19th july 2019 daily global regional and local

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Global Regional and Local Rice News
News Headlines…
 ‫قطر‬‫نے‬‫پاکستانیوں‬‫کو‬‫خوشخبری‬،‫سنادی‬‫بڑی‬‫پابندی‬‫اٹھا‬‫لی‬
 China-Africa rice cooperation project: Joining hands to eliminate hunger
 China Focus: A grain of rice that matters
 Has Your Doctor Asked You About Climate Change?
 AWD irrigation tech increases 15% rice yield
 How is Nestle Pakistan Empowering Dairy Farmers?
 Amira Nature Foods Ltd Announces $18 Million Contract with New Customer
 Rice farmers in for more bountiful harvests with DOST-formulated growth promoter
 Scientists create single-use edible dishware made from apples
 Biodiversity conservation emphasised
 Gov’t cuts inflation outlook for 2019, expects wider budget deficit towards 2022
 China Denounces Trump Meeting With Religious Exiles as Meddling
 Cooking Class: Indian
 U.S. Rice in the UK - Ready to Heat and Eat
 Floods hit Bangladesh rice farmers; top hubs fear scant rainfall
 RPT-ASIA RICE-FLOODS HIT BANGLADESH FARMERS; TOP HUBS FEAR SCANT RAINFALL
 Dominguez: No to review of rice tariff law
 GOVERNMENT TO SET SRP ON RICE
 NoCot guv asks consumers to buy local
 Rice versus wheat
 Customs make N1.7bn, seize 589 bags of rice in Niger
 Customs intercepts 2,919 bags of rice, 29 vehicles, 22 bales of clothes
 Rice providing more conservation help to rice producers
 State govt to challenge order quashing FIR against miller
 KBP to launch drive against corruption
 Farmers hit hard again by Barry
 S. Korea, WFP Seeking US Sanctions Exemptions to Send Rice to N. Korea
 Monsoon rain destroys P4.15 million worth of rice in Negros Occidental
 Review law allowing rice imports? No!, says Dominguez
 Some farms still flooded days after Barry
 The Mekong Delta: Land Subsidence Threatens Vietnam’s “Food Basket”
 Govt speeding up drought relief work
 Floods hit Bangladesh rice farmers; top hubs fear scant rainfall
 Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- JULY 19, 2019
 Government Set impose SRP imported Rice
Detail Inside…

‫پابنذی‬ ‫بڑی‬ ،‫سنادی‬ ‫خوشخبری‬ ‫کو‬ ‫پاکستانیوں‬ ‫نے‬ ‫قطر‬
‫لی‬ ‫اٹھا‬
Jul 19, 2019 | 13:45:PM
‫ختم‬ ‫پابىدی‬ ‫پرعائد‬ ‫چاول‬ ‫پاکطتاوی‬ ‫وے‬ ‫قطر‬ )‫رپورٹر‬ ‫کراچی(اکىامک‬
‫ختم‬ ‫پابىدی‬ ‫عائد‬ ‫پر‬ ‫مدات‬ّ‫درا‬ ‫کی‬ ‫دی۔چاول‬ ‫دے‬ ‫اجازت‬ ‫کی‬ ‫درآمدات‬ ‫کرکے‬
‫پہال‬ ‫درمیان‬ ‫کے‬ ‫ممالک‬ ‫دوووں‬ ‫بعد‬ ‫کے‬ ‫ہووے‬‫ییا‬ ‫پا‬ ‫ےے‬ ‫بیی‬ ‫معاہدي‬
‫ایکطپورٹرز‬ ‫رائیص‬ ‫چیف‬ ‫ان‬ ‫پیٹرن‬ ‫ہوئے‬ ‫کرتے‬ ‫یفتگو‬ ‫میں‬ ‫ضمه‬ ‫ہے۔اش‬
‫میں‬ ‫مرحلے‬ ‫پہلے‬ ‫پاکطتان‬ ‫کہ‬ ‫کہا‬ ‫وے‬ ‫جاوو‬ ‫عبدالرحیم‬05‫چاول‬ ‫ٹه‬ ‫ہسار‬
‫کی‬ ‫چاول‬ ‫تک‬ ‫ضال‬ ‫پاوچ‬ ‫ایلے‬ ‫کہ‬ ‫کہا‬ ‫وے‬ ‫یا۔اوہوں‬ ‫کرے‬ ‫برآمد‬ ‫کو‬ ‫قطر‬
‫جائیگا‬ ‫بڑھایا‬ ‫تک‬ ‫ڈالر‬ ‫ارب‬ ‫پاوچ‬ ‫ضے‬ ‫دو‬ ‫کو‬ ‫مدات‬ّ‫برا‬‫کہ‬ ‫کہا‬ ‫وے‬ ‫۔عبدالرحیم‬

‫دوباري‬ ‫یے‬ ‫کریں‬ ‫کوشش‬ ‫تیا‬ ‫کرتا‬ ‫برآمد‬ ‫چاول‬ ‫ٹه‬ ‫الکی‬ ‫پاوچ‬ ‫کو‬ ‫قطر‬ ‫پاکطتان‬
‫پاکطتاوی‬ ‫وے‬ ‫قطر‬ ‫ضے‬ ‫ضالوں‬ ‫پاوچ‬ ‫یسشتہ‬ ‫کہ‬ ‫تیا‬ ‫کہىا‬ ‫کا‬ ‫بىائیں۔ان‬ ‫مارکیٹ‬
‫عبد‬ ‫تجارت‬ ‫مشیر‬ ‫ہفتے‬ ‫یسشتہ‬ ‫رہے‬ ‫تیی۔یاد‬ ‫کردی‬ ‫عائد‬ ‫پابىدی‬ ‫پر‬ ‫چاول‬
‫داو‬ ‫الرزاق‬¿‫ایطو‬ ‫ایکطپورٹرز‬ ‫رائص‬ ‫ضے‬ ‫د‬‫مالقات‬ ‫وے‬ ‫وفد‬ ‫کے‬ ‫ایشه‬ ‫ضی‬
‫کی‬ ‫چاول‬ ‫میں‬ ‫مىڈیوں‬ ‫کی‬ ‫قطر‬ ‫کہ‬ ‫کہا‬ ‫وے‬ ‫تجارت‬ ‫مشیر‬ ‫پر‬ ‫موقع‬ ‫کی۔اش‬
‫حجم‬ ‫کا‬ ‫مدات‬ّ‫برا‬ ‫کی‬ ‫چاول‬ ‫تک‬ ‫ضال‬ ‫پاوچ‬ ‫ایلے‬ ‫کر‬ ‫اٹیا‬ ‫فائدي‬ ‫ضے‬ ‫مدات‬ّ‫برا‬
‫اوڈوویشیا‬ ‫اور‬ ‫چیه‬ ‫کہ‬ ‫کہا‬ ‫وے‬ ‫جائے۔اوہوں‬ ‫بڑھایا‬ ‫تک‬ ‫ڈالر‬ ‫ارب‬ ‫پاوچ‬ ‫ضے‬ ‫دو‬
‫کی‬ ‫چاول‬ ‫ضے‬ ‫رضائی‬ ‫مارکیٹ‬ ‫اضافی‬ ‫میں‬‫ہے‬ ‫ہوا‬ ‫اضافہ‬ ‫میں‬ ‫مدات‬ّ‫برا‬
‫جامع‬ ‫لیے‬ ‫کے‬ ‫جاوے‬ ‫لے‬ ‫تک‬ ‫ڈالر‬ ‫ارب‬ ‫پاوچ‬ ‫کو‬ ‫مدات‬ّ‫برا‬ ‫کی‬ ‫چاول‬ ‫جبکہ‬
‫یے‬ ‫بىائیں‬ ‫عملی‬ ‫حکمت‬
https://dailypakistan.com.pk/19-Jul-2019/995837
China-Africa rice cooperation project: Joining hands
to eliminate hunger
By Zhang Liying
China.org.cn, July 19, 2019
A seminar themed "Tapping into the Potential of China-Africa Rice Cooperation" being held in
Beijing on July 17, 2019. [Photo by Zhang Liying/China.org.cn]
China and Africa are strengthening agricultural exchanges and cooperation to jointly achieve
'zero hunger', which is one of the 17 global goals that make up the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development.
The latest effort was an initiative launched at the end of last month, which recognizes the
potential of China-Africa cooperation in the rice value chain. It also offers proposals for
promoting cooperation by leveraging the comparative advantages of the different parties.

Rice is either a staple or an alternative food crop in much of Africa, but many African countries
face serious gaps between rice production and consumption and rely heavily on imports. These
were the findings of the initiative, which was released at the first China-Africa Economic and
Trade Expo on June 27 in Changsha, the capital city of central China's Hunan province.
With a large amount of suitable land for rice cultivation, these countries have the resources to
expand rice production. However, according to the initiative, they need to introduce high-yield
varieties, improve production and processing technologies, and boost investment in their own
rice industries including their related supply chains.
For example, Mozambique in Southeast Africa has about 36 million hectares of arable land and a
long history of rice cultivation, but faces challenges in various areas, including technology,
financing, infrastructure and market access, according to Dr. Pedro Dzucula, director of the
country's National Directorate of Agriculture and Silviculture of the Ministry of Agriculture and
Food Security.

Speaking at a seminar held in Beijing on Wednesday, Dr. Dzucula said Mozambique needs to
enhance the genetic diversity of its rice, increase the quality of agricultural services, and invest in
the operationalization and rational use of irrigation schemes based on public-private partnerships.
Over the past decades, China has made remarkable progress in its rice industry, and accrued
valuable experience in terms of improved seed varieties, technology and machinery,
demonstration and promotion, as well as industrial investment and marketing, the initiative
noted.
It proposed solving key bottlenecks in Africa's rice industry to promote value chain upgrading
and agricultural transformation by combining China's experience and the local demands of
African countries.
This initiative aims to develop broader and deeper South-South and triangular cooperation
arrangements in the rice value chain. It was signed by seven organizations, namely the China
International Center for Economic and Technical Exchange (CICETE), China National Hybrid
Rice Research and Development Center, African Union, United Nations Office for South-South
Cooperation, United Nations for Food Program, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the
Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa.
Zhang Ning, director of the South-South Fund Program at the CICETE under the Ministry of
Commerce, said the initiative, which has wide participation, has charted the overall course and
introduced specific mechanisms for China-Africa cooperation to improve the rice value chain.
"In particular, we need to make good use of China-aided agricultural technology demonstration
centers in Africa to facilitate technology transfers and broader agricultural cooperation among
different parties," Zhang said.
"I believe that with the help of effective mechanisms, we can push forward our cooperation and
achieve our common goal of benefiting small farmers in Africa," he added.
A report released by the Food and Agriculture Organization on July 15 showed that a little over
820 million people, which corresponds to about one in every nine people in the world, suffer
from hunger.

The situation is most alarming in Africa, where since 2015 the prevalence of undernourishment
(PoU), the main indicator for monitoring progress on the eradication of hunger in the world,
shows slight but steady increases in almost all subregions, according to The State of Food
Security and Nutrition in the World 2019 report.
http://www.china.org.cn/world/2019-07/19/content_75010385.htm
China Focus: A grain of rice that matters
Source: Xinhua| 2019-07-18 20:28:49|Editor: Liangyu
BEIJING, July 18 (Xinhua) -- China's success in feeding the world's largest population with its
limited farmland is illuminating for African countries' approach to food security, said attendees
to a workshop on China-Africa rice cooperation.
African countries expect innovation based on China's experience to transform smallholder
agriculture into farming as a burgeoning business, said Thomas Arokoyo, country manager for
Nigeria of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), at the workshop held in
Beijing Wednesday.
Rice is either a staple or alternative food crop in many African countries. However, due to the
lack of technology and funding, rice production potential is far from being tapped, leaving many
of the countries heavily reliant on import to feed the large population.
Although Mozambique has good natural conditions to grow rice, its domestic output remains
limited, said Pedro Dzucula, national director for Agriculture and Silviculture under
Mozambique's Ministry of Agriculture, on the same occasion, adding that the country has
imported an average over 365,000 tons of rice annually from Asian rice producers since 2000.
"There is obvious complementarity and potential in China-Africa agricultural cooperation,
especially in the rice value chain," said Zhang Ning, director for the South-South Fund Program
of the China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchange (CICETE) under the
Ministry of Commerce, also at the workshop.

At the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in 2018, China said it would
work with African countries to make plans on agricultural cooperation and assist the continent in
achieving general food security by 2030.
Cooperation in the rice industry is key to the China-Africa cooperation, and the development of
the rice industry is the foundation of a prosperous and stable Africa, Zhang said.
In a joint initiative reached late June during the first China-Africa Trade Expo in Changsha,
Hunan Province, the CICETE, African Union, AGRA and other contributing parties pledged to
leverage their comparative advantages to advance China-Africa rice value chain cooperation
through bolstering agricultural business, adapting and investing in suitable rice technologies.
The initiative represented a roadmap for future cooperation, Zhang said, adding that an
agricultural technology demonstration center started in Mozambique immediately after its
release.
Mozambique has a population of 28 million and arable land of 36 million hectares, only around
one-tenth of which is cultivated.
Mozambique faces bottlenecks like high-cost machinery, low degree of agro-processing and
limited market access of final products, said Dzucula, calling on Chinese businesses, especially
those from the private sector, to invest in these sectors.
Noting similar challenges in Nigeria, Matthew Olusegun Owolabi, an official with the Nigerian
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, suggested that Chinese agriculture
demonstration centers should play a bigger role in training agricultural machinery mechanics and
operators.
The meeting, themed "Tapping into the Potential of China-Africa Rice Cooperation," was
sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Beijing Office, an active advocator for
triangular cooperation in advancing development and health agendas in Africa.
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-07/18/c_138237884.htm
Has Your Doctor Asked You About Climate Change?
By Martha Bebinger, WBUR JULY 19, 2019

Dr. Mary Rice walks with Michael Howard at a Beth Israel Deaconess HealthCare clinic in Chelsea,
Mass, as they test his oxygen levels with the addition of oxygen from a portable tank. He has COPD, a
progressive lung disease that can be exacerbated by heat and humidity. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)
This story is part of a partnership that includes WBUR, NPR and Kaiser Health News.
This story can be republished for free (details).
When Michael Howard arrived for a checkup with his lung specialist, he was worried about how
his body would cope with the heat and humidity of a Boston summer.
―I lived in Florida for 14 years, and I moved back because the humidity was just too much,‖
Howard told pulmonologist Dr. Mary Rice as he settled into an exam room chair at a Beth Israel
Deaconess HealthCare clinic.
Howard, 57, has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a progressive lung disease that
can be exacerbated by heat and humidity. Even inside a comfortable, climate-controlled room,
his oxygen levels worried Rice.
Howard reluctantly agreed to try using portable oxygen, resigned to wearing the clear plastic
tubes looped over his ears and inserted into his nostrils. He assured Rice he has an air conditioner
and will stay inside on extremely hot days. The doctor and patient agreed that Howard should
take his walks in the evenings to be sure he gets enough exercise without overheating.
Then Howard turned to Rice with a question she didn‘t encounter in medical school: ―Can I ask
you: Last summer, why was it so hot?‖
Rice, who studies air pollution, was ready.
―The overall trend of the hotter summers that we‘re seeing [is] due to climate change,‖ Rice said.
For Rice, connecting climate-change consequences — heat waves, more pollen, longer allergy
seasons — to her patients‘ health is becoming routine. She is among a small but growing number
of doctors and nurses who discuss those connections with patients.
In June, the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics and American
Heart Association were among a long list of medical and public health groups that issued a call
to action asking the U.S. government, business and leaders to recognize climate change as a
health emergency.

The World Health Organization calls climate change ―the greatest health challenge of the 21st
century,‖ and a dozen U.S. medical societies urge action to limit global warming.
Some medical societies provide patients with information that explains the related health risks.
But none have guidelines on how providers should talk to patients about climate change.
There is no concrete list of ―do‘s‖ — as in wear a seat belt, use sunscreen and get exercise — or
―don‘ts‖ — as in don‘t smoke, don‘t drink too much and don‘t text while driving ― that doctors
can talk about with patients.
Climate change is different, said Rice, because an individual patient can‘t prevent it. So Rice
focuses on steps her patients can take to cope with the consequences of heat waves, such as more
potent pollen and a longer allergy season.
That was Mary Heafy‘s main complaint. The 64-year-old has asthma that is worse during the
allergy season. During her appointment with Rice, Heafy wanted to know why her eyes and nose
were running and her chest feels tight for longer periods every year.
―It feels like once [the allergy season] starts in the springtime, it doesn‘t end until there‘s a
killing frost,‖ Heafy told Rice.
―Yes,‖ Rice nodded, ―because of global warming, the plants are flowering earlier in the spring.
After hot summers, the trees are releasing more pollen the following season.‖
Rice checks Mary Heafy's breathing during a checkup for her asthma at the Beth Israel
Deaconess clinic. Climate change does seem to be extending the Boston region's ragweed
season, Rice tells Heafy.(JESSE COSTA/WBUR)
Rice, who studies the health effects of air pollution, talks with Howard about his increased
breathing problems and their possible link to the heat waves, increased pollen and longer allergy
seasons associated with climate change.(JESSE COSTA/WBUR)
So Heafy may need stronger medicines and more air filters, her doctor said, and may spend more
days wearing a mask — although the effort of breathing through a mask is hard on her lungs as
well.
As she and the doctor finalized a prescription plan, Heafy observed that ―physicians talk about
things like smoking, but I don‘t know that every physician talks about the environmental
impact.‖

Why do so few doctors talk about the impact of the environment on health? Besides a lack of
guidelines, doctors say, they don‘t have time during a 15- to 20-minute visit to broach something
as complicated as climate change.
And the topic can be controversial: While a recent Pew Research Center pollfound that 59% of
Americans think climate change affects their local community ―a great deal or some,‖ only 31%
say it affects them personally, and views vary widely by political party.
We contacted energy-industry trade groups to ask what role — if any — medical providers
should have in the climate change conversation, but neither the American Petroleum Institute nor
the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers returned calls or email requests for comment.
Some doctors say they worry about challenging a patient‘s beliefs on the sometimes fraught
topic, according to Dr. Nitin Damle, a past president of the American College of Physicians.
―It‘s a difficult conversation to have,‖ said Damle, who practices internal medicine in Wakefield,
R.I.
Damle said he ―takes the temperature‖ of patients, with some general questions about the
environment or the weather, before deciding if he‘ll suggest that climate change is affecting their
health.
Dr. Gaurab Basu, a primary care physician at Cambridge Health Alliance, said he‘s ready if
patients want to talk about climate change, but he doesn‘t bring it up. He first must make sure
patients feel safe in the exam room, he said, and raising a controversial political issue might
erode that feeling.
―I have to be honest about the science and the threat that is there, and it is quite alarming,‖ Basu
said.So alarming, Basu said, that he often refers patients to counseling. Psychiatrists concerned
about the effects of climate change on mental healthsay there are no standards of care in their
profession yet, but some common responses are emerging.
One environmental group isn‘t waiting for doctors and nurses to figure out how to talk to patients
about climate change.
Molly Rauch, the public health policy director with Moms Clean Air Force, a project of the
Environmental Defense Fund, urges the group‘s more than 1 million members to ask doctors and

nurses for guidance. For example: When should parents keep children indoors because the
outdoor air is too dirty?
―This isn‘t too scary for us to hear about,‖ Rauch said. ―We are hungry for information about
this. We want to know.‖
This story is part of a partnership that includes WBUR, NPR and Kaiser Health News.
Martha Bebinger, WBUR: marthab@wbur.org, @mbebinger
AWD irrigation tech increases 15% rice
yield
July 19th, 2019
File photo of a farmer in a rice paddy UNB
'Some 882 farmers got excellent results irrigating Boro rice fields
adopting AWD technology with RDRS Bangladesh assistance on 337
acres of land using 50 shallow tube wells in six northern districts during
the just-ended Rabi season'
Agriculturists at a meeting have said adoption of Alternate Drying and Wetting (AWD)
irrigation technology in farming Boro rice increases up to 15% rice yield saving up to
30% underground water.
They said this at a ―Result Sharing Meetin on AWD Technology with Upazila Irrigation
Committee (UIC)‖ held at Upazila Parishad auditorium in Kishoreganj, Nilphamari on
Wednesday, a press release said on Thursday.
With assistance of upazila administration and Department of Agriculture Extension
(DAE), RDRS Bangladesh and Northwest Focal Area Network organized the meeting
with funding of International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

The UIC Chairman and Kishoreganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abul Kalam Azad attended
the program as the chief guest while Assistant Engineer of Bangladesh Agriculture
Development Corporation Mushfiqur Rahman chaired the event.
Filed Supervisor of IRRI-AWD project of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Md. Abdul
Mazed Mian discussed benefits of climate resilient AWD irrigation technology in farming
Boro rice.
―Some 882 farmers got excellent results irrigating Boro rice fields adopting AWD
technology with RDRS Bangladesh assistance on 337 acres of land using 50 shallow tube
wells in six northern districts during the just-ended Rabi season,‖ Mian said.
Kishoreganj Upazila Agriculture Officer Agriculturist Md. Habibur Rahman expressed
satisfaction over field level results of adoption of AWD technology in Boro rice farming
in the upazila.

Research Associate of ‗Farmers behaviuoral insight project‘ of RDRS Bangladesh
Agriculturist Ashish Kumar Majumder said AWD technology saved huge water, diesel
and electricity for irrigation and produced 500 kg more Boro rice per hectare.
Agriculture Officer of RDRS Bangladesh for Nilphamari Agriculturist Atikur Rahman
said farmers are happy getting additional rice yield adopting the irrigation technology in
farming Boro rice this year.
The chief guest called for expanding AWD irrigation technology in farming Boro rice to
get more rice yield at reduced costs reducing huge pressure on underground water and
improving environment and ecosystem.
https://www.dhakatribune.com/business/2019/07/19/awd-irrigation-tech-increases-15-rice-yield
How is Nestle Pakistan Empowering Dairy Farmers?
Nestle Pakistan has pledged to improve the livelihood of Pakistan's agriculture and dairy farmers through its
Agricultural Services for the purpose of farmers capacity building, farm mechanization and
transformation of farms in accordance to modern techniques. The company is also committed to
build sustainable farm practices and Agripreneurship for female dairy farmers of the country.
July 17, 2019
News Desk |
Nestle Pakistan, in commitment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
(UNSDGs), is working to transform the livelihood of the dairy farmers through its Agricultural
Services. The company‘s ambition towards Creating Shared Values (CSV) is the main driving
force behind its contribution towards strengthening the community of farmers.
Other than its global and local obligations, the company believes that its health is closely linked
to the resilience of the communities it operates in.
Pakistan, a natural resource rich country, has a strong agriculture sector that accounts for 20.9
percent of its GDP. Being a developing country, more than 60 percent of its population resides in

rural areas which, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, amount to 113
million people. Moreover, statistics show that 45 percent of Pakistan‘s labor class constitutes
of agricultural farmers out of which 36.2 percent are men and 75.4 percent are women.
The objective of the initiative is to develop profitability of the farms and to enhance
sustainable operations. Through this project, Nestle aims to improve efficiency and quality of
milk production.
21.2 million hectares of Pakistan‘s land is cultivated and agriculture-friendly of the total 79.6
million hectares of land. Almost 80 percent of the cultivated land is also irrigated with the
world‘s largest intricate irrigation system.
Pakistan is among the top ten global producers of wheat, cotton, oranges, sugarcane, mango and
dates. It is also the 13th largest producer of rice in the world. The major crops produced in the
country accounts for 6.5 percent of the GDP. Another 11 per cent of the country‘s GDP is
contributed by the livestock sector which employs approximately 35 million people; hence
contributing significantly to the economy of the country.
Nestle Pakistan’s Agriculture Services
The Agricultural Services of the company are focused on improving the socio-economic
conditions of the farmers. The services provide farmers with comprehensive and modern
solutions on dairy and agriculture for efficient production. These solutions are provided by a
specialized team with expertise in agriculture and dairy farming.
The services provided by Nestle Pakistan are focused on various aspects of farming
and agriculture including the development of farms, training of farmers, entrepreneurship
ventures, importing efficient livestock and other significant areas.
Dairy Farms‘ Transformation is one such initiative provided under Nestlé‘s Agricultural
Services. The objective of the initiative is to develop profitability of the farms and to enhance
sustainable operations. Through this project, Nestle aims to improve efficiency and quality of
milk production.

Moreover, the Agriculture Services of the company are also focusing to enhance the quality of
raw milk via import of superior cows and setting up on-farm chilling facilities. Reportedly,
Nestle has successfully inducted 9,000 cows with superior genetic potential that has significantly
contributed in farm milk production growth and improved milk quality.
Nestlé‘s Agricultural Services is also focused largely on the Capacity Building of Farmers
through its drive to transform and polishing skills of dairy farmers to become professional
farmers. Through its comprehensive dairy farming extension programs the company aims to
implement advanced farming practices. So far the company in collaboration with International
Finance Corporation (IFC) has conducted on farm trainings by local and international
agricultural trainers and jointly published a comprehensive guide on dairy farming.
Nestlé Agriculture team also helped their farmers to improve managerial and entrepreneurial
skills, resulting in better farm operational efficiency. Based on the success of modernized pilot
farms which served as lighthouses of dairy farming, the model was replicated in other dairy
farms which not only enhanced the entrepreneurial skills of dairy farmers but also improved
profitability of their farms.
Nestlé Pakistan has partnered with the Government of Punjab’s Agriculture Department to
support local farmers to take up drip irrigation to protect the country’s water resources.
Agricultural Services of the company have greatly contributed towards Farm Mechanization that
focuses on inculcating modern technological techniques in farming. The company has installed
digital heat detection & health management systems for cows at Nestlé training farm with the
purpose to educate progressive farmers on the importance and benefits of technology in farming.
Nestlé’s Collaboration with Commercial Lenders for Farm Development Schemes
In order to implement its Agricultural Services Nestle had collaborated with seven commercial
banks in 2018 with an objective to finance farmers. The Services including Farm Infrastructure
Improvement, Cow Purchase and Farm Mechanization were at the core of this financial lending.
According to a report published in 2018 by Nestle, Rs 634 million had been disbursed through
this collaboration alone.Farmers in Pakistan require hefty financial assistance due to the lack of
government support, however, farmers at Nestle are provided with reliable financial assistance to
fulfill their needs. Reportedly, farmers at Nestle Farms have availed Rs 634 million out of which
Rs 127 million was spent on farm infrastructure and Rs 507 was spent on cow financing.
Women Agripreneurship- Nestlé Pakistan’s Initiative for Female Farmers

Female farmers in Pakistan constitute a larger number than male farmers; out of the total farming
labor class in Pakistan 75.4 percent of them are female farmers. Nestle acknowledges the major
role women play in the rural agriculture/dairy sector of Pakistan and hence is working to
facilitate female farmers to the maximum.
Through its Agripreneurship initiative for women, Nestle has successfully trained 3000 rural on
Best Farm Practices in 2018. The program aims to strengthen capacity building and develop
support for women entrepreneurs to start and help grow their business ideas. So far 11 rural
women have benefited from the entrepreneur funding provided by Nestle‘s Agricultural Services.
Moreover, 300 female milk suppliers were also made a part of Nestlé‘s milk collection value
chain.
Nestle has also setup a cellular network based SMS advisory service to provide information
pertinent to weather changes, disease outbreaks with additional farming related messages to
farmers. Thousands of farmers have been enrolled in the cellular advisory services to access
dairy-based knowledge to advance their farming skills and techniques that help them improve
productivity, reduce costs, and increase income while also getting maximum benefits from
mobile phone usage.
Nestlé Pakistan‘s Sustainable Agriculture Initiative
Nestlé Pakistan‘s commitment to UNSDGs has been playing a pivotal role in contributing to
agricultural economy through dairy development. In line with its sustainable-world ambition,
Nestlé Pakistan aims to further contribute to agriculture economy through developing
professional suppliers for other agricultural raw materials such as fruits, cereals and vegetables.
Nestlé Pakistan has partnered with the Government of Punjab‘s Agriculture Department to
support local farmers to take up drip irrigation to protect the country‘s water resources. At
present, the yearly capita availability of water in Pakistan is estimated at about 1,100 cubic
meters; below 1,000 cubic meters, countries begin experiencing chronic water stress according to
Population Action International. Vast majority of the country‘s water resources – some 90
percent – is used for agriculture, while the remaining share is split equally between the industry
and domestic use.
The company has so far installed water drips on 107 acres as of 2018 that has saved 301 liters of
water annually; these farms are located in various parts of Punjab. Nestle Pakistan has pledged to
increase the drip average from 107 to 143 acres to save 400 liters this year.
https://www.globalvillagespace.com/how-is-nestle-pakistan-empowering-dairy-farmers/

Amira Nature Foods Ltd Announces $18 Million
Contract with New Customer
July 18, 2019 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Amira Nature Foods Ltd (the "Company")
ANFI, a global provider of packaged Indian specialty rice, today announced that it entered into a
contract to supply approximately $18 million of third party branded rice to a new customer in the
Europe, Middle East, and Africa (―EMEA‖) region. The Company expects to recognize the
benefit of this contract in the fiscal 2020 year ending March 31, 2020.
―We are extremely pleased to expand our customer base in the EMEA region‖
Tweet this
―We are extremely pleased to expand our customer base in the EMEA region,‖ stated Karan A.
Chanana, Amira‘s Chairman.
Further information on the Company, including an updated investor presentation and other
information, can be found on the Company‘s website at www.amira.net.
About Amira Nature Foods
Founded in 1915, Amira has evolved into a global provider of packaged specialty rice, with sales
in over 40 countries today. Amira sells Basmati rice, premium long-grain rice grown only in
certain regions of the Indian sub-continent, under their flagship Amira brand as well as under
other third party brands. Amira sells its products primarily in emerging markets through a broad
distribution network. Amira‘s headquarters are in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and it also has
offices in India, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. federal
securities laws. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases that we
or our members of management use such as ―believe,‖ ―expect,‖ ―anticipate,‖ ―foresee,‖
―forecast,‖ ―estimate‖ or other words or phrases of similar import. Specifically, these statements
include, among other things, statements that describe our expectations for the global rice market,
the financial impact of new sales contracts on our revenue, our expectations regarding the
successful efforts of our distribution partners, and other statements of management‘s beliefs,

intentions or goals. It is uncertain whether any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking
statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what impact they will have on our results
of operations, financial condition, or the price of our ordinary shares. These forward-looking
statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to
our ability to perform our agreements with customers; our ability to recognize revenue from our
contracts as planned; continued competitive pressures in the marketplace; our reliance on a few
customers and distribution partners for a substantial part of our revenue; our ability to implement
our plans, forecasts and other expectations with respect to our business and realize additional
opportunities for growth; and the other risks and important considerations contained and
identified in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking
statements attributable to us or to persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their
entirety by these risk factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, we undertake no
obligation to update any forward-looking or other statements herein, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
Contacts
Wendy Eguez
The Amira Group
+447340071854
wendy.eguez@theamiragroup.com
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190718005093/en/Amira-Nature-Foods-Announces-18-
Million-Contract
Rice farmers in for more bountiful harvests with
DOST-formulated growth promoter
July 19, 2019, 3:44 PM
By Dhel Nazario
Greater harvests are forthcoming for Filipino farmers with the availability of the radiation-
processed Carrageenan Plant Growth Promoter (PGP) formulated by the Department of Science
and Technology (DOST).
According to Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) Scientist Dr. Lucille Abad, the formula has been
proven to increase rice yields by as much as 30 percent versus the yield from average farmer practices, while

also making the crops more resistant to blight and infestation caused by tungro virus, and strengthening the
crops‘ extensive root systems, which can better withstand the effects of lodging during typhoons.
The PGP also had the effect of driving away harmful pests without harming insects and arthropods which are
naturally beneficial to crops.
The Carrageenan PGP is already being launched nationwide by various technology adopters, distributing it
through various dealers, cooperatives and other possible arrangements. For an optimal amount of 9 liters per
hectare, farmers could use the PGP along with conventional fertilizers.
Not only will the PGP increase the number of cavans, but it will also make each cavan heavier and fully-laden
with rice. With the PGP, farmers could earn up to an additional P16,000, or more than $300 – an increase in
income of over 19 percent.
Scientists from the DOST-PNRI developed the PGP from carrageenan, a natural polymer extracted from red
seaweed. Using the fabricated liquid handling system at PNRI‘s Electron Beam Irradiation Facility, the
carrageenan solution is processed using electron beams into a foliar fertilizer sprayed at certain stages in the
plant‘s life.
The PGP was funded by the DOST – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources
Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) and tested in cooperation with the University of the
Philippines – Los Baños National Crop Protection Center (UPLB-NCPC).
The formula was set for field trials by the Department of Agriculture (DA) from 2015 to 2019 to cover several
provinces in Luzon, Panay Island, Zamboanga and Davao, for a total of around 35,000 hectares of farmland.
Farmers can maximize the potential yield of their crops when using PGP in conjunction with more efficient
farming methods and proper timing.
Other food crops such as mungbean, peanut, leafy vegetables, corn, sugarcane, and banana are also being
subjected to PGP field tests, where results showed an increase in yield by around 35 percent for mungbean and
around 40 percent for peanut.
More than just improving the yield and agronomic traits, scientists are also pushing the limits of the PGP‘s
beneficial effects, particularly whether it can help crops survive in adverse conditions, which become
increasingly likely due to climate change as well as natural disasters.
The Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) has certified the PGP for commercialization in rice, with plans to
widen its coverage to include other crops in the near future.
The Carrageenan PGP exhibit, along with other marvels of nuclear science and technology, are being
showcased during the 2019 National Science and Technology Week celebration from July 17 to 21 at the
World Trade Center in Pasay City.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/07/19/rice-farmers-in-for-more-bountiful-harvests-with-dost-formulated-
growth-promoter/

Scientists create single-use edible dishware made from
apples
by Samara State Technical University
Edible glasses made of apples Credit: Samara Polytech
A few years ago, biotechnologists from Samara State Technical University took up the
development of edible food film, which, according to scientists, could reduce the amount of
waste from traditional plastic packaging. The product obtained by Samara scientists is made
exclusively from natural ingredients, with no dyes or preservatives. Chemical processes that
entail deep chemical changes are not required for production. The technology uses standard
processes of the food industry (mixing, concentration, formation of layers of raw materials).
First, scientists use fruit or vegetable puree to form a mass and add a plasticizer—a special
natural adhesive substance whose composition is kept secret. After that, the finished layer is
dried at a temperature not higher than 60 degrees C.
In 2018, the technology for creating edible packaging received three Russian patents and formed
the basis of another ambitious project—edible dishware. The experiment began with glasses,
since it is the most common type of disposable plastic dishware in the world.

Of course, there are already edible packaging and dishware products made from rice, coffee,
avocado seeds, etc. but these products are only conditionally edible, since they contain artificial
additives that are not completely absorbed by the human body. An adhesive substance used in
the edible film and edible dishware is completely safe and made exclusively from natural plant
materials. It is not obtained by chemical synthesis, it does not contain harmful impurities, it is
widely used for the production of a number of food products.
In developing food film formulations, scientists experimented with raw materials from various
fruits, berries and vegetables, including apples and carrots, currants and chokeberries, plums and
strawberries, green beans, pumpkins and blueberries. However the scientists found that apple is
more suitable for edible dishware, since it has the best taste and viscoplastic properties. For
example, an apple-based cup could withstand boiling water poured into it, and holds liquid for
two to three hours.
In the near future, Samara Polytech scientists are planning to bring apple dishware to the market,
this they need to automate the process of its manufacture.
Edible glasses made of apples Credit: Samara Polytech
"Initially we aimed to create a packaging in which it will be possible to store, to warm up
foodstuffs, and then eat it with food. Other packaging in space is inconvenient: it is difficult to
dispose it," says project manager Nadezhda Makarova. "Edible dishware made from apples can
be useful for those who work in the Arctic or on offshore oil platforms, or make long journeys
with a rucksack."
The benefit of using edible packaging and dishware for the environment is obvious.
"Waste plastic dishware is hard to dispose of. For example, not all of them can be used as
secondary raw materials,"—explains Dmitrii Bykov, the rector of Samara State Technical
University, professor of chemical engineering and industrial ecology. "Nowadays, they make
compostable plastics, but I think they are even worse. Plastic turns into dust, and small pieces are
dispersed in the environment. It takes a long time to complete their combustion. In addition,
particles of plastic fall into the tissues of flora and fauna, including those that are in food chains.
Our glasses are made of real biomaterial, therefore they are absolutely non-toxic."
At the end of March, the European Parliament approved a bill aimed at reducing plastic waste.
From 2021, it will be forbidden to sell plastic dishware, cotton sticks and drinking straws in the
European Union.
https://phys.org/news/2019-07-scientists-single-use-edible-dishware-apples.html

Biodiversity conservation emphasised
Islamabad :Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood emphasized the importance of
conserving biodiversity in the face of global climate change, and lauded the development of a big
health data repository under the Biodiversity and Big Health Data Alliance (BHBD) initiated by
the Beijing Institute of Genomics, China.
The Minister was addressing as the chief guest the opening session of the International
Symposium on Global Biodiversity and the 2nd Annual Meeting of the BHBD Alliance Meeting
at the Secretariat on Thursday.
The event has been organized by the National Centre for Bioinformatics, Quaid-i-Azam
University in collaboration with COMSTECH and Beijing Institute of Genomics (BIG), Chinese
Academy of Sciences.The Minister expressed Pakistan‘s appreciation of this scientific alliance
formed in 2018 that has institutions from China, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Thailand.as
founding members.
Dr. S. Khurshid Hasanain, Advisor COMSTECH (OIC Ministerial Standing Committee on
Scientific and Technological Cooperation) identified the role of COMSTECH as advancing S&T
in OIC member states through cooperation, collaborations and support for scientific
initiatives.Considering the crucial importance of this alliance in providing its members access to
a vast data base of biodiversity and its genomic sequencing, COMSTECH was very keen to see
other OIC member States becoming a part of this alliance.
He offered COMSTECH collaboration with BHBD Alliance, under the Ten Year Science and
Technology Agenda of the OIC.While addressing the inaugural session Prof. Dr. Muhammad
Ali, Vice Chancellor, Quaid-i-Azam University lauded the efforts of the organizers and Chinese
support for Pakistan in a variety of fields.
He urged Pakistani scientists to derive maximum benefits from this initiative by forming
research collaborations and usage of the scientific facilities offered by the alliance.

Earlier Dr. Amir Ali Abbasi, Chairperson, National Centre for Bioinformatics, QAU and Focal
person of the Big Health Data Alliance (BHBD) briefed the audience regarding objectives and
expected outcomes of the project.
Experts from China, Thailand, Russia, Pakistan, Iran and Malaysia participated as the keynote
speakers in the symposium.
Genomics, environment, genetics, biodiversity, health big data alliance, rice biodiversity
research and fellowship initiative of CAS president were the topics covered in the presentations
of the experts.
More than 115 researchers, students and faculty members from universities and research
institutions of Pakistan participated in the event. In the afternoon session the BHBD Alliance
held its Second Annual Meeting and deliberated on planning for the coming year and other
technical issues.
funds shortage: COMSATS University Islamabad Rector Prof. Dr. Raheel Qamar has
complained that the shortage of development funds had stented the growth of the university over
several years."The budgetary cuts have resulted in the stoppage of the Prime Minister‘s Scheme
for Fee Reimbursement, which is impacting middle class parents from deprived areas from being
able to access higher education for their children," the rector told Minister of State for States and
Frontier Regions and Narcotics Control Shehryar Afridi during a meeting.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/500461-biodiversity-conservation-emphasised
Gov’t cuts inflation outlook for 2019, expects wider
budget deficit towards 2022
Published July 18, 2019 7:59pm
By TED CORDERO, GMA News

The inter-agency Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) on Thursday slashed
its inflation rate assumption for 2019 amid stabilizing commodity prices.
At a press conference in Manila, the DBCC said it has revised downward the inflation rate
forecast for this year to the range of 2.7 to 3.5% from its earlier assumption of 3% to 4%.
The lower inflation outlook is "due to the government's decisive steps to stabilize the general
price level," Budget Acting Secretary Janet Abuel told reporters.
"These include the full implementation of the presidential directives issued last year to increase
the food supply and the passage of the Rice Liberalization Act, which opened up the rice sector
and helped bring prices down," Abuel said.
In September 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte issued Administrative Order (AO) 13, which
removed the constraints and non-tariff barriers on meat, fish and rice importation to address
unabated price increases in basic commodities that pushed inflation to a nine-year high of 6.7
percent in October and September.
In February, Duterte signed into law the Rice Tariffication Act, which removed the quantitative
restrictions on rice and imposed a 35-percent tariff on imports from the country's neighbors in
Southeast Asia.
In June, the inflation rate slowed to its slowest in 21 months at 2.7%.
Budget deficit
The DBCC also increased its budget deficit target at 3.2% of gross domestic product (GDP) from
2020 to 2022 from an earlier fiscal program goal of 3% of GDP for the said period.
It maintained the deficit ceiling at 3.2% for 2019.

This is to "sustain the government's investments on infrastructure and human capital
development," Abuel said.
For her part, Finance Assistant Secretary Ma. Teresa Habitan said that the wider deficit target for
2020 to 2022 is in part due to a change in the estimates in the revenue and disbursement program
adopted by the DBCC.
For 2019, revenue collections are projected to reach P3.15 trillion, while disbursements are
expected to hit P3.77 trillion.
"For 2020, revenues are seen to increase to P3.54 trillion, equivalent to 16.7% of GDP, while
disbursements are programmed at P4.21 trillion or 19.9% of GDP," Abuel said.
Revenue and disbursement projections are estimated to rise to P4.42 trillion or 17.2% of GDP
and P5.24 trillion or 20.4% of GDP, respectively, by 2022.
"The comprehensive tax reform program can help ensure a reliable revenue base and, more
importantly, enhance the modernization of our economy. Completing the passage of the
remaining tranches of the tax reform will ensure a steady revenue flow and equitable sharing of
contributions for the government‘s social and infrastructure programs while securing fiscal
stability long into the future," Abuel said.
GDP target
The DBCC maintained the GDP growth target at 6% to 7% in 2019; 6.5% to 7.5% in 2020; and
7.0% to 8.0% in 2021 and 2022.
Dubai crude
"The assumption for the USD price of Dubai crude oil per barrel for 2019 to 2022 is retained
between USD 60-75 per barrel," Abuel said.

Foreign exchange
The DBCC assumption for the Philippine peso-US dollar exchange rate is adjusted P51-P53:$1
for 2019 and calibrated at P51-P55:$1 from 2020 to 2022, "projecting the possible appreciation
of the peso with easing inflation pressures and positive market sentiment with the recent
sovereign credit rating upgrade of the Philippines."
Trade
In terms of external trade, the DBCC's assumptions in goods exports growth were set at 2% in
2019, due to slower global growth, and maintained at 6% from 2020 to 2022.
Goods imports growth projections were lowered to 7% in 2019, and maintained at 8% from 2020
to 2022.
Services exports growth assumptions were set at 9% from 2019 to 2022, while services imports
growth were fixed at 3% in 2019, 4% in 2020, and 5% in 2021 and 2022.
"We remain steadfast in our commitment to build a more dynamic and competitive economy,
one that will provide jobs to our workers, improve the living conditions of the poor, and create
more opportunities for all law-abiding Filipinos," Abuel said.
The DBCC—comprised of the Department of Finance, the Department of Budget and
Management, and the National Economic and Development Authority—held its meeting ahead
of Duterte's fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22, Monday.
The meeting is done to "revisit the government‘s macroeconomic assumptions, medium-term
fiscal program, and growth targets in time for the submission of the 2020 President‘s Budget."
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/economy/701549/gov-rsquo-t-cuts-inflation-outlook-for-
2019-expects-wider-budget-deficit-towards-2022/story/

China Denounces Trump Meeting With Religious Exiles
as Meddling
By Iain Marlow
July 18, 2019, 11:54 AM GMT+5 Updated on July 18, 2019, 2:15 PM GMT+5
Kashgar, in China‘s Xinjiang region. Photographer: Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images
China criticized a meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese religious exiles as an
unacceptable interference in its affairs, as Beijing faced new criticism over its mass detention of
ethnic Muslim minorities.
China‘s foreign ministry made the remarks Thursday after Trump hosted 27 representatives of
what the White House said were persecuted religious groups in the Oval Office, including four
Chinese. Among the invitees was Jewher Ilham, whose father, Uighur economist Ilham Tohti,
is serving a life sentence in China on separatism charges..
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-18/china-defends-crackdown-in-muslim-region-amid-
u-s-criticism
Cooking Class: Indian
By BONJ_Admin
July 18, 2019
Location: Maricel‘s Kitchen
Address: 165 Amboy Road, Morganville, 07751
Event Date: 07/18/2019
Event Time: 6:30 pm - 11:30 pm
Event Description:
Join Maricel for an Introduction to cooking Indian food. India has exported its cuisine around
the world and is loved by everyone. Indian food infuses a long and diverse history of different
ethnic groups, regions, tastes, and cultures. Starting with a few staple dishes Maricel will take
you on an Indian Food Adventure. In this class you will make: Chicken Korma – a southern

asian dish consisting of meat or vegetables braised with yogurt or cream Jeera Rice – also know
as Zeera rice is an Indian dish consisting of rice and cumin seeds. It is a popular dish in North
India and Pakistan as an everyday rice dish. Dal – an Indian dish of dried, split legumes
(Lentils). Roti – is a round flatbread made from stoneground wholemeal flour, traditionally
known as atta, and water that is combined into a dough. Roti is consumed in Bangladesh,
Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Singapore, Maldives, Thailand, Malaysia and
India. Maricel loves to cook and shares her passion with her students. Maricel's Kitchen classes
are perfect events for a girls night out, a get together with friends, or to enhance your skills and
understanding of food. Maricel's Classes are perfect for cooks of all skill levels. Whether you
are just setting out or a seasoned professional, Maricel will help you learn the flavors and
techniques that make Asian foods so exciting. Classes are hands on and interactive. Participants
will receive their very own Maricel's Kitchen Apron and a packet of recipes for the dishes they
created. Maricel ends all her classes with everyone sitting down to enjoy the meal they just
created. It is a perfect end to the event and gives everyone a chance to socialize and enjoy the
fruits of their labor. Classes start promptly and we ask that all participants arrive about fifteen
minutes early to check in and get settled. Due to limited space and the upfront costs of food, our
classes and events are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, you are more than welcome to
transfer your seat to someone else; however, all sales are final and cannot be refunded. Thank
you. All classes subject to our Terms & Conditions: http://maricelskitchen.com/cooking-class-
terms-conditions/ *Tickets are non-refundable.
https://bestofnj.com/events/cooking-class-indian/
U.S. Rice in the UK - Ready to Heat and Eat
By Eszter Somogyi
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM -- Last month Tilda, a local U.S. rice importer here, launched
a brand new ready-to-heat (RTH) pouch rice product featuring identified U.S. long grain rice.
"The launch of Tilda's RTH pouch rice is an exciting new development as this is an entirely new
category for U.S. rice sales in the UK," said USA Rice Vice President International Sarah
Moran. "Pouch rice made up more than 56 percent of the value of mainstream retail UK rice
sales in 2018, a growth of +8 percent on the year."
The Tilda RTH product is available on the shelves in Waitrose, a British supermarket chain, as
well as online, and is seeing increasing demand by busy consumers, particularly from the
growing number of single-person households who appreciate the product for its convenience.

"Research showed that more than 40 percent of the spending in the pouch rice category is on

products backed by promotions, so USA Rice joined forces with Tilda to support the launch of
this product," said Moran. "The campaign included online marketing and consumer magazine
advertising funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded to USA Rice to
mitigate the damage as a result of trade tensions between the U.S. and other countries."
In June 2018, the EU introduced an additional 25 percent retaliatory tariff on U.S. milled rice
which has led to a 46 percent reduction in U.S. rice exports to the UK over the past year.
USA Rice Daily
Floods hit Bangladesh rice farmers; top hubs fear
scant rainfall
By Arpan Varghese
ReutersJuly 18, 2019
Bangladeshi workers dry rice at a rice-processing mill in Muktarpur

More
By Arpan Varghese
BENGALURU (Reuters) - Rice farmers in Bangladesh grappled with a double whammy of floods
and low demand for their produce this week, while export prices for the grain's Vietnamese variety
rose on fresh interest from Philippines and Africa.
Meanwhile, rice export prices from India and Thailand were little changed, amid concerns scant
rainfall could hurt crops.
Bangladesh, which has historically relied on imports to meet shortages, could be faced with a huge
loss of paddy as vast swathes of land have been submerged by floods, agriculture ministry officials
said, who did not want to be named as they are not authorised to speak to the media.
Flooding has killed at least 153 people in India, Nepal and Bangladesh and affected millions this
year.
Bangladesh has also been unable to clinch deals since a ban on rice exports was lifted in May.
The country's food ministry ordered district administrators to ensure procurement of paddy directly
from farmers to meet a government target of 400,000 tonnes.
Market insiders, however, said the move would not benefit most growers in dire need of cash, since
they were compelled to sell their crop to millers or middlemen at much cheaper rates.
In 2017, the country was forced to massively increase imports to shore up reserves after floods
destroyed crops and pushed local prices to records, but domestic stocks have since greatly improved.
In Vietnam, rates for 5% broken rice rose to $350 a tonne on Thursday from $335-$340 last week.
"Exporters are increasing purchases from local farmers for deals signed earlier, mostly with
customers in the Philippines and Africa," a Ho Chi Minh City-based trader said.
Also, with the summer-autumn harvest in the Mekong Delta ending soon, there are concerns of lower
supply, another trader said.
Vietnam's rice exports in the first half of 2019 fell 3.6% from a year earlier to 3.36 million tonnes, as
per customs data.
Meanwhile, prices for the 5% broken parboiled variety from top exporter India were unchanged
around $374-$377 per tonne, amid modest demand from buyers in Africa.
Many rice-growing states have received lower-than normal rainfall and it could hurt the summer-
sown crop yield, said an exporter based at Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh.

India's monsoon rains were 20% below average in the week ending Wednesday, raising concerns
over output.
Second biggest exporter Thailand saw its benchmark 5% broken white rice quoted around $401-$402
a tonne on Thursday, free-on-board Bangkok (FOB), narrowing from $390-$404 last week.
Demand was slow, amid worries that scant rainfall will hamper crops going into the upcoming off-
season harvest, traders said.
Thai rice exports have also been hit by a strong baht this year, falling 12% in the first half of 2019.
(Reporting by Ruma Paul in Dhaka, Khanh Vu in Hanoi, Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai, Patpicha
Tanakasempipat in Bangkok; additional reporting by Anjishnu Mondal in Bengaluru; Editing by
Rashmi Aich)
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/floods-hit-bangladesh-rice-farmers-113825315.html
RPT-ASIA RICE-FLOODS HIT BANGLADESH
FARMERS; TOP HUBS FEAR SCANT RAINFALL
7/18/2019
(Repeats with no changes to text)
* Prices for Vietnamese variety rise to $350 a tonne
* Thai prices narrow, India rates little changed
* Modest demand from buyers in Africa for Indian variety
By Arpan Varghese
BENGALURU, July 19 (Reuters) - Rice farmers in Bangladesh grappled with a double whammy
of floods and low demand for their produce this week, while export prices for the grain's
Vietnamese variety rose on fresh interest from Philippines and Africa.
Meanwhile, rice export prices from India and Thailand were little changed, amid concerns scant
rainfall could hurt crops.

Bangladesh, which has historically relied on imports to meet shortages, could be faced with a
huge loss of paddy as vast swathes of land have been submerged by floods, agriculture ministry
officials said, who did not want to be named as they are not authorised to speak to the media.
Flooding has killed at least 153 people in India, Nepal and Bangladesh and affected millions this
year.
Bangladesh has also been unable to clinch deals since a ban on rice exports was lifted in May.
The country's food ministry ordered district administrators to ensure procurement of paddy
directly from farmers to meet a government target of 400,000 tonnes.
Market insiders, however, said the move would not benefit most growers in dire need of cash,
since they were compelled to sell their crop to millers or middlemen at much cheaper rates.
In 2017, the country was forced to massively increase imports to shore up reserves after floods
destroyed crops and pushed local prices to records, but domestic stocks have since greatly
improved.
In Vietnam, rates for 5% broken rice <RI-VNBKN5-P1> rose to $350 a tonne on Thursday from
$335-$340 last week.
"Exporters are increasing purchases from local farmers for deals signed earlier, mostly with
customers in the Philippines and Africa," a Ho Chi Minh City-based trader said.
Also, with the summer-autumn harvest in the Mekong Delta ending soon, there are concerns of
lower supply, another trader said.
Vietnam's rice exports in the first half of 2019 fell 3.6% from a year earlier to 3.36 million
tonnes, as per customs data.
Meanwhile, prices for the 5% broken parboiled variety <RI-INBKN5-P1> from top exporter
India were unchanged around $374-$377 per tonne, amid modest demand from buyers in Africa.
Many rice-growing states have received lower-than normal rainfall and it could hurt the summer-
sown crop yield, said an exporter based at Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
India's monsoon rains were 20% below average in the week ending Wednesday, raising concerns
over output.

Second biggest exporter Thailand saw its benchmark 5% broken white rice <RI-THBKN5-P1>
quoted around $401-$402 a tonne on Thursday, free-on-board Bangkok (FOB), narrowing from
$390-$404 last week.
Demand was slow, amid worries that scant rainfall will hamper crops going into the upcoming
off-season harvest, traders said.
Thai rice exports have also been hit by a strong baht this year, falling 12% in the first half of
2019. (Reporting by Ruma Paul in Dhaka, Khanh Vu in Hanoi, Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai,
Patpicha Tanakasempipat in Bangkok; additional reporting by Anjishnu Mondal in Bengaluru;
Editing by Rashmi Aich)
https://www.agriculture.com/markets/newswire/rpt-asia-rice-floods-hit-bangladesh-farmers-top-
hubs-fear-scant-rainfall
Dominguez: No to review of rice tariff law
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:26 AM July 19, 2019
The head of the Duterte administration‘s economic team on Thursday dismissed calls for a review
of the rice tariffication law for its alleged failure to drastically bring down prices of the Filipino
staple food.
―No‖ was Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III‘s reply when asked about outgoing
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol‘s social media post relaying such request from farmers and
cooperatives.
―We should let the rice liberalization law, which is three decades late, do its work and give the
economy time to adjust for the further easing of rice prices for more than 100 million Filipinos. We
must also implement the rice fund efficiently and effectively for our two to three million rice
farmers,‖ Dominguez said.
Citing a report from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Francisco G. Dakila Jr.,
he said prices of well-milled rice already declined to P42.92 a kilo as of June from P45.09 in
January and P49.06 in September last year.

As for regular milled rice, prices dropped to P38.56 a kilo in June from P41.41 in January and
P45.75 in September 2018, the report showed.
During the 2019 Pre-State of the Nation Address (Sona) Economic and Infrastructure Forum held
earlier, Dominguez described Republic Act No. 11203, or the Rice Liberalization Act, that
instituted rice tariffication as ―among the monumental legislative achievements of this
administration.‖
―The liberalization of rice trading was finally achieved after more than thirty years of failed
attempts under various administrations. This law has made quality rice more affordable and
accessible to Filipino consumers, thereby bringing down inflation. In fact, rice retail prices are now
cheaper by P5-10 a kilo compared to last year,‖ Dominguez said.
―Unlike in the past when quantitative restrictions were abused by a select few, the new law ensures
that farmers benefit directly from import tariffs by providing at least P10 billion each year for
mechanization, high-quality seeds, access to credit, and training,‖ he said.
The collection of tariffs on all rice imports under the liberalized trade scheme generated P5.9
billion in additional revenue for the government to date since it was implemented in March, data
from the Department of Finance showed.
Under RA 11203, the following tariff rates apply: 35 percent if rice was imported from Asean; 40
percent if within the minimum access volume (MAV) of 350,000 metric tons, from countries
outside Asean, and 180 percent if above the MAV and coming from a non-Asean country.—BEN
O. DE VERA
https://business.inquirer.net/274975/dominguez-no-to-review-of-rice-tariff-
law#ixzz5u7DTuQiE
Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook

GOVERNMENT TO SET SRP ON RICE
By Panay News
Friday, July 19, 2019
Farmgate price of palay continues to plunge in many parts of the country. The prevailing
farmgate prices showed a steep drop from an average of P20 per kilo of fresh palay earlier this
year which would result in an estimated P114-billion in losses to Filipino rice farmers. IAN
PAUL CORDERO/PN
MANILA – As the farmgate price of palay continues to plunge in many parts of the country, the
government is getting set to arrest this freefall by coming up with a Suggested Retail Price (SRP)
on rice.
In a press briefing on Wednesday, Agriculture secretary Emmanuel Piñol said, the need to set
SRP became apparent during a meeting held on July 16 between the rice industry stakeholders,
the Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which were
called to determine the cause of the drop in the palay prices.
―During the meeting, a lot of inputs were contributed and we saw that there are loopholes in the
Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) that needs to be addressed,‖ he said.

―Masyadong ganadong mag-import yung mga traders right now kasi feeling nila wala ng magko-
control sa presyo ng bentahan ng bigas sa palengke. So, napakalaki ng margin ng profit nila,‖
he noted.
Piñol said the landed cost of rice from Thailand is about P23/kilo, Vietnam is PHP25, and
Myanmar is about PHP18. ―Pero ang bentahan sa palengke and this was what surprised
us mataas pa rin– nasa P40, P50.‖
―This alarmed us because this was not the intent of the Rice Tariffication Law. The intent of the
RTL was to open the market to lower the price of rice and make it affordable to the consumers,‖
he stressed.
Piñol added that the implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law will result in a switch from the
previous quota system in importing rice to a tariff system, where rice can be imported more
freely.
The law allows unlimited rice importation, but investors must first secure a phytosanitary permit
from the Bureau of Plant Industry and pay the 35-percent tariff for shipments of Southeast Asia.
This is expected to result in a decline of as much as PHP7 per kilogram in the domestic retail
price of rice.
However, farmer leaders and rice industry stakeholders are now complaining as farm gate prices
of paddy rice dropped to a record low of P12 to P14 per kilo in many parts of the country.

The prevailing farm gate prices showed a steep drop from an average of P20 per kilo of
fresh palay earlier this year which would result in an estimated P114-billion in losses to Filipino
rice farmers for the whole year.
In contrast, the market prices of rice, expected to drop by P7 per kilo with the RTL, have
remained almost constant with some areas reporting a drop of only P1 to P2 per kilo, even with
the deluge of imported rice, the rice industry stakeholders said.
As of March 5, the total number of registered rice importers was 480, and the total number of
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance issued was 1,607,398.054 metric tons (MT).
As of July 12, the total volume of imported rice that arrived was 822,074.008 MT.

Under the RTL, a special safeguard duty on rice was put in place to protect the rice industry from
sudden or extreme price fluctuations.
A safeguard duty is a temporary increase in import duty of an agricultural product to deal with
import surges or price falls, under the World Trade Agreement on agriculture.
In a consultation Wednesday which was attended by the Department of Trade and Industry
(DTI), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Finance (DOF),
and DA, Piñol said they came up with a solution to use the Price Act as the basis in addressing
the ―uncontrolled‖ pricing of rice in the market with the purpose of coming up with an SRP.
―We are now drafting a Joint Memorandum Circular with DTI for the implementation of the
Price Act,‖ he said.
Under the provision of the law, the DA chief said, they can deputize or enlist the assistance of
any government agency in the implementation of the provisions of the Price Act.
―The DA will also issue a Department Order setting the guidelines for the SRP. The intention of
this move is to really make the consumers feel the effect of the Rice Tariffication Law,‖ he said.
―We will set the SRP based on the landed cost of rice. DTI, NEDA and DOF will come up with
the computation,‖ he added.Piñol said the SRP for rice might be between P35 to P38 per kilo for
premium or 5 percent broken. (PNA)
https://www.panaynews.net/government-to-set-srp-on-rice/

NoCot guv asks consumers to buy local
By Edwin Fernandez July 19, 2019, 10:36 am
LOCAL FARM PRODUCTS. Various fruit products and the famous black rice variety (inset)
of North Cotabato province being sold at local public markets. North Cotabato Governor Nancy
Catamco has initiated the ―Buy North Cotabato Made Products‖ campaign to help resident
farmers sell their products in the market amid the influx of imported rice, among others, in the
province. (Photo courtesy of NDBC Kidapawan)
KIDAPAWAN CITY -- North Cotabato Governor Nancy Catamco on Thursday vowed to rally
behind rice farmers by initiating the ―Buy North Cotabato Made Products‖ campaign in an effort
to encourage consumers to buy locally-milled rice and other products.
Catamco issued the statement in the wake of the influx of imported rice in the local market that
has been affecting the rice industry in North Cotabato province.
―There is a law that opened our local market to rice imports, but my (provincial) administration
will encourage our constituents to patronize locally-milled rice,‖ she said. "It is my moral
responsibility to protect our rice farmers.‖
Catamco said encouraging consumers to patronize locally-milled rice would spur local economic
activity.
―Once we buy imported rice, it is only the retailers and importers who will make money,‖ she
pointed out.

Catamco said she received reports that some rice mills in North Cotabato have ceased milling
palay since it was no longer viable with the presence of imported cheap rice in the market.
She noted, however, that North Cotabato remains the number one rice-producing province in
Region 12.
The governor said she will push for the passage of a provincial ordinance that will require wet
markets and department stores in the province to allot spaces for locally-made products.
The ―Buy North Cotabato-Made Products‖ advocacy program, she said, seeks to educate "our
consumers to buy locally-made products like rice, then our farmers will be assured of
income.‖ (PNA)
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1075334
Rice versus wheat
By BusinessMirror Editorial
July 19, 2019
The United States Department of Agriculture-Foreign Agricultural Service recently reported
that wheat imports by the Philippines increased 25 percent over 2018. This was attributed in
part to reduced local production of both rice and corn.
However, the key statistic is that the Philippines‘s wheat imports have more than doubled over
the last decade. The Philippines sources 95 percent of its wheat from the US.
Wheat is an important commodity for both human and animal consumption. The data shows that
half of the milled wheat we produce from this import is used for bakery products like bread and

the popular pan de sal. The remaining 50 percent is for noodles and pasta, and we love
our ramen and spaghetti.
It is considered a fact that Northern Chinese are generally taller than their southern counterparts
partially due to genetics. Their ancestry from the more-or-less indigenous ―Han‖ people was
―complimented‖ by the numerous invaders from all around central Asia.
However, there is a dietary factor for the increased height. Milled wheat, the staple in North
China, has higher protein content than milled rice, which is the staple of the South. Remember
from elementary school: ―Go, Grow and Glow foods‖. Protein from whatever source is the Go
component.
Recognizing that nutritionists strongly recommend whole-grain wheat products and brown rice
as more healthy, there is a difference in nutritional value of well-milled rice and white flour.
The fiber content is much higher for wheat, although rice is easier to digest. While both have the
same amount of iron, wheat contains calcium, which rice does not, and is much higher in
magnesium, phosphorus, iron and potassium. And we are talking about wheat containing double
to 10 times as much of these nutrients. But the key nutritional difference is the protein content.
Comparing 300 grams of rice and wheat, wheat offers 14 grams of protein and rice only 3 grams.
The 300 grams of wheat provide 82 percent of the recommended daily requirement of protein
versus only 16 percent from rice. The cost of rice is cheaper. However—and you know this if
you eat brown rice—wheat is more ―filling‖ and you need to eat more rice than wheat to get the
same nutritional value.
Filipinos are not going to give up their daily rice nor should they. But newly elected Manila City
Mayor Isko Moreno said he wants to institutionalize the Marcos-era Nutribun program, and that
may be an excellent idea to address our problems with childhood nutrition.

The original Nutribun was developed by the US nutritionists in 1970 and was made from a blend
of white and whole-wheat flour mixed with a nonfat dried milk powder. It was then fortified with
soy flour, which has both protein and micronutrients. Further, it can easily be locally produced.
The national government would do well to watch and learn if Mayor Moreno puts this program
in place. Young Filipinos need this
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/07/19/rice-versus-wheat/
Customs make N1.7bn, seize 589 bags of rice in Niger
Published July 19, 2019
Enyioha Opara, Minna
The Niger State Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has said it has generated N1.7bn
as revenue from January to June this year.
The Area Controller in charge of the command, Abba-Kassin Yusuf, said this in an interview
with newsmen in Minna on Thursday.
He also said the command seized 589 bags of smuggled rice with duty paid value of N10.013m
since the beginning of this month.
Yusuf explained that the command, which covers Niger, Kogi and Kwara states, would meet its
2019 revenue target of N3.5bn by the end of the year.
He gave a breakdown of the seizures made in different locations within the command‘s area of
operation for the month of July.

These include 189 bags of rice with duty paid value of N3,213,000; a six-tyre truck with number
plate, MNA 691 XV, conveying 300 bags of rice with duty paid value of N5,100,000; and a
Mitsubishi Canter mini truck conveying 100 bags of rice with duty paid value of N1,700,000.
The customs boss said personnel of the service would intensify surveillance and adopt measures
to make smuggling less attractive.
―The command has deployed competent officers to man all identified illegal routes used by
smugglers to bring in unwholesome goods into the country,‖ he stated.
Yusuf solicited the support of community leaders in the three states by supplying customs field
officers with vital information on the movement of smugglers
https://punchng.com/customs-make-n1-7bn-seize-589-bags-of-rice-in-niger/
Customs intercepts 2,919 bags of rice, 29 vehicles, 22
bales of clothes
Jul 19, 2019 National 169 By Afam Jude Offor
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Niger/Kwara and Kogi states Command, on Thursday
revealed that it intercepted no fewer than two thousand, nine hundred and nineteen (2,919) bags
of rice that were illegally imported into the country in six months.
Customs Area Controller for Niger/Kwara/Kogi states, Controller Yusuf Abba-Kassim
made this disclosure while addressing journalists at the command‘s bi-annual
press briefing in Minna, Niger state capital. Abba-Kassim added that the command made 42 seizures of
rice, totalling two thousand nine hundred and nineteen (2,919) bags with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of Fifty
Four Million Two Hundred and Seventy Nine Thousand Three Hundred Naira (N 54, 279, 300). Other
intercepted items seized by the command from January to June are 29 used vehicles with Duty Paid Value
(DPV) of Twenty Three Million Seven Hundred and Eighty Thousand Three Hundred Naira (N 23, 780,
300). The rest are (22) bales of second hand clothing with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of Seven Hundred and
Ninety two Thousand Naira, Sugar, used Tyres, Vegetable Oil, foot wears, with duty paid value of Two
hundred and Eight One thousand, Three Hundred and Twenty naira (N281,320,000). Abba-Kassim also
disclosed that the command generated One Billion Seven Hundred and Nine Million Six Hundred and
Sixty three Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty Eight Naira Eight Kobo (N1,709,663,828.08) between

January and June, which represent 56% of the annual target
This year 2019, the Command target is put at Three Billion Fifty One Million Six Hundred and
Ninety Nine Thousand Seven Hundred and Four Naira Fifty One Kobo (N 3, 051,699,704.51) out of
which we had so far generated One Billion Seven Hundred and Nine Million Six Hundred and Sixty three
Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty Eight Naira Eight Kobo (N1,709,663,828.08) which represent 56%
of the annual target. The Command generated Two Hundred and Seventy Seven Million Nine Hundred
and Ninety Four Thousand Sixty Three Naira Ninety One Kobo (N277,994,063.91) in the month of June
2019 out of Two Hundred and Forty Five Million Three Hundred and Eight Thousand Three Hundred and
Eight Naira Seventy one Kobo (N 245,308,308.71) of the Monthly target. This is quite a remarkable
performance because the Command surpassed the revenue generated in June 2018 with N
106,683,365.68. In June alone, this year, the Command has recorded Three (3) difference seizures of Rice
totaling One Hundred and Eighty Nine (189) Bags with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of Three Million Two
Hundred and Thirteen Thousand Naira N3,213,000.
A Six (6) tyres truck with REG. NO MNA 691 XV Suspected to be carrying Three Hundred (300)
Bags of Rice was intercepted with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of Five Million One Hundred Thousand Naira
(5,100,000) and that ―also a Mitsubishi Canter with REG NO XC 112 BDU suspecting to be conveying
One Hundred (100) Bags of Rice with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of One Million Seven Hundred Naira
(1,700,000) was also arrested within this month. Command is not relenting on its efforts to surpass its
recorded successes last year, since my assumption ―, saying, ―like any other month, the Command was
able to surpass the monthly target with Thirty Two Million Six Hundred and Eighty Five Thousand Seven
Hundred and Fifty Five Naira Two Kobo (N 32,685,755.2). After the 2019 general election, the

Command has been consistent in revenue generation. In
March we were able to surpass our monthly target with N
345,672,879.32 which outshine that of March last year 2018
with N 475, 192,799. 89. In April with N 69,046,333.72
which beat that of April 2018 with N 175,613,157.93. In May
2019 we again surpassed our Monthly target with N39,
251,249.17 which is also better than that of May last year with
N145, 992,344.14,‖ he disclosed.
http://news.obiaks.com/190719072847/customs-intercepts-2919-bags-of-rice-29-vehicles-22-
bales-of-clothes
Rice providing more conservation help to rice
producers
USA Rice spent two years putting together a website that will help rice growers pursue conservation
programs.
Forrest Laws | Jul 18, 2019
Navigating the federal and state conservation program waters can be challenging, to say the least.
Farmers can spend hours trying to figure out how to participate in a program only to find it‘s not
available in their state, says Josh Hankins.
―There are a lot of federal agencies offering programs, and there are state programs,‖ says
Hankins, director of grower relations and the Rice Stewardship Partnership for USA Rice. ―It‘s
all acronyms and keeping everything clear is extremely difficult to do.‖

That‘s why USA Rice spent two years putting together a website that will help rice growers
pursue those programs. Hankins talked about the tool — the Conservation Program Search
feature — and other conservation program information during a University of Arkansas System
Division of Agriculture Food and Agribusiness Webinar. (Click on https://bit.ly/2J6pwQU.)
Hankins, who is based in Arkansas, says the USA Rice Federation and its four member
organizations have become more aggressive in seeking waysto help rice producers improve
conservation efforts on their farms.
In 2013, USA Rice formed a working partnership with Ducks Unlimited. ―One of the first things
we did was put a study together that showed the cost of replacing all of our existing rice habitat
with managed natural wetlands would exceed $3.5 billion,‖ he said.
―Over half of our North American dabbling ducks winter in one of our rice-growing regions. It
shows you how important it is to keep rice healthy, efficient and economically viable, not only

for the economies of the states they‘re in but also for our migratory birds. Essentially, what's
good for rice is good for ducks.‖
2014 farm bill
The 2014 farm bill created a program called the Regional Conservation Partnership Program,
which ―took a small sliver‖ out of the current conservation budget, put it in a pot and made it a
competitive program where farmers could apply for those dollars.
USA Rice put together the applications — and the necessary private funds to match the federal
dollars — for a list of eight successful partnerships that Hankins displayed during the webinar
presentation.
―In 2015, we landed a $10 million project spread across all six of the major rice growing states,
which was led by Ducks Unlimited and USA Rice,‖ he noted. ―Since then we've grown that
program into eight across all of our rice regions. After all these have been delivered, this will
bring over $80 million to working rice lands for voluntary conservation practices.
―These dollars would be going to other parts of the country had we not successfully advocated
for them.‖
The CSP is designed for farmers and for working lands. It can build on existing conservation
efforts while strengthening operations.
In the new farm bill, the Agricultural Act of 2018, the Conservation Stewardship Program was
converted from an acre program to a dollar program, Hankins noted. ―Because of that
conversion, some of the funding was significantly dropped. The only way to qualify for our CSP
is if you grow rice. If that is not the case, you cannot apply.

Competitive programs
―As most of you know, NRCS programs are competitive. This does decrease some of the
competition, and the likelihood of getting funded could be significantly higher. Once again, we
have people who can help. We work hard for these dollars so you can participate in these
programs.
The Conservation Program Search website feature can be reached by clicking the Conservation
Search button on the https://www.usarice.com/website.
―I think you will find it of interest and a good tool for your farm, your business, your consultant
or whoever helps you determine what conservation programs work for you in your geographic
location and on your farm,‖ he noted.
―This was designed for rice and only for the programs available in our six rice states. We won't
put something on here that a rice grower won't find helpful. It's designed for you. Please take
time to explore what we put together and offer some feedback. We want to help you be more
efficient and possibly find programs you didn't know about that could be of benefit to you.‖
For more on the University of Arkansas Food and Agribusiness Webinar Series,
visit https://bit.ly/2E2BEla.
https://www.farmprogress.com/rice/usa-rice-providing-more-conservation-help-rice-producers
State govt to challenge order quashing FIR against miller
Jul 19, 2019, 7:01 AM; last updated: Jul 19, 2019, 7:01 AM (IST)
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, July 18

Even as the Patiala police have registered an FIR of cheating and fraud against 17 officials of
Pungrain and Punjab Agro Foodgrain Corporation, the state government is all set to file an
appeal against the lower court order of quashing the FIR registered against Nabha-based rice
miller Manpreet Singh Dhillon.
Officials in the Food and Civil Supplies Department alleged that the FIR against the officials was
registered without the department being intimated by the police. ―It is strange that the FIR is
registered based on an inquiry demanded by the accused six years ago,‖ said a top official.
They allege that the Nabha court had ordered quashing of FIR registered against the miller, but it
did not seek a case against the department.
Denying that there was any lapse on part of the officers for procuring Paddy 201 variety, the
officials said the variety itself was found to be not up to mark. ―This was brought to the notice of
the Centre and they even allowed for an upgrade charge of Rs 200 per quintal to be given to the
rice mills. Despite this, Pungrain and PAFC found that the stock of both paddy and rice with
these rice mills was much less. It is for this shortfall that cases were registered against the mill
owners,‖ said a senior Pungrain official.
The Food department has come up with an extensive policy to stop the pilferage of paddy.
Anandita Mitra, Director, Food and Supplies, and Managing Director of Pungrain, said they had
made it mandatory for all millers to install CCTV cameras; and fire extinguishers to ensure
minimal damage in case of fire. ―We have even introduced bank guarantees for any mill getting
over 5,000 quintals of paddy for milling. It has also been decided that each mill will get paddy
from only one state procurement agency. When mills were getting paddy from two agencies,
they would pilfer the paddy and show one agency‘s stock to the other agency‘s inspectors,‖ she
said.
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/state-govt-to-challenge-order-quashing-fir-against-
miller/804084.html

KBP to launch drive against corruption
 RECORDER REPORT
 JUL 19TH, 2019
 LAHORE
The Kissan Board Pakistan (KBP) will soon announce a movement against corruption after
consultation between office-bearers of all the four provincial organizations of the Board. The
Board also announced to fully participate in "Corruption Free Pakistan" campaign of Jamaat-e-
Islami Pakistan.
KBP central president Chaudhry Nisar Ahmad and Secretary General Chaudhry Shaukat Ali
Chaddhar disclosed this while talking to media persons in Mansoora auditorium here on
Thursday after a meeting of the General Council members of the Board from all over Pakistan.
Some new office-bearers of the Board took oath of their offices on this occasion.
KBP leaders accused the sugar millers, cotton millers and rice millers of exploiting the growers.
They said that growers of sugarcane, paddy, cotton, tobacco and vegetables were given throw-
away prices of their commodities while other regularities such as weighing less were also
committed.
They appealed the politicians who own sugar mills to play their role for stopping exploitation of
growers. They also asked Imran Khan to play his role for ending corruption by different
departments.
Secretary Information Haji Muhammad Ramzan on this occasion said that the Board declared
next year as the year for expansion and re-organization of the board. He said that new office-
bearers have been assigned the task for organizing the board in 25 union councils and villages of
the province.
https://fp.brecorder.com/2019/07/20190719498720/
Farmers hit hard again by Barry
NEWS

Posted: Jul 17, 2019 / 06:28 PM UTC / Updated: Jul 17, 2019 / 06:28 PM UTC
POINSETT COUNTY, Ark.- Barry‘s impacts are still being felt in Arkansas.
Farmers in northeast Arkansas say the extra rainfall has taken a toll on their crops.
One farmer in Poinsett County got around 4.5 inches of rain.
Scott Matthews said luckily, a portion of his farm only got hit with 2 inches of rain, but what
he‘s concerned about is his rice crop with the 4 inches of water on it.
―Our weather has actually affected us all season here,‖ says Matthews. ―It‘s delayed us for the
most part. Everyone welcomes a rain in July, but a five-day weather event like Barry, it‘s hurt
our timing, and timing is very crucial at this stage of our rice production.‖
Matthews says the rain is affecting the fungicide and nitrogen levels to his crop, which makes a
big difference in his crop yield.
https://www.kark.com/news/farmers-hit-hard-again-by-barry/.
S. Korea, WFP Seeking US Sanctions Exemptions to
Send Rice to N. Korea
Write: 2019-07-18 15:29:16/Update: 2019-07-18 15:30:50
Photo : KBS News
Discussions are currently underway with the U.S. to get sanctions exemptions for South Korean food
aid to North Korea.
A government source said Thursday that South Korea and the World Food Program(WFP) are
seeking the exemptions for ships and other equipment to deliver 50-thousand tons of South Korean-
produced rice amid severe food shortages in the North.
The United Nations agency, which will handle the delivery, is reportedly considering directly

transporting the aid from the South to the North to save costs and time.
In 2017, the U.S. imposed additional sanctions on Pyongyang under which any airplane or ship
making a trip to the country is banned from entering American territory for 180 days.
South Korea and the WFP signed an official contract regarding the food aid on July eleventh.
http://world.kbs.co.kr/service/news_view.htm?lang=e&Seq_Code=146754
Monsoon rain destroys P4.15 million worth of rice in
Negros Occidental
Some 433 farmers were affected by rain from the southwest monsoon enhanced by Tropical
Storm Falcon (Danas), says the Department of Agriculture

Rappler.com
Published 8:15 PM, July 18, 2019
Updated 8:15 PM, July 18, 2019
MANILA, Philippines – Heavy rain from the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat enhanced
by Tropical Storm Falcon (Danas) destroyed 664 hectares of rice fields in Negros Occidental
valued at P4.15 million.In a Facebook post on Thursday, July 18, the Disaster Risk Reduction
and Management Operations Center of the Department of Agriculture (DA) said the affected rice
fields are in the municipalities of Valladolid and San Enrique.
Some 433 farmers in the two municipalities have been affected as of 11 am on Thursday.
The DA's Western Visayas field office is still assessing and validating the extent of damage in
Negros Occidental.
The southwest monsoon is expected to weaken in the coming days, as Falcon already left the
Philippine Area of Responsibility at 2 pm on Thursday. – Rappler.com
https://www.rappler.com/business/235708-monsoon-rain-destroys-rice-negros-occidental-july-
2019
Review law allowing rice imports? No!, says
Dominguez
By: Ben O. de Vera - Reporter / @bendeveraINQ
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 03:22 PM July 18, 2019
An emphatic ―No.‖
Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III gave this reply when reporters asked him what he
thought about a social media post by outgoing Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol relaying
appeals made by farmers and farm cooperatives for the government to review the Rice
Tariffication Act, which allowed the unrestricted importation of rice provided duties were paid in a
move taken to ease rising prices.

The appeals for a review came supposedly after the measure failed to result in drastic declines in
prices of the Filipino staple food.
Citing a report from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Francisco G. Dakila Jr.,
prices of well-milled rice already declined to P42.92 per kilogram as of June 2019 from P45.09 per
kg in January of the same year and P49.06 per kg in September 2018.
The report also showed that regular milled rice prices dropped to P38.56 per kg in June 2019 from
P41.41 per kg in January 2019 and P45.75 per kg in September 2018.
At the 2019 Pre-State of the Nation Address (Sona) Economic and Infrastructure Forum held early
this month, Dominguez described Republic Act No. 11203 or the Rice Liberalization Act as
―among the monumental legislative achievements of this administration.‖
―The liberalization of rice trading was finally achieved after more than thirty years of failed
attempts under various administrations,‖ Dominguez said at that forum.―This law has made quality
rice more affordable and accessible to Filipino consumers, thereby bringing down inflation. In fact,
rice retail prices are now cheaper by P5-10 per kilo compared to last year,‖ Dominguez added.
He said quantitative restrictions, or QR, which limited the volume of rice that are allowed to be
imported to the Philippines, had been ―abused by a select few.‖
―The new law ensures that farmers benefit directly from import tariffs by providing at least P10
billion each year for mechanization, high quality seeds, access to credit and training,‖ Dominguez
said.
The collection of tariff after import restrictions were eased had generated P5.9 billion in additional
government revenue since March, data from the Department of Finance showed.
The new law sets a 35 percent tariff for rice imported from the Asean region, 40 percent for
imported rice that don‘t exceed the minimum access volume (MAV) of 350,000 metric tons from
countries outside Asean and 180 percent if above the MAV and coming from non-Asean sources.

Opening up the importation of rice was President Rodrigo Duterte‘s reaction to a period of
shortage of affordable rice from the National Food Authority which led to a spike in prices./TSB
https://business.inquirer.net/274908/review-law-allowing-rice-imports-no-says-
dominguez#ixzz5u7H0sVZV
Some farms still flooded days after Barry
Posted: 10:01 PM, Jul 17, 2019
Updated: 8:22 AM, Jul 18, 2019
By: Jordan Lippincott
WHITEVILLE — Farmers in St. Landry Parish are calling for
drainage improvements after they flooded during Hurricane
Barry."The farm is completely inundated right now. We have mature
rice that is headed out that would probably be ready for harvest in
five to six weeks," said soybean and rice farmer Curt Richard.
Richard's farm is located in the northern part of the parish.After Hurricane Barry, the rice to
which Richard is referring is now under water.
"The water doesn't drain like it should, you know? It should leave our farms faster than it does,"
said Richard.
A large portion along Hwy. 29 is farmland, but right now, some parts look like a lake with water
covering the crops.

Farmers say it's a complete loss of business.
"Each change brought a lot more water to this area than historically they would receive," said
Sierra Club chairman Harold Schoeffler.
According to Schoeffler, the flooding is caused by infrastructure changes over the last 40 years.
He has a few possible solutions."Get rid of the Keystone Dam. Put a significant gate in the
Bayou Ami levee. Increase the capacity into Henderson, and open the Bayou des Glaises," said
Schoeffler.
https://www.katc.com/news/st-landry-parish/some-farms-still-flooded-days-after-barry
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