Razak Dawood assures exporters of complete support at new Lahore facility

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Razak Dawood assures exporters of complete support
| Advisor to PM inaugurates Export Facilitation Centre at LCCI
OUR STAFF REPORT
September 06, 2020
LAHORE-Advisor to Prime Minister for Commerce and Investment Abdul
RazakDawood Saturday assured full support to exporters.
Abdul RazakDawood was speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and
Industry. He also inaugurated the Export Facilitation Centre at LCCI. He hoped that
LCCI Export Facilitation Centre will contribute in enhancing exports and will provide
services to the exporters. He also said that government will safeguard the interests of
local IT industry by not signing the ITA (Information Technology Agreement). He
said that along with goods exports, Pakistan needs to increase exports of services.
Razak Dawood informed that the government has abolished import duties on 41%
industrial raw materials which are more than 1600 tariff lines.
He said the Ministry of Commerce is working on a three-year plan to rationalize tariff,
especially the duties on raw materials. The plan would be finalized in consultation
with chambers and associations and will encourage value addition.

Federal govt. allocated 62 percent, says Asad Umar
Ministry of Commerce is also working on making the process of getting refunds
easier for the exporters, he said, adding that the function of setting tariff is now being
done by Ministry of Commerce which was previously being determined by the
Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
Speaking on the occasion, President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and
Industry Irfan Iqbal Sheikh said that LCCI believes in keeping sound working
relations with the govt departments, especially the Ministry of Commerce for the
betterment of our economy and industry.
The President of Lahore Chamber said that the retail sector has incurred lot of costs
and efforts on the development of infrastructure for integration with the FBR‘s
computerized system for real time reporting. However, the benefit of reduced rate of
sales tax (from 14% to 12%) is being provided to limited sectors (i.e. finished fabric,
textile and textile made-ups and leather and artificial leather related products). LCCI
recommends that all the sub sectors of retail sectors should benefit from the reduced
rate of 12%. He suggested that no audit should be conducted for at least 2 years for
such retailers who opt for integration under this regime.
New agreements to stop hike in electricity tariff: FM Qureshi
He said that the COVID-19 has adversely impacted the Pakistan‘s economy which is
already facing stiff economic challenges including high debt, devaluation, inflation,
fiscal deficit and shrinking of GDP. The industrial sector has also been facing
negative growth rate since the last couple of years.
Irfan Iqbal Sheikh said the exports hold great importance for Pakistan‘s economy as
they are the main source of revenue generation, employment creation and maintaining
balance of payments stability.
He said Pakistan‘s export products are heavily concentrated in textiles, leather and
few other items. There is a need to diversify our exports, especially focusing on
potential sectors like Halal food, information technology, engineering industry,
surgical instruments, sport goods and pharmaceuticals etc.
He also mentioned the export potential of IT sector, saying that Pakistan has presence
of over 5,000 IT companies and call centers and a sufficient number of IT
professionals who are also good in spoken English while every year almost 20,000 IT
graduates are being produced at national level. There is a great potential of taking our
IT exports well beyond the current level of $1 billion.

CJCSC Gen Nadeem Raza meets Minister of National Defense of China in Russia
He further said that there is also an immense potential to enhance Pakistan‘s halal
food exports as we have abundant availability of livestock. Currently our meat exports
are US$ 309 million while the global Halal food market is well above US$ 1 trillion
and dominated by non-Muslim countries.
He said that there is a need of collective actions for exploring new export markets as
about 55 percent of the Pakistan‘s exports go to just 10 countries. We have to take
concrete steps to fetch better export revenues from untapped potential markets like
Africa, Russia, South America and Central Asia etc.
Realizing the importance of Africa as a potential market, President LCCI said, ―We
have established an Africa Desk at LCCI for facilitating our members and addressing
the issues involved in enhancing exports to Africa‖. It is worth mentioning that our
exports to Africa are just 1.4 billion dollars while India‘s exports to Africa are 29
billion dollars, he concluded.
Funds released for local govts: Buzdar
Senior Vice President LCCI Ali HussamAsghar emphasized to resolve the issues of
bilateral trade with Iran. Iran has the biggest import market of Pakistani rice.
Government should consider the 5 billion dollar plan of rice export.
LCCI Vice President Mian Zahid Jawaid Ahmed, former Presidents Mian Misbahur
Rehman, Shahid Hassan Sheikh, Sohail Lashari, Almas Hyder, former vice president
Zeeshan Khalil and Executive Committee members were also present.
Weekly inflation rises 0.8pc
By
APP
-
September 5, 2020
ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI)-based weekly inflation for the week ended on
September 3 witnessed an increase of 0.80pc as compared to the previous week.
The SPI for the week under review in the combined income group was recorded at 136.11 points as
against 135.03 points registered in the previous week, according to the latest data of Pakistan Bureau
of Statistics (PBS).

As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined consumption
group in the week under review witnessed a surge of 9.47pc.
The weekly SPI with the base year 2015-16 covers 17 urban centres and 51 essential items for all
expenditure groups.
The SPI for the lowest consumption group, up to Rs17,732, also witnessed an increase of 1.06pc,
as it went up from 141.50 points in the last week to 143.00 points.
Meanwhile, the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs17,732-Rs22,888, Rs22,889-Rs29,517;
Rs29,518-Rs44,175; Rs29,518-Rs44,175 and above Rs44,175 per month inched up by 1.01pc,
0.90pc, 0.86pc and 0.69pc, respectively.
During the week, prices of six items decreased, 20 items increased while that of 25 items
remained constant.
The items that recorded a decrease in their average prices included bananas, sugar, mash pulse,
rice (basmati broken) masoor pulse and wheat flour.
The commodities which recorded an increase in their average prices included tomatoes, onions,
eggs, chicken, potatoes, matchbox, garlic, garm pulse, LPG cylinder, cooked beef, firewood,
curd, toilet soap, vegetable ghee, washing soap, gur, cooking oil (loose), moong pulse, vegetable
ghee (tin) and milk (fresh).
Similarly, the prices of commodities that observed no change during the week under review
included rice (Irri 6/9), bread, mutton, milk (powdered) mustard oil, salt, chillies, tea (packet),
cooked daal, tea (prepared), cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn, georgette, gents sandal, gents
chappal, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, energy saver, petrol, diesel and telephone
call charges.
https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/09/05/weekly-inflation-rises-0-8pc/
Torrential rains leave hundreds of villages in Sindh,
Punjab submerged
BY STAFF REPORT , (LAST UPDATED
KARACHI: Scores of villages in Sindh and Punjab were inundated with stormwater after heavy
rains lashed parts of two provinces.
The rise of the water level in the embankments of canals passing through Golarchi Tehsil of
Badin district due to rain wreaked havoc.
In several villages of Sanghar‘s Sindhri Tehsil, the walls of mud houses collapsed while in
Tando Muhammad Khan, victims of the floods were forced to abandon their homes after heavy
downpours damaged their houses and flooded their area.
More than 200 villages submerged in rainwater in Mirpur Khas District‘s Digri.
In Punjab‘s Layyah district, 40 settlements have been flooded while rice, sugarcane, and cotton
crops have been severely affected in the Khushab and Rajanpur districts.

https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/09/06/torrential-rains-leave-hundreds-of-villages-in-
sindh-punjab-submerged/
Easy recipe: Quick-fire vegetarian Indian food by
Former Great British Bake Off contestant Chetna
Makan
Former Great British Bake Off contestant Chetna Makan has a new cookbook, Chetna‘s Healthy Indian
Vegetarian, filled with recipes designed to be swift, straightforward and ―happen to be good for you‖.
by Julia Bryce
September 6, 2020, 12:00 pm
© Nassima Rothacker/PA
Chetna Makan.

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Former Great British Bake Off contestant Chetna Makan has a new cookbook,
Chetna‘s Healthy Indian Vegetarian, filled with recipes designed to be swift,
straightforward and ―happen to be good for you‖.
―People think Indian food will take forever to cook – ‗I‘ll have to soak this, I‘ll have to make this
and then I‘ll have to marinate this‘ – actually, everyday Indian food is not like that,‖ said Chetna
who shares two recipes with us.
The first is jackfruit rice khichdi.
Chetna Makan.
―If you are looking for a dish you can put in the middle of the table for everyone to share and
don‘t want to fuss about vegetable sides, this is the answer,‖ she said.
―There is so much going on in the rice that every mouthful tastes different.
―Just serve it with some yogurt or raita and you‘ll have a feast.‖
The second recipe is she says, perfect for picnics, lunchboxes, or a light meal at home.
Chetna‘s Healthy Indian Vegetarian by Chetna Makan is published by Mitchell Beazley and is
priced at £20.
Jackfruit rice khichdi
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
For the rice:
 100g green lentils
 250g basmati rice
For the jackfruit:
 2 tbsp sunflower oil
 1 x 400g tin of jackfruit in water, drained and thinly sliced
 2 red onions, thinly sliced
 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
 1 red pepper, sliced 2.5cm thick
 1 ½ tsp salt
 1 tsp garam masala
 ½ tsp chilli powder
Method
1. Bring 2.2 litres of water to the boil in a deep pan and add the lentils.

2. Cook on a medium heat for 15 minutes, until the lentils begin to soften.
3. Add the rice to the same pan and continue cooking on low-to-medium heat for eight minutes,
until the rice is tender.
4. Drain the lot and leave to cool slightly.
5. Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a wide pan and add the jackfruit.
6. Cook on a low-to-medium heat for 10 minutes, until the jackfruit turns golden.
7. Add the remaining tbsp of oil and the onions and cook on a low heat for 10-15 minutes, until
golden.
8. Stir in the tomatoes and red pepper and cook for five minutes, until the tomatoes have softened.
9. Add the salt, garam masala and chilli powder and mix well.
Cheese and potato chapatti sandwich
(Makes 4)
Ingredients
For the chapattis:
 200g chapatti flour, plus extra for dusting
 ¼ tsp salt
 140ml water
For the filling:
 100g paneer, grated
 50g cheddar cheese, grated
 1 small potato, boiled and grated
 ¼tsp salt
 ¼ tsp chilli powder
 ½ tsp amchoor (mango powder)
 1 small green chilli, finely chopped
 10g fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
For toasting the sandwiches:
 Sunflower oil
 Black mustard seeds
Method
1. To make the chapattis, put the flour and salt into a bowl and gradually add just enough of the
water (or a little more, if necessary) to form a soft dough.
2. Knead for two minutes, then cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
3. Divide the dough into eight equal portions.
4. Roll out each portion on a lightly floured surface to a circle 15-18cm across.
5. Heat a skillet until hot, and cook each chapatti for one minute each side on a low-to-medium heat,
until slightly golden.
6. To make the filling, combine the ingredients in a bowl.
7. To toast the sandwiches, use the same skillet you used to cook the chapattis.
8. Drizzle with a tiny bit of oil and, once hot, add a pinch of mustard seeds.
9. When they start to sizzle, place a chapatti in the pan and spread with a quarter of the filling.

10. Place another chapatti on top and cook for a minute on a low-to-medium heat, until the underside
is golden.
11. Turn and cook for a minute on the other side, then remove to a plate.
12. Repeat until you have four, delicious toasted sandwiches.
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/lifestyle/food-and-drink/2454382/2454382/
Silex Council responds to road conditions
 Sep 5, 2020 Updated 20 hrs ago
On Aug. 7, the City of Silex Council members held a special meeting to address possible
solutions to deteriorating roads.
Alderman David Rice referred to research he had completed relevant to the costs of paving the
roads in New Town. The documented figures estimated approximately $300,000. Rice offered
alternatives including the use of tax dollars to pay for the work to be done.
When businesses were approached about revenues that could be produced from a sales tax
increase, the majority of owners/managers noted they would not agree to the increase. Secondly,
taxing cigarettes and tobacco could only become available through a single vendor. Therefore,
the monies collected would be of negligible value. An increased fuel tax was also discussed, and
the same conclusion as was applicable to cigarettes and tobacco would result in the funds being
of lesser value than would be helpful.
Mayor Chuck Turbyeville referred to research he had gathered from conversations with Eric
Tapley, the head of Missouri Department of Transportation for Lincoln County. Areas under
review included New Town and additional streets in Old Town.
Tapley suggested that streets be graded properly which would help prevent further damage
during heavy downpours. Additionally, Tapley suggested a method to avoid the high cost of
asphalt work. The ―chip and seal‖ alternative is estimated at $22,000-$23,000. Total estimate
for three miles of road came to $66,000 as opposed to $300,000 when using asphalt.
Alderman Stuart Gambrill brought to the group‘s attention the condition of Duncan Mansion
Drive.
Tapley felt that the road‘s condition was in a deteriorated state severe enough to be removed by
section and replaced entirely. Gambrill suggested that the reasonably priced ―cold patch‖
treatment as was used successfully in front of Thornhill Towing might be the answer to patching
over a dozen holes on Duncan Mansion Drive as well as areas in front of the bank and the stores
on Second Street.
City Clerk Sylvia Roper reminded the group that $600 per month, as paid to Silex by the
Missouri Department of Revenue, is to be used specifically for road repairs or police.
Prior to adjournment Mayor Turbyeville emphasized that a second entrance in and out of New
Town would be helpful in the event that multiple emergency vehicles might some day need
access to the area.
Alderman Steve McDonald stated that he had contacted MODOT with a request to treat the
shoulders on E. Initial work proved helpful and McDonald will call again to check on project
completion dates. At the same time, he will ask about the possibility of creating a second
entrance to New Town.

https://www.lincolnnewsnow.com/news/local/silex-council-responds-to-road-
conditions/article_74436af8-efbd-11ea-9a1d-27428a7d3195.html
Shortfall fear makes rice market volatile
Market operators suggest prompt public-sector import
DOULOT AKTER MALA AND YASIR WARDAD | Published: September
06, 2020 09:37:25 | Updated: September 06, 2020 15:47:22
A three-phase natural calamity, COVID-19 pandemic and the perceived fear of
production shortfall are making the country's rice market volatile.
The fear of staple shortage deepened after multiple natural disasters hit the crops.
Excessive rainfall in March-April, cyclone Amphan in the month of May and
consecutive floods in June- July damaged crops, of which 70 per cent is paddy.
Already prices of rice in the local market showed an upward trend during the last
three weeks, compounding the hardship of the limited income people.

Prices of all kinds of rice rose by 10-20 per cent in a month across the country,
according to the Department of Agricultural Marketing and the Trading Corporation
of Bangladesh.
Rice prices started increasing at a time when the government agency revealed that
production of the key staple was all-time high amounting to 20.26 million tonnes in
Boro season.
But people involved in the sector said the two-month flood has severely affected
Aman farming, triggering the fear of further spike in rice prices.
Millers said traders and big farmers are storing the paddy following flood fearing
crop loss during the Aman season.
According to the Food Department under food ministry, the government's
procurement of rice was below requirement by the end of August, for which it
extended the rice purchase period until mid-September.
Until August 31, the government procured less than 60 per cent of its target.
Mohammad Moniruzzaman, additional director of food department, said the
government procured 656,000 tonnes of boro rice (parboiled and white rice) against
its target for 1.15 million tonnes from May 7 to August 31.
He, however, said although the procurement remained poor the government has
sufficient stock around 1.0 million tonnes of the staple.
About the procurement price for farmers, he acknowledged it is one of the major
reasons for poor procurement.
The government is buying rice at Tk 35-36 a kg when the price of coarse rice is Tk.
38 a kg at the mill-gate now.
Prices of rice varieties like Swarna, Brridhan-28 and 29, Miniket, Jeera, Najirshail
showed a Tk 250-275 hike per 50-kg sack at mill gates in Naogaon, Kushtia,
Rangpur, Dinajpur in a month, according to the Bangladesh Auto Major Husking
Mill Owners Association (BAMHMOA).
BAMHMOA secretary K M Layek Ali, said high paddy prices as well as flood in
many milling hubs had caused the hike. He said Brridhan-28 paddy prices have
increased to Tk 1,200-1,250 a maund, which was Tk 900-950 a maund a month
back.
A Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) study said there will be no shortage
of rice until November as the country will have 5.55 million tonnes of surplus rice
during the period.
BRRI, in its latest study, said rice production increased by 3.54 per cent in Boro
season despite decline in acreage as per hectare yield rose notably.
The Institute also found that farmers have stored 29 per cent of total paddy they
produced in Boro season, which was 20 per cent last year.
Agricultural economist and former research director of Bangladesh Institute of
Development Studies (BIDS) Asaduzzaman said it is assumed that there is a
shortfall in rice and the procurement target to be not met.

He said the government should go for import immediately, not depending on the
private sector alone. He said already prices of rice have gone up in the market so
there is no time to make any delay.
However, international prices of the staple are surging in recent times. The FAO
Rice Price Index said prices surged by 2.7 per cent in August from that of July and
the current price is 8.7 per cent higher than the corresponding period of last year.
Indian, Thai and Vietnamese parboiled rice are now trading at prices between US $
385 and $ 508 a tonne. The prices were between $330 and $440 a tonne before the
pandemic.
A study, released on Saturday by Disaster Management Watch, said farmers have
been facing problems. About 56 per cent of them do not have sufficient cash for the
next cropping season, some 54 per cent find the prices of input high, and 56 per
cent are facing labour shortage.
Underscoring the need for ensuring fair price for farmers, report said COVID
coupled with flood has led to such problems. It estimated that there could be 22 per
cent crop loss due to the floods.
doulot_akter@yahoo.com
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com
https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/trade/shortfall-fear-makes-rice-market-volatile-1599363445
Activation of fatty acid receptor causes
masculinization of Japanese rice fish
Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc.Sep 5 2020
A research collaboration based at Kumamoto University (Japan) has found that activation of
PPARα, a fatty acid receptor that detects fatty acids in cells and regulates physiological
functions, causes masculinization of Japanese rice fish (medaka). The discovery of this
molecular mechanism is expected to advance the development of new sex control technologies.
The sex of mammals is determined in their genes, specifically the XX/XY combination of sex
chromosomes. On the other hand, the sex-determination of fish, amphibians, and reptiles is
greatly affected by ambient temperature. The medaka (Oryzias latipes), however, is a bony fish
that uniquely uses the XX/XY sex determination system.
The sex-determining gene, DMY, was recently identified on their Y chromosome. Normally, XY
individuals with the DMY gene will differentiate into males and XX individuals (without DMY)
will differentiate into females. However, if medaka are bred in water with temperatures of 32 to
34°C during their period of sexual differentiation, XX individuals will differentiate into males. In
other words, their genetic sex-determination is affected by temperature.
Previous research from Kumamoto University demonstrated that cortisol, a high-temperature-
induced stress hormone, directly acts on the gonads and causes masculinization of XX medaka

(Hayashi et al., 2010; Yamaguchi et al., 2010; Kitano et al., 2012). However, the molecular
mechanism of cortisol masculinization was not determined.
In this study, researchers conducted an RNA sequencing analysis to search for genes activated by
high temperature or cortisol. Many genes related to the fatty acid receptor "peroxisome
proliferator-activated receptor alpha" (PPARα) were detected, and when a PPARα activator was
administered to medaka larvae, XX medaka became male. Furthermore, when knockout medaka
with inhibited PPARα function were produced, differentiation into males was completely
suppressed, even after the administration of cortisol or a PPARα activator. To the researchers'
knowledge, this is the first time that PPARα activation has been shown to be so involved with
medaka sex-differentiation by cortisol or an activator.
In fish farming for food production, such as flounder or eel, technology that produces only
females is sought after because they grow faster than males. Here, we have revealed the
molecular mechanism that induces differentiation into males and we hope that new sexual
control technologies using this mechanism will be developed in the future."
Professor Takeshi Kitano, Study Leader
Source:
Kumamoto University
Journal reference:
Hara, S., et al. (2020) Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha is involved in the
temperature-induced sex differentiation of a vertebrate. Scientific
Reports. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-68594-y.
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20200905/Activation-of-fatty-acid-receptor-causes-masculinization-
of-Japanese-rice-fish.aspx
Bridging agricultural livelihoods and energy access
- Barriers and opportunities for rice and rice husk
value chains in Labutta, Myanmar
Format
Analysis
Source
 Mercy Corps
Posted
5 Sep 2020
Originally published

4 Sep 2020
Origin
View original
Attachments
 Download document(PDF | 3.35 MB)
Executive Summary
This report presents the results of a one-year collaborative research project between Mercy
Corps Myanmar, Renewable Energy Association of Myanmar with Biomass Energy
Association of Myanmar and the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the
University of Manchester. The project explored the intersection between agricultural
livelihoods and energy access through an investigation of social networks in rice and rice
husk value chains in rural farming communities of Labutta in Myanmar‘s Lower Delta.
Rice production is an important agricultural activity in Myanmar, significantly contributing to
its economy by providing income and employment to half of the country‘s population.
However, because of lack of access to electricity in many rural areas, rice farmers have
limited opportunities to increase their income. For many off-grid communities, heat and
electricity for household lighting and livelihood activities are provided through steam and
electricity produced from combustion or gasification of rice husk – a by product of rice
milling. With an estimated over 3 million tonnes of rice husk produced every year, Myanmar

has potential to utilise rice husk for income-generating activities and energy generation in
order to support agricultural production and rural livelihoods.
Focusing on case study sites in Bi Tut and Kan Bet in Labutta, this research mapped social
networks in rice production and rice husk value chains. This allowed us to identify actors and
network structures that could play important roles in supporting energy access and increasing
livelihood opportunities for smallholders. In addition to this, interviews and focus group
discussions with farmers and millers also revealed important challenges and opportunities for
rice husk bioenergy within rural farming communities.
Among the challenges identified are:
 Access to credit and financing. This is one of the most urgent requirements to enable
smallholder farmers and millers to adopt value-adding activities such as access to high quality
inputs (e.g., seeds and fertilisers) or mechanised drying, and so increase their income.
 Small-scale millers in off-grid areas offer an important service to smallholder farmers and
need financial and technical support to upgrade their facilities.
 A rice husk market exists but mostly for traditional biomass uses, e.g., as briquettes or fuel
sticks or direct burning for rice husk cook stoves; these can lead to pollution and negative
impacts on health.
 Medium-scale millers are willing to participate in new or additional rice husk value added
activities, but only if other actors or businesses can manage rice husk collection and
transportation for them.
There are a number of opportunities for both farmers and millers that can address these
challenges, including:
 Building or strengthening connections between medium-scale millers and local businesses
that use rice husk • Supporting market development for rice husk use in energy generation
 Empowering local partnerships within communities to manage husk-to-energy business
models • Linking groups of farmers to service providers in order to lower costs of production
Reflecting on these, results from this research suggest that in order to bridge agri-
livelihods and energy access:
 Farmers and millers need access to credit under fair financing schemes. It is also particularly
important to address issues in rice trading (e.g., differences in trading price) to increase
farmers‘ income.
 Investments are needed to support facilities and activities that add value to rice husk,
especially by using it for modern bioenergy. This requires financial support for millers,
especially small-scale and husk-to-energy operators to allow them to invest in zero-effluent
husk-to-energy facilities.
 Capacity building and partnerships strengthening initiatives are needed, which could be
enabled by collaboration between local businesses, communities, and civil society
organisations.
 More policy focus on rice husk bioenergy is needed to encourage investments and upscale
existing initiatives. This includes a consideration of stricter implementation of rules
preventing rice husk or wastewater disposal into river systems.

These findings draw on learnings from our case study sites and may not be applicable to other
rice farming communities or regions. Nonethless, taken together they encourage thinking
about the role of energy in poverty alleviation, particularly in consideration of urgency and
justice – what is needed now and what is fair, especially for smallholders in rice production.
Future work on this subject should undertake an economic analysis to further strengthen the
case for value chain development for rice husk, including for rice husk gasifiers which have
been valuable in powering off-grid farming communities, but are beyond the scope of this
research.
https://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/bridging-agricultural-livelihoods-and-energy-access-barriers-and-
opportunities-rice
White rice linked to diabetes, especially in South Asia,
says 21-nation study done over 10 yrs
Study involved 1.3 lakh people who were followed up on for a decade across 21 countries in
Asia, Europe, Africa and North and South America.
SANDHYA RAMESH 6 September, 2020 12:50 pm IST
Representational image of white rice. | Photo: Commons
Text Size: A- A+
Bengaluru: An analysis of over 1,30,000 adults from 21 countries over nearly a decade has
indicated a high risk of diabetes linked with the consumption of white rice. The risk is most
prominent for the South Asian population, according to findings from a new, large-scale, long-
term study.
The study was an international collaboration between researchers from various countries —
including India, China, and Brazil — in Asia, North and South America, Africa and Europe.
Led by Bhavadharini Balaji of the Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health
Sciences and McMaster University, Canada, the study was a part of the institute‘s Prospective
Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) project.
The findings were published in the Diabetes Care journal in its September issue.

White rice and diabetes
White rice is milled rice that has its germ (the part that sprouts), bran (hard outer layer), and husk
(outer covering) removed. The polishing of rice further results in a bright and shiny appearance.
While white rice has an appealing appearance and can be stored longer, the milling and polishing
process remove nutrients such as vitamin B.
White rice has been linked to an outbreak of beriberi in Asia, caused by vitamin B-1 deficiency.
It also causes the blood sugar levels to spike upon consumption due to its high glycemic index.
Globally, 42.5 crore people currently have diabetes, and this number is expected to increase to
62.9 crore by 2045, according to the International Diabetes Federation.

Studies have alluded to risk of diabetes associated with white rice for a few decades now,
although findings have been contradictory. A 2012 study found that each extra serving of white
rice increased the risk for diabetes by 11 per cent.
However, findings change depending on which country studies were conducted in. For example,
a study of over 45,000 participants in Singapore found no substantial increase in diabetes was
associated with white rice consumption.
Most such studies were limited to single countries. To beat this barrier, the authors of the new
study extended it to 21 nations — Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China,
Colombia, India, Iran, Malaysia, ‗occupied Palestine territory‘, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland,
South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Tanzania, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Zimbabwe.
However, the South Asian population seems to show a pattern with white rice consumption and
diabetes, despite a number of other lifestyle factors that increase the disease risk.
―South Asians are genetically more predisposed to get diabetes, so there are both lifestyle as well
as biological reasons for the high diabetes incidence,‖ said Bengaluru-based physician Dr Gowri
Kulkarni.
To understand the link between white rice and diabetes in South Asia, the researchers compared
the data from India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan with the rest of the world.
Also read: Unique protein in placenta could hold key to protecting organs from Covid infection
Study findings
The study involved 132,373 individuals between the ages of 35 and 70, from these 21 countries,
who were monitored for nine and a half years. Of these, 6,129 developed diabetes over the
course of the study.
Participants were considered if they consumed more than one cup or 150g of cooked rice a day.
Overall, the average white rice consumption was 128g a day among the study participants.
However, the team found that the highest consumption of white rice was seen in South Asia at
630g a day, followed by South East Asia at 239g and China at 200g per day. High consumption
of rice resulted in lower consumption of other foods like wheat, fibre, red meat, and dairy
products.
Carbohydrates make up nearly 80 per cent of calories consumed in many South Asian countries.
Since the 1970s, carbs have become increasingly polished and refined as well, losing a lot of
nutrition in the process.
Rapid urbanisation and economic development, especially in low- and middle-income countries,
have led to a dramatic change in dietary intake and increased physical inactivity, which are
related to the obesity epidemic.
Talking about the findings, Mumbai-based nutritionist Priya Kathpal said, ―I wouldn‘t say every
white rice-eating family would have a diabetic person in their family… A lot depends on the
quantity of rice eaten, what it‘s eaten with, and how frequently.‖

China anomaly
China and India are two of the world‘s largest countries where rice is the staple food. Both also
lead in the incidence of diabetes. However, the researchers found that there wasn‘t a significant
association with white rice consumption and diabetes in China.
There could be many reasons for this, apart from other lifestyle factors. The scientists believe
that the kind of rice the Chinese eat (sticky rice) could make a difference.
In India, studies have shown that during the last four to five decades of replacing hand-pounded
rice with industrially milled white rice, the prevalence of diabetes in urban areas in India
increased from 2 per cent in the 1970s to 25 per cent in 2015, and in rural areas from 1 per cent
to 14–16 per cent, respectively. White rice is considered to be one of the many main drivers of
the trend, which followed improved socioeconomic growth and lifestyle modifications.
Studies have shown that substituting white rice with unpolished brown rice decreases the
glycemic response by 23 per cent and the fasting insulin response by 57 per cent in overweight
Asian Indians, but consumers do not tend to prefer brown rice due to its inconvenience of longer
cooking duration, greater chewing difficulty, and lack of visual appeal.
―Several patients that I‘ve asked to switch to brown rice have faced difficulty, as everyone‘s
grown up eating white rice,‖ said Kathpal.
―Taste is a huge factor, and brown rice often doesn‘t taste the same as white with vegetable
curries and dals. Sometimes, white rice alternatives like even millets can be more expensive or
not as easily available too,‖ she said.
Doctors and dieticians are hesitant to recommend diets that are more expensive and less easily
available even if they are healthier, as patients tend not to adopt them successfully.
―A daily diet should always be easy to maintain and easily available. Only then can it be
sustainable,‖ said Kulkarni. ―Indians in general have poor protein intake in diet, and this has to
do with available resources and choices. Most calories are from carbohydrates as they are
cheap.‖
According to the researchers, in countries where rice is consumed the most or as a staple, the risk
of increased diabetes among the public can be lowered by substituting white rice with alternate
forms of healthier rice versions and adding more legumes or pulses to food.
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https://theprint.in/science/white-rice-linked-to-diabetes-especially-in-south-asia-says-21-nation-study-
done-over-10-yrs/496879/
Vale Robin Graham
Gregor Heard@grheard5 Sep 2020, 1 p.m.
Robin Graham (left) at work on a corn project in Yunnan, China.

TRIBUTES have flowed for respected South Australian scientist Robin Graham who died late
last month aged 80.
Professor Graham was especially influential in the field of biofortification.
His colleague Howdy Bouis, founder of HarvestPlus, an organisation dedicated to addressing
micronutrient shortages, said Dr Graham had played a key role in breeding vitamin enriched
staple crops.
"In 1993 I travelled to nine CGIAR (Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research)
to inquire what plant scientists thought about the feasibility of breeding for minerals and
vitamins in food staples," Dr Bouis said.
"The almost universal response during my conversations across the nine centres was 'no,' there
will be a tradeoff between mineral and vitamin density and yield," he reminisced.
He said Dr Graham and his colleague Ross Welch had taken on the challenge.
Dr Graham's background as a professor of plant nutrition at the University of Adelaide and Dr
Welch's experience in soil science meant they were able to work on developing seeds with higher
zinc levels.
Eventually the work of the three men played a key role in the fortification of rice that has been so
successful in concepts such as high iron 'iron rice'.
Prof Graham won a host of prestigious scientific awards during his career such as the C.M.
Donald medal in 2008, awarded by the Australian Society of Agronomy biannually to an
eminent Australian agriculturalist for a long and distinguished career.
The story Vale Robin Graham first appeared on Farm Online.
https://www.farmweekly.com.au/story/6911460/vale-robin-graham/?cs=5153
Heart Disease Risk: Excess of rice may cause heart
disease
by Bhavi Mandalia
September 4, 2020
The most commonly used grain in our country after wheat is white rice. Rice is used almost all over India
in making different food and dish in different ways. In eastern and northern India and Hindi speaking
states, rice is part of the daily diet. That is, lunch without rice is not complete here. This was fine
according to the need of the old times, but in today‘s lifestyle, it can prove to be harmful …
Why is this kind of discussion happening?
-Chawal is a part of our food for centuries and is also very beneficial for health. Then why was there a
discussion that regular rice consumption can harm our health?
This is happening because a study done on the daily life of fast growing sugar and heart patients
in our country has revealed that due to high consumption of rice and not being very active
physically. Rice has a bad effect on their body.
It also helps in removing hangover; it does physiological reversal in quality juice, 7

Disadvantages of eating more rice
Why was there no loss before?
-The question may come to your mind that our old generations have been eating rice for a long
time, but still they lived a longer life than us and were healthy. Why are we having problems in
this situation? So the answer is, disappearance of manual labor from our lifestyle. Earlier most
people did farming.
– Every day he walked many kilometers because there was not much means of transportation.
Therefore their body and digestive system worked as well. Whereas we have become much more
inactive today than them. Along with this, arsenic is found in high amounts in rice, which is
causing the increase of cardiovascular diseases.
Morning Face Swelling: Not only is not complete sleep, it is also the cause of facial swelling
One possible cause of increased heart disease
Rice cardiovascular disease
Researchers at the University of Manchester and Salford have found in their research that the
places where farmers cultivate rice have higher amounts of arsenic in the soil. Along with this, if
the floods are more in those areas then the amount of arsenic in the rice increases further. This
arsenic, along with other toxins, causes cardiovascular disease in our body.
To Avoid Embarrassment: If you want to avoid embarrassment, never eat these things before the
meeting.
These factors increase the risk
– If people who consume rice regularly have obesity and habit of smoking, then the chances of
getting heart disease increases manifold. Therefore, it is important that those who are in control
of these habits, control them and consume limited amount of rice and keep themselves physically
active.

Abdominal cramps and loose potty, know the home ways to deal with this condition
https://pledgetimes.com/heart-disease-risk-excess-of-rice-may-cause-heart-disease/
Congress angry over distribution of animal rice to
poor in MP, demands CBI inquiry
 | Friday | 4th September, 2020
In Madhya Pradesh, the politics of distributing animal rice to the poor is hot. After
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan handed over the investigation to the EOW, the
Congress has described it as inadequate.
In Madhya Pradesh, the politics of distributing animal rice to the poor is hot. After Chief
Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan handed over the investigation to the EOW, the Congress
has described it as inadequate.
Former Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Ajay Singh has called for a CBI
inquiry, calling the case serious. He said that he will complain to President Ramnath

Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The state has gained notoriety at the national
level due to this mess done with public health. Ajay Singh has described the action of
suspending only one officer and removing 2 from the job in the big case.
Former Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Ajay Singh has demanded the state
government to ban the distribution of rice in all districts. At the same time, it is feared
that good rice of the state is being sold in the market with the collusion of the
millers. While recycled rice in UP and Bihar is being supplied in ration shops. There has
been a lot of corruption in this. Ajay Singh has demanded the distribution of wheat and
pulses along with stopping the distribution of rice to the poor.
57 non-standard rice samples
The state government has filed an FIR against the millers for distributing non-standard
rice in Balaghat and Mandla. In the investigation, 57 samples of rice from 2 districts have
been found non-standard. At the same time, Shivraj government has formed 51 teams to
check the quality of rice in the entire state. The 51 joint parties are officers of the Food
Corporation of India and the Food and Civil Supplies Corporation. These investigation
teams have so far taken 1021 samples, in which 57 samples have turned out to be non-
standard in the initial investigation. The state government has also issued instructions to
take back the rice millers of inferior quality and get the quality rice.
https://www.nyoooz.com/news/bhopal/1512098/congress-angry-over-distribution-of-animal-rice-to-poor-
in-mp-demands-cbi-inquiry/
Boro procurement target falls flat
Govt extends deadline as only 7.40 lakh tonnes of rice and paddy procured against
target of 19.50 lakh tonnes
ANISUR RAHMAN KHAN, Dhaka
In the wake of massive failure to achieve the 'highly ambitious' Boro paddy and rice procurement
target, the government has extended the purchasing deadline until September 15 from August 31
and decided to import rice, if necessary.
Sources in the food ministry and the Directorate General of Food (DG Food) said the
achievement fall far short of target because of lukewarm response from farmers and millers
mainly for a gap between official and open market rates.
According to DG Food sources, only around 7.40 lakh tonnes of rice and paddy could be
procured against the target of 19.50 lakh tonnes till August 29. The procurement began in May
this year.

The government fixed the procurement rate for rice at Tk 36 per kg, while the millers said their
cost including husking charge was around Tk 40/kg.
Millers also demanded increased price, but the authorities didn‘t respond positively and it
prompted most of them to stop supplying rice to government godowns, sources said.
As a result, the authorities failed to achieve the target in most of the paddy-growing districts
including Bogura, Naogaon, Natore, Dinajpur, Panchagarh and Nilphamari.
According to ministry sources, the authorities procured only about 1.31 lakh tonnes of paddy
against its target of 8 lakh tonnes directly from the farmers.
At the same time, they could buy only 5.32 lakh tonnes of boiled rice against the target of 10
lakh tones and 0.77 lakh tonnes of non-boiled rice against the target of 1.5 lakh tonnes, the
sources added.
Food officials apprehend that food grains‘ stock and procurement target may face a setback this
year due to prolonged Covid-19 pandemic and floods.
Warning of fresh floods this month by the meteorological department is also a matter of concern
for the government, they added.
Against this backdrop, the government has extended the Boro rice and paddy procurement
deadline by 15 days and decided to import rice, if necessary.
High officials of the food ministry and DG Food said they set the 'highly ambitious' target this
year to ensure fair paddy prices for farmers.
Director General of DG Food Sarwar Mahmud while talking to The Independent on Saturday
said, ―The government's actual target was to keep the rice market stable and ensure that farmers
get fair prices of their produce. The interest of consumers was also kept in mind."
He further said farmers have got adequate price of Boro paddy due to the procurement drive, and
that millers failed to manipulate the rice market.
The DG, however, admitted that they had failed to anticipate such a level of failure in achieving
the procurement target.
Food Secretary Dr Nazmanara Khanum said their aim to set the 'highly ambitious procurement
target' was to ensure farmers‘ interest.
Regarding rice import, the secretary said, ―We are observing the overall situation including
production of Aman, and if Aman production and procurement targets fail due to flood we will
go for rice import".
―…We have already taken Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina‘s nod in this regard. But, it's not our
target to import rice unless it appears to extremely necessary. We will import rice in both public
and private sectors, if necessary," she added.
http://www.theindependentbd.com/post/252798

28 MP Districts Supplied With 73k Metric Tonnes of
Substandard Rice, Kamal Nath Wants PDS Ration
Probed
Basmati rice. (Image for representation.)
Calling it a big scam, the MPCC chief demanded that all ration distributed through the public distribution
system (PDS) should be probed into.
 NEWS18 BHOPAL
 LAST UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 4, 2020, 9:35 PM IST
 FOLLOW US ON:
Vivek Trivedi
Madhya Pradesh Congress leader and former chief minister Kamal Nath on Friday took on the
Shivraj Singh Chouhan government demanding a probe into the supply 73,000 metric tonnes of
substandard rice through ration shops in 28 districts.
Calling it a big scam, the MPCC chief demanded that all ration distributed through the public
distribution system (PDS) should be probed into.
Meanwhile, a letter written to all the district collectors by Department of Food and Civil Supplies
has leaked to the media and it suggests that around 73,540 metric tonnes of rice was found to be
below standards in the inspection carried out by Food and Civil Supplies Corporation.
Taking action, the state government has stopped distribution of rice under the PDS and has asked
the collectors to return the below par rice to millers and ensure deposit of quality grain in next
one week so that the PDS supplies could be resumed.
A report by Centre had exposed that tests confirmed that PDS ration shops distributed inferior
rice among the poor in Mandla and Balaghat districts and the rice was not fit for ‗human
consumption‘.
Meanwhile, the politics continued to heat up on the issue. MPCC president Kamal Nath claimed
that the poultry grade rice distribution wasn‘t limited to Manda and Balaghat districts. ―It‘s a
major scam and all the ration and other things distributed among the poor should be probed
into.‖ Being a matter of public interest, the probe should be handed over to the CBI, demanded
Nath.
PWD minister Bhupendra Singh accused Kamal Nath of not doing anything when he was
‗offered‘ intelligence input in February 2020 that inferior quality rice was brought into the state
and good quality rice was supplied out of state.
Congress spokesperson Syyed Jaafar alleged that instead of acting against the guilty millers, the
state government has offered them amnesty by asking them to take back 73,000 metric tonnes of
inferior rice and re-supply proper quality grain. "Are those close to the BJP engaged in this
game?" asked Jaafar.

The state government has handed over the probe of substandard rice supply to Economic Offence
Wing, which sent a team to Balaghat on Friday. The Jabalpur wing of the agency has been asked
to probe and submit a report to headquarters. After a preliminary enquiry, an FIR is expected to
be lodged in the matter.
The divisional commissioner of Jabalpur has ordered extensive collecting of samples from across
the division. An FIR has been lodged against nine employees of warehousing corporation and
food and civil supplies corporation in Balaghat. Electricity connection of 18 guilty rice mills
have been snapped and these establishments have been sealed.
―We are seizing inferior quality rice inside mills so that it can‘t be shifted anywhere else and
FIRs are lodged those found prima facie guilty,‖ Divisional Commissioner MC Chuadhary said.
https://www.news18.com/news/politics/28-mp-districts-supplied-with-73k-metric-tonnes-of-
substandard-rice-kamal-nath-wants-pds-ration-probed-2850613.html
Bridging agricultural livelihoods and energy access
- Barriers and opportunities for rice and rice husk
value chains in Labutta, Myanmar
Format
Analysis
Source
 Mercy Corps
Posted
5 Sep 2020
Originally published
4 Sep 2020
Origin
View original
Attachments

 Download document(PDF | 3.35 MB)
Executive Summary
This report presents the results of a one-year collaborative research project between Mercy Corps
Myanmar, Renewable Energy Association of Myanmar with Biomass Energy Association of
Myanmar and the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Manchester.
The project explored the intersection between agricultural livelihoods and energy access through
an investigation of social networks in rice and rice husk value chains in rural farming
communities of Labutta in Myanmar‘s Lower Delta.
Rice production is an important agricultural activity in Myanmar, significantly contributing to its
economy by providing income and employment to half of the country‘s population. However,
because of lack of access to electricity in many rural areas, rice farmers have limited
opportunities to increase their income. For many off-grid communities, heat and electricity for
household lighting and livelihood activities are provided through steam and electricity produced
from combustion or gasification of rice husk – a by product of rice milling. With an estimated
over 3 million tonnes of rice husk produced every year, Myanmar has potential to utilise rice
husk for income-generating activities and energy generation in order to support agricultural
production and rural livelihoods.
Focusing on case study sites in Bi Tut and Kan Bet in Labutta, this research mapped social
networks in rice production and rice husk value chains. This allowed us to identify actors and
network structures that could play important roles in supporting energy access and increasing
livelihood opportunities for smallholders. In addition to this, interviews and focus group
discussions with farmers and millers also revealed important challenges and opportunities for
rice husk bioenergy within rural farming communities.
Among the challenges identified are:

 Access to credit and financing. This is one of the most urgent requirements to enable smallholder
farmers and millers to adopt value-adding activities such as access to high quality inputs (e.g.,
seeds and fertilisers) or mechanised drying, and so increase their income.
 Small-scale millers in off-grid areas offer an important service to smallholder farmers and need
financial and technical support to upgrade their facilities.
 A rice husk market exists but mostly for traditional biomass uses, e.g., as briquettes or fuel sticks
or direct burning for rice husk cook stoves; these can lead to pollution and negative impacts on
health.
 Medium-scale millers are willing to participate in new or additional rice husk value added
activities, but only if other actors or businesses can manage rice husk collection and
transportation for them.
There are a number of opportunities for both farmers and millers that can address these
challenges, including:
 Building or strengthening connections between medium-scale millers and local businesses that
use rice husk • Supporting market development for rice husk use in energy generation
 Empowering local partnerships within communities to manage husk-to-energy business models •
Linking groups of farmers to service providers in order to lower costs of production
Reflecting on these, results from this research suggest that in order to bridge agri-livelihods
and energy access:
 Farmers and millers need access to credit under fair financing schemes. It is also particularly
important to address issues in rice trading (e.g., differences in trading price) to increase farmers‘
income.
 Investments are needed to support facilities and activities that add value to rice husk, especially
by using it for modern bioenergy. This requires financial support for millers, especially small-
scale and husk-to-energy operators to allow them to invest in zero-effluent husk-to-energy
facilities.
 Capacity building and partnerships strengthening initiatives are needed, which could be enabled
by collaboration between local businesses, communities, and civil society organisations.
 More policy focus on rice husk bioenergy is needed to encourage investments and upscale
existing initiatives. This includes a consideration of stricter implementation of rules preventing
rice husk or wastewater disposal into river systems.
These findings draw on learnings from our case study sites and may not be applicable to other
rice farming communities or regions. Nonethless, taken together they encourage thinking about
the role of energy in poverty alleviation, particularly in consideration of urgency and justice –
what is needed now and what is fair, especially for smallholders in rice production. Future work
on this subject should undertake an economic analysis to further strengthen the case for value
chain development for rice husk, including for rice husk gasifiers which have been valuable in
powering off-grid farming communities, but are beyond the scope of this research.
Primary country
 Myanmar
Source
 Mercy Corps

Format
 Analysis
Themes
 Agriculture
 Recovery and Reconstruction
Language
 English
https://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/bridging-agricultural-livelihoods-and-energy-access-barriers-and-
opportunities-rice
Biological Pest Control Saved Coconut Farmers inAsia
Billions of Dollars
By Victoria Sinla
Sep 05, 2020 07:23 AM EDT
Biological insect pest control using pests' natural enemies saved farmers in
the Pacific and Asia billions of dollars. This is the finding of a study conducted by researchers
from the University of Queensland.
Dr. Kris Wyckhuys from the UQ School of Biological Sciences defined biological control as
releasing an exotic and natural enemy of a pest in its native habitat. The purpose is to eradicate
or reduce the pest population.
According to Wyckhuys, scientists choose a co-evolved and beneficial insect with great care to
act as the control. This species is most effective in eradicating pests and having the least
possibility of creating ecological imbalance and upset.
Wyckhuys and his research team published a new study in the journal Nature Ecology and
Evolution. They assessed various records of effective biological control applications, which
managed a total of 43 insect pests in the feed, fiber, and food crops of the region of Asia-
Pacific for more than a hundred years.
They discovered that such controls assisted in regulating the threats of invasive pests in many
important food crops like coconut, breadfruit, and banana.
Biological Controls Save Money
In the assessment by Wyckhuys' research team, they showed that the use of biological controls
saves Asian farmers roughly 20.1 to 26.8 billion Australian or 14.6 to 19.5 billion US dollars
each year.
According to Wyckhuys, that is a lot of financial savings, especially compared to other
agricultural control methods. He points out the example of the Asian Green Revolution in the
1960s; during this time, the local rice production output tripled. However, it also saw the massive

use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and other agrochemicals combined with innovative
cultivation methods.
The significant effect of the Green Revolution, says Wyckhuys, can be attributed to rice varieties
that have higher yields. In Asia, it provided a revenue of $4.3 billion each year.
According to Michael Furlong, an associate professor at the University of Queensland,
acknowledging the biological control's effectiveness can provide for a better, more resilient, and
higher profits for agriculture worldwide. He says that biological control provides poor farmers
with significant opportunities.
Biological Pest Control in the Coconut Industry
Furlong adds that biological controls promote prosperity and growth in rural areas with non-rice,
poor, and marginal planting environments.
He cited the example of Aspidiotus destructor, more commonly known as coconut scale, which
threatened the productivity, economy, and food security of many countries. During the early
1900s, coconut scales destroyed the copra, banana, and coconut industries in Fiji.
In the year 1928, the introduction of parasitic wasps and Trinidad lady beetles caused almost
instant results. Within nine months, coconut scales stopped becoming a problem for crops in
every major island in the country. After only 18 months, the pest became so scarce that they can
hardly be found anywhere.
Such innovative pest control approaches, coupled with progressively improving science, help
secure global food supply, improve farmers and the agricultural sector's lives, and take care of
natural biodiversity.
The researchers hope that their study improves future programs to minimize or eradicate pests,
maintain the ecosystem's resilience and balance, and sustainably increase global food production.
The use of biological insect pest control can be a big boon to agriculture, as natural enemies of
pests not only save money for farmers in the Asia Pacific and other parts of the world but also
conserve the environment and keep it healthy from harmful pesticides.
https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/44360/20200905/biological-pest-control-coconut-farmers-
asia.htm
Natural pests‘ management becomes popular in Aman rice
farming
Published: September 06, 2020 16:47:39

Representational image
The natural methods of pests‘ management like perching and light trap are gaining
popularity among farmers while farming Transplanted Aman rice in Rangpur
agriculture region.
The farmers are applying live and dead perching and light trap methods innovated
by agriculture researchers and scientists to increase more hygienic Aman rice output
minimising cost of insecticide.
Talking to BSS, Additional Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension
(DAE) for Rangpur region Agriculturist Muhammad Ali said farmers are reaping
benefits by adopting perching and light trap methods in preventing pests‘ attacks on
Aman rice plants.
Adopting perching methods, farmers have set up bamboo poles on 4.72 lakh
hectares of growing Aman rice fields out of the totally cultivated land area of 5.99
lakh hectares so far in all five districts of the region.
―Of them, farmers have brought 1.86 lakh hectares of land under the live and 2.86
lakh hectares of land under dead perching methods in the region till Saturday while
cultivating Aman rice this season,‖ Ali said.

At the same time, farmers have set up light traps on 655 hectares of Aman rice
fields, including permanent light traps on 605 hectares and temporary light traps on
50 hectares of their croplands.
―The process of adopting live and dead perching and light trap methods still
continues on Aman rice fields in all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram,
Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari in the region,‖ he said.
The DAE is conducting motivational and training activities to inspire farmers in
using these eco-friendly methods for saving growing Aman rice plants from pests‘
attack at different stages to get more rice yield.
―Random application of pesticide and insecticide are threatening the ecosystems
causing extinction of indigenous species of fishes, beneficial insects and birds
while many other species of them are on the verge of annihilation,‖ Ali said.
Farmers are erecting bamboo poles on Aman rice fields so that birds could perch on
those in search of food and eat harmful pests‘ for rice plants to protect the crop
reducing the use of pesticide.
Farmers Ariful Haque, Manik Miah and Azizul Haque of different villages here said
adoption of the perching and light trap methods minimizes cost of insecticide and
saves the environment and ecosystems.
Farmers Mozammel Haque, Aiyub Ali and Mohsin Ali of village Kathihara in
Rangpur Sadar upazila said many birds perch on the poles on growing Aman rice
fields to eat insects protecting the growing rice plants
―Now, we know how to protect growing Aman rice plants and save money using
effective natural methods of perching and light traps,‖ Aiyub said, adding that
application of these methods have really been productive and profitable.
Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh
Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said adoption of perching and light trap methods are
reducing arbitrary use of pesticide while Aman rice cultivation, reports BSS.
https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/natural-pests-management-becomes-popular-in-aman-rice-
farming-1599389259
White rice linked to diabetes, especially in South Asia,
says 21-nation study done over 10 yrs
Study involved 1.3 lakh people who were followed up on for a decade across 21
countries in Asia, Europe, Africa and North and South America.
SANDHYA RAMESH 6 September, 2020 12:50 pm IST

Representational image of white rice. | Photo: Commons
Bengaluru: An analysis of over 1,30,000 adults from 21 countries over nearly a decade has
indicated a high risk of diabetes linked with the consumption of white rice. The risk is most
prominent for the South Asian population, according to findings from a new, large-scale, long-
term study.
The study was an international collaboration between researchers from various countries —
including India, China, and Brazil — in Asia, North and South America, Africa and Europe.
Led by Bhavadharini Balaji of the Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health
Sciences and McMaster University, Canada, the study was a part of the institute‘s Prospective
Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) project.
The findings were published in the Diabetes Care journal in its September issue.
White rice and diabetes
White rice is milled rice that has its germ (the part that sprouts), bran (hard outer layer), and husk
(outer covering) removed. The polishing of rice further results in a bright and shiny appearance.
While white rice has an appealing appearance and can be stored longer, the milling and polishing
process remove nutrients such as vitamin B.
White rice has been linked to an outbreak of beriberi in Asia, caused by vitamin B-1 deficiency.
It also causes the blood sugar levels to spike upon consumption due to its high glycemic index.
Globally, 42.5 crore people currently have diabetes, and this number is expected to increase to
62.9 crore by 2045, according to the International Diabetes Federation.

Studies have alluded to risk of diabetes associated with white rice for a few decades now,
although findings have been contradictory. A 2012 study found that each extra serving of white
rice increased the risk for diabetes by 11 per cent.
However, findings change depending on which country studies were conducted in. For example,
a study of over 45,000 participants in Singapore found no substantial increase in diabetes was
associated with white rice consumption.
Most such studies were limited to single countries. To beat this barrier, the authors of the new
study extended it to 21 nations — Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China,
Colombia, India, Iran, Malaysia, ‗occupied Palestine territory‘, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland,
South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Tanzania, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Zimbabwe.
However, the South Asian population seems to show a pattern with white rice consumption and
diabetes, despite a number of other lifestyle factors that increase the disease risk.
―South Asians are genetically more predisposed to get diabetes, so there are both lifestyle as well
as biological reasons for the high diabetes incidence,‖ said Bengaluru-based physician Dr Gowri
Kulkarni.
To understand the link between white rice and diabetes in South Asia, the researchers compared
the data from India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan with the rest of the world.
Study findings
The study involved 132,373 individuals between the ages of 35 and 70, from these 21 countries,
who were monitored for nine and a half years. Of these, 6,129 developed diabetes over the
course of the study.
Participants were considered if they consumed more than one cup or 150g of cooked rice a day.
Overall, the average white rice consumption was 128g a day among the study participants.
However, the team found that the highest consumption of white rice was seen in South Asia at
630g a day, followed by South East Asia at 239g and China at 200g per day. High consumption
of rice resulted in lower consumption of other foods like wheat, fibre, red meat, and dairy
products.

Carbohydrates make up nearly 80 per cent of calories consumed in many South Asian countries.
Since the 1970s, carbs have become increasingly polished and refined as well, losing a lot of
nutrition in the process.
Rapid urbanisation and economic development, especially in low- and middle-income countries,
have led to a dramatic change in dietary intake and increased physical inactivity, which are
related to the obesity epidemic.
Talking about the findings, Mumbai-based nutritionist Priya Kathpal said, ―I wouldn‘t say every
white rice-eating family would have a diabetic person in their family… A lot depends on the
quantity of rice eaten, what it‘s eaten with, and how frequently.‖
Also read: Brainwaves study can tell if a worker can handle crisis situation, IIT Madras
research says
China anomaly
China and India are two of the world‘s largest countries where rice is the staple food. Both also
lead in the incidence of diabetes. However, the researchers found that there wasn‘t a significant
association with white rice consumption and diabetes in China.
There could be many reasons for this, apart from other lifestyle factors. The scientists believe
that the kind of rice the Chinese eat (sticky rice) could make a difference.
In India, studies have shown that during the last four to five decades of replacing hand-pounded
rice with industrially milled white rice, the prevalence of diabetes in urban areas in India
increased from 2 per cent in the 1970s to 25 per cent in 2015, and in rural areas from 1 per cent
to 14–16 per cent, respectively. White rice is considered to be one of the many main drivers of
the trend, which followed improved socioeconomic growth and lifestyle modifications.
Studies have shown that substituting white rice with unpolished brown rice decreases the
glycemic response by 23 per cent and the fasting insulin response by 57 per cent in overweight
Asian Indians, but consumers do not tend to prefer brown rice due to its inconvenience of longer
cooking duration, greater chewing difficulty, and lack of visual appeal.
―Several patients that I‘ve asked to switch to brown rice have faced difficulty, as everyone‘s
grown up eating white rice,‖ said Kathpal.
―Taste is a huge factor, and brown rice often doesn‘t taste the same as white with vegetable
curries and dals. Sometimes, white rice alternatives like even millets can be more expensive or
not as easily available too,‖ she said.
Doctors and dieticians are hesitant to recommend diets that are more expensive and less easily
available even if they are healthier, as patients tend not to adopt them successfully.
―A daily diet should always be easy to maintain and easily available. Only then can it be
sustainable,‖ said Kulkarni. ―Indians in general have poor protein intake in diet, and this has to
do with available resources and choices. Most calories are from carbohydrates as they are
cheap.‖

According to the researchers, in countries where rice is consumed the most or as a staple, the risk
of increased diabetes among the public can be lowered by substituting white rice with alternate
forms of healthier rice versions and adding more legumes or pulses to food.
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https://theprint.in/science/white-rice-linked-to-diabetes-especially-in-south-asia-says-21-nation-
study-done-over-10-yrs/496879/
APMCs losing trade share post reforms; crop arrivals
fall as traders, farmers kick middlemen out
By: Nanda Kasabe and Deepa Jainani |
Updated: Sep 07, 2020 8:52 AM
Signs of a weakening of the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) networks are
now evident across major farm production centres in the country.
In Maharashtra, the traders have launched an open revolt against the APMC brass, refusing to pay the mandi taxes
and opting for direct sales to bulk consumers outside the APMC ambit.
By Prabhudatta Mishra, Nanda Kasabe & Deepa Jainani
Signs of a weakening of the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) networks are
now evident across major farm production centres in the country, heralding an era of unfettered
market access and bolstered bargaining strength for farmers.

On June 5, the Centre promulgated three Ordinances reforming the country‘s agriculture
marketing, and their impact on the trade has been rather sudden and material: During the June 6-
August 31 period, mandi arrivals of crops –- from fruits and vegetables to cereals and pulses –
have dropped dramatically. The fall was up to 49% for fruits, 57% for vegetables and 45% for
grains (see chart).
Of course, part of the decline can be attributed to the lockdown restrictions prevailing in large
parts of the country and the crop damage or rotting of stored produce as in the case of onion, but
the ceding of trade share by the once-all-powerful mandis indeed has much to do with the
reforms. In many centres, particularly in states like Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, the farmer
community, organised as farmer producer organisations/companies (FPOs/FPCs), and the small
traders/aggregators are giving the APMC markets a miss. In Maharashtra, some FPOs, which FE
spoke to, narrated how a definite shifting is taking place in agriculture marketing. There is also
anecdotal evidence of aggregators and food processing firms buying directly from the farmers on
a scale seen never before.
In Uttar Pradesh, the aggregate fall in mandi arrivals of all crops was 32% on year during June
and 64% in July. The state has collected Rs 172 crore in mandi tax/cess revenue during June-
July, a drop of 36% on year. The decline in arrival will likely continue in August as well and
market watchers believe that it could be in the range of 65-70% in the month.

―We have closed our outlets inside the local mandi and have started sourcing 100% of our
requirements directly from farmers. Traders are now approaching farmers at their villages and
getting the crops delivered at mills,‖ said Atul Agarwal, MD of Saket Foods at Bahraich in Uttar
Pradesh. Agarwal has already ordered machinery to add another rice plant to his existing three at
Bahraich. ―We are now looking for land to set up a food park within 20-km radius of Lucknow
in which we will set up three units — solvent extraction plant, edible oil refinery and rice mill,‖
said Agarwal, who has also two pulses processing units.
―The traders who we deal with for purchase of raw materials like maize and jowar have now
started directly purchasing from farmers/aggregators. The legal reforms have come as a big relief
to us as we no longer have to re-route the maize from Bihar through the local mandi,‖ said Vijay
Jain of Vikas Sortex Industries, a Kanpur-based cattle feed manufacturer. Since Bihar does not
have APMC law, traders of other states used to route the stuff from Bihar via local mandis.
While pan-India arrivals have dropped in nine out of 11 field crops (grains, pulses etc) reviewed
by FE during the period since the promulgation of the Ordinances, higher arrivals were reported
for only groundnut and maize. The sharp drop in mandi arrivals of fruits and vegetables is
largely due to the shift to alternative sales routes like corporate purchases and supplies to
retailers by farmers. But the fall in demand due to closure of restaurants also contributed to the
lower mandi arrivals of fruits and vegetables.
In Maharashtra, the traders have launched an open revolt against the APMC brass, refusing to
pay the mandi taxes and opting for direct sales to bulk consumers outside the APMC ambit.
While most mandis in Maharashtra remained shut during the lockdown period, Jai Sardar Farmer
Producer Company in the state‘s Buldhana district reached out to farmers providing them an
alternate marketing mechanism. Ashish Nafade who heads the FPC, said it procured some 300
tonnes of maize at market prices, 2,000 quintals of tur and 4,500 quintals of chana under the
Price Stabilisation Scheme (PSS).
―Around 30 farmer groups are part of our FPC and through their 30 odd procurement centres are
reached out nearly 1,500 farmers both at the purchase centres and at the farm gate level,‖ he said.
The FPC also sold vegetables to housing societies in sizeable quantities, he said. The FPC has set
up 1,500 tonnes of warehousing infrastructure and will soon run a pilot with Warehousing
Registration and Development Authority to provide e-warehousing receipts to farmers. The FPC
has set up two drying platforms for agri-produce, cleaning and grading facilities and an 80-tonne
weighing bridge, Nafade said, adding that the plan is to get into online trading from the next
season through tie-ups with NCDEX and registration on E-NAM as well.
Santosh Dedhe, chairman, Jaylaxmi Farmers Producer Company, Osmanabad, said his FPC has
been active in the purchase of chana and tur from farmers and is also a part of the government‘s
PSS programme. Chetna Sinha, founder of Manndeshi Foundation, Mhaswad, Satara, a
foundation which works with marginalised women farmers in Satara in Maharashtra said the
Manndeshi FPO works with around 1,200 women farmers and is sourcing turmeric, rice, dal and
vegetables from them.
Under a new central law on inter-state trade, farmers have the freedom to sell their produce in
any market within and outside the state of their residence, without being hamstrung by the
APMCs. No state levies will be imposed on trade outside the APMC mandis and the farmer is

supposed to receive payment within three working days after deal. According to the new law,
anyone having PAN card can trade, while the Centre reserves the right to lay down any new
procedures, including mandatory prior registration.
Via another Ordinance on contract farming, farmers would get share of post-contract price surge,
after they sign agreements of contract farming with private players. Also, they will have the
cover of minimum guaranteed price if open market/mandi rates fall drastically. The two
ordinances, along with another one through which the Essential Commodities Act has been
amended easing stock holding restrictions on commodities, will together go a long way in
unshackling the entire agriculture-to-food-processing-to-retailing value-chain and giving farmers
the choice to sell their produce in any market across the country, analysts feel.
Though the UP government has decided to lower the total incidence of mandi tax and cesses to
1% from 2.5%, it is yet to issue the necessary order, said Rishi Kumar Bansal, a commission
agent in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh. ―The trade will substantially shift from mandis in the long run,
but mandis will continue to co-exist. The large traders and processors will appoint commission
agents to buy directly from farmers on their behalf, as they cannot set up infrastructure in every
village,‖ Bansal said. The arrivals of maize and bajra in Hathras mandi have not been impacted,
he said.
―Arrivals in the mandis are definitely low as it is turning out to be a losing proposition. Those
traders who are purchasing from mandis still have to pay 2% mandi tax. As trade margins are
revolving between 0.5%-1%, how will they (traders who used to trade via mandis) compete
against those who are paying no tax,‖ asked Bharat Bhushan, chairman of the Lucknow Dal and
Rice Millers Association.
During April pan-India arrivals of five key rabi crops dropped 18-80% y-o-y, but in June these
crops (except masur) reported 16-80% surge (y-o-y) in arrivals. Clearly, the easing of lockdown

curbs boosted arrivals. Various restrictions on during lockdown (March 24-May 31), were lifted
in phases from June 1 easing public movement and expanding economic activities.
In the case of wheat, the arrivals at mandis during May-June this year was about 35% lower than
the year-ago period, but it improved in June (when these usually recede) registering 22% higher
than the year-ago period.
―As kharif maize prices were around MSP level (Rs 1,760 per quintal) during October-December
last year, there was expectation of a further increase and farmers were holding the crops. Now
that maize is ruling lower at about Rs 1,270 per quintal (June-August, 2020), the farmers
resumed selling, out of compulsion,‖ said Basavraj Patil, an aggregator in Davangere district of
Karnataka.
Curiously, some farmer leaders in the northern states of Punjab, Haryana, Rasjasthan, Madhya
Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have asked the government to roll back the three ordinances. ―The
government should tell how much farm-gate prices have increased after the promulgation of
ordinances,‖ Sudhir Panwar, president of Kisan Jagriti Manch, said.
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https://www.financialexpress.com/economy/reforms-impact-apmc-mandis-seem-to-be-losing-trade-
share/2076555/
Basmati exporters uncertain, seek clarity over
imposition of market fee, RDF
Say the neighbouring states have accepted the central ordinance, which provides exemption from
these levies and they will rather buy from there.
CHANDIGARH Updated: Sep 06, 2020 23:54 IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber
Hindustan Times, Chandigarh
The new paddy crop of 1509 variety will start arriving in the mandis by September 15.(HT
FILE)
Basmati exporters based in Punjab are uncertain over the purchase of the aromatic rice variety
from the state as the Centre‘s new ordinance for agriculture marketing, allowing farmers to

directly sell their produce to exporters, has created a parallel system even as the Punjab
government has opposed it.
The Punjab rice millers and exporters association have raised the contentious issue with the state
government through representations to clarify its stand on the new ordinance as the neighbouring
states, particularly Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have accepted the central ordinance.
The Association feels that since the new paddy crop of 1509 variety will start arriving in the
mandis by September 15, the issue of the 2% market fees and 2% rural development fund (RDF)
levied by the state Mandi board remained unresolved as the new ordinance gives exemption of
these two levies, provided the crop is purchased directly from the farmers or is procured from a
private market area as envisaged in the new act. This year, basmati was grown over 17.5 lakh
acres and arrival of the aromatic produce has started in some parts.
Demanding rationalisation of the mandi fee and RDF, the exporters said they will like to
purchase levy-free basmati as per the ordinance and buy paddy either directly from the farmers
or from other states which offer exemptions.
―It is important to add that the basmati growing states of Haryana, UP, Uttrakhand and Jammu
and Kashmir have notified that they will be levying only 1% user charges on the produce brought
to their mandi yards while adhering to the new norms under the ordinance which would
definitely make the Punjab paddy costly, with 4% fees and fund being levied by the state,‖ said
association director Ashok Sethi. He led a delegation of rice exporters from state to meet cabinet
minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa on Sunday for clarity over the matter.
Sethi said Bajwa assured the exporters that the state government would come to the rescue of the
rice millers by bringing parity in taxes, allowing the industry to grow further while giving better

rates to the farmers. According to Bajwa, agro processing ventures are an important segment and
he will apprise the Punjab CM for a possible way out.
Top officers in the mandi board revealed that the matter was under consideration of the top brass
in the state and a statement will be issued shortly.
According to rice exporters, the taxes imposed by Punjab government will leave their trade
uneconomical and render their rice export unviable as they can‘t compete with the exporters
based in Haryana, UP and Delhi as the disparity of taxes would lead to financial crisis.
The rice exports had a phenomenal growth during last three years with exports from state
touching Rs 14,000 crore, out of the total country‘s export of Rs 34,000 crore as per the latest
figures released by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority
(APEDA).
The association claimed that it remained at the forefront in educating basmati growers to use
minimal pesticides and other agro-chemicals so that the produce is accepted worldwide. In 2017,
the basmati consignments faced rejection from European countries and Saudi Arabia due to
presence of fungicide higher than permissible limits.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/basmati-exporters-uncertain-seek-clarity-over-
imposition-of-market-fee-rdf/story-cIyp8zUSluAT931jJXDLoJ.html

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