Wednesday, March 11, 2015

10th March (Monday),2015 Daily Global Rice E_Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Genetically altered rice variety yields for years without replantin

 

Winifred Bird | March 10, 2015 

Ten thousand years ago, China’s ancient inhabitants harvested the grains of wild rice, a perennial grass growing up to 15 feet tall in bogs and streams. The grains were small and red, maturing in waves and often shattering into the water. Their descendants transformed that grain into the high-yielding annual crop that today feeds half the world’s population.Today, with the climate changing and far more land under intensive cultivation, rice farmers face a less certain future.An international network of scientists is working toward a radical solution: perennial rice that yields grain for many years without replanting.
By crossing domesticated rice with its wild predecessors, they hope to create deep-rooted varieties that hold soils in place, require less labor, and survive extremes of temperature and water supply. Plant breeders have been trying to do the same for wheat, sorghum, and other crops for decades.With rice, the vision is finally nearing reality. Chinese scientists are preparing to release a variety that they say performs well in lowland paddies and, with more breeding work, could eventually thrive on marginal land as well.
Still, progress is uneven due to differences in genetics, breeding techniques, growing conditions, and research interest for various grains. Perennial wheat — a key crop at the Land Institute — remains decades from yield parity with annual wheat, according to Crews. Perennial maize research is even farther behind. Among major staples, only perennial rice is “approaching reality,” according to the proceedings of the 2013 FAO meeting.

http://geneticliteracyproject.org/2015/03/10/genetically-altered-rice-variety-yields-for-years-without-replanting/

Rice production in ARMM gets boost

March 10, 2015 12:01 am
by JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL 
REPORTER
COTABATO CITY, Maguindanao: Rice production in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) can more than double to 7.7 metric tons per hectare (mt/ha) with the successful trial of Green Super Rice by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) in the region.The GSR is part of DAF-ARMM’s P3-million technology-driven programs designed to help increase the productivity of rice farmers in the region with the use of modern technology in farming.ARMM Agriculture Secretary Macmod Mending Jr. said they are “pushing for the commercialization of this variety for increased productivity and better income for our farmers” following a successful harvest at a 2-hectare demonstration farm in Maguindanao.
The GSR was developed by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the International Rice Research Institute to be climate resilient and resistant to rice diseases such as sheath blight, bacterial leaf streak viruses and false smut, according to Mending.The GSR variety can lead to more stable yield with lesser fertilizer and pesticide inputs, he added.ARMM currently ranks 18th in terms of rice production in the country with a 3.1 mt/ha yield. Mending said they expect to increase this to 7.7 mt/ha with the introduction of GSR.The DAF-ARMM has distributed GSR seeds to 500 farmers during the rice farmers’ field day and harvest festival held in Sultan Mastura town, Maguindanao last month.
The technology-driven programs of DAF-ARMM include the Rice Crop Manager (RCM), Philippine Rice Information System (PRISM), and the Next Generation (NextGen) farmers.The RCM is an Internet-based application that provides recommendations on nutrients, pest, weeds, and water management based on the variety of input and site-specific conditions.PRISM is a system provides data and maps out rice growing areas affected by natural calamities and pest outbreaks. Meanwhile, NextGen involves the introduction and adoption of high-yielding rice varieties and hybrids, such as the GSR, with tolerance to biotic and abiotic strain in rice production.
DAF-ARMM also provided a P1.6 million worth combined harvester to the farmers in the town of Sultan Mastura. The machine can simultaneously reap, harvest and thresh rice.“ARMM aims to address the challenges on farming by taking advantage of new technologies that increases farm productivity, and making them available even to the poor farmers in the region,” Mending said.

http://www.manilatimes.net/rice-production-in-armm-gets-boost/168255/

 

State disburse K2.7m for rice production

Posted in Business on March 10, 2015 by Online User
KALONDE NYATI, Lusaka
GOVERNMENT will soon disburse about K2.7 million to boost rice production in Nalolo and Limulunga in Western Province.This follows the recent shortlisting of 45 business applications for rice-related projects in the two districts under the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) industrial cluster programme.Commerce, Trade and Industry permanent secretary Siazongo Siakalenge, however, said the disbursement awaits final approval of the shortlisted candidates and funding from the treasury.Of the total amount, K1.4 million will be disbursed to 21 beneficiaries in Nalolo while 24 beneficiaries will receive K1.3 million in Limulunga.
“In response to the constraints noted in the rice subsector of these districts, Government through CEEC has shortlisted 45 rice-related business applications for in Nalolo and Limulunga,” Mr Siakalenge said recently when he appeared before the parliamentary committee on Government assurances.He said the two districts have potential for primary rice production and value addition but undermined due to high cost of machinery for processing rice, inadequate skills and technology for rice seed production, and lack of irrigation facilities.
Mr Siakalenge cited weak private and public sector support institutions, ineffective coordination and limited access to high cost appropriate finance as some of the challenges affecting the growth of the industry.He said Government’s move to players in rice production will boost the sector and contribute to food security.Government has since formulated a national rice development strategy to develop the sector through value chain initiatives and strong stakeholder participation.

https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/?p=22775

PDS rice scam: Congress demands Chhattisgarh CM's resignation

New Delhi, Mar. 10 ANI8 hours ago

The Congress on Tuesday demanded Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh's resignation over the unfolding of the PDS rice scam in the state.Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi led the protests against Dr. Singh, calling the allegations against him 'very serious'.'The Congress party demands the resignation of the Chhattisgarh CM and a time bound judicial probe into the PDS Rice scam. The allegations against him are of a very serious nature. Documents found during the probe refer to involvement of his wife and sister-in-law. The nature of allegations are of a very serious nature and most direct," Singhvi told the media.

'It is a matter of shame that the probe documents refer to the adulteration of rice. Millers supplied this rice to Chhattisgarh public distribution system. They mixed good rice with bad rice. Can there be anything more deplorable than taking commission on this? The Chhattisgarh CM should resign,' he added.Singhvi further said that Dr. Singh had now joined Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in 'resisting' a probe into alleged scams.

'This is the Chhattisgarh CM who talked about zero tolerance with respect to corruption but is now silent. The CM of his neighboring State, Madhya Pradesh, is resisting inquiry with the same ferocity, into the Vyapam scam. It is the story of two states, both ruled by the BJP, whose CMs are resisting inquiries into big scams against them,' he said.'This is an extremely serious matter. In both cases there is complicity with culpability. The PM should show he can match action with words. Raman Singh is known as 'Chawal Baba', and in his state, rice is adulterated. What can be worse than this?' he added.

Earlier, the Chhattisgarh Police Anti-Corruption Bureau raided the state Civil Supplies Corporation offices and reportedly recovered around Rs 3.5 crore. The authorities also seized several documents that named many top functionaries of the state as the scam beneficiaries. http://www.newkerala.com/news/2015/fullnews-29565.html

 

INDIAN BASMATI RICE EXPORTS TO IRAN LIKELY TO START FROM APRIL 2015

Iran’s decision to import India’s basmati rice was eagerly awaited by Indian exporters’ associations like Federation of Indian Exporters Organisation (FIEO), Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), among others.
Sai Nikesh | The Dollar Business

The Indian exporters of basmati rice may expect good days ahead in the upcoming financial year that is going to start from April 2015.According to latest reports, the Government of Iran is likely to restart importing of India’s basmati rice in the new financial year, opening its doors for India after a temporary stoppage since October 2014.

 

https://www.thedollarbusiness.com/contact-us/

GREENPEACE CO-FOUNDER SUPPORTS GMO GOLDEN RICE

published by Asianpost on Tue, 03/10/2015 - 20:17

 

A Vancouver-based eco-crusader is raising the heckles of farmers across Asia as he mounts a campaign to promote a genetically modified variety of rice in the Philippines and India.The so-called 'Golden' rice is a genetically engineered (GE) rice variety that has been developed by industry to produce pro-vitamin A (beta-carotene). Its proponents have hyped GE 'Golden' rice as a high-tech, quick-fix solution to vitamin A deficiency , which is prevalent in developing countries and can lead to blindness.

But Greenpeace says that is all hype and that the rice is environmentally irresponsible, poses risks to human health, and could compromise food, nutrition and financial security.Ironically the person behind the Allow Golden Rice Campaign is Dr Patrick Moore, who co-founded Greenpeace and the quit the organization in 1986 saying the eco-group no longer cares about people and that it had become more interested in politics than science.Greenpeace says Dr Moore is a “paid spokesman for the nuclear industry, the logging industry, and genetic engineering industry” and that he “exploits long gone ties with Greenpeace to sell himself as a speaker and pro-corporate spokesperson, usually taking positions that Greenpeace opposes.”

One of the issues that Greenpeace opposes vehemently is Moore’s current Allow Golden Rice Campaign which tours Philippines, Bangladesh, and India where vitamin A deficiency is a major cause of child mortality. The Allow Golden Rice Society is actively campaigning for the approval of Golden Rice so it can be delivered to the 200 million children who are deficient in vitamin A.“Two million children and many mothers die each year from a lack of this essential vitamin. It is the greatest cause of child death today. Golden Rice is the obvious cure, but because it was created with genetic science Greenpeace and the anti-GMO movement fervently oppose it,” states Moore.

Moore said that on August 8, 2013, Greenpeace instigated the destruction of Golden Rice scientific field trials at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines.“If Golden Rice were a cure for cancer, malaria, or Ebola, it would have been approved 10 years ago. In that time 20 million people, mostly children, have died.This is a crime against humanity,” stated Dr. Patrick Moore, leader of the campaign. “All we ask is that Greenpeace and their allies make an exception for Golden Rice to their opposition to GM crops”, continued Dr. Moore. “Millions of lives are at stake.”

Moore who just concluded his visit to the Philippines, moves on to Dhaka, Bangladesh and Mumbai and New Delhi in India.Anti-GM crop activist Benedicto Sánchez wrote that in the Philippines, Moore will find Negros Occidental inhospitable for his dubious gospel of “development.”The province’s Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. targetting Moore’s tour said: “We have an ordinance, they cannot come in. In Negros we are GMO-free, we are an organic island,” while emphasizing the need for vigilance against such products.For its part, the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Negros Occidental  said: “We believe that there is still no adequate proof that GMO, such as ‘golden’ rice are safe for the environment or human health, and, as our commitment to our customers, we refuse to serve genetically modified rice in our establishments.”

No, Mr. Patrick Moore. You are persona non grata with the Negrenses wrote in the local paper.MASIPAG, a Filipino farmer-led network of people’s organizations, NGOs and scientists has launched a Facebook campaign to stop Moore’s advicacy for Golden Rice.“We reiterate the opposition of Filipino farmers to genetically modified (GM) crops and we will register our resistance against Golden Rice and other GM crops,” it states.“Our opposition to Golden Rice and other GM crops are founded on solid arguments and actual experiences of Filipino farmers on GM crops. Filipino farmers who have been planting GM crops suffered negative income, health problems and poisoned environment.”

In India, The pro-technology Modi government is desperate to introduce genetically modified (GM) crops. It is now holding closed-door meetings with the right wing-affiliated groups – the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) and the Bhartiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) – to end their opposition to the crops."The aim is to dispel fears about GM crops, so that the country can join the US, China and Canada. GM crops are very important for India's agriculture growth," says a senior agriculture ministry official.Greenpeace India is already mobilizing its troops to debunk Dr Moore’s assertions.

“GE 'Golden' rice does not address the underlying causes of Vitamin A Deficiency, which are mainly poverty and lack of access to a healthy and varied diet. This GE rice is a technological fix that may generate new problems. For example, the single-crop approach of GE 'Golden' rice could make malnutrition worse because it encourages a diet based solely on rice, rather than increasing access to a diverse diet of fruits and vegetables, considered crucial to combatting VAD and other nutrient deficiencies.”

http://www.asianpacificpost.com/article/6770-greenpeace-co-founder-supports-gmo-golden-rice.html

 

PH rice inventory continues to shrink, report shows

Ronnel W. Domingo

Philippine Daily Inquirer


3:40 AM | Tuesday, March 10th, 2015

The country’s total rice reserve shrank for the second month in a row to settle at 69 days’ worth of consumption as of Feb. 1, nine days less than the buffer at the start of the year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).Inventory fell to 2.35 million tons from 2.66 million tons on Jan. 1 as farmers prepare their fields for this year’s dry season crop.Still, data from the PSA showed that the National Food Authority’s stock of milled rice climbed to 530,000 tons from 520,000 tons, although 97 percent of this was imported.As of Feb. 1, the NFA’s stock was still at its mandated minimum volume, at 15 days’ consumption.

Supplies held in commercial warehouses went down by 40,000 tons to 770,000 tons. Likewise, household stocks dropped by 280,000 tons to settle at 1.05 million tons.Households keep grains good for 31 days while commercial warehouses maintain supplies good for 24 days.Two weeks ago, the NFA announced that it was preparing for the possible importation of 250,000 tons of well-milled rice from Thailand and Vietnam. The volume was valued at P9.5 billion.Answering a call for tenders, Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce gave the best offer for 100,000 tons of well-milled, long-grain white rice with 15 percent brokens at $441 per ton.Thailand’s offer was also the best for 100,000 tons with 25 percent brokens at $421 per ton.

Vietnam Southern Food Corp. matched Thailand’s prices for the remaining supplies of 150,000 tons for each lot.The NFA has called for tenders in an effort to beef up its stock of the staple grain in time for the domestic lean production months that start in July.In December, the Food and Agriculture Organization said the Philippines’ production of palay for the current crop year that would end in June 2015 was expected to ease by 0.4 percent to 18.8 million tons.The FAO said this was due to farm damage caused by Typhoon “Ruby” as well as the farmers’ fears of the El Niño phenomenon.

However, in its latest market monitoring report issued on March 5, the Agriculture Market Information System (Amis) has stopped giving updates on the probability of a prolonged drought this year while maintaining its assessment that conditions on rice production were “favorable.”In the previous report published in February, the Amis noted that the probability of the El Niño occurring had climbed back to 70 percent, but atmospheric signs had yet to materialize.“[The criteria for an] El Niño, however, have not been met because these conditions have not been in place long enough, and certain atmospheric features have not yet appeared,” the Amis said. “A strong event is not expected, in any case.”


Specialised rice growing areas to be formed in Mekong Delta

The establishment of five new specialised rice-growing areas is underway in the Mekong Delta to meet the growing demand of domestic and international markets, said Le Thanh Tung from the Department of Plant Cultivation under the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development.

The five areas include the Ca Mau Peninsula, the Tay Song Hau (western Hau River) area, the Tu Giac Long Xuyen region, alluvia soil along the Tien and Hau Rivers, and the Dong Thap Muoi region cultivating specific rice varieties in large-scale fields in accordance with their conditions.According to the Department, the Mekong Delta should review and focus on ensuring a variety of rice types to promote high-quality and high-yield production.The Mekong Delta region, the nation’s largest granary, currently has a large-scale rice field area of around 100,000 hectares.The rice field area in the Mekong Delta will be expanded to 800,000 hectares by 2020, equal to 20 percent of the annual rice-producing area of the region and producing an output of 4.5 million tonnes of brown rice, according to Vinafood 2.
VNA

Tags:Specialised rice growing areas to be formed in Mekong Delta,

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/125067/specialised-rice-growing-areas-to-be-formed-in-mekong-delta.html

Rice Shipments From Vietnam Climbing on Lower Prices, China
10:43 PM EDT ,March 9, 2015
(Bloomberg) -- Rice exports from Vietnam, the world’s third-largest shipper, will probably rebound this year as lower prices boost demand, while competition with Thailand keeps the gain to single digits, according to the government.“The Chinese market will definitely become active again after quiet periods late 2014 and early this year,” said Tran Tuan Anh, deputy minister of industry and trade. Competitive prices, suitable varieties, and geographic proximity in particular to China, are Vietnam’s advantages over Thailand, the top shipper. Exports may rise “less than 10 percent” in 2015, he said in an interview in Hanoi on March 4.Global output is set to be near last year’s record, and Thailand will ship more this year than any country ever, U.S. government data show.

Futures fell to a four-year low in Chicago, helping cut food costs to the lowest since 2010. While Thailand’s export prices will be pressured as the country sells about 17 million metric tons in state reserves over the next two years, they have been higher than that of Vietnam, India and Pakistan, the Thai Rice Exporters Association says.“While generally, Vietnamese rice costs less, Thailand does offer lower prices sometimes,” Anh said, without giving an estimate. Thailand is trying to increase access to Africa, where India and Pakistan also compete “fiercely,” he said.Prices for Vietnam’s double-water-polished milled-rice with 5 percent broken were quoted at $355 per ton, the lowest since July 2010 and $50 less than Thailand’s 5 percent broken for the week ending Feb. 10, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a report dated Feb. 12.
Thai Prices
The Thai variety was at $419 a ton on March 4, according to exporters association data. Chareon Laothamatas, president of the group, said on Feb. 3 that the price was about $405 to $410 and compares with $355 in Vietnam, $370 in Pakistan and $380 in India. The sale of stockpiled rice will continue to weigh on prices, Chareon said.Thailand’s record stockpiles are the legacy of the previous government’s rice-purchase policy. Yingluck Shinawatra’s administration spent $27 billion buying at guaranteed, above-market rates to aid farmers. She was ousted in May by military leaders, who now plan to auction the grain.
Futures traded at $10.53 per 100 pounds on the Chicago Board of Trade on Tuesday after plunging to $10.01 on Feb. 3, the lowest since July 2010.
Vietnam Sales
Exports from Vietnam dropped to 6.4 million tons in 2014 from 6.7 million a year earlier, General Statistics Office data show. Sales in the first two months of 2015 may reach 515,000 tons, down 34 percent from a year ago, the office estimates.Shipments will pick up from the second quarter and bring the total this year to match or exceed last year’s figure by “a little bit,” Anh said, without giving exact figures.Global milled production may decline to 474.6 million tons in 2014-15 from an all-time high of 477.1 million tons a year earlier, according to the USDA.
Thai shipments will climb to 11 million tons in 2015 from 10.2 million tons last year, according to the Food & Agriculture Organization. India will export 8.2 million tons from 10 million tons, it said. China’s imports may reach 4.3 million tons in 2014-15 from 4.1 million, the USDA report shows.Vietnam will also continue to count on demand from its traditional markets like the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia, Anh said. While the countries are trying to boost production and become self-sufficient, their efforts will take time and demand is still high this year, he said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Diep Ngoc Pham in Hanoi at dpham5@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jake Lloyd-Smith atjlloydsmith@bloomberg.net Ovais Subhani, Claudia Carpenter

Japan weather bureau raises chance of El Nino emerging by summer

TOKYO Tue Mar 10, 2015 1:26am EDT
 (Reuters) - Japan's weather bureau said on Tuesday that the possibility of an El Nino pattern forming by summer is higher than the 50 percent it projected in its previous monthly forecast.Normal weather patterns may continue, but there is higher chance of an El Nino, which is often linked to heavy rainfall in some regions and drought in others, emerging by summer, the bureau said.The El Nino weather pattern - a warming of sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific - can trigger drought in Southeast Asia and Australia, and floods in South America, hitting production of key foods such as rice, wheat and sugar.
(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Ryan Woo)

Palay, corn production forecast down in Q1

Contraction in harvest areas and drop in yield due to typhoons, among others, pull down the forecast for the quarter, says the Philippine Statistics Authority
Rappler.com
Published 12:21 PM, Mar 10, 2015
Updated 12:22 PM, Mar 10, 2015
DOWN. Contraction in harvest areas and drop in yield due to typhoons, among related issues pull down the forecast for the quarter, the Philippine Statistics Authority says. File photo
MANILA, Philippines – The palay and corn production forecast for the first quarter was downgraded due to contraction in harvest areas, drop in yield, water supply issues, and pests and diseases, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.The contraction in harvest area and drop in yield are attributed to the damage caused by typhoons Seniang (international name: Jangmi) that hit Capiz and Negros Occidental in December 2014 and typhoon Amang (international name Mekkhala) that hit Camarines Sur in January 2015.
In Iloilo, Tarlac, Mindoro Oriental, and Cagayan, insufficient water supply and intense heat during the vegetative and reproductive stages of palay may reduce yield.Stemborer and rice black bug infestation in Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, Maguindanao, Cavite, and Laguna may also contribute to lower production.Strong winds that occurred in Quezon, Laguna, Antique, and Zambales also lodged crops during the reproductive stage is also expected to reduce yield.
Downgrades
Palay production for the January to March period is now estimated at 4.46 million metric tons (MT), down by 2.8% from the January forecast of 4.59 million MT.The new first quarter palay production forecast though is 3.6% higher than the output of 4.32 million MT in the same period last year.The harvest area is expected to remain the same at 1.16 million hectares instead of 1.17 million hectares as earlier forecasted.Yield per hectare is expected at 3.84 per hectare instead of at 3.93 MT per hectare as earlier set, PSA reported.
Out of the 1.60 million hectares of standing palay crop, 55.6% were at vegetative stage, 32.8% were at reproductive stage, and 22.6% were at maturity stage.Corn production forecast has also been downgraded to 2.43 million MT, 0.6% below the earlier forecast of 2.44 million MT. The new production forecast for the first quarter is 6.6% higher than the output of 2.28 million MT in the same period last year.The harvest area may cover 719,170 hectares, lower compared to 719,780 hectares as earlier forecast. Yield may fall to 3.38 MT from 3.39 MT per hectare. – Rappler.com

Rice shipments from Vietnam increase

10 Mar 2015 at 11:10 
WRITER: BLOOMBERG NEWS
A farmer scatters seedlings to plant them on a rice paddy field in Ngoc Nu village, south of Hanoi. (Reuters photo)

NOI ­– Rice exports from Vietnam, the world’s third-largest shipper, will probably rebound this year as lower prices boost demand, while competition with Thailand keeps the gain to single digits, according to the government."The Chinese market will definitely become active again after quiet periods late 2014 and early this year," said Tran Tuan Anh, deputy minister of industry and trade. Competitive prices, suitable varieties, and geographic proximity, particularly to China, are Vietnam's advantages over Thailand, the top shipper. Exports may rise "less than 10%" in 2015, he said in an interview.
Global output is set to be near last year's record, and Thailand will ship more this year than any country ever, US government data show. Futures fell to a four-year low in Chicago, helping cut food costs to the lowest since 2010. While Thailand's export prices will be pressured as the country sells about 17 million tonnes in state reserves over the next two years, they have been higher than that of Vietnam, India and Pakistan, the Thai Rice Exporters Association says.
"While generally, Vietnamese rice costs less, Thailand does offer lower prices sometimes," Mr Tran said, without giving an estimate. Thailand is trying to increase access to Africa, where India and Pakistan also compete "fiercely," he said.Prices for Vietnam's double-water-polished milled-rice with 5% broken were quoted at US$355 per tonne, the lowest since July 2010 and $50 less than Thailand's 5% broken for the week ending Feb 10, the US Department of Agriculture said in a report dated Feb 12.
Thai prices
The Thai variety was at $419 a tonne on March 4, according to exporters association data. Chareon Laothamatas, president of the group, said on Feb 3 that the price was about $405 to $410 and compares with $355 in Vietnam, $370 in Pakistan and $380 in India. The sale of stockpiled rice will continue to weigh on prices, Mr Chareon said.
Farmers plant rice on a paddy field in Tien Duong village, outside Hanoi Feb 27. Rice exports from Vietnam, the world’s third-largest shipper, will probably rebound this year as lower prices boost demand. (Reuters photo)

Thailand's record stockpiles are the legacy of the previous government's rice-purchase policy. Yingluck Shinawatra's administration spent $27 billion buying at guaranteed, above- market rates to aid farmers.Futures traded at $10.53 per 100 pounds on the Chicago Board of Trade on Tuesday after plunging to $10.01 on Feb 3, the lowest since July 2010.
Vietnam sales

Exports from Vietnam dropped to 6.4 million tonnes in 2014 from 6.7 million a year earlier, General Statistics Office data show. Sales in the first two months of 2015 may reach 515,000 tons, down 34% from a year ago, the office estimates.Shipments will pick up from the second quarter and bring the total this year to match or exceed last year's figure by "a little bit," Mr Tran said, without giving exact figures.
Global milled production may decline to 474.6 million tonnes in 2014-15 from an all-time high of 477.1 million tonnes a year earlier, according to the USDA.Thai shipments will climb to 11 million tonnes in 2015 from 10.2 million tonnes last year, according to the Food & Agriculture Organization. India will export 8.2 million tonnes from 10 million tons, it said. China's imports may reach 4.3 million tonnes in 2014-15 from 4.1 million, the USDA report shows.Vietnam will also continue to count on demand from its traditional markets like the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia, Mr Tran said. While the countries are trying to boost production and become self-sufficient, their efforts will take time and demand is still high this year, he said.

Farm bill update: Medium grain rice and peanuts

Mar 9, 2015Bobby Coats Delta Farm Press
Editor's note: Bobby Coats is a professor, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Medium grain rice
A number of questions have been asked about medium grain rice ARC/PLC program participation. The presentation at the following link provides some perspective on this issue.This article builds on our previous article where we looked at a simple comparison of expected PLC and ARC-CO payments for long grain rice, soybeans, corn, and wheat. The accompanying tables to the presentation below provide real perspective on possible PLC (SCO – Not Included) and ARC payments by county and years 2014-2018. Note the probabilities.I will restate: If one (for any number of reasons) is simply not going to use a farm bill decision aid and wants to gain an increased understanding of their farm by farm and crop by crop options, this discussion may provide some insight into ARC-CO and PLC (SCO-Not Included) program options.
One option is to use the Texas A&M and Missouri FAPRI ARC/PLC Evaluator for Generic Base Module or Decision Tool.This tool compares expected PLC and ARC-CO payments (the average payment across many possible future realizations of prices and yields) for a county of your choice. In the calculations, they use two key assumptions.
• First, they assume that you would have a PLC Payment Yield equal to the default value assigned by FSA in the absence of a yield history.
• Second, they assume expected prices equal to the latest FAPRI projections.
The output reflects only expected payments for PLC and ARC-CO. It should be noted, that choosing ARC-CO precludes one from purchasing the crop insurance Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO). Expected net SCO indemnities are not reflected in the output.
 Peanut: 2014 Farm bill and outlook webinar
Dr. Nathan Smith, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, University of Georgia, did an excellent job of discussing the 2014 farm bill peanut program and peanut outlook in our webinar. He is recognized domestically and globally as a leading authority on economic, policy and farm bill issues related to peanuts.

Feds to California farmers: 'no water for you this year'
State water project looks to make minimal deliveries to growers
Mar 8, 2015Todd Fitchette Western Farm Press
The Feb. 27 announcement of zero federal water to California farmers is another crushing blow to a state trying to gain economic traction and slow the bleeding of underground aquifers.For a second consecutive year the Bureau of Reclamation will allocate zero water to California farmers via the Central Valley Project (CVP). The zero allocation applies to all agricultural water users with federal contracts in California.In making its decision the Bureau of Reclamation also declared a “Shasta-critical” year, meaning water contractors north of the Delta will not have irrigation water as the agency determines quantities to hold back for senior water rights holders and wildlife refuges in the Central Valley.
For northern California rice growers this “Shasta-critical” designation can signal less available water and forced fallowing of rice land, which doubles as habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife along the Pacific Flyway.
Rice plantings last year were reduced by about 25 percent, said Jim Morris, spokesman for the California Rice Commission.Farmers grow increasingly frustrated over decisions like this because data shows there was ample water in 2014 to supply minimal deliveries to growers based on previous dry years with similar or less water in the federal water system.Using a chart labeled “doing less with more” Mike Wade, executive director of the California Farm Water Coalition illustrated this by showing that in 1992 nearly one million fewer acre feet of water was available in lakes Folsom and Shasta than there is today; that year agricultural contractors received 25 percent of their federal allotment.The short answer to that discrepancy can be seen in actions taken under the federal Endangered Species Act and the 1992 Central Valley Project Improvement Act, which over the years have throttled back agricultural access to water long-considered available to California farmers.
This was exacerbated in recent years with pumping restrictions from the California Delta region into San Luis Reservoir near Los Banos to protect fish species in the Delta. San Luis Reservoir was built in the 1960s to stabilize water deliveries south of the Delta and help provide irrigation water to millions of acres of farmland in the San Joaquin Valley.According to Wade, from Dec. 15, 2014 through Jan. 26 the impacts of regulatory constrictions on Delta pumping meant that over 315,000 acre feet of water that could have been stored in San Luis Reservoir instead was allowed to flow out to sea.By comparison the 1992 federal surface water allocation to farmers was about 500,000 acre feet.
“This is not the drought causing this problem,” Wade said. “It’s the regulators doing this.”Wade has consistently challenged the state’s success at protecting fish as environmental regulations that went into effect decades ago to protect endangered fish still seem to not be working.Water shortages to districts like Westlands Water District, which covers 614,000 acres of land in Fresno and Kings Counties, has severely cut back the acreage of crops like processing tomatoes, melons, garlic, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage and cotton.It has also hurt the 100,000-plus acres of permanent crops grown in America’s largest agricultural water district.Gayle Holman, spokesperson for Westlands Water District, said farmers there fallowed 220,000 acres – over 340 square miles – of farmland due to the Bureau of Reclamation’s decision to curb agricultural water deliveries in California.
“Now we’re looking at another zero allocation and anticipate that last year’s figure of 220,000 acres may go even higher,” Holman said.Westlands has federal contracts to provide water to 700 family-owned farms averaging 875 acres in size that historically have produced more than 60 different commodities.For senior water rights holders like Los Banos farmer Canon Michael this year’s news, though expected, still stings.“This is just horrible behavior on their part,” said Michael, who farms several thousand acres in the central part of the San Joaquin Valley.Last year’s water shortage forced Michael to fallow about 1,000 acres of prime land that could have grown melons and other annual crops.
Michael is making cropping decisions for 2015 and expects to fallow at least what was left idle last year, though that number could grow as water availability is arguably worse than last year.Michael says he does not expect to receive the minimum 75 percent water allocation the federal government is mandated to provide him under terms of the water contract he has with them.Michael says he will likely focus on planting processing tomatoes and extra-long staple cotton. California tomato canneries say they want 15 million tons for their operations while ELS cotton prices have been positive, he said.
Along with the thousand acres left idle last year, Michael cut irrigation schedules to his alfalfa crop, leaving him with five cuttings instead of his typical seven.According to Michael, a decision earlier this year by State Water Board Executive Director Thomas Howard to stop pumping pulse flows from storm runoff into San Luis Reservoir killed any opportunity for the state to bank water and allocates it to farms.“Any pumping at all during these storms would have helped,” Michael said.Howard’s decision seems to fly in the face of the emergency drought declaration California Gov. Edmund G. Brown, Jr. signed last year that ordered state agencies to streamline water transfers and relax regulatory restrictions on Delta pumping into San Luis Reservoir.
California Citrus Mutual President Joel Nelsen said Howard’s decision to halt pumping did not need to take place when it did and arguably should have been made by the full board, though the water board did grant Howard the authority to make such a decision if necessary.For the Friant Water Authority, which moves water along the San Joaquin Valley’s east side from Chowchilla to Bakersfield via the Friant-Kern Canal, the water they consistently rely upon has likewise dried up as the Bureau of Reclamation takes water otherwise earmarked for FWA and gives it to senior water rights holders elsewhere in the Valley.Friant saw it’s first-ever zero allocation in 2014 and now faces a back-to-back allotment of no water.
According to FWA General Manager Ron Jacobsma the district is in worse shape this year because carry-over water is no longer available and groundwater resources are severely stressed.Last year over 200,000 acre feet of Friant water from Millerton Lake near Fresno was channeled down the San Joaquin River to the Mendota Pool to meet federal obligations with exchange contractors – these are the senior-rights holders that includes Michael and others in his area.That move drained Millerton to less than 200,000 acre feet of storage today. Early 2015 snow surveys reveal very little snowpack in the watershed that feeds Millerton, meaning the lake will suffer further as the year progresses.  Its capacity is 520,000 acre feet.
Jacobsma predicts water prices for farmers able to find it could eclipse last year’s prices, which according to reports exceeded $3,000 per acre foot to growers.Growers of permanent crops like tree nuts and citrus are particularly hard hit by this second year of zero allocation.Almond and pistachio growers saw lighter-than-expected harvests in part due to lack of water. Chilling hours for the crops were also thought to play a role in the shorter crops.Citrus growers too – in California many of these groves are served by FWA – expect considerably worse conditions in 2015 as some have no groundwater.
Nelsen estimates that about 10,000 acres of California citrus was impacted by the zero allocation with upwards of 50,000 acres made vulnerable by short groundwater supplies.In a statement released by CCM, Nelsen wrote: “Since 1992 over seven million acre feet of water has been transferred away from landowners in the southern San Joaquin Valley with no accountability as to the environmental successes achieved. Since 1992 those sourcing water from the Friant system have been paying additional dollars per acre foot for environmental enhancements with no accountability. 
The state of California has over 320 species listed as endangered and yet all the efforts have not led to one species being removed from the ESA list.”During last year’s report to county supervisors on the state of Fresno County agriculture, county Agricultural Commissioner Les Wright said the 2013 crop report revealed only a partial impact to county Ag values as the drought and water allocations primarily impacted growers on the western half of the county.
For the first time in modern history Fresno County’s Ag value fell two years in a row from its record high in 2011. Because of water constraints, Wright expects his total Ag value – which typically has been the highest in the nation – to fall once again when 2014 numbers are compiled.“We have to be the only state in the nation and the only nation on earth establishing policies that destroys the production of food,” said Nelsen.

EDF Voices: People on the Planet

How a California rice farmer uses the market to protect wildlife - and boost profits


Meet John Brennan, a farm manager for the Knaggs Ranch in California’s Central Valley who is exploring the latest market incentives to boost farm profits while protecting his land.“Farmers are environmentalists, too,” Brennan says. “Programs like this will help us fulfill our responsibility to nature and to coming generations.”It's all coming together on sprawling, water-soaked rice fields that are part of the 1,700-acre farm he has overseen for the past 10-plus years and co-owned of since 2011.
Exchange compensates farmers
A project on Knaggs Ranch is helping to keep water on the fields during a time and at a volume critical to support salmon nurseries while providing beneficial habitat for water fowl and shore birds.By adjusting land management to benefit such species, Brennan is generating conservation outcomes that he hopes can be sold as a commodity to private and public investors through the Central Valley Habitat Exchange. Potential investors include state agencies seeking credits to meet mitigation requirements or restoration mandates.
The region southwest of Sacramento was once dominated by marshes that flanked the Sacramento River and its tributaries and created vital seasonal floodplain habitat for waterfowl and fish such as the Chinook salmon. Only 5 percent of these floodplain habitats remain after a century of agricultural expansion and reservoir construction.Brennan has committed to the Exchange because he believes that compensating landowners for good management practices and helping them diversify their income beyond just farming can be one of the best ways for agriculture to accommodate native species. He also believes that once other land managers learn of the program and its rewards, they’ll get onboard, too.

Adding carbon credits to the mix

There may soon be yet another opportunity to levy market forces for the benefit of Knaggs Ranch.This spring, the California Air Resources Board is expected to approve the first crop-based standards for rice farmers to generate carbon credits in the state's cap-and-trade market. Brennan hopes the program will help his farm earn new revenue as it reduces greenhouse gas emissions from its rice fields.
With proven success in the field for Habitat Exchanges as well as carbon markets, such programs are now ready to be scaled up to boost food production while maintaining profitable farms, a safe environment and healthy people.Agriculture accounts for about 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions released in the United States today, and forward-looking farmers such as Brennan see an opportunity to help cut such pollution without hurting their bottom line.Such incentive-based programs "help us diversify our income beyond just farming," he says. 

Brantley Reminds Farm Bill Extended Deadlines Approach    

Now or never
ENGLAND, AR -- USA Rice Federation Chairman Dow Brantley already updated yields and reallocated base acres for his Lonoke County, Arkansas farm, but he knows not everyone has done the same.  He warns time is running out."USDA extended that deadline to March 31, and I doubt they'll extend it again," he said. "Rice growers need to get into their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office, fill out the paperwork, and also make their ARC or PLC decision.  I did it, it's done, and now I can get back to farming."
FSA officials point out that they are there to help growers understand all their choices as the deadlines approach."Delaying decisions will make things more difficult for growers and the Farm Service Agency as we approach the March 31 deadline," said Craig McCain, state executive director of the Louisiana FSA.  "If growers are unsure of what to do, I encourage them to ask questions.  County Offices are there to direct growers to available resources so they may become more comfortable with the decisions they need to make."

McCain said sign-ups across the state are going well and that rice growers are coming in and making their elections, but he doesn't want people to wait any longer than necessary. Neither does Brantley."You just need to make the best choice you can with the information you have," he said. "These programs are there to help, and while the process can be intimidating, and you're going to have to live with the decisions you make today for the duration of this Farm Bill, just letting the deadline lapse is definitely not the right answer.  Growers need to exercise their choices."Brantley added that in addition to getting help from local FSA offices, there are several decision aid tools available online, and one he found personally helpful was Texas A&M'sdeveloped by Dr. Joe Outlaw and his team.
 Contact:  Michael Klein (703) 236-1458
WASDE Report Released   
WASHINGTON, DC -- The changes made to the U.S. 2014/15 rice supply and use balances this month are confined to forecast exports, ending stocks, and prices.  The 2014/15 all rice export projection is raised 1 million cwt to 104 million.  Long-grain exports are forecast at 72 million, up 1 million from last month based on larger expected exports to markets in the Western Hemisphere.  The combined medium- and short-grain export projection is unchanged at 32 million.  All rice ending stocks are projected at 40.9 million cwt, down 1 million from a month ago-all in long-grain rice.

 Long-grain rice ending stocks are projected at 27.1 million cwt, the largest since 2010/11.  Medium- and short-grain ending stocks are unchanged at 11.5 million. The 2014/15 long-grain season-average rice price range is projected at $12.20 to $12.80 per cwt, up 30 cents on each end of the range.   The all combined medium- and short-grain season-average price range is forecast at $18.10 to $18.90 per cwt, up 20 cents per cwt on each end of the range.   The California medium- and short-grain rice price is increased 30 cents per cwt to $19.80 to $20.80 per cwt.  The Other States medium- and short-grain rice price is unchanged at $14.80 to $15.40 per cwt.
 Global 2014/15 rice ending stocks are lowered 0.6 million tons primarily due to increase in consumption.  Total supplies for 2014/15 are lowered 37,000 tons as the increase in production is insufficient to offset the decrease in beginning stocks.  Global production is increased 300,000 tons based primarily on increases for India (+500,000) and Sri Lanka (+150,000), partially offset by a reduction for Thailand(-350,000).  The increase in India is based on an expected larger Rabi crop.  Sri Lanka rice production is raised because of an expected increase in plantings and yield for the Maha crop. 
Thailand 2014/15 rice crop is lowered 350,000 tons to 19.15 million due to a reduction in dry-season plantings resulting from an on-going drought and a reduction in irrigation water availability concentrated in the Central Region.  Thailand 2014/15 crop would be the smallest since 2006/07.  The reduction in 2014/15 global beginning stocks is due primarily to reductions for Burma and Malaysia. Global rice consumption (includes residual) is 500,000 tons with the largest increases for China and India.   Global rice exports are raised 400,000 tons due mostly to increases for Burma, India, and the United States.  Global imports are raised for China, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela.
 Read the full report here
CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures   

CME Group (Prelim):  Closing Rough Rice Futures for March 10
Month
Price
Net Change

March 2015
$10.290
- $0.015
May 2015
$10.520
- $0.015
July 2015
$10.775
- $0.010
September 2015
$10.910
- $0.020
November 2015
$11.070
- $0.020
January 2016
$11.210
- $0.020
March 2016
$11.210
- $0.020


USA Rice Federation


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