13th November, 2021 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter
13th November ,2021 Vol 6 Issue 11
1|www.ricepluss.com , www.riceplusmagazine.blosgspot.com
www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com
mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com 92 321 3692874
Editorial Board Rice News Headlines…

Chief Editor
 Hamlik
 New paddy variety on 250 acres hit by rice blast disease in
Managing Editor Wayanad
 Abdul Sattar Shah  Authentic American Rice Front and Center
 Rahmat Ullah  They propose to genetically modify rice to adapt it to climate
 Rozeen Shaukat
change
English Editor  Why FCI does not want to procure parboiled rice from
 Maryam Editor Telangana
 Legal Advisor  Organic pesticides ptotect paddy crops from hopper
 Advocate Zaheer Minhas
infestation
Editorial Associates  Himachal’s women farmers feted for conserving rare red rice
 Admiral (R) Hamid Khalid  Vietnam reconsiders methane-emitting rice amid climate crisis
 Javed Islam Agha  Riceland Foods nears $1 billion in sales; search for president
 Zahid Baig(Business Recorder)
and CEO continues
 Dr.Akhtar Hussain
 Dr.Fayyaz Ahmad Siddiqui  FG to track rice-laden vessels from neighbouring countries
 Dr.Abdul Rasheed (UAF)  Global impact of Arkansas rice production to be featured on
 Islam Akhtar Khan PBS show ‘Good Roots’ on November 12
 Even reduced duty fails to boost rice imports
Editorial Advisory Board
 Dr.Malik Mohammad Hashim  GIEWS Country Brief: Haiti 12-November-2021
Assistant Professor, Gomal  Negros Occidental farmers get P168-M agri-machinery
University DIK  Vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian diets could save you money –
 Dr.Hasina Gul
new research
Assistant Director, Agriculture KPK
 Dr.Hidayat Ullah
Assistant Professor, University
of Swabi
 Dr.Abdul Basir
Assistant Professor, University of
Swabi
 Zahid Mehmood
PSO,NIFA Peshawar
 Falak Naz Shah
Head Food Science & Technology
ART, Peshawar
Non-basmati rice exports may shrink in 2022
New paddy variety on 250 acres hit by rice blast disease in Wayanad
E.M. Manoj
KALPETTA, NOVEMBER 12, 2021 21:45 IST
Scientists of the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Ambalavayal, visiting a paddy farm
affected by the rice blast disease, under the Cheekkallur Padashekhara Samiti in Wayanad
district. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Expert says ‘Manuvarna’ strain was intended for cultivation in kole fields and
wetland ecosystems
Rice blast, a fungal disease affecting paddy, is haunting farmers who had raised
―Manuvarna‖, a new rice variety released by the Kerala Agricultural University
recently, on more than 250 acres in Wayanad district.
K. Kesava Marar, president of the Cheekkallur Padashekhara Samiti, cultivated the new
rice variety on 70 acres of rented land after learning from some farmers in Palakkad
district that it had given higher yields than the traditional rice varieties.
Mr. Marar, along with 60 other farmers of the samiti, procured the 4,600 kg of seeds
from the Kerala Agricultural University at a cost of ₹42 kg.
However, they noticed a few weeks ago that the crop cultivated on more than 250 acres
of land was damaged owing to the blast disease.
Mr.Marar said he had spent around ₹35,000 an acre for the cultivation, including rent,
but, he could not recoup one-third of it after the harvest. The condition of other farmers
who had cultivated the crop under the Panamaram, Kaniyampetta, and Mananthavady
Krishi Bhavans was not different, he said.
When a group of scientists of the Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS) at

Ambalavayal visited the site recently, they noticed that the crop in the grain filling
stage was damaged by the blast disease and more than 150 acres of area has been
affected under the Cheekallur Padashekara Samiti.
The blast disease is caused by the fungus Pyricularia oryzae which is non-systemic in
action. The spores of the fungus could have been released from hosts like Purple
nutsedge and Echinochloa crusgalli (Muthanga and Kavada respectively in local
parlance) which are abundantly present in the paddy fields, bunds, and on sides of
irrigation channel of the affected area. This would have resulted in an increased
concentration of spores in the air. Relative humidity of more than 93% and rainfall
below 5 mm per day are the major predisposing factors especially during the mid
tillering stage of the crop for the incidence of the blast, RARS sources said.
The ‗Manuvarna‘ variety of paddy was released for the low lands of Kerala, especially
for the kole lands, wetland ecosystem, K. Ajith Kumar, Associate Director, RARS,
told The Hindu.
Adoption of prophylactic measures of management would have substantially reduced

the severity of blast disease incidence, Dr . Ajithkumar said. However, such measures
were not taken properly in the affected area which led to severe damage due to the
incidence of neck blast, he said.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/new-paddy-variety-on-250-acres-hit-by-rice-
blast-disease-in-wayanad
Authentic American Rice Front and Center
By Asiha Grigsby
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO -- USA Rice is pulling out all the stops with the rollout of a multi-
faceted campaign here to spread the word about U.S. origin rice. In September, the Authentic
American Rice, or Arroz Americano Auténtico (AAA) in Spanish, campaign kicked off, raising
consumer awareness of the AAA logo on brand packaging with signage on buses and billboards,
radio ads, TV advertisements, and a social media campaign on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube
that has reached 90 million people.
Logo is at bottom right
(click image to enlarge)
USA Rice originally pitched the AAA concept to Mexican trade partners, emphasizing the value of
U.S origin rice due to its versatility, accessibility, and unmatched dedication to sustainability. To
date, four importers have signed licensing agreements with USA Rice to place the AAA logo on
their bags of U.S. rice. ―It is an honor for us to contribute to the Arroz Americano Auténtico
campaign, leading Mexican families to consume quality competitive products with the support of
USA Rice,‖ said Juan Carlos Gutierrez, CEO of Surtidora el Bajio.Although origin labeling is a
requirement in Mexico, it‘s often placed on the back of rice bags but the AAA logo is placed on the
front of the bag, garnering attention – and sales!―The AAA campaign is gaining momentum among
importers as they see the upside of partnering with USA Rice on these promotions,‖ said Sarah
Moran, USA Rice vice president of international. ―Mexico is our largest export market and while
we have seen an increase in competition here from South America and Asia in the last decade, USA
Rice is determined to educate consumers and importers alike on the benefits of U.S. origin rice.‖
Twenty five percent of U.S. rice exports go to Mexico on an annual basis. The U.S. currently has 89
percent of the market share here, and exported 625,000 MT of rice from January to September
2021, valued at nearly $245 million.
USA Rice Daily
They propose to genetically modify rice to adapt it to

climate change
ByEdit Porkson
Nov 11, 2021
Scientists and the sector of rice are ready to use the new gene editing tools to develop rice
varieties more adapted to climate change, although they fear that European legislation will
put a stop to transgenic rice ; unique.
So This has been expressed by more than a hundred international experts in rice genetics who
have met in Barcelona (Spain) in the framework of the 18th & ordm; International Symposium
on Functional Genomics of Rice, focused on the impact of climate change on the cultivation of
this cereal.
During the symposium, the first to be held in Spain and the third in Europe and in which Asian
representatives have had to participate telematically due to the restrictions to travel due to the
COVID, industrialists, farmers, scientists. Physicians and the administration have discussed the
challenges that climate change poses for the sector.
The CSIC research professor at the Center for Research in Agrigenomica (CRAG) , Blanca San
Segundo, head of the organization of the congress, explained that & quot; rice, the main food for
many of the world's population, is a crop that, on the one hand, contributes to climate change,
and for another is especially threatened by himself & quot ;.
According to San Segundo, in the Mediterranean regions, climate change translates into an
increase in the salinity of soils, a lack of water resources and a higher incidence of pests that
affect rice fields. & Nbsp;
This requires the use of fertilizers and pesticides to maintain high production levels n in an
increasingly competitive market due to pressure from the countries ; you are Asian.
In Spain, in addition, there is the paradox that rice is grown in areas of environmentally protected
natural spaces (Natural Parks of Delta del Ebro and Albufera de Valencia and Parque Nacional
de Do & ntilde; ana), which are susceptible to receive the direct impact of the indiscriminate use
of agrochemical products.
& quot; To overcome these difficulties it is necessary to introduce new strategies to maintain
the competitiveness of rice cultivation, without affecting these natural spaces & quot ;,
defended San Segundo, who has pointed to the exploitation of the natural genetic variability of
rice. & nbsp;
At the symposium they have presented results of sequencing studies of the genomes of thousands
of varieties of cultivated and wild rice, which allow us to know the genetics and biology behind
agronomic traits such as the resistance of the plant to pyricurialosis (a disease caused by a
fungus), tolerance to salinity or the nutritional quality of the grain.
This knowledge can translate into new varieties of rice that are more environmentally
sustainable, obtained through traditional improvement techniques or biotechnology,
according to experts.
& quot; In the symposium we have seen that using the CRISPR gene editing tool is absolutely
feasible in rice and can bring you many advantages: varieties improved in starch and amylose
content, more tolerant to salinity or resistant to some of the most common pathogens & quot;,
according to the CRAG scientist.
& quot; All this – he has pointed out – must be done in parallel to recovering varieties that may
be better adapted to current environmental conditions and needs. & quot;Josep Maria
Casacuberta, CSIC researcher at CRAG and expert on issues at the European Food Safety
Authority, explained that current European legislation ―does not fit well‖ to the use of the new
genomic editing tools and that, in addition, makes ― practically unfeasible, due to the high cost
and time, to approve genetically edited crops in Europe. '' & nbsp ;
However, the researchers have explained that the genetic modifications that could be introduced
into crops by means of the CRISPR tool could be the same as those produced by mutagenic
methods. ; traditional nesis , which are considered safe by the European Directive itself. &
nbsp;The participants in the symposium have agreed that it is necessary to update this legislation
based on scientific knowledge. ; current phyco, and train the consumer to understand that plants,
like us, also have genes and mutations. & quot; & nbsp;
https://thegaltimes.com/they-propose-to-genetically-modify-rice-to-adapt-it-to-climate-change/2934/
Why FCI does not want to procure parboiled rice from

Telangana
K. V. Kurmanath Subramani Ra Mancombu Chennai | Updated on November 12, 2021
Stocks in Central pool can meet demand for the next four years: Union Food Secretary
The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has surplus stocks of parboiled rice that can help the central
pool to meet the demand from the consuming States over the next four years, according to
Sudanshu Pandey, Union Food and Public Distribution Secretary.
―Not only Telangana but even from Chhattisgarh, parboiled rice procurement is not being done,‖
the Food Secretary said.
While deciding not to procure parboiled rice from Telangana, the FCI said it would be willing to
procure white rice.
―We had communicated our decision well in advance to the Telangana government. In fact, we
had consulted with the State government while fixing the procurement volume,‖ said Pandey. He
was responding to a query from BusinessLine on views of rice traders that Telangana was trying
to mislead them on the rice procurement issue.
Last season, the FCI had been reluctant to procure parboiled rice. But Telangana Chief Minister
K Chandrasekhar Rao met officials at the Centre and convinced them to buy an additional 2.47
million tonnes (mt). In doing so, he came to an understanding that the corporation will not
procure from the rabi harvest season starting April next.
Procurement norms
The State government has told the farmers that the FCI will not procure parboiled rice from April
next and that they should switch to alternative crops. However, the issue got politicised with the
Opposition, led by the BJP, crying foul and Rao blaming the Centre for the problems. On Friday,
the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) staged protests against the FCI decision not to
procure parboiled rice.
In contrast, Opposition parties point out that procurement of kharif rice is yet to begin in the
State. They have launched a separate agitation demanding its immediate purchase.
Pandey said one reason for the FCI to cut its parboiled rice purchase is that some States have
developed their own variety and use their own decentralised procurement system (DCP) for own
consumption.
―Kerala and Bihar have their own parboiled rice and use their DCP. Therefore, there is no
demand from the central pool (for parboiled rice). What do we do after procuring it?‖ the
Secretary said. Telangana should adhere to the understanding reached with the Centre, he said.
Rice traders said the problem for the Telangana government is if farmers opt to produce more
white rice, they get brokens.
Broken rice
The problem for farmers is that during February-March the hot conditions result in the grains
getting broken. In order to overcome it, they opt for the parboiled variety.
On this, Pandey said: ―Telangana farmers cultivate high-yielding varieties but these break up
easily during milling. To avoid this, they steam the paddy so that they gain in yield as well as
price. Efforts have to be made to reduce the brokens,‖ he said.
People in Telangana do not consume parboiled rice, which is being produced for consumption by
other States. Now, it has hit a hurdle with the consuming States coming up with their own
mechanism, traders said.
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/telangana-parboiled-rice-
row-fci-has-stocks-to-meet-next-4-years
Organic pesticides ptotect paddy crops from hopper

infestation
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, November 10 2021: Organic pesticides can protect paddy crops from plant hopper, locally known as Wahik,
infestation, which dries up the paddy plant, resulting in crop failure.
As part of its organic rice production campaign, Green Foundation Manipur along with
agricultural scientists took up Hopper Management Programme in Rice.
Under the programme, the Foundation and its team of scientists saved several farms in Kumbi
area from plant hopper infestation after it got report of the infestation in September this year.
Khangembam Gojendro, a farmer from Kumbi Laishang Leikai, Ward No 7, told a media team
during an inspection visit by Green Foundation on Tuesday that his farmland in Saitonmang
Loukol was infested by hopper in September.
He tried using chemical pesticides but without any result and his crops were on the verge of
failure.
He then consulted national awardee Khangembam Samusaba of Kumbi, who then contacted
Green Foundation.
As per advice of the scientists of the Foundation, he applied Neemand Herbal extract Orum
along with Agrovita and Pseudomonas Fluorescens, which cured the plant hopper infestation, he
said.
Stating that he has decided to opt for organic farming from now on, Gojendro called upon fellow
farmers to adopt organic farming and contribute in producing healthy foods.
Khumanthem Surchand, another farmer from Kumbi Awang Leikai, said that he also used
organic pesticides to treat plant hopper infestation in his farm located in Salang Langjin area.
He is now confident that he will have a good harvest.
Green Foundation's chief executive officer Uritkhinbam Himmat said that scientists have been
10 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m
researching on organic ways of pest control in order to promote organic farming among the
farmers.
In 2020, organic pesticides successfully controlled mass scale plant hopper infestation in
Sabungkhok area in Imphal East district.
This year too, the scientist team visited Kumbi on getting report of plant hopper infestation and
they advised the farmers to use the organic pesticides.As per findings of the Foundation, there
are four types of plant hoppers prevalent in the state.
Considering the destruction it causes to crops, the Foundation took up the specialised.Hopper
Management Programme in Rice, he added.
http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=39..111121.nov21
Himachal’s women farmers feted for conserving rare red

rice
The women, who hail from Himachal‘s Rohru town, were awarded the Plant Genome Saviour Award for
conserving the traditional red rice variety
Women
farmers from Rohru were conferred the Plant Genome Saviour Award by Union agriculture minister
Narendra Singh Tomar in New Delhi. (HT Photo)
Published on Nov 12, 2021 02:25 AM IST
ByHT Correspondent, Shimla
Women farmers from Rohru, who were instrumental in cultivating and conserving red rice,
locally known as chhohartu, were conferred the Plant Genome Saviour Award by Union
agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar in New Delhi on Thursday.
The prestigious award includes a ₹10-lakh cash reward, citation and memento. Rohru Red Rice
Farmers‘ Society president Varsha Sharma and members Leela Vati, Dipna Mehta and Meena
Kumari received the award. Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University
(HPAU), Palampur, scientist in-charge of the rice and wheat research station Dr Ajai Srivastava,
and Jubbal subject matter specialist Ram Krishan also accompanied them.
HPAU vice-chancellor professor HK Chaudhary congratulated the farmers and appreciated the
scientists on the achievement.
HPAU had helped register the traditional red rice variety with the Protection of Plant Varieties
and Farmers Right Authority (PPVFRA) and had been instrumental in establishing a society of
red rice growing farmers, he said.
The Plant Genome Saviour Award is India‘s highest award for farmers in recognition of their
contribution in conservation and development of plant varieties.
Chaudhary said red rice is cultivate on an area of around 1,000 hectares in different villages such
as Peja, Masli, Jangla, Daboli, Kaloti of Chhohara valley in Rohru subdivision on the banks of
Pabbar River at an altitude ranging from 1,300m to 2100m. It is categorized under Japonica red
rice.
Red kernelled Chhohartu rice commands a higher price, is nutritionally superior, being rich in
iron and zinc and numerous trace elements and vitamins and in addition has high antioxidant
properties. The excess water of thick consistency decanted after cooking of red rice is believed to
be beneficial for pregnant women, locals say.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/himachals-women-farmers-feted-for-
conserving-rare-red-rice-101636664140716.html
Vietnam reconsiders methane-emitting rice amid

climate crisis
Country says it can no longer be ‘rice first’ as it urges farmers in Mekong Delta to change
planting techniques or consider alternatives.
Rice is a major export for Vietnam but also contributes to its greenhouse gas emissions because
its cultivation produces methane [File: Luong Thai Linh/EPA]
By Govi Snell
Published On 13 Nov 2021
Mekong Delta, Vietnam – At the United Nations COP26 summit in Scotland, Vietnam‘s Prime
Minister Pham Minh Chinh joined 109 countries in pledging to reduce methane emissions by 30
percent by 2030.
To meet the commitment, the Southeast Asian nation will need to look at rice – one of the
country‘s key exports and a staple food – but also the second biggest contributor to greenhouse
gas emissions among foodstuffs after beef.
The heart of Vietnam‘s rice production lies in the country‘s Mekong Delta region known as the
―rice bowl‖ of the nation. More than 50 percent of the country‘s total rice and 95 percent of its
exports are grown here, in an area roughly the size of the Netherlands.
But rice farming in the Mekong faces a double challenge – not only is the crop a source of
emissions but rising sea levels linked to climate change, as well as man-made factors, are making
the grain increasingly difficult to grow in the low-lying region.
Tran Dung Nhan grew up on a rice farm in Tra Vinh Province on the coast of the southern
Mekong Delta.
Droughts, floods, rising sea levels, and the intrusion of salt in the freshwater he needs for his
paddy fields have eaten away at the meagre income he once enjoyed.
The family farm used to be able to produce three crops per year. Now, they struggle to produce
even one – and even then, the yield is unpredictable.
―I can clearly see the effects of climate change on our fields. The water is getting saltier, our soil
is more dry and barren,‖ the 31 year old told Al Jazeera. ―Life here in the Mekong Delta,
especially the coasts, is very tough and it is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.‖
Rice is a staple food for people in Vietnam and also a major export, but it is also a contributor to
the emissions that are fuelling the climate crisis [Govi Snell/Al Jazeera]
Distinct from other grains, rice is grown in a flooded field.
As the water lays stagnant on the surface, there is no exchange of air between the soil and the
atmosphere, which means methane-producing bacteria can thrive.
When released into the air, the gas is more than 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide at
trapping heat in the atmosphere.
Bjoern Ole Sander, the Vietnam country representative for the International Rice Research
Institute, says rice farming contributes significantly to methane emissions worldwide. In
Vietnam, the amount of gas released from the crop is even higher than the global average.
―Globally, it is about 1.3 percent of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions, which seems small,
but all civil aviation emissions are just about 2 percent,‖ he said. ―Of all the greenhouse gases
that Vietnam produces 15 percent is from rice, so it‘s a significant source and definitely
something that then also has been recognised within global programmes of mitigation.‖
No longer ‘rice first’
At the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, the newly reunified country was one of the poorest in the
world and food was scarce.
A series of economic reforms known as Doi Moi, and a government-led ―rice-first‖ policy kick-
started rice farming, boosting incomes. By 2020, Vietnam was the second-largest exporter of rice
in the world, shipping 3.9 million tons overseas last year.
But as the Mekong region shifts away from intensive rice cultivation, it is not yet known how the
farmers themselves will be affected.
Like Nhan, many are already suffering from the deterioration of the Mekong‘s environment.
Farmers in the Mekong Delta have suffered increasing instances of drought and flooding, while
seawater is intruding further into the low-lying region [File: Kham/Reuters]
Dang Kieu Nhan, director of the Mekong Delta Development Research Unit at Can Tho
University, says farmers have been badly affected by the unstable weather patterns in the region.
―El Niños have occurred more frequently and severely in recent years,‖ he said, referring to the
climate pattern in which unusual warming of the eastern Pacific Ocean results in droughts in
Southeast Asia. ―In 2016 and 2020 there were two cases causing extreme droughts and side
effects… The lower the Mekong River reaches and the higher the sea level rises, the further salt
intrusion goes inland in the Mekong Delta.‖
The 2020 drought led to record-breaking levels of salt intrusion.
Approximately 33,000 hectares (81,545 acres) of rice were damaged during the drought and
70,000 households did not have enough water to grow rice or to meet their everyday needs.
The environmental pressure has encouraged the Vietnamese government to develop alternatives
to the ―rice first‖ policy, and it is now encouraging people to grow fruit or set up fish and
seafood farms.
By 2030, the government hopes to have reduced the size of land under rice cultivation in the
Delta by 300,000 hectares (741,315 acres), 20 percent less than the 1.5 million hectares (3.7
million acres) planted this year.
‖Mentioning the Mekong Delta before, people would first think about rice, but not now,‖ Nhan
said. ―The government policy changed dramatically since 2017, and we cannot consider rice as
[being] first any more.‖
Limited options for farmers
Despite the government‘s shifting priorities, Bernard Kervyn, director of the charity Mekong
Plus, says rice farmers have limited options and an uncertain future.
―The prospects for the Mekong Delta are not good. People say in 20 or 30 years it might be
flooded and not suitable for people to live there any more,‖ he told Al Jazeera. ―It‘s a shared
responsibility, but for the farmers of course there are not many alternative options available. It is
hard for them to say okay we will grow less intensively, we will grow less crops; How can they
do that?‖
On the ground, researchers and farmers are experimenting with new production techniques to
tackle the environmental challenges as well as to reduce the crop‘s emissions.
Researchers are experimenting with new production techniques that would mitigate the climate
effects of the crop [File: Kham/Reuters]
Sander of the Rice Research Institute says one particularly attractive mitigation technique is the
alternate wetting and drying method. If done correctly, it can reduce methane generating bacteria
by roughly 50 percent. On top of that, it has the added benefit of reducing the amount of water
needed without affecting yields.
To apply the technique, farmers allow the water level to drop below the surface by between 10
and 15 centimetres (4 and 6 inches). Once the water level has fallen, the soil can be irrigated
again and fields are alternated in wet and dry cycles.
―You can cut methane emissions in half… If you remove that water layer, you allow the
exchange of air between soil and atmosphere, then the methane is oxidised and the bacteria
doesn‘t grow any more and methane emissions are strongly reduced,‖ Sander said.
Financial support needed
According to Vietnam‘s nationally determined contribution to the Paris Climate Agreement, the
country intends to use the alternate wetting and drying method on a total of 700,000 hectares (1.7
million acres) of rice land nationwide.
Although effective at reducing methane, the system will not work for all farmers. For those in the
lower Mekong, where saltwater intrusion is the biggest concern, paddy fields need a significant
supply of freshwater to keep the salinity at bay.
Nhan of Can Tho University says more also needs to be done to help farmers effectively
implement the new technique.
―Doing so needs more intervention from local agricultural agencies and government to organise
farmers, to connect farmers with services, and to build more irrigation infrastructure,‖ he said.
Another aspect of Vietnam‘s rice reduction strategy encourages farmers to focus on developing
other food sources like seafood. But while some farmers have seen their rice crops damaged by
intrusion, they find that the water source is still not salty enough for aquaculture.
In the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang, 64-year-old farmer Ut Khuong says that while
growing rice has become unpredictable because of the saltwater, he is unable to farm prawns.
―The field‘s salt level changes every year and you cannot predict it… We can‘t have a shrimp
farm because the water here is not salty enough,‖ he told Al Jazeera. ―I don‘t know what to do, I
don‘t know what jobs we are going to change to yet.‖
To help farmers deal with the complex effects of climate change and human causes leading to
environmental degradation in the Mekong, Nhan says more money and a holistic approach are
needed.
Rice farmers are also being encouraged to get into aquaculture, farming prawns and shrimp in
the increasingly salty water [File: Julian Abram Wainwright/EPA]
He points to a recent initiative in An Giang Province where the Australian government provided
$650 million for sustainable economic development projects in the Mekong province.
The money went towards building reservoirs, infrastructure for irrigation and transportation,
building cooperation among farmers, as well as stimulating other economic activities, and
improving sectors like health and education. Although such a diverse solution is costly, Nhan
believes such initiatives are needed more widely in the Mekong Delta.
―Compared to other regions in Vietnam people here play a very big role that the government
placed them in to produce food for people in Vietnam,‖ he said.
Struggling at the forefront of climate change, the farmers themselves would welcome the
support.
―Being a farmer is a hard-working job that requires knowledge, experience, and patience, as well
as the urge to keep updating the new methods and techniques of planting,‖ farmer Ong Ba Muoi
told Al Jazeera. ―I hope the government will also support more of our farmers in agricultural
production.‖
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/13/vietnam-weighs-rice-contributor-and-victim-of-
climate-crisis
Riceland Foods nears $1 billion in sales; search for

president and CEO continues
AGRICULTURETALK POLITICS
by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)
World War I had ended three years earlier and the public was dealing with the final throes of the
Spanish Flu pandemic that killed millions around the world. Agriculture commodity prices had
been volatile in the years following the war and farmers in the Arkansas Delta were searching for
a way to collectively protect themselves.
Riceland Foods, an agricultural cooperative, was born in 1921.
The organization has played a key role in transforming Arkansas into the top rice growing state
in the country and that will continue into the future, Riceland Foods Board of Directors
Chairman Roger Pohlner said during the cooperative‘s stakeholders meeting Thursday (Nov. 11)
in Jonesboro.
―The future of Riceland is bright. Built on the backs of our ancestors, our founding members
knew we were stronger together,‖ he said.
Riceland had sales of about $995 million during the 2020-2021 growing season, Riceland interim
President and CEO Andrew Dallas said. That‘s up from $868 million in sales during the 2019-
2020 growing season.
Those sales increases were largely fueled by stronger commodity prices and increased demand,
he added. About $600 million went as payouts to farm members, up from the $485 million
farmers received the previous season.
Prices for long grain rice averaged $6.28 per bushel with Riceland, which was 61-cents higher
than the U.S. Department of Agriculture national average. Medium grain rice traded at $6.84 a
bushel, 99-cents above the USDA average. Riceland also paid out $11.09 per soybean bushel, a
29-cent increase above the USDA average, Dallas said.
Keynote speaker at the event, journalist, author, and political commentator Rex Nelson told
attendees what Riceland achieved is no small feat. Shortly after it formed, one of the worst flood
events ever recorded happened in the Mississippi River Delta Region in 1927. The ―Great Flood‖
covered more land in Arkansas and displaced as many people as the flooding caused in
Louisiana and Mississippi combined, he said.
That was followed by the Great Depression and then a historic drought in the early 1930s.
Another flood enveloped the region in 1937 and served as an inspiration for several songs
written by Johnny Cash.
World War II followed and then Arkansas went through its worst depopulation period since it
was founded. From 1940-1960, no state lost a higher percentage of its population than Arkansas.
At its height, the state had seven congressional delegates, but the loss of residents caused that
number to drop to four.
A lot of the population loss occurred in the Delta where machines began to replace workers on
the farm and many had to leave the state to find new jobs. This loss of population in the Delta
continues to this day, Nelson said, and it could have consequences for farming in the coming
years.
As urban centers, such as Jonesboro continue to expand, rural counties will have fewer people
and will produce fewer legislators at the local, state and federal levels. That in turn will mean
there will be fewer politicians in office with direct knowledge of agrarian or rural life, he said.
Riceland will have a number of unique challenges it will face during the next 100 years, and one
of them will be to find a permanent president and CEO. Former President and CEO Danny
Kennedy retired earlier this year and an effort to find his replacement is underway, Pohlner said.
A Denver-based firm, FCCS, has been hired and a CEO search committee has been formed.
Applications for the position will be accepted through the end of November, with the first slate
of interviews to be held in January. The goal is to have a new president and CEO installed by the
end of March, he added.
https://talkbusiness.net/2021/11/riceland-foods-nears-1-billion-in-sales-search-for-president-and
FG to track rice-laden vessels from neighbouring

countries
By Adaku Onyenucheya
12 November 2021 | 4:05 am
The Federal Government has threatened to track rice-laden vessels from neighbouring ports
coming into the country.
This formed part of the resolutions of the meeting of the Steering Committee of the National
Taskforce on Illegal Importation of Rice through Land Borders held at the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development headquarters in Abuja, recently.
essels that bring in rice into the country through Benin Republic and that the companies involved
would be apprehended.
He also commended the ministry, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other partners in their
sustained efforts in tackling the menace of illegal rice importation through the land borders into
the country.
As part of the resolutions at the meeting, the Nigeria Customs Service was asked to continue its
border patrol operations as well as procure additional equipment to strengthen its operations.
The NCS was also urged to deploy the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps personnel to
complement the larger border patrol coordinated by it.
Other resolutions were that stiffer penalties should be meted out to rice smugglers and that
Nigerians should be encouraged to eat and patronise local rice to discourage the smuggling of
foreign rice into the country.
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, convened
the meeting to discuss critical issues in order to strategise and develop concrete measures to
enable a newly set up committee to carry out its duties effectively.
Speaking at the meeting, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad
Abubakar, said the ban on rice importation has brought about a significant rise in local rice
production and unlocked economic opportunities for rice investors in the country.
He noted that the improvement in the rice sub-sector should be sustained for the country‘s
economic growth as signified by the huge contribution of the sector to the nation‘s Gross
Domestic Production (GDP), which is in line with the Federal Government‘s diversification
policy.
According to him, the resumed smuggling of foreign rice, especially through the land borders,
constitutes a serious threat to these achievements, noting that if smuggling is left unchecked, it
will jeopardise all government efforts to enhance the domestic rice industry.
In his remarks, the Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service, Hameed Ali, said the meeting
has presented an avenue for the committee to deliberate and discuss on curbing insecurity and
smuggling of rice into the country.
He said the Nigeria Customs Service cannot fight alone in the operation of the border patrol, but
needs other security agencies to beef up the joint operations of the taskforce.
https://guardian.ng/business-services/fg-to-track-rice-laden-vessels-from-neighbouring-
countries/
Global impact of Arkansas rice production to be featured

on PBS show ‘Good Roots’ on November 12
by: C.C. McCandless
Posted: Nov 11, 2021 / 12:18 PM CST / Updated: Nov 11, 2021 / 12:19 PM CST
―Good Roots‖ host Lauren McCullough (left) speaks with Kelly Robbins, executive director of
Arkansas Rice, about the history and economic impact of the crop in a new segment premiering
Friday, Nov. 12, on Arkansas PBS.
CONWAY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — As another rice harvest draws to a close, the PBS show
―Good Roots‖ travels to Eastern Arkansas to explore the crop‘s history, its economic impact and
its future.
The latest segment will air during ―Arkansas Week,‖ on Friday, November 12, at 7 p.m. on
Arkansas PBS and livestream at myarpbs.org/watchlive.
An estimated 510 million tons of rice are consumed around the world each year, and Arkansas is
the top producer in the United States, according to a press release from Arkansas PBS.
Arkansas Department of Agriculture awards 3 grants to stressed Arkansas entities
Arkansas is a global leader of rice production, exporting 9 billion pounds per year to more than
25 countries.
Segments focus on the real stories of rural life, while addressing relevant topics like agriculture,
health care, the economy, technology, policy and more. Additional information is available
at myarpbs.org/GoodRoots.
https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/global-impact-of-arkansas-rice-production-to-be-featured-
on-pbs-show-good-roots-on-november-12/
Even reduced duty fails to boost rice imports

The government also reduced the duty to 25% from 62.5% and made it easier to
import rice, a facility that was in effect until 30 October
Shawkat Ali
12 November, 2021, 12:30 pm

Last modified: 12 November, 2021, 03:18 pm
TBS Infograph
Rice importers, despite having the facility of a slashed import duty, failed to import less
than one-fourth of what the government had permitted, leading to soaring prices of the
staple in the local market.
On 30 August, the government, in a bid to rein in rice prices in the local market, authorised 415
private companies to import 17 lakh two thousand tonnes of rice, of which only 3.86 lakh tonnes
have been imported so far, according to food ministry sources.
The government also reduced the duty to 25% from 62.5% and made it easier to import rice, a
facility that was in effect until 30 October.
Speaking with ministry officials and importers, it appears, the rice traders, despite having the
import permit, were in fact reluctant in importing rice. Besides, the ongoing pandemic limited
the scope of importing rice from India.
Asked on the matter, Senior Assistant Secretary at the food ministry Muhammed Mahbubur
Rahman told The Business Standard, "When prices dropped a little in the local market, the
importers chose not to import. Citing global market prices, they are saying, they will have to sell
imported rice at a price higher than that of the local market."
Information from the ministry's food planning and monitoring unit, however, contradicts such
claims. According to the unit's data as of 3 November, imported rice from India, Thailand and
Vietnam would cost Tk32.88 – 37.77, which after adding duty and relevant cost, should be sold
at Tk40 per Kg. But, prices of coarse varieties of rice in Dhaka markets is currently Tk48-50 per
Kg. According to data by the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh, prices of rice have increased
2.15% in the last one month. Prices for medium quality rice varieties increased 0.97% while
price rose 3.28% for premium quality rice.
Chitto Majumder, importer and owner of an auto rice mill, told The Business Standard that he
imported 1.5lakh tonnes of rice from India, which he sold at Tk40-40.10 per Kg.
"Importing rice from India was challenging due to complications in port, where every
consignment was delayed by one month," he said.
Food ministry sources say importers with little experience initially were enthusiastic about
importing but their interest plummeted when they assessed little profit based on the market.
Many also failed to open letter of credits for importing from India, due the Covid-induced
lockdown at the time.
The food ministry, however, is not unhappy about the low rice imports.
Explaining it further, Secretary at the food ministry Mosammat Nazmanara Khanum told The
Business Standard, "Many who stored rice were waiting to manipulate the rice price market. But,
when the government gave the permission to import, they started to market the stored rice, which
essentially increased the supply."
She also said that the government imported 5 lakh tonnes while private importers imported
nearly 4 lakh tonnes, which was sufficient to meet the need.
"With the Aman harvesting season, which has already begun, there is no reason to worry about a
volatile market for the staple grain," she claimed.
During the last Boro season, the government set a target of collecting 20 lakh tonnes of paddy, of
which not even half was met. As a result, the government's rice reserves hit rock-bottom. Taking
advantage of the situation, unscrupulous traders created an artificial crisis in the rice market, with
the millers didn't deliver rice to the government warehouses as stipulated, which led to the
government's decision to import rice.
https://www.tbsnews.net/markets/even-reduced-duty-fails-boost-rice-imports
GIEWS Country Brief: Haiti 12-November-2021

Format
News and Press Release
Source
 FAO
Posted
12 Nov 2021
Originally published
12 Nov 2021
Origin
View original
Attachments
 Download document(PDF | 274 KB)
FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT
• Output of 2021 second season maize and paddy crops expected at below-average level
• Cereal import requirements forecast to increase in 2021/22
• Prices of rice stable between June and September 2021
• Low food availability and access affect about 4.3 million people
Output of 2021 second season maize and paddy crops expected at below-average level
Harvesting of the 2021 minor second season maize and paddy crops is ongoing and
production is expected at a below-average level. This is mainly due to overall below-average
rainfall amounts between August and September, which hampered normal crop development
(VHI map). Unfavourable production prospects were exacerbated by a series of adverse
weather events (GIEWS Update). In mid-August, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck the
southern region and caused extensive damages to agricultural and market infrastructures. Two
days after, a tropical depression brought heavy rains and strong winds in Sud and Sud -Est
departments, triggering flooding and landslides.
Land preparation of the 2021 minor third season has recently started in November. The
current soil moisture deficits are likely to be reduced by average precipitation amounts,
forecast for the November 2021 to January 2022 period. However, the planted area is
anticipated to remain at a below-average level, mainly reflecting costly and scarce agricultural
inputs, including seeds and fuel.
Cereal import requirements forecast to increase in 2021/22
The cereal import requirements for the 2021/22 marketing year (July/June), mostly wheat and
rice, are anticipated at a slightly above-average level of 810 000 tonnes. The large import
requirements mainly reflect the below-average rice production in 2021 as well as the reduced
imports in 2020. The demand for wheat products is forecast at a near-average level, as high
international wheat prices are expected to limit the increase in demand.
Prices of rice stable between June and September 2021
Prices of maize have generally weakened between May and September in line with seasonal
trends. Similarly, prices of black beans started to decrease since August reflecting improved
market availabilities from the ongoing harvests. In the disaster-affected southern areas, food
assistance reportedly contributed to the weakening of retail demand, adding downward
pressure on prices. Prices of imported rice held steady during the June to September period in
the capital market reflecting the stable export prices in the United States of America, the
major rice supplier to the country. Prices of other imported food items have been reportedly
on the rise following the steady depreciation of the national currency, which lost more than 30
percent of its value during the first nine months of 2021. The worsening insecurity and
violence reportedly continue to have negative impacts on access to food, especially in urban
areas.
Low food availability and access affect about 4.3 million people
According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, about 4.3
million people (44 percent of the population analysed) are forecast to be severely food
insecure from September 2021 to February 2022. The worst situations are reported in the
departments of Nord-Ouest, Centre (the Haut Plateau), Sud and Nippes, which are classified
to be in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency).
The country‘s food security situation has been worsening since 2018 due to a series of factors.
The availability of domestically produced staple crops has been reducing during the past four
years, affected by frequent natural disasters and the low availability of agricultural inputs.
Vulnerable households‘ access to food has been worsening, constrained by the high level of
food prices and declining income-earning opportunities amid the economic downturn. The
negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic further eroded local livelihoods. The reduced
mobility of people and commodities due to road blockage and increasing insecurity has
contributed to hamper food access. The ongoing political crisis is likely to further stress food
security conditions.
https://reliefweb.int/report/haiti/giews-country-brief-haiti-12-november-2021
Negros Occidental farmers get P168-M agri-

machinery
ERWIN P. NICAVERA
November 12, 2021
VARIOUS rice farmer cooperatives and associations in Negros Occidental have received a total
of P168 million worth of rice farm machinery and equipment under the Department of
Agriculture‘s (DA) Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Program.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Philippine Center for Postharvest Development
Mechanization (PhilMec) Director Baldwin Jallorina led the distribution of the at the Panaad
Park in Bacolod City on Thursday, November 11.
The provincial government, in a statement, said the agricultural machinery distributed included
36 units of four-wheel tractor, 24 units of rice combine harvester, 13 units of riding type
transplanter, and five units walk-behind transplanter.
This project aims to reduce the cost of rice production and reduce postharvest losses, which will
eventually help the farmers increase their productivity and income, it said.
The implementation of the project is through the collaborative effort of the DA, PHilMech and
provincial government, it added.
The recipient-farmer cooperatives and associations are those from San Carlos City, Calatrava,
Don Salvador Benedicto, Sagay City, Cadiz City, Murcia, Victorias City, Bago City, Valladolid,
Pulupandan, San Enrique, Pontevedra, La Carlota City, Hinigaran, Moises Padilla, La Castellana,
Isabela, Binalbagan, Himamaylan City, Kabankalan City, Ilog, Cauayan, Sipalay City, Candoni,
and Hinoba-an.
Lacson thanked the DA and PHilMech for the projects given to Negrense farmers, as he stressed
that the agricultural sector plays an important role in recovering from the pandemic by ensuring
strong food value chains and promoting a vibrant rural economy.―It is fair and reasonable to
further equip the farmers with projects that will help them in rice production, as they play a
major role in food security,‖ the governor added.
Also present during the activity were Third District Board Member Andrew Montelibano, Sixth
District Rep. Genaro Alvarez, Jr., Mayor John Rey Tabujara of Cauayan, Mayor Alfredo
Maranon III of Sagay City, Arjay Venus from the Office of Senator Cynthia Villar,
EngineerAlbert Barrogo of DA-Western Visayas, and Officer-In-Charge Negros Occidental
Provincial Agriculturist Dr. Dina Genzola, among others.
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1912946/Bacolod/Business/Negros-Occidental-farm
Vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian diets could save you

money – new research
November 12, 2021 10.24am EST
Author
1. Marco Springmann
Senior Researcher, Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Food, University of
Oxford
Disclosure statement
Marco Springmann received funding from Wellcome and the he Global Panel on Agriculture and
Food Systems for Nutrition during the conduct of this study.
Partners
University of Oxford provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.
Many people are choosing to make the switch to plant-based diets for many reasons – including
as a way of cutting their climate footprint or to be healthier.Yet there‘s long been the notion that
plant-based diets are inherently more expensive than following a more traditional omnivore diet
– which is why some people may be hesitant to make the switch. But it turns out that this isn‘t
entirely accurate. In fact, the recent research my colleagues and I published in Lancet Planetary
Health found that eating a healthier and more sustainable diet (such as vegan, vegetarian,
pescatarian or flexitarian) could actually slash up to a third off your food bill if you live in a high
income country – like the UK, the US or Europe.
To conduct our study, we used data from the World Bank, which regularly collects information
on the prices of many different items to estimate the purchasing power of different countries as a
way of calculating their gross domestic product (GDP). For food items, they collected data on
over 460 products from markets around the world. These items ranged from global products –
such as widely available rice brands – to regional products unique only to certain countries.
We used the price data on both global and regional items to calculate the average cost of
different food groups – including rice, fruits and vegetables, legumes and fish – by country. To
calculate the total cost of diets and cost changes, we then paired the price data with information
on current food demand and waste from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations and with recommendations for dietary patterns that can be healthier and more
sustainable than current diets – such as flexitarian, pescatarian, vegetarian and vegan. This told
us how much a person might spend on average to follow different diets.
Affordability
The results of our analysis came as a bit of a surprise. If you look solely at the costs of the
ingredients, a vegan diet actually costs a third less than the current ―western‖ diets with high
amounts of meat and dairy that many people consume in high income countries like the UK.
Vegetarian diets clock in at a similar value, while people following flexitarian diets saved on
average 14%. Only pescatarian diets – which include a higher proportion of fish and seafood –
can sometimes cost 2% more than current diets.
To put it into perspective, we estimate that the typical western diet costs about US$50 per week
per person (£37). In comparison, flexitarian diets cost are around $42 per person per week,
vegetarian diets as low as $34, and vegan diets as low as $33. That means, over the course of a
year, you could save almost $900 per person by switching to a more plant-based diet.
Vegan and vegetarian diets were the cheapest.
The important thing to keep in mind here is that the data we used refers to the costs of basic
ingredients – such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and so on. We didn‘t include ready-made meals,
take-aways, or highly processed foods such as plant-based burgers. That means, if you want to
realise these savings, go for minimally processed foods and try out some new recipes. That‘s not
only better for your wallet, but will in most cases also healthier and more sustainable than diets
based on highly processed foods.
Things were a bit more complicated, however, when looking at low income countries, such as
sub-Saharan Africa. There, typical diets consist mainly of starchy foods. We found that although
following vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian or pescatarian diets were a quarter cheaper than
following a western diet high in meat and dairy, these dietary patterns were still at least a third
more expensive to follow than the high-starch diets that are currently consumed in low income
countries.
Affording to follow a healthy and sustainable diet in low income countries is clearly a challenge.
This is why our study also looked at how we could bring costs down. We found that when
economic development in poor regions was paired with efforts to reduce food waste and
introduce health and climate-friendly food pricing, it was possible to make sustainable diets cost-
competitive in low income countries within a decade.
Transitioning towards healthier and more sustainable diets is urgently needed to

prevent dangerous levels of climate change, and to tackle the health burden of poor diets. Our
study shows that, given the right political support, healthy and sustainable diets can also be
affordable, not only in high-income countries but everywhere.
https://theconversation.com/vegan-vegetarian-and-flexitarian-diets-could-save-you-mo

13th November, 2021 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter

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Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter

13th November ,2021 Vol 6 Issue 11

Editorial Board Rice News Headlines…

Non-basmati rice exports may shrink in 2022

KALPETTA, NOVEMBER 12, 2021 21:45 IST

When a group of scientists of the Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS) at

Adoption of prophylactic measures of management would have substantially reduced

Authentic American Rice Front and Center

that has reached 90 million people.

Logo is at bottom right

(click image to enlarge)

2021, valued at nearly $245 million.

USA Rice Daily

They propose to genetically modify rice to adapt it to

Why FCI does not want to procure parboiled rice from

Organic pesticides ptotect paddy crops from hopper

He is now confident that he will have a good harvest.

Himachal’s women farmers feted for conserving rare red

Vietnam reconsiders methane-emitting rice amid

Published On 13 Nov 2021

Distinct from other grains, rice is grown in a flooded field.

No longer ‘rice first’

The 2020 drought led to record-breaking levels of salt intrusion.

Limited options for farmers

Riceland Foods nears $1 billion in sales; search for

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Riceland Foods, an agricultural cooperative, was born in 1921.

FG to track rice-laden vessels from neighbouring

12 November 2021 | 4:05 am

Global impact of Arkansas rice production to be featured

Friday, Nov. 12, on Arkansas PBS.

Even reduced duty fails to boost rice imports

12 November, 2021, 12:30 pm

GIEWS Country Brief: Haiti 12-November-2021

News and Press Release

 Download document(PDF | 274 KB)

FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT

• Cereal import requirements forecast to increase in 2021/22

• Prices of rice stable between June and September 2021

Cereal import requirements forecast to increase in 2021/22

Prices of rice stable between June and September 2021

Negros Occidental farmers get P168-M agri-

November 12, 2021

Vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian diets could save you

University of Oxford provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

Vegan and vegetarian diets were the cheapest.

Transitioning towards healthier and more sustainable diets is urgently needed to

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