Today Rice News Headlines...
Reap demands inclusion of rice exporters in
zero-rated regime
·
Rice consignments: Kenya Port Authority
agrees to waive demurrages
·
Exporters seek zero-rating status
·
Incentive: Rice exporters demand zero-rated
tax regime
·
Gov’t finds ways to hasten unloading of
Vietnam rice
·
Rice Prices
·
Chinese firm to build rice mill, research
institute in Akwa Ibom
·
Agro forest food diversity festival organized
·
Price of imported rice declines
·
Yemen central bank stops guarantees for rice,
sugar imports - sources
·
02/19/2016 Farm Bureau Market Report
·
Their Bags are Packed and They're Ready to Go
to...Cuba
·
Futures and Commodity Market News
·
Madhya Pradesh moves high court over GI tag
for Basmati
News Detail...
Reap demands inclusion of rice
exporters in zero-rated regimeFebruary 19, 2016LAHORE - The Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan has written a letter simultaneously to the finance ministry as well as the commerce ministry, insisting the authorities to also grant zero rating status to rice exporters. REAP chairman, in the letter, appreciated Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for accepting demand of zero rated regime restoration for five export sectors, and demanded inclusion of rice exporters in zero rated regime also. The Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan appreciated positive gesture of government which will save the exporters from a lot of troubles but demanded immediate inclusion of rice exporters in this zero rated facility. Five export sectors include- textile, leather, carpets, sports goods and surgical instruments.He said that rice exporters also contribute major share in export earnings and are providing employment to millions.Ch Shafique said that rice export sector is the 2nd largest export commodity, but despite earning of about $2 billion valuable foreign exchange annually, rice exporters are not given the benefits and other commodities' exporters are being facilitated.
Earlier, in a meeting held at REAP office on Thursday, Shafique Ch also
requested Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar, and the
Federal Board of Revenue to also grant zero rated facility to rice export
sector and exempt them from sales tax and income tax on utilities for rice
export.
Rice
exporters are facing financial difficulties after withdrawal of zero rating
facility and their millions of rupees have been stuck up. The meeting was attended by a large number of
member exporters who complained to the chairman about the liquidity problems
due to pending refund claims. The members said that huge amounts are still
stuck up in refund claims, squeezing finances and causing cash-flow problems.
Inviting attention of the REAP Chairman, the members termed the liquidity
crunch a major stumbling block in the way of improving exports. They said that
the rice exporters have been facing unprecedented challenges for years and
consequently, their capacity has been severely impaired.
Exports,
both in quantity and value terms, could not pick up pace and have stood below
targets.Withdrawal of the zero rating facility and imposition of sales tax
would be detrimental to business activities.
http://nation.com.pk/business/19-Feb-2016/reap-demands-inclusion-of-rice-exporters-in-zero-rated-regime
Rice consignments: Kenya Port
Authority agrees to waive demurrages
February 19, 2016
Kenya Port Authority (KPA) has agreed to waive port demurrages
on Pakistani rice consignments, stuck at the Kenyan seaport due to cancellation
of license of two harbour yards. The rice consignments of over 1,300 containers
carrying 37,000 tons rice cargo have been held up at Kenyan seaport since
January 20, 2016 as license of two port yards namely Auto Ports Container
Freight Station (CFS) and Portside CFS have been cancelled and release of rice
consignments linked with 100 percent examination. Exporters said the abrupt closure of two CFS yards disrupted the
normal cargo clearance at Mombasa Port. Accordingly, the delay in the release
of the cargo forced the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) to
intervene and safeguard the interests of rice exporters of Pakistan.
The value of rice consignments is approximately $13 million and
all local taxes and duties have already been paid. Representing the rice exporters, Rafique Suleman, Chairman FPCCI
Rice Export Committee and immediate past chairman REAP is currently in Kenya to
resolve the issue. On behalf of REAP, Suleman is making efforts for early
release of rice containers without examination. afique Suleman told Business Recorder over the phone from Kenya that Pakistan High Commission Nairobi
has arranged urgent meetings with several port officials to ensure the timely
release of consignments. "I together with Amir
Mohyuddin Commercial Counselor met Madam Catherine Muturi, Managing Director,
Kenya Port Authority (KPA), Soodi KIFWA, Operation Manager, KPA and Eric
Gitonga, Chairman, KIFWA Mombasa at KPA MD's office Wednesday and discussed the
issue in detail," Suleman said.
During the meeting, it was agreed that KPA will waive all
demurrages and storage/re-marshalling charges that may have accrued due to the
policy change, however, the waiver will be given only to the container, details
of which will be provided by REAP. Accordingly, KPA has asked REAP to provide
the details of Bill of Lading along with container numbers of the consignments
lying at the KPA, Suleman said. He said another meeting was held
with Robert - a representative of Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) stationed at
KPA, to outline the procedure for releasing and removing the balance containers
of Pakistani rice exporters. Meetings with KPA and KRA representatives were
very fruitful and created a way forward to clear the held up cargo that was
nominated to the closed CFSs, he added. "We have also asked for a deadline of 15th March, 2016 for
removing the balance rice consignments from KPA without any storage or
additional charge and KPA officials are almost agreed to it," Suleman
said. He said Eng. Khurram Dastgir Khan Federal Commerce Minister has also
taken prompt action and approached the top Kenyan authorities to resolve the
issue on an urgent basis.
Suleman also appreciated the efforts being made by Raza Bashir
Tarar, High Commissioner of Pakistan at Nairobi, Amir Mohyuddin and Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, TDAP and for their active involvement to resolve this critical
issue in the larger interest of survival of rice export industry. Meanwhile, Khurram Dastgir in a letter sent to Amina Mohamed
cabinet secretary ministry of foreign affairs and international trade Kenya,
has requested early release of Pakistani rice consignments without additional
charges. Dastgir has also asked for withdrawal of 100 percent examination
condition imposed on stuck rice consignments.
http://www.brecorder.com/agriculture-a-allied/183/17843/
February
19, 2016
LAHORE: Rice exporters on Thursday demanded of the government to
give zero-rating status to the sector, saying there are serious liquidity
problems due to pending refund claims.Members of the Rice Exportes Association
of Pakistan (Reap), in a meeting, said huge amounts are still stuck in refund
claims, squeezing finances and causing cash-flow problems. Muhammad Shafique, chairman of Reap, said
appreciated Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for accepting demand of zero-rated
regime restoration for the five export sectors, which include textile, leather,
carpets, sports goods and surgical instruments.
Shafique said rice exporters also contribute major share to export
earnings and are providing employment to millions. REAP Chairman said rice export sector is the
2nd largest export commodity, but despite earning of around two billion dollars
worth of valuable foreign exchange annually, rice exporters are not given the
benefits.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/print/99249-Exporters-seek-zero-rating-status
Incentive: Rice exporters
demand zero-rated tax regime
Published:
February 19, 2016
Exporters are facing liquidity
crunch as huge tax refund claims are stuck with FBR. PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE: The Rice
Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) has asked the government to award the
second-largest export industry zero-rated sales tax status as exporters are
facing liquidity crunch in the face of pending tax refund claims.“REAP members
are terming the liquidity crunch a major stumbling block in the way of
improving exports, as huge amounts are still stuck in refund claims with the
Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), squeezing finances and causing cash-flow
problems,” said REAP Chairman Muhammad Shafique.
Praising the
restoration of zero-rated tax regime by the prime minister for five sectors –
textile, leather, carpet, sports goods and surgical goods, he called for
inclusion of the rice exporters in the list.“Rice exporters contribute a major
share to the country’s export earnings and are providing direct and indirect
employment to millions,” he said.“Rice is the second largest export commodity,
but despite earning $2 billion annually, we are not being given benefits while
exporters of other commodities are facilitated.”
The
association has already written letters to the finance minister and commerce
minister, pressing them to count the sector among zero-rated exporting
industries and exempt the rice exporters from sales tax and income tax on
utility services.Shafique pointed out that the exporters had been facing
unprecedented challenges for years and consequently their capacity had been
severely impaired. “Exports, both in terms of volume and value, could not pick
up pace and currently stand below the target. Absence of the zero-rated
facility and imposition of sales tax would be detrimental to the business
activities,” he remarked.
Published in The Express
Tribune, February 19th, 2016
Gov’t
finds ways to hasten unloading of Vietnam rice
This part of the sea fronting the
Malacanang sa Sugbo building is being eyed by Cebu Ports Authority general
manager Edmund Tan as the proposed berthing area for the 5 foreign cargo
vessels carrying sacks of imported rice that cannot dock at the Cebu International
Port due to its limited space. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
The National Food Authority (NFA) and Cebu Port Authority (CPA)
have identified measures to expedite the unloading of some 240,000 sacks of
Vietnamrice from two vessels that have been unable to dock because of the lack
of berthing space at the Cebu International Port.Vice Admiral Edmund Tan,
general manager, said they have offered NFA another berthing space at the
Malacañang sa Sugbo near Pier 1. This will be available by next week.“I was
thinking of using the back of Malacañang as berthing area for one
of the vessels of the National Food Authority,” he told reporters
at the Capitol yesterday.Tan said he already wrote to the Office of the
President asking for permission to use the Malacañang sa Sugbo berthing space.
There has been no reply yet.
“I’m willing to risk having a vessel dock there (even without
permission). Even if they don’t respond, at least I already told them about
it,” he said.The CPA has assigned only one berthing space at the Cebu
International Port to the NFA, allowing vessels to dock and unload one at a
time. This has caused a delay in the unloading of the shipment.NFA
Administrator Renan B. Dalisay, in a separate phone interview, said that “if
it’s urgent,” CPA agreed to assign another berthing space to NFA as soon as
it’s vacated.“We just have to notify them within 36 hours if it’s urgent. Then,
isi-singit nila kami,” he said.Three of the five vessels from Vietnam were
supposed to have finished unloading as of yesterday, Dalisay said.
Nestor Rey Alcoseba, NFA 7 assistant regional director, said
Central and Eastern Visayas regions were allotted 157,900 metric tons, or
nearly 3.2 million bags that will all be unloaded in Cebu.
Central Visayas will get 104,000 metric tons while Eastern Visayas
was allotted 53,900 metric tons.Alcoseba said a total of 12 vessels have
arrived in Cebu since November last year. Seven have finished unloading while
the five vessels from Vietnam, which arrived last month yet, have been unable
to dock and were being anchored in the waters off Talisay City.The vessels are:
Vina Ship Ocean with 214,000 bags; Truong Minh Glory with 135,000 bags, Thanh
Cong with 130,000 bags, My An with 151,000 bags and Tan Binh with 190,000 bags.Yusop
Uckung, deputy manager of CPA, said they earlier offered NFA a berthing space
at Pier 2, but the grains authority declined due to security reasons.
Alcoseba said pilferage is rampant in Pier 2. One vessel almost
had an accident in the area, he added.Tan, for his part, said CPA will install
a cyclone-wire tent to protect the goods once these are unloaded at the back of
the Malacañang sa Sugbo.Aside from security guards hired by the Office of the
President, Tan said nobody is in the area while the building has been
condemned.Uckung earlier said the international port can accommodate only two
vessels at a time because a portion has been set aside for domestic use while
the northern portion is silted.
http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/86606/govt-finds-ways-to-hasten-unloading-of-vietnam-rice
http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/86606/govt-finds-ways-to-hasten-unloading-of-vietnam-rice
Rice Prices
Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.
|
Arrivals
|
Price
|
|||||
|
Current
|
%
change |
Season
cumulative |
Modal
|
Prev.
Modal |
Prev.Yr
%change |
|
|
Rice
|
||||||
|
Gadarpur(Utr)
|
965.00
|
192.42
|
61821.00
|
2325
|
2325
|
-5.68
|
|
Asansol(WB)
|
133.50
|
1.14
|
791.50
|
2450
|
2450
|
-
|
|
Durgapur(WB)
|
132.00
|
-
|
535.00
|
2400
|
-
|
0.84
|
|
Mathabhanga(WB)
|
110.00
|
10
|
2550.00
|
1950
|
1950
|
-
|
|
Devariya(UP)
|
100.00
|
-9.09
|
1040.00
|
2085
|
2085
|
3.22
|
|
Dhing(ASM)
|
94.00
|
9.3
|
1955.20
|
1800
|
1800
|
-
|
|
Kalipur(WB)
|
80.00
|
-11.11
|
2856.00
|
2050
|
2050
|
-6.82
|
|
Cachar(ASM)
|
40.00
|
-33.33
|
1300.00
|
2700
|
2700
|
NC
|
|
Mirzapur(UP)
|
26.00
|
-5.45
|
912.50
|
1920
|
1915
|
2.13
|
|
Lohardaga(Jha)
|
22.50
|
-6.25
|
466.00
|
1765
|
1860
|
-4.08
|
|
Dibrugarh(ASM)
|
20.00
|
81.82
|
627.30
|
2400
|
2400
|
-
|
|
Partaval(UP)
|
20.00
|
-33.33
|
914.50
|
2075
|
2075
|
7.79
|
|
North
Lakhimpur(ASM)
|
16.60
|
-40.71
|
855.30
|
1900
|
1900
|
-
|
|
Naugarh(UP)
|
16.00
|
3.23
|
393.50
|
2060
|
2065
|
9.87
|
|
Champadanga(WB)
|
15.00
|
25
|
448.00
|
2350
|
2350
|
-12.96
|
|
Ranaghat(WB)
|
15.00
|
-
|
33.00
|
1850
|
-
|
-24.49
|
|
Bijnaur(UP)
|
13.00
|
-27.78
|
338.00
|
2200
|
2200
|
-
|
|
Raiganj(WB)
|
12.00
|
NC
|
530.00
|
2750
|
2750
|
-
|
|
Bampada(Ori)
|
10.00
|
NC
|
100.00
|
2600
|
2500
|
-
|
|
Barikpur(Ori)
|
10.00
|
NC
|
70.00
|
2400
|
2400
|
-4.00
|
|
Muradabad(UP)
|
10.00
|
-9.09
|
336.50
|
2245
|
2230
|
13.67
|
|
Deogarh(Ori)
|
9.00
|
-5.26
|
269.00
|
2500
|
2500
|
NC
|
|
Cherthalai(Ker)
|
7.50
|
-11.76
|
212.50
|
2300
|
2300
|
-14.81
|
|
Tanakpur(Utr)
|
7.00
|
16.67
|
131.10
|
2300
|
2100
|
6.98
|
|
Chengannur(Ker)
|
6.00
|
-7.69
|
345.50
|
2400
|
2400
|
-17.24
|
|
Silapathar(ASM)
|
5.70
|
5.56
|
454.30
|
3000
|
3000
|
NC
|
|
Bonai(Bonai)(Ori)
|
5.00
|
150
|
51.10
|
2000
|
2000
|
-9.09
|
|
Jhansi(UP)
|
5.00
|
25
|
143.50
|
2100
|
2100
|
7.69
|
|
Jeypore(Ori)
|
4.10
|
-16.33
|
146.90
|
410
|
325
|
-
|
|
Jeypore(Kotpad)(Ori)
|
3.90
|
14.71
|
143.50
|
3250
|
3250
|
NC
|
|
Aroor(Ker)
|
3.00
|
NC
|
118.70
|
7000
|
7000
|
-24.73
|
|
Perinthalmanna(Ker)
|
2.90
|
NC
|
42.30
|
2600
|
2600
|
-
|
|
Siyana(UP)
|
2.00
|
-20
|
56.00
|
2045
|
2040
|
1.24
|
|
Sardhana(UP)
|
1.20
|
NC
|
48.50
|
2070
|
2165
|
NC
|
|
Kalimpong(WB)
|
0.80
|
-42.86
|
18.00
|
2400
|
2400
|
-14.29
|
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/article8257157.ece
Chinese firm to build rice mill, research institute in Akwa Ibom
Chinese investors are to establish an integrated rice mill in Akwa
Ibom State to boost production.
Chairman, Heilongjiang Hegang Sanjiang Plain Rice Group,
Heilongjiang, China, Mr. Wang Jingxin, stated this when the delegation visited
the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Nathan
Matthew Ekaette, in Uyo, the state capital.Accompanied by the
Consular-General of Nigerian Embassy in China, Ambassador Ali Ocheni, the Trade
Commissioner in the Embassy, Mr. A. Agboluaje, Jingxin spoke of plans to
set up a rice research institute in the state.
He said they were in the state to scout for investment
opportunties in the rice value chain.For a start, he said the company is
embarking on a pilot production on 500 hectares of farmland, thereafter expand
to 10,000 hectares.Responding, Ekaette assured the team of government’s
preparedness to support them with an enabling environment, adding that Akwa
Ibom has a large fertile swamp land of over 100,000 hectares suitable for rice
cultivation.The Commissioner took group on a tour of the moribund
government-owned rice farm at Mbiabet Ikpe, Ini Local Government Area. After an
assessment of the farm and its adjoining land, the team said there was no need
to take soil samples for testing as the luxuriant nature of rice and grasses
were indicators of high fertility of the soil.
However, the Chinese investors demanded the construction of
a 40-kilometre Odoro Ikpe-Mbiabet Ikpe-Ikot Essiyere Road leading to the farm,
clearing of a 500-hectare swamp land and that state government officials
undertake a facility tour of the company’s holdings in China to ascertain its
capacity as well sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the company
and the state government.
http://thenationonlineng.net/chinese-firm-to-build-rice-mill-research-institute-in-akwa-ibom/
Agro forest food diversity
festival organized
|
Jajpur | 20 February, 2016
In
order to encourage the conservation of biodiversity and ethnicity, the Sukinda
Chromite Mine (SCM) of Tata Steel in Jajpur district of Odisha organised an
agro forest food diversity festival ‘Prajatiya Khadyotsav’.
There were 22 varieties of traditional cake
called Pithain local parlance, 5 types of rice,13 types of ethnic curry, 15
types of roots, tubers and many more.There was also live cooking demonstration
by tribal ladies how to prepare unique mouthwatering tribal food. Dr Prasad
Das, Sr Scientist, Odisha Biodiversity Board said programmes like these will go
a long way in promoting the cause of biodiversity and create more awareness on
it among the people of the state. Pankaj Satija, General Manager, Operations,
Ferro Alloys and Minerals Division, Tata Steel said this is part of a series of
similar events we have been doing here like Spot the Species, Leaf
Identification, Green Therapy, Jaibakala Vividhata to contribute our bit to the
National Biodiversity Target 1 which aims, by 2020,a significant proportion of
the country’s population, especially the youth, is aware of the values of
biodiversity.
While
Dr. Paramananda Patel of Academy of Language and Tribal Culture, Bhubaneswar,
Government of Odisha spoke on tribal culture and food habits, Dr B B Panda, Sr
Scientist of Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack explained to the locals
how new quick growing paddy varieties can be cultivated in water scarce areas. Sharing
her experience Ghiuria, the young tribal organic farmer of Koraput, said as we
develop hybrid variety of paddy and other food grains, it is also equally
important to conserve indigenous species to maintain the natural biodiversity.
Echoing
her thoughts Laxmi Marandi, a tribal lady who had displayed tribal food ‘Lau
simba pitha’, a variety of rice pan cake prepared with vegetables, at the
exhibition said we should preserve our food diversity for posterity so that
they can know their roots.
http://www.thestatesman.com/news/odisha/agro-forest-food-diversity-festival-organised/124769.html#m6UipTlxfvuQB34W.99http://www.thestatesman.com/news/odisha/agro-forest-food-diversity-festival-organised/124769.html
Price of
imported rice declines
For the third week of February, imported rice recorded the
highest drop of twenty percent.A five kilogram bag of imported rice is now
selling at 21 cedis 90 pesewas.This was followed by local rice which lost five
percent to close the week at 6 cedis 80 pesewas per medium size tin.Groundnut
and cowpea followed with 4 and a percentage drop in price respectively.Meanwhile
the prices of yam, maize and gari made gains of between 3 and 7 percent.Also,
the price of tomato which has been declining for the past three consecutive
weeks, increased by one percent to close the week at 6 cedis 90 pesewas per
medium size tin. Similar declines were recorded by fresh tubers of cassava and
soya beans.
On the various markets, a medium size tomato tin full of fresh
tomatoes lost 7 percent in Accra to close the week at 9 cedis 30 pesewas; it
lost 4 percent in Techiman to close at 7 cedis.The commodity however gained 24
percent in Kumasi to close the week at GHS 6. cedis 20 pesewas. It also gained
2 percent in Takoradi to close the week at 11 cedis. The price however remained
the same in the other markets.The price of a medium size tin of maize lost 3
percent in Kumasi to close the week at 5 cedis but increased by 18 percent in
Takoradi to close the week at 10 cedis and also gained by 17 percent in Bawku
to close the week at 3 cedis 50pesewas.
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/Price-of-imported-rice-declines-417036
Yemen central
bank stops guarantees for rice, sugar imports - sources
DUBAI
Feb 19 Yemen's central bank has told traders and local banks it
will no longer provide lines of credit for the import of sugar and rice at the
official exchange rate, merchants and local bankers said on Friday.The move
takes immediate effect and is likely to further deepen the country's
humanitarian crisis. Yemen is in the midst of a war between the Iran-allied
Houthis, who control the capital Sanaa, and President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's
government, which is backed by an Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia.One
merchant told Reuters that until the beginning of February, the central bank
had covered all the country's import needs of medicine, wheat, rice, sugar and
milk at the official exchange rate of 215 riyals to the dollar.
"With this decision, the lines of credit would be limited
to wheat and medicines only," said the merchant, who asked not to be
named.A banker confirmed this, saying the central bank had explained it was no
longer able to provide cover for imports at the official rate and had asked
merchants to buy foreign currency on the black market, where the rate is 256
riyals to the dollar.The U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) has
warned of a "staggering" crisis, saying famine looms as over half the
population, or some 14.4 million people, are short of food.
(Reporting by Mohammed Ghobari in
Cairo, writing by Sami Aboudi)
http://www.reuters.com/article/yemen-security-imports-idUSL8N15Y4BS
02/19/2016 Farm Bureau Market Report
Rice
|
High
|
Low
|
|
|
Long
Grain Cash Bids
|
- - -
|
- - -
|
|
Long
Grain New Crop
|
- - -
|
- - -
|
|
|
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|
Futures:
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Rice Comment
Rice future recovered a bit in
early dealings today. The average expected price for long grain is now
$11.00-$11.60/cwt, and mid-south medium grain is expected to bring
$11.70-$12.30. The market is anxiously awaiting the results of an Iraqi tender
for U.S. origin only rice. May has downtrending resistance at $11.58
Their Bags are Packed and They're Ready to Go
to...Cuba
By
Deborah Willenborg
|
|
ALEXANDRIA, LA -- Louisiana's state office for USDA's Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced today that they are holding a
second sign-up period to collect Environmental Quality Incentives Program
(EQIP) applications.The EQIP applications will be accepted through the National
Rice Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) project funded by NRCS
and coordinated by USA Rice, Ducks Unlimited, and more than forty additional
partners and sponsors.USA Rice Stewardship Partnership Coordinator Josh Hankins
told growers, "In Louisiana we're focusing our efforts on voluntary EQIP
practices that improve irrigation water management, control sediment and
nutrient runoff, and provide habitat for wildlife all within production
ricelands. We want to reduce overall
groundwater usage and ensure that sustainability is at the forefront of
farmers' minds when they make operating decisions."
"This partnership between USA Rice, Ducks Unlimited, and NRCS
is providing a great opportunity for rice producers to address water quantity
and quality, as well as wildlife habitat on their farm," said Kevin
Norton, Louisiana's state conservationist. "Interested rice producers need
to visit their local NRCS office as soon as possible."Rice farmers will
only have until March 2 to submit applications to their local NRCS office, and
since this is the second sign-up period, Hankins advises that less funding will
be available.Eligible areas for this special funding opportunity include: Acadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard,
Calcasieu, Cameron, Catahoula, Concordia, East Carroll, Evangeline, Jefferson
Davis, Lafayette, Madison, Morehouse, Rapides, Richland, St. Landry, St.
Martin, Vermilion, and West Carroll.
By
Deborah Willenborg
WASHINGTON, DC -- Fast on the heels of last week's U.S. Agriculture
Coalition for Cuba (USACC) one-year anniversary is the announcement that
President Obama will be visiting Cuba next month "to build on the progress
we have made toward normalization of relations with Cuba."Also headed to
Cuba is USA Rice Vice President of Government Affairs Ben Mosely who is
traveling there in April as part of a USACC delegation scheduled to meet with
Cuban officials, farmers, and academic and business leaders.
Washington for the USA Rice Government Affairs Conference."
Futures and Commodity Market News
Indian PM Modi pushes crop insurance at farmers' rally in Madhya
Pradesh
Bhopal, Feb 19, 2016 (EFE via COMTEX)
Indian Prime
Minister Narendra Modi has addressed a rally of over 500,000 farmers in the
central Madhya Pradesh province to encourage farmers to join a new crop
insurance scheme that aims to ease debts after extreme weather conditions since
October have caused major crop losses.Farmers arrived for the rally in Bhopal
on Thursday on thousands of buses, tractors and bikes. Modi announced his new
Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme, or 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Beema Yojna' in
Hindi, according to local news on Friday."I have eight bigha land (1.3
hectares) and my crop has failed. I don't know what to do now. I have come here
to get compensation for my loss. I am expecting to get a cheque," said
Magilal, a 60-year-old farmer from Rajgarh district of Madhya Pradesh, as
quoted by The Hindustan Times.
The new
insurance plan promises to give farmers 25 percent of the insurance amount from
losses immediately with no caps on maximum payment, and additionally provide
relief to agricultural households for times when crops fail to grow, such as
during dry spells."The first and foremost priority is to restore the faith
of farmers in the crop insurance scheme," said Modi, adding that the
government also plans to launch a new digital platform where farmers can access
the prices of crops nationwide, to reach other markets.The government-backed
programs come after months of growing concern by farmers and the state
government over increasing erratic weather conditions, including monsoons and
drought, which have hurt major crops such as soybean, pulses and rice paddy and
which caused basmati rice production to fall by an estimated 20 percent this
year, according to the Madhya Pradesh Agricultural Department.
Agencia EFE S.A
Madhya Pradesh moves high court
over GI tag for Basmati
The original application for a GI tag for
Basmati filed by Apeda had excluded the areas of Madhya Pradesh
Paving the way for yet another long-stretched litigation, the
Madhya Pradesh government has moved the Madras High Court against the
Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) order that directed the Registrar
of Geographical Indications (GI) to issue a GI tag for Basmati rice in India,
taking into account the original application filed by the Agricultural and
Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), which excluded the
areas of Madhya Pradesh.
While the Madhya Pradesh government has appealed for the setting
aside of the IPAB order, the state has also sought an interim stay on the order
pending the disposal of the writ petition. The court, which admitted the
appeal, issued a notice to Apeda. Apeda has been asked to reply within next
three week’s time.
Significantly, the GI Registry, Chennai, on February 15 had
issued a certificate of GI for Basmati rice in favour of Apeda, following the
IPAB directive.The court has also made it clear that the GI Registry, which was
told by the IPAB to reconsider the plea of the stakeholders from Madhya Pradesh
for inclusion in the geographical area of Basmati cultivating area afresh and
render a decision in another six months, would proceed with the directive of
the tribunal.The court said that irrespective of the appeal in the court, the
GI Registry will have to continue with the task. The court has subsequently
adjourned the further hearing of the appeal in April.
The counsel for Madhya Pradesh, while moving the writ petition,
appealed that the February 5 order of IPAB is liable to be set aside it
evidences non-application of mind by the tribunal. The impugned order does not
appreciate the evidence by either party before directing registration of GI in
favour of Apeda and relegating the petitioner’s case alone to the GI Registry.Madhya
Pradesh, while seeking a stay of the IPAB order pending disposal of the writ
plea, submitted that its implementation will result in causing irreparable harm
to Madhya Pradesh and its 80,000 Basmati farmers. The state has also asked the
court to dispense with the impugned IPAB order.
In its writ petition, Madhya Pradesh claimed that the state
currently produces around one million tonne of Basmati rice in a single paddy
season and the order of IPAB would result in immediately altering the status
quo which will be detrimental to the state and its 80,000 Basmati farmers and
their families.
It added that the IPAB order erroneously presumed that the state
never challenged the areas claimed by Apeda as traditional Basmati cultivation
areas. The state argued that Apeda has not mapped the exact area where Basmati
has been grown and gave a blanket protection to some of the states while it did
not pay heed to the request of Madhya Pradesh to include 13 specific districts
in the GI application.IPAB on February 5 order had directed the registrar of
geographical indications (GI) to issue certificate of GI for Basmati rice in
India within four weeks’ time, taking into consideration the original
application filed by Apeda.
The Financial Express
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