SKUAST-K conducts input distribution-cum Training Programme

on best practices for wheat production

By KR Desk on 2:23 am March 14, 2022

SRINAGAR: Vermicompost distribution-cum-Training Programme on best practices for wheat

production under All India Coordinated Wheat and Barley Improvement Project, Tribal Sub
Plan-Wheat sponsored by ICAR IIWBR, Karnal and Ministry of Agriculture and farmers
Welfare and was conducted today at MRCFC Khudwani, SKUAST Kashmir. Around 50 farmers
belonging to ST category from the villages Hamnadi Sirgufwara, Vail Nagbal Salia of districts
Anantnag and villages Nandimarg, Halan, Doodkuchan, K B Pora and Nagrus of Kulgam district
participated in the programme.
The programme was inaugurated by Prof. Sarfaraz A. Wani Director Research, SKUAST-K
Shalimar and Prof. Azmat Alam, OSD to Honorable Vice Chancellor and Co-PI NAHEP who
extended their advice and stressed on the need for the use of vermicompost in agriculture for
better yield of crops and soil health improvement. Other associated Scientists also had an
interactive session with farmers and presented the technological inputs with reference to wheat
production and management.
Dr. Najeeb ul Rehman Sofi, Associate Director Research, MRCFC Khudwani stressed upon the
importance of AICRP Wheat and TSP Wheat Programme and its outreach to the tribal farmers of
Anantnag and Kulgam districts of Kashmir region.
Dr. Shabir Hussain Wani, Scientist, GPB and PI-AICRP Wheat MRCFC Khudwani deliberated
on the importance of quality seed production and use of improved varieties in wheat for
increasing food and nutritional security.
The second session of the programme included the distribution of vermicompost (130q) among
the tribal farmer beneficiaries.
The training was conducted by SKUAST-Kashmir with the technical support and financial
assistance from Director, Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal.

SKUAST-K conducts input distribution-cum Training Programme on best practices for wheat
production added by KR Desk on 2:23 am March 14, 2022
View all posts by KR Desk →

KR Desk
https://kashmirreader.com/2022/03/14/skuast-k-conducts-input-distribution-cum-training-
programme-on-best-practices-for-wheat-production/

All organisms produce methane in a chemical process involving free radicals. CREDIT: Max
Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology/Ernst
All Organisms Produce Methane

 March 14, 2022  Eurasia Review 

By Eurasia Review
It is well known that methane, a greenhouse gas, is produced by special microorganisms, for
example in the intestines of cows, or in rice fields. For some years, scientists had also observed
the production of methane in plants and fungi, without finding an explanation. Now researchers
from Heidelberg and the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg have shed
light on the underlying mechanism. Their findings suggest that all organisms release methane.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, so the study of its natural and anthropogenic
biogeochemical sources and sinks is of enormous interest. For many years, scientists considered
methane to be produced only by single-celled microbes called Archaea, upon decomposition of
organic matter in the absence of oxygen (anaerobic).
Now, a collaboration of earth and life scientists led by Frank Keppler and Ilka Bischofs has
shown that an enzyme is potentially not necessary for methane formation, as the process can also
take place via a purely chemical mechanism. “Methane formation triggered by reactive oxygen
species most likely occurs in all organisms,” explains Leonard Ernst, an interdisciplinarily
trained junior researcher who conducted the study. The scientists verified the reactive oxygen
species-driven formation of methane in more than 30 model organisms, ranging from bacteria
and archaea to yeasts, plant cells and human cell lines.
It was a sensation when Max Planck researchers discovered the release of methane from plants in
the presence of oxygen (aerobic) 16 years ago. However, initially the results were doubted, since
methane formation could not be explained with the then existing knowledge about plants. When
researchers observed that also fungi, algae and cyanobacteria (formerly blue-green algae) formed
methane under aerobic conditions, enzymatic activities were assumed to be responsible.
However, the researchers never found a corresponding enzyme in any of these organisms.
“This study is therefore a milestone in our understanding of aerobic methane formation in the
environment,” said Frank Keppler, a geoscientist at Heidelberg University. “This universal
mechanism also explains the observations of our previous study on the release of methane from
plants,” adds Keppler.
High cell activity leads to more methane
As the researchers have now been able to show using the bacterium Bacillus subtilis, there is a
close connection between metabolic activity and extent of methane formation. Metabolic
activity, especially under the influence of oxygen, leads to the formation of reactive oxygen
species in cells, which include hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals. In interaction with the
essential element iron, the Fenton reaction takes place – a reaction between reduced iron and
hydrogen peroxide that leads to the formation of highly reactive tetravalent iron compounds and
hydroxyl radicals.
The latter molecules drive the cleavage of a methyl radical from methylated sulfur and nitrogen
compounds, e.g., the amino acid methionine. In a subsequent reaction of the methyl radical with
a hydrogen atom, methane is finally formed. All reactions can take place under physiological
conditions in a test tube and are significantly enhanced by biomolecules such as ATP and
NADH, which are generated by cellular metabolism.
Oxidative stress boosts methane formation
Additional oxidative stress, triggered by physical and chemical factors, e.g. higher ambient
temperatures or the addition of reactive oxygen species-forming substances, also led to an
increase in methane formation in the examined organisms. In contrast, the addition of
antioxidants and the scavenging of free radicals reduced the formation of methane – an
interaction that probably controls the formation of methane in organisms.
The study therefore also helps to explain why methane production by a certain organism can
vary by several orders of magnitude and why stress factors particularly affect the amount of
production. Shifts in environmental and temperature conditions caused by climate change could
potentially influence the stress levels of many organisms and thus their atmospheric methane
emissions. Conversely, variations in the methane content of the breath could indicate age- or
stress-related changes in cellular metabolism
Click here to have Eurasia Review's newsletter delivered via RSS, as an email newsletter, via
mobile or on your personal news page.

https://www.eurasiareview.com/14032022-all-organisms-produce-methane/Sport

New variety of paddy gives promising yield

‘BPT 5204’ was developed by scientists of Agriculture Research Station in Nellore

       
Published: 14th March 2022 07:05 AM  |   Last Updated: 14th March 2022 07:05 AM   |  

By D Surendra Kumar

Express News Service
NELLORE: A new variety of paddy seed, NLR-3238, developed by scientists at Agriculture
Research Station, Nellore, has been yielding good results on par with popular variety BPT 5204.
NLR-3238 comes with a comparatively higher zinc composition (22.5 per cent) in the grain and
is sustainable and viable to cultivate in all seasons. 
The Research Station, which comes under Acharya N G Ranga Agriculture University, is one of
the leading research centres in the State, conducting studies on varieties of rice. The scientists
have developed the seed by crossing MTU-1010 and BPT-5204 varieties, to get higher yield in a
shorter time period. “NLR 3238 has been tested in soils at various places including Nellore and
other parts of the Telugu States. We have introduced the seed in the market only after coming to
a conclusion that it is environment-friendly. The new variety gives good yield on par with BPT-
5204 and MTU-1010 varieties,” Dr Srilakshmi, a scientist at the research centre, said.
The scientists at ARS are now creating awareness among the farmers in the region on the new
variety. Some farmers have already started cultivating the new variety and reportedly got good
yields. 
“I cultivated the NLR 3238 variety of paddy in Rabi and got four puttis of paddy as yield for one
acre. The new variety comes with higher zinc composition. The seeds also attract less rot
compared to other varieties. NLR 3238 is in good demand in the market,” said I Sudhakar
Reddy, a farmer from Indukurpeta mandal. 
https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:v2hPGlmypBsJ:https://
www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2022/mar/14/new-variety-of-paddy-gives-
promising-yield-2429812.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pk

Monoculture Rice Production Outperformed by Traditional

Techniques
Monoculture Rice Production Outperformed by Traditional Techniques that Integrate Aquatic
Animals

 
(Beyond Pesticides, March 15, 2022) Adding animal diversity to rice paddy farms reduces weed
pressure, increases food production, and makes fertilizer use more efficient, according to a study
published late last month in the journal eLife. As chemical-dependent, industrialized agriculture
has spread across the world, local farmers are increasingly pressured into eschewing traditional
agricultural practices in favor of monocultures in an attempt to meet the demands of global
markets. This one-size-fits-all approach oversimplifies the interdependency within ecosystems,
failing to incorporate the complexity of nature that many traditional and organic practices
embrace. As the present study shows, research and investment into systems that promote natural
diversity can provide insights that allow these approaches to leapfrog the chemical-dependent,
monoculture paradigm of industrial agriculture. Rice paddy fields are intentionally flooded, and
crops are often grown in shallow water. In industrialized fields, monocultures of rice are planted
out, and fertilizers and weed killers are applied at regular intervals. However, many traditional
rice farmers around the world integrate aquatic animals into their paddies. In the present
experiment, researchers conducted a 4-year long evaluation comparing the benefits of
monoculture production against co-cultures of rice and aquatic animals. Co-culturing animals
and rice differs slightly from traditional practices that incorporates the additional direct feeding
of aquatic animals for market (in traditional practices, animals generally are not provided
supplemental feed). To compare the different systems, researchers established field plots with
rice-carp, rice-crab, and rice-turtle co-cultures (these animals are widely eaten in rice-growing
regions), as well as a rice monoculture. A mesocosm (an enclosed environment that examines
natural processes under controlled conditions) experiment was also established with the same
systems to evaluate nutrient efficiency. Animals in the diverse fields were introduced one week
after rice transplant, provided with supplemental feed in the form of spent soybean residue (a
waste product after soybean oil is extracted), and remained in the fields until rice harvest. When
compared to monoculture rice production, rice yield was on average 8% higher in the rice-turtle
system, 9% higher in the rice-carp co-culture, and 12% higher for rice-crabs. Animal yields were
2.66, 0.85, and 0.56 metric tons per hectare for the rice-turtle, rice-carp, and rice-crab systems,
respectively. Prior research conducted by the authors found that rice-turtle, rice-carp, and rice-
crab systems increased total economic output by 710%, 205%, and 78%, respectively, over a
monoculture rice system. The diversified animal system also significantly lowered weed pressure
on the farms in comparison to the monoculture fields. Weeds and other food (e.g., algae,
plankton) from the paddy environment ended up comprising a significant portion of the aquatic
animals’ food; for carp, crab, and turtle systems, 50%, 35%, and 16%, respectively. The
researchers used no herbicide in any of the experimental plots, and there is evidence from the
diverse plots that no herbicide use would be needed based on the weed pressure alleviated.
Diverse animal paddies also displayed faster rates of organic matter decomposition, indicating
improved nutrient cycling. In the mesocosm experiments, feed that was not consumed by
animals made its way into the crop, accounting for upwards of 30% of rice biomass. Compared
to the monoculture fields, by the end of the experiment soil nitrogen content was higher in
animal fields. In aquatic rice cultures, the introduction of animals represented a multifunctional
boon – reducing weed pressure, increasing nutrient recycling and availability, and subsequently
yields. This process provided significant benefits to farmers, who received a higher price for
their work. The authors note, “Although costs of the cocultures are higher than the costs of
monoculture because of the feed input and increased labor required for the management of two
species, net income was still higher for cocultures than for monocultures because of the higher
prices of the products and the reduced use of fertilizers and pesticides.” The forced simplicity of
monoculture farming in a diverse and complex environment is ultimately unsustainable. It is
common sense that clearing land of all flora and fauna and replacing it solely with human-
focused crops leads to biodiversity decline and the loss of pollinators and other beneficial
species, but scientific research has backed up these judgements. Agricultural soils under
monocultures are not nearly as healthy as those that embrace diversity. Soil organic matter and
nutrient cycling, critical for sustainable crop growth, is lower in monoculture systems by two to
three fold, according to recent research. The solution is as simple as the problem that was
created. Adding back in plant diversity and moving from monoculture to multi-cropping
systems produces higher biomass and seed yields, and reduces pest pressure and the need for
pesticide use. Organic agriculture provides the closest approximation to the sustainable food
system the future requires. While organic has not yet eliminate monocultures, it requires farmers
to maintain or improve soil health, which has the effect of encouraging practices that embrace
natural diversity and complexity. Organic laws and rulemaking also support the concept of
continuous improvement, incentivizing the development of safer and more sustainable practices
once they become available. Naysayers of diverse organic systems point to yield gaps and cost,
but fail to recognize the research and development gap between conventional and organic. As
this study reveals, analysis of an enhanced traditional cropping system displays yield gains over
an industrialized approach. With further research and development into traditional and organic
cropping systems, the next agricultural revolution has the potential to be significantly more
sustainable than the current paradigm. For more information on the benefits of organic see
Beyond Pesticides Why Organic webpage. All unattributed positions and opinions in this piece
are those of Beyond Pesticides.
https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2022/03/monoculture-rice-production-outperformed-
by-traditional-techniques-that-integrate-aquatic-animals/

The New Rice Variety Set To Increase Crop

Production
  
A new rice grain variety is set to revolutionize crop production, increasing by almost double per
acre. The hybrid variety which is high yielding, early maturing and disease resistant is capable of
yielding up to 54 bags of paddy rice as compared to a maximum of 30 bags of the basmati crop.
The variety is also not susceptible to lodging as compared to other varieties since it matures
while its tillers are relatively short from the ground. According to the head of the rice production
programme in the Country Dr. Mary Mutembei, the country is headed to self-sufficiency in rice
production once farmers adopt the farming of the new variety. Within the African continent, the
project activities are visible and supported in Kenya and Tanzania with funding from the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation. The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) is
coordinating the full implementation of the programme in the wake of the increasing
rice consumption in many African countries.
According to the AATF’s Director of Programme and Commercialization Emmanuel
Okogbenin, the reliance by Kenya on imported rice grain from Pakistan is headed for a stop once
local farmers adopt the new variety. Speaking during a field day at Mwea East, Kirinyaga
County where some farmers have produced the crop on trial basis, the official said the grain
quality was the same as that farmed in Pakistan. He said rice consumers were interested in grain
quality and quantity, traits found in the new hybrid variety. “This being the market force, I do not
see why Kenyan farmers who are well-known for the aromatic pishori for many years should not
be able to venture into the new variety which is not only high yielding but aromatic as well,”
Okogebenin said. He said due to both quantity and quality of the grain produced from the
variety, farmers should adopt it for profitability purposes regardless of the seed cost. The seed
from the variety is not recyclable and once planted and harvested, this brings to an end its
life cycle, according to Okogebenin. “In this regard, I am urging farmers to buy their certified
seed for this variety from authorised dealers and should not under any circumstance recycle the
seed from a past crop as this will only give back a minimal disease and pest-invested  harvest,”
he said. A farmer in the area James Kinyua who was among the pioneer to plant the new crop on
trial basis said he was overwhelmed by the production as compared to other varieties. He said
you only needed to flood the field for seven days then you leave it dry for a whole month
yet production was the highest. Many farmers from the area have promised to go for the variety
this coming season and have already embarked on early land preparations. A Regional
Breeding Lead – East and Southern Africa Seed Systems and Product Management Lead –
Africa International Rice Research Institute Africa Regional Office Dr Ajay Panchibhai was also
in attendance to the field day which farmers termed as the beginning of a positive revolution to
rice production in the county.  
https://www.kenyanews.go.ke/a-new-rice-variety-set-to-increase-crop-production/

Cambodia achieves more than 100,000 tons of rice exports in

January, February

 
Cambodia recorded an increase in this year’s rice exports for January and February compared to
the same period in the previous year. This is according to a statement from the Ministry of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries released to local news in March 14. According to the
statement from the Ministry, in the first two months of 2022, Cambodia exported 103,058 tons of
rice, including all kinds of fragrant rice. This is an increase of 26,836 tons compared to the
previous year’s exports for 76,222 tons. Rice exports in February 2022 amounted to 50,022 tons
which is an increase of 8,073 tons or 19.24 percent compared to February 2021’s export of
41,949 tons. China is the main market for Cambodian rice export. On January and February of
this year Cambodia exported 56,385 tons of rice. Cambodia also exports rice to 20 EU countries
with a total volume of 26,507 tons and to three ASEAN destinations with a total 9,370 tons of
rice export. The country’s exports to other 16 countries have seen a drop in volume with only
10,796 tons of rice exported, which is a decrease of 19.23 percent. Agricultural exports from
Cambodia have seen a slight increase as the country begins to recover from the Covid-19 slump.
 https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501041136/cambodia-achieves-more-than-100000-tons-of-rice-
exports-in-january-february/

El Salvador Suspends Rice Import Tariffs

By Sarah Moran

SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR -- Last Thursday, President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador

announced a one-year suspension of import tariffs for twenty basic goods, including rice, for the
United States and 65 other countries. This and ten other initiatives, most of which are focused on
gasoline or propane prices, are meant to address inflation and help improve the economic
conditions in the country. El Salvador was just beginning to recover economically from the
COVID-19 pandemic when inflation and oil/gas prices began rising; El Salvador’s annual
inflation rate reached 6.7 percent in February.

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele (photo by Reuters,

Jose Cabezas)

“The Government is taking important measures to relieve the population so that Salvadorans do
not feel or feel less the effects of global crises,” said President Bukele. “Hoarding will be a
punishable crime.”
Five of the eleven initiatives were submitted to the country’s Congress yesterday during a special
session and three of them were approved, including the suspension of import tariffs. The
measures will go into effect once they are published in the Official Gazette, likely within the
next few days, and will end on March 31, 2023.

“While this elimination of tariffs applies to all origins, not just the U.S., this is a bit of a
precursor to what free trade will eventually look like with El Salvador,” said Peter Bachmann,
USA Rice vice president for international trade policy. “El Salvador’s out-of-duty tariffs for U.S.
rice were 6.7 percent this year, going to 0 percent next year, so this announcement simply speeds
up the fulfillment of CAFTA-DR (Central America – Dominican Republic free trade agreement).
It’s not unreasonable to think that other Central American countries struggling with inflation will
follow El Salvador’s lead.”

Last year, the U.S. supplied 85 percent of El Salvador’s rice imports. The U.S. typically exports
about 80,000 tons of rice to El Salvador annually, valued at $25 million. Export sales have
totaled 60,700 tons over the past seven months.
USA rice daily

Episode 31: How Rice Fields may help Salmon Runs

/ By Jim Morris
Since fundamental changes were made to
the way rice straw is managed following
harvest in the early 1990s,  Sacramento
Valley rice country has steadily grown as a
vital rest and refuel stop for millions of
birds.  Local rice fields not only provide
habitat for nearly 230 wildlife species, the
value of rice fields for the environment is
proving to be even greater during drought
years, because there is less water on the
landscape and fewer habitat options.
What’s next for the environmental crop? If
promising research by the Rice Commission
and UC Davis pays off, Sacramento
Valley rice fields may one day help dwindling salmon runs.
Andrew Rypel
The third year of field work for the salmon project has just completed, and the last of the baby
salmon raised on Steve Neader’s Sutter County rice farm have been released and are heading out
to the ocean. Through sophisticated tagging, their journey will be studied. The ultimate hope is
that rice fields specifically managed for this purpose will provide an even greater role in
preserving and enhancing the California environment.
“I’m extremely optimistic about it,” remarked Andrew Rypel, one of the study leaders and
professors in the Department of Wildlife, Fish & Conservation Biology at UC Davis. “All of the
 data we have collected points to the fact
these fields are going to be helpful for, not
just salmon, but lots of native fishes.”
There were new elements in the latest year
of the project that will ultimately help
researchers adapt the habitat management
strategy and understand prospects for future
success.
Paul Buttner
  “This is the first time we’ve ever done the
project on full size rice fields, with about
125 acres devoted to testing the practice at
scale, “ said  Paul Buttner, Environmental
Affairs Manager of the California Rice
Commission. “One of the things we needed
to make sure is that we could allow the fish
to move freely through all of the checks in
the field and out of the field when they
want to, which is called volitional passage. We put in specialized boards with holes and notches
to allow the fish to move through the system entirely.”
Buttner stressed the importance of partnerships to make this multi-million dollar project
successful, including the scientific research from UC Davis and other technical partners.
“It would not be possible without funding, that comes first and foremost from USDA’s Natural
Resources Conservation Service,” he said. “They provided over half of the funding for the
project. All of the funding they provide has to be matched with private sector contributions, both
financial and in-kind. Syngenta and State
Water Contractors have really stepped up
with major contributions, and we have a
long list of other sustaining contributors as
well.  The full sponsorship list can be seen
at http://salmon.calrice.org/#Sponsors.”
Alex Wampler
As the salmon left the rice fields to start
their journey to the ocean, it was a
somewhat emotional time for researcher
Alexandra Wampler of UC Davis.
“I’m very excited,” Wampler said. “I can’t
wait to track their migration to the ocean.
We have a very dense receiver array, so we
should be able to track each step they take,
and it’s going to be very exciting.”
It will take a while longer to determine the
viability of the project, but those involved
remain optimistic that, perhaps one day,
Sacramento Valley rice fields will add a significant new area to their environmental benefits.
Carson Jeffres
“I think that rice fields have the same opportunities for the salmon as they did for waterfowl,”
said Carson Jeffres, research ecologist at UC Davis. “It’s a little bit different. It takes different
opportunities because fish can’t fly, so you have to make it available for them, as opposed to
having it just available for them to fly to. There’s those same possibilities that we have, and I
think that we’ve really turned a big corner in doing that, and we’re starting to see those benefits
being realized on the landscape right now.”

Download Episode

Episode Transcript
Jim Morris: The environment holds special importance in California, and salmon represent one
of the most beleaguered species in what now is year three of a major drought. There is a ray of
hope in the form of a partnership being lived out in the rice fields of the Sacramento Valley.
Jim Morris: Welcome to Ingrained, the California Rice podcast. I’m your host, Jim Morris,
proud to have worked with the state’s farmers and ranchers for more than three decades to help
tell their stories. Environmental stewardship among the rice industry is unparalleled. Not only do
Sacramento Valley rice fields serve as a vital part of the Pacific flyway migration of millions of
ducks, geese, shorebirds, and other species, those same fields offer great promise to help salmon.
Jim Morris: I’m at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, where researchers play a
pivotal role in exploring how local rice fields might help salmon. I’m speaking with research
ecologist, Carson Jeffres. First of all, Carson, salmon in California have been struggling. What
are some of the factors that have led to that decline in their population?
Carson Jeffres: They face multiple threats, both in the freshwater environment where we’ve
experienced drought for multiple years. We’re on our second major drought in the last 10 years,
which is probably much more of a long term drought. Water and fresh water environments is
limited, but also there’s other factors from thymine deficiency coming back from the ocean. It’s
just one thing after another that they’ve experienced over the last, probably, a hundred years.
Now, we’re starting to see the culmination of climate change and management really affect the
populations.
Jim Morris: Rice fields may help in two different areas. Can you comment on those? Also, your
degree of optimism that these two areas may significantly help.
Carson Jeffres: There’s two ways that those, what we think of as historic floodplains, which are
not rice fields, can benefit the salmon. One of them is that, unlike birds, fish can’t get to the dry
side of the levee, but we can take the food that grows on the dry side of the levee and the rice
fields and pump it into the river for the fish that are out migrating to the ocean. The other way
that rice fields are used for salmon during their out migration, is that in the flood bypasses. In
particular, is that when we have flood events, many of those habitats are rice fields now, and fish
can use them during their out migration. If we manage those habitats well, we can benefit salmon
during their out migration on those habitats, and the food that we grow that they consume, and
they get big, and then they head out to the ocean.
Jim Morris: In a larger picture, reactivating the floodplains of the Sacramento Valley, do you
see multiple benefits from that, not only just for salmon?
Carson Jeffres: Many species rely on these habitats, from waterbirds, the waterfowl, there’s the
waiting birds, there’s fish, there’s groundwater recharge. There’s lots of benefits from having
floodplains activated in the Central Valley. For human uses, for wildlife, it’s really a win-win to
see those habitats inundated.
Jim Morris: Fish food, and rice fields, how nutrient rich is that, and how optimistic are you that
can make a difference?
Carson Jeffres: Fish food is really interesting in that what happens is as the rice double breaks
down, when it’s flooded, is it’s basically carbon that’s being released in the water. Carbon is the
currency of energy in the floodplain. When carbon is released, microbes eat it, and zooplankton
can eat it, and that’s creating food for the salmon. It’s really that ability to create that carbon out
and make it usable for the animals in the system. That’s what happens when you flood during the
non-growing season.
Jim Morris: How important is it to consider the long term in this process? I imagine the salmon
population probably won’t rebound immediately, but steps need to be taken to help this
important part of our environment.
Carson Jeffres: This is a problem that’s been constructed over the last 150 years, since the Gold
Rush. We shouldn’t expect that we’re going to fix it in one, or two, or five years. This is a long
term idea that we need to change. The decisions that we’re making now are something that will
affect the future. Understanding that we have climate changing, being able to be plastic with our
decision making, and our management, is really important.
Jim Morris: Rice fields have helped a lot with the Pacific Flyway and are essentially surrogate
wetlands in California. Do you feel that they might be able to play a similar role down the road
for salmon?
Carson Jeffres: I think that rice fields have the same opportunities for the salmon as they did for
the waterfowll. It’s a little bit different. It takes different opportunities, because fish can’t fly.
You have to make it available for them, as opposed to having it just available for them to fly to.
There’s those same possibilities that we have. I think that we’ve really turned a big corner in
doing that. We’re starting to see those benefits being realized on the landscape now.
Jim Morris: Andrew Rypel is a professor and the Peter Moyle and California Trout chair in cold
water fish ecology at UC Davis. Andrew, this is year three of field work of the pilot salmon
project between UC Davis and the Rice Commission. At first glance, it may sound like a wild
concept, but good things are happening. Can you provide an overview on the project?
Andrew Rypel: What we’re trying to do this year is to really scale out some of the lessons
we’ve learned from previous years, such that we’re working on production scale rice fields,
working with growers, using the infrastructure that they already have in place, and trying to do
things to help fish, to help salmon, using that infrastructure.
Jim Morris: Let’s talk about that infrastructure. How suitable is a rice field to raise salmon?
Andrew Rypel: Well, we think it’s very productive habitat. When you look at the river habitat
that salmon have been using in recent years, it’s functionally equivalent of a food desert. What
this is really about is activating the floodplain, activating the food factory that already grows
food for people, but now might grow food for fish, and grow salmon to be big and healthy.
Jim Morris: To have this work, you really do need quantifiable data, and of course, good
results. How are those achieved?
Andrew Rypel: Using sound science. What we’re really trying to do here is get down in the
weeds, get down in detail with the kinds of questions that managers and agencies are really
interested in here. Trying to understand how well salmon move through the infrastructure,
through the modified rice ports that we have, how well they survive in the fields, how well they
egress out to the river, out to the bypass, out to the ocean, these sorts of really nitty gritty science
questions that are hard to do, but we need to really advance the practice.
Jim Morris: What level of optimism do you have that this will ultimately work and help the
salmon population?
Andrew Rypel: I’m extremely optimistic about it. Everything we’ve collected so far, all the data
we’ve collected, points to the fact that these fields are going to be helpful for not just salmon, but
lots of native fishes, but the key is to really do the hard work, do the science, to work with the
agencies that manage these fisheries, and these stocks, to address their questions, to do things in
a partnership-oriented method, and to move the practice forward.
Jim Morris: When you talk about native fish, I have seen some of your writings on that. That’s
an area of passion for you. It sounds exciting that maybe salmon are just the first part and there
could be other species that could be helped by rice fields. Is that one of your hopes?
Andrew Rypel: Absolutely. Many of the native fishes in the Central Valley are adapted
evolutionarily for floodplains. Though we only have 5 percent of the natural floodplains left, we
have 500,000 acres of these rice fields. We think they can be used smarter to help lots of native
fishes, including salmon, but including a lot of other are kinds of native species, things like
Sacramento black fish, and Sacramento perch, and maybe even smelt, who knows, but a lot of
these species evolved to exploit the food rich areas of these floodplain areas, which rice fields
can still provide.
Jim Morris: Oftentimes, when you have fish and farming, particularly in California, can be
rather adversarial. What’s different about this arrangement as far as you see?
Andrew Rypel: Fish and farms have been pitted against each other for a really long time in
California. But to me, that’s becoming somewhat of an old trope, and something that we need to
get past. This is a great example of an interesting project where fish conservationists, growers,
can work in collaboration to really help the resource, while still helping make food for people.
That’s the kind of thinking that we need in California. That’s the kind of thinking we need in the
world. This is just one example of how a project like that can come together.
Jim Morris: Paul Buttner is environmental affairs manager with the California Rice
Commission. Paul, it hasn’t been easy at all times, but after three years of field work, what are
your thoughts about the potential viability of this project?
Paul Buttner: Well, Jim, I’m very encouraged about the possibilities for this project. As you
know, what we’re really trying to accomplish is to do for fish, what we’ve done for birds, for
many, many years, that is develop habitats that’s ideal for them. Of course, there’s a lot more
challenges with the fish side than the bird side. Of course, the birds fly over the habitat. They see
it, they come down, they use it. With fish, it’s all about the plumbing. It’s how do we get the fish
there? How do we get them off of the fields? These are the types of questions that we’re really
trying to answer.
Jim Morris: What were some of the new areas that you were working in this year?
Paul Buttner: Well, first of all, this is the first time we’ve ever done the project on full size rice
fields, 125 acres or so, with five or six checks. One of the things we needed to make sure is that
we could allow the fish to move freely through all of those checks, and out the field when they
want to. It’s called volitional passage. We put in specialized boards with holes and notches,
allowing the fish to move through the system entirely.
Jim Morris: Carrying this out takes a lot of coordination, creativity, and partnerships. Let’s talk
about the latter. How vital are partnerships to make this effort a success?
Paul Buttner: Yeah, this is a very significant project. We’re in phase two. Both phases are
pretty expensive. They cost about $1.2 million apiece. Tremendous amount of science being
done by UC Davis, and our other technical partners. It’s a really significant endeavor and it
would not be possible without funding that comes first and foremost from USDA’s Natural
Resources Conservation Services, which has provided over half of the funding for this project.
Of course, all of the funding they provide has to be matched with private sector contributions,
both financial and in kind, and Syngenta and State Water Contractors have really stepped up with
major contributions, and then we have a long list of other sustaining contributors as well.
Jim Morris: We’ve come to the final day of the third year of field work for the salmon project.
Alex Wampler of UC Davis, you’ve been here through the start. What are your thoughts as the
fish are going to head from the rice fields out to the ocean?
Alex Wampler: I’m very excited. I can’t wait to track their migration to the ocean. I suspect the
fish will make it out in about 14 days. We have a very dense receiver array, so we should be able
to track each step they take. It’s going to be very exciting.
Jim Morris: Is it at all emotional? You’re kind of in a different area. You’re working with living
things. We sure hope that the salmon will ultimately be helped by all of this.
Alex Wampler: Oh, yes. It’s very emotional. I care about these fish deeply. I’ve hand raised
them since they were eggs, in November. I suspect that they will do very well out at sea. It feels
great to know that our efforts, and our research, are going immediately to species survival and
helping these endemic and endangered species have a great chance while working within human
boundaries.
Jim Morris: Hopefully, those same rice fields that provide major benefits for wildlife, especially
during drought years, will also play a valuable role in restoring salmon, an icon of the California
environment.
Jim Morris: That will wrap up this episode. Thank you to Andrew Rypel, Carson Jeffres, Paul
Buttner, and Alex Wampler for their comments about this promising project. You can find out
more at podcast.calrice.org. Please subscribe and leave us a review. Thanks for listening.
 
https://podcast.calrice.org/episode-31-how-rice-fields-may-help-salmon-runs/

Labourers busy in spreading rice for drying purpose in field

Sun, 13 Mar 2022, 5:06 PM

APP02-130322 LAHORE: March 13 - Labourers busy in spreading rice for drying purpose in
field. APP photo by Ashraf Ch
LAHORE

https://www.app.com.pk/photos-section/labourers-busy-in-spreading-rice-for-drying-purpose-in-
field-2/

Best biryani in Mumbai, as recommended by the city’s

top foodies
Who doesn’t love biryani? Ask anyone and they will tell you they have their own favourite
version. Featuring chunks of slow-cooked meat or chicken, potatoes (in several cases), a mélange
of spices and fragrant basmati rice that’s then layered and cooked together for an earthy aroma—
biryani is one of those quintessential Indian dishes you can’t go wrong with. Whether it’s a
mildly-spiced Lucknowi or Awadh-style biryani to a more robust biryani found in Mumbai, and
served with dollops of raita, or the Hyderabadi-style biryani served with a side of mirchi ka salan
for that extra oomph; the options are endless.
We speak to well-known foodies and tastemakers on where to get the best biryani in Mumbai.

Best biryani in Mumbai

Jaffer Bhai’s Delhi Darbar, Grant Road
“I’ve always had good biryani at Jaffer Bhai’s Delhi Darbar (195-197, Pathe Bapurao Marg,
Grant Road East, Chor Bazaar. Call 022 23875656). The consistency is bang-on. It’s mellow,
medium-spiced and not a fiery biryani. And the rice is well-perfumed. It’s also heavy on onion
and tomatoes, lending it great flavour. Another place that does a good biryani is Noor
Mohammadi Hotel (181-183, R Road Abdul Hakim Noor Mohammadi Chowk, Bhendi Bazaar.
Call: 022 23456008). And finally, the biryanis at Dum Pukht, ITC Maratha Andheri (Shankar
Mandal Road, Andheri East. Call: 022 28303030) are just cooked with finesse. You can really
taste the quality of the meat. It’s one of those less-is-more dishes, with great aroma and made with
skill. Vicky Ratnani, chef and culinary consultant
“The best biryani according to me is the one at Jaffer Bhai’s catering division at Dongri (Police
Station, 13-15-17, Dr Maheshwari Rd, Noor Baug, Dongri), for flavourful fare and I also really
enjoy the biryanis at Kebabs & Kurries, ITC Grand Central, Parel.” Kunal
Vijayakar, broadcaster, actor, YouTuber and food writer
Art of Dum
“To be honest, I really enjoy my mom’s biryani, but if I had to go out and pick one, it would
be Art of Dum (Order online or Call 09820641000). The biryani comes beautifully packaged in
an earthen pot, sealed with dough (they are thoughtful enough to send some dal alongside, so you
can mop it up with the dough). They do a Hyderabadi and Lucknowi-style biryani, and I enjoy the
mutton version, served with salan and raita alongside. It’s not overly fragrant, and the rice-to-meat
ratio is just perfect.” Chef Niyati Rao, Ekaa

Biryani at Art of Dum, Mumbai

 Art of Dum, Mumbai
Kebabs & Kurries, ITC Grand Central, Parel and Taj Siddique Caterers, Kurla
“I personally quite enjoy the kacche gosht ki biryani, and Jaffer Bhai’s central kitchen at Grant
Road does a really good job. For a more subtle biryani I would say Kebabs & Kurries at ITC
Grand Central (No. 287, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Rd, Lalbaug, Everard Nagar, Parel. Call: 022
24101010). The meat is succulent, the rice is fragrant, and the dish itself is subtly-spiced, which is
great if you’re looking for a less-heavy or spicy version. And finally, there are caterers who do a
pretty good job. One place I would recommend is Taj Siddique caterers. They even do a seekh
kebab biryani in white masala.” (Call: Ghulam–8080729921 / Taj Mohammed–
9920679822). Sanjyot Keer, chef, digital content creator and founder, Your Food Lab
Dilawer Caterers
“For traditional Bohri-style fare, you’ll find something called the golden rice biryani, often served
in a Bohri thaal, or at weddings. It’s flavourful and isn’t heavy on spices or garam masala, and
features potatoes as well. It’s not actually golden but a rich brown owing to the combination of
masalas. Dilawer Caterers (Shop no 2, Ramchandra Bhatt Marg, Opposite Mufaddal Shopping
Arcade, Noor Baug. Call: 9820188976) does a version of this and you can also order a traditional
biryani from The Bohri Kitchen.” (Call: 9819447438). Munaf Kapadia, founder, The Bohri
Kitchen, VP & co-pilot, Zomato Wings
https://www.cntraveller.in/story/best-biryani-in-mumbai-as-recommended-by-the-citys-top-
foodies/
Odisha government to work on export plan for
aromatic rice
The State government is exploring the possibility of exporting rice of traditional aromatic
varieties beyond basmati to further enhance the income of the farmers.

       
Published: 08th March 2022 05:38 AM  |   Last Updated: 08th March 2022 05:38 AM   |  

Image used for representation only

By Express News Service
BHUBANESWAR:  The State government is exploring the possibility of exporting rice of
traditional aromatic varieties beyond basmati to further enhance the income of the farmers. The
Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment department has been asked to constitute a resource team
and frame a realistic work plan for giving a boost to rice export.
Chairing a high-level meeting with different stakeholders for promoting export of rice from the
State, Chief Secretary Suresh Mahapatra asked the Agriculture department to identify agro-
climatic zones more suitable for cultivation of non-basmati aromatic varieties of paddy in cluster
approach.
The government has decided to send a team to Andhra Pradesh for gaining firsthand knowledge
on the actual practices adopted there in export of aromatic varieties of rice. The Chief Secretary
directed the department to frame a realistic work plan with the suggestions from technical
sessions of the seminar, and inputs from the resource team so that those could be carried forward.
“The State government is committed to enhance farmers’ income by boosting the rice export and
the State will provide all possible support for the purpose,” Mahapatra added. Principal Advisor
to Chief Minister Asit Tripathy said the rice aggregators in the State need to be mobilised,
trained and given handholding support for export-oriented operations.
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2022/mar/08/odisha-government-to-work-on-
export-plan-for-aromatic-rice-2427641.html

To help farmers, Senate bets seek changes to rice tariffication

law
MAR 12, 2022 11:10 PM PHT
JAIRO BOLLEDO
INFO

Candidates who joined the Rundown 2022 senatorial forum also share their priority bills
MANILA, Philippines – To help farmers affected by the government’s rice tariffication law,
some senatorial candidates said they will push for some changes in the said law. 
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, an ally of President Rodrigo Duterte who is part of the Senate
slate of dictator’s son Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., said if he wins, he would push for an
oversight for the said law. Gatchalian was one of the authors of the law. 
“May pagbaba nga ng presyo ng bigas sa consumer pero ang ating mga farmers naman ay hindi
kumikita (The price of rice for consumers is decreasing but our farmers are not earning from it),”
Gatchalian said during the Rundown 2022 senatorial forum on Saturday, March 12. 
An oversight means the law would be reviewed or monitored by the legislative branch or certain
lawmakers.
The rice tariffication law, passed under Duterte’s term, has become a controversial law because
of its negative impact on farmers. Even Duterte’s former agriculture chief and now senatorial
candidate Manny Piñol said the law would put the farmers at the mercy of agricultural imports. 
In September 2020, the Federation of Free Farmers and Action for Economic Reform revealed in
a study that after the rice tariffication law was passed, there was a decline in the prices of palay. 
Senatorial candidate and lawyer Alex Lacson said the rice tariffication law should be reviewed to
ensure that farmers are benefiting from it. Meanwhile, incumbent Senator Richard Gordon, as a
suggestion to help the agricultural sector, said the government must provide more machinery and
fertilizers to the farmers to lower their production cost.
Priority bills
All 19 bets who joined Saturday’s forum were asked what their priority bills would be should
they be elected to the Senate. Antique Representative Loren Legarda, who initially accepted the
invitation, withdrew her participation in the forum.
Below are the candidates present during the forum and what they said would be their priority
legislations:

 Ibrahim Albani – focusing on barangay development

 Agnes Bailen – government reorganization
 Carl Balita – omnibus positive practice environment act for healthcare workers
 Roy Cabonegro – increasing the Climate Change Adaptation Fund and a 100% shift to
non-nuclear renewable energy by 2040
 John Castriciones – food sufficiency and strengthening the agricultural sector
 Neri Colmenares – “Libreng Gamot at Libreng Pagamot”
 David D’Angelo – declaration of a climate emergency
 Chel Diokno – free legal assistance and food security law
 Luke Espiritu – abolishing manpower agencies
 Win Gatchalian – oversight of rice tariffication law, K to 12 program, and excellence in
teacher education act
 Richard “Dick” Gordon – social justice
 Samira Gutoc – magna carta on crises
 Risa Hontiveros – “Healthy Buhay at Hanapbuhay” and anti-hospital detention bill
 Elmer “Ka Bong” Labog – raising minimum wage and ending contractualization
 Alex Lacson – national dairy program
 Sonny Matula – upholding labor rights and ending contractualization
 Astra Pimentel – boosting the country’s tourism
 Antonio Trillanes IV – COVID-19 recovery program
 Carmen Zubiaga – establishing rehabilitation facilities in local government units
A total of 64 candidates are gunning for a Senate seat in the May 9 polls. Frontrunners like
former House speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Raffy Tulfo did not attend Saturday’s forum.
Among the candidates who entered the top 13 spots in Pulse Asia’s senatorial survey in January,
only Hontiveros and Gatchalian attended. – Rappler.com
https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/senate-bets-seek-changes-rice-tariffication-law-help-
farmers/

More farmers get out:' Arkansas Farm Bureau concerned

about high gas prices impact
by Desmond Nugent
Sunday, March 13th 2022
Chris Isbell with Isbell farms said he could be spending $82 an hour on diesel fuel. He said he's
hoping is to break even for the year. <p>{/p}<p>(Photo: KATV){/p}
Little Rock (KATV) — Gas prices throughout the last few weeks has jumped significantly and
that has not only Arkansans driving to work concerned, but farmers who use tons of gallons to
produce crops.
Arkansas Farm Bureau director of commodity activities and economics, John McMinn told
KATV says consumers shouldn’t expect the price of food to surge too much due to fuel costs.
McMinn said the current gas prices will limit every farmers profit.
“That’s the life of being a farmer, it’s always going to be something there’s so many variables
that go into it,” McMinn said. “There’s no right or wrong way to go about doing things except
for taking the punches.”
According to McMinn, high fertilizer prices are a concern due to international supply chain
issues and the pandemic. He said farmers may not grow certain crops because of costs.
“My biggest concern is every year it just gets harder and harder to farm because margins get
smaller and smaller. So in return you’re going to see potentially more farmers get out,” he said.
Chris Isbell with Isbell Farms in Humnoke said price of gas is a conversation he and his staff
planned to have on Friday. He said they have to use tons of machinery that require the use of
gasoline.
“Some of it you use 6, 7 gallons per hour and some of the larger equipment we pull behind goes
up to 18 gallons per hour,” Isbell said.
According to Isbell, the surge in gas prices is not his only concern. He said they use fertilizer
nitrogen urea, which is a product that comes from natural gas. Isbell said without it they can not
produce any rice. He said Russia is one of the main exporters of urea, and their costs have
skyrocketed.
“Last year we thought the price was high at $450 a ton and this year it’s $900 a ton,” Isbell said.
McMinn said at this moment it’s hard to forecast the economic loss statewide Arkansas farmers
will endure. He said farmers are resilient in finding creative ways to cut costs while selling their
crops.
Isbell said he could be spending $82 an hour on diesel fuel. He said his hope is to break even for
the year. Isbell said they are preparing to begin planting rice crops next month.
“A lot of times in farming it’s not the amount of money that you make, it’s the amount that you
save," he said.
Isbell said one way he plans or hopes to cut costs is by planting rice crops in one area of land in
one trip.
:https://katv.com/news/local/more-farmers-get-out-arkansas-farm-bureau-concerned-about-high-
gas-prices-impact

High prices of daily commodities

By Khalid Iqbal
March 14, 2022
Rawalpindi : The prices of ghee/cooking oil, rice, ‘atta’, pulses, chicken, tea, washing powders
and all kinds of vegetables and fruits, are continuously increasing. The retailers have increased
ghee prices by Rs15 and cooking oil by Rs25 per kg on Sunday.
The price of a 20-kilogram flour bag increased by Rs40 and being sold at Rs1,120. The prices of
tea once again increased by Rs100 per kilogram and retailers are selling 950-gram tea packet at
Rs1,100. The prices of washing powders have increase by Rs60 per kilogram.
‘Daal Mash’ and ‘Daal Channa’ are being sold at Rs260 and Rs160 respectively in the market.
The selling price of one kilogram chicken meat was at Rs480 on Sunday.
The reliable sources said that government run utility stores have also increased the prices of ghee
and cooking oil by Rs15 to Rs20 per kilogram. All utility stores are working without
ghee/cooking oil and ‘sugar’ for over two weeks.
Similarly, all kinds of vegetables are being sold at skyrocketing prices. The price of cabbage is
Rs100 per kilogram, ‘arvi’ at Rs120, ‘mongry’ at Rs120 here in all weekly bazaars. The prices of
fruits are also high and one kilogram apple price is Rs200 to 250, banana at Rs150, kino at
Rs300 per dozen, dates at Rs250 and strawberry price is Rs300.
The Commissioner Rawalpindi (Division) Noor-ul-Amin Mengal told ‘The News’ “We are
taking action against profiteers and hoarders. The price magistrates are present in every bazaar to
monitoring prices. We are sending profiteers and hoarders to jail.”
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/941225-high-prices-of-daily-commodities

50 lakh families to get rice at Tk 10 per kg: minister

United News of Bangladesh . Gazipur | Published: 01:49, Mar 13,2022

      
 
 
Agriculture minister Mohammad Abdur Razzaque on Saturday said the government will
distribute rice among 50 lakh poor families at Tk 10 per kg.
‘Due to the Russia-Ukraine war the price of food grains in the country has increased a bit but we
are giving all-out effort to keep the prices at a tolerable level,’ the minister told reporters during a
visit to Bangladesh Rice Research Institute at Gazipur.

Replying to a question Abdur Razzaqe said, ‘Prices of thin rice have increased a bit but not that
of coarse rice. We are more worried about the poor people and so we are distributing rice at a
cheaper price through Open Market Sale’
The minister said as part of the government’s  bid to control the prices tax has on edible oil and
some other food items has been withdrawn.
‘To make the agricultural sector profitable we are working to modernize cultivation of fish,
poultry and paddy, ‘he added. Qu Dongyu, Director General of Food and Agricultural
Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, also visited the institute with the Minister.
https://www.newagebd.net/article/165248/50-lakh-families-to-get-rice-at-tk-10-per-kg-minister

ARDB approves $30M in rice industry loans

Hom Phanet  | Publication date 13 March 2022 | 21:10 ICT
 

Cambodia in 2021 exported 617,069 tonnes of milled rice worth $418 million to 56 countries and
territories. Heng Chivoan
The Agricultural and Rural Development Bank of Cambodia (ARDB) has approved $30 million
in loans to the rice industry for the construction of warehouses and drying silos in four provinces,
as it revealed plans to set up mobile offices in five more sites to reach rural clients.
ARDB director-general Kao Thach told The Post that the bank has been providing lines of credit
to operators in the rice industry in the form of government-backed concessions for the
construction of rice warehouses, storage facilities, and drying silos. The loans have been issued
under Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) agreements in Battambang, Kampong Thom, Prey Veng
and Takeo provinces.
In a bid to reach more of its rural clientele, Thach also revealed the bank’s plans to set up mobile
offices in further and more remote provinces, noting that the head office of ARDB – in the
capital Phnom Penh – is too far away for those from faraway locations seeking to apply for
loans. The exact provinces have not been revealed.
“ARDB also plans to set up mobile offices in five more provinces, and has already set up in nine
provinces, mostly in the provinces around the Tonle Sap Lake and remote provinces such as
Stung Treng,” he said.
Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) president Song Saran told The Post that investment in the
construction of warehouses and drying silos is a “good choice” because the Kingdom has
significant potential to grow paddy.
“The investment in the construction of the warehouses and drying silos will enable the formal
processing and export of our rice sector,” he said.
Saran also thanked the ARDB for “always providing credit to federation members, rice mills,
rice exporters, as well as strengthening the capacity of our local mills to be able to compete and
survive in the coming years, especially by increasing the number of drying silos, warehouses and
milling processing plants for export [of rice]”.
Heng Pheng, a rice exporter in northern Battambang province’s Thma Koul district and a
member of the CRF, said a shortage of warehousing and drying silos “a few years ago” had
sharply deflated paddy prices as it had occurred simultaneously with the rice harvest in the
district – just northwest of the provincial town.
But he said that this problem has “largely been resolved” in recent years thanks to loans from the
ARDB.
“More warehousing and drying silos will make it easier [for us to manage rice stocks] because
we, the exporters, would not have to worry about the lack of storage and drying facilities.
Farmers can then sell paddy at a reasonable price, and we, as traders, can sell it at competitive
rates on the market as well,” Pheng said.
But he warned that although the availability of warehousing and drying silos would no longer be
an issue, farmers and traders still face other problems such as rising production costs stemming
from increases in the prices of fuel and fertiliser.
According to a recent CRF report, Cambodia last year exported 617,069 tonnes of milled rice –
worth $418 million – to 56 countries and territories, and 3,527,418 tonnes of paddy to the tune of
$845.95 million. The federation has set an 800,000-850,000-tonne target for milled-rice exports
this year, according to its president.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/ardb-approves-30m-rice-industry-loans

Rice-duck farm integration starts

  By Leander C. Domingo
March 13, 2022
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) is boosting its rice-duck
integration research project in Isabela province to help farmers increase their income.
DA Region 2 Executive Director Narciso Edillo said the DA-Region 2-Bureau of Agricultural
Research (BAR) has been collaborating with the local government unit (LGU) of Tumauini in
Isabela province on the promotion of rice-duck integration in Barangay Lapogan in Tumauini
town.
A project in Isabela, dubbed "Outscaling of Rice-Based Farming System (Rice+Duck) in Open
Source Pump Irrigated Areas in Ilagan City and Tumauini town," is being implemented by DA
Region 2 through its Research Division and the DA Cagayan Valley Research Center (CVRC) in
partnership with Tumauini LGU.
Edillo expressed his thanks to the DA-BAR, Tumauini LGU and farmer cooperators for
supporting and accepting the project.
He urged farmers in other parts of Region 2, particularly in the provinces of Cagayan, Nueva
Vizcaya and Quirino, to continue working harmoniously in attaining food security through
collaborations.

Executive Director Junel Soriano of DA-BAR also challenged everyone to ensure the continuity
of the project.
"If we can sustain and upscale this into a larger level, it will be better," Soriano said adding that
there should be more interventions like vegetables planting and raising of chicken, goat, cows
and fish.
Soriano, who hails from the City of Ilagan, assured BAR's continued support to the research
undertakings of the region.
Tumauini town Mayor Arnold Bautista expressed thanks to the DA and BAR for considering
Tumauini as a project site.
Gemma Bagunu, of DA-CVRC and project leader, said the project was funded by DA-BAR in
the amount of P4.9 million with a counterpart from DA-Region 2 of P2.5 million.
In September last year, the DA-CVRC started distributing five ducks (a male duck and four
female ducks) to 150 rice farmer cooperators from Tumauini town and the City of Ilagan.
"This time, the recipients were able to multiply them and increase their income from this
livelihood project," Bagunu said
She said having ducks in the farms can help protect crops from insect attacks and help in
weeding.
"With ducks preying on pests and leaving their manure behind as organic plant food, rice
growers can eliminate the need for artificial fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides," Bagunu said.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/03/13/news/regions/rice-duck-farm-integration-starts/
1836076

Cambodia achieves more than 100,000 tons of rice

exports in January, February
March 14, 2022
Cambodia has seen an increase in rice exports for January and February 2022 compared to the
same two months in 2021. KT/Chor Sokunthea

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Cambodia recorded an increase in this year’s rice exports for January and February compared to
the same period in the previous year.

This is according to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries released
to local news in March 14.
According to the statement from the Ministry, in the first two months of 2022, Cambodia
exported 103,058 tons of rice, including all kinds of fragrant rice. This is an increase of 26,836
tons compared to the previous year’s exports for 76,222 tons.

Rice exports in February 2022 amounted to 50,022 tons which is an increase of 8,073 tons or
19.24 percent compared to February 2021’s export of 41,949 tons.

China is the main market for Cambodian rice export. On January and February of this year
Cambodia exported 56,385 tons of rice. Cambodia also exports rice to 20 EU countries with a
total volume of 26,507 tons and to three ASEAN destinations with a total 9,370 tons of rice
export.

The country’s exports to other 16 countries have seen a drop in volume with only 10,796 tons of
rice exported, which is a decrease of 19.23 percent.
Agricultural exports from Cambodia have seen a slight increase as the country begins to recover
from the Covid-19 slump.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501041136/cambodia-achieves-more-than-100000-tons-of-rice-
exports-in-january-february/

Rice could help curb food inflation fallout from war in

Ukraine
Wheat price has jumped to all-time high as supplies cut from one of world's main breadbaskets
13 MARCH 2022 - 10:03 JASMINE NG

Food inflation is relatively contained in Asia, thanks to the popularity of rice and falling pork
prices as China expands the world’s biggest hog herd. Stock image.
Image: 123RF/qiujusong
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has delivered global disruption that is set to cascade through food
supply chains and worsen hunger, but Asia’s love for rice could limit the fallout.
Rice is more popular with many Asian consumers than wheat, which has seen supplies cut from
one of the world’s breadbaskets, said Jules Hugot, an economist at the Asian Development Bank.
Rice prices have been relatively stable, and it’s easy to swap one staple for the other, he said. 
“These are sources of starch and there’s substitution between them,” said Hugot, though the price
of rice, too, is rising.
Wheat has jumped to an all-time high, and rice is near the highest since May 2020. 
Russia and Ukraine together account for a quarter of the global trade in wheat, used in
everything from bread to pasta and livestock feed. The conflict shuttered ports in Ukraine and
trade with Russia has been stifled by sanctions.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has delivered a global-scale disruption that is set to cascade through
food supply chains and worsen hunger, but Asia’s love for rice could limit the fallout.
Image: Bloomberg
The elevated prices are accelerating food inflation across the world and raising concerns for
countries reliant on foreign supply.
Asian buyers should be able to find alternatives for trade flows disrupted by the war, Hugot said,
citing the examples of wheat from Kazakhstan and palm oil from southeast Asia to replace Black
Sea shipments of sunflower oil.
“It is possible to diversify as these are homogeneous goods,” he said. 
Food inflation is relatively contained in Asia, thanks to the popularity of rice and falling pork
prices as China expands the world’s biggest hog herd. Supply chains have also become more
resilient after the pandemic and countries are pursuing diversification to bolster food security,
said Hugot. 
Less clear is how long the disruptions will last. There are already expectations the invasion will
deter Ukrainian spring planting of crops such as corn and sunflowers, extending the supply shock
on the global market. 
It’s also putting fresh pressure on skyrocketing fertiliser prices. India relies heavily on imports,
and disruptions to trade flows from Russia — an important global producer for all major
fertilisers — is bound to have a significant impact on the south Asian nation, he said.
https://www.businesslive.co.za/bloomberg/news/2022-03-13-rice-could-help-curb-food-
inflation-fallout-from-war-in-ukraine/
CBE issues an exceptional decision on rice, beans and
lentils
 Al-Masry Al-YoumMarch 14, 2022

The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) decided to extend the grace period for banks to exclude rice,
beans and lentils from the cash cover by 100 percent for a year, to end on March 15, 2023
instead of March 15, 2022.
The bank said in a statement on Sunday that this comes in light of its follow-up to the needs of
the Egyptian market and its keenness to facilitate import procedures to meet the needs of
citizens.
The statement added: “The decision applies to all import operations of all companies, taking into
account the credit study conducted by each bank.”
The Egyptian government says it is taking strict measures to control the repercussions of
inflation and price increases impacted by the Russian-Ukrainian war.
The government stopped the export of some crops and food commodities, with the adoption of
new penalties up to the closure of bakeries that manipulate the quota of flour or the price of the
loaf.
Egyptian Finance Minister Mohamed Maait said that the strategic stockpile of wheat would
suffice Egypt needs until the end of the year, especially once the local harvest season begins in
mid-April.
The Media Center of the Egyptian Cabinet announced the availability of ration card commodities
without shortages, with no change in prices. It added that the commodities are pumped regularly
on a daily basis at all outlets and all ration card outlets.
The Ministry of Supply and Internal trade approved new penalties for bakeries that raise the
prices of bread or tamper with its production, and approved a fine estimated at twice the daily
subsidy that the bakery receives if it proved that the prices of bread have been illegally raised
above the established prices.
The Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry, Nevine Gamea, issued a decision starting Saturday
to halt exports of oil of all kinds, grits and corn for a period of three months.
The minister said that this decision was issued after coordination with the Minister of Supply and
Internal Trade, as part of the government’s plan to provide the citizen needs for commodities –
especially basic commodities – to prepare for Ramadan which sees the consumption of food
products increases significantly.
Gamea issued a decision two days ago to halt the export of beans, lentils, pasta, wheat and flour
of all kinds for a period of three months.
https://egyptindependent.com/cbe-issues-an-exceptional-decision-on-rice-beans-and-lentils/

The New Rice Variety Set To Increase Crop Production

KNA1 March 14, 2022 Agriculture, Counties, Editor's Pick, Kirinyaga0

A new rice grain variety is set to revolutionize crop production, increasing by almost double per
acre.
The hybrid variety which is high yielding, early maturing and disease resistant is capable of
yielding up to 54 bags of paddy rice as compared to a maximum of 30 bags of the basmati crop.
The variety is also not susceptible to lodging as compared to other varieties since it matures
while its tillers are relatively short from the ground.
According to the head of the rice production programme in the Country Dr. Mary Mutembei, the
country is headed to self-sufficiency in rice production once farmers adopt the farming of the
new variety.
Within the African continent, the project activities are visible and supported in Kenya and
Tanzania with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) is coordinating the full
implementation of the programme in the wake of the increasing rice consumption in many
African countries.
According to the AATF’s Director of Programme and Commercialization Emmanuel
Okogbenin, the reliance by Kenya on imported rice grain from Pakistan is headed for a stop once
local farmers adopt the new variety.
Speaking during a field day at Mwea East, Kirinyaga County where some farmers have produced
the crop on trial basis, the official said the grain quality was the same as that farmed in Pakistan.
He said rice consumers were interested in grain quality and quantity, traits found in the new
hybrid variety.
“This being the market force, I do not see why Kenyan farmers who are well-known for the
aromatic pishori for many years should not be able to venture into the new variety which is not
only high yielding but aromatic as well,” Okogebenin said.
He said due to both quantity and quality of the grain produced from the variety, farmers should
adopt it for profitability purposes regardless of the seed cost.
The seed from the variety is not recyclable and once planted and harvested, this brings to an end
its life cycle, according to Okogebenin.
“In this regard, I am urging farmers to buy their certified seed for this variety from authorised
dealers and should not under any circumstance recycle the seed from a past crop as this will only
give back a minimal disease and pest-invested  harvest,” he said.
A farmer in the area James Kinyua who was among the pioneer to plant the new crop on trial
basis said he was overwhelmed by the production as compared to other varieties.
He said you only needed to flood the field for seven days then you leave it dry for a whole month
yet production was the highest.
Many farmers from the area have promised to go for the variety this coming season and have
already embarked on early land preparations.
A Regional Breeding Lead – East and Southern Africa Seed Systems and Product Management
Lead – Africa International Rice Research Institute Africa Regional Office Dr Ajay Panchibhai
was also in attendance to the field day which farmers termed as the beginning of a
positive revolution to rice production in the county.
https://www.kenyanews.go.ke/a-new-rice-variety-set-to-increase-crop-production/
Millers agree to pay rice farmers $65k per tonne of paddy
Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha engages with a rice farmer during the meeting at
Blackbush Polder, Region Six (Photo: News Room/ March 12, 2022)
AGRICULTUREPOLITICS
Millers agree to pay rice farmers $65k per tonne of paddy
- after gov’t intervenes
By Editor On Mar 12, 2022 Last updated Mar 12, 2022

Aggrieved rice farmers from Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, will now be paid $65,000 per tonne
of paddy rice after the government was forced to intervene to put an end to the recent protest
actions in Region Six.
The move by millers to drop the paddy price from $70,000 to $65,000 then to $60,000 sparked
outrage and saw scores of rice farmers blocking the main access roads to Lesbeholden and
Johanna in protest. The rice farmers cited the sharp rise in the cost of living and their inability to
keep up with increasing fertilizer prices.
On Saturday, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha met with the farmers and related that
after a three-hour-long meeting with the Guyana Rice Millers Association (GRMA), the price
will remain at $65,000.
 R
ice farmers gathered to meet with the Agriculture Minister at Yakusari, Blackbush Polder (Photo:
News Room/ March 12, 2022)
To ensure both parties’ benefit, the government has, in turn, reduced the export commission for
millers from US$8 to US$6. Added to that, the scanning fee has been slashed by 50 per cent.
In the coming week, the government will be negotiating with a supplier to see a possible
reduction in the cost of fertilizer, Minister Mustapha said.
“We tried because as a government, we would like to see that you receive a maximum price for
your paddy,” the Agriculture Minister told the farmers.
He reminded that as an added measure to bring relief to the farmers, the government instituted a
major deduction of land rental and drainage and irrigations charges that once stood at $15,000.

L
esbeholden rice farmers at the meeting with the Minister of Agriculture on Saturday. (Photo:
News Room/ March 12, 2022)
“We reduced it to $3,500,” he pointed out.
The Agriculture Minister offered hope that by the next crop, the price of fertilizer should reduce
but this is dependent on world fuel prices.
“It has skyrocketed because of natural gas increase and when it was about to come down back
the war started in Ukraine and Russia, it push up back the price”, he said.
He assured farmers that his ministry and the government is working to make the lives of farmers
easier.
https://newsroom.gy/2022/03/12/millers-agree-to-pay-rice-farmers-65k-per-tonne-of-paddy/

Prices rise across major hubs on higher

demand for rice
SECTIONS

Prices rise across major hubs on higher demand for rice

By Seher Dareen, ReutersLast Updated: Mar 13, 2022, 10:42 AM IST

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Synopsis

As corn and wheat prices rise, animal feed makers were looking to use more broken
rice, pushing up prices across the board, Bangkok-based traders said.

iStockRates for top exporter India’s 5% broken parboiled variety

rose to $371-$378 per tonne from last week's $370-$376, also a peak since mid-June.

Prices of rice exported from top Asian hubs jumped this week on solid demand, while Vietnamese traders also flagged high
shipping costs due to the Ukraine crisis.
 Thailand's 5% broken rice prices rose to $415-$428 per tonne, on average a peak since late June, from $400-$403 a week ago.

As corn and wheat prices rise, animal feed makers were looking to use more broken rice, pushing up prices across the board,
Bangkok-based traders said.

Another trader said he recently received interest from buyers in Europe, the United States, Iraq and Iran for different grades of
Thai white rice.

Demand from Hong Kong has also increased, the trader said, with concerns over plans for a city-wide lockdown sparking panic
buying by residents.

Thailand exported 459,752 tonnes of rice worth $234 million in January, up 8.92% from the same period last year, the
commerce ministry said.

Rates for top exporter India’s 5% broken parboiled variety rose to $371-$378 per tonne from last week's $370-$376, also a peak
since mid-June.

"Consumers are trying to build stockpile due to the rally in wheat and corn prices. Demand is improving for rice," said an
exporter based at Kakinada in southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

Vietnam's 5% broken rice prices rose to their highest since December at $410-$415 per tonne on Thursday, versus $400 last
week, amid higher demand, traders said, with the Ukraine-Russia conflict prompting buyers to place more orders from elsewhere
in Asia.

Another trader said shipping costs had surged since the Ukraine-Russia conflict began, with international freight costs rising 50%
and domestic freight costs climbing 70%-80%.

"We're concerned costs will keep rising if the conflict continues," the trader said. Traders said farmers in the Mekong Delta had
harvested 20%-25% of the winter-spring crop.

Domestic rice prices in Bangladesh remain high despite good crops and reserves, traders said, adding that the global market was
seeing a hike due the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

"It is very much unlikely that local prices will come down soon," a trader said.

50 lakh families to get rice at Tk 10 per kg:

Minister

 UNB NEWS
 GAZIPUR
 PUBLISH- MARCH 12, 2022, 08:51 PM
 UNB NEWS - UNB NEWS
 UPDATE- MARCH 12, 2022, 08:58 PM

Agriculture Minister  Mohammad Abdur Razzaque on Saturday said the government will distribute rice among

50 lakh poor families at Tk 10 per kg.

“Due to the Russia-Ukraine war the price of food grains in the country has  increased  a bit but we are giving

all-out effort to keep the prices at a tolerable level,” the minister told reporters during a visit to Bangladesh

Rice Research Institute at Gazipur.

Replying to a question Abdur Razzaqe said, “Prices of thin rice have increased a bit but not that of coarse rice.

We are more worried about the poor people and so we are distributing  rice at a cheaper price through Open

Market Sale (OMS)”

Also read: Edible oil price to come down soon: Law Minister

The minister said as part of the government’s  bid to control the prices tax has on edible oil and some other

food items has been withdrawn.

“To make the agricultural sector profitable we are working to modernize cultivation of fish, poultry and paddy,

“he added.

Qu Dongyu, Director General of Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations,  also

visited the institute with the Minister.

Also read: Food prices soar to record high in Feb: UN