Monday, January 22, 2018

22nd January,2018 daily global regional local rice e-newsletter by rice plus magazine

In a first, Pakistan to export white rice to Indonesia

 

Published: January 21, 2018
White rice. PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistani firms have secured an order to export 65,000 tons of white rice (non-Basmati) to Indonesia, said the Ministry of Commerce on Saturday. This would be the first time Pakistan would be exporting white rice to Indonesia.
The two countries have recently agreed to revise their preferential trade agreement (PTA) to make it mutually beneficial and address the imbalance in bilateral trade. Pakistan-Indonesia’s bilateral trade volume increased from $1.23 billion in 2011-12 to $2.44 billion in financial year 2016-17.
However, ever since the PTA with Indonesia became operational in 2013, Pakistan’s exports have been on a negative trajectory, coming down from $196 million in 2012-13 to $138 million in 2016-17.
To address this, Pakistan initiated a review of PTA with Indonesia and, among other things, took up the issue of market access for rice with its trading partner in the Asia-Pacific region. Indonesia has agreed to revise its trade pact with Pakistan, making 20 more items, including rice from Pakistan, duty-free.
The tender for procurement of 500,000 tons of rice was floated by Indonesia during the outgoing week, out of which 84,000 tons were to be sourced from South Asia. Two Pakistani firms took part in the bidding process and secured the order on January 19. India would export the rest of South Asia’s rice quota to Indonesia.
“The Ministry of Commerce is hopeful that the breakthrough made would prove to be a milestone in tapping the huge Indonesian white rice market,” said a statement issued by the ministry on Saturday.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 21st, 2018.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1614021/4-first-pakistan-export-white-rice-indonesia/


Rice exports mark 29% growth in half year

 

8:59 PM, January 20, 2018
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NNI
Rice exports from Pakistan have seen significant growth at the end of December, 2017. This statement was given by Mr. Rafique Suleman, Senior Vice Chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan, while talking with news reporters.
He shared the half yearly figures of rice exports during the period of July to December 2017. He said that at the end of December 2017, rice exports for fiscal year 2017-18 (July to Dec 2017) a significant growth has been observed as compared to Last fiscal year 2016-17 (July to Dec 2016).
He said that this year we exported Total 1.9 Million Metric Tons of riceamounting to US$. 881 Million, whereas in last fiscal year we had exported 1.64 Million Metric Tons of rice amounting to US$.682 Million, which shows over all a significant growth of 29% in values and 15% in quantity.
He pleased to inform the media persons that Indonesia has also floated a tender for procurement of big quantity of rice and two Pakistani companies are also included in successful bidders. He was very much hopeful that this year, we set the target to export more than 4.0 Million Metric Tons of Pakistani rice and we will be able to achieve US$ 2 Billion mark.
He expressed his gratitude to Government of Pakistan and specially Pakistan High Commission at Nairobi for their excellent support to handle the recent issue against Pakistani rice exporters.
He said that Kenya is the largest buyer of Pakistani rice and during half year of this fiscal year (July to Dec 2017), we have exported 240,000 Metric Tons of rice amounting to US$ 85 Million. He need to focus on the issues and problems and urged to rectify them and make a strategy for betterment of rice exports in future.
He also shows his concern on decline of exports in China, which was the 2nd largest destination for Pakistani rice exporters. As at the end of December 2017, only 174,000 Metric tons of rice valueing US$ 56.8 Million He requested the concerned government authorities to take serious notice and take urgent measures and steps to improve the rice exports to China.
He said that Iran and Saudi Arabia are the major buyers of Basmati Riceand we are hopeful that after resolving the Payment Problem / Banking Channel with Iran, Pakistani Basmati Rice will get a significant boast which was facing severe decline since last three years.
He informed that this year demand of rice has increased in international market and rates of Pakistani Rice are cheaper than our competitors, Thailand and Vietnam. And international buyers are keeping an eye on Pakistan for their competitive rates. We hope that this year we will see remarkable growth in Pakistani Rice Exports .
He added that rice exporters are also putting extra ordinary efforts for fetching valueable foreign exchange for our beloved country and making huge investment for installing world’s latest rice machinery and most modern technology for value addition in rice 

https://nation.com.pk/20-Jan-2018/rice-exports-mark-29-growth-in-half-year

 

 

Los Baños launches science-tourism project

A niche tourism brand for students budding scientists, or even armchair Einsteins is currently in the works in Los Baños.The Los Baños Science Community Foundation Inc. (LBSCFI) launched the “Development of Science Tourism in Los Baños” project with the signing of a memorandum of agreement with the Calabarzon branches of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Department of Education.
The project aims to promote science and technology (S&T), increase the number of tourists in Los Baños and boost the engagements of local stakeholders and enterprises.
According to LBSCFI President Alexander R. Madrigal, who is also the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) 4-A Regional Director, the project also aims to “promote S&T as a career path among students.”
As an emerging niche-tourism concept, “there is no body of knowledge yet in science tourism,” said Forester Roberto P. Cereno, chairman of the LBSCFI Tourism Committee and director of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB)-College of Forestry and Natural Resources Training Center for Tropical Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability.
Cereno, however, emphasized the scopes of science tourism, which are “science in tourism” and “tourism in science.”
The former showcases S&T innovations and interventions, while the latter packages and promotes S&T ideas, discoveries and laboratory breakthroughs into “awe-inspiring” and “mind-blowing” tourist attractions.
DOT Region 4-A Regional Director Rebecca V. Labit expressed support to science tourism. She describes the undertaking as “timely, needed and speaks well of the sustainability for tourism.”
Also present during the launch were Los Baños Mayor Caesar P. Perez, Lopez Elementary School Principal Bernon Abellera, members of the national and local media and representatives of LBSCFI member-agencies.
Los Baños was designated as the “Special Science and Nature City” of the Philippines in 2000 based on Proclamation 349.
Visitors flock to the university town to see the scientific outputs of LBSCFI member-agencies, which include UPLB, the International Rice Research Institute, Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development, DOST 4-A and other institutions and organizations, besides its natural wonders and other tourist attractions.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/los-banos-launches-science-tourism-project/

My third wish for agriculture in 2018
January 20, 2018, 10:00 PM
By Dr. Emil Q. Javier
If I had three wishes for agriculture, the first would be for a deliberate technology redirection from mono-cropping to multiple cropping and its corollary policy shift from rice self-sufficiency to raising farmers’ incomes (07 January 2018 column).
Our most serious long term physical constraint in agriculture is very low per capita availability of farm land. Our population continues to grow (latest estimate of 107 million) but our available farm area of 10 million hectares is fixed and steadily diminishing with farm lands being diverted into other productive uses like housing subdivisions, industrial estates, and tourism destinations. This narrow farm land to people ratio can only get worse over time.
But because of our humid tropical climate we can grow crops all year round. With short maturing crops, quick turnaround between crops with minimum tillage, and irrigation we can plant as many as 3–4 crops a year in succession on the same piece of land. Currently, we harvest 13 million hectares of crops every year out of our physical farm land of 10 million hectares (cropping intensity of 1.30). Should we raise the cropping intensity to 3.00–4.00 with multiple cropping, we will have farm produce out of 30-40 million hectares instead of only 13 million hectares.
These additional harvest areas will dramatically increase food supply and raise farmers’ income. This will benefit both consumers (more supply and lower food prices) and producers (more incomes and more employment per hectare).
The second wish is wider adoption of contract growing as a business model to get around the inconvenient truth of uneconomic small farms, which are getting smaller with each passing generation (14 January 2018 column).
Our small farmers are not as productive and as competitive with our ASEAN neighbors for three major reasons: insufficient access to 1) modern productive technology, 2) timely and affordable credit, and 3) fair markets. All government rural development programs had been directed towards alleviating these three shortcomings. But sadly to date with limited access.
However, there is a neat way of simultaneously overcoming these limitations, and with little cost to government — by contract growing. Small farmers are organized to supply the raw material requirements of agribusiness integrators (food processors, exporters, institutional buyers, wholesalers and/or supermarkets) for a mutually agreed price which is higher than what farmers usually get in the open market. In order to assure themselves of product quality as well as volumes and times of delivery, the integrators advance seeds, breeding stock, fertilizers, feeds, other inputs to the contract growers. The costs of these inputs are charged to the products the farmers deliver to the integrators. The integrators, likewise, deploy agriculture technicians and veterinarians to assist the growers and thereby reduce the vulnerability of farmers to production risks.
We have successful contract growing arrangements for broilers, bananas, pineapple, papaya and Virginia tobacco. The farmers obtain better and assured prices for their produce while the integrators are able to secure their raw material supply. With the further liberalization of trade, our food and beverage industries have to shape up for the coming competition from our ASEAN neighbors. Securing their supply chains of quality and competitively priced raw materials through contract growing is the way forward. We should promote the contract growing business model to cover other commodities like they do in Thailand.
But the most formidable hurdle integrators face in contract growing, is the difficulty in bringing the small farmers together. Government, particularly the local government units (LGUs), is in best position to organize the farmers and their cooperatives. And the better way to accomplish this is by the one-town-one-product approach (OTOP) being championed by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to promote small and medium scale enterprises in the country side.
My third, and last, wish for agriculture is a thorough corporate make-over of the Department of Agriculture (DA), its structure, operations and human resources profile. Weaknesses have crept in in the governance of the Department over the years. Time to right the ship.
Although there are many other significant institutions/stakeholders/players responsible for agriculture, the single most important entity is the DA. All efforts therefore must be made to enable DA to accomplish its responsibility of providing strategic direction and coherence to agriculture and fisheries development, and the monitoring and evaluation of programs on the ground.
The detailed wish list is long. Some could take long because they involve restructuring and would require legislation. But many others are programmatic and are within the preview of executive authority by the President or at the department level.

Structural Reforms:
1.     Most importantly, make the DA whole again. Return National Food Authority (NFA), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) to DA. The Secretary of DA cannot be fairly held accountable for the performance of the sector without these important agencies under his supervision and control.
2.     But spin out Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) into a stand-alone Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR). With our vast water resources, we have so much potential in fresh water and marine industries. Sadly, focus on fisheries is lost in the crop/livestock dominant orientation in DA.
3.     Reorganize Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) as research institutes in the successful model of Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC). The original bureaus of DA have lost their momentum with their designation as staff bureaus without line functions in the department reorganization in 1987. They have ceased to be looked up to as professional, highly technical agencies of government, unlike PhilRice and PCC.
4.     Reconstitute the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) into the old Bureau of Agricultural Extension (BAEX) model will full mandate for extension, not only farmers training. Coherence and central direction of agriculture extension were lost in the phase-out of BAEX in the department reorganization of 1987.
5.     Partially amend the devolution of agricultural extension services to the local governments, to provide that the Provincial Agriculture Offices (PAOs) will have supervision and control over the Municipal Agriculture Offices (MAOs). We went overboard in devolving agricultural extension all the way down to the municipal level. The MAOs are suboptimal operating units and are not large enough in terms of resources and expertise.
The reform should include the institutionalization of a progressive extension cost-sharing scheme between the LGUs and the national government, with the national government assuming the heavier burden vis-à-vis the 4th and 6th class municipalities
6.     For the Board of Trustees of selected state colleges and universities (SUCs), one for each region, to organize dedicated RURAL EXTENSION CENTERS with regular plantilla positions (not just ad hoc and add-on responsibilities to faculty). The SUC rural extension centers will provide farmers training and specialists training. They will engage in extension materials development and applied research and provide on-farm trials support to their respective DA Regional Offices and the provinces in the region.
7.     This is not directed to DA itself but to the credit requirements of small farmers and fisherfolk. That Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) be exempted for the next ten years from the regulation requiring government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) to remit half of their earnings to the National Treasury. That these Land Bank earnings be earmarked for subsidized lending to small farmers and fisherfolk.

Programmatic Reforms
1.     Develop with DTI and the private sector, integrated industry road maps for major commodities, from production all the way to processing and exports, complete with targets and timelines.
2.     Secure stakeholders support to the DA programs. The successful prosecution of rural development programs require the ownership and commitment of stakeholders, particularly the farmers themselves and the agribusiness sector. The Agriculture Secretary no less should preside over the meetings of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council. With the Secretary’s presence, the farmers’ associations, agribusiness stakeholders and the bureaus will not dare send in their subordinates and underlings.
3.     For DA and its agencies to obtain ISO9000 certification for their operations.
4.     Re-orient agricultural research and extension to farming systems, and multiple cropping.
5.     Continue investing in large multipurpose dams for irrigation, domestic water consumption and power generator. But embed small irrigation units in the large irrigation systems to facilitate multiple cropping.
6.     Direct more efforts in partnership with DTI, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and SUCs, to value-adding and processing, particularly at the village level.
7.     Adopt OTOP approach and the contract farming business model in extension and rural industry promotion to attain economies of scale, reduce transaction costs and closely link primary producers to markets.
8.     Scale up and provide continuing support for human resources development in DA and its agencies for:
·       graduate level training (Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy)
·       short-term, non-degree, in-service specialists training
·       farmers and farmer-leaders/scientists training.

*****
Dr. Emil Q. Javier is a Member of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) and also Chair of the Coalition for Agriculture Modernization in the Philippines (CAMP). For any feedback , email eqjavier@yahoo.com.

https://business.mb.com.ph/2018/01/20/my-third-wish-for-agriculture-in-2018/


Rice Bran Oil Market Key Global Market Research Report 2018 – (Growth, Development, Future Forecast)


Rice Bran Oil Market Key Global Market studies a document and does an entire evaluation of the market to understand Rice Bran Oil Market Key global market dynamics and Rice Bran Oil Market Key global market share. A whole observe of Rice Bran Oil Market Key global market is based on former, current and forecast market evaluation is achieved to provide Rice Bran Oil Market Key market length and increase the ratio.
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An entire analysis of Rice Bran Oil Market Key global market income sales is done based on production in regions namely America, European, India, Japan, China, and different areas. This report adds additional research on Rice Bran Oil Market Key global market based totally on product type and its forecast to 2023 from 2018.
The proper information of Rice Bran Oil Market Key market understands qualitative and quantitative aspects main to product definition, product cost, global Rice Bran Oil Market Key market revenue, opportunities, and threats are blanketed. Global Rice Bran Oil Market Key global market research report conducts a complete study of the top producers primarily based on their enterprise profile, global Rice Bran Oil Market Key global market sales, client extent, manufacturing rate, and aggressive market state of affairs.
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The global Rice Bran Oil Market Key report covers following 11 sections of Rice Bran Oil Market Key market:
1 – Rice Bran Oil Market Key Market Overview
2 – Global Rice Bran Oil Market Key Competitions by Players
3 – Global Rice Bran Oil Market Key Competitions by Types
4 – Global Rice Bran Oil Market Key by Application
5 – Global Rice Bran Oil Market Key Production Analysis by Region
6 – Global Rice Bran Oil Market Key Sales Analysis by Region
7 – Imports and Exports Market Analysis
8 – Global Rice Bran Oil Market Key Manufacturers Profiles and Sales Data
9 – Rice Bran Oil Market Key Up-stream and Down-stream Analysis
10 – Global Rice Bran Oil Market Key Market Forecast (2018-2023)
11 – Research Findings and Conclusion on Rice Bran Oil Market Key Market
Market Analysis by Players:
Ricela
Kamal
BCL
SVROil
Vaighai
A.P. Refinery
3F Industries
Sethia Oils
Jain Group of Industries
Shivangi Oils
Balgopal Food Products
King Rice Oil Group
CEO Agrifood Limited
Kasisuri
Surin Bran Oil
Agrotech International
Tsuno Rice Fine Chemicals
Oryza Oil & Fat Chemical
Wilmar International
Wanyuan Food & Oil
Jinrun
Shanxin
Jinwang
Market Analysis by Regions:
North America
Europe
China
Japan
Others
Market Analysis by Types:
Extraction
Squeezing
Market Analysis by Applications:
Cosmetic
Industry
Browse more related categories reports here


Rice Seed Market Growth by 2022: DuPont Pioneer, Bayer, Nuziveedu Seeds

·      
·       Craig Francis
HTF MI presents an in-depth assessment of current Rice Seed key market drivers, market size and trends and Global Rice Seed opportunities, challenges, and restraints as well as key market segments, technological updates, impact of any regulatory policies as well as key market segments. The research study provides forecasts for Rice Seed investments till 2022.
If you are involved in the Rice Seed industry or intend to be, then this study will provide you comprehensive outlook. It’s vital you keep your market knowledge up to date segmented by Application, Type and major players. If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or needs regional or country segmented reports we can provide customization according to your requirement.
The Study is segmented by following Product Type: Long-Grain Rice, Medium-Grain Rice & Short-Grain Rice
Major applications/end-users industry are as follows: Agricultural Production & Scientific Research
Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions such as North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia & India, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), and market share and growth rate of Global Rice Seed in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast)
Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/893974-global-rice-seed-market-5
Major companies covered in the report are DuPont Pioneer, Bayer, Nuziveedu Seeds, Kaveri, Mahyco, RiceTec, Krishidhan, Rasi Seeds, JK seeds, Syngenta, Longping High-tech, China National Seed, Grand Agriseeds, Dabei Nong Group, Hefei Fengle, Win-all Hi-tech, Gansu Dunhuang Seed, Dongya Seed Industry, Keeplong Seeds, Guangxi Hengmao Agricultural Technology, Opulent Technology, Zhongnongfa, Anhui Nongken & Saprotan Utama

This study also contains company profiling, product picture and specifications, sales, market share and contact information of various international, regional, and local vendors of Global Rice Seed Market. The market competition is constantly growing higher with the rise in technological innovation and M&A activities in the industry. Moreover, many local and regional vendors are offering specific application products for varied end-users. The new vendor entrants in the market are finding it hard to compete with the international vendors based on quality, reliability, and innovations in technology.
Key questions answered in this report – Global Rice Seed Market Research Report 2018
What will be the market size and the growth rate in 2022?
What are the key factors driving the Global Rice Seed market?
Who are the key market players and what are their strategies in the Global Rice Seed market?
What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the Global Rice Seed market?
What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing its growth?
What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the Global Rice Seed market?
What are the key outcomes of the five forces analysis of the Rice Seed market?
New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis?
There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Rice Seed market.
Chapter 1, to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Rice Seed, Applications of Rice Seed, Market Segment by Regions;
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Chapter 3, to display the Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Rice Seed, Capacity and Commercial Production Date, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, R&D Status and Technology Source, Raw Materials Sources Analysis;
Chapter 4, to show the Overall Market Analysis, Capacity Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment);
Chapter 5 and 6, to show the Regional Market Analysis that includes North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia & India, Rice Seed Segment Market Analysis (by Type);
Chapter 7 and 8, to analyze the Rice Seed Segment Market Analysis (by Application) Major Manufacturers Analysis of Rice Seed;
Chapter 9, Market Trend Analysis, Regional Market Trend, Market Trend by Product Type [Long-Grain Rice, Medium-Grain Rice & Short-Grain Rice], Market Trend by Application [Agricultural Production & Scientific Research];
Chapter 10, Regional Marketing Type Analysis, International Trade Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis;
Chapter 11, to analyze the Consumers Analysis of Rice Seed;
Chapter 12, to describe Rice Seed Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source;
Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Rice Seed sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.
Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.

Senior agriculture official warns rice import could harm production


News Desk
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta | Mon, January 22, 2018 | 01:16 pm
A paddy field is ready for harvesting in North Sumatra in this undated photograph. (Shutterstock/File)
The Agriculture Ministry's director general for food crops has criticized the Trade Ministry’s decision to import rice, as the country produced enough rice to meet local demand, and stressed that importing the commodity could disrupt long-term rice production.
Food crops director general Sumarjo Gatot Irianto stressed said on Sunday in Jakarta that he could prove that Indonesia produced a sufficient amount of rice through satellite images that showed the rice harvest across the country as well as the dates of the rice harvest, reported by tempo.co.
Sumarjo also criticized those who questioned the rice production data, saying that his office had valid data.
“The question is why the market experienced a shortage in rice when distribution has been smooth and the harvest was huge,” he said.
He suspected that the rice supply chain was disrupted, and that relevant parties in the government should find a better solution for easing the price hike rather than simply importing the commodity.
Sumarjo said that importing rice as a solution would disrupt long-term rice production, as it discouraged farmers from producing the commodity. “Don’t introduce a solution for a short-term problem that will disrupt the agricultural production system,” he added.
The government decided on Jan. 11 to import 500,000 tons of rice through the Trade Ministry, in an effort to ease increasing rice prices that had exceeded the government's ceiling prices since last month. (bbn) 

Rice tariff seen to mitigate TRAIN impact on inflation

 (The Philippine Star) 
In a press briefing, BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the rice tariffication bill pending in both houses of Congress could become a “game changer” that would help lower prices of rice, and thus overall inflation. File
MANILA, Philippines — The passage of a bill which seeks to remove the quantitative restrictions (QR) on rice imports could lower inflation by one percentage point and offset the inflationary impact of the tax reform law, an official of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said.
In a press briefing, BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the rice tariffication bill pending in both houses of Congress could become a “game changer” that would help lower prices of rice, and thus overall inflation.
“This will have a very positive effect on inflation management. Because based on our initial forecast, if Congress is able to pass this tariffication bill, it will slice off about one percentage point from inflation. Why? Because rice is nine percent of the total consumer basket,” Guinigundo said.
Under the new bill, the government will lift the QR imposed on rice imports, and increase its tariff to 35 percent.
Earlier, Finance Undersecretary and chief economist Gil Beltran said lifting the QR on rice, in favor of imposing higher tariff, would encourage traders to import the commodity and allow the influx of cheaper rice into the domestic market.
He said this would cut the retail price of rice by as much as P7 per kilogram, and generate P27.3 billion in additional revenue in the next six years.
Meanwhile, Guinigundo said the downward effect of the rice tariffication bill on inflation could also serve as a mitigation against the upward inflationary impact of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act.
Earlier, the BSP said it expects the TRAIN to raise inflation by less than one percentage point.
As such, the central bank earlier announced an inflation forecast of 3.4 percent in 2018 and 3.2 percent in 2019, Guinigundo said.
However, the BSP official said there could still be downward adjustments in the inflation estimate due to the final version of TRAIN and the lower revenue expected from the law.
“Our forecast was premised on about P134 billion revenue potential revenue of the government. But I think right now we’re talking of about P82 billion. So we are in fact, taking this into account in formulating our forecast for 2018 and 2019. So, if at the beginning our forecast was less than one percent, it could be even lower,” he said.
Guinigundo said the new adjustments would be announced on Feb. 8, after the Monetary Board’s next policy meeting.
Republic Act 10963 or the TRAIN Act aims to simplify the country’s tax system by lowering personal income tax rates.
http://www.philstar.com/business/2018/01/21/1779727/rice-tariff-seen-mitigate-train-impact-inflation

Iran: ban on rice imports to be lifted

(MENAFN) Iran's ban on rice has been lifted for five-month period of time that starts from Sunday, according to Tasnim news.

The Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) has banned any registration for imports of rice from December 31, 2017 until further notice, IRNA reported. 

"Regarding the mass imports of rice, more than one million tons, during the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21- August 22, 2017), which surpassed domestic consumption and pulled market into recession, no further order registration should be allowed," Agriculture Minister Mahmoud Hojjati wrote to Shariatmadari on December 20.

Pakistan earns $881m from rice exports during July-Dec

Masroor Afzal Pasha
Karachi
The exports of rice registered a significant surge of 29 percent or 1.9 million metric tons earning an amount of $881 million for national kitty during the period July-December of current financial year.
The Senior Vice Chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) Rafique Suleman informed the media here on Saturday that during the period of July-December, the rice exporters have witnessed a significant surge in exports of rice as compared to same period of last financial year.
During the period, the exporters have dispatched a total of 1.9 million metric tons of rice exports grabbing an amount of $881 million for national kitty. During the last fiscal year, about 1.64 million metric tons of rice amounting to $682 million was exported from the country registering an increase of 29 percent in values and 15 percent in quantity, he informed.
He informed that Indonesia has also floated a tender for procurement of big quantity of rice and two Pakistani companies are also included in successful bidders.
He hoped that this year, we set the target to export more than 4 million metric tons of rice from the country and will be able to achieve $2 billion marks. He appreciated the federal government efforts and especially Pakistan High Commission at Nairobi for their excellent support to handle the recent issue against Pakistani rice exporters.
Kenya is the largest buyer of Pakistani rice and during last six months of the current fiscal year (July to Dec 2017-18). The exporters have dispatched 240,000 metric tons of rice amounting to $85 million, he said, adding that there is a need to focus on the issues and problems in the rights direction.
He urged to rectify all issues among rice exporters and government officials to make a strategy for the betterment of rice exports of the future.
He has shown concern over the decline of exports to China, which was the second largest Pakistani rice importer as, at the end of December 2017, only 174,000 metric tons of rice valuing $56.8 million were dispatched from the country.
He urged the government authorities to take serious notice and urgent measures as well as steps to improve the rice exports to China.
Rafique said Pakistani basmati rice will get a significant boost which was facing severe decline since last three years in Iran and Saudi Arabia who were the major buyers of Basmati Rice.
He hoped that after resolving issues related to the payment problems and banking channel with Iran, it will increase Pakistani rice exports.
He informed that the demand for rice has increased in the international market and rates of Pakistani Rice are cheaper than our countries like Thailand and Vietnam. Most of the international buyers are keen to buy Pakistani rice due to its competitive rates. The REAP is hopeful that this year, we will witness a substantial growth in Pakistani rice exports.
Rice exporters are also doing extraordinary efforts for fetching foreign exchange for the country and investing in modern rice processing machinery for value addition of rice.

Rice tariff seen to mitigate TRAIN impact on inflation

 (The Philippine Star) 
In a press briefing, BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the rice tariffication bill pending in both houses of Congress could become a “game changer” that would help lower prices of rice, and thus overall inflation. File
MANILA, Philippines — The passage of a bill which seeks to remove the quantitative restrictions (QR) on rice imports could lower inflation by one percentage point and offset the inflationary impact of the tax reform law, an official of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said.
In a press briefing, BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the rice tariffication bill pending in both houses of Congress could become a “game changer” that would help lower prices of rice, and thus overall inflation.
“This will have a very positive effect on inflation management. Because based on our initial forecast, if Congress is able to pass this tariffication bill, it will slice off about one percentage point from inflation. Why? Because rice is nine percent of the total consumer basket,” Guinigundo said.
Under the new bill, the government will lift the QR imposed on rice imports, and increase its tariff to 35 percent.
Earlier, Finance Undersecretary and chief economist Gil Beltran said lifting the QR on rice, in favor of imposing higher tariff, would encourage traders to import the commodity and allow the influx of cheaper rice into the domestic market.
He said this would cut the retail price of rice by as much as P7 per kilogram, and generate P27.3 billion in additional revenue in the next six years.
Meanwhile, Guinigundo said the downward effect of the rice tariffication bill on inflation could also serve as a mitigation against the upward inflationary impact of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act.
Earlier, the BSP said it expects the TRAIN to raise inflation by less than one percentage point.
As such, the central bank earlier announced an inflation forecast of 3.4 percent in 2018 and 3.2 percent in 2019, Guinigundo said.
However, the BSP official said there could still be downward adjustments in the inflation estimate due to the final version of TRAIN and the lower revenue expected from the law.
“Our forecast was premised on about P134 billion revenue potential revenue of the government. But I think right now we’re talking of about P82 billion. So we are in fact, taking this into account in formulating our forecast for 2018 and 2019. So, if at the beginning our forecast was less than one percent, it could be even lower,” he said.
Guinigundo said the new adjustments would be announced on Feb. 8, after the Monetary Board’s next policy meeting.
Republic Act 10963 or the TRAIN Act aims to simplify the country’s tax system by lowering personal income tax rates.

http://www.philstar.com/business/2018/01/21/1779727/rice-tariff-seen-mitigate-train-impact-inflation

gun’s MITROS rice pyramid and its critics

Jan 20 2018 - 12:24pm
MITROS rice pyramid and goundnut pyramid of the past
Amosun launcches MITROS rice

By Ademola Adegbamigbe
On 21 December 2017, the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, launched a local brand of Ofada rice tagged MITROS (Mission To Rebuild Ogun State) Ofada Rice. At the occasion in Abeokuta, he said: “Our past efforts at tackling poverty in all ramifications will amount to nothing if concerted efforts are not taken to ensure food security to people at all income levels. This is why today is a significant day, not just for Ogun State, but for Nigeria as well.”
It is one of the efforts of state governments to achieve local production of rice to put a stop to importation of the commodity. In that regard, Lagos and Kebbi states, last year introduced LAKE rice, an acronym formed from the first two letters of each of the two states. Then Ogun followed suit with, hopefully, other states boarding the same train soon.
However good the intention of the Ogun government is, critics went to town to criticise MITROS rice launching, calling it padded pyramid. This is because the pyramid was ‘built’ around wooden scaffolding, compared to the Kano groundnut pyramids of those days.
Tunde Akogun, a critic, wondered why Nigeria transmogrified from budget padding to rice pudding! Salihu Olayinka Gegele asked: “Was the groundnut pyramids of kano (of old) also built on wooden pads like this?” Yomi Ibiwoye also asked: “Why can’t Amosun just put a wooden plank on ground and arrange the rice as would be. Must there be a pyramid?”
Another critic, Ihria ‘Ehi Enakimio, put it this way: “Deception is also when you give the false impression that the quantity is more than it is! Is it possible to load the bags with sand and claim rice? Of course! If you can lie about quantity, why should I believe you won’t lie about content? The famous, now historical groundnut pyramids, were NOT stacked on wooden frames!”
There were howover those who were ready to swear by their grandfather’s beard that Amosun meant well and that the wooden scaffolding was put to make the bags of form a pyramidal shape. That is why Gabriel Ojo argued: “Don’t you think a pyramid of this nature needs a wooden support?” Jesugbemi Ola Adeniran also supported the governor: “Please does the under part have rice or not? Please is it possible that the only way to get it into a pyramid shape is to have a frame around which it’s built?”
Generally, Adebiyi Gabriel Olajide-Mackson argued: “If we keep criticising ourselves without offering any useful solution to ameliorate our suffering, too bad. If the previous administrations had done a little like this, probably, we would be at par with Taiwan or Thailand. Let’s makes our own contributions to the development of this nation rather than finding faults. Thailand is complaining about drop on rice exportation to Nigeria, yet we still don’t appreciate the little efforts of this administration.”
To Abdulhakeem Abiodun Saka Owolarafe, as the sale of MITROS rice to the public at designated centres continues after it was launched, buyers have continued to commend the State government for making the product available at reasonable price.
Abduljabar Ayelaagbe added his own homily, saying wrong insinuations bothering around MITROS RICE has dominated social media space for some days but one wonders the need for it.
“In all honesty, one finds it somehow hard to come to terms as to what the initiator of those negative campaigns tends to gain. First it was that the rice didn’t exist at all that the rice that formed Pyramid were bought and re-bagged and now that there was no rice but its sand that were being stuffed into the bags and presented to the people as rice.
“I was surprised seeing some people sharing or commending people that put those falsified information up without taken their time to find out whether there was rice or not. This is very disturbing in a state that is as educationally advanced as Ogun State, its expected that we, at least, seek for right information instead of joining people to spread wrong ones.
“I am one of the young farmer that planted rice at Igbogila. I planted two hectares of land. Some other people planted at Eegua while others planted at Sawonjo. There are 5 to 10 people in each of the groups/cooperative we formed depending on the capacities of members to deliver. Government did well by allocating land to us, ploughed it, gave us rice seedlings, assisted us with fertilizer and so many other things, all at highly subsidized rate to encourage us. It may interest you to know that Government also bought the rice from us.
“The only cost on us was those people we brought on board to assist us in planting and do monitoring when we are not on the farm because of birds and some other miscellaneous expenses.
“It need be said that When I first got the information, I had even thought, I got the opportunity given the privileged position I occupied as the Ogun State Secretary of the National Youth Council of Nigeria but later find out it was thrown open to all, with little condition that you take it in group/ cooperative to serve as means to charge us to get the work done on time. I shared the information widely on many platforms but unfortunately not so many people turned up, only for them to later realized that the project was real and the government really meant well.
“Its important our people seek for information instead of unnecessarily ditching out wrong ones thereby misleading the public.
“As a Stakeholder in Ogun State project from the youth sector, I think the Ogun State government under the leadership of Senator Amosun need to be commended for the initiative rather than all this one day one lie we read all around.
“The reallocation of the land (second session), I was told by our Coordinator, will soon start, if you’re interested in being a rice farmer, contact the people incharge instead of unnecessarily disturbing the public peace. Abduljabar Ayelaagbe is my name, a proud son of Ilaro Yewa.
http://thenewsnigeria.com.ng/2018/01/oguns-mitros-rice-pyramid-and-its-critics/


Local rice production to increase owing to import restrictions
by CALEB OJEWALE | January 20, 2018 11:33 am 



Nigeria’s declining rice imports from major sources such as Thailand and India has indicated the need to expand on efforts to empower more farmers to cultivate the staple year-round, and also improving extension services to offer the required support. The volume of rice exports to Nigeria from Thailand, one of the world’s leading rice producers…

Revised PTA will boost rice exports to Indonesia

Mubarak Zeb KhanJanuary 20, 2018
Total rice exports amounted to $644.3 million in July-November 2017, up 15.6 per cent from a year ago. Pakistan and Indonesia recently signed a memorandum of understanding, which envisages the sourcing of rice from Islamabad.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will export 65,000 tonnes of non-Basmati rice to Indonesia as part of the revised preferential trade agreement (PTA).
Indonesia floated a tender in the current week for the procurement of 500,000 tonnes of rice. As much as 84,000 tonnes are to be sourced from South Asia.
Two Pakistani companies, facilitated by the Ministry of Commerce and the Pakistan mission in Jakarta, were able to participate in the bidding process. The bids were finalised on Jan 19.
As a result, these two companies secured an order for 65,000 tonnes of white rice out of a total regional quota of 84,000 tonnes. The rest was given to an Indian company. “The Ministry of Commerce is hopeful that the breakthrough made today would prove to be a milestone in tapping the huge Indonesian white rice market,” said Commerce Secretary Younus Dagha.
Pakistan signed the PTA with Indonesia in 2012, which became operational in the subsequent year. As a result, bilateral trade witnessed a substantial increase, although it remains in favour of Indonesia. A review of the PTA was initiated wherein, besides revising the agreement to make it mutually beneficial, the issue of market access on rice was also taken up. Consequently, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding, which envisaged sourcing of rice from Pakistan.
Mr Dagha said the Indonesian side has agreed to immediately reduce the tariff to zero on 20 tariff lines of Pakistan’s prime interest.
Major items are mangoes, broken rice, tobacco, yarn, fabric, denim, garments, towels and bed. Indonesia’s global imports under these tariff lines are around $600 million. This is sizeable market access considering Indonesia’s very high tariffs on a number of these lines.
Indonesia has also relaxed its import restrictions on kinno, allowing its import for four months as opposed to the earlier two months to accommodate Pakistan’s concern. Besides this, mango has also been granted market access at zero per cent duty for the entire season. This is the first time Indonesia has opened the import of mango for any country.
In terms of the volume of trade, tariff lines offered to Pakistan for preferential market access covered only 27pc in dollar terms in 2012. This percentage increased to 48pc and then slipped to 33pc in 2016-17. This demonstrates that Pakistan’s request list to Indonesia didn’t contain tariff lines of its prime export interest. For example, there are 24 tariff lines in which Pakistan’s exports to Indonesia over the last five years have been above $1m. Out of these 24 tariff lines, only four are covered under the PTA.
Under the PTA, Pakistan offered preferential tariff to Indonesia on 313 tariff lines, whereas Jakarta reduced tariff on 232 lines for Islamabad. In spite of the PTA, Pakistan’s exports to Indonesia did not increase. Only 32 out of 232 tariff lines included in Indonesia’s offer list could be utilised. The rest of the tariff lines in the offer list remained unutilised by our exporters. As a result, bilateral trade with Indonesia increased from $1.23 billion in 2011-12 to $2.26bn in 2015-16.
The growth in bilateral trade was due to an increase in Indonesia’s exports to Pakistan. Exports from Islamabad to Jakarta showed a negative growth after the implementation of the PTA. Exports to Indonesia declined from $196m in 2012-13 to $138m in 2016-17.
In order to implement market access granted on the 20 tariff lines, the two sides will be signing a protocol during the upcoming visit of the Indonesian president as some of the articles of the agreements require amendments. The Indonesian president, who will arrive on Jan 25, will also address a joint session of parliament.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1384025/revised-pta-will-boost-rice-exports-to-indonesia 2:00 AM, January 21, 2018 / LAST MODIFIED: 12:00 AM, January 21, 2018

Market manipulation to blame for spiralling commodity prices

Commodity market manipulation has vicious consequences for the economy. Photo: Star/FILE
The recent price surge in kitchen commodities has created uproar in the masses. The backdrop of this bitter outrage amongst our disconcerted population was an erratic increase in the price of onions from Tk 25 to Tk 90 per kilogramme.
The overriding presumption in the present situation has signalled towards the latent employment of market manipulation methods and tactics.
Such a premise is not devoid of facts; needless to say, in recent years, the edible oil market has phased through inflated prices and rice millers have been blacklisted and fined meagrely for deceitfully stockpiling this staple food.
This hoarding effect also propels the incumbent government onto an uneasy platform, to discharge the heavy burden of satisfying the hunger of those it governs through increased spending or slashed tariffs.
As expected, market manipulation not only damages market solidarity and integrity but has vicious consequences on the economy and the government's policies and reputation at large.
Section 25(1) of the Special Power's Act 1974 gives teeth to combat this malignant misconduct, it plainly states that -- a person found guilty of the offence of hoarding can be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years, life imprisonment or at the discretion of the judge, death is also a potential avenue.
Although fines are a token of legislative finesse, the gravity of these punishments alone should have been a strong deterrent. Liability for hoarding is merely attracted by- 'stocking or storing anything in excess of the maximum quantity of that thing allowed to be held in stock or storage at any one time by any person by or under any law'. 
The physical proof required for the foundation of potential charges have been difficult to satisfy due to syndicated storage schemes; albeit, not wholly impossible.
However, logistically, relative blameworthiness cannot be equal throughout the supply chain. A key factor for commodities market manipulation in this scale requires the acquisition and/or control of large resources so as to squeeze the market to create and sustain an artificially engineered price, similar to the pumping and dumping methods in stocks.
For commodities, it is highly unlikely, though not improbable, that your common marketplace wholesalers or retailers would have had such a sway over the market so as to manipulate it.
Fortunately, however, if they have abetted these traders then section 25D of the same Act reserves for them a punishment of equal scale.
For those that have become sceptical of the 'slow' hands of justice, dread not. By virtue of section 32 of the aforementioned Act, the specified offence is one that is cognizable. Under section 54 of CrPC 1898, an overwhelming power has been bestowed on the police to arrest without a warrant any person concerned and involved in any cognizable offence provided a reasonable complaint has been made or credible information is received or reasonable suspicion exists.
It cannot and must not be used as a pre-emptive detention mechanism for the purpose of preventing a prejudicial act before it has been committed. By all accounts, this often misused and abused section is potentially useful here as a veiled threat to market manipulators.
In tandem with the police authorities, it is the Bangladesh Competition Commission that was instituted following the Competition Act 2012.
The said Act was promulgated with the express view of counteracting a wider market abuse regime, namely eradicating collusion in the markets and the abuse of one's dominant position by limiting the market.
A contravention of the commission's order can result in imprisonment or a fine not exceeding Tk 1 lakh for 'each day' of non-compliance.
Nonetheless, Bangladesh still requires a conjunct legal instrument for market manipulation and insider trading so as to maintain a unified great wall against the broader and principal financial market abusers.
Quite recently in 2016, the Market Abuse Regulation (Regulation 596/2014) came into force in all member states of the European Union. It aims to codify the definitions, guidelines, prohibitions and accepted market practices with respect to insider information, insider dealing, unlawful disclosure and market manipulation under the single banner of the market abuse regulation.
Bangladesh is at a critical juncture in all respects, Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) is expected to be in the process of formalising a new commodities exchange rules following the amendments in the Securities and Exchange (Amendment) Act 2012.
Notable efforts have already been initiated to establish a working exchange—Bangladesh Jute & Commodity Exchange Ltd (BDCOMEX)—but has stagnated owing to BSEC's approval.
Although an exchange is likely to facilitate a more stable price discovery for commodities, it must be regulated carefully. For the first time in 2015, The United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) fined and pressed charges against Arya Motazedi for front-running with non-public and confidential information, a form of insider trading, in the commodities future market for oil and gasoline.
Therefore, if and when the commodity exchange rules are formulated for a working exchange, strong emphasis on the enhanced surveillance of commodities future market, mandatory information disclosures to regulators and enforceable cash settlements should be preserved as this sector is prone to distortion and market manipulation.
The writer is a financial crime consultant at WCC22, an international firm specialising in white collar crime law. He can be reached at aishtiaq@wcc22.com.
http://www.thedailystar.net/business/global-business/market-manipulation-blame-spiralling-commodity-prices-1522690


Are You Eating Rice Cooked In An Electric Rice Cooker? Be Alert!

It is very well known that cooking rice in a pressure cooker reduces cooking time by half.  What about the cooking result? Users told us that rice cooked in Instant Pot is softer, stickier and tasted better.  We want to find out what scientists say about this.  It turns out that there are quite a few scientific research projects on this subject.
After an intense research on the quality of the food that is cooked in the electric cooker, the research found that the starch gelatinization, a change of structure into a form that resembles gelatin, improves digestibility. Pressure cooking rice, grains, and beans produce positive nutritional gain, from the increased digestibility of the macronutrients (protein, fiber, and starch) and the increased bioavailability of the essential minerals.
On a further technical note, the Rice, if not stored properly, may carry fungal poisons called aflatoxins, a potent trigger of liver cancer. A survey found that 6% of uncooked rice collected from markets in Seoul contained aflatoxins. Conventional boiling and steaming rice at under 100°C (212°F) are not sufficient to kill all aflatoxins. A study had shown that pressure cooking at higher than 100°C (212°F) was capable of reducing aflatoxin concentrations to safe levels.
Despite all this, there is a flaw and if taken into account, it is a serious issue. As the body/ container of the cooker is actually an aluminum vessel, the food inside it turns into poison, says surveys. If this is taken seriously, it is better to prefer the traditional methods to cook rice, moreover, there’s no doubt in believing that the pot methods are absolutely healthy and good in all aspects.
After all, despite the taste, texture and other aspects, health is the top of everything and if we have to take proper measures in this, it is suggestable to proceed with the best rice cookers available in today’s market.

Rice Milk Market : Sales, Revenue and Market Share of Key Manufacturers

Rice Milk market is forecasted to grow at CAGR of 15.47% from 2017-2021.  The Rice Milk Market research report will educate buyers on the past, current and anticipated market situations, market drivers, trends driving it, and the challenges faced by the market.
Key topics covered in the report: –  Customer Landscape, Market Size, Vendor Landscape and Analysis, Key Leading Countries, Market Opportunity, Drivers, Challenges, and Trends.
Key vendors engaged in Rice Milk Market: – DREAM, Pacific Foods, Vitasoy, WhiteWave Foods, Costco Wholesale Corporation and many more.
A brief business overview and financial information about each of these players have been provided in the Rice Milk market report. The Product portfolio, Segment focus, Geographic focus, Business segments Organizational developmentsand Strength-weakness analysis of every player has also been presented to assist the investors in developing an understanding of the strategies of major players.
Market driver
• Rising levels of lactose intolerance
• For a full, detailed list, view our report
Market challenge
• Increasing popularity of other non-dairy milks
• For a full, detailed list, view our report
Market trend
• Consumer focus shifting toward organic variants of rice milk
• For a full, detailed list, view our report
Rice Milk Market report will help the companies to gain knowledge about the target population globally, and at a regional level. Key regions covered in the report are: – Americas, Asia-Pacific (APAC) , Europe, Rest of the world (ROW)
Rice Milk Market Research report will help you understand
·       What will be the market size in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?
·       How major trends and drivers will push, and challenges will limit the Rice Milk industry’s growth?
·       Your competitive advantage and how to strategize accordingly.
·       The key vendors in this market space and their market position.
·       The market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors.
·       What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors in Rice Milk market?
http://www.military-technologies.net/2018/01/20/rice-milk-market-sales-revenue-and-market-share-of-key-manufacturers/

India to resume Basmati rice export to Iran

News ID: 4204929 - Sat 20 January 2018 - 15:05
TEHRAN, Jan. 20 (MNA) – According to AIREA, India will resume Basmati rice export to Iran from the upcoming week.
The President of All India Rice Exporters Association Vijay Setia said that the association expects Iran to call for rice imports in January similar to last year. India exports 4 million tons of rice to various countries the most important of which are Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, the US and the UK. In sum, 20% to 25% of Indian rice goes to Iran annually.
According to Indian rice exporters, the price for rice in international markets has risen by 20% compared to the previous year.
The Executive Director of AIREA R. Sundaresan said that Iran will probably issue the permit for India to export rice to that country and added that the price for Basmati rice in international markets is 900 dollars for 1,150 tons, a price which is 15 to 20 percent more than last year.
He said that the reasons for the increase in rice price are the poor rice harvest in India and increase in crude oil price in international markets.
The domestic demand for rice in Iran is estimated to be 2,400,000 tons, 1 million and 400 tons of which is supplied through domestic production and the rest through import from numerous countries such as India, Pakistan, Uruguay and others.
Basmati rice, which has created a profitable market for exporters, is one of the biggest agricultural products in India, while Iran is one of the major consumers of this product.
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/131429/India-to-resume-Basmati-rice-export-to-Iran

 Iran to resume rice imports

BY BRINKWIRE ON JANUARY 21, 2018US
TEHRAN, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) — Iranian Ministry of Agriculture will resume order registration for rice importers from Jan. 21, Financial Tribune reported on Saturday.
The order registration will be valid for a three-month period, until June 21, extendable by a further one month, the report said.
Any rice shipments as per the new orders need to be cleared through Iranian customs by July 22, after which all imports will be banned, Agriculture Minister Mahmoud Hojjati was quoted as saying.
Every year during the rice harvest season, Iran’s government bans rice imports in support of local farmers and domestic production.
Iranians consume 3.2 million tons of rice a year while domestic production stands at 2.2 million tons

Annual rice forum kicks off

 January 22, 2018
Chea Vannak / Khmer Times  Share:    

The annual rice forum starts in Phnom Penh today, bringing together farmers, businesses and researchers for a two-day event that seeks to find solutions to some of the sector’s most pressing questions.
Bolstering local production, researching and developing new rice varieties and expanding the market for Cambodian rice abroad will be some of the most important topics on the event’s agenda.
“The most important issues will be meeting the demands of foreign markets. We have to change our ways and switch to high-yielding varieties,” said Mr Hun Lak, vice president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, the event’s organiser.
The forum will feature presentations from rice-producing communities, rice millers, processing factories and exporters, according to Mr Lak.
The first rice forum took place in 2012. Since then, the sector has come a long way, said Mr Lak.
“When we started with these forums, our exports were minimal and very few countries knew about us. However, with each successive forum, we see how more and more countries are aware of Cambodian rice and are buying our products.
“In the last two years, exports of Cambodian milled rice have increased significantly. In 2018, we expect a stable increase in our share of the international market.
“On top of this, the price of rice continues to be good, with farmers happy because they are selling all the rice they produce at a good price,” Mr Lak said.
Chan Sokheang, chairman of rice exporting company Signature of Asia, said that the increase in the popularity of Cambodian rice abroad was the result of the hard work of authorities and businesses in the sector.
“In the last two years, we have seen a lot of progress. Orders of Cambodian rice abroad have increased substantially, and local output has also risen,” Mr Sokheang said, adding that the forum is playing a key role in promoting Cambodian rice beyond the kingdom’s borders.
During the event, rewards for Best National Rice will be handed out in three categories: premium aromatic rice, fragrant rice, and long grain white rice.
Malys Angkor, the first brand name of Cambodian premium rice, will be formally launched during the event.
“It is great news to have a formal brand name. We have to promote it intensely to increase the popularity of Cambodian rice abroad,” Mr Sokheang said.
In 2017, Cambodia exported 635,679 tonnes of milled rice to international markets, an increase of 17.3 percent year-on-year.

http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50103442/annual-rice-forum-kicks-off/

 

Senior agriculture official warns rice import could harm production


The Jakarta Post
Jakarta | Mon, January 22, 2018 | 01:16 pm
A paddy field is ready for harvesting in North Sumatra in this undated photograph. (Shutterstock/File)
The Agriculture Ministry's director general for food crops has criticized the Trade Ministry’s decision to import rice, as the country produced enough rice to meet local demand, and stressed that importing the commodity could disrupt long-term rice production.
Food crops director general Sumarjo Gatot Irianto stressed said on Sunday in Jakarta that he could prove that Indonesia produced a sufficient amount of rice through satellite images that showed the rice harvest across the country as well as the dates of the rice harvest, reported by tempo.co.
Sumarjo also criticized those who questioned the rice production data, saying that his office had valid data.
“The question is why the market experienced a shortage in rice when distribution has been smooth and the harvest was huge,” he said.
He suspected that the rice supply chain was disrupted, and that relevant parties in the government should find a better solution for easing the price hike rather than simply importing the commodity.
Sumarjo said that importing rice as a solution would disrupt long-term rice production, as it discouraged farmers from producing the commodity. “Don’t introduce a solution for a short-term problem that will disrupt the agricultural production system,” he added.
The government decided on Jan. 11 to import 500,000 tons of rice through the Trade Ministry, in an effort to ease increasing rice prices that had exceeded the government's ceiling prices since last month. (bbn)

Annual rice forum kicks off

Chea Vannak / Khmer Times  Share:    

The annual rice forum starts in Phnom Penh today, bringing together farmers, businesses and researchers for a two-day event that seeks to find solutions to some of the sector’s most pressing questions.
Bolstering local production, researching and developing new rice varieties and expanding the market for Cambodian rice abroad will be some of the most important topics on the event’s agenda.
“The most important issues will be meeting the demands of foreign markets. We have to change our ways and switch to high-yielding varieties,” said Mr Hun Lak, vice president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, the event’s organiser.
The forum will feature presentations from rice-producing communities, rice millers, processing factories and exporters, according to Mr Lak.
The first rice forum took place in 2012. Since then, the sector has come a long way, said Mr Lak.
“When we started with these forums, our exports were minimal and very few countries knew about us. However, with each successive forum, we see how more and more countries are aware of Cambodian rice and are buying our products.
“In the last two years, exports of Cambodian milled rice have increased significantly. In 2018, we expect a stable increase in our share of the international market.
“On top of this, the price of rice continues to be good, with farmers happy because they are selling all the rice they produce at a good price,” Mr Lak said.
Chan Sokheang, chairman of rice exporting company Signature of Asia, said that the increase in the popularity of Cambodian rice abroad was the result of the hard work of authorities and businesses in the sector.
“In the last two years, we have seen a lot of progress. Orders of Cambodian rice abroad have increased substantially, and local output has also risen,” Mr Sokheang said, adding that the forum is playing a key role in promoting Cambodian rice beyond the kingdom’s borders.
During the event, rewards for Best National Rice will be handed out in three categories: premium aromatic rice, fragrant rice, and long grain white rice.
Malys Angkor, the first brand name of Cambodian premium rice, will be formally launched during the event.
“It is great news to have a formal brand name. We have to promote it intensely to increase the popularity of Cambodian rice abroad,” Mr Sokheang said.
In 2017, Cambodia exported 635,679 tonnes of milled rice to international markets, an increase of 17.3 percent year-on-year.

http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50103442/annual-rice-forum-kicks-off/

Show-cause to transporter for failing to deliver rice

January 21 2018
454 total views, 38 views today
Jajpur: Supply of rice under the public distribution system (PDS) was disrupted in this district after a transporter assigned to supply 5,000 tonnes of rice from Bargarh did not turn up with full rice stock, a report said.The Orissa State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) has issued a show-cause notice to transporter Kuldip Kumar Gupta, proprietor of Sriram Cattle Feed at Koksara in Kalahandi district, in this regard. The transporter sent 40 truckloads of rice by Saturday while the rest of the consignment was yet to arrive.
OSCSC general manager Santosh Kumar Dash, in his letter (1098 dated 18.1.2018), threatened to sue Gupta and asked him to reply within five days failing which he has to forfeit the money deposited as security at the time of signing the contract with the corporation. The Koksara transporter was expected to supply the rice latest by January 20.
The delay has worsened the food situation in the district which has been facing a severe shortage due to lack of enough food stocks.  Observers claim food scarcity has arisen due to rice procurement from outside of the district and irregularities in paddy procurement.
This has happened due to a fall in quantum of paddy produced here over the last several years. Moreover, lack of support from the millers has worsened the situation.
The district administration has to procure five lakh quintals of rice out of 10 lakh quintals it requires from western Orissa every year for supply to BPL, Annapurna, Antyodaya and midday meal beneficiaries.
The Koksara transporter, apart from Jajpur, had also signed a contract with Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack and Gajapati districts to procure rice from Bargarh and Subarnapur districts and supply it at Rs 36.90 per km for a quintal of rice.
Jajpur has to depend on other districts to meet its rice requirement. The district procures 5 lakh quintals of rice that meets its requirement for six months. It depends on other districts for another six months.
Thus, the district has to spend more from its coffers to meet the cost of transporting rice from other districts. Observers claimed the district administration could have overcome the situation had it been able to collect the total quantum of rice given to millers.
Also, the problem could have been avoided had the district administration made efforts to extend the scope of irrigation to more land and made sincere efforts in paddy procurement.
District civil supplies officer Surendra Kumar Hota said the show-cause notice was issued as the transporter did not supply the full rice stock as per the contract.     PNN
http://www.orissapost.com/show-cause-to-transporter-for-failing-to-deliver-rice/       ONLY
Water, soil and pests hot topics at annual crop management conference
·       By Ryan McGeeney U of A System Division of Agriculture 
·       Jan 20, 2018
·       About 450 attended conference
Agronomists, entomologists and other experts delivered recent finding on current issues
Industry updates are also part of annual meeting
NORTH LITTLE ROCK — Hundreds of growers, consultants and other agriculture industry professionals gathered this week in North Little Rock to learn about the latest research and findings in soil health, pest management and other aspects of modern farming in the state at the Arkansas Crop Management Conference.
Jason Kelley, wheat and feed grains agronomist for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, said about 450 individuals attended the three-day conference. Kelley also serves as treasurer for the Arkansas Crop Protection Association, one of five institutions (including the Division of Agriculture) responsible for presenting the conference
http://newtoncountytimes.com/news/water-soil-and-pests-hot-topics-at-annual-crop-management/article_64180752-fd39-11e7-a961-f3817197d970.html