March 16, 2015

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Volume 5, Issue I
Daily Exclusive

ORYZA Rice
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ICCBS, Chinese institute to work on rice research

our correspondent
Saturday, March 14, 2015
From Print Edition
Karachi

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for rice

research was signed between the KUs
International Centre for Chemical and Biological
Sciences (ICCBS) and the China National Rice
Research Institute (CNRRI) of Hangzhou on
Thursday.The objective of the agreement is to
conduct research for developing new highyielding and disease resistant varieties of rice and
any such other areas the two parties may agree
upon.
The MoU was signed at a ceremony held at Dr Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and
Drug Research (PCMD), said a spokesperson of the ICCBS.Chinese officials, including CNRRI
Deputy Director General Dr Peisong Hu, Dr Liyong Cao, Dr Xinhua Wei, Aijuan Ge, ICCBS
Patron-in-Chief Professor Dr Atta-ur-Rahman, ICCBS Director Professor Dr Muhammad Iqbal
Choudhary and other faculty members attended the ceremony.Prof Dr Rahman said the
agreement would further promote collaborative research between the two countries and termed
the MoU a positive sign for research on rice.Dr Choudhary said the centre was engaged in
research and development of various fields of chemical, biological, biomedical and genomic
research.
The Chinese institution will train scientists from ICCBS in the field of rice breeding and
production of high quality hybrid rice seed, he added.As per the MoU, both institutions will
work together in the field of agricultural biotechnology and both have agreed to enhance
relations and develop academic exchange in the area of research.Dr Hu said the CNRRI focused
on basic and applied researches with priority on solving significant scientific and technical
problems in rice production.http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-306708-ICCBS,Chinese-institute-to-work-on-rice-researchHome / Science & Technology / Science / Intl Centre
for Chemical & Biological Sciences, China institute sign MoU on rice research

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Intl Centre for Chemical & Biological Sciences, China institute

sign MoU on rice research
Reported by: `Customs Today Report March 13, 2015

KARACHI: An MoU on rice research was signed between International Center for Chemical and
Biological Sciences and China National Rice Research Institute (CNRRI) of Hangzhou, China.
The objective of the agreement is to conduct research for developing new high yielding and
disease resistant varieties of rice and such other areas as the two parties may agree upon.
The MoU was signed in an official ceremony held at Dr Panjwani Center for Molecular
Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), University of Karachi.Prof Dr Muhammad Iqbal
Choudhary, on behalf of ICCBS and Deputy Director General CNRRI Dr Peisong Hu on behalf
of his institute signed the agreement.Speaking on the occasion, Prof Dr Atta-ur-Rahman said that
this was the positive sign that Pakistani and Chinese scientists were jointly carrying out research
on rice.
Dr Iqbal Choudhary informed that the Chinese institution will train the scholars from ICCBS in
the field of rice breeding and production of high quality hybrid rice seed.As per the agreement,
both the institutions have agreed to enhance relations between the two institutions and to develop
academic exchange in the area of research, he said.Dr Peisong Hu said that CNRRI focused on
basic and applied researches with priority on solving significant scientific and technical problems
in rice production.
http://customstoday.com.pk/intl-centre-for-chemical-biological-sciences-china-institute-sign-mou-onrice-research/

Dr Swaminathan wants special package for state

MS Swaminathan in Chandigarh. Tribune photo: S Chandan
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 13
Former Director-General of International Rice Research Institute and one of the pioneers of the
Green Revolution, Dr MS Swaminathan today said that Punjab should be declared a special
agriculture zone and should be given a special package to maintain food security.Regarding
amendments in the Land Acquisition Act, he said without specifying the objective, agriculture
land should not be acquired by the government. A sizeable chunk of land was acquired for

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special economic zones, many of which failed to take off and have now become real estate sites,
he said.
No land should be acquired without consulting farmers and without declaring the need for
acquiring the land, he said. While acquiring land, three factorsfood security, security of
farmers and purpose for which land is to be acquiredshould be kept in mind. Preserving land is
a must as 90 per cent of food for humanity comes from the soil and only 10 per cent comes from
other resources such as the ocean, he said.
Cropping pattern
On the crisis in the farm sector, he said Punjab farmers should
adopt a three-year cropping pattern. In the first two years, they
should grow wheat and in the third, leguminous crops or green
fodder to invigorate the soil.Likewise, farmers should grow
paddy (rice), especially basmati, for two years and shift to
pulses the third year, he said. Dr Swaminathan said that it
would be in the national interest if farmers in Punjab continued
to grow paddy and wheat. He said there was a need to move to
evergreen revolution which meant making farming viable
for small and marginal farmers, ecological sustainability and
maintaining soil health.
On the Shanta Kumar committee report regarding FCI restructuring, he said before taking a
decision, there should be an informed debate on the issue among all stakeholders. He said the
policy of MSP and grain procurement could not be abandoned. Implementing the report without
a debate could pose a threat to the countrys food security, he claimed. I have only
recommended a 50 per cent margin for the farmers whereas some pharmaceutical companies
earn profit up to 500 per cent, he said.
On need for MSP
There has been a hue and cry across the country over the non-implementation of Dr
Swaminathans recommendations regarding the MSP. The BJP, that had promised to implement
the recommendations on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections, has backed off. Dr Swaminathan
suggested that this could be done in phases announcing a 10 per cent increase in the first year,
a 20 per cent increase the second year and ultimately a 50 per cent rise in the third year. Saving

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small and marginal farmers is a must to save the farm sector as the survival of 60 per cent of the
population depends on it, Dr Swaminathan said.
Value addition in the farm produce and starting allied ventures was the need of the hour, said Dr
Swaminathan. He said he was for a single agriculture market in the country. Along with
technical upgradation of technology, there was a need to improve the labour efficiency to ensure
inclusive growth in the farm sector.
On climate change
On climate change, he said there was a need for anticipatory research to counter the effect of
climate change. More money needed to be pumped into agriculture research for coming out with
weather-resistant varieties of wheat. With the increase in temperature (up to 2 degree Celsius)
there could be a huge fall in food production in Punjab, he warned. He said soil health cards
would not serve any purpose if the panchayats were given help in maintaining soil health. He
said after ensuring food security, there was a need to raise the nutritional value of foodgrain.
Need for insurance
There is a need to introduce insurance for the farm sector, said Dr MS Swaminathan. This would
ensure stability in the farm sector and ensure food security. He said there was no harm in
growing genetically modified crops. He said foreign direct investment (FDI) could prove
beneficial for the farm sector. It would be a win-win situation for farmers as well as investors, he
said.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/dr-swaminathan-wants-special-package-forstate/53354.html

Rice is not bad after all, says study

Eating rice may do more good and less harm if you watch your portions, suggests a new
campaign that aims to promote guilt-free rice consumption. Best Foods Limited, which owns the
label Best Rice, seeks to reinstate rice as staple diet as part of its I Love Rice campaign. The
company engaged market research firm TNS India to discern new-age myths surrounding rice
consumption. The findings showed thatHyderabadi s love rice dishes, but a majority (73 per cent
respondents), fear the cereal is fattening.
City-based nutritionist B. Janaki, who sought to bust myths on Friday, said rices high glycemic
index, which has earned it the reputation of being a fattening food, is actually lowered by its
combination with other components of an Indian meal. Glycemic index is the effect of a food on
blood glucose level.Rice is seldom taken by itself. Though it has a high index, when mixed with
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dal, vegetable or meat, it does not dramatically influence blood glucose levels. Most importantly,
unlike wheat, rice does not contain any gluten. So it does not cause stomach bloating. If
consumed in moderate quantities as required by the body, it becomes the main source of
nutrients, Dr. Janaki said.
Myths
Other myths that discourage people from
eating rice, the research revealed, included rice
having low-fibre content and being bad for
diabetics.Dr. Janaki said eating brown rice and
less polished rice could make available higher
fibre content and also stressed that diabetics
could consume rice if they adhere to regular
eating hours and restricted portions.The
research found that people from the city
regularly cooked an average of 12 rice dishes,
higher than other metros where the research
was conducted.Best Foods CEO Ayushman
Gupta said rice was the only food that could
change form easily even after cooking.The
respondents were married women aged 25 to
45, and hailed from higher income families.
Two hundred and fifteen of them were from
Hyderabad.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/rice-is-not-bad-after-all-says-study/article6992702.ece

Commodities Slump Close to Ending as Hackett Says Buy

Rice
Youtube

byClaudia Carpenter
1:44 AM PDT
March 15, 2015
Coffee beans are prepared for roasting at the Cafe Primavera facility in Itapira, Brazil. Arabica
coffee slipped 37 percent as Brazils weak real currency encouraged exports, adding to supplies.
Photographer: Paulo Fridman/Bloomberg
Commodities Fall to 12-Year Low as Dollar Rises Amid Surplus
Goldman Sachs Forecasts 20% Drop in Commodity Prices

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(Bloomberg) -- The slump in commodities is close to
ending and prices for wheat, rice and coffee should rebound
because demand is close to supplies, according to Shawn
Hackett, president of Hackett Financial Advisors in
Florida.The Bloomberg Commodity Index of 22 raw
materials closed Friday at a 12-year low, and is almost 30
percent lower than this time last year. Wheat, rice and
coffee supplies are the lowest relative to demand and trade
in 50 years, Hackett said. The Brazilian real should stabilize
in the next 30 days, helping coffee prices to rebound, he said.Immense opportunity exists when
panics occur as they are now, Hackett said in an e-mailed report on Saturday.The Bloomberg
Commodity Index climbed 0.1 percent by 12:16 p.m. in Dubai on Monday after falling 3.2
percent the past two weeks.Wheat dropped 28 percent in the past 12 months and rice fell 32
percent. Arabica coffee slipped 37 percent as Brazils weak real currency encouraged exports,
adding to supplies.
Cocoa prices have dropped 3.2 percent this year and are still
an incredible short, or likely to fall more, Hackett said.
Should underlying support break as I expect it will, the
cocoa crash should be epic.In livestock, hogs are getting
cheap while cattle remain overvalued, he said. Live cattle
futures climbed 6.1 percent in the past year, the only item in
the Bloomberg Commodity Index to gain over the period.
Lean hogs slumped 41 percent.Hackett also recommended selling milk futures for September
through December delivery where prices are above $17 per hundredweight. It is important to
keep emotions under control and remain focused on the prize of buying when there is blood in
the streets, Hackett said. Those that did that in 2008-2009 and bought commodities are retired
now.To contact the reporter on this story: Claudia Carpenter in Dubai
atccarpenter2@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Nayla Razzouk
atnrazzouk2@bloomberg.net John Deane, Bruce Stanley
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-15/commodities-decline-near-exhaustion-as-hackettsays-buy-rice

Local researchers find anti-obesity properties in rice bran

Updated: 2015-03-16 16:26:26 KST
About 500,000 tons of rice bran is produced every year in Korea after rice is polished.
Thirty percent of the residue is used in cosmetics or livestock feed, while the rest is discarded.
But a group of local researchers has recently discovered evidence that special properties in rice
bran could be beneficial in preventing obesity.They released the results early this month.The
researchers conducted a test in which a control group of mice was fed high-fat foods, while an
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experimental group was fed high-fat foods and given an injection of rice bran extract.After six
weeks, the mice in the control group gained 44 percent more weight, but the group that was
given the rice bran injections showed a significant difference in weight gain of only 33 percent.( ,
Korean)
"The mice given the rice bran extract injections gained significantly less weight and there was a
reduction in the amount of fat in the liver cells."The difference was also noticeable in the size of
fatty tissues and cells. The mice in the high-fat control group had enlarged cells, but the mice in
the rice bran group saw no change in their fatty tissues.The researchers discovered that certain
bioactive components in rice bran helped decrease the proportion of fat in the body.( , Korean)
"Through animal testing, we've proven that rice bran is effective in fighting obesity. It could be
used to make health-functional food or medicine."After confirming the effectiveness and safety
of rice bran in humans, the researchers anticipate the results will transform the unused raw
material into a high-value product while tackling the oversupply of rice in the country.
Sohn Jung-in, Arirang News.
Watch Video: http://www.arirang.co.kr/News/News_View.asp?nseq=177303
http://www.arirang.co.kr/News/News_View.asp?nseq=177303

Drastic fall in paddy cultivation in Karimnagar

Karimnagar district, which emerged as the
rice bowl of Telangana, now faces a bleak
future as the area under paddy cultivation has
declined drastically, causing concern among
farmers and others. Severe drought condition,
a depleting groundwater table and poor
inflows into the irrigation projects are cited
as reasons for diminishing area under paddy
cultivation in the rabi season. Since 2006,
Karimnagar began to find a place on the
paddy cultivation map as it registered good
production. The area of paddy cultivation
increased from 1.38 lakh hectares to 2.98
lakh hectares.But this rabi season, paddy
cultivation came down drastically due to deficit rainfall and poor inflows into the major
irrigation projects of SRSP and the Lower Manair Dam. In-charge Joint Director (agriculture)
Shatru Naik told The Hindu that paddy cultivation came down to 90,850 hectares compared to
1.38 lakh hectares.In the usual course, paddy cultivation would have been taken up in over 2 lakh
hectares had the district received good rains.
The agriculture official said that poor rainfall would certainly impact production. He said 40 per
cent of the paddy produce was meant for producing seed, 20-25 per cent for sale while the
remaining is consumed by farmers.S. Komuraiah, a farmer from Chenjarla village of
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Manakondur mandal, said that he had cultivated paddy only in one acre of land for domestic use
as the water in the well had depleted. He had to leave the remaining four acres idle. He said he
was facing hurdles in watering the crop due to depletion of the groundwater table.Annamaneni
Sudhakar Rao, director of Karimnagar district rice millers association, said that the drought had
cast its shadow on the rice mills as well with several of them having closed down in the
district.People who had purchased harvesters to eke out a living are also at the receiving end due
to low production of paddy, he added.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/drastic-fall-in-paddy-cultivation-in-karimnagar/article6997770.ece

VN plans greener rice cultivation

Viet Nam plans to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from rice cultivation alone by 14 per
cent by 2030.
This was announced in Ha Noi on Tuesday by an official from the Ministry of Natural Resources
and Environment at a conference.Pham Hoang Yen, an expert involved in the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol, said in the last
few years, the country had chased the goal of a 20 per cent reduction in GHG in the overall
cultivation sector by 2020.What the country has been doing includes preparation for National
Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) and other policies developing countries adopted to
control global GHG at a UNFCC conference in Bali eight years ago.In addition, Viet Nam has
also carried out a programme of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).In June last year, the
country had 253 CDM projects and had registered 11 programmes of activities.
This move earned it 10.7 million certified emission reduction (CEF) credits granted by CDM
Executive Board through CDM activities, Yen said.The total GHG emissions reduction from the
253 CDM projects was 137 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.Viet Nam ranks fourth
in the world in term of the number of CDM projects and ninth in terms of granted CEF
certificates.In the near future, many projects would be started to lower methane emissions in rice
cultivation in a number of localities, Yen said.The agricultural sector also applied Good
Agricultural Practices and cultivation methods that economise the use of fertiliser, pesticide and
water in order to limit methane emission on rice fields, she said.According to the 2010 National
Greenhouse gas inventory, there will be an increase in emissions on both livestock and farm
land.In livestock breeding sector, GHG emissions are expected to grow from 18.03 million
tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2010 to 24.95 million tonnes in 2020 and 29.32 tonnes in 2030.In
agriculture, GHG emissions are expected to increase from 23.81 million tones of carbon dioxide
in 2010 to 33.94 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2020 and 37.4 tonnes in 2030.The industrial
process had an GHG emission growth, but it was still small compared with the total of emissions,
Yen said.It is predicted that Land use, Land use Change and Forestry activities in Viet Nam will
absorb 42.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2020, and 45.3 million tonnes in
2030. The main source of emissions and absorption will be forest and cultivated land.The
workshop was organised by the Research Programme on Climate change, Agriculture and Food
Security and its partners.http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/125513/vn-plans-greener-ricecultivation.html