DHAKA: Flood-prone Bangladesh is bracing for an unusual and unpredictable monsoon this year, with environment experts and officials blaming global warming, melting Himalayan glaciers, silted rivers and unplanned roads. But they feared that more floods, which experts predict could hit again around mid-July, would damage the country s prime agriculture sector which accounts for more than 20% of GDP. Floods caused by days of torrential rain, described by weather officials as unusually heavy...

But thousands of people who benefited from the subsidy flow were shielded from public view behind layers of partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability corporations, cooperatives, and other business structures that obscured their personal subsidy claims. Not surprisingly, the agricultural community and big agribusiness is fighting any such changes. On the contrary, most small farmers get comparatively little and many nothing while the richest farmers soak up the majority of crop...

The BEA felt that there is no chance to stop the price-spiral of essentials even if the import of rice and wheat is doubled, as the prices of these items are rising in the world market. The reduction of import duty on lentil and edible oil, as proposed in the new budget, would not bring any good anti-inflationary result, reports UNB. Barkat, in the written statement, criticised the government for not having any strong work-plan to bring down the prices of essentials at a tolerable level....

The agriculture commodities range from broilers to chicken eggs, meat products, fruits, vegetables and rice, Agricultural Department figures revealed. A similar increasing trend was also reported in the production of forestry products such as 'Bakau' poles and charcoal but there was a decreasing trend in the production of round timber and sawn timber. In terms of fishery production, local production has also increased, so too the capture industry (commercial and small scale), aquaculture...

Rice with low GI is said to help people lose and control weight and increase the body's sensitivity to insulin, said S Chelliah, chairman and executive director of the company. According to company officials, Moolgiri rice is low in glycemic index and a healthier choice for diabetics. Glycemic index is the ability of a food to raise the blood glucose levels. Company officials said Moolgiri rice is not a genetically modified variety. The company has increased its monthly production capacity...

In Thailand, only a few buyers were making inquiries in the market as current prices are at high levels, exporters said. The Thai government will likely implement another round of its price intervention program for the second crop, which will be harvested starting next month. Exporters added any movement in prices in the near term will depend largely on the exchange rate. Exporters said fresh demand coming from the Philippines, involving 280,000 tons, could keep prices at high levels....