Pakistan Advised to Liberalize Rice Market to Enhance Exports
Mar 21, 2016
The founder and
executive Director of PRIME Institute, an independent economic policy think
tank based in Islamabad, has advised the government of Pakistan to liberalize
the country’s rice market, including its research and development, so as
develop better quality rice seeds as well as to boost exports according to
Tribune.
He says the government
should encourage the private sector, with adequate financial backing, to
undertake fresh research on new seed varieties. He reiterated that private
sector played a major role in introducing hybrid IRRI seed after public
researchers failed to improve the IRRI variety brought in the 1960s. Later, the
share of this hybrid variety has risen significantly to constitute almost
two-third of total rice exports from Pakistan.
He noted that the
higher yield from the hybrid variety did not impact exports much (despite lack
of research in new rice seeds) and kept farmers insulated from the decline in
global commodity prices. However, he emphasized that over the last decade,
Pakistan rice exports hve become more stagnant. Though, competition from India
is considered as one of the reasons, he says the government should help
exporters by providing adequate incentives and subsidies.
He noted that
artificial support measures do not help increase exports and also stressed on
the need for the government to invest in the intellectual property regime so
that innovation in the private sector may be rewarded. He added that the
sufficient level of know-how available within the local universities should be
commercialized to boost innovation.
Bangladesh Food Ministry Seeks to Revive "Fair Price Card" Scheme
to Clear Rice Stocks Ahead of Boro Harvest
Mar 21, 2016
The Directorate
General of Food under Bangladesh's Food Ministry, has proposed to sell 30
kilograms of rice every month to ultra-poor households at below market prices,
according to the Daily Star.
The Department is
proposing to sell rice at Tk 10 per kilogram (around $130 per ton) under the
“fair price card” scheme to clear rice stocks to create space for the upcoming
Boro (January – May) harvest. The scheme was originally introduced in February
2011 to distribute rice at lower than the market price to the households at the
grassroots level. However, it was discontinued later. Now, the Department has
proposed to revive the scheme.
The proposal needs to
be approved by the government. The Director General of the Department noted
that currently, the government rice stocks stand at around 1.072 million tons.
It plans to purchase one million tons of rice Boro rice in May.
Earlier, this month,
the government had already cut the open market sale prices of rice to Tk 15 per
kilogram (around $196 per ton) from Tk 20 per kilogram (around $261 per ton) to
clear the stocks.
Currently, the retail
prices of coarse rice stood between Tk 32-34 per kilogram (around $417-$443 per
ton) in Dhaka, down 8.33% from a year earlier, according to the Trading
Corporation of Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, traders are
concerned that the initiative would affect the rice and paddy prices and affect
farmers during the Boro harvest time. The Director General of the Food
Department assured that farmers would not be impacted by the revival of this scheme.
Egypt Seeks Unspecified Amount of Rice in International Tender
Mar 21, 2016
Egypt's General
Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC) is seeking an unspecified amount of
rice for delivery from April 20 to May 10, 2016 in an international tender, according
to Reuters.
The rice is sought on
a cost and freight basis, according to the GASC Vice-Chairman.
Deadline for receiving
the bids is March 26, 2016.
In January, the GASC a
tender to purchase an unspecified amount of rice to give more time for suppliers
to issue necessary paperwork.
Guided Tours by Italian Rice Research Center Receive Good Response
Mar 21, 2016
Guided tours by the
Rice Research Center of Castello d'Agogna, which is managed by Ente Nazionale
Risi (ENR), the National Agency for rice, on the on the occasion of the Italian
Environmental Fund (FAI) Spring Days, received good response, according to
local sources.
More than 700 people
visited the rice center on March 19 and 20. They were shown a video covering
all the important aspects of rice production, harvesting and milling.
The visitors were also
shown library with around 3,500 books, all laboratories, the germ plasm bank
consisting of about 1,500 seeds from all over the world, and the greenhouse, which
shows pictures about Italian rice growing environment was on display, and the
agricultural machinery used by Ente Risi.
The visits were led by
the researchers, who explained them their tasks and the aims of their studies.
Global Rice Quotes
March 21st, 2016
Long grain white rice - high quality
Thailand 100% B grade 380-390
↔
Vietnam 5% broken 380-390
↑
India 5% broken 365-375
↔
Pakistan 5% broken 335-345
↔
Myanmar 5% broken 420-430
↔
Cambodia 5% broken 420-430
↔
U.S. 4% broken 440-450
↔
Uruguay 5% broken 445-455
↔
Argentina 5% broken 435-445
↔
Long grain white rice - low quality
Thailand 25% broken 355-365
↔
Vietnam 25% broken 365-375
↑
Pakistan 25% broken 305-315
↔
Cambodia 25% broken 400-410
↔
India 25% broken 335-345
↔
U.S. 15% broken (sacked) 460-470
↔
Long grain parboiled rice
Thailand parboiled 100% stxd 375-385 ↔
Pakistan parboiled 5% broken stxd NQ ↔
India parboiled 5% broken stxd 350-360 ↔
U.S. parboiled 4% broken 480-490
↔
Brazil parboiled 5% broken 520-530
↔
Uruguay parboiled 5% broken NQ
↔
Long grain fragrant rice
Thailand Hommali 92% 670-680
↔
Vietnam Jasmine 460-470
↔
India basmati 2% broken NQ
↔
Pakistan basmati 2% broken NQ
↔
Cambodia Phka Mails 755-765
↔
Brokens
Thailand A1 Super 335-345
↔
Vietnam 100% broken 350-360
↑
Pakistan 100% broken stxd 285-295
↔
Cambodia A1 Super 345-355
↔
India 100% broken stxd 265-275
↔
Egypt medium grain brokens NQ
↔
U.S. pet food 280-290 ↔
Brazil half grain NQ
↔
All prices USD per ton, FOB vessel, oryza.com
Guyana to Export 11,300 Tons of Rice
to Panama Over Next Three Months, Says Agriculture Minister
Mar 21, 2016
Guyana will export
about 11,300 tons of rice to Panama over the next three months as Panamanian
government increased the 2016 import quota from Guyana, according to the Guyana
Times quoted the Agriculture Minister.
The Minister told
reporters that representatives from the Institute of Agricultural Marketing in
Panama City have confirmed about the increased quota of rice from Guyana.
The Guyana Rice
Development Board (GRDB) already shipped about 7,500 tons of rice this year.
The increased exports would support Guyana's farmers, according to the
Minister. He lauded the Panamanian Government for its continued confidence in
Guyana’s rice industry.
“Our Government is
extremely pleased that you (Panama) are happy with the services we (GRDB) have
been supplying since the commencement of our relationship… I would like to
assure you that the GRDB will continue to provide the same excellent and
professional service to your Government,” he said.
The Minister also
noted that the government of Guyana is continuously working on finding new
markets and assured the rice industry that loss of the Venezuelan market is not
significantly impacting the country's rice exports.
The General Manager of
the GRDB noted: "opportunities appear to loom large for Guyana’s rice
industry, as enhanced efforts will be made by the Board to ensure that
additional markets are secured."
Guyana exported around
537,334 tons of rice in 2015, up about 7.21% from around 501,208 tons in 2014,
according to data from the GRDB. The country is grappling with lower prices
following Venezuela’s cancelling of rice import contract with Guyana. Higher
supplies are also understood to impact prices in the country. Guyana, which
exported to about 32 countries in 2015, is exploring new markets for its rice
exports.
Vietnam Rice Sellers Increase Some of Their Quotes Today; Other Asia Rice
Quotes Unchanged
Mar 21, 2016
Vietnam rice sellers
have increased their quotes for 5%, 15%, 25% and 100% rice varieties by $5 per
ton each to around $380 - $390 per ton, $375 - $385 per ton, $365 - $375 per
ton and $350 - $360 per ton respectively. Other Asia rice sellers kept their
quotes unchanged from last week.
5% Broken Rice
Thailand 5% rice is
indicated at around $370 - $380 per ton, about $10 per ton discount to Vietnam
5% rice shown at around $380 - $390 per ton. India 5% rice is indicated at around
$365 - $375 per ton, about $30 per ton premium on Pakistan 5% rice shown at
around $335 - $345 per ton.
25% Broken
Rice
Thailand 25% rice is
indicated at around $355 - $365 per ton, about $10 per ton discount to Vietnam
25% rice shown at around $365- $375 per ton. India 25% rice is indicated at
around $335- $345 per ton, about $30 per ton premium on Pakistan 25% rice shown
at around $305 - $315 per ton.
Parboiled
Rice
Thailand parboiled
rice is indicated at around $375 - $385 per ton. India parboiled rice is
indicated at around $350 - $360 per ton, about $55 per ton discount to Pakistan
parboiled rice last shown at around $405 - $415 per ton.
100% Broken
Rice
Thailand broken rice,
A1 Super is indicated at around $335 - $345 per ton, about $15 per ton discount
to Vietnam 100% broken rice shown at around $350 - $360 per ton. India's 100%
broken rice is shown at around $265 - $275 per ton, about $20 per ton discount
to Pakistan broken sortexed rice shown at around $285 - $295 per ton.
South Korea Seeks to Buy 63,333 Tons of Non-Glutinous Rice in Tenders
Mar 21, 2016
South Korea's state
run Agro Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (KAFTC) is seeking to buy about
63,333 tons of non-glutinous rice in tenders for delivery between June 30 to
September 30, 2016, according to a statement on its website.
The details of the
tonnage and timing of the rice sought: Registration of tenders will close at
4.00 p.m on March 28, 2016. Electronic bidding will take place on March 29,
2016 between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m.
Thailand Maintains 9.5 Million Tons Rice Export Target in 2016 Despite
Declining Demand, Says Government Official
Mar 21, 2016
The government of
Thailand is maintaining the 9.5 million tons rice export target in 2016 despite
declining purchasing power, Bloomberg quoted the Head of the Department of
Foreign Trade.
Thailand reportedly
exported around 2.3 million tons of rice in the January 1 - March 17, 2016, up
about 28% from around 1.79 million tons during the same period last year.
The government still
holds around 12 million tons of rice in its stockpiles. The government of
Thailand is planning to sell about 641,000 tons of stockpiled rice on March 30
and 31, 2016.
No comments:
Post a Comment