Saturday, March 26, 2016

4 march 2016 daily global regional local rice enewsletter by riceplus magazine

Today Rice News Headlines...
News Detail...
·         UNISAME URGES MINISTRIES OF COMMERCE,INDUSTRY AND OTHERS TO SAVE RICE INDUSTRY
·         Export earnings fall 6% in 2015, down 19% in Dec: Stats
·         USA Rice Champions Birth Defects Prevention 
·         Tales of new beginnings
·         PDS rice scam draining State coffers
·         Creamy Indian cheese and peas from Indian cook Mallika Basu
·         Rice not a problem – NFA-Iloilo
·         Egypt's poorest struggle to find rice amid hoarding
·         03/04/2016 Farm Bureau Market Report
·         Rice Prices

UNISAME URGES MINISTRIES OF COMMERCE,INDUSTRY AND OTHERS TO SAVE RICE INDUSTRY


Mar 5, 2016 |  Thaver

The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has invited the attention of the ministries of commerce, industry, science and technology and agriculture to the urgent need to join hands for the modernization of rice farming, milling,processing and marketing and to enable it to meet the global challenges.President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver said it is very unfortunate that rice industry which is ranked as the second biggest after textiles is left mercilessly neglected. Regardless of the fact that it employs huge number of entrepreneurs from farm land to factories. The SME rice farmers, millers, processors, traders and exporters are in turmoil due to the step motherly treatment of the government. The cost of production has gone high and this has made the rice industry noncompetitive. The farm inputs have become costly. The only answer to survival is value addition, quality bench mark and entering non traditional markets.Thaver urged the ministries of agriculture, commerce, industry and science and technology to co-ordinate with one another for the uplift of the rice sector.
UNISAME after carrying out a study of the requirements for the uplift of the sector stated that dedicated efforts are required from grass root level from modernization of farming, milling, processing,packing and marketing.

The union called upon the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) under the ministry of industries and the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) under the ministry of science and technology to join hands for modernization of the rice industry.It also requested SMEDA and PCSIR to take up the issues of paddy drying, parboiling, steaming and preparation of iron and vitaminized rice and also pre-cooked rice. Various products can be made from rice flour and rice grains if PCSIR could educate the sector on increasing shelf life of the products. PCSIR is capable of doing great work for the sector Thaver said.
The Rice Research Institute under the ministry of agriculture also needs to do more and develope new varieties.We have only a handful of varieties whereas our neighbour India has many and we need to compete in the global markets.The ministry of commerce needs to intervene in the basmati Geographical Indication (GI) matter and also the basmati trade mark issue and resolve the matter with the Intellectual Property Organization and the Registrar of Trade Marks in national interest.
Another very important aspect is the marketing, we have lost the markets of Iran, Gulf and Middle East. Although we have never really entered Europe and USA, there is scope as our super basmati rice is far superior to the 1121 non basmati rice of India. The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) will need to make great efforts to popularise our super basmati rice which is tasty, aromatic and cooks exceedingly well and is undoubtedly the best rice in the world.Another very important facility required for the exporters is the finance facility for export to third world countries and to buyers who are banking with low rating banks. There is urgent need for export credit insurance at low premium just like India has done to promote exports to third world countries. The third world countries have rice as their staple food. India has captured their markets and we are lagging behind. Same is the case with Iran unless the facility for smooth transactions exist there can be no break through. India developed the currency agreement with Iran long ago whereas we were not yet ready to displease the sanction authors.

Now with the re-entry of Iran in the SWIFT international currency exchange the possibilities look bright nevertheless Pakistan will have to re-enter the Iranian market with deligence to promote our super basmati rice


Export earnings fall 6% in 2015, down 19% in Dec: Stats

By Azhar Razak -

Mar 4, 2016Sri Lanka’s earnings from exports continued its downward trend for the tenth consecutive month in December 2015 recording an 18.7 per cent decline, year-on-year, to US dollars 817 million, the Central Bank said today.
Releasing the External Sector Performance statistics for December 2015, the Central Bank said that expenditure on imports on the other hand weakened for the sixth consecutive month in December 2015 by 8.5 per cent to US dollars 1,645 million, year-on-year deviating from the normal seasonal trend of increased expenditure on imports towards the end of the year.
“Reflecting the subdued global demand and lower commodity prices, earnings from exports during 2015 decreased by 5.6 per cent to US dollars 10,505 million while expenditure on imports declined by 2.5 per cent to US dollars 18,935 million,” the Bank noted highlighting the summary of performance in the year 2015.
The deficit in the trade account increased to US dollars 827 million in December 2015, compared to US dollars 792 million in December 2014. On a cumulative basis, the trade deficit during 2015 expanded marginally by 1.7 per cent to US dollars 8,430 million over 2014.
Following is the full statement on External Sector Performance issued by the Central Bank today.
External Sector Performance – December 2015
Overview
Sri Lanka’s external sector showed a mixed performance in the month of December 2015 with a widened trade deficit, continued high growth in tourist earnings and moderate workers’ remittances. On a cumulative basis, the trade deficit widened marginally during 2015, while earnings from tourism increased significantly. Meanwhile, workers’ remittances recorded a marginal decline in 2015. The major source of inflows to the financial account of the BOP during 2015 were the issuance of two international sovereign bonds and swap arrangement of the Reserve Bank of India.
Export Performance
Earnings from exports continued its downward trend for the tenth consecutive month in December 2015 recording an 18.7 per cent decline, year-on-year, to US dollars 817 million, led by textile and garments and tea exports. Export earnings from textile and garments, which contribute nearly 48 per cent to the total exports, declined for the third consecutive month by 12.8 per cent in December 2015, reflecting low exports to both EU and USA markets. However, garment exports to non-traditional markets such as Canada, China and UAE increased slightly by 1.7 per cent, year-on-year, during the month.
Lower demand for tea exports continued throughout the year 2015 due to economic and geo-political developments in the main tea export destinations. Accordingly, earnings from tea exports in December dropped by 24.7 per cent reflecting declines in both export volume and average price levels compared to the corresponding month in the previous year. Further, transport equipment, rubber products and gems, diamonds and jewellery exports also contributed significantly to the drop in December exports. The substantial drop shown in transport equipment was largely as a result of base effect due to the export of a cruise ship in December 2014.
Earnings from rubber product exports continued to weaken and recorded a 19.8 per cent decline, year-on-year, in December 2015. However, petroleum product exports recorded a 24.5 per cent increase as a result of a substantial increase in bunkering quantity by 186.4 per cent, year-on-year, in December 2015. Adding to that, earnings from chemical products also showed a growth of 10.5 per cent while sub categories of cinnamon, woven fabrics and fruits showed a growth in the month of December 2015, over the corresponding month in 2014.
Import Performance
Deviating from the normal seasonal trend of increased expenditure on imports towards the end of the year, expenditure on imports weakened for the sixth consecutive month in December 2015 by 8.5 per cent to US dollars 1,645 million, year-on-year.
A large part of this decline in growth was attributable to the drop in imports of intermediate goods led by fuel imports, while the drop in imports of consumer goods and investment goods also contributed.
In December 2015, expenditure on fuel imports decreased by 15.5 per cent, year-on-year, to US dollars 216 million mainly due to the considerable decline in import prices. In line with the downward movement in international oil prices, average import price of crude oil dropped to US dollars 41.21 per barrel in December 2015, compared to US dollars 75.98 per barrel recorded in December 2014.
Consumer goods imports decreased by 9.1 per cent to US dollars 384 million, in December 2015. Substantial decline recorded in imports of personal motor vehicles and rice imports contributed largely for the reduction of expenditure on consumer goods imports. Expenditure on rice imports declined for the eighth consecutive month in December 2015 to US dollars 1.7 million compared to US dollars 50.0 million in December 2014, owing to the increased local production of rice.
Expenditure on importation of personal motor vehicles dropped significantly by 41.1 per cent to US dollars 66 million in December 2015, reflecting declines recorded in all sub categories including motor cars and motor cycles. Expenditure on transport equipment such as trishaws, buses and agricultural tractors, categorized under investment goods, declined significantly by 49.8 per cent, year-on-year. However, import expenditure on vegetables, textile and textile articles and machinery and equipment, which is categorised under consumer goods, intermediate goods and investment goods, respectively, increased significantly during the month.
Trade Performance for the year 2015
Reflecting the subdued global demand and lower commodity prices, earnings from exports during 2015 decreased by 5.6 per cent to US dollars 10,505 million while expenditure on imports declined by 2.5 per cent to US dollars 18,935 million. Lower performance in tea, rubber products, textile and garments and seafood exports contributed mainly for the drop in exports. Significant decline recorded in fuel import bill due to lower oil prices and lower thermal power generation caused for the decline in import expenditure.
The leading markets for merchandise exports of Sri Lanka during 2015 continued to be the USA, UK, India, Germany and Italy accounting for about 51 per cent of total exports, while the main import origins continued to be India, China, Japan, UAE and Singapore accounting for about 60 per cent of total imports.
Trade Balance
The deficit in the trade account increased to US dollars 827 million in December 2015, compared to US dollars 792 million in December 2014. On a cumulative basis, the trade deficit during 2015 expanded marginally by 1.7 per cent to US dollars 8,430 million over 2014. Earnings from Tourism
Tourist arrivals continued its growth momentum in January 2016 with 194,280 arrivals, registering a year-on-year growth of 24.3 per cent. India and China continued to lead the top ten source countries for tourist arrivals with Indian and Chinese tourists recording the highest growth of 25.9 per cent and 122.3 per cent, respectively, during the month. Earnings from tourism grew by 24.3 per cent, year-on-year, to US dollars 322 million in January 2016.1
Workers’ Remittances
Workers’ remittances declined by 12.7 per cent, year-on-year, to US dollars 618.5 million in December 2015 from US dollars 708.8 million in December 2014. This substantial decline in the growth rate may be partly attributable to the base effect as workers’ remittances increased at a record high rate in December 2014.
On a cumulative basis, workers’ remittances decreased marginally by 0.5 per cent to US dollars 6,980.3 million in 2015 compared to US dollars 7,017.8 million in 2014. This marginal decline of workers’ remittances during this period could be partly attributable to the continued decline in international oil prices and the stagnating growth in the Middle Eastern countries.
Financial Flows
Foreign investments in the government securities market recorded a net outflow of US dollars 118.3 million in January 2016 compared to a net outflow of US dollars 29.5 million during the corresponding month of 2015.
The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) recorded a net outflow of US dollars 18.8 million up to end January 2016, which comprised net outflows of US dollars 19.0 million of foreign investment from the secondary market and inflows to the primary market amounting to US dollars 0.2 million. The long term loans to the Government registered a net inflow of US dollars 463.1 million in 2015, compared to the net inflow of US dollars 645.7 million recorded in 2014.
Overall Balance of Payments (BOP) Position
For the year 2015, the overall BOP is estimated to have recorded a deficit of US dollars 1,489 million compared to a surplus of US dollars 1,369 million recorded in 2014.
International Reserves and Exchange Rate Movements
Sri Lanka’s gross official reserves as at end December 2015 amounted to US dollars 7.3 billion, equivalent to 4.6 months of imports while total foreign assets amounted to US dollars 9.3 billion, equivalent to 5.9 months of imports.
During 2016 up to end February, the rupee depreciated by 0.2 per cent against the US dollar. Based on cross currency exchange rate movements, the Sri Lankan rupee appreciated against the pound sterling by 6.8 per cent, the Australian dollar by 2.3 per cent and the Indian rupee by 3.3 per cent, while depreciating against the Japanese yen by 6.1 per cent and the euro by 0.3 per cent during this period
http://nation.lk/online/2016/03/04/export-earnings-fall-6-in-2015-down-19-in-dec-stats.html
 USA Rice Champions Birth Defects Prevention  

ARLINGTON, VA -- Yesterday USA Rice joined with more than 60 groups in observing "World Birth Defects Day" to let consumers know about the importance of folic acid in preventing birth defects and about rice as a source of folic acid.  USA Rice used social media posts and the hashtag #WorldBDDay to help spread the word about the importance of folic acid for moms-to-be and that one-cup of enriched white rice delivers 80 of the recommended 400 micrograms of folic acid, which is 20 percent of the Daily Vitamins and minerals used in the enrichment process prevent neural tube birth defects and anemia caused by nutritional deficiencies.  Since January 1, 1998, all enriched grains in the United States are required to be fortified with folic acid.  The Centers for Disease Control reports that fortification of folic acid in enriched grains has resulted in a decrease in neural tube birth defects by 36 percent in the U.S, making it one of the top ten health initiatives in the first decade of this century.
As a result, Dr. Keith-Thomas Ayoob, a pediatric nutritionist, recommends U.S. rice to his patients, saying:  "All enriched grains are now fortified with folic acid but I am partial to enriched rice because rice is such a great vehicle for adding other nutrient-rich foods to the diet.  It's a great way to get vegetables, lean meat, and even fruit into kids - and expectant moms.  These foods can also contain folic acid and most people need more fruits and vegetables in their diets anyway, so a meal that contains enriched rice can be a real win-win."
"As you can see from the map above, rice from other origins is not likely to be fortified," said USA Rice Director of Domestic Promotion Katie Maher.  "This is especially important for pregnant women to keep in mind when they're grocery shopping and preparing meals.  Rice grown and milled in the U.S. is always enriched, and eating U.S.-grown white rice is an easy, affordable way to increase the level of folic acid in your prenatal diet."
USA Rice Daily

Tales of new beginnings

News of Syrian refugees arriving in Canada brings back memories for a first-generation family of Canadians, writes Uzma Jalaluddin.

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Uzma Jalaluddin, left, is grateful she didn't have to go through the same efforts her mother, Azmat Jalaluddin, did when she originally immigrated from India to Canada.
By: Uzma Jalaluddin Special to the Star, Published on Thu Mar 03 2016
Saturday night dinner at my parents’ house is a family ritual. It doesn’t happen every week, but more often than not, that’s where you’ll find us. The ritual starts when I drop my kids off in the afternoon to spend time with their grandparents and uncle. I try not to whoop too loudly as I leave; that sort of behaviour is unbecoming in a doting mother.When my husband and I return, dragging our heels, to pick them up, we usually stay for dinner.
My mom is a good cook. She makes simple Indian dishes — basmati rice, dhal, sautéed okra or beans, chapli kabob, chicken curry, biryani, sometimes a roast. Her most common Saturday night meal is not Indian, but Italian — spaghetti and meat sauce.
A good cook knows her audience.
We update each other on our week. We’re not a very interesting bunch, so this is mostly relegated to work stories, gossip and current events. If my parents are feeling nostalgic, they reminisce about growing up in India, or their early years in Canada.
I’ve heard that memory is an imperfect thing. When you remember something, you’re not actually remembering the thing that happened but rather recalling the last time you remembered it. My parents’ stories have been told and retold so often, they have the polished patina of antique silver. Sometimes they feel like family legends.
But this week is different. This week, the first batch of Syrian refugees have landed in Toronto, welcomed by well wishers, even our new Prime Minister. Tonight we are thoughtful. From this pensive spirit, my mom starts a story I haven’t heard before.“When you leave a country, your whole life changes,” she begins. “I was raised in a closed environment, closely supervised. When it was time to fly to Canada, I had to travel to the airport in Bombay by myself. My plane was delayed for one night in London. I didn’t know what a shuttle bus was, or how to operate an elevator. I had never stayed in a hotel before. I couldn’t understand what the airport officials in London were saying. They thought I couldn’t speak English. I was just scared.”My dad moved first to the United States in 1969 to pursue a Master’s degree. Afterwards, he applied for immigration to Canada. He’d heard good things about Pierre Trudeau. My mother moved to Canada in 1977 to join him.“There were no opportunities for us in India at the time,” my dad explains.When she landed in Canada after a draining two-day journey, she couldn’t understand a word the Canadian Customs Officer said either. And she is fluent in English, Hindi, Urdu, and Telugu, and holds a Master’s degree.The Customs Officer had to call my dad, who was anxiously waiting in the lounge for his bride.
My dad was quite embarrassed. “You know how to speak English!” he said to her. “Did you forget already?”My mom is irate as she tells this part of the story. “I was exhausted!” she says hotly. “I hadn’t eaten in two days because I didn’t know if the airplane food was halal!” My dad just smiles at her.They don’t have to tell me that those early years were hard. Still, they found jobs, made friends, raised their family and put down roots.When I was a new mother, I used to marvel at them — how did they do this all by themselves, in a country so different from their own? I’m not sure I could have done the same thing. I’m grateful I don’t have to.Dinner always ends with dessert. My family has a sweet tooth. Today it’s pistachio ice cream, ice cream bars for my kids.“It will be difficult for the refugees. They have so much uncertainty. I had uncertainty too, but not like them. I had a place to live, and my husband was working,” my mom says. “But I missed my family, my friends. It takes time to get used to things. It takes time to get used to being alone. But they’ll manage. This is a good place to live.”My parents have been married for almost 40 years. They have lived together in Canada for 39 of those years. A very good place to live indeed.
Uzma Jalaluddin is a high school teacher in the York Region. She writes about parenting, and other life adventures.

 

PDS rice scam draining State coffers

·         Hindu

·         Hyderabad

·         Fri,04 Mar 2016
·          
 Summary: Those who purchase this rice are persuaded by ration shop dealers to sell the rice back to them for Rs. Some employees of Civil Supplies Department, ration shop dealers and millers had formed into organised gangs to divert the rice being supplied through PDS. 2 kilo rice. This rice is sold by ration shop dealers to businessmen who supply the same to poultry farms or roadside eateries for Rs. Telangana government losing hundreds of crores of rupees every yearA scam of diverting rice supplied through Public Distribution System with the nexus of rice millers, ration shop dealers and businessmen is denting the Telangana State exchequer to the tune of hundreds of crores of rupees.Telangana government losing hundreds of crores of rupees every year A scam of diverting rice supplied through Public Distribution System with the nexus of rice millers, ration shop dealers and businessmen is denting the Telangana State exchequer to the tune of hundreds of crores of rupees. Taking advantage of the lacunae in PDS, the racketeers are minting money and ‘silencing’ the officials concerned by greasing their palms. Sources said that even Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao got wind of the sabotaging of PDS — meant for the poorest of the poor. With a few days left for the Budget session to being in the Assembly, Mr. 

Rao reportedly directed the police of Hyderabad and Cyberabad to crack a whip on all the persons connected to the scam. “There is no single person or group responsible for this scam. It is more localised,” said a police officer. Some employees of Civil Supplies Department, ration shop dealers and millers had formed into organised gangs to divert the rice being supplied through PDS. 
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/pds-rice-scam-draining-state-coffers/article8314264.ece
http://www.nyoooz.com/hyderabad/378591/pds-rice-scam-draining-state-coffersValue. 

Creamy Indian cheese and peas from Indian cook Mallika Basu

This recipe, also known as Malai Matar Paneer, is a great mid-week fix
·         MALLIKA BASU 
·         Wednesday 2 March 2016

Ingredients (feeds 4)

•    Kasoori methi or garam masala
•    1 tbsp tomato puree
•    8 cashewnuts
•    3 tbsp Greek-style natural yoghurt
•    2 tbsp whole milk
•    225-250gm paneer
•    2 fat cloves garlic
•    1 tbsp oil
•    1 tsp mild chilli/Kashmiri chilli powder
•    Half tsp turmeric powder
•    Handful of peas (frozen is just fine)    •    Salt to taste

Soft cubes of paneer, Indian cheese, nestling in a tomato cream with peas, may look like it’s the result of hours of labour. But this recipe is a quick fix that will hit a spot mid-week, as well as impress guests at the weekend.
Malai is usually used to describe a dish with cream in Indian food. I’ve used cashews, yoghurt and milk instead to give the dish the necessary creamy texture without the heavy feeling you get after cream. Serve this with a stash of rotis, or a dal and some steaming hot Basmati rice.

Bengali Cashew and Coconut fish curry by Indian cook Mallika Basu

Method
If using Kasoori methi, soak a pinch in a tablespoon of warm water. This is fenugreek and it balances the tomato beautifully. 
Next, blitz the tomato puree, cashewnuts, milk and yoghurt together in a hand blender or small smoothie maker until you get a silky paste.
Chop the paneer into even bite-sized pieces. Now bring the oil to heat on medium in a sauté pan or large frying pan. Gently fry the paneer pieces on two opposite sides to seal it. It will hiss and spit, so loosely cover the pan with the lid and be careful. When done, remove them with a slotted spoon.
Now, peel and finely grate or chop the garlic and stir it through the same oil the paneer was fried in. As it turns golden, mix through the chilli powder and turmeric. Then pour in the tomato cream. 
The tomato cream will split and this is perfectly normal, it will reconstitute and give the dish its lovely texture and look. As oil oozes through the pores in a couple of minutes, stir through the paneer and the peas. Cover and simmer for a minute. You can add half a cup of water if you want more curry.
Now stir through the kasoori methi with the water its been soaking in, if using. If not, half a teaspoon of garam masala will do the job too.
Add salt to you taste to finish.
Mallika Basu is a London-based food writer, cookbook author and cookery personality; quickindiancooking.com. Follow her on Twitter@MallikaBasu_ and find more of her recipes for the Evening Standard here
Evening standard


Rice not a problem – NFA-Iloilo


March 4, 2016
ILOILO City – “We have enough supply of rice in Iloilo despite of the El Niño phenomenon,” said National Food Authority (NFA) provincial manager Erna Abello.Abello, one of the panelists during the recent agricultural information caravan on El Niño in Cabatuan, Iloilo, said NFA has a total of buffer stock of 2,591,092 bags good for 121 days.“We are encouraging farmers to avail themselves of our support price of P17.40 per kilo for clean and dry rice delivered to NFA warehouses,” said Abello.Abello also said the province has an allocation of 240,000 bags of imported rice from Thailand as part of the contingency measures for El Niño and other natural calamities.The first shipment containing 120,000 bags arrived on Feb. 20, 2016.The remaining rice import was expected to arrive yesterday. This would be distributed to NFA accredited rice retailers all over the province of Iloilo.

Meanwhile Glenn Carbon, insurance underwriter II of Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC), encouraged farmers affected by El Niño to report their farm damage to their municipal agriculturists or directly to PCIC 20 days before harvest.PCIC Underwriters will assess all reported damage and recommend insurance claims for processing and payment to the affected farmers, said Carbon.Damage reported beyond 20 days and farmers not listed in the master list under the Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture (RSBSA) program will not be eligible for insurance claims.RSBSA is a nationwide database of baseline information of farmers, farm laborers and fisher folk, as well as geographical coordinates of agricultural and fishery workers households. (JEE Ogatis, DA-6/PNEgypt's poorest struggle to find rice amid hoarding
ABU DHABI/CAIRO | BY MAHA EL DAHAN AND ERIC KNECHT



A farmer flattens the soil using a horse to prepare his land for growing rice in the 6th of October village in the Nile Delta province of Al-Baheira, northwest of Cairo, Egypt in this May 22, 2014 file photo.
REUTERS/ASMAA WAGUIH/FILES


Egypt has more rice than it needs but little available for those who need it most.The price the government pays for rice has surged by about 50 percent in the past two months because traders are holding back supplies and expect prices to rise further following the government's failure to replenish its stockpiles.Imported commodities such as cooking oil have been in short supply for weeks at outlets that offer subsidized goods to poor Egyptians as a dollar shortage makes it harder for state importers to secure regular supplies.

But rice is widely grown in Egypt and farmers are actually producing a surplus.
Mostafa al-Naggari, head of the rice committee of Egypt's agricultural export council, estimates the 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.But the government's failure to stockpile rice has left it at the mercy of traders, who are unwilling to sell when prices are rising daily, Naggari said.With an eye to the overall rice surplus, the government has allowed exports to resume, but its failure to accumulate its own stocks has encouraged traders to hold back supplies in the expectation of rising prices while discouraging exports.At the same time, the government has imposed a tariff of 2,000 Egyptian pounds ($255) per tonne tariff, which has kept exports low."One of our vital recommendations to the government before opening the door for rice exports in October was for it to stock up on around half a million tonnes," Naggari said."But that didn't happen and hence we find ourselves in the situation we are in today."

STOCKPILE
Previous governments have stockpiled between 200,000 to 500,000 tonnes of rice, but Naggari said supplies minister Khaled Hanafi had refused to buy any reserves.Critics say Hanafi ignored advice to stockpile rice, saying it was plentiful and he could buy it when he needed it.Hanafi and the Supplies Ministry did not respond to calls for comment.Growing shortages and rising prices carry immense political risk for President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, as tens of millions of the country's poorest rely on state subsidies for their basic food. Economic discontent helped stoke public unrest instrumental in unseating two presidents in the last five years."This month I couldn't get any subsidized rice at all," Cairo resident Sabrine said after returning from a government food outlet empty-handed. "They said we can take juice instead of rice -- what are we going to do with juice?"

The more desperate the government gets in its attempts to buy rice, the more traders are likely to hold back."The rice is there but it's being stockpiled, traders are storing it as they can see the prices go upwards and they are waiting to sell at the highest price," said one trader, who declined to be identified.The government has this week tried to strike back, imposing penalties on suppliers it finds are hoarding, said Adham El Welely, managing director of Unicom for Investment and Development, a rice supplier that has been visited by government officials.
"We've had several visits in the past two days," he said. "They are just trying now to push you to sell or make some movement."(Additional reporting by Ola Noureldin; Editing by Lin Noueihed, Veronica Brown and Giles Elgood)
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-rice-idUSKCN0W61BK

03/04/2016 Farm Bureau Market Report

Rice
High Low
Long Grain Cash Bids
Long Grain New Crop


Futures:
ROUGH RICE

High Low Last Change
Mar '16 1034.0 1026.0 1026.5 +0.5
May '16 1060.5 1048.0 1050.5 0.0
Jul '16 1084.0 1075.0 1077.0 -0.5
Sep '16 1095.5 1095.5 1093.0 -0.5
Nov '16 1110.0 0.0
Jan '17 1125.5 0.0
Mar '17 1125.5 0.0

     
Rice Comment
Rice futures were mostly unchanged today. The market continues to absorb disappointing export news. Weekly export sales of 91,200 tons weren't enough to generate any upward momentum. 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. The market needs to see better movement in order to gain any upward momentum. 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. May came within a penny of the recent contract low of $10.43 before finding support and ending the day closer to the middle of the day's trading range.



Rice Prices
as on : 04-03-2016 08:10:36 PM

Arrivals Price
Current %
change Season 
cumulative Modal Prev.
Modal Prev.Yr
%change
Rice
Bazpur(Utr) 4664.50 345.49 22098.41 2089 1941 11.89
Bangalore(Kar) 1877.00 3.36 91546.00 4150 4150 -2.35
Gadarpur(Utr) 1839.00 133.08 72701.00 2120 2100 6.00
Mumbai(Mah) 1158.00 - 1158.00 3200 - -
Varanasi(Grain)(UP) 680.00 4.62 7125.00 1960 1960 -1.75
Kanpur(Grain)(UP) 400.00 NC 6645.00 2140 2125 -2.28
Manjeri(Ker) 290.00 NC 6960.00 2900 2900 -12.12
Faizabad(UP) 190.00 -2.56 3151.50 2085 2085 -
Azamgarh(UP) 172.50 -1.43 3181.50 2060 2085 -
Allahabad(UP) 160.00 -5.88 4910.00 2150 2125 3.37
Sitapur(UP) 160.00 -1.23 5041.00 2160 2140 -0.23
Bahraich(UP) 148.00 -5.13 2761.50 2080 2070 NC
Agra(UP) 138.00 4.55 3759.00 2100 2120 3.96
Ballia(UP) 130.00 -18.75 5850.00 1970 1970 -0.25
Mathabhanga(WB) 120.00 9.09 2780.00 1950 1950 2.63
Lucknow(UP) 108.50 9.6 2981.50 2140 2150 1.90
Bareilly(UP) 106.00 22.54 5920.00 2190 2200 4.29
Pilibhit(UP) 100.00 2.04 16706.00 2190 2185 -6.61
Dhing(ASM) 89.00 NC 2133.20 1800 1800 -18.18
Aligarh(UP) 85.00 NC 1885.00 2160 2150 13.09
Nalbari(ASM) 84.00 -5.08 441.50 2000 2000 NC
Saharanpur(UP) 80.00 6.67 3576.00 2040 2040 -2.63
Kalipur(WB) 78.00 -2.5 3278.00 2000 2000 -9.09
P.O. Uparhali Guwahati(ASM) 75.00 1.35 2516.50 2100 2100 -19.23
Thodupuzha(Ker) 70.00 NC 1470.00 2650 2650 8.16
Goalpara(ASM) 69.70 24.46 224.10 1800 1800 -
Coochbehar(WB) 64.50 3.2 720.50 2100 2100 -2.33
Junagarh(Ori) 63.97 -1.49 718.91 2100 2100 -4.55
Beldanga(WB) 62.00 3.33 1021.00 2275 2275 -10.78
Wahiajer(Meh) 60.00 - 60.00 3500 - -
Achalda(UP) 60.00 -14.29 2724.50 2250 2270 3.21
Dahod(Guj) 55.60 49.87 853.30 3900 3900 -8.24
Gauripur(ASM) 54.00 14.89 1990.50 4500 4500 -
Samsi(WB) 50.00 -75 14910.00 2900 2900 -
Kasimbazar(WB) 45.00 4.65 1052.50 2340 2370 -8.24
Mangalore(Kar) 42.00 - 125.00 2900 - -2.68
Jorhat(ASM) 40.00 -23.08 883.00 2700 2700 -
Gangavathi(Kar) 40.00 -4.76 125.00 1720 2480 -
Bishnupur(Bankura)(WB) 40.00 -38.46 1560.00 1950 1950 -9.30
Khatra(WB) 38.00 -2.56 648.00 2250 2250 -8.16
Taliamura(Tri) 35.00 9.38 275.00 2300 2300 -
Balrampur(UP) 35.00 -24.73 1073.50 2010 2040 -1.23
Kolhapur(Laxmipuri)(Mah) 30.00 NC 975.00 3000 3000 -
Sirsa(UP) 26.00 4 322.00 2075 2075 -
Garbeta(Medinipur)(WB) 26.00 -7.14 319.00 2350 2400 -1.26
Shikohabad(UP) 25.00 NC 307.50 1985 1985 -6.81
Jhargram(WB) 25.00 4.17 208.00 2700 2700 -3.57
Ramkrishanpur(Howrah)(WB) 25.00 3.31 718.60 2300 2300 -11.54
Lohardaga(Jha) 24.50 22.5 557.00 1850 1760 8.82
Dhekiajuli(ASM) 24.00 -20 629.50 1900 1900 -1.04
Sambhal(UP) 24.00 -11.11 110.00 2175 2200 8.75
Mekhliganj(WB) 22.50 12.5 391.00 2050 2050 -
Gulbarga(Kar) 22.00 - 64.00 2125 - 3.66
Kendupatna(Ori) 20.00 - 20.00 1800 - -
Jasra(UP) 20.00 -4.76 379.50 2025 2075 1.25
Diamond Harbour(South 24-pgs)(WB) 20.00 -4.76 308.00 1850 1850 -13.95
Bohorihat(ASM) 18.00 -18.18 186.40 2100 2075 -14.29
Tamluk (Medinipur E)(WB) 18.00 NC 426.00 2300 2300 9.52
Kolaghat(WB) 16.00 NC 386.00 2300 2300 4.55
Mirzapur(UP) 15.00 -6.25 1036.00 1935 1935 0.78
Pukhrayan(UP) 15.00 -6.25 85.50 2020 1975 -4.49
Bijnaur(UP) 14.00 27.27 363.00 2200 2200 -
Kannauj(UP) 14.00 21.74 220.30 2190 2210 0.92
Jahanabad(UP) 13.50 NC 165.50 2289 2280 15.90
Naugarh(UP) 12.50 8.7 453.50 2065 2060 8.97
North Lakhimpur(ASM) 12.10 -5.47 954.70 1900 1900 -
Champadanga(WB) 12.00 -25 517.00 2300 2300 -14.81
Kasganj(UP) 11.00 -8.33 392.00 1910 1900 -7.06
Tanakpur(Utr) 10.50 -12.5 158.60 2200 2150 -2.22
Palghar(Mah) 10.00 400 426.00 2125 2200 -
Bhivandi(Mah) 10.00 11.11 200.00 3200 3050 90.48
Raibareilly(UP) 10.00 -4.76 223.50 2070 2065 3.50
Kaliaganj(WB) 10.00 -16.67 405.00 2550 2550 10.87
Raiganj(WB) 10.00 NC 585.00 2850 2850 18.75
Dibrugarh(ASM) 9.00 -30.77 742.30 2400 2400 -
Pundibari(WB) 9.00 -10 120.50 2050 2050 -3.53
Chalakudy(Ker) 8.00 NC 68.00 2530 2480 -3.62
Jeypore(Kotpad)(Ori) 7.80 116.67 160.20 1500 4100 -53.85
Hazaribagh(Jha) 7.50 -21.05 74.75 2995 2595 1.35
Tusura(Ori) 7.00 16.67 123.00 2200 2300 -8.33
Bolangir(Ori) 6.50 -13.33 127.00 2200 2300 -8.33
Chengannur(Ker) 6.00 20 368.50 2400 2500 -7.69
Baberu(UP) 6.00 -33.33 111.00 2125 2100 13.33
Khairagarh(UP) 6.00 33.33 243.50 2110 2120 4.46
Karanjia(Ori) 5.50 NC 179.30 2600 2600 4.00
Silapathar(ASM) 5.30 -10.17 465.50 3000 3000 NC
Buland Shahr(UP) 5.00 -28.57 285.00 2050 2050 0.49
Jeypore(Ori) 4.30 330 165.80 325 325 -
Rura(UP) 4.00 -11.11 53.60 2220 2190 5.71
Imphal(Man) 3.50 -12.5 131.00 2900 2900 NC
Arakalgud(Kar) 3.00 -50 9.00 1920 1910 -
Aroor(Ker) 3.00 NC 138.70 6700 6900 -27.96
Bonai(Bonai)(Ori) 3.00 50 66.10 2000 2000 -9.09
Islampur(WB) 3.00 -25 188.20 2150 2150 -
Perinthalmanna(Ker) 2.90 NC 56.80 2500 2500 -
Darjeeling(WB) 2.70 NC 54.90 2800 2800 3.70
Bharuasumerpur(UP) 1.50 50 4.50 1840 1780 -
Lamlong Bazaar(Man) 1.50 -6.25 45.20 2800 2800 -3.45
Thoubal(Man) 1.30 -27.78 61.30 2800 2800 180.00
Shillong(Meh) 0.60 NC 35.30 3500 3500 NC

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/article8313680.ece
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Egypt's poorest struggle to find rice amid hoarding

ABU DHABI/CAIRO |  MAHA EL DAHAN  ERIC KNECHT


A farmer flattens the soil using a horse to prepare his land for growing rice in the 6th of October village in the Nile Delta province of Al-Baheira, northwest of Cairo, Egypt in this May 22, 2014 file photo.
REUTERS/ASMAA WAGUIH/FILES

Egypt has more rice than it needs but little available for those who need it most.The price the government pays for rice has surged by about 50 percent in the past two months because traders are holding back supplies and expect prices to rise further following the government's failure to replenish its stockpiles.Imported commodities such as cooking oil have been in short supply for weeks at outlets that offer subsidized goods to poor Egyptians as a dollar shortage makes it harder for state importers to secure regular supplies.

But rice is widely grown in Egypt and farmers are actually producing a surplus.
Mostafa al-Naggari, head of the rice committee of Egypt's agricultural export council, estimates the 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.But the government's failure to stockpile rice has left it at the mercy of traders, who are unwilling to sell when prices are rising daily, Naggari said.With an eye to the overall rice surplus, the government has allowed exports to resume, but its failure to accumulate its own stocks has encouraged traders to hold back supplies in the expectation of rising prices while discouraging exports.At the same time, the government has imposed a tariff of 2,000 Egyptian pounds ($255) per tonne tariff, which has kept exports low."One of our vital recommendations to the government before opening the door for rice exports in October was for it to stock up on around half a million tonnes," Naggari said."But that didn't happen and hence we find ourselves in the situation we are in today."

STOCKPILE
Previous governments have stockpiled between 200,000 to 500,000 tonnes of rice, but Naggari said supplies minister Khaled Hanafi had refused to buy any reserves.Critics say Hanafi ignored advice to stockpile rice, saying it was plentiful and he could buy it when he needed it.Hanafi and the Supplies Ministry did not respond to calls for comment.Growing shortages and rising prices carry immense political risk for President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, as tens of millions of the country's poorest rely on state subsidies for their basic food. Economic discontent helped stoke public unrest instrumental in unseating two presidents in the last five years."This month I couldn't get any subsidized rice at all," Cairo resident Sabrine said after returning from a government food outlet empty-handed. "They said we can take juice instead of rice -- what are we going to do with juice?"

The more desperate the government gets in its attempts to buy rice, the more traders are likely to hold back."The rice is there but it's being stockpiled, traders are storing it as they can see the prices go upwards and they are waiting to sell at the highest price," said one trader, who declined to be identified.The government has this week tried to strike back, imposing penalties on suppliers it finds are hoarding, said Adham El Welely, managing director of Unicom for Investment and Development, a rice supplier that has been visited by government officials.
"We've had several visits in the past two days," he said. "They are just trying now to push you to sell or make some movement."(Additional reporting by Ola Noureldin; Editing by Lin Noueihed, Veronica Brown and Giles Elgood)
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-rice-idUSKCN0W61BK

03/04/2016 Farm Bureau Market Report

Rice
High
Low
Long Grain Cash Bids
Long Grain New Crop


Futures:
ROUGH RICE
High
Low
Last
Change
Mar '16
1034.0
1026.0
1026.5
+0.5
May '16
1060.5
1048.0
1050.5
0.0
Jul '16
1084.0
1075.0
1077.0
-0.5
Sep '16
1095.5
1095.5
1093.0
-0.5
Nov '16
1110.0
0.0
Jan '17
1125.5
0.0
Mar '17
1125.5
0.0
   
Rice Comment
Rice futures were mostly unchanged today. The market continues to absorb disappointing export news. Weekly export sales of 91,200 tons weren't enough to generate any upward momentum. 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. The market needs to see better movement in order to gain any upward momentum. 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. May came within a penny of the recent contract low of $10.43 before finding support and ending the day closer to the middle of the day's trading range.

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