Saturday, June 11, 2016

11th June,2016 daily global,regional and local rice e-newsletter by riceplus magazine



Govt to try it out

Matia tells discussion, urging experts, officials to take direct-seeded technology to farmers
Staff Correspondent
The government has decided to give a new water-saving farming technology a try so that farmers can grow Boro rice using half the volume of water they use now for irrigating paddy fields.
Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury yesterday told a gathering of several hundred agricultural scientists, experts and extension officials that since 2009 she had discouraged Boro considering its huge impact on groundwater depletion but she is now ready to give the new rice farming technology a try as it promises cutting water use by half.
Dr Md Moshiur Rahman, an agronomy professor of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), who pioneered the direct-seeded rice technology in Boro season, was invited to give a talk on the water conservation merits of the new production system in the auditorium of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) in the capital.
In a power-point presentation Dr Moshiur explained how the direct-seeded technology not only helps saving water used for irrigation, but also saves diesel and electricity used for running irrigation pumps.
"I had said back in 2009 that we can't have the luxury of growing Boro at the cost of 3,200 litres of water for each kilogramme of rice. And I began encouraging farmers to grow wheat, maize, vegetables, oilseeds and pulses instead," said Matia.
She appreciated the BAU team's effort in developing the less water-intensive rice farming technology and urged for taking it to the farmers' field and see if there were any challenges.
Agriculture Secretary Md Moinuddin Abdullah asked officials and extension workers to take the technology to the fields so that farmers get relief from high irrigation and Boro production costs.  
Unlike traditional puddle transplanted rice technology, seedlings are not grown in nurseries in direct-seeded technology; seeds are soaked and incubated for two to three days and then sowed in the paddy fields. 
BARC Executive Chairman Abul Kalam Azad, heads of agricultural research organisations, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) and host of other agriculturalists, experts, also participated in the discussion.
They emphasised putting in place better weed management as direct-seeded crops are susceptive to weeds and remaining careful about cold injuries to seeds and heat strike in case of late harvesting of Boro.
http://www.thedailystar.net/city/govt-try-it-out-1237357


Why the Gates Foundation is flooding a new rice variety with funding


Swarna-Sub1, a flood-tolerant rice variety, helps ease the burden of women farmers in Bangladesh. Photo by: IRRI / CC BY-NC-SA

When Bill and Melinda Gates traveled to Bihar, India, one of the most flood-prone regions in the country, they saw how a new form of rice that can survive underwater is helping farmers adapt to the consequences of climate change.While normal rice wears itself out in floods, eventually dying and leaving a brown field of stubs, this “scuba rice” as it is often called goes dormant in floods, waiting out the high water before stretching its green stems toward the sky.The submergence tolerant rice is emerging as one of the more powerful examples of the two major pillars that form the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s strategy for agricultural research and development: more productivity and less risk. When combined, they can enhance farmers’ resilience to shocks like floods. The investment the co-chairs have made in ensuring that this technology gets into smallholders’ hands in Asia and Africa says a lot about the approach the foundation takes to innovation.
“The thing about innovation is it has a catalytic power that brute forcing your way through a problem does not,” said Rob Horsch, who leads the agricultural research and development team at the Gates Foundation, and was formerly the leader of international development partnerships at agrochemical company Monsanto. “And even though we have a huge amount of money available at the foundation, it is way too small for brute forcing the work.”Agricultural development is one of the largest initiatives of the Gates Foundation, the wealthiest charitable foundation in the world, with $2 billion committed to the program to date. The foundation, which is increasingly known for its investments in crop improvements, made one of its first big investments in this area in Stress Tolerant Rice for Africa and South Asia, or STRASA.

The project began in 2007 with a goal of delivering improved varieties of rice tolerant to stresses including drought, salinity, iron toxicity, cold, and submergence to 18 million farmers on the two continents over next 10 years. After funding the first two phases of the STRASA project with $20 million each, in 2014 the foundation issued a third grant of $32.7 million through 2017.

STRASA is coordinated by the International Rice Research Institute, a nonprofit research and education center based in the Philippines, in partnership with the Africa Rice Center. Both of these are members of the CGIAR consortium, a worldwide partnership addressing agricultural research for development.“When the Gates Foundation started focusing on poverty alleviation in the developing world, the co-chairs realized that agricultural productivity was going to be a very important part of the process of getting people out of absolute poverty,” said Gary Atlin, who works with Horsch at the Gates Foundation, and was previously a rice breeder at IRRI.

“They started to see that the CGIAR centers were key sources of technology and support for in particular getting new varieties to smallholder farmers,” Atlin added.The Gates Foundation is looking into data suggesting that the submergence tolerance trait may help farmers in years with and without flooding.“Because farmers know they’ve lowered their risk of farming loss, they invest more in these rice fields, so you also get a higher yield year after year,” Horsch said, emphasizing that this is preliminary data that will require further testing. In the absence of a flood, the Sub1 trait does not add any value for the crops. But when farmers expect they might lose their rice in a flood, they may be less likely to invest time and money in their fields. When they have confidence in their crops, they may improve their practices, investing in agricultural inputs such as fertilizer.

Horsch also cited research that the harvest that results from reducing the risk during a more stressful time is more valuable to farmers unit per unit than the harvest that results from increasing the productivity during a less stressful time. He first came across this argument from Robert Paarlberg, author of “Starved for Science: How Biotechnology Is Being Kept Out of Africa.”So while most of the areas where the foundation works suffer from not enough water, versus too much water, supporting some of the most marginalized farmers in the world who have been pushed onto this relatively small area of flat and floodable land has a huge return on investment, Horsch said. In Asia, where most of the world’s rice is grown, submergence stress causes annual losses of $1 billion. As demand for this staple crop for more than half the global population grows, so too will the frequency of flooding. But the STRASA investment also reflects the way the Gates Foundation prioritizes smallholder farmers as part of its work in poverty alleviation.

“It’s not a criticism of it, but we’re not a mountain of food strategy,” Horsch said. “We’re a lots of small farmers productivity strategy. Now, that can also help you create a mountain of food, but by focusing on a huge number of smallholder farmers, you get more benefits than if you just, say, went into large-scale mechanized farming to grow food for people.” When Bill Gates read Joe Studwell’s “How Asia Works,” he was struck by one of the three major reasons some Asian countries developed rapidly and others did not: creating conditions for small farmers to thrive. In a post on his blog where he asked whether the Asian miracle could happen in Africa, he said he would take steps to look at ways to redistribute land more equitably among the farming population as part of the foundation’s strategy along with better seeds, fertilizers, and farming practices.

David Mackill, the scientist who first discovered a low yielding Indian rice variety that could survive flooding for two to three weeks with little or no problem, met with Devex in Davis, California, he works as a plant science manager for the food company Mars.
When he was a rice breeder for IRRI, he discovered that a single gene called Sub1 makes rice resilient to submergence. But it occurred in a traditional rice variety that did not yield as much, nor taste as good, as more popular varieties such as Swarna.Mackill worked with plant molecular biologists at the University of California, Davis to isolate the Sub1 gene, developed genetic markers for it, then used marker assisted selection to improve the precision of conventional breeding methods and over the course of two and a half years transfer the gene into the Swarna variety.

Mackill emphasized that scuba rice is not the result of genetic modification, as compared to the development of golden rice the Gates Foundation is supporting as a way to address vitamin A deficiency, and said that there are no varieties of genetically modified rice available for human consumption.Swarna-Sub1 made the switch from tanks in research labs to fields in Africa and India at a much faster rate than is usually required for technological innovations to result in real-life improvements for low-income farmers.

“It’s one of the first instances, particularly from a public sector research program, of a project going all the way from this basic genetic analysis to a product that works really well for farmers in certain conditions,” Atlin said.This is due to a range of factors, from the way Mackill improved upon an existing variety already used widely among farmers, to the way STRASA worked at the policy level to reach 5 million farmers in five years in South Asia. “We are evolving along with this project as we are learning which approaches are more or less effective,” Abdelbagi Ismail, who coordinates the STRASA program, told Devex.

While South Asian governments have been willing partners, both conducting demonstrations and providing Swarna-Sub1 at no cost to farmers, the STRASA team is running up against barriers as it aims for the same rate of dissemination in Africa.“Most of our issues are not science, not information, not technology, but it's resources to deliver this technology to where you want it to go.” said Umesh Singh, STRASA coordinator in South Asia. “We need an enabling environment that will allow other players to come in.”
With the support of the Gates Foundation, STRASA is also exploring how to combine these stress tolerant traits with higher yield potential in favorable years in order to drive adoption in areas where the frequency of flooding is not high. In each agricultural development grant the Gates Foundation makes, the aim is to provide the biggest investor in agriculture, the farmer, with high leverage tools that help them get more out of the investment of time and money they put into their fields.

“That is why things like STRASA are so exciting, because they just multiply the brute force that people are going to put in anyway,” Horsch told Devex.
#WaterWindow is an online conversation to amplify the discussion on flood resilience. Devex, together with its partners the Global Resilience Partnership and Zurich Insurance Group, aims to shine a light on innovative solutions to tackle the issues faced by communities worldwide. Join us. 

About the author


Catherine Cheney covers the West Coast global development community for Devex. Since graduating from Yale University, where she earned bachelor's and master's degrees in political science, Catherine has worked as a reporter and editor for a range of publications including World Politics Review, POLITICO, and NationSwell, a media company and membership network she helped to build. She is also an ambassador for the Solutions Journalism Network and the Franklin Project at the Aspen Institute.
https://www.devex.com/news/why-the-gates-foundation-is-flooding-a-new-rice-variety-with-funding-88095

N. Korea launches 'weeding campaign' following rice-planting drive

2016/06/09 15:47
SEOUL, June 9 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has just launched a weeding campaign in rice paddies following a month-long drive to plant rice as part of a nationwide effort to boost the country's grain production.In an editorial, the North's main newspaper Rodong Sinmun called on the people to make a concentrated effort to root out weeds in the rice fields as required by the country's ruling Workers' Party. It said such measures are critical to increase rice production this year.
The country has ended the spring rice planting season in the wake of the rare congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) last month. In the seventh WPK congress, the North announced various economic projects aimed at improving economic conditions in the impoverished country.
The newspaper, an organ of the WPK, claimed the country has aggressively entered the weeding campaign following a successful rice planting in the first year of the nation's five-year economic development plan.
The newspaper said that farmers, agricultural workers and volunteers all have a strong will to attain the goal of a high crop yield that can solve the country's food shortage problem.
"We will devote all our wisdom and energies to solving the food problem under the guidance of the WPK and finish the rice production as required by the Juche (self-reliant) method of farming and attain the goals of grain production for this year under any circumstances," the paper said.
In its previous editorial last month, the Rodong Sinmun called for the people to concentrate all their efforts on the rice-planting campaign to gain a breakthrough in grain production. The paper likened rice farming to a "battle" that must be won.
Reflecting the country's renewed interest in farming, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a machinery exhibition in his first inspection since he was appointed the chairman of the WPK early last month.
He showed interest in the agricultural machinery and equipment during the inspection tour, according to the North's media report.
Grain output numbers have gained more urgency as the country has been slapped with the toughest sanctions yet by the U.N. for its fourth nuclear test earlier this year. Pyongyang's provocations have, moreover, hurt the inflow of food aid from abroad that can pose serious challenges for the country down the road.
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/northkorea/2016/06/09/0401000000AEN20160609006400315.html



Researchers in Assam developed two rice variants, Ranjit Sub-1 & Bahadur Sub-1, for submerged areas

 10-JUN-2016
Researchers at Assam Agricultural University have developed two rice varieties, namely Ranjit Sub-1 and Bahadur Sub-1. These rice varieties were developed to get better yields under submerged conditions in state mainly Barak Valley.
Most parts of the state including Barak valley is prone to periodical flash floods particularly during the monsoon season.

About these two rice varieties
• These are ideally suited for such submerged areas in the khariff season.
• These new rice variants are improved forms of the Ranjit and Bahadur varieties which the farmers of the state have been using for years.
• An additional gene has been incorporated in the new variants which ensure productivity even if the crops remain submerged during flash floods.
Now get latest Current Affairs on mobile, Download # 1  Current Affairs App
MANILA - Filipino farmers should diversify beyond rice and focus on other high-value products, incoming socio-economic planning secretary and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) director-general Ernesto Pernia said on Friday.
Pernia said the Philippines has "no comparative advantage" over other rice-producing countries like Vietnam and Thailand, which sell rice at a cheaper price.
The Philippines is the world's No. 3 rice buyer and regularly imports more than a million tons a year to meet demand from its growing population.
In the first quarter of the year, the country imported some 500,000 tons of rice from Vietnam and Thailand.
The Duterte camp earlier said it will aim to make the country self-sufficient in rice production within one to two years, but will still allow imports until the goal is achieved. 
But, according to Pernia, the country should focus not only on rice self-sufficiency, but also on food security.
“'Yung rice productivity naman natin can be increased by adequate irrigation facilities and farm-to-market roads. Tutukan natin na dapat mga farmers, mag-diversify sila sa planting nila ng crops,” he told dzMM.
Ernesto Pernia File Photo
He said small farmers should focus on high-value products which the country has a comparative advantage, such as coffee, cacao, bananas, pineapples, mangoes, and coconuts.
As incoming NEDA chief, Pernia said he will prioritize investing in agriculture in regions outside Metro Manila.
“Kulang yata ang attention na nabigay sa regions outside Metro Manila kaya mahina 'yung performance ng agrikultura natin,” Pernia said.
"Sa investments in agriculture, dapat umaangat ang income ng mahihirap especialy the small farmers, para maalis sila sa poverty," he added.

El Niño downs crops production in Q1 of 2016

Thursday, June 09, 2016
THE El Niño phenomenon took its toll and caused adverse effects in the region's economy affecting particularly the agriculture, labor and employment sectors.
In the regional economic situationer forum Thursday, June 9, Engineer Cecilio Clarete, chief Economic Development Specialist of the National Economic and Development Authority-Northern Mindanao (Neda) said production of major crops such as palay, rice, and corn decreased.
The palay production dropped by 5.8 percent to only 170,185 metric tons in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2015.
Four of the five provinces in both irrigated and upland areas recorded a reduced in production, except for Misamis Occidental which posted a 12 percent increase for rain-fed areas.
Clarete said it noted "lesser plantings" in Lanao del Norte as irrigation water was cut off from October to November of 2015 due to insufficient rainfall while the average harvest yield in Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental provinces also declined.
Despite the drop, the value of palay produced increased by 1.11 percent reaching P3.356 billion as farm gate price increased by 7.3 percent.
The rice sufficiency level also dropped significantly for this year's first quarter, only at 74.1 percent, 6.2 percent points lower than that of last year.
Also, corn production in the region went down by 19 percent in the first quarter of this year to only 249,121 metric tons compared to 307,848 in the same period last year.
The province of Bukidnon noted a 23.5 percent decrease in production as some yellow corn areas were greatly damaged by the drought.
In Misamis Oriental, some corn areas were instead planted with pineapple and cassava since the corn cannot stand with the intense heat.
But in Lanao del Norte, corn production increased as high yielding variety of corn seeds were planted.
Clarete said Northern Mindanao's average corn yield went down from 2.9 metric tons per hectare in the first quarter of 2015 to 2.5 metric tons/hectare this year.
The value of yellow corn production also decreased by 4.7 percent and white corn production by 23.7 percent despite increases in gate prices.
For the net corn sufficiency level, the region also posted a deficit of 135,309 kilograms in the first quarter of 2016.
Coconut production was also affected by the drought, with matured nuts down by 1.9 percent and green nuts decreased by 1.07 percent.
The decrease was mainly caused by Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental, the largest contributors when a 14.3 and 1.39 percent decreases were recorded, respectively.
As the production dropped export of coconut commodities also went down in terms of volume and by nine percent in sales reaching only to US$125.355 million from US$130,804 last year.
Coconut chemicals and coco oils export sales were also down by 6 percent and 40 percent than that of the previous year.
Despite the drop in vegetables and root crops, the volume of combined production of major crops still managed to increase by 106 percent as fruit and industrial crops posted increases.
Banana and pineapple contributed the greatest bulk of total fruit production especially in the areas of Bukidnon.
Employment rate dropped
The Neda likewise reported a drop in the employment rate in the region from 94.8 percent in January 2015 to 94.6 percent in January this year.
"The decline in employment rate, amidst a decline in the labor force, resulted to a 5.5 percent reduction in the total employment in the region," Clarete said.
The significant reduction, Clarete said, was caused entirely by the agriculture sector where employment was reduced by 23 percent mainly due to El Niño
ww.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan-de-oro/local-news/2016/06/09/el-nino-downs-crops-production-q1-2016-478586


Thai NLA approves draft law on rice reserves

By editor on 2016-06-10 Thailand
NLA approves draft law on rice reserves
BANGKOK, 10 June 2016 (NNT) – The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) has given a nod to a bill that would allow for the establishment of a regional organization on rice reserves in Thailand.
NLA members today convened their meeting to deliberate a draft law in support of operations of the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve Secretariat which had earlier been passed by the vetting committee. The draft law mandates that the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve Secretariat be set up in Thailand as proposed by the country.
The main objective of the bill is to build reserves of rice for consumption in times of emergency and for distribution within the ASEAN Plus Three grouping as part of humanitarian assistance, thereby ensuring food security within the region. If enacted, the draft law would also provide convenience for related officials who are foreigners in traveling in and out of Thailand while performing their duties. After deliberation, 178 members of the legislature voted for the bill while four others abstained
http://news.thaivisa.com/thailand/thai-nla-approves-draft-law-on-rice-reserves/144935/


El Niño downs crops production in Q1 of 2016

Thursday, June 09, 2016
THE El Niño phenomenon took its toll and caused adverse effects in the region's economy affecting particularly the agriculture, labor and employment sectors.
In the regional economic situationer forum Thursday, June 9, Engineer Cecilio Clarete, chief Economic Development Specialist of the National Economic and Development Authority-Northern Mindanao (Neda) said production of major crops such as palay, rice, and corn decreased.
The palay production dropped by 5.8 percent to only 170,185 metric tons in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2015.
Four of the five provinces in both irrigated and upland areas recorded a reduced in production, except for Misamis Occidental which posted a 12 percent increase for rain-fed areas.
Clarete said it noted "lesser plantings" in Lanao del Norte as irrigation water was cut off from October to November of 2015 due to insufficient rainfall while the average harvest yield in Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental provinces also declined.
Despite the drop, the value of palay produced increased by 1.11 percent reaching P3.356 billion as farm gate price increased by 7.3 percent.
The rice sufficiency level also dropped significantly for this year's first quarter, only at 74.1 percent, 6.2 percent points lower than that of last year.
Also, corn production in the region went down by 19 percent in the first quarter of this year to only 249,121 metric tons compared to 307,848 in the same period last year.
The province of Bukidnon noted a 23.5 percent decrease in production as some yellow corn areas were greatly damaged by the drought.
In Misamis Oriental, some corn areas were instead planted with pineapple and cassava since the corn cannot stand with the intense heat.
But in Lanao del Norte, corn production increased as high yielding variety of corn seeds were planted.
Clarete said Northern Mindanao's average corn yield went down from 2.9 metric tons per hectare in the first quarter of 2015 to 2.5 metric tons/hectare this year.
The value of yellow corn production also decreased by 4.7 percent and white corn production by 23.7 percent despite increases in gate prices.
For the net corn sufficiency level, the region also posted a deficit of 135,309 kilograms in the first quarter of 2016.
Coconut production was also affected by the drought, with matured nuts down by 1.9 percent and green nuts decreased by 1.07 percent.
The decrease was mainly caused by Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental, the largest contributors when a 14.3 and 1.39 percent decreases were recorded, respectively.
As the production dropped export of coconut commodities also went down in terms of volume and by nine percent in sales reaching only to US$125.355 million from US$130,804 last year.
Coconut chemicals and coco oils export sales were also down by 6 percent and 40 percent than that of the previous year.
Despite the drop in vegetables and root crops, the volume of combined production of major crops still managed to increase by 106 percent as fruit and industrial crops posted increases.
Banana and pineapple contributed the greatest bulk of total fruit production especially in the areas of Bukidnon.
Employment rate dropped
The Neda likewise reported a drop in the employment rate in the region from 94.8 percent in January 2015 to 94.6 percent in January this year.
"The decline in employment rate, amidst a decline in the labor force, resulted to a 5.5 percent reduction in the total employment in the region," Clarete said.
The significant reduction, Clarete said, was caused entirely by the agriculture sector where employment was reduced by 23 percent mainly due to El Niño




MAPCO plans new share offering to raise capital

Myanmar Agribusiness Public Corporation (MAPCO) is planning to issue new shares to existing shareholders over the next few weeks, to raise money ahead of its scheduled listing on the Yangon Stock Exchange.
Capital raised through the rights issue will be used to expand the business across various sectors, U Thura, the company’s head of investor relations told The Myanmar Times.
Around 1.62 million new shares will be sold at K10,000 each, from June 10 to July 5. The company’s shareholders can buy new shares up to the value of their current holdings, according to a company announcement. MAPCO currently has 1444 investors holding shares worth K16.4 billion. The company has so far received requests for new shares worth K3.4 billion, it said.
If there is not enough demand among existing investors, the remaining securities will be sold to the public from July 5. “Our directors have decided to raise capital for many projects this year,” U Thura said.
These projects include providing services for Thilawa Port and funding chemical fertiliser plants in Thilawa special economic zone, expanding agribusiness and building rice mills and warehouses.
MAPCO has also agreed with the Mandalay Region government to set up a new bank called Mandalay Development Bank, and is expected to contribute capital to Myanmar National Telecom Holding Public, an 11-member local joint venture tipped to receive the country’s fourth telecoms operator licence, through a joint venture with Vietnam’s Viettel.
The company plans to list on the Yangon Stock Exchange by the second week of August, becoming the fifth company to list after Myanmar Citizens Bank and First Private Bank launch shares on the exchange in July. First Myanmar Investment and Myanmar Thilawa SEZ Public became the first two companies to trade their shares on the exchange earlier this year
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/business/20799-mapco-plans-new-share-offering-to-raise-capital.html





S.Korea buys 70,556 T rice for Sept-Feb

South Korea bought a total of 70,556 tonnes of non-glutinous rice for arrival between September 2016 and February 2017 via tenders, the state-run Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp said on its website (www.at.or.kr/).
Details of the purchase are as follows:
    TONNES(M/T)GRAIN TYPE    SUPPLIER           ORIGIN    PRICE 
 
    15,000     Brown Short   Posco Daewoo Corp  China     866.70
                             
    14,445     Brown Short   Posco Daewoo Corp  China     866.30
    16,111     Brown Short   DNB co.            Australia 861.20
    3,000      Milled Short  The Ground Korea   Vietnam   888.90
    10,000     Milled Medium Singsong Food Corp USA       704.87
    10,000     Milled Medium Singsong Food Corp USA       715.98
    2,000      Milled Long   Singsong Food Corp Thailand  511.21
SourcE: Reuters (Reporting by Jeong-eun Lee; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/s-korea-buys-70556-t-rice-for-sept-feb/



Paddy sowing down 10% pulses area falls 37% this kharif season Total area sown under paddy is lower by 10 percent so far in this kharif season at 5.75 lakh hectares, while pulses acreage is down 37 percent mainly due to delay in onset of monsoon | 1 Comments Paddy sowing down 10% pulses area falls 37% this kharif season Total area sown under paddy is lower by 10 per cent so far in this kharif season at 5.75 lakh hectares, while pulses acreage is down 37 per cent mainly due to delay in onset of monsoon. Farmers have sown pulses in 1.46 lakh hectares so far in the ongoing kharif season of the 2016-17 crop year as against 2.32 lakh hectares in the same period last year. "Preliminary reports of crop coverage in the kharif season have started coming in. The total sown area as on 10th June, as per reports received from the states, stands at 71.24 lakh hectare as compared to 76.65 lakh hectare at this time last year," an official statement said. After a delay of almost seven days, southwest monsoon hit Kerala on June 8. India Meteorological Department (IMD) has projected an "above normal" rainfall this year. According to Agriculture Ministry data, paddy acreage is 5.75 lakh hectare so far this Kharif as against 6.42 lakh hectare in the corresponding period of last year.

Area under coarse cereals is also down by 47 per cent at 2.01 lakh hectares so far compared with 3.82 lakh hectares in the year ago period. In non-food grains category, oilseeds acreage is lower at 0.72 lakh hectares so far as against 1.22 lakh hectares in the same period last kharif. Cotton sowing is also lagging behind by 31 per cent at 9.87 lakh hectares compared with 14.30 lakh hectares in the year-ago period. However, sugarcane area is up at 44.38 lakh hectares so far against 41.01 lakh hectares in the same period last year. With the onset of South-West monsoon, the government expects sowing operations to gain momentum. "The monsoon is arriving at almost the same time as IMD predicted. We are hopeful and optimistic that there will be higher sowing and a very good production this year. Overall, this will be good year for agriculture," Agriculture Secretary Shobhana K Patnaik had said earlier this week. India's foodgrains production stood at around 252 million tonnes (MT) during the 2015-16 and 2014-15 crop years (July- June) due to two consecutive drought year.





Rice price soars

The price of rice continues to soar as the domestic market remains in short supply, reports Nesma Nowar

Cheaper rice can be found in government-owned supermarkets

The price of rice has skyrocketed in recent weeks amid shortages in the local market.
One kilogram of rice now sells at around LE8 instead of LE4.5, while higher quality rice now sells at LE10 per kg.Commodity prices usually soar ahead of the holy month of Ramadan when family gatherings are a main feature. However, the prices of rice have been seeing a remarkable increase for the last two months.
Many people have been struggling to buy rice, a main food staple. “Rice is a main item in our daily meals, but it won’t be for much longer because of its soaring prices,” said Doaa Adel, a mother of two, adding that she had not been able to find rice at government stores selling subsidised food items.
Rana Essam, a government employee, had also been struggling to buy rice at a reasonable price. “I found rice at LE4.5 per kg at one supermarket, but the quality was so bad that I got rid of it,” Essam said.


Minister of Supply Khaled Hanafi said last week that the government had contracted for 20,000 tons of local rice that would be sold at government outlets and that it would send mobile stores to densely populated low-income areas to sell rice at LE4.5 per kg.However, despite these efforts the problem is ongoing. The hikes have been partly blamed on local traders who tend to hoard rice causing shortages and pushing up prices.
Basha Idris, head of the Agricultural Crops Division at the Cairo Chamber of Commerce, said the problem lay in the fact that the government did not purchase enough rice from farmers, allowing some traders to hoard rice and opening the door to opportunistic price hikes.
He said the government should not lift its ban on rice exports unless the local market was fully covered and it had a sufficient strategic supply of rice.
The ban on rice exports was imposed on 4 April in order to provide the domestic market with its needs and bring stability for consumers. Rice exports were also banned on 1 September, but due to a decline in the prices paid to farmers at the beginning of the 2015/2016 rice season the ministry issued a decree that permitted exports for six months starting in October 2015 and ending in April 2016.
The ban on rice exports has been imposed and lifted several times since 2008 with the aim of ensuring that production meets domestic needs. The longest ban lasted for four years and ended in October 2012.
When there is a surplus the government lifts the ban on exporting rice. Before the ban on rice exports in 2007, annual exports reached 1.3 million tons and Egyptian rice was exported to 56 countries.
The average annual surplus of rice is almost one million tons. Total local consumption is estimated at three to 3.3 million tons, while annual production reaches 4.2 million tons, according to figures from the Rice Division of the Federation of Egyptian Industries.
Idris said that when the government lifted the export ban last year, only 40,000 tons of rice were exported, while some 180,000 tons were smuggled abroad by some traders to get round the export levy which amounts to LE2,000 per ton.
“Smuggling is a real problem because it allows large quantities of rice to go abroad unnoticed causing shortages in the local market,” Idris told Al-Ahram Weekly, adding that the government should deal firmly with smuggling and keep the export ban in place.
He said rice prices could be expected to stabilise when imports had provided the market with sufficient quantities of rice.


It is not yet clear when this will happen, however, since the General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC) cancelled an international tender to import rice last month. A tender for domestic supplies on 19 March was cancelled because of high prices.
Idris said the government should sit down with farmers and local chambers of commerce before the start of the rice season to discuss ways to prevent the shortages that are crippling the market and causing price hikes from happening again.
Because the market is still short of rice, prices are continuing to soar with people still struggling to buy rice, he said.
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/News/16543/18/Rice-price-soars.aspx

Rice farmers at Tono cry for combined harvesters


About four thousand metric tonnes of rice ready for harvesting at the Tono Irrigation site at Navrongo in the Upper East Region is likely to go waste as a result of the lack of combine harvester machines.In all, 2000 farmers in the area who used to do tomato farming in the dry season, diversified their activity to rice cultivation this year, due to lack of market for the tomatoes they used to produce.All together they cultivated about 1,000 hectares of rice and have got a good yield of about 4,000 metric tonnes which is ripe and ready for harvesting but there are no combined harvesters to do the work.
 

The smallholder farmers at the scheme site used to cultivate small plots which they harvested manually, but went in for a larger acreage, as they were convinced the rice harvest would be good this year and given the assurance that they would get machines to harvest the crop if they produced on a larger scale.Moreover, as the rains have now set in, there is the likelihood that the ripe rice on the farms will get destroyed.The desperate farmers besieged the residence of the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Navrongo Central Constituency, Mr Mark Woyongo, to plead with him to help them get the machines to harvest their produce.The MP promptly conveyed the farmers’ request to the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Alhaji Mohammed Limuna Muniru, but was told the Ministry did not have any combine harvester machines at the moment.

The MP suggested to the Ministry to contact the Afefe Irrigation Project and other private sectors for the machines.The sector Minister assured the MP that MOFA would explore all possible means to get combine harvesters to support the farmers.Speaking to the Media, the MP said commercial rice farming was in line with the government’s policy to promote local rice production, and assured the farmers that everything possible would be done to help them out of their current plight.
He said as a vast majority of farmers were drifting from tomato cultivation to rice farming, there was the urgent need for MOFA to provide combine harvesters at all the irrigation scheme sites in the Region to avert such situations in the future.The Project Manager of the Tono Irrigation Project, Mr Sebastian Berjena, said the farmers had invested a lot of money on their farms and would lose massively if the government did not come to their aid.“The farmers have a bumper harvest this year due to the good agronomic practices they adopted, and stand to make good profit since there is a ready market and good price for the produce”, he said.
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/Rice-farmers-at-Tono-cry-for-combine-harvesters-446363




Monsoon delivers normal to excess showers in South

VINSON KURIAN 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JUNE 10 :  
The monsoon may have been in circulation for only three days after a delayed onset but it has already delivered rain equivalent to, if not more than what the first 10 days of June normally generate. As on Friday, the seasonal rains have covered Kerala, Tamil Nadu, most parts of Karnataka, parts of Rayalaseema and South Coastal Andhra Pradesh.
Monsoon push
It has delivered normal rain in Kerala and South interior Karnataka but dumped excess rain over Tamil Nadu, Rayalaseema, and coastal Andhra Pradesh.
Conditions are favourable for its progress mainly over the peninsular seas over the next three to four days, an India Met Department update said. Meanwhile, satellite pictures on Friday noon suggested that the West coast was bracing for a big monsoon push as banks of clouds hung off the Goa-Mangaluru coast in the North and Kochi-to-Nagercoil in the South.
The Met has forecast heavy to very heavy rain at a few places over coastal Karnataka, South interior Karnataka, Konkan-Goa, and Kerala later today.
Cloud coverage
Clouds had penetrated into the interior of the peninsula and were hovering above Panjim, Belgavi, Hubli and Bellari in Karnataka; Kolhapur, Vijayapura, Solapur, Satara, Beed, Pune, and Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra; and Anantapur, Kadapa, Vijayawada, Guntur, Bhimavaram and Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh.
The US Climate Prediction Centre sees the rain advancing across the peninsula during the week ending June 15.
Heavy to very rain has been forecast by the US agency for Konkan-Goa and the northeastern states along with parts of Gangetic West Bengal during this phase.
Flare-up seen
The week that follows (June 16 to 22) would once again witness a monsoon flare-up over coastal Karnataka, followed by Konkan-Mumbai, according to extended forecasts by the agency.
An expansive run of the monsoon during the week would push rains into Central and East India (Central and East Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar) and even North-West India (Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and North Rajasthan).
Rains are, however, forecast to be normal over Bihar, Jharkhand and parts of Chhattisgarh during this phase. The rest of the areas mentioned above should see above normal rains.
(This article was published on June 10, 2016)
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/monsoon-openstwo-flanks-along-west-coast-for-fresh-push/article8713954.ece





World Rice Production 2016/2017

June 2016

This month the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that the World Rice Production 2016/2017 will be 480.72 million metric tons, around 0.01 million tons more than the previous month's projection.
Rice Production last year (*) was 470.89 million tons. This year's 480.72 estimated million tons could represent an increase of 9.83 million tons or a 2.09% in rice production around the globe.

Rice Production by Country

(Values in Metric Tons)
China: 146,500,000
India: 105,000,000
Others: 41,553,000
Indonesia: 36,600,000
Bangladesh: 34,550,000
Vietnam: 28,500,000
Thailand: 17,000,000
Burma: 12,500,000
Philippines: 12,000,000
Brazil: 8,500,000
Japan: 7,680,000
United States: 7,335,000
Pakistan: 6,900,000
Cambodia: 4,700,000
Korea, South: 4,000,000
Egypt: 4,000,000
Sri Lanka: 3,400,000

Next Update will be July 12, 2016. https://www.worldriceproduction.com/?Referer=Newsletter

 

Seed facility nears completion as Rice Expo approaches


Special to The Commercial
STUTTGART — The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is preparing to open its new Foundation seed facility for operation in early August.The $8.6 million facility will be part of the Rice Research and Extension Center at Stuttgart. Glenn Bathke, program director at the center, said the new facility will be key in making varieties of rice, soybean and wheat foundation seeds, developed by Division of Agriculture researchers, available to seed companies for purchase.“This is a giant leap forward from our original seed processing facility, which was built in 1951,” Bathke said. “It’s much safer and efficient.”The facility will manage the certified foundation seeds produced by the Division of Agriculture, which require inspections throughout the entire process, from the field to the point of sale, Bathke said. The facility will be capable of processing as much as 250 bushels of seed an hour, including pre-cleaning, cleaning, sizing and other steps in ensuring the high quality of as many as 25 varieties of seed each year.

“We’ll be able to handle more varieties as well, so we can keep our seed portfolio updated much more effectively,” Bathke said.Bathke said technicians for machinery involved in the seed handling process are currently onsite to help manage the installation process. There is still plenty of work to be done before the scheduled Aug. 9 ribbon-cutting ceremony, he said, but things are moving according to plan.Tours of the facility will be included as part of the 2016 Arkansas Rice Expo, taking place Aug. 10, based at the Grand Prairie Center in Stuttgart.
For more information about the 2016 Arkansas Rice Expo, contact the Rice Research and Extension Center at 870-673-2661, or a local Cooperative Extension Service agenthttp://pbcommercial.com/news/area-digest/seed-facility-nears-completion-rice-expo-approaches

 

Commercial Counsellor at Kenya: REAP urges ministry to extend service tenure

June 10, 2016

Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) has urged the Ministry of Commerce to extend the service tenure of Commercial Counselor deputed at High Commission of Pakistan, in Kenya. Chairman REAP Chaudary Muhammad Shafique in a letter sent to Federal Commerce Minister Engr Khurram Dastgir Khan has made a request for extending the service tenure of Amir Mohyuddin, Commercial Counsellor at High Commission of Pakistan, in Nairobi, Kenya for his commendable performance, enhancing Pakistani exports, particularly rice export.


The Chairman REAP said that Amir is one of the most competent persons committed to his mission for increasing trade between Pakistan and Kenya plus other East African countries. "However, we have come to know that the Ministry of Commerce has transferred Amir Mohyuddin and asked him to report to Islamabad by 30th June 2016," he maintained.

Kenya is a very important market for Pakistani rice as $188,326,419 rice was exported in the fiscal year of 2015, he said. "Amir has several achievements on his credit particularly for rice sector during his tenure as Commercial Counselor which is also beneficial for our beloved country as well," he observed.
Rice exports to Kenya and surrounding countries, which were $209 million in 2013, has been increased to $332 million during his tenure. Amir had made untiring efforts for release of more than 1500 stuck up rice containers at Kenyan ports. In addition, Rs 250 million demurrages on Pakistani rice exporters had been waived off due to his co-ordination and close follow up with top Kenyan authorities.


He also played a vital role for cost neutral conversions of Grade III, diamond mark certificate converted into Grade I certificate, besides waiving off 15 percent. "In this regard, we humbly request your good self to kindly look into the matter personally and instruct the officials concerned of Ministry of Commerce to extend the service tenure of Amir Mohyuddin for the interest of the country, rice growers and exporters," he added. Noman Ahmed Shaikh, Senior Vice Chairman, has also made the same request to the Ministry of Commerce.

http://www.brecorder.com/agriculture-a-allied/183/55418/

 

Food scientists say they’ve found a way to make gluten-free bread taste delicious at last

Written by
June 10, 2016
Gluten-free bread that tastes good has been a long time coming. (Reuters/Charles Platiau)
Share
Written by
June 10, 2016
Gwyneth Paltrow, Miley Cyrus and the clean-eating bloggers of Instagram have all helped propel gluten-free foods out of health-food stores and into the aisles of Whole Foods and Wal-Mart. But anyone who’s gotten curious about the craze and sampled gluten-free bread or cake from the grocery store has probably discovered what sufferers of Celiac disease have long known: it doesn’t taste very good.
The problem is a structural one. Gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, is unique in its ability to form an “elastic network” when we combine it with water and knead or mix the dough. It’s what makes our brioche springy and gives cakes their delicate crumb. Cereals and grains like rice and buckwheat, which are often milled into gluten-free flours, lack this important component.
Now two inventors and food scientists from the land of pizza, pasta, and pastries may have come up with a quality gluten substitute at last. Italian scientists Virna Cerne and Ombretta Polenghi were honored this week at the European Inventor Awards in Lisbon for their isolation of a protein called zein that is found in corn. Under the right conditions including temperature, moisture, and pH, zein forms an elastic network similar to gluten.
“Today the gluten-free products include a lot of fiber but the fiber cannot be really elastic,” says Cerne. “Once the zein protein is isolated, it can be added to different gluten-free flours like rice or corn flour and it solves the problem of no elasticity.”
Zein-infused products are still in the research and development phase. But the hope is that because the protein is found in corn, which is widely and cheaply cultivated, it will provide more affordable gluten-free alternatives.
Cerne and her co-inventor Polenghi, who are both employed by the Italian-based food company Dr Schär, say that their focus is on people who have serious medical reasons to avoid gluten. An estimated 1% of people worldwide suffer from Celiac disease, and other medical conditions may also be associated with gluten sensitivity. But industry analysts say the growing market for gluten-free products is largely driven by lifestyle choices rather than medical necessity. A report published by the industry researcher Tech Navio in December highlighted wellness culture, demand from millennials and robust marketing around gluten-free foods as main drivers of this trend.
This gluten-free craze has come as a surprise to Cerne, who has been researching gluten for 20 years. Both inventors say there is no scientific basis to avoid gluten if you are not celiac or diagnosed with gluten sensitivity. “In the past only people who really need the gluten-free diet buy our products,” Cerne says. “Today there are people that don’t need it but they want to change the taste of their food, or they think it’s healthier.”
But the two Italians are invested in helping people who must avoid gluten enjoy their carbs—and they’re committed to ensuring their pasta, cakes, and loaves of breads up to par.
“We taste gluten-free products 10 times a day,” says Polenghi. “We are very organized in terms of what we call ‘sensory evaluation,’ with a panel of ten taste-tasters who give an objective evaluation of our products’ softness, crunchiness of crust, dimensions, cereal aroma, sourness, saltiness, and sweetness. We want people to enjoy our food.”
We welcome your comments at ideas@qz.com.



06/10/2016 Farm Bureau Market Report

Soybeans

High
Low
Cash Bids
1188
1108
New Crop
1172
1123



Riceland Foods

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


Futures:

SOYBEANS


High
Low
Last
Change





Jul '16
1208.50
1168.75
1178.25
+2.25
Aug '16
1205.00
1166.75
1177.75
+5.75
Sep '16
1192.00
1156.25
1168.50
+8.75
Nov '16
1184.50
1150.00
1162.75
+10.00
Jan '17
1177.50
1146.00
1158.75
+10.50
Mar '17
1132.25
1108.50
1118.25
+4.00
May '17
1115.00
1095.00
1098.50
-1.00
Jul '17
1112.50
1093.00
1095.50
0.00
Aug '17
1088.00
1062.25
1063.25
-11.75

   
Soybean Comment
Soybeans closed higher today though well off of infraday highs. After an intial spike in soybean prices following today's USDA report which forecast higher exports and lower stocks both this year and next provided further support for prices. The USDA continues to forecast bullish demand forecasts which continue to support the current rally. Soybeans continue to post one of the strongest bull rallies in history, which has pushed prices into oversold territory, and could begin to pressure prices in coming days. While weather will remain the dominate factor for prices volatility, look for additional focus to turn to the acreage numbers that the USDA will release later this month. If the recent rally attracted significantly more acreage soybeans could come under significant pressure.



Wheat

High
Low
Cash Bids
530
485
New Crop
500
475


Futures:

WHEAT


High
Low
Last
Change





Jul '16
512.50
494.25
495.00
-15.25
Sep '16
523.25
505.75
506.50
-15.00
Dec '16
541.25
524.25
524.75
-14.75
Mar '17
558.25
541.75
542.25
-14.75
May '17
570.00
553.75
554.25
-14.00
Jul '17
579.50
562.75
563.00
-12.75
Sep '17
585.00
569.50
568.75
-12.25
Dec '17
590.75
580.25
578.00
-11.50
Mar '18
598.00
593.50
586.75
-10.25

   




Wheat Comment
Wheat saw a sharp sell off as traders got a reminder of just how burdensome wheat supplies are in today's USDA report. U.S. Wheat supplies were increased as stocks rose to 1.05 billion bushels this month. The USDA did the best it could to minimize wheat stocks as they increase U.S. Wheat exports and domestic demand in an effort to offset the 79 million bu increase in production. The market will be close.y watching wheat demand in the coming weeks as current sales do not support the strong demand currently forecast. The wheat market will remain closely tied to corn and soybeans as we move through the summer.



Grain Sorghum

High
Low
Cash Bids
392
391
New Crop
379
340






Corn

High
Low
Cash Bids
437
407
New Crop
434
419


Futures:

CORN


High
Low
Last
Change





Jul '16
437.00
420.00
423.00
-3.50
Sep '16
440.75
424.25
427.50
-3.00
Dec '16
442.75
426.75
430.75
-2.75
Mar '17
447.00
431.50
435.75
-2.50
May '17
448.75
434.75
438.75
-2.25
Jul '17
451.25
436.75
440.50
-2.75
Sep '17
418.00
411.50
413.75
-2.00
Dec '17
417.00
407.75
411.25
-3.25
Mar '18
421.75
417.00
418.00
-3.00

   




Corn Comment
Corn prices closed lower today after a relatively up exciting USDA report. While today's report forecast lower stocks for both this year and next year, both were within trade expectations and have likely been factored into prices in the gains earlier in the week. After sharp increases leading up to the report the market remains ripe for a correction, but continued strength in soybeans remains supportive of corn prices. Outside our borders, the USDA is forecasting tighter stocks and improved demand verses thier forecast last month. While this report helped soften prices today, the market will remain focused on weather and if dry conditions start to develop further gains could be possible.



Cotton
Futures:

COTTON


High
Low
Last
Change





Jul '16
65.51
64.48
65.75
-0.21
Oct '16
65.96
64.35
64.55
-1.38
Dec '16
65.91
64.84
65.07
-0.23

Cotton Comment
Cotton prices ended the week closing lower today after the USDA forecast weaker cotton mill use in the U.S. The USDA continues to forecast U.S. Cotton stocks at more than 4 million bales this year and next. Global demand remains sluggish despite a 1.7 million bale decline in global stocks primarily caused by a 2 million bale decrease in China cotton stocks, which were the result of lower production forecast not increased demand.



Rice

High
Low
Long Grain Cash Bids


Long Grain New Crop




Futures:

ROUGH RICE


High
Low
Last
Change





Jul '16
1141.0
1116.0
1135.5
+3.5
Sep '16
1167.5
1143.5
1163.0
+3.5
Nov '16
1183.5
1173.0
1187.5
+2.0
Jan '17


1206.5
+2.5
Mar '17


1223.5
+3.0
May '17


1240.0
+3.0
Jul '17


1242.5
+3.0

   
Rice Comment
After a mostly neutral to bearish USDA report, rice prices managed a higher close today. Today's USDA report did show a increase in in short and medium grain rice exports, but also forecast an increase in long grain rice imports. With forecast for another big crop in 2016/17, rice needs to see additional demand develop as we approach the fall. The USDA is forecast sharp increases next year verses the current year however export sales have yet to show signs of this strength. For the week, rice prices ended down just 2-cents after a volatile week.



Cattle
Futures:

Live Cattle:

LIVE CATTLE


High
Low
Last
Change





Jun '16
123.325
122.075
122.450
-0.750
Aug '16
119.050
117.200
117.350
-1.500
Oct '16
118.250
116.600
116.800
-1.300
Dec '16
118.225
116.625
116.850
-1.375
Feb '17
117.625
116.100
116.300
-1.475
Apr '17
116.875
115.475
115.700
-1.275
Jun '17
109.750
108.700
108.825
-0.950
Aug '17
108.000
106.950
107.225
-1.025

   
Feeders:

FEEDER CATTLE


High
Low
Last
Change





Aug '16
147.450
144.600
145.550
-1.750
Sep '16
145.625
143.000
144.125
-1.350
Oct '16
143.800
141.150
142.650
-0.975
Nov '16
140.150
137.600
139.300
-0.900
Jan '17
135.225
132.875
134.325
-1.150
Mar '17
132.350
131.000
131.500
-1.650
Apr '17


132.425
-0.700
May '17


131.050
-0.700

   
Cattle Comment
Cattle prices closed lower today as live cattle ended 45-cents lower compared to last week and feeders were down $1.12 from last week. While the market got some support from improved beef prices today and stronger retail prices, cattle prices were unable move higher today. Demand for cattle remains weak across many markets; however, when the are trading they maintaining a good premium to futures prices. The cattle market continues to search for some bullish demand renews to help pull prices out of thier current sideways pattern.



Hogs
Futures:

LEAN HOGS


High
Low
Last
Change





Jun '16
82.700
82.050
82.275
-0.400
Jul '16
86.325
85.450
85.700
-0.325
Aug '16
87.025
86.075
86.625
+0.150
Oct '16
72.975
72.000
72.800
+0.525
Dec '16
67.100
66.350
66.950
+0.275
Feb '17
69.925
69.325
69.900
+0.175
Apr '17
72.500
72.050
72.450
+0.100
May '17
76.525
76.500
76.500
-0.050
Jun '17
80.000
79.800
80.000
+0.175

USA Rice Trade Mission to Colombia: Part One  

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA -- This week, USA Rice is leading a trade mission of U.S. rice farmers, millers, and merchants to meet with the trade and with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service here to talk about the Colombian market and the positive effects of the Free Trade Agreement which moved Colombia from our 51st largest export market in 2011 to our third largest in 2015.  Ambassador Kevin Whitaker also spoke to the group about Colombia being one of the highest capacity and strongest partners for the U.S in the Americas.

"It is really heartening to see what a well-executed free trade agreement can do for our industry," said Kevin McGilton of Riceland Foods, who is traveling with the mission.  "But there are still challenges that remain in this market and we are here to hopefully make some progress."

The group met with Fedearroz, the rice growers association of Colombia, to discuss production in both the U.S. and Colombia, the effects of the "emergency decree" of up to 200,000 MT this year, and the U.S. industry's appreciation of the Colombian market.  A review of the limits placed on imports of paddy rice due to the fungusTilletia horrida, and the slow progress on completing a survey of the local rice production areas for the presence/absence of the fungus, and restrictions on the timing of import license auctions and delivery periods are also being discussed on during the mission.

USA Rice members where else - in the rice aisle 
The USA Rice delegation visited an in-store demonstration at Jumbo, a Chilean hypermarket with eighty stores in Colombia.  This is the first time USA Rice has conducted in-store demonstrations in Colombia and they are designed to help familiarize consumers here with the different types of U.S. rice on store shelves. The demo chef shared a variety of recipes and explained cooking characteristics, texture, and preparation techniques.

The delegation then went to a Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional (HRI) sector culinary training event sponsored by USA Rice where seventy attendees learned the history of rice, methods for cooking rice, and received a hands-on demonstration. 

At the same time, Sabor USA, a USDA program that promotes U.S products, was filming a TV show about the four young chefs who won a USA Rice competition last year (see USA Rice Daily June 29, 2015, "USA Rice Co-Sponsors Cooking Seminars in Colombia," and October 28, 2015, "USA Rice at Miami Trade Show").  The show will be broadcast in Colombia on Channel 13 in two weeks and also available on YouTube.

"This trade mission has been very helpful in gaining a better understanding of the opportunities and demands of the Colombian market as well as giving us the opportunity to observe our new promotional program in this burgeoning market," said USA Rice Chairman Dow Brantley.

WASDE Report Released 

WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. 2015/16 rice ending stocks are lowered 500,000 cwt this month to 42.9 million on a 1-million-cwt increase in exports which is partially offset by a 500,000-cwt increase in imports. The larger exports are based on a faster-than-expected pace of sales of southern medium- and short-grain rice to North Africa and the Middle East. Exports for 2016/17 are lowered 1 million cwt to 112 million, with reductions for medium- and short-grain, due to tightening supplies. Ending stocks for 2016/17 are raised 500,000 cwt to 50.9 million, and are the largest ending stocks since the mid-1980's.

The 2015/16 all rice season-average price is lowered $0.10 per cwt on both the high and low ends of the range. The 2016/17 all rice price is raised $0.30 per cwt at the midpoint based on stronger-than-expected forward prices for long-grain rice and strengthening prices in international markets.

Global rice supplies are raised fractionally for both 2015/16 and 2016/17. The largest
change is a 500,000-ton increase in 2015/16 India production to 103.5 million on updated government data. Only slight changes are made this month to global trade, use, and ending stocks for both the 2015/16 and 2016/17 marketing years.

Read the entire report here.



APEDA AgriExchange Newsletter - Volume 1492

International Benchmark Price
Price on: 07-06-2016
Product
Benchmark Indicators Name
Price
Guar Gum Powder
1
Indian 100 mesh 3500 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t)
3700
2
Indian 200 mesh 3500 cps basis, FOB Kandla (USD/t)
1100
3
Indian 200 mesh 5000 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t)
2220
Wheat
1
CZCE Wheat Futures (USD/t)
369
2
Black Sea, FOB Brazil (USD/t)
175
3
GFO, HRW, DAT Ontario (USD/t)
166
Honey
1
Argentine 85mm, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
2140
2
Argentine 50mm, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
2160
3
Argentine 34mm, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
2180
Source: oryza, agra-net
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 08-06-2016
Domestic Prices
Unit Price : Rs per Qty
Product
Market Center
Variety
Min Price
Max Price
Maize
1
Honnali (Karnataka)
Local
1500
1500
2
Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh )
Other
1407
1422
3
Amreli (Gujarat)
Other
1925
2205
Paddy(Dhan)
1
Kasargod (Kerala)
Other
1500
1600
2
Savali (Maharashtra)
Other
2200
2300
3
Memari (West Bengal)
Fine
1336
1364
Pine Apple
1
Aroor (Kerala)
Other
1800
2000
2
Udaipur (Rajasthan)
Other
2000
3200
3
Shillong (Meghalaya)
Other
2500
3000
Cauliflower
1
Barnala (Punjab)
Other
1500
2500
2
Surat (Gujarat)
Other
1300
2100
3
Solan (Himachal Pradesh)
Other
1200
1500
Floriculture
Unit Price : US$ per package
Price on 31-05-2016
Product
Market Center
Origin
Variety
Low
High
Rose Flower
Package: bunched 10s
1
Boston
Ethiopia
Assorted Colors
13.50
13.50
Orchid Flower
Package: bunched 10s
1
Boston
Thailand
Dendrobium    
10
10
Lilies Flower
Package: per bunch
1
Boston
California
Asiatic  Type
13.50
13.50
Sunflower
Package: per stem
1
Boston
Mexico
Large Head
2.00
2.00
Source:USDA

Fire at rice mill destroys stock worth 80 lakh

THE HANS INDIA |    Jun 11,2016 , 01:27 AM IST
      

.
Nellore: In a fire mishap Rs 80 lakh worth paddy, rice and equipment gutted in rice mill at Santhinagar in Kovur on Thursday night. Officials said the accident was due to electric short circuit in Dhanalakshmi rice mill and machinery and material stocked in the mill caught on fire.Locals who noticed fire from the mill informed to fire personnel. Fire fighters arrived on the spot and doused flames.

http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Andhra-Pradesh/2016-06-11/Fire-at-rice-mill-destroys-stock-worth-80-lakh-/234236



Seed facility nears completion as Rice Expo approaches


Special to The Commercial
STUTTGART — The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is preparing to open its new Foundation seed facility for operation in early August.
The $8.6 million facility will be part of the Rice Research and Extension Center at Stuttgart. Glenn Bathke, program director at the center, said the new facility will be key in making varieties of rice, soybean and wheat foundation seeds, developed by Division of Agriculture researchers, available to seed companies for purchase.
“This is a giant leap forward from our original seed processing facility, which was built in 1951,” Bathke said. “It’s much safer and efficient.”
The facility will manage the certified foundation seeds produced by the Division of Agriculture, which require inspections throughout the entire process, from the field to the point of sale, Bathke said. The facility will be capable of processing as much as 250 bushels of seed an hour, including pre-cleaning, cleaning, sizing and other steps in ensuring the high quality of as many as 25 varieties of seed each year.
“We’ll be able to handle more varieties as well, so we can keep our seed portfolio updated much more effectively,” Bathke said.
Bathke said technicians for machinery involved in the seed handling process are currently onsite to help manage the installation process. There is still plenty of work to be done before the scheduled Aug. 9 ribbon-cutting ceremony, he said, but things are moving according to plan.
Tours of the facility will be included as part of the 2016 Arkansas Rice Expo, taking place Aug. 10, based at the Grand Prairie Center in Stuttgart.
For more information about the 2016 Arkansas Rice Expo, contact the Rice Research and Extension Center at 870-673-2661, or a local Cooperative Extension Service agent
http://pbcommercial.com/news/area-digest/seed-facility-nears-completion-rice-expo-approaches




Annual field day features rice geneticist

A leading rice geneticist will speak at the annual field day June 29 at the LSU Agricultural Center H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station at 1373 Caffey Road in Rayne.
The day will begin with field tours from 7:15 a.m. until 9 a.m. More research will be presented at a session until 10:30 a.m., and the indoor program begins at 10:45 a.m.
Speakers will discuss their latest research on rice breeding, weed control, insect and disease management, hybrid development and agronomy.
Susan McCouch, of the Cornell University department of plant breeding and genetics, will talk about the potential for advances in rice breeding.
McCouch developed the first molecular map of the rice genome in 1988. She has conducted extensive studies of rice to help breeders identify genetic markers for rice traits, including disease resistance, maturity, yields and drought tolerance.
http://theadvocate.com/news/16032080-148/baton-rouge-new-orleans-lafayette-area-business-briefs-for-june-12-2016



Annual field day features rice geneticist

A leading rice geneticist will speak at the annual field day June 29 at the LSU Agricultural Center H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station at 1373 Caffey Road in Rayne.
The day will begin with field tours from 7:15 a.m. until 9 a.m. More research will be presented at a session until 10:30 a.m., and the indoor program begins at 10:45 a.m.
Speakers will discuss their latest research on rice breeding, weed control, insect and disease management, hybrid development and agronomy.
Susan McCouch, of the Cornell University department of plant breeding and genetics, will talk about the potential for advances in rice breeding.
McCouch developed the first molecular map of the rice genome in 1988. She has conducted extensive studies of rice to help breeders identify genetic markers for rice traits, including disease resistance, maturity, yields and drought tolerance.
http://theadvocate.com/news/16032080-148/baton-rouge-new-orleans-lafayette-area-business-briefs-for-june-12-2016



Two rice varieties developed by LSU AgCenter show potential

DAILY REPORT STAFF
JUNE 10, 2016
  
An LSU AgCenter rice researcher says two new varieties of rice released last year by the AgCenter are receiving good reviews from mills and companies.Steve Linscombe, rice breeder and director of the LSU AgCenter’s H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station, told farmers and consultants in a rice and soybean field day in Mamou on Thursday that both the CL 153 long-grain Clearfield variety and the medium-grain CL 272 variety will be available for commercial production after a year of seed production, according to an AgCenter news release.CL 153 has been touted for less chalk and better disease resistance than CL 151, another long-grain rice developed by the AgCenter several years ago.
“Seven mills have looked at it, and all of them have said this would be package rice for them,” Linscombe says of CL 153.Meanwhile, CL 272 has better yield potential than any other long-grain rice variety, which is a quality favored by Kellogg’s, Linscombe says.“They have given us a very favorable response,” he adds.Also at the field day, AgCenter entomologist Mike Stout stressed that the South American rice miner has been much more active this year after only isolated occurrences in past years.“This year by far, it’s been the most widespread,” Stout said.




No comments:

Post a Comment