31st October, 2018 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newlsetter

October 31 ,2018
Vol 9 ,Issue 10
1|www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com ,
mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com
Penang assemblyman urges Putrajaya to review rice laws for
farmers
30 October 2018
By Opalyn Mok
Bukit Tengah assemblyman Gooi Hsiao Leung proposed that farmer cooperatives be freed from
government control and influence in order to empower the farmers. ― Picture by Sayuti
Zainudin
SEBERANG PERAI, Oct 30 — The federal government should relook the Padi Cultivators
(Control of Rent & Security of Tenure) Act 1967 and Farmers Organisation Authority Act 1973
that has been unchanged for over 40 years, Gooi Hsiao Leung said today.
The Bukit Tengah assemblyman added that the paddy farming industry is in need of
revitalisation, but was being held back by outdated laws.
“There is an urgent need to revamp the entire system of government subsidies in the rice industry
and the way it is managed to ensure that only the targeted group of farmers benefit from it,” he
said in a statement.
He proposed that farmer cooperatives be freed from government control and influence in order to
empower the farmers.
“Farmers must never become beholden to the government as practiced in the past so our laws
must be amended and farmer cooperatives set free to organize themselves and act in their own
common interest to shape and influence government policy or legislation,” he said.
He said the functioning of free and independent paddy farmer cooperatives with appropriate
government financial and technical support are critical in achieving food security in the country.
The former Alor Setar MP commended the government’s decision to review Bernas’ monopoly
on rice imports with plans to set up a new body or mechanism to manage the rice industry.
“For too long, left in the hands of Bernas, the management of the rice industry had been
neglected by the previous government, often with special attention given only to government
projects or subsidies what will enrich cronies,” he alleged.
He said he had on many occasions, as the Alor Setar MP previously, raised the plight of paddy
farmers in Parliament.
He said the majority of the 300,000 paddy farmers who produce 70 per cent the country’s rice
every day live in abject poverty and remain in the bottom B40 group.
Gooi added that these farmers have very little or no say in the management, leakages and
excesses of bad government policies affecting them previously.
“They don’t even have right to choose what rice they can grow or fertilizers they can use,” he
said.
He also commended agriculture deputy minister Sim Tze Tzin for organising a dialogue session
with paddy farmers, millers and wholesalers in Kedah last weekend.
He said now that Pakatan Harapan is in Putrajaya, the new government can transform the rice
industry and bring back the glory days of paddy farming.
He urged the agriculture minister to conduct a detailed study on how the government can reform
the existing structures of paddy farmer cooperatives when formulating a new model or
development plan for the paddy farming industry.
https://www.malaymail.com/s/1688104/penang-assemblyman-urges-putrajaya-to-review-rice-laws-for-
farmers
Gov’t measure to curb inflation: SRP on pork, chicken, and

rice
By Jose Santino S. Bunachita|October 29,2018 - 10:40 PM
Regional Director Asteria C. Caberte of the

Department of Trade and Industry-Central
Visayas (DTI-7), discusses the price situation
amid the rising inflation during Friday’s DTI
forum in Parklane International Hotel.
CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA
The Department of Trade and Industry in Central

Visayas (DTI-7) is assuring the public that the
government is putting in place measures to arrest
the continued increase in prices of basic
commodities.
Among these measures is to impose a suggested retail price (SRP) on agricultural products like
chicken, pork, and rice.
“These are very drastic measures. Imposing a price ceiling on agricultural products, karon pa na
(this is the first time). In economics, we should not put a price ceiling on highly perishable
goods,” said DTI-7 Regional Director Asteria Caberte during the Consumers Forum at the Cebu
Parklane Hotel last Friday.
To recall, the DTI, Department of Agriculture (DA), and the National Food Authority Council
(NFAC) agreed earlier this month to impose the SRPs on these three products.
For one, it was agreed that for chicken, retailers can only add up to P50 profit margin on top of
the farm gate prices. For pork, it is up to P70 as profit margin.
Inflation rose to 6.7 percent in September. For Central Visayas, Caberte said it was higher at 7
percent.
In her talk, Caberte explained that based on government data from the September 2018 inflation,
the top contributors are rice, fish, vegetables, and meat; taking up 2.8 percentage points of the
total 6.7 percent.
This is why government efforts are directed towards addressing these agricultural raw products.
The government is also pushing for rice tariffication wherein the quantitative restrictions in
importing rice will be lifted to encourage more importers to help bring down prices of rice.
An SRP on rice is also being planned by the government, Caberte added.
Other commodities
Meanwhile, the DTI-7 has noted only minimal increases in the prices of prime commodities and
basic necessities based on their monitoring.
The DTI monitors a total of 203 shelf keeping units (SKUs) or product variants all over the
country. In Central Visayas, there are 182 SKUs.
These items include among others, cans of sardines, milk, coffee, and other basic products.
“Out of these 182 products in Central Visayas, only seven products have increased their prices.
The increases range between 4 percent to 10 percent. Very minimal. For those products that are
monitored by DTI, there is only little impact,” Caberte said.
She explained that the DTI is only mandated to monitor the prices of basic necessities and prime
commodities.
Agricultural products, which are the main drivers of inflation, are monitored by the DA and
NFAC, among others.
At the same time, Caberte assured that the government and manufacturers have agreed to hold
off any additional price increases in the next three months up to the end of 2018. This agreement
started last August.
She pointed out that among the reasons why some manufacturers increased prices before is the
higher cost of other materials like the cans used for sardines which have to be imported from
abroad.
The weakening peso value also added to this as manufacturers needed to spend more pesos to
buy these materials.
Caberte explained that the main causes of inflation in the country are the insufficient rice supply
in the market, higher prices of oil in the global market, weakening of the peso, and the Tax
Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) law, which she said had only “minimal”
contribution.At the same time, she said the fact that most Filipinos now have a higher take home
pay, has also contributed to inflation.
Programs like the unconditional cash transfer also contributes as the government is making
available more money without a corresponding increase in productivity.
“We are giving P32.5 billion per month as additional income to people. Around 90 percent of
that is spent and that is inflationary. There is additional supply of money in the economy with no
corresponding increase in productivity,” she said.
https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/201251/govt-measure-to-curb-inflation-srp-on-pork-chicken-and-rice
Observer Reminds of Possibility of Reduced Rice Supply ahead

of Year End
Monday, 29 October 2018 | 14:31 WIB
Illustration: Rice supply
JAKARTA, NNC -- Agricultural observer Khudori reminded of the possibility of reduced rice
supply towards the end of the year due to famine and increasing public demand.
To overcome this, Khudori said in a statement received in Jakarta on Sunday (10/28/2018) that
the Logistics Agency (Bulog) usually had to conduct market operations to stabilize rice prices.
However, according to him, if Bulog's rice reserves continue to decline due to market operating
policies, the government must consider securing domestic needs through imports.
"If the reserve is not enough, I think it can be assigned again to the Logistics Agency so that the
remaining imports are to be sent again," he said.
At present, the Logistics Agency still has the remaining 200,000 tons of rice import assignments
that can be delivered as needed to cover the year-end deficit.
According to estimates, market operations for three months require five tons of rice per day, with
the possibility of Bulog's remaining rice reserves reaching 2.2 million tons.
In fact, the ideal amount of government rice reserves in Bulog is 2.5 million tons or in
accordance with the one-month rice consumption of the Indonesian people.
Director of Operations and Public Services, Bulog, Tri Wahyudi Saleh acknowledged that
Bulog's rice reserves began to be eroded by increasing the amount of rice for market operations
to reach 2,500 tons per day.
Tri added that projections of market operation needs would be even greater, along with famine
and increased demand, especially at the end and the beginning of the year.
"Now it has started a lot. It has been 2,500 tons per day. December-January is the peak, it can be
five or six thousand tons per day," he said.
For this reason, according to him, it is possible that Bulog will again import to strengthen
domestic supply which is increasingly limited.
The latest rice production data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) shows the threat of a
rice supply deficit of 2.53 million tons in the last three months of 2018.
This can be seen from rice production which is estimated to only reach 3.94 million tons, while
public consumption in three months can reach 7.45 million tons.
Indef researcher Rusli Abdullah hopes for mitigation if the assumption of a domestic production
surplus is not realized and rice production is lower.
According to him, the next four months until March 2019 is a crucial period for rice production
because El Nino has the potential to cause low rain intensity and reduce yields.
"The government must ensure that rice can be accessed by the community," he said, as reported
by Antara.
http://www.en.netralnews.com/news/business/read/25251/observer.reminds.of.possibility.of.redu
ced.rice.supply.ahead.of.year.end
Nepal harvests record-high paddy output by growing

Chinese hybrid rice
Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-30 18:54:25|Editor: mmm
KATHMANDU, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- The total paddy production in Nepal has reached 5.23
million metric tons this year, the highest harvest in the country's history and the country's
Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has attributed the record-high paddy output
to cultivation of Chinese hybrid rice.
Timely rainfall and availability of developed seeds and chemical fertilizers have attributed to the
rise in paddy production by nearly 30 percent as compared to the harvest of 2017-18 fiscal year,
officials claimed.
Though the Nepali government had projected the paddy production of only 5 million metric tons,
the higher output has been regarded as a significant contributor to the gross domestic product
(GDP) of the country and economic growth in overall. The agriculture sector constitutes 33
percent of the total GDP in which paddy accounts for as high as 20 percent.
According to the agriculture ministry, the record harvest would help cutting down the rice
imports from different countries and contribute to reduction of rice deficit.
The optimism comes at a time when the Chinese hybrid rice, spreading over 300 hectares of
land, is doing excellent performance in the country.
On Monday, a team of government officials from both Nepal and China, and research scientists
and representatives of the World Food Program (WFP) visited the high-yield demonstration field
of Chinese hybrid rice located within the premise of the National Agricultural Research Council
in Lalitpur.
Noting that the performance of Chinese hybrid rice is excellent in Nepal, the Nepali side
expressed willingness to produce hybrid rice in large scale to have large yields and resolve rice
scarcity.
"The performance of Chinese hybrid rice is very nice and exciting," Baidya Nath Mahato,
executive director of the Nepal Agricultural Research Council, told Xinhua.
Under the first phase of three-year long China-Nepal agricultural technical cooperation project
that started in February 2016, China has been providing economic and technical assistance in the
agricultural sector for Nepal, especially for cultivating rice and maize.
The Chinese government has also been helping Nepal promote adoption of hybrid rice varieties
and conducting technical demonstration and training on post-harvest processing technology,
farm machinery operation and maintenance technology.
For this end, Yuan Longping High-tech Agriculture Co. Ltd, a Chinese implementing agency, is
working in cooperation with the Nepal Agricultural Research Council.
According to the officials, in the past two years, 67 hybrid rice varieties have been introduced
from China and tested in various parts of Nepal. Among them, one variety has already been
approved by the Seed Quality Control Centre under Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock
Development.
Chinese hybrid rice has been popular among the farmers of the country due to higher yield,
strong tillering ability, straight leaves with no drooping, more effective panicles per unit area,
more grains and good taste, among others.Ananda Kumar Gautam, a senior scientist of the Nepal
Agricultural Research Council, told Xinhua that "we are very much impressed by the
performance of Chinese hybrid rice and the response from the farmers is very positive."
In the budget for the current fiscal year, the Nepali government has announced a plan to make
the country self-reliant in food within next few years. Experts believe that Chinese hybrid rice
can resolve the food deficit and help Nepal ensure food security.
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-10/30/c_137569494.htm
Mwea rice farmers losing out to cheaper imports from Asia

Oct. 30, 2018, 12:00 am
By LEWIS NYAUNDI @xnyaundih
Rice farmers prepare a seedbed at the Mwea Irrigation scheme. Photo/Monicah Mwangi
Mwea farmers have linked the expensive cost of locally produced rice to the high production
costs.
The farmers said about 90 per cent of the rice consumed locally is imported mostly from Asia,
giving Kenyan rice farmers stiff competition.
According to the farmers, production cost of rice on leased land is Sh52 per kilo and Sh30 per
kilo on own farm.
10 | w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o g s p o t . c o m ,
Mwea Irrigation Scheme covers 24,000 acres with an additional 6,000 acres by private out
growers.
Last year, they sold rice between Sh62 and Sh72 a kilo after demand picked up. However,
farmers say the price of rice skyrocketted because of the high production cost.
Chairman of Irrigation Water Users Association Moris Mutugi said imports flooding the market
will hurt earnings if not controlled.
https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2018/10/30/mwea-rice-farmers-losing-out-to-cheaper-imports-from-
asia_c1842146
Further imperiling Philippine rice

October 29, 2018 | 9:55 pm
THE government’s accelerated move to impose rice tariffs and lift quantitative restrictions on
rice imports is touted to ease inflation. It comes with a heavy price in the long term, however, as
it puts in peril the livelihood of millions of Filipino rice farmers. Amid runaway inflation
triggered by its regressive tax reform program, the Duterte administration, in an unprecedented
and probably Constitutionally questionable move, issued Administrative Order (AO) 13 ahead of
the passage of a Rice Tariffication Bill. The President himself even declared that the country can
now import as much rice as it wants.
The country’s economic managers point out that while the Rice Tariffication Bill would open the
floodgates for cheaper rice that could kill local farmers, it would nevertheless raise revenues
from importation to fund the agriculture sector’s competitiveness and to improve farmers’
incomes. This remains to be seen though, since the Philippine government has historically
neglected the sector, allocating a mere 5% of the national budget over the last two decades.
Even the quasi-government institution Phililppine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS)
projects a 29% decline in rice farmers’ incomes with a P4-decrease in palay farmgate prices
when rice tariffication is implemented. Around 4 million rice farming families will be affected.
Even experts attending the recently concluded 5thInternational Rice Congress are giving fair
warning that the Philippine government should strike a balance between short term easing of
price increases and long-term impact on farmers’ incomes and eventually again, food prices.
HISTORICAL NEGLECT
Farmers continue to suffer the large non-implementation of land reform and utter lack of
government support in terms of capital, subsidies, and facilities.
This neglect is bolstered by the country’s accession to the World Trade Organization —
Agreement on Agriculture (AOA), which pushes for the liberalized trade of agriculture products
and decreased the State’s role in the sector and even in the staple rice industry.
Among the 7-8 of 10 farmers who lack the means to amortize land that is awarded to them, rice
farmers are forced to pay land rent under leasehold agreements. Government reports that 3-4 of
10 farmers are forced to enter loans on usurious terms. They also pay rent for threshers and
harvesters, and are usually in a cycle of indebtedness to equipment owners, some of whom are
also their palay buyers.
The Philippine government’s agriculture expenditure vis-a-vis total agricultural production has
recently fallen below the WTO-allowed percentage of 10% at only 6.3% in 2016 and 7.0% in
2017. Lacking government support for irrigation and palay procurement has also particularly
contributed to the sorry state of farmers.
Irrigated lands as of 2017, for instance, cover only 60% of 3.13 million hectares total potentially
irrigable areas. Irrigating 100% at the current 4 MT per hectare productivity for at least two
harvest seasons can yield palay equivalent to around 25.3 MT, which translates to 16.4 MT of
rice based on a 65% recovery rate. This is more than enough to supply the country’s demand for
the food staple of roughly 13.1 MT as of 2017.
RUINED MANDATE
The National Food Authority (NFA) has never fulfilled its mandate of procuring 10% of local
palay production. From an average 5.4% procurement rate in the 1980s, NFA’s average
procurement went down to 1.6% from 2010 to 2017 and even a negligible 0.8% of total local
palay production from 2013 to 2017. The P17 per kilo palay procurement price of the NFA is
also too low and has not increased in the last 10 years.
As a result of deregulation, government subsidy for the NFA has also not increased. Its 2017
budget of P7 billion for food security stabilization or for palay procurement, for example, that
can only last 8 days for rice supply even went down to P5.9 billion for 2018.
The NFA has resorted to importing rice instead of buying from Filipino farmers. It also reached
the point that the agency lent its tax exemption subsidy to private importers, using P12 billion
government tariff revenues. It also diverted its P5.1 billion Food Security Program funds to pay
its debts, contributing further to its low accomplishment rate of 18.6% in 2017, as discovered by
the Commission on Audit (COA).
While private importers get to be subsidized by the government to buy rice from foreign farmers,
Filipino rice farmers often borrow from rice traders and big landlords for their capital in rice
production and other household expenses. Subsequently, they are forced to sell their produce to
traders at low prices even if prevailing prices in the market are high.
BOOSTING PRODUCTION
Thailand and also Vietnam, from which the Philippines imports rice, subsidize their farmers
beyond the WTO-set ceiling. Vietnam pours around US$400 million to US$1 billion to
agricultural support, while Thailand spent US$27.7 billion in subsidies to its farmers from 2011-
2014. Also, while Philippine rice farms are more productive than Thailand’s, the latter is still
able to produce more rice. This is because Thailand continues to expand its rice harvested area
— 11.8 million hectares in 2018 — while Philippine rice farms are diminishing — only 4.8
million hectares in the same period — due to plantation expansion.
The Philippine government can increase the share of agriculture in the national budget in order to
realize the full potential of Philippine rice productivity and increase farmers’ incomes and
livelihood.
In terms of procurement, the NFA needs roughly P50.56-P126.4 billion to buy 10-25% of local
palay production. This would ensure a buffer stock of sufficient rice supply for 51 to 128 days.
At P20 buying price, this is also estimated to raise the income of Filipino rice farmers by
P12,000 or to P80,000 from the current P68,000 gross income from 80 cavans per hectare bought
at P17 per kilo.
Makabayan bloc lawmakers, meanwhile, recommend P185 billion for rice industry development
to be implemented within three years or about P61.7 billion annually. The recently filed House
Bill (HB) No. 8512 or Rice Industry Development Act allocates P25 billion for subsidies to rice
production and socialized credit, P45 billion for irrigation development, P20 billion for irrigation
systems repair and rehabilitation, P30 billion for post-harvest facilities development, P50 billion
in farm inputs, and P15 billion for research and development of sustainable agricultural
technologies. The Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill or HB 555 estimates P313 billion or P62.6
billion annually for five years for land distribution.
Striving to realize the full potential of the Philippine rice industry will not only increase farm
productivity and farmers’ incomes. A sufficient, local and government-regulated rice industry
means that the country will have no need to import its food staple and can set reasonable and
affordable prices. The country may also consider exporting rice again once the revived rice
industry begins to reap its gains.
Government’s projected P28 billion in annual import revenues under rice tariffication falls very
short of the amount needed to develop the local rice industry. Local farmers are also not hopeful
that the tariffication earnings will be utilized for their benefit. For instance, P8.5 billion of the
accumulated P13 billion for the Agriculture Competitiveness and Enhancement Fund (ACEF)
during the Arroyo administration was reportedly lent to borrowers out of political patronage. Due
to run until 2015, the program was suspended in 2010 upon COA reports that its implementation
was marred with mismanagement and corruption.
It also is wrong to make farmers’ productivity a precondition to be ready for rice tariffication.
Government should have long laid the foundations for Philippine agriculture to be competitive
globally.
The underdevelopment of agriculture and the absence of an independent and advanced national
industry factor hugely in government’s lack of control over the prices of goods. Instead of
strengthening local production and building local industries, government continues neoliberal
policies that put the Philippines under foreign dictates and local land monopoly control and
domination over land, resources and trade. This counts among other neoliberal policies that
allow giant corporations, oligarchs, and cartels to flourish amid landlessness, depressed wages,
privatization of services, and unjust taxes on basic commodities.
To cope with worsening inflation, Filipino farmers have no need for rice tariffication. They need
government to provide increased and direct budget support in terms of land reform and
specifically devoting land for local food production, and free irrigation. Government can also
utilize national funds to support price controls. Removing consumption taxes and repealing the
regressive TRAIN are also within government’s control. Additionally, government should
persecute and hold cartels accountable.
Parliamentary and other platforms offer a wide range of farmers’ proposals: end land monopoly,
distribute land for free, support rural development. These compliment rejecting neoliberal
policies and agreements that subject Philippine agriculture to heavy blows. Only then can the
country be prepared for any global dealings or trade involving agriculture.
https://www.bworldonline.com/further-imperiling-philippine-rice/
Webinar: New Technologies for Rice Breeding with a Focus
on CRISPR Gene Editing
The webinar will provide an overview of molecular breeding technologies for rice improvement.
Oct 26, 2018
New Technologies for Rice Breeding with a Focus on CRISPR Gene Editing will be the next
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture webinar at 3 p.m. CST, Nov. 1.
The webinar will provide an overview of molecular breeding technologies for rice improvement,
including next-generation sequencing, marker-assisted breeding, and an in-depth focus on gene
editing using CRISPR-Cas technology.
After an introduction to the various techniques and their applications in plant breeding, the
webinar will delve into the larger questions surrounding gene editing, including key regulatory,
intellectual property, and consumer acceptance issues.
The presenter will be Michael Thomson, a professor in the Department Soil and Crop Sciences at
Texas A&M University and holder of the H. M. Beachell Endowed Chair in International Rice
Improvement.
He has a PhD in Plant Breeding from Cornell University, and he spent 10 years at the
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) leading efforts to deploy high-throughput SNP
genotyping for rice improvement.
His research focuses on molecular breeding approaches to use natural variation for crop
improvement, and he recently established the new Texas A&M AgriLife Research Crop Genome
Editing Lab based in College Station.
He teaches an undergraduate course on International Agricultural Systems and a graduate course

on Genome Editing in Crop Plants.
Link to register: http://bit.ly/UAEX-Rice-Breeding-CRISPR-Thomson
https://www.deltafarmpress.com/crops/webinar-new-technologies-rice-breeding-focus-crispr-
gene-editing
Five more rice mills get Chinese nod for exports
OUR BUREAUT+ T-
BENGALURU, OCTOBER 29
China has recently approved five more Indian rice mills for export of non-basmati rice, a move
that could help fuel shipments to the country. On Monday, India again pitched aggressively for
sale of its rice to China and urged the neighbouring country to open up its market further.
So far, a total of 24 Indian rice mills have received approval from Chinese authorities, Prashant
Lokhande, Economic and Commercial Counsellor at the Indian Embassy in Beijing said in a
statement.
For the first time, mills based in South India, such as Pattabhi Agro Foods Pvt Ltd and Sri
Lalitha Enterprises Industries Pvt Ltd, which have traditionally exported non-basmati rice, have
received Chinese approval.
With world-class quality and cost competitiveness, India has emerged as the biggest exporter of
rice in the world, Lokhande said. He hoped to have significant quantities of rice shipped to China
at the earliest to cater to the $1.5-$2 billion rice import.
BV Krishna Rao, MD, Pattabhi Agro Foods and President of the Rice Exporters Association,
told BusinessLine that the approval by Chinese authorities holds “potential to export over a
million tonnes of rice in an year's time”.
While India has been the largest exporter with annual shipments exceeding 10 mt for several
years, it has barely any share in China, which imports about 5 mt from the Philippines, Vietnam
and Pakistan. However, with the signing of a protocol on export of non-basmati rice in June, the
first shipment was made in September.
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/five-more-rice-mills-get-chinese-
nod-for-exports/article25363211.ece
The Halal Chicken & Rice Co. opens in Hicksville

Over-rice dishes (with chicken, lamb, fish, falafel or chicken kofta) are the specialty at The Halal
Chicken & Rice Co. in Hicksville. Photo Credit: Newsday / Erica Marcus
By Erica Marcus erica.marcus@newsday.com @Erica_Marcus Updated October 29, 2018 8:00

AM
Print Share
Halal-cart-style eateries are opening on Long Island almost as fast as poke-bowl spots, and many
of the major players — Shah’s Halal, The Halal Guys — operate multiple restaurants and carts.
At The Halal Chicken & Rice Co. in Hicksville, A.J. Singh is trying to compete without the
money- and labor-saving use of a central commissary.
In January, Singh and his partners Pat Patel and Mohammed Hassan took over the small
storefront that used to be Grill Junction (serving Peruvian and Turkish food). Within a few
months they had expanded into the former insurance office next door. They also expanded the
menu. Initially, it comprised wraps and rice platters with a choice of chicken, beef-lamb gyro,
fried flounder, shrimp, falafel or chicken kofta. Now you can also get salad platters, burgers,
cheesesteaks and wings, fries and samosas. Still, almost everything is less than $6.99.
The food is simple and fresh. Chicken thighs are marinated, poached, cut up and grilled to order
in the little kitchen; basmati rice is cooked throughout the day; pitas are fresh, not frozen; all the
sauces — classic white, green (white with a slew of fresh mint), barbecue, spicy and
extremely spicy — are made from scratch.
The eatery is open from 11:30 a.m. to 3 a.m., but quite a few customers are LIRR commuters
transferring at Hicksville for trains headed farther east. “We have customers from Ronkonkoma,
Huntington, Bay Shore,” Singh said. “They just come down the stairs — we’re about five
minutes from the platform — pick up dinner, and then get back on the train. Apparently it’s
easier for them than getting something closer to home.” In the wee hours of the morning, it’s
young people coming home from a night in Manhattan who need to get down something solid
before heading home to bed.
The Halal Chicken & Rice Co. is at 8 Jerusalem Ave., Hicksville, 516-433-9700, thehalalny.com.
https://www.newsday.com/lifestyle/restaurants/feed-me/the-halal-chicken-rice-company-
hicksville-1.22484540
Roundup: Nepal harvests record-high paddy output by

growing Chinese hybrid rice
E-mailXinhua, October 30, 2018
KATHMANDU, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- The total paddy production in Nepal has reached 5.23
million metric tons this year, the highest harvest in the country's history and the country's
Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has attributed the record-high paddy output
to cultivation of Chinese hybrid rice.
Timely rainfall and availability of developed seeds and chemical fertilizers have attributed to
the rise in paddy production by nearly 30 percent as compared to the harvest of 2017-18 fiscal
year, officials claimed.
Though the Nepali government had projected the paddy production of only 5 million metric
tons, the higher output has been regarded as a significant contributor to the gross domestic
product (GDP) of the country and economic growth in overall. The agriculture sector constitutes
33 percent of the total GDP in which paddy accounts for as high as 20 percent.
According to the agriculture ministry, the record harvest would help cutting down the rice
imports from different countries and contribute to reduction of rice deficit.
The optimism comes at a time when the Chinese hybrid rice, spreading over 300 hectares of
land, is doing excellent performance in the country.
On Monday, a team of government officials from both Nepal and China, and research scientists
and representatives of the World Food Program (WFP) visited the high-yield demonstration
field of Chinese hybrid rice located within the premise of the National Agricultural Research
Council in Lalitpur.
Noting that the performance of Chinese hybrid rice is excellent in Nepal, the Nepali side
expressed willingness to produce hybrid rice in large scale to have large yields and resolve rice
scarcity.
"The performance of Chinese hybrid rice is very nice and exciting," Baidya Nath Mahato,
executive director of the Nepal Agricultural Research Council, told Xinhua.
Under the first phase of three-year long China-Nepal agricultural technical cooperation project
that started in February 2016, China has been providing economic and technical assistance in
the agricultural sector for Nepal, especially for cultivating rice and maize.
The Chinese government has also been helping Nepal promote adoption of hybrid rice varieties
and conducting technical demonstration and training on post-harvest processing technology,
farm machinery operation and maintenance technology.
For this end, Yuan Longping High-tech Agriculture Co. Ltd, a Chinese implementing agency, is
working in cooperation with the Nepal Agricultural Research Council.
According to the officials, in the past two years, 67 hybrid rice varieties have been introduced
from China and tested in various parts of Nepal. Among them, one variety has already been
approved by the Seed Quality Control Centre under Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock
Development.
Chinese hybrid rice has been popular among the farmers of the country due to higher yield,
strong tillering ability, straight leaves with no drooping, more effective panicles per unit area,
more grains and good taste, among others.
Ananda Kumar Gautam, a senior scientist of the Nepal Agricultural Research Council, told
Xinhua that "we are very much impressed by the performance of Chinese hybrid rice and the
response from the farmers is very positive."
In the budget for the current fiscal year, the Nepali government has announced a plan to make
the country self-reliant in food within next few years. Experts believe that Chinese hybrid rice
can resolve the food deficit and help Nepal ensure food security. Enditem
http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2018-10/30/content_69106916.htm
Penang assemblyman urges Putrajaya to review rice laws for

farmers
Published 1 day ago on 30 October 2018
By Opalyn Mok
Bukit Tengah assemblyman Gooi Hsiao Leung proposed that farmer cooperatives be freed from
government control and influence in order to empower the farmers. ― Picture by Sayuti Zainudin
SEBERANG PERAI, Oct 30 — The federal government should relook the Padi Cultivators
(Control of Rent & Security of Tenure) Act 1967 and Farmers Organisation Authority Act 1973
that has been unchanged for over 40 years, Gooi Hsiao Leung said today.
The Bukit Tengah assemblyman added that the paddy farming industry is in need of
revitalisation, but was being held back by outdated laws.
“There is an urgent need to revamp the entire system of government subsidies in the rice industry
and the way it is managed to ensure that only the targeted group of farmers benefit from it,” he
said in a statement.
He proposed that farmer cooperatives be freed from government control and influence in order to
empower the farmers.
“Farmers must never become beholden to the government as practiced in the past so our laws
must be amended and farmer cooperatives set free to organize themselves and act in their own
common interest to shape and influence government policy or legislation,” he said.
He said the functioning of free and independent paddy farmer cooperatives with appropriate
government financial and technical support are critical in achieving food security in the country.
The former Alor Setar MP commended the government’s decision to review Bernas’ monopoly
on rice imports with plans to set up a new body or mechanism to manage the rice industry.
“For too long, left in the hands of Bernas, the management of the rice industry had been
neglected by the previous government, often with special attention given only to government
projects or subsidies what will enrich cronies,” he alleged.
He said he had on many occasions, as the Alor Setar MP previously, raised the plight of paddy
farmers in Parliament.
He said the majority of the 300,000 paddy farmers who produce 70 per cent the country’s rice
every day live in abject poverty and remain in the bottom B40 group.
Gooi added that these farmers have very little or no say in the management, leakages and
excesses of bad government policies affecting them previously.
“They don’t even have right to choose what rice they can grow or fertilizers they can use,” he
said.
He also commended agriculture deputy minister Sim Tze Tzin for organising a dialogue session
with paddy farmers, millers and wholesalers in Kedah last weekend.
He said now that Pakatan Harapan is in Putrajaya, the new government can transform the rice
industry and bring back the glory days of paddy farming.
He urged the agriculture minister to conduct a detailed study on how the government can reform
the existing structures of paddy farmer cooperatives when formulating a new model or
development plan for the paddy farming industry.
https://www.malaymail.com/s/1688104/penang-assemblyman-urges-putrajaya-to-review-rice-laws-for-
farmers
Scant rainfall triggers rice price hike in Manipur

Iboyaima Laithangbam
IMPHAL, OCTOBER 30, 2018 01:26 IST
Pest attack adds to farmers' woes
Rice price has gone up in Manipur amid reports of failure of paddy crops due to scant
rainfall and pest attack on plants. Reports say one kg of nutritious rice is being sold at
₹45 instead of ₹38 in and around Imphal.
Director of Agriculture P. Rajendra said steps have been taken to mitigate water
shortage. He said the government would purchase pumps to provide water to the
parched fields.
Though there was some rain in the State, farmers said it was too little and too late. In
view of a drought-like situation, aggravated by the insect attack on crops, owners
should not collect their share of paddy this time, demanded the farmers. Several farmers
had to burn their standing crop to stop the pests from destroying plants in adjoining
fields.
Government sources said there is no reason to panic as there is enough stock of rice in
warehouses. An official said additional trucks would be used to lift Manipur’s quota of
rice from Assam. The farmers said some of them had been given water pumps but there
was no source of water. Kumbi legislator S. Bira, who had distributed water pumps to
farmers, said steps were being taken to ensure that there was no shortage of irrigation
water in future.
Officials said many rice mills were closing down as there was no paddy available.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/scant-rainfall-triggers-rice-price-hike-in-
manipur/article25365133.ece
Rice Prices
as on : 30-10-2018 11:23:06 AM
Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.
Arrivals Price
Current % Season Modal Prev. Prev.Yr

change cumulative Modal %change
Rice
Cachar(ASM) 80.00 33.33 5402.00 2400 2400 9.09
Karimganj(ASM) 60.00 NC 1540.00 2400 2400 2.13
Vishalpur(UP) 21.00 -25 619.00 2375 2375 -
Jasra(UP) 20.00 -68.25 434.00 2300 2300 -
Naugarh(UP) 20.00 14.29 925.20 2255 2250 8.67
Wansi(UP) 20.00 11.11 824.00 2110 2115 -
Giridih(Jha) 13.32 8.2 818.14 3500 3500 NC
Sahiyapur(UP) 11.50 21.05 2303.50 2240 2240 -
Paliakala(UP) 11.00 -15.38 1111.10 2290 2280 -
Vilthararoad(UP) 10.00 NC 391.00 2150 2150 NC
Anandnagar(UP) 8.00 700 80.00 2100 2300 -
Tamkuhi Road(UP) 6.00 9.09 974.00 2150 2150 -
Chitwadagaon(UP) 6.00 -33.33 365.70 2100 2100 -1.41
Nautnava(UP) 5.00 400 36.50 2250 2250 10.29
Ruperdeeha(UP) 5.00 -50 254.00 1600 1600 -
Mau(Chitrakut)(UP) 4.00 60 47.20 1835 1815 -
Dibrugarh(ASM) 2.80 -48.15 744.50 2920 2920 29.78
Balarampur(WB) 1.80 NC 87.95 2640 2640 12.34
Chandoli(UP) 1.40 -17.65 236.30 2345 2360 -
Khair(UP) 1.00 -33.33 1173.60 2530 2530 -0.78
Jagnair(UP) 0.80 NC 80.40 2570 2550 1.18
Khairagarh(UP) 0.80 NC 115.20 2560 2560 1.59
Champaknagar(Tri) 0.60 - 1.20 3100 - -
Achnera(UP) 0.60 -14.29 20.60 2550 2560 NC
Kasipur(WB) 0.51 -1.92 4.98 2650 2630 15.22
Published on October 30, 2018
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/rice-prices/article25367694.ece
Rice Prices
as on : 31-10-2018 11:42:10 AM
Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.
Arrivals Price
Current % Season Modal Prev. Prev.Yr

change cumulative Modal %change
Rice
Cachar(ASM) 40.00 -50 5482.00 2400 2400 9.09
Naugarh(UP) 25.00 25 975.20 2270 2255 9.40
Balrampur(UP) 20.00 -33.33 100.00 2250 2360 -
Champadanga(WB) 14.00 NC 576.00 3150 3250 14.55
Sahiyapur(UP) 13.00 13.04 2329.50 2235 2240 -
Vishalpur(UP) 12.00 -42.86 643.00 2400 2375 -
Vilthararoad(UP) 10.00 NC 411.00 2150 2150 NC
Paliakala(UP) 10.00 -9.09 1131.10 2300 2290 -
Fatehpur(UP) 7.30 -12.05 1016.30 2160 2175 -1.82
Ruperdeeha(UP) 6.00 20 266.00 1600 1600 -
Dibrugarh(ASM) 5.00 78.57 754.50 2920 2920 29.78
Tundla(UP) 4.60 206.67 180.50 2500 2455 -
Anandnagar(UP) 4.00 -50 88.00 2300 2100 -
Mirzapur(UP) 3.50 -30 895.00 2225 2230 -
Sehjanwa(UP) 3.00 -70 183.50 2160 2160 -
Mau(Chitrakut)(UP) 3.00 -25 53.20 1835 1835 -
Jahangirabad(UP) 2.50 -28.57 196.00 2560 2560 8.94
Amroha(UP) 2.30 4.55 50.42 2600 2600 5.26
Doharighat(UP) 1.50 NC 33.00 2000 2000 -
Nautnava(UP) 1.00 -80 38.50 2200 2250 7.84
Jagnair(UP) 0.70 -12.5 81.80 2560 2570 0.79
Published on October 31, 2018
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/rice-prices/article25377446.ece
Rice hack reduces calories by a hair — but it does create
some seriously fluffy rice
ROBIN SHREEVES
October 30, 2018, 3:55 p.m.
Heating and cooling easily digestible starches like those in rice can change their chemical composition. And that's where the cool calorie math comes in.
(Photo: Amarita/Shutterstock)
There's an interesting cooking hack that's making the rounds again: If you cook rice
with some fat in the form of coconut oil, it can reduce the number of calories in the
rice. At first glance, that seems like a too-good-to-be-true trick, but there's some
science behind it. (And as an added bonus, this trick may also make rice easier to
cook.)
It seems counterintuitive, but adding a small amount of good fat to rice as it's cooking is part of
the key to reducing calories.
Digestible starches vs. resistant starches
Could this be the miracle addition that makes some rice healthier? (Photo: stu 120/Shutterstock)
When rice comes in contact with oil that's been added to boiling water, the chemistry of its starch
is modified. After cooking, the rice must also cool in the refrigerator for about 12 hours,
according to the Washington Post, which reported on a study done by Sudhair James, then an
undergraduate at the College of Chemical Sciences in Sri Lanka.
James and his mentor found that some of the starch, a type of carbohydrate, changes from
digestible to resistant during this process.
Digestible starches go through the digestive system quickly and turn into sugars, which in turn
can add unwanted weight. Resistant starches, however, take longer for the body to break down
and aren't converted into as much sugar, therefore they have fewer calories.
The researchers tested 38 different kinds of rice in eight different recipes. They found that oil
helps the glucose molecules in the rice form tight bonds, converting some of the starches from
digestive to resistant and lowering their calorie counts. The least healthful varieties of rice
resulted in 10 to 12 percent fewer calories. When healthier kinds of rice are used, researchers
expect that number will jump to 50 to 60 percent.
Fluffy rice?
Rice is such a simple food, but cooking it isn't always so simple. (Photo: gori910/Shutterstock)
Many home cooks avoid cooking rice because it can come out gluey or sticky. Is it possible that adding
coconut oil can also make it easier to cook? The anecdotal evidence seems to indicate it might.
Chocolate Covered Katie used brown rice and ended up with "beautifully fluffy rice that is apparently
lower-calorie." Recipes from a Normal Mum said it made the "best, fluffiest basmati rice ever."
And, Vermillion Roots had no problem fluffing jasmine rice after it was cooked with coconut oil in the
water.
One thing to remember: Lower calories doesn't equal more nutrition. Basic white rice is still lacking in
nutrition. If you want to try this hack, it's still best to reach for brown or black rice.
https://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/blogs/rice-hack-could-cut-calories-add-fluff
China sets new hybrid rice yield record

By Xu Hailin Source:Global Times Published: 2018/10/30 16:38:40
China has set a new world record for super hybrid rice yields at 18 tons per hectare at a
demonstration base in Handan, North China's Hebei Province.
The rice was planted in 6.8 hectares of a demonstration base at the Hebei Silicon Valley
Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the only private academy of agricultural sciences in Hebei.
Researchers harvested 18 tons per hectare of the Xiangliangyou 900 super hybrid rice. The
amount was verified by five third-party experts from Wuhan-based Huazhong Agricultural
University and Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, the Xinhua News Agency
reported on Tuesday.
Three smaller fields with a total area of 0.23 hectares were chosen randomly and examined for
yield, Xinhua reported. The yield per hectare of the Xiangliangyou 900 super hybrid rice in 2017
was 17.25 tons.
"Thirty percent more than the yield of previous varieties of super hybrid rice, the record shows
that the revolutionary third-generation technology is mature enough to be adopted in fields
across China," Li Xinqi, a research fellow at the Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center, a division
of the China National Hybrid Rice R&D Center, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
"The rice could meet China's demand for food, offering powerful support to the country's grain
security," Li said.
Good seeds, good fertilizers and proper management of the fields were the reasons for the
increasing yield, Tu Shuxin, a professor at Huazhong Agricultural University, was quoted as
saying by Xinhua.
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1125106.shtml
Researchers challenged on improved seeds for crops

31Oct 2018
The Guardian
Researchers challenged on improved seeds for crops
RESEARCHERS at the Mbeya-based Agricultural Research Institute-Uyole (ARI-Uyole) have
been challenged to produce more improved seeds for strategic crops to boost production in the
country’s southern highlands regions.Board chairman of the Tanzania Agricultural Research
Institute (TARI), Dr Yohana Budeba made the call yesterday when he visited ARI-Uyole located
in Uyole area on the outskirts of Mbeya city.
The strategic crops include sorghum, wheat, irish potatoes, orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP),
pyrethrum, beans, rice, maize and soya.“It is high time for researchers to assist farmers with
improved seeds for high productivity and contribute to the country’s industrialisation drive,” he
said.
Citing examples, Budeba said if wheat is well researched it would help to improve production
and reduce importation costs of the cereal crop.
According to him, TARI is responsible for ensuring that agricultural raw materials for industries
are available. “We want to see improved and disease-free seeds are availed to smallholder
farmers and you’re the one who needs to do so,” the official told researchers.Director general of
the Tanzania Agriculture Research Institute (TARI) Geoffrey Mkamilo also said: “We’ve tasked
all heads of the 18 agro-research institutions on the need to scale up production of improved
seeds for the strategic crops such as rice, palm, sunflower, coconuts, sisal, maize, wheat
pyrethrum and leguminous plants.”
“These crops are key in scaling up industrialisation drive,” Mkamilo stressed.TARI, according to
Dr Mkamilo, is mandated to coordinate research which is demand-driven and client oriented to
solve problems that limit increased production, productivity and quality of sugarcane. It is also
mandated to disseminating research results to stakeholders and scientific community, the
stakeholders include; sugar manufacturers, miller cum planters and out growers (small scale
farmers).
Director of ARI-Uyole Dr Tulole Bucheyeki said that the institute is determined to deliver
demand-driven agricultural technologies, information services and knowledge to farmers and
other stakeholders, for increased agricultural productivity, profitability, competitiveness and
sustainable use of natural resources in the southern highlands regions.
He said researchers are determined to increase production of improved seeds of wheat to cut
importation.
Lead researcher of wheat, Dr Rose Mongi said ARI-Uyole has developed a number of wheat
seeds, which are performing well in the market as they have proved to be productive.
On potatoes, Dr Dorah Mende, a researcher from ARI-Uyole said: “We have developed seeds
which proved to be effective and its production reached 25 tonnes per hectare, which is an
increase of between 7 and 9 tonnes.“We have started distributing those seeds to farmers,” she
said.
https://www.ippmedia.com/en/news/researchers-challenged-improved-seeds-crops

31st October, 2018 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newlsetter

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

31st October, 2018 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newlsetter

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

October 31 ,2018

Gov’t measure to curb inflation: SRP on pork, chicken, and

Regional Director Asteria C. Caberte of the

The Department of Trade and Industry in Central

An SRP on rice is also being planned by the government, Caberte added.

Observer Reminds of Possibility of Reduced Rice Supply ahead

Illustration: Rice supply

Nepal harvests record-high paddy output by growing

Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-30 18:54:25|Editor: mmm

Mwea rice farmers losing out to cheaper imports from Asia

By LEWIS NYAUNDI @xnyaundih

Further imperiling Philippine rice

Oct 26, 2018

He teaches an undergraduate course on International Agricultural Systems and a graduate course

Link to register: http://bit.ly/UAEX-Rice-Breeding-CRISPR-Thomson

The Halal Chicken & Rice Co. opens in Hicksville

By Erica Marcus erica.marcus@newsday.com @Erica_Marcus Updated October 29, 2018 8:00

Roundup: Nepal harvests record-high paddy output by

Penang assemblyman urges Putrajaya to review rice laws for

Scant rainfall triggers rice price hike in Manipur

IMPHAL, OCTOBER 30, 2018 01:26 IST

Pest attack adds to farmers' woes

Current % Season Modal Prev. Prev.Yr

Cachar(ASM) 80.00 33.33 5402.00 2400 2400 9.09

Karimganj(ASM) 60.00 NC 1540.00 2400 2400 2.13

Vishalpur(UP) 21.00 -25 619.00 2375 2375 -

Jasra(UP) 20.00 -68.25 434.00 2300 2300 -

Naugarh(UP) 20.00 14.29 925.20 2255 2250 8.67

Giridih(Jha) 13.32 8.2 818.14 3500 3500 NC

Sahiyapur(UP) 11.50 21.05 2303.50 2240 2240 -

Paliakala(UP) 11.00 -15.38 1111.10 2290 2280 -

Vilthararoad(UP) 10.00 NC 391.00 2150 2150 NC

Anandnagar(UP) 8.00 700 80.00 2100 2300 -

Tamkuhi Road(UP) 6.00 9.09 974.00 2150 2150 -

Chitwadagaon(UP) 6.00 -33.33 365.70 2100 2100 -1.41

Nautnava(UP) 5.00 400 36.50 2250 2250 10.29

Ruperdeeha(UP) 5.00 -50 254.00 1600 1600 -

Mau(Chitrakut)(UP) 4.00 60 47.20 1835 1815 -

Dibrugarh(ASM) 2.80 -48.15 744.50 2920 2920 29.78

Balarampur(WB) 1.80 NC 87.95 2640 2640 12.34

Chandoli(UP) 1.40 -17.65 236.30 2345 2360 -

Khair(UP) 1.00 -33.33 1173.60 2530 2530 -0.78

Jagnair(UP) 0.80 NC 80.40 2570 2550 1.18

Khairagarh(UP) 0.80 NC 115.20 2560 2560 1.59

Achnera(UP) 0.60 -14.29 20.60 2550 2560 NC

Kasipur(WB) 0.51 -1.92 4.98 2650 2630 15.22

Published on October 30, 2018

Current % Season Modal Prev. Prev.Yr

Cachar(ASM) 40.00 -50 5482.00 2400 2400 9.09

Naugarh(UP) 25.00 25 975.20 2270 2255 9.40

Balrampur(UP) 20.00 -33.33 100.00 2250 2360 -

Champadanga(WB) 14.00 NC 576.00 3150 3250 14.55

Sahiyapur(UP) 13.00 13.04 2329.50 2235 2240 -

Vishalpur(UP) 12.00 -42.86 643.00 2400 2375 -

Paliakala(UP) 10.00 -9.09 1131.10 2300 2290 -

Fatehpur(UP) 7.30 -12.05 1016.30 2160 2175 -1.82

Ruperdeeha(UP) 6.00 20 266.00 1600 1600 -

Dibrugarh(ASM) 5.00 78.57 754.50 2920 2920 29.78

Tundla(UP) 4.60 206.67 180.50 2500 2455 -

Anandnagar(UP) 4.00 -50 88.00 2300 2100 -

Mirzapur(UP) 3.50 -30 895.00 2225 2230 -

Sehjanwa(UP) 3.00 -70 183.50 2160 2160 -

Mau(Chitrakut)(UP) 3.00 -25 53.20 1835 1835 -