Rice
News Headlines...
1. Saudi Arabia
consumes more Indian rice these days than Iran
2. Rice exports
post 10.78pc growth in July-October
3. Thailand, Iran
target bilateral trade of $1.2 bn within 3 years
4. Asia rice
prices high in Vietnam on tight supply
5. Additional
rice imports now expected to be ‘much lower’ than first estimated
6. Govt claims
surplus in rice production in 2015
7. Trade Ministry
Orders Bulog to Stabilise Rice Prices
8. 227,000 Tons
of Rice Imported from Vietnam
9. Japan, VN
developing new rice resistant to disease, bugs
10. El Nino
Shrinking Rice Crop Worldwide to Spur Vietnamese Sales
11. Over 1 million
rai of off-season rice farming in Chao Phraya River Basin
12. In
rice-exporting Vietnam, consumers growing fond of Cambodian grain
13. Paddy growers
await payment from procurement agencies
14. Seoul seeks
ways to deal with huge rice stockpile
15. Venezuela
supports rice production in Guinea-Bissau
16. Price of rice
declines in Ghanaian markets
17. New Abu Dhabi
rice mill to start operations next year
18. Apeda Rice
Commodity News
19. CME
Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
20. El Nino
Shrinking Rice Crop Worldwide to Spur Vietnamese Sales
21. Drought-hit
India's quest for water hampered by thirsty crops
News
Detail...
Saudi
Arabia consumes more Indian rice these days than Iran
By S V Krishnamachari
| Updated: November 30, 2015 17:48 IST
Labourers
work at a rice mill on the outskirts of Agartala, capital of TripuraReuters file
Saudi
Arabia continues to be the largest importer of rice from India, importing more
than Iran during the first six months of 2015-16, a trend that was first set
last fiscal.Saudi Arabia imported 598,001 tonnes of rice valued at $527.16
million during the April-September period, as against Iran which imported
361,474 tonnes of rice valued at $319.71 million.Till 2013-14, Iran was the
largest importer of rice from India, buying 15.32 lakh tonnes valued at $1.98
billion, but slipped to second position, importing 10.04 lakh tonnes valued at
$1.16 billion next year. Saudi Arabia bought 11.48 lakh tonnes valued at $1.29
billion.In terms of overall rice exports, India exported 55.26 lakh tonnes
valued at $ 3.17 billion, during the first six months of the current financial
year, with basmati accounting for $1.91 billion.Besides Saudi Arabia and Iran,
other rice 
importers
include the UAE, Iraq and Kuwait.The details were given by Nirmala Sitharaman,
minister of state for commerce and industry, in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
importers
include the UAE, Iraq and Kuwait.The details were given by Nirmala Sitharaman,
minister of state for commerce and industry, in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
http://www.ibtimes.co.in/saudi-arabia-consumes-more-indian-rice-these-days-iran-657363
Rice exports post 10.78pc growth in
July-October
Friday, November 27, 2015 - From Print
Edition
ISLAMABAD: Rice exports from the country
during the first four months of the current financial year posted 10.78 percent
growth as compared to the exports of the corresponding period last year, as per
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) data published Thursday.
During
the period from July-October 2015, about 898,603 metric tons of rice worth
$339.92 million exported as against exports of 657,420 metric tons valuing
$306.89 million in the same period last year.According to the PBS data, rice
exports on month basis also grew by 24 percent during the month of October as
compared to the same month of last year. During October, about 347,685
metric tons of rice worth $121.66 million was exported as compared to 22,948
metric tons valuing $9.493 million of the same month last year.However, the
data revealed that exports of basmati rice decreased by 31.22 percent in the
first four months of the current financial year and reached at 131,160 metric
tons from 174,191 metric tons in the same period of the last financial year.
During
the period under review, the country managed to earn $145.43 million by
exporting the basmati rice as against $11.319 million in the same period last
year, the PBS data adds.Meanwhile, wheat exports registered 100 percent
increase, as about 1,061 metric tons of wheat was exported during the period
from July-October 2015 and earned $0.220 million.The data revealed that
vegetable exports during the last four months also witnessed an increase of 89
percent, as the country was able to export 195,659 metric tons of vegetables of
different kinds and fetched $56.779 million for the country.The vegetable
exports during the first four months of the last financial year were recorded
at 85,420 metric tons, valuing $28.689 million, the data revealed.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-3-353576-Rice-exports-post-10.78pc-growth-in-July-October
Thailand,
Iran target bilateral trade of $1.2 bn within 3 years
Petchanet Pratruangkrai
The Nation November 27, 2015 1:00 am
Thailand and Iran are aiming at boosting
two-way trade to US$1.2 billion in three years, up from $300 million in 2014,
after the Thai government sent its first mission there to form closer economic
ties now that trade sanctions on that country have been lifted.After meeting
with key economic ministries - Trade, Petroleum, Roads and Urban Development,
and Industry - in Tehran, Deputy Commerce Minister Suvit Maesincee said the two
countries had great opportunities to strengthen trade and investment, and cooperate
in the tourism industry.
"Thailand is being considered as a source
of food for Iran and a gateway to Asean markets, particularly Cambodia, Laos,
Myanmar and Vietnam, while Iran could be a gateway for Thailand to penetrate
the Middle East market," he said.
The two countries agreed to reorganise the
meetings of the Joint Commission between the two sides to drive closer
cooperation on various issues starting next February.Deputy Prime Ministers
Pravit Wongsuwan and Somkid Jatusripitak will lead Thai delegations to Iran
again in early February.Bilateral trade averaged about $600 million a year in
the past, but fell to about $300 million last year on lower oil prices. During
the first 10 months of this year, Thailand's exports to Iran were worth $181
million. With strong demand from Iran for many products and many investment
projects, Thailand will also have greater opportunities to strengthen bilateral
ties in promoting business-to-business, government-to-government and
government-to-private cooperation in investment and in service businesses.Iran
has shown strong interest in drawing more investment from Thailand in
infrastructure development projects.
The Thai government led by the National Housing
Authority and ItalThai has good potential to join G2G and G2P projects launched
by Iran's new town-development corporation.Iran also would like to form a
closer relationship with Thailand in promoting and developing its tourism
industry, as its sees that Thailand has high expertise in this field.Thailand
could invest in building hotels and shopping malls. It could set up a
hotel-management school.It will also encourage more Iranians to visit the
Kingdom, which is one of the desired destinations for Iranian tourists for
entertainment and medical services.
Each year, about 100,000 Iranians travel to
Thailand. The Thai government will also speed up approval of visas for
Iranians. Visa applications run about 300-400 each day.To facilitate trade for
both sides, the Central Bank of Iran and the Bank of Thailand are developing
banking and financial-transaction systems. Payments should be easier to make in
the near future.Thailand will have a greater possibility of exporting rice to
Iran. Iran demands about 1 million to 1.5 million tonnes of imported rice each
year.Initially, Thailand through both government and private exporters should
be able to ship about 200,000 tonnes of rice to Iran next year. Iran has been
buying rice from India and Pakistan.After 53 Thai companies participated in a
business-matching function with Iran, $7.2 million (Bt260 million) worth of
immediate purchase contracts were clinched.
Asia
rice prices high in Vietnam on tight supply
Thursday, November-26-2015
Asian rice markets saw little movement over the past
week due to thin demand, while tight supply kept prices high in Vietnam and
purchases by China and some Middle East clients failed to move up Thai prices,
traders said on Wednesday.The rice export markets in Thailand and Vietnam, the
world's second and third biggest exporters of the grain after India, could stay
quiet until early 2016 as most demand has been met before the holidays, traders
said.
"Vietnamese prices are high and they won't
decrease as supply is tight," said a trader in Ho Chi Minh City.Vietnam's
5-percent broken grain has been idle over the past month at $375-$380 a tonne,
free-on-board (FOB) Saigon Port, while the 25-percent broken grain fell to
$360-$365 a tonne from $362-$365 a tonne a week ago.The next harvest is due to
start in late February 2016 in the southern Mekong Delta food basket.Prices
have been firm due to tight supply, especially of the 15-percent broken rice
bought by Indonesia in a deal involving 1 million tonnes, traders said.
Rising rice prices following Vietnam's sales to the
Philippines and Indonesia have contributed to a 0.31 percent gain in the
country's November food prices, the first month-on-month rise since February
2015, the government said.China, the biggest buyer of Vietnamese rice, imported
199,350 tonnes from its southern neighbour in October, up 81 percent from a
year ago, Chinese customs data shows.This brought China's total purchases from
Vietnam in the first 10 months of 2015 to nearly 1.6 million tonnes, up 42
percent from a year ago.Overall, Vietnam's rice exports in January-November
rose 3.6 percent from a year ago to 6.24 million tonnes, the Agriculture
Ministry said on Wednesday.
China and several buyers in the Middle East have also
been buying small lots of Thai rice, traders said.Thai 5-percent broken grain
was unchanged at $360-$365 on Wednesday, FOB basis."All the rice needed
for holidays like Christmas and New Year's Day has already been bought months
earlier," said a trader in Bangkok, adding that the sale slump was
expected to last until early January 2016.In another development, Indonesia was
expected to sign a memorandum of understanding soon with Pakistan on rice
imports, the Jakarta Post reported last Thursday without giving any details on
price or volume.
http://pakissan.com/english/news/newsDetail.php?newsid=30248
Additional rice imports now expected to be
‘much lower’ than first estimated
THE PHILIPPINES’ imports of
additional volumes of rice in 2016 will be “much lower” than the initial estimate
of 1.3 million tons due to better-than-expected domestic output, the country’s
economic planning chief said on Thursday.
Lesser
purchases by the Philippines, one of the world’s biggest rice buyers, could
dent export prices in Vietnam and Thailand, the country’s main suppliers.The
forecast for Philippines’ paddy output in the coming months is “better than
what we initially estimated,” said Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio M.
Balisacan, who heads the government’s food security council.
Earlier this month, Mr. Balisacan said he was recommending an additional 1.3 million tons of rice imports following crop losses from recent typhoons and dryness linked to an El Niño weather event.he government expects paddy output this quarter to hit 7.42 million tons based on standing crop, some 1.84% lower versus the harvest in the same period last year.
Earlier this month, Mr. Balisacan said he was recommending an additional 1.3 million tons of rice imports following crop losses from recent typhoons and dryness linked to an El Niño weather event.he government expects paddy output this quarter to hit 7.42 million tons based on standing crop, some 1.84% lower versus the harvest in the same period last year.
But
unmilled rice output should recover slightly in the first quarter of 2016 and
grow a modest 0.31 percent from a year earlier to 4.38 million tons.The
National Food Authority, the state agency overseeing imports, has yet to
approve any additional rice purchase on top of the 500,000 tons that the
Philippines has already bought from Vietnam and Thailand for shipment in the
first quarter, Mr. Balisacan said.“What we will have to worry about is the
second quarter,” he told reporters after announcing third-quarter economic
growth data. -- Reuters
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=TopStory&title=Additional-rice-imports-now-expected-to-be-&145much-lower&8217-than-first-estimated&id=119321
Govt claims
surplus in rice production in 2015
Jumat, 27 November 2015 10:46 WIB |
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Ministry of Agriculture claimed that
Indonesia had achieved a rice production surplus in the October 2014 - October
2015 period because it did not import rice for public consumption during the
period."Rice production was surplus. This is the best achievement over the
past five years," Director General for Food Crops Plantation Hasil
Sembiring said here on Thursday evening.In October 2014, state logistics board
Bulogs rice stock was 1.7 million tons which was reached with imports of 800
thousand tons. But in October 2015, without optimal absorption during grand
harvest peak in the January - May 2015 period, Bulogs rice stock remained at
1.7 million tons, he said.
He said that the achievement was made even with an increase in
the number of population by 3.7 million which consumed 460 thousand tons of
rice. "Although
Indonesia was hit by strong El Nino, rice increased to 1.26 million tons from
that in 2014," he said. In 1998, with strong El Nino (1.9 percent intensity),
Indonesia was forced to import 7.1 million tons of rice. At that time the
number of Indonesia population was only 202 million. But
in 2015, the number of population reached 252 million with an El Nino intensity
of 2.4 percent. In such a condition, Indonesia should have imported 9.0 million
tons of rice but instead it had a stock of 1.3 million tons, the director
general said.(*)
Trade Ministry Orders Bulog to Stabilise
Rice Prices
MONDAY, 30 NOVEMBER, 2015 | 19:28 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Trade Minister Thomas
Lembong has instructed state logistics agency, BULOG, to intervene in the rice
market by using the government's rice reserves to bring rice prices under
control. The instruction was contained in Trade Ministry's Decree No.
944/M-DAG/SD/11/2015, which instructs BULOG to sell off its' rice reserves at
Rp7,500 per kilogram in Java, or Rp7,600 per kilogram outside Java. The letter
- dated November 13, 2015 - also puts a cap on retail prices in the market. The
instruction stated that prices cannot exceed Rp8000 per kilogram over BULOG's
prices, and that the cap will be effective until prices have gone down. That
said, the Decree does not specify how much rice reserves have been set aside
for the interventions, which will be done across the archipelago - with
priorities given to areas where rice prices have fluctuated way above the
average.
Through the Decree,
government asks BULOG's deputies to work together with provincial and district
heads to coordinate the intervention, and to report the result of the
intervention to the Trade Ministry,the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy,
as well as the Agricultural Minister as the Head of the Food Security Council.
According to the Trade Ministry's Basic Goods Price 
Surveillance System on Monday, November 30, rice prices have
reached around Rp10,602.21 per kilogram - up from last month's average that
stood at Rp10,436.76 per kilogram.
Surveillance System on Monday, November 30, rice prices have
reached around Rp10,602.21 per kilogram - up from last month's average that
stood at Rp10,436.76 per kilogram.
227,000 Tons of Rice Imported from Vietnam
SUNDAY, 29 NOVEMBER, 2015 | 16:38 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Djarot Kusumayakti, president
director of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog), said on Sunday, November 29,
2015 that his institution had imported 227 tons of Vietnamese rice since
November 7, 2015. Earlier, the state
logistics company gained a license to import 1 million tons of medium-quality
rice from Vietnam to anticipate famine that was predicted to occur in early
2016.Djarot revealed that the rice was distributed in several regions based on
their demands.“In total, there are 16 ports handling the arrival of the rice,”
Djarot said.However, the distribution was hampered by infrastructure
limitations and capacities at the ports. For instance, rice that arrived in
Tanjung Perak, Surabaya, was unable to be distributed to East Nusa Tenggara
since the port in the province could only accommodate small vessels.
According to Djarot, such a condition would not occur if the
decision to import rice was made earlier. Therefore, Bulog would have more time
to plan the distribution.Djarot revealed that the rice imports had increased
Bulog’s stock to 1.3 million tons. However, the government was still concern
with crop failures caused by this year’s El Nino. Djarot added that the
government had considered importing more rice from other countries.“Rice
imports from Pakistan have been considered, but no agreement has been reached
yet,” Djarot explained.
http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2015/11/29/056723214/227000-Tons-of-Rice-Imported-from-Vietnam
Japan, VN developing new rice resistant to disease, bugs
HCM CITY (VNS) — Vietnamese and Japanese researchers
have completed an international project to develop a new rice variety that is
disease- and insect-resistant with a high-yield, short-growth duration.The rice
variety was developed by using certain genes and the most advanced molecular
bio-technology.The project, called the "Development of Crop Genotypes for
the Midlands and Mountain Areas of North Viet Nam" was implemented from
December 2010 to November this year.
Financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency
(JICA), the project was carried out by Viet Nam National University of
Agriculture (VNUA), Kyushu University and Nagoya University of Japan.Dr. Pham
Van Cuong, vice president of VNUA, said: "Plant breeding in Viet Nam has
for years not been based on rigorous science. It has had a lack of scientific
proof. But with the new technology transferred by Japan, we can make
long-selling products with authentic proof based on science, and we can
guarantee stable production and profit for producers."The improved rice
line has been well received because of its short-growth duration as it can help
farmers avoid the flood season, minimise damages caused by annual typhoons and
lead to more diverse cash crops during the winter crop season.More than 50
promising rice lines, which have been genetically guaranteed to have good
performances, have been developed.
The ecological adaptability of the selected lines was
proven in Thai Nguyen and Lao Cai provinces. The rice varieties showed
adaptability to not only the northern mountainous region but also to other
environments in Viet Nam.The enthusiastic investment by the provincial
government and Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghe An (DARD
Nghe An) has led to sustainable production of such improved lines and provided
a prototype for other provinces in the country for development from promising
rice lines from VNUA.The technology, which can be applied to other crops such
as soybeans, sorghum and maize as well as vegetables, helps to improve the
quality of agricultural products. — VNS
Scientists visit a new rice variety field in Nam Dan
District, Nghe An Province. Vietnamese and Japanese researchers have completed
an international project to develop a new rice variety that is disease- and
insect-resistant with a high-yield, short-growth duration. — Photodangcongsan.vn
http://vietnamnews.vn/society/279221/japan-vn-developing-new-rice-resistant-to-disease-bugs.html
El Nino Shrinking Rice Crop Worldwide to Spur
Vietnamese Sales
November
27, 2015 — 11:14 AM PKT
First
quarter shipments seen jumping 14% to 1.3 million tons
Global
rice output forecast to drop in 2015-16 on El Nino
Rice exports from Vietnam may increase 14 percent in the first
quarter as the strongest El Nino in almost two decades shrivels crops in some
countries, spurring importers to build reserves.Shipments will jump to 1.3
million metric tons in the three months ending March from 1.14 million tons a
year earlier, said Tran Tuan Anh, Vietnam’s deputy minister of industry and
trade. The world’s third-biggest exporter is already seeing a spurt in demand,
he said in an e-mail on Nov. 25. October rice shipments surged 43 percent to
859,000 tons from a year earlier, the highest level since July 2012, government
data show.
Indonesia and the Philippines are among nations importing rice
after dry weather induced by the strongest El Nino since the record event in
1997-98 hurts crops. Prospects for the event to further strengthen may prompt
buyers to secure supplies before prices run up as the United Nations’ Food
& Agriculture Organization predicts a decline in global rice output in the
2015-16 season with consumption surpassing production.“Rice supply and
stockpiles will decline, and demand for imports will rise because of
unfavorable weather conditions,” Anh said. “The El Nino event occurring this
year and prolonging into 2016 will affect production in many countries,
especially Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.”Rough-rice futures on
the Chicago Board of Trade have rallied 29 percent from the lowest level in
more than eight years in May on concern that the El Nino will shrink global
harvest. The contract for delivery in January closed at $12.13 per 100 pounds
on Wednesday.
Output Decline
Production in Thailand may decline to the lowest in 19
years as dry weather may prompt the world’s top exporter to further restrict
plantings to preserve water supply. The Philippines is monitoring rice
production closely to see whether there’s need to import more on El Nino after
purchasing 750,000 tons from Vietnam and Thailand for delivery from November to
March 2016. Indonesia this month agreed to import 1.5 million tons from Vietnam
and Thailand and is in talks with Cambodia and Myanmar for additional supplies,
according to state-run food company Bulog.
Vietnam’s paddy rice output may increase 0.3 percent to 45.1
million tons this year, VietnamPlus reported in September, citing the
Agriculture Ministry. Exports may climb to 7 million tons in 2016 from 6.2
million tons this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.Boosting
rice exports will still be a challenge for Vietnam as Thailand is looking to
draw down the stockpiles it accumulated under a state purchase plan, Anh said.
Major importers, especially in Southeast Asia, are also diversifying supply
sources and boosting domestic production, he said.Thailand has about 13.7
million tons of rice in state stockpiles after the military government sold 5
million tons, Chutima Bunyapraphasara, permanent secretary for commerce, said
Nov. 16.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-11-27/el-nino-shrinking-rice-crop-worldwide-to-spur-vietnamese-sales
Over 1 million rai of off-season rice
farming in Chao Phraya River Basin
Over 1 million rai of
off-season rice farming in Chao Phraya River Basin
BANGKOK, 30 November 2015 (NNT)
– Water management for the Chao Praya River Basin continues to be challenging
with decreasing water inflows, while all sides have been urged to conserve
water consumption during this drought season.
The four major dams in the Chao Phraya River
Basin currently contain an accumulated water reserves at 10,891 million cubic
meters. The amount of water flowing into these dams has continued to decline,
with 7.35 million cubic meters inbound, against a consumption rate of 15
million cubic meters per day.Water reserves available for usage are reported to
be at 4,195 million cubic meters.From 1 November 2015 until now, 419 million
cubic meters of water has been used, with 13 percent allocated to the Chao Phraya
River Basin. This drought season’s water allocation plan dictates that 2880
million cubic meters can still be allocated for usage for the remainder of the
season.
Although the water consumption has proceeded
according to plan, farmers have cultivated a total of 1 million rais of
off-season rice, and are at risk of suffering water shortages in the near
future if off-season rice farming continues to expand.However, the Royal
Irrigation Department and related agencies have continued their task in
providing knowledge and understanding to the farmers and water users, so that
the limited supply of water is sufficient for consumption and ecosystem
conservation throughout the dry season; until the early rainy season next
year.All sectors have been asked to use water as sparingly as possible so that
this year’s drought crisis can be overcome.
http://news.thaivisa.com/thailand/over-1-million-rai-of-off-season-rice-farming-in-chao-phraya-river-basin/122907/
In rice-exporting Vietnam, consumers
growing fond of Cambodian grain
TUOI TRE NEWS
Updated : 11/26/2015 14:13 GMT + 7
While Vietnam is among the world’s top rice exporters, many
consumers in some southern markets now prefer several types of Cambodian rice
to the domestically grown produce.
Some rice businesses in the southern province of Tien Giang have
begun sourcing rice from Cambodia to distribute to Ho Chi Minh City and
neighboring localities, instead of that grown in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, known
as the country’s granary.Trung, who runs a major rice firm in the province,
said he sells an average of 500 metric tons of Cambodian rice on a monthly
basis.He always comes to Cambodia to directly buy paddy there, and the rice
processing and packaging are done at his own facility.“So I can ensure
competitive prices and good quality for the produce,” he said.
Many Tien Giang-based rice businesses say consumers in southern
Vietnam are fond of four types of Cambodian rice, namely Sa Mo, Sa Ri, Mong
Chim and Soc Mien, even though there is nothing special about their flavor and
aroma.“Cambodian rice fetches stable prices, so you do not have to worry about
suffering losses,” Nguyen Thi Tim, a Tien Giang rice seller, said.“The demand
for Cambodian rice is also growing so it sells easier than the domestic
grain.”Kiet, who runs a rice-husking plant in Tien Giang, explains that the
four most popular types of Cambodian rice in Vietnam are winter rice, which
requires longer growing duration than the summer grain so “there are only two
crops per year.”“The short-grain Cambodian rice is less sticky when cooked, so
those who do not like sticky and aromatic rice will prefer it,” he added.
His explanation is supported by Do Thi Mui, who runs two rice
stores in Phan Thiet, the capital of the south-central province of Binh
Thuan.“The cooked Cambodian rice is soft and not sticky, which is easy to eat
and digest, therefore largely enjoyed by local eateries and those doing heavy
physical work,” Mui said.Many eateries that sell cooked rice in Long An
Province and Tien Giang admit that they can reap bigger profits by selling
Cambodian rice over Vietnamese grain, as most consumers prefer soft to sticky
rice.Nguyen Thi Kieu Nga, a rice seller in Long An, also located in the Mekong
Delta, said farmers usually do not use pesticide on the winter rice crops,
which helps the Cambodian grain to win new customers.Professor Vo Tong Xuan, a
seasoned rice expert, confirmed that many Vietnamese consumers are eating
Cambodian rice as the grain is ‘cleaner’ than that grown in Vietnam, thanks to
the sparse use of insecticides.
“Many officials in the Vietnamese provinces bordering Cambodia
have told me that they choose Cambodian or Thai rice for safety reasons,” he
said.“This illustrates the importance of growing rice under best practice methods
such as VietGAP or GlobalGAP.“People now eat for their health, not for a full
stomach.”Last year Vietnam exported 7.5 million metric tons, but the figure
this year is expected to be only 6.7 million metric tons, according to the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.In the Jan-Oct period, the
country’s rice export reached 5.03 million metric tons, according to the
Vietnam Food Administration.
tuoitrenews.vn/.../in-riceexporting-vietnam-consumers-growing-fond-of
Paddy growers await payment from
procurement agencies
Govt yet to clear Rs 70-crore dues,
arhtiyas face problems
Sushil Goyal
Tribune News Service
Sangrur, November 27
The farmers have been waiting for the payment in respect of
their paddy crop which they had sold to government procurement agencies about
15 days ago in local grain market and nearby procurement centres.It is learnt
that the state government’s procurement agencies could not make the payments to
the arhtiyas during the past about 15 days as the Central government has not
released the funds for the purpose.As per information, all five government
procurement agencies, namely Pungrain, Markfed, Punsup, Warehouse and Punjab
Agro, have yet to make the payment to the tune of Rs 70 crore to the arhtiyas
of the Sangrur district so far. During this paddy season, these agencies had
procured paddy worth over Rs 2,350 crore in Sangrur district while the agencies
had already made payments to the tune of over Rs 2,280 crore to the arhtiyas.
Pardeep Singla, an arhtiya of Sangrur grain market, said he
was yet to receive the payment, worth Rs 95 lakh, from three procurement
agencies — Punjab Agro, Pungrain and Markfed — though his ‘Rupay Card’ had been
swiped about 15 days ago by these agencies to make the payment. He said due to
the non-payment of dues, the arhtiyas had been facing problems as the farmers
were demanding money from them.The accountant of an arhtiya of Sangrur grain
market said their firm was yet to receive about Rs 2 crore from the procurement
agencies for the paddy crop of farmers, sold to agencies more than a fortnight
ago. He said the procurement agencies had swiped their “Rupay card” but amounts
had not been credited into their bank accounts so far.The District Food Supply
Controller (DFSC), Sangrur, Manish Narula, said the payments would be credited
into the accounts of arhtiyas by Monday or Tuesday as the Central government
had released funds for the purpose. He said in Sangrur district, the government
procurement agencies had already made 97% payment of the procured paddy to the
arhtiyas.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/paddy-growers-await-payment-from-procurement-agencies/163864.html
Seoul seeks ways to deal
with huge rice stockpile
PUBLISHED
NOV 28, 2015, 5:00 AM SGT
Falling local demand amid bumper crop = 1.36m tonne surplus
Chang
May Choon South Korea Correspondent In Seoul
Rice, which used to be a Korean staple eaten three times a day,
has lost so much of its appeal that South Korea is now stuck with a huge rice
surplus of 1.36 million tonnes after a record bumper crop this year.With South
Koreans eating less and less rice - only 9.6 times a week according to a recent
study - the government is now trying to create new rice-based products in a bid
to increase consumption.The latest is rice-based penne pasta, after rice bread
and rice noodles. But habits may be hard to change as people have become used
to eating such products made from wheat.
http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/seoul-seeks-ways-to-deal-with-huge-rice-stockpile
Venezuela supports rice production in
Guinea-Bissau
NOVEMBER 27TH,
2015
Venezuela will support the production of rice and other grains in
Guinea-Bissau, said Wednesday in Bissau the Venezuelan ambassador to
Guinea-Bissau, at the end of an audience granted by President José Mário
Vaz.Ambassador Eddy José Cordova Corcega gave assurances that Venezuela would
find mechanisms, which he did not detail, to support the production of rice,
maize and sorghum as well as other agricultural products, to improve the diet
of the Guinean population.Corcega said the issue of support to Guinea-Bissau
would be discussed further at the next Africa/South America summit, to be held
in May 2016 in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, which the Guinea-Bissau head of
state will attend. (macauhub/GW)
Price of rice declines in Ghanaian markets
The price of rice has declined in Ghanaian markets within the
last week of November.It dropped by 9 percent to close the week at an average
price of GHS 25.00 for “one small bag of 5kg (imported-Unclesam).” This was followed by Maize which made a 5 percent drop to close
the week at GHS 4.00 per olunka. Yam (Pona) also followed with 4 percent drop
to close the week at GHS 3.60 and Soya bean dropped by 2 percent to close the
week at GHS 6.40 per olunka.
Cassava (Gari) and Groundnut dropped by a percentage point each to close at GHS 4.40 and 12 .90 per olunka respectively. Esoko Ghana reported that tomato gained 4 percent to close the week at GHS 11.70 per “medium size tomato tin”. Cowpea followed with 2 percent gained to close the week at GHS 7.80 per olunka and Cassava (fresh tubers) also gained a percentage point to close the week at 3.60 per 3-4 tubers. The other commodity prices remained the same.On the various markets, the price for an “olunka” of maize dropped by 20 percent in Dambai to close the week at GHS 4.00, by 16 percent in Bawku to close the week at GHS 3.00 and by 2 percent in Kumasi to close the week at GHS 5.00; in the other markets the price remained the same.
Techiman
A “medium size tomato tin”, full of fresh tomatoes lost 11 percent in Techiman to close the week at GHS 11.50. The commodity however made some gains in Kumasi and Dambai.
Kumasi
In Kumasi, it gained 14 percent to close at GHS 9.10 and in Dambai by 76 percentage to close the week at GHS 7.90. In the other markets prices remained the same.
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/Price-of-rice-declines-in-Ghanaian-markets-396883
New Abu Dhabi rice mill
to start operations next year
Reuters
November 29, 2015 Updated: November 29, 2015 05:17 PM
A rice mill with a production capacity of 80,000 tonnes a year
will start operations in Abu Dhabi in the second quarter of 2016, a senior
executive said on Sunday.The Al Dahra Kohinoor facility, a joint venture
between Abu Dhabi’s agribusiness firm Al Dahra Holding and India’s Kohinoor
Foods, will be located in the Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad).“Al
Dahra Kohinoor facility will ensure the sustainable and undisrupted supply of
essential food commodities into the Emirate (Abu Dhabi) and we are eager to
launch operations by the second quarter of 2016,” Khadim Al Darei, vice
chairman and managing director of Al Dahra Holding said in a statement.Al Dahra
is the government’s strategic partner on food security matters. The UAE relies
on imports for 85 per cent of its food consumption.The facility will handle the
full production cycle from milling, storing, packing and distributing the rice
within the UAE and exporting to foreign markets via Khalifa Port.
The Dh140 million facility will have a storage capacity of 50,000
tonnes of rice, the statement said.
Apeda Rice Commodity News
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Skyrocketing
Support for RCPP in Missouri
Blake Gerard
COLUMBIA, MO -- The U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) project,
Sustaining the Future of Rice, recently received further affirmation of its
popularity among growers when the November 20 EQIP application deadline for
Louisiana and Missouri saw more than 260 applications submitted across 63,800
acres for Missouri alone!
The project is
sponsored by USA Rice and Ducks Unlimited through their Rice Stewardship
Partnership, along with more than forty supporting partners. Covering the six major rice-growing states,
the project has been dubbed the "National Rice RCPP project," funding
approximately $10 million worth of conservation improvements on ricelands using
the Natural Resources Conservation Service's Environmental Quality Incentives
Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).Project
implementation began earlier this fall with more than 300 EQIP applications
collected in Arkansas and Mississippi.
The tremendous turnout in Missouri applications comes following the
first Rice Conservation Field Day in Portageville earlier this month.
Blake
Gerard, Missouri rice farmer and chairman of USA Rice Farmers, said, "The
application numbers are overwhelming.
Although everything can't be funded, I think it speaks volumes about the
demand for conservation funding to see hundreds of applications come out of
only seven counties in our state."
Gerard
added, "Rice farmers in Missouri are looking forward to working with USA
Rice and Ducks Unlimited throughout the coming years to continue funding these
environmentally and economically beneficial projects on their operations."
An EQIP
application period for California and Texas will be announced later this
winter. The planning process is currently underway and applications for CSP
will be announced in late 2016.
Contact:
Peter Bachmann (703) 236-1475
CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
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El Nino Shrinking Rice Crop Worldwide to Spur Vietnamese Sales
November
27, 2015 — 11:14 AM PKT
Global
rice output forecast to drop in 2015-16 on El Nino
Rice exports from Vietnam may increase 14 percent in the first
quarter as the strongest El Nino in almost two decades shrivels crops in some
countries, spurring importers to build reserves.
Shipments will jump to 1.3 million metric tons in the three
months ending March from 1.14 million tons a year earlier, said Tran Tuan Anh,
Vietnam’s deputy minister of industry and trade. The world’s third-biggest
exporter is already seeing a spurt in demand, he said in an e-mail on Nov. 25.
October rice shipments surged 43 percent to 859,000 tons from a year earlier,
the highest level since July 2012, government data show.
Indonesia and the Philippines are among nations importing rice
after dry weather induced by the strongest El Nino since the record event in
1997-98 hurts crops. Prospects for the event to further strengthen may prompt
buyers to secure supplies before prices run up as the United Nations’ Food
& Agriculture Organization predicts a decline in global rice output in the
2015-16 season with consumption surpassing production.“Rice supply and
stockpiles will decline, and demand for imports will rise because of unfavorable
weather conditions,” Anh said. “The El Nino event occurring this year and
prolonging into 2016 will affect production in many countries, especially
Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.”Rough-rice futures on the
Chicago Board of Trade have rallied 29 percent from the lowest level in more
than eight years in May on concern that the El Nino will shrink global harvest.
The contract for delivery in January closed at $12.13 per 100 pounds on
Wednesday.
Output Decline
Production in Thailand may decline to the lowest in 19
years as dry weather may prompt the world’s top exporter to further restrict
plantings to preserve water supply. The Philippines is monitoring rice
production closely to see whether there’s need to import more on El Nino after
purchasing 750,000 tons from Vietnam and Thailand for delivery from November to
March 2016. Indonesia this month agreed to import 1.5 million tons from Vietnam
and Thailand and is in talks with Cambodia and Myanmar for additional supplies,
according to state-run food company Bulog.Vietnam’s paddy rice output may increase
0.3 percent to 45.1 million tons this year, VietnamPlus reported in September,
citing the Agriculture Ministry. Exports may climb to 7 million tons in 2016
from 6.2 million tons this year, according to the U.S. Department of
Agriculture.Boosting rice exports will still be a challenge for Vietnam as
Thailand is looking to draw down the stockpiles it accumulated under a state
purchase plan, Anh said. Major importers, especially in Southeast Asia, are
also diversifying supply sources and boosting domestic production, he said.
Thailand has about 13.7 million tons of rice in state stockpiles
after the military government sold 5 million tons, Chutima Bunyapraphasara,
permanent secretary for commerce, said Nov. 16.
Drought-hit India's
quest for water hampered by thirsty crops
RAMPUR, INDIA |
A women uses a hand-pump to fill drinking water on
the outskirts of Amritsar in Punjab, India, November 15, 2015.
REUTERS/MUNISH SHARMA
Pleas by local officials for
farmers to switch from rice to oilseeds and pulses and protect dangerously low
water levels are falling on deaf ears, and may be further undermined by
government policies encouraging cultivation of thirsty crops.Back-to-back droughts
for the first time in nearly 30 years mean some rural areas in the north are
running out of water for human consumption and agriculture, prompting warnings
of serious consequences if urgent action is not taken.
"It is unlikely that India will have another drought next
year; three years in a row has never happened before," said Ashok Gulati,
a farm economist who advised the last government."But with extreme events
increasing due to climate change, you never know. If we don't wake up now then,
God forbid, people will leave farming to become labourers at railways
stations."With more than two-thirds of the 1.25 billion population living
off the land, water scarcity could affect the majority and hit long term food
supplies.
As world leaders meet in Paris next week to agree a deal on
cutting greenhouse gas emissions, India says climate change is already hurting
the agriculture and water sectors, and the impact is amplified by poverty and a
heavy reliance on farming.Locally, officials are trying to change farming
habits and enforce stricter rules on water usage."We are encouraging crop
diversification; we are going for pulses," said Amit Kishore, chief
development officer in Rampur, a farm belt city in Uttar Pradesh."We have
been trying to convince farmers to shift to horticulture as well, but the
uptake has not been satisfactory."Four out of Rampur's six administrative
areas are so-called "dark zones", with 80 percent or more of
groundwater exhausted. In those zones, the practice of boring wells has been
banned this fiscal year.Without urgent action, the region risks going the way
of Punjab and Haryana, two parched states where the groundwater has sunk even
further.Some farmers in those states now need to dig 300 feet (91 metres) for
water, compared to five feet (1.5 metres) in the 1960s, according to research
by a local government scientist.
"RICE SELLS"
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged farmers to use water
wisely, advocating a "per drop, more crop" approach that includes
water-saving methods like drip irrigation.Yet his 18-month-old government has
also boosted incentives to grow water-intensive rice, wheat and sugarcane that
India exports, at the expense of crops like oilseeds or pulses that it has to
import.Little wonder some farmers in the northern farming belt are ignoring the
advice of local officials."We grow rice because that is what sells,"
said Babu Ram Saini, standing by a pond in Jiwai Jadid village in Rampur.
"Productivity for
lentils is so low that we'll not be able to sustain ourselves without massive
government support," he said.Some experts are advocating tougher measures
to force more efficient use of water. Wastage is encouraged by the supply of
free or subsidized power which boosts politicians' popularity."We have
been trying to tell farmers that if you continue growing rice, more places are
going to become dark zones," said V.K. Mishra, a regional head of the
Central Soil Salinity Research Institute in Uttar Pradesh's capital
Lucknow."We should make a law that you can't grow rice in areas where the
water table is very low."Rice covers 62 percent of Punjab's area under
cultivation, up from 10 percent in 1970.
The expansion of rice has been similar in neighbouring
Haryana.Though the droughts have hit crops, India still produces more rice,
wheat and sugar than it consumes, drawing accusations from the World Trade
Organization that stockpiling to provide cheap grain to the poor unfairly
distorts trade."It is quite natural for our farmers to go for rice and
cane when both power and water are almost free," said economist Gulati,
adding that selling such produce abroad is like exporting "precious water
for free".
(Additional reporting by Mayank Bhardwaj in NEW DELHI; Editing
by Mike Collett-White)
http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/11/28/india-water-crops-rice-pulses-idINKBN0TG10S20151128
