2nd october 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
October 2,2020 Vol 11 Issue 10
www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com
mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com 92 321 3692874

Editorial Board
Chief Editor
 Hamlik
Managing Editor
 Abdul Sattar Shah
 Rahmat Ullah
 Rozeen Shaukat
English Editor
 Maryam Editor
 Legal Advisor
 Advocate Zaheer Minhas
Editorial Associates
 Admiral (R) Hamid Khalid
 Javed Islam Agha
 Zahid Baig(Business Recorder)
 Dr.Akhtar Hussain
 Dr.Fayyaz Ahmad Siddiqui
 Dr.Abdul Rasheed (UAF)
 Islam Akhtar Khan
Editorial Advisory Board
 Dr.Malik Mohammad Hashim
Assistant Professor, Gomal
University DIK
 Dr.Hasina Gul
Assistant Director, Agriculture KPK
 Dr.Hidayat Ullah
Assistant Professor, University
of Swabi
 Dr.Abdul Basir
Assistant Professor, University of
Swabi
 Zahid Mehmood
PSO,NIFA Peshawar
 Falak Naz Shah
Head Food Science & Technology
ART, Peshawar
Rice News Headlines…
 Basmati exports under threat?
 Kenya: Scientists Find Solution for Destructive Mwea Rice Snails
 Consumer Campaign Builds on Historic Results
 CCD holds virtual fair, student-run night of networking to be held Oct. 8
 Eating rice will not increase weight, know the right way to cook and eat it
 Why local rice varieties struggle on local market
 Farmers blame Rice Tarrification Law for declining palay
 Rice Tarrification Law blamed for declining palay prices
 Agri leads the way
 Climate change will continue to widen gaps in food security, new study finds
 Countries already struggling with low crop yields will be hurt most by a
warming climate.
 Renowned rice scientist Dr Tamal Lata Aditya passes away
 Nigeria Loses a Quarter of Rice Production to Floods
 As palay prices plunge, RTL review sought
 Review of rice tariff law sought as palay prices plummet
 Give millions in excess rice tax as cash aid to farmers, says Pangilinan
 Black Rice and Black Wheat Cultivation in Bihar; Success Story of Progressive
Farmers
 Kenya: Scientists Find Solution for Destructive Mwea Rice Snails
 Salmon and Rice
 Khattar raises paddy procurement cap after farmers threaten stir
 Fifty-nine communities enter agri-contracting
 Haryana farmers protest for 3rd day, alleges delay in paddy procurement
 More contract farming deals signed
 Food minister lambasts rice millers, allied traders for rise in prices
 Haryana farmers protest as stalemate over paddy procurement continues
 Farm Laws: State governments gear-up to safeguard their revenue
 Farmers encouraged to utilize Arkansas Voluntary Smoke Management
Program
 Arkansas' agricultural sector tops $21 billion in value
 No tariffs for EU rice shipments
 Rain to surge in next few days as flood worsens
 How DNA technology helps control the premium quality of Thai Hom Mali
Rice
 Cambodia wins rice battle at EU Court
 Asia Rice-Rates dip in top hubs; traders flag low Mekong water levels
 Review of rice tariff law sought as palay prices plummet
 Researchers identify a new family of bony fishes
 Haryana farmers protest as stalemate over paddy procurement continues

News Detail…
Basmati exports under threat?
BR Research 01 Oct 2020
According to news in Indian media, on September 11, Pakistan‘s forever frenemy neighbour
applied for exclusive Geographical Indications (GI) tagging for basmati rice in the European
Union‘s official registry of Council on Quality Schemes for Agricultural Products and Food
Stuffs. According to EU‘s rules of business, any competing trading nation has up to three
months‘ notice to contest the claim from the date of its publication.
The news comes as a bombshell for Pakistan‘s rice exporters as well as its Commerce policy
czars, who for the past two years have been banking on EU‘s revised regulations on fungicide
acceptability levels in food products. Background discussions at the time had indicated that
basmati rice originating from India has higher tricylazole levels, a chemical spray heavily used
on paddy crop to fight fungal pests. As a result, Indian exporters began to find it hard to maintain
market share, leaving open field for Pakistani exporters. Between FY17 – FY20, total volume of

Pakistan‘s basmati exports increased by nearly 1.90 times – often misattributed to improved
competitiveness due to currency devaluation.
It is not as if the policymakers had not seen this coming. In March earlier this year, federal
government promulgated the Geographical Indications (Registration and Protection) Act 2020,
allowing Pakistan to also claim right to unique geographical origin for its products, aimed to
counter a long-awaited attack from the neighbour on country‘s export destinations.
But like most Pakistani things, the country moved at a snail‘s pace in operationalizing the law,
which as per sources at Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) had remained dormant at
least until end of August. In MoC‘s defence, the pandemic hit during the intervening months,
both slowing down country‘s exports – and, possibly leading it to lower its diplomatic guard.
Afterall, nobody expects a neighbour – even the unfriendly ones – to strike at a time of global
tragedy.
Now that the enemy is at the gates, what will it take to operationalize the law? Consider that
India enacted its Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 at
the turn of the century, anticipating increased competition to its rice exports in the aftermath of
trade liberalization under TRIPS and WTO. Yet, it has taken two decades for the country to
demand an exclusive right from the EU, which begs the question whether Pakistan would prove
to be the long-eared bunny in this tale of the tortoise and the hare.
But why did it take India so long? India‘s story of addressing competing claims of GI origin of
its basmati producing region deserves some context. Despite producing up to 7.5 million tons of
basmati-claimant rice varieties per annum across the country, India assigns GI tagging to basmati
originating only in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, western
Uttar Pradesh and select districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Despite protracted court battles, the central government of India has resisted temptation to assign
basmati tagging to crop originating in the semi-agrarian state of Madhya Pradesh (central India),
as historically it has not been considered contiguous with the basmati producing north-western
subcontinent – the region stretching between Indus and Ganges-Yamuna rivers.
According to official communication between the CM of (Indian) Punjab and the central
government earlier this year, ―proliferation of GI tags to any more state will dilute the market
value of basmati rice and harm the interest of exporters‖. This has hurt India‘s ability to grow the
quantum of its rice export, which have been stuck under 4.5 million tons for several years, even
before the EU revised its regulations on fungicide use had come into force.
It takes no rocket scientist to figure out that the distinctions maintained by Indian central
government even within the country buttresses its claim for exclusive rights to basmati‘s GI
tagging, indicating that the country‘s export policymakers take the geographical origin business
seriously.
In sharp contrast, Pakistan so far lacks any geographical jurisdiction for its ‗true basmati‘.
Although the basmati bowl has traditionally been associated with the north-eastern districts of
Punjab stretching from Narowal, Sialkot, Gujrat, Gujranwala, and Hafizabad, the Lahore and
Gujranwala divisions belt is no longer the only top basmati producing region in the province.
According to several unofficial definitions discovered by BR Research in background
stakeholder discussions, the government of Punjab (Pakistan) includes as many as 18 districts of
the province in the ―basmati belt‖. Also consider that central and southern Punjab regions such as
Okara, Bahawalnagar, Pakpattan, Jhang and Toba Tek Singh are among the top 10 producers of

basmati rice in the country, far ahead of traditional basmati districts such as Gujrat, Kasur, and
Lahore. Never mind also that over the past decade, basmati has made inroads all the way into
Sindh and even Balochistan provinces, risking whatever exclusivity that the variety could have

claimed, if any.

In the less than 10 weeks now available to Pakistan to contest Indian claim, the country needs to
urgently develop rules to geographically demarcate regions with rightful basmati origins. In
order to maintain the authenticity of its claim, it will need to exclude some regions to the benefit
of the others. That will lead to a lot of protracted regional politics, an art Pakistani policymakers
have often lacked. The second – and the much more difficult - challenge will then follow: to
prove to EU that Pakistan has the requisite infrastructure to maintain exclusivity of its basmati
sourcing from the true basmati regions.
Pakistan‘s rice exporters have a nervous two months ahead of them. It will take all the
negotiation craft and diplomatic courage Pakistan can muster to register its claim with EU. Tick
tock.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40022630
Kenya: Scientists Find Solution for Destructive Mwea Rice
Snails
30 SEPTEMBER 2020
By George Munene
Research scientists from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology have
embarked on controlling snails which are wreaking havoc at the giant Mwea Rice Irrigation
Scheme in Kirinyaga County
Already the snails have destroyed 40 percent of the planted rice, causing panic among the
farmers.
Wipe out rice crop
Led by Dr Paul Kinoti, the scientists are using a farm chemical extracted from chenopodium
quinon tree to fight the voracious feeders which are threatening to wipe out more than 22,000
acres of rice crop.
The scientists came up with the chemical after research financed by the Japan African Innovation
Project Organisation to the tune of Sh12 million.
Earlier, the scientists used extracts from garlic and neem plants but they were not effective in
controlling the snails.
"The extract from chenopodium quinon plant, known as saponins, worked wonders. We made a
pesticide from saponins and it is killing snails when applied in water," Dr Kinoti, who is the
Biosnail Project Coordinator at JKUAT, explained.
Dr Kinoti observed that the snails are highly destructive but there was no cause for alarm since
research on an effective pesticide had borne fruit.
"The snails have destroyed 40 percent of the crop and farmers are replanting," he said.
He revealed that his team was coordinating well with the scheme manager Innocent Ariemba to
make the control measure successful.
Most affected areas are Kimbimbi, Mathangauta, Thiba, Kiorugari, Murubara and Nguka where
rice is grown in large scale.
According to the farmers, the aquatic snails are eating up the young rice plants, leaving a trail of
destruction in the rice fields.
Urgent measures
The farmers had expressed fear that the snails may clear everything if urgent measures were not
taken.

A farmer, Mr Robinson Kibicho, recalled how the snails destroyed his crop at Kimbimbi.
"I had to plant again after the rice I had planted was eaten by the snails," he explained.
A majority of the farmers are counting losses and they had appealed to both the national and
county governments to intervene.
The farmers said they depended on rice to feed and educate their children and thanked the
scientists for coming up with a solution to their problems.
"This is the first time the snails have invaded the scheme. Prior to the invasion, we did not know
they feed on plants," another farmer said.
The scheme, which is the largest in East and Central Africa, produces 80 percent of the rice
consumed in Kenya.
Another farmer, Edwin Muriuki, said the snails had defied the locally available pesticides,
leaving him and his colleagues a frustrated lot.
" We have been spraying the snails but they are not dying. It is very demoralising to farmers,"
said Mr Muriuki
https://allafrica.com/stories/202009300833.html
Consumer Campaign Builds on Historic Results
By Deborah Willenborg
ARLINGTON, VA -- Having a strong online presence has been crucial since the onset of the
COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately for USA Rice and its domestic promotions efforts, the
organization has an ongoing partnership with FeedFeed, a digital network connecting people
who love to cook, and has just completed a year-long social media campaign celebrating U.S.-
grown rice using visual storytelling via Instagram, blog posts, and recipe videos.
FeedFeed selected four of their influencers to promote U.S. rice, each creating four unique and
on-trend rice recipes accompanied by photography, a blog post, and an Instagram post for each
recipe. These new influencer recipes were then included in FeedFeed's weekly meal planners
and on their site's special page featuring USA Rice recipes, and also highlighted on IGTV
through FeedFeed's digital TV series.
"In late March, as the response to the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown resulted in changing
consumer shopping and cooking habits, the overall recipe production strategy for this campaign
was tweaked to incorporate more pantry staples and minimal steps to create more approachable
recipes for new at-home cooks," said Cameron Jacobs, USA Rice domestic promotion director.
The campaign's final numbers are impressive! In all, 16 U.S.-grown rice recipes were developed,
posted, and amplified by the network of influencers, FeedFeed, and USA Rice. Together, the
recipe posts, regrams, blogs, and videos generated a new social media record of more than 31.7
million consumer impressions and 1,021,668 engagements.

"For two straight years USA Rice has been heavily engaged in the social conversation, exposing
a new consumer segment to U.S.-grown rice, reaching demographics like millennials, foodies,
and conscientious consumers," said Jacobs. "This program not only surpassed last year's record-
setting 31.6 million impressions, it more than doubled the engagements to more than one million
which demonstrates how well our content and messaging is resonating."
The collection of recipes also are available on the thinkrice.com recipe database: Crispy Pork
Rice Salad, Mediterranean Brown Rice Salad, Purple Rice Coconut Pudding, Vegan Brown Rice
Stuffing, Crab Fried Rice, Thai Peanut Crunch Rice Salad, Stir Fried Tomato Beef Rice Bowls,
Japanese Curry, Beet Salad with Wild Rice, Chicken & Rice Soup, Roasted Squash with Purple
Rice, Instant Pot Spanish Rice, Teriyaki Meatballs, Jasmine Rice Bibimbap, and Wild Rice
Soup.
In addition to the immediate impact of the campaign, USA Rice retains the right to use and
access all created recipes, videos, and photos.

"Through our ongoing partnership with FeedFeed, we are making tremendous progress
connecting with U.S. consumers -- our largest market. We're excited about USA Rice's
evolution in the digital space and look forward to this ongoing collaboration," Jacobs said.
USA Rice Daily
CCD holds virtual fair, student-run night of networking to
be held Oct. 8
Illustrated by Yifei Zhang
By Hajera Naveed 9/29/20 11:14pm
The Center for Career Development held its first virtual career fair two weeks ago and the
student-run ―Night of Networking‖, for STEM students, will be held on Oct. 8. With recruiting
season coming soon, both the CCD and Rice students have committed to bringing opportunities
for networking and recruiting to students virtually.
The career fair had 1,607 students and 93 employers at the virtual event, similar to the numbers
at past in-person career fairs. According to Katelyn Holm, events specialist at the CCD, the
feedback from students was positive.
―We know that Fall Expo is a huge, loud and crowded event with space restrictions,‖ Holm said.
―That type of environment can be intimidating. The Virtual Expo offered a very different
experience, and we received great feedback from students that felt more comfortable networking
in this way.‖
The career fair was held through the Handshake platform with informational sessions and one-
on-ones with representatives, according to Holm. Students were required to preregister for the
event, as well as RSVP to the events they wished to attend.
Vinay Tummarakota, a sophomore at Hanszen College, attended the career fair and felt that the
format of the virtual fair allowed students to better prepare for interactions with company
representatives, as they knew exactly who they were going to meet with and when.
―I think the CCD did a good job of running this career fair in terms of preparing students for
what it would be like,‖ Tummarakota said. ―I also really liked the format of signing up for
sessions beforehand because I actually went to a separate career fair that was not affiliated with
Rice and they didn‘t have this feature, which led to a lot of chaos.‖
Students also had the opportunity of making their resume accessible to recruiters through
Handshake, where representatives could access public resumes from student profiles.
―Through putting my resume on Handshake, one recruiter actually found and contacted me, so
it‘s actually been more helpful than I expected,‖ Tummarakota said.
According to Loren Goddard, a senior at Hanszen College, the virtual format allowed for longer
and higher quality interactions with recruiters than one would get at the in-person fair. However,
Goddard said there were some setbacks to the virtual format.

―One thing that was different was that in person I would go up to random booths sometimes even
when I had no idea what the company was just to learn more about it or who they are hiring,‖
Goddard said. ―But in this case, I couldn‘t just randomly talk to people because I had to sign up
before.‖
Students at Rice also continue to host their own virtual events to allow students more
opportunities to connect with companies and aid in the recruitment process.
Leslie Arrazolo, external vice president for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, said
that she is leading the organization for the Night of Networking event. This event began as a way
to introduce members of the SHPE to more professional development opportunities.
The event expanded with the help of student leaders from multiple Rice organizations, including
the Rice Center for Engineering Leadership, Society of Women in Space Exploration, National
Society of Black Engineers, Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers and Rice Climate
Alliance.
According to Arrazolo, the virtual platform provided a great opportunity to get companies that
usually would not come to Rice to recruit students, either due to distance from Rice or because
no one had reached out to these companies in the past.
―The reason I signed up for [Night of Networking] is because there are a lot of companies going
that I have never seen at the career fair before,‖ Goddard said. ―So that‘s the initial thing that
really stood out to me, because they have all these companies attending that don‘t usually hire
from Rice.‖
The Night of Networking event will have companies such as Intel, SpaceX, Honda and
McKinsey & Company, along with many others. The full list of companies can be found on the
event webpage.
Arrazolo believes that in this time of the pandemic it is important to increase student‘s access to
opportunities, especially with rising job insecurity and internship cancellations.
―During this pandemic, job insecurity has increased,‖ said Arrazolo, a junior from Brown
College. ―Students worry about their future plans; companies have canceled internships, and
other companies have even stopped recruiting. We thought bringing in additional companies that
are hiring would be a great opportunity to expand student‘s opportunity to continue developing
their professional skills and hopefully land a summer internship or full-time job.‖
This event will be held through the Gatherly platform and will mimic an in-person career fair.
Students registered will receive detailed information about the format but, generally, students
will be able to ―line up‖ to talk one-on-one with company representatives through this platform,
according to Arrazolo.
The Rice Computer Science Club is another student-led organization that is now hosting virtual
recruiting and informational events for students. Over the past month, the club has hosted events
with Facebook, HubSpot, Two Sigma and other smaller companies.
According to Kelly Huang, external vice president of the Computer Science club, these events
often consist of a panel with a Q&A session where students can find out more about the
company and what type of hires they are looking for.
―To simulate an in-person experience, I have been utilizing Zoom‘s breakout rooms in these
events so students can talk to recruiters in a smaller, more personal setting,‖ Huang, a Lovett
College sophomore, said. ―Personally, I really enjoy these breakout rooms because when
popping into them I always hear a lot of discussion with students and recruiters.‖

While virtual recruiting and networking does not fully mimic an in-person experience, Holm said
she believes there are many benefits for students, and opportunities are still readily available
through the CCD and student-led events.
―Virtual recruiting can offer a more personal experience,‖ Holm said. ―The one-on-one sessions
with employers and students were truly individual conversations.‖
https://www.ricethresher.org/article/2020/09/ccd-holds-virtual-fair-student-run-night-of-
networking-to-be-held-oct-8
Thousands of edible plants identified by Kew as scientists say
we need to move on from rice and wheat
Report commisioned by Royal Botanic Gardens warns climate change will require us to move
away from eating foods like rice, corn and wheat
ByEmma Gatten30 September 2020 • 7:00am
Eating rice will not increase weight, know the right way to cook
and eat it
by Bhavi Mandalia
September 30, 2020
Health Tips: Nowadays people often distance themselves from their favorite things because of
their fitness. Many things have to be killed while eating. Now, who does not like rice in food?
But people consider rice as unhealthy and do not eat rice for fear of gaining weight.
Carbohydrates are found in plenty in rice. Those who work to increase energy in the body, but by
consuming a large amount of corbohydrate increases both weight and sugar, which is why obese
people are advised to eat less rice.
Often some people also have craving to eat rice. Chole-rice, Rajma-rice, Kadhi rice are made in
almost every household. Apart from this, Biryani, Pulao, Pea-Pulav, Fried Rice, Manchurian
Rice and how many delicious dishes are made from rice, if you want to eat a little rice everyday
in food, then eat it with passion. Because now you are not going to be obese by eating rice. Yes,
the team of scientists from neighboring country Sri Lanka have found a way to cook and eat rice,
which reduces the calories present in the rice. This method is being liked worldwide. If you also

make a habit of cooking and eating rice like this, then you will never become fat by eating rice.
What is the science behind reducing calories?
Actually, on cooling the rice, the substance named amylose in its starch gets separated from
the grains of rice. When you keep this cooked rice in the refrigerator for 12 hours, the
molecules of this amylose combine to form hydrogen bonds, converting the simple starch
into the registered starch. Regent starch is easy to digest for enzymes present in your body.
So when you eat rice after 12 hours, the starch present in it consumes the bacteria present
in your intestines, which gives you fewer calories. Another advantage of this is that after
eating this starch, your intestinal bacteria increase their numbers, which keeps your
stomach healthy and your metabolism works faster. Therefore, by eating such rice, your
body burns more calories and sugar also does not increase in the body.
Rice To Like thisOfAnd And do eat
1 allFrom you first Rice To Wash wellFrom 15 minutes till Soak in water.
2 Now 1 tbsp in cooker ToToNut oil ie coconut Of Add oil.
3 Now In this oil Rice To 1 minute till Fry up And Then close the cooker by adding
water And On very low heatFrom Cook Give
4 Rice To Cook Cool after HoGave And ThenFrom 12 hours till Keep it in the fridge.
5 12 hours later you Rice To If you are normal HoEat warm on or or again.
Scientists claim that eating rice cooked in this way reduces the 50% -60% calories present
in it. Which reduces the risk of weight gain. Apart from this, if you eat such cooked rice for
a long time, it can also reduce your weight.
https://pledgetimes.com/eating-rice-will-not-increase-weight-know-the-right-way-to-cook-and-
eat-it/
Why local rice varieties struggle on local market
By
Michel Nkurunziza
Published : October 01, 2020 | Updated : October 01, 2020
Elias Dufitumukiza inside his firm in Ruhuha Sector Bugesera District. /File
to encourage farmers to grow rice on large scale, especially in different rehabilitated marshlands
across the country, the uptake of locally grown rice remains low, compared to imported varieties.
Farmers say that the imported rice is usually a long grain variety with quality that is most liked
by many consumers while most locally grown rice is short grain.
―Local short-grain rice variety known as Kigori even at a lower price does not compete
favourably with the imported long grain varieties. Consumers prefer rice imported from Pakistan,

Tanzania, and Thailand among others despite the higher cost,‖ said Peter Niyodushima, who
owns a retain shop in Remera sector, Gasabo District.
Imported long-grain rice is retailed at between Rwf800 and 1, 200 per kilogramme while short-
grain rice known as ‗Kigori‘ is retailed at only between Rwf650 and Rwf750, but demand for the
latter remains low.
Farmers say that the growing less appetite for local varieties only leads to more decline in prices,
which leaves them and everyone along the value chain on a sharp edge.
In 2019, at least 5,000 tonnes of unprocessed ―Kigori‖ varied was left stuck in stores after it was
rejected by processing plants, leaving farmers in losses.
About 70 per cent of rice grown in Rwanda is Kigori, which raises concern for farmers.
Theogene Mugabe is a farmer who Kigori paddy rice in Gatsibo District but has been struggling
to get buyers for his less than one tonne of harvest he gets each season.
―We take time to get buyers for our produce and when get them, they will take it in smaller
quantities at a time because there is no demand for it. In the end, we are left with almost
nothing,‖ he said.
―We sell Kigori paddy rice at over Rwf200 per kilogramme but we understand that long grain
rice can attract over Rwf300 if you have grown it,‖ he said.
Vedaste Harorimana, the representative of CORIMI cooperative that processes 20 tonnes of
Kigori rice per day in Ngoma sector said that the variety faces low demand in other areas such as
Kigali, Northern and Western provinces because people are used to consuming long-grain rice.
He said that things became even worse for them when schools closed due to Covid-19, where
they are now stuck with over 700 tonnes of rice for which they are yet to find buyers.
Harorimana said that much of their produce is supplied to schools.
He said that they are in trials of three new varieties of long grain rice to see if they can substitute
the less attractive variety.

―A kilogramme of paddy Kigori rice can be sold at between Rwf200 and Rwf300 while paddy
long-grain rice fetches up to Rwf500 per kilo,‖ he said.
Reason for hope
The issue of local rice has left Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board
(RAB) with homework to develop more varieties of long rice grain that are in high demand.
Charles Bucagu, the Deputy Director-General in charge of Agriculture Research and Technology
Transfer at Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) told The New
Times that there are five new varieties of long grain that have been released to seed multipliers.
―Many consumers prefer long-grain rice and our research is geared towards this to ensure we
have the right varieties of long grain. Rwanda is dominated by short-grain rice because it thrives
in wetlands with low temperature. But we are working on long-grain rice varieties that can
adapt,‖ he said.
These, he said, include varieties named Gwiza, Umutebo and Cyuzuzo released in Eastern and
Southern provinces.
Three varieties namely Kira, Cyuzuzo and Kageno were released in Western Province but are
still in trial phase.
And he said two varieties named Twigire and Ndamira are being tested in Bugarama in Rusizi.
―Buryohe and Fashingabo are the new long-grain varieties that can even compete to those
imported because they even have a good aroma. The varieties also resist diseases and highly
productive. You can harvest over five tonnes on a hectare,‖ he said.
Reducing trade deficit
In 2016, Rwanda announced plans to stop importing rice by 2018 with 7 tons/ha by 2018 and
increasing cultivation area from 7,000 hectares in 2008 to 28,500 ha.
But Bucagu said that Rwanda is still importing rice as local production is yet to satisfy demand.
https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/why-local-rice-varieties-struggle-local-market
Farmers blame Rice Tarrification Law for declining palay
prices
Published September 30, 2020, 2:04 PM
by Madelaine B. Miraflor
Farmers are seeking the intervention of lawmakers for the declining prices of palay, which
was triggered by several factors including the National Food Authority‘s (NFA) limited
capacity to procure rice as well as traders‘ decision to delay their purchase in anticipation of
more imported rice entering the country.
(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
For the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF), all of these things should be blamed on the
implementation of Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), which allowed unlimited rice importation
in the country starting last year.
Farmgate prices have reportedly dropped to between ₱11 per kilogram (/kg) to 13/kg for wet
palay and ₱14/kg to 17/kg for dry palay.
This means that farmers are barely making money since the cost to produce rice in the
country is still about P12/kg due to the lack of machinery and relatively high fuel cost.

The government, through the NFA, buys palay from farmers at ₱19/kg, but NFA
Administrator Judy Dansal said the state-run grains agency can‘t afford to buy all the rice
being produced in the country.
Prices, FFF estimated, are expected to go down even more when harvests reach their peak in
October and November.
―Many traders are playing safe and buying low because imports might flood the market
again like last year and make it unprofitable for them to dispose of their stocks. Other
traders have decided not to take risks and have reportedly stopped buying for the
meantime,‖ FFF National Manager Raul Montemayor said.
―Difficulties in drying and transporting grains and the limited outreach of the NFA have
also contributed to the drop in prices,‖ he added.
According to him, Congress, particularly the Senate, is to a large extent responsible for the
problems farmers are facing now due to RTL.
He noted that it was the senate version of the RTL, authored by Senator Cynthia Villar, that
was enacted into law and unlike the house version, the senate did not only remove volume
restrictions on imports as required by the World Trade Organization (WTO) but it also
unilaterally liberalized the
whole rice sector by removing NFA‘s direct involvement in the market and ceding the
management and control over the rice industry to the private sector.

―They have a moral responsibility to promptly rectify any deficiency or omission in the law
before these bring more harm to our farmers. They also need to address indications that the
benefits of rice trade liberalization have been captured mostly by market intermediaries,
while consumers have not benefitted significantly from cheaper rice prices,‖ Montemayor
said.
The FFF has proposed that the law should make it mandatory for the DA to avail of the
safeguard provisions of the WTO and local laws.
This will allow the government to impose additional customs duties on imports for a
specified period in the event of an import surge and proof that the surge has caused
significant harm to local farmers.
The DA considered imposing safeguards in 2019 but terminated the initiative without any
explanation.
The FFF further pushed for an amendment of the RTL that will allow for the temporary
reinstatement of quantitative restrictions on imports under certain conditions, which is also
allowed by the WTO.
Two weeks ago, as the prices of palay started to sink, Senator Risa Hontiveros
acknowledged that there‘s a need to amend the RTL and promised to convince Villar about
it.
The DA already pledged to help intensify its palay procurement through the NFA, whose
main task is to beef up the government‘s buffer stock for emergencies and calamities.
https://mb.com.ph/2020/09/30/farmers-blame-rice-tarrification-law-for-declining-palay-prices/
Rice Tarrification Law blamed for declining palay prices
By
Margret Fermin
-
October 1, 2020
Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) blamed the implementation of the Rice Tarrification Law,
which allowed unlimited importation of rice for the continuous decline of palay prices.
Reports said farmgate prices of palay dropped to between ₱11 per kilogram (/kg) to 13/kg for
wet palay and ₱14/kg to 17/kg for dry palay.
As a result, farmers are barely earning since their capital to produce rice is still around P12/kg
due to the lack of machinery and relatively high fuel costs.
As for the government, NFA buys palay from local farmers at ₱19/kg. However, NFA is not
capable of buying all the rice the country is producing, its Administrator Judy Dansal said.
FFF projected that palay prices are expected to decline even more during the peak of harvests in
October and November.
―Many traders are playing safe and buying low because imports might flood the market again
like last year and make it unprofitable for them to dispose of their stocks. Other traders have

decided not to take risks and have reportedly stopped buying for the meantime,‖ FFF National
Manager Raul Montemayor said.
Also read: Philippines to produce less, import more rice in 2020 – report
Rice Tarrification Law blamed for declining palay prices
Montemayor also blamed the Congress and the Senate for passing the Rice Tariffication Law,
which created the problems farmers face now.
He said the Senate version of the law, which was authored by Senator Cynthia Villar, did not
remove the volume limits on imports as required by the World Trade Organization (WTO). The
Rice Tarrification Law also removed NFA‘s direct involvement in the market and removed the
agency‘s authority to control rice prices in the private sector.
―They have a moral responsibility to promptly rectify any deficiency or omission in the law
before these bring more harm to our farmers. They also need to address indications that the
benefits of rice trade liberalization have been captured mostly by market intermediaries, while
consumers have not benefitted significantly from cheaper rice prices,‖ Montemayor said.
The FFF also urged for an amendment of the Rice Tarrification Law that will allow for the
temporary reinstatement of volume restrictions on imports under certain conditions, which is also
authorized by the WTO.
https://philippineslifestyle.com/rice-tarrification-law-blamed-palay-price/
Agri leads the way
October 01, 2020 at 12:05 am by Charlie V. Manalo
"This, amid the disruption that the pandemic is causing the economy."
With COVID-19 aggressively wreaking havoc on the global economy, the
agriculture sector continues to lead the way to economic recovery.
Last Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary William Dar led the ceremonial send-off
of the first batch of okra or ladyfinger export to to Japan at the Pair-Pags
Center in Naia Road, signaling the country‘s attempt to corner a large chunk
of Japan‘s high demand for agricultural products.
Next in line will be the first batch of edamame export, also to Japan.
The okra export were harvested from different farms from 14 barangays in Tarlac – Victoria,
Balayang, Palacpalac, Batang-Batang, Lalapac, Mayang, San Pascual, Villa Bacolor,
Matayumtayum, San Jose, San Manuel, Balingcanaway, Cutcut, and Lapaz.
The project involved 300 farmers led by young farmer-entrepreneurs Jeffrey Fernandez and Rap
Pelayo of Jel Farms.
According to Fernandez and Pelayo, with the present set-up, a farmer is can earn up to P90,000
to P100,000 net of expenses per hectare. Same goes with edamame. Both products are in demand
in the cities of Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe and Nagoya in Japan.

Dar is ready to throw his office‘s support for the okra and edamame industry saying he would
prioritize the setting-up of cold storages for the said purpose, which he said, could effectively
increase the farmers‘ income to up to P120,000 per hectare.
Targeted for okra and edamame plantation expansion are 900 to 1,000 hectares.
―Under my watch, I assure you that the Department of Agriculture will extend all the assistance
we can give to every farmer, including the group involved in this okra-edamame exportation to
Japan, to enhance our agricultural production, and in the process, advance the livelihood of our
farmers,‖ Dar said during the send-off ceremony.
Actually, the Department of Agriculture, under Dar‘s watch, has been among the first to render
economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic, implementing nationwide the Duterte
administration‘s ―Plant, Plant, Plant Program‖ or ―Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat (ALPAS) Laban
sa Covid-19‖ program to benefit farmers, fishers and consumers as early as April. This was one
month after the country was placed under community quarantine.
Under the Plant, Plant, Plant Program, Dar conducted regional teleconferencing consultations
and planning nationwide with the agency‘s different partners – local government units, and
regional and provincial agriculture and fishery councils – updating them on developments due to
the COVID-19 national emergency situation and enhance the implementation of refocused DA
programs.
To ensure the smooth implementation of the program, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the
Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases approved the agency‘s request for a P31-billion
supplemental budget aimed at increasing national agri-fishery output through intensified use of
quality seeds, appropriate inputs, modern technologies to increase levels of productivity across
all commodities, and thus ensure food productivity, availability, accessibility and affordability
amidst the threat of Covid-19 pandemic,.
Of the P31-billion additional budget, Dar said they have successfully pursued an P8.5-billion
Rice Resiliency Project aimed at producing more rice to increase the country‘s sufficiency level
from the present 87 percent to 93 percent.
By the end of December, Dar said he expects palay production to reach 22.12 million metric
tons. This is equivalent to 13.51 MMT of rice or 93 percent of the country‘s total demand at
14.46 MMT.―Right after the current dry season, we will urge farmers to plant more areas by
providing them quality seeds, fertilizers, and appropriate technical assistance,‖ said secretary
Dar.Dar also said the DA would continue to provide support to the farmers through the Rice
Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, which guarantees a P10-billion allocation annually from
rice tariffs. RCEF is appropriated to provide farmers with machinery and equipment, certified
inbred seed, credit, and training.
He made the announcement during the Distribution of Livelihood Assistance to Fisherfolk and
Farm Machinery to Farmers which took place in Malolos City, Bulacan after the send-off of the
okra export to Japan.And Dar could have never described agriculture‘s contribution to the
country more aptly when he said that while other business sectors continue to bleed on account
of an economic slowdown due to this COVID-19 pandemic, the country is still blessed to have a
sustained activity on the agri-industry front.At this most crucial time, agriculture leads the way to
our economic recovery.
https://manilastandard.net/opinion/columns/naked-thought-by-charlie-v-manalo/335555/agri-leads-the-
way.html

Climate change will continue to widen gaps in food security, new
study finds
Countries already struggling with low crop yields will be hurt most by a warming climate.
Hannah Seo
Oct 01, 2020
With storms to the east and wildfires to the west, the climate crisis is currently at the forefront of
public consciousness. But aside from dramatic disasters there is another, pernicious threat that
comes with a warming climate: diminishing global crop yields.
In a new study published in Nature Food, researchers assessed global yields for 18 of the most
farmed crops—wheat, maize, soybeans, rice, barley, sugar beet, cassava, cotton, groundnuts,
millet, oats, potatoes, pulses, rapeseed, rye, sorghum, sunflower and sweet potatoes—crops that,
all together, represent 70 percent of global crop area and around 65 percent of global caloric
intake.
The authors found that climate change will not only hamper farmers' abilities to maintain current
harvests, but that countries already facing food insecurity will be disproportionately affected.
The researchers investigated temperature variations, but didn't examine climate impacts to
precipitation patterns or other weather phenomena like flood or drought.
The most negatively impacted countries across most crops, their models found, were those in
sub-Saharan Africa, and certain countries in South America and South Asia like India, Brazil,
Indonesia, and Venezuela, among others.
"Generally the countries with low existing productivity also expected a high negative impact of
climate change...these happen to be mostly non-developed countries," Paolo Agnolucci, an
environmental economist at University College London and a co-author of the study, told EHN.
Agnolucci and his team used data from the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) on global crop yields, and used statistical models to predict how current croplands across
the globe will react to a warming climate. The researchers made sure to control for such factors
as fertilizer and pesticide use, and differing irrigation techniques.
Their statistical models yielded oddly symmetrical results: they predicted that countries with
already high yield for a crop will, on average, benefit from a 1 degree Celsius rise in temperature
while countries that struggle with that same crop will struggle even more with their yield.
Agnolucci and his team found the same trend with caloric consumption: countries with higher
average calorie intake per person per day were more likely to benefit from that 1 degree Celsius
rise in global temperature than countries where average caloric intake is lower.
The data show that the issue of climate change is also one of food security, said Agnolucci,
where the beneficiaries of a warming climate are the ones who don't necessarily need more
arable land or more available calories—"on average, the losers are those countries who are
already losing."

Counting calories vs. healthy foods
The unequal burden poorer countries will face is no surprise, Ephraim Nkonya, an agricultural
economist with the International Food Policy Research Institute who was not involved in the
study, told EHN. It is well known that climate change disproportionately affects poorer nations;
it also disproportionately affects poorer communities within nations. Climate change, by
exacerbating income and wealth inequalities, will of course widen food security disparities, he
said.
But Nkonya questions whether caloric intake should be used as an indication of food security.
"The current thinking is that we really need to look at a healthy diet." He said the FAO has
pivoted their focus in recent years from raising caloric intake in food insecure areas to fostering
systems that yield accessible, healthy diets. Simply raising a nation's average caloric intake does
not translate necessarily to a more food secure nation, he said, and relying on a measure like
caloric intake obscures population well-being.
For example, Nkonya quotes the FAO's "The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World
2020" report and said that around 60 percent of the population in sub-Saharan Africa cannot
afford a healthy diet. That information is lost if you only look at average caloric production and
consumption, which have been on the rise.
Farmer in Indonesia, which was one of the countries found to be most negatively impacted in the
new study. (Credit: defika hendri/Unsplash)
Crop comparisons
Beyond countries, the study shows that there are losing and winning crops, too. The models
show that not all crops will respond equally to rising temperatures, with yields for crops like
barley, millet and rapeseed reacting quite volatilely. More robust crops were cassava, potatoes
and soybeans—those for which the models predict that a 1 degree Celsius raise in temperature
will help yields almost universally.
The results also showed symmetry in that dramatic negative crop yield changes in some
countries for one crop would also be accompanied by strong positive yield changes in other
countries. For rice yields, for example, a 1 degree Celsius temperature rise predicted an
approximate 20 percent yield decrease in India, but an approximate 10 percent yield increase in
Russia.
These data show us where future efforts need to be concentrated, and which crops need to be
focused on when planning agricultural strategies with climate change in mind, said Agnolucci. In
India's case, rice is such a culturally important food, but it may not be worth the resources to
double down and try to maintain their crop levels. But, "a substitution in production does not
necessarily imply there needs to be a substitution of consumption," he added. Rather, it's more
likely that "the winning strategy might take a combination of things, including shifting the
production to a different crop and exporting that crop while importing rice."
The study has its limitations. Not every country has comprehensive, reliable data on crop yield or
standard farming practices, for one. Also the statistical models could not account for the dynamic
changes in farmland that will occur as the climate changes. Their model only represents how
existing arable land will react with changing temperatures, when in reality, a warming climate
will shift the area and location of farmable land over time. Lastly, Agnolucci said that the data

they used were numbers averaged across nations, which erased any nuance or variability across
large countries such as the U.S. or China, and so on.
Nkonya takes greatest issue with all these generalizations, and specifically with one line in the
study: "In 10 of the 18 crops assessed in this study, an increase of 10 millimeters in precipitation
induces a decrease in the yields, evaluated at the global mean, while in the remaining crops the
impact is positive."
That line is counterintuitive, said Nkonya, likely because the global mean they used again
obscures the reality for poorer countries. That average almost certainly does not reflect the
reality of poorer, drier countries where an increase in precipitation will almost definitely increase
crop yields. Such generalizations are not helpful, he said, and possibly counterproductive when it
comes to food security initiatives.
Agnolucci concedes, and believes that further research will build upon and improve the accuracy
of the data and show greater nuance. These data, he said, will hopefully allow countries and
communities to tailor toolkits and strategies to meet their own needs and combat climate-related
agricultural challenges. After all, he says, "there is no magic wand here."
Banner photo: Palacode, Tamil Nadu, India. (Credit: Deepak kumar/Unsplash)
https://www.ehn.org/climate-change-and-food-security-
2647870834.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1
Renowned rice scientist Dr Tamal Lata Aditya passes away
Tribune Desk
Published at 03:43 pm October 1st, 2020
Dr Tamal Lata Aditya, director (research) of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI)
and eminent rice scientist has passed away on Wednesday after suffering a serious heart
attack Collected
As a rice breeder, she made important contributions to the innovation, development and
expansion of many rice varieties
Dr Tamal Lata Aditya, director (research) of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI)
and eminent rice scientist, has passed away.
She breathed her last at 11:45pm on Wednesday after suffering a serious heart attack.
She is survived by her husband, two sons and numerous admirers.
Mourning her passing, BRRI expressed their deepest condolences and sympathy to the
bereaved family.
Dr Aditya was born in 1968 in Kundal Balia village of Phulpur upazila of Mymensingh
district. She graduated from Bangladesh Agricultural University in 1993 with a degree in
agriculture. She received her master's degree in botany and plant breeding from the same
university in 1997, and her PhD in plant breeding and biotechnology from Imperial

College, University of London in 2002. She joined the BRRI plant breeding department
as a scientific officer in 1994 and was later promoted to the post of chief scientific officer
in 2010. She joined the post of research director in 2017 and held the post till her death.
She played an important role in the formulation, implementation and monitoring of
BRRI's research program. She published more than 30 articles in various research
journals at home and abroad.
Dr Aditya was also involved in the work of various agricultural organizations including
Krishibid Institution Bangladesh, Bangladesh Agricultural University Alumni
Association, Plant Breeding & Genetics Society of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Association
for Plant Tissue Culture & Biotechnology, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute Scientist
Association, and Bangladesh Academy of Science.
As a rice breeder, she made important contributions to the innovation, development and
expansion of many rice varieties.
In the course of her career, she won the PBGSB Young Scientist Award 2013-14, the
Professional Excellence Award 2014, the Rotary Club, Dhaka, Best Scientist BRRI
Award 2014, the STRASA Award 2018 and the International Senadhira Rice Research
Award 2018 for her outstanding contribution in rice research. Under her leadership,
BRRI's plant breeding department won the Bangabandhu National Agriculture Award in
2016. Dr Aditya was also awarded the Jaya Alokit Nari 2020 on International Women's
Day.
LEAVE A COMMENT
https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/2020/10/01/renowned-rice-scientist-dr-tamal-
lata-aditya-passes-away

Nigeria Loses a Quarter of Rice Production to Floods
By Ifiok Ettang
September 30, 2020 02:23 PM
ARGUNGU - Farmers in northern Nigeria have lost more than two million tons of rice, a quarter
of the country's projected harvest, due to flooding.  Despite the loss, Nigeria is so far upholding a
year-long ban on land-based imports of rice to crack down on smuggling and boost local
production.
Ibrahim Adullahi is looking at what remains of his 350-hectare rice farm in Nigeria‘s Kebbi
state.
Abdullahi was expecting a harvest of 600 tons of rice, but weeks of severe flooding means he
will be lucky to get 100.
―Since when I started farming, I have never experienced intensive cultivation of rice like now,
because a lot of people are into the rice farming. But unfortunately, we experienced this
intensive flooding that we are still experiencing now, and farmers are now counting losses
because 90 percent of our farmers have lost what they have cultivated,‖ he said.
Nigeria‘s biggest rice producing state, Kebbi, had projected 2.5 million tons this year.
But heavy September rains washed away two million tons. Local rice miller Mohammad Anuana
said this could cause a further jump in the price of the grain.
―If rain has already washed away all the farm product, you know the goods will be rising up (in
price) because the little one they have on ground - they will make sure they recover (the value of)
the one that the water moves away. And, so they‘ll double the price,‖ he said.
With Africa‘s largest population, Nigeria annually imports billions of dollars of rice and
wheat. But the country hopes to become self-sufficient.
Last year, the government banned land-based rice imports to crack down on smuggling and boost
local rice production.
Despite the lost rice, the Nigerian officials say the ban will remain in place.
Chairman of the All Farmers Association in Nigeria John Wuyep said affected farmers will be
compensated.
"The government and even the financial institutions have a machinery in force. So many who
have lost now are already preparing for the dry season farming,‖ he said.
Nigeria‘s farmers association says better groundwork is needed to prevent flooding and have a
steady water supply during the dry season.
Flood reduction would also help save homes and the displacement of thousands of Nigerians
from overflowing rivers.
https://www.voanews.com/africa/nigeria-loses-quarter-rice-production-floods
As palay prices plunge, RTL review sought
ByJasper Y. Arcalas
October 1, 2020

A farmer uses a hand tractor to plow a rice field before planting palay seedlings in Tanay, Rizal,
in this BusinessMirror file photo.
THE Federation of Free Farmers Inc. (FFF) is urging lawmakers to review the rice trade
liberalization (RTL) law in light of falling palay prices and reimpose the powers of the
government to place quantitative restrictions on imports under certain conditions.
In a statement on Wednesday, the FFF asked Congress to conduct an immediate review of the
law that ordered the deregulation of the rice industry, paving the way for easier entry of imports.
The FFF made the call following reports they received from farmers that wet palay prices have
dropped to between P11 per kilogram and P13 per kilogram and P14 per kilogram to P17 per
kilogram for dry palay.
The prevailing market prices, the group pointed out, are ―significantly lower‖ than the National
Food Authority‘s (NFA) P19 per kilogram buying price for dry palay.
The P12 price prompted Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto to lament that this made
palay much cheaper than a face mask or face shield used as safeguard against Covid-19.
―Prices are expected to go down even more when harvests reach their peak in October and
November,‖ the FFF said.
Uncontrolled imports
The FFF attributed the price declines to ―uncontrolled entry of rice imports and uncertainty over
[Department of Agriculture‘s] policy for the decline in prices this early in the harvest season.‖
―Many traders are playing safe and buying low because imports might flood the market again
like last year and make it unprofitable for them to dispose of their stocks,‖ it said.

―Other traders have decided not to take risks and have reportedly stopped buying for the
meantime. Difficulties in drying and transporting grains and the limited outreach of the NFA
have also contributed to the drop in prices,‖ it added.
The FFF is proposing that Congress amend the law and reinstate government‘s powers to allow
the temporary imposition of quantitative restrictions during times that imports have caused
injuries to the domestic sector, in this case the palay farmers.
―The FFF has proposed that the law should make it mandatory for the DA to avail of the
safeguard provisions of the WTO and local laws. This will allow the government to impose
additional customs duties on imports for a specified period in the event of an import surge and
proof that the surge has caused significant harm to local farmers,‖ it said.
The BusinessMirror first broke the story in March 2019 that the version of the RTL law that was
passed removed the government‘s authority to reimpose import restrictions in times when an
import surge causes harm or injury to the local agriculture sector.
Then Agriculture Undersecretary Segfredo R. Serrano told the BusinessMirror that reimposing
QR as a general safeguard measure, which is allowed under WTO rules, has become a ―collateral
damage‖ and is now ―useless‖ since the RTL law was enacted.
(Read story here: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/03/14/what-philippines-gave-up-with-
the-recent-enactment-of-rice-trade-liberalization-law/)
Other proposals
The FFF explained that the RTL law has tied the hands of the government in addressing crisis
situations, citing the cancellation of the planned rice importation by the Philippine International
Trading Corp. (PITC) that did not have any legal basis under existing laws.
The FFF also argued that programs funded by the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund
(RCEF) are experiencing delays in implementation since the law mandated small research
agencies to oversee the programs.
―The FFF has also proposed the restoration of a provision allowing farmers to be represented in
the management and monitoring of the RCEF,‖ it said.
―This provision was contained in the House version and the RTL‘s draft Implementing Rules and
Regulations, but was inexplicably removed from the final version of the law,‖ it added.
Image credits: Bernard Testa
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2020/10/01/as-palay-prices-plunge-rtl-review-sought/
Review of rice tariff law sought as palay prices plummet
By: Karl R. Ocampo - Reporter / @kocampoINQ
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:16 AM October 01, 2020
An industry group has urged Congress to review the rice tariffication law (RTL) as palay prices
continued to drop and are expected to worsen when harvests reach their peak this month and in
November.
According to the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF), the rice policy must make it mandatory for the
Department of Agriculture to make use of the safeguard provision under the World Trade
Organization (WTO) and local laws. This will allow the government to impose additional taxes on

imported rice whenever they would be proven to hurt local farmers. Additional taxes are expected
to discourage importation of the staple.
The group also recommended an amendment to the law that would permit the temporary
reinstatement of a cap on imports under certain conditions, which was allowed by the WTO.
The drastic slide in palay prices to P12 a kilo from P20 a kilo earlier this year was blamed on the
overwhelming volume of imports that came in due to the surge in the demand for rice as people
went into panic buying during the height of the quarantine restrictions.
Imported rice comes cheaper than local rice, making it hard for Filipino farmers to compete. With
the cost of production still at an average of P12 per kilo, palay growers are left with little to no
income, sometimes they even incur losses.
Rice prices, however, have not gone down at the same rate as that of palay prices. Data from the
Philippine Statistics Authority showed that the average rice price in the market for regular-milled
rice was P35 a kilo.
―[Lawmakers] have a moral responsibility to promptly rectify any deficiency, or omission in the
law before these bring more harm to our farmers,‖ said FFF national chair Raul Montemayor.
―They also need to address indications that the benefits of rice trade liberalization have been
captured mostly by market intermediaries, while consumers have not benefited significantly from
cheaper rice.‖
Despite the interventions committed under the rice competitiveness enhancement program, FFF
said its implementation had been delayed by the law itself.
https://business.inquirer.net/308539/review-of-rice-tariff-law-sought-as-palay-prices-
plummet#ixzz6ZhBTodhT
Give millions in excess rice tax as cash aid to farmers, says
Pangilinan
S E P 3 0 , 2 0 2 0 7 : 1 7 P M P H T
J C G O T I N G A
Rice farmers have been seeking government aid as farmgate prices plunge to P12 per kilo
Senator Francis Pangilinan urged the government to give at least P728 million in ―excess‖ rice
taxes as cash aid to farmers, who are reeling from the decline of the price of palay or raw husked
rice grains to a ―measly‖ P12 per kilo.
Of P10.728 billion in tax collections from the Rice Tariffication Law as of July, only P10
billion is needed to fund the government‘s Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Program. Any
amount beyond that P10 billion may be allocated as direct assistance to farmers, the opposition
senator said in a statement on Wednesday, September 30.
Pangilinan was the Presidential Assistant on Food Security and Agricultural Modernization for a
time under the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III.
―We have an excess collection of P728 million as of July, and this should directly benefit the
farmers especially in these hard times,‖ said Pangilinan, adding that the amount must have
increased since then.

―The life-saving measure is direct cash assistance especially to the small farmers now suffering
from the plunge in the prices of palay, and from the lack of other livelihood opportunities due to
the pandemic,‖ he added.
Farmers have been seeking government aid since farmgate prices of palay plunged to as low as
P12 per kilo, from the National Food Authority‘s buying range of P17 to P20 per kilo.
Pangilinan also suggested that the government buy all its rice requirements from local farmers,
and restrict imports especially during the harvest.
Recto: Don't burden local governments
In a separate statement on Tuesday, September 29, Senate president pro tempore Ralph Recto
said local government units (LGU) should not be burdened with having to buy palay from their
local farmers.
Many LGUs‘ funds are already depleted because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Recto said, and
the national government cannot expect them to still deal with the crash in palay prices.
Recto said he is counting on the agriculture and trade departments to come up with plans to avert
the losses of millions of rice farmers, and he hopes the President would immediately implement
their recommendations.
Still, LGUs who can afford it would do well to buy rice directly from local farmers, Recto added.
'Lamentable'
Since it was enforced in 2019, the Rice Tariffication Law has opened the Philippines to an influx
rice imports – albeit with higher tax rates – by removing quotas. With local farmers unable to
compete, the measure threatens to keep pushing local rice prices down.

Pangilinan urged the Department of Agriculture to ―address this phenomenon.‖ He also called on
the Cabinet‘s economic cluster to make an updated accounting of taxes collected on rice imports,
to determine how much can be given as cash aid to farmers.
The Philippines has overtaken China as the world‘s top rice importer, Pangilinan pointed out. If
this persists, Filipino farmers may lose the incentive to keep producing the national staple.
This would then hurt the country‘s rice supply, as 80% of its consumption still comes from the
local crop. Imports cannot supply the entire country‘s demand for the staple, Pangilinan warned.
―It‘s lamentable thinking about the hardships of our farmers in tilling the soil and then getting a
measly P12 for every kilo of palay, while at the other end of the spectrum are officials getting
away with PhilHealth funds in a breeze,‖ Pangilinan said in an earlier statement.
He was referring to the corruption scandal involving the Philippine Health Insurance
Corporation, some of whose top officials allegedly embezzled P15 billion in public funds.
Pangilinan is one of several lawmakers who have called for a review of the Rice Tariffication
Law.
“Hindi pwedeng gutom ang nagpapakain sa atin. Kailangan silang matulungang magpakain sa
ating lahat,” Pangilinan said. (It won‘t do that those who feed us go hungry. We must help them
feed the rest of us.) – Rappler.com
https://www.rappler.com/nation/pangilinan-says-give-millions-excess-rice-tax-cash-aid-farmers
Black Rice and Black Wheat Cultivation in Bihar; Success
Story of Progressive Farmers
Abhijeet Banerjee 1 October, 2020 12:29 PM IST
Black rice is one of the most exotic and nutritious rice variety and it has started gaining
consumers‘ attention globally in last few years. The demand for Black Rice is increasing in
Indian markets as well. This variety of Rice has a deep black color and usually after cooking the
color changes into deep purple. This phenomenon is mainly due to presence of
anthocyanin, which is available higher in greater percentage than other colored grains. Black
Rice is suitable for creating porridge, dessert, traditional Chinese black rice
cake, bread and noodles. This type of rice comes from the species of Oryza sativa, some of which
are glutinous rice. Varieties include Indonesian black rice, Philippine balatina rice, and Thai
jasmine black rice. Black rice is known as chak-hao in Manipur, where desserts made from black
rice are served at major feasts.
Black Rice Success Story:
The numerous health benefits associated with this rice in addition to opportunity for generating
decent return from its cultivation has encouraged farmers of different states to take up the
cultivation of Black Rice. Today we shall be covering on the success stories of Black Rice in the
state of Bihar. Lot of farmers in Bihar have successfully opted black rice over the conventional
white rice this year. There are reports of progressive farmers in Bihar growing black

rice, boosting their incomes and thinking of innovation in the farming sector, by giving up
traditional cropping patterns, and seeking better farming options.
Initially most growers were not sure about the fate of the Black rice crop but interactions and
guidance from scientists, along with acquiring knowledge on the nutritional value of the
black rice; they decided to try growing it in half an acre of land. This was a successful venture
for most of the growers who then encouraged their village members/peers to take up cultivation
of Black Rice. The successful farmers even sent the seeds across India for cultivation purpose
hence making this farming popular in the country. This is a history for these
progressive farmers - since from Bihar it is the first time that any farm produce has been sent
outside the state.
The Amazing Health Benefits of Eating Black Rice
Black Wheat Success Story:
Like Black Rice the progressive farmers in Bihar have also tried cultivating black wheat variety
and were successful in this venture as well. Experts have confirmed that black wheat is rich in
anti-oxidants and good for diabetic people, along with other health benefits. Black wheat farming
in Bihar had also given good returns to the progressive farmers as per sources. Known for its
high nutritional value, Black Wheat is a source of iron, vitamin E, antioxidants, calcium,
magnesium and zinc. It is very effective for lifestyle disorders like diabetes, inflammatory
disorders and obesity, also useful in managing blood cholesterol level. The plant pigment present
in this wheat is anthocyanin which is a very well-known antioxidant. Our body produces harmful
free radicals therefore Black Wheat becomes useful in fighting against free radical
induced diseases like cancer. Additionally, it has high concentration of micronutrients like iron
and zinc, and the Iron content is roughly 60 percent more than normal wheat. The percentage of
protein, nutrients and starch are nearly the same as in normal wheat. Therefore in terms of health,
black wheat scores better than the normal wheat.
Association with NGO brings Desirable Results:
In last few years, nearly 5,000 farmers in Bihar had got associated with ―Awaz Ek Pahal‖, an
NGO working to change the farming habits of farmers for the last few years. This NGO also
helps Growers to cultivate exotic fruits like kiwis, dragon fruit, strawberries etc. Lots of farmers
associated with this NGO, have made serious efforts to interact with farmers with the
objective to bring innovations to the sector. Scientists were invited for
visits for explaining methods of Black Rice/Black wheat farming and also sharing necessary
knowledge. Training from scientists was also on the Agenda list. Those who had successfully
grown the varieties Black rice and Black wheat were then invited to share their experiences, and
this help the farmers to get convinced to a great extent, in taking up cultivation of the above-
mentioned varieties. Farmers from different villages have confirmed that the growers got
profitable results in using small portion of their land for cultivating Black Rice and Black Wheat
varieties.
The farming community feedback for black rice grown in half an acre is quite encouraging as
most of the farmers have received better returns. Similarly, lots of black wheat growers could get
higher output, from which they could keep some portion for their family and near ones while
selling rest of the variety and receiving handsome gains against their production cost. Even there
are reports of some farmers in Bihar, doubling their income in farming of Black Rice as well as
Black Wheat this year.

https://krishijagran.com/agriculture-world/black-rice-and-black-wheat-cultivation-in-bihar-
success-story-of-progressive-farmers/
Kenya: Scientists Find Solution for Destructive Mwea Rice Snails
30 SEPTEMBER 2020
By George Munene
Research scientists from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology have
embarked on controlling snails which are wreaking havoc at the giant Mwea Rice Irrigation
Scheme in Kirinyaga County
Already the snails have destroyed 40 percent of the planted rice, causing panic among the
farmers.
Wipe out rice crop
Led by Dr Paul Kinoti, the scientists are using a farm chemical extracted from chenopodium
quinon tree to fight the voracious feeders which are threatening to wipe out more than 22,000
acres of rice crop.
The scientists came up with the chemical after research financed by the Japan African Innovation
Project Organisation to the tune of Sh12 million.
Earlier, the scientists used extracts from garlic and neem plants but they were not effective in
controlling the snails.
"The extract from chenopodium quinon plant, known as saponins, worked wonders. We made a
pesticide from saponins and it is killing snails when applied in water," Dr Kinoti, who is the
Biosnail Project Coordinator at JKUAT, explained.
Dr Kinoti observed that the snails are highly destructive but there was no cause for alarm since
research on an effective pesticide had borne fruit.
"The snails have destroyed 40 percent of the crop and farmers are replanting," he said.
He revealed that his team was coordinating well with the scheme manager Innocent Ariemba to
make the control measure successful.
Most affected areas are Kimbimbi, Mathangauta, Thiba, Kiorugari, Murubara and Nguka where
rice is grown in large scale.
According to the farmers, the aquatic snails are eating up the young rice plants, leaving a trail of
destruction in the rice fields.
Urgent measures
The farmers had expressed fear that the snails may clear everything if urgent measures were not
taken.
A farmer, Mr Robinson Kibicho, recalled how the snails destroyed his crop at Kimbimbi.
"I had to plant again after the rice I had planted was eaten by the snails," he explained.
A majority of the farmers are counting losses and they had appealed to both the national and
county governments to intervene.
The farmers said they depended on rice to feed and educate their children and thanked the
scientists for coming up with a solution to their problems.
"This is the first time the snails have invaded the scheme. Prior to the invasion, we did not know
they feed on plants," another farmer said.

The scheme, which is the largest in East and Central Africa, produces 80 percent of the rice
consumed in Kenya.
Another farmer, Edwin Muriuki, said the snails had defied the locally available pesticides,
leaving him and his colleagues a frustrated lot.
" We have been spraying the snails but they are not dying. It is very demoralising to farmers,"
said Mr Muriuki.
Salmon and Rice
Thursday Oct 1st, 2020 16
David Sparks Ph.D.
Rice growers in California's Sacramento Valley may someday be managing their winter flooded
rice fields for salmon. So Paul Buttner with the California Rice Commission told an Ag summit
that his group is in the middle of a two year project working with rice growers, researchers and
USDA. They've already proven fish grow faster and stronger, raised in rice fields, and by tagging
the fish, they found a much larger percentage of these rice field fish survive and make it out to
the sea compared to other fish. The study continues now on finding how best to bring water in
and water and fish out of rice fields. ―And then how can we develop conservation management
practices to eventually get to where we can have growers signing up for these practices.‖ He's
excited about the possibilities. And of course, the dwindling salmon population is a big issue in
California and rice farmers could be a part of the solution. ―We are lucky to have NRCS join us
for a one point four million dollar project, we‘re in year two of the two year project right now
where they have proven that baby salmon grow very rapidly in rice fields. Why? Well, it's
because of that jar of winter rice field water. It's exactly what they need to grow big and fast.
And we really appreciate and enjoy our relationship with the state and federal wildlife agencies
that provide us hatchery fish for these projects that we're doing right now.
SALMON
www.aginfo.net/report/47297/Line-on-Agriculture/Salmon-and-Rice
Khattar raises paddy procurement cap after farmers
threaten stir

The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) has objected to the condition under which the government
agencies will procure the produce up to 25 quintal per acre only. Citing higher production of
paddy, the BKU wants this cap to be revised to 30 quintal per acre.
By: Express News Service | Chandigarh | September 30, 2020 11:13:46 am
Khattar also asked the procurement agencies to immediately lift the procured paddy from
Wednesday. (File Photo)
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Tuesday directed the officials to ensure that if a
farmer brings 10 per cent additional paddy to the mandi than the prescribed quota, it should be
purchased. The limit, which was earlier 25 quintals per acre, has now been increased to 33
quintals, an official statement said.
This came hours after the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) called the farmers to block roads in front
of mandis in Haryana on Wednesday, alleging delay in paddy procurement, a lack of
coordination between the government departments and various agencies and over the cap on
procurement.
The BKU has objected to the condition under which the government agencies will procure the
produce up to 25 quintal per acre only. Citing higher production of paddy, the BKU wants this
cap to be revised to 30 quintal per acre. The BKU also wants that the limit of moisture content in
paddy be increased to 22 per cent instead of current 17 per cent.
A delegation of farmers led by BKU Haryana president Gurnam Singh Chaduni met state
additional chief secretary PK Das in connection with their demands. Not happy with the outcome
of the two-hour meeting, Chaduni said, ―We did not get any concrete assurance regarding our
problems. We don‘t have any other option but to block roads in front of mandis wherever the
paddy is not being procured.‖
The BKU leader said the mandis are full of paddy and the procurement was not taking place.
Das later told The Indian Express that the government was ready to review the per acre cap on
procurement but added the limit of moisture content has been fixed by the central government.

Sources in the government hinted the state may convey feelings of the farmers to the central
government regarding the moisture content.
Earlier in the day, agitating farmers raised slogans against the state government in Kurukshetra,
Pipli, Pehowa and Ladwa.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Thanesar in Kurukshetra Akhil Pilani tried to pacify the farmers,
who complained that they were waiting in the mandi for seven-eight days to sell their crops.
Kurukshetra Market Committee Secretary Harjeet Singh said the farmers submitted a
memorandum to the SDM and demanded that their produce be procured at the earliest. He said
the procurement could not start even on Tuesday as the rice millers refused to make purchases
till their demands were accepted by the state government.
Besides, he said, the portal of the market committee was also not working. In many cases, it
shows very less cultivable land registered by farmers on the ‗Meri Fasal Mera Byora‘ portal due
to which they are not getting gate-pass to sell the crop in the ‗mandi‘.
Late in the evening, Khattar said that the farmers will not be allowed to face any problem in the
procurement process. He also asked the procurement agencies to immediately lift the procured
paddy from Wednesday. He also reviewed the purchase of millet, maize, moong and cotton.
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/khattar-raises-paddy-procurement-cap-after-
farmers-threaten-stir-6644097/
Fifty-nine communities enter agri-contracting
Mom Kunthear | Publication date 29 September 2020 | 22:17 ICT

The number of agricultural production contracts has skyrocketed to 701 this year from 498 in the
whole year 2019. Heng Chivoan
Fifty-nine communities on Tuesday signed agricultural production contracts for agro-industrial
crops and organic rice with four companies in a bid to boost production and secure export
markets.
Witnessing the signing, Minister of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries Veng Sakhon lauded the
move as a model for such contracts, highlighting the good cooperation between all relevant
parties to ensure sustainable agricultural supply, product quality and price guarantee, while
establishing solidarity and trust.
The communities are based in Takeo, Kampong Speu, Kampot, Kampong Chhnang, Mondulkiri,
Preah Vihear, Banteay Meanchey and Siem Reap provinces.
The signatory companies are Cambodian Agriculture Cooperative Corporation Plc, Amru Rice
(Cambodia) Co Ltd, Signatures of Asia Co Ltd and Bayon Heritage Holding Group Co Ltd.
That same day, Cambodia Rice Federation president Song Saran said the contracts obliged the
communities to supply nearly 30,000 tonnes of organic paddy, 26,000 tonnes of organic cassava,
100 tonnes of Kampong Speu palm sugar and 50 tonnes of pepper.
He said: ―The contracts will greatly do their share in driving the rice trade in Cambodia,
especially when it comes to organic rice.
―They underpin the policy to shore up the Kingdom‘s rice exports, provide a forum for
stakeholders in the agricultural sector – centred on rice – and will represent a model programme
for rice millers, exporters and farming communities.‖
Chhat Chhieng, 39, head of the Romduol Mlou Prey Cheay Den farming community in Chheb
district, Preah Vihear province, told The Post that such contracts are a boon for communities
looking to buy and sell.
He noted that in a first for his community, it signed an agricultural production contract with
Amru Rice to supply them with 888 tonnes of paddy in the upcoming monsoon-season crop and
dry-season crop cycle.
―Normally without such a contract, we and the companies we deal with do not trust each other
when it comes to the production, purchase and sale of our agricultural products. Only with the
right contract can we instil a bit of confidence,‖ Chhieng said.
The community would previously sell their products via traders who feed off volatile price
movements, he said, adding that the contract fixes the base prices and creates a sense of security.
Sakhon noted the remarkable increases in number of agricultural production contracts inked in
the Kingdom, from 62 in 2017, to 90 in 2018 and 498 last year.
The minister said the number of contracts had skyrocketed to 701 this year covering diverse
products such as rice, cassava, pepper, palm sugar, vegetables, cashew nuts, corn, mung beans,
free-range poultry and pigs.
―I hope that by the end of 2020, we will be able to get up to 1,000 contracts for agricultural
production, and with the headwinds we‘re making now, we‘ll see tens of thousands or even a
million contracts inked in the future, due to the large scope of our agricultural products, of which
we are only expanding the potential,‖ Sakhon said.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/fifty-nine-communities-enter-agri-
contractinghttps://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/fifty-nine-communities-enter-agri-
contracting

Haryana farmers protest for 3rd day, alleges delay in
paddy procurement
Agitating farmers raised slogans against the state government in Kurukshetra, Pipli, Pehowa and
Ladwa
| Kurukshetra Last Updated at September 30, 2020 00:00 IST
Secretary, Market Committee, Kurukshetra, Harjeet Singh said farmers submitted a
memorandum to the SDM and demanded that their produce be procured at the earliest.
Market fee, rural cess on cotton, paddy variety to be reduced: Khattar
Farmers held protests at various mandis in Haryana's Kurukshetra district for the third day on
Tuesday, alleging delay in paddy procurement and a lack of coordination between the
government departments and various agencies.
Farmers in Karnal district also protested over glitches in the procurement process.
The state government started procurement in Karnal, Kaithal, Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar
from September 27, while in other districts it began on Tuesday.
Agitating farmers raised slogans against the state government in Kurukshetra, Pipli, Pehowa and
Ladwa.
Thanesar Sub-Divisional Magisrate Akhil Pilani tried to pacify the protesters, who complained
that they were waiting in the mandis for seven-eight days to sell their crops.
Secretary, Market Committee, Kurukshetra, Harjeet Singh said farmers submitted a
memorandum to the SDM and demanded that their produce be procured at the earliest.
He said the procurement could not start even on Tuesday as the rice millers refused to make
purchases till some of their demands were accepted by the state government.
Besides, he said, the portal of the market committee was also not working. In many cases, it
shows very less cultivable land registered by farmers on the 'Meri Fasal Mera Byora' portal due
to which they are not getting gate-pass to sell the crop in the 'mandi'.
Agitating farmers threatened that they would block vehicular traffic on Wednesday if the
procurement process does not start by then.
Haryana BKU leader Gurnam Singh said not just Kurukshetra, farmers were facing problems in
other mandis of the state as well.
He said they held a two-hour meeting with Additional Chief Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies,
PK Das, in Chandigarh regarding the problems faced by the farmers.
We did not get any concrete assurance regarding our problems, he said.
Gurnam Singh said the BKU has given a call for protest in front of the mandis on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, farmers in Pipli and Ladwa raised anti-government slogans, those in Pehowa
blocked traffic on the Chandigarh-Hisar highway for over five hours.
DSP, Pehowa, Gurmaij Singh said traffic had to be diverted.
A farmer said the state government should resolve issues with rice millers as well as farmers to
relax the condition for moisture content and take paddy even with higher content of 17 percent
fixed by the government.

On Monday, farmers at a ''mandi'' had also locked up the secretary and other staff of the Market
Committee inside the office. They relented after a large police contingent reached the spot to
control the situation.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard
staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.
https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/haryana-farmers-protest-for-3rd-day-
alleges-delay-in-paddy-procurement-120092901551_1.html
More contract farming deals signed
Minister Veng Sakhon (centre) witnessing the signing of the contract farming
agreements. Ministry of Agriculture
Some 50 agricultural cooperatives have signed contract farming with four agricultural firms and
rice millers, supplying paddy organic rice and organic cassava.
The signing ceremony was held Tuesday led by Veng Sakhon, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry,
and Fisheries with the participation of representatives of agricultural cooperatives, rice millers,
and Cambodian Rice Federation, Cambodia-Australia Agriculture Value Chain Programme
(CAVAC).
Contract farming is an agreement between farmers and processing and/or marketing firms for the
production and supply of agricultural products under forward agreement, frequently at
predetermined prices.
Under the MoU, the agricultural cooperatives, from six provinces including Takeo, Kampong
Speu, Kampot, Kampong Chhnang, Mondulkiri and Preah Vihear, supply 24,662 tonnes of
organic paddy rice and 30,206 tonnes of organic cassava to the four agricultural firms and rice
millers, which are Cambodian Agriculture Cooperative Corporation, Armu Rice (Cambodia),
Signatures of Asia, and Bayon Heritage.
Speaking at the function, Mr Veng Sakhon highly valued the work to make the contract farming
signed which will contribute to strengthen the production capacity and keeping markets for
farmers.
The Minister said that at the time when Cambodia is facing the COVID-19 crisis, the Royal
Government of Cambodia is paying attention to solving the problems of farmers, agricultural
cooperatives, and small and medium enterprises so that they can continue production activities
by strengthening the investment environment to create jobs, absorb local labour, provide income
and use agricultural raw materials to the fullest extent possible.
He also laid stress on the ministry‘s efforts to continue encouraging all sub-sectors to follow the
―public-private-development partners and communities‖ approach to expand the scope to other
communities in contributing to the development of agriculture in the context of the Fourth
Industrial Revolution and globalisation.
As of September 2020, 701 contract farming on rice, organic rice, organic cassava, pepper, palm
sugar, vegetable, cashew nut, corn, bean, chicken, pig and so on have been signed. Chea Vannak
– AKP
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50768059/more-contract-farming-deals-signed/

Food minister lambasts rice millers, allied traders for rise in
prices
FE ONLINE REPORT | Published: September 29, 2020 20:28:04 |
Updated: September 29, 2020 22:52:38
Food Minister Shadhan Chandra Majumder on Tuesday lambasted rice millers and
their allied traders by blaming them for the continuous rise in prices of the staple.
Terming the current surge in rice prices illogical, the minister said the country's
rice production was an all-time high this Boro season.
He said stern actions will be taken if anyone is found guilty of manipulating rice
prices artificially.
The ministry organised the meeting following rocketing prices of rice in last one
and half weeks.
Mr Majumder, while speaking as the chief guest, claimed millers and their allied
traders have stored a huge amount of paddy.
He said there was no shortage of the staple as production crossed 20 million tonnes
in the Boro season.
However, rice prices shot up by Tk 3.0-5.0 a kg in last one and half weeks,
according to trading sources.

Coarse rice witnessed the maximum hike of Tk 5.0 per kg and selling at Tk 46 -50 a
kg on Tuesday in the city, said the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).
TCB recorded 10-11 per cent hike in coarse rice prices in last one and half weeks.
Later, at the meeting, the ministry along with wholesalers, retailers and vendors
came to a consensus that Miniket rice will be sold at Tk 51.50 per kg and medium
variety will be sold at Tk 45.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com
https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/food-minister-lambasts-rice-millers-allied-traders-
for-rise-in-prices-1601389684
Haryana farmers protest as stalemate over paddy
procurement continues
Though the Haryana government had announced to start procurement from September 27,
procurement agencies and rice-millers had refused to cooperate in the process. This left the
farmers to suffer as many had already turned up at the mandis with their produce.
CITIES Updated: Oct 01, 2020 01:37 IST
Neeraj Mohan
Hindustan Times, Karnal
Jagdeep Singh, a farmer, said he had come to the grain market five days ago, but his crop had not
been procured so far.
The stalemate over paddy procurement continued for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday,
prompting farmers to stage protests and block roads in Karnal, Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Ambala and
Yamunanagar districts.
Though the Haryana government had announced to start procurement from September 27,
procurement agencies and rice-millers had refused to cooperate in the process. This left the
farmers to suffer as many had already turned up at the mandis with their produce.
Waiting in vain with their unsold crop, hundreds of angry farmers, protesting under the banner of
BKU (Charuni), blocked the roads by parking their tractor-trailers. Traffic on national highway
44 in Karnal and Karnal-Yamunanagar state highway remained affected for several hours on
Wednesday. Dharnas were also staged outside the market committee offices of Assandh, Taraori
and Nilokheri grain market, where the government‘s effigy was burnt.
In Ambala, protesting farmers blocked the Ambala-Hisar Highway while in Yamunanagar,
protests were held outside various mandis in Chhachhrauli, Jagadhari, Radaur etc.

Jagdeep Singh, a farmer, said he had come to the grain market five days ago, but his crop had not
been procured so far.
Charuni gives ultimatum
Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) president Gurnam Singh Charuni said they have given 24
hours‘ ultimatum to the government and that they will block all the roads if their produce is not
procured by 1pm on Thursday.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/haryana-farmers-protest-as-stalemate-over-paddy-
procurement-continues/story-iHNuRhonxk10NUq72w4PeJ.html
Farm Laws: State governments gear-up to safeguard theirrevenue
From reducing market fees to declaring the entire state a mandi, the state governments are
trying to devise methods to mitigate their revenue losses due to new farm laws, that allow
farmers to sell outside the APMCs.
Manjeet Sehgal
Chandigarh
September 29, 2020
UPDATED: September 29, 2020 22:58 IST
The states are trying to come up with methods to woo farmers to APMCs (File photo from PTI)
As the three contentious farm bills become law, the states are gearing up to protect their revenues
because the new legislation can punch holes into their coffers.

The Farmers‘ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act has no provision
to charge market or any other fees from the buyer and the seller.
Trading in conventional Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) involves not only
the market fees but also rural development fees besides the commission payable to the agents
known as arhtiyas.
Punjab has been charging the highest fees, ie, 8.5 per cent, which includes three per cent market
fee, 2.5 per cent commission and three per cent rural development fees. Haryana has been
charging 6.5 per cent fees inclusive of two per cent rural development fee, 2.5 per cent
commission and two per cent market fees. Both the states supply maximum foodgrains for the
central pool on the minimum support price.
States reduce market fees to woo farmers
Fearing a revenue loss, the state governments have started wooing the farmers by increasing the
number of markets and bringing down the market fees.
To begin with the BJP-ruled state first, the Haryana government has a political compulsion not to
go against the central legislation but has chalked out a strategy to mitigate the calculated revenue
loss.
While at one hand the state government has decided to reduce the market fee and rural
development fee by one per cent, it also plans to seek compensation from the Union government
if any loss is caused to state's revenue by the implementation of the new laws.
The Haryana government has estimated the revenue losses to be around Rs 730 crore for the
current Kharib season. This includes nearly Rs 360 crore in market fees and Rs 370 crore in rural
development fees. The state government has also sought a financial plan to mitigate the losses.
When contacted, Haryana Agriculture Minister Jai Prakash Dalal said that the state government
will find ways and means to generate additional revenue.
"The revenue may go down but there are other sources of revenue as well. There are hundreds of
ways. We will use other heads to generate additional revenue," Jai Prakash Dalal said.

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

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