Rice News Headlines...
·
TDAP vows full support to rice exporters
·
Typhoon Lando damages Philippines’ agriculture
and livestock production
·
Paddy arrivals higher in Haryana as compared to
last year
·
Bulog expects imported rice to arrive in
November
·
Thai govt approves RM 4.7 billion worth of
measures to help rice farmers
·
36.50L MT PADDY IN THIS KHARIF SEASON
·
Made in Ghana products make progress
·
Secrets of a rice-killing fungal toxin
·
Cox: Great Nepalese cuisine at Yeti Restaurant
in Santa Rosa
·
Exports drop for ninth month
·
15 rice harvest nearly finished
·
APEDA Commodity News from India
·
Crop Insurers Targeted in Budget Deal
·
Mississippi Rice Farmer Named White House
'Champion of
·
CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
·
Rice Prices
·
Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report
·
Expert removed from post at Chinese rice
research center
·
Changing the protection of wild rice waters:
What you need to know
·
Mars commits to 100% sustainable rice sourcing
by 2020
·
Prayut warns against bullyboy tactics over rice
scheme
·
Nigeria: Why Customs Allowed Rice Importation
Through Land Borders
·
Expert removed from post at Chinese rice
research center
·
New UN-Supported rice management standard sets
benchmark for environmentally sustainable and socially responsible rice
cultivation
·
Mars Food Announces First Global Rice
Sustainability Standard in Partnership with the Sustainable Rice Platform
News
Detail...
TDAP vows full support to rice exporters
October 27, 2015
Trade Development Authority of
Pakistan (TDAP) Monday assured full support to the rice exporters for increase
in exports, which are on the decline due to stiff competition in the world
market. Addressing rice exporters and traders during his visit of REAP House
Karachi, Chief Executive (CE) TDAP S M Muneer said rice is an important
commodity and fetching about $2 billion foreign exchange annually for the
country, however its trade needs more attention to maintain current growth and
find new markets to enhance its exports. "I
assure full support to rice exporters and traders for increase in the
commodity's exports and TDAP will facilitate exporters in exploring new markets
by sending delegations aboard," he added. Talking about the refund issue,
the CE TDAP said Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is personally taking interest in
the release of pending refund claims and with his efforts some Rs 25 billion
claims have already been released.
"We know that pending refund
claims are hindering production and exports, therefore the Federal Board of
Revenue (FBR) has been asked to ensure timely payment of refund claims,"
he added. He said the government
is making all-out efforts to facilitate trade and industry, however, all issues
cannot be resolved in a few years. "The government is fully motivated to
end the energy crisis and several new power projects have been initiated to
fulfil the shortfall," he added. Earlier,
Senior Vice Chairman REAP Noman Ahmed Sheikh welcomed S M Muneer and informed
the gathering that rice trade is facing a tough time due to low prices in the
world market and rising cost of doing business in Pakistan.
He said presently some 0.5 million rice stocks
of previous crop are lying in the godowns of traders and exporters, while there
are no buyers, of which they are forced to sell the commodity even less than
procured price. He urged the
government to take immediate steps to save over $2 billion rice exports.
"The government should address the issues being faced by rice exporters
and reduce Export Refinance Rate to facilitate rice exports," Noman
maintained. He said REAP is making efforts to explore new rice markets to
enhance commodity exports. After lifting of the US sanctions, Iran can be a big
importer of Pakistani rice, however, it needs legal banking channel to start
the exports. Senior Vice
President Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI)
Abdul Raheem Janu, Abdul Hasseb Khan, Zubair Tufail, Khalid Tawab, Mirza
Ikhtiar Baig, Rauf Cheppal, Javeed Jillani, Hamid Hussain Qureshi and Wajid
Paracha were also present.
http://www.brecorder.com/agriculture-a-allied/183/1239926/
Typhoon Lando damages Philippines’
agriculture and livestock production
Typhoon Lando has caused
considerable damage to Philippines’ agricultural sector, with preliminary
damages projected at US$127mn
Typhoon Lando caused heavy
rains in the thick farmlands of Philippines, leading to flooded fields. (Image
source: Flickr)
The country’s agriculture
department stated that around 277,060 hectares of land in Ilocos, Cagayan
Valley, Central Luzon and Cordillera were affected. Ninety per cent of 386,000
metric tonnes lost in crop production is rice, worth nearly US$114mn. Other
losses include 5,600 metric tonnes of corn and 21,800 metric tonnes of
high-value crops including vegetables.
Agriculture department under
secretary Emerson Palad announced that a directive has been sent out to release
rice and corn seeds so damaged farms can be replanted without delay. Aside from agriculture, livestock was affected in the typhoon as
well, amounting to losses od around US$11,100.However, the agriculture
department stated that the El Nino has had a far more devastating effect on
agriculture. A local report in the Inquirer has said that seven provinces in
Luzon continue to suffer drought conditions despite the heavy rain brought by
Typhoon Lando.
http://www.fareasternagriculture.com/crops/food-commodity/typhoon-lando-damages-philippines-agriculture-and-livestock-production
Paddy
arrivals higher in Haryana as compared to last year
CHANDIGARH: During the
current kharif season, more than 36.50 lakh tonnes of paddy has already arrived
in the mandis of Haryana till Sunday. During the corresponding period last
year, 22.98 lakh tonnes of paddy had come to markets in the state.An official
of the food and supplies department said that of the total arrivals, more than
34.89 lakh tonnes paddy was leviable. While government procurement agencies
have purchased more than 32.45 lakh tonnes of paddy, millers and dealers have
purchased 4.04 lakh tonnes. He added that Kurukshetra had received the maximum
paddy at more than 8.78 lakh tonnes.
Of the total arrivals, more than 8.15 lakh tonnes of paddy arrived in Karnal, 4.56 lakh tonnes in Kaithal, 5.26 lakh tonnes in Ambala, 3.09 lakh tonnes in Yamunanagar, 2.32 lakh tonnes in Fatehabad, 1.14 lakh tonnes in Sonipat, 98,262 tonnes in Panchkula, 82,759 tonnes in Sirsa, 76,278 tonnes in Jind, 10,258 tonnes in Hisar, 3,512 tonnes in Faridabad, 38,846 tonnes in Palwal, 2,253 tonnes in Rohtak, 3,103 tonnes in Gurgaon, 1,320 tonnes in Mewat and 884 tonnes in Jhajjar.
Of the total arrivals, more than 8.15 lakh tonnes of paddy arrived in Karnal, 4.56 lakh tonnes in Kaithal, 5.26 lakh tonnes in Ambala, 3.09 lakh tonnes in Yamunanagar, 2.32 lakh tonnes in Fatehabad, 1.14 lakh tonnes in Sonipat, 98,262 tonnes in Panchkula, 82,759 tonnes in Sirsa, 76,278 tonnes in Jind, 10,258 tonnes in Hisar, 3,512 tonnes in Faridabad, 38,846 tonnes in Palwal, 2,253 tonnes in Rohtak, 3,103 tonnes in Gurgaon, 1,320 tonnes in Mewat and 884 tonnes in Jhajjar.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Paddy-arrivals-higher-in-Haryana-as-compared-to-last-year/articleshow/49547104.cms
Bulog expects imported rice to arrive in
November
Tassia Sipahutar, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta |
Business | Tue, October 27 2015, 5:27 PM
The State Logistics Agency (Bulog) expects
imported rice to start arriving from Vietnam in November to underpin depleting
rise reserves, its top boss has said.Bulog president director Djarot
Kusumayakti said on Monday that the agency would soon proceed with the process
of importing the rice from Vietnam.“If there is no rain by the end of this
week, we will proceed quickly with the import plan. Vietnam has committed to
exporting 1-million tons of rice and we’d like to see the rice stream in as
soon as early November,” he said at the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry.
Djarot added that the committed amount initially stood at 1.5 million tons, but had been lowered to 1-million tons owing to the loading and shipment- capacity issues.Bulog is finalizing the import plan following President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s decision last week to bring in rice from the neighboring country.As reported previously, Indonesia is facing a rice shortage as a result of prolonged drought due to the El Niño phenomenon, which poses a challenge to the government’s rice self-sufficiency target.
The government stated that it aimed to reach
self-sufficiency in rice between the second and third year of the five-year
administration, without factoring in the drought.However, many have predicted
that this year’s El Niño will last longer and its impacts will be more severe
than that recorded by the world in 1997.Meanwhile, Bulog said that crop
failures reported in several areas had added risk to the already low reserves.
As of Sunday morning, data from the agency said that the amount of reserves had
only reached between 1.3 million and 1.4 million tons.
Half of the reserves was made up of rice from
local farmers, which is absorbed and distributed by Bulog as part of its public
service obligation (PSO).“About 10 days ago, we still had reserves of 1.7
million tons. The figure has been declining,” Djarot said.The latest figure is
concerning because it is only sufficient to meet 10-day consumption since the
country needs an average 2.5 million tons of rice for monthly consumption,
according to Bulog’s observation.No detailed information on the import costs
was immediately available because Djarot said that the agency was still
completing its total import calculation.
“We are also looking at Thailand, Myanmar and Pakistan for additional import sources, but have not reached a definite agreement with them.”Separately, Bank Central Asia (BCA) economist David Sumual predicted that the government would face a tough challenge in terms of price since almost all Asian countries were facing the same drought issue.“It should’ve been more prepared. The decision to import came quite late and now all countries are competing to acquire rice,” he said.David warned that failure to manage rice availability would lead to soaring food prices and rising inflation, possibly higher than 3 percent by the end of the year.“High inflation may prevent us from seeing lower benchmark interest rate in 2016. Other macroeconomics variables will change as well.
”The government has set its full-year inflation
rate target at 5 percent, while Bank Indonesia estimates that the rate will
hover between 3 percent and 5 percent.
According to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), year-to-date and year-on-year inflation rates stood at 2.2 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively, by September. Food remained the biggest contributor to the inflation figure, the data shows. –
According to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), year-to-date and year-on-year inflation rates stood at 2.2 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively, by September. Food remained the biggest contributor to the inflation figure, the data shows. –
Thai govt approves
RM 4.7 billion worth of measures to help rice farmers
he measures come after growing criticism levelled
at the military regime from rice and rubber farmers who have seen their income
fall following the end of the subsidy schemes, introduced by an ousted civilian
government, that funnelled billions of dollars to agricultural communities. —
Bigstock pic
BANGKOK, Oct 27, 2015:
Thailand’s cabinet approved measures worth about
40 billion baht (RM 4.7 billion) to help rice farmers, a government spokesman
said today.The government gave the green light to three measures to help rice
farmers prepare for the next harvest, including credits and an interest rate
reduction for farmers, Sansern Kaewkamnerd, a government spokesman, told
Reuters.An interest rate cut by state-owned Bank of Agriculture and
Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) for one million families, steps to help
co-operatives and communities collect rice from markets, and grants for farmers
in the country’s north and northeast were among the measures approved, said
Sansern.
The measures come after growing criticism
levelled at the military regime from rice and rubber farmers who have seen
their income fall following the end of the subsidy schemes, introduced by an
ousted civilian government, that funnelled billions of dollars to agricultural
communities.The military government that took power after a 2014 coup slashed
rural subsidies saying it wanted to wean farmers, who make up a large
percentage of Thailand’s 67 million population, off expensive schemes used by
previous administrations.
It has acknowledged in recent months that weak
exports and low global commodity prices have hurt rural income.Somkid
Jatusripitak, a deputy prime minister, told Reuters last month that he would
prioritise reviving the rural economy.Last year the military government offered
rice and rubber farmers a direct subsidy of 1,000 baht ($28.18) per rai (0.17
ha), capped at 15,000 baht.
http://www.therakyatpost.com/world/2015/10/27/thai-govt-approves-rm-4-7-billion-worth-of-measures-to-help-rice-farmers/
36.50L MT
PADDY IN THIS KHARIF SEASON
During the current Kharif season, more than 36.50 lakh metric
tonnes (MT) of paddy have arrived in the mandis (grain markets) of Haryana till
October 25. Last year, 22.98 lakh MT paddy had arrived in the mandis.
A spokesman of State Food and Supplies Department on Monday said
that of the total arrival, more than 34.89 lakh MT paddy was leviable and 1.60
lakh MT paddy was non-leviable. While the Government procurement agencies have
purchased over 32.45 lakh MT paddy, millers and dealers have purchased 4.04
lakh MT paddy.
He added that Kurukshetra had received the maximum amount of paddy
at more than 8.78 lakh MT. Of the total arrival, over 8.15 lakh MT paddy has
arrived in Karnal, 4.56 lakh MT in Kaithal, more than 5.26 lakh MT in Ambala,
3.09 lakh MT in Yamunanagar, 2.32 lakh MT in Fatehabad, 1.14 lakh MT in
Sonepat, 98,262 MT in Panchkula, 82,759 MT in Sirsa, 76,278 MT in Jind, 10,258
MT in Hisar, 3,512 MT in Faridabad, 38,846 MT in Palwal, 2,253 MT in Rohtak,
3,103 MT in Gurgaon, 1,320 MT in Mewat and 884 MT in Jhajjar.
he Food and Supplies Department has purchased more than 15.34 lakh
MT of paddy, 11.44 lakh MT have been purchased by Hafed, 3.38 lakh MT have been
purchased by the Haryana Agro-industries Corporation.
Tuesday,
27 October 2015
Made in Ghana
products make progress
The patronage of made-in-Ghana
products, including locally produced rice, has seen substantial increase
following increased awareness and aggressive marketing by some private sector
entities, the Managing Director of GhanaMade Stores, Mrs Comfort Aniagyei, has
said.She said although Ghanaians generally shied away from products,
particularly rice, produced locally vigorous and sustained educational and
marketing strategies by GhanaMade and other bodies had placed patronage on an
upward trend.Speaking in an interview with the Graphic Business, Mrs Aniagyei
advised Ghanaians and other residents to continue to support Ghana rice and
other made-in-Ghana products through loyal patronage.
''Continued and increased patronage
would help keep existing producers in business and encourage potential ones to
step up to the challenge,'' she noted.Ghana stands to derive a lot of benefits,
including the creation of sustainable employment for its people, particularly,
women and the youth, should patronage increase for local products.
Some Ghanaians have often refused to
accept and patronise anything produced in Ghana due to perceived
misconceptions. However, many other Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians hold the view
that once the products met quality standards they will choose them over other
options.According to her, the various types of rice sold at all the GhanaMade
stores were produced by farmers across all the regions of Ghana, key among them
being the three northern regions, Volta and Eastern regions.“The continued large
scale purchase of these farmers’ produce by GhanaMade is helping to improve
their family incomes and thereby improve access to education and health for
their families,” she said.The Programmes Officer of Peasant Farmers Association
of Ghana (PFAG), Mr Charles Nyaaba, in a separate interview, called on the
government to help improve the country's rice production.
“Currently, many rice farmers are
experiencing shortage in the harvesting of their rice due to the low rainfall
in the country since last year,” he said.According to him, production reduced
due to climate change the previous season. The farmers under the irrigation
could not produce, mainly due to low rains.He said there was not enough water
in the various irrigation facilities across the country and that was the cause
of the low production recorded last year.“The rains stopped earlier than
expected last year, so those farmers who did the late rain fed planting did not
get enough rains to prepare the harvest which also affected the outcome,” he said.
He indicated that some farmer groups
in the northern part of the country had to lose their rice to bush fires last
year because they were finding it difficult to get a combine harvester to
harvest their rice.Explaining further, he said access to input had been a big
problem to the farmers, such that in recent years, high cost f inputs like
fertiliser was having its toll on the rice farmers.
He recalled increased fertiliser prices globally impacted the price of the subsidised ones in Ghana.“The MPK fertiliser which is subsidised for this season is still selling at GH?89, and with that not all the farmers, especially the smallholder farmers who are able to access the subsidised fertiliser,” he added.
He recalled increased fertiliser prices globally impacted the price of the subsidised ones in Ghana.“The MPK fertiliser which is subsidised for this season is still selling at GH?89, and with that not all the farmers, especially the smallholder farmers who are able to access the subsidised fertiliser,” he added.
Responding to the trend in the market, he said, for once Ghanaians are gradually developing a taste for the local rice, adding that the onus fell on the producers to do more in terms of the packaging and branding so that it would catch the attention of majority of the citizenry.he Programmes Officer added that the importers of rice most of the time tried to undermine the market for the local rice.He alleged that some rice importers bought the high quality local rice and packaged it as imported rice and sold it, a situation which persuaded the buyers from buying the local rice without knowing it was local rice.
He said the Ghana Irrigation
Development Authority was revamping a number of irrigation facilities to help
boost rice production across the country, such as the Tolon Irrigation
Facility, which is under the Ghana Commercial Agricultural Project, the World
Bank and the USAID.That project is expected to boost rice production all-year
round and it will attract private investors
Secrets of a
rice-killing fungal toxin
posted by news on october 27, 2015
- 10:30am
Researchers at the RIKEN Center for
Sustainable Resource Sciences (CSRS) have discovered the enzyme needed for
synthesis of tenuazonic acid (TeA), a well-known toxin that is produced by
multiple types of fungus and affects fruits, vegetables, rice, and other crops.
In their study published in Nature Communications, the authors describe how
they found the gene for this enzyme, and reveal that its structure is unique
among known enzymes.
Mycotoxins are toxic compounds
produced by fungi that are not directly involved in growth, development, or
reproduction. These secondary metabolites typically colonize crops and are a
real economic burden for farmers. TeA is known to be produced by at least three
different plant pathogenic fungi, and is associated with spoiling of fruits,
vegetables, and food-crops, as well as post-harvest decay."Now that we
know the gene responsible for biosynthesis of this harmful toxin," notes
co-lead author Takayuki Motoyama, "after further testing we might be able
to devise a way to regulate its expression and prevent destruction of important
crops."Rice blast disease resulting from the mycotoxin tenuazonic acid
(produced by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae). Credit: RIKEN
When studying microorganisms like
fungus, researchers have found that genes for many secondary metabolites are
silent under laboratory conditions, which has made finding them especially
difficult. The CSRS group led by Hiroyuki Osada has extensive experience
studying secondary metabolites, and the team reasoned that OSM1--a gene
associated with responses to environmental stress--might also be related to TeA
production in Magnaporthe oryzae, a pathogenic rice fungus. While wild-type M.
oryzae did not yield any TeA, researchers were able to produce it from OSM1
knockout strains. They were also able to produce TeA by culturing wild-type M.
oryzae with 1% dimethylsulphoxide, perhaps as a response to the unfavorable
environment.
Having two methods to produce TeA
in the lab proved invaluable for identifying the gene responsible for its
biosynthesis. To do so, the team performed a DNA microarray analysis using the
total RNA extracted under the two conditions that yielded TeA. Only one gene
was found to be expressed significantly more in these conditions than when no
toxin was produced. Further tests were run to determine whether this gene
really is responsible for TeA biosynthesis. First, knocking out this gene
yielded a strain that could not produce the toxin, and researchers tentatively
renamed the gene TeA synthetase 1--or TAS1. Then, the team created an M. oryzae
strain that overexpressed TAS1, and as expected, this strain produced the toxin
under normal conditions.
Next, researchers examined the
structure of TAS1 and found that it is a hybrid enzyme containing an NRPS
region followed by a PKS region. "This was very surprising", explains
Motoyama. "It was assumed because of TeA's structure that it would be
synthesized by a PKS-NRPS hybrid enzyme. In fact, the order of these regions
was totally reversed!" While NRPS-PKS hybrid enzymes have been found in
bacteria, TAS1 is the first fungal enzyme for a secondary metabolite to be
discovered with an NRPS-PKS structure.
After analyzing how TeA is
generated and determining that TAS1 synthesizes it from isoleucine and
acetoacetyl-coenzyme A, the researchers searched for homologues in other
organisms. While they found several other species of fungi that have genes for
homologues sharing the same domain structure, bacterial sources with similar
amino acid sequences did not share the same characteristic domain structure.
Further research will be needed to find out if this novel enzyme has homologues
that biosynthesize other compounds with useful biological functions.
While preventing TeA synthesis
might me a goal for crop preservation, TeA also has antitumor, antibacterial,
and antiviral properties that could prove beneficial in many situations.
Understanding exactly how it is synthesized by TAS1 is therefore an important
next step. "Now that we know that the KS domain of TAS1 is unique,"
notes co-lead author Choong-Soo Yun, "X-ray crystallographic analysis of
this domain will be important for uncovering the reaction mechanism."
http://www.sciencecodex.com/secrets_of_a_ricekilling_fungal_toxin-168301?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+October+27%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email
http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/chandigarh/3650l-mt--paddy-in-this-kharif-season.html
Cox:
Great Nepalese cuisine at Yeti Restaurant in Santa Rosa
Onion Bhajji
from Yeti Restaurant in Santa Rosa. (JOHN BURGESS / The Press Democrat)
October 26,
2015, 5:11PM
If
you remember, there was a Lyons restaurant at the north end of Farmers Lane in
Santa Rosa, one of a chain of Denny’s-like places strewn across northern
California like oases of culinary mediocrity.The chain tanked in 2012, but the
building was excellent. The large dining room has a low ceiling and soft
lighting for intimacy, and the 10-stool bar’s back-bar mirror lets you check
out the other imbibers without being obvious about it.Narayan Somname, owner
and chef of the popular Yeti Nepalese restaurant in Jack London Village in Glen
Ellen, spied this empty space and decided that Santa Rosa needed its own Yeti.
Now open for lunch and dinner, it’s is a friendly, comfy place to have some
very well made Nepalese and Indian food.
Yeti
Restaurant Highlights
It especially affords hard-working Santa Rosans
a lunch venue that’s a little out of the ordinary, with its spicy curries and
decent prices.Saag paneer over rice with a side salad, and chicken curry over
rice with a side salad, are $11 each. Or fuel yourself with a large lunch that
for $15.99 includes rice, naan, salad, tandoori chicken, dal (lentils),
vegetable curry, papadum and yogurt with fruit.The wine list carries local
favorites in the $30-$50 range, but beer always seems a better choice with
Nepali or Indian food. House-brewed Yeti Pale Ale is a lightly hopped and
delicious choice. The full bar serves the usual suspects among cocktails:
margarita, cosmo, bloody mary, manhattan, vodka collins and a misconceived
gimlet made with fresh lime juice instead of Rose’s Lime Juice. Cocktails are
mostly $10 each.
The dinner menu has some interesting choices.
Onion Bhajji ($7.99 ★★★ ) is a kind of fritter and also one of India’s
top cricket stars, a man named Harbajan whose nickname is Bhajji. Garlic,
ginger, onions and Himalayan spices like cardamom and coriander are mixed in a
ground chickpea batter and deep fried. You get six pieces with a side of
saffron bulghur and three dipping sauces: spicy hot chili that comes on slow
but builds to a fiery climax; tamarind; and mint-cilantro. The fritters entice
you with their aroma and drench your tastebuds with flavor.
Of all the dishes at the dinner, the six pieces
of Chicken Momo ($8.99 ★★★★ ) hit several pleasure buttons at once. First,
they’re delightful to see. They are made in the style of the Newari people of
Kathmandu in Nepal, which so recently was struck by a devastating earthquake.
Each momo looks like a tiny, fluted cap of slick and shiny steamed flour dough.
Inside each is chicken minced with Himalayan spices, and they’re served with a
cool mint sauce. Vegetarians and vegans don’t have to miss out, because
vegetable momo also are available.
Chicken Sekuwa ($9.99 ★★ ) is a
classic Nepalese dish, usually served on skewers like Thai satay but quite
different in flavor, although here the skewers are dispensed with. Seven cubes
of white meat are spiced with cumin, ginger and yogurt, which give them a
little gingery bite. Then they’re cooked in the tandoor, some chunks emerging
still juicy but others dry and toughened. The house mint-cilantro sauce is
drizzled over the top.
At this
point, the waiter made sure there were clean utensils and plates on the table
for the balance of the meal. Attentive service is such a pleasure.
THE PRESS DEMOCRATE
Exports
drop for ninth month
Imports
also tumblein lacklustre economy
27 Oct 2015 at 03:26 3,290 viewed10 comments
Prime
Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his economy czar Deputy Prime Minister Somkid
Jatusripitak spoke with foreign and Thai chief executives Monday, including AAT
president and chief executive Trevor Negus (at microphone). Mr Negus urged
urgent work on infrastructure, particularly roads, which he said are "in a
state of congestion and decay." (Photo courtesy of Government House)
Somkiat: Soft demand among trade partners
Somkiat Triratpan,
director of the Office of Trade Policy and Strategy, attributed the fall in
exports to the weak global economy and soft demand in major trade partners,
particularly Japan (down by 20.6%), France (down 18.1%), China (down 17.9%),
South Korea (down 15.9%), Britain (down 10.1%) and the US (down 3.6%).Overall
crude oil prices also remained low, declining by 47.5% year-on-year in the
first nine months, while global farm prices also dropped sharply, especially
for rice, rubber and sugar.Export prices of rice dropped by 9.5%, with rubber
down 19.8% and sugar 8.2%.Mr Somkiat insisted Thailand's export contraction was
low compared with the performance of other countries such as Australia
(-21.8%), France (-14.3%), Singapore (-14%), Japan (-9.2%), South Korea (-6.4%)
and the US (-6.1%).The Commerce Ministry is still maintaining forecast for
exports to contract by 3% this year.
"Export
contraction is likely to stay within a range of 3.5% to 4% if we come up with
export values of $19 billion baht a month for the final three months of the
year," Mr Somkiat said."The contraction will widen to 5% if we
achieve only $18 billion a month."Wallop Vitanakorn, vice-president of
Thai National Shippers' Council, said last month's lower contraction in exports
was due primarily to a surge in automotive shipments.With the global economy
remaining far from a recovery and Thailand's economy still weak, the country's
exports are likely to fall by at least 5% this year, he
said.Santitarn Sathirathai, the Singapore-based head of economic research
for Southeast Asia and India at Credit Suisse, said Thailand's growth would
remain lacklustre albeit more resilient than expected, as tourism numbers may
provide some upside risk to its 2015 GDP forecast of 2% growth.Thailand's
strong current account position means the baht will probably outperform
its peers unless the Bank of Thailand takes more policy actions including
cutting rates, he said.
"We
continue to see room for another rate cut, but the timing remains uncertain. It
seems to us the Bank of Thailand may wish to see how domestic demand
will respond to various stimuli introduced by the government before adding
another rate cut," Mr Santitarn said."We still think headwinds
to exports will be sufficient to cap overall GDP growth in the fourth quarter,
which would prompt the central bank to cut the rate by another 25 basis points
by year-end."However, a December move looks more likely than the upcoming
meeting on Nov 4.
"Sarun
Sunansathaporn, an economist in Bank of Ayudhya's research department, said
September's export contraction of 5.5% was better than the projected
8.3%."Exports in baht terms were positive, as they improved to growth
of 5.5% on the back of the baht's depreciation," he said.However, Mr Sarun
said last month's 26.2% import decline was a big surprise."This was
even worse than economists' bearish forecast of a contraction of between
13% and 23.9%," he said.Thailand's trade account surplus widened
to $2.8 billion, marking a five-month streak of surpluses, Mr Sarun said,
adding that prospects for domestic demand and exports remained tepid.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/744168.
15
rice harvest nearly finished
The Arkansas rice harvest is
essentially complete, and a University of Arkansas agronomist said Monday that
he expects the final yield will fall well below last year's record.
Read the full article here:Arkansas Online
APEDA
Commodity News from India
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Crop
Insurers Targeted in Budget Deal
WASHINGTON, DC -- Tomorrow, Congress is expected
to take up a two-year budget bill in an effort to avert a government shutdown
and raise the debt ceiling. The deal
would increase federal spending by $80 billion over two years and raise the
federal borrowing limit through 2017.
However, $3 billion in cuts to the federal crop insurance program were
included as an offset.
The crop insurance provision would require a
renegotiation of the Standard Reinsurance Agreement, the contract between
insurance companies and the government.
Federal crop insurance has been continually targeted for cuts since the
2008 Farm Bill against the recommendations of the House and Senate Agriculture
Committees.USA Rice Vice President Ben Mosely shared his disappointment,
saying, "As an important component of the farm safety net, crop insurance
is a precarious area to find savings. Further cuts could jeopardize the private
sector delivery of crop insurance."Mosely added, "I encourage rice
farmers to voice their opposition to the crop insurance provisions within the
budget deal to their representatives in Washington. Additional cuts to crop insurance delivery
negates much of the hard work Congress put into passing a five-year Farm Bill
last February."
Contact:
Peter Bachmann (703) 236-1475
Mississippi
Rice Farmer Named White House 'Champion of Change'
Buddy Allen with wife, Allison,
and daughter, Yates
WASHINGTON, DC -- Yesterday, Buddy Allen, a rice
farmer from Tunica, Mississippi, was lauded as a 'Champion of Change in
Sustainable Agriculture' at a ceremony at the White House. Allen was one of twelve champions across all
of agriculture recognized for taking steps to improve the sustainability of
their operations, and educating others to do the same. To see an excerpt of the event, go here.
Allen believes in "practicing what you
preach" when it comes to the sustainability arena and spends a lot of time
and capital implementing soil and water conservation practices on his rice
farm. In reference to the critical
importance of water to farming, Allen said, "Rice is a significant
water-using crop which gives us a lot of opportunity to make an impact in
conservation and stewardship.
Collectively, we've learned how to raise rice in the Deep South with
about half the water we used to. We've
worked very diligently, and we're really proud of the partnerships we have with
our commodity groups like the [USA] Rice Federation. "
Allen has installed a tailwater recovery system
to recycle irrigation water; instituted laser land-leveling to further reduce
water use and soil runoff; experimented with using a large number of irrigation
practices based on geographic conditions, and installed moisture sensors to
help with irrigation efficiency.
USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward said,
"Buddy serves as a role model for our industry by leading efforts to implement
agricultural practices that benefit soil, air, and water quality. He is a Rice Leadership alumni, a member of
the USA Rice Conservation Committee, and known for being a great steward of the
land. We congratulate him on receiving
this acknowledgement from the Obama administration."
Contact:
Peter Bachmann (703) 236-1475
CME Group/Closing
Rough Rice Futures
|
Rice Prices
as on : 27-10-2015 08:10:35 PM
Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.
|
Arrivals
|
Price
|
|||||
|
Current
|
%
change |
Season
cumulative |
Modal
|
Prev.
Modal |
Prev.Yr
%change |
|
|
Rice
|
||||||
|
Roorkee(Utr)
|
700.00
|
2233.33
|
2826.00
|
1900
|
1575
|
24.18
|
|
Srirampur(ASM)
|
150.00
|
-33.33
|
1130.00
|
2980
|
2980
|
-
|
|
Dhing(ASM)
|
92.00
|
6.73
|
3462.70
|
1800
|
1800
|
-5.26
|
|
Gauripur(ASM)
|
48.00
|
4.35
|
1516.00
|
4500
|
4500
|
50.00
|
|
Dhekiajuli(ASM)
|
26.00
|
73.33
|
1922.00
|
2000
|
2100
|
-20.00
|
|
Chakdah(WB)
|
24.00
|
-4
|
672.00
|
2900
|
2900
|
-6.45
|
|
Sheoraphuly(WB)
|
10.00
|
-28.57
|
495.50
|
2550
|
2500
|
-12.07
|
|
North Lakhimpur(ASM)
|
9.00
|
-70.97
|
196.90
|
1900
|
1900
|
-
|
|
Silapathar(ASM)
|
8.50
|
112.5
|
302.60
|
3000
|
3000
|
NC
|
|
Lakhimpur(UP)
|
8.00
|
-15.79
|
598.50
|
2210
|
2190
|
-
|
|
Pakur(Jha)
|
6.00
|
140
|
129.09
|
3149
|
3150
|
-
|
|
Islampur(WB)
|
3.20
|
NC
|
209.90
|
2050
|
2050
|
-18.00
|
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/article7809408.ece
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
|
905
|
845
|
|
New Crop
|
920
|
871
|
|
|
||
Riceland Foods
|
|
||
|
Cash Bids
|
Stuttgart: - - -
|
Pendleton: - - -
|
|
New Crop
|
Stuttgart: - - -
|
Pendleton: - - -
|
|
|
||
|
Futures:
|
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Soybean Comment
Soybeans saw fresh buying today after yesterday's sharp losses.
While weather in Brazil remains a drag on soybeans, for the near term look for
prices to be more reactive to U.S. export news. Today we saw delayed reaction
to yesterday's positive report. Prices still need another dime before the can
break resistance at $9.
Wheat
|
High
|
Low
|
|
|
Cash Bids
|
498
|
498
|
|
New Crop
|
515
|
434
|
|
|
||
|
Futures:
|
|
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Wheat Comment
Wheat prices remain volatile as speculators continue work to
balance their long and short position. After yesterday's strong rally we saw
prices close mostly lower today, despite yesterdays crop condition report
showing the condition of this years crop much worse than previous years. While
wheat continues to try and move higher, slow demand will remain an issue and
limit long term gains.
Grain Sorghum
|
High
|
Low
|
|
|
Cash Bids
|
395
|
319
|
|
New Crop
|
394
|
339
|
|
|
||
Corn
|
High
|
Low
|
|
|
Cash Bids
|
395
|
360
|
|
New Crop
|
411
|
381
|
|
|
||
|
Futures:
|
|
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Corn Comment
Corn prices closed lower today as the market found little
technical support to continue yesterday's gains. As harvest continues and slow
exports remain an issue it will be difficult for corn to break out of the
sideways pattern they are currently in.
Cotton
|
Futures:
|
|
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Cotton Comment
Cotton futures recovered a bit, moving back to close above
previous support at 62 cents. Technical selling in the face of overbought
indicators has resulted in the downturn of the past two weeks. The crop is 42%
harvested nationwide, but behind schedule in the eastern costal states that are
still waiting for fields to dry out to be able to evaluate the condition of the
crop and get the pickers rolling.
Rice
|
High
|
Low
|
|
|
Long Grain
Cash Bids
|
- - -
|
- - -
|
|
Long Grain
New Crop
|
- - -
|
- - -
|
|
|
||
|
Futures:
|
|
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Rice Comment
Rice futures closed at the 50% retracement level today, which
coincides with the up trendline drawn off the May low. A close below $11.60
will signal a move to the 62% retracement level of $11.18. Global production
problems have helped support the market since the summer, however,
disappointing U.S. yields have likely been built into prices at this point.
Cattle
|
Futures:
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Live Cattle:
|
|
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Feeders:
|
|
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Arkansas Prices
Ft. Smith Livestock Auction
Heber Springs Livestock Auction
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City - Feeder Cattle Auction Weighted Average Report
Cattle Comment
Cattle prices continued their slide today. Both live and feeder
cattle prices saw sharp losses today as the weak boxed beef and cash cattle
markets remain a drag on prices. After the recent rally in cattle prices have
become technically weak will need fundamental support to hold gains.
Hogs
|
Futures:
|
|
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Hog Comment
Shell Eggs
National Turkeys
Delmarva Broilers
http://www.arfb.com/ag-markets-statistics/report/
Expert removed from post at Chinese rice research center
|
|
2015-10-27 15:25:42
|
|
CHANGSHA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Yuan Longping, director of Hunan
Hybrid Rice Research Center, has been removed from office, sources with the
center in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, confirmed on
Tuesday.Yuan, 85, known in China as "the father of hybrid rice," will
continue his research following removal from the administrative position.Yuan,
also an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, developed the
world's first hybrid rice in 1974.A team of researchers led by Yuan reached a
target unit yield of 700 kg per mu (0.0667 hectares) and 800 kg per mu in 2000
and 2005, respectively, setting world records both times. In 2014, his team
achieved a record for hybrid rice production with an average yield of 1,026.7
kilograms per mu.
Although Yuan is in his 80s, he typically works in rural areas and
on farms. In September, Yuan visited Cambodia to promote "super
rice," a type of high-yield hybrid rice.Yuan said he expects to raise the
unit yield of the "super rice" to 16 metric tonnes per hectare. He
said he will devote his life to researching and promoting work on hybrid
rice.China, one of the world's most heavily farmed countries, faces problems
including limited land and water resources, and rising pollution, making food
security a major concern. About 65 percent of Chinese depend on rice as a
staple food.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-10/27/c_134755012.htm
Changing the
protection of wild rice waters: What you need to know
Wild rice beds on Lower Rice Lake, Sept. 30,
2015. Dan Gunderson | MPR News file
In a move that could have an impact on mining in northeastern
Minnesota, the state started taking public comment this week on a proposal to
change the way it protects waters where wild rice grows.The state has had a law
on the books since the 1970s limiting how much sulfate can be discharged into
wild rice waters, but that law has come under increasing scrutiny in recent
years from business groups, state legislators and others.• Timeline: Wild rice regulations in Minnesota
Here's what you should know about the law and potential changes.
What
is the origin of the wild rice standard?
A biologist named John Boyle sampled lakes and rivers around the
state in the 1930s and '40s. He found that wild rice did not grow well when the
water had high concentrations of sulfate. Because wild rice is such a cultural
touchstone here, being the state grain and very important to tribes, the
Legislature passed a standard in 1973.
How
is the proposed new standard different from the current one?
The current standard limits the amount of sulfate in water where
wild rice grows to 10 milligrams per liter. That translates to about seven
gallons in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.The new rule would replace that broad
standard with a formula that figures out how much sulfate is safe for wild rice
in each specific water body. It would be a more flexible standard.
Why
is the MPCA proposing this change?
The agency says the current standard is too rigid. It says in some
lakes, wild rice can grow with a lot more sulfate than 10 parts per million.
But in other lakes, it may not be able to tolerate even that much.That's
because it's not actually the sulfate that harms the wild rice. When that
sulfate mixes with bacteria in the muck at the bottom of lakes, it converts
into sulfide, which is toxic to wild rice plants.But recent research has shown
that naturally occurring iron and organic carbon that are also in that muck
play a role in how readily that sulfate is converted to sulfide.
Under this new proposal, researchers would sample the sediment in
a specific water body, find out how much carbon and iron is there, and then
plug that into a formula to figure out how much sulfate is safe for wild rice.
How
would this affect the mining industry?
Sulfate occurs naturally, but it's also released by mining
operations and other industries. There are also a lot of wild rice waters
downstream from mines on the Iron Range, so this rule potentially could have a
big impact up in northeast Minnesota.
It was actually the industry that pushed the state to scrutinize
the old standard and come up with an alternative. The reaction from mining
interests and the Iron Range delegation to the proposed change has been
generally positive.
Who
are the critics and what are their concerns?
Environmental groups have said a flexible standard could create
openings for political pressure.John Pastor, who's a biologist at University of
Minnesota Duluth, has been critical. He did much of the research for the MPCA's
recent study that analyzed the old 10 parts per million standard.Pastor says
the MPCA hasn't shown the formula it's proposing can accurately predict a safe
level of sulfate.He also says that to get an accurate measure of the iron and
organic material in the sediment, the MPCA would have to collect up to a
hundred different sediment cores in just one lake. Pastor says those conditions
in the sediment in any given lake can change from year to year.The MPCA says it
is investigating those issues and how exactly the new change would be
implemented.
What
does Pastor propose?
He says his research showed that the old, 10 parts per million
standard will protect wild rice 80 percent of the time. He thinks it should
remain in place. The MPCA has said that standard isn't wrong, it's just
imprecise.
What
happens next?
This issue is far from settled. The proposal is now open for comment
until Dec 18. Ultimately, the federal Environmental Protection Agency would
have to sign off on any change Minnesota makes to its wild rice sulfate
standard. The MPCA estimates a new rule wouldn't go into effect until January
2018.
Mars commits to 100%
sustainable rice sourcing by 2020
By Hannah Abdulla | 27 October 2015
Mars will only source sustainable rice by 2020
Mars has pledged to sustainably source 100% of its rice by 2020.
The
standard consists of 46 requirements organised under eight broad topics,
including productivity, food safety, worker health, labour rights, and
biodiversity.Mars plans to will use the standard as a benchmark against which
to assess its rice supply chains – identifying where there are gaps and
developing strategies to improve sustainability. It has already begun piloting
implementation of the standard with rice farmers in Pakistan and India.
"Caring
for our environment as well as our entire supply chain from end-to-end is more
than usual corporate responsibility. It's an imperative for Mars Food,"
said Fiona Dawson, president of the group's non-confectionery Mars Food
business unit. "Through the global standard, we hope to create benefits
for all involved from the farmers to our consumers. The benefit for us is that is that we are
ensuring premium quality rice, whilst also ensuring a higher income for
farmers, and a better environment for current and future generations. It is a
truly mutual
solution."http://www.just-food.com/news/mars-commits-to-100-sustainable-rice-sourcing-by-2020_id131459.aspx
Prayut warns against bullyboy
tactics over rice scheme
The
Nation
October 27, 2015 1:00 am
He said the government would consult the
Thailand Development Research Institute and other rice associations about how
to make use of the degraded rice and distribute rice under the scheme without
affecting the price of rice.
He said the government had secured several
new rice deals after penetrating new markets in countries such as China, the
Philippines, and was exploring new markets in African countries. Prayut said
the government is finding solutions to prevent rice-related problems such as
oversupply and subsidies. "We have to have a systematic and comprehensive
plan before rice is planted. We must know how much should be planted.
If
prices of rice fall, please opt to plant other crops. If farmers keep asking
for rice subsidies, the country will become mired in a vicious circle,'' he said.He
said he instructed the Ministry of Agriculture and Agricultural Co-operatives
to find solutions to the oversupply and falling price of rubber also. The
government is planning to do away with the rubber subsidy, he said."We
will no longer give subsidies in terms of 'differences in prices', because it
is against the law and we have an effective Rubber Act,'' he said.
The Nation
Nigeria: Why Customs Allowed Rice Importation Through Land Borders
By Henry
Umoru and Joseph Erunke
Abuja — Director-General of the
Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali, rtd, has explained that he decided to
lift the ban on importation of rice through land borders due largely to the
great increase in the activities of smugglers of the commodity, which he noted
was largely reducing the revenue generation of the agency.He also said the high
number of death of personnel coupled with other associated risks they were
facing in the course of pursuing the smugglers contributed to his decision.
Speaking when he appeared before the
Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Import Duty Waivers,to explain why he reversed the
Federal Government policy on rice importation, Col. Ali insisted that his
agency decided to lift the ban because smuggling of the commodity was so common
in the nation's land borders, leading to great loss of revenue.
He saud: "We decided to lift
the ban on rice importation through the land borders because we discovered that
we have developed the capacity and then we have the wherewithal to collect
duties at the borders and this products are coming through the borders.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201510260246.html
Expert removed from post at
Chinese rice research center
English.news.cn
2015-10-27 15:25:42
CHANGSHA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Yuan Longping, director of Hunan Hybrid
Rice Research Center, has been removed from office, sources with the center in
Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, confirmed on Tuesday.Yuan,
85, known in China as "the father of hybrid rice," will continue his
research following removal from the administrative position.Yuan, also an
academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, developed the world's first
hybrid rice in 1974.A team of researchers led by Yuan reached a target unit
yield of 700 kg per mu (0.0667 hectares) and 800 kg per mu in 2000 and 2005,
respectively, setting world records both times. In 2014, his team achieved a
record for hybrid rice production with an average yield of 1,026.7 kilograms
per mu.
Although Yuan is in his 80s, he typically works in rural areas and
on farms. In September, Yuan visited Cambodia to promote "super
rice," a type of high-yield hybrid rice.Yuan said he expects to raise the
unit yield of the "super rice" to 16 metric tonnes per hectare. He
said he will devote his life to researching and promoting work on hybrid
rice.China, one of the world's most heavily farmed countries, faces problems
including limited land and water resources, and rising pollution, making food
security a major concern. About 65 percent of Chinese depend on rice as a staple
food.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-10/27/c_134755012.htm
New UN-Supported
rice management standard sets benchmark for environmentally sustainable and
socially responsible rice cultivation
MANILA/BANGKOK, 27 October 2015 – The world’s first standard for
sustainable rice, which sets new and more efficient standards for rice
cultivation, was launched today by the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP), a global alliance of agricultural research institutions,
agri-food businesses, public sector and civil society organizations convened by
the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International
Rice Research Institute (IRRI).The SRP Standard for
Sustainable Rice Cultivation uses environmental and socio-economic benchmarks
to maintain yields for rice smallholders, reduce the environmental footprint of
rice cultivation and meet consumer needs for food safety and quality.
The development of the standard was led by SRP members, UTZ
Certified, Aidenvironment and IRRI, and draws on global experience in other sustainable
commodity initiatives such as sugarcane, cotton, coffee and palm oil. It is
made up of 46 requirements ranging from productivity, food safety, worker
health, labour rights and biodiversity. It is supplemented by a set of
quantitative Performance Indicators to enable farmers and market supply chain
actors to gauge the sustainability of a rice system, and to monitor and reward
progress.Rice plays a critical role in global food security and provides
livelihoods for over 140 million smallholders in developing countries. However,
this comes at a price to the environment. Rice cultivation uses 30-40 per cent
of the world’s freshwater and contributes 5-10 per cent of anthropogenic
greenhouse gas emissions.
Robert Zeigler, Director General of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) which co-founded the SRP, added: “The SRP Standard represents the world’s first initiative that will set environmentally sustainable and socially responsible rice production management standards. Our key challenge now is to incentivize and scale up adoption, especially among resource-poor small farmers.”The SRP Standard and Indicators will be field-tested and validated by national government agencies, research institutes and private companies in a multi-location farm trial to be coordinated by the SRP and IRRI. Ultimately, the Standard and Indicators are intended both as a basis for certification of value-added rice products and also as a benchmark for policymakers.
http://irri.org/news/media-releases/new-un-supported-rice-management-standard-sets-benchmark-for-environmentally-sustainable-and-socially-responsible-rice-cultivation
Mars Food Announces First Global Rice
Sustainability Standard in Partnership with the Sustainable Rice Platform
MANILA,
Philippines, Oct. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Mars Food, in partnership with the
Sustainable Rice Platform, (SRP), a global alliance of agricultural research
institutions, agri-food businesses, public sector and civil society
organizations convened by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), today announced the first global
standard for sustainable rice at the 5th Annual Plenary Meeting and Assembly here.As
the leading corporation with the SRP and owner of the world’s largest rice
brand, UNCLE BEN’S®, Mars Food played a pivotal role in developing the
standard. Mars Food also announced today its commitment to sustainably source
100 percent of its rice by 2020 using the SRP standard.
“Caring for
our environment as well as our entire supply chain from end-to-end is more than
usual corporate responsibility. It’s an imperative for Mars Food,” said Fiona
Dawson, President of Mars Food. “Through the global standard, we hope to create
benefits for all involved from the farmers to our consumers. The benefit for us
is that is that we are ensuring premium quality rice, whilst also ensuring a
higher income for farmers, and a better environment for current and future generations.
It is a truly mutual solution.”The SRP standard consists of a set of criteria
for sustainable rice cultivation that can be used across the globe to reduce
the environmental footprint of rice production and improve
the lives of rice farmers. The standard consists of 46 requirements organized
under eight broad topics, including productivity, food safety, worker health,
labor rights, and biodiversity. Rice plays a critical role in global food
security, providing livelihoods for over 140 million smallholder farmers in
developing countries and is a staple food for nearly half of the world’s seven
billion people.
Mars Food will use the standard as a benchmark
against which to assess its rice supply chains – identifying where there are
gaps and developing strategies to improve sustainability. Mars Food has already
begun piloting implementation of the standard with rice farmers in two
countries – Pakistan and India. A controlled farming program in Pakistan, in
partnership with Rice Partners, LTD, IRRI and Bayer CropScience, has grown from
31 smallholder farmers in 2011 to 400 farmers in 2015 who produce Basmati rice
grown with the correct application of chemicals and harvested with practices to
improve food safety and water quality. In India, Mars is embedding new
learnings while also piloting the SRP standard.The standard complements and
builds upon the company’s Purpose – Better Food Today. A Better World Tomorrow
– and the Mars Mutuality Principle, which demonstrate the company’s commitment
to helping rice farmers improve yields while reducing water use and greenhouse
gas emissions and improving socioeconomic conditions in the communities where
high-quality rice is grown.
About Mars Food
Mars Food is a fast-growing food business, making
tastier, healthier, easier meals for all consumers to enjoy.Headquartered in
Brussels, Belgium, Mars Food is a leader in producing great tasting
products. Our portfolio includes the following brands: UNCLE BEN’S®,
DOLMIO®, SEEDS OF CHANGE®, MasterFoods®, SUZI WAN®, EBLY®, ROYCO®, KAN TONG®
and RARIS®. In 2013, global sales were approximately $2 billion.
Our ambition is to become a model business in the areas of health and nutrition
and sustainability, as expressed by our purpose: Better Food Today. A Better
World Tomorrow.
Mars Food is a segment of Mars, Incorporated.
About Mars, Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated is a private, family-owned
business with more than a century of history and some of the best-loved brands
in the world including M&M’S®, PEDIGREE®, DOUBLEMINT® and UNCLE BEN’S®.
Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars has more than $33 billion in sales from six
diverse business segments: Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks and
Symbioscience. More than 75,000 Associates across 73 countries are united by
the company’s Five Principles: Quality, Efficiency, Responsibility, Mutuality
and Freedom and strive every day to create relationships with stakeholders that
deliver growth we are proud of as a company.
For more information about Mars, Incorporated,
please visitwww.mars.com.
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