18th march,2015 daily global rice e newsletter

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PHL, Germany sign agreements on improving rice and

abaca output

March 18, 2015 6:06pm

The Department of Agriculture and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit

(GIZ) on Wednesday signed two agreements to help the Philippines improve abaca and rice

production.Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said the projects will "further ensure

sustainability of the government's current programs on improving abaca and rice production."He

was referring to the Abaca Sustainability Initiative and the Better Rice Initiative Asia-Fostering

Agriculture and Rice Marketing by Improved Education and Rural Advisory Services (BRIA-

FARMERS).The Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority will implement the P19-

million (€386,000) Abaca Sustainability Initiative from 2015 to 2016.

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter

March 18 , 2015 V o l u m e 5, Issue I




"The Initiative aims to secure the ecological sustainability of abaca fiber production and to

enhance the income of the abaca farmers through improved access to markets and extension

service in the mountainous provinces of Madalag and Libacao in Aklan, and Janiuay and Maasin

in Iloilo," the department said.On the other hand, the BRIA-FARMERS project will be

implemented by the Philippine Rice Research Institute from 2015 to 2017 in the provinces of

Aurora, Iloilo and Southern Leyte. "It seeks to contribute in achieving the goals under the

Philippine Development Plan in strengthening the agricultural sector and improving food

security in the Philippines," according to the DA.

The collaborative project is facilitated by the GIZ among German private and public sector

institutions through the German Food Partnership of the German Federal Ministry of

Development Cooperation.The project with a P90-million (€1.8 million) budget involves the

training of local government unit-based trainers in enhanced agricultural extension to ensure that

the adoption of technology and farm-based enterprises will be sustained beyond the project

duration. GIZ helps the German government achieve its objectives in international cooperation.

– Kathryn Mae P. Tubadeza/VS, GMA

Newshttp://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/454781/economy/agricultureandmining/phl-

germany-sign-agreements-on-improving-rice-and-abaca-output

Science Q & A: Arsenic and more rice

NEW YORK TIMES 03/18/2015 4:41 PM

03/18/2015 4:41 PM

Q. I‘ve read about unacceptable levels of arsenic in both brown and white rice. Are rice vinegar

and rice crackers also affected?

A. Foods that contain rice, including rice crackers and vinegar, routinely

contain some level of arsenic, scientists say, as do products like rice cakes,

rice wine and cereals, and snack bars and baking mixes that contain rice

flour or bran. But it is unclear how serious a health risk they pose.The Food

and Drug Administration has a list of rice-containing foods that focuses on

inorganic arsenic, considered the most dangerous form. One reason rice

gets a lot of attention is that the plant is good at pulling inorganic arsenic

from soil and water and storing it in the edible grain.But levels of

contamination vary according to the type of rice and where it is grown.

Brown rice, for example, tends to show higher levels than white rice, which is stripped during

processing of layers of the grain where arsenic tends to collect. California rice frequently

contains less arsenic than that grown in southern states, which tend to have higher levels of

arsenic in the soil. Consumer Reports found that basmati rice from India, Pakistan and California

had markedly lower levels of arsenic than other varieties. Brian jackson is director of the Trace Metal Analysis Core Facility at Dartmouth College, Hanover,

N.H. | Tom McNeill dartmouth.edu

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/454781/economy/agricultureandmining/phl-germany-sign-agreements-on-improving-rice-and-abaca-output

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/454781/economy/agricultureandmining/phl-germany-sign-agreements-on-improving-rice-and-abaca-output




The FDA found that arsenic levels ranged from 7.2 micrograms (a millionth of a gram) to 2.5

micrograms per serving. Rice crackers averaged about 5 micrograms. Rice vinegar was even

lower, around 1 microgram or less.―It may be that you get some dilution with the vinegar‖ or

wine, said Brian Jackson, director of the Trace Metal Analysis Core Facility at Dartmouth

College.While these are all tiny amounts, inorganic arsenic has been linked to disease in

extremely low doses.

Much of this evidence comes from studies of arsenic in water. The federal Environmental

Protection Agency sets a 10-parts-per-billion safety standard for drinking water.Because of the

complexities, it‘s harder to assess risk from foods. ―The question for everyone is: ‗Do I worry?' ―

Jackson said.His recommendation: ―If you are a person who is eating rice every day, and also

snacking on rice products, then that 5 micrograms from rice crackers becomes significant,‖ he

said. ―The idea is to eat a varied diet, and be aware of how much rice you are eating.‖

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/technology/article15272651.html

How an Insect Pest Switches from Sluggish Super Breeder to

Flying Invader

Insulin tells young planthoppers whether to develop short or long wings

March 18, 2015

One of the leading pests of rice, brown planthoppers can grow up to have either short or long wings,

depending on conditions such as day length and temperature in the rice fields where they suck sap. The

hormone insulin controls the switch that tells young planthoppers whether to develop into short- or long-

winged adults, finds a new study. Photo by Chuan-Xi Zhang of Zhejiang University in China

DURHAM, NC - Each year, rice in Asia faces a big threat from a sesame seed-sized insect

called the brown planthopper. Now, a study reveals the

molecular switch that enables some planthoppers to

develop short wings and others long -- a major factor in

their ability to invade new rice fields.The findings will

appear Mar. 18 in the journal Nature.Lodged in the

stalks of rice plants, planthoppers use their sucking

mouthparts to siphon sap. Eventually the plants turn

yellow and dry up, a condition called ―hopper burn.

‖Each year, planthopper outbreaks destroy hundreds of thousands of acres of rice, the staple crop

for roughly half the world‘s population.The insects have a developmental strategy that makes

them particularly effective pests. When conditions in a rice field are good, young planthoppers

develop into adults with stubby wings that barely reach their middles.Short-winged adults can‘t

fly but they‘re prolific breeders. A single short-winged female can lay more than 700 eggs in her

lifetime.―The short-winged ones have great big fat abdomens. They‘re basically designed to stay

put and reproduce,‖ said biologist Fred Nijhout of Duke University, who co-authored the study

with colleagues at Zhejiang University in China.

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/technology/article15272651.html




But in the fall as days get shorter and temperatures begin to drop -- signs that the rice plants

they‘re munching on will soon disappear -- more planthopper nymphs develop into slender

adults with long wings. Long-winged planthoppers lay fewer eggs but are built for travel,

eventually flying away to invade new rice fields.Until now, scientists did not know exactly how

the shorter days and cooler temperatures triggered the shift between short and long wings, or

which hormones were involved.

To find out, the researchers used a technique called RNA interference (RNAi) to silence the

genes for two different insulin receptors -- regions on the cell membrane that bind to the

hormone insulin -- and measured the effects on the animals‘ wings.―Previously it had been

assumed that all insects only had a single insulin receptor gene. We discovered that brown

planthoppers have two,‖ Nijhout said.When the researchers silenced the first insulin receptor,

short-winged adults emerged.

Silencing the second receptor produced adults with long wings.Further study revealed that long

wings are the default design. But when planthoppers secrete a particular type of insulin in

response to changing temperatures or day length, the second insulin receptor deactivates the first

receptor in the developing wings, leading to short-winged adults.―The second insulin receptor

acts by interfering with the first one, therefore shutting down the signal,‖ Nijhout said.It‘s too

early to say whether the findings could lead to techniques to treat planthopper populations so

they are unable to invade new rice fields, Nijhout says.But the researchers have found similar

mechanisms in other planthopper species, and are now trying to find out if insulin plays a similar

role in other insect pests with flying and flightless forms, such as aphids.This research was

supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program, no. 2010CB126205)

and by the National Science Foundation of China (no. 31201509 and no. 31471765).

https://today.duke.edu/2015/03/planthoppers

Maharashtra abolishes LBT, extends tax exemption on rice,

wheat

The Hindu

A homeless women takes shelter under a

makeshift dais in Mumbai. Maharashtra

government in its budget has announce Pt.

Deendayal Upadhyay Gharkul Jaga Kharedi

Arthsahayya Yojana – a scheme to provide

financial help to BPL families to purchase land

and to construct houses under the different

housing schemes of the government. Photo:

Vivek Bendre

Maharashtra on Wednesday announced Local Body Tax (LBT) would be abolished from August

1 and extended tax exemption on essential commodities like rice and wheat in Budget 2015-

16.As regards LBT, a compensation of Rs. 6,875 crore will be given to the municipal

https://today.duke.edu/2015/03/planthoppers




corporations, excluding Mumbai.This was one of the main electoral promises of the BJP.The loss

of revenue would be compensated by enhancing the rate of tax under VAT which will be

applicable to the whole state, Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar told the

Assembly while presenting his maiden budget in the state Legislature in Mumbai.

A revenue neutral rate has been recommended considering the share of increased tax collection

to be given to the areas where LBT is not levied, he said adding that extensive deliberations are

required on enhancement of tax rates under VAT.The Mumbai municipal corporation gets

substantial revenue by levying octroi on crude oil. The octroi amount is collected by oil

companies as part of the state specific duty from all consumes in the state. This aspect is also

required to be taken into account, the minister said.The total plan size of the state is Rs. 54,999

crore and the budget estimates for 2015-16 are Rs. 1,98,230.50 crore.As per the estimates, the

revenue deficit would be Rs. 3,757.40 crore.Mr. Mungantiwar, who presented a surplus budget

of Rs. 107.10 crore, also announced tax proposals which are estimated to result in net revenue

gain of Rs. 643 crore, which has been incorporated in the budget estimates of 2015-16.

He proposed a levy of 5 per cent entry tax on long steel, 12.5 per cent tax on all types of wood-

free plain and pre-laminated particle boards.He also announced extension of tax exemption on

essential commodities like rice, wheat, pulses and their flour, turmeric, chillies, tamarind,

jaggery, coconut, dates, Solapuri chadars and towels upto March 31, 2016.The tax exemption on

currants and raisins as well as 5 per cent tax on tea will also continue till March 31, 2016.The

Minister said that women drawing salary up to Rs. 10,000 per month will not have to pay

professional tax. This will benefit nearly 1.5 lakh women in the state.

He also proposed to reduce sales tax on ladies‘ purse and handbags from 12.5 per cent to 5 per

cent.Besides, work books, graph books, drawing books and laboratory books for students have

been made tax-free.The rate of excise duty on country liquor would now be 200 per cent of the

manufacturing cost or Rs 120 per proof litre, whichever is higher.Certain medicines required for

treatment of cancer will also be exempted from tax and a list of such drugs would be notified

separately.Mr. Mungantiwar also proposed to reduce tax on guide wire required for medical

treatment and LED bulbs from 12.5 per cent to 5 per cent.

Mr. Mungantiwar said new automation project for sales tax has been started which will help

business and the sales tax department in further simplification of procedures.All the processes

envisaged under the GST are being incorporated in the new software system under development,

so it will make hassle-free migration of data of existing tax payer to the new GST system.He also

announced enhancing premium on additional FSI which will result in substantial revenue

gains.The minister said the government has promised to enhance the FSI limit from 0.33 to 0.60

and increase the rate of premium in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation limit. It is also under

consideration of the government to enhance the rate of premium on grant on all kinds of

FSI.These gains in FSI will benefit individuals, but the government does not get benefit of

revenue increase in the same proportion.

These amendments are proposed to ensure legitimate share of revenue for the government from

overall benefits accruing to the beneficiaries of the FSI without burdening the common man, he

said.The government intends to grant timely permissions, simplify procedures and charge




legitimate premium on additional benefits.As part of the amendments in the Maharashtra Value

Added Tax Act, there will be no VAT on service tax and late fee for VAT return will be reduced

from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 1,000.Similarly, multiple revised returns in case of audit findings or

investigation proceedings by sales tax authorities would be allowed. Assessment can be initiated

if there is reason to believe that the tax payer is not correctly discharging tax liability or is

attempting to evade tax on any transaction.

The Finance Minister also proposed to introduce time limit for completion of transaction-wise

assessment and also provide for cancellation of order, if it is done ex-parte.Computation of

interest in case of a revised return filed for a period less than a year is also proposed.After the

High Court approves merger or demerger of companies, a period of 30 days will be specified for

making an application for registration from the date of notification by the registrar of companies,

he added.

Keywords: Maharashtra Assembly session, Maharashtra Budget 2015-16, local body tax, tax

exemption, Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/maharashtra-budget-2015-maharashtra-abolishes-lbt-

extends-tax-exemption-on-rice-wheat/article7007767.ece

Scam stains famed Chhattisgarh PDS, systemic loot runs

into crores

by Parivesh Mishra Mar 18, 2015 22:18 IST

Raipur: Amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aggressive pitch for growth and denouncement

of the policy of handouts in the pre-general election campaign last year, Chhattisgarh‘s model of

Public Distribution System (PDS) stood out as a shining and welcome misfit. The BJP

showcased Chief Minister Raman Singh model of PDS as its answer to the Congress‘ Food

Security Act. Besides the Gujarat model, this was the only model that found mention in Modi‘s

election speeches.

Representational image. Reuters

Raman Singh‘s two consecutive victories in the

Assembly elections were believed to be because of

his 'efficient' PDS and it also earned him epithet

'chawalwale baba'. Now it turns out the story was

too good to be true. Earlier this month, the state's

PDS made the headlines but for entirely wrong

reasons.Raids by the state‘s anti-corruption bureau

at the offices of the Civil Supplies Corporation (or

NAN) – the pivot of the PDS circus – and the

recovery of cash worth Rs 4 crore in the drawers of

the babus have exposed the massive corruption in

the scheme. The babus were caught in the process

of distributing and forwarding the parcels of the 'monthly' shares to a list of names, believed to

be that of the beneficiaries. The list included names of the top officials and politicians. The

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/maharashtra-budget-2015-maharashtra-abolishes-lbt-extends-tax-exemption-on-rice-wheat/article7007767.ece








http://www.firstpost.com/author/parivesh-mishra

http://www.firstpost.com/topic/person/narendra-modi-profile-20711.html

http://s2.firstpost.in/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Foodgrains_Reuters.jpg




principal secretary of the department was removed and prompt denials followed of involvement

of politicians and other big wigs, including the wife of the chief minister.

Soon after coming to power for the first time the state in 2003, the BJP government brought in

the Chhattisgarh Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2004 leading to a number of

changes to the PDS delivery and procurement system. In 2007, on the eve of the general

elections, an additional 1.9 million households (who had been excluded from the 2002 BPL

survey because of the Planning Commission cap on poverty numbers) were added to the 1.33

million households already receiving subsidized food grains from the Central government at that

time. This state-led initiative helped Chhattisgarh PDS increase coverage to approximately 80

percent of the rural population.

The 'Baba' won in 2008 and the formula was replicated in 2013. What was marketed as the

Mukhyamantri Khadyann Sahayata Yojana in 2007 was re-packaged as the Food Security Act of

2013. Disproportionate ration cards were made before both the elections. Between August and

September 2013, on the eve of the Model Code of Conduct coming into force, the number of

BPL families in the state jumped from 33 to 70 lakh.The recent raids by the ACB have brought

the model under scrutiny and opened a rotten can of worms. hat the ACB uncovered at NAN is

the proverbial tip of an iceberg. Many believe the whole PDS racket has resulted in the swindling

of hundreds of crores of the state exchequer.

It is clear now that the whole business of procurement of paddy from the farmers, addition of

thousands of tons of paddy smuggled in from the neighboring states like Odisha and

Maharashtra, its carting and storage by the MARKFED – the co-operative arm – to the godowns,

the coming into picture of rice millers, allotment of paddy to the millers, recovery of rice from

the millers, supply of the rice to the PDS outlets – the total pipeline leaks throughout making the

total system a fountain of corruption.

And to add to it, kerosene is another big component of the PDS.The most prominent stone in the

edifice of corruption are the bogus ration cards that were made with impunity in Chhattisgarh.

While the state has only 56 lakh households, under the Act of 2013, ration cards had been made

for 70.27 lakh households. In a state that has been claiming a high growth rate in the 11 years of

Raman Singh‘s rule, 94 percent of its total households figured under BPL, going by the ration

cards issued to them.A month after the general elections were over in May 2014, the state

government set about verifying the cards and cancelled 14 lakh of these and suspended 10 junior

level officials.The records show the production of paddy increasing year after year with no

apparent reasons justifying growth in that proportion. For example, in 2010-11, though the

acreage increased from previous year's 3.48 million hectares to 3.51 million hectares the total

jump in paddy production to 9.23 million tons was too much to escape attention of the skeptics.

The official estimate for that year‘s production was 6.5 MT.

"Its all manipulation of the data," avers social activist Gautam Bandopadhyay.In the election

years of 2008 and 2013 the government gave away bonus of Rs 270 per quintal over and above

the minimum support price of Rs 1,350. In this and many other years, the procurement exceeded

the production in the fields. This excess was the direct result of the huge quantities of paddy that




pours in through smuggling from the neighboring No-Bonus states like Odisha and Maharashtra

during the purchase seasons.

The phenomenal increase in the procurement far exceeded the storing capacity with the

government agencies. Thousands of tons of paddy were dumped in the open during the rains. he

millers who sign an agreement before the season to lift paddy and mill and supply back rice to

the PDS chain, refused to lift the 'damaged' grain on the pre-agreed terms and conditions. The

'tussle' between the government and the Chhattisgarh state Rice Mill Association controlled by

Yogesh Agarwal, brother of the an influential member of the cabinet Brij Mohan Agarwal,

caused the paddy to 'rot' more. The consequent settlement resulted in the government almost

giving up on the condition of rice millers producing a bank guarantee before lifting the paddy

from the storage dumps.Following are the highlights of the scam that have come out so far:

* The government did succeed in clearing the grounds but failed to get the rice back. Notices

were issues, a few FIRs were lodged but in the absence of any insurance like the bank guarantee,

the efforts didn't succeed. The millers sold off the rice thus milled in the open market instead of

channeling it back in to the PDS. Since lakhs of cards were declared bogus and cancelled in the

subsequent year, the decreased demand from the PDS did not raise alarm due to non-recovery of

rice. No wonder Chhattisgarh has seen a phenomenal growth in the number of rice mills in the

state after the BJP government came into power in 2003. The number went up from around 300

to 1,543 by the end of the 2013 according to the official figures and hovers around 1,600 now.

* The bogus ration cards added another chapter to the story. In the election years, cards were

distributed to all and sundry. Virtually every second member of the family ended up having a

card. In months preceding the 2008 assembly elections, in some districts the number of ration

card holders exceeded 70 percent of the population, according to a letter written by the then state

food secretary the collectors.

* The card entitled its holder to receive 35 kg of rice for Re 1 a kg. The excess cards helped grow

a parallel economy in the state. The 2013 PDS model had eliminated the class of PDS shop

owners and replaced it by committees of people generally nominated by the government on the

recommendation of the party. These committees became the de facto credit institution in the

villages. The ration cards got converted into commodity. One card fetched a 'loan' of up to Rs

5,000.

* The modus operandi of milking this card was simple. The rice miller milled and sent the rice to

the NAN warehouse. The demand from a PDS distribution centre (shop) was raised based on the

number of the cards (roughly multiplied by 35) and sent to the warehouse. The NAN officials

released trucks carrying these demands to shops. The entries duly made in the cards in

possession of the committee and the rice thus left un-lifted was then diverted back to the rice mill

from where it had originated, completing the cycle. The same rice was again pumped into the

supply chain.

* Kerosene: The state receives 16,000 kilolitre of it as its share from the Centre. Only around

3,000 kilolitre of it gets distributed through the PDS shops at Rs 20 per litre. The rest – worth

almost Rs 40 crore - is siphoned off every month to the petrol pumps and industrial units at rates

varying between 35 and 40 making it a racket worth Rs 500 crore in a year.




http://www.firstpost.com/business/economy/scam-stains-famed-chhattisgarh-pds-systemic-loot-

runs-into-crores-2161081.html

Louisiana Couple Honored on National Ag Day

Rep. Charles Boustany (l) congratulates NOYF award winners

Julie and Christian Richard

WASHINGTON, DC -- Today is 2015 National Ag

Day and it's a safe bet that Christian and Julie Richard,

rice farmers from Kaplan, Louisiana, will always

remember how they celebrated. The Richards won

the National Outstanding Young Farmer (NOYF) award

last year and a trip to the nation's capital was part of the

award. They have spent the past few days attending

various events scheduled around Ag Day, including a

visit with their Congressman, Representative

Charles Boustany, a meeting with USDA Secretary

of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Deputy Secretary

Krysta Harden, a luncheon with House Agriculture

Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, and a Celebration

of Agriculture Dinner where they were the honored guests.

"The reception we've received from lawmakers and their staff has been fantastic," Julie said.

"This was also a great opportunity to meet in a small group with the Secretary and hear his

perspective on where things are going in agriculture, it was enlightening." The Richards raise

rice, soybeans, and crawfish, operating from the philosophy that conservation and farming go

hand-in-hand -- and at least 25 percent of the application to the NOYF program is based on

conservation practices."Conservation doesn't cost you a thing, it pays a dividend," Christian said.

"You do it because it makes sense."Their progressive farming practices and devotion to the

future of agriculture are evident in their involvement in local and state organizations.

Christian currently serves as president of the local soil and water conservation district and is also

the past president of the Louisiana Rice Growers, president of the Vermilion Parish Rice

Growers, vice chairman of the state Rice Promotion Board, and a member of the parish Rice

Advisory Committee. Christian is a graduate of the Rice Leadership Development Program and

a Louisiana Master Farmer graduate. Julie is a former assistant director of field services for

Farm Bureau and is now employed full time on the farm.

"Of course we're thrilled the Richards were recognized -- it's not just a great honor for them

personally -- but also for the rice industry," said USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward. "Of

the thousands of farmers out there who applied for this honor and surely deserve recognition, the

fact that two rice growers were selected is a testament to our bright future as an industry."The

http://www.firstpost.com/business/economy/scam-stains-famed-chhattisgarh-pds-systemic-loot-runs-into-crores-2161081.html

http://www.firstpost.com/business/economy/scam-stains-famed-chhattisgarh-pds-systemic-loot-runs-into-crores-2161081.html


www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine Page

10


four national winners were selected from a group of 10 finalists for the award based on their

progress in an agricultural career, extent of soil and water conservation practices, and

contributions to the well-being of the community, state, and nation. The three other national

winners are from Michigan, Ohio, and Wyoming.

In addition to the trip to Washington, DC, national winners received a savings bond from

corporate sponsor John Deere.The NOYF program is the oldest farmer recognition program in

the United States, selecting its first group of national winners in 1955. The program is sponsored

by John Deere, administered by the Outstanding Farmers of America, and supported by the U.S.

Jaycees and the National Association of County Agricultural Agents.

Contact: Deborah Willenborg, (703) 236-1444

C ME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures

CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for March 18

Month Price Net Change

May 2015 $11.045 + $0.420

July 2015 $11.290 + $0.420

September 2015 $11.400 + $0.415

November 2015 $11.560 + $0.415

January 2016 $11.710 + $0.415

March 2016 $11.710 + $0.415

May 2016 $11.710 + $0.415

Rice Storage Workshop, April 7, Richvale Tuesday, April 7, 2015 • Richvale, CA

http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001W6rnDMVpsrEPyDs7aW7XjwjSgcIU97enPnEp8Ra_wkU_ehIIU3KsGBwKcv2KUrdwlqXN1MCJRKSIQxQ3Q51OVaK37u_8NWFC3RRo4FMutMzWCEz_iY6H550BMmWFOu7zICNMRkSnASP6s0HEgOLmXASqdcd1mWsY2d_0rFx04E0-cVv8YGOIOcF_qjVy2JH1l0q_km0BBpEDbGDZXV8Boziz3pSmQrE7f7yMcLjSD0UGTVm0qpO9bHfXqToUrlA3wHEQC8rmOoo85NgaPe4eqZvkRXNYTaQ8AiM9Ea8MbcYtxZJFCRhAjIkd8JP88iB5x1s5WFuKFK14ZkkF2Bxc0WHeCw8aTaVF_EOmc002xdA1Srgp4s3ceVqtS0eav1ASbc324W4A3pyvKGKQyzCIx-4Kzw63oj5RlNrNBfyyh6r3XpaGjNUrdOizInUJFMN-hn-3wkqd0QU8-2q6vgcMvFyemG_Buybu&c=dBpma8BSmxXsNQV6v5VI_MXBlbjWXwm2WNN1Sjli1wSdmI0vpBwBrA==&ch=bxFiZhBNqleb3X3GswWmTUqh-Etp-8ceLpJoIeumoqOjs8_Po2NK6w==



11


A workshop to discuss the rice shortage and mill insect pest management will take place April 7 from

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lundberg Family Farms, 5311 Midway, Richvale, Calif.The workshop is

organized by the research team of the Post-Harvest Grain Management Project, which was funded by

the United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture Grants

Program.The team consists of several scientists with many year‘s experience in the subject of pest

management in stored grains and storage and milling facilities.The workshop will focus on pest

management in rice mills as well as in storage bins.

Major topics include: Current status and challenges of rice grain insect pest management; integrated

pest management programs; monitoring and dynamics of storage insect pests inside and around rice

mills; structural treatments, residual insecticides, and aeration; economics of storage rice insect pest

control; and, integrated storage rice insect pest management and tool delivery.

Register on-line at http://ucanr.edu/2015ricemillworkshop

Registration is free. Please register before April 1 to ensure participation. Seats will be filled on a

first-come basis. Lunch will be provided.DPR CE credits have been requested.

For more information, contact Luis Espino, University of California Cooperative Extension at 530-

458-0578, [email protected], or Jim Stewart, Lundberg Family Farms 530-538-3500.

http://westernfarmpress.com/rice-storage-workshop-april-7-

richvale?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+March+18%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%

2C+2013&utm_medium=email

Senate panel considers duck hunt fix

March 17, 2015 - 3:02pmUpdated March 17, 2015 - 4:02pm

By Peter Urban

Stephens Washington Bureau

[email protected]

WASHINGTON — Arkansas could decide for itself if duck hunting can occur on rolled rice

fields under legislation that got a positive response Tuesday from some members of the Senate

Environment and Public Works Committee.The provision, aimed at resolving an ongoing dispute

between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Arkansas rice farmers over ―baited‖ fields, has

been long sought by members of the Arkansas delegation. It is now included in a bill that Sen.

Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, has drafted to address broader fish and wildlife issues. Sullivan chairs

the subcommittee on fisheries, water and wildlife.In 2012, the agency warned rice growers that

http://ucanr.edu/2015ricemillworkshop

http://westernfarmpress.com/rice-storage-workshop-april-7-richvale?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+March+18%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email



mailto:[email protected]



12


some of their fields that had been rolled — as farmers often do after harvest — could be off

limits to waterfowl hunting.

That summer‘s drought led to an early rice harvest, which was followed by heavy rains that

cause a rare secondary ―ratoon‖ crop to sprout. In Arkansas, local cooperative extension offices

advised farmers to plow under the secondary rice to return nutrients to the soil.Fish and Wildlife

cautioned the growers that if rice heads emerge from those fields, they would be considered

―baited‖ and therefore illegal for waterfowl hunting. The law is intended to prohibit hunters from

luring ducks or other game to them with food. Many Arkansas rice farmers lease their fields to

migratory waterfowl hunters but that year refrained because of the potential penalties from

hunting over baited fields.Dale Hall, CEO of Ducks Unlimited, testified Tuesday in favor of

leaving it up to state agriculture agencies to determine whether duck hunting would be allowed

on these rice field.

―One thing that always concerned me is if a regulation is so confusing to the public, doesn‘t it

then miss the mark? The ultimate goal of law enforcement is to have the public voluntarily

comply,‖ said Hall, who once served as director of Fish and Wildlife.Sullivan said he ―couldn‘t

agree more‖ that the regulation needs clarification.Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., who serves on

the environment subcommittee, said the baiting measure included in the bill would clarify that

farmers are allowed to engage in normal agriculture practices without fear of losing a secondary

source of income provided by leasing land to duck hunters.Hall said that southern rice farms

have actually played an important role in sustaining the migratory waterfowl that fly south for

the winter.More than half of the nation‘s wetlands have disappeared but that loss has been offset

by agricultural activity — wheat in the north and rice in the south — that provides an important

source of food for waterfowl, he said.

―We are at the highest level of nest productivity since 1955 when we began taking records, yet

we have lost so much of our native habitat. The reason is we have taken advantage of

agriculture,‖ Hall said. ―Rice has become a surrogate wetland.‖The overall bill would

reauthorize the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, which has provided funding for

conservation programs through hunting and fishing fees and extend the Pittman-Robertson

Wildlife Restoration Act that uses excise taxes on sportsmen‘s equipment for state wildlife

programs.

―The language we examine today was a result of the efforts between many parties to craft a

sportsman‘s bill that will enhance recreational opportunities for all. Many of these provisions I

have supported in past Congresses, and I look forward to finally passing them into law,‖ said

Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla. ―As a sportsman and an avid fisherman, I understand and appreciate

the role these activities hold as long-standing tradition for many families across the country. It is

my goal to help ensure these recreational opportunities are open and available so that we can

responsibly enjoy and conserve our natural resources.‖Sullivan said the bill would also codify an

existing exemption that excludes EPA from regulating lead fishing tackle and ammunition, and



13


would allow lawful possession of firearms at water resource development projects managed by

the Army Corps of Engineers.Sen.

Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., spoke against allowing firearms near dams and other projects

managed by the Corps of Engineers.―You may want that in Alaska, but that would be intensely

alarming and frightening for people in Rhode Island. I think it is a completely unnecessary

addition to this bill,‖ Whitehouse said.Sen. Michael Crapo, R-Idaho, clarified that carrying

firearms would be permitted only in those places open to the public and would be specifically

prohibited from dams and other facilities that are security issues. Crapo noted that guns are

allowed on most federal lands but not on the 12 million acres controlled by the Corps.Wayne

Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, spoke against exempting

lead fish tackle and ammunition from EPA regulation.―We are critics of the use of lead. We

don‘t have it in our gas or paint and globally we are moving to non-toxic shot,‖ he said.

Watch Video on :

http://arkansasnews.com/news/arkansas/senate-panel-considers-duck-hunt-

fix?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+March+18%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+2013&utm_m

edium=email#sthash.K7ekIE69.dpuf

Untimely rain plays havoc with vegetable, pulse prices

NEW DELHI, MARCH 18:

Prices of vegetables and pulses are set to shoot up after unseasonal rain damaged over 50 lakh

hectares of standing crops across the country, putting enormous strain on household

budgets.Consumers will have to pay more for potatoes, carrots, cabbages, mustard and almost all



14


the pulses over the next few weeks. Rain in northern, central and western parts has caused

widespread damage to crops in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

Inclement weather not only affects production but also the quality of agricultural produce,

besides hampering movement of supplies throughout the supply chain, exacerbating the situation

and pushing up wholesale inflation.Wholesale Price Index-based inflation in February reflected

higher food prices at 7.74 per cent. Further upward pressure in prices could force the Reserve

Bank of India to think twice on policy rate cuts at its policy meeting early next month. Vegetable

prices rose 15.5 per cent, while fruits surged 16.84 per cent. Prices for the politically significant

onion rose 26 per cent.

Widespread damage

The Centre has estimated that standing crops over 50 lakh hectares (lh) were damaged — 27 lh

in Uttar Pradesh, 14.5 lh in Rajasthan, 7.5 lh in Maharashtra, 50,000 hectares in West Bengal and

at least 6,000 hectares in Punjab. ―Wheat on some 6-7 acres of my 20 acres has been destroyed.

Seasonal vegetables, potatoes in particular, besides cabbage and carrots have been affected,‖ said

Karamjit Sidhu, a farmer from Kotla Suraj Lohar village in Amritsar district.Farmers from UP

said potato and mustard crops have been badly affected as also wheat, while pulses such as

chickpea (chana), black gram (urad) and green gram (moong) have been hit to a lesser

extent.―Almost the entire mustard crop has been flattened,‖ said Rajiv Kumar, who owns 13

acres in Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh.

―The impact on wheat is less but more for mustard with hailstorms in Rajasthan and UP. There

won‘t be much addition to inflation on the basis of a slight fall in wheat output.―It‘s not clear

how much damage there has been to potato and perishables,‖ said Suresh Pal, who heads the

Division of Agricultural Economics at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute.

Wholesale and retail prices of vegetables, such as bitter gourd, cauliflower and brinjal, have

already shot up this month in the Capital. Agriculture Produce Market Committee data showed

that the average price of brinjal increased some 19 per cent to ₹17.6/kg in March from

February.During the same period, cauliflower prices rose to ₹20/kg from around ₹ 14/kg. Retail

prices for bitter gourd and lady's finger have surged by 20 per cent, selling at ₹ 120/kg from ₹

100 a month ago. Retailers expect prices, which have gone up by about ₹ 5/kg for most

vegetables, to remain high with fresh arrivals not expected soon.

Delhi Govt acts

Agriculture Ministry officials refrained from giving estimates of the damage, but Delhi

Government officials Gopal Rai and Asim Ahmed Khan convened a meeting this week to check

the steadily rising prices and announce emergency measures.These included the display prices of

major vegetables at wholesale market yards and keeping an eye on commission agents.

(This article was published on March 18, 2015)



15


http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/agri-biz/untimely-rain-plays-

havoc-with-vegetable-pulse-prices/article7008024.ece

CCC Announces Prevailing World Market Prices

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation

today announced the following prevailing world market prices of milled and rough rice, adjusted

for U.S. milling yields and location, and the resulting marketing loan-gain (MLG) and loan

deficiency payment (LDP) rates applicable to the 2014 crop, which became effective today at

7:00 a.m., Eastern Time (ET). The rough rice AWP is down $0.07 per cwt for long grain and

down $0.08 per cwt for medium/short grain.

World Price MLG/LDP

Rate

Milled

Value

($/cwt)

Rough

($/cwt)

Rough

($/cwt)

Long-Grain 15.38 9.96 0.00

Medium-/Short-

Grain 14.98 10.09 0.00

Brokens 9.28 ---- ----

This week's prevailing world market prices and MLG/LDP rates are based on the following U.S.

milling yields and the corresponding loan rates:

U.S. Milling Yields

Whole/Broken

(lbs/cwt)

Loan Rate

($/cwt)

Long-Grain 57.21/12.55 6.64

Medium-/Short-Grain 61.89/8.83 6.51

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/agri-biz/untimely-rain-plays-havoc-with-vegetable-pulse-prices/article7008024.ece

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/agri-biz/untimely-rain-plays-havoc-with-vegetable-pulse-prices/article7008024.ece

http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001W6rnDMVpsrEPyDs7aW7XjwjSgcIU97enPnEp8Ra_wkU_ehIIU3KsGMI_LU7C8SYn8iqoZ5CxKXdATYUU9w3nkNK1W2-0bbjzcQkC621MxYBgzcKdjo15eaoStKgFCtz7C4Ab03vDFu5fMi1ki4Lbat4aG0Ow5VoqyUHwvvcjEKpfx-HwuyO1k_E7sFgFqht0jhx_fRk2TpA-BACPVfZ-4ixRAYc5U6q4to61yLTNEOfAYPque6UrpwJY-8Q8fqWoTovAWoZyliibIePm81bT0KdlC1S7oopFEIlPET9oy0nX4auqVUisEqfUcnHxCl7KrjzOEJNuG-pLzUcxLpvukliT6iW20Bo7wu-CLmAZ5FbG6N41GR2-3rkYCB5MShABcQsFCGZLA85ctGZYeAcMr6L1UqMp2HLz&c=dBpma8BSmxXsNQV6v5VI_MXBlbjWXwm2WNN1Sjli1wSdmI0vpBwBrA==&ch=bxFiZhBNqleb3X3GswWmTUqh-Etp-8ceLpJoIeumoqOjs8_Po2NK6w==



16


The next program announcement is scheduled for March 25.

DPCs receive over 21,000 tonnes of paddy this season

Updated: March 18, 2015 05:41 IST

With the harvest season drawing to a close, Direct Procurement Centres in the district are set to

wind up operations within the next few weeks.S. Ayyappan, Regional Manager, Tamil Nadu

Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC), said that 19,284 tonnes of paddy had been procured in the

48 centres set up by the TNCSC across the district as of date.―Additionally, 2,080 tonnes of

paddy have been procured at 5 DPCs set up by the Cooperation Department,‖ he added.Officials

in the agriculture department said they would be undertaking surveys across the district and shut

down the DPCs where procurement had completely stopped.

―While the amount of paddy procured has substantially increased when compared to the previous

year, farmers cultivating high-quality variety of paddy preferred to sell it in the markets since it

is in demand and they could command a high price for it,‖ Mr. Ayyappan explained.Speaking

about the procurement in the district, Joint Director for Agriculture Jaisingh Gnanadurai said that

while there was a marked increase of a few hundred tonnes of paddy over last year‘s

procurement, they expected the procurement to touch 40,000 metric tonnes since the yield this

year was high across the district. A good yield of paddy had been expected from over 44,000

hectares in the district. An official said that there were no major cases of malpractice reported

regarding the functioning of the DPCs.―Other than a few minor issues, there were no major raids.

The monitoring committees too ensured the smooth functioning of the centres,‖ he noted.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/dpcs-receive-over-21000-tonnes-of-paddy-this-

season/article7005749.ece

Rice farming project to resume in the West

8 Slow, Difficult Steps To Become A Millionaire (The Daily Western)

BusinessMar 17, 2015 0

Over 700 rice farmers in the Shama district are to be re-

employed into the local rice production industry

following the revamping of a government initiative to

construct water management systems for rice farmers in

some parts of the country.Local rice is anticipated to

dominaterice farm the Ghanaian market when the

project begins to yield its firsst fruits. Over 321 acres of

land have been prepared at Badukrom to begin large

production of the local rice. This follows the over 85%

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/dpcs-receive-over-21000-tonnes-of-paddy-this-season/article7005749.ece

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/dpcs-receive-over-21000-tonnes-of-paddy-this-season/article7005749.ece



17


completion of the water management systems to cater for water supply needs of the rice

producers.The project should have started in 2011 but government was unable to secure the

needed funding. This led he inland valley rice development project workers jobless in June 2011.

Some of the anticipated beneficial farmers said they has been engaging over the years are

dissatisfied with the delay in executing the project.

The water systems have been A visit to the site saw some water systems completed. The land has

also been demarcated for onward distribution to the farmers. The Wassa East district agric

director Kofi Eyiah who had come to inspect the progress of work at the site said completion

these systems have presented the opportunity for some 700 rice farmers to be employed.In the

mean time, the district director of agriculture, Kofi Eyiah, has accused some rice farmers in the

western region of collapsing the subsidized fertilizer scheme introduced by government.

He said some farmers failed to honour their part of the scheme. Mr. Kofi Eyiah said government

was unable to secure new bags of fertilizer at subsidized prices in 2014 as a result of the failure

of farmers to pay for their supplies. He argues the farmers have been falsely accusing

government of deliberately starving them of farm inputs especially fertilizers. He however said

enough supplies are expected for this season from government but the farmers will have to go to

the open market if that fails.

http://www.spyghana.com/rice-farming-project-to-resume-in-the-west/

Some Northern California Farmers Not Planting This Year,

Sell Water To Los Angeles At $700 Per Acre Foot

(The Daily Western)

by John RamosMarch 17, 2015 7:05 PM

YUBA COUNTY (KPIX 5) – The rice industry in the Sacramento Valley is taking a hard hit

with the drought. Some farmers are skipping out on their fields this year, because they are

cashing in on their water rights.Many fields will stay dry because farmers will be doing what was

once considered unthinkable: selling their water to Southern California.―In the long term, if we

don‘t make it available we‘re afraid they‘ll just take it,‖ said Charlie Mathews, a fourth

generation rice farmer with senior rights to Yuba River water.He and his fellow growers have

agreed to sell 20 percent of their allotment to Los Angeles‘s Metropolitan Water District as it

desperately searches to add to its dwindling supply.

It‘s not really surprising that Southern California is looking for a place to buy water. But what is

making news is how much they‘ve agreed to pay for it: $700 per acre foot of water.Just last year,

rice farmers were amazed when they were offered $500 per acre foot. This new price means

growers will earn a lot more money on the fields they don‘t plant, making water itself the real

cash crop in California.―It‘s much more than we ever expected to get. But at the same time, that

http://www.spyghana.com/rice-farming-project-to-resume-in-the-west/

http://thedailywestern.com/2015/01/10-things-to-do-in-cuba-before-it-changes-forever



18


just shows the desperation of the people that need it,‖ Mathews said.The ripple effect of this will

be felt around the entire state. If a Bay Area water district needs to buy more water, it will now

be competing with Los Angeles to do it.―They have to pay whatever the last price, the highest

price, people will pay,‖ Mathews said.

Watch Video on:

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/03/17/drought-some-northern-california-farmers-not-planting-sell-

water-rights-los-angeles/

China places big orders for Vietnamese rice

VietNamNet Bridge – The rice export market has bounced back thanks to higher demand from

importers, especially from China, which has made large orders.

Huynh The Nang, chair of the Vietnam Food

Association (VFA), in an interview to the local press,

said he can see ―positive signs‖ in the rice export

market.Vietnam needs to sell about 5 million tons of

winter-spring rice, including 700 tons of last year‘s

inventories. To date, Vietnamese businesses have

signed contracts on exporting one million tons.As

demand is high, VFA predicts that Vietnam will be

able to sell 3 million tons of rice by the end of the

second quarter.Nang noted that the Chinese market

has heated up again as the government has granted

rice import quotas to Chinese businesses. It is estimated that Vietnam can sell 3.5-4 million tons

of rice to China, which includes 1 million tons across the border gates.

Previously, Vietnamese rice exporters and farmers had been concerned about the sharp fall in

rice exports in the first month of the year.A report from the Industry and Trade Information

Center shows that Vietnam had exported 325,621 tons of rice, worth $153.23 million, by the end

of January, which represented a 11.72 percent decrease in quantity and 12.86 percent in export

turnover compared with January 2014.The 5 percent broken rice export price in January dropped

to $376 per ton from $401 per ton in January 2014, while the price of 25 percent broken rice

exports to $380 per ton.Vietnam‘s 5 percent broken rice closing price in January was at $360 per

ton, down by 6 percent in comparison with December 2014 and 11 percent one year ago.

The rice price in the domestic market has moved up slightly on the government-initiated

campaign to buy rice to store. Nang said the rice price has increased by VND300 per kilo

compared with the days before Tet (in mid-February), after 10 days of running the

campaign.Commenting on the price rise, an analyst said the rice collection campaign is only one

of the reasons that prices have gone up. The analyst said that rice export companies are

collecting rice to implement a contract on exporting 240,000 tons to Malaysia, while Vietnam

has won the bid to provide 300,000 tons of rice to the Philippines. And China has returned with

large orders.Mekong River Delta farmers are satisfied with the price. Le Van Tol, a farmer in

Soc Trang province, said he had made a profit of VND14 million per hectare, which was enough

to ―make ends met‖.In 2014, Vietnam exported 6.32 million tons of rice, earning 2.8 million



19


USD, to become the third largest rice exporter in the world, after Thailand and India, according

to VFA.

Thanh Mai

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/125653/china-places-big-orders-for-vietnamese-rice.html

Vietnam aims for greener rice cultivation

Wednesday, 18 March 2015 05:26

Vietnam plans to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from rice cultivation alone by 14

per cent by 2030

According to the 2010 National Greenhouse gas inventory, there will be an increase in emissions

on both livestock and farm land in Vietnam. (Image source: CatSh/sxc.hu)

This was announced at a recent conference in

Hanoi by an official from the Ministry of

Natural Resources and Environment.Pham

Hoang Yen, an expert involved in the United

Nations Framework Convention on Climate

Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol,

said that in the last few years, the country has

set the goal of a 20 per cent reduction in GHG

in the overall cultivation sector by 2020.

The Southeast Asian country has been preparing for National Appropriate Mitigation Action

(NAMA) and other policies that developing countries have adopted to control global GHG at a

UNFCC conference in Bali eight years ago.In addition, Vietnam has also carried out a

programme of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).In June 2014, the country had 253 CDM

projects and had registered 11 programmes of activities. This move earned it 10.7mn certified

emission reduction (CEF) credits granted by CDM Executive Board through CDM activities,

Yen added.The total GHG emissions reduction from the 253 CDM projects was 137mn tonnes of

CO2equivalent.In the future, many projects are expected to 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 18.03mn tonnes of CO2 in 2010 to 24.95mn tonnes in 2020

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/125653/china-places-big-orders-for-vietnamese-rice.html



20


and 29.32mn tonnes in 2030. In agriculture, GHG emissions are expected to increase from

23.81mn tonnes of CO2 in 2010 to 33.94mn tonnes of CO2 in 2020 and 37.4 tonnes in 2030.

The industrial process had a GHG emission growth, but it was still small compared with the total

of emissions, Yen said. It has been predicted that land use, land use change and forestry activities

in Vietnam will absorb 42.5mn tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2020, and 45.3mn tonnes in 2030

and the main source of emissions and absorption will be forest and cultivated land.

http://www.fareasternagriculture.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5263:vietnam-

aims-for-greener-rice-cultivation&catid=1083&Itemid=98

FCI to ferry another 10,000 tonne rice for Tripura via B'desh

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has taken initiative to transport another 10,000 tonnes of

rice for Tripura by using the water and land routes of neighbouring Bangladesh, the state

government said today. "Our rail line from Lumding to Badarpur in Assam is closed in view of

gauge conversion. It would be completed next year only. So, we urged the central government

for ferrying the granules by using the Ashuganj port. FCI informed us that transportation would

be started after March 22," Tripura Food and Civil Supplies Minister Bhanulal Saha told

reporters.Train services in Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram and Cachhar and Karimganj districts of

Assam were closed since last October for conversion of railway tracks from narrow gauge to

broad gauge, which is likely to be operational in March 2016.

Saha said, it was necessary to create a buffer stock of food grain in the state before the monsoon

sets in June. The Ashuganj port on the river Meghna in Brahmanbaria district of Bangladesh is

about 50 km from here. The minister said rice would be uploaded from Kolkata port and would

be unloaded in the Ashuganj port from where it would be carried to Agartala by using the

Bangladeshi trucks. The distance between Agartala and Kolkata is reduced to 650 km from 1,700

km if not traveled through 'chicken neck area' or Siliguri Corridor.

http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/fci-to-ferry-another-10-000-tonne-rice-for-tripura-

via-b-desh-115031800815_1.html

Drought: Switch to crops that need less water 18 Mar 2015 at 13:35 960 viewed0 comments

WRITER: JON FERNQUEST

Expect more watermelon, kale & corn for sale in

markets. Quick to grow crops that require less water are

the farmer's choice when water supplies disappear.A

farmer in Chai Nat‘s Sankhaburi district waters

his watermelon plants. Several rice farmers in this

centralprovince have switched from growing rice

to watermelons and kale, which require less water, as

the provinceendures a serious drought. THANARAK

KHUNTON

http://www.fareasternagriculture.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5263:vietnam-aims-for-greener-rice-cultivation&catid=1083&Itemid=98

http://www.fareasternagriculture.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5263:vietnam-aims-for-greener-rice-cultivation&catid=1083&Itemid=98

http://www.business-standard.com/search?type=news&q=India

http://www.business-standard.com/search?type=news&q=Tripura

http://www.business-standard.com/search?type=news&q=Assam

http://www.business-standard.com/search?type=news&q=Mizoram

http://www.business-standard.com/search?type=news&q=Bangladesh

http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/fci-to-ferry-another-10-000-tonne-rice-for-tripura-via-b-desh-115031800815_1.html

http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/fci-to-ferry-another-10-000-tonne-rice-for-tripura-via-b-desh-115031800815_1.html

http://search.bangkokpost.com/search/result_advanced?category=news&columnistName=Jon+Fernquest



21


AGRICULTURE & DROUGHT Farmers turn to arid crops to survive

Off-season rice ruled out by the drought, locals grow anything that can tide them over

18/03/2015

Manop Thip-Osod

Farmers in Chai Nat province have switched from growing off-season rice towatermelon and

kale after the worst drought in decades parched their rice fields. The farmers described

the switch as a risk, but said growing rice would be worse. A number of rice fields in Chai Nat's

Muang, Sankhaburi, and Sapphaya districts havewithered over a decade due to long-

standing drought conditions in the centralprovince. Even though scenic views of green

vegetation can still be seen along some roadsides, many standing trees such as mango trees have

already wilted in the dryness. Since the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) declared water will

not be released toirrigation canals for the off-season rice farming, many farmers have decided

not to tilltheir farmland which was full of rice stubble from last year in preparation for off-

season paddy cultivation. Rice cultivation, therefore, will have to start again in the next

rainy season.

Bunpote Keawthong, a 45-year-old farmer who opted to grow watermelon instead of rice, said

it hasn't rained for about 10 months in his hometown, causing watershortages which affected

rice farming. This year is the first time in a decade that residents haven't grown off-

season rice. He said most farmers in tambon Dong Kaun in Sankhaburi district did

not cultivateoff-season rice this year as a result of water shortages and a drop in the price of

rice to between 6,000 and 7,000 baht per tonne. Nobody wanted

to incur high initialinvestment costs and capital losses.

On top of water scarcity, locals have to contend with thousands of rats which eat

anddecimate crops on their farms. "It is difficult to find water in this season. Groundwater must

be siphoned from boreholes. Villagers must also cope with the rats by electrocuting them every

night," he said. Mr Bunpote said the water he now uses on his farm has been pumped from the

farmland of his neighbour, who has never demanded money from him. Mr Bunpote

said local people are willing to help each other.

In such a dry season,kindness and sympathy are needed the most. Any extra expenses such as

fuel costs or farm equipment maintenance will be shared among locals. Even though rats are a

big problem, Mr Bunpote said, an even bigger problem is rice thrips, an insect pest that comes

out during dry seasons and which can devastate the rice plants during the seedling stage. If the

rice thrips infest the plantation, almost 100% of that farm's crops will be destroyed.

Mr Bunpote, who now plants watermelons on five rai of land as his sideline crop, said the

water which is siphoned from underground is not enough to supply the ricepaddy,

which risks dying. He has turned to short-lived plants instead. "Watermelon is a short-lived plant

and can be harvested and sold on the market after a couple of months of cultivation. But I still



22


have to erect a tarp enclosure around my farm to prevent rats and rice thrips from getting in," he

said. Mr Bumpote said if he didn't learn how to plant other crops, he wouldn't be able

tosustain himself and his family, due to the daily expenses.

He has to deduct the price of oil, used for a water pump, from his overall earnings. His

monthly income ends up being only 10,000 baht. "One of my farmer friends invested in a 14-

rai watermelon farm worth around 100,000 baht. But he earned only about 20,000 baht due

to low productivity," he added. Some farmers planted beans but were unable

to recoup their investment or make any profit, as the beans started to grow but eventually

died. Meanwhile, others have turned to growing corn as it requires less water than rice. Kale and

Chinese cabbage are other options for villagers as they can be harvested six weeks after

planting and sold at eight baht per kilogramme.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/499547/farmers-turn-to-arid-crops-to-survive

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18th march,2015 daily global rice e newsletter

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