News Headlines...
·
Pakistan Planning
to Barter Rice for Energy with Iran
·
Pakistan’s
agriculture-based products get good market in China
·
Export of
basmati rice hit by competition with India: National Assembly body told
·
Monsoon
rains revive in southern peninsula, central India: IMD
·
Philippines
to import more rice as strong El Niño event looms
·
Oversupply,
lower prices to affect realisations of basmati exporters
·
PH rushes
to import rice, sees El Nino among strongest since 1950
·
Aurora
farmers urged to postpone rice planting
·
Philippines
issues tender to import 750,000 T rice
·
To Find
New Rice Species, Scientists Head to Remote Tropical Swamps
·
Adverse
weather, a challenge to rice science
·
How to
ensure rice self-sufficiency in Nigeria, by processors
·
Farmers
asked not to plant crops seek help
·
Lower
sales volume, prices seen at latest rice auction
·
Nitrogen
Use Efficient Rice Demonstrates an Average Yield Increase of 30 Percent in Four
Years of Field Trial
·
Adverse
weather, a challenge to rice science
·
Nagpur
Foodgrain Prices Open-Sep 09
·
Arkansas
Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report
News Detail...
Pakistan Planning to Barter Rice for Energy with Iran
9/8/2015
FARS News Agency
FARS News Agency
TEHRAN (FNA)- Members of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) are pressing the
government to make arrangements for rice export to Iran in exchange for the money Pakistan has to
pay for electricity import.A senior official of REAP said they had proposed
to the government to allow the export of surplus rice to Iran by transferring the
amount due against the government to theexporters until a proper currency transfer arrangement and
an effective, efficient and reliable formal banking channel were restored, the
Express Tribune reported on Tuesday."Yes, we have requested the
authorities to devise a mechanism for rice export to Iran and pay the outstanding bills for Iranian
electricity supply to the exporters," said a REAP representative on condition
of anonymity because the proposal was at an early stage.
"If the Pakistan and Iranian governments
agree, theexporters will soon export one million tons of basmati rice," he said.
Prior to the economic sanctions imposed on Iran by western countries, Pakistan
had been exportingabout 700,000 tons
of basmati to Iran annually and it was the largest market for Pakistani rice.At
present, Pakistan has four million tons of surplus rice, of which 3.2 million
tons are non-basmati and 700,000 tons are basmati. Pakistan owes more than
$100mln to Iran for electricity import.An official of the Ministry of National Food
Security and Research confirmed that the proposal had been received.
"Our ministry is in discussion at the
highest level and a decision will be taken soon," he said.Meanwhile, a
statement issued by REAP Chairman Rafique Suleman and other members has drawn
the government's attention to the sharp drop in rice exports.Citing the export figures for July received from statistics section
of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, Suleman said shipments fell 14
percent in terms of quantity and 27 percent in value.He pointed out that rice exports faced a lot of challenges during the last fiscal
year and if corrective measures were not taken by the government, the current
year would also be very tough.
The exporters have, however, welcomed the decision of the
Iranian government to lift the ban on rice imports from Pakistan in the backdrop of a gradual
removal of international sanctions. Rice exports will restart from October this year.However,
Suleman believes that the decision will prove ineffective until a proper currency
transfer arrangement and an effective and reliable formal banking channel is
put in place.At present, almost 90 percent of rice is imported from India even though imports from Pakistan are more economical.Owing to low
demand in the international market, rice prices were declining to a critical
level that was inflicting heavy losses.
http://www.world-grain.com/news/news%20home/LexisNexisArticle.aspx?articleid=2440279647
Pakistan’s
agriculture-based products get good market in China
Pakistan’s agriculture-based products find good prospects in
Chinese market, provided the relevant departments and the businessmen could
develop effective liaison with their counterparts here. The role of Department
of Quarantine needs to make more effective and big private business Houses in
Pakistan must come to China to make proper survey of the Chinese market, said
Muhammad Yasin, a Pakistani businessmen who has succeeded to make his way
in Chinese market by trading some food items.
Yasin , who is in China for the last about 25 years, first
learnt Chinese language, acquainted himself with the China’s business rules and
regulations and later started importing some other food products from Pakistan.
In an interview, he attributed his success story to his continuous efforts and
little support from Pakistani embassy in Beijing. Like him, there are few
other Pakistanis who came here as students but now have settled themselves as
businessmen.He was highly optimistic about marketing of Pakistan’s agriculture-based
products in China, provided the relevant departments of the two countries
could persistently pursue to overcome certain hurdles in developing business
here. For the last ten years, we have been exporting around three to five lac
Irri-6 rice to China but this year it was stopped since rice’s import quota for
Pakistan could not be fixed by the Chinese side, due to lack of seriousness and
proper coordination at the part of the relevant departments in Pakistan.
Yasin proposed, Pakistan should arrange an exclusive
food exhibition in Pakistan for the Chinese businessmen to show them
their export-strength in agriculture sector. Pakistani farmers should know the
needs of the Chinese market, so that they could grow products accordingly.He
also underlined the need of reviewing and updating of the agreements that were
signed by the two countries long ago, in order to modify them according to the
latest needs. Some of the agreements are not practicable due to certain
reasons, he contended.Citing their growing exemplary bilateral ties at the
diplomatic and military levels, Yasin said these do not match with our trade
which is in favour of China. In order to correct the balance of payment
position, he said Pakistan food and agriculture departments need to
focus on export of agriculture goods and their bi-products.
With serious some efforts, we can capture the local market,
because China is ready to deepen its economic ties
with Pakistan.He was of the view that China should also relax
its visa policy so that people-to-people interaction could be increased and
Pakistan could take the advantage of China’s rich economic strength.
http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2015/09/09/national/pakistans-agriculture-based-products-get-good-market-in-china/
Export of basmati rice hit by
competition with India: National Assembly body told
September 08, 2015
The Ministry of Commerce on Monday
told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Government Assurances that the
export of non-basmati rice to Iran had increased as compared to basmati rice.
The committee, which met here with Muhammad Afzal Khokhar in the Chair, was
briefed by the ministry about rice export. The ministry told that there was a
decline in export of basmati rice due to competition with India. It said that efforts were being made to increase the export of
fine quality rice to Iran. However, the committee expressed concern over the
decrease and emphasised the need to arrest the recent declining trend in the
export of basmati rice.
The committee was also told that
the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (Safron) in consultation with the
Interior Ministry and National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), had
submitted an operational plan to register one million unregistered Afghans. It may be mentioned here that during the 25th Tripartite
Commission meeting, bilateral consultations were held between Afghanistan and
Pakistan on March 10, 2015, where both sides agreed to document unregistered
Afghans in Pakistan with technical support from Nadra and verification by the
Afghan authority.
Moreover, Nadra has submitted a
Letter of Intent for a mutual agreement with Safron, which is being considered
by the Interior Ministry. The committee was also told that the registration of
Afghan refugees, which was to start in August 2015, could not be initiated and
awaiting approval from the Interior Ministry. An official of the interior ministry said that the ministry was
optimistic that the process would be completed within two to three months. The
committee directed the interior ministry that matters pertaining to issuance of
computerised national identity cards (CNICs) to Afghan nationals and other
aliens should be stopped.
Monsoon rains revive in
southern peninsula, central India: IMD
NEW DELHI, SEPT
9:
Monsoon
rains have revived in the worst-hit central India and southern peninsula
regions that would help boost kharif crops and water level in reservoirs, a top
official of MeT Department said today.Monsoon deficit has been at 12 per cent
so far this season (June 1 to September 2).However, the rain deficit in the
southern peninsula and central India was 22 per cent and 16 per cent,
respectively, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data.Southern
peninsula comprises states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu,
Karnataka and Kerala, while Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and
Gujarat are part of central India.“Monsoon rains have already revived from
today in southern peninsula and central India. More rains are likely in this
region as pressure is building in the Bay of Bengal and moving into inland by
September 15,” IMD Director General L S Rathore told reporters.Revival of
monsoon rains augur well for kharif crops and would also help narrow rainfall
deficit in September, he said.The rain deficit in September is 50 per cent.
Rathore
said that the overall monsoon deficit for June-September period is expected to
be 12-14 per cent below normal as projected earlier.Water level in reservoirs
in southern peninsula is very low and revival in rains will help, he added.“For
the country as a whole, cumulative rainfall during monsoon season till
September 2 has so far been 12 per cent below the Long Period Average (LPA).
Rainfall
activity was less than normal in all the broad homogeneous regions of India
except east and northeast India, where it was near normal,” IMD had said in a
statement last week.MeT department had forecast that the season (June to
September) rainfall over the country as a whole is likely to be 88 per cent (±4
per cent) of LPA.Agriculture, which contributes about 15 per cent to the
country’s GDP and employs more than half of the population, is dependent on
monsoon as only 40 per cent of the cultivable area is under irrigation.Despite
deficit rains, the total sowing area under kharif crops as on September 4 was
at 998.67 lakh hectares compared with 979.40 lakh hectares in the year-ago
period. Sowing of pulses has increased 11 per cent while paddy acreage has
risen marginally by over 1 per cent so far.
(This article was published on September 9, 2015)
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/monsoon-rains-revive-in-southern-peninsula-and-central-india-imd/article7632887.ece
Philippines to import more rice as strong El Niño event looms
THE GOVERNMENT is moving to beef up buffer stock by importing an additional 750,000 metric tons (MT) of rice by early next year, the National Food Authority (NFA) said yesterday, as the country braces for an El Niño event that could turn out to be worse than the last “strong” episode in 1997-1998.
A boy carries a sack of rice from a store in Manila in this
photo taken yesterday. -- Reuters
The Interagency Food Security Committee (FSC) has
allowed the NFA to proceed with procurement of 250,000 MT by yearend and
500,000 MT by the first quarter of next year via state-to-state deals,
according to the statement.“There is no better option than being prepared,” the
grains procurement agency said, adding that “the looming impact of El Niño”
prompted the FSC, chaired by the National Economic and Development Authority,
to grant the authority to proceed with the importation.“Drought due to El Niño
is predicted to intensify beginning October and will last until May 2016.”The
FSC last May gave the NFA standby authority for the importation of 250,000 MT.
“FSC recommendation is a result of the assessment
made by an Interagency El Niño Task Force on the impact of the El Niño in the
local rice production,” the statement read.“Another 500,000 MT of rice has been
approved also by the FSC for importation for the projected deficit in
production for the year 2016, but shipment of the additional volume will be
made early next year.”The same statement quoted NFA Administrator Renan B.
Dalisay as saying that invitations to submit offers have been sent to
neighboring countries. Existing bilateral rice agreements allow the Philippines
to import from Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.Angel G. Imperial, Jr., director
of NFA for public affairs, said in a text message yesterday that the
“government-to-government negotiations will be done on Sept. 17.”NFA is bidding
out the supply of 250,000 MT of well-milled rice with 25% brokens for this
year; and 500,000 MT of the same rice variety next year.Rice will be delivered
on a staggered basis, with the first 125,000 MT due by the end of November and
another 125,000 MT by the end of December.
Next year’s shipments, meanwhile, will involve 175,000 MT each by the end of January and February, and the 150,000 MT balance by the end of March.Stocks to be procured this month will bring the total volume of rice contracted for this year to 1.787 million MT. This includes the 500,000 MT imported in February and 250,000 MT in June, both via the government-to-government procurement scheme.
Next year’s shipments, meanwhile, will involve 175,000 MT each by the end of January and February, and the 150,000 MT balance by the end of March.Stocks to be procured this month will bring the total volume of rice contracted for this year to 1.787 million MT. This includes the 500,000 MT imported in February and 250,000 MT in June, both via the government-to-government procurement scheme.
It
also covers private sector importation under the minimum access volume (MAV)
commitment for this year. The government last July contracted 187,000 MT under
the MAV-omnibus origin scheme and 600,000 MT under the MAV-country specific
quota.“The total volume of rice imported is within the gap estimate of the
country’s palay production of 18.86 million MT...,” the NFA said.NFA’s Mr.
Dalisay added that the country has sufficient stocks until yearend, but
explained that the government is rushing to bring in the projected volume
needed in an effort to beat a possible spike in international rice prices.
“To
maintain the stability of rice stock and price, the government will start
negotiating... now when rice prices in the international market are still low
and stable,” said Mr. Dalisay.The NFA head also said that rice prices could
jack-up once demand from other countries shoots up due to El Niño.The
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical & Astronomical Services Administration
earlier warned that the currently developing El Niño episode that could last
till February or May next year could be the worst since the 1997-1998 event.The
state weather bureau also noted that the country is currently progressing
towards a strong El Niño that is expected to start next month and last until
May next year.
PAGASA
forecasts as of Aug. 25 showed that moderate to severe drought could affect
Metro Manila and 64 of the country’s 81 provinces by the end of February.Crop
damage from heat had already begun to take its toll on total farm output, which
crawled just 0.73% last semester against the government’s 3.3-4.3% full-year
growth target for 2015.
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=TopStory&title=philippines-to-import-more-rice-as-strong-el-ni&241o-event-looms&id=115033
Oversupply, lower prices to affect realisations of basmati exporters
Traders are yet to exhaust the
kharif 2014 stock, which has led to oversupply
Komal Amit Gera |
Chandigarh
September 9, 2015 Last Updated at 10:53 IST
Basmati exports from India may log
volume growth this year, but the average realisation per tonne is expected to
be lower for the kharif 2015 crop. Even as harvesting of basmati paddy (mainly
grown in Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh) would start from last week
of September, traders are yet to exhaust the kharif 2014 stock, which has led
to oversupply.Competition among Indian exporters to grab share in the
international market has also triggered price-reversal of the long-grain
aromatic rice from India.Export prices have dropped $220 per tonne this year, a
fall of 18% over the last year.
The average realisation per tonne, which was
close to $1,220, is now $950-1000 per
tonne as per average value of contracts being registered currently with APEDA
(Agri and Processed Food Products Exports Development Authority).While there
has been no variation in demand by importing countries, prices have plunged due
to excess supplies.Lured by the high returns of an average 1,295 a tonne in the
international market for the basmati varieties, PUSA 1121 and PUSA 1509, traders
purchased every single grain from the farmers during kharif 2013. The area
under basmati also increased from 1.8 million hectare to 2.13 million hectare
in the last two years, anticipating an upward trend in prices. This resulted in
additional supplies and now the Indian basmati exporters are competing amongst
themselves to clear the stocks.
Ashwani Arora, Director LT Overseas
(Dawaat Brand Basmati), said, “We are expecting a year-on-year growth of 15%
but this may not translate into same proportion in value terms as the prices
have declined.” Arora’s company registered an export turnover of Rs 1,300 last
year but he is skeptical about retaining the same margins.Pakistan is also
emerging as a competitor after the lifting of US sanctions on Iran.Iran accounts
for 38% of India’s basmati exports. Although the availability of basmati and
processing facility in Pakistan is limited but increase in Pakistan’s
participation in global market can dent profits of Indian exporters.
The exporters have a cushion as the
purchase price of basmati has also dwindled from Rs 4,000 per quintal in kharif
2013 to about Rs 1,600-1,700 per quintal in the current season.A senior
official in APEDA said that Indian exporters can retain the high price in the
international market due to the unique qualities (aroma and length) of basmati
but they need to invest in branding. The big brands are able to insulate
themselves from price corrections, but unorganised players are likely to be
more affected, he added.Basmati exports are among the top foreign exchange
earners for the country.
Business
Standard
PH rushes to import rice, sees
El Nino among strongest since 1950
September 9, 2015 - 11:06 AM
Article Highlights:
For the Philippines, bigger rice stocks will ensure steady local
supply and retail prices, helping keep a lid on inflation."Drought due to
El Nino is predicted to intensify beginning October and will last until May
2016," it added.The El Nino, or a warming of sea-surface temperatures in
the Pacific, can lead to heavy rains and floods in South America but scorching
weather across Asia and east Africa.The current episode could be as severe as
the 1997-1998 El Nino, which triggered a 24 percent drop in the Philippines'
rice harvest, the local weather bureau said, while cautioning that the event
could be among the strongest since 1950.Bidders for the 750,000-tonne supply
have until Sept. 17 to submit offers, the state grains agency NFA said.
http://www.minibalita.com/reader/31105/2/PH-rushes-to-import-rice%252C-sees-El-Nino-among-strongest-since-1950
Aurora
farmers urged to postpone rice planting
ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 09/09/2015 6:38 PM
MANILA - The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) advised
farmers from Aurora to postpone planting rice due to the expected drought
caused by the El Nino phenomenon.NIA appealed to farmers in Aurora, especially
those who depend on the water coming from NIA Dam in San Luis, to postpone rice
planting as the dam has yet to recover from the dry spell experienced in the
past few months.According to Marianito Bulloso, NIA Senior Water Resources
Facilities Technician in Aurora, residents and farmers should not ignore the
effects of El Nino.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/09/09/15/aurora-farmers-urged-postpone-rice-planting
Philippines issues
tender to import 750,000 T rice
Wed Sep 9, 2015 2:06am GMT
MANILA, Sept 9 (Reuters) - The Philippines' state grains procurement agency said
on Wednesday it would import an additional 750,000 tonnes of rice via an
auction that will close on Sept. 17, preparing to boost buffer stocks in
anticipation of a strong and prolonged El Nino.The National Food Authority
(NFA) is seeking offers from the governments of Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia
for delivery over a five-month period starting in November, spokesman Angel
Imperial said, confirming an earlier report by Reuters.The Philippines, once
the world's biggest rice buyer, has suffered crop losses in recent months due
to dry weather induced by an El Nino weather event, which is expected to peak
between October and January.
(Reporting by Erik dela Cruz; Editing by Richard Pullin)
To Find New Rice
Species, Scientists Head to Remote Tropical Swamps
A remote
peninsula in northern Australia beckons a rice research expedition
A
juvenile crocodile in a Cape York peninsula river, the region where researchers
recently looked for wild rice species (Jeffrey L. Rotman/Corbis)
SMITHSONIAN.COM
SEPTEMBER 9, 2015 9:00AM
SEPTEMBER 9, 2015 9:00AM
Crocodiles, snakes,
dengue-carrying mosquitos, leeches and late-season cyclones are all the dangers
that researchers face when venturing into the remote peninsula of Cape York in
northern Australia. While these dangers face many a field expedition, these
researchers were not actively in search of perilous species but rather hoping
to find something much more innocuous: new varieties of rice, reports Lisa M. Hamilton for The California Sunday Magazine. Rice is a staple food for more than
half the world’s population and climate change may make it even more important (corn doesn’t do as well with
elevated carbon-dioxide levels). Yet the crop isn’t impervious to the effects
of a changing climate — Hamilton points out that flooding threatens one-eighth
of the world’s rice fields. Increases in salinity from rising seas, water
scarcity, disease and weeds will affect fields in many other cases.
To keep rice a viable crop,
researchers are looking into wild rice varieties for genetic diversity that
might help one crop survive the salty intrusion of water in fields near a
coast. One such researcher, Robert Henry of the University of Queenland led an
expedition into the wilds of Cape York to search for the wildest wild
rice.Hamilton explains that such a trek is needed because even wild rice
relatives have been genetically contaminated by cultivated crops. In most of
Asia, wild Oryza has been partially tamed. Cape York, far from rice fields,
offers a unique opportunity. Read the whole article at The California Sunday Magazine for descriptions of swamps and savannah during the dry season,
oppressive heat, the list of gear needed to sustain researchers, journalist and
guides, and the unexpected fervor that hunting for wild rice plants can
cultivate
Adverse weather, a
challenge to rice science
Wednesday, September 09, 2015
RICE
research and development should be more vigorous in the provinces where farmers
are at the forefront of coping with changes in the way rice is grown, a
prominent rice expert said.This is especially true in changing and adverse
climate conditions, said Dr. Calixto M. Protacio, the new Executive Director of
the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).With the International Rice
Research Institute (IRRI), PhilRice is developing Golden Rice. Using the tools
of modern biotechnology, researchers have incorporated in the Golden Rice the
genes from corn and a common soil microorganism so that it produces beta
carotene, a source of vitamin A. It will benefit Filipinos who suffer from
vitamin A deficiency.Protacio also believes that rice farmers should diversify
in order to earn more.
The 1.04
hectare average rice farm should raise more than just the crop and go for
raising chickens, ducks, fish and high-value crops.In an interview with Science
Philippines, he said rice science faces R&D hurdles.To start with, there
are fewer rice farmers. The land available for rice cultivation is also
shrinking, going to urban expansion and subdivisions.One way of coping with the
challenge is to increase the harvest even while fewer farmers are planting in
the same or even in smaller plots. The average rice yield is 4 tons per
hectare, harvested in 2014 from 4.7 million hectares.“We want to increase
yields to 10 tons per hectare, or at least 8 tons per hectare with high
yielding varieties and hybrid rice,” Protacio said. “We need to intensify
cultivation and increase output per unit area and we need to increase the yield
per hectare.
”The
average hybrid rice yield in the Philippines is 6 tons to 8 tons per hectare.
In 2014 hybrid rice was planted in 235,000 hectares, with 15 percent developed
by publicly-funded R&D in PhilRice, IRRI, Philippine-Sino Center for
Agricultural Technology and state universities and colleges; the rest came from
private seed companies.Even conventional high-yield varieties raise yields. “It
is achievable as shown by PhilRice’s Palayabangan program which has led some
farmers to harvest 10 tons per hectare at a cost of P5 to produce a kilogram of
rice,” Protacio said. (SciencePhilippines)
Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on
September 10, 2015.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/local-news/2015/09/09/adverse-weather-challenge-rice-science-429376
How
to ensure rice self-sufficiency in Nigeria, by processors
By Ahmed Dio Agbo | Publish Date:
Sep 10 2015 4:18AM | Updated Date: Sep 9 2015 11:46PM
Trucks loading rice from combine harvesters at Olam’s rice farm in Doma, Nasarawa state
The chairman lamented the high cost of rice production, which he attributed to the high cost of fund and power, among others.“We can operate because of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) credit facility window at 9 per cent interest rate. At a commercial interest rate of between 20 to 24 per cent, no rice miller can survive,” the rice miller noted, adding, “And we have to buy diesel to power the mills with generators. This is apart from the high cost of transportation and other infrastructural challenges. It is very difficult to compete with foreign millers under this environment.
”The chairman said 21 rice mills were established in four years,
and if that trend continues under a good investment climate, in the next few
years, many mills will spring up and the country will be exporting rice.He
hailed the CBN for placing rice paddy on the restriction list for accessing
foreign exchange for the importation of the commodity, saying the policy would
go a long way in boosting rice production and processing in the country.http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/agriculture/how-to-ensure-rice-self-sufficiency-in-nigeria-by-processors/110187.html
Farmers asked not to
plant crops seek help
9 Sep
2015 at 14:19 2,315 viewed
Rice
farmers in Ayutthaya are appealing for state assistance after irrigation
authorities again asked growers in the Chao Phraya River basin not to plant new
crops because of the low water levels in four main dams.The plea was made by
Rattana Khongsomkaew, chair of a group of irrigators using the Nakhon Luang
water supply and maintenance project.She said on Wednesday the Royal
Irrigation Department (RID) had recently warned of crop losses in rice planting
areas in Chai Nat, Singburi, Ang Thong, Suphan Buri, Uthai Thani and Ayutthaya
provinces this year because of the shortage of water in the Bhumibol,
Sirikit, Pasak Chonlasit and Kwai Noi dams.
Farmers
were aware of the water situation, but needed government assistance if they
were expected to again delay planting a crop, she said.Early this year, the RID
had asked farmers to stop planting a second rice crop. In mid-year another
warning had been issued, requesting farmers not to plant an off-season
crop, she said.Farmers did not know how they could pay off their debts if they
did not grow a rice crop. Alternative careers promoted by the government could
not help all farmers, she said.She urged the government to more
efficiently manage the water in the four main dams. Water downstream from
the dams should be efficiently allocated for agriculture,
household and factory use, to prevent a war over water, Mrs Rattana
said.
According to the RID’s water coordination and
monitoring centre, the Bhumibol dam reservoir held 4,374 million cubic metres
of water, or 32% of its capacity, as of Wednesday. The Sirikit
dam had 4,029 million cu/m, or 42% of its
holding capacity.The Pasak Chonlasit dam had 112 million cu/m, or 12%, and the
Kwai Noi dam 241 million cu/m, or 26%. Narongkorn Somton, director of
the Regional Irrigation Office 12, said in a letter issued to governors
of Chat Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Suphan Buri, Uthai Thani and Ayutthaya
provinces on Sept 7 that the amount of usable water at the four major dams was
just 1,955 million cu/m. The dams discharged 16 million cu/m per day.
He cited
the Meteorological Department as forecasting lower than average rainfall
this month, and said there would be only a small amount of water flowing into
several reservoirs. Once the rainy season ended, the four major dams could not
allocate water to irrigate farmland.In the letter, Mr
Narongsak sought cooperation from farmers in those provinces, asking that
they refrain from growing rice continuously. Natural water sources should
be reserved for home consumption. He also urged people to use water
economically, to ensure the maximum benefit.
In Chai
Nat, a riverfront house in Muang district developed cracks and the rear of
the structure collapsed when a kilometre-long section of the Chao
Phaya riverbank subsided. The river is receding by about 10cm a
day, eating away at the banks as it falls.
Chalor
In-muang, 60, owner of the house, said she and her family had been forced
to evacuate to a safer area.The elderly woman said the river level was the
lowest she had ever seen it, and she had lived in the area for 15
years. During that time she had been forced to repair her house three
times, at a cost of more than 400,000 baht.This time, she would not have it
fixed, as her family feared for their lives if they remained living
there and the river bank continued to collapse.Ekkasit Sakdeethanaporn,
director of the Chao Phraya Dam project, said the water level upstream of the
dam at tambon Bang Luang of Sapphaya district of Chai Nat had dropped by 10cm
to 13.59 metres above mean sea level on Wednesday.
It was 41cm below the critical 14 metre point.
The water level in downstream areas had fallen to 5.90 metres.The dam had
reduced its discharge rate at 70 cubic metres of water per second, he
said.On Tuesday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha asked people to closely
follow the water situation, pointing out the amount of water held in several
major reservoirs was unusually low this year. He also instructed state
agencies to help create a better public understanding of the water situation.
A riverfront house in Chai Nat collapses as the
water in the Chao Phraya River keeps receding, causing soil erosion along the
river banks. (Photo by Chudate Seehawong)
Bangkok
Post
Lower sales volume,
prices seen at latest rice auction
9 Sep 2015 at 07:51
A farmer checks the harvested paddy at a field
in Nong Chok area of Bangkok in January 2015. (Bangkok Post file photo)
Since
Gen Prayut took office, the Commerce Ministry has held 10 auctions, with 4.55
million tonnes sold for 49.6 billion baht.The auctions including the six this
year are part of attempts to speed up disposal of 18 million tonnes of
state stocks accumulated from rice-pledging schemes run from
2011-14.Ms Duangporn admitted the ministry could not sell as large a volume of
rice in this latest auction as in previous ones. Selling prices are also lower
than in the earlier auctions.She attributed the decline to weak global rice
prices due to harvesting season, which starts next month.Of the 13.5 million
tonnes of rice now left, 5.9 million tonnes have been classified as low quality
or rotten.
"Market
prices are low, and the quality of our stocks is decreasing, so we need advice
from today's National Rice Policy Committee meeting on better methods of
unloading the grains," Ms Duangporn said.She foresees the harvest season
making it difficult for the ministry to sell rice at a satisfactory price.The
committee will also be asked to approve rice sales to the Philippines, which is
set to buy 750,000 tonnes of 25% white rice from foreign sellers.Regarding the
present weak prices, Chookiat Ophaswongse, an honorary president of the Thai
Rice Exporters Association, said it would be more difficult for the ministry to
sell rice by the warehouse or other large amounts from now on."Global
prices don't look set to increase, and the huge stock in Thailand is one factor
behind this," he said.He suggests the authorities unload good-quality rice
in small volumes of no more than 200,000 tonnes before the harvest
season."Sales must pause when the fresh grains are harvested in October
and November," Mr Chookiat added.
Bangkok
Post
Nitrogen Use Efficient Rice Demonstrates an Average
Yield Increase of 30 Percent in Four Years of Field Trial
-- Major
Yield Increase Has the Potential to Change the Economics of Rice Production and
Enhance Food Security --
September 09, 2015 09:25 AM Eastern Daylight Time
DAVIS, Calif. & PALMIRA, Colombia & NAIROBI, Kenya--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Four years of field trials with a leading line of Nitrogen
Use Efficient (NUE) rice have demonstrated an average 30 percent yield increase
over conventional controls. These results were reported jointly today by
Arcadia Biosciences, Inc., an agricultural technology company, the
International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and the African
Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF). CIAT has been testing the novel rice
lines using Arcadia’s NUE trait at the center’s research fields in Colombia.
“Yield increases of this magnitude have the potential to
significantly change the economics of rice production, benefitting farmers,
rural economies and food security simultaneously”
In this most recent field trial under irrigated upland
conditions and 50 percent of normal nitrogen fertilizer application, the
leading NUE rice line out-yielded the conventional control lines by 34 percent.
In the three previous years of trials under both irrigated lowland and upland
rainfed conditions, the leading line out-yielded control lines by 22, 30 and 33
percent, respectively.Over the four years of field trials, the average yield
increase for the leading NUE rice line was 30 percent over the conventional
controls. In the fourth-year trial, two additional NUE rice lines increased
grain yield by 24 to 28 percent at 17 percent of normally applied nitrogen
fertilizer in Colombia, and by 10 to 22 percent at 50 percent of normal
nitrogen application.
“Yield increases greater than 15 percent from a single trait are
very rare in agriculture,” said Eric Rey, president and CEO of Arcadia. “For
our NUE trait in rice, we now have a solid history over four years of
independent field testing at CIAT showing consistent yield increases well above
20 percent. These results in NERICA rice, combined with our results in other
types of rice, demonstrate the major yield increase opportunity from our NUE
trait in all major types of rice.”“Yield increases of this magnitude have the
potential to significantly change the economics of rice production, benefitting
farmers, rural economies and food security simultaneously,” Rey added.
“Together with our seed company
partners, Arcadia is working diligently to bring commercial seed with our NUE
trait to farmers in rice and several other major crops.”Arcadia currently has
five NUE products, including NUE rice, in Phase 3 of product development. The
company recently completed the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Early Food
Safety Evaluation for the NUE trait, which establishes the foundation of trait
safety data for future regulatory approvals of the trait in all crops
globally.Rice is the world’s most valuable crop, grown on 165 million hectares
globally with a harvest value of $429.3 billion in 2013. The crop plays a
critical role in food security for more than half of the world’s population.
In a recent report, the International Food Policy Research
Institute predicted that sustainable maintenance of food security in the face
of climate change and population growth will require a combination of
technologies that target broad-based yield improvement, improved nitrogen use
efficiency, and abiotic stresses such as heat and drought.Arcadia’s NUE trait
was developed to help farmers increase crop yields per unit of applied nitrogen
fertilizer. Nitrogen fertilizer is a key input to the global agricultural
industry for increasing crop yield, but conventional crops typically utilize
less than half of nitrogen fertilizer applied.
Much of the remainder moves through the soil and enters ground
and surface water systems, or volatilizes into the air as a greenhouse gas 300
times more potent than carbon dioxide. Arcadia’s NUE trait enables plants to
produce higher yields while reducing the environmental footprint of
agriculture.The NUE rice field trials in Colombia are part of a five-year
collaboration between Arcadia, CIAT and AATF under the Nitrogen-use Efficient,
Water-use Efficient and Salt Tolerant (NEWEST) rice project. The collaboration
is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
under Feed the Future, the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security
initiative.
About Arcadia Biosciences, Inc.
Based in Davis, Calif., with additional facilities in Seattle,
Wash. and Phoenix, Ariz., Arcadia Biosciences (NASDAQ: RKDA) develops
agricultural products that create added value for farmers while benefitting the
environment and enhancing human health. Arcadia’s agronomic performance traits,
including Nitrogen Use Efficiency, Water Use Efficiency, Salinity Tolerance,
Heat Tolerance and Herbicide Tolerance, are all aimed at making agricultural
production more economically efficient and environmentally sound. Arcadia’s
nutrition traits and products are aimed at creating healthier ingredients and
whole foods with lower production costs. The company was recently listed in the
Global Cleantech 100 and was previously named one of MIT Technology Review's 50
Smartest Companies. For more information, visit www.arcadiabio.com.
About the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
CIAT is an international agricultural research organization
focused on eco-efficient agriculture that is, farming systems that better
harness the available resources to be more competitive and to sustainably
increase productivity, while leaving a smaller environmental footprint. CIAT
significantly contributes to major global initiatives that seek to reduce rural
poverty, strengthen food security, improve human health and nutrition, and
sustainably manage natural resources throughout the developing world. For more
information, visit www.ciatnews.cgiar.org.
About The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF)
The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) is a
not-for-profit organization that facilitates and promotes public/private
partnerships for the access and delivery of appropriate agricultural
technologies with potential to increase the productivity of resource-poor
smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. For more information, visit www.aatf-africa.org.
About USAID
USAID is the lead U.S. Government agency that works to end
extreme global poverty and enable resilient, democratic societies to realize
their potential.
About Feed the Future
Feed the Future is the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food
security initiative. With a focus on smallholder farmers, particularly women,
Feed the Future supports partner countries in developing their agriculture
sectors to spur economic growth and trade that increase incomes and reduce
hunger, poverty and under nutrition. For more information, visitwww.feedthefuture.gov.
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including
statements relating to Arcadia’s NUE trait and the regulatory process for such
trait. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ materially, and reported results should
not be considered as an indication of future performance.
These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to:
Arcadia’s and its partners’ ability to develop commercial products
incorporating its traits, including the NUE trait, and complete the regulatory
review process for such products; Arcadia’s compliance with laws and
regulations that impact the company’s business, and changes to such laws and
regulations; Arcadia’s future capital requirements and ability to satisfy its
capital needs; and the other risks set forth in Arcadia’s filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including the risks set
forth in Arcadia’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30,
2015 and other filings. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the
date hereof, and Arcadia Biosciences, Inc. disclaims any obligation to update
these forward-looking statements.
Contacts
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150909005548/en/Nitrogen-Efficient-Rice-Demonstrates-Average-Yield-Increase#.VfizOxFViko
Adverse weather, a
challenge to rice science
Wednesday, September 09, 2015
RICE research and development should be more vigorous in the
provinces where farmers are at the forefront of coping with changes in the way
rice is grown, a prominent rice expert said.This is especially true in changing
and adverse climate conditions, said Dr. Calixto M. Protacio, the new Executive
Director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).With the
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), PhilRice is developing Golden
Rice. Using the tools of modern biotechnology, researchers have incorporated in
the Golden Rice the genes from corn and a common soil microorganism so that it
produces beta carotene, a source of vitamin A. It will benefit Filipinos who
suffer from vitamin A deficiency.
Protacio also believes that rice farmers should diversify in
order to earn more. The 1.04 hectare average rice farm should raise more than
just the crop and go for raising chickens, ducks, fish and high-value crops.In
an interview with Science Philippines, he said rice science faces R&D
hurdles.To start with, there are fewer rice farmers. The land available for
rice cultivation is also shrinking, going to urban expansion and
subdivisions.One way of coping with the challenge is to increase the harvest
even while fewer farmers are planting in the same or even in smaller plots. The
average rice yield is 4 tons per hectare, harvested in 2014 from 4.7 million
hectares.
“We want to increase yields to 10 tons per hectare, or at least
8 tons per hectare with high yielding varieties and hybrid rice,” Protacio
said. “We need to intensify cultivation and increase output per unit area and
we need to increase the yield per hectare.”The average hybrid rice yield in the
Philippines is 6 tons to 8 tons per hectare. In 2014 hybrid rice was planted in
235,000 hectares, with 15 percent developed by publicly-funded R&D in
PhilRice, IRRI, Philippine-Sino Center for Agricultural Technology and state
universities and colleges; the rest came from private seed companies.Even
conventional high-yield varieties raise yields. “It is achievable as shown by
PhilRice’s Palayabangan program which has led some farmers to harvest 10 tons
per hectare at a cost of P5 to produce a kilogram of rice,” Protacio said. (SciencePhilippines)
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/local-news/2015/09/09/adverse-weather-challenge-rice-science-429376
Nagpur
Foodgrain Prices Open-Sep 09
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices - APMC & Open Market-September 9
Nagpur, Sept 9 Gram prices reported down in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing
Committee (APMC) here on poor buying support from local millers amid high moisture content
arrival. Release of stock from stockists and weak trend in Madhya Pradesh gram prices also
affected sentiment, according to sources.
* * * *
FOODGRAINS & PULSES
GRAM
* Desi gram raw recovered in open market on renewed demand from local traders. Fresh
enquiries from South-based traders also pushed up prices.
TUAR
* Tuar varieties zoomed up in open market here on festival buying support from local
traders amid tight supply from producing regions. Weak overseas arrival also jacked
up prices here.
* Udid varieties reported strong in open market on good buying support from local
traders amid thin arrival from producing regions.
* In Akola, Tuar - 9,700-10,100, Tuar dal - 13,800-14,100, Udid at 9,100-9,300,
Udid Mogar (clean) - 10,900-11,400, Moong - 7,600-7,800, Moong Mogar
(clean) 9,200-9,800, Gram - 4,600-4,900, Gram Super best bold - 6,100-6,300
for 100 kg.
* Rice, wheat and other commodities remained steady in open market in thin trading
activity, according to sources.
Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg
FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close
Gram Auction 4,300-5,200 4,400-5,290
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction n.a. 8,000-9,200
Moong Auction n.a. 6,000-6,400
Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500
Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800
Gram Super Best Bold 6,500-6,800 6,500-6,800
Gram Super Best n.a.
Gram Medium Best 5,900-6,100 5,900-6,100
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a.
Gram Mill Quality 5,800-5,900 5,800-5,900
Desi gram Raw 5,150-5,200 5,100-5,150
Gram Filter new 6,200-6,400 6,200-6,400
Gram Kabuli 6,400-7,500 6,400-7,500
Gram Pink 6,800-7,000 6,800-7,000
Tuar Fataka Best 14,500-14,800 14,000-14,500
Tuar Fataka Medium 13,300-13,900 13,000-13,600
Tuar Dal Best Phod 12,900-13,100 12,600-12,800
Tuar Dal Medium phod 12,300-12,800 12,000-12,500
Tuar Gavarani New 10,200-10,400 10,000-10,200
Tuar Karnataka 10,400-10,800 10,200-10,600
Tuar Black 12,100-12,300 12,100-12,300
Masoor dal best 8,200-8,700 8,200-8,700
Masoor dal medium 7,900-8,300 7,900-8,300
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold 9,600-9,900 9,600-9,900
Moong Mogar Medium best 8,200-8,800 8,200-8,800
Moong dal Chilka 8,700-8,900 8,700-8,900
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 8,400-9,200 8,400-9,200
Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG) 11,300-11,900 11,200-11,800
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 10,500-10,900 10,400-10,800
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 9,200-9,700 9,100-9,600
Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 5,200-5,600 5,200-5,600
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 4,000-4,200 4,000-4,200
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,450 3,200-3,450
Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,200 3,000-3,200
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 3,300-3,600 3,300-3,600
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,400-1,500 1,400-1,500
Wheat Mill quality(100 INR/KG) 1,650-1,750 1,650-1,750
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 1,350-1,550 1,350-1,550
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,250-2,400 2,250-2,400
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,950-2,100 1,950-2,100
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,700 3,400-3,700
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,750-2,900 2,750-2,900
Rice BPT best(100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,300 3,100-3,300
Rice BPT medium(100 INR/KG) 2,800-3,000 2,800-3,000
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,900 1,700-1,900
Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,300 2,000-2,300
Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,000 1,900-2,000
Rice HMT best(100 INR/KG) 3,500-3,900 3,500-3,900
Rice HMT medium(100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,300 3,200-3,300
Rice HMT Shriram best(100 INR/KG) 4,800-5,100 4,800-5,100
Rice HMT Shriram med.(100 INR/KG) 4,000-4,500 4,000-4,500
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 8,000-10,000 8,000-10,000
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 7,000-7,500 7,000-7,500
Rice Chinnor best (100 INR/KG) 5,200-5,400 4,900-5,100
Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 4,700-5,000 4,400-4,800
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,350 2,100-2,350
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,500 2,400-2,500
WEATHER (NAGPUR)
Maximum temp. 33.0 degree Celsius (91.4 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp.
22.6 degree Celsius (72.7 degree Fahrenheit)
Humidity: Highest - 98 per cent, lowest - 71 per cent.
Rainfall : 19.4 mm
FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Rains or thunder-showers likely. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 34 and 23 degree Celsius respectively.
Note: n.a.--not available
(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices.)
http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/09/09/nagpur-foodgrain-idINL4N11F2ZD20150909
Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report
A comprehensive daily commodity market report for Arkansas
agricultural commodities with cash markets, futures and insightful analysis and
commentary from Arkansas Farm Bureau commodity analysts.
Noteworthy benchmark price levels of interest to farmers and
ranchers, as well as long-term commodity market trends which are developing.
Daily fundamental market influences and technical factors are noted and
discussed.
Soybeans
|
High
|
Low
|
|
|
Cash Bids
|
910
|
856
|
|
New Crop
|
899
|
818
|
|
|
||
Riceland Foods
|
|
||
|
Cash Bids
|
Stuttgart: - - -
|
Pendleton: - - -
|
|
New Crop
|
Stuttgart: - - -
|
Pendleton: - - -
|
|
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|
Futures:
|
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Soybean Comment
Soybeans closed lower today. Another crop conditions report that
showed a good crop and even has some speculating the USDA may again raise
yields this month. With prices near contract lows and uncertainty surrounding China
more supplies in this market would be detrimental to prices.
Wheat
|
High
|
Low
|
|
|
Cash Bids
|
--
|
--
|
|
New Crop
|
483
|
458
|
|
|
||
|
Futures:
|
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Wheat Comment
Wheat prices closed lower again today. While there is not
expected to be major revisions to the U.S. balance sheet the market could see
more increases in global supplies which would continue to keep the pressure on
prices and could push wheat to new contract lows.
Grain Sorghum
|
High
|
Low
|
|
|
Cash Bids
|
383
|
340
|
|
New Crop
|
383
|
352
|
|
|
||
Corn
|
High
|
Low
|
|
|
Cash Bids
|
378
|
323
|
|
New Crop
|
358
|
330
|
|
|
||
|
Futures:
|
|
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Corn Comment
Corn prices closed slightly higher today. The market continues
to hold lows set following the August USDA report. With another report
scheduled for Friday and the USDA continued reporting of 68-percent of the crop
rated good to excellent we are not likely to see major adjustments in the corn
supplies this month. Supplies will remain ample which will continue cause
concerns over the carryover in this year's crop.
Cotton
|
Futures:
|
|
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Cotton Comment
Cotton futures ended lower after trading was confined within
Tuesday’s range. The US agricultural attaché forecasts for China added to the
negative undertone. Cotton imports are expected to be only 5.75 million bales
due to an only weak recovery in cotton use and a tight import quota. From a
technical perspective, December is attempting to consolidate just above support
at 62 cents. Resistance begins at 64 cents.
Rice
|
High
|
Low
|
|
|
Long Grain
Cash Bids
|
- - -
|
- - -
|
|
Long Grain
New Crop
|
- - -
|
- - -
|
|
|
||
|
Futures:
|
|
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Rice Comment
Rice futures posted sharp gains today. News that the Philippines
is in the process of re-evaluating the volume of rice that will need to be
imported in the 2016 marketing year. Previous recommendations were based upon a
relatively weak El Nino weather pattern, which has since intensified. The
Philippines is one of the largest rice importers in the world. Harvest is well
under way in the US, with 35% of the crop in the bins as of Sunday, September
6. November shattered previous resistance at the August high of $12.34, finally
running out of steam at $12.61 ½.
Cattle
|
Futures:
|
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Live Cattle:
|
|
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Feeders:
|
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Arkansas Prices
Conway Livestock Auction
Pocahontas Livestock Auction
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City - Weekly Weighted Average Summary Wednesday
Cattle Comment
Cattle prices gave back a small amount of yesterday's large
gains. Prices remain on the defensive and continue to have difficulty
maintaining gains as a strong dollar and record imports from Australia remain a
drag on prices.
Hogs
|
Futures:
|
|
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http://www.arfb.com/ag-markets-statistics/report/
Download/View
On-Line the above News in pdf format,just click the following link
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