8th february,2021 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
February 08 ,2021 Vol 2 Issue 13
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…
 The crispy revival of Pakistani cricket
 The beauty of Dadu
 Data analytics and information system for fast delivery
of social welfare services to seniors pushed
 House probe sought on DA’s bid to import meat
products
 House probe sought on DA’s bid to import meat
products
 Community: Southern University's LaShunda Hodges
named 'Inspiring Black Scientist'
 Pakistan’s Exports for Past 4 Months Breaks Eight
Years’ Record
 White rice does not trigger cardio, other health issues:
Study
 India lines up Deepwater port for rice, exports to surge
amid global shortage

The crispy revival of Pakistani cricket
Explore how KFC Pakistan played an integral part in reviving cricket in Pakistan
February 08, 2021
It‘s a known fact that Pakistanis live and breathe cricket. From the streets to the
stadiums and everything in between, we‘re always engrossed in any sort of match we
can play or at least watch. When the Pakistani team wins, the streets get crowded, the
smiles become wider, and the joy is immeasurable. When the team loses though, the
pain is felt deep down by each and every one of us. Believe it or not for us, cricket is
as much part of our staple diet as rice or roti.
Year 2009 onwards, cricket in Pakistan was at a standstill. Unfortunately, cricket
aficionados faced immense isolation and misery in these past few years; waiting
earnestly for the revival of cricket in their homeland. As they say, all bad things do

ultimately come to an end, and with the new normal, cricket at home has become a part of our
lives once again. Hurray!!
A thought to contemplate upon is that what brought us here, to find the likes of Babar Azam,
Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan and countless other talents? Our domestic cricket structure
leaves much to be desired, nevertheless our unsung heroes consistently put in their efforts to
bring us the best entertainment, and pure raw talent that is showcased on the screens. Amongst
these heroes, KFC Pakistan has played an integral part in structuring and reviving cricket in the
country.

Most of us are well acquainted with this popular brand for their scrumptious fried chicken, but
very few know how big and vital part it has played in cricket globally. For those of you that may
have missed it, KFC was affiliated with the Australian Big Bash League, the New Zealand vs
Pakistan series, and the Australia vs India series. KFC's countless contributions have made
Pakistan's cricket rise to new heights.
Starting with sponsoring Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League, KFC has also
sponsored domestic teams, i.e. Southern Punjab, and entire tournaments, such as the Karachi
Premier League. Similarly, the popular fast-food brand is also currently the official sponsor of
the Abu Dhabi T10 League.
Now the question is, how do these sponsorships help cricket, and specifically cricket in Pakistan?
Well, it‘s fairly simple. The sponsorships add value to tournaments, which are broadcasted to the
public, and specifically, for the selectors to witness the upcoming talent, along with reviving
careers of players who were desperate for comebacks. KFC’s sponsorships have not only aided
young players such as Hassan Khan, Azam Khan, Khushdil Shah and countless others, but has
also brought talented players such as Aamer Yamin and Hussain Talat to the national team as
well. Needless to say, this is a massive achievement for the players for their assiduous efforts.

Pakistan‘s cricket is in good hands with new selectors and the team performances are also being
recognised at a global level. All of this would have been impossible without the unprecedented
efforts and contributions from KFC, the house of ultimate crispy chicken, which is notably
sponsoring, endorsing and owning the spirit of the game.
It indeed is 'finger lickin‘ good' when there‘s a combo of KFC and cricket!
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2282656/1
The beauty of Dadu
Mohammad Hussain Khan
February 8, 2021
Dadu‘s topography and huge
tourism potential make it distinctive
from other districts in Sindh. With
petroglyphs sites dating back to an
ancient period, one of its area called
Khudabad served as the capital of
Sindh in the Kalhoros era before
they shifted it to Hyderabad. A
considerable landmass, large
swathes of riverine forests (though
vanished), hilly plains touching
Balochistan, a big arid region, an
irrigated command area and a hill
station — Gorakh — are some of
the peculiarities of Dadu that one
could talk about, indicating
geographical diversity.
During retired Gen Pervez Musharraf‘s regime, the Sindh government carved Jamshoro out of
Dadu in 2004, which provided relief to the people of the area. They used to shunt between two
extreme ends — Jamshoro on one side and Dadu on the other — for petty administrative issues
and routine matters. Area wise Dadu was the largest district of the Hyderabad division then.

Sindh has been the PPP‘s stronghold ever since it was founded by Z A Bhutto. Dadu has been
PPP‘s forte till date though powerful Jatois continue to make their presence felt. Besides the
indomitable Jatois, Legharis, Chandios, Pirs, Shahanis, Jamalis, Solangis and Rinds have their
share as far as political considerations are concerned. These families dominate the political
chessboard in every electoral bout.
‘Around 2,425 acres of forest land is under encroachment due to illegal allotment in Dadu
district’s limits. Another 1,122 acres remain under ‘forcible occupation’ of communities for
agriculture purposes sans any legal claim’
The Agricultural Census 2010 Sindh Report published by the Pakistan Statistics Division showed
that 57,404 agriculture farms were located in the Dadu district. As per the break-up, 11,475
farms had 7.5-12.55 acres, 3,766 farms had 12.5-25 acres, 1,006 farms had 25-50 acres, 168
farms had 50-100 acres, 25 farms had 100-150acres and one farm was over 150 acres.
Remaining categories are under one acre, one to under 2.5 acres, 2.5 to under five acres and five
acres to 7.5 acres.
Geographically, Dadu is upper Sindh‘s right-bank district. The size of the district where rice,
wheat, cotton and sugarcane is grown is reflected by the fact that it is fed by two out of the seven
major irrigation canals of Sukkur barrage. Among veggies, onion‘s acreage is big, varying
between 3,500 to 4,500ha annually.
Climatically, summers are sweltering and humid with the mercury sizzling up to 50-degree
celsius or a bit up. Dadu is blessed with a rain-fed area (arid region) with fertile soil and is
known as Kachhoo in local parlance. Streams and hill torrents irrigate this rain-dependent part
where people follow the practice of spate irrigation to grow millet, sorghum, sesame and moong
pulses.
With a deep interest in ancient history, noted author Badar Abro has also travelled through the
length and breadth of Dadu from 1985 to 2010. He has come up with his book, Kirthar mey
chitsali (carvings on stones). ―Around 100 petroglyphs sites are in Dadu to reflect its rich ancient
past with traces of Buddhism. The area can be used for cultural tourism,‖ said Mr Abro, who
started working on petroglyphs of prehistoric times and Buddhism from 1995 onwards.
The ancient sites and Gorakh hill station offer tourism opportunities. ―Real tourism potential,
however, lies in the deep valley of Kirthar that awaits development,‖ he believes. Britishers, he
added, identified hill stations Murree, Darjeeling (India) and Gorakh. ―While two are known to
tourism lovers, Gorakh is yet to be developed,‖ he said.
Many streams, big and small, emanate from the Kirthar range of mountains to irrigate Kacchho
during monsoon to make the landscape picturesque with Kirthar hills in the backdrop.
Groundwater extraction is an important source for crop‘s cultivation in the arid region. Seasonal
hill torrents and streams add beauty to the area as one trudges through the hilly terrain. Nai Gaj
— one of the oldest streams — feeds large swathes of Kacchho. Nai is the Sindhi word for

stream or torrent. After passing through Dadu, Nai Gaj eventually fills Manchhar lake as one of
the freshwater resources.
A recipient of Tamgha-i-Imtiaz for his social work, Dr Sono Khangarani says Kacchhoo has rich
fertile land where Kharif crops show better productivity, especially sorghum. ―Goats of Kachhoo
are quite famous as well,‖ said Dr Khangarani. He didn‘t find any similarities between this arid
region of Dadu and the desert of Thar. ―People in Kacchho mostly pass a nomadic life. In Thar,
people have homes or huts. Kachhoo‘s underground is sweet unlike Thar where it is almost
brackish everywhere,‖ he said.
A flood-protective dyke is there to protect the area against massive flooding but last year‘s flows
from hill torrents had breached the dyke. Rains in the catchment of Kirthar range often become
unfriendly. Last year Gaj received plenty of rainwater from its catchment, destroying homes and
triggering large scale displacements. Kachhoo stretches up to Qambar-Shahdadkot, Larkana and
Jamshoro districts.
Considering the potential of Nai Gaj‘s seasonal and exceptional water flows, the Water and
Power Development Authority (Wapda) has initiated a dam over it amidst reservations of
fishermen as it would deprive the lake of its source of freshwater. The Nai Gaj dam has gross
storage of 0.30 million acre-feet (MAF) along with of 4.2-megawatt power generation
component. Sindh has to share its cost towards land acquisition. However, it has remained
incomplete due to the friction between the PTI and PPP governments.
It was started at a cost of Rs16.924 billion in 2009. In the Central Development Working Party
meeting of Jan 10, 2019, the project was recommended for the consideration of the Executive
Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) at a rationalised cost of Rs46.98bn. PC-I was
discussed in the Ecnec on Jan 25, 2019, and deferred due to the decision of cost-sharing by the
Sindh government, said Wapda.
Hina Shahid, a research associate of EU-Sindh Union Council and Community Economic
Strengthening Support-Government of Sindh poverty reduction strategy, quoted census 2017
figures that put Dadu‘s area at 8,034km (5.7 per cent) out of Sindh‘s 140,914km. Of Dadu‘s 1.55
million population, 1.17m (75pc) is rural and 383,169 (25pc) is urban.
Sukkur barrage‘s two main canals — Rice and Dadu canal — feed this part of Sindh. The non-
perennial 82-mile long Rice canal brings water flows from Sukkur for paddy cultivation on its
culturable command area (CCA) of 519,506 acres while the perennial 132-mile long Dadu canal
feeds Dadu in both seasons for the cultivation of winter and summer crops on a CCA of 690,026
acres.
Analysis of three years (2015-16 to 2017-18) average shows that Pakistan‘s total rice acreage is
2.79mha, cotton 2.7mha, sugarcane 1.23mha and wheat 9mha. Percentage-wise Dadu‘s rice
acreage stands at 1.78pc in Pakistan‘s total rice area, cotton 0.40pc, sugarcane 0.43pc and wheat
0.83pc.

Pakistan‘s average production was achieved at 7.03m tonnes for rice, cotton at 10.84m bales,
sugarcane 74.77m tonnes and wheat 25.8m tonnes. Production-wise, Dadu district‘s average
share of rice in Pakistan in the same period is 2.66pc, cotton 0.55pc, sugarcane 0.37pc and wheat
0.95pc. And within Sindh, Dadu contributed 6.95pc in rice production, 1.64pc of cotton, 1.43pc
of sugarcane and 6.45pc of wheat in the same period.
The Dadu district is home to natural resources of oil and gas fields where production process
continues. Stats are, however, not available to determine Dadu‘s share in Pakistan‘s oil and gas
productions. According to Naseer Memon, who regularly writes on Sindh‘s core issues including
natural resources, Dadu‘s Johi taluka is a major oil and gas producing area of Sindh.
In terms of industry, Dadu has one sugar factory, 104 rice mills and three cotton ginning
factories. The district administration said five companies are currently busy in oil and gas
production and until 2019, the administration received Rs238m from them for social sector work
under the social welfare obligation head. Of this Rs1144m had been released for different works
and Rs93.6m remained unutilised till Jan 2021.
In terms of livestock, Dadu has the second-highest number of livestock population (2m) of small
animals including sheep (448,667) and goats (15.57m) according to department‘s stats of
‗projected livestock population 2018‘. It has the third-highest number (1.85m) of large animals
cattle (1.01m) and buffalo (835,606).
Once it had a rich riverine forest belt falling between the two banks of mighty Indus. Powerful
families have set up agricultural empires like ketis though which they use land which is intended
for the Mithiani forest. Such ketis give immense agriculture output for families that avail the
lease at a nominal rate from the Board of Revenue. Forests remain nonexistent for which the land
was actually meant for.
―Around 2,425 acres of forest land is under encroachment due to illegal allotment in Dadu
district‘s limits. Another 1,122 acres remain under ‗forcible occupation‘ of communities for
agriculture purposes sans any legal claim,‖ he said. According to another forestry expert,
―Vacant fertile forest lands in ungoverned areas are prone to encroachments. Forests serve as a
hedge against encroachments and forests could be rehabilitated with creative community
partnerships.‖Dadu is hit by poverty. In his Sept 2012 piece ―Clustered deprivation: District
Profile of Poverty in Pakistan‖ for the Sustainable Development Policy Institute, veteran
economist Dr Kaiser Bengali said 50-59pc of Dadu‘s rural population lives below the poverty
line. But it is still better placed in stats when compared with districts where over 60pc population
lives below the poverty line. The report mentioned that 29pc households have fallen below the
poverty line in Dadu which is disturbing.
Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, February 8th,
2021https://www.dawn.com/news/1606111

Data analytics and information system for fast delivery of
social welfare services to seniors pushed
Published February 8, 2021, 3:47 PM
by Charissa Luci-Atienza
A team of researchers under the Good Governance through Data Science and Decision
Support System (GODDESS) program of the Department of Science and Technology –
Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and
Development (DOST-PCIEERD) is currently developing a data analytics and information
system that would ensure the immediate delivery of social welfare services to some 8,000
pensioners in Butuan
City.
(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
The two-year project dubbed ―Development of Data Analytics and Information System:
Support on Social Welfare Services for Senior Citizens of Butuan City‖ was among the 10
newly approved projects under DOST-PCIEERD‘s GODDESS program presented in an
online forum held on Monday, Feb. 8.

―Through the data analytics, we can easily manage the distribution of the benefits based on
the real time and reduce the waiting time to 80 to 90 percent,‖ said project leader Eltimar
Castro of the Father Saturnino Urios University (FSUU).
He said the target beneficiaries of their project are the senior citizens, the local government
of Butuan City and the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD), the Office of the
Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA), City Health Office (CHO), and the barangays. Castro noted
that the local government of Butuan City has a lot of available data. However, there is a
difficulty in utilizing the data due to lack of an enabling tool for data processing and
analysis, he laments.
―The proposed project is a mechanism that will develop an information system and
technology with data analytics platform to look at the data on their senior citizens. It is a
combination of data analytics and system development,‖ he said. He said the ―full-blown‖
launch of the project is expected in 2023.
―The timeline of the project is two years, but we are developing it rapidly so that for the
first year, we have initial testing then from time to time, we have an update. For full-blown
release, it will be in 2023, we are going to release this in 2023,‖ Castro said.
He said other cities and municipalities can adopt their data analytics and information
system project.
―If other cities want to have this, there might be calibration of the system. We are
committed to share the system,‖ he said. The nine other GODDESS projects are the
following: Optimization of Decision Support System for Effective E-Governance on
Preemptive Evacuation for Flood Disaster amidst COVID-19 in Cagayan Valley Project,
Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) Data Analytics Initiative (RiceLytics),
Development of Iloilo Province Employment Portal and Services with Data Analytics,
Hundred Island National Park Management System: Implementation of Smart Tourism,
Prescriptive Navigation through Vision-based Traffic Monitoring, Dagupan City Smart
Garbage Collection and Monitoring System, and Development of Automated Collection
System for Bagsakan Market – An Automated Tariff Collection System. The DOST‘s
GODDESS program aims to develop appropriate capabilities, systems, and technologies
geared towards enabling local government units and national government agencies to adapt
data-driven governance and evidence-based management. It is the offshoot of the Council‘s
SPARTA Project, DOST‘s data science training program.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/02/08/data-analytics-and-information-system-for-fast-delivery-of-social-
welfare-services-to-seniors-pushed/

House probe sought on DA’s bid to import meat products
by Ben Rosario
The Department of Agriculture‘s insistence in resorting to importation of meat products has
raised serious suspicions on its actions that require a congressional investigation, House
Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said Sunday.
Bayan Muna partylist Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate (Bayan Muna Partylist / FACEBOOK /
MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Zarate said the Makabayan bloc will file a resolution calling for a congressional inquiry
into the DA‘s ―highly deplorable actions‖ in addressing the rising prices of pork and
chicken products.

Zarate noted that resorting to importation has become a ―default reaction‖ of the Duterte
administration whenever serious supply problems in the agriculture sector appear.―Tayo ang
pinakamalaking importer ng bigas sa mundo, ngayon pati ba naman sa baboy at manok ay
target din ng DA na tayo ang manguna? (We are the biggest rice importer in the world, and
now DA also wants us to lead in targeting hog and poultry),‖ lamented Zarate.The
opposition leader warned that DA‘s plan to import more meat products will only push the
agricultural industry, especially the hog and poultry raising sectors, to its eventual death.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar, Zarate said, should explain why the DA still wants to
import pork and chicken notwithstanding the assurance of Philippine Statistics Authority
data indicating that there is enough local supply to meet the country‘s demand.―According
to the PSA, the per capita consumption of pork and chicken in 2020 is 15 kilos and 13.7
kilos, respectively. This translates to an estimated consumption of 1.5 million metric tons
and 1,479.6 thousand metric tons,‖ said Zarate.
―Meanwhile, local production of pork and chicken in 2020 is 2,142.65 thousand metric tons
and 1,809.85 thousand metric tons, respectively,‖ the Makabayan solon stated.
He asked: ―Now where does the DA get its data that there is a need to import? Is it saying
that the PSA data is wrong? ‖
According to Zarate importation should be government‘s last resort in addressing supply
shortage and rising prices.
But now, it appears that the DA walking upside down as it is itching to triple the minimum
access volume (MAV) from 54,000 metric tons (MT) to 162,000 MT plus lower its tariff –
all without even consulting the stakeholders who would be severely affected by
importation,‖ the opposition solon said.
. ―These are the recommendations on the ground and we are wondering why the DA have
not consulted them first. We will push for an immediate House probe on this highly
deplorable actions of Sec. William Dar and the DA in the handling of thia increasing food
prices,‖ Zarate stated.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/02/08/data-analytics-and-information-system-for-fast-delivery-of-social-
welfare-services-to-seniors-pushed/

House probe sought on DA’s bid to import meat products
by Ben Rosario
The Department of Agriculture‘s insistence in resorting to importation of meat products has
raised serious suspicions on its actions that require a congressional investigation, House
Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said Sunday.
Bayan Muna partylist Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate (Bayan Muna Partylist / FACEBOOK /
MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Zarate said the Makabayan bloc will file a resolution calling for a congressional inquiry
into the DA‘s ―highly deplorable actions‖ in addressing the rising prices of pork and
chicken products.
Zarate noted that resorting to importation has become a ―default reaction‖ of the Duterte
administration whenever serious supply problems in the agriculture sector appear.―Tayo ang
pinakamalaking importer ng bigas sa mundo, ngayon pati ba naman sa baboy at manok ay
target din ng DA na tayo ang manguna? (We are the biggest rice importer in the world, and

now DA also wants us to lead in targeting hog and poultry),‖ lamented Zarate.The
opposition leader warned that DA‘s plan to import more meat products will only push the
agricultural industry, especially the hog and poultry raising sectors, to its eventual death.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar, Zarate said, should explain why the DA still wants to
import pork and chicken notwithstanding the assurance of Philippine Statistics Authority
data indicating that there is enough local supply to meet the country‘s demand.
―According to the PSA, the per capita consumption of pork and chicken in 2020 is 15 kilos
and 13.7 kilos, respectively. This translates to an estimated consumption of 1.5 million
metric tons and 1,479.6 thousand metric tons,‖ said Zarate.―Meanwhile, local production of
pork and chicken in 2020 is 2,142.65 thousand metric tons and 1,809.85 thousand metric
tons, respectively,‖ the Makabayan solon stated.
He asked: ―Now where does the DA get its data that there is a need to import? Is it saying
that the PSA data is wrong? ‖
According to Zarate importation should be government‘s last resort in addressing supply
shortage and rising prices.
But now, it appears that the DA walking upside down as it is itching to triple the minimum
access volume (MAV) from 54,000 metric tons (MT) to 162,000 MT plus lower its tariff –
all without even consulting the stakeholders who would be severely affected by
importation,‖ the opposition solon said.. ―These are the recommendations on the ground and
we are wondering why the DA have not consulted them first. We will push for an immediate
House probe on this highly deplorable actions of Sec. William Dar and the DA in
the handling of thia increasing food prices,‖ Zarate stated.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/02/07/house-probe-sought-on-das-bid-to-import-meat-products/
Community: Southern University's LaShunda
Hodges named 'Inspiring Black Scientist'
 BY GEORGE MORRIS | STAFF WRITER

 FEB 7, 2021 - 6:00 AM
Southern University's LaShunda Hodges has been named an Inspiring Black Scientist by Cell
Mentor.
Miss SLU -- Lily Gayle, of Hammond, was crowned Miss Southeastern Louisiana University on
Jan. 22
Audubon DAR -- Gathering at the John James Audubon Chapter of the Daughters of the
American Revolution meeting on Jan. 19 are, front row from left, Molly Tyler, Caroline Tyler,
Grace Tyler, Margaret Tyler and South Central District Director Lauren Pourciau Durr; and,
back row, Sue Ann Shore, Maribeth Andereck, Sue Badeaux, Sallie McKann, Liz Walker, Stella
Tanoos, Georgia LaCour, Shirley Newsham, Alisa Janney and Denise Lindsly.
Ann Fairfax CAR -- Members of the Ann Fairfax Society of the Children of the American
Revolution attending the Louisiana Conference on Jan. 23 are, front row from left, Madelyn
Mcnew, Elliot Tubbs, Samuel Charette and Andrew Thibodeaux; and, back row, Michael Dunlap
and David Dunlap.
Cortana Kiwanis -- Gathering for a donation of an automatic external defibrillator from the
Cortana Kiwanis Club to Holy Family School in Port Allen are, from left, Kiwanis Lt. Gov.
Donna Leggett, Principal Alise Ashford, Pam Morgan and Cortana President Rick Haddad.
Omicron Beta Sigma -- Terrell Carter, left, president of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity's Omicron
Beta Sigma Chapter, presents Frank Oby, owner Frank's Pest Control, with the February Black
Owned Business Award.
Republican Women -- Conservative talk radio host Moon Griffon spoke to the East Baton Rouge
Parish Republican Women on Jan. 28 Drusilla Seafood Restaurant. Shown are, from left, Cathy
Costanza, LFRW Region 6 Vice President Joyce LaCour, EBRP RW President Debbie Kuehne,
Griffon, Dru Brock Lea and Tammy Jo Williams.
Baton Rouge Amateur Radio Club -- Baton Rouge Amateur Radio Club President Todd
Huovinen, right, presents an outstanding member service award to Tom Harrell on Jan. 22. The
club currently holds its meetings on Zoom. For more information about the group, brarc.org.
Sherwood Lake Association -- The Sherwood Lake Association, the homeowners association for
Lake Sherwood Acres subdivision, elected the 2021 Board of Directors at the annual meeting on
Jan. 26. Board members are, seated from left, LaNelle Johnson, Secretary Jennifer St. Cyr,
Treasurer Shannon Long and Samantha Montoya; and, standing, President Doug Pacas, Jim
Cazes, Vice President Don Frattini, Mike Hayes and Tommy Milazzo.

LaShunda Hodges, an associate professor of plant and soil science at Southern University, has
been named one of the 1,000 Inspiring Black Scientists in America by Cell Mentor, an online
resource for researchers.The list of scientists was compiled by scholars and includes scientists
from universities and the private sector. The Dec. 28 article was published to ―dismantle the
myth that outstanding Black scientists make up a small percentage of the scientific community.‖
Hodges previously served as an assistant and associate professor of soil and plant sciences in
Alcorn State University‘s Department of Agriculture, a visiting scientist for the USDA‘s
Agricultural Research Service Crop Production Unit and a research associate/native grass and
wildlife habitat project manager for the Southern University Ag Center.
Hodges earned a bachelor's degree in soil and plant science and a master's degree in agronomy at
Alcorn State and a doctorate in agronomy-environmental planning and management from LSU.
Gayle selected Miss Southeastern
Southeastern Louisiana University communication major Lily Gayle, of Hammond, has been
chosen Miss Southeastern 2021.
Gayle received her crown from Miss Southeastern 2020 Janine Hatcher at the annual pageant
Jan. 22 at Southeastern‘s Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts. Sponsored by the Campus
Activities Board, the pageant is affiliated with the Miss America Pageant System.
Gayle will advance to the Miss Louisiana Pageant that will be held in Monroe in June.

First runner-up was Catherine Wooton, a criminal justice major from Belle Chasse, and second
runner-up was Victoria Rocquin, a communications major from Lutcher.
Megan Magri, a general studies major from St. Rose, took home the Talent and Miss America
Organization Scholarship Fundraiser awards, while Kobi Painting, a communications major
from Amite, took home the Government Association Academic Award.
LSU graduate named outstanding grad student
Sam Rustom Jr., who graduated from LSU with a doctorate in weed science, has been selected
as Outstanding Graduate Student by the Southern Weed Science Society.
He was selected over eight other nominees and is the second LSU graduate student to receive the
award, according to LSU AgCenter weed scientist Eric Webster. The recognition was made
during the SWSS conference held virtually Jan. 25-26.
Rustom, who graduated in December, was nominated by Webster and Steve Linscombe, retired
LSU AgCenter rice breeder and director of the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station in
Crowley. In his nomination letter, Webster cited Rustom‘s herbicide research that has helped rice
farmers worldwide, along with 10 refereed publications and numerous abstracts.
Another LSU weed science student, David Walker, won first place in the Ph.D. poster contest.
Audubon DAR meets at Rural Life Museum
Rural Life Museum Executive Director Bill Stark spoke about the current needs for preservation
to the John James Audubon Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution on Jan. 18 at the

museum. The chapter will work with the museum to secure a DAR Historic Preservation Grant
to make repairs.
South Central Director Lauren Pourciau Durr spoke about activities in the state and district.
Due to the school holiday, many Ann Fairfax Children of the American Revolution members
attended. The children handed out announcements and collected donations for the DAR Schools.
Senior Director Sue Badeaux introduced the children and spoke about their weekend trip to Fort
Jesup for the State CAR Conference.
Service to Veterans Chairwoman Georgia LaCour gave an update on the Christmas delivery of
backpacks to the veterans formerly housed at the Raven‘s Outreach Center and the veterans
housed at the Magnolia Care Center. LaCour and Glenda Carlile delivered the gifts.
DAR Schools Chairwoman Denise Lindsly spoke on the current school needs. Margaret Tyler,
Bridget May, Deny Malesic, Maribeth Andereck and LaCour were elected as delegates to the
state conference in March. Tyler, Malesic and Andereck were elected as delegates to the
Continental Congress in Washington, D.C., in June.
DAR membership is open to women 18 and older who can prove lineal, bloodline descent from
an ancestor who aided in achieving American independence. She must provide documentation
for each statement of birth, marriage and death. For information, contact May
at bmantiquarian@gmail.com.
Cortana Kiwanis gives AED to school

The Cortana Kiwanis Club has donated an automated external defibrillator to Holy Family
School in Port Allen, the latest of 12 area schools that have received an AED from the club.
President Rick Haddad, Kiwanis Lt. Gov. Donna Leggett and Pam Morgan presented the
AED to Principal Alise Ashford. LaMissTenn District of Kiwanis is working to place AEDs in
all schools in Louisiana, Mississippi and West Tennessee. So far, over 450 AEDs have been
provided by Kiwanis Clubs, and six lives have been saved by one of the donated AEDs.
Cortana Kiwanis meets at 7:30 a.m. Thursdays at the Picadilly Cafeteria on Sherwood Forest and
via Zoom. Call Brent Phillips, (225) 955-2988, for information.
Fairfax CAR attends state conference
Six members of the Ann Fairfax Society of the Children of the American Revolution attended
the Louisiana Conference Jan. 23 in Many.
They toured the Los Adias Historical Site and learned about the site‘s importance in the state's
early history. They visited Fort Jessup for lunch in the old kitchen, followed by the program and
business meeting.
Ann Fairfax children had prominent roles in the program and won many awards for their
activities this past year. Michael Dunlap was elected president for this year and will be installed
during the national conference. Attending were Elliot Tubbs, Madelyn Mcnew, Samuel
Charette, Andrew Thibodeaux, David Dunlap, Michael Dunlap and Senior President Sue
Badeaux.

AME Church FCU gets Inclusiv grant
The AME Church Federal Credit Union has been awarded a Resilience Fund grant from Inclusiv
to expand its coronavirus relief efforts.
The AME Church Federal Credit Union is a minority designated credit union, serving over 350
members. It was destroyed during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and has struggled to rebuild. The
grant will be used to expand its ability to serve its clients from other locations apart from its main
location.
Over 50% of the families in the AME Church Federal Credit Union service area live below the
federal poverty level. Its coronavirus relief efforts include increasing service hours in the process
of increasing membership, providing account information more quickly and accurately beyond
office hours, processing loan applications more efficiently and answering client‘s questions
concerning their accounts on the spot.
The Inclusiv Resilience Fund grant was launched in June 2020 to help minority-owned and
operated credit unions with assets of under $100 million provide financial relief to consumers
affected by the coronavirus. In total 655,000 philanthropic grants ranging in size from $5,000 to
$25,000 were approved in the first funding round for COVID-19.
https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/entertainment_life/article_0528d354-618e-11eb-
b9a1-136fba1a5274.html
Pakistan’s Exports for Past 4 Months Breaks Eight Years’
Record
News Desk

Pakistan’s exports marked a record for the past eight years when it crossed $2 billion just in
four months.
Pakistan‘s exports marked a record for the past eight years when it crossed $2 billion just in four
months.
The information was shared by Prime Minister‘s Advisor on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood
via video link to review trade data till last month.It is said that exports in the last month
increased by 8% to $2.135 billion compared to $1.978 billion in the same period last year.The
advisor stated that the growth trend was observed in exports of value-added and non-traditional
products last month.The hiking industries included; garments, pharmaceuticals, plastics, textiles,
and rice.
He also mentioned that a decreasing trend was noted in exports of mostly non-value-added
products.
Earlier this year, the Prime Minister appraised exporters and the Ministry of Commerce when the
regional export trends turned in favour of Pakistan.
It is further said that the PM stated in a tweet that he had received the regional export trends with
a negative growth trend in exports of India and Bangladesh during November and December
2020 as opposed to Pakistan.
https://www.researchsnipers.com/pakistans-exports-for-past-4-months-breaks-eight-years-
record/

White rice does not trigger cardio, other health issues:
Study
A higher intake of refined grains is associated with a higher risk of total mortality and major
cardiovascular diseases, stated a new research published in The BMJ, on Wednesday.
Published: 06th February 2021 06:18 AM | Last Updated: 06th February 2021 06:18
By Express News Service
BENGALURU: A higher intake of refined grains is associated with a higher risk of total
mortality and major cardiovascular diseases, stated a new research published in The BMJ, on
Wednesday. The study was done among 1,37,130 adults across 21 countries. Researchers from
St John‘s Research Institute in Bengaluru and other international universities collected data on
demographics, lifestyle and eating habits, which was then compared to health outcomes. The
participants were studied for nearly a decade.
It found that processed carbohydrates, like white bread, breakfast cereal, pasta, and pastries,
could play a role in chronic disease, regardless of what else is in your diet. It specified that such
foods are linked to heart disease risk. ―Participants who ate 7-10 slices of white bread a day (or
similar amount of refined carbs) were 33% more likely to have a heart attack or stroke, and 27%
more likely to die,‖ found the study.
But not all carbs were linked to health risks. Participants who ate a lot of whole grains and white
rice didn‘t have a higher risk of disease and the study stated that they are healthier alternatives to
processed carbs.
One of the researchers, Dr Sumathi Swaminathan, Division of Nutrition, St. John‘s Research
Institute,
St. John‘s National Academy of Health Sciences, said that improving the quality of
carbohydrates could be an important factor in helping people maintain a healthy diet. She said
that the previous studies have been conducted mostly in North America and Europe with limited
information from other parts of the world where the amount and types of carbohydrates
consumed in the diet vary.
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This study has the ―distinct advantage of examining diets from diverse populations in low,
middle, and high-income countries in multiple regions across the world. The analysis reported
here was conducted to evaluate the association of intake of refined grains, whole grains, and
white rice with total mortality, major cardiovascular disease events, BP and blood lipids,‖ she
said.

It says these findings support a previous study that high carbohydrate consumption overall was
linked to greater risk of heart disease. Contrary to previous studies, which have suggested that
white rice can spike blood sugar levels and potentially increase the risk of diseases, this one
found that the white rice is not associated with the same health risks as other refined grains.
Nutrition expert Dr Geetha D of a private hospital said this study can help the governments to
frame nutritional guidelines. ―In many places, refined grains are provided as they are cheaper
than whole grains. Public health agencies should be involved and guidelines planned
accordingly,‖ she said.
https://vitals.lifehacker.com/how-to-avoid-toxic-metals-in-baby-food-1846198081
India lines up Deepwater port for rice, exports to surge amid
global shortage
India‘s southern state of Andhra Pradesh will use a deepwater port to export
rice for the first time in decades amid a global shortage of the grain,
according to a government order seen by Reuters, which could raise
shipments this year by a fifth.The order, issued late on Wednesday, allows
Kakinada Deep Water Port to handle rice until more capacity is created at the
adjoining Anchorage Port.
Congestion at the Kakinada Anchorage Port, India‘s biggest rice-handling facility, had led to a
waiting period of up to four weeks compared with the normal weight of about a week, raising
costs for shippers and limiting exports, said B.V. Krishna Rao, president of the Rice Exporters
Association of India.
The government blamed the congestion on a surge in demand, driven by production shortfalls in
other rice-producing countries. Thailand and Vietnam are the other big suppliers, but their
production has fallen in recent months because of excessive rains or drought, sending their prices
to multi-year highs.
More shipments from the world‘s biggest rice exporter could cool global prices.
The move means monthly exports from Andhra Pradesh alone will double to 650,000 tonnes,
Rao said, adding that rice shipping would begin in the deepwater port within days.India‘s rice
exports this year could rise to a record 16 million to 17 million tonnes from last year‘s 14.2
million, Rao said.

The government also thinks rice exports, excluding the premium basmati variety, could rise by 2
million to 3 million tonnes this year, said Pawan Agarwal, special secretary, logistics, at the
Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry.―We are also investing to expand capacity at the old
Anchorage Port,‖ Agarwal told Reuters.
The South Asian country has a massive surplus for export and prices are competitive, but some
international buyers switched to Thailand and Vietnam because of the shipping delays, said a
Mumbai-based dealer with a global trading firm, who declined to be identified because of the
sensitivity of the matter.
India‘s 5% broken parboiled variety is being offered at $402-$408 per tonne this week,
significantly lower than Vietnam‘s $510-$515 and Thailand‘s rate of more than $540.
India mainly exports non-basmati rice to Bangladesh, Nepal, Benin and Senegal, and basmati
rice to Iran, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
―In the next few weeks India can start fulfilling orders promptly,‖ the Mumbai dealer said. ―In
that situation Thailand and Vietnam will have no choice but to cut prices to retain existing
buyers.‖
https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/india-lines-up-deepwater-port-for-rice-exports-to-surge-
amid-global-shortage/

8th february,2021 daily global regional local rice e newsletter

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