Saturday, February 06, 2016

5th February ,2016 Daily Global Regional,Local Rice E_Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

·         Today Rice News Headlines...


Indian basmati rice all set to get GI tag
·         Indian Basmati gets geo-tag of authenticity
·         Order on GI tag for basmati likely today
·         Speech by the Pranab Mukherjee at the Fifty-Fourth convocation of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI)
·         GI tag for Basmati rice of 7 states approved
·         Water in 91 reservoirs at 38% of full capacity
·         World cereal stocks are set to end 2016 seasons at 642 million tons, higher than they beganWinter spring rice sees poor crop, price drop
·         Rice Prices
·         02/04/2016 Farm Bureau Market Report
·         Ex-minister alleges corruption
·         GEMS4 partners firm to boost rice production
·         USA Rice Efforts Result in Congressional Action on Rice Food Aid
·         More Than 400 Attend Annual Arkansas Rice Meeting
·         China and Crop Insurance Topics Dominate Eudora Growe Meeting
·         Opportunities opening up for rice industry
·         Bi-Weekly Market Briefings for 02/05/2016
·         Public rice genomic resources are boon for breeders
·         Alleged rice imports peeve growers
·         Asian rice prices soften on low buying demand
News Detail...

Indian basmati rice all set to get GI tag

T. K. ROHIT,The Hindu
IPAB has passed the order allowing assistant registrar to register and issue certificate within four weeks.Petition of Lahore-based Basmati Growers Association challenging India’s claim dismissed.
Seven years after an application was made to get the ‘Geographical Indication’ tag for Indian basmati rice grown in certain States, the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) on Friday cleared the decks for issuing the tag.The application has been mired in litigation after farmers and exporters and Madhya Pradesh wanted to be included in the list of States approved by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the statutory body responsible for export promotion and development of certain scheduled productsFollowing the orders issued on Friday by Justice K.N. Basha, Chairman, IPAB, and Sanjeev Kumar Chaswal, technical member, Trademark, IPAB, basmati rice cultivated in the Indo-Gangetic Plains on the foothills of the Himalayas covering areas of the rice grown in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Western U.P. and two districts of Jammu and Kathua, will now be issued the GI tag.Passing the orders, Justice Basha ordered the assistant registrar of GI Registry, Chennai, to proceed with the registration and issue the GI certification within four weeks of getting a copy of the order.Justice Basha also ordered the assistant registrar to reconsider the issue of addition of areas of basmati cultivation in states such as Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan.

The assistant registrar has now been asked to ’reconsider the matter afresh' and listen to arguments of both parties — APEDA and the respondents — and pass an order within the next six months.In 2014-15, India exported 37 lakh MT of Basmati Rice to the world worth Rs. 27,597.87 crore and is the world’s leading exporter of the rice, according to APEDA. India exports a major quantity of basmati rice to Saudi Arabia, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Kuwait.Justice Basha also dismissed a petition filed by Lahore-based Basmati Growers Association that challenged the issuance of GI tag to Indian Basmati rice.“The appellant miserably failed to comply with the mandatory requirements of filing the evidence in support of opposition within the time frame stipulated under Rule 44 (1) of G.I. Rules, 2002, the opposition shall be deemed to have been abandoned by the appellant,” he said.

Indian Basmati gets geo-tag of authenticity

R BALAJI
Recognition for rice grown in Indo Gangetic plain; MP awaits its turn
CHENNAI, FEB 5:  
Traditional Basmati farmers in India have got a boost with the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) ordering the Geographical Indications Registry to give GI recognition for the aromatic rice.Basmati cultivation in the Indo Gangetic Plains (IGP) in the Himalayan foothills will get the GI mark. This will cover the unique variety of rice cultivated in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Western UP and two Districts of J&K – Jammu and Kathua.In November 2008, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), a statutory body which protects intellectual property and GI in India and abroad, had applied for GI registration of Basmati cultivated in IGP.But in December 2013, the GI Registry had asked APEDA to include all areas where basmati is cultivated and submit an amended application including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar. APEDA appealed against that order as diluting the GI application will be against the interest of Basmati growers in traditional areas.

A host of rice exporters, NGOs and growers associations from Madhya Pradesh who opposed APEDA’s stand appealed to IPAB.Even a Basmati Growers Association from Pakistan opposed addition of new areas such as Madhya Pradesh.The IPAB upheld APEDA’s appeal and ordered the GI Registry to give GI recognition within four weeks based on the application filed by APEDA.However, IPAB also said the claim of Basmati farmers and exporters for including Madhya Pradesh can be considered afresh by the GI Registry and a decision be taken within six months.It dismissed the Pakistan Basmati Growers Association’s objections to including Madhya Pradesh.The order comes seven years after APEDA initiated steps to protect and get GI recognition for Basmati cultivated in the IGP. This will preserve the unique identity of the aromatic rice in the international markets.
(This article was published on February 5, 2016)
Business line

Order on GI tag for basmati likely today

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
The much-awaited order in a dispute between parties, including the Madhya Pradesh government, over granting Geographical Indications (GI) tag for basmati rice, is expected to be delivered by the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) here on Friday.The order, which is expected to have an impact on thousands of farmers who grow the rice and those who export it from Madhya Pradesh, would be delivered by IPAB chairman Justice K.N. Basha and technical member (Trade Marks) Sanjeev Kumar Chaswal at 2.30 pm.The IPAB had in November last year reserved its order on the issue

Speech by the Pranab Mukherjee at the Fifty-Fourth convocation of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI)

New Delhi, Fri, 05 Feb 2016NI Wire




1.      I am indeed happy to be here amidst you today for the fifty-fourth convocation of Indian Agricultural Research Institute, a leading institution in our country for agricultural research, education and extension. I congratulate the students who are being awarded degrees today. On this occasion, I also take the opportunity to compliment the members of the faculty for shaping the minds and skills of these students.











2. The IARI, set up in 1905, has played a key role in providing human resource to the national agricultural research system. Over eight thousand students of IARI have been awarded post-graduate or PhD degrees so far. Several alumni of IARI have held key positions driving agricultural research and education in important institutions in India and abroad.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
3. India has only 3 percent of the world’s land resources and 5 percent of water resources. Yet, Indian agriculture system supports 18 percent of the world population. The transformation from a state of "ship-to-mouth" to a leading exporter of food grains has been made possible largely due to the scientific developments in premier institutes like IARI. This Institute has made significant contributions in ushering the green revolution and building a vibrant agriculture sector in our country. I applaud IARI for its dedicated service to the nation.
4. IARI has recently developed several breakthrough technologies bringing prosperity to farmers. India’s basmati rice export has been revolutionized because of IARI’s short-duration high-yielding basmati rice varieties. Pusa basmati varieties accounted for more than 90 percent of the 30,000 crore rupees of export earnings this year. It gave profit in excess of two lakh rupees per hectare to the farmers. Likewise, IARI wheat varieties have resulted in an additional production of 3 million tonnes of wheat in the previous year.
5. Resource management, farm machinery and plant protection technologies of IARI are widely used by farmers. They have resulted in enhanced input use efficiency, farm profit and environmental sustainability. The diagnostic techniques developed by IARI such as "micro-array chip" and "ELISA kits" for plant virus detection, and nanotechnology-based chemical formulations for management of nematodes and insect pests are expected to reduce the input cost of plant protection chemicals. IARI’s climate change and mitigation research on methane emission from rice paddies are significant from the point of view of developing appropriate strategies and protecting India’s interests in climate change negotiations.
Friends:
6. Degrading soil health and dwindling fresh water availability are posing major concerns for agricultural sustainability. Low soil organic matter and imbalanced use of fertilizers are affecting crop productivity. The “Soil Health Card Scheme” aims at providing farm-wise and crop-wise fertilizer recommendations to enhance fertilizer use efficiency. To my mind, IARI technologies like “Pusa Soil Testing and Fertilizer Recommendation meter”, remote sensing-based crop and natural resource monitoring, and decision-support systems can contribute significantly towards this mission. Crops use 23 percent of the applied fertilizer with the balance 77 percent lost to environment. To further increase the efficiency of fertilizer use, easy methods based on plant tissue analysis for sensing nutrient status and making fertilizer recommendations are needed.
7. Enhancing water use efficiency in agriculture can hardly be over-emphasized. In this context, the “per drop, more crop” is a mission statement aimed at improving water productivity. We need technology solutions for smart water usage. It is heartening to note that several water-wise technologies like precision irrigation, Pusa Hydrogel, zero tillage wheat system, direct seeded rice system, and short duration crop varieties have been developed by IARI. Scientists here must continue with their efforts to develop water-efficient and drought-tolerant varieties.
8. Inappropriate treatment and unplanned use of raw sewage water is impacting agricultural sustainability while posing a risk to consumer and environmental health. IARI’s eco-friendly waste-water treatment technology should be able to provide safe irrigation water for peri-urban agriculture and also mitigate the problem of sewage water disposal.
Friends:
9. The production of pulses and edible oil in India has remained insufficient making us dependent on imports. The demand for these food commodities is expected to increase in future substantially. IARI has developed mustard varieties suitable for unconventional areas that can boost oil seed production. The Institute has also initiated the development of synchronous-maturity pigeon-pea hybrids and varieties, apart from chickpea. I am confident these technologies will enhance the productivity of pulses and edible oils to meet our domestic requirements fully.
10. Forty-five percent of children below the age of three years are under-nourished in India. A large number also suffer from Vitamin-A deficiency. To address malnutrition in children, food grains must be bio-fortified with quality protein and micronutrients. I am happy that IARI has developed quality protein maize, and iron and zinc rich wheat, pearl millet and lentil varieties through molecular breeding, and genetically modified “Golden rice” enriched with pro-vitamin A. These technologies should reach the farmers immediately for alleviating malnourishment in women and children.
Friends:
11. Despite the advancements made, Indian agriculture is yet to be completely out of the clutches of weather. After a record food grains production of 265 million tonne in 2013-14, a year of normal monsoon, the production level came down to 253 million tonne in 2014-15, when a 12 percent rainfall deficit was registered. Nature has not been kind to us this year as well. A deficient monsoon followed by a further dry spell is likely to affect agricultural production for the second year in a row. This is an area of grave concern.
12. The time is ripe for some serious efforts as eighty percent of the area under cultivation in India is in the grip of severe climatic conditions like drought, floods and cyclones. Global climate change could aggravate these problems. Institutes like IARI must leverage opportunities from frontier sciences such as bio-technology, synthetic biology, nano-technology, computational biology, sensor technology and geo-spatial technology to develop climate-resilient technology solutions. Innovation in agricultural techniques and practices must be supported through infusion of funds, mentoring of ideas, and technical assistance. The risk-taking ability of farmers must be boosted. The newly-launched crop insurance scheme will leverage technology to provide risk cover to the farmers.
Friends:
13. Agriculture is the source of livelihood for more than fifty percent of our population. Mahatma Gandhi had said once and I quote: “To forget how to dig the earth and tend the soil is to forget ourselves” (unquote). Not many youth, however, are coming forward today to take up farming. To attract youth to agriculture, we need technologies that can make the farm sector profitable. Research in agricultural institutes should focus on minimizing production cost, enhancing profitability in the entire “field-to-plate” food chain, and introducing greater automation to reduce drudgery.
14. Globalization of agriculture has increased the prospects for processed food commodities manifold. Our farmers and agri-preneurs must make full use of this opportunity. Increase in investment for agriculture technology development, rural agri-infrastructure, on-farm processing and value addition, and storage facilities are needed. Agriculturists must be trained to transform their farms into production-cum-processing centres. Research in our institutes must address the critical issues that hinder the development of rural agri-businesses. Proliferation of the recently-launched “Start-up India” to the rural sector could provide fillip to the setting up of agro-based enterprises. The “Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav” programme of IARI, under which each scientist will adopt a village, should aim at changing agriculture from subsistence farming to commercial farm industry.
Friends:
15. Agricultural education in our country must conform to global standards. For that, we need to create a large pool of competent faculty empowered with state-of-the-art research infrastructure. A strong network of teachers, learners and practitioners will facilitate lab-to-field dissemination of good agricultural practices. It will also provide feedback about farmers’ problems to trigger research and technology development in our institutions.
16. Agricultural institutes are the foci on which the success of our farm sector and welfare of people depends. The barometer of performance is the quality of their products. Able, committed and industrious professionals from these institutions are required to spearhead the next farm revolution. Students and alumni of this reputed institution must seize the opportunity and contribute to the transformation in agriculture. I wish the graduating students the very best in life and career. I also wish IARI Godspeed for its future endeavours.
Thank you.
Jai Hind.
Source: PIB

GI tag for Basmati rice of 7 states approved

Board directs registry to hear the matter of inclusion of Madhya Pradesh afresh

BS Reporter  |  Chennai February 5, 2016 Last Updated at 23:40 IST
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The Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) has directed the assistant registrar of the Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai, to proceed with registration of a geographical indication (GI) tag for Basmati rice according to the geographical demarcation conducted by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).This means seven north Indian Basmati rice-producing states like Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir will get the GI tag.The appellate authority also asked the registrar to reconsider the matter of inclusion of uncovered areas, including Madhya Pradesh, in the area covered under the GI for Basmati. It has also dismissed two petitions from the Basmati Growers’ Association of Lahore, Pakistan, related to the matter.
A GI tag can be issued for agricultural, natural or manufactured goods that have a given quality, reputation or other characteristics attributable to its geographical origin. A GI registration gives the registered proprietor and authorised users the legal right to the exclusive use of the GI, and no unauthorised person can use the tag. Some of the examples of GI are Mysore Silk, Mysore Agarbathi, Kancheepuram Silk, Orissa Ikat, Channapatna Toys & Dolls, and Coimbatore Wet Grinder. Products sold with the GI tag get premium pricing also.Commenting on the urgent requirement of registering the GI, IPAB Chairman Justice K N Basha and Technical Member Sanjeev Kumar Chaswal said Basmati rice was an iconic heritage of India.
Basmati rice has been one of the fastest growing export items from India in recent years. Therefore, “in view of the paramount national interest, it is imperative to protect Basmati rice as a geographical indication,” observed the Bench.APEDA, as a statutory authority related to exports of agricultural products, applied for the GI tag for Basmati, a special long grain aromatic rice grown in a particular geographical region of the Indian sub-continent. Historically, Basmati was a product of undivided India with a recorded history of over 200 years.
APEDA argued that a worldwide watch agency was appointed to monitor the trade mark registers worldwide for any third party attempted registration in the name of Basmati or any deceptive variations and it has taken legal action in 40 countries for alleged attempt of infringement. It has also successfully challenged an attempt by Ricetec, a US-based company, from claiming monopoly on the rice grains.The order comes in an appeal filed by APEDA against the order of the assistant registrar in December 31, 2013, related to a dispute between the export promotion body and Madhya Pradesh and Daawat Foods for inclusion of some uncovered areas in the GI application filed. Agreeing to the arguments of Daawat Foods and others, the assistant registrar asked APEDA to amend the application to include the uncovered area with a map of the region clearly demarcating the area of production within 60 days from the date of the order on December 31, 2013. The IPAB has set aside this finding.

The IPAB has also dismissed an appeal filed by the Basmati Growers’ Association, Lahore, Pakistan, against the order passed by the assistant registrar on procedural grounds.The association challenged the order stating that the area below the foothills of the Himalayas in the erstwhile Punjab province now in Pakistan was entitled to the GI tag for Basmati rice. The association’s GI tag recognition in Pakistan and an appeal against it is pending before the High Court Sindh, Karachi.
Business standard

Water in 91 reservoirs at 38% of full capacity

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 5:  
Availability of water at 91 major reservoirs in the country is at 38 per cent of their total capacity and 22 per cent less than the levels reported in the corresponding period last year.According to a statement by the Union Water Resources Ministry, as on February 4, water stock available across major reservoirs was 59.335 billion cubic metres (BCM) as against the total storage capacity of 157.799 BCM.The current stock is 76 per cent of the 10-year average for the corresponding period.While Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Tripura have reported better storage vis-a-vis last year, Andhra Pradesh-Telangana (combined projects in both states) have reported same water levels as that in the corresponding period last year.States with lower storage than last year are Punjab, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.
(This article was published on February 5, 2016)
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/water-in-91-reservoirs-at-38-of-full-capacity/article8198968.ece

World cereal stocks are set to end 2016 seasons at 642 million tons, higher than they began

Weather patterns associated with El Niño are sending mixed signals about the early prospects for cereal crops in 2016, especially in the Southern Hemisphere, according to FAO's Cereal Supply and Demand Brief, released on Thursday. Wheat output in Canada and Russia and maize output in China, Canada and Paraguay drove the upward revision. 2016 crop prospects have been “severely weakened” in Southern Africa, and a 25% cut in wheat production in South Africa now appears likely. Conditions for the crop are generally favorable in the Russian Federation and the European Union, but winter plantings declined in the United States and Ukraine. The area under wheat is also expected to be cut in India, following a poor monsoon and below average rains since October.
The 2016 outlook for rice along and south of the Equator is “dim” due, at times, to insufficient water and, at others, to excessive rains.As for the 2015 season, FAO modestly raised its forecast for world cereal production to 2 531 million tons, up slightly from that released in December.Wheat output in Canada and Russia and maize output in China, Canada and Paraguay drove the upward revision. FAO also slightly raised its expectation regarding 2015 world rice production, mostly on account of higher forecasts for China, Viet Nam and the United States.
At the same time, FAO lowered its forecast for world cereal utilization in the 2015/16 season to 2 527 million tons, which remains 0.8 percent above that of the previous year. This reflects a 2.0 percent increase for wheat, largely on account of higher livestock feed use in developed countries and a 0.3 percent increase in maize. World rice utilization is projected to expand by 1.1 percent, keeping world per-capita consumption stable.As a result of the upgraded production and downgraded consumption forecasts, world cereal stocks are set to end the 2016 seasons at 642 million tons, higher than they began. That level implies a steady and comfortable global cereal stock-to-use ratio of around 25%.
However, the inventory build-up varies geographically and depending on the crop. Notable increases in wheat inventories are forecast for the United States, European Union and China whereas some reductions are likely in Canada, India and the Islamic Republic of Iran. On the other hand, world rice stocks would need to be drawn down to bridge the expected gap between world production and consumption, with much of the release likely to concern India and Thailand, the two leading rice exporters.

Winter spring rice sees poor crop, price drop
Farmers in the Mekong Delta have started harvesting winter spring rice crop but they have been unhappy because of poor crop and price reduction.Farmers have reaped a poor winter spring rice crop with low prices in the Mekong Delta
Disadvantageous weather, long lasting heat and low flood level have caused silt deposits not raise field levels, pestilent insects increased investment costs, they said.The more concern is that fresh normal rice fetches only VND4,600 a kilogram resulting in farmers’ 20-30 percent profit reduction compared to last year crop.
 In related news, dragon fruit prices have doubled normal level in the central province of Binh Thuan. Traders pay farmers VND18,000-20,000 a kilogram.This has been due to increasing demand for the Tet holidays and supply shortage as farmers have harvested since last month.Binh Thuan is the country’s largest dragon fruit farming area with over 22,000 hectares concentrating in Ham Thuan Bac and Ham Thuan Nam districts.

Rice Prices

as on : 05-02-2016 08:10:29 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)
4292.00
55.9
77389.00
4150
4150
-2.35
Bazpur(Utr)
1500.00
68.4
16386.86
1850
2200
32.14
Gadarpur(Utr)
870.00
10.13
53888.00
1796
1989
15.87
Varanasi(Grain)(UP)
560.00
-5.08
5285.00
1925
1940
-3.51
Etawah(UP)
450.00
-6.25
13250.00
2250
2250
2.74
Manjeri(Ker)
290.00
NC
5220.00
3000
3000
-9.09
Shahjahanpur(UP)
289.40
-27.83
37762.90
2180
2180
8.46
Pilibhit(UP)
260.00
-7.14
15298.00
2195
2190
-6.20
Allahabad(UP)
230.00
4.55
3980.00
2100
2090
3.45
Gorakhpur(UP)
230.00
-23.33
2892.00
2115
2125
9.59
Ballia(UP)
200.00
-9.09
4820.00
1950
1955
-1.27
Basti(UP)
154.00
8.07
2810.00
2070
2070
2.73
Kalipur(WB)
95.00
5.56
2349.00
2150
2150
-
Lucknow(UP)
88.00
-10.2
2190.00
2130
2125
-1.84
Achalda(UP)
80.00
-11.11
2035.00
2245
2240
-
Thodupuzha(Ker)
70.00
NC
1120.00
2600
2600
6.12
Aligarh(UP)
70.00
-12.5
1190.00
2150
2150
16.22
Lanka(ASM)
65.00
-7.14
1445.00
1725
1725
-
Saharanpur(UP)
62.00
-21.52
2924.00
2050
2045
-3.30
Barasat(WB)
55.00
10
1195.00
2200
2200
-
Jaunpur(UP)
52.00
30
774.00
1925
1920
-
Nadia(WB)
50.00
NC
900.00
3200
3200
3.23
Dadri(UP)
45.00
-10
1076.00
2065
2060
-2.59
Kasimbazar(WB)
45.00
NC
789.00
2290
2290
-11.92
Gauripur(ASM)
43.00
-32.81
1635.50
4500
4500
-
Jorhat(ASM)
42.00
40
572.00
2700
2700
-
Muzzafarnagar(UP)
35.00
-25.53
585.00
2070
2050
-
Partaval(UP)
32.50
-18.75
792.00
2025
2025
3.85
Gazipur(UP)
32.00
-46.67
837.50
1910
1900
3.80
Bindki(UP)
32.00
-8.57
1367.00
2265
2250
8.89
Dibrugarh(ASM)
30.00
150
503.80
2400
2400
-
Purulia(WB)
30.00
-16.67
1116.00
2200
2200
-8.33
Dhekiajuli(ASM)
28.00
-6.67
500.50
2000
1900
6.95
Lohardaga(Jha)
25.00
-3.85
369.00
1950
1950
12.07
Kolhapur(Laxmipuri)(Mah)
25.00
25
596.00
3000
3000
-
Mirzapur(UP)
24.00
-4
726.50
1920
1925
2.67
Sirsa(UP)
24.00
NC
192.00
2025
2025
-
Madhoganj(UP)
21.50
-21.82
102.00
2130
2150
-
Falakata(WB)
21.30
43.92
246.60
1960
1950
-
Diamond Harbour(South 24-pgs)(WB)
21.00
-4.55
127.00
1850
1850
-
Giridih(Jha)
20.55
63.75
128.79
3500
3500
NC
Karvi(UP)
20.00
8.11
93.00
2125
2125
18.06
Yusufpur(UP)
20.00
-20
367.00
1875
1875
0.81
Jambusar(Guj)
18.70
-48.48
571.85
3600
3600
-
Kolaghat(WB)
16.00
NC
287.00
2300
2300
-
Medinipur(West)(WB)
15.00
25
317.00
2450
2450
-2.00
Champadanga(WB)
14.00
-12.5
369.00
2400
2400
-
Tamluk (Medinipur E)(WB)
14.00
-
14.00
2500
-
-
Kannauj(UP)
12.80
-1.54
121.40
2180
2185
0.46
Cherthalai(Ker)
12.00
60
168.50
2400
2400
-
Bijnaur(UP)
11.00
-15.38
274.50
2185
2190
-
Naugarh(UP)
11.00
-4.35
318.00
2060
2065
8.42
Bampada(Ori)
10.00
-
80.00
2400
-
-
Deogarh(Ori)
9.50
5.56
260.00
2500
2500
NC
Buland Shahr(UP)
9.00
80
216.00
2050
2040
0.74
Muradabad(UP)
8.50
-29.17
290.00
2225
2230
12.66
Nilagiri(Ori)
8.00
-20
244.00
2400
2400
4.35
Etah(UP)
8.00
NC
16.00
1900
1870
-5.00
Katwa(WB)
8.00
-11.11
51.00
2300
2300
-4.17
North Lakhimpur(ASM)
7.80
-78.03
730.60
1900
1900
-
Bhivandi(Mah)
7.00
-12.5
127.00
2350
3250
38.24
Dibiapur(UP)
7.00
-12.5
23.00
2230
2230
1.83
Chengannur(Ker)
6.00
-14.29
308.00
2500
2500
-13.79
Fatehpur(UP)
6.00
71.43
79.50
2180
2150
4.31
Karanjia(Ori)
5.00
-23.08
129.30
2600
2600
4.00
Nimapara(Ori)
4.50
-30.77
105.00
2200
2200
NC
Bonai(Bonai)(Ori)
4.00
166.67
24.10
2200
2000
4.76
Jeypore(Ori)
3.60
20
121.40
410
325
-
Aroor(Ker)
3.00
NC
100.00
7000
7000
-24.73
Alibagh(Mah)
3.00
NC
60.00
3750
3750
134.38
Murud(Mah)
3.00
50
45.00
2750
2750
71.88
Melaghar(Tri)
3.00
NC
68.30
2350
2350
-
Islampur(WB)
3.00
-25
154.20
2150
2150
-
Perinthalmanna(Ker)
2.90
NC
27.80
2600
2600
-
Rahama(Ori)
2.90
-3.33
18.90
2400
2400
-
Khliehriat(Meh)
1.50
25
4.30
2700
2700
-
Jeypore(Kotpad)(Ori)
1.50
-63.41
116.70
4100
4200
26.15
Sardhana(UP)
1.20
20
41.70
2060
2050
0.49
Shillong(Meh)
1.00
-28.57
27.70
3500
3500
NC
Bharuasumerpur(UP)
1.00
NC
2.00
1750
1750
-
Kasipur(WB)
1.00
-28.57
17.50
2300
2260
-4.56
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/article8197665.ece

02/04/2016 Farm Bureau Market Report
Rice
High
Low
Long Grain Cash Bids
- - -
- - -
Long Grain New Crop
- - -
- - -


Futures:
ROUGH RICE
High
Low
Last
Change
Mar '16
1122.5
1098.5
1105.0
-8.5
May '16
1149.5
1130.0
1132.5
-8.5
Jul '16
1161.5
1161.5
1160.5
-8.5
Sep '16
1170.5
-9.0
Nov '16
1191.0
-9.0
Jan '17
1194.5
-9.0
Mar '17
1194.5
-9.0
   

Rice Comment

The price action in rice was worrisome today. March continues to find resistance at $11.50 and looks to be setting up for a retest of support at the recent low of $10.65. Weekly exports were improved over last week at 40,200 metric tons, but not enough to generate any upside momentum.

Rice firm to create 7,000 jobs in Niger

February 5, 2016
A rice company, Pearl Universal Impex Limited, has stated that it is creating over 7,000 jobs through its rice farming project in Niger State.The firm added that following a successful pilot phase of its rice project in June this year, it was ready to determine the variety of rice most suitable to Saminaka, a community situated around Swashi Dam in Borgu Local Government Area of the state where it currently has 500 hectares of land.According to a statement from the firm, the Chairman of Pearl Universal, Pulkit Jain, disclosed this when the top management of the company paid a courtesy call on the new Emir of Borgu, Barrister Mohammed Sani.Jain said that the project would create 3,000 direct and 4,000 indirect jobs through its out-grower scheme.FINALLY EXPOSED!! A Natural way to completely Reverse TYPE-2 DIABETES By Attacking The Root cause Using 100% Scientifically proven Dietary Approach. CLICK HERE
While commending PUI for investing in his domain, Sani urged the government to lend its weight to rice farmers and millers.
He said the project on completion would engage 4,000 people directly adding that the village might have to scout for workforce from neighbouring villages if it lacked adequate manpower for the project.Jain said the company’s model combined a commercial farm with a programme that worked with nearby farmers allowing the company to have greater control over its product while still leaving room to foster and train local small-scale farmers in rice production.

To this end, Jain revealed that $100m (N20bn) would be committed to the cultivation of 7,500 hectares of rice farm and construction of two rice mills in the state in the next three years.He said the move was predicated on the successful rice yield of seven metric tonnes per hectare at the trial phase of the project, adding that the company would now move to another 2000 hectares of land for cultivation.He further disclosed that the focus would be primarily on dry season farming as it was easier to manage, even as the company intends to grow rice three times a year on the land.
Contact: editor@punchng.com

Ex-minister alleges corruption

Submits memorandum to the DC against exploitation of farmers along with affidavits

Satpal Gosain submits a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat, in Ludhiana on Thursday. Photo: Inderjeet Verma
Our Correspondent
Ludhiana, February 4
Former Punjab minister and senior BJP leader Sat Pal Gosain has levelled serious allegations of corruption against officials of Markfed and accused them of fleecing paddy growers and arhtiyas of Pakhowal grain market.In a memorandum submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, Gosain said some officials of the Markfed, including the district manager and his subordinate staff deployed at the Pakhowal grain market were allegedly taking bribe from farmers and arhtiyas for lifting the paddy purchased by the government agency and sending it to rice shellers.Supporting his allegations with affidavits submitted by the victims –farmers and arhtiyas, Gosain further alleged that a select few rice millers were also apparently in connivance with the said officials because more paddy than the permitted quota was being supplied to the rice millers in each consignment.
Gosain said he has already brought the matter to the notice of the PA to Food and Supplies Minister, Punjab, Adesh Partap Singh Kairon and principal secretary to the deputy chief minister but no action has been taken to rein in the corrupt officials who were fleecing farmers and arhtiyas without any fear of the law or the authorities.Demanding a high-level probe into the matter and bringing the erring officials to book, Gosain said if the authorities failed to act immediately, he will be forced to form an action committee comprising affected farmers and arhtiyas and launch a mass agitation to seek justice.Gosain said copies of the memorandum had also been sent to Punjab CM, deputy CM, president of BJP, Punjab, Food and Supplies Minister, DGP, Vigilance Bureau, Punjab for necessary action.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ludhiana/community/ex-minister-alleges-corruption/192191.html

GEMS4 partners firm to boost rice production

Posted By: DANIEL ESSIETon: February 05, 2016In: Agriculture
Growth and Employment in States – Wholesale and Retail Trade (GEMS4), a United Kingdom-sponsored programme, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Popular Rice Mill to increase the production of local rice.The target, according to the Deputy Team leader, GEMS4, Mr Olatunde Oderinde, is to produce 50,000 metric tonnes of local rice as well as create livelihoods for 25,000 farmers.He said the programme was determined to promote improved rice production system, combined with training and the adoption of innovative approach along the rice value chain that shortens processing time, reduces drudgery, and does not expose  farmers to heat burns.According to him, unless rice farmers use improved rice processing technologies that produce marketable products, consumer demand will not be satisfied by locally-produced rice.

Besides, he said the quality of local rice has to be similar to that of imported rice. To achieve this, he said the programme was empowering farmers to improve the quality and competitiveness of locally-produced rice; and  that rice production processes require upgrading by actors in the value chain.EMS4 Senior Intervention Manager Busuyi Okeowo said the programme was introducing measures to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of  rice production by improving the value contributions among the various actors involved in the rice chain: farmers, millers, input dealers, traders, microfinance agencies and extension services.He encouraged farmers and entrepreneurs to participate in the rice value chain and promote the sale and consumption of locally produced rice.He said the project was focusing on training in value addition, marketing arrangements, quality packaging/labeling and leadership.Okeowo added that GEMS4 has a micro retailing initiative segment aimed at providing access to markets intervention and increasing incomes and employment for retailers.

The initiative, according to him, works with organisations to create buyer groups, who aggregate purchasing power to order stock collectively, thus negotiating lower wholesale prices from suppliers of fast moving consumer goods. This results to an increase in the sales margins for many micro-retailers who previously, could not access such markets due to economies of scale and scope.According to him, urban consumers seldom buy local rice because in comparison to Indian or Thai rice, Nigerian rice is perceived to be a low quality product.Under its access to markets initiative, he said the organisation is working to increase brand awareness for local rice through promotion of branding and marketing of high quality locally milled rice.

The programme, he added, has provided the opportunity to raise the profile and create demand for locally grown rice through improved packaging solutions. By improving product packaging sizes, distribution and marketing of rice in pilot states, Okeowo said it will create jobs and result in increased incomes for local farmers.He added that the programme is pursuing a linking rice farmers to commercial mills initiative to facilitate the channelling of locally-grown rice paddy to large commercial mills to enable farmers earn more for their paddy and to help commercial rice mills diversify from importing foreign brown rice at premium rates.The General Manager,Agric Business, Popular Farms and Mills Limited, Mr Amit Kumar, said the organisation was determined to support efforts to  help  sustain small scale rice farms.Group Executive Director, Stallion Group, Tokunbo Aromolaran said most farm families are smallholder farmers and they undeniably contribute a lot to household, national food security.
Oderinde presenting a document to Aromolaran during the event.
http://thenationonlineng.net/gems4-partners-firm-to-boost-rice-production/
USA Rice Efforts Result in Congressional Action on Rice Food Aid 
 WASHINGTON, DC -- As reported in the USA Rice Daily January 8, 2016, Congress has made available an additional $250 million to assist with the Syrian refugee crisis.  USA Rice immediately began working with allies in Congress to make the case for why U.S.-grown rice should be a part of the solution for this devastating humanitarian crisis.USA Rice Vice President for Government Affairs Ben Mosely said, "We wanted to explore new options to prioritize U.S.-grown rice for these commodity purchases, so we had several conversations with the offices of Senator John Boozman (R-AR), Representative Rick Crawford (R-AR) and many other rice state legislators about the strong rice crop last year and ample supplies that could provide much needed nutrition to Syrian refugees."  
Senator Boozman and Representative Crawford agreed that something needed to be done now and jointly wrote a letter to the Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, and the United States Agency for International Development Administrator, Gayle Smith.  Eighteen Senators and Representatives signed onto this bipartisan letter which states:  "It is no secret that rice is the most consumed commodity in the world and is an excellent staple food in addressing hidden hunger...We ask that during the procurement process for the in-kind commodities used in the emergency response efforts in the Middle East that U.S.-grown rice, including fortified rice, be prioritized for delivery to those in need.""The U.S. rice industry is able and prepared to provide rice that is needed in food assistance deliveries, including long grain which is preferred by many of the countries absorbing the refugees and also medium grain rice which is typically preferred by Syrians," said Jamie Warshaw, USA Rice Food Aid Subcommittee Chairman and Louisiana rice miller.  "Additionally, both long and medium grain rice can be fortified to provide seven essential micronutrients."


More Than 400 Attend Annual Arkansas Rice Meeting 

USA Rice President
& CEO Betsy WardJONESBORO, AR - More than 400 growers from around the region packed the Arkansas State University Convocation Center here for the annual gathering of the local rice industry.

Following the official opening of the event with remarks from Arkansas Rice Council President Steve Orlicek, USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward provided a brief overview of USA Rice priorities and thanked Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward and Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) for their support of the rice industry. 

Secretary Ward then spoke about an upcoming trip to Cuba and the potential impact of this important market on the Arkansas rice industry.

Attendees also heard from Congressman Crawford who has a bill in Congress that many think presents the best opportunity for getting U.S. rice to Cuba quickly - even before the embargo is lifted.

"The actions last week by the Obama Administration to clear the way for all manner of U.S. goods and services to enter Cuba except agriculture was frustrating," said Dow Brantley, Arkansas Rice Farmers chairman. "But we're grateful Congressman Crawford has introduced his bill to get rice moving there while Congress and the Administration continue to fight about the embargo."

Rep. Crawford makes a point
U.S. Senator John Boozman also attended the event and spoke with USA Rice about his efforts, along with Representative Crawford, to get U.S.-grown rice into a new food aid program targeting the Syrian refugee crisis (see "USA Rice Efforts Result in Congressional Action on Rice Food Aid"above).

"I think every American knows we can and should do more for people suffering around the world, and sending our rice to help those refugees is about the least we can do, so we appreciate Senator Boozman and Congressman Crawford and other leaders in Congress working to make that happen," said Brantley.

The event featured a packed trade show and dynamic programming throughout, including sessions on farm bill implementation, water quality and quantity, and the USA Rice-DU Regional Conservation Partnership Program.  USA Rice Vice President of Government Affairs Ben Mosely also led a lively breakout session to discuss interpretations to the Actively Engaged Rule in the 2014 Farm Bill.

"While there's no doubt the Farm Bill has provided some level of assurance to rice farmers, this actively engaged rule missed the mark and is disconnected from the reality of the farming landscape today," he said. "I encourage growers to visit with their local FSA office to discuss the potential impacts to their operation and make sure that they don't miss any deadlines for farm reconstruction." 


China on the discussion menu
China and Crop Insurance Topics Dominate Eudora Grower Meeting 
EUDORA, AR -- About 80 growers from northeast Louisiana and southeast Arkansas attended a meeting in Eudora yesterday to hear policy and program updates from USA Rice and a presentation by William Cole, a crop insurance expert with Cole Agency, LLC.
Among the many policy, promotion, and trade topics covered, the growers were perhaps most interested in how developments in China could impact them directly.
"This market is potentially large but will take time to develop.  We believe that all technical hurdles have been met," explained USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward.  "We're at the step in the process where U.S. mills and facilities are going to be inspected by U.S. officials, then Chinese officials, and then, following an official decree from China identifying eligible Chinese ports, shipments could begin.  It will be a new market for us, so that really will benefit all U.S. rice farmers regardless of where you live."
Cole provided updates on new and existing crop insurance options for rice growers including supplemental coverage option, margin protection, whole farm revenue, and downed rice policies.  His presentation is available online here.

Opportunities opening up for rice industry


Last Modified: Thursday, February 04, 2016 9:51 AM

JENNINGS — Global markets are brimming with opportunities for international trade of U.S. rice, an industry official told Southwest Louisiana rice farmers this week.“We understand the urgency of getting some new markets open and moving some rice for the industry,” USA Rice Federation President Betsy Ward told members of the Louisiana Rice Council and Louisiana Rice Growers Association during a joint meeting Tuesday.Things continue to look optimistic for the rice industry as officials work to promote U.S. rice in foreign countries and further open international trade, Ward said. More than $5 million is spent annually on rice export promotions and trade policy work for global markets, she said.

Mexico is the largest market for U.S. rice, including paddy rice and long-grain mills, but those exports are facing competition from outside rice markets, Ward said.“We have seen some penetration from Uruguay and some of the other Asian markets, so we really have to work hard to identify U.S. rice in the marketplace,” Ward said.he U.S. is investing significant time and resources in Mexico because of the potential growth, she said. Over 300 marketing activities a year are conducted there to promote U.S. rice.“Most people think Mexicans eat rice all the time,” Ward said. “But they don’t, so there is potential for upside growth because they have a young and growing population who are interested in new cuisines and they can’t possibly produce rice due to water issues and low production in Mexico.


”Exporting rice to Mexico is also easy for the U.S. because there are no tariffs on rice, she said. U.S. rice officials are equally excited about further opening up the rice market in Colombia, which is the third-largest importer of American rice.Colombia has an emergency need for about 200,000 metric tons of rice due to El Nino effects on their domestic rice production, she said.“And we want them to buy U.S. rice,” Ward said. “They’re looking at buying some Asian rice and bringing it in. We want to prevent that from happening because that is a good market for us, and if they bring in cheaper rice it could undermine our markets.”

Officials have been working since December to establish a better market in Colombia, she said.U.S. rice officials are also stepping up efforts to sell more rice to Iraq, which imports about 1.5 million metric tons per year, including some U.S. rice. But problems with inconsistencies in government control and frequent changes in personnel have hindered efforts to open the market to the U.S.U.S. rice producers could also soon gain access to China, the world’s largest rice market. The market has been tough for U.S. rice, but recent negotiations are expected to soon open the market, Ward said. “We have been working to open up that market for nearly a decade,” she said.Officials hope to begin exporting U.S. rice to China this year.“Our mills and exporters are prepared and ready to comply with a very complicated sanitary agreement,” Ward said. “We are going to supply a list of interested exporters to the Chinese government to tell us what ports we can export to.”
U.S. rice officials also want to do more business with Cuba and are waiting for embargoes to be lifted. Many of the officials are scheduled to meet next week in Washington, D.C., to focus on the importance of the Cuban market to U.S. rice, she said.

Ben Mosely, USA Rice Federation vice president of government affairs, said officials are working on a lot of issues with Congress and the Obama administration that focus on international trade.Several bills in Congress seek to remove sanctions and lift embargoes, but politics is slowing the process, Mosely said.
http://www.americanpress.com/20160204-rice-outlook
Bi-Weekly Market Briefings for 02/05/2016
PILOT PROGRAM FOR ARKANSAS RICE
A new plan of insurance now available from the USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), Margin Protection provides coverage against an unexpected decrease in operating margin (revenue less input costs). Margin Protection is area-based, using county-level estimates of average revenue and input costs to establish the amount of coverage and indemnity payments. Because Margin Protection is area-based (average for a county), it may not reflect individual experience. Margin Protection can be purchased by itself or in conjunction with a Yield Protection or a Revenue Protection policy. To the extent that the average margin for a county is lower than expected, due to a decrease in revenue and/or an increase in input costs, Margin Protection will cover a portion of that shortfall. In Arkansas, Margin Protection is only available for rice in 2016. Margin Protection provides coverage that is based on an expected margin for each applicable crop, type and practice. Expected Margin = Expected Revenue – Expected Costs, where expected revenue (per acre) is the expected county yield multiplied by a projected commodity price; and expected cost (per acre) is the dollar amount determined by multiplying the quantity of each allowed input by the input’s projected price.
Farmers may choose to cover anywhere from 70 percent to 90 percent of their expected margin. A higher level of coverage will have a higher premium rate.
When determining the margin, two types of inputs are considered: those subject to price change as listed below, and those not subject to price change (i.e., fixed from planting to harvest). Inputs not subject to price change are not specifically identified, but include seed, machinery, operating costs (other than fuel) and similar expenses. Inputs subject to price change are identified in the Margin Provisions and include corn/rice – diesel, urea, DAP, potash and interest; and soybeans – diesel, DAP, potash and interest.

Public rice genomic resources are boon for breeders

February 5, 2016 by Krishna Ramanujan
A Cornell-led international team of researchers has launched a set of open-access genomic resources that will greatly accelerate the ability of geneticists and breeders to link genes to important traits in rice.This publicly available research platform – including seeds of diverse rice varieties, genomic diversity data, analysis tools and visualization resources – represents a major milestone in advancing the ability to breed new rice varieties to feed a growing population, while also addressing the challenges of growing crops in a changing climate.The team has published two companion papers in the Feb. 5 issue ofNature Communications.The first paper describes the launch of the platform that will facilitate genome-wide association mapping in rice, a staple crop that feeds 3 billion people. Genome-wide association mapping looks at many different versions, or variants, of a gene to determine if any of them are linked to specific traits, which is useful information for breeders.

The platform includes a panel of 1,568 diverse rice varieties; a dataset featuring 700,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), or genetic variants; and a suite of tools for analyzing and evaluating traits. The platform is the culmination of a $7 million National Science Foundation grant to Principal Investigator Susan McCouch, professor of plant breeding and genetics in Cornell's School of Integrative Plant Sciences."There are dozens of groups around the world already using these resources to study their favorite traits, and their papers will be published shortly now that ours is out," said McCouch, lead author of the paper describing the platform.
The genomic tools are helping other researchers describe links between genes and traits, including disease and insect resistance, photosynthetic and nitrogen use efficiency, starch quality, salt, heat and cold tolerance."This is a global initiative," McCouch added. "The technology and information we are releasing are very catalytic and will impact breeding in many parts of the world."

Rice genetics poses unusual challenges because rice has deep cultural roots tied to national identities and has been inbred for certain characteristics in each location. There are thousands of different rice varieties, selected for growth in diverse environments, and for distinctive grain qualities that match culinary preferences.Unlike maize and wheat, which are often transformed into flours or pastes or made into beer, rice is eaten as a whole grain, and people in different countries have strong preferences for grain size, texture, color and smell, so its marketable features must be maintained. This is a challenge because many genes are involved, and changing one trait can change others as well."As the climate changes, we need new adaptive traits but we have to keep the diversity of quality traits," McCouch said. "This work is designed to help us mine the wealth of natural variation available in rice to accelerate plant breeding and create strains of rice that are adapted to new climate conditions."

The team's second paper utilized the genomic resources reported in the first paper, to examine panicle structure, the branched stalks that hold clusters of developing rice grains. Led by Samuel Crowell, a former graduate student in McCouch's lab, the study discovered extensive variation for panicle architecture in rice, yet showed that the highest yielding varieties had intermediate sized panicles."If you try to make a panicle longer and think, therefore, you are going to get more yield, the plant typically compensates by making it less branched or filling fewer seeds," McCouch said.

The work suggests that in some cases, this is due to the action of several genes that are so closely linked along the chromosomes that they have never been separated. Using the resources described in these papers, breeders now have the opportunity to selectively recombine these linked arrays of genes, offering exciting new possibilities to optimize the relationship between panicle architecture, yield and grain quality.

http://phys.org/news/2016-02-rice-genomic-resources-boon-breeders.html
Alleged rice imports peeve growers
Feb 4 at 11:30 AM
Santo Domingo.- Rice growers are ready to hit the street to protest, if the government allows imports of the grain beyond the 400 million pounds agreed within the DR-CAFTA trade deal.National rice growers association (Fenarroz) president César Espaillat made by the announcement and said the country’s 30,000 rice farmers are ready to stage pickets, marches and other activities together with their families.He said there are more than 400,000,000 pounds stored according to an inventory tallied on Jan. 9, adding that the rice harvest starts mid-March for crops from nearly 330,000 hectares.
Espaillat said rice consumption is around 90 million pounds monthly. He noted that Agriculture minister Angel Estevez is aware of the details of that inventory.The agro leader said Fenarroz has asked Estevez to convene the National Rice Commission to address the alleged imports of rice and other key issues for rowers.
http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/economy/2016/2/4/58069/Alleged-rice-imports-peeve-growers

Asian rice prices soften on low buying demand


by Reuters
February 5, 2016 (updated)
HANOI – Asian rice prices eased slightly this week in the absence of key buyers, while demand for the Vietnamese variety, expected to turn cheaper in the coming weeks, could go up, traders said on Wednesday.The Philippines, one of the world’s biggest rice importers, has yet to finalize its purchase plan this year, traders said, while China, Vietnam’s top rice buyer, is entering the Lunar New Year holiday season, known in Vietnam as Tet.
Thailand and Vietnam are the world’s second- and third-largest exporters of the grain after India.“After Tet, domestic supply will pick up, so buyers may be waiting for lower prices,” a trader in Ho Chi Minh City said, referring to Vietnam’s holiday from Feb. 6-14.Harvesting of the winter-spring crop, Vietnam’s biggest, will peak from late this month, and prices could weaken due to increased supply, traders said.Vietnamese 25-percent broken rice widened to $330-$340 a tonne, free-on-board (FOB) Saigon Port, against $340 a week ago while the 5-percent broken rice stood unchanged at $350-$355 a tonne, FOB basis.

“Thai rice prices are higher so Vietnam could sell its winter-spring rice well,” the trader said.Thai 5-percent broken rice eased to $365-$375 a tonne, FOB Bangkok, from $365-$380 last Wednesday.A gap of $15-$20 a tonne in Thai and Vietnamese rice prices could prompt foreign buyers to take Vietnamese grain.Traders in Bangkok said thin buying demand and a stable Thai baht-US dollar exchange rate helped keep the market steady.“Everything is the same and I think the market will be quiet for a while,” a trader said.The Philippines can harvest at least 18 million tonnes of paddy rice this year, slightly down from 18.15 million tonnes in 2015, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said on Tuesday.Manila could delay its planned additional purchase of up to 400,000 tonnes of the staple food, the state grains stockpiler said in late January.

http://www.mb.com.ph/asian-rice-prices-soften-on-low-buying-demand/#qSG8TP97G5XFFdRM.99

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Thursday, February 04, 2016

3rd Feburary 2016 Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Today Rice News Headlines...

·         The Pakistan-Kuwait relations

·         Rice export trade facing crisis, needs government attention: Reap

·         PH rice self-sufficiency a failure – Binay camp

·         Thailand inks $120 mln rice MOUs with Iran

·         Rice Prices

·         Lab cooks up drought-resistant rice

·         1,600 C’GARH RICE MILLERS GIVE UP LPG SUBSIDY

·         Rice Research Institute Recruitment 2016

·         China Ships First Rice to Korea 
·         Northeast Louisianans Gearing Up for 2016 Rice Crop 

·         WTF Happened to Golden Rice?

·         Group Petitions EFCC Over N117 Billion Rice Importation Waivers Fraud

·         Nigeria: Customs Intercepts Two Trucks, Six Cars Loaded With Smuggled Rice

·         Fortified rice raises risk of hookworm infections
·         APEDA Rice Commodity News
·         Group Petitions EFCC Over N117 Billion Rice Importation Waivers Fraud
·         Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report

News Detail...

The Pakistan-Kuwait relations

The Pakistan-Kuwait relations are brotherly, based on shared history, traditions and common culture. Both countries have always enjoyed their bilateral, friendly, trade and cultural ties with enormous respect of their commonality and cultural traditions. The bilateral relations exist both at the official-government level and at the peoples’ level. Time has proved that both countries have stood for each other in their most difficult and testing times. Pakistan was among the first countries that sent troops to Kuwait during the Iraqi invasion in 1990. Nine Pakistani soldiers were martyred during mine clearing operations.Kuwait also responded well to its friendly country and has been the first among countries that have ever extended generous help to Pakistan in difficult times

4th Feburary 2016 Daily Exclusive ORYZA Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Global Rice Quotes

February 4th, 2016
Long grain white rice - high quality
Thailand 100% B grade          380-390           ↔
Vietnam 5% broken    350-360           ↔
India 5% broken         360-370           ↑
Pakistan 5% broken    345-355           ↔
Myanmar 5% broken   415-425           ↔
Cambodia 5% broken             425-435           ↔
U.S. 4% broken           460-470           ↔
Uruguay 5% broken    440-450           ↔
Argentina 5% broken 430-440           ↔
Long grain white rice - low quality
Thailand 25% broken 350-360           ↔
Vietnam 25% broken 340-350           ↔
Pakistan 25% broken 310-320           ↔
Cambodia 25% broken           405-415           ↔
India 25% broken       325-335           ↔
U.S. 15% broken         440-450           ↔
Long grain parboiled rice
Thailand parboiled 100% stxd            370-380           ↔
Pakistan parboiled 5% broken stxd    NQ      ↔
India parboiled 5% broken stxd         350-360           ↑
U.S. parboiled 4% broken       480-490           ↔
Brazil parboiled 5% broken    520-530           ↔
Uruguay parboiled 5% broken            NQ      ↔
Long grain fragrant rice
Thailand Hommali 92%          690-700           ↔
Vietnam Jasmine         425-435           ↔
India basmati 2% broken        NQ      ↔
Pakistan basmati 2% broken   NQ      ↔
Cambodia Phka Mails             750-760           ↔
Brokens
Thailand A1 Super      320-330           ↔
Vietnam 100% broken            320-330           ↔
Pakistan 100% broken stxd    285-295           ↔
Cambodia A1 Super   345-355           ↔
India 100% broken stxd         260-270           ↔
Egypt medium grain brokens NQ      ↔
U.S. pet food 280-290           ↔
Brazil half grain          NQ      ↔
All prices USD per ton, FOB vessel, oryza.com

Announces 2016 Minimum Purchase Prices for Rice

Feb 03, 2016

The government of China has announced 2016 minimum purchase prices for rice, Reuters quoted the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
The Chinese government has reportedly lowered the price for early season indica rice to around 2,660 yuan (around $404) per ton from around 2,700 yuan (around $410) per ton in 2015. It retained the purchase prices of mid to late season rice and japonica rice at 2015 levels of around 2,760 yuan (around $420) per ton and 3,100 yuan (around $471) per ton respectively.
The Chinese government has been purchasing rice from farmers under its procurement policy since 2004. The government will intervene and buys rice from farmers at the state-set purchase price if the market price falls below the government price.

USDA Post Forecasts Russia MY 2015-16 Rice Exports to Increase 12% y/y to 190,000 Tons

Feb 03, 2016
The USDA Post forecasts Russia's MY 2015-16 (January - December 2016) rice exports at around 190,000 tons, up about 12% from around 170,000 tons in MY 2014-15, and unchanged from USDA's official forecasts.
Quoting industry analysts, the Post reports that Russian grain exports, including rice, increased in December 2015 due to several factors: the resumed devaluation of the rubble, good corn crop prospects, favorable weather in the Russian deep water ports in the Black Sea, and uncertain future trade relations with Turkey.
The Post forecasts Russia's MY 2015-16 rice imports at around 230,000 tons, up about 35% from around 170,000 tons last year, and unchanged from USDA's official forecasts.
The USDA Post forecasts Russia's MY 2015-16 milled rice production at around 720,000 tons, up about 5.5% from around 682,000 tons last year, and unchanged from USDA's official forecasts. The increase can be attributed to a slight increase in paddy rice acreage.

USDA Post Forecasts Turkey MY 2015-16 Rice Imports to Increase 4% y/y to 330,000 Tons

Feb 03, 2016
The USDA Post forecasts Turkey’s MY 2015-16 (September 2015 - August 2016) at around 330,000 tons (basis, milled), up about 4% from around 317,000 tons in MY 2014-15 and unchanged from USDA's official estimates.
According to data from Turkish Grain Board (TMO), Turkey imported 44,665 tons of paddy rice in the first three months of MY 2015-16 (September - November 2015), of which around 35,980 tons are imported from the U.S.
Recently, the TMO announced the domestic procurement price of paddy at 1580 TL (around $535) per ton. The agency could procure only 1,700 tons as farmers are preferring to sell to private sector. Harvesting of the 2015-16 rice crop was completed in November 2015. As of January 2016, domestic paddy rice price is about 1551 TL (around $526) per ton for Osmancik variety and 2160 TL (around $732) per ton for Baldo variety at Edirne Commodity Exchange, according to the Post.
The Post estimates MY 2015-16 paddy rice output at around 746,000 tons, up from last year's 687,000 tons and unchanged from USDA's official estimates.

USDA Post Forecasts South Korea MY 2015-16 Rice Imports to Slightly Increase y/y to 470,000 Tons

Feb 03, 2016
The USDA post forecasts South Korea's MY 2015-16 (November 2015-October 2016) at around 470,000 tons, slightly up from last year's 465,000 tons and unchanged from USDA's official estimates. The Post, however, estimates that some portion of the 2016 TRQ (tariff rate quota) will roll over into next year.
In MY 2014-15, Korea’s rice imports were 464,892 tons, consisting of 217,855 tons imported under the 2014 minimum market access (MMA) quota and 247,037 tons imported under 2015 TRQ, respectively, according to the Post.
The Post reports that the government would release the 2016 TRQ schedule shortly. It expects the U.S. rice quota to remain at 150,000 tons (milled basis). In calendar year (CY) 2015, U.S. exports to Korea amounted to 142,806 tons, of which, 34,114 tons are imported under 2014 MMA quota and 108,682 tons are imported under 2015 TRQ, respectively.
Since the per capita rice consumption has been declining significantly over the past few years, the government has decided to seek a balance between rice supply and demand by 2018 through a gradual reduction in area and promotional activities to expand consumption.
The Post reports that the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) recently released its plan to reduce arable land for rice cultivation to 711,000 hectares by 2018, significantly smaller than the 749,000 hectares of paddies that would be reached without any action taken. In line with the rice reduction scheme, the government is also planning to introduce the Production Adjustment Program, under which rice farmers will be encouraged to cultivate other crops in their paddy lands, up to 30,000 hectares across the nation in CY 2017.
The Post estimates Korea's MY 2015-16 milled rice production at around 4.327 million tons, up from 4.24 million tons last year and unchanged from USDA's official estimates.

Indian Exporters Seek Government Support to Boost Basmati Rice Exports

Feb 03, 2016

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has urged the Commerce Ministry to include packaged basmati rice in the Merchandise exports from India Scheme (MEIS) list to help boost the country's basmati rice exports, according to local sources.
The MEIS was introduced to offset infrastructural inefficiencies and associated costs involved in export of goods/products, which are produced/manufactured in India, especially those having high export intensity and employment potential; and thereby enhance India's export competitiveness. Under this scheme, notified goods exported to notified markets would be rewarded on FOB value realized by the exporter.
The APEDA made the request at a meeting conducted by the Commerce Ministry for Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) on February 2, 2016. The Commerce Ministry sought specific suggestions/inputs from exporters to address the falling exports. India's overall exports have been declining since December 2014, according to the APEDA.
The EPCs raised several issues related to exports in the meeting. In general, they sought enhanced duty drawbacks, inclusion of more products in the MEIS scheme and abolition of service tax on exports.
The Commerce Minister reportedly advised EPCs to take pro-active measures for promoting exports and requested them to seek specific intervention from the Ministry when needed. She assured that specific issues relating to exports would be sorted out through discussions with the concerned stakeholders.

Thailand Signs Four Agreements to Export 300,000 Tons of Rice Worth $121 Million to Iran in 2016

Feb 03, 2016

Thailand has signed four agreements to sell about 300,000 tons of rice worth 4.3 million baht (around $121 million), Reuters quoted the Commerce Minister.
Three Thai firms and four Iranian firms reportedly signed four memoranda of understanding (MoUs) to export white and jasmine rice to Iran, according to the Commerce Minister.
The agreements are result of negotiations between a Thai delegation led by the Deputy Prime Minister and Iranian authorities. The Thai delegation is in Iran this week to seek trade opportunities after sanctions against Iran were lifted.
Rice is reportedly quoted at $350 per ton ($425 cif). The Thai Commerce Ministry's Permanent Secretary noted that  Iran's Health Ministry officials will visit Thailand to inspect the quality of the rice. After the inspection, Iran will issue a document allowing the import of Thai rice, she said.
Iran suspended rice imports from Thailand following a default by a private rice exporter in 2011. The Thai government has been persuading Iran to resume rice imports from Thailand. Iran imported around 278,283 tons of rice in 2011. Since then Thai rice exports to Iran declined significantly. Thailand exported around 2,473 tons in 2012, around 71,878 tons in 2013, around 46,860 tons in 2014 and around 3,926 tons in 2015 to Iran, according to data from the TREA.

Oryza CBOT Rough Rice Futures Recap - Chicago Rough Rice Futures Close Lower after Session of Back-and-Forth Trade; Oil Jumps on Weaker U.S. Dollar

Feb 04, 2016

Chicago rough rice futures for Mar delivery settled 4 cents per cwt (about $1 per ton) lower at $11.135 per cwt (about $245 per ton). The other grains finished the day with mixed results; Soybeans closed about 1.1% lower at $8.87675 per bushel; wheat finished about 1% higher at $4.8000 per bushel, and corn finished the day about 0.4% lower at $3.7100 per bushel.
U.S. stocks fell on Wednesday, but held off their lows, as oil bounced back. West Texas Intermediate traded about 6% higher in choppy trade after the Energy Information Administration said U.S. inventories rose by 7.8 million barrels last week. Crude prices briefly erased gains following the data release, but surged on a weaker dollar. The ISM non-manufacturing index January reading came in at 53.5, below the expected 55.1. It is also the lowest reading since December 2013. Oil initially rose on news that Russia may be open to a deal with OPEC in order to cut production.
In Europe, stocks closed lower, with the pan-European STOXX 600 index falling 1.6%. Asian equities fell broadly overnight, with the Nikkei 225 index dropping 3.1%.In afternoon trade, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 48 points, or 0.27%, at 16,108. The S&P 500 dropped 17 points, or 0.9%, at 1,885, with financials leading five sectors lower and materials the greatest advancer. The Nasdaq composite fell 76 points, or 1.7%, to 4,440. Gold is seen trading about 1.5% higher, crude oil is seen trading about 6.4% higher, and the U.S. dollar is seen trading about 1.8% lower at about  1:00pm Chicago time.
Tuesday, there were 831 contracts traded, down from 1,363 contracts traded on Monday. Open interest – the number of contracts outstanding – on Tuesday decreased by 228 contracts to 12,859. 

Oryza U.S. Rough Rice Recap - Prices Dip Slightly after Colombia and Iran Snub U.S. Origin

Feb 04, 2016

The U.S. cash market was slightly weaker today with offers from resellers decreasing with the futures market after it was confirmed that Colombia bought a large quantity from Mercosur origins as part of the emergency purchases.
Adding to today’s bearishness was the news that Thailand plans to sell 300,000 tons of white rice and jasmine rice to Iran following the lifting of sanctions, dashing the hopes of some market participants who were optimistic that the U.S. would receive at least a piece that demand.

Thai Prime Minister Compliments Farmers for Avoiding Off-Season Rice

Feb 03, 2016

The Prime Minister of Thailand has praised rice farmers for heeding to the government advice and avoiding planting for off-season rice, according to Bangkok Post. He complimented them for understanding the situation and being responsive.
The country's off-season paddy acreage has been halved to around four million rai (around 640,000 hectares) in this year. Many farmers have switched to drought-resistant crops such as beans or raising livestock. Some of them have reportedly joined government-sponsored employment schemes such as working on irrigation canal dredging projects.
Agriculture officials noted that some farmers have planted off-season rice well aware of the risks and they would not get any compensation from the government if the crop fails due to lack of water.

Thailand, Pakistan Rice Sellers Lower Some of Their Quotes Today; Other Asia Rice Quotes Unchanged

Feb 03, 2016

Thailand rice sellers lowered their quotes for 5% broken rice and 25% broken rice by about $5 per ton each to around $365-$375 per ton and $350-$360 per ton respectively today . Pakistan rice sellers lowered their quotes for 25% broken rice and 100% broken rice by about $5 per ton each to around $310-$320 per ton and $285-$295 per ton respectively. Other Asia rice sellers kept their quotes mostly unchanged today.                                
5% Broken Rice
Thailand 5% rice is indicated at around $365 - $375 per ton, about $15 per ton premium on Vietnam 5% rice shown at around $350 - $360 per ton. India 5% rice is indicated at around $355 - $365 per ton, about $10 per ton premium on Pakistan 5% rice shown at around $345 - $355 per ton.
25% Broken Rice
Thailand 25% rice is indicated at around $350 - $360 per ton, about $10 per ton premium o Vietnam 25% rice shown at around $340- $350 per ton. India 25% rice is indicated at around $325 - $335 per ton, about $15 per ton premium on Pakistan 25% rice shown at around $310 - $320 per ton.
Parboiled Rice           
Thailand parboiled rice is indicated at around $370 - $380 per ton. India parboiled rice is indicated at around $345 - $355 per ton, about $60 per ton discount to Pakistan parboiled rice last shown at around $405 - $415 per ton.
100% Broken Rice
Thailand broken rice, A1 Super is indicated at around $320 - $330 per ton, on par with Vietnam 100% broken rice shown at around $320 - $330 per ton. India's 100% broken rice is shown at around $260 - $270 per ton, about $25 per ton discount to Pakistan broken sortexed rice shown at around $285 - $295 per ton.