Tuesday, March 29, 2016

28 march,2016 daily global regional and local rice news eltter by riceplus magazine

·        Today Rice News Headlines...
·         Indo Pacific scholars get taste of Northern Territory's agricultural sector
·         Why rice self-sufficiency eludes us
·         Rice Leadership Class Session One:  The Gulf Coast
·         Nigeria: Oyo/Osun Customs Rakes in N16 Million, Restates Rice Ban
·         Yeshi Wamishe: 7 steps to reduce rice diseases
·         More than 150 food producers and traders are due at Bishop Auckland Food Festival
·         LULU FOOD FIESTA ARRIVES WITH JAGUAR CAR AS PRIZE
·         Rice supply, prices in Davao region stable–NFA
·         NSIC okays 14 rice varieties developed by Irri, PhilRice
·         Vietnam's GDP Growth Slows in First Quarter on Crude Curbs
·         Feature: China's dam to help Vietnam's drought, revive arid farming life
·         Vietnam's rice export revenue expands over 40 pct in Q1
·         Egypt's GASC again cancels tender to buy rice
·         Paddy farmers, rubber tappers feel the heat in northern Malaysia
·         Farmers record $200m net income from rice scheme
·         Rice Prices
·         APEDA RICE COMMODITY NEWS
·         Commodity Report-March 28

·         Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report·         
Namhong Asks Malaysia to Invest in Rice Mills
·         Big rice importers cancel rice imports from Vietnam
·         Iran, 

Namhong Asks Malaysia to Invest in Rice Mills

Khmer Times / Ven Rathavong
 Monday, 28 March 2016
oreign Minister Hor Namhong called for Malaysian businessmen to invest in rice mills and high-quality milling technology during a farewell meeting with the Malaysian ambassador to Cambodia, whose mission in the Kingdom ended yesterday.Foreign Ministry spokesman Chum Sounry said Mr. Namhong emphasized the award-winning quality of Cambodian rice during his conversations with Ambassador Dato Raszlan Abdul Rashid. “His excellency [Mr. Namhong] told the ambassador that Cambodian fields can produce four million tons of rice to export,” Mr. Sounry said.But Cambodia is facing the problem of lacking rice mills to produce quality rice for exporting to foreign markets.”Mr. Sounry added that Mr. Abdul Rashid told Mr. Namhong that Cambodian rice is the most popular in Malaysia. According to Mr. Sounry, Malaysian investment in Cambodian sectors totaled $24 million in 2014, increasing to $62 million in 2015.Recently, domestic rice millers and exporters in Cambodia asked the Commerce Ministry to prohibit imports of milled rice from Vietnam for six months or enact policy measures to stem them in order to boost Cambodian rice exports. It also called for both loans and improvements to infrastructure across the sector, as many analysts fear the industry’s collapse over the next several years. Cambodian rice variety won the World’s Best Rice award at the annual World Rice Conference for three consecutive years, from 2012 to 2014. Milled rice exports from the Kingdom rose about 40 percent from 2014 to 538,396 tons last year, according to government figures. Ths amount, however, fell far short of the government’s export target of one million tons

Big rice importers cancel rice imports from Vietnam
VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam has lost rice export contracts as some of its major markets including Indonesia and the Philippines have canceled their import plans.
The Vietnam Food Association (VFA) has confirmed the information, saying that political factors in the first months of 2016 have affected import/export activities.Dan Viet reported that Bulog, the Indonesian Bureau of Logistics? has ceased rice transactions with four supply sources which have memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Indonesian government, namely Thailand, Pakistan, Cambodia and Vietnam in the February plan.The head of the country’s Ministry of Agriculture believes that Indonesia has sufficient rice for the domestic demand and no need to import rice. The official also attributed the fluctuations of the domestic market to speculation, affirming that this will be stopped.

Vietnam has lost rice export contracts as some of its major markets including Indonesia and the Philippines have canceled their import plans.
VFA has said that because of political issues, Indonesia would not import rice until the domestic price soars on the short supply. Import demand of the market will be clearer after Indonesia assesses the post-harvesting yield, slated for June.The Filipino National Food Authority (NFA) has also canceled the plan to import 400,000 tons of rice it announced earlier this year. The country is also awaiting the information about stocks, while it may allow private businesses to import 1 million tons of rice under the WTO’s minimum access volume (MAV) mechanism which includes 500,000 tons from special countries and the remaining 500,000 tons from other sources.

VFA said the Filipino import plan is also controlled by political factors. Some officials said the mechanism allowing businessmen to import under the WTO’s MAV has led to massive smuggling, thus badly affecting domestic production and the country’s food self-sufficiency policy.A VFA official said the decisions by Indonesia and the Philippines, the two major export markets, have caused Vietnam lose big contracts. However, he does not think this would hurt Vietnam’s rice production and export.

The rice price in the Vietnamese domestic market has been increasing rapidly as export companies now rush to collect rice to fulfill the export contracts they signed before. Meanwhile, the demand from China is very high.Phap Luat reported that farmers and merchants all try to store rice in anticipation of the price increase and short supply caused by the serious drought in Mekong River Delta.
The newspaper cited a source as reporting that the export volume in February was 400,000 tons higher than planned, which was 5.44 percent higher than the months before and 117 percent than last year in the same period.“The rice price has increased by VND500 per kilo. The price increase is seen in all provinces and cities in the region,” said Pham Thai Binh, director of Trung An Company.
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/153004/big-rice-importers-cancel-rice-imports-from-vietnam.html
Iran, Pakistan look set for multi-trillion dollar zone
M.Aftab
Filed on March 28, 2016 | Last updated on March 28, 2016 at 06.47 am
President of Iran Hassan Rouhani addressing the Pakistan-Iran Joint Business Forum.
(APP)

Tehran joining China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project

RELATED ARTICLES
r 23, 2016 The Iran-Pakistan Summit has decided to push the fast formation of the new Central Asia-China economic and investment trade zone that ultimately will sweep through to embrace Turkey.Bilaterally, we will raise their mutual trade from the present $270 million a year to $5 billion in less then five years, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said.Will it turn into a multi-trillion dollar business zone, rivaling the EU? Many top economists and engineers are answering with a "yes." There is a strong-prevailing sentiment following the just concluded Islamabad Summit meeting between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.President Rouhani's two-day talks at the Summit with Nawaz Shrif besides business and investment, and Tehran joining the Chinese-built China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at Beijing's urging, will also serve as "a cushion against any future US adventurism against any of our  member countries," a top source told the Khaleej Times. "Everyone knows how hard the just-lifted US sanctions Tehran hit Iran.

Similarly, though Washington is at present and friendly towards Pakistan, Islamabad is always fearful of American adventurism against itself over its nuclear prowess, the source also said.Energy is the life of the industry which has been tied to Iran with a big expansion and supply plan. President Rouhani announced: "From now onwards, Iran is responsible for the provision of Pakistan's energy and energy security. Based on our commitments in the areas of electricity and gas, we have fulfilled them and will do so in future, too.""Iran will inject around 12,00 megawatts of electricity. By 2018, and another 13,000 megawatts later, as our power generation is growing, the Pakistani nation should be assured that Iran, as a strategic partner for Pakistan will always explore its potential in the field of oil and gas to satisfy the needs of the Pakistani nation," he assured.
The business community, industrialists, the financial sector and consumers have widely welcomed the decisions taken at the Iran-Pakistan Summit."The business community is pinning high hopes over the decisions of the summit's success and the talks between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Prime Minister Nawaz Shaif," Abdul Rauf Alam, president of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCC&I), said.
"The decisions have begin a new era by strengthening bilateral relations, particularly now when sanctions on Iran have been lifted, which has opened a new era and new avenues for enhancing interaction. The decisions will promote Iranian exports to Pakistan including export of electricity, natural gas, crude oil and petroleum products, and the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline will go on stream," he said.Construction of the 1,800 kilometers of the Iran-Pakistan pipeline has been constructed on Iran's side. The work on the Pakistan side of the pipeline, which was started during March 2013, has not been completed due to the sanctions.

"Its unfortunate," Alam said. "Pakistan-Iran trade, just before the sanctions were imposed, was over $1 billion a year, which has come down to almost nothing. But after the summit, and the subsequent signing of a number of agreements it can go up to $1 billion again."Alam also said that the strengthening of the economic links with Iran is in the interest of Pakistan and the whole region, as it will pave the way for cooperation on regional and international basis, like the under-construction China Pakistan Economic Corridor which will definitely extend from these two countries to Iran and Afghanistan in Pakistan's west to the Central Asian Republics (CARs), Turkey and EU in the north-and north-west.A fast track revival, and raising the industrial output of the Pakistani economy, and overcoming the energy shortfalls are high priority areas for Pakistan, which can be tackled with Iranian help to achieve economic stability and raise the GDP to 5.5-7.0 per cent range from the present 3.0-4.0 per cent.

Energy shortage eat up to two per cent of GDP annually, according to the latest World Bank report for 2015-16.Hopes on both sides are very high because of the centuries old relations, their closeness as their borders meet at the shores of the Arabian sea, and United Arab Emirates-GCC counties just across the board, their cultural and business relations.Iran is one the second biggest economies in the region, with its exports rising as high as $74 billion, while imports are recorded at $54 billion, according to the official Iranian Foreign Trade data for 2014.The top Pakistani exports to Iran have been rice, raw cotton, and petroleum products. These items, put together, can help earn $1.283 billion annually. It includes rice at $1.6 billion, cotton at $123 million, and petroleum products at $100 million.

Add to that, a huge volume of fruits and other products like halal meat.Mehdi Sobhani, the consul general of Iran says: "The two countries have been enjoying good relations for years. But, unfortunately trade and economic relations are not on equal basis in this era of inter-dependence. Economic sanctions have been lifted, and now there will be no hindrance to expanding trade and economic relations. Pakistan can put an end to its energy crises after completing its own side of the project of the Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline as well as buying electricity from Iran."
The writer is based in Islamabad. Views expressed are his own and do not reflect the newspaper's policy.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/international/pakistan/iran-pakistan-look-set-for-multi-trillion-dollar-zone

Indo Pacific scholars get taste of Northern Territory's agricultural sector

The Northern Territory's forestry, beef, rice and crocodile industries have been showcased for five international researchers specialising in agriculture.
As recipients of the John Dillon Fellowship, the group spent a week in the Top End with Charles Darwin University and the Department of Primary Industry.Media player: "Space" to play, "M" to mute, "left" and "right" to seek.   00:00         
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The fellowships are awarded each year to scholars who are collaborating with the Australian Centre of International Agricultural Research from the Indo Pacific region.Dr Nyo Me Htwe, from the International Rice Research Institute in Myanmar, said she was interested to see the rice trials in the Top End.While rice continues to be a difficult crop to grow in northern Australia, Dr Htwe said it was a shortage of labour proving problematic for farmers in her country."We do not have enough labour who work in the field for crop establishment," she said."The farmers have less education, so they have limited access to get the good agricultural practices."So we are now working together with them to transfer these technologies to the farmers."

Visit helps formulate good advice for government

 

Dr Martin Golman, from the Papua New Guinea Forest Research Institute, said he hoped to find ways to attract continued funding towards study into sustainable agriculture."We'd like to provide the best advice to the government which will in turn make the decisions for the good of the industry," he said."That then generates revenue for the country."Other countries represented by fellowship recipients included Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Pakistan.

 

Building long-term relationships

 

As co-host of the scholars, Charles Darwin University's Professor Andrew Campbell said the program offered the chance for strong relationships to be established with participating countries.
"These are very senior people, very talented people ... who are involved in agricultural research and policy," he said."That leadership and management training is recognition that these guys are rising stars in their own country."We would expect them to be in very senior roles as their careers develop and we would hope to have long-term partnerships with them."The international scholars will spend the rest of their six-week program in other parts of Australia.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-29/john-dillon-fellowship-scholars-darwin-agriculture/7230966

Why rice self-sufficiency eludes us



March 28, 2016 (updated)

For us Filipinos,  our inability to achieve  rice self-sufficiency is a stigma  that hangs over our  heads.  After all,  it  was only a generation ago  when  the  Philippines was one of the world’s  most prolific rice producers and a net exporter of the commodity. We were in the forefront of  rice research what with the International Rice Research Institute  (IRRI)  headquartered  in Los Baños, Laguna.    Even today,  IRRI is  the global epicenter of  rice technology.  It  provides seedlings, technologies and training not only to  rice farmers in the Philippines but around the world.The balance tipped in 1992  when local demand exceeded production. We’ve been operating at a deficit since and relying on imports from Vietnam and Thailand to fill the gap. We are famous for  being the world’s top importer of rice despite having vast  technologies at our disposal through IRRI.

Both the  Arroyo and Aquino  administrations  put  earnest efforts towards achieving rice self- sufficiency. It was a national dream. Both failed.To understand the reasons rice self-sufficiency eludes us,  I reached out to the Philippine Rice Research Institute  or “PhilRice,” an institute not many people know about.  PhilRice was established in 1985 upon the initiative of then UP President Edgardo Angara. Back then,   Angara saw the need to  have an equivalent of IRRI working solely for Philippine  interest.  The idea was supported by President Marcos who signed an executive order creating PhilRice and ratified by President Aquino. PhilRice mission  was/is   to champion the country’s rice industry  through  science-based  research and development.

PhilRice’ mandate  traverses the entire spectrum of rice research.    It includes  developing new rice varieties suitable for the varying ecosystems of the archipelago (eg. mountainous,   coastal and  craggy areas, etc. );  developing efficient crop management techniques;  training of farmers and local-government units;   and designing locally made farm equipment. On the administrative side,   it is responsible for policy analysis on everything relating to rice cultivation   while also maintaining a gene bank for which more than 3,000 strains of rice have been accumulated.
I visited PhilRice last week  to better understand our rice conundrum.  This is what I found out….

Natural and Self-
Inflicted Reasons

I arrived in Nueva Ecija at about noon. The  sun was blaring and the heat was oppressive. These conditions, I was told later, are the most conducive for rice cultivation. This is why  Nueva Ecija leads the country in rice production and why it  was selected as PhilRice’ headquarters.I came without expectations but was impressed by both the facility and the talent at PhilRice. Its sprawling 120-hectare facility  is rigged with  several laboratories capable of  molecular genetics,  tissue culture, soil analysis and rice chemistry. On the premises, too, is a temperature controlled gene bank.  Most of the facilities were obtained through grants from the Japanese and Korean governments.

More impressive, however,   are the scientists,  who  work  there.   PhilRice, I discovered, is a bastion of our best and brightest  agricultural scientists,   most of them have doctorate degrees in  genealogy, botany , agriculture and the like. I spoke to a few of them to inquire why they chose to work for PhilRice instead of a  private corporation abroad.  Just as I suspected, the majority are UP graduates with strong sentiments of nationalism. They are there to do their  part in nation-building.  Others are  children of agricultural  families who have vowed to improve the plight of the farmers.  Patriots are aplenty  in these parts.

I was met by PhilRice  Executive Director,  Dr.  Calixto Protacio and Deputy Director Liza Bordey. Dr. Protacio himself has a PhD in  Plant Physiology  from Pennsylvania State University  while  Bordey  has a masters degree  in Agricultural Economics  from the University of Illinois . Going straight to the point,  I asked why  we have failed to attain rice self-sufficiency despite   Agriculture Secretary Alcala’s promise to do so.  More poignantly, why Vietnam and Thailand are more productive than the Philippines today.The answers were more complex than I thought.

The reasons are both natural  and self-inflicted.  On nature’s side, both Vietnam and Thailand are fortunate in that they have more  arable land in which to cultivate rice.  As of 2010,  Vietnam had 7.5 hectares of harvested land  while Thailand had 11 million.  In contrast, the Philippines only has 4.5 hectares.   Exacerbating the situation is the  20 or so major typhoons we experience each year.In addition, both Thailand and Vietnam have the natural advantage of  having great  water systems  running across  their lands. Water systems, like the Mekong,  provides natural irrigation in  places where  manmade irrigation is not provided.   It also allows farms to achieve as much as three planting cycles a year.   For its part, the  Philippines is an archipelago without massive rivers  running through it.  We have minor river systems  like the Pampanga River and the Cagayan River,  both of which contribute to Central and Northern Luzon being our  most  productive farm lands.

In terms of self-inflicted reasons,    the most obvious  is  our bursting population. While Thailand has 11 million hectares of riceland to feed its 66 million population,  the Philippines  has  4.5 million hectares to feed 102 million.   Sheer proportion puts the Philippines at a disadvantage.
Irrigation, or the lack thereof, is another reason weighing heavily on us.   As of last year,   the National Irrigation Authority has managed to irrigate only 68  percent of the nation’s rice lands as opposed to nearly a hundred percent in Thailand and Vietnam.

Masagana 200

The more senior among us will remember a program called Masagana 99.   At the heart of the program was to achieve  an output of 99 cavans per hectare, per year.This would have made us self-sufficient in the early 70’s when our population was just  36 million. We achieved it.   Today, 99 cavans per hectare is par for the course.  Problem is, our population has tripled.
Where do we stand today?  We came close in  2013 when we attained 96% self-sufficiency. However, the number dropped to 92% in 2014 and 89% in 2015.   The Department of Agriculture blames the decline  on the  El Niño phenomenon and  the spate of typhoons that occurred. Personally,  I think to blame the weather is a cop out because it was foreseeable and predictable.

Making matters worse was Malacañang’s political  decision to split the Department of Agriculture in two  just to   give Kiko Pangilinan a reason to be relevant.  The move only added another layer to the already wieldy bureaucracy at the DA. What Kiko  has to show for  his stint is unclear.Since  our inventory of rice lands are finite due to urbanization,  the only way we can become self-sufficient is to increase productivity,  says Exec Director Protacio. Hence, the new challenge of PhilRice  is to take productivity to 200 cavans per hectare.  This comes with the caveat that it must be achieved at a production cost of  three hundred  pesos per cavan (or roughly P5 per kilogram). Because after all, what use is a bumper stock if our people cannot afford it.

Achieving  200 cavans  per hectare is attainable,  says Protacio.  Broadly speaking,   there are three parts to  the formula.  The first part is  to plant  strains of rice with higher  grains per stalk.  No problem  here as  PhilRice  has already developed them. The second part is to have our farmers adapt  modern  techniques of rice cultivation. This is a challenge because   the training  of farmers has been devolved from PhilRice to the local government units (PhilRice role  is limited to creating the technologies and training the trainers).  This has led to varying levels of competence  among our farmers. The third part of the formula is irrigation.  This falls squarely on the hands and   shoulders of the National Irrigation Authority.

As for attaining a production cost of five pesos per kilo, the solution is mechanization.  The  “Combine Harvester”is a  machine best  suited for  Philippine conditions. It is a integrated piece of kit able to  thresh, cut and bag palay  in one conveyor-type process.   It cost around P1.75 million.Only 10% of rice farms  in the Philippines are mechanized today, says  Director Borday, as compared to nearly 100% in Thailand. There are several reasons for this. The first is cost efficiency.   See,  the average size our rice farms is only 1.04 hectares.  Each hectare yields a net profit of P100,000  a year. To invest P1.75 million  for a Combine Harvester is beyond the farmers  means,  with or without government subsidies.   The only way to get around this  is to form  cooperatives where several farms  share the cost.  This is easier said than done.

Too, there is resistance among farmers to mechanize because  it  displaces the labor force.
Still, PhilRice is working hard  to spread the gospel of mechanization. Borday believes we  can achieve 50% mechanization by the turn of the decade.   Unfortunately,  a hundred percent is not realistic  since many farms are too narrow to accommodate the  bulky  Combine harvester.  Neither can they fit   in mountainous rice fields.All things considered,  can the next administration still achieve rice self-sufficiency? Yes, it’s possible. PhilRice has done its part with the science aspect of the equation.  The weak links are in  the Department of Agriculture and the  National Irrigation Authority. Only with major reforms in these agencies can we realize this  national dream.
***
Andrew is an economist, political analyst and businessman. He is a 20-year veteran in the hospitality and tourism industry. For comments and reactions, e-mail andrew_rs6@yahoo.com. More of his business updates are available via his Facebook page (Andrew J. Masigan). Follow Andrew on Twitter @aj_masigan.

Read more at http://www.mb.com.ph/why-rice-self-sufficiency-eludes-us/#tFWG7Q38ClFp8E7P.99
Rice Leadership Class Session One:  The Gulf Coast 
 HOUSTON, TX and NEW ORLEANS, LA -- Traditionally the Rice Leadership Development program's first session occurs in the spring and begins with a tour through rice-producing areas of the Gulf Coast.  Stops in Texas and Louisiana include examination of rice production, milling, marketing, research, and other aspects of the U.S. rice industry.Session I is also the class icebreaker as it's the first time members spend quality together since the announcement of their selection at the USA Rice Outlook Conference a few months before.
 On day one of the inaugural session earlier this month, class member Michael Bosworth, a rice farmer from Olivehurst, California, said, "From the outset, we appear to have a really strong group and we're eager to get to know each other and start taking advantage of the unique opportunities the Leadership Class presents."
 In addition to Bosworth, class members are:  Imran Khan, Chico, California; Allen McLain, Abbeville, Louisiana; Sidney Robnett, Stuttgart, Arkansas; Brandon Truax, Gillett, Arkansas; Sunny Bottoms, Dumas, Arkansas, with Horizon Ag; and Kris Riggs, Jonesboro, Arkansas, with Anheuser-Busch.
 In Texas the class visited Riviana Foods; RiceTec, Inc.; the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA); Doguet Rice Milling Company; Rice Belt Warehouse, the state's largest storage facility; and several rice farms.
 Rice farmer Imran Khan was struck by the differences in farming practices in the south because "coming from California, with our specific cultural practices and varieties we plant, it's been eye-opening to see the same crop done in a different way."
 What impressed Sunny Bottoms most during the Texas leg of the session was "the reservoir being constructed by the LCRA near Lane City, Texas.  Being from Arkansas I've never had to worry that much about water availability, although it is a growing concern, and our issues are typically with groundwater availability, not surface water and urban sprawl."
 Bottoms continued, "[The reservoir] is a massive undertaking: 5 miles in perimeter and 42 feet high.  We learned about many of the issues that had to be taken into consideration before building something of this magnitude; for instance, the seep wall that was being constructed underground before the levee could be built on top of it.  They were able to use the native soils at the site for much of the construction and only had to bring in some key ingredients."     
 During their three-day visit to Louisiana, the class met with Farmers Rice Milling Company and toured the bioenergy plant that supplies the company's electricity.  At the South Louisiana Rail facility in Lacassine, the group met Mark Pousson, an alumnus of the program, and toured their state-of-the-art rail facility.  Following a tour of the bagging facility at Crowley's JohnPac, Inc., the group met with Dr. Steve Linscombe from the Louisiana State University Rice Research Station, also an alumnus, to review the latest rice research information.

"One of the great things about this Leadership Program is seeing aspects of our industry that are important but we just don't think about, like JohnPac manufacturing bags for the rice industry," said rice farmer Sidney Robnett.
 Bottoms agreed, saying, "This was one of those industries I hadn't thought about before, and, of course, seeing how JohnPac makes their own fabric and weaves and inks the bags was neat.  But the thing that stuck in my mind the most was how every decision we make as an industry affects all sectors either positively or negatively.  So when we lose export markets, it hurts the bag industry as well because they are making a product that much of our export rice is shipped in."Kris Riggs, with Anheuser-Busch, was fascinated by the Zaunbrecher Brothers family farming operation in Duson, Louisiana, and "the additional crawfish crop they are growing along with rice because diversification is starting to play an integral part in agriculture."
 The final stop on the tour was New Orleans, where class members met with the Russell Marine Group to learn about river and barge logistics, toured a mid-stream barge/ship loading unit, and met with Eurofins, to learn about DNA and GMO testing in rice. (Click here to see a short video of bulk rice loading onto a barge.) 
 At the conclusion of the week-long session, Bottoms weighed in on the overall experience, saying, "Being able to talk with the other class members when we're traveling around, the conversations with other growers and industry people who have completely different backgrounds and different experiences, you learn a lot from other passionate people in the same industry."
 The Rice Leadership Development Program is sponsored by John Deere Company, RiceTec, Inc., and American Commodity Company through The Rice Foundation and is managed by USA Rice.

By Sam Oluwalana
The Oyo/Osun Area Command of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) says it has realised about N15.9 million as duty on 110 vehicles, just as it restated the land importation ban on importation of rice.The comptroller, Tope Ogunkua, while speaking at the Ogunkua command's office in Ibadan where he paraded confiscated cars, trucks and other items, said the decision to ban the staple food followed discovery that more of the product was being smuggled through illegal routes"I wish to inform the public and rice importers that the importation and payment of duty on rice through our land borders have been banned by the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd)."This is with effect from March 25, 2016. All those who have their duty already paid for imported rice within the Oyo/Osun Area Command border entry points are advised to evacuate same on or before the said date or risk losing the item."
http://allafrica.com/stories/201603280531.html


Yeshi Wamishe: 7 steps to reduce rice diseases


Mar 25, 2016Yeshi Wamishe, University of Arkansas | Delta Farm Press
Disease management starts long before going to the field to plant rice.(1) Match variety with field: To maximize productivity with minimum risk, knowing the history of your field and using the right variety for the field is essential. Often this may mean planting more than one or two varieties on multiple farms.Hybrids have the best resistance to diseases such as rice blast, bacterial panicle blight, and sheath blight. Hybrids would be good candidates in fields with histories of such diseases. Note that hybrids are not immune to these diseases but can be more tolerant.

However, they are more susceptible to kernel smut and false smut. If hybrids are planted in fields with a history of the smuts, cultural management options need to be strictly followed to reduce their incidence and severity.

(2) Balance nutrients: Soil fertility plays a major role in disease severity. Application of excessive nitrogen strongly favors the smuts, sheath blight, blast, and bacterial panicle blight diseases of rice, among others. Potassium has shown to reduce the severity of some major rice diseases including brown spot, stem rot and likely reduces the severity of bacterial panicle blight and sheath blight, among others.Balancing N-P-K (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium) to increase productivity by increasing the defense system (tolerance) of the crop to diseases is always a good strategy.
(3) Minimize risk with planting dates: Early planting is often recommended to reduce or escape the late-season diseases that include blast, bacterial panicle blight, and narrow brown leaf spot and smuts, especially false smut. However, we may also reduce environmental or weather risks by spreading out planting dates.
(4) Reduce risk by proper water management: Effective water management reduces drought stress, which in turn reduces stress-related diseases such as blast and panicle blanking. Drought stress associated with sandy soils and poor irrigation management predispose rice plants to infection by the blast pathogen.
On the other hand, drought stress by itself results in blank panicles that can be confused with bacterial panicle blight. Therefore, it is important to know the capacity of your water sources to determine how much of your field can be effectively irrigated without creating stress on your rice.
http://deltafarmpress.com/rice/yeshi-wamishe-7-steps-reduce-rice-diseases

More than 150 food producers and traders are due at Bishop Auckland Food Festival


11:30, 27 MAR 2016
 JANE HALL

The April food extravaganza will bring the Urban Rajah back to the town and feature lots of attractions for adults and children

Bishop Auckland Food Festival
Families are invited to enjoy some deliciously good days out as Bishop Auckland Food Festival (BAFF) returns.The annual showcase of great North food and drink is set to bring more than 150 producers and traders to the town centre and Auckland Castle on April 23 and 24.This year BAFF will welcome everything from a brilliant barbecue to tempting chocolate, with masterclasses for both adults and children, a range of cracking craft beers, wines and spirits, the ‘Big Bish Bake-Off’ and the return of the legendary Bishop Auckland Pancake Race.The festival’s pop-up restaurant, sponsored by Sainsbury’s and Bishop Auckland College, is also set to return, this time in the form of an Indian street food bazaar.The ‘Urban Rajah’ and his team will be cooking mouth-watering ‘burotis’, roti style wraps packed with chicken, lamb or paneer cheese, basmati rice and zesty kachumber salad.

Visitors will also be able to join masterclasses in charcuterie making, cheese tasting, chocolate making, knife skills, wine tasting or gin making.For the children there’ll be pizza-making, fun with the Whalley Range All-Stars Pig Theatre, The Vegetable Nannies and The Liver Cottage Kitchen.And if the food all gets too much, adults can visit the ever-popular Tipple Tent.
Urban Rajah demo
Organised by Durham County Council and supported by the Auckland Castle Trust and the town council, the festival has been a popular event since 2003.Coun Neil Foster, the council’s cabinet member for economic regeneration and culture, says: “This is the hottest event in the county’s culinary calendar, with more than 38,000 people visiting last year.“It is a fantastic event not just for Bishop Auckland but also for the wider area.“As well as offering a great day out for all the family, it gives stallholders, who come from around the region, a platform on which to show off their produce.“It also boosts the regional economy by hundreds of thousands of pounds.“With another great line-up, I’m sure we can expect the crowds to turn out in force once again.”Find more about the festival and how to buy tickets for the masterclasses atwww.bishopaucklandfoodfestival.co.uk

 

LULU FOOD FIESTA ARRIVES WITH JAGUAR CAR AS PRIZE


March 27, 2016
Muscat - 
The latest edition of the Lulu Food Fiesta got to a flying start early this week with a plethora of events that transformed the entire shopping area to a foodie’s paradise.The festival has been immensely popular over the years and in a short while into this edition has received an overwhelming response.Along with an array of fun competitions, for every RO10 spent on food products, shoppers also become eligible for a raffle draw to win a grand Jaguar XF 2.0 and fabulous Scratch & Win prizes that includes iPhones, Samsung LED TVs, Philips Air Fryers, Lulu Gift Vouchers, Al Mudhish, Minara, Nido, Al Noor Basmati Rice and Suntop Juice products.
Also setting the outlets buzzing with activity will be each food product section that will conjure up an array of different types of foods that can tickle any palate.To top it all, there are also five Suzuki Swift hatchback cars to be won in a raffle.Scratch & Win prizes of Lulu gift vouchers worth RO2,000 are also to be won on the purchase of RO3 worth of Sadia products.This edition of the Food Fiesta will feature the celebrated Masterchef Ripu Dhaman Handa. Handa will meet and interact with enthusiasts at Lulu Darsait and Bausher on March 31 and April 1, respectively.

He will also be involved in a series of cooking demos as well as being the judge in the Al Mudhish Cookery Contest to be held at Bausher on April 2.“This time around we have got a few surprises in the Food Fiesta. While there will be the popular cookery contest which will be a great platform to encourage the art of cooking and don the chef’s hat, there will also be cooking demos and wet sampling of various kinds; we have thrown in some fabulous gifts to take the festival itself to a new level,” said Ananth A V, director, Lulu – Oman & India.

Rice supply, prices in Davao region stable–NFA


by Manuel Cayon - March 28, 2016
By Manuel T. Cayon / Mindanao Bureau Chief

DAVAO CITY—The National Food Authority (NFA) here has made an assurance that rice supply and prices are stable despite the lingering El Niño, which has slashed paddy rice output in major rice-growing areas in the Philippines.The regional office of the NFA issued the pronouncement after a shipload of Thailand rice was unloaded here on Monday to beef up the agency’s inventory by an equivalent of one month’s rice consumption.NFA city manager Virgilio B. Alerta also belied reports that prices of rice have spiked in Digos, Davao del Sur. The province is the Davao Region’s major palay production area where 12,000 hectares are planted with rice.Alerta said rice prices in the region remain unchanged at P33 to P36 a kilogram (kg) for regular-milled rice, P39 to P43 a kg for well-milled rice, P43 to P45 a kg for special-milled rice, and P46 to P47 a kg for premium rice.
“If there had been any changes at all, [the difference] was only 50 centavos at retail stores,” he said.Alerta also said NFA Administrator Renan B. Dalisay, who visited Davao del Sur, did not find evidence of a spike in rice prices in the province. The provincial office of the food agency told Dalisay that it still has an inventory of 160,000 50-kg bags of rice in its warehouse, equivalent to 42 days of consumption.The stocks of NFA rice here stands at 360,000 bags, beefed up by the unloading of another 320,000 bags of rice from Thailand. Since Thai rice is of the regular milled variant, its price has remained at P27 a kg. This city of 1.5 million residents consumes 10,300 50-kg bags of rice daily.
“The NFA rice serves as a buffer to the supply of commercial rice that remains abundant in the stores and markets today,” he said.Alerta said the NFA buffer would last until October or November, “or about the same time that the farmers would have already planted rice after the El Niño.”“The supply of commercial rice remained stable, and traders have the knack of finding supply elsewhere in case of a shortage,” he added. Elsewhere in the region, the NFA said it has not received any complaint or indication of a shortage.

NSIC okays 14 rice varieties developed by Irri, PhilRice

by Mary Grace Padin - March 28, 2016

The National Seed Industry Council (NSIC) said it approved 14 new inbred and dry-seeded rice varieties developed by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), International Rice Research Institute (Irri), and the University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB) in 2015.Among the newly released varieties, four inbreds—NSIC Rc394, Rc396, Rc402 and Rc414—and five dry-seeded—NSIC Rc416, Rc422, Rc424, Rc426 and Rc430—were developed by the PhilRice.PhilRice said NSIC Rc394 or Tubigan 32 is an early maturing variety, with 106 days of maturity. It has an average yield of 5.2 metric tons (MT) per hectare across season.

NSIC Rc396 or Tubigan 33 has an average yield of 5.1 MT per hectare and 106 days of maturity, while NSIC Rc402 or Tubigan 36, has an average yield of 5.5 MT per hectare and matures at 107 days.PhilRice Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Division Head Norvie Manigbas said breeding early maturing varieties is one of the strategies being carried out by the government as part of its climate-change mitigation efforts.“The earlier the varieties mature, the earlier they are ready to be harvested. Our farmers can harvest and thresh the crop before strong typhoons or heavy drought come,” Manigbas said in a statement.Meanwhile, NSIC Rc414 or Japonica 4, another inbred variety and a special-purpose rice, has an average yield of 3.7 MT per hectare across season and matures at 119 days. It has better resistance to common insect pests, according to PhilRice.

The PhilRice said the dry-seeded varieties in rainfed ecosystems, namely, NSIC Rc416 (Sahod Ulan 13), Rc422 (Sahod Ulan 16), Rc424 (Sahod Ulan 17), Rc426 (Sahod Ulan 18) and Rc430 (Sahod Ulan 20), are intended for pest-prone environments.These varieties have higher resistance to common rice pests and diseases, such as bacterial leaf blight, blast, green leafhopper and white and yellow stemborer.“Moreover, they have high-acceptability percentages, ranging from 81.7 percent to 96.7 percent, in terms of general consumer preference on grain and eating quality when cooked,” the PhilRice added.Other varieties approved by NSIC were developed by UPLB (NSIC Rc398 and NSIC Rc418) and IRRI (NSIC Rc400, NSIC Rc420 and NSIC Rc428

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/nsic-okays-14-rice-varieties-developed-by-irri-philrice/

Vietnam's GDP Growth Slows in First Quarter on Crude Curbs

March 25, 2016 — 11:56 AM PKT Updated on March 25, 2016 — 2:15 PM PKT
Vietnam’s economic growth slowed in the first quarter as the country’s income from crude and agriculture production dropped.Gross domestic product rose 5.46 percent in the first three months from a year earlier, according to data released by the General Statistics Office in Hanoi today. That compares with the previously reported 7.01 percent pace in the last quarter of 2015 and a median 6.1 percent estimate in a Bloomberg survey for this quarter. The economy “faces challenges including drops in international prices of crude oil. Any further price declines will negatively affect the state budget this year,” according to Nguyen Bich Lam, head of the General Statistics Office.

Vietnam typically releases growth estimates before the end of the quarter, weeks ahead of its peers, and the numbers are often revised later.State income from crude oil dropped 53 percent in the first quarter, according to a statement from the General Statistics Office.Vietnam reduced its crude oil production by 3.7 percent to 4 million metric tons in the first quarter from a year earlier as global oil prices dropped, according to Lam. Crude oil this week extended its retreat below $40 a barrel on global markets amid a revival in the U.S. dollar.Rice production from the Mekong Delta, the country’s largest rice-growing area, dropped 6.2 percent in the first quarter, dragging down total agricultural production by 2.7 percent, according to Lam.

“Unfavorable weather with the ongoing severe drought has hurt agricultural production this year,” Lam said.
  • First quarter exports rose 4.1 percent from a year earlier
  • First quarter imports dropped 4.8 percent from a year earlier
  • Credit growth was at 1.54 percent as of March 21 vs end-2015
  • Industrial production jumped 6.2 percent
  • Manufacturing rose 7.9 percent
  • First quarter money supply increased 3.1% as of March 2
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-03-25/vietnam-s-economic-growth-slowed-in-first-quarter-on-crude-curbsFeature: China's dam to help Vietnam's drought, revive arid farming life

China's dam to help Vietnam's drought, revive arid farming life

Source: Xinhua | 2016-03-28 11:41:08 | Editor: huaxia

 

File photo shows a farmer walking on a dried shrimp pond at Thanh Phu District of Ben Tre province in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam, on May 15, 2013. (Xinhua/VNA)


HO CHI MINH CITY, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Wearing a crumpled cap and no shoes or sandals, Vietnamese farmer Vo Van Chien with a weather-beaten face is sitting barefoot on his bone-dry rice paddy, cutting waning rice plants, and saying, "If only water released from China's Jinghong dam could arrive here soon."Rice plants on Chien's paddy fields have failed to flower due to the water shortage caused by the ongoing severe drought and saltwater encroachment, meaning, he has also failed to collect a sufficient amount of grass and rice straw to feed his cattle."Our rice paddy plants are dying. One kg of straw costs up to 2,500 Vietnamese dong (more than 0.1 U.S. dollars). Therefore, I cut the rice plants to feed our cows and oxen," Chien, 45, from the southern province of Ben Tre, told Xinhua on Sunday.Putting a sickle down on the waterless strip of land to take a short break, the farmer said canals which irrigate vast paddy fields are becoming as dry as a bone."I have had to spend millions of Vietnamese dong (hundreds of U.S. dollars) buying a powerful pump and long pipes, but still failed to save our field because what little water left in the canals is too salty due to aggressive saltwater encroachment," he bemoaned.


Photo taken on March 20, 2016 shows the lower reaches of Jinghong Hydropower Station in Dai Autonomous Prefecture of Xishuangbanna of southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)


According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the ongoing drought and saltwater encroachment in the Mekong Delta have made some one million people suffer from shortage of water for domestic use and caused losses of around 700,000 tons of rice.

Among 13 localities in the Mekong Delta, Ben Tre is being the hardest-hit by the drought and saltwater encroachment.In addition to destroying many paddy fields and orchards, the natural disasters have made many water plants operate sporadically because fresh water is becoming saltier and saltier.The shortage of running water has forced many residents in Ben Tre to buy water transported by big boats and barges from rivers in neighboring provinces which are facing less severe saltwater encroachment.


Everyday in March, Luong Van Trung from Ben Tre's Mo Cay Bac District, drives his barge, which was previously hired to transport sand, to Cai Be District, Tien Giang Province, then pump river water into the big barge, come back to Ben Tre and sell the water at a price of 100,000 Vietnamese dong (4.4 U.S. dollars) per cubic meter."Besides the exorbitant price, I have to spend another 100,000 Vietnamese dong hiring a tricycle to transport river water to my house. This is the first time in my life, I have had to buy river water for domestic use," a 70-year-old woman named Nguyen Thi Lua told Xinhua, adding that her extended family lives in Ben Tre City in Ben Tre Province.

In Ben Tre's rural coastal areas, residents have had to buy freshwater from deep wells at prices of between 150,000-200,000 Vietnamese dong (6.7-8.9 U.S. dollars) per cubic meter.Meanwhile, one cubic meter of running water costs only 7,000-8,000 Vietnamese dong (around 0.3 U.S. dollars).At a seminar on coping with drought and saltwater encroachment inVietnam's southern region held in mid-March in Hanoi, Vietnamese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat said, "Now, people don't have to go to the sea to feel the saltiness as before. Now, they can taste it right from their homes, because ponds, lakes and canals in Ben Tre have already faced serious saltwater encroachment.

 

"Photo taken on March 20, 2016 shows the dam of Jinghong Hydropower Station in Dai Autonomous Prefecture of Xishuangbanna of southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)


At the seminar, Chairman of the Ben Tre People's Committee, Cao Van Trong, said nearly 14,800 hectares of rice paddies in the province had been damaged by the drought and saltwater encroachment, most of which had been completely destroyed.Moreover, local farmers have had to buy rice straw from the neighboring province of Dong Thap to feed their cattle, Trong said.On Sunday, still clutching his sickle to cut dying paddy rice plants to feed his cattle, and standing in the middle of his bone-dry rice paddy, Vo Van Chien said , "If only water released from China's Jinghong dam could arrive here soon."The farmer said, "Television said water released from the Jinghongdam to the Mekong River will flow to Vietnam's border on April 4. I hope that at that time, I can save part of my paddy field."At a government meeting on March 26 in Hanoi, agriculture minister Cao Duc Phat said water released from Jinghong dam had already arrived in Laos and was some 800 km away from Vietnam's border.

 

When the water arrives in Vietnam, expected on April 4, it will drive the saltwater encroachment some 20 km back to the sea, said the minister. Vietnamese provinces along Tien and Hau rivers will benefit directly from the water released from the Jinghong dam.In order to help alleviate drought in Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, China has decided to release emergency water supply from Jinghong Hydropower Station in southwestern China's Yunnan province, to downstream Mekong River from March 15 to April 10.According to calculations by the Mekong River Committee, Vietnam's Mekong Delta will receive some 27 percent to 54 percent of water discharged from Jinghong dam.Sitting in her air-conditioned room in Ben Tre City, Nguyen Thi Lua said, "It will not rain soon. So, if water released from China's damcomes here, even if there is no rain, the water will help ordinary people like us to save rice fields, and cut costs on water for domestic use and on animal feeds, making our daily life better."

 

Vietnam's rice export revenue expands over 40 pct in Q1

Xinhua, March 28, 2016

Vietnam is expected to see a year-on-year increase of 41.6 percent in rice export volume and 40.8 percent in export revenue in the first quarter (Q1) of 2016, according to a report by Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on Monday.Specifically, the country is estimated to export some 1.59 million tons of rice worth 692 million U.S. dollars during the period, said the ministry.In March alone, the country is likely to earn 274 million U.S. dollars from shipping 629,000 tons of rice abroad, local Bao Dau Tu (Vietnam Investment Review) online newspaper quoted the MARD report as saying on Monday.

Vietnam's average export price of rice in the first two months hit 433 U.S. dollars per ton, down 5.78 percent year-on-year.During the two-month period, Indonesia became the largest consumer of Vietnamese rice with 31.42 percent of market share.Vietnam exported 330,300 tons of rice worth 131.01 million U.S. dollars to Indonesia in January-February period, posting an increase of 213.1 times in volume and 196.3 times in value compared to the same period of 2015, said the report.

China ranked second with 17.15 percent of the market share. In two months, China consumed 160,690 tons of rice, worth 71.5 million U.S. dollars, up 39.2 percent in volume and 53.6 percent in value year-on-year.During the two-month period, other markets of Vietnamese rice witnessed remarkable growth including the Philippines, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates, among others, reported Bao Dau Tu.Vietnam is one of the most important rice producers and exporters in the world. Rice plays the most important role among agricultural commodities in Vietnam in terms of food security, rural wages and employment, as well as export revenues.Vietnamese rice has been present in 135 countries and regions worldwide. Endite

http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2016-03/28/content_38125644.htm

Egypt's GASC again cancels tender to buy rice

Mon Mar 28, 2016 2:33pm GMT

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - Egypt's state grain buyer, the General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC), said on Monday it had cancelled an international tender to buy an unspecified amount of rice. GASC Vice chairman Mamdouh Abdel Fattah did not give a reason for the cancellation. Traders said GASC had received only two valid offers for the tender, all for Indian origin rice. A third offer had been rejected for lack of necessary paperwork.

Another tender seeking an unspecified amount of rice will be held with deadline for offers on April 2, Abdel Fattah said. The tender was the second since Egypt announced in October it was lifting an export ban on rice and placing a 2,000-Egyptian-pound-per-tonne ($225.23) export tariff on the crop. GASC cancelled its first tender on Jan. 27 saying it needed to give more time to suppliers to issue necessary paperwork.Egypt is attempting to import rice to fill a supply gap in subsidised domestic goods despite having a surplus of the crop. The North African country produced 3.75 million tonnes of rice in the 2015 season and carried over 700,000 tonnes from 2014. With consumption at 3.3 million tonnes, that leaves a surplus of more than 1 million tonnes.
http://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFKCN0WU15P

Paddy farmers, rubber tappers feel the heat in northern Malaysia

Malaysia's Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry says it is studying how best to help farmers affected by this hot and dry spell, which it says has been brought on by El Nino.

  • By
  • Posted 25 Mar 2016 20:16
  • Updated 26 Mar 2016 00:01

KEDAH: At a rubber estate in the northern Malaysian state of Kedah, a man has slumped to the ground, exhausted.79-year-old Ibrahim Ismail has been tapping rubber trees at his small family estate in Jitra for 38 years - but the heat of the past few weeks has been the worst he's ever experienced."It's so hot, I can't do it anymore," he complains, before moving on to tap the next tree.But in this heat, the trees aren't producing as much of the milky latex as usual either.

The cracked earth at a paddy field in Kedah. (Photo: Sumisha Naidu)
A few kilometres away, paddy farmers are worrying about the weather's impact on yields too.
Paddy is the third most planted crop in Malaysia, fulfilling some 70 per cent of the domestic demand for rice.Kedah and neighbouring Perlis are known as the nation's "ricebowl states", producing more than half of the country's homegrown supply.
Water levels are low at an irrigation canal for paddy fields in Kedah. (Photo: Sumisha Naidu)
But these rice bowls have been brown and dry lately - and farmers like Mat Adam Hanapiah worry their output will suffer if there's not more rainfall by planting season in April.
"Sowing during the dry season is possible but the risk to the paddy is too high," he tells Channel NewsAsia.
"When it's too dry, the saplings can't come up...they become really dry."

Malaysia's Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry says it is studying how best to help farmers affected by this hot and dry spell, which it says has been brought on by El Nino.
The ministry has already taken emergency measures including ordering more than 1,700 mobile water pumps to be sent across the country to help with irrigation of crops.
- CNA/sk
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/paddy-farmers-rubber/2637110.html

Farmers record $200m net income from rice scheme

March 26, 2016

Friday Olokor, AbujaThe rice revolution initiative has made Nigerian farmers to record an estimated $200m (N39.4bn) in net incomes in the past two years.The development has therefore created wealth for the farmers and their communities, according to a policy expert and Coordinator of Africa Regional Climate Change Programme under the United Nations Environment Programme, Dr. Richard Munang.
He believes that diversifying into other sectors such as an optimised agro-sector, services and manufacturing will help boost growth in the sector.Munang spoke in Abuja during the inauguration of the Nigerian chapter of Ecosystem-based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly, with the theme, ‘Reshaping Nigeria’s food security and climate resilience through EBAFOSA.’At the event, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma, who was represented by the Director of Administration in the ministry, Chris Ezeilo, said EBAFOSA which seeks to combat food insecurity, climate change, ecosystems degradation and poverty in Africa, using innovative approach, now has a membership of 2,000 in Nigeria.Manung said that although Africa holds 65 per cent of the world’s arable land and 10 per cent of internal renewable fresh water sources and a projected agro-value chain worth $1tn by 2030, the reality on the ground was appalling.
While quoting the World Bank reports that in Africa, a 10 per cent increase in crop yields translates into approximately a seven per cent reduction in poverty, the policy expert said Nigeria was already demonstrating high potential of an optimised agro-sector.He said, “Unleashing a rice revolution has produced 1.8 million metric tonnes of rice paddy within two years and created 460,000 jobs, especially for the youth. In addition, farmers’ net incomes increased by an estimated $200m, creating wealth for farmers and their communities. This is only a fraction of the potential Nigeria can realise.“Distinguished guests, when Nigeria succeeds, Africa succeeds. Nigeria holds about one-fifth of the continents population. If empowered, this will be the largest consolidated market in the continent.”

http://www.punchng.com/farmers-record-200m-net-income-from-rice-scheme/

Rice Prices

as on : 28-03-2016 08:10:39 PM
Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.
Arrivals
Price
Current
%
change
Season
cumulative
Modal
Prev.
Modal
Prev.Yr
%change
Rice
Bangalore(Kar)
2250.00
48.32
100890.00
4000
4000
-5.88
Siliguri(WB)
680.00
17.24
3222.00
2600
2600
-
Varanasi(Grain)(UP)
410.00
-38.81
8205.00
1980
1960
-0.25
Allahabad(UP)
190.00
58.33
5380.00
2180
2160
2.35
Srirampur(ASM)
180.00
12.5
4535.00
2600
2600
1.96
Azamgarh(UP)
180.00
9.09
3696.50
1930
2000
-
Bahraich(UP)
175.00
7.36
3398.50
2075
2070
-0.24
Gondal(UP)
135.00
365.52
10956.10
2070
2065
2.99
Sitapur(UP)
135.00
NC
6012.00
2200
2160
7.84
Bareilly(UP)
116.50
18.88
6434.50
2275
2225
10.98
Etawah(UP)
100.00
-66.67
18340.00
2280
2270
3.17
Aligarh(UP)
85.00
13.33
2455.00
2120
2100
9.84
Pilibhit(UP)
84.00
-12.5
17608.00
2195
2185
0.69
Gangavathi(Kar)
83.00
76.6
386.00
2461
2451
-
Baberu(UP)
80.00
900
99.00
2100
2100
-
Mainpuri(UP)
75.00
17.19
983.00
2000
2020
3.09
Kalipur(WB)
75.00
-16.67
4127.00
2050
2050
NC
Shahjahanpur(UP)
74.00
57.45
40020.10
2210
2220
9.14
Ghaziabad(UP)
70.00
NC
2070.00
2145
2130
1.42
Achalda(UP)
70.00
16.67
2972.50
2270
2770
2.02
Saharanpur(UP)
70.00
-16.67
3972.00
2165
2150
1.64
Coochbehar(WB)
67.50
5.47
983.00
2050
2100
-4.65
Jorhat(ASM)
60.00
9.09
1185.00
2700
2700
-3.57
Wahiajer(Meh)
60.00
NC
120.00
3500
3500
-
Barasat(WB)
55.00
-15.38
2100.00
2300
2300
NC
Junagarh(Ori)
51.04
-10.92
946.67
2100
2100
NC
Samsi(WB)
50.00
NC
15410.00
2800
2800
-
Pandua(WB)
46.00
-8
1327.00
2550
2500
-5.56
Haathras(UP)
45.00
NC
405.00
2120
2145
9.84
Beldanga(WB)
44.00
-8.33
1451.50
2290
2290
-8.40
Mangalore(Kar)
41.00
-2.38
166.00
2900
2900
-2.68
Karimganj(ASM)
40.00
NC
1360.00
2200
2200
4.76
Sikandraraau(UP)
40.00
-
40.00
2150
-
-
Bindki(UP)
40.00
-55.56
2161.00
2300
2265
10.84
Kalahandi(Dharamagarh)(Ori)
38.68
-49.32
622.44
2100
2100
-4.55
Gazipur(UP)
38.00
-11.63
1338.00
1945
1940
-2.26
Purulia(WB)
36.00
44
1597.00
2120
2180
-9.79
Muzzafarnagar(UP)
35.00
66.67
985.00
2180
2170
5.06
Jaunpur(UP)
33.00
-23.26
1095.00
1930
1935
-1.53
Balurghat(WB)
32.00
33.33
304.00
2780
2730
-
Sirsaganj(UP)
30.00
20
55.00
3600
1990
80.00
Dhekiajuli(ASM)
28.00
14.29
800.00
1900
1900
1.60
North Lakhimpur(ASM)
25.00
267.65
1161.70
1900
1900
-
Dadri(UP)
25.00
-44.44
1582.00
2140
2130
1.42
Lohardaga(Jha)
24.00
20
677.00
1950
1750
14.71
Chintamani(Kar)
22.00
-70.67
340.00
2050
2050
2.50
Jalpaiguri Sadar(WB)
22.00
-12
676.00
2750
2750
1.85
Yusufpur(UP)
21.00
NC
552.00
1920
1900
1.05
Banda(UP)
20.00
NC
347.50
2160
2175
-
Mekhliganj(WB)
20.00
NC
513.00
2050
2100
10.81
Partaval(UP)
19.00
-5
1086.00
2100
2075
7.97
Alipurduar(WB)
19.00
NC
327.00
2200
2200
2.33
Firozabad(UP)
18.00
5.88
488.00
2000
2060
1.01
Shikohabad(UP)
18.00
-10
395.50
1930
1980
-6.31
Meerut(UP)
18.00
-10
440.50
2200
2200
3.77
Udala(Ori)
17.00
NC
720.00
2800
2800
12.00
Kolaghat(WB)
17.00
-5.56
421.00
2300
2300
15.00
Tamluk (Medinipur E)(WB)
17.00
6.25
459.00
2300
2300
21.05
Jajpur(Ori)
16.00
-20
274.00
2200
2200
-15.38
Dibrugarh(ASM)
15.50
19.23
904.30
2400
2400
-
Jasra(UP)
15.00
NC
472.50
1985
2000
-1.98
Champadanga(WB)
15.00
25
639.00
2350
2350
-9.62
Dahod(Guj)
14.00
-68.4
911.60
3900
3900
-7.14
Raiganj(WB)
14.00
7.69
682.00
2800
2750
12.00
Medinipur(West)(WB)
14.00
-12.5
479.00
2400
2400
2.13
Divai(UP)
13.50
-3.57
226.50
2040
2060
0.74
Pundibari(WB)
13.00
4
155.50
2050
2050
-3.53
Falakata(WB)
12.50
-38.12
308.80
2020
2020
-12.17
Amroha(UP)
12.00
-
16.00
2240
-
-
T. Narasipura(Kar)
10.00
11.11
31.00
1500
1500
7.14
Kottayam(Ker)
10.00
NC
110.00
3500
3500
16.67
Bampada(Ori)
10.00
NC
160.00
2500
2500
NC
Barikpur(Ori)
10.00
NC
110.00
2500
2500
NC
Mirzapur(UP)
9.00
-25
1145.00
1950
1945
-1.02
Muradabad(UP)
9.00
-25
405.50
2280
2275
12.87
Khairagarh(UP)
8.50
21.43
283.00
2100
2130
5.00
Wansi(UP)
8.50
-50
52.50
2060
2065
9.57
Kaliaganj(WB)
8.00
-20
474.00
2600
2550
6.12
Katwa(WB)
8.00
-11.11
129.50
2100
2100
-4.55
Bolangir(Ori)
7.50
-6.25
171.00
2200
2200
-8.33
K.R.Nagar(Kar)
7.00
75
11.00
2000
1800
17.65
Tusura(Ori)
7.00
NC
161.50
2200
2200
-8.33
Dudhi(UP)
6.50
-
11.50
1985
-
1.79
Karsiyang(Matigara)(WB)
6.50
8.33
66.80
2600
2600
-
Chengannur(Ker)
6.00
-14.29
424.50
2500
2400
-10.71
Silapathar(ASM)
5.70
-3.39
477.10
3000
3000
NC
Jeypore(Kotpad)(Ori)
5.50
-66.46
189.60
3250
3250
NC
Tilhar(UP)
5.00
400
820.50
2220
2225
7.25
Buland Shahr(UP)
5.00
-66.67
334.00
2045
2030
NC
Islampur(WB)
4.00
33.33
227.90
2150
2150
-
Imphal(Man)
3.40
NC
154.80
2900
2900
NC
Alibagh(Mah)
3.00
NC
93.00
4000
4000
150.00
Murud(Mah)
3.00
NC
165.00
3000
3000
87.50
Farukhabad(UP)
3.00
-25
184.20
2170
2165
-0.69
Gulavati(UP)
3.00
NC
34.00
2090
2080
2.45
Chorichora(UP)
3.00
NC
272.65
2080
2080
5.85
Bonai(Bonai)(Ori)
2.00
NC
85.10
2000
2000
-9.09
Sardhana(UP)
1.50
50
63.80
2150
2150
3.86
Chutmalpur(UP)
1.50
-
1.50
2180
-
-
Dibiapur(UP)
1.20
-85
94.20
2250
2240
2.27
Mawana(UP)
1.00
NC
18.20
2175
2150
5.58
Lamlong Bazaar(Man)
1.00
-37.5
48.80
2900
2800
NC
Kalimpong(WB)
0.80
-33.33
25.30
2400
2400
-7.69



http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/article8405022.ece

APEDA RICE COMMODITY NEWS

International Benchmark Price
Price on: 21-03-2016
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)
3750
2
Indian 200 mesh 3500 cps basis, FOB Kandla (USD/t)
1150
3
Indian 200 mesh 5000 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t)
2270
Source:agra-net
For more info
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 26-03-2016
Domestic Prices
Unit Price : Rs per Qty
Product
Market Center
Variety
Min Price
Max Price
Rice
1
Manjeri (Kerala)
Other
2700
3700
2
Bangalore (Karnataka)
Medium
3800
4200
3
Samsi (West Bengal)
Fine
2790
2820
Wheat
1
Manvi (Karnataka)
Other
1980
1985
2
Dehgam (Gujarat)
Other
1430
1690
3
Sangli (Maharashtra)
Other
1750
2750
Papaya
1
Jagraon (Punjab)
Other
1500
1800
2
Bharuch (Gujarat)
Other
800
1200
3
Sitapur (Uttar Pradesh)
Other
900
1100
Onion
1
Palayam (Kerala)
Other
1000
1200
2
Jatni (Orissa)
Other
1100
1300
3
Barnala (Punjab)
Other
700
1000
For more info
Egg
Rs per 100 No
Price on 26-03-2016
Product
Market Center
Price
1
Pune
347
2
Chittoor
338
3
Nagapur
322
Source: e2necc.com
Other International Prices
Unit Price : US$ per package
Price on 25-03-2016
Product
Market Center
Origin
Variety
Low
High
Potatoes
Package: 50 lb cartons
1
Atlanta
Colorado
Russet
17
17.50
2
Chicago
Idaho
Russet
14
16
2
Detroit
Wisconsin
Russet
16
16.50
Cauliflower
Package: cartons film wrapped
1
Atlanta
Mexico
White
16
16.50
2
Dallas
California
White
17.50
19.50
3
Philadelphia
Canada
White
15
17
Grapefruit
Package: cartons tray pack
1
Atlanta
Virginia   
Red Delicious
25.50
26
2
Chicago
Washington
Red Delicious
22
22.50
3
Miami
Virginia
Red Delicious
18
21
Source:USDA


International Benchmark Price
Price on: 25-03-2016
Product
Benchmark Indicators Name
Price
Apricots
1
Turkish No. 2 whole pitted, CIF UK (USD/t)
4625
2
Turkish No. 4 whole pitted, CIF UK (USD/t)
4125
3
Turkish size 8, CIF UK (USD/t)
3625
Raisins
1
Californian Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK (USD/t)
2311
2
South African Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK (USD/t)
2335
Sultanas
1
Iranian natural sultanas (Gouchan), CIF UK (USD/t)
1813
2
South African Orange River, CIF UK (USD/t)
2733
3
Turkish No 9 standard, FOB Izmir (USD/t)
1700
Source:agra-net
For more info
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 26-03-2016
Domestic Prices
Unit Price : Rs per Qty
Product
Market Center
Variety
Min Price
Max Price
Rice
1
Manjeri (Kerala)
Other
2700
3700
2
Bangalore (Karnataka)
Medium
3800
4200
3
Samsi (West Bengal)
Fine
2790
2820
Wheat
1
Manvi (Karnataka)
Other
1980
1985
2
Dehgam (Gujarat)
Other
1430
1690
3
Sangli (Maharashtra)
Other
1750
2750
Papaya
1
Jagraon (Punjab)
Other
1500
1800
2
Bharuch (Gujarat)
Other
800
1200
3
Sitapur (Uttar Pradesh)
Other
900
1100
Onion
1
Palayam (Kerala)
Other
1000
1200
2
Jatni (Orissa)
Other
1100
1300
3
Barnala (Punjab)
Other
700
1000
For more info
Egg
Rs per 100 No
Price on 28-03-2016
Product
Market Center
Price
1
Ahmedabad
350
2
Hyderabad
325
3
Chittoor
348
Source: e2necc.com
Other International Prices
Unit Price : US$ per package
Price on 28-03-2016
Product
Market Center
Origin
Variety
Low
High
Onions Dry
Package: 40 lb cartons
1
Atlanta
Mexico
Yellow
21
22.25
2
Chicago
Peru
Yellow
24
24
2
Detroit
California
Yellow
17
18
Carrots
Package: 20 1-lb film bags
1
Atlanta
California
Baby Peeled
20.25
20.75
2
Dallas
Mexico
Baby Peeled
17
20
3
Chicago
California
Baby Peeled
17
17.50
Grapes
Package: 18 lb containers bagged
1
Atlanta
Peru  
Red Globe
22
24.50
2
Chicago
Chile
Red Globe
18.50
18.50
3
Miami
Peru
Red Globe
17
20
Source:USDA

Commodity Report-March 28

Published 
Today’s commodity report: Weekly Rice Summary, California Shell Eggs: Daily Egg Report, Shell Eggs: Daily National Egg Market and other commodity end of the day market numbers.

Weekly Rice Summary

In the south, long and medium grain milled rice prices steady to weak. Parboiled, Second heads and Brewers prices steady. Rice by-products: Rice Bran, Millfeed and ground hulls steady on uneven spot sales with good demand. Rice planting underway in some areas of the South.
In California, medium grain milled rice prices steady. Second heads and Brewers steady to weak. Rice by-products: Rice Bran prices steady. Rice hulls spot trade not well tested. As of March 18, California snowpack stands at 89% of the April 1 average, the time of maximum historical snow accumulation. Southern Sierra snowpack is at only 77% of the April 1 average. Although water storage is recovering in some of the large Sacramento Valley reservoirs, the drought is not over.
CME Rough Rice settlements for Thursday 24th, May 16 closed .04 lower at 10.265; Jul 16 closed .035 lower at 10.54; Sep 16 closed .04 lower at 10.705. US dollar index on Thursday settled at 96.13. Milled rice market mostly quiet.

California Shell Eggs: Daily Egg Report

Benchmark prices are 20 cents lower for Jumbo and 22 cents lower for all other sizes. Trade sentiment is sharply lower. Retail and food service demand is moderate. Offerings are moderate to usually heavy. Supplies are moderate to heavy for all sizes. Market activity is slow. Small benchmark price $1.13.
Shell egg marketer’s benchmark price for negotiated egg sales of USDA Grade AA and Grade AA in cartons, cents per dozen. This price does not reflect discounts or other contract terms.
RANGE
JUMBO
156
EXTRA LARGE
152
LARGE
145
MEDIUM
133

Shell Eggs: Daily National Egg Market

Regional and California prices are 20 cents lower for Jumbo, 7 to 22 cents lower for Extra Large and Large, 12 to 22 cents lower for Medium and 22 cents lower for Small. New York prices are 4 cents lower on all sizes. The undertone is lower to sharply lower. Supplies range light to heavy, usually moderate to heavy. Present offerings are moderate to heavy. Retail and food service demand is light to fairly good. Market activity is slow to occasionally moderate. Breaking stock supplies are moderate for full-time breaking schedules. Offerings of light type hens are fully sufficient for mostly normal processing schedules.
Check the March USDA Commodity Report Calendar for today’s commodity reports released by USDA.

Monday’s Commodity Market ending market numbers:

Corn
May Corn ended at $3.70 1/2 increasing 1/2 cent, July ended at $3.74 3/4 gaining 1/4 cent.
Soybeans
May Soybeans ended at 9.09 down 1 1/2 cent, July ended at 9.16 decreasing 1 3/4 cent.
Wheat
May Wheat ended at $4.71, gaining 8 cents, July Wheat ended at $4.78 up 7 1/4 cents.
Rough Rice
May Rough Rice ended at 10.19 down 0.075, July ended at 10.465 decreasing 0.075.
Live Cattle
April Live Cattle ended at $135.10 decreasing $0.75 and June ended at $125.525 up $0.15 and August ended at $121.35 gaining $0.525.
Feeder Cattle
April Feeder Cattle ended at $155.575 droppng $0.25 and May ended at $154.85 decreasing $0.175 and August ended at $154.725 down $0.125.
Lean Hogs
April Lean Hogs ended at $69.925 increasing $0.30, May ended at $78.275 up $1.625
Class III Milk
March Class III Milk ended at $13.77 unchanged, April ended at $13.84 decreasing $0.02 and May ended at $13.75 losing $0.03.
#2 Cotton
May #2 Cotton ending at 57.80 gaining 0.08, July ended at 57.71 up 0.13.
Sugar #11
May sugar #11 ended at 15.94 up $0.07 and July ended at 16.03 increasing $0.15.
Orange Juice
May Orange Juice ended at 135.10 dropping $0.80, July ending at 134.90 down $0.80.
http://agnetwest.com/2016/03/28/commodity-report-march-28/

Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report

Rice
High
Low
Long Grain Cash Bids
- - -
- - -
Long Grain New Crop
- - -
- - -


Futures:
High
Low
Last
Change
May '16
1028.5
1016.5
1019.0
-7.5
Jul '16
1053.0
1046.0
1046.5
-7.5
Sep '16
1071.0
1063.5
1063.5
-7.0
Nov '16
1078.0
1078.0
1077.5
-4.5
Jan '17
1093.5
-3.0
Mar '17
1095.0
-2.0
May '17
1095.0
-2.0

Rice Comment


Rice prices were lower across the board again today. A marketing year low of just 14,500 MT of rice were sold this week, which was down 32-percent from last week and 82-percent from the previous 4-week average. Overall rice exports are up slightly year-to-date compared to last year; however the market still needs additional sales to materialize as outstanding sales remain well below year ago levels. Rice continues to search for additional demand, as demand this year is forecast down 4-percent from last year.

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