ABSTRACT
The importance of food supply throughout the world has once again shown its significance in the COVID-19 pandemic period. A continuous food supply is possible with correct agricultural programming. An effective agricultural product programming can only be possible by obtaining precise agricultural data. However, it is very difficult to gather accurate agricultural production statistics from all over the world and confirm their accuracy. In this study, the compatibility of the production statistics of six important agricultural products (wheat, rice, potato, onion, banana, apple) which had been collected from local sources, and had published as opensource by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, with Benford's law was examined for the first time. Data for the last two decades are used to ignore the impact of annual fluctuations. The compatibility of theoretically expected and observed data was tested by Chi-square (X2) and Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD) tests. Although inconsistencies were found in some data by examining the numbers in the first, second, and first two digits, in general, the MAD test results gave a mostly concordant result.
ABSTRACT
Cold storage is expensive for smallholder farmers and seed processors in developing countries. Smallholder farmers continue to resort to traditional storage methods such as polypropylene (PP) bags for maize grain storage. They often dose the grains with chemicals to preserve them. However, hermetic bags have proven to provide superior protection to grains during storage without chemical treatment. With the advent of the COVID-19 virus which distorted many food systems across continents, stakeholders in the grain industry need to adopt better systems to reduce post-harvest food loss and improve food security. In this study, maize grain quality, nutritional content and viability were compared under three storage methods (PP bags with Phostoxin treatment, cold storage, and hermetic bag) over a storage period of four months. The results showed that the hermetic bag maintained the moisture content (MC) of the stored grains with 0.40% variations from the initial MC of 13% at the end of the storage period compared to 0.70% and 1.10% for grains stored under cold storage and in PP bags, respectively. Grain damage after the 4th month of storage in the hermetic bag had only increased by 0.40% from an initial 13.3% before storage compared to an increase of 6% for cold storage, which was attributed to unstable power during the storage period, and 4.30% for grains stored in the PP bag. Carbon dioxide concentration in the hermetic bag was maintained at about 11% throughout the storage period indicating low microbial activity. The hermetic bag technology was identified as the best option for quality preservation during storage of maize grain over the other methods, and its adoption by smallholder farmers in Ghana should be considered.
ABSTRACT
The production of high-quality seeds and planting material is the basis for increasing the efficiency and sustainability of crop production. The main aim of this article is to develop proposals to ensure that supply meets the demand in the seed and planting material market Ukraine. The future prospects are also discussed. The paper uses statistical and comparative analysis. The patterns of foreign trade in seeds and planting material to and from Ukraine are analyzed. The high level of import dependence of Ukraine leads to excessive exposure to instability in the world seed market. The development of seed production in Ukraine is discussed and analyzed along with the ways for improving commercial circulation of seeds and planting materials. The export volumes of grains and oilseeds in 2020 were the highest of those over the last three decades and amounted to USD 18.7 million, which is almost twice more than in 2019. Corn seeds dominate in exports (72%). The volume of imports of seeds of grains and oilseeds exceeded exports by 22 times in value and, in 2020, amounted to USD 409.4 million. In the total volume of imports, imports of sunflower seeds accounted for 53%. The upward trend of seed imports has been maintained since 2010. It was the result of increased demand for imported seeds by large- and medium-sized agricultural producers. In 2020, COVID-19 gave impetus to the development of domestic seed production and foreign breeding companies within the country. Prospective ways to accelerate the development of the organization of the Ukrainian seed and planting material market are outlined. Ukraine has prospects for increasing the export of seeds of grains and oilseeds by expanding its production by foreign companies operating in Ukraine. Solving problems of competitiveness seed production in Ukraine will make it possible to strengthen the role of domestic breeding in the seed market, as well as to use the best foreign varieties through their commercial circulation.
ABSTRACT
The molecular structure of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) used in the treatment of malaria is recently suggested for emergency used in COVID-19. The chemical compound of HCQ is produced by chemical alteration of ethylene oxide from human products, such as waxy maize starch. The molecular graph is a graph comprising of atoms called vertices and the chemical bond between molecules is called edges. A topological index is a numerical representation of a chemical structure which correlates certain physico-chemical characteristics of underlying chemical compounds besides its numerical representation. To distinguish the creation of entropy-based measures from the structure of chemical graphs, several graph properties have been utilized. For computing the structural information of chemical graphs, the graph entropies have become the information-theoretic quantities. The graph entropy measure has attracted the research community due to its potential application in discrete mathematics, biology, and chemistry. In this paper, our contribution is to explore graph entropies for molecular structure of HCQ based on novel information function, which is the number of different degree vertices along with the number of edges between various degree vertices. More precisely, we have explored the degree-based topological characteristics of hydroxyethyl starch conjugated with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ-HEC). Also, we computed entropies of this structure by making a relation of degree-based topological indices with the help of information function. Moreover, we presented the numerical and graphical comparison of the computed results.
ABSTRACT
The present study was undertaken during 25th March 2019 to 25th March 2021 to examine the impact of agricultural labour migration due to COVID-19 pandemic on the income levels of farmers. Both primary and secondary data were used in the study, multistage sampling technique was used in selection of district, mandals and villages. Tools and techniques like tabular analysis, gross returns and net returns were used. Economic impact on farmers in the study area was studied by selecting three major crops viz., Paddy, Cotton and Maize. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in the kharif and rabi season, in all the three major crops, the labour availability was increased when compared with the period of before the pandemic. This situation was appeared due to reverse migration during pandemic. The average wage rates received by the agricultural labourers for almost all farm operations in case of paddy, maize and cotton crops were decreased due to increase in labour supply due to reverse migration. The available man days also clearly got increased for almost all the operations except harvesting of paddy and cotton crops. In case of paddy and cotton crops, net returns were found to increase. In case of Maize crop, the gross and net returns were decreased due to increase in total operation costs and decrease in price per quintal during rabi season of the pandemic period respectively.
ABSTRACT
U.S. Ethanol Market Faced Shock in 2020: The US. ethanol market faced pandemic-related shocks in 2020, as COVID-19 reduced driving miles and demand for transportation fuel. These shocks ultimately impacted U.S. feed-grains markets, particularly corn. Since the creation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in 2005, and the subsequent passage of RFSZ in 2007, the use of corn for ethanol fuel has created a link between US. feed grain markets and transportation fuel use. As a result of this linkage, the sudden change in social and economic behaviors caused by COVID-19 led to changes in US. com markets. The following is a broad summary of the pre-pandemic state of the ethanol market, the 2020 ethanol market, and the identification of certain market factors that are expected to be important for the outlook of the US. ethanol market. Ethanol Market Trends and Conditions Prior to COVID-19: For the 4 years spanning 2016-2019, the US. motor gasoline product supplied was quite stable. According to US. Energy Information Administration data (EIA), monthly gasoline product supplied averaged about 11.9 billion gallons between 2016-2019. Deviations generally followed seasonal patterns. Gasoline supply levels began 2020 up slightly from their 2016-2019 averages: 11.4 billion gallons in January, compared to an average January-supply level of 11.3 billion gallons and 10.9 billion gallons in February, compared to an average of 10.7 billion gallons.
ABSTRACT
Originally, the 17th Symposium on Insect-Plant Relationships (SIP-17) was scheduled to take place in Leiden, The Netherlands, in July 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the symposium was postponed to July 2021 and held in an exclusively online format. This exceptional edition has resulted in four strong contributions to the journal. It is with great pleasure that we now present a themed issue including the proceedings of SIP-17, supplemented with eight regular articles within the subject of insect-plant relationships.
ABSTRACT
This paper analyses the global commodity circuits (value chains) for maize and tobacco in Zimbabwe, in the context of a reconfigured agrarian economy and COVID-19 induced shocks. The study focuses on the political economy dynamics of agricultural commodity circuits to reveal how they can contribute to understanding the drivers and constraints of agricultural commercialisation in Zimbabwe. This paper traces the circuits of maize and tobacco, the two major crops for food security and foreign currency earnings in Zimbabwe.
ABSTRACT
It is reported that the USDA outlook for US agriculture in 2021 is generally positive. Most agricultural markets, including the major markets for Iowa, have recovered from the depths of the price declines that struck during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the basic statistics (such as production, exports, imports, and prices) for cattle/beef, pigs/pigmeat, maize and soyabeans are presented.
ABSTRACT
The global demand for non-dairy beverages has sky rocketed especially so during this Covid-19 pandemic for potential health benefits. Development of probiotic strains from fermented cereal and legumes with the ability to grow well and adapt to gastrointestinal conditions at the same time possess high therapeutic ability will be a great achievement. This study aimed at isolating and screening probiotic potential Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) involved in traditional fermentation of cereals (maize, sorghum and millet). A total of ten isolates were obtained from the cereals out of which five isolates that met preliminary attributes of probiotic bacteria were selected for further investigation. Two isolates SPU2 and FPU1 were found to survive a low pH which is a desirable attribute for the survival of probiotic bacteria in the gut. MPU1, FPU1 and SPU2 are possible thermophiles and can survive at low pH and moderate high salt concentration. The enzymes DNase and gelatinase used to test pathogenicity of a microorganism were not produced by all the isolates in this study. The isolates recorded a high susceptibility to the eight antibiotics. This study also revealed that the tested isolates have the ability to grow well even at the minimum tested pH of 1.0 for 1 and 2 h of incubation, respectively. Most isolates were resistant to 0.3% bile concentration with over 92% survival. FPU1 was more resistant at bile concentration of 1% than all the rest while MPU1 was most resistant at 2% bile salt. Traditionally fermented cereals are potential sources of safe bacteria that can be tried in the production of functional foods.
ABSTRACT
This report presents organized and structured information on corn trade indicators across geographical space and through time. The indicators considered are exports, imports and prices. These also are presented at the by-product level. The levels of aggregation are global, U.S. and North Dakota. The information for each indicator is presented in the form of trends and descriptive statistics. The former reveals the direction of the growth, while the latter reveals the magnitude of expectations. The descriptive statistics are represented by the mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation and share contribution to the total. The report is presented in six sections: (I) global temporal corn trade, (II) global spatial corn export, (III) global spatial corn import, (IV) U.S. temporal corn export, (V) U.S. spatial corn export and (VI) U.S. state level corn export. At the global level, the trends of the indicators are presented in addition to the descriptive statistics of the top 15 exporting and importing countries. The trends and descriptive statistics for the top 15 exporting states also are provided at the U.S. level. This report is important because it serves as an informational guide on exports, our competitors for exports and potential markets for corn to our producers. In the current environment, the success (productivity and net farm income stability) of agricultural business depends on the accurate prediction of potential demand for corn and their products to help producers in making decisions for domestic or foreign markets. Hence, having a comprehensive and accurate database on exports and imports at the global, national and state levels will enable producers in decision-making with confidence. To formulate trade policies related to the international market, the trends and the descriptive statistics are useful to producers in identifying variations in demand for corn and their products. For decision makers, this information is helpful in the development of risk management tools for potential export losses due to risky events such as politically driven tariffs and uncertain events such as COVID-19. Finally, in the years of decline, identifying sources of variation or risk in changing consumer preferences, genetically modified restrictive index, trade facilitation and prosperity indexes is important. The study reveals that: Global Trade * Despite having an increasing trend, the proportion of corn grain relative to processed products has decreased through time. * Corn grain, ethyl alcohol, corn meals (bran, residues, waste and cake) are the major traded corn products. * Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and France are the major competitors of the U.S. in global corn markets. * Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Egypt and Spain are the major destinations for corn grain. * Global corn prices have been on the decline in recent years. U.S. Trade vii * Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Colombia and Peru are the major destinations for U.S. corn grains. * Italy, Iran, Netherlands, Malaysia, Algeria and Germany are among the top 15 importers but not part of the top 15 U.S. export destinations. U.S. State Trade * The U.S, Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) under- and overestimates state exports because they are based on the location of the port. * Our production-adjusted state exports estimates suggest the major exporters of corn are Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio, Missouri, South Dakota, North Dakota and Kansas. North Dakota Trade * North Dakota corn exports are underestimated by the USDA FAS. * For instance, the production adjusted export value predicts a value of $652,594,412 in 2018, while the FAS method presents a value of $134,183,209. On the other hand, the ERS method predicted $337,701,587, which is two times less than the production adjusted estimate.
ABSTRACT
This article shows how the agricultural commodity markets and the land market have gained noticeable strength since fall 2020 due to COVID-19. Record government support, historically low interest rates, and surging agricultural exports led to a near-10% hike in farmland values for almost all Midwestern states. The two most recent quarterly surveys on farmland values of agricultural lenders by the Federal Reserve Banks of Kansas City and Chicago are presented in this paper. Moreover, the surging crop and land prices offer optimism to landowners, producers, and agricultural professionals, and once again proves the resiliency of agricultural real estate values. The estimates from an online survey on land value trends and crop prices for corn and soybean in Iowa were provided. Overall, agricultural professionals expect a continuation of the growth spree in farmland values in their local service areas over the next 18 months.
ABSTRACT
The researchers use a primary data set from a survey of medium and large firms and farms in the beef, citrus, and maize value chains in South Africa during March-June 2020, the early and late phases of the initial COVID-19 lockdowns. The researchers have five main findings. (1) The initial lockdown regulations declared as "essential" the product (vertical) value chains but left as "inessential" the important "lateral" value chains delivering labour, materials, and logistics to the segments of the vertical value chains. This hurt the three vertical value chains as constraints in the laterals choked key segments of the verticals. (2) Vulnerability of the whole value chain emanated from vulnerability to shocks of critical "hotspot" linchpin segments (such as livestock auctions) or infrastructure (such as at ports). (3) Collective, industry-level "pivoting" was crucial both to organize the private sector response and to interact with government to course-correct on COVID-19 policies. (4) Responses to pre-COVID-19 challenges (such as drought and international phytosanitary rule changes) had prepared the beef and citrus value chain actors to respond collectively to the pandemic challenges. (5) Individual firm- and segment-level "pivoting" was also crucial for resilience, such as cattle auctions going on-line with the help of e-commerce firms.
ABSTRACT
Mexico's gross domestic product (GDP) contracted unprecedentedly as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. While the primary sector has relatively been the most resilient, the agriculture sector lacks sufficiently strong productive dynamism and has high rates of informal work and low wages. Investing more in the sector's productive infrastructure would help accelerate economic recovery while improving people's well-being. A public investment policy should be developed on the basis of evidence, such as that provided in this study. In 21 prospective scenarios that simulate the allocation of additional public investment in productive infrastructure across subsectors of agriculture, equivalent to 0.25 percent of GDP (around MXN 50 billion) between 2021 and 2023, there is an improvement in total and agrifood GDP, and in the well-being of the Mexican people, as measured by private consumption and rural poverty reduction. However, it is recommended that new investment be focused on certain subsectors and that it be financed through foreign borrowing. According to a ranking of subsectors that receive new investment, the sugar cane subsector ranks first in three of the four variables considered (private consumption, total GDP, agrifood GDP and rural poverty). Cereals, mainly maize, but also others (rice, sorghum, oats, barley and other cereals), and the more export-oriented crops, such as flowers and coffee, also appear at the top of the ranking.