Saturday, January 07, 2017

7th January,2017 daily global,regional and local rice e-newsletter by riceplus magazine






Sri Lanka to import rice from India, Pakistan

Xinhua News Agency | Fri,2017-01-06 Colombo, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Ahead of expected crop failure, Sri Lanka will complete the tender process within the next couple of weeks to import rice from India or Pakistan, an official said on Friday.Rice is the staple of food of the island nation. The country has been self-sufficient in rice cultivation over the years. However, insufficient rainfall in the latest season has resulted in reduced cultivation.
Rural Industries Minister P. Harrison told Xinhua Friday the available stocks would be sufficient till April, this year, and therefore the government would import rice from India to replenish stocks. 
"We will remove restriction on rice imports by the private sector. We will regulate the prices of imported rice. Otherwise, local mill operators will try to monopolize the market," said. Enditem


                       http://en.apdnews.com/xin-hua/564529.html
Sri Lanka reduces import taxes on rice as prices escalate
Fri, Jan 6, 2017, 11:05 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Jan 06, Colombo: The Sri Lankan government has decided to exempt the taxes on imported rice with immediate effect to arrest the escalation of prices in the domestic market.The Ministry of Finance said the measure was taken to prevent the general public from facing difficulties due to the increase in prices of rice.Accordingly, the government has decided to completely remove the 50 rupee import levy, the Value Added Tax of 15 percent, the 7.5 percent customs duty and the 2 percent Nation Building Tax on rice.The Finance Ministry said the government will follow a special commodity levy of 15 rupees in place of the previous tax imposed on imported rice.
The concession will apply for the imports of Samba, Naadu and Red rice. The tax concession will not apply for the imports of Basmati rice.The government recently instructed the Cooperatives Wholesale Establishment (CWE) under Ministry of Industry and Commerce to buy 20,000 metric tons of paddy (both White rice and Nadu) from the Paddy Marketing Board immediately and release the paddy to millers. The government also has decided to import 10,000 Metric tons of rice.
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_17A/Jan06_1483724113CH.php

Procurement of paddy begins in Hailakandi

From A Correspondent

Hailakandi, Jan.6: For the first time ever the procurement of paddy by Food Corporation of India (FCI) from farmers of Hailakandi district began ceremonially on Thursday.The ceremonial procurement kicked off at the Deputy Commissioner’s office following a meeting by Deputy Commissioner Moloy Bora with officials of FCI, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Agriculture, farmers and rice millers.

FCI officials said the Government policy of procurement of foodgrains is to ensure Minimum Support Price (MSP) to farmers and also to ensure effective market intervention thereby keeping the prices under check and adding to the overall food security.The FCI officials said the procurement by ensuring price support is taken up mainly to ensure reasonable price to the farmers for their produce which acts as an incentive for achieving better production.

The FCI officials further pointed out that the MSP for procurement apart from other factors takes into consideration the cost of various agricultural inputs and to ensure reasonable margin for the farmers for their produce. Deputy Commissioner Bora said procurement of rice by FCI will help to stop distress selling by farmers and ensure sufficient rice stocks in the Central pool. The rice procured from farmers of the district will be stored at the FCI depot at Lala. The procurement process will continue till March 31, 2017.

Earlier in June, the Government had hiked the MSP of paddy by Rs 60 to Rs 1470 per quintal for the 2016-2017 season. Deputy Commissioner Bora felicitated two farmers namely Nizamuddin Mazumdar of Kanchanpur 1 and Bikash Dey of Rajeswarpur 1 from whom FCI procured paddy.



Reduction in rice imports through better irrigation systems



pushed Friday, January 06, 2017 By ERWIN P. NICAVERA BAGO CITY

National Irrigation Administration (NIA) head Peter Laviña on Thursday said improving the irrigation systems along with other agricultural support will hugely contribute to the reduction of the country's rice importation. Laviña, who was in this city on Thursday for the Regional Conference Meeting at the NIA-Negros Island Region (NIR) Office, said the country's current average rice production wastage is about 15 percent. He added that with better irrigation systems and efficient delivery of various support-projects like postharvest, milling and storage facilities, the rice sector can save at least five percent of the total wastage.

The five percent savings will translate to about 600, 000 metric tons of rice. It is already half of about one million metric tons importation of the country, the NIA administrator said. "These can be attained by just improving the irrigation systems plus efficiency in the delivery of other services by the Department of Agriculture and its attached agencies," Laviña said, adding that improving does not include yet the expansion of production areas. Aside from its free irrigation program, NIA is also banking on its three other point agenda, including the increase of the country's irrigated land areas. Its records showed that of the total land area in the Philippines, only 57 percent is irrigated. Laviña said that increasing the irrigated areas will help rice farmers improve their production, which will then result to an increase in the country's 97 percent rice self-sufficiency rating.

 "If we are able to fully achieve the rice self-sufficiency target, hopefully we can also achieve zero importation during the term of President Rodrigo Duterte," he added. Reduction in rice importation is also seen to benefit the country through savings. The NIA chief said that the P370-billion fund needed for the 10-year master plan of the agency can be taken from the P400-billion savings from rice import reduction. The NIA is also pushing for corporate rice farming due to its "economy of scale" advantage, he added. "By gathering small land holdings, under one management we can actually develop about 200 hectares in cheaper cost of production," Laviña further said

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/business/2017/01/06/reduction-rice-imports-through-better-irrigation-systems-pushed-518616

DA, IRRI join forces to boost rice output

Philippine Daily Inquirer / 12:16 AM January 07, 2017
The Department of Agriculture is strengthening a joint program with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to increase productivity in rice farms.Agriculture Assistant Secretary Federico Laciste said in a joint statement the partnership with IRRI was crucial in developing a national strategy for rice farming and uplifting the lives of Filipino farmers.
Laciste, who is also deputy director of the DA’s national rice program, said local farmers needed to produce palay at a minimum of seven tons a hectare at P7 a kilogram, in order to be competitive.Currently, the productivity of rice farms nationwide is pegged at an average of 3.9 tons per hectare at a cost of about P12 per kilo.
Farmers in neighboring countries like Thailand and Vietnam—both among the world’s largest exporters of rice —produce at an equivalent of just about P6 a kilo, thanks partly to government subsidies.
Economists, both in the academe and at state-run think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies, have raised the alarm about farmers losing out to lower-priced imports when import curbs are removed by the middle of this year.
The DA is pushing for the implementation of such curbs —through quantitative restrictions, a special mechanism approved by the World Trade Organization that will expire on June 30—by at least two more years to help the local industry be better-prepared for competition.
“We have plenty of work to do pertaining to rice,” Laciste said.Collaboration between the DA and IRRI include projects that use the latest technology and scientific knowledge in rice production such as the web-based decision support tool for precision farming called Rice Crop Manager, and satellite-based rice forecasting and monitoring system called Philippine Rice Information System.
There are also the Green Super Rice program that promotes climate-smart varieties;  Heirloom Rice Project; the irrigation management tool called WateRice; mechanized seeding and improved postharvest storage systems such as the solar bubble dryer; as well as Project IPaD and IRRI Education that build a new base of community extension officers

https://business.inquirer.net/222534/da-irri-join-forces-boost-rice-output


Ministry abolishes rice export control regulations

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has signed a decision to abolish a plan on rice trading and exports with unsuitable regulations raising difficulties for businesses, according to Vietnam Government Portal.

Rice bags are loaded aboard for export (Photo: SGGP)

The plan limits the number of rice export companies at 150 and provinces and cities permitted to build warehouses and rice milling plants at 20 and regulate targets on rice export achievements.
The abolishment aims to irradiate regulations unsuitable with the Investment Law 2014, contributing to business environment transparence and facilitating businesses’ investment in the field to increase rice consumption for farmers.
By Thu Trung – Translated by Hai Mi
http://www.saigon-gpdaily.com.vn/Business/2017/1/122516/

No Rice Imports Needed for 2017: Jokowii
Jakarta. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said Indonesia will not import medium quality rice this year citing production and stocks of rice in the country as sufficient.
Latest government estimates put rice production at 44.3 million tons and consumption at 33.3 million tons in 2016, leaving the country with a surplus.Data from national procurement agency Bulog earlier this year showed Indonesia's rice stock at 1.73 million tons, more than double last year's reserve of 800,000 tons."I am grateful and glad that rice ... is stable. If our stock is large, [speculators] would restrain from raising prices," Jokowi said on Thursday (05/01).
The president said rice import permits this year would only be given to premium quality or specialty rice. Last year, the country imported 1.2 million tons of premium and medium quality rice to honor contracts made in the previous years.
In 2017 however, the government has declined offers from four world rice producers — Pakistan, India, Myanmar and Cambodia — to supply rice for Indonesia."I told them that we do not need to import rice because we have enough reserve," said Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita.Jokowi also projected Indonesia would not need to import corn this year. The country's corn import drop to 900,000 tons last year, compared to annual average of 3.2 million in the previous years.
"If local corn production continue to increase, I am confident that we no longer need to import corn," Jokowi said.Indonesian rice consumption is among the highest in the world, with each person consuming 114 kilogram every year. That compares to Vietnamese, who consumes 191 kilogram, Thais (147 kilogram), India (78 kilogram) and China (75 kilogram), according to data compiled by Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
http://jakartaglobe.id/business/not-rice-imports-needed-2017-jokowi/


Iran booster shot likely to raise realisation to $800 per tonne from basmati exports this fiscal

After a sluggish beginning in the first half of the current fiscal, realisation from India’s basmati rice exports is likely to rise in the next couple of months, with Iran likely to resume rice imports shortly.

By: Sandip Das | New Delhi | Published: January 5, 2017 6:40 AM


Official sources told FE that the realisation from the exports of aromatic and long-grain rice rose to 0 a tonne last month from 0 a tonne prevailing in the last couple of months. (Source: IE)
After a sluggish beginning in the first half of the current fiscal, realisation from India’s basmati rice exports is likely to rise in the next couple of months, with Iran likely to resume rice imports shortly.Official sources told FE that the realisation from the exports of aromatic and long-grain rice rose to $800 a tonne last month from $750 a tonne prevailing in the last couple of months. A commerce ministry official said that exports realisation could reach $900 a tonne in the next couple of months because of lesser supplies because of lower production and firming up global demands.
Besides, Iran, the biggest exports destination for India’s basmati rice, is likely to resume imports of rice shortly. The government is sending a trade delegation to Iran later this month for working out modalities for rice exports. According to official data, in the current fiscal, the volume of basmati rice exports to Iran has been around 4.6 lakh tonne, which was essentially from contracts agreed upon in the previous fiscal. The volume of basmati rice exports to Iran had crossed a million tonne (mt) in in FY15.
“Iran is expected to take a call on resuming rice imports from India shortly,” a commerce ministry official said. The official also said that due to lower output of basmati rice this year, the prices have started to appreciate in the last couple of weeks. The sowing of basmati across the key growing areas of Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand had seen a sharp fall of 25% to 1.57 million hectares in the last kharif season, from close to 2 million hectares reported in 2015, thanks to a fall in realisation from exports.But exports of aromatic and long-grained basmati rice fell more than 13% during April–October this fiscal.

http://www.financialexpress.com/economy/iran-booster-shot-likely-to-raise-realisation-to-800-per-tonne-from-basmati-exports-this-fiscal/497148/



Ministry relaxes rice export regulations


Update: January, 06/2017 - 10:25Rice packs being loaded at Sài Gòn port. — VNA/VNS Photo Đình Huệ
HÀ NỘI — Minister of Industry and Trade Trần Tuấn Anh on Wednesday decided to repeal regulations on rice exports and traders as they have become hurdles in the expansion of the sector.Three years ago, the ministry had issued Decision 6139/QĐ-BCT that stipulated conditions for becoming a rice export firm and set the maximum rice export licence limit to 150 traders.
Under the decision, firms that applied for licences to export rice had to have at least one warehouse with a minimum capacity to store 5,000 tonnes of rice and one rice husking factory with a minimum capacity of 10 tonnes of paddy per hour. The facilities had to be located in planned areas.According to experts, because of these stipulations, many companies that had developed their own rice brands and had close relationships with farmers could not actively and directly export their products. Instead, they had to rely on intermediaries.
In addition, once a company has a rice export certificate, it must export at least 10,000 tonnes of rice per year or 20,000 tonnes of rice in two years, if the quota for the first year is not reached.Because of this clause, exporters would achieve the target by purchasing sufficient volumes of rice, regardless of its quality, experts said.The regulations on the number of rice exporters and rice export quotas were detrimental to the growth of the rice export sector and should be repealed, experts suggested.
The abrogation of Decision 6139 is one of the steps taken by the ministry to streamline administrative procedures, in accordance with the Law on Investment 2014.The ministry is expected to create a healthy market for enterprises investing in rice production and trade and to ease farmers’ difficulties, thereby helping boost high-quality rice exports.
In 2017, the ministry has pledged to abolish 15 legal documents and simplify 108 administrative procedures. The reforms will echo the Government’s determination to support enterprises, improve the investment environment and raise national competitiveness


http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/349237/ministry-relaxes-rice-export-regulations.html#JwwRolvGmlPV8x1A.99

 

Rabi acreage up 7%; rice, coarse cereals take a hit

OUR BUREAU
Pulses, wheat, oilseeds gain area
NEW DELHI, JANUARY 6:  
Sowing in the on-going rabi season maintained its pace of low growth in the new year with rice and coarse cereals posting a decline and oilseeds remaining stagnant compared with the average of the last five years.Total sowing till January 6 increased 2.76 per cent to 602.75 lakh hectares (lh) compared with the previous five year’s average (normal of corresponding week) of 586.55 lh in the comparable period, according to figures released by the Agriculture Ministry on Friday.
Wheat area
Sowing of wheat increased to 303.16 lh in the current rabi season (which starts in October) as compared to 294.14 lh sowed in the normal of corresponding week. Higher sowing was reported by Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and UP.
Rice sowing in the period up to January 6 declined to 12.74 lh (17.28 lh). Chhattisgarh was the only State to report a jump in acreage, while all other rice growing States including Tamil Nadu reported a fall in sowing.
Coverage of pulses increased to 152.63 lh (139.01 lh). Maharashtra reported the sharpest increase in sowing followed by MP, Rajasthan and Jharkhand. Lower coverage was reported from Karnataka, Haryana, Odisha and Tamil Nadu.
Acreage under coarse cereals declined to 53.60 lh (55.81 lh). Higher acreage has been reported from MP, Gujarat, Bihar and Tamil Nadu, while Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana reported a dip in their acreage.
Oilseeds static
Sowing of oilseeds remained stagnant at 80.63 lh. The States where acreage reportedly increased include Arunachal Pradesh, MP, Assam and Telangana, while lower sowing was reported by Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
(This article was published on January 6, 2017)
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/rabi-acreage-up-7-rice-coarse-cereals-take-a-hit/article9464451.ece


Madhya Pradesh aims to raise pulse output to help India reach self-sufficiency goal

Source : Last Updated: Fri, Jan 06, 2017 21:23 hrs

By Mayank Bhardwaj and Manoj Kumar NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Madhya Pradesh aims to raise production of pulses by 60 percent in the next three years to help Prime Minister Narendra Modi achieve his goal of making the country self-sufficient in the staple, the state's chief minister said. India, the world's biggest consumer of pulses, faces an acute shortage of the protein-rich food, forcing the country to fork out about $2.65 billion a year to import the scarce commodity from Canada, Austria, and Ethiopia among others. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked me to help achieve his objective of making India self-reliant in pulses by raising production in Madhya Pradesh," Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told Reuters in an interview.

Madhya Pradesh, a top producer of pulses, could raise its output of crops such as chickpeas, pigeon peas and black gram to 8 or 8.5 million tonnes in the next three years from about 5 million tonnes now, Chouhan said. Stung by spiralling prices for pulses, New Delhi last year signed a long-term deal with Mozambique to import the commodities and has also been looking to import pulses from Myanmar. Pulses, mostly consumed in curries, are the primary source for protein, especially for the poor. Any spike in pulses prices stokes anger against the government. "We have started encouraging farmers to grow more pulses by giving them a lot of help and support and expect the trend to continue until we obviate our import requirements," Chouhan, who flew to New Delhi from the state capital Bhopal, said. In the 2015/16 fiscal year, India imported a record 5.8 million tonnes of pulses after domestic prices more than doubled. Pulses production totalled 16.47 million tonnes, lower than annual demand of 22 million tonnes, which is steadily rising due to robust economic growth. Modi aims to make India self-reliant in pulses by 2020.

"The target of the state government is definitely plausible. But it depends a lot on the amount of rainfall the state is going to receive over the next few years," said Pukaraj Chopra, a leading trader of pulses. Under Chouhan's watch, wheat output in Madhya Pradesh raced ahead of Punjab and Haryana, India's traditional grain basket. "Wheat production has reached the optimum level, so we're not that keen to raise it further. Other than pulses, we also aim to raise basmati rice production by doubling the area under the crop," he said. Currently Madhya Pradesh produces about 500,000 tonnes of basmati rice. India and Pakistan exclusively grow the premium long-grain, aromatic basmati, largely in the foothills of the Himalayas. New wells and a focus on micro-irrigation have helped raise farm output in Madhya Pradesh, Chouhan said. Madhya Pradesh has clocked an annual 18 percent farm growth against a rather modest 4 percent at the national level. (Additional reporting by Sudarshan Varadhan; Editing by Adrian Croft)




http://www.sify.com/finance/madhya-pradesh-aims-to-raise-pulse-output-to-help-india-reach-self-sufficiency-goal-news-international-rbgvxvcgabjeg.html

Trump Administration Watch:  Trade Team 


Trump nominated earlier this week Robert Lighthizer as the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).  This nomination completes a triumvirate of officials who are seen as key power centers in the new administration's emerging trade policy.  The USTR reports directly to the president and has responsibility for formulating and conducting U.S. trade policy and coordinating implementation across the U.S. government, including negotiating trade agreements, representing the United States at the World Trade Organization, and enforcing trade agreements and certain U.S. laws relating to foreign trade practices.  Mr. Lighthizer has deep trade experience - he was a deputy USTR in the Reagan administration and Chief of Staff to the Senate Finance Committee - and is currently a Partner at a major Washington, D.C. law firm focusing on international trade.  Mr. Lighthizer will likely increase the focus at USTR on enforcement of existing trade agreements, which is a key priority of USA Rice.

Two other Trump appointees - Wilbur Ross as Commerce Secretary and Peter Navarro as Chair of a new National Trade Council in the White House - are expected to play key roles in formulating U.S. trade policy.   Press reports and statements from the transition team don't answer the question of "Who's on first?" so there will likely be some uncertainty as the new administration takes over.  Additionally, the 2014 Farm Bill directed USDA to establish an Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agriculture Affairs.  That position has yet to be established, but could be in the Trump Administration and would obviously be an important one for U.S. rice.

USA Rice will continue to press with the new trade officials the importance of exports to rice and stepped-up U.S. action against illegal foreign subsidies as well as highlighting the critical need to make progress in key markets like China, Cuba, and Iraq.


Click image to read the letter
USA Rice Joins Coalition Sharing Ag Priorities with President-Elect 

WASHINGTON, DC -- USA Rice joined 15 other agricultural organizations, including the American Farm Bureau Federation and American Soybean Association, to congratulate President-Elect Trump and Vice President-Elect Pence and remind them of the importance of U.S. agriculture to the economy.

"The economic vitality of America's heartland is inextricably linked to the continuing productivity of U.S. agriculture, which is an unparalleled American success story," the letter reads.  "Agriculture and agriculture-related industries contributed $835 billion to the U.S. GDP in 2014."

The letter also points out that enforcing existing trade agreements and expanding market access is a priority for the sector.

"Exports account for over 70 percent of U.S. production of tree nuts and cotton, over 60 percent of soybeans, and over 50 percent of rice and wheat," reads the letter.  "Positive farm income throughout America would not be possible without access to foreign markets, trade promotion, and trade agreements."

"As the Trump Administration settles in, this is a good time to get in front of them with some reminders about who ag is, what ag does, and what ag brings to the table - literally," said Betsy Ward, USA Rice President & CEO, who represented rice on the coalition.  "Like everyone in the coalition, we look forward to working with the new Administration to identify opportunities that will benefit U.S. food and agriculture and American consumers.

Sebree, Wells to be in Hall of Fame

Friday,Posted Jan 6, 2017 at 10:59 AM

  
Sebree began farming 53 years ago with his father and says that farming has really never been a job to him. That is not to say it doesn't take hard work, but it is work he enjoys.
By Dawn Teer / Stuttgart Daily Leader
Gary Sebree, a third generation Arkansas County farmer, and Bobby R. Wells, a former Stuttgart-area scientist, are set to be inducted into the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame in March.
Sebree began farming 53 years ago with his father and says that farming has really never been a job to him. That is not to say it doesn't take hard work, but it is work he enjoys.
Over the years, Sebree has served the rice industry by being the chairman of several committees and boards including the Arkansas Rice Farmers, Producers Rice Mill Board of Directors, Arkansas Rice Federation and the USA Rice Federation. He was also a member of the USA Rice Producers Group (USRPG) Conservation committee. Sebree spent 43 years as a farmer representative on the Producers Rice Mill board of directors, 24 of those as chairman (1990-2014), a time of growth for Producers and the Arkansas rice industry.
Producers Rice Mill, a farmer-owned cooperative, grew from 956 members in 1971 when Sebree first joined the board, to a high of 2,637 members in 2013. During that span, member receipts increased more than tenfold from 6.2 million bushels in 1971 to 65.5 million bushels in 2011, while sales grew from $17.5 million in 1971 to a high of $568.5 million. He was on the first Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board (1979-86), chairman of the USA Rice Producers Group (2000-2002) and chairman of the USA Rice Federation (2002-2004). He also was named Arkansas Rice Farmer of the Year in 1998.
Sebree was recently awarded the 2016 Lifetime Achievement award at the USA Rice Outlook Conference held in Memphis.ʉ۬Wells was a world-renowned expert on rice production, with special emphasis on rice nutrition and soil fertility. He was active in cooperative interdisciplinary research in rice production and worked closely with others in the rice cultivar improvement program in Arkansas and adjoining states.
After receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas in 1964, he worked for two years as an assistant professor at Murray State University in Kentucky. Wells then came to the University of Arkansas Rice Research Station in Stuttgart, where he spent 16 years before moving to the Fayetteville campus in 1982.
Wells received the outstanding faculty award for the University of Arkansas Department of Agronomy in 1981, the Distinguished Rice Research and Education Award from the Rice Technical Working Group in 1988 and the Outstanding Research Award from the Arkansas Association of Cooperative Extension Specialists in 1992. Wells passed away on Dec. 22, 1996.
In addition to Sebree and Wells, Allen Beedle, of Hot Springs; former state senator Neely Cassidy, of Nashville; and poultry company executive Mark Simmons, of Siloam Springs will be inducted at the 29th annual luncheon, which begins at 11:30 a.m. on March 3 in Little Rock at the Embassy Suites Hotel."What a great cross-section of Arkansas agriculture to be selected for the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame," Butch Calhoun, of Des Arc, chairman of the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame committee and former Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture, said. "The collective impact of these five are felt in every part of our state."Other locals who have been inducted recently include Arkansas County Rep. David Hillman and former United States Rep. Marion Berry.
http://www.stuttgartdailyleader.com/news/20170106/sebree-wells-to-be-in-hall-of-fame

Jigawa:Price of local rice up by 20%

By Rabiu Saniali

Prices of locally produced rice have shot up by more than 20 per cent in Hadejia, Jigawa, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.NAN checks at Hadejia and Malammadori markets showed that prices of the commodity have increased significantly in spite of the steady supply of the foodstuff.A 100-kilogramme bag of local rice now sells for between N29, 000 and 36, 000 as against its previous price of N26, 000, respectively.
A measure of the commodity now sells for between N700 and N900, depending on its quality, as against its old price of N600 and N750, respectively.Price of beans has also shown similar hike as a measure is sold at N600 as against N500 before.However, prices of imported rice had indicated a slight decrease, as a 50-kilogramme bag of the commodity now sells at N17, 500 and a measure for N1, 020 as against its old price of N18, 000 and N1, 100, respectively.Similarly, prices of tomatoes have crashed following improved supply of the commodity, as a basket is sold at N3, 200 as against N18, 000 in the past.
Traders at the market attributed the hikes in prices of rice to growing demand for the stuff.Alhaji Baba Shehu, a grain dealer, said that prices were moving up on daily basis in view of the growing demand for the commodity.
Shehu attributed the situation to a drastic drop in the importation of rice into the country, adding that the trend had encouraged local production.“We are witnessing price increase on daily basis due increase in the demand for the local variety of rice,” he said.Also commenting, Malam Danladi Yusuf, a resident, described the situation as worrisome, adding that rice was beyond the reach of the ordinary man.Yusuf noted that he preferred local rice but that its high price was a source of concern to the consumers.Another resident, Malam Isa Gabi, urged the government to adopt practical measures to control inflation and regulate prices in the country.
http://www.nan.ng/news/jigawa-local-rice-price-up-by-20/



DA, IRRI join forces to boost rice output

Philippine Daily Inquirer / 12:16 AM January 07, 2017

The Department of Agriculture is strengthening a joint program with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to increase productivity in rice farms.Agriculture Assistant Secretary Federico Laciste said in a joint statement the partnership with IRRI was crucial in developing a national strategy for rice farming and uplifting the lives of Filipino farmers.Laciste, who is also deputy director of the DA’s national rice program, said local farmers needed to produce palay at a minimum of seven tons a hectare at P7 a kilogram, in order to be competitive.
Currently, the productivity of rice farms nationwide is pegged at an average of 3.9 tons per hectare at a cost of about P12 per kilo.Farmers in neighboring countries like Thailand and Vietnam—both among the world’s largest exporters of rice —produce at an equivalent of just about P6 a kilo, thanks partly to government subsidies.Economists, both in the academe and at state-run think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies, have raised the alarm about farmers losing out to lower-priced imports when import curbs are removed by the middle of this year.
The DA is pushing for the implementation of such curbs —through quantitative restrictions, a special mechanism approved by the World Trade Organization that will expire on June 30—by at least two more years to help the local industry be better-prepared for competition.“We have plenty of work to do pertaining to rice,” Laciste said.Collaboration between the DA and IRRI include projects that use the latest technology and scientific knowledge in rice production such as the web-based decision support tool for precision farming called Rice Crop Manager, and satellite-based rice forecasting and monitoring system called Philippine Rice Information System.
There are also the Green Super Rice program that promotes climate-smart varieties;  Heirloom Rice Project; the irrigation management tool called WateRice; mechanized seeding and improved postharvest storage systems such as the solar bubble dryer; as well as Project IPaD and IRRI Education that build a new base of community extension officers.





Rice imports at $40m

Luke Rawalai
Saturday, January 07, 2017
Minister for Agriculture Inia Seruiratu addresses rice farmers during the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Rewa Rice Mill at Dreketi. Picture: LUKE RAWALAI
FIJI's annual rice imports have remained at $40 million, equivalent to 50,000 tonnes of the commodity, during the past few years.Officiating at the new Rewa Rice Ltd complex groundbreaking ceremony at Dreketi, Vanua Levu, yesterday, the Minister for Agriculture Inia Seruiratu said the annual per capita consumption of rice in Fiji about 75 kilograms with a heavy reliance on imported rice.Mr Seruiratu said the Government was committed to revitalising the local rice industry with the objective of reducing rice imports by $35m in the year 2020.
"To this end the ministry is focused in its efforts to increase land area under rice cultivation and increased productivity in terms of yield per hectare through extension of improved rice cultivation technologies," he said."The ministry has established a National Rice Task Force comprising a wide range of stakeholders to co-ordinate the Fiji rice revitalisation program."I congratulate the Rewa Rice board for the foresight on their part to develop a new and modern rice mill which will supplement the current mill and accommodate the notable increase in rice production around Vanua Levu."Mr Seruiratu said the mill coupled with large-scale rice planting projects would contribute enormously to government efforts increasing economic activity in the Northern Division and guarantee improved livelihoods for more rural Fijians."Government through the agriculture ministry has embarked on a program of modernising the agriculture sector," he said."The focus is on a holistic approach to agriculture development through the timely interventions in critical areas along the whole value chain."
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=384582



Rising rice imports hit mills, farmers in eastern Tarai

1/6/2017 
EKantipur.com
Nepal, Jan. 6 -- The country's leading rice exporting districts of eastern Tarai are on the verge of becoming importers as production has been unable to meet local demand
There were a large number of rice mills until few years ago, but most of them have now closed down and the remaining have transformed themselves into packaging plants. The packaging industries import rice from India and sell them here under different brand names.
According to industrialists, customs charge for imported paddy is 8 percent, while that for rice is 5 percent. Due to the difference in customs charge, they import rice rather than paddy."Some of the popular rice mills have converged into packaging industries," said Pawan Kumar Sharda, President of Morang Merchant Association. "Not just local rice mills, farmers too have been impacted by growing imports of rice."
Similar is the situation for wheat. Rising flour imports have put local mills on the verge of collapse. The customs charge for wheat and flour is same.According to industrialists, there should be at least 15 percentage points difference between customs charges. "If this is done, local mills will survive," said Shrawan Agrawal, a member of the association.There are more than 100 rice mills in Mechi and Koshi zones. Most of them are involved in importing and packaging rice under different brands. There are seven big flour mills in Koshi.Laxman Tapadia, a rice mill operator, said rising rice imports have hit local mill operators.
Krishna Prasad Upreti, another rice mill operator of Kakarvitta, Jhapa, said they used to export rice to bordering Indian towns until a few years ago. "However, due to weak government policy to promote Nepali produce, almost all local mills are on the verge of extinction."According to the Mechi Customs Office, rice imports amounted to Rs463.36 million last fiscal year, while imports of paddy amounted to Rs105.77 million. In the first five months of the current fiscal year, imports of rice through Mechi customs have been recorded at Rs463.32 million.
Production of paddy has increased significantly in the eastern region this year. The output in 16 Tarai districts in the eastern region is expected to grow by an additional 300,000 tonnes this year. Last year, these districts had produced 1.38 million tonnes.
Published: 06-01-2017 09:15
Published by HT Syndication with permission from EKantipur.com. For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
http://www.world-grain.com/news/news%20home/LexisNexisArticle.aspx?articleid=2702035917


Govt. reduces tariffs on imported rice

2017-01-06 22:30:00
     
The government decided to reduce the tariffs on imported rice with effect from midnight today (6) in a bid to ease difficulties faced by the people due to the severe drought condition prevailing in many parts of the country, .After serious discussions held at the Finance Ministry yesterday, the Cabinet subcommittee on cost of living comprising Ministers Ravi Karunanayake, Sarath Amunugama, Mahinda Amaraweera, and Rishad Bathiudeen had arrived at this decision.
Accordingly, only the Special Commodity Levy (SCL) of Rs. 15 a kilogramme would be imposed on imported rice instead of the Customs Import Duty of Rs. 50 a kilo , 15 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT), 7.5 per cent Port and Airport Development Levy (PAL) and 2 percent Nation Building Tax (NBT) that had been levied so far.
However, these concessions would not be granted for Basmati rice importers. The new decision would be effect only for Samba, Nadu and Red Kekulu rice varieties.A statement issued by the Department of Trade and Investment Policy said the Government had taken these measures to bring relief to the people who had already been affected by rice price hike in the market due to the prevailing dry weather condition.
http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Govt-reduces-tariffs-on-imported-rice-121824.html


Rice balance conference focus


JANUARY 07, 2017
The sixth annual International Temperate Rice Conference will showcase the latest advancements in temperate rice research, technology and innovation.It will be held in Griffith in March, and organising committee head Russell Ford — also manager of Rice Research Australia Pty Ltd (RRAPL) in Jerilderie — said it would offer a diverse program.
‘‘We’re pleased to offer such a comprehensive program,’’ he said.‘‘Coupled with an enticing line-up of speakers, we have no doubt delegates will gain invaluable knowledge from this year’s conference.‘‘The conference is a rare opportunity not only to recognise and celebrate the achievements of our ricegrowers, but to learn and network with growers and industry professionals alike from around the world.’’
Under the conference theme ‘Tradition, Technology, Productivity — A Balancing Act’, rice industry experts will explore topics including breeding, agronomy, biotic stress and crop protection as well as precision agriculture and quality and processing.One keynote speaker will be Dr Steve Linscombe, who is senior rice breeder of Louisiana State University’s Agricultural Centre.It will be his second appearance at the conference, previously speaking at the 1994 event in Yanco.
Other keynote speakers include Professor Melissa Fitzgerald from School of Agriculture and Food Sciences at the University of Queensland and Dr Russell Reinke who is senior scientist on rice breeding and bio-fortification with the International Rice Research Institute.
The extensive conference program will run over four days, from Monday, March 6 to Thursday, March 9.It will also include farm tours, regional tours for delegates’ partners and a trip to to RRAPL to participate in its annual rice field day.The ITR Conference program and prices are available at www.itrconference.com/conference/program.aspx

Arkansas Annual Meeting



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 6, 2017

Media Contact: Lauren Waldrip, 870.295.8454, lauren@noblestrat.com

Registrations, Sponsorships Still Available for 2017 Arkansas Rice Meeting in Stuttgart 
January 27 meeting to highlight grower resources


Little Rock, Ark. - The Arkansas Rice Council and Arkansas Rice Farmers will hold their annual meeting and trade show Friday, January 27, at the Grand Prairie Center in Stuttgart. 

Amanda Mathis, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Partnership coordinator, will talk about federal resources that might be new to farmers, and a panel of Arkansas farmers will discuss the inner workings and opportunities of carbon credits. The event will include an industry trade show and conclude with a free catfish lunch for registered attendees, sponsored by Prudential Agricultural Investments.

U.S. Congressman Rick Crawford, Arkansas Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward and USA Rice President and CEO Betsy Ward will all be in attendance for the event, which will focus on providing growers with tools and resources that could positively affect their bottom line. 

"The Arkansas Rice Annual Meeting will provide an annual update to our farmers, while also equipping them with additional resources as they prepare for the next growing season," Arkansas Rice Federation Executive Director Ben Noble said. 

If you are interested in attending or sponsoring this year's meeting, register online at www.arkansasrice.org/annualmeeting/ or call 501.375.1100. The event is sponsored in part by presenting sponsor Greenway Equipment. 



Arkansas is the largest rice-growing state in the nation, producing nearly 9 billion pounds annually. This year, Arkansas family farmers will produce over 50 percent of the nation's rice for the first time in history. Arkansas rice farmers and millers contribute over $6 billion each year to the state's economy and employ over 25,000 Arkansans
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1112062459441&ca=12faf2ed-4384-4a43-a148-47b4895e1cbd



Annual grower meetings upcoming for rice farmers

Published: January 5, 2017 • By: Lloyd Green Jr, Editor


The latest news on issues affecting California rice farmers will be
presented during the upcoming Annual Grower Meetings held by the California Rice
Commission (CRC), scheduled for Jan. 19.Those attending will receive an update on farm policy from Tyson Redpath of The Russell Group. Louie Brown of Kahn, Soares and Conway will relay information on new developments at the State Capitol. Richard Neves of Gig 7 Crop Insurance Services will provide a crop insurance overview. Northern California Water Association President David Guy will review major water issues in our region. Tim Kelleher of Rice Lawyers will outline the upcoming PLC and ARC implementation.
The morning session begins at 8:30 AM at the Bonanza Inn Magnuson Grand Hotel in Yuba City, while the afternoon meeting will begin at 1 PM at Colusa Casino Resort Conference Center. Registration will be held 30 minutes prior to each meeting.
All members of the rice industry are encouraged to attend. Refreshments will be served and there will be raffle prizes at each meeting.The meetings are sponsored by Dow AgroSciences.For more information about the CRC’s Annual Grower Meetings, please contact Jim
Morris at 916/387-2264 or jmorris@calrice.org.

About Lloyd Green Jr, Editor

Is the Owner, Publisher, Editor, and Reporter of the Williams Pioneer Review. Committed to publishing the news of our Community, Lloyd has been the owner of the Williams Pioneer Review since 2010. To contact Lloyd about this article or future articles, please email him at lloyd@colusacountynews.net
http://williamspioneer.com/article/80655


Cambodia’s rice exports fall sharply

Cambodia’s milled rice exports only grew by a dismal 0.7% last year compared with 2015 and this was the lowest since 2014, according to government figures released Thursday.“Last year Cambodia only exported 542,144 tonnes of milled rice and the lowest exports were in the first quarter of the year and December,” said Hean Vanhan, director-general of the agriculture department at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.“The fall in rice exports in those months really affected our overall performance,” said Mr Vanhan.
In the first quarter of last year, a severe drought affected rice production and through the year rice millers had been complaining of the flow of low-grade cheaper rice into the country from Vietnam, according to a report in Khmer Times.
Last March, rice millers and exporters wrote to the government urging intervention due to stiff competition in export markets as well as domestic ones. In the letter, they said they were facing a cash crunch due to a flood of low-grade rice from Vietnam while stressing that bankruptcy was widespread among farmers, millers and exporters alike.In late September, the government responded by making out a $27-million loan to rice millers to purchase paddy rice from farmers, in a bid to prevent rice prices from falling further.“It’s not only Cambodian rice millers that are facing a fall in income due to low prices. Millers in neighbouring countries are also facing the same predicament,” said Mr Vanhan.
Hun Lak, vice-president of the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF), said that the fall in milled rice exports was expected.“We already predicted that rice exports would fall sharply in 2016. There were external factors beyond our control,” he said.Mr Lak said Cambodia’s rice production costs were still very high compared with Thailand and Vietnam and that made the kingdom’s rice exports very uncompetitive in regional markets.
 “When the price of rice is cheaper in neighbouring countries, it is obvious that buyers will import rice from those countries,” he said.
Song Saron, president of Amru Rice (Cambodia), said the lack of warehouses made it difficult for rice millers to store paddy rice when prices are low and export them when prices climb.“If there are big rice storage warehouses and paddy drying facilities, it will help both farmers and rice millers and rice exporters,” said Mr Saron.
According to the CRF’s Mr Lak, the outlook for this year seems more positive.“China has formally agreed to purchase 200,000 tonnes of rice annually from Cambodia to help the country’s rice farmers and millers,” he said.Mr Lak said CRF was working with the Ministry of Commerce to seek more markets for Cambodian rice.“We are negotiating with Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Recently, we have had orders from Malaysia
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asean/1175497/cambodias-rice-exports-fall-sharply


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