Tuesday, May 17, 2016

17 May 2016 Daily Global,regional and local Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine-Latest Rice News Updates



Rice exporters aim to ship 0.7m tons to Iran

Plan to open office­s in Irania­n cities of Tehran and Mashha­d
Published: May 17, 2016

KARACHI: Members of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) have decided to open their offices in Tehran and Mashhad in a bid to increase exports to 600,000 to 700,000 tons to Iran – the top Basmati rice importer in the world.With the help of the Ministry of Commerce, the REAP members will invite Iranian rice importers to Pakistan for business-to-business meetings to increase rice trade between the two neighbours, according to a press release.
The decision has been taken after a REAP delegation visited Iran and met rice importers with the assistance of Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in Tehran. The meetings have proved successful and rice exporters expect to get new orders.

However, in a seminar organised recently by REAP at the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, leading bankers pointed out that the State Bank of Pakistan had yet to remove all hurdles in the way of establishing banking links with Iran.Since the efforts to open offices in Iran have the backing of the Pakistan government and the Ministry of Commerce, exporters say they are hopeful of getting new business from Iran.

Pakistan, which used to be the top rice exporter to Iran, has seen a significant decline in its share in the last two years because of the tightening of international sanctions on Tehran. Iran annually imports more than $2 billion worth of rice. Pakistan’s share is negligible as it exported 2,234 tons in fiscal year 2015, fetching just $1.32 million.Exporters say India has replaced Pakistan in Iranian rice markets because of better government-to-government arrangements for trade payments.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 17th, 2016

 

http://tribune.com.pk/story/1104535/higher-exports-rice-exporters-aim-to-ship-0-7m-tons-to-iran/

 

Holder commits to re-examining VAT on imported machinery, spares- during Parliament debate on rice motion

 

A clash in Parliament on Thursday over the state of the rice industry saw Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder committing to a review of the imposition of VAT on imported machinery and spares.

He made the statement while debating a motion in the name of People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) MP Irfaan Ali regarding the state of the rice industry. While rejecting many of the claims in the motion, Holder said: “It is true that VAT is now being charged on imported machinery, equipment and spares unlike the earlier years but this can be re-looked at and [I] will ensure this is done so that recommendations, if considered feasible, can be made to the Ministry of Finance.”

The motion had to be adjourned because of the opening of GuyExpo and debate on it …to continue reading this article, please subscribe.  Already a subscriber ? Sign In.

http://www.stabroeknews.com/2016/news/stories/05/17/holder-commits-re-examining-vat-imported-machinery-spares/



Cows, rice and soil are key to farming emissions cuts

Published on 17/05/2016, 10:03am
More action is needed to cut the carbon footprint of food production in line with a 2C global warming limit
Dairy cattle: Sustainable intensification can cut climate impact (Flickr/AgriLife Today)
By Ana Maria Loboguerrero Rodriguez

Our food system is not ready to meet the 2C global warming limit agreed by governments.
According to research out this week, agriculture alone should be reducing non-CO2 emissions one gigatonne a year by 2030 in order to meet the newly signed Paris Agreement.Further analysis shows that that current agronomic and policy interventions compatible with food production would achieve only 21 to 40% of the needed mitigation to meet agriculture’s share of the target agreed in Paris.
Agriculture contributes between 10-12% of global emissions, and has too much mitigation potential to be ignored. 119 countries have pledged to include reducing agricultural emissions in their action plans, submitted ahead of the Paris conference earlier this year. The will is there – but do countries have a way?
There are many promising solutions in the pipeline that will not only reduce emissions, but also ensure enough food is grown to feed a hungry world. But they require major investment to bring them to scale globally. Here are just some of the possibilities.

Sustainable intensification of livestock

Livestock accounts for up to half of emissions in agriculture. Notably, cows produce methane from digesting grass.This can be reduced with new breeds of cattle that produce less methane, and recently developed food additives that reduce dairy cow emissions by 30% without affecting milk yields.Improving livestock feed and feeding practices, allows livestock production to be intensified on a smaller area. Effective manure management, and the cultivation of grasses that accumulate carbon in soils can reduce emissions by at least 10%.

Preliminary data from the LivestockPlus project (a project conducted in Colombia and Costa Rica by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security) suggests that cultivating grasses such as Brachiaria, which supresses the biological process that turns fertilizer into nitrous oxide, can reduce the emissions of this greenhouse gas to more than 60% in urine patches, which are considered “emission hotspots”.

Reducing emissions in rice farming
Flooded rice systems emit significant amounts of methane. Figures vary, but recent work suggests that flooded rice contributes about 10% of emissions from the agriculture sector globally.
Alternate wetting and drying (AWD) is a management practice in irrigated lowland rice that saves water and reduces greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining yields. It entails farmers monitoring water levels above and below the soil surface and only irrigating when they fall below certain point.Recent studies conducted in Uruguay and Colombia show this cuts emissions 55-65% compared to continuous flooding.Combining AWD with genetically modified crops to use nitrogen more efficiently, management of organic inputs and rice variety selection can further reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which is referred to as AWD+.

Since farmers save money on irrigation costs, AWD+ is becoming the standard conventional practice in some places. The International Rice Research Institute has mapped where in the Philippines and Vietnam this mitigation practice is most suitable, and maps for other countries are in process.

Carbon sequestration
While this study focuses on non-CO2 emissions from agriculture, we know there is much that can be done to also sequester carbon. The question now under intense research is how much.In its 4th Assessment Report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimated that 90% of agriculture’s climate change mitigation potential lies in capturing carbon in soils (carbon sequestration).An initiative proposed by the French government at the Paris climate conference aims to increase soil carbon by 0.4% a year, which is estimated to be enough to offset atmospheric carbon emissions.
Because of the high levels of uncertainty and the ease which sequestration gains can be reversed (by ploughing the land or deforestation, for example), it is important to stay focused on reducing emissions from agriculture as well.

Unlocking financial incentives
Farmers, and other actors throughout the food chain, need to be incentivised to reduce emissions.
Subsidies and innovative ways of valuing emissions, such as green bonds or auctions of the future value of greenhouse gas reductions, could play an important role.Incentives for governments and the private sector to meet sustainability standards that include mitigation could also make a big difference.

Without proper financing, farmers simply won’t be able to adopt locally appropriate mitigation tools. Support from the Green Climate Fund to help the agriculture sector monitor, report and verify emissions reductions is going to be critical.If we are to meet the 2C climate target, we must seize the opportunity that mitigation in agriculture presents. Developing a globally recognised target for emission reductions in the sector is the first step to guide countries towards a more sustainable future for our food systems, and our planet as a whole.
Ana Maria Loboguerrero Rodriguez is a research program leader at the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS)


PhilRice Text Center gains popularity among rice stakeholders


Posted by Web Team Posted on May - 16 - 2016
The PhilRice Text Center (PTC) posted a 47.3% increase in client registration nationwide for the first quarter of 2016.Data shows that from 18,924 registered clients in March 2015, it jumped to 27,883 as of March 31, 2016.PTC is a digital platform that provides daily consultation services to rice farmers through call and short messaging services (SMS). It also caters to students, extension workers, researchers, and other stakeholders who are inclined to the rice industry.
The PTC management considers this a milestone which went far from just less than a hundred registered clients in 2004 when it started its operations. PTC was initially launched as the Farmers’ Text Center (FTC) by the Open Academy for Philippine Agriculture (OPAPA).In 2015, PTC also received an average of 240 SMS per day. Other services it renders are monthly rice tips, weather advisories, promotions, and announcements.

“By responding to the farmers’ queries, we give them informed decisions in their farming practices. We regularly receive positive feedback and it overwhelms us,” said Fredierick Saludez, agriculturist and PTC’s main agent.Saludez reported that top queries are on seed quality and varietal information, pest management, seed availability, and nutrient management.“Salamat po sa mga tips, maganda po ani ko ngayon (Thank you for the rice tips, I got bountiful harvest),” said Sanny Huelva, farmer-client from Masbate.By sending keywords, for instance Rc222, farmers can instantly receive characteristics of rice varieties such as yield, maturity period, reaction to pests, and eating quality.Top 10 provinces with most “texters” come from Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Pangasinan and Isabela. Rounding off the list are the provinces of Agusan Del Norte, Oriental Mindoro, Northern Samar, and Leyte.

PTC was established due to the popularity and economical cost of text messaging in the Philippines in early 2000. Another rationale for its establishment is to complement the existing agricultural extension services and link farmers to experts and inform them of the new rice production technologies.“The rise in the number of texters implies that our clients perceive the platform useful for their purpose. We highly encourage our partners in the agricultural sector to continue promoting the PTC to make rice information more accessible to farmers especially those who have little or no access to these information,” said Myriam G. Layaoen, head of the PhilRice’s Development Communication Division.

Meanwhile, the PTC team is looking at tapping national telecommunication companies to introduce upgrade in systems and facilities to further improve the delivery of PTC services.
“We are now exploring the possibility of partnering with TelCos to provide us with technical advice on system upgrades and eventually help us reach their client base through mass text messaging,” Layaoen added.

To register, just type REG<space>NAME<space>LOCATION<space>OCCUPATION (e.g. REG JUAN DELA CRUZ LEYTE FARMER) and send to 0920 911 1398
- See more at: http://www.philrice.gov.ph/philrice-text-center-gains-popularity-among-rice-stakeholders/#sthash.tJlmlPqU.dpuf



Rice sector predicts a worrying trend


Tue, 17 May 2016

Although data for first four months of this year have shown a slight rise in rice exports, millers and exporters continue to raise concerns on the back of April’s rapid decline. The most recent data on rice exports released by the Ministry of Agriculture stated that 39,550 tonnes of rice was exported in April of this year, more than 30 per cent less than the same time last year. In comparison, March exports only decreased by 14.5 per cent year-on-year. Despite the total number of exports for the first quarter of this year showing an increase of 0.3 per cent, Kann Kunthy, CEO of Battambang rice miller Brico, said that April signified the beginning of a trend.

“The decrease in rice exports is the result of no [preventative] action being taken from the Cambodian Rice Federation or the government” he said, adding that millers had already sent a slew of recommendations that could alleviate the sector. Kunthy added that without solutions to address the high electricity and transportation costs, Cambodian rice exports will continue to decrease. “We have already done our duty so the only thing we can do is hope for a solution from the government,” he said. “At this point we cannot decrease our rice price any lower to make it competitive with declining regional prices.”





The solution to better health and rice self-sufficiency


May 16, 2016 (updated)
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Earlier this year, I wrote a rather extensive piece on  why the Philippines  has not attained rice self-sufficiency despite having the  International Rice Research Institute   and PhilRice headquartered in our shores.   As I dug deeper into our rice situation,   I found out that our problems not only involve rice  production per se,   but  also the very survival of our  indigenous rice varieties.See,   the Philippines is one of the few countries in the world endowed with more than 3,000 indigenous  types of rice. Most of these varieties have DNA strains that date back three thousand years  before Christ.    Rice varieties  that  have not been cross-bred and whose DNA remain   intact are known as   “heirloom” or “traditional”  rices (yes, “rices” is the plural form of “rice”).   These strains have been passed-on   from one generation to another along with a plethora of planting traditions, methods and superstitions. Unfortunately,  many of  these rices are no longer planted today.     The   few that are still planted, however,    are being  cultivated  sparsely  on lands as small as one  hectare, just enough just to feed the farmer’s family.  This is where the problem lies.

Experts fear that if we do not create a demand for these indigenous rices, farmers will simply  stop planting them.  This could  spell the permanent  extinction  of these heirloom  varieties.  How unfortunate that will be for future generations.In my personal capacity,   I have organized  a project  to promote the consumption  of both heirloom and  unpolished rices precisely to  provide our small farmers with   a steady flow of demand.    While laying the groundwork for this  project,  I   crossed  paths with    PhilRice’ Director,  Hazel V. Antonio, who, coincidentally,    is  also spearheading a nationwide project to promote the consumption of unpolished rice.  Evidently, we are two entities in pursuit of the same goal. We have since began cooperating.

PhilRice has provided me with  research materials,  access to cooperatives and  technical assistance  while I help them  disseminate information about their programs  while  promoting   traditional rices  in our  chain of restaurants. I am a  believer that  things don’t fall into place unless they are meant to be.   It seems fate is working   to push this noble cause forward.

BROWN4good

In a future piece,  I will tell you  more about my project.   For now, let me talk about Antonio’s endeavor cleverly  named “BROWN4good.”  The project   is  being done under the auspices  of PhilRice,  an agency under the purview of the Department of Agriculture. At the heart of the program is the twin purpose of  educating  the public  on the health benefits of brown rice  while bringing us closer to self-sufficiency in  rice production. BROWN4good uses social media to forward its cause.

For those unaware,  “brown rice” is a term generically  used   for all  rices with its layer of bran retained.  Brown rice is  neither  refined nor  polished  and can come in the color  black, red, pink  or purple.The mechanics of  “BROWN4good  is simple.    Beginning next month, the  public can upload pictures of their meals  with  brown rice as  an accompaniment on facebook, instagram or twitter.   Uploaded pictures should have the hashtag, “#BROWN4good”,   with as many friends tagged as possible.
For every hashtag, the Department of Agriculture will provide a brown rice meal to a malnourished child.  Antonio affirms that this is the easiest way for us to help fight hunger while doing what has become second nature to most –   posting their meals on social media.

Health Benefits of Brown Rice

To consume polished white rice is almost like consuming pure carbohydrates. To consume   brown rice benefits the body in a multitude of ways.As mentioned earlier,  brown rice is the whole grain of rice with only the hull or husk removed.  It retains its  bran (the outer crust of the grain) where a profusion of  antioxidants,  fiber,  proteins, vitamins and minerals reside.
Those wanting to lose weight will be happy  to know that consuming brown rice can hasten the weight loss process.   For one,  brown rice makes  you feel full  quicker  thereby causing  you to eat less.

It is also rich in  Manganese and fiber,  the former  working to synthesize fats while the latter helps bowels work at its optimum.    Fiber is a wonder mineral in that    it attaches itself to toxins and  cancer causing substances in the colon. It then flushes them out with regularity. Eating brown rice takes off the bloat  from your body.Brown rice is also rich in  Selenium, a mineral  that  reduces the risk  of arthritis and  heart disease by blocking the build-up of  arterial plaque.

Unpolished  rice  also  helps stabilize blood  sugar levels.  In fact,   just half a cup  a day could  reduce  the risk of acquiring diabetes by 60%.  Hence, It is an excellent  food choice for those who already   have  diabetes and need to manage their  sugar levels.Strawberries, blueberries and grapes are among the “superfoods”   bursting with  antioxidants.  These antioxidants are extremely beneficial for the body as they quell  cellular damage – a common pathway for cancer and a buffet of other diseases.   Brown rice is counted  in this category.

Closer to Rice Self-Sufficiency

In a previous piece, I explained  why the Philippines has failed to  become  self-sufficient  in rice despite  government’s  earnest efforts.  For those who missed it,  the reasons are four fold.   Primary is that the Philippines only has 4.5 million hectares of rice fields  as compared to 7.5 million and 11 million hectares for Thailand and Vietnam, respectively. Exacerbating the situation is  having more mouths to feed what with our 102 million population. The absence of great water systems like the Mekong river running across our lands is another reason.  Ours is an archipelago with smaller water systems. The fourth reason is the failure of the national irrigation authority  to aptly  irrigate our farmlands. To date, NIA has only  irrigated 68 percent of our rice farms despite large appropriations in the national budget.
All things told, we were 89 percent self- sufficient in rice as of 2015.
The beauty about consuming brown rice is that it has a 10 percent higher  milling recovery rate as compared to white rice.  This translates  to 1.2 million metric tons of additional rice production a year, enough to bridge the production gap.
Granted, it is impossible for the nation to completely abandon white rice and in favor of  brown.  Still, studies show that if Filipinos eat brown rice for just three square meals in one month,  our rice importation will shrink by 50,000 metric  tons per year. This translates to savings of P812 million.

It benefits the farmers
The average rice farmer today earns just 105,000 pesos a year. Typically,  they sell their produce to traders as fresh paddy rice at 14 pesos a kilo.  After refining, millers sell them to wholesalers for  38 pesos a kilo.  By the time it reaches the market shelves,  it is sold for  40 pesos. The rice farmer,  the person  who puts the most effort in the  process,   earns the least in the supply chain.  The lion’s share of profits  go to the  millers, most of whom are composed of large corporations.

Opting for brown rice  over white allows us to skip the milling process entirely.  Hence, the farmers can sell their  produce directly to wholesalers,  to restaurants  or even directly to consumers thereby keeping the lion’s share of profits  for themselves.   Even better is that since most brown rice are considered artisanal,  they can command higher prices. Again, the  windfall goes directly to farmers pockets.An increased consumption of brown rice translates to a multiplier effect on the take-home incomes of our farmers.

The benefits of consuming brown rice far outweighs the premium we pay of it and the effort on our part to adjust  our eating habits.  Every cup consumed benefits yourself, the farmers, the hungry and the country.  It is  a compelling proposition.
***
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


How El Niño may help Thailand to get rid of its huge rice stockpile


Thailand’s rice subsidy scheme was the previous government main populist policy, but within two years of highly subsidised prices it has turned into a political and economic disaster, leaving Thailand with a massive unsold inventory of rice and warehouses filled to the brim
By Olivier Languepin -
May 14, 2016
According to Business Insider, the recent heat wave and subsequent drought in Asia may help Thailand to reduce its huge unsold rice inventory.In 2011, Thailand was the world's largest exporter of rice, accounting for about 30% of the global market.But then prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra introduced a controversial rice scheme where the government would pay farmers almost 50% more than market prices.The idea was that since almost 40% of Thailand's labor force worked in agriculture, then it would make the average Thai wealthier while also creating a rice shortage by taking supply off of the market.Thailand’s rice subsidy scheme was the previous government main populist policy, but within two years of highly subsidised prices it has turned into a political and economic disaster.
Unsurprisingly,  Thailand's military leader, General Prayuth Chan-Ocha, dismissed the program adding that alternative measures were needed to boost agricultural development and support to farmers.
A two fold plan that never unfolded
The rice subsidy policy, known domestically as the rice-pledging scheme, was a two fold plan. First, the price offered to Thai rice farmers was to be raised through direct government purchase to levels about 50 per cent above the prevailing market price, creating a strong electoral basis for the Pheu Thai ruling party of Yingluck Shinawatra.Second, the international price was to be raised by reducing Thai exports, as Thailand is normally the top rice exporter in the world.
But the second part of the plan didn't work so well, and Thailand was left with a huge stockpile of unsold rice rotting in packed warehouses, while India and Vietnam were expanding their market shares betting on lower prices.Prices didn't rise as much as the Thai government was anticipating, and then competitors — India and Vietnam — began to flood the market and lower their prices.
That left Thailand with a massive unsold inventory of rice and warehouses filled to the brim.Thailand's warehouses could be holding as much as 18 million tons of rice, some of them smuggled from neighbouring rice-producing countries, especially Cambodia, to take advantage of the above-market prices being offered by the Thai government.But there might finally be some relief in sight. The El Niño of 2015-16 has caused drought conditions across much of China, India, and Southeast Asia.And while farmers in Thailand and elsewhere in the region are being devastated by the weather, the Thai government has an opportunity to unload a good portion of its stockpile.
Here's Deutsche Bank (emphasis added):
According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Thailand's rice inventory is set to drop by almost 50% to 5.2mn MT in 2016 on the back of a projected decline in domestic output to a five-year low of 15.8mn MT.
And the good news doesn't stop there. Deutsche Bank says (emphasis added):
It is highly plausible, in our view, that Thailand would take this El Niño episode as an opportunity to clear its huge stockpile and regain market share as shipments of rival exporters will likely be curbed by reduced domestic output

N. Korea pushes for timely rice planting to boost output


2016/05/16 14:09
SEOUL, May 16 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is calling on its people to carry out timely rice planting in an effort to boost the country's grain production.The move comes as the country gears up for the spring planting season in the wake of the rare congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) that ended last Monday. In the key gathering, the first of its kind in 36 years, the North announced various economic projects aimed at improving the economic conditions of the impoverished country.In an editorial on Monday, the North's main newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, called for the people to concentrate all their effort on a rice-transplanting campaign to gain a breakthrough in grain production. The paper likened rice farming to a "battle" to increase the country's grain production.

The Northeast country of more than 20 million has suffered from frequent food shortages as the output of rice, its main staple, has not met demand. A lack of fertilizer, power shortages and poor infrastructure have been cited as causes of the country's troubles.The newspaper said a great victory in the agricultural frontline is a political struggle for the WPK.Despite the severe drought last year, the daily claimed, the country successfully achieved rice planting success and urged all sectors of North Korean society to help out with farming.Then it proposed a term, "the Speed of Mallima," to prompt North Koreans to work harder to attain the country's economic goals as well as rice planting.The term Mallima, which was coined by the North, means a horse that runs 10 times as fast as Chollima, an imaginary horse with wings that can travel at least 400 kilometers a day.North Korea first launched the Chollima Movement in the late 1950s as an economic campaign to rebuild its economy after the 1950-53 Korean War.

India's monsoon delay not to affect crop sowing: weather office


NEW DELHI | By Mayank Bhardwaj

Labourers plant saplings in a paddy field on the outskirts of the eastern Indian city of Bhubaneswar in this July 19, 2014 file photo. India's weather office said on Monday the late arrival of the monsoon will not delay crop sowing and that rains are expected to make rapid progress after their arrival around June 7.
Laxman Singh Rathore, chief of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), also told Reuters he was sticking to the original forecast of above-average rainfall this year after two straight years of drought that cut farm income.Monsoon rains, the lifeblood for agriculture-dependent India, typically arrive on the southern tip of Kerala state by around June 1 and cover the entire country by mid-July.On Sunday the IMD said the monsoon would arrive by June 7."There's a semblance of normality in the forecast that rains would arrive by June 7. In effect, I don't see any impact on sowing or overall agricultural productivity," Rathore said in an interview.Heavy rains have lashed southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the past few days and showers are expected to hit interior areas of Karnataka state in the next few days, he said.

"Pre-monsoon showers will set the stage for sowing and rains are expected to gather momentum once monsoon arrives by June 7," Rathore said.Millions of farmers plant rice, cane, corn, cotton and soybean crops in the rainy months of June and July. Harvesting starts from October.Current weather patterns suggest that the monsoon would make a rapid progress once rains arrive on the Kerala coast, said K. K. Singh, chief of agricultural meteorology."At the moment there is cause for concern at all. We are set to have plentiful rains this year," Singh said.The weather office last month said El Nino - a warming of the eastern Pacific Ocean that can lead to dry spells in South Asia - is fading and giving way to La Nina in which the same waters cool.

The monsoon season delivers about 70 percent of India's annual rainfall. It is critical for the country's 263 million farmers because nearly half of their farmland lacks irrigation.Bountiful rains could keep a lid on inflation and also encourage the Reserve Bank of India to cut interest rates after the central bank in April eased its repo rate by 25 basis points to its lowest in more than five years.
(Reporting by Mayank Bhardwaj, editing by David Evans)

http://in.reuters.com/article/us-india-monsoon-idINKCN0Y71CM

 

 

UC Riverside plant geneticist elected to National Academy of Sciences


By Rod Pirniakan on May 16, 2016

The National Academy of Science (NAS) has granted membership to University of California, Riverside genetics professor, Julia Bailey-Serres, in recognition of her research on the flood tolerance of rice plants. In 2011, Bailey-Serres, alongside fellow researchers from UC Riverside, UC Davis and the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, successfully identified a gene, SUB1A, which allows certain varieties of rice to survive when completely submerged in water. “My group’s role focused on discovering about how that (SUB1A) and the related genes are regulated,” Bailey-Serres said. “We also uncovered how the SUB1A gene works in the plant to enable survival of a long time (two weeks or more) underwater: the mechanism of function. It turns out that the gene allows the plant to more slowly consume its energy reserves and protects it during the process of de-submergence, so that shoots can regrow.”

In addition, rice crops submerged in water face less competition from weeds and require less herbicide, which will reduce labor costs and environmental harm. Rice is a vital staple food globally, second to corn, and a successful harvest can often demarcate the line between survival and starvation in many impoverished areas. A quarter of the world’s rice crop is cultivated in areas that are prone to seasonal flooding. The identification and exploitation of this characteristic will provide food security for some of the most vulnerable communities. The International Rice Institute was quick to apply this research. Between five and 10 million farmers in nations throughout South and Southeast Asia are cultivating rice crops that express this gene.

“These new rice cultivars perform very similarly — really indistinguishably — from the same varieties with the SUB1A gene,” said Bailey-Serres.As for her future endeavors, Bailey-Serres intends to continue investigating how plants deal with too little oxygen as a result of flooding, something that has captured her interest for most of her career. “We are working on the mechanism of function of other genes important to flooding tolerance in rice,” Bailey-Serres said. “One project is to understand how SUB1A and the other genes work together or not. We are also very interested in the evolutionary conservation of the pathways that are important for flooding tolerance across plant species.”

“The call from NAS members woke me up, I went from surprised, to honored, to delighted pretty quickly,” Bailey-Serres said when asked about her initial feelings upon being elected. “UCR already had three women in the NAS and I am very happy to be the fourth. I am looking forward to being involved in NAS activities.”Established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, the NAS is a private, nonprofit organization that is a part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. New members are elected annually by current members based on their continuing achievements in original research. Bailey-Serres is the seventh faculty member from UC Riverside to attain membership in the organization

http://www.highlandernews.org/24244/uc-riverside-plant-geneticist-elected-national-academy-sciences-2/

 

Scientists invent a cooking hack to cut calories in rice by over half

Everyone loves rice.

You can't eat a good curry or a chilli con carne without it.But unless you're one of those lucky ectopmorphs who can fill up on rice at every meal without blowing up like a balloon, then it's best to eat it sparingly.However US scientists have come up with a cooking hack that could eliminate more than 50 per cent of the calories from your rice, according to Delish.The research found that this new way of cooking it basically renders some of the starch in the rice indigestible by the human body.All you have to do is add a spoonful of coconut oil to your rice water and then leave it to simmer for between 20 to 40 minutes (we told you coconut oil was incredible stuff).
Then you have to refrigerate the rice for 12 hours and it cuts the number of calories you body takes in by up to 60 per cent, according to the research presented at the 249th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.
Why does it work? Well, rice is made up of two kinds of starch - one that our body can easily digest and another that is resistant, as we don't have the correct enzymes to do so.The easily digested starch spikes our blood sugar which, if we're not burning the energy, is quickly stored in fat cells.So the trick scientists have created basically shifts the balance in favour of resistant starches, to stop more being broken down and sending our blood sugar up.

This is where the miracle stuff coconut oil comes in. Boiling a teaspoon of it along with the rice makes the starch granules resistant to the digestive enzymes and refrigerating the rice helps this process along.The best part is that when you reheat it, it won't alter the calorie-cutting effect of the coconut oil.
 

 

Can you afford (non-white) rice?

May 16, 2016 12.00PM | Elias Wee
by Elias Wee
CONTROVERSY surrounds the humble bowl of rice. On Friday, May 6, ST reported Health Promotion Board’s (HPB) chief Zee Yoong Kang referring to a meta-analysis of cohort studies. Its conclusion: Eating more white rice increases the risk of diabetes. His suggestion: Switch to healthier – wholegrain – alternatives.According to The Whole Grains Council (TWGC), wholegrain rice has three parts – endosperm, bran, and germ – intact. (The inedible husk is removed.) Regular white rice only has the endosperm, because its grains have gone through a polishing process that removes the bran and germ. Fibre, protein, minerals, and vitamins are lost when this is done too.

Making the switch – like flicking on a switch?
Some, including Men’s Health, disagree with Mr Zee. But let’s say you are convinced. You want to replace white rice with wholegrain alternatives. What is the price for making the switch? Can you afford it?

Whether it’s at the hawker centre or at the supermarket, you pay more for alternatives. Compared to white rice, brown rice costs from 20 cents to $1 more at the hawker centre and 90 cents more per kilogram for brown rice (house brand) at the supermarket. What about availability? An ST article (May 10) said: “A check with hawker centres and food courts in Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, and Toa Payoh found that only one or two stalls at each food centre offer brown rice as an alternative to white rice.”
As for red rice, which is rarely offered at hawker centres, it is $1.14 more per kilogram at the supermarket.
Type of rice
Brand of rice
Price ($) displayed
Price ($) per kilogram
White
Fairprice Thai Fragrant White Rice
$5.90 for 5kg
$1.18/kg
Brown
Fairprice Thai Brown Unpolished Rice
$5.20 for 2.5kg
$2.08/kg
Red
Fairprice Thai Red Unpolished Rice
$5.80 for 2.5kg
$2.32/kg

Showing 1 to 3 of 3 entries
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Well, presuming the prices are, in part, indicative of their healthier status, do you know what are the benefits of each type of rice? We break them down so you know what you’re paying for:
.
1. White rice
Rice rabbit by Flickr user Ray_LAC. CC BY 2.0.
Not all white rice are the same. An infographic created by ST, referencing the Glycemic Index Research Unit (GIRU) at Temasek Polytechnic, showed that short-grain rice have a higher Glycemic Index (GI) than long-grain rice – this means more carbohydrates are broken down to produce higher levels of sugar, creating greater spikes in blood glucose levels. Such frequent spikes leads to an increased risk of diabetes.
According to epicurious, short grain white rice is typically used for making sushi. Long grain white rice has two aromatic options: basmati and jasmine (also known as Thai Hom Mali). Typically, basmati rice is used in nasi biryani, while jasmine rice is most common in Chinese rice dishes.
White rice has a plethora of varieties. But check out parboiled rice (or converted rice). Rice, still covered in the husk, is partially boiled; nutrients from the bran are absorbed by the endosperm. The GI for parboiled rice is lower than white rice in general, according to Harvard Medical School.
Examples:
           Budget Long Grain White Rice, 5kg, $5.30 (Fairprice) – $1.06/kg
           Fairprice Thai Fragrant White Rice, 5kg, $5.90 (Fairprice) – $1.18/kg
           Fairprice India Ponni Rice Parboiled, 5kg, $6.90 (Fairprice) – $1.38/kg
           Mulberry Basmati Rice, 5kg, $16.95 (Giant) – $3.39/kg
.
2. Brown rice
. 015/366 – Brown rice by Flickr user Arria Belli. CC BY-SA 2.0.
This is the most common wholegrain rice. Brown rice has a more chewy texture and nuttier flavour. Supermarkets here also sell brown rice in the two aromatic options: jasmine and basmati.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Nutrient Database, brown rice, when compared to white rice (both long-grained), has more protein, minerals like iron, magnesium, zinc, and vitamins such as vitamin B-6, E, and K. The GIRU shows that brown rice has a lower GI than white rice. A 2006 study showed that brown rice helps to lower and regulate cholesterol levels too.
Despite these benefits, why have rice grains been conventionally polished? The bran and germ contains natural oils that go rancid more easily. Hence, it’s recommended to store it in an airtight container.
Examples:
           Fairprice Thai Brown Unpolished Rice, 2.5kg, $5.20 (Fairprice) – $2.08/kg
           ecoBrown’s Unpolished Brown Rice, 5kg, $14.50 (Giant) – $2.90/kg
           Daawat Quick Cooking Basmati Brown Rice, 1kg, $4.80 (Sheng Siong) – $4.80/kg
           Golden Phoenix Germinated* Brown Jasmine Rice, 1kg, $6.05 (Giant) – $6.05/kg
*Refers to unpolished rice allowed to germinate for a night or two, so that the grain “becomes more nutritious, easier to chew, and tastier”. – UN FAO Rice Conference 2004..

3. Red rice
Red rice by Flickr user matyas X. CC BY-SA 2.0.
Red rice is a wholegrain with a nutty flavour and firm texture. But it has an antioxidant, called anthocyanin, that gives its bran a red pigment. Antioxidants help to guard the body’s cells from free radical-induced damage.
A United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report said that red rice has two times more iron and six times more zinc than brown rice. Like brown rice, it is also a rich source of fibre relative to white rice.
According to Health Benefits Times (HBT), red rice was originally grown in China and was used as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Today, however, it is cultivated across Europe, Southeast Asia and South America. HBT also said that the natural red colouring “leaches out and dyes the rest of the dish” red or pink.  
Examples:
           Fairprice Thai Red Unpolished Rice, 2.5kg, $5.80 (Fairprice) –$2.32/kg
           Paddy King Red Cargo Rice, 1kg, $3.80, (Giant) –$3.80/kg
           Golden Phoenix Germinated Red Cargo Rice, 1kg, $6.05 (Giant) –$6.05/kg
.
4. Black rice






Black rice… by Flickr user storebukkebruse. CC BY 2.0.
Ancient Chinese legend, according to Health Magazine, says that only emperors were allowed to eat this forbidden rice. The dark hue is a result of its rich antioxidant bran, said the magazine, but it also has a “chewier and more intense [flavour]”.
Black rice is also a nutrient powerhouse. The UN FAO report shows that black rice has three times more fibre than brown rice, and more protein than white, brown or red rice.
Dietician Fiona Atkinson, who compiled a list of GIs for common Asian foods, found in her list that black rice porridge had a lower GI than regular, white rice porridge.
Examples:
           Happy Family Black Glutinous Rice, 1kg, $5.50 (Sheng Siong) –$5.50/kg
           Golden Phoenix Germinated Black Cargo Rice, 1kg, $6.30 (Giant) –$6.30/kg
           Simply Natural Organic** Black Rice, 1kg, $8 (Cold Storage) –$8/kg
** Refers to rice that is cultivated based on a system of farming “without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers”.
.O
5. Wild rice

 

Wild rice is less common. According to TWGC, it is “difficult to grow, with low yields per acre”. Originally, it grew in the lakes of Northeastern America and Canada, but now 70 per cent of wild rice is commercially farmed in California. It tends to be expensive too.

So why eat wild rice? The USDA database shows wild rice has twice the amount of protein as brown rice. It also has 50 per cent more magnesium, and about three times the amount of zinc. A University of Minnesota study said that it is high in antioxidant levels too.

Examples:

           Bob’s Red Mill Quick Cooking Wild Rice, 0.226kg, $10.85 (Cold Storage) –$48/kg

.Why is wholegrain rice so expensive?

Looking at the examples, you will notice that the price per unit weight of unpolished rice – whether brown, red, black, or wild – tends to be more than white rice. But why does wholegrain rice cost more than white rice? After all, white rice requires extra steps – more processing. An HPB article states two possible reasons:

           First, white rice experiences greater economies of scale, since the quantity of white rice consumed is greater than wholegrain rice.

           Second, wholegrain rice has a shorter shelf life than white rice; it’s more costly “to preserve the quality of brown rice during transportation and storage”.

 Chicken and egg and rice?

An ST article published on Tuesday (May 10) said wholegrain rice made up five per cent of rice sales last year. Since white rice forms 95 per cent of rice sales, it enjoys greater economies of scale, which appears to be the reason why white rice is cheaper – partly, at least. And because it’s cheaper, more people are able to buy white rice – sounds like a chicken and egg situation?

Unless a lot more people – who are financially able – buy wholegrain rice, because they prefer it, only then will its price fall. So in the meantime, while the G has already started waging war on diabetes, it’s the poorer customers who lose out: Even if they want to make the switch to wholegrain rice, they’ll have to pay more for a product that has less processing – a price we cannot assume all are willing or able to pay. In food distribution exercises, for example, how often do you see packets of wholegrain rice distributed?

.How to get more people choosing wholegrain rice?

Try cooking wholegrain rice in vegetable stock or meat broth – this is one suggestion from Mr Ken Yuktasevi, 35, creative director at Grain Traders, a local cafe that serves brown rice and other wholegrain alternatives. He said that one should just treat whole grains like you would white rice, and, if necessary, “eat it with naughty stuff like curry first”.

What about the children? It’s notoriously difficult to convince them to eat healthy. So how can parents get their children to eat wholegrain rice? “Start by eating it and loving it yourself” is Mr Yuktasevi’s answer. The father of two believes that parents should set the example – eat healthy as the norm and don’t see it as an “event”. He added: “Eating healthy only works when it’s a habit, not a have-to.”

Well, it’s hard if it’s an expensive habit, no?

 

 

05/16/2016 Farm Bureau Market Report




Arkansas Farm Bureau <mktrpt@arfb.com>

Soybeans

High
Low
Cash Bids
1064
997
New Crop
1066
1025


Riceland Foods


Cash Bids
Stuttgart: - - -
Pendleton: - - -
New Crop
Stuttgart: - - -
Pendleton: - - -


Futures:

SOYBEANS


High
Low
Last
Change





Jul '16
1071.75
1055.00
1064.50
-0.50
Aug '16
1073.50
1057.75
1066.75
-0.25
Sep '16
1066.50
1052.00
1059.50
0.00
Nov '16
1062.25
1047.50
1055.00
+0.50
Jan '17
1059.00
1047.25
1053.75
+2.00
Mar '17
1037.75
1024.00
1034.25
+4.25
May '17
1033.00
1019.75
1028.25
+3.25
Jul '17
1032.75
1022.25
1027.75
+2.25
Aug '17
1018.00
1018.00
1012.00
-0.25



Soybean Comment

Soybeans continue to consolidate as the market has seen sharp gains over the last month. The soybean market faces a number of challenges as the market is beginning to second guess the record demand forecast by the USDA last week. The good news for producers is the market has still yet to see the bottom fall out of prices. While this is expected at some point soybeans, November soybeans remain about a quarter off of their recent highs and continue to maintain the gains following last week’s bullish USDA report.


Wheat

High
Low
Cash Bids
484
440
New Crop
485
460


Futures:

WHEAT


High
Low
Last
Change





Jul '16
476.50
467.50
474.75
0.00
Sep '16
485.75
476.75
484.00
0.00
Dec '16
501.00
492.25
499.00
-0.25
Mar '17
516.00
507.25
513.75
+0.50
May '17
524.75
516.25
522.25
+0.75
Jul '17
526.50
519.00
525.25
+1.25
Sep '17
532.75
532.75
532.00
+2.00
Dec '17
545.75
538.50
545.00
+1.00
Mar '18
555.25
554.25
555.75
+0.25

Wheat prices showed little life today as corn and soybeans showed only marginal moves. The market continues to face a bearish demand outlook as exports remain less than impressive and U.S. stocks are forecast to top 1 billion bu. The market needs to see sales materialize on the current weakening of the dollar.


Grain Sorghum

High
Low
Cash Bids
356
350
New Crop
308
302





Corn

High
Low
Cash Bids
402
372
New Crop
395
385


Futures:

CORN


High
Low
Last
Change





Jul '16
394.25
386.25
394.00
+3.25
Sep '16
396.25
389.25
396.00
+2.75
Dec '16
400.50
394.00
400.00
+1.75
Mar '17
408.50
402.00
408.25
+2.25
May '17
412.25
407.00
412.25
+2.00
Jul '17
416.25
410.75
416.00
+1.75
Sep '17
410.25
408.75
411.75
+1.50
Dec '17
414.75
409.75
414.25
+0.75
Mar '18
422.00
419.25
422.00
+0.50

Corn Comment

Corn prices closed higher again today as prices found support in stronger oil prices and continued firm export demand. While new crop corn was unable to close much above support at $4, prices are still near recent highs. Corn needs further demand support as weakening soybean prices could lead to further declines. Upside potential remains limited as a bearish supply outlook continues to weigh on prices.


Cotton
Futures:

COTTON


High
Low
Last
Change





Jul '16
61.52
60.62
60.99
0.37
Oct '16
- - -
- - -
61.24
-0.08
Dec '16
61.11
60.36
60.48
-0.03



Cotton Comment

Cotton futures began the week mostly lower. The monthly WASDE report showed the largest ending stocks in eight years for the 16-17 crop year. That is based upon the March prospective plantings of 9.6 million acres and expectations for relatively favorable growing conditions resulting in average yields of 807 lbs. per acre for a total crop of 14.8 million bales. However, global stocks are projected to decline 6.2% as China releases low-cost, low-quality cotton from their stockpile. China plans to auction 2 million metric tons of cotton this summer. December closed below trendline support today and could head back toward support just above 59 cents.


Rice

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


Futures:

ROUGH RICE


High
Low
Last
Change





Jul '16
1203.0
1160.5
1193.0
+24.5
Sep '16
1219.5
1183.5
1211.5
+25.5
Nov '16
1229.5
1205.5
1225.5
+23.5
Jan '17
1225.0
1225.0
1239.0
+20.5
Mar '17
1250.0
1245.0
1255.5
+18.5
May '17


1275.0
+18.5
Jul '17


1275.0
+18.5

Rice Comment

Rice futures posted strong gains to open the week on a positive note. Arkansas farmers have not planted 96% of intended acres. The question remains, though, will they stop there? The five year average for this date is 80%, so if conditions remain favorable, the crop might get bigger. This large crop could limit the upside potential of the market, however, dry conditions in other rice growing regions of the world could provide support. July completed a 50% retracement today, which opens upside potential to the 62% level of $12.46.


Cattle
Futures:

Live Cattle:

LIVE CATTLE


High
Low
Last
Change





Jun '16
124.250
122.900
123.025
-0.400
Aug '16
119.975
118.850
119.475
+0.750
Oct '16
119.300
118.250
118.900
+0.925
Dec '16
118.475
117.400
118.050
+1.125
Feb '17
117.150
116.250
116.675
+1.025
Apr '17
115.750
115.000
115.275
+0.975
Jun '17
109.050
108.550
108.775
+0.975
Aug '17
106.800
106.750
106.675
+1.375

Feeders:

FEEDER CATTLE


High
Low
Last
Change





May '16
149.575
148.200
148.650
+1.600
Aug '16
149.325
147.500
147.725
+1.475
Sep '16
147.275
145.625
145.850
+1.625
Oct '16
145.450
143.825
143.875
+1.500
Nov '16
141.275
139.675
140.000
+1.250
Jan '17
137.050
135.375
135.425
+1.275
Mar '17
134.900
133.900
133.475
+0.850
Apr '17


133.900
+0.625





Cattle Comment

Cattle prices closed higher today thanks to continued strong beef prices. As we approach the summer grilling season the prices continue to firm. Additionally, the continued wide spread between cash and futures remains supportive of cattle prices.


Hogs
Futures:

LEAN HOGS


High
Low
Last
Change





Jun '16
83.150
81.575
83.025
+1.075
Jul '16
83.600
82.100
83.400
+0.850
Aug '16
82.700
81.650
82.525
+0.400
Oct '16
70.975
70.250
70.450
-0.275
Dec '16
65.450
64.900
65.150
-0.075
Feb '17
68.275
67.800
67.975
-0.225
Apr '17
70.975
70.625
70.675
-0.250
May '17


74.850
-0.250
Jun '17
78.775
78.550
78.550
+0.125








 
  
USA Rice and Partners Make U.S. Products Top of Mind in Ghana  

ACCRA, GHANA - The three-year Global Based Initiative (GBI) that USA Rice runs with partners USA Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) and the American Peanut Council (APC) has entered its final year and kicked off 2016 activities with foodservice seminars here and in the city of Kumasi and with high impact billboards in key shopping areas of both cities.Three hundred and fifty artisanal caterers participated in the seminar in Accra, and more than 300 took part in Kumasi's activities. Additional outreach took place with culinary students at polytechnic schools in both cities; the GBI supplied informational booklets to the schools for use with their students and in developing curriculum.

Session participants were taken through various presentations on U.S.-grown rice, U.S. poultry and American peanut butter including short videos on the products that covered preparation and other information. A group leader was also available to answer any questions from the cooks, and there were many. A highlight of the event was the taste testing. Attendees were given rice balls made from U.S. rice known locally as "Omo Tuo", fried U.S. chicken pieces and American peanut butter soup with chicken, all ingredients donated by the local importers.

Attendees were surveyed at the conclusion of the seminar and reported overwhelmingly that they believe U.S.-grown rice is the highest quality for commercial cooking. This good news is offset by the fact that U.S. imports here have been declining, mostly displaced by low cost, low quality rice, mainly from Viet Nam.

"Although we don't necessarily see the situation for U.S. rice improving significantly in this market any time soon, we do see value in educating these students - future chefs and caterers - early in their professional careers should the market shift or should they find themselves in a market more hospitable to U.S. rice," said Jim Guinn vice president of international promotion for USA Rice. "We always leave behind useful information and recipes using U.S. rice, poultry, and peanut butter, and these materials are utilized in the culinary schools here, keeping our products top of mind."

Guinn said the billboard campaign is designed to enhance visibility for these products with consumers. Seven billboards featuring dishes cooked with U.S. rice, poultry, and peanut butter have been put up in high traffic areas near markets and will remain up for the next five months.

APEDA AgriExchange Newsletter - Volume 1473

 

 

International Benchmark Price
Price on: 12-05-2016
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)
2245
2
South African Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK (USD/t)
2347
Sultanas
1
Iranian natural sultanas (Gouchan), CIF UK (USD/t)
1858
2
South African Orange River, CIF UK (USD/t)
2897
3
Turkish No 9 standard, FOB Izmir (USD/t)
1612
Source:agra-net
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 14-05-2016
Domestic Prices
Unit Price : Rs per Qty
Product
Market Center
Variety
Min Price
Max Price
Jowar(Sorghum)
1
Palitana (Gujarat)
Other
1400
1800
2
Betul (Madhya Pradesh)
Other
1301
1304
3
Jalgaon (Maharashtra)
Other
1900
2281
Maize
1
Bagalakot (Karnataka)
Local
1400
1491
2
Jhalod (Gujarat)
Other
1500
1500
3
Vaijpur (Maharashtra)
Other
1440
1460
Papaya
1
Batala (Kerala)
Other
1800
2200
2
Akhnoor (Jammu and Kashmir)
Other
2400
2500
Onion
1
Kannur (Kerala)
Other
1400
1500
2
Barnala (Punjab)
Other
500
1000
3
Purulia (West Bengal)
Other
1100
1300
Egg
Rs per 100 No
Price on 14-05-2016
Product
Market Center
Price
1
Ahmedabad
440
2
Chittoor
453
3
Namakkal
430
Source: e2necc.com
Other International Prices
Unit Price : US$ per package
Price on 12-05-2016
Product
Market Center
Origin
Variety
Low
High
Onions Dry
Package: 50 lb sacks
1
Atlanta
Georgia
Yellow
21
21
2
Chicago
Colorado
Yellow
18
18
2
Detroit
Texas
Yellow
19
20
Cauliflower
Package: cartons film wrapped
1
Atlanta
California
White
17
20
2
Dallas
California
White
21
24
3
New York
Mexico
White
18
18
Grapefruit
Package: 4/5 bushel cartons
1
Atlanta
Florida
Red
26
26
2
Chicago
Florida
Red
18
18.50
3
Miami
Florida
Red
12
15
Source:USDA



New technology to better manage rice production in Asian nations


Swiss-based technology company Sarmap has launched a new digital data monitoring system to reduce vulnerability of smallholders engaged in rice production by setting up an easy accessible rice information system to better manage domestic rice production .The technology is already being used under RIICE (remote sensing-based information and insurance for crop in emerging economies) project. (Image source: 9bombs/Pixabay)

The multiphase project will focus on major rice growing areas in selected Asian countries like Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam in the first three years. In the following three years, the activities will be up-scaled to the remaining major rice producing areas of Asia. Objectives for the first phase are:

• Provision of reliable rice production information in major rice growing areas.
• Transfer of appropriate know-how and remote sensing technology to national partners.
• Development of a model aiming at improving production forecast by combining remote sensing, in situ and climatic data. 
• Setting up sustainable crop insurance schemes by developing insurance solutions covering production shortfalls.

• Provision of crop insurance solutions for at least five million rice growing farmers.
According to the company, in the long run, rice yields should increase due to better access to information about the actual growth status of observed rice crops and the forecasted yields as well as about damages and forecasted losses of rice crops, hence leading to a better land management by farmers. Additionally, crop insurance take-up by smallholders facilitates their negotiation position in applying for loans which eventually leads to increased investments in their agricultural business.

The basic idea behind the generation of rice acreage using SAR is the analysis of changes in the acquired data over time. Measurement of temporal changes of SAR response due to the rice plants phenological status - an increase in the SAR backscatter corresponds to a growth in the rice plants - lead to the identification of the areas subject to transplanting/emergence moment and the rice growth. The rice acreage statistics are stored in map format showing the rice extent and, in form of numerical tables, quantifying the dimension of the area at the smallest administrative level - typically village unit - cultivated by rice. These products are linked to district, region, province and country, so that statistics on any of these administrative units can be produced.

A public-private partnership consortium is implementing the project of which Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) will be one of the consortium members. The consortium is composed of sarmap providing the necessary remote sensing technology; IRRI (International Rice Research Institute) is the public partner and will provide a rice crop growth model and work with regional partners to put the system up and running at national levels; AllianzRe Switzerland supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) will develop insurance solutions based on the information provided by sarmap and IRRI and pass those solutions on to interested national partners as crop insurance schemes. Besides its financial contribution, SDC role (supported by GIZ) is to institutionally and politically support the partners by facilitating the relations to relevant ministries in targeted countries

http://fareasternagriculture.com/crops/agriculture/new-technology-to-better-manage-rice-production-in-asian-nations


 

Myanmar's rice export set to rise despite drought


Eleven Myanmar May 15, 2016 4:11 pm

YANGON - Myanmar expectS to export at least 1.5 million tonnes of rice this fiscal year, according the vice chairman of Myanmar Rice Federation.In April - the first month of the 2016-17 fiscal year, Myanmar earned US$13 million from rice exports. However, drought across the country due to El Niño is raising concerns.In the previous fiscal year when Myanmar suffered from floods that destroyed vast areas of rice plantation fields, 1.4 tonnes of whole and broken rice was exported. The volume was 400,000 tonnes below the level exported in the 2014-15 fiscal year. Ninety per cent of Myanmar’s rice is destined to China

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Myanmars-rice-export-set-to-rise-despite-drought-30286004.html


Myanmar’s agriculture minister to boost rice production


Monday, 16 May 2016 07:32

Reparing Myanmar’s dams and canals could more than double the supply of water to rice-growing areas and could increase rice exports, stated the country's deputy agriculture minister

Improving the supply of water in Myanmar is expected to increase rice exports. (Image source: lefebvre-jonathan)
For two decades, the dams and canals had been neglected and lowered the nation’s production said the deputy minister. He said repair work will begin with Thaphan Seik dam – one of the longest dams in Southeast Asia – in Sagaing Region.“During the next 100 days, we will deepen dams that have silted up and repair leaks in canals,” he said. “We will do everything we can with the budget we have,” he said.Thaphan Seik has been chosen as the first as it delivered water to most areas in Sagaing, Myanmar’s second-biggest rice bowl.“We will deepen the dam so it can store more water and repair cracks in the canals. One canal can deliver water to 500,000 acres, but because of cracks that capacity has fallen to about 200,000 acres. Our repairs will enable the dam and the canals to greatly increase the volume of water supplied to farmlands,” he said.

http://www.fareasternagriculture.com/crops/agriculture/myanmar-s-agriculture-minister-to-boost-rice-production

MYANMAR'S RICE EXPORT SET TO RISE DESPITE DROUGHT

5/15/2016
THE NATION MULTIMEDIA (15-05-2016)

YANGON - Myanmar expectS to export at least 1.5 million tonnes of rice this fiscal year, according the vice chairman of Myanmar Rice Federation.In April - the first month of the 2016-17 fiscal year, Myanmar earned US$13 million from rice exports. However, drought across the country due to El Niño is raising concerns.
In the previous fiscal year when Myanmar suffered from floods that destroyed vast areas of rice plantation fields, 1.4 tonnes of whole and broken rice was exported. The volume was 400,000 tonnes below the level exported in the 2014-15 fiscal year.
Ninety per cent of Myanmar’s rice is destined to China





Thailand sells rice stockpile, Vietnam may lose buyers



VietNamNet Bridge - Soon after Thailand announced the plan to sell 11.4 million tons of rice in stockpile over a two-month period, Vietnam’s exporters predicted they would be hurt by the move
If the Thai government sells all of the 11.4 million tons, this will be the biggest sale campaign in the history of the world’s biggest rice exporter. The amount is even higher than the average volume of rice the country exports every year.Vietnamese rice exporters have said the big sales would force prices in the world market down and badly affect Vietnam’s exports. 


They said some partners have suspended imports because of the Thai announcement.
Nguyen Thanh Long, director of Gao Viet Company, confirmed that the customers who were negotiating for the company’s rice have halted the negotiations.
The customers are those that want to buy white rice from Asian countries, including China, the Philippines and Africa.
Soon after Thailand announced the plan to sell 11.4 million tons of rice in stockpile over a two-month period, Vietnam’s exporters predicted they would be hurt by the move. 
An analyst said that though Thai old rice in stockpiles is not competitive with Vietnam’s rice which has higher quality, the big sales will still affect Vietnam’s rice export.

In the past, Thailand sometimes sold rice from its stockpile, about 1-2 million tons, but the sale still had an impact on Vietnam. And now the impact will be much bigger with avvolume 5-6 times higher.Vietnam now sells white rice at avprice $5-10 per ton lower than Thai rice. However, Long said Thailand will lower the prices to attract buyers. And this would force down Vietnam’s rice price.

Luong Anh Tuan, director of Thinh Phat Food, also said that loyal markets had stopped negotiating to buy Vietnam’s rice. They are waiting to see the moves to be taken by Thailand before making a decision. “Meanwhile, other partners of Vietnam from China and Africa will haggle with Vietnamese exporters about the prices and try to force the prices down,” Tuan said.

An official from the Ministry of Industry and Trade also said that Thai stockpile rice is worse than Vietnam’s rice, but, for poor countries, low-price products would be the top choice.

Huynh The Nang, chair of the Vietnam Food Association, has reassured the public that there wasvno need to worry about Thai rice sale because the impact would not be significant.

According to Nang, Vietnam still has not fulfilled deliveries for all the contracts signed in the fourth quarter of 2015. Besides, rice exporters have signed many new contracts.

Vietnam exported 2 million tons in the first four months of the year, worth $916 million.
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/156272/thailand-sells-rice-stockpile--vietnam-may-lose-buyers.html


Egypt to buy 1 million tonnes local rice as reserve

Monday, 16 May 2016 13:14
ABU DHABI: Egypt's supply ministry said on Monday that it would buy 1 million tonnes of local paddy rice in the next month as a strategic reserve. The government's failure to stock up earlier this season has left it at the mercy of traders, some of whom have been unwilling to sell their rice to the state in an attempt to push prices up.The government will start buying up the paddy rice next month when the harvest for the new season begins which will make up a strategic reserve of one year, a ministry statement said.The statement also said that around 20,000 tonnes of local rice were purchased in the past two days at a price of 4.50 Egyptian pounds ($0.5068) a kilo to provide the grain for the subsidy programme.

Egypt said on Friday it would import 80,000 tonnes of rice through direct contract for arrival within one week to ten days.Traditionally a rice exporter, Egypt produced 3.75 million tonnes of rice in the 2015 season and held over 700,000 tonnes from 2014 while annual consumption is around 3.3 million tonnes.The country should have had enough local rice to cover the subsidy programme and have enough surplus for export but a failure to stock up a grain reserve led to shortages in the subsidised rice market as traders stockpiled their rice to push prices upwards.
The attempt to purchase rice from abroad through direct contract comes after the state grain buyer GASC failed in three previous tenders to buy rice off the global market complaining that prices were too high.

http://www.brecorder.com/markets/commodities/middle-east-a-africa/296199-egypt-to-buy-1-million-tonnes-local-rice-as-reserve.html


Egypt to import 80,000 tonnes of rice ahead of Ramadan

 

Sat, 14/05/2016 - 15:59

Egypt's government has directed state grains buyer GASC to import 80,000 tonnes of rice "immediately" ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the cabinet said in a statement on Friday.Egypt produced 3.75 million tonnes of rice in the 2015 season and held over 700,000 tonnes from 2014. Annual rice consumption is generally about 3.3 million tonnes.But the government's failure to stock up earlier in the season has left it at the mercy of traders, some of whom have been unwilling to sell to the state and are choosing to stockpile instead.
The stockpiling has pushed up the price the government pays for rice by about 50 percent in recent months.

GASC will buy the 80,000 tonnes through direct contracts rather than tenders, GASC Vice Chairman Mamdouh Abdel Fattah told Reuters on Friday, with the shipment due to arrive within a week to 10 days.GASC has tried three times to hold rice import tenders, but has had to cancel each one either because of low responses or due to prices being deemed too high.
The government has threatened to seek direct contracts to buy rice from abroad if prices offered by traders at its tenders are not reduced but traders say Egypt is insisting on unrealistic prices.
Egypt banned rice exports on April 4 to preserve stocks for the local market and to combat the rising prices.
The government lifted a previous export ban on the crop in October due to an expected surplus and imposed an export tariff of 2,000 Egyptian pounds ($225.2) a tonne, but that decision expired on April 3.
The government statement said Egypt had enough sugar stockpiled to last until the end of the year and enough vegetable oil for the next three months. More vegetable oil would be imported as needed, it said.However, Yehia Kaseb, head of the food commodities department in Giza, said prices of some foodstuffs had increased by 30 or 40 percent in the run up to Ramadan, highlighting the annual battle the authorities have to control prices ahead of the Muslim holy month.
The price of rice had doubled in some areas, said Kaseb, who is also a member of the The Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (FEDCOC).He explained that halting rice exports had helped to lower prices, but supermarkets in Egypt were stockpiling rice in order to raise the retail price at a time of high demand
http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/egypt-import-80000-tonnes-rice-ahead-ramadan



New rice growing technology to boost production



By Dalton Nyabundi Updated Sun, May 15th 2016

Send by mail Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Google Plus Share on Linkedin Kenya National Irrigation Board (NIB) has introduced a new rice growing technology to improve yields. Margaret Anyango a rice farmer weeds her rice in her farm at West Kano in Kisumu county.PIC BY COLLINS ODUOR An Indian firm - Agfri, has introduced Systems of Rice Intensification (SRI) to offer expertise, seeds, fertilisers and mechanical weeders aiming to save farmers at the Ahero and West Kano irrigation schemes in Kisumu County where it is being rolled out, up to Sh8 million annually on water cost; while doubling production from two tonnes per acre to four tonnes. NIB Regional Manager Joel Tanui said SRI will also help farmers increase production on paddy fields. -Dalton Nyabundi





Houston Exhibit Transforms Shattered Images of Beaumont Rice Mills Into Hallucinogenic Dreams

Monday, May 16, 2016 at 8 a.m.
Mill 1 (ST 960, detail) by Joan Steinman, from "The Mill" exhibit at Gremillion &Co. Fine Art, Inc.
Courtesy of Gremillion &Co. Fine Art, Inc.
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Artist Joan Steinman has painted a love letter to her family by returning to her Beaumont roots and reimagining the angles and geometry of the historic Beaumont Rice Mills, a still viable grower, miller and distributor begun by her great-grandfather in 1892.
“The Mill” is her tenth exhibit at Gremillion &Co. Fine Art, Inc. and, while the artist has maintained the vibrant, saturated colors of previous works – which often played with fabrics, florals, kitchen vignettes and landscapes – these new paintings are decidedly more masculine.
She’s played with portal-centric works before, in which the viewer gazes through a doorway only to see further doors inside (more Edward Hopper than Droste effect), and she’s also touched on Cubist fragmentation, but both techniques are amplified in these new works.
The descendants of her great-grandfather, Joseph Eloi Broussard, would often gather at the mills during visits home, but Steinman never considered the venue as a subject until about two years ago, when she zeroed in on its wooden beams, old equipment and exteriors, capturing the angles through photography. Back home in her studio, she broke the images apart and reassembled them in a complex pick-up sticks jumble, sketching the new scenes on her canvas and bringing the shattered paintings to life in a hallucinogenic dream.
Mill 15 (ST 974) by Joan Steinman, from "The Mill" exhibit at Gremillion &Co. Fine Art, Inc.
Courtesy of Gremillion &Co. Fine Art, Inc.

Sun., Jun. 26, 7:00pm
The centerpiece of the show is the oversize 60-inch by 72-inch Mill 15 (ST 974), with so much detail it takes a while to take it all in. It's hard to know where to look, from the four-light warning indicator broadcasting imminent danger, to the heavy weight of the ceiling pipes, to the processed bags of rice against the wall. With its air of chaos and small doors near the bottom of the frame, it’s easy to imagine a blue caterpillar smoking a hookah on a mushroom but, just before it falls down a rabbit hole, the composition returns to normalcy as a worker pushes a two-wheeler out the door to “real life” outside.
Mills 3 (ST 962) very strongly resembles a psychedelic take on the childhood game of Chutes and Ladders, with its Miami-inspired colors of mint, purple, aqua, yellow and pink tinting the ladders to nowhere and turning the pipes and beams into slides.

In a deviation from the formula, rounded edges make an appearance in Mill 4 (ST 963), in the form of a paddle wheel, fans and pulleys. The bay door is open and the reflection of a tree outside appears on the floor, drawing the eye toward two men leaving the mill – one wearing a plaid shirt and shorts and holding a camera, and the other in jeans. They seem familiar, leaning towards each other in discussion, as they pass ready-for-market bags of a day’s labor as they make their exit.
There’s a simpler work near the entrance, where a warped and fragmented doorway opens to a blue staircase and, as the eye travels up, it rests on the lime-colored glow of a window midway. It’s a nice way to begin and end the exhibit, and very appealing.Don’t miss the looped time-lapse video of Steinman painting one of the works, from her beginning sketch to the last stroke. She would turn the camera on at the beginning of each workday, and it’s mesmerizing to watch; on the second or third watching, the viewer begins to notice other aspects, such as her changing plaid shirts and the fact that the film only slows down at the end, as she stops to declare the painting finished, and adds her signature

“The Mill” continues through June 18 at Gremillion &Co., Fine Art, Inc., 2501 Sunset, open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., 713-522-2701, gremillion.com. Free


http://www.houstonpress.com/arts/houston-exhibit-transforms-shattered-images-of-beaumont-rice-mills-into-hallucinogenic-dreams-8398559



Minister urges Guyana to move away from rice, sugar, bauxite

Monday, May 16, 2016    

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, (CMC) — The Guyana Government is warning that the local economy will not grow “if we continue to do the same things we were doing 50 years ago”.
Finance Minister Winston Jordan, speaking on the first anniversary of the coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) Government, said that while the country would experience economic growth, there was need for a rethink of the existing strategies, especially in the medium term.“We are not going to grow by seven per cent if we continue to do the same things we were doing 50 years ago. To achieve such growth, the country needs to move from the “tripod” of rice, sugar and bauxite, which it depended on for the last five decades, with gold added to this mix.“The country needs to focus on adding value to its commodities by taking production to the tertiary level, diversifying agriculture, and modernising productive methods,” Jordan argued.


He said that the economy was not as buoyant as it needs to be, in part because of the illicit drug trade and other illegal activities that create a parallel economy.“So the more that you go after that and the more it will miniaturise, that is the less free spending you will see… it’s going to take a time for the economy to get comfortable with that, but in the meanwhile, we will be putting other incentives to stimulate growth in the economy, but one good thing we can say, the economy will grow,” the finance minister said.

Jordan said that earnings from bauxite would be affected by a sluggish global economy and urged the country to make better use of its gold.“We necessarily can’t control the ones that are being done by the multilateral agencies, but we can entice them to do another stage of the gold, gold bars for example, might be good, [as might] coins.”In his call to to enter new industries, however, Jordan warned against getting too excited about petroleum exploitation.“We ought not to get ourselves way ahead of that. We have existing areas that new industries farmed out, particularly in the services sector. To get the services sector going, people have to be trained and adapted to what the market wants,” he noted.

Jordan said when he took office as the minister of finance a year ago, he found out things were not so great, and within weeks of being in office the Government was faced with domestic and international issues.“Sugar was worse than it was actually made out, and right away, we had to save jobs and save the industry by trying to find over GUY$12 billion (One Guyana dollar =US$0.004 cents) just as a quick cash transfer to the sugar industry,” Jordan recalled.

He said the new David Granger Government had to divert much-needed resources to “internationalise” Venezuela’s spurious claim on Guyana, and that money was also needed to pay farmers for rice already shipped to Venezuela after that country ended the rice-for-oil deal.
“We did some incredible things. We were able to bring out the (2015) budget fairly quickly and the last one, 2016, being one of the earliest in recent times. We were able to make good on some of our promises in whole or in part. We did quite a bit for pensioners, public sector workers benefitted somewhat, we were able to restore collective bargaining”, he said.
“There are a number of challenges, of course, and at the end of the day, one year after, I figure I have more gray hairs,” he said
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Minister-urges-Guyana-to-move-away-from-rice--sugar--bauxite_61054

Nigeria begins rice exportation in two years – CBN



  • Kashim Bello

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said Nigerian farmers would start exporting rice in the next 24 months.Acting Director, Corporate Communication of the apex bank, Isaac Okoroafor, who made this disclosure in Lokoja, Kogi State over the weekend, said out of the 6.1 million tonnes of rice needed to feed Nigerians, Kebbi State farmers contributed over one million tonnes.Okoroafor who spoke against the backdrop of bitter experiences by farmers said the Anchor Borrower Programme was conceived to enhance their capacity.“From the N220 billion, we are doing what is called the Anchor Borrower Programme. We have just completed a pilot project in Kebbi

State on rice and other states like Ebonyi, Taraba and Benue are queuing up.He explained that the Anchor Borrower Programme is part of the micro/medium scale development fund of N220 billion, set aside by the apex bank. Under the programme, 60 per cent goes for women-led enterprises and two per cent for people with disability.He said the bank is targeting all the strata of the society.
We have realised that when farmers borrow money on their own to plant tomatoes, rice, cassava, etc, when they harvest, there is nobody to take the produce from them.“When rice paddy growers produce, imported rice comes to spoil their effort. Importation has dealt a deadly blow on farmers,” he said.
He said the bank published 41 items ineligible for foreign exchange through the bank’s financial window, hence they were now organising the farmers into groups and linking them to millers.“At the onset, each farmer is given one hectare of land, and supplied seedling, fertiliser and other agro chemicals.“Out of the N220,000 loan for each farmer, only about N70,000 is given as working capital. The rest is used to procure seedlings and all the other needs.”He said they are availed seed that can yield six to seven tonnes per hectare and they get tractors cooperative hence the unit cost is lowered.He said they were also covered by insurance in case of any disaster
https://www.today.ng/news/national/122852/nigeria-rice-exportation-years-cbn

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