Massive trade deal could come down to two things: Rice
and cars
Officials are working feverishly to unsnag a deal with Japan and 10
other Asia-Pacific countries.
By ADAM BEHSUDI
4/27/15 6:56 PM EDT
Updated 4/28/15 10:42 AM EDT
Japanese Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe will get the royal treatment this week during his U.S. visit: an
arrival ceremony on the South Lawn; an
Oval Office meeting and press conference with President Barack Obama; a State
Department lunch with Vice President Joe Biden; and Secretary of State John
Kerry and, last but not least, a state dinner with nearly 300 guests.But behind
the scenes, White House officials are working feverishly to unsnag a trade deal
with Japan and 10 other Asia-Pacific countries that would be the largest such agreement
in history. The two major hold-ups: rice and cars.
Washington wants Japan to raise the
cap on the amount of rice the U.S. can sell to the country without tariffs,
which can top 778 percent. Tokyo wants the U.S., long protective of its auto
industry, to drop tariffs on cars, trucks and auto parts.
While Obama and Abe will discuss the
agreement, they are not expected to reach a breakthrough on the outstanding
issues; that’s the job of Obama’s top trade official, Michael Froman, and his
Japanese counterpart, Akira Amari. But a Japanese official close to the
negotiations told POLITICO the talks have progressed far enough that the two
countries are likely to clinch a deal in the next few weeks, removing the
biggest hurdle to inking the broader pact, which, in turn, could happen by late
May.
MAURA REYNOLDS
The latest that both sides will try
to conclude their talks is by the next Trans-Pacific Partnership ministers
meeting, the Japanese embassy source said. Top trade officials could wrap up
work on the massive Asia-Pacific trade agreement, which would cover an
estimated 40 percent of global gross domestic product, at the end of next month
in Singapore.
But the pact is riding largely on
whether the U.S. and Japan can resolve their differences over agricultural and
automobile import tariffs, which the two nations had hoped in recent months
would be accomplished by the time Abe came to Washington. While the two leaders
talk, U.S. and Japanese trade officials will also be meeting this week in the
nation’s capital to try to hammer out details like how much U.S. rice Japan is
willing to accept and a mechanism that would prevent a surge of Japanese autos
into the U.S.
Rice and cars have always been a
sticking point in U.S-Japanese trade relations: Japan is very protective of its
home-grown rice industry, which is ingrained in the country’s culture, while
the U.S. doesn’t want Toyota and Honda to undercut the iconic Ford and Chevy
pickup truck industry.
Obama said Monday that both sides
were getting closer to a deal, but he did not expect one to be announced while
Abe is in town.
“Negotiations are tough on both
sides because he’s got his own politics and interests,” Obama said in an
interview with The Wall Street Journal. “I don’t expect that we will complete
all negotiations,” but “I will say that the engagement has brought the parties
much closer together.”
Obama again pressed the case for his
trade agenda in the face of stiff opposition from fellow Democrats in Congress,
warning that China will write the rules of trade in the region if the TPP talks
fail.
White House state dinner honors
Japan — and china
KATE GLASSMAN BENNETT
“We will be shut out — American
businesses and American agriculture. That will mean a loss of new jobs,” he
told the newspaper.
A deal between the two countries
could be hastened by the House and Senate markups last week of so-called
fast-track trade legislation that would expedite Congress’ approval of the TPP
and another huge pact Washington is negotiating with the European Union. The
trade promotion authority bill would allow unamendable deals to be sent to
lawmakers for an up-or-down vote, giving negotiating partners like Japan
assurances that they can put their best offers on the table. Over the past
several weeks, Abe’s visit was seen as a potential handshake moment in the
trade talks.
“The fact that they couldn’t bring
this together for the prime minister’s visit, I think it’s a missed
opportunity,” Mireya Solis, senior fellow and Japan expert at the Brookings
Institution, said, noting that the last time a Japanese leader visited
Washington was nine years ago. “I was actually hoping they could at least
announce they are very close to reaching a deal,” she added.
Whatever progress is made on trade
this week, it may be overshadowed by security developments. Japan unveiled new
defense cooperation guidelines this week that would give Tokyo a stronger hand
over regional military affairs and deepen its strategic ties with the U.S.
GOP confident on fast-track votes
ADAM BEHSUDI
Both issues could come up when Abe
addresses a joint session of Congress and talks to business CEOs at the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday.
“I think the expectation on our part
is for the prime minister to really make the case why our relationship is so
important in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Rep. Charles Boustany, a co-chair
of the Japan Caucus and an outspoken supporter of the Asia-Pacific trade deal.
The House Ways and Means and Senate
Finance Committees’ approval of fast-track legislation last week was important
to showing other nations the U.S. is putting its full weight behind moving the
trade agenda forward, the Louisiana Republican said.
Boustany said he hoped the visit
would give Abe the opportunity to elevate the TPP to “a place that hopefully
gives him the space to make the kind of decisions he needs to make.”
Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic
Party faces fierce pressure from the country’s powerful agriculture lobby to
prevent a surge in foreign commodities from destroying the livelihood of
smaller-scale Japanese farmers, especially those that raise sensitive products,
including rice, dairy, beef, pork and wheat.
Right now, the agricultural talks
are focused mainly on Japan’s rice market, which the White House is working to
pry open by lowering import tariffs. Japanese officials are considering
offering the U.S. more access through a quota that wouldn’t be subject to
duties.
The U.S. dairy industry is also
pushing for more access than Tokyo has been willing to provide.
“The Administration has made
significant progress in dairy, but what Japan has done so far is not enough,”
said Jaime Castaneda, senior vice president for strategic initiatives and trade
policy at the National Milk Producers Federation.
POLITICO PRO
Full coverage of trade policy
“Our industry will be keeping a
close watch on any growth limitation on any dairy product.”
The U.S. is also pushing Tokyo to
address policies and regulations that U.S. automakers say keep them from
selling cars in Japan.Meanwhile, Japan has been pushing for the immediate elimination
of a 2.5 percent tariff on auto parts and a reasonable phase-out period for
duties on car and light truck imports.
Read more:
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/04/massive-trade-deal-could-come-down-to-just-two-things-rice-and-cars-117398.html#ixzz3YdRvZ9hS
United States rice back on retail shelves in UK
·
The reappearance of U.S. rice in
U.K. retail stores comes after years of campaigning and promotional efforts by
USA Rice to assure suppliers that U.S.-grown rice is a high quality,
competitive crop free of GMO traits.
·
By USA Rice Federation
Posted
Apr. 27, 2015 at 3:06 PM
LONDON —
In a major victory for the rice
industry, U.S. rice has reemerged on mainstream UK retail shelves for the first
time since 2006.The reappearance of U.S. rice in U.K. retail stores comes after
years of campaigning and promotional efforts by USA Rice to assure suppliers
that U.S.-grown rice is a high quality, competitive crop free of GMO traits.
Last October, a USA Rice trade delegation traveled to the UK to meet with major
retailers, UK rice importers, millers, and selected wholesalers.During that
successful trip, the team met with USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
representatives from London, and Jim Higgiston, the Agricultural Minister
Counselor at the United States Mission to the EU."We had an excellent and
worthwhile dialogue with U.K. importers that has apparently paid off,"
said Bastiaan de Zeeuw, president and CEO of Riviana Foods.
For the past several years, U.S.
long grain rice in the UK had only been present in the ethnic segment of the
market, targeting mainly Chinese, as well as the Afro-Caribbean and Bangladeshi
populations, a loyal consumer base who appreciate U.S. long grain's high
quality characteristics.However, thanks to the continuous joint effort by USA Rice
and U.K. importers, U.S. rice can now be enjoyed by a much wider audience.
The umbrella brand carrying U.S.
rice, Tolly Boy, is a well-known and trusted brand in the UK market, carrying
different high quality rice varieties. The identified U.S. rice brand is
available in select Asda stores in 5 kg and 10 kg packaging and its presence in
mainstream retail stores has the potential to expand the consumer base
substantially, offering higher sales volumes for U.S. long grain
rice."This is an exciting development for the U.S. rice industry. The U.K. has the potential to
grow into a significant market again and perhaps signal our imminent return to
the continent as well," said de Zeeuw.
Savanna Agric Institute to enhance rice
production
The Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) has secured a $1
million World Bank grant to enhance local rice cultivation in the northern
ecological zones of the country.Dubbed the “System of Rice Intensification
(SRI),” the three-year project seeks to train rice farmers on the correct rice
farming practices to ensure higher yields.It is being implemented by SARI in
collaboration with the West African Agricultural Productivity Programme
(WAPP).It will be implemented in six regions, namely the Northern, Upper East,
Volta, Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, and Kpong and Dahwenya in the Greater Accra
Region.The initiative was first developed in Madagascar to train rice farmers
in good farming practices and resources to ensure higher yields in rice
production.
Speaking at the launch, the Monitoring and Evaluation officer at
WAPP, Mr Augustine Oppong Dankwa, said the project was going to train the
farmers in the best rice farming techniques including seed treatment, soil
preparation and the right quantities of manure and water to use during cultivation.He
said also that the application of too much water and seed by some rice farmers
was not good for most of the rice farms.He explained that the farmers would be
taken through field demonstrations on how to manage the amount of water and
seeds during cultivation.
Dr Dankwa urged the rice farmers to adopt the SRI initiative, since
it as was effective, less tiresome and also helped the farmers to cultivate
more rice from just little seeds.The Research Co-ordinator at SARI, Dr Wilson
Dogbe, for his part, said most of the problems the rice sector faced were due
to the challenges of climate change in the country.He said although the rice
sector had developed in the last 10 years, the country still produced only 30
per cent of rice, which he said was a very worrying state worrisome.
Dr Dogbe added that the institution was going to develop new
technologies and approaches to enable farmers grow rice in healthy and
drought-free environments to promote the sector.Mr Amoah Duncan Raymond, a rice
farmer in the Volta Region, in an interview, said the zone alone contributed 45
per cent of the rice produced in the region.He said some of the land in the
zone were not suitable for the production of rice, since they were very rocky
and hilly.
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/artikel.php?ID=356128
Silicon: An important element in rice production
PENSOFT
PUBLISHERS
Silicon (Si) is the second most abundant element of the earth`s
crust after oxygen. It has long been neglected by ecologists, as it is not considered
an essential nutrient for plants. However, research of recent years showed that
it is beneficial for the growth of many plants, including important crops such
as rice, wheat and barley.For instance, Si enhanced the resistance against
pests, pathogens and abiotic stresses such as salts, drought and storms.
Silicon might, thus, play a crucial role in the development of `sustainable`
rice production systems with lower or zero input of harmful pesticides.
Researchers from the interdisciplinary LEGATO project on sustainable rice production look in more detail at the cycle
of plant-available Si in contrasting regions of Vietnam and the Philippines to
provide insights on the importance of this element on rice production.A recent
article published in the journal Plant
and Soil reports on
Si cycling and budgets on the farm level in the Laguna province of the
Philippines. The data show that the irrigation water can provide a considerable
amount of the Si that is taken up by plants. In rain water, the concentrations
of Si were below the detection limit of the analytical method; the researchers,
thus, assume that rain is no important Si source for plants. Another major
source of plant-available Si is the dissolution of solid soil particles.
In a subsequent study, the LEGATO researchers currently focus on
the soil processes that determine the pool of plant-available Si during the
growing period. Recent literature suggests that the recycling and decomposition
of rice straw plays a crucial role for Si availability. The farmers should
therefore recycle the straw completely.This is not done by all of the farmers
that were interviewed within the LEGATO project, i.e., some of them remove part
of the straw and use it e.g., as fertilizer on vegetable fields. Over the
long-term, this could have negative effects on the Si supply to rice plants.
Particularly in regions, where soils are strongly weathered, and the Si
availability is therefore very low (e.g., the LEGATO study sites in Vietnam),
farmers should consider Si availability as a factor in the management of the
rice field.
Klotzbücher, T., Leuther, F., Marxen, A., Vetterlein, D.,
Horgan, F., Jahn, R. 2015. Forms and fluxes of potential plant-available
silicon in irrigated lowland rice production (Laguna, the Philippines). Plant and Soil,
doi:10.1007/s11104-015-2480-y
Klotzbücher, T., Marxen, A., Vetterlein, D., Schneiker, J.,
Türke, M., Van Sinh, N., Manh, N.H., Van Chien, H., Marquez, L., Villareal, S.,
Bustamante, J.V., Jahn, R. 2015. Plant-available silicon in Southeast Asian
paddy soils - baseline data for the LEGATO project. Basic and Applied Ecology.
doi:10.1016/j.baae.2014.08.002
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-04/pp-sai042815.php
Rice exports grow
Rice exports are set to leap by
more than 10 percent this year, setting a new record, industry experts said
yesterday. U Soe Tun, associate secretary of the Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF),
said total exports would reach 2 million metric tonnes in 2015-2016.
The surge is due to a deal
regularising exports to China, as well as the emergence of the United States as
a buyer of Myanmar rice, he said.“Being able to export rice to the USA is a
significant improvement, even though the amount is small. We expect the volume
to rise so long as we can maintain the quality,” he said.Last year, 1.39
million metric tonnes of rice was exported, plus more than 400,000 tonnes of
broken rice, earning US$644 million – a 40-year record, overtaking the 1.46
million tonnes sold in 2012-13 fiscal year.Myanmar now serves 64 international
rice buyers, including the United States, which last year bought 17 tonnes of
high-quality pawsan, export figures stated.
The agreement with China to export
100,000 tonnes is planned to start with a 3000-tonne consignment in
May.However, U Ye Min Aung, general secretary of the MRF, says much still has
to be done to improve export quality and price control. “The government has to
cut logistics costs in order to control the price of exported goods,” he said.
Though its economy depends heavily
on rice exports, Myanmar still ranks relatively low among Asia’s rice
exporters. http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/business/14156-rice-exports-grow.html
Translation by Zar Zar Soe
Paddy
Marketing Board to sell part of stocks purchased
The
Paddy Marketing Board says that the paddy purchased during the Maha Season will
be sold after converting it into rice.Chairman of the board M. B. Dissanayake
said that a part of this stock are to be kept as secured stocks.The Chairman
elaborating on the issue that that there are requests from some areas for
more paddy to be purchased. He said that the subject minister had forwarded
this request to the cabinet for money to be released.
He
said:
The money that we requested
will be released soon and discussions are underway with the regard to what
needs to be done to the purchased paddy.He stated that as a result,
the ministry will be having necessary stocks while selling the rest to
the public. He stated that the money earned through this exercise can be used
to develop storage facilities.
APEDA-INDIA
NEWS
|
International
Benchmark Price
|
|
Price on: 27-04-2015
|
|
Product
|
Benchmark Indicators Name
|
Price
|
|
Garlic
|
|
1
|
Chinese first grade granules, CFR NW Europe
(USD/t)
|
2100
|
|
2
|
Chinese Grade A dehydrated flakes, CFR NW
Europe (USD/t)
|
2000
|
|
3
|
Chinese powdered, CFR NW Europe (USD/t)
|
1800
|
|
Ginger
|
|
1
|
Chinese sliced, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
|
4600
|
|
2
|
Chinese whole, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
|
5100
|
|
3
|
Indian Cochin, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
|
3000
|
|
Guar
Gum Powder
|
|
1
|
Indian 100 mesh 3500 cps, FOB Kandla
(USD/t)
|
4295
|
|
2
|
Indian 200 mesh 3500 cps basis, FOB Kandla
(USD/t)
|
1715
|
|
3
|
Indian 200 mesh 3500 cps technical grade,
FOB Kandla (USD/t)
|
3750
|
|
Source:agra-net
|
For more info
|
|
|
Market
Watch
|
|
Commodity-wise, Market-wise
Daily Price on 27-04-2015
|
|
Domestic Prices
|
Unit Price : Rs per Qty
|
|
Product
|
Market Center
|
Variety
|
Min Price
|
Max Price
|
|
Rice
|
|
1
|
Jatni (Orissa)
|
Other
|
2000
|
2400
|
|
2
|
Manjeri (Kerala)
|
Other
|
2800
|
3800
|
|
3
|
Gajol (West Bengal)
|
Other
|
1850
|
1950
|
|
Wheat
|
|
1
|
Amirgadh (Gujarat)
|
Other
|
1250
|
1600
|
|
2
|
Bonai (Orissa )
|
Other
|
1450
|
1600
|
|
3
|
Attari(Punjab)
|
Other
|
1450
|
1450
|
|
Orange
|
|
1
|
Kottakkal (Kerala)
|
Other
|
4300
|
4500
|
|
2
|
Nagpur(Maharashtra)
|
Other
|
1700
|
4000
|
|
3
|
Barara(Haryana)
|
Other
|
2500
|
2800
|
|
Cucumbar
|
|
1
|
Chala (Kerala)
|
Other
|
3300
|
3350
|
|
2
|
Bonai (Orissa)
|
Other
|
1500
|
2000
|
|
3
|
Bharuch(Gujarat)
|
Other
|
500
|
1000
|
|
Source:agra-net
|
For more info
|
|
|
Egg
|
Rs per 100 No
|
|
Price on 27-04-2015
|
|
Product
|
Market Center
|
Price
|
|
1
|
Pune
|
296
|
|
2
|
Chittoor
|
303
|
|
3
|
Hyderabad
|
245
|
|
|
|
|
Other
International Prices
|
Unit Price : US$ per package
|
|
Price on 27-04-2015
|
|
Product
|
Market Center
|
Origin
|
Variety
|
Low
|
High
|
|
Mangoes
|
Package: flats 1 layer
|
|
1
|
Chicago
|
Mexico
|
Ataulfo
|
10
|
11
|
|
2
|
Dallas
|
Ecuador
|
Ataulfo
|
9
|
9
|
|
3
|
Detroit
|
Mexico
|
Ataulfo
|
6
|
8.50
|
|
Cabbage
|
Package: 50 lb cartons
|
|
1
|
Atlanta
|
Florida
|
Round Green Type
|
9
|
12.50
|
|
2
|
Detroit
|
Texas
|
Round Green Type
|
13.50
|
16.50
|
|
3
|
Miami
|
Canada
|
Round Green Type
|
11
|
12
|
|
Apples
|
Package: cartons tray pack
|
|
1
|
Atlanta
|
Virginia
|
Red Delicious
|
19
|
19
|
|
2
|
Baltimore
|
Pennsylvania
|
Red Delicious
|
17
|
18
|
|
3
|
Miami
|
Michigan
|
Red Delicious
|
26
|
26
|
|
Source:USDA
|
|
Partnership
with Big Y Dietitians Helps Boost Awareness and Sales of U.S. Rice
USA Rice's Cranberry Pecan
Rice Pilaf cover shot
makes an impression
ARLINGTON, VA -- Earlier this year, USA Rice participated in the
Living Well Eating Smart (LWES) program at Big Y, a supermarket chain of more
than 60 stores in Massachusetts and Connecticut. From January through March,
shoppers were exposed to the many uses and nutritional benefits of U.S.-grown
rice through a print and online newsletter, social media, as well as in-store
signage and displays.During the two-month promotion, Big Y's rice category saw
a 5.8 percent increase in rice unit sales compared to the same time period last
year. "With a growing trend toward sustainable, locally-grown, nutritious
foods, a focus on U.S.-grown rice was a perfect fit for our January Winter
Warm-Ups theme," said Andrea Luttrell, Big Y Registered Dietitian.
"It's important to educate shoppers on the health benefits of the foods
they are purchasing. Our shoppers were very receptive to the messages about
rice -- after all, it's such an affordable and versatile pantry staple! So
reminding them that this delicious food comes with a host of nutritional
benefits, and that it's grown in the USA, allows our shoppers to enjoy their
eating experience while feeling good about what they are feeding their
families."
Customized partnerships with retail
dietitians are a great way to increase visibility of U.S.-grown rice in the
supermarket communication channels and drive shopper interest in U.S.-grown
rice.
Contact: Katie Maher (703)
236-1453
CME
Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
|
CME Group
(Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for April
28
|
May 2015
|
$9.965
|
+ $0.110
|
|
July 2015
|
$10.235
|
+ $0.110
|
|
September 2015
|
$10.505
|
+ $0.105
|
|
November 2015
|
$10.760
|
+ $0.105
|
|
January 2016
|
$11.010
|
+ $0.105
|
|
March 2016
|
$11.060
|
+ $0.105
|
|
May 2016
|
$11.060
|
+ $0.105
|
|
Pakistan offers PTA to Afghanistan, FTA to Iran:
Khurram
Monday, 27 April 2015 20:40
Posted
by Shoaib-ur-Rehman Siddiqui
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Commerce, Engineer Khurran
Dastgir Khan here on Monday said that Pakistan has offered Preferential Trade
Agreement (PTA) to Afghanistan and Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to Iran for
enhancing trade with both the countries.In a statement, the minister said that
after trade agreements with both countries the trade volume of the country
would significantly increase which would bring positive impact on national
economy.The minister said that under the vision of Prime Minister, Ministry of
Commerce was taking every possible step to promote trade relation with these
countries.He said that Prime Minister had visited different countries of the region
in order to enhance bilateral trade relation and he was intended to establish
these relations on long term for mutual benefits.Commerce Minister said that
during recent visit to Afghanistan and Iran he had discussed the pending trade
issues for their swift settlement and suggested to remove export duty on
Pakistani goods for Central Asian States through Afghanistan.He said these
steps would facilitate the traders besides enhancing the trade from the
country. He further said that during recent visit to Iran he had also discussed
duties imposed by Iran on import of wheat, rice and fruits from Pakistan to
bring balance and stability in trade.
Government working towards raising productivity of crops: Bosan
April 28, 2015
RECORDER REPORT
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar
Hayat Khan Bosan has announced that the government is working on every possible
option to increase the productivity of different crops. "Relief will be
given to farmers in the coming budget while such a policy is being devised to
ensure that benefit of subsidy should go to them, rather than middle men. His announcement came in a seminar
arranged by a private company to launch Urea-Z, which is a bioactive nutrient
fortified fertilised introduced for the first time for the Pakistani farmers. The minister said recent rains had
caused damage to Lahore, Gujranwala and the Potohar region and the government
had called for a report to analyse the extent of the damage and that after the
18th Amendment most of the decision making rests with provinces and federation
had left with few aspects.
But he assured his government's efforts to better this sector. He then appreciated the introduction
of bio-fertilisers that would ensure consistent bioavailability of immobile and
less mobile nutrients during the crop life such as P, Zn, B and Fe. "The
products not only improve plant health and yield but also minimise the
financial burden on the farmers. Urea Z and Bio Organo Phosphorus are two of
such products, introduced in Pakistan," he added. In his speech, Niha Tech Pvt Ltd Chief
Executive Officer Nadeem Tariq said zinc was one of the most critical
micronutrients not only for crop production but also for human health.
"The primary reason of deficiency in crops is its lower bioavailability
from soils to plant. Under the Pakistani soil and environmental conditions,
only four to eight percent of the zinc applied in soil is available to plant
and the remaining 92 to 96 percent is wasted in soil that is loss of farmers'
investment." He went on,
"Farmers of rice, maize, sugarcane, potato and other crops generally spend
Rs 3,350 per acre on one bag of urea 50 kilograms and 6 kilograms of 33 percent
of zinc sulphate.
Due to 30 to 60 percent N
losses from urea and 92 to 96 percent losses of zinc, the farmers do not get
economical return of their investment in the form of crop produce quantity and
quality. "Lower
concentration of zinc in the agricultural produce has started seriously
affecting human health in Pakistan. The most efficient and economical channel
of providing sufficient zinc to masses human is through the agricultural
produce. Therefore, it is critical to increase the availability of zinc in the
agricultural produce to avert a negative impact of deficiency in human.
Urea Z has 42 percent
nitrogen and 2 percent bioactive zinc contents and which has been tested in
farmer fields of Pakistan at rice, maize, wheat, potato and other crops for the
past few years and test marketing started from rice crop 2014. "Urea Z has proved to be revolutionary
fertilizer for all corps by ensuring consistent supply of zinc through its
patent bioactive zinc component, improving efficiency of nitrogen and other
nutrients. In addition, it enhanced root mass by 15 to 20 percent, intensity of
leaves' green colour and crop resistance against lodging and ultimately yield
by 15 percent. Urea Z also contributed in reducing cost of nitrogen and zinc
fertilisers' application.
Published
on Tuesday, 28 April 2015 01:15
Written
by FINNIGAN WA SIMBEYE
IN Kilombero District, hundreds
of kilometres from East African Community headquarters in Arusha, smallholder
rice farmers are still struggling to sell their rice from 2012/13
season.“Prices are still very low but have slightly appreciated from 600/- to
750/- a kilogramme on average,” said Ms Christina Magwila.The mother of four
said prices plummeted by more than 50 per cent last year when Kilombero
Plantation Limited, the single largest client of her rice, failed to buy the
commodity from over 5,000 smallholder farmers due to saturated local market.“I
sold my rice at a loss because I needed school fees for my two secondary school
girls and their primary school sibling,” said Ms Magwila who like many other
smallholder rice farmers in the country, is struggling to absorb the huge loss
caused.
KPL Chief Executive Officer, Mr
Carter Coleman said his company posted a whopping 4bn/- loss as a result of the
Pakistan rice imports in 2013 and a similar amount due to a 25 per cent price
fall caused by a bumper harvest in 2013/14 season.“Some 40,000 tonnes of cheap
Pakistani rice that was exempt from the Common External Tariff of the East
African Community was imported, dropping the wholesale price by 54 per cent and
impoverishing hundreds of thousands of rice smallholders,” Mr Coleman said
while responding in an interview.The government had initially issued permits
for the importation of 120,000 tonnes of rice to offset an alleged shortage in
the local market but suspended the imports in March last year after an outcry
by commercial and smallholder rice farmers.
KPL still had 1,000 tonnes of
rice from the 2012 season and another 5,000 tonnes from 2013 season which could
not be sold at a profitable price due to the cheap imports by mid last
year.Local rice producers further faced problems to export the grain to Rwanda
and Uganda because crooked traders blended local rice with Pakistan imports
forcing governments of the two countries to slap a 75 per cent import duty.
Coleman is angry with Ugandan authorities for continuing to impose the 75 per
cent duty on Tanzanian rice exports contrary to EAC’s Customs Union
Protocol.“There is no substantial Pakistani rice in Tanzania, please get your
government to lift the tariff on our rice as you are bankrupting Tanzanian
farmers,” said Coleman in an emotional message directed at former Ugandan
Ambassador to China, Philip Idro.In his response, Ambassador Idro argued that
so long as local rice was blended with Pakistan rice, it will continue
attracting hiked duty because it violates the rules of origin as per EAC
Customs Protocol. “This means that we have to do our part and that is why
Uganda is going ahead to hold onto the 75 per cent tax, even if alone,”
Ambassador Idro stressed.He warned that local rice producers who create jobs and
add value to the economy should regularly update policy makers on the disaster
which imported rice is causing on the EAC region’s economies.
But the jinx of Pakistan rice
imports does not only seem to haunt local farmers, but also their peers in
Kenya where the government has a bilateral agreement with Pakistan to swap tea
and rice trading.Last week, a delegation of East African Farmers Federation led
by its President Philip Kiriro, visited East Africa Cooperation Minister, Dr
Harrison Mwakyembe and raised the issue of Pakistan rice imports frustrating
regional trade. EAFF Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Muchiri said Kenyan rice
farmers are failing to exploit the EAC Customs Union Protocol because their
commodity to Rwanda and Uganda is slapped with a 75 percent duty.“You know
Kenya has a trade agreement with Pakistan whereby they buy tea while we import
their rice. Unscrupulous businessmen are mixing the Pakistan rice with local
rice in Kenya which has attracted a 75 per cent import duty in Uganda and Rwanda,”
Mr Muchiri said.
“I understand this problem has
also affected rice farmers here, I hope that you as Chairman of the Council of
Ministers can help us address this,” he pointed out saying EAFF is working with
United States Agency for International Development in assisting farmers acquire
skills, identify markets and observe quality and standards.Currently after
investing heavily in rice production, local farmers produce over 1.2 million
metric tons of the commodity against annual demand of less than one million
tonnes.Responding to the EAFF delegation’s request, Dr Mwakyembe said he will
raise the matter with his peers during the next Council of Ministers meeting
scheduled for Thursday, April 3. “Much of this rice is smuggled into our
region, we should find a solution against this,” said Dr Mwakyembe.He pointed
out that EAC’s biggest trading prowess lies in agriculture produce which
involves the majority of people in the region hence the need to protect the
market for such commodities.
Dr Mwakyembe invited EAFF
officials to make their presentation before an EAC Council of Ministers which
will thereafter deliberate on the matter.Earlier this year, EAC Finance
Ministers agreed a 35 per cent Common External Tariff (CET) on imported rice
for the region, a move which has strongly been opposed by rice farmers and
former Minister for Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives Minister,
Christopher Chiza.“I was not consulted on this issue which is detrimental to
our farmers,” Engineer Chiza said promising to strongly oppose the attempt. He
said Kenya which includes Pakistan rice on its list of sensitive products,
imposes a 35 per cent duty hence wants the whole block to adopt the rate.“My
fear is that Kenyan rice imports with a lower rate will continue be smuggled into
Tanzania,” Eng Chiza who has since been shifted to Prime Minister’s Office,
warned. Finance Minister, Saada Mkuya Salum said the CET is negotiable and can
be hiked by individual countries if need arises to curb cheap imports.
Ep 5 Annie
and Lloyd: Sea Bream Baked in Parchment with Saffron Rice
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
·
4 plate size sea bream (about
300g), scaled, gutted
·
2 large lemons, thinly sliced
·
2 long red chillies, thinly
sliced
·
1 cm piece fresh ginger, thinly
sliced
·
1 red onion, thinly slice
·
½ bunch coriander leaves
·
½ bunch mint leaves
Saffron
Rice
·
200g basmati rice, washed
·
5 saffron threads
·
1 cardamom pod, bruised
·
1 star anise
·
1 tsp salt
·
1 kaffir lime leaf, shredded
·
25g butter, chopped
·
Finely grated zest and juice of ½
lemon
Salad
·
2 tbs olive oil
·
Juice of 1 lemon
·
4 radishes, thinly sliced
·
2 green spring onions, thinly
sliced
·
1 carrot, grated
·
1 baby cos lettuce, shredded
·
1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
·
½ cup torn mint leaves
·
½ cup torn coriander leaves
Method
1.
Preheat oven to 200C. Cut out
four pieces of baking paper, twice the size of your fish.
2.
Score each fish on both sides at
3cm intervals. Season well all over inside and out.
3.
Fill cavity with half the lemon
slices.
4.
Divide half the chillies, ginger,
onion, herbs and remaining lemon slices among centre of each piece of paper to
form a bed. Season. Place fish on top. Cover with remaining vegetables and
herbs. Fold in sides of paper and then fold in ends to form a package.
5.
Bake for about 15 minutes or
until almost cooked. Remove from oven and stand 10 minutes.
6.
Meanwhile, place rice in a
saucepan and add enough water to come 2.5cm above the rice. Stir in spices and
lime leaf. Bring to a boil. Cover with a tight fitting lid and reduce heat to
low. Cook for a further 13-15 minutes. Stand covered for 5 minutes.
7.
Remove cardamom pod and star
anise. Stir in butter, zest and juice.
8.
To make salad, whisk oil and
juice in a large bowl. Season. Add remaining ingredients. Toss to combine.
9.
Serve fish with rice and salad.
Tips
·
Exact cooking time of fish will
depend on size. Test by inserting a fork into the thickest part of the fish. If
the flesh comes away from the bone, it is cooked. Standing the fish in its
parcel, allows residual heat to gently finish cooking the fish after it
has been removed from the oven.
·
You could use any type of plate
size fish for this recipe.
·
Try serving this dish with a
quick raita – mix 250g plain yoghurt with 2 tbs of finely chopped mint. Stir in
a pinch of ground cumin and season
Why A Scientist Is Growing Rice On A Marquette
University Rooftop
Michael Schläppi at his rooftop paddy system before
spring planting began. Schläppi studied in his native Switzerland before
hopping the Atlantic to do postdoctoral work.
S BENCE
When I first visited, the paddies were still frozen.
S BENCE
Schläppi
also grows rice indoors in climate controlled chambers. He applies stress,
dramatic temperature shifts, to learn how the plant reacts.
S BENCE
Rice lines
Schläppi grew and studied last year.
S BENCE
In April, Schläppi
plänted one paddy with seeds....
S BENCE
....another
with seeds he germinated inside, to see how their growth and health compare.
S BENCE
Listen
Listening...
3:28
Most of the world’s rice production occurs oceans away
from the United States. In 2011, molecular biologist Michael Schläppi dove into
rice research hoping to grow the grain in Wisconsin.According Schläppi, 80
percent of the rice Americans consume is grown in a handful of states,
especially Arkansas and California. “But I think it would be wise to think
about, with climate change or the drought in California, maybe they won’t be
able to grow rice anymore,” he says.Of course wild rice grows in Wisconsin, but
it’s a distant relative. The real thing originated around the
Yangtze and Pearl Rivers of China.The Marquette
University scientist challenged himself to uncover varieties able to
cope with Wisconsin’s climate.
One of Schläppi's climate-controlled chambers.
A long, narrow room at the university serves as
Schläppi’s greenhouse. It holds special climate controlled growth chambers and
is filled with rice at various stages of development.“The main thing that I’m
testing whether they flower here, set seeds and the seeds can be harvested on
time before winter, before it gets to cold," he says. "And also,
measure what the actual yield is."He has experimented with more than 200
rice varieties, from Australia to Uzbekistan to South America. Each possesses
unique colors and characteristics.Schläppi uncovered a Russian line he thought
would have the best results in Wisconsin. It’s known as Krasnodarky 3352.
CREDIT S BENCE
On the roof of the Wehr Life Sciences building
on Marquette's campus, Schläppi built a dozen rice paddies. They
are raised beds, blanketed with swimming pool liner and filled soil.“Two
weeks ago, I started germination inside, which will be put into the paddy today
and flooded," he explains.“It’s the third year I've planted this time of year
– mid April. The rice doesn’t like it, but it can make
it,” Schläppi says. "That’s what I’m testing, I’m stress-testing
the lines."
The rice project at Alice's Garden
CREDIT ALISSA MATHISON, UWM-IUAN
Last summer, he partnered with Alice's
Garden's Fieldhands and Foodways Project.
Schläppi planted rice lines from Africa in two paddy
systems.Schläppi is now preparing to plant rice in a field north of
Milwaukee. It’s Fondy Farm, a
cooperative of small-scale farmers who sell their produce on the city’s North
Side. Many of the farmers are Hmong."I’m renting an acre of land there, so
my students will help me prepare fields," he says. Schläppi will
flood a portion of his parcel to mimic traditional lowland rice farming.
“What we want to test is to take a couple of seeds, put
them into the soil. That’s what the Hmong are proposing, because that’s what
they did in their traditional way. Just make holes, put the seeds, then you
have to irrigate it, you have to weed it, of course, and then see what kind of
yield we get,” Schläppi says.Schläppi has more than a scientific interest in
developing the perfect rice for Wisconsin's climate; he respects the
ancient traditions of growing rice in community.
“To grow rice you really need the community, especially
if it is paddy-driven, water resources you have to manage as a village. You
help everyone plant, one family one week, the next week another family, you all
pitch in. For the harvest the same,” Schläppi says.
Lights, Camera, Action! MyPlate
Video Search
Posted
by Shelley Maniscalco, Director, Office of Nutrition Marketing and
Communication, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, on April 27, 2015 at
1:00 PM
Kids 2-18 years, with the support of a parent or guardian, Check
Out MyPlate Video Search now through April 30, 2015.As registered dietitian
nutritionists, we love to see MyPlate in action! MyPlate was created as a familiar mealtime
symbol that helps people learn about choosing a variety of healthy foods within
all the food groups. It is a foundation
which can be built upon to reach any audience where they are and in ways most
impactful for them. We find it exciting
to see how MyPlate comes to life when it’s used in the marketplace and very
much appreciate all those who are using MyPlate in innovative ways from
in-store promotions and food packaging to MyPlate nutrition education programs,
materials, songs, social media campaigns, and the list goes on.
One exciting, recent example is a video contest for kids, entitled
Check Out MyPlate. A group of organizations (Gerber, Canned Food Alliance,
Fresh Baby, USA Rice Federation, Chop Chop, and School Nutrition Association)
developed the video competition to get kids thinking creatively about applying
MyPlate to their lives. It’s an activity that engages children and teens ages
2-18, their parents, and teachers to create videos that showcase healthy eating
habits through nutritious eating and activity choices. Qualifying videos are 60
seconds or less and include:
• An
image of MyPlate
• At
least one healthy eating tip
• A
favorite physical activity
If you would like to learn more
about their competition, visit the Check Out MyPlate website before the contest
ends on April 30. We are excited to see the creative ways that kids engage in
healthy nutrition and physical activities!
http://blogs.usda.gov/2015/04/27/lights-camera-action-myplate-video-search/?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+April+28%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email#sthash.tI6U609D.dpuf
http://blogs.usda.gov/2015/04/27/lights-camera-action-myplate-video-search/?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+April+28%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email
2015 Arkansas Rice Expo Recipe Contest
renders rice a blank canvas
Grilled
Rice and Black Bean Burritos with Creamy Cilantro Dipping Sauce
Tiffany
Aaron's take on black beans and rice was a winner in the 2014 Arkansas Rice
Expo Recipe Contest. Her Grilled Rice and Black Bean Burritos with Creamy
Cilantro Dipping Sauce makes an easy summer time meal. (U of Arkansas System
Division of Agriculture photo by Mary Hightower.)
http://www.hpj.com/crops/arkansas-rice-expo-recipe-contest-renders-rice-a-blank-canvas/article_55cc50ed-ba70-5b56-aa04-80fc94b6a197.html?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+April+28%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email
Weed scientists offer new definition for
“Superweed”
The Weed Science Society of America
(WSSA) joined with six sister organizations to recommend a new definition for
superweed – a catchall term used by many to describe weeds that are perceived
to be more invasive and to grow more aggressively after developing resistance
to herbicides.Use of superweed has snowballed in recent years, along with
considerable misinformation that isn’t supported by scientific facts.
Most online dictionaries, for example, associate superweeds with herbicide
resistance caused by the suspected transfer of resistance genes from crops to
weeds. To date, there is no scientific evidence to indicate that crop to
weed gene transfer is contributing to the herbicide resistance issues faced by
farmers.
“Since
superweed is now clearly part of the public vernacular, we decided to offer a
definition that more clearly reflects the true source of herbicide resistance,”
says Lee Van Wychen, Ph.D., WSSA science policy director.
The
science-based definition developed by WSSA focuses on the ability of weeds to
develop resistance to virtually any treatment method that is used repeatedly –
and exclusively.
Superweed: Slang used to
describe a weed that has evolved characteristics that make it more difficult to
manage due to repeated use of the same management tactic. Over-dependence
on a single tactic as opposed to using diverse approaches can lead to such
adaptations. The most common use of the slang refers to a weed that has
become resistant to one or more herbicide mechanisms of action (
www.weedscience.org) due to their repeated use
in the absence of more diverse control measures. Dependence on a single
mechanical, biological, or cultural management tactic has led to similar
adaptations (e.g. hand-weeded barnyardgrass mimicking rice morphology,
dandelion seed production in a regularly mowed lawn, knapweed resiliency to
gall fly biocontrol).
Two
common misconceptions about a superweed are that they are the result of gene
transfer from genetically altered crops and that they have superior competitive
characteristics. Both of these myths have been addressed by the Weed
Science Society of America (WSSA) at
www.wssa.net/weed/wssa-fact-sheets. WSSA has also
created a variety of free educational materials and recommendations concerning
herbicide resistance and how to avoid it, available at
www.wssa.net/weed/resistance.Though the term superweed
is most often associated with weeds resistant to one or more herbicides,
scientists point out that resistance can result from overdependence on
mechanical, biological or cultural management tactics as well.
Repeated hand-weeding of barnyardgrass growing
in rice fields, for example, has led to weeds that escape control by mimicking
the appearance of rice plants. Similarly, spotted knapweed has become
increasingly resilient to the gall flies used repeatedly as a biological
control. Even dandelions growing in a regularly mowed lawn can evolve to
avoid the mower, produce seeds and spread.WSSA’s new definition has been
endorsed by the Aquatic Plant Management Society, Canadian Weed Science
Society, North Central Weed Science Society, Northeastern Weed Science Society,
Southern Weed Science Society and the Western Society of Weed Science.
http://www.agprofessional.com/news/weed-scientists-offer-new-definition-%E2%80%9Csuperweed%E2%80%9D
Download/View On-Line the above News
in pdf format,just click the following link
The Ministry of Agriculture is
planning to test some more varieties and is keen on releasing at least three to
four varieties of high-yielding and short-duration rice within the next few
years.
India exported around 11.65
million tons of rice (including basmati and non-basmati) in the FY 2014-15
(April - March), up about 8% from around 10.78 million tons exported during the
same period in FY 2013-14, Bloomberg quoted All India Rice Exporters
Association (AIREA).India's basmati rice exports have increased slightly to
around 3.78 million tons in FY 2014-15 from around 3.76 million tons exported
during the same period in FY 2013-14. India's basmati rice exports were
primarily impacted due to Iran's ban on rice imports since November 2014. India
exported around 900,000 tons of rice to Iran in FY 2014-15, down about 36% from
around 1.4 million tons exported last year, according to the AIREA. Saudi
Arabia, UAE, Iraq, Kuwait remained the other top importers of Indian basmati
rice.India’s non-basmati rice exports increased to around 7.87 million tons, up
about 12% from around 7 million tons recorded in the same period in FY 2013-14.
African countries were the top importers of India's non-basmati rice. 
