ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Senegal have agreed to boost bilateral relations in
trade and defence sectors as Islamabad is prepared to supply defence equipment
to the African Muslim country which are manufactured in the country.
Pakistan also offered to cooperate in the fields of intelligence sharing,
control of human & drug trafficking and capacity building in counter
terrorism for Senegal. The offer has been made by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
to Senegal’s President Macky Sall on Tuesday during his one-to-one meeting here
at the Prime Minister’s House.
The Senegal president is currently on a two-day official visit to Pakistan.
Senegal is a strong Muslim country of Africa that had earlier served as the
chairman of the OIC. “We are happy to offer scholarships for Senegalese
students in various fields of education and training in prestigious
institutions of Pakistan. I welcome your decision to open Senegalese Embassy in
Islamabad, which will further strengthen the bilateral cooperation between our
two countries,” said the prime minister.
He called for boosting the bilateral trade with Senegal by enhanced
collaboration in textiles, agricultural machinery and pharmaceutical sectors.
The premier emphasised on enhancing the bilateral trade from its current volume
of $30.469 million a year to its real potential.
The one-on-one meeting was later joined by minister-in–waiting Rana Tanveer
Hussain. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urged Senegal to benefit from Pakistan's
products including leather and light engineering goods, and said a composite
trade and investment delegation from Pakistan led by minister of commerce could
visit Senegal in this regard.
The prime minister said that Pakistan was considering to open a Pakistani
bank in Senegal which would facilitate trade and investment between the two
countries. He recalled his meetings with President Macky Sall at the United
Nations General Assembly session last year in New York and later in Saudi
Arabia, where the two sides agreed to develop greater cooperation in diverse
fields.
Nawaz Sharif congratulated the Senegalese president on the election of his
country as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the term
2016-17 and expressed the confidence that Senegal would play a pro-active role
in protecting and promoting the interests of Islamic countries. He lauded
President Macky Sall in ensuring democracy in his country following the general
election of 2012 and mentioned his positive role in resolving the regional
disputes.
The premier welcomed the decision of President Sall to open a Senegalese
Embassy in Islamabad, adding that it would further strengthen the cooperation
between the two countries. The two sides also discussed cooperation in the
defence sector and defence procurement.
The prime minister and president of Senegal Macky Sall led their respective
sides in delegation level talks. The prime minister said that in addition to
existing items like textiles, pharmaceuticals and rice, Pakistan could also
export leather and leather products, light engineering goods, agricultural
machinery to Senegal. “A composite trade and investment delegation led by our
Minister for Commerce could visit Senegal in this regard,” said the prime
minister.
The PM said that Pakistan could extend technical support to Senegal for
establishment of sugar and cement plants and could also help in promoting its
agriculture sector.
Both sides agreed to enhance bilateral trade from its current volume of
$30.469 million a year to its true potential. Presently Pakistan’s annual
exports to Senegal amount to $29.433 million while imports are at $1.06
million.
Earlier, the prime minister welcomed the president of the Republic of
Senegal at the Prime Minister House which was followed by one-on-one meeting
between the two leaders. The prime minister felicitated the the Senegalese
president on winning the referendum held in March 2016, which demonstrated the
renewed trust of the people of Senegal.
The visiting delegation included Mansour Elimane KANE, Minister for
Infrastructure, Oumar Demba BA, and Diplomatic Adviser to the President, Mrs
Gnounka DIOUF, and Minister Counselor to the Presidency, Hamidou Samba KASSE,
Minister Counselor for Communications and others. The meeting was also attended
by Sartaj Aziz, Adviser to Prime Minster, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister for
Defence Production and other senior officials of the government.
Yesterday
· 09:30 pm Updated
Yesterday · 09:33 pm
Naween
A. Mangi
Eid-Ul-Azha is coming up soon. Most people are busy considering what
sacrificial animal to buy and what delicacies to prepare on the big day. Gada
Hussain, a 22-year-old farmer in upper Sindh, is anxiously wondering whether
he’ll get to spend the day with his family like everyone else. Normally, he
misses all the special holidays.
A typical day
Gada, a quiet, somewhat sullen young man with dense, curly hair and a short
temper, has been planting and harvesting rice and wheat on this land ever since
he started helping his father when he was 10. The landlord, a politician and
rice mill owner, has about 100 acres of land and dozens of farmers at his beck
and call.
Festivity on standby
Gada spends all year caring for his crop. He plants the seed for his rice
crop in the intense heat of June and makes several rounds to the fields late at
night to check on the water level.rilli for the landlord to sit on so he doesn’t spoil his starched
white clothes.This article first appeared on Dawn
http://scroll.in/article/815737/as-pakistan-gears-up-for-eid-ul-azha-poor-farmers-wonder-if-they-will-get-the-chance-to-celebrate
The price of paddy
Monday, September-05-2016
Paddy
crop is ready for harvesting in lower Sindh, although in areas banned for
cultivation, harvesting has already started. For instance, paddy from Sanghar
has started reaching rice mills in upper Sindh. Farmers in upper Sindh still
have at least a fortnight or so to go for crop harvesting.
The crop
across Sindh is healthy, the impact of pest attacks in lower Sindh being
practically washed away by rains.
If heavy
and devastating rains do not occur farmers expect a bumper crop. Subsidy on
urea fertiliser has helped growers apply its required dozes in their fields
which they otherwise avoided to keep their cost of production down.
“With
the proper application of subsidised fertiliser, the yield per acre has gone up
by an average of 10 maunds”
According
to a seasoned rice grower, Haji Ameer Bux Pahore from Shikarpur, with every
acre producing 10 maunds more than the usual output, the province expects a
larger size of the crop compared to last year.
Subsidy
on DAP fertiliser was given last year under the Prime Minister’s Rs340bn Kissan
Package, announced ahead of local bodies elections.
The
subsidy has reduced the DAP’s price to Rs2,600 from Rs4,000 per bag and that of
urea to Rs1,400 from Rs1,850 per bag.
Farmers
in upper Sindh — where much of the paddy is grown on the right bank of the
river Indus — are the ones who will mainly get the advantage of the subsidy.
Paddy cultivation in lower Sindh is only permitted in Kotri barrage’s
non-perennial command.
The
subsidy on fertilisers would possibly reduce cost of production by Rs5,000 or
so per acre. Expenses of Rs15,000-Rs17,000 for land preparation remain
unchanged as a major head of cost of production. Then comes the cost of hybrid
seed which is around Rs1,000 per kg. Around 7kgs of seed are used in an acre.
According
to Nabi Bux Sathio and another paddy grower, Nadeem Shah, the coarse variety
(irrr-6) was selling at a price of Rs975 to Rs1,020 per 40kg at the initial
stage of harvesting this season. The price may drop when the crop’s arrival in
the market picks up pace.
But,
they say, the rate is better than last year’s when it dropped to Rs700-Rs800
per 40kg after the initial harvest. Sathio recalls that a Rs800 to Rs825 per
40kg price was offered to growers during last year’s corresponding period.
Availability
of irrigational water remained by and large satisfactory, but water shortage
was reported in areas located on left bank of Sukkur barrage where paddy
cultivation is banned. Climatic conditions have benefited the crop, especially
rains in the first week of August, which had a positive bearing on the crop.
The only exception was in low-lying areas where rainwater stagnated in fields,
damaging the paddy.
The
paddy sowing target set by the agriculture department of 750,000ha was met this
season..
Small
farmers however complained of rice millers securing 45kg instead of 40kg
claiming high moisture content in paddy, while big farmers resist such
deductions. Secondly the crop’s price depends largely on price trends in the
international market, which remained depressed last year. Farmers’ feel they
would be better-off if they got the average price of Rs900/40kg.
http://pakissan.com/english/news/newsDetail.php?newsid=31458
C-RICE: Commodities Rice Technical Analysis
September 06, 2016
By IFCMarkets Weather
affects rice prices International
Grains Council lowered forecast for global rice At the
start of the current agricultural season Thailand suffered from drought. The
rice crops in Thailand may fall to 20mln tonnes from 25mln tonnes in previous
season, according to forecasts. Previously the Thailand rice subsidy scheme
existed. The government used to purchase rice from farmers for state reserves.
Now this program has expired but reserves have reached the level of 20mln
tonnes which is more than twofold above the annual volume of rice exports from
Thailand. News on sales from Thai state reserves will destabilize the global
rice market. The Thai Rice Exporters Association expects the rice exports to be
9.5mln tonnes this year. In Q1 they rose 12% compared to the same period of
2015. The news that rice production fell by 2.7% to 32.8mln tonnes in China and
that Philippines are planning to purchase 1mln tonnes of rice in global markets
support the rice prices.
On the daily chart RICE: D1 has hit a
fresh 15-month low and its decline has halted. Now it is moving sideways. In
theory the double bottom technical analysis technical pattern may form in the
chart. This will happen in case the weather conditions further worsen in
South-East Asia and Louisiana and Arkansas states in US.
Parabolic
indicator gives bearish signals. Bollinger bands
have contracted which means lower volatility.RSI us below 50
and has formed positive divergence.MACD gives
bearish signals.
The
bullish momentum may develop in case RICE surpasses 10. In such a case
Parabolic and MACD will reverse up. This level may serve the point of entry.
The initial stop-loss may be placed below the last fractal low and 6-year low
at 9.2. Having opened the pending order we shall move the stop to the next
fractal low following the Parabolic and Bollinger signals. Thus, we are
changing the probable profit/loss ratio to the breakeven point. The most
risk-averse traders may switch to the 4-hour chart after the trade and place
there a stop-loss moving it in the direction of the trade. If the price meets
the stop-loss level at 9.2 without reaching the order at 10, we recommend
cancelling the position: the market sustains internal changes which were not
taken into account.
http://countingpips.com/2016/09/c-rice-commodities-rice-technical-analysis-september-06-2016/
China may allow imports of
Indian non-basmati rice
The Hindu
QUALITY CHECK: Chinese officials have finally
agreed to visit India during September 19-28 to inspect rice mills. File photo:
K. Mustafah
China
was the largest importer of the grain in 2015-16.
China
may soon grant market access to India's non-basmati rice exports, acceding to a
long-pending request from New Delhi.
The
Centre had repeatedly taken up the issue of the country’s ballooning goods
trade deficit with China bilaterally. India had demanded market access for
products including non-basmati rice, pharmaceuticals and several fruits &
vegetables among others.
India’s
goods trade deficit with China has surged from $1.1 billion in 2003-04 to $52.7
billion in 2015-16. Beijing has been “denying” market access to India's
non-basmati rice claiming that the item had failed to meet Chinese norms on
quality, health and safety. Its concerns included the likelihood of a pest called
‘Khapra beetle (or cabinet beetle)’ getting transported along with Indian
non-basmati rice consignments to China.
China
was the world’s largest rice importer in 2015-16 followed by Saudi Arabia and
Iraq.
Mill inspection
Official
sources said after several requests from the Indian side, Chinese officials
have finally agreed to visit India during September 19-28 to inspect 19 rice
mills registered with the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO). These
mills are situated in states including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and
Madhya Pradesh.
To
export to countries including China, it is mandatory for Indian rice exporters
to be registered with the NPPO — the Indian government body in charge for
inspecting these mills and granting certificates on plant health for export
purposes.
The NPPO
will assist its Chinese counterpart AQSIQ during the inspection from September
19-28 for pest risk analysis and plant quarantine purposes to ensure that the
non-basmati consignments from India will be pest-free, safe and of good
quality.
Agricultural
& Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under the
Indian commerce ministry is also involved in the process. India had earlier
sent the information sought by AQSIQ regarding the quality protocol and
standard operating procedures, the sources said.
“The
inspection is a very significant stage in the process,” A. K. Gupta, Director
(Basmati Export Development Foundation, foreign trade, World Trade
Organisation-related matters & agri-export zones), APEDA, said. He
expressed hope that following the inspection, China will soon issue a formal
notification regarding permission for non-basmati rice exports from India.
The
Chinese authorities had carried out a similar inspection in 2009, following
which in 2011-12, they gave their nod to basmati exports from India to China,
Mr. Gupta added.
Pointing
out that the 19 mills are involved in processing non-basmati and basmati rice,
he said, therefore, the inspection will cover both varieties.
Rajen
Sundaresan, Executive Director, All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA),
said he was also hopeful that the Chinese authorities will shortly give green
signal for non-basmati rice exports from India to China. He said a recent joint
survey done by AIREA and the leading agro-chemical (including pesticides) firm
UPL found that the allegations regarding the presence of Khapra beetle in
processed Indian rice were wrong and vastly exaggerated.
Pakistani imports
Pointing
out that China imports non-basmati rice from Pakistan, Mr. Sundaresan said
Beijing’s objection to Indian non-basmati export seems more political in nature
than anything else.
Trade
sources said there are reports of rice (basmati & non-basmati) exports from
India to China happening through Hong Kong and Thailand. In 2015-16, India
exported 6.2 million tonnes of non-basmati rice worth Rs.15,000 crore, he said.
Keywords:
Indian
non-basmati rice imports
of non-basmati rice
Philippines to lift
restrictions on rice imports by 2017
The Philippines will open its doors to higher rice
imports by next year, its economic minister said on Wednesday, as the
government looks to comply with a World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement to
lift trade barriers on the staple food.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Sep 7, 2016 2:42 PM
[MANILA]
The Philippines will open its doors to higher rice imports by next year, its
economic minister said on Wednesday, as the government looks to comply with a
World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement to lift trade barriers on the staple
food.The government will not seek a further extension of the so-called
quantitative restrictions on rice, an agreement with the WTO that sets tariffs
on rice at 35 per cent and caps the volume of annual imports by the private
sector at 805,200 tonnes, Socio-economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia told
reporters.The South-east Asian nation, one of the world's biggest rice
importers, has kept the restrictions in place since 1995 when it joined the
WTO, which has allowed the Philippines two extensions since then.
It
imports more than a million tonnes of rice a year, mostly from Thailand and
Vietnam, including tariff-free purchases by the state grains agency the
National Food Authority (NFA).
"It's hard to extend it because we have
been given extensions already," Mr Pernia said. "I'm sure some people
like it extended but in the opinion of the economic team, we prefer to just let
it go."Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, who believes the Philippines
could be self-sufficient in rice production by 2019, wants a further extension,
saying local farmers are not yet prepared to compete with cheap imports.But Mr
Pernia argued introducing competition in the domestic market should encourage
local farmers to improve efficiency.
In 2014 the Philippines won WTO approval to
keep the import restrictions for three more years to June 2017 after the
country agreed to lift the annual import volume from 350,000 tonnes and cut the
tariff from 40 per cent.
Mr Pernia also said President Rodrigo Duterte's
economic team has agreed to remove the NFA's commercial functions, including
importing rice to build up stockpiles, making it a purely private business
undertaking possibly starting by 2017http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/energy-commodities/philippines-to-lift-restrictions-on-rice-imports-by-2017
Farmers oppose removal of
rice import restrictions
The
Samahang Industriya ng Agrikutura said Tuesday removing the quantitative
restriction on rice will not result in lower prices of the staple food. Sinag
made the statement after the National Economic and Development Authority and
economic managers agreed to remove the QR to lower the country’s rice
prices.“Our QR on rice did not limit us to import more rice, in fact-we have
been one of the top importers of rice in the last decade or so. This does not
even include the flourishing trade of rice smuggling that continue to hound the
local rice industry,” Sinag said. The
quantitative restriction on rice allows the country to limit the volume of rice
imports entering the Philippines. The QR
on price expired in June 2012, prompting the Philippines to ask the World Trade
Organization Committee on Trade and Goods for an extension until 2017. Earlier,
the Philippines under an agreement with the WTO committed to a minimum access
volume of 350,000 metric tons of rice with a tariff rate of 35 percent. Rice
imports outside the MAV pay higher rates. MAV
refers to the minimum volume of farm produce allowed to enter the
country. The
Agriculture Department in 2014 said the WTO approved the QR extension on rice. Under
the new agreement, however, the Philippines would increase the minimum access
volume from the current 350,000 metric tons to 805,200 metric tons. Shipments
outside MAV will pay a trafiif rate of 50 percent. “Neda
should have consulted the local agriculture industry so it would realize that
rice prices are high because the cost of producing rice in the country is one
of the most exoensive in the region,” Sinag said. The
group said the cost of production in the Philippines is around P10 to 12 per
kilogram compared with P6 to P10 a kilo in Vietnam and Thailand. Sinag
said instead of relying on imports, the government must support rice farmers in
the production, credits and insurance coverage, post-production and marketing
stage. “They
must also increase the farmgate support of the (National Food Authority) to at
least 5 percent of the total palay production,” Sinag said. It said
the government must also give incentives to local rice millers to modernize
their milling operations and facilities. “Neda
should also realize that any discussion on the prospect of the local rice
industry should look into the world rice market situation and recently, impacts
of extreme weather situation as major considerations,” Sinag said
http://thestandard.com.ph/business/215409/farmers-oppose-removal-of-rice-import-restrictions.html
Company denies planning to
import poisoned rice
The
group also stated that it stopped importing rice since 2014 when they began
cultivating it locally.
Published: 06.09.2016 Chika Ebuzor
Dangote
Rice
The Dangote group has issued a statement to deny allegations that it is
planning to import poisonous rice that is Genetically Modified.The group also
stated that it stopped importing rice since 2014 when they began cultivating it
locally.
The
organisation also debunked the reports that it wants to flood the market with
rice that has Genetically Modified
Organisms (GMOs), describing it as false and malicious. An
excerpt of the statement signed by the group’s Social Media Manager, Adedamola
Adeniyi, and obtained from Daily Post, said the ”intent of this broadcasts is to bring into
disrepute the hard earned reputation of Dangote and actualization of its vision
of making Nigeria self-sufficient in rice production. ”Moreover,
with the ever watchful eagle eyes of organizations such as NAFDAC, SON, CPC
with mandate to ensure food safety, how can a big organisation like Dangote
import and flood the market with poisonous rice?” Adding
that in ”2014:
Dangote signed $1billion agreement with FG or integrated rice production in
Kebbi, Niger, Jigawa and Kwara. ”2016,
it Started a multi-billion naira Rice Outgrower Scheme over 8,000 hectares in
Hadejia, Jigawa State ”2016 it
created over 10,000 jobs (Direct and indirect) to farmers who are an integral
part of the Rice Outgrower Scheme. ” FARO
44 rice seeds distributed to farmers during the Outgrower Scheme was sourced
from Africa Rice and certified by the National Agricultural Seeds Council.” In March
2016, the Managing Director of the Dangote Tomato Processing Factory
(DTPF), Abdulkadir Kaita, confirmed that the firm started test
production.
http://pulse.ng/local/dangote-group-company-denies-planning-to-import-poisoned-rice-id5462840.html
Ex-commerce minister faces lawsuit over rice
deals
THE NATION September 6,
2016 1:00 am
Boonsong
COMMERCE MINISTER Apiradi Tantraporn has
insisted that his ministry will file a civil liability case against ex-commerce
minister Boonsong Teriyapirom and five other people for compensation over the
allegedly fake government-to-government rice deals signed under the Yingluck
government.Besides Boonsong, three other former politicians and two senior
commerce ministry officials were named in the case in connection with the
rice-pledging scheme.The allegedly fake government-to-government rice deals
involving bogus Chinese buyers led to estimated damages of about Bt20 billion,
according to a government report.
Earlier, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told
Apiradi to proceed with the controversial case before the statute of
limitations expires in February next year.Apiradi said the ministry would
complete its task before the legal deadline, but needed to carefully study the
details of the case.The case is sensitive with several agencies involved.Former
premier Yingluck Shinawatra faces criminal and civil liability lawsuits similar
to those facing Boonsong concerning the rice-pledging scheme, which suffered
heavy losses, even though it was popular among farmers who benefited from high
rice prices
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Ex-commerce-minister-faces-lawsuit-over-rice-deals-30294600.html
10,000 Rice farmers benefit from CBN soft loan
in Kano
Advertisement
About
10, 000 rice farmers in Kano State are to benefit from the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) Initiated Rice Anchor Borrowers programme, under the first phase. The
first batch of 5, 540 beneficiaries have been cleared for participation in the
programme while the rest are awaiting clearance from the apex bank to enable
them participate.
Speaking in Kano, yesterday, the state
governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, explained that more farmers would be
involved in the programme during the year’s dry season and subsequent rainy
seasons. “It is envisaged that thousands of rice farmers in the state will take
advantage of the programme, aimed at creating profitable linkages between over
600, 000 small holder farmers and large scale processors in Nigeria, with a
view to increasing agricultural production and extensively improving capacity
utilisation of integrated mills,” he added.He noted that the President
Muhammadu administration accorded top priority to agricultural production, as
one of the viable sources of revenue generation, job creation and ensuring food
sufficiency for its teeming populace.
https://www.today.ng/business/177847/10000-rice-farmers-benefit-cbn-soft-loan-kano
Government
carries rice auction paddy in southern Brazil
A new rice Auction bark, bulk, will be held by
the National Supply Company (Conab) on the 14th of September.
The offer is 17,800 tons, remnants of the last
two trading sessions on September 1, when they were offered 35,000 tons.The
market acquired 49% of the grain, even if the product being offered at a price
5% below the border region market Rio Grande do Sul, where it is deposited in
cities like São Borja, Pelotas, Itaqui, Uruguaiana and others.
Conab performs A with the operations, the
Minimum Price Guarantee Policy (PGPM), through which purchase the product when
the value is below the minimum and returns to the market when it is above the
public release stocks price.
http://investinbrazil.biz/news/government-carries-rice-auction-paddy-southern-brazil
Duterte admin to amend law
mandating rice import quota to lift QR
@BenArnolddeVera
07:00 PM September 3rd, 2016
The
administration of President Rodrigo Duterte will move to amend a decade-old law
that put in place the rice import quota in line with economic managers’
decision to scrap the quantitative restriction (QR) for good next year. “During
the economic sub-cluster meeting held at Malacañang last Aug. 24, the cluster
members agreed to allow the lifting of the QR. However, this does not mean an
open market domestically, considering the existence of Republic Act (RA) No.
8178, otherwise known as the Agricultural Tariffication Act” of 1996, the
Office of the Cabinet Secretary said in a statement sent to the Inquirer on
Friday night. “As
explained by the Department of Agriculture in the technical working group
meeting last Sept. 1, RA 8178 has to be amended to meet and comply with the
lifting of the QR. Thus, it is recommended to revisit RA 8178 and amend the
same accordingly to provide a harmonized direction on rice importation in the
country,” it added. The
National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) earlier disclosed the
decision of economic managers to remove the Philippines’ quota on rice
importation, as the government moves to lower the prices of the said Filipino
staple food. Neda
Director Reynaldo R. Cancio told an investor conference call last week that
repealing the QR on rice will form part of a “strategic” trade policy to be
pursued by the Duterte administration aimed at bringing down food prices. In 2014,
the World Trade Organization (WTO) allowed the Philippines to extend its QR on
rice until June 30, 2017, in a bid to buy more time for local farmers to
prepare for free trade in light of the government’s goal of achieving rice
self-sufficiency. Since
the government imposes a quota on rice imports, domestic prices are vulnerable
to shocks resulting from meager supply. The QR
puts the burden of rice supply and demand to the government, whereas the market
forces are being limited by the quota system. Pundits
say importation should be done by the private sector in order to allow market
forces to determine prices. The
extended QR slaps 35-percent duty on imported rice under a minimum access
volume (MAV) of 805,200 metric tons. Importation outside of the MAV limit are
levied a higher tariff of 50 percent. The
Philippines’ most favored nation (MFN) rate—the additional tariff imposed when
imported outside of Asean—on the commodity remains at about 40 percent. In 1995,
the WTO allowed the Philippines to impose a 10-year quota system for rice
importation. The QR was extended in 2004, and then lapsed in 2012, before again
being renewed in 2014.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/812534/duterte-admin-to-amend-law-mandating-rice-import-quota-to-lift-qr
Gov’t to remove rice import
quota next year
@BenArnolddeVera
01:23 AM September 5th, 2016
THE
COUNTRY’S economic managers are in favor of removing import restrictions
on rice next year in line with the Philippines’ commitments under the World
Trade Organization (WTO), according to the Office of the Cabinet
Secretary. The WTO
allowed the Philippines in 2014 to extend its quantitative restrictions (QR) on
rice until June 30, 2017, in a bid to buy more time for local farmers to
prepare for free trade. “During
the economic subcluster meeting held at Malacañang on Aug. 24, the cluster
members agreed to allow the lifting of the QR. However, this does not mean an
open market domestically, considering the existence of Republic Act No. 8178,
otherwise known as the Agricultural Tariffication Act” of 1996, the Office of
the Cabinet Secretary said in a statement sent to the Inquirer Friday night. “As
explained by the Department of Agriculture in the technical working group
meeting last Sept. 1, RA 8178 has to be amended to meet and comply with the
lifting of the QR. Thus, it is recommended to revisit RA 8178 and amend the
same accordingly to provide a harmonized direction on rice importation in the
country,” it said. Lower
food prices The
National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) earlier disclosed the
decision of the economic managers to remove the Philippines’ quota on rice
importation, as the government moves to lower the price of the Filipinos’
staple food. Neda
Director Reynaldo R. Cancio told an investors conference call last week that
repealing the QR on rice would form part of a “strategic” trade policy to bring
down food prices. Since
the government imposes a quota on rice imports, domestic prices are vulnerable
to shocks resulting from meager supply. The QR
puts the burden of rice supply and demand on the government, whereas the market
forces are limited by the quota system. The
extended QR slaps a 35-percent duty on imported rice under a minimum access
volume (MAV) of 805,200 metric tons. Importation outside of the MAV limit are
levied a higher tariff of 40 or 50 percent. In 1995,
the WTO allowed the Philippines to impose a 10-year quota system for rice
importation. The QR was extended in 2004, and then lapsed in 2012, before it
was again renewed in 2014
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/812826/govt-to-remove-rice-import-quota-next-year
Farmers seek help to cope
with more rice imports
12:05 AM September 6th, 2016
Local
farmers need greater government support amid the expected expiration of import
curbs for milled rice, which is cheaper than homegrown grains, according to the
Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag). The
umbrella group of farmers, agri-business operators and party list groups Monday
also said the removal of import quotas for milled rice would not cut prices of
the staple grain. “The
liberalization of the agriculture sector since the mid-1990s saw the dumping of
agriculture imports but it did not redound to the lowering of prices of most,
if not all, agriculture products,” Sinag chair Rosendo So told the Inquirer. So said
that, for example, the garlic industry—which sources as much as 90 percent of
supply from abroad— did not see lower prices, and even experienced a price
spike. “Quantitative
restrictions on rice did not hinder the importation of greater volumes. In
fact, the Philippines has been one of the top importers of rice in the last
decade or so,” he said. “This
does not even take in to account the flourishing trade of rice smuggling that
continues to this day,” he added. Sinag
believes that, instead of relying on imports “that only help the rice farmers
of rice exporting countries,” the government should pursue the “genuine
development” of the local rice industry through the following efforts. First,
support rice farmers with the provision of farm inputs including seeds,
irrigation, credit and insurance coverage, as well as support in the post-and
marketing stage. Second,
increase the farmgate support price of National Food Authority. And
third, provide incentives to local rice millers who want to modernize their
milling operations and facilities. So said
the cost of producing palay in the Philippines was around P10-P12 per kilo
while farmers in Vietnam grow palay at P6.50 a kilo and in Thailand and India
at about P9 a kilo. The
import quota system—which will expire on June 30, 2017, even if the government
does not lift it—commits the government to allow into the Philippines a minimum
of 805,200 tons yearly.
http://business.inquirer.net/214546/farmers-seek-help-cope-rice-imports
Big rice crop rebound but PNG turmoil adds to
price worries
ANDREW MARSHALL
05 Sep, 2016 07:12 AM
Irrigation water supplies will enable
production of an 800,000 tonne rice crop this summer, but despite threats to
its valuable Papua New Guinea market, SunRice has buyers for 900,000t of
Riverina rice. Surging water storage levels are set to revive southern
Australia’s irrigated rice crop area by more than 200 per cent this summer, but
new overseas market challenges now loom menacingly on the horizon. After
surviving a serious water allocation shortage which shrank the 2016 harvest to
just 244,000 tonnes, national rice marketer SunRice is bracing for potential
turmoil in its valuable Papua New Guinea market, plus falling global prices and
local deregulation threats to market stability. In PNG an Indonesian-backed
venture has been sanctioned by government to take over 80 per cent of the rice
market next year.
SunRice
executives are in PNG this week trying to negotiate ways to reduce the quota
decision’s impact on the company. The devalued PNG kina and declining economic
activity are also weighing heavily on SunRice’s 66 per cent owned business,
Trukai, which currently supplies more than 70pc of the market, primarily with
medium grain Japonica-style rice. Trukai also faces new competition from
cheaper long grain rice imports and rice distributed free as food aid. Trukai
contributed $364m in sales to SunRice’s $1.3 billion earnings last financial
year. Farmer-owned SunRice defied the past year’s tough seasonal conditions and
market pitfalls to post a $52 million after-tax profit for 2015-16 (up six per
cent), despite revenue from its rice pool sliding 18pc after the 2015 harvest
contracted to 690,000t. The company has markets for more than a million tonnes
of rice a year and its international business is growing. It had
to pull out all stops to source extra grain overseas when this year’s crop
tonnages fell significantly further to their lowest point since the Millennium
drought. Its US business, SunFoods, is helping fill the shortfall, as have new
direct contracts in Asia farmers and supplies sourced elsewhere overseas.
Chairman, Laurie Arthur, is ecstatic about the prospect of much more irrigation
water available in NSW this summer, with SunRice now tipping the crop could
yield about 800,000t.
http://www.farmweekly.com.au/news/agriculture/agribusiness/general-news/big-rice-crop-rebound-but-png-turmoil-adds-to-price-worries/2753674.aspx
Rice industry rushes to
disarm single desk critics
ANDREW MARSHALL
06 Sep, 2016 08:20 AM
The rice
industry is rallying its troops to safeguard the last of Australia’s grain
“sacred cows” – NSW’s rice export marketing single desk. Growers are being
called to action to lobby hard to retain the monopoly in stark defiance of
federal government’s Productivity Commission recently finding “little or no evidence
of a sustained and positive price premium for Australian rice exports in world
markets”. Farmers
have received pro-forma documents to help them prepare their own submissions to
the NSW government by next week in support of the national exporter SunRice
keeping its unique status. While
the domestic rice market has been open to numerous local traders and importers
for 10 years, about 80 per cent of the nation’s crop is exported by
Riverina-based farmer-owned processor, SunRice. It has
the exclusive rights to sell overseas on behalf of the NSW Rice Marketing Board
(RMB), which has held compulsory vesting rights over the NSW crop for almost 90
years. The vast
majority of Australian rice grows in southern NSW, although SunRice is also
promoting production in North Queensland. A
handful of NSW North Coast producers grow subtropical dryland varieties for the
domestic market. “I want
to add another call to action for those of you who support the renewal of
vesting and sole and exclusive export arrangements to make a submission,” said
SunRice chief executive officer Rob Gordon at last month’s annual general
meeting. Independent
calculations suggest SunRice achieved an $82 million price premium for the
Australian export crop in 2015 alone because as a single marketer it was not
compelled to duplicate export costs, or cut export prices, while vying with
other local rivals to win sales in the crowded global rice market. Mr
Gordon said the quantity and quality of pro-vesting submissions would be
important in potentially influencing the marketing review, and a final
political decision made by the state government. SunRice
chairman, Laurie Arthur, noted 93pc of submissions to the state government’s
regular review four years ago supported the rice single desk. Rice
Growers Association of Australia president, Jeremy Morton, said RGA members had
“overwhelming” supported the benefits the single desk provided growers and rice
growing communities. “I don’t
sense any mood for change among farmers or in political circles,” Mr Morton
said “But
we’re definitely not taking the single desk for granted and we’ll certainly aim
to get as many submissions supporting our case as possible.” However,
some growers do question the desk's value, including prominent Sydney stockbroker,
Colin Bell, whose big Burrabogie Pastoral Company grows rice in South West NSW.
He was a
leading opponent in the 2012 review process, arguing the RMB presented "no
objective, factual and compelling evidence" to show why growers were
better off with SunRice handling all their export crop. In July
the Productivity Commission’s preliminary review of agriculture sector
regulation questioned the value the single desk, too, finding the rice industry
achieved an annual premium on global markets averaging just $3 a tonne more
than equivalent Californian rice between 2003 and 2013. Similarly
it found a premium of just $3t on sales to the Middle East and North Africa
(about 36pc of SunRice’s market), but hefty premiums for New Zealand sales
(10pc of the market) worth $379/t. However,
in the 24 years between 1989 and 2013t the commission found average
international returns were $52/t below the US price and $120/t less for Middle
East sales. It
argued single desk rules persisting in the rice industry and at Western
Australian Potato Marketing Corporation should be abolished, saying the price
premiums achieved were not necessarily evidence of regulated marketing working.
It’s
report admitted it was difficult to estimate the extra price value added by
SunRice’s export packaging process, but said other price premiums could also be
achieved by normal commercial innovation. RGA’s Mr
Morton described the commission’s analysis as “a pretty light look at the rice
industry” influenced strongly by a philosophical opposition to regulatory
costs. “It’s
always hard to prosecute your case when the economic rationalists don’t want to
have a close look at the whole picture,” he said. “There
are significant overseas government restrictions to trading rice, but the
single desk helps Australia’s small industry make the most of our export
position and create significant value for growers and our regional economy.”
http://www.farmweekly.com.au/news/agriculture/cropping/general-news/rice-industry-rushes-to-disarm-single-desk-critics/2753686.aspx?storypage=0
Rice Prices
as on :
07-09-2016 12:34:31 PM Arrivals
in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.
Arrivals
Price
Current
%
Season
Modal
Prev.
Prev.Yr
Rice
North Lakhimpur(ASM)
21.10
27.11
1943.60
1900
1900
NC
Lakhimpur(UP)
12.00
-20
667.50
2390
2380
11.68
Mirzapur(UP)
6.50
-7.14
1639.10
1985
1980
1.02
Silapathar(ASM)
6.00
NC
714.80
3000
3000
N
Rice Prices
as on :
06-09-2016 08:10:22 PM Arrivals
in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.
Arrivals
Price
Current
%
Season
Modal
Prev.
Prev.Yr
Rice
Gadarpur(Utr)
3223.00
57.53
140438.00
2075
2210
6.14
Bazpur(Utr)
2516.18
322.32
53987.19
1980
1825
8.55
Mathabhanga(WB)
110.00
37.5
5830.00
2450
2450
25.64
Srirampur(ASM)
90.00
80
4915.00
3000
3000
17.65
Siliguri(WB)
90.00
NC
7136.00
2600
2600
-
Kalipur(WB)
78.00
-20.41
7795.00
2350
2350
20.51
Gauripur(ASM)
50.00
38.89
3128.50
4500
4500
NC
Beldanga(WB)
50.00
-9.09
2938.00
2480
2450
5.53
Partaval(UP)
30.00
-25
1762.00
2150
2150
12.57
Kolaghat(WB)
20.00
-9.09
1089.00
2450
2450
2.08
Tamluk (Medinipur E)(WB)
20.00
-9.09
1080.00
2450
2450
2.08
North Lakhimpur(ASM)
16.60
15.28
1922.50
1900
1900
NC
Lakhimpur(UP)
15.00
7.14
655.50
2380
2400
11.21
Naugarh(UP)
14.50
26.09
966.50
2110
2100
9.33
Dibrugarh(ASM)
12.00
100
1517.40
2450
2450
-
Alappuzha(Ker)
10.00
NC
220.00
4550
4600
17.42
Raiganj(WB)
9.00
28.57
1078.50
2750
2700
-1.79
Mirzapur(UP)
7.00
-6.67
1632.60
1980
1985
0.51
Karanjia(Ori)
6.50
30
413.80
2700
2700
3.85
Silapathar(ASM)
6.00
NC
708.80
3000
3000
NC
Robertsganj(UP)
6.00
20
770.50
1995
1970
7.26
Champadanga(WB)
6.00
-62.5
1195.00
2700
2650
5.88
Uluberia(WB)
5.00
-7.41
262.90
2400
2400
NC
Bishalgarh(Tri)
2.90
3.57
17.60
3000
3000
-6.25
APEDA
AgriExchange Newsletter - Volume 1551
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 03-09-2016
Domestic Prices
Unit Price : Rs per Qty
Product
Market
Center
Variety
Min
Price
Max
Price
Rice
1
Aroor
(Kerala)
Other
3000
3200
2
Dibrugarh
(Assam)
Other
2000
2900
3
Khatra
(West Bengal)
Other
2250
2350
Wheat
1
Hoskote
(Karnataka)
Other
1917
1917
2
Satna
(Madhya Pradesh)
Other
1550
1717
3
Deoli
(Rajasthan)
Other
1580
1691
Papaya
1
Barnala
(Punjab)
Other
2200
2400
2
Pilibhit
(Uttar Pradesh)
Other
1240
1280
3
Taura
(Haryana)
Other
1800
2000
Cabbage
1
Anchal
(Kerala)
Other
1500
1800
2
Nagpur
(Maharashtra)
Other
400
600
3
Deogarh
(Orissa)
Other
1500
2500
09/06/2016
Farm Bureau Market Report
Rice
High
Low
Long
Grain Cash Bids
- - -
- - -
Long
Grain New Crop
- - -
- - -
Futures:
ROUGH
RICE
High
Low
Last
Change
Sep
'16
938.5
-17.5
Nov
'16
968.0
950.5
952.0
-17.0
Jan
'17
990.0
980.0
978.0
-16.0
Mar
'17
1002.5
-15.5
May
'17
1024.0
-15.5
Jul
'17
1044.5
-15.0
Sep
'17
1044.5
-15.0
Rice Comment
Rice futures ended lower across the board.
Nationwide, 15% of the crop is now rated poor to very poor, and another 27% is
in fair condition, with 35% of the crop harvested. In Arkansas, the percentage
of the crop rated poor to very poor is 24%, with 31% of the crop harvested.
Excessive heat caused blanking and has hurt yields, and excessive moisture in
late summer has caused quality problems. However, abundant world supplies and
declining prices in Asia continue to loom large over the market. India is
expecting a large crop following a beneficial monsoon season. Technically,
November charted a bearish outside day last Thursday, which hasn’t been negated
at this point, although trading has been confined within that range for the
past two sessions.
California Rice Research and
Industry on Display
Getting the lay of the land
(Photo credit: Jim Morris, California Rice Commission)
BIGGS, CA - The University of California
Rice Experiment Station held its annual field day here last week and USA
Rice was on hand to participate. President and CEO Betsy Ward and
Vice President of Government Affairs Ben Mosely toured the grower-funded
research plots and heard from the University's researchers who are working to
further improve upon California's high quality/high yielding varieties. It was
a great opportunity to visit with hundreds of growers, researchers, industry
advocates, and partners on a fine summer day in Biggs.
The California Rice Commissions' Executive
Committee also met with Ward and Mosely to review policy and program alignment
plans for the coming year and to discuss the importance of coordinated
approaches on trade, communications, and farm policy.
In addition, The Sun Valley Rice Company in
Arbuckle hosted a roundtable meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador
Darci Vetter and California rice industry leaders to discuss pending trade
deals, the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment
Partnership (T-TIP). The California visit wrapped up with a trip to the
rice farming operations of USA Rice Council Chair Sean Doherty in Dunnigan.
"I'm pleased we were able to participate
in another excellent California field day," said Ward. "Dr. Kent
McKenzie always puts on an impressive show, and I think he would agree that the
grower funds are essential to the success in developing new rice varieties. It
was good to have Ambassador Vetter on hand to see the care and precision that
goes into growing the high quality California crop each year."
The California rice crop is proceeding well and
acreage is back up to 560,000 - a 33 percent increase over what was planted
last year. Farmers are beginning to harvest this week and expect to be finished
by mid-October.
USA
Rice Daily, Tuesday, September 6, 201
Fisher Delta Center Celebrates
55th Annual Field Day
PORTAGEVILLE, MO - USA Rice sponsored
and exhibited at the University of Missouri Fisher Delta Center Field Day on Friday . More than 500 people, including producers,
agribusiness representatives, and local, state and national elected officials,
as well as many new candidates for office attended an appreciation breakfast
before going on field tours.
Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) and
Congressman Jason Smith (R-MO) were keynote speakers. Each emphasized the
importance of agriculture research with the global population growth that is
projected as well as highlighting the Environmental Protection Agency overreach
that is harming American farmers.
The field tours began late in the
morning with the sun shining and perfect temperatures in the low 70's, which
made absorbing the valuable information presented that much easier. The
rice tour discussed Bootheel productivity of a number of different cultivars
from each rice-producing state, the use of coal burning power plant's byproduct
of gypsum as a sulfur source for field applications, and discussed evaluations
of new technology available for farm management.
One, a phone app called Crop Water
Use from the University of Missouri, is designed to help schedule irrigation
and predict rice growth stages. Another phone app discussed is from
Oklahoma State University and called Canopeo. It analyzes photographs of your
rice crop taken with your cell phone to create a threshold that could help make
midseason N decisions.
Both are excellent examples of
technology helping farmers grow the food we need and love.
Rice Loans to Be Disbursed
Soon
Cambodia’s beleaguered rice millers can now
breathe a sigh of relief after a tumultuous three months in what seemed to be
government ineptitude in disbursing an emergency loan of $30 million to prevent
them from becoming insolvent.
In June, the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF)
announced that the government agreed to make out loans of between $20 million
and $30 million to help rice millers purchase paddy rice from farmers after the
harvest this November to store in warehouses and process for export.
The loans were to be made to CRF, using the
Rural Development Bank (RDB), with the foundation acting as guarantor. The CRF
in turn would screen all applicants and hand out the money to deserving rice
millers, currently reeling from the aftereffects of the severe drought and
facing stiff competition from low-grade rice flowing into the country from
Vietnam.
But three months later, the loans have yet to
be made and a specter of doom and gloom hangs over the sector because there is
only a short three or four-week window of opportunity to buy paddy rice from
farmers for milling in November. If this was missed, rice millers said, the
harvested paddy rice would be sold by farmers to rice millers in neighboring
countries.
Now, there seems to be light at the end of what
seemed to be a long tunnel.
“Though the emergency rice loan from the
government was stuck due to bureaucratic red tape, both the CRF and the
Ministry of Economy and Finance were in close negotiations to break the stalemate,”
said Kao Thach, executive director of RDB.
Mr. Thach said the issue in question was the
repayment period and guarantee for the loans.
“That issue now is nearly resolved and I
believe the loans will be disbursed [from the government] through the RDB for
CRF members. Though there is no definite date, I am confident the loans can be
given to rice millers before the harvesting season,” he said.
Mr. Thach said the RDB was working with CRF to
enable millers to use the rice stored in their warehouses as collateral for the
loans.
“This arrangement is necessary because these
rice millers have no other means to guarantee repayment of their borrowed
money,” he said.
According to RDB, the loan will be disbursed
with an eight percent interest rate and a one-year repayment period.
Mr.
Thach refused to reveal to Khmer Times the number of rice millers that had
applied at RDB for the loans. He, however, said the number of applications was
increasing.CRF vice president Hun Lak said the CRF had worked hard with the
government to overcome obstacles for the disbursement of loans to the rice
millers.“We see light at the end of the tunnel now and our negotiations with
the government is making headway,” said Mr. Lak. Chan Sokheang, chairman of
rice export company Signature of Asia, said rice millers had to have the
promised government emergency loans disbursed to them soon before the harvest
season in November so that they can make plans to earmark purchases from
farmers in the short harvest period
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/29421/rice-loans-to-be-disbursed-soon/
Woman rep aspirant accused of selfish interests
Sep. 07, 2016, 2:00 am
By GEOFFREY KIBISU
Kirinyaga woman representative Wangui Ngirici./file
Mwea MP Peter Gitau has said businesswoman and aspiring
Kirinyaga woman representative Wangui Ngirici does not have the people’s
interests at heart.
http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2016/09/07/woman-rep-aspirant-accused-of-selfish-interests_c1415486
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