·
India to finalise rice export deal with
Indonesia soon - trade secretary
·
Indonesian envoy for business collaboration
with Pakistan
·
Sri successfully introduced in Manipur
·
Weathering El Niño with better preparations
·
Drought and ‘Rice First’ Policy Imperil
Vietnamese Farmers
·
Reap advocates zero-rated status for rice
exports
·
Philrice News
·
Basmati rice prices surge
before Iran ban
·
APEDA AgriExchange
Newsletter
· India-Indonesia deal on rice trade soon
·
RiceBran Technologies To
Present at the Fifth Annual Marcum MicroCap Conference
News Detail...India to finalise rice export deal with Indonesia soon - trade secretary
Mon May 30,
2016 6:39am GMT
NEW DELHI May 30
(Reuters) - India, the world's biggest rice exporter, will soon finalise a
non-basmati rice exports contract with Indonesia in a rare
government-to-government deal, Trade Secretary Rita Teaotia said on Monday, as
rice prices started firming up following drought in key producing countries.India
could ask the state-run Food Corporation of India to sell around 1 million
tonnes rice from its stockpile to Indonesia, the world's leading rice importer,
industry officials said.Rice prices in Asia are hovering around their highest levels in two years. (Reporting by Manoj Kumar; Writing by Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Malini Menon
http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFD8N17L00M
Indonesianenvoy for business collaboration with Pakistan
29-May-16
LAHORE:
Indonesian Ambassador Iwan Suyudhie Amri has said that Pakistani businessmen
should take advantage from the large Indonesian market.He was talking to the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Vice President Nasir Saeed at the LCCI on Saturday.The ambassador said that bilateral trade should be enhanced to the maximum, as Pakistan and Indonesia are potential markets. He said that Pakistani rice and meat have great demand in Indonesia therefore, Pakistani businessmen should avail this opportunity.
He said that the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry is playing a significant role to strengthen the trade and economic relations between the two countries.
LCCI Vice President Nasir Saeed on the occasion said that the implementation of Pakistan-Indonesia Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) would help begin a new era of cooperation and serve as a foundation for enhanced economic and trade cooperation. The Pakistani businesses would increase exports to Southeast Asia’s largest economy under the preferential trade agreement, he added.
He said that the bilateral trade figures fairly indicate the economic relations between two countries. However, he added, the gap of trade deficit is further widening, which needs to be shortened by way of allowing Pakistan to export more items to Indonesia.
The LCCI vice president said that there is also a lot of scope for Indonesia to make investment in Pakistan. “Indonesia has a fairly advanced petro-chemical, rubber, plywood, telecommunication and tourism industry. Indonesia can make direct investment in these industries and can also enter into joint ventures with Pakistani counterparts,” he added.
Sri successfully introduced in
Manipur
Imphal, May 29: System of Rice
Intensification which is commonly known as SRI in paddy has been successfully
introduced in the State. SRI is an agro ecological methodology or increasing
the productivity of irrigated rice by changing the management of plants, soil,
water and nutrients. Under the SRI, seeds are sown sparsely to multiply
enormous offspring of seeds.
Generally it is said that SRI
principles and practices have been adapted for rainfed rice cultivation areas
as well as for other crops with yield increases and associated economic
benefits. SRI mode of production needs only 8-9 kg of rice seeds per one
hectare of paddy field and yields about 5 ton of rice and simultaneously it is
quite economical.
The Agriculture Department had also
introduced 2(two) High Yielding Variety of Rice namely Gin- Phou and Pari-Phou
at Rice Research Station, Wangbal, Thoubal District for increasing the
production and productivity in the State.
The Department of Agriculture has
implemented Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) for strengthening
the extension reform in each District of the State and also constructed a new
farmer Training Hall at the District Agriculture Office Complex, Porompat,
Imphal East for conducting the training programme of the farmers of all
District under the Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA).
It is worth to recall that
Agriculture and allied activities is the mainstay of the State's economy where
about 70% of the population depends on it. Agriculture in the State is confined
to 10.48% of the total geographical area (the geographical area being 22.327-lakh
ha.). The State is marginally deficit in cereals and highly deficit in the
production of oilseeds and pulses. Inspite of the rapid advancement in the crop
productivity, the high rate of population growth poses a challenge of self
sufficiency in Agriculture within the State.
The irrigated area is 50.000 ha.
i.e. 21.32 % of the net agricultural land. Pre- kharif paddy were brought under
cultivation of 18,110 ha.(2001-02) to 42,000 ha (2015-16). The production of
Pre- kharif paddy is increasing from 43,460 MT to 1,68,190 MT in clean rice
with a productivity of 2400 Kg/ha and 4000 Kg/ha respectively. The total
production of paddy is increasing from 4,39,000 MT to 5,97,670 MT of clean rice
during last 15 years with a productivity of 2680 kg/ha against the National
average of 2177 Kg/ha. (2010-11).
The total area under pulses is
increasing from 22,180 to 30,920 ha with a production of 16,450 MT and 29,440
MT during the last 15 year. The per hectare yield of pulses is also increased
from 750 Kg to 950 Kg/ha against the National average of 537Kg/ha. (2010-11)
The total area under maize is
increasing from 16500 to 26720 ha with a production from 33160 MT to 61560 MT
during the last 15 year.
The per hectare yield of maize is
also increased from 2010 Kg to 2300 Kg/ha against the National average of 1959
Kg/ha (2010-11).
The total area under oilseeds is
increasing from 22750 to 37480 ha with a production of 15210 MT and 31780 MT
during the last 15 year. The per hectare yield of pulses is also increased from
670 Kg to 850 Kg/ha against the National average of 1159 Kg/ha. (2010-11).
The area and production of potato is
increasing from 7520 to 15250 ha. And production from 62,040 to 1,29,170 MT/ha.
http://www.sentinelassam.com/northeast/story.php?sec=2&subsec=9&id=268998&dtP=2016-05-30&ppr=1
Weathering El Niño with better preparations
Published May 30, 2016
12:44pm
With
the worst of El Niño now over, there is a general sense of relief that
one of the strongest weather events on record didn’t lead to food shortages and spikes in food prices, particularly for
rice.
During the 2007-2008 food crisis when there was also an El Niño, albeit a milder one, rice prices on the world market more than doubled. This time, prices went up by a more manageable 10-15 per cent despite rice stocks dipping at their lowest in three years.
Everybody has apparently learned from the last food crisis, says Samarendu Mohanty, social sciences division head of the International Rice Research Institute, on the sidelines of the 15th Review, Planning and Steering Committee Meeting of the Consortium for Unfavourable Rice Environments held in Manila (24 May).
Massive information and warnings about a strong El Niño since early last year prepared governments for its onset. A number of countries increased their seed buffer stocking to ensure production normalises immediately once favourable weather returns.
But Mohanty says that the most important lesson from the 2007-2008 food crisis is not to panic. At that time, major rice-exporting countries such as India and Vietnam restricted rice exports, causing panic buying among rice-importing countries like the Philippines. Some countries purchased more than necessary, which drove up prices.
Advances in rice research and technology in the past decade have managed to save millions of farms worldwide, which otherwise would have been rendered unproductive and useless. More countries have now resorted to adopting salt-tolerant, drought- and heat-resistant rice varieties in unfavourable environments.
Mohanty, however, warns of complacency as politics and successive disasters could easily sway policies and affect supplies in the market. Moreover, he says research should continue to provide better varieties and more profitable returns to encourage farmers to continue planting rice.
This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s South-East Asia & Pacific desk.
During the 2007-2008 food crisis when there was also an El Niño, albeit a milder one, rice prices on the world market more than doubled. This time, prices went up by a more manageable 10-15 per cent despite rice stocks dipping at their lowest in three years.
Everybody has apparently learned from the last food crisis, says Samarendu Mohanty, social sciences division head of the International Rice Research Institute, on the sidelines of the 15th Review, Planning and Steering Committee Meeting of the Consortium for Unfavourable Rice Environments held in Manila (24 May).
Massive information and warnings about a strong El Niño since early last year prepared governments for its onset. A number of countries increased their seed buffer stocking to ensure production normalises immediately once favourable weather returns.
But Mohanty says that the most important lesson from the 2007-2008 food crisis is not to panic. At that time, major rice-exporting countries such as India and Vietnam restricted rice exports, causing panic buying among rice-importing countries like the Philippines. Some countries purchased more than necessary, which drove up prices.
Advances in rice research and technology in the past decade have managed to save millions of farms worldwide, which otherwise would have been rendered unproductive and useless. More countries have now resorted to adopting salt-tolerant, drought- and heat-resistant rice varieties in unfavourable environments.
Mohanty, however, warns of complacency as politics and successive disasters could easily sway policies and affect supplies in the market. Moreover, he says research should continue to provide better varieties and more profitable returns to encourage farmers to continue planting rice.
This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s South-East Asia & Pacific desk.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/568094/scitech/science/weathering-el-nino-with-better-preparations#sthash.mddOosnr.dpuf
Drought and ‘Rice First’ Policy Imperil Vietnamese Farmers
Huynh Anh Dung, 34, at his family farm in Soc Trang Province,
Vietnam. His rice crop failed in February because of salty water. Credit The New York Times
SOC TRANG, Vietnam — When the rice shoots began
to wither on Lam Thi Loi’s farm in the heart of the Mekong Delta, a usually
verdant region of Vietnam, she faced a hard
choice: Let them die in the parched earth, or pump salty water from the river
to give them a chance.
Like many seasoned farmers here, she risked the
saline water. The crop perished within days.
The Mekong Delta, Vietnam’s premier rice growing
region, is suffering its worst drought since French colonial administrators
began recording statistics in 1926. Giant cracks, some a foot deep, gouge the
hard earth; brown stalks of dead rice litter the fields; and the dryness is so
severe even the pests lie shriveled on the ground.
“I’ve been planting rice since I was 13, and I
have never seen anything like this,” Ms. Loi, 38, said as she sat in her neat
living room. “In February I got one bag of rice. Last year we harvested 1.4
tons.”
The increasingly dramatic effect of El Niño,
the weather phenomenon that causes excessive
heat and reduced rainfall in Southeast Asia, is the prime reason for the crop
failures in the delta, scientists say. But it is not the only one.
By The New York Times
The Communist government’s insistence that
farmers grow three rice crops a year, instead of the traditional one or two,
has depleted the soil of nutrients, exacerbating the impact of the drought,
they say.
And water from the sea has invaded the lower
reaches of the Mekong River, which is more shallow than usual, sweeping saline
water farther up the delta than ever before and wiping out rice fields.
All 13 provinces in the delta, home to 17
million people, or one-fifth of Vietnam’s population, are suffering from salt
water in agricultural lands, the government said. The Ministry of Agriculture
and Rural Development reported in March that 200,000 households experienced
serious water shortages, and that the
number was rising.
Saline water has long been invading the delta,
but because of the drought there is not enough fresh water in the river and its
distributaries to dilute the seawater. The salt is having a more deleterious
impact, the scientists say.
The rice crop crisis has highlighted the need
for the government to adjust its heavy emphasis on rice growing, and to
encourage shrimp farming as a more profitable and practical substitute, said
Nguyen Huu Thien, a consultant with the International Union for Conservation of
Nature.
Lam Thi Loi, 38, at her home in Soc Trang. “I’ve been planting rice
since I was 13, and I have never seen anything like this,” Ms. Loi said. Credit The New York Times
“Vietnam is the second-biggest rice exporter
after Thailand,” Mr. Thien said, referring to the Southeast Asian region. ”But
there is no glory in that because the farmers are not thriving, and there is a
lot of migration out of the delta.”
The government is stuck on a “rice first”
policy that harks back to the 1970s, after the Communist victory in the Vietnam
War, when the people were hungry and the country was isolated, bereft of
trading partners and without a manufacturing sector.
In those days, the government mobilized work
teams to construct earthen dikes along major canals in the delta to keep the
salt water out and to foster better conditions for rice growing, said Timothy
Gorman, a researcher on the delta at Cornell University.
Government-financed sluice gates were built in
the 1990s, he said. By 2001, some farmers were so fed up with the efforts to
hold back the salt water that they attacked the sluice gates and destroyed
them, making way for the cultivation of tiger prawns in the western part of the
delta.
Many farmers know the saline water is good for
producing shrimp, Mr. Gorman said, but while they get subsidies for rice, they
are not encouraged to switch to shrimp.
Huynh Anh Dung’s rice crop in Soc Trang Province in the Mekong
Delta was destroyed by drought. Credit The
New York Times
The construction of hydropower dams upstream
from the delta, and dams in China’s southern province of Yunnan, are adding to
the woes.
A 2010 study commissioned by the Mekong River
Commission warned against the building of 11 dams in Laos and Cambodia because
they would trap valuable sediment and stop it from reaching the delta. The
report was ignored, two of the dams are under construction, and the rest are
scheduled to go ahead.
In a rare concession to Vietnam, the Chinese
released water from dams in Yunnan Province in March, but the flow was too
small to make a difference to the failing rice crops, the Vietnamese
authorities said.
Resentment toward the government is rising
among the villagers.
The provincial authorities kept them in the
dark, residents said. In October, the water level in the vast Tonle Sap Lake in
Cambodia, which feeds into the Mekong River, was perilously low.
Two other big reservoirs of water in the
Vietnamese provinces of An Giang and Dong Thap that help soak the rice fields
were also at extremely low levels.
A canal dried up because of drought in Soc Trang Province. A year
ago it was still passable by boat. Credit The
New York Times
Ms. Loi said she had not been warned. She went
ahead, plowing and planting. She has lost more than $1,000 on seeds,
fertilizers and labor, she said.
Yet when she attended a meeting called recently
by district officials to discuss the problems, the villagers were met with
scorn, she said. “They offered me only $120,” she said. “It is nothing. We have
no right to negotiate with them. They said the farmers don’t know anything. But
we do know our business.”
On the banks of the river two hours away, a
more prosperous rice farmer, Huynh Anh Dung, 34, presides over six acres of
land, his share of a vast property founded by his grandfather nearly 100 years
ago.
When his rice crop failed in February because
of salty water, he decided to forsake a third crop. He knew it was folly to try
again.
“A friend had a machine that measures the salt
in the water,” he said. “There was 4.8 parts per thousand. Anything over two
parts per thousand kills the plants.”
The Nga Nam floating market in Soc Trang Province, where many
farmers make their livelihood selling their produce. Credit The New York Times
Some farmers have fled to Ho Chi Minh City to
find work, leaving villages with only half their population.
In some towns and villages, farmers like Mr.
Dung have comfortable homes with polished wood furniture, televisions,
motorbikes for getting around on the roads and outboard motor boats on the
rivers. A mildly sweet iced tea, with crushed ice, is served as a welcoming
drink to visitors.
Mr. Dung is staying put, tethered to his
ancestral lands. He had saved enough money from past crops that he did not need
part-time work. His uncle had started growing organic bitter melons on a
portion of land on the family farm, a project that was doing well.
On a recent morning, he hired a worker to dig
shallow trenches in the fields so that when the rains finally arrive the salt
now embedded in the earth will run away more quickly.
The signs of well-being will not last, said Mr.
Thien, who was one of the authors of the 2010 report on the dams. With so many
dams coming on line upstream, the lack of sediment will eventually kill the
delta, leaving it a wasteland in the next 100 years or so.
“The impact of the dams will be irreversible,”
he said.
Mr. Dung could not see so far into the future.
As he contemplated the salt damage, and his scorched earth, thunder rumbled in
the distance. Gray clouds hung overhead, the first in six months. “I hope it
rains,” he said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/29/world/asia/drought-and-rice-first-policy-imperil-vietnamese-farmers.html
Reap advocates zero-rated status for rice exports
May 28, 2016
Rice Exporters
Association of Pakistan (Reap) has requested Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to
declare rice exports as industry and grant it zero-rated status. Chaudhry
Muhammad Shafique, Chairman, Reap and Noman Ahmed Shaikh, Senior Vice Chairman
welcomed the statement of Javed Bilwani, Chief Co-ordinator of Five Export
Sector Associations for zero rating of five leading export sectors and assured
him of full cooperation in this regard. They said in a statement that apart
from textile, rice exports are much ahead of other four sectors.
"Negligence towards rice sector will discourage its exports and we will
lose our established markets," they added. If the government intentions
are good then "No Payment No Refund" policy will curb corruption and
allow many staff members of the FBR to do other productive work, they said.
"If the government wants to increase exports, it should not penalise
export sector by 'pay first and get refunds later' policy. The working capital
of exporters gets blocked as huge refunds are pending for years. People are
forced to borrow loans to run their units or shutting them down," they
added. Abdul Rahim Janoo, former chairman, REAP said that all other taxes/cess
on export items be merged to create a single tax collected through banks at the
time of negotiating documents or on receipt of payments. This will increase
government revenue and eliminate corruption. The calculation formula is very
easy. Just add all federal and provincial taxes such as EOBI, Social Security,
Market Committee and divide by total export value, if it comes 0.05 percent or
0.10 percent, put it along with the withholding tax and save exporters from
'collection mafia', he added. Besides, he called for exempting exporters from
sales tax on packing material, local supply and electricity bills. It will give
peace of mind to exporters and they will increase exports manifold and once
export increases the government revenue increases, he maintained. "We are
hopeful that our demands will be accepted soon. Reap assures govt of taking
rice exports to USD 4 billion by the end of 2018," he added.
Recommended varieties,
technologies for the rainy season
After the onslaught of El Niño, experts at PhilRice alert
farmers to prepare for the rainy season by using appropriate varieties and
technologies in rice farming.
Dr. Norvie Manigbas, head of PhilRice’s Plant Breeding and
Biotechnology Division, advised farmers to plant varieties which stand at most
100 cm and with strong stems that can withstand 40-60 kph wind speed.
Some of these
varieties are PSB Rc14, Rc68, NSIC Rc9, and Rc222.
“Rainfed areas are also prone to flooding. The varieties
suited for this condition are PSB Rc18 (Ala), which can withstand 5-7 days of
complete submergence, NSIC Rc194 (Submarino 1), which can survive, grow, and
develop even after 10-14 days of complete submergence, and PSB Rc68 (Sacobia),
a submergence-tolerant and a drought-resistant variety,” Manigbas said.
These varieties have the following maximum yield: 8.1 t/ha
(RC18); 3.5 t/ha (Rc194); 4.4 t/ha (Rc68); 6.1 t/ha (Rc14); and 10 t/ha
(Rc222).They can also recover when submerged during vegetative stage.
“These are the maximum yields that the farmers could get
under stressed conditions,” Manigbas said.
Additionally, PhilRice also emphasizes reduction of
fertilizer application rates. Manigbas reminded that while fertilizers are
beneficial to plants, in high amounts, they may cause lodging.
“Fertilizers cannot be maximized, as there is a limited
amount of sunlight during the rainy season. Depending on soil analysis results
and recommended nutrient requirement rates, it is better to reduce fertilizer
application rates by 20-30% in wet season,” Manigbas explained.
Technologies
Under rainfed conditions, Manigbas encouraged farmers to
practice synchronous planting in their communities. It reduces incidence of
pests and diseases in a specific area, thus minimizing yield loss.
Dry land preparation is also desired so farmers can do
direct-seeding when the rain comes. With this technique, the seeds will start
to germinate within 5 days.
Manigbas explained that under irrigated lowland conditions,
land preparation should be done at the onset of heavy rains so that fields are
well-soaked in water. Levees and dikes should be repaired to avoid water loss.
Farmers can use the wet bed or dapog method for seed establishment depending on field conditions.
PhilRice also suggests proper drainage to avoid flooding, use of machines
during land preparation, harvesting, threshing, and drying to save time and
labor.
“Time is vital during
the wet season especially during harvest. As the rain usually comes in the
afternoon, we suggest the use of combine harvester to hasten harvesting
operations. If it is unavailable, farmers can use reaper and collect the straws
for threshing,” Manigbas explained.
He emphasized the importance of finishing field operations
in the shortest possible time to prevent yield loss.
PhilRice also recommends drying of palay in flatbed dryers and on nylon nets or canvas for easier
turnover when the rain comes.
“The general rule is to harvest and thresh the crop within a
short period of time and dry the seeds to a desired moisture content (usually
14%),” Manigbas concluded.
For more information on rice varieties and technologies for
wet season, please contact the PhilRice Text Center at 0920-911-1398.
PhilRice Text Center gains
popularity among rice stakeholders
The PhilRice Text Center (PTC) posted a 47.3% increase in
client registration nationwide for the first quarter of 2016.
Data shows that from 18,924 registered clients in March
2015, it jumped to 27,883 as of March 31, 2016.
PTC is a digital platform that provides daily consultation
services to rice farmers through call and short messaging services (SMS). It
also caters to students, extension workers, researchers, and other stakeholders
who are inclined to the rice industry.
The PTC management considers this a milestone which went far
from just less than a hundred registered clients in 2004 when it started its
operations. PTC was initially launched as the Farmers’ Text Center (FTC) by the
Open Academy for Philippine Agriculture (OPAPA).
In 2015, PTC also received an average of 240 SMS per day.
Other services it renders are monthly rice tips, weather advisories,
promotions, and announcements.
“By responding to the farmers’ queries, we give them
informed decisions in their farming practices. We regularly receive positive
feedback and it overwhelms us,” said Fredierick Saludez, agriculturist and
PTC’s main agent.
Saludez reported that top queries are on seed quality and varietal
information, pest management, seed availability, and nutrient management.
“Salamat po sa mga tips, maganda po ani ko ngayon (Thank you
for the rice tips, I got bountiful harvest),” said Sanny Huelva, farmer-client
from Masbate.
By sending keywords, for instance Rc222, farmers can
instantly receive characteristics of rice varieties such as yield, maturity
period, reaction to pests, and eating quality.
Top 10 provinces with most “texters” come from Nueva Ecija,
Tarlac, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Pangasinan and Isabela. Rounding off the list
are the provinces of Agusan Del Norte, Oriental Mindoro, Northern Samar, and
Leyte.
PTC was established due to the popularity and economical
cost of text messaging in the Philippines in early 2000. Another rationale for
its establishment is to complement the existing agricultural extension services
and link farmers to experts and inform them of the new rice production
technologies.
“The rise in the number of texters implies that our clients
perceive the platform useful for their purpose. We highly encourage our
partners in the agricultural sector to continue promoting the PTC to make rice
information more accessible to farmers especially those who have little or no
access to these information,” said Myriam G. Layaoen, head of the PhilRice’s
Development Communication Division.
Meanwhile, the PTC team is looking at tapping national
telecommunication companies to introduce upgrade in systems and facilities to
further improve the delivery of PTC services.
“We are now exploring the possibility of partnering with
TelCos to provide us with technical advice on system upgrades and eventually
help us reach their client base through mass text messaging,” Layaoen
added.
To register, just type
REG<space>NAME<space>LOCATION<space>OCCUPATION (e.g. REG JUAN
DELA CRUZ LEYTE FARMER) and send to 0920 911 1398.
PhilRice photographer wins
int’l award
The winning entry.
A PhilRice photographer recently won in the 5th
IREX Make a Better World Photo Contest, May 10.
The International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX), a
US-based non-profit organization, selected best images of scenes and
individuals around the world that demonstrate one or more of four theme
categories: empowering youth, cultivating leaders, strengthening institutions,
and extending access to quality education and information.
Jayson C. Berto, a videographer and writer from the
Institute’s Development Communication Division, won in the empowering youth
category and received $250 cash prize.
Berto’s winning entry titled Youth in rice farming is about the students’ involvement in the
Infomediary Campaign in Asuncion, Davao del Norte. The photo shows how the
students are using the Leaf Color Chart (LCC), a tool to monitor nitrogen fertilizer
requirement of a rice plant.
“The knowledge and
experiences on modern technologies that these students gained from their school
could help improve rice farming in their neighboring communities,” Berto said.
IREX cited that “activities like this introduces youth to
technologies and tools that help prepare them for the workforce and become
active community leaders.”
In March, Berto also received an international award as a
videographer from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during the Advancing
Asia Conference in India. The winning video documented how the Infomediary
Campaign-participating school engaged the farmers in the community by leading
an agricultural extension activity.
For more information on the campaign, visit
www.infomediary4d.com.
Basmati rice prices surge before Iran ban
By Sutanuka Ghosal & Madhvi Sally, ET
Bureau | 30 May, 2016, 04.24AM IST
KOLKATA
| NEW DELHI: Basmati prices have climbed on rising demand from Iran , which plans to
ban inbound shipments of the unique Indian rice variety, while prices of
non-aromatic rice in eastern India remained flat as exports to Bangladesh came
to a halt after the country doubled import duty on the grain.
"Basmati prices have been increasing. In the last one month, we saw a jump of 20%, largely in 1121 variety, which is trading at Rs 46 a kg at wholesale rates," said Mohinder Pal Jindal, president of All India Rice Exporters Association. Iran is a major importer of Indian basmati rice . West Asian countries accounted for 75% of India's basmati rice exports in 2014-15.
"Basmati prices have been increasing. In the last one month, we saw a jump of 20%, largely in 1121 variety, which is trading at Rs 46 a kg at wholesale rates," said Mohinder Pal Jindal, president of All India Rice Exporters Association. Iran is a major importer of Indian basmati rice . West Asian countries accounted for 75% of India's basmati rice exports in 2014-15.
Jindal
said traders
have been signing contracts and sending rice shipments ahead of a ban on Indian
basmati starting July 23 as Iran seeks to protect its local industry. Vijay
Sethia, past president of New Delhi-based AIREA, said Iran had imported 40 lakh
tonnes of basmati rice in FY16 compared with 37 lakh tonnes in the previous
year.
"The prospects for basmati rice have improved after almost two years," Sethia said.
Rice is the staple diet for almost half the global population. Over 90% of the global rice output and consumption is centred in Asia , with China and India both the world's largest producers and biggest consumers. India accounts for over 70% of the world's basmati rice output, which is a small portion of the total rice produced in India. Rice production in India is expected at 103.36 million tonnes in 2015-16.
Prices are on an upward trend compared with last year, said Gaurav Jain, director of DCP India, which sells basmati under the Asbah brand. "Countries like the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Cyprus and Maldives are also showing keen interest in Indian basmati rice, which is superior and price competitive compared to Pakistan's rice. That is why India's basmati rice enjoys around 65% market share internationally," Jain said.
Prices of the non-aromatic variety from West Bengal , the largest riceproducing state in India, have fallen as exports to Bangladesh dried after the country doubled import duty on rice to 20%.
"The prospects for basmati rice have improved after almost two years," Sethia said.
Rice is the staple diet for almost half the global population. Over 90% of the global rice output and consumption is centred in Asia , with China and India both the world's largest producers and biggest consumers. India accounts for over 70% of the world's basmati rice output, which is a small portion of the total rice produced in India. Rice production in India is expected at 103.36 million tonnes in 2015-16.
Prices are on an upward trend compared with last year, said Gaurav Jain, director of DCP India, which sells basmati under the Asbah brand. "Countries like the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Cyprus and Maldives are also showing keen interest in Indian basmati rice, which is superior and price competitive compared to Pakistan's rice. That is why India's basmati rice enjoys around 65% market share internationally," Jain said.
Prices of the non-aromatic variety from West Bengal , the largest riceproducing state in India, have fallen as exports to Bangladesh dried after the country doubled import duty on rice to 20%.
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India could sign a deal as early as this week to supply one million tonne of non-basmati rice to Indonesia to help it tide over a local shortage, reports Banikinkar Pattanayak in New Delhi.
By: Banikinkar Pattanayak | Updated: May 30, 2016 7:52 AM Indonesia
is reported to have inked an agreement with Pakistan recently to import one
million tonnes of rice at roughly 0 per tonne, to be supplied over a period of
four years. (Reuters)
India
could sign a deal as early as this week to supply one million tonne of
non-basmati rice to Indonesia to help it tide over a local shortage, reports
Banikinkar Pattanayak in New Delhi.Negotiations have been on for a government-to-government deal, in which case the grain will be supplied from official reserves. Once the memorandum of understanding is signed, this would be the highest export of rice from state-run Food Corporation Of India’s (FCI’s) reserves since 2003-04 when it had shipped out 2.78 million tonne, sources said.
For Indonesia, it will be a rare occasion when it sources rice from outside the ASEAN trading bloc, barring the exception of its recent deal with Pakistan.
While prices are being negotiated, India is interested in selling rice at the economic cost–which comprises the benchmark price paid to farmers for supplies and charges for transportation and storage, among others–to avoid losses on such exports, according to the sources.
A deal at the 2015-16 economic cost of rice will fetch India Rs 3,258 crore ($486 million), but more importantly, it will be a win-win situation for both the countries. Higher rice exports will help India, which is facing a decline in both rice as well as total farm exports. Indonesia, having struggled to finalise similar contracts with Thailand and Vietnam, seems to be keen on tapping the massive Indian grain market and diversifying import destinations.
However, Indonesia is learnt to be keen on lowering the price. According to the FCI, its economic cost of rice stood at Rs 32,580 ($486) per tonne for the common variety in 2015-16, which is estimated to go up to Rs 32,667 in 2016-17.
MMTC may be asked to supply rice from FCI’s reserves to Indonesia’s state-run Bureau Of Logistics, which handles food distribution and price control.
Both the countries are exploring the possibility of a long-term supply contract as well, although India wants to make it a non-binding one under exceptional circumstances. Apart from rice, Indonesia is also willing to enhance collaboration with India in pharmaceuticals, with a focus on generic medicine, said on of the sources.Despite massive stocks, India has failed to export much from its official reserves even through government-to-government deals, mainly due to the fact that the economic costs of FCI grains are much higher than prices of Thai or Vietnam varieties. For instance, the 5% broken rice quoted an average of $395 per tonne in Thailand and $371 in Vietnam last month, while FCI’s 2015-16 economic cost was as high as $486 per tonne.
Negotiations with Bangladesh around 2010-11 to supply grains from official reserves fell through due to differences over prices. A major reason for the high costs of grains has been FCI’s “dis-economics of scale”, as stated in an earlier report by the Commission For Agricultural Costs and Prices. This means as FCI’s scale of operation increases, the per unit real costs also rise, in a stark contrast with the nature of operational costs of most companies. Consequently, the country hasn’t been able to export much of FCI rice since shipping 65,000 tonnes in 2004-05. As of May 1, rice stocks with FCI touched 21.32 million tonnes, much higher than the mandatory requirement of 13.58 million tonnes.
Indonesia is reported to have inked an agreement with Pakistan recently to import one million tonnes of rice at roughly $400 per tonne, to be supplied over a period of four years. However, Indian officials say our rice is better than the grain to be supplied by Pakistan to Indonesia, hence can’t be compared strictly. In case of a government-to-government deal, the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) of Indonesia will be involved along with the FCI.
http://www.financialexpress.com/article/markets/commodities/india-indonesia-deal-on-rice-trade-soon/268572/
RiceBran Technologies To Present at the Fifth Annual Marcum MicroCap Conference
SCOTTSDALE,
Ariz., May 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- RiceBran Technologies (NASDAQ:RIBT and RIBTW) (the
"Company" or "RBT"), a global leader in the production and
marketing of value added products derived from rice bran, announced today that
it will be a featured presenter at the 5th Annual Marcum
MicroCap Conference June 1-2, 2016 in New York City at the Grand Hyatt
Hotel.
RiceBran Technologies' presentation by W. John
Short, Chief Executive Officer and President, is scheduled to begin at 2:00PM
EDT on Wednesday, June 1, 2016 in New York City at the Grand Hyatt Hotel and
will be available via a live webcast. To access the webcast, go to http://wsw.com/webcast/marcum4/ribt.The annual Marcum MicroCap Conference is a signature showcase for superior quality, under-followed public companies with less than $500 million in market capitalization.
For more information or to register, please visit the conference website at http://www.marcumllp.com/microcap or download the free official conference app for the iPhone, iPad, or for Android mobile devices in Apple's App Store and the Google Play Market.
About RiceBran Technologies
RiceBran Technologies is a human food ingredient and functional food company focused on the procurement, bio-refining and marketing of numerous products derived from rice bran. RiceBran Technologies has proprietary and patented intellectual property that allows us to convert rice bran, one of the world's most underutilized food sources, into a number of highly nutritious human food ingredient and animal nutrition products. Our target markets are human food ingredients and animal nutrition manufacturers and retailers, as well as natural food, functional food and nutraceutical supplement manufacturers and retailers, both domestically and internationally. More information can be found in our filings with the SEC and by visiting our website at www.ricebrantech.com
http://www.ricebrantech.com/news-room/press-releases/359-ricebran-technologies-to-present-at-the-fifth-annual-marcum-microcap-conference
