Taxes on seeds to disincentivise farmers

Association chief says they will hike cost of production

Our CorrespondentMarch 03, 2022

PHOTO: AGENCIES

LAHORE:
The imposition of 17% sales tax on locally produced or imported seed coupled
with 3% additional tax on unregistered seed firms will have a cumulative effect
of 25% on farmers, said Pakistan Hi-tech Hybrid Seed Association (PHHSA)
President Shehzad Ali Malik.
While briefing the media on Wednesday, he stated that it would hike the cost of
production for seed firms, endanger national food security and hurt research and
development efforts in the agriculture sector.
Seed, rice and textile industries decided to join hands to lobby against imposition of
17% general sales tax on seed industry. They argued that the levy would negatively
impact agriculture production as well as tax collection.
A delegation comprising officials from all three areas will call upon Federal Finance
Minister Shaukat Tarin, Advisor to Prime Minister on Commerce Razak Dawood,
Minister for National Food Security and Research Fakhar Imam and chairman of the
Federal Board of Revenue, said Malik.
The delegation will inform them that the taxes will adversely impact the agriculture
sector, he added.
A presentation containing all local and international data was also under preparation
for their briefing, he added.
“The imposition of taxes will lead to a drop in the total tax collection because the
farming community will abandon certified seeds and turn towards informal sources to
meet their seed requirements which will ultimately reduce per acre agriculture
output,” feared Malik.
He highlighted that the government was advocating for adopting Chinese
model to improve agriculture output which succeeded on the basis of cheap
hybrid wheat, rice and cotton seeds.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2346081/taxes-on-seeds-to-disincentivise-farmers

Pak-Uzbek agreed for

enhancing cooperation in
agriculture sector
Wed, 2 Mar 2022, 11:18 PM

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ISLAMABAD, Mar 02 (APP):Uzbekistan Minister for Agriculture Jamshid

Khodjaev and Minister of National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar
Imam on Wednesday agreed for enhancing bilateral cooperation to promote
and develop agricultural sectors of both the countries.
The Uzbek Minister of Agriculture called on Imam and discussed prospects of
cooperation in different areas of agriculture sector development.

Fakhar said that sharing of germplasm on reciprocal basis of cotton, melon,

cereal
crops, and other high value horticulture crops and livestock can enhance the
agriculture sector of both countries.

He said that cooperation in production technologies of cotton and high value

horticulture crops such as kinnow, dates and mangoes can be beneficial for
Pakistan.

Pakistan has immense export potential with respect to citrus fruits, rice,
mangoes, onion, potatoes, fisheries and livestock, he added.

Over 8 million tonnes of surplus rice available with the country,  which can
be exported, he said adding that Pakistan exported 144,000 tonnes of
mangoes internationally and hence its export to Uzbekistan also has huge
potential.
Fakhar Imam said that Uzbekistan has mechanization expertise which can
benefit Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion Agriculture Minister of Uzbekistan said that Pest

Risk Analysis has been completed by their side and they are willing to export
melon, pomegranate, apple, water melon, grapes and cherries to Pakistan.

He welcomed Fakhar Imam’s suggestion of exchange of university students

and professors. He said that exchange of technologies for processing and
value addition of fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products can reap
positive result for both countries.

He said that the Uzbekistan has accepted to import meat under World
Organization
for Animal Health and that two slaughter houses have also been approved.

He said that technological collaboration in livestock breed improvement

programs can upgrade the livestock productivity of Pakistan.
Federal Minister thanked the Uzbekistan’s Minister and highlighted the
cordial and friendly relations between the two countries.
https://www.app.com.pk/business/pak-uzbek-agreed-for-enhancing-cooperation-in-agriculture-
sector/

Rain to give positive impact on

agricultural sector: official
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APP
MARCH 3, 2022
ISLAMABAD: The ongoing rain will have a positive impact on the agricultural sector of
the country as it would also reduce the allergies that is being prevailing in the
atmosphere, said senior official of Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Farman
Abbasi on Thursday.

Talking to APP, he said the standing crops got benefited from the ongoing rain spell as
sixty percent of the population of Pakistan is directly or indirectly reliant upon rain-fed
agriculture that depends on predictable weather patterns.

He said the global climate change affects our agriculture and its impacts seem to
increase daily. Pakistan produces wheat, rice, cotton, sugarcane, and maize and these
crops are affected by climate change.

Incessant escalation in earth temperatures globally is changing precipitation patterns

including a shift in our monsoon season, he said. Adding that these conditions affect
agricultural production, farm livelihoods and agribusiness infrastructure that is leading to
food insecurity and malnutrition among the farming communities.

https://dailytimes.com.pk/894986/rain-to-give-positive-impact-on-agricultural-sector-official/

New tax may raise agricultural

production cost by 25pc’
By Our Correspondent

March 03, 2022

LAHORE: The Pakistan Hi-Tech Hybrid Seed Association has warned that the
recently-imposed General Sales Tax is likely to increase the seed prices in the
country by 25 per cent, forcing the farmers to use traditional uncertified low-
yield seed of various food and cash crops.

"The imposition of tax has badly affected the country's nascent hybrid seed
industry, but it will ultimately trouble the farming community which is already
facing shortage of fertilizer," PHHSA Chairman Shahzad Malik said while
talking to members of the Agriculture Journalists Association here on
Wednesday. He said the development of hybrid rice varieties and their
successful cultivation in Sindh and Punjab has led to double the paddy crop
over the last 11 years i.e. from 4.03 million tonnes in 2010 to 8.41 million
tonnes in 2021. "The taxes imposed under mini-budget may hamper the
process of hybridization in paddy and other important cash and food crops,"
he warned and said that the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) and
the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) have already rejected the
imposition of the GST on seeds as such levies could only lead to reduction in
the production of raw materials for these two sectors. The PHHSA chairman
said there is the need for hybridization of wheat and cotton seed too as China
and India have tripled their cotton production by producing hybrid BT cotton
varieties.

Speaking on the occasion, Pakistan's leading plant breeding expert Dr

Shafiqur Rehman said the cultivation of certified wheat seed can lead to a 15
per cent increase in the cereal production. But the imposition of GST is likely
to jack the per acre wheat seed expenditure by Rs 700. He said the promotion
of maize hybrid seed has increased the corn crop production from 6 million
tonnes to 8 million tonnes.

REAP Chairman Ali Hussam Asghar said his association is against the
imposition of GST in the seed sector. He said it is the certified paddy seed that
helped increase the rice exports from $300 million to $2 billion in a period of
15 years. Agriculture Journalists Association President Muhammad Luqman,
LEJA President Sudhir Chaudhry and AJA General Secretary Amjad Mahmood
also spoke.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/938182-new-tax-may-raise-agricultural-production-cost-by-
25pc

Farmers are Earning Good Income from Improved Rice

Varieties Developed by IARI

Both the varieties, developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Pusa, Delhi,
fetch farmers like Singh financial benefits in the range of Rs.25,000 to Rs.30,000 per acre, after
taking into account cost of cultivation as well as lease rental for the land.
Ayushi Raina Updated 2 March, 2022 11:19 AM IST Published on 2 March, 2022 10:53 AM
IST

Basmati rice varieties- PB 1121 and PB 1509 at the local mandi sold for Rs.3800 and Rs.3500
per quintal
Pritam Singh, who farms on 110 acres, including some leased land, in Haryana's Panipat district,
has just sold his harvest of Basmati rice varieties- PB 1121 and PB 1509 at the local mandi for
Rs.3800 and Rs.3500 per quintal, respectively. 
Both the varieties, established by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Pusa, Delhi,
provide farmers like Singh with financial benefits ranging from Rs.25000 to Rs.30000 per acre,
after deducting cultivation costs and leasing rental for the land. 
"Since the introduction of high-yielding varieties such as PB1121 and PB1509 the production as
well as quality in terms of size of the Basmati rice grain increased thus bringing economic
benefits to us," Singh stated. 
Prior to the introduction of these two varieties, Singh stated that conventional varieties had yields
ranging from 12 to 13 quintal per acre, whereas the PB1121 and PB1509 varieties have average
yields of 24 and 26 quintal per acre, respectively. 
While the high-yielding and larger-grained PB1121 variety was certified as Basmati rice in 2008,
the PB1509 variety, which matures in fewer weeks, was released in 2013. 
Between 2010 and 2019, two Basmati rice varieties developed by IARI contributed 70% of the
entire value of cumulative exports of long-grain aromatic rice from India worth Rs.2.38 lakh
crore, benefiting farmers. During the specified period, India exported an average of 3.74 million
tonne (mt) of Basmati rice annually, out of a total production of around 5mt. 
https://krishijagran.com/agriculture-world/farmers-are-earning-good-income-from-
improved-rice-varieties-developed-by-iari/#:~:text=After%20deducting%20production
%20costs%2C%20the,aromatic%20and%20long%20grained%20rice.

India to Get Exclusive Rights to Sell Basmati Rice in

European Union

India will likely walk away with the sole right to the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for
Basmati rice in the…
According to an IARI analysis of the economic value of Basmati rice, the shipment of PB1121
and PB1509 rice varieties generated Rs.1.66 lakh crore in export earnings between 2010 and
2019, while domestic sales were Rs.51501 crore during the same period.
After deducting production costs, the IARI assessment demonstrates that Rs.1.34 lakh crore has
been earned by an estimated 10 lakh farmers in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh,
Uttarakhand, sections of Uttar Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir who cultivate two varieties of
aromatic and long grained rice.
"Improved Basmati varieties have brought wealth to millions of Basmati farmers by raising their
standard of living, providing better education for children, and providing the finest health care
for family members," IARI director Ashok Kumar Singh stated.

Basmati rice was grown in an average of 18.34 lakh hectares every year from 2010 to 2019, with
PB11121 and PB1509 accounting for 67 % and 10% of the area, respectively. The rest of the
varieties grown by farmers include PB1, PB6 and PB1718, which are also developed by IARI.
Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, and the UAE, as well as other European countries, are major
export destinations for Indian Basmati rice.
In 2020-21, India exported Basmati rice worth Rs.29849 crore ($4018 million).
Recently, IARI has released improved varieties PB1847, PB1885 and PB1886; these are
improved varieties with inbuilt resistance to bacterial blight and blast diseases. “These varieties
would reduce the use of pesticides significantly in basmati cultivation,” Ranjith Kumar Ellur,
scientist, rice section, division of genetics, IARI, said.

Sponsored

https://krishijagran.com/agriculture-world/farmers-are-earning-good-income-from-improved-
rice-varieties-developed-by-iari/
Aberdeen refillery with nut butter station to set up shop in
new city centre location
 By Karla Sinclair
March 2, 2022, 11:45 am

Magda Rogaczewska outside the current store, on Holburn Street.

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The only Aberdeen-based zero-waste store that allows customers to make their own fresh nut
butters is relocating to bigger premises.

Rosemary Planet – Refillery is in the process of moving from Holburn Street to Great Western
Road and is anticipated to open in its new home next week.
Run by Magda Rogaczewska, from Balmedie, work started in the Great Western Road building
at the beginning of February.
Boosting local businesses
In terms of the interior, the design and decor will be “fresh, clean and calming, with lots of
natural wood and light”.
The business currently boasts a team of two, but this figure is expected to grow before the move
takes place.
One of the main reasons for upscaling is down to Magda, 44, wanting to stock the products of
more local businesses. This has proved a struggle in the Holburn Street building due to lack of
space.

Stoc
k inside Rosemary Planet – Refillery.
She said: “Being a small shop, we needed to find ways to be able to expand our product range
but not overcrowd it.
“We have reached the point where nothing else will fit in there and we were sad that there are so
many new, exciting products made by local small businesses.
“These businesses share our passion for being healthier, greener and kinder to our environment.
“Having a bigger space will enable us to expand our product lines and allow our community to
support even more local businesses.”
 Yu
m yums, produced by Vegan Bay Baker.
Examples of local food and drink firms that stock at Rosemary Planet – Refillery include Vegan
Bay Baker, Lembas Organic Farm and Mearns Marmalades.
What’s available?
The refillery was launched in November 2019 by Magda, who has been working in hospitality
since her 20s and moved to the city 16 years ago.
She started her entrepreneurial journey by launching an upholstery and furniture shop in the
current Rosemary Planet building, known as Shades of Blue and Grey, which is still running
today, but decided to transform it into a refillery.
“I moved Shades of Blue and Grey into a workshop on a permanent basis,” Magda said.
“But I liked the location and premises and wanted to share my other passions with people, so
Rosemary Planet was born.
 Magda
using the refillery station.
“These other passions include reducing plastic, living greener and encouraging customers to try
different ways of shopping – re-introducing slow shopping.”
The shop boasts a great selection of plastic-free everyday essentials, including:
 Pastas
 Rice
 Pulses
 Oils
 Nuts
 Granolas
 Flour
 Teas and coffees
 Herbs and spices
Aberdeen refillery with nut butter station prepares to move home
0 seconds of 48 secondsVolume 0%
 
There are also refillable cleaning, sanitary and household products, laundry products, eco
cleaning products, and cosmetics.
Magda added: “We encourage customers to reuse their packaging – you really don’t need any
fancy containers for your red lentils or basmati rice.
“We are the only place in town where you can come with your jar and make yourself the freshest
and healthiest possible peanut butter, almond butter or any other nut butter combination.”
Rosemary Planet is the only refillery in Aberdeen that allows customers to make their very own
nut butters, too.
Keen to learn how to navigate yourself around a refillery? Take a look at these 5 easy steps
that are sure to help you on your journey.

“From time to time we prepare special limited editions of nut butters. Last time we had peanut
butter with Belgian white chocolate, desiccated coconut and a dash of cinnamon.
“We also offer milk, dark and vegan chocolate peanut butters, as well.”
The refillery is open from 10am to 5pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 10am, noon to 6pm
on Thursday, 10am to 4pm on Saturday and 10am to 2pm on Sunday.

Fres
h fruit and vegetables are also available.
The same hours will apply for the new location.

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/lifestyle/food-and-drink/3995340/rosemary-planet-
aberdeen-refillery/

Admin helps farmers grow aromatic rice in Simdega

  Gumla: Simdega administration has rolled out an
innovative project to help farmers grow scented rice,
package their products and sell them under
its Kurdeg rice brand. Kurdeg is a block in the district
which is known for its rice cultivation. Titled as
aromatic rice bowl project, officials said that the idea is to help the farmers get proper market
linkage of their products. “Around 1,000 fathers from 11 blocks in the district were provided
seeds of traditional aromatic rice varieties, like kala jeera, jeera ful, gobind bhog, bhukta,
mansuri and sambha mansuri, for cultivation. Over the period of time, canals were renovated and
others methods of irrigation have been made operational to ensure water supply for irrigation,”
said an official. A semi-automatic rice mill has been installed for value addition and it will start
milling soon. Officials said that a farmers’ producer organization named Sankh Aroma Trust has
been set up for overall operation of rice milling, packaging and branding. The project is the
brainchild of Sushant Gaurav, who served as DC of Simdega until last week before his transfer.
Speaking to TOI on the project before his transfer, Gaurav said, “A high percentage of
population here depends on farming but it is mainly dependent on rainfall. The district
administration identified the potential of adding value to the produce and hence, the project was
initiated.”
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/admin-helps-farmers-grow-aromatic-rice-in-
simdega/articleshow/89956836.cms

Vietnamese rice, spices, fruit gain firm foothold in

international markets
  
HANOI (Vietnam News/Asia News Network): Vietnamese rice, spices, and fruit have been
increasing their presence in demanding markets worldwide as local businesses are taking
advantage of free trade agreements. According to statistics of the General Department of
Customs, in January, rice export reached 505,741 tonnes worth US$246.02 million, sharp
increases of 45.4 per cent and 28.2 per cent against last year, respectively. The Vietnam Food
Association (VFA) forecast that Vietnam would ensure its 2022 overseas rice shipments at
between 6-6.2 million tonnes, similar to the amount recorded in 2020 and 2021, for a revenue of
over $3.2 billion. Rice exports this year are likely to maintain a good rank, as the local rice
industry is increasingly improving in quality and large domestic enterprises such as Lộc Trời,
Tân Long, Intimex, and Trung An have sealed large orders of high value. In addition to the
traditional key export earner, investment in new products such as spices is also very promising.
The Vietnamese high-quality spices producer Dh Foods Joint Stock Company has signed a
cooperation agreement with the US-based Heritage Beverage Company to export its products to
this market.
Accordingly, Heritage Beverage will become the exclusive distributor of Dh Foods' speciality
spices in the US. About 10 containers of Vietnamese products are expected to leave for the US
this year starting from the third quarter. Dh Foods General Director Nguyễn Trung Dũng hoped
that Heritage Beverage will help his company conquer the share of the Asian food market in the
US, which is valued at up to $40 billion and serves about 30 million people of Asian origin,
including three million people from Vietnam. It is estimated that more than 80 per cent of
supermarkets in this country have Asian food stalls. Currently, Vietnam's spices exporters are
better at meeting the strict requirements of foreign partners, capable of providing value-added,
good quality and safe products for many leading importers and premium distribution channels in
many regions of the world. Contributing more than $3.5 billion to Vietnam's total export
turnover in 2021, the fruit and vegetable industry also successfully delivered a series of new
orders from the outset of 2022. Notably, the Westerfarm limited company and Vietnam Golden
Gate Joint Stock Company exported three tonnes of mangoes to the Netherlands. Minister of
Agriculture and Rural Development Lê Minh Hoan affirmed that this year’s agro-forestry-fishery
exports will reach or even exceed $50 billion, growing by 3-4 per cent.
https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2022/03/03/vietnamese-rice-spices-fruit-
gain-firm-foothold-in-international-markets

Two Basmati Rice Varieties Help Boost Exports And

Farmers’ Income
bySwarajya Staff-Mar 3, 2022 03:37 PM

R
epresentative image
The Indian Agricultural Research Institute’s (IRAI) two Basmati rice varieties have contributed
to 70 per cent of the total value of cumulative exports of long-grain aromatic rice from India
from 2010-19.
The two varieties, namely: PB 1121 and PB 1509 were released by IARI in 2013.
About Rs 1.66 lakh crore of export earnings from the aforementioned time period were from the
shipment of these two rice varieties.
 The IARI's assessment says that Rs 1.34 lakh crore has been accrued as earnings by an
approximate 10 lakh farmers in Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and parts of
Uttar Pradesh.
“Improved Basmati varieties have brought prosperity to millions of Basmati farmers by
improving their standards of living, better education for children and best health care for family
members,” IARI director Ashok Kumar Singh was quoted by the Financial Express.
Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, UAE and Yemen are the major destinations of Indian Basmati rice
exports. In 2020-21, the country exported Basmati rice worth Rs 29849 crore.
The PB 1121 and PB 1509 varieties apparently cut down the use of pesticides significantly in the
cultivation of Basmati rice.
https://swarajyamag.com/insta/two-basmati-rice-varieties-help-boost-exports-and-farmers-
income

LSU AgCenter low glycemic rice shows promise

for diabetics
 By TOBIE BLANCHARD LSU AGCENTER
 
 Gumbo prepared with Frontiére, a low-glycemic rice variety developed by LSU AgCenter
scientists that is being sold across the state under the Parish Rice brand. This rice is a healthy
alternative for diabetics and those who are pre-diabetic.
 Mandy Armentor / LSU AgCenter
Frontiére, a low-glycemic rice developed by the LSU AgCenter is being sold across the state
under the Parish Rice brand. This rice is a healthy alternative for diabetics and those who are pre-
diabetic.
BATON ROUGE — For people interested in keeping their blood sugar levels in check, they now
have a new tool thanks to rice developed at the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station in
Crowley.
AgCenter area nutrition agent Mandy Armentor said Frontiére is a low glycemic rice variety
developed by LSU AgCenter scientists that went to market under the Parish Rice label late in
2021.
Armentor said in addition to being non-GMO, Frontiére also has 5 grams of protein. Other rice
varieties have only 1 to 2 grams of protein per one-half cup serving when cooked.
“That is great news for people with diabetes or who have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic who
need to watch the amount and type of carbohydrates they consume, which affect blood sugar
levels,” she said. “A low glycemic food means that when the food is metabolized by the body,
there is a gradual rise in blood sugar levels as opposed to a food which might be high on the
glycemic index that will cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels.”
There are three groups of glycemic ratings for food: low with a glycemic index of 55 or less,
medium with a glycemic index of 56 to 69 and high with a glycemic index of 70 to 100.
Frontiére has an average rating of 41, which is 14 points lower than other varieties of rice and is
classified in a low-glycemic group. It has the lowest glycemic index ever reported in
commercially viable rice, she said.
This is welcome news for a state where many of the main dishes such as gumbo, etouffee and
jambalaya are served with rice and for people who might shy away from them for dietary
concerns.
Armentor said this low glycemic rice will transform rice from a food shunned because of health
concerns to one that is consumed.
“I actually cooked some over the weekend and tested it on my family,” she said. “We had it with
gumbo and nobody could tell that it was any different from traditional rice in taste, texture and
appearance.”
Armentor said she cooked it with an electric rice cooker and it was not different from cooking
other varieties of long-grain rice.
She said the biggest difference that she noticed is the low glycemic rice was a good bit stickier
than traditional rice.
“Parish Rice is available at all of the Rouses grocery stores in Louisiana and a number of the
local grocery stores,” she said.
Other benefits of consuming low glycemic rice are it’s Louisiana grown with complete
traceability; it has small amounts of sodium, fat and cholesterol; it’s a good source of energy-
providing complex carbohydrates; it’s easy to prepare; and it’s gluten-free like any other rice
variety, she said.
“Why would someone not want to support the Rice Research Station, local farmers and make a
small change in their diet that would be beneficial to their overall health?” she said.
Research has shown that consumption of lower-glycemic foods can help prevent unnecessary
snacking and excessive calorie consumption, thereby making this low glycemic rice a useful tool
in obesity prevention.
“One must remember that just because a food is low glycemic, you still have to watch out for
your portion size, especially those with pre-diabetes or diabetes,” she said.
Armentor said consuming low glycemic diets has been shown to reduce risks of cancer, heart
disease and other medical conditions in studies.
https://www.iberianet.com/etc/lsu-agcenter-low-glycemic-rice-shows-promise-for-diabetics/
article_697b0cb8-98f7-11ec-869c-7f7ad23a69c0.html
Lack of storage facilities causing local rice grains to dry up and
lose value

 1d ago    |    Source: Citi Newsroom

Research has shown that although rice is the second most important staple food after maize
in Ghana, only one-third of rice consumed here is produced locally.
In the recent past, rice farmers with some government support and initiatives like the made in
Ghana Rice Campaign spearheaded by the CEO of Citi Fm and Citi TV, Samuel Attah Mensah
saw an increase in the demand for the produce.
At the moment, however, rice producers have to cope with what they describe as unfair
competition from imported rice due to the benchmark value discount policy which makes
imported rice cheaper by 25% when compared to local rice.
Rice farmers have also complained of inefficient seed systems, inappropriate harvesting
equipment, costly transport and logistics, insufficient milling capacities and inadequate storage
facilities, resulting in volume and quality post-harvest losses. Meanwhile, they still have to deal
with the perception from some consumers that local rice is inferior to those imported.
In an interview with Citi Business News, Convener of the Rice Millers Association of Ghana,
Yaw Adu Twum explained that given the current weather conditions, rice farmers are in dire
need of silos and asked the government to step up its efforts in protecting the local rice industry
“At this point that the harmattan has set in the rice is totally dried up so when I mill, it comes out
a hundred percent broken and that means that the value that I put on the rice will be reduced by
fifty percent, and so I run at a loss.  This can be mitigated by simply putting in structures that
will store the rice during harvest so that we don’t talk about glut”.
“We have been talking and talking but nobody is listening. I’ve gone all the way from the
Ministry of Agriculture to the Ministry of Finance with a proposal to bring in US Exim Bank
which was ready to give us a facility so that we install silo facilities that can take about a
hundred thousand metric tons across the country so that we can put in the surplus but it came to
nought, nobody took me seriously. So that proposal is dead at the  Ministry of Finance as I talk
to you”
http://www.businessghana.com/site/news/business/257659/Lack-of-storage-facilities-causing-
local-rice-grains-to-dry-up-and-lose-value

Kenya introduces new hybrid rice in Mwea

By
 Anita Anyango
 -
March 2, 2022
A new hybrid rice has been introduced in Mwea, Kenya. Dr. Emmanuel Okogbenin, the director
in charge of programs and commercialization at the African Agriculture Technology Foundation
(AATF), made the announcement and said the new rice variety is more yielding and early
maturing.
The move is set to replace the demand for imported rice in the country. According to Dr.
Emmanuel Okogbenin, the new breed of rice according to scientists is more favorable to the
Kenyan masses and is cheap when compared with the imported rice.
African Agriculture Technology Foundation (ATTF) has been collaborating with Kenya
Agricultural Research and Livestock Organization in Mwea in the development of the hybrid
rice. Already 400 acres have been supplied with the rice and true to the expert’s words’ the crop
is already growing faster than the traditional rice.
Rice consumption in Kenya
“It is heart breaking for Kenya and the entire Africa to continue importing food while they have
the ability to produce their own at a local level. Our objective is to achieve prosperity for the
farmers through technology as will be evidenced through the hybrid rice. There is a greater need
for the adoption of the technology in order to increase rice production in Kenya and in Africa as
a whole,” Okogbenin said.
Okogbenin said the level of rice consumption in Kenya stands at 650,000 tons as compared to
the production, which is at 150,000 tons. As a result, the deficit is met by the importation of
500,000 tons of rice yearly. The crop scientist further observed consumption of rice has
increased by 13% while productivity grew by only 3% and hence the need to jump start rice
production in the country.
https://farmersreviewafrica.com/kenya-introduces-new-hybrid-rice-in-mwea/
Two Basmati rice varieties help boost exports, farmers’
income
Both the varieties, developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Pusa, Delhi,
fetch farmers like Singh financial benefits in the range of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per acre, after
taking into account cost of cultivation as well as lease rental for the land.
Written by Sandip Das
March 2, 2022 6:30:00 am

Pritam Singh, who farms on 110 acres, including some land taken on lease, at Urlana Khurd
village of Haryana’s Panipat district, has just sold his harvest of Basmati rice varieties — PB
1121 and PB 1509 — at the local mandi at Rs 3,800 and Rs 3,500 a quintal, respectively.
Both the varieties, developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Pusa, Delhi,
fetch farmers like Singh financial benefits in the range of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per acre, after
taking into account cost of cultivation as well as lease rental for the land.
“Since the introduction of high-yielding varieties like PB1121 and PB1509, the production as
well as quality in terms of size of the Basmati rice grain increased thus bringing economic
benefits to us,” Singh told FE.
Singh said prior to the introduction of these two varieties, the yield of traditional varieties was in
the range of 12 –13 quintal per acre, while the PB1121 and PB1509 varieties have an average
yield of 24 quintal and 26 quintal per acre, respectively.
While the high-yielding and larger-grained PB1121 variety was certified as Basmati rice in 2008,
the PB1509, which takes fewer weeks for maturity, was released in 2013.
Two Basmati rice varieties developed by IARI have contributed 70% of the total value of
cumulative exports of long-grain aromatic rice from India worth Rs 2.38 lakh crore between
2010 and 2019, thus bringing benefit to farmers. India exported on an average 3.74 million tonne
(mt) of Basmati rice annually during the stated period, of total production of around 5 mt.
According to an analysis by IARI of the economic value accrued because of Basmati rice, Rs
1.66 lakh crore worth of export earnings between 2010 and 2019 was from the shipment of
PB1121 and PB1509 rice varieties, while domestic sales were to the tune of Rs 51,501 crore in
the same period.
After deducting the cost of production, the IARI assessment has stated that Rs 1.34 lakh crore
has been accrued as earnings to estimated 10 lakh farmers in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal
Pradesh, Uttarakhand, parts of Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, who grow two varieties of
aromatic and long grained rice.
“Improved Basmati varieties have brought prosperity to millions of Basmati farmers by
improving their standards of living, better education for children and best health care for family
members,” Ashok Kumar Singh, director, IARI, told FE.
During 2010-2019, annually, Basmati rice was grown in 18.34 lakh hectares on an average, out
of which PB11121 and PB1509 was grown in 67% and 10% of the area, respectively. The rest of
the varieties grown by farmers include PB1, PB6 and PB1718, which are also developed by
IARI.
ajor export destinations of India’s Basmati rice include Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Yemen and the
UAE, besides some European countries. India exported Basmati rice worth Rs 29,849 crore
($4018 million) in 2020-21.
Recently, IARI has released improved varieties PB1847, PB1885 and PB1886; these are
improved varieties with inbuilt resistance to bacterial blight and blast diseases. “These varieties
would reduce the use of pesticides significantly in basmati cultivation,” Ranjith Kumar Ellur,
scientist, rice section, division of genetics, IARI, said.
https://www.financialexpress.com/economy/two-basmati-rice-varieties-help-boost-exports-
farmers-income/2448315/

Myanmar says Sri Lanka pays high prices for rice imports
than other countries
March 2, 2022 at 12:01 PM

Myanmar’s rice export to Sri Lanka is fetching high prices than other countries, leading
Myanmar Newspaper, Global New Light of Mynmar reported.
The report published on 20th February quoting U Than Oo, the secretary of Bayintnaung Rice
Wholesale Depot said that the freight-on-board (FOB) price of rice exported to other countries is
between US$ 340-$350 per tonne, while the export price to Sri Lanka varies from $440 to $450
per tonne.
“Myanmar’s rice was exported to Sri Lanka last year. It has been successful. It is one of the
neighbouring countries. Myanmar can also export rice to Sri Lank through the maritime route,”
said U Than Oo.
Besides, the rice export to Sri Lanka is less restrictive compared to the other countries, he added.
“Sri Lanka hasn’t limited the rice quality. The export of Ah Twe and Ahmahtet rice from
Myanmar is acceptable. The European counties and China have many restrictions such as
AQSIQ and certificates to export Myanmar rice. So, they are a little bit complicated,” said U
Than Oo.
Currently, two countries’ governments have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on
7 January to export 100,000 tonnes of white rice and 50,000 tonnes of parboiled rice to Sri Lanka
in two consecutive years (2022 and 2023).
https://www.newswire.lk/2022/03/02/myanmar-says-sri-lanka-pays-high-prices-for-rice-imports-
than-other-countries/

Farmers urged to diversify into rice farming

Sainiani BoilaMultimedia JournalistSainiani.Boila@fbc.com.fj | @SainianiFBCNews
MARCH 2, 2022 12:05 PM
  

THERE IS A NEED FOR FARMERS TO VENTURE INTO RICE FARMING.

There is a need for farmers to venture into rice farming.
Agriculture Minister Dr Mahendra Reddy while speaking to farmers in Wainikoro in Cakaudrove
says rice is one of the main commodities that are currently in high demand locally, so it’s crucial
for them to diversify into rice farming.
Dr  Reddy says there is a lot of flat land in Wainikoro that is
suitable for rice farming and the Ministry is on standby to
support those who will help the Ministry increase the local
production of rice.
Fertilizer subsidies, LGU rice procurement readied to cushion
inflation impact of Ukraine crisis
March 2, 2022 | 8:26 pm
PHILSTAR

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is preparing for any inflation fallout from the
invasion of Ukraine by allocating more funds to fertilizer subsidies, while arranging for more
financing to provincial local government units (LGUs) seeking to procure and stock up on rice.
The financing initiative will expand a concessional loan program run by the Land Bank of the
Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines to provincial governments to buy palay, or
unmilled rice, to support their own farmers and serve as a source of affordable rice.
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said in a statement that the measures will “boost food
production, and provide our farmers, fishers, and rural folk much-needed income… If we fail to
act now, the net result will be high food prices and inflation, resulting in food insecurity, hunger,
and malnutrition.”
Mr. Dar said that President Rodrigo R. Duterte has approved the measures and is set to issue an
executive order to formalize such schemes.
Extra funding will go mainly to fertilizer subsidies for farmers planting rice, corn, high-value
crops, sugarcane, and coconut. Funding will also go to urban and peri-urban agriculture, animal
feed production using local materials, and the enhancement of aquaculture and ocean fishery
output.
“High fuel prices directly impact on the cost of farm inputs, fertilizer, feed, and biologics,” Mr.
Dar said.
“While the Philippines does not directly import fertilizer from either Russia and Ukraine —
which account for 18% and 4%, respectively, of the global supply of urea — their conflict will
greatly reduce the volume traded globally,” he added.
The DA also proposed to return the National Irrigation Administration to the department’s
control to ensure “better water management” for agriculture. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson
https://www.bworldonline.com/fertilizer-subsidies-lgu-rice-procurement-readied-to-cushion-
inflation-impact-of-ukraine-crisis/

Use of irrigation systems vary by crop

Irrigation methods vary by crop because of differences in production practices, crop value, water
source, and soil characteristics. Irrigation application methods can be broadly categorized as
either gravity or pressurized systems. Pressurized irrigation systems apply water under pressure
through pipes or other tubing, while gravity irrigation systems use field slope to advance water
across the field surface. In general, pressurized irrigation systems are more efficient than gravity
irrigation systems under most field settings, as less water is lost to evaporation and seepage. Rice
has the largest share of acres irrigated by gravity systems, which is related to the flooding
requirements of most rice production systems in the United States. Peanuts have the largest
proportion of acres irrigated by pressurized systems. Peanut cultivation is concentrated in the
Southeastern United States (i.e., Alabama, Georgia, and Florida), where the prevalence of sandy,
well-drained soils makes gravity irrigation methods generally unsuitable because of seepage
losses. Pressurized systems are also prevalent among high-value specialty crops, such as
vegetables and orchards. Pressurized irrigation systems, particularly low-flow micro irrigation
 systems, are generally more expensive than gravity irrigation systems, precluding their use
among lower value crops. Pressurized systems are also more prominent among crops
concentrated in regions more reliant on groundwater, including irrigated corn across the Eastern
and Central United States. This chart was drawn from the USDA, Economic Research Service
report “Trends in U.S. Irrigated Agriculture: Increasing Resilience Under Water Supply
Scarcity,” published December 28, 2021.
Embed this chart

Download higher resolution chart (2048 pixels by 2285, 295 dpi)

Related Reports
 Irrigation Organizations: Water Storage and Delivery Infrastructure
 Irrigation Organizations: Drought Planning and Response
 Climate Change and Agricultural Risk Management Into the 21st Century
https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?
chartId=103331#:~:text=Irrigation%20methods%20vary%20by%20crop,either%20gravity%20or
%20pressurized%20systems.

Farmers seek more favorable trigger for crop

payments
BY: JARED STRONG - MARCH 2, 2022 6:15 AM
     
 A farmer harvests corn near Slater, Iowa. on Oct. 17, 2020. (Photo by Perry Beeman/Iowa
Capital Dispatch)
The crop-price thresholds that trigger government payments to some U.S. farmers should be
increased in the next farm bill to account for soaring fertilizer and fuel costs, according to farm
groups that testified Tuesday to members of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee.
The committee met to review commodity support programs of the Agriculture Improvement Act
of 2018, which is set to partially expire next year. The series of congressional discussions that
lead to finalized farm bills can go on for well over a year.
Representatives of groups that advocate for farmers of about a dozen crops — including corn,
soybeans, wheat, rice, peanuts and others — were universally concerned about increases in so-
called “input” costs — the amount they pay to plant, grow and harvest the crops.
Double- and triple-digit percentage increases in those costs in the past year mean that farmers
must be able to sell their crops at higher prices to recoup the extra expenses.
The farm bill’s Price Loss Coverage program makes payments to enrolled farmers when average
crop prices are lower than certain thresholds, which are different for each crop. The payments are
meant to help mitigate potentially crippling revenue losses.
The farm groups say the thresholds — or “reference prices” — have not kept pace with growing
costs.
Here’s an example: The current reference price for soybeans is $8.40 per bushel, but the current
estimated cost to produce each bushel is about $11, said Brad Doyle, president of the American
Soybean Association.
“Our profitability is at risk now,” Doyle told committee members.
However, soybean prices are very high right now at more than $16 per bushel — the highest
they’ve been in nearly a decade.
Doyle and members of the other farm groups declined to reveal what reference prices they desire
but pledged to do so later this year.
Rice farmers at risk
U.S. rice production is at particular risk because those farmers often operate on smaller profit
margins, said Jennifer James, a rice farmer in Arkansas. It has been difficult for James and other
U.S. farmers to compete with farmers in China — the world’s largest rice producer — in part
because that country has improperly subsidized its crops, the World Trade Organization has
found.
The estimated $500 million increase in input costs this year for domestic rice farmers could lead
some of those farmers to switch to other crops, James warned. The United States produces less
than 2% of the world’s rice but accounts for 6% of global exports, according to the U.S.
Department of Agriculture.
“Rice farmers simply can’t compete without U.S. farm policy to help level the playing field,”
James said.
Jaclyn Ford of Alapaha, Georgia, representing the National Cotton Council, said the Price Loss
Coverage program should take farmers’ profit margins into account when determining the
payouts.
U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, urged his fellow lawmakers to turn to biofuels produced
from corn and soybeans to reduce the country’s reliance on foreign energy that has become more
expensive.
“We’ve all seen how Russia chose to needlessly attack Ukraine, and the consequences of this
will be significant to our agricultural community and even the farm bill,” he said. “Today, the
U.S. imports 206,000 barrels of crude oil from Russia every single day. This must stop. We must
become energy independent, and biofuels are ready to fill that gap.”
The farm groups also said Tuesday the USDA’s Farm Service Agency needs more staff and
better outreach to help farmers navigate the Price Loss Coverage and Agriculture Risk Coverage
programs. The former makes payments to farmers if prices drop below the reference prices; the
latter makes payments based on total revenue losses. Each year, farmers can chose between the
two programs.
The coronavirus pandemic also affected farmers’ participation in the programs because they
were forced to submit information electronically rather than in face-to-face interactions with
agency staff, said Chris Edgington, president of the National Corn Growers Association and an
Iowa farmer near Saint Ansgar.
“Them not being able to go into the office has been a real hindrance,” he said.
This story was originally published by the Iowa Capital Dispatch. 
https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/farmers-seek-more-favorable-trigger-for-crop-payments/

768 ‫نئے کیسز سامنے آگئے‬ 

How to make chicken and rice recipes something spectacular
This classic combination unlocks a world of easy and adaptable dinners, from fragrant pilaf to
Chinese-style fried rice
ByDiana Henry, THE TELEGRAPH'S AWARD-WINNING COOKERY WRITER1 March
2022 • 12:35pm
Quick and flavourful, these dinners are ideal for weeknights and pack a real punch CREDIT:
Haarala Hamilton
The staple I grew up with wasn’t rice, but potatoes. There was a big jar of basmati, but it was
used as a percussion instrument when my siblings and I put on concerts (it accompanied our
rendition of Little Donkey every Christmas).
We didn’t eat rice until my mum got into what was then thought of as glamorous foreign food
– goulash and chilli and Madhur Jaffrey’s Mughlai chicken – and we cooked it badly.
I don’t know where this approach came from, but we drained the cooked rice in a sieve, then ran
cold water through it, followed by boiling water. This was done very carefully so we actually
ended up with a bowl of rice that had separate little grains. But we were better at potatoes.
Now there are eight bags of different types of rice in my cupboard: jasmine rice, basmati, several
kinds of risotto rice (carnaroli, vialone nano and arborio all produce different results) and a
couple of kinds of paella rice. 
The rice used for paella, and other Spanish rice dishes, is a marvel. It must not be stirred. You
just leave it to drink in the stock and other flavours around it, until you have grains swollen with
umami.
There are 40,000 varieties of rice, categorised in different ways: by fragrance, where it’s grown –
under water or on hillsides, for example – texture (sticky or not), grain size and shape.
‘Chicken and rice’, like ‘tea and toast’, rolls off the tongue, as if the two were meant to be
together. All over the globe, they’re joined – it’s an elemental combination. 
Neither chicken nor rice is strongly flavoured, so the cook can take these basics and dress them
up. If you google ‘chicken and rice’, your head will spin. 
You could make a different dish every day of the year: Turkish chicken and rice pilaf with dill,
chicken and sausage jambalaya, chicken biryani, arroz con pollo (I must have cooked this a
thousand times). 
'If you have chicken and rice, good eating is never far away,' says Henry CREDIT: Haarala
Hamilton
There are Iranian baked rice and chicken dishes, which are more complicated and can contain
yogurt. They’re turned out so the tah dig, the crusty rice from the bottom of the pan (much
prized), can be seen.
The most useful chicken and rice dishes to know about, because they’re so adaptable, are pilafs,
where the rice is cooked by the absorption method, Spanish rice dishes, which don’t need much
attention, and fried rice dishes (if you can make egg and chicken fried rice, you’ll never throw
out leftover rice again). I also put chicken – just the shreds from a leftover roast – in risottos to
make another meal out of not very much.
Then there are baked chicken and rice dishes. I make a huge range of these with very different
flavours, an approach I started when I had my first child. 
This is good ‘cooking in exhaustion’ food as it all goes into the oven. You must stick to specific
measurements but can alter the character of the dish at will. Use a 30cm-wide shallow casserole,
175g basmati rice (washed in a sieve until the water runs clear) and 550ml boiling stock. 
Sauté onion and garlic before adding the rice, and anything else you fancy – aubergine, pumpkin
or mushrooms – plus spices and flavourings. 
Try something as simple as pumpkin, ginger and chilli, then add the rice and stock. Put bone-in
chicken thighs – they can be browned or, if you’re in a hurry, left raw (season them with sea salt
to make the skin crunchy) – on top and bake at 180C fan for 40-45 minutes. 
The chicken will be golden, the stock absorbed and the rice tender. It’s a great blueprint recipe.
A couple of days later you can make something completely different using the same basic
components. If you have chicken and rice, good eating is never far away.
The best rice-based recipes to try
Catalan-style paella (Arroz a la Catalana)
A Spanish rice dish from Catalonia. There, it also includes pork ribs and can be made with rabbit
instead of chicken. The great thing about Spanish rice dishes is that you shouldn’t stir them, so
this is hands-off once you’ve done the initial browning. 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/features/how-make-chicken-rice-meals-best-dinner-
recipes-cook-2022/

Uzbek President to arrive in

Pakistan for two-day visit today
This will be the first visit of President Mirziyoyev to Pakistan. Source: APP/PID.

March 3, 2022

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan will arrive

on Thursday (today) for a two-day state visit to meet the country’s
leadership and discuss bilateral cooperation as well as development
projects.
The Uzbek president is visiting at the invitation of Prime Minister Imran
Khan and will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, comprising the
foreign minister, cabinet members, senior government officials, business and
media personnel.
According to Foreign Office, this will be the first visit of President
Mirziyoyev to Pakistan since assuming office in 2016 and would mark the
historic commemoration of the 30th anniversary of establishment of
diplomatic relations between the two countries.  During the visit, the two
leaders will review bilateral relations including cooperation in political, trade
and economic, connectivity, education, culture, security, and defence.
They will have a wide-ranging exchange of views on major regional and
international issues. A number of bilateral agreements/MoUs will be signed.
The prime minister will hold a one-on-one meeting with the Uzbek President
that would be followed by delegation-level talks and joint media stakeout.
The prime minister will also host a state banquet for the Uzbek President who
would have a separate meeting with President Arif Alvi. The two sides would
focus on enhancing political and strategic linkages, fast-tracking trade,
transit, economic ties, enhancing connectivity, and promoting educational
and cultural collaboration.
The Trans-Afghan Railway Project, connecting Pakistan, Uzbekistan and
Afghanistan, will be a key area of deliberations. There will also be fruitful
interaction with leading businessmen of the two countries.
Pakistan has enhanced its engagement with Central Asian countries within
the framework of “Vision Central Asia” policy, with five key strands:
political and diplomatic, trade and investment, energy and connectivity,
security and defence, and people-to-people relations.
The Pakistan-Uzbekistan relationship has witnessed an upward trajectory
over the past few years. Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Uzbekistan in
July 2021. The two leaders also met recently in Beijing on the sidelines of
Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony on February 5.
https://mmnews.tv/uzbek-president-to-arrive-in-pakistan-for-two-day-visit-today/