1.
AIREA All India Rice Exporters Association : Egypt to ban rice
exports amid hoarding
2.
AIREA All India Rice Exporters Association : Basmati rice industry
may see revival from H2 of 2016-17: Icra
3.
Calif. rice plantings to increase only slightly from 2015
4.
Rice basmati strengthens on rising demand
5.
This spring, embrace vegetables, but don't overpower them
6.
SPRING VEGETABLE PILAU WITH FENNEL AND ASPARAGUS
7.
China continues releasing water to drought-hit Mekong River
countries
8.
IRRI warns of looming global food crisis
9.
More rice varieties starting to show promise for the Tropical
North
10.
Is there a rice shortage looming due to El Nino drought?
11.
Water Festivals Continue Despite Drought
12.
04/13/2016 Farm Bureau Market Report
13.
Arkansas leaders form new Engage Cuba state council to promote
trade
14.
Global food crisis looms anew
15.
DUE TO EL NIÑO AND CLIMATE CHANGE, SAYS IRRI
16.
Feature: DA-Rice Processing Center: A profitable agriculture
enterprise
17.
APEDA AgriExchange Newsletter - Volume 1453
18.
Chef Contest Features U.S. Rice
19.
Firefighters on scene of fire at Doguet Rice Mill
20.
LINSCOMBE TALKS RICE RESEARCH, PRODUCTION
21.
KAU bags awards
22.
Hot, hot day; food shortage feared
AIREA All India Rice Exporters Association : Egypt to ban rice exports
amid hoarding
04/13/2016
| 06:55am EDT
Egypt will ban rice exports in its effort to
end a surge in prices partly driven by local traders hoarding the grain.The
ban, effective April 4, will help 'achieve stability in rice prices for
consumers,' the ministry of trade said in an e-mailed statement on Thursday.The
decree comes just days before the government's grain purchaser seeks to buy
rice in an international tender on Saturday.Even as Egypt produces a surplus of
the grain, the country has been hit by local traders holding back supplies to
try to push up prices.That has left rice in short supply for weeks at stores
selling state-subsidized food. A tender for domestic supplies on March 19 was
canceled because of the high prices offered.Food shortages and price jumps
carry a political risk for Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi as millions
of Egyptians depend on state subsidies to eat.The north African nation is
already battling a drop in foreign-currency inflows as Gulf Arab allies cut aid
amid tumbling oil prices and as the tourism industry suffers following
political tumult and terror attacks.
Egypt lifted a ban on rice exports for six months last October. source by- http://bit.ly/1RTysIo
AIREA - All
India Rice Exporters Association issued this content on 13 April 2016 and is
solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public,
unedited and unaltered, on 13 April 2016 10:54:11 UTC
http://www.airea.net/article-detail/342/breaking-news/Egypt-to-ban-rice-exports-amid-hoarding
AIREA All India Rice Exporters Association : Basmati rice industry may see
revival from H2 of 2016-17: Icra
04/12/2016 | 03:22am EDT
MUMBAI: The domestic basmati rice industry,
which is witnessing excess supply and weak demand, may revive in the next
harvest season in the second half of 2016-17, a report said here.'The basmati
rice industry faced headwinds - weak demand and oversupply in 'Any improvement
in the situation is likely only from the next basmati paddy harvest season in
the second half of 2016-17 due to improvement in demand,' rating agency Icra
said in its report here.The supply of basmati paddy is expected to witness some
moderation as farmers are likely to shift away from basmati, given the
non-remunerative prices in the last two crop cycles. Moreover, since Iran has
removed the ban on import of rice, demand is also expected to witness some
improvement, it said. Rice is one of the most crucial food crops in the world
and a staple diet for nearly half the global population.
Over 90 per cent of the global rice output and
consumption is centred in Asia, wherein the world's largest rice producers,
China and India, are also the world's largest rice consumers. India accounts
for over 70 per cent of the world's basmati rice production. Basmati rice
constitutes a small portion of the total rice produced in India. By volume, the
share of basmati rice is around 6 per cent in 2014-15, even as by value,
basmati rice exports account for 57 per cent in 2014-15, of India's total rice
exports. Basmati rice exports have increased at a compounded annual growth rate
( CAGR) of 27 per cent from Rs 28.24 billion in 2004-05 to Rs 275.98 billion in
2014-15.The proportion of basmati rice exports in India's total exports has
increased from around 0.6 per cent to around 1.3 per cent during the last one
decade.While basmati rice is consumed across the globe, West Asian countries
account for 75 per cent of Indian basmati rice exports in 2014-15.Within West
Asia, Iran and Saudi Arabia are the two largest buyers, together accounting for
over 50 per cent of basmati rice exports from India.
However, even as Iran emerged as one of the
largest importers of basmati rice in recent years, the country imposed a ban on
basmati rice imports from India in 2014-15, citing its own healthy rice crop
and large basmati inventory.Commenting on pricing scenario, Icra said basmati
paddy is also vulnerable to cyclical price fluctuations. Higher prices in the
market encourage higher basmati paddy cultivation, which increases supply in
the next season.This depresses the price, thereby erasing gains and shifting
farmers away from basmati paddy cultivation.During the procurement season of
2012-13 and 2013-14, there was a steep rise in paddy prices from around Rs
18,000 per tonne (MT) in 2011-12 to around Rs 37,000 MT in 2013-14, due to
strong demand in the international market.
AIREA - All India Rice Exporters Association
issued this content on 12 April 2016 and is solely responsible for the
information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on
12 April 2016 07:21:39 UTC
Original Document: http://www.airea.net/article-detail/340/breaking-news/Basmati-rice-industry-may-see-revival-from-H2-of-2016-17-Icra
Calif. rice plantings to increase only slightly
from 2015
Capital Press
Published on April 13, 2016
9:42AM
Tim Hearden/Capital Press Worker
Virgilio Chavez dumps a load of rice in a field just east of Willows, Calif.,
during the most recent harvest in October. Although Northern California growers
will get their full federal water allocations, growers rice acreage in 2016 is
expected to rise only slightly from last year.
SACRAMENTO — Though many Northern
California growers will get their full allocations of surface water this year,
rice acreage statewide is expected to only slightly rise from 2015 levels,
according to a government report.Farmers in the Golden State intend to seed
rice on 427,000 acres, 1 percent above the acreage seeded last year, the
National Agricultural Statistics Service forecast based on a survey conducted
in March.Medium-grain varieties will take up the lion’s share of acreage at 390,000
acres, or 3 percent above last year, according to NASS.Reduced prices for some
crops could determine how much rice goes into the ground, said Charley Mathews,
a Marysville, Calif., grower and USA Rice Federation executive committee
member.
“If we get excess rice acres,” it
could drag down prices, Mathews said. “It depends on the areas where they can
grow alternative crops. Things like corn, safflower … those prices are not all
that great, I’m hearing, so the jury is still out on how many acres we’re going
to get.”Rice average $370.48 per metric ton in March, down slightly from
$373.19 and continuing a downward trend from a peak of more than $600 per
metric ton in 2011 and 2012, according to the IndexMundi online data
portal.Meanwhile, the consulting firm AgResource predicts that hefty expected
crops and poor U.S. exports could bring nationwide corn and wheat prices to
10-year lows this year, Reuters reports.The reduced prices and continued
uncertainty among water supplies are causing the Golden State’s farmers to
remain conservative in their planting plans, the California Farm Bureau
Federation reports.
The rice acreage predictions came
amid a NASS prospective plantings report that predicts record low acreages of
hay, oats and upland cotton. Among the other commodities, according to the NASS
office in Sacramento:
• California growers expect to
plant 440,000 acres of corn in 2016, up 2 percent from last year.
• Growers plan to plant 45,000
acres of upland cotton this year, a record low. In addition, growers were
seeding 165,000 acres of American Pima cotton, up 41 percent from last year.
• Producers intend to harvest hay
of all types from 1.16 million acres, down 2 percent from last year and also a
record low.
• Acreage seeded in winter wheat is
forecast at 400,000 acres in California, unchanged from last year, while
another 60,000 acres are seeded to Durum wheat, or 8 percent below last year’s
amount.
• Spring and sweet potato plantings
will increase in 2016, according to the growers’ survey.
• Farmers expect to plant 26,000
acres of spring potatoes, up 13 percent from last year, and 20,000 acres of
sweet potatoes, up 8 percent from 2015.
• Sugar beat plantings will be
steady compared to last year at 25,000 acres, while this year’s anticipated
42,000 acres of sunflowers for oil would be up 27 percent from 2015. In
addition, growers expect to put in 1,400 acres of non-oil sunflowers, unchanged
from last year.
http://www.capitalpress.com/California/20160413/calif-rice-plantings-to-increase-only-slightly-from-2015
Rice basmati strengthens on rising demand
PTI | Apr 12, 2016, 03.15 PM IST
New Delhi, Apr 12 () Rice basmati prices firmed up by Rs 200 per
quintal at the wholesale grains market today on rising demand from retailers
against tight supplies from producing regions.Traders said rising demand from
retailers amid restricted supplies from producing regions mainly led to the
rise in rice basmati prices.
In the national capital, rice basmati common and Pusa-1121
variety were up by Rs 200 each to Rs 5,800-5,900 and Rs 4,500-5,500 per
quintal, respectively.
Non-basmati rice permal raw, wand and IR-8 were also up by Rs 25
each to Rs 1,900-1,950, Rs 2,075-2,125 and Rs 1,725-1,745 per quintal,
respectively. Sela too ended higher by Rs 100 to Rs 2,400-2,500 per quintal.
Following are today's quotations (in Rs per quintal):
Wheat MP (desi) Rs 1,850-2,100, Wheat dara (for mills) Rs
1,600-1,605, Chakki atta (delivery) Rs 1,605-1,610, Atta Rajdhani (10 kg) Rs
230, Shakti Bhog (10 kg) Rs 230, Roller flour mill Rs 850-860 (50 kg), Maida Rs
930-940 (50 kg) and Sooji Rs 1,010-1,025 (50 kg).
Basmati
rice (Lal Quila) Rs 10,700, Shri Lal Mahal Rs 11,300, Super Basmati Rice Rs
9,700, Basmati common new Rs 5,800-5,900, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs 4,500-5,500,
Permal raw Rs 1,900-1,950, Permal wand Rs 2,075-2,125, Sela Rs 2,400-2,500 and
Rice IR-8 Rs 1,725-1,745, Bajra Rs 1,615-1,620, Jowar yellow Rs 1,800-1,900,
white Rs 3,400-3,500, Maize Rs 1,470-1,480, Barley Rs 1,435-1,440. SUN KPS SRK
MR
This spring, embrace vegetables, but don't overpower
them
April 13, 2016 Updated: April 13, 2016 at 5:55 am
Spring is nature's fashion week. After winter's endless parade
of root vegetables, it feels as though nature has pressed the big green button,
refreshing the new season's offerings. Being showcased right now is a new look
for your fridge, in a variety of greens.A favorite green supper of mine is this
beautiful spring pilau. Buttery rice packed with spiced fennel, onions and
garlic cooked slowly until soft and finished with a last-minute addition of
still-crisp asparagus and fava beans or peas. A handful of fresh mint and a
squeeze of lemon juice is stirred in just before serving to lift and unify all
the flavors.It's a gentle dish. The key to spring cooking is never to overpower
the flavor of the new vegetables. They've spent a long time getting to the
point where they're ready. So don't overwhelm them with bigger, bolder flavors
or spices. A little cumin, green chili and garam masala are all they need to
help them sing.This dish can be eaten by itself, though adding a little yogurt
and mango pickle won't hurt.But for something a bit more special, some spring
lamb cutlets flash fried with salt, cumin and chili would make wonderful
sidekicks.
SPRING VEGETABLE PILAU WITH FENNEL AND ASPARAGUS
-
Yield: 6 servings
1 1/2 cups basmati rice 3 cups vegetable stock 2 tablespoons
unsalted butter 2 medium red onions, thinly sliced 4 cloves garlic, crushed 2
green finger chilies, very thinly sliced 2 medium bulbs fennel, trimmed and
thinly sliced 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 9 ounces
fresh or frozen peas or fresh fava beans (outer skins removed) 1 1/2 teaspoons
ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 to 1/2 cup
chopped fresh herbs, such as mint, dill or cilantro 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Procedure:
Set the rice in a mesh strainer and run under cool water until
the water runs clear. Transfer to a bowl, then add enough cool water to cover.
Set aside for 20 minutes.
In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Drain the rice,
then add to the stock. Return to a simmer, then cook until tender, 10 to 12
minutes. Use a mesh strainer to strain the rice, then set aside, covered with a
kitchen towel.
In a larger skillet over medium, melt the butter. Add the onions
and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until translucent and softened, but not
browned. Add the garlic and chilies, then cook for another 2 minutes. Add the
fennel, stir to mix, then add a couple tablespoons of water and cover. Cook for
8 minutes, or until soft. Add the asparagus, peas or fava beans, cumin, garam
masala and salt. Stir and cover, then cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the
skillet from the heat.
Stir the herbs and rice into the vegetable mixture; you might
need to delicately break up the clumps of rice using your hands. Transfer to a
serving dish and serve with wedges of lemon on the side.
Nutrition information per serving: 330 calories; 40 calories
from fat (12 percent of total calories); 4.5 g fat (2.5 g saturated; 0 g trans
fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 640 mg sodium; 62 g carbohydrate; 9 g fiber; 11 g
sugar; 11 g protein.
China continues releasing water to drought-hit Mekong River countries
China
will continue discharging water from a hydropower station into the downstream
Mekong River for drought relief, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang
said on April 12.
According to Lu, water has been
discharged from the Jinghong Hydropower Station in Yunnan province from April
11 and the release will continue until the end of the low water period.The
volume of discharged water will be adjusted in accordance with the situation in
upstream areas and the demand of downstream countries, Lu said.China had
discharged water from the dam from March 15 to April 10 at the request of
downstream countries suffering from drought.China is ready to cooperate with
countries in the Mekong River basin to deal with severe climate phenomenons and
protect water resources, he said.
On April 11, Cambodia’s Prime
Minister Hun Sen said his country is facing a severe drought, and expressed his
hope that China would continue to supply water to the downstream Mekong
River.The river originates in China and runs through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand,
Cambodia and Vietnam. It is known as the Lancang River in China.Since the end
of 2015, due to the effects of El Nino, countries along the Lancang-Mekong
River have sustained droughts of varying degrees.In Vietnam, drought and
salinisation have seriously affected the lives of people in 10 out of the 13
Mekong Delta provinces, with nearly 160,000 hectares of rice damaged and
destroyed by the phenomenon since the end of last year.
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/154935/china-continues-releasing-water-to-drought-hit-mekong-river-countries.html
IRRI warns of looming global food crisis
MB file photo
A global food crisis is looming which may rival the one in
2007-2008 because of the ongoing El Niño weather phenomenon.The
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Baños, Laguna warned that
climate change is a factor that can drive a longer span of food crisis across
the world.The premier global institution on rice research pointed out that as a
result of the current El Niño many rice producing countries had lower harvests
and irregular planting season.“Combined with lower stocks in a few key countries,
emerging patterns in regional and global grains supply threaten the repeat of
the painful rice price crisis in 2007-2008,” the agency said.IRRI was referring
to a dramatic rise in world food prices in 2007 and in the first and second
quarters of 2008 which resulted in a global crisis.
Political and economic instability as well as social unrest hit
both poor and developed countries because of the situation.The Department of
Agriculture has reported early this month that the country has already lost
about P10 billion worth of crops because of the current dry spell, or El
Niño.To combat the effect of the food crisis, IRRI suggested that countries, in
particular the Association of Southeast Asian (ASEAN)+3 and India needs
to recognize the importance of a joint action “recognizing shared
responsibility as well as share investment and regional trade outlook.” The “3″
in ASEAN+3 refers to China, Japan, and South Korea.IRRI called on the ASEAN+3
and India “to immediately invest in the ASEAN Rice Breeding Initiative (ARBI)
and the Agriculture Innovation and Research and Development Fund (AIRDF)”
now.The international agency said ASEAN+3 and India should view IRRI “as an
essential instrument for the achievement of the food security goals of the
entire region, united as the ASEAN+3 and India
More rice varieties starting to show promise for the Tropical North
Posted
The research is part of a collaboration between Mr Barfield and
Sunrice.Over the past eight years he has conducted small trials with hundreds
of rice varieties, and the mostsuccessful variety proved to be doongara.This year, Mr Barfield said there were other varieties showing
the same yield potential."Doongara is coming in around eight-tonne to the
hectare and the commercial price for doongara is $420 a tonne, so if you have
eight-tonne it is [about] $3,200 to $3,400," he said.
"I'm achieving similar stuff with these newer
varieties."Another variety showing potential is one which has been sourced
from Vietnam.
"This year is interesting because it has been a lot hotter
than normal both the minimum and maximum temperatures and it has accelerated
all of our crops.
Andrew
Barfield
"It is a short variety [and] it is quite an excellent
variety … it is a bit longer and approaches nearly sushi-type in its
qualities," Mr Barfield said."Sushi-type have zero chalk; that means
they are translucent looking and when you eat sushi you notice how the rice
holds itself together [well] that cooking characteristic has to be part of
this."Another variety Mr Barfield has been trialling is a low-GI variety,
of which the Australian industry already has in its doongara variety."All
breeding programs are about pursuing the next best thing and we are also
looking for varieties which are well adapted for Northern Australia.
"Yields are important, but so are
tastebudsWhile the new varieties show good
yield potential, there are other hurdles ahead.To sell well on the commercial
market the rice must to appeal to tastebuds too."You can have a very high
yielding variety but it might be valueless because its cooking qualities are
bad, so a new rice has to jump a lot of hoops to get through the system,"
Mr Barfield said."The Australian rice industry is not about producing
commodity rices, it is about producing specialist, high-value rice."
More information emerging about growing rice
While practice is now well-established in the Burdekin, 300
kilometres to the north, Mackay receives more rain and humidity and has less
capacity for irrigation.However Mr Barfield said there was more interesting information
coming to light about the growth of the rice in the tropical north."This
year is interesting because it has been a lot hotter than normal both the
minimum and maximum temperatures and it has accelerated all of our crops,"
he said."I've got varieties [coming on] two weeks earlier than they should
be … that is a lot of sunshine that they have missed out on."In all
agricultural growth the ultimate determiner of your potential yield is the
amount of sunshine that is trapped — that is where the game is."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-13/mackay-rice-trials-showing-more-promise/7322374
Is there a rice shortage looming due to El Nino drought?
Export restrictions by major rice producers including India fed
panic in the market in 2008, forcing big purchases by countries such as the
Philippines that caused Asian benchmark prices to nearly triple to around
US$1,000 a tonne.After that, consumers and exporters, mainly in Asia, rebuilt
rice inventories to avoid another crisis, but Mohanty said stocks have been
declining since 2013.“Last year, nobody was panicking because they were sure
that there’s plenty of rice in the market if there’s any shortfall. I think we
don’t have that luxury anymore this year.”The price of Thai 5% broken
rice touched an eight-month high of US$378.50 a tonne in March, while
Vietnam’s own 5% broken rice last month rose to a 2½-month peak of US$385 a
tonne.
Mohanty said India and Thailand, the world’s top two exporters,
would have combined stocks of around 16 million tonnes by the third quarter,
around 70% lower than levels in 2013.That buffer will be much smaller than
recent stock levels of 16.2 million tonnes for India and about 12 million
tonnes for Thailand.India will be “very cautious in exporting” if its rice
output is hit by a weak monsoon, said Mohanty.That could push big buyers such
as the Philippines and Indonesia to accumulate the grain, a staple food for
nearly half of the world’s population, similar to what happened in 2008.
“We might see the same thing as we move forward and countries get
scared about the weather situation around them,” Mohanty said.The
Philippines is considering importing another 500,000 tonnes of rice this year
to boost state reserve stocks
http://www.therakyatpost.com/business/2016/04/12/el-nino-may-have-caused-global-rice-supply-shortage/Thai
Water Festivals Continue Despite Drought
Mass water fights are staged to celebrate the traditional New
Year despite a third of Thailand's provinces experiencing drought.
18:15, UK,Wednesday 13 April 2016
Video:
Celebrations for the Songkran water festival in Ayutthaya
province
A number of the Kingdom's largest reservoirs are now below 30%
of their capacity, meaning restrictions have been put in place on the volume of
tap water being released, and a ban in some areas on farmers pumping river
water for their crops.Narong Saithong, a rice farmer from the central Lop Buri
province, told Sky News he had been unable to grow his crop for months.His rice
paddies, normally filled with water and carpeted in green, have been baked
dry.With 10 family members to provide for he is looking at other options, but
is in serious trouble."We've suffered a lot. We can't pay our debts. We
are really struggling," he said."We're looking for new jobs or at
least alternative crops to grow instead. But we haven't found one yet."His
situation is one example of that faced by thousands around the
country.Economists have predicted the drought could have a major impact on
Thailand's exports in the coming year, with rice and sugar-cane production
badly affected.Efforts to alleviate some of the hardship have included water
truck deliveries to some remote areas by regional irrigation authorities.
A man walks on a dried up swamp in Ayuttaya province
Thailand's Royal Rainmaking airborne unit have also been sent
into the skies in an effort to induce rain over reservoirs and major
agricultural regions.Their cloud-seeding operations involve releasing chemicals
into existing clouds, in order to encourage them to rise and grow in size,
before using ice to encourage rain to fall.But despite working closely with
meteorologists to determine the right weather conditions for the flights, the
extended dry spell has been frustrating the pilots' efforts.At the Jiraprawat
Royal air base in the drought-hit Nakhon Sawan province, pilot Suchet
Pattanapanjakul told Sky News he and his team were desperate to help
more."It's so worrying when the weather isn't right for flying ... It's a
big problem for us, because it means we can't target the right areas for rain.
When we are in the sky, we must have clouds in the right positions."The
severity of this year's drought is thought to be the result of the global El
Nino weather phenomenon, whereby warmer sea waters in the equatorial Pacific
Ocean change normal temperature and rainfall patterns.The impact of the drought
has been felt in India as well as across South East Asia.
04/13/2016 Farm Bureau Market Report
Rice
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Rice Comment
Rice futures ended a bit higher. It looks
like futures are attempting to consolidate above the recent spike low.
Technically, the first level of support for May is the recent low of
$9.42 1/2, while overhead trendline resistance is currently near $10.09. The
supply/demand report released today wasn't changed much from last month's
report. World ending stocks were decreased to 90.17 million metric tons.
However, the U.S. on-farm expected price was lowered to $12.30-$12.70.
Arkansas leaders form
new Engage Cuba state council to promote trade
Apr 12, 2016 Delta Farm Press
“After 55 years, we have to
ask ourselves if the Cuba embargo is performing its intended function, or if
instead it is harming the Cuban people and states like Arkansas, which stands
to benefit to the tune of a potential $1 billion export market,” said Rep. Rick
Crawford.
Dow Brantley speaks at a press conference announcing the formation
of the Arkansas State Council of Engage Cuba.The effort to restore Cuba as a
major market for U.S. rice and other agricultural commodities took another step
forward with the launch Monday (April 11) of the Arkansas State Council for
Engage Cuba.The launch was announced at a press conference co-sponsored by the
USA Rice Federation in Little Rock. The event was attended by a large group of
Arkansas agribusiness, community and academic leaders interested in boosting
the state’s agricultural economy.
Arkansas is the nation’s largest rice-producing state, and Cuba
once was a major buyer of rice from the United States. Although U.S. rice
shipments resumed following passage of the U.S. Trade Sanction Reform and
Export Enhancement Act in 2000, sales have never reached pre-embargo levels of
the 1940s and 1950s.“Under the leadership of Governor Asa Hutchinson, Senator
John Boozman and Representative Rick Crawford, Arkansas is ground zero for our
efforts to lift the travel ban and trade embargo,” said James Williams,
president of Engage Cuba, speaking at the press conference. “Arkansas is the
living and breathing example of why we need to change this policy after 55
years of failure. The fact that Cubans are now eating rice from Vietnam instead
of Arkansas is an outrage that needs to be changed.”
With more than 1.5 million acres of rice projected for Arkansas in
2016, removing barriers to trade with Cuba could have a huge impact. “The
Arkansas Agriculture industry as a whole stands to benefit from increased trade
opportunities with Cuba," said Arkansas Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward.
"As the leading rice producing state, our rice industry would be the
biggest benefactor.”
Dow Brantley, Arkansas rice farmer and chairman of the USA Rice
Federation, acknowledged the Obama administration has taken steps to try to
break down trade barriers between the U.S. and Cuba in recent months
http://deltafarmpress.com/rice/arkansas-leaders-form-new-engage-cuba-state-council-promote-trade
Global food crisis looms anew
DUE
TO EL NIÑO AND CLIMATE CHANGE, SAYS IRRI
The world is facing the threat
of another food crisis similar to what happened in 2007-2008 when prices of
commodities like rice spiked, according to the International Rice Research
Institute.IRRI attributes the looming crisis to the strong El Niño and the
overall trend of climate change.“Combined with lower stocks in a few key
countries, emerging patterns in regional and global grain supply threaten the
repeat of the painful rice price crisis in 2007-2008,” the Laguna-based
institute said.“To address such a crisis at a maximum impact, joint action is
needed among countries, particularly the Asean+3 and India—recognizing shared
responsibility as well as shared investment—and a regional trade outlook,” it
added.
Asean+3 refers to the trading
bloc that include the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
— the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos,
Myanmar and Vietnam — and Asean’s three nearest dialog partners (China, Japan
and South Korea).IRRI noted that the 2007-2008 price crisis prompted the Asean
to craft a regional integrated food security framework along with a strategic
plan of action.This in turn led to the setting up of the Asean+3 Emergency Rice
Reserve (Apterr) in 2012, aimed at ensuring the long-term food security and
livelihood of the people in the East Asian region .
“(However, Apterr’s)
organization has been quite delayed and its feasibility yet to be tested by a
major challenge,” IRRI said.The institute added that beyond the framework and
the plan, “much more needs to be done, and regional cooperation will be
essential to manage a food crisis.”
Feature: DA-Rice Processing Center: A profitable
agriculture enterprise
April 13, 2016
Sto. Niño Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SNMPC) in Butuan
City is now reaping the profit of Department of Agriculture’s (DA's)
agricultural modernization projects.The cooperative was organized in 1991 with
only 25 members composed of rice farmers. They started their operation on rice
milling business from a bank loan. But over the years, the equipment and
facility procured were already inefficient. This causes for their operation to
be less productive.“For almost 20 years of our rice milling operation the
equipment and facility that we have, were already depreciated and less
efficient.
This became a hindrance for our customers tried to find another
miller which can provide them a better quality output. But thanks to DA’s
intervention through Agri-Pinoy Rice Program, the department provided us the
Rice Processing Center (RPC) a facility that we need to upgrade our operation,”
said Marilyn Aranas, Chairperson of SNMPC.In 2013 the cooperative was a
recipient of RPC worth ₱4.5 million in which 15% of the total amount was the
cooperative’s counterpart. The center has a two-ton-per-hour multi-pass rice
mill that gives the farmers 65% rate of recovery of their produce compared to
small rice millers that only gives 50%.RPC is a facility that showcases efficient
rice postharvest operation through mechanization and automation. It ensures
savings in labor cost, lesser losses, enhanced quality, improved distribution
system and maximized use of buy-products.“The facility is cost and energy
efficient and makes our operation more productive. Before, the milling capacity
was only 10 sacks per hour but today through the RPC it doubled to 20 sacks per
hour. This time, we can accept customers thru market linkages who need order by
volume every month,” said Aranas.
Aside from their walk-in clienteles, SNMPC has established a
marketing agreement with Mangagoy Fishermen Cooperative (MAFISCO) and San Roque
Farmers and Displaced Workers Cooperative from Bislig City. They also have
market linkages to Sto. Niño Consumers Cooperative from Magallanes, Agusan del
Norte and Gingoog Rice Retailer from Gingoog, Misamis Oriental.According to
Aranas, an average of 2,430 sacks of rice (50 kilos per sack) valued at ₱
4,700,900 were sold every month to their identified buyers. DA-Marketing
Assistance Division assisted the cooperative to make market linkages for
potential buyers, she added.The cooperative is now capable to produce premium
milled rice. The enhanced rice quality through the use of the multi-pass rice
mill serves an avenue for the National Food Authority (NFA) to link partnership
with the cooperative through a milling contract.Furthermore, DA also provided
pre and post-harvest facilities with a total worth of ₱ 2.2 million. Over the
years, the following equipment were granted to SNMPC: three units of flat- bed
dryer, four units of multi-purpose drying pavement, one unit hand tractor and
one unit rice transplanter.
Based on the cooperative’s financial statement, the total sale for
the year 2011 was ₱17.7 million. While in 2012 it has a total sale of ₱ 21.4
million, or an equivalent of 17% increase. In 2013 a drastic increase of sales
was recorded amounting to ₱ 33.2 million, or an equivalent of 35% increase was
achieved.This shows that the establishment of RPC is not only a service
facility but an enterprising venture for farmers to do and learn how to run an
agri-business operation to the best of their ability.“Today we have 360 active members of
the cooperative. SNMPC members are now receiving their dividend, before the coop
is incapable to give the dividend because the operation is not profitable. We
are very thankful for the Department of Agriculture in restoring back our
profitable operation.
Now, we saw the great
advantage on our part if we have our rice produced milled at the RPC,” said Aranas.For the past five years
(2011-2015), SNMPC has a yearly total asset worth of ₱10.2M, ₱11.6M, ₱16.4M,
₱20.4M, and ₱21.6M respectively.For years, DA continues to provide the needed
support to empower the farmers in Caraga and increase productivity. Through its
Rice Program, mechanization is placed as one of its top priority. (Rhea C.
Abao, DA-13 Information Section/PIA-Caraga)
http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1701460446674/feature-da-rice-processing-center-a-profitable-agriculture-enterprise
APEDA
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Chef Contest Features
U.S. Rice
TOKYO, JAPAN -- The
U.S. Embassy's Agriculture Trade Office conducted the second in a series of
hands-on cooking contests, called the United Tastes of America Asian
Competition, at the Hattori Nutrition College last month. Five teams,
consisting of two chefs each, from Beijing, Hong Kong, Taipei, Seoul, and Tokyo
who won in a competition held in each city beforehand, participated.
The competing chefs used fresh, high quality U.S. food
ingredients to produce exquisite dishes. U.S. medium grain was one of the 19
designated ingredients and the resulting menus highlighted the versatility of
the U.S. grain. The Tokyo and Hong Kong teams used U.S. rice to make
appetizers, the Taipei and Seoul teams made soup, and the first place Beijing
team fashioned U.S. medium grain into an award-winning dessert.
"This particular competition aims at
introducing potentialities of U.S. foods," said USA Rice Vice President of
International Promotion Jim Guinn. "Over the past several years, we
have worked with the foodservice sector and importers to make them aware of our
high quality rice and are enjoying increasing sales."
Firefighters on scene of fire at Doguet Rice Mill
TUESDAY, APRIL 12TH
2016
Update: Investigators say around
11:30 a fire ignited inside one of the rice dryers. Douget's Vice President
Greg Devillier tells KFDM "It appears a chaff, the husk of the rice seed,
caught fire." Investigators say the high heat in those dryers could have
easily ignited the chaff. Firefighters attacked the fire quickly and kept it
confined to the chaff house.Firefighters have been responding to a reported
fire at the Doguet Rice Mill. The mill is located off College and Major. An
employee at the rice mill tells our photographer that it appears a rice dryer
caught on fire. He says the fire has shut down most operations except for
packaging. More updates to follow.
http://kfdm.com/news/local/firefighters-on-scene-of-fire-at-doguet-rice-mill
LINSCOMBE
TALKS RICE RESEARCH, PRODUCTION
Wed, 04/13/2016 - 8:18am
President-elect of the Rotary
Club of Crowley Tracy Young, right, along with program organizer Michael
Hensgens, left, welcomed Dr. Steven Linscombe from the H. Rouse Caffey Rice
Research Station to discuss the rice industry.
Jeannine LeJeune
Online Editor
Crowley Post-Signal
CROWLEY –
Since Dr. Steve Linscombe, rice
breeder and director of the LSU AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station,
joined LSU in 1982, things have changed mightily in the rice industry.Now, the
industry may not be staring down the best prices, but it is one that sees a future through continued work by the research station and
more.Speaking to the Rotary Club of Crowley Tuesday, Linscombe explained just
how far the industry has come.Last year, he explained, Louisiana had over 1,000
growers in 29 parishes. They combined to farm roughly 412,000 acres and
produced 7,300 pounds of rice per acre.Despite technically being down a few
numbers, it is still miles ahead of where the industry was decades ago.In fact,
even the type of rice grown has changed. Years ago, medium grain was the rice
to grow with farmers opting for the grain on a two-to-one ratio.
Now? Last year alone, 85 percent
of rice grown in Louisiana was long grain.But growing rice is just one part of
the industry’s puzzle that increasingly turns to research in order to keep up
with both demand and to survive.Case in point, for years, cultivated rice had
to fight for room in a field that would also grow red rice. That nuisance – a
rice plant that was so much like its cultivated counterpart that it was impossible
to single out a trait to create a herbicide for it – led to the creation of the
Clearfield rice plant.
But, as the old adage goes, “nature always wins.” After years of success with Clearfield’s plant and the Clearfield pesticide, the red rice plant is mounting a comeback in fields as it has begun cross pollinating with Clearfield rice and is creating its own hybrid.It’s factors like this that have made continued research and development critical in the rice industry.Now, once again, those involved in research feel they are close to the next great answer – Provisia – but, odds are it will be back to the drawing board for the next great discovery after Provisia is released to combat the next problem.It’s the circle of research that has become vital to the industry, and why stations like the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station are offering critical services to the industry.
The other side of the research coin has become the traveling it involves. Some of that is the numerous trips to the Puerto Rico station, which Linscombe explained is hardly a vacation.
“No one wants to come with me to
Puerto Rico more than once,” he said.Then, there are other trips made across
the world that have seen the research station give research to other countries
but received so much more in return.The current site of the research station is
about 720 acres in size; there is also the South Farm, located along Louisiana
Highway 13 south of Crowley, which houses much of the station’s crawfish and
soybean research.
Those looking for more information about the station and the work it does can visit them on Facebook or make plans to attend the annual Field Day, set for Wednesday, June 29.“We have one of the biggest in the state,” said Linscombe of the station’s Field Day. “If you’ve never been, make plans to hop onto a trailer and go around the station, or, at least be there around noon and let us feed you a great lunch.”
Those looking for more information about the station and the work it does can visit them on Facebook or make plans to attend the annual Field Day, set for Wednesday, June 29.“We have one of the biggest in the state,” said Linscombe of the station’s Field Day. “If you’ve never been, make plans to hop onto a trailer and go around the station, or, at least be there around noon and let us feed you a great lunch.”
http://www.crowleytoday.com/news-local/linscombe-talks-rice-research-production
KAU bags awards
Wed,13 Apr 2 016
Awards for rice research projects The Rice Research Station,
Moncompu and Regional Agricultural Research Station, Pattambi, under Kerala
Agricultural University have won the national award for the best AICRIP (All
India Coordinated Rice Improvement Project) centre for the year 2016. While
RRS, Moncompu, bagged the award for crop improvement, RARS, Pattambi, secured
the award in the crop protection category. The awards have been instituted by
the Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad. The awards were presented at
the 51st annual Rice Group Meeting held at Raipur, Chattisgarh, last week.
S.Leena Kumari, Professor and Head, RRS, Moncompu, and P. Raji and K. Karthikeyan, Plant Protection scientists from RARS,
Pattambi, received the awards from S. K. Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/kau-bags-awards/article8469115.ece
Hot, hot day; food shortage
feared
Philippine Daily Inquirer
01:24 AM April 14th, 2016
PARCHED LAND Corn stalks in
Tuguegarao City have turned brown as temperatures rise, intensified by El Niño.
Nearby, the Cagayan River water level has dropped to one of its lowest. RICHARD
A. REYES
Temperatures around the Philippines soared close to “extremely
dangerous” levels Wednesday as the International Rice Research Institute (Irri)
warned that the world faced another food crisis similar to the 2007-2008 crunch
caused by El Niño.The heat index—the actual temperature felt by the
body—reached 52.3 degrees Celsius Wednesday in Nueva Ecija, breaking the record
51 degrees reported by the weather station in the province on Monday.This was
the highest heat index recorded so far since the onset of the dry season in
March.It was also just 1.7 degrees lower than the “extreme danger” level of 54
degrees Celsius at which, according to the state weather bureau, heatstroke is
“imminent” under continued exposure to the sun.
The heat was so intense that students at Wesleyan
University-Philippines in Cabanatuan City were allowed to ditch their uniforms
for more comfortable clothing, while other residents gulped down thousands of
liters of iced water and made halo-halo vendors rich.Other residents sought
refuge in air-conditioned shopping malls or took a dip in the sea.Herminio
Ambrocio, a retired military officer, said he stayed in his air-conditioned
room after his morning walk.Hadji Santaygilio, a farmer from Cabu village,
chose to stay at his nipa hut on his citrus farm, as using the air conditioner
in his house was expensive.Buddy Balajadia said men in his village,
Caalibangbangan, went around half-naked, while his family tried to cope with
the heat by eating halo-halo.
Above 50 degrees
Two other weather stations recorded above-50-degree
maximum heat index on Tuesday—Clark Airport in Pampanga province, 51.9 degrees,
and Sangley Point, Cavite province, 50.2 degrees, according to the Philippine
Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
(Pagasa).Pagasa said 24 other weather stations recorded a maximum heat index of
at least 40 degrees.At 23 other weather stations, the highest heat index ranged
from 35.3 degrees to 39.9 degrees.In the three weather stations in Metro
Manila, the maximum heat index on Tuesday was 39 degrees in Port Area, Manila;
41.1 degrees at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City and 45.4
degrees at the Science Garden in Quezon City.The heat index, Pagasa said, is
the temperature actually felt by the body and measured based on air temperature
and humidity.
The weather bureau has warned that the country will continue to
have “generally warmer than average” temperatures this month as El Niño shows
signs of ending by the middle of the year.According to Pagasa, a heat index of
at least 41 degrees to 53 degrees Celsius is considered the “danger” level due
to probable heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke from continued activity
under the sun.When the heat index ranges from 32 degrees to 41 degrees Celsius,
the weather bureau calls for “extreme caution.”Once the heat index breaches 54
degrees Celsius, Pagasa considers it the “extreme danger” level.
Looming food crisis
In 2007-2008, a strong El Niño ravaged farms around the world,
drastically affecting harvests and pushing up prices of commodities, including
rice.The Laguna-based Irri sees another food crisis threatening the world and attributes
it to El Niño and the overall trend of climate change.The situation remains
stable and the threat will advance or decline depending on whether rice
importing countries panic as they did almost 10 years ago, Irri said in a
statement Wednesday.The Food and Agriculture Organization, in an update on the
impact of the current El Niño on food security and the needed interventions,
placed 25 countries, including the Philippines, on “high priority” for early
action and response.Irri said the current El Niño had resulted in lower
harvests and irregular planting in several rice-producing countries.“Combined
with lower stocks in a few key countries, emerging patterns in regional and
global grain supply threaten the repeat of the painful rice price crisis in 2007-2008,”
Irri said.
Joint action
“To address such a crisis at a maximum impact, joint action is
needed among countries, particularly the Asean+3 and India—recognizing shared
responsibility as well as shared investment—and a regional trade outlook,” it said.Asean+3
refers to the trading bloc that includes the 10 members of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations—the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand,
Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Burma (Myanmar) and Vietnam—and the group’s three
nearest dialog partners (China, Japan and South Korea).
Irri said the 2007-2008 price spike prompted Asean to draw up a
regional integrated food security framework along with a strategic plan of
action.This in turn led to the setting up of the Asean+3 Emergency Rice Reserve
(Apterr) in 2012, aimed at ensuring the long-term food security and livelihood
of the people in the East Asian region .“[But Apterr’s] organization has been
quite delayed and its feasibility yet to be tested by a major challenge,” Irri
said.The institute added that beyond the framework and the plan, “much more
needs to be done, and regional cooperation will be essential to manage a food
crisis.”
Rice reserve
In September 2011, the Asean+3 nations signed the agreement to
create Apterr, committing the 13 signatories to build up a reserve of 787,000
tons of rice in anticipation of instabilities in supply resulting from natural
disasters.The Apterr pact also commits the 13 countries, which together account
for two-thirds of global rice production and more than half of global rice
exports, to raise $4 million for an endowment fund.
The Philippines was committed to contribute 12,000 tons of rice
for the stock and $107,500 for the fund.
Sam Mohanty, chief of Irri’s social sciences division, said in a
blog post the risk of another global price spike largely depended on whether
importing countries would panic as they did in 2007-2008.“Despite the current
stability in the rice market, there are reasons for concern about the direction
of the market in the medium term,” Mohanty said, referring to mid-to-late
2016.Citing data from the US Department of Agriculture, Mohanty noted that the
world’s five major exporters—India, Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan and the United
States—continue to decrease every year since peaking at about 41 million tons
in 2013.
Shrinking inventory
Data from the USDA show that the Top 5’s combined inventory will
shrink by the biggest amount this year, by 40 percent to 19 million tons from
32 million tons in 2015—the tightest supply situation since the price spikes of
2007-2008.Still, prices are expected to remain “fairly stable” until early next
year, especially if harvests in the major rice-growing countries in the coming
wet season turn out to be normal.But a less-than-usual crop due to some major
weather event might push major exporting and importing countries like the
Philippines to the limit.“If they panic similar to what happened in 2007-2008
and resort to excessive buying and export restrictions, then another price
spike is in the offing,” he said.“However, if they keep their cool and remain
rational regarding their needs, the market price may still go up, but only to a
level that is consistent with market fundamentals,” he said. With a report from Armand Galang, Inquirer Central Luzon
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/779478/hot-hot-day-food-shortage-feared#ixzz45nhk8DOy
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