Pakistan: Grain and Feed Update
October 5, 2016
Planting
of the Rabi (winter) wheat crop is expected to get underway in a few weeks.
The Government has not announced a revised procurement price, but
Pakistani wheat is already among the most expensive in the world and
farmers are expected to match the year-ago area that led to a near-record crop.
Despite an export subsidy of $120 per ton for up to 900,000 metric tons of
wheat, Pakistan’s high domestic wheat price is expected to limit exports to
neighboring Afghanistan. Pakistan’s wheat market is currently shielded by a 60
percent import tariff. Rice exports have faded after the robust monthly volumes
that started the marketing year, but, with two months to go in the marketing
year, appear to be on pace to reach 4.2 million metric tons in 2015/16, down
slightly from the previous estimate.
http://www.fas.usda.gov/data/pakistan-grain-and-feed-update-4
India offers to fill gap in Egypt’s rice stocks
Thu, 06/10/2016 - 14:10
The state television website reported that Babu and Mesilhi discussed activating bilateral agreements regarding supplying Indian rice to Egypt, as with recent shipments received by Egypt.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Egyptian government said it will look to import 500,000 tons of rice in order to boost strategic stocks and keep prices down, Reuters reported.
Egypt plans to build a six-month reserve of essential food items, adding to other recent purchases of commodities such as oil and wheat, in what traders said was a move to build up stocks ahead of a currency devaluation.
But prices of rice have been climbing on Egypt's local market in the past few weeks, partly due to shortages.
Egypt is traditionally a rice exporter, with its local crop exceeding annual consumption, but local producers hoarding stocks have pushed up domestic prices and created shortages, traders sai
http://www.egyptindependent.com//news/india-offers-fill-gap-egypt-s-rice-stocks
Global wheat and
rice harvests poised to set new record
FAO Thursday 6th October, 2016
6 October 2016, Rome -- Global food markets will likely remain
"generally well balanced" in the year ahead, as prices for most
internationally-traded agricultural commodities are relatively low and stable,
FAO said today.
The benign outlook, especially for staple grains, is poised to
lower the world food import bill to a six-year low, according to the Food Outlook.
Record global production forecasts for this year's wheat and rice harvests, along with rebounding maize output, are helping keep inventories ample and prices low. Worldwide cereal production in 2016 should rise 2 569 million tonnes, up 1.5 percent from the previous year and enough to further boost existing inventories.
The value of total food imports is expected to fall 11 percent in U.S. dollar terms in 2016 to 1.168 trillion, as lower bills for livestock products and cereal-based foodstuffs more than offset higher bills for fish, fruit and vegetables, oils and particularly sugar. However, the decline is expected to be slower for economically more vulnerable nations, many of which have depreciating local currencies.
Record global production forecasts for this year's wheat and rice harvests, along with rebounding maize output, are helping keep inventories ample and prices low. Worldwide cereal production in 2016 should rise 2 569 million tonnes, up 1.5 percent from the previous year and enough to further boost existing inventories.
The value of total food imports is expected to fall 11 percent in U.S. dollar terms in 2016 to 1.168 trillion, as lower bills for livestock products and cereal-based foodstuffs more than offset higher bills for fish, fruit and vegetables, oils and particularly sugar. However, the decline is expected to be slower for economically more vulnerable nations, many of which have depreciating local currencies.
Bumper crops
FAO raised its forecast for global wheat production to 742.4
million tonnes, led by increases in India, the U.S. and the Russian Federation
- which is poised to overtake the European Union as the grain's largest
exporter. Total wheat utilization is projected to reach 730.5 million tonnes,
including a big jump in use of lower-quality wheat for animal rations.
Global rice production is predicted to expand for the first time in three years, increasing 1.3 percent to an all-time high of 497.8 million tonnes, buoyed by abundant monsoon rains over Asia and sizable increases in Africa. Coarse grain output is seen rising 1.8 percent on the year, buoyed by record crops in the U.S., Argentina and India.
Cereal prices are drifting lower on the backs of the expected hefty supply. Wheat and maize futures on the Chicago Board of Trade have both dropped more than 16 percent since the start of the year, while quoted rice prices are at their lowest level since early 2008.
Production of cassava, a dietary mainstay in Africa where per capita consumption is above 100 kilograms annually, is also projected to grow 2.6% this year to 288 million tonnes. However, China's shift to drawing down its maize stockpile for domestic industry and feed has curbed international prices and trade flows for cassava.
Soybeans and other oilcrops could reach an all-time production high this year, thanks to record US yields, although demand is expected to grow even faster. In the livestock sector, dairy markets are also expected to return to general balance in 2016 after a long period of excess supply, but tightening milk availabilities in the EU triggered the largest monthly rise in dairy prices in many years.
Stagnant world meat output in 2016, twinned with rising international demand for pigmeat and poultry, especially from East Asian markets, continues to lend support to meat prices.
Global fish production, meanwhile, is forecast to expand by a below-trend 1.8 percent this year to 174 million tonnes, as aquaculture output is expected to expand by 5 percent and wild-caught fish output to decline by 0.9 percent, due in part to El Nino's impact on Pacific sardines, anchovetas and squid.
Global rice production is predicted to expand for the first time in three years, increasing 1.3 percent to an all-time high of 497.8 million tonnes, buoyed by abundant monsoon rains over Asia and sizable increases in Africa. Coarse grain output is seen rising 1.8 percent on the year, buoyed by record crops in the U.S., Argentina and India.
Cereal prices are drifting lower on the backs of the expected hefty supply. Wheat and maize futures on the Chicago Board of Trade have both dropped more than 16 percent since the start of the year, while quoted rice prices are at their lowest level since early 2008.
Production of cassava, a dietary mainstay in Africa where per capita consumption is above 100 kilograms annually, is also projected to grow 2.6% this year to 288 million tonnes. However, China's shift to drawing down its maize stockpile for domestic industry and feed has curbed international prices and trade flows for cassava.
Soybeans and other oilcrops could reach an all-time production high this year, thanks to record US yields, although demand is expected to grow even faster. In the livestock sector, dairy markets are also expected to return to general balance in 2016 after a long period of excess supply, but tightening milk availabilities in the EU triggered the largest monthly rise in dairy prices in many years.
Stagnant world meat output in 2016, twinned with rising international demand for pigmeat and poultry, especially from East Asian markets, continues to lend support to meat prices.
Global fish production, meanwhile, is forecast to expand by a below-trend 1.8 percent this year to 174 million tonnes, as aquaculture output is expected to expand by 5 percent and wild-caught fish output to decline by 0.9 percent, due in part to El Nino's impact on Pacific sardines, anchovetas and squid.
Food Price Index
The FAO Food Price Index, also released today, averaged 170.9
points in September, up 2.9 percent from August and 10 percent from a year
earlier.
The increase was driven by a 13.8 percent monthly jump in the FAO Dairy Price Index, partly as a result of a sharp jump in butter prices benefiting exporters in the EU, where dairy output is declining.
The FAO Sugar Price Index rose 6.7 percent from August on the back of unfavorable weather in the Centre South main producing region in Brazil.
Palm oil prices also rose, helped by low stock levels in both exporting and importing countries, as did those of soy and rapeseed oil, lifting the FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index by 2.9 percent for the month.
The FAO Meat Price Index was unchanged from August.
The FAO Cereal Price Index, meanwhile, slipped 1.9 percent from the previous month and is 8.9 percent below its year-earlier level.
The FAO Food Price Index is a trade-weighted index tracking international market prices for the five key commodity groups. Its current level is the highest since March 2015. The sub-index for cereals is now at its lowest in a decade in deflated terms.
The increase was driven by a 13.8 percent monthly jump in the FAO Dairy Price Index, partly as a result of a sharp jump in butter prices benefiting exporters in the EU, where dairy output is declining.
The FAO Sugar Price Index rose 6.7 percent from August on the back of unfavorable weather in the Centre South main producing region in Brazil.
Palm oil prices also rose, helped by low stock levels in both exporting and importing countries, as did those of soy and rapeseed oil, lifting the FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index by 2.9 percent for the month.
The FAO Meat Price Index was unchanged from August.
The FAO Cereal Price Index, meanwhile, slipped 1.9 percent from the previous month and is 8.9 percent below its year-earlier level.
The FAO Food Price Index is a trade-weighted index tracking international market prices for the five key commodity groups. Its current level is the highest since March 2015. The sub-index for cereals is now at its lowest in a decade in deflated terms.
http://www.vancouverstar.com/index.php/sid/248290547
Customs
Allege Plot To Massively Smuggle Rice Into Nigeria
Channels Television.
Updated October 5, 2016
Updated October 5, 2016
The Comptroller General of Customs, Colonel
Hameed Ali (rtd), made the allegation during a media briefing on Wednesday in
Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.He revealed that at least 117,000 bags of illegally
imported rice have been seized by the Customs since January 2016.
Impounded bags of rice
The Acting Director-General of the National
Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control, Mrs Yetunde Oni, also
corroborated the claims.She said that the activities of smugglers were affecting
Nigeria’s revenue generation, despite its economic recession.Prior to the
development, Customs authority in Ogun State Command decried the increase in
the activities of smugglers.
Addressing reporters after vehicles loaded with
bags of rice were seized at Idiroko border, the Ogun State Area Comptroller of
Customs, Mr Multafu Waindu, paraded 18 vehicles loaded with bags of rice which
were being smuggled into Nigeria from the Republic of Benin.According to him,
the vehicles and the grains were impounded around 3:00am at the porous Alari
and Ifoyintedo bush paths, in Ipokia Local Government Area of the state where
the smuggled bags of rice and the vehicles were abandoned by the smugglers.
Economy In Recession
Meanwhile, Nigerians have lamented the upsurge
in the cost of rice from 12,000 Naira to over 20,000 Naira in some parts of the
country, a fall out of the economic recession.Economic analysts have said that
more persons could go into smuggling of rice due to the increase in price, with
most of them opting for Benin Republic where they could get rice for as low as
12,000 Naira.While the government is making effort to address the economic
challenges, a World Economic Outlook report released by the International
Monetary Fund had predicted that the Nigerian economy would grow by 0.6% in
2017.
The report revealed that Nigeria’s real Gross
Domestic Product was expected to increase marginally by 0.6% with Consumer
Prices rising by 17.1%, effectively lifting the country out of an officially
declared recession.
Attacks On Oil Facilities
The recession was a result of the drop in the
price of crude oil and the attacks on the nation’s oil facilities by some
militant groups in the Niger Delta region.Some militants under the umbrella of
the Niger Delta Avengers have claimed responsibility for most of the attacks
which have drawn the attention of the Nigerian Government and some other
foreign governments.
Disturbed by the spate of the militants’
activities, the Nigerian Army launched a special team code named “Operation
Crocodile Smile”, as the government agreed to dialogue with the militants after
a ceasefire agreement from both sides.In spite of the development, both
military and militants have continued to point accusing fingers, alleging a
breach of agreements as the military said it would not hesitate to repel
militants’ attack in the region.https://www.channelstv.com/2016/10/05/customs-allege-plot-to-massively-smuggle-rice-into-nigeria/
Gov't to
purchase all surplus rice to stabilize market prices
2016/10/06 11:31
SEJONG, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- The
South Korean government said Thursday that it will purchase all of this year's
rice surplus as part of efforts to deal with a chronic supply glut of the
staple crop. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs projected that
some 300,000 tons of rice will be in excess this year, as the estimated 4.2
million ton supply will outnumber the 3.9 million ton demand.
"The government will pull
the total rice oversupply out of the market before the end of this year,"
said the ministry. "The exact amount of the government purchase will be
fixed in November."
In addition to the plan to purchase the excess, the government will buy some 390,000 tons of rice for public stockpiling.
In addition to the plan to purchase the excess, the government will buy some 390,000 tons of rice for public stockpiling.
The annual rice consumption of
the South Korean population has been on a sharp decline for decades due mainly
to changes in diet and eating habits.Per capita rice consumption reached 62.9
kilograms per year in 2015, sharply down from the 128.1 kg tallied in 1985,
according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.
The sharp decrease in rice
consumption and a bumper harvest year in 2015 led to a surge in the total stock
of the country's staple grain, with rice production reaching a six-year high of
4.33 million tons. The rice production is expected to hit a fresh record for
2016 on another rich year.The rice inventory reached 1.75 million tons as of
August, far beyond the recommended level of 800,000 tons by the United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organization.
The government spent more than 3
trillion won (US$2.7 billion) to support the rice price, which has been
hovering around 135,000 won for nearly 20 years, through giving out subsidies
to rice farmers and purchasing oversupplied rice.
(END
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2016/10/06/28/0200000000AEN20161006005600320F.html
Gov't to purchase all surplus
rice to stabilize market prices
Published : 2016-10-06 13:33
Updated : 2016-10-06 13:33
Updated : 2016-10-06 13:33
The South Korean government said Thursday that
it will purchase all of this year's rice surplus as part of efforts to deal
with a chronic supply glut of the staple crop.The Ministry of Agriculture, Food
and Rural Affairs projected that some 300,000 tons of rice will be in excess
this year, as the estimated 4.2 million ton supply will outnumber the 3.9
million ton demand.
"The government will pull the total rice oversupply out of the market before the end of this year," said the ministry. "The exact amount of the government purchase will be fixed in November."
In addition to the plan to purchase the excess, the government will buy some 390,000 tons of rice for public stockpiling.
The annual rice consumption of the South Korean population has been on a sharp decline for decades due mainly to changes in diet and eating habits.
Per capita rice consumption reached 62.9 kilograms per year in 2015, sharply down from the 128.1 kg tallied in 1985, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.
The sharp decrease in rice consumption and a bumper harvest year in 2015 led to a surge in the total stock of the country's staple grain, with rice production reaching a six-year high of 4.33 million tons. The rice production is expected to hit a fresh record for 2016 on another rich year.
The rice inventory reached 1.75 million tons as of August, far beyond the recommended level of 800,000 tons by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
The government spent more than 3 trillion won ($2.7 billion) to support the rice price, which has been hovering around 135,000 won for nearly 20 years, through giving out subsidies to rice farmers and purchasing oversupplied rice. (Yonhap)
"The government will pull the total rice oversupply out of the market before the end of this year," said the ministry. "The exact amount of the government purchase will be fixed in November."
In addition to the plan to purchase the excess, the government will buy some 390,000 tons of rice for public stockpiling.
The annual rice consumption of the South Korean population has been on a sharp decline for decades due mainly to changes in diet and eating habits.
Per capita rice consumption reached 62.9 kilograms per year in 2015, sharply down from the 128.1 kg tallied in 1985, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.
The sharp decrease in rice consumption and a bumper harvest year in 2015 led to a surge in the total stock of the country's staple grain, with rice production reaching a six-year high of 4.33 million tons. The rice production is expected to hit a fresh record for 2016 on another rich year.
The rice inventory reached 1.75 million tons as of August, far beyond the recommended level of 800,000 tons by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
The government spent more than 3 trillion won ($2.7 billion) to support the rice price, which has been hovering around 135,000 won for nearly 20 years, through giving out subsidies to rice farmers and purchasing oversupplied rice. (Yonhap)
http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20161006000647
Global wheat and rice
harvests poised to set new record
Lower prices for staple grains more than offset
by rising sugar and dairy prices in FAO Food Price Index
Farmers produce cassava flour in Sierra Leone.6
October 2016, Rome-Global food markets will likely remain
"generally well balanced" in the year ahead, as prices for most
internationally-traded agricultural commodities are relatively low and stable,
FAO said today. The benign outlook, especially for staple grains, is poised to
lower the world food import bill to a six-year low, according to the Food Outlook. Record
global production forecasts for this year's wheat and rice harvests, along with
rebounding maize output, are helping keep inventories ample and prices low.
Worldwide cereal production in 2016 should rise 2 569 million tonnes, up 1.5
percent from the previous year and enough to further boost existing
inventories.
The
value of total food imports is expected to fall 11 percent in U.S. dollar terms
in 2016 to 1.168 trillion, as lower bills for livestock products and
cereal-based foodstuffs more than offset higher bills for fish, fruit and
vegetables, oils and particularly sugar. However, the decline is expected to be
slower for economically more vulnerable nations, many of which have
depreciating local currencies. Bumper crops
FAO raised its forecast for global wheat production to 742.4 million tonnes, led by increases in India, the U.S. and the Russian Federation - which is poised to overtake the European Union as the grain's largest exporter. Total wheat utilization is projected to reach 730.5 million tonnes, including a big jump in use of lower-quality wheat for animal rations.
Global rice production is predicted to expand for the first time in three years, increasing 1.3 percent to an all-time high of 497.8 million tonnes, buoyed by abundant monsoon rains over Asia and sizable increases in Africa. Coarse grain output is seen rising 1.8 percent on the year, buoyed by record crops in the U.S., Argentina and India.
Cereal prices are drifting lower on the backs of the expected hefty supply. Wheat and maize futures on the Chicago Board of Trade have both dropped more than 16 percent since the start of the year, while quoted rice prices are at their lowest level since early 2008.
Production of cassava, a dietary mainstay in Africa where per capita consumption is above 100 kilograms annually, is also projected to grow 2.6% this year to 288 million tonnes. However, China's shift to drawing down its maize stockpile for domestic industry and feed has curbed international prices and trade flows for cassava.
Soybeans and other oilcrops could reach an all-time production high this year, thanks to record US yields, although demand is expected to grow even faster. In the livestock sector, dairy markets are also expected to return to general balance in 2016 after a long period of excess supply, but tightening milk availabilities in the EU triggered the largest monthly rise in dairy prices in many years.
Stagnant world meat output in 2016, twinned with rising international demand for pigmeat and poultry, especially from East Asian markets, continues to lend support to meat prices.
Global fish production, meanwhile, is forecast to expand by a below-trend 1.8 percent this year to 174 million tonnes, as aquaculture output is expected to expand by 5 percent and wild-caught fish output to decline by 0.9 percent, due in part to El Nino's impact on Pacific sardines, anchovetas and squid.
Food Price Index
The FAO Food Price Index, also released today, averaged 170.9 points in September, up 2.9 percent from August and 10 percent from a year earlier.
The increase was driven by a 13.8 percent monthly jump in the FAO Dairy Price Index, partly as a result of a sharp jump in butter prices benefiting exporters in the EU, where dairy output is declining.
The FAO Sugar Price Index rose 6.7 percent from August on the back of unfavorable weather in the Centre South main producing region in Brazil.
Palm oil prices also rose, helped by low stock levels in both exporting and importing countries, as did those of soy and rapeseed oil, lifting the FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index by 2.9 percent for the month.
The FAO Meat Price Index was unchanged from August.
The FAO Cereal Price Index, meanwhile, slipped 1.9 percent from the previous month and is 8.9 percent below its year-earlier level.
The FAO Food Price Index is a trade-weighted index tracking international market prices for the five key commodity groups. Its current level is the highest since March 2015. The sub-index for cereals is now at its lowest in a decade in deflated terms.
http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/445300/icode/
Asia
Rice: Prices Mixed in Lean Trade as Rain Disrupts Harvests
India's five-percent broken parboiled rice prices eased by $3/tonne this week to $365-$375, free-on-board (FOB) basis, amid thin demand and an expected rise in supplies.
"Export demand is still weak. African buyers are not active in the market," said an exporter at Kakinada in India's southern state of Andhra Pradesh, adding that rain has delayed the harvest in some areas while output was expected to be bumper.
The summer-sown output in India, the world's top exporter of the grain, could hit a record 93.88 million tonnes in the crop year to June 2017, as plentiful monsoon rains help boost yields after back-to-back drought years.
The country's non-basmati rice exports in April-August, the first five months of its fiscal year, edged up 0.8 percent from a year ago to 3 million tonnes.
In Thailand, the benchmark five-percent broken rice stood unchanged in the past week at $365-$370/tonne as on Wednesday, FOB basis, while thin demand has raised concern among traders, they said.
"There is no buyer," a trader in Bangkok said. "I'm worried about prices dropping further as new rice comes in."
Harvesting of the main crop in Thailand, the world's second-biggest exporter after India, will peak this month, with paddy output projected to rise 4.8 percent from last year to 25.02 million tonnes.
In Vietnam, rain in recent days has disrupted harvesting of a minor crop in the Mekong Delta food basket and prevented drying, boosting rice prices slightly, traders said.
Quotations of the five-percent broken rice narrowed to $335-$340 a tonne, FOB basis, against $330-$340 last Wednesday, while the 25-percent broken rice rose to $325 a tonne, from $310-$315 a week ago.
"Prices are rising as rain has slowed the harvest in the Mekong Delta," a trader at a European firm in Ho Chi Minh City said.
Chinese firms are buying sticky rice from Vietnam, and Philippine private traders have also been seeking quotations of Vietnamese rice but have signed no deals yet, traders said.
Vietnam's January-September rice exports dropped 16.4 percent from a year ago to an estimated 3.76 million tonnes, the agriculture ministry has said
http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/international/asia-rice-prices-mixed-lean-trade-rain-disrupts-harvests/
DA eyes 1M ectares as rice
expansion area
Thursday, October 06, 2016
This was said by DA Regional Director Emelyn Recoter during the celebration of World Food Day on October 5 in Iloilo City through a poster making contest participated by selected 15 elementary grades pupils in the city and province of Iloilo.
Recoter reiterated the thrust of President Rodrigo Duterte to attain food security and self-sufficiency, and the need for consideration the climate change phenomenon.
The “Munlad na Agrikultura sa Nayon (Mana)” is a special project of the DA that would espouse and enhanced provision of agricultural investments and services to empower greater number of farmers and fisherfolks.
Aside from expansion of rice areas, the project is eyeing the rehabilitation of El Niño damaged areas and mitigation plan for La Niña.
The El Niño recovery program is aimed at providing immediate assistance to damaged agricultural areas, identify the gaps, and provide interventions to attain full recovery.
On the mitigation plan, DA would indentify vulnerable areas prone to damage brought by El Niña as well as associated risks and mitigations.
DA is pushing for brown rice or the unpolished rice consumption in Western Visayas as an effective way to solve four major problems of the Filipinos: undernourishment, farmer’s low income, rice self-sufficiency and hunger.
Recoter said that brown rice, locally known as “pinawa,” is the whole grain form of rice since only the outer hull is removed in milling. The intact brand is rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than white milled rice.
Its nutritional content helps in the prevention of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Any rice variety can be made into brown rice but DA recommends the varieties which are soft and with good eating quality.
Recoter said the consumption of brown rice will help the country attain rice sufficiency since the milling recovery is 10 percent higher compared to white rice. This will also help increase the farmers’ income.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/iloilo/local-news/2016/10/06/da-eyes-1m-hectares-rice-expansion-area-501999
Philippine traders to import
750,150 metric tonnes rice
MANILA:
More than a hundred rice traders in the Philippines have applied for permits to
import a total of 750,150 tons of the staple grain, mainly from Thailand and
Vietnam, based on the latest list of applicants from the state grains
procurement agency.The figure is below the maximum volume of 805,200 tons that private traders are allowed to bring in under an annual country-specific quota scheme covered by a 2014 agreement with the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Traders can continue to apply for import permits, but all cargoes must be shipped in by Feb. 28 next year. Traders are seeking to import as much as 326,325 tons from Thailand and 280,375 tons from Vietnam, the world’s second-and third-largest rice suppliers, respectively, the National Food Authority (NFA) list showed.
The Philippines’ rice import requirements are closely being monitored by traders, particularly in Thailand and Vietnam, its main suppliers, where stocks are rising amid thin demand.
Under the NFA’s import guidelines, traders can only ship in up to 293,100 tons each from Thailand and Vietnam, which means some of the applications for Thai rice will be pared back. Applicants are also seeking to import up to 143,450 tons or rice from Pakistan, nearly triple the maximum volume of 50,000 tons allowed by the NFA.
Traders can also buy up to 50,000 tons each from China, top supplier India and Pakistan, up to 15,000 tons from Australia, up to 4,000 tons from El Salvador, and 50,000 tons from any other country. But the NFA’s list showed no applications yet to import from those countries.
The Philippines, one of the world’s biggest rice buyers, has kept restrictions on the size of imports of the grain in place since 1995, when it joined the WTO, to protect local farmers. The 2014 deal with WTO, which expires next year, provides for minimum market access for rice imports into the Southeast Asian nation by private traders, which are levied with a 35 percent tariff.
http://www.customstoday.com.pk/philippine-traders-to-import-750150-metric-tonnes-rice/
NFA has enough funds for
palay procurement
- October 06, 2016
- Jemin B. Guillermo
The intensive palay procurement is a government measure to ensure and establish manageable buffer stock, minimize importation, stabilize price levels and assure adequate and continuous rice supply.
Hari-on said that NFA buys clean and dry palay at P17.00 per kilogram, aside from additional incentives such as delivery fee, drying incentive fee and cooperative development incentive fee.
She said that their warehouses in Bolo, Roxas City and in Dumalag and Sigma towns are open to buy the farmer’s palay produce.
“To give ease on the requirement of farmers for palay delivery, they can directly go to the NFA Provincial Office for the issuance of a Farmer’s passbook for free by submitting his photo and that of his representative,” she said.
For an individual farmer, he can submit a certification either from the barangay captain, Municipal Agriculture Office, National Irrigation Administration or Department of Agrarian Reform indicating the area planted to palay and yield per hectare and whether the same is irrigated or not.
She said that farmer’s cooperatives or organizations only need to submit their registration certificates either from the Cooperative Development Authority, Securities and Exchange Commission or any registration certificate from concerned government agencies for the issuance of Master’s Passbook, and the list of their farmer-members.
On the other hand, walk-in farmers are allowed to deliver their palay harvest up to 200 bags. (JCM/JBG/PIA6)
http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/991475734801/nfa-has-enough-funds-for-palay-procurement#sthash.dhSla8Co.dpuf
Lifting rice ban unfortunate - Importers
Rice importers have described as unfortunate
government’s decision to lift the ban placed on inland importation of rice.They
are now urging inspection agencies to be extra-vigilant to ensure that all rice
imported into the country conformed to standards.The Vice President,
Ghana-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce, Mr Michael Ntim-Addo and Mr John Owusu told
the GRAPHIC BUSINESS on the sidelines of the Ghana-Vietnam business forum in
Accra.
The forum was held as part of a trade and investment visit by a Vietnamese delegation to explore opportunities in rice farming, processing, storage, marketing and distribution.
The trip was organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Ghana-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Treat ban with caution
Mr Ntim-Addo said inspection agencies must treat the lifting of the ban with caution to prevent unscrupulous importers from importing substandard rice onto the Ghanaian market.
“The ban was put in place basically to check the quality of rice that comes into the system because of smuggling, so if the ban is lifted, then the Food and Drugs Authority, the Ghana Standard Authority and other agencies must collaborate to ensure rice imported conformed to standard,” he said.
The vice president indicated that on average, Ghana imported about 400,000 metric tonnes of rice yearly which is equivalent of US$300 million.
He said government policy was to increase local production of rice and reduce importation so as to improve the country’s balance of trade.
Mr Ntim-Addo said the Ghana-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce would continue to work as the referee for businesses that would want to come together to move the rice trade and investment forward and create more jobs.
Disappointment
For his part, Mr Owusu also expressed disappointment in the Ministry of Trade and Industry for lifting the ban on the inland importation of rice into the country.
He said the decision by government was very surprising since persons who did inland importation did so illegally.
According to him, those into the inland importation of rice usually used the Elubo, Sampa and Nkrankwanta borders and as such did not pay tax unlike those who used the ports and paid taxes to the government.
He said the Food and Drugs Authority would not be able to check whether the rice was of good quality and healthy for consumption since they had no personnel at the borders to do the inspection.
The importer explained further that the move would also escalate smuggling into the country since the Ivorian taxes were lower than taxes collected in Ghana.
He said although some importers preferred bringing in goods through the Tema and Takoradi ports, such moves would influence such importers to use the borders.
Lifting of ban
The disagreement follows the lifting of a ban placed on inland importation of rice by the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism that importers of rice into Ghana can now do so through the land borders from August this year.
The ban, which has been in force for about three years now, prevented the importation of rice into the country through the Elubo, Sampa and Nkrankwanta borders in the Wesrwen.
The move was to curb the numerous unfair trade practices such as evasion of import duties and other taxes, under-invoicing, infringement of trademarks and smuggling. http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/Lifting-rice-ban-unfortunate-Importers-474840
The forum was held as part of a trade and investment visit by a Vietnamese delegation to explore opportunities in rice farming, processing, storage, marketing and distribution.
The trip was organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Ghana-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Treat ban with caution
Mr Ntim-Addo said inspection agencies must treat the lifting of the ban with caution to prevent unscrupulous importers from importing substandard rice onto the Ghanaian market.
“The ban was put in place basically to check the quality of rice that comes into the system because of smuggling, so if the ban is lifted, then the Food and Drugs Authority, the Ghana Standard Authority and other agencies must collaborate to ensure rice imported conformed to standard,” he said.
The vice president indicated that on average, Ghana imported about 400,000 metric tonnes of rice yearly which is equivalent of US$300 million.
He said government policy was to increase local production of rice and reduce importation so as to improve the country’s balance of trade.
Mr Ntim-Addo said the Ghana-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce would continue to work as the referee for businesses that would want to come together to move the rice trade and investment forward and create more jobs.
Disappointment
For his part, Mr Owusu also expressed disappointment in the Ministry of Trade and Industry for lifting the ban on the inland importation of rice into the country.
He said the decision by government was very surprising since persons who did inland importation did so illegally.
According to him, those into the inland importation of rice usually used the Elubo, Sampa and Nkrankwanta borders and as such did not pay tax unlike those who used the ports and paid taxes to the government.
He said the Food and Drugs Authority would not be able to check whether the rice was of good quality and healthy for consumption since they had no personnel at the borders to do the inspection.
The importer explained further that the move would also escalate smuggling into the country since the Ivorian taxes were lower than taxes collected in Ghana.
He said although some importers preferred bringing in goods through the Tema and Takoradi ports, such moves would influence such importers to use the borders.
Lifting of ban
The disagreement follows the lifting of a ban placed on inland importation of rice by the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism that importers of rice into Ghana can now do so through the land borders from August this year.
The ban, which has been in force for about three years now, prevented the importation of rice into the country through the Elubo, Sampa and Nkrankwanta borders in the Wesrwen.
The move was to curb the numerous unfair trade practices such as evasion of import duties and other taxes, under-invoicing, infringement of trademarks and smuggling. http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/Lifting-rice-ban-unfortunate-Importers-474840
Customs Reacts to Ingenious
Ways of Smuggling Rice into Nigeria
Comptroller-General
of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali has confirmed that the
service recorded seizures of 117034 (50kg) bags of rice at a duty paid value of
N774,282,300 in the first three quarters of 2016, saying the figures of seizure
do not explain the full desperation of rice importer through rice borders, as
it revealed several ingenious but devilish ways of smuggling into Nigeria what
is consumed as rice.Speaking at a joint press conference with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Abuja on Tuesday, Ali said that “we have seen rice conveyed in open wooden canoes across our creeks and water ways with generous amount of dirty water splash on them. We have seen some mixed with other grain bags to deceived eve Customs.
“Some are stuffed inside any available crevice and compartments of vehicles, including the engine area. The concealed rice is there faster re- bagged half cooked or otherwise and presented in our marketers for sale as imported rice.
The Customs boss recalled that in April 2016, the service reintroduced the ban on the importation of rice through the land borders.
He noted that as a country, the citizens were duty bound to reawaken national pride and collectively reject the insults of what importers are feeding Nigerians with.
He raised the questions of whether the country should continue to waste its foreign exchange on items that it could produce locally at this time of recession.
He also raised the question whether Nigeria should continue to tolerate its neighbours being used as staging post to sabotage her economy, insisting that the nation’s economic revival will revolve around the ongoing effort to support local production of rice to enhance food security.
“But the information reaching government suggests increasing preference for the local rice over smuggled one because at this harvesting period, the best Nigeria can do is to support the local farmers to make their products more competitive,” he said.
“In the recent past, our collective intelligence was assaulted with dubious claims of Rice Sufficiency Gaps. Arbitrary quotas were used, more for political patronage to dump rice import on us, without payment of correct charges.
“Our credible intelligence indicates that the promoters of this economic subterfuge are at work again. Their plan is to seek a re- introduction of the quota system to import 1.5 million metric tons through the entry points.
“We are aware of their plans, and we shall be awaiting for them. This year, many states governments have injected massive investment in local production. The Federal Government through interventions by Central Bank of Nigeria and Bank of Industry are also investing to give momentum to a rice revolution that is progressing smoothly. Kebbi State for example in 2016 harvested over 700,000 MT of rice from irrigation farming, while a further 800,000MT is projected from rain-fed rice farming.
“With similar projections from other states across the country, this planting season, bumper harvest of rice is expected to debunk the so-called sufficiency gap being trumped up to justify rice quotas. With the support of patriotic Nigerians, we will not only achieve national sufficiency of rice in 2017, but be in a position to clamp a total ban on its importation in the years ahead.
“This therefore is our call to action. To remind ourselves about the dangers of part patronizing smuggled . To rally all the supports we can muster for our local producers, and to support this campaign against smuggling of rice into our dear country.”
The Customs boss recalled that in April 2016, the service reintroduced the ban on the importation of rice through the land borders.
But he noted that the reversal of the policy introduced in October was informed by high level of non compliance by rice importers who resorted to large scale smuggling of the product.
He said, “Five months down the line, it has become imperative to raise this alarm that importers through the borders are still up in arms against the economy. We are inundated with periodic intelligence about ship loads of parboiled rice that offloads regularly in the neighbouring Port of Cotonou.
“As a matter of fact, our neighbours in Benin Republic do not eat parboiled rice. These importers are ultimately destined for Nigeria by smuggling through the land borders. Since we have declared total war on these economic saboteurs, those who have invested their fortunes in this business are finding it increasingly difficult perpetuate their acts. The result of this is that several thousand metric tons of rice are now trapped in warehouses across our borders.”
http://naija247news.com/2016/10/customs-reacts-ingenious-ways-smuggling-rice-nigeria/
10/06/2016 Farm Bureau Market Report
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Rice Comment
Rice futures
were higher across the board, but the trade continued to be confined to a
relatively narrow range within Monday’s huge range. 82% of the crop has been
harvested nation-wide, well ahead of the 5 year average of 69%. In Arkansas,
91% of the crop was in the bins as of Sunday, compared with a 5 year average of 74%. Export
sales were 46,800 tons for the week. November quickly moved back above the key
$10 level after testing the waters below that level on Wednesday
Rice import
costs Ghana US$500m annually
Why should we do that? Even some of the countries we are mentioning we probably are even better than them,” he said. The statistics comes at a time when the Trade Ministry is campaigning for Ghanaians to embrace and promote ‘Made in Ghana Goods’.
Providing some measures, Mr. Kufuor in an interview with Citi Business News stated that government should rather increase productivity by helping farmers to increase export of rice to improve the country’s foreign income. He maintained that Ghana has all the resources to improve its rice production for export. “It is just the focus.
We can overcome some of the issues and produce good quality rice then all these things can be wiped off. The local industries usually are the ones that move the countries forward because the moment you can produce and start exporting, then the foreign exchange that you are sending to Asia we get to keep. So that is the general idea and I think it will help us all if we can support the agenda.” he said. The African Rice Advocacy Platform is a sub-regional platform aimed at ensuring rice sustainability in Africa.
Meanwhile, the Ghana rice festival is scheduled for the 7th and 8th of October at the Efua Sutherland Park in Accra. It is been organized by the Ghana Rice Interprofessional Body (GRIB) and the Ghana Rice Advocacy Council (GRAC).
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/Rice-import-costs-Ghana-US-500m-annually-475332
Xi’s Visit to
Boost Farm Exports
Prime Minister Hun Sen with China's President
Xi Jinping. President Xi’s visit to Cambodia comes at a time of huge pressures
on Cambodia’s rice sector. Reuters
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to
Cambodia next week will likely lead to an increase in agriculture exports to
China, Prime Minister Hun Sen said yesterday.Speaking at a graduation ceremony
for law and economics students in Phnom Penh yesterday morning, Mr. Hun Sen
said that 28 bilateral cooperation agreements are due to be signed by Mr. Xi
during his two-day state visit, the first for a standing Chinese leader.“[The
agreements] are an endeavor to open markets in China, which is a huge market
for Cambodia’s agriculture sector,” Mr. Hun Sen told the students.“Besides
milled rice and cassava and other agricultural products, which are existing
exports to China, we are trying to boost exports of other agricultural
products, including bananas.”He did not go into detail about what these
agreements were.
Mr. Xi’s second visit to Cambodia – he first
visited the Kingdom in 2009 as a vice-president – comes at a time of huge
pressure on Cambodia’s rice sector.The government recently requested a $300
million loan to address issues in the industry, which include falling prices,
cash-flow challenges and a lack of suitable storage facilities.During Mr. Hun
Sen’s visit to Quangxi province’s Nanning City last month, he announced that
the Chinese government had agreed to double its imports of milled rice from
Cambodia, to 200,000 tons per year.Hun Lak, the vice-president of the Cambodia
Rice Federation, yesterday expressed his hopes for Chinese assistance in the
country’s rice sector following President Xi’s visit.
“I think that Chinese President Xi Jinping will
announce [the loan],” Mr. Lak said.“The special loan of about $300 million will
ensure that rice millers will have a regular supply of paddy rice from farmers.“Farmers,
in turn, will be able to sell their paddy rice at government-approved prices.
The $300 million loan is also related to China importing 200,000 tons of milled
rice annually from Cambodia.”Last week, during a meeting with newly-appointed
Chinese ambassador to Cambodia, Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong asked the
Chinese side to accelerate purchases of milled rice from Cambodia, as the two
countries agreed on the 200,000-ton rice quota.Mr. Namhong also said that the
$300 million loan that Cambodia requested from China will be used to install
paddy rice dryers and warehouses to upgrade the rice sector.Mey Kalyan, a
senior advisor to Cambodia’s Supreme Economic Council, told Khmer Times that
Mr. Xi’s visit will further strengthen the already close relationship between
both countries.
“It is good for Cambodia to have a visit from
the giant country’s president, and we hope that if the requested $300 million
loan is not disbursed now, it will be in the near future.”However, Mr. Kalyan
said he was worried about Cambodia’s ability to increase export quotas to meet
Chinese demands.“China is one of Cambodia’s big markets. If we have [potential]
markets, we must have products available to sell to them.“If we don’t have the
products to sell, and our prices are high, they will not buy from us,” he
warned.The World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC), in a recent
report, said Cambodian rice millers should also work hard to develop quality
and lower costs.“Mills should have farmers under contract to provide consistent
rice quality and aim for near 100 percent capacity utilization at the mill. It
is clear that ensuring high quality and a reliable supply form the basis for
increased trade,” said the IFC report.
“As Cambodia is essentially a price-taker in
the global marketplace, it will also be important to ensure processing costs
are minimized and exporters are able to provide quality business services to
their customers,” it added.According to government figures, Cambodia exported
about 64,000 tons of milled rice to China in the first nine months of the year
as part of its existing 100,000-ton annual export quota. This is a small
decline of 2.1 percent over the same period last year.
NOAA finds cows, rice farms driving
methane rise, not fossil fuels
Democratic presidential hopeful
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) pets a cow as he tours the dairy complex and barns
of Penn State University in University Park, Pa., on March 30, 2008.
(Associated Press)
By Valerie Richardson - The
Washington Times - Thursday, October 6, 2016
The Environmental Protection Agency may have overlooked the real culprits
in its recent crackdown on methane emissions from fossil fuels: rice farmers
and cows.A newly released study led by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration attributed the increase in global atmospheric
methane since 2007 to microbial sources, including rice paddies, livestock,
decaying vegetation in wetlands, even termites, not fossil fuels.That finding
comes even though scientists also concluded that methane emissions from oil,
coal and natural gas are 20 to 60 percent higher than previously estimated.
“We recognize the findings might
seem counterintuitive — methane emissions from fossil fuel development have
been dramatically underestimated — but they’re not directly responsible for the
increase in total methane emissions observed since 2007,” said lead author Stefan Schwietzke of the
Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences [CIRES] at the
University of Colorado Boulder, working in NOAA’s Earth System Research
Laboratory.The report, published Thursday in the journal Nature, provided
fodder to those challenging the EPA’s methane rule, released
in May, which seeks to cut methane emissions from fossil-fuel sources by 40 to
45 percent by 2025 from 2012 levels in order to combat climate change
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/oct/6/noaa-cows-rice-farms-driving-methane-rise/
Traders bid
for share to import 750,150 metric tons of rice
More than a hundred rice traders in
the Philippines have applied for permits to import a total of 750,150 tons of
the staple grain, mainly from Thailand and Vietnam, based on the latest list of
applicants from the state grains procurement agency.The figure is below the
maximum volume of 805,200 tons that private traders are allowed to bring in
under an annual country-specific quota scheme covered by a 2014 agreement with
the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Traders can continue to apply for
import permits, but all cargoes must be shipped in by Feb. 28 next year.Traders
are seeking to import as much as 326,325 tons from Thailand and 280,375 tons
from Vietnam, the world’s second-and third-largest rice suppliers,
respectively, the National Food Authority (NFA) list showed.The Philippines’
rice import requirements are closely being monitored by traders, particularly
in Thailand and Vietnam, its main suppliers, where stocks are rising amid thin
demand.
Under the NFA’s import guidelines,
traders can only ship in up to 293,100 tons each from Thailand and Vietnam,
which means some of the applications for Thai rice will be pared back.Applicants
are also seeking to import up to 143,450 tons or rice from Pakistan, nearly
triple the maximum volume of 50,000 tons allowed by the NFA.
Traders can also buy up to 50,000
tons each from China, top supplier India and Pakistan, up to 15,000 tons from
Australia, up to 4,000 tons from El Salvador, and 50,000 tons from any other
country. But the NFA’s list showed no applications yet to import from those
countries.The Philippines, one of the world’s biggest rice buyers, has kept
restrictions on the size of imports of the grain in place since 1995, when it
joined the WTO, to protect local farmers.
The 2014 deal with WTO, which
expires next year, provides for minimum market access for rice imports into the
Southeast Asian nation by private traders, which are levied with a 35 percent
tariff.
http://www.mb.com.ph/traders-bid-for-share-to-import-750150-metric-tons-of-rice/#dtZC3PCQCUQaLSIZ.99
Violations in imports, pesticide given
Thursday,Oct 6, 2016 at 2:32 PM
"Having a safe and abundant food supply is something
Americans expect, but can also take for granted, so hats off to the FDA for
testing these imports and rejecting this adulterated rice," USA Rice
President and CEO Betsy Ward said. "The good news for U.S. consumers is
twofold. First, this dangerous rice has been turned away, and second, U.S. rice
farmers sustainably grow jasmine rice right here."
By Michael Klein / USA Rice Federation
Viet Nam, one of the largest
producers and exporters of rice in the world, and one that comes under frequent
suspicion of violating World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations, is under new
scrutiny for violating U.S. food safety regulations. Between January and August
of this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejected 95 shipping
containers of jasmine rice and rice products from Viet Nam citing illegal
pesticide residue in all but one of the cases.
"Having a safe and abundant
food supply is something Americans expect, but can also take for granted, so
hats off to the FDA for testing these imports and rejecting this adulterated
rice," USA Rice President and CEO Betsy Ward said. "The good news for
U.S. consumers is twofold. First, this dangerous rice has been turned away, and
second, U.S. rice farmers sustainably grow jasmine rice right here."
For the three marketing years
from 2013-2015, rice imports from Viet Nam have averaged more than 63,500
metric tons with annual value of more than $33 million. Rice imports from Viet
Nam for the 2016 marketing year, which concluded in July and include this most
recent period of rice shipment rejections, were just over 35,600 metric tons
with a value of almost $21 million.
"We are, frankly, happy with
the disruption," Ward said. "There is no need to import jasmine rice
from more than 11,000 miles away when we grow it in the United States.
Especially if the imported rice is not up to U.S. safety standards."
http://www.stuttgartdailyleader.com/news/20161006/violations-in-imports-pesticide-given
USA Rice Networks at Food & Beverage Trade Show
By Sarah Moran
MIAMI, FL -- Last week, USA Rice participated in the 20th Annual
Americas Food and Beverage Show and Conference here - Florida's most important
international food and beverage show - that boasted 500 exhibitors and
attracted 10,000 attendees and buyers from more than 63 countries.
Buyers, suppliers, and industry experts came together at this high-energy
event, focusing on the commercial exchange between the Americas and the
Caribbean.
Two renowned chefs from Colombia, Chef Bernardo Gómez and Chef
Mauricio Londoñ, worked the USA Rice booth. In addition, four chefs who
were winners of the USA Rice sponsored cooking competition, "Cocina Viva"
held last July in Colombia, attended the trade show and prepared recipes using
U.S. rice.
"This event was an opportunity to promote U.S. rice to
potential buyers and key decision-makers from all over the world, particularly
from Latin America and the Caribbean," said Ernesto Baron, USA Rice's
representative in Central America and the Andean. "Last year was the
first time USA Rice exhibited here and, based on discussions we had at this
year's show, I think it was another successful event."
Sales results from the conference
are expected to top last year's figures where deals were closed for $179.2
million of current and projected sales, and 40 percent of exhibitors reached
agreements with companies and suppliers from Latin America and the Caribbean.
October Means Festivals and Fall Fun in the
Arkansas Delta
The Arkansas Delta will host four
family-friendly festivals during the month of October.
One of the world's most iconic blues events, the Kind Biscuit Blues Festival, takes place in historic Helena-West Helena on October 5-8. The festival routinely draws visitors from around the globe and spans five city blocks. Visitors can choose from six stages featuring more than 80 acts. In addition, there's vendors, activities for the kids, great food and fun for the entire family. This year's headliners include Sonny Landreth with special guest Roy Rogers, John Mayall and Charlie Musselwrhite. For more information, log on towww.KingBiscuitFestival.com or call 870-572-5223.
In Truman, it's the 34th Annual Wild Duck Festival on October 7-8. The community festival features a carnival, midway vendors, a sanctioned barbecue contest, live music and more. For the youngsters, there's a petting zoo, hayrides, and a scavenger hunt. The festival promises fun for the entire family. Visit www.TrumanChamber.org or call 870-483-5242 for details.
The 40th Annual Arkansas Rice Festival takes place on October 8 in Weiner. The festival celebrates the harvest and the rich heritage of rice farming in Arkansas. This year's activities include a mini-tractor pull, lawnmower races, carnival rides, games, car and tractor shows, a rice cook-off, and the rice tasting lunch. To learn more, log on towww.ArkansasRiceFestival.com.
In McGehee, it's the 10th Annal Owlfest on October 14-15. The weekend is filled withfun and includes live music, crafts and food vendors, children's carnival and fireworks. Don't miss the Razorback tailgate party! Saturday night wraps up with a concert by Arkansas's own Barrett Baber. Visit www.McGeheeOwlfest.weebly.com or call 870-222-4451 to learn more.
Take some times this October to explore the Arkansas Delta!
This story provided by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. For more information, visit Arkansas.com.
http://www.arktimes.com/arkansas/october-means-festivals-and-fall-fun-in-the-arkansas-delta/Content?oid=4605931
NARI takes
u-turn in agricultural dispensation: Director Jarju
Thursday,
October 06, 2016
The Director General of the National Agricultural Research
Institute (NARI), who doubles as acting Director General of ITC, Ansumana
Jarjue, has disclosed that NARI had shifted to a new paradigm dispensation in
agricultural research, to focus on delivering on a multi stakeholder’s platform
on technology generation and partnership strengthening as part of its mandate. Mr
Jarju made this statement during the NARI multi-sectoral field visit to their
farm site in Banjulinding.
The visit was meant for knowledge-sharing
experiences, and delegates were taken to various trial farms such as the NERICA
farm, the Maize farm, the Findi among other farm varieties.
DG Jarjue further stated that the
interaction of the factors - economic, social, political, organizational and
institutional - is influencing the development, diffusion, and use of
innovation.
According to him, “the inclusive
arrangement expands the input base” for the design of agricultural researcher
development agenda, thereby promoting chances of adoption.
Mr Jarjue
further indicated that change in paradigm might move from the ineffective
conventional approach emphasizing a linear relationship between stakeholders,
research-extension farmer model into a knowledge-based multi-stakeholders
agricultural system, such as integrated agricultural research for development,
as an innovation system.
“NARI has
generated several technologies with high potentials, but the impacts of the
technologies on farmers’ productivity, livelihood and quality of life have to
be consolidated,” he stated.
He said
NARI, in collaboration with the Africa Rice Research Center, has developed ASI
(Rice) thresher to reduce the post-harvest loss and ensure the quality of rice
paddy after threshing.
DG Jarjue
also said that in its efforts to ensure food safety in the country, NARI
conducted series of tests on quality assurance for imported and exported
agricultural products in the area of aflatoxin and other chemical analyses such
as free fatty acid, oil content, moisture content, and soluble and insoluble
impurities
http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/nari-takes-u-turn-in-agricultural-dispensation-director-jarju
PH
can be rice self-sufficient thru hybrid seeds, farm mechanization
by MB Online
October 6, 2016
October 6, 2016
The
country’s rice industry faces a bright future, and in the next two to three
years it could be self-sufficient and ably compete with its Asian counterparts.
This is
the sentiment of more than 3,000 farmers, private seed producers and government
officials who attended the 3rd national rice technology forum from September 27
to 29, 2016, in Polangui, Albay.
To date, it is the largest techno-demo area planted to various wet
season hybrid and inbred rice varieties, said Recher Ondap, president of the
Rice Productivity Advocacy, Inc. (Rice Board).
The farmer-cooperators, led by farmer-technician Edgar Pesebre,
are expected to harvest at least eight metric tons per hectare (mt/ha), double
than the country’s national average yield of only 3.9 mt/ha, said Dr. Santiago
Obien, former executive director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute
(PhiRice) and Rice Board member.The three-day event is a joint undertaking of
the Rice Board, the Department of Agriculture (DA) Bicol Region, DA national
rice program, municipal government of Polangui and provincial government of
Albay.
The rice board member companies are Bayer, Dupont, Pioneer SL
Agritech, Bioseed, Seedworks, Syngenta, PhilRice, PhilSCAT, Prasad Seeds, US
Agriseeds, and Longpin Seeds, Inc., said Dr. Frisco Malabanan of SL Agritech
and Rice Board member.
The 20-hectare techno-demo farm in Polangui is different from the
previous ones, at the rice seedlings were planted during the wet season, and Barangay
Balangibang is a flood-prone, said Dr. Obien, who also serves as DA national
rice program senior technical adviser.“In fact, the 20-hectare area was flooded
during the booting stage, on August 20-23, 2016, and the inbred and hybrid rice
varieties recovered quickly,” Obien said.
“Also, the farmers themselves planted and took care of the rice
plants, following the prescribed technologies for each variety, with the
guidance of respective private seed company and DA experts. In spite of the
harsh weather condition, the crop stand is good to excellent, an indication of
the resilience of the planted inbred and hybrid varieties,” he noted.
The first rice techno-forum was held in Digos City and Hagonoy,
Davao del Sur on March 18 to 20, 2015, while the second was held in Barangay
Dapitan, Pototan, Iloilo, on March 16 to 18, 2016, said Obien.For her part, DA
Bicol region OIC-Director Elena de los Santos said “while the Bicol has
achieved rice self-sufficiency at 115.75 per cent over the past four years, we
cannot afford to be complacent because we are faced with more challenges like
climate change and rapidly increasing population.”
“The driving force of this private-public partnership is our
shared vision to increase rice production in our region through traditional as
well as modern or science and technology-based approaches with the active
participation of our farmers,” De los Santos added.She said the 20-hectare
techno demo farm in Balangibang, Polagui, is the most effective way to show
farmers how to translate modern rice seeds and package of technology into
tangible benefits.
For his part, Rice Board president Ondap said “we must work
together to help empower our farmers to become more competitive. In June 2017,
the biggest challenge for us would be the lifting of the quantitative
restrictions on rice, when imports from Thailand, Vietnam and other countries
would have zero tariff.”“Let us prepare and soften the impact of this
eventuality by increasing rice production through hybrid rice technology,” he
urged farmers
http://www.mb.com.ph/ph-can-be-rice-self-sufficient-thru-hybrid-seeds-farm-mechanization/#20KfaLGyBJCq0tHA.99
Grim's Grub: Gain a new appreciation for wild rice
Giant clothes dryers.
That's the best description I can give for the awesome
machines I recently saw when invited to take photos at Carroll Stimson's wild
rice processing facility near Pine River.
They were four cylinders, turned on their sides, the
size of shipping containers and each holding over 1,000 pounds of wild rice
tumbling endlessly. The machines were designed and built by Stimson himself,
and the tinkerer in me couldn't help but be envious of the talent they showed.
They have hardly a visible seam and they were obviously built with the exacting
standards of a professional. Stimson has welding and engineering experience.
The drums have little, precisely spaced ledges that
the rice gets caught on as they spin. The ledges pick up rice and carry it
upward until gravity causes it to cascade down again in a grainy waterfall.
Underneath, gas fire burns and heats the rice to over 200 degrees.
Outside the smell of the water being evaporated out of
the parched rice is slightly sweet/sour, a smell familiar to anyone who works
around grain. Inside, the smell is more dusty with a delicious, toasted odor
that grows the longer the grains are tumbling.
I couldn't help but think of the bread and other items
someone could make with the wild rice when I smelled that smell. I bet a brewer
would think "beer."
The way the parchers turn out the rice is ingenious as
well. When the cylinders are spinning one way, the rice tumbles and tumbles
over heat. When the spin is reversed, the aforementioned ledges no longer pick
up the grain, but instead drive the grain toward the opening on one end where
it dispenses it into wheeled carts. That's because the back of the ledges is
shaped like a spiraling thread.
I thought my idea to turn a restaurant fryer into a
maple syrup evaporator was good. These parchers are just brilliant. Though they
may be the biggest machines, they aren't the only machines Stimson invented and
built himself.
Next in line is the thresher, which rubs the chaff off
the rice with rubber-tipped spokes, followed by the scarifier that removes some
of the dark cell wall that keeps moisture out of most commercial wild rice.
Stimson created both of those machines.
Then there are several other machines dedicated to
removing the chaff and impurities before the rice is finally bagged. Of probably
nine different machines, only two are not of Stimson's own design.
I would like, some day, to have my own small batch
wild rice processing machinery. In the meantime, I think I know whose rice I
will be buying, just out of sheer respect. Unfortunately, I already gave you my
favorite wild rice soup recipe, so I will provide a couple of other delicious
treats. Dig in!
Wild Rice Waldorf Salad
Modified recipe courtesy of http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/wild-rice-waldorf
8 ounces grapes, cut in half
½ cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups cooked wild rice
2 medium green apples, diced
2 medium red apples, diced
1 celery rib, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped walnuts
In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar
and lemon juice. In a large bowl, combine rice, apples, celery and grapes. Add
the dressing and toss to coat. Refrigerate 2 hours then stir in walnuts.
Spicy Wild Rice Hotdish
3 cups mushrooms, chopped fine
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon thyme leaves
Salt and peppercorns
¾ cup half and half
1 cup chicken broth
½ pound mild Italian sausage (or ground beef)
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup cooked wild rice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sauté mushrooms, beef and onion in butter until onions
are softened, beef is browned and butter is melted. Stir in flour, thyme and
salt and pepper. Cook one minute while stirring. Stir in chicken broth and
bring to a simmer.
Mix in remaining ingredients in a medium casserole
dish with a cover. Bake 30 minutes
http://www.pineandlakes.com/lifestyles/recipes/4130620-grims-grub-gain-new-appreciation-wild-rice
