|
USA Rice on the Road
in Louisiana
JENNINGS and ALEXANDRIA, LA -- As growers hustle to complete
their off-season meetings this month before the start of the 2016 planting
season, USA Rice staff participated in meetings here of the Louisiana Rice
Council, the Louisiana Rice Growers Association, and the Central Louisiana
Rice Growers Association.
More than 200 growers attended the events, conducted
organization business, heard from LSU's Dr. Rogers Leonard about the strong
connection between the AgCenter and the rice industry, and listened to reports
from USA Rice.
In Jennings, rice farmer and rancher Wayne Zaunbrecher was also
honored posthumously for his legacy of contributions to the rice
industry. His wife of 54 years, Linda, and his daughters accepted the
award on his behalf.
USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward opened her remarks by
commenting on the state of the rice economy in Louisiana. "We know
it's tough out there and we understand the urgency to develop new markets and
expand and protect existing markets for your crop. It's what we are all
working on every day," she said.
Ward went on to share insight and analysis of some key U.S.
export markets - China, Colombia, Iraq, and Mexico - where the situation
ranges from good to uncertain.
USA Rice Vice President of Government Affairs Ben Mosely shared
his thoughts on the important Trans Pacific Partnership agreement remarking,
"We are not impressed with what we see and are exploring our options to
improve the situation for U.S. rice."
He also talked about opportunities for rice in Cuba, illegal
subsidies for rice producers in other countries that further exacerbate U.S.
grower difficulties, and the fact that between the presidential election season,
the closing months of the Obama Administration, and a relatively light
legislative calendar for Congress there is little chance of major policy
initiatives moving forward in Washington.
Michael Klein, USA Rice vice president for marketing,
communications, and domestic promotion, closed out the program with the
how's, why's, and what's of the domestic promotion programs.
He shared strategies in place to raise awareness and encourage
the use of U.S.-grown rice, including leveraging U.S. government food policy,
engaging with key market influencers, and reaching out to consumers and the
foodservice industry.
He showed several videos, including one that showcased street
interviews with random tourists in Washington, DC, for a humorous look at
what they do and do not know about rice. You can watch the four minute
video here.
"The interviews were unscientific, but the video does
demonstrate that for the most part Americans like and eat rice but they just
don't think about where it comes from. Once we told them rice is actually
grown here, most of them expressed a preference for U.S. origin rice over
rice from other origins," he explained.
|
|
TPP Agreement
Signed, Rice Concerns Remain
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND -- Trade Ministers from
12 nations signed the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) yesterday
(Feb. 4 local time). U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman joined
officials from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New
Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam at the signing, which launches the
formal start of the ratification process in many of the TPP countries.
"Signature is only one step in what looks to be a lengthy process for review of the deal here at home," said USA Rice COO Bob Cummings. "U.S. law provides a detailed timeline for Congress to consider and approve TPP , and key congressional leaders have said that a vote on the agreement will not occur until after the November 2016 presidential election." The goal of the TPP is to dramatically reduce or eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers on trade between the 12 members. Because the United States already has free trade agreements with Canada, Mexico and Peru, U.S. rice's focus was expanding access in Japan and maintaining our competitiveness in Mexico. Both countries rank among the top U.S. export markets for rice. "The gains achieved in Japan were, unfortunately, less than our modest objectives," according to Michael Rue, a California rice farmer and vice chairman of the USA Rice International Trade Policy Committee. "We intend to use the time before Congress considers TPP to understand fully the details of our new access and to seek assurances from the administration that we will get what we have been promised." Mexico agreed to eliminate all duties on rice imported from Vietnam within ten years after the agreement goes into effect. "This is of great concern because Mexico is our number one export market," said Dow Brantley, an Arkansas producer and chairman of USA Rice. "As Mexico increases imports of milled rice, Vietnam is our number one competitive threat. We believe that Vietnam is providing subsidies to its producers in excess of levels allowed by the World Trade Organization, so we face the prospect of unfair competition in a key market. The subsidy problem isn't confined to Vietnam, and it's time for the U.S. government to challenge unfair subsidies in many key agricultural exporters." Under the North America Free Trade Agreement, all U.S. rice enters Mexico duty free while rice from Vietnam currently faces a 20 percent duty. Cummings concluded, "As Congress moves to consider TPP, USA Rice will continue to engage with the administration and Congress to educate, seek assurances, and press for relief from foreign subsidies."
|
eb 04, 2016, 09.45 AM | Source: PTI KRBL Q3 net profit down
20% at Rs 65.78 crore The company had clocked a net profit of Rs 82.52 crore in
the year-ago period. Net sales of the company declined to Rs 703.84 crore in
the October-December quarter of the current fiscal from Rs 764.51 crore in the
year-ago period, the company said in a regulatory filing. Basmati rice exporter
KRBL posted a 20 percent fall in its net profit at Rs 65.78 crore for
the quarter ended December 2015 due to fall in sales. The company had clocked a
net profit of Rs 82.52 crore in the year-ago period. Net sales of the company
declined to Rs 703.84 crore in the October-December quarter of the current
fiscal from Rs 764.51 crore in the year-ago period, the company said in a
regulatory filing. The company sells basmati rice under the brand name 'India
Gate' and has a strong presence both in India and the markets abroad. The
company has the capacity to process 1.4 million tonnes of paddy per annum. In
the last financial year, KRBL's turnover stood at Rs 3,203 crore.
Read more at: http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/results/krbl-q3-net-profit-down-20-at-rs-6578-crore_5292121.html?utm_source=ref_article
Read more at: http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/results/krbl-q3-net-profit-down-20-at-rs-6578-crore_5292121.html?utm_source=ref_article
Rice Prices
as on : 04-02-2016 08:10:27 PM
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Arrivals in tonnes;prices in
Rs/quintal in domestic market.
|
Arrivals
|
Price
|
|||||
|
Current
|
%
change |
Season
cumulative |
Modal
|
Prev.
Modal |
Prev.Yr
%change |
|
|
Rice
|
||||||
|
Gondal(UP)
|
1200.00
|
1042.86
|
8947.60
|
2015
|
2025
|
-0.74
|
|
Gadarpur(Utr)
|
790.00
|
25.6
|
53018.00
|
1989
|
2096
|
4.41
|
|
Mathura(UP)
|
650.00
|
103.12
|
6305.00
|
2020
|
2000
|
-
|
|
Etawah(UP)
|
480.00
|
6.67
|
12800.00
|
2250
|
2255
|
2.74
|
|
Shahjahanpur(UP)
|
401.00
|
7.33
|
37473.50
|
2180
|
2160
|
8.46
|
|
Kanpur(Grain)(UP)
|
300.00
|
-6.25
|
4725.00
|
2180
|
2125
|
3.81
|
|
Gorakhpur(UP)
|
300.00
|
15.38
|
2662.00
|
2125
|
2120
|
10.10
|
|
Manjeri(Ker)
|
290.00
|
NC
|
4930.00
|
3000
|
3000
|
-9.09
|
|
Pilibhit(UP)
|
280.00
|
7.69
|
15038.00
|
2190
|
2195
|
-6.41
|
|
Allahabad(UP)
|
220.00
|
-8.33
|
3750.00
|
2090
|
2085
|
2.96
|
|
Ballia(UP)
|
220.00
|
4.76
|
4620.00
|
1955
|
1950
|
-1.01
|
|
Samsi(WB)
|
200.00
|
300
|
14410.00
|
2800
|
2800
|
-
|
|
Sitapur(UP)
|
161.00
|
0.62
|
3558.00
|
2220
|
2220
|
5.26
|
|
Bahraich(UP)
|
160.00
|
-3.61
|
1927.50
|
2075
|
2080
|
-0.24
|
|
Basti(UP)
|
142.50
|
2.52
|
2656.00
|
2070
|
2070
|
2.73
|
|
Asansol(WB)
|
132.00
|
1.54
|
658.00
|
2450
|
2450
|
-
|
|
Mathabhanga(WB)
|
130.00
|
8.33
|
2000.00
|
1950
|
1950
|
-
|
|
Agra(UP)
|
108.00
|
-10
|
2829.00
|
2150
|
2130
|
4.88
|
|
Rampurhat(WB)
|
100.00
|
NC
|
394.00
|
1760
|
1750
|
-
|
|
Bareilly(UP)
|
98.50
|
-1.5
|
5399.00
|
2125
|
2100
|
1.19
|
|
Lucknow(UP)
|
98.00
|
-2
|
2102.00
|
2125
|
2110
|
-2.07
|
|
Achalda(UP)
|
90.00
|
28.57
|
1955.00
|
2240
|
2245
|
-
|
|
Kalipur(WB)
|
90.00
|
-5.26
|
2254.00
|
2150
|
2150
|
-
|
|
Chandabali(Ori)
|
85.00
|
NC
|
765.00
|
1800
|
1800
|
NC
|
|
Kalna(WB)
|
80.00
|
-13.98
|
685.00
|
1770
|
1770
|
-6.84
|
|
Sealdah
Koley Market(WB)
|
80.00
|
1.01
|
478.40
|
2400
|
2400
|
-4.00
|
|
P.O.
Uparhali Guwahati(ASM)
|
79.00
|
16.18
|
1700.00
|
2100
|
2100
|
-19.23
|
|
Saharanpur(UP)
|
79.00
|
-1.25
|
2862.00
|
2045
|
2040
|
-3.54
|
|
Gajol(WB)
|
75.00
|
15.38
|
874.00
|
2800
|
2800
|
-8.20
|
|
Mainpuri(UP)
|
72.50
|
-2.03
|
397.00
|
2000
|
2000
|
6.38
|
|
Kalahandi(Dharamagarh)(Ori)
|
71.48
|
70.92
|
403.54
|
2100
|
2100
|
-4.55
|
|
Lanka(ASM)
|
70.00
|
7.69
|
1380.00
|
1725
|
1725
|
-
|
|
Thodupuzha(Ker)
|
70.00
|
NC
|
1050.00
|
2600
|
2600
|
6.12
|
|
Gauripur(ASM)
|
64.00
|
28
|
1592.50
|
4500
|
4500
|
-
|
|
Beldanga(WB)
|
64.00
|
-1.54
|
719.50
|
2275
|
2275
|
-12.50
|
|
Tilhar(UP)
|
62.50
|
1983.33
|
809.00
|
2160
|
2165
|
5.62
|
|
Coochbehar(WB)
|
62.50
|
4.17
|
336.50
|
2050
|
2050
|
-5.75
|
|
Ghaziabad(UP)
|
60.00
|
-25
|
1240.00
|
2065
|
2070
|
-2.59
|
|
Gazipur(UP)
|
60.00
|
3.45
|
805.50
|
1900
|
1900
|
3.26
|
|
Siliguri(WB)
|
55.00
|
10
|
342.00
|
2600
|
2600
|
-
|
|
Dadri(UP)
|
50.00
|
25
|
1031.00
|
2060
|
2080
|
-2.83
|
|
Barasat(WB)
|
50.00
|
-28.57
|
1140.00
|
2200
|
2200
|
-
|
|
Nadia(WB)
|
50.00
|
NC
|
850.00
|
3200
|
3200
|
3.23
|
|
Muzzafarnagar(UP)
|
47.00
|
9.3
|
550.00
|
2050
|
2050
|
-
|
|
Kasimbazar(WB)
|
45.00
|
NC
|
744.00
|
2290
|
2300
|
-11.92
|
|
Karimganj(ASM)
|
40.00
|
100
|
960.00
|
2200
|
2200
|
4.76
|
|
Partaval(UP)
|
40.00
|
100
|
759.50
|
2025
|
2025
|
3.85
|
|
Junagarh(Ori)
|
38.15
|
37.48
|
539.58
|
2100
|
2100
|
-4.55
|
|
Purulia(WB)
|
36.00
|
20
|
1086.00
|
2200
|
2200
|
-8.33
|
|
North
Lakhimpur(ASM)
|
35.50
|
303.41
|
722.80
|
1900
|
1900
|
-
|
|
Bindki(UP)
|
35.00
|
-27.08
|
1335.00
|
2250
|
2220
|
8.17
|
|
Jorhat(ASM)
|
30.00
|
-25
|
530.00
|
2700
|
2800
|
-
|
|
Dhekiajuli(ASM)
|
30.00
|
NC
|
472.50
|
1900
|
2100
|
1.60
|
|
Balurghat(WB)
|
28.00
|
-3.45
|
87.00
|
2820
|
2825
|
-
|
|
Garbeta(Medinipur)(WB)
|
28.00
|
27.27
|
293.00
|
2400
|
2450
|
0.84
|
|
Sambhal(UP)
|
27.00
|
42.11
|
86.00
|
2200
|
2200
|
11.39
|
|
Lohardaga(Jha)
|
26.00
|
15.56
|
344.00
|
1950
|
1900
|
12.07
|
|
Udala(Ori)
|
26.00
|
-3.7
|
569.00
|
2700
|
2700
|
-
|
|
Mirzapur(UP)
|
25.00
|
-3.85
|
702.50
|
1925
|
1920
|
2.94
|
|
Rampur(UP)
|
25.00
|
56.25
|
273.50
|
2190
|
2195
|
6.31
|
|
Yusufpur(UP)
|
25.00
|
25
|
347.00
|
1875
|
1870
|
0.81
|
|
Ghatal(WB)
|
25.00
|
-13.79
|
246.00
|
1900
|
1820
|
-
|
|
Haldibari(WB)
|
25.00
|
25
|
411.50
|
2350
|
2350
|
-11.32
|
|
Ramkrishanpur(Howrah)(WB)
|
24.30
|
-2.41
|
550.20
|
2300
|
2300
|
-11.54
|
|
Palghar(Mah)
|
24.00
|
-33.33
|
402.00
|
3980
|
3061
|
-
|
|
Jhargram(WB)
|
24.00
|
-
|
183.00
|
2700
|
-
|
-3.57
|
|
Jalpaiguri Sadar(WB)
|
24.00
|
-4
|
484.00
|
2700
|
2700
|
-4.26
|
|
Cachar(ASM)
|
20.00
|
-33.33
|
1020.00
|
2700
|
2700
|
NC
|
|
Kolhapur(Laxmipuri)(Mah)
|
20.00
|
-20
|
571.00
|
3000
|
3000
|
-
|
|
Lakhimpur(UP)
|
20.00
|
33.33
|
300.50
|
2090
|
2100
|
-
|
|
Mekhliganj(WB)
|
18.00
|
-14.29
|
242.50
|
1975
|
2050
|
-
|
|
Bhawanipatna(Ori)
|
17.00
|
-
|
17.00
|
2500
|
-
|
-
|
|
Champadanga(WB)
|
16.00
|
77.78
|
355.00
|
2400
|
2400
|
-
|
|
Kolaghat(WB)
|
16.00
|
6.67
|
271.00
|
2300
|
2300
|
-
|
|
Atarra(UP)
|
15.00
|
25
|
27.00
|
2000
|
2000
|
-
|
|
Falakata(WB)
|
14.80
|
0.68
|
225.30
|
1950
|
1950
|
-
|
|
Tamluk
(Medinipur E)(WB)
|
14.00
|
NC
|
311.00
|
2300
|
2300
|
-
|
|
Bijnaur(UP)
|
13.00
|
62.5
|
263.50
|
2190
|
2180
|
-
|
|
Kannauj(UP)
|
13.00
|
-3.7
|
108.60
|
2185
|
2180
|
0.69
|
|
Raiganj(WB)
|
13.00
|
NC
|
472.00
|
2730
|
2730
|
-
|
|
Dibrugarh(ASM)
|
12.00
|
-40
|
473.80
|
2400
|
2400
|
-
|
|
Simdega(Jha)
|
12.00
|
50
|
34.00
|
2100
|
2100
|
NC
|
|
Kasganj(UP)
|
12.00
|
-50
|
362.00
|
1860
|
1850
|
-8.15
|
|
Muradabad(UP)
|
12.00
|
33.33
|
281.50
|
2230
|
2240
|
12.91
|
|
Pukhrayan(UP)
|
12.00
|
60
|
54.50
|
1980
|
1980
|
-0.50
|
|
Medinipur(West)(WB)
|
12.00
|
-20
|
302.00
|
2450
|
2400
|
-2.00
|
|
Naugarh(UP)
|
11.50
|
43.75
|
307.00
|
2065
|
2040
|
8.68
|
|
Firozabad(UP)
|
11.00
|
-8.33
|
264.00
|
2150
|
2140
|
5.91
|
|
Pundibari(WB)
|
10.50
|
-19.23
|
57.00
|
1975
|
2000
|
-8.14
|
|
Kottayam(Ker)
|
10.00
|
NC
|
60.00
|
3500
|
3500
|
-
|
|
Kaliaganj(WB)
|
10.00
|
NC
|
318.00
|
2650
|
2650
|
-
|
|
Sheoraphuly(WB)
|
10.00
|
-9.09
|
307.50
|
2550
|
2550
|
-12.82
|
|
Hazaribagh(Jha)
|
9.95
|
1.53
|
34.05
|
3015
|
2945
|
-
|
|
Deogarh(Ori)
|
9.00
|
NC
|
250.50
|
2500
|
2500
|
NC
|
|
Raibareilly(UP)
|
9.00
|
-5.26
|
155.00
|
2050
|
2030
|
1.23
|
|
Katwa(WB)
|
9.00
|
12.5
|
43.00
|
2300
|
2300
|
-4.17
|
|
Dibiapur(UP)
|
8.00
|
NC
|
16.00
|
2230
|
2230
|
1.83
|
|
Chengannur(Ker)
|
7.00
|
16.67
|
302.00
|
2500
|
2500
|
-13.79
|
|
Bolangir(Ori)
|
7.00
|
7.69
|
93.00
|
2200
|
2200
|
-8.33
|
|
Raath(UP)
|
6.20
|
-
|
6.20
|
1700
|
-
|
17.24
|
|
Tusura(Ori)
|
6.00
|
9.09
|
93.50
|
2200
|
2200
|
-15.38
|
|
Khairagarh(UP)
|
6.00
|
20
|
196.00
|
2070
|
2090
|
1.97
|
|
Silapathar(ASM)
|
5.90
|
9.26
|
436.60
|
3000
|
3000
|
NC
|
|
Mohanpur(Tri)
|
5.00
|
NC
|
45.00
|
2700
|
2750
|
-
|
|
Rura(UP)
|
4.50
|
-19.64
|
45.10
|
2190
|
2190
|
6.57
|
|
Jeypore(Kotpad)(Ori)
|
4.10
|
192.86
|
115.20
|
4200
|
3250
|
29.23
|
|
Hailakandi(ASM)
|
4.00
|
NC
|
71.00
|
2700
|
2700
|
NC
|
|
Islampur(WB)
|
4.00
|
33.33
|
151.20
|
2150
|
2150
|
-
|
|
Kalyani(WB)
|
3.50
|
-66.67
|
60.50
|
3400
|
3400
|
-
|
|
Aroor(Ker)
|
3.00
|
NC
|
97.00
|
7000
|
6800
|
-24.73
|
|
Alibagh(Mah)
|
3.00
|
NC
|
57.00
|
3750
|
3750
|
134.38
|
|
Rahama(Ori)
|
3.00
|
25
|
16.00
|
2400
|
2400
|
-
|
|
Perinthalmanna(Ker)
|
2.90
|
NC
|
24.90
|
2600
|
2600
|
-
|
|
Farukhabad(UP)
|
2.50
|
-28.57
|
151.00
|
2200
|
2200
|
1.62
|
|
Murud(Mah)
|
2.00
|
-33.33
|
42.00
|
2750
|
2750
|
71.88
|
|
Siyana(UP)
|
2.00
|
-20
|
43.50
|
2040
|
2045
|
NC
|
|
Jeypore(Ori)
|
1.50
|
NC
|
19.90
|
4100
|
4100
|
NC
|
|
Bonai(Bonai)(Ori)
|
1.50
|
-25
|
20.10
|
2000
|
2000
|
-16.67
|
|
Santir
Bazar(Tri)
|
1.50
|
-
|
3.10
|
2600
|
-
|
-1.89
|
|
Shillong(Meh)
|
1.40
|
16.67
|
26.70
|
3500
|
3500
|
NC
|
|
Punalur(Ker)
|
1.00
|
NC
|
7.00
|
1600
|
1600
|
-
|
|
Sardhana(UP)
|
1.00
|
-16.67
|
40.50
|
2050
|
2060
|
NC
|
Rice breeders rally after
weather, market shifts to design better varieties
4
0
0
0
BEAUMONT
— When the weather or the market shifts in a year, farmers feel the impact
immediately – be it good or bad.
But
for the scientists who spend a lifetime figuring out ways to create new
varieties to feed more people, weird weather and market movements are welcomed
for the lessons they teach.
That
was the message recently when about 40 rice breeders from four states converged
at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Beaumont to
compare notes about the most recent growing season and what promising varieties
might be emerging from their programs.
“Every
time a new variety of rice gets released by a breeder, it has gone through a
gauntlet basically of having been grown multiple years in multiple locations to
see how well it performs,” said Dr. Ted Wilson, center director at
Beaumont. “It’s a process of weeding out those varieties that are likely
going to have problems somewhere down the road because of grain quality,
because the yield is just not quite there, or because disease resistance is not
high enough.”
Dr. Ted Wilson, center director, Texas A&M AgriLife Research
and Extension Center- Beaumont. (Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo by
Kathleen Phillips)
Testing
in field conditions for a number of years is important, he said, because
weather variations can throw a curve in an otherwise strong contender.
“In
2015 in Texas and Louisiana, for example, it was extremely wet early on, so
planting was later,” Wilson noted. “And, since farmers in those two states
produce two crops a year — the main crop and the ratoon crop — the later
you plant, the more likely the crop will be flowering in higher heat in
late-June, July, August,
which can take a toll on yield.”
The
wetter than normal 2015 season also led to disease pressures, he said, and yet
while the main crop had lower yield, the ratoon crop produced record yields.
“Think
of the rice plant having pockets,” Wilson explained. “These pockets are where
sugar is stuffed. The sugars turn into starches and make the grain. If
you have fewer grains because the heat hurt the plant, the plant has left over
energy in the form of starches and sugars, and it stuffs them into the stems.
That high level of what we call nonstructural carbohydrates comes in handy for
the second crop, because when the straw — the lower 8 inches of the plant — has high levels of starches, it can just go
like gangbusters and make a second crop that is higher yielding than normal.
“We
don’t want to see a bad first crop like this year, but when we get a high
yielding ratoon crop, it’s a savior,” he said.
It’s
that sort of unusual situation breeders consider when they gather each year to
report on how well test varieties performed.
“By
exchanging information, rice breeders learn similarities and dissimilarities
and that helps explain what and why things went wrong or what and why
things went quite well.” Wilson said.
Wilson
told the rice scientists at the meeting that the trend among Texas growers is moving
more toward planting hybrid varieties, which have only been available for
little more than 10 years. Previously, the only type of rice seed was what is
called “inbred.”
But
Wilson said in 2012, hybrid varieties for the first time accounted for more than
50 percent of the acreage. But the hybrid plantings dropped back in 2015, most
likely due to rice market prices being suppressed and the higher cost for
hybrid seed.
Hybrids
typically yield as much as 18 percent more than inbreds, but there are pluses and
minuses for both types, he said.
Rice at Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center near Beaumont in
July. (Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo by Kathleen Phillips).
“Inbred
seed is cheaper and the grain quality historically is much higher than
hybrids,” Wilson noted. “But the use of nitrogen is slightly more for inbreds,
so that’s bad, because it is a cost. Disease resistance tends to be slightly
higher for hybrids, which is a plus.”
Wilson
also told the breeders that a recent study at the Beaumont center showed that
for several historic rice varieties when examined under different fertilizer
and management regimes, genetics explained 45 percent of the increase in yield
over time and management explained 55 percent of the increase.
“If
all our rice growers were to get 80 percent of the maximum yield for the main
crop and if they planted on time and were able to get a ratoon crop to get 80
percent of the maximum ratoon crop yield, the overall yield in Texas alone with
no further improvements in varieties would increase by 63 percent to 13,000
pounds per acre,” Wilson said. “The point is that genetics is important but
management is a big part of the ballgame, too.
“The
fact of the matter is that maybe in some situations the genetics is more
important and in some situations management is more important,” he added. “What
is really important is that both of them are needed to make rice production
profitable anywhere in the world.”
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4000
http://today.agrilife.org/2016/02/03/rice-breeders-rally-after-weather-market-shifts-to-design-better-varieties/
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.
The 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
Commentary:
Rough rice exports key to future for U.S. rice farmers?
Feb 3, 2016 | Delta Farm Press
·
·
·
·
What does
the future hold for U.S. rice exports?
·
Rough rice
exports key for producers?
The longtime debate on exporting
milled versus rough rice continues and appears to be entering a new chapter.
Going back to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico, then
the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and more recent agreements
like the treaty with Colombia, all tell a story.
As we enter what appears to be a new
era in international trade, the U.S. rice farmer must ask himself, “Would I
still be in business if there were no rough rice exports?”
Farmers were told that rough rice
exports would cripple our domestic market and erode our infrastructure. Ask
anyone in the wheat industry what happened to all those flour mills that used
to export bagged flour. They closed and the U.S. became the largest exporter of
wheat in the world.
POPULAR NOW
In today’s market the only real
advantage we have is to export our rough rice to foreign mills who beg for a
raw material to process. CAFTA negotiations 15 years ago should still be fresh
on the minds of farmers as we heard our loyal customers in the market say “we
prefer to buy rough rice from the United States but if not then we cannot
promise we can import U.S. milled rice while cheaper Asian rice is offered to
us every week.” The issue was one of the defining moments in the history of the
US Rice Producers Association, which protected the market while being told that
rough rice exports would cripple the U.S. rice industry.
Today we are faced with new and
renewed pressing issues. We are seeing an increase in the threat of Asian rice
being shipped into the two most important markets in the Western Hemisphere:
Mexico and Colombia. The United States has free trade agreements with both
countries. In Mexico, the recently negotiated Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)
is a disaster for U.S. rice exports. The 20,000 ton addition to the quota for
Japan is about as exciting as the 2015 Dallas Cowboys.
But what must get the attention of
the long grain farmer is the detrimental effect the TPP will have on our
lucrative market in Mexico once Vietnam obtains duty free status, assuming the
agreement gets passage in the U.S. Congress. Have you seen Asian prices lately
for milled rice, characterized by government intervention policies that distort
the marketplace? Excuse me, but this is not a level playing field.
The current conditions in Colombia
should be of serious concern to American rice farmers. Prior to the completion
of the current U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, Colombia allowed the
importation of U.S. rough rice by their mills in the years when local
production was insufficient to meet local demand. In fact, during an El Nino
event some 15 years ago, Colombia imported around 200,000 tons of U.S. rough
rice with no complications.
Fast forward to the new FTA
negotiations and all of the sudden rice smut was considered to be a danger to
Colombia and rough rice exports came to a halt. In the meantime, the same
disease has been found in Colombia.
This reminds me of what a rice
researcher told me a few years ago, “the worst pests for rice are political
pests.” The bottom line is that Colombia is very short on domestic production
and therefore have been importing above their FTA quota and paying the steep
taxes. Without the ability to import U.S. rough rice they are turning their
attention, as this article goes to print, towards cheaper Thailand rice.
The US Rice Producers Association has
been vocal about these issues and will again address their concerns with the
USDA, USTR, APHIS and members of Congress while in Washington, D.C., the week
of February 8.
http://deltafarmpress.com/rice/commentary-rough-rice-exports-key-future-us-rice-farmers
TCP scraps rice tender
20160202T000000Z
Business Recorder
Business Recorder
Following the directives of the federal government, the Trading
Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) Monday announced that it has cancelled the rice
procurement tender. Last week, the state-run graintrader invited fresh sealed bids (under Public
Procurement Rules, 2004) from companies/partnership/sole proprietors dealing in exportof rice for purchase of
15,000 tons long grain white rice (IRRI-6) on Cost and Free on Board (C and
FoB) basis up to the port of Cotonou, Benin, packed in polypropylene (PP) woven
bags as per provided specification.
As per the TCP announcement, the tender was to open on February 3, 2016,
however, the state-run graintraderMonday
cancelled the tender without quoting any reason. Sources said the tender has
been cancelled on the directives of the ministry of commerce.
The fresh tender for procurement of 15,000 tons IRRI-6 was issued on
January 26, when first rice tender was scrapped as the quoted prices were
significantly higher than the prevailing local prices. The procurement was
being made for Benin as gift from the people of Pakistan. Presently, several
African countries are facing food shortage and two weeks ago Pakistan dispatched
a consignment of 15,000 tons rice (10,000 tons IRRI-6 and 5,000 tons Basmati)
to Cuba.
http://www.world-grain.com/news/news%20home/LexisNexisArticle.aspx?articleid=2527756232 FAO Food Price Index starts 2016 dropping to nearly
7-year low
Feb
04, 2016
ROME, Italy - The FAO Food Price Index
fell in January, slipping 1.9 percent below its level in the last month of
2015, as prices of all the commodities it tracks fell, sugar in particular.
The Food Price Index averaged 150.4 points
in January, down 16 percent from a year earlier and registering its lowest
level since April 2009.
The FAO Food Price Index is a
trade-weighted index tracking international market prices for five key
commodity groups: major cereals, vegetable oils, dairy, meat and sugar.
The main factors underlying the lingering
decline in basic food commodity prices are the generally ample agricultural
supply conditions, a slowing global economy, and the strengthening of the US
dollar.
This month, FAO also raised its forecast
for worldwide cereal stocks in 2016, as a result of lowering its projected
consumption and raising 2015 production prospects.
The FAO Sugar Price Index fell 4.1 percent
from December, its first drop in four months, as crop conditions improved in
Brazil, by far the world's leading sugar producer and exporter.
The Dairy Price Index dropped by 3.0
percent on the back of large supplies, in both the EU and New Zealand, and
torpid world import demand.
The FAO Cereal Price Index declined 1.7
percent (to 149.1 points) amid ample global supplies and increased competition
for export markets, especially for wheat and maize, as well as a strong US
dollar.
The Vegetable Oil Price Index dropped 1.7
percent, mainly because of a decline in soy oil prices reflecting expectations
of ample global soybean supplies.
The Meat Price Index moved 1.1 percent
lower than its revised December value, with prices of all meat categories
falling, except pigmeat, which was sustained by the opening of private storage
aid in the EU.
Mixed early prospects for 2016 harvests
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, also released today.
2016 crop prospects have been
"severely weakened" in Southern Africa, and a 25 percent cut in wheat
production in South Africa now appears likely. Conditions for the crop are
generally favourable 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 tonnes, 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 tonnes,
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 tonnes, higher than they began. That level implies a
steady and comfortable global cereal stock-to-use ratio of around 25 percent.
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
http://www.eturbonews.com/68259/fao-food-price-index-starts-2016-dropping-nearly-7-year-low
