Rice Imports Research Articles

Factors influencing farmers’ behavior in rice seed selling in the market: a case study in the Tarai region of Nepald

The importance of rice in food security and livelihoods of Nepalese people is well recognized but the seed supply system of this crop in the rural areas is poorly developed. To increase farmers’ access to a wide range of rice varietal choices in a cost effective way, some farmers, organized in groups or cooperatives, have started producing and marketing rice seed through development projects in recent years. But very limited information has been published about the performance of the farmers in rice seed marketing. In this study, we analyze the impact of households’ socio-economic variables on market participation and volume of rice seed sold, using a Heckman selection model. Data for the study were collected from three Tarai districts (Siraha, Kailali and Chitwan) in Nepal with a sample size of 180, that is, 60 households from each district. Result shows that 65% of households sell 64% of rice seed produced. Households with agricultural training, share contribution to their organization and higher livestock numbers are more likely to participate in the market. Similarly, households with older household heads, higher operational land, and access to an irrigation facility sell a higher amount of rice seed in the market. Seed price has a positive influence both on market participation and seed volume sold.

Rice security in Southeast Asia: beggar thy neighbor or cooperation?

High commodity prices in 2007–2008 and again in 2011, particularly for crops such as rice and corn, have forced countries in Southeast Asia to look more closely at their agricultural and trade policies for rice and grains. While all countries in the region are heavily dependent on rice for food security, there is significant variation in countries’ abilities to be self-sufficient in rice production. This paper examines the factors that contribute to food insecurity in SEA, which communities are hit hardest, and the diversity of responses to this situation. And, the paper asks what the prospects might be for greater cooperation in coordinating rice (and other crops more generally) policies so as to better ensure reliable access for more citizens in the region. Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia are all major exporters of rice; whereas Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines are all importers of rice. Since the sharp spike in prices in 2008, countries which import rice have developed more comprehensive plans to become self sufficient in rice production. Individual country's policies will have dramatic effects on regional trade relations and dynamics. There have been some regional attempts to create a more cooperative framework for addressing food security, but these efforts have not yet played a significant role in reshaping domestic policies. This paper will assess the chances of further cooperation and success (or the chance of failure and less engagement) in the future.

Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink: The false promise of virtual water

The concept of “virtual water,” which represents the volume of water needed to produce a particular quantity of agricultural commodity, has become popular among international water experts. Advocates of the concept argue that trade in virtual water can help even out the imbalances generated by the irregular distribution of water resources around the world – an attempt to make the world conform to an abstract model that some scholars have termed “virtualism”. This paper argues that the concept of virtual water is limited, however, by its reduction of water to a question of crop inputs alone, erasing both the labor of those who channel that water onto their fields and of the water itself as it moves through the landscape. The paper focuses on the case of Egypt, an arid country where water scarcity poses a critical challenge and where water experts are increasingly talking about virtual water as a policy solution. The government’s policy to decrease the area of water-intensive rice cultivation, limit rice exports, and increase rice imports exemplifies a virtual water logic. Yet, I argue, seeing water as being virtually embedded in rice obscures the way in which it washes salts from the soil of rice paddies and maintains soil quality. The fact that water fulfills multiple functions, beyond just that of feeding crops, helps explain why the government’s efforts to implement a policy that makes sense from a virtual water perspective have so far been unsuccessful. The paper concludes that attention to the labor of people and the resources that they mobilize reveals some of the socio-natural elements that may evade, challenge, and defy virtualisms.

Climatic characteristics and their relationship to the cultivation and production of rice crop in Najaf Governorate

Rice is one of the most important summer grain crops in Iraq, and comes second in nutritional importance after wheat.Because of the nutritional and economic importance of rice in Iraq, and given that Najaf governorate comes at the forefront of Iraqi governorates in terms of the cultivated area and the amount of production, and what its production can lead to achieving a reasonable amount of food security, which today has become a preoccupation for many researchers.The researchers influenced his study by examining the most important climatic characteristics affecting the cultivation and production of rice, and identifying the levels of its production at the level of Iraq, as well as the geographical distribution of the main production areas in the province.

Rice in West Africa: Dynamics, policies and trends

Rice is a staple in the African diet. The commodity accounts for 25% of overall cereal consumption, second only to maize. Over the past 20 years, West Africa has specifically experienced a large surge in rice consumption. Although local production has progressed, through the expansion of planted areas and improvement in yields, Africa's rice production remains insufficient to cover the rising needs that are driven by demographic growth, the increase in per capita consumption and urbanization. The continent, that was 80 per cent self-sufficient for rice in the 1960s, now covers only 60 per cent of its needs. Import volumes have boomed over the past 20 years, especially in West Africa. Due to its dependence on external supply sources, West Africa is exposed to instability on the international market. The 2008 price crisis constituted a significant shock, especially for the most deprived strata of the population. The crisis, however, led to positive reactions by private and public actors, including the adoption of new policies to support and develop domestic rice production. More or less ambitious initiatives were launched, and met with some initial success. However, the trend is weakening as rice imports have been increasing anew since 2010. Today, West Africa remains the major rice importing region, accounting for 20% of global imports.

Investment beneficial analysis of rice alternative plants

The price and revenue of rice are expected to decrease due to increasing rice imports, decreasing consumption and the discontinuance of the government's rice procurement. This degenerating profitability is leading to a rise in the cultivation of upland-crops such as beans, fodder crops and fruits in paddy fields. However, there is a lack of research on the selection of rice substitute crops which are adaptable to the relevant region through profitability analysis. This research, therefore, analyzed investment profitability of rice substitute crops for Cheorwon-gun area in Kangwon province. The study applied net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR), which fit for mutually exclusive investments that make one selection to the exclusion of other crops. Target crops are green house plants in Cheorwon-gun area. Financial analysis showed paprika and cucumber have investment feasibility for automated vinyl greenhouses and conventional plastic greenhouses respectively.

English

Inland valleys are being used under the Sawah technology for rice production to reduce rice imports to Ghana. Sawah technology is assumed to benefit from geological fertilization. However, there is no quantitative information on runoff and sediment flows in the agricultural watershed of Ghana. This study was carried out at Biemso in the southern part of the country. The aim was to estimate runoff and sediment transport using the water erosion prediction project (WEPP) model (version 2006.500), from hillslope to the valley bottom where rice is cultivated using the Sawah technology. A digital elevation model (DEM) was created from ground survey and used to select the various plots (hillslopes) and to select slope input parameters. Four plots (hillslopes) were selected for the model simulation. Data on local daily values of rainfall and on minimum and maximum temperatures were used to set a CLIGEN model station file to determine climate input parameters for the model. Rainfall characteristics (erosivity and distribution) were analysed. Soil erodibility was also determined. Soil and crop management input parameters required by the model were identified and or estimated from field measurements and secondary sources. The model was run for two management scenarios: Fallow and continuous maize systems. The results of the simulation showed that 2.9 to 3.9 and 6.8 to 10.2 t/ha/year of sediments were eroded from upper catchment to valley bottom under fallow system and maize, respectively. The range of values for runoff produced under fallow was 17.4 to 40 mm whereas that under maize system is 158.7 to 233.62 mm. The study has shown that land use system in the study area has a great influence on geological fertilization. In addition, the valley bottom where rice is produced under the Sawah system is enriched with organic matter from upslope.   Key words: Geological fertilization, sediment, sawah, inland valleys, runoff, water erosion prediction project (WEPP) (2006.500) model.

World food prices and poverty in Indonesia

Spikes in international food prices in 2007–2008 worsened poverty incidence in Indonesia, both rural and urban, but only by small amounts. The paper reaches this conclusion using a multisectoral and multihousehold general equilibrium model of the Indonesian economy. The negative effect on poor consumers, operating through their living costs, outweighed the positive effect on poor farmers, operating through their incomes. Indonesia's post‐2004 rice import restrictions shielded its internal rice market from the temporary world price increases, muting the increase in poverty. But it did this only by imposing large and permanent increases in both domestic rice prices and poverty incidence. Poverty incidence increased more among rural than urban people, even though higher agricultural prices mean higher incomes for many of the rural poor. Gains to poor farmers were outweighed by the losses incurred by the large number of rural poor who are net buyers of food, and the fact that food represents a large share of their total budgets, even larger on average than for the urban poor. The main beneficiaries of higher food prices are not the rural poor, but the owners of agricultural land and capital, many of whom are urban based.

Variation in Rice Cadmium Related to Human Exposure

Cereal grains are the dominant source of cadmium in the human diet, with rice being to the fore. Here we explore the effect of geographic, genetic, and processing (milling) factors on rice grain cadmium and rice consumption rates that lead to dietary variance in cadmium intake. From a survey of 12 countries on four continents, cadmium levels in rice grain were the highest in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, with both these countries also having high per capita rice intakes. For Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, there was high weekly intake of cadmium from rice, leading to intakes deemed unsafe by international and national regulators. While genetic variance, and to a lesser extent milling, provide strategies for reducing cadmium in rice, caution has to be used, as there is environmental regulation as well as genetic regulation of cadmium accumulation within rice grains. For countries that import rice, grain cadmium can be controlled by where that rice is sourced, but for countries with subsistence rice economies that have high levels of cadmium in rice grain, agronomic and breeding strategies are required to lower grain cadmium.

Adapting importation policy to global commodity markets: implications of rice import allocation in Singapore

Structural changes in the global commodity markets have particularly serious implications to the food security of import-dependent countries. Adapting importation policy to that global change is essential given that many commodities are imported to fulfill domestic demand. Using Singapore as a case study, this paper examines rice (Oryza) import allocation for seeking adaptive measures, which have broad implications to import-dependent countries. Its quarterly trade data (between 1999 and 2008) have been analyzed using an almost ideal demand system (AIDS) model. Our findings in respect to expenditure elasticity reveal that Singapore will continue its importation from its current range of suppliers, and add new import sources, fulfilling its national diversification strategy. New sources that located in different regions will also strengthen Singapore’s regional diversification strategy. Both national and regional diversification strategies enable any country to tap into associative import sources when unfavorable events deplete supply from a normally preferred supplier. In addition, the results in respect to own-price elasticity suggest that Thailand is Singapore’s primary preferred source while other exporters are secondary suppliers. Supported by the outputs of cross-price elasticity, secondary sources are substitutable. Within a diversified import portfolio, their competitive relationship gives an import-dependent country a strategic position to hedge against price manipulation and escalation, and to substitute expensive suppliers with cheaper alternatives. For these reasons, an import diversification policy is recommended both as an adaptive measure in response to the global change in commodity markets and, at the same time, as a mean for sustaining food security in import-dependent countries.

Genetic, Physiological, and Gene Expression Analyses Reveal That Multiple QTL Enhance Yield of Rice Mega-Variety IR64 under Drought

BackgroundRice (Oryza sativa L.) is a highly drought sensitive crop, and most semi dwarf rice varieties suffer severe yield losses from reproductive stage drought stress. The genetic complexity of drought tolerance has deterred the identification of agronomically relevant quantitative trait loci (QTL) that can be deployed to improve rice yield under drought in rice. Convergent evidence from physiological characterization, genetic mapping, and multi-location field evaluation was used to address this challenge.Methodology/Principal FindingsTwo pairs of backcross inbred lines (BILs) from a cross between drought-tolerant donor Aday Sel and high-yielding but drought-susceptible rice variety IR64 were produced. From six BC4F3 mapping populations produced by crossing the +QTL BILs with the −QTL BILs and IR64, four major-effect QTL - one each on chromosomes 2, 4, 9, and 10 - were identified. Meta-analysis of transcriptome data from the +QTL/−QTL BILs identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) significantly associated with QTL on chromosomes 2, 4, 9, and 10. Physiological characterization of BILs showed increased water uptake ability under drought. The enrichment of DEGs associated with root traits points to differential regulation of root development and function as contributing to drought tolerance in these BILs. BC4F3-derived lines with the QTL conferred yield advantages of 528 to 1875 kg ha−1 over IR64 under reproductive-stage drought stress in the targeted ecosystems of South Asia.Conclusions/SignificanceGiven the importance of rice in daily food consumption and the popularity of IR64, the BC4F3 lines with multiple QTL could provide higher livelihood security to farmers in drought-prone environments. Candidate genes were shortlisted for further characterization to confirm their role in drought tolerance. Differential yield advantages of different combinations of the four QTL reported here indicate that future research should include optimizing QTL combinations in different genetic backgrounds to maximize yield advantage under drought.

Reasoned opinion on the modification of the existing MRL for tricyclazole in rice

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, Italy, herewith referred to as the evaluating Member State (EMS), received an application from Dow AgroScience to set an import tolerance for tricyclazole in rice to accommodate the authorized use in Brazil. Tricyclazole is a non-included active substance and no EU uses are currently authorized. Thus, the existing EU MRL of 1 mg/kg in rice should be lowered to the LOQ. The applicant requested to maintain the existing EU MRL to allow the import of rice treated with tricyclazole from third countries. The EMS confirmed that the MRL should be set provisionally at the level 1 mg/kg to accommodate the Brazilian GAP. EFSA is of the opinion that on the basis of the currently available studies, the toxicological reference values for tricyclazole cannot be set, since the genotoxic potential of tricyclazole could not be totally disregarded. In addition, uncertainties regarding the carcinogenic potential of tricyclazole were identified by EFSA. The submitted residue trials data were found to be insufficient to derive an MRL proposal which accommodates the use of tricyclazole on rice in Brazil. EFSA concludes that the import tolerance request for tricyclazole in rice is not sufficiently supported by data which are needed to justify maintaining the existing EU MRL of 1 mg/kg in rice.

FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHI IMPORBERAS DI INDONESIA TAHUN 1980-2009

Indonesia merupakan salah satu negara produsen beras terbesar di dunia. Sebagai negara penghasil beras Indonesia masih mengimpor beras untuk memenuhi konsumsi beras dalam negeri. Hal ini tidak sesuai dengan data yang menunjukkan bahwa produksi beras dalam negeri mengalami surplus. Dengan produksi beras yang surplus seharusnya pemerintah dapat memenuhi kebutuhan beras dalam negeri tanpa perlu mengimpor beras. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh variabel independen (produksi beras, jumlah penduduk dan produk domestik bruto) terhadap variabel dependen (impor beras) baik dalam jangka pendek maupun jangka panjang. Penelitian ini menggunakan data runtun waktu atau time series. Model analisis yang digunakan adalah alat analisis ekonometrika model koreksi kesalahan (Error Correction Model/ECM) dan asumsi klasik. Model ini dapat menjelaskan perilaku jangka pendek maupun jangka panjang. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan (1) variabel produksi dalam jangka pendek maupun jangka panjang berpengaruh negatif dan signifikan terhadap impor beras Indonesia. (2) variabel penduduk dalam jangka pendek maupun jangka panjang tidak ada pengaruh terhadap impor beras Indonesia. (3) Variabel produk domestik bruto dalam jangka pendek tidak ada pengaruh dengan impor beras sedangkan dalam jangka panjang produk domestik bruto berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap impor beras Indonesia. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian dapat disimpulkan bahwa variabel produksi beras dalam jangka pendek berpengaruh signifikan terhadap impor beras sedangkan dalam jangka panjang variabel produksi dan produk domestik bruto berpengaruh signifikan terhadap impor beras. Bagi pemerintah seharusnya memproteksi produk beras dalam negeri supaya pasar tidak dibanjiri oleh produk beras impor, misalkan dengan lebih memaksimalkan penyerapan beras dari para petani lokal, sehingga pasar bisa didominasi oleh produk beras lokal selain itu pemerintah dan petani bekerja sama untuk merevitalisasi bahan pangan agar konsumsi nasional tidak bergantung pada satu bahan pangan saja yaitu beras,

Rice and irrigation in West Africa: Achieving food security with agricultural water management strategies

West Africa's rice imports currently satisfy 70% of the soaring local demand, worsening the food vulnerability of an increasingly urbanized population. Despite considerable rice-growing potential, lack of water control systems, access to improved seeds, agrochemicals and appropriate mechanization have resulted in modest production growth rates, unable to alter the region's dependency on imported rice. Governments aim to boost production with import duties and input subsidies. However, questions remain as to whether these policies enable the rice sector to respond to changing consumers preferences for high grade rice and to contribute to national economic growth. We present the results from a Policy Analysis Matrix (PAM) on rice production in Ghana, Burkina Faso and Niger and under three water management systems: irrigation (public scheme), supplemented rain-fed (rainfall aided by autonomously-sourced water supplies) and purely rain-fed. Our results show that policy interventions in these West African countries (i.e., input subsidies and import taxes) did not significantly enhance the profitability of rice production to farmers due to the effect of market failures (limited capital access and non-competitive market for rice) and the low quality of local milled rice. The PAM results point strongly to the importance of improving rice quality and yields through more efficient water management and post-harvest handling/processing and targeted breeding to match consumers' preferences.

Self-sufficiency policy and irrigated rice productivity in the Senegal River Valley

Senegal’s high dependence on rice imports exposes the country to international market shocks with concomitant serious risks for food security. Since 2011 and triggered by high international prices, several initiatives to upgrade the rice value chain have emerged in the private sector. However, the major constraint private investors are currently facing is the insufficient supply of Senegal River Valley (SRV) paddy rice, implying that investment in productivity is becoming vital for the continuation of their operations, which are currently running below their optimum. The Senegalese government is investing heavily in the national rice sector, with the ambitious objective of achieving self-sufficiency in the year 2015. However, the program focuses primarily on extension of the area grown rather than increased productivity. We provide econometric support for policy making by assessing the determinants of productivity and technical efficiency in irrigated rice production systems through a five-year panel dataset of small-scale irrigated rice farms in the SRV. We found that due to the exacerbation of biological and institutional constraints in the SRV, rice growers had difficulties in maintaining productivity of their land. These constraints prevented them from further intensification, jeopardizing the national objective of self-sufficiency. Farmers exhibited modest technical efficiency levels, suggesting that, in addition to the proposed intensification strategies, substantial efforts in extension services will be required in order to achieve the goal of self-sufficiency. Improved weed and bird control as well as technological, organizational and institutional improvements were identified as key factors for boosting productivity and technical efficiency and, hence, these are target areas needing attention by Senegalese farmers and policy makers in their quest for increased food security.

Household food insecurity in Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste is among the world’s youngest and poorest countries. It suffers from seasonal food insecurity and has the third-highest stunting rate globally. Previously inadequately documented, this paper summarises recent advances in understanding household food security in Timor-Leste and the multifaceted approaches being used to overcome it. Information comes from the extensive annual surveys of the Seeds of Life (SoL) program in Timor-Leste. The hungry season prior to maize and rice harvests is the key issue in household food security in Timor-Leste. Farm households cope with the problem through crop diversification with tubers playing a lead role as grain stocks dwindle. Foraging for wild food resources, selling animals and other assets, and social networks are other coping strategies. To address seasonal food insecurity, the government has focused on rice importation and the improvement of agricultural productivity within a multi-dimensional program. Information on storage by households of the key staple, maize, indicates an improving trend in food security at the household level from 2006/2007 to 2010/2011 through a significant reduction in the percentage of ‘at risk’ households—those who grow insufficient maize for storage during the year. The current emphasis on the widespread dissemination of the new high-yielding SoL cultivars has the potential to augment these improving trends. Nevertheless this picture remains vulnerable to weather shocks—such as drought—which are anticipated to increase with climate change and it is important to build further resilience into the agricultural systems of Timor-Leste.

ANALISIS PERMINTAAN DAN PENAWARAN BERAS DI PROPINSI JAMBI

The rice production growth that was gotten by Jambi Province with production growth rate of 0,54% can not fully contribute society need that was continuously increasing. Therefore, it can cause unbalance between supply and demand. The objective of research is to know the picture of rice supply and demand and influenced variables on rice supply and demand in Jambi. The simultan model was used to predict factors that influenced rice supply and demand. The research was conducted in Jambi Province on September to December 2009. The primary data needed in this research was time series data from 1996 – 2008. The research result showed that simultaneously rice price factor, the number population and income per capita was significant on demand. And also factor of average rice price, Bangkok rice price, import rice price, hybrid seed, acreage, season, and time trend were influencing significantly on supply. From elasticity value was fortunately all variables that was influencing rice demand and supply in Jambi Province was inelastic. Kata Kunci : rice demand and supply, rice price, elasticit

Using near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Investigate the Amylose Content in Rice

Nowadays, there are many breeding program to improve the quality of rice since the direct measurement (iodine colorimetric) is time consuming, complex and environmentally unfriendly. The objective of this study was to analyze the amylose content (AC) in several types of local rice and import rice in Malaysia. Next is to investigate suitable rice intake for diabetic patient. In this study, non-destructive method by using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) was used to measure the amylose content of single rice grain for milled rice and brown rice. The result showed that the AC for the brown rice was higher than basmati rice followed by local white rice. Therefore, the high amylose content is most suitable for the diabetic patient. Thus, NIRS was a convenient way to screen the quality of rice as well as increase the global competitive for farmers in agriculture field.

Production of α-Amylase and Amyloglucosidase by the Fungus <i>Cylindrocladium </i>sp<i>.</i> in Semi-solid State Fermentation

Amylases are very important and have a wide range of applications. Semi-solid state fermentation is increasingly used for the production of enzymes, since it requires simple technology and costs are low. In this regard, it is worth emphasizing the importance of rice as a substrate, due to its readily availability and low cost. This study evaluated the ability of the fungus <i>Cylindrocladium </i>sp<i>.</i> to produce α-amylase and amyloglucosidase. The studies were carried out with the fungus strain <i>Cylindrocladium</i> sp. with<i> </i>a rice-based substrate. The material was kept in an oven at 28 °C for 96 hours and measured every 24 hours. For the quantification of amyloglucosidase enzymes, the DNS reagent method was adopted. The α-amylase activity was determined by measuring the concentration of starch using iodine dosage. Analysis of the data obtained in this study showed that the fungus <i>Cylindrocladium</i> sp. produces α-amylase and amyloglucosidase enzymes; peak production for α-amylase was at 72 hours with 245.02 U/g, and at 92 hours for amyloglucosidase with 73.58 U/g. Through the interpretation of these results it was possible to conclude that the fungus <i>Cylindrocladium</i> sp. produces relevant values of the enzymes α-amylase and amyloglucosidase.

Assessing the probability of land submergence for lowland rice cultivation in Africa using satellite imagery and geospatial data

Sub-Saharan African countries are being strongly urged to enhance their rice production, because their rice consumption and importation rates have been rapidly increasing in recent years. Areas planted to rice in Africa are classified agro-ecologically into rainfed upland, rainfed lowland, and irrigated. Rainfed lowland includes extensive areas of unexploited land that has great potential for the promotion of rice growing. For the unexploited rainfed lowlands of Ghana, we have been studying the development of low-cost rice-farming systems that require no large-scale irrigation or land reclamation. For such systems, it is important to select suitable areas where water for rice farming can be obtained naturally; floodwaters offer promise for this purpose. Delineation and mapping of floodwater prone areas suitable for rice production is important for successful utilization of this land resource. Here, we propose a method of assessing flood probability from submergence frequency, as estimated from satellite imagery and geospatial data. ALOS/PALSAR images acquired in May, June, August, and September 2010 were used to classify land and water, and then a submerged-area map was produced. From the results, we were able to accurately detect non-submerged areas and submerged areas with water depths of at least 3 cm. The number of times classified into submerged area was defined as submergence frequency, and it was approximated by distance from reservoirs representing White Volta River, ponds, and swamps. In addition, flood extent derived from reservoirs was simulated using digital elevation model (DEM). Finally, a flood probability assessment map was produced by integration of the estimated submergence frequency and flood extent simulation. The results of a comparison of soil moisture data measured at 69 points in the field and the NDVIs computed by ALOS/AVNIR showed that areas with high potential for flooding retained high levels of soil moisture and were more likely to show less deterioration of vegetation in the dry season. The validation of these results confirmed the adequacy of the flood probability assessment method.