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Group: Govt vows to lookinto undervaluationof rice
imports
ByBusinessMirror
July 6, 2020
By Jasper EmmanuelY. Arcalas& Bernadette D. Nicolas
The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF)said the Bureau of Customs (BOC) will
form a ‖small‖ group that would address the alleged undervaluation of rice imports
to boostgovernment‘s tariff revenues and help farmers.
FFF National Manager Raul Q. Montemayor said his group recently met with BOC
officials together with representatives from the Department of Agriculture,
National Food Authority and Department of Finance to discuss the possible
undervaluation of rice shipments.
During the meeting, Montemayor said they raised various issues concerning the
BOC‘s import assessment system that unscrupulous traders may have taken
advantage of to undervalue imports and to avoid paying more tariffs.
Among the issues raised by FFF during the Friday meeting was the free on board
(FOB) prices of rice shipments, freight and insurance costs, tariff line
classifications as well as lower tariffs slapped non-Asean countries, he added.
―We want to help the [BOC] to generate more revenues for urgent concerns.
[Also,] the excess tariff collections would [go to] the rice competitiveness
enhancement fund, which will provide the DA and the farmers additional support,‖
Montemayor told the BusinessMirror on Sunday.

Based on its study, the FFF found that since the enactment of the rice trade
liberalization law in March 2019, certain rice imports from China, India and
Pakistan, were slapped with incorrect tariff.
The FFF study showed that some 2,625 metric tons (MT) of rice from China
entered the country from March to April at zero tariff. The group said rice imports
from China should be slapped with a 50-percent tariff based on existing laws.
Montemayor said his group also proposed to the BOC to fix the tariff
classifications of rice imports entering the country as some importers declare their
shipments under tariff lines that have low reference prices. This, he said, could be
one way for unscrupulous traders to undervalue imports.
He said rice imports are being declared under the tariff heading of 100640, or
broken rice, when in fact the grades of the shipments should be classified under
100630, or whole rice.
―They said they will scrutinize it and will create a small group to focus on it. They
seem to be serious about it,‖ he said.
During the meeting, Montemayor said a finance official agreed with the findings of
FFF that there could have been possibleundervaluation of rice imports since the
RTL law was enacted.
Since the implementation of RTL law last March 2019, the FFF has raised the issue of
undervaluation of rice imports, which deprives the government of additional revenue
that could have been allocated to the RCEF.
In its latest computation, FFF said the government lost at least P890 million in tariff
revenues from over 766,000 MT of rice imported from January to April. The FFF said

it estimated that undervaluation in rice imports last year resulted in a tariff shortfall of
P1.9 billion.
Sought for comment, Customs Assistant Commissioner and Spokesman Vincent
Philip Maronilla said it is still ―too early to jump to any conclusions, especially on the
amount of potential additional revenues‖ that could be raised from resolving the
undervaluation of rice imports raised by the farmers‘ group.
―They explained their data and we committed to work with them to validate these data
and impose corrective measures if needed,‖ Maronilla said in a message to the
BusinessMirror.
―After the validation of data, subsequent meetings will be set to discuss ways to move
forward.‖
Maronilla also said the BOC invited the FFF to join their pool of Industry Commodity
Experts.
―The BOC under the leadership of Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero has always
been open to private- public partnership with our local agricultural industry in the
resolution of any issues they may have relating to agricultural product imports,‖ he
said.
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2020/07/06/group-govt-vows-to-look-into-undervaluation-of-rice-imports/
Impact Of COVID-19 On Rice Farmers In Southeast Asia
– Analysis
July 6, 2020 East-West Center 0 Comments
By East-West Center
Farmer planting rice in Vietnam.

Over the past several decades, rice farmers across Southeast Asia have experienced
growing labor shortages as working-age adults migrated to nearby cities and abroad in
search of better jobs.
By JeffersonM. Fox, Arunee Promkhambut, and Phanwin Yokying*
In Southeast Asia, rice farmers are dealing with one of the worst droughts in recent
history, and now they also face substantial challenges created by the COVID-19
pandemic. At the same time, global demand for food stockpiles is pushing rice prices for
consumers to levels not seen since the 2008 global economic crisis.
Most rice exports from Asia
About three-quarters of worldwide rice exports originate from Asia, with total shipments
in 2019 valued at around US$16.4 billion. Rice traders in India, the world‘s largest rice
exporter, suspended exports for three weeks in early April amid a nationwide lockdown.
Even after reopening, labor shortages and logistic disruptions have hampered the delivery
of rice contracts. Myanmar also stopped issuing rice export licenses in April, while
Vietnam halted the exports of most varieties of rice from mid-March until early May.
Thailand, the world‘s second-largest exporter, has continued to export rice as usual. The
Thai government announced that sufficient rice had been produced to meet its annual
export target—normally around 10 million tons—on top of a similar amount earmarked
for domestic consumption. At the beginning of 2020, Thailand‘s rice export prices were

depressed, but the market turned around completely with the coronavirus outbreak, and
prices increased by more than 25 percent.
Cambodia, a much smaller rice producer, saw rice exports skyrocket by 42 percent over
the first five months of the year. Farmers in the Mekong region of Vietnam reportedly
harvested a record-breaking crop in February 2020, just in time to benefit from the price
hikes associated with the pandemic.
On the demand side, China, the world‘s biggest rice consumer, saw surging demand in
the first quarter of 2020 that increased rice imports by 60 percent. Other rice importers in
the region—including Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines—have stockpiled
substantial supplies to supplement domestic production by importing from Thailand and
Cambodia, and increasingly from India.
Over the past several decades, rice farmers across the region have experienced growing
labor shortages as working-age adults migrated to nearby cities and abroad in search of
better jobs. As a result, farmers have increasingly mechanized rice production, switched
to higher-yielding varieties, and used more chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and
herbicides, all of which require greater capital inputs.
COVID-19 adds to an already stressful situation
To this already stressful situation, COVID-19 has added an additional level of uncertainty
for both farmers and farm workers. For migrant workers, the pandemic has caused
unprecedented job losses and has interrupted remittance flows. In Thailand, while only 4
percent of migrants reportedly returned home, international remittances decreased from
$361 billion in March 2020 to $286 billion in April, a loss of 21 percent. Across the
region, locals who live on farms but have other jobs have also lost income.
In a June 2020 phone survey of 30 Thai farm households, more than 80 percent reported
planting this year‘s rainy season crop (April to June) as usual. Those who did not plant
said they were constrained by drought conditions, not COVID-19, but more than 65
percent of farmers reported problems with purchasing agricultural inputs, such as seeds
and fertilizers. Limited access to credit and other financial barriers were also mentioned.
Assistance has been spotty. The Thai government is providing farmers with 5,000 Baht
(US$162) per month from May through July 2020. The farmers surveyed reported that
they are using this money to maintain rice production. In Cambodia, the government also
offeredsome debt relief to farmers. In Vietnam, private businessmen set up dispensing
machines to provide a daily supply of rice to poor households, thus supporting both rice
farmers and the unemployed. In Myanmar and Laos, newspaper reports suggest that

farmers have been unable to raise money for planting rice because government loans
have paused and microfinancing institutions have suspended operations.
Because of the 2019–2020 drought, farmers in northern Laos have not even produced
enough rice for home consumption. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
reports that 80 percent of farmers in some provinces ran out of rice in April and need to
bridge another seven months before the next harvest. COVID-19 has made it difficult for
them to find off-farm employment to earn money for food, and some have reportedly
been forced to forage for food in the forest.
While food is still available in the region as a whole, COVID-19 has caused food
insecurity in many urban areas as incomes dropped during the shutdowns. Residents of
Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Yangon, and other Southeast Asian cities who have lost work can
no longer afford to pay rent or buy food. Taxi drivers, street vendors, day laborers,
elderly citizens, and others now reportedly rely on volunteer food banks for survival. The
FAO has warned that a protracted pandemic will further disrupt food supply chains,
affecting everyone from consumers, to farmers, to middlemen and retailers.
In some parts of the region, access to clean water is also becoming problematic, both
because of the drought and because of the emphasis on hand washing in national COVID-
19 awareness campaigns. In Cambodia and Laos, reports suggest that many in rural areas
do not have enough clean water for drinking and sanitation. The picture in some densely
populated urban areas is equally grim. The Director-General of Phnom Penh Water
Supply Authority estimates that many districts in Phnom Penh are likely to suffer clean
water shortages for another three years.
Lockdowns to contain COVID-19 have also exposed farmers in some areas to
unprincipled land grabs. News reports from eastern Cambodia say that a Vietnamese
rubber company, Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL), illegally cleared swaths of land in
Ratanakiri Province that belonged to indigenous farming communities. Despite pledges
to return the land to local farmers, the company bulldozed sacred sites, burial grounds,
traditional hunting areas, farm lands, wetlands and old-growth forests, while local
residents sheltered at home due to COVID-19.
In Southeast Asia, COVID 19 has affected rice farming in many ways including security
of land tenure and access to credit, capital inputs, remittance income, and safe food and
water. During emergencies such as the 2019 drought and the COVID-19 pandemic,
farmers need assistance, either from the government or private philanthropy. Thailand
and Vietnam, the wealthier countries in the region, have provided farmers with basic
assistance. Farmers in Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia are struggling.

*About the authors: Jefferson M. Fox (foxj@eastwestcenter.org) is a Senior Fellow at the
East -West Center. Arunee Promkhambut (arunee@kku.ac.th) is a lecturer at Khon Kaen
University. Phanwin Yokying (yokyingp@eastwestcenter.org) is a Fellow at the East-
West Center.
Home » Impact Of COVID-19 On Rice Farmers In Southeast Asia – Analysis
East-West Center
The East-West Center promotes better relations and understanding among the people and
nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study, research,
and dialogue. Established by the U.S. Congress in 1960, the Center serves as a resource
for information and analysis on critical issues of common concern, bringing people
together to exchange views, build expertise, and develop policy options.
https://www.eurasiareview.com/06072020-impact-of-covid-19-on-rice-farmers-in-southeast-
asia-analysis/
ForFilipinopalayfarmers, 2020may yet proveto be a
good year
By: Karl R. Ocampo - Reporter / @kocampoINQ
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 04:09 AM July 06, 2020
Prices of local palay continued its upward trend as farmers took advantage of the demand
for the staple.
Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority‘s price monitoring report, the buying price for
palay increased again by the last week of May, averaging P19.16 a kilo. Some provinces
registeredfarm-gate prices as high as P25 a kilo.
The climb in farm-gate prices began when the government implemented a string of
lockdowns to curb the spread of COVID-19, or the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
The lowest quotation was recordedin Negros Oriental and Davao at P13.38 a kilo while
prevailing prices in most provinces hovered between P18 and P22 a kilo.

Palay prices dipped to its lowest of P10 a kilo in November last year following the sudden
spike in the volume of imported rice.
But farmers are expected to enjoy favorable prices for the rest of the year, with the
Department of Agriculture (DA) looking to ramp up production by intensifying distribution
of inputs and machinery.
The extensionof the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and in other parts of
the country is also expected to drive up demand especiallywith local government units,
national agencies and numerous nonprofit organizations continuing relief operations.
The government has been easing lockdown restrictions over the past few weeks in order to
open the recession-batteredeconomy.
For this year, the overall supply of rice is projectedto be augmented by imports to be
brought in by the private sector. In its forecast, the US Department of Agriculture said that
for this year, the Philippines would be the biggest importer of rice next to China.
Rice prices in the global market have surged to its highest in seven years as governments
beefed up their respective stocks.
To lessendependency on imports, the government said it would fast-trackthe
implementation of rice programs that would bring down the staple‘s production cost,
noting that profitability is a huge incentive for farmers to plant palay. INQ
https://business.inquirer.net/301795/for-filipino-palay-farmers-2020-may-yet-prove-to-
be-a-good-year#ixzz6RPHNpjYD

Group: Govt vows to lookinto undervaluationof rice
imports
ByBusinessMirror
July 6, 2020
By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas & Bernadette D. Nicolas
The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) said the Bureau of Customs (BOC) will form a
‖small‖ group that would address the alleged undervaluation of rice imports to boost
government‘s tariff revenues and help farmers.
FFF National Manager Raul Q. Montemayor said his group recently met with BOC
officials together with representatives from the Department of Agriculture, National Food
Authority and Department of Finance to discuss the possible undervaluation of rice
shipments.
During the meeting, Montemayor said they raised various issues concerning the BOC‘s
import assessment system that unscrupulous traders may have taken advantage of to
undervalue imports and to avoid paying more tariffs.
Among the issues raised by FFF during the Friday meeting was the free on board (FOB)
prices of rice shipments, freight and insurance costs, tariff line classifications as well as
lower tariffs slapped non-Asean countries, he added.
―We want to help the [BOC] to generate more revenues for urgent concerns. [Also,] the
excess tariff collections would [go to] the rice competitiveness enhancement fund, which

will provide the DA and the farmers additional support,‖ Montemayor told the
BusinessMirror on Sunday.
Based on its study, the FFF found that since the enactment of the rice trade liberalization
law in March 2019, certain rice imports from China, India and Pakistan, were slapped
with incorrect tariff.
The FFF study showed that some 2,625 metric tons (MT) of rice from China entered the
country from March to April at zero tariff. The group said rice imports from China should
be slapped with a 50-percent tariff based on existing laws.
Montemayor said his group also proposed to the BOC to fix the tariff classifications of
rice imports entering the country as some importers declare their shipments under tariff
lines that have low reference prices. This, he said, could be one way for unscrupulous
traders to undervalue imports.
He said rice imports are being declared under the tariff heading of 100640, or broken
rice, when in fact the grades of the shipments should be classified under 100630, or
whole rice.
―They said they will scrutinize it and will create a small group to focus on it. They seem
to be serious about it,‖ he said.
During the meeting, Montemayor said a finance official agreed with the findings of FFF
that there could have been possible undervaluation of rice imports since the RTL law was
enacted.
Since the implementation of RTL law last March 2019, the FFF has raised the issue of
undervaluation of rice imports, which deprives the government of additional revenue that
could have been allocated to the RCEF.

In its latest computation, FFF said the government lost at least P890 million in tariff
revenues from over 766,000 MT of rice imported from January to April. The FFF said it
estimated that undervaluation in rice imports last year resulted in a tariff shortfall of P1.9
billion.
Sought for comment, Customs Assistant Commissioner and Spokesman Vincent Philip
Maronilla said it is still ―too early to jump to any conclusions, especially on the amount
of potential additional revenues‖ that could be raised from resolving the undervaluation
of rice imports raised by the farmers‘ group.
―They explained their data and we committed to work with them to validate these data
and impose corrective measures if needed,‖ Maronilla said in a message to the
BusinessMirror.
―After the validation of data, subsequent meetings will be set to discuss ways to move
forward.‖
Maronilla also said the BOC invited the FFF to join their pool of Industry Commodity
Experts.
―The BOC under the leadership of Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero has always
been open to private- public partnership with our local agricultural industry in the
resolution of any issues they may have relating to agricultural product imports,‖ he said.
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2020/07/06/group-govt-vows-to-look-into-undervaluation-
of-rice-imports/
For Filipino palay farmers, 2020 may yet prove to be a good
year

By: Karl R. Ocampo - Reporter / @kocampoINQ
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 04:09 AM July 06, 2020
Prices of local palay continued its upward trend as farmers took advantage of the demand
for the staple.
Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority‘s price monitoring report, the buying price for
palay increased again by the last week of May, averaging P19.16 a kilo. Some provinces
registeredfarm-gate prices as high as P25 a kilo.
The climb in farm-gate prices began when the government implemented a string of
lockdowns to curb the spread of COVID-19, or the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
The lowest quotation was recordedin Negros Oriental and Davao at P13.38 a kilo while
prevailing prices in most provinces hovered between P18 and P22 a kilo.
Palay prices dipped to its lowest of P10 a kilo in November last year following the sudden
spike in the volume of imported rice.
But farmers are expected to enjoy favorable prices for the rest of the year, with the
Department of Agriculture (DA) looking to ramp up production by intensifying distribution
of inputs and machinery.
The extensionof the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and in other parts of
the country is also expected to drive up demand especiallywith local government units,
national agencies and numerous nonprofit organizations continuing relief operations.
The government has been easing lockdown restrictions over the past few weeks in order to
open the recession-batteredeconomy.
For this year, the overall supply of rice is projectedto be augmented by imports to be
brought in by the private sector. In its forecast, the US Department of Agriculture said that
for this year, the Philippines would be the biggest importer of rice next to China.

Rice prices in the global market have surged to its highest in seven years as governments
beefed up their respective stocks.
To lessendependency on imports, the government said it would fast-trackthe
implementation of rice programs that would bring down the staple‘s production cost,
noting that profitability is a huge incentive for farmers to plant palay. INQ
Subscribe to Inquirer Busine
Read more: https://business.inquirer.net/301795/for-filipino-palay-farmers-2020-may-
yet-prove-to-be-a-good-year#ixzz6RPIRHr2O
Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook
Telangana woos jute millers to set up shop in State
amid gunny bag crunch
As a stop-gap arrangement, the rice millers tried to use other types of sacks but these
were not feasible.
Jute farmers (Photo | National Jute Board)
By Express News Service
HYDERABAD: THE Industries Department has convinced two jute millers from West
Bengal to set up their factories in Telangana in order to meet the sudden shortage of
gunny bags faced by rice millers here. According to an official of the department, the
State government offered the jute millers land at a discounted rate and assured them of
procuring the gunny bags at 100 per cent rate.
―This is a step towards making the State self-sufficient,‖ the official said. The move
comes after Telangana recorded a bumper paddy produce, resulting in huge demand for
rice millers. Rice milling units need large quantities of gunny bags, which are made of
jute, for packaging. One of the most vital items during the milling season, gunny bags are

sourced from West Bengal and Bangladesh as jute primarily grows in these regions. But
the supply to Telangana was cut off due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
―The Telangana government invested a lot in irrigation, which resulted in a bumper
paddy produce. But our milling capacity was not sufficient due to the shortage of gunny
bags. The distribution of rice depends on gunny bags,‖ the official said. Nearly 90-95 per
cent of the jute mills are in West Bengal and other eastern States. Most of these shut
down due to the lockdown, hitting operations here in Telangana.
As a stop-gap arrangement, the rice millers tried to use other types of sacks but these
were not feasible. ―We found two major jute mills in West Bengal and motivated them to
set up units in TS,‖ the official said.
Rice Field Day now virtual meet
 By EMILY LINCKE reporter@leader-news.com
Jul 4, 2020
Rice farmers spent a lot of time alone in the field, but typically gather at the El Campo
Civic Center to discuss issues related to their product. The pandemic makes that
hazardous this year, so officials decided to hold a virtual event accessible via Zoom or it
can be held over the phone.
L-N File Photo
A computer, a hot cup of coffee and pajama pants are the perfect ingredients for this
year‘s virtual Rice Field Day. The typically in-person event will be held online on July 9
due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The annual event will cover an array of Texas rice-relatedtopics, including current rice
research and market trends. Rice Field Day is being held by the Texas A&M AgriLife
Extension Office and sponsored by the Western Rice Belt Production Conference
Committee and the JeffersonCounty Ag Committee.

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http://www.leader-news.com/news/article_8bf8fbb0-bc9e-11ea-89ad-939f56fd7255.html
China to help Pakistanset up phytosanitaryfacility
Food minister says both sides should work together on agri-research
Our Correspondent
July 03, 2020
A Reuters file image.
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan‘s future relies on agriculture and Prime Minister Imran Khan is keen to revive
this sector, remarked National Food Security and Research Minister Syed Fakhar Imam
while talking to Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing.
In a meeting on Thursday, the minister said that both countries needed to revisit
contours of the agriculture sector and technical experts from the two sides should
directly interact with each other in order to come up with concrete projects for
agricultural research.
He said that Pakistan was facing the problem of lower yields, which could be overcome
through the exchange of germplasm as an area of cooperation.
―It will provide the opportunity to develop high-yielding varieties of cotton, fruits,
hybrid rice and wheat by our research centres,‖ the minister added.

Imam said that China was one of the largest markets in the world for the export of meat
and meat products but Pakistan did not have access to it due to the foot-and-mouth
disease (FMD).
He stressed that it was an area where both the sides could collaborate.
He shared that it was decided that China would help in installing a phytosanitary system
for increase in fruit exports and would also help in setting up vocational and technical
institutes for the training of farmers and individuals related to the agriculture sector.
Also speaking on the occasion, the Chinese envoy expressed interest in mutual
cooperation in the fishery sector at Gwadar.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 3rd
, 2020.
Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join
in the conversation.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2253008/china-to-help-pakisset-up-phytosanitary-facility

Adaptation of different irrigation method by farmer in
current shortage of water
Agriculture sector employs about 42.3% of the labor force and adds about 19.5% to the
GDP (gross domestic product) of Pakistan. The total cultivated area is 22.12 million
hectares, and out of this, 19.23 million hectares are being irrigated through several
sources.
In Pakistan, 5.96 million hectares are irrigated through canals, whereas the rest of 8.15,
3.71 and 0.65 million hectares are irrigated through canal tube wells, rainfall and wells.
Wheat which is a major essential food crop, planted on more than 9.22 million hectares
during 2015–16 contributed 1.9% to GDP. Wheat is generally planted by the broadcast
method during rabi season in irrigated areas of Pakistan, and drill sowing is minimal.
Irrigated wheat covers 8-million-hectare area that accounted for 85% of the total wheat
area with an average productivity of 3.0t/ha. In Pakistan, water availability in the normal
year for rabi season was around 36.9 MAF.

During the last decade (2007–08 to 2016–17) water availability for rabi season was 5–
45% lower in comparison with the normal year. In canal-irrigated areas, farmers get fixed
turn time to irrigate crop once in a week which is not enough to irrigate their whole
cropped area, and generally rely on either tube well water or rainfall.
Majority of the wheat area is irrigated through flood or the basin irrigation method which
has 30–50% irrigation efficiency.
Because of uncertainty and limited water availability at severe growth stages, farmers
tend to apply too much water to the wheat crop when available, which also affects the
wheat growth negatively.
Availability of water is reducing, and there is a need to adopt water-saving techniques.
For this purpose, following techniques can be adopted.
Bench Terraces
Bench terraces are measures used on inclined land with relatively deep soils to retain
water and control erosion. They are normally constructed by cutting and filling to
produce a series of level steps or benches. This allows water to penetrate slowly into the
soil.
Bench terraces are reinforced by retaining banks of soil or stone on the forward edges.
This practice is typical for rice-based cropping systems. It has following benefits
 Controls soil and water runoff and erosion.
 Decreases slope length. Every 2-3 meters of slope length is levelled to terraces.
 The speed of water running down the slope is greatly reduced.
 Improves soil productivity over the long run.
Micro Irrigation
It is the technique in which low volume of water is applied at low pressure and high
frequency. Irrigation interval is ranged 1 to 4 days. The system has widespread network
of pipes operated at low pressure. At pre-determined spacing exits are provided for the
release water generally known as emitters.
In Micro / Drip Irrigation, water and fertilizers are applied through a network of UV
resistant pipes and standardized emitters (dripper, Micro sprinklers), at a defined flow
rate, close to plant roots on plant requirement basis. Therefore, the soil near the roots is
always kept at ―field capacity‖ which enables the crop to easily capture the required
water and nutrients, and grow healthier.

As water is applied so close to the plants that it reaches only the area of the soil necessary
to feed the roots. Micro / Drip Irrigation, as compare to other traditional methods, inhibit
the moisturizing of whole soil profile which results in saving of water, leaching and
evaporation.
In Micro / Drip irrigation water will be applied in small quantity on a high frequency
basis (daily) to maintain optimal moisture level in soil in which the plant can flourish. By
adapting this method. we can save about 40-60% water.
Furrow-Irrigated
It is raised bed technology one of the efficient irrigation methods in which water moves
in furrow, and crop is planted on raised beds. In the Yaqui Valley of Mexico, farmers
have shifted to a bed and furrow system for wheat planting due to shortage of water.
The technique resulted improvement in irrigation and nutrient management, in saving
water, better crop stands, lower seed rate and reduction in space.
Integration of short duration mung bean crop in the maize-wheat system on permanent
beds enhanced the system productivity by 29%, net returns by 38%, and water
productivity by 24% compared to the conventional system.
In Pakistan, wheat sown on 70cm bed and furrow system in the rice-wheat area of Punjab
produced good yields due to better spike length, number of grains per spike.
Wheat is planted after rice/cotton/sugarcane/maize in Pakistan. Presence of previous crop
residue hampers, tillage and seeding operations for wheat. This had a negative effect on
adoption of drill and bed planting techniques which results that majority of farmers are
forced to plant wheat through the broadcast method with heavy tillage.
In ridge-furrow planting of maize and cotton, ridge and furrows formed with a ridger and
cotton or maize planted manually on the top or the side of the ridge increased
germination and yield of cotton in comparison with flat planting and is widely practiced
in Pakistan.
Ridge planting was evaluated in comparison with bed planting and drill sowing, and 17–
24% higher wheat yield was observed with bed panting in comparison with the
conventional method of broadcasting. Raised bed and ridge sowing methods of wheat
planting saved 22% irrigation water over flat sowing.

Sprinkler Irrigation
It is similar to natural rainfall. Water is scattered into the air and irrigate entire soil
surface through spray heads so that it breaks up into small water drops spreading over the
ground.
Sprinklers irrigation method provide efficient coverage for small to large areas and are
suitable for wide range of crops and are adaptable to nearly all type of soils because they
are available in a wide range of discharge capacity.
Sprinkler system are designed to ensure maximum water saving, combining high quality,
affordability and ease of installation. Components are essentially made of high strength &
chemically resistant engineering plastics to achieve functional satisfaction and favorable
cost economics.
Pivot Irrigation
In this irrigation method sprinklers are placed along a series of bowed pipes which is
pivoted at one end, and moved around the field in a circular fashion.
Central pivot irrigation is a form of sprinkler irrigation consisting of several segments of
pipe joined together and supported by strings, mounted on wheeled towers with
sprinklers which are positioned along its length.
The system moves in a circular pattern and is fed with water from the pivot point at the
center of the circle. The outside set of wheels sets the master pace for the rotation. Centre
pivots will cover surface in relation with the number of curves and supporting tower up to
500m in length.
Crops may be planted in straight rows or sometimes in circles to conform to the travel of
the center pivot in crops. Movement of each tower is secured by either hydraulically
driven systems or electric motor-driven systems mounted at each tower, and specific type
dimension can be fitted to specific soil profile.
Educated farmers with sizable land holding and tube well are the initial adopter
of modern irrigation method and technology because of its simplicity and availability.
Switching from flood irrigation system to sprinklers, pivot and drip irrigation systems
helps the agricultural sector to save a tremendous amount of water every year. When
combined with better soil management practices such as no-till or limited tillage and
mulching more efficient irrigation systems can significantly reduce water usage.
0
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Muhammad Adnan
I am professionally qualified as agronomist and studying MSc. (Hons.) agronomy at
College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Pakistan and focusing on plant nutrition
and weed management. I Completed my B.Sc. (Hons.) in agriculture in 2018 from
University of Sargodha.
https://www.technologytimes.pk/2020/07/03/adaptation-of-different-irrigation-method-
by-farmer-in-current-shortage-of-water/
Exportersreject hike in electricity tariff
KARACHI: Industrialists and exporters have rejected the hike in power tariff by the
federal government and said that...
Recorder Report July 05, 2020
KARACHI: Industrialists and exporters have rejected the hike in power tariff by the
federal government and said that this decision would cause irreparable damage to the
country's economy, which already posted negative growth during the last fiscal year.
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet allowed on Friday an
immediate increase of Rs2.39 per unit in electricitytariff for K-Electric customers.
Exporters said that the country's economy was already facing a number of issues, and in
the current situation some supportive measures were needed to bring the economy back
on the right track.

Rafiq Suleman, former chairman of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan,
expressing his concerns over the rise in power tariff, said that the decision would lead to
a huge increase in the cost of production for all industries, particularly the export sector.
The share of electricityin the expenditure of industries was very high, and in a situation
when industrial production had already slowed down due to the lockdown, this increase
would directly hit industrial activities.
Suleman said that due to internal and external problems, the country's exports were
already declining. In this situation, steps needed to be taken to support the industry to
increase exports, but the government was taking measures that were likely to further
affect the export sector, he added.
"If we talk about rice, it is one of the top exported commodities, but, unfortunately,
government has still not declared it an industry," he said.
He said that at present Pakistani rice was facing stiff competition from Indian rice in the
international market. However, despite all the difficulties and challenges, the rice
exporters had achieved export target of two billion dollars.
Good quality seeds, cheap electricityand aggressive marketing were required to compete
with Indian rice in the international market.
He said that though improvement in the exchange rate had supported exports, yet some
positive and supportive measures were required from the government to achieve healthy
export growth during this fiscal year.
Suleman said that exporters and industrialists had been demanding of the government for
a long time to freeze all utility tariffs for the export-oriented industries for five years so
that the exporters could finalize their export deals with foreign buyers without any risk or
fear.
http://www.brecorder.com/news/40002931/exporters-reject-hike-in-electricity-tariff
FIR will be lodged if rice is not distributed in time'

Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 04 2020: FIR will be lodged against 29 rationing agents of Khundrakpam
Assembly Constituency if the allocated rice for the month of June fails is not delivered in
time, president of BJP Khundrakpam Mandal, Moirangthem Debaratan.
Speaking to media persons on Saturday during a press conference held at Pangei, he said
29 rationing agents are delivering rice and pulses in the Constituency for PMGKY and
NFSA card holders.
Rice for the month of June to be distributed under the schemes was liftedon June 12 and
18, However, the rice has not been distributed to the people yet, he added.
Questioning when will they distribute the rice to the beneficiaries, he said the rice should
be distributed at the earliest to ease the suffering of the people amid the COVID-19
pandemic at the earliest.
"If necessary, FIR will be lodged against the rationing agents if they fail to deliver the
allocated rice in time," he said.
Meanwhile, PRO Khundrakpam MLA, K Dilip Meitei has clarified that about 1670.50
quintals of rice was lifted for NFSA card holders on June 12.The distribution is being
delayed to ensure equal distribution, he said.
With local area development fund, the local MLA had bought 653.10 quintals of rice on
July 3 for distribution to non-NFSA card holders.
Distribution of rice has started from Saturday and will be delivered to the people in time,
he added.
* This news is as published by respected news daily at Imphal, whose name is duly
marked as 'Source'. E-Pao.net is not responsible for it's sanctity & originality.
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RTL, a bad law, spawns crooks and scammers
ByMarlen V. Ronquillo
July 5, 2020
The Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) is a very bad law. It scrapped the last line of defense
small rice farmers had against massive rice dumping — the QR, or quantitative restriction
— and replaced that with a two-tier tariff, one for rice from the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (Asean) region and a higher one for imports out of the region. The tariff
collections, this is the law‘s consuelo de bobo, are to go into an amelioration program for
the small rice farmers.
The law made it clear that importing rice would be easier than putting up a neighborhood
sari-sari store. With the absence of rules and with the greed that is expected of the rice
importing class, the worst did really happen. In the 10 months of 2019 alone, around 3

million metric tons of rice was imported, pushing palay prices into the P8- to P10-per-
kilo level. The RTL, as expected, failed to put in a proviso against greed and reckless
importation.
The desperation of the country‘s 3 million small rice farmers after the plunge of their
palay prices was a reenactment of what happened to poor, rural, white America in the
classic Case-Deaton study: deaths of despair. Of course, no one in government noticed.
For generations, small rice farmers have been invisible to the government. They are,
truly, the country‘s wretched. I am quite familiar with this because I come from a long
line of small rice farmers.
The cold, clinical reaction of the government to the woes of the small rice farmers was
this afterthought in the law — the tariff collections will mostly be dedicated to the
amelioration program. Now, this is the question. Is the government making sure that rice
importers do not scam the government via the undervaluation of rice imports, thus
depressing the overall tariff collections?
A farm group, the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF), provides the answer. No. The
government, for one reason or another, has miserably failed to provide the safeguards to
make sure the right tariff collections are being made at the ports. Was it the usual

corruption and greed at the port zones? Or was it just simple neglect of duty? That we
don‘t know. What the FFF has found out and documented is that, from March 209 to May
2020, an estimated P2.79 billion in rice import tariff was lost due to a host of problems,
with the undervaluation of imports as the main culprit.
Let the figure sink in. An estimated P2.79 billion which could have gone to the rice tariff
pool — a sum critical to the small farmers — was a forgone thing, according to a detailed
report from the FFF. The leaders of the FFF, by way of background, are unlike us,
ordinary farmers with very little formal education. It is a farming group founded by the
Jesuits and Jesuit-trained intellectuals. The FFF leaders don‘t even look like us — small
rice farmers who are grizzled and callused. But they are numerate and trained to do
rigorous research on agricultural economics. They just don‘t pluck figures from thin air
The FFF study sent to the Department of Finance said there were four reasons for the
huge shortfall in the RTL tariff collections.
First was misdeclaration. FOB (freight on board) prices from rice importers have been
generally lower than the reference prices of the Bureau of Customs (BoC). Simply put —
technical smuggling. In 2019, 70 percent of the 2,934 rice import shipments analyzed by
the FFF, had FOB prices lower than the prices listedon the BoC reference rates. In 2020,

it got worse. The undervaluation of rice imports intensified. Rice importers were so
daring that some import shipments even failed to specify the grades of rice imported.
Second was the undervaluation of freight and insurance cost. From this scam alone, an
estimated P853 million was taken off the rice tariff collections in 2019. From January to
May this year, rice tariff collections fell by P241 million because of this scam.
The third reason cited was the wrong tariffs applied on imports from countries outside of
the Asean.
Under the two-tier tariff scheme of the RTL, imports from the Asean have a levy of 35
percent. From outside the region, the levy is 50 percent. The FFF found out that imports
from India and Pakistan had been assessed with the lesser Asean tariff of 35 percent.
Clueless geography that afflicts the top propaganda people of government? Or, just
corruption fronted by the supposed lack of a tariff map?
The fourth reason uncovered by the FFF was the erroneous and inconsistent classification
of rice imports. Under this scam, good quality rice is declared as ―fit for animal feeds‖ to
depress the tariff rate. Specialty rice is declared as ordinary rice with a similar agenda.

The list can go on and on because scammers have the motivation, the profit desire and the
collaborators at the customs zones.
The P2.79 billion in lost tariff lined up several pockets, but further impoverished the
struggling, desperate farmers like my neighbors and me. I am not that numerate so I can‘t
do a fast calculation on how many shallow tube wells the lost P2.79 billion can buy. In
this time of faltering rain, the shallow tube wells could prop up the lack of adequate
irrigation water.
How many bags of Urea and Triple 14 can be bought from the P2.79 billion? I don‘t
know. But here is a reminder. The Department of Agriculture (DA) is not the right
agency to procure fertilizer for the rice farmers. The ―New Thinking‖ at the DA includes
the procurement of overpriced fertilizer, according to the Makabayan bloc in the House
of Representatives.Small rice farmers, desperate as they are, are caught between the rock
and a hard place. They can‘t seem to get a break from the institutions and agencies with
the mandate to help them. And the RTL, this is the sad truth, has a proviso that allows the
crooks to kick the dying small rice farmers.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/07/05/opinion/columnists/topanalysis/rtl-a-bad-law-
spawns-crooks-and-scammers/738075/

Men more likely to be seen as ‘brilliant’than women
Updated on : Sunday, July 5, 2020, 6:37 AM IST
By Agencies
Men are more likely to be seen as ‗brilliant‘ than women, say researchers in a new study
measuring global perceptions linked to gender. The study, published in the Journal of
Experimental Social Psychology, found that these stereotyped views are an instance of
implicit bias, which is when associations are automatically activated in our minds.
―Stereotypes that portray brilliance as a male trait are likely to hold women back across a
wide range of prestigious careers,‖ said study lead author Daniel Storage from the
University of Denver in the US.
―Understanding the prevalence and magnitude of this gender-brilliance stereotype can
inform future efforts to increase gender equity in career outcomes,‖ said study senior
author Andrei Cimpian from the New York University in the US. Previous work by
Cimpian and his colleagues has suggested that women are underrepresented in careers

where success is perceived to depend on high levels of intellectual ability (e.g., brilliance,
genius), including those in science and technology. Less understood are the factors that
explain this phenomenon.
To address this, the current study explored the potential impact of stereotypes. In a series
of five experiments, the research team surveyed more than 3,000 people from over 78
countries including US women and men as well as US girls and boys between the ages of
9 and 10. To find out more about gender perceptions of brilliance, the researchers
adopted an indirect way of measuring the stereotype - namely, a tool called the Implicit
Association Test (IAT). IAT measures the degree of overlap between concepts (e.g.,
brilliant and male) without explicitly asking participants whether or not they hold
stereotyped views. The researchers consistently found evidence for an implicit stereotype
associating brilliance with men more than with women.
The magnitude of this stereotype was striking as well—for example, it was similar in
strength to the implicit stereotype that associates men more than women with careers
(and women more than men with the family), which was identified in earlier work. The
team also gauged explicit stereotypes, directly asking participants whether they believed
that men are more brilliant than women.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/lifestyle/men-more-likely-to-be-seen-as-brilliant-than-
women
Rice, Beans And Toilet Paper: Nathan Slate Joseph‘sArt
Is All About The Essentials
By Annette Hinkle
July 1, 2020
Artist Nathan Slate Joseph.
By Annette Hinkle
Rice and beans … they‘re as essential as toilet paper in this era of pandemic.

That‘s why Sag Harbor sculptor and artist Nathan Slate Joseph decided to use all three of
those items in his latest creative endeavor.
Joseph‘s large scale ―paintings‖ are created from dried and dyed beans, rice and toilet
paper and are collectively part of an exhibition called ―Essentials,‖ which opens this
weekend at Keyes Gallery, adjacent to The American Hotel in Sag Harbor.
―What is the most popular painting in the world?‖ asked Joseph during a recent late night
visit to the gallery. ―The Mona Lisa?
―The fact is, it‘s a painting you can just imitate.‖
With that, he held his hands up to the side of his face (an unlit cigar in one of them) and
opened his mouth wide, offering an uncannily accurate reproduction of Edvard Munch‘s
‗The Scream.‘‖
―A painting should have more than one aspect,‖ he noted. ―Where else can you see
motion that creates art? I thought of color.‖
As an artist, Joseph, who came to New York from his native Israel in the 1960s and was
inspired by the colors he encountered on a trip to Mexico in the 1970s, is a big fan of
working with available materials, like scrap metal. He‘s also keenly in tune with issues of
importance in developing countries, among them globalization, immigration and climate
change.
―My approach has always been organic in terms of color, material, everything. I use what
is available and inexpensive, what‘s inclusive, not exclusive, and what marries the
outdoor with the indoor,‖ said Joseph. ―I saw something on TV about Africa and then

something about rice and beans came on. I realized that‘s the essence of people — 90
percent of the world eats rice and beans.
―I looked at flat beans laying on the table and I thought, beans, who doesn‘t know about
beans and rice? It took me back to ‗Who doesn‘t know the Scream?‘‖ he said. ―So two
years ago, I started to play with it. I thought, ‗Let‘s see if I can do something with beans
on a canvas of wood.‘‖
But after making a couple attempts with beans and rice as a medium, he put the project
away and moved onto something else. Then the pandemic hit, and Joseph finished the
commissions he had underway at the time. When the stop-work order came, he found
himself with no projects at all. Then a plumber stopped by his studio to fix some pipes
and inspired him in a new direction.
Nathan Slate Joseph ―Essential 1,‖ 2020. Medium is white rice and toilet paper.
―He was like an angel from overhead,‖ said Joseph. ―He pulled out the rice and beans
paintings and they still looked great.‖
But this time, there was a new urgency and messaging in the work.
―Obviously, it‘s about rice and beans. These are things you can still get in the
supermarket — rice and beans,‖ he said. ―If you have enough rice and beans you can live,
you can eat. It‘s part of a basic need around the world.
―What else became relevant? Toilet paper,‖ he said. ―You never thought twice about it,
but you wake up one day and it‘s become the most important item in the world and
people are fighting and killing each other over it. It went from non-existent in your mind
to the most relevant item on a dime.‖

As an artistic medium, uncooked rice and beans are rigid and difficult to keep in contact
with surfaces like wood. So Joseph developed a process of working in which he first
bleached both to remove the food properties and affixed them with a glue-like medium.
―There are red beans, lima beans, black beans. There are 1,000 different kinds of beans.
There‘s also lots of rice — Carolina rice, basmati rice,‖ he said. ―I use white rice and
brown rice too, but I bleach it, so it‘s not alive anymore.
Nathan Slate Joseph‘s ―Essential Yellow, Red and Black,‖ 2020. Medium is white rice,
red beans, black beans.
―It‘s organic and natural. I created 25 works of rice and beans. I gave the rice color. It‘s
not rice anymore, it‘s a surface,‖ he said. ―Since I‘m into colors, I have the most brilliant
colors I can imagine.‖
With this body of work, while his choice of medium may be commonplace, Joseph finds
that the times we are living in are anything but. He notes that with COVID-19, this is the
first time one disease has affected the whole planet at the same time during our lifetimes.
―With the speed of transit — planes and boats, it can spread quickly,‖ he said. ―You go to
sleep one night and it‘s spring, and the next day it‘s a pandemic and you can‘t get toilet
paper.‖
―I‘m making art out of something you can eat,‖ he added. ―These works are about basic
needs, and I guess you can say we are all experiencing a shift in consciousness in which
those essentials are being redefined and revalued.‖
“Essentials,” an exhibition of Nathan Slate Joseph’s rice, bean and toilet paper
paintings, opens with a reception on Saturday, July 3, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Keyes Gallery,

45 Main Street at The American Hotel in Sag Harbor. For information call 631-808-3588
or visit juliekeyesart.com.
Comments
https://sagharborexpress.com/rice-beans-and-toilet-paper-nathan-slate-josephs-art-is-all-
about-the-essentials/
Farmers eye GI tag for Wada Kolamrice
Gitesh Shelke | TNN | Updated: Jul 5, 2020, 13:20 IST
Representative image
PUNE: The farmers from the tribal belt of Palghar came together and filed an application
to secure the geographical identification (GI) tag for Wada Kolam rice as it possesses all
the qualities — aroma and other specification — restrictedto the geographical limits of
Palghar.
The rice has its origin in the district. The city-based GI expert, Ganesh Hingmire of Great

Mission Group Consultancy (GMCC), had submitted the application seeking the tag in
June this year.
GI sign is used on products having a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or
a reputation that are due to that origin. In India, GI registration is administered by the
Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.
The Wada Kolam rice, also known as ―zini‖, is grown in the Wada taluka of Palghar
district. A group of farmers — Wada Kolam Va Bahu-Uddeshiy Sheti Utpadan Sahakari
Sanstha Maryadit — came together and approached Hingmire with their application.
Hingmire said, ―Wada Kolam, an aromatic non-basmati variety of rice, is produced in
Wada taluka and the farmers there have been growing this rice for many generations. The
GI tag will help them get a premium price and it will also cut down the sale of hybrid
varieties.‖
He said, ―One of the most striking feature of the rice is that it is gluten-free and easy to
digest. It is high in micro-nutrients because of the quality of the soil and other
geographical conditions of where it is grown.‖
Hingmire said the local farmers did not use fertilizers for the cultivation of the rice.
―They only use cow dung manure for its cultivation. The farmers also use the seeds
produced locally,‖ he added.
The farmers claimed that they had stopped cultivating the rice as it did not fetch good
price for the produce when compared to other varieties of the rice. They stated that other
low quality rice was often wrongly passed off as Wada Kolam rice.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/farmers-eye-gi-tag-for-wada-kolam-
rice/articleshow/76791559.cms

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