15th october,2020 daily global regional local rice e newsletter

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter
1 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m
October 15 ,2020 Vol 11 Issue 10
www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com
mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com 92 321 3692874

Editorial Board
Chief Editor
 Hamlik
Managing Editor
 Abdul Sattar Shah
 Rahmat Ullah
 Rozeen Shaukat
English Editor
 Maryam Editor
 Legal Advisor
 Advocate Zaheer Minhas
Editorial Associates
 Admiral (R) Hamid Khalid
 Javed Islam Agha
 Zahid Baig(Business Recorder)
 Dr.Akhtar Hussain
 Dr.Fayyaz Ahmad Siddiqui
 Dr.Abdul Rasheed (UAF)
 Islam Akhtar Khan
Editorial Advisory Board
 Dr.Malik Mohammad Hashim
Assistant Professor, Gomal
University DIK
 Dr.Hasina Gul
Assistant Director, Agriculture KPK
 Dr.Hidayat Ullah
Assistant Professor, University
of Swabi
 Dr.Abdul Basir
Assistant Professor, University of
Swabi
 Zahid Mehmood
PSO,NIFA Peshawar
 Falak Naz Shah
Head Food Science & Technology
ART, Peshawar
Rice News Headlines…
 US Nagar farmers protest non-procurement of paddy, burn produce
 Webinar by TDAP on issues being faced by rice exporters in Kenya
 WTO Director General Race Narrows to Two
 Sentera and Anheuser-Busch Partner to Help Rice Growers Enhance Their
Fertilizer Programs and Sustainability Efforts with Predictive Modeling
 SRI LANKA TO IMPORT 6,000 METRIC TONS OF BASMATI RICE FROM
PAKISTAN
 Marcos to DA: More drying machines needed to prevent rice wastage
 Depleting balance in rupee-rial account chokes export of basmati rice, tea to
Iran
 Egypt increases imports, encourages domestic production to maintain food
security amid pandemic
 Pandemic, rice imports, price controls killing farmers in North Cotabato
 Regulators Classify Gene-Edited Rice Varieties with Disease Resistance as
Equivalent to Conventional Varieties
 Basmati rice import taken under the purview of the State
 Pakistan, Australia discuss COVID-19 strategy, trade ties in phone call
 Sri Lanka state agencies to import basmati rice from Pakistan
 SL to import 6,000 MT of Basmati rice from Pakistan
 Hilde Lee: Foods of Pakistan and India often use curry powder; here's an easy
recipe
 DA expects 16% increase in rice production
 Cataloguing rice collection for crop improvement
 Farmers are facing a phosphorus crisis. The solution starts with soil
 Environment advocates slam DENR undersecretary for demeaning UP
scientists
 Group teaches investing in capital market
 Assessment of flood damage on rice awaited
 Poor quality pulls down palay prices – traders
 DA sees record-high 8% hike in palay harvest in 2020 to 20.341 MMT
 DA to promote rice varieties preferred by consumers
 CRF calls on members to buy paddy after floods
 UCD, Morehouse leaders explain how cries for social justice, health equity
are intertwined
 Haryana CM asks officers to monitor procurement of Kharif crops in
Mandis across State
 Nigeria now Africa’s largest rice producer –FG
 Container shortage may hamper rice exports from Vid
 10,000 evacuated in Cambodia due to flooding; rice crop hit
 DA seeks improved rice quality to address shifting preferences
 High rice yield in heavy saline-alkali soil of NE China

News Detail…
US Nagar farmers protest non-procurement of paddy, burn
produce
Aakash Ahuja | TNN | Updated: Oct 15, 2020, 13:41 IST
RUDRAPUR: The farmers of
Udham Singh Nagar district on
Wednesday evening burnt their
produce to protest ―irregularities‖
in the government‘s paddy
procurement process. They allege
that more-than-half of the farmers
registered for procurement are yet
to sell their produce and the
middlemen are manipulating them
to sell their crops at cheaper rates
in the absence of government
procurement at minimum support
price (MSP). The farmers later
submitted a memorandum, addressed to the chief minister, to the sub-divisional magistrate
seeking quick action.
Tejinder Singh Virk, president of the Terai Kisan Sangathan, told TOI, ―The stalemate over
paddy procurement continues in the district. We are forced to stage protests as middlemen are
harassing farmers in the absence of a clear procurement policy. The state government had
announced to start procurement from September 27 but the procurement agencies and rice-
millers are not cooperating. This has left the farmers helpless and many have already turned up at
the mandis with their produce.‖
Thakur Jagdish Singh, another farmer, said, ―The change in the procurement policy has only
added to farmers‘ distress. The middlemen are not following the protocols of the purchase and
are manipulating the farmers who are desperately in need of money.‖
Kuldeep Singh, another farmer, said, ―The produce is not being procured on the pretext of high
moisture content. The authorities have ignored our pleas, leaving us with no option but to protest.
The agriculture bill recently passed by the Union government will only add to the woes of the
farmers. If our demands are not met, we will intensify our protest and also block the highways in
the coming days.‖

Webinar by TDAP on issues being faced by rice exporters
in Kenya
-PR
October 15, 2020
KARACHI -Trade Development Authority of Pakistan in collaboration with High Commission
of Pakistan at Kenya organised a webinar on issues being faced by rice exporters in Kenya.
Leading exporters of rice to Kenya attended the webinar from all over Pakistan.
Kenya is the third largest export market of Pakistan after China and UAE however our exports
are declining from US$ 229.4 million in 2017 to US$ 188 million in 2019.The objective of the
webinar was to discuss issues exporters are facing in exports of rice to Kenya with our High
Commission at Kenya so that they will take up the same with Kenyan authorities for its
resolution.
During the webinar, Convener of REAP committee on Rice informed that there is a substantial
decrease in exports of rice from Pakistan to Kenya due to the increase in the imports of rice by
Kenya from Tanzania at zero duty as both the countries are member of East Africa Community
club. Pakistani exporters are facing tough competition as the tariff rate on Pakistan‘s rice is 35%
or US$ 200 per metric ton (whichever is higher) due to which our rice become expensive. He
requested our High Commissioner to take up this matter from Kenyan government.
https://nation.com.pk/15-Oct-2020/webinar-by-tdap-on-issues-being-faced-by-rice-exporters-in-
kenya
WTO Director General Race Narrows to Two
By Jesica Kincaid
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND -- Last week the World Trade Organization (WTO) narrowed the
election field for a new director general (DG) down from eight to two candidates: Ngozi Okonjo-
Iweala of Nigeria, and Yoo Myung-hee of Korea. Despite a lack of final results, history has
already been made-for the first time in the 25-year existence of the WTO, a woman will sit at the
helm.
The two remaining candidates are widely seen as highly qualified with extensive experience in
both the trade and political fields. Yoo Myung-hee is Korea's current trade minister and has the
full support of the Korean government, including President Moon Jae-in. She has a strong trade
background, having worked on deals with the U.S., China, and the European Union, and has
lived abroad, including in the U.S. She has unique experience as a longtime trade expert and
sharp political acumen gained from serving as trade minister. If selected, she would be the

second Asian DG and the first from Korea.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the former managing director of operations at the World Bank and a
former Nigerian finance minister. She is well known as an economic reformer, has impressed
WTO members with her political wit, and is well-liked by officials in many capitals. Her
political weight upon entering the race was perhaps the highest amongst all eight original
candidates and she is likely to secure the support of nearly all African delegations. Okonjo-
Iweala would be the first DG from Africa.
"Leadership at the WTO is important for U.S. agriculture, and especially rice, as we continue our
efforts to level the playing field globally," said USA Rice president and CEO Betsy Ward. "We
are excited by the history made by either of these highly-qualified candidates, and hopeful that
whomever is selected will lead the WTO efficiently, effectively, and fairly. It is also notable that
both of these women hail from countries that understand the complexity and importance of rice
trade."
The WTO's DG selection committee reconvened on October 9 and runs until October 27 to
afford members sufficient time to prepare their positions and make their final selection.
Sentera and Anheuser-Busch Partner to Help Rice Growers
Enhance Their Fertilizer Programs and Sustainability Efforts
with Predictive Modeling

NEWS PROVIDED BY
Sentera
Oct 14, 2020, 10:00 ET
MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sentera has announced a partnership with
Anheuser-Busch under which Sentera will deliver critical grower-level insights to forecast
nitrogen demand in rice production. This technology, delivered using advanced remote sensing
tools, will empower growers to improve productivity and profitability by optimizing nitrogen
usage.
Anheuser-Busch's agronomy team will deploy this technology to make precise, field-level
nutrient and nitrogen prescriptions that help rice growers reach their highest quality yields.
"Nitrogen is one of the biggest input costs rice growers have today, and the correct application of
fertilizer has enormous implications for plant health, yields, grower profits and the environment,"
said Zach Marston, principal scientist at Sentera. "While currently there are ways to
systematically manage nitrogen demand, this solution enables us to get a baseline for the field,
recommend a rate and closely monitor plant health throughout the growing season to modify
additional applications accordingly. Ultimately, this empowers us to make adaptive decisions
regarding nitrogen applications and management."
Rice is one of the most important cereal crops in the world and a key ingredient for brewers such
as Anheuser-Busch. While nitrogen application improves grain yields and quality, excessive
application of fertilizer can cause "luxuriant" growth, leaving the plant more susceptible to
disease. Growth that is too rapid can also reduce stem strength, resulting in plant lodging under
moderate wind conditions. In addition, over-applying nitrogen provides no benefit to the plant
and has negative effects on the environment via leaching and denitrification, and on a grower's
profit margin.
"We are very excited about the use of remote sensing to determine optimum nitrogen use rate in
rice. I envision a very positive impact for our rice producers and our rice mill here in Jonesboro,
AR," said Bill Jones, rice agronomy manager at Anheuser-Busch. "We are now able to provide
farmers the tools and data they need to become more sustainable in their nitrogen applications
and growing practices. They'll be able to improve their bottom lines while continuing to produce
a high-quality rice crop."
Since 2017, Anheuser-Busch and Sentera have worked together to create digital tools that
cultivate a healthier growing environment and deliver critical agronomic insights throughout the
world.
"We are excited to expand our partnership with Anheuser-Busch to deliver on our shared goals
of advancing sustainable agriculture and grower empowerment," said Kris Poulson, director of
business development and strategy at Sentera. "Together, we continue to show that the right
technology contributes to the grower's economic success, improved outcomes for the
environment and better overall land stewardship for future generations. We're proud to help
Anheuser-Busch deliver measurable impact on their 2025 sustainability goals."
In April 2018, Anheuser-Busch launched its U.S. 2025 Sustainability Goals, focused on four key
areas: renewable electricity and carbon reduction, water stewardship, smart agriculture and
circular packaging. Smart agriculture refers to having 100 percent of Anheuser-Busch's direct
farmers highly skilled, connected and financially empowered to increase crop productivity,
protect the environment and deliver new innovations.

About Sentera
Sentera is the global technology leader for in-season data, analytics, and insights for growers,
deployed at scale. Sentera's products make it easy for users to integrate in-field data insights with
the digital ag platforms in use by more than 80 percent of the growers in North America.
Sentera's equipment has flown tens of millions of acres all over the world, and processes
hundreds of terabytes of new data for its customers every year. For more information,
visit sentera.com.
About Anheuser-Busch
For more than 165 years, Anheuser-Busch has carried on a legacy of brewing great-tasting, high-
quality beers that have satisfied beer drinkers for generations. Today, we own and operate more
than 100 facilities, including breweries, wholesaler distribution centers, agricultural facilities and
packaging plants, and have more than 18,000 colleagues across the United States. We are home
to several of America's most recognizable beer brands, including Budweiser, Bud Light,
Michelob ULTRA and Stella Artois, as well as a number of regional brands that provide beer
drinkers with a choice of the best-tasting craft beers in the industry. From responsible drinking
programs and emergency drinking water donations to industry-leading sustainability efforts, we
are guided by our unwavering commitment to supporting the communities we call home. For
more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com or follow Anheuser-Busch
on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
SOURCE Sentera
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sentera-and-anheuser-busch-partner-to-help-rice-
growers-enhance-their-fertilizer-programs-and-sustainability-efforts-with-predictive-modeling-
301151757.html
SRI LANKA TO IMPORT 6,000 METRIC TONS OF
BASMATI RICE FROM PAKISTAN
POSTED IN LOCAL NEWS
Cabinet this week approved the State Trading Corporation (STC) and Cooperative Wholesale
Establishment (CWE) to import 6,000 metric tons of Basmati rice annually under the provision
of the Pakistan-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Complaints have been received regarding various irregularities in the importation of rice,
Cabinet Co-Spokesman Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said, pointing out that the same facility had been
available to private sector. The decision by the Cabinet follows a proposal made by Trade
Minister and will see STC and CWE import Basmati rice of high quality, he added.
―The idea is to import Basmati rice for those who seek it, thereby reducing the competition for
local rice variants,‖ Cabinet Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said, responding to a question.
Rambukella claimed that paddy farmers were not getting a high price for their crops.
(Source: Daily FT)https://www.onlanka.com/news/sri-lanka-to-import-6000-metric-tons-of-
basmati-rice-from-pakistan.html

Marcos to DA: More drying machines needed to prevent rice
wastage
By: Katrina Hallare - Reporter / @KHallareINQ
INQUIRER.net / 04:48 PM October 13, 2020
Sen. Imee Marcos during the online hearing Tuesday, October 13, 2020, of the Senate. Screen
grab/Senate PRIB
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Imee Marcos has appealed to the Department of Agriculture
(DA) to provide more drying machines, as well as set up storage facilities that will prevent wet-
season harvests from going to waste.
In a statement on Monday, Marcos, who chairs the Senate committee on economic affairs, said that
this will also allow rice farmers to sell their dry palay for better prices.
According to the senator, the lack of drying machines and storage facilities are the reasons why
rice farmers are suffering losses amid October‘s wet-season harvest.
Marcos added that rice farmers are now selling their wet palay at P12 per kilo, compared to P15
per kilo weeks earlier.
―Local rice farmers are no longer thinking of profit, just cutting their losses and paying back their
debts. They‘ve been left high and dry amid the wet-season harvest,‖ the senator said.
―Production cost also goes up by one to two pesos per kilo if a farmer avails of a drying machine at
the nearest coop, apart from having to line up with so many others,‖ she added.

Marcos added that in Nueva Ecija, the cost of hired labor also increased in the middle of the wet
season, from 10 cavans to 15 cavans for every 100 cavans harvested.
Citing complaints of farmers that reached her office, the senator said: ―Some rice farmers are
opting to put off harvesting amid the rains, rather than pay more for labor and sell at a loss to rice
traders.‖
―They‘re now drying what palay they could fit into their own homes. What becomes discolored
from moisture is later sold cheaply as broken rice or duck feed,‖ she added.
Aside from this, Marcos is also pushing to schedule rice imports outside of the Philippines‘ harvest
seasons in March to April and September to October.
This way, Marcos added, farmers do not have to compete with unrestricted importation under the
Rice Tariffication Law.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1347235/marcos-to-da-more-drying-machines-needed-to-prevent-
rice-wastage#ixzz6avhMKbrP
Depleting balance in rupee-rial account chokes export of
basmati rice, tea to Iran
Shobha Roy Kolkata | Updated on October 14, 2020 Published on October 14, 2020
Payments worth ₹2,000 cr to basmati rice exporters stuck, say industry insiders
Export of basmati rice and tea is likely to be severely impacted this year due to issues with Iran
which is one of the major importers of the two commodities. Delayed payments from Iran on the
back of the ―depleting balance‖ in the rupee-rial trade account is the problem.
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/depleting-balance-in-rupee-rial-
account-chokes-export-of-basmati-rice-tea-to-iran/article32856455.ece
Egypt increases imports, encourages domestic
production to maintain food security amid pandemic
Egypt Independent
October 13, 2020
5:42 pm
Egypt has expanded its import contracts and successfully met public demand for food by
following a government action plan that came with the coronavirus outbreak in March, according
to a report from Egypt‘s al-Borsaa news website.

Nomani Nasr Nomani, Advisor to Egypt‘s supply and trade minister, reported that the country
quickly responded to the slowdown of the global trade market, with president Abdel Fattah al-
Sisi ordering an increase in imports and encouraging more domestic production.
Wheat
Nomani said that Egypt‘s General Authority For Supply Commodities (GASC) has secured
enough wheat to fulfill demand until April 2021.
Nomani estimated that the country has imported approximately 3.579 million tons of wheat since
the beginning of its fiscal year (July 1), a 64 percent increase as compared to October 2019.
Egypt is the world‘s largest importer of wheat.
The country purchased the most wheat from Russia, buying 2.929 million tons, which accounts
for 81.83 percent of the country‘s total wheat imports. Ukraine came in second place, supplying
530,000 tons, or 14.81 percent.
Egypt imported wheat for the first time from Poland at an amount of 60,000 tons, and imported a
similar amount from Romania.
Nomani explained that Russia‘s acquisition of the largest percentage of imports is due to the fact
that it is the largest producer and exporter of wheat in the world, having approximately 37.5
million tons available to export during the current season.
Domestic production incentives will allow the country to reach its targeted amount of 6.275
million tons, he added.
Cooking Oil
The GASC has a recorded stock of 268,000 tons of cooking oil, including imported sunflower oil
and domestic soybean oil.

This supply will cover Egypt for six months, which is a very good rate, according to Nomani, as
Egypt depends on importing about 95 percent of its oils.
He stated that the GASC, in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture, is seeking to expand
local production of cooking oils, and the authority has proposed financial incentives for local
producers.
Meetings have been held with local manufacturers, particularly with those in the extraction
sector, in which their production capabilities were discussed, he added.
The GASC has also called upon the ministry to allocate new lands for the cultivation of oilseeds.
In 2019, the authority opened its doors to allow suppliers to register with the government and
gain incentives. A total of seven local companies are registered.
Bread Subsidies
Nomani said that the government‘s August decision to reduce the weight of the subsidized bread
loaf to 90 grams from its previous 110 grams was aimed at providing higher-quality bread to the
public.
About 800,000 tons of wheat will be saved per month due to the reduction.
The money saved from the reduction will be added to the state‘s public treasury.
The advisor stressed the importance of public oversight, stating that that upon close inspection,
the Ministry discovered many bakeries further decreasing the size of the loaves.
He added that the state additionally provides the starchy component of the public‘s dietary needs
in other subsidized commodities, such as rice and pasta.
Other Commodities
The supply and trade ministry has secured a stock of Sudanese meet that is projected to last for
26 months, while the country‘s supply of frozen Brazilian meat will suffice for a month and a
half.
Egypt‘s sugar reserves will last until January 2021, which will be the start of the next local
production season.
The current rice balance covers four months, Nomani said, adding that prices are expected to
remain stable ranging between LE6 and LE8.5 per kilo.
The Egyptian government announced in September the establishment of its first commodities
exchange company, which aims to strengthen internal trade by connecting small farmers and
producers with larger markets.
Nomani said that the stock exchange will both tighten controls on pricing various commodities
and allow for healthier market competition, with the intention abolishing any existing
monopolies.
https://egyptindependent.com/egypt-increases-imports-encourages-domestic-production-to-
maintain-food-security-amid-pandemic/
Pandemic, rice imports, price controls killing farmers in
North Cotabato
Oct. 12, 2020 KATH M. CORTEZ
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — ―The struggle is real, and we are dying each day, in case they
don‘t know that.‖

Tatay Duroy said over the phone, his voice barely containing anger and worry over the hardships
he and fellow farmers in Tulunan, North Cotabato had to endure in the past years.
Duroy has been a farmer for forty years. In the past, his rice product is ―somehow enough‖ to put
food on the table for his and spend some for his children in school.
But now, farming can barely sustain their daily needs with the drought, pandemic and cheaper
imported rice in the market affecting him and other farmers in the province.
Rice Tariffication
The Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) was signed in 2019 as an immediate solution of the Duterte
government to the shortage of local rice supply. But that opened the floodgates of cheaper rice
imports that hit the selling price of local rice farmers like Duroy.
―It is not in any way advantageous to struggling local farmers,‖ Tatay Duroy said. ―Imported rice
will kill us in the near future since it now dominated the local market.‖
―Traders will prefer imported rice than local rice because it will cost them cheaper. Buying local
rice will cost them double from drying to milling compared to importing rice where they can
directly distribute it to their sellers,‖ Duroy explained.
During the 2016 drought that affected North Cotabato, the buying price of rice is around P14 per
kilo while traders buy both yellow and white corn for P9 to P 11 for a kilo. The price rose to P18
at the beginning of the Duterte years.
With RTL, traders are buying local rice as low as nine to 13 pesos.
Rising costs, piling debts
The impact of cheap buying price has forced Tatay Duroy and farmers in his province of North
Cotabato to harvest their products right away to recoup with capital and to pay debts.
―Our debt and interest are getting bigger because we cannot pay them. Other farmers are forced
to sell their land or allow the landlord to convert the land into a plantation even if the rent is too
small,‖ he said.
On average, a rice harvest can yield up to 120 sacks in one hectare, and as low as 50 sacks in a
bad season affected by drought, floods or pests.
A sack of rice grain is equivalent to 50 to 65 kilos and will cost P864 excluding deductions.
The expenses include P8,000 for the rental of a tractor for preparing the rice land before planting.
A cheaper option is to rent a carabao for P600 a day but it would take longer days for the
preparation.
For rice cropping for one hectare, a farmer fills these with three sacks of rice seeds that costs a
minimum of P7,500, and seven liters of herbicide or weedicide that costs P1,200 at the
minimum.
Farmers need to fertilize the plants through the whole cropping season, which needs a minimum
of nine sacks costing around P1,300 to P1,500.
Farmers also spend labor to speed up the work which costs around P4,000 to P6,000. They are
also obliged to pay farm labor either with two sacks of the rice grain or P2,000 per cropping for
irrigation.
Another expense for harvesting includes paying tractor harvesters either one sack of rice for
every 25 sacks harvested. Harvesters who do it by hand will receive one sack per 11 sacks of
harvested rice grains.
Such costs has forced farmers to do their work by themselves, such as Tatay Felix from M‘lang,
a neighboring town in North Cotabato.

―It is very expensive so we tried to minimize the expenses by doing double work but most of the
time the only option is to borrow money to sustain the cropping,‖ said Felix.
Usury has been the practice of rice traders to lend money to farmers to sustain the farms until
harvest with capital including farm inputs with interest as high up to 10 percent.
For that reason, farmers like Felix are indebted to traders, and are forced to sell their product at a
lower price. Farmers‘ harvest are also deducted one kilo for every sack owed to the trader, and
another deduction if the sacks get muddy.
Traders in the province also designed classifications of rice grains to their advantage.
Classifications such as semi-dry, semi-green, wet and spotted means a deduction of P10 per sack.
―When we arrive, they will check the grains and put those classifications. Even if our grain is in
good quality, we still expect deductions, because that is how it works here and cannot argue
against that,‖ Tatay Felix said.
The National Food Authority (NFA) also buys grains from farmers at a higher price but its
guidelines are strict, such as requiring grains to meet 14% moisture with 95% dryness and purity.
Pandemic woes
The low buying price brought by rice liberalization has been killing farmers and the local
economy.
M‘lang Vice Mayor Lito Piñol said that if RTL favors the consumers, it does not favor the
survival of small food producers.
Piñol said that the rice variety of local farmers cannot compete with the long grain variety of
imported rice which is now leading in the market.
―How can our farmers compete with imported rice when we are still using a backward way of
farming? Where is the rice tariffication assistance that the government promised to give our
farmers? For more than a year, not even one harvester, one tractor, or one Caltex of fertilizer was
given to our farmers,‖ Piňol asked.
Piňol said the Covid-19 pandemic contributed to the slowdown of agriculture activity. Health
protocols and border to border restrictions made the situation more difficult for farmers to
continue the production. These restrictions affect the entry of mechanical tractors and harvesters
as well as manual labor for planting and harvest.
―Our planters and harvesters, even machine operators cannot enter without following different
community protocols. So when harvest season started we don‘t have enough manpower
anymore,‖ he said.
Farmers in North Cotabato have experienced successive setbacks in the past years.
A drought that began in late 2015 until the first half of 2016 dried up the farms. This forced
5,000 farmers, including Duroy and Felix, to barricade the highway fronting NFA in the
province‘s capital city of Kidapawan demanding food assistance from the local government.
They were instead met with bullets that killed two farmers and wounded 15 others. Scores were
arrested but freed by the courts.
But Tatay Felix said that if this crisis continues under this pandemic, it will surely result to
another huge protest to urge the government to do appropriate action for the struggling farmers.
(davaotoday.com)
http://davaotoday.com/main/economy/pandemic-rice-imports-price-controls-killing-farmers-in-
north-cotabato/

Regulators Classify Gene-Edited Rice Varieties with Disease
Resistance as Equivalent to Conventional Varieties
Crops resist bacterial leaf blight; ruling clears path to provide smallholder farmers with a safe,
affordable option for preventing destructive disease
14-Oct-2020 10:35 AM EDT, by Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Newswise — Columbia and St. Louis, MO, October 14, 2020 – The Healthy Crops team, with
support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, have used gene editing tools to develop new
varieties of disease-resistant rice that regulators in the United States and Colombia have
determined are equivalent to what could be accomplished with conventional breeding. Bacterial
blight can reduce rice yields by up to 70 percent, with the heaviest losses typically experienced
by smallholder rice growers in low and middle-income countries. This has a profound impact on
farmer productivity and economic mobility. The Healthy Crops team turned to gene editing to
develop disease-resistant varieties as a way to provide farmers with a safe, affordable, effective
solution.
―We first set about to understand the gene the bacteria use to make the plant vulnerable to its
disease,‖ said Bing Yang, PhD, a researcher with the University of Missouri Bond Life Sciences
Center professor, Division of Plant Sciences and member, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
in St. Louis. ―We then used our CRISPR technology precisely to remove the element in the gene
to avoid the pathway the pathogen takes that makes the plants susceptible to blight.‖
The team used gene editing to create rice lines in elite varieties that are comparable to naturally
occurring variants. These lines can resist infection by bacterial leaf blight, which leads to major
losses for one of the world‘s most important food crops. The rulings from the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the corresponding authority in Colombia, the Instituto
Colombiano Agropecuario (ICA), clear the way for field tests to select the best material for
distribution to breeders in the U.S. and Colombia.
The improvements were accomplished via gene editing, which did not introduce any DNA into
the plants and focused on ―promoter regions‖ in three genes that are targeted by the causative
agent of rice blight, the bacterium Xanthomonas oryzae pathovar oryzae. The research was
described in an article in Nature Biotechnology in 2019.
Yang is just one member of the research consortium, headed by Humboldt Professor Wolf B.
Frommer from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU), that has worked more than four
years on this research. Six research institutions on three continents were involved including the
University of Missouri, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, University of Florida, the
Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
in Colombia, the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) in France
and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines.
In the wake of the ruling from U.S. and Colombian officials, the new blight-resistant varieties
can now be used to introduce the resistance trait into many different types of rice via standard
breeding strategies. Additional testing and breeding work is expected to take place in multiple
locations that are favorable for growing tropical rice varieties.

―It‘s exciting to use science and technology to do to help farmers protect and improve their rice
production,‖ Yang said. ―We hope to work closely with the local institutions in the next phase to
introduce these into the varieties of rice small farmers use.‖
The Healthy Crops Team has no commercial interest in its work. Its goal is to ensure disease-
resistant rice varieties are accessible and affordable, especially for smallholder farmers who
depend on rice production to support their families.
About The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Founded in 1998, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a not-for-profit research institute
with a mission to improve the human condition through plant science. Research, education and
outreach aim to have impact at the nexus of food security and the environment, and position the
St. Louis region as a world center for plant science. The Center‘s work is funded through
competitive grants from many sources, including the National Institutes of Health, U.S.
Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Follow us on Twitter at @DanforthCenter.
About Bond Life Sciences Center
Founded in 2004, the Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center was designed with teamwork in
mind, fostering collaborations between scientists of diverse disciplines and backgrounds. From
cancer and HIV to plant science and informatics, our researchers work together to move basic
science forward and lay the groundwork for a better world. Learn more at bondlsc.missouri.edu.
https://www.newswise.com/articles/regulators-classify-gene-edited-rice-varieties-with-disease-
resistance-as-equivalent-to-conventional-varieties
Basmati rice import taken under the purview of the
State
Tuesday, 13 October 2020 - 14:02
The Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval to import basmati rice by the State Institutions
under the tariff concessions of the Pakistan-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement.
This is in view of the irregularities that have occured in the recent past by allowing the private
sector to import basmati rice under the above concession.
Accordingly, Sathosa and the Sri Lanka State Trading (General) Corporation were granted
approval to the import 6,000 metric tons of basmati rice.
Cabinet Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella was inquired in this regard as well as the
increase in rice prices at the media briefing held today (13).
Pakistan seeks EU‘s technology to develop livestock sector

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday sought technical and financial assistance from the European
Union (EU) to develop the country‘s livestock sector through technology.
EU can support meat industry by allowing the import of other meat and chicken products, a
statement said after a meeting between the Minister for Food Security Fakhar Imam and EU
Ambassador Androulla Kaminara.
―EU is the main buyer of sheep casing from Pakistan. EU can help Pakistan to increase
agriculture production and increase export of regulated goods,‖ said the ministry‘s statement.
The meeting was told critical support in farming, technology and techniques would be imperative
for the development of the country‘s agriculture sector.
―Therefore, there is dire need of collaboration between the agriculture sectors,‖ said the
statement. ―The EU may provide technical and financial assistance in the livestock sector of
Pakistan like risk-based foot and mouth disease control, virtual-based disease information and
surveillance system and establishing foot and mouth disease free zones.‖
Pakistan and EU signed strategic engagement plan last year for transfer of technology. Pakistan
exports rice, mango, vegetables, spices and tobacco to the EU states. However, the current level
of bilateral trade between Pakistan and EU countries does not fully reflect the potential of agro-
products, which may need to be enhanced further.
Pakistan imports chickpeas, instant gum, potato seeds and other food stuff from the EU.
Imam said the menace of the desert locust has been brought completely under control in the
country.
―The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations assisted Pakistan a lot in
anti-locust operations,‖ he said.
Imam said the EU agriculture policy benefits the farmers to an exemplary scale.
The minister said Pakistan is focusing on developing phytosanitary system. Fruits and vegetables
worth $700 million are exported from Pakistan.
The country also has a big livestock sector ―but foot and mouth disease has handicapped us‖.
The ambassador was told that a facility is under development in Bahawalpur for developing
vaccine for the foot and mouth disease.
The minister said cotton is one of the major crops of the country and Pakistan needs a
breakthrough in cotton sector. The interest was expressed in developing a niche market for
floriculture in Pakistan much like the Netherlands.

Kaminara asked the country to develop its fisheries sector as there is a lot of potential for fish
exports. The EU is the financier of FAO. Cotton is very much linked with generalised system of
preferences plus status that allows tariff incentives to Pakistani exports to the 27-member
countries bloc.
The meeting was told that the ministry of food security is implementing partner of Balochistan
rural development and community empowerment program. It is a five-year plan, which also
includes improvement in production of livestock.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/728967-pakistan-seeks-eu-s-technology-to-develop-livestock-
sector
https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/pakistan-australia-discuss-covid-19-strategy-trade-
ties-in-phone-call-1.74544042.
Pakistan, Australia discuss COVID-19 strategy, trade ties in
phone call
Imran Khan, Scott Morrison note there is immense potential in expanding partnership
Published: October 13, 2020 20:14 Sana Jamal, Correspondent
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister of
Australia, Scott Morrison on Tuesday, October 13, 2020. Image Credit: PM Office
Islamabad: Pakistan‘s Prime Minister Imran Khan and Prime Minister of Australia, Scott
Morrison, discussed the COVID-19 successful strategy and huge potential to enhance bilateral
ties during a phone call between the two leaders on Monday, the PM Office said. Bilateral
matters and international issues of mutual interest including the Afghan peace process also came
under discussion.
COVID-19 strategy
Prime Minister Khan appreciated Australia‘s ―impressive management of COVID-19‖ crisis and
highlighted the unprecedented global health and economic challenges posed by the pandemic.
Pakistan‘s PM shared that his government‘s emphasis during the health emergency had been on
―saving lives, securing livelihoods, and stimulating the economy.‖ He cited the ―smart
lockdown‖ strategy and other measures that led to significant containment of the pandemic in
Pakistan. Australian PM shared his country‘s efforts in managing the coronavirus pandemic.
Khan particularly highlighted the pandemic‘s detrimental impact on the economy of the
developing countries, for which he had also called for the ―Global Initiative on Debt Relief‖
supported by Australia.
Expand bilateral ties
The two leaders noted that there is immense potential in expanding Pakistan-Australia
partnership to further enhance mutually beneficial cooperation in diverse fields. Khan

highlighted the prospect for enhanced trade and increased regional connectivity after the
commencement of Afghan peace talks. Morrison also noted Pakistan‘s positive role in the
Afghan peace process. Both the leaders invited each other to visit their respective countries.
Trade, education and cricket
Commenting on the development, Australia‘s High Commissioner to Pakistan, Dr Geoffrey
Shaw, welcomed the phone call between the two leaders in which they discussed ―bilateral ties‖
and successful approaches on COVID-19‖ by both countries. ―We‘ll keep building our
cooperation on trade, education, security, development, and cricket‖ which is a shared
Commonwealth heritage, he said in a tweet. PM Khan also expressed hope for the resumption of
Pakistan-Australia cricket series as the COVID-19 situation improves.
Pakistan-Australia ties
• Pakistani population in Australia has increased to 91,000 in 2019, according to Australian
Bureau of Statistics (ABS). They are mostly skilled migrants, professionals and students.
• Pakistan-Australia trade and investment relationship has improved steadily over the past
decade. The two-way trade was worth $1.83 billion in 2017.
• Australia‘s major goods exports to Pakistan are pulses, oilseed, fertilizer and scrap metals.
Major imports from Pakistan are textiles, rice and petroleum.
• Both countries are exploring ways to expand trade in agribusiness as well as IT and
communications, processed foods, clean energy, medical technologies, infrastructure investment,
and mining equipment, technology and services (METS).
• Pakistan and Australia regularly hold dialogues between senior leaders from respective
militaries, government agencies and think tanks.
• Australian Federal Police has a 27-year relationship with Pakistan law enforcement agencies.
Military cadets from each country also attend specialized courses in defence institutes of
Pakistan and Australia.
• The two states are also bolstering cooperation to combat transnational crime, such as terrorism
financing and illegal migration.
https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:crJW-
0H5iDEJ:https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/pakistan-australia-discuss-covid-19-strategy-
trade-ties-in-phone-call-1.74544042+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pk
Sri Lanka state agencies to import basmati rice from
Pakistan
October, 14, 2020
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by Minister of Trade to import
6,000 metric tons of Basmati rice annually under the provision of the Pakistan-Sri Lanka Free
Trade Agreement (FTA) and to allow only the Sri Lanka State Trading Corporation (STC) and
Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE) to import rice under this agreement.
Earlier, the private sector was also allowed to import Basmati rice under this agreement.
However, the permission given to private sector has been revoked due to complaints that were
received regarding various irregularities in the importation of rice.
http://bizenglish.adaderana.lk/sri-lanka-state-agencies-to-import-basmati-rice-from-pakistan/

SL to import 6,000 MT of Basmati rice from Pakistan
Wednesday, 14 October 2020 01:45 - - 125
Google BookmarkFacebookMore
Cabinet this week approved the
State Trading Corporation
(STC) and Cooperative
Wholesale Establishment
(CWE) to import 6,000 metric
tons of Basmati rice annually
under the provision of the
Pakistan-Sri Lanka Free Trade
Agreement (FTA). Complaints
have been received regarding
various irregularities in the
importation of rice, Cabinet Co-
Spokesman Dr. Ramesh
Pathirana said, pointing out that
the same facility had been
available to private sector. The
decision by the Cabinet follows
a proposal made by Trade
Minister and will see STC and CWE import Basmati rice of high quality, he added.
"The idea is to import Basmati rice for those who seek it, thereby reducing the competition for
local rice variants," Cabinet Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said, responding to a question.
Rambukella claimed that paddy farmers were not getting a high price for their crops.(AF)
http://www.ft.lk/news/SL-to-import-6-000-MT-of-Basmati-rice-from-Pakistan/56-707461
Hilde Lee: Foods of Pakistan and India often use curry
powder; here's an easy recipe
Hilde G. Lee
Last week, in our ―wishful thinking trip,‖ we experience some of the foods of India, their
uniqueness and their religious origins. I want to tell you a little more about the region, but also
focus on its neighbor Pakistan, whose food is different from India. And, as I promised, I will also
give you a recipe for curry powder.
So, let‘s see what foods are prevalent in Pakistan. We are probably more familiar with that
country since it is close to Afghanistan.
Pakistan came into being on Aug. 15, 1947. It covers the area of the Indian subcontinent where
the population is predominately Muslim.

Pakistan is a land of contrasts. In the northern area is the ―Roof of the World,‖ where large
mountains converge (the Kush, Karakoram, the Kunlun and the Himalayas). Between the
mountains and the desert areas are green valleys and fertile plains that are watered by the Indus
River and its four tributaries.
For more than a thousand years, successive invaders — Aryans, Greeks, Huns, Mongols, Turks
and Afghans — have poured through mountain passes into what is now Pakistan. They have
brought their own cultures and food habits, all to be melded into what today is Pakistani cuisine.
Even though Pakistan as a nation is 73 years old, the area has been known for 5,000 years. In
recent history Europeans, particularly the British, ruled for almost two centuries. Thus, Pakistan
is a great mixture of races, religions, languages and cultures. There are a wide variety of culinary
and eating habits, which are typical of Pakistan.
All of life‘s important occasions are excuses for feasts, to which friends and relatives are invited.
In the major cities, there is a strong European influence in food and manners. However, in a
traditional home, food is cooked, served and eaten in simpler ways. Even though food is served
with a spoon, it is eaten with the fingers of the right hand. Hands are carefully washed before and
after the meal.
A basic Pakistani meal consists of a meat dish, a vegetable dish, bread, rice, accompanying
pickles, fruit and dessert. Pakistanis eat a great deal of meat, but, like all Muslims, they are
forbidden to eat pork, which is considered unclean. Alcoholic beverages are also forbidden.
The northwest frontier, with the mountainous terrain and the Khyber Pass, is famous for its
fertile valleys. Here, orchards of peaches, apricots, almonds and apples supply fruit for the
country. Mushrooms grown in the valley are exported all over the world.
The food of Pakistan is primarily based on meat. It lacks the spiciness of much of the
neighboring Indian dishes. Such dishes as shashlik — small pieces of meat cooked on skewers
and basted with sheep fat — and burra, roasted baby lamb stuffed with rice, nuts and raisins, are
favorites. An unusual dish of Mediterranean-heritage cooking is aash. It includes cottage cheese,
meat sauce, shredded chilies, lemon juice and noodles.
The bread eaten in both India and Pakistan is naan. It is a flat leavened bread that is cooked in
the earthenware ovens that are in every home. Goats‘ milk cheese is made at home, and yogurt is
eaten at almost every meal.
Most of the ancestors of Pakistan were nomads; thus, cooking over an open fire was the norm. A
favorite dish, bukhara gosht, is meat cooked with plums, almonds, raisins, onions and green
chilies. It is eaten with naan.
Karachi is Pakistan‘s major port and a bastion of the old British culture. There, the food is both
Western and Eastern. Lobster and seafood abound and are served with a chili sauce that has a
touch of Asian flavorings. As Rudyard Kipling would have said, ―There the twain have met.‖
Before I get sidetracked, let me give you my recipe for curry powder. After mixing the spices, be
sure to keep the curry powder in a tight container so that it does not loose its pungency.
The ground spices in this curry mixture are 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 2 tablespoons ground
coriander, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground
cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon mace, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
and 1 tablespoon ground turmeric.
I was not very meticulous in measuring and used a little more or a little less of each. The mixture
smelled so good, I knew I had a winner — and even had enough for another meal or two.

Let‘s go back to some Indian cooking, now that we have the curry powder. The commonest and
simplest way of cooking vegetables in India is to stir-fry them, known as bhujia in the north and
foogath in the south. In both cases, the vegetables are stir-fried with spices. There is no sauce,
but the resulting dish is surprisingly pungent.
Vegetable curries are made from one or a number of vegetables. A dish of pureed vegetables,
delicately spiced, is called barta. Mashed vegetables are shaped into patties or balls, fried and
eaten dry or added to a curry sauce.
There are many different ways of cooking meat in India. Besides curries, there are kormas —
braised meats that are cooked in yogurt or cream and sometimes even in broth. There are kebabs
of various kinds and baked meats.
Indian chickens, although they are often small and scrawny, are also the basis of lightly seasoned
dishes. Chicken, marinated in spices and yogurt, is either cooked in a clay oven or on the spit.
With a coastline of more than 2,000 miles, India has a great variety of fish. Prawns or shrimp are
used in curries, baked with spices or grilled. Along the coast, shrimp are often cooked with
mustard and yogurt or deep-fried in a spicy batter. Fish is often wrapped in banana leaves and
baked. The banana leaf imparts an unusual flavor that is lost if the fish is just wrapped in foil.
The fine, firm-fleshed Indian potato is often stuffed with a mixture of onions, coriander leaves,
green chilies, garlic and fresh ginger.
In many middle-class homes, the main meal of the day consists of two or three vegetable dishes,
one of which is dhal, and a meat or fish dish, if the household is not vegetarian. Yogurt, pickles
and chutneys are side dishes, as well as rice. A sweet is often included with the other dishes,
rather than afterwards, as is the custom in the West.
All of the food is put on the table at the same time. Each person eats what he or she wants,
combining dishes to suit their taste. I like that idea; I‘d probably eat the shrimp and then the
dessert.
https://dailyprogress.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/hilde-lee-foods-of-pakistan-and-india-
often-use-curry-powder-heres-an-easy-recipe/article_63a1ab62-084d-11eb-921e-
5b7284b3ebb5.html Fish, Rice and a Slice of Pakistani Malayali Life: Video of Karachi
India and Pakistan have much in common. Besides the common taste for music and poetry,
Indians and Pakistanis also share a penchant for good food. And while Pakistani cuisine is quite
popular in India, it seems Indian cuisine also finds an appetite in Pakistan.
In a recent video that has been going viral on the content-sharing site, Reddit, shows a Malabari
restaurant that serves Kerala cuisine in the heart of Pakistan. Located in Karachi's Wellington
Street, the Malabari (or Malwari/Malbari as it is locally called) eatery is a popular haunt, not just
among the immigrant Malayali community in Karachi but also for locals.
The shop sells all kinds of Malabari dishes, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, many of which
are popular in Kerala including authentic fish and rice.
Teh video was originally posted on a YouTube channel called 'Sameer Key Vlogs', run by
YouTube content creator Sameer Khokhar. He is also the one who created the video and can be
seen speaking to several persons eating at the restaurant as well as the cooks.
Malayali Muslims are a sizeable yet shrinking community in Pakistan, many of whose members
are settled in and around Karachi. The migrated to Pakistan before and after Partition, though the
stories of their exodus have been slightly different from that of other Muslims who migrated to
Pakistan.

The first wave of migration of Malayali Muslims from Kerala occurred during teh 1921 Mappila
Revolt in Malappuram district where Mappila or Malabari Muslims led an armed revolt against
upper caste-Hindus and the British. The second wave
The Malabar Muslim Jamat runs several schools and Malabari kitchens in the Karachi to support
the Malayali Muslim community. The community's native language and culture have
nevertheless been on the decline in recent years. The death of prominent Indian-origin Pakistani
politician and human rights activist B.M. Kutty in august, 2019, also caused a blow to the
Malayali community, which lost is sole representation in mainstream Pakistani politics.
Apart from the Malayali community in Pakistan, the "Sameer Ke Vlogs" YouTube channel also
tries to document other minority communities from India living in Pakistan to capture the
cultural flavour and essence of the life of migrants in Pakistan.
https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/youtubers-video-of-malabari-restaurant-in-pakistan-offers-
look-inside-karachis-malayali-community-2963213.html
DA expects 16% increase in rice production
During the Senate hearing on the P284.4-billion proposed budget of the Department of
Agriculture (DA) for 2021 that included P24 billion from the Bayanihan 2 funds, Dar told
senators agriculture grew by 1.6 percent during the second quarter of 2021 or during the
lockdown.
Cecille Suerte Felipe (The Philippine Star
This content was originally published by The Philippine Star following its editorial guidelines.
Philstar.com hosts its content but has no editorial control over it.
) - October 13, 2020 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — A 16 percent increase in rice production is anticipated in the third
quarter of the year, a good indication of employment attraction in agriculture despite the
coronavirus pandemic, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said yesterday.
During the Senate hearing on the P284.4-billion proposed budget of the Department of
Agriculture (DA) for 2021 that included P24 billion from the Bayanihan 2 funds, Dar told
senators agriculture grew by 1.6 percent during the second quarter of 2021 or during the
lockdown.
―Here in the third quarter, initial indicators indicate an increase in rice production by 16 percent,
meaning the employment attraction was really there for agriculture, IATF (Inter-Agency Task
Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) is supportive of farming and
fishing,‖ he added.
Sen. Cynthia Villar, however, rebuked some DA officials for the apparent duplication of rice
subsidy programs for farmers and failure to provide the Senate with the list of recipients of the
rice subsidy programs.

For almost an hour, Villar slammed DA officials for apparent duplication of two rice subsidy
programs – the national rice program, which includes the distribution of rice hybrid seeds to
farmers, and the use of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund under the rice tariffication
law.
―I want to see where the budget was brought. I gave a list of questions with regard to the
Bayanihan 2, you have two and a half months to do it and yet you have not answered. I sent you
16 questions. I did not understand your reports,‖ said Villar, who chaired the budget hearing as
head of the Senate committee on agriculture.
Agriculture Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan, who could barely answer, said they have sent a list of
subsidy recepients to the Senate but he could not discuss the content of the list.
Villar demanded to see the list to double-check whether the grant was actually given to the
grantee and also to see if the seed supply and the projects are doubled.
Dar promised to submit a more detailed list and reports to Villar.
Villar‘s demand was echoed by Sen. Francis Pangilinan, who asked for a list of people who were
given cash assistance by the DA.
For their failure to mute the microphone and interrupting the hearing of the Senate on the
proposed DA budget, Villar also threatened to remove the budget of a DA program.
Villar several times asked those present at the DA hybrid hearing to mute their microphones to
avoid interrupting the senators who were asking questions.
―Will you please mute (your mic). Who is that ADING? Is ADING a program of DA?‖ said
Villar.
Dar said ADING stands for Agriculture Dialogue and Information Network Group, designed to
promote integrity and good government.
Villar said officials of ADING kept on talking loudly while their microphones were on, thus
interrupting the Senate proceedings.
Sen. Joel Villanueva, who was interrupted by ADING officials, said while ADING was supposed
to promote integrity, it seemed people there do not have such traits.
―ADING is always talking and it has a P100-million budget. They are always talking. Maybe we
should remove their P100-million budget in the Bayanihan 2. My God, they are always talking
and it‘s loud, we cannot understand each other. They are always talking, it‘s always ADING who
is talking,‖ said Villar.
Meanwhile, Sen. Imee Marcos pointed to the lack of drying machines and storage facilities for
the losses that rice farmers are suffering amid October‘s wet season harvest.
Marcos, who chairs the Senate committee on economic affairs, said rice farmers who were
selling their wet palay at P15 per kilo weeks earlier where now selling below their average
production cost of P12 per kilo.
The lowest farm gate price of P10 per kilo was reported in Bicol and Capiz, and was ranging
from P11 to P13 in other rice-producing provinces.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros is pushing for a P48.7-billion increase in the budget of the Department of
Health for 2021 as the country continues to bear the brunt of the effects of the COVID-19
pandemic.
―This is a health emergency. If we want to win against COVID-19 and finally recover as a
country, our national budget next year must be a pandemic budget, no ifs and buts,‖ said
Hontiveros.

Hontiveros‘ proposed the P48.7-billion hike to provide the necessary funding to upgrade various
aspects of the county‘s healthcare system. based on the projected amounts initially proposed by
the health department to the Department of Budget and Management.
She said with the huge proposed P4.5-trillion national budget next year, the DOH is not even in
the top three agencies with the largest funding.
―We do not seem to be in the top 20 countries with the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the
world. What is this, we will just ignore the sick and dying Filipinos?‖ Hontiveros said.
She said P22 billion of her proposal puts a spotlight on programs critical to the country‘s health
response against the COVID-19 pandemic. She questioned the ―shocking‖ budget cuts, such as
the slashed operations budget for national and subnational laboratories that only received P289
million, despite the DOH‘s request of P1.3 billion.
Local Health Systems Development and Assistance, which promotes health at the community
level, she said, only received P353 million of its requested P1.7 billion.
Meanwhile, the programs for prevention and control of communicable diseases were only
awarded P5.98 billion from the requested P15 billion, which Hontiveros says is crucial to
―prevent further uncontrollable outbreaks from worsening the country‘s health situation.‖
Apart from health programs to beat the COVID-19 pandemic, Hontiveros added that funding for
the prevention and control of other ―killer‖ non-communicable diseases was also deprioritized,
having been awarded a ―measly‖ P373 million from the requested P1.33 billion.
Hontiveros said P26 billion of her proposal is meant to increase the funding of the Philippine
Health Insurance Corp. to cover the health costs of the 7.6 million unemployed workers.
Cataloguing rice collection for crop improvement
OCTOBER 14, 2020 4:54 PM AEDT
Genetic tests help search and manage USDA‘s rice genetic repository
Rice is one of the most important global cereal crops. More than half of the world‘s population
depend on rice as their primary source of energy from food.
Rice is cultivated around the world. But rice farmers face many challenges. These range from
adapting to the effects of climate change to dealing with pressure to increase crop productivity.
That‘s where gene banks come in. They serve as repositories for crop genetic materials.
―Gene banks preserve and characterize crop diversity for use in crop improvement, both now and
for generations to come,‖ says Georgia Eizenga, a member of the American Society of
Agronomy and Crop Science Society of America.
Eizenga is the lead author of a new study that aims to enhance the management and utility of the
USDA‘s repository of rice genetic resources. The research was published in Crop Science, a
publication of the Crop Science Society of America.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Small Grains Collection contains
material from close to 20,000 varieties of rice. This diverse collection is especially important to
the U.S. rice industry.

―Rice was introduced into the United States from Asia and Africa,‖ says Eizenga. ―Having a
diverse global collection of rice cultivars provides a source of new traits which can be used for
crop improvement.‖
But cataloging this collection of genetic material is no easy feat. Challenges include developing
detailed descriptions, finding and correcting labelling errors, and removing redundant varieties.
Using physical characteristics to catalog close to 20,000 varieties is very difficult. Some
characteristics, such as cooking quality and disease resistance, can be especially challenging to
determine. That‘s where genetic techniques can be useful.
―The USDA rice gene bank is a resource that has been developed over decades,‖ says Eizenga.
―Molecular techniques will allow us to use this resource even more effectively.‖
Eizenga and colleagues developed a small panel of genetic markers. Genetic markers are short,
identifiable DNA sequences found in specific places of a genome.
These genetic markers serve as a guide to help researchers determine quickly whether a
particular variety of rice has a specific trait This made it easier to search the USDA rice
collection and manage it more efficiently.
Take for example, resistance to fungal diseases. Without genetic markers, breeders would start
by growing several different rice varieties. Then they would have to expose the rice plants to the
fungus. Finally, they would observe which varieties contracted the disease and which were
resistant.
This process could take months. A set of genetic markers works much faster.
Researchers know which genes play a role in fungal disease resistance in rice. They can extract
genetic material from different rice varieties. Then they use molecular biology techniques to test
which varieties have the disease resistance genes.
Instead of months, this process can be completed in days. That can save valuable time and
expense.
―Having molecular markers for traits that are difficult to phenotype can reduce the cost of
characterizing rice varieties,‖ says Eizenga. ―Molecular markers can also make the process more
reliable.‖
Genetic markers also help researchers identify different rice varieties more accurately.
―Knowing the correct species, subspecies and subpopulation is vital for breeders and
geneticists,‖ says Eizenga. That‘s especially the case when making crosses to incorporate
desirable traits into new rice varieties.
Crosses made between two closely related varieties of rice are likely to produce more viable
seeds than crosses between two diverse varieties. So, the markers for species, subspecies and
subpopulation help breeders choose which rice varieties will work well together to develop
improved hybrids.
Without establishing these successful hybrid varieties, breeders cannot incorporate desired traits
into new rice varieties.
Eizenga and colleagues are now testing a newer molecular marker technology.
This technology involves looking for tiny differences in the genetic material of different rice
varieties. It uses what are called single nucleotide polymorphisms – or SNPs.
―Using this technique will allow rice varieties to be cataloged even more quickly and
inexpensively,‖ says Eizenga.

This research was funded by the United States Department of Agriculture‘s Agricultural
Research Service. Georgia Eizenga is a researcher at USDA‘s National Rice Research Center in
Stuttgart, Arkansas.
Crop Science is the flagship journal of the Crop Science Society of America. It is a top
international journal in the fields of crop breeding and genetics, crop physiology, and crop
production. The journal is a critical outlet for articles describing plant germplasm collections and
their use.
The American Society of Agronomy is an international scientific and professional society with
its headquarters in Madison, WI. Our members are researchers and trained, certified
professionals in the areas of growing our world‘s food supply, while protecting our environment.
We work at universities, government research facilities and private businesses across the United
States and the world.
/Public Release. The material in this public release comes from the originating organization and
may be of a point-in-time nature, edited for clarity, style and length. View in full here.
Tags:Africa, Agriculture, america, American Society of Agronomy, Arkansas, Asia, climate
change, DNA, environment, Georgia, Government, molecular
biology, production, technique, technology, U.S., United States
https://www.miragenews.com/cataloguing-rice-collection-for-crop-improvement/
Farmers are facing a phosphorus crisis. The solution starts with
soil
Overuse of fertilizer has led to phosphorus shortages and water pollution. But farms
might not need so much to grow healthy crops.
farmer spreads organic fertilizers of bone meal pellets and rock phosphate before planting
spinach in the Harmony garden in Golden, Colorado.
P H O T O G R A P H B Y J O E A M O N , T H E D E N V E R P O S T / G E T T Y
B Y J U L I A R O S E N
P U B L I S H E D O C T O B E R 1 4 , 2 0 2 0
O N A N O V E R C A S T day, Roger Sylvester-Bradley walks along a hawthorn hedge,
collecting a thick rind of mud on his leather boots, before stepping into a gently sloping field
of barley.
He stoops to pluck an ankle-high seedling from the ground and examines its healthy mop of
fine white roots. Turning them in his hands, he says, ―when you see a plant that‘s deficient in
phosphorus, it doesn‘t look like this.‖
That‘s something of a surprise to Sylvester-Bradley, a crop scientist at ADAS, an agricultural
consulting company in Cambridge, England. Phosphorus occurs naturally in soil and is a
critical nutrient for plant growth. For centuries, farmers have added extra to their fields to
boost harvests, but Sylvester-Bradley and his colleagues are studying ways to produce food
using less of it.

The reasons are twofold: First, phosphorus runoff from farms contributes to widespread water
pollution. Second, we don‘t have phosphorus to waste.
Nearly all of the phosphorus that farmers use today—and that we consume in the food we
eat—is mined from a few sources of phosphate rock, mainly in the United States, China, and
Morocco. By some estimates, those could run out in as little as 50 to 100 years. Geologists
know of other deposits, but they are harder to access and contain less phosphorus. Thus, the
price will likely rise, making it harder for growers to afford fertilizer and for people to afford
food.
Here and at other experimental sites in England, Sylvester-Bradley and his colleagues have
taken a first commonsense step toward addressing the problem: They stopped adding
phosphorus fertilizer to half the barley field to see how the plants would fare. Eight years later,
they have only just started to observe the first effects on crop size and yield. The plants have
survived on the excess nutrients in the soil—so-called legacy phosphorus—which some say
represents a key piece of the phosphorus puzzle.
Researchers have calculated that, in countries like the United Kingdom and the United States,
there is already billions of dollars‘ worth of fertilizer in the ground that could help offset
demand for mined phosphorus. Using it up would also curb phosphorus runoff.
Roger Sylvester-Bradley inspects the roots of a healthy barley plant for signs of phosphorus
deficiency. The field has had no added fertilizer for almost a decade, and the plants are only now
starting to show a slight lack.
P H O T O G R A P H B Y J U L I A R O S E N
To Paul Withers, a soil scientist at Lancaster University and one of Sylvester-Bradley‘s
collaborators, tapping into legacy phosphorus is a no-brainer and continuing with the status
quo is a recipe for both ecological and humanitarian disaster. ―We can‘t have agriculture
polluting the environment and using resources the way we are,‖ Withers says. ―It‘s just going
to cause a meltdown in the end.‖
A devious nutrient
Phosphorus is a non-negotiable requirement for life. It‘s the backbone of DNA and the P in
ATP—the molecule that carries energy around cells. Plants need phosphorus to grow, which is
why farmers have been feeding it to their crops for millennia.
At first, and without understanding the chemistry, people used manure and human waste as
fertilizer. Then in the 1800s farmers recognized that phosphorus-rich bones and rocks worked
too.
T O D A Y ‘ S POPULAR STORIES
See the stunning world invisible to the naked eye
In 1842 an Oxford University dropout named John Bennet Lawes patented a process for
treating these new mineral forms of phosphorus with acid, making the nutrient more accessible
to plants, and soon began selling the world‘s first human-made fertilizer.
Lawes plowed his considerable profits back into research at his family‘s country estate, which
later became the Rothamsted Research center. And there, scientists discovered that phosphorus
was a somewhat devious nutrient.
The fertilizer Lawes manufactured contained a soluble, inorganic form of phosphorus that plants can
readily use. But as soon as the phosphorus hit the soil, a large fraction of it reacted with soil minerals,

forming compounds that crops can‘t access. Some also got locked away in equally unavailable organic
forms.
From those observations, scientists concluded that farmers shouldn‘t scrimp on phosphorus.
They should heap it on, especially as they raced to feed the world‘s growing populations
during the 20th
century.
In fact, it was once Withers‘ job to spread the word. As a government farm advisor in the
1980s, he drove a red Volvo station wagon around the winding roads of rural England telling
farmers to make sure their crops got plenty of key nutrients.
This method, which Withers calls ―insurance-based farming,‖ still prevails in many parts of the
world. In Europe, farmers apply roughly 4 kilograms of phosphorus for each kilogram that we
consume in food. For U.S. diets, that ratio is about 9 to 1, and in China, it may be as high as 13
to 1. (There are crucial exceptions in places where farmers have never had adequate access to
phosphorus fertilizer, like many parts of Africa and South America.)
Phosphorus is lost at many stages of food production and processing. But these inefficiencies
pose a problem as looming changes in phosphorus availability and price threaten to destabilize
the world‘s food system, Withers says. ―We‘ve sort of gone over the top and we‘ve come back
to vulnerability.‖
To make matters worse, some unused fertilizer builds up in the soil, which causes
environmental problems long after it‘s applied, says Helen Jarvie, a hydrochemist at the Centre
for Ecology and Hydrology in Wallingford, U.K. Her research shows that it slowly leaks into
the environment for decades, confounding well-intentioned efforts by landowners to reduce
nutrient pollution.
Even small amounts of phosphorus runoff from farms and sewage are enough to fuel algal
blooms that fill waterways with festering green scum. Sometimes, like in Lake Erie, they
produce toxins that can foul drinking water and use up dissolved oxygen, killing fish and other
aquatic life.
According to one study, phosphorus pollution affects nearly 40 percent of Earth‘s land areas.
And the damage adds up. By one estimate, the impacts of excess phosphorus and nitrogen—
another key nutrient—on water quality and ecosystems cost $2.2 billion per year in the U.S.
alone.
A slam dunk for plants?
If legacy phosphorus is an environmental liability, it is also a tremendous opportunity,
according to Withers and other scientists. He and his colleagues calculated in a 2015 study that
fields in the United Kingdom contain more than $10 billion worth of phosphorus, enough to
meet the country‘s fertilizer demand for up to 54 years.
A front end loader moves granules of monoammonium phosphate into a storage warehouse at the
PhosAgro-Cherepovets fertilizer plant in Cherepovets, Russia, on Aug. 9, 2017.
Many other nations possess similar reserves. A 2012 analysis found that global soils contain
enough legacy phosphorus to cut the projected demand for new fertilizer in half by 2050.
―The plants can use our mistakes from the past,‖ says Sheida Sattari, lead author of the study.
By the numbers, legacy phosphorus looks like a slam dunk. But can plants actually live on it?
Studies suggest that, in places with long histories of phosphorus overuse, like the U.K., crops
can thrive for 10 years or more on the stores built up in the ground. The most extreme example

comes from Saskatchewan, where researchers haven‘t added phosphorus to plots of wheat
since 1995. Twenty-five years later they still haven‘t seen problems.
Conventional measures of soil chemistry suggest they should apply more fertilizer, says
Barbara Cade-Menun, who oversees the experiments at the Swift Current Research and
Development Center in Canada. ―But our yields aren‘t changing.‖
Scientists think that as plants use up the readily available phosphorus in the fields, soil
minerals and organic matter release more of the nutrient. Cade-Menun doesn‘t yet know
whether changes in soil chemistry, soil microbes, or plants themselves can explain what‘s
happening in her plots. Regardless, the results suggest that those inaccessible forms of
phosphorus that the Rothamsted researchers fretted about aren‘t quite as off-limits as scientists
once thought.
And that means just cutting back on fertilizer could go a long way to meeting phosphorus
demand and reducing runoff without jeopardizing harvests.
Smarter crops
At some point, however, soil phosphorus drops low enough that crops become stressed. That‘s
partly because some of it really is out of reach for plants, but also because many modern crops
cannot get ahold of what is there.
The scarcity of phosphorus in nature forced wild plants to develop strategies for securing an
adequate supply. Many evolved extensive root systems that search out phosphorus. Some can
also excrete chemicals to liberate the nutrient from the soil.
But most commercial crops don‘t have those abilities. Scientists cultivated them in well-
fertilized soils that didn‘t require plants to spend energy deploying such tools. And, in a world
of plentiful resources, breeders didn‘t select for varieties with strong phosphorus-harvesting
traits. The result, says Phil Haygarth, a soil scientist at Lancaster University, is ―a load of fast-
growing, dumb plants‖ that struggle to extract phosphorus from the soil.
Researchers now want to create smarter crops. In 2012, scientists identified a gene in an
ancient variety of Japanese rice that enhanced the plant‘s ability to find phosphorus by growing
fine roots. Researchers then bred the trait into modern rice plants, and in 2019 farmers in
Madagascar—which has naturally nutrient-poor soils—started testing some of the most
promising varieties.
Sigrid Heuer, a researcher at Rothamsted who helped with the rice study, is searching for a
similar gene in wheat as part of the International Wheat Yield Partnership. Other scientists are
developing crop varieties that don‘t need as much phosphorus in the first place.
Besides breeding, no-till farming could help by preventing soil compaction and encouraging
good root development to help plants access more legacy phosphorus. Adding symbiotic fungi
that spread through the soil may extend a plant‘s underground reach, and growing crops
alongside legumes and other plants that secrete phosphorus-releasing compounds can free up
more of the nutrient.
Withers and Sylvester-Bradley have been running down the phosphorus levels in their test
fields for the exact purpose of exploring these kinds of approaches.
The researchers had to abandon the barley field in Cambridge because of changes in farm
ownership. But at the remaining sites, phosporus levels have finally dipped low enough for
them to start conducting experiments on how to help plants access as much legacy phosphorus
as possible. The first will compare the performance of existing commercial wheat varieties.

The researchers had to wait longer than expected—nearly a decade—for phosphorus levels to
drop back to natural levels. But that fact alone should reassure growers that they can safely cut
back on the nutrient, Sylvester-Bradley says.
―The take-home for farmers, as far as I‘m concerned, is they can relax.‖
This story was supported by a science journalism fellowship from the European Geosciences
Union.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/10/farmers-are-facing-a-phosphorus-crisis-
the-solution-starts-with-soil/
Environment advocates slam DENR undersecretary for demeaning
UP scientists
Published October 14, 2020, 9:53 PM
by Chito Chavez
The Kalikasan People‘s Network for Environment (Kalikasan PNE) described Wednesday
as ―uncalled for‘‘ the comments of Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR) Undersecretary Benny Antiporda against the scientists of the University of the
Philippines (UP) Institute of Biology and Marine Sciences during the inspection at the
rehabilitation of Manila Bay.
―As a government environmental official, he should always be open to the sound and
scientific suggestions of our scientists and marine experts,‖ said Gia Glarino, research
coordinator of Kalikasan PNE.
The group noted that Antiporda ―lashed out with a demeaning comment that scientists from
UP Institute of Biology have no right to criticize the dolomite project and called them
―bayaran (paid)‖.‘‘
Antiporda‘s tirade came after the UP Institute of Biology and Marine Science Institute, both
highly respected in their own areas of discipline, offered science-based services and advice
to the DENR in rehabilitating Manila Bay.
―We back the suggestion of the UP scientists to the government. They must instead restore
mangrove forests and prioritize the improvement of Manila Bay‘s water quality. It is sound
and appropriate for DENR to center its rehabilitation efforts towards reviving the ecological
health of Manila Bay instead of mere beautification,‖ Glarino noted.
Since September, Kalikasan PNE has asserted that the DENR‘s dolomite beautification
project poses negative impacts on the bay‘s still thriving fisheries and to ecological and
public health.
―The onion-skinned and blubbering DENR Undersecretary could serve the nation better if
he will resign from his post and spare us from his cheap shots,‖ Glarino said.
During the inspection, Antiporda noted that the mangrove have their own places located in
―Cavite, Bataan and Baseco area‘‘ and cannot be put in the middle of the baywalk since ‗it
will destroy the landscape‘‘ and they will not thrive in the area.
He claimed that UP objected to the overlaying of dolomite and instead wanted mangroves to
be planted in the baywalk area of Manila Bay.
With the offer of the UP Institute of Biology and Marine Sciences of help, Antiporda said
the DENR will gladly accept this ―if it is for free.‘‘

Antiporda claimed to have done his own research showing the DENR paid half a billion
pesos from 2016 to 2020 purely for consultation purposes only with no single infrastructure
built.
He asserted that the institute should refrain from making criticism since they are paid by the
government.
A peeved Antiporda declared this after the UP institute had asked for an audit on the Manila
Bay White Sand Project which is a pet project of the DENR.
Turning the tables around, Antiporda asked the Commission on Audit (COA) to investigate
where the half a million pesos consultation fee paid by the agency from 2016 to 2020 went.
With the ―election fever‘‘ nearing, Antiporda noted that critics are merely out to discredit
the government for the Manila Bay White Beach Project.
https://mb.com.ph/2020/10/14/environment-advocates-slam-denr-undersecretary-for-demeaning-
up-scientists/
Group teaches investing in capital market
Published October 15, 2020, 7:00 AM
by James A. Loyola
The Global Filipino Investors Inc. (TGFI), a group led by entrepreneur and housing tycoon
Januario Jesus Atencio, is helping Filipinos take advantage of the capital market rut due to
the pandemic in anticipation of an economic recovery.
Januario Jesus Atencio
TGFI is bringing together powerhouse economists and stock market gurus in a free virtual
conference to teach Filipinos how to invest as the country charts its path to be one of the
leading emerging markets in the post COVID era.
Atencio, TGFI Chairman and CEO of Januarius Holdings Inc., said that the two-day
conference scheduled next month will tackle the relevance of investing in bonds and stocks
to the Philippine economy recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also said that Filipinos should look beyond the challenges of the present situation and let
the national leaders and health authorities worry about the global crisis.
―We cannot be fixated with the here and now of the current crisis,‖ Atencio stressed.
For his part, TGFI President, Floi Wycoco said that the free TGFI Bonds and Stocks Online
Conference 2020 will serve as a reminder that there are still people out there who are
generous enough to help others.
The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) has partially recovered after crashing of the
economy. It stalled as the entire Luzon was placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine
(ECQ) during March 2020.
―It also makes sense to conduct this event now while the PSEi is still in its correction
phase, bonds can work as a way to protect the unrealized loss encountered during this phase
so our goal is to let our attendees understand the purpose of being diversified especially in
times such as the world is in today,‖ Wycoco said.
He added Filipinos need to rise stronger and smarter as a nation when it comes to finance.
―Months have passed since the lockdown, live events have left the stage, and businesses
had to pivot.

This is where the TGFI Bonds and Stocks Online Conference (BSOC) comes in. We believe
that Filipinos from different classes can learn more about these two investment vehicles and
more so, give our audience the confidence to invest both in bonds and the stock market,‖
Wycoco said.
In promotion of financial literacy in support of the efforts of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
(BSP) and to improve the well-being of every Filipino, the Group organized TGFI Bonds
and Stocks Online Conference 2020 happening on November 21 & 22, 2020 to bring light to
the opportunities in-store for every Filipino.
―This is the new normal. And we‘re ready to get geared up for a more financially literate
Philippines. And many Filipinos have gotten into their own businesses recently. It‘s so
exciting where we‘re all heading.
This leap done by most of our countrymen is very special to me, as a former OFW, Filipinos
are truly resilient,‖ Wycoco said.
https://mb.com.ph/2020/10/15/group-teaches-investing-in-capital-market/

Assessment of flood damage on rice awaited
Sok Chan / Khmer Times
Collecting rice from a flooded paddy in Banteay Meanchey province. Supplied
The Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) has called on rice miller members to collect and purchase
wet paddy from farmers at an affordable price after recent deluges.
CRF‘s President Song Saran said some members have already purchased the paddy from
farmers, especially from the most affected areas.
―We called on our members to purchase the paddy in the rice fields. Our members number nearly
100 in Banteay Meanchey, Battambang and Pursat,‖ Saran added. ―Some areas, farmers have
had to harvest the crop in the water, so we have to help purchase the wet paddy from them,‖ he
added.
Chray Son, Chairman of Capital Food Investment Import Export Co in Battambang province,
said his company has purchased around 3,000 tonnes of paddy so far from farmers as of Oct 12.
―Now, there is no paddy to buy because it was flooded and farmers cannot harvest it,‖ Son said.
―If there is paddy available, we will continue purchasing it from farmers,‖ he said. He added that
the price of paddy is around 1,060 riel to 1,080 riel per kilogramme while last year it was only
1,020 riel per kilogramme. However, he added that the price varies according to the quality.
Flash floods have been hitting Battambang, Pursat, Banteay Meanchey, Oddar Meanchey, Preah
Vihear, Kampong Speu, Stung Treng and Siem Reap provinces, inundating houses, schools,
administrative offices and other infrastructure, as well as rice fields.
Pursat Agricultural Department Director Lay Piseth said as of Oct 12, more than 18,570 hectares
of paddy fields in Pursat were affected by flooding and 4,600 hectares were damaged.
He said that if there is no more rain and flooding in Veal Veng district, in at least one
week, levels will be low because the water will flow to Tonle Sap Lake. Mostly, the paddy
cultivated here is a three-month variety (three harvests a year). The most affected areas are
around Pursat city and Kandieng district.
―We see the rice millers come and buy the paddy from farmers and price is good at around 1,150
riels to 1,200 riels per kilogramme,‖ he added.
Chhim Vichara, director of the Battambang provincial Agricultural Department, said there were
more than 62,000 hectares of 350,000 hectares affected in his province while more than 46,000
hectares of other crops were also affected. He said the province has yet to evaluate the damage.
The flood hit the medium and premium fragrant rice – such as Phka Romdoul.
―We cannot make any assessment on when the water will be low because now rain is still
coming. Later the province will conduct an assessment on the impact,‖ he added. ―We
are working with relevant authorities to help and evacuate people and animals to safe places,‖ he
added.
A report from National Committee for Disaster Management of Cambodia stated that more than
120,000 hectares of farmland were affected by floods and damaged. Among the affected
farmland, 80,000 hectares are paddy fields.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50772988/assessment-of-flood-damage-on-rice-awaited/

Poor quality pulls down palay prices – traders
Published October 14, 2020, 12:16 PM
by Madelaine B. Miraflor
Millers and traders are blaming the poor quality of unhusked rice being produced by farmers
to the current low prices of the staple food.
(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
This was validated by Agriculture Secretary William Dar, who said consumers now prefer
quality rice.
In a statement, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said rice millers and traders are having
difficulty buying palay because of low quality, composed mostly of assorted or ‗rumble‘
varieties that when milled produce chalky and broken grains.
―If farmers want to command good prices, they should plant better quality rice seeds and
what the consumers want,‖ a miller from Nueva Ecija told DA.
A Bulacan rice miller, on the other hand, also told the DA that the COVID-19 pandemic has
made it hard for them to sell their rice stocks because of lack of demand, which ―was made
even harder by the low quality of palay harvest this season‖.
DA likewise cited a trader from Isabela, who said that consumers now prefer rice varieties
that are long-grain and taste and smell better when cooked.

―Millers and traders are thus one in saying that farmers should now plant varieties that have
good milling and eating qualities, and preferred by consumers,‖ DA said.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that palay prices fell to as low
as P12 per kilogram (/kg) in some areas in the country during the third week of September,
which means some farmers barely made money during this harvest season.
This, since in order to produce a kilo of rice in the Philippines, Filipino rice farmers have to
spend P12.72, which is higher compared to the production cost of farmers in Vietnam and
Thailand at P6.22/kg and P8.86/kg, respectively.
With such production cost, the breakeven farmgate price of fresh harvest should be around
P14.50/kg.
In Davao City, palay‘s price went down to as low as P12.74/kg during the third quarter of
September, while Caraga, North Cotabato, and Surigao del Sur saw palay prices plunging to
around P12/kg to P12.80/kg.
To address the problem about the poor quality rice being produced by farmers, Dar said that
for the succeeding cropping seasons, the country will not just be after attaining production
targets, but also producing quality rice for Filipino consumers that will provide higher
income for farmers.
―We need to adapt to the changes brought about by the Rice Tariffication Law [RTL], one
of which is consumers‘ preference for quality rice. This is now an integral part of the overall
transformation of the country‘s rice industry,‖ Dar said.
Dar said he will meet with seed producers to discuss the preferred rice varieties of
consumers, and the desired levels of productivity that will provide farmers more income.
―We have to make seed producers, farmers and other stakeholders understand that our
overall strategy now is inclusive market-oriented development,‖ Dar said.
―Kung ano demand ng market, kung ano ang pangangailangan ng consuming public iyon
ang dapat i-produce ng ating mga magsasaka [What the market demands, what the
consuming public needs, farmers should be able to produce that,‖ he added.
Under the RTL, which allowed the unlimited entry of cheaper imported rice, the government
is compelled to provide free seeds and mechanization to rice farmers through the Rice
Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), the collection of rice import tariff.
This means that after RTL was passed in March last year, it was actually the DA who
provided some farmers the seeds that they used for the current harvest, which according to
traders yielded poor quality rice.
So far, the DA already distributed 1.38 million bags of certified inbred seeds to 554,512
farmers during the dry season 2019 to 2020, and 2.27 million bags of inbred seeds to
862,854 farmers during the current wet season.
Moving forward, Dar said the DA will hold consultations with farmers, seed producers,
traders, millers, and other stakeholders to determine current industry trends, demand of the
domestic retail market and institutional buyers, customers‘ needs and wants, and needed
policy shifts or reforms and government interventions.
The other day, agriculture lobby group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) asked
President Rodrigo Duterte to order DA to allot P36 billion to help subsidize palay
procurement.

This, according to SINAG Chair Rosendo So will be used to help private millers and traders
to buy palay at P19/kg, supposed that it‘s being bought at P15/kg.
He said this would be enough to buy 9 million metric tons (MT) of palay from farmers
without shortchanging both farmers and millers.
Right now, the National Food Authority (NFA), whose sole mandate is to secure the
government‘s buffer stock for calamities and national emergencies, procures palay at
P19/kg.
However, NFA Administrator Judy Dansal said before that while the state-run grains agency
can intensify its palay procurement, it couldn‘t buy the entire produce due to its limited
budget and post-harvest facilities.
Palay harvest during the first semester of 2020 totaled 8.387 million metric tons (MT), 1.4
percent more than the 8.269 million MT produced during the same period last year.
Second semester palay output this year is expected to be at 11.954 million MT, 13.4 percent
more than last year‘s 10.545 million MT.
https://mb.com.ph/2020/10/14/poor-quality-pulls-down-palay-prices-traders/
DA sees record-high 8% hike in palay harvest in 2020
to 20.341 MMT
ByJasper Y. Arcalas
October 14, 2020
A farmer in Pangasinan displays threshed rice in this photo. The average farm-gate price of dry
palay reached P17.12 per kilogram in the second week of September, according to government
data.
Top NewsJasper Y. Arcalas -October 14, 2020
The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday said the country‘s total palay harvest this
year could increase by 8 percent to a record-high of 20.341 million metric tons (MMT) on the
back of better yield and favorable planting conditions.
In a news statement, the DA said second semester palay output is projected to reach 11.954
MMT, which is 13.4 percent more than the 10.545 MMT output in the July-to-December period
of last year.
The country‘s palay output in the first half grew by 1.4 percent to 8.387 MMT from last year‘s
8.269 MMT, the DA added.
In a recent virtual Senate hearing, Agriculture Undersecretary Ariel T. Cayanan said the
projected full-year output would be met, barring weather disturbances such as typhoons and
possible impact of La Niña.
If the full-year palay output is met, this would bring the country‘s rice self-sufficiency level from
87 percent to about 93 percent to 94 percent, Cayanan said.

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