Mekong Delta sees drop in
Fall-Winter rice areas
Farmers in Vinh Loi district, Bac Lieu province (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) –
Mekong Delta provinces cultivated 355,400 hectares of Fall-Winter rice crops by
mid-July, an 8.7 percent drop from the same period last year, according to the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The largest rice areas were reported in Dong Thap, Kien Giang, Hau Giang and Long An provinces and Can Tho City.
Some provinces advised farmers to only grow rice in lands surrounded by good embankments to escape floods; and to ensure a proper period of time between crops.
Vietnam has cultivated more than 2.12 million hectares of Summer-Fall rice crops during the period, up 2 percent year on year. Southern provinces contributed to approximately 90.6 percent of the total area and those from the Mekong Delta accounted for 77.6 percent, down 2.3 percent year on year.
The contraction was largely due to farmers shifting to grow annual and perennial plants.
The later-grown Summer-Fall rice areas have reached the stages of heading and flowering while the early-grown crops have been harvested in an area of 663,700 hectares, accounting for 34.5 percent of the total areas, including 654,300 hectares in the Mekong Delta.The yield was estimated at around 58.7 quintals per hectare.Northern Vietnam has finished cultivating its winter rice crop with the early-grown areas in the stage of tillering.-VNA
The largest rice areas were reported in Dong Thap, Kien Giang, Hau Giang and Long An provinces and Can Tho City.
Some provinces advised farmers to only grow rice in lands surrounded by good embankments to escape floods; and to ensure a proper period of time between crops.
Vietnam has cultivated more than 2.12 million hectares of Summer-Fall rice crops during the period, up 2 percent year on year. Southern provinces contributed to approximately 90.6 percent of the total area and those from the Mekong Delta accounted for 77.6 percent, down 2.3 percent year on year.
The contraction was largely due to farmers shifting to grow annual and perennial plants.
The later-grown Summer-Fall rice areas have reached the stages of heading and flowering while the early-grown crops have been harvested in an area of 663,700 hectares, accounting for 34.5 percent of the total areas, including 654,300 hectares in the Mekong Delta.The yield was estimated at around 58.7 quintals per hectare.Northern Vietnam has finished cultivating its winter rice crop with the early-grown areas in the stage of tillering.-VNA
http://en.vietnamplus.vn/mekong-delta-sees-drop-in-fallwinter-rice-areas/115487.vnp
Traders seek to recoup losses on K5 billion
in seized rice
By Khin Su Wai
| Thursday, 27 July 2017
Myanmar rice traders are seeking the
recoup of K5 billion worth of rice they say was seized by China last month in a
bust that also resulted in the arrest of their trading partner, Ma Nan Aye Lu.
About 50 rice traders from Mandalay
Region and Katha, Banmauk, Htigyaing and Kawlin townships in Sagaing Region
said their partner’s detention for the past two months has hurt their business.
Their meeting at the Banmauk rice
traders association office on Wednesday was attended by National League for
Democracy MPs from Banmauk. U Aung Thein, who represents Banmauk in the Pyithu
Hluttaw, told the meeting that for the sake of good bilateral relations, China
should follow the example of Myanmar, which set free within eight days Chinese
who were detained for smuggling timber in 400 vehicles.
U Mike, a rice trader from
Mandalay, said he lost 640,500 yuan (K130 million) in missed rice exports to
China due to Ma Nan Aye Lu’s arrest.
“Twenty-six rice traders from
Banmauk have suffered losses. Mandalay has three. U Aung Thein told the rice
traders that the NLD will try its best to free Sai Aiak Thar and Ma Nan Aye Lu.
They will report the case to State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi through the
Kachin State Hluttaw chairman, who was at the meeting,” he said.
Ma Nan Aye Lu was detained by
Chinese authorities when she passed through Muse border crossing in Shan State
on June 11. The Chinese bust was aimed at 27 gangs suspected of smuggling about
300,000 tonnes of rice from Myanmar and Vietnam, according to a statement by
China’s General Administration of Customs (GAC). The GAC on June 12 dispatched
over 400 police officers to more than 20 locations in Chongqing municipality
and the provinces of Yunnan, Guangdong, Hubei and Shaanxi in a crackdown on
rice smuggling, according to Xinhua News Agency, and seized an estimated
300,000 tonnes of smuggled rice worth about 1.25 billion yuan (US$184
million/K252.2 billion). Preliminary investigations showed that since 2014, the
gangs had purchased rice in Myanmar and Vietnam before smuggling it across the
borders into Yunnan and Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, according to the GAC.
“She was detained for suspected
gambling. We have known Ma Nan Aye Lu for 10 to 15 years. She is honest. She is
ethnic Shan and works for money-delivery services as well as the China rice
trade,” he said.
U Mike denied a rumour that Ma Nan
Aye Lu holds identification cards for China as well as Myanmar. “She has a
Myanmar ID only,” he said.
“We could recover 30-45 percent of
our losses, according to the Banmauk rice association. If Ma Nan Aye Lu is
freed, she could collect payment for the rice from the traders in China,” U
Mike said.
The rice price declined by K30,000
per tonne soon after the bust in June, and the rice trade almost stopped in the
border area.
“Small-scale traders also suffered
losses. We can stand the loss, but some small-scale traders have to repay
loans. The impact is being felt by rice millers and rice farmers,” he said.
According to Myanmar traders,
Chinese border officials began seizing cargo from nearly every truck, launching
a crackdown three times a year on a trade that had been steadily growing in
importance.
“This was a big bust for rice
smuggling to China. Merchants in Mandalay and Banmauk, Kawlin and Wuntho in
Sagaing lost because of their ties to the smuggler in China. They haven’t the
staff for selling rice in China, so they contacted her,” said U Sai Kyaw,
secretary of the Rice Merchants Association of Mandalay.
Myanmar has exported rice to China
under a quota system since fiscal year 2014-15, but most merchants haven’t seen
any benefits because of a high tax imposed by China.
“The Chinese tax on rice is K8000
on a K20,000 50-kilogram bag. That’s why traders do not prefer legal shipping.
The tax is too high for us,” he said.U Mike said Myanmar rice traders also pay
a 2 percent tax to Myanmar authorities. “The Chinese know when the rice comes
into their region. There are 800 CCTVs at the border gate. They detain whoever
they want.”
According to export data, roughly
12.2 million tonnes of rice was exported in FY2015-16.
Myanmar’s rice exports are
generally of lower quality than those of its competitors Vietnam, Thailand and
Pakistan. However, buyers, particularly in remote Yunnan province, have been
willing to pay top dollar for even poor-quality Myanmar rice for use in food processing,
so Myanmar’s rice exports to China have grown since 2011.
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/mandalay-upper-myanmar/26973-traders-seek-to-recoup-losses-on-k5-billion-in-seized-rice.html
Locally milled rice to be released to the market soon
A huge quantity of locally milled
rice that usually garners strong domestic appeal is to hit the markets
immediately-perhaps as early as next week.“Now we have decided to get local
paddy stocks to the market as well” said the Minister of Industry and Commerce
Rishad Bathiudeen on 26th July. Minister Bathiudeen was reviewing the latest
rice market status in Colombo with his officials.
“Due to stocks from overseas
suppliers, rice shortage is ending” said Minister Bathiudeen and added: “Now we
have decided to get local paddy stocks to the market as well. Based on the
earlier directions of President Maithripala Sirisena and Cost of Living Committee’s
decision of Tuesday 25th July, the Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE/
Sathosa) under our Ministry will purchase 55,000 MT paddy stock from the Paddy
Marketing Board (PMB) immediately. This stock will be milled by local millers
and CWE’s two own mills, will then be released to Lanka Sathosa.”
Accordingly, CWE is to publish public/newspaper notice to
millers this week to bid for milling of the 55,000 MT purchased from the PMB.
Bulk of the stock to be milled shall be red raw rice and the rest in other
varieties. If milling is completed fast, then this local rice, which is in high
demand, can come to Lanka Sathosa for consumer purchase as early as first week
of next month. CWE officials revealed that in the first six months of
2017, they milled 50,000 MT rice and released to Lanka Sathosa to be sold to
domestic consumers. The rice were in many varieties but the bulk of it was red
raw. The stocks were milled by CWE mills as well as private sector
millers. In Sri Lanka, around 200,000 MT of rice of various types are
consumed on a monthly basis.
https://www.news.lk/news/political-current-affairs/item/17541-locally-milled-rice-to-be
India Monsoon
Rain Seen Close to Normal as El Nino Threat Fades
By Pratik Parija
July 27, 2017, 2:51 PM GMT+5
Monsoon rain resulting in higher crop sowing: Weather
Office
Rainfall break likely for 7 to 10 days during the
rainy season
A flooded Kolkata street on July 24.
Photographer:
Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP via Getty Images
India’s southwest monsoon that
waters about half of the country’s farmland is likely to be near normal
this year even as the four-month rainy season may see a weak spell during the
remaining two months, according to the country’s weather forecaster.
Precipitation in the four-month
rainy season will be close to 89 centimeters, a 50-year average, in the absence
of El Nino, K. J. Ramesh, director general of India Meteorological Department,
said. The agency had upgraded its forecast in June to 98 percent of the
long-term average from 96 percent predicted in April. The weather office
defines a monsoon as normal when cumulative rain during the period, which
generally begins on June 1, falls between 96 percent and 104 percent of the
long-term average.
The monsoon is critical to India’s farmers as it
accounts for more than 70 percent of the total annual rainfall and
recharges water levels in reservoirs that help irrigate crops. The country
recorded normal rainfall last year, after two consecutive years of
drought, boosting food grain productionto a record high. The prediction
follows forecasters in the U.S. and Australia reducing the odds of an El Nino
forming this year.
“The monsoon is fairly active so far and it hasn’t taken a break
yet,” Ramesh said in an interview on Wednesday in New Delhi. Higher sowing of crops shows that the
performance of the monsoon is very satisfactory, he said.
Indian farmers planted monsoon
crops such as rice, pulses and cotton in 68.53 million hectares (169 million
acres) as of July 21, up 1.8 percent from a year earlier, according to the
agriculture ministry.
Monsoon Lull
“The monsoon could take a break
definitely in August and some time in September which could last for about a
week to 10 days,” said Ramesh. "The weakening of monsoon is expected in
the northern parts, while the peninsular region should get more rain.”
Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology said in June that El Nino’s development
has stalled and any event is likely to be weak. The U.S. last month lowered
its odds for the weather pattern,
which often brings dry weather to parts of Asia and Australia.
Rainfall in August is likely to
be between 90 percent and 99 percent of the average, Ramesh said. Rain has been
5 percent above normal between June 1 and July 26, according to the department.
“Most of the rain so far is
concentrated over the north, while peninsular India is not getting adequate
rain,” Ramesh said. “Some cereal crops will be affected in southern region.”
The weather department’s monsoon prediction compares with a
March forecast of 95 percent from Skymet
Weather Services Pvt., a private forecaster. Rain was 97 percent of a 50-year
average last year, meeting the department’s definition of a normal monsoon.
Showers were 14 percent below the average in 2015 and 12 percent below the
average in 2014, data from the India Meteorological Department show."About
15 percent to 20 percent area will still remain rain deficient even if monsoon
is normal or above normal and that’s in-built characteristics of monsoon,”
Ramesh said.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-07-27/india-monsoon-rain-seen-close-to-normal-as-el-nino-threat-fades
ASIA RICE-BANGLADESH MAY CALL OFF THAI IMPORT DEAL OVER HIGH PRICES
7/27/2017
By My Pham and Ruma Paul
HANOI/DHAKA, July 27 (Reuters) - Bangladesh's plan to importrice
from Thailand could be suspended due to high prices, thecountry's food ministry
said on Thursday, after the government'sdeal with India fell through for the
same reason.Bangladesh, the world's fourth-biggest rice producer, hasemerged as
a major importer of rice this year due to depleted
stocks and record local prices following flash floods.
stocks and record local prices following flash floods.
"We could not finalise the deal with Thailand as their
offerwas too high," said a senior food ministry official, who askednot to
be quoted as he is not authorised to talk to the media.This would not hamper
import plans, he said, adding, "we are
going to Cambodia next week."
going to Cambodia next week."
However, Badrul Hasan, the head of the state grains buyer,told
Reuters that the deal was still open."We'll go for it if their new offer
is competitive," hesaid.The fifth tender by Bangladesh's state grains
buyer toimport 50,000 tonnes of parboiled rice, which opened onThursday, drew
the lowest offer from Olam at $419.51 a tonne,CIF liner out.Its sixth tender
since May for a similar quantity of ricewill close on Aug. 8.The possible
suspension of the deal with Thailand came after
the government deal with India failed to materialise due to highrates, though private traders have been importing the grain fromits neighbour since last month after the government cut import
tariffs.
the government deal with India failed to materialise due to highrates, though private traders have been importing the grain fromits neighbour since last month after the government cut import
tariffs.
A Thai delegation was in Dhaka early this week to finalisethe deal
to export up to 200,000 tonnes of rice."Thailand will submit a new offer.
The deal is not totallyoff," Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of
the Thai RiceExporters Association told Reuters.
The price band on country's benchmark 5-percent broken
rice<RI-THBKN5-P1> widened slightly at $395-$408, free-on-board(FOB)
Bangkok.Traders in Bangkok cited weak demand and slow trade, but thesmall rise
in quotes was due to the appreciation of the Thaibaht against the dollar.The
baht was trading at 33.32 against the dollar, thestrongest in more than two
years.In Vietnam, the world's third biggest rice exporter,domestic prices edged
up after Vietnamese rice suppliers wondeals for selling a total volume of
175,000 tonnes.
"Local prices rose slightly but FOB prices couldn't as
theyare high already," said a trader in Ho Chi Minh City.The country's
benchmark 5-percent broken rice <RI-VNBKN5-P1>
stayed flat at $400-$405 a tonne, FOB Saigon.Trade was thin as export prices were too high, with themarket now mostly focusing on government-to-government deals."Commercial trade can only be more vibrant once the pricesdrop further, which is not likely to happen soon," the trader
added.India also saw sluggish export demand which caused its 5percent broken parboiled rice prices <RI-INBKN5-P1> to ease by$5 per tonne to $400 to $403.
stayed flat at $400-$405 a tonne, FOB Saigon.Trade was thin as export prices were too high, with themarket now mostly focusing on government-to-government deals."Commercial trade can only be more vibrant once the pricesdrop further, which is not likely to happen soon," the trader
added.India also saw sluggish export demand which caused its 5percent broken parboiled rice prices <RI-INBKN5-P1> to ease by$5 per tonne to $400 to $403.
"Still, demand is weak. There is no improvement in demandfrom
African buyers," said an exporter based in Kakinada in thesouthern state
of Andhra Pradesh.India, the world's biggest rice exporter, mainly
exportsnon-basmati rice to African countries and premier basmati rice
to Middle East.
to Middle East.
"The appreciating rupee has been making it difficult for usto
lower prices," said another exporter based in Kakinada.(Reporting by My
Pham in HANOI, Ruma Paul in DHAKA, Patpicha
Tanakasempipat in BANGKOK and Rajendra Jadhav in MUMBAI; Editing
by Vyas Mohan)
Tanakasempipat in BANGKOK and Rajendra Jadhav in MUMBAI; Editing
by Vyas Mohan)
http://www.agriculture.com/markets/newswire/asia-rice-bangladesh-may-call-off-thai-import-deal-over-high-prices
Developments in Iran’s
Agriculture Sector and Prospects for U.S. Trade
Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade No. (AES-100) 27 pp, July
2017
Iran's agriculture sector following sanctions relief and
prospects for U.S.-Iran agricultural trade.
Keywords: Iran, Middle East,
agricultural trade, sanctions
In this publication...
https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details?pubid=84407
Rice research centre opens at KU
July 27, 2017
KARACHI: A state-of-the-art rice research centre was
inaugurated on Wednesday at the International Centre for Chemical and
Biological Sciences (ICCBS), Karachi University (KU).Named the Sino-Pakistan
Hybrid Rice Research Centre, the facility is equipped with the latest equipment
including nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopes and will be supported by
Chinese experts through technology transfer and capacity building.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony organised at the
Prof Salimuzzaman Siddiqui Auditorium at the ICCBS, KU Vice Chancellor Prof
Mohammad Ajmal Khan said: “We should learn from China that has set an excellent
example in the field of science and technology and made tremendous progress in
a short time.”
Development of any country or nation, he said, was
associated with the commitment of its leadership, which should translate into
meaningful investment in scientific research and technology.
Prof Atta-ur-Rahman, the ICCBS patron-in-chief and
former Higher Education Commission chairman, spoke about the need for educating
and training the youth.He said, “Pakistan has huge youth strength — about 100
million young people below the age of 20. They need to be educated and trained,
if we really want to take advantage from this strength.”According to him,
natural resources have lost their importance and have been replaced by refined
human resources that contribute towards high-tech industrial development.
He regretted the drastic cut in the higher education
budget and said it’s unfortunate that the finance ministry had slashed the
development budget of all universities of Pakistan by more than 60 per cent,
which had adversely affected research projects.
“In fact, the government has left the universities in a
state of shock and disarray by massively reducing their budget. The country
must realise that progress can’t be made without excelling in high-quality
education, science and technology, innovation and entrepreneurship,” he pointed
out.Chinese Consul General Wang Yu praised the Pakistani rice and said that
China was a major importer of Pakistani high-quality rice.
“The ICCBS is represented by some great scholars and I
am sure the opening of this research centre will benefit both countries. It’s a
significant event reflecting the deep bond we share.”Director ICCBS Prof
Mohammad Iqbal Choudhary said that the centre was another landmark in the long
and exemplary relationship between the two neighbouring countries.
Director general CNRRI Prof Cheng Shihua said that food
security was affecting both China and Pakistan and the centre would help tackle
it.Governor Sindh Mohammad Zubair, who had been invited to the programme in his
capacity as the chancellor of all public sector universities in the province,
couldn’t make it to the event.
Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2017
Rice
procurement target fixed higher at 37.5 MT for 2017-18
Thu, 27 Jul 2017-08:33pm ,
PTI
The Centre today fixed higher rice procurement
target at 37.5 million tonnes for the 2017-18 marketing season beginning
October on hopes of good production.The government's rice procurement has
touched 34.35 million tonnes (MT) in the ongoing 2016-17 marketing season
(October-September). The procurement has already crossed the target of 33
million tonnes set for this year.Higher target for the 2017-18 was fixed after
discussing with state food secretaries in a meeting chaired by Union Food
Secretary Preeti Sudan here today.
The target for each rice producing states was
also fixed in the meeting: Punjab to procure 115 lakh tonnes, Chattisgarh (48
lakh tonnes), Uttar Pradesh (37 lakh tonnes), Haryana and Odisha (30 lakh
tonnes each), Andhra Pradesh is 25 lakh tonnes and West Bengal (23 lakh
tonnes), an official statement said.The Centre reviewed with states the kind of
arrangements been put in place for procurement of paddy in producing states,
particularly in decentralised procurement states and other non-traditional
states.
State-run Food Corporation of India (FCI) and
state agencies undertake procurement operation. The paddy is procured at the
minimum support price (MSP).For the 2017-18 season, the government has fixed
paddy MSP of 'common' grade variety at Rs 1,550 per quintal, while that of 'A'
grade variety at Rs 1,590 per quintal.As per the Agriculture Ministry's data,
farmers have sown paddy in 177.04 lakh hectare till last week of the kharif
season of this year, which is higher than 169.23 lakh hectares in the same
period last year.
(This article has not been edited by DNA's
editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
http://www.dnaindia.com/business/report-rice-procurement-target-fixed-higher-at-375-mt-for-2017-18-2516018
Monsoon in India hits West Bengal
paddy crop hard as seeds get washed away
In some cases, crop intensity might reduce
while in other cases crop yield might be low or the yield might be of very poor
quality as to be not marketable. However, heavy rains during the Amon season
often result in good Boro or winter crop but that is only 30% of the total
production.
Continuous heavy showers have flooded the fields more than that it
was required. This has put farmers in a suspect that their sow has been washed
away.Heavy showers have flushed away paddy seeds from most of the
agricultural land across the districts of Hooghly, Burdwan, Nadia, Purulia West
& East Midnapore and Howrah, adversely affecting Amon production, the
second crop of the Kharif season. Continuous heavy showers have flooded the
fields more than that it was required. This has put farmers in a suspect that
their sow has been washed away. “This shower could have been better after a few
days after our sow got stabled and the shoots got a little longer and stronger.
However, there is still opportunity to sow afresh if we are able to drain out
the excess water from our fields,” Baidyanath Ghosh, a farmer, in Mamudpur of
Hooghly district said. While Bikash Mukherjee of the same village felt the
situation was flood-like and a release of water from the Damodar Valley
Corporation (DVC) will overflow the canals and flood the lands spreading across
districts. West Bengal chief minister Mamata
Banerjee said the situation was not grave enough to
declare the state as flood affected.
West Bengal irrigation minister Rajiv Banerjee said the
government has asked DVC to release water within a limit of 10,000 cusec from
the dams of Panchet and Maithon, which can prevent the state from floods.
According to a DVC statement, heavy showers have raised the water level in
rivers and dams, adding 28,500 cusec water in Panchet and 9,500 cusec in
Maithon. This has necessitated release of water, for which the catchment areas
within the district of Burdwan, Hooghly and some parts of West Midnapore may
get affected.
“Cultivable land getting partly flood-affected may lower Amon
paddy production by 10-15%,” Arun Bose, scientific assistant in West Bengal
Rice Research Centre said, adding that with seeds sweeping away, many farmers
might not get an opportunity to sow again. In some cases crop intensity might
reduce, in some cases crop yield might be low and in some cases the yield might
be of very poor quality as to be not marketable. However, heavy rains during
the Amon season often results in good Boro or winter crop but that is only 30%
of the total production.
West Bengal produces an average of 105 million tonne rice per
annum from 5.8 million hectares. The districts of Burdwan, Hooghly, Nadia and
Birbhum have the highest rice productivity with 32% share of the state’s total
rice production and about 27% of acreage. Paddy production spreads across three
seasons — Aus and Amon , the two kharif crop and Boro the winter crop. Crop
intensity is as high as 176%. West Bengal produced 104.32 MT of paddy in
2015-16, lower by 1.17 MT of production than the preceding year in a scenario
of failed Amon.
But Aus and Boro yields were successful, Pradip Majumdar, chief
minister’s agricultural advisor said. While it would be too early to comment on
whether the paddy of the current season will be successful or not and what may
be the production scenario at the end of the entire crop cycle, the government
has targetted yield of above 105 MT with more cultivable land bought under
irrigation and improved variety of seeds given to farmers, Majumdar said.
However, selling the produce has become easier with the paddy taken
directly to mandis. “I got Rs 830 per 60 kgs including my carrying cost to the
mandis from my field,” said Gurudas Mukherjee of Mamudpur. The government had
offered minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 1,470 per quintal (100 kgs) for
common grade and Rs 1,510 per quintal for higher grade in 2016-2017. This has
been increased by Rss 80 per quintal in FY18, West Bengal agriculture
department officials said.
http://www.financialexpress.com/market/commodities/monsoon-in-india-hits-west-bengal-paddy-crop-hard-as-seeds-get-washed-away/781291/
Singapore 'food sharing' pioneer
Tony Tay of Willing Hearts among winners of Philippines' Magsaysay awards
Willing Hearts founder Tony Tay is among the six
winners of the Philippines' Magsaysay awards this year.PHOTO: ST FILE
PUBLISHED
JUL 27, 2017, 7:04 PM SGT
MANILA (REUTERS) - The
Singaporean founder of a volunteer group providing hot meals to the poor is
among this year's six winners of the Philippines' Magsaysay awards, the
foundation responsible for the awards said on Thursday (July 27).Mr Tony Tay's
"Willing Hearts" group distributes thousands of meals every day in
the wealthy city-state, where about 10 per cent of a population of 5.7 million
live in poverty, the Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation said in a statement.
The winners of the awards, widely
seen as Asia's equivalent of the Nobel prizes, will receive a sum of US$50,000
(S$67,880) at a ceremony set for late August.
"The Magsaysay awardees are
all transforming their societies through their manifest commitment to the
larger good," said Ms Carmencita Abella, president of the Manila-based
foundation."All are unafraid to take on larger causes. All have refused to
give up despite meagre resources, daunting adversity and strong
opposition," Ms Abella said in the statement.
Mr Tay, born in poverty,
abandoned at age five and put in care at an orphanage with a sister, was
recognised for "sharing food with others" after having organised a
group of 300 volunteers in 2009 to provide meals to those in need."We are
just sharing, sharing all that we have in life to make a better society,"
the 70 year-old businessman, who had to drop out of school to work, was
quoted as saying in the foundation's statement.
Also honoured were Japan's Mr
Yoshiaki Ishizawa, cited for having empowered Cambodians to preserve their
culture, and Indonesia's Mr Abdon Nababan, who worked to support the rights of
indigenous people in a country that is home to the world's largest Muslim
population.
Among the winners were Sri
Lanka's Ms Gethsie Shanmugam, who helped rebuild the war-scarred lives of women
and children; and Ms Lilia de Lima of the Philippines, who led the country's
economic zone authority for many years.The Philippine Educational Theatre
Association was also recognised for its "bold, collective contributions in
shaping theatre arts as a force for social change", setting an
example in Asia.
The awards, named after a
popular Philippine president who was killed in a plane crash, were set up in
1957 by the trustees of the New York-based Rockefeller Brothers Fund.About 300
people and 25 organisations, including Asean and the International Rice
Research Institute, have been recognised since 1958.
http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/singapore-food-sharing-pioneer-tony-tay-of-willing-hearts-among-winners-of-philippines
Research calls for enhancing
long-term benefits of Farm Bill programs
July 27, 2017
Many farmers, ranchers, and landowners rely on voluntary
conservation incentive programs within the Farm Bill to make improvements to
their land and operations that benefit them, the environment, and
society.According to a recent study by researchers from Virginia Tech's College
of Natural Resources and Environment and Point Blue Conservation Science
published in the scientific journal Conservation Letters, it is
necessary to find ways to sustain the benefits from these practices after the
incentive program ends. This finding is crucial
as Congress discusses the reauthorization of the Farm Bill.In the United
States, federal incentive programs aimed at promoting private land conservation fall under the umbrella of the Farm Bill, a package of
legislation that promotes conservation efforts on farms and private lands,
among other purposes. Typically taking the form of cash payments, tax credits,
or cost-share agreements, these incentive programs allow landowners to participate in conservation activities while maintaining
ownership of their land.
Persistence, a term introduced in this context by the authors of
the study, is the continuation of a conservation practice after incentives from
voluntary conservation programs end.According to lead author Ashley Dayer,
assistant professor of human dimensions in Virginia Tech's Department of Fish
and Wildlife Conservation, some conservation practices like tree planting are
more likely to continue providing benefits without active management by landowners, while other practices, such as conservation crop rotation, would
require a more hands-on approach by landowners. In the latter cases, supporting
landowners' behavioral persistence is essential to maintaining environmental
benefits.
Dayer worked with Seth Lutter, a
master's student in fish and wildlife conservation, and Kristin Sesser, Catherine Hickey, and Thomas Gardali from
Point Blue Conservation Science, a California-based wildlife conservation and research nonprofit, to examine the existing research literature
on landowner behavior after incentive programs ended to determine what factors
contributed to landowners continuing conservation efforts on their own. "We often hear assumptions about how landowners gain a
stewardship ethic due to involvement in these programs that may lead them to
continue conservation activities after the programs end, but there's been very
little empirical research to support this assumption," explained Dayer,
who is affiliated with the Global Change Center, housed in Virginia Tech's
Fralin Life Science Institute.
According to Gardali, director of the Pacific Coast and Central
Valley Group at Point Blue Conservation Science, understanding and promoting
persistence is vital to successful conservation efforts."Our efforts to provide
habitat for water birds in California, in partnership with conservation
organizations and rice growers, illustrate the need to have better information
on if, when, and why landowners continue to implement a conservation action
after the payments end," Gardali said."We recently watched as rice growers who implemented conservation projects were unable to re-enroll for incentives due to program limitations," he continued. "Bird habitat provision became uncertain and dependent on landowner behavior persistence."In this study, supported by the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, the authors developed five research-based explanations for whether or not persistence outcomes could be expected. The pathways include landowners' attitudes toward the conservation practices, landowners' motivations for participating in incentive programs, habit formation, access to resources, and social influences.
The researchers offer several suggestions for improving conservation program outcomes, including:
• Removing limits on the number of re-enrollments allowed for individual landowners if there are a limited number of landowners interested in the program;
• Removing limits on the number of re-enrollments for programs where landowners must continually apply a practice for conservation outcomes;
• Prioritizing projects where landowners enroll for the long term; and
• Considering the likelihood of persistence when designing programs.
Additionally, Lutter notes, "More research is needed in this social science side of landowner conservation incentive programs. American taxpayers are investing billions in these programs, so it's essential to understand how to promote the programs' long-term effectiveness."
Ultimately, incentive programs that assist landowners with conservation efforts benefit the population as a whole.
"Private lands conservation is critical," Dayer said. "Often when we think about land for wildlife, we think about national parks or protected areas, but those are a small proportion. In the U.S., 60 percent of the land is privately owned."
"A disproportionately high amount of wildlife is found on private lands, so having landowners engaged in managing their land is critical to having benefits like wildlife habitat or water quality that all of us enjoy beyond the boundaries of that landowner's property. It's beneficial to everyone when landowners are willing to do this work," she concluded.
Explore further: Investments in conservation easements reap benefits for Colorado
More information: Ashley A. Dayer et al, Private Landowner Conservation Behavior Following Participation in Voluntary Incentive Programs: Recommendations to Facilitate Behavioral Persistence, Conservation Letters (2017). DOI: 10.1111/conl.12394
Journal reference: Conservation Letters
Provided by: Virginia Tech
https://phys.org/news/2017-07-long-term-benefits-farm-bill.html
Confusion
prevails over Kerala’s request for Jaya variety rice
ANDHRA PRADESH
G.V.R. Subba Rao
VIJAYAWADA,JULY 28, 2017 00:41 IST
Andhra Pradesh stopped growing the
variety introduced in 1965
Farmers in East Godavari district
cultivate MTU 3626 (Bondalu in local parlance) in large area. Cultivation of
Jaya, a variety from International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), was
introduced way back in 1965 and was discontinued long back following
introduction of many other high
yield varieties. Farmers in East
Godavari district prefer cultivating MTU 3626, which is also known as Prabhat,
in view of high yield and returns.Kerala prefers boiled rice for variety of
reasons, including long shelf life after cooking. The prices of boiled rice
have shot up significantly in view of fast approaching festival. It
necessitated a meeting between Kerala Civil Supplies Minister P. Thilothaman
and his team with their counterparts here a week ago.
The Supplyco, a grocery arm of
Kerala government, is procuring boiled rice through e-tenders at ₹ 35 a kg, and if Andhra Pradesh supplies the same at a lesser
price, it is ready to sign an agreement with AP Civil Supplies Corporation.When
contacted, Special Chief Secretary (Agriculture, Civil Supplies) B. Rajasekhar
said, “Jaya is a very old variety. It is not being cultivated now. What they
(Kerala) refer to Jaya could be MTU 3626. We asked them to send a few samples
so that we can compare it with the rice grown here.”
Andhra Pradesh was one of the States
that used to grow Jaya variety and process and despatch it as Jaya boiled rice
to Kerala. Bondalu has taken over its place many years ago and that is what is
being sent to Kerala.“The farmers have switched over to the Prabhat or Bondalu
variety, which is grown in large area in East Godavari district. Lodging
resistant varieties such as MTU 1061, MTU 1075 are gaining momentum in Godavari
delta,” explained Agriculture Deputy Director (Planning) Z. Venkateswara Rao.
However, Andhra Pradesh Rice Millers
Association (APRMA), Upland Area Rice Millers Association (UARMA) disagree.
APRMA president Gummadi Venkateswara Rao and UARMA president Valluri Suribabu
continue to contend that “Jaya variety of rice is being sent to Kerala”. But,
they insist that the farmers were cultivating Bondalu
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/confusion-prevails-over-keralas-request-for-jaya-variety-rice/article19373395.ece
Nigeria rice
production looking stronger in 2017, Ministry say
Nigeria is expecting to be self sufficient in
rice production by November and prices are also expected to fall, the Minister
of Agriculture and Rural Development said.The Industry Reports also shows the
fluctuation of the local commodity production to be between 2,400 to 3,600 in
the past five years. The import rates have also increased to 5,850 from 4,800
during the same period of time.
Meanwhile the country is also experiencing a
rise in consumption rate of the same commodity. The consumption rate has risen
to 7 million Metric Tons according to government statistics with only 2.7
million metric tons produced by Nigerian farmers.
In 2016, Nigeria projected to reach 2.7 million
metric tons in 2017 if government policy of restricting importation was
strictly adhered to.According to the Nigeria rice production statistics, the
imports have started to make up 50% of the local consumption rates
http://www.africanews.com/2017/07/27/nigeria-rice-production-looking-stronger-in-2017-ministry-say/
Man held forsmuggling rice
VELLORE ,JULY 27, 2017 23:56 IST
Detained under Black Marketing Act
A 35-year-old habitual offender has
been detained for six months under the Prevention of Black Marketing and
Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act for smuggling ration rice.
A team led by S. Senthil Vinayagam,
inspector of police, Civil Supplies CID, Vellore district, nabbed Saravanan, a
resident of Kuttigoundanur in Natrampalli taluk, his brother Sathish and
accomplice Thangaraj during a vehicle check at Vellakalnatham Koot Road on
National Highway 48 on July 8.
“Based on information, we were
conducting a vehicle check at 10 p.m. when we stopped a van with Aavin’s label
and two tailing cars. We found 4.5 tonnes of rice meant for the public
distribution system being smuggled in the three vehicles, and nabbed the trio.
They were arrested and remanded,” he said.
A fake sticker of Aavin was pasted
on the van. Following Saravanan’s arrest, Director-General of Police of Civil
Supplies CID K. Radhakrishnan found that there were more than 10 cases of
smuggling against him. In fact, he was detained under the Act during 2012 and 2015
in Krishagiri, he said.
Sonal Chandra, Superintendent of
Police, Civil Supplies CID, recommended Saravanan’s detention under the Act to
Vellore Collector S. A. Raman
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/man-held-forsmuggling-rice/article19373122.ece
NCS
Impounds 3,200 Bags Of Rice, Poultry Products
July 26, 2017
Nigeria-Customs-Service
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS),
Seme Command, on Wednesday said it had impounded 3,200 bags of rice, 1,000
cartons of frozen poultry products, 25 kegs of vegetable oil and 57 bales of
second-hand clothing worth N54.4million.The command’s spokesperson, Mr Taupuyen
Selchang, disclosed this in Badagry, Lagos State.
The statement revealed that the
Controller of the command, Compt. Mohammed Aliyu, said that the command had
intensified and renewed its anti smuggling efforts.“We have recently engaged in
renewed efforts against smuggling activities by tightening the land border and
all illegal routes, to ensure that our mandate is vigorously pursued.
“The economic activities at the
border have become low-keyed, to curb smuggling, prevent revenue leakages and
boost revenue generation for the Federal Government.“A total of 3,200 bags of
rice, 1,000 cartons of frozen poultry products, 25 kegs of vegetable oil and 57
bales of second-hand clothing worth N54.465 million were recently impounded and
the poultry products have been destroyed, in accordance with the law.
“Our officers must maintain this
tempo in combating smuggling activities across the frontier,’’ he said.The
controller urged the public to give intelligence to the command, in order to
enable the NCS to effectively curb smuggling.“Smuggling is dangerous to the
economy, so in curbing it, we need the help of the public because stemming
smuggling is a team effort.“The public should, therefore, share intelligence
with the command, as this would help in safeguarding the borders and improving
the national economy,’’ he added
https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2017/07/26/ncs-impounds-3200-bags-rice-poultry-products/
Companies take
too much profit from rice
News Desk
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta | Wed, July 26, 2017 | 05:21 pm
National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian has
said rice firms took too much profit from the unhusked rice they bought from
farmers, who received subsidies to grow the crop.“Around 56 million farmers get
about Rp 60 trillion [US$4.49 billion] from the commodity, while the traders
get Rp 130 trillion,” Tito said at the State Palace, recently.
Last week, the police raided a rice warehouse
in Bekasi, West Java, owned by PT Indo Beras Unggul (IBU), a producer of
allegedly bogus premium-quality rice.National Police Criminal Investigation
Department (Bareskrim) economic crimes chief Brig. Gen. Agung Setya said the
company had bought unhusked rice from farmers for Rp 4,900 per kilogram.It
reportedly sold it as medium and premium rice at Rp 13,700 and Rp 20,400 per
kilogram, respectively. Meanwhile, the retail price set by the government was
Rp 9,500 per kilogram.
Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said
this year the government had allocated Rp 30 trillion for subsidized fertilizers
and Rp 50 trillion to Rp 60 trillion for rice seeds and tractor purchases for
farmers.PT IBU spokesman Jo Tjong Seng said the government subsidized farmers
so that they could increase their productivity, while his company bought rice
from any farmer whether they were subsidized or not.
Tito stressed the government wanted the farmers
to get more benefit from the crop, while traders were also allowed to get a
fair margin from their business.“Even though it is justified by market
mechanisms, the government still needs to intervene in the rice distribution,”
he said. (dis/bbn)
High food
prices lead to 'chickens dying in a rice barn': The Jakarta Post columnist
People buy food at a food market in Jakarta.PHOTO: REUTERS
JUL 26, 2017, 12:55 PM SGT
Julia Suryakusuma
JAKARTA (THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA
NEWS NETWORK) - We Indonesians pride ourselves on being a nation of plenty.From
elementary to high school, our textbooks depict how wondrously beautiful, lush
and fertile our nation is. It is obviously a source of national pride. The
Javanese have a saying for it: gemah ripah loh jinawi.
Unfortunately, this saying is
fraught with ironies, manifested in Indonesia's ills as a nation. Unemployment
forces 6.5 million people - 85 per cent of whom are women - to work abroad.
There is an ever-widening income disparity. The wealthiest 1 per cent of
the population comprise nearly half of total national wealth while over 28
million people, almost 11 per cent of the population, live below the poverty
line.Last but not least, there are high food prices. So why are food prices in
Indonesia so high, especially compared with neighbouring countries?
The Center for Indonesian Policy
Studies (CIPS) publishes a monthly household index, the Indeks Bulanan Rumah
Tangga (Indeks Bu RT), comparing the prices of basic commodities in middle and
high income neighbouring countries.According to the June index, shallots at
42,000 rupiah (S$4.29) are more expensive in Indonesia than in New Zealand
(S$3.93), Australia (S$2.06), Singapore (S$1.87), the Philippines (S$1.84),
Thailand (S$1.16), Malaysia (S$0.31) and India (S$0.26).
I was in Malaysia recently. I
should have filled my suitcase with a ton of shallots and sold them in
Indonesia. It is almost 14 times more expensive here - I would have made a
killing.Even the price of rice is higher than in Singapore, India, Malaysia and
Thailand. In Indonesia, the Indeks Bu RT puts it at 11,000 rupiah while in
Thailand, it stands at 5,398 rupiah.CIPS calculated that because of these high
prices, Indonesian households spend 564,500 rupiah more per month on some
sembako (excluding kerosene, LPG, liquefied pretroleum gas and some other
items) than their counterparts in neighbouring countries.
Sembako is the abbreviation of
sembilan bahan pokok (nine basic commodities): rice, sago and corn; sugar;
vegetables and fruit; beef, chicken and fish; cooking oil and margarine; milk;
eggs; kerosene or LPG; and iodised salt.The reasons for these high prices are
incredibly complex: the length of the distribution chain, the role of the
middlemen, the existence of food cartels, the proliferation of illegal levies,
patterns of planting and harvesting, smuggling, a national agricultural policy
that does not favour farmers, weather conditions, pests, declining availability
of arable agricultural land due to conversion (for example, for industrial
purposes) and a decline in the number of farmers.
Between 2003 and 2013, around
five million farmers changed professions because of low earnings. Shallots, for
example, cost 42,000 rupiah but the farmers get a fraction of this.In 2017, there
was a time when they only received 2,000 rupiah for 1kg of onions. This is
certainly a reason to cry - and not because the farmers were chopping the
onions.Winarno Tohir, head of Kontak Tani Nelayan Andalan (National
Outstanding Farmers and Fishermen Association), estimated in 2016 that, in 12
years, Indonesia would lose 14 million farmers. Well, if they keep getting the
raw end of the deal, why would they want to commit to a profession that gives
them insufficient returns to living a decent life?
About 80 per cent of Indonesians
eat rice as a staple. Obviously, the ratio between earnings and expenditure on
rice differs widely. With the high rice price, low-income groups could be
spending a major part of their earnings on rice alone.How do you reduce prices?
Well, by increasing supply to meet demand. If you cannot increase the
supply by producing it yourself, then get it elsewhere. Rice, for example,
produced in Indonesia costs around two and a half times more (4,079 rupiah per
kilogram) compared with Thailand (1,619 rupiah per kg).
Food is a political and populist
issue and it is related to national pride.The government has not been entirely
successful in the measures it has introduced to attain food self-sufficiency.
The last time Indonesia enjoyed rice self-sufficiency was in 1984. Then
President Soeharto delivered a speech announcing the achievement at the 40th
anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome.But, up to
now, we have not returned to such a state because of insurmountable obstacles.
So at what price do we want to attain it again?
The team at CIPS is of the
opinion that Indonesia should engage in food trade liberalisation to provide
sufficient food to the people, thus allowing for the engagement in more
productive activities.It is like me trying to make my own gado-gado (mixed
cooked vegetables with peanut sauce) - one of my favourite dishes. I love to
cook, but this one dish I usually buy at Mang Budy's, my local gado-gado vendor
who sells it from his wooden push-cart. It costs a mere 10,000 rupiah.
If I made it from scratch, it
would take me hours just to produce one dish, which would not even taste
as good as Mang Budy's. Imagine the opportunity cost for my creative time as a
writer if I spent two to three hours making gado-gado for myself. What a
waste.CIPS' proposal for food trade liberalisation would go against the grain
of our national food self-sufficiency pride, but it is worth looking into.
Lucky for us, CIPS is offering a
massive open online course (MOOC) on food trade from July 26 to Sept. 26. This
will enable us to understand the issues in a rational way. The topics discussed
will include agriculture in Indonesia, regional value chains, the
political-economy of agriculture in Indonesia and domestic consumption.
The course is intended for
laypersons, whether students, policymakers or business people - in short,
anyone without a background in economics, trade or agriculture, interested in
the issue of food trade. That would include me. I'm in, especially since the course
takes only two hours a week and can be downloaded on your device for free.
We have another saying in
Indonesia that is the opposite of gemah ripah loh jinawi: seperti ayam mati di
lumbung padi (like chickens dying in a rice barn).This speaks to the fate of
too many poor people, including farmers, in Indonesia.Let us gain more
knowledge and become wiser so that we can at least get closer to the state of
gemah ripah loh jinawi and not end up like hungry chickens when, in fact,
resources abound.
http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/high-food-prices-lead-to-chickens-dying-in-a-rice-barn-the-jakarta-post-columnist
NFA:
Negrenses consume less rice
Thursday, July 27, 2017
By ERWIN P. NICAVERA
THE National Food
Authority (NFA) in Negros Occidental said that starting June this year, the
average daily rice consumption of the province has dropped by almost seven
percent. From the previous 21,800 bags, the province's daily rice consumption
reduced to 20,800 bags, it added. Marianito Bejemino, provincial manager of
NFA-Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, July 26, said the decrease in rice
consumption can be attributed mainly to the health concerns and lifestyle of
Negrenses.
Bejemino said many local consumers, especially adults, have
lessened their rice intake believing that too much consumption would trigger
health problems. “Many professionals have also changed their lifestyle,
particularly on food preferences. Most of them resort to ready-to-eat products
and easy-to-prepare food due to limited time," he added. The NFA also
cited the increase in production of other crops, which are also potential
sources of carbohydrates. The Department of Agriculture is also working on
increasing agricultural productivity for other commodities like root crops.
Bejemino said despite the decrease in consumption, rice is still the number one
staple food in the province.
He added that lower consumption requirement is not relative to
the movement in supply and price of the commodity in the market. “Lower
consumption could mean an increase in stock inventory, but it was not a result
of lower supply or market higher price," Bejemino said. In terms of
available stocks, NFA-Negros Occidental on Tuesday reported that there is a current
inventory of about 1.4 million bags. With the province’s new average daily
consumption requirement, it can last in the next 69 days. Prices of commercial
rice, meanwhile, remain competitive with the P27 per kilogram of NFA rice, it
added.
Trump Administration Early Release on Regulatory Agenda
The Administration is using the document to take credit for reducing regulations and signal what actions they will prioritize.According to the White House, "the agenda represents ongoing progress toward the goals of more effective and less burdensome regulation," and includes withdrawal of 469 actions originally proposed in the Fall 2016 agenda, reclassification of 391 active actions which will allow for further review, and the decrease of economically significant regulations to 58, or about 50 percent less than Fall 2016.
Additionally, for the first time, agencies will post and make public their list of 'inactive' rules - providing notice to the public of regulations still being reviewed or considered."The U.S. rice industry has always been supportive of reducing regulatory burdens for farmers and businesses, and we are pleased to see this Administration follow through with their promise to do just that," said Ray Vester, Arkansas rice farmer and chairman of the USA Rice Regulatory Affairs and Food Safety Committee.
Items of interest to the U.S. rice
industry are EPA's upcoming actions to rescind and then revise the "Waters
of the U.S." rule, known as WOTUS, and the decision to move the New Source
Performance Standards (NSPS) for Grain Dryers amendments to inactive status.
"By moving the NSPS for Grain Dryers to the list of inactive rules,
it signals to us that EPA will likely not finalize or revise those amendments
in the near future," said Vester. "This would be a definite win
for the rice industry and others affected by the rule.
Asia Rice-Bangladesh may call off Thai import deal over high
prices
My Pham and Ruma Paul
HANOI/DHAKA,
July 27 (Reuters) - Bangladesh's plan to import rice from Thailand could be
suspended due to high prices, the country's food ministry said on Thursday,
after the government's deal with India fell through for the same reason.
Bangladesh,
the world's fourth-biggest rice producer, has emerged as a major importer of
rice this year due to depleted stocks and record local prices following flash
floods."We could not finalise the deal with Thailand as their offer was
too high," said a senior food ministry official, who asked not to be
quoted as he is not authorised to talk to the media.
This would not hamper import plans, he said,
adding, "we are going to Cambodia next week."However, Badrul Hasan,
the head of the state grains buyer, told Reuters that the deal was still
open."We'll go for it if their new offer is competitive," he said.The
fifth tender by Bangladesh's state grains buyer to import 50,000 tonnes of
parboiled rice, which opened on Thursday, drew the lowest offer from Olam at
$419.51 a tonne, CIF liner out.Its sixth tender since May for a similar
quantity of rice will close on Aug. 8.The possible suspension of the deal with
Thailand came after the government deal with India failed to materialise due to
high rates, though private traders have been importing the grain from its
neighbour since last month after the government cut import tariffs.
A Thai delegation was in Dhaka early this week to
finalise the deal to export up to 200,000 tonnes of rice."Thailand will
submit a new offer. The deal is not totally off," Chookiat Ophaswongse,
honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association told Reuters.The
price band on country's benchmark 5-percent broken rice RI-THBKN5-P1 widened
slightly at $395-$408, free-on-board (FOB) Bangkok.
Traders in Bangkok cited weak demand and slow
trade, but the small rise in quotes was due to the appreciation of the Thai
baht against the dollar.The baht was trading at 33.32 against the dollar, the
strongest in more than two years.In Vietnam, the world's third biggest rice
exporter, domestic prices edged up after Vietnamese rice suppliers won deals
for selling a total volume of 175,000 tonnes."Local prices rose slightly
but FOB prices couldn't as they are high already," said a trader in Ho Chi
Minh City.
The country's benchmark 5-percent broken rice
RI-VNBKN5-P1 stayed flat at $400-$405 a tonne, FOB Saigon.Trade was thin as
export prices were too high, with the market now mostly focusing on
government-to-government deals."Commercial trade can only be more vibrant
once the prices drop further, which is not likely to happen soon," the
trader added.
India also saw sluggish export demand which
caused its 5 percent broken parboiled rice prices RI-INBKN5-P1 to ease by $5
per tonne to $400 to $403."Still, demand is weak. There is no improvement
in demand from African buyers," said an exporter based in Kakinada in the
southern state of Andhra Pradesh.India, the world's biggest rice exporter,
mainly exports non-basmati rice to African countries and premier basmati rice
to Middle East.
"The appreciating rupee has been making it
difficult for us to lower prices," said another exporter based in
Kakinada. (Reporting by My Pham in HANOI, Ruma Paul in DHAKA, Patpicha
Tanakasempipat in BANGKOK and Rajendra Jadhav in MUMBAI; Editing by Vyas Mohan)
http://in.reuters.com/article/asia-rice-idINL3N1KI3TK
Rice
importation down by 80 per cent – Osinbajo
“Today, by a combination of progressive legislative
appropriation to agriculture, and providing single digit credit, under our
anchor borrowers programme for the purchase of right fertilizer quality and
other inputs and credit, many rice farmers moved from getting yields of 3.5
metric tons per hectare to 7.5 mt per hectare”, he said.
The Acting President also stressed that the media don’t see the
struggle to make things better in the nation but that they only see the trouble
between the executives and legislature.
“On a lighter note, I don’t know the experience and belief the
Presiding Officers from other nations present here have of the relationship
between the executive and the legislature as a result of the portrayals by the
press.“Here in Nigeria what makes the news is conflict between the executive
and the legislature”, he added.
Gluten-free rice flour plant
planned in Industrial Park
Western Foods has acquired the 56,000 square foot building that
was the former home of U.S. Sugar before that company closed and relocated to
Louisiana to be closer to its supplier. Special to the Commercial/Joe Dempsey
Western Foods has acquired the 56,000 square foot building that
was the former home of U.S. Sugar before that company closed and relocated to
Louisiana to be closer to its supplier. Special to the Commercial/Joe Dempsey
A California-based company is
looking to cash-in on Americans’ desire to eat healthier and has picked Pine
Bluff as the place to do it. Western Foods announced Wednesday that they will
take over a vacant building in the Jefferson Industrial Park and establish a
gluten-free rice flour and “ancient grain milling business.”The announcement
was made during a meeting of the Economic Development Corp. of Jefferson
County, also known as the tax board, the group that administers the
three-eighths cent sales tax approved by Jefferson County voters in 2011 for
economic development.
Lou Ann Nisbett, President and
Chief Executive Officer of the Economic Development Alliance for Jefferson
County, said she began working with Western Foods last August but that they
were looking for a “food-grade” facility. When U.S. Sugar closed, she said she
contacted them, and representatives of the company came to Pine Bluff again to
look at that building before deciding that it was what they were looking for.
Shan Staka, the chief financial
officer for Western Foods, who flew to Pine Bluff from California Tuesday,
said, “We’re excited to come to Arkansas.”
A press release from the company
said its growth over the past five years has allowed the expansion into
Arkansas.“The Delta Region facility will expand WF’s position in the long grain
rice flour market and allow WF to better serve its Midwest and East Coast
customers,” Tom Andringa, vice-president of sales and business development,
said. “By opening our second mill in Pine Bluff, we will have an excellent
logistical flow to important markets such as Chicago only 10 hours away by
truck.”
Staka told the board that the
company is currently looking at infrastructure improvements to the building
before bringing in the equipment needed to produce the rice flour but predicted
that they would be shipping product in January 2018. The facility, located at
5215 Industrial Drive South, sits on nine-acres of land.According to the press
release, it “has ample room for future growth.”
In addition to the incentive
package from the tax board, Caleb McMahon, the director of Economic Development
for the Alliance, said the Arkansas Economic Development Corp. had committed to
a $280,000 investment.
“They matched us almost dollar
for dollar,” McMahon said.The company’s other facility is in Woodland,
California. Their parent company is Western Milling, which is described as “one
of the largest privately held feed companies in the world.
http://www.pbcommercial.com/news/20170726/gluten-free-rice-flour-plant-planned-in-industrial-park
2017 Join our rice webinar on Thursday, July 27
Author:
Bobby Coats, Professor of Economics
By
Bobby Coats, Professor of Agricultural Economics
Join us on Thursday, July 27, 2017 for the
latest in the Food and Agribusiness Webinar Series where the discussions will
include the U.S. rice supply and projected prices with Dr. Nathan Childs, ag
economist with USDA’s economic research service, as well as a rice crop update
from Extension rice agronomist Dr. Jarrod Hardke. To register for the webinar, simply follow
the link: https://uaex.zoom.us/webinar/register/a2f76e5e2b748053d746f627e8486654. You will receive a confirmation email with
instructions for joining the session once registered.
New
Rice Webinar:
Date
and Time: Thursday July 27, 2017 2:00 PM in Central Time (US and Canada)
Connect
with Computer or Smartphone by Internet or Dial-in and Listen by Phone
Host:
Dr. Bobby Coats, Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and
Agribusiness, University of Arkansas System, Division of Agriculture,
Cooperative Extension Service. E-mail: recoats@uark.edu
Producer:
Mary Poling, Coordinator for Interactive Communications, University of Arkansas
System Division of Ag, Cooperative Extension Service, E-mail: mpoling@uaex.edu
Topic:
U.S. Rice Supplies Expected to Tighten in 2017/18; U.S. Prices Projected Higher
(45 minutes)
Presenter:
Dr. Nathan Childs, Agricultural Economist with USDA’s Economic Research Service
Description:
The June NASS Acreage report indicated a 20-percent decline in U.S. harvested
rice area in 2017/18 to 2.5 million acres. Assuming trend yields, the U.S. rice
crop is projected to drop 15 percent from a year earlier to 191.3 million cwt,
pulling total supplies down 11 percent. Both domestic use and exports are
projected to contract in response to the tighter supplies and resulting higher
prices. Despite smaller use, U.S. stocks are expected to drop to a more normal
level after three consecutive years of abnormally high ending stocks. Globally,
rice trade is expected to increase, with China remaining the largest rice
importer and India and Thailand remaining the largest exporters. Global rice
stocks are projected to increase to the highest level since 2001/02.
Topic: Arkansas Rice Crop Update – (10
– 15 minutes)
Presenter: Dr. Jarrod Hardke,
Associate Professor and State Rice Extension Agronomist, Crop, Soil &
Environmental Science Department, University of Arkansas System-Division of
Agriculture
Webinar Registration Link:
https://uaex.zoom.us/webinar/register/a2f76e5e2b748053d746f627e8486654
http://www.arkansas-crops.com/2017/07/24/webinar-thursday-july/
Quote of the Day
"Progress is man's ability to complicate simplicity."
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