2nd november,2020 daily global regional local rice e newsletter

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter
1 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m
November 02 ,2020 Vol 11 Issue 11
www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com
mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com 92 321 3692874

Editorial Board
ChiefEditor
 Hamlik
Managing Editor
 Abdul SattarShah
 Rahmat Ullah
 RozeenShaukat
EnglishEditor
 Maryam Editor
 Legal Advisor
 Advocate ZaheerMinhas
Editorial Associates
 Admiral (R) HamidKhalid
 JavedIslamAgha
 ZahidBaig(BusinessRecorder)
 Dr.AkhtarHussain
 Dr.FayyazAhmadSiddiqui
 Dr.Abdul Rasheed(UAF)
 IslamAkhtarKhan
Editorial AdvisoryBoard
 Dr.MalikMohammad Hashim
AssistantProfessor,Gomal
UniversityDIK
 Dr.HasinaGul
AssistantDirector,AgricultureKPK
 Dr.HidayatUllah
AssistantProfessor,University
of Swabi
 Dr.Abdul Basir
AssistantProfessor,Universityof
Swabi
 ZahidMehmood
PSO,NIFA Peshawar
 FalakNaz Shah
Head FoodScience & Technology
ART, Peshawar
Rice News Headlines…
 New hybrid rice generation produces record crop
 Building a resilient community through an inclusive local
economy
 RIMAN warns against food insecurity
 Rice millers lose over N228m to warehouse looting
 China breaks record in double-cropping rice output, achieving
yield of 1,500 kg per mu
 Poor returns force farmers to abandon food crops in North-
West —Survey
 Two law firms shortlisted to fight for Pakistan’s Basmati
 Filipino-French couple cuts ‘pilapil’ out of rice farms
 Tech Innovation Global Incorporated® Announces
Collaboration with COVID-19 Screening Services
 OCM Addresses Beef Checkoff President’s Cowardly
Misinformation, Failure to Disclose NCBA’s Partnership with
WWF, HSUS
 Southwest Publisher Offers Flash Sale To Celebrate Centennial
& Inspire Women To Vote
 Additional incentive for paddy: KCR
 Prospect of Aman rice procurement
 Nalgonda SP warns millers against purchasing paddy from
farmers at low prices
 Thin rice making- processing coarse
 Rice millers lose over N228m to warehouse looting
 Palay prices dip to P11/kg in some areas
 In Haryana, fire count highest in CM Manohar Lal Khattar’s
constituency
 Centuries-old yet still innovative: All about hemplime and
sticky rice
 India,Pakistan to clash over basmati rice
 MoFA reviews extension service curriculum topromote
agribusiness

News Detail…
New hybrid rice generation producesrecord crop
By Wang Xiaoyu in Beijing and Feng Zhiwei in Changsha | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated:2020-11-02
Chinese scientists have achieved a record rice yield of nearly 22.5 metric tons per
hectare, or 1,500 kg per mu, in an experimental field in Central China's Hunan
province.
Assessment experts announced on Monday average yield at the field in Hunan's
Hengnan county planted with the third generation of hybrid rice varieties reached
13.68 tons per hectare, or 911.7 kg per mu.
In July, early harvests at the same field growing another strain of third-generation
hybrid rice showed an average yield of 9.29 tons per hectare, 619.06 kg per mu.
The two harvests combined — consisting of early-season and late-season crops —
show important progress in the realization of the goal of exceeding 22.5 tons per
hectare, erecting a new milestone in the country's hybrid rice breeding efforts and
setting a new world record, according to the China National Hybrid Rice Research
and Development Center.
Yuan Longping, renowned agricultural expert known for spearheading research into
hybrid rice strains, said on Monday the new record means one mu (0.067 hecatre) of
rice fields can feed five people.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202011/02/WS5f9f8e50a31024ad0ba828bc.html
Building a resilient community through an inclusive local
economy

November 1, 2020 | 6:17 pm
By Ma. Ophelia Butalid-Echaves
In an effort to address the years of stagnation of the rice sector, the Rice
Tariffication Law (RTL) was signed into law on Feb. 14, 2020. The RTL
should increase the rice competitiveness of the Philippines and improve the
rice farmers’ well-being.There are, however, lots of criticisms of the RTL,
mainly on its negative impact on the farmers. Due to the import liberalization
of rice, the price of rice has gone down, thus benefiting consumers, but which lowered the price
of palay (unhusked rice), and thus lowering the income of rice farmers.
In Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat, there is, however, a growing community of rice farmers who seem
not to be negatively affected by the RTL. A closer look at this community would show us that
the seeds of an inclusive local economy have started to grow.
A rice milling enterprise has been set up called Molenaar, which is a joint venture between
farmers, local entrepreneurs, and overseas Filipinos. It has a farm machinery pool consisting of
tractors, planters, rotary weeders and harvesters. This farm machinery pool will soon be
transformed into a social business, meaning that all profits will be spent on further developing
and expanding the farm machinery pool.
Molenaar has started to break the farmers’ dependency on the rice traders. The increased
mechanization of rice farming has lowered the production cost of palay. Molenaar is able to offer
a reasonable price for the palay. Farmers serviced by the farm machinery pool and Molenaar are
no longer at the mercy of rice traders for the price of their palay, thus making them weather the
negative impact of the RTL.
This also offers possibilities for rice farmers to optimally benefit from the various components of
the RTL. The farm machinery pool, which is operated in a business-like manner, is an ideal
structure through which rice farmers can avail themselves of the mechanization program of the
RCEP (Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Program). Experience has already shown that giving
machines to individual farmers often does not result in the mechanization of rice farming.

Machines which were earlier distributed by the Department of Agriculture (DA) to individual
farmers were unused. Several farmers turned over their machines to the farm machinery pool for
them to be managed. A business-like manner of operation will ensure that the machines are well-
maintained and are efficiently used, thus serving more farmers.
This developing inclusive local economy in Palimbang is not just limited to the rice sector. The
indigenous Manobo people in the highlands of Palimbang are planting vegetables, and selling
their vegetables to people in the lowlands of Palimbang. This program was enabled by the Pasali
Foundation through the help of the ALS-EST (Alternative Learning System – Education and
Skills Training). Recently, a local entrepreneur in Palimbang has set up a fishing business. Small
economic activities, such as selling cakes and pizzas — food items which are normally available
in city shopping malls, have emerged.
Developing an inclusive local economy has helped make Palimbang a resilient community,
despite the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a kind of resiliency that has protected the citizens from the
negative economic impact of the pandemic as it has contributed to the community’s food self-
reliance.
This developing inclusive local economy in Palimbang is a result of years of painstaking effort
of the community, with support from overseas Filipinos, specifically from The Netherlands. To
understand how this inclusive local economy evolved in Palimbang, let me walk you to a bit of
the history of our work in Palimbang.
HOW IT ALL STARTED
In 2004, Pasali Netherlands won a contest by Cordaid (a Dutch funding agency) with its entry
“From Brain Drain to Brain Gain.”
Nonoy Ty and two other Pasali members used the prize money to start Pasali’s work in
Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat province, in 2005. Then in 2011, Nonoy asked me and my husband
Carlo to help out in Pasali’s work.

We went for a visit in January 2012. We learned about Pasali’s Children Program, which helped
hundreds of indigenous and Moro children go to school; the urban farming project; the water
installation work; a land redemption Program; and the setting up of the Palimbang Tri-People
Organic Farming Association (PTOFA), with more than 200 farmers as members.
What impressed me was Pasali’s work with Palimbang’s Dulangan Manobo tribe. Duma
Bonifacio, the tribe’s chieftain, briefed us about the work that was done in his area.
Achievements included improved farming methods, establishment of a corn milling machine, the
stopping of illegal logging, and the planting of rubber trees. But he was exceptionally proud of
the “school” (it then only offered only Grades 1 and 2) that had recently been set up. His eyes
glowed when he talked about the school, and of the better future his people will face if they
would be educated. He was himself illiterate, but he knew the value of education.
BRAIN GAIN
“From Brain Drain to Brain Gain” is Pasali’s call. Overseas Filipinos, instead of being a drain
having left the Philippines, can actually help in Philippine development. In addition to their
remittances, overseas Filipinos can contribute their expertise, know-how, network, and resources
to help development work in the Philippines. Pasali is applying “Brain Gain” in its work in
Palimbang, General Santos City, and other towns.
Overseas Filipinos have helped a lot to develop the work of Pasali in the Philippines. It was the
money from Pasali Netherlands (the prize money, plus personal resources) which launched the
work of Pasali Philippines. Engineer Felix Pulmano, one of the Pasali members who moved from
Rotterdam to Palimbang, made simple machines for the work (e.g. a corn milling machine, rotary
weeders). A Dutch friend facilitated the donation of metal-working machines from the
Netherlands. Nonoy Ty has been an able leader of the whole work of Pasali: tapping support
from within the Philippines and outside; inspiring and guiding all the work of Pasali.
In 2012, we realized the importance of putting the work on an enduring basis, so that it could
continue even as funding sources from abroad dry up. We looked into ways in which overseas
Filipinos could help with the work. The idea of setting up a social business came to mind. A

social business is one which pursues social goals, but is run efficiently. Its profits would either be
reinvested or would go to social projects.
FARM MACHINERY
Palimbang farmers asked Pasali to help them acquire farm machinery. We decided to set up a
Farm Machinery Pool (FMP), to lower farmers’ costs, increase farm yields, and eventually
increase the amount of land under cultivation. We conceptualized the FMP as a social business.
The machines will be run by skilled operators, the management of the machines will be
conducted with business-like efficiency, and the profits will be used to acquire more farm
machinery and finance projects that help the community.
The FMP would consist of tractors (to plow the fields), planters and combine-harvesters. The
tractors work five times faster than the hand tractors that many farmers still use. (And tractors
are at least 10 times faster than carabaos). The combine-harvesters work five times faster than
the rice threshers that farmers have been using, and they will reduce wastage during harvesting
from more than 20% to less than 3%.
The German funding agency, Bread for the World (BfW), agreed to fund our farm machinery. It
provided Pasali with one tractor, two planters, a combine-harvester, an excavator, and a small
dump truck.
The donation was made to the Pasali Philippines Foundation. Pasali then set up its machinery
pool as an autonomous unit with independent finances.
MOLENAAR
Pasali set in motion the establishment of a rice mill in 2013, and started milling operations in
2017. It is a set-up where local entrepreneurs, overseas Filipinos, and farmers have equal shares
(each group having 1/3 of the shares) — in the investment and decision making.
The rice mill is called Molenaar Enterprises (“molenaar” is the Dutch word for “miller”).
Molenaar is an “inclusive business,” which is run for the benefit of the farmers.

Molenaar buys palay directly from farmers for a good price. This palay price is higher than what
middlemen pay for it. It also has a scheme of providing production loans to farmers, which are
repayable at harvest.
Molenaar continues to endure challenges. Traditional rice traders tried to deprive Molenaar
of palay to mill by offering farmers a higher price for their harvest. The large-scale importation
of rice has led to lower retail prices. This has not hurt Molenaar, which sells most of its milled
rice locally, in Palimbang or neighboring towns.
The lack of working capital is the problem that mostly limits Molenaar from achieving higher
production. Much of the capital that it has is tied up in production loans; which means that less
money is left for the actual buying of palay.
Molenaar, the FMP, and the Pasali Foundation are the three components of the overall plan to lift
the rice farmers of Palimbang out of poverty. This combination taps the skills and resources of
the farmers, the local entrepreneurs and overseas Filipinos. If this approach is successful, we will
build on it to find ways for farmers of other crops to be lifted out of poverty, and to help other
economic sectors of Palimbang and other towns as well.
Ma. Ophelia Butalid-Echaves is a founder of the Pasali Foundation, a former city councilor in
Tilburg, The Netherlands, and is currently working at the Netherlands Council for Refugees.
https://www.bworldonline.com/building-a-resilient-community-through-an-inclusive-local-
economy/
RIMAN warns against food insecurity
November 2, 2020
in Business,News

Juliana Agbo, Abuja
RICE Millers Association of Nigeria (RIMAN), has said the resultant impacts of the attacks on
rice mills by hoodlums would create some deficits in its members’ contribution to the national
food security and rice value chain.
The association made this known in a statement issued by its National Chairman, Peter Dama.
Dama while expressing concern over the attacks on Shamad rice mill Yola, Adamawa State and
Glams Foods Lagos, lamented that tons of milled rice, paddy, furniture machines equipment and
operational vehicles at the premises of the rice mills were destroyed and looted while some parts
of buildings were set ablaze. He stated that the affected rice mills will be shut down for a while
with huge debts to pay.
Dama advised the government to as a matter of urgency, assist the rice millers with funds to
rebuild and restock so as to enable them recommence operations in earnest. Most of the rice
millers, he said, are on bank facilities, in order to support the call by government to add to
national food security deficit, particularly on rice self-sufficiency in the country.
“This act is condemnable, highly regrettable and insensitive, regrettably, during these attacks”,
he said. He further appealed to the government to provide adequate security coverage to rice
mills under threat, in order to avert future occurrence.
https://thenationonlineng.net/riman-warns-against-food-insecurity/
Rice millers lose over N228m to warehouse looting
NEWS
#ENDSARSPROTESTS: RICEMILLERS LOSEOVER N228MTO WAREHOUSE LOOTING

BY OYIN ADEKUNLENOV 01, 2020, 08:02 AM0
Nigeria may witnessed a significant decline in local rice production as Rice Millers Association
of Nigeria (RIFAN), said it lost about N228m to the recent looting of warehouses by hoodlums
that hijacked the #EndSARS protests across the country.
RIFAN said about 29 warehouses, belonging to its members, were vandalised with milled rice
and paddy looted to the tune of N228m. This excludes vandalisation of equipment and private
properties at the premises of the rice mill factories.
In a statement released in Abuja, the National President of RIMAN, Peter Dama, raised concern
that unless there is urgent government intervention, the already fragile rice production industry
may not meet the rising demand by Nigerians.
He condemned the devastating destructions, lootings carried out by miscreants in the name of
#EndSARs protests against its members, noting that the tons of milled rice, paddy, furniture,
equipment and operational vehicles at the premises of the rice factories were destroyed and
looted, while parts of some of the buildings were set ablaze.
According to the association, the resultant impacts on the rice mills will create deficits in their
contribution to the national food security and rice value chain, as the affected factories will be
shutdown for a while at this critical period while affected farmers have huge debts to pay.

The body appealed to government to provide adequate security coverage to rice mills under
threat, to avert future occurrence.
https://www.tv360nigeria.com/endsars-protests-rice-millers-lose-over-n228m-to-warehouse-looting/
China breaks record in double-croppingrice output,
achievingyield of 1,500 kg per mu
Source: Global Times Published: 2020/11/2 12:48:36
Yuan Longping (2nd R) , the "father of hybrid rice", inspects a demonstration field with other
experts at Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center in Changsha, capital of Hunan Province, Oct. 22,
2019. The third-generation hybrid rice developed by Yuan Longping, the "father of hybrid rice,"
and his team underwent its first public yield monitoring from Monday to Tuesday and achieved
high output. The final yield of the tested variety, G3-1S/P19, came to 1,046.3 kg per mu (about
667 square meters), based on two plots of land in Qingzhu Village under the city of Hengyang in
Hunan. (Xinhua/Chen Zeguo)
China’s third-generation hybrid rice has broken the world record to become the highest-yielding
double-cropping rice, with an output of 1,500 kilograms per mu (about 0.067 hectares), CCTV

News reported on Monday.
The latest breakthrough is of great importance to safeguarding food security in China, as the
average yield sees a 10-20 percent, or 100 kg per mu, increase compared with the current hybrid
rice, the developer of the rice, Chinese agronomist Yuan Longping said.
The testing was broadcasted live on Monday morning on China’s twitter-like Sina Weibo, as
farmers and scientists harvested the trail farmland in Hengnan county of Central China’s Hunan
Province, calculating the result of the output.
The testing results were released around noon, suggesting that the average yield per mu of the
late-cropping rice is 911.7 kg.
Combined with the early-cropping rice output of 619 kg per mu tested in July, the double-
cropping rice broke the world record with an output of 1,530.7 kg to become the highest-yielding
hybrid rice in the world.
At an on-site interview by CCTV News, Yuan said that the result is of great importance to
safeguarding China’s food security. With an annual yield of 1,500 kg per mu, it can feed 5
persons per mu a year.
The newly-developed hybrid rice could bear more seeds than the previous one, Yuan noted.
What’s more, for each year of the crop, there are around 400 seeds, more than initially expected.
The topic attracted 150 million views as of press time, with netizens giving a “thumbs up” for the
efforts and contributions that Yuan Longping — the 91-year-old “Father of Hybrid Rice” — has
made in safeguarding China’s food security over the decades.
In 2019, another project achieved a double-cropping rice yield of 1,365 kg per mu in Hunan
Province, setting a new high for double-cropping rice output in the middle and lower reaches of
China’s Yangtze River.
https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1205385.shtml
Poor returns force farmers to abandonfood crops in
North-West —Survey
ON NOVEMBER 1, 20203:52 PMIN NEWS Kindly

A cross section of Nigerian farmers in the North West have stated that poor returns on
investment in the cultivation of food crops is forcing them to concentrate on cash crops to
generate income, a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) survey has shown. The farmers and other
stakeholders said abandonment of food crops such as Maize, Sorghum and Millet is largely due
to low prices, which is not enough to cover what is spent during cultivation. They suggest the
establishment of commodity boards to protect farmers from middlemen and ensure better prices
for food crops. Malam Abba Muhammad, a large scale farmer in Katsina, said that he
abandoned food crop farming because there is no gain in it. Muhammad urged government to
protect local farmers by finding markets for their produce, and help to checkmate the activities of
the middlemen. “The situation always throws the general populace including the local farmers
into hunger and poverty, because the local farmers are forced by circumstances to sell their
products to middlemen at give-away prices. “I decided to opt for cash crops like cassava,
sesame, wheat, ginger, cashew, orange, among others because manufacturing companies and
industries need these as raw materials and they buy them at exorbitant prices,” he said. However,
another farmer in Katsina, Alhaji Bishir Yusuf said prices of food crops have increased in the
current season and farmers are getting good rewards for their efforts. “A 100 kg bag of maize
sold between N8,000 and N10,000 before, is now sold between N14,000 to N16,000 depending
on the location. “Similarly, a 50 kg bag of local rice sold between N12,000 and N16,000 is now
sold between N22,000 and N24,000. “If the trend continues, more farmers will go into food
crops production in the coming seasons,” Yusuf said. Conversely, an agronomist, Malam
Isma’il Dahiru told NAN that farmers are abandoning cultivation of food crops for cash crops
because of so many difficulties and challenges. Dahiru said these include lack of access roads,
no access to markets and bank loans, lack of improved seedlings, absence of mechanization,
inadequate research and extension services, among others. The Chairman of All Farmers
Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Katsina State Chapter, Alhaji Ya’u Gwajogwajo, said President
Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has good agricultural policies and programmes for
farmers. Gwajogwajo however, lamented that there is little support from banks in the country to
complement the President’s efforts. He advocated that banks should grant one-digit loan to
farmers, while research institutes should support with new seedlings to boost agricultural
production and achieve food security. Prof. Mohammed-Faguji Ishiyaku, Executive Director,
Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR) Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria said the wish of the
institute is for agriculture to be for food and money. According to Ishiyaku, everything a farmer
produces today is cash crop, because everyone would want to have a farm to grow enough rice,
maize or sorghum to feed his family and sell for cash. “Our wish generally is for all our
agriculture to be for cash; cash for the farmer. Farmers should produce what they eat and sell to
solve other family needs,’’ he said. Ishiyaku added that agriculture for cash is in line with the
Federal Government’s agenda on agriculture. The director advised that efforts should be geared
toward producing more to meet local consumption and for export. He noted that the only way
agriculture will eradicate poverty is by practising agriculture as a business. “For instance, a liter

of groundnut oil is more costly than a liter of petrol. “This indicates that there are commodities
that generate more money than petrol, which further shows the enormous potentialities of the
country to make more money from agriculture,’’ Ishiyaku said. He reiterated that agriculture is
for making food and generating income towards eradication of poverty. Similarly, Alhaji
Ahmed Abubakar, Manager, Maigana Zone of Kaduna State Agricultural Development Agency
said food crops such as rice and maize are also cash crops because farmers are making money
from it. According to Abubakar, farmers are shifting to cash crops because they are making a
lot of money than from food crops. “In a hectare of maize or rice farm, a farmer may realize
about 50 bags to 70 bags of the produce which is about N500,000 to N700,000. “Meanwhile, in
a hectare of tomato farm, the farmer may get between N1 million naira to N1.7 million,’’ he
said. The official noted that cash crops farming is all year round, while food crops is seasonal,
largely during the rainy season. He added that farmers who produce vegetables such as chili,
pepper, tomatoes and others, harvest the produce more than seven times, unlike food crops such
as maize and guinea corn, which are harvested once in a season. Abubakar said the common
cash crops produced in the area, are beans, soya – beans, tomatoes, pepper, carrot, onions and
cabbage, among others. He however, warned that abandoning food crops for cash crops will
hinder the achievement of food sufficiency for families and the nation. Abubakar said vegetable
farmers in the area are supported by organizations such as East-West Seed, and the German
Government sponsored GIZ. “They support farmers with improved agronomic practices in
maize production and business,” he said. As for Malam Dalhatu Aliyu, a farmer in Yaskwake
Mai-Dabino, Zaria Local Government he said he is into mixed farming, cultivating both food and
cash crops. Aliyu said that he usually begins with onions, thereafter pepper, sweet potatoes,
maize, okra, `Zobo’ and tomatoes. He added that he has so far harvested pepper twice in the
current season, while saying that maize and sweet potatoes can be harvested at any time. Aliyu
said mixed farming is giving him more money, adding that he uses the money realized from the
onions to plant other crops and vegetables. Meanwhile, Kano State Emergency Management
Agency said that thousands of hectres of farmlands were lost to flooding in 27 local government
areas of the state. Mr Sale Jili, Executive Secretary, told NAN that the Agency has conducted
damage assessment and distributed relief materials to the affected persons. “SEMA distributed
relief materials such as food, non food items and building materials,” Jili said. NAN reports that
the flood submerged rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, millet, beans, tomato and vegetable
plantations among others in the affected areas. A rice miller in Kano, Zangina Muhammad, said
the flood has exposed farmers to heavy losses. Muhammad noted that thousands of hectres of
rice fields become wilted due to the flood, a situation that he said will affect overall
productivity. He added that most of the farmers affected are beneficiaries of the Anchor
Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) and Agro-Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood
Support (APPEALS) project. “The farmers were provided with fertilisers, seeds, chemicals and
other inputs to encourage productivity. “The projects were designed to encourage rice, wheat,
tomato, maize, beans and sorghum production through farmer support services, value addition, as

well as development of farmer enterprising skills,” Muhammad said. Aminu Isa, a rice farmer,
said farmers prefer cultivation of rice, wheat, tomatoes, water melon and other cash crops in
view of its lucrative nature and available market. Isa said that most farmers sell their produce
before harvest time, adding that, “there are grain dealers who are willing to buy paddy and other
produce before harvest. “The trend is popular among farmers; it saves cost, you will no longer
spend on preservation and packaging,” he said. READ ALSO: Hoodlums storm farmers’
warehouses, cart away 110 tractors —NECAS The farmer, however, said the devastating effects
of flooding will make it difficult to repay loans to the ABP and APPEALS
programmes. Abdulkarim Kaita, Managing Director, Dangote Tomato Processing Plant,
Kadawa, said the company in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has initiated
farmer support services to encourage tomato production. Kaita, who spoke at the distribution of
inputs to 5,000 tomato growers in Kura LGA, said farmers received improved seeds to enable
them to produce minimum of 40 tonnes per hectare. He said his company also established a 350
– million – tonne capacity greenhouse to achieve self sufficiency in tomato production in the
country. “There are 12 major tomato producing states. When fully cultivated, Nigeria will be
able to start exporting tomato in the coming years. “It is the largest greenhouse in Africa, set up
to provide tomato growers with high yield seeds to encourage productivity,” Kaita said. Sani
Yadakwari, Chairman, Kano State chapter of the Tomato Growers Association of Nigeria, said
that each of the association’s 5,000 registered farmers received a total loan package of
N551,000. Yadakwari explained that the package include seeds, fertiliser, water pumps and
other inputs. He commended the Federal Government for the inclusion of tomato value chain in
the ABP, adding that the gesture will go a long way to boost tomato production in the
country. In Kebbi State, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said farmers lost
more than N5 billion worth of farm produce to floods in 2020. Alhaji Sani Dododo, the SEMA
Chairman, appealed to the Federal Government to urgently assist the state in mitigating the
effects of the disaster recorded. “I want to use this medium to call on the Federal Government
and international donor agencies, to come to the aid of Kebbi State Government and its
people. “This is so that we can massively engage in dry season farming to, at least cushion the
effect of the losses incurred during this farming season. “Our assessment showed that damage
to rice plantations and other produce due to the flood could be more than N5 billion. “The flood
submerged more than 450,000 hectares of rice plantation in the lowland, and over 50,000
hectares of millet, sorghum, maize and sugarcane were also destroyed on the highlands,” Dododo
said. Badiya Abubakar, a female rice farmer, expressed the fear that the disaster recorded may
scare farmers away next planting season. “You know the secret of farming lies on one’s
working capital. All smallholder farmers that constitute the majority of rice farmers in the state
operate under the principle of ploughing back farming business. “That is to say, the proceeds of
the previous year is used to finance the next farming season,” Abubakar explained. She said
farmers must be re-mobilized to farms as quickly as the flood water recedes. “Cash support at
this time is necessary as that will enable the farmers to finance all requirements without having

to look for a solution elsewhere which could lead to delay. “Government must be aware that all
post – flood support must be prompt as there is no time to waste,” Abubakar said. An
agriculturalist, Malam Nasiru Kwaifa, said the abolishing of marketing boards by government
has caused losses to over 2.2 million farmers annually in Kebbi alone, who have no alternative
than to sell their surplus products at give away prices. “There is lack of agro-industries that will
purchase the products to avoid gluts. “Middlemen usually benefit more than the actual farmers
by buying at cheaper rates from farmers and selling at exorbitant prices thereby causing hike in
prices of foodstuffs,” Kwaifa said. On elimination of off-takers, he said, “it is very feasible with
a proper government intervention such as establishment of marketing boards and agro- allied
industries closer to farmers”. According to Kwaifa, the off-takers serve as intermediaries
between rural farmers and wholesalers as local farmers do not have to transport their produce to
far places for sale. “The off-takers help farmers to prevent gluts even though they benefit more
than the farmers. “They cause price fluctuations and hike in prices, and some often adulterate
the products after buying from the farmers in their bids to increase profits,” he noted. The
agriculturalist, however, asserts that the challenges in eliminating middlemen are
many. “Farmers will have to acquire means of transporting their produce, get proper storage
and processing facilities. “The lessons we should learn are, the statistics indicate acute and
chronic levels of poverty among the rural farmers in the country. “Government records low
production of most crops and animals annually. “Off-taking leads to rural-urban migration
affecting the economy, while middlemen usually cause prices of goods and services to
skyrocket,” Kwaifa said. Alhaji Sani Dahiru, Zamfara Chairman of National Association of
Cotton Farmers in Nigeria (NACOTTAN), also explained why farmers prefer cash crops
farming. “Cotton farming is a business, it is necessary for textile industries and cotton ginneries
to perform effectively. “Over 30,000 cotton farmers were registered to participate in cotton
farming in the state, we are expecting more support from farmers and private organisations. “As
we all know, cash crops production apart from providing raw materials to industries, also
generates employment opportunities, while adding value to the product and lives of farmers,”
Dahiru said. A maize farmer, Alhaji Sani Salisu said, “we have no other business than farming,
we embrace cash crops farming because it has more value than only food crops”. “I cultivate
soya beans throughout the year, but I sell it to provide for my needs,” Salisu said. A rice farmer,
Mustafa Kaura, said the crop serves as food and cash crop. “There is value for money when you
cultivate rice,” Kaura added. READ ALSO: FG introduces disease resistance maize to farmers in
A’Ibom – Official Alhaji Nura Attajidi, the Chairman of Sokoto State chapter of Small and
Medium Scale Rice Millers, said in spite of challenges, the country will get it right in
agriculture. Attajidi expressed optimism that the ongoing government’s efforts to intensify food
production in Nigeria will enhance the country’s economy. “With the current trend, farming in
the country is no longer for subsistence or hobby, it provides the needed elixir for most Nigerians
who were hitherto mere consumers of foodstuffs, to become producers. “In the same vein, the
provision of financial support to Nigerian farmers via the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme of the

Federal Government has greatly boosted food production in Nigeria. ”Farmers were provided
with inputs and implements such as improved seeds, assorted fertiliser, herbicides, pesticides,”
he said. Attajidi however, said agriculture loans should be at very low interest to enhance
production and establishment of agro-industries. He called for support for rice millers to
enhance the quality of their products in line with international standards. “This could be done
through the provision of more training and simple machinery for sorting the commodity, rice
graders, and electric dryers. “Moreover, it will further boost local production for domestic
consumption and export hence, boost the country’s economy,” Attajidi said. An agricultural
officer, Malam Kabiru Sani, said International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has
been supporting rice and wheat farmers in some local government areas of Sokoto State. Sani
said the support is in collaboration with National Agricultural Seed Council of Nigeria and Green
Agriculture West African Company of China. He confirmed that IFAD has distributed about
800 hand pumps to farmers, constructed 1,078 tube wells, 17 boreholes and 27 livestock drinking
points. Vanguard News Nigeria Kindly Share This
Story:FacebookTwitterEmailWhatsAppPinterestShare Related Stakeholders adopt measures to
reverse EU ban on Nigerian produce June 25, 2017 Terrorists, herdsmen attacks: Food shortage
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food-crops-in-north-west-survey/
Two law firms shortlisted to fight for Pakistan’s Basmati
Nasir Iqbal
Updated 01 Nov 2020
Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2020
Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to pick one of the international law firms short-listed for
fighting Pakistan’s case in the European Union to protect the country’s long-grain aromatic
Basmati rice after India applied for ‘an exclusive’ GI (Geographical Indications) tag for the
brand name. — Reuters/File

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to pick one of the international law firms
short-listed for fighting Pakistan’s case in the European Union to protect the country’s long-grain
aromatic Basmati rice after India applied for ‘an exclusive’ GI (Geographical Indications) tag for
the brand name.
Both Pakistan and India had earlier in the late 1990s and the early 2000s jointly won the legal
battle against an attempt of Texas-based company, RiceTec, to patent Basmati rice in the United
States. After losing the battle, the company named its rice brand as Texmati.
PM likely to pick one of the two Brussels-based firms as deadline to challenge Indian claim over
rice brand draws near
An informed source at the commerce ministry confided to Dawn that Pakistan had short-listed
two Brussels-based international law firms, namely Messrs Altius international law firm and
Messrs Liedekerke Wolters Waelbroeck Kirkpatrick to fight the Basmati battle, and the premier
would pick one of the two.
The commerce secretary had recently briefed senior government officials that India had applied
for ‘an exclusive GI (Geographical Indications) tag for Basmati rice under the Regulation (EU)
No. 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and the European Union’s official registry, the
Council on Quality Schemes for Agricultural Products and Food Stuffs.
A GI tag is a sign used on agricultural products that have specific geographical origin and
possess qualities or reputation that are due to that origin and are part of the intellectual property

rights. GI tag helps boost sales and exports as the geographical limitation on production and
official recognition of historical and cultural significance.
Currently, India and Pakistan have 65 and 35 per cent shares of Basmati in the world rice trade,
respectively. Basmati rice fetches Pakistan around $800 million to $1 billion annually.
The source explained that the relevant rules confer the right to oppose the Indian application
pursuant to Article 51 of the Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 by Dec10, 2020.
The notice of opposition should contain a declaration that the application might infringe the
conditions laid down in the regulation after which the commission will forward the notice of
opposition to the relevant authority or body without delay. If the notice of opposition is lodged
with the commission and is followed within two months by a reasoned statement of opposition,
the commission will check the admissibility of this reasoned statement of opposition.
Within two months after the receipt of a reasoned statement of opposition, the commission will
invite the authority or person that lodged the opposition and the authority or body that lodged the
application to engage in appropriate consultations for a reasonable period that will not exceed
three months.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1587985/two-law-firms-shortlisted-to-fight-for-pakistans-
basmati
Filipino-Frenchcouplecuts ‘pilapil’out of rice farms
October 31, 2020 at 08:10 pm by Roderick T. dela Cruz
A Filipino-French couple is redesigning the rice sector in Leyte province, by cutting “pilapil” or
farm ridge, chemicals, and middlemen out of the old system of farming and trading.
Chen Yi Agventures founders Patrick François Renucci and Rachel Marjorie Tan-Renucci
“You can make a lot of money in rice farming, even with one hectare, but we need to increase
the size of the farm,” says Patrick François Renucci, a French businessman who was awarded
Filipino citizenship by Congress in March this year for transforming rice farms in Leyte province
into sustainable and profitable ventures.
One of his novel ideas was to remove “pilapil” or “tagaytay”—the narrow ridge that separates
the rice plots and control the flow of water. He says that by removing these mini-dikes, the
planting area will be bigger.
His idea actually worked, helping farmers in Alangalang, Leyte province achieve more yield
from one hectare than they did before. Along with other forms of assistance, rice farmers who

were enrolled in the Renucci partnership program saw their harvest increase two to three times
and their income climb by more than 10 times.
Patrick and his wife Rachel Marjorie Tan show how Filipino rice farmers can make money
despite the influx of imported rice from Thailand and Vietnam under the Rice Tariffication
regime. They are the incorporators of Chen Yi Agventures—a fully-integrated and sustainable
rice business that helped Leyte farmers recover after the onslaught of typhoon Yolanda in
November 2013.
Chen Yi Agventures is the company behind “Dalisay”—the premium, chemical-free, unmixed,
clean and aromatic rice brand sold in major supermarkets in Metro Manila such as SM,
Robinsons, Rustan’s, Shopwise and Puregold. It is also used by more than 50 restaurants,
including Flame Restaurant at Discovery Primea in Makati City.
Chef Luis Chikiamco of Flame Restaurant compares Dalisay to Japanese rice. “The taste is very
clean, and the smell is so fragrant. It is very appetizing,” he says.
In fact, Dalisay Rice was awarded third place in the World Best Rice Competition during the
World Rice Conference in November 2019.
The couple, who lived in Paris before deciding to migrate to Leyte in 2015, invested P1.7 billion
in Chen Yi Agventures which developed the most technologically advanced rice processing

center in Southeast Asia that integrates seed procurement, planting, farm management,
harvesting and rice processing.
“When we arrived in Leyte, after typhoon Yolanda, we decided to dedicate our life to trying to
uplift the farmers from the devastation of Yolanda. Given the situation of the rice industry, we
would like to produce world-class rice for the Filipino people,” says Rachel.
“While our facilities were under construction, we organized 3,000 to 4,000 farmers and provided
them with loans. We mechanized land preparations, planting and harvesting. By taking them to
land prep, planting and harvesting and mechanizing the whole process, we learned about rice
farming because we were in the field working with the farmers for four years,” she says.
From 2015 to 2019, the couple witnessed the shortfall in planting practices and learned new
ways to improve the system. “We mastered the whole value chain, from planting with the
farmers, increasing their income to processing in a very high-tech facility which is the most
advanced in Southeast Asia to distribution and sales to the supermarket. So we really controlled
the entire value chain and that’s what enabled us to produce world-class rice,” says Rachel.
Today, about 700 Leyte farmers supply rice to Chen Yi Agventures which sells it under
“Dalisay” brand in Metro Manila.
The company’s rice processing center in Barangay Mudburon, Alingalang town is centralized
and fully-automated to control room temperature at 21 degrees, keeping palay freshly harvested
for more than a year. It can process up to 50,000 metric tons of rice annually.
It employs Japanese technology that purifies air emitted into the dust room, purging dust and dirt
from the drying and milling process.
Chen Yi Agventures also introduced the Renucci partnership program, which organizes farmers
and provides them with low-interest loans in the forms of fertilizers from Norway, high-quality
inbred seeds and high-tech planting and harvesting equipment.
Patrick says what makes Dalisay different is its natural purity, as it is not mixed or repacked with
imported rice and is not sprayed with chemicals. Farmers use RC 300—a local rice variety
known for its aromatic properties.
Under the program, they buy rice directly from the enrolled farmers, thereby removing the
middlemen and traders. “There were so many layers in between—the middlemen and the
traders. That’s why we decided to set up our program,” he says.
He says at present, Chen Yi Agventures produces rice to meet the demand of supermarkets in
Metro Manila but plans to export the grain soon.
Patrick says he believes they are on the right track to improving the rice sector in the Philippines.

“We see that we can help change. Because now we understand…We invite other millers to try to
replicate our model, to do outstanding rice for the Filipinos, no chemicals and help the farmers
increase their income. There is a huge impact to the economy of the Philippines. We want the
money to stay in the Philippines, so the benefit will go to the farmers if we buy their rice,” he
says.
https://manilastandard.net/index.php/business/biz-plus/338306/filipino-french-couple-cuts-
pilapil-out-of-rice-farms.html

Tech InnovationGlobal Incorporated®Announces
Collaborationwith COVID-19 ScreeningServices
Additional Safety Flu Season Screening Symptoms As COVID cases continue, masks and face coverings, hand
wash for at least 20 seconds, and test, which all reduce the spread of COVID-19 in health care setting and the
general community. Tech Innovation Global Incorporated®
Tech Innovation Global Incorporated® is a verified vendor.
HUNTSVILLE, AL, US, November 1, 2020
/EINPresswire.com/ -- Tech Innovation Global
Incorporated® is a verified vendor in data analysis
reviews, integrated supply capabilities and best
practices/innovations, and collaborative healthy
habits with a goal to flatten the curve. The seasonal
flu is upcoming, and screening individuals
symptoms for identification is available in
determining if the situation is COVID or not
COVID. People at highest risk for severe diseases
include seniors and those with conditions such as
hypertension, cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes. As
COVID cases continue, we must continue to wear masks and face coverings; keep people safe
and healthy by separating 6 ft apart; wash hands for at least 20 seconds, and test, which all
reduce the spread of COVID-19 in health care setting and the general community.
Tech Innovation Global Incorporated® is a certified WOSB. Mission Statement: Our mission is
to provide review of data needed during COVID-19, focus on additional safety, analysis,
innovation/best practices, screening, and collaborative healthy habits with a goal to flatten the
curve.
Tech Innovation Global Incorporated's founder and CEO, Alicia Carroll, is a 2001 graduate in
data analysis, integrated supply capabilities, market research and previously supported DoD. You
can also apply for certified private funds by visiting
RGK https://www.2fundsforngos.org developments and environmental.
Contact: 888-214-1033
Tech Innovation Global Incorporated®, certified WOSB/MBE
Email: contact@techinnovationglobal-info.com
https://www.techinnovationglobalinc.com
https://www.techinnovationglobalincgov.com
The Anderson Law Firm, Reuters Legal Europe
American Personal Security
2019 - 2020 All Rights Reserved.

Related Links
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Alicia Carroll
Tech Innovation Global Inc.
+1 888-214-1033
contact@techinnovationglobal-info.com
https://agriculture.einnews.com/pr_news/529672928/tech-innovation-global-incorporated-
announces-collaboration-with-covid-19-screening-
OCM Addresses Beef Checkoff President’s Cowardly
Misinformation, Failure to Disclose NCBA’s Partnership
with WWF, HSUS
NCBA president Marty Smith’s attack against OCM board member Marty Irby is
disparaging and hypocritical as NCBA has partnered with both the Humane Society of the
U.S., ASPCA, and World Wildlife Fund.”
— Mike Eby, executive director of OCM
TAMPA, FLORIDA, USA, November 1, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Today the Organization
for Competitive Markets issued the following statement after a series of cattlemen’s meetings
held in Florida regarding the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Beef Checkoff Program, a quasi-
governmental agency known as the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).
The statement follows a campaign of misinformation by NCBA president Marty Smith who
attacked OCM, it’s board members, and cowardly deflected open conversations related to
NCBA’s consistent pattern of spending hard-earned farmer dollars to further the monopolization
of industrial agriculture and policies that work against the interest of the very cattlemen who’ve
funded NCBA for decades.
“OCM stands firmly in support of putting more farmers back on the land, and reigning in the
egregious and illegal activities NCBA continues to engage in. NCBA president Marty Smith,
was invited to speak with stakeholders in his home state who simply wanted to engage in an

open dialogue on how to solve the radical declines of beef prices that have shuttered the industry,
and furthered the globalization of industrial agriculture now controlled by a monopoly of four
big packers.
“The meetings were not initiated by OCM and came to fruition as a result of Florida cattlemen
who requested OCM attempt to bring industry stakeholders together for the betterment of the
industry. Smith’s cowardly disparagement campaign, and failure to disclose NCBA’s
partnerships with the World Wildlife Fund, Humane Society of the U.S., and the ASPCA, is
simply the ‘pot calling the kettle black,’ and Smith should be ashamed of his actions.”
OCM, along with more than 250,000 farmers and ranchers across America, the Heritage
Foundation, and others have been pushing for checkoff reform and pushing to advance the
Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act, S. 935/H.R. 5563, introduced this Congress by
Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Elizabeth Warren (D-
MA) in the Senate and Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) in the House. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has
cosponsored the bill in the 116 th Congress, as well as Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), Rep. Steve
Cohen (D-TN), and Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO).

“It was disappointing that once again NCBA was not willing to participate in current industry
discussions,” said Vaughn Meyer, president of the Organization for Competitive Markets.
“NCBA president Marty Smith’s attack against OCM board member Marty Irby is disparaging
and hypocritical as NCBA has partnered with both the Humane Society of the U.S., ASPCA, and
World Wildlife Fund,” said Mike Eby, executive director of the Organization for Competitive
Markets.
Documentation of NCBA’s partnerships with The HSUS, ASPCA, and WWF can be found
here, here, and, here.
The OFF Act has received endorsements from the Journal Times, Muskogee Phoenix, Kenosha
News in Wisconsin in 2020 and we’ve also gotten some recent additional press on the bipartisan
support in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Daily Caller's 2018 Investigation on the Dairy
Checkoff revealed numerous abuses, and the Government Accountability Office's 2017 report
clearly reported evidence of the need for checkoff reform.
Further information regarding the corruption of commodity checkoffs and the 10 most egregious
abuses of the checkoff programs is below:
1. In 1999, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that USDA had "relinquished too much
authority to its primary contractor, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), and has placed
the NPPC in a position to exert undue influence over Board budgets and grant proposals."
2. In 2000, the majority of American hog producers passed a referendum to end the pork
checkoff, only to have USDA overturn their decision.
3. In 2010, an independent audit of the equivalent of just nine days of beef checkoff program
spending found more than $200,000 in improper spending by the primary beef checkoff
contractor, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), including the use of checkoff
dollars for lobbying and overseas vacations.
4. In 2014, after waiting more than 18 months to receive Freedom of Information Act records
from USDA on expenditures of the Beef Checkoff Program, the Organization for Competitive
Markets was filed a lawsuit to obtain public records relating to Beef Checkoff audit reports.
NCBA has entered the case blocking the release of over 12,000documents. This case has been
ongoing for four years.
5. In 2015, documents obtained under a Freedom of Information Act request showed that the
American Egg Board illegally used checkoff dollars to attempt to halt sales of an egg-free
mayonnaise product.
6. In 2016, it was discovered that the Oklahoma Beef Council lost 2.6 million checkoff dollars to
embezzlement by a staff member who wrote 790 fraudulent checks to herself during a 10-year
period.
7. In 2017, USDA came under fire for failing for more than four years to publish legally required
annual financial reports on the $400 million per year dairy checkoff.
8. In 2018, the Ohio Beef Council illegally used government property to promote a fundraiser for
a gubernatorial campaign on behalf of the trade and lobbying group, Ohio Cattlemen's
Association. According to the Ohio Cattlemen's Association's brochure, the Ohio Beef Council is
also actively engaged in soliciting campaign contributions on behalf of the Ohio Cattlemen's
Association's Political Action Committee (PAC) through the state agency's email domain.

9. In 2018, a federal judge ruled that the USDA unlawfully approved spending $60 million of
hog farmers; checkoff money on a defunct promotional campaign.
10. According to the NCBAs 2015 IRS Form 990, beef checkoff funds make up approximately
73% of the lobbying group's total annual budget. As much as 72% of the NCBA president's
nearly half a million-dollar salary comes from beef checkoff funds. NCBA membership accounts
for less than 4% of cattle producers.
MIKE EBY
ORGANIZATION FOR COMPETITIVE MARKETS
+1 717-799-0057
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
OCM Board Member Marty Irby Sets the Record Straight in Response to NCBA President Marty
Smith's Disparagement Campaign
https://agriculture.einnews.com/pr_news/529710474/ocm-addresses-beef-checkoff-
president-s-cowardly-misinformation-failure-to-disclose-ncba-s-partnership-with-wwf-
Southwest PublisherOffers FlashSaleTo Celebrate
Centennial & InspireWomenTo Vote
In 1918, James Montgomery Flagg created this illustration to inspire households to plant victory gardens.

In 1918, Leonebel Jacobs created this illustration to motivate houeholds to preserve the fruits of their labor.
In 1918, Paul Stahr created this illustration to encourage households to conserve food.
Popular New Mexico artist and boutique publisher Lori Faye Bock seeks to remind women of the
importance of voting in Tuesday's election.
To honor the women who have fought for equality since America's founding .... we can do no
less than participate in Tuesday's election and let our voices be heard loud and clear.”
— Lori Faye Bock

ABIQUIÚ, NEW MEXICO, UNITED STATES, November 1, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Over the years,
New Mexico artist Lori Faye Bock paintings have been generating a popular following amongst people with
companions pets, farm animals and generally with people who just love animals as much as she does. Her
collectors are passionate about her paintings because they know how much time and detail she incorporates
into each work of art in promoting the humane and kind treatment of all animals.
Residing on a farm with her husband in Los Silvestres, an agricultural community just above the tiny village of
Abiquiú along the Chama River since 1990, Bock has interacted on a daily basis more with animals than
humans over the years. It shows in her paintings.
Collectors of art themselves, the Bock's started collecting post World War I historic illustrations of famous
artists of the day. Creations of three such artists had a similar prominent theme .... patriotism and the self-
sufficiency in growing, preserving and not wasting food. The illustrations were created in 1918 as the war was
winding down and the pandemic picking up. Each illustration wrapped a woman in the America flag. The
Bock's thought this to be ironic since at that time, women in America did not have the right-to-vote in federal
elections.
Further research revealed the 19th Amendment was passed in 1919, signed by President Woodrow Wilson and
sent on to the 48 states to be ratified. In August 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify after a
wavering House Rep. Harold Burn received a note from his mother strongly urging him to vote in support of
ratification. He did, and the Tennessee House of Representatives approved the 19th Amendment by a vote of
50 to 49. Signed by the state's governor, the ratification certificate was sent by mail to the U.S. Secretary of
State who signed the Proclamation of the Women's Suffrage Amendment on August 26, 1920.
As a small businesswoman boutique publisher, Lori Faye Bock decided to strengthen the resolve of American
women to participate in this year's election by reintroducing the promotional campaigns created a century ago
which helped to advance the cause of women's suffrage.
"We must never take the right-to-vote for granted," Lori Faye Bock said.. She went on to say, "These historical
illustrations and the accompanying story on the greeting cards and prints will be a reminder for all to collect
and pass on to future generations of the importance for all women to participate in civic affairs and vote in
elections because we really can and do make a difference."
The 12 card portfolios, Abiquú 6 Packs and limited edition prints are an ideal gift for women young and old
during the Christmas holiday.
Lori Faye Bock greeting cards are printed in Albuquerque, New Mexico on environmentally-sensible recycled
card stock using soy-based inks. The museum quality limited edition prints are printed in Santa Fe, New
Mexico on archival Hahnemühle Fine Art paper and permanent pigment inks.
The LoriFayeBock.Press FLASH SALE of 30% OFF storewide is available until November 3rd, 2020 and
ends midnight Pacific Time by entering WOMENVOTE in the coupon code at checkout.
Richard Bock
Lori Faye Bock

+1 505-336-5656
abiquiu@newmexico.com
https://agriculture.einnews.com/pr_news/529713772/southwest-publisher-offers-flash-sale-to-
celebrate-centennial-inspire-women-to-vote?n
Additional incentive for paddy: KCR
Vows to ensure remunerative price for farmers who cultivate fine variety paddy
notwithstanding Centre’s restrictions
By TelanganaToday | Published: 31st Oct 2020 11:23 pm
Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao interacting with Ministers and public representatives in
Kodakandla, Jangaon district, on Saturday. (Below) A farmer cheers during KCR’s speech.
Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Saturday assured the farmers that
the State government will come up with a solution and offer additional incentive for fine
variety paddy. He vowed to ensure remunerative price for farmers who cultivated fine
variety paddy notwithstanding the Centre’s restrictions and refusal of millers to purchase
paddy at Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 1,888 per quintal.
Speaking at the inauguration of a Rythu Vedika in Kodakandla village of Jangaon district
on Saturday, the Chief Minister lashed out at the Centre for using its brute force in the
Parliament and passing the Agriculture Bills despite protests by the opposition parties and

farmers. The new Agriculture Acts were already proving detrimental to the farmers and
favourable for corporate companies and middlemen, he said. He demanded to know if
any small and marginal farmer from Telangana was in a position to bear transport costs
and sell his produce in Delhi.
“Due to these new Agriculture Acts, the rice millers in the State are refusing to purchase
paddy at MSP in the State as it is available for less than Rs 1,500 per quintal in
neighbouring States. Rythu Vedikas must become platforms to face such challenges and
fight against the injustice meted out to farmers,” he said.
Emphasising the need for Rythu Vedikas, Chandrashekhar Rao said farmers had no
platform to voice their issues even in developed nations and stated that they can progress
faster only through collective work. He suggested that farmers convene meetings
regularly and collectively decide on crops to be sown, purchase of seeds and fertilizers,
harvesting and also marketing of their yield. “The regulated farming gives more control
to farmers and they can decide price of their produce based on demand in the market,” he
added.
The Chief Minister explained his plans to bring qualitative reforms in the State
agriculture department where an IAS officer will head a new division which will
completely focus on market research and make suggestions on crop cultivation. He said
the Chief Minister to Ministers, the Chief Secretary to agricultural scientists will interact
with the farmers through Rythu Vedikas. He pointed out that the State government
launched schemes like Rythu Bandhu or Bima, free and uninterrupted quality power
supply, sheep distribution scheme or other welfare scheme without anyone asking for it.
Chandrashekhar Rao urged farmers not to cultivate maize crop in next season. Instead, he
suggested them to increase cultivation of redgram and oil palm in about 20 lakh acres
each. He also asked them to cultivate other pulses which had huge demand in the market.
He reiteratedthat the State government will not extend Rythu Bandhu scheme to tenant
farmers as a policy decision and could lead to unnecessary disputes between land owners
and tenant farmers. He clarified that he had no personal enmity with VROs or VRAs, but
abolished the system for welfare of farmers.
Further, the Chief Minister vowed to put an end to the land disputes for farmers through
effective implementation of Dharani portal. He also revealed his plans to conduct a full-
fledged land survey shortly to map and finalise coordinates for agricultural lands in the
State to fix their borders.
Showering sops on various communities on the occasion, Chandrashekhar Rao promised
to implement the sheep distribution scheme until every family belonging to Yadava and

Kuruma community benefits. He revealed his plans to launch Dalita Chaitanya Jyothi
scheme soon to empower the SC community. He pointed out that the State government
was implementing different welfare and development schemes for all communities in the
State.
He lashed out at the opposition parties for making irresponsible statements for political
mileage. He said the BJP leaders were interestedonly in votes but not welfare of farmers.
He wanted the farmers to oppose any attempts by external forces to create a division
within themselves and work unitedly. He accused Congress leader Mohd Shabbir Ali for
burning husk after harvesting his fine variety paddy crop at his farm land in
Japthisigunuru of Narsingi mandal in Medak district and claiming to have burnt his
paddy fields due to lack of demand in market. He pointed out that the harvesting season
for paddy is yet to begin and the Congress leaders were trying to mislead people using
social media.
https://telanganatoday.com/additional-incentive-for-paddy-kcr
Prospect ofAman rice procurement
Published: October 31, 2020 21:59:22
The prospect of meeting the just-announced procurement target for Aman this year
remains somewhat clouded because of several factors. Notable among them are high
prices of rice in the market, possible shortfall in production due to consecutive
floods and dwindling volume of rice stored in the public silos. The rice prices have
soared to a record high level in recent weeks and those are unlikely to come down
before an improvement in supply situation. That might happen following the harvest
of Aman crop and the import of the main staple in sufficient quantities by both
private and public sectors.
The prices fixed for procuring rice and paddy by the directorate general of food, are
thought to be not realistic by the rice millers. The government has hiked the
procurement Aman price of rice by Tk. 1.0 a kilogramme (kg). The government, at
the same time, has decided to procure higher quantity of milled rice from the
millers this year than that of the last Aman season. But in the case of paddy, the
procurement price has remained unchanged. The paddy procurement target has also
been cut drastically, from 627,000 tonnes to 200,000 tonnes for the upcoming Aman
harvesting season.

Both millers and rice growers have found the official procurement prices for rice
and paddy unrealistic because of the high cost of production this year. They cite
recurrent floods as the reasons. The farmers in the flood-affected areas had to
prepare their land and transplant rice saplings more than once and that involved an
extra cost.
Yet another issue--- the government's decision to downsize the paddy procurement
target---does deserve a discussion since the procurement of greater quantity of
paddy does help the farmers get better price for their produce. Between the years
2016 and 2018, the government had not procured a single grain of paddy. But,
following strong recommendations made by the experts and researchers from home
and abroad, the government, during the 2019 Aman season, procured paddy nearly
double the volume of milled rice.
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), in a recent study, had
also strongly suggested procurement of more paddy to help offer better prices to the
growers. The volume of rice and paddy usually procured by the government in the
case of both Aman and Boro is very insignificant, compared to their total
production. It would be between 6.0 and 7.0 per cent, at best.
The agriculture minister has expressed his fear that if the government decides to
buy Aman rice at higher prices, the rice prices in the market might go further up,

causing more hardship to the poor consumers. Such an apprehension cannot be
dismissed outright. The import of rice by both private and public sectors, however,
might help the rice market ease to a certain extent. Besides, the government does
need to build a healthy food stock to meet any eventuality in the coming days.
The current government rice stock is estimated at around 800,000 tonnes as against
the usual reserve of 1.2 to 1.5 million tonnes. By now, a certain volume of rice
should have been imported to help create a calming effect on the overheated rice
market. A decision on import, according to the agriculture minister, would be taken
after the harvest of Aman crop. The wait appears to be a bit long. If the official
procurement drive fails to meet the target in the upcoming Aman harvest season---it
did happen during the last Boro season--- the delay in rice import might prove quite
unsettling.
https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/editorial/prospect-of-aman-rice-procurement-
1604159962
Nalgonda SPwarns millers against purchasing paddy
from farmers at low prices
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By TelanganaToday | Published: 31st Oct 2020 7:30 pm
Nalgonda: Superintendent of Police A V Ranganath on Saturday warned that criminal
cases would be filed against the millers, if they purchase paddy from the farmers at the
price of lower than Minimum Support Price (MSP).
In a press release here on Saturday, he said that the police department would support the
district authorities in ensuring that every farmer get MSP to the paddy produced by them.
If millers indulged in irregularities, their mills would be seized. The police would keep a
watch on rice mills and conduct inspections. At the same time, feedback from the farmers
would be collected.
He said that it has come to the notice of the district police that some of the millers were
purchasing paddy from the farmers at the price lower than MSP. He informed that flexi
banners with the phone numbers of the police officials would be set up at the paddy
procurement centres and farmers could call if they found any irregularities including
tampering of weighing machines and denial of MSP. Special measures would be taken to
prevent middlemen and commission agents from entering the district from other states for
purchase of paddy.

He said that tokens would be issued to the farmers to avoid traffic jam at the paddy
procurement centres and the farmers should bring the crop to the centre as per their serial
number.
Now you can get handpicked stories from Telangana Today on Telegram everyday.
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https://telanganatoday.com/nalgonda-sp-warns-millers-against-purchasing-paddy-from-
farmers-at-low-prices
Thin rice making- processingcoarse
Posted By:daily industryon:October 31, 2020In: Bangladesh
Govt vows to investigate irregularities
Abu Sazzad: A group of unscrupulous rice millers
are producing varieties fine rice processing course
rice in the machine and sucking huge amount of
money unethically. The course rice is sold at Tk 40
per kilogram where the processed fine rice sold at Tk
60 per kilogram. This processing lost 250 gms of
weight per kilogram but gains price at Tk 20 per kg.
The government vows to prevent the fine rice
processing irregularities because a section of
unscrupulous millers are involved in making the
popular verities through cutting different course or
traditional varieties of rice since long.
Considering the growing demand of the fine rice, the
unethical rice millers are supplying the thin varieties
rice in the local market at higher rate which is
basically a processed rice making from the thick ones.
Such coarse verities of processed rice are locally recognized as Minicate, Najirshail and Kajol
and people are being forced to purchase their desired brand from the market to meet daily
requirements.
Many householders especially the urban areas claimed to the Daily Industry that they are
habituated on such processed rice to realise the best quality rice in the local market. “As rice is
the main food of the country, the vested millers are simply cheating with the common people
through supplying such processed or human made rice at a higher rate”, they mentioned.

Sources said that a section of dishonest mill owners are cheating with the consumers by cutting
the thick rice and selling it at a higher price in the name of various popular brands of rice.
However, the government is now determine to find out the sources of the processed rice to
prevent the unethical activities of the vested rice millers as well as to rescue people from
cheating and health hazard. The government is conducting a survey in some 21 districts to
investigate the origin of the most popular varieties of rice.
In this connection, Food Planning and Monitoring Unit (FPMU) under Food Ministry formed a
13-memebr committee those have started to visit the highest rice supplying areas from October 7
last. The committee will submit report by October 31 along with all data and information to the
Food Ministry.
Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Food (Procurement and Supply) and Director General of
the Food Planning and Containment Unit Tahmidul Islam said that a survey is being conducted
in this regard for ensuring the expected verities of rice to the consumers.
The officials are sincerely performing their duties through collecting data from the root level; he
said adding that the ministry would take the necessary steps following the recommendations of
the team members.
A senior official of the Food Ministry said that the rice mill owners are marketing coarse rice in
the name of Miniket, Nazirshail and Kajal. As a result, buyers are being deceived by buying the
inner part of thick rice at a higher price. Besides, the consumers are depriving in getting the
nutrients on the surface of the coarse rice.
Physician said, such processed rice has a negative impact on health. They urged the government
to remove the artificial rice for making a healthy nation.
According to the Department of Paddy Research, Bangladesh Agricultural Development
Corporation (BADC), some 75 per cent of the rice produced in the country is coarse and the
remaining 15 per cent is thin. So riding on the government data, it may be said that that the
adequate supply of thin rice is not possible to all consumers, until or unless, the government
import such variety of fine rice at a large scale.
According to experts, Bri 28 and Bri 29 paddy are widely cultivated in the country during Boro
and Aman seasons, but there is no availability of such verities of rice in the retail market.
Actually, such coarse verities rice is available in the market under the names Miniket and
Nazirshail, they mentioned.
Research Director of FPMU Firoz- Al- Mahmud claimed that that the rice millers are supplying
the reputed rice brands through processing the Bri 28 and Bri 29 verities of rice. “We have
already received partial reports from some districts and I am hopeful that the investigation will
complete within the deadline” he added.
http://www.dailyindustry.news/thin-rice-making-processing-coarse/
Rice millers lose overN228m to warehouselooting
By Joke Falaju, Abuja

Rice Millers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), said it has lost about N228m to the recent looting
of warehouses by hoodlums that hijacked the #EndSARs protests across the country.
About 29 warehouses, belonging to RIFAN members, were vandalised with milled rice and
paddy looted to the tune of N228m. This excludes vandalisation of equipment and private
properties at the premises of the rice mill factories.
In a statement yesterday, in Abuja, the National President of RIMAN, Peter Dama, raised
concern that unless there is urgent government intervention, the already fragile rice production
industry may not meet the rising demand by Nigerians.
He condemned the devastating destructions, lootings carried out by miscreants in the name of
#EndSARs protests against its members, noting that the tons of milled rice, paddy, furniture,
equipment and operational vehicles at the premises of the rice factories were destroyed and
looted, while parts of some of the buildings were set ablaze.
“At the moment, these rice factories are in rubbles. RIMAN is, therefore, shocked and sad at the
level of the havoc that was carried out on these mills and other government and private
properties within the country.”
According to the association, the resultant impacts on the rice mills will create deficits in their
contribution to the national food security and rice value chain, as the affected factories will be
shutdown for a while “at this critical period with huge debts to pay.”
Members of the RIMAN Board of Trustees-Abba Dantata, Imran Amin, Umar Namadi, and
Saifudeen Annasir Abdulrahman, appealed to government, to, as a matter of urgency, assist the
rice millers with funds to rebuild and restock to commence their operations, as most of them took
bank facilities to answer the call by government to add to the food security deficit, particularly
on rice self-sufficiency in the country.
They also appealed to government to provide adequate security coverage to rice mills under
threat, to avert future occurrence.
https://guardian.ng/news/rice-millers-lose-over-n228m-to-warehouse-looting/
Palayprices dip to P11/kgin some areas
Published October 31, 2020, 9:42 AM
by Madelaine B. Miraflor
Palay prices continued to go down, even dipping to as low as P11 per kilogram (/kg) as
farmers approach the tail-end of the harvest season with a series of strong typhoons.

Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the average farm-
gate price of palay continued its downward movement, falling by 4.1 percent to P15.79/kg
from the price level of P16.47/kg in the previous week.
Year-on-year, the price increased by 0.2 percent from its average price of P15.76/kg in the
same week of the previous year.
Unfortunately, prices went down to as low as P11/kg in areas like Surigao del Sur and
Cavite, which means some farmers were forced to sell their produce at a loss.
In other areas like Agusan del Sur and Bulacan, farmers barely made money, with palay
sold at exactly or just slightly above P12/kg.
In the Philippines, the average production cost of rice farmers stood around P12.72/kg,
which is higher or nearly double than what rice farmers in Vietnam and Thailand spend to
produce the staple.
This means that if prices fell below that amount, farmers would receive earnings that are
lower than what they spent for.
Some said that with the current production cost, the breakeven farmgate price of fresh
harvest should be around P14.50/kg.
Meanwhile, highest palay prices were recorded in areas like Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Zambales,
Pampanga, Rizal, and Palawan wherein the commodity were sold at P18/kg to P21/kg, the
same PSA data showed.
Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) National Manager Raul Montemayor said that in the next
few weeks, as farmers approach the tail-end of the harvest season, palay prices will
definitely go down further.This, as palay, when damaged by storms, could yield to poor
quality rice, which, among other reasons like the continuous entry of imported rice, could
result in traders deciding not to buy at all.
“Rainy weather is also to blame since traders have to discount for grain deterioration due to
lack of drying facilities,” he said.A data from the Department of Agriculture (DA) showed
that as of October 29, Typhoon Quinta already destroyed 79,239 metric tons (MT) of palay
worth P1.13 billion within 62,880 hectares of farms.

Then there’s the threat of Typhoon Rolly, which is expected to make landfall in Quezon and
Aurora provinces on Saturday (October 31) and become a super typhoon.
Montemayor also thinks that the continuous decline in palay prices is already “not
surprising” since government intervention is doing very little for farmers.
According to him, the National Food Authority’s (NFA) palay procurement has had minimal
impact despite pronouncements of DA, while the planned suspension of sanitary and
phytosanitary import clearances (SPS-ICs) on rice “came in too late, as in last year, to
influence farmgate prices.”
“Too little too late [actions] again by the DA,” Montemayor said.
“At this time, [DA can do] very little. Damage was already done and most farmers have
already harvested. Some typhoon-affected farmers (like those in Occidental Mindoro and
Isabela) are asking NFA to buy storm-damaged palay but I doubt if they will do that since
the agency itself doesn’t have dryers,” he added.
Montemayor was particularly referring to Agriculture Secretary William Dar’s previous
order for NFA to intensify its palay procurement in order to address decline in palay prices.
To recall, NFA, whose sole mandate now is to secure the government’s buffer stock, buys
palay at P19/kg and is given P7 billion every year to do this.Also, more than a week ago,
Senator Cynthia Villar, chairperson of the senate agriculture committee, asked the DA to
stop issuing SPS-ICs to rice importers during harvest time, which would probably take
effect after the next planting season.Business Bulletin sought the reaction of DA
Spokesperson Noel Reyes regarding the decline in palay prices, but he is yet to respond.
https://mb.com.ph/2020/10/31/palay-prices-dip-to-p11-kg-in-some-areas/
In Haryana, fire count highest in CM Manohar Lal
Khattar’s constituency
TNN | Updated: Oct 31, 2020, 09:50 IST
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar

GURUGRAM: The state has
witnessed a total of 3,773
incidents of stubble burning in
October so far this year, a
marginal dip when compared to
last October’s 3,916 cases. This
is despite tall claims made by the
government year after year to
stop farm fires. The most
instances of stubble burning
have been reported from Karnal
district (731), which is chief
minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s
constituency.
According to the Centre’s System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research
(SAFAR), PM2.5 levels in Delhi-NCR increased by up to 44% due to stubble burning in
Haryana in October 2019. The Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change too
accepted this in the Parliament in March this year.
The quality of air in Haryana is already in the ‘poor’ category this month and is expected to fall
in the ‘severe’ category with the onset of winter and increasing instances of crop residue burning
in the state. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index
(AQI) is in the ‘very poor’ category in 15 districts out of 22 at present. While Hisar’s air quality
is in the ‘severe’ category, the AQI of the remaining six districts is in the ‘poor’ category.
“Stubble burning will increase in the coming days. Late basmati rice harvesting is yet to be
completed, after which cases of stubble burning will increase in the first two weeks of
November,” an officer from the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) said.
According to the state agriculture department, even though the Haryana government has been
discouraging farmers from cultivating paddy, it has been sown on around 12.83 lakh hectares
across Haryana. The maximum paddy cultivation has been reported in Karnal this year — around
1.7 lakh hectares.
HSPCB had started monitoring stubble burning in the last week of September this year, when
paddy harvesting began in Haryana. The latest data shared by HSPCB shows that 3,773 incidents
of stubble burning have been recorded in the state so far this month. Most of the farm fires have
been reported from Karnal (731), Kurukshetra (675), Kaithal (653), Ambala (479) and Fatehabad
(304) districts. On an average, more than 100 cases have been reported daily across Haryana.
Over 240 cases were reported on October 18, the highest so far on a single day this month.

The Supreme Court had last year directed the Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh governments to
give an incentive of Rs 100 per quintal for non-basmati produce to farmers who do not burn
stubble. The apex court had also ordered the three states to bear the operational cost of hiring
machines for handling the agricultural residue on behalf of marginal and small farmers.
“All district officials have been directed to make sure that machines are made available to
farmers, especially the small and marginalised farmers, at very nominal rates. We are also
working towards providing monetary incentives to them,” said Amit Arya, media advisor to the
CM. Arya, however, refused to comment on the fact that the maximum cases have been reported

from Khattar’s constituency.
“We have reached out to farmers to make buying and hiring machines easy and affordable for
them, but for farmers with small land holdings, the machines are basically useless. For them,
burning is a cheaper option than availing the government subsidy,” said a Karnal district
administration official.
Centuries-oldyet still innovative:All about hemplime
and sticky rice
Occasionally, in order to be innovative, you only have to look into the past, architect Eugène Franken
contends in his column this week. Take bio-composites, for example.
31 October 2020
EUGENE FRANKEN
©Pixabay

Have you ever wondered why large segments of the Chinese wall are still standing proudly after
thousands of years? Scientists have known for some time that an organic material had been
mixed into the mortar, but it only recently became known that this contained 2 to 3 percent of
sticky rice. This remarkable ingredient ensures that the masonry wall is flexible enough to cope
with the extreme temperature fluctuations of day and night and successive seasons. Even more
ingenious is its self-healing capacity. Enzymes from the rice coat the limestone particles in the
mortar. These defenses only come to the fore if the wall is unexpectedly damaged. The lime that
is released subsequently solidifies and restores the wall.
As old as the world
It proves once again that biocomposites are as old as the world and first and foremost, that they
work incredibly well. It is not for nothing that these materials have attracted a lot of attention
lately. Partly because they make a circular method of construction feasible. But especially
because of their unique properties.
Hemplime, also known as hempcrete, is such a splendid example of this. This relatively new
material, which the well-known Dutch weatherman Gerrit Hiemstra proudly and pioneeringly
built his house with, was developed thirty years ago in France for the restoration of nota bene
half-timbered houses. It is a mixture of hemp fibers (that naturally contain silicon) with hydraulic
lime. The lime in the mixture binds the hemp fibers and preserves them.
The finished product lays the foundation for a highly environmentally-friendly bioecological
construction method. That’s because hemplime is inherently nitrogen-neutral and also has a good
CO2 balance. This is mainly due to the fact that the absorption of CO2, while hemp is grown, is
greater than what is emitted during its harvest and the construction process. Moreover, the lime
also ensures a continuous absorption of CO2. After use, its components can easily be shredded
and scattered over arable land. In that case, it becomes an excellent soil conditioner all over
again.
No pesticides or artificial fertilizers are needed for the cultivation of hemp. And this is all true
for a fast-growing plant whose parts are all usable and which even thrives in dry regions.
Humidity-regulating
When used in buildings, hemplime contributes to a comfortable and healthy indoor climate
thanks to its efficient humidity regulating effect. It is also ideal for building vapor-permeable
structures. It is easy to handle, it will not rot or burn, it insulates as well as the best out there, and
it is energy efficient due to its latent thermal capacity. It has very good sound insulating
properties. And last but not least, it has the potential to be used in the 3D-printing of buildings.
And, oh yes, I almost forgot, you can use it to create stunning sculptural designs. Before the
advent of oil and fossil-based raw materials, the cultivation of industrial hemp was quite
common all over the world, and given the almost infinite possibilities with hemplime on its own,

the large-scale cultivation of architectural crops for bio-based materials will undoubtedly become
a reality once more.
About this column
In a weekly column, alternately written by Wendy van Ierschot, Eveline van Zeeland, Eugene
Franken, Jan Wouters, Katleen Gabriels, Mary Fiers, and Hans Helsloot, Innovation Origins
tries to find out what the future will look like. These columnists, occasionally supplemented with
guest bloggers, are all working in their own way on solutions for the problems of our time. So
tomorrow will be good. Here are all the previous episodes.
https://innovationorigins.com/centuries-old-yet-still-innovative-all-about-hemplime-and-sticky-
rice/
India,Pakistan to clash over basmati rice
October 31, 2020

PAKISTAN has said that it will ‘vehemently’ oppose India’s application to the EU for
sole geographical indication (GI) status for its homegrown long-grain aromatic basmati
rice as it will ‘adversely affect Pakistani exporters’.
GI status is used to mark a product out to consumers as having “qualities, reputation or
characteristics relating to its place of origin”.
In Europe, products such as Parma ham, champagne and stilton cheese have such a status,
allowing producers from the respective regions to charge higher prices.
Since 2006, the EU has applied zero tariffs on rice imported into the bloc that has been
authenticated by either Pakistani or Indian authorities as genuine basmati. About two-
thirds of basmati imports to the EU are from India and the rest from its northern
neighbour.
According to the Indian application basmati grown in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal
Pradesh, Uttarakhand, specific districts of western Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and
Kashmir have special characteristics.
India’s application prompted an emergency meeting of Pakistan’s commerce secretary,
the chair of the country’s intellectual property organisation, representatives of the Rice
Exporters Association of Pakistan, and senior legal advisers to the government,
reported The Guardian.
Abdul Razak Dawood, an adviser to Pakistan’s prime minister, Imran Khan, subsequently
said the application would be “vehemently opposed”. A formal objection is expected
before the EU’s December deadline.

Pakistan’s exports of basmati rice to the EU have more than doubled in the last three
years, from 120,000 metric tons in 2017 to 300,000 metric tons in 2019, according to the
European commission.
India’s exports of basmati rice have been shrinking owing to a failure of its producers to
meet increasingly strict EU standards on the use of pesticides.
India exports basmati rice to Iran, Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East.
“The commission has published the application for registration of the name ‘basmati’
from India as a proposed protected geographical indication. This publication gives the
opportunity for stakeholders to lodge oppositions for a three-month period,” a spokesman
for the European commission told The Guardian.
“This publication does not imply the registration of ‘basmati’ but is a step in the standard
geographical indication registration procedure. The final decision on registration is only
taken after the opposition phase has been completed. This allows the rights of all parties
to be respectedin the registration process.”
https://www.easterneye.biz/indiapakistan-to-clash-over-basmati-rice/
MoFAreviews extension servicecurriculum to
promoteagribusiness
Source:GNA
31 October 2020 7:07am

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has reviewed the curriculum of courses run
by Colleges of Agriculture as part of a comprehensive strategy to promote agribusiness and
marketing of farm produce.
The move was to equip Agricultural Extension Agents (AEA) with the requisite skills to
train farmers as agribusiness entrepreneurs by teaching them basic record-keeping and
marketing of their produce.
The Human Resource Director of MoFA, Mr Lawoetey Tettey, announced this at a three-
day capacity building workshop for 2019 National Farmers Day Award Winners in Kumasi.
The workshop, which sought to mentor participants on financial management, business plans
and commercial negotiations was attended by 135 participants from all the 16 regions.
It was organised by the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat in partnership with MoFA on the
theme, “Transforming Agriculture into a Sustainable Business: Practical Driven Solutions
for Effective Planning”.
Mr Tettey said the Ministry was focusing on ensuring that the AEAs understood the business
of agriculture to be able to teach farmers to treat their farms as a business.
“We have realised that we are doing so much when it comes to production of agriculture
produce, but the rate of post- harvest loss is so high and it has become important for us to
emphasise more on processing and marketing’.

He said most farm produce were left to rot because the farmers lacked the expertise to
market them after harvest hence the initiative to incorporate the business aspect of agriculture
in the training of AEAs to address the problem.
He indicated that agriculture transformation remained the underpinning factor to Ghana’s
economic development and must be given the needed attention to build a solid economy.
“Transforming agriculture into business means creation of jobs, raising incomes, reducing
malnutrition and a catalyst to accelerated economic growth”, he emphasized.
He said the Ministry was facilitating the importation of assorted processing machinery for
rice, maize, soya and other crops to support entrepreneurs who were into processing or
wished to establish processing factories.
Registrar of the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, Mr Kinsley Agyemang, said the workshop
formed part of activities to extend scholarship to awardees of the 2019 best farmers at the
national and regional levels as directed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
He said all the awardees were entitled to two scholarship slots for their dependents of choice
pursuing higher education at tertiary levels.
https://www.myjoyonline.com/business/agribusiness/mofa-reviews-extension-service-curriculum-to-
promote-agribusiness/

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