24th October 2017 daily global regional local rice e-newsletter by riceplus magazine

REAP south zone is fuelling  Pakistan Rice export in spite of all difficulties like strong Pak currency &  low supply, has performed very well in Sept 2017,  Pakistan Non Basmati export in September 2017, increased by 19.78% as compared to Sept 2016.                            

Non Basmati export  Sept 2017, 164,862 tons  Sept 2016, 138,455 tons

                                                     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pakistan Basmati export in September 2017, decreased by 17.78% as compared to Sept  2016.  Basmati export    Sept 2017, 27,249 tons  Sept 2016, 33,139 tons

 

Basmati Rice - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Analysis and Forecast 2017 – 2022

Wiseguyreports.Com Adds “Basmati Rice Market: Demand, Growth, Opportunities and Analysis of Top Key Player Forecast To 2022” To Its Research Database

PUNE, INDIA, October 23, 2017 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Global Basmati Rice Industry

Latest Report on Basmati Rice Market Global Analysis & 2022 Forecast Research Study

This report studies the Basmati Rice market status and outlook of global and major regions, from angles of manufacturers, regions, product types and end industries; this report analyzes the top manufacturers in global and major regions, and splits the Basmati Rice market by product type and applications/end industries.

The major players in global Basmati Rice market include
KRBL Limited
Amira Nature Foods
LT Foods
Best Foods
Kohinoor Rice
Aeroplane Rice
Tilda Basmati Rice
Matco Foods
Amar Singh Chawal Wala
Hanuman Rice Mills
Adani Wilmar
HAS Rice Pakistan
Galaxy Rice Mill
Dunar Foods
Sungold

Try Sample Report @  https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2407842-global-basmati-rice-market-research-report-2017

Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate of Basmati Rice in these regions, from 2012 to 2023 (forecast), covering
India
Pakistan
Kenya
Middle East
Europe
USA
Other Region

On the basis of product, the Basmati Rice market is primarily split into
Indian Basmati Rice
Pakistani Basmati Rice
Kenya Basmati Rice
Other

On the basis on the end users/applications, this report covers
Direct Edible
Deep Processing 

For Detailed Reading Please visit WiseGuy Reports @     https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/2407842-global-basmati-rice-market-research-report-2017

Some points from table of content:

1 Basmati Rice Market Overview 1
    1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Basmati Rice 1
    1.2 Basmati Rice Segment by Types 2
      1.2.1 Global Basmati Rice Production (K MT) and Growth Rate (%) Comparison by Types (2012-2017) 2
      1.2.2 Global Basmati Rice Production Market Share (%) by Types in 2016 3
      1.2.3 Indian Basmati Rice 4
      1.2.4 Pakistani Basmati Rice 5
      1.2.5 Kenya Basmati Rice 6
    1.3 Global Basmati Rice Segment by Applications 7
      1.3.1 Global Basmati Rice Consumption Comparison by Applications (2012-2023) 7
      1.3.2 Direct Edible 8
      1.3.3 Deep Processing 9
    1.4 Global Basmati Rice Market by Regions (2012-2023) 10
      1.4.1 Global Basmati Rice Market Size and Growth Rate Comparison by Regions (2012-2023) 10
      1.4.2 India Basmati Rice Status and Prospect (2012-2023) 10
      1.4.3 Pakistan Basmati Rice Status and Prospect (2012-2023) 11
      1.4.4 Kenya Basmati Rice Status and Prospect (2012-2023) 12
    1.5 Global Basmati Rice Market Size (2012-2023) 12
      1.5.1 Global Basmati Rice Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2023) 12
      1.5.2 Global Basmati Rice Production (K MT) Status and Outlook (2012-2023) 13
2 Global Basmati Rice Market Competition by Manufacturers 15
    2.1 Global Basmati Rice Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017) 15
      2.1.1 Global Basmati Rice Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017) 15
      2.1.2 Global Basmati Rice Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017) 18
    2.2 Global Basmati Rice Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017) 21
    2.3 Global Basmati Rice Average Price (USD/MT) by Manufacturers (2012-2017) 24
    2.4 Manufacturers Basmati Rice Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Types 26
    2.5 Basmati Rice Market Competitive Situation and Trends 27
      2.5.1 Basmati Rice Market Concentration Rate 27
      2.5.2 Basmati Rice Market Share (%) of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers 27
      2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion 28
3 Global Basmati Rice Production by Regions (2012-2017) 30
    3.1 Global Basmati Rice Capacity and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017) 30
    3.2 Global Basmati Rice Production and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017) 32
    3.3 Global Basmati Rice Revenue and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017) 33
    3.4 Global Basmati Rice Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017) 35
    3.5 India Basmati Rice Production (2012-2017) 36
      3.5.1 India Basmati Rice Production and Growth Rate (2012-2017) 36
      3.5.2 India Basmati Rice Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017) 36
    3.6 Pakistan Basmati Rice Production (2012-2017) 37
      3.6.1 Pakistan Basmati Rice Production and Growth Rate (2012-2017) 37
      3.6.2 Pakistan Basmati Rice Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017) 38
    3.7 Kenya Basmati Rice Production (2012-2017) 39
      3.7.1 China Basmati Rice Production and Growth Rate (2012-2017) 39
      3.7.2 Kenya Basmati Rice Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017) 39
4 Global Basmati Rice Consumption (K MT) by Regions (2012-2017) 41
    4.1 Global Basmati Rice Consumption by Regions (2012-2017) 41
    4.2 USA Basmati Rice Consumption (2012-2017) 43
    4.3 Europe Basmati Rice Consumption (2012-2017) 44
    4.4 Pakistan Basmati Rice Consumption (2012-2017) 45
    4.5 Kenya Basmati Rice Consumption (2012-2017) 46
    4.6 Middle East Basmati Rice Consumption (2012-2017) 47
    4.7 India Basmati Rice Consumption (2012-2017) 48
5 Global Basmati Rice Production, Revenue, Price Trend by Types 49
    5.1 Global Basmati Rice Production and Market Share by Types (2012-2017) 49
    5.2 Global Basmati Rice Revenue and Market Share by Types (2012-2017) 51
    5.3 Global Basmati Rice Price (USD/MT) by Type (2012-2017) 52
    5.4 Global Basmati Rice Production Growth by Type (2012-2017) 52
6 Global Basmati Rice Market Analysis by Applications 53
    6.1 Global Basmati Rice Consumption and Market Share by Applications (2012-2017) 53
    6.2 Global Basmati Rice Consumption Growth Rate by Applications (2012-2017) 55
7 Global Basmati Rice Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis 56 

Continued…….

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USA Basmati Rice Industry 2017 Market Research Report

Date10/24/2017 5:18:54 AM

 

(MENAFN Editorial) The USA Basmati Rice Industry 2017 Market Research Reportis a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Basmati Riceindustry. 
Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Basmati RiceIndustryanalysisis provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status. 

Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added. 

Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the Basmati Riceindustrydevelopment trends and marketing channels are analyzed. 

Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered. 

In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market. 

This report studies the Basmati Rice development status and future trend in United States, focuses on top players in United States, also splits Basmati Rice by type and by applications, to fully and deeply research and reveal the market general situation and future forecast. 

The major players in United States market include 
LT Foods 
Amira Nature Foods 
Best Foods 
KRBL Limited 
Kohinoor Rice 
Aeroplane Rice 
Tilda Basmati Rice 
Amar Singh Chawal Wala 
Hanuman Rice Mills 
Adani Wilmar 
Galaxy Rice Mill 
Dunar Foods 
Sungold 

Geographically, this report splits the United States market into six regions, 
Northeast 
Midwest 
South 
West 

On the basis of product, the Basmati Rice market is primarily split into 
Indian Basmati Rice 
Pakistani Basmati Rice 

On the basis on the end users/applications, this report covers 
Direct Edible 
Deep Processing 

To ask a complete & professional report sampleor make an order, please browse our detailded product link:http://www.qyresearchglobal.com/goods-1129235.html 

Table of contents: 

1 Basmati RiceOverview 

2 United States Basmati RiceMarket Competition by Players/Suppliers 

3 United States Basmati RiceSales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017) 

4 United States Basmati RiceSales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Type (Product Category) (2012-2017) 

5 United States Basmati RiceSales (Volume) by Application (2012-2017) 

6 United States Basmati RicePlayers/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data 

7 Basmati RiceManufacturing Cost Analysis 

8 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers 

9 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders 

10 Market Effect Factors Analysis 

11 United States Basmati RiceMarket Size (Value and Volume) Forecast (2017-2022) 

12 Research Findings and Conclusion 

13 Appendix 

Related Reports: 

Europe Basmati Rice Industry 2017 Market Research Report 

China Basmati Rice Industry 2017 Market Research Report 

India Basmati Rice Industry 2017 Market Research Report 

Korea Basmati Rice Industry 2017 Market Research Report 

Global Basmati Rice Industry 2017 Market Research Report 

Japan Basmati Rice Industry 2017 Market Research Report 

List of Tables and Figures: 

Figure Product Picture of Basmati Rice 
Figure United States Basmati RiceMarket Size (K Units) by Type (2012-2022) 
Figure United States Basmati RiceSales Volume Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 2016 
Figure Wireless Mouse Product Picture 
Figure Wireless Keyboard Product Picture 
Figure United States Basmati RiceMarket Size (K Units) by Application (2012-2022) 
Figure United States Sales Market Share of Basmati Riceby Application in 2016 
Figure Notebook Examples 
Table Key Downstream Customer in Notebook 
Figure Desktop Examples 

Contact Details: 
Company Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITED | focus on Market Survey and Research 
Tina| Sales Managers 
Email:or 
Web: http://www.qyresearcheurope.com/ 
For more information, visit: 

MENAFN2410201700703262ID1095980738

http://www.menafn.com/1095980738/USA-Basmati-Rice-Industry-2017-Market-Research-Report

Why poverty prevails despite robust growth

By Michael M. Alunan / Special to the BusinessMirror

 -

October 23, 2017

In Photo: A vendor in Manila feeds her baby on their makeshift home and store on the streets of Santa Cruz, Manila. The inability of the government to apply reforms in agriculture is expected to breed massive rural poverty, rural-to-urban migration, and the formation of slum dwellings, criminality, drugs, prostitution, social unrest and a host of other problems plaguing Philippine society.

Part Two

AGRICULTURE has been growing every year, except a few stagnant years. But how come agriculture, as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), has steadily been declining? So, has the sector been growing or collapsing?

Agri collapsing as percentage of GDP

RECORDS from the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) show that agriculture as a percentage of GDP has been dropping from 31 percent in the late- 1960s to 29 percent in 1971, 23.5 percent in 1980, 22.47 percent in 1990, 17.5 percent in 2005, 15 percent in 2012, 10 percent in 2014 and 9.7 percent in 2016.

To find sustainable solutions, problems must be recognized first, because it is unfair to blame the Department of Agriculture (DA) if much of agriculture’s woes are carryover problems from decades of neglect. But the public must be vigilant and critical constructively from hereon, particularly conflicting tricky policy issues.

It is therefore advisable to scrutinize agriculture in the past.

Former Neda Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, a “povertologist” when he was still with UP Diliman, produced a study, titled “Philippine Agriculture: Are We Ready for Competition?,” which made poignant revelations of the Philippines as a top laggard in farm yields that is blamed for widespread rural poverty.

From 1980 to 2000, China’s total productivity alone grew by 4.7 percent a year, a whopping 4,600 percent higher than Philippine growth of 0.1 percent. Thailand grew by 1 percent a year, or 900 percent more; while Indonesia’s productivity grew by 1.6 percent, or 1,500 percent more than the Philippine average.

Factor productivity measures efficiency, or yields per hectare. It gauges efficiency, unlike the misleading agricultural growth, bolstered by inflation and production due to bigger hectarage, not through yield improvements.

Grain of truth

OUR rice yields were the worst in Asia, which is ironic, having the International Rice Research Institute and the Philippine Rice Research Institute.

Even private-sector initiatives like Henry Lim Bon Liong of SL-Agritech made technological breakthroughs.

Balisacan’s study said local rice yields from 2000 to 2002 were the lowest at three metric tons (MT) per hectare, much lower than China’s 6 MT per hectare, Indonesia’s 4.1 MT per hectare, Vietnam’s 4.2 MT per hectare and even  Myanmar’s 3.2 MT per hectare. Even East and Southeast Asia’s average yields were higher at 3.6 MT per hectare, while developing countries posted average yields of 3.8 MT per hectare, Balisacan’s study said. Local rice yields already improved to over 3.8 MT per hectare, but others have also increased since then.

Average corn yields from 2000 to 2002 were also the lowest at 1.7 MT per hectare below China’s corn yields of 4.7 MT per hectare and Vietnam’s and Indonesia’s 2.8 MT per hectare. Even Myanmar posted a higher yield of 1.9 MT per hectare. East and Southeast Asia recorded average yields of 2.5 MT per hectare, while developing countries posted yields of 2.9 MT per hectare. Costs of corn are vital being the main ingredient in feeds for livestock and poultry. It is no wonder beef and chicken imports are cheaper.

Our national average yields are low, as they are dragged down by low-yielding, nonirrigated rain-fed rice, partly due to poor investments in irrigation projects, which figuratively don’t hold water due to corruption. We can only surmise why more canals are rehabilitated yearly, than new ones built as if they get damaged every year.

Thus, our low productivity plus the alleged temptations from rice imports have encouraged massive rice imports, which hit 2.3 million MT in 2007 making the Philippines the world’s biggest importer that year.

Small banks for farmers shutting down?

RAISING agriculture back on its feet is difficult if there are prevailing biases against agriculture and conflicting policies that’s likened to the left hand doing the opposite of the right hand. Perhaps, it’s neither wise to allow Adam Smith’s proverbial “Invisible Hand” the wanton freedom on the naïve belief that the free market will solve all problems.

As the government pumps in more resources into agriculture, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. may have liberally allowed the systematic yearly closure of 19 small banks from 2000 to June 2017, or about 310 small banks.

In 2000 23 small banks were closed by the BSP; 2001, 19 rural banks, including four cooperative banks; 2002, 12 banks; 2003, nine rural banks, including two cooperative banks; 2004, two savings and two rural banks; 2005, eight rural banks and two savings banks; 2006, 10 rural banks and one development bank; 2007, 16 rural and one savings; 2008, 22 rural, one coop and one thrift; 2009, 27 rural, two savings and  two cooperatives; 2010,  21 rural, one  savings and three cooperatives; 2011, 25 rural and four savings; 2012, 22 rural, one commercial and one cooperative; 2013, 18  rural and one big cooperative; 2014, 13 rural, one cooperative and one
savings; 2015, 14 rural; 2016, 20 rural, three thrifts and savings. As of June five rural banks were closed.

Will credit to farmers dry up? As rural banks shut down, farmer credit may dry up or tighten as commercial banks replacing them remain allergic to farmer lending.

A commercial-bank manager in Ilocos revealed years back that only 2 percent of funds are retained to meet withdrawals and loans and remits 98 percent to Manila.

Ilocos banks are exceptions as overseas Ilocanos continue remitting to their families, who remain fairly frugal as they spend less and invest less.

It is ironic that while credit to agriculture is restricted, commercial banks are awash with funds. BSP records show 2015 domestic-savings rate was 30.3 percent of gross national income, but gross capital formation was only 19.8 percent. The difference indicates that so much in savings are held by banks unproductively.

Why not incentives to rural lending?

PERHAPS, these surplus savings can be bundled and redirected to fund rural investments, this time, matched with incentives and government guarantees.

If the government can provide sovereign guarantees to foreign loans and investors, why not provide the same incentives to local banks funding rural projects, which have no foreign-exchange risks, no import content and have higher multiplier effects to the economy in terms of job generation, value-added earnings and resulting higher tax revenues for government, etc.

After all, there is the Agri-Agra loan law, requiring banks to allocate 25 percent of their loan portfolio for agriculture, but the BSP allows them an escape clause by buying T-bills as a form of compliance. Banks obviously prefer safer paper investments in government securities over loans to agriculture, which are vulnerable to risks, including vagaries of nature.

If reforms are not made that will redound to the poor farmers and fishermen, then the growth the Philippines keeps bragging about is just financial growth, while the real physical economy in agriculture may continue collapsing, thus breeding massive rural poverty, rural-to-urban migration and all attendant social problems like slums, criminality, drugs, prostitution, insurgency, social unrest, the overseas Filipino worker phenomenon and a host of other problems plaguing society

https://businessmirror.com.ph/why-poverty-prevails-despite-robust-growth-2/

Why we will eat and live

By Hannah Nnadi | Publish Date: Oct 24 2017 2:30AM

There are speculations that the deployment of agricultural biotechnology by the federal government is targeted at killing Nigerians. This does not portray common sense. This is a discussion that should be championed by scientists but unfortunately, as is always the case in Nigeria, artisans lead discussions that are way beyond their comprehension and competence.

Genetically modified crops and products (GMOs) do not kill. They are the most regulated products in the world today and approvals and release are hinged on thorough safety assessments based on substantial equivalence. For the purpose of clarity, there is no approved genetically modified crop in the Nigerian market Nigeria. All GMOs in Nigeria are still at research level. On the issue of GMOs, Nigeria is not operating in isolation as recently the parliament in Uganda passed their biosafety law because the country needs modern biotechnology to address peculiar problems associated with Banana which is their main staple food. South Africa has been practising modern biotechnology for close to a decade and America has practised it for over two decades. In all these years, there has not been any scientific research attributing any harm or emerging diseases to the technology. Nigeria, as of today, has only granted less than 10 permits for Confined Field Trials (CFTs) of GMOs and therefore these crops are not in the market, yet certain individuals constantly insinuate that the technology is killing Nigerians.

This technology being discussed is Genetic Modification (GM). Since its emergence over twenty years ago, it has suffered what other technologies before it went through. Recall when the airplane was invented, it was speculated that it was the end to nowhere, people said you would enter and die but today it has made life comfortable as journeys of thousands of kilometres are undertaken within hours.

What is happening to genetic modification is similar to giving a dog a bad name so as to hang it. Today, the world has been made a better place especially for those suffering from terminal illnesses such as diabetes as a result of insulin produced through genetic modification. Rather than killing people, a lot of people are alive today as a result of insulin. Hence the decision of the World Health Organization (WHO) to introduce GM mosquitoes to eliminate Zika Virus and malaria incidents across the globe.

Unknown to the critics of the technology, Nigeria has approached the adoption of the technology differently. The country is applying the technology in areas where conventional endeavours have failed. For instance, the BT cowpea (beans) project was introduced when attempts to address the issue of Maruca infestation through conventional breeding failed. Fifteen thousand species of cowpeas across the world where screened and none had resistance to the Maruca pest. Cowpea (beans) is a major staple in Nigeria as the country is the highest producer and highest consumer in the world. Today, Nigeria is importing beans from Niger Republic and other neighbouring countries because our farmers can no longer meet up with the national need due to Maruca infestation and the critics see nothing wrong with that.

 Nigeria is conducting genetically modified rice trial research because as it stands today, Nigeria is the world’s largest importer of rice spending over one billion naira daily on rice importation. The genetically modified rice initiative known as Nitrogen Efficient, Water Efficient and Salt Tolerant (NEWEST) rice is principally to save Nigeria the unwarranted foreign exchange and to also protect the environment against over use of chemicals such as fertilizers.

Some of the critics of the technology have cited issues of a stressed environment and a fragile ecosystem. Rather than stress the environment, GM crops provide succour for the environment as the modification reduces the use fertilizers and other chemicals which deplete the ozone layer and make the ecosystem fragile.

The latest publication on GM crops shows that in 2016, the 21st year of commercialization of biotech crops, 185.1 million hectares of biotech crops were planted by 18 million farmers in 26 countries. From the initial planting of 1.7 million hectares in 1996 when the first biotech crop was commercialized, the 185.1 million hectares planted in 2016 indicates 110-fold increase. Thus, biotech crops are considered the fastest adopted crop technology in the history of modern agriculture.

In 2016, over one hundred Nobel laureates in a letter to the United Nations (UN) acknowledged that the GM technology poses no harm to human health nor threat to the environment. These laureates were also joined by the Nigeria Academy of Science (NAS) who came out with a position supporting the federal government’s deployment of the technology.

Over the years, critics of the technology have harped on the fact that the European Union (EU) does not support the use of GMOs but it may interest them to know that the EU has reversed its stand on GM in the face of emerging facts about the efficacy of genetic modification. It now allows member states freedom to treat issues of GM at its own sovereign level.

According to the European library of congress, GMOs and food or feed made from GMOs can be marketed in or imported into the EU, provided that they are authorized after passing strict evaluation and safety assessment requirements that are imposed on a case-by-case basis.       

Having laid to rest the usual argument about Europe banning GMOs, it is imperative to state here the procedure for approving research on genetic modification in Nigeria.

First, the law establishing the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), which is the competent authority for the regulation of GMOs in Nigeria, is an act of parliament with the objective to safeguard human health, biodiversity and the environment from any potential, adverse effect of GMOs including food safety and ensure that the use of GMOs does not have adverse socio-economic and cultural effects either at community or national level.

Secondly, at the receipt of any application for a GM research, a technical team made up of knowledgeable individuals is constituted to scrutinize the application before making their recommendation to the Agency.

Therefore, to say that the NBMA should be called to order shows ignorance, as NBMA does not promote the technology but is a regulator and the Agency is solely funded by the federal government.

Finally, the federal government of Nigeria has taken it upon itself to solve the food problems of the country by using locally available solutions. The fact remains that government has taken its own decision to deploy genetic modification in the agricultural sector, taking into consideration the high human resource available at the over twenty research institutions across the country and the Nigerian scientists who drive the procedure thereby making our own GM exploits a home-grown solution.

Dr Nnadi is a member of the Nigerian Biotechnology and Biosafety Consortium.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/why-we-will-eat-and-live.html

Bangladesh approves purchase of 100,000t rice from India

Reuters . Dhaka | Update: 19:18, Oct 22, 2017

Bangladesh has approved the purchase of 100,000 tonnes of parboiled rice from India in a state-to-state deal at $455 a tonne, officials said on Sunday, as the government races to shore up depleted stocks and combat high prices.Traditionally the world’s fourth-biggest rice producer, Bangladesh’s rice imports are set to hit their highest levels in a decade after floods hit its crops.

The price includes shipping, insurance and discharge costs.

The rice is to be shipped within 60 days after signing the deal, which will take place soon, a food ministry official said.

The approval followed the government’s approval of the purchase of 100,000 tonnes of white rice at $442 a tonne from Myanmar, putting aside worsening relations over the Rohingya refugee crisis.

Bangladesh is also set to import 150,000 tonnes of rice from Thailand at $465 per tonne. It has already secured deals with Vietnam and Cambodia as it looks to import a total of 1.5 million tonnes of rice in the year to June.

High prices of rice, a staple food for Bangladesh’s 160 million people, helped send the annual inflation rate in September to its highest level since October 2015, posing a problem for the government which faces an election next year.

Strong demand from Bangladesh could further lift Asian rice prices, which hit multi-year highs in recent months after Bangladesh and other countries in South Asia saw their worst monsoon floods in years.

Bangladesh imported more than 1 million tonnes of rice in the July-October period, food ministry data showed.

Despite bulk imports, domestic prices have not budged, with officials and traders expecting more imports of the staple grain in the coming months.

In August, the government cut a duty on rice imports for the second time in two months. The lower import duty has prompted purchases by private dealers, with most of the deals being struck with neighbouring India.

Bangladesh produces around 34 million tonnes of rice annually but uses almost all its production to feed its people. It often requires imports to cope with shortages caused by floods or droughts.

http://en.prothom-alo.com/economy/news/163977/Bangladesh-approves-purchase-of-100-000t-rice-from

Why are rice prices rising?

When the public fears that prices will rise, they do

The rice price has increased significantly over the past year, and there is much discussion as to why this happened. A brief review of the rice market concepts: The farmer sells paddy to whoever buys it and this ends up at the rice millers.

Of course a lot of rice is milled locally in small mills for consumption in rural areas. The price of paddy will vary with location and time but the paddy market is reasonably integrated.

There is another price ex mill for milled rice. There will be variations of quality rices so this ex mill, wholesale price will cover a range of values. The urban wholesale markets will have prices slightly different that the ex mill price due to transportation and trade mark ups.

Finally, there is a retail price, at which the consumer purchases the rice. It is this retail price for coarse rice that we will focus on as a representative price for the whole spectrum of prices for different rice types. All of these prices should move more or less together as if one gets too high demand will decline and the price will fall.

The rice price in Bangladesh is closely connected to the Indian rice price. If the taka/rupee exchange rate and the import duties are stable then the Bangladesh price will track the Indian price. This will not be exact, but if the prices differ too much, rice will move across the border.

There is always potential for movement of rice in the informal transport channels. This channel will move rice in either direction according to the price. There is really a single market for rice between India and Bangladesh and price variations are temporary and will be removed by this arbitrage of rice moving both in formal and informal transport channels.

In July 2014, the price of coarse rice was Tk3.1 per kg, and fluctuated around Tk3 per kg during the year. The price declined slowly during the period July 2015 to June 2016 with the price fluctuating around Tk2.6 per kg.

Government actions over the past year are correct: Explain that there is plenty of rice, import more rice, reduce the import duty

Then the price increased rapidly from Tk2.6 per kg in July 2016 to Tk4 per kg by June 2017, an increase of 53%. An increase of that size will increase the urban CPI by 3% and the rural CPI by 12%. The official estimates however, do not indicate such increases.

The typical explanation for this increase was the reduced availability of rice from the floods and the outbreak of blast disease. Other explanations were that the millers were not releasing milled rice into the market and that “syndicates” were withholding rice, driving the rice price higher.

In Asia, the standard explanation for rising food prices is that the business men in the food chain are withholding food from the market, having formed a conspiracy to manipulate the price. The standard Asian government response is to attack the millers and the traders.

To send government officials to markets to discover and discipline these monopoly “blood suckers” as they are usually known. This Kabuki ritual is performed every time there is a spike in the grain prices.

Most of the time, no one takes this very seriously, but it gives everyone someone to blame.  Conspiracies involving many businessmen are impossible to maintain; in Bangladesh, a conspiracy with more than three persons soon becomes public knowledge.

A few words about rice production and consumption

First, estimates from the BSS and the Ministry of Agriculture indicate that Bangladesh produces about 34 million mt of rice every year. The consumption is about 26 million mt. There is some retention of paddy.

However about 15% of the rice crop is just lost in the process of milling or trading. The implication of this is that rice stocks at any time are typically 6-8 million mt. There is always quite a large amount of rice inside Bangladesh. There are supplies in every house, in every retail shop, on every farm as well as well as in the millers’ warehouses.

Bengal has had its share of crises over the rice price. Some of these have been disasters leading to famine. Some have led to widespread intervention in the rice economy. The research of Amartya Sen on Bengal famines sets out the reasons and authoritative explanation of these price crisis that have occurred from time to time.

The reasoning emerged from a determination that even in the most terrible famine there was plenty of rice available. What drives the changes in rice prices is the expectation that prices are going to rise.

When there is widespread belief that there is a shortage of rice and the price is going to rise, then the public reacts by buying more rice. This action results in higher prices. The expectations of the public are influenced by what is believed about the availability of rice and also by an individual’s idea about what other people think.

If you think that everyone believes the rice price is going up, then you buy more rice now even if you think that there is plenty of rice in the country. Sen has taught us that one should look to expectations when there are sharp price spikes.

During this past year, there was widespread belief that there was a shortage of rice. This came from reporting on crop losses and low levels of rice in government stores. The amount of rice that might have been lost from floods was never more than 2-3 million mt and even this level is now probably proving too high.

The government rice stores always get a lot of attention, but the level of stocks is less than 10% of production — significant but not that important. In addition, there is always reporting about the efforts of the millers to withhold rice and drive the price up.

All of this together generates expectations in the public that the price of rice is going to rise, and leads to increased stocks of rice being purchased and held everywhere.

The higher demands arising from these expectations then increase the rice price.

Government actions over the past year are correct: Explain that there is plenty of rice, import more rice, reduce the import duty. All of these actions may lead the public to change their expectations away from increasing prices.

Ultimately, the rice prices will return to the level established by the Indian rice market price, the taka/rupee exchange rate and customs charges.

http://www.dhakatribune.com/opinion/op-ed/2017/10/23/rice-prices-rising/

Govt. buys 370,000 tons of rice to stabilize market price

By Yonhap

·         Published : Oct 22, 2017 - 13:29

·         Updated : Oct 22, 2017 - 13:29

The government has started to buy up 370,000 tons of rice harvested this year to stabilize domestic prices of the staple grain, the agriculture ministry said Sunday.
It said regional governments have been notified of Seoul's plans to "isolate" rice this year and details related to the purchase.

Besides the rice to be bought from growers for the purpose of keeping market prices at certain levels, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said it will set aside another 350,000 tons of rice as the country's emergency reserves.

This will raise the total that will be put into storage this year to 720,000 tons, which is the largest amount to be acquired by the government during the fall harvest period and the highest on an annual basis since 2010.

"To increase the effectiveness of the isolation, every effort will be made to buy the rice as soon as possible," a ministry official said. He added the ministry wants to keep the average price for a 80 kilogram sack of rice at around 150,000 won ($132).

It said that the rice being bought will not be released into the market unless there are unexpected developments like a sudden spike in prices and problems in supply.

The country's oversupply of rice is mainly due to South Koreans reducing their rice intake and diversifying their diets with alternatives like wheat, barley, beans and corn. (Yonhap)

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20171022000130

Sellers can't decide at what price to sell imported rice: Sathosa

2017-10-21 16:57:44

     

The 200,000 metric tonnes of rice, which was scheduled to be imported from Burma, Thailand, India and Pakistan would not be allowed to be sold at prices higher than was stipulated by the government, Lanka Sathosa Chairman T.M.K.B Tennakoon said.Addressing the media he said the rice stocks would be imported by the end of the year. He said that the rice would be distributed using a Government distribution mechanism as well as through private importers.

“The stock of rice would be distributed via Sathosa, Cooperatives (MPCSs) and major super markets while it will also be sold to retailers by Sathosa,” he said.

“The selling price of rice will be monitored by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA). Those selling rice cannot do so after keeping a large profit margin and they cannot decide at which price it should be sold,” he said.

“There is an Maximum Sales Retail Price (MSRP) set by Sathosa. Sellers from rural areas should sign an agreement with us, adhering to the controlled price at which they are allowed to sell. That price can include their transport cost and profit,” the Sathosa Chairman said.

Accordingly the details of the sellers and their agreed selling price would be given to the CAA for monitoring. However, he said that local millers could decide on their own prices and the MSRP set by Sathosa would not affect them. (Chaturanga Pradeep)

http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Sellers-can-t-decide-at-what-price-to-sell-imported-rice-Sathosa-138913.html

 

 

Pakistan-Iran trade ties, volume far below potential

ISLAMABAD : Bilateral relations between Iran and Pakistan are very cordial and the two capitals enjoy very close affiliations, but at the same time the volume of trade between the two countries is well below potential.

The leadership of the two countries have agreed to take the bilateral trade volume upto $5 billion in coming years but still many steps need to be taken to achieve the objective.

 After the nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1, experts believe that the trade between Iran and Pakistan would get a boost and both countries can benefit from each other in all sectors especially in trade and economic sector.

 Though trade between Iran and Pakistan crossed $1 billion mark after the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the figure is below the full potential of the trade between the two neighboring states.

 Business between the private sectors of Pakistan and Iran is not very active and a lot of time and lots of opportunities have been lost, IRNA reported Sunday.

 The 20th Iran-Pakistan Joint Economic Commission meeting was held in Teheran in April this year with an objective to implement the decisions that have been taken between the two countries to enhance the trade. This year central banks of the two countries have also signed an agreement to open a proper banking channel but this agreement is yet to materialize.

 Iran is a big market and Pakistani goods have a good reputation and value in Iranian market. There is a big demand of Pakistani basmati rice, he said.

 Iranian products which are very good in quality are not very easily available in Pakistani markets.

 In big cities one can find Chinese and other countries’ products easily but not Iranian products. The only major Iranian export which is available in Pakistani stores is ‘date’.

Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline is another key project that could completely change the face of Pakistan’s economy and boost economic ties between the two neighbors.

 The cost production would come down if Iranian gas comes here, more jobs will be created. Iran has already completed its portion of the project but Pakistan has yet to start construction of the pipeline on its territory.

 Meanwhile Pakistan’s Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCE) has approved purchase of additional 100 MW electricity from Iran. Pakistan is right now importing 100 MW electricity from while Iran has already announced its readiness to increase electricity exports to Pakistan respectively to 1000 and 3000 MW.

 Developments after the JCPOA suggest that the Iranian economy will grow at a rapid pace in coming years and its neighbors could easily reap fruits of this expansion.

 Pakistani businessman and member of Sialkot Chamber Of Commerce and Industry Khawar Anwar Khawaja believes the lack of banking channel is one of the major obstacles in boosting the bilateral trade.

 Speaking to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), he stressed the need for removal of trade barriers between Iran and Pakistan asking both sides to fully implement Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) and also sign Free Trade Agreement (FTA) for stronger trade ties.

 However, he said that future of trade ties between Iran and Pakistan is very bright as both are neighboring countries which can benefit from each other in trade sector.

 He said that Sialkot Chamber Of Commerce and Industry is one of the major trade bodies of the country and is willing to enhance trade with Iran. “We are ready for all kinds of cooperation with Iran,” he said. NNI

http://pakobserver.net/pakistan-iran-trade-ties-volume-far-potential/

LCCI for good trade ties with Malaysia

Salim Ahmed

Lahore

The LCCI President Malik Tahir Javed has said that Pakistan and Malaysia have close and cordial relations but mutual trade ties are not as good as these should be. Pakistan has a negligible share in Malaysian imports of over $ 140 billion. He was talking to the Pakistan High Commissioner designate to Malaysia M. Nafees Zakaria here at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The LCCI Senior Vice President Khawaja Khawar Rasheed and Vice President Zeshan Khalil spoke on the occasion while Awais Saeed Piracha, Naeem Hanif, Nabila Intisar, Zafar Iqbal and Rizwan Akhter Shamsi were present in the meeting.
Malik Tahir Javed said that the trade analysis between two countries shows that in the last three years, we could not bring any improvement in our exports to Malaysia. For instance, he said, in 2014, the volume of Pakistan exports to Malaysia was dollar 234 million which reduced to dollar 186 million and dollar 152 million in next two years. In contrast to that the imports from Malaysia to Pakistan increased in 2015 from dollar 911 million to dollar 945 million after a year.
The LCCI President said that the balance of trade has always been in favour of Malaysia and this situation is prevailing. Over the last five years this gap is constantly closing but still the total imports from Malaysia are six times of our exports to Malaysia. He said that Malaysia and Pakistan have already signed a Free Trade Agreement which came into effect in January 2008. It has to be taken seriously that we have failed to take some advantage of this FTA. It provided us good platform to be utilized for a win-win situation but Pakistan achieved far lesser than its potential.
Talking about huge dip in bilateral trade which was as high as dollar 2.97 billion in 2011, the LCCI president underlined the need to take immediate steps. From 2015 to 2016, the level of bilateral trade has remained stuck to dollar 1.1 billion. He said that the business community is trying its level best to make good use of FTA but there has to be some support provided by the Ministry of Commerce and especially commercial section of our High Commission in Malaysia. He said that we want to acquire some justifiable share in trade with Malaysia. There is a huge potential of exporting Pakistani rice, fresh fruits like citrus and mango to Malaysia.
Malik Tahir Javed said that the FTA does provide our exporters certain edge in the form of duty relief on fruits and vegetables etc. but due to knowing little about the packaging and certain requirements related to certification of food items, they cannot make full utilization of these opportunities. He said that joint ventures in the fields of livestock & dairy, food processing, energy, chemicals, Halal products and especially in light engineering can further strengthen the trade ties between two countries. He said that we need to develop good liaison with our Mission in Malaysia in order to overcome all the challenges involved in enhancing exports to Malaysia.
Earlier, Pakistan High Commissioner to Malaysia M. Nafees Zakaria urged Pakistani businessmen to evolve strategy to tap huge potential that exists in Malaysia. He said that he would make all out efforts to turn Pakistan mission in Malaysia into a match-making point for the business community in the two countries. He said that he would also utilize Malaysian media to highlight the soft image of Pakistan as in today’s world media is a strong tool to propagate information.

https://pakobserver.net/lcci-good-trade-ties-malaysia/Two Trends - One Old, One

New - Shaping Rice Market in South Korea 

By Jim Guinn

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA -- Two major trends are emerging in the South Korean rice market.  First, per capita consumption is declining rapidly at the same time the domestic rice crop is not being significantly reduced.  Data shows that annual per capita consumption of rice that stood at 174 pounds in 2006, had dropped 21.4 percent to 136 pounds in 2016.  

The second major trend is the surging demand for instant or ready-to-eat rice products.

In an effort to cope with the resulting oversupply, South Korea's government will purchase 720,000 tons of newly harvested domestic rice this year for storage at state warehouses that are already packed with reserves.  As of August, the government held more than 2 million MT in state warehouses.

South Korea produced nearly 4.2 million tons of rice last year.  This year's planned purchase breaks down to the obligatory purchase of 350,000 MT for an emergency, and 370,000 MT for temporary storage to stabilize prices, according to the Agriculture Ministry.

In contrast to this downward overall consumption trend, the popularity of ready-to-eat rice products is rising rapidly in South Korea, according to industry data released earlier this month.

Sales figures by E-Mart, South Korea's largest hypermarket chain, showed demand for table rice dropped 14 percent year-on-year in the January-August period, but sales of ready-to-eat rice products jumped 17 percent.  E-Mart said sales of so-called home meal replacement (HMR) products that are very easy to prepare surged 44 percent year-on-year.  HMRs sold here have rice, assortments of soups, and fried sides and main dishes.  E-Mart said such trends reflect growth of single or two-person households and such small family units tend to prefer eating easily prepared meals.

"I think this validates our strategy in promoting U.S. rice to food manufacturers/processors," said Steve Vargas, senior vice president of global rice trading at Sun Valley Rice, and vice-chairman of the USA Rice International Promotion Committee.  "We began this strategy three years ago when our contractor first recognized the demographic trends that have led to this surge in demand for ready-to-eat products.  We expect to build on this trend in future years." 

USA RICE  daily

Foodservice Menu Seminars Yield Results in South Korea 

By Jim Guinn

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA -- USA Rice Korea, partnering with A-Chef, a foodservice and culinary consulting firm, recently conducted one-on-one foodservice menu presentation seminars targeting Dongwon F&B and LF Foods, two large food manufacturers located here. For the Dongwon F&B seminar, USA Rice chefs developed and demonstrated menus including rice cake soup, stir-fried rice cake sticks, stir-fried rice, rice noodles, and rice soup.  Dongwon F&B has committed to testing the developed menus to incorporate into their home meal replacement (HMR) product processing operations.  

For LF Foods, Southern American dishes and Latin American-style dishes featuring U.S medium grain rice were showcased, and consequently, LF Foods has decided to launch new rice menus from the developed recipes for the coming spring season. 

In the first eight months of calendar year 2017, South Korea ranks as the fifth largest export market for U.S. rice, totaling 139,500 MT valued at $94 million.  Compared to the same timeframe last year this is an increase of 32 percent in volume terms and 26 percent in value, respectively.

USA RICE  daily

U.S., Cambodia Promote Young Agricultural Researchers

24 October 2017

·         Hul Reaksmey

·         VOA Khmer

---

U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia William Heidt and Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon tour a technology farm at the Royal University of Agriculture, October 18, 2017. (Hul Reaksmey/VOA Khmer)

More than 80 percent of Cambodians work either directly or indirectly in agriculture, which contributes about a third of the country’s gross domestic product.

PHNOM PENH — 

America’s ambassador to Cambodia has said that the country’s young scientists will play a leading role in developing its agricultural sector.

William Heidt, a U.S. ambassador, made the comments after a meeting with Cambodia’s agriculture minister, Veng Sakhon, in Phnom Penh last week.

The ambassador was launching a new scholarship program with grants awarded by the Center of Excellence for Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition.

“Of course, farming is not just planting vegetables and rice. And it’s not just research projects either. It is also a business, one that is becoming more tightly connected to international markets and more dependent on international market forces,” he said.

“In this respect, agriculture is not much different than the manufacturing, tourism, or technology sectors. For success in all these fields, Cambodia needs smart, young, dedicated people like yourselves,” he said.

He noted that while Cambodia was an agricultural country, it faced shortages of fruits and vegetables, which had led it to import 70 percent of these goods.

“Cambodia should feel proud that it has produced enough rice for its people for over 20 years now. That is a very important milestone. But Cambodia still imports a majority -- 70 percent -- of its fruits and vegetables, so one of the next key challenges is developing the horticulture sector as part of overall agricultural diversification,” he added.

More than 80 percent of Cambodians work either directly or indirectly in agriculture, which contributes about a third of the country’s gross domestic product.

At the award ceremony, Sakhon compared Cambodia’s agricultural sector to neighboring Thailand, which he said had sought to develop young talent in the sector “to reach the top in both quality and safety of exports.”

He pointed to crop-switching programs that had seen farmers change from producing rice to cash crops such as sugarcane, raising their income.

Pinn Thira, 30, who won a scholarship for a Ph.D. to research value chains in rural Cambodia, said his work would focus on the difficulties of access to markets for rural farmers.

“As far as I know, our farmers grow crops but there is no market for them,” he said. “So, this will be in the scope my research. We will study how farmers form groups to create networks for selling their products. After we found out this, we will publish our discoveries.”

https://www.voacambodia.com/a/us-and-cambodia-promote-young-agricultural-researchers/4082614.html

 

PRICES-KOCHI- COMMODITIES

By PTI  |   Published: 23rd October 2017 05:34 PM  |  

Last Updated: 23rd October 2017 05:45 PM  

Kochi, Oct 23 (PTI): Ginger (Inferior) Rs.11,000/-, Kochi, Oct 23 (PTI): Ginger (Inferior) Rs.11,000/-, Ginger (Medium) Rs.12,500/-, Ginger (Best) Rs.13,500/-, Turmeric Salem Rs.8,500/- Turmeric-Erode(Agmark) Rs.9,200/- Nuxvomica Rs.1850/-Ambahaldhar Rs.7000/- Kolinjan Rs.4300/- Kachura Rs.4,000/-Kapurkatchili Rs.14,000-17,000/- Betelnuts (Old) Rs.Nil, Betelnuts (New) Rs.19,500-20,500/- Rice Raw (NO.2) Rs.2600/- Rice Raw(No.1) Rs.3200/- Rice Boiled (Surekha) Rs.3500-3800/- Rice Jaya (Boiled) Rs.3,800-3900/- Rice Broken Rs.2200-2300/- Wheat Rs.2,550-2,650/- Chola Rs.1500-1550/-,Chillies Rs.6,800-15,000/-, Bengal Gram Rs.6,500-7,000/- Black Gram Rs.7,000-7,900/- Gingelly Rs.11,000/- Green Gram Rs.6,300-6,700/-, Horse Gram Rs.6,900/-, Peas Dal Rs.3,450-4,300/-, Toor Dal Rs.5,200-6,300/- Pepper New Rs.41,700/-, Pepper light Rs.40,000.00, Pin Heads (Cheer)Rs.15,000.00, Sugar (per bag) Rs.4,120/-(All rates per quintal).

COIR YARN : Cochin Parur Thin (85 M/Kg) Rs.3,600/- Vycom Thick 200/Kg) Rs.3,900/-, Choriwal Thin Rs.5,000/- PTI CR NTR .

http://www.newindianexpress.com/pti-news/2017/oct/23/prices-kochi--commodities-1680707.html

When the public fears that prices will rise, they do

The rice price has increased significantly over the past year, and there is much discussion as to why this happened. A brief review of the rice market concepts: The farmer sells paddy to whoever buys it and this ends up at the rice millers.Of course a lot of rice is milled locally in small mills for consumption in rural areas. The price of paddy will vary with location and time but the paddy market is reasonably integrated.

There is another price ex mill for milled rice. There will be variations of quality rices so this ex mill, wholesale price will cover a range of values. The urban wholesale markets will have prices slightly different that the ex mill price due to transportation and trade mark ups.

Finally, there is a retail price, at which the consumer purchases the rice. It is this retail price for coarse rice that we will focus on as a representative price for the whole spectrum of prices for different rice types. All of these prices should move more or less together as if one gets too high demand will decline and the price will fall.

The rice price in Bangladesh is closely connected to the Indian rice price. If the taka/rupee exchange rate and the import duties are stable then the Bangladesh price will track the Indian price. This will not be exact, but if the prices differ too much, rice will move across the border.

There is always potential for movement of rice in the informal transport channels. This channel will move rice in either direction according to the price. There is really a single market for rice between India and Bangladesh and price variations are temporary and will be removed by this arbitrage of rice moving both in formal and informal transport channels.

In July 2014, the price of coarse rice was Tk3.1 per kg, and fluctuated around Tk3 per kg during the year. The price declined slowly during the period July 2015 to June 2016 with the price fluctuating around Tk2.6 per kg.

Government actions over the past year are correct: Explain that there is plenty of rice, import more rice, reduce the import duty

Then the price increased rapidly from Tk2.6 per kg in July 2016 to Tk4 per kg by June 2017, an increase of 53%. An increase of that size will increase the urban CPI by 3% and the rural CPI by 12%. The official estimates however, do not indicate such increases.The typical explanation for this increase was the reduced availability of rice from the floods and the outbreak of blast disease. Other explanations were that the millers were not releasing milled rice into the market and that “syndicates” were withholding rice, driving the rice price higher.

In Asia, the standard explanation for rising food prices is that the business men in the food chain are withholding food from the market, having formed a conspiracy to manipulate the price. The standard Asian government response is to attack the millers and the traders.

To send government officials to markets to discover and discipline these monopoly “blood suckers” as they are usually known. This Kabuki ritual is performed every time there is a spike in the grain prices.

Most of the time, no one takes this very seriously, but it gives everyone someone to blame.  Conspiracies involving many businessmen are impossible to maintain; in Bangladesh, a conspiracy with more than three persons soon becomes public knowledge.

A few words about rice production and consumption

First, estimates from the BSS and the Ministry of Agriculture indicate that Bangladesh produces about 34 million mt of rice every year. The consumption is about 26 million mt. There is some retention of paddy.

However about 15% of the rice crop is just lost in the process of milling or trading. The implication of this is that rice stocks at any time are typically 6-8 million mt. There is always quite a large amount of rice inside Bangladesh. There are supplies in every house, in every retail shop, on every farm as well as well as in the millers’ warehouses.

Bengal has had its share of crises over the rice price. Some of these have been disasters leading to famine. Some have led to widespread intervention in the rice economy. The research of Amartya Sen on Bengal famines sets out the reasons and authoritative explanation of these price crisis that have occurred from time to time.

The reasoning emerged from a determination that even in the most terrible famine there was plenty of rice available. What drives the changes in rice prices is the expectation that prices are going to rise.

When there is widespread belief that there is a shortage of rice and the price is going to rise, then the public reacts by buying more rice. This action results in higher prices. The expectations of the public are influenced by what is believed about the availability of rice and also by an individual’s idea about what other people think.

If you think that everyone believes the rice price is going up, then you buy more rice now even if you think that there is plenty of rice in the country. Sen has taught us that one should look to expectations when there are sharp price spikes.

During this past year, there was widespread belief that there was a shortage of rice. This came from reporting on crop losses and low levels of rice in government stores. The amount of rice that might have been lost from floods was never more than 2-3 million mt and even this level is now probably proving too high.

The government rice stores always get a lot of attention, but the level of stocks is less than 10% of production — significant but not that important. In addition, there is always reporting about the efforts of the millers to withhold rice and drive the price up.

All of this together generates expectations in the public that the price of rice is going to rise, and leads to increased stocks of rice being purchased and held everywhere.

The higher demands arising from these expectations then increase the rice price.

Government actions over the past year are correct: Explain that there is plenty of rice, import more rice, reduce the import duty. All of these actions may lead the public to change their expectations away from increasing prices.

Ultimately, the rice prices will return to the level established by the Indian rice market price, the taka/rupee exchange rate and customs charges.

Forrest Cookson is an American economist.

China Invents Rice That Can Grow in Salt Water, Can Feed Over 200 Million People

ByCarl Samson

October 23, 2017

Scientists in China succeeded in growing the yield of a strain of saltwater-tolerant rice nearly three times their expectation.

In the spring months, over 200 types of rice were planted at the Saline-Alkali Tolerant Rice Research and Development Center in Qingdao, a coastal city in eastern China’s Shandong Province. Seawater from the Yellow Sea was pumped, diluted and channeled into the rice paddies.

Researchers initially expected an output of around 4.5 tons per hectare, but surprised themselves when four types registered 6.5 to 9.3 tons per hectare.

Tests on saline-alkali tolerant rice have been going on in China for some time, but the unexpected yield marks its readiness for commercialization.

Research leader Yuan Longping, also known as China’s “Father of Hybrid Rice,” told reporters that cultivation of the strain can feed more than 200 million people, the South China Morning Postnoted.

Qingdao-based startup Yuan Ce Biological Technology, which partnered with Yuan’s team, is now selling the new rice as “Yuan Mi” in honor of the scientist.

“Yuan Mi,” however, costs 50 yuan ($7.50) per kilogram — about eight times more than the cost of ordinary rice. It is currently sold in 1-kilogram (2.2 pounds), 2-kilogram (4.4 pounds), 5-kilogram (11 pounds) and 10-kilogram (22 pounds) packs.

Despite the hefty price tag, six tons of the strain have been sold since August, thanks to its impressive flavor and texture.

In addition, consumers are reportedly keen on its potential health benefits.

According to Xinhua, the strain could be rich in calcium and other micronutrients, as such are abundant in saline water.

The property of salt as a disinfectant could also repel pathogenic bacteria, making “sea rice” less exposed to pests. As a result, farmers may decrease their use of pesticides.

Yuan Ce Biological Technology expects to make 10 million yuan ($1.5 million) in “sea rice” revenue by the end of the year. Prices are expected to fall as production increases.

Photos via Xinhua

https://nextshark.com/china-invents-rice-can-grow-salt-water-can-feed-200-million-people/

MIA irrigators refute Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists claims on Basin Plan destruction

 

OCTOBER 23 2017 - 2:49PM

 

·        

Oliver Jacques

•  

A prominent group of scientists who claim the NSW Government are “actively destroying” the Murray Darling Basin Plan (MDBP) are just headline seeking, say MIA irrigators. 

The front page story in the Sun Herald on the weekend reported the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists claiming the the NSW and Victorian governments are failing to properly protect a river system on which millions of Australians depend.

The Wentworth Group claimed the two state governments are not doing enough to fund projects, implement strategies and negotiate with landowners to allow for the delivery of water downstream. 

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National Irrigators Council CEO Steve Whan, however, accused the scientists of  “headline seeking”. 

“The Wentworth Group has a legitimate role in advocating the environmental health of the Murray Darling Basin, but they are diminishing their ‘independence’ by being sensationalist, instead of constructive.

“It’s all very well for someone looking in from the outside to say it should be instantly fixed, but we should recognise that the people who are actually affected are entitled to full consultation and careful planning”.

Murrami rice grower Debbie Buller was less diplomatic in her condemnation of the scientists.

“The Wentworth Group won't be happy until all inland production and irrigation is shut down,” she said

The Murray Darling Basin Plan stipulates the amount of water that can be drawn from the Murray-Darling system, aiming to take at least 2750 gigalitres a year from irrigated agriculture and return it to rivers, wetlands and flood plains. 

Ms Buller says the Wentworth group are fixated with the 2750 figure, which is not grounded in any scientific basis.  

“They are playing politics over the numbers… there is absolutely no evidence to suggest what they’re advocating is good for the environment”. 

The Wentworth Group say five years after the basin plan came into effect, physical obstacles and river operating rules still impeded the delivery of water downstream.

They pointed to a $200 million constraints management strategy, of which just $5 million has so far been spent.

Mr Whan said while dealing with constraints is frustratingly slow,  “barrelling in” with headline seeking comments is not helpful.

http://www.irrigator.com.au/story/5006403/scientists-claim-on-destroying-basin-plan-called-headline-seeking/

Sri Lanka calls international bids for urgent rice imports

 23 October 2017

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 Sri Lanka is calling international bids to import 200,000 metric tonnes of rice after local production was adversely affected this year by the twin effects of floods and drought.The Ministry of Industry and Commerce said in a media statement on Monday that a tender to import a fresh tranche of rice has been called on October 19. “We are making every effort to ensure that there will be no shortages for our consumers” said the Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen. “Under the directions of the government’s Cost of Living Committee (CoLC) we announced on October 13 that we will import 500,000 mt rice. The aim of the CoLC is to support our consumers with lowest prices and give steady supplies” he added.

The 500,000 mt was mostly on government to government rice procurement basis. But the ministry noted that the latest tender which too is part of this 500,000 mt tranche involves a far wider supplier base and is under the International Competitive Bidding Procedure. This means that any qualifying foreign government or even a foreign private sector supplier is able to bid for the latest rice tranche-which is 200,000 mt. The breakdown of the 200,000 mt is: 90,000 mt of parboiled Nadu rice, 60,000 mt of parboiled Samba and 50,000 mt of white raw rice. Sri Lankan rice importers too are eligible to take part in the latest bidding. The tender closes on October 30. Details of this tender are now available online for download at http://www.industry.gov.lk/web/images/procurice.pdf

http://www.sundaytimes.lk/article/1033443/sri-lanka-calls-international-bids-for-urgent-rice-imports

UAE business is out to serve a taste of India

Maker of Kwality ice-cream is adding new categories and a second plant in Sharjah

Image Credit: Clint Egbert/Gulf News

Vikram Seth at the Kwality factory in Sharjah. Graviss moved in to acquire full stake of the Sharjah operations in 2006, and ice-cream production capacity has expanded gradually.

Published: 12:08 October 23, 2017

By Manoj Nair, Associate Editor 

Dubai: A UAE based business is intent on serving up a “taste of India”, first with scoops of its branded ice-cream, and more recently, through its move into basmati rice, butter and more.“None of our products are focused on India — they are all meant for the Indian diaspora,” said Vikram Seth, Director — Finance & Investments at Mumbai-based Graviss, which owns and sells “Kwality” ice-cream outside of India. “Our audience is the Indian diaspora anywhere — we are no longer about serving just the Gulf markets.

“Our headquarters is the UAE for everything that we do. Based in the UAE, we sold into the GCC and right now we are chasing the diaspora because the products we take to those markets are very different from what we do in the GCC.”

The Kwality ice-cream has been around in UAE supermarkets’ cold storage section since the early 1970s, and then expanded through a full-fledged plant in Sharjah later that decade. Graviss moved in to acquire the entire stake of the Sharjah operations in 2006, and since then the ice-cream production capacity has been expanded gradually. All of its other categories such as rice, butter and packaged pre-marinated paneer are sourced from third-party suppliers on a private label basis.

But what’s with the focus on the Indian diaspora and a “taste of India”? Can’t the Kwality brand target a consumer beyond demographics?

“Our strategy is that we are a hard-core Indian food company,” said Seth. “With the ice-creams, we have experimented with many versions of the kulfi (a frozen dessert hugely popular among Indians).

“Our flavours are typically Indian in origin — not for us the multinational way of creating a global food label and then adding some small tweaks to suit Indian tastes.

“In our push for markets outside of the UAE/Gulf, we don’t necessarily need to go through niche retailers to reach our target shopper. There are ethnic sections in the biggest supermarket chains out there, be it Walmart or Tesco. Our target shoppers are out there ... and we plan on reaching them.” (Graviss sold the rights to the Kwality brand to Hindustan Lever in the mid-1990s. It holds the master-franchise rights for Baskin-Robbins in India.)

But aren’t categories such as basmati rice crowded with competition? “The way we see it, basmati is a category moving from being a commodity to an FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) product. Only in the last decade has this transitioned, and being FMCG offers quality and trust.

“We are sourcing it from India, with processing and packaging under our supervision. This started last year and it’s been a slow process. But we were never trying to create a market for us overnight.”

And Graviss is already working on more additions that can tickle the Indian palate. Before the year is out, it plans to launch chilled all-day beverages, and again with an Indian twist.

“There are certain gorillas in the local market in this category and we are going to target a head-on assault,” said Seth. “Flavoured beverages are a very recent development India ... I would say less than two years ago. And data from the GCC shows a five-fold increase in daily beverage consumption in the last five years. There is space there for a new brand to occupy, because we are getting into a niche that fits in with our heritage.”

Currently, ice-cream has the biggest scoop of the Graviss revenues, and with the new product additions, its share would come down.

But there is little that the current production facility in Sharjah can accommodate. That means Graviss will need to take a decision on a second unit some time soon.

“We have a very old factory and we had this situation of moving from legacy systems and increasing capacity by automation,” said Seth. “We are finished with those phases. We touched the ceiling from a capacity point a long time back.”

Locations shortlisted for new Sharjah facility:

Two potential sites in Sharjah have been identified for Graviss’ planned second ice-cream unit. “At our current facility, we have capacity for 30 million litres of ice-cream,” said Vikram Seth of Graviss. “The new one should deliver another 50 million and with options for further expansion.

“We see the new factory ready by 2021. Investments could be between Dh15 million to Dh20 million. That’s on top of the Dh20 million invested into our existing operations in recent years.”

http://gulfnews.com/business/sectors/retail/uae-business-is-out-to-serve-a-taste-of-india-1.2111095

Lunchbreak: Fall vegetable and brown rice salad

POSTED 11:00 AM, OCTOBER 23, 2017, BY WGN WEB DESK, UPDATED AT 03:06PM, OCTOBER 23, 2017

Justin Behlke, Culinary Director

Pilot Light
pilotlightchefs.org

Event:
5th Annual Feed Your Mind Gala
November 3
6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Revel Fulton Market
1215 W. Fulton Market
Chicago

Fall Vegetable and Brown Rice Salad
4-6 Servings

Ingredients:
2 cups dried basmati brown rice, rinsed
2 medium sized sweet potatoes, cut into small pieces
3 cups spinach, washed and roughly torn
1 apple of choice, diced into small pieces
1/2 cup pecan pieces, lightly toasted
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F. Using a medium sized pot with a lid or a rice cooker, cook your brown rice. If using a pot and cooking on stove top, cook the 2 cups of rice in 4 cups of water. Bring the rice and water just to a simmer uncovered. Turn down heat and cover with lid. Cook rice for 20-25 minutes over low heat or until all of the water has evaporated. Once finished allow the rice to rest for 5 minutes before using. If using a rice cooker, follow the manufacturer’s directions. Fluff rice with a fork and allow to cool on a plate before mixing into salad. Toss sweet potatoes in 1 Tbs of oil and a pinch of salt. Roast on a baking tray in the oven until tender. Allow to cool before using in the salad. Once the rice and sweet potatoes have cooled, lightly mix all of the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and season with desired amounts of salt and pepper. This recipe is great to make in a big batch and utilize for lunch throughout the week.

http://wgntv.com/2017/10/23/lunchbreak-fall-vegetable-and-brown-rice-salad/

Boro harvest drops 5pc to 1.8cr tonnes

 

Boro production fell 5 percent year-on-year to 1.8 crore tonnes during the last harvest, the lowest since 2009-10, after floods wiped out crops in a huge number of paddy fields in the northeast. As a result, total rice output declined by 2 percent year-on-year to 3.38 crore tonnes in the last fiscal year, according to a preliminary estimate of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). Crops on an area of about 3 lakh hectares were damaged because of the floods, said a senior BBS official seeking anonymity. The floods, along with low stocks of foodgrains in public storages, fuelled a price hike of the staple food, causing it to reach a record high in mid-September. This led the government not only going for imports by itself but also to slash import duty to augment supply and stabilise the market. Though prices gradually declined in the last one month, it is still higher than that of the same period last year, according to figures from the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh. The BBS, which awaits for approval from the higher authority for releasing the data, estimates that Boro paddy was harvested from about 44.5 lakh hectares, down from the usual acreage of 47-48 lakh hectares as recorded in the last couple of years. Boro accounts for 53 percent of total annual production of rice. The output estimate comes at a time when farmers are waiting to start harvesting of Aman paddy, the second biggest crop. Growers, after suffering from losses for the repeated foods during the plantation season, cultivated Aman paddy on 54 lakh hectares this season, down 2.32 percent from 55.83 lakh hectares the previous season, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and BBS data. “The condition of Aman crop is very good. We expect higher yield this year than the previous year,” said Alhaz Uddin Ahmed, additional director for monitoring and implementation at field services wing of the DAE. He said increased production of Aus and Aman can help recover 40 to 50 percent of the loss of rice from floods in haor areas. On recent heavy rainfall, Ahmed said the yield would not be affected because of the sunny weather in the last two days. Between July 1 and October 18, public and private sector import of rice stood at 12.96 lakh tonnes. The amount of rice imported in 2016-17 was 1.33 lakh tonnes.

 http://www.thedailystar.net/business/boro-harvest-drops-5pc-18cr-tonnes-1480870

Sri Lanka floats international tender for 200,000 MT of rice

Sri Lanka has launched an open international tender to import a fresh tranche of rice– a first call in recent times to be issued to suppliers worldwide. “We are making every effort to ensure that there will be no shortages for our consumers,” said Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen. “Under the directions of the government’s Cost of Living Committee (CoLC) we announced on October 13 that we will import 500,000 MT of rice. The aim of CoLC is to support our consumers with lowest prices and give steady supplies,” he added. The 500,000 MT announced previously on October 13 was mostly on government to government rice procurement basis. However, the latest tender for 200, 000MT, which too is a part of this 500,000 MT tranche, enlists a far wider supplier base and is under the international competitive bidding procedure, meaning any qualifying foreign government or even a foreign private sector supplier is able to bid. The breakdown of the 200,000 MT is: 90,000MT of parboiled nadu rice, 60,000MT of samba (parboiled) rice, and 50,000 MT of white raw rice. Sri Lankan rice importers too are eligible to take part in the latest bidding.  Of the 200,000 MT rice called for, Sri Lanka expect 100,000 MT to arrive in Colombo by end November 2017 and the other 100,000 MT to arrive by end of December 2017.    The tender will close on October 30.

http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Sri-Lanka-floats-international-tender-for-MT-of-rice-139047.html

Bangladesh approves purchase of 100,000t rice from India

Bangladesh has approved the purchase of 100,000 tonnes of parboiled rice from India in a state-to-state deal at $455 a tonne, officials said on Sunday, as the government races to shore up depleted stocks and combat high prices. Traditionally the world’s fourth-biggest rice producer, Bangladesh’s rice imports are set to hit their highest levels in a decade after floods hit its crops. The price includes shipping, insurance and discharge costs. The rice is to be shipped within 60 days after signing the deal, which will take place soon, a food ministry official said. The approval followed the government’s approval of the purchase of 100,000 tonnes of white rice at $442 a tonne from Myanmar, putting aside worsening relations over the Rohingya refugee crisis.

Bangladesh is also set to import 150,000 tonnes of rice from Thailand at $465 per tonne. It has already secured deals with Vietnam and Cambodia as it looks to import a total of 1.5 million tonnes of rice in the year to June. High prices of rice, a staple food for Bangladesh’s 160 million people, helped send the annual inflation rate in September to its highest level since October 2015, posing a problem for the government which faces an election next year. Strong demand from Bangladesh could further lift Asian rice prices, which hit multi-year highs in recent months after Bangladesh and other countries in South Asia saw their worst monsoon floods in years.

Bangladesh imported more than 1 million tonnes of rice in the July-October period, food ministry data showed. Despite bulk imports, domestic prices have not budged, with officials and traders expecting more imports of the staple grain in the coming months. In August, the government cut a duty on rice imports for the second time in two months. The lower import duty has prompted purchases by private dealers, with most of the deals being struck with neighbouring India. Bangladesh produces around 34 million tonnes of rice annually but uses almost all its production to feed its people. It often requires imports to cope with shortages caused by floods or droughts.

http://www.blackseagrain.net/novosti/bangladesh-approves-purchase-of-100-000t-rice-from-india

Sri Lanka to urgently import rice to prevent rice shortage

COLOMBO, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka on Monday launched an open international tender to import 200,000 metric tons of rice to prevent a severe rice shortage in the island country. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry in a statement said the tender was open to suppliers worldwide and would close on Oct 30. "We are making every effort to ensure that there will be no shortage for our consumers," Commerce and Industry Minister Rishard Bathiudeen said in the statement. Sri Lanka has launched the tender under the International Competitive Bidding Procedure, which means that any qualifying foreign government or a foreign private sector supplier is able to bid. Sri Lankan rice importers too are eligible to take part in the latest bidding. Of the 200,000 metric tons of rice called, Sri Lanka expects 100,000 metric tons to arrive in Colombo by the end of November while the remaining 100,000 metric tons is expected to arrive by end of December. "Based on a recent assessment in the world market, the potential supply sources for the latest 200,000 metric tons of rice are India, Pakistan, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam, though other destinations too could partner," the statement said. Sri Lanka's domestic rice market failed to produce the necessary volumes due to a poor harvest since 2016. Due to a severe drought and flash floods in 2016 and 2017, the production of rice in Sri Lanka fell by 50 percent, leading to the government urgently calling for tenders to import rice from foreign countries.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-10/23/c_136700192.htm

Sri Lanka launches international tender to import 200,000 MT of rice

Date

10/23/2017 6:36:47 AM

 (MENAFN - NewsIn.Asia) Colombo, Oct 23 (newsin.asia) - Sri Lanka, on Monday launched an open international tender to import 200,000 metric tonnes of rice to prevent a severe rice shortage in the island country.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in a statement said the tender was open to suppliers worldwide and would close on Oct 30.

"We are making every effort to ensure that there will be no shortage for our consumers," Commerce and Industry Minister, Rishard Bathiudeen said in the statement.

Sri Lanka has launched the tender under the International Competitive Bidding Procedure, which means that any qualifying foreign government or a foreign private sector supplier is able to bid.

Sri Lankan rice importers too are eligible to take part in the latest bidding.

Of the 200,000 metric tonnes of rice called, Sri Lanka expects 100,000 metric tonnes to arrive in Colombo by the end of November while the remaining 100,000 metric tonnes is expected to arrive by end of December.

"Based on a recent assessment in the world market, the potential supply sources for the latest 200,000 metric tonnes of rice are India, Pakistan, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam, though other destinations too could partner," the statement said.

Sri Lanka's domestic rice market failed to produce the necessary volumes due to a poor harvest since 2016.

Due to a severe drought and flash floods in 2016 and 2017, the production of rice in Sri Lanka fell by 50 percent leading to the government urgently calling for tenders to import rice from foreign countries.

MENAFN2310201701910000ID1095976515

http://menafn.com/1095976515/Sri-Lanka-launches-international-tender-to-import-200000-MT-of-rice

Sri Lanka widens int'l rice search, issues global call

Published inWorld - Business

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Sri Lanka has launched an open international tender to import a fresh tranche of rice on 19th October – a first call in recent times to be issued to suppliers worldwide.

“We are making every effort to ensure that there will be no shortages for our consumers” said the Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen during his discussions with officials at the Ministry last Thursday.

“Under the directions of the government’s Cost of Living Committee (CoLC) we announced that we will import 500,000 MT rice. The aim of CoLC is to support our consumers with lowest prices and give steady supplies” he added.

 The 500,000 MT announced on 13th October was mostly on government to government rice procurement basis. However, the latest tender which too is part of this 500,000 MT tranche, enlists a far wider supplier base and is under the International Competitive Bidding Procedure, meaning any qualifying foreign government or even a foreign private sector supplier is able to bid for the latest rice tranche-which is 200,000 MT. The breakdown of the 200,000 MT being 90,000MT of Parboiled Nadu rice, 60,000MT of Samba (Parboiled) rice, and 50,000 MT of White Raw rice. Sri Lankan rice importers too are eligible to take part in the latest bidding. Of the 200,000 MT rice called for, Sri Lanka expect 100,000 MT to arrive in Colombo by end November 2017 and the other 100,000 MT to arrive by end of December 2017.   

 The tender will close on 30th October. Details of this tender call are now available online for download at http://www.industry.gov.lk/web/images/procurice.pdf

Based on assessments of rice supply capacities in many world markets at present (October 2017) the potential supply sources for the latest 200,000 MT rice are India, Pakistan, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam  -though other destinations too could partner.

 The Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE) under Minister Bathiudeen which will take delivery of imports, has called for the latest international tenders and eligible bidders may obtain further information from 9am to 3pm on weekdays (Monday to Friday) until 30th October 2017 from the Procurement Unit of the Co-operative Wholesale Establishment, No. 27, Vauxhall Street, Colombo 02 (or from the above online location which specifies required documents for submission to take part in the tender).

 A bid security of Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR) 2 Million (approximately USD 13000) or 0.1% of the total cost of the tender, whichever is lower and 1Kg sample pack in each rice variety needs to be submitted. Late bids will be rejected. The decision of the procurement committee will be final. Even though the called amount is 200,000 MT new rice volumes would be tendered if market conditions call for more low priced rice from abroad.

The first 8,890 MT (of 100,000 MT) raw Nadu rice from India that have been brought in to Colombo Port by such container vessels as Charles Schultz and Vladivostock 12 in mid-October have now been offloaded and being transported to CWE warehouses.

According to Minister Bathiudeen and his officials, domestic Lankan rice market has faced supply pressures as three consecutive harvesting seasons (2016 & 2016/’17) failed to produce usual paddy volumes resulting in a 50% fall in domestic rice supply this year, thereby necessitating imports to the country to sustain the market.

https://www.news.lk/news/world/item/18440-sri-lanka-widens-int-l-rice-search-issues-global-call

Govt’s rice procurement rises marginally to 69.89 LT so far

PTI

NEW DELHI, OCT 23:  

The government’s rice procurement rose marginally to 69.89 lakh tonnes (LT) so far in the 2017–18 marketing year that started this month, compared to 69.31 LT in the year-ago, a senior Food Ministry official said.Food Corporation of India (FCI), the nodal agency for procurement and distribution, had procured 381 LT in the 2016–17 marketing season (October–September).

For the current year, the government has fixed a higher rice procurement target at 375 LT on hopes of good production. “The arrival of paddy is picking up in mandis. Till last week, about 111 LT of paddy had arrived in Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh,” the official told PTI.

FCI and state agencies, which normally buy in rice format, have procured 41.33 LT of the grain in Punjab and 28.56 LT in Haryana so far.

The procurement in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand has just begun and will pick up pace in the coming days, the official said, adding that a little over 22,000 tonnes have been procured from Uttar Pradesh so far.

The procurement is being done at minimum support prices (MSP). For 2017–18, paddy MSP of ‘common’ grade variety has been fixed at Rs 1,550 per quintal, while that of ‘A’ grade variety at Rs 1,590 per quintal.

Rice output is pegged at 94.48 million tonnes in the kharif 2017–18 season, slightly lower than 96.39 million tonnes in the year-ago, as per the Agriculture Ministry’s first estimate. A small quantity of rice come from rabi season also, sowing of which will begin soon.

Africa: As Africa's Need for Food Grows, Mali's Rice Turnaround Shows a Way Forward

By Isaiah Esipisu

Abidjan — "Africa has the resources, skills, and human and land capacity to move from importer to exporter by eating food made in Africa".In 2008, as food prices rose around the world, riots broke out in West Africa, and Mali's government stepped in.It quickly launched an initiative to subsidise purchases of good-quality certified rice seed, as well as fertilisers, for farmers, in an effort to cut reliance on rice imports and grow more food of its own.

In just two years, the country was producing enough grain for domestic consumption, and today is a rice exporter, said Bourema Dembele, who until July was director of research at Mali's Institut d'Economie Rurale, a government institution.

"We had no choice other than to develop a policy that would later see our country out of the crisis," said Dembele, now a Mali programme officer for the Alliance for a Green Revolution Africa (AGRA), a nongovernmental organisation.Such policies need to be replicated around Africa if the continent is to cope with a burgeoning population and climate change while improving food security and economic growth, African experts say.

"Rice is going to be the biggest challenge for Africa because countries highly depend on imports from sources that are totally unsustainable," William Asiko, the executive director of Grow Africa, a non-governmental organisation, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201710210183.html

Lower Kharif Harvest Projected For Indian Crop Year 2017-18, says USDA

According to the global agriculture intelligence network of USDA ‘market sources report that the first advance estimates may be on the higher side largely based on the provisional planting reports as the prolonged dry spell in the unirrigated areas is also likely to affect yield prospects’

23October, 2017

by Prabodh Krishna

According to Foreign Agriculture Service of US agriculture department, Indian government has forecasted a lower Kharif harvest for 2017-18 season citing the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) which released the First Advance Estimate of Food Grain Production for the Indian Crop Year (ICY) 2017-18 (July-June) estimating India’s kharif grain production at 134.7 MMT, nearly 4 MMT lower than last year, but still the second highest harvest recorded.

The crop-wise breakup is:

· Rice at 94.5 MMT (vs.96.4 MMT last year record)

· Corn at 18.7 MMT (vs. 19.2 MMT last year record)

· Pulses at 8.7 MMT (vs. 9.4 MMT last record)

· Other coarse grains production at 12.8 MMT (vs. 13.5 MMT last year)

According to the global agriculture intelligence network of USDA ‘market sources report that the first advance estimates may be on the higher side largely based on the provisional planting reports as the prolonged dry spell in the unirrigated areas is also likely to affect yield prospects’.

Production Lowered For Rice

Post forecasts monsoon year 2017-18 rice production was lower at 107.5 MMT on lower than expected planting and yield due to prolonged dry conditions and floods during planting and crop growth stages in some rice growing states. USDA has also pointed out ‘The Ministry of Agriculture’s latest report which indicates rice planting through 22nd September 2017, at 37.7 million hectares, which is about 0.5 million hectares lower than rice planting during the corresponding period last year, but higher than the five-year historical average of 37.4 million hectares.

Relatively dry conditions during July and August delayed planting in the largely unirrigated rice growing southern and eastern states. The prolonged dry spells during August and September affected the critical vegetative growth and flowering stages, mostly in the central states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and parts of eastern India. The eastern part of Uttar Pradesh and northern Bihar faced severe flood conditions during August which caused damage to the standing rice crop at the early vegetative growth stage. Relatively weak reservoir water position for irrigation is also likely to affect the planting prospects for the upcoming rabi season rice in the eastern and southern states. However, the crop is progressing very well under adequate soil moisture conditions in the irrigated rice growing areas, particularly in the northern and eastern states.

Consequently, post estimates monsoon year 2017-18 rice production at 107.5 MMT (94 MMT kharif rice and 13.5 MMT rabi rice) from 42.7 million hectare area, the second highest harvest recorded. However, cyclones in October and November in the eastern coast could further adversely affect the current production forecast.

Based on the MoA’s 4th advance estimate, MY 2016/17 rice production is estimated at 110.2 MMT from 43.2 million hectares. Based on the latest figures from the Food Corporation of India, government rice procurement for MY 2016-17 is estimated to reach a record 38.1 MMT compared to 34.2 MMT last year; the previous record was 35 MMT in monsoon year 2011-12.

Boost In Current Year’s Wheat Procurement Due To Record Production

Record production boosted the current year government wheat procurement to 30.8 MMT compared to last year’s low of 22.9 MMT. Despite higher government procurement, market sources report that local traders in the major wheat growing states, particularly Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, are holding larger than normal quantities of wheat stocks supporting the current year’s record harvest estimate. The open market prices of wheat in the major growing states continue to rule in the range of INR 15,800 to 16,200 per MT in September suggesting sufficient availability of domestic wheat as local trade holds higher stocks in expectation of a late season surge in prices.

Consequently, Post has raised the monsoon year 2017-18 wheat production to 98.4 MMT and adopted the MoA’s official estimate as it reflects the market situation realistically, says USDA report.

http://businessworld.in/article/Lower-Kharif-Harvest-Projected-For-Indian-Crop-Year-2017-18-says-USDA/23-10-2017-129165/

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- October 24, 2017

Reuters | Oct 24, 2017, 14:05 IST

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices - APMC/Open Market-October 24 Nagpur, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Tuar and gram varieties recovered in Nagpur Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) on increased demand from local millers amid tight supply from producing regions. Fresh rise in Madhya Pradesh gram prices and reported demand from South-based millers also helped to push up prices, according to sources. FOODGRAINS & PULSES GRAM * Gram varieties ruled steady in open market here but demand was poor. TUAR * Tuar gavarani declined further in open market here in absence of buyers amid good stock position. * Batri dal reported higher in open market on renewed seasonal demand from local traders. * In Akola, Tuar New - 3,900-4,000, Tuar dal (clean) - 5,700-6,000, Udid Mogar (clean) - 7,800-8,500, Moong Mogar (clean) 6,900-7,200, Gram - 5,000-5,025, Gram Super best - 7,100-7,300 * Wheat, rice and other foodgrain items moved in a narrow range in scattered deals and settled at last levels in weak deals. Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close Gram Auction 4,300-4,930 4,300-4,900 Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600 Tuar Auction 3,600-3,950 3,500-3,900 Moong Auction n.a. 3,900-4,200 Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500 Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800 Wheat Mill quality Auction 1,592-1,782 1,586-1,664 Gram Super Best Bold 7,000-7,500 7,000-7,500 Gram Super Best n.a. n.a. Gram Medium Best 6,400-6,800 6,400-6,800 Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a Gram Mill Quality 5,100-5,200 5,100-5,200 Desi gram Raw 4,950-5,050 4,950-5,050 Gram Kabuli 12,500-13,200 12,500-13,200 Tuar Fataka Best-New 6,000-6,200 6,000-6,200 Tuar Fataka Medium-New 5,600-5,900 5,600-5,900 Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 5,300-5,600 5,300-5,600 Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 4,800-5,200 4,800-5,200 Tuar Gavarani New 3,850-3,950 4,000-4,100 Tuar Karnataka 4,200-4,500 4,200-4,500 Masoor dal best 4,800-5,200 4,800-5,200 Masoor dal medium 4,400-4,800 4,400-4,800 Masoor n.a. n.a. Moong Mogar bold (New) 6,800-7,200 6,800-7,200 Moong Mogar Medium 6,200-6,600 6,200-6,600 Moong dal Chilka 5,400-5,800 5,400-5,800 Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a. Moong Chamki best 6,900-7,400 6,900-7,400 Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 8,000-8,500 8,000-8,500 Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 6,200-7,200 6,200-7,200 Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 5,200-6,200 5,200-6,200 Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 5,200-5,450 5,000-5,300 Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 2,800-3,000 2,800-3,000 Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,100 2,900-3,100 Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 3,800-4,400 3,800-4,400 Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,000 1,900-2,000 Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,850 1,700-1,850 Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,300 2,100-2,300 Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,400 2,200-2,400 Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,100 1,900-2,100 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a. MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,600 3,100-3,600 MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,700 2,200-2,700 Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,500 3,000-3,500 Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 2,800-2,900 2,800-2,900 Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,400 2,200-2,400 Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600 Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,400 2,300-2,400 Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 3,600-4,000 3,600-4,000 Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,250-3,600 3,250-3,600 Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG) 4,600-5,000 4,600-5,000 Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 4,200-4,500 4,200-4,400 Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 10,000-14,000 10,000-14,000 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,000-7,500 5,000-7,500 Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 4,700-4,900 4,700-4,900 Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 4,400-4,600 4,400-4,600 Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,100 2,000-2,100 Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,700-2,000 1,700-2,000 WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 34.6 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 15.8 degree Celsius Rainfall : Nil FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 34 and 15 degree Celsius respectively. Note: n.a.--not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices)

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/nagpur-foodgrain-prices-open-october-24-2017/articleshow/61199492.cms

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The price of parboiled Rice in India witnessed a sharp increase of $4 to $404-$407 per tonne. Because of heavy rainfall in some of the main Rice growing region, there was a delay in the harvest, this contributed to the rise in the price.

The southern and eastern region of India received heavy rainfall reduced the production of summer Rice crops.

India being a major country for exporting food grains was threatened by the prolonged period of rainfall, damaging most of the crop which was ready for harvest.

This may lead to fall in 2% to 94.48 million tonnes in the production of a summer-sowing crop.

Other major rice exporting country Vietnam had also witnessed heavy rainfall which resulted in high price and scarce supply.

Thailand being one among major rice exporting country witnessed price fall due to low overseas demand, while the trend of supply is upwards despite rain and flood in parts of the country.

Punjab, Haryana procure over 130 lakh tonnes of paddy

IANS|

Updated: Oct 23, 2017, 10.14 PM IST

The paddy arrival and procurement will continue till the end of November.CHANDIGARH: Agrarian states Punjab and Haryana have procured over 130 lakh tonnes of paddy this season, food and supplies department officials said here on Monday. Punjab has procured nearly 84 lakh tonnes of paddy and Haryana over 46 lakh tonnes. Over 97.6 per cent of the paddy in Punjab has been procured by government agencies while the figure in Haryana is 96 per cent. The rest of the paddy has been procured by rice millers and traders.

The procurement of paddy began in both states on October 1. The Reserve Bank of India has sanctioned nearly Rs 28,263 crore to Punjab to make payments to farmers for the paddy procured.
The paddy arrival and procurement will continue till the end of November. Both states are expecting a bumper crop this year with total procurement likely to be around 225 lakh tonnes.

http://www.indiainfoline.com/article/news-top-story/sharp-rally-in-indias-rice-price-117102300033_1.html

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