moral responsibility to promptly rectify any deficiency, or omission in the
law before these bring more harm to our farmers,” said FFF national chair Raul Montemayor.
“They also need to address indications that the benefits of rice trade liberalization have been
captured mostly by market intermediaries, while consumers have not benefited significantly from
cheaper rice.”
Despite the interventions committed under the rice competitiveness enhancement program, FFF
said its implementation had been delayed by the law itself.

https://business.inquirer.net/308539/review-of-rice-tariff-law-sought-as-palay-prices-
plummet#ixzz6ZhBTodhT
Give millions in excess rice tax as cash aid to farmers, says
Pangilinan
SEP 30, 2020 7:17 PM PHT
JC GOTINGA

Rice farmers have been seeking government aid as farmgate prices plunge to P12 per kilo
Senator Francis Pangilinan urged the government to give at least P728 million in “excess” rice
taxes as cash aid to farmers, who are reeling from the decline of the price of palay or raw husked
rice grains to a “measly” P12 per kilo.
Of P10.728 billion in tax collections from the Rice Tariffication Law as of July, only P10
billion is needed to fund the government’s Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Program. Any
amount beyond that P10 billion may be allocated as direct assistance to farmers, the opposition
senator said in a statement on Wednesday, September 30.
Pangilinan was the Presidential Assistant on Food Security and Agricultural Modernization for a
time under the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III.
“We have an excess collection of P728 million as of July, and this should directly benefit the
farmers especially in these hard times,” said Pangilinan, adding that the amount must have
increased since then.
“The life-saving measure is direct cash assistance especially to the small farmers now suffering
from the plunge in the prices of palay, and from the lack of other livelihood opportunities due to
the pandemic,” he added.

Farmers have been seeking government aid since farmgate prices of palay plunged to as low as
P12 per kilo, from the National Food Authority’s buying range of P17 to P20 per kilo.
Pangilinan also suggested that the government buy all its rice requirements from local farmers,
and restrict imports especially during the harvest.
Recto: Don't burden local governments
In a separate statement on Tuesday, September 29, Senate president pro tempore Ralph Recto
said local government units (LGU) should not be burdened with having to buy palay from their
local farmers.
Many LGUs’ funds are already depleted because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Recto said, and
the national government cannot expect them to still deal with the crash in palay prices.
Recto said he is counting on the agriculture and trade departments to come up with plans to avert
the losses of millions of rice farmers, and he hopes the President would immediately implement
their recommendations.
Still, LGUs who can afford it would do well to buy rice directly from local farmers, Recto added.
'Lamentable'
Since it was enforced in 2019, the Rice Tariffication Law has opened the Philippines to an influx
rice imports – albeit with higher tax rates – by removing quotas. With local farmers unable to
compete, the measure threatens to keep pushing local rice prices down.
Pangilinan urged the Department of Agriculture to “address this phenomenon.” He also called on
the Cabinet’s economic cluster to make an updated accounting of taxes collected on rice imports,
to determine how much can be given as cash aid to farmers.
The Philippines has overtaken China as the world’s top rice importer, Pangilinan pointed out. If
this persists, Filipino farmers may lose the incentive to keep producing the national staple.
This would then hurt the country’s rice supply, as 80% of its consumption still comes from the
local crop. Imports cannot supply the entire country’s demand for the staple, Pangilinan warned.
“It’s lamentable thinking about the hardships of our farmers in tilling the soil and then getting a
measly P12 for every kilo of palay, while at the other end of the spectrum are officials getting
away with PhilHealth funds in a breeze,” Pangilinan said in an earlier statement. 
He was referring to the corruption scandal involving the Philippine Health Insurance
Corporation, some of whose top officials allegedly embezzled P15 billion in public funds.
Pangilinan is one of several lawmakers who have called for a review of the Rice Tariffication
Law.
“Hindi pwedeng gutom ang nagpapakain sa atin. Kailangan silang matulungang magpakain sa
ating lahat,” Pangilinan said. (It won’t do that those who feed us go hungry. We must help them
feed the rest of us.) – Rappler.com
https://www.rappler.com/nation/pangilinan-says-give-millions-excess-rice-tax-cash-aid-farmers

Black Rice and Black Wheat Cultivation in Bihar; Success

Story of Progressive Farmers

Abhijeet Banerjee 1 October, 2020 12:29 PM IST

Black rice is one of the most exotic and nutritious rice variety and it has started gaining
consumers’ attention globally in last few years. The demand for Black Rice is increasing in
Indian markets as well.  This variety of Rice has a deep black color and usually after cooking the
color changes into deep purple. This phenomenon is mainly due to presence of
anthocyanin, which is available higher in greater percentage than other colored grains. Black
Rice is suitable for creating porridge, dessert, traditional Chinese black rice
cake, bread and noodles. This type of rice comes from the species of Oryza sativa, some of which
are glutinous rice. Varieties include Indonesian black rice, Philippine balatina rice, and Thai
jasmine black rice. Black rice is known as chak-hao in Manipur, where desserts made from black
rice are served at major feasts.  
Black Rice Success Story: 
The numerous health benefits associated with this rice in addition to opportunity for generating
decent return from its cultivation has encouraged farmers of different states to take up the
cultivation of Black Rice. Today we shall be covering on the success stories of Black Rice in the
state of Bihar. Lot of farmers in Bihar have successfully opted black rice over the conventional
white rice this year. There are reports of progressive farmers in Bihar growing black
rice, boosting their incomes and thinking of innovation in the farming sector, by giving up
traditional cropping patterns, and seeking better farming options. 
Initially most growers were not sure about the fate of the Black rice crop but interactions and
guidance from scientists, along with acquiring knowledge on the nutritional value of the
black rice; they decided to try growing it in half an acre of land. This was a successful venture
for most of the growers who then encouraged their village members/peers to take up cultivation
of Black Rice. The successful farmers even sent the seeds across India for cultivation purpose
hence making this farming popular in the country. This is a history for these
progressive farmers - since from Bihar it is the first time that any farm produce has been sent
outside the state. 
The Amazing Health Benefits of Eating Black Rice
Black Wheat Success Story: 
Like Black Rice the progressive farmers in Bihar have also tried cultivating black wheat variety
and were successful in this venture as well. Experts have confirmed that black wheat is rich in
anti-oxidants and good for diabetic people, along with other health benefits. Black wheat farming
in Bihar had also given good returns to the progressive farmers as per sources. Known for its
high nutritional value, Black Wheat is a source of iron, vitamin E, antioxidants, calcium,
magnesium and zinc. It is very effective for lifestyle disorders like diabetes, inflammatory
disorders and obesity, also useful in managing blood cholesterol level. The plant pigment present
in this wheat is anthocyanin which is a very well-known antioxidant. Our body produces harmful
free radicals therefore Black Wheat becomes useful in fighting against free radical
induced diseases like cancer. Additionally, it has high concentration of micronutrients like iron
and zinc, and the Iron content is roughly 60 percent more than normal wheat. The percentage of
protein, nutrients and starch are nearly the same as in normal wheat. Therefore in terms of health,
black wheat scores better than the normal wheat.  
Association with NGO brings Desirable Results: 
In last few years, nearly 5,000 farmers in Bihar had got associated with “Awaz Ek Pahal”, an
NGO working to change the farming habits of farmers for the last few years. This NGO also
helps Growers to cultivate exotic fruits like kiwis, dragon fruit, strawberries etc. Lots of farmers
associated with this NGO, have made serious efforts to interact with farmers with the
objective to bring innovations to the sector. Scientists were invited for
visits for explaining methods of Black Rice/Black wheat farming and also sharing necessary
knowledge. Training from scientists was also on the Agenda list. Those who had successfully
grown the varieties Black rice and Black wheat were then invited to share their experiences, and
this help the farmers to get convinced to a great extent, in taking up cultivation of the above-
mentioned varieties. Farmers from different villages have confirmed that the growers got
profitable results in using small portion of their land for cultivating Black Rice and Black Wheat
varieties.  
The farming community feedback for black rice grown in half an acre is quite encouraging as
most of the farmers have received better returns. Similarly, lots of black wheat growers could get
higher output, from which they could keep some portion for their family and near ones while
selling rest of the variety and receiving handsome gains against their production cost. Even there
are reports of some farmers in Bihar, doubling their income in farming of Black Rice as well as
Black Wheat this year.  
https://krishijagran.com/agriculture-world/black-rice-and-black-wheat-cultivation-in-bihar-
success-story-of-progressive-farmers/

Kenya: Scientists Find Solution for Destructive Mwea Rice

Snails

30 SEPTEMBER 2020

By George Munene
Research scientists from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology have
embarked on controlling snails which are wreaking havoc at the giant Mwea Rice Irrigation
Scheme in Kirinyaga County
Already the snails have destroyed 40 percent of the planted rice, causing panic among the
farmers.
Wipe out rice crop
Led by Dr Paul Kinoti, the scientists are using a farm chemical extracted from chenopodium
quinon tree to fight the voracious feeders which are threatening to wipe out more than 22,000
acres of rice crop.
The scientists came up with the chemical after research financed by the Japan African Innovation
Project Organisation to the tune of Sh12 million.
Earlier, the scientists used extracts from garlic and neem plants but they were not effective in
controlling the snails.
"The extract from chenopodium quinon plant, known as saponins, worked wonders. We made a
pesticide from saponins and it is killing snails when applied in water," Dr Kinoti, who is the
Biosnail Project Coordinator at JKUAT, explained.
Dr Kinoti observed that the snails are highly destructive but there was no cause for alarm since
research on an effective pesticide had borne fruit.
"The snails have destroyed 40 percent of the crop and farmers are replanting," he said.
He revealed that his team was coordinating well with the scheme manager Innocent Ariemba to
make the control measure successful.
Most affected areas are Kimbimbi, Mathangauta, Thiba, Kiorugari, Murubara and Nguka where
rice is grown in large scale.
According to the farmers, the aquatic snails are eating up the young rice plants, leaving a trail of
destruction in the rice fields.
Urgent measures
The farmers had expressed fear that the snails may clear everything if urgent measures were not
taken.
A farmer, Mr Robinson Kibicho, recalled how the snails destroyed his crop at Kimbimbi.
"I had to plant again after the rice I had planted was eaten by the snails," he explained.
A majority of the farmers are counting losses and they had appealed to both the national and
county governments to intervene.
The farmers said they depended on rice to feed and educate their children and thanked the
scientists for coming up with a solution to their problems.
"This is the first time the snails have invaded the scheme. Prior to the invasion, we did not know
they feed on plants," another farmer said.
The scheme, which is the largest in East and Central Africa, produces 80 percent of the rice
consumed in Kenya.
Another farmer, Edwin Muriuki, said the snails had defied the locally available pesticides,
leaving him and his colleagues a frustrated lot.
" We have been spraying the snails but they are not dying. It is very demoralising to farmers,"
said Mr Muriuki.
https://allafrica.com/stories/202009300833.html

Salmon and Rice

Thursday Oct 1st, 2020 16

David Sparks Ph.D.

Rice growers in California's Sacramento Valley may someday be managing their winter flooded
rice fields for salmon. So Paul Buttner with the California Rice Commission told an Ag summit
that his group is in the middle of a two year project working with rice growers, researchers and
USDA. They've already proven fish grow faster and stronger, raised in rice fields, and by tagging
the fish, they found a much larger percentage of these rice field fish survive and make it out to
the sea compared to other fish. The study continues now on finding how best to bring water in
and water and fish out of rice fields. “And then how can we develop conservation management
practices to eventually get to where we can have growers signing up for these practices.” He's
excited about the possibilities. And of course, the dwindling salmon population is a big issue in
California and rice farmers could be a part of the solution. “We are lucky to have NRCS join us
for a one point four million dollar project, we’re in year two of the two year project right now
where they have proven that baby salmon grow very rapidly in rice fields. Why? Well, it's
because of that jar of winter rice field water. It's exactly what they need to grow big and fast.
And we really appreciate and enjoy our relationship with the state and federal wildlife agencies
that provide us hatchery fish for these projects that we're doing right now.
SALMON
www.aginfo.net/report/47297/Line-on-Agriculture/Salmon-and-Rice

Khattar raises paddy procurement cap after farmers

threaten stir

The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) has objected to the condition under which the government
agencies will procure the produce up to 25 quintal per acre only. Citing higher production of
paddy, the BKU wants this cap to be revised to 30 quintal per acre.

By: Express News Service | Chandigarh | September 30, 2020 11:13:46 am

Khattar also asked the procurement agencies to immediately lift the procured paddy from
Wednesday. (File Photo)
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Tuesday directed the officials to ensure that if a
farmer brings 10 per cent additional paddy to the mandi than the prescribed quota, it should be
purchased. The limit, which was earlier 25 quintals per acre, has now been increased to 33
quintals, an official statement said.
This came hours after the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) called the farmers to block roads in front
of mandis in Haryana on Wednesday, alleging delay in paddy procurement, a lack of
coordination between the government departments and various agencies and over the cap on
procurement.
The BKU has objected to the condition under which the government agencies will procure the
produce up to 25 quintal per acre only. Citing higher production of paddy, the BKU wants this
cap to be revised to 30 quintal per acre. The BKU also wants that the limit of moisture content in
paddy be increased to 22 per cent instead of current 17 per cent.
A delegation of farmers led by BKU Haryana president Gurnam Singh Chaduni met state
additional chief secretary PK Das in connection with their demands. Not happy with the outcome
of the two-hour meeting, Chaduni said, “We did not get any concrete assurance regarding our
problems. We don’t have any other option but to block roads in front of mandis wherever the
paddy is not being procured.”
The BKU leader said the mandis are full of paddy and the procurement was not taking place.
Das later told The Indian Express that the government was ready to review the per acre cap on
procurement but added the limit of moisture content has been fixed by the central government.
Sources in the government hinted the state may convey feelings of the farmers to the central
government regarding the moisture content.
Earlier in the day, agitating farmers raised slogans against the state government in Kurukshetra,
Pipli, Pehowa and Ladwa.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Thanesar in Kurukshetra Akhil Pilani tried to pacify the farmers,
who complained that they were waiting in the mandi for seven-eight days to sell their crops.
Kurukshetra Market Committee Secretary Harjeet Singh said the farmers submitted a
memorandum to the SDM and demanded that their produce be procured at the earliest. He said
the procurement could not start even on Tuesday as the rice millers refused to make purchases
till their demands were accepted by the state government.
Besides, he said, the portal of the market committee was also not working. In many cases, it
shows very less cultivable land registered by farmers on the ‘Meri Fasal Mera Byora’ portal due
to which they are not getting gate-pass to sell the crop in the ‘mandi’.
Late in the evening, Khattar said that the farmers will not be allowed to face any problem in the
procurement process. He also asked the procurement agencies to immediately lift the procured
paddy from Wednesday. He also reviewed the purchase of millet, maize, moong and cotton.
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/khattar-raises-paddy-procurement-cap-after-
farmers-threaten-stir-6644097/

Fifty-nine communities enter agri-contracting

Mom Kunthear  | Publication date 29 September 2020 | 22:17 ICT

The number of agricultural production contracts has skyrocketed to 701 this year from 498 in the
whole year 2019. Heng Chivoan
Fifty-nine communities on Tuesday signed agricultural production contracts for agro-industrial
crops and organic rice with four companies in a bid to boost production and secure export
markets.
Witnessing the signing, Minister of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries Veng Sakhon lauded the
move as a model for such contracts, highlighting the good cooperation between all relevant
parties to ensure sustainable agricultural supply, product quality and price guarantee, while
establishing solidarity and trust.
The communities are based in Takeo, Kampong Speu, Kampot, Kampong Chhnang, Mondulkiri,
Preah Vihear, Banteay Meanchey and Siem Reap provinces.
The signatory companies are Cambodian Agriculture Cooperative Corporation Plc, Amru Rice
(Cambodia) Co Ltd, Signatures of Asia Co Ltd and Bayon Heritage Holding Group Co Ltd.
That same day, Cambodia Rice Federation president Song Saran said the contracts obliged the
communities to supply nearly 30,000 tonnes of organic paddy, 26,000 tonnes of organic cassava,
100 tonnes of Kampong Speu palm sugar and 50 tonnes of pepper.
He said: “The contracts will greatly do their share in driving the rice trade in Cambodia,
especially when it comes to organic rice.
“They underpin the policy to shore up the Kingdom’s rice exports, provide a forum for
stakeholders in the agricultural sector – centred on rice – and will represent a model programme
for rice millers, exporters and farming communities.”
Chhat Chhieng, 39, head of the Romduol Mlou Prey Cheay Den farming community in Chheb
district, Preah Vihear province, told The Post that such contracts are a boon for communities
looking to buy and sell.
He noted that in a first for his community, it signed an agricultural production contract with
Amru Rice to supply them with 888 tonnes of paddy in the upcoming monsoon-season crop and
dry-season crop cycle.
“Normally without such a contract, we and the companies we deal with do not trust each other
when it comes to the production, purchase and sale of our agricultural products. Only with the
right contract can we instil a bit of confidence,” Chhieng said.
The community would previously sell their products via traders who feed off volatile price
movements, he said, adding that the contract fixes the base prices and creates a sense of security.
Sakhon noted the remarkable increases in number of agricultural production contracts inked in
the Kingdom, from 62 in 2017, to 90 in 2018 and 498 last year.
The minister said the number of contracts had skyrocketed to 701 this year covering diverse
products such as rice, cassava, pepper, palm sugar, vegetables, cashew nuts, corn, mung beans,
free-range poultry and pigs.
“I hope that by the end of 2020, we will be able to get up to 1,000 contracts for agricultural
production, and with the headwinds we’re making now, we’ll see tens of thousands or even a
million contracts inked in the future, due to the large scope of our agricultural products, of which
we are only expanding the potential,” Sakhon said.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/fifty-nine-communities-enter-agri-
contractinghttps://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/fifty-nine-communities-enter-agri-
contracting

Haryana farmers protest for 3rd day, alleges delay in

paddy procurement
Agitating farmers raised slogans against the state government in Kurukshetra, Pipli, Pehowa and
Ladwa
|  Kurukshetra Last Updated at September 30, 2020 00:00 IST

Secretary, Market Committee, Kurukshetra, Harjeet Singh said farmers submitted a

memorandum to the SDM and demanded that their produce be procured at the earliest.
Market fee, rural cess on cotton, paddy variety to be reduced: Khattar

Farmers held protests at various mandis in Haryana's Kurukshetra district for the third day on
Tuesday, alleging delay in paddy procurement and a lack of coordination between the
government departments and various agencies.
Farmers in Karnal district also protested over glitches in the procurement process.
The state government started procurement in Karnal, Kaithal, Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar
from September 27, while in other districts it began on Tuesday.
Agitating farmers raised slogans against the state government in Kurukshetra, Pipli, Pehowa and
Ladwa.
Thanesar Sub-Divisional Magisrate Akhil Pilani tried to pacify the protesters, who complained
that they were waiting in the mandis for seven-eight days to sell their crops.
Secretary, Market Committee, Kurukshetra, Harjeet Singh said farmers submitted a
memorandum to the SDM and demanded that their produce be procured at the earliest.
He said the procurement could not start even on Tuesday as the rice millers refused to make
purchases till some of their demands were accepted by the state government.
Besides, he said, the portal of the market committee was also not working. In many cases, it
shows very less cultivable land registered by farmers on the 'Meri Fasal Mera Byora' portal due
to which they are not getting gate-pass to sell the crop in the 'mandi'.
Agitating farmers threatened that they would block vehicular traffic on Wednesday if the
procurement process does not start by then.
Haryana BKU leader Gurnam Singh said not just Kurukshetra, farmers were facing problems in
other mandis of the state as well.
He said they held a two-hour meeting with Additional Chief Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies,
PK Das, in Chandigarh regarding the problems faced by the farmers.
We did not get any concrete assurance regarding our problems, he said.
Gurnam Singh said the BKU has given a call for protest in front of the mandis on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, farmers in Pipli and Ladwa raised anti-government slogans, those in Pehowa
blocked traffic on the Chandigarh-Hisar highway for over five hours.
DSP, Pehowa, Gurmaij Singh said traffic had to be diverted.
A farmer said the state government should resolve issues with rice millers as well as farmers to
relax the condition for moisture content and take paddy even with higher content of 17 percent
fixed by the government.
On Monday, farmers at a ''mandi'' had also locked up the secretary and other staff of the Market
Committee inside the office. They relented after a large police contingent reached the spot to
control the situation.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard
staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.
https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/haryana-farmers-protest-for-3rd-day-
alleges-delay-in-paddy-procurement-120092901551_1.html
More contract farming deals signed

Minister Veng Sakhon (centre) witnessing the signing of the contract farming
agreements. Ministry of Agriculture

Some 50 agricultural cooperatives have signed contract farming with four agricultural firms and
rice millers, supplying paddy organic rice and organic cassava.
The signing ceremony was held Tuesday led by Veng Sakhon, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry,
and Fisheries with the participation of representatives of agricultural cooperatives, rice millers,
and Cambodian Rice Federation, Cambodia-Australia Agriculture Value Chain Programme
(CAVAC).
Contract farming is an agreement between farmers and processing and/or marketing firms for the
production and supply of agricultural products under forward agreement, frequently at
predetermined prices.
Under the MoU, the agricultural cooperatives, from six provinces including Takeo, Kampong
Speu, Kampot, Kampong Chhnang, Mondulkiri and Preah Vihear, supply 24,662 tonnes of
organic paddy rice and 30,206 tonnes of organic cassava to the four agricultural firms and rice
millers, which are Cambodian Agriculture Cooperative Corporation, Armu Rice (Cambodia),
Signatures of Asia, and Bayon Heritage.
Speaking at the function, Mr Veng Sakhon highly valued the work to make the contract farming
signed which will contribute to strengthen the production capacity and keeping markets for
farmers.
The Minister said that at the time when Cambodia is facing the COVID-19 crisis, the Royal
Government of Cambodia is paying attention to solving the problems of farmers, agricultural
cooperatives, and small and medium enterprises so that they can continue production activities
by strengthening the investment environment to create jobs, absorb local labour, provide income
and use agricultural raw materials to the fullest extent possible.
He also laid stress on the ministry’s efforts to continue encouraging all sub-sectors to follow the
“public-private-development partners and communities” approach to expand the scope to other
communities in contributing to the development of agriculture in the context of the Fourth
Industrial Revolution and globalisation.
As of September 2020, 701 contract farming on rice, organic rice, organic cassava, pepper, palm
sugar, vegetable, cashew nut, corn, bean, chicken, pig and so on have been signed. Chea Vannak
– AKP
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50768059/more-contract-farming-deals-signed/

Food minister lambasts rice millers, allied traders for rise in

prices
 FE ONLINE REPORT | Published:  September 29, 2020 20:28:04 |
Updated:  September 29, 2020 22:52:38
Food Minister Shadhan Chandra Majumder on Tuesday lambasted rice millers and
their allied traders by blaming them for the continuous rise in prices of the staple.
Terming the current surge in rice prices illogical, the minister said the country's rice
production was an all-time high this Boro season.
He said stern actions will be taken if anyone is found guilty of manipulating rice
prices artificially.
The ministry organised the meeting following rocketing prices of rice in last one
and half weeks.
Mr Majumder, while speaking as the chief guest, claimed millers and their allied
traders have stored a huge amount of paddy.
He said there was no shortage of the staple as production crossed 20 million tonnes
in the Boro season.
However, rice prices shot up by Tk 3.0-5.0 a kg in last one and half weeks,
according to trading sources.
Coarse rice witnessed the maximum hike of Tk 5.0 per kg and selling at Tk 46-50 a
kg on Tuesday in the city, said the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).
TCB recorded 10-11 per cent hike in coarse rice prices in last one and half weeks.
Later, at the meeting, the ministry along with wholesalers, retailers and vendors
came to a consensus that Miniket rice will be sold at Tk 51.50 per kg and medium
variety will be sold at Tk 45.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com
https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/food-minister-lambasts-rice-millers-allied-traders-
for-rise-in-prices-1601389684
Haryana farmers protest as stalemate over paddy
procurement continues
Though the Haryana government had announced to start procurement from September 27,
procurement agencies and rice-millers had refused to cooperate in the process. This left the
farmers to suffer as many had already turned up at the mandis with their produce.

CITIES  Updated: Oct 01, 2020 01:37 IST

Neeraj Mohan
Hindustan Times, Karnal
Jagdeep Singh, a farmer, said he had come to the grain market five days ago, but his crop had not
been procured so far.
     
The stalemate over paddy procurement continued for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday,
prompting farmers to stage protests and block roads in Karnal, Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Ambala and
Yamunanagar districts.
Though the Haryana government had announced to start procurement from September 27,
procurement agencies and rice-millers had refused to cooperate in the process. This left the
farmers to suffer as many had already turned up at the mandis with their produce.
Waiting in vain with their unsold crop, hundreds of angry farmers, protesting under the banner of
BKU (Charuni), blocked the roads by parking their tractor-trailers. Traffic on national highway
44 in Karnal and Karnal-Yamunanagar state highway remained affected for several hours on
Wednesday. Dharnas were also staged outside the market committee offices of Assandh, Taraori
and Nilokheri grain market, where the government’s effigy was burnt.
In Ambala, protesting farmers blocked the Ambala-Hisar Highway while in Yamunanagar,
protests were held outside various mandis in Chhachhrauli, Jagadhari, Radaur etc.
Jagdeep Singh, a farmer, said he had come to the grain market five days ago, but his crop had not
been procured so far.

Charuni gives ultimatum

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) president Gurnam Singh Charuni said they have given 24
hours’ ultimatum to the government and that they will block all the roads if their produce is not
procured by 1pm on Thursday.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/haryana-farmers-protest-as-stalemate-over-paddy-
procurement-continues/story-iHNuRhonxk10NUq72w4PeJ.html

Farm Laws: State governments gear-up to safeguard their revenue

From reducing market fees to declaring the entire state a mandi, the state governments are
trying to devise methods to mitigate their revenue losses due to new farm laws, that allow
farmers to sell outside the APMCs.

Manjeet Sehgal 
Chandigarh
September 29, 2020
UPDATED: September 29, 2020 22:58 IST

The states are trying to come up with methods to woo farmers to APMCs (File photo from PTI)
As the three contentious farm bills become law, the states are gearing up to protect their revenues
because the new legislation can punch holes into their coffers.
The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act has no provision
to charge market or any other fees from the buyer and the seller.

Trading in conventional Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) involves not only
the market fees but also rural development fees besides the commission payable to the agents
known as arhtiyas.
Punjab has been charging the highest fees, ie, 8.5 per cent, which includes three per cent market
fee, 2.5 per cent commission and three per cent rural development fees. Haryana has been
charging 6.5 per cent fees inclusive of two per cent rural development fee, 2.5 per cent
commission and two per cent market fees. Both the states supply maximum foodgrains for the
central pool on the minimum support price.
States reduce market fees to woo farmers
Fearing a revenue loss, the state governments have started wooing the farmers by increasing the
number of markets and bringing down the market fees.
To begin with the BJP-ruled state first, the Haryana government has a political compulsion not to
go against the central legislation but has chalked out a strategy to mitigate the calculated revenue
loss.
While at one hand the state government has decided to reduce the market fee and rural
development fee by one per cent, it also plans to seek compensation from the Union government
if any loss is caused to state's revenue by the implementation of the new laws.
The Haryana government has estimated the revenue losses to be around Rs 730 crore for the
current Kharib season. This includes nearly Rs 360 crore in market fees and Rs 370 crore in rural
development fees. The state government has also sought a financial plan to mitigate the losses.
When contacted, Haryana Agriculture Minister Jai Prakash Dalal said that the state government
will find ways and means to generate additional revenue.
"The revenue may go down but there are other sources of revenue as well. There are hundreds of
ways. We will use other heads to generate additional revenue," Jai Prakash Dalal said.
Neighbouring Punjab may follow another Congress-ruled state Rajasthan which has declared all
FCI godowns and warehouses as state mandis. Punjab government is also exploring the
possibilities to declare the whole state as a principal market yard to buck new farm laws.
Besides the announcement to reduce the market fees for the farmers, the Punjab government has
also reduced the market fees for rice millers by one per cent. Their premises have also been
declared as a mandi yard. However, the level playing may cost dear to the fund starved state
which has already reported poor revenue collections.
Farmers want written assurance from Centre to end protests
While the Centre believes that the new legislation will strengthen the income of the common
Indian farmer by ending the commission agent system and providing them avenues to sell crops
on higher prices, the protesting farmers want a written assurance from the Union government on
the MSP.
"The Modi government has said the MSP will continue, but we want a written assurance that it
will not be withdrawn in the future. We are not interested in the politics but stand by our brothers
who are on the roads and railway tracks," says Gurpreet Singh, a rice farmer in Haryana's
Panchkula.
Interestingly, the farmers do not want to leave the conventional commission agent system as it is
related to their liquidity. Farmers depend on the commission agents for their day-to-day financial
requirements until the crop is sold. They fear if the commission agents will lose business, they
will not get financial support from anywhere as getting finances from the government banks can
prove to be difficult for marginal farmers.
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/farm-laws-state-governments-gear-up-to-safeguard-their-
revenue-1726749-2020-09-29

Farmers encouraged to utilize Arkansas Voluntary Smoke

Management Program

ByKelly Connelly
September 30, 2020
“ARFB_Rice” by Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Row crop farmers will soon begin burning their fields after harvest to prepare for the next
planting season. Prescribed burning is a crop management strategy to remove crop residue
following the harvest of rice, soybeans, cotton and corn.
The Arkansas Voluntary Smoke Management Program (SMP) is a collaborative effort to use
prescribed burning in a way that causes as little inconvenience to citizens as possible, while
ensuring good air quality.
Smoke management guidelines help reduce smoke impact on roadways, nearby towns, and
sensitive areas like schools, nursing homes and churches. Reporting an intended burn gives
famers a full understanding of weather conditions, other burns taking place in the area and the
proximity of nearby smoke sensitive areas.
To participate in the program, farmers can call 800-830-8015 to reach the Arkansas Forestry
Service dispatch center prior to doing any burning.
The EAB Ag Network’s Scotty Woodson spoke to Poinsett County farmer Roger Pohlner, who
gave reasons why prescribed burning and following voluntary smoke management guidelines are
important.
He said prescribed burning is an efficient and economical way of eliminating pests and disease
that can harm future crops.
“Burning crop residue increases the chances of being able to use no-till or reduced-till planting
the next year, which reduces fuel use and carbon emissions,” Pohlner said.
Conservation and environmental factors impact every decision Pohlner makes as a farmer.
“Farmers depend on our natural resources to continue producing a safe, abundant and high-
quality supply of food and fiber,” Pohlner said.
“It is vital that we adopt this simple process (smoke management guidelines) because we want to
be good citizens of our communities, continue the responsible stewardship of our resources and
avoid future regulation and red tape for producers,” Pohlner explained.
Arkansas Rice Federation Chairman David Gairhan also encourages famers to report their
intended burns.
 “Prescribed fire is a valuable tool and calling the hotline before burning takes only seconds.
Taking these proactive measures today will help us ensure a quality air shed for our families and
communities for generations to come,” Gairhan said.
The complete voluntary smoke management guidelines are available on the Arkansas
Department of Agriculture’s website.  
https://www.stuttgartdailyleader.com/farmers-encouraged-to-utilize-arkansas-voluntary-smoke-
management-program/

Arkansas' agricultural sector tops $21 billion in value

by Talk Business & Politics
Thursday, October 1st 2020

Arkansas agriculture provides about $21 billion annually in added economic value, according to
the latest Arkansas Agricultural Profile. (Photo: KATV content partner Talk Business & Politics)

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (TB&P) — Arkansas agriculture provides about $21 billion annually in
added economic value, according to the latest Arkansas Agricultural Profile.
The report, published by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, offers an
explanation of the many facets of agriculture in the state.
It notes the sector directly or indirectly supports at least 268,000 jobs in Arkansas.
Leah English, program associate with the Division of Agriculture’s Department of Agricultural
Economics and Agribusiness, is a member of the staff of economists and analysts who compile
data for the publication each year. She said much of the agricultural data comes from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service and Economic Research
Service. Additionally, private sector sources contribute to the economic and employment data.
Read the full story on the Talk Business & Politics website.
https://katv.com/news/local/arkansas-agricultural-sector-tops-21-billion-in-value#:~:text=(TB
%26P)%20%E2%80%94%20Arkansas%20agriculture%20provides,of%20agriculture%20in
%20the%20state.

No tariffs for EU rice shipments

Thailand sees higher shipment opportunities for Thai premium rice in the EU.
Thailand sees higher shipment opportunities for Thai premium rice in the EU after the bloc
allowed rice imports of 24,883 tonnes with zero import tariffs for October. Keerati Rushchano,
director-general of the Foreign Trade Department, said the European Commission on Sept 22
announced that the remaining annual quota for rice (white rice, Thai hom mali rice, Thai fragrant
rice and 100% parboiled rice) would have zero tariffs in October for up to 24,883 tonnes. The
EU has set annual rice import quota of 630,000 tonnes this year. "Given the zero import tariff, it
is a good opportunity for Thai rice exporters to raise their exports to the EU market," Mr Keerati
said. Normally the EU collects an import tariff of €145 per tonne. The EU has required importers
to apply for import licences within the first 10 working days of October. Mr Keerati said Thai
rice exporters wishing to exercise the quota must apply first for a certificate for exporting rice to
the EU through the department. The exporters can apply for a certificate from Sept 29 to Oct 14
without any special fees, he said. In the first eight months of 2020, Thailand exported 146,362
tonnes of rice worth US$140 million to the EU. In 2019, Thailand exported 405,263 tonnes of
rice to the EU worth $315 million, up from 399,519 tonnes worth $296 million in 2018. Charoen
Laothammatas, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said Thailand's rice exports to
the EU are likely to drop from 2019 because of the impact of the pandemic, which weakened rice
demand at restaurants and hotels. Making predictions about shipments of premium hom mali rice
is hard this year because production capacity remains uncertain. "In the first nine months of the
year, Thailand has shipped about 4 million tonnes of rice," Mr Charoen said.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1993871/no-tariffs-for-eu-rice-shipments

Rain to surge in next few days as flood worsens

Padma crosses danger limit in Rajbari
Staff Correspondent | Published: 00:03, Oct 01,2020
      
 The forecast of a low likely to form today over North Bay signals an increase in rainfall over the
next few days as flooding triggered by heavy rainfall continued to wreak havoc in northern
Bangladesh.
Nine rivers flowed above their danger levels at ten places until Wednesday afternoon, one
flowing more than a metre and three others over half a metre above their danger marks.
The Padma crossed its danger mark in Rajbari on Wednesday with Flood Forecasting and
Warning Centre saying that the river might continue swelling through Thursday.
‘It is almost certain that our rivers will get more water to drain under the influence of the low
likely to form today,’ said meteorologist Abdul Mannan.
He said that the low may cause rainfall in upstream areas such as in northern Bangladesh and
beyond the border in India.
‘Central Bangladesh may also see increase in rainfall over the next few days,’ said Mannan.
India Meteorological Department predicted heavy rainfalls in parts of West Bengal and Sikkim,
Arunachal Pradesh and Assam and Meghalaya between Thursday and Sunday.
The possibilities of rainfall in the catchment of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta have
intensified fear among people about the flood.
The New Age correspondent in Lalmonirhat reported at least 16,000 people became freshly
stranded in Panchagarh, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Gaibandha between Tuesday and
Wednesday after embankments collapsed at four places.
Over 33,000 people have been moved to embankments in the floodaffected northern region since
Tuesday night as food and drinking water crises has taken a severe turn in 654 chars in flood-
affected areas.
Most of the people freshly driven out of their homes had to spend over a month at shelters or
under the open sky on embankments during three previous waves of flooding from the late June
to August.
‘We have requested the government for immediately releasing 50,000 tonnes of rice to help the
flood-affected people,’ said Rangpur divisional commissioner Abdul Haque Bhuyan.
Nearly 6 lakh people are stranded in flood-affected districts since the 4th wave of monsoon
flooding began on September 16.
The flood so far damaged standing aman rice on 23,000 hectares of land in Rangpur division
alone.
Thousands of hectares of aman rice field have been destroyed in Mymensingh division as well
by the flood.‘This is the third time I cultivated my land but flood came to ruin all my efforts in
growing crops,’ said Mistak Ahmed, a farmer of Kaunia, Rangpur.
Although the flood so far has affected only a limited area along the banks of overflowing rivers,
thousands of farmers will have to bear the brunt of it.
Overall the floodaffected people would make up only a very small percentage of total population
but they are the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in the country unable to stand
disasters one after the other.
About 773 families lost their houses to northern rivers eroding their banks.
Many of these people may never get back to where they came from.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre on Wednesday said that the Brahmaputra, the
Jamuna, and the Ganges were swelling.
Of the 101 gauging station monitoring river water levels, 49 recorded swelling in the 24 hours
until 9:00am on Wednesday.
Bangladesh Meteorological Department predicted rainfall at many places in the Khulna,
Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions through Thursday.
The South Asian Climate Outlook Forum released its longrange weather outlook for October to
December with prediction of above normal rainfall in southern Bangladesh.
https://www.newagebd.net/article/117775/rain-to-surge-in-next-few-days-as-flood-worsens
How DNA technology helps control the premium quality of
Thai Hom Mali Rice
October 1, 2020
Professor Dr Apichart Vanavichit, at the Rice Science Center, explains how DNA technology
can create a high-quality Thai Jasmine Rice
Products of the poor
Hom Mali rice has been widely grown in one of the poorest land on the largest lowland rain-fed
paddy field in the Northeast of Thailand. With its low soil fertility and lack of irrigation system
in the Northeast of Thailand, low productivity contributed to high price. As a consequence, the
short supply of Thai Rice has often been cited as the primary cause of intentional product
admixture.
Export performance
Jasmine rice is one of the world’s most iconic fragrant rice and important export product from
Thailand, since the rediscovery of the local landrace named Thai Hom Mali Rice about 56 years
ago. From 2010-2019, Thailand exported 1.4 MT on average of the Thai Hom Mali Rice rice
which accounted for 18% of the total volume. Thai Hom Mali and Basmati rices have been the
most expensive white rice in the world. Cooked Thai Hom Mali rice imparts the natural aroma
with its soft, tender, and excellent aftertaste. There is no doubt the Thai Hom Mali rice has won
five times the World’s Best Rice Competition since 2009. The main reason could be how
Thailand designs effective quality control measures on the Thai Hom Mali Rice started from
seeds to serving.
Setting up the National Hom Mali Rice Standardisation
As such, Thai Hom Mali rice has been entangled in adulteration by lower quality white rice with
similar physical appearance at both local and international markets. Contaminations can take
place unintentionally and intentionally. The first source of contamination is originated by
farmers’ saved seeds. Shared combined harvesters have been the second major cost of
unintentional contamination.
Post-harvest contaminations were more complicated because many stakeholders including local
milling, exporters, and importers are involved. To mitigate such deceptive practices, Thailand
Ministry of Commerce (MOC) established the national standardisation for the Thai Hom Mali
Rice under the brand name “Thai Hom Mali Rice” for export. Genetic purity of at least 92% is
agreed on as the minimum threshold for the premium quality of Thai Hom Mali Rice based on
unintentional contamination on farming practices.
Why genetic purity is the gold standard for quality control in rice
Thai Hom Mali Rice, officially named as Khao Dawk Mali 105 (KDML105), was genetically
purified from one of the local landraces of Jasmine rice in 1959. From the original version, RD15
was developed further from KDML105 by mutation breeding via gamma irradiation.  The two
varieties are considered the Thai Hom Mali Rice as their grain quality is indistinguishable.
DNA Technology
The application of DNA technology to regulate authenticity of Thai Hom Mali rice has been
widely recognised as the key to support the regulation of standardisation for export. With high
accuracy, specific molecular markers for the Thai Jasmine Rice were deployed to determine its
genetic purity and admixtures. The DNA Technology Laboratory has developed its in-house
state-of-the-art single-grain molecular techniques at low cost for quantification of genetic
contamination.
The service was open to all rice exporters to acquire official certificate of authenticity of the Thai
Hom Mali Rice. The DNA Technology Laboratory can only provide the most accurate solution
to the problem. Since 2012, DNA Technology can provide more than 54,472 Jasmine rice
samples, totally 10.5 million polymerase chain reactions, were performed. A new facility was set
to provide up to 50,000 samples yearly enough to accommodate 2 million tons of premium Thai
Hom Mali Rice for export (Figure 1).
Figure 1
Post-auditing Systems of Thai Hom Mali Rice
To deploy DNA Technology in a competitive export platforms of Thai Hom Mali Rice, the
Department of Foreign Trade (DFT, MOC) has improvised post-auditing systems involving on
local millings and exporters using sensitive DNA Technology in full-scale. Farmers sell their rice
paddy to certified local millings for processing. The certification was implemented and
authorised by provincial governments and subsequently granted “Thai Hom Mali Rice” Thailand
trademark by the DFT for the right to export (Figure 2).  Exporters on the other hand can be
audited by the DFT to directly buy Jasmine rice from farmers for processing and export under
the national brand.
DNA Technology play vital tools for local millings and exporters in the determination of genetic
purity of the harvested rice from farmers before processing. In order to monitor the authenticity
of the Thai Hom Mali Rice, the DFT frequently sampled export-ready rice from exporters’
warehouses or even on the shipments and rushed for 24-hours auditing for rapid purity test
provided by the laboratory. Even at customers’ shelve in export markets, Thai Hom Mali Rice
can still be monitored by Thailand international consulate offices for determination of genetic
purity to prevent admixture outside Thailand.
Economic Impacts
Such a strict regulation of quality assurance program resulted in improved genetic purity of Thai
Hom Mali Rice. In 2012, the genetic content above 92% of the Thai Hom Mali Rice was
accounted for 56%. Eight years later, the percentage was improved to 66% (DNA Technology
Laboratory). The economic impacts of such a DNA-based auditing scheme was studied on the
hypothesis that improved genetic purity affects export price and volume.  During the eight years
period between 1992 to 2000, the export volume has increased annually at 279,000 tons with the
combined eight-years export incomes of 86,117 million Baht more than before implementing the
DNA-based auditing system. Farmers’ income was also increased annually to 1,280 million Baht
or 11,521 million Baht in the eight years span.
Figure 2
The Next Vision
The DNA-based post-auditing systems are improvised on different classes of exporting premium
Thai rice including pigmented Riceberry, Aromatic-soft, and Soft rices. However, customers are
also looking for cheaper and faster technologies to determine genetic purity practically tested on
outdoor and on-farm conditions. In response to the new needs, DNA Technology Laboratory has
now acquired new molecular technologies for even more accuracy, very high throughput, and at
low cost to serve exporters and improve competitiveness of the premium Thai rice in global
markets.
References
Vanavichit A, Kamolsukyeunyong W, Siangliw M, Siangliw JL, Traprab S,Ruengphayak S,
Chaichoompu E, Saensuk C, Phuvanartnarubal E,ToojindaT,and Tragoonrung S.2018.Thai Hom
Mali Rice: Origin and Breeding for Subsistence Rainfed Lowland Rice System. Rice (2018)
11:20.
Tragoonrung, S. 2018. The 10 Years DNA Technology Laboratory. http://dnatec.kps.ku.ac.th
DNA TECHNOLOGYLABORATORY PROVIDING GENETIC PURITY TESTING OF ALL
BIOLOGICAL SUBSTANCES AND FOOD STUFFS
http://dnatec.kps.ku.ac.th
 *Please note: This is a commer
https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/thai-jasmine-rice/95306/
Cambodia wins rice battle at EU Court
By  VNA
 -
October 1, 2020
The European General Court has rejected the European Commission’s (EC) request to reject a
complaint submitted by Cambodia and the Cambodian Rice Federation (CRF) regarding the
EU’s reintroduction of tariffs on Indica rice exports from Cambodia, according to the Phnom
Penh Post.
A court order uploaded to the European Law Journal on September 10 said the EC had submitted
a plea requesting the court to dismiss Cambodia’s complaint and regard it as inadmissible.
But Cambodia and the CRF argued that the court should reject the EC’s plea of inadmissibility
and annul the contested regulation on the rice exports. The court decided that the plea of
inadmissibility is rejected.
In full: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/cambodia-wins-rice-battle-at-eu-court/187851.vnp
© 2020, All rights reserved.
https://english.cambodiadaily.com/business/cambodia-wins-rice-battle-at-eu-court-170032/
Asia Rice-Rates dip in top hubs; traders flag low Mekong
water levels

By Diptendu Lahiri
OCTOBER 1, 20207:25 PM* Vietnamese traders warn of drought, salination
* Bangladesh government fixes wholesale price
* New supply expected to pressure on Thai prices
Oct 1 (Reuters) - Rice export prices eased this week in most hubs on lackluster demand with
fresh supplies expected to be a further drag, but Vietnamese traders were concerned about low
water levels in the Mekong.
Top exporter India's 5% broken parboiled variety RI-INBKN5-P1 slipped to $376-$382 per
tonne from last week's $379-$385.
“Local prices are softening due to the expected rise in production. Exports prices are not falling
in the same proportion because of rising rupee,” said an exporter based at Kakinada in the
southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
Thailand's benchmark 5% broken rice prices RI-THBKN5-P1 fell to $472–$477 from $475-$495
last week, attributed largely due to the fluctuation in Thai Baht amid muted demand.
“We are starting to see new supply steadily entering the market this month, and this could
gradually lead to a decline in prices over the next few weeks,” a trader said.
In Vietnam, rates for 5% broken rice RI-VNBKN5-P1 were quoted at $460-$480 a tonne range
versus $470-$475 last week, as export activity was muted with the absence of buyers from the
Philippines.
“Some exporters are only focusing on fulfilling their contracts signed with Cuba,” a trader in the
Mekong Delta province of An Giang said.
Traders said water levels in the rice bowl Mekong Delta are low this year and they are concerned
about possible drought or salination during the upcoming crop season.
Bangladesh this week fixed wholesale prices for rice following a jump in domestic rates after a
government drive to shore up supplies fell short of targets.
Millers will now have to sell fine quality rice at 2,575 taka ($30.37) for a sack of 50 kg and
medium quality at 2,250 taka ($26.54) in line with the new prices.
“We’ll have no option but to import rice if the millers don’t sell the grain at the fixed prices,”
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder said.
Reporting by Diptendu in Bengaluru, Khanh Vu in Hanoi, Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai, Ruma
https://www.reuters.com/article/asia-rice/asia-rice-rates-dip-in-top-hubs-traders-flag-low-
mekong-water-levels-idINL4N2GS262

Review of rice tariff law sought as palay prices plummet

By: Karl R. Ocampo - Reporter / @kocampoINQ
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:16 AM October 01, 2020
An industry group has urged Congress to review the rice tariffication law (RTL) as palay prices
continued to drop and are expected to worsen when harvests reach their peak this month and in
November.
According to the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF), the rice policy must make it mandatory for the
Department of Agriculture to make use of the safeguard provision under the World Trade
Organization (WTO) and local laws. This will allow the government to impose additional taxes on
imported rice whenever they would be proven to hurt local farmers. Additional taxes are expected
to discourage importation of the staple.
The group also recommended an amendment to the law that would permit the temporary
reinstatement of a cap on imports under certain conditions, which was allowed by the WTO.
The drastic slide in palay prices to P12 a kilo from P20 a kilo earlier this year was blamed on the
overwhelming volume of imports that came in due to the surge in the demand for rice as people
went into panic buying during the height of the quarantine restrictions.
Imported rice comes cheaper than local rice, making it hard for Filipino farmers to compete. With
the cost of production still at an average of P12 per kilo, palay growers are left with little to no
income, sometimes they even incur losses.
Rice prices, however, have not gone down at the same rate as that of palay prices. Data from the
Philippine Statistics Authority showed that the average rice price in the market for regular-milled
rice was P35 a kilo.
“[Lawmakers] have a moral responsibility to promptly rectify any deficiency, or omission in the
law before these bring more harm to our farmers,” said FFF national chair Raul Montemayor.
“They also need to address indications that the benefits of rice trade liberalization have been
captured mostly by market intermediaries, while consumers have not benefited significantly from
cheaper rice.”
Despite the interventions committed under the rice competitiveness enhancement program, FFF
said its implementation had been delayed by the law itself.
“These delays are due to RTL, which mandated research agencies like PhilRice and PhilMech to
directly implement multibillion programs all over the country … Also, the RTL restricted the use
of the funds to certain programs even if these do not address the priority needs of farmers in
specific areas,” the group said.
https://business.inquirer.net/308539/review-of-rice-tariff-law-sought-as-palay-prices-
plummet#ixzz6ZhJa1lVd

Researchers identify a new family of bony fishes

Deepthi Sanjiv| TNN | Updated: Oct 1, 2020, 11:57 IST

TimesPoints

MANGALURU: A group of international scientists from India, Germany, United Kingdom and
Switzerland have described a new family of bony fishes from the Western Ghats, and named it
Aenigmachannidae.

A year after the discovery of the enigmatic Gollum Snakehead, Aenigmachanna gollum from the rice
fields of northern Kerala, scientists have now carried out detailed studies on its skeleton and genetic
assembly, that revealed that this species, and its congener Aenigmachanna mahabali, represents a new
family different from Channidae, in which both species were initially placed.

The research team comprised scientists from the Senckenberg Natural History Collections in Dresden
(Germany), the Natural History Museum in London (UK), Natural History Museum in Berne
(Switzerland), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) - Pune, Nirmalagiri College in
Kannur, and the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies Cochin.

Research and close observation of the high-resolution images suggested that members of
Aenigmachannidae are living fossils and comprise an ancient Gondwanan lineage that survived the break-
up of the supercontinent and the northward drift of the Indian subcontinent, about 100 million years ago.
“The recognition of Aenigmachannidae as a new family of bony fishes comes six years after the
description of Kryptoglanidae, another unique family of freshwater fish endemic to Kerala. The presence
of two unique endemic families of freshwater fishes in Kerala is unparalleled, and indicates the
exceptional diversity and endemicity of fishes in this part of the world” said Rajeev Raghavan, Assistant
Professor, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, who was part of the study.

The gollum snakehead, Aenigmachanna gollum and the mahabali snakehead, Aenigmachanna mahabali
are known to occur in the aquifers and subterranean channels connected to paddy fields and dug-out wells
in Malappuram and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala. While Aenigmachanna gollum was discovered by
pure chance in a rice field not long after the devastating floods that raged in Kerala in August 2018,
Aenigmachanna mahabali was discovered opportunistically from a dug-out well.

“The aquifers of Kerala have a wealth of enigmatic and relic fauna, the diversity of which we are only
slowly uncovering. But subterranean ecosystems are under high levels of threat due to indiscriminate
ground water extraction and pollution, and introduction of alien species in the dugout wells” said Neelesh
Dahanukar, research scientist, IISER, Pune, who co-authored the paper.

"Throughout my career I have worked on many strange fishes, but the Gollum Snakehead is easily the
weirdest of them all. If I had been asked whether such a fish existed in the Western Ghats or anywhere in
the world, I would have said, no way. Yet here it is" remarked Ralf Britz, based at the Senckenberg
Museum at Dresden, Germany, who led this paper.

Results of this study was published in ‘Scientific Reports’, the open-access mega-journal of the Nature
Publishing Group on Wednesday.

Haryana farmers protest as stalemate over paddy

procurement continues
Though the Haryana government had announced to start procurement from September 27, procurement
agencies and rice-millers had refused to cooperate in the process. This left the farmers to suffer as many
had already turned up at the mandis with their produce.
CITIES Updated: Oct 01, 2020 01:37 IST

Neeraj Mohan
Hindustan Times, Karnal

Jagdeep Singh, a farmer, said he had come to the grain market five days ago, but his crop had not
been procured so far.

defaultValue
     
The stalemate over paddy procurement continued for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday,

prompting farmers to stage protests and block roads in Karnal, Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Ambala and

Yamunanagar districts.

Though the Haryana government had announced to start procurement from September 27,

procurement agencies and rice-millers had refused to cooperate in the process. This left the

farmers to suffer as many had already turned up at the mandis with their produce.

Waiting in vain with their unsold crop, hundreds of angry farmers, protesting under the banner of

BKU (Charuni), blocked the roads by parking their tractor-trailers. Traffic on national highway

44 in Karnal and Karnal-Yamunanagar state highway remained affected for several hours on

Wednesday. Dharnas were also staged outside the market committee offices of Assandh, Taraori

and Nilokheri grain market, where the government’s effigy was burnt. In Ambala, protesting

farmers blocked the Ambala-Hisar Highway while in Yamunanagar, protests were held outside

various mandis in Chhachhrauli, Jagadhari, Radaur etc. Jagdeep Singh, a farmer, said he had

come to the grain market five days ago, but his crop had not been procured so far.

Charuni gives ultimatum

Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) president Gurnam Singh Charuni said they have given 24

hours’ ultimatum to the government and that they will block all the roads if their produce is not

procured by 1pm on Thursday.

Officials of the market committees, meanwhile, claimed that they had started the procurement

process. Karnal market committee secretary Sunder Kamboj claimed that 225 quintals of paddy

was procured at Karnal grain market by the Hafed on Wednesday. Even in Kurukshetra, deputy

commissioner Sharandeep Kaur Barar claimed that 10,190 MT paddy was procured by

government agencies, of which 316 MT had already been lifted.

In some grain markets, farmers accused the government agencies of not procuring their produce

despite the moisture content being below 16%. Yamunanagar deputy commissioner Mukul

Kumar in a statement said that Haryana CM Manohar Lal has increased the purchase limit of

paddy from 25 quintals to 30 quintals and if a farmer brings 10% extra grain. that will be

purchased too.

(with inputs from Bhavey Nagpal in Ambala)

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/haryana-farmers-protest-as-stalemate-over-paddy-
procurement-continues/story-iHNuRhonxk10NUq72w4PeJ.html

Protests by farmers continue over demand for paddy procurement,

Bharatiya Kisan Union to block road on September 30
Jaskaran Singh | TNN | Sep 29, 2020, 21:00 IST

TimesPoints
Farmers sitting on protest on Jagadhri-Yamunanagar road

AMBALA: The protests by farmers with the demand for paddy procurement continued for the
second consecutive day in the Ambala region including Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar, as the
procurement could not be started on Tuesday too.
In Yamunanagar the farmers blocked Jagadhri-Yamunanagar road for about 3 hours and
protested while demanding paddy procurement.

A farmer Sanju of Gundiana village said, “As per the text message that I received, my schedule
for purchase of 200 quintals of paddy was on September 29, but the purchase did not start today.
The officials did not even inform anything about the revised schedule and it is harassment as I
came to the market as per schedule.”
Farmers Rajeev of Chhachharauli and Tejpal of Sudhal village said, “We have been waiting for
paddy procurement for the past four days at the grain markets but it did not start even on
Tuesday.”

Yamunanagar SDM Darshan Kumar and DSP headquarters Subash Chand reached the spot to
pacify farmers.
SDM Darshan said, "The farmers demanded paddy procurement and our agencies were ready but
due to some demands by rice millers it could not be started. To resolve the issue of proper
scheduling, the farmers demanded that the mapping should be done locally rather than from
Chandigarh, as local arhtiyas remain in touch with the farmers who inform them about the
readiness of their crop."
In Kurukshetra, the farmers protested in front of Thanesar grain market.
As per the information, the rice millers did not accept the crop over their demands from the
Haryana government, and the procurement process is halted.
However, in Sardehri village under Barara market committee of Ambala district, a total of about
1,500 quintal of paddy was procured and about 4,000 quintals of paddy which was procured on
Sunday at Shahabad grain market was lifted on Tuesday, told Shahabad-Barara market
committee secretary Krishan Kumar.
Ambala deputy commissioner (DC) Ashok Kumar Sharma said, “The procurement could not be
started due to protest by rice millers from last two days. We are fully prepared to start the
process but the demands of rice millers are to be dealt at the state-level and they are in discussion
with the government. Most probably, the issues would be resolved by Wednesday and
procurement will resume.”
On the other side, in protest due to delay in paddy procurement, the Bharatiya Kisan Union
(BKU) Haryana has announced to block roads in front of grain markets in the region at 11 am on
Wednesday.
BKU Haryana president Gurnam Singh Charuni said, “We went to meeting additional chief
secretary (ACS) of Haryana food, civil supplies, and consumer affairs department Shri Pranab
Kishore Das about the paddy procurement. We held a meeting with him for two hours from 12
noon to 2 pm on Tuesday and demanded from the ACS to remove the condition of moisture
content of paddy at 17 points. We demanded that paddy should be procured with moisture
content at 22 points and the farmers are ready to bear moisture cut. We demanded to increase the
per acre yield cap from 25 quintals to 30 quintals and also raised other demands of the farmers.
ACS did not take our demands seriously and did not assure us to resolve issues. Therefore, we
have decided to block roads in front of grain markets at 11 am on Wednesday.”

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/khattar-raises-paddy-procurement-cap-after-
farmers-threaten-stir-6644097/

Telangana yet again faces gunny bag shortage

Roushan Ali | TNN | Updated: Oct 1, 2020, 10:01 IST

TimesPoints
HYDERABAD: Civil supplies officials have failed to get back over Rs 100 crore worth gunny
bags from fair price (FP) shop dealers and rice millers in the last five years.
As a result, the state government is now faced with a shortage of eight crore gunny bags to store
paddy as it is expecting a bumper crop this season. The government is now forced to buy gunny
bags from private merchants at a minimum of Rs 24 per bag compared to Rs 18 per bag they had
to pay to dealers.
Every year, the state requires eight crore to 15 crore gunny bags to store paddy depending upon
the production and then supply custom-milled rice to Food Corporation of India and also the FP
shops.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/state-yet-again-faces-gunny-bag-shortage/
articleshow/78415904.cms

Opposition to the decision to import rice

Wednesday, 30 September 2020 - 22:52

The 'Govijana Ekamuthuwa' states that the decision taken by the government to import rice when there
are sufficient stocks of paddy in the country cannot be approved at all.

Speaking at a media briefing held in Colombo today, the chairman of the organization Anuradha
Tennakoon stated that the government has lost more than Rs. 4,000 million on rice imports even during
the period of good governance.

https://www.hirunews.lk/english/251501/opposition-to-the-decision-to-import-rice
Bayer's Singapore R&D lab helps Asian farmers
The crop science seeds laboratory here is the regional hub for Asia Pacific.
FRI, OCT 02, 2020 - 5:50 AM

NARENDRA AGGARWAL

TO: BAYER

ALTHOUGH Singapore is not a rice growing country, pioneering research by a leading

German chemicals company on the major Asian crop is being done here and it is
benefiting millions of farmers in the Asia-Pacific region.

Bayer, which is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of
health care and nutrition, has a crop science seeds laboratory in Singapore as part of its
R&D setup.

"Aligned with Bayer's vision: 'Health for all, Hunger for none', the focus of Bayer's Crop
Science Seeds laboratory contributes to our goal of developing new crop hybrids that
enable smallholder farmers in the Asia Pacific region to manage the challenge of growing
enough food sustainably while feeding a growing population as climate change makes
growing crops increasingly more difficult," says Jens Hartmann, the Singapore-based
head of Region APAC for the Crop Science Division of Bayer.

Bayer's Singapore seeds laboratory, set up in 2008, is the regional hub for Asia Pacific in
the company's global network of crop science research and development (R&D) centres
as a site dedicated to agriculture.
"R&D can help increase the productivity, sustainability and value of crops for farmers
and consumers through continuous improvements in yield, climate resilience and disease
and pest protection. The Singapore seeds lab team uses cutting edge genetics and data
science to tackle these challenges and positively impacts smallholder farmer lives and
livelihoods every day," says Mr Hartmann.

The seeds lab helps small farmers simplify their production activities and increase their
yield and yield security by developing hybrid seeds with new features that withstand
droughts, floods, pests and diseases. Giving crops the armour to thrive in difficult
climates means the lab is helping farmers to develop their businesses and to grow more
food for their communities.

One example is the hybrid rice seed variety of Arize, which was bred with resistance
against brown plant hopper insects and bacterial leaf blight disease, both of which cause
devastating crop losses.

"So far, around 1.7 million smallholder farmers have benefited from our pioneering work
on hybrid rice. When you consider that around 3.2 billion people worldwide depend on
the grain for more than a fifth of their daily calories, the value of hybrid rice and similar
advances through innovative R&D at Bayer becomes clear. Importantly, this research and
development into rice helps us contribute to the United Nations Zero Hunger Challenge,
which aims to eliminate all forms of malnutrition by 2030," says Mr Hartmann.

The seeds lab here with a headcount of eight is one of Bayer's nine laboratory-based
innovation centres on crop science. The scientists' tasks include genetic screening for
innovative agronomic and quality traits that naturally occur in plants and integrating them
into new crop hybrids through plant breeding.

In an interesting development, Bayer teamed up with Temasek in August to form a new

company, Unfold, which will focus on innovation in vegetable varieties with the goal of
lifting vertical farming to the next level of quality, efficiency and sustainability.

While most startups in the vertical farming market are focusing on the development of
more efficient infrastructure, Unfold plans to unlock the genetic potential of vertical
farming. Using seed genetics from vegetable crops, Unfold will focus on developing new
seed varieties coupled with agronomic advice tailored for the indoor environment of
vertical farms.

Singapore is Bayer's Asia Pacific headquarters for the pharmaceuticals, crop science and
consumer health divisions. Its Asean country group platform is also based here. The
company has almost 400 employees here, representing a diverse group of both local and
international talent.

In fiscal 2019, Bayer employed around 104,000 people worldwide and had sales of 43.5
billion euros (S$70 billion). It invested 5.3 billion euros in R&D.

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/hub/30-years-of-german-unity/bayers-singapore-rd-lab-helps-asian-
farmers

Senators seek help for farmers

ByBernadette E. Tamayo

October 2, 2020

SEN. Francis Pangilinan on Thursday urged the government to tap the excess collection of P728

million from the implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) as cash aid to farmers.

The senator said that farmers sought government help as palay (unmilled rice) prices nosedived

to as low as P12 a kilo from the P17 to P20 buying range of the National Food Authority.

Sen. Ana Theresia Hontiveros, on the other hand, sought a comprehensive review of the RTL,

which opened the Philippine market to unlimited rice imports at higher tax rates. In November

2019, the Philippines became the world’s top importer of rice, overtaking China.

Pangilinan said Filipino farmers are in dire straits and need urgent assistance from the

government.
“The life-saving measure is direct cash assistance especially to the small farmers now suffering

from the plunge in the prices of palay and from the lack of other livelihood opportunities due to

the pandemic,” he said.

Data as of July 2020 showed that tax collection from the RTL has reached P10.7 billion.

Taxes collected in excess of P10 billion needed to fund the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement

Program may be allocated as cash assistance to farmers.

“We have an excess collection of P728 million as of July and this should directly benefit the

farmers especially in these hard times,” Pangilinan said.

“If the collection as of July 2020 was P10.728 billion, it is definitely bigger three months later.

The excess funds should benefit our farmers. We need to get the cash in their hands so they

could continue to plant and put food on every Filipino’s table,” he added.

Hontiveros said even before the pandemic, farmers were already suffering from the loss of

income because of low palay prices.

“I have filed Proposed Senate Resolution (PSR) 70, which sought a review of the

implementation of the RTL and its effects, and PSR 152, which sought to explore ‘emergency

measures’ to aid farmers severely affected by the sudden drop in prices of palay,” she noted.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/10/02/news/national/senators-seek-help-for-farmers/775065/
Hit by crop failure, Tiruvannamalai farmers let cattle graze
in paddy fields
The farmers had chosen the wrong season for the variety-5 paddy which is photosynthetic
sensitive, the agricultural experts had said.

Published: 01st October 2020 09:15 PM  |   Last Updated: 01st October 2020 09:15 PM   |  

Cattle are let graze the unproductive paddy in Tiruvannamalai (Photo | EPS/ S Dinesh)

By R Sivakumar

Express News Service

TIRUVANNAMALAI: Several rice producers at Arni and its adjoining places in the
Tiruvannamalai district have let cattle graze the unproductive paddy.
,
Farmers, who had opted for the paddy variety-5 developed in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh,
have been the worst-hit in the district as they could not get the yield even after 180 days have
passed since sowing.

With an eye on a bumper production, they sowed this variety without aware of the suitable
environmental conditions.

“I cultivated paddy variety-5 in my 8-acre farm. Now, about 180 days have passed. I could get
only 3 bags (each weighing 75 kg) of yield per acre,” laments S Parthasarathi, a farmer of
Ayyampettai.

As they could not afford to hire a machine to remove the unproductive crop, several farmers
have let the cattle graze. “We are not able to hire a machine to remove the crop, so we are
allowing cattle to graze,” another farmer says.

The farmers have incurred a loss in the range of Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 20,000 per acre due to crop
loss.

Agriculture and Seed Certification department officials have already studied the crop with the
help of scientists from the Agricultural College and Research Institute, Vazhavachanur, to find
out the exact reasons for the crop failure.

“We have already conducted a field study to find out the reasons. Again two scientists are roped
in for further investigations,” Deputy Director of Seeds, G Somu, said.

The well-grown paddy plants had suffered a failure of panicle initiation due to unsuitable
environmental conditions.
The farmers had chosen the wrong season for the variety-5 paddy which is photosynthetic
sensitive, the agricultural experts had said.

However, the DD claimed that farmers in certain places had taken better yield from this
particular variety.

This variety was grown in 196 acres of land in certain parts of Tiruvannamalai including Arni,
Polur, and Mandakolathur.

The affected farmers are expecting the government to provide them financial assistance to tackle
the huge loss but officials said there is little scope for it.

“Since they had purchased the seed variety from a private dealer, the government can’t arrange
them compensation for the loss,” a top officer of the Agriculture department said.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2020/oct/01/hit-by-crop-failure-
tiruvannamalai-farmers-let-cattle-graze-in-paddy-fields-2

Only 2% paddy bought in 4 days

Of 31,000 MT of PR paddy that arrived in Karnal mandis, only 627 MT procured
SHARE ARTICLE

Posted: Oct 02, 2020 07:01 AM (IST)

An officer checks the moisture content in paddy at a grain market in Karnal on Thursday. Sayeed Ahmed
Tribune News Service

Karnal, October 1

Despite the state government advancing the date of paddy procurement and starting it
from September 26, procurement is almost negligible in all the 13 purchase centres of
Karnal district.

The data gathered by The Tribune from the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board
(HSAMB) shows that only 2 per cent of the total arrived paddy has been procured at these
purchase centres from September 27 to 30, forcing the farmers to come on the roads for
procurement.

82,895 quintals procured in Kurukshetra

  Anurag Rastogi, Principal Secretary, Excise and Taxation Department, on Thursday
visited mandis in Kurukshetra district
 He heard out traders and farmers, who complained about gate passes, and transportation
and lifting of the produce
 Rastogi assured them they would not face inconvenience and directed officials to resolve
the matter
 DC Sharandeep Kaur said 82,895 quintals stock was procured in the district on Thursday
and 12,000 quintals lifted

Around 31,000 MT of PR variety paddy has arrived at these purchase centres till September 30.
Of it, only 627 MT paddy was procured. The remaining is lying in the grain markets.

Farmers while away their time. Sayeed Ahmed

Farmers are blaming the rice millers and arhtiyas for this situation. “After the rice millers, the
arhtiyas have started boycotting the procurement due to which farmers have been facing a lot of
trouble. I have been waiting here for the past five days, but no one has come for the purchase,”
said Vikram Mehla, a farmer of Baldi village.
Meanwhile, after a meeting with Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav, the arhtiyas have
called off their strike and started procurement.

Nishant Kumar Yadav, DC, said that the strike of arhtiyas has caused this slow procurement.

He said that arhtiyas had refused to get the paddy of farmers registered on their behalf to press
for their demands, including relaxation in moisture up to 19 per cent from 17 per cent and
allowing UP farmers to sell their produce in Karnal’s grain market. As a result, the purchase was
affected.

Now, the issues have been resolved and the arhtiyas have started procurement in all the 13
purchase centres.

“I have directed all procurement agencies to speed up procurement so that farmers do not face
any problems. Besides, a class-II rank officer has been deputed at each purchase centre to ensure
that the lifting is done in 24 hours of the procurement,” said the DC.

Rajnish Chaudhary, president, Karnal Arhtiyas Association, said that with the assurance from the
DC of relaxation in moisture to 19 per cent, lifting of procured paddy in 24 hours and allowing
the UP farmers from September 5 at Karnal’s grain markets, they have called off their boycott.
“We have started procurement,” he said.

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/only-2-paddy-bought-in-4-days-149518

Haryana rolls out steps for purchase

Posted: Oct 02, 2020 07:01 AM (IST)

Chandigarh, October 1

The Haryana Government has taken several decisions to ensure that the ongoing procurement of
kharif crops in mandis of the state is done in a systematic manner.

Additional Chief Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department PK Das said
the state government had decided that as per the demand of rice millers, paddy procurement and
billing by arhtiyas will be done on the same day.
Similarly, the lifting of paddy would be ensured within 24 hours so that no inconvenience is
faced by anyone in the mandis.

Das clarified that a letter had been written to the FCI to install digital sampling machines at
every custom milled rice (CMR) station. The CMR ratio amount would be increased from 15 to
25.

He said according to the data given by the Agriculture Department, this year, paddy crop had
been sown on 12 lakh hectare and the arrival of 68 lakh metric ton of levy paddy was expected.
The procurement process will continue till December 15. — TNS

SHARE ARTICLE

Punjab Reduces Market Fees and Rural Development

Fee
October 1, 2020

Gurneel Kaur

Punjab decreases market and rural development fees for Basmati to remain competitive with other
grain-producing states. Move to provide Rs 100 crore relief to exporters and better prices
to farmers. 

Reduction in the Market and Rural Development Fees

Punjab lowered Market Development Fee (MDF) and the Rural Development Fee (RDF) rates,
from 2% to 1%. Further, the government has allowed using the premises of rice millers as Mandi
yards. This will ensure seamless procurement of paddy, which will start next week. The move
has come as an effect of representations received from the Punjab Rice Millers and Exporters
Association and PMB. The Punjab CM’s office tweeted that the move will aid farmers in getting
reasonable prices from traders as exporters are the only purchasers of basmati. Bhartiya Kisan
Union (BKU) Dakaunda General Secretary Jagmohan Singh said that government must not
charge traders such high taxes. However, the government must take a particular portion of the
profit as rural development cess.

Effect of Farm Ordinances

The Punjab Rice Millers and Exporters Association claimed that the farm ordinances had
increased the disparity in fees charged by Punjab and other states. Haryana, Delhi, and UP have
exempted market fees from agricultural produce, making Punjab economically unviable for rice
exporters. The traders also complained that the trend of 4% plus tax would make it difficult for
them to remain in business.
Haryana too Reduces Fees on Cotton and Paddy

In a meeting with the association of commission agents, Haryana’s CM also decreased market
fees and rural development fees on cotton and paddy from 2% to 0.5%. Further, the state will
clear labour dues to commission agents within 15 days of closure of procurement. Moreover, it
will pay 12% annual interest on the rights in case of non-payment of licenses in the time limit.

In all, the three farm ordinances were accepted by UP, Haryana, Himachal. Hence, they issued
new advisories like waiving the off-market fee and RDF with a user charge of just 1% for using
state Mandis. However, the Punjab Assembly passed a resolution against it and maintained its
stance of levying more than 6.5% taxes.

https://www.grainmart.in/news/punjab-reduces-market-fees-and-rural-development-fee/
ASIA RICE-RATES DIP IN TOP HUBS; TRADERS FLAG
LOW MEKONG WATER LEVELS
10/1/2020

* Vietnamese traders warn of drought, salination

* Bangladesh government fixes wholesale price

* New supply expected to pressure on Thai prices

By Diptendu Lahiri

Oct 1 (Reuters) - Rice export prices eased this week in most hubs on lackluster demand with
fresh supplies expected to be a further drag, but Vietnamese traders were concerned about low
water levels in the Mekong.

Top exporter India's 5% broken parboiled variety <RI-INBKN5-P1> slipped to $376-$382 per
tonne from last week's $379-$385.

"Local prices are softening due to the expected rise in production. Exports prices are not falling
in the same proportion because of rising rupee," said an exporter based at Kakinada in the
southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

Thailand's benchmark 5% broken rice prices <RI-THBKN5-P1> fell to $472–$477 from $475-
$495 last week, attributed largely due to the fluctuation in Thai Baht amid muted demand.

"We are starting to see new supply steadily entering the market this month, and this could
gradually lead to a decline in prices over the next few weeks," a trader said.
In Vietnam, rates for 5% broken rice <RI-VNBKN5-P1> were quoted at $460-$480 a tonne
range versus $470-$475 last week, as export activity was muted with the absence of buyers from
the Philippines.

"Some exporters are only focusing on fulfilling their contracts signed with Cuba," a trader in the
Mekong Delta province of An Giang said.

Traders said water levels in the rice bowl Mekong Delta are low this year and they are concerned
about possible drought or salination during the upcoming crop season.

Bangladesh this week fixed wholesale prices for rice following a jump in domestic rates after a
government drive to shore up supplies fell short of targets.

Millers will now have to sell fine quality rice at 2,575 taka ($30.37) for a sack of 50 kg and
medium quality at 2,250 taka ($26.54) in line with the new prices.

"We'll have no option but to import rice if the millers don't sell the grain at the fixed prices,"
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder said.

(Reporting by Diptendu in Bengaluru, Khanh Vu in Hanoi, Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai, Ruma

Paul in Dhaka, and Panu Wongcha-um in Bangkok; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)

https://www.agriculture.com/markets/newswire/asia-rice-rates-dip-in-top-hubs-traders-flag-low-mekong-
water-levels

Haryana farmers heave a sigh of relief as paddy

procurement begins again
Though the Haryana government had announced to start procurement from September 27,
procurement agencies and rice-millers had refused to cooperate in the process.
CITIES  Updated: Oct 01, 2020 20:59 IST

Neeraj Mohan
Hindustan Times, Karnal
 (HT 
file)     

In a big relief to farmers in Haryana, procurement of paddy in the mandis started

again on Thursday, ending four days impasse following Haryana chief minister

Manohar Lal Khattar’s assurance to arhtiyas and rice millers.

Though the Haryana government had announced to start procurement from September 27,

procurement agencies and rice-millers had refused to cooperate in the process. This left the

farmers to suffer as many had already turned up at the mandis with their produce. In some grain

markets, farmers had accused the government agencies of not procuring their produce despite the

moisture content being below 16%.

On Thursday, the government agencies started the procurement operations after a meeting of

district administration officials, procurement agencies, arhtiyas and rice millers.

As per the officials of the Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board, the agencies will also

procure paddy with moisture content up to 19%. However, the arhtiyas have also complained

that their paddy was procured but has not been lifted yet due to non-availability of gunny bags.
Also, a group of rice millers has allowed the procurement agencies to use their godowns for

storage of procured paddy.

Karnal deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said, “The procurement has started and over

60,000 quintals of paddy or 25% of total paddy in the mandis has been procured so far.”

The district administrations has also held meetings with the ricemillers, arhtiyas, officials of

agriculture marketing board and procurement agencies as well as concerned officials to keep a

watch on the procurement process and ensure smooth procurement and lifting from the grain

market.

Home / Chandigarh / Efforts on to retrieve body of retired BSF officer who died on recce to China border

Efforts on to retrieve body of retired BSF officer who died on recce to China
border
SC Negi, who belonged to Kinnaur, had commanded a BSF battalion in Kargil during the 1999
war between India and Pakistan, and had retired in 2010 after 33 years of service.
CHANDIGARH  Updated: Oct 02, 2020 14:16 IST

HT Correspondent

Hindustan Times, ShimlaThe body is kept at Ganthambralam border post at a height of 18,600
feet in Himachal Pradesh, while a helicopter sortie is awaited to pick the mortal remains.

     

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is carrying out an operation to bring back the body of SC

Negi, 70, a former deputy inspector general (DIG) of the Border Security Force (BSF), who died

in the icy heights of Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday while voluntarily leading
a reconnaissance mission to find a shorter route to the China border.

The ITBP said the retired BSF officer was rescued by a patrol party of the force from the remote

Nishangaon area of Kinnaur district along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

Negi was seen lying injured with multiple fractures by an ITBP patrol. He died while being

carried by ITBP personnel.

The body is kept at Ganthambralam border post at a height of 18,600 feet in Himachal Pradesh,

while a helicopter sortie is awaited to pick the mortal remains.

“There is no foul play. He died after falling. His body has injury marks,” Kinnaur superintendent

of police Sarju Ram Rana said.

Negi, who belonged to Kinnaur, commanded a BSF battalion during 1999 Kargil War. He retired

in 2010 after 33 years of service. A noted mountaineer, he was the “oldest Indian police officer”

to lead an expedition to Mount Everest.

“He took his last breath in the mountains for the cause of the nation when he was willingly

leading a recce (reconnaissance) and survey team of security forces to explore the shortest route

to the China border in Himachal Pradesh,” the BSF said in a statement.

The security forces, however, declined to disclose the point of origin and end of the recce. “He

(Negi) was advised by his family against the trip in view of his age, but he said it will be his last

one,” the BSF said.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/efforts-on-to-retrieve-body-of-retired-bsf-officer-who-
died-on-recce-to-china-border/story-LMqrNG1hE92Xm3jjR3tcBO.html