9th February 2022 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter
9 February ,2022 Vol 7 Issue 2
1|www.ricepluss.com , www.riceplusmagazine.blosgspot.com
www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com
mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com 92 321 3692874
Editorial Board Rice News Headlines…

 Fine, medium varieties of rice continue to be pricier in
Chief Editor
 Hamlik Bangladesh market
 Kampong Thom farmers cultivation of rice surpasses target
Managing Editor  Curry-rice consumption tied to lower risk of hypertension,
 Abdul Sattar Shah
diabetes, and depression: Study
 Rahmat Ullah
 Rozeen Shaukat  P 21.75B in rice, pork import duties collected in ’21
 TESDA to add 2 farming-related courses; urges farmers to
English Editor enroll
 Maryam Editor
 Fidelity Bank disburses N34bn in credit to boost rice value
 Legal Advisor
 Advocate Zaheer Minhas chain
 Bangladesh may reduce rice import duty to 10pc to address
Editorial Associates price volatility: Minister
 Admiral (R) Hamid Khalid
 Rice farmers face turbulent 2022
 Javed Islam Agha
 Zahid Baig(Business Recorder)  China’s quest to secure its ‘Rice Bowl’: Challenges to its food
 Dr.Akhtar Hussain security
 Dr.Fayyaz Ahmad Siddiqui  Sri Lanka to import 100,000 tons of rice from Myanmar
 Dr.Abdul Rasheed (UAF)
 Indian 2021 rice exports total record 21.4 million mt, up 46%
 Islam Akhtar Khan
on year: DGCIS
Editorial Advisory Board  APEDA Invites Bids For Crop Survey to Estimate Acreage &
 Dr.Malik Mohammad Hashim Expected Yield of Basmati Rice During 2022 & 2023
Assistant Professor, Gomal
 How To Make Ghee Podi Rice: A Comforting Meal That Spells
University DIK
 Dr.Hasina Gul Indulgence
Assistant Director, Agriculture KPK  Sri Lanka to import 400,000 metric tons of rice over rising price
 Dr.Hidayat Ullah  Root symbiosis is regulated through nutrient status of plants
Assistant Professor, University
of Swabi  Shining a Spotlight on Shenanigans in India
 Dr.Abdul Basir  USA Rice Engaged in Proposal for Redefining WOTUS
Assistant Professor, University of  BoC collects P22B in rice, pork tariffs
Swabi
 Stakeholders push for more investments to boost rice
 Zahid Mehmood
PSO,NIFA Peshawar production
 Falak Naz Shah  Roy Hodgson looking forward to fielding Watford’s top scorer
Head Food Science & Technology Emmanuel Dennis
ART, Peshawar
 Rice tariff collections hit P18.9 billion in 2021
Fine, medium varieties of rice continue to be pricier in

Bangladesh market
Yasir Wardad | Published: February 08, 2022 08:55:24 | Updated: February 08,
2022 13:42:44
Rice has witnessed a further hike in the past two days, adding woes to the
commoners who are already reeling from the skyrocketing trend of most
commodities.
Medium and finer varieties like BRRI dhan 28, Jeera, Miniket and Najirshail saw
Tk 2.0-3.0 hike per kilo both at milling hubs and city market as sold between Tk 58
and 86 on Sunday.
BRRI-28 sold at Tk 58-60, finer-quality Miniket and Jeera at Tk 68-82, and
Najirshail at Tk 68-86 a kg in Dhaka city.
However, coarse rice price remained static at Tk 48 -52 a kg in Dhaka and Tk 38-43
at milling hubs, according to the Bangladesh Auto Maj or and Husking Mill Owners
Association of Bangladesh.
Farm economist Prof Dr Mohammad Saidur Rahman cited diesel price hike, import
duty as high as 62.5 per cent and scarcity of medium/finer -quality rice in Aman
season as key reasons behind this price rise s.
He said the 23-per cent diesel price spike has already raised production and
transport costs of crops which is being reflected in the market.
As both rice and wheat flour prices are seeing a record high, Dr Rahman suggests
the government immediately lower the import duty to give millions of poor people
some relief amid Covid-19.
He further suggested stronger monitoring of milling hubs and city wholesale market
to prevent any artificial price hike.
Aman lacks medium and finer-quality varieties compared to that of demand as
coarse Swarna or similar varieties cover more than 60 -per cent land in the season,
according to Dr Rahman.
He says development of both Aman and Boro varieties is needed to maintain a
sound balance in the value chain taking into account c onsumer choice and demands.
The prices of rice, however, are showing a hike at a time when global rice prices of
'Indica' species also witnessed a rise in January 2022.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation's all -rice price index witnessed a 3.1-per
cent hike in January 2022 than that of December 2021.
But the current price is still 11.3 per cent below its value compared to that of
January 2021. Indica rice varieties of India, Pakistan, Vietnam and Thailand were
traded at $347 to a maximum of $442 a tonne i n January 2022.
Agriculture minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque at a programme recently
expressed his grief over the continued hike in rice prices despite a record
production, good import and a handsome stockpile.
He laid great emphasis on raising producti on of the staple notably to tackle any
kind of volatility in the rice market.
According to food ministry, the government has so far procured 2.0 -million tonnes
of rice this fiscal year during Boro and Aman seasons.
The government has a stock of 1.74-million tonnes of rice and paddy while private
and public entities have so far imported 0.96 -million tonnes of rice.
Agriculture ministry is expecting 15 -million tonnes of rice from the just -ended
Aman season after achieving a record 19.8 -million tonnes of output in Boro season.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com
https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/trade/fine-medium-varieties-of-rice-continue-to-be-
pricier-in-bangladesh-market-1644288923
Kampong Thom farmers cultivation of rice surpasses
target
A rice field in Kampong Thom province. KT/Chor Sokunthea
The cultivation of wet and dry season rice in Kampong Thom has far exceeded the provincial
goal by more than 150 percent.
On the morning of February 8, the Director of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries of Kampong Thom, Pen Vanrith, that farmers in the province cultivated 65,425
hectares of wet and dry season rice from 2021-2022, which is equivalent to 163.56 percent of the
40,000-hectares target.
Vanrith added that farmers have harvested 33,632 hectares of rice with an average yield of 4.42
tons per hectare. Despite exceeding the plan for cultivation, according to data this is a decrease
from the 2021 cultivation.
Aside from the cultivation of rice, farmers in Kampong Thom have also successfully planted
other crops of fruits, vegetables and legumes.
The agricultural sector is expected to face challenges this year as drought affects swathes of the
country. Some provinces have requested for the use of pumps to water the crops affected by the
drought.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501021335/kampong-thom-farmers-cultivation-of-rice-
surpasses-target/
Curry-rice consumption tied to lower risk of
hypertension, diabetes, and depression: Study
By MedhaPublished On 8 Feb 2022 9:30 AM |
Updated On 8 Feb 2022 9:31 AM
North Korea: High curry-rice consumption is associated with a low prevalence of type 2 diabetes,
depression and hypertension, shows a recent study. Findings of the study, published in the Diabetes
& Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews, indicates the potential health benefit
resulting from curcumin intake protects people from the dual burden of non-communicable
diseases (NCDs) and mental health.
Dietary and lifestyle changes is shown to a contributing factor to an increase in incidence od NCDs
(type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases). NCDs worsens when the peak of the third COVID-19
wave occurred in South Korea. People who consumed a well-balanced diet appears to be healthier
with robust immune systems and a lower risk of infectious diseases and NCDs.
Curry is used commonly in South Korea as a food ingredient, preservative, and herbal therapy for
the treatment of diseases. It is a popular food that contains a high concentration of curcumin.
Previous studies have shown major health benefits of curcumin.
Against the above background, Min-Sun Kim, Sunchon National University, Sunchon, Jeonnam,
North Korea, and colleagues undertook the study with an objective to evaluate the association
between curry-rice consumption, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), type 2 diabetes (T2DB),
arthritis, and depression.
For this purpose, the researchers recruited 17,625 participants aged ≥18 years and obtained data on
sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, lifestyle, current medications, family history,
and food consumption. They then examined the association between curry-rice consumption,
CVDs, T2DB, arthritis, and depression.
Also Read - Olive oil consumption to reduce incidence of cardiovascular events: PREDIMED
Trial
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Based on the study, the researchers found the following:
• In the logistic model, risks of elevated triglyceride (OR 0.89), elevated HbA1c (OR 0.81),
and elevated glucose (OR 0.86) were significantly lower in the high curry-rice consumption group
than in the low curry-rice consumption group.
• Risk of hypertension (OR 0.88), T2DB (OR, 0.82), and depression (OR 0.82) was
significantly lower among the high curry-rice consumption group than in the low curry-rice
consumption group.
• These findings were consistent with the results of the analysis when curry-rice
consumption was treated as a continuous variable.
Also Read - Breakfast consumption with intensive lifestyle intervention tied to greater weight loss
in obese: Study
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"The potential health benefits resulting from the intake of curry-rice via an ordinary diet could
protect the public from the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health,"
wrote the authors. "These results highlight an ongoing need to understand the role of curry-rice in
NCDs and mental health."
Reference:
Hai Duc Nguyen, Hojin Oh, Min-Sun Kim, The association between curry-rice consumption and
hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and depression: The findings from KNHANES 2012–2016, Diabetes
& Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews, Volume 16, Issue 1, 2022, 102378, ISSN
1871-4021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsx.2021.102378.
curry rice diabetes hypertension depression Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research &
Reviews
Source : Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews
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Medha
Medha Baranwal joined Medical Dialogues as an Editor in 2018 for Speciality Medical Dialogues.
She covers several medical specialties including Cardiac Sciences, Dentistry, Diabetes and Endo,
Diagnostics, ENT, Gastroenterology, Neurosciences, and Radiology. She has completed her
Bachelors in Biomedical Sciences from DU and then pursued Masters in Biotechnology from
Amity University. She has a working experience of 5 years in the field of medical research writing,
scientific writing, content writing, and content management. She can be contacted at
editorial@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751
www.medicaldialogues.in
P 21.75B in rice, pork import duties collected in ’21

By: Ronnel W. Domingo - @inquirerdotnet
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 04:20 AM February 09, 2022
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) collected in 2021 a total of P21.75 billion in duties on imported
rice and pork amid efforts of economic managers to temper food inflation by encouraging the
inflow of more supplies from abroad.
Of the total amount, P18 billion accounted for duties on rice imports, 22 percent higher than the
P15.5 billion collected in 2020.
As for import tariff collected on pork, revenues reached P3.75 billion, including inflows in January
2022. The amount covered 242 million kilograms of hog meat that passed through customs.
Collection on rice imports go to the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), for which
the Rice Tariffication Law of 2019 allocates P10 billion each year.
The RCEF is used to finance programs that improve the competitiveness of local rice farmers
through the provision of farm inputs such as fertilizer, farm machinery and equipment, high-yield
seeds and cheap credit; and offering skills training programs on farm mechanization and modern
farming techniques.
As for pork imports, the BOC estimates that it could have collected P4 billion more if not for
presidential directives that lowered import tariffs on pork.
These were part of efforts to address the steep decline in domestic pork production amid the
lingering prevalence of Asian swine fever in the country.
President Duterte issued two executive orders (EOs) intended to lower pork import tariffs and
increase the allowable import volumes of the meat.
These directives were meant to quell inflation by boosting the supply of pork and stabilizing its
retail prices in the domestic market.
EO No. 128 lowered pork import tariffs from 30 percent to 5 percent within its minimum access
volume and 15 percent beyond the import quota for the first three months. INQ
https://business.inquirer.net/340463/p-21-75b-in-rice-pork-import-duties-collected-in-
21#ixzz7KOc7AzAO
TESDA to add 2 farming-related courses; urges farmers to

enroll
By Ma. Cristina Arayata February 8, 2022, 7:39 pm
MANILA – Secretary Isidro Lapeña is urging farmers to avail of the free training in two courses
added this year by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) tailored
for the Rice Extension Services Program (RESP).
In an interview with the Philippine News Agency on Tuesday, Lapeña said TESDA has been
offering six courses under the RESP, while Pest and Nutrient Management, as well as Digital
Agricultural Course, will soon be offered.
"Based on the baseline survey (TESDA) conducted in 2020, these are the areas that contribute to
the farmers' yield and income. However, their knowledge about pest and nutrient management
and other innovative knowledge on agriculture is still low," he said.
Lapeña said TESDA had approved 52,421 scholarship slots for the RESP courses last year.
These courses were Farmers Field School (FFS) on Production of High-Quality Inbred Rice and
Seed Certification, and Farm Mechanization; Agro-Entrepreneurship NC (national certificate) II,
III, IV; Rice Machinery Operations NC II; Drying and Milling Plant Servicing NC III.
Offering the additional courses, he said, is TESDA's response to the baseline survey, and another
way to help the rice farmers.
For 2022, TESDA is eyeing to open 50,000 scholarship slots for courses under the RESP.
"I encourage all our rice farmers listed under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in
Agriculture to avail of various free courses we are offering under the RESP. Not only these free
training will upskill them, but more importantly, when they apply their acquired skills in their
farming method, it will help increase their harvest and income," Lapeña said.
On Monday, TESDA reported that over 38,000 rice farmers and their dependents have finished
the courses under the RESP.
TESDA's record showed that 26,898 have completed training on FFS on Production of High-
Quality Inbred Rice and Seed Certification, and Farm Mechanization; 4,008 on Service
Motorcycle/ Small Engine System; 3,628 on Rice Machinery Operations NC II; 511 on Agro-
Entrepreneurship NC II; and 24 on Drying and Milling Plant Servicing NC III.
Each scholar was entitled to a PHP160 daily allowance, and free training and assessment,
including entrepreneurship training and insurance, according to TESDA.
Under the RESP cluster, TESDA is tasked to ―teach skills on rice crop production, modern rice
farming techniques, seed production, farm mechanization, and knowledge/ technology transfer
through farm schools nationwide.‖ (PNA)
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1167333
Fidelity Bank disburses N34bn in credit to boost rice value

chain
February 8, 2022 Blessing Anaro Business
Fidelity Bank has facilitated the disbursement of over N34 billion in direct credit to players in the
Nigerian rice value chain. The bank‘s interventions in recent years have helped to unlock spontaneous
financing opportunities for a large swathe of paddy rice farmers with significant contributions to the
expansion of national paddy rice output.
Only recently, the bank part-financed the construction of a 400 metric tons per day mega rice mill in
Kano state owned by the Gerawa Group of Companies.
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
Commenting on the development, Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, Managing Director/CEO, Fidelity Bank Plc,
said, ―Through our interventions in the rice space, we have created positive impact in rural communities
by way of farmer empowerment and employment generation. This is also in alignment with the business
sustainability imperative of our banking business.‖
Shedding light on the bank‘s activities further down the value chain, Mrs. Onyeali-Ikpe stated that the
bank directly financed the construction and installation of several integrated rice mills across different
geo-political zones in Nigeria. These rice mills have a combined rice milling capacity in excess of
500,000 MT per annum.
Recognizing the importance of the last mile traders in the value chain, she noted, ―We have also provided
low-cost funds to rice traders to purchase rice from indigenous rice millers for sale to the final consumers.
This has helped in stabilizing the prices of locally produced rice.‖
https://www.blueprint.ng/fidelity-bank-disburses-n34bn-in-credit-to-boost-rice-value-chain/
Bangladesh may reduce rice import duty to 10pc to address price

volatility: Minister
FE ONLINE REPORT | Published: February 08, 2022 13:40:24 |
Updated: February 08, 2022 20:22:39
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder said rice import duty may be brought
down to 10 per cent in need to prevent the price volatility in the market.
The existing import duty on rice is nearly 62.5 per cent.
―Rice prices have been rising continually even though the country has produced a
record volume of rice, imported a handsome amount of rice and also has 2.0 million
tonnes of food in stock,‖ he told a view-exchange meeting titled ‗Illegal hoarding
and initiative to prevent it‘ at the Rajsha hi Deputy Commissioner‘s office on
Monday.
―We are monitoring the situation at the field level to find out the reasons for this,‖
he said, adding that accurate information from the field level would be very useful
in adopting an action plan on controlling the market volatility.
Indicating that illegal hoardings are leading to a rice price rise in the market, he
called on food officials, district administrations, and traders, to come up with
information about them so that the government can take action agai nst them.
The food minister also asked food officials to verify rice mill stocks on a weekly
basis and to check out information on rice grinding and supply on a regular basis.
Those representing millers at the views exchange meeting said no rice price rise s
have taken place at the mill gates for the last three months though the production
and transportation costs of rice notably increased in recent months.
―Prices of rice have not increased at the mill gates for the last three months,‖ said
Nirad Baran Saha, a Naogaon-based miller who is among those representing the
region‘s millers at the meeting. He added that rice prices have increased at the
consumers' end as it reaches them after exchanging four to five hands.
Another rice millers‘ representative Belal Hossain said hundreds of people started
rice trading during the pandemic. They have been hoarding rice and paddy in large
volumes creating an artificial shortage in the market.
He called on the government to strictly monitor the activities of such traders to
prevent a further rise in rice prices.
Lawmaker Md Ain Uddin, Food Secretary Dr Mosammat Nazmanara Khanum,
Director General of Food Directorate Md Sakhawat Hossain also spoke at the views
exchange meeting organised by Rajshahi Divisional and District Ad ministration
with Divisional commissioner GSM Zafarullah in the chair.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com
https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/trade/bangladesh-may-reduce-rice-import-duty-to-10pc-to-
address-price-volatility-minister-1644306024
Rice farmers face turbulent 2022

AGRICULTURETALK POLITICS
by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)
U.S. agricultural commodity prices have been on the rebound, but at least one – rice – is still in a
turbulent patch, USA Rice President and CEO Betsy Ward said during the Arkansas Rice
Farmers and Arkansas Rice Council annual meeting held Tuesday (Feb. 8) in Jonesboro. Rice
prices have been better, but explosive input costs, unfair world trade practices, and a lack of
policy making in Washington D.C. threaten rice farmers, she said.
―Crops are rebounding … rice is not recovering as fast,‖ she said. ―Rice is different from other
commodities. It has different challenges.‖
Gov. Asa Hutchinson served as the keynote speaker at the event. Arkansas remains the top rice
producing state in the country. About 48% of the rice grown on U.S. soil comes from the Natural
State. It‘s a $1.3 billion industry each year. Rice is the second largest export crop for the state
with a value of $742 million. There are an estimated 1,800 rice farms in Arkansas and the crop is
grown in 40 counties, he added.
―I want to thank you for keeping our food supply going during the pandemic,‖ he said. ―Farmers
stepped up every step of the way.‖
A grim reality is setting in for many in the farm industry that input costs are going to be
significantly higher in 2022, Ward said. With an evenly divided Congress, it‘s unlikely relief will
be coming from the federal government anytime soon, she said.
―Getting anything passed in Washington D.C. right now is going to be tough,‖ she said.
She noted the Joe Biden administration has tried to focus on climate change policies that will
impact the way farmers are able to grow crops. Ward said there has been no cohesive attempt to
open trade markets around the world, especially in China.
Hutchinson said he talked to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack last week and he offered
no specifics on how the Biden administration plans to open global markets for U.S. agricultural
exports such as rice. China agreed almost two years ago to buy billions of dollar‘s worth of U.S.
agricultural products and that promise has not been kept, he said.
The Chinese not adhering to previous commitments is a problem, but another problem has
emerged on the world stage, Ward said. India is now the world‘s largest rice exporter. It sends
out 20 million metric tons of rice each year, which is 40% of the international rice market, she
said.
Farmers in India can produce rice cheaply due to a number of factors, Ward said. The first is that
the Indian government guarantees high prices, and then covers all input costs for farmers. They
essentially only operate within their own profit margins, she said.
U.S. officials are trying to work with the World Trade Organization to tackle the India rice issue,
she said.
In addition to high input costs, there are a number of factors that will impact rice farmers in the
coming years, Hutchinson noted. Throughout the state, there is a ground water shortage and there
are a number of irrigation expansion projects ongoing to alleviate the lack of water, he said.
Scientific research will be critical in the coming years as the water supply wanes and farmlands
will have to produce more food to support a growing global population. The governor lauded rice
research that is ongoing at Arkansas State University. He authorized $5 million to be taken from
the state‘s Restricted Reserve Fund to be used at the Northeast Rice Research and Extension
Center.
Agriculture remains the state‘s top economic driver, but in Northeast Arkansas steel production
is starting to have a significant impact, he said. U.S. Steel recently announced it will build a new
$3 billion plant in Mississippi County. Hutchinson‘s term will end in one year, but he said he‘s
not done fighting for more projects like that and helping the farm community throughout the
state.
―Pittsburgh has moved to Arkansas. It will be transformative … I want you to know, I‘m not
going out quietly,‖ he said.
https://talkbusiness.net/2022/02/rice-farmers-face-turbulent-2022/
China‘s quest to secure its ‗Rice Bowl‘: Challenges to its

food security
ADITYA PANDEY
Can Xi continue to promise food security despite increased consumption, aging rural
population, rapid urbanisation, and climate changes?
In June 2021, President Xi Jinping declared that China had achieved CCP‘s first centenary goal
to become a ‗moderately prosperous society‘ with zero absolute poverty. As the nation moves
to attain its second centenary goal, which is to build a ‗modern socialist country‘, Xi knows he
has to pivot back to the rural hinterlands to perennially secure his people‘s ‗rice bowl‘—by
increasing grain quality and output.
Throughout its civilisational history, China has faced major famines. Ever since the Chinese
Communist Party (CCP) took reigns of mainland China in 1949, the country has witnessed
major setbacks when it comes to food security. One such major setback was the Great Chinese
Famine (1959-61) a man-made disaster during the Great Leap Forward movement which is
said to have killed nearly 45 million people. Some of the older generations alive today have
horrid memories of the famine.
The Great Chinese Famine (1959-61) a man-made disaster during the Great Leap
Forward movement which is said to have killed nearly 45 million people.
The Party has crafted a narrative that credits the nation‘s leadership for being able to deal with
nation‘s challenges. Citizens are expected to place their faith in their party and their leader Xi
Jinping. However, China‘s food security faces certain perils.
Journey towards food self-sufficiency
China holds the distinction of being the world‘s largest importer of food products—grains,
meat, and seafood included. It is also the fourth largest buyer of agricultural land abroad.
However, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic left an adverse impact on international
food supply chains and although China has ample stockpiles of corn, rice, and wheat, it
depends on global markets for pork and soybean which are part of the staple Chinese diet.
The world continues to view China‘s aggressive rise with suspicion, especially as it does little
to allay the fears of the international community. Trade frictions, allegations of food hoarding
and land grab, belligerent military posturing in Asia-Pacific, and the overall global perception
of its handling of the COVID-19 outbreak—these are merely a few reasons for China to
accelerate efforts to look inwards and attain self-reliance.
Although China has ample stockpiles of corn, rice, and wheat, it depends on global
markets for pork and soybean which are part of the staple Chinese diet.
To further exacerbate food insecurity concerns, there were widespread incidents of panic
buying and hoarding in November last year, when a Ministry of Commerce directive to local
governments to stabilise food prices for winter months was widely speculated to mean a
possible incoming COVID-19 wave or an outbreak of war with Taiwan.
Policy changes over the last few years
Over the years, China has shifted its policy focus towards self-sufficiency in food. In
the 1990s, China‘s leadership ordered for establishing a National Grain Stockpile to coordinate
central and regional food reserves—which today is claimed to be one of the world‘s largest
stockpiles. In 2006, a ‗red line‘ was established, under President Hu Jintao, at 1.8 billion mu of
land (120 million hectares) to ensure that urbanisation and industrialisation drives did not
encroach into arable lands that was to be utilised for agriculture.
President Xi Jinping through the National Congress enacted a law that banned binge
eating and food wastage to instill values of conservation amongst the general public.
An ambitious target of 95 percent self-sufficiency in grains was set, i.e., 95 percent of
domestic demand should be met through domestic supplies—which China claims it has
ensured till date. To ensure accountability in provinces, political responsibility to prevent food
shortages was assigned to provincial governors and local party functionaries. In April 2021,
President Xi Jinping through the National Congress enacted a law that banned binge eating and
food wastage to instill values of conservation amongst the general public.
Seeds are the new ‘semiconductor microchips’
In 2021, the Chinese central authority issued the year‘s first policy document called
‗Document No. 1‘, which is seen as an indicator of national policy priorities. For the 18th
consecutive year, the document focused on food and agriculture. However, a significantly
important policy change was in the promotion of Genetically Modified (GM) technologies in
seed industries and commercial usage of GM crops. China‘s Agriculture Minister Tang Renjian
declared that seeds are the new ―semiconductor microchips‖ in agricultural technology, and
they shall be instrumental in securing grain output.
Unlike countries like USA where private players are involved in three-quarters of the research
in seed technologies that leads to commercial applications, in China, the number stands at 10 to
20 percent. Thus, CCP has instructed the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs to provide
the government‘s direct support to leading private seed enterprises. Acquisition of
multinational corporations has been considered the quickest way for China to acquire seed
technology. One of the most high-profile acquisitions has been that of Swiss food-tech
giant Syngenta in February 2016 by state-owned ChemChina for US $43 billion.
CCP has instructed the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs to provide the
government’s direct support to leading private seed enterprises.
On 24 December 2021, China adopted a revised Seed Law which shall come into effect from
31st March 2022. The revised law increases commercialisation and standardisation of GM
technology in the seed industry and brings it in line with international standards. However,
Chinese government has been drawing flak for promoting GM foods.
Challenges ahead
Despite China‘s leadership‘s go-ahead for GM corn and soyabean after passing them
through biosafety evaluations in 2020, it has met with resistance from the Chinese public at
large. Policymakers in Beijing have been unsuccessful in building trust amongst the citizens
that GM foods are safe for consumption. The public has seen its share of food safety
scandals in the past.
However, this is only part of the problem. Till date, China continues to be an agrarian society
but it faces the daunting task of feeding the world‘s largest population on just 7 percent of
world‘s arable land. A survey conducted by the Ministry of Natural Resources stated that
China‘s arable land area towards the end of 2019 had reduced by 6 percent to 1.28 million
square kilometres, as compared to 2009—a majority of it converted into forests, urban areas or
industrial hubs. Since 1990s, incessant and inefficient use of chemical fertilisers
has polluted and depleted groundwater table and soil quality.
China also happens to be the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world since 2006. In
2020, China‘s carbon emissions broke records by reaching nearly 14 billion tonnes (GtCO2)
contributing to 27 percent of the global emissions, as per reports by the Rhodium Group.
Particularly, a major source of carbon emission in China arises from livestock cultivation. As
per the ‗Journal of Integrative Agriculture‘, net greenhouse gas emissions from the pork
industry in China increased 16 million tons (Mt) of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2eq) during
the study period 1976-2016, further adding to the national carbon footprint.
The greenhouse gas emissions have a direct contribution to loss in crop yields. According to
a study by Nature Food, China saw an increase in Ozone pollution resulting in diminishing
yields of wheat, rice, and maize at 33 percent, 23 percent and 9 percent, respectively.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has hailed climate change caused due
to anthropogenic factors as the main reason for flooding in China and other countries.
In 2021, heavy rainfall led to flooding in many provinces in China. Henan province, for one,
experienced loss of 2.4 million acres of crops fields. The province produces one-third of
China‘s wheat supply and nearly one-tenth of its corn, vegetable, and pork. The World
Meteorological Organization (WMO) has hailed climate change caused due to anthropogenic
factors as the main reason for flooding in China and other countries. Thus, the need of the hour
for the leadership is to ensure the adoption of sustainable and environmentally safe practices in
food production.
The socio-economic effects of the ageing population in China, especially in rural areas, have
an impact on food production and consumption. Urbanisation rate in China was at 57 percent
in 2016, and might go up to 65 percent by 2025, and 80 percent by 2050. These figures raise an
important question—who shall be a part of food production in rural areas if society continues
to undergo such transitions?
Conclusion
Ever since he came into power 10 years ago, food security has been one of Xi‘s prime areas of
focus. ―Food security is an important foundation for national security. Guaranteeing national
food security is an eternal issue, and this string cannot be loosened at any time‖ claims the
President.
The ‗string‘ which Xi refers to is extremely vital to the longevity of his presidency. In 2013, he
had reminded his officials to take heed of USSR‘s disintegration in 1991 and to keep in mind
the reasons for the same—that the then Russian leadership had permitted the public denigration
of Soviet leaders like Lenin and Stalin. In China, excessive rise in food grain prices was one of
the factors that led to the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989 and Xi will not let public
criticism of food security programmes adversely affect his political career. The National
Congress, which assembles once in five years, shall convene towards the end of this year and
determine who forms part of the future leadership, which Xi aspires to lead.
Despite enacting a national anti-food wastage law, Beijing must realise that China has
transformed into a relatively more prosperous country. With growing urbanisation and rising
income levels in urban and rural areas, dietary consumption is bound to increase in the world‘s
largest population. The CCP had always promised its people abundance in food and grains.
Now that citizens have begun to enjoy the fruits of a ‗moderately prosperous society‘, an
important question arises—are various components of China‘s food policy realistic enough to
secure the ‗rice bowl‘ or are they mere political gimmicks to secure Xi‘s presidency?
https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/chinas-quest-to-secure-its-rice-bowl/
Sri Lanka to import 100,000 tons of rice from Myanmar

Xinhua
7th February 2022, 21:05 GMT+11
COLOMBO, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Ministry of Trade said on Monday it has decided to
import 100,000 tons of white rice from Myanmar to control the rising price of rice in local
markets.
The ministry said in a statement it planned to import the rice at 445 U.S. dollars per ton through
the Sri Lanka State Trading (General) Corporation.
It plans to import 20,000 tons of rice at a time and release it to the market gradually.
The Ministry of Trade said it has requested the Central Bank to issue the required foreign
exchange for the import of the rice.
Imports of rice in Sri Lanka are usually limited to small quantities, especially rice such as
Basmati, officials said.
-tons-of-rice-from-myanmar?utm_source=feeds.bignewsnetwork.com&utm_medium=referral
Indian 2021 rice exports total record 21.4 million mt, up 46% on
year: DGCIS
AuthorCharlotte James
 EditorJames Leech
India's rice exports in 2021 totaled 21.4 million mt, up by 46% on the year and a new record, according
to the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics.
Bangladesh was the largest buyer of Indian rice in 2021 at 2.48 million mt, followed by Nepal, Benin
and China.India exported 1.97 million mt of rice in December, up by 31% year on year and by 33%
month on month.
Non-Basmati exports rose by 36% on year to 1.63 million mt, while Basmati exports increased by 3% to
343,346 mt. This reflects the competitiveness of India's non-Basmati exports throughout December
amid kharif crop arrivals, especially for parboiled and broken rice.
Nepal was the top importer of non-Basmati rice at 211,595 mt, with exports to Benin, Sri Lanka, and
China also particularly strong. Iran was the largest importer of Basmati rice, followed by Saudi Arabia.
December was the only month in 2021 when monthly Basmati exports were higher on year. Basmati
exports had been hampered by high container freight costs and low container availability, but new crop
arrivals and the lifting of Iran's seasonal import ban in November encouraged fresh sales.
https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-insights/latest-news/agriculture/020822-indian-2021-
rice-exports-total-record-214-million-mt-up-46-on-year-dgcis
APEDA Invites Bids For Crop Survey to Estimate Acreage &

Expected Yield of Basmati Rice During 2022 & 2023
Shivam Dwivedi Updated 8 February, 2022 10:41 AM IST Published on 8 February, 2022 9:00
Picture of Paddy Crop
The government's agro export development authority, APEDA, has asked for bids by February
18 for a crop survey to estimate acreage, analyze crop health, and forecast Basmati rice yields for
the years 2022 and 2023.However, it has kept out enterprises with merely yield estimating experience
through crop cutting experiments, despite the fact that the government has enlisted multiple agritech
companies, some without prior expertise, due to new sectors opening up for the private sector in the crop
insurance segment.
Due to the epidemic, the survey could not be completed in the last two years, however, APEDA has been
estimating Basmati rice production estimates since 2003. "A field-based survey will be conducted on the
basis of a sample group of farmers selected at the district level in the Geographical Indications (GI) area
of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, western Uttar Pradesh, and Jammu and
Kashmir," according to a notice from APEDA.
Specific Model
It has requested that agencies submit specific models and methodology for the crop survey. It said that the
'Technical Bid' and the 'Financial Bid' must be filed separately.
A firm must have a minimum of five years of experience conducting crop surveys using satellite imagery
and field-based surveys for a trade group or government entity in India, according to the bidding rules.
"Crop cutting experiment experience will not be considered for this reason," it stated.
https://krishijagran.com/agriculture-world/apeda-invites-bids-for-crop-survey-to-estimate-
acreage-expected-yield-of-basmati-rice-during-2022-2023/
How To Make Ghee Podi Rice: A Comforting Meal That Spells

Indulgence
We have given the classic ghee rice a twist in this recipe by adding podi masala to it. Make this
comforting recipe today.
 Vrinda Jain
 Updated: February 07, 2022 09:00 IST
There are days when you want to try every kind of exotic dish and new cuisine. And then there
are some days when you just want to go home and sit back with a comforting plate of dal chawal.
The definition of comfort food differs from one person to the next. Some people may find this
comfort in everyday roti and sabzi, and some may find it in a packet of instant noodles.
However, if there is anything that people often associate with comfort food, it has to be a
steaming bowl of rice. Most of the rice recipes can be easily be made in no time. Plus, you have
the liberty to add almost any vegetable, masalas or other ingredients in it to whip up something
quickly. Here we bring you one such recipe that can be a great addition to your list of comfort
food. It is called ghee podi rice.
(Also Read: 5 Yummy Fried Rice Recipes That You Would Love Making Again And Again)
We have given the classic ghee rice a twist in this recipe by adding podi masala to it. For the
unversed, podi masala is a mixture of dal, garlic, and dry spices. It is added to curries, stews,
sabzis, or served with idli, dosa or vadas. This masala can be easily made at home with just a few
ingredients.
The addition of this masala in any dish can easily amp up its taste and make it more nutritious.
So, without waiting, let us check out the recipe for ghee podi rice.
Ghee Podi Rice Recipe: Here's How To Make Ghee Podi Rice
To make this dish, first, add ghee in a large kadhai. Roast eight cashews and a few raisins with it
till they are golden brown. Now in the same kadai saute bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves
and pepper.
Next, add onion, chilli and saute until the onions turn golden brown. Now add 1 cup basmati rice
(soaked 20 minutes) and roast for 1 minute without breaking rice grains. Add water, lemon juice
and salt. Stir well and get the water to a boil. Once the rice is cooked, mix in a spoonful of podi
masala. Lastly, take it out and garnish it with coriander leaves!
(Also Read: Indian Cooking Tips: How To Make South Indian Rajma Rice In 15 Minutes
(Recipe Inside)
For the full recipe of ghee podi rice, click here.
Make this delicious, comforting recipe and let us know how you liked the taste of it!
https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/how-to-make-ghee-podi-rice-a-comforting-meal-that-spells-
indulgence-2749015
Sri Lanka to import 400,000 metric tons of rice over rising price
Source: Xinhua| 2022-02-08 13:56:31|Editor: huaxia
COLOMBO, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The government of Sri Lanka has planned to import 400,000
metric tons of rice in a bid to increase supply against rising rice prices in the South Asian
country.
As many as 300,000 metric tons of rice are expected to be imported from India, and a further
100,000 tons from Myanmar in order to bring down the rice prices artificially inflated by several
large rice millers, Gilma Dahanayake, additional secretary of the ministry of trade, was quoted as
saying by the state-owned Daily News newspaper on Tuesday.
Dahanayake said that rice stocks will be imported in tranches of 20,000 metric tons by the Sri
Lanka State Trading (General) Corporation, which is a state-owned trading company.
Sri Lanka's food inflation as measured by the Colombo Consumer Price Index reached as high as
25 percent in January due to supply shortfalls as a result of poor weather and a lack of fertilizer,
as well as high import prices.
Sri Lanka consumes around 2.1 million metric tons of rice per year, according to Daily News. ■
http://www.news.cn/asiapacific/20220208/1fd6f0a8a21945ac8604e464a6c3909a/c.html
Root symbiosis is regulated through nutrient status of plants

Phosphate nutrition of plants through symbiosis with fungi
Date:
February 8, 2022
Source:
Technical University of Munich (TUM)
Summary:
Phosphorus is one of the most important nutrients for plants. Among other functions, it is
needed to create substances for the plant's immune system, for the healthy development
of seeds and for root growth. Researchers have now demonstrated how a root symbiosis
with fungi is driven at the molecular level by the plant's phosphate status.
Share:
FULL STORY
Land plants absorb phosphate better when they collaborate with certain soil fungi. Arbuscular
mycorrhiza (AM), a symbiosis with such fungi, is used by more than 80 percent of plants. The
fungi penetrate the root cortex cells and form hyphal networks in the soil. These take up
phosphate from the soil and transport it directly into the root, where it is released into the root
cells via tree-shaped fungal structures called arbuscules.
Plants regulate the establishment of symbiosis
"Interestingly, the plant can regulate the establishment of the symbiosis according to its
physiological condition. The symbiosis is promoted at low plant phosphate status and is inhibited
when the plant has sufficient phosphate, for example as a result of fertilizer use," says Caroline
Gutjahr, Professor for Plant Genetics at TUM. "This likely happens in order to conserve organic
carbon, which the plant supplies to the fungus." Although this phenomenon was first observed
around 50 years ago, the molecular mechanism for inhibiting the arbuscular mycorrhiza at high
phosphate status was unknown.
A protein called PHR is a key transcription factor in the process. Transcription factors are
proteins that control the copying of DNA into mRNA, thus ensuring that finally the required
quantity of a protein is formed. PHR activates genes that enable the plant to respond to a
phosphate deficiency.
Experiments with rice -- one of the most important agricultural crops
"We wanted to find out how the formation of arbuscular mycorrhiza is regulated depending on
phosphate availability. Our hypothesis was that PHR might be responsible," says Prof. Gutjahr.
In addition to lab results with rice and the model legume Lotus japonicus, the researchers also
conducted an experiment in soil from rice fields. They were able to show that PHR is needed to
promote AM symbiosis when soil phosphate is low to ensure normal grain yields.
A key result of the study is that PHR not only regulates classical phosphate deficiency genes, but
also an entire group of genes required for the establishment and function of AM. These include,
for example, biosynthesis genes for the hormone strigolactone. This hormone is produced by the
plant and released into the soil where it activates and attracts the fungus.
Potential for sustainable agriculture
AM symbiosis has enormous potential for application in sustainable agriculture by reducing the
need for artificial fertilizers. "Our insights could be used to modify the phosphate sensitivity of
plants through selective breeding or gene editing," says Prof. Gutjahr.
The improved uptake of phosphate is not the only benefit of AM. It also promotes the absorption
of other nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium and sulphate and improves plant resistance to
various stressors such as drought. "By tuning PHR, for example, we could reduce the phosphate
sensitivity of plants and promote the symbiosis at higher concentrations of phosphate in the soil
and thus use its other benefits for agricultural production," says the Professor of Plant Genetics.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Technical University of Munich (TUM). Note: Content may be edited
for style and length.
Journal Reference:
1. Debatosh Das, Michael Paries, Karen Hobecker, Michael Gigl, Corinna Dawid, Hon-Ming Lam,
Jianhua Zhang, Moxian Chen, Caroline Gutjahr. PHOSPHATE STARVATION RESPONSE
transcription factors enable arbuscular mycorrhiza symbiosis. Nature Communications, 2022;
13 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-27976-8
Cite This Page:

 MLA
 APA
 Chicago
Technical University of Munich (TUM). "Root symbiosis is regulated through nutrient status of
plants: Phosphate nutrition of plants through symbiosis with fungi." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily,
8 February 2022. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/02/220208105238.htm>.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/02/220208105238.htm
Shining a Spotlight on Shenanigans in India

By Deborah Willenborg
ARLINGTON, VA – As followers of the rice industry and global markets are well aware, India
has emerged as an 800-pound gorilla in the rice export business. The country, that claims to be a
developing nation when it suits them, has demonstrated a meteoric rise in rice exports over the
last decade. And USA Rice has catalogued an equally impressive list of unfair trade practices
that are discussed on Episode 39 of The Rice Stuff podcast, available now.
Government subsidies in India distort the global rice market

―From guaranteeing a strong farm gate price to covering input costs for farmers, the government
of India is not even close to following the World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and because
of their sheer size, any move they make is distorting global rice markets,‖ said USA Rice Vice
President of International Trade Policy Peter Bachmann who appeared on the episode. ―At
around 20 million metric tons exported last year, India is larger than the next four rice exporting
countries combined.‖
USA Rice Chair Bobby Hanks also joined the podcast to share his experience and concerns for
the U.S. industry if India continues to run roughshod over the entire world.
―I think if something isn‘t done, our industry is going to contract,‖ Hanks said. ―There‘s just no
way to realistically compete when they have an almost 100 percent price advantage per ton over
us. It‘s not that they do rice better, it‘s that they‘re selling way below the cost of production.‖
Rounding out the panel of experts on the podcast was Ben Conner, a partner at DTB AgriTrade.
―By their own admission, India is over subsidizing their rice industry and the U.S. has a very
strong case to be taken to the WTO if the U.S. government would move on this,‖ Conner said.
The panel discussed taking a case to the WTO including a potential timeline and likely
outcomes.
―It‘s all pretty frustrating,‖ said show co-host and USA Rice Vice President of Communications
and Domestic Promotion Michael Klein. ―The Indian government is thumbing their nose at us
and the rest of the world. They‘ve gotten so big, they think they can do what they want and the
rest of the world has to shut up and go along or go out of business. If there was ever a time for
the WTO to actually take action and do what they were created to do, it‘s now. But as we heard
on the podcast it‘s going to take some time, and that means more cheap Indian rice flooding the
market.‖
New episodes of The Rice Stuff are published on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month
and can be found on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.
USA rice daily

USA Rice Engaged in Proposal for Redefining WOTUS

By Jamison Cruce
ARLINGTON, VA -- Yesterday, USA Rice submitted comments on a proposed rule by the

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers, collectively ―the
Agencies,‖ regarding redefining Waters of the United States (WOTUS).
Click image to read USA Rice comments to EPA & Army Corps of Engineers
This proposed rule was published on December 7, 2021, and would repeal the 2020 Navigable
Waters Protection Rule (NWPR) and reimpose the pre-2015 regulations while the Agencies seek
to establish an expanded definition of what is considered a WOTUS under the Clean Water Act.
USA Rice comments focus on the need for a rule that provides a clear and consistent WOTUS
definition for the rice industry, while voicing concern with the Agencies‘ decision to proceed
with limited stakeholder input and the expansion of federal jurisdiction to many non-navigable
waters currently under state jurisdiction.
―While USA Rice supports the establishment of a consistent, clear definition of WOTUS … the
proposed rule poses many questions challenging the likelihood of success in achieving this goal,‖
says the comments. ―Seeking reasonable input and collaboration from stakeholders with
reasonable time periods to formulate input should be the norm. If the Agencies desire to establish
a durable definition of WOTUS, then they must collaborate with the agriculture community to
achieve this result.‖
Last year, the Biden

administration took
several actions attempting
to repeal the NWPR,
including executive
actions and filing motions
to remand the rule in
federal courts, and were
ultimately accepting of a
district court ruling vacating the NWPR in Arizona and applying it nationwide.
On June 9, the Agencies formally announced their intention to repeal and replace the definition
of WOTUS in a two-step process. This proposed rule being the first step which repeals the
NWPR and replaces it with a foundational rule to restore federal protections, and a subsequent
consultation with stakeholders to inform future rulemaking.
―The U.S. rice industry remains concerned regarding the actions of the EPA and Army Corps to
again re-write the WOTUS definition,‖ said David Petter, Arkansas rice farmer and USA Rice
Regulatory Affairs Chair. ―USA Rice will remain engaged and continue to weigh in with the
agencies. Hopefully the outcome is a workable definition of WOTUS but to get there the
agencies will have to work with agriculture stakeholders as the process continues.‖
Usa Rice daily
BoC collects P22B in rice, pork tariffs

No INC backing yet for Uniteam
By Mayvelin U. Caraballo
February 9, 2022
Three wins for Adele at non-binary Brit Awards

Lacson, Sotto vow to run 'very disciplined campaign' to prevent Covid spread
Robredo woos Camarines Norte, Sorsogon, makes pitch for Pangilinan
Suns hold off 76ers 114-109 for NBA-best 44th victory
THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) collected a total of P22 billion in duties from rice and pork
imports in 2021, the Department of Finance (DoF) said.
In a statement on Tuesday, the DoF said Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo
Guerrero reported that the 2021 collection from rice imports was 22 percent more than the P15.5
billion collected in 2020.
Since March 5, 2019, import tariffs on rice go to the annual P10-billion Rice Competitiveness
Enhancement Fund (RCEF), as mandated by Republic Act 11203 or the "Rice Tariffication
Law."
The RCEF is used to fund initiatives that will improve palay (unhusked rice) growers'
competitiveness by giving them easy or free access to fertilizer, farm machinery and equipment,
high-yield seeds and low-cost credit, as well as offering skills training programs on farm
mechanization and contemporary farming techniques.
In terms of pork imports, Guerrero said the bureau was able to rake P3.75 billion from a total
volume of 242 million kilograms between April 9, 2021 and Jan. 28, 2022.
Govt collects P17-B duties from rice imports
"The bureau, however, estimates that it had foregone P4 billion in revenues during this period as
a result of the presidential directives lowering the import tariffs on pork," the Finance
department noted.
To lower pork import tariffs and raise the allowable import amounts of the meat,
President Rodrigo Duterte issued executive orders (EOs) that went into effect on April 7 last
year.
After the outbreak of the Asian swine fever had harmed domestic hog production, the EOs were
intended to reduce inflation by increasing pork supply and stabilizing retail prices in the
domestic market.
From April 7 to May 14, 2021, EO 128 decreased pork import duties to 5 percent within its
minimum access volume (MAV) and 15 percent outside MAV for the first three months.
Meat inflation hit 16.8% in 2021 – DoF
EO 134, which superseded EO 128, set tariffs on pork imports under the MAV to 10 percent for
the first three months and 15 percent in the next nine months.
The tariff rates for imports from countries outside the MAV were set at 20 percent for the first
three months and 25 percent for the next nine months.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/02/09/business/top-business/boc-collects-p22b-in-rice-pork-
tariffs/1832304
Stakeholders push for more investments to boost rice

production
Date: Feb - 08 - 2022 , 12:21
BY: Ama Amankwah Baafi
Category: Business News
Experts say domestic rice production can promote food security Stakeholders in the agriculture
sector have reiterated their call on the government to make the right investments in rice
production in the country to make the country self-sufficient.
They include the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), Ghana Rice Millers
Association (GRMA) and the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU).The call is on the
back of the concerns raised by three farmer-baaed associations in the rice production sector over
the negative impact the suspension of the benchmark policy will have on the industry. They
feared the loss of over 300,000 direct and indire4ct jobs.
The call also follows the success story of rice in neighbouring Nigeria, was based on the fact that
the country has a similar potential to become a net exporter of rice instead of importing, a
situation which tends to contribute to the pressure on the local currency.
The Spokesperson for the stakeholders, Dr Charles Nyaaba, said with the right investments,
Ghana could become a net importer of rice.
He said that was because all the 16 regions in the country had the potential to grow the
commodity.
He, however, pointed out that the only reason why the country was not producing enough rice to
feed its people was due to the lack of investments, particularly from the government.
―Most of the rice we usually harvest is done when they are dry and it is because the farmers
cannot afford to buy combine harvesters. They have to wait for the few who have to finish theirs.
―So, I think that if government actually wants to industrialise this country and be able to improve
on our local production, there is the need for proper investment in the agriculture sector,‖ he said
in an interview after the group met with the Minority in Parliament over some developments in
the sector.
He said investments, coupled with affordable credit facilities, were key in any effort to improve
agriculture productivity; particularly, in relation to rice production, he said investment would be
needed especially in the area of mechanisation.
Again, he said that worldwide, countries that have developed through agriculture did so through
subsidy arrangements.
―Countries like Thailand and Japan give zero rates on agriculture loans but in our case we take
loans with interest as high as 30 per cent and loans are also short term.
―Besides, it is difficult to access loans for farming activities as banks see it as risky. So, without
a policy that will compel the banks to see agriculture as an area they needed to support, it will
continue to be difficult for us to make a headway,‖ he said.
Benchmark prices
Another major issue of concern for the group is the reversal of the benchmark discount value.
Dr Nyaaba explained that they had had a series of engagement with ministries of Trade and
Industry; Agriculture, and Finance on the development but the government was yet to act.
―We were surprised to hear that the government has suspended the reversal, perhaps due to
pressure from other interested parties,‖ he said.
Reversal
The benchmark value discounts were first introduced to hedge against price hikes.
On January 13, 2022, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) issued a statement announcing the
indefinite suspension of the implementation of the reversal of the benchmark value discount
policy.It said the suspension was to allow greater consultation to take place.
- Rice has been identified in the Food and Agricultural Sector Development Policy (FASDEP) as
an important food crop that should be given special attention for food self-sufficiency.
- Experts say rice production is very intensive such that farmers often complain about lack of
mechanisation service, access to market and access to input.
https://www.graphic.com.gh/business/business-news/stakeholders-push-for-more-investments-
to-boost-rice-production.html
Roy Hodgson looking forward to fielding Watford’s top

scorer Emmanuel Dennis
February 8, 2022
Archibong Etokakpan
The new manager of English Premier League side Watford, Roy Hodgson, has stated that he is
anticipating seeing the club‘s leading scorer, Nigeria‘s Emmanuel Dennis, in action when they face West
Ham United in the EPL away at the London Stadium on Tuesday.
The seasoned English football manager was without the services of the Nigerian in his debut game in
charge of the Hornets because Dennis was serving a one-game ban.
THEWILL recalls that on January 21, the Super Eagles striker was sent off in the last minutes of
Watford‘s 3-0 loss to Norwich City, where he was part of a blunt attacking line that resulted in the
eventual sacking of former manager Claudio Ranieri.
Dennis has been a bright spot in Watford‘s otherwise disappointing season, scoring eight goals and
assisting five others in 19 Premier League appearances, so far.
Hodgson has spent the last two weeks closely monitoring the number 25 ahead of the trip to the London
stadium. The manager said that much when speaking with the club‘s website.
―I‘m looking forward to seeing Ismaïla and working with him; I‘ve seen Emmanuel in training and I‘m
looking forward to seeing him in the game,‖ Hodgson said of Dennis. ―I‘m hoping that the obvious talent
of these players and the fact that they have scored goals this season will continue because we‘re going to
need goals.‖
Dennis‘ game could benefit from a new manager, as the Nigerian forward, who was unavailable for the
Super Eagles during the TotalEnergies 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, has yet to score in 2022, shooting
blanks against Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, and Norwich City.
Get more stories like this on Twitter and Telegram
https://www.today.ng/sport/football/roy-hodgson-forward-fielding-watfords-top-scorer-
emmanuel-dennis-409908
FROM BUSINESSWORLD: Rice tariff collections hit

P18.9 billion in 2021
Author: DA Communications Group | 9 February 2022
RICE TARIFF collections amounted to P18.9 billion in 2021, the Department of Finance (DoF)
said on Tuesday, giving the government a surplus of P8.9 billion over and above the P10 billion
that must be automatically appropriated from tariffs for farm modernization.
The 2021 total was up 22% from a year earlier, Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo B.
Guerrero said in a report to the DoF.
The government deregulated the rice market, allowing private parties to import rice while paying
a 35% tariff on Southeast Asian grain. The tariffs generated provide P10 billion a year to the
Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, a modernization program authorized by Republic Act
11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law.
Collections beyond P10 billion will be added to the national budget of the following year. The
authorized uses of the surplus include financial aid to rice farmers, the titling of agricultural land,
the expansion of crop insurance coverage and the promotion of crop diversification.
The Department of Agriculture has reported that RCEF has helped boost rice farmer earnings
while reducing production costs.
―We have posted record harvests for the last two years at 19.2 million metric tons (MMT) in
2020 and 19.96 MMT in 2021,‖ Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said in a statement on
Tuesday.
Mr. Guerrero said collections from pork imports between April 9, 2021 and Jan. 28 totaled P3.75
billion. Pork import volume was 242 million kilograms.
―The bureau, however, estimates that it had foregone P4 billion in revenue during this period as a
result of the Presidential directives lowering the import tariffs on pork,‖ the DoF said.
In April, the government temporarily lowered pork import tariffs and increased the allowable
import volumes of the meat to quell elevated inflation levels after the hog population was
decimated by an outbreak of African Swine Fever.
The Bureau of Customs collected P645.77 billion in 2021, exceeding its goal by 4.7%. — Luz
Wendy T. Noble
https://www.da.gov.ph/from-businessworld-rice-tariff-collections-hit-p18-9-billion-in-
2021/#:~:text=RICE%20TARIFF%20collections%20amounted%20to,from%20tariffs%20for%2
0farm%20modernization.

9th February 2022 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter

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9th February 2022 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter

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Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter

9 February ,2022 Vol 7 Issue 2

Editorial Board Rice News Headlines…

Fine, medium varieties of rice continue to be pricier in

Based on the study, the researchers found the following:

Source : Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews

P 21.75B in rice, pork import duties collected in ’21

TESDA to add 2 farming-related courses; urges farmers to

Fidelity Bank disburses N34bn in credit to boost rice value

Bangladesh may reduce rice import duty to 10pc to address price

Rice farmers face turbulent 2022

China‘s quest to secure its ‗Rice Bowl‘: Challenges to its

Sri Lanka to import 100,000 tons of rice from Myanmar

APEDA Invites Bids For Crop Survey to Estimate Acreage &

How To Make Ghee Podi Rice: A Comforting Meal That Spells

For the full recipe of ghee podi rice, click here.

Root symbiosis is regulated through nutrient status of plants

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Shining a Spotlight on Shenanigans in India

Government subsidies in India distort the global rice market

USA rice daily

USA Rice Engaged in Proposal for Redefining WOTUS

ARLINGTON, VA -- Yesterday, USA Rice submitted comments on a proposed rule by the

Last year, the Biden

Usa Rice daily

BoC collects P22B in rice, pork tariffs

Three wins for Adele at non-binary Brit Awards

Govt collects P17-B duties from rice imports

Meat inflation hit 16.8% in 2021 – DoF

Stakeholders push for more investments to boost rice

Roy Hodgson looking forward to fielding Watford’s top

FROM BUSINESSWORLD: Rice tariff collections hit

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