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For Blog & News Letter Advertisment contact to write : Mujahid Ali mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com

www.ricepluss.com & www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com

Daily Global Rice e-Newsletter

Aug ,2015

Vol 5,Issue XIII

August 10 ,2015

Vol 5,Issue XIII

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter

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No fake rice in Davao City, test results show

Friday, August 07, 2015

By ACE JUNE RELL S. PEREZ

LABORATORY analysis of the alleged "fake" rice reported in Davao City last June of this year

showed no evidence of syntheticity, multi-agency scientific test results showed.National Food

Authority-Davao Provincial Manager Virgilio B. Alerta told Sun.Star Davao in a phone interview

that with the series of tests conducted by various government agencies, there is no cause for alarm

among rice consumers in the city and the country."May this development put an end to the issue that

continuously bothered the consumers, there is no fake rice in the city and in the country as a whole.

Investigation and tight monitoring were made but we found no evidence to confirm the existence of

fake rice in the city and it appeared that the questionable rice was a result of food mishandling," he

said.

A summary of the results of tests was conducted by the Food Development Center (FDC), Philippine

Rice Research Institute (Philrice), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Research Institute

for Tropical Medicine (RITM), and the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) of the Department of

Health (DOH).Based on the test results, Philrice conducted a DNA analysis on the rice sample and

found that it was positive for rice DNA. The IRRI said the sample was "more similar to rice

standard" than to sweet potato or corn starch.The alleged cooked fake rice sample is

"morphologically different" or different in form and structure from the cooked NFA rice sample

because further investigation showed that the rice sample underwent retrogradation process that

resulted from a series of freezing, thawing, and heating that rice sample went through, RITM results

bared.

Meanwhile, the NFA-FDC is currently undertaking quantitative analysis on the DBP content of the

sole 25 grams sample that tested positive with DBP.NFA Administrator Renan B. Dalisay said in a

statement, "It is clear from the series of tests conducted by various agencies is that there is no

existence of `fake rice' in our country. What we have is an isolated case of chemically contaminated

sample which may have been the result of mishandling or pure neglect to safeguard the rice from

contaminants.""The government, through its various agencies involved in food technology and

nutrition, exhausted all means to analyze the samples submitted to NFA to ensure that the nation's

basic food is safe and free from any contamination," secretary Francis Pangilinan, presidential

adviser on food security, said in a statement released by the NFA central office.

Even as exhaustive tests have not yielded any cause for alarm, the NFA remains vigilant and will

never waver in its regular market monitoring activities."As we close this issue, our continuous

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inspection and monitoring will still be done to ensure that no smuggled "fake" rice will proliferate

especially in Davao region," Alerta said. http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2015/08/07/no-fake-rice-davao-city-test-results-show-

423368

Rice Importers Urge CBN To Review Policy On 41 Items

Not Valid For Forex Posted by: niyi August 9, 2015

Rice importers and millers in Nigeria have

urged the government to prevail on the Central

Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to review its policy on

41 items it now regards as not valid for foreign

exchange. The Secretary General of Rice

Millers, Importers and Distribution Association

of Nigeria (RMIDAN), Shaibu Mohammed

said last week in Lagos that government should

allow members, who had already keyed into

backward integration programme, to use their

export proceed to import and ship rice into the

country.According to Mohammed, many of the

rice farmers and millers in the backward

integrated programme are also exporters, who

may not have anything to do with the country‟s

foreign exchange market.

They want to be allowed to use proceeds of their export to ship into the country the needed

quantity of the commodity to close the gap between supply and demand.“The Central Bank just

issued a circular to say those items, which had already been classified as not valid for forex,

cannot be funded at the interbank market, from proceed of exports and Bureau de Change

sources.“So our plea is for the government to take a look at each of our members, do their

profiling and allow the genuine ones to use their export proceed to bring in rice, because many of

them are exporters also.“Government can consider those who had already keyed into the

backward integration programme to use their export proceed so that gradually we can reduce the

importation of the commodity by encouraging local production.

”According to Sahibu, Nigeria could be self-sufficient in rice production in the next three years if

their plea is considered. He said six million tones of the commodity is needed yearly in Nigeria,

going by the last consumption statistics, but local production has not exceeded 2.5 million tons

per annum, hence a need to close the gap with importation.“For the importers of rice, we are

seeing this policy as a tactical ban on rice importation because you can no longer access Dollar

to pay for your supplies. The implication of this tactical ban is huge. The importers will become

jobless and there will be famine in the land. Nigerians consume six million tons of rice yearly,

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but local production is a little below 50 per cent (N2.5 million tones).“So you have 3.5 million

tons as a huge gap to be bridged either by legal importation or by smuggling. Smuggling of rice

is going to double and the economy of neighbouring countries will witness a boom because they

will ship into their country more rice to be smuggled into Nigeria.

”Shaibu applauded the government‟s backward integrated programme, saying that it is a step in

the right direction. He said his members have invested in rice farming and milling and would

continue to assist government in the execution of its policies on rice.However, he asked that the

government should provide the enabling environment. “There should be adequate power supply,

because our members are running the mills on diesel, bring down cost of production, put the bad

roads in good shape, revive the decayed infrastructure, tackle corruption to encourage people

into farming business.”

http://www.informationng.com/2015/08/rice-importers-urge-cbn-to-review-policy-on-41-items-not-valid-for-

forex.html

Rice Field Day planned in Richvale

Posted Aug. 7, 2015 at 11:37 AM

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Sponsored by the California Cooperative Rice Research Foundation, University of California, and the

United States Department of Agriculture, the Annual California Rice Field Day will be held Wednesday,

August 26 at the Rice Experiment Station in Biggs.This informative day gives rice growers and others the

opportunity to observe and discuss research in progress at the Rice Experiment Station including rice

equipment vendor display.Registration and poster viewing is offered between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m.,

followed by the General Session which will include a business meeting with reports by the Chairman and

treasurer of the California Cooperative Rice Research Foundation, the rice Research Trust, and the

California Rice Research Board.

It will conclude with the presentation of the California Rice Industry Award.From 9:30 a.m., to noon,

field tours will be conducted of the research nurseries focusing on breeding, disease resistance, weed

control, and entomology and a Rice Equipment Display. The tours will be followed by a luncheon at

noon. There is no charge for this event.The Rice Experiment Station is located 2.5 miles west of Highway

99 on Highway 162 towards Butte City. Further information can be obtained at www.crrf.org or by

calling the Rice Experiment Station at 530-868-5481.

http://www.gridleyherald.com/article/20150807/NEWS/150809747

Government Jobs 2015: Indian Institute of Rice Research

Recruitment for 36 Posts

Suggested Readings: Jobs 2015,Government jobs,Government jobs

2015,Jobs,Recruitment,Recruitment 2015,ICAR,Junior Research Fellow,Senior Research Fellow

Editorial Team | August 07, 2015 4:50 PM

Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad under Indian Council of Agricultural Research has invited

applications from interested and eligible candidates to apply for 34 Senior Research Fellow/Research

Associates and Junior Research Fellow/Technical Assistant/Office Assistant/Data Entry Operator posts

.The candidates need to walk in for the interview conducted for the posts by the competent authority on

August 18th and 19

th, 2015. The positions would be on temporary basis and would be done for various

projects under the Institute.

Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR) which was formerly known as DRR was established by Indian

Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in 1965. The national headquarter of the Institute is at

Hyderabad and it has since its inception contributed significantly in the field of development of rice

production and its safety of it. The institute through its various programmes, researches and appropriate

measures, has ensured the food security of the country intact.

http://www.prepsure.com/news/government-jobs-2015-indian-institute-of-rice-research-

recruitment-for-36-posts/

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RESEARCH SAYS WHITE BREAD AND RICE LEADS

TO DEPRESSION

As told by

the

researchers,

redefined

foods will

lead to the

hormone

changes and

reduced the

sugar levels

in the blood

and gives

rise to the

depression

symptoms.Pr

oper

nutrition can

be followed

to treat and

control the

depression,

as published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says. Three out of every hundred older women

will suffer depression.When the research is conducted among 70 thousand women, it was found out that

there is a link between the depression and carbohydrate consumption.People who consume more amounts

of carbohydrates will increase the sugar levels in the blood. More the carbohydrates are refined more it is

affected to the sugar level.Refined foods like white rice and white bread lead to the reduction of sugar

levels in the blood which leads to fatigue, mood changes, and depression etc.

There‟s no fake rice–NFA Citing a series of tests on various rice samples, the National Food Authority (NFA) debunked allegations

that there is “fake rice” in the country.NFA administrator Renan B. Dalisay said in a report that the 25-

gram sample of allegedly fake rice from Davao City was found to have traces of dibutyl phthalate (DBP),

a chemical compound used in making flexible plastics.However, Dalisay said this seemed to be an

isolated case and was therefore no cause for alarm among rice consumers.In an advisory, NFA said that

more than a month after a 25-gram sample of alleged “fake rice” was reported in Davao City, a series of

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tests conducted by various government agencies proved that other rice samples were not contaminated

with DBP.

The tests were conducted by NFA‟s Food Development Center (FDC), Philippine Rice Research Institute

(Philrice), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine

(RITM), and the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) of the Department of Health (DOH).PhilRice

conducted a DNA analysis on the rice sample from Davao City and found it positive for the rice DNA.

The IRRI said the sample was “more similar to rice standard” than to sweet potato or corn starch.The

RITM said the alleged cooked fake rice sample was “morphologically different” or different in form and

structure from the cooked NFA rice sample because further investigation showed that the rice sample

underwent retrogradation process that resulted from a series of freezing, thawing, and heating that rice

sample went through.

The NFA-FDC is currently undertaking quantitative analysis on the DBP content of the 25-gram sample

that tested positive for DBP.“What is clear from the series of tests conducted by various agencies is that

there is no existence of “fake rice” in our country,” Dalisay said. “What we have is an isolated case of

chemically contaminated sample which may have been the result of mishandling or pure neglect to

safeguard the rice from contaminants.”From the time the NFA was alerted on the alleged fake rice on

June 30, its monitoring teams patrolled the markets on a daily basis nationwide to ensure that only

genuine rice was being sold to the public, Dalisay said.

In a span of five weeks, the NFA responded to over a hundred reports and complaints about suspected

fake rice from concerned citizens across the country, but none of the samples tested proved positive of

any contamination, he explained.Secretary Francis Pangilinan, presidential adviser on food security, said

the government exhausted all means to analyze the samples submitted to NFA.“The rice sample from

Davao which tested positive for dibutyl phthalate remains to be the only positive case of chemical

contamination. This is just a clear case then of food mishandling. As we close this issue, we remind the

public to be very cautious in their own food handling practices as the government will continue to ensure

that food, especially rice, will be available, affordable, accessible and safe for the public,” Pangilinan

said. Riza T. Olchondra

Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/711317/theres-no-fake-rice-nfa#ixzz3iSAGzWc3

India to ship 10,000 tonne of rice bran oil this fiscal By PTI | 9 Aug, 2015, 12.36PM IST

The country produces 155 million tonne paddy and has a potential to

produce 8.76 million tonne of rice bran and 1.53 million tonne of

rice bran oil.India was the highest producer of rice bran oil with an

output of 9.5 lakh tonne in 2014-15, followed by China with

2 lakh tonne and Japan 80,000 tonne.MUMBAI: India is expecting

to ship 10,000 tonne of rice bran oil this financial year after the

government eased restrictions on its bulk sale, giving a boost to

small rice millers, an industry body said. The country was exporting

about 2,000 tonne of rice bran oil last year mainly in consumer

packs, according to data from the Solvent Extractors' Association of

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India (SEA). "Lifting of the government restriction is a great boost to the industry and will help small rice

millers across the country.

We expect to export 10,000 tonne rice bran oil during this financial year," SEA Executive Director B V

Mehta said. Mehta said SEA is now looking at new export destination for shipping of rice bran oil, which

fetches a premium over other edible oils. Also rice bran oil is considered healthier and meets the

recommendation of a well blended combination of SFA, MUFA and PUFA. "There has been very good

demand from countries like Japan and Thailand. We will also start exploring new destinations like

Australia, New Zealand, the US for exports of rice bran oil," he added.

Earlier due to the restrictions, all output was absorbed in the domestic market, he said. Mehta said the

country produces 155 million tonne paddy and has a potential to produce 8.76 million tonne of rice bran

and 1.53 million tonne of rice bran oil. India was the highest producer of rice bran oil with an output of

9.5 lakh tonne in 2014-15, followed by China with 2 lakh tonne and Japan 80,000 tonne. The country

produces the best quality of rice bran oil with more than 150 solvent extraction units producing the edible

oil. The total global production of the rice bran oil is 15 lakh tonne. India is expected to produce 9.97 lakh

tonne this year.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/foreign-trade/india-to-ship-10000-tonne-of-rice-

bran-oil-this-fiscal/articleshow/48410881.cms

Global Rice Bran Oil Conference highlights India's

leadership position Saturday, August 08, 2015 08:00 IST Rashmi Nair, Mumbai

India's position as world leader in production of quality rice bran oil, a fast emerging healthy cooking

medium, was discussed in detail at Global Rice Bran Oil Conference held here on Friday. The two-day

conference will conclude on Saturday.Experts from India and other top rice producing countries like

China, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam were present as speakers discussing their country's rice production,

position, and promotion and growth prospects of rice bran oil as a healthy oil.

The highlight of the inaugural session was the launch of celebrity chef Harpal Singh Sokhi's book Exotic

Cooking with Rice Bran Oil. The event started with Pravin Lunkad, president, Solvent Extractors

Association of India (SEA), addressing the inaugural session. He stated, "It was a great pride that India

produces the best quality of rice bran oil and it has emerged as the largest producer of this oil in the

world. Rice bran oil has a total production of 950,000 tonne per annum."He was followed by Dr A R

Sharma, president, IARBO.

He said, "IARBO has decided to organise international conferences on rice bran oil in different countries.

The first international conference was organised in Wuhan, China, in May 2014. This is the second

international conference on rice bran oil and with your support we will indeed organise many more across

the world. We have today about 400 key delegates and special invitees from India and overseas attending

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this conference. We have several exhibitors here with us, who will showcase their products and

disseminate information on latest technologies on rice bran oil and value-added products developed

by them."

Others who spoke included P Goenka, director, 3F industries Ltd; Prof. Xuebing Xu, GM, Wilmar Global

R&D Centre, China; and Dr V Prakash, scientist, CSIR. Prakash stated, "In the coming years, world will

look to India as a leading supplier of rice bran oil." While, the Session 1 had country presentation on

future prospects and current scenario of the industry, the Session 2 had various inputs on how rice bran oil

will inculcate wellness and health in a person‟s lifestyle. Another key aspect was a detailed insight on the

nutritional significance of oil and its blends with pharma, food and edible oil industry. At the end of the

session, stress was on making changes in lifestyle to inculcate the use of rice bran oil. All in all, the

conference discussed important topics such as nutrition & health benefits, patronisation by medical

fraternity, regulatory issues, and quality control.

http://www.fnbnews.com/article/detnews.asp?articleid=37628&sectionid=1

Pakistan: Six working groups formed to address challenges

faced by agri-sector:Ahsan 8/7/2015

Right Vision News

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 7 -- Government has formed six working groups to formulate suggestions

in order to address issues and challenges being faced by the farming community in the country

on the back drop of decreasing trend of the agriculture commodities in international market.

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms, Professor Ahsan Iqbal told media

after attending a meeting on issues of agriculture sector in the country here at Planning

Commission here Wednesday.

The event was organized by Planning Commission of Pakistan with an aim to device a proper

mechanism to safeguard the farming community and agriculture sector from the after effects of

decreasing trend in agri-commodities including wheat, rice, cotton and maize in

international markets.The minister said that six working groups on different crops including

wheat, rice, cotton, maize, sugarcane, vegetables and agri-inputs were formed during the

meeting.

These working groups, he said would put forward their recommendations to take appropriate

steps for safeguarding the local farming community and agriculture sector from the crisis created

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after down fall of the prices of agri- commodities in international market, he remarked. The

recommendations, he said would be submitted before the Prime Minister for his approval adding

that all efforts would be made to overcome the crisis and for the development of the sector, he

added. Crisis of decreasing price trend of agriculture products was an international crisis and

farmers of other countries like Vietnam, Thailand and India were also facing the similar

challenges, he observed. Ahsan Iqbal said that government alone could not be able to overcome

the issues adding that stability in the commodity market was vital for the sustainable

development of the agri-sector and prosperity of country.

"Our research and development institutions were also responsible for this crisis as they were

unable to introduce modern and innovative technologies in the agri-sector for cultivation, value

addition and marketing", he maintained. Steps would be taken to introduce modern technologies

and value addition of agri-produces to compete with the products of other countries in

international market to capture the due share of exports. The minister said that recently

the export opportunities for local agri- products were expended to the markets of Iran and Russia

adding that Russia has shown interest to import rice and potatoes from Pakistan.

The government was also making efforts to boostexports by utilizing its diplomatic missions

abroad to fetch a reasonable foreign exchange by exporting the surplus agriculture production.

Efforts were also afoot to improve the agro-based industry in order to develop the rural industry

to alleviate poverty from the rural areas of the country adding that in PSDP 2015-16, government

has introduced projects for olive cultivation in different areas. To a question, he said that China

Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects were mainly consists of energy generation and

infrastructure development adding that the planed routes under the project would be completed

as soon aspossible.

Ahsan Iqbal welcomed the decision of Supreme Court on petitions against 18th and 21st

constitutional amendments and said that it shows that all political forces in the country and

institutions were on same page to rout out the menace of terrorism from the country. Replaying

to another question, he said that it was high time to promote the culture of patience and tolerance

in country and called upon the Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Imran Khan and participate

in National Assembly session. Ahsan Iqbal said that government whole heatedly wants to unite

all political forces to work together for the development and prosperity of the country

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Published by HT Syndication with permission from Right Vision News. For any query with

respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor

athtsyndication@hindustantimes.com

http://www.world-grain.com/news/news%20home/LexisNexisArticle.aspx?articleid=2421079262

White Bread and Rice May Increases Depression Risk In

Women

A new study suggests that rice and white bread increase the depression risk in the older women.

But foods like vegetables, whole grain foods and roughage will make them stay far away from

the depression.

White Bread and Rice May Increases Depression Risk In Women |PakistanTribe.comNEW YORK –

Consuming foods rich in carbohydrates, such as white bread and white rice, may cause mood changes,

fatigue and other symptoms of depression in post-menopausal women.According to researchers, a diet

high in refined carbohydrates may lead to an increased risk for new onset depression in postmenopausal

women.The study by James Gangwisch and colleagues in the department of psychiatry at Columbia

University Medical Centre (CUMC) looked at the dietary glycemic index, glycemic load, types of

carbohydrates consumed, and depression in data from more than 70,000 postmenopausal women who

participated in the US National Institutes of Health‟s Women‟s Health Initiative Observational Study

between 1994 and 1998.

Scientists said that while carbohydrates consumption normally increases blood sugar levels, eating highly

refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, rice and junk food, triggers a hormonal response that affects

the glycemic index.This then exacerbates changes in a woman‟s mood and triggers fatigue as well as

other depression symptoms.Greater consumption of dietary fiber, whole grains, vegetables and non-juice

fruits was associated with decreased risk, researchers said. This suggests that dietary interventions could

serve as treatments and preventive measures for depression.Further study is needed to examine the

potential of this novel option for treatment and prevention, and to see if similar results are found in the

broader population.The study was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Pakistan’s Mango Diplomacy and more …………. August 8, 2015, 7:18 pm

by Rajeewa Jayaweera

I read with much interest the recent article titled "Pakistan‟s Mango

Diplomacy and Lanka‟s Insect Fear" in a daily publication written by

one Dr Ranga Kalansooriya. He had narrated how in early July 1977,

Pakistan‟s military ruler and President Gen. Zia Ul Haq had sent a gift

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consignment of Pakistan‟s Multan mangoes to Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike (Mrs. B).

It had been returned with a message informing of her inability to "accept a gift from a person whose

hands have the blood of Pakistan‟s elected Prime Minister on them". Kalansooriya further stated of a

consignment of mangoes sent by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to President Sirisena recently which our

Foreign Ministry in their infinite wisdom had rejected for „technical reasons‟ without the knowledge of

President Sirisena. Similar consignments sent to Prime Minister Modi, Sonia Gandhi and President

Mukherjee notwithstanding the current heightened tension in Indo-Pak relations had been accepted by

recipients.After some thought, I decided to write this piece. It involves Mrs. B and President Zulfikar Ali

Bhutto.

Theirs was a warm friendship based on mutual respect for each other and the two countries they

governed. They successfully navigated through occasional minor irritants so common in diplomatic

relations.These are anecdotes narrated to me by my father Stanley Jayaweera (SJ), a career officer in the

Ceylon Overseas (Foreign) Service from 1954 till 1988. He was Number 2 at the Ceylon/Sri Lanka High

Commission in Islamabad from February 1972 till June 1975.Sometime around 10 pm one evening in

early 1973, our family was readying for bed when the phone rang and the Chief Clerk of the High

Commission informed SJ of a telegram with the classification "Top Urgent/ Top Secret" which had been

delivered to him a few minutes earlier (there were no faxes or email in those days). Top Urgent telegrams

were in code. A „one time pad‟ was required to decipher Top Secret telegrams and code books were in

SJ‟s custody. The High Commissioner at the time, a wealthy businessman from Galle and 10 years

younger to SJ was away from the country resulting in Jayaweera being acting High Commissioner.

He rushed to the Chancery with the Chief Clerk who deciphered the telegram. It was a personal message

from Mrs. B to Bhutto informing of critical rice stocks in Colombo sufficient for less than two weeks and

seeking Bhutto‟s assistance in obtaining an urgent consignment.Running out of rice in addition to

prevailing long bread queues and rationing of essential foods at the time would have brought about food

riots and possibly the fall of the government.By 1973 SJ had developed a wide contact base in the

Pakistan bureaucracy especially in the Foreign Ministry. He immediately called the Chief of Protocol

with whom he was on first name terms and requested an urgent appointment with President Bhutto the

following morning to hand over a personal message from Mrs. B and returned home.

The phone rang once again close to midnight and the Chief of Protocol informed Bhutto had granted the

requested appointment at 1.00 am. SJ just managed to make it after getting into his national dress and

summoning the ambassadorial vehicle and driver for the journey to the president‟s residence.The

president had received him in his study dressed in silk pyjamas and dressing gown with a cognac snifter

and Cuban cigar in his hand. A cigar was offered which was declined. The cognac offered was accepted.

Bhutto who had met SJ on a few previous occasions had enquired after his family and had asked for Mrs.

B‟s message. After reading it he had requested the telephone operator to get the Food Commissioner on

line. SJ had been privy only to one side of the conversation. The other side can only be imagined. Bhutto

had asked what the level of rice stocks in the country was. SJ had gathered from the conversation that

eight ship loads of rice had been shipped to Peru (or Chile which I forget) resulting in stocks being low.

He instructed his Food Commissioner to divert four ships to Colombo.

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Within minutes, the Food Commissioner was on the line again informing all eight ships, some belonging

to the Pakistan Shipping Corporation, had cleared Pakistan waters and it was too late to divert especially

as it was a competitive tender Pakistan had won and non-compliance would have consequences. Bhutto

had exploded stating "who is the President of this country, you or me?" "Our good friend Madam

Bandaranaike in Colombo needs our help and I intend to help her. Please divert four ships to Colombo,

call me back and confirm it to me".

A little later when SJ had shown the desire to depart, Bhutto had said "let the good lady enjoy a good

night‟s sleep. You can inform her tomorrow morning that the job is done" and had poured refills of

cognac. Within a short while, the Food Commissioner was back on line confirming that four of the ships

had been instructed to change course to Colombo. Sometime later when SJ took his leave after thanking

the president on behalf of his government, Bhutto had said "this is what friends are for – to help each

other. There is no hurry. Please request your Food Commissioner to get in touch with mine. We will

charge a reasonable rate on best possible terms".The four ships arrived in Colombo Port within a few days

and eased the rice shortage averting a disaster for Mrs. B and her government until a much larger

consignment was purchased from Burma. The Pakistani government eventually charged a per ton rate

below the rate they had obtained from the Peruvian (or Chilean) tender.

Bhutto who became Prime Minister from August 1973 due to a change in the country‟s Constitution,

invited Mrs/ B for a state visit to Pakistan in early 1975. She was accorded the rare honour of addressing a

joint session of the Pakistan National Assembly and Senate where her speech was received with a

standing ovation. The honour of addressing a joint session had previously been accorded only to the Shah

of Iran and Muammar Gaddafi of Libya, both generous contributors to Pakistan‟s economy. Bhutto‟s

prime ministerial Falcon jet was laid at Mrs. B‟s disposal for her journeys from Islamabad to Lahore and

Lahore to Karachi.A curious but interesting incident took place during Mrs. B‟s state banquet to Bhutto. It

need be stated that a change of our High Commissioners had just taken place and the incumbent, a retired

lawyer and former Senator had been in Pakistan for less than 10 days when Mrs. B arrived for her state

visit. As such, SJ was the only diplomatic officer in Islamabad for nearly three months and handled all

arrangements assisted by the Trade Commissioner in Karachi who played a very supportive role.

Mrs. B had informed SJ she would like veteran Pashtun politician Khan Abdul Wali Khan invited to the

state banquet hosted by her. That was easier said than done as Wali Khan‟s National Awami Party had by

then been banned and relations between him and Bhutto were anything but cordial. Foreign diplomats

were discouraged from visiting some areas in NWFP as the Pakistan government could not guarantee

their safety. Hence the policy was that invitations to those in NWFP be channelled through the Protocol

Division of the Foreign Ministry who would take responsibility for delivery. SJ knowing this particular

invitation to Wali Khan had little chance of delivery, after handing over the original invitation to the

Protocol Division hired a vehicle from American Express as his own vehicle had a CD number plate and

journeyed to NWFP to personally deliver a copy to Wali Khan who had assured SJ he would attend if

amongst the living. SJ had warned Mrs. B of the frosty relations between Bhutto and Wali Khan.Senior

Pakistan officials had seemed distinctly uncomfortable when Wali Khan arrived at the function.

The Chief of Protocol could not help whispering "I say Stanley, what have you done?" Obviously the

invitation given to the Protocol Division was meant to be „lost‟ ! At the end of the function, Mrs. B made

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it a point to thank Wali Khan for accepting her invitation when Bhutto was within hearing range thus

taking full responsibility for the invitation. She had also told SJ "Stanley, thank you for arranging Wali

Khan‟s participation". The shrewd Bhutto guessing what had transpired had commented "Madam, your

man in Islamabad is an efficient man" followed by a wink to SJ – his way of saying "no offence taken".

No heads rolled at the Pakistan Foreign Ministry or in the Protocol Division. Relations remained ever so

cordial and the matter put to rest by all concerned.

Little wonder that Mrs. B returned the gift of mangoes from Ge. Zia with a curt message. It was he who

overthrew Bhutto in 1977 in a coup d‟état and sent him to the gallows in 1979. When Mrs. B returned

Gen. Zia‟s consignment of mangoes, she was sending a clear and distinct message expressing Sri Lanka‟s

stand on a particular issue.One wonders as to what message was being transmitted when our Foreign

Ministry decided to reject Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif‟s gift to our President on „technical grounds‟ and

permit customs officials to consume it. Had the concern been purely a „quarantine‟ issue, friendly

relations, good diplomacy and common sense demands that the mangoes be accepted graciously, a thank

you note sent and the consignment placed in quarantine.

Literally hundreds of Indian and Pakistani mangoes, apples and other fruits are brought into the country

daily by our workers returning from the Middle East with no quarantine certificates or fear of

insects.Would a gift consignment of Californian peaches from President Obama or Granny Smith apples

from Prime Minister Cameron have been returned for „technical reasons‟ or handled differently by our

Foreign Ministry?.

Pakistan remained steadfast in their unstinted support to Sri Lanka during its 30 years long conflict with

LTTE terrorism, a hallmark of the friendship consolidated by Mrs. B and Bhutto as evidenced in the two

anecdotes and further developed by subsequent leaders. Let that friendship not be squandered by the

current handlers of our Foreign Affairs.

http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=129666

APEDA India News

International Benchmark Price

Price on: 07-08-2015

Product Benchmark Indicators Name Price

Honey

1 Argentine 85mm, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 3190

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2 Australian extra light/light amber, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 4785

3 Chinese extra light amber, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 1930

Peanuts

1 South Africa, HPS 70/80 peanuts CFR main European ports

(USD/t) 1200

2 South African, HPS 40/50 peanuts CFR main European ports

(USD/t) 1592

3 US 38/42 Runners, CFR NW Europe (USD/t) 1250

Sultanas

1 Australian 5 Crown, CIF UK (USD/t) 2984

2 Iranian natural sultanas (Gouchan), CIF UK (USD/t) 1996

3 Turkish No 9 standard, FOB Izmir (USD/t) 2400

Source:agra-net For more info

Market Watch

Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 08-08-2015

Domestic Prices Unit Price : Rs per Qty

Product Market Center Variety Min Price Max Price

Jowar(Sorgham)

1 Dehgam (Gujarat) Other 2250 2525

2 Theni (Tamil Nadu) Other 1280 1360

3 Solapur (Maharashtra) Other 1551 2035

Maize

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1 Bayad (Gujarat) Other 1300 1350

2 Sangli (Maharashtra) Other 1480 1560

3 Dharwar (Karnataka) Local 1380 1400

Mousambi

1 Dasuya (Punjab) Other 1500 2000

2 Manjeri (Kerala) Other 2500 2700

3 Mechua (West Bengal) Other 2100 2400

Carrot

1 Akluj (Maharashtra) Other 1500 3000

2 Ahmedabad (Gujarat) Other 1000 1500

3 Akluj (Maharashtra) Other 1500 3000

Source:agra-net For more info

Egg Rs per 100 No

Price on 08-08-2015

Product Market Center Price

1 Ahmedabad 352

2 Hyderabad 324

3 Nagapur 328

Source: e2necc.com

Other International Prices Unit Price : US$ per

package

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Price on 07-08-2015

Product Market Center Origin Variety Low High

Potatoes Package: 50 lb cartons

1 Atlanta Colorado Russet 22.75 22.75

2 Dallas Idaho Russet 20.50 23.25

3 Detroit California Russet 18 18.50

Cauliflower Package: cartons film wrapped

1 Atlanta Mexico White 13.50 13.50

2 Detroit California White 12.50 14

3 Miami Mexico White 16 17

Grapes Package: 18 lb containers bagged

1 Atlanta Mexico Red Globe 22.50 23.50

2 Dallas Mexico Red Globe 21 23.50

3 Miami Mexico Red Globe 27 28

Source:USDA

Belarus suggests development of mineral deposits to Pakistan 10 August 2015 13:36 |

Belarus suggests development of mineral deposits to Pakistan

MINSK, 10 August (BelTA) – Belarus invites Pakistan to cooperate in the development of mineral

deposits, BelTA learned from Vladimir Ulakhovich, Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of

Commerce and Industry, before a session of the Belarus-Pakistan business council on 10

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August.According to the source, Pakistan is busy developing major

infrastructure projects, which include the development of mineral deposits.

Belarus can offer the relevant experience and technologies. Apart from that,

Pakistan now has a shortage of electricity. The country has to develop

power grids. Cooperation with Belarus may come in handy as well, said

Vladimir Ulakhovich.

Belarus intends to supply more machine-building equipment to Pakistan. “Concrete agreements have been

reached with regard to a number of Belarusian enterprises. The possibility of increasing mutual trade in

food is also being discussed. The relevant logistics is not simple. Negotiations on exporting more

Belarusian milk powder and baby food are underway. In turn, Pakistan is ready to export fruits and

vegetables to Belarus. We expect that the creation of platforms for interaction between the business

circles and further development of the legal base will produce results,” said the Deputy Chairman of the

Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

During the session of the business council on 10 August the Pakistani side was represented by companies

specializing in petrochemical industry, export and import operations, machine building, manufacturing of

food products and other areas. Vladimir Ulakhovich underlined that Pakistan is an important market for

Belarus in the Asian region. “Pakistan is the world's sixth largest country in terms of population numbers.

The importance of stepping up contacts with Pakistan should be evaluated bearing in mind the need to

diversify export,” he stressed.

Vladimir Ulakhovich reminded that on 11 August the program of business events will be continued with a

Belarusian-Pakistani business forum and bilateral negotiations between representatives of business

circles. Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif is expected to take part in the opening of the business

forum. Pakistani companies are interested in establishing business ties with Belarusian companies in the

sphere of chemical and textile industries (sales of cotton, fabrics, and materials), machine building

(acquisition of industrial machines, mining and agricultural vehicles, spare parts for Belarusian vehicles).

Potential partners are also interested in the processing and sales of raw materials for the civil engineering

industry and the export of agricultural products (vegetables, fruits, leguminous and cereal crops, rice,

sunflower oil).

For the last eight years Belarus-Pakistan trade has been varying from $50 million to $120 million per

annum. Belarus' main exports are tractors (Pakistan is one of the main non-CIS markets), potash

fertilizers, synthetic yarn, tires, braid made of synthetic yarn. The main imports are rice, styrene

polymers, fruits, food, leather goods, fabrics, textile products.

In 2014 Belarus-Pakistan trade totaled $58.2 million. Belarus' merchandise export to Pakistan amounted

to $42.6 million (100.3% as against 2013), with import at $15.6 million (98.5%). In 2014 Belarus

exported considerably more potash fertilizers (twice as much), parts and accessories for automobiles and

tractors (30%), synthetic yarn braid (20%). Export of tractors slightly dropped (78 units down).In

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January-May 2015 Belarus' merchandise export to Pakistan amounted to $19.3 million (117.8% as against

January-May 2014).

http://eng.belta.by/all_news/economics/Belarus-suggests-development-of-mineral-deposits-to-

Pakistan_i_83648.html

Govt allows export of rice bran oil in bulk

Mumbai, August 9:

The Government has allowed export of rice bran oil in bulk and other edible oil in branded

consumer packs of up to five kg with a minimum export price of $900 (₹57,363) a tonne. Trade

expects rice bran oil exports to jump sharply to 10,000 tonnes this fiscal against 2,000 tonnes

achieved last year.

Untapped markets

India produces about 10 lakh tonnes of rice bran oil annually and is largely consumed in the

domestic market. Bran, the brown layer on rice grain, has 10-25 per cent oil content. Though the

rice bran oil is considered cheap and healthier, it has not gained popularity among Indian

consumers as it does not have any particular taste unlike groundnut, soybean or sunflower oils.

India, one of the largest consumers of edible oil, imports about 10 million tonne (mt) of edible

oil per annum. It meets about 60 per cent of its vegetable oil demand of 17-18 mt through

imports.

Speaking on the sidelines of Global Rice Bran Conference organised by the Solvent Extractors‟

Association, Dr V Prakash, Scientist with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research said,

“The decision to allow rice bran oil export in bulk without any limit may push up prices in the

domestic market as producers would find it easier to sell it abroad than packaging and labelling

for the domestic market.”

However, he added, given the poor demand and low awareness of the benefits of rice bran oil,

bulk exports will not have much impact for consumers.

Though India is the second largest producer of rice after China, the nation has not fully explored

the potential of producing rice bran, which can be also be used in the pharma sector.

Competition brewing

China is slowly getting used to rice bran oil and it‟s a matter of time before it becomes the

leading supplier of this oil.

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Remedial measures

“India should consider importing raw rice bran from Thailand and do the value addition here to

produce the oil,” said Prakash. BV Mehta, Executive Director, Solvent Extractors‟ Association

said there is good demand for Indian rice bran oil in countries such as Japan and Thailand.

Since rice bran oil has no particular taste, it can be easily blended with any oil and may be

imported back into India as a value added product or olive oil. Incidentally, the demand for rice

bran oil in India is more in non-paddy growing northern and western regions than in the eastern

and southern parts.

(This article was published on August 9, 2015)

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/govt-allows-export-of-rice-bran-oil-in-

bulk/article7519082.ece