14th january,2021 daily global regional local rice e newsletter

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter
1 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m
January14 ,2021 Vol 1 Issue 13
www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com
mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com 92 321 3692874

Editorial Board
Chief Editor
 Hamlik
Managing Editor
 Abdul Sattar Shah
 Rahmat Ullah
 Rozeen Shaukat
English Editor
 Maryam Editor
 Legal Advisor
 Advocate Zaheer Minhas
Editorial Associates
 Admiral (R) Hamid Khalid
 Javed Islam Agha
 Zahid Baig(Business Recorder)
 Dr.Akhtar Hussain
 Dr.Fayyaz Ahmad Siddiqui
 Dr.Abdul Rasheed (UAF)
 Islam Akhtar Khan
Editorial Advisory Board
 Dr.Malik Mohammad Hashim
Assistant Professor, Gomal
University DIK
 Dr.Hasina Gul
Assistant Director, Agriculture KPK
 Dr.Hidayat Ullah
Assistant Professor, University
of Swabi
 Dr.Abdul Basir
Assistant Professor, University of
Swabi
 Zahid Mehmood
PSO,NIFA Peshawar
 Falak Naz Shah
Head Food Science & Technology
ART, Peshawar
Rice News Headlines…
 With Geographical Indication rules Pakistan can secure export
markets
 Pakistan’s upcoming maize challenge
 USDA Report Projects Reduction in 2020/21 Rice Exports,
Leveling with Prior Year
 Burundi's rice cultivation benefits from Chinese experience
 EU to replace PH as world’s top rice importer
 Climate-smart African rice
 Food for Thought: Foods to help you get better sleep
 Food fortification ‘a powerful tool’ to improve health and
power economies
 Vietnam to export 1,600 tonnes of rice at high price to
Singapore, Malaysia
 First batch of rice in 2021 exported to Singapore, Malaysia
 Cambodia temporarily bans import of farmed fish
 Sri Lanka 2021 main season rice expected at 2.8mn tonnes:
Minister
 Rice exporters organized vaccination campaign for farmers’
families
 FG: Nigeria’s Rice Production Gap Now 500,000MT
 CBAG calls for 20% quota on rice imports
 Burundi's rice cultivation benefits from Chinese experience
 ‘RTL helped PHL achieve record rice output’
 Myanmar shows interest to supply 1 lakh tonnes of rice

With Geographical Indication rules Pakistan can secure
export markets
Kalbe Ali
Published January 13, 2021
Pakistan has finally notified the Geographical Indication (GI) Rules strengthening its case against India
over safeguarding its claims of basmati rice and Himalayan pink salt. ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has finally
notified the Geographical Indication (GI) Rules strengthening its case against India over safeguarding its
claims of basmati rice and Himalayan pink salt.
The rules, prerequisite for any GI claims, will allow Pakistan to fight India in the European Union as the
latter asserts that basmati rice is an Indian product. Meanwhile, Pakistan has already challenged India‘s
claims over the rice.
―Now as the GI Rules have been notified, Pakistan will be able to secure its export markets with legal
backing,‖ a senior official of the Intellectual Property Organisation of Pakistan (IPO-Pakistan) told Dawn.
The formulation of GI rules have been pending in the county for almost 18 years, but the move picked
pace after India submitted an application with the EU, claiming sole ownership of basmati rice.
Though the Indian claim was challenged in December 2020, there was a serious lacuna in the Pakistan
argument, as the country did not have GI protection of Basmati rice inside its boundary due to its failure
to notify GI rules.

―The international laws call for local protection of the product before filing for international protection of
any product, but that could not be achieved because there were no rules to register basmati rice in
Pakistan,‖ the official added.
After the formulation of the rules, the Commerce Division will now establish a GI Registry under the
management and control of IPO Pakistan.
Apart from the registration of domestic products, the rules also define laws about registering foreign GI.
As per the rule, a GI of a foreign country shall be registered in Pakistan as long as it is registered in
accordance with the local legislation in its country of origin. The registry shall not allow the registration
of a foreign GI which is not or has ceased to be protected in its country of origin or which has fallen into
disuse in that country.
The rules also state that the application for registration of foreign GI will be made at the registry by its
legal representative in the country and during the registration procedure, the registry may require the
applicant or its legal representative to submit any information related to registration in the country of
origin which may affect its registration in Pakistan.
Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2021
https://www.dawn.com/news/1601184
Pakistan‘s upcoming maize challenge
BR Research 13 Jan 2021
If Pakistan‘s farming sector can boast of one success over the past two decades, it
would be its maize (corn) crop, which has gained massive popularity with little to no
governmental intervention. Between 2000 and 2020, national output has grown by 4.5
times, backed by better profits for growers.
Where staple crops such as cotton and wheat have lost acres, corn has gained some,
but much of the gains in output have been powered by improved productivity.
Consider that while long-term average yield of crops such as cotton have been on a
secular decline (and, wheat‘s has stagnated) since 2000s, national average yield for
corn has multiplied over three times during the same period. But national averages
masks corn‘s still unexploited potential. Among major cereals and staple crops, corn
is the only crop planted in both kharif (autumn) and rabi (spring) season, although
more than two-thirds of the national output is produced during kharif. In fact,
Pakistan‘s spring crop is a quite recent innovation, which warrants a quick detour

through its short history.
Until mid-eighties, over half of national corn output was sourced from Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa province. At that time, corn was grown in the northern parts of the
country (including Rawalpindi belt of Punjab) mainly as a cereal for (direct) human
consumption. Since the crop lagged in popularity as the preferred cereal of
subcontinent, it managed to avoid policy/regulatory focus, resulting in its poor yield.
Come nineties, and the increasing popularity of poultry as an affordable source of
protein meant that the farmers needed a cheap carb source to feed an increasing
number of broiler birds. Serious efforts were made by private sector seed companies
to commercialize corn as feedstock. This was also the first time when corn crop made
in-roads into Punjab as a competitor to other major kharif crops such as rice and
cotton.
But private sector seed companies also marketed an innovative farming practice, quite
common globally but not experienced by Pakistani growers till that time: corn crop
grown twice a year. Spring corn was introduced and enjoyed substantial commercial
success.

Then why has spring corn not become a talk of town and two-season cropping
intensity has not spread to other competing crops? This becomes even more
interesting when corn crop yields are compared across region and weathers (see
illustrations). While KP‘s kharif yield is stuck under 2 tons per hectares for several
years, Punjab‘s rabi (spring) corn has achieved seasonal average yield of up to 8 tons
per hectares, at par with global corn producing giants such as Argentina and Brazil.
Consider also that despite corn‘s success as a major spring season crop in Punjab,
over half of the output is instead planted during kharif season, competing with other
commercial crops such as cotton and rice for precious acres. Why is spring corn not
planted more commonly?
Because of a ‗till death do us part‘ relationship between wheat and Punjab‘s farmers.
Because wheat is an off-season (rabi/winter) crop that enjoys major governmental
support in the form of support price policy, guaranteed returns, and procurement
operations, most growers continue to prefer wheat crop. Consider that out of the 9
million hectares sown in the rabi season nationally, over 92 percent are devoted to
wheat crop, with all others crops such as lentils, pulses, oilseeds, and fodder
competing for the precious remainder seven hundred thousand hectares.

The recent price spiral in prices of poultry products across country during last two
years have shown that Pakistan is on its way to face a corn crop price spiral in coming
years. Increasing white meat consumption means that demand for corn (grown as
feedstock/fodder) for poultry is fast increasing, as improvement in its yield has
plateaued due to law of diminishing returns (spring yield is already at par with rest of
the world using hybrid seeds).
If the last year‘s wheat crisis brought any lessons home, it is that Pakistan‘s fast-
growing population with ever more mouths to feed means that the farming community
will face trade-offs between crop choices more frequently. Even as regulatory
interventions are made to protect acreage under one crop (such as wheat), it will only
lead to shortfall of acres under other crops such as maize, alternating between two
price spirals. If Pakistan is to resolve the structural challenge of food inflation, it
needs to address the poor farming yield quagmire on war footing.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40050472

USDA Report Projects Reduction in 2020/21 Rice
Exports, Leveling with Prior Year
By Peter Bachmann
WASHINGTON, DC – Despite near-record demand for U.S.-grown rice in 2020, yesterday‘s
U.S. Department of Agriculture‘s World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE)
Report lowered U.S. rice export projections for the 2020/21 marketing year. The estimated
international shipments reflect a nearly 5 percent reduction from the June 2020 WASDE Report
at 3.14 million metric tons (MT) to 2.99 million MT.
In-person promotion in Korea last year with social distancing and masks
While the projected export levels for 2020/21 are even with that of the 2019/20 marketing year,
they fall far short of where they could be given the significant increase in the 2020 harvested
acres following hundreds of thousands of rice acres being prevented from planting in 2019.
On a calendar year basis, 2020 falls even further behind 2019 figures. U.S. Census Bureau trade
data shows 3.25 million MT of U.S. rice exported between January and November in 2019,
compared to 2.84 million MT for the same period in 2020.
―This drop in overall exports for the calendar and marketing year can be attributed to a variety of
factors, beginning with price, which was higher than normal the first nine months of the year
because of the tight supply,‖ said Sarah Moran, USA Rice vice president, international.
Once harvest hit, prices started to level out, but the U.S. missed some key business amid the
global panic for staple foods resulting from COVID-19.
―In addition to the price factor, some key long grain markets like Iraq, Haiti, and Mexico have
underperformed this year,‖ said Moran. ―All of our primary markets were impacted differently
by COVID-19, driving demand for retail but also reducing liquid capital to make purchases. We
are optimistic that we‘ll see demand pick up in those markets and we‘ll be able to regain some
ground."
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. rice exporters have continued to ship safe, high-
quality rice throughout the world with limited logistical snags. USA Rice also has continued to
conduct effective international promotions through outdoor and social media outlets, and as
safety allows, in-person. USA Rice plans to reinitiate more in-person promotional activities in
2021, including participation in trade shows, trade missions, and in-store demonstrations.
USA Rice Daily

Burundi's rice cultivation benefits from Chinese
experience
By Li Kaizhi
Beijing Review, January 13, 2021
Affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic, Hu Shuangquan, a Chinese agricultural specialist
who had planned to wind up his mission in Africa in mid-March 2020, is still staying in Burundi.
"From late March to early November, Burundi closed its international borders, and fresh
agricultural expert groups from China could not come to Burundi as scheduled," Hu said.
In order to ensure the continuity of the program, Hu and another Chinese expert stayed behind.
Their main task is to carry on experimental demonstration and technical training, popularize
hybrid rice, and ensure a smooth handover and successful operation of the newly created
Burundi Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center.
"We are staying on to make hybrid rice plantation more effective and accelerate the localization
process of hybrid rice seeds," Hu said.
Many Chinese agricultural experts are working on the African continent, aiming to increase crop
yields and improve the level of agricultural industry development. Hu, 49, is one of them.
Three years ago, Hu worked in the Agricultural Technology Service Center of Xiaoling
Township, Chongyang County in Hubei Province, central China. Now, he is in a Chinese

agricultural expert group working in Burundi, where they provide technical assistance to the
local people.
"From 2003 to 2014, I worked in three African countries. During that period, I found that there
was much to be improved in Africa in terms of agricultural production, processing and storage
technology. So, after learning of this program, I signed up immediately and am honored to be
picked out," Hu said.
In March 2018, when Hu set foot on the African continent again, he was determined to do his
utmost to help African people with his expertise.
Raising rice yield
In January 2020, Hu received a call from the technical director of the Socopa Rice Processing
Plant in Bubanza Province, who told him anxiously that their rice-polishing machine did not
work and asked him for help.
Hu immediately drove more than 30 km to get to the place, and after a careful inspection, he
debugged the equipment to return it to normal. The plant completed the processing task on
schedule.
Hu often came across problems such as this. "A request is a 'call of duty.' I am very pleased to be
of help during my tenure," Hu said.
Burundi is an agricultural country with more than 90 percent of the population engaged in
agricultural production, where the mode of production is relatively underdeveloped. "The
situation is similar to China's in the 1970s and 1980s. Therefore, my work experience gained
back in China may serve as a practical guide for boosting agricultural development here," Hu
added.
In June 2018, in order to increase rice production, Hu and his Chinese colleagues used Socopa
Rice Processing Plant as an experimental demonstration site to help it build a high-quality rice
brand and lead the development of Burundi's rice production.
Hu donated the rice-polishing machine used by the Chinese expert group to the factory. He also
wrote a manual on quality control and processing to maintain lasting rice-processing quality.
The output and profits of the factory are on the rise. Its production capacity has increased from
0.3 ton per hour to 1 ton per hour, and the rice quality has been upgraded from the third grade

with the lowest market price to the top grade with the highest price. Moreover, the factory's
energy consumption and labor costs have been reduced by $6 per ton, with its total rice output
and sales both increasing from less than 10 tons per month to more than 36 tons per month.
At this point, Hu began to help with brand building and marketing for the factory's rice. He
designed colorful packaging bags and publicity pictures, and distributed them in local residential
areas and shops.
With the support of the National Center of Food Technology of Burundi, Hu endeavored to
optimize the formula of a popular fried snack. He ground rice into powder, and mixed it with
flour to make the snack that meets the taste of the locals.
"We use 140 kg of flour and 60 kg of rice flour to make the snack of the same value, which
reduces the cost of materials by thousands of dollars a year," Hu said. "Compared with the
previous formula, this new one is better, and the production cost is lower."
Finding solutions
According to Hu, Burundi's agricultural processing machinery is mainly dependent on import,
and sometimes it is difficult to repair or replace damaged parts after breakdowns.
"I would try to get in touch with manufacturers, helping them get the parts they need.
Meanwhile, I have been training local technicians to enhance their awareness of equipment
maintenance," Hu noted.
In order to learn more about Burundi's agricultural product processing industry, Hu conducted
field research in crop-planting areas across the country. He wrote a number of reports and
research papers, providing insight into the development of the industry.
On the 2020 World Food Day on October 23, Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye made
a speech speaking highly of China-Burundi agricultural cooperation.
Ndayishimiye said that over the years, a number of countries and world organizations have
supported the revitalization of Burundi's agriculture. He went on to say that Burundi is especially
grateful to China for helping Burundi with its economic and social development.
http://www.china.org.cn/world/2021-01/13/content_77111994.htm

EU to replace PH as world’s top rice importer
Published January 13, 2021, 3:49 PM
by Madelaine B. Miraflor
The European Union may steal the Philippines‘ title as the biggest rice importer in the world
this year as the Southeast Asian nation is bent on achieving higher local palay production
amid stricter import permit issuance.
―The Philippines is forecast to fall to the number two spot in 2021 as the largest global rice
importer after the European Union,‖ the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in its
latest Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report. The GAIN report said it is
the improved palay production, government policies that constrain trade, and record-high
prices from traditional suppliers that will be ―key factors limiting imports this year‖.
EU is expected to import 2.45 million metric tons (MT) of rice this year, while the forecast
for the Philippines has been reduced to only 2.3 million MT from the earlier outlook of 2.6
million MT.It was in 2019 when the Philippines became the largest rice importer in the
world, with commitments to purchase 2.9 million MT of the staple abroad. This is following
the removal of quantitative restrictions on its imports, which was a result of the
implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL).

Though the country kept its status in 2020, its expected rice imports also slightly declined to
2.3 million MT amid higher production, government interventions, and high prices from its
traditional suppliers.―Production within the Philippines is estimated to be larger in 2020/21,
rising slightly to 12.0 million tons on higher area and yields. The Philippines Department of
Agriculture is implementing programs to boost production through better quality seeds,
machinery, farm credit, and extension through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement
Fund,‖ USDA said.
―Although no longer maintaining quantitative restrictions, the government has maintained a
role in regulating trade by implementing policies related to importing licensing and the
timing of license distribution,‖ it added.
To recall, the Philippine government has slowed the distribution of sanitary and
phytosanitary (SPS) import clearances in recent months, which in turn has slowed import
pace in the first half of the marketing year compared to the previous year.
High export prices for Thailand and Vietnam rice are also lessening rice purchases by the
Philippines.
Primary rice exporters to the Philippines are from ASEAN partners since they face lower
import tariffs compared to other countries. Typically, Thailand and Vietnam are the largest
suppliers to the Philippines due to their proximity and competitive prices.Both Thailand and
Vietnam had drought reduced rice crops in 2019/20 that continue to limit exportable
supplies at the beginning of 2020/21.
The other day, Agriculture Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan said that in order to fulfill the
country‘s rice demand, the Philippines, through the private sector, will need to import only
1.69 million MT of rice this year.
This is amid the target local palay production of about 20.4 million MT for the entire year,
which is higher than the expected palay yield of 19.44 million MT in 2020.
For this quarter, in particular, local palay output is seen at 4.8 million MT, while about 3.9
million MT is targeted for the second quarter.If this isn‘t achieved, then the country may
have to import more for this year, Cayanan said.
https://mb.com.ph/2021/01/13/eu-to-replace-ph-as-worlds-top-rice-importer/

Climate-smart African rice
We will identify novel genes or QTLs involved in flood or salinity tolerance to breed
climate-smart rice cultivars for East Africa. We use African rice and wild rice relatives to
uncover trait capacities for flood or salinity tolerance. The project output is 1-2 high-
yielding rice cultivars that helps sustain rice production under abiotic stress.
Professor Ole Pedersen coordinator of Climate-smart rice explains: We have gathered
leading scientists in the field with the aim of delivering modern rice cultivars to farmers in
Africa in order to ease the calamities of the ongoing climate changes. This project will also
result in novel scientific discoveries and thereby strengthen research in Africa and
Denmark.
Research questions
What is the role of the root barrier to radial oxygen loss in restriction salt
intrusion in roots?
We have indications that this barrier can reduce salt update from saline soils and rice
cultivars with constitutive expression of this barrier would then possess improved resilience
to salt stress.
What is the role of gas film formation for survival during complete submergence?

Leaf gas films develop on superhydrophobic leaves and form an interface between leaf
tissue and floodwater that greatly enhances exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Moreover, the interface may also restrict salt intrusion in situations with saline floods. New
rice cultivars with prolonged gas film retention would consequently show improved flood
and salinity tolerance.
Mechanistic phenotyping of root barriers and leaf gas films
Postdoctoral fellow Dr. Max Herzog
A limited number of genotypes of African rice (Oryza glaberrima) along with selected wild
rice relatives will be analysed in details in the research labs at the Department of Biology,
University of Copenhagen. We will use contemporary state-of-art techniques to assess gas
film retention under fresh or saline flood conditions using a buoyancy approach in
combination with direct measurements of leaf hydrophobicity. The role of the root barrier to
radial oxygen loss in restriction salt intrusion via the root apoplast will be studied using
flame photometry and tissue osmolarity. The mechanistic understanding of responses to
abiotic stress is required in order to advise in the subsequent process of marker-assisted
breeding where individual QTLs are pyramidize in candidate cultivars.
The component involving species of wild rice is particularly exciting since these are widely
understudied. At the same time, species of wild rice inhabits natural habitats ranging from
dry uplands to permanent wetland and so the potential for discovering traits that confer
tolerance to flood or salinity is high. Consequently, this sub-project is expected to feed
essential information into the breeding component in addition to producing novel scientific
insight into tolerance to abiotic stress in the rice and its wild relatives.

- fully funded via China Scholarship Council and working full-time on the project
Zhiwei Song - fully funded via China Scholarship Council and working full-time on the
project
Partners
Members
Name Title Phone
E-
mail
Elisa
Pellegrini
Postdoc +45 50 13 82 37 E-
mail
Lucas León
Peralta
Ogorek
PhD fellow +45 30 22 27 88 E-
mail

Name Title Phone
E-
mail
Max Herzog Postdoc +45 353-36020 E-
mail
Ole Pedersen Professor +45 23 74 76 41 E-
mail
Shuai Tong PhD student E-
mail
Zhiwei Song Enrolled PhD Student +4531815093 E-
mail
https://www1.bio.ku.dk/english/research/fbs/projects/climate-smart-african-rice/
Food for Thought: Foods to help you get better sleep
More Content Now
TIP OF THE WEEK
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, about 30% of adults experience the
symptoms of insomnia. While there are many contributing factors to insomnia - stress, travel or
work schedules, poor sleeping habits - your diet can also contribute to sleepless nights.
While eating too much before bed can cause you to feel physically uncomfortable while lying
down, health experts say eating a small snack is OK. Here are a few foods that can help you get a
better night's sleep, according to the Sleep Foundation:
1. Kiwi: Kiwifruit possess numerous vitamins and minerals, most notably vitamins C and E as
well as potassium and folate. Some research has found that eating kiwi can improve sleep. In a

study, people who ate two kiwis one hour before bedtime found that they fell asleep faster, slept
more, and had better sleep quality.
2. Tart cherries and tart cherry juice: Several studies have found sleep benefits for people who
drink tart cherry juice. In one study, people who drank two one-cup servings of tart cherry juice
per day were found to have more total sleep time and higher sleep efficiency.
3. Fatty fish: A research study found that fatty fish may be a good food for better sleep. The
study over a period of months found that people who ate salmon three times per week had better
overall sleep as well as improved daytime functioning.
4. Nuts: Nuts like almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and cashews are often considered to be a good
food for sleep. Though the exact amounts can vary, nuts contain melatonin as well as essential
minerals like magnesium and zinc that are essential to a range of bodily processes.
5. Rice: A study of adults in Japan found that those who regularly ate rice reported better sleep
than those who ate more bread or noodles. This study only identified an association and cannot
demonstrate causality, but it supports prior research that showed that eating foods with a high
glycemic index around four hours before bedtime helped with falling asleep.
EASY RECIPE
Bacon-Cheddar Drop Biscuits
Serves: 12
Ingredients
2 cups self-rising flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup sour cream

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup cooked chopped bacon
3 tablespoons chopped scallions
Steps
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet generously with nonstick oil spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Whisk in the buttermilk, sour cream and
oil.
Fold in the cheese, bacon and scallions. Use a large spoon to drop spoonfuls of dough onto the
prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between each biscuit.
Bake until risen and golden brown, about 15 minutes.
- SouthernKitchen.com
DRINK
Pepsi announces new drink flavor
The soda giant recently announced they will introduce a new flavor in 2021 - "Cocoa" cola. The
new Pepsi flavor will be flavored with chocolate and marshmallows.
- More Content Now
FUN FACT
Eggs
If you need to test the freshness of your eggs, put them in a glass of cold water. The fresher the
egg, the faster it will fall to the bottom. Any eggs that float should be thrown out.
- More Content Now
https://www.yourstephenvilletx.com/story/lifestyle/food/recipes/2021/01/13/food-thought-foods-
help-you-get-better-sleep/6633368002/

Food fortification ‘a powerful tool’ to improve health and
power economies
With nearly 400 million people in Asia suffering from undernourishment, fortifying staple foods
such as rice with micronutrients can be a powerful and sustainable way to improve public health.
Food fortification and better farming methods are among the ways to improve public health
and resource efficiency. Image: Bryon Lippincott via Flickr, CC BY-ND 2.0
Sponsored by:
By Feng Zengkun
Jan. 13, 2021
About 381 million people in Asia are undernourished, making up about 8 per cent of the
population, and the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to worsen the situation, according to the United
Nations (UN). In recent years, more countries in the region have turned to food fortification,
which is the process of adding micronutrients to food, to arrest this and other malnutrition
problems and improve citizens‘ health.
In India, for example, the government plans to make fortification of rice, a staple food of over 70
per cent of residents, compulsory by 2023, to improve their nutrition and reduce the rising rate of
anaemia. In 2020, Bangladesh partnered with the UN‘s World Food Programme (WFP) to start
selling subsidised fortified rice to poor households in Dhaka.
Sarwar Mahmud, director general of the Bangladesh government‘s food directorate, said that
food fortification has become especially important in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. ―By
fortifying rice, we can provide essential vitamins and minerals to households compelled to
compromise their food diversity due to limited access to markets and income opportunities
during the Covid-19 crisis,‖ he said.
―It is also a cost-effective way to address nutrient deficiencies in food for disadvantaged urban
poor populations,‖ he added.

Global nutrition, health and sustainable living company DSM was part of the rice fortification
effort in Bangladesh. It has collaborated with the WFP, UN Children‘s Fund and other
humanitarian organisations, governments and firms to develop and distribute cost-efficient and
affordable nutritious food in developing countries.
DSM‘s alliance with WFP alone has benefited tens of millions of people worldwide since 2007.
An ongoing initiative is Project Mandi, short for Making A Nutritional Difference to India,
which helps to increase access to nutritious foods in the country in partnership with other non-
government groups. DSM also launched Nu-Shakti, a range of fortified food staples including
rice, flour and beverage powder, in Tamil Nadu.
From 2013 to 2017, DSM worked with government agencies and ministries in Germany,
Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, as well as other firms, on the Better Rice
Initiative Asia (BRIA), which trained 28,500 farmers across the four Asian nations on the latest
farming methods and crop solutions, and encouraged cooking oil producers and rice millers to
fortify their products with micronutrients, including zinc, iron and vitamins.
Anand Sundaresan, DSM‘s regional vice-president for human nutrition and health for Asia
Pacific, said that food fortification will help the region‘s growing middle class too. ―As people
become more affluent, they often have less time to cook and start eating more processed foods,
so it‘s critical to raise awareness and availability of fortified, healthy foods that give them more
micronutrients per serving,‖ he said.
Food fortification can have a tremendous impact, not just on people‘s health but countries‘
economies, because healthy children learn better, and healthy adults lead more productive lives.
Anand Sundaresan, regional vice-president for human nutrition and health, Asia Pacific, DSM

‘Easiest way’ to boost nutrition
Fortifying staple foods is the easiest way to boost nutrition because people eat such foods daily,
said Sundaresan. To boost acceptance of the healthier versions, the fortification process must not
alter the familiar look, taste and texture of the foods.
It must also take into account local cooking practices, added Paul Nicholson, vice-president and
head of rice research and sustainability at agribusiness firm Olam International, which has
teamed up with DSM on several projects, including BRIA. In 2020, Olam launched Ghana‘s first
and only fortified rice brand, called Royal Aroma Fortified Rice.
―Rice is often rinsed or washed prior to cooking, so nutrients that are simply sprayed on can be
washed off. We used DSM‘s innovative fortified rice kernels, where rice dough, made up of rice
powder and water, is infused with micronutrients and shaped to form noodles, which are then cut
very short to resemble rice grains,‖ said Nicholson.
―These fortified kernels are mixed with natural, traditional rice grains, and are imperceptible in
look, taste and cooking quality, so that consumers can seamlessly introduce better nutrition into
their favourite dishes,‖ he said.
Food businesses must also consider affordability, especially if the fortified foods are intended for
low-income families. While Olam‘s fortified rice is slightly more expensive than its non-fortified
rice, it offers different pack sizes to cater to a broad range of customers at different income
levels.
―We believe that we can best grow our business by meeting consumer needs through more
innovation, and rice fortification is an obvious opportunity with enormous public health
benefits,‖ said Nicholson. ―Our cooperation with DSM synergises our respective expertise. DSM
knows what forms of fortification are available and appropriate, and we know what defines good
quality in consumers‘ experience of food products.‖

Sundaresan added that governments have a crucial role to play in spurring food fortification. ―By
setting out detailed and transparent policies on fortified foods, including the types and minimum
levels of fortification that are required, they will provide clarity to the private sector and motivate
more companies to innovate and join the market,‖ he explained.
―Food fortification can have a tremendous impact, not just on people‘s health but countries‘
economies, because healthy children learn better, and healthy adults lead more productive lives,‖
he said.
Nicholson said food fortification is a proven solution to malnutrition and the persistent challenge
of hidden hunger, where people consume enough calories but not enough vitamins and minerals.
―It isn‘t a silver bullet, because other factors such as diet diversity are essential too, but it doesn‘t
require major shifts in food habits, which can sometimes take years or even generations,‖ he
said. ―Food fortification can be a powerful tool in transforming the global food system to provide
affordable, healthy and balanced diets for all.‖
https://www.eco-business.com/news/food-fortification-a-powerful-tool-to-improve-health-and-
power-economies/
Vietnam to export 1,600 tonnes of rice at high price to
Singapore, Malaysia
Vietnam will export 1,600 tonnes of rice at high price to Singapore, Malaysia – Illustrative
image (Photo: VNA)
Can Tho (VNA) – Trung An High-Tech Agriculture Joint Stock Company will export 1,600
tonnes of high-value fragrant rice to Singapore and Malaysia, the Ministry of Agriculture and
Rural Development announced on January 13.
Accordingly, 450 tonnes of Jasmine 85 rice will be shipped to the Singaporean market at 680
USD per tonne, while 1,150 tonnes of ―Huong Lai‖ fragrant rice will be delivered to customers
in Malaysia at 750 USD per tonne.
These are very high prices, General Director of Trung An JSC Pham Thai Binh said, adding that
the company is also preparing to export over 2,000 tonnes of rice to Germany.

Binh said despite difficulties from the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam‘s rice industry has made
breakthroughs in 2020, especially in value. Rice export value increased by over 9 percent in the
year although the volume did not rise as compared to 2019.
In the early days of 2021, a number of member companies of the Vietnam Food Association
(VFA), including Trung An JSC, have signed many export contracts, especially with European
partners and those from member countries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership
(RCEP) that Vietnam signed in November last year.
According to MARD, Malaysia and Singapore are two among the10 largest importers of
Vietnamese rice. This is also a significant event after Vietnam has just signed the RCEP,
together with other nine ASEAN member states and five countries that the group has signed free
trade agreements with.
MARD Deputy Minister Le Quoc Doanh said that in 2020, rice was the bright spot among
agricultural exports. The ministry always supports businesses and localities in building
production linkage chains to create quality and safe products, he said.
Nguyen Trung Kien, Vice President and General Secretary of VFA, said that Vietnam exported
6.15 million tonnes of rice last year, earning an estimated 3 billion USD, up 9, 3 percent year-on-
year in value although the volume decreased by about 3.5 percent./.
https://vietreader.com/business/30527-vietnam-to-export-1600-tonnes-of-rice-at-high-price-to-
singapore-malaysia.html

First batch of rice in 2021 exported to Singapore, Malaysia
The ceremony to export the first batch of rice in 2021 by Trung An Company to Singapore and
Malaysia. (Photo: SGGP)
Mr. Pham Thai Binh, CEO of Trung An Company, said that the company was focusing on
associating with farmers to establish high-quality rice-growing areas with 8,000 hectares in Kien
Giang, Ca Mau, Hau Giang provinces, and Can Tho City. Of which, in this winter-spring rice
crop, about 1,400 hectares of rice will apply a strict production process without using chemicals
to create clean rice to export to fastidious markets, like the EU.
Trung An Company is one of the first enterprises to export to the EU market after the EU-
Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) becomes effective.
According to Mr. Le Quoc Doanh, Deputy Minister of the MARD, Vietnam exports 6-7 million
tons of rice annually to more than 30 countries and territories. In 2020, rice was a bright spot in
agricultural products. The rice value has increased robustly. Especially, the price of rice has
marked a historic increase in about a decade.
Vietnam‘s rice exports reached 6.15 million tons last year, with an estimated value of over $3
billion, up 9.3 percent in value, though the rice volume decreased by about 3.5 percent compared
to 2019. This year, the rice industry has seen positive signs. Particularly, the winter-spring rice

crop is growing well; the rice variety structure continues to improve; about 300,000 hectares of
rice are expected to be harvested before the Lunar New Year with an estimated yield of 7 tons
per hectare.
According to the MARD, provinces, and enterprises need to pay attention to developing organic
and clean agricultural products that both bring high economic value and ensure environmental
friendly factors. At the same time, it is essential to increase processing to create added-value and
jobs and make the most of tariff preferences, thanks to the free trade agreements for agricultural
products.
By Lac Phong – Translated by Gia Bao
https://vietreader.com/business/30620-first-batch-of-rice-in-2021-exported-to-singapore-
malaysia.html
Cambodia temporarily bans import of farmed fish
Phnom Penh (VNA) - Cambodia shipped 11,200 tonnes of organic milled rice abroad in 2020,
a 1.2-percent increase over 2019, according to the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF).
While the milled-rice export sector by and large chalks up 2020‘s lacklustre growth performance
to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the CRF worked to ramp up sales of Cambodian milled rice
abroad.
The CRF said more than 90 percent of the exports were shipped to the European market, while
―a small amount‖ went to the US.
With Cambodia‘s total 2020 milled-rice exports weighing in at 690,829 tonnes, organic rice
accounted for just 1.6 percent.
Song Saran, president of the CRF and CEO of miller and exporter Amru Rice Cambodia Co
Ltd, said total milled-rice exports surged 11.4 percent from 2019, far outshining the growth seen
in the organic variant.
Saran attributed the growth in Cambodian organic milled rice exports to tariffs levied by the EU,
citing the market‘s dependence on the bloc.
Cambodia‘s rice sector officially lost its import duty exemption granted by the EU in January

2019 after the bloc‘s decision to impose tariffs on imports from Cambodia and Myanmar to
protect European rice farmers‘ interests.
Chan Sokheang, chairman and CEO of Signatures of Asia Co Ltd, another local rice miller and
exporter, said COVID-19 had diminished global demand for organic rice.
Declining incomes during the COVID-19 epidemic have led people to opt for the types of rice
they need, with less focus on organic rice, which costs almost twice as much, he stated.
When the incomes increase, the purchase of organic milled rice will swell up in consonance, he
said./.
VNA
https://en.vietnamplus.vn/cambodia-exports-11200-tonnes-of-organic-rice-in-
2020/194679.vnp#:~:text=Cambodia's%20rice%20exports%20surge%2011%20percent%20in%
202020&text=Phnom%20Penh%20(VNA)%20%2D%20Cambodia,over%202019%2C%20accor
ding%20to%20the&text=Saran%20attributed%20the%20growth%20in,market's%20dependence
%20on%20the%20bloc.

Sri Lanka 2021 main season rice expected at 2.8mn tonnes:
Minister
Wednesday January 13, 2021 06:44
BUMPER HARVEST: Sri Lanka is projecting a rice surplus after good rains in 2018 and 2019.
But Sri Lanka rice is almost non-tradable.
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka is expecting a rough rice (paddy) harvest of 2.8 million metric
tons of rice in the main 2021 (Maha) cultivation season, Agriculture Minister Mahindananda
Aluthgamage said, which would be about 8 percent less than last year.
In the 2020 Maha season Sri Lanka harvested an estimated 3.051 million tonnes of paddy.
Minister Aluthgamage said the forecast was made on information on 668,400 hectares cultivated
in the season. The peak target for Maha is usually about 840,000 hectares.
An earlier crop forecast based on November data said cultivation this year was about 10 percent
below average.
He said the paddy would be enough to produce about 1.9 million metric tonnes of milled rice.
―If we take the population of the country, monthly we need 195,000 metric tons‖ Minister
Aluthgamage said.
―We will start purchasing the harvest in February. And we will be producing paddy for the next
10 months from February onwards from this single season.‖
State-run Paddy Marketing Board and district secretariat office is planning to purchase about
300,000 metric tonnes of paddy in the current season, he said.

Minister said the cabinet approval was given to purchase Nadu rice for 50 rupees a kilogram
Samba for 52 rupees per kilogram and paddy with a higher moisture content will be purchased at
47 rupees per kilogram.
―The cost of one kilogram of rice for a farmer is 28 rupees,‖ Minister Aluthgamage said.
―Therefore, 50 rupees per kilogram is very good price for the farmer.‖
Paddy purchases will begin from Batticaloa district later this month.
―We plan to purchase 300,000 tonnes but we will most probably go to 400,000 thereby we will
have enough rice for two months at any given time of the year,‖ he said.
―After this, again the Yala season will come and with that harvest we will have enough rice for
another one and half years. Therefore, there will not be any rice shortage in the country.‖
The Yala minor cultivation season generates about half the production.
Rice stocks in government warehouses are sometimes infested with insects and are not disposed
of in times resulting in losses.

Minister Aluthgamage said in the past rice had been sold for animal feed, but it will not happen
now.
Due to years of protection and self-sufficiency strategy Sri Lankan rice is not of good enough
quality to export for human consumption.
Countries like Vietnam, Thailand and US dominate the world trade for high quality rice.
This February Vietnam is importing 70 metric tonnes of rice from India for animal feed. Indian
rice is cheaper than Vietnam rice which has an export market.
Production of what is called ‗low grade rice‘ in Vietnam had fallen sharply to about 15 to 20
percent of output from over half five years ago.
Vietnam is expecting to produce 43 million metric tonnes of rice in 2021. Vietnam is now
importing Indian broken rice.
Indian broken rice is imported for around 310 dollar a tonne, compared to an export price of over
500 dollars for Vietnam 5 percent broken rice, reports said. (Colombo/Jan13/2021)
LEAVE YOUR COMMENT
https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-2021-main-season-rice-expected-at-2-8mn-tonnes-minister-
77773/
Rice exporters organized vaccination campaign for farmers‘
families
Wed, 13 Jan 2021, 5:31 PM
ISLAMABAD, Jan 13 (APP): Rice exporters organized a preventive vaccination campaign for
the agricultural families including rice transplanters for the different regions of Central Punjab to
protect them from epidemics.

Rice Partners (Pvt) Ltd (RPL) in collaboration with Helvetas Pakistan organized a preventive
vaccination campaign for rice transplanter‘s families in three villages namely Kot Hanif,
Khatyala Virkan and Saikham of different district of Punjab including Sheikhupura, Chief
Operating Officer Rice Partners Pvt Ltd, Muhammad Ali Tariq told APP here on Wednesday.
He said that approximately 200 persons participated in the campaign.
Ali Tariq said that RPL is working for betterment of farmers and farm laborers from past many
years through provision of laser land leveling, trainings on water saving techniques, and ensuring
decent working conditions for rice transplanters and their children by establishing Community
Child care Centres, distribution of food packs and backpack canopy kits.
He said that we try our best to improve the livelihood of the farmers. So far about 28,000 farmers
are trained by RPL.
The Project Officer RPL Rizwan Ali said that the ―Preventive Vaccination Campaign‖ is the
component of improving the health of rice transplants and their children.Chanda Mukhtar from
Punjab Health Department delivered a lecture on the importance of vaccination of children and
expectant women.
She said that two drops of polio can save children from permanent disability so every child under
the age of 5 should get a polio vaccine every time through the government polio campaign.
In case of missing, they can get drops at their nearest government health center.She also threw
light on ―The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) of Pakistan.
She said that EPI was launched in 1978 in Pakistan to protect children by immunizing them
against childhood tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and measles.Later,
with the support of development partners, a number of new vaccines e.g. hepatitis B,
haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and pneumococcal vaccine (PCV10) were introduced in
2002, 2009 and 2012, and inactivated polio vaccine in 2015, respectively.She asked the parents
that they should take in EPI and get a vaccine for their children from birth to 15 months free of
cost from the nearest government health department.
The key objective of the campaign was to sensitize the rice transplanters about the significance
of polio drops and EPI.Head Sustainability RPL, Zafar Iqbal and participated in the campaign
and took part in the walk.
https://www.app.com.pk/national/rice-exporters-organized-vaccination-campaign-for-farmers-
families/

FG: Nigeria‘s Rice Production Gap Now 500,000MT
January 13, 2021 3:11 am
The federal government has put the rice production gap in Nigeria at 500,000 metric tonnes.
It, however, stated that the country would soon close the gap and meet the seven million metric
tonnes production capacity required to attain self-sufficiency.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development disclosed this in a statement issued
in Abuja yesterday by the Deputy Director, Information, Eno Olotu.
The statement quoted the Director, Federal Department of Agriculture, Karima Babaginda, to
have said this while receiving inputs on behalf of the FMARD from the Japanese International
Cooperation Agency.
JICA provided the inputs to support rice smallholders in nine states of the federation in its first
phase support to Nigeria.
Babaginda said the support for rice farmers would scale up rice production in Nigeria, adding
that it would enhance the harvest of the produce in this year‘s farming season.
According to her, with the support of JICA and other donor agencies, Nigeria would not only be
self-sufficient in rice production but would soon be a major exporter, being the largest producer
of rice in Africa currently.
Chief Representative of JICA in Nigeria, Nakagawa Takayuki, stated that JICA was providing
agricultural inputs to 1,500 small scale rice farmers in Kwara, Nassarawa, Niger, Bauchi, Taraba,
Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa and Kebbi states for the dry season rice farming.

―We also plan to provide the inputs to 1,000 small scale farmers in 10 states, namely, Borno,
Gombe, Kogi, Benue, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Ogun, Taraba and Oyo for the wet season farming,‖ he
said.
Takayuki pledged JICA‘s support to sustain its collaborative efforts with the ministry in
supporting extension service providers and small scale farmers through capacity and
infrastructural development.
https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/01/13/fg-nigerias-rice-production-gap-now-
500000mt/
CBAG calls for 20% quota on rice imports
January 13, 2021
President of CBAG, Yaw Ohemeng Kyei
The Commodity Brokers Association of Ghana (CBAG) president, Yaw Ohemeng Kyei, has
called on government to introduce a 20 percent quota on rice imports into the country.
Mr. Ohemeng Kyei said he does not understand why the Ghana Rice Development Strategy (G-
NRD) projects to end rice imports by the year 2023 but government is not doing anything to

progressively reduce importation of rice – noting that Ghana can produce 80 percent of the
approximately 1.5 million metric tonnes of rice consumed in the country annually.
―The annual per capita rice consumption of 3.5 percent per annum is even greater than the 2.5
percent per annum growth in population. That is a goldmine we can explore, especially now that
the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) has commenced,‖ he stated.
The president of CBAG, speaking in an interview with B&FT on the listing of rice on Ghana‘s
Commodity Exchange, highlighted that Ghana‘s rice production for 2008 was 181,000 metric
tonnes while imports were 395,000 metric tonnes. This development means local production

more than doubled in 2013 to 393,000 metric tonnes; however, imports increased to 638,000
metric tonnes.
In 2020 rice production was 940,000 metric tonnes, and looking at the rate of growth in rice
production he said: ―We can assume rice production in 2021 will not be less than
1,200,000 metric tonnes. If total consumption of rice is around 1,500,000 metric tonnes, then we
can place a quota of 20 percent on imported rice in order to strengthen and grow our local rice
production and prepare for export.‖
He noted: ―Nigeria banned importation of rice through its land borders at a time it had not listed
rice on the Nigeria Commodity Exchange; however, Ghana has listed rice on its Commodity
Exchange and that means rice in Ghana has been graded, quality assured and price determined
scientifically.
―If these conditions are right and rice traded can be compared with any international rice, and our
sufficiency rate is 80 percent, what is government waiting for,‖ he quizzed.
He disclosed that the Agric Ministry in 2020 promised to ban imports of rice within two years.
This move, he said, is not prudent. However, he reiterated that government must rather impose a
quota starting from this year 2021, of 20 percent on imported rice, then a 10 percent quota
in 2022 before an outright ban in 2023.
A quota of 20 percent on imported rice, according to Mr. Ohemeng Kyei, will translate to
increased employment of over 200,000 people in the local rice value chain; reduction in inflation
to at least 1 basis point due to economies of scale; correction of balance of payment challenges
and inflows of foreign exchange, as rice may be exported due to AfCFTA.
https://thebftonline.com/13/01/2021/cbag-calls-for-20-quota-on-rice-imports/
Burundi's rice cultivation benefits from Chinese
experience
By Li Kaizhi
Beijing Review, January 13, 2021
Affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic, Hu Shuangquan, a Chinese agricultural specialist
who had planned to wind up his mission in Africa in mid-March 2020, is still staying in Burundi.

"From late March to early November, Burundi closed its international borders, and fresh
agricultural expert groups from China could not come to Burundi as scheduled," Hu said.
In order to ensure the continuity of the program, Hu and another Chinese expert stayed behind.
Their main task is to carry on experimental demonstration and technical training, popularize
hybrid rice, and ensure a smooth handover and successful operation of the newly created
Burundi Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center.
"We are staying on to make hybrid rice plantation more effective and accelerate the localization
process of hybrid rice seeds," Hu said.
Many Chinese agricultural experts are working on the African continent, aiming to increase crop
yields and improve the level of agricultural industry development. Hu, 49, is one of them.
Three years ago, Hu worked in the Agricultural Technology Service Center of Xiaoling
Township, Chongyang County in Hubei Province, central China. Now, he is in a Chinese
agricultural expert group working in Burundi, where they provide technical assistance to the
local people.
"From 2003 to 2014, I worked in three African countries. During that period, I found that there
was much to be improved in Africa in terms of agricultural production, processing and storage
technology. So, after learning of this program, I signed up immediately and am honored to be
picked out," Hu said.
In March 2018, when Hu set foot on the African continent again, he was determined to do his
utmost to help African people with his expertise.
Raising rice yield
In January 2020, Hu received a call from the technical director of the Socopa Rice Processing
Plant in Bubanza Province, who told him anxiously that their rice-polishing machine did not
work and asked him for help.
Hu immediately drove more than 30 km to get to the place, and after a careful inspection, he
debugged the equipment to return it to normal. The plant completed the processing task on
schedule.
Hu often came across problems such as this. "A request is a 'call of duty.' I am very pleased to be
of help during my tenure," Hu said.

Burundi is an agricultural country with more than 90 percent of the population engaged in
agricultural production, where the mode of production is relatively underdeveloped. "The
situation is similar to China's in the 1970s and 1980s. Therefore, my work experience gained
back in China may serve as a practical guide for boosting agricultural development here," Hu
added.
In June 2018, in order to increase rice production, Hu and his Chinese colleagues used Socopa
Rice Processing Plant as an experimental demonstration site to help it build a high-quality rice
brand and lead the development of Burundi's rice production.
Hu donated the rice-polishing machine used by the Chinese expert group to the factory. He also
wrote a manual on quality control and processing to maintain lasting rice-processing quality.
The output and profits of the factory are on the rise. Its production capacity has increased from
0.3 ton per hour to 1 ton per hour, and the rice quality has been upgraded from the third grade
with the lowest market price to the top grade with the highest price. Moreover, the factory's
energy consumption and labor costs have been reduced by $6 per ton, with its total rice output
and sales both increasing from less than 10 tons per month to more than 36 tons per month.
At this point, Hu began to help with brand building and marketing for the factory's rice. He
designed colorful packaging bags and publicity pictures, and distributed them in local residential
areas and shops.
With the support of the National Center of Food Technology of Burundi, Hu endeavored to
optimize the formula of a popular fried snack. He ground rice into powder, and mixed it with
flour to make the snack that meets the taste of the locals.
"We use 140 kg of flour and 60 kg of rice flour to make the snack of the same value, which
reduces the cost of materials by thousands of dollars a year," Hu said. "Compared with the
previous formula, this new one is better, and the production cost is lower."
Finding solutions
According to Hu, Burundi's agricultural processing machinery is mainly dependent on import,
and sometimes it is difficult to repair or replace damaged parts after breakdowns.

"I would try to get in touch with manufacturers, helping them get the parts they need.
Meanwhile, I have been training local technicians to enhance their awareness of equipment
maintenance," Hu noted.
In order to learn more about Burundi's agricultural product processing industry, Hu conducted
field research in crop-planting areas across the country. He wrote a number of reports and
research papers, providing insight into the development of the industry.
On the 2020 World Food Day on October 23, Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye made
a speech speaking highly of China-Burundi agricultural cooperation.
Ndayishimiye said that over the years, a number of countries and world organizations have
supported the revitalization of Burundi's agriculture. He went on to say that Burundi is especially
grateful to China for helping Burundi with its economic and social development.
http://www.china.org.cn/world/2021-01/13/content_77111994.htm
‘RTL helped PHL achieve record rice output’
ByBernadette D. Nicolas
January 13, 2021
Rice production went up to its highest ever partly because of rice tariffication, Finance Secretary
Carlos G. Dominguez III said.
During the 72nd Inaugural Meeting of the Management Association of the Philippines on
Tuesday, Dominguez said this proves that opening up economy challenges the local production
and that they respond positively if there is ―good‖ support.

―We just got the figures on the effects of rice tariffication on rice production. You know rice
production actually went up. It‘s been the highest it‘s been ever,‖ said Dominguez, who was a
former agriculture secretary under former President Corazon C. Aquino.
However, the finance chief did not give specific figures.
―I don‘t know how they calculate it but around half of it is because of good weather but the other
half is because farmers have funds, which we gave them from the collection of tariffs to invest in
better production methods and actually yields have gone up,‖ he said. ―So last night during the
Cabinet meeting, I said, you know, this is another proof that actually economic theory works.‖
Dominguez made the remark after he reiterated his position on Charter change that he is in favor
of opening up the economy ―in all areas possible‖ except land ownership.
In December, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the Philippines has recorded its highest
production level at 19.44 million metric tons (MMT) in 2020.
Based on the data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, this is higher than the 18.81 MMT in
2019 and 19.07 million recorded in 2018.
The previous record-high production was in 2017 at 19.276 MMT.
Dar said the high rice production level was achieved despite the series of typhoons that battered
several areas of the country and amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The typhoons that struck the Philippines in the last quarter of 2020 destroyed at least P12.3
billion worth of crops, including rice, according to government data.
For this year, the Department of Agriculture will shoot for another record as it has set a palay
production target of 20.48 MMT.
Under the Rice Trade Liberalization (RTL) law, tariffs collected from rice imports are used to
fund the six-year P10-billion annual funding for Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund

(RCEF) to bankrolll programs that would provide farmers with high-quality seeds, machinery,
easier credit access and relevant training to improve their productivity and become competitive.
Should annual tariff revenues from rice importations exceed P10 billion, the RTL law states that
these shall be earmarked by Congress—and included in the national budget of the following
year—for financial assistance to palay farmers, titling of agricultural lands, an expanded crop
insurance program on rice, and crop diversification.
As earlier reported, rice tariffs collected by the Bureau of Customs in January to November last
year reached P14.6 billion from 2.25 MMT of rice imports.
In 2019, Customs collected P12.3 billion in rice tariffs from March to December following the
passage of the RTL, which removed the quantitative restriction on the staple.
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/01/13/rtl-helped-phl-achieve-record-rice-output/

Myanmar shows interest to supply 1 lakh tonnes of rice
12:00 AM, January 13, 2021 / LAST MODIFIED: 07:07 AM, January 13, 2021
File photo
Star Business Report
Myanmar has shown interest to supply 100,000 tonnes of rice to Bangladesh under a state-to-
state contract, according to a top official of the food ministry.
"We received a letter regarding Myanmar's interest to supply rice but are yet to start
discussions," said Food Secretary Mosammat Nazmanara Khanum.
"We want to give priority to India when it comes to buying rice since Myanmar supplies raw rice
that is mainly consumed in the Sylhet area," she added.

Last week, the government's purchase committee approved a proposal from the Directorate of
Food to import 2.50 lakh tonnes of rice, including 1.50 lakh tonnes of grains from India under a
state-to-state contract.
The food ministry is also considering increasing the amount of rice to be purchased from India
and officials from both countries are expected to hold discussions in this regard by the end of the
week, Khanum said.
Although she did not share the proposed purchase amount, the food secretary informed that the
price of rice is lower in India than it is in Myanmar.
The government has memorandums of understanding with four countries -- India, Myanmar,
Thailand and Vietnam -- regarding the purchase of rice through a state-to-state arrangement.
"We will import from Myanmar if needed," Khanum added.
The developments come at a time when the food ministry has also allowed private firms to
import the staple grain in order to increase domestic supply and contain the volatile prices seen at
local markets from earlier this month.
Until yesterday, retail prices of the coarse grain stood at Tk 45-48 per kilogramme, up 43 per
cent from a year ago, when it was Tk 30-35 per kg, data from the Trading Corporation of
Bangladesh shows.
The government gave the nod to private firms to import another 1.41 lakh tonnes of rice on
January 11.
With this permission, the private sector is allowed to import 8.16 lakh tonnes of rice in total.
And including the government's purchase target, the amount of imports by the public and private
sectors stands at 11.66 lakh tonnes.
https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/myanmar-shows-interest-supply-1-lakh-

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