Time to focus on ECO market for food exports
PAKISTAN can boost its food exports to ECO countries
as it now leads this 10-nation economic bloc for next five years and as the
China Pakistan Economic Corridor opens up a lot of fresh opportunities.
Afghanistan is already one of the country’s biggest
food exports market. Food exports to Iran are growing after lifting of US-led international
sanctions on that nation. Chances for boosting food exports to Turkey have also
brightened after the establishment of Halal certification authority in
Pakistan. “And, food exports to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are expected to rise as they have start realising
that trading with us is easier and strategically important in the CPEC era,”
says a senior official of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan. “Already
80pc of our total exports to these countries fall in foods category and demand
keeps growing.”
Officials of the ministry of commerce say our food
exports to ECO nations that totalled $620m or so in FY16 can hit $1bn, if not
this year, maybe next year. Their optimism is rooted in the enthusiasm shown by
member countries of this regional bloc during the recently-concluded summit.
“But a lot depends on our relationship with Afghanistan,” one senior official
conceded in an obvious reference to current unease in Pak-Afghan political
ties.
According to an old study conducted by the ECO
secretariat, out of the 15 top items that Pakistan can export to ECO countries,
five fall in food category. These are: rice, cereals cereal preparations,
animal and vegetable fats, fruits and vegetables and live animals.
In the first
half of this fiscal year, out of the total $102m earnings from wheat and wheat
flour exports, $97m came from Kabul
Currently hundreds of items including these five
categories and even more, for example, seafood and meat and meat preparations
are exported to the ECO nations.
Meat and meat preparations had long been on the list
of export items to Afghanistan. But exports of seafood to Central Asian
countries began when exports started diversifying export markets to reduce
dependence on the Middle East, exporters say.
“Whenever Pakistan is surplus in wheat the nearest
export market is Afghanistan if there is any shortfall there,” says a TDAP
official. In the first half of this fiscal year, out of the total $102m
earnings from wheat and wheat flour exports, $97m came from Kabul.
And in FY16, $122m, or 98pc of the total $125m earned
through wheat and wheat flour exports to Afghanistan.
In the last fiscal year, $191m or more than 10pc of
total rice export earnings originated from the ECO nations, chiefly from
Afghanistan ($128m) but also from Kazakhstan, Iran and Turkey.
“The potential market is much larger,” says an
official of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan. “But we need to boost our
Basmati production (which is in more in demand in the ECO region) and we need
stronger branding. Dubai-based Indian traders continue to import Pakistani rice
in bulk and resell the same as Indian rice to Iran and other countries.” 
In FY15, Iran had bought $9m worth of Pakistani rice
mainly long-grain, aromatic super Basmati. But in the last fiscal year, rice
exports to Iran fell o $2.4m due to overall inadequate local supplies of
Basmati that forced buyers to cater to more permanent rice export markets first
(like GCC region), leading exporters say.
Pakistan’s food exports to six ECO Central Asian
countries have seen a surge since FY2010 then for two basic reasons. First,
Russia began beefing up its food stocks and curbed its food exports to them.
And secondly, these countries also witnessed a declining trend in food trade
with each other as they started diversifying trading sources.
“In this backdrop, Pakistan entered this market
aggressively and now our total food exports of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan exceeds $50m,” says an
official of the Ministry of Commerce citing FY16 statistics.
“Food exports must be prioritised in all our efforts
to increase overall exports to ECO countries, because except in case of Turkey
and to some extent Iran our key exports to ECO falls in foods category.”
As a gesture of goodwill Iran lifted ban temporarily
on imports of kinnow from Pakistan just a day before the March 1 ECO summit in
Islamabad. The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry has
demanded that the ban be lifted permanently.
If it is done, Pakistan will be able to export as
much as 60,000 tonnes of kinnow to Iranian markets every year. But for that to
happen, we’ll have to remove Iranian concerns regarding the quality of the
kinnow we export there, officials say. They say that Pakistan would soon take
up this issue with Iran.
Free movement of goods throughout the ECO region
using road and rail transport is expected to become easier — thanks to CPEC
projects.
Published in Dawn, Economic & Business, March 13th, 2017
Global Baby Rice Flour Market Research Forecast Report 2016 – 2020
As drought slashes
rice harvest, 900,000 face hunger in Sri Lanka
COLOMBO
(Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The worst drought in five years has pushed
900,000 people in Sri Lanka into “acute food insecurity”, the World Food
Programme (WFP) says.
An unpublished survey conducted by government agencies
and relief organizations in February found that both food insecurity and debt
were rising sharply among families hit by drought, the WFP office in Sri Lanka
confirmed to the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
The country’s rice harvest
could be the worst in 40 years, charity Save the Children predicted. The
just-completed harvest was 63 percent below normal, it said.
The survey found that over
one third of the drought-affected households had seen their income drop by half
since September and 60 percent of the households surveyed were in debt.
The average amount of debt
was about 180,000 Sri Lankan rupees, or $1,200, WFP said.
The survey findings are
expected to be formally released later this month.
Sri Lanka’s government
said over 1.2 million people have been affected by the country’s current
drought, which began last November and continues despite some occasional
rainfall over the last two months.
Save the Children
estimates that over 600,000 of those affected – two thirds of the total – are
children.
The Western and Northern
Provinces have been worst hit, with over 400,000 people struggling with drought
in each province.
RICE
HARVEST HALVED
Government and WFP assessments suggest Sri Lanka’s
2017 rice harvest could be less than half the 3 million metric tons recorded
last year.
According to WFP
assessments the island needs 2.3 million metric tons of rice for annual
consumption but the overall 2017 rice harvest is projected to yield just 1.44
metric tons.
The government has already
taken steps to increase rice imports to stave off shortages, Disaster
Management Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said.
“We have a shortfall in
the rice harvest. We have been taking action to prevent any shortfalls and will
allow for tax-free rice imports until the harvest recovers,” he said.
Worst-affected by the
drought have been farmers and those relying on agricultural work for income.
The joint WFP and government survey indicated that one out of five farmers and
one out of four farm laborers is now classified as food insecure in the drought
region.
Preliminary
data in the survey also indicated that female-headed households in drought
areas were faring worse than others, with almost 20 percent reporting “poor” to
“borderline” ability to access enough food as a result of the drought.
Yapa said that the
government was devising a plan to help those affected and “we will begin cash
assistance very soon”.
The initial plan is to
provide 500,000 persons with cash assistance, he said. The government has so
far set aside 8 billion rupees ($52 million) for cash-for-work programs in
drought-hit areas.
Over 50 million rupees
($300,000) has been allocated to distribute water to affected populations in 22
of the island’s 25 districts, he said.
The drought is expected to
continue into April, according to seasonal forecasting by the Meteorological
Department.“The big rains will come with the next monsoon”, which is expected
to arrive in late May, said Lalith Chandrapala, director general of the
Meteorological Department.
(Reporting by Amantha
Perera; editing by Laurie Goering :; Please credit the Thomson Reuters
Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian
news, climate change, resilience, women's rights, trafficking and property
rights. Visit news.trust.org/climate
Rice
import goes up in two weeks
Prices still remain high in local
mkt
Yasir Wardad
Rice import has been increasing for last two
weeks amid its persisting higher price in the domestic market and decline in
prices in neighbouring India, said sector insiders.
Even after paying 25 per cent
customs duty, private importers are making profits by importing two specific
rice varieties from India, they added.
The food ministry data showed that
private rice millers so far brought over 54,000 tonnes of rice in the current
financial year (FY'17) of which 14,000 tonnes entered just in last 15 days.
The rate of rice import was 160-172
tonnes a day earlier which increased to 900-1,000 tonnes in March, said a food
ministry official.
L/C (letter of credit) has been
opened to bring another 43,000 tonnes of rice, he added. Rajib Kumar, a Dinajpur-based importer, told
the FE that Brri dhan-28 is now selling at Tk 43-43.5 a kilogram at local mill
gates.
He said import cost (including 25
per cent customs duty) of the same variety, known as Ratna in West Bengal,
India ranges between Tk 41 and Tk 42 a kg. He said the difference between the
prices in India and Bangladesh is encouraging imports.
Lalit Saha, another importer, said
prices of Swarna and Ratna declined to some extent in India in February last.
He said finer Swarna was selling at
Tk 36-36.5 a kg at mill gates in Bangladesh, but its import cost was Tk 34.0-Tk
34.5.
However, he informed the FE that
most of the L/Cs have been opened between February and the first week of March
when prices of Swarna and Brridhan-28 were US$ 343- 360 a tonne in India.
The government imposed 25 per cent
customs duty at the very beginning in FY'17 following paddy price debacle
during harvesting periods which caused huge losses to the farmers. After
imposition of import duty, rice prices in Bangladesh started rising.
The price hike of different
varieties of rice ranged between 7 per cent and 23 per cent in last seven
months, according to Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).
Coarse rice Swarna is now selling at
Tk 37-Tk 40 while medium quality Brridhan 28 and Paijam at Tk 45-Tk 48 and
finer variety Miniket, Jeerashail and Najirshail at Tk 48-Tk 58 a kg in the
country.
Md Hazrat Ali, a Nilphamari-based
trader, said import of Brridhan-28 will continue until the beginning of local
Boro harvesting from next month.
The mills face a supply shortage of
Brridhan-28, the most-consumed rice variety which grows during the Boro season.
He also pointed out that many big
stockists who have a huge stock of Swarna paddy are now making hefty
profits. According to Bangladesh
Bureau of Statistics (BBS), Brridhan-28 accounts for nearly 44 per cent while
Swarna accounts for over 24 per cent of the country's total rice output.
Secretary of Bangladesh Auto Major
Husking Mill Owners Association K M Layek Ali said paddy prices were much
higher from last Aman season which benefited the farmers.
The prices of rice will come down to
some extent from May with starting of the harvesting season, he said, adding
that the existing customs duty should remain in force to protect the local rice
industry.
The government should strengthen
monitoring so that no one can bring animal food in the name of rice for human
consumption, he said. The government has now a stock of nearly 0.64 million tonnes
of rice which was 1.06 million tonnes in the corresponding period last year.
Bangladesh produced over 34.57
million tonnes of rice in FY'16 against a demand for 31.0 million tonnes,
according to BBS and Directorate General of Food (DGoF).
http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2017/03/13/64186/Rice-import-goes-up-in-two-weeks
Central Sulawesi records rice production surplus of 280 thousand
tons
13th March 2017
Palu, C Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Central Sulawesi
managed to achieve a surplus in rice production, reaching 280 thousand tons in
2016, according to a local official.
"The surplus increased as compared to those recorded in the previous years," Trie Iriany Lamakampali, head of the local food crops and horticulture office, stated here, Monday.
It indicated that the governments program to boost the production of paddy, maize, and soybean was successful, although the increase was not significant, he remarked.
The program in Central Sulawesi Province has been supported by military officers and other concerned institutions, among others.
The province has adequate seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides to boost the production of paddy, maize, and soybean.
He expressed hope that the Logistics Agency (Bulog) would purchase more produce of the local farmers.
The local farmers who had planted crops during the October-November planting season last year are expected to harvest their crops during the April-May 2017 period. The paddy production is estimated to reach 500 thousand tons.
Central Sulawesi has set a target of producing 1.3 million tons of dried paddy in 2017.(*)
"The surplus increased as compared to those recorded in the previous years," Trie Iriany Lamakampali, head of the local food crops and horticulture office, stated here, Monday.
It indicated that the governments program to boost the production of paddy, maize, and soybean was successful, although the increase was not significant, he remarked.
The program in Central Sulawesi Province has been supported by military officers and other concerned institutions, among others.
The province has adequate seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides to boost the production of paddy, maize, and soybean.
He expressed hope that the Logistics Agency (Bulog) would purchase more produce of the local farmers.
The local farmers who had planted crops during the October-November planting season last year are expected to harvest their crops during the April-May 2017 period. The paddy production is estimated to reach 500 thousand tons.
Central Sulawesi has set a target of producing 1.3 million tons of dried paddy in 2017.(*)
http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/109900/central-sulawesi-records-rice-production-surplus-of-280-thousand-tons
|
|
Jakarta | Mon, March 13, 2017 | 06:55 pm
Farmers thrash paddy on a rice field in Pabean Udik
village, Indramayu, West Java. (Antara Photo/Dedhez Anggara)
State-owned
fertilizer company PT Pupuk Indonesia plans to develop a rice center to provide
farmers with skill and knowledge as well as facilities to improve the quality
of their rice in Indramayu, West Java.“Indramayu, one of the main rice
producers in the country, is the ideal location to develop the rice center,” PT
Pupuk Indonesia president director Aas Asikin said as reported by tribunnews.com on
Monday.
State-owned
Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno visited Mundu village in Indramayu regency
last Friday to attend a presentation on the establishment of the center, which
will be managed by PT Pupuk Indonesia Pangan (PIP), a subsidiary of PT Pupuk
Indonesia.Aas said the center would consist of three main sections –
agricultural depot, rice cultivation unit and rice mill.
The
agricultural depot will be used to store rice, fertilizer, seeds and pesticide.
The rice cultivation unit will helping farmers cultivate their rice fields to
improve land productivity through technical guidance and the distribution of
fertilizer, seeds and pesticide.
Meanwhile,
the rice milling unit will manage paddy produced by farmers and help them
improve the quality.
“With
modern technology, paddy will become high quality medium and premium rice,” Aas
added.Initially, the rice mill will have a capacity of 4 tons per hour and will
be increased to 12 tons per hour. (bbn)
Submitted by Eleven on Sat, 03/11/2017 - 15:30
Writer: Nilar
The Ministry of Commerce says a new agreement is under way to
export 100,000 tonnes of rice to China by sea.“It’s
not the ministry itself that will export. The Myanmar Agribusiness Public Corporation [MAPCO] was previously offered the quota by China
to export 100,000 tonnes of rice. There's now a deal underway for another quota
of the same amount. The previous quota is almost fulfilled,” said Khin Maung Lwin, a senior official from
the ministry.
The previous deal was reached in 2014.
Myanmar exports most of its rice
to China through the Muse border and also exports rice to more than 30
countries by sea.Rice exports to China last year saw a
significant decrease due to rebel attacks on Muse and Chinese officials taking
strict action on Myanmar’s exports.Other
exports also decreased this year due to the instability
in the border areas and increased security checks. The
MAPCO chose instead to export rice by sea and the weak kyat has driven up
exports. Maritime exports struggled in the past because of the policies of the
former government.
The MAPCO is preparing to sell
its shares at the Yangon Stock Exchange
Global
Baby Rice Flour Market Research Forecast Report 2016 – 2020
Business March 14, 2017 Stanley
Baby Rice Flour Market 2016
The research report titled Baby Rice Flour Market has adopted an
analytical approach to evaluate the dynamics of the Baby Rice Flour market. It
provides a detailed analysis comprising an in-depth research on the Baby Rice
Flour market growth drivers, restraints, and potential growth opportunities,
with key focus on globe. In a chapter-wise format, the report evaluates the
demand and supply trends observed in the Baby Rice Flour market, complete with
relevant statistics and graphical representation. A detailed investment
feasibility analysis and market attractiveness analysis is included in the
report, which makes it an executive-level document for players in the global
Baby Rice Flour market.
To obtain the Baby Rice Flour market
feasibility report, industry leading analytical tools are used and
market-specific database is evaluated. Based on the results acquired through
this research methodology, the report presents refined growth forecasts for the
Baby Rice Flour market. Factors such as historical statistics and upcoming
trends observed in the global Baby Rice Flour market is analyzed to estimate
market behaviour during the forecast period.
The report is separated in sections
dedicated to analyzing distinct aspects of the Baby Rice Flour market. It
encompasses the varied product types available in the market and their
respective price structure, the factors driving demand for the products, and
the future prospects for the same. Other market segments included are
elaborated on the basis of application and geography. The report also presents
import and export figures for the global Baby Rice Flour market.
To present a detailed analysis of
the competitive hierarchy of the Baby Rice Flour market, the report profiles
the leading market player around the world. Market shares registered by the
prominent players are estimated to study the business strategies that have
significantly impacted the Baby Rice Flour market. With its chapters
interspersed with tables and figures, the study provides a comprehensive
overview of the Baby Rice Flour industry.
A detailed segmentation evaluation
of the Baby Rice Flour market has been provided in the report. Detailed
information about the key segments of the market and their growth prospects are
available in the report. The detailed analysis of their sub-segments is also
available in the report. The revenue forecasts and volume shares along with
market estimates are available in the report
http://patriarc.com/2017/03/14/global-baby-rice-flour-market-research-forecast-report-2016-2020/136189
California Rice
Country: In the Board Room and On the
Farm
By Deborah Willenborg
SACRAMENTO, CA -- Last week
USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward visited California rice country to
attend the March Board of Directors meeting of the California Rice Commission
(CRC). "The CRC is a key member of
USA Rice and supports our programs both financially and with the active members
who populate our boards and committees," said Ward. "It was great to speak to the CRC Board
about developments in Washington and to thank them for all their support for
USA Rice."
CRC manages an impressive program for the California rice industry
and that was demonstrated by the scope of topics addressed at the board meeting
including farm policy, international trade policy and promotion, regulatory and
food safety issues, and CRC's effective communications outreach to multiple
target audiences both in California and around the globe.
Gary Van Dyke directs
equipment rehab in preparation for planting
In addition to attending the CRC event, Ward traveled to Pleasant
Grove to visit the Van Dyke Ranch, a vertically integrated company that
includes Van Dyke's Rice Dryer and VA Farms Inc. Greg Van Dyke, a recent graduate of the Rice
Leadership Development Program, led the tour and explained the history of the
Van Dyke family operations in the region that stretches back to 1898.
"I appreciate the hospitality of Greg and his family, and
always enjoy getting out to see rice facilities first hand," said Ward.
USA
Rice CEO Betsy Ward delivers annual progress report
USA Rice Presents to Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board
By Chuck Wilson
LITTLE ROCK, AR -- USA staff Betsy Ward, Michael Klein, and Hugh
Maginnis presented the annual USA Rice Council report to the Arkansas Rice
Research and Promotion Board (ARRPB) here last week.
Ward provided the board with the financial report and results of
the audits for all five organizations overseen by USA Rice, and also gave an
update on opportunities and challenges the U.S. rice industry faces, including
the impact of priorities coming out of the Trump Administration on trade, food
aid, and the upcoming Farm Bill. Klein
shared highlights of recent domestic promotion activities, including chef farm
and mill tours that have resulted in U.S.-grown rice being called out on
restaurant menus, while Maginnis reported on international markets and
programs, including an active tender in Iraq and increasing market access in
markets such as Colombia and Haiti.
The ARRPB is made up of nine rice producers who are nominated by
industry organizations and appointed to two-year terms by the governor. The board is responsible for allocating
Arkansas rice promotion and research check-off funds annually, and for the past
30 plus years, the ARRPB has awarded promotion funds to the USA Rice Council in
recognition of the exemplary work performed by the Council on behalf of
Arkansas rice farmers.
"I appreciated the opportunity to report on work made possible
by the financial resources entrusted to us by Arkansas," Ward said. "On behalf of USA Rice, I also want to
thank the Arkansas rice farmers and industry members who serve on the USA Rice
Council board and on USA Rice domestic and international promotion
committees. Their participation is vital
to USA Rice's member-driven process for program development and
implementation."
After the presentations on promotion results and USA Rice
financials, the ARRPB approved the USA Rice Council's request for funding in
the fiscal year August 1, 2017 to July 31, 2018.
No comments:
Post a Comment