Lockdown in India - does it work?

It is more fun criticizing

Rizal Philippines
March 31, 2020

Lockdown in India - is it working - Al Jazeera
Following reports of CoVid 19 India following examples of other countries imposed a 21 day lockdown.  In an impoverished country of 1.3 Billion (the rise in wealth has not resulted in trickle down to the poorest people) this has produced negative effect, what with limited health faclities and system to respond to this pandemic.

Lack most countries, India has short supply of PPE and ventilators

What will be the next move.for Indias leadership

Rice smuggling and rice importation is here to stay

It is more fun criticizing

Do not quote me on this.  But I was told that importing rice (the legal way, via NFA) is big money for those who give the permit.  Smuggling is when you import rice without passing through the NFA. I was told that it cost millions to get permit to import.

Thus the agencies involved in rice would always say there is shortage to resort to importation (we really do not know if there is a shortage, if there is is it a scenario build up so that some people would earn more?)

They would even engage the rice farmers to denounce smuggling so as to check the smugglers (those who do not pass through the proper channels to pay the correct tong.)  You know...

Philippines to import rice again? Can Phil reach rice sufficiency?

It is more fun criticizing

Philippines |  January 21 2014



Rice is headline again.  Rice smuggling, that is.

And that there will be increase in price of rice due to shortage.

There are some said news of impending rice shortage, and importation again.  I was told that the rice shortage or conditioning our minds that there is a shortage and that the only solution is a ruse for some quarters to make money from this crisis.  It is not clear whether the crisis is real or not.  But according to sources, money is made several ways:

Making a killing on a crisis

1.  license to import rice cost millions

2.  bidding of rice from the govt agency;

3.  disposal of "rotting rice" which may be not rotting, or mixed with good rice.

Plus the purchase of fertilizer, the farm inputs, subsidies to farmers.