12:00 AM, November 03, 2020 / LAST MODIFIED: 02:05 AM, November 03, 2020

Aman yield may fall for

recurrent floods, heavy rains

Farmers would begin harvesting Aman from mid-November. Photo: MINTU DESHWARA

Sohel Parvez

Repeated floods and unfavourable weather are likely to trigger a drop in yield of Aman rice, the
second-biggest crop in Bangladesh after Boro, a worrying prospect amid the rising price of the
cereal.

The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) has targeted to produce 1.56 crore tonnes of
rice this season. However, agriculturalists, farmers and rice millers say the overall output may
fall short by as much as 25 lakh tonnes.
"We don't see the prospect of a good harvest of Aman paddy this season. Recurrent floods
affected the cultivation in the greater Rangpur division. There were rains almost every day and it
caused pest infestation," said Nirod Boron Saha Chandan, president of the Paddy and Rice
Stockists and Wholesalers Association in Naogaon.

Naogaon is one of the main rice-producing districts in the northwest, where repeated floods and
heavy rains disrupted timely cultivation.

"Farmers could not transplant seedlings in some areas in our district, while growers were late in
planting seedlings as they had to wait until the water receded from their fields. And late planting
means reduced yield," Chandan said, adding that overall yield might be 20-25 lakh tonnes lower
than last year's total production.

Officials of the DAE agreed that the yield would drop. They, however, said the production would
not decline by more than 5 lakh tonnes this season as the condition of the crop looks good.
Production ran into 1.42 crore tonnes last year.
The forecasts came at a time when the price of the staple rice has been rising steadily for a year,
hitting the poor, including those who fell into poverty because of the Covid-19-induced
economic downturn.

Last month, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said the price of rice was more than
25 per cent higher in Dhaka in September than a year earlier.

It said the hike reflected seasonal patterns exacerbated by the concerns over the impact of the
inclement weather on the Aman harvest, which accounts for about 35 per cent of the total annual
output.

"Yields from this season's crop are expected to be reduced because of the succession of adverse
weather events, starting from excessive precipitation in March and April to tropical cyclone
Amphan in May and the recurrent, widespread and severe floods in July and August, which
damaged the crop throughout its various development stages," said the FAO.

Floods began to hit farmers and localities repeatedly from the end of June, largely affecting the
cultivation of paddy during the rainy season.

DAE officials said the floods, which hit mainly the northern region for the fifth time this year,
affected agricultural production repeatedly. Excessive rains exacerbated the situation.

The floods in the July-August period damaged Aush and Aman crops on 111,000 hectares of
area, according to the agriculture ministry.

Another spell of floods in early October and the recent rains resulting from the depression in the
Bay of Bengal added further woes for the Aman paddy.

The latest floods and rains completely damaged the Aman crop on 65,000 hectares of land,
inflicting a loss of more than 2 lakh tonnes of rice, said DAE Director General Md Asadullah.

"The extent of the damage would be less if there is adequate sunlight," he said last week.
Farmers have started harvesting the early varieties of Aman and Mohabbat Hossain, a farmer at
Dimla in the northwestern district of Nilphamari, said yields would be good in the areas not hit
by floods.

"Yet, the overall yield would be below the amount we got in the Aman season last year," he said
over the phone early this week.

Hossain grew Aman on seven acres of land last year. This year, floods damaged cultivation on
two acres.

"Many farmers like me could not grow paddy as the floods ruined plantings thrice in our
locality," he said.

Abdul Hannan, a farmer in the northeastern district of Moulvibazar, said floods did not hit Aman
cultivation this season. However, the recent rains caused lodging of plants. Plants have also
grown larger than expected, he said.

"It appears to me that the overall yield of Aman will be 5-7 lakh tonnes lower than last year's
total," said KM Layek Ali, general secretary of the Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mill
Owners Association.

In many areas, especially the low-lying region, farmers could not grow the crop this year, he
said.

The latest estimate of the DAE showed that farmers grew Aman paddy on 58.97 lakh hectares
and the acreage is higher than the previous year.

Md Shahjahan Kabir, director-general of the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, said heavy
rains affected grain filling. "Late planting will also affect yield."

Even after the losses, he said, there would be no shortage of the grain, as Bangladesh requires 20
lakh tonnes of rice every month for human consumption.

"So, even if we accept that the yield will be 25 lakh tonnes below last year's total, there will be
no shortage of rice until the harvest of Boro," he said. The Boro production accounts for 55 per
cent of the total annual rice.
Chitta Majumder, managing director of Majumder Group of Industries, said the prices of rice
would go up after the harvest of Aman because of lower production.

"Prices are unlikely to cool down without any increase in supply," he said.

Chandan echoed the same view.

He said farmers would begin the harvesting of Aman after the middle of November and they
would be able to make profits even if the government does not buy paddy.

The prices of paddy are unlikely to fall below Tk 1,000 each maund, he said.

"The government is unlikely to attain its target," he said, suggesting the government reduce the
import duty to facilitate imports by the private sector for a short period after the middle of
January to contain prices.

The government may consider increasing the import duty again after 15 April, before the
beginning of the harvest of Boro paddy, so that farmers do not suffer losses resulting from a huge
import, he said.

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:F9NZjgk_1hIJ:https://
www.thedailystar.net/business/news/aman-yield-may-fall-recurrent-floods-heavy-rains-
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NOVEMBER 2, 2020

New way of cooking rice removes

arsenic and retains mineral nutrients,
study shows
by University of Sheffield
Credit: University of Sheffield

Cooking rice in a certain way removes over 50 percent of the naturally occurring arsenic
in brown rice, and 74 percent in white rice, according to new research.

A new paper, released today in Science of the Total Environment shows that cooking
rice in a certain way removes over 50 percent of the naturally occurring arsenic in brown
rice, and 74 percent in white rice. Importantly, this new method does not reduce
micronutrients in the rice.

Following previous research from the University of Sheffield that found half of the rice
consumed in the UK exceeded European Commission regulations for levels of arsenic
in rice meant for the consumption for infants or young children.

This new study tested different ways to cook rice to try and reduce the arsenic content
and the team from the Institute for Sustainable Food found that by using a home-friendly
way of cooking rice, the "parboiling with absorption method" (PBA), most of the arsenic
was removed, while keeping most nutrients in the cooked rice.

The PBA method involves parboiling the rice in pre-boiled water for five minutes before
draining and refreshing the water, then cooking it on a lower heat to absorb all the
water.
Arsenic, which is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for
Research on Cancer, is water-soluble—so it accumulates in rice, which is grown in
flooded fields more than other cereals. Arsenic exposure affects almost every organ in
the body and can cause skin lesions, cancer, diabetes and lung diseases.

Rice is known to accumulate around ten times as much arsenic as other cereals. In rice
grains arsenic is concentrated in the outer bran layer surrounding the endosperm. This
means that brown rice, (unmilled or unpolished rice that retains its bran) contains more
arsenic than white rice. This milling process removes arsenic from white rice but also
removes 75-90% of its nutrients.

Dr. Manoj Menon says, "For rice consumers, this is excellent news. There are genuine
concerns amongst the population about eating rice due to arsenic. Previous studies
have shown that cooking rice in excess water could remove arsenic but the problem is it
also removes nutrients. Our aim was to optimize the method to remove arsenic while
keeping maximum nutrients in the cooked rice. Our newly developed method, PBA, is
easy and home-friendly so that everyone can use it. We don't know the amount of
arsenic in each packet rice we buy; even though brown rice is nutritionally superior to
white rice as our data shows, it contains more arsenic than white rice. With our new
method we are able to significantly reduce the arsenic exposure while reducing the loss
of key nutrients. We highly recommend this method while preparing rice for infants and
children as they are highly vulnerable to arsenic exposure risks."

https://phys.org/news/2020-11-cooking-rice-arsenic-retains-mineral.html

22.5 tonnes per hectare! China's

hybrid rice yield breaks record
CGTN
Share
 A GIF showcasing the third-generation hybrid rice created by Yuan Longping and his
team. /CCTV

Hybrid rice developed by Chinese scientist Yuan Longping and his team achieved
record-breaking yields of 1,500 kilograms per mu (about 22.5 tonnes per
hectare) in two growing seasons, according to the assessment results from a test
field on Monday.     

The late-season hybrid rice yield in a field in Central China's Hunan Province
reached 911.7 kilograms per mu – each mu is about 0.07 hectares.
"I would be very happy if it exceeds 880 kg (per mu). Now it exceeded 900 kg
(per mu), I am extremely happy," Yuan Longping, the 90-year-old agricultural
expert dubbed the "father of hybrid rice," said after the yield was announced on
Monday. 

In July, another strain of early-season crops in the same field achieved a yield of
619.06 kg per mu. The combined output of the two seasons in a year sets a new
world record for rice yields.  

Hunan is a major rice producer in China, where farmers plant double-cropping

rice. 

"High yield and resistance to disease, cold and lodging are the advantages of the
third generation hybrid rice, compared with the previous two generations," said
Li Xinqi, a researcher at Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center and host of the
third-generation hybrid rice project. 

High yield achieved under unfavorable conditions

This year's high rice yields occurred under unfavorable conditions, such as low
temperature and shorter durations of sunlight, Li Xinqi said. 

Li Qiusheng, an agronomist with the agriculture and rural affairs bureau in

Hengnan County, said according to meteorological data during the critical period
of rice growth, 43.85 effective sunshine hours were recorded this year, compared
to 187.8 last year. 

"The village was not particularly chosen for the test of the new generation hybrid
rice. Besides, the rice did not receive any special care, which is not much different
from normal farming by ordinary farmers," Li Qiusheng said. 

Under similar conditions, local double-cropping rice yields averaged between

700 kg and 800 kg per mu, while the new hybrid rice exceeded 1,500 kg per mu. 

Li Jianwu, an expert with the Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center, said the expert
team had visited the test fields only twice from sowing to harvesting, which
differs from the long-term guidance rendered to rice farmers in the past.
Contributing to food security

China now feeds around 20 percent of the world's population despite having less
than 9 percent of the world's arable land. 

Yuan, who developed the world's first hybrid rice in the 1970s, has set multiple
world records in hybrid rice yields in previous years, making great contributions
to food security in China and the world. 

Yuan's team is still working on the third-generation hybrid rice combinations and
conducting studies for the simplified cultivation of the rice, aiming at high yields
with less use of fertilizers. 

Yuan said he wants to ensure the third-generation hybrid rice variety boasts "the
comprehensive strength to promote a greener and more sustainable
development of China's rice production with higher quality and yield." 

Hybrid rice experiment achieves high

yield
Xinhua

  01:49 UTC+8, 2020-11-03       

China’s third-generation hybrid rice developed by Yuan Longping, the “father

of hybrid rice,” and his team achieved a yield of 911.7 kilograms per mu (667
square meters) in an experiment in central China’s Hunan Province.

“I would be very happy if it exceeds 880kg. Now it exceeded 900kg, I am

extremely happy,” Yuan said after the yield was announced on Monday.

Plus an early season rice yield of 619.06kg, the same plot in Qingzhu Village,
Hengnan County, has produced a yield of 1,530.76kg per mu in a year. The
output is equivalent to 22.96 tons per hectare.
Last year, the same late hybrid rice variety, “Sanyou No. 1,” made a single-
cropping yield of 1,046.3kg per mu on the same plot. Hunan is a major rice
producer in China, where farmers plant double-cropping rice.

“High yield and resistance to disease, cold and lodging are the advantages of
the third generation hybrid rice, compared with the previous two generations,”
said Li Xinqi, a researcher at Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center and host of
the third-generation hybrid rice project.

This year’s high yield of the double-cropping rice has been made under
unfavorable conditions of low temperature and shorter durations of sunlight,
Li said.

Li Qiusheng, an agronomist with the agriculture and rural affairs bureau in

Hengnan County, said that according to meteorological data during the critical
period of rice growth, 43.85 effective sunshine hours were recorded this year,
compared to 187.8 last year.

“The village was not particularly chosen for the test of the new generation
hybrid rice. Besides, the rice did not receive any special care, which is not
much different from normal farming by ordinary farmers,” he said.

Under similar conditions, yields of local double-cropping rice averaged

between 700kg and 800kg per mu, while the new hybrid rice exceeded
1,500kg per mu.

Li Jianwu, an expert with the Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center, said the
expert team had visited the experimental fields only twice from sowing to
harvesting, in contrast to the long-term guidance rendered to rice farmers in
the past.

“The most prominent feature of the third-generation hybrid rice is that it gives
a full play to the advantages of hybridization. Its own vitality can help save
farmers’ cost and labor,” he said.
China now feeds around 20 percent of the world’s population, with less than 9
percent of the world’s arable land.

Yuan, who developed the world’s first hybrid rice in the 1970s, has set multiple
world records in hybrid rice yields in previous years, making great
contributions to the food security of China and the world.

https://www.shine.cn/news/nation/2011038912/

USA Rice Releases PLC Payment Calculator for 2019 Crop

By Josie McLaurin

ARLINGTON, VA -- Following USDA's announcement of the Market Year Average (MYA)

prices for southern long and medium/short grain rice on October 30, USA Rice has released an
updated Price Loss Coverage (PLC) payment calculator for the 2019 rice crop. This USA Rice-
developed tool helps to project a farmer's potential rice PLC payment.

Users are able to input their data to calculate payments, including base acres, and payment yield.
The MYA prices that will be used to calculate PLC assistance for long grain and southern
medium/short grain are $12.00/cwt and $11.60/cwt, respectively. Commodity program
payments will soon be on the way to those eligible farmers.

The MYA for Temperate Japonica rice will be finalized and published at the end of the
California marketing year in January 2021; however, it is not forecast to trigger a PLC payment
for producers this year.

USA Rice has consistently advocated for the reauthorization and improvement of the PLC
program as the primary tool that helps rice farmers manage their main risk, which is multi-year
price declines. While the program does not make farmers whole, it is a strong safety net that
provides farmers with modest support when they need it most.
"The farm safety net is a critical part of America's farmers being able to stay in business while
combatting unpredictable market conditions," said Nicole Montna Van Vleck, California rice
farmer and USA Rice Farmers chair. "The Price Loss Coverage program has been and continues
to be a cornerstone to the economic livelihood of rice producers."

Market Information

USA Rice daily

Research shows promise for microwave rice drying
systems
November 2, 2020

RICE ZAPPER — Former graduate student Shantae Wilson of Jamaica and Dr. Griffiths
Atungulu of Kenya investigate the use of a microwave unit to shorten the time needed to dry
rough rice and improve quality. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Fred Miller)
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Microwave technology may offer a faster drying system for rice than
conventional heated-air drying systems, said Griffiths Atungulu, associate professor of food
processing and post-harvest system engineering for the University of Arkansas System Division
of Agriculture.

Griffiths is co-principle investigator with AMTek Microwaves, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, company,
on a $100,000 Small Business Innovation Research grant from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Drying rice

Rough rice is reaped, ideally, at a harvest moisture content of 19-21 percent, Atungulu said.
Before milling, processors must reduce the moisture content to a target of about 12.5 percent.

Conventional rice drying systems use natural air in-bin or crossflow column dryers. In-bin drying
can require many days to dry rice. Rice processors commonly use crossflow column dryers,
which direct heated air across a column through which rough rice falls. Dryers can speed up the
process but still take considerable time, Atungulu said.

Crossflow column dryers usually require multiple passes of the rice through the column
separated by tempering periods, which maintain the rice at a warm temperature. It commonly
takes about three passes through the crossflow dryer to reduce the rice to 12.5 percent moisture
content.
Because tempering often takes place overnight, the drying process often takes two days or more
to complete, Atungulu said.

It also impacts head rice yield, the percentage of kernels that are at least three-quarters of their
original length after milling’ Atungulu said. The extended exposure to heated air can cause
fissures in rice kernels’ physical structure, making them brittle. Milling the rice then results in
breaking some of the fissured kernels, reducing the head rice yield. Other factors, including
environmental conditions and rice genetics, contribute to head rice yield. In the U.S., head rice
yield averages 55-58 percent of the total rice volume.

“The yield could be lower, depending on prevailing environmental conditions during harvest,”
Atungulu said.

Using an AMTek microwave dryer about the size of a commercial restaurant oven, Atungulu has
developed a method of drying rice to the target moisture content of 12.5 percent in a single pass
under laboratory conditions, he said.

His goal was to develop a one-pass drying method that maintained head rice yield at or above the
national average. He looked for a microwave drying method that did not adversely affect rice
color or flavor or increase rancidity, which can occur in the bran layer. “We didn’t want to
change anything that would affect consumer acceptance of rice products,” he said.

Scaling up

AMTek is providing a large microwave drying oven that will allow Atungulu to advance his
single-pass rice drying process to a commercial scale. “This will be a proof-of-concept study,” he
said, “based on extensive preliminary research.”

In years of preliminary research, collaborating with AMTek and several rice processing
companies, Atungulu showed that a microwave frequency of 915 Megahertz — most home
microwaves operate at a maximum of 2.45 MHz — could dry rice in a single pass with less
impact on head rice yield. It also met the requirement of not affecting consumer-desired color or
flavor.

In the proof of concept, Atungulu has two goals. “First, we have to satisfy the rice processors,”
he said. “We want to demonstrate that microwave drying reduces the time required for drying
rice while reducing fissuring to improve head rice yield.”

Atungulu’s target is to improve the national average of 55-58 percent head rice yield to at least
65 percent. “That would translate to a $145 million increase in rice value annually,” he said.
Also, a microwave drying system requires a smaller machinery footprint, saving space, Atungulu
said.

“Second, we have to satisfy consumers,” he said. “That means we have to preserve flavor,
texture, color and cooking quality.”

During the industry-scale research, Atungulu said, he will be working on optimizing the system
to meet those industry and consumer requirements.

His research so far has identified 915 MHz as an efficient frequency to meet his goals. But on a
large scale, Atungulu said, that may not be the ideal frequency for all rice varieties.

“Some frequencies may not penetrate fully into some varieties,” he said. “We may also have to
adjust how the microwave energy is delivered. Perhaps some components will have to be
designed to control how the energy diffuses into the rice.

“These are the things we’ll have to play around with to find the optimal design and control for
commercial microwave rice drying,” Atungulu said.

Commercialization

Existing multiple-pass crossflow column dryers may be less efficient than microwaves, but
Atungulu says they have a proven track record. They are also durable, continuing to work for
decades with regular upkeep.

Rice processors will not be easily convinced to convert their drying systems. An essential goal of
the proof-of-concept stage of his research, Atungulu said, is to demonstrate, with conclusive
data, the economic benefits of microwave rice drying.

“We understand the feasibility of microwave drying,” Atungulu said. “We also want to be able to
articulate the merits of the system.”

Even with convincing data, Atungulu expects conversion will not happen overnight. “It’s more
likely to happen in stages,” he said. Given the durability of existing rice dryers, that may take
considerable time.

https://www.stuttgartdailyleader.com/research-shows-promise-for-microwave-rice-drying-
systems/

6 Pakistani Firms to Export Meat to Saudi Arabia

 1 day ago News Desk

The government is working on boosting the exports of halal meat and other perishable and
non-perishable commodities to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for further enhancing the
economic ties between the two nations, as said by a senior official.
As per reports, the federal cabinet has recently approved the export of livestock to Middle
Eastern countries, especially Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, to earn foreign
exchange and boost farmers’ profitability.
“Our 6 meat exporting companies have recently registered with the Saudi Food and Drug
Authority, removing a major barrier in our way to export to Saudi Arabia,” Aliya Hamza Malik,
parliamentary secretary for commerce, industries, and production, told Arab News.
Islamabad’s exports to Riyadh increased to $446 million in 2019-20 from $342 million in 2018-
19 which PM Khan’s government described as a “great achievement.”
Malik said that Pakistan’s exports to Saudi Arabia registered a major increase during the
coronavirus pandemic when the country’s overall international trade had declined.
Pakistan’s export-led industry got a boost when Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
visited Islamabad in February last year along with the business delegations and vowed to
enhance trade between the two countries.
Pakistan has also upgraded its trade mission in Saudi Arabia to boost its exports after clearing all
barriers, including registration of firms in the Kingdom.
The major exports of Pakistan to Saudi Arabia are rice, meat, fruit and vegetables, men’s
garments and footwear. “Pakistan was known for its cotton and textile exports … but we are now
going for the non-traditional things to diversify our trade,” she added.
https://www.researchsnipers.com/6-pakistani-firms-to-export-meat-to-saudi-arabia/

Cambodia's Rice Export Up 17 Pct In 10 Months, China

Remains Top Market
Mon 02nd November 2020 | 02:10 PM

Cambodia exported 536,305 metric tons of milled rice in the first 10 months of 2020, up 17
percent over the same period last year, Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon told Xinhua on
Monday

PHNOM PENH (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Nov, 2020 ) :Cambodia exported
536,305 metric tons of milled rice in the first 10 months of 2020, up 17 percent over
the same period last year, Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon told Xinhua on Monday.
China remained the top buyer, he said, adding that the kingdom shipped 194,451 tons of milled
rice to China during the January-October period this year, up 5 percent over the same period last
year, and China accounted for 36 percent of the country's total rice export.
The country also exported 174,391 tons to the European market during the period, up 12 percent,
he said, adding that European market represented 32.5 percent of the kingdom's total rice export.
"Overall, our rice exports to all destinations during the first 10 months of this year were on the
rise," the minister said, adding that the Southeast Asian nation has sold rice to 60 countries and
regions.
Lun Yeng, secretary general of the Cambodia Rice Federation, told Xinhua that China is a
huge market for Cambodian rice and the kingdom is expected to export around 250,000 tons
to China by the end of this year.
Ngin Chhay, director general of agriculture at the Ministry of Agriculture, said recently that the
COVID-19 pandemic had driven high demand for Cambodian rice, projecting that the country's
rice export to the international market is expected to reach 800,000 tons in 2020.

https://www.urdupoint.com/en/agriculture/cambodias-rice-export-up-17-pct-in-10-months-
1073521.html

Pakistanis afraid of India’s claim on Basmati rice, loses

millions of dollars every year

 by Bhavi Mandalia

 November 2, 2020

 0
 Highlights:

 India applied to recognize GI tag of basmati rice in European Union

 Pakistani officials objected, saying – India’s Basmati is fake, our one is real

 Basmati rice is only in India and Pakistan, its number second in Pakistani exports

 If India’s claim is approved in EU, Pakistan will feel the heat, loss of billions

new Delhi
India has applied to the European Union to recognize the GI tag of its basmati rice. This news
has created a stir in the neighboring country of Pakistan. They are afraid that if India’s basmati
gets worldwide recognition, then its business will collapse. The Pakistani newspaper ‘Dawn’
quoted a rice exporting company as saying, “It is all a game of branding for the customer. If it
becomes an environment that basmati rice is produced only in India, our exports will be severely
hurt.” ” Basmati rice of Pakistan is expensive compared to India. Basmati rice is the largest
export country after textiles. In such a situation, India’s rice exporters are very nervous due to
this step.
What has India claimed?
According to the official journal of the EU, India has applied for GI tag of its basmati rice. The
receipt of GI tag would mean that India would have full rights over this variety of rice. India has
stated in its application that ‘Basmati is a long-grain rice grown in a particular geographical area
of the Indian sub-continent. The area where it is cultivated is part of North India. According to
India, Basmati rice crop is grown in every district of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh.
Apart from this, basmati is also grown in some districts of Western Uttar Pradesh and Jammu
and Kashmir.
What is GI tag?
Geographical index tag ie GI tag actually refers to the beginning of a product. This shows the
geographical area from which the product originated. With the GI tag, the characteristics of a
product can be detected, especially in the product occurring in that area.
Bihar: 64-year-old farmer grows rice that cooks in cold water
Why is Pakistan’s claim weak?
GI law exists in Pakistan but it is not so full proof. There should be better legislation for GI at
domestic level only then it can go to EU. Once GI tagging is established, the challenge will be to
sort out the rift between Sindh and Punjab provinces. The ‘Dawn’ has confirmed by quoting
sources that the political leadership of these two rice-growing states holds thirty-six figures from
each other.

India and Pakistan once fought with Basmati

More than two decades ago, there was an attempt to register rice originated in America as
basmati. At the World Trend Organization, India and Pakistan together opposed the US patent.
Both countries won, and then GI legislation began in both places. In 2010, Basmati rice grown in
seven states of India got GI tag. Madhya Pradesh has been kept away from it because India feels
that it may weaken its claim abroad. Till now India and Pakistan were not face to face with
basmati rice in international courts. But the latest development has again pitted the two countries
against each other.
In the name of brown rice, you are eating super polished rice,

If India wins, Pakistan’s condition will worsen

If Pakistan, which is already struggling with a very bad economy, loses its claim in the EU, then
it will be a big problem for them. It exports about half a billion dollars of rice to Europe every
year, which will have a big impact. Apart from this, the demand for Pakistani basmati rice is also
expected to decline in the Middle East markets.
.

https://pledgetimes.com/pakistanis-afraid-of-indias-claim-on-basmati-rice-loses-millions-of-
dollars-every-year/

Pakistan to announce law firm fighting for Basmati GI tag

By

 News Desk

November 1, 2020
Pakistan has short-listed two Brussels-based international law firms, Messrs Altius and Messrs
Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick to fight the country’s Basmati Geographical
Indication (GI) tag case in the European Union whereas Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan is
expected to announce the finalised option’s name soon.

The government had decided to oppose India’s application demanding exclusive rights of
claiming a GI tag to Basmati rice in the EU on September 22 whereas India had applied for the
tag under Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of
the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs, mentioned in the EU
official journal dated September 11, 2010.

The protection of geographical indications is aimed at boosting exports, helping support rural
development in the country, and enhancing the livelihood of agriculture producers and skilled
craftsmen.

The marketing of GI products also enhances secondary economic activities and boost regional
economic development in various regions boosting economic development. GI law protects local
products such as the Peshawari chappals, Multani blue pottery, Hunza apricots, Hala ajrak,
Kasuri methi, Chaman grapes, Turbat dates etc.

Currently, India and Pakistan have 65 and 35 per cent shares of Basmati in the world rice trade,
respectively. Basmati rice fetches Pakistan around $800 million to $1 billion annually.
It may be mentioned here Pakistan, after a delay of almost 18 years, had enacted Geographical
Indications (Registration and Protection) Act in March this year.

As per the Indian application, basmati is special long grain aromatic rice grown and produced in
a particular geographical region of the Indian sub-continent. In India, this region is a part of
northern India, below the foothills of the Himalayas forming part of the Indo-Gangetic Plains
(IGP).

Further, India has claimed that basmati is grown and produced in all districts of the states of
Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, as well as in specific districts of
western Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.

According to a report by Dawn, the relevant rules confer the right to oppose the Indian
application pursuant to Article 51 of the Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 by Dec10, 2020.

The notice of opposition should contain a declaration that the application might infringe the
conditions laid down in the regulation after which the commission will forward the notice of
opposition to the relevant authority or body without delay. If the notice of opposition is lodged
with the commission and is followed within two months by a reasoned statement of opposition,
the commission will check the admissibility of this reasoned statement of opposition.

Within two months after the receipt of a reasoned statement of opposition, the commission will
invite the authority or person that lodged the opposition and the authority or body that lodged the
application to engage in appropriate consultations for a reasonable period that will not exceed
three months.

It may be mentioned here apart from opposing the GI tag in the EU, Pakistan must also consult
international dictionaries to rectify the definition as the same rice is largely produced in the
country.

Moreover, India is also registering Himalayan salt and Multani Matti with Indian names in the
international market.

https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/11/01/pakistan-to-announce-law-firm-fighting-for-
basmati-gi-tag/

A basmati battle to win

Fatima S AttarwalaUpdated 02 Nov 2020

The Business and Finance Weekly, November 2nd, 2020

Once upon, more than two decades ago, Pakistan and India cooperated. In response to a US
patent for strains of rice that could be sold as basmati, both countries jointly filed a petition with
the World Trade Organisation (WTO) seeking to prevent US-grown rice from being marketed as
basmati. About 50,000 people protested outside the US embassy in India against the patent with
the tacit understanding that it is only the two countries in the sub-continent that grow and export
the premium strand of rice.

Eventually, the countries were victorious and both started the process of Geographical Indication
(GI) law. In 2010, GI status was granted to basmati rice grown in seven states, excluding
Madhya Pradesh. Indian media sources indicate that apex bodies Agricultural & Processed Food
Products Export Development Authority (Apeda) and the Indian Council of Agricultural
Research blocked MP’s inclusion owing to the state neither having a history nor the specific
agro-climatic for growing basmati.

Madhya Pradesh has been fighting to be conferred GI status since then though it is feared in
India that its inclusion may dilute Indian Basmati rice in terms of characteristics and quality
parameters giving Pakistan as an advantage.

It is widely believed that domestic infighting between states prevented India from contesting
Pakistan’s claim for basmati in international courts till recently (though the countries have come
to loggerheads over the issue several times). But the recent Indian application for the long-grain
aromatic rice to be recognised by the European Union as being grown exclusively in specific
regions of India has shaken Pakistani rice stakeholders to the core.

‘If the impression is created that it only originates from India, then our exports will definitely
take a hit’

Fearful of breathing a word that could impact Pakistan’s case in court, they refuse to consider
any possibility that the country will not emerge victoriously.

And they have every reason to believe so. On condition of anonymity, a source in the know gave
an example of evidence that Pakistan has to support its claim for basmati rice. In 2006-2007, a
case was filed in the Sindh High Court by a local basmati growers association for domestic GI
ownership of basmati rice. The claim was contested by the Rice Exporters Association of
Pakistan (Reap) asserting state ownership and hence in the hands of Trade Development
Authority of Pakistan (TDAP). India’s Apeda became a party to the suit as well.

This is significant because it gave us tacit documentation that India accepts Pakistan’s claim of
growing the premium rice in our region as well which can be used to contest our rival’s current
application in the EU.

“It is all about branding for the customer. If the impression is created that basmati rice only
originates from India, then our exports will definitely take a hit,” says Yasir Shafi, director of
Shafi Gluco Chem, an exporter of rice’s value-added products.

“Pakistan’s basmati rice is priced on the higher side because of EU’s pesticide restrictions that
edge Indian exports out. Rice is the largest export after textiles. Going forward, the current
account deficit may go up again and the rupee will depreciate. We cannot continue to rely on the
International Monetary Fund for support. TDAP needs to be more proactive to support exports,”
he says.
A source in the know agreed that the government has always been reactive and acts on a need
basis. While Reap’s application for GI tagging has been languishing for two decades, it has
speeded up in the last few years.

“In the past, India has said that Pakistan’s basmati is not original, it is a hybrid of two or three
different seeds,” says Dr Manzoor Ahmed, former ambassador to WTO talking about his tenure.
“We contested it; the case was fought in Brussels and amicably settled in around 2004.” While
the purpose at that time was duty-free access and not GI tagging, the European community
accepted Pakistan’s claim of basmati.

Talking about the process, Dr Ahmed explains that domestic legislation needs to be in place first,
defining what is basmati rice and the regions within Pakistan that it is grown. Only then we can
go to the EU to contest India’s assertions. While GI law exists in Pakistan, the nuts and bolts are
not in place.

When questioned about the progress, the Reap’s chairman Abdul Qayum Paracha chose not to
comment owing to the sensitivity of the issue, begging the question whether sufficient progress
has been made in a law that has been languishing for two decades.

Another problem waiting in the wings is provincial politics once GI tagging is in place. A source
confirmed that while stakeholders are holding hands and cooperating at the moment, a tiff
between the two rice-growing provinces Sindh and Punjab may be brewing.

The impression generally is of bated breaths and hope. If India wins, not only will it affect
Pakistan’s roughly half a billion dollar exports to Europe, it may start a domino reaction
impacting Middle East markets. Given the decades of evidence of Pakistan’s claim as growers of
the aromatic rice, however, there is every reason to believe that the worst-case scenario will
remain in the realm of nightmares for the rice sector.

Published in Dawn,

https://www.dawn.com/news/1588005/a-basmati-battle-to-win

Six Pakistani companies to export meat to KSA

Updated 02 Nov 2020

Monitoring Desk 
KARACHI: The government is trying to boost exports of halal meat and other perishable and
non-perishable items to Saudi Arabia to further enhance economic diplomacy between the two
countries, a senior official said this week.

The country’s federal cabinet has recently approved export of livestock to Middle Eastern
countries, especially Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, to earn foreign exchange and
boost farmers’ profitability.

“Our six meat exporting companies have recently registered with the Saudi Food and Drug
Authority, removing a major obstacle in our way to export to Saudi Arabia,” Aliya Hamza
Malik, parliamentary secretary for commerce, industries and production, told Arab News.

Islamabad’s exports to Riyadh increased to $446 million in 2019-20 from $342 million in 2018-
19 which Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government described as a “great achievement.”
Malik said that Pakistan’s exports to Saudi Arabia registered a significant increase during the
coronavirus pandemic when the country’s overall international trade had declined.

Pakistan’s export-led industry got a boost when Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
visited Islamabad in February last year along with the business delegations and vowed to
enhance trade between the two countries.

“The great breakthrough [in the trade] came when the crown prince visited Pakistan and around
three hundred businessmen from both sides interacted with each other,” she said. “It was a
milestone in trade diplomacy.”

Pakistan has also upgraded its trade mission in Saudi Arabia to boost its exports after clearing all
hurdles, including registration of companies in the Kingdom.

“The trade balance is in the favour of Pakistan right now,” Malik said, adding that a Saudi-Pak
joint working group on trade and investment had held meetings to find out the ways to further
boost cooperation between the two allies.

She said that Pakistani businessmen and investors were preparing to participate in the Jeddah
International Trade Fair 2020 to exhibit their products for the Saudi market and fetch more
export orders.

Pakistan has also set up a display gallery in its Jeddah consulate where samples of its export
goods and promotional material are available to everyone. “This shows how serious is our
government in establishing trade between the two countries,” she said.

The parliamentary secretary said that a Pakistani business delegation of about 30 companies had
recently visited Saudi Arabia to explore the trade opportunities and support the Saudi Vision
2030 that aims to reduce the Kingdom’s dependence on oil, diversify its economy, and develop
public service sectors such as health, education and tourism.

Pakistan’s major exports to the Kingdom are rice, meat, fruit and vegetables, men’s garments
and footwear. “Pakistan was known for its cotton and textile exports … but we are now going for
the non-traditional things to diversify our trade,” she added.

https://www.brecorder.com/news/40029952

Rice millers lose over N228m to warehouse looting 

By Joke Falaju, Abuja
01 November 2020   |   4:13 am

Rice Millers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), said it has lost about N228m to the recent looting
of warehouses by hoodlums that hijacked the #EndSARs protests across the country.

About 29 warehouses, belonging to RIFAN members, were vandalised with milled rice and
paddy looted to the tune of N228m. This excludes vandalisation of equipment and private
properties at the premises of the rice mill factories. 

In a statement yesterday, in Abuja, the National President of RIMAN, Peter Dama, raised
concern that unless there is urgent government intervention, the already fragile rice production
industry may not meet the rising demand by Nigerians. 

He condemned the devastating destructions, lootings carried out by miscreants in the name of
#EndSARs protests against its members, noting that the tons of milled rice, paddy, furniture,
equipment and operational vehicles at the premises of the rice factories were destroyed and
looted, while parts of some of the buildings were set ablaze.

“At the moment, these rice factories are in rubbles. RIMAN is, therefore, shocked and sad at the
level of the havoc that was carried out on these mills and other government and private
properties within the country.”

According to the association, the resultant impacts on the rice mills will create deficits in their
contribution to the national food security and rice value chain, as the affected factories will be
shutdown for a while “at this critical period with huge debts to pay.”

Members of the RIMAN Board of Trustees-Abba Dantata, Imran Amin, Umar Namadi, and
Saifudeen Annasir Abdulrahman, appealed to government, to, as a matter of urgency, assist the
rice millers with funds to rebuild and restock to commence their operations, as most of them took
bank facilities to answer the call by government to add to the food security deficit, particularly
on rice self-sufficiency in the country. 

They also appealed to government to provide adequate security coverage to rice mills under
threat, to avert future occurrence. 

https://guardian.ng/news/rice-millers-lose-over-n228m-to-warehouse-looting/#:~:text=Rice
%20Millers%20Association%20of%20Nigeria,to%20the%20tune%20of%20N228m.

Egypt recycles 2M tons of rice straw, produces fertilizers

BY

Egypt Today staff

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 - 02:42 GMT

Rice straw collected in Egypt for recycling – Press Photo

CAIRO – 2 November 2020: The Agricultural Guidance Sector at the Ministry of Agriculture
and Land Reclamation released a report Monday indicating that 2,046,721 tons of rice straw
have been collected and recycled without indicating the period over which that has been
achieved.
 
The ministry had established 731 sites - located in six governorates - where the straw is piled up.
 
Until present, 851,796 tons have been pressed, and 538,731 tons were minced. The number of
fertilizer piles produced is 749.
 
The report shows that 1,827 seminars have been held to raise the awareness of farmers on the
dangers of burning rice straw, and agricultural waste, particularly those of summer crops. The
seminars also promoted ideas on how those can be turned into products generating income for
farmers.
 
In February, the Egyptian Wood Technology Company (WOTECH) signed an agreement with
Petrojet Company to establish a project for the production of medium-density fibreboard (MDF)
in Beheira Governorate.

In addition to Petrojet, which is the general contractor of the project, WOTECH signed another
agreement with the German Siempelkamp Company -the technology supplier of the project.
The signing took place during the third day of the Egypt Petroleum Show (EGYPS 2020).

The new project includes a factory for the production of medium-density fibreboard (MDF) by
rice straw with a production capacity of 205,000 square meters annually according to the latest
European specifications with the usage of Siempelkamp’s technology in manufacturing.

The project thus provides a high-quality local product that is used and needed by many industries
and areas such as furniture, building materials and decoration.

The project will be established with a full Egyptian capital from the oil sector, and the
shareholders include the Egyptian Petrochemicals Holding Company, the Egyptian General
Petroleum Corporation, SIDPEC and Petrojet.

Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek el-Molla explained that the project, whose
cost is estimated at €210 million, is also one of the effective solutions implemented by the
Ministry of Petroleum to support the state's efforts to transform rice straw from an environmental
challenge into an opportunity for economic exploitation and an added value.

“The project is one of the most important projects that the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral
Resources aims to implement within its plan to expand the petrochemical industry, which aims to
establish new projects that contribute to providing raw materials and major production inputs for
many industries on the local market,” Molla added.
https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/1/93802/Egypt-recycles-2M-tons-of-rice-straw-produces-
fertilizers

India buys more paddy rice after farmers protest new laws
By Rajendra Jadhav
NOVEMBER 2, 20205:08 PM

Women plant rice saplings at a paddy field in a village in Nagaon district, in the northeastern
state of Assam, July 3, 2018. REUTERS/Anuwar Hazarika/File Photo

MUMBAI (Reuters) - India’s new season paddy rice purchases from local farmers rose 21% by
the end of October as New Delhi tried to allay farmers’ concerns that new agricultural laws mean
the federal government will stop buying food grains at guaranteed prices.
India recently approved reforms of its agriculture sector that will allow farmers to sell to
institutional buyers and big retailers such as Walmart, but farmers have protested, saying the new
legislation could pave the way for the government to stop buying grain at guaranteed prices,
leaving farmers at the mercy of private buyers.

Government agencies bought 20.46 million tonnes of paddy rice between the start of the season
in the last week of September and the end of October, compared to 16.89 million tonnes during
the same period a year earlier, the Department of Food and Public Distribution said on Monday.

Higher purchases will keep paddy rice prices above the minimum support price set by the
government even as the country is set to harvest a record crop, but will put pressure on the
finances of the government-backed buyer Food Corporation of India (FCI).

Out of the 20.46 million tonnes bought by the agencies, most it, or 14.28 million tonnes, was
purchased from the northern state of Punjab, the department said. Punjab is the epicentre of
protests against the new agricultural laws.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government insists the new rules give farmers the option to sell
their produce to private buyers while it would still purchase staples such as rice and wheat at
guaranteed prices.

But such assurances have failed to mollify millions of farmers who make up an influential voting
bloc in states such as Punjab and Haryana.

Higher government buying is good as it would keep paddy rice prices above the floor price as it
limits supplies available for private players, said B.V. Krishna Rao, president of the Rice
Exporters Association.

“Export demand is good for Indian rice. We are set to export a record amount of rice this year,”
he said.

Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Susan Fenton

https://www.reuters.com/article/india-rice/india-buys-more-paddy-rice-after-farmers-protest-
new-laws-idINL4N2HO2OH

Twenty-nine tonnes of rice seeds distributed to flood

victims
Tith Kongnov / Khmer Times 

The rice seeds have been distributed to help resume rice production in the region, after it was hit
with devastating floods. CNC News
Twenty-nine tonnes of non-seasonal rice varieties have been distributed to 290 flood-hit families
located in Battambang province by the government, to help restart rice production in the region
and benefit those affected by flooding.

Battambang Provincial Governor Nguon Rattanak said that the rice was distributed as part of a
joint effort by the government, the provincial administration and the Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries

Ratanak also thanked Prime Minister Hun Sen, Bun Rany Hun Sen, Interior Minister Sar Kheng,
Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon the Cambodian Red Cross, the National Committee for
Disaster Management, philanthropists, who have contributed to helping flood-hit communities in
the province.

“This action by the government evidences them fulfilling their responsibilities in helping the
people during this difficult time. When the water recedes, this rice will be used to restart rice
production in the region,” he said.

Minister of Agriculture Veng Sakhon expressed his sorrow for the hardships faced by flood-hit
communities, especially in Battambang province.

“These rice seeds and other food items distributed to farmers will help to improve livelihoods
and resume food production,” he said.

“The Ministry encourages people to start planting crops, especially rice, as much as possible,” he
added.

“We will help each other. In times of need, the state, the private sector and third sector have
come together to help the community”, he added.

Director of Battambang Provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Chhim

Vichara, said that floods have affected the production of rice and crops across some 96
communes in the province, damaging nearly 130,000 hectares of farmland.

A survey found that in 10 districts, replanting rice would require around 717 tons of rice seeds,
an average of 100 kg per hectare, he added.

https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50778503/twenty-nine-tonnes-of-rice-seeds-distributed-to-
flood-victims/#:~:text=Twenty%2Dnine%20tonnes%20of%20non,benefit%20those%20affected
%20by%20flooding.
Kingdom exports 536K tonnes of rice in Jan-Oct
Hin Pisei  | Publication date 02 November 2020 | 21:04 ICT
 

Cambodia exported 536,305 tonnes of milled rice to 60 countries in the first 10 months of this
year, up more than 17.11 per cent from 457,940 tonnes in the same period last year.

The exports were worth about $367 million, according to Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF)
secretary-general Lun Yeng.

China topped the list of destination markets for Cambodian milled rice with 194,451 tonnes
imported, accounting for a 36.26 per cent market share, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries Veng Sakhon (pictured, Facebook) said on Saturday.

Exports to the EU, ASEAN countries and other destinations reached 174,391 tonnes, 71,782
tonnes and 95,581 tonnes, accounting for 32.51, 13.40 and 17.83 per cent of total milled-rice
exports for the period, he said.

Broken down by category, jasmine and fragrant rice accounted for 421,322 tonnes, while white
long-grain rice accounted for 109,012 tonnes, he said. Long-grain parboiled rice accounted for
6,138 tonnes.
Last month alone, the Kingdom exported 47,530 tonnes, down 19.92 per cent from 59,354
tonnes in October last year, he added.

CRF’s Yeng pointed out that last month’s exports were worth around $38.9 million.

CRF chairman Hun Lak told The Post that last month’s dip in milled-rice exports was largely
due to the flash floods and resulting disruptions of logistics and transportation chains.

With the floods largely receded, he voiced his confidence that exports would pick up soon.

“Export volumes will enjoy a noticeable recovery in December and January 2021, with China
remaining a potential market for Cambodia,” Lak said.

He noted that authorities and farmers have begun to plant paddy in flood-ravaged fields.

Last year, the Kingdom exported 620,106 tonnes of rice to international markets, down 0.97 per
cent from 626,225 tonnes in 2018, ministry data showed.

https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/kingdom-exports-536k-tonnes-rice-jan-
oct#:~:text=Cambodia%20exported%20536%2C305%20tonnes%20of,the%20same%20period
%20last%20year.

Net returns in rice farming down in 2019

Published November 2, 2020, 12:21 PM

by Madelaine B. Miraflor
Rice farmers in the Philippines recorded lower earnings during both the dry and wet harvest
seasons last year despite having lower production cost.
Photo by Andhika Y. Wiguna on Unsplash.

Based on the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the total cost of rice
farmers during the dry season slightly went down from P46,153 per hectare in 2018 to
P45,842 in 2019.

For the wet season, production cost went down from P49,319 in 2018 to P46,463 in 2019.

However, net returns during the wet season also fell from P31,329 in 2018 to P16,546 per
hectare.

Farmers’ net returns were also lower for the dry season, from P35,765 per hectare in 2018 to
P24,159 in 2019.

PSA said that farmers earned an average of P0.47 for every peso invested in palay
production last year. It was higher during the dry season cropping at P0.53 compared with
the wet season cropping at P0.36.
Per kilogram, the average cost spent in palay production was estimated at P11.20, with
production costs amounting to P11.47 during the dry season cropping and P11.38 during the
wet season cropping.

Based on the same data, labor, fertilizer, seeds, fuel, and transport had the highest share in
farmers’ production cost.

At the regional level, the highest production cost was reported in Ilocos Region at an
average of P62,659 per hectare.

Palay farmers in Ilocos Region incurred the highest cost at P67,191 per hectare during the
dry season, while Zamboanga Peninsula had the biggest spending during the wet season at
P63,925 per hectare.

As for net returns, Northern Mindanao had the highest earnings at an average of P29,982 per
hectare.

During the dry season cropping, Central Luzon netted the highest at P32,678 per hectare,
while Northern Mindanao got the highest net returns for the wet season cropping at P33,975
per hectare.

Central Visayas, however, recorded the lowest net profit averaging at P2,686 per hectare. It
recorded negative net earnings during the dry season cropping at P744 per hectare.  

Meanwhile, Caraga had the least net returns at P738 per hectare during the wet season
cropping.

For this year, Trinidad Domingo, a rice farmer in Nueva Ecija and a member of National
Rural Women Coalition (PKKK), said in an earlier report that her production cost actually
doubled compared to previous years.

“Before, I only spent P31,000 per hectare during the planting season. Now, I spend around
P60,000 per hectare and since I own two hectares, I spend more than P100,000 just to be
able to plant,” Domingo said.

“As for palay, I used to sell it for P16/kg. Now, during this harvest season and here in
Nueva Ecija, which the government calls the rice granary of the Philippines, palay prices are
being sold at P8/kg to P14/kg. Farmers are barely making money. Who do we turn to if the
government is claiming prices are high at P19 per kilogram,” she further said.
 

https://mb.com.ph/2020/11/02/net-returns-in-rice-farming-down-in-2019/#:~:text=For%20the
%20wet%20season%2C%20production,to%20P24%2C159%20in%202019.

China's new hybrid rice yields 10-20% more, breaks

world record

By Fan Anqi and Zhang Hui Source: Global Times Published: 2020/11/2 21:58:40

A working staff drives a tractor to harvest the third-generation hybrid rice at a demonstration
base in Hengnan County of Hengyang City, central China's Hunan Province, Oct. 21, 2019.
(Xinhua/Chen Zeguo)

China's third-generation hybrid rice on Monday broke the world record to become the highest-
yielding double-cropping rice, which serves as a strong response to speculations of a "food
crisis" in China amid the threat of COVID-19, floods, and pests this year. 

China not only provided its 1.4 billion people with a safe and secure food supply, but has also
actively maintained a stable supply chain of global food and contributed to global food security,
analysts said. 
Chinese scientists achieved the record rice yield of 1,500 kilograms per mu, or 22,500
kilograms per hectare, in Central China's Hunan Province. 

Yuan Longping, a renowned Chinese agronomist dubbed as the "father of hybrid rice," said the
output can feed five people per mu a year.

"I am more than excited," he said in English with a smile. 

The latest breakthrough is of great importance to safeguarding food security in China, as the
average yield is a 10-20 percent increase over current hybrid rice, Yuan said.

Many Chinese netizens gave thumbs up for the efforts and contributions Yuan has made in
safeguarding China's food security over the decades. Some also said they shed happy tears while
watching his interview. 

Li Xinqi, a research fellow at the China National Hybrid Rice Research and Development
Center, told the Global Times on Monday that the breakthrough will play an important role in
safeguarding food security in China. 

Not only has it increased grain output by a considerable degree, it has improved the quality of the
grain as well. For example, the newly-developed rice planted on 100 million mu can feed 100
million people for an entire year, Li said. 

"For the next step, our priority is to get government approval and promote it nationwide within
the next one to two years. We will also apply the technology to other types of rice, or even
wheat," Li said. 

Amid the persistent influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the locust plague and typhoons, some
people have worried about China's food security, and some foreign media even fabricated stories
with sensational headlines of China suffering from a severe food shortage.

Data released by the Ministry of Agriculture brushed off the rumors. This year's summer grain
and early rice have already harvested an increase of 1.2 billion kilograms and 1.03 billion
kilograms in output compared to last year. 

A bumper harvest is expected with the upcoming completion of the fall grain, data suggested.
The annual grain output is expected to surpass 650 billion kilograms for the sixth consecutive
year. 

With nine percent of the world's arable land, China has continued to feed nearly 20 percent of the
world's population. China has also significantly contributed to world food security.
We developed the third generation of hybrid rice with the hope of stabilizing China's total grain
output, and influencing rice planting on the global stage, Li said.

"With a more mature technology, we hope that the third generation of hybrid rice will receive
more recognition from the international community," Li said. 

Large-scale cultivation of hybrid rice has been carried out in more than 40 countries and regions
so far, with the annual planting area reaching 7 million hectares and increasing the yield of local
rice by more than 20 percent.

From 2006, China has sent 71 expert groups on agricultural technology and vocational education
to 37 African countries, China Central Television reported. 

https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1205468.shtml

USA - Clearfield and Provisia rice varieties raise the bar for

2021
Memphis, Tennessee, USA
November 2, 2020

Two straight years of new variety launches from Horizon Ag featuring the Clearfieldâ
Production System for rice and the Provisiaâ Rice System from BASF have raised the bar for
varietal performance in the South, providing farmers top-end yield potential, as well as superior
agronomic and disease packages.

These latest offerings set the stage for farmers to achieve high-end performance and a higher
return on investment with Clearfield and Provisia varieties compared to other rice seed options.

“Farmers have a lot of things to consider when it comes to planting next season,” said Dr. Tim
Walker, Horizon Ag general manager. “They need to get the best value for their inputs, in terms
of price and performance, and they want to have the confidence that they are using proven
technologies, developed by industry leaders and extensively tested, versus ones claiming to be
new that are actually just generic-type products.”

New for the 2021 season is CLL16, a long grain Clearfield rice variety developed by the
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. CLL16 has shown excellent rough rice
yields, averaging higher than Diamond in university tests. Its performance consistency,
combined with its quality potential and industry-leading blast resistance, makes CLL16 the
complete package for many rice farmers considering seed choices for planting next season.
 CLL17, an early-season, semi-dwarf long grain rice developed at the LSU Ag Center H. Rouse
Caffey Rice Research Station, has consistently out-yielded CL153, the top-planted Louisiana
variety in recent years, in multi-year trials. It has solid ratoon crop potential and also features
outstanding resistance to blast. In addition, it has proven to provide excellent milling yield and
very good grain quality. Horizon Ag expects CLL17 to become the leading Clearfield variety
planted in Louisiana, surpassing CL153, based on its performance.

These new varieties join other top-performing lines that were released in 2020 — CLL15, a long
grain variety from the Arkansas program that was bred for higher yields in the North Delta;
CLM04, a medium grain type that has consistently resulted in high yields and quality; and
PVL02, the second variety launched featuring the Provisia technology from BASF that gives
farmers unmatched ability to control weedy rice and herbicide-resistant red rice.

“BASF and Horizon are committed to bringing the highest yielding varieties to rice growers. We
are excited about the launch of these latest varieties, CLL16 and CLL17, that are setting a new
standard in performance and are available for 2021  On top of that, growers are seeing the
impressive results in PVL02 and CLL15 in this year’s rice harvest,” said Jody Wynia, U.S. Rice
Licensing Lead for BASF Agricultural Solutions.

PVL02, which was available in limited supply in 2020, proved to be a significant step change
over the first Provisia variety, PVL01, in terms of yield and overall performance, and will
replace it in the Horizon Ag lineup for 2021.

Interest in PVL02 in 2020 was high and, with a larger supply of seed available, expectations are
for strong demand for Provisia rice in 2021.

Many farmers throughout the region had a chance to see CLL15 in action on their own farms in
2020 and liked what they saw — top-end yield potential, with excellent milling characteristics
and broad-spectrum blast resistance.

“Our variety offerings have never been stronger,” said Dr. Walker. “We have Clearfield varieties
that can compete with hybrids but with a lower seed cost and input costs, and a selection of
maturities with enhanced disease packages designed to meet the needs of our farmer customers
throughout the South. And we have an outstanding Provisia variety in the Provisia Rice System
that farmers consistently say has resulted in the cleanest rice fields in the region. There is no
technology comparable to Provisia rice available for our region today when it comes to
effectively controlling weedy rice and herbicide-resistant red rice.”

Just as important, with the Clearfield and Provisia technologies, farmers can rely on proven
systems that provide superior weed control and can use them in a rotation to extend these
valuable technologies for the years to come.

For more information about how Horizon Ag Clearfield and Provisia rice varieties are raising the
bar for performance in the South, please go
to  http://www.horizonseed.com/horizon/content/news/SeedVarietiesFor2020.
https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:PS0PbZD0oGAJ:https://
www.seedquest.com/news.php%3Ftype%3Dnews%26id_article%3D122322%26id_region%3D
%26id_category%3D%26id_crop%3D+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pk

Southern Railway handled 2.6 lakh tonnes of rice in October

TNN | Nov 2, 2020, 13:19 IST

TimesPoints
Image used for representational purpose only

CHENNAI: Southern Railway has carried 2.6 lakh tonnes of rice for Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies
Corporation (TNCSC) and operated 56 trains containing automobile consignments in October,
said a press release on Sunday.
The rice consignment is the highest loading of rice and paddy in a month. Four goods trains also
carried harvesters from Chinnasalem to various destinations in Andhra and Karnataka.

The zone loaded 2.1 million tonnes of freight and earned a revenue of Rs162.42 crores in
October, said a press release.
For the financial year, April to October ’20, Southern Railway loaded 14.8 million tonnes and
earned a revenue of Rs1,167.6 crores.

Sans freight trains, Ludhiana likely to face shortage of

gunny bags
Mohit Behl | TNN | Nov 1, 2020, 20:06 IST

LUDHIANA: Amidst the ongoing paddy procurement season, Ludhiana district is likely to face
acute shortage of gunny bags for paddy in coming days if the movement of freight trains doesn't
resume.
As per the information available from government sources, the district requires a total of 97,000
gunny-bales to accommodate all the paddy crop of which 70 per cent of gunny bales were to be
provided by millers while 30 per cent gunny bales approximately 28,500 bales (1 bale= 500
gunny bags) have to be arranged by the state food agencies. The data shows that the food
agencies have 22,820 bales while 5,618 more bales are required to procure the crop smoothly.

According to District Food Supply Controller (DFSC) Ludhiana West Sukhwinder Singh
Gill ,"We are somehow managing with the available gunny bales but if freight trains won’t
function soon they could face a huge shortage of gunny bags". Gill also said that they need at
least 125 containers of gunny bales to fulfil the requirement.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ludhiana/sans-freight-trains-ludhiana-likely-to-face-
shortage-of-gunny-bags/articleshow/78984583.cms

YARA debuts fertilizer for maize, rice in market

02Nov 2020

By Guardian Reporter

Dar es Salaam

Business

The Guardian

YARA debuts fertilizer for maize, rice in market

NEW fertilizer brand aimed at boosting yields in maize and rice smallholder farmers has been
launched in Dar es Salaam last week by YARA Tanzania Limited.

YARA Tanzania managing director, Winstone Odhiambo (R) briefing the company’s dealers on
a new fertilizer brand known as MiCROP which targets maize and rice smallholder farmers
during its launch in Dar es Salaam at the weekend. Photo: Guardian Correspondent.

Known as MiCROP, the fertilizer brand is now available at retail agr0-inputs shops in the
country, said YARA Tanzania Managing Director, Winstone Odhiambo during the launch.
Odhiambo said the new blended fertilizer which targets smallholder farmers has Zinc and
Sulphur micronutrients that are required for stronger and better crop yields.

“We are proud to launch MiCROP fertilizer today which will enable maize and rice smallholder
farmers increase yields hence get more income and food,” he said adding that the fertilizer will
be blended locally at the company’s plant in Dar es Salaam.

“This is in line with the government’s initiative in promoting an industrial economy at this time
around we have decided to producing it locally,” Odhiambo added while calling on farmers to
take advantage of MiCROP for a better yields.

Meanwhile, YARA Tanzania held its annual conference with dealers, an event where the
company and its dealers reviewed progress and challenges made in the year and plan for the
coming year. During the event, dealers who surpassed their targets were also rewarded and
recognized.

YARA is the leading crop nutrition company in Africa and millions of farmers have undergone
training on better and sustainable farming techniques that have greater and profitable yields for
farmers.

The company manufactures high quality fertilizer that is available all over the continent at any
time and works in partnership with farmers’ institutions, community based organizations, Non-
Governmental Organizations in imparting knowledge and skills on nutritional solutions so as to
improve livelihoods.

https://www.ippmedia.com/en/business/yara-debuts-fertilizer-maize-rice-market

Rice self-sufficiency in 2019 down to 80%-- PSA

By CNN Philippines Staff
Published Nov 2, 2020 10:10:09 PM
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 2) — The country was able to produce 79.8% of
rice supply in 2019, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.

In its latest Agricultural Indicators System: Food Availability and Sufficiency report, PSA noted
that this was down from the previous year’s data of 86.2%.

The agency explained that this ratio shows production in contrast to consumption, and a ratio
below 100% would mean “inadequacy of food production to cope with the demand of the
population.”

The PSA said the decline is due to lower share of production against higher rice imports.

It noted that for 2019, 20.2% of supply was imported, up from the previous year’s 13.8%.

In a text message, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said this was due to the impact of the Rice
Tariffication Law, which forced many farmers to shift to other crops.

In 2019, total rice imports reached 2.9 million MT, making the country the world’s top rice
importer, replacing China.

For this year, Dar said the target is 90-93% rice self-sufficiency. Meanwhile, the DA plans to
import a total of 2.3 million MT othis year.
However, Philippine Institute for Development Studies Research Fellow Roehlano Briones told
CNN Philippines the self-sufficiency target is unlikely to be achieved since the agriculture sector
is still in the process of recovery.

“I am more comfortable for that prediction next year. I am not really sure this year. That is a
more realistic scenario for 2021,” he said.

https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/11/2/psa-rice-self-sufficiency-import-dependency-
2019.html?fbclid=IwAR2GSbVvQtx_FvfWZCVyiBg_MFLZ2wnZV-Tza6iECRaJBaxvGMw4-
CkYyz4

Local rice supply threatened after massive looting of

warehouses 

By Joke Falaju, Abuja 

03 November 2020   |   3:22 am

Millers call for urgent intervention to avert scarcity

Following the looting and destruction of warehouses across the country, including rice mills,
Rice Millers Association of Nigeria (RIMAN) has raised concerns that the nation’s rice
production is currently under threat and calls for urgent government intervention to forestall
scarcity of the staple food in the market.

The Guardian learnt that 29 rice mills were looted and vandalized across the nation, with
RIMAN members estimated to have lost about N228 million worth milled and paddy rice, aside
vandalized equipment and private property. 

RIMAN, in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, and signed by its National
President, Peter Dama, condemned the destruction, and looting carried out by miscreants in the
name EndSARs protests against its members across the country. 

He lamented that tonne of milled and paddy rice, furniture, machines, equipment and operational
vehicles at the premises of these rice mills were destroyed and looted while some parts of
buildings were set ablaze, adding that at the moment, these factories are in ruins.

RIMAN is, therefore, shocked and sad at the level of the havoc that was carried out on these rice
mills and other government and private properties within the country.

According to the Association, the resultant impact on these rice mills would create some deficits
in their contribution to the national food security and rice value chain, as the affected mills will
be shut down for a while amid huge outstanding debt. 

Accordingly, the RIMAN Board of Trustees, including Peter Dama, Abba Dantata, Imran Amin,
Umar Namadi, and Saifudeen Annasir Abdulrahman, appealed to the government to, as a matter
of urgency, assist rice millers with funds to rebuild and restock to restart their operations.

This was because most of them took bank facilities in response to the government’s call to boost
national food security, particularly rice self-sufficiency in Nigeria. 

They also appealed to the government to provide adequate security coverage to rice mills to avert
future threats, and sympathized with those, whose properties, valuable assets, milling equipment,
were destroyed, vandalized or looted, and prayed that the authorities would compensate them on
time so that they could resume operations.
 
RIMAN also appealed to the Nigerian youths to sheath their swords, adding: “We also further
advised that in future Nigerian Youths to explore dialogue and Negotiations with authorities
whenever there are grievances to resolve to avoid miscreants from hijacking their well-intended
moves meant to move the nations forward.” 

https://guardian.ng/business-services/local-rice-supply-threatened-after-massive-looting-of-
warehouses/

China receives first-ever U.S. rice shipment

TAGS: TRADE

The first commercial container of U.S. rice was delivered to China recently. The delivery of Calrose, a
medium grain rice produced in California, became the first-ever commercial shipment of U.S. rice to the
Asian nation. The U.S. rice industry is optimistic about U.S. rice export opportunities to China because of
recent trade agreements.

The shipment of Calrose medium grain rice from California creates optimism with rice growers across the
United States.

Todd Fitchette | Nov 03, 2020

China imported its first-ever commercial container of rice from the United States, marking a
positive move in agricultural trade negotiations between the two nations after more than a decade
of political and regulatory efforts by the U.S. rice industry.

The shipment of Calrose medium grain rice from California creates optimism with rice growers
across the United States as it signals China's apparent willingness to buy different rice varieties
from across the U.S. growing region that includes California, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

The medium grain Calrose rice from California was sold by ADM Rice to a private importer
under the Sungiven brand for retail distribution in China. Most of California's rice production is
medium grain. Growers there also produce a limited amount of short-grain and specialty rice.

China remains the world's largest producer and consumer of rice, according to the USA Rice
Federation, a global advocate for all segments of the U.S. rice industry. The U.S. Department of
Agriculture estimates that China consumes more than 146 million metric tons of rice, eclipsing
the estimated 4.6 million metric tons consumed by American consumers.

The importance of such a move was not lost on ADM Rice officials, who said the effort to export
a container-size shipment of rice to China was one that included "many logistical challenges,"
according to Buzz Burich, vice president, ADM Rice in Arbuckle, Calif.
"We were very pleased to see the first-ever shipment of U.S. rice to China coming out of
California," said Tim Johnson, president, California Rice Commission. "It speaks to our quality
and environmental stewardship. This is exciting for us."

Cautious optimism

Bobby Hanks, chairman of the USA Rice Federation board, and a rice milling representative
from Louisiana, says that while this is good news, the optimism is cautious because of previous
trade issues between the two large trading partners. The shipment follows the U.S.-China Phase
One Agreement from last January. This agreement included a promise by China to buy U.S. rice.

Hanks says it was expected that California's medium grain Calrose rice would be the first traded
between the two countries.

"We always anticipated that California would be the first to ship rice to China," he said. "China
grows a lot of long grain rice, and California's Calrose is a high-quality product."

Hanks says the U.S. rice industry remains optimistic about its long grain rice opportunities with
China, even as there is much competition from neighboring countries to China to ship long grain
rice there cheaper than it can be delivered from the United States.

"We hope to see more buyers, both private and government, step forward to purchase U.S. rice,"
said Hanks in a prepared statement.

15 years of work

USA Rice representatives have worked government officials in both countries and invested
significant promotional dollars over the past 15 years to develop Chinese demand and put the
U.S. industry in such a position as this, according to Hanks.
A trade mission hosted by USA Rice in late 2019 brought Chinese importers to Arkansas,
Louisiana, and California to view industry operations that led to the recent sale and shipment of
rice from California to China. There appears to be demand for all types of U.S. rice by Chinese
consumers, making the latest move a win for U.S. growers from all rice growing regions.

The phytosanitary agreement between the U.S. and China stipulates that rice exports must be
milled and packaged according to specifications and originate from a pre-approved export
facility. There are 32 such facilities in six states.
https://www.farmprogress.com/rice/china-receives-first-ever-us-rice-shipment

China Pakistan FTA: The export conundrum

BR Research 03 Nov 2020
The free trade agreement (FTA) between Pakistan and China has revealed trade figures
that are tilted in favor of China. Although the severity of the trade surplus signifies this
direction, the criticism of the FTA based on the trade balance itself is unjustified. The
lack of capabilities of Pakistani exporters to take advantage of better access into the
Chinese markets is a major concern which must change if Pakistan is to seek economic
diplomacy. Pakistan not only primarily produces finished goods destined to the Western
markets but has exporters that lack the ability to integrate into the value chains led by
Chinese producers. For instance, there is negligible exports from Pakistan of
intermediate goods and raw materials as well as of parts and accessories demanded by
Chinese producers.

Pakistan concluded the FTA with China in 2006, which went into force in 2007. It was
later amended in order to boost exports from Pakistan in selected products. China
offered immediate tariff elimination on more than 313 tariff lines. The tariff lines
include food, textile, leather products and machinery and equipment. Although, a wide
variety of products are included, the Pakistani exporters will only benefit if they can
competitively supply to the Chinese market.

Data from ITC’s Trademap.org shows exports to China rose from a meagre two percent
in 2003 to 5.7 percent in 2009. It continued to increase, peaking at 10.6 percent in 2012.
Based on the limited capabilities of exporters, the FTA with China did witness a rise in
the value of exports and the share of exports to China. It is successful in this regard. It
then reported a slight downturn, reducing to seven percent in 2017. The share has
recovered since then and was reported at 8.6 percent in 2019.
More than 50 percent of the exports from Pakistan to China were for cotton yarn
between 2009 and 2017. This declined to 36 percent in 2019. Rice and copper exports
have gained prominence since 2018, as the two lines started to diverge.

In essence, the exports from Pakistan to China are dominated by a single product. It is
only in recent years that Pakistan has diversified towards other products such as copper
and rice. The FTA played an important role in enhancing diplomatic relationship
between Pakistan and China as it led to further cooperation under the CPEC platform.
China has also been crucial partner in foreign diplomacy. The FTA is a facilitation tool
and its impact on enhancing overall relations between Pakistan and China cannot be
discounted. The capabilities of Pakistani businesses must be enhanced to take advantage
of easier access into the Chinese market.

https://www.brecorder.com/news/40030277