Archive for the ‘Agriculture’ Category

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=94545&date=2010-03-10

South-East Asia dominates global rice trade

Courtesy: The Financial Express

10.03.2010

BANGKOK, Mar 09 (Commodity Online): South-East Asian (SEA) region comprising two of world’s largest rice exporters, Thailand and Vietnam remained as world’s top trade destination for the commodity.

The food crisis of 2008 has inspired various countries in Asia to vie for status as the world’s rice bowl and many hope to be able to dethrone Thailand.

Among the key members in the region, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, Cambodia and from south Asia, India and Pakistan continue to dominate the rice trade, with 21.32 million tonnes of the total global trade of 29.3 million in 2009. Their share is expected to rise to 23.4 million tonnes of the total of 30.84 million this year.

The 2008 food crisis has led to significant developments and expansion in Asia’s rice industry but Thailand, as the leading exporter, has stressed its determination to maintain its leadership position by implementing various measures.

One such measure that Thailand implemented last year was to guarantee farmers’ incomes, and the government remains optimistic about maintaining its export leadership position with expected exports of about 10 million tonnes this year.

Local investment in the rice industry – from grading to advanced silos and storage units – boomed in 2008 and 2009, when the oil crisis drove up the prices of many grains including rice, which sold at a record high of $1,222 per tonne for the Hom Mali variety.

Seven rice-grading projects, with a combined one billion baht in investment capital, received Board of Investment privileges in 2008 and the number increased to eight worth 930 million baht in 2009.

The agency also provided investment promotion for four rice silos, valued at more than 600 million baht during the period.

On the other hand Vietnam, the world’s second largest rice exporter, has set aside a fund of US$6 million (195.8 million baht) to improve rice quality.

Farm co-operatives are also able to obtain soft loans to build facilities such as milling plants, processing units, and warehouses.

Cambodia-Vietnam Foods Company has also been formed by the Vietnamese state enterprise Vinafood, Investment and Development Joint Stock Co (IDCC) and Green Trade Co of Cambodia to strengthen co-operation between the two countries in raising their production and export profiles.

Office of Agricultural Economics, said the recent expansion plans are an attempt to cash in on the rising global market as local governments become increasingly aware that rice could offer sustainable income and tackle poverty among farmers, a major problem for many governments.

“Improved incomes for farmers would not only resolve internal difficulties but also minimise problems such as illegal immigrants,” it said.

Burma has placed more importance on its rice industry in the past decade by allowing freer trade with the aim of promoting the grain as the major export item.

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=94550&date=2010-03-10

Panchagarh emerges as third largest tea producing zone

Courtesy: The Financial Express

10.03.2010

Our CorrespondentPANCHAGARH, Mar 9: Panchagarh has emerged as the third largest tea producing zone in the country, next to Sylhet and Chittagong, as it has started exporting the crop to the foreign countries.

Bangladesh earns around Tk 120 million by exporting tea leaf grown in 19 tea estates of the district.

A team of the commerce ministry visited Panchagarh recently and conducted an experiment on the prospect tea plantation in the district.

According to zonal tea office, there are about 150 small growers in the district who own only five acres of land each.

Besides, 12 small tea growers cultivate the crop on five to 20 acres of land here.

The tea board had already registered about 100 small growers, 15 small holders and eight tea estates of the area.

Statistics shows that about 167 acres of land is suitable for tea plantation in Panchagarh.

Three renowned tea factories in the district are TTCL, KAZI Organic Tea and Korotoa.

agri statistics- dinajpur

agri information – Panchagarh

Dinajpur generally has fertile agricultural land that produces vegetable, rice, jute and spice, except the Barind land area in the east south, that is part of Phulbari and Birampur.

Part of Parbatipur and Chiribandar is famous for its aromatic fine rice – Katharibhoge.

Dinajpur Sadar is famouos for its quality Mango and famous Masimpur Lichi. A good quantity of mango and lichy also produced in this area, though in absence of cold chain or cold storage or proper storage, handling and marketing practices, farmers, retailers and consumers all remain far from the optimum benefits of these cash crops.Banana, Pineapple, Jackfruit, lemon, orange  also produced in Greater Dinajpur, if popularised with commercial values and required facilities, can multiply its current production rate.

On the far west, along the frontier where the land is rocky sand and naturally unarable, a new cash crop has emerged recently with a prospect of becoming an profitable and employment generating  – tea gardens and tea processing industry.

Dinajpur is a blessed land, diverse nature of its terrain – barind, silt, and rocky represent its dynamics in producing different kind of cash crop. 2.3 million acres of cultivable land plus homestead gardens can employ thousands of skilled and unskilled manpower to produce billion taka  worth of cereal, fruits, vegetable, leaf and fibre.

An educated work force with a right kind of focus and management can turn this populace into a land of bounty.

Admin

07.09.2009

Dinajpur generally has fertile agricultural land that produces vegetable, rice, jute and spice, except the Barind land area in the east south, that is part of Phulbari and Birampur.

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