Scholarship
Winner Visits USA Rice
ARLINGTON, VA -- If you're Ana Little-Saña from San
Diego, California, and one of your assignments as a high school senior is to
research and apply for five different scholarships, you don't just google
"scholarships," you google "fun, eclectic, unique, and weird
scholarships." Because Little-Saña believes in heading down the road
less traveled. If she has a comfort zone, you can bet she's going to
break out of it.
And the National Rice Month (NRM) Scholarship Video Contest she found online was definitely a departure for this student growing up in the San Diego suburbs who knew nothing about agriculture. But with a little groundwork and a lot of creativity, Little-Saña produced an award-winning video for last year's first ever NRM scholarship video contest.
The money she received from Dow Agro-Sciences helped Little-Saña trade her picture perfect San Diego lifestyle for the more challenging climate and environment of Washington, DC, as she chose to study at George Washington University (GWU), located across the Potomac River from the USA Rice office here.
Little-Saña is in her second semester at GWU where she's majoring in political science, is a Cisneros Scholar with a commitment to leadership and community service, and currently has an internship at the Truman Center for National Policy.
What little free time Little-Saña has is either spent competing on the GWU intramural water polo team or exploring the many facets of Washington DC. "Our school doesn't have a dining hall but we have a meal card that is accepted at a lot of different restaurants around the city," said Saña. "I make a point to get out of the geographic comfort zone around GWU and discover new places to eat while checking out unfamiliar parts of town."
Earlier this week, Little-Saña added to her favorite restaurants list when she made the trek from GWU to USA Rice and shared a sushi lunch with USA Rice staff. From her research, Little-Saña remembered that most sushi rise consumed in the U.S. is produced in her home state of California. She also said her mother's family, who live in Spain, has an affinity for U.S.-grown rice even though Spain has its own rice growing region. reminder that doing the unexpected and going against the grain runs in the Little-Saña family!
Another
And the National Rice Month (NRM) Scholarship Video Contest she found online was definitely a departure for this student growing up in the San Diego suburbs who knew nothing about agriculture. But with a little groundwork and a lot of creativity, Little-Saña produced an award-winning video for last year's first ever NRM scholarship video contest.
The money she received from Dow Agro-Sciences helped Little-Saña trade her picture perfect San Diego lifestyle for the more challenging climate and environment of Washington, DC, as she chose to study at George Washington University (GWU), located across the Potomac River from the USA Rice office here.
Little-Saña is in her second semester at GWU where she's majoring in political science, is a Cisneros Scholar with a commitment to leadership and community service, and currently has an internship at the Truman Center for National Policy.
What little free time Little-Saña has is either spent competing on the GWU intramural water polo team or exploring the many facets of Washington DC. "Our school doesn't have a dining hall but we have a meal card that is accepted at a lot of different restaurants around the city," said Saña. "I make a point to get out of the geographic comfort zone around GWU and discover new places to eat while checking out unfamiliar parts of town."
Earlier this week, Little-Saña added to her favorite restaurants list when she made the trek from GWU to USA Rice and shared a sushi lunch with USA Rice staff. From her research, Little-Saña remembered that most sushi rise consumed in the U.S. is produced in her home state of California. She also said her mother's family, who live in Spain, has an affinity for U.S.-grown rice even though Spain has its own rice growing region. reminder that doing the unexpected and going against the grain runs in the Little-Saña family!
Another
Rough Rice
FuturesSettlements
All market data
contained within the CME Group website should be considered as a reference only
and should not be used as validation against, nor as a complement to, real-time
market data feeds. Settlement prices on instruments without open interest or
volume are provided for web users only and are not published on Market Data
Platform (MDP). These prices are not based on market activity.
·
|
Month
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Open
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High
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Low
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Last
|
Change
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Settle
|
Estimated Volume
|
Prior Day Open Interest
|
|
·
Last
Updated: Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 06:00 PM
|
||||||||
|
MAR 18
|
12.200
|
12.200
|
11.950
|
11.975
|
-.300
|
11.950
|
750
|
5,201
|
|
MAY 18
|
12.435
|
12.435
|
12.185
|
12.210
|
-.300
|
12.185
|
478
|
3,063
|
|
JLY 18
|
12.600
|
12.600
|
12.420
|
12.440B
|
-.315
|
12.415
|
61
|
796
|
|
SEP 18
|
11.900
|
11.985
|
11.825
|
11.845A
|
-.170
|
11.785
|
17
|
684
|
|
NOV 18
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-.170
|
11.645
|
0
|
0
|
|
JAN 19
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-.170
|
11.645
|
0
|
0
|
|
MAR 19
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-.170
|
11.645
|
0
|
0
|
|
Total
|
1,306
|
9,744
|
||||||
Grains Commentary
0:00
/
http://www.cmegroup.com/trading/agricultural/grain-and-oilseed/rough-rice_quotes_settlements_futures.htmlFEBRUARY
15, 2018 / 11:25 PM / UPDATED 16 HOURS AGO
Wild crops could save chickpeas from being blitzed, scientists say
Thin Lei Win
3 MIN READ
ROME (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - They are nutritious, versatile
and a dietary staple for millions of people from South Asia to Ethiopia, but
scientists have warned that the humble chickpea is under threat from climate
impacts such as higher temperatures, drought and pests.
The key to saving the chickpea could lie with a project
cross-breeding domestic and wild varieties - found only in southeastern Turkey
near the border with war-torn Syria - said a study published this week in the
journal Nature Communications.
Unlike domestic crops, which receive dedicated care in the form of
fertilisers and pesticides, their wild relatives are able to adapt to changing
conditions, according to scientists.
“It will take another five years before it’s in the hands of a
farmer in Ethiopia ... but we are well on the road to being there,” Eric J. B.
von Wettberg, a plant geneticist at the University of Vermont, told the Thomson
Reuters Foundation.
He said researchers were working with the International Crops
Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), an India-based
agricultural research body, to ensure that the resilient seeds make it to
market once they are available.
About one in five people globally depend on legumes such as
chickpeas as their primary source of protein, Von Wettberg said.
He called for better protection for and conservation of wild
varieties of crops, which could have traits that would allow them to survive
and thrive under climate pressures.
“They (wild crops) may be our most potent weapon against climate
change,” said Chikelu Mba, plant geneticist at the United Nations’ Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO).
“They are irreplaceable,” he said by phone, adding that chickpeas
were vital for nutrition in many developing countries.
Scientists are also assessing wild rice varietals to combat climate
change, with one species growing in northern Australia’s crocodile-infested
waters raising hope for a more nutritious grain that is drought- and
pest-resistant.
Reporting By Thin Lei Win @thinink, Editing by Robert Carmichael
and Kieran Guilbert; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the
charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's
rights, corruption and climate change. Visit www.trust.org
The benefits of rice water
for hair and skin
by Neeti Jaychander
| February 15, 2018, 10:00 AM IST
·
·
This age-old magic beauty ingredient has seen a revival in recent times! So what is rice water exactly, you may ask? Quite simply, rice water is the water that is left over once rice is either soaked or boiled in it. You can either soak the uncooked rice in water and use the residue, or boil rice in twice the amount of cooking water that you normally need, and use the remaining water once done.
It is preferable to use
organic rice, clean filtered water, and rinse the rice thoroughly before use to
get rid of any topical pollutants and pesticides. White rice is preferred over
brown or red rice – since the water from the former has more extensive
benefits.
How long has it been used?
The Chinese village of
Huangluo, home to native Red Yao women, is in the Guinness Book of Records as
the ‘world’s longest hair village’. The women here boast long, lustrous and
healthy hair that is consistently maintained. The villagers believe that it is
a symbol of luck, longevity and prosperity. So what is the secret to their
fabulously-maintained hair? An ancient but extremely simple Chinese remedy –
rice water! This magic potion, used as a natural shampoo and rinse for
centuries now, clearly works wonders. In fact, women usually don’t start
graying until they’re almost eighty years old! But China doesn’t hold monopoly
over rice water. Around 1,200 years ago, women in Japan – especially those at
the Imperial Court – used rice water to rinse their hair as well as wash their
face. This solution was highly acclaimed and termed ‘Yu-Su-Ru’. Geishas
especially used it, to keep their skin smooth, even-toned and supple. Even
Korea (which has now seen a revival in traditional beauty techniques) and other
South East Asian countries like Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia have a history
of using rice water as a key beauty supplement. So why is this simple
ingredient such a potent solution, and how can you harness its benefits today?
Let’s take a look.
What does it contain?
Rice water has a multitude
of components with nutritional value for the skin and hair. Around 16 percent
of these are proteins, the building blocks essential to cell health.
Triglycerides and lipids each make up 10 percent of the rice water composition,
while starch (an extract still used in Japanese cosmetics), is present at 9
percent. Carbohydrates, inositol, phytic acid and inorganic substances are
other components in rice water. This is what you get when you boil an average
handful of white rice in two cups of hot water, and strain out the residue
liquid.
What are its skin benefits?
Over the years, various
studies have been testimony to the fact that rice water, part of Asia’s
culinary legacy, is also part of its beauty legacy. And for good reason. There
are several benefits to using rice water for the skin. In 2002, a study from
the Department of Toxicology at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium
determined that patients with skin conditions like inflammation, rashes and dermatitis
benefitted greatly from taking a bath in rice water twice a day. So people with
sensitive skins, rejoice! It is the most natural astringent you can ever
imagine, thanks to its high starch content. It is also a natural sunscreen,
protecting from the harmful effects of UV rays. In addition, rice water can be
used to treat sunburns. Just apply it on sun-damaged skin, and it will help
your skin recover faster. It also helps tighten open pores. Skin texture is
greatly improved, and elasticity is restored, especially in the case of dry and
dehydrated skin. Rice water is rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E,
flavanoids and phenolic compounds. In addition, it contains ferulic acid and
allantoin, all of which are necessary for skin function. One of the key functions
of rice water is brighter skin and an even skin tone. If you dip a cotton ball
in fermented rice water and massage it into your face, it really works wonders.
You’ll find sunspots, pigmentation, hyperpigmentation and freckles lightening.
Not only does it promote cell growth and regeneration, keeping your skin supple
and smooth, it also has antioxidants, which keep various skin cancers at bay
and also act as an anti-ageing agent. You can even use it as a bath soak – just
add two cups of rice water into regular water that’s in your bath rub, and
finish up with a few drops of lavender essential oil. Soak for about half an
hour to reap the skin benefits of rice water all over the body, while the
lavender lulls you into a comfortable sleep-like state.
What are the hair benefits?
In 2010, a study was
published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science, where researchers
clearly stated that using rice water as a hair treatment offered several
benefits including improved elasticity, texture and lesser friction and frizz.
This is largely due to the presence of inositol, a carbohydrate. Using it as a
shampoo to wash out your hair may not be as convenient as a store bought
shampoo, but it comes without chemicals and preservatives, and you don’t even need
to follow it up with a conditioner. Rice water keeps your hair’s natural oils
intact and its pH levels are similar to that of the scalp! For added benefits,
a few drops of your preferred essential oils can be added to rice water, and
this mix can replace your regular shampoo.
What is pitera – the magic ingredient?
To make the solution more
potent, allow it to ferment for a day or two – it may smell funny, but this
will definitely give you an added benefits. Fermented rice water is the elixir
of youth! It contains pitera, a natural byproduct that boosts cell
regeneration. It is rich in minerals, vitamins and amino acids, all of which
are essential to anti-ageing. This ingredient has been rediscovered by
scientists recently, and is all the rage in keeping skin youthful. To give you
an example, sake, a Japanese fermented rice liquor is based on pretty much the
same principles as rice water. It was found that workers at a sake factory had
exceptionally youthful hands compared to the rest of their skin! Upon further
investigation, it was discovered that the pitera found in fermented rice water
and its offshoots, was responsible for this miraculous occurrence.
What are the other ways it helps?
Including rice water in your diet is beneficial in more ways than one. It can cure a number of ills such as stomach infections, gastric problems and nausea. It improves gut health drastically, which in turn reflects on the outside, giving you smooth and radiant skin. Rice water is also used extensively across Asian cultures for babies who are weaning off nursing, to settle their stomachs. Drinking it up is a natural cure for eczema, fever and other bacterial infections. Rice water is full of energy, with a low-cal but high-carb way of providing your body with the boost it needs to get through the day effectively. In south India, Kanji, a fermented gruel made from rice water is part of the daily staple diet, especially among farmers and agriculturists. In the hot tropical summers, it prevents dehydration, replenishing lost nutrients and reducing chances of ailments. To prepare Kanji, cook a cup of rice in four cups water. Once the rice is semi-cooked, strain out the water, add some salt if required, and drink up. Your body will thank you for it, and so will your skin. Kanji can also be made from brown and red rice variants, depending on your taste and preferences. Just remember to keep it organic as much as possible.
Including rice water in your diet is beneficial in more ways than one. It can cure a number of ills such as stomach infections, gastric problems and nausea. It improves gut health drastically, which in turn reflects on the outside, giving you smooth and radiant skin. Rice water is also used extensively across Asian cultures for babies who are weaning off nursing, to settle their stomachs. Drinking it up is a natural cure for eczema, fever and other bacterial infections. Rice water is full of energy, with a low-cal but high-carb way of providing your body with the boost it needs to get through the day effectively. In south India, Kanji, a fermented gruel made from rice water is part of the daily staple diet, especially among farmers and agriculturists. In the hot tropical summers, it prevents dehydration, replenishing lost nutrients and reducing chances of ailments. To prepare Kanji, cook a cup of rice in four cups water. Once the rice is semi-cooked, strain out the water, add some salt if required, and drink up. Your body will thank you for it, and so will your skin. Kanji can also be made from brown and red rice variants, depending on your taste and preferences. Just remember to keep it organic as much as possible.
Is it used in store-bought cosmetics?
Japanese and South Korean
cosmetic giants have been using rice water and pitera in their cosmetics, and
marketing them as combining the best of science and nature. Several high-end
brands now feature this key ingredient, technologically modified to fit into a
bottle of serum or face wash. While we recommend you try the undiluted, freshly
made version everyday, there is no denying that store-bought versions come with
benefits too. Firstly, the shelf life is longer, and you don’t need to keep
making a fresh batch every couple of days – which can be a pain if you’re
hard-pressed for time. Secondly, it comes with a multitude of other
ingredients, which offer a holistic, all-round benefit in one product. Thirdly,
if you go to a reputed cosmetic company, you’re assured of the quality of rice
water used, and won’t really need to worry about what brand of rice to pick up
from the supermarket! Just remember to do your homework before you pick up any
product, make sure it is suited to your skin type and also provides the
benefits that you would like for your skin.
What are its environmental implications?
When you use rice water,
you are using a by-product of boiling rice – and this is a single ingredient
trick, which means you’re not really digging into anything else. What’s more,
you don’t have to deal with the implications of using disposable plastic waste
that just reaches landfills, and you can spare the earth of that many more
toxins and toxic waste. If you actually cook for a cartload of people, don’t
even throw away the water used to rinse the rice – you can even just store it
in a bucket and use it to bathe your body. Also, rice water costs virtually
nothing! Instead of opting for expensive store-bought serums and toners, just
use this really affordable (read, free!) DIY product and you’ll find you don’t
really need to clutter your bathroom shelf with much else.
What are the cons?
Rice water is not a
miracle cure, but a slow, healing process. While you’ll see visible benefits
using it for a few days or even weeks, to reap its real benefits means making a
lifestyle change. It’ll need to be a part of your daily routine just as much as
eating breakfast or brushing your teeth. Also, try to get certified organic
white rice, since non-organic versions may have extensive traces of dirt,
pollutants, bacteria and pesticides that you are privy to, resulting in skin
problems like eczema and so on. Since the product is homemade, it doesn’t
contain preservatives. So you’ll need to keep an eye out for when it’s going
bad and whip up a fresh batch every couple of days.
Celeb speak
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is
one celebrity who swears by rice water. Whenever her skin needs a little
pick-me-up, she opts for a rice water facial, massaging concentrated amounts
into her skin and letting it sit for a while, which is her secret to youthful
and radiant skin. She also takes it one step further, mixing it up with rice
flour for an exfoliating scrub. Internationally, London-based facialist Su-Man
Hsu boasts a clientele that includes Juliette Binoche, Anne Hathaway and Freida
Pinto, and makes her own skincare products. A key ingredient in this Taiwanese
facialist’s anti-ageing kit is rice water. She goes back to beauty recipes that
her mother and grandmother used, for inspiration.
Face packs to try out
- Mix 2 tbsp rice water
with a tbsp of ground gramflour and a teaspoon of honey. Mix well and apply all
over face and neck. Rinse with lukewarm water after 20 minutes and pat dry.
This pack helps get rid of suntans and facial impurities caused by pollutants.
- For a probiotic face mask, take half a cup of curd and mix 2 tsp rice water into it. Let it sit for ten minutes. Then apply all over face and neck, and leave on for 10 minutes. Wipe with a wet washcloth and pat dry. This pack has anti-ageing and skin firming benefits.
- Mix half a cup of rice water with half a mashed banana in a blender. Add a few drops of castor oil and apply all over face, including a very thin, careful layer under the eyes. Dip some cotton wool in a teaspoon of rice water and slowly remove the pack. Once every inch of the paste has come off, splash water on your face and pat dry. For tired and dull looking skin, this pack is ideal.
- Here’s a real treat! This antioxidant scrub will have your skin glowing in no time. Add 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder to a tbsp of rice water and mix well. Scrub this into the skin in slow upward strokes. Then rise well and pat dry with a towel.
Photos: Shutterstock
- For a probiotic face mask, take half a cup of curd and mix 2 tsp rice water into it. Let it sit for ten minutes. Then apply all over face and neck, and leave on for 10 minutes. Wipe with a wet washcloth and pat dry. This pack has anti-ageing and skin firming benefits.
- Mix half a cup of rice water with half a mashed banana in a blender. Add a few drops of castor oil and apply all over face, including a very thin, careful layer under the eyes. Dip some cotton wool in a teaspoon of rice water and slowly remove the pack. Once every inch of the paste has come off, splash water on your face and pat dry. For tired and dull looking skin, this pack is ideal.
- Here’s a real treat! This antioxidant scrub will have your skin glowing in no time. Add 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder to a tbsp of rice water and mix well. Scrub this into the skin in slow upward strokes. Then rise well and pat dry with a towel.
Photos: Shutterstock
Lullaby Gets govt import rice at most
unfortunate time
A rice seller in Senen market in Jakarta on Jan. 2. 2017.
(Antara Photo/Sigid Kurniawan)
By : Adinda Normala | on 1:08 PM January 17, 2018
Category : Business, Commodities, Featured
Category : Business, Commodities, Featured
Jakarta. Different databases kept by Indonesia's agriculture and
trade ministries were allegedly the main culprit in the government's late
decision to import rice so close to a harvest season — a decision roundly
criticized by farmers for putting pressure on the price of local rice.
"The government had trusted
the data put forward by the Agriculture Ministry, wrongly so," Dwi
Santosa, a professor from Bogor Institute of Agriculture, told the Jakarta
Globe on Tuesday (16/01).
Agriculture Minister Amran
Sulaiman said last month the country had produced more rice than it needed last
year, meeting President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's target of rice
self-sufficiency.
But the price of rice in the market tells a different story.
Trade Ministry data showed that on Jan. 12, medium quality rice cost Rp 11,500
($0.93) per kilogram, above the recommended retail price of Rp 9,450 set by the
ministry.
The Agriculture Ministry said
January’s rice production is expected to reach 2.8 million tons, more than the
monthly consumption of around 2.5 million tons.
But the Trade Ministry's number
is different, with rice production in the same month expected at a much lower
900,000 tons.
Dwi said the country’s rice stock
started to fall in July-September last year, after a lean harvest season caused
by infestation in several parts of the country, including in Indonesia's
biggest rice bowl, East Java.
"The Indonesian Farmers'
Seed Bank Association [AB2TI] has been encouraging the government to start
importing rice since last year," Dwi said.
Dwi said the timing of the
current rice import is less than ideal since local farmers expect a major rice
harvest in the first quarter of this year.
Importing rice so close to
harvest season may cause a "price collapse" for local rice.
Dwi strongly recommended that
rice import should arrive in the first two weeks of February so as to not
interfere with local rice harvest.
Import Plans
The Indonesian government has
decided it will import 500,000 tons of medium quality rice by the end of
January to boost the country’s stockpile.
Coordinating Economics Minister
Darmin Nasution said on Monday the buffer rice stock at national procurement
agency Bulog tops out at 875,000 tons, not enough to keep the price of rice
stable until the next harvest season.
"We need to import rice to
protect not only consumers but also farmers," Darmin said in a press
conference.
Indonesia's rice import will come
from its traditional suppliers Vietnam and Thailand, but no shipment plan has
been decided.
The head of Indonesia's Central
Statistics Agency (BPS), Suhariyanto, warned the government to keep price
rice under control if it wants inflation to stay under the 2018 state budget's
target of 3.5 percent.
"The rising price of rise is
worrisome. The government needs to keep food price volatility down,"
Suhariyanto said.
BPS data showed the price of rice
was the fourth biggest contributor to national inflation last year, accounting
for 0.16 of the total 3.61 percent.
How to Avoid Data Disparity
The government has asked BPS and
the Technology Assessment and Application Agency (BPPT) to compile data on rice
production in harvest areas to be used as the main references for Bulog's
database.
"This should prevent
over-optimistic prediction of rice production," BPS head Suhariyanto
said.
The government will also release
a one-map policy in August which will contain data on planting areas and
irrigation.
Task teams will be formed to
verify data and minimize mistakes in estimating rice production.
The issue of rice import has been
a thorn in the side for President Jokowi, who wants to keep food prices down —
rice import will help this — but also wants to pursue the agenda of rice
self-sufficiency to protect farmers.
BPS data showed Jokowi's administration
has already imported 2.9 million tons of rice worth Rp 16.6 trillion from 2014
to 2017.
Rice consumption in Indonesia is
among the highest in the world, with each Indonesian consuming 114 kilograms
every year.
In comparison, average annual
rice consumption in Vietnam is at 191 kg per person, in Thailand 147 kg, in
India 78 kg and in China 75 kg, according to data compiled by the Organization
for Economic Cooperation and Development in 2016.
http://jakartaglobe.id/business/lullaby-gets-govt-import-rice-at-most-unfortunate-time/
Bangladesh
scraps Thai rice deal
·
15
Feb 2018 at 20:30
·
WRITER: REUTERS
BENGALURU, India: Bangladesh scrapped a plan to import Thai
rice, citing delays in finalising a deal, as rice prices in India and Thailand
fell this week, pressured by sluggish overseas demand.
Bangladesh, which has emerged as a major importer of rice since
2017 after floods damaged its crops, scrapped a plan to import 150,000 tonnes
of rice from Thailand, agreed at $465 a tonne in October.
"We had to cancel it as they were taking too long to
finalise the deal. We're getting supplies from neighbouring India ... At the
same time, we are getting good response in our local procurement
drive," Badrul Hasan, head of the state grains buyer, told Reuters.
In India, prices for 5% broken parboiled rice fell by $12 to
$420-$424 a tonne, having touched their highest since September 2011 a couple
of weeks earlier.
"Demand is weak. Buyers are postponing purchases, expecting
a further drop in prices," said an exporter based in Kakinada in the
southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
A statement released by a government body last week said that
India's April-December non-basmati rice exports had jumped by 39.5% from a year
ago to 6.34 million tonnes as Bangladesh and Benin increased purchases.
Meanwhile, Thailand's benchmark 5% broken rice rates fell to
$400-$419 a tonne, free on board (FOB) Bangkok, compared with $420-$430 last
week.
"Many exporters are waiting on big markets like Indonesia,
Philippines, Iran and China, but so far there are no fresh bids," one
Bangkok-based rice trader said.
"Prices did not fluctuate much this week because many rice
mills are closed due to the Chinese New Year," he added.
The Lunar New Year is not an official public holiday in
Thailand, but many businesses close for the occasion.
The exchange rate, with a firmer baht, is another important
factor behind the slump in demand, another trader said.
In Vietnam, the world's third-largest rice exporter, financial
markets are closed for the Feb 14-20 Lunar New Year holiday.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1412755/bangladesh-scraps-thai-rice-deal
Affordable and quality rice for all
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:12 AM February 16,
2018
Lately I have been thinking about the
continuous price hikes on basic commodities in the country, and I have noticed
how the poor suffer from them. They can no longer fill their empty stomach with
enough food to serve their family, and it pains me to see them that way.
I am talking about this because I see how
unfair the government system is to the poor, while the rich seem unaffected by
the price hikes. The poor can no longer buy rice as their staple food following
the passage of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act that increased
prices by P1-P2 per kilo due to the petroleum price hike. The farmers’
livelihood is also at stake. Farmers are continuously in debt in addition to
being landless. It holds true as vast lands of haciendas are still existing in
the country and landlords monopolize the rice industry. The World Trade
Organization agreement also strengthened rice importation.
This now brings me to what we can do in
order to push for an affordable and quality rice. Forums, discussions, and
demonstrations can be done in order to get the attention of the government to
act on this, while also getting the support of the masses to further strengthen
the call.
I hope that this can help spread the need
to act on such a very important issue: a call for an affordable and quality
rice for all.
SARRYNA GESITE, gesitesarryna@gmail.com
http://opinion.inquirer.net/111059/affordable-quality-rice
Rice imports to be 32-year high
Copy this link
Star Business Report
Rice imports are on course for a
32-year high this fiscal year on the back of insatiable demand from private
traders for high prices in the local market.As of February 9, imports of the grain stood at 28.90 lakh tonnes in contrast to 1.33 lakh tonnes brought in to the country in fiscal 2016-17, according to data from the food ministry.
Of the amount, private traders brought in 21.29 lakh tonnes and the government 7.61 lakh tonnes. The last time higher quantities of rice was imported was back in fiscal 1998-99, when 30.08 lakh tonnes arrived from abroad.
And as of January 27 this year, letters of credit have been opened to import 37.55 lakh tonne of rice.
The buoyancy in imports continues even though farmers are cultivating boro after harvesting aman paddy, the production of which is estimated by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to fall due to the three-day-long unseasonal heavy rain in December.
“The private importers are aggressively taking the maximum benefit of a 2 percent tariff rate,” said the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service in its January issue of the Grain and Feed Update on Bangladesh.
The report said private sector imports have soared due to higher prices in the local market amid fears of possible lower production in the next boro rice season because of flood risks.
“A record high amount of rice imports did not contribute significantly to retail rice price reductions in the local market,” the agency said. The report, citing Bangladesh Bank estimates, said rice imports from India cost Tk 37.89 ($0.46) each kilogram -- 19 percent less than the average retail prices of Tk 45 a kg in Dhaka.
The rice production estimate has been reduced slightly on account of lower aman production due to three-day-long unseasonal heavy rain in the harvesting month of December. “Some farmers reported that they had yield-loss due to 75 percent lodging during the grain maturing stage caused by heavy rains combined with high speed winds,” the USDA said.
Aman production estimate has been reduced to 1.25 crore tonnes. Last fiscal year, aman production was 1.36 crore tonnes, according to data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. As a result, Bangladesh's rice production may decline to 3.26 crore tonnes in the current year from the USDA's November prediction of 3.30 crore tonnes.
BBS is yet to release its estimates on aus and aman production this year.
The Department of Agricultural Extension of Bangladesh has targeted rice planting on 47.25 lakh hectares area during the current boro season to ensure production of 1.90 crore tonnes of rice this season.
www.thedailystar.net
› Business › Export
New agency to certify rice origin
Some of the many varieties of rice grown in
Cambodia. KT/Chor
Sokunthea
The Ministry of Commerce launched a new agency whose
aim is to inspect the production and supply chain of rice branded as ‘made in
Cambodia’ to guarantee its origin and provide assurance to foreign buyers. With
Cambodian rice having won multiple international awards for its quality, the
move seeks to prevent the sale of foreign rice falsely claiming to hail from
the kingdom. The initiative is precautionary as, according to a ministry
official, very few cases of ‘fake’ Cambodian rice have been reported to date.
The new working group is staffed by officials from the commerce and agriculture
ministries, as well as members of the Cambodian Rice Federation.
A total of 12 individuals will make up the team, which
has the authority to look into data related to every stage of the production
and supply process, including processing, storing and exporting the product.
“We export rice to foreign markets like the EU with certain benefits, like
being exempted from paying tariffs,” said Seang Thay, spokesman at the Minister
of Commerce. “We don’t want buyers complaining about having purchased rice that
wasn’t grown in Cambodia, because we could lose some of those trade benefits.
“We have to ensure that the rice is grown and processed here.” Mr Thay said the
ministry has yet to receive a single complaint from a buyer who has been sold
‘fake’ Cambodian rice, but justified the creation of the new agency by saying
it will prevent any such cases from happening in the future . He said the
agency will guarantee that buyers continue to trust Cambodian rice. Despite the
lack of official complaints, there has been a few documented cases of rice from
third countries being deceptively sold as Cambodian rice, Mr Thay said. Hean Vanhan,
director-general of the general directorate of agriculture, said the new agency
will help keep the reputation of Cambodian rice intact. “We aim to guarantee
the purity of our rice, and make sure that foreigners are not sending their
rice to Cambodia, and selling it from here as Cambodian rice,” he said.
“We have heard of some cases in which rice from other
countries was sold as Cambodian rice, but we don’t have strong data on this,”
Mr Vanhan said, adding that perpetrators were looking to benefit from the
tariff exemptions that Cambodia enjoys with key markets like the US and the EU.
Khy Maly, sales and export manager at Amru Rice, also welcomed the new agency,
saying buyers will now have certainty that they are buying real Cambodian rice.
“It is a great move to guarantee that the rice is grown, processed and packaged
in Cambodia,” she said. Last year, exports of Cambodian rice increased by 17.3
percent, reaching 635,679 tonnes, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.
Basmati rice stocks rally; KRBL up 8% on fund
buying
Kohinoor Foods, KRBL and LT Foods
were up 8% to 15% on BSE in intra-day trade.
SI Reporter
| Mumbai Last Updated at February 14, 2018 10:48 IST
6
Shares of basmati rice producers
rallied by up to 15% on the BSE on back of heavy volumes in otherwise subdued
market after the Pabrai Investment Fund bought
nearly three percentage point stake in KRBL through open
market purchases.Kohinoor Foods (up 15% at Rs 79.85), KRBL (8% at Rs 647)
and LT Foods (8% at Rs 99.65) have rallied more
www.business-standard.com/article/markets/basmati-rice-stocks-rally-krbl
PH eyes
satellite rice production abroad
February
16, 2018, 12:05 AM
By PNA
The Philippine government is
aiming to clinch a deal with Papua New Guinea (PNG) for Filipinos to be able to
grow rice there and supply the staple back here.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel
Piñol said in a media conference in Quezon City on Wednesday that Malacañang
had given its thumbs up for his travel to PNG soon, so he and authorities there
can finalize the arrangements.
“The idea is for the Philippine
government to enter into a bilateral agreement with PNG on the matter,” he told
reporters, saying the planned satellite rice production could boost the
availability of affordable rice for Filipinos.
If plans push through, he said
Filipinos would be able to grow rice in satellite farms in PNG, initially
supplying the grains there while that country is developing its rice industry.
The excess produce would then be shipped to the Philippines.
Earlier, Piñol said he presented
to Malacañang such concept of rice production outsourcing, so Filipino
entrepreneurs abroad can help grow and ensure supply of this staple grain.
Latest data indicate the
Philippines is heading towards rice sufficiency by 2020, he said.
Ballooning population and
decreasing agricultural land in the country highlight the need for finding rice
production alternatives like outsourcing in satellite farms abroad, the
agriculture chief noted.
Piñol is optimistic about the
outsourcing prospect with PNG, noting the country of about 8 million people has
a total land area of around 46 million hectares.
Australia has ongoing
agricultural activities in about 400 hectares there, he said.
The Philippines’ initial
five-year target to develop one million hectares of PNG land for rice can
produce around 8 million metric tons (MT) annually — more than enough to meet
PNG’s rice need of only about 200,000 MT.
At present, PNG sources its rice
overseas and has sought the Philippines’ help in developing its rice industry,
according to Piñol.
Filipino-produced inbound rice
shipments from PNG would boost the availability of rice in the Philippines,
Piñol said.
“Those shipments will be treated
as imports that may enter the country as National Food Authority (NFA) rice,”
he said.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/02/16/ph-eyes-satellite-rice-production-abroad/
Bumper harvest
inches Philippines closer to rice self-sufficiency
By philstar.com
February 16, 2018
Bumper harvest inches Philippines
closer to rice self-sufficiency
Louise Maureen Simeon (The Philippine
Star) – February 16, 2018 – 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The
Philippines is inching closer to its goal of achieving rice self-sufficiency.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel
Piñol said the country is 96 percent self-sufficient in rice and expects to
achieve 100 percent rice self-sufficiency level by 2020.
Palay (unhusked rice) production
reached 19.4 million metric tons (MT) last year from 17.8 million MT in 2016.
“This was the highest production
in the history of the rice industry in the country. The production of palay is
actually already above and beyond the national requirement, but we are not
declaring rice sufficiency yet because there are factors to be considered,”
Piñol said in a briefing on Wednesday.
The country has a national
inventory of 2.7 million MT, which is good for 88 days.
About 3.1 million MT of rice are
also expected in the first quarter.
This means that the Philippines
has potentially 5.8 million MT in its inventory, of which 2.8 million MT will
only be consumed in the first three months as per national consumption.
“Our second quarter buffer stock
will be about three million MT, good for 96 days and that is the highest volume
of buffer stock in recent years,” Piñol said.
“I will stick to our 2020 rice
self-sufficiency target. But even if we achieve rice self-sufficiency by 2020
we will not be able to sustain it for so long because of population growth,”
Piñol said.
“The best scenario is for about
five to 10 years because as population grows it will overtake our rice
production because our rice farms are already limited,” he added.
To address this, the agency is
now increasing its adoption of high quality seeds, intensifying farm
mechanization, improving access to credit and promoting integrated crop
management, among others.
http://portal.jip.ph/bumper-harvest-inches-philippines-closer-to-rice-self-sufficiency/
Imported rice starts arriving at various ports
News Desk
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta | Thu, February 15, 2018 | 11:33 am
Imported rice has started arriving in a number
of ports across Indonesia as the commodity price remains above the ceiling set
by the government.
State Logistics Agency (Bulog) procurement
director Andrianto Wahyu said that 57,000 tons of rice had arrived since
Tuesday in three Indonesian ports – Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta (41,000 tons),
Merak Port in Banten (6,000 tons) and Tenau Port in East Nusa Tenggara (10,000
tons).
A further 24,750 tons of rice is expected to
arrive on Thursday -- 20,000 tons at Panjang Port in Lampung and 4,750 tons
would arrive at Benoa Port in Bali --, he said, adding that Bulog was still
waiting for the arrival of another 261,000 tons of rice by the end of this
month.
Andrianto said that as of Wednesday, the 1,500
tons of rice that arrived at Tenau Port had been stored at Bulog’s warehouse in
East Nusa Tenggara. "We will keep [all of] the rice at Bulog’s East Nusa
Tenggara warehouse [before being distributed],” he said as reported by tribunnews.com.
The workers were still unloading the rice that
had arrived at Tanjung Priok and Merak was also still in the unloading process,
he added.
Currently, Andrianto said the Bulog rice stock
stood at 630,000, including the government rice reserve.
The government’s decision to import rice
sparked controversy as a number of regional leaders opposed the imports,
arguing that their farmers produced enough rice. (bbn)
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/02/15/imported-rice-starts-arriving-at-various-ports.html
Ricegrowers : Strong North Queensland rice harvest paves way for
$4M research program
02/15/2018 | 12:10am EST
Leading Australian branded food company SunRice has reported
strong dry season performance across North Queensland's Burdekin rice growing
region, with 4,200 tonnes of premium rice variety Doongara harvested in
December.
The appetite to integrate rice as a complementary crop for
sugarcane growers remains strong, with all contracts filled for the wet season
crop, which is currently in the ground and close to reaching the Panicle
Initiation growth stage across the Burdekin, Tully, Ingham and Gordonvale.
Extensive R&D program to
commence in the coming weeks
SunRice General Manager AGS, Grower Services and Agronomic
Development, Tom Howard, said to complement the interest in rice as a favoured
crop option across North Queensland, a new research and development program
would soon get underway focused on breeding and selecting rice varieties
specifically for tropical conditions:
'North Queensland has the ideal environment for growing rice as
a rotational high value crop that complements the sugarcane farming system. It
can assist growers to improve their cash flow by utilising fallow land and
generating significant profits for their farm business, along with potentially
improving soil condition and breaking disease cycles through crop rotation.
'We've had a good recent harvest and ongoing research and
development projects are designed to improve on productivity.
'We are delighted to see that this research work will get a
significant boost with $4 million committed by the Federal Government under the
Rural R&D for Profit program, which will commence in the coming weeks to
support the expansion of the North Queensland rice industry.'
Delivered in partnership with AgriFutures, the University of
Queensland, the University of Southern Queensland, the NSW Department of
Primary Industries and SunRice subsidiary Rice Research Australia Pty Ltd
(RRAPL), the program will focus critical research into rice varieties, farming
systems, pest and disease management, agronomic practices, market return
maximisation and post-harvest handling to develop a sustainable northern rice
industry.
Commenting on the North Queensland rice industry, Mr Howard
said:
'North Queensland has strong synergies with SunRice's strategy
to develop alternative sources of domestic supply to target premium markets and
help us continue to meet solid international demand for clean and green
Australian rice. We are committed to building a sustainable rice industry in
North Queensland to benefit local growers and their communities.'
Media inquiries: Sally Edgar, Sauce
Communications, 0425 247 133
sally@saucecommunications.com.au
sally@saucecommunications.com.au
About SunRiceSunRice is a $1.1 billion global
food business and one of Australia's leading branded food exporters. With
sales, marketing and operations spanning the globe, we supply domestic markets
and close to 50 countries with diverse and nutritious food products, from table
rice, flour and snacks, to rice meals and companion animal and livestock
products. For more information visit www.sunrice.com.au
http://www.4-traders.com/news/Ricegrowers-Strong-North-Queensland-rice-harvest-paves-way-for-4M-research-program--25995867/
New agency to certify rice origin
Chea Vannak / Khmer Times
The Ministry of Commerce launched
a new agency whose aim is to inspect the production and supply chain of rice
branded as ‘made in Cambodia’ to guarantee its origin and provide assurance to
foreign buyers.
With Cambodian rice having won
multiple international awards for its quality, the move seeks to prevent the
sale of foreign rice falsely claiming to hail from the kingdom.
The initiative is precautionary
as, according to a ministry official, very few cases of ‘fake’ Cambodian rice
have been reported to date.
The new working group is staffed
by officials from the commerce and agriculture ministries, as well as members
of the Cambodian Rice Federation.
A total of 12 individuals will
make up the team, which has the authority to look into data related to every
stage of the production and supply process, including processing, storing and
exporting the product.
“We export rice to foreign
markets like the EU with certain benefits, like being exempted from paying
tariffs,” said Seang Thay, spokesman at the Minister of Commerce.
“We don’t want buyers complaining
about having purchased rice that wasn’t grown in Cambodia, because we could
lose some of those trade benefits.
“We have to ensure that the rice
is grown and processed here.”
Mr Thay said the ministry has yet
to receive a single complaint from a buyer who has been sold ‘fake’ Cambodian
rice, but justified the creation of the new agency by saying it will prevent
any such cases from happening in the future .
He said the agency will guarantee
that buyers continue to trust Cambodian rice.
Despite the lack of official
complaints, there has been a few documented cases of rice from third countries
being deceptively sold as Cambodian rice, Mr Thay said.
Hean Vanhan, director-general of
the general directorate of agriculture, said the new agency will help keep the
reputation of Cambodian rice intact.
“We aim to guarantee the purity
of our rice, and make sure that foreigners are not sending their rice to
Cambodia, and selling it from here as Cambodian rice,” he said.
“We have heard of some cases in
which rice from other countries was sold as Cambodian rice, but we don’t have
strong data on this,” Mr Vanhan said, adding that perpetrators were looking to
benefit from the tariff exemptions that Cambodia enjoys with key markets like
the US and the EU.
Khy Maly, sales and export
manager at Amru Rice, also welcomed the new agency, saying buyers will now have
certainty that they are buying real Cambodian rice.
“It is a great move to guarantee
that the rice is grown, processed and packaged in Cambodia,” she said.
Last year, exports of Cambodian
rice increased by 17.3 percent, reaching 635,679 tonnes, according to the
Ministry of Agriculture.
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50108701/new-agency-to-certify-rice-origin/
Asia Rice: Slow demand weighs on top exporters; Bangladesh scraps
Thai deal
https://in.reuters.com/article/asia-rice/asia-rice-slow-demand-weighs-on-top-exporters-bangladesh-scraps-thai-deal-idINKCN1FZ1KZ
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