February 26, 2016
Country earns $18.46 million from livestock export, National Assembly told
February 26, 2016
AAMIR SAEED
Pakistan earned $18.460 million from the export of livestock from 2012 to 2015 while the country earned an amount of $2,163.1 million of foreign exchange from export of rice during 2013-14. The National Assembly was informed on Thursday during the Question Hour session that promotion of livestock is a provincial subject following devolution of powers under the 18th Constitutional amendment.
Regarding promotion of the livestock exports, the Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on the summary moved by Ministry of National Food Security Research imposed ban on the export of live animals with effect from October 01, 2013, Minister for Commerce Khurram Dastgir Khan informed the house through written reply of a question. He also informed the house that an amount of $2,163.1 million of foreign exchange was earned from export of rice during the year 2013-14.
The minister said the government has taken following steps to increase the export of rice:
I. Ministry of Commerce has recently signed Memorandum of Understanding with Indonesia for export of one million tons of rice during the next four years.
II. Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) organises participation of Pakistani rice exporters in all the leading international food fairs and organises trade delegations to the export markets.
III. Ministry of Commerce through Commercial Sections assists traders to find prospective buyers abroad.
IV. The State Bank of Pakistan is providing concessionary financing under Export Finance Scheme to exporters including those of ric
http://www.brecorder.com/agriculture-a-allied/183/20119/
Pakistan central bank clears financial transactions with Iran
ISLAMABAD
Fri Feb 26, 2016 2:22am EST
Feb 26 Pakistan's central bank has cleared all commercial banks and financial institutions for business with Iran, paving the way for the two countries to resume regular business activity that was hampered by years of sanctions.
Global transaction network SWIFT reconnected a number of Iranian banks to its system earlier this month, allowing them to restart cross-border transactions with foreign banks after the lifting of most sanctions on Tehran in January.
Iranian banks were disconnected from Belgium-based SWIFT, the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, in March 2012 as international sanctions against Tehran over its disputed nuclear program tightened.
"In line with the federal government's decision to implement the United Nations Security Council Resolution regarding lifting of sanctions against Iran, the State Bank of Pakistan has communicated to banks/financial institutions that previous sanctions on Iran have been removed and normal business activities can be commenced within the scope of the Resolution," the central bank said in a statement.
"It is expected that the lifting of sanctions and restoration of banking channels between Pakistan and Iran would revive normal trade and business activities between the two neighbors."
Trade between Pakistan and Iran fell to $431.76 million in 2010-11 from $1.32 billion in 2008-09, according to the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan.
But tightening of sanctions on Iran made smuggling, particularly of petroleum products, extremely lucrative.
Major Pakistani exports to Iran include Basmati rice, plastics, paper and oranges, and the big imports items include liquefied petroleum gas, petroleum products, electric transformers and dry fruits. (Reporting and writing by Mehreen Zahra-Malik; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)
http://www.reuters.com/article/pakistan-iran-idUSL3N16535K
Thailand plans measures worth $285 million to help drought-hit rice farmers
By Patpicha Tanakasempipat3 hours ago
.
View photo
Villagers walk along a dry rice field in Chainat province, north of Bangkok, Thailand, January 22, 2016. …
By Patpicha Tanakasempipat
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand, the world's second-biggest rice exporter, on Friday announced measures worth around $285 million to help farmers in the country who have been hit hard by a severe drought and low prices for their crop.
The Southeast Asian nation is facing what some experts say is its worst drought in decades. While this has crimped rice output, it has not buoyed prices given huge stocks of about 12 million tonnes that Thailand is trying to offload, the legacy of a subsidy scheme undertaken by the previous government.
Weak demand from top rice consumer China as the country's economic growth slows has further dragged on prices of the grain, plunging many Thai farmers into debt and forcing them to seek help from their military government.
The measures announced on Friday by the country's rice management committee are worth around 10 billion baht ($285 million) and include plans to assist farmers in rice production.
The committee said in a statement that 6.76 billion baht of the total would go toward stabilizing rice prices through soft loans for farmers who store paddy.
Thai rice prices have plunged almost 40 percent over the past three years, gaining only 8 percent so far in 2016 to around $377.50 a tonne, free on board.
The government-owned Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives will approve loans of up to 300,000 baht ($8,415) to farmers who store rice to curb supply.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has also asked farmers to grow less rice to help manage water reserves across the country that have dipped below 2015 levels.
The rice management committee expects domestic and global demand for Thai paddy this year to come in at 25 million tonnes.
It pegged output at 27.17 million tonnes for 2016, versus an average of about 30 million tonnes of paddy in recent years.
In January, Thailand exported over 1 million tonnes of rice worth more than 15.5 billion baht, commerce ministry permanent secretary Chutima Bunyapraphasara said in a news conference.
The ministry will hold more rice auctions between March and July this year, she said, before off-season rice enters the market in August.
Each auction would be for around 400,000-500,000 tonnes. The commerce ministry aims to offload more than 5 million tonnes from the government's stockpiles this year, she added.
(Additional reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Himani Sarkar)
http://news.yahoo.com/thailand-plans-steps-worth-285-million-help-drought-074251485.html
35% duty on import of apples from Iran recommended
By Peer Muhammad
Published: February 26, 2016
Suggestion comes after Balochistan senators urge protection of farmers. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Commerce recommended the Ministry of Commerce to impose regulatory duty of 35% on the import of apples from Iran, in a bid to protect the farmers of Balochistan.
The committee made its recommendation following a request by the farmers, who pleaded the government to impose the duty.
The issue was referred by the Senate to the concerned committee which was later raised in the house by Balochistan Senator Mir Kabir Ahmed Shahi.
Committee chairman Senator Shibli Faraz, after hearing the farmers and senators, recommended the ministry to impose a regulatory duty of at least 35% on the import.
Senators from Balochistan and representatives of farmers also pointed out that the locals were facing serious challenges due to drought and unchecked import and smuggling of apples, grapes, tomatoes, potatoes and onions.
“The farmers of Balochistan have been suffering for the last 10 years due to smuggling and the import of fruit from Iran,” said Mir Kabir. “The farmers need special attention as climate change has largely affected the province, where water scarcity has become a serious threat, compounded by the burgeoning power crisis,” he added.
The representatives of Balochistan growers pointed out that presently, there was no available space in cold storage houses in Islamabad and Lahore due to massive import of Iranian apples that increased by 200% through Taftan and Torkham (Afghanistan).
It was further disclosed that apples from Turkmenistan had also been reaching the Pakistan market via Iran.
The farmer representatives suggested that Pakistan should follow a reciprocal policy as Iran has banned the import of Pakistani rice and kinnows.
“The commerce minister has held meetings with the Minister for National Food Security and Research and the Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan. The ambassador has suggested that Pakistan should tighten enforcement to curb smuggling,” said Ministry of Commerce Secretary Muhammad Shahzad Arbab.
Meanwhile, Customs Chief (Tariff) Iftikhar was of the view that the FBR could not control smuggling due to the socio economic situation of Balochistan. He said Iran had built roads along the 900km border but Pakistan has not established any infrastructure so far. “Smuggling from Afghanistan can also not be checked entirely due to the long porous border,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 26th, 2016
http://tribune.com.pk/story/1054644/35-duty-on-import-of-apples-from-iran-recommended/
S. Korea's arable land edges down in 2015
2016/02/26 13:35
SEOUL, Feb. 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's arable land inched down in 2015 from a year earlier as some rice paddies and fields were converted into residential houses or public facilities, government data showed Friday.
The size of agricultural land came to 1.68 million hectares as of the end of last year, down 0.7 percent from the previous year, according to the data from Statistics Korea.
Total rice paddy area dropped 2.7 percent on-year to 908,000 hectares with the amount of dry fields, including orchards, falling 1.8 percent to 771,000.
"The decline resulted from construction projects by the public and private sectors, including the administrative capital of Sejong," said Kim Won-tae, an official at the statistical agency.
Arable land accounted for 16.7 percent of the country's total land area last year, down from 18.3 percent a decade ago, according to the data.
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
(END)
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2016/02/26/0200000000AEN20160226004500320.html
Thailand plans measures worth $285 million to help drought-hit rice farmers
BANGKOK | BY PATPICHA TANAKASEMPIPAT
Villagers walk along a dry rice field in Chainat province, north of Bangkok, Thailand, January 22, 2016.
REUTERS/CHAIWAT SUBPRASOM
Thailand, the world's second-biggest rice exporter, on Friday announced measures worth around $285 million to help farmers in the country who have been hit hard by a severe drought and low prices for their crop.
The Southeast Asian nation is facing what some experts say is its worst drought in decades. While this has crimped rice output, it has not buoyed prices given huge stocks of about 12 million tonnes that Thailand is trying to offload, the legacy of a subsidy scheme undertaken by the previous government.
Weak demand from top rice consumer China as the country's economic growth slows has further dragged on prices of the grain, plunging many Thai farmers into debt and forcing them to seek help from their military government.
The measures announced on Friday by the country's rice management committee are worth around 10 billion baht ($285 million) and include plans to assist farmers in rice production.
The committee said in a statement that 6.76 billion baht of the total would go toward stabilizing rice prices through soft loans for farmers who store paddy.
Thai rice prices have plunged almost 40 percent over the past three years, gaining only 8 percent so far in 2016 to around $377.50 a tonne, free on board.
The government-owned Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives will approve loans of up to 300,000 baht ($8,415) to farmers who store rice to curb supply.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has also asked farmers to grow less rice to help manage water reserves across the country that have dipped below 2015 levels.
The rice management committee expects domestic and global demand for Thai paddy this year to come in at 25 million tonnes.
It pegged output at 27.17 million tonnes for 2016, versus an average of about 30 million tonnes of paddy in recent years.
In January, Thailand exported over 1 million tonnes of rice worth more than 15.5 billion baht, commerce ministry permanent secretary Chutima Bunyapraphasara said in a news conference.
The ministry will hold more rice auctions between March and July this year, she said, before off-season rice enters the market in August.
Each auction would be for around 400,000-500,000 tonnes. The commerce ministry aims to offload more than 5 million tonnes from the government's stockpiles this year, she added.
(Additional reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Himani Sarkar)
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-rice-idUSKCN0VZ0RN
Thailand to face worst drought in 20 years
Thailand to face worst drought in 20 years
BANGKOK: -- As Thailand is expected to face the worst drought in 20 years and that four million rai of paddy fields are expected to be affected, authorities are now urging people to use water economically and possibly using less water in celebrating the Songkran festival.
Royal Irrigation Department spokesman and director of the Water Management and Hydrology Office Mr Thongplaew Kongchan said if rain dies not fall, water in the irrigation system will be adequate only until early August this year.
He urged all the people to use water economically, notably during the Songkran festival.
If possible, he suggested that water playing days should be reduced and water volumes should be cut.
He said the people should not celebrate the water festival same as they used to be in the past but to celebrate appropriately or just splashing water at each other slightly to uphold as tradition so that there will be water left to survive the worst situation.
Meanwhile the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation director-general Mr Chatchai Promlert said a total of 12 provinces comprising 46 districts have been declared emergent drought-stricken disaster areas where immediate assistance is needed.
He said authorities have been despatched to inspect water sources and remaining water so that efficient water management will be implemented to enable water utilisation, particularly water for consumption will not be short.
He named areas where authorities will keep special monitoring as near Ubonrat dam in Khon Kaen where there are large rice cultivation and fish farms.
National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Commission secretary-general Dr Seri Suprathit said Thsiland will face the worst drought in 20 years and water crisis is inevitable.
He said that the 120-day critical period from March to June will be closely watched as seasonal rain will come late.
He said if there is no rain during the period, rice grown in over four million rai of farmland worth 12 billion baht will be all damaged.
The damage is estimated from just the cost of each farmer per a rai of rice farming, he said.
Besides, there might have a need to also shut water supply for household consumption periodically so as to ensure the people will have enough water for consumption throughout the critical period, he added.
Source: http://englishnews.t.../content/152557 &
Auctions of old rice may be opened to foreign bidders
• 26 Feb 2016 at 17:49 4,052 viewed3 comments
• WRITER: PHUSADEE ARUNMAS
The Commerce Ministry plans to open its auctions of old rice to foreign bidders, in addition to local buyers. (Photo by Kitja Apichonrojarek)
- +
Related Stories
• Govt to sell 570,000 tonnes of rice Feb 16-17
The Commerce Ministry is considering allowing international bidding at auctions for the old rice still in the government stockpile from the previous government's rice-pledging scheme
Permanent secretary Chutima Bunyapraphasara said on Friday the ministry wanted to open the auctions to foreign bidders, not only local buyers, this year as it planned to sell at least 5 million tonnes of the old grain.
Officials were looking into the details and would have to consider whether the ministry had enough staff because international bids would require many procedures and involve a large volume of documents that would all have to be examined, she said.
There were still about 11 million tonnes of rice in the old stockpile. Ms Chutima said 1-2 monthly auctions would be organised between March and July, when farmers would not have new grain to offer on the market.
The next round of bidding would be in late March, for 400,000-500,000 tonnes of rice, she said.
The National Rice Policy Committee approved the sale of 362,864 tonnes of old rice to winning bidders from the last auction on Feb 16 and 17, when 570,000 tonnes were on offer.
Of the approved amount, 141,489 tonnes were sold to general buyers and 221,375 tonnes to industrialists, mainly the producers of animal feed and noodles. The best price was at 6-7 baht per kilogramme, Ms Chutima said.
Officials of the Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) would discuss prices and terms with Chinese officials next month for the delivery of 100,000 tonnes of rice to China which had signed a memorandum to buy a total of 2 million tonnes of Thai rice.
Many other countries were also interested in buying Thai rice to cope with possible shortages - including Indonesia, Iran and the Philippines, Ms Chutima said.
DFT director-general Duangporn Rodphaya said drought was worldwide and global rice traders were aware that Thailand had a huge stock of rice and Vietnam would sell out its current stockpile in March.
She predicted that Thailand would export 9.5 million tonnes of rice in 2016, because demand was likely to rise in the second half of this year.
Corruption plagued rice scheme, Yingluck trial told
• 26 Feb 2016 at 19:20 14,118 viewed14 comments
• WRITER: ONLINE REPORTERS
Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra meets supporters at the Supreme Court on Friday as she attends the third day of prosecution witness testimony in her trial for negligence related to her government's rice-pledging programme. (Photo by Apichit Jinakul)
Farmers and millers inflated their reports of pledged rice to make more money while government officials lied about deals with China, the trial of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra was told on Friday.
Rawee Rungruang, the former head of the Thai Farmers' Network, told the Supreme Court that farmers cooked the books alongside rice mill owners to claim the generous subsidies being paid by the Yingluck government in 2012 and 2013.
"They gave higher figures than the amount of rice they had," he testified.
"The extra money was shared between them. The rice mills had a computer program — one kept the real figure, and the other kept the figure they reported to the government. ... Everyone knew it was going on."
Ms Yingluck's defence team said the court should consider the witness unreliable as he was linked with anti-government protesters.
The exchange took place as Ms Yingluck looked on during the third day of witness testimony in her trial in the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Persons Holding Political Positions. She is charged with dereliction of duty for failing to properly oversee the rice-pledging scheme, resulting in some 500 billion baht in losses to taxpayers.
Vichai Sriprasert, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, testified that the government-to-government (G2G) sales of pledged rice that the Yingluck administration claimed to have sealed with China were fake.
He said discounted rice meant for G2G sales had been delivered to Thai representatives of the purported buyers at warehouses but that no rice was exported. Instead, he said, the rice was simply resold locally at the much higher pledging prices.
The "G2G export" arrangement claimed by the government was abnormal and had never been carried out in such a way before, he said. In the end it created loopholes for the delivered rice to be resold, Mr Vichai said.
He also said that the claimed G2G deals involved old rice that was not wanted by Chinese buyers. As well, he said, China at the time had a rice import quota of 5.3 million tonnes but the G2G deals were being claimed for 14 million tonnes.
He also said that China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation (Cofco) was the sole representative of China in rice purchases, but the Yingluck government claimed it had sealed the G2G rice deals with Hainan Grain and Oil Industrial Trading Co.
The Thai Rice Exporters Association tried repeatedly to warn the government of the consequences of fulfilling its election promise to buy "every single grain of rice" from farmers, said Mr Vichai.
Rice had been pledged at an unreasonably high price and thus would have to be stockpiled and would deteriorate because there would be no buyers for the expensive grain, he added.
The Yingluck government paid 15,000 baht per tonne for pledged rice — 40-50% above prevailing market rates — but could later sell it for just 6,000 baht because the rice had deteriorated, Mr Vichai said.
Ms Yingluck continues to maintain that the case against her is a politically motivated attack on her family. Both she and her brother, ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, have given a series of interviews to foreign media in recent weeks in an attempt to bolster support for their claims.
Arkansas Farm Bureau <mktrpt@arfb.com>
Feb 27 (2 days ago)
to me
Click here to view this report online.
Soybeans
High Low
Cash Bids 874 818
New Crop 868 843
Riceland Foods
Cash Bids Stuttgart: - - - Pendleton: - - -
New Crop Stuttgart: - - - Pendleton: - - -
Futures:
SOYBEANS
High Low Last Change
Mar '16 862.50 854.50 855.00 -4.00
May '16 869.00 861.75 863.50 -2.00
Jul '16 875.50 868.25 870.00 -1.75
Aug '16 877.50 870.50 872.50 -1.25
Sep '16 877.50 871.00 873.00 -1.00
Nov '16 880.50 874.00 876.00 -0.75
Jan '17 885.50 878.75 881.25 -0.75
Mar '17 886.50 881.00 882.50 -0.50
May '17 889.25 883.75 885.25 -0.75
Arkansas Daily Grain Report
FOB Memphis Elevator Crops
Soybean Comment
Soybeans closed lower today as prices fell below support. November soybeans lost 15-cents since its highs on Monday. The market continues to feel the pressure of strong South American soybean production. Additionally, USDA's forecast for next year's soybean balance sheet came in bearish, while acreage is forecast to be slightly lower, production remains strong and stocks are forecast unchanged at this time. This is likely to be a difficult forecast for the market to reach as USDA is forecasting a strong rebound in soybean export to the second highest level ever. If the U.S. fails to meet this export projection stocks will easily be over 500 million bushels and could push 600 million bushels by the end of the year. This would be very bearish for prices and keep prices at or below the USDA forecast average soybean price of $8.50.
________________________________________
Wheat
High Low
Cash Bids 440 440
New Crop -- --
Futures:
WHEAT
High Low Last Change
Mar '16 447.25 439.50 443.25 -2.00
May '16 456.25 449.00 452.25 -1.75
Jul '16 464.00 457.00 459.50 -2.75
Sep '16 474.25 467.25 469.75 -3.25
Dec '16 490.75 483.25 485.75 -3.75
Mar '17 503.00 496.00 498.75 -3.75
May '17 506.50 505.25 507.00 -2.50
Jul '17 512.25 512.25 513.00 -1.75
Sep '17 525.00 525.00 525.75 -1.00
Arkansas Daily Grain Report
FOB Memphis Elevator Crops
Wheat Comment
Wheat prices closed lower again today. The market continues to face bearish fundamental pressure as prices again test lows near $4.55. Additionally, July wheat lost 15-cents this week despite an improved export report yesterday for wheat. As far as the outlook conference, the USDA forecast wheat production down 61 million bushels, but stocks still increased 23 million bushels. This increase in stocks includes an ambitious 75 million bushel increase in exports from this year's slow pace. If the market fails to meet this forecast wheat is likely to exceed 1 billion bushels which would be very bearish for wheat.
________________________________________
Grain Sorghum
High Low
Cash Bids 346 346
New Crop 350 281
Arkansas Daily Grain Report
FOB Memphis Elevator Crops
________________________________________
Corn
High Low
Cash Bids 368 341
New Crop 368 343
Futures:
CORN
High Low Last Change
Mar '16 356.25 352.50 354.50 -1.00
May '16 361.50 357.50 359.50 -1.00
Jul '16 366.50 362.50 364.25 -1.50
Sep '16 372.00 368.50 370.00 -1.50
Dec '16 380.25 377.00 378.25 -1.50
Mar '17 389.25 386.00 387.25 -1.50
May '17 393.50 390.50 391.75 -1.50
Jul '17 396.75 394.00 394.75 -1.75
Sep '17 388.25 387.00 387.00 -1.00
Arkansas Daily Grain Report
FOB Memphis Elevator Crops
Corn Comment
Corn prices closed lower again today. December corn lost 12-cents since the market tested resistance at $3.90. This has been a week of bearish news as corn continues to see weak exports and the outlook for next year remains bearish. With policy changes in Argentina, U.S. corn growers are going to face increased completion in 2016/17 after the government removed for export taxes. Despite this increased competition, the USDA still raised exports for next year, which kept stocks below 2 billion bushels. While it is very early in the process, the outlook for corn appears bearish and the average price of $3.45 forecast by the USDA is not out of the realm of possibility, prices could even be lower if yields are strong.
________________________________________
Cotton
Futures:
COTTON
High Low Last Change
Mar '16 58.31 58.04 57.92 -0.24
May '16 57.89 57.26 57.53 -0.23
Dec '16 57.57 56.97 57.09 -0.31
Memphis, TN Cotton and Tobacco Programs
Cotton Comment
Cotton futures were lower across the board. USDA says only 110,600 running bales were sold to foreign buyers last week, down 64% from the previous week. USDA forecast planted acreage at 9.4 million acres today at the annual outlook conference. That's up from 8.58 million from 2015. A stronger dollar also contributed to the negative undertone.
________________________________________
Rice
High Low
Long Grain Cash Bids - - - - - -
Long Grain New Crop - - - - - -
Futures:
ROUGH RICE
High Low Last Change
Mar '16 1047.0 1014.0 1039.0 -4.5
May '16 1075.0 1043.5 1068.0 -3.5
Jul '16 1095.5 1077.5 1095.5 -5.0
Sep '16 1118.5 1118.5 1113.5 -5.0
Nov '16 1132.0 -5.0
Jan '17 1147.0 -5.0
Mar '17 1147.0 -5.0
Rice Comment
Rice futures continued to slide, setting new lows in several contracts before closing near the top of the day's trading range. The market continues to absorb disappointing export news. The loss of the Iraqi tender, which had originally been for 90,000 tons US origin rice only, was the impetus for the negative undertone this week. Weekly exports of 55,800 metric tons weren't enough to spark much buying interest today. USDA pegged US acreage at 2.8 million acres, up from last year's 2.6 million. Depending on the weather, though, that total could be even higher.
________________________________________
Cattle
Futures:
Live Cattle:
LIVE CATTLE
High Low Last Change
Feb '16 139.050 137.200 137.700 -0.175
Apr '16 138.400 136.875 137.225 -0.125
Jun '16 126.550 125.425 126.100 +0.300
Aug '16 121.825 121.000 121.450 -0.025
Oct '16 121.800 121.025 121.425 +0.050
Dec '16 121.800 121.075 121.425 -0.075
Feb '17 121.000 120.300 120.475 -0.250
Apr '17 120.150 119.250 119.975 0.000
Jun '17 112.500 112.275 112.500 +0.125
Feeders:
FEEDER CATTLE
High Low Last Change
Mar '16 159.900 158.000 158.500 -0.600
Apr '16 159.850 158.050 158.750 -0.525
May '16 157.975 156.450 157.250 -0.300
Aug '16 157.125 155.600 156.600 -0.100
Sep '16 155.000 153.900 154.750 +0.075
Oct '16 152.600 151.625 152.050 -0.150
Nov '16 148.575 147.375 147.950 -0.050
Jan '17 143.175 143.150 143.175 -0.150
Arkansas Prices
Arkansas Weekly Livestock Summary
Cattle Comment
Cattle prices closed lower today. After seeing sharp increases in live and feeder cattle early; prices retreated at mid day and closed slightly lower today. Despite today's losses cattle prices still closed up for the week, live cattle closed up $3.28 ($8.10 over last 2-weeks) and feeders closed up 2.65 ($8.50 over the last 2-weeks.
________________________________________
Hogs
Futures:
LEAN HOGS
High Low Last Change
Apr '16 71.200 70.050 71.100 -0.025
May '16 77.075 76.400 77.075 -0.025
Jun '16 80.975 79.950 80.975 +0.325
Jul '16 80.550 79.550 80.525 +0.350
Aug '16 79.800 78.800 79.750 +0.325
Oct '16 68.350 67.625 68.200 +0.075
Dec '16 63.475 62.825 63.375 +0.150
Feb '17 65.875 65.300 65.775 +0.200
Apr '17 68.075 67.975 67.975 +0.300
Trade is Major Focus at USA Rice Government Affairs Conference
By Deborah Willenborg
WASHINGTON, DC -- The 2016 USA Rice Government Affairs Conference (GAC) blew in with the storm system that hit Washington this week and flooded the town with USA Rice advocacy teams who came to Capitol Hill to meet with representatives in every rice producing state, as well as with other key Congressional leaders, including House Agriculture Committee Chairman Michael Conaway (R-TX) and Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN), and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS).
Trade Talk
Trade was a major topic of conversation whether it was one-on-one exchanges with legislators or high level meetings with Administration officials. "Everyone got the same message," said USA Rice Chairman Dow Brantley. "For the U.S. rice industry to thrive we need to level the global playing field by enforcing WTO commitments, lift the trade embargo with Cuba, and get sound free trade agreements that improve market access and foreign market development for rice."
At a meeting with the office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), Brantley reminded Ambassador Michael Froman that "we're seeing what are very likely illegal production and/or export subsidies for rice in places like Vietnam, Brazil, and Thailand." USA Rice recently completed a market impact study evaluating the economic ramifications these subsidies have on U.S. trade and agreed to share that data with USTR to bolster the argument of fiscal injury due to illegal subsidies that cause the U.S. to lose market share.
Newsworthy Coverage at General Session
RFD-TV broadcast live from this year's conference, interviewing growers from Arkansas, California, and Louisiana. USA Rice's own cameras also recorded interviews with growers, Natural Resource Conservation Service Chief Jason Weller, keynote speaker Congressman Charles Boustany (R-LA), and others.
Boustany talked about his efforts to gain more access for rice into Japan through his discussions with USTR and his commitment to enforcement of WTO agreements for U.S. competitors. Chief Weller praised USA Rice for "being in the vanguard of promotion of conservation and sustainability" through its partnership with Ducks Unlimited. And finally, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden gave a farewell address to the industry as she is leaving USDA at the end of the month. USA Rice presented her with a Distinguished Service Award for her work implementing the 2014 Farm Bill.
Advocacy in Action
Throughout the week, the USA Rice PAC and rice industry PAC's hosted multiple fundraising events for Members of Congress. All six rice producing states came together to raise and contribute a combined total of over $100,000 to help the reelection campaigns of five rice industry champions.
"Rice farmers, millers, and merchants all agree, it's important for the rice industry to support those who support us, and this week we did just that," said USA Rice PAC Chairman Sean Doherty.
Industry Involvement Ramps Up
The 2016 GAC was the most heavily attended yet, with more than 120 USA Rice members taking time out of their busy schedules to come to Washington.
"Not only are we able to show industry unity across state lines here, but across sectors as well, with growers, millers, merchants, exporters, and allied businesses coming together to advocate for the entire industry," said USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward. "Asking people to drop what they're doing, leave their businesses and their families behind and pound the halls of Congress with us for three days is no small thing. But it makes all the difference in the world up here."
When you are trying to do an interview and get photobombed by the Ag Committee Chairman, click on photo to see the video.
Young tribal woman inspires farming community to better livelihoods in Odisha
By NewsGram News Desk -
February 26, 2016
A young tribal woman Raimati Ghiuria, not only proved to be a leader in conserving local traditional varieties of rice and millet seeds in her own land but also showed the path of development to the farming societies of Odisha’s Koraput district, an agricultural expert said.
Ghiuria is a leading woman farmer in Nuaguda village of Kundra block, which is in Odisha and has conserved 40 traditional landraces (lineages developed by farmers) of rice and 12 of millets and even trained about 340 neighbouring women farmers in conserving of local genetic resources.
She has also trained other women in the SRI (system of rice intensification) technique and line transplanting method of rice cultivation. These techniques have helped farmers in increasing their yields than what they were getting from traditional cultivation practices.
It all started nine years ago when Raimati became a member of a self-help group (SHG) in her village and participated in capacity-building training and awareness programmes at the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) here.
“This inspired her to lead the group undertaking various micro-enterprises. This converted the group into a model SHG which won the Most Progressive SHG award given by the district administration in 2013,” Kartik Lenka of the MSSRF told agencies.
“We develop hybrid varieties of paddy and other foodgrains. It is also equally important to conserve indigenous species to maintain the natural biodiversity,” Raimati told the agency, adding that training on value addition to the rice and millet crops is also provided to the members of 27 other SHGs.
“They took this micro-enterprise as an alternative livelihood option and each family is earning an additional Rs 2,000 to Rs.3,000 per month,” Raimati said.
Because of her passionate leadership and multi-skilled activities, she was convened the best leadership award by the district administration and Jamsetji Tata National Virtual Academy Fellowship Award in 2014 for being “a leading grassroot academician”.
She recently participated in the ‘Prajatiya Khadyotsav (an agro forest food diversity festival) organised by Tata Steel’s Sukinda Chromite Mine in Jajpur district.
“Even as conserving traditional species is not lucrative against hybrid products, we need to conserve so that these indigenous products do not go extinct,” Lenka pointed out.
Aboriginal varieties have to be conserved for further research on producing high-yielding varieties. B.B panda of the Cuttack unit of the Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) said.
“We can develop high-yielding varieties through these indigenous varieties. With the unavailability of the varieties, there would be no further improvement,” Panda told agencies.
It’s important to preserve and multiply the traditional seed varieties to improve the adaptation mechanism of farmers as climate change is a major concern for the country’s farming society.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has conferred the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) status has been conferred by UN Food and Agriculture Organisation to the traditional agricultural system being practised in the Koraput region.
This means the tribal people have an aboriginal knowledge system for their various agricultural practices that they use to check the viability of seeds before sowing, maintain soil fertility and conserve their landraces.(IANS)
http://www.newsgram.com/young-tribal-woman-inspires-farming-community-to-better-livelihoods-in-odisha/
Thailand plans steps worth $285 million to help drought-hit rice farmers
Source: Reuters - Fri, 26 Feb 2016 07:40 GMT
Author: Reuters
A farmer checks rice crops in her dry rice field in Suphan Buri province, west of Bangkok, Thailand July 10, 2015. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom
By Patpicha Tanakasempipat
BANGKOK, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Thailand's government on Friday announced measures worth around $285 million to help desperate rice farmers grappling with drought and low prices for their crop.
Thailand, the world's second largest rice exporter after India, is facing what some experts say is its worst drought in decades.
That has crimped production but has not pushed up prices as the country has about 12 million tonnes of rice in storage that it is trying to offload, the legacy of a scheme by the previous administration to support rural areas.
Prices have also been hit as the economy slows in China, the world's top rice importer.
Rice farmers have for months been pressuring the military government to do more to help cushion the fall in prices that has plunged many into debt.
They have also demanded the government do more to manage water reserves across the country that have dipped below 2015 levels.
The measures announced on Friday by the country's rice management committee are worth around 10 billion baht ($285 million) and include plans to assist farmers in rice production.
The committee said in a statement that 6.76 billion baht of the total would go towards stabilising rice prices through soft loans for farmers who store paddy.
The government-owned Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) will approve loans of up to 300,000 baht ($8,415) to farmers who store rice to curb supply.
Domestic and international demand for Thai paddy this year will stand at around 25 million tonnes, the committee said.
It expects output of 27.17 million tonnes in 2016, compared to an average of about 30 million tonnes of paddy in recent years.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on Wednesday told farmers to grow less rice to help manage limited water resources.
($1 = 35.6900 baht)
(Additional reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Joseph Radford)
AIREA All India Rice Exporters Association : Seven years after application, basmati rice gets GI tag
02/26/2016 | 03:30am US/Eastern
After seven years of filing applications for the grant of geographical indication (GI) recognition for basmati rice, the Chennai-based GI registry on Tuesday granted the coveted tag to the commerce ministry's wing Agricultural and Processed Foods Export Development Authority (Apeda).
Apeda has been given the GI tag as the sole custodian of basmati rice grown in the Indo-Gangetic plains. Last month, the Chennai-based Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) had asked the GI registry to grant GI certification to Apeda while allowing stakeholders from Madhya Pradesh to submit fresh documents for inclusion in the basmati grown areas.
Sources told FE that GI protection in India would lead to similar recognition in other countries, including the European Union (EU) and the US, which implies that India's competitors would be barred from using the 'basmati' tag. In the absence of GI for basmati rice, many private companies had been trying to register their products under the title, which commands a premium in the global market.
Basmati rice from the Indo-Gangetic plain, which includes the Punjab province of Pakistan, has a special aroma attributable to it. India commands an 85% share in global basmati trade at present. Following the GI notification, farmers in 77 districts of seven states - Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir - would now get the benefit.
Source by : http://bit.ly/21lDMdS
govt needs to focus on non-textile exports
By Mansoor Ahmad
February 26, 2016
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•
LAHORE: Pakistani government and media are extremely textiles centric as they highlight the nine percent decline in textile exports, but ignore the almost 18 percent decline in non-textile exports.
The overall decline in textile exports during the first seven months of this fiscal is around $800 million whereas other exports declined by $1.3 billion.
Only two decades back textiles was also the most dominant export sector for India but it is now relegated among 10 major export sectors. The Indian government did not neglect its textile sector during this period but provided maximum facilitation. Still its textile exports have hardly reached $40 billion while its total exports have crossed $300 billion from hardly $60 billion two decades ago.
The India planners recognised that textiles account for only around seven percent of the global trade of over $18 trillion. They also realised that most low income countries continuously entered the textile arena on the strength of lower labour cost, and as the economy grows they would be challenged by them. Twenty years ago Bangladesh and Vietnam were non-entities in the textile world. Today, the combined textile exports of the two are around $54 billion, which is $14 billion higher than India and $41 billion higher than Pakistan.
Textiles have a drawback as it is the first sector to take the hit in global recession.
The Indians vigorously facilitated the IT sector, auto sector, engineering goods, and food and home appliances. Today $285 billion Indian exports are generated by the non-textile sector. Indian IT exports at the start of century were hardly $1 billion, but today they have crossed $80 billion. Auto parts exports were less than $200 million which are now much higher, its engineering exports are above $10 billion, processed food and fruits account for above $10 billion. It has overtaken Pakistan as the largest basmati rice exporter. Its footwear exports are booming and its handicrafts are most sought after in the world. It is a force to reckon with in exports of gems and jewellery. It is an important global player in tyres and tubes of all types. India is a large exporter of defence equipment too.
Compared with India we are where we were in 1990’s. We have not made inroads in any other sectors. Though we have potential to make our mark in sports goods, cutlery and surgical goods, our combined exports in these sectors are less than $300 million.
Indian chemicals and pharmaceutical raw materials are imported by all third world countries. Indian exports are more diversified both in products and in geography, while US, EU and China account for 50 percent of Pakistani exports.
Another important point worth noting is that the GSP Plus zero duty status in European Union was granted to Pakistan not only for textiles but for all items, minus armament and narcotics, but the government and media kept trace of increase or decrease in textiles only.
The leading economic ministers like finance minister, petroleum minister and commerce minister meet mostly the textile entrepreneurs and rarely other sectors. Only a special textile package was announced while other sectors remained neglected.
Despite all this, Pakistan has been losing its share in global textile trade since 2007-08, from 2 percent to 1.7 percent. The current decline in textile exports is a global phenomenon but mostly relates to basic textiles that have declined sharply in the past one year from Pakistan, India and China. The apparel exports have remained almost stable in Pakistan and increased in Bangladesh and Vietnam. The apparel exports from China and India however have declined. All this while, the other sectors are surviving without any government facilitation or support
IN GOOD TASTE: A flavorful Lenten meal
By Dianne Bunis, Correspondent
POSTED: 02/26/2016 07:36:47 AM EST
This Lenten season, give up whatever you like during fasting but don't surrender good taste.
Prepare an elegant meatless dish that is appropriate if you observe the traditional Friday abstinence and for that matter, may be used every Friday of the year!
A balanced vegetarian and easily digested complete meal, this nourishing grain dish called kitchari, combines protein and carbohydrate in a single dish and is traditionally eaten during periods of fasting or cleansing. Typically made with white basmati rice and mung dhal, feel free to substitute other types of rice and lentils.
NOURISHING
KITCHARI
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 cup white basmati rice, rinsed thoroughly
1/3 cup split mung dhal (split hulled yellow mung beans) or lentils, rinsed thoroughly
3 cups water
1 zucchini, chopped into half-inch pieces
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)*
3 tablespoons hulled, raw pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 tablespoons Bragg's amino acids (optional)
1/2 cup organic unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
*Note: for dairy-free substitute olive oil
PREPARATION
Put the rinsed rice, mung dhal and water in a saucepan.
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Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add to the pan even layers of zucchini and sweet potato on top of the rice mixture. Cover the pan and cook until the rice mixture has absorbed all the water, about 20 minutes.
In a sauté pan over medium heat, heat the ghee. Add pumpkin seeds and scallions, cook stirring until the seeds turn light brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and then the Bragg's until thoroughly combined.
Stir in the coconut milk and lemon juice, cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
When the rice mixture is done, add the scallion mixture and stir to blend well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
International Benchmark Price
Price on: 25-02-2016
Product Benchmark Indicators Name Price
Garlic
1 Chinese first grade granules, CFR NW Europe (USD/t) 3500
2 Chinese Grade A dehydrated flakes, CFR NW Europe (USD/t) 4500
3 Chinese powdered, CFR NW Europe (USD/t) 3000
Ginger
1 Chinese sliced, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 2150
2 Chinese whole, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 2300
3 Indian Cochin, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 2850
Guar Gum Powder
1 Indian 100 mesh 3500 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 3660
2 Indian 200 mesh 3500 cps basis, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 1060
3 Indian 200 mesh 5000 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 2180
Source:agra-net For more info
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 27-02-2016
Domestic Prices Unit Price : Rs per Qty
Product Market Center Variety Min Price Max Price
Rice
1 Manjeri (Kerala) Other 2800 3800
2 Bonai (Orissa) Other 2000 2200
3 Samsi (West Bengal) Fine 2890 2920
Wheat
1 Bangalore (Karnataka) Local 2500 3100
2 Nagpur (Maharashtra) Other 1550 1750
3 Sainthia (West Bengal) Other 1710 1730
Grapes
1 Manjeri (Kerala) Other 3200 3400
2 Amarawati (Maharashtra) Other 1200 1600
3 Dasuya (Punjab) Other 2500 3000
Brinjal
1 Aroor (Kerala) Other 2500 2700
2 Satara (Maharashtra) Other 1000 1500
3 Koraput (Orissa) Other 1500 1600
Source:agmarknet.nic.in
For more info
Egg Rs per 100 No
Price on 27-02-2016
Product Market Center Price
1 Pune 340
2 Chittoor 358
3 Hyderabad 310
Source: e2necc.com
Other International Prices Unit Price : US$ per package
Price on 24-02-2016
Product Market Center Origin Variety Low High
Onions Dry Package: 40 lb cartons
1 Atlanta Mexico Yellow 22.25 22.75
2 Baltimore Peru Yellow 22 23
3 Chicago Nevada Yellow 34.50 34.50
Cabbage Package: 50 lb cartons
1 Atlanta Georgia Round Green Type 12 14
2 Chicago Texas Round Green Type 13 14.50
3 Detroit Canada Round Green Type 15 15.50
Grapefruit Package: 4/5 bushel cartons
1 Atlanta Florida Red 21 21.50
2 Chicago Florida Red 24 24
3 Miami Florida Red 17 20
Source:USDA
http://www.bakeryandsnacks.com/Ingredients/Anthocyanin-from-black-rice-used-to-bake-diabetic-friendly-bread
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/878352/rice-books-cooked
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