Why Bamboo should not be planted in your home

Bamboo is a trendy star of the eco-friendly construction movement, with a wide variety of flooring, furniture and other items being manufactured with the strong, fast-growing grass. However, bamboo production should be left to commercial growers. Bamboo’s hardiness and rapid growth make it a problematic plant for most yards. Here are the top five reasons not to plant bamboo in your garden.

1. Bamboo can spread into neighboring yards.

Many homeowners plant bamboo to create a fast-growing privacy screen around their home. Ted Jordan Meredith, author of "Bamboo for Gardens," notes that some bamboo species can grow more than three feet per day. Bamboo can spread as quickly as it grows, and it doesn’t respect fences or property lines.

Bamboo grows particularly vigorously when adjacent to irrigated lawns and gardens or in low-lying areas that collect water. Instead of just blocking the view of nosy neighbors, you could be turning your property line into a war zone by planting bamboo.

Some bamboo species may even be categorized as noxious weeds, meaning a neighbor could legally force you to remove your bamboo. You could also be liable for the cost of any damage to the neighbors’ property caused by your bamboo, and for the cost of removal from their property.

2. Bamboo can be an invasive threat to biodiversity.

Bamboo that spreads and escapes your yard can also cause ecological problems. Many spreading bamboo species are categorized as invasive exotic plants that crowd out native plants and threaten biodiversity.

The best ways to contain spreading bamboo can be expensive and complicated, and may not be worth pursuing for many homeowners. Moreover, they are not foolproof. Experts at the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension office recommend burying thick 60-ml polypropylene or fiberglass about three feet deep, and leaving another two inches of material above the soil to inhibit surface spreading. Morgan Judy of Clemson University Cooperative Extension suggests creating a solid barrier made of concrete, metal or pressure-treated wood at least 18 inches deep around the bamboo.

Any of these barriers should stop shallow bamboo rhizomes from spreading, but Judy still recommends closely monitoring the area for escaping shoots, particularly during the early summer peak growing season.

3. Getting rid of bamboo can take years.

Bamboo is a long-term relationship that should not be entered lightly. It may take years and vigorous effort to remove unwanted bamboo. The first step in removing bamboo is to remove all the root mass and rhizomes. This is easier said than done, and many homeowners with bamboo-loving neighbors complain they can’t get rid of the spreading grass. No matter how much they dig, the shoots keep coming back.

Judy suggests frequent mowing can deplete and starve the bamboo, but it take at least two years of regular mowing to see any results.

4. Getting rid of bamboo may require herbicides.

Moreover, Judy notes that chemical herbicides are often necessary for controlling bamboo. This can be a problem for those trying to maintain organic gardens and avoid herbicide use.

She recommends Roundup Original, Quick Kill Grass and Weed Killer and other herbicides containing glyphosate. This broad-spectrum herbicide has minimal residual soil activity and typically only kills the plants that are directly sprayed. Mow or chop the bamboo and let it regrow until new leaves expand. Then spray the herbicide on the leaves.

Again, this could take years. One application will not solve your bamboo problem. Also, Judy warns that only specialized glyphosate herbicides should be used near creeks, ponds and other surface water. Eraser AQ, Pondmaster and other products are approved for use near water.

5. The right bamboo can be hard to find.

Bamboo’s defenders will argue that not all of the more than 1,000 bamboo species are equally invasive. They recommend clumping bamboo species rather than spreading types. The problem is that even clumping species spread, albeit not as vigorously. It also can be hard to differentiate between the types, and some are mislabeled. Moreover, other similar invasive species may be confused with bamboo. For example, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension officials warn against transplanting or encouraging the giant reed (Arundo donax), a bamboo look-alike that has invaded parts of their state.

Bamboo may seem like an attractive garden option, but it poses serious problems. Stick to a lucky bamboo in a small indoor pot, or avoid growing bamboo altogether. Moreover, do your homework before buying bamboo flooring and other products. It may not be as eco-friendly or durable as you think.

Source: MNN

Published on: 07/17/2011

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Paddy farmers a confused lot

Farmers in the district who have raised paddy nurseries in anticipation of good harvest in rabi season, are in confused as to go ahead with transplantation of the seedlings from nurseries to the main fields or drop the cultivation at nursery-stage itself to minimise the losses.

Reason for it is the continuing poor monsoon coupled with insufficient release of water from reservoirs for irrigation.

Already, it has been a poor season for paddy in the district this year with acreage under the crop been almost nil in the just-ended kharif season.

According to official statistics, paddy nurseries have come up on 110 acres to produce the seedlings required for 1,300 hectares of paddy cultivation during the just-commenced rabi season.

K.C.M. Balasubrmaniam, a progressive farmer and a former agriculture economist of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, told The Hindu that in the present drought-like situation, it would be ‘technically’ unwise to go for transplantation to main cultivable areas as preparatory works in the main field itself requires lot of water.

“But with paddy is seen as a major grain crop, the district administration could try out a solution to ensure transplantation by going for micro-level interventions.

“Accordingly, the farmers who are struggling the most for the water need to be identified and then provide them with at least six hours of uninterrupted power supply daily for almost two months as ‘emergency cases’ to enable them draw groundwater for irrigation,” he said.

Considering the seriousness of the situation and protect the paddy acreage, the department of agriculture is planning to enthuse the farmers to go for a ‘modified’ implementation of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) technique so that whatever water available through canal irrigation could be judiciously used.

“Use of SRI methodology has advantages as it requires ‘reduced height of standing water’ when compared to traditional cultivation practices,” Joint Director of Agriculture M.K. Sherif said.

This apart, the department will also be distributing power weeders at subsidised rates to remove weeds for ensuring better root growth and power sprayers to help farmers fight pest attacks.

Regulating Pesticides -- an Impossible Job

It's an old joke that one should never look too closely at how sausage is made or how legislation is passed. That's also true for how pesticides are regulated.

I began to look too closely when three of my colleagues were working on a pesticide data base. I watched them, asked questions, and learned how the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the amount of pesticide in our food.

For those who haven't the stomach to delve into the details, here's the main conclusion. No one really knows how much of the 1.3 million tons of pesticides used annually by U.S. farmers shows up in our food. No one knows what a safe level of pesticide ingestion might be. The EPA is working in a haze of statistical and scientific uncertainty.

Now, for you brave ones who want to look at the innards, here's how the process works.

A company wanting to market a new pesticide must test it by feeding increasing amounts of it to laboratory animals. The toxicity of the pesticide is measured by how much it takes to kill 50% of the animals outright. Other tests of internal and external exposure determine whether the chemical causes cancers or birth defects.

The test data are submitted to the EPA. They are scientific observations, fairly incontestable as long as the test lab is honest. The EPA must then convert these animal results to permissible human exposures and farm application procedures. That requires a lot of assumptions.

First the EPA determines a No Observable Effects Level (N.O.E.L.) -- the daily dose that produces no visible ill effect on test animals. Assumptions: 1) no observable effect means no actual effect; 2) there is some safe level of exposure to this chemical (except for carcinogens, where the assumption is that no exposure is safe -- an assumption hotly contested by the chemical companies.)

Then comes the problem of converting data from animals to human beings. Assumption: humans are 10 to 100 times more sensitive to pesticides than are test animals. The EPA takes the N.O.E.L., divides it by some number between 10 and 100, and calls that the Acceptable Daily Intake (A.D.I.).

The EPA determines, for example, an A.D.I. of .05 milligrams of Captan per kilogram of body weight per day. Captan is a fungicide used on apples, tomatoes, peas, sweet corn, onions, beans, squash, carrots, and oranges. How can the EPA know how much of each of those foods you eat every day, so it can set permissible residue levels for each crop that won't add up to more Captan than you should be eating?

Assumption: we all eat the average American diet. The EPA has survey data on what a sampling of Americans eat. It averages us all together, you and me and your finicky two-year-old and my vegetarian grandfather.

Given the average diet it sets tolerances for each chemical and crop -- maximum permissible amounts of Captan on apples and beans. Then it lays down field procedures specifying how much Captan can be used on each crop, and what period must elapse between application and harvest, to assure that crops will meet tolerance.

A lot more assumptions creep in here. 1) The public's only exposure to a pesticide comes through food ingestion. 2) When several pesticides are present in the diet together, they do not do more damage than they would separately. 3) Farmers obey field guidelines. 4) Obeying field guidelines results in tolerances being met.

Crop samples are taken by the Department of Agriculture to test for compliance. Some of the samples do have pesticide levels over tolerance. Many crops have residues far below tolerance, and some farmers use no pesticides at all.

My colleagues did an experiment to test just one of this long string of assumptions. They calculated the pesticide exposures of people who do not happen to eat the average national diet. They used data on the actual diets of people of different ages, sexes, and ethnic groups. Their findings were especially striking for children.

According to their calculations, children 1-6 years old receive more than the acceptable daily intake of 10 out of 18 fungicides they investigated. Some of the calculated overexposure levels were enormous -- from 5 to 200 times the acceptable daily intake. (Calculations were made for only 18 fungicides out of 600 possible pesticides.)

Does this mean our children are being poisoned? Probably not, but the EPA can't be sure of that. All anyone can say is that, assuming that foods contain pesticides at the tolerance level, and assuming the EPA's definition of safe exposure, the average child eating an average child's diet, as revealed by one nutrition survey, is overexposed to 10 of the 18 pesticides investigated.

The EPA has no choice but to operate on assumptions. No one fully understands the effects of pesticides on the human body. The EPA Office of Pesticide Programs has a finite (and shrinking) budget. The task of regulating 600 chemicals on 376 crops in the hands of 3 million farmers who feed 240 million people is far beyond what any agency, no matter how well-funded, can handle.

My personal conclusion from this exercise in looking too closely is that, if we are to go on using pesticides, much more research and monitoring needs to be done. It should be paid for by the chemical companies who are profiting from this massive experiment in which we are all the white rats. And in the meantime, I'll get as much food as I can from my own garden and from farmers whose methods I know and trust.

Copyright Sustainability Institute
This article from The Donella Meadows Archive is available for use in research, teaching, and private study. For other uses, please contact Sustainability Institute, 3 Linden Road, Hartland, VT 05048, (802) 436-1277.

Shock findings in new GMO study: Rats fed lifetime of GM corn grow horrifying tumors, 70% of females die early

Eating genetically modified corn (GM corn) and consuming trace levels of Monsanto's Roundup chemical fertilizer caused rats to develop horrifying tumors, widespread organ damage, and premature death. That's the conclusion of a shocking new study that looked at the long-term effects of consuming Monsanto's genetically modified corn.

The study has been deemed "the most thorough research ever published into the health effects of GM food crops and the herbicide Roundup on rats." News of the horrifying findings is spreading like wildfire across the internet, with even the mainstream media seemingly in shock over the photos of rats with multiple grotesque tumors... tumors so large the rats even had difficulty breathing in some cases. GMOs may be the new thalidomide.

"Monsanto Roundup weedkiller and GM maize implicated in 'shocking' new cancer study" wrote The Grocery, a popular UK publication. (http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/topics/technology-and-supply-chain/monsant...)

It reported, "Scientists found that rats exposed to even the smallest amounts, developed mammary tumors and severe liver and kidney damage as early as four months in males, and seven months for females."

The Daily Mail reported, "Fresh row over GM foods as French study claims rats fed the controversial crops suffered tumors." (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2205509/Fresh-fears-GM...)

It goes on to say: "The animals on the GM diet suffered mammary tumors, as well as severe liver and kidney damage. The researchers said 50 percent of males and 70 percent of females died prematurely, compared with only 30 percent and 20 percent in the control group."



The study, led by Gilles-Eric Seralini of the University of Caen, was the first ever study to examine the long-term (lifetime) effects of eating GMOs. You may find yourself thinking it is absolutely astonishing that no such studies were ever conducted before GM corn was approved for widespread use by the USDA and FDA, but such is the power of corporate lobbying and corporate greed.

The study was published in The Food & Chemical Toxicology Journal and was just presented at a news conference in London.

Findings from the study

Here are some of the shocking findings from the study:

• Up to 50% of males and 70% of females suffered premature death.

• Rats that drank trace amounts of Roundup (at levels legally allowed in the water supply) had a 200% to 300% increase in large tumors.

• Rats fed GM corn and traces of Roundup suffered severe organ damage including liver damage and kidney damage.

• The study fed these rats NK603, the Monsanto variety of GM corn that's grown across North America and widely fed to animals and humans. This is the same corn that's in your corn-based breakfast cereal, corn tortillas and corn snack chips.

The Daily Mail is reporting on some of the reaction to the findings:

France's Jose Bove, vice-chairman of the European Parliament's commission for agriculture and known as a fierce opponent of GM, called for an immediate suspension of all EU cultivation and import authorisations of GM crops. 'This study finally shows we are right and that it is urgent to quickly review all GMO evaluation processes,' he said in a statement. 'National and European food security agencies must carry out new studies financed by public funding to guarantee healthy food for European consumers.' (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2205509/Fresh-fears-GM...)

Read the study abstract

The study is entitled, "A Comparison of the Effects of Three GM Corn Varieties on Mammalian Health." Read the abstract here:
http://www.biolsci.org/v05p0706.htm

That abstract include this text. Note: "hepatorenal toxicity" means toxic to the liver.

Our analysis clearly reveals for the 3 GMOs new side effects linked with GM maize consumption, which were sex- and often dose-dependent. Effects were mostly associated with the kidney and liver, the dietary detoxifying organs, although different between the 3 GMOs. Other effects were also noticed in the heart, adrenal glands, spleen and haematopoietic system. We conclude that these data highlight signs of hepatorenal toxicity, possibly due to the new pesticides specific to each GM corn. In addition, unintended direct or indirect metabolic consequences of the genetic modification cannot be excluded.

Here are some quotes from the researchers:

"This research shows an extraordinary number of tumors developing earlier and more aggressively - particularly in female animals. I am shocked by the extreme negative health impacts." - Dr Michael Antoniou, molecular biologist, King's College London.

"We can expect that the consumption of GM maize and the herbicide Roundup, impacts seriously on human health." - Dr Antoniou.

"This is the first time that a long-term animal feeding trial has examined the impact of feeding GM corn or the herbicide Roundup, or a combination of both and the results are extremely serious. In the male rats, there was liver and kidney disorders, including tumors and even more worryingly, in the female rats, there were mammary tumors at a level which is extremely concerning; up to 80 percent of the female rats had mammary tumors by the end of the trial." - Patrick Holden, Director, Sustainable Food Trust.

Aid to agriculture increases by 130% in China and by 40% in the US

Global support to agriculture per capita in the period 2005-2010 has increased by 130% in China, by 60% in Brazil and by 40% in the United States, while in the European Union it has stayed in the same level since 2005, according to the indicator "Global Support to Agricultural Production (SGPA)" published by the Movement for a World Agricultural Organization, MOMAGRI.

According to the indicator that measures support to agriculture in the planet's four largest agricultural producers (Brazil, China, United States and European Union) in 2010, the first place in absolute value is for the US with 163,000 million dollars; in second place is China with 154,000 million dollars; in third place is the EU with 101,000 million dollars and Brazil is fourth with 38,000 million dollars.

In terms of the percentage of the production's value, the US takes the first place with aid representing 48% of the total value, followed by the EU and Brazil with 24% and finally China with 20%.

According to the report, it appears that Brazil and the US show similar support policies to promote competitiveness and stimulate domestic demand. This way, growers from those countries benefit from regulation tools such as:

1. For Brazil: direct intervention in the market, storage planning and funding for the development of biofuels (42% of the Brazilian AGPA).

2. For the US: countercyclical aid mechanisms carried out by insurers and a large plan for domestic food aid.

Regarding China, the report states that the government enforces policies of intervention and insurance of the agricultural production, especially in the shape of a minimum guaranteed price (258 US$/t for wheat, 291 US$/t for rice in 2010), direct income support, social support programs and tax cuts.

Contrastingly, "the EU is the only one basing its agricultural policy on aid decoupled from production, accompanied by greening criteria," according to MOMAGRI in their statement.

According to MOMAGRI:

- "Despite claims about the maintenance of the CAP budget, results show that, since 2005, Europe has taken a different direction to that of other large world producers, which are making large investments to ensure food security for their populations."

- "The worrying decrease in aid entails that the EU may fall behind; situation which would only get worse if the project for the reform of the CAP goes ahead."

- "If the EU persists in its plan to reform the CAP, falling behind would lead to very severe consequences for European agriculture and the agri-food industry." MOMAGRI does not call for an increase in the CAP's budget, but for the adoption of price regulation mechanisms and, consequently, of the income.

It is the first time that the institution compares the support to agriculture in the world's largest agricultural producers. To date, MOMAGRI had only published comparisons between the EU and the US.

Source: Fepex

Italy: Fruitylife promotes fruit and vegetables via internet and social media

All about EU seasonal fruit, plus info on production process phases, on certifications, on seasonal products and on healthy nutrition. All this and more, on the www.fruitylife.eu/en website, created for the European Fruitylife project, headed by Alimos and co-financed by the EU and the Italian Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

The site has various different sections and uses a refreshingly lively design. By clicking on Fruitylife, visitors can access information on soil-to-table fruit and vegetable traceability, on geographical origin certificates, and on integrated and organic production methods.



The subject of diet is treated from two viewpoints: on the one hand, visitors can find useful nutritional hints for keeping fit and healthy, and on the other, in the Calendar section, they can navigate different months to see which are its natural seasonal products and, in the Recipes section, find original and appetizing ways to make the most of them in the kitchen.



The site is completed by a section called FruiTV, dedicated to a series of videos containing interviews with sector specialists and also flash-documentaries, made to express the project's message in amusing ways.



The project headed by Alimos is also present on social media. On Facebook, the fanpage (www.facebook.com/FruitylifeEurope) accompanies information on the project with info on a wider range of related subjects, in order to stimulate and satisfy users' interest. For real-time updates on the project and on news from the fruit&vegetable front, there's also the Twitter profile (twitter.com/Frulife), while the YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/fruitylifeeurope) offers interviews with, and videos by, the public.



The aim of extending the project's user-pool is also furthered by an internet campaign across the three EU countries, aimed at increasing its visibility both for consumers and in trade circles.

For more information:
Francesco Reggiani / Luca Speroni
FruitylifeFruitecom
Tel: +39 059-7863894

Germany: Endive as an alternative to other types of lettuce

With lettuce varieties being scarce this week, there were several discount actions promoting endive as an alternative. The German Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft (AMI) states that 8 German retailers had the vegetable on sale for prices hovering between 0.79 and 0.99 cents.

The actions created a bigger demand, in turn causing Italian exporters to frequently run out of supplies. Winter conditions affected endive crops and reduced harvest, and also influenced quality of available produce.

Europe: Banana trade has changed

The banana market in Europe is changing. The trade has become much more structured, with supermarkets having more influence than ever before. And these supermarkets have changed their strategy, looking to import the goods themselves. Currently, importers agree on quantities with their business partners. This also applies to the big banana multinationals like Chiquita, Dole and Del Monte. The whole banana trade is more strictly registered, suppliers getting more and more the role of service providers. The same goes for cultivation: more structured and more regulated.

Globalisation is taking effect. Western Europe, with the exception of traditional ACP banana countries like France, UK and Spain, has become a major import market and Central America a major export area. The trade has disappeared. The selling prices are fixed. There is no room for the cowboys of yesteryear. The Fair Trade prices are sound and producers no longer put up with unreasonable prices.

In Eastern Europe more and more bananas are sold under a private label, causing the major brands to slowly disappear. Russia took control of her own import. As a direct result, companies like Sunways, JFC and Sorus went under. Living large has spelled doom for these importers.

Export from Ecuador has decreased markedly. The country is still plagued by the Black Sigatoka disease. In addition, minimum export prices have been established, which are strictly controlled by the government, so there is much less tampering going on in the sector. 

Severe drought has lasting effects on Amazon

The Amazon basin does not readily bounce back after a period of drought, researchers suggest.

Rodrigo Baleia/LatinContent/Getty Images

Hannah Hoag

A study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences¹ sheds light on the long-term effects of drought on the Amazon rainforest — giving clues about how the rainforest might be affected by global warming in the future. The researchers report that the severe drought that hit the rainforest in 2005 had lasting effects on the forest canopy, such that it remained damaged at least four years later.
The effects of the 2005 drought have been debated since 2007, when researchers reported in Science² that photosynthesis within the canopy had increased, leading the Amazon basin to ‘green up’ during the dry period. But in 2010 another group reported that they were unable to reproduce the results using the same data³
“The ‘green-up’ is a short-term response and a bit of a red herring,” says Oliver Phillips, a tropical ecologist at the University of Leeds, UK. But the latest study “transcends that debate”, he says. “The question of the underlying health of the forest is much deeper than the instantaneous response.”

Bare branches

A drawback of the method used in the earlier studies — which used satellite measurements to estimate forest greenness using reflected solar radiation — is that the data can be muddied by clouds and atmospheric aerosols. So for the latest study, Sassan Saatchi, a remote-sensing expert at the California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, studied the forest’s microwave ‘silhouette’, showing its contours instead of its greenness. To look at canopy structure, he and his colleagues used microwave satellite data, which are unaffected by clouds, from a NASA probe. When it passed over lush canopy, the satellite sensor recorded a smooth signal. Bare branches, thinned leaves and missing trees showed more roughness.

Bad timing

“This is the first piece of really strong evidence that the drought has had a negative impact on the forest,” says Greg Asner, an environmental scientist at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Stanford, California.
The latest analysis paints a grim picture for Amazonian rainforests should severe droughts become more frequent. Most Amazonian droughts are driven by warmer surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean, but the severe droughts of 2005 and 2010 seem to have been influenced by warmer sea-surface temperatures in the North Atlantic Ocean.
It could change the drought outlook in the next report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, due in 2014. The most recent report, released in 2007 and based on climate-modelling experiments done before the droughts, was more “speculative”, says Ranga Myneni, an expert in the remote sensing of vegetation at Boston University in Massachusetts, and a co-author on the latest study.
Saatchi says that he hopes to extend the analysis past the 2010 drought using data from the Indian satellite Oceansat-2. If the droughts continue to occur every 5–10 years, the forest edges could begin to transition to dry forests, he warns. “We’d like to say something about how the Amazonian forest has been doing since 2009,” he says.

Journal name:

Nature

DOI:

doi:10.1038/nature.2012.12129

References

1. Saatchi, S. et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1204651110 (2012).
   Show context
2. Saleska, S. R., Didan, K., Huete, A. R. & da Rocha, H. R. Science 318, 612 (2007).
   
   • Article
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3. Samanta, A. et al. Geophys. Res. Lett. 37, L05401 (2010).
   Show context
4. Xu, L. et al. Geophys. Res. Lett. 38, L07402 (2011).

Agriculture: 1 million farmers to get tips by phone

Farmers would have to provide their CNIC numbers, mobile numbers and details related to their agriculture land and crop for registration, says official. IMAGE: CREATIVE COMMON

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FAISALABAD:

The provincial government aims to teach farmers how to use modern production methods by sending them information on their mobile phones.
Agriculture Department officials said that by March the government planned to register one million farmers in the programme. The farmers will be trained to use modern technology to increase production, they said. Moreover, farmers will also be able to ask for solutions to specific problems by sending questions via their mobile phones.
They said that farmers would have to provide their CNIC numbers, mobile numbers and details related to their agriculture land and crop for registration. The details will be sent to a communication technology centre set up at the office of the agriculture director general. The centre will communicate with the farmers.
The Agriculture Department (Faisalabad extension) has been given a target of registering 20,000 farmers for the programme. A registration cell has been set up under the supervision of District Officer Chaudhry Abdul Hameed.
The DO said that the department hoped the programme would improve the farmers’ knowledge of crops and production.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 18^th, 2012.

The Blind Ostrich Head In The Sand Protocol

 

Here are two questions for our esteemed readers, and if anyone is minded to respond, answers, on a postcard please, to our comments section on this Blog.

Question one is this:

Is Kim 'Dotcom' Schmitz an anagram of 'Blind Zombie Ostrich'.

Why do I ask? Well, before move onto question two, we need to look at some background. Schmitz is the large framed MegaUpload boss currently living in New Zealand hoping to avoid extradition to the United States on copyright infringement charges (along with charges of money laundering). He is fighting the extradition.

Now Schmitz, and his business partner Mathias Ortmann, have been talking to Wired about their plans for a new file-transfer platform to replace MegaUpload. In a blinding flash of inspiration, the new file transfer platform is just called 'Mega' and here's the really 'clever' bit - it will include new technology that will automatically encrypt any file a user uploads to the system - and that user will be given a unique key code for each file uploaded, and only someone with that code will be able to access the content that has been stored on the Mega server.

So - no one at Mega can see the file or its contents. Brilliant! Its a real 'mere conduit' - Mega really will just be the postman - they can't look at the files being transferred or swapped because they have all been locked in bomb proof boxes (provided by Mega of course) and only the users have the keys (errrm, provided by Mega). Probably. Ortmann is of the learned opinion that the encryption will protect the Mega's business from any liability for copyright infringement, contributory or otherwise, because there is no way their platform could know what is stored and swapped on its service and (multi jurisdictional servers) and it would be entirely the liability of users if, say, they were swapping or distributing unlicensed music or movie files. Really? A real 'safe harbour' ? A bona fide DCMA "get out of jail free" card?

So Question Two is this: Is the Blind Zombie Ostrich plan just the best business plan you have ever read? And does it defeat any qualms rights owners and the content industries might have about the service set up by Mssrs Dotcom and Ortmann? Will it soar like a golden eagle? Or is it just another turkey? Or are we in cloud cloud cuckoo land (excuse the digi-pun)? Or is it al a bit bird brained?

Over to you! And the answer to question one is NO!

More on MegaBox - another of Mr Dotcom's new ideas here

In other news, The Pirate Bay have announced that they will be moving their entire operation to the cloud, one can only presume to be free of those annoying raids by local law enforcement agencies who seize servers. Mega will have servers in at least two separate countries to maintain a continuity of service, in case one country's legal system goes 'completely berserk'.

http://torrentfreak.com/new-megaupload-will-deflect-copyright-liability-and-become-raid-proof-121018/

My thanks to the ever wonderful CMU Daily for alerting me to this whacky wheeze.

‘Ostrich farming has the power to feed the world’

                                  The global ostrich industry needs 20,000 hides annually.

KARACHI: Ostriches, the most underrated livestock species in Pakistan, have the power to feed the world. The world is witnessing an increasing interest in ostrich breeding and farming because of the wide-ranged of associated benefits attached with it.
“Sindh Board of Investment (SBI) has taken pioneering steps in introducing ostrich farming in Sindh, which later on spread to other parts of the country,” said SBI Chairman Muhammad Zubair Motiwala at a meeting held at SBI’s office.
The demand and prices for ostrich leather and feathers have seldom been better globally and ostrich meat is also increasing sought after internationally for its health qualities.
Motiwala elaborated that ostrich, a flightless bird of African origin, was capable of living in all types of climates and temperatures but was especially at home in dry and hot climates such as those of rural Sindh. It has a long life span, resistance to disease and unparalleled food to weight gain ratio and yields high-quality red meat which is comparable in taste to mutton but is far superior in terms of almost zero fat content and very low cholesterol. “An average ostrich can give 80-100 kilogrammes of meat and its leather is considered of premium quality from which a number of leather products can be manufactured,” Motiwala said adding that feathers of the bird are another derivative which are used in electronics maintenance, fashion industry and other areas.

According to a study conducted by the Pakistan Ostrich Company, Pakistan was ranked in the bottom two among Ostrich producing countries. The study estimates that one hen can generate a revenue of Rs100,000, making it a very profitable opportunity.
Moreover, according to the research, Ostrich’s skin is considered to be the main revenue generator as it can be turned into one of the most luxurious of leathers. One value-added hide of the flightless bird can fetch up to 80% of total revenue earned from the animal as leather obtained of 14 square feet area sells for Rs16,000 in the international market. The global ostrich industry needs 20,000 hides annually.
Riazuddin, director general of the SBI said that despite the fact that Sindh had pioneered ostrich farming, other provinces especially Punjab had taken the lead and currently there were more than 6,000 birds compared to only a few hundred in Sindh.
He said that one main reason that deters livestock farmers from ostrich farming was that ostrich had not been designated as livestock in Pakistan thus depriving ostrich farmers of subsidies and support packages. He further said SBI has taken up the case of legal recognition of ostrich with Fisheries and Livestock Department and positive results were expected.
Tahir Latif, CEO of Pakistan Ostrich Company, the pioneering ostrich farmer, said that concessionary imports of chicks and machinery, access to credit, and dissemination of technical know-how about ostrich rearing to new investors are the dire needs of the hour.
He said that Pakistan Ostrich Company was working to set up a hatchery for indigenous breeding of birds and is also offering consultancy services as well as co-operative investment opportunities to new investors.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2012.

Textile ministry joins farmers in denouncing trade with India

By Zafar Bhutta

Published: November 22, 2012

The Ministry of Textile Industry now says that the future of local industry seems bleak because of the “hasty” decision to open Pakistani markets for Indian textiles.

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ISLAMABAD: After Pakistani farmers’ recent lobbying to prevent imports of agricultural produce from India, the Ministry of Textile Industry, too, seems to be getting cold feet ahead of the liberalisation of trade between the two estranged neighbours. Its apprehensions over the import of Indian textiles have surfaced hardly a month before the government is expected to phase out its negative list for goods tradable with India.

The Ministry of Textile Industry now says that the future of local industry seems bleak because of the “hasty” decision to open Pakistani markets for Indian textiles. It claims that allowing imports at reduced rates under the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) regime will swallow up the domestic textile sector.

Echoing similar concerns first raised by farmers on imports of India’s agricultural produce, the ministry says that the Indian textile industry enjoys “huge” subsidies and tariff protection, which will lead to imbalances in the market and affect Pakistani farmers. It has argued that India and Bangladesh have realised the importance of the textile sector in their economic development, growth of exports and generation of employment and therefore protect their industry. The ministry says that Pakistan should also protect its textile sector, which it fears will be “destroyed” after the entrance of Indian goods into domestic markets.

“We have still not been able to export more than $272 million worth of goods to India, whereas India has exported around $1.5 billion worth of commodities to Pakistan, being allowed 1,900 tariff lines,” the textile ministry said in its comments on trade with India after the grant of the MFN status. It added that Pakistan exported only $45 million worth of textile products to India in 2010, whereas India exported $566 million worth of textile products to Pakistan while the negative list was still in force.

Under the South Asian Free Trade Area (Safta) agreement, tariff rates are to be held between 0%-5% on all products not on a country’s sensitive list. Initially, Pakistan had 1,183 tariff lines on the sensitive list, out of which 293 pertained to textile products. Recently, the Ministry of Commerce whittled the sensitive list by 20% and the sensitive list now contains only 242 textile tariff lines. The Ministry of Textile Industry is worried that there is no indication that India or Bangladesh have done the same, or intend to do so.

“Almost all textile lines in which Pakistan has export potential are itemised in India’s sensitive list. Other than this, India has kept high non-ad valorem duties on most textile products (around 700 tariff lines) which form barriers to Pakistan’s exports,” the textile ministry cautioned. The textile ministry also alleged that India’s multilayered tariff system damages Pakistan’s export prospects to the country.

“India has huge state-owned textile mills and cotton trade. India has also banned the export of cotton, which results in lowering the cost of cotton for Indian textile industries and losses for Pakistani importers of cotton,” the textile ministry additionally noted.

The textile ministry has said that a tariff level for trade with India should be computed scientifically to ensure optimal rates. The ministry also warned that as far as trade defence mechanisms are concerned, Pakistan may have laws in place, but the country has limited experience in handling anti-dumping measures and limited resources to implement protective policies.

“A highly-skilled, well-budgeted and resourceful organisation, along with an organised domestic sector, may take years to develop. Till such time, there will be no mechanism available for the defence of the domestic sector,” the textile ministry says.

It also claimed that the private sector lacks the capacity to initiate or develop a strong case to invoke trade defence laws on the basis of a decrease in capacity utilisation and or loss in domestic market share, as no reliable data has been maintained as far as local production and sales is concerned. Recourse to such data is an important requisite for any kind of defensive action under the World Trade Organization’s laws.

On the other hand, the Indian textile industry – which is the second largest in the world – is enjoying a large protected domestic market, which ensures economies of scale, said the ministry. It said it fears the opening of borders will just increase the outreach of Indian textiles under the umbrella of SAFTA tax regimes.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2012.

Do farmers markets boost area economy?

Ten years ago, farmers markets in Michigan were few and far between, with only 90 existing in the state. Today, the state boasts more than 250 farmers markets, and a recently-released report finds these markets are more than just a place to shop for local produce. Farmers markets also can boost the economy and provide jobs.

While farmers markets are growing in numbers nationally, they could be doing a lot better, according to a report released Thursday by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). What’s holding farmers markets back? Federal policies that favor industrial agriculture at their expense, the report stated.

“On the whole, farmers markets have seen exceptional growth, providing local communities with fresh food direct from the farm,” stated Jeffrey O’Hara, the author of the report and an economist with UCS’s Food and Environment Program. “But our federal food policies are working against them. If the U.S. government diverted just a small amount of the … subsidies it (gives to) industrial agriculture to support these markets and small local farmers, it would not only improve American diets, it would generate tens of thousands of new jobs.”UCS released the report just a few days before the 12th annual U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Farmers Market Week, which starts Sunday. According to the report, “Market Forces: Creating Jobs through Public Investment in Local and Regional Food Systems,” the number of farmers markets nationwide more than doubled between 2000 and 2010, jumping from 2,863 to 6,132, and now more than 100,000 farms sell food directly to local consumers.

According to the report, all that growth happened with relatively little help from public funding. Last year, for example, the USDA spent $13.7 billion in commodity, crop insurance and supplemental disaster assistance payments mostly to support large industrial farms, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The agency spent less than $100 million that year to support local and regional food system farmers.

The fact that farmers markets are growing without the help of public funding, however, could show that farmers markets aren’t in need of such assistance, said John Pridnia, who started the Port Austin Farmers Market with his wife, Lisa, seven years ago. He said the federal government spending money to help start farmers markets would be another example of waste.

“We started ours with a hope, a desire and the energy to succeed,” Pridnia said. “We started with minimum expenditures.”

Pridnia agrees, though, that farmers markets help boost the local economy. He sees it for himself every weekend in Port Austin.

“It’s a phenomenal positive for the business community,” he said. “Shoppers stay in town for hours after the market closes to have lunch and (visit businesses). They linger and enjoy the town.”

Pridnia said a farmers market is a tremendous asset to any community, regardless of the size of the community or the market itself.

“We have over 150 vendors, but some farmers markets have 15 vendors, but it doesn’t matter the size — the joy is still there,” he said.

He said he would pit any small-town farmers market against one in an urban community.

“Bigger is great, but it’s not always better,” he said.

Pridnia said he and Lisa are invited every year to other communities around the state to give presentations on starting a farmers market. He said so far, they’ve conducted the presentations in about a dozen communities.

“It’s astounding how popular our market is,” he said. “It’s a place for shoppers to access food direct from the farming community. It’s a place to enjoy the day. It’s also become a social event, not only for the shoppers, but for the vendors. The vendors have created a family among themselves.”

Pridnia said organizing the Port Austin Farmers Market is definitely a “labor of love” and it wouldn’t be possible without the help of volunteers.

Pigeon started a weekly farmers market this summer, and it ran in June and July. Amish produce and baked goods were available, along with other products. On average, there were five to seven vendors each week, said Brandis Mallais, Pigeon Chamber of Commerce vice president.

“A friend and I would travel to Port Austin’s farmers market on weekends to get fresh produce and flowers, and we thought it would be nice to have it here (in Pigeon),” Mallais said.

Pigeon had a building next to the Pigeon Historical Museum that was not being used, and Mallais said the building was meant for a farmers market. She talked with a co-worker at Thumb National Bank, who had connections to some Amish families. The Pigeon Farmers Market flourished from there.

“It’s another reason for people to come to town,” she said. “It’s giving people more of an opportunity to stay local.”

The goal for next year is to start in May and to provide a wider variety of products, she said.

Mallais said she doesn’t believe farmers markets really need public funding.

“If anyone needs it, it’s the growers,” she said.

Considering that agriculture is one of the top industries in Michigan, it seems anywhere in the state would be a prime locale for a farmers market. The state produces more than 200 agricultural commodities, from tart cherries to maple syrup, pickles, cheeses and salsas to beef and fish products, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture.

“The agri-food sector in Michigan generates more than $70 billion for our economy, employs one million Michigan workers, and it’s still growing,” said Elaine Brown, executive director of Michigan Food & Farming Systems. “Shopping at farmers markets like this is a wonderful way to support and industry and make fresh, healthy food available for everyone.”

When growers sell directly to consumers, most of the money recirculates locally. In 2007, the most recent USDA figure, direct agricultural product sales amounted to a $1.2 billion-a-year business.

“The fact that farmers are selling directly to the people who live nearby means that sales revenue stays local,” O’Hara stated in a release. “That helps stabilize local economies.”

Keeping revenues local also can mean more job opportunities, the UCS report stated. Last summer, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack asked Congress to set a goal in the 2012 Farm Bill of helping at least 100,000 Americans to become farmers by, among other things, providing entrepreneurial training and support for farmers markets. O’Hara’s report takes up Vilsack’s challenge and argues that supporting local and regional food system expansion is central to meeting that goal.

In the report, O’Hara identified a number of initiatives the federal government could take to encourage new farmers and the growth of farmers markets in the upcoming Farm Bill. For example, the report called on Congress to:

• Support the development of local food markets, including farmers markets and farm-to-school programs, which can stabilize community-supported markets and create permanent jobs. For example, the report found that the Farmers Market Promotion Program could create as many as 13,500 jobs nationally over a five-year period, if reauthorized, by providing modest funding for 100 to 500 farmers markets per year.

• Level the playing field for farmers in rural regions by investing in infrastructure, such as meat-processing or dairy-bottling facilities, which would help meat, dairy and other farmers produce and market their products to consumers more efficiently. These investments could foster competition in food markets, increase product choice for consumers, and generate jobs in the community.

• Allow low-income residents to redeem food nutrition subsidies at local food markets to help them afford fresh fruits and vegetables. Currently, not all markets are able to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

“Farmers at local markets are a new variety of innovative entrepreneurs, and we need to nurture them,” said O’Hara. “Supporting these farmers should be a Farm Bill priority.”

LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS

• Port Austin Farmers Market

9 a.m. to 1 p.m. until Oct. 15

Intersection of Lake and State streets, downtown Port Austin

(989) 738-7600

www.portaustinfarmersmarket.com

• Sebewaing Farmers Market

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 20

Center Street, downtown

www.sebewaingchamber.com

• Pigeon’s Farmers Market is done for the year, but the goal is to start it up again in May 2012. Call (989) 453- or visit www.pigeonchamber.com.

Experts link kinnow industry growth with removal of middlemen

Horticulture experts have linked growth of the kinnow industry to the removal of middleman saying that exports of the citrus fruit could be enhanced manifold provided the farmers are provided direct benefit.

At present Pakistan is among the top 10 citrus growing countries in the world and the world export market for horticulture products is about $80 billion, in which Pakistan’s share is not up to mark.

The kinnow exports reached to $100 million in the fiscal year 2010-11,” Chief Executive Officer Harvest Tradings Ahmad Jawad said adding that the exports could be enhanced by strengthening input from farmers.

“The exports can be increased further if all the stake holders remove the role of middleman and strengthen the farmer input who is the real stakeholder of this emerging industry,” Jawad told APP.

Giving details about the citrus exports, Ahmad Jawad said about 200,000 metric tones of kinnow were exported during 2005-06, showing more than a 100 percent increment over the previous year’s exports.

In 2008-09, the kinnow exports were recorded at 177 million kilograms that climbed to 361 million kgs in 2009-10 earning $45.5 million in 2008-09 and $97.8 million in 2009-10.

The exports reached to $100 million in 2010-11, Jawad added.

Kinnow is known as a special variety of citrus fruit and due to unique climatic conditions it is grown in Pakistan, he said adding it has tremendous potential of export to many countries.
The CEO Harvest Tradings said so far Kinnow has already been introduced in more than 25 countries of the world adding its exports can further be increased by manifold if modern marketing techniques are applied.

The fruit is among the main exportable horticulture commodities from Pakistan.

Annual production of citrus on an average is estimated about 2 million-ton, of which 90 percent are kinnow, and export also reached to 360,625 tonnes.
Pakistan exports to Gulf States, Saudi Arabia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and CIS that are been supposed as traditional markets from many years.

East Europe, Iran, Indonesia and China are emerging markets, he said adding the export to Russian Federation reached 31,000 tonnes, Ukraine 5,000 tonnes and Iran 22,000 tonnes.
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) requirements of exports urge for strict compliance with international quality and health safety standards.

WTO also required best agricultural practices and dedicated production for specific markets both in terms of timely availability in particular tastes, size and colour.

“Therefore, the producers and processors need to upgrade their capacities and facilities to produce fruits of international standard, which is essential,” Jawad added.
He said that the tax relief and other support measures announced by the government over the past years in support of the horticulture crop production and agro industry development would also help to improve the competitiveness of the product and would fetch better prices but needs to continue.

He said that the government should declare horticulture as a priority sector and make efforts to improve the value chain and identifying new markets.

The provision of effective infrastructure such as dry ports, export zones, transportation hubs, etc is essential for the export growth, he said adding cold storage facilities are also basic need for cost effective marketing of perishable products, as they reduce post harvest losses and minimised health risks.

Cold storage facilities increase the shelf life of the product to make products available for longer time at selling stores.

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2011

VHT plants installation can boost Pak mango export

By Technology Times at July 10, 2012 | 1:01 am

STAFF REPORT IBD: Pakistan is missing Japan’s huge market for mangoes in the absence of Vapor Heat Treatment (VHT) facilities to meet the sanitary and phyto-sanitary conditions which are a pre-requisite for mango exports to that country. Pakistan could easily export mangoes worth $4-5 million annually if VHT plants are installed to meet the laid down requirements, experts said.

The Japanese government has already approved the quality of Pakistani mangoes which are superior in taste and have the potential of giving a tough competition to Indian mangoes which are already there in that market.

According to horticulture exporters, Pakistan immediately needs at least two huge VHT plants of a minimum capacity of 50 tons each – one at Karachi and the other at Lahore. Although it is the responsibility of the Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Company (PHDEC) to provide these facilities to enhance exports, but instead, Pakistan Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) is taking more interest in having VHT plants installed as soon as possible.

“This year, the government may import VHT plants from Japan to start commercial shipments of mango from 2013,” said Director Business Development, Harvest Trading, Ali Akhlaq Mughal.

He said that Japan has remained one of the major bilateral development partners of Pakistan since 1954, extending assistance in multifaceted sectors of development.

Pakistan to import VHT plant from Japan shortly

Aiming to tap the very lucrative international markets for fruits, Pakistan, for the first time, is going to import Vapour Heat Treatment (VHT) plant from Japan. With the investment of at least Rs 236 million, the country has almost finalised the procurement process of the plant, which was needed to process fruit especially mango for entering Japanese and other international markets, Business Recorder learnt.

According to sources, all parts and other allied machines for the establishment of VHT facility was expected to reach the country within next 120 days will be installed at proposed Agri Processing Zone land, situated near Karachi city along Super High Way. The new plant will process at least 15,000 kilogram or 15 tones mango daily. Vapour Heat Treatment System uses hot saturated water vapour to heat the fruit slowly, treating possible fruit flies.

The plant, according to sources, was being procured through Trade Development Authority (TDAP) of Pakistan and a representative of the private firm, which has won the bid issued by TDAP was currently in Japan. The same VHT plant, with latest technology, was being used in other countries like Thailand, Philippine and others to process fresh fruits. Though the plant can be used for multipurpose, but it was presently being imported for processing the highly valued mango. The plant, which will facilitate export of fruits and vegetables, especially Mangoes, to Japan and other foreign markets was intended to meet the phyto-sanitary requirements of the importing countries.

According to TDAP’s issued bid in February 2012, the successful bidder would be responsible for commissioning of complete plant; responsible for operation and maintenance for six months; training of local staff; supply of spare parts and ensure the warranty/guarantee for the plant.

The bidders were asked to provide lowest quote for operation and maintenance using the period of 15 years, as the running cost for daily processing of 15 tones of mangoes for a period of 4 months season (120 days), having the net present value using discount rate of 12 percent. The total estimated cost of the plant was Rs 236,170,230.46. It is worth mentioning here that in the absence of required VHT plant, Pakistani mango was not being exported to Japan despite lifting a 16-year-old ban on the import of fruit from Pakistan.

Last year, the government had introduced Mango in Japanese market on experimental basis and limited quantity of mangoes had sent to Japan for promotional purposes as test shipment soon after the foreign government allowed it after processing through a smaller VHT plant provided by Tokyo in 1999.

Japanese ministry of Food and Agriculture had given the permission of mango imports from Pakistan with an attached condition -Vapour Heat Treatment of mangoes. Islamabad had made the older plant operational last year in order to introduce the fruit in foreign markets. However, the bigger and latest one was needed to start the trade on commercial basis. Though the exports of mango, which is called here the king of fruit was expected to be started during ongoing season but the delayed procurement process of the plant kept the foreign market away for another one year/season. However, after the fresh development, the country is expected to be able to export mango to Tokyo a lucrative and potential market.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2012

Mango: US, Japanese markets to remain out of reach

Production is likely to stand around 1.2 million tons of mangoes against the production of 1.7 million tons recorded during the previous season.

Pakistan, which is going to start exporting mangoes by May 25, is likely to remain shut out of the lucrative US and Japanese markets.

Despite initiatives taken by the All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA) and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to introduce Pakistani mangoes in US and Japanese markets, export of the fruit to these countries remain unlikely this year because of the lack of a well-equipped fruit treatment facility in the country.

The country is also estimated to be facing a 30% loss in production due to climatic changes in the country. Production is likely to stand around 1.2 million tons of mangoes against the production of 1.7 million tons recorded during the previous season.

Last year, 0.134 million tons of mango were exported, generating revenues of at least $38 million, according to PFVA co-Chairman Waheed Ahmed. This year, the target was fixed at 0.15 million tons, with estimated revenues of $50 million.

The reduction in production, he said, was mainly because of climatic changes which affected mango trees in Hyderabad, Tando Allahyar, Mirpurkhas and Mityari in Sindh; and Multan, Rahim Yar Khan, Shuja Abad, Muzaffar Garh and Khanewal in Punjab.

Japan last year approved the mangoes tested through a small VHT facility in the country; but it is not viable to use the same facility for commercial purposes because of its limited functionality and capacity. Thus, exports to Tokyo remain a distant dream, Ahmed said.

The absence of a quarantine facility in the country is also not favourable to exporters; as no exporter wishes to risk sending an entire consignment to the US before quality approval, while also bearing the huge freight cost, he said.

A proposal for the setting up of a commercial processing plant and a common facility centre has already been sent to the Ministry of Commerce, but the ministry has yet to take a step in this regard.

Beside the two important foreign markets, the country is also losing the market in Iran because of sanctions imposed by the US, as commercial banks are reluctant to be involved in financial transactions in this regard. Iran is regarded as a valuable market in terms of prompt payment for imported fruits; existing exports or smuggling will not benefit the country in terms of revenue, Waheed said.

He also revealed that a delegation from Australia was due to visit Pakistan this month to inspect mango farms and processing units in the country. The opening of Australian markets for the Pakistani mango – expected during this year – will be an important development for the country’s fruit exporters.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 10th, 2012.

Indian tomatoes flooding Pakistan

Lured by high profits, Indian traders are flooding the Pakistan market with tomatoes, affecting domestic supplies and pushing up prices back home. Truck loads of tomatoes sourced from Delhi and Nashik are entering Pakistan through Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar daily, traders said.

“As many as 80-90 trucks of tomatoes (each carrying about 16 tonnes) are crossing Attari-Wagah border every day,” Rajdeep Singh Uppal, vice-president, Amritsar Export Association said. This has been happening for over two weeks, he said, adding that the trend is expected to continue for a month. Rajendra Sharma, a member of Delhi agriculture marketing board, said supply of tomatoes to Pakistan is one of the reasons for continued high retail prices of the vegetable in Delhi at Rs 20-25 a kg.

Rajendra Chug, general secretary of Delhi’s Azadpur market (Asia’s biggest vegetables & fruits market) said that on average 10-12 trucks laden with tomatoes are heading for Pakistan everyday.

Uppal and C ug said rush of tomatoes to Pakistan is triggered by relatively high prices there because of damage to the crop due to floods in the key producing Sindh region. Chug said the Indian tomato is selling between Rs 25-30(Indian currency) a kg in Pakistan. The price of the same vegetable inDelhi stood from Rs 8-15 per kg in wholesale, traders in the Azadpurmarket said. Uppal said Indian tomato is selling for around USD 350-400(Rs 17,850-Rs 20,400) per tonne in Pakistan. Ajit Shah, president ofMumbai based agriculture export association said around 100-125 tonnesof tomatoes from Nashik is finding its way to Pakistan by road throughWagah.

R P Gupta, director, NHRDF (established by agri- cooperative Nafed for research and improving productivity of agri crops) said tomato production reaches a high level in the Nashik district of Maharashtra between September and October. It is also the only region during the period to produce the staple vegetable. Key tomatoes producing regions like Nashik, Pune and Ahmadnagar provide the supplies to the entire northern region including Delhi during the period, Gupta said. The mild climate in the region during this period is best suited for cultivation of tomatoes, the NHRDF (National Horticulture Research and Development Foundation) director said. Nearly 2,000 tonnes of tomatoes are arriving in Pimpalgaon market yard daily, Gupta said.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Pakistan may Start importing Indian Tractors next year

Unlike a lot of industries, the local tractor industry is not war of opening of trade with India. In fact, it is looking forward to it. Universal Traders are in talks with an Indian counterpart to start importing tractors to Pakistan once the negative list is phased out and trade with India opens up next year.

Escorts Limited and Universal Tractors of Pakistan will collaborate next year to import 7,500 tractors. It is interesting that the two companies have been working together since 2003. However because of the ban on imports from India, these tractors were being imported from sister concerns of the Indian company from Norway and the US, at much higher cost.

The two companies are now hopeful that with the removal of the negative list tractors will be legally imported from India which will also help in combating smuggling.

The tractors will not be imported as a CKD and assembled in Pakistan. The assembly plant was commissioned under the tenure of former prime minister Shaukat Aziz and is already at an advanced stage of completion. Rajiv Kumar, Head of Exports at Escorts Limited spoke to The Express Tribune said that his company is already exporting to over 60 countries. Kumar also said that the company was initially set up in partnership with Ford in the 1960s. Ford left India in 1996 and since then the company is a full-fledged Indian enterprise. The company started off with an annual production of 20,000 tractors which has now gone up to 80,000. Basically this means that an Escorts tractor is manufactured every four minutes. The total Indian market for tractors is 650,000 a year.

Kumar also said that where Indian tractors would prove beneficial in overcoming the shortfall in the demand for tractors in Pakistan, there was no reason why Pakistani tractors could not make a foothold in the vast Indian market. He also spoke about the possibility of assembling in Pakistan for further onward exports.

Managing Director of Universal Tractors Pakistan, Muhammad Iqbal told The Express Tribune that they had imported 100 Indian tractors since 2003 through their European and American enterprises. He further said that once the negative list was phased out they planned on importing 28,500 tractors over the next three years. Iqbal also said that with the shortfall in demand of 20,000 tractors annually in Pakistan, imports from India would benefit agriculture. He said that Indian tractors were not more expensive than local tractors and would become even cheaper after local assembly.

Iqbal said that at present Pakistan needed 650,000 tractors immediately. He also said that the transport of tractors would be cheaper because of easy access from Wagah border.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15th, 2012.

Agriculture Inforamtion Bank: Exploitation of Sugarcane growers

Agriculture Inforamtion Bank: Exploitation of Sugarcane growers: Over the past few weeks, sugarcane growers in Sindh have become desperate. In the past, the sugarcane crushing season began in November b...

Export of Agricultural products much lower than potential

"We can exploit our export potential by adopting international standards,” UAF vice chancellor.

 

Exports of agricultural and livestock products from Pakistan have consistently increased in recent years, but these are much less than actual potential and are restricted to old wholesale markets, says the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) vice chancellor.

“The share of our agricultural products in the fast growing high-price super markets is meagre,” said Dr Iqrar Ahmad while addressing the inaugural session of a five-day training course. The course was organised by the Endowment Fund Secretariat and AUS Aid.

Ahmad said the close proximity of markets in the Middle East, Iran and Afghanistan, and market access to Malaysia, offered enormous potential for the export of agricultural and livestock products from Pakistan. “We can exploit our export potential by adopting international standards,” he stressed.

Tariq Qamar, an international auditor, said: “New pressures from consumers, retailers and legislation have placed new demands on farmers,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11th, 2012.

Exploitation of Sugarcane growers

Over the past few weeks, sugarcane growers in Sindh have become desperate. In the past, the sugarcane crushing season began in November but unfortunately, in recent years, mill owners of 36 sugar mills in the province — a major ratio of these owners in the corridors of power — are using delaying tactics, exploiting the inflation and disaster-hit growers and also trying to ravage the agricultural economy of the province with their devilish design to invest less and earn exorbitant profits.

The sugarcane commissioner and other relevant authorities seem to be in a deep slumber and there is no one to take notice of this anti-economic behaviour of the sugar mill owners. It is high time that the provincial government took some concrete steps to protect sugarcane growers. Is there anyone in power who could come forward and protect the growers from the exploitation of the mill-owners?

I am confident that if the growers and workers are protected from exploitation at the hands of mill owners, given enhanced rates and ensured timely payments, it would have a positive impact on the agriculture sector of Sindh. If this does not happen, Sindh’s rural economy will undergo massive damage because the growers will not have the resources to purchase agricultural inputs, which will in turn lead to food insecurity and inflation.

Hashim Abro

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7^th, 2012.