1st August,2019 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter

IRRI signs marketing deal for 3 varieties of hybrid rice seed

THE International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) said it signed a seven-year limited exclusive distribution license for its hybrid rice seed with Philippine company Tao Commodity Trader, Inc. (TCTI). In a statement, IRRI said that under the agreement signed on July 30, TCTI will invest in the development, production and distribution of seed, commit to certain sales targets, and partner with microfinance firm Alalay Sa Kaunlaran, Inc. (ASKI), in providing farmers with training, technology, and financial assistance. ASKI currently has a client base of 18,000 Filipino farmers. “Today is a significant day for IRRI as we enter into this new partnership with TCTI, an industry-respected and established group, that can help bring some of our innovations to our main clients — the countless farmers and consumers who depend on the rice sector for their food, nutrition, and livelihoods,” Dr. Peter Brothers, chief of staff of IRRI, was quoted saying. TCTI is a subsidiary of Tao Corp., the largest trader of molasses in the Philippines. This arm specifically focuses on the rice seed market, and is a member of the IRRI-led Hybrid Rice Development Consortium (HRDC). HRDC takes on the development of hybrid seed suited to various agro-climatic conditions. Member companies are allowed limited exclusive access to the consortium’s germplasm. The agreement covers three seed variants, Mestiso 71, Mestiso 77, and Mestiso 89. These varieties promise higher yields, better quality, improved resistance to pests and diseases, resilience to climate stresses, and higher seed production. The varieties promise yield gains of up to 20%. “As IRRI strives to achieve food and nutrition security, we always emphasize the importance of building stron

g partnerships with different organizations to achieve our mission,” Mr. Brothers said. “This historic partnership between Tao Corp. and IRRI could not have come at a more opportune time, when our rice farmers are facing very tough times due to challenges on several fronts — from climate change to unfavorable market conditions. Through this joint undertaking with IRRI, we can extend much needed help to our rice farmers,” Julio D. Sy, Jr. chief executive officer of TCTI, said in a statement. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang

https://www.bworldonline.com/irri-signs-marketing-deal-for-3-varieties-of-hybrid-rice-seed/

Thai drought raises rice export prices higher

Drought conditions in Thailand stoked concerns of a drop in supply even as a strong baht kept export prices for the Thai variety higher than Asian competitors this week, while floods wreaked havoc on crops in Bangladesh. While prices for Thailand's 5% broken rice eased to $390-$395 a tonne free-on-board Bangkok on Thursday from last week's $401-$402, they were still more expensive than rates in other hubs.

 Demand for Thai rice remained flat, traders said. Meanwhile, a drought in more than a dozen provinces has stoked worries over supply, with the Meteorological Department reporting rainfall in the main rice-growing regions was the lowest in 10 years. "The drought situation is raising market concern over supply," a Bangkok-based trader said, adding: "but there is not yet a shortage in actual supply so far." The Thai government asked farmers in drought-hit areas to delay rice planting as pumping of water from reservoirs for irrigation threatens household supplies.

Thailand's rice exporters lowered their target for annual exports to 9 million tonnes from 9.5 million, after a sharp fall in the first half. In Bangladesh, floods have submerged more than 50,000 hectares of paddy fields, as per a preliminary assessment by the agriculture ministry. "We will get a clear picture of the extent of the damage once the water recedes," a senior official said. This could be a major blow to the country at a time when farmers are unable to secure fair prices for produce, with no fresh overseas deals in sight. In top exporter India, 5% broken parboiled variety rose to $381-$384 per tonne from last week's $374-$377 as paddy prices jumped even though demand from buyers in Asia and Africa was muted. Exports of white rice have almost stopped, while shipments of the parboiled variety have dropped sharply due to higher paddy prices, said an exporter based in Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

 Meanwhile, below average monsoon rains have raised concerns over output of summer-sown crops. In Vietnam, 5% broken rice rates were unchanged at $350 per tonne. "Demand for Vietnamese rice remains moderate with most of the new orders coming from Philippines and Malaysia," a trader in Ho Chi Minh City said. Traders said shipments from Vietnam in July could fall significantly. Preliminary data showed 194,400 tonnes will be loaded at Ho Chi Minh City ports in July, versus 311,700 tonnes in June. "While prices of the regular 5% broken rice stayed flat, prices of jasmine rice have climbed to $500-$505 per tonne from $490 last week due to tight supplies," another trader said.

 https://fp.brecorder.com/2019/07/20190731501708/

Save rice mills, Center urged

Millers give memo to minister on falling paddy price

 Ashok Grover, a Jalalabad-based rice miller, said they had submitted a memorandum to Union Minister for Food Processing and Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal expressing concern over the dipping procurement price of paddy.

Our Correspondent Ferozepur, July 30 Members of the Basmati Rice Milling Industry (MSME) have urged the Union Government to take immediate remedial steps to safeguard their interests and save the rice mill industry from the verge of closure. Ashok Grover, a Jalalabad-based rice miller, said they had submitted a memorandum to Union Minister for Food Processing and Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal expressing concern over the dipping procurement price of paddy. While talking to The Tribune, Grover said before crop year 2007-08, basmati rice manufacturing industry was restricted in only two districts of the state.

“However, with the introduction of Basmati 1121 almost one-fourth of paddy farmers switched over to that variety of basmati instead of tradition non-basmati,” he said, adding that subsequently a parallel basmati manufacturing industry mushroomed after upgrading their existing units. All these units installed state-of-the-art imported equipment and machinery after taking loans from financial units/ banks, he said. Sources revealed that there had been a sudden fall in the price of basmati due to which millers was suffering losses. “Rice millers who had liabilities towards banks and other lenders as well as other unsecured creditors have not been able fulfil them due to which banks/ lenders have initiated recovery measures against a majority of the mills which has created panic in the industry,” said Grover.

Rice exporters want Centre to obtain duty cuts at RCEP

Indian exporters also face non-tariff barriers from countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia

India’s non-basmati rice exporters want the government to bargain hard in the ongoing RCEP negotiations, seeking duty cuts from ASEAN nations, the second largest market for the cereal. Though India is the largest exporter of rice, it does not have any say in the South East Asian region, where four of the top five markets are located.

Out of bounds

“We would like the government to press for duty cuts on rice exports in the RCEP talks,” said BV Krishna Rao, President of the Rice Exporters Association. In fact, India competes with major Asian rice producers such as Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar in markets such as Africa, but it is finding it difficult to get a foothold in the South East Asian market. Africa is the biggest market for rice, estimated at around 15 million tonnes annually, where India has a share of over 50 per cent. South East Asia is the second largest market, with an estimated size of around 8-10 mt annually. “Lack of market access, non-tariff barriers and higher duty imposed by Asean members on Indian rice has forced exporters to concentrate on the African market,” Rao said. The ASEAN countries impose a duty of 50 per cent on the Indian rice. However the duty imposed on rice produced by member countries is 35 per cent. “There is a duty difference of 15 per cent on the Indian rice. If negotiated well at the RCEP, it could open new markets for us,” Rao said.

Non-tariff barriers

Besides, the Indian exporters also face non-tariff barriers from countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia, from whom we import bulk of the edible oils. Indonesia, for example, specifies a short delivery period of five days for tenders, which works in favour of neighbouring producers such as Thailand and Vietnam, but not for Indian exporters. “It is difficult to participate in such tenders considering the logistical issues,” Rao said. Similarly, Malaysia prefers to import from Pakistan due to religious connections, he said. While India exports rice to over 170 countries, it is finding it difficult to crack the markets in China, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. India is the largest exporter of rice and accounts for a fourth of the global shipments. In 2018-19, non-basmati rice exports fell to 7.5 million tonnes from 8.8 million tonnes the previous year.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/rice-exporters-want-centre-to-obtain-duty-cuts-at-rcep/article28780006.ece

California company will be first US business to export rice to China

First firm to land deal since 2018 trade agreement

 SACRAMENTO, Calif. - In the midst of the escalating trade war between the United States and China, one California rice company is bridging the divide. In July 2019, Sun Valley Rice won a contract with a Chinese importer, making it the first US rice producer to sell rice to China. "China has been tough to get into because for many years it was illegal to sell our rice there," said Betsy Ward, president of USA Rice, a national trade association. 

But, in 2018, the US and China came to an agreement, making it legal to export American rice to China. As a result, more than two dozen US companies were approved to export rice to China. But Sun Valley was the first to land a deal. Sun Valley, a family-owned company based in Sacramento, California, had been trying to break into the Chinese market for close to 15 years. "We would travel regularly to China to research [the market], attend trade shows and meet the industry players," said Ken LaGrande, who founded Sun Valley Rice with his father Michael in 2000. "It was a commitment we made as a family to persist. So when the opportunity opened up, we were ready.

" "California's rice growing regions are the same latitude as Korea and Japan. So we all grow the same kind of rice -- medium grain and short grain -- that's popular in Chinese, Japanese and Korean cuisine," said LaGrande. "But Chinese consumers, who eat rice every day, will now have more choice with our rice," he said. "It is of the highest quality, grown and packaged under strict labor protocols and environmental and safety standards." Sun Valley annually sells 250 million pounds of rice under half a dozen varieties. Beginning in the fall, the company will export roughly 88,000 pounds of its Calrose rice to Shenzhen Yintuo, a subsidiary of the Dragon Ocean Hing Group, in China. The LaGrande family has been producing rice in the Sacramento Valley, starting with LaGrande's great-grandfather in the 1920s. "He recognized that the climate, soil and water supply in the region was the correct balance to successfully grow rice," said LaGrande. Over the decades, the family integrated other aspects of rice production into the business, such as drying and milling. Eventually, it grew to become LaGrande Family Foods Group.

"Now it's a couple of dozen different operations," he said. Those include farming, sprouting rice and sake milling. In 2000, LaGrande and his father Michael identified a growing market demand for high quality, specialized sushi-grade rice, and launched Sun Valley Rice. "Sun Valley Rice now is a fully integrated arm of the family business, 'from farm to fork' if you will," said LaGrande. "We source rice from 200 farms, or about 10% of the rice crop gown in California. And we handle drying, milling, packaging and marketing of the rice." LaGrande is mindful of the business risks involved with entering new markets. "Anytime we export to a foreign country, there are risks we think about," he said. "But we also develop strategies to help is mitigate those risks." Sun Valley exports its rice to the European Union, for example, where the ongoing trade negotiations with the US has resulted in extra tariffs on rice, said LaGrande. And entering a new market can surface additional layers of protocol and red tape. "We have to deal with inspectors. What if our cargo gets tied up at customs as part of the inspection process? We have to be prepared for it," he said.

The US rice industry has also experienced trade disruptions due to measures designed to protect humans, animals and plants from diseases or contamination. "These were not necessarily based on sound science, but more political," said USA Rice's Ward."Although we are happy that this sale was made, and we expect it to be successful, there is always a risk that future sales could be disrupted. It is the name of the game in the rice trade." Still, LaGrande is hopeful that Sun Valley Rice's entry into China opens the gate for other American rice brands. "We have the first sale. But we really hope there will be strong continuing demand for American rice in China, and that allows, in turn, more opportunity for farmers back in California," he said.

https://www.koamnewsnow.com/news/national-news/california-company-will-be-first-us-business-to-export-rice-to-china/1102237401

Groundwater Conservation Policies Trigger Air Pollution in Northwest India

Written by AZoCleantechJul 31 2019

Steps to conserve groundwater in northwestern India have resulted in unanticipated consequences: Increased air pollution in an area already affected by smog and haze.

Burning of rice straw before wheat planting in northwest India. (Image credit: Dakshinamurthy Vedachalam/CIMMYT)

A new research exposes how water-use policies necessitate farmers to transplant rice later in the year, which in turn stalls harvests and concentrates agricultural burnings of crop residues in November, a month when the breeze is stagnant, thereby leading to an increase in air pollution.

The perfect storm of conditions in November has produced nearly 30% higher atmospheric concentrations of fine particulate matter, tiny particles that are particularly unsafe for human health.

The study, “Tradeoffs Between Groundwater Conservation and Air Pollution From Agricultural Fires in Northwest India,” published in the June 17^th of Nature Sustainability, is a partnership between researchers from Cornell and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT).

The researchers examined groundwater conservation policies and their impact on the timing of farmers’ planting and reaping crops and burning crop residues. They also linked this information with air pollution and meteorological data.

This analysis shows that we need to think about sustainable agriculture from a systems perspective, because it’s not a single objective we’re managing for—it’s multidimensional, and solving one problem in isolation can exacerbate others.

Andrew McDonald, Study Co-Author and Associate Professor of Soil and Crop Sciences, Cornell University

Balwinder-Singh, a cropping systems simulation modeler at CIMMYT in New Delhi, India, is the first author of the paper.

Northwest India experiences two critical sustainability problems: groundwater depletion and air pollution. In 2015, nearly 1.1 million Indians died from air pollution, adding up to costs corresponding to 3% of the country’s GDP, according to the research.

Groundwater depletion is an ongoing problem, and rice cultivation is predominantly water-intensive. News reports in June provided insight into the water scarcity in Chennai, in the south; in the northwest, two groundwater conservation steps legislated in 2009 delayed the use of groundwater by farmers until later in the season. The legislation finally banned transplanting rice into paddies until after June 20^th.

Using time-series satellite data from NASA, the scientists revealed that for six rice seasons before the groundwater rule was enacted; an average of 86% of the rice-growing area in the states of Haryana and Punjab was planted on or before June 28^th. Less than 40% was cultivated on or before that date after the acts passed, according to the research.

Data revealed that rice harvests then shifted later, with an aggregate eight-day harvest delay in late October and early November. This shift resulted in a narrower window and a major increase in crop residue burning in the first three weeks of November. Prior to the acts, the peak date for agricultural fires was October 24^th, with 490 fires daily; it was November 4^th, with 681 fires daily, after the acts were enacted.

Concurrently, meteorological data showed that the first two weeks of November were basically cooler than the last two weeks of October, combined with weaker winds, causing more, stagnating air pollution in the metropolis of New Delhi, which is seriously impacted by particulate matter from these agricultural fires.

Farmers must swiftly clear residues straightaway after rice harvests in this area, referred to as India’s bread basket, to prepare fields for cultivating wheat that grows in the winter.

Solutions could consist of new agronomic technologies such as the tractor-mounted Happy Seeder, a device that enables farmers to drill through heavy crop residues and plant seeds without burning. They might combine such advances with shorter-duration rice varieties that offer flexibility in cultivating and harvesting dates.

Other options comprise investigating alternative uses for crop residues, like collecting and selling biomass for bio-char creation, power generation, or as material for furniture or paper.

There may be uses that are economically viable but they have to be considered as part of a comprehensive solution.

Andrew McDonald, Study Co-Author and Associate Professor of Soil and Crop Sciences, Cornell University

Finally, government policymakers are boosting agricultural development in northeastern India, which gains from more rain and water.

Other co-authors of the study include Amit Srivastava at CIMMYT in New Delhi and Bruno Gerard at CIMMYT in Mexico City.

Source: https://www.cornell.edu/

https://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=26515

Papua New Guinean Agriculture: Significant Opportunity and Much Peril

1 AUGUST 2019 Mervyn Piesse, Research Manager, Global Food and Water Crises Research

·       At least 80 per cent of the Papua New Guinean population lives in rural areas and relies on subsistence agriculture. Rural Papua New Guineans are generally isolated from formal agricultural markets and are mostly self-sufficient.

·       Malnutrition is the main food security problem in PNG and is a major health challenge for a large portion of the population. That is mainly due to high rates of stunting in young children and adult obesity.

·       Prime Minister James Marape has a vision of turning PNG into the “food basket of Asia”. While PNG has developed palm oil, coffee, cocoa and copra export industries, expanding into the production of other export commodities is likely to be difficult.

Summary

Papua New Guinea is a predominantly rural society that relies on subsistence agriculture. Its Prime Minister, James Marape, has stated that he wants to diversify the economy, away from its dependence on oil and gas and increase the export of agricultural goods. While agriculture is a significant part of the PNG economy, its agricultural exports are almost entirely limited to coffee, palm oil and copra. Although it is possible that PNG will be able to expand the supply of those commodities, the development of other food products, such as rice or other cereals, will likely be difficult.

Analysis

Palm oil, coffee, cocoa and copra the main agricultural exports. About 80 per cent of the 8.2 million people who live in PNG reside in rural areas and rely on staple crops of sweet potato, yam, taro, sago and banana. Sweet potato accounts for about 70 per cent of the food produced in villages and the other staples about 22 per cent. Hundreds of other fruit and vegetable species account for the remainder, which supplement the staple crops. Imported rice, meat and wheat-based food supplement domestically produced crops. The cost of those imports continues to increase, however, and now cost about two billion Kina ($850 million) each year, with rice imports alone costing 600 million Kina ($255 million).

Many villagers derive their income from the production of coffee, fresh foods, betel nut and cocoa. Palm oil is the largest source of agricultural export income for PNG, but is generally produced by large-scale commercial farms and not villagers.

The majority of the Papua New Guinean population has little regular access to imported food. Limited trade linkages can be a source of strength, as it isolates the domestic market from sometimes turbulent international food markets. The Papua New Guinean High Commissioner to Australia noted during the 2008 food price crisis that:

A strong subsistence sector and the wantok system [an informal welfare system based on familial or tribal links] provide surrogate social welfare support for many people. The resilience of the rural majority was seen recently when steep increases in food prices caused considerable distress in many parts of the world. However, most rural people in PNG were spared the worst impact of these crises because of their strong subsistence base and cash income from agricultural export crops.

It can also be a weakness, however, as was seen during the 2015/16 El Niño. Strong El Niño events significantly reduce rainfall in normally wet areas and prolong dry seasons in areas that are seasonally dry. During abnormal conditions people adopt coping strategies, such as foraging for wild food crops, but there is often an increase in rural poverty, food insecurity, malnutrition and ill health.

Food security problems in PNG are mainly caused by quality and nutritional variety constraints. As a large portion of the population relies on a relatively small variety of food, there is high potential for malnourishment.

Almost half of the population under the age of five is physically stunted (too short for their age). Stunting is often caused by malnourishment during pregnancy or in the early stages of an infant’s life. Perhaps paradoxically, the proportion of the population under five that is overweight has also increased significantly since 2005. It is likely that both forms of malnutrition are caused mainly by a lack of dietary diversity, a lack of access to healthcare and low nutritional education.

Similarly, overweight and obese adults have also become more common in PNG. About half of the adult population is overweight with about 20 per cent being significantly so. It is difficult to ascertain what the main causal factors are, due to the complexity of the issue and limited research on obesity in PNG, but early findings suggest that less physical activity, the wider adoption of unhealthy diets, a lack of dietary education and increased access to unhealthy food are probable factors.

PNG Prime Minister James Marape declared that his administration would work towards economic independence over the next decade to become the ‘richest black Christian nation in the world’ and that agriculture would play a key part in that. He stated that ‘we must seize our own destiny, for no one else will do it for us.’ He acknowledged that most of the Papua New Guinean population

live as subsistence farmers, they live simple lives, but living simple lives doesn’t mean they don’t have potential. They have assets, they have land … PNG is blessed with fertile soil; PNG is blessed with everyone owning a piece of real estate. I’m envisioning an economy that is more rural and agriculture based. We must grow our primary production sector; supporting our people to rise above poverty level.

While the number of Papua New Guineans living in poverty has declined in the past two decades, the proportion of the population that lives in poverty is high, even when compared to other developing countries. The further development of agriculture could help to further reduce poverty levels in the country, particularly if that development focuses on valuable export commodities.

It is estimated that 30 per cent of PNG’s land has moderate to very high agricultural potential, but only about five per cent of it is being used for commercial agriculture. Prime Minister Marape is aware of the opportunities available to his country and has stated that:

Agriculture is and will be the focus of my government. When I talk about agriculture I look at greater Asia. There’s three billion people that need to drink a cup of coffee a day. There’s three billion people that need to eat a plate of rice a day … Someone needs to grow the rice and someone needs to grow the coffee and someone needs to plant the food to supply the Asian people … In 2025 and beyond, I don’t want PNG to be known as an oil and gas country. I want PNG to be known as a country that is the food basket of Asia … Come and invest in agriculture. That is where the greatest strength of PNG is: our fish and agriculture.

Limited market access and low productivity afflict the agricultural sector, making its further development difficult. Improved transportation networks, access to rural education and extension services and a greater diversity of cash crops would help to improve productivity in PNG agriculture. It is unlikely that there will be significant progress on those issues within the next five years.

Every agricultural white paper released since independence in 1975 has recommended the development of a domestic rice industry. Several attempts have been made to develop such an industry in the decades after independence, but none has successfully reduced the country’s reliance on imported rice.

Contrary to assertions that Australia discouraged the development of a rice industry (to protect its rice exports to PNG), more field trials have been conducted on rice than any other crop. Trukai (a company based in Lae that is two-thirds owned by the Australian company SunRice, which processes and supplies most of the rice sold in PNG), continues to support the development of a local rice industry.

The PNG Government has sought foreign investment to establish a domestic rice industry. A private Indonesian company (which had no prior experience in growing rice) was approached for investment in 2016, in return for almost complete control of the PNG rice market. More recently the Philippines Government agreed to provide technical assistance and training to PNG farmers willing to grow rice. During the initial phase of the plan, PNG will lease 100,000 hectares of land to Filipino companies, which will hire 50-60,000 Filipino workers to grow the 400,000 tonnes of rice consumed annually in PNG. The Philippines will get first preference over any surplus. Optimistic estimates suggest that the first phase will increase rice production to four or five million tonnes (about five or six times current production) within two years. If that initial phase is successful, there are plans to increase the rice growing area to one million hectares, or two per cent of PNG’s land. While PNG has ample amounts of fertile land that is probably suitable for rice production, it lacks the irrigation infrastructure that is required to water the rice fields. Numerous landowning groups have opposed large-scale commercial rice farming on their land in the past and it is not clear how that hurdle will be overcome.

China has also offered to invest US$600 million in the PNG-China Integrated Agriculture Industrial Park, in the Western and Eastern Highlands provinces. The park has been under discussion since at least 2017 and could include demonstration plantings of mushrooms and rice. The PNG Cabinet could approve the project in August or September and, if it is approved, work on the park could begin in October. While the project could improve PNG’s access to foreign export markets, it is unlikely that it will improve domestic food security.

With the largest fisheries zone in the South Pacific (2.4 million square kilometres) the fishing industry is also a valuable part of the economy. PNG supplies about one-fifth of the world’s tuna and its fisheries are a source of foreign investment. Fish consumption on a per capita basis is low, however, when compared to other Pacific and Asian countries.

The further development of an on-shore tuna processing industry is attractive to the PNG Government, as it would create employment opportunities and add value to its tuna exports. In 2006 it accepted a US$74 million ($107 million) concessional loan from the China Export Import Bank to build the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone in Madang, a province on the north coast of PNG. It is part of a US$235 million ($340 million) project to establish up to ten tuna canneries in PNG. A decade after signing the loan agreement, US$13 million ($18 million) had been spent on the project. There was very little to show for it, however, other than a 2.5 kilometre road that cost more than US$1.6 million ($2.3 million), a main gate that cost in excess of US$1 million ($1.5 million) and nine kilometres of fencing that had been erected at a cost of more than US$500 ($700) per metre. While the development of a tuna processing industry would clearly benefit PNG, it is less clear what China gets out of the deal other than greater access to PNG tuna stocks.

Historically PNG only gained value from its tuna resources by charging licensing fees to foreign fishing fleets. It now offers long-term fishing licences to firms that invest in domestic processing plants. A larger number of Chinese fishing vessels operating in PNG waters pose potential strategic risks. Chinese fishing vessels are increasingly acting as naval militias, not only through the cabbage strategy that they employ in the South China Sea to control and deny access to other maritime forces, but through more aggressive measures. For example, in June a Chinese fishing vessel either deliberately or accidentally collided with a Filipino fishing vessel, causing it to sink. Instead of rescuing the 22 survivors, the Chinese vessel left the area. Chinese research ships have also conducted oceanographic surveys close to Papua New Guinean waters. While those surveys are conducted lawfully, they could also be gathering useful data for future military operations.

While the PNG agricultural sector has considerable potential, and there is some foreign interest in rice production, export facilities and tuna processing, the barriers to reaching that potential remain high. A lack of transport infrastructure, opposition from landowners and a lack of agricultural training and knowledge will make it difficult for PNG to become the food basket of Asia within the next ten years.

Any opinions or views expressed in this paper are those of the individual author, unless stated to be those of Future Directions International.

Published by Future Directions International Pty Ltd.

Suite 5, 202 Hampden Road, Nedlands WA 6009, Australia.

Tel:+61 8 6389 0211

Web: www.futuredirections.org.au

http://www.futuredirections.org.au/publication/papua-new-guinean-agriculture-significant-opportunity-and-much-peril/

Implementation of safety nets under Rice Tariff law urged

By Lilybeth Ison  July 31, 2019, 6:57 pm

MANILA -- Rice traders and manufacturers urged the government to implement safety measures under the Rice Tariffication Law to address a continued drop in prices of the country's staple grain.

Philippine Chamber of Agricultural and Food Inc. (PCAFI) president Danilo Fausto, in a recent meeting with the media, said the government should protect local farmers who are being hit by the decline in rice prices due to liberalized importation, exportation, and trading of rice.

“In case of extreme and abrupt fluctuation of prices, the Department of Agriculture (DA) should recommend to the Department of Finance (DOF) the imposition of higher tariff,” Fausto said.

Under the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Rice Tariffication Law, a special safeguard duty on rice will be imposed to protect the rice industry from sudden or extreme price fluctuations.

Similarly, the IRR also sets the guidelines on the allocation of the tariff revenues in excess of PHP10 billion. This will be tapped to provide direct financial assistance to rice farmers adversely affected by the new rice import regime.

According to the data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), farmgate prices of palay dropped 16.4 percent in June to PHP17.88 per kilo.

Prices of well-milled rice also declined to PHP42.92 per kilo from the peak price of PHP49.36 in September 2018.

Retail prices of regular milled rice decreased by PHP7.54 per kilo last month.

In the world market, rice is at USD 417.00 per metric ton (MT) for 5 percent broken rice and USD406 per MT for 25 percent broken.

However, upon entering the Philippines, Fausto said the price has been reported from USD270 per MT to USD350 per MT, therefore sparking allegations that imported rice is being undervalued as soon as it lands on Philippine shores.

To avoid this, it was suggested for the DA to set a reference price on all imported rice, regardless of whether whole rice or broken rice.

Meanwhile, Fausto also proposed for the flexible use of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), which is a component of Republic Act No. 11203, or the Rice Tariffication Law. particularly for fertilizers and irrigation.

RCEF is funded by tariffs generated by rice imports. The fund hopes to make the domestic rice industry more competitive through farm mechanization, access to better seed, and more financing and extension services, among other measures.

It is allocated as follows:

• 50 percent goes to PhilMech to provide farmers with rice farm machineries and equipment;

• 30 percent to PhilRice to be used for the development, propagation, and promotion of inbred rice seeds to rice farmers and the organization of rice farmers into seed growers' associations engaged in seed production and trade;

• 10 percent to be made available in the form of credit facility with minimal interest rates and with minimum collateral requirements to rice farmers and cooperatives to be managed by the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines; and

• 10 percent to be set aside to fund the extension services by PhilMech, the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for teaching skills on rice crop production, modern rice farming techniques, seed production, farm mechanization, and knowledge/ technology transfer through farm schools nationwide.

Preliminary data show that the government has so far collected PHP5.9 billion in tariffs from some 1.43 million MT of rice stocks imported by private traders, following the enactment of a law in March.

Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero earlier revealed that the Bureau of Customs (BOC) collected the highest amount of rice import tariffs from the Subic Bay port at PHP1.37 billion.

The Port of Manila collected PHP978.51 million in tariffs, followed by the Manila International Container Port with PHP942.76 million, Guerrero said during a recent DOF Executive Committee meeting.

The Port of Cagayan de Oro collected PHP754.13 million in tariffs from rice imports, while the Port of Davao collected PHP703.93 million, the data showed.

Since PHP27 billion is expected to be raised from tariff duties, PCAFI suggested that the excess of the PHP10 billion should be provided as support for the more essential inputs to rice farming, such as fertilizers and irrigation, as well as support to other farmers pushing for diversification into other agricultural goods.

“This makes the excess of PHP10 billion very flexible, therefore it was also suggested that there should be specification as to how the excess of the RCEF must be utilized,” it said. (PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1076634

200 bags of PDS rice seized in Wanaparthy Hans News Service

  31 July 2019 9:03 PM

Seized PDS rice bags that were stocked illegally at a rice mill in Wanaparthy on Wednesday HIGHLIGHTS The Vigilance and Special Task Force officials from Civil Supplies department raided a rice mill in Cheemaguntapally village of Wanaparthy district and seized as many as 200 bags of PDS rice from the premises on Wednesday. Wanaparthy: The Vigilance and Special

Task Force officials from Civil Supplies department raided a rice mill in Cheemaguntapally village of Wanaparthy district and seized as many as 200 bags of PDS rice from the premises on Wednesday. According to Wanaparthy police, on a tip off, the officials of Civil Supplies department with the help of police department formed a team and raided the rice mill premises on the outskirts of the district headquarters and found 200 bags of PDS rice stocked illegally in the rice mill. "We have seized 200 bags of PDS rice and registered a case against the mill owner for indulging in illegal stocking of subsidised rice," said Wanaparthy police. It is alleged that the rice millers, re-refine the PDS rice and sell it in the black market for exorbitant prices to gain huge profits. The people of the district are demanding the government to implement strict laws to ensure that the PDS rice is not side-tracked and serve the right purpose of feeding the poor and hungry.

https://thehansindia.com/telangana/200-bags-of-pds-rice-seized-in-wanaparthy-551019

Hans News Service   |

  1 Aug 2019 2:15 AM

AP to issue new ration cards from Oct 2: Kodali Nani HIGHLIGHTS Minister for Civil Supplies Kodali Nani here on Wednesday said that the government decided to pack the sorted out rice with low percentage of broken rice and supply to the ration cardholders in packets right at their doorstep through village volunteers. Amaravati: Minister for Civil Supplies Kodali Nani here on Wednesday said that the government decided to pack the sorted out rice with low percentage of broken rice and supply to the ration cardholders in packets right at their doorstep through village volunteers. The Minister addressed the civil supplies officials at a workshop held at the Secretariat at Velagapudi.

Civil Supplies Commissioner Kona Sasidhar, A Suryakumari, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Civil Supplies Corporation, Joint Collectors of various districts and ITDA project officers, district civil supplies officials and district managers attended the workshop. Advertise With Us The Minister said that the appointment of village volunteers is in progress. As many as 446 rice mills were identified, which has the sortex machinery to grade the rice with up to 15 per cent of broken rice. The rice will be packed at the mills and shifted to godowns to be distributed to people along with other essential commodities through village volunteers. Advertise With Us He said that the people without ration cards would be identified and the village secretariats would receive applications from them. The new ration cards would be distributed to people from October 2, he added. The officials were informed about the way the rice and other commodities would be packed in various bags and distributed to the cardholders in the villages.

The Minister informed the workshop the changes that were brought in procurement of paddy for 2019-20 kharif season. Advertise With Us The rice which would be mostly consumed by people would be cultivated and such types of rice would be procured and supplied to the rice millers for milling and packing. Reiterating that the government was committed to supplying ration to the cardholders at their doorstep, the Minister appealed to the officials to work wholeheartedly to make the effort successful.

https://www.thehansindia.com/andhra-pradesh/ap-to-issue-new-ration-cards-from-oct-2-kodali-nani-551145

PAU students bring laurels

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Jul 31, 2019, 7:48 AM; last updated: Jul 31, 2019, 7:48 AM (IST)

Ludhiana, July 30

Shailza, a PhD research scholar at the department of floriculture and landscaping, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), has been awarded the Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) Fellowship by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, to pursue her PhD research on “Salt stress induced morpho-physiological, biochemical and anatomical changes in ornamental trees and its amelioration with salicylic acid”. The fellowship consists of Rs 31,000 plus 4,000 HRA per month, with a contingent grant of Rs 20,000 per annum.

Another PhD scholar, Lalit Kumar Rolaniya, at the department of agronomy, has been appointed as a scientist by the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB). He had secured first rank in the field of agronomy. In his PhD research, he worked on “Developing water and energy smart portfolios for sustainable cereal based systems under conservation agriculture practices in North-West Indo-Gangetic Plains”, under the guidance of KS Saini, senior agronomist, in association with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Mexico, and the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), PAU. He had also been awarded the INSPIRE (DST) Fellowship.

Of his research findings, two major cropping systems have been recommended. The first system is seeded rice-wheat, which improves the system productivity about 2.35 per cent with savings of 47 per cent water and 20 per cent nitrogen over a conventional rice-wheat cropping system. The second system is the maize-wheat raised on permanent beds, which improves system productivity about 9 per cent with saving of 53 per cent applied irrigation water and 20 per cent nitrogen over conventional maize-wheat system.

Baldev Singh Dhillon,Vice-Chancellor, and GK Sangha, dean of postgraduate studies congratulated both students for their achievement. —TNS

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ludhiana/pau-students-bring-laurels/810554.html

U.S.-Grown Jasmine:  Rice to Meet You 

By Deborah Willenborg

ARLINGTON, VA -- USA Rice is launching a new domestic promotion initiative with the goal of having more U.S.-grown jasmine rice added to menus by getting restaurants to switch from imported rice to domestic.  The new initiative rolls out this fall as an "aromatic mailer" being sent to more than 100 foodservice operators, chefs, and purchasers, and consists of a branded box containing a 5-pound bag of U.S.-grown jasmine customized with the Think Rice logo and a call out to the state where the rice was produced.

"Jasmine is the fastest-growing rice variety in the United States right now, appearing on 26 percent more restaurant menus and 108 percent more fast food menus over the last four years, so the timing of this foodservice promotion is perfect," said Cameron Jacobs, USA Rice manager of domestic promotion.  "Promoting U.S.-grown aromatics is a priority for domestic promotion and what better way to showcase the variety than actually providing a sample of it to the people in the foodservice sector responsible for menuing, purchasing, and promoting."

The custom bags were created by bag manufacturer HubCo and feature the Think Rice logo with the tagline "Rice to Meet You."  Also in the box is a six-panel brochure highlighting the growth, versatility, and cooking applications of jasmine rice, and importance of sourcing U.S.-grown rice.

USA Rice members who produce jasmine rice and volunteer to be part of this program will receive a shipment of the bags, and, post filling, the producing state will be highlighted on the front of the bag.

"This is a great opportunity to showcase U.S.-grown jasmine to some of the most well-known restaurant chains in the country and I would love to have all the states that grow jasmine participate," said Jacobs.  "I encourage members interested in having their rice included in the promotion to reach out to USA Rice to make sure they don't miss this opportunity!"

If you're interested in taking part in the aromatic mailer promotion or for more information, please contact Cameron Jacobs.

Nutrient deficiencies in rice grown under higher carbon dioxide could elevate health risks for tens of millions

JULY 31, 2019

by Terri Cook, American Geophysical Union

Because rice provides 19% of the calories that people consume worldwide, B-vitamin deficiencies due to higher carbon dioxide concentrations could have major global health implications in the future. Credit: Syselpunk [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

As a result of rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, Earth is experiencing many discernable changes, such as melting glaciers, higher global sea levels, and an overall greening of the planet. But increasing carbon dioxide concentrations are also causing many invisible effects, including detrimental changes to the nutritional content of food.

In the past decade both laboratory and free-air studies have shown that crops of many dietary staples, including wheat, barley, rice, potatoes, and soybeans, develop lower concentrations of iron, zinc, protein, and other nutrients crucial to human health when they are grown under elevated levels of carbon dioxide. However, the specific implications of these changes for global health have been difficult to estimate, in part because these calculations are based upon experimental data that can take years to generate.

Now a recent study in the AGU journal GeoHealth finds declines in B-vitamin concentrations in rice grown under elevated carbon dioxide concentrations may increase the future health risks of large numbers of people around the globe.

B vitamins, including thiamin (B-1), riboflavin (B-2), and folate (B-9), are important nutrients that support many bodily functions, including healthy cell metabolism and brain function. They also help prevent infections, and regulate hormone and cholesterol production. Many developing countries depend on rice as a primary source of many B vitamins.

As a result of the projected changes in B vitamins in rice, "tens of millions of people will be at risk of developing new B-vitamin deficiencies, with all the health implications that come with them," said Matthew Smith, a global health researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and lead author of the new study.

"It's pretty striking, given that we're only talking about one food," he said.

Global health implications

Smith and co-author Samuel Myers, from Harvard University's Center for the Environment, based their analysis on recently published nutritional analyses of rice grown at 550 parts per million carbon dioxide—a level that emissions forecasts indicate could be achieved as soon as 2050.

The global rate of disability-adjusted life-years lost to neural tube defects in A) 2010 and B) modeled under elevated CO2 conditions of 550 ppm. Credit: Smith and Myers, 2019

"A new experimental study looking at riboflavin, folate, and thiamin in rice showed there were big drops in all those B vitamins," said Smith. With those losses averaging 17 to 30 percent—much higher than what has been observed for other nutrients in rice—the researchers wondered what the health implications would be for what Smith described as "the single-most important food calorically in the world."

Using a statistical model based on average B-vitamin nutritional requirements, the team identified where future dietary deficiencies could occur from carbon dioxide-induced B-vitamin losses in rice. The results suggested that even moderate declines in B vitamins could have substantial global health impacts.

The team's findings indicated that tens of millions of people would have a new risk of deficiencies, including 132 million for folate deficiency alone. Inadequate intake of this nutrient by pregnant women has consistently been linked to higher likelihoods of neural tube birth defects in their offspring.

The researchers estimated that the predicted changes to the nutritional density of rice would result in an overall 0.5 percent increase in deaths and life-years lost from new neural tube birth defects—a burden that would fall most heavily on populations in Southeast Asia and western, central, and eastern Africa.

The results indicate "a major vulnerability" to anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions in our food system, according to Smith.

"This is especially true for developing countries whose citizens are already struggling to meet their nutritional needs and are eating mainly plant-based diets that are much more susceptible to this effect of lost nutrients under higher carbon dioxide," he said.

But these results are just the proverbial tip of the iceberg, according to Smith.

"There are over two billion people who are currently deficient in one or more of these nutrients," said Smith. Although they would likely lose additional B vitamins in a world with higher carbon dioxide concentrations, researchers are not currently able to determine the health effects of this additional loss.

"We're only able to quantify the people at risk of developing a new deficiency," said Smith. "There's likely to be a big, unquantifiable health burden as well."

More information: M. R. Smith et al. Global Health Implications of Nutrient Changes in Rice Under High Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide, GeoHealth (2019). DOI: 10.1029/2019GH000188

Provided by American Geophysical Union 

This story is republished courtesy of AGU Blogs (http://blogs.agu.org), a community of Earth and space science blogs, hosted by the American Geophysical Union. Read the original story here.

https://phys.org/news/2019-07-nutrient-deficiencies-rice-grown-higher.html

Arkansas Rice, Downtown Little Rock Partnership launch ‘Downtown on the Farm’ event

AGRICULTURENEWS BRIEFSTOURISM / HERITAGE

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)  

July 30, 2019 12:47 pm 

Arkansas Rice executive director Lauren Waldrip Ward and Downtown LR Partnership executive director Gabe Holmstrom.

Arkansas Rice and the Downtown Little Rock Partnership have announced a new event coming to Little Rock’s River Market this October called “Downtown on the Farm.”

The purpose of the event is to highlight Arkansas agriculture through a venue bringing the state’s largest industry to the state’s largest city. It will be held on Sunday, October 27 from noon to 6:00pm.

Downtown on the Farm will invite the public for an agricultural experience right in the heart of downtown Little Rock. The free festival will feature live music from Adam Hambrick, Bonnie Montgomery, The Going Jessies and Rodney Block as well as food trucks, pumpkin painting, a petting zoo, beer garden, rice dig, and farm equipment for touring.

“Although agriculture is the state’s largest industry, many Arkansans do not have the chance to experience life on a farm,” said Arkansas Rice Executive Director, Lauren Waldrip Ward. “Consumers are increasingly interested in not only where their food comes from, but also how it is produced and who grows it. ‘Downtown on the Farm’ will provide a hands-on opportunity to celebrate our local neighbors who grow the food we eat at home and all around the world.”

“We are excited to host such a unique and fun event in downtown Little Rock,” said Gabe Holmstrom, Downtown Little Rock Partnership Executive Director. “It will be a great chance for downtown visitors and residents to experience life outside of the city and learn about the rewarding job that so many Arkansans do every day to keep the state fed.”

Complete event details as well as sponsorship opportunities can be found at this link.

https://talkbusiness.net/2019/07/arkansas-rice-downtown-little-rock-partnership-launch-downtown-on-the-farm-event/

GIEWS Country Brief: Haiti 31-July-2019

REPORT

from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Published on 31 Jul 2019 

Download PDF (240.23 KB)

FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT

1.     Dry conditions in 2019 main season adversely affect maize yields

2.     Cereal import requirements forecast at above‑average levels in 2019/20

3.     Prices of staple food higher than their year-earlier levels

Dry conditions in 2019 main season adversely affect maize yields

Harvesting of the 2019 main “printemps” season maize crop is ongoing, except in the central plateau region, where harvesting operations start in August. After an early onset of rains in March, rainfall amounts during the planting and crop development stages were below average, particularly in the Southern and Northern regions. Field reports by the FAO Haiti Office indicate drought conditions in North-East Department, where moisture deficits affected the 2019 main maize crops and pasture availability. This is supported by satellite images that show below-average vegetation health conditions in Southwestern and Northern regions (see VHI map). Poor rainy seasons for the second consecutive year are expected to further aggravate the food security situation in these regions. By contrast, according to remote sensing analyses, vegetation conditions are deemed favourable in some areas of major maize producing departments, such as Artibonite, Centre and Sud-Est, which account for more than 50 percent of the national production. Prospects for the main season output remain uncertain due to the prolonged dryness.

The 2019 main rice crop is currently at development stage and rainfall amounts and distribution were generally favourable in the key rice producing Artibonite Department. Remote sensing analysis suggests above-average vegetation conditions in the region, raising yields prospects.

Although there is no official data, plantings of maize and rice crops are estimated to have contracted in the main season and are expected to continue its downturn in the following minor season due to high production costs, consequence of a weaker local currency and high inflationary pressures. Poor macro‑economic situations could have severe impacts on the effective purchasing power of the poor, which in turn would likely affect their food insecurity situations.

Cereal import requirements forecast at above‑average levels in 2019/20

The cereal import requirements for the 2019/20 marketing year (July/June) are forecast at an above-average level of 835 000 tonnes, reflecting a yearly contraction in cereal outputs as well as sustained demand for wheat. Due to the weak local currency, which makes imported goods more expensive, the financial coverage of the high import requirements will exacerbate the already large current account deficit.

Prices of staple food higher than their year-earlier levels

Retail prices of locally produced maize meal have been increasing since the beginning of 2019. In June, prices of maize meal were well above their year-earlier levels as the seasonal upward trend was compounded by concerns over the potential impact of below-average rainfall on output in some growing areas. Similarly, prices of black beans, another staple food in the country, have been on the rise since early 2019 and were higher than their year-earlier levels. Socio-political turmoil contributed to sustain the high level of food prices. In addition, the weakening of local currency pushed prices of rice, which is mostly imported, to levels well above those a year earlier.

https://reliefweb.int/report/haiti/giews-country-brief-haiti-31-july-2019

Rice Prices

as on : 01-08-2019 02:43:13 PM

Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.

	Arrivals			Price
	Current	% change	Season cumulative	Modal	Prev. Modal	Prev.Yr %change
Rice
Bangalore(Kar)	2003.00	-53.27	30146.00	4500	4500	4.65
Gadarpur(Utr)	1894.00	97.7	41866.00	2452	2595	-
Pilibhit(UP)	500.00	NC	11855.50	2520	2495	5.22
Roorkee(Utr)	204.00	-2.86	903.00	2458	5870	-
Siliguri(WB)	198.00	1.02	4028.00	3800	3800	-
Hardoi(UP)	180.00	12.5	3640.00	2500	2510	2.46
Agra(UP)	132.00	14.78	3177.00	2660	2600	4.31
Bindki(UP)	100.00	11.11	3320.00	2380	2370	-
Barhaj(UP)	100.00	NC	5878.00	2400	2400	10.60
Puranpur(UP)	95.00	5.56	6026.00	2510	2460	3.29
Azamgarh(UP)	75.00	11.11	9326.50	2440	2450	10.16
Lucknow(UP)	73.00	-7.59	2113.00	2775	2750	21.18
Kalipur(WB)	72.00	NC	994.00	2300	2250	-
Thodupuzha(Ker)	70.00	NC	1680.00	2800	2800	-12.50
Aligarh(UP)	70.00	NC	2805.00	2550	2540	NC
Ghaziabad(UP)	70.00	40	3110.00	2920	2930	9.16
Kalna(WB)	63.50	-20.13	604.00	2700	2900	-11.48
Tikonia(UP)	57.20	-	57.20	2200	-	-9.84
Kicchha(Utr)	55.00	227.38	765.80	2000	1900	-6.98
Gauripur(ASM)	50.00	NC	1220.50	4500	4500	NC
Bareilly(UP)	45.00	34.33	1339.00	2530	2510	4.98
Pandua(WB)	42.00	-16	835.00	2750	2750	-15.38
Naugarh(UP)	41.50	50.91	2112.00	2425	2425	18.29
Karimganj(ASM)	40.00	NC	260.00	2450	2450	-
Lakhimpur(UP)	40.00	17.65	1431.50	2370	2330	4.87
Beldanga(WB)	40.00	NC	1825.00	2500	2500	-6.02
Kopaganj(UP)	35.00	-31.37	617.00	2455	2445	14.19
Jhargram(WB)	35.00	NC	742.00	2900	2900	-3.33
Bazpur(Utr)	33.20	-66.8	3700.90	2100	2100	-8.70
Muzzafarnagar(UP)	32.00	190.91	649.00	2955	2955	-
Meerut(UP)	32.00	45.45	134.00	2970	2970	10.41
Hanagal(Kar)	30.00	-69.7	431.00	1900	1900	-
Basti(UP)	30.00	66.67	1216.00	2435	2420	14.86
Etawah(UP)	30.00	25	1739.50	2600	2640	7.00
Kayamganj(UP)	30.00	20	871.00	2660	2650	16.67
Indus(Bankura Sadar)(WB)	30.00	-14.29	2307.00	2750	2750	NC
Sitapur(UP)	25.00	19.05	474.00	2450	2460	-
Wansi(UP)	25.00	25	723.00	2105	2110	-0.71
Bharthna(UP)	25.00	25	5718.00	2640	2650	8.64
Jayas(UP)	24.20	-21.94	909.90	2050	2050	-2.38
Pukhrayan(UP)	24.00	41.18	452.00	2350	2210	-
Bankura Sadar(WB)	23.00	15	81.00	2400	2400	-7.69
Sahiyapur(UP)	20.50	-6.82	1130.50	2425	2435	12.27
Cachar(ASM)	20.00	-66.67	3041.00	2400	2400	NC
Lalitpur(UP)	20.00	NC	1441.00	2680	2820	-
Muradabad(UP)	20.00	42.86	340.40	2550	2560	4.72
Falakata(WB)	20.00	NC	780.00	2600	2600	-7.14
Karsiyang(Matigara)(WB)	19.50	-1.52	628.00	3400	3400	13.33
Farukhabad(UP)	18.00	9.09	560.00	2650	2650	8.16
Madhoganj(UP)	18.00	-16.28	3176.00	2250	2250	0.45
Mugrabaadshahpur(UP)	17.00	NC	169.00	2240	2240	-
Saharanpur(UP)	16.00	14.29	904.50	2940	2920	9.70
Chintamani(Kar)	14.00	-44	894.00	2300	2250	15.00
Fatehabad(UP)	14.00	40	328.90	2420	2320	0.83
Rampur(UP)	14.00	-12.5	550.50	2560	2560	7.34
Naanpara(UP)	14.00	-32.69	759.00	2360	2350	6.07
Raibareilly(UP)	12.50	66.67	181.00	2250	2190	-
Ghatal(WB)	12.50	38.89	281.50	2475	2500	-1.00
Atarra(UP)	12.00	9.09	260.50	2360	2325	2.61
Kaliaganj(WB)	12.00	20	22.00	3550	3500	-
Champadanga(WB)	12.00	-14.29	387.00	2850	2800	-10.94
Puwaha(UP)	11.00	57.14	289.70	2460	2400	2.50
Kannauj(UP)	11.00	12.24	225.10	2640	2640	7.76
Sirsaganj(UP)	11.00	22.22	384.50	2695	2700	-1.10
Nalbari(ASM)	10.50	34.62	172.70	2500	2550	NC
Vilthararoad(UP)	10.00	NC	691.00	2150	2150	2.87
Dadri(UP)	10.00	NC	628.00	2940	2900	10.11
Banda(UP)	9.50	18.75	159.50	2340	2355	-
Paliakala(UP)	9.00	-40	537.30	2265	2260	-1.09
Mahoba(UP)	8.90	-19.09	443.50	2310	2285	1.76
Tundla(UP)	8.60	19.44	236.40	2580	2585	-2.64
Etah(UP)	8.00	60	201.00	2560	2590	-9.38
Robertsganj(UP)	7.50	-40	345.95	2350	2335	4.44
Jasra(UP)	7.00	-12.5	368.00	2500	2500	-
Khair(UP)	6.00	140	39.70	2600	2600	1.56
Khurja(UP)	6.00	20	475.80	2700	2700	3.85
Vishalpur(UP)	6.00	-60	677.50	2560	2550	4.92
Badayoun(UP)	5.00	NC	467.50	2520	2510	5.88
Kosikalan(UP)	5.00	NC	175.30	2510	2530	-0.40
Soharatgarh(UP)	5.00	-16.67	418.00	2440	2440	17.87
Tamkuhi Road(UP)	5.00	-23.08	470.00	2250	2250	5.14
Kasganj(UP)	4.00	NC	107.50	2570	2550	-8.87
Buland Shahr(UP)	4.00	33.33	111.30	2710	2700	1.88
Jahangirabad(UP)	3.50	-12.5	128.00	2680	2675	5.10
Uluberia(WB)	3.30	-2.94	17.70	2900	2900	NC
Sehjanwa(UP)	3.00	NC	237.60	2160	2160	0.23
Gadaura(UP)	2.00	NC	365.40	2300	2350	21.05
Sindholi(UP)	2.00	NC	12.00	1850	1900	-
Doharighat(UP)	1.50	NC	79.50	2100	2100	-
Fatehpur Sikri(UP)	1.20	-14.29	27.40	2570	2560	-3.38
Kalimpong(WB)	1.20	-36.84	22.50	2900	2900	-39.58
Nandyal(AP)	1.00	NC	2.00	4250	4150	-
Jambusar(Kaavi)(Guj)	1.00	NC	51.00	2800	3100	-
Kolar(Kar)	1.00	-	40.00	5100	-	-
Penugonda(Mah)	1.00	NC	25.00	4090	4090	0.25
Alibagh(Mah)	1.00	NC	79.00	2200	2200	-56.00
Murud(Mah)	1.00	NC	80.00	2200	2200	-45.00
Anandnagar(UP)	1.00	NC	206.90	2300	2400	-
Auraiya(UP)	1.00	NC	353.50	2620	2630	14.41
Charra(UP)	1.00	NC	22.40	2550	2525	0.39
Nautnava(UP)	1.00	-33.33	250.10	2200	2250	-
Gurusarai(UP)	0.90	-40	14.40	2500	2310	8.70
Muskara(UP)	0.80	NC	16.00	2350	2325	9.30
Bishenpur(Man)	0.80	-20	4.90	4400	4400	-
Lamlong Bazaar(Man)	0.70	-12.5	7.00	4600	4600	-

Published on August 01, 2019

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/rice-prices/article28783190.ece

Exclusive: India's monsoon rains to make up early shortfall - IMD chief

AUGUST 1, 2019 / 8:26 AM

Mayank Bhardwaj

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Monsoon rains in the coming weeks are likely to make up for a shortfall in the first two months of the season that began in June, the head of India’s state-run weather office said on Wednesday, boosting prospects for the agricultural sector.

FILE PHOTO: A woman takes photographs with her mobile phone against the backdrop of monsoon clouds at a beach in Kochi, June 8, 2019. REUTERS/Sivaram V/File Photo

“We are going to see some rapid recovery in the monsoon and the rainfall shortage is expected to come down sharply in the next couple of days,” K.J. Ramesh, director general of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), told Reuters in an interview.

The slow progress of the June-to-September monsoon season had led to fears of widespread drought, and has curbed the sowing of several summer-planted crops.But a revival could spur planting and boost the yield of summer-sown crops such as rice, cane, corn, cotton and soybeans.

Crop-nourishing monsoon rains were 9% below average between June 1 and July 31, with heavy showers in the past few days reducing the shortfall from 16% on Friday.

Meteorological forecasts suggest the deficit should be wiped out by the end of August, Ramesh said.“A sharp pick-up in the monsoon will ensure that the seasonal rains are broadly in line with our forecasts,” he said.There could, though, be some further major flooding in parts of the country. In recent weeks, millions of people have been displaced in eastern Indian states, such as Assam and Bihar.

The IMD said in April monsoon rains were expected to amount to 96% of the long-term average.

It defines average, or normal, rainfall as between 96% and 104% of a 50-year average of 89 centimetres for the entire four-month season beginning June.

But a poor start followed by a mixed national picture - with some areas badly trailing until the past week - prompted concerns of an economic hit to India, a major producer of farm goods.

Monsoon rains reached India’s southern coast of Kerala on June 8, more than a week later than usual.

“From now on, the two key parameters that influence monsoon rains - the El Nino and the IOD (Indian Ocean Dipole) phenomena - indicate a good deal of rains in the weeks to come,” Ramesh said.

An El Nino - a warming of ocean surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific that typically happens every few years - last occurred in 2015-2016 and caused weather-related crop damage, fires and flash floods.

The IOD phenomenon is characterised by higher sea-surface temperatures in the Indian Ocean. A positive IOD creates a barrier in the eastern Indian Ocean and the southwesterly winds blow towards the Indian sub-continent, causing rains there.

Weather officials say a positive IOD played a big role in bringing sufficient rains to India in 1967, 1977, 1997 and 2006.

 https://in.reuters.com/article/india-monsoon-deficit/exclusive-indias-monsoon-rains-to-make-up-early-shortfall-imd-chief-idINKCN1UR381

Rice damaged by hydroelectric plant construction

31/07/2019    10:38 GMT+7

Rice paddy fields in a Central Highlands commune are facing drought after a river's flow was diverted as the result of the construction a hydroelectric plant.

Sứk Village paddy fields dry up due to the lack of water. — VNA/VNS Photo Hung Thinh

More than 100ha of rice in Quang Phu Commune, Krong No District, Dak Nong Province has been affected since the Krong No River started being dredged last month to construct Chu Phong Krong hydroelectric plant, causing most of the stream's water to flow towards the neighbouring province of Dak Lak instead, the Vietnam New Agency reported.

The river crossing the commune is now reaching low water levels, leading to frequent inactive periods of the D12 pumping station which provides crucial supply of water for the commune's Sứk Village and D12 paddy fields.

Nguyen Van Danh, a farmer in Sứk Village, said he had to start sowing rice half a month later than last year due to the prolonged water shortage.

Local farmers usually have to wait till midnight to collect enough water for their fields.

The belated sowing makes it easier for diseases to spread, slows the growth of the rice and increases costs for farmers.

According to Quang Phu Commune People’s Committee, the drought has caused uproar among local residents. Many of them have asked the communal authorities to address the issue, otherwise, they would sue Hung Phuc Electrical Installation Company, the plant’s constructor.

Ho Trang, the commune party committee secretary, said the ongoing construction of Chu Phong hydroelectric plant has disrupted the lives of hundreds of households in the area.

 This time last year, the company blasted rocks and caused damages to local houses but they have not provided compensation for as yet.

“In previous years, whenever the pumping station lacked water, we would mobilise local residents to dredge the riverbed underneath the station to lead water to paddies. This year, we can do nothing as the river flow has been diverted tens of metres away from the station,” explained Trang, adding that local authorities have reported the case to Krong No District People’s Committee and related agencies.

Quang Phu authorities also said that Hung Phuc company didn't own up to their mistake and was not cooperative in handling the issue.

Nguyen Kim Mui, a Hung Phuc Company representative, blamed the drought and low water levels for the idle state of the D12 pumping station.

However, the company told Vietnam News Agency that they promised to improve the situation, ensure water for farming and bear all related expenses.

Some 300 M’Nong and E de ethnic households have lived and farmed in the area of Sứk Village and D12 paddy fields for thousands of years.

Ensuring a stable and abundant water source for paddy fields is essential as rice needs a lot of water to grow. Without water, within 10-15 days, paddies will be seriously damaged.

VNS

https://vietnamnet.vn/en/society/rice-damaged-by-hydroelectric-plant-construction-554633.html

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- August 1, 2019

AUGUST 1, 2019 / 1:36 PM

* * * * * *

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-August 1, 2019 Nagpur, Aug 1 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices zoomed up in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) on increased buying support from local millers amid tight supply from producing regions because of rains. Good recovery on NCDEX in gram and fresh hike in Madhya Pradesh pulses and reported demand from South-based millers also jacked up prices. About 800 bags of gram and 150 bags of tuar reported for auction, according to sources.

GRAM

* Gram varieties ruled steady in open market here on subdued demand from local

traders.

TUAR

* Tuar gavarani recovered in open market here on renewed demand from local traders.

* Moong Chamki firmed up again in open market here on good demand from

local traders amid weak arrival from producing belts.

* In Akola, Tuar New – 5,600-6,000, Tuar dal (clean) – 8,300-8,500, Udid Mogar (clean)

– 7,200-7,800, Moong Mogar (clean) 8,200-9,200, Gram – 4,400-4,500, Gram Super best

– 6,200-6,400 * Wheat, rice and other foodgrain items moved in a narrow range in

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

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

FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close

Gram Auction 4,000-4,300 4,000-4,200

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

Tuar Auction 5,150-5,775 5,000-5,205

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 2,000-2,120 1,950-2,090

Wheat Sharbati Auction n.a. 2,900-3,000

Gram Super Best Bold 6,400-6,600 6,400-6,600

Gram Super Best n.a. n.a.

Gram Medium Best 6,000-6,200 6,000-6,200

Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a

Gram Mill Quality 4,500-4,600 4,500-4,600

Desi gram Raw 4,450-4,550 4,450-4,550

Gram Kabuli 8,300-10,000 8,300-10,000

Tuar Fataka Best-New 8,600-8,800 8,600-8,800

Tuar Fataka Medium-New 8,200-8,400 8,200-8,400

Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 7,900-8,100 7,900-8,100

Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 7,200-7,600 7,200-7,600

Tuar Gavarani New 6,050-6,150 6,000-6,100

Tuar Karnataka 6,300-6,500 6,300-6,500

Masoor dal best 5,600-5,700 5,600-5,700

Masoor dal medium 5,200-5,400 5,200-5,400

Masoor n.a. n.a.

Moong Mogar bold (New) 8,800-9,500 8,800-9,500

Moong Mogar Medium 7,000-7,800 7,000-7,800

Moong dal Chilka New 6,800-7,900 6,800-7,900

Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.

Moong Chamki best 8,400-8,800 8,300-8,800

Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 7,500-8,200 7,500-8,200

Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,500-6,500 5,500-6,500

Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 4,500-4,800 4,500-4,800

Mot (100 INR/KG) 5,200-6,500 5,200-6,500

Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 4,900-5,000 4,900-5,000

Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 5,600-5,800 5,600-5,800

Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 6,900-7,300 6,900-7,300

Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,200 2,100-2,200

Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,100 2,000-2,100

Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600

Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,600 2,400-2,600

Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,300 2,200-2,300

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

MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,800 3,200-3,800

MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,700-3,000 2,700-3,000

Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,300 2,200-2,300

Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,800 3,200-3,800

Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 2,700-3,100 2,700-3,100

Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,000 2,900-3,000

Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,600-2,750 2,600-2,750

Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,500 2,200-2,500

Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 3,800-4,400 3,800-4,400

Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,600 3,400-3,600

Rice HMT new (100 INR/KG) 3,800-4,200 3,800-4,200

Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG) 5,500-5,800 5,500-5,800

Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 4,500-4,800 4,500-4,800

Rice Shriram new (100 INR/KG) 4,400-5,000 4,400-5,000

Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 8,500-13,500 8,500-13,500

Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,000-7,000 5,000-7,000

Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 6,500-7,200 6,500-7,200

Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 6,200-6,400 6,200-6,400

Rice Chinnor new (100 INR/KG) 5,200-5,800 5,200-5,800

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. 25.0 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 22.7 degree Celsius Rainfall : 11.1 mm FORECAST: Generally cloudy sky with one or two spells of rains or thunder-showers. Maximum and minimum temperature likely to be around 28 degree Celsius and 23 degree Celsius respectively. Note: n.a.—not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices)

https://in.reuters.com/article/nagpur-foodgrain/nagpur-foodgrain-prices-open-august-1-2019-idINL4N24X2QL

Rice Prices

as on : 31-07-2019 10:29:31 AM

Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.

	Arrivals			Price
	Current	% change	Season cumulative	Modal	Prev. Modal	Prev.Yr %change
Rice
Hapur(UP)	15.00	-50	1635.00	2980	2980	10.37
Ruperdeeha(UP)	5.00	-16.67	253.00	2250	2240	-

Published on July 31, 2019

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/rice-prices/article28767143.ece

Rice market made competitive by Govt.: Harsha

---

Wednesday, 31 July 2019 00:00

Under Rs. 1 b program to encourage small, medium mill owners to release rice to market at lower prices 

Public Distribution and Economic Reforms Non-Cabinet Minister Dr. Harsha de Silva yesterday outlined how the Government reduced rice prices by providing small and medium mill owners no-interest loans from an allocation of Rs. 1 billion. 

Dr. Harsha de Silva

Addressing media at the Government Information Department, Dr. de Silva recalled that rice prices increased steeply at the beginning of the year, but were gradually reduced after the Government provided loans to mill owners to reopen their businesses, and increased competitiveness in the rice industry, which is dominated by a few players.   

“When the price of goods increases, everyone talks about it, but when prices are stable or declining, no one talks about that. Rice is the most-consumed staple in Sri Lankan households. It typically takes up the largest amount of the food budget, but now prices have stabilised. We have gazetted the rice price and prices have come down, because we have ensured competitiveness in the market,” Dr. de Silva said. 

The Government has assisted small and medium mill owners to open up shop again, and distribute rice to the marketplace under the brand name “Shakthi” to bring down prices. Under this scheme, Nadu has been sold at Rs. 80 per kilo and Samba at Rs. 85- Rs.95 per kilo. When this process was started about two months ago, Samba prices were at about Rs. 108 per kilo, but have reduced quite rapidly, he pointed out. 

“Prices have reduced by about Rs. 13 across the board. As the harvest was good this time, warehouses have been stocked, and the same will be done during the Yala season. In this way we have empowered the small and medium businesses to make a change in the market. The benefits of this is directly felt by the households. We have done this by giving an interest-free loan to mill owners in eight districts, including Anuradhapura, Hambantota, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala, and Ampara. This was done on a Government allocation of Rs. 1 billion.”   

Cooperatives were established and funds were given by the banks directly to mill owners and farmers, so that they get multiple benefits. The program has strengthened both consumers and farmers by maintaining the market at a balanced level, he added. Dr. de Silva also said that each Shakthi bag of rice was equipped with a QR code, which will give full details of where the rice was from and when it was milled. 

http://www.ft.lk/news/Rice-market-made-competitive-by-Govt-Harsha/56-683015