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Stakeholders appeal to consumers: Eat brown rice Researchers claim development of diabetic-friendly rice varieties Rice price draws mixed reactions from farmers and millers Rice traders, millers in grave trouble Businessmen warned against rice importation Duterte vows to cancel business permits of rice smugglers Finally, High Duty on Rice Import Take Tolls on Supply Restarting Rabi Crop will Help Stabilise Price

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Stakeholders appeal to consumers: Eat brown rice


Category: Agri-Commodities 22 Dec 2013: Written by Alladin S. Diega / Correspondent

DESPITE being healthy and readily available, brown rice is not popular among Filipino consumers, according to a closing statement from a multistakeholder conference on organic brown rice held earlier this month.Attended by local officials and representatives of government and non-governmental groups, the conference noted some difficulties in propagating the production and consumption of organic brown rice. Based on our experience, theres no rice mill for brown rice, and farmers just manually pound them [rice] to produce brown rice, observed Benjamin Maggay, mayor of Cervantes, Ilocos Sur.Marissa Romero of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) admitted that there is currently no rice mill in the country specifically designed for brown rice production.What we have are just conventional ones that need appropriate adjustments to produce brown rice, but millers are not willing to make necessary adjustments due to additional labor, said Romero, a food scientist at PhilRice, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA).Romero added that the agency has developed a prototype dehuller machine.But we would still need to coordinate with the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and

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Mechanization for its developments and availability, she said.In other areas of the country, however, production of brown rice, though manually done, is a secondary problem. According to Surallah, South Cotabato Mayor Romulo Solivio Jr., they can supply 200 to 300 bags of brown rice a month to supermarkets.But our difficulty lies in the required packaging to maintain the brown rices quality and extend its shelf life in public markets.According to Romero, Solivio can look at the heattreatment technology that PhilRice developed, which can make lipase inactive.The prototype of the heat treatment machine is available and read for construction, Romero said.Lipase is a natural enzyme present in the bran, the inner layer of rice, which is also known as nutrition powerhouse, for containing much of the protein, vitamins and minerals present in the brown rice. Unfortunately, the lipase causes the oil in the bran rancid for only few days if not heat treated, or stabilized, before allowing to be exposed.Another challenge for the brown rice sector is its lack of popularity among Filipinos, according to the representative of System of Rice Intensification (SRI).Mario Escall of SRI-Pilipinas Mindanao said this is why commercial millers are discouraged to adjust their machines to produce brown rice. The main problem is information dissemination.The conference also noted that brown rice production is favorable for rice farmers with its high recovery rate and less milling time.Aside from the DA, other groups that sent representatives to the conference include the following: Department of Science and Technology; League of Organic Agriculture Municipalities; Oxfam; and, Rice Watch and Action Network (R1).

Researchers claim development of diabetic-friendly rice varieties


Acharya N.G. Ranga Agriculture University takes up research on developing the new varieties Acharya N.G. Ranga Agriculture University has taken up research on development of diabetic-friendly rice varieties in collaboration with private industries, University ViceChancellor Alluri Padma Raju disclosed here on Saturday.Mr. Raju was speaking to The Hindu on the sidelines of a meeting of rice millers, peasant representatives and agricultural scientists conducted by the Agricultural Research Station (ARS) at Maruteru for popularising new paddy varieties.Scientists are on the job of building glycemic indices (GIs) with the data on how much carbohydrates in each existing rice variety raises a persons blood glucose levels after consuming the particular variety, he said. As of now, 40 rice varieties were available with the researchers and 14 of them were found to be having

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anti-diabetic properties. Of them, BPT-5204, popularly known as Samba Masuri, was found to be more friendlier to diabetics, Mr. Raju explained.The research strategies involved collection of anti-diabetic genes from different varieties and introduced them in the select varieties by way of selective breeding through the marker identification method. Diabetes was fast spreading and people even below 30 years were falling prey to the disease, of late. The breakthrough, if achieved in the on-going research, would be a boon for the people prone to diabetics caused by food habits, among others, in a country where rice consumption accounted for more than 80 per cent, he hoped.The Samba Masuri was identified as an ideal variety for projection as more diabetic friendly given its admirable strains such as easy to cook and preservation without becoming stale for a long time after cooking and non-sticky in nature, Mr. Raju said.The V-C informed that the gale-resistant paddy varieties, need of the hour in the cyclone-prone Godavari delta region, were likely to be released in April next, facilitating sowing for the next kharif. The research had been in progress for the last 4-5 years and it was currently under trial in different stages, he added. If these new breeds hit the markets, the paddy growers would be relieved of the miseries caused by the predominant variety of Swarna in view of its susceptibility to lodging at times of cyclones, he said. Keywords: Acharya N.G. Ranga Agriculture University, rice varities, Agricultural Research Station
HinduVice-Chancellor

of Acharya N.G. Ranga Agriculture University A. Padma Raju addressing farmers and rice millers in Tadepalligudem

in West Godavari district on Saturday. Photo A.V.G .Prasad

Rice

price

draws

mixed

reactions

from

farmers

and

millers

Abu Bakar Siddique Millers are worried they might fail to meet governments procurement target After a bumper production of T-Aman and positive market trends so far, farmers are expecting a higher turnover this year to recoup the losses incurred over the past two years.Small-scale farmers, who hold the key to meeting the countrys rocketing food needs, are happy with the surge in price and have already started preparing for the next cultivation season. The millers, however, are worried they might not be able to meet the procurement target set by the government.Currently, the price of each maund of coarse rice is around Tk750, which is almost Tk200 more than the previous years rate.The price is good this year and turning in favour of smallholders like me, said Sajjad Hossain, a farmer of Dinajpur who cultivated T-Aman on a five-plot. This years production was better than last years, thanks mostly to favourable weather conditions all through the season. The countrywide production may outstrip the government target by nearly 200,000 metric tonnes, according to Rafiqul Hasan, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture Extension. The government had fixed a target

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of producing over 1.28 crore metric tonnes.T-Aman is the second highest food grain in the country in terms of production after Boro, which recorded a production of over 1.87 crore metric tonnes last season.However, the high price of rice has led many farmers to resort to hoarding in the hope of getting still better prices at a later point of time.Many farmers are hoarding their produce with the expectation that the price will go up further within a short time, said Masud Chowdhury, a farmer of Thakurgaon, who admitted to storing his stock o f rice produced on an eight-acre farm. What motivated the hoarders further was the assurance of getting seeds, fertilisers and other resources on credit as they prepare to cultivate Boro in the coming season.But the millers, procuring rice for the government so that it can build up a stock of its own, say they are being affected by both the current trends of pricing as well as the hoarding.It is astonishing that there is not enough rice to buy despite a bumper production. An artificial crisis is being created by the hoarders, said Towfiqul Islam Babu, president of Naogaon Rice Mill Owners Association.If the existing trends continue for another month, we will have to face huge losses since most of the millers have been purchasing rice on loan.The government on November 27 fixed a target of procuring 200,000 tons of T-Aman for its own stock at Tk30 for each kilogramme of rice. The decision was based on estimates that farmers would get fair prices against their production cost of Tk25.42 per kg. However, the millers maintain that the price fixed is not in proportion to the rising market trends.The production cost of rice has risen and so has the price at the market, said Towfiqul Islam Babu, urging the government to provide millers with an incentive of Tk4 against each kilogramme of rice.In this regard, Quazi Shahabuddin, former director general of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), told the Dhaka Tribune that the current price would go down once there was a steady supply of rice.Until that happens, argues Nirod Baran Saha, president of Naogaon Rice Wholesalers Association, most of the suppliers will have to continue procuring rice at a loss in order to retain their supply license. Some suppliers may discontinue supply but there will be some who may supply imported rice, which will be unethical and against the law, he said.According to Mahabub Hossain, executive director of Brac, it is important that the millers have their due profits but it is more important to save the farmers first. Otherwise, they may switch their attention to cultivating other crops.

Rice traders, millers in grave trouble


Blockade forces several thousand rice mills to suspend operation
Sohel Parvez

Lokman of Shisha Haat in Naogaon climbs what looks like a sand dune, but it is actually paddy. The wholesaler accumulated the paddy but was in difficulty shipping it to mills during the long series of blockades. Photo: Sohel Parvez

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Md Lokman Ali, a paddy wholesaler at Shisha Haat of Naogaon, has been banking on Friday, the only blockade-free day between December 17 and 24, to send out the 815 tonnes of paddy congesting his warehouse.Storage space, after all, is of the essence to him now, with the newly-harvested aman paddy, the country's second biggest crop, flowing in everyday.After desperately searching for trucks since Thursday, he managed 22 trucks, enough to send off 330 tonnes to millers at Tangail on Friday evening. I suppose I will have to wait until next Friday to send out the remaining stock. It is really frustrating, said an annoyed Ali, who normally buys 100 tonnes of paddy daily and dispatches them to millers on the same day.The irregular delivery of paddy, on the other hand, has caused half of the country's 17,000-odd rice millers to suspend production, said Md Layek Ali, convener of Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mill Owners Association. On one hand, we are not getting delivery properly from our commission agents and wholesalers. And on the other hand, we are unable to deliver the already-hulled rice to urban areas and get money from the sales, said Protap Saha, one of the owners of Pragrati Auto Rice Mill.The Dinajpur-based mill had to suspend production from Tuesday.We have orders from our buyers to send rice, but we do not get paid until delivery. As a result, we do not have the funds to buy paddy, said Reza Humayun Faroque, general secretary of the Rice Millers Association of Dinajpur.The plight of the rice millers, however, had had a knock-on effect, with the wholesalers struggling to pay the small traders and farmers, in turn. Our buyers cannot pay us timely, so we are unable to pay the growers and traders for their paddy up front, said Md Khalequr Rahman Chowdhury, a paddy wholesaler at Dhelapeer bazaar at Nillphamari.On Friday noon, some 42 farmers and small traders were seen waiting at his store for money from their paddy sales. But Chowdhury, on the other hand, was waiting for the money from the millers.For the first time, I am

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having to wait for money after selling paddy, said Dinesh Chandra Roy, a small farmer at Khanshama of Dinajpur, one of the two main rice-growing regions of the country.The 46-year old has an urgent need for money to buy essentials and fertilisers for the maize field. We are all being held hostage by the two political parties, added an aggrieved Roy.Meanwhile, the effects of the ruptured supply chain have started to show up at the consumer level, with the prices of rice on the rise in Dhaka. Fine rice sold for Tk 46-58 per kilogram in city markets yesterday, up from Tk 44-56 on Wednesday. Published: 11:50 am Sunday, December 22, 2013

Businessmen warned against rice importation


Posted on December 22, 2013 09:58:57 PM DAVAOCITY --Mayor RodrigoR. Dutertehas issued a warning against businessmen who areinto thequestionable importation of ricepassingthroughthe cityafterInternalRevenuechiefKimS.Jacinto-Henarescalledhimuptoaskforhissupportinthegovernmentstaxationprogram. Iwillmake yourlifemiserable,hesaid in astatement addressed to local ricetraders.Stop it (riceimportation)or you willlose yourbusiness permit and maybe your pants. I will order an investigation into your tax payments, Mr. Duterte said, noting he does not want to meddle in these issues but will cooperate with the national government once asked to do so.Rice importers, he said, are currentlycompeting with local farmers because of the verylow prices of imported rice, or below local farm-gate prices.I have to protect the small against the big ones and if you cannot understand my stand on this, then you have a problem, Mr. Duterte said.The law is clear so do your duty, the mayor told officials of the Bureau of Customs (BoC) in the city.Mr. Duterte said Ms. Henares told him that .DavaoCityistheweakestlinktothegovernmentsrevenue-raisingprogram. He said he will not allow smugglers to make Davao a staging area for their smuggling activities.He said a case questioning the importation of rice is already in court but in the meantime there is no clear ruling on this matter, he wants everything, all importations of rice stopped.While Mr. Duterte has not specifically mentionedanycaserelatedtoMs.Henarescall,itcanberecalledthatJudgeEmmanuelC.CarpioofthecitysRegionalTrialCourtBranch16orderedtheBoC lastweektorefrainfromholdingandseizingariceshipmentmadebyalocalbusinessmanworthP21.132million.TheordercameasaresultoftheBoCsrefusal toreleasethericeshipment purchased last October,allegingthelocal businessman failed to secure apermit fromtheNational Food Authority(NFA).TheNFA earlier issued a similar warning against anyillegal rice importation, especially coming from Vietnam.This is in line with reports that a group of private importers hadrecentlysignedacontract withVietnamSouthernFoodCorp. II(Vinafood II) forthesupplyof120,000metrictons ofVietnamriceto thePhilippines.NFA SpokespersonRex C. Estoperez saidthe contract is illegal because underthe Minimum Access Volume -- CountrySpecificQuotaProgram,privateimporters can onlysourcetheir ricesupplyfromChina, Australia, India and Thailand. These safeguards areimportant forthe welfareofourlocal farmers who are greatly affected by the overimportation of rice into the country, thats why the NFA is doing its best to strictly enforce the import volume restriction and the required permit,Mr.Estoperezsaidinastatement. --CarmencitaA.Carillo

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Duterte vows to cancel business permits of rice smugglers


By GermelinaLacorte

DAVAO CITY, Philippines Mayor Rodrigo Duterte warned rice importers he would suspend their business permits should they refuse to stop smuggling in the city.Do not fight with me, I will make your life miserable, Duterte said over his Sunday television program Gikan sa masa, para sa masa, following reports of smuggling in Davao city.If BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) or (Bureau of) Customs or the President or trade and industry officials ask for my help, I am duty-bound to cancel your permits, so, Im issuing this warning: stop it, he said, adding that the warning covered everybody connected with smuggling, everything from cars but most especially rice.Over the past few months, customs officials have put on hold a number of rice shipments at the Davao port whose importers failed to secure import permits.

Some rice importing companies, however, questioned the Philippine governments continued imposition of import permits when the quantitative restrictions (QR) on rice trading, which limited the entry of rice into the Philippines, expired in June under the World Trade Organization-General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (WTO-GATT).This simply means import permits are no longer needed for rice to enter the country, provided the tariff rate of 50 percent is paid by the importer, subject to compliance with customs procedures, said Lawyer Benito Salazar, representing the firms Silent Royalty Marketing and Starcraft International, who cried foul over accusations that they smuggled rice into this port.Duterte said cheap rice imports have been killing local farmers, whose interest the government has been duty-bound to protect.As a matter of fact, you will compete with local farmers, even at the farmgate prices, patay na ang Filipinos (the Filipino farmers are dead), I have to protect the small against the big ones, Duterte said, addressing importers, telling them to stop shipping in their smuggled rice to Davao city as they await the courts decision.Theres a legal controversy there, so, lets leave it to the courts to decide, he said.But if you do, the fastest you can lose will be your business permits, and maybe your pants, he said.Once your business permits are canceled, I will ask the BIR to inspect your property and whether youve been paying taxes in the last five years.
Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. FILE PHOTO

Finally, High Duty on Rice Import Take Tolls on Supply


22 Dec 2013 Bags of rice With just a few days to Christmas, Nigerians may have to drift away from the conventional rice meal as the price of the commodity is going beyond the reach of ordinary people, reports Vanessa Obioha...THISDAY

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checks at Daleko market Mushin, one of the biggest rice markets in West Africa last week showed that business is slow. Traders who blamed the development on high duty charge on rice importation by the Federal Government, said it is becoming increasingly difficult for importers to bring their rice into the market where major companies and distributors trade.It was gathered that many customers have decided to try other foodstuff because price of a bag of rice is becoming prohibitive. A random market survey by THISDAY for instance showed that the price of a bag of rice ranges from N10, 000 and above. In fact, for retail sellers, they buy retailers have no choice but to buy inferior rice product in the market because, according to an unidentified rice trader, No one will buy a de Rica of rice for N300. It is outrageous.Touts who usually hang around to help customers carry their goods are seen loitering around the market with an air of hopelessness. There are just few trucks offloading bags of rice in the market. These are just indications that the high cost of rice is affecting the business of the day.Rice,is the most preferred food in most homes and the ideal dish during occasions and festive periods. Companies also give out rice to their staff and clients during festive periods as well. However, the tariff imposed by Federal Government on rice import has changed the tune of trading of this commodity. Importers now have difficulty importing rice into the country. In January, the Federal Government increased the duty charge on rice importation from 35 per cent to a range of 110-120 percent. This was done to frustrate smugglers and encourage local production of rice with the aim of attracting investors in the rice industry. It also targets to reduce importation of rice and increase the selfsufficiency of rice production in the country.However, the reverse seems to be the case as importers of the food commodity have had a rough year since they cant afford to pay the increased duty charge while smugglers are having a field day. This policy instead of discouraging smugglers has rather increased smuggling activities. According to an employee of Stallion Rice who pleaded anonymity, the company has not imported any rice this year; rather it is the leftover vessels from last year production that is being distributed in the market. Even these are not completely sold out. This case is not only peculiar to them but to other importers as well. The importers are tempted to buy from the smugglers to retain their presence in the market while those who cant keep up with the competition take a bow.Smuggled rice are shipped into the market but this too is a bit scarce. Though, land importation of rice is prohibited, most rice are brought into the country through land ports especially through the Seme Border.The leading brand in the market is Royal Premium and costs N14,000. Other rice ranges from N13, 000 and below.

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The Cotonou rice which is often seen in the market is also quickly disappearing as custom officials have made smuggling difficult for its perpetrators.The implication of the government policy is that there are no local rice available in the markets, thus, making business slow for the traders. This will also affect rice consumption by the masses. According to the Iyalode of Daleko market, Mrs. Gbemisola Olatunji, the new policy of the federal government does not augur well with importers.The duty imposed by the government since January this year has made it impossible for importers to import rice. We are pleading with the government to reduce the charge or revert to the previous charge so that rice can be affordable this season. Now the price for a bag of rice has increased seriously, now we sell for N13, 000, N14, 000. The lowest is N12, 000. The rice we are consuming today is smuggled and thats because the duty charge is high and this rice is also cheaper in the market. Speaking on the availability of local rice in Nigeria, she said We heard they are producing rice in Nigeria, we have not seen any local brand at all. There is no locally produced rice in this market. As things are right now, Nigerians would have to look for another alternative this season because rice is very costly in the market. In a recent meeting held in Abuja with rice importers, millers and dealers, the Chairman, Presidential Task Force on Trade Malpractices, Mr. Dahiru Ado-Kurawa reiterated that the government policy to stop rice importation will be maintained. According to him, the target of self-sufficiency in rice production would be achieved and soon Nigeria can boast of its own rice like it did with the maize, thus it can be a revenue gain for local farmers. But with the new policy, there have been revenue loss for the government because the unavailability of local rice and low importation translates to smuggled rice.Nevertheless, locally produced rice has its own challenges and the lack of of infrastructure across the country to help these local farmers grow rice still poise a problem. Some locally produced rice are not comparable to the standard of those produced in USA and other developed countries. Local rice still have an insignificant presence in the market. Moreover, the shift from imported rice to locally produced rice consumption will be another matter of worry as the quality of this rice is yet to be ascertained.Another concern is how prepared are these farmers to meet up with the demand of the teeming populace. Nigeria population is about 167 million, how many local farmers and investors do we have in the industry to feed the masses?The cost of production is another hurdle for local producers to overcome. Rice production goes through various processes and this inadvertently will affect the cost which will be higher than the smuggled rice in the country.

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Border security is a major matter of concern. The borders are where smuggling activities are at their peaks. If the border is adequately secured, then the rice industry will have little or no worry.While seeking for a significant growth in the rice industry, the government had to ensure that proper feasibility study is carried out to meet with the needs of the local farmers as well as ensure that the right facilities to project their aim are available.There is currently no leading brand of local rice in the market. If it is geared to ensure rice importation is minimal, then it must carry out a well -planned strategy to assist local producers in the industry.With this new development, rice will become a luxury for most homes if the price does not decrease. It is bound to cause unrest as the price is high, demand is high but the supply is low. The masses may probably heed to Olatunjis advice by opting for other staple foods in the country. Tags: Business, Nigeria, Featured, Rice Import

Restarting Rabi Crop will Help Stabilise Price


By M Ilyas - VIJAYAWADA Published: 23rd December 2013 07:33 AM Last Updated: 23rd December 2013 07:33 AM

A farmer showing damaged paddy at Rayanapadu near Vijayawada | EXPRESS PHOTO The series of rains as a result of cyclones have affected paddy production in Krishna district.armers of the district are the worst sufferers of natural calamities and further the absence of irrigation water as the state government did not release irrigation water for rabi crops in the past two years. This has barred farmers from taking up cultivation and severely affected paddy production.Krishna district is regarded as the rice bowl of Andhra Pradesh. According to agriculture department, paddy is cultivated in 6.50 lakh acres in Krishna district in the kharif season, 5.24 lakh farmers are engaged in cultivation and 6.73 people are dependent on cultivation earning their livelihood as agriculture coolies. The

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absence of irrigation water for rabi season has resulted in decreased paddy production to 13.90 lakh metric tonnes for the past two years and the recent rains had further diminished the projected yield to 10.50 lakh metric tonnes.Joint director of agriculture (Incharge), Krishna district, NC Balu Naik said that farmers of the district cultivates BPT and MTU 1051 rice variety. He said that 4.50 lakh tonnes rice would be produced from 10.50 lakh metric tonnes of paddy in kharif season. He further said that as the government will release water for rabi season, nearly 4 lakh tonnes of rice can be produced from projected 9.50 lakh metric tonnes. Naik opined that the rice price will be stable till next season as paddy production is going to increase in the district due to restarting of rabi cultivation. A farmer from Gudivada, P Venkateswarlu said that torrential rains had discoloured and damaged paddy. He said that untimely rain will affect paddy in the yield stage which further decreases the prices due to bad quality. Another paddy farmer, D Mallaiah of Avanigadda alleged that rice millers will procure paddy from farmers and will create artificial shortage by preserving stocks to jack up prices. He opined that the government should directly purchase paddy and control the price in the open market. Mallaiah lamented that the paddy procurement centres have become useless as these centers were rejecting damaged and discoloured paddy.There are nearly 280 rice mills in Krishna district. A market expert, P Govinda Rao who has been in the rice business for the past 20 years, said that there is no use with the governments rice scheme as hoarders will purchase this subsidy rice and will sell to rice mills which further recycles subsidy rice to thin or super fine variety and will sell in the open market for higher prices. He opined that conversion of paddy into rice should be carried by the government after procurement from farmers to control the spiraling prices of rice. Govinda Rao said that as the people are preferring thin variety rice, the government should encourage farmers to cultivate the same which would stabilize rice prices in the open market.Krishna District Rice Millers Association leader, P Veeraiah said that some hoarders and black marketers are resorting to illegal ways to earn huge profits.Senior rice merchant, Varada Prasad said that restarting rabi cultivation will help stabilize the price in the open market due to availability. He felt that super fine variety is available from Rs 45 to Rs 56 per kg in the open market and there are chances of only a slight increase in these prices.AP Rytu Sangham Krishna district president, Y Kesava Rao alleged that the government had failed to restrain hoarders and further to control the rice price. He lamented that farmers are incurring losses due to paddy cultivation but rice millers and traders are earning huge profits.

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