News Headlines

Unlocking transgenic technology is key to

securing global food security: IRRI
Canadian food service professionals visit
Stuttgart
CSIR award for CCMB and ICAR for
developing improved Samba Mahsuri rice
Goodyear looks to rice waste to improve tire
performance
New blood needed in rice science, IRRI urges
ASEAN
The N13bn Rice Intervention Fund
Free flow, high returns!
Deadline approaching for Rice Leadership
Development program applications
Eco-farming: Implementing the Chinese
model for productivity

Contact & Visit
www.ricepluss.com
mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com
7
th
Floor,Suite 11 Central Plaza New Garden Town Lahore-54600
Landline :92 3584 5551
For Advertisement Specs & Rates:
Contact: mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com 92 321 3692874
Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter
29
th
September, 2014
News Detail.
Unlocking transgenic
technology is key to securing
global food security: IRRI
By Kristin April Kim | Sept. 26, 2014 at
4:31 PM
WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 (UPI) -- Genetic
modification of rice will be a powerful
weapon in eradicating hunger and poverty in
the developing world -- and can be done
safely, the head of the International Rice
Research Institute said Thursday.Speaking
at a Brookings Institution panel on
eliminating hunger by 2030, Robert Zeigler
said that immediate changes in rice
production practices are necessary to offset
volatile climates, limited water supply and
diminishing agricultural land."If we're going
to address issues of poverty, rice is going to
have to be a part of that equation," Zeigler
said, citing a direct overlap between maps
highlighting countries with high levels
poverty and greater rice consumption.

Rice remains a food staple for more than
half of the world's population everyday and
more than 75 percent of the poor, especially
across Asia, Latin America and Sub-Saharan
Africa, according to the International Rice
Research Institute.The IRRI proposed
ending global hunger by connecting farmers
with efficient agricultural practices through
online learning, using satellite mapping to
education policymakers about rice
production and utilizing transgenics --
modifying a plant or animal genetically -- to
breed stronger, more nutritional
crops.Zeigler addressed the controversy
surrounding genetically modified organisms,
urging a critical evaluation of scientific
evidence in the face of "woefully
inaccurate" information. "I am so sick and
tired of hearing that one side says the world
is a sphere and the other says it's flat. The
science of GMOs is irrefutable in terms of
safely, and that message should
unequivocally communicated," he said.
Zeigler added that transgenic advancements
can be used to breed rice crops with
increased submergence tolerance and
nutrients, a crucial step towards not only
providing more calories for people to live
on, but also for ensuring their optimal
health."Whether it's ethical or not, I'm very
reluctant to get into that area, he said. "I've
been to enough countries, cultures and
religions to figure out that is a personal
choice."
Topics: Brookings Institution
Canadian food service
professionals visit Stuttgart
In Arkansas, the group observed harvest
at rice farms in Stuttgart and England;
toured packaging centers and mills at
Riceland Foods and Producers Rice Mill;
and, finally, got an overview of rice
production at the University of Arkansas
Rice Research and Extension Center.

By USA Rice Federation
Posted Sep. 26, 2014 @ 4:00 pm

STUTTGART
In an effort to increase rice sales to the food
service industry in Canada, last week the
USA Rice Federation hosted Canadian food
service professionals and media on a tour
through rice country in the southern United
States. The group included representatives
from Aramark, a facilities management
company; the Metro Toronto Convention
Center, the largest convention center in
Canada; and the Canadian Restaurant News,
a publication which targets the food service
industry.The four-day tour offered the
Canadians a holistic look at the U.S. rice
industry, from seed to table.
In Arkansas, the group observed harvest at
rice farms in Stuttgart and England; toured
packaging centers and mills at Riceland
Foods and Producers Rice Mill; and, finally,
got an overview of rice production at the
University of Arkansas Rice Research and
Extension Center. The group also visited
Russell Marine Group in New Orleans to
learn about logistics and cargo inspection
and toured Eurofins and their analytical
labs. "The group was one of the most
engaged I've ever had the opportunity to
host at my farm," said Dow Brantley,
Arkansas rice farmer and chairman of USA
Rice. "They were interested in our whole
process from farm to table. They had
questions about food safety and quality, and
I think they left feeling good about U.S.
rice."USA Rice has conducted marketing
promotions in Canada for nearly two
decades, but recent marketing activities have
focused more on the food service sector,
which is able to impact a larger audience.
"Participants were specifically selected
because of their potential to supply U.S. rice
to thousands of Canadians," said Virginia
Zimm, USA Rice's marketing contractor in
Canada. "This was a real eye-opening
experience for everyone and I think we'll see
some lasting benefits from this visit." Last
year, Canada was the United States' fourth
largest rice export destination. The U.S.
exported over 235,000 MT of rice to Canada
in 2013, valued at $170 million. Exports for
the first seven months this year are trending
about 9 percent higher than last year.

CSIR award for CCMB and
ICAR for developing improved
Samba Mahsuri rice
Ch Sushil Rao, TNN | Sep 26, 2014, 06.53PM IST
HYDERABAD: The CSIR-Centre for
Cellular & Molecular Biology (CSIR-
CCMB), Hyderabad and Directorate of Rice
Research, ICAR, Hyderabad have won the
CSIR Award for S&T Innovations for Rural
Development - 2013. On the occasion of
CSIR foundation Day on September 26, P S
Ahuja, DG, CSIR announced the CSIR
Award for S&T Innovations for Rural
Development (CAIRD) - 2013 upon CCMB
and ICAR for development and deployment
of an improved Samba Mahsuri rice variety
which is bacterial blight resistant, high
yielding and possesses fine-grains. CSIR
had instituted the "CSIR Award for S&T
Innovations for Rural Development" in the
year 2006 to recognize and honour S&T
innovations that have helped transform the
lives of rural people. The effort through this
award, in a way, is also to give a boost to
rural development through intrinsic
innovation and its implementation at ground
level.
Goodyear looks to rice waste to
improve tire performance
Waterloo Region Record
By Jim Mackinnon
AKRON, Ohio Goodyear devotes
significant efforts to develop and market its
Eagle race tires.Now the Akron, Ohio, tire
maker is touting rice tires, so to
speak.Goodyear said this week it will use a
waste product ash left over from the
burning of rice husks and "harvest" the
silica in the ash for use in its high-
performance tires. The rice silica is identical
to sand-derived silica Goodyear Tire &
Rubber Co. mixes with rubber."We found
out the opportunities are huge," said
Surendra Chawla, senior director of external
science and technology at Goodyear.Rice
husk ash is totally a waste product, he
said.Silica improves what is called rolling
resistance, meaning vehicles need less
energy to move and therefore burn less fuel.
It also improves traction on wet
pavement.The rice silica will come from an
estimated 700 million pounds of rice that is
harvested worldwide, Goodyear said. The
large amounts of rice husks that remain after
the grain is harvested for food typically are
burned at power plants to make electricity.
The significant amount of leftover ash is
then taken to landfills; removing silica from
the ash further reduces waste, the company
said."This started at a small company that
had the idea to convert rice ash into silica,"
Chawla said. "Rice husk has high silica
content."Goodyear has tested rice-derived
silica for two years.While the silica at the
moment is used in experimental tires,
Goodyear is securing contracts with
suppliers to use the rice-derived silica in its
regular manufacturing processes."Right
now, this is in the early stages," Chawla
said. "The plans are to slowly increase the
capacity quite a bit. There's a lot of
research going on to extract silica from rice
husk." Goodyear uses about 250,000 pounds
of silica annually in its high-performance
tire line, he said.
Goodyear said the rice silica is one example
of where it is developing environmentally
friendly tires. Goodyear also is using
renewable soybean oil to replace some of
the petroleum-derived oils needed in the
tire-making process.Goodyear is among
other tire makers exploring greener
technologies, both in tires and in the
manufacturing processes, said Bruce Davis,
special projects reporter at the Akron-based
industry magazine Tire Business.Italian tire
maker Pirelli is already making high-
performance tires using silica from rice husk
ash.And sports shoe maker Puma uses rice
husk filler in some of its products as a
partial substitute for natural rubber in
outsoles to reduce scuffing and tearing, Tire
Business reported.
Akron Beacon Journal
Image: Rice tire;Karen Schiely,McClatchy-
Tribune
Surendra Chawla, senior director of external
science and technology at Gooyear, stands
behind a tire made partly with rice husk ash.

New blood needed in rice
science, IRRI urges ASEAN
Saturday 27th of September 2014

NAYPYITAW, Mayanmar, Sept 27 -- IRRI
calls on ASEAN to build a new generation
of rice scientists and extension
professionals. According to V. Bruce J.
Tolentino, deputy director general for
communication and partnerships, these
efforts will help ensure secure and stable
rice supplies across ASEAN and the world.
The proposal calling for more support for
science education and extension was
presented during a series of high-level
meetings with the ministers and senior
officials of the ASEAN Ministries of
Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) on 20-26
September in Naypyitaw, Myanmar.


Through science education, the aim is to: (1)
produce at least 80 ASEAN PhDs, (2) 45
resident scientists, (3) 50 ASEAN
participants in a Rice Breeding Academy,
and (4) launch the ASEAN food security
forum for senior-level policy- and decision-
makers.Development of extension
professionals would be through (1)
advanced extension courses for at least
3,000 extension professionals, (2)
development of country-specific rice
information platforms, and (3) development
of an online rice crop forecasting system for
ASEAN.

Why do we need a new generation of rice
scientists and extension professionals? Our
farmers are getting old, Dr. Tolentino said.
In agricultural universities, only a few
young people are taking agriculture
courses.We need modern blood to get into
rice science for a sustainable future. We
need to promote focus on agricultural
science education to meet the current and
future challenges that threaten our long-term
food security goals, he added.


IRRI was one of a select group of
international agencies invited to address the
meetings and set up an exhibit that featured
the Institutes work and impact in each
ASEAN country. ASEAN cooperation in the
agriculture sector dated back as early as
1968, with cooperation in food production
and supply. The partnership between IRRI
and the ASEAN member-states has been
very productive over the past decades and
the region has benefited greatly from the
research conducted by IRRI.

The 2014 AMAF meetings were hosted by
the government of Myanmar. (Rona Nia
Mae Rojas-Azucena/http://irri-
news.blogspot.com)

The N13bn Rice
Intervention
Fund

BY OUR REPORTER ON SEPTEMBER
28, 2014 EDITORIAL
The recently announced collaboration
between the Bank of Industry (BOI) and the
Federal Ministry of Agriculture on the
establishment of a N13 billion rice
intervention fund is a welcome step in the
governments effort to attain self-sufficiency
in rice production in the country. The
financial intervention, which will be used to
fund the establishment of 13 integrated rice
mills and 10 cassava mills in different parts
of the country, should significantly increase
rice production if properly
administered.This intervention is a further
boost to the nations rice milling capacity
which was reported to have increased by
between 200 and 300 per cent last year. But,
it is an initiative that must be handled with
all sense of seriousness to increase the
nations self-sufficiency in rice production.
President Goodluck Jonathan, at the
inception of his regime in 2011, had spoken
eloquently of his plan for an imports
substitution scheme which would make it
unnecessary for Nigeria to continue
importing rice and some other food staples
within two to three years.More than three
years down the line, the prospects of an end
to rice imports into the country have
remained a mirage. Instead, Nigeria has
continued with massive importation and
widespread smuggling of the product, while
there is little sign of production of local rice
in sufficient quantities to make imports
unnecessary.
Although the Federal Ministry of
Agriculture has remained optimistic that the
governments Agricultural Transformation
Agenda (ATA) and the Growth
Enhancement Scheme (GES) will lead to
production of sufficient rice locally by 2015
to make an outright ban on importation of
the product possible, there is little indication
of this happening. The government had
hiked rice import tariffs at the beginning of
last year and announced the plan for a ban in
2015. The move was expected to help boost
local production and save the billions of
naira currently being committed to rice
imports.
The high tariffs, however, only fuelled
smuggling of the product, to the loss of
Nigerias economy and the benefit of
neigbouring countries through which the
product still gets to Nigeria. Nigeria
Customs Service (NCS) estimates that rice
worth N27 billion (about $170 million) was
smuggled into the country between January
and May, 2013 alone.To make the Rice
Intervention Fund achieve the desired
objective, the government must work harder
to battle smuggling and make sure the fund
is used for the intended purpose.
This is because low-priced smuggled rice
makes local rice unattractive to buyers.
Some experts have said that 40 per cent of
the local demand for rice is largely met
through importation of the product from
China, Thailand and India.There must be
sufficient local rice that can compete in
price and quality with the imported
alternatives. The Nigerian Rice Millers and
Traders Association (NRMTA) has been
demanding an expansion of processing
facilities for rice. The new intervention fund
is, therefore, an answer to their demand and
we urge that it be properly managed.We
must not only concentrate on increased
production but also higher milling capacity,
which this fund is rightly designed to
address.With the abundance of arable land
and the availability of manpower, Nigeria
has no business importing rice into the
country. This is more so as the local variety
of rice has been confirmed by health
authorities to be much healthier than the
more polished imported varieties.
It is good that the government has decided to
intervene in this sector. Agriculture is an
area which the government promised to
transform, and investment in the sector will
help to diversify the economy and create
jobs.However, the intervention must be
handled in a way that will produce results,
as happened with the cassava intervention
initiative. We appear to have got the cassava
initiative right as the product is now widely
available at a reasonable price and we have
been exporting it.e have also been successful
in maize production and we no longer
import the product as we used to, many
years ago. Let the same thing be done for
rice.Rice is such an important staple that
should not be left to the vagaries of
importation.Let the government continue to
invest in increased production and
processing of the product till we attain the
desired sufficiency and use the sector to
create jobs to reduce the growing
unemployment in the country.
Free flow, high returns!
September 27, 2014 00:51 IS THE
HINDUThe paddy produce at a rice mill in
Nellore District. Photo: K. Ravikumar
Illegal transport of rice from Nellore to TN
a long-time challenge. The total production
of rice in Nellore district as of now is 6.5
lakh tonnes a year. Of this, 2.5 lakh tonnes
are set apart to meet the requirements of the
Mana Biyyam programme.
The Nellore district administration is
grappling with a serious challenge of llegal
transport of rice to Tamil Nadu from various
parts of Nellore district.A few months ago,
the Revenue authorities had recommended
that the government allow free movement of
rice as a solution to the issue. They had also
suggested increasing the rate of local
production of paddy.The seizure of 27
lorries with rice loads worth Rs. 2.3 crore at
one go recently near the inter-State border
brought the issue of illegal transport to the
fore once again. While police have stepped
up vigil, millers are mounting pressure on
the government for issuing more permits in
accordance with the rise in production.
Illegal transport is being resorted to by
almost all millers under what is known as
jackpot transport. They call it so because
of the high returns involved in the process,
as they can evade taxes.The total production
of rice in Nellore district as of now is 6.5
lakh tonnes a year. Of this, 2.5 lakh tonnes
are set apart to meet the requirements of the
Mana Biyyam programme. Also, permits
are issued to millers to transport as much as
65,000 tonnes to other States.Clearly, there
is excess production of nearly 3 lakh tonnes.
Where should all this go? We have written
to the government to issue more permits or
allow free transport to resolve the problem
permanently, said District Collector N.
Srikanth. Nellore District Rice Millers
Association president Y. Rangayya Naidu
said there was no truth in the allegations that
the rice meant for distribution under the
Public Distribution System (PDS) was being
diverted to other markets. Given the current
situation, the overall production figures and
the problems facing farmers and millers
should be taken into consideration for
resolving these issues, he added.
According to rules, only 25 per cent of the
district levy or rice can be legally
transported to other States. At the same
time, it is alleged that the diversion of PDS
rice is taking place at the level of mandal-
level storage points.The Civil Supplies
Department comes under the scanner
whenever rice-laden lorries without
authorised waybills are seized by the
authorities. In a recent incident when 27
lorries were seized on one single night, the
Civil Supplies officials were forced to
register 6-A cases for the first time against
rice millers for lack of proper records and
variations in stocks. These charges are filed
under the AP Rice Procurement (Levy)
Order, 1984 and the AP Scheduled
Commodities Dealers (LS&R) Order, 2008.
RULES SET ASIDE
1.Allowing free movement of rice is the
solution to illegal transport, according to
Revenue authorities
2.Increasing the rate or local production of
paddy will also go a long way in curbing the
practice
3.According to rules, only 25 per cent of the
district levy can be legally transported to
other States
4.The issue came to the fore after the recent
seizure of 27 lorries with rice loads worth
Rs. 2.3 crore
5.Millers are mounting pressure on
government for issuing more permits in
accordance with production
6. Millers resort to illegal transport of rice
under jackpot transport, which fetches
them more returns
QUANTITY QUESTION
*Total production of rice in Nellore dt.: 6.5
lakh tonnes a year
*2.5 lakh tonnes are set apart for Mana
Biyyam programme
QUOTE
There is excess production of nearly 3 lakh
tonnes. Where should all this go? We have
written to the government to issue more
permits or allow free transport to resolve the
problem permanently.
N. Srikanth
District Collector
Keywords: Free flow of rice, high
returns, smuggling to Tamil Nadu, goes
unstopped

Deadline approaching for Rice
Leadership Development
program applications

The Rice Leadership Development
Program gives young men and women a
comprehensive understanding of the U.S.
rice industry, with an emphasis on
personal development and
communication skills training.


By USA Rice Federation
Posted Sep. 26, 2014 @ 2:31 pm

STUTTGART
The deadline for submitting applications for
the Rice Leadership Development program
is Oct. 4. Rice producers and other industry-
related professionals are encouraged to
apply for the next class, which will be
announced in December at the USA Rice
Outlook Conference in Little Rock. The
Rice Leadership Development Program
gives young men and women a
comprehensive understanding of the U.S.
rice industry, with an emphasis on personal
development and communication skills
training. During a two-year period, class
members attend four one-week sessions that
are designed to strengthen their leadership
skills.
The class is comprised of five rice producers
and two industry-related professionals
chosen by a committee of agribusiness
leaders evaluating their applications,
reviewing letters of recommendation, and
conducting personal interviews with the
finalists. Candidates must be 25-45 at the
time of application and derive their primary
livelihood from some aspect of the rice
industry.The program is sponsored by John
Deere Company, RiceTec, Inc., and
American Commodity Company through
The Rice Foundation and managed by the
USA Rice Federation.
For more information on the program or an
application form,
visit http://www.usarice.com.


Eco-farming: Implementing
the Chinese model for
productivity
By Our Correspondent
Published: September 28, 2014
LAHORE:
Pak-China Joint Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (PCJCCI) President Shah
Faisal Afridi stressed on the increasing
need for Eco-Farming to avoid future
food crisis and asked the government to
follow Chinas cultivation model.
During a discussion on Regaining Pakistani
Agriculture Strength, Afridi said the
Chinese model involved using hybrid seeds,
better water management, increased role of
government for ensuring effective safety and
support mechanism and public-private
partnerships. China accounts for 10% of
arable land, produces food for 20% of the
worlds population and ranks first in
worldwide farm output.
They made it possible by devising different
techniques to increase yield of crops by
making use of nature, and farming termed as
Eco-Farming, he said.While explaining
environment friendly and effective
techniques, he gave the example of rice
yield via rice duck farming, where ducks
are raised on rice paddies and feed on pests
and weed. This means that farmers do not
have to use earth and water-ravaging
chemical pesticides or herbicides.Duck
droppings are an excellent natural fertiliser
to rice plants. Growing two or more crops in
proximity helps reduce disease outbreaks.
Such a technique reduces loss from rice
blast disease, caused by a destructive fungus
that damages panicles and leaves, before
rice grains form, informed
Afridi.Pakistans per hectare rice yield is 3.1
tons, whereas China is the largest producer
of rice with per hectare yield of 6.5 tons.
Similarly, Pakistan produces pulses per year
with per hectare yield of 0.6 tons and China
produces 1.2 tons per hectare. Pakistans
sugarcane production is 52.4 tons per
hectare whereas China obtains a yield of
65.7.Highlighting the severity of food crisis,
Afridi said the price of items such as
vegetables, chicken and meat had increased
by more than 20% in just one month, thus
making half of the population food
insecure.This means that 50 percent of the
population is taking fewer calories
recognised for average human need, he
said, adding that if the government fails to
come up with new policies, this crisis could
worsen.
Published in The Express Tribune, September
28
th
, 2014.
Image: Pakistans per hectare rice yield is 3.1
tons, whereas China is the largest producer of
rice with a per-hectare yield of 6.5 tons.
PHOTO: STOCK IMAGE

For Advertising SPECS & RATES
Contact Advertising Department
Mujahid Ali
mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com
+92 321 369 2874