24th november ,2018 daily global regional local rice e newlsetter

1 | w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o g s p o t . c o m ,
m u j a h i d . r i c e p l u s @ g m a i l . c o m
November 24 ,2018
Vol 9 ,Issue 11

A rice revolution is underway in Asia
Major yet quiet breakthroughs in genetically modified rice have made crops more resilient to
rising climate change challenges like monsoon floods and rising seas
By JOHN MCBETH JAKARTA, NOVEMBER 23, 2018 4:20 PM (UTC+8)

A rice paddy field in rural Karnataka, India. Photo: iStock/Getty Images
In advances reminiscent of the ―Green Revolution‖ of four decades ago, agricultural scientists
have quietly made important breakthroughs in the cultivation of Asia’s prime staple food,
developing so-called ―scuba rice‖ that survives long periods of flooding and an alkaline-resistant
―sea rice‖ farmers are already growing along China’s northern coast.

With an eye to an uncertain future, the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute’s
(IRRI) last month sealed a deal with the Global Crop Diversity Trust to provide permanent
funding for the conservation and sharing of 136,000 varieties of a grain that currently feeds more
than 3.5 billion people a day.
IRRI director general Matthew Morell says the institute’s invaluable gene bank has become a
fundamental part of global efforts to make rice more resilient, sustainable and equitable at a time
when the impact of climate change far outweighs the positive effects of CO2 fertilization.
In China’s coastal Shandong province, north of Shanghai, scientists are claiming initial success
in an ambitious plan to grow rice on 20 million hectares of tidal flats and saline-alkali soil,
especially in the Yellow River Delta, which they believe could ultimately feed an additional 80
million people.
That’s about 80% of the Shandong populace, or 10% of the 840 million Chinese who depend on
rice as their staple – a figure that is unlikely to grow beyond 2030 when the emerging super
power’s population is expected to peak at about 1.45 billion.
Avoiding the controversy associated with genetically modified rice, scientists have been trying to
grow the grain in brackish water since the 1970s. But it is only now they have come up with

varieties that yield a commercially viable four and a half to nine tons a hectare.
A mill worker in Thailand holds harvested rice grains. Photo: Reuters / Jorge Silva
China has strived for self-sufficiency in rice, wheat and corn since the late 1960s, but still falls
short of satisfying an appetite for rice which rose from 125 million tons in 1975 to 261 million
tons in 2016, in line with a population increase of 484 million.
Last year, China was the world’s biggest rice importer with 5.1 million tons, ahead of Nigeria
(3.3 million), the Philippines (1.9 million), Iran and Indonesia (1.7 million). India, by
comparison, was the biggest rice exporter, followed by Thailand, the United States, Pakistan and
Vietnam.
Self-sufficiency is a key objective of most other Asian governments, but with widely varying
degrees of success determined not so much by yields per hectare as water supply and flat land,
particularly in countries with large river deltas like Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar.

In Indonesia, importing rice is always a hot political issue, largely because its people believe the
country is self-sufficient. It did in fact achieve that goal between 1984-86, but rarely since then
with per capita consumption at 148 kilograms a year – fourth behind Myanmar, Vietnam and
Bangladesh.
IRRI’s high-tech facility in Los Baños, southeast of Manila, has developed improved rice
varieties that withstand flooding and drought, and at the same time help keep pace with a
growing world population and changing consumer preferences.
By 2050, Asia’s estimated 5.2 billion population will eat about 90% of annual global rice
production, which according to most current estimates will have increased from the current 450
million tons to a staggering 525 million tons.
Men load rice bags to a ship for export at a rice processing factory in Vietnam’s southern
Mekong delta, July 6, 2017. Photo: Reuters/Kham
IRRI scientists have used its gene bank to achieve genetic breakthroughs tailored to worldwide
climate extremes that already threaten production in key rice-producing regions, including
China, India and Indonesia – the three largest producers and consumers.

Scuba rice will eventually benefit farmers tending 20 million hectares of rice-land across Asia hit
by regular monsoonal flooding, which last year killed more than 1,200 people in South Asia
alone and raised fears of long-term food insecurity.
While the staple normally dies within days of being submerged, ―scuba rice‖ can withstand
flooding for up to two weeks or more and is now being grown by five million farmers in India,
Bangladesh, the Philippines and Indonesia, with Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia as future
targets.
Through collaborative research, scientists from the IRRI and the University of California have
spent the past four decades isolating and transferring the water-tolerant Submarino-1 (sub-1)
gene from India’s Orissa variety into other popular rice types, using a technique known as
marker-assisted backcrossing.
The gene is only activated when it is under water, effectively placing the plant in a dormant state
and allowing it to conserve energy until the floodwaters slowly recede. Normally, rice stems
grow quickly to get the leaves out of water, which exhausts the plant’s energy reserves.
Rice farmers in Thailand working in their fields. Photo: AFP
Scuba rice is now grown over 600,000 hectares in India and Bangladesh, where flooding causes
annual paddy losses of four million tons, enough to feed 30 million people. The funding has
largely come from the foundation created by US billionaire Bill Gates, which focuses on
alleviating the impact of climate change on the world’s poor.
Currently, the so-called Swarna Sub-1 variety is planted across 367,000 ha of eastern India, with
the rest grown by about 40% of the farmers in the northwest of typhoon-battered Bangladesh,
now the world’s sixth largest producer.
In Indonesia, scuba rice covers more than 430,000 ha of such flood-prone areas as Palembang in
South Sumatra and Bandung in West Java, where the Ciherang sub-1 – one of seven different
flood-resistant varieties in Asia — was first released in 2012.

Under normal conditions, the average yield of most varieties of scuba rice is about 4.5 to 6.5 tons
per hectare. During periods of flooding, say IRRI scientists, Ciherang sub-1 still yields 3-4 tons,
even after two weeks of complete submergence.
While limited so far, production in the Philippines is concentrated in low-lying regions like
Nueva Ecija in central Luzon, North Cotabato in Mindanao, and Bohol and Samar in the central
and eastern Visayas where farmers report an average yield of 4.5 tons a hectare.
More than 20 tropical cyclones wreak havoc in the central and northern Philippines each year.
One of the most destructive was Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, which killed 4,460 people,
destroyed 2,000 hectares of paddy fields and caused US$225 million in agricultural damage
across Leyte and eastern Visayas.

A Cambodian farmer cuts rice in a field in Cambodia’s Kampong Speu province. Photo:
AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy
Only last September, Typhoon Mangkhut caused paddy losses of 275,000 tons in northern
Luzon, forcing the Philippine government to add 420,000 tons to the one million tons of rice
imports ordered earlier in the year to make up for a perennial shortfall.
Conserved in the IRRI gene bank are improvements to its IR8, the high-yielding ―miracle rice‖
which brought Asia back from the brink of famine during the so-called Green Revolution in the
1960s and 70s, when new innovations transformed agriculture across Southeast Asia.
The collection also includes wild rice species, which have been used to develop varieties that
tolerate heat and drought and resist pests and diseases. Some have also been modified to resist
iron toxicity, a common problem that affects mostly lowland rice in Africa.

The landmark agreement on conserving IRRI’s gene bank encompasses what Crop Trust
executive director Marie Haga calls ―20 years of work and 50 years of thinking‖ on how the
international community can safeguard crops used for food and agriculture.
The IRRI is one of 11 gene banks belonging to the Consultative Group for International
Agriculture Research (CGIAR), a global research partnership working to reducing poverty,
enhancing food and nutrition security and improving natural resources and ecosystem service.
http://www.atimes.com/article/a-rice-revolution-is-underway-in-asia/
Searca, IFS gather scientists, experts vs climate change
BY CONRAD M. CARIÑO
NOVEMBER 23, 2018
SEARCA, IFS GATHER SCIENTISTS, EXPERTS VS CLIMATE CHANGE
LOS BAÑOS, Laguna: Twenty-seven young scientists and 10 experts serving as mentors from
eight Southeast Asian countries met on Tuesday and Wednesday here for a two-day workshop to
enhance ongoing collaborative research on climate change adaptation and mitigation in the
agriculture sector.
The workshop, titled ―IFS-SEARCA Mentoring Workshop on Collaborative Research in Climate
Change Adaptation and Mitigation,‖ was organized by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for
Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) and the International Foundation for
Science (IFS) based in Sweden. It was held at the Searca headquarters here.
The 27 participants, 15 of whom were female, composed the 12 collaborative research teams
from various government, research, academic and private institutions in Southeast Asia that
received a research grant financed by the Carolina MacGillavry endowment and Searca.
The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture and the
International Foundation for Science based in Sweden recently gathered 27 young scientists and
10 experts from eight Southeast Asian countries to enhance ongoing collaborative research on
climate change adaptation and mitigation in the agriculture sector. SEARCA PHOTO
―This workshop is part of the memorandum of agreement for an IFS-Searca Collaborative
Research Grants Pilot. This is the third batch of grantees facilitated by IFS but the first one in

Asia. The first and second pilots were implemented in Africa in 2013 and 2014,‖ Searca said in a
statement.
In the workshop orientation, Maria Celeste Cadiz, PhD, a technical advisor of Searca, said the
mentoring process is expected to help the researchers in strengthening their processes, ensuring
that their projects are of high quality and producing useful results. The grants commenced in
2017 and are expected to be completed by December 2020. Thus, the workshop was timed while
the researchers were in the midst of analyzing their research and writing their reports.
During the first day of the workshop, participants identified the following areas of their
mentoring needs and concerns: research methods and data analysis; project-
specific technical concerns; collaborative scientific report writing; journal article writing and
other means of communicating research results; intellectual ownership/property rights; and
future grant opportunities and additional budget.
The teams were able to report their research progress and get feedback from their mentors in a
one-on-one setting for project-specific questions and in a plenary for cross-cutting concerns.
―The mentors are volunteers identified by Searca and IFS from a pool of established regional and
international scientists from esteemed research and academic institutions including the Central
Luzon State University in the Philippines, International Rice Research Institute, Katsetsart
University in Thailand, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, University of the
Philippines Los Baños, and University of the Philippines Visayas,‖ Searca said.
Aside from their mentors, the research teams were also able to get inputs from resource persons
from IFS and Searca, while Nighisty Ghezae, PhD, IFS director, presented the challenges and
lessons learned from the first and second pilot grantees. Bessie Burgos, PhD, technical advisor

for Searca research and development, presented the mid-term report of the current batch of
researchers.
https://www.manilatimes.net/searca-ifs-gather-scientists-experts-vs-climate-change/471865/
Big Data: 0.32 seconds
By Dante Ramos GLOBE COLUMNIST NOVEMBER 23, 2018
That, according to research described on the science website Phys.org, is the typical length of the
hand motion that expert Taiwanese chefs use — over and over again for about two minutes —
while tossing fried rice in a hot wok. A research team led by a Georgia Institute of Technology
fluid mechanics professor watched the way chefs at two restaurants flung rice around in the hot
pan. The technique — which involves both moving the pan forward and back and tilting it from
side to side, all in a quick, deft motion lasting a third of a second — allows grains of rice to cook,
cool in midair, and mix back into the pile very rapidly.
This approach takes a lot of skill on the chef’s part. So far, robots have made lousy fried rice,
because scientists could never quite figure out the proper motion. The Georgia Tech study could
be a big advance for robo-stir-fries. Humans may not dominate the rice-tossing field forever.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2018/11/23/bigdata/bbPl4TZzS2JA41uLXRDykJ/story.html

Our rice program with Papua New Guinea
EDITORIAL
Updated November 22, 2018, 5:57 PM
Papua New Guinea (PNG) was in the news this week as the site of this year’s Asia Pacific
Economic Conference (APEC) meeting, with the leaders of 21 member economies in the region
in attendance. For the first time in its 25-year history, it ended Sunday without issuing a formal
statement, as its two biggest members – the United States and China – were unable to reach
agreement on trade.
President Duterte led the Philippine delegation to the conference held at Port Moresby, capital
of Papua New Guinea. While the APEC ended on such a negative note, our own officials
were there not just for APEC but also for a bilateral program with that country southeast of the
Philippines, just north of Australia. That program is for the production of rice by Filipino farmers
on 50,000 hectares of land in East Sepik province.
Secretary of Agriculture Emmanuel Pinol said at Port Moresby that Filipino farmers now have a
rice demonstration farm there which, he said, is doing very well because of the fertile soil. Its

first harvest is expected in the last week of December.
While rice production costs in the Philippines amount to P12 per kilo, compared to Vietnam’s
P7 per kilo, Secretary Pinol said Filipino famers can match Vietnam’s low production cost
with rice farms in Papua New Guinea because of the fertility of the land and the abundance of
water. The East Sepik River is said to be one of the largest rivers in the world.

The plan is to develop first 100,000 hectares to produce some 400,000 metric tons of rice to
meet the needs of Papua New Guinea’s population of 8 million people. Pinol said he hopes some
1 million hectares of PNG’s 46 million hectares of fertile land will eventually be made
available for the Philippine rice program. In five years, we should be able to ship the first rice
from PNG to the Philippines, he said.
Philippine rice production today is held back by several factors, including our limited arable land
area of just over 9 million hectares which is steadily decreasing due to urban development to
meet the needs of our 107 million people. We also have limited water supply which is
important in rice faming. But we have new high-yielding and disease-resistant rice varieties
developed by our scientists over the years.
The idea of reaching out to largely underdeveloped Papua New Guinea was an inspired idea that
should reap benefits for both our countries. This neighbor of ours in the South Pacific may well
serve, in the words of Secretary Pinol, as the Philippines’ food security insurance.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/11/22/our-rice-program-with-papua-new-guinea/
Discover a world of rice at MAHA
November 23, 2018, Friday at 12:11 AM
KUALA LUMPUR: ―Hitam Tadung‖, ―Mamut‖ and ―Bubuk Wangi‖ are just a few of the 20
varieties of rice from around the world being exhibited by Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) at
the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Show (MAHA) 2018 till Dec 2.
In a statement yesterday, Bernas explained that Hitam Tadung comes from the highlands in
Tambunan, Sabah, while Mamut and Bubuk Wangi come from Sri Aman in Sarawak.
Bernas said its objective in displaying the many rice varieties from Sabah and Sarawak is to
expose MAHA visitors to what is available locally.
―The range from Sabah and Sarawak proves that our rice is on par with foreign varieties both in
taste and texture,‖ Bernas said.
Bernas also introduced the ―Hitam Wangi Keladi‖ rice, which is a highland variety from
Keningau, Sabah.
―It looks like black glutinous rice and is mainly grown on a small scale by villagers. As
production is limited, it costs between RM15 and RM16 per kg,‖ the agency said.
It added that the Bario variety has been recognised as one of the world’s best and is currently
being sold in supermarkets here.
―Bario rice is special because it is grown in the highlands and irrigated by water from the
mountains,‖ Bernas said.

The small-grain rice also has a unique taste and soft texture, is sticky like glutinous rice, and
compared with other rice, is creamier.
―Planted anywhere else, it won’t be the same,‖ Bernas said.
Visitors to Laman Padi will get to taste 16 varieties of rice like the Bario, Mamut, Wangi Keladi
and Hitam Tadung. Also available are the Thai Red Rice, Thai Rice Berry, Bangladeshi
Aromatic Chinigura Rice and India’s Pusa 1121 Basmati Sela Rice Cream.
Rice-based traditional dishes like Bubur Lambuk, Putu Mayam, Inang-Inang, sweet Pongal rice
and congee are also on the menu for tasting till Dec 2. — Bernam
http://www.theborneopost.com/2018/11/23/discover-a-world-of-rice-at-maha/
Customs Intercepts 27 Trucks Of Rice, 21 Vehicles Worth
N2.9bn
Published
November 22, 2018
By YUSUF BABALOLA
The Seme border command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) yesterday said it seized
contraband worth over N2.9billion which included 27 trailers load of foreign parboiled rice
smuggled into the country through neighbouring Benin Republic.

Speaking while displaying the seized items to journalists yesterday, the customs area controller
of the command, Comptroller Mohammed Uba Garba, said the command also seized 21 exotic
vehicles worth N135million between September and November 2018.
According to him, 57 packs of Tramadol worth N11 million, 40 pieces of used textiles valued at
N774,270 and 115 cartons of imported frozen poultry products worth 728,654 were also seized.
He said, ―During this two months, our resolute determination to succeed resulted in an
impressive revenue generation of N1.9 billion realised for the period under review. Similarly, the
uncompromising stance of the enforcement unit led to the seizure of 850 items with a duty paid
value (DPV) of (378 million.‖
Narrating the seizures, the customs boss said the bags of rice seized were equivalent to 27 trailers
and worth N302.4 million.
He said, ―The seizures were 16,729 bags of 50kg foreign rice which is equivalent of 27 trailers of
rice. N302,477,040, 115 cartons of imported {frozen poultry products worth N728,654; 57 X 50
litres of jerry Cans of vegetable oil N400,440 and 111 pieces of used tyres worth N859,345.
―Others are 21 vehicles, 134,410,536; 50 litres of Jerry can of petroleum products worth
N300,572 378, 50kg bags of sugar N7,394,521 and 40 pieces of used textiles: N774,270. ―57
packs of Tramadol N11,090,832; 387 sacks of coconut N2,313,360 and General Goods worth
N52,005,135 making a total of N2,839,507,352.66.‖
However , Mohammed said seven suspects who were connected to the act were arrested and in
various stages of investigations and conviction.
https://leadership.ng/2018/11/22/customs-intercepts-27-trucks-of-rice-21-vehicles-worth-n2-9bn/
Madras HC: Free Rice Is Making People Lazy, Workers Being
Brought From Northern States
The Logical Indian CrewTamil Nadu
November 23rd, 2018 / 6:42 PM /
The Madras High Court on Thursday, November 22 observed that the distribution of free Public
Distribution System (PDS) rice should only be for families who fall below the poverty line
(BPL).

Free Rice Is Making People ―Lazy‖
It also noted that giving away free rice to all the beneficiaries is making people in Tamil Nadu
lazy and that labour has to be imported from the northern states for performing menial tasks.
While it is required for every state government to provide basic necessities like rice and other
commodities to the economically backward sections, successive governments in Tamil Nadu
have reportedly extended the benefits of PDS to all people for ulterior motives, noted the bench.
A bench comprising Justices N Kirubakaran and Abdul Quddhose made these observations while
hearing a petition which was challenging detention under the Goondas Act of a person accused
of smuggling and selling PDS rice, reported The Economic Times. The bench also took note of
the fact that irrespective of their economic status, free rice was given to every ration-card
holder.
Reportedly, the Tamil Nadu government said that in the year 2017-2018 alone, Rs 2,110 crores
were spent on the distribution of free rice. The High Court bench said that this large sum of

money could be used judiciously for other infrastructure purposes. Moreover, even though this
serves people, it is a recurring capital loss for the government, noted the bench.
Additionally, it asked the government to submit any report which shows if it has conducted any
survey to identify BPL families. Advocate general Vijay Narayan sought time to get instructions
as to whether the scheme should be amended to exclude other people from the programme.
Reportedly, the bench directed the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation to file its annual
reports for the last 10 years. The next date of hearing has been posted as November 30.
Scheme announced in 2016
Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalithaa had launched the scheme of free distribution
of 20 kg rice to beneficiaries under the public distribution system (PDS) on June 1, 2016. It
called for the distribution of 20 kg free rice to 1.83 crore cardholders and 18.62 lakh Antyodaya
Anna Yojana (AAY) beneficiaries, reported The Hindu.
Before that, the commodity was given out to the beneficiaries at a price of Rs 1, proportionate to
the number of members in the family, from 12 kg to 20 kg a month per card. Besides this, 35kgs
of rice was being given to people under the Antyodaya Scheme.
https://thelogicalindian.com/news/free-rice-tamil-nadu/
Asia Rice: Indian rates gain for third week; markets eye
Philippine order
By Reuters November 23, 2018 | 09:45 am GMT+7
Labourers remove dried grass from a rice field on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, August 30, 2016.
Photo by Reuters/Amit Dave

Rice export prices rose for a third straight week in India while an Philippine order did little
to infuse activity in Thailand and Vietnam.
India’s 5 percent broken parboiled variety was quoted around $367-$375 per tonne this week,
from $363-$371 the last week.
The top exporter’s rupee currency rose to its highest level in more than two months, trimming
exporters’ margins.
"Paddy rice prices have jumped in Chhattisgarh and other neighbouring states and accordingly
export prices are going up," said an exporter based in Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra
Pradesh.
In July, the government raised prices paid to local farmers for common grade paddy rice by 13
percent from a year earlier to 1,750 rupees per 100 kg for the new season crop.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Bangladesh will procure 600,000 tons of rice at 36 taka ($0.40) per kg
from local farmers in the current harvesting season to boost reserves, a food ministry official
said.
In Vietnam, rates for 5 percent broken rice fell to about $410 a ton from $415-$420 last week.
"Though prices are lower, trade remains very quiet as domestic supplies are empty. Prices will
fall further in the coming weeks, closer to the levels offered by Thailand and India," a trader
based in Ho Chi Minh City said.
"The Tan Long Group offered 118,000 tonnes in a Philippines import tender for 500,000 tons
earlier this week, but the firm hasn’t been seen buying rice from the local market, and it’s not
clear where its source will be."
The Philippines is on a rice-buying spree this year in a bid to tame prices that surged as stocks at
government warehouses nearly ran out.
Singapore-based commodity trader Olam International offered to supply the Philippines with
210,000 tons and Vietnam’s Tan Long Group Joint Stock Co offered 118,000 tons.
Traders said the Vietnamese market will remain quiet until early next year when supplies of the
winter-spring crop become available.
Meanwhile in Thailand, benchmark 5 percent broken rice prices were quoted at $382-$395 per
ton, free on board (FOB) Bangkok, narrowed from $380-$398 last week.

Thailand will only supply part of the Philippines deal so there has been no immediate impact yet,
but there is a chance that domestic price could rise later this week because of it, a Bangkok-based
rice trader said.
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/world/business/asia-rice-indian-rates-gain-for-third-week-markets-
eye-philippine-order-3843442.html
Punsup detects bogus purchase, Registers case against
Aarthias and Miller
November 23, 2018 06:56 PM
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CHANDIGARH: Punjab Food and Civil Supply Department is making special efforts to
identify bogus purchases and plug loopholes in the system and continuing with the efforts to
check bogus billing the department has once again detected bogus purchase to the tune of 86,939
bags of paddy worth Rs. 5.6 Cr, informed Mr Bharat Bhushan Ashu Food and Civil Supplies
Minister Punjab.
Giving details, he informed that as inputs were being received that there is movement of
paddy/rice from other states to Punjab, PUNSUP held a meeting of its District Mangers on
20/11/18 and they were specially instructed to re-check the purchases done and verify the same
with the stocks in the premises of the Millers personally. District Manager Ferozepur on
21/11/2018 while scrutinizing the purchase detected abnormal purchase at Jiwan Arain & Panje
Ke Uttar Mandis by arhtias namely M/s Reet Enterprises owned by Jaswinder Singh, M/s
Jagdish Chander & Sons owned by Sandeep Kumar and Dhruv Commission Agent owned by
Rishu Mutneja. They had made bogus purchases of 86,939 bags of paddy in connivance with
M/s Sunrise Rice Mill, Jiwan Arain, Tehsil Guruharsahai against which payments to the tune of
Rs. 5.6 Cr. have been taken.
It is suspected that the miller was planning to buy paddy from other states like UP & Bihar,
where it is much cheaper than MSP and then deliver it during milling to make a quick profit. A
team headed by GM (Procurement) was also sent from Head Office, which conducted the
physical verification in the Rice mill and found a shortage of 86,939 bags of paddy. Further
investigation by the head office team revealed that there is money trail of funds diverted from
bank account of M/s Reet Enterprises owned by Jaswinder Singh to M/s A.M Industries Jiwan
Arain owned by Harpreet Singh who is real brother of M/s Jaswinder Singh. M/s A.M Industries
further distributed these funds to S.S Industries, G.S Trading Company, M.J Industries, Harpreet
Kaur and Amandeep and further details are being taken from banks. Punsup has placed the
Mandi incharge Sh. Hansa Singh Inspector under suspension with immediate effect.

The Minister said that an FIR has been lodged against the concerned arhtias M/s Reet Enterprises
owned by Jaswinder Singh, Jagdish Chander & Sons owned by Sandeep Kumar and
Dhruv Commission Agent owned by Rishu Mutneja and M/s Sunrise Rice mill owned by
Jasmeet Singh alongwith concerned mandi inspector Sh. Hansa Singh. Further the police has
been given the information regarding the diversion of funds to include the name of M/s A.M
Industries Jiwan Arain owned by Harpreet Singh who is real brother of Jaswinder Singh in the
case and also investigate further the role of S.S Industries, G.S Trading Company, M.J
Industries, Harpreet Kaur and Amandeep.
It is pertinent to mention that with the latest nab, the Punjab Food and Civil Supply Department
in a record of its kind has been successful in checking bogus billing of about 5 lakh bags of
paddy and rice in the ongoing Kharif Marketing Season.
http://punjabnewsexpress.com/punjab/news/punsup-detects-bogus-purchase-registers-case-against-
aarthias-and-miller-82343.aspx
Centre announces 5 per cent subsidy to boost rice exports
VISHWANATH KULKARNIT
Non-basmati shipments to get subsidy from Nov 26 to March 25
BENGALURU, NOVEMBER 23

As a 13 per cent increase in minimum support price (MSP) for paddy slows down India’s rice exports
in the current financial year, the Centre has announced incentive to boost the shipments of the cereal.
The non-basmati rice exports will get a 5 per cent subsidy under the Merchandise Exports from India
Scheme (MEIS) from November 26 till March 25, 2019, a Commerce Ministry note said.
The Centre’s latest move to subsidise the non-basmati rice shipments for the first time since exports
were opened up in 2011 assumes significance as the country is headed for a record harvest of rice,
pegged at 99.24 million tonnes by the Agriculture Ministry in its first advance estimates.
Also, the rice stocks in the Central pool as on November 1 stood at 16.25 mt, over 60 per cent higher
than the buffer norms.
The harvest of paddy has already commenced in several States and the state agencies led by Food
Corporation of India have already started the procurement of the cereal.
―The 5 per cent incentive under MEIS will definitely enhance our competitiveness in the world
market,‖ said BV Krishna Rao, President of the Rice Exporters Association, a trade body of non-
basmati rice millers and exporters. The subsidy coupled with a weak currency would help us offset
the impact of the MSP on exports and cover the shortfall in shipments, Rao said.
The Centre had increased the MSP for paddy by ₹200 per quintal at ₹1,750 per quintal for common
variety and ₹1,770 for Grade A.
Slowing exports
Indian’s non-basmati rice exports have slowed down during the past couple of months and exporters
said the hike in MSP had hit their competitiveness in the world market thereby impacting the exports.

In the first half of the current financial year, the shipments were down at 3.72 mt (4.28 mt in
corresponding last year) valued at $1.59 billion ($1.74 billion).
The opening up of non-basmati exports in 2011 has helped India emerge the largest rice exporter for
past several years. Major markets for the non-basmati rice are the African and Asian countries.
India, which ships out over 12 mt of rice, now accounts for over a fourth of the annual global rice
trade estimated at around 47 mt by the Food and Agricultural Organisation. India competes with
Vietnam, Thailand and Pakistan in the world rice market.
India’s total rice production during 2017-18 stood at 112.91 mt and the government is targeting 113
mt this year.
The FAO in its recent biannual Food Outlook has forecast that global rice production is set to
increase by 1.3 per cent to a new high of 513 mt this year and India would be spearheading the
growth in production.
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/centre-announces-5-per-cent-subsidy-to-
boost-rice-exports/article25580417.ece
PUNSUP detects bogus purchase, registers case against
arhtiya, miller
Saturday, 24 November 2018 | PNS | Chandigarh
Continuing its efforts to check bogus billing, Punjab Food and Civil Supply Department has once
again detected bogus purchase of 86,939 bags of paddy worth Rs 5.6 crore.
PUNSUP has placed the Mandi incharge Sh. Hansa Singh Inspector under suspension with
immediate effect.
While cases have been registered against all the commission agents (arhtiyas) and the millers
involved, PUNSUP has placed its Mandi in-charge Hansa Singh under suspension with
immediate effect.
Informing this, the state Food and Civil Supplies Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said that as
inputs were being received that there is movement of paddy or rice from other states to Punjab.
―PUNSUP held a meeting of its district mangers on November 20, and they were specially
instructed to re-check the purchases done and verify the same with the stocks in the premises of
the Millers personally,‖ said Ashu.

He said that Ferozepur District Manager on November 21, while scrutinizing the purchase,
detected abnormal purchase at Jiwan Arain and Panje Ke Uttar mandis by arhtiyas — M/s Reet
Enterprises owned by Jaswinder Singh and M/s Jagdish Chander and Sons owned by Sandeep
Kumar and Dhruv Commission Agent owned by Rishu Mutneja.
―They had made bogus purchases of 86,939 bags of paddy in connivance with M/s Sunrise Rice
Mill, Jiwan Arain, Tehsil Guru Har Sahai, against which payments to the tune of Rs 5.6 crore
have been taken.,‖ said Ashu adding that it was suspected that the miller was planning to buy
paddy from other states like UP and Bihar, where it is much cheaper than MSP and then deliver
it during milling to make a quick profit.
A team headed by General Manager (Procurement) was also sent from the Head Office, which
conducted the physical verification in the rice mill and found a shortage of 86,939 bags of paddy.
Further investigation by the head office team revealed that there is money trail of funds diverted
from bank account of M/s Reet Enterprises owned by Jaswinder Singh to M/s AM Industries
Jiwan Arain owned by Harpreet Singh who is real brother of M/s Jaswinder Singh.
M/s AM Industries further distributed these funds to SS Industries, GS Trading Company, MJ
Industries, Harpreet Kaur and Amandeep and further details are being taken from banks.
The Minister said that an FIR has been lodged against the concerned arhtiyas M/s Reet
Enterprises owned by Jaswinder Singh, Jagdish Chander & Sons owned by Sandeep Kumar and
Dhruv Commission Agent owned by Rishu Mutneja and M/s Sunrise Rice mill owned by
Jasmeet Singh along with concerned mandi inspector Hansa Singh.
Further the police has been given the information regarding diversion of funds to include the
name of M/s AM Industries Jiwan Arain owned by Harpreet Singh who is real brother of
Jaswinder Singh in the case and also investigate further the role of SS Industries, GS Trading
Company, MJ Industries, Harpreet Kaur and Amandeep.
Notably, with the latest nab, the Punjab Food and Civil Supply Department in a record of its kind
has been successful in checking bogus billing of about five lakh bags of paddy and rice in the
ongoing Kharif Marketing Season.
https://www.dailypioneer.com/2018/state-editions/punsup-detects-bogus-purchase--registers-case-against-
arhtiya--miller.html
Rice Tarrification Bill Enhances Local Farmers’
Competitiveness
By Featuresdesk (ICG) on November 24, 2018

Senator Cynthia Villar on Thursday stressed that the rice tarrification bill would enhance the
competitiveness of Filipino farmers rather than kill the local rice industry, as claimed by some
progressive lawmakers and peasant groups.
Villar, the chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, is the principal sponsor of
Senate Bill 1998, which replaces the quantitative import restrictions on rice with tariffs, and
creates the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), or Rice Fund.
The bill, which has been certified as urgent by President Rodrigo Duterte, was approved by the
bicameral conference committee on Thursday.
Even as the bicameral was still deliberating on the measure, various peasant groups, led by
Bantay Bigas, together with Anakpawis party-list, was already holding a protest action at the
Senate to condemn the passage of the rice tarrification bill.
They claimed that the passage of the measure would mean the avalanche of cheap imported rice
in the local market, and would kill not only the local rice industry but also the livelihood of
millions of local rice farmers.

In an ambush interview after the bicam hearing, Villar said it was unfortunate that farmers were
being made to believe that the rice tariffication bill would not be beneficial to them.
―Kaya nga may (that is why there is) Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund because we
analyzed why they (Filipino farmers) are not competitive. Based on study, kaya hindi sila
competitive, mahal ang kanilang (they are not competitive because of their higher) labor cost
compared to Vietnam,‖ she said.
Citing a study made by think-tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), the
Nacionalista Party lawmaker said the factors adversely affecting Filipino farmers’
competitiveness are the lack of mechanization, technical know-how, financial literacy and access
to cheap credit.
―So we are going to mechanize. So half, PHP 5 billion of the P10 billion will go to
mechanization so that they can compete. Because that is the highest cost difference, iyong labor.
And then PHP 3 billion will go to seeds. Tuturuan silang maging (They will be taught as) seed
growers ng inbred seeds ng PhilRice. That will increase their harvest from 4 metric tons to 6
metric tons per hectare,‖ Villar said.
As provided for in the rice tarrification bill, the RCEF will have a minimum allocation of PHP10
billion a year for six years, and tariff revenues from rice imports in excess of PHP10 billion shall
be appropriated by Congress based on a menu of programs in the rice tariffication law.
Under the Rice Tariffication Bill, the proposed fund will be allocated as follows: 50 percent for
grants to farmers’ associations, registered rice cooperatives, and local government units in the
form of rice equipment, to be implemented by the Philippine Center for Post-Harvest
Development and Mechanization (PhilMech); and 30 percent for the development, propagation
and promotion of inbred rice seeds to rice farmers and organizations, to be implemented by the
Philippine Rice Research Institution (PhilRice).
The 10 percent will be in the form of credit at preferential rates to rice farmers and cooperatives
to be managed by Land Bank and the Development Bank of the Philippines; and the remaining

10 percent for extension services to teach rice farmers modern methods of farming, seed
production, and farm mechanization, to be administered by PhilMech, PhilRice, the Agricultural
Training Institute (ATI) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA).
Villar further said they have already identified 1,100 rice-producing towns that would be the
priority beneficiaries of mechanization in the form of tractors, transplanters, harvesters, dryers,
and rice milling equipment.
She said the provision of rice milling equipment would enable farmers’ associations and
cooperatives to mill their palay into rice and empower them to directly negotiate with retailers
and consumers.
―That’s common sense that if you want to get more for your product, you go direct to buyers,‖
Villar said.
Furthermore, Villar said the rice tarrification bill not only limits inflation, but would also lead to
rice self-sufficiency in the long run.
―Yes, if we are successful in the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund,‖ she answered when
asked on rice sufficiency.
The senator said the use of quality inbred seeds alone could increase farmers’ production by up
to 50 percent, or from four metric tons per hectare to six metric tons.
Over a period of time, Villar said this would be enough to cover the country’s shortfall in
production.
At present, the Philippines produces 93% of its rice requirement and needs to import the
remaining seven percent.

―That’s 50-percent increase in productivity. We are rice-sufficient if we can do that. Of course,
we cannot expect to do that in the first year, but over six years, baka makaya natin iyon na (we
can attain that) we are rice sufficient,‖ Villar said. (PNA)
http://pageone.ph/rice-tarrification-bill-enhances-local-farmers-competitiveness/
Agricultural sector needs more locally made machinery
Update: November, 23/2018 - 11:00
The People’s Committee of Cần Thơ City and the Việt Nam Association of Mechanical Industry met
recently to discuss ways to increase the number of locally made agricultural equipment and machinery. —
VNA/VNS Photo

Viet Nam News
HCM CITY — The People’s Committee of Cần Thơ City and the Việt Nam Association of
Mechanical Industry (VAMI) met recently to address the urgent need to produce agricultural
machinery.
Việt Nam makes 30-40 per cent of the agricultural machines used in the country, and the rest are
imported, mostly from China and Japan.
The country has not developed agricultural machinery production largely because the support
industry for the sector does not exist.
Every year, the country spends about US$800 million to import agricultural machines, and is
expected reach US$1 billion in 2020, according to experts.
The imported machines are ploughs, pesticide sprayers and harvesting machines.
Nguyễn Chỉ Sáng, deputy chairman of VAMI, said that local firms had huge potential to make
agricultural machinery.
Firms involving in the production include the Việt Nam Engine and Agricultural Machinery
Corp, Long An Mechanical and Trường Hải Automobile JSC (Thaco).
Local firms know farmers better than foreign firms, and are more attuned to what they need. But
they still face difficulties, particularly high prices.
To compete with foreign-made machines, the Government should have more specific policies to
encourage the domestic agricultural machinery industry, experts said.
More favourable conditions to access long-term loans with preferential interest rates should be
created.
The most urgent measure is to rapidly modernise technology and train skilled workers.
The Government should also provide access to credit and tax breaks to those involved in
production of parts for farm equipment.
The Government should also make it easier to form joint ventures with foreign firms to make and
assemble highly specialised tractors, as well as machines for harvesting rice and sugarcane,
experts said.
Representatives from companies said at the meeting that the Government should erect technical
barriers to keep out low-quality foreign agricultural machinery and equipment.

Experts estimate that the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta region has suffered an average loss of tens
of billions of đồng yearly due to the lack of rice harvest and preservation machines.
Trần Thanh Tú, an expert in agricultural machines, said: "Farmers lose thousands of dollars
every year by not having machinery for harvesting rice. Manual harvesting a field that yields
eight tonnes of rice results in an average loss of around 8 per cent, while the rate brought by
machinery usage is only 3 per cent.‖ — VNS
China's new rice varieties feed demand for more
Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-24 10:31:20|Editor: Chengcheng
BEIJING, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- High yield or good taste? It's a long-standing dilemma for hybrid
rice scientists.
Now Chinese researchers say they have finally found the balance in new hybrid rice varieties.
The cultivation of hybrid rice has expanded in China for more than four decades. But while
yields have increased, the eating and cooking qualities of many varieties failed the taste test. In
recent years, rice breeders have paid more attention to quality.
"Researchers have found a balance of yield and quality in Zhongke 804 and other hybrid
varieties," said Liu Guifu, with the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology Chinese
Academy of Sciences.
Representatives from 38 Chinese rice distributors had a blind taste test of 38 rice varieties late
last year, said Liu. Zhongke 804 scored higher than Daohuaxiang, regarded for decades as one of
China's best rice types.
Daohuaxiang grows in Wuchang, north China's Heilongjiang Province. The ample sunshine and
suitable climate provide it with extraordinary cooking qualities.
However, Daohuaxiang has an average yield of just 450 to 550 kg per mu (about 0.067 hectares),
which makes it too pricey for many people.

In September, in test fields in Wuchang, Zhongke 804 achieved an average yield of 745.4 kg per
mu, said Liu. Compared with traditional rice varieties, Zhongke 804 also showed increased
vigor, making it more competitive with weeds and more resistant to diseases and insects.
The type of starch in rice determines whether it's fluffy or sticky. Conventional hybrid methods
select parent lines based on their visible or measurable traits. The process can be difficult,
unpredictable, slow and costly.
Genome sequencing has enabled scientists to identify genes encoding important traits like yield,
taste and vigor, providing a solid foundation for molecular breeding.
Developing a new hybrid rice variety through conventional methods can take seven or eight
years, said Liu. By taking a "molecular shortcut," he and his colleagues shortened the process to
three to four years.
They used molecular markers, a string of nucleic acid which tends to stay with the target gene.
By pinpointing the markers, researchers can tell much sooner whether one seedling contains a
target gene, enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of breeding.
Liu said molecular breeding holds great potential for hybrid rice. They plan to work on
"personalized" hybrid rice varieties in future studies, such as special rice for diabetes patients.
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-11/24/c_137628135.htm
Commercialisation of GM rice turns out to be a dud:
report
Countries across the world continue to promote golden rice even though there is evidence to
show vitamin A deficiency can be reduced without consuming golden rice
By Kundan Pandey
Last Updated: Thursday 22 November 2018
Philippines and Bangladesh saw major improvement in Vitamin A deficiency level even
without help of golden rice, says the report. Credit: Getty Images
Almost two decades ago, golden rice was termed as a revolutionary solution to check vitamin A
deficiency but a new report says that commercialising the genetically-modified (GM) rice turned
out to be a dud.

An analysis published by Grain, an International non-profit says that, ―The optimistic prediction
of commercialising the genetically-modified (GM) rice in the early 2000s turned out to be a
dud.‖ Yet, many countries are pushing the rice variety that was developed in 1999. A group of
European researchers led by Ingo Potrykus had zeroed in on genetically-engineered rice that
contains beta-carotene, an antioxidant that converts to vitamin A. Since then, golden rice has
been promoted as a solution for vitamin A deficiency (VAD) by many.
The report adds that in spite of evidence against the perception that the golden rice helps prevent
VAD, many countries like Philippines, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand
are pushing the rice for consumption. The Philippines and Bangladesh saw major improvement
in VAD level even without help of this genetically modified golden rice, adds the report.
Between 2003 and 2008, Philippines witnessed a major decrease in incidence of VAD. Children
that suffered from VAD dropped from 40 per cent to 15 per cent. In Bangladesh, between 1995
and 2005, the prevalence of VAD lowered to 22 per cent among children and 23 per cent among
pregnant women.
Faulty obsession with golden rice
In 2017, Philippines Rice Research Institute and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
submitted two applications for field testing and biosafety permit for direct use in food of golden
rice. Bangladesh has completed the field tests in an agriculture institute and is now planning to
submit an application to the environment and agriculture ministry for a multi-location field test
in farmers’ fields.
In Indonesia, IRRI has confirmed that Golden Rice IR64 GR2-R showed low quality of
agronomical results and postponed conducting confined tests. Despite this fact, IRRI filed an
application to the Food Safety Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) in 2016 and mentioned
Indonesia as one of its role model to follow.

Golden rice in India
India has been at the forefront of bringing the type of rice which can deal with VAD. In 2016,
the then President of India, Pranab Mukherjee said that IARI has developed a genetically-
modified golden rice enriched with pro-vitamin A along with other such crops. In Bihar, a
project called Development of Golden Rice is pushing golden rice for various agro-ecological
zones. The Rajendra Agricultural University was given financial support of US$ 95,000 under
the national agriculture development programme (Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana), says the
report. However, a group of researchers reported in 2017 that the gene needed to produce the
golden rice had unintended effects and when they used it in a superior Indian rice variety
(Swarma), it became pale and stunted.
Similar developments are seen in Canada and New Zealand. IRRI has also submitted food safety
applications for golden rice to the US Food and Drugs Administration, Food Standards Australia
New Zealand (FSANZ), and to Health Canada, the report says. In December 2017, FSANZ
accepted IRRI's safety data and approved the rice for entry into Australia. In March 2018,
following the FSANZ approval, Health Canada also issued approval so that the variety could be
sold in Canada as food, says the report.
There are many countries in the world, especially in Asia, where rice is the staple food but
because of its low nutrient content, people need extra nutrition. A common form of malnutrition
in many poor and developing countries, an estimated 250 million preschool children suffer from
Vitamin A deficiency, says the World Health Organisation.
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/agriculture/commercialisation-of-gm-rice-turns-out-
to-be-a-dud-report-62218
How To Cook The Perfect Fried Rice Every Single
Time, According To Scientific Research
Gwyn D'Mello

Updated: Nov 22, 2018, 17:15 PM IST
When you're talking about Chinese food in India, it's not really authentic, more of our own
blend of it. One staple of the cuisine is fried rice, which is still cooked in similar fashion to
the original.
And there's an actual science to the perfect fried rice, as two researchers proved.
PIXABAY
Two researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology, David Hu and Hungtang Ko,
recently presented a physics paper surrounding the topic at the 71st Meeting of the
American Physical Society (APS) Division of Fluid Dynamics. Their research focused on
how the wok-tossing techniques a chef or cook uses in preparing a batch of fried can affect
the ultimate taste.
Fried rice originated in ancient China between 1400 to 1500 years ago. Just like it was then,
it utilises rice cooked in a wok (or a frying pan now if you prefer) at temperatures close to
1200 degrees Celsius. Of course, it's incredibly easy to burn food at that temperature, which
is where Hu and Ko say the tossing of the pan comes into play.
They recorded two Taiwanese restaurant chefs while they were making batches of fried rice,
and then played it back later at a much slower speed to carefully observe their
movements. Each batch took both professional chefs only about two minutes to make, but

Hu and ko divided them into multiple stages, each making up cycles about a third of a
second long.
https://www.indiatimes.com/technology/science-and-future/how-to-cook-the-perfect-fried-
rice-every-single-time-according-to-scientific-research-357191.html
Rice tariffication seen to bolster food supply
posted November 23, 2018 at 08:10 pm by Julito G. Rada
The National Economic and Development Authority said Friday the enforcement of the rice
tarriffication will resolve food supply issues and improve the country’s agricultural productivity.
Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia welcomed the passage of the Rice Tariffication bill
by the bicameral conference committee. The two chambers of Congress approved the passage of
the bill, which amends Republic Act No. 8178, or the Agricultural Tariffication Act of 1996.
Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia
The measure will replace quantitative restrictions on rice imports with tariffs and remove
unnecessary government intervention in the rice market.
―We view this as a positive development as the administration’s economic team exhausts all
efforts to tame increases in the prices of goods. With only the president’s signature before rice
tariffication becomes a law, we are making a big step in the realization of our agricultural reform
agenda,‖ Pernia said.
Pernia said the bicam-approved bill would address not only the tariffication of rice in compliance
with the Philippines’ obligation to the World Trade Organization, but it would also enhance food
security by increasing the availability and accessibility of cheaper rice to the consuming
population.
―The economic team has always been mindful that food remains to be the major contributor to
inflation. Efforts to address food supply concerns, especially rice, will definitely help bring down
consumer prices,‖ he said.
Neda’s preliminary estimate showed that headline inflation rate would eased by 1 percentage
point if rice prices would be reduced to the level of imported rice. Even with just a P1 per kilo
reduction in the wholesale price of rice, headline inflation rate would also be reduced by 0.3
percentage point, it said.
Rice tariffication would also help improve the productivity of farmers and, as a result, enable
them to increase their income, Neda said.

The bill provides for the establishment of a rice competitiveness enhancement fund from an
annual appropriation of P10 billion for the next six years.
If the tariff revenues exceed P10 billion in any given year, the excess revenue will be plowed
back to RCEF to support rice farmers.
―The RCEF will be used to provide key interventions to support our farmers and enhance their
competitiveness, including farm machinery and equipment to improve farm mechanization, rice
seed development, propagation and promotion, expanded rice credit, and extension services,‖
Pernia said.
A portion of the rice tariff revenues in excess of P10 billion will be used to provide direct
financial assistance to rice farmers adversely affected by the removal of the quantitative
restriction.
Rice industry group expects ‘chaos’ once trade is opened
Published November 23, 2018 12:36pm
Updated November 23, 2018 1:12pm
By TED CORDERO, GMA News
The Alyansa ng Industriyang Bigas (ANIB) on Friday made it clear that they are opposed to rice
trade liberalization as it is detrimental to Filipino farmers and traders.

The Rice Tariffication bill, approved by the congressional bicameral conference committee, is
one step away from being enacted by the Duterte administration. All it needs now is the
President’s signature.
―Changing the landscape of the grains industry by allowing everybody, including the big
corporations and entities, to import rice will be dangerous and harmful to local producers and
traders,‖ ANIB president Victoriano Catapang said.
The industry stakeholder’s group issued the statement after the Bicameral Conference
Committee approved the Rice Tarrification Bill, which was certified as urgent by President
Rodrigo Duterte.
The bill replaces quantitative restrictions on rice imports with tariffs.
It imposes a 35 percent tariff on rice imports from neighboring members of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The measure paves the way to full liberalization of the country’s rice trading, practically opening
the sector to any individual or group as long as a pythosanitary permit is secured from the
Bureau of Plant Industry—an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture—and the tariffs
are paid.
A phytosanitary certificate is an official document indicating that consignments of plants, plant
products or other regulated articles meet specified phytosanitary import requirements, and
conforms to the requirements of the importing country, according to the US Department of
Agriculture.
Quantitative restrictions
In June 2017, the Duterte administration decided to drop the quantitative restrictions (QR) on
rice importation under the World Trade Organization.

To give local farmers more time to prepare for free trade, the World Trade Organization (WTO)
gave the Philippines until June 30, 2017 to implement the QR on imported rice. QR is a non-
tariff measure to limit the volume of imports of a specific product.
In 1995, the WTO first allowed the Philippines to impose a 10-year QR on rice importation. In
2004, it was extended to 2012 and renewed in 2014.
―Removing the trading function and control of importation from the National Food Authority
will create havoc and chaos in the grains industry,‖ Catapang emphasized.
The Rice Tariffication bill, once enacted, will strip the National Food Authority of its regulatory
functions, said Tomas Escarez, NFA administrator and officer-in-charge.
―NFA will be left only with the function of buffer stocking, at an undetermined volume, for
calamities and emergencies. Source of inventory is local procurement, as NFA is prevented from
importing rice to maintain a safe level of buffer stocks at all times,‖ Escarez said.
Farmers will incur annual losses of P60 billion with the unabated entry of cheap imported rice,
the NFA chief said, citing estimates by a farmers’ group.
Rice fund
To shield local farmers from the impact of liberalized trade, the Rice Tariffication bill earmarks
P10 billion for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement fund, of which P5 billion will be allotted
to farm mechanization and P3 billion to seedlings.
The fund intends to ensure that rice imports won’t drown out the agriculture sector and rob
farmers of their livelihood.
Escarez, however, said the amount is simply not enough and "is not even intended as direct
subsidy to farmers."In a separate statement, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia
said that if tariff revenues exceed P10 billion in any given year, the excess revenue will still be
plowed back to Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) to support rice farmers.

"The RCEF will be used to provide key interventions to support our farmers and enhance their
competitiveness, including farm machinery and equipment to improve farm mechanization, rice
seed development, propagation and promotion, expanded rice credit, and extension services,"
Pernia said.
ANIB said rice trade liberalization must be limited and the NFA’s trading function and control of
rice importation maintained.
Government intervention will be limited to buffer stocking in case of emergency and disaster
relief, Escarez noted.
―This means that the government will no longer use buffer stocks to stabilize rice price and
supply and ensure access of the poor to affordable quality rice,‖ Escarez said.
Duterte’s economic managers are pushing for rice tariffication amid soaring inflation, partly due
to supply side factors as rice prices skyrocketed when the NFA failed to secure enough rice to
stabilize prices in the market.
The economic managers estimated that liberalized trade will lower inflation by 0.4 to 0.7
percentage points, and slash the price of rice by as much as P7 per kilogram.
"The economic team has always been mindful that food remains to be the major contributor to
inflation. Efforts to address food supply concerns, especially rice, will definitely help bring down
consumer prices," Pernia said.
A study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) showed that rice accounts
for about 35 percent of the total food intake of Filipinos, and about 85 percent of all cereals
consumed.
The poorest income sector spends about 47.5 percent of their food expenses on rice. —VDS,
GMA News
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/economy/675813/rice-industry-group-expects-chaos-
once-trade-is-opened/story/

Punsup detects bogus purchase of paddy; registers case
against arhtias, millers
TNN | Nov 24, 2018, 07:53 IST
Chandigarh: Punjab food and civil supply department has detected bogus purchase of 86,939
bags of paddy worth Rs 5.6 crore in Ferozepur.
Punjab State Civil Supplies Corporation (Punsup) has placed the mandi incharge, inspector
Hansa Singh, under suspension with immediate effect. With the latest detection, the department
has been successful in checking bogus billing of about five lakh bags of paddy and rice in the
ongoing Kharif marketing season.
Food and civil supply minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said district manager Ferozepur on
November 21 detected abnormal purchase at Jiwan Arain and Panje Ke Uttar Mandis by arhtias,
Reet Enterprises. The minister said that they had made bogus purchases of 86,939 bags of paddy
in connivance with Sunrise Rice Mill, against which payments to the tune of Rs 5.6 crore have
been taken.
According to Ashu, the Punsup held a meeting of its district mangers on November 20 to track
the movement of paddy and rice from other states to Punjab. In the meeting, district managers
were specially instructed to re-check the purchases of paddy and rice and verify those figures
with the stocks in the premises of the millers.
The minister further added that the miller was planning to buy paddy from other states like Uttar
Pradesh and Bihar, where it is much cheaper than the minimum support price (MSP) and then
deliver it during the milling to make a quick profit.
Ashu said that the investigation has revealed the money trail — funds were diverted from the
bank account of Reet Enterprises, owned by Jaswinder Singh, to AM Industries Jiwan Arain
owned by Harpreet Singh who is the brother of Jaswinder Singh. AM Industries further
distributed these funds to SS Industries, GS Trading Company, MJ Industries, Harpreet Kaur and
Amandeep. According to Ashu, further details are being collected from the banks.
The food and civil supplies department has lodged an FIR against Reet Enterprises owned by
Jaswinder Singh, Jagdish Chander and Sons, owned by Sandeep Kumar, Dhruv Commission
Agent, owned by Rishu Mutneja, Sunrise Rice Mill, owned by Jasmeet and mandi inspector
Hansa Singh.
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2018/11/23/media-watch-yummy/

24th november ,2018 daily global regional local rice e newlsetter

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