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An X-ray image using new technology at the National Seed Bank in Canberra. Photo: National Seed Bank of Australia via the Canberra Times.[/caption]
ASIA SEED INDUSTRY NEWS, APRIL 2019: Following are summaries of important seed, agriculture and farming industry developments in the region, with news from and/or affecting a number of countries including Afghanistan, Australia, Cambodia, China & Territories, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
Click the drop-down titles to expand the respective sections, which include links to original sources.
[expand title="Inter-regional"]
Summer El Niño Wrath
- PAKISTAN: Parts of Pakistan are undergoing a certain crisis as extreme April weather has impacted the harvest of wheat, vegetables and fruits, especially in Punjab province, where some 35,000 acres of wheat and corn crops were reportedly destroyed, in addition to about 510 acres of vegetables and 342 acres of fruit orchards, reports Pakistan Today. Urdu Point reports that 5% of total cultivated area of wheat was affected; 2% of vegetables and nearly 5% of area for fruit. The mango harvest in Punjab is expected to be delayed due to the bad weather, which has affected photosynthesis processes and thus fruit maturity. According to unofficial statistics cited in another report by Urdu Point, flooding coupled with blizzard conditions in parts of Punjab, had caused the loss of some 40,000 tonnes of wheat, prompting the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry to demand the government to declare an emergency in agriculture. And yet another unofficial assessment published on April 24 suggested that as much as 437,000 acres of crops were affected, including wheat, maize, sugarcane and vegetables. Several industry reps have also asked for government support in assessing and dealing with the crisis, reports the Business Recorder. In addition to lost crops, some 49 persons were reportedly killed and 175 injured as a result of the heavy rains, flooding and hail, reports Gulf News.
- INDIA: Nearly 50 people were reported to have perished in the wake of storms that brought heavy rains, thunder and lightning across parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra in April. According to Khaleejtimes, the stormy weather, which also affected Pakistan (see above) caused damage to property and crops in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
- THAILAND: El Nino is being cited for wildfires, hailstorms as well as unusually hot and stormy weather, reports Khao Sod English. Some places in North and Northeast regions of the country had recorded some of the hottest temperatures around the globe, and one woman in Chiang Mai was even killed when a storm-struck tree crushed the car she was in. An academician warned that the dry and hot weather could last until August, so rice farmers should consider postponing planting. As for the impact on crops and food prices, Thailand Commerce Minister Wichai Phochanakij was quoted in a news report that crops with reduced yields and inflated prices include rice, feed-grade maize, lettuce, spinach, Chinese cabbage and lime. He also warned that the hot weather could impact productivity of orchard saplings due to be planted soon, including long kong, lychees and rambutans
- Australia: El Nino is also having impacts on agriculture and planting Down Under, especially in the pulse-producing regions of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia, where dry conditions are expected to hinder the winter planting season, which starts in May, reports Producer.com. In Sydney, supermarkets are reporting a shortage of milk, which is cited to be as a result of “extreme weather”, reports the Times UK. [Though this reports suggests the dairy shortage may be linked to dry weather, Asian Seed notes that it could also be linked to record flooding earlier this year that was responsible for the perishing of half a million cattle]
- INDONESIA: Tens of thousands have been displaced by flooding in late April reported in parts of Sumatra and Java islands, including in Jakarta, Bogor and Bengkulu regions. Especially affected have been communities and agriculture areas along the East Java's Cisadane, Ciliwung, Angke and Krukut rivers, which overflowed due to heavy rainfalls. In Sumatra, no less than 10,000 were displaced and dozens were feared missing or dead as a result of floods and landslides reported in nine districts, including Bengkulu city, Kaur, North Bengkulu, Central Bengkulu, South Bengkulu, Seluma, Kapahiang, Lebong and Rejang Lebong.
Seeding the new Silk Road: Xinhua.net reports on the work of Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University (NWAFU) in Yangling, in promoting agriculture cooperation with other countries as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The article specifically mentions projects in Belarus, Kazakhstan and Cameroon, though also notes that the university has works with 76 universities and research institutes from 14 countries and regions.
New Zealand onion growers filling the gap for Europe shortages: Fresh Plaza reports that the supply of New Zealand onions to buyers in Europe has increased this year by 15%. There is reportedly a 40% drop in onion production in Europe this year due to climate and weather related factors -- including drought and frost.
APAARI calls for award nominations: The Asia - Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) has announced criteria for nominations for a few prestigous agriculture-related awards as follows:
- World Food Prize: The World Food Prize is awarded for a specific, exceptionally significant, individual achievement at any point along the full range of the food production and distribution chain. The World Food Prize is a $250,000 award formally presented at the Laureate Award Ceremony. Nominations can be made through APAARI, or directly via this link until May 1.
- The Norman Borlaug Award: This prestigious award is intended for “an individual under 40 who has clearly demonstrated intellectual courage, stamina, and determination in the fight to eliminate global hunger and poverty. Nominations are due 15 June 2019. The Norman Borlaug Award is a $10,000 award to be presented annually to a young extension worker, research scientist, development professional or other individual who best emulates the dedication, perseverance, and innovation. Nomination through APAARI can be done through this link.
Ancient Chinese text guides breaking research on antibacterial seed properties: Research by a team at Emory University in the US has confirmed antibacterial properties of the extract of the Ginkgo biloba tree seeds. The research, which was initiated by Chinese native, Xinyi (Xena) Huang, started by reviewing assertions in a 200-year-old Emory copy of a 16th-century text on traditional Chinese medicine, the Ben Cao Gang Mu. Following experiments, a paper finally revealed that the extracts inhibit the growth of various pathogens that can cause skin infections, including Cutibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes.
Taiwanese cooperation for improving Filipino agriculture: At the Philippine-Taiwan Agriculture Forum, held on April 24 in Bacolod City of Negros Occidental Province, agriculturalists from Chinese Taipei and the Philippines fortified relations and ongoing agriculture development cooperation, specifically in improving the productivity of pineapples, mushrooms, and vegetable crops, among others, in the Filipino province using best practices, technology and advice from Taiwanese agriculture, reports Sunstar Philippines.
New Zealand bred brassica hybrid trials in the UK: Farmers Weekly UK has published some advice and guidelines from trials of using New Zealand bred hybrid brassicas as an alternative feed for livestock to address shortage of forage crops. The hybrids were developed from a cross between rape (Brassica napus) and kale (Brassica oleracea) .
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[expand title="Afghanistan"]
Poppies high on the rain: Despite reduced yields of poppies in Afghanistan in 2018 due to dry weather and eradication efforts, News Week Pakistan reports that productivity this year is experiencing a rebound amid heavy rains in recent weeks. The illicit industry reportedly employs hundreds of thousands of farmers in the war-torn country.
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[expand title="Australia"]
X-raying Seed Health: Australia’s National Seed Bank in Canberra has acquired a new x-ray machine which will be used to analyze the health of seeds in its collection. To make such health assessments previously, scientists had to sacrifice seeds by manually dissecting them. The new x-ray machine is similar to ones used for humans, but with less radiation and thus minimized risk to the seed health. The bank has nearly 4,000 collections, some dating back to the 1960s, reports the Canberra Times.
Aerial reinforced crop monitoring for better productivity: International precision ag-tech firm Taranis is partnering with crop solution firms ADAMA and Landmark in Australia to provide integrated crop surveillance and protection services for “enhanced solutions and greater value to help Australian growers increase their food production and stand out in an increasingly competitive global market.”, reports Agriculture.com.
Rotting potatoes due to market glut: Potato farmers near Pemberton and Manjimup in West Australia are struggling to move an excess of potatoes to a saturated market, reports Potato News Today. Citing accounts from farmers and the WA Potato Growers Association, the report states that supply is exceeding demand, forcing farmers to either write-off much of their harvest, or find other demand channels, including animal feed.
Mountaintop germplasm rescue mission: Botanists in the coming five years will work with local rangers in far north Queensland's Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, to gather and preserve a number of endemic species of plants that could be at risk of losing their habitat due to climate change, reports ABC Australia. The scientists will specifically target tiny orchids, huge trees and Australia's only native rhododendrons from Mount Lewis, and will preserve the samples at “subtropical and cool-climate botanic gardens in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, where they will be propagated in conservation collections and used in research and education”.
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[expand title="Cambodia"]
Committee for Better River Basin Water Security: In a move that will see improved management of valuable and contested water resources in Central Cambodia’s Chinit River Basin, the Governor of Kampong Thom Province has formally authorized and agreed to head the Stung Chinit River Basin Management Committee, which comprises provincial and local government stakeholders as well as “citizen representatives of small-scale forestry, farming and fishing groups”. According to a report from Winrock International, the establishment of the committee was facilitated by the USAID-backed Sustainable Water Partnership or SWP, an initiative that has thus far has conducted “studies and assessments including an initial basin water balance study, a water quality investigation, a household water survey, a biodiversity assessment, an irrigation infrastructure and management review, institutional assessment, and a stakeholder analysis.” The committee is set to convene in a meeting on April 30 in which members and stakeholders will begin to work on an action plan to address water security in the watershed with various competing interests, including agriculture, fishing, mining, lumber and ecological.
New Chinese-built road to improve connectivity, transport of crops: A 200-km road road, which is being paved out through three provinces spanning the mountainous southwest part of Cambodia along its border with Thailand, stands to increase connectivity, especially for crop movements. The estimated $200 million road, being built by a Chinese state-run company, will connect the coastal province of Koh Koh Kong in the south to Thmar Da in Pursat’s Veal Veng district and to Samlaut in Pailin province, spanning through Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary in the Western Cardamom Mountains.
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[expand title="China"]
Preserving Chinese Biodiversity & Germplasm: As of the end of 2018, the Southwest China Wildlife Germplasm Resource Bank in Yunnan had preserved more than 22,000 samples of germplasm resources. The work of the bank is part of extensive efforts by China to preserve both wild and cultivated germplasm in accordance with the Convention on the Protection of Biological Diversity. The figure includes 10,048 seed samples, 6,154 DNA samples, 2,003 in-vitro materials, 294 cell lines, 1,180 vertebrates, and 2,240 microbial species. More than half of China’s wildlife biodiversity can be found in Yunnan, hence the selection of the province for the bank. Established with a budget of about 148 million yuan, the bank is operated by the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences. It includes seed banks, DNA, plant and microbiology libraries (built by Yunnan University) as well as an animal germplasm resource bank (built by the Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences), and is utilized as a base experimental platform for plant genomics and seed biology research and development. Other efforts throughout China include the establishment of thousands of nature reserves, and seed banks, which together have preserved some 600,000 samples of various germplasm resources.
Ramping up seed inspections in Anhui: Xinhua reports that the Anhui Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs will increase inspections of seed producers, distributors and retailers this year, especially around the spring and fall periods. Focus of the inspections will be on compliance with and implementation of regulations and requirements for seed labeling, including the use of QR codes (as previously reported by Asian Seed) , as well as variety validation, registration, licensing, filing,production and operation files and seed quality. According to the news, inspections will aim to cover no less than 70% of seed production, distribution and retail sites, while inspections at said sites will aim to cover no less than 50% of the seeds at said sites.
Foreign seeds a boon for Inner Mongolia planting: Sina.com reports on the trend of importing various types of crop seeds intended for breeding and planting in Inner Mongolia. Many tonnes seeds of corn, rice, wheat, vegetables, sunflower, cotton, sugar beet, oats and alfalfa have been imported through Tianjin Customs, from Germany, Belgium, Canada and the US.
Tomato disease symposium: The World Vegetable Center, Taiwan Agricultural Research Institution and the National Chung Hsing University are co-organizing the 6th International Symposium on Tomato Diseases from 6-9 May, 2019 in the city of Taichung: Six expert speakers have been confirmed: Dr. Nemo Peeters (French National Institute for Agriculture Research, Paris/INRA); Dr. Moshe Lapidot (Volcani Center, Agriculture Research Organization, Israel); Dr. Kai-Shu Ling (USDA ARS US Vegetable Laboratory); Prof David M. Francis (Ohio State University, USA); Prof. William Earl Fry (Cornell University / Emeritus) and Prof. Shyi-dong Yeh (National Chung Hsing University).
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[expand title="India"]
Lawsuit pending over PVP infringement of Lays potatoes: PepsiCo India has offered to drop its lawsuit against four farmers in Gujarat who allegedly were cultivating a variety of potato protected under India's IP laws. PesiCo, which produces Lay potato chips in India, was
seeking damages of 10 million rupees from each farmer, claiming the farmers were illegally growing the FC-5 variety of potato, which the company claims exclusivity to under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights (PPVFR) Act 2001. During an initial hearing on April 26, PepsiCo offered to drop the lawsuit if the farmers agreed to either stopped growing the variety, or joined the company's
authorized cultivation program in which PepsiCo would offer seed potato to the farmers under license.
One man and 10 million trees: The Better India reports on the inspirational story of Premji Patel, an 86-year-old man from Gujarat whose efforts to plant tonnes of seeds over the decades have transformed a once-barren stretch of land across the three districts of Rajkot, Gondal, and Mangrol into a verdant forest today. Inspired by a tale about an African Shepherd who had accidentally turned a dessert into a forest, Premji Patel in 1968 began collecting, preserving and planting seeds. Over the years, he has helped establish a community collective of seed savers and suppliers, and has reportedly planted “550 tons of seeds of trees like Prosopis Julliflora and local varieties like aawal, grass seeds, karanj, neem, palash…” He is also credited for leading and initiating massive waterwork projects throughout Gujarat.
Bengaluru potato startup raises funds for Improved Seeds: New and improved high-yielding and disease-resistant potato varieties are on the cards for the Indian market, following news that Bengaluru-based agri-tech startup, Uktal Tubers, has secured $1.44 million from Ireland-headquartered International Potato Group Limited. Uktal, which operates in seven Indian states, will use the funds to procure improved cultivation technology and seed potato suited to Indian climatic conditions, reports Yourstory.com
Pulse imports falling: Citing figures from the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, an article by the Business Standard forecasts for imports of pulses into India to continue on a downtrend. The article cites increased productivity in India will likely see imports fall by 68% in the 2019-2020 year, after imports in the current 2018-2019 are espected to reach only 2.5 million tonnes.
PPP full potential yet to be realized: Speaking at the National Conference on Agriculture Extension on April 23, Dr. AK Singh, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension) at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), said that public-private-partnership (PPP) model should be explored to its full potential to close a gap in the availability of the extension agents for farmers, reports Rural Marketing India.
95 million farmers targeted for real time weather forecast service: As part cooperation between the Indian Meteorological Department and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to reduce weather-related crop losses, infrastructure to provide farmers with real time weather alerts via smartphones and a dedicated web portal is being implemented across 6,500 blocks in 660 districts across India. Currently, some 40 million farmers already benefit from district-level weather forecasts and the plan is to more-than-double this number by 2020.
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[expand title="Indonesia"]
Indonesian farmers embrace nuclear-bred seeds: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports on the latest progress with its joint project involving the breeding of new plant varieties using radiation mutation engineering techniques. The project, which the IAEA has been implementing since 1997 in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Indonesia’s National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN), the Indonesian government and private sector, has to date yielded improved traits for some 35 different varieties of plants, including rice and soybeans. Target traits include increased yields, reduced cultivation time and resistance to stressors and diseases. Once new varieties are developed and selected, the seeds are supplied to farmers via the Ministry of Agriculture and seed producers, while Indonesia’s Ministry of Industry is in charge of transferring the technology to small and medium-sized enterprises or start-up companies.
Raising the chocolate bar: Though Indonesia is already a top producer of cocoa beans, and one of the top suppliers of cocoa, there is ambition there to focus on premium beans for producing chocolate that can compete with European producers -- not only to supply international markets, but domestic as well; however, there are some challenges as many of the country’s cocoa plantations are ageing and farmers have been pressured in recent years to switch to other crops, reports Live Trading News.com.
Palm oil popular over rice, other crops: A report by The East Asia Forum highlights several reasons why many Indonesian paddy farmers are keen on shifting to palm oil over other crops. One reason is that paddy prices are intentionally kept low for consumption. Moreover, other crops are less resilient to adverse weather, and moreover, prices have been relatively stable, likewise.
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[expand title="Japan"]
Global GAP Certification for vegetable seedlings: Saitama Prefecture Agriculture and Forestry Public Corporation’s Seedling Center has acquired “Global GAP” certification for the production of five types of vegetable seedlings, including strawberry and green onion, reports Mainichi Japan.
Spring Seedling Student Sale: Japanese high school students in April made the press with the sale of spring seedlings of various spring garden vegetables and flowers to the public. Planted by students in the Sanda city of Hyōgo Prefecture in February and March were dozens of popular vegetable and ornamental varieties, including tomato, pumpkin, edamame, cabbage, begonias, dahlias and marigold, among others, reports mainichi Japan. In a similar annual event, student gardeners from the Fukuchiyama High School in Sawna of Kyoto sold some 15,000 seedlings of eggplants, peppers, tomatoes and flowers to local buyers.
New Vegetable Theme Park: On April 26, the “Kagome Vegetable Life Farm Fujimi” vegetable theme park opened, reports SSNP Japan. Located on a 21-hectare plot of land in the town of Fujimi of Nagono Prefecture’s Suwa region, the park will integrate, agriculture, food industry and tourist sightseeing attractions and activities. There are tomato greenhouses and fallow-irrigated cultivation fields and a food processing facility on site. Entrance to the park will be free, but guests can also pay to partake in various activities, such as cooking and gardening courses. A Farmhouse houses fresh vegetables, produce and processed goods, and a restaurant serves authentic Italian food.
The Flowers of Kannonyama: A new picture book has been published highlighting 107 flower and ornamental species found in the Kannonyama Family Park in Takasaki city of the Gunma Prefecture. The publication follows the publication of a 2017 book that documented forest trees found in the park.
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[expand title="Korea"]
Check out germplasm from Seoul Seed Library: One of the interesting attractions of the new Seoul Botanical Garden, which is being developed in its final stages of construction, is a seed library that allows citizens to check-out seed samples on the condition they return new samples after cultivating in their own garden. The new garden also features greenhouse spaces that simulate different climes around the planet, including “Tropicana” and “Mediterrian” themes. Though finishing touches on the project are ongoing, visitors can visit parts of the garden, greenhouses and seed library.
Preserving Korean Pine Heritage: Dynews.co.kr reports on the revealing of a successful project to preserve two species of pine tree that were previously declared National Monuments of Korea: The Seowonri Pine Tree (National Monument no. 352) and Jeongipum Pine Tree (National Monument no. 103). The project began in 2010, when the Boeun Army established nursery sites in two villages in Jangan-myeon and started collecting pine cones from the two pine trees through consultation with the Forest Service with permission from the Cultural Heritage Administration. Seeds were extracted from the cones and tens of thousands of seedlings have since been propagated and planted.
Gardening for senior well-being: Under the 'Happy Seed Gardening' social-security project in the Gunja-dong community of Gwangjin-gu in Seoul, 24 low-income senior citizens are being taught and encouraged to garden, with the aim of addressing both loneliness and health, reports viva100.com
Urban Gardening Projects Popular: On March 30, the Mayor of Seoul district of Gangdong-gu, Mr. Lee Jung-hoon presided over a ceremony to unveil eight community gardens under an urban-farming initiative that has brought together training, resources and volunteers in the district to grow and exchange fruit, vegetables and other produce, reports Asiae.co.kr.
In a similar community gardening event on April 2 in the city of Daejeon of South Chungcheong Province, free handouts of seedlings, seeds and vegetables were rapidly exhausted as local citizens are ever keen to network, garden and take control of their food security through urban gardening, reports Daejonibo.com.
Ancient seeds, bones offer insight into ancient palace diet: Interesting details have emerged from a recent excavation of a moat at the ancient Korean fortress-palace of Gyeongju Wolseong Palace Site (Banwolseong Fortress) in North Gyeongsang Province. In addition to animal bones of various animals including boars and bears, anthropologists also excavated tens of thousands of seeds, grains and berries of no less than 63 types of plants, including grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts and spices.
The 8th Korea Urban Agriculture Expo will be held at the Cheongju Agricultural Technology Center from May 23 to 26 in the city of Cheongju in North Chungcheong Province. The annual event is being organized jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Livestock, the Rural Development Administration, the Forest Service, and Chungbuk Province. It will feature activities, exhibitions, and workshops focused on techniques, innovation, and exchange of knowledge and resources, including livestock, plants, seeds, fertilizer and other agri inputs.
Free flower seeds on arbor day: The Incheon Forestry Association on April 5 -- a day internationally recognized as Arbor Day -- distributed free flower seeds.
New varieties of high-quality soybean: The Cheongyang Agricultural Technology Center is distributing to farmers high quality soybean seeds that are reported to have good fruit color, high yields, and pest resistance. The soybean seeds had undergone selection, disinfection and packaging using modernized facilities. The seeds, developed and owned by the Agricultural Technology Center, were being sold under license at the rate of 25,580 KRW ($22) per 5kg.
Seeds, seedlings distributed at Gochang Farming Festival: Some 40,000 seedlings and seeds from 20 different types of local produce were exchanged and distributed at a Farming Festival held in the Gochang County of North Jeolla Province, South Korea on April 19, which was attended by some 1,500 persons.
Unification Tractor to bridge South with North: A tractor with practical and symbolic value on April 25 left from Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do, on South Korea’s southern tip, bound for the border with North Korea. The tractor, which was purchased with funds raised by a 120-member group comprising reps from agriculture and cooperative associations and other civil society organizations, is a gesture to narrow the many-decade rift between the North and South. It was set to arrive at the border at Imjingak, and transferred to the North, pending approval from officials there.
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[expand title="Malaysia"]
Palm oil, rubber farmers diversifying agriculture: The Sun Daily reports on government efforts to help struggling farmers explore alternatives to palm oil and rubber farming. Since 61 years ago, the two cash crops have been planted across 490,000 hectares nationwide under land schemes set up by the Federal Land Development Authority. Due to dwindling demand and falling prices, however, farmers are struggling, prompting officials to explore alternatives for the farmers, including the cultivation of pineapple, figs, rabbits and cattle.
Market assistance for Sarawak farmers: Among the initiatives taken by Malaysia’s Agriculture and Agro-based Ministry to support farmers in rural parts of Sarawak to market their crops include the Contract Farm, Direct Sales from Farm (JTDL) and the MyBest Buy (MBB) programs. Last year some 160 vegetable farmers benefited from the Contract Farm Program, generating RM15.23 million ($3.68mn) from 269.82 hectares of land, while 333 fruit farmers earned RM26.36 mn ($6.36 mn) from 626.7 ha of land. Marketing guidance, valued at RM180.77 mn ($43.7mn) has also benefited 5,821 farmers, reports the Borneo Post.
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[expand title="New Zealand"]
Evidence of ancient taro cultivation: A team of researchers from Australian National University, Auckland University and Auckland Museum found evidence that taro may have been cultivated by Māori in New Zealand, even before colonization. The team. analysed buried sediments from swamps on Ahuahu-Great Mercury Island off New Zealand's Coromandel peninsula, reports Radio New Zealand.
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[expand title="Pakistan"]
Govt ensures availability of staple kharif crop seeds: The government of Pakistan is taking steps to ensure that there are enough sowing seeds to meet requirements for the coming kharif or rainy season, especially for rice, maize, cotton, pulse and vegetable farmers. Urdu Point reports on requirement and procurement figures cited by the government for various types of crops, with most of the available seeds exceeding requirements.
A slowdown in crop productivity in the latest kharif season, as well as reduced sowing in the coming rabi season are cited as factors in slumping economic growth in Pakistan, reports the Business Recorder. The article examines the prospects of multiple crops, including wheat, cotton, fruits and vegetables underlining an expected 2% decline in the country’s agriculture sector in 2018-2019.
Steady progress with Balochistan onion seed project: A project to improve onion seed project in Balochistan is realizing progress, reports Dawn.com. However, there is some room for improvement with regard to state support. The project, which has been organized by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), in cooperation with the World Vegetable Centre and the Agriculture Research Institutehas organized production in Quetta, Mastung, Pishin, Chaghi and Noshki.
Though Pakistan is a leading producer and exporter of several staple food crops, including rice, wheat and maize, much economic potential is not being realized due to an estimated 10-20% ub post-harvest losses, which are linked to insufficient grain storage capabilities, writes Shabbir H. Kazmi in an op-ed published by the EurasianView.
Water Table Authority in Works: To ensure better manage of depleting water resources, the government of Pakistan is discussing plans to establish a Water Table Regulatory Authority, reports Urdu Point.
Ag middlemen days may be numbered: Urdu Point reports that the National Assembly Standing Committee on Planning and Development had been informed early in April that the government will aim to remove middlemen from transactions of agriculture produce so as to ensure maximum profitability for farmers. The article did not specify how this would be accomplished, but did provide an update on the China Pakistan Economic Cooridor, in which some $20 billion worth of agriculture related projects had been completed.
Seedball workshop for reforestation efforts in Margalla Hills: The Islamabad Wildlife Management Board organized a workshop for local residents to learn how to make seed balls. The effort is part of a project which aims to make 100,000 seed balls for planting in the Margalla Hills National Park. The seed balls are made from indigenous forest species seeds, coated with layers of clay and compost to protect the seeds from adverse environmental conditions so as to ensure eventual germination.
Ginneries report reduction in seed cotton: According to the News International in Pakistan, there has been nearly a 7% year-on-year reduction in the amount of seed cotton ginneries have received in 2018-2019. Citing figures form the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association, the report said that Pakistani gineries received some 10.7 million bales of seeded cotton through to April 15, compared to 11.57 mn bales the previous year.
New bioherbicide for wheat: The University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, in collaboration with Jaffer Agro Services has developed a new bioherbacide containing Allelopathic Bacteria which has shown to be an effective bio-control against weeds of Wheat. The agent is meant to be a treatment for seeds, reports Urdu Point.
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[expand title="Philippines"]
GM Success Story in the Philippines: Thanks to efforts by the Philippines government and agriculture industry to promote and develop new technologies, commercial cultivation area of GM-maize in the Southeast country jumped from 10,000 hectares in 2003 to 550,000 ha in 2017, which reportedly benefits some 470,500 farmers. This is according to a new report published by the Asia - Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) entitled “GM Maize in the Philippines – A Success Story”. The 85-page publication can be downloaded from this link on APAARI’s website:
Rice imports on the up with new tarification bill: A report by the Oxford Business Group, which was published by the Borneo Post, provides a lot of interesting details, figures and projections about the impacts of the Philippines new Rice Tarrification Bill, which went into effect in March. The new law removes caps on rice imports, and allows licensed private operators to import rice into the Philippines directly, whereas in the past importers had to go through the National Food Authority as an intermediary. And even though rice and paddy imports will now be subject to higher tariffs (35% if from an ASEAN state and 50% if from outside of ASEAN), rice imports are on the rise, and the country expects tariffs to generate some 27 billion pesos (US$511 million) per year. To help boost productivity in local rice production, a fund to the tune of 10 billion pesos (US$190.2 million) has been approved, which will be used to provide seeds, inputs and training to local farmers.
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[expand title="Thailand"]
Integrated Agriculture To The Rescue: The Southern Thai province of Krabi is known the world over for its picturesque, tropical, coastal mountain scapes that lure droves of tourists from far and wide. In fact, a large part of the province’s economy is based on mono-cropping plantation agriculture, which in recent years has left many of its farmers vulnerable to volatile economics and geopolitics. Of the province’s 1.8 million rai (288,000 hectares) of land being utilized for agriculture, 1.1 million rai (176,000 ha) are palm oil plantations, while another 580,000 rai (92,800 ha) are para rubber plantations -- both crops of which have suffered from plummeting prices and contracting global demand. To alleviate those farmers struggling to adapt, the provincial land development station has implemented a crop diversification project based on HM the late king’s Sufficiency Economy principles. Under the project in the Bang Charoen village of the Ao Luk district, station officials subdivided 60 two-rai (0.8 acre) plots of land for local farmers to utilize in the cultivation of annual and perennial vegetables, which can provide a more immediate and regular stream of income -- up to three cycles per year, compared to the annual harvest of prevailing plantation crops that require many years of maturity before an initial harvest. Moreover, the project offers training workshops for the farmers, covering everything from irrigation and weeding to soil revival and fertilizer production, reports Siam Rat (Thai language report)
Similarly, just across the Phang Nga Bay, the Phuket Land Development Office has also been active training local agriculturalists on various sufficiency-economy principles and techniques, including wastewater and soil management, reports Thai Rath.
Free Breeding, Horticulture Courses for Public: The Bangkok Public Parks Office has opened registration to the Thai public for four upcoming courses. The first course, which will be offered in two slots (May 10-12 and June 7-9) is horticulture-focused and will cover techniques for planting and breeding of plants, extending to hydroponics, ground herbs and vermiculture; the second course, offered in two slots (May 24-25 and July 13-15) will focus on the growing and breeding of flowers and ornamental plants, with an emphasis on various species, such as orchids, bonzai and lotus, among others; the third course (June 21-23) will focus on tree health and diagnostics; the fourth course (July 23-25) will cover various diy gardening skills such as composting, mushroom processing, herbal pesticide and home-made hormone production. All courses will be held between 9am and 4pm at the glass house of Lumpini Park in central Bangkok. Registration is open until the end of April, with more details in Thai here.
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[expand title="Vietnam"]
Urban aquaponics on Saigon rooftop: Pham Dung is a great example of the sustainable modern-day city gardener. Making the most of his 40 square meter urban terrace, Mr Dung has set up a three-tier aquaponics system, which includes orchids and ornamentals at the top; vegetables in the middle and fish tanks at the bottom, which combine for the perfect city garden and food production system that doesn't waste water and isn’t threatened by pest and disease. According to the urban farmer, the key to success is to pay attention to the essentials of water, nutrients, seed selection and daily maintenance of the system.
Vietnamese flower industry challenged to bloom: About half of Vietnam’s commercial flowers are reportedly produced in the Lam Dong Province. According to a report by the Business Times China, the country’s industry is struggling to sustain growth. The article cites a lack of cultivation technologies, and Intellectual Property Rights and research as some of the reasons holding productivity and innovation back.
Membrane melons to the rescue: Hoang Van Huong is one young shining example of the new savvy agriculturalists of Vietnam. After graduating from university, the motivated young agriculturalist decided to stray from traditional agricultural techniques applied by family, and adopt Israeli cultivation techniques to grow melons in a modern greenhouse, complete with micro irrigation and censors for automation. His initial investment of 500 million VND ($21,000) saw a 20% return in his initial harvest of two tonnes from 300 plants. He has since continued improved his cultivation to be more productive and efficient throughout the production stages, extending from seed selection to harvest.
Seedless American grape varieties show promise: Grape farmers in Vietnam’s Ninh Phuoc district of Ninh Thuan province are reporting success in the trialing of seedless grape varieties imported from the US. The area is already a famous locale for grape, wine and related products.
Trials with climate resilient rice variety in Binh Dinh: Vina Seeds, an APSA member, in collaboration with Binh Dinh Department of Agriculture and Rural Development are reporting success thus far with trials of the VNR20 rice seed variety. Trials are being carried out on 30 hectares in the An Nhon town of Binh Dinh. The flood-tollerant inbred variety of rice is expected to yield 82.4 quintals / ha in the trials.
Salinity-tolerant hybrid rice variety: The 9 Tao LK rice cooperative [transcribed] in the Song Loc commune of H. Chau Thanh, T.Tà Vinh reports that their Like Tao Tim 39 [transcribed] hybrid variety of rice has can grow normally in up to 5% salinity conditions, and in normal conditions can yield up to 9 t / ha.
Cucurbit Sustenance to Sustainability: A family farm in the Ha Bi commune, Kim Boi district of Hoa Binh province is raking in an annual income of VND 2 billion ($86,000) from melons and cucumbers, which are grown in modern, irrigated greenhouses across 6,000 square meters. The margins are expected to increase thanks to securing a contract to grow and export cucumbers to Japan.
Kindergarten farm school 100 per cent food self sufficient: Some Vietnamese schools are investing in agriculture for education and sustainability purposes. One such school is the Shining StarFarm, which is about 30km from the Hanoi city center. The farm has an area of 7ha, where fresh produce is grown to supply the international kindergarten’s various campuses.
Best practices for optimal yields: Farmers representing seven households managing 2.8 hectares of land in Binh Chanh district have benefited from technology and input transfer initiative rolled out by the Ho Chi Minh City Agricultural Extension Center. Applying techniques for seed treatment, sowing density, fertilizer and pesticide management as outlined by VietGAP standard, the farmers look to maximize productivity of leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and pak choy. Accordingly, for spinach, they expect to achieve germination rate of 70% and survival rate of 95% with yields of 20 tonness / ha; For broccoli, the target for germination is 80%, and 98% survival with yields of 22 tonnes.
Flower power in Danang: Danviet reports on one Vietnamese farmer in the Hoa Vang district who has a two-hectare flower farm and nursery, where he grows about 20,000 flower plants a year, generating about 1 billion dong in revenue. ($43,000)
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