Genetically
altered rice variety yields for years without replantin
Winifred Bird March 10, 2015
Ten thousand years ago, China’s ancient inhabitants harvested the
grains of wild rice, a perennial grass growing up to 15 feet tall in bogs and
streams. The grains were small and red, maturing in waves and often shattering
into the water. Their descendants transformed that grain into the high-yielding
annual crop that today feeds half the world’s population.Today, with the
climate changing and far more land under intensive cultivation, rice farmers
face a less certain future.An international network of scientists is working
toward a radical solution: perennial rice that yields grain for many years
without replanting.
By crossing domesticated rice with its wild predecessors, they
hope to create deep-rooted varieties that hold soils in place, require less
labor, and survive extremes of temperature and water supply. Plant breeders
have been trying to do the same for wheat, sorghum, and other crops for
decades.With rice, the vision is finally nearing reality. Chinese scientists
are preparing to release a variety that they say performs well in lowland
paddies and, with more breeding work, could eventually thrive on marginal land
as well.
Still, progress is uneven due to differences in genetics, breeding
techniques, growing conditions, and research interest for various grains.
Perennial wheat — a key crop at the Land Institute — remains decades from yield
parity with annual wheat, according to Crews. Perennial maize research is even
farther behind. Among major staples, only perennial rice is “approaching
reality,” according to the proceedings of the 2013 FAO meeting.
http://geneticliteracyproject.org/2015/03/10/genetically-altered-rice-variety-yields-for-years-without-replanting/
Rice production in ARMM gets boost
March 10, 2015 12:01 am
COTABATO CITY, Maguindanao: Rice production in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)
can more than double to 7.7 metric tons per hectare (mt/ha) with the successful
trial of Green Super Rice by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF)
in the region.The GSR is part of DAF-ARMM’s P3-million technology-driven
programs designed to help increase the productivity of rice farmers in the region
with the use of modern technology in farming.ARMM Agriculture Secretary Macmod
Mending Jr. said they are “pushing for the commercialization of this variety
for increased productivity and better income for our farmers” following a
successful harvest at a 2-hectare demonstration farm in Maguindanao.
The GSR was developed by the
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the International Rice Research
Institute to be climate resilient and resistant to rice diseases such as sheath
blight, bacterial leaf streak viruses and false smut, according to Mending.The
GSR variety can lead to more stable yield with lesser fertilizer and pesticide
inputs, he added.ARMM currently ranks 18th in terms of rice production in the
country with a 3.1 mt/ha yield. Mending said they expect to increase this to
7.7 mt/ha with the introduction of GSR.The DAF-ARMM has distributed GSR seeds
to 500 farmers during the rice farmers’ field day and harvest festival held in
Sultan Mastura town, Maguindanao last month.
The technology-driven programs of
DAF-ARMM include the Rice Crop Manager (RCM), Philippine Rice Information
System (PRISM), and the Next Generation (NextGen) farmers.The RCM is an
Internet-based application that provides recommendations on nutrients, pest,
weeds, and water management based on the variety of input and site-specific
conditions.PRISM is a system provides data and maps out rice growing areas
affected by natural calamities and pest outbreaks. Meanwhile, NextGen involves
the introduction and adoption of high-yielding rice varieties and hybrids, such
as the GSR, with tolerance to biotic and abiotic strain in rice production.
DAF-ARMM also provided a P1.6
million worth combined harvester to the farmers in the town of Sultan Mastura.
The machine can simultaneously reap, harvest and thresh rice.“ARMM aims to
address the challenges on farming by taking advantage of new technologies that
increases farm productivity, and making them available even to the poor farmers
in the region,” Mending said.
http://www.manilatimes.net/rice-production-in-armm-gets-boost/168255/
State disburse K2.7m for rice production
KALONDE NYATI, Lusaka
GOVERNMENT will soon disburse
about K2.7 million to boost rice production in Nalolo and Limulunga in Western
Province.This follows the recent shortlisting of 45 business applications for
rice-related projects in the two districts under the Citizens Economic
Empowerment Commission (CEEC) industrial cluster
programme.Commerce, Trade and Industry permanent secretary Siazongo Siakalenge,
however, said the disbursement awaits final approval of the shortlisted
candidates and funding from the treasury.Of the total amount, K1.4 million will
be disbursed to 21 beneficiaries in Nalolo while 24 beneficiaries will receive
K1.3 million in Limulunga.
“In response to the constraints
noted in the rice subsector of these districts, Government through CEEC has
shortlisted 45 rice-related business applications for in Nalolo and Limulunga,”
Mr Siakalenge said recently when he appeared before the parliamentary committee
on Government assurances.He said the two districts have potential for primary
rice production and value addition but undermined due to high cost of machinery
for processing rice, inadequate skills and technology for rice seed production,
and lack of irrigation facilities.
https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/?p=22775
PDS rice
scam: Congress demands Chhattisgarh CM's resignation
New Delhi, Mar. 10 ANI8 hours ago
The Congress on Tuesday demanded Chhattisgarh
Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh's resignation over the unfolding of the PDS rice
scam in the state.Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi led the protests
against Dr. Singh, calling the allegations against him 'very serious'.'The
Congress party demands the resignation of the Chhattisgarh CM and a time bound
judicial probe into the PDS Rice scam. The allegations against him are of a
very serious nature. Documents found during the probe refer to involvement of
his wife and sister-in-law. The nature of allegations are of a very serious
nature and most direct," Singhvi told the media.
'It is a matter of shame that the probe
documents refer to the adulteration of rice. Millers supplied this rice to
Chhattisgarh public distribution system. They mixed good rice with bad rice.
Can there be anything more deplorable than taking commission on this? The
Chhattisgarh CM should resign,' he added.Singhvi further said that Dr. Singh
had now joined Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in
'resisting' a probe into alleged scams.
'This is the Chhattisgarh CM who talked about
zero tolerance with respect to corruption but is now silent. The CM of his
neighboring State, Madhya Pradesh, is resisting inquiry with the same ferocity,
into the Vyapam scam. It is the story of two states, both ruled by the BJP,
whose CMs are resisting inquiries into big scams against them,' he said.'This
is an extremely serious matter. In both cases there is complicity with
culpability. The PM should show he can match action with words. Raman Singh is
known as 'Chawal Baba', and in his state, rice is adulterated. What can be
worse than this?' he added.
Earlier, the Chhattisgarh Police
Anti-Corruption Bureau raided the state Civil Supplies Corporation offices and
reportedly recovered around Rs 3.5 crore. The authorities also seized several
documents that named many top functionaries of the state as the scam
beneficiaries. http://www.newkerala.com/news/2015/fullnews-29565.html
INDIAN BASMATI
RICE EXPORTS TO IRAN LIKELY TO START FROM APRIL 2015
Iran’s decision to import India’s
basmati rice was eagerly awaited by Indian exporters’ associations like
Federation of Indian Exporters Organisation (FIEO), Agricultural and Processed
Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), among others.
The Indian exporters of basmati
rice may expect good days ahead in the upcoming financial year that is going to
start from April 2015.According to latest reports, the Government of Iran is
likely to restart importing of India’s basmati rice in the new financial year,
opening its doors for India after a temporary stoppage since October 2014.
https://www.thedollarbusiness.com/contact-us/
GREENPEACE CO-FOUNDER SUPPORTS GMO GOLDEN RICE
published by Asianpost on Tue, 03/10/2015 -
20:17
A
Vancouver-based eco-crusader is raising the heckles of farmers across Asia as
he mounts a campaign to promote a genetically modified variety of rice in the
Philippines and India.The so-called 'Golden' rice is a genetically engineered
(GE) rice variety that has been developed by industry to produce pro-vitamin A
(beta-carotene). Its proponents have hyped GE 'Golden' rice as a high-tech,
quick-fix solution to vitamin A deficiency , which is prevalent in developing
countries and can lead to blindness.
But Greenpeace says that is all hype and that
the rice is environmentally irresponsible, poses risks to human health, and
could compromise food, nutrition and financial security.Ironically the person
behind the Allow Golden Rice Campaign is Dr Patrick Moore, who co-founded
Greenpeace and the quit the organization in 1986 saying the eco-group no longer
cares about people and that it had become more interested in politics than
science.Greenpeace says Dr Moore is a “paid spokesman for the nuclear industry,
the logging industry, and genetic engineering industry” and that he “exploits
long gone ties with Greenpeace to sell himself as a speaker and pro-corporate
spokesperson, usually taking positions that Greenpeace opposes.”
One of the issues that Greenpeace opposes vehemently
is Moore’s current Allow Golden Rice Campaign which tours Philippines,
Bangladesh, and India where vitamin A deficiency is a major cause of child
mortality. The Allow Golden Rice Society is actively campaigning for the
approval of Golden Rice so it can be delivered to the 200 million children who
are deficient in vitamin A.“Two million children and many mothers die each year
from a lack of this essential vitamin. It is the greatest cause of child death
today. Golden Rice is the obvious cure, but because it was created with genetic
science Greenpeace and the anti-GMO movement fervently oppose it,” states
Moore.
Moore said that on August 8, 2013, Greenpeace
instigated the destruction of Golden Rice scientific field trials at the
International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines.“If Golden Rice were a
cure for cancer, malaria, or Ebola, it would have been approved 10 years ago.
In that time 20 million people, mostly children, have died.This is a crime
against humanity,” stated Dr. Patrick Moore, leader of the campaign. “All we
ask is that Greenpeace and their allies make an exception for Golden Rice to
their opposition to GM crops”, continued Dr. Moore. “Millions of lives are at
stake.”
Moore who just concluded his visit to the
Philippines, moves on to Dhaka, Bangladesh and Mumbai and New Delhi in
India.Anti-GM crop activist Benedicto Sánchez wrote that in the Philippines,
Moore will find Negros Occidental inhospitable for his dubious gospel of
“development.”The province’s Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. targetting Moore’s tour
said: “We have an ordinance, they cannot come in. In Negros we are GMO-free, we
are an organic island,” while emphasizing the need for vigilance against such
products.For its part, the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Negros
Occidental said: “We believe that there
is still no adequate proof that GMO, such as ‘golden’ rice are safe for the environment
or human health, and, as our commitment to our customers, we refuse to serve
genetically modified rice in our establishments.”
No, Mr. Patrick Moore. You are persona non
grata with the Negrenses wrote in the local paper.MASIPAG, a Filipino farmer-led
network of people’s organizations, NGOs and scientists has launched a Facebook
campaign to stop Moore’s advicacy for Golden Rice.“We reiterate the opposition
of Filipino farmers to genetically modified (GM) crops and we will register our
resistance against Golden Rice and other GM crops,” it states.“Our opposition
to Golden Rice and other GM crops are founded on solid arguments and actual
experiences of Filipino farmers on GM crops. Filipino farmers who have been
planting GM crops suffered negative income, health problems and poisoned
environment.”
In India, The pro-technology Modi government
is desperate to introduce genetically modified (GM) crops. It is now holding
closed-door meetings with the right wing-affiliated groups – the Swadeshi
Jagran Manch (SJM) and the Bhartiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) – to end their opposition
to the crops."The aim is to dispel fears about GM crops, so that the
country can join the US, China and Canada. GM crops are very important for
India's agriculture growth," says a senior agriculture ministry
official.Greenpeace India is already mobilizing its troops to debunk Dr Moore’s
assertions.
“GE 'Golden' rice does not address the
underlying causes of Vitamin A Deficiency, which are mainly poverty and lack of
access to a healthy and varied diet. This GE rice is a technological fix that
may generate new problems. For example, the single-crop approach of GE 'Golden'
rice could make malnutrition worse because it encourages a diet based solely on
rice, rather than increasing access to a diverse diet of fruits and vegetables,
considered crucial to combatting VAD and other nutrient deficiencies.”
http://www.asianpacificpost.com/article/6770-greenpeace-co-founder-supports-gmo-golden-rice.html
PH rice inventory continues to shrink,
report shows
Ronnel W.
Domingo
Philippine Daily
Inquirer
3:40 AM |
Tuesday, March 10th, 2015
The country’s total rice reserve shrank for the second month in
a row to settle at 69 days’ worth of consumption as of Feb. 1, nine days less
than the buffer at the start of the year, according to the Philippine
Statistics Authority (PSA).Inventory fell to 2.35 million tons from 2.66
million tons on Jan. 1 as farmers prepare their fields for this year’s dry
season crop.Still, data from the PSA showed that the National Food Authority’s
stock of milled rice climbed to 530,000 tons from 520,000 tons, although 97
percent of this was imported.As of Feb. 1, the NFA’s stock was still at its
mandated minimum volume, at 15 days’ consumption.
Supplies held in commercial warehouses went down by 40,000 tons
to 770,000 tons. Likewise, household stocks dropped by 280,000 tons to settle
at 1.05 million tons.Households keep grains good for 31 days while commercial
warehouses maintain supplies good for 24 days.Two weeks ago, the NFA announced
that it was preparing for the possible importation of 250,000 tons of
well-milled rice from Thailand and Vietnam. The volume was valued at P9.5
billion.Answering a call for tenders, Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce gave the
best offer for 100,000 tons of well-milled, long-grain white rice with 15
percent brokens at $441 per ton.Thailand’s offer was also the best for 100,000
tons with 25 percent brokens at $421 per ton.
Vietnam Southern Food Corp. matched Thailand’s prices for the
remaining supplies of 150,000 tons for each lot.The NFA has called for tenders
in an effort to beef up its stock of the staple grain in time for the domestic
lean production months that start in July.In December, the Food and Agriculture
Organization said the Philippines’ production of palay for the current crop
year that would end in June 2015 was expected to ease by 0.4 percent to 18.8
million tons.The FAO said this was due to farm damage caused by Typhoon “Ruby”
as well as the farmers’ fears of the El Niño phenomenon.
However, in its latest market monitoring report issued on March
5, the Agriculture Market Information System (Amis) has stopped giving updates
on the probability of a prolonged drought this year while maintaining its
assessment that conditions on rice production were “favorable.”In the previous
report published in February, the Amis noted that the probability of the El
Niño occurring had climbed back to 70 percent, but atmospheric signs had yet to
materialize.“[The criteria for an] El Niño, however, have not been met because
these conditions have not been in place long enough, and certain atmospheric
features have not yet appeared,” the Amis said. “A strong event is not
expected, in any case.”
http://business.inquirer.net/188195/ph-rice-inventory-continues-to-shrink-report-shows#ixzz3U3lf8RTf
Specialised
rice growing areas to be formed in Mekong Delta
The
establishment of five new specialised rice-growing areas is underway in the
Mekong Delta to meet the growing demand of domestic and international markets,
said Le Thanh Tung from the Department of Plant Cultivation under the Ministry
of Agricultural and Rural Development.
VNA
Tags:Specialised rice growing areas
to be formed in Mekong Delta,
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/125067/specialised-rice-growing-areas-to-be-formed-in-mekong-delta.html
Rice Shipments From Vietnam Climbing on Lower
Prices, China
10:43
PM EDT ,March 9, 2015
(Bloomberg)
-- Rice exports from Vietnam, the world’s third-largest shipper, will probably
rebound this year as lower prices boost demand, while competition with Thailand
keeps the gain to single digits, according to the government.“The Chinese
market will definitely become active again after quiet periods late 2014 and
early this year,” said Tran Tuan Anh, deputy minister of industry and trade.
Competitive prices, suitable varieties, and geographic proximity in particular
to China, are Vietnam’s advantages over Thailand, the top shipper. Exports may
rise “less than 10 percent” in 2015, he said in an interview in Hanoi on March
4.Global output is set to be near last year’s record, and Thailand will ship
more this year than any country ever, U.S. government data show.
Futures fell to a four-year low
in Chicago, helping cut food costs to the lowest since 2010. While Thailand’s
export prices will be pressured as the country sells about 17 million metric
tons in state reserves over the next two years, they have been higher than that
of Vietnam, India and Pakistan, the Thai Rice Exporters Association says.“While
generally, Vietnamese rice costs less, Thailand does offer lower prices
sometimes,” Anh said, without giving an estimate. Thailand is trying to increase
access to Africa, where India and Pakistan also compete “fiercely,” he
said.Prices for Vietnam’s double-water-polished milled-rice with 5 percent
broken were quoted at $355 per ton, the lowest since July 2010 and $50 less
than Thailand’s 5 percent broken for the week ending Feb. 10, the U.S.
Department of Agriculture said in a report dated Feb. 12.
Thai Prices
The Thai variety was at $419 a
ton on March 4, according to exporters association data. Chareon Laothamatas,
president of the group, said on Feb. 3 that the price was about $405 to $410
and compares with $355 in Vietnam, $370 in Pakistan and $380 in India. The sale
of stockpiled rice will continue to weigh on prices, Chareon said.Thailand’s
record stockpiles are the legacy of the previous government’s rice-purchase
policy. Yingluck Shinawatra’s administration spent $27 billion buying at
guaranteed, above-market rates to aid farmers. She was ousted in May by
military leaders, who now plan to auction the grain.
Futures traded at $10.53 per 100
pounds on the Chicago Board of Trade on Tuesday after plunging to $10.01 on
Feb. 3, the lowest since July 2010.
Vietnam Sales
Exports from Vietnam dropped to
6.4 million tons in 2014 from 6.7 million a year earlier, General Statistics
Office data show. Sales in the first two months of 2015 may reach 515,000 tons,
down 34 percent from a year ago, the office estimates.Shipments will pick up
from the second quarter and bring the total this year to match or exceed last
year’s figure by “a little bit,” Anh said, without giving exact figures.Global
milled production may decline to 474.6 million tons in 2014-15 from an all-time
high of 477.1 million tons a year earlier, according to the USDA.
Thai shipments will climb to 11
million tons in 2015 from 10.2 million tons last year, according to the Food
& Agriculture Organization. India will export 8.2 million tons from 10
million tons, it said. China’s imports may reach 4.3 million tons in 2014-15
from 4.1 million, the USDA report shows.Vietnam will also continue to count on
demand from its traditional markets like the Philippines, Malaysia, and
Indonesia, Anh said. While the countries are trying to boost production and
become self-sufficient, their efforts will take time and demand is still high
this year, he said.
To contact the editors
responsible for this story: Jake Lloyd-Smith atjlloydsmith@bloomberg.net Ovais Subhani, Claudia
Carpenter
Japan
weather bureau raises chance of El Nino emerging by summer
TOKYO
(Reuters) - Japan's weather bureau said on
Tuesday that the possibility of an El Nino pattern forming by summer is higher
than the 50 percent it projected in its previous monthly forecast.Normal
weather patterns may continue, but there is higher chance of an El Nino, which
is often linked to heavy rainfall in some regions and drought in others,
emerging by summer, the bureau said.The El Nino weather pattern - a warming of
sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific - can trigger drought in Southeast Asia
and Australia, and floods in South America, hitting production of key foods
such as rice, wheat and sugar.
(Reporting by Yuka
Obayashi; Editing by Ryan Woo)
Palay, corn production forecast down in
Q1
Contraction in harvest areas and drop in yield due to typhoons,
among others, pull down the forecast for the quarter, says the Philippine
Statistics Authority
Rappler.com
Published 12:21 PM, Mar 10, 2015
Updated 12:22 PM, Mar 10, 2015
DOWN. Contraction in harvest areas and drop in yield due to
typhoons, among related issues pull down the forecast for the quarter, the
Philippine Statistics Authority says. File photo
MANILA, Philippines – The palay and corn production forecast for the first quarter was downgraded due to contraction in
harvest areas, drop in yield, water supply issues, and pests and diseases, the
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.The contraction in harvest area
and drop in yield are attributed to the damage caused by typhoons Seniang (international name: Jangmi) that hit Capiz and Negros Occidental in December 2014 and
typhoon Amang (international name
Mekkhala) that hit Camarines Sur in January 2015.
In Iloilo, Tarlac, Mindoro Oriental, and Cagayan, insufficient
water supply and intense heat during the vegetative and reproductive stages of palay may reduce yield.Stemborer and rice
black bug infestation in Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, Maguindanao, Cavite,
and Laguna may also contribute to lower production.Strong winds that occurred
in Quezon, Laguna, Antique, and Zambales also lodged crops during the
reproductive stage is also expected to reduce yield.
Downgrades
Palay production for the January to
March period is now estimated at 4.46 million metric tons (MT), down by 2.8%
from the January forecast of 4.59 million MT.The new first quarter palay production forecast though is 3.6%
higher than the output of 4.32 million MT in the same period last year.The
harvest area is expected to remain the same at 1.16 million hectares instead of
1.17 million hectares as earlier forecasted.Yield per hectare is expected at
3.84 per hectare instead of at 3.93 MT per hectare as earlier set, PSA
reported.
Out of the 1.60 million hectares of standing palay crop, 55.6% were at vegetative stage,
32.8% were at reproductive stage, and 22.6% were at maturity stage.Corn
production forecast has also been downgraded to 2.43 million MT, 0.6% below the
earlier forecast of 2.44 million MT. The new production forecast for the first
quarter is 6.6% higher than the output of 2.28 million MT in the same period
last year.The harvest area may cover 719,170 hectares, lower compared to
719,780 hectares as earlier forecast. Yield may fall to 3.38 MT from 3.39 MT
per hectare. – Rappler.com
Rice
shipments from Vietnam increase
10 Mar 2015 at 11:10
A farmer scatters seedlings to plant them on a rice paddy field
in Ngoc Nu village, south of Hanoi. (Reuters photo)
NOI – Rice exports from Vietnam,
the world’s third-largest shipper, will probably rebound this year as lower
prices boost demand, while competition with Thailand keeps the gain to single
digits, according to the government."The Chinese market will definitely become
active again after quiet periods late 2014 and early this year," said Tran
Tuan Anh, deputy minister of industry and trade. Competitive prices, suitable
varieties, and geographic proximity, particularly to China, are Vietnam's
advantages over Thailand, the top shipper. Exports may rise "less than
10%" in 2015, he said in an interview.
Global output is set to be near last year's record, and Thailand
will ship more this year than any country ever, US government data show.
Futures fell to a four-year low in Chicago, helping cut food costs to the
lowest since 2010. While Thailand's export prices will be pressured as the
country sells about 17 million tonnes in state reserves over the next two
years, they have been higher than that of Vietnam, India and Pakistan, the Thai
Rice Exporters Association says.
"While generally, Vietnamese rice costs less, Thailand does
offer lower prices sometimes," Mr Tran said, without giving an estimate.
Thailand is trying to increase access to Africa, where India and Pakistan also
compete "fiercely," he said.Prices for Vietnam's double-water-polished
milled-rice with 5% broken were quoted at US$355 per tonne, the lowest since
July 2010 and $50 less than Thailand's 5% broken for the week ending Feb 10,
the US Department of Agriculture said in a report dated Feb 12.
Thai prices
The Thai variety was at $419 a tonne on March 4, according to
exporters association data. Chareon Laothamatas, president of the group, said
on Feb 3 that the price was about $405 to $410 and compares with $355 in
Vietnam, $370 in Pakistan and $380 in India. The sale of stockpiled rice will continue
to weigh on prices, Mr Chareon said.
Farmers plant rice on a paddy
field in Tien Duong village, outside Hanoi Feb 27. Rice exports from Vietnam,
the world’s third-largest shipper, will probably rebound this year as lower
prices boost demand. (Reuters photo)
Thailand's record stockpiles are the legacy of the previous
government's rice-purchase policy. Yingluck Shinawatra's administration spent
$27 billion buying at guaranteed, above- market rates to aid farmers.Futures
traded at $10.53 per 100 pounds on the Chicago Board of Trade on Tuesday after
plunging to $10.01 on Feb 3, the lowest since July 2010.
Vietnam sales
Exports from Vietnam dropped to 6.4 million tonnes in 2014 from
6.7 million a year earlier, General Statistics Office data show. Sales in the
first two months of 2015 may reach 515,000 tons, down 34% from a year ago, the
office estimates.Shipments will pick up from the second quarter and bring the
total this year to match or exceed last year's figure by "a little
bit," Mr Tran said, without giving exact figures.
Global milled production may decline to 474.6 million tonnes in
2014-15 from an all-time high of 477.1 million tonnes a year earlier, according
to the USDA.Thai shipments will climb to 11 million tonnes in 2015 from 10.2
million tonnes last year, according to the Food & Agriculture Organization.
India will export 8.2 million tonnes from 10 million tons, it said. China's
imports may reach 4.3 million tonnes in 2014-15 from 4.1 million, the USDA
report shows.Vietnam will also continue to count on demand from its traditional
markets like the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia, Mr Tran said. While the
countries are trying to boost production and become self-sufficient, their
efforts will take time and demand is still high this year, he said.
Farm bill
update: Medium grain rice and peanuts
Mar 9, 2015 Delta
Farm Press
Editor's note: Bobby Coats is a professor, University of
Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Medium grain rice
A number of questions have been asked about medium grain rice
ARC/PLC program participation. The presentation at the following link provides
some perspective on this issue.This article builds on our previous article
where we looked at a simple comparison of expected PLC and ARC-CO payments for
long grain rice, soybeans, corn, and wheat. The accompanying tables to the
presentation below provide real perspective on possible PLC (SCO – Not
Included) and ARC payments by county and years 2014-2018. Note the probabilities.I
will restate: If one (for any number of reasons) is simply not going to use a
farm bill decision aid and wants to gain an increased understanding of their
farm by farm and crop by crop options, this discussion may provide some insight
into ARC-CO and PLC (SCO-Not Included) program options.
One option is to use the Texas A&M and Missouri FAPRI
ARC/PLC Evaluator for Generic Base Module or Decision Tool.This tool compares
expected PLC and ARC-CO payments (the average payment across many possible future
realizations of prices and yields) for a county of your choice. In the
calculations, they use two key assumptions.
• First, they assume that you would have a PLC Payment Yield
equal to the default value assigned by FSA in the absence of a yield history.
• Second, they assume expected prices equal to the latest FAPRI
projections.
The output reflects only expected payments for PLC and ARC-CO.
It should be noted, that choosing ARC-CO precludes one from purchasing the crop
insurance Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO). Expected net SCO indemnities are
not reflected in the output.
Peanut: 2014 Farm bill and outlook webinar
Dr. Nathan Smith, Department of Agricultural and Applied
Economics, University of Georgia, did an excellent job of discussing the 2014
farm bill peanut program and peanut outlook in our webinar. He is recognized
domestically and globally as a leading authority on economic, policy and farm
bill issues related to peanuts.
Feds to California farmers: 'no water for you this year'
State
water project looks to make minimal deliveries to growers
The Feb. 27 announcement of zero
federal water to California farmers is another crushing blow to a state trying
to gain economic traction and slow the bleeding of underground aquifers.For a
second consecutive year the Bureau of Reclamation will allocate zero water to
California farmers via the Central Valley Project (CVP). The zero allocation
applies to all agricultural water users with federal contracts in California.In
making its decision the Bureau of Reclamation also declared a “Shasta-critical”
year, meaning water contractors north of the Delta will not have irrigation
water as the agency determines quantities to hold back for senior water rights
holders and wildlife refuges in the Central Valley.
For northern California rice
growers this “Shasta-critical” designation can signal less available water and
forced fallowing of rice land, which doubles as habitat for migratory birds and
other wildlife along the Pacific Flyway.
Rice plantings last year were
reduced by about 25 percent, said Jim Morris, spokesman for the California Rice
Commission.Farmers grow increasingly frustrated over decisions like this
because data shows there was ample water in 2014 to supply minimal deliveries
to growers based on previous dry years with similar or less water in the federal
water system.Using a chart labeled “doing less with more” Mike Wade, executive
director of the California Farm Water Coalition illustrated this by showing
that in 1992 nearly one million fewer acre feet of water was available in lakes
Folsom and Shasta than there is today; that year agricultural contractors
received 25 percent of their federal allotment.The short answer to that
discrepancy can be seen in actions taken under the federal Endangered Species
Act and the 1992 Central Valley Project Improvement Act, which over the years
have throttled back agricultural access to water long-considered available to
California farmers.
This was exacerbated in recent
years with pumping restrictions from the California Delta region into San Luis
Reservoir near Los Banos to protect fish species in the Delta. San Luis
Reservoir was built in the 1960s to stabilize water deliveries south of the
Delta and help provide irrigation water to millions of acres of farmland in the
San Joaquin Valley.According to Wade, from Dec. 15, 2014 through Jan. 26 the
impacts of regulatory constrictions on Delta pumping meant that over 315,000
acre feet of water that could have been stored in San Luis Reservoir instead
was allowed to flow out to sea.By comparison the 1992 federal surface water
allocation to farmers was about 500,000 acre feet.
“This is not the drought causing
this problem,” Wade said. “It’s the regulators doing this.”Wade has
consistently challenged the state’s success at protecting fish as environmental
regulations that went into effect decades ago to protect endangered fish still
seem to not be working.Water shortages to districts like Westlands Water
District, which covers 614,000 acres of land in Fresno and Kings Counties, has
severely cut back the acreage of crops like processing tomatoes, melons,
garlic, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage and cotton.It has also hurt the 100,000-plus
acres of permanent crops grown in America’s largest agricultural water
district.Gayle Holman, spokesperson for Westlands Water District, said farmers
there fallowed 220,000 acres – over 340 square miles – of farmland due to the
Bureau of Reclamation’s decision to curb agricultural water deliveries in
California.
“Now we’re looking at another
zero allocation and anticipate that last year’s figure of 220,000 acres may go
even higher,” Holman said.Westlands has federal contracts to provide water to
700 family-owned farms averaging 875 acres in size that historically have
produced more than 60 different commodities.For senior water rights holders
like Los Banos farmer Canon Michael this year’s news, though expected, still
stings.“This is just horrible behavior on their part,” said Michael, who farms
several thousand acres in the central part of the San Joaquin Valley.Last
year’s water shortage forced Michael to fallow about 1,000 acres of prime land
that could have grown melons and other annual crops.
Michael is making cropping
decisions for 2015 and expects to fallow at least what was left idle last year,
though that number could grow as water availability is arguably worse than last
year.Michael says he does not expect to receive the minimum 75 percent water
allocation the federal government is mandated to provide him under terms of the
water contract he has with them.Michael says he will likely focus on planting
processing tomatoes and extra-long staple cotton. California tomato canneries
say they want 15 million tons for their operations while ELS cotton prices have
been positive, he said.
Along with the thousand acres
left idle last year, Michael cut irrigation schedules to his alfalfa crop,
leaving him with five cuttings instead of his typical seven.According to
Michael, a decision earlier this year by State Water Board Executive Director
Thomas Howard to stop pumping pulse flows from storm runoff into San Luis
Reservoir killed any opportunity for the state to bank water and allocates it
to farms.“Any pumping at all during these storms would have helped,” Michael
said.Howard’s decision seems to fly in the face of the emergency drought
declaration California Gov. Edmund G. Brown, Jr. signed last year that ordered
state agencies to streamline water transfers and relax regulatory restrictions
on Delta pumping into San Luis Reservoir.
California Citrus Mutual
President Joel Nelsen said Howard’s decision to halt pumping did not need to
take place when it did and arguably should have been made by the full board,
though the water board did grant Howard the authority to make such a decision
if necessary.For the Friant Water Authority, which moves water along the San Joaquin
Valley’s east side from Chowchilla to Bakersfield via the Friant-Kern Canal,
the water they consistently rely upon has likewise dried up as the Bureau of
Reclamation takes water otherwise earmarked for FWA and gives it to senior
water rights holders elsewhere in the Valley.Friant saw it’s first-ever zero
allocation in 2014 and now faces a back-to-back allotment of no water.
According to FWA General Manager
Ron Jacobsma the district is in worse shape this year because carry-over water
is no longer available and groundwater resources are severely stressed.Last
year over 200,000 acre feet of Friant water from Millerton Lake near Fresno was
channeled down the San Joaquin River to the Mendota Pool to meet federal
obligations with exchange contractors – these are the senior-rights holders
that includes Michael and others in his area.That move drained Millerton to
less than 200,000 acre feet of storage today. Early 2015 snow surveys reveal
very little snowpack in the watershed that feeds Millerton, meaning the lake
will suffer further as the year progresses. Its capacity is 520,000 acre
feet.
Jacobsma predicts water prices
for farmers able to find it could eclipse last year’s prices, which according
to reports exceeded $3,000 per acre foot to growers.Growers of permanent crops
like tree nuts and citrus are particularly hard hit by this second year of zero
allocation.Almond and pistachio growers saw lighter-than-expected harvests in
part due to lack of water. Chilling hours for the crops were also thought to play
a role in the shorter crops.Citrus growers too – in California many of these
groves are served by FWA – expect considerably worse conditions in 2015 as some
have no groundwater.
Nelsen estimates that about
10,000 acres of California citrus was impacted by the zero allocation with
upwards of 50,000 acres made vulnerable by short groundwater supplies.In a
statement released by CCM, Nelsen wrote: “Since 1992 over seven million acre
feet of water has been transferred away from landowners in the southern San
Joaquin Valley with no accountability as to the environmental successes
achieved. Since 1992 those sourcing water from the Friant system have been
paying additional dollars per acre foot for environmental enhancements with no
accountability.
The state of California has over
320 species listed as endangered and yet all the efforts have not led to one
species being removed from the ESA list.”During last year’s report to county
supervisors on the state of Fresno County agriculture, county Agricultural Commissioner
Les Wright said the 2013 crop report revealed only a partial impact to county
Ag values as the drought and water allocations primarily impacted growers on
the western half of the county.
For the first time in modern
history Fresno County’s Ag value fell two years in a row from its record high
in 2011. Because of water constraints, Wright expects his total Ag value –
which typically has been the highest in the nation – to fall once again when
2014 numbers are compiled.“We have to be the only state in the nation and the
only nation on earth establishing policies that destroys the production of
food,” said Nelsen.
EDF Voices: People on the Planet
How a California rice farmer uses the market to protect wildlife - and
boost profits
Exchange compensates farmers
A project on Knaggs Ranch is helping to keep water on the fields
during a time and at a volume critical to support salmon nurseries while
providing beneficial habitat for water fowl and shore birds.By adjusting land
management to benefit such species, Brennan is generating conservation outcomes
that he hopes can be sold as a commodity to private and public investors
through the Central Valley Habitat Exchange. Potential investors include state
agencies seeking credits to meet mitigation requirements or restoration
mandates.
The region southwest of Sacramento was once dominated by marshes
that flanked the Sacramento River and its tributaries and created vital
seasonal floodplain habitat for waterfowl and fish such as the Chinook salmon.
Only 5 percent of these floodplain habitats remain after a century of
agricultural expansion and reservoir construction.Brennan has committed to the
Exchange because he believes that compensating landowners for good management practices
and helping them diversify their income beyond just farming can be one of the
best ways for agriculture to accommodate native species. He also believes that
once other land managers learn of the program and its rewards, they’ll get
onboard, too.
Adding carbon credits to the mix
There may soon be yet another opportunity to levy market forces
for the benefit of Knaggs Ranch.This spring, the California Air Resources Board
is expected to approve the first crop-based standards for rice farmers to
generate carbon credits in the state's cap-and-trade market. Brennan hopes the program will
help his farm earn new revenue as it reduces greenhouse gas emissions from its
rice fields.
With proven success in the field for Habitat Exchanges as well as carbon markets, such
programs are now ready to be scaled up to boost food production while
maintaining profitable farms, a safe environment and healthy people.Agriculture
accounts for about 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions released in the
United States today, and forward-looking farmers such as Brennan see an opportunity
to help cut such pollution without hurting their bottom line.Such
incentive-based programs "help us diversify our income beyond just
farming," he says.
Brantley Reminds Farm Bill Extended Deadlines
Approach
ENGLAND,
AR -- USA Rice Federation Chairman Dow Brantley already updated yields and
reallocated base acres for his Lonoke County, Arkansas farm, but he knows not
everyone has done the same. He warns
time is running out."USDA extended that deadline to March 31, and I doubt
they'll extend it again," he said. "Rice growers need to get into
their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office, fill out the paperwork, and also
make their ARC or PLC decision. I did
it, it's done, and now I can get back to farming."
FSA
officials point out that they are there to help growers understand all their
choices as the deadlines approach."Delaying decisions will make things
more difficult for growers and the Farm Service Agency as we approach the March
31 deadline," said Craig McCain, state executive director of the Louisiana
FSA. "If growers are unsure of what
to do, I encourage them to ask questions.
County Offices are there to direct growers to available resources so
they may become more comfortable with the decisions they need to make."
McCain
said sign-ups across the state are going well and that rice growers are coming
in and making their elections, but he doesn't want people to wait any longer
than necessary. Neither does Brantley."You just need to make the best
choice you can with the information you have," he said. "These
programs are there to help, and while the process can be intimidating, and
you're going to have to live with the decisions you make today for the duration
of this Farm Bill, just letting the deadline lapse is definitely not the right
answer. Growers need to exercise their
choices."Brantley added that in addition to getting help from local FSA
offices, there are several decision aid tools available online, and one he
found personally helpful was Texas A&M'sdeveloped by Dr. Joe Outlaw and his
team.
Contact: Michael Klein (703)
236-1458
WASDE Report Released
WASHINGTON,
DC -- The changes made to the U.S. 2014/15 rice supply and use balances this
month are confined to forecast exports, ending stocks, and prices. The 2014/15 all rice export projection is
raised 1 million cwt to 104 million.
Long-grain exports are forecast at 72 million, up 1 million from last
month based on larger expected exports to markets in the Western
Hemisphere. The combined medium- and
short-grain export projection is unchanged at 32 million. All rice ending stocks are projected at 40.9
million cwt, down 1 million from a month ago-all in long-grain rice.
Global 2014/15 rice ending stocks are lowered
0.6 million tons primarily due to increase in consumption. Total supplies for 2014/15 are lowered 37,000
tons as the increase in production is insufficient to offset the decrease in
beginning stocks. Global production is
increased 300,000 tons based primarily on increases for India (+500,000) and
Sri Lanka (+150,000), partially offset by a reduction for
Thailand(-350,000). The increase in
India is based on an expected larger Rabi crop.
Sri Lanka rice production is raised because of an expected increase in
plantings and yield for the Maha crop.
Thailand
2014/15 rice crop is lowered 350,000 tons to 19.15 million due to a reduction
in dry-season plantings resulting from an on-going drought and a reduction in
irrigation water availability concentrated in the Central Region. Thailand 2014/15 crop would be the smallest
since 2006/07. The reduction in 2014/15
global beginning stocks is due primarily to reductions for Burma and Malaysia.
Global rice consumption (includes residual) is 500,000 tons with the largest
increases for China and India. Global
rice exports are raised 400,000 tons due mostly to increases for Burma, India,
and the United States. Global imports are
raised for China, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela.
CME
Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
|
USA Rice Federation
FAO Estimates Indonesia to Import 1.2
Million Tons of Rice in 2014-15 