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Market Information
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Grand
Debut for USA Rice at Alimentec
BOGOTA, COLOMBIA -- The 10th annual Alimentec
International Food Trade Fair took place here earlier this month and for the
first time USA Rice was an exhibitor. More than 30,000 professionals from
27 countries attended the trade show -- the leading platform for the food and
hospitality industry and restaurants in the Andean and Latin America that
accounts for more than $40 million in revenue for the food and beverage
industry. Exhibitors came from Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Mexico,
Chile, Venezuela, Panama, China, Cuba, and the United States.
During the three-day event, USA Rice garnered a lot of attention in the organization's inaugural appearance, and members made contacts with importers interested in importing U.S.-grown rice such as Best Choice, and United Millers of Medellin (Molinos Unidos de Medellin). Other visitors to the USA Rice booth included the hotel, restaurant, and institution (HRI) industry magazine "Revista La Barra," and the Rauch Brothers, locally recognized chefs.
"Alimentec is an important tradeshow for USA Rice because it gives immediate access to industry leaders in the Western Hemisphere, and our presence here creates an opportunity for them to be educated on the benefits of U.S. grown rice," said Carmen Marquez, consultant for USA Rice, who attended the show.
Colombia is the third largest economy in Latin America. Due to the U.S. - Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, 102,879 MT of U.S. rice can be exported to Colombia duty-free this year. Any amount of rice exported above that amount is subject to a 73.85 percent tariff rate. Last year, Colombia was the U.S. rice's ninth largest export market bringing in over $50 million worth of rice.
During the three-day event, USA Rice garnered a lot of attention in the organization's inaugural appearance, and members made contacts with importers interested in importing U.S.-grown rice such as Best Choice, and United Millers of Medellin (Molinos Unidos de Medellin). Other visitors to the USA Rice booth included the hotel, restaurant, and institution (HRI) industry magazine "Revista La Barra," and the Rauch Brothers, locally recognized chefs.
"Alimentec is an important tradeshow for USA Rice because it gives immediate access to industry leaders in the Western Hemisphere, and our presence here creates an opportunity for them to be educated on the benefits of U.S. grown rice," said Carmen Marquez, consultant for USA Rice, who attended the show.
Colombia is the third largest economy in Latin America. Due to the U.S. - Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, 102,879 MT of U.S. rice can be exported to Colombia duty-free this year. Any amount of rice exported above that amount is subject to a 73.85 percent tariff rate. Last year, Colombia was the U.S. rice's ninth largest export market bringing in over $50 million worth of rice.
BOC says rice discharge halted by bad
weather
June 21, 2018, 4:36 PM
By Betheena Kae Unite
Port congestion in Port of Manila
was not the reason behind the delay of unloading of rice intended for the
National Food Authority but bad weather, the port’s top official said Thursday.
The reason why the rice imports,
which are intended for Metro Manila, have yet to be completely discharged from
the vessel was due to the weather condition these past few days, Port of
Manila District Collector Erastus Sandino Austria said.
Around 25,000 MT of imported rice from Vietnam are being
unloaded to trucks at the Naval Supply Depot (NSD) in Subic Bay Freeport Zone
on Wednesday.
(Jonas Reyes / MANILA BULLETIN)
(Jonas Reyes / MANILA BULLETIN)
“We cannot accurately call it
port congestion because this is just a natural side-effect of bad weather
condition,” Austria said.
According to the Customs
official, the ongoing unloading of rice in was cut short at the Harbor
Center, a composite unit under the Port of Manila classified as a subport.
Bulk shipments that pass through
the port, Austria explained, are weather-dependent when it comes to
discharging.
“It is the prerogative of the
captain of the vessel as well as the consignee whether they will proceed with
discharging during heavy downpour because the goods that are usually unloaded
here are rice or fertilizers. And these cargoes are very sensitive to weather
conditions,” Austria stressed.
“Naturally, the captain will
discourage continuous discharging during heavy rains because it increases the
liability of the carrier over the cargoes that are still within their custody.
But as soon as the weather condition clears up, the discharging continuous,” he
added.
Austria also noted that these
kinds of shipments are not shipped in a container van. The cargoes are usually
exposed, making them exposed to weather conditions.
“We really have to stop
discharging and again it is not the prerogative of the Bureau of Customs to
continue discharging or not but rath
er the consignee, the captain of
the vessel. All customs processes of the shipment were also completed,” the
collector said.
NFA unloads imported rice from Thailand, Vietnam in Subic
By
Posted on June 21, 2018
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — The National Food Authority (NFA) on Wednesday started
unloading the 340,000 bags of imported rice from Thailand and Vietnam, which
arrived in the Port of Subic last June 5.
NFA Administrator Jason Aquino said the shipment was brought to
Subic on-board MV TAY SON 2, which is currently berthed at the former Naval
Supply Depot (NSD) here.
The shipment is part of the 500,000 bags (25 metric tons) of
imported rice the NFA has procured. Another shipment of 160,000 bags of rice is
expected to arrive next week.
Aquino said that 100,000 bags will be distributed in Region 2
(Cagayan Valley Region) while 400,000 bags will be distributed in Region 3
(Central Luzon).
He said the shipment was done through the government to
government procurement scheme, and in line with the call of President Rodrigo
Duterte to fast track the importation of rice to maintain food security in the
country.
“As the President instructed, ‘Hindi na baleng sumobra, huwag
lang kulangin (It is alright to exceed rather than lacking),” said Aquino,
quoting the President.
However, the official clarified that only the marginalized
population, the indigenous and NFA-accredited retailers endorsed by the
Department of Social Welfare and Development Office (DSWDO) can avail of the
rice at PHP27 per kilo.
Although the shipment arrived in the Port of Subic, it was only
today (Wednesday) that NFA decided to unload it due to the continuous rains
brought about by Typhoon Domeng and the southwest monsoon in the country for
over a week now.
With the arrival of the long awaited imported rice, with more
coming in August, NFA is expecting a drop in the price of commercial rice
between PHP1 to PHP2 per kilo.
Aquino also clarified that NFA is not pro-importation, saying
“as much as we would like to buy locally harvested palay, the price is too high
and it is practically cheaper to buy imported rice.”
He also noted that more than one million bags of imported rice
intended for Metro Manila has already arrived but could not be unloaded because
of over-crowding of ships at the Port of Manila.
Earlier, before proceeding to NSD Compound, Aquino and NFA
provincial directors made a courtesy call to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
(SBMA) chairman and administrator Wilma Eisma at the SBMA Board room.
Eisma praised the NFA officials
for making Subic an NFA Disport (disembarking Port) as this will generate
additional revenue for SBMA. (Ruben Veloria/PNA)
Delta summer–autumn rice planted too early, threatened
by diseases
VietNamNet
Bridge – Farmers in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta who sowed the summer- autumn
rice crop early are facing a threat of lower yields and increased costs because
of disease outbreaks.
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A rice field in Kien Giang
Province’s Go Quao District is affected by rice grassy stunt disease and rice
ragged stunt disease, possibly because it was planted too early this time
despite authorities’ warnings. - VNA/VNS Photo Le Huy Hai
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In
An Giang Province, for instance, farmers have planted a total of 228,000ha, and
the harvest has begun in some places.
Nguyen
Van Hien, head of the province’s Sub-department of Plant Cultivation and
Protection, said: “We hope the price of paddy is stable until the end of the
crop so that farmers can earn high profits.”
But
unfavourable weather has brought rice diseases which could hit yields, he said.
Diseases
often occur when rice is sowed early or late since brown-plant hoppers and
other pests from unharvested fields from the previous crop move to the newly
sowed fields, he said.
In
Dong Thap Province’s Thap Muoi, Tan Hong and Lap Vo districts, some 560ha sowed
early have been affected by brown-plant hoppers.
Farmers
in the delta had earned large profits in the 2017-18 winter-spring rice crop
and so many planted the autumn-summer rice earlier than usual.
Nguyen
Thanh Hoa, who has a 2ha rice field in Hau Giang Province’s Vi Thuy District,
said he had earned VND45 – 50 million (US$1,980 – 2,200) from the winter-spring
rice crop and immediately sowed the next crop.
Nguyen
Van Mach Chau Thanh A District, who also sowed his summer – autumn rice in
mid-March like Hoa, said local agricultural officials did warn farmers they had
to have a gap of at least three weeks between the two rice crops to eliminate
diseases.
“But
since the price of rice after the winter – spring crop was high, farmers here
sowed the summer – autumn rice early.”
This
year the Plant Cultivation Department’s schedule for planting the summer –
autumn rice crop in the delta was between April and mid-June.
In
Kien Giang Province, more than 252,140ha have been planted, with 15,500ha being
affected by diseases such as rice grassy stunt disease, rice ragged stunt dise
ase
and rice blast disease, according to the local Sub-department of Plant
Cultivation and Protection.
It
has instructed district plant cultivation and protection bureaus to regularly
report about diseases and warned farmers to destroy rice plants which are
severely affected by diseases.
This
summer – autumn crop the delta, the country’s rice granary, has planted more
than 1.65 million hectares, more than 247,000ha more than last year, according
to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Source:
VNS
VIENTIANE, June 21
(Xinhua) -- Local Lao consumers are paying one of the highest prices for rice
in the region even though Laos is a significant rice producer, local daily
Vientiane Times on Thursday quoted the latest edition of the World Bank's Lao
Economic Monitor as saying.
Rice is the country's
biggest agricultural commodity and most farmers still produce paddy rice in
Laos. The crop covers about 75 percent of arable land in the country and 90
percent of the production is sticky rice.
The production meets
95 percent of domestic consumption along with 70 percent of Lao households'
caloric and protein intakes.
However, Lao rice is
not competitive in foreign markets with only 5 percent being exported, mainly
to China and Vietnam.
The retail price for
the second grade rice in Lao capital Vientiane is about 0.85 U.S. dollar per
kg, the highest among neighboring countries.
The analysis suggests
farmers have comparably low profit margins, while consumers are paying one of
the highest prices for rice in the region.
Key challenges for Lao
rice value chains include production costs, accounting for 29 percent of the
final consumer price, the relatively high cost of hired labor, a lack of
mechanization and low yields.
Key recommendations
for improvement are enhancing value chain linkages such as facilitating
closer integration between producers, processors, assemblers and traders.
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Nagpur
Foodgrain Prices Open- JUN 21, 2018
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open
Market-June 21, 2018
Nagpur, June 21 (Reuters) – Gram
and tuar prices moved down in Nagpur Agriculture Produce
Marketing Committee (APMC) on poor
demand from local millers. Fresh fall in Madhya Pradesh gram prices and release
of stock from stockists also pushed down prices in weak trading activity. About 1,450 bags of gram and 150 bags of tuar
reported for auction in Nagpur APMC, according to sources.
FOODGRAINS & PULSES
GRAM
* Gram ruled steady in open market here but demand was poor.
TUAR
* Tuar gavarani recovered further in open market on renewed demand from
local traders.
* Batri dal reported down in open market on poor buying support from
local traders.
* In Akola, Tuar New – 4,000-4,050, Tuar dal (clean) – 6,000-6,300, Udid
Mogar (clean)
– 6,900-7,900, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,200-7,900, Gram – 3,300-3,400, Gram
Super best
– 4,600-4,800
* Wheat, rice and other foodgrain items moved in a narrow range in
scattered deals and 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
3,000-3,275 3,000-3,400
Gram Pink Auction
n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction
3,450-3,750 3,450-3,790
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
1,700-1,800 1,700-1,780
Gram Super Best Bold
5,500-6,000 5,500-6,000
Gram Super Best
n.a. n.a.
Gram Medium Best
4,800-5,100 4,800-5,100
Gram Dal Medium
n.a. n.a
Gram Mill Quality
3,650-3,700 3,650-3,700
Desi gram Raw
3,550-3,650 3,550-3,650
Gram Kabuli 8,000-10,000 8,000-10,000
Tuar Fataka Best-New
6,200-6,400 6,200-6,400
Tuar Fataka Medium-New
5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000
Tuar Dal Best Phod-New
5,500-5,700 5,500-5,700
Tuar Dal Medium phod-New
5,200-5,400 5,200-5,400
Tuar Gavarani New
3,950-4,150 3,900-4,100
Tuar Karnataka
4,300-4,500 4,300-4,500
Masoor dal best
4,800-5,000 4,800-5,000
Masoor dal medium
4,500-4,700 4,500-4,700
Masoor
n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold (New)
7,500-8,000 7,500-8,000
Moong Mogar Medium
6,500-7,200 6,500-7,200
Moong dal Chilka New
6,100-7,000 6,100-7,000
Moong Mill quality
n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best
7,500-8,500 7,500-8,500
Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 7,300-8,300 7,300-8,300
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG)
5,300-6,300
5,300-6,300
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG)
5,500-5,900
5,500-5,900
Batri dal (100 INR/KG)
5,200-5,500 5,250-5,550
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg)
2,650-2,750 2,650-2,750
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG)
3,850-4,000 3,800-4,000
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG)
5,300-5,600
5,300-5,600
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG)
2,000-2,100 2,000-2,100
Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG)
2,000-2,075
2,000-2,075
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG)
2,250-2,400
2,250-2,400
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG)
2,300-2,450
2,300-2,450
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG)
2,100-2,200 2,100-2,250
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG)
n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG)
3,200-4,000
3,200-4,000
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG)
2,400-2,800
2,400-2,800
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG)
2,100-2,200 2,100-2,200
Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG)
3,200-3,800
3,200-3,800
Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG)
2,700-2,900
2,700-2,900
Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG)
2,800-3,000 2,800-3,000
Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG)
2,700-2,800
2,700-2,800
Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG)
2,500-2,600
2,500-2,600
Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG)
4,000-4,500
4,000-4,500
Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG)
3,600-4,000
3,600-4,000
Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG)
5,200-5,600 5,200-5,600
Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG)
4,500-4,900
4,500-4,900
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 9,500-14,000 9,500-14,000
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG)
5,000-7,500
5,000-7,500
Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG)
6,500-6,900
6,500-6,900
Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG)
6,000-6,200 6,000-6,200
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG)
2,000-2,200
2,000-2,100
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG)
1,800-2,000 1,700-2,000
WEATHER (NAGPUR)
Maximum temp. 38.0 degree Celsius,
minimum temp. 25.9 degree Celsius
Rainfall : Nil
FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky with
possibility of moderate rains or thunderstorm. Maximum and
minimum temperature would be around
and 37 and 26 degree Celsius respectively.
Note: n.a.--not available
(For oils, transport costs are
excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices).
Rice Prices
as on :
21-06-2018 10:56:27 AM
Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.
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Arrivals
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Price
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cumulative |
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Rice
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Lakhimpur(UP)
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23.00
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-42.5
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1570.00
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2310
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2230
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6.94
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Giridih(Jha)
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15.37
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24.55
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414.68
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3500
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3500
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NC
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Jafarganj(UP)
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15.00
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-25
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746.00
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2200
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2200
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-
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Dibrugarh(ASM)
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8.00
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73.91
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449.80
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2920
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2920
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29.78
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Mirzapur(UP)
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5.00
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-9.09
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571.50
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2240
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2230
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-
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Bonai(Bonai)(Ori)
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3.00
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-40
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313.40
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3000
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3000
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20.00
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Darjeeling(WB)
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1.50
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7.14
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55.70
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3150
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3150
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6.78
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Balarampur(WB)
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0.80
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-56.04
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48.60
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2650
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2660
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12.77
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A glance at local rice production
Rice has become the second most important food staple after
maize in Ghana and its consumption keeps increasing as a result of population
growth, urbanization and change in consumer habits. Ghanaians have over
the years developed a strong appetite for imported rice due to its availability
and distribution reach in the market as well as its highly polished and
fragranced nature.
In view of this, government has set an ambitious target to increase rice production this year as a measure to reduce rice imports to save the economy’s foreign exchange.The nation’s value of rice imports has escalated eight-fold – from US$152million in 2007 to a peak of US$1.2billion in both 2014 and 2015. In the same period, the volume of rice imports climbed from 441,000 metric tonnes to 630,000 metric tonnes.
According to figures from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) at the end of 2016, Ghana’s rice production stood at 687,680 metric tonnes.
Therefore, plans to increase production by 49% in 2017 means an addition of 337,500 metric tonnes which will put total production this year to a little over one million (1,025,180) metric tonnes.
The 337,500 metric tonnes increase expected this year is estimated to translate into GH¢371.2million (GH¢371,250,000) as value of this additional production.
This will also create some 226,800 direct and indirect employment comprising 32,400 direct jobs, 194,400 indirect jobs.
According to Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto rice production target is one of the five crops this year under the ‘Planting for food and jobs’, campaign aimed at turning farmlands and backyards into a huge food basket that is expected to cut down the country’s food import bill drastically.
The Avnash Royal Farmers’ rice
Although, there are a number of locally produced paddy rice in Ghana, one brand that stands tall among the rice production industry, with enormous contribution to the country’s economy over the years has been the Avansh’s Royal Farmers Rice produced at Nyankpala in the Tolon District of Northern Region.
The locally produced premium parboiled long grain rice, the Royal Farmers Rice, is being produced to meet the rising demand for rice and reduce its importation.
Royal Farmers Rice is a product of Avnash Rice Mill, located at Nyankpala in the Tolon District of Northern Region, which buys quality rice from local farmers for processing.
The rice processing plant, a state-of-the-art facility and a fully automated mill of Buhler make has which has a capacity to process 500 metric tons of paddy rice per day, has been installed and is capable of feeding the country with the highest quality of rice.
The Avnash Rice Mill expects increased rice production by both smallholder farmers and a few commercial rice producers, who have cultivated over 1,200-acre under cultivation within the Northern and Upper East Regions to help meet local demand.
The commissioning of the Avnash Rice Mill last year reinforces the company’s commitment to its five-year plan to support and create one million direct and indirect jobs for Ghanaians by 2022.
Its Chief Executive Officer, Jai Mirchandani, in a recent statement said the processing plant, a state-of-the-art facility with a capacity to process 500 metric tons of paddy rice per day, is capable of feeding the country with the highest quality of rice.
“This year, we estimate some 32,000 farmers to benefit from this Rice Mill, while transporters, aggregators, mechanised service suppliers, inputs providers, and their families of an estimated 20,000 people will also benefit,” he said.
Avnash Industries Ghana Limited has so far invested about US$150million from 2007 into its agro-business operations and is aimed at adding value to the country’s agricultural produce and creating employment for wealth-creation. The company is also ready to increase its rice milling capacity once the existing capacity is exceeded by the supply of paddy. “We are confident in the hardworking abilities of our farmers and the efforts and support being offered by government will boost the production volumes of rice” said Jai Mirchandani.
The company is well known for its businesses in edible oil and rice,soaps, detergents, packaging of its products – including PET and hard plast
In view of this, government has set an ambitious target to increase rice production this year as a measure to reduce rice imports to save the economy’s foreign exchange.The nation’s value of rice imports has escalated eight-fold – from US$152million in 2007 to a peak of US$1.2billion in both 2014 and 2015. In the same period, the volume of rice imports climbed from 441,000 metric tonnes to 630,000 metric tonnes.
According to figures from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) at the end of 2016, Ghana’s rice production stood at 687,680 metric tonnes.
Therefore, plans to increase production by 49% in 2017 means an addition of 337,500 metric tonnes which will put total production this year to a little over one million (1,025,180) metric tonnes.
The 337,500 metric tonnes increase expected this year is estimated to translate into GH¢371.2million (GH¢371,250,000) as value of this additional production.
This will also create some 226,800 direct and indirect employment comprising 32,400 direct jobs, 194,400 indirect jobs.
According to Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto rice production target is one of the five crops this year under the ‘Planting for food and jobs’, campaign aimed at turning farmlands and backyards into a huge food basket that is expected to cut down the country’s food import bill drastically.
The Avnash Royal Farmers’ rice
Although, there are a number of locally produced paddy rice in Ghana, one brand that stands tall among the rice production industry, with enormous contribution to the country’s economy over the years has been the Avansh’s Royal Farmers Rice produced at Nyankpala in the Tolon District of Northern Region.
The locally produced premium parboiled long grain rice, the Royal Farmers Rice, is being produced to meet the rising demand for rice and reduce its importation.
Royal Farmers Rice is a product of Avnash Rice Mill, located at Nyankpala in the Tolon District of Northern Region, which buys quality rice from local farmers for processing.
The rice processing plant, a state-of-the-art facility and a fully automated mill of Buhler make has which has a capacity to process 500 metric tons of paddy rice per day, has been installed and is capable of feeding the country with the highest quality of rice.
The Avnash Rice Mill expects increased rice production by both smallholder farmers and a few commercial rice producers, who have cultivated over 1,200-acre under cultivation within the Northern and Upper East Regions to help meet local demand.
The commissioning of the Avnash Rice Mill last year reinforces the company’s commitment to its five-year plan to support and create one million direct and indirect jobs for Ghanaians by 2022.
Its Chief Executive Officer, Jai Mirchandani, in a recent statement said the processing plant, a state-of-the-art facility with a capacity to process 500 metric tons of paddy rice per day, is capable of feeding the country with the highest quality of rice.
“This year, we estimate some 32,000 farmers to benefit from this Rice Mill, while transporters, aggregators, mechanised service suppliers, inputs providers, and their families of an estimated 20,000 people will also benefit,” he said.
Avnash Industries Ghana Limited has so far invested about US$150million from 2007 into its agro-business operations and is aimed at adding value to the country’s agricultural produce and creating employment for wealth-creation. The company is also ready to increase its rice milling capacity once the existing capacity is exceeded by the supply of paddy. “We are confident in the hardworking abilities of our farmers and the efforts and support being offered by government will boost the production volumes of rice” said Jai Mirchandani.
The company is well known for its businesses in edible oil and rice,soaps, detergents, packaging of its products – including PET and hard plast
Curbing rice smuggling
Last week, the Federal Operations
Unit (Zone A) of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) also raised the alarm on
the increase in rice smuggling into the country ahead of the celebration of the
conclusion of Ramadan. Addressing newsmen in Lagos, the Customs Area Controller
of the unit, Mr. Mohammed Uba, stated: “Before May 16, we intercepted nine
trailers of smuggled bags of rice. Between that time and now, we have
intercepted 15 trailers of smuggled bags of rice. You know during the festive
period, the concentration on a particular food makes its availability in large
quantities compulsory.” Uba noted that in a bid to ensure full implementation
of the government’s policy banning importation of rice through the land
borders, the unit beamed its searchlight on the creeks and watersides, including
various locations in the South-West zone.
To all intents and purposes,
Ogbeh’s lamentation is no more than a reiteration of the government’s seeming
helplessness expressed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo earlier in November 2017
when he stressed that smuggling remained a serious threat to the Nigerian
economy. Osinbajo had said: “We are making the point to our neighbours
that smuggling is an existential threat, we can’t permit the level of smuggling
going on.” He had further indicated that he had been asked by President
Muhammadu Buhari to lead a team to work out what needed to be done. Now, it is
clear that if anything was done at all, it was not well done. It is certainly
strange that the same government that claims to have substantially curbed smuggling
is now saying that the activities of smugglers would force it to shut the
country’s borders in a few days’ time. This is a clear vote of no
confidence in the NCS, the agency statutorily charged with policing the
country’s borders. It is also an indication that the government has no
clear-cut strategy to curb the menace of smuggling.
The government’s planned closure of
the borders to curb smuggling looks like the proverbial strategy of cutting off
one’s head to cure headache. It is not well thought out. If you shut the
borders, what happens to other goods that are supposed to come in through them?
How do you address the negative effects on the economy? And how do you
ensure that you do not kill the economy of Nigerians living along the borders?
We think that the government needs to ensure that the NCS is more alive to its
responsibilities. Those smuggling rice and other commodities into the country
are not doing so without the connivance of bad eggs in the NCS. The government
therefore needs to ensure that these ‘undesirable elements,’ as Nigerians
prefer to call them, are fished out and punished in accordance with the
provisions of the law. If the officers and men of the service are aware that
the sorest punishment awaits uniformed economic saboteurs, they would sit up.
Partners collaborate to boost rice production, distribution
21 June 2018
Supplying West Africa Traders
(SWAT) and Cultivating New Frontier in Agriculture (CNFA) in collaboration with
Liberia Agriculture Development Activity (LADA) Wednesday, June 20 signed a
Public Private Partnership (PPP) to boost production and distribution of local
rice and empower farmers in support of government’s pro-poor agenda.
CNFA/LADA is under the United
States Government’s feed the future initiative with funding from the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID).The goal of LADA is to
increase incomes of smallholder farmers (SHFs) through increasing private
sector investment in the Liberia’s agribusiness sector.
The PPP agreement with SWAT supports component II of the CNFA/LADA program which calls for market facilitation and policy advocacy for Liberian farmers and actors along LADA’s four supply chains (rice, cassava, vegetables and aquaculture).
The PPP agreement with SWAT supports component II of the CNFA/LADA program which calls for market facilitation and policy advocacy for Liberian farmers and actors along LADA’s four supply chains (rice, cassava, vegetables and aquaculture).
SWAT, one of the importers of
rice in the country in consultation with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
continues conversation with CNFA/LADA that led to the conclusion of the PPP
agreement.The agreement, according to the two institutions, aims to boost
distribution of quality locally grown rice, while empowering rice farmers to
increase production.The partnership seeks to achieve an annual good quality
milled rice production of roughly 15,000 metric tons in Liberia, which would
help reduce imports by 30 percent at end of 2020.
Under the agreement, SWAT will
support development of rice processing capacity by providing technical advice
to local processors, purchasing local quality rice that meets established
specifications and eventually investing in local processing.
The company will consider
provision of auxiliary services such as warehousing, transportation and
equipment lease to rice sector actors, among others.
On the other hand, CNFA/LADA will support procurement of rice processing mills for local entrepreneurs to establish or expand private sector agro-enterprises, promote full-time operation of mills procured with LADA support.
On the other hand, CNFA/LADA will support procurement of rice processing mills for local entrepreneurs to establish or expand private sector agro-enterprises, promote full-time operation of mills procured with LADA support.
SWAT’s Chief Executive Officer,
George N. Nehme, speaking following the signing ceremony expressed gratitude to
President George Weah for challenging importers to look into investing in local
production and holding consultations with the Ministries of Commerce and
Industry, and Agriculture, including technicians from there who remain
committed to supporting this initiative.
Nehme also thanked USAID-Liberia
and CNFA/LADA team for continuing to build the capacity of local farmers to
produce more rice for the Liberian market.
“We are happy about this agreement because it is a new beginning to increase rice production working together with the farmers as partners. My team at SWAT has been supporting this process over the last several months,” he said.
“We are happy about this agreement because it is a new beginning to increase rice production working together with the farmers as partners. My team at SWAT has been supporting this process over the last several months,” he said.
He also thanked John Bestman,
chairman of the Liberia Rice Importers Association for his support in making
the event come to light and other partners as well.
For his part, the chief of party of LADA, Willem Van Campen reminded the participants that rice is the staple food of Liberia, with a population of approximately 5million.
For his part, the chief of party of LADA, Willem Van Campen reminded the participants that rice is the staple food of Liberia, with a population of approximately 5million.
“Huge quantities of about 400,000
metric tons of rice are imported every year. This represents more 50% of the
total consumption of a total value of about US$200million per year. The
situation is not only a question of food security and food sovereignty. It is
also an important issue for the use of foreign exchange and for the overall
Liberian economy,” he said.
He pledged the unflinching
support of CNFA/LADA to ensure the partnership succeeds and boost the
agriculture sector of the country. The signing ceremony was witnessed by
officials of the Ministries of Commerce, Finance and Agriculture as well as
other partners. Agriculture Minister Mogana Flomo pledged the commitment
of the ministry in making sure the partnership succeeds. \
576K feddans of cultivated
rice spotted so far: Official
Friday
June 22, 2018
Qalyub in Egypt’s El-Kalubia governorate - REUTERS
Limited
resources. Farmers transplant rice seedlings in a paddy field in
Thu,
Jun. 21, 2018
CAIRO – 21 June 2018: Satellites spotted 576,000 feddans of
cultivated rice (one feddan is about 1.038 acres) until now in Egypt’s
governorates, said Head of Planning Department and Rain Forecasting Center
affiliated with the Irrigation Ministry, Iman Sayed Ahmed. In a way to
mitigate the water scarcity, the Egyptian authorities shrunk the agricultural
area allocated for water-intensive crops such as rice.
That the planted area is considered to be within the legally allowed area for rice cultivation per the government's decree, Ahmed added in statements to Egypt Today. However, it’s considered rather constricted compared to the area allocated for rice cultivation last year, which reached 1 million feddans.
According to Sayed's statements, only 50 percent of the legally allowed area for rice cultivation has been used and the rest is expected to be used during the coming period. In May, Egypt’s government agreed to increase the area allocated for rice cultivation by 100,000 feddans only this season, bringing the total area of rice cultivation to 820,000 feddans. In April, Egypt's Parliament passed a law banning the cultivation of some crops that require a large amount of water, amid fears that building the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) would cut the country's share of the Nile. The Parliament also approved the government's request to amend some provisions in Agriculture Law No. 53 of 1966. Article 1 in the Agriculture Law refers that the minister of agriculture shall determine the areas to cultivate certain crops, and shall ban other crops in certain areas. Hence, the draft law to amend Article 1 of the Agriculture Law stipulates that the minister of agriculture, in coordination with the minister of irrigation, shall issue a ministerial decree to ban the cultivation of some crops in certain areas that have low amounts of water, in order to rationalize water usage.
Egypt depends entirely on the Nile water for drinking and irrigation purposes, reiterating consistently its "historical right" to the river guaranteed in the 1929 and 1959 Nile agreements, which granted the country 87 percent of the Nile water and the right to veto or approve irrigation projects in the upstream countries. Egypt annually needs at least 105 billion cubic meters of water to cover the needs of more than 90 million citizens. However, it currently has only 60 billion cubic meters, of which 55.5 billion cubic meters come from the Nile and just less than 5 billion cubic meters coming from non-renewable subterranean water in the desert. The remaining 80 billion cubic meters are covered by the reuse of wastewater.
In 2011, Ethiopia started the construction of the 6,000-megawatt Renaissance Dam over the Blue Nile River, one of the major sources of water that forms the Nile River downstream. Concerns have risen in Cairo and Khartoum over the negative impact the Ethiopian dam will have on their historic Nile water shares.
Since 2014, the three countries (Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia) have held several tripartite meetings and agreed on the Declaration of Principles. However, the disagreement among the countries is related to the filling and operation period of the dam; Egypt demands that this period be seven to 10 years, while Ethiopia insists on a maximum of three years.
That the planted area is considered to be within the legally allowed area for rice cultivation per the government's decree, Ahmed added in statements to Egypt Today. However, it’s considered rather constricted compared to the area allocated for rice cultivation last year, which reached 1 million feddans.
According to Sayed's statements, only 50 percent of the legally allowed area for rice cultivation has been used and the rest is expected to be used during the coming period. In May, Egypt’s government agreed to increase the area allocated for rice cultivation by 100,000 feddans only this season, bringing the total area of rice cultivation to 820,000 feddans. In April, Egypt's Parliament passed a law banning the cultivation of some crops that require a large amount of water, amid fears that building the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) would cut the country's share of the Nile. The Parliament also approved the government's request to amend some provisions in Agriculture Law No. 53 of 1966. Article 1 in the Agriculture Law refers that the minister of agriculture shall determine the areas to cultivate certain crops, and shall ban other crops in certain areas. Hence, the draft law to amend Article 1 of the Agriculture Law stipulates that the minister of agriculture, in coordination with the minister of irrigation, shall issue a ministerial decree to ban the cultivation of some crops in certain areas that have low amounts of water, in order to rationalize water usage.
Egypt depends entirely on the Nile water for drinking and irrigation purposes, reiterating consistently its "historical right" to the river guaranteed in the 1929 and 1959 Nile agreements, which granted the country 87 percent of the Nile water and the right to veto or approve irrigation projects in the upstream countries. Egypt annually needs at least 105 billion cubic meters of water to cover the needs of more than 90 million citizens. However, it currently has only 60 billion cubic meters, of which 55.5 billion cubic meters come from the Nile and just less than 5 billion cubic meters coming from non-renewable subterranean water in the desert. The remaining 80 billion cubic meters are covered by the reuse of wastewater.
In 2011, Ethiopia started the construction of the 6,000-megawatt Renaissance Dam over the Blue Nile River, one of the major sources of water that forms the Nile River downstream. Concerns have risen in Cairo and Khartoum over the negative impact the Ethiopian dam will have on their historic Nile water shares.
Since 2014, the three countries (Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia) have held several tripartite meetings and agreed on the Declaration of Principles. However, the disagreement among the countries is related to the filling and operation period of the dam; Egypt demands that this period be seven to 10 years, while Ethiopia insists on a maximum of three years.
Accuracy cloud over State’s rice production numbers
JUNE 21, 2018 00:32 IST
Figures provided by the RBI are
significantly lower than those of the State govt.
For the years 2013-14 and
2014-15, the data provided by the State government vary substantially from the
figures provided by the RBI, which are based on its publication, “Handbook of
Statistics on Indian States.”
According to senior officials of
the Agriculture Department, the two years witnessed “bumper harvest”, posting
production figures of 71.15 lakh tonnes and 79.49 lakh tonnes respectively. [In
comparison, in 2017-2018, the production of rice was said to be 65.9 lakh
tonnes].
But the RBI’s figures put rice
production at 53.49 lakh tonnes and 57.27 lakh tonnes for 2013-14 and 2014-15.
The RBI has quoted the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare as
its source of information. However, as for the coverage of paddy (rice) crop,
there is no discrepancy in the data provided by the State government and the Central
bank.
“Besides, there is a view among
sections of officials in the State government that field verification by
village-level officials, these days, is not as rigorous as it ought to be.
C. Ramasamy, former
Vice-Chancellor of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, has his reservations
about the veracity of the data of the State government when it comes to
coverage and production.
‘Critical scrutiny’
He argues that given the rate of
urbanisation and conversion of agricultural lands into plots for housing and
other purposes, the information furnished by the State government deserves to
be “scrutinised critically”.
Besides, the State’s yield in
rice production has “not been very impressive”, he adds.
However, Agriculture Department
officials disagree with the RBI’s data which, according to them, need not be
taken seriously, as the institution has used secondary data. Also, the
Agriculture Department uses only those data which are compiled by the State’s
Department of Economics and Statistics, which follows a “rigorous process of
data examination independently.”
Rice up on export enquiries, tight supply
PTI | Jun 21, 2018, 15:17 IST
New
Delhi, Jun 21 () Prices of rice basmati as well as non-basmati rose by up to Rs
100 per quintal at the wholesale grains market today due to pick up in export
enquiries and local demand.However, wheat dara weakened marginally due to
reduced offtake by flour mills.
Traders
said, increased export enquiries and rising demand from local parties
attributed the rise in rice basmati and non-basmati prices.
Besides,
pause in supplies, too, supported the upside in rice prices, they added.
In the
national capital, super basmati rice and basmati common new traded Rs 100 each
higher at Rs 9,900 and Rs 7,300-7,400 per quintal, respectively.
Rice
Pusa (1121) also traded higher by Rs 50 to Rs 6,550-6,650 per quintal.
Rice
permal raw and wand too traded higher by Rs 50 each to Rs 2,425-2,450 and Rs
2,525-2,575 per quintal, respectively.
Wheat
dara (for mills), howeverm traded lower by Rs 5 at Rs 1740-1745 per quintal due
to reduced offtake by flour mills.
Following
are today's quotations (in Rs per quintal):
Wheat MP
(desi) Rs 2,100-2,200, Wheat dara (for mills) Rs 1,740-1,745 Chakki atta
(delivery) Rs 1,750-1,755, Atta Rajdhani (10 kg) Rs 230-260, Shakti Bhog (10
kg) Rs 255-290, Roller flour mill Rs 950-960 (50 kg), Maida Rs 970-980 (50 kg)
and Sooji Rs 1,040-1,050 (50 kg).
Basmati rice (Lal Quila) Rs 10,700, Shri Lal Mahal Rs 11,300, Super
Basmati Rice Rs 9,900, Basmati common new Rs 7,300-7,400, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs
6,550-6,650, Permal raw Rs 2,425-2,450, Permal wand Rs 2,525-2,575, Sela Rs
3,050-3,150 and Rice IR-8 Rs 2,025-2,075, Bajra Rs 1,250-1,255, Jowar yellow Rs
1,650-1,700, white Rs 2,850-2,950, Maize Rs 1,270-1,275, Barley Rs 1,460-1,470.
SUN DPL SHW ADI
Fungii Turn Rice And Glass Waste Into An Eco-friendly
Building Material
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STAY
ON TARGET
Making
buildings out of fungus-based
materials might sound like the sort of thing that’s best left
to floppy-hatted little blue creatures. There’s a team of human scientists that
have proven otherwise.
Australian
researchers have developed a clever new
mycelium composite and it’s quite the amazing material. The
composite is lightweight and can be formed into just about any shape you can
imagine.
It’s also
very eco-friendly. First, there’s the ingredient list: rice hulls and glass
fines. The hulls are left behind after individual grains of rice are removed.
Glass fines are small bits of glass that are produced during the glassmaking or
recycling process. Fines can sometimes be used as a replacement for sand when
making concrete, but they’re often just incinerated — as are rice hulls.
To bind the
two materials together they enlisted the aid of Trametes versicolor, a fungus
commonly know as turkey tail. Once the fungii have done their thing, it’s on to
a low-temperature often where the composite can be baked into bricks, slabs, or
planks.
The process
is much less energy-intensive than the ones currently used to produce materials
like plastic-based composite lumber. In addition to being an energy-efficeint
process, it’s also a zero-carbon one.
But wait,
there’s more! The composite has excellent thermal stability and would boost a
stucture’s overall fire resistance. On top of that, even when the mycelium
composite does burn
it produces far less carbon dioxide and smoke — which should mean fewer deaths
related to smoke inhalation.
There’s one
more benefit that would be particularly attractive to Australian homeowners.
Termites don’t find it nearly as appetizing as wood. With many of Australia’s
densely-populated areas considered to be at high or very high risk of
infestation, substituting mycelium composite could eliminate a lot of
bothersome (and expensive) repairs.
Let us know what you like about Geek by taking our survey.
Minister:
New rice supply model proposal by mid July
By Syed Jaymal Zahiid
KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 —
Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry is expected to finalise a proposal
for a new rice supply model by mid July, its minister Salahuddin Ayub said
today.
The proposal will look into the
possible termination of Bernas' concession as the sole rice supplier before its
contract ends in 2021, the minister said.
Three separate committees within
the ministry have been instructed to prepare a paper for a newly formed ad hoc
Special Cabinet Committee that will review the proposal.
The committee will chaired by
five ministers and headed by Minister of Economic Affairs Datuk Seri Azmin Ali,
Salahuddin said.
“Because the issue of rice supply
is a matter of national interest and involve not just my ministry but others
like taxation and transport, a special cabinet committee will be formed,” he
told reporters here.
The formation of the committee
has been agreed upon at yesterday's Cabinet weekly meeting.
The Pakatan Harapan government
said earlier this month it would terminate the National Rice Company's
concession to end its monopoly on rice supply.
The four-party coalition vowed to
end all forms of monopoly in government contracts as part of its election
pledge before taking federal power on May 9.
Bernas held the sole concession
to import and manage supply of the staple up until then.
Salahuddin said he expects rice
prices to drop once they open up the supply market, although there is no
concrete evidence to support this as yet.
“This is why we want the committee
to come up with the proposals so whatever it is we will wait until the
proposals are tabled, then we will share and explain,” he said.
Critics previously claimed the
decision by the previous Barisan Nasional administration to make Bernas the
sole supplier of rice had distorted prices and enriched Umno cronies.
Umno leaders and Bernas officials
have denied the allegation.
For now, Salahuddin said the new
government has no plan to shut the company down, which will resume its
regulatory functions until an alternative supply model is in place.
Bernas is also free to provide
input and suggest proposals, the minister said.
ASIA
RICE-THAI PRICES DIP TO 2018 LOWS, WEAK DEMAND WEIGHS ON INDIA RATES
6/21/2018
* Thai prices slip by about $38/t
this week
* Vietnam market quiet, but prices
expected to fall
By Swati Verma
BENGALURU, June 21 (Reuters) - Rice
prices in Thailand slid
to their lowest this year on sluggish demand and the prospect of
higher supplies, while rates eased in top exporter India this
week due to subdued buying from Africa and Bangladesh.
to their lowest this year on sluggish demand and the prospect of
higher supplies, while rates eased in top exporter India this
week due to subdued buying from Africa and Bangladesh.
Thailand's benchmark 5 percent
broken rice <RI-THBKN5-P1>
dropped to $390-$400 per tonne this week, free on board (FOB)
Bangkok, from $430-$435 last week.
dropped to $390-$400 per tonne this week, free on board (FOB)
Bangkok, from $430-$435 last week.
At an average of $395 per tonne,
this week's export prices
are almost on the same level as the average price of $393-$396
seen in the week of Jan. 4.
are almost on the same level as the average price of $393-$396
seen in the week of Jan. 4.
A combination of ample supply in
warehouses, mills
suspending trade, a weaker Thai baht versus the dollar and slow
logistics due to the monsoon season pushed prices down, traders
in Bangkok said.
suspending trade, a weaker Thai baht versus the dollar and slow
logistics due to the monsoon season pushed prices down, traders
in Bangkok said.
"The warehouses are full but
the ships aren't here," a
trader said.
trader said.
Thailand aims to export 10 million
tonnes of rice this year.
Rice prices in the country will
likely slip further as a new
crop is expected to start arriving around the end of June or
early July until August, traders said.
crop is expected to start arriving around the end of June or
early July until August, traders said.
"Demand is still slow as
people are waiting to see if prices
will fall further," another trader said.
will fall further," another trader said.
On Thursday, Thailand's commerce
ministry however said that
there are enough rice purchases by major importers from the
beginning of the year to absorb Thai rice supply and stabilize
prices until August.
there are enough rice purchases by major importers from the
beginning of the year to absorb Thai rice supply and stabilize
prices until August.
The ministry is also expecting a
sixth
government-to-government deal with China, which will buy 100,000
tonnes of Thai rice, as well as private deals with major
importers Indonesia, Bangladesh and some African countries.
government-to-government deal with China, which will buy 100,000
tonnes of Thai rice, as well as private deals with major
importers Indonesia, Bangladesh and some African countries.
Prices in top exporter India also
fell this week as demand
was subdued from African buyers.
was subdued from African buyers.
Buying from neighbouring Bangladesh
also nearly stopped
after it imposed a 28 percent tax on rice imports to support its
farmers as the country's local production revived.
after it imposed a 28 percent tax on rice imports to support its
farmers as the country's local production revived.
"Bangladesh is no longer in
the market due to (the) duty
hike," said an exporter based at Kakinada in the southern state
of Andhra Pradesh.
hike," said an exporter based at Kakinada in the southern state
of Andhra Pradesh.
India was the biggest supplier of
rice to Bangladesh in
2017.
2017.
Rates for India's 5 percent broken
parboiled variety
<RI-INBKN5-P1> fell by $4 to $394-$398 per tonne.
<RI-INBKN5-P1> fell by $4 to $394-$398 per tonne.
Rice prices in India have corrected
recently due to weak
demand, said Nitin Gupta, vice president of the rice business at
Olam India.
demand, said Nitin Gupta, vice president of the rice business at
Olam India.
Meanwhile in Vietnam, prices of 5
percent broken rice
<RI-VNBKN5-P1> were unchanged from the previous week at
$450-$455 a tonne.
<RI-VNBKN5-P1> were unchanged from the previous week at
$450-$455 a tonne.
"The market has been quiet and
there have been no new deals
clinched recently, as prices of Vietnamese rice are not as
competitive as those of Thai products," a Ho chi Minh City-based
trader said.
clinched recently, as prices of Vietnamese rice are not as
competitive as those of Thai products," a Ho chi Minh City-based
trader said.
"I think prices are under
pressure to ease over the coming
weeks due to additional supplies from the ongoing spring-summer
harvest," the trader said.
(Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat in Bangkok, Khanh Vu in
Hanoi, Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai and Ruma Paul in Dhaka; Editing
by Jan Harvey)
weeks due to additional supplies from the ongoing spring-summer
harvest," the trader said.
(Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat in Bangkok, Khanh Vu in
Hanoi, Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai and Ruma Paul in Dhaka; Editing
by Jan Harvey)
Good information, thanks for sharing.
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