FEBUARY 2017 RICE NEWS

NFA 7: Additional rice supply to arrive by Q1

By Carlo S. Lorenciana (The Freeman) | Updated February 7, 2017 - 12:00am

CEBU, Philippines - The National Food Authority in Central Visayas expects the arrival of additional rice supply from national importation within the first quarter of this year.  Olma Marie Bayno, information officer at NFA-7, said yesterday the region's stocks for the staple grain as of Feb. 1 stood at around 1 million bags. Stocks were deemed to be sufficient.

For the month of January, the agency sold a total of 87,122 bags of NFA rice to its accredited retailers, she told The FREEMAN.For the whole 2016, NFA-7 was able to distribute around 1.8 million bags of NFA rice, she added.The Philippines still has a standby import authority of 250,000 metric tons more worth of rice.Central Visayas is getting a share from the additional rice imports. The 250,000-MT standby import authority is part of the 500,000-MT standby authority previously approved by the government.

The other 250,000-MT portion of the import authority was awarded to Thailand and Vietnam, the world's top rice sellers, in August last year under government-to-government purchasing agreement. Thailand offered to supply 100,000 MT while Vietnam supplied the remaining 150,000 MT.One MT is equivalent to 20 bags. Per bag contains 50 kilograms of rice.Currently, NFA-7 has a total of 1,801 accredited rice retailers in the whole region, 842 are in Cebu.NFA rice is still being sold at P27 per kilogram for 25 percent brokens and P32 per kilogram for 15 percent brokens.NFA has to beef up its food security stocks to maintain the mandated 30-day inventory level during the lean months.

The additional rice imports are part of the state’s contingency supply to prevent the staple’s possible scarcity due to the possible effect of natural disasters on rice production.The Philippines remains one of the world’s biggest rice buyers.

http://www.philstar.com/cebu-business/2017/02/07/1669874/nfa-7-additional-rice-supply-arrive-q1

Higher prices may lift basmati exports to last year’s levels

VISHWANATH KULKARNI

BENGALURU, FEBRUARY 6:  

The recent uptrend in basmati prices on expectations that Iran would resume rice imports may help India sustain export earnings from the long-grain aromatic cereal for the current financial year at last year’s levels.Basmati shipments in the current financial year, so far, have been sluggish due to the curbs on rice imports imposed by Iran, a large buyer.

“There is a pick-up in price and also volumes. We may be able to catch up with last year’s levels in value terms,” said AK Gupta, Director, Basmati Export Development Foundation (BEDF), under the Agricultural & Processed Foods Export Development Authority (Apeda).

Overall volumes were likely to be marginally lower than last year. “We may see a drop of about 1 lakh tonnes, 2-3 per cent lower than last year’s 40 lakh tonnes,” Gupta told BusinessLine. Basmati prices in the international market have risen by around $100 per tonne to $800 in the recent past. The price rise will help in reviving exports, he added.

Though Iran has announced its intent to open up its market for the overseas rice, it is not clear as to when the country will start issuing permits. Iran has a temporary ban on rice imports mainly from end-July to early January next year in order to protect domestic paddy growers. Recently, a trade delegation led by the Apeda Chairman visited Iran to promote Indian rice exports.

Rice exporters are also hopeful of a rebound. “We may be able to achieve more or less the same as last year,” said Rajen Sundaresan, Executive Director of the All India Rice Exporters Association.

After touching a record $4.88 billion or ₹29,299 crore in 2013-14, India’s basmati export earnings were on a downtrend over the past three years on a decline in prices and lower purchases by Iran, a large buyer. To supplement domestic production of about 2 million tonnes, Iran imports about 1 million tonnes of rice every year out of which about 7 lakh tonnes (lt) is exported from India.

Purchases by Iran have been on a steady decline in the past three years. From an all-time high of 14.40 lt in 2013-14, exports to Iran dropped to 9.36 lt in 2014-15 and came down further to 6.95 lt in 2015-16.

Shipments to the UAE have grown from 1.48 lt in 2013-14 to 2.79 lt in 2014-15, rising sharply to 6.12 lt in 2015-16. Exports to Iraq have also doubled to around 4.18 lt in 2015-16 from 2013-14

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/higher-rise-in-prices-may-lift-basmati-exports-to-last-years-levels/article9524929.ece

Chinese Scientists in Rice Breakthrough

Feb 08, 2017

Local scientists said yesterday they had identified a plant gene which can help fight rice blast — a major global disease that savages crops — and reduce the use of harmful pesticides.Rice blast is a fungus and a major scourge in China and worldwide. It can halve grain production. Scientists estimate it destroys global crops by enough rice to feed 85 million people annually."Experts estimate that rice blast causes the loss of 3 million tons of rice in China every year,” said He Zuhua, chief scientist of the research team from the Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

"Although some areas can control the disease, the cost is the large use of pesticides.

"It is a threat to the environment and food security. So we have been looking for disease-resistant genes. By identifying the useful gene and promoting it to more rice products, we can not only control rice blast but also protect the environment and public health.”

The team in 2006 identified a gene, Pigm, which has broad-spectrum resistance.

The scientists then spent a decade to analyze the mechanism of the gene locus and found it encodes two proteins — PigmR and PigmS.

PigmR can defend disease but leads to a drop in production, while PigmS can raise grain production but inhibits the resistance effect of PigmR."The two proteins result a good balance by controlling the disease and maintaining good production,” He said."By fully understanding the gene, we can guide seed companies and breeders. So far, over 30 domestic companies and breeders have used our discovery for molecular breeding to allow new rice varieties with better disease resistance effects but ideal production.”The discovery was published in “Science.” (Shanghai Daily

http://english.cas.cn/newsroom/news/201702/t20170208_173812.shtml

Ancient grains are the latest health craze, what it means for Ark. rice industry

Erika Ferrando , KTHV 6:40 PM. CST February 06, 2017

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - Many people are swapping out corn or rice for some quinoa or barley. Ancient grains are backed by nutritionists and back on shelves, quickly gaining popularity.

Packed with vitamins, protein, calcium, and fiber, what's old is new again. Ancient grains are the latest health craze.“A lot of these like the quinoa, flax seed, they're really rich in Omega-3 fatty acids," said Tonya Johnson, Director of Nutrition Services at University of Arkansas for Medical Services (UAMS).They haven't been modified so they thrive off their pure components.

“The grains that they grew 8,000 years ago is still what we're getting today, so they've not had that chemical alteration," said Johnson.This makes them more nutritious than other grains. Quinoa is the most well-known and credited for starting the trend, but now farro, teff, barley, millet, and freekeh have made a place on store shelves. Johnson added that she saw the trend take off as more people started looking for healthy, natural options.

“About two years ago we saw the trend and people were really wanting more of a super food, antioxidants, more fresh healthy organic," said Johnson.That's when UAMS started using quinoa in its dishes. Johnson said that's when UAMS saw it as a health benefit rather than just another food trend."I definitely have noticed an increase in not only people looking for ancient grains, but exploring other types of ancient grains," said Sara Fulton-Koerbling with Whole Foods Market.Some of ancient grains in small and ready to eat packages just came to the shelves at Whole Foods Market within the last year in response to the growing demand.

“Now we've got everything from quinoa milk and quinoa the grain to flour and pastas made with quinoa," said said Fulton-Koerbling.Gluten-free baker, Paula Dempsey at Dempsey Bakery uses ancient grains as an alternative for traditional flour.

“When they're ground up they're just like a regular flour," said Dempsey who uses sorghum and millet flour. “Some people have completely replaced the genetically modified with the ancient grains."Arkansas is the country's leading rice growing state and farmers in the state aren't sweating the trend."I don’t see it affecting the industry. Typically when you have something like quinoa coming in that would be for a trend, not necessarily replacing the market," said Dow Brantley with Brantley Farming Company.

Brantley's family has been growing rice in Arkansas for generations. He said this trend doesn't mean a lower demand for rice and isn't competition.“Other countries importing rice into the United States is some of our biggest competition," said Brantley.

For one, ancient grains cost significantly more than rice and rice never steers away from being a staple product.“We’re exporting 40 percent of Arkansas rice around the world so not only is it an important domestic market, we're a global market,"  said Brantley.

With the craze showing no signs of slowing down, these grains of the past could shape the food of the future.

“People are going to want to go toward more of these grains and these products that aren’t genetically modified," said Johnson.Recipes can be found online to incorporate ancient grains into your diet, while some people just like them as a side dish.

http://www.thv11.com/news/local/ancient-grains-are-the-latest-health-craze-what-it-means-for-ark-rice-industry/401208677

Biological Engineering Graduate Student Helps Rice Farmers Save Water

Feb. 07, 2017

     

Graduate student Colby Reavis studies sustainable approaches to growing rice.Colby Reavis, a master's student in the Department of Biological and Agricultural

Engineering, works with local farmers to improve rice growing techniques. As part of the Landscape Flux Research Group, led by assistant professor Benjamin Runkle, Reavis investigates ways to reduce the amount of water used and greenhouse gas produced in growing rice. He recently received first place in a poster competition at the Arkansas Soil and Water Education Conference for his research.The group is studying a technique called alternate wetting and drying. Rice requires swampy conditions to grow, but farmers who use alternate wetting and drying allow their fields to dry out during certain parts of the season. This approach uses less water and reduces methane gas, which is produced by anaerobic bacteria that thrive in wet conditions.

Reavis is studying different ways to measure the amount of water that alternate wetting and drying saves. It's difficult to get an exact measurement of how much water a rice field actually receives, because some of the water drains off into other fields, so Reavis measures water on the other end of the cycle, as it's released into the atmosphere from the plants, a process called evapotranspiration. He is comparing different techniques to measure evapotranspiration, so that the group can incorporate it into their work with local farmers.

Reavis explained that quantifying water savings is important for farmers who are considering adopting this method. "Farmers need to be able to show how much water they save," Reavis said. "At the end of the day, does this conserve water? If not, they don't save any money."

Rice is an important crop, both globally and regionally. Rice provides one-fifth of the world's calories, and Arkansas produces half of the rice grown in the U.S. The Landscape Flux Group work closely with local rice farmers in order to ensure that the results of their work will be useful in the industry. "Farmers are a huge part of what we do," Reavis said, explaining that all of the fieldwork in the project is carried out in two commercial fields provided by a local farming family. Having these experts involved provides a valuable perspective for the researchers, who may not be familiar with the day to day aspects of running a farm. "Oftentimes, we as researchers ask questions without thinking about further applications. Working with farmers provides that. They're a great source of information about the process we're studying, as well as the historical and cultural context," Reavis said.

Over the winter break, Reavis traveled to South Korea with a grant from the Asia Rice Foundation. In South Korea, he worked with Youngryel Ryu, an associate professor of environmental ecology at Seoul National University. Reavis learned about Ryu's Breathing Earth System Simulator, known as BESS. BESS collects scientific data using tools such as satellites, sensors and geographic information system data in order to measure the amounts of water and carbon on earth and simulate their movements. Monitoring data from rice fields is a large part of this project.

The trip to South Korea also provided Reavis with a different perspective on rice. "I appreciated seeing how much of a role rice has in Korean culture," he said. "It plays a valuable role for us as researchers to see the impact of our work on people's lives."

Reavis has also worked in Ethiopia and he participated in an international service project in Belize as an undergraduate at the U of A. He explains that he chose to continue his studies under Runkle because the research topics he studies are globally relevant, and he enjoys using science to improve people's lives. After graduating, Reavis would like to continue being involved in research and public outreach while continuing to pursue a doctorate.

CONTACTS

Camilla Shumaker, director of communications 
College of Engineering 
479-575-5697, camillas@uark.edu

http://news.uark.edu/articles/37713/biological-engineering-graduate-student-helps-rice-farmers-save-water

Meat processors to feel pinch of lifting of rice QR

ByJasper Y. Arcalas

February 6, 2017

File photo of meat imports from various sources

The impending removal of import quotas for rice traded under the World Trade Organization (WTO) would increase the production cost of processed-meat manufacturers, triggering price spikes down to the level of retailers, according to the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (Pampi).
Pampi Executive Director Francisco J. Buencamino said the lifting of the quantitative restriction (QR) on rice on July 1 would make mechanically deboned meat (MDM)—the raw material used in making processed-meat products—more expensive. Buencamino said this could cause the price of some of their processed- meat products to go up by at least 12 percent in the second half of the year.
“We are bothered by the raw- material concern, because in July, when the rice QR is lifted, the preferential tariff rate of MDM will go up,” he told the BusinessMirror on the sidelines of a signing ceremony between some Pampi members and Aboitiz Power Corp. held recently in Bonifacio Global City.
“If government reverts MDM tariff back to 40 percent, that will move prices up by 12 percent to 17 percent. We are talking about the price of processed-meat products from the supplier to the outlets. Therefore, the suggested retail price of processed-meat products could even be higher,” Buencamino added.The Philippines’s rice quota waiver to the World Trade Organization is set to expire on June 30. As part of its concession for the second extension of its rice quota in 2012, the Philippines lowered its tariff on MDM to 5 percent, from 40 percent, for the duration of the extension.
Under Executive Order (EO) 190, signed by former President Benigno S. Aquino III, the Philippines will restore its tariff on MDM to the original rate of 40 percent starting July 1 this year.
“The volume of MDM that we are using, the volume we consume, is huge. So the rate from 5 percent will become 40 percent, which is stated in the EO. So we have a problem with that—on how to handle that,” Buencamino said.
Latest data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) showed that from January to October last year, chicken MDM imports reached 134,630 metric tons (MT), slightly higher than the 133,027 MT imported in 2015.
BAI data also showed that MDM pork purchased abroad during the 10-month period jumped to 2,425 MT, from 703.28 MT imported in January to October 2015.
Earlier, Dr. Rolando T. Dy, executive director of the University of Asia and the Pacific’s  Center for Food and Agri Business, told the BusinessMiror that the lifting of the QR on rice would cause poultry meat imports to become more expensive. This would result in an increase in the prices of processed- meat products, like hot dogs.
“But other poultry products, such as chicken-leg quarters, would not become expensive, as these are heavily discounted [by the US],” Dy said.
In 1995 the Philippines, upon its accession to the WTO, was allowed to implement a rice QR for 10 years. Under the QR, rice imports within the minimum access volume  of 805,200 MT were slapped with an in-quota tariff of 35 percent, while all imports in excess of the MAV were assessed with a higher 50-percent tariff.
In 2004 Manila applied for a seven-year extension of the QR. In December 2006 the request was approved by the WTO, subject to tariff concessions on certain agricultural products for member-countries. Among those concessions was a reduction in tariffs for MDM and mechanically separate meat of poultry.
After securing another extension of the rice QR in 2012, Manila retained prior concessions. The government also had to grant new concessions, which include a reduction in the tariffs for dairy products, oil-seed meals and frozen potatoes

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/meat-processors-to-feel-pinch-of-lifting-of-rice-qr/

The Time to Think Irrigation Strategies is Now 

By Josh Hankins

 BATON ROUGE, LA -- The current drumbeat for rice irrigation is:  "take time to measure and evaluate inputs, including water, because the money spent to hold and move that water can decrease significantly with management upgrades."  Irrigation strategy can be measured in droplets and dollars, and because producers have more options than ever before, determining how to water rice is more complicated today than it's ever been.  Fortunately, a lot of information is available to help farmers make that decision.  

Just last week, at the Conservation Systems Cotton and Rice Conference here, irrigation was the most talked about topic in breakout sessions.  Growers, research institutions, and allied businesses discussed irrigation techniques and shared success stories from the research, technical, and practical side.
 
Father and son farming team, Mike and Ryan Sullivan, from Burdette, Arkansas, shared their experience with rowed rice production.  Their family operation has had good results with furrow irrigated rice, with a great data set that facilitated their decision to significantly increase their row rice acreage for this irrigation season.  Row rice production is not a new concept, but as seen throughout the conference, has new-found interest in the mid-south.  

The greatest water saving technique in mid-south rice production still goes to Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) on zero grade fields.  AWD allows irrigation water to subside down to a level of mud, then is reflooded during the growing season.  This technique not only significantly decreases water usage, it also decreases the greenhouse gasses emitted, and can allow access into the carbon market, which could eventually bring additional income to a rice farming entity. 

Another popular topic of discussion throughout the rice sessions was the USA Rice and Ducks Unlimited partnership's successful acquisition of and implementation of mid-south Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) funding.  The USA Rice and Ducks Unlimited partnership challenges producers to improve their irrigation efficiency, while mitigating some of the risk from deploying change by offering financial assistance for new, continually improving irrigation procedures that will lead to more sustainable rice production.    

"Although we are fortunate in our county, being right beside the Mississippi River, to not have a water shortage like others do, we still want to be proactive and use the least amount of water we can to grow our rice," says Ryan Sullivan.  "Ducks Unlimited and USA Rice have been terrific in partnering with all of these new irrigation methods to reduce water usage and greenhouse gases.  The other huge part of this program is holding the rain water for the ducks all winter.  There have been ducks in fields around here that I have never seen them in before, and it's all because of RCCP."

Farmers fuss over fertiliser, machines

Luisa Qiolevu
Wednesday, February 08, 2017

Farming machines at the agriculture dredge in Labasa yesterday. Picture: LUISA QIOLEVU

THE Ministry of Agriculture has dismissed claims by northern farmers that they are mismanaging equipment and fertiliser meant for them.Farmers in the North claim that machinery and fertiliser meant for their use had been at the Ministry of Agriculture dredging facility in the North and as a result have been written off.Responding to concerns raised by farmers through this newspaper the ministry's principal agricultural officer North, Paula Tuione, explained the fertiliser was purchased as part of Government's two third and one third initiative to assist farmers.

He explained the farmers wanted the fertiliser free.

He also advised concerned farmers that machines at the facility were the property of the ministry which they would use later.Earlier on farmers labelled the ministry's inability to distribute rice fertiliser and machinery as a waste of resources that the ministry could not afford.Farmers claim that machinery and fertiliser was meant for them and was at the agricultural facility.Speaking on behalf of the rice farmers in Qelewaqa, Sudama Nand said they were tired of waiting for the Agriculture Ministry to provide them with assistance over the past years.

"Instead we have been told every time that the ministry is working on our requests and that it would take some time because the ministry has scarce resources," he said.

Rice farmer, Karishma Deo said farmers could not sit back and let people waste Governments funds while farmers suffered.Qelewaqa rice farmer Rishi Deo said when they visited the station this year they discovered the pile of manure and machines at the facility.He said he had been asking for a ploughing machine and fertiliser from the ministry

USA

Second call for rice exports

 

The Ministry of Agriculture is calling on rice millers to apply for a second round of quality checks for exports to China after only 28 local rice mills, out of 60 which applied for inspection in the first round, passed last year.Rice mills have until the end of the month if they want a share of the 200,000-metric ton allocation to which the Chinese government has agreed for this year.Hean Vanhan, the newly appointed general-director of the ministry’s general department of agriculture, said all local rice mills can apply for the inspection.  

 

“Those who failed in the first round can re-apply if they improve and follow our guidelines, as we told them earlier, because we are strict on quality and hygiene and on products that don’t affect consumers’ health,” he said.“After our evaluation, we will send the list to our Chinese counterpart for the last check to approve the number of millers that qualify,” he said.The ministry started their inspection of the 60 millers in October. In November, Chinese experts inspected the quality and safety of the 28 successful rice mills during a week-long visit to Cambodia. All of them passed.However, of the 28 millers, only 18 have been given the green light to start exporting to China, the CRF said in December.

 

The CRF said it and the state-owned enterprise Green Trade Company played a role in facilitating exports and sending the list of qualified local rice mills to China.“After a discussion between the Chinese company COFCO, CRF and Green Trade from December 15 to 17 in Beijing, the three parties agreed to allow the first 18 local rice mills to start fulfilling the export quota as most of these companies have experience exporting rice to China in the past,” the CRF said.CRF vice president Hun Lak said yesterday that the remaining 10 companies that passed inspection were still not sufficiently qualified.

 

He said the millers who had started exporting had complied with the needs and standards of buyers in China because they had a good relationship with each other.“On the other hand, it’s not possible for rice millers who just produce to meet their own requirements and think they can export to China,” Mr. Lak said.“They have to produce to meet the standards and comply with the requirements of the Chinese market.“For that reason, we got requests from other millers for a second round of quality checking. If they comply with the standard required, they will pass and can proceed to export,” he added.Mr. Vanhan said that even though mills passed all the quality checks, the ministry’s technical team still conducted onsite spot checks to ensure the standard of the products.

 

Cambodia’s milled rice exports only grew by 0.7 percent last year to 542,144 metric tons compared with 2015, according to data from the Agriculture Ministry

http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/35211/second-call-for-rice-exports/

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Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- February 07, 2017

Tue Feb 7, 2017 | 1:57pm IST 

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-February 7

Nagpur, Feb 7 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices suffered heavily in Nagpur Agriculture Producing

and Marketing Committee (APMC) auctions on lack of demand from local millers amid increased

arrival from producing belts. Downward trend in Madhya Pradesh pulses prices and release of

stock from stockists also pushed down prices in limited deals, according to sources.

    FOODGRAINS & PULSES

   GRAM

   * Gram varieties ruled steady here but demand was in weak trading activity.  

   TUAR

   * Tuar gavarani declined further in open market here on lack of demand from local 

     traders amid good overseas arrival.

   * Udid varieties and lakhodi dal showed weak tendency in open market on lack of demand 

     from local traders amid increased arrival from producing belts.    

   * In Akola, Tuar New – 4,100-4,550, Tuar dal (clean) – 7,000-7,300, Udid - 

     6,400-6,800, Udid Mogar (clean) – 8,200-8,800, Moong – 

     5,600-5,900, Moong Mogar (clean) 6,400-6,700, Gram – 5,000-5,500, 

     Gram Super best bold – 8,500-8,700 for 100 kg.

   * Wheat, rice and other commodities moved in a narrow range in 

     scattered deals, settled at last levels in thin trading activity. 

 Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg

     FOODGRAINS                 Available prices     Previous close   

     Gram Auction                     4,000-5,050         4,400-5,300

     Gram Pink Auction            n.a.           2,100-2,600

     Tuar Auction                4,800-5,140         4,900-5,200

     Moong Auction                n.a.                6,400-6,600

     Udid Auction                n.a.           4,300-4,500

     Masoor Auction                n.a.              2,600-2,800

     Gram Super Best Bold            8,500-9,000        8,500-9,000

     Gram Super Best            n.a.            n.a.

     Gram Medium Best            8,000-8,200        8,000-8,200

     Gram Dal Medium            n.a.            n.a

     Gram Mill Quality            6,200-6,700        6,200-6,700

     Desi gram Raw                5,600-5,900         5,600-5,900

     Gram Yellow                 9,000-9,500        9,000-9,500

     Gram Kabuli                11,600-12,800        11,600-12,800

     Gram Pink                        9,000-9,400        9,000-9,400    

     Tuar Fataka Best-New             7,300-7,600        7,300-7,600

     Tuar Fataka Medium-New        6,500-7,000        6,500-7,000

     Tuar Dal Best Phod-New        6,000-6,300        6,000-6,300

     Tuar Dal Medium phod-New        5,500-5,900        5,500-5,900

     Tuar Gavarani New             4,500-4,700        4,600-4,800

     Tuar Karnataka             4,700-5,000        4,700-5,000

     Masoor dal best            5,600-5,800        5,600-5,800

     Masoor dal medium            5,400-5,500        5,400-5,500

     Masoor                    n.a.            n.a.

     Moong Mogar bold (New)        6,600-7,000         6,600-7,000

     Moong Mogar Medium            6,100-6,300        6,100-6,300

     Moong dal Chilka            5,600-6,200        5,600-6,300

     Moong Mill quality            n.a.            n.a.

     Moong Chamki best            6,100-6,500        6,100-6,700

     Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 8,500-9,000       8,600-9,100 

     Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG)    7,800-8,200        8,000-8,300    

     Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG)        4,900-5,200        5,000-5,300     

     Batri dal (100 INR/KG)        5,500-6,000        5,500-6,000

     Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg)          3,800-4,000         3,800-4,200

     Watana Dal (100 INR/KG)            3,000-3,100        3,000-3,100

     Watana White (100 INR/KG)           3,200-3,400           3,200-3,400

     Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG)    3,800-4,300        3,800-4,300   

     Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG)        1,900-2,000        1,900-2,000

     Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG)    2,050-2,150        2,050-2,150   

     Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG)         1,900-2,100           1,900-2,100         

     Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG)    2,300-2,450        2,300-2,450    

     Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG)   2,100-2,250        2,100-2,250

     Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG)    n.a.            n.a.

     MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG)    3,600-4,200        3,400-4,000    

     MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG)    2,900-3,100        2,600-3,000           

     Rice BPT best New(100 INR/KG)    3,200-3,700        3,200-3,700    

     Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG)        2,800-2,900        2,800-2,900    

     Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG)         2,400-2,800        2,400-2,800

     Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG)      2,600-2,800        2,600-2,800   

     Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG)      2,400-2,500        2,400-2,500   

     Rice HMT best New (100 INR/KG)    4,000-4,500        4,000-4,500    

     Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG)        3,300-3,700        3,300-3,700    

     Rice Shriram best New(100 INR/KG)    5,200-5,600        5,200-5,600 

     Rice Shriram med New(100 INR/KG)    4,700-5,100        4,700-5,100   

     Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG)    9,700-13,500        9,700-13,500     

     Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG)    6,700-8,200        6,700-8,200    

     Rice Chinnor best New(100 INR/KG)    5,800-6,200        5,800-6,200    

     Rice Chinnor med. New (100 INR/KG)    5,400-5,600        5,400-5,600    

     Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG)        2,000-2,300        2,000-2,300    

     Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG)         1,900-2,000        1,900-2,000

WEATHER (NAGPUR)  

Maximum temp. 33.5 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 14.6 degree Celsius 

Rainfall : Nil

FORECAST: Mainly clear 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)

http://in.reuters.com/article/nagpur-foodgrain-idINL4N1FS2U2

Dry spell to cut rice yield by half

MONDAY FEBRUARY 6 2017

A farmer harvests rice at Mwea Irrigation scheme in Kirinyaga. Production has sharply gone down following long-running drought. FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

·        The National Irrigation Board (NIB) acting general manager Mugambi Gitonga said yields will drop from an annual production of 150,000 tonnes to 70,000 tonnes.

·        The decline will affect growers who normally produce rice worth Sh7 billion every year.

·        Kenya’s rice consumption has been growing every year by 10 per cent and now it stands at 400,000 tonnes annually.

·        The country produces 150,000 tonnes in a year while the deficit of 250,000 is imported from world’s major producers.

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By GERALD ANDAE

The current drought will cut rice production by half  piling more pressure on the already worsening food crisis in the country.

Mwea irrigation scheme, which accounts for 80 per cent of Kenya’s rice production has now dried up.

The National Irrigation Board (NIB) acting general manager Mugambi Gitonga said yields will drop from an annual production of 150,000 tonnes to 70,000 tonnes.

The decline will affect growers who normally produce rice worth Sh7 billion every year.

Mr Gitonga said rivers Thiba and Nyamindi, which supply the scheme with water have registered a significant decline in volumes.

He said River Thiba, whose flow on a normal season is six cubic metres per second, is now flowing at about two cubic metres per second while Nyamindi’s flow is at one cubic metre per second. Mwea scheme requires a total flow of seven cubic metres for effective production.

“This year we are going to register a decline in production of rice because of the severe weather condition that has affected the flow of water from the two rivers that supply Mwea scheme,” said Mr Gitonga.

Growing consumption

Kenya’s rice consumption has been growing every year by 10 per cent and now it stands at 400,000 tonnes annually.

The country produces 150,000 tonnes in a year while the deficit of 250,000 is imported from world’s major producers.

The shortage has seen the price of rice go up with a kilogramme that is sourced directly from the factory now costing Sh130 from Sh90 last year. 

NIB plans to build a Sh16 billion Thiba Dam in Mwea. Mr Gitonga said the reservoir will play a key role in addressing the current challenges.

Apart from ensuring the continuous floor of water through out, the new dam will also see farmers diversify from growing rice, the only major cash crop in the region, to other produce such as horticulture.

The project will generate enough water for farming and expand the existing Mwea irrigation scheme’s acreage to 6,600 acres.

Expanded irrigation

The project will establish a reservoir to hold 15.6 million cubic metres of water for the expanded irrigation project, which will see farmers plant crops twice per year.

About 95 per cent of the land earmarked for the dam has been cleared to pave the way for the dam following government compensation of owners.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide Sh10 billion for the project with the government putting in the balance of Sh6 billion.

NIB has been expanding irrigation schemes to help small-scale farmers reduce over-reliance on rain-fed agriculture and boost the country’s food production.

According to the Economic Survey 2016, Kenya’s expenditure on irrigation development grew from Sh764 million in 2012 to Sh12.5 billion last year, underscoring the importance the government has attached to the sector.

gandae@ke.nationmedia.com

http://www.nation.co.ke/lifestyle/smartcompany/Dry-spell-to-cut-rice-yield-by-half/1226-3802104-pdd7vnz/

South Korean government rice decision will impact feed wheat imports: USDA

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By Aerin Einstein-CurtisAerin Einstein-Curtis

07-Feb-20172017-02-07T00:00:00Z
Last updated on 07-Feb-2017 at 10:57 GMT2017-02-07T10:57:23Z

Despite an upturn in rice feeding in South Korea, US feed corn imports are expected to stay steady for that Asian country, says the USDA.

In a report published by the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service last week, officials said an increase in the use of feed rice in South Korea is expected to limit the call for feed wheat, although not feed corn.

“The government of Korea has approved the use of 470,000 metric tons (MT) (milled basis) of rice stocks for feed use in calendar year (CY) 2017, a quantity more than five times larger than in CY 2016,” the USDA reported. “This policy will have the effect of increasing rice prices and depleting old and deteriorating stocks, but it will also lead to a decrease in the overall demand for other feed grains.”

Rice changes

The shift in feed grain use there is anticipated to influence wheat imports.

“Feed producers are expected to use a lower quantity of feed grade wheat in marketing year (MY) 2016/17, as an additional quantity of rice is added to the blend of feed grains,” wrote the USDA authors.

The move was predicated by “higher than average” yield in the rice crop for several years, they said. Additionally, there are efforts to reduce harvested area and promote alternative crop growth.

Feed wheat market

“Due to the relative price competitiveness of feed grade corn over feed grade wheat, Post forecasts lower consumption and imports for feed grade wheat in MY 2016/17 relative to previous projections,” said the USDA team. “Meanwhile, the projections for consumption and corn imports in MY 2016/17 remain unchanged.”

Feed grade wheat has been less price competitive than feed grade corn since November 2016, leading to fewer new contracts for wheat, wrote the US agency.

“The price disparity between these commodities has widened since November 2016, which is expected to reduce the number of upcoming contracts for feed wheat in the remainder of the marketing year,” noted the USDA report. “As of early January 2017, Korean feed millers have completed contracts for delivery of feed grade wheat for the first nine months of MY 2016/2017 (July/June) of approximately 1.5m MT.”

Compound feed production 

Meanwhile, MY 2016/17 compound feed production in South Korea is revised down by 400,000 MT from the initial forecast to 19M MT, after a recent recurrence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) sharply cut the total poultry inventory by around 19%.  

Compound feed production for MY 2015/16 was recorded at 19.4m MT, up about 2% from the year earlier mainly due to continuing growth in poultry, swine and other livestock sectors, partly offsetting reduced demand from both beef and dairy cattle operations, said the US agency.

Feed corn was the primary ingredient used in poultry and swine compound feed, accounting for about 40% of total ingredients.  This number is down about two percentage points from the previous year, with an increasing proportion of feed wheat used, noted the officials. 

Corn consumption for MY 2016/17 remains unchanged from the previous forecast of 9.9m MT, consisting of 7.6m MT for feed and 2.3m MT for food, seed and industrial (FSI) purposes.  The demand for corn used for compound feed production will remain unchanged at 7.6m MT, reported the US agency.   

Corn imports are predicted to reach 9.8m MT,  a drop of 3% from the previous year, wrote the authors. “The MY 2016/17 forecast for US corn exports to Korea remain unchanged from Post’s previous forecast at 3m tons, expecting a greater supply of competitively priced corn originating from both South America and the Black Sea region,” they added.