Friday, November 15, 2019

15th November,2019 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter

Rice Road Warriors Part One:  Winning Hearts and Minds  

POINTS THROUGHOUT THE MID-ATLANTIC - Year two of the Think Rice Road Trip is winding down, and the team has seen dramatic success staying close to "home" and integrating other components of USA Rice's Domestic Promotion programs as they hand out thousands of Aroma rice cookers and tons of donated U.S.-grown rice to consumers.

To date, the Rice Truck and her crew have conducted 17 consumer events across Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, with three more events scheduled in Virginia and Maryland.  The team has also made charitable donations at Wilmington's Ministry of Caring and the Cape Henlopen Food Pantry in Delaware, The Armed Services Retirement Home in Washington, DC, and the Shepherdstown Lions Club & Shepherd's Pantry in West Virginia, with one more donation scheduled in Virginia next week with the Patriot Pantry, the official food bank of George Mason University.

Description: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjOLLC8bC4B6C7zBXa4PTjQHh0Z81tC6pM90_ZOKZGppEbM4muOtNH5YpD5_t4a87292pGGqCEmc6nBLM-gg9WPtPa6-4ROHzYRrS9TXJWy1Aa94qmW7DGY6124oV8M4nzaDEqVVv4ZZXrhhoKporH3xraKN1hkVhgTrgw=s0-d-e1-ft
Cameron Jacobs, tour coordinator, donates rice and cookers in Wilmington DE
Description: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjOLLC8bC4B6C7zBXa4PTjQHh0Z81tC6pM90_ZOKZGppEbM4muOtNH5YpD5_t4a87292pGGqCEmc6nBLM-gg9WPtPa6-4ROHzYRrS9TXJWy1Aa94qmW7DGY6124oV8M4nzaDEqVVv4ZZXrhhoKporH3xraKN1hkVhgTrgw=s0-d-e1-ft
Consumers trade their email address and answers to survey questions for an Aroma rice cooker and one or two pound bags of rice, recipes, information, and Think Rice swag.  But at its core, the program is about educating consumers, who are becoming ever more interested in where their food comes from, that when it comes to rice they can and should eat American!

"Of course we are armed with great information about U.S.-grown rice for consumers, from sustainable growing practices and food safety standards to nutrition facts and cooking qualities and tips, but the one that seems to be resonating above all others this year is simply that we grow rice in the U.S.," said Cameron Jacobs, USA Rice director of domestic promotion who was responsible for plotting the truck's route this year.

"People love hearing that we grow rice here and they tell us that they desperately want to support our growers," said Deborah Willenborg, USA Rice director of communications who wrote one of the team's most effective messages.  "We tell them it was America's rice farmers and millers who bought this rice cooker for them and are giving them some rice, and they can say thank you by only filling it with U.S rice in the future."

Description: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjOLLC8bC4B6C7zBXa4PTjQHh0Z81tC6pM90_ZOKZGppEbM4muOtNH5YpD5_t4a87292pGGqCEmc6nBLM-gg9WPtPa6-4ROHzYRrS9TXJWy1Aa94qmW7DGY6124oV8M4nzaDEqVVv4ZZXrhhoKporH3xraKN1hkVhgTrgw=s0-d-e1-ft
Description: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjOLLC8bC4B6C7zBXa4PTjQHh0Z81tC6pM90_ZOKZGppEbM4muOtNH5YpD5_t4a87292pGGqCEmc6nBLM-gg9WPtPa6-4ROHzYRrS9TXJWy1Aa94qmW7DGY6124oV8M4nzaDEqVVv4ZZXrhhoKporH3xraKN1hkVhgTrgw=s0-d-e1-ft
Look for the U.S.-grown label
Willenborg says they all promise to do just that and carefully study the Grown in the USA label the team points out to them.

Jacobs adds that consumers are grateful for the new knowledge and the valuable appliance, but that they also say they look forward to hearing from USA Rice again with recipes, coupons, and farmer profiles via the Think Rice Newsletter that they are promised.

While farmers markets, traditional markets, restaurants, and breweries are popular spots for the team, two of the most unique stops this year were at a food and music festival in Delaware that merged with USA Rice's foodservice outreach, and when the team took over a store in historic Shepherdstown, West Virginia, to create the first ever "All Things U.S. Rice Pop-Up Shop."  

You can read about those and the annual 
Think Rice Truck raffle in Part Two tomorrow.

Win this truck! Click photo to purchase raffle tickets

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- November 15, 2019

NOVEMBER 15, 2019 / 1:19 PM

·        

* * * * * *

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-November 15, 2019 Nagpur, Nov 15 (Reuters) – Gram prices reported down in Nagpur Agriculture Producing and Marketing Company (APMC) here on poor demand from local millers amid high moisture content arrival. Easy condition in Madhya Pradesh gram prices and release of stock from stockists also pushed down prices in limited deals. About 300 bags of gram reported for auctions here, according to sources.

GRAM

* Gram varieties ruled steady in open market here on subdued demand from local
traders.
TUAR * Tuar gavarani quoted weak in open market here on increased demand from local
traders.
* Rice Shriram variety recovered in open market here on increased buying support from
local traders amid tight supply from producing belts.
* In Akola, Tuar New – 5,600-5,800, Tuar dal (clean) – 8,500-8,700, Udid Mogar (clean)
– 9,000-10,000, Moong Mogar (clean) 8,800-9,800, Gram – 4,350-4,550, Gram Super best
– 6,200-6,400 * Wheat, other varieties of rice and other foodgrain items moved in a narrow range in
scattered deals and settled at last levels in weak trading activity.
Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg
FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close
Gram Auction 3,900-4,605 3,900-4,680
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction n.a. 5,000-5,380
Moong Auction n.a. 3,950-4,200
Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500
Masoor Auction n.a. 2,200-2,500
Wheat Lokwan Auction 2,000-2,110 2,000-2,085
Wheat Sharbati Auction n.a. 2,900-3,000
Gram Super Best Bold 6,200-6,500 6,200-6,500
Gram Super Best n.a. n.a.
Gram Medium Best 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a
Gram Mill Quality 4,550-4,650 4,550-4,650
Desi gram Raw 4,550-4,700 4,550-4,700
Gram Kabuli 8,500-10,000 8,500-10,000
Tuar Fataka Best-New 8,700-9,000 8,700-9,000
Tuar Fataka Medium-New 8,200-8,500 8,200-8,500
Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 8,300-8,500 8,300-8,500
Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 7,500-8,000 7,500-8,000
Tuar Gavarani New 5,900-6,000 5,950-6,050
Tuar Karnataka 6,350-6,450 6,350-6,450
Masoor dal best 5,600-5,800 5,600-5,800
Masoor dal medium 5,300-5,400 5,300-5,400
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold (New) 9,000-10,000 9,000-10,000
Moong Mogar Medium 8,000-8,800 8,000-8,800
Moong dal Chilka New 7,500-8,500 7,500-8,500
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 9,000-11,000 9,000-11,000
Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 9,500-10,500 9,500-10,500
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 8,500-9,200 8,200-8,900
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 6,300-6,900 6,300-6,900
Mot (100 INR/KG) 6,200-7,000 6,000-7,000
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 5,000-5,200 5,000-5,200
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 8,800-10,000 8,800-10,000
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 2,350-2,450 2,350-2,450
Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,300 2,200-2,300
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,700-2,800 2,700-2,800
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,700-2,850 2,700-2,850
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,600 2,400-2,600
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,400-4,200 3,400-4,200
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,800-3,200 2,800-3,200
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,500 2,400-2,500
Rice BPT best new (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,600 3,000-3,600
Rice BPT medium new(100 INR/KG) 2,700-3,000 2,700-3,000
Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,100 3,000-3,100
Rice Swarna best new (100 INR/KG) 2,600-2,800 2,600-2,800
Rice Swarna medium new (100 INR/KG)2,400-2,500 2,400-2,500
Rice HMT best new (100 INR/KG) 3,900-4,000 3,900-4,000
Rice HMT medium new (100 INR/KG) 3,600-3,800 3,600-3,800
Rice Shriram best new(100 INR/KG) 4,600-5,000 4,500-4,800
Rice Shriram med new (100 INR/KG) 4,100-4,400 4,000-4,300
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 8,500-13,500 8,500-13,500
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,000-7,200 5,000-7,200
Rice Chinnor best new 100 INR/KG) 5,400-5,500 5,400-5,500
Rice Chinnor medium new(100 INR/KG)5,000-5,200 5,000-5,200
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,350-2,550 2,350-2,550
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 2,050-2,250 2,050-2,250 WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 30.1 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 14.5 degree Celsius Rainfall : Nil FORECAST: Mainly clear sky. Maximum and minimum temperature likely to be around 30 degree Celsius and 15 degree Celsius respectively. Note: n.a.—not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices)

Indonesians quitting 'rice addiction' over diabetes fears


Indonesians eat rice at a rate almost three times the global average. (Photo: AFP/Adek Berry)
 (Updated: )
JAKARTA: Indonesian Mirnawati once ate rice with every meal, but its link to diabetes convinced her to join a growing movement to quit a staple food in the third biggest rice-consuming nation on Earth.
As World Diabetes Day is held Thursday (Nov 14), the Southeast Asian nation is struggling to tackle a disease that affects as many as 20 million of its 260 million people, and has emerged as one of its deadliest killers behind stroke and heart disease.
But kicking the rice habit isn't easy, with one of Indonesia's favourite dishes nasi goreng (mixed fried rice) sold everywhere, and the grain woven into the culinary fabric of a nation whose late dictator transformed it into a must-have meal.
"In my first week without rice I felt like I was being possessed by ghosts," said Mirnawati, a 34-year-old former construction company employee who goes by one name.
"But now I'll never go back to it," she added, about four months into her new diet.
image: data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==
Rice is woven into Indonesia's culinary fabric. (Photo: AFP/Adek Berry)


Complications from diabetes, which affects some 425 million globally, can lead to heart attacks, stroke, blindness and even limb amputation.
Most of the world's sufferers live in low and middle-income countries like Indonesia.
Rice is packed with fibre and key vitamins. But an unbalanced diet that relies too heavily on refined white rice has been linked to an increasing global prevalence of diabetes and insulin resistance as it raises blood sugar levels, according to experts.
That is what led Mirnawati - along with her mother and cousin - to drop rice in favour of more vegetables, meat and nuts.
It is a step that an increasing number of Indonesians are taking in an informal 'no rice' movement, although there are no official numbers.
The push, partly driven by social media, has been backed by local governments including cultural capital Yogyakarta which last year rolled out a campaign to convince residents to go without rice at least one day a week.
RICE POLITICS
Indonesia's legacy of rice politics makes the task tougher.
Rice - and rice production - was the cornerstone of dictator Suharto's ambitious bid for food self-sufficiency.
The programme began in the 70s and in a couple of decades had weaned much of the population off corn, sweet potatoes and other staples in favour of rice.
Before he was toppled in 1998, the iron-fisted leader spent years telling citizens not only what they could say, but also what they could eat.
image: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/image/12093536/0x0/768/512/1c17fa347909e405a98fe06c2862bd5c/BZ/rice-is-packed-with-fibre-and-key-vitamins--but-an-unbalanced-diet-that-relies-too-heavily-on-refined-white-rice-has-been-linked-to-an-increasing-global-prevalence-of-diabetes-1573716189056-7.jpg
Rice is packed with fibre and key vitamins. But an unbalanced diet that relies too heavily on refined white rice has been linked to an increasing global prevalence of diabetes. (Photo: AFP/Adek Berry)


With local governments pushing the message, Suharto's administration even sold rice consumption as a ticket to higher social status.
"People were given this illusion that rice was healthier, gave you a higher social status and tasted better than other staple foods," said Anhar Gonggong, a historian at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences.
"There was an authoritarian aspect to this rice myth. Not in the sense that guns were pointed at people to force them to eat rice, but it implanted the myth deeply in the minds of many Indonesians.
"Now we know the impact that rice has had on our society."
The policy turned rice from a food that many in the sprawling archipelago rarely consumed into a staple that Indonesians now gobble down at a rate almost three times the global average of 53kg annually.
But the strategy launched by Suharto - who died in 2008 - ended up working too well, with demand outstripping supply. Indonesia now relies on rice imports to fill the gap.
image: data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==
Complications from diabetes, which affect millions globally, can lead to heart attacks, stroke, blindness and even limb amputation. (Photo: AFP/Adek Berry)


"The struggle isn't only in our stomachs, but also in our minds because we have been living this myth that you won't be full without rice," said Ilhamsyah, a 47-year-old Jakarta resident.
"My family has a history of diabetes so I stopped eating rice and anything with carbohydrates," he added.
"TOO INDONESIAN"
Now, Indonesia is now trying to reverse its decades-old policy by convincing citizens to reduce their consumption of rice, but officials acknowledged bringing it down to average global levels could take decades.
"We're encouraging people to change the mindset that rice is the only source of carbohydrates because we have many staple foods available," said Agung Hendriadi, head of the agriculture ministry's Food Resilience Agency.
Selling millions of Indonesians on a low- or no-rice diet will be a Herculean task, despite the possible health benefits.
"I tried the no-rice lifestyle several times, but I failed," said Bali resident Mentari Rahman.
"My tongue is too Indonesian - I just couldn't stay away from it."
Source: AFP/zl


RPT-Asia Rice-Indian rice falls on weak demand; cyclone damages fields in Bangladesh
Karthika Suresh Namboothiri
NOVEMBER 15, 2019 /
(Repeats Thursday’s story with no changes to the text)

* Cyclone Bulbul damages 23,000 hectares of paddy in Bangladesh

* Thailand braces for dry spell amid low water levels

* Vietnam October rice exports down 5.9% from September

By Karthika Suresh Namboothiri

BENGALURU, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Indian rice export prices extended losses for a second week as the rupee weakened and demand from Africa remained low, while a cyclone damaged paddy fields in neighbouring Bangladesh.

Top exporter India’s 5% broken parboiled variety RI-INBKN5-P1 was quoted around $363-$368 per tonne, down from $365-$370 last week.

“In dollar terms, export prices are down due to the weak rupee. Local paddy rice prices are firm,” an exporter based at Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh said.

The Indian rupee fell to a two-month low on Wednesday, increasing exporters’ margins.

Tepid demand from African countries for non-basmati rice has also played a role in dampening exports, which were down 29% year-on-year in August at 644,249 tonnes.

Many rice-growing states received rainfall earlier this month, which delayed harvesting and damaged paddy crops ready for harvesting, exporters said.

Last week, cyclone Bulbul ripped through coastal areas of Bangladesh and eastern India, damaging 23,000 hectares (56,834.24 acres) of paddy fields, as per a preliminary assessment by Dhaka’s agriculture ministry.

“We will get a clear picture of the extent of the damage by next week,” said Mizanur Rahman, a senior official of Department of Agriculture Extension.

This could be a major blow to the country at a time when farmers have been unable to secure benchmark prices for produce, with no fresh overseas deals in sight.

Elsewhere, Thailand’s benchmark 5% broken rice RI-THBKN5-P1 edged up to $395-$409 a tonne from last week’s $390-$408.

Demand for Thai rice has remained relatively flat despite some optimism over a recent rice deal with Iraq, traders said

However strength in the baht - Asia’s best-performing currency this year - continued to dent demand for Thai rice, making it more expensive than grain from competitors such as Vietnam and India.

“Right now, domestic prices are too low for farmers,” a Bangkok-based trader said. “Prices could go up as supply may shrink, or the government could step in to buy rice at a high price.”

“But the current prices are already higher than our overseas competitors, so it is tough to export.”

The Thai government has asked farmers in 22 rice-growing provinces not to grow off-season crops as the country braces for a dry spell amid low water levels in main reservoirs.

In Vietnam, rates for 5% broken rice RI-VNBKN5-P1 stayed flat at $345-$350 a tonne. The market was dull, with trading done only on previously signed contracts, a trader said. “I think the market will stay this quiet until the end of next year.”

In October, Vietnam exported around 450,000 tonnes of rice, down 5.9% against September, customs data showed. (Reporting by Phuong Nguyen in Hanoi, Patpicha Tanakasempipat in Bangkok, Ruma Paul in Dhaka and Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai; Editing by Arpan Varghese and Jan Harvey)

VN gets help with rice cultivation

Vietnam is receiving support to apply remote sensor technology in rice production.
Description: VN gets help with rice cultivation
Rice production sector continues receiving Swiss support in applying remote sensor technology and insurance. Photo baomoi.com
Phase 3 of the project 'Remote Sensing-based Information and Insurance for Crops in emerging Economies' (RIICE) was launched on Tuesday in Hanoi.
The Swiss-funded project will support the use of satellite data for the monitoring of rice production and crop insurance in Vietnam until the end of June 2021.
The project is worth VND10.2 billion (US$442,083), of which the Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation (SDC) will provide VND8.4 billion (US$363,988) and VND 1.8 billion (US$78,095) from the reciprocal capital of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).
The third phase focuses on improving MARD’s rice monitoring system as well as capacity to manage natural disasters through institutionalisation of RIICE technology including the development of procedures, tools and products for the use of remote-sensing technologies in rice monitoring and crop insurance programmes.
The first component of the phase aims to support the MARD to make advanced technology work smoothly and sustainably in the Government system in all aspects of technique, institution and finance.
In the second component, RIICE will produce rice yield data at commune level to support the implementation of the crop insurance programme in seven provinces.
As part of a larger global project of the SDC that covers several other rice producing countries such as Cambodia, India, Indonesia, and Thailand, RIICE has been implemented since 2013 in Vietnam in co-operation between Vietnamese and international counterparts.
Specifically, RIICE benefited from technical capabilities of Sarmap, a Swiss company, to process satellite data and those of the International Rice Research Institute based in the Philippines, to estimate yield.
RIICE also benefited from valuable crop insurance knowledge of Swiss Re, the world leading re-insurer.
Reymond Marcel, Head of Swiss Co-operation in Vietnam, said: “We were very happy to see that the previous two project phases were a success.
“Our main counterparts, MARD, NIAPP (the National Institute for Agriculture Planning and Projection), and Can Tho University have shown a high level of commitment and hard work in the implementation of this project,” he said.
“Building on past success, MARD and SDC have decided to continue phase 3 to maximise the benefits gained and to ensure the project sustainability," he added.
Prof. Vo Quang Minh, head of GIS, Remote Sensing and Soil Science Department of Can Tho University, said rice production played an important role in ensuring food security, job and income generation in Vietnam.
However, the sector faced many risks of natural disasters, storms, floods, droughts, saline water intrusion and diseases, Minh said.
Thus, agricultural insurance was considered a way to help farmers face risks and minimise losses.
But, to sufficiently apply RIICE into rice sensors and insurance system, it was necessary to enhance management staff’s capability as well as set up an effective working process, he added.
“Our mandate was to implement the Government’s agriculture insurance programme successfully,” said An Văn Khanh, Deputy Director of the MARD’s Co-operatives and Rural Development Department.
“This was a very new challenge to us. You cannot imagine how much data was required by the insurance industry.
“It was very fortunate that we can benefit from RIICE support in this regards. It also opens up a very promising opportunity to expand the government programme”, said Khanh.
The project's phase 1 was carried out as trial in provinces of Nam Dinh and Soc Trang in 2012-2015.
Phase 2 was implemented in 10 provinces in Red River and Mekong Delta regions in 2015-2017.
RIICE is a public-private partnership program sponsored by SDC to support crop insurance systems for smallholder farmers through the use of technology.

Rice prices in Laos likely to rise next year

Source: Xinhua| 2019-11-14 13:31:17|Editor: Li Xia
VIENTIANE, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Rice markets in Laos may experience greater fluctuation in 2020 as harvests are unlikely to meet targets in 2019.
The total yield is expected to be about 3.5 million tons -- a downward slide from the original target of 4.4 million tons. Rising prices, shortages and storage issues, including difficulties in procuring rice, are worrisome for both the people and the state.
Lao Deputy Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, who is also Minister of Planning and Investment, listed some of the factors that have impacted rice production in 2019, when addressing the ongoing National Assembly.
He said the repair of many irrigation channels that were damaged by floods in 2018 is still incomplete and functioning irrigation systems cannot supply sufficient water to meet farmers' needs.
In 2019, the dry season lasted a lot longer than usual, resulting in drought conditions, which are also being experienced at the present time in some areas. This is adversely affecting rice crops. In addition, there have been outbreaks of crop pests and severe flooding, especially in two central provinces and four southern provinces, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Thursday.
This year, the area of wet season rice affected by natural disasters was almost 172,000 hectares. About 105,200 hectares of rice was completely wiped out, constituting 13.63 percent of the wet rice crop throughout the country, according to information provided by the Lao Deputy prime minister last week.
Poor yields in 2019 might drive up the price of rice in markets in 2020. Rice prices usually fluctuate during the rainy season from June to September depending on the amount harvested and available in markets.
Answering enquiries by National Assembly members on Wednesday, Lao Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Lien Thikeo defended its decision to lower the rice production target for 2019, from 4.4 million tons to 3.5 million tons, saying it was unavoidable because of the severe flooding that had occurred this year and last. And at the same time, water shortages are affecting the north of Laos.

Indian rice prices weaken on low demand; Bulbul damages Bangladesh fields

The Thai government has asked farmers in 22 rice-growing provinces not to grow off-season crops

Reuters  |  Bengaluru 

Description: Rice
Indian rice export prices extended losses for a second week as the rupee weakened and demand from Africa remained low, while a cyclone damaged paddy fields in neighbouring Bangladesh. Top exporter India's 5% broken parboiled variety was quoted around $363-$368 per tonne, down from $365-$370 last week.
"In dollar terms, export prices are down due to the weak rupee. Local paddy rice prices are firm," an exporter based at Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh said.
The Indian rupee fell to a two-month low on Wednesday, increasing exporters' margins. Tepid demand from African countries for non-basmati rice has also played a role in dampening exports, which were down 29% year-on-year in August at 644,249 tonnes.
Many rice-growing states received rainfall earlier this month, which delayed harvesting and damaged paddy crops ready for harvesting, exporters said.
Last week, cyclone Bulbul ripped through coastal areas of Bangladesh and eastern India, damaging 23,000 hectares (56,834.24 acres) of paddy fields, as per a preliminary assessment by Dhaka's agriculture ministry.
"We will get a clear picture of the extent of the damage by next week," said Mizanur Rahman, a senior official of Department of Agriculture Extension.
This could be a major blow to the country at a time when farmers have been unable to secure benchmark prices for produce, with no fresh overseas deals in sight. Elsewhere, Thailand's benchmark 5% broken rice edged up to $395-$409 a tonne from last week's $390-$408. Demand for Thai rice has remained relatively flat despite some optimism over a recent rice deal with Iraq, traders said
However strength in the baht - Asia's best-performing currency this year - continued to dent demand for Thai rice, making it more expensive than grain from competitors such as Vietnam and India.
"Right now, domestic prices are too low for farmers," a Bangkok-based trader said. "Prices could go up as supply may shrink, or the government could step in to buy rice at a high price."
"But the current prices are already higher than our overseas competitors, so it is tough to export."
The Thai government has asked farmers in 22 rice-growing provinces not to grow off-season crops as the country braces for a dry spell amid low water levels in main reservoirs. In Vietnam, rates for 5% broken rice stayed flat at $345-$350 a tonne.
The market was dull, with trading done only on previously signed contracts, a trader said. "I think the market will stay this quiet until the end of next year." In October, Vietnam exported around 450,000 tonnes of rice, down 5.9% against September, customs data showed.


DA: Rice imports dip due to stricter permits

Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:18 AM November 14, 2019
MANILA, Philippines — The volume of rice imports arriving monthly in the country has gone down by 67 percent following the stricter issuance of permits to ensure food safety, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said in a chance interview at the 11th World Rice Conference on Monday.
Dar said prior to his appointment, the average imports coming every month from March to September was 245,000 metric tons. “But because of proper and stricter issuances of import clearance based on SPS (sanitary and phytosanitary), this has gone down to 85,000 MT this October.”
The secretary announced that he had signed a memorandum on Tuesday that would enforce more stringent measures before the issuance of food safety permits.
Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) assistant director Glenn Panganiban said the stricter measures would cover heavy metal content, pesticide residue level, extraneous and filth contaminants, as well as microbiological parameters.
Dar said the agency had already informed its Southeast Asian counterparts in Thailand and Vietnam of the new policy, and was hopeful of their compliance as Asean members.
Sen. Cynthia Villar earlier said the stricter issuance of permits may help curb the volume of rice imports and give local rice producers enough buffer stocks to compete in the market.
Under the rice tariffication law, traders and importers need to secure a sanitary and phytosanitary permit from the BPI to import rice, among other requirements.
National Economic and Development Authority Assistant Secretary Mercedita Sombilla noted that 2.99 million MT of imported rice entered the country as of October.

Gov’t on alert on rice smuggling, hoarding

By: Ben O. de Vera - Reporter / @bendeveraINQ
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:24 AM November 14, 2019
With rice imports surging, the government is shoring up tariff collections while also looking into possible hoarding and smuggling amid falling retail prices, according to the head of the Duterte administration’s economic team.
In a speech at the 14th World Rice Conference on Wednesday, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said revenues from import tariffs slapped on rice already amounted to P11.4 billion at end-October.
Under Republic Act No. 11203, or the rice tariffication law implemented since March, the following tariff rates apply: 35 percent if rice was imported from Asean; 40 percent if within the minimum access volume (MAV) of 350,000 metric tons, from countries outside Asean; and 180 percent if above the MAV and coming from a non-Asean country.
Since collections this year already exceeded the annual P10 billion to be automatically allocated to the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, Dominguez said the government had “ample means to do even more to make our agricultural production more efficient.”
Dominguez said the government would extend help to farmers especially affected by the drop in palay prices.
Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the finance chief said prices had declined to its current average of P15.71 per kilo from its “normal” price of P17.23 during the 2015 to 2017 period.
He said this meant an average loss of P1.52 per kilo. He noted, however, farmers in some provinces even lost P5.63 while others saw a P3.75-increase.
“The government is constantly monitoring location-specific prices so that interventions may be deployed on an evidence-based and tightly targeted manner,” Dominguez said.
To help the suffering, he said the government would be working with lawmakers in providing subsidies via unconditional cash transfers.
The government would also be implementing loan programs and procurement of paddy above production costs, he said.
He also said the government was “closely monitoring possible distortions in the market, particularly the widening gap between farm gate prices for paddy and rice retail prices in specific provinces.”

https://business.inquirer.net/283296/govt-on-alert-on-rice-smuggling-hoarding#ixzz65KxbcVat

Border Closure: 77 Days After, Foreign Rice Still Flood Sokoto Market

 Nov 13, 2019
 rice into the state.
He said, “the only thing I can say is that the border closure and subsequently ban on imported rice is only to help people to make more money.


Border Closure: Adamawa Stakeholders Assure NCS Of Support

Description: Whatapp News


By Yakubu Uba
Yola – Rice farmers, millers, traders and transporters have assured the Adamawa/Taraba Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) of full support in the fight against smuggling of foreign rice.
The group made the commitment on Thursday at a stakeholders meeting organised by the command.
The Spokesman of the millers in the state, Alhaji Mohammed Sadiq, said the ban on foreign rice was a big blessing to them.
He said they were now making brisk business and would do all things possible to sustain the closure and expose those trying to “sabotage government’s laudable policy aimed at empowering Nigerians”.
Sadiq, a staff member of Shamad Concept Limited, said that before the border closure the company hardly sold a truck of milled rice in a week.
He, however, stated that now a lot of buyers of its local rice had to book for a week or more to get supply.
“This is a big blessing to millers and other stakeholders and we need not be told why we must support this laudable policy.
“We have the required machines to remove stones, polish our local rice and see no reason some Nigerians should be clamouring for foreign rice that is not even healthy for consumption,” Sadiq said.
A rice farmer, Malam Zakari Yusuf, lauded Customs for the meeting saying that rice farmers would be at the forefront of exposing smugglers and their collaborators who engage in rice smuggling from neigbouring Cameroon.
“We are with you (Customs) 100 per cent and will expose anyone involved in the business of foreign rice,” Yusuf said.
Also speaking, the Secretary General of Yola Modern market, Malam Mahmud Hammanjoda, said the market leaders had commenced massive mobilisation of their members to stop selling foreign rice.
“In fact, over 90 per cent of the rice you see now in the market is local rice as our members no longer take supply of foreign rice.
“We don’t want a situation where Customs would have to storm the market to confiscate foreign rice,” Hammanjoda said.
He said that the market leadership would work with NCS to check anyone selling foreign rice in the market.
In their respective contributions, representatives of various motor parks and transporters in Yola said they had warned their members against conveying foreign rice with their vehicles.
“A man claiming to be a soldier came to our park with one bag of foreign rice to be transported to Kano but we refused.
“He had to go back with the rice,” Dauda Buba, the representative of Long Journey Taxi park in Yola said.
Earlier, the Customs Comptroller in charge of Adamawa/Taraba Command,
Mr Kamardeen Olumoh, said the meeting with stakeholders was initiated by the command for a united front to contain smugglers of foreign rice.
Olumoh said the command was committed to the fight and needed the active collaboration of stakeholders such as rice farmers, millers and others who now smiled to the banks for maximum result.
He said transporters and traders involved in foreign rice business risked arrest and prosecution as well as confiscation of their vehicles, hence the need for them to avoid anything that could ruin their business.
“I want your commitment to ensure that foreign rice is not brought or sold in Adamawa as the command will go to any length to stop it.
“Help me pass this message to all your members that are not here.
“North East is recovering from insurgency and we must avoid anything that would bring tension,” Olumoh said. 

Related

Cambodia’s rice export to China up 45 pct in 10 months

Cambodia exported 184,844 tons of milled rice to China during the first 10 months of 2019, up 45 percent over the same period last year, said an official report released on Wednesday.
China is still the largest buyer of Cambodian rice during the January-October period this year, said the report of the Secretariat of One Window Service for Rice Export.
Export to China accounted for 40 percent of the country’s total rice export, it said.

Firm injects $13.4m to boost rice production

Description: https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/591c299b3114a27b5ca4f7455dbcc8f9?s=69&d=mm&r=g
Published
  
on
 
By
In line with Federal Government’s rice sufficiency policy, the management of Tiamin Rice Mill Limited has disclosed that about $13.37 million has been invested to boost its production capacity from the current 320 tonnes to 1,520 tonnes per day.
The Managing Director of the company, Aminu Ahmed, disclosed this when he led the management of the company ona courtesy visit to the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Abhay Thakur, in his office in Abuja recently.
Ahmed explained that the policy of the current administration, especially the ban on smuggling and the intervention by the Central Bank of Nigeria had helped immensely in boosting local production of rice.
He also revealed that the company was established in 2016 in Kano and started production of rice in 2018 with 320 tonnes per day.
Ahmed disclosed that the existing production line in Kano would be expanded from 320 tonnes to 920 tonnes next year, just as a new production line would start production of 600 tonnes per day in Bauchi by May 2020.
“We are now investing $13,370,500 to boost our production capacity to 1,520 tonnes per day. Already we have placed orders for all the machinery needed, and all arrangements are on top gear to meet the deadline we set. “By next year, we plan to become the biggest rice producers not only in Kano but in whole country.
“Our watch word is quality and affordability. We produce one of the finest brands in Nigeria that can compete with foreign rice brands in terms of quality,” Ahmed said.
Ahmed, therefore, appreciated the relative quality and durability of Indian machines, which he said were the secret behind the quality of Tiamin Rice.
The Managing Director then thanked the Indian High Commission for support and sought further cooperation in the areas of easing trade relations between his company and Indian partners.
In his response, the High Commissioner thanked Tiamin Rice for the courtesy call, expressing delight and appreciation for patronising Indian machines.
Thakur said the High Commission hoped that the policy of boosting local production would be sustained beyond the present administration so that local industries in the country would grow.
Briefing journalists after the visit, the managing director of the rice mill thanked the Federal Government for supporting local rice production and the state government for giving them the enabling environments.
“In line with Kano State Government’s policy of allocating free land to genuine investors towards reviving the industrial glory of the state, Kano state governor had particularly allocated land to us for our expansion project.
“It is heart-warming that during the governor’s visit to our company on 23rd May 23, 2018, he expressed desire to support and woo local investors with allocations of land.
“We urge other state governments to follow suit in order to boost local production and provide employment opportunities for youth in their states,” Ahmed added.

RI needs more research to boost productivity

·       Eisya A. Eloksari
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta   /   Fri, November 15 2019   /  01:56 am
Description: https://www.thejakartapost.com/files/images2/08%20Good%20always.img_assist_custom-780x520.jpg

0

·        
·        
·        
·        
·        
·        
Good old ways: A woman ties and sun-dries paddy in Situ Mulia village, Banten, in April 2008. Farmers in the area still use traditional methods passed down from generation to generation.(JP/Jerry Adiguna)Indonesia has been known for centuries as an agricultural hub with an abundant crop potential, but it must improve its agricultural research to boost productivity and food security for its large and growing population.According to a study conducted by the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS), rice consumption in Indonesia will increase to 99.55 kilograms per capita by 2045 from 97.6 kg per capita in 2017. The figure assumes that the population will grow to about 300 million in 2045.However, challenges persist as Agriculture Ministry data shows that rice productivity was only 51.92 percent, and Indonesia only ranked 65 out of 113 in the overall Global Food Security Index (GSFI) las...

Planters lose P61.77 billion due to rice price drop

By
 -
440

Description: https://businessmirror.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/agri01-082018-696x457.jpgPhoto shows farmers harvesting rice in La Union.
PLANTERS lost at least P61.77 billion due to the continuous drop in the farm-gate price of unhusked rice, which hastened in recent months when imports rose significantly, according to a policy brief prepared by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).
The plight of local planters may even worsen as their losses could balloon to nearly P130 billion if prevailing farm-gate prices will continue to fall below production cost, the PhilRice paper added.
Given the losses incurred by rice planters, the paper noted that the P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) created by Republic Act (RA) 11203 may be insufficient to offset farmers’ losses.
“Prices of local palay have declined substantially after the initial implementation of [the law]. The virtually unbridled importation of rice is dampening local palay prices and robbing the income of rice farmers,” the PhilRice paper read.
The surge in rice imports driven by the opening up of the domestic market has been identified by industry stakeholders as the culprit to the double-digit decline in palay prices.
Industry groups like the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) earlier estimated that rice planters have already incurred losses of at least P40 billion. The group projected that losses could reach as much as P60 billion due to the decline in farm-gate prices.
The PhilRice paper titled “How to make farmers winners under the rice tariffication regime,” which was published recently, was authored by Alice B. Mataia and Aerone Philippe G. Bautista.
The paper is one of the policy advocate materials of PhilRice under its Rice Science for Decision-Makers publication. PhilRice is an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture.

Trends and patterns

Philrice said the 1.8 million metric tons (MMT) rice imported from January to June alone had already exceeded the country’s “normal” annual import volumes. “[This] consequently pulled down the price of rice and, quite significantly, palay.” The paper said that, “while [the law] helped lower inflation and eased the public’s access to affordable rice, it also appears that rice farmers’ real income significantly plunged by P12,869 per hectare.”
PhilRice said palay prices, in real terms, have fallen from January to August this year. This was contrary to the price trend observed in the same period last year and “did not follow production seasonality” wherein prices are low during peak harvest months and are high during lean season, the agency noted.
In real terms, PhilRice said the national average price of palay in August was at P14.87 per kilogram, which was P3.24 lower than the P18.11 per kg recorded last year.
“Given the average yield of 3,972 kg per hectare, the P3.24 per kg decline in real price of dry palay from August 2018 to August 2019 translates to a lost income of P12,869 per hectare, thus, national level income loss is at P61.77 billion, rendering RCEF funding seemingly insufficient to offset it,” the paper read.

Prescriptions

The PhilRice paper painted a bleaker future for rice planters this harvest season as there could be “possible collusion among traders to further lower prices of fresh palay to P10 per kg to P12 per kg.”
This, it said, “will further exacerbate the situation with farmers earning just enough to break even or even lose, earning less than their cost of production.”
At the national level, total income losses of farmers “are estimated at P61.77 billion, escalating to P86.39 billion or P129.548 billion during the peak harvest season if prices further drop to P12 per kg or P10 per kg, respectively,” it added.
Due to this, PhilRice said the national government should supplement the P10-billion annual RCEF and carry out “immediate measures to cushion the adverse effects of the law on rice farmers’ income.”

No comments:

Post a Comment