Uganda: Finance Minister Scraps
Tax Incentives On Rice Imports
Imported rice ready for processing at the FOL logistics
warehouse in Namanve, Mukono District where Kingdom Rice is processed.
Importers say the move to scrap tax incentives will drive investors out of the
rice business.
Kampala — Finance minister Matia Kasaija has instructed the
minister of East African Community Affairs, Kirunda Kivejinja, to terminate tax
incentives given to rice importers.The directive, which took effect on January
1, caught the importers unaware with some saying they were not given prior
notice to make necessary adjustments."All of a sudden, the ministry has
decided to increase taxes on husked rice to equal that of already processed
rice which is not fair, this is going to drive up prices of rice in the
market," Mr Geoffrey Adito, the director of operations at Kingdom Rice,
said.Kingdom Rice is one of the largest importers of husked rice which is
processed and packaged at their 500-tonne milling plant in Namanve.SWT, which
imports half processed rice from Pakistan, says the hike in the tax rate will
drive up prices in the local market
aking LAKE Rice available ON JANUARY 10,
20171:09 AMIN EDITORIALCOMMENTS
A novelty was introduced to the nation’s drive
towards self sufficiency in food production on Wednesday, December 21, 2016
when Lagos and Kebbi States launched the much-awaited LAKE Rice.The initiative
is a partnership between Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State and his Kebbi
State counterpart, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, not only to ensure food security but to showcase Nigeria’s potentials in rice production.
Lake rice At the event which was marked with fanfare at Lagos House, Ikeja, Governor Ambode described
the attainment as great and historic moment for both states and Nigeria.
Compared
to what obtains in the market, the rice is to be sold at a reduced and
affordable price. Both Lagos and Kebbi State governments signed a Memorandum of
Understanding(MoU) in March 2016, to produce Nigerian rice in response to
President Muhammadu Buhari’s admonition on food production in the country.
Unlike imported rice that has five to six years storage life span, LAKE rice is
fresh. The partnership is expected to expand the rice production for Lagos that
has the largest consumption market to absorb it. A 50kg bag of the rice sells
for N12,000, 25kg costs N6,000 while 10kg is N2,500. The Federal Government has
donated two rice mills to Lagos State in order to increase next year’s
production. The foresight of Governors Ambode and Bagudu in coming up with the
idea is commendable and worthy of emulation by other states. The addition of
LAKE rice to the local varieties like Abakaliki and Ofada rice is a major leap towards self
sufficiency in food production. Nigeria
should no longer be a dumping ground for expired imported rice.
The market price of other 50kg bag of rice then
was betweenN18,000-N22,000. Despite high expectations, very few Lagos residents
were able to buy the rice at designated selling points which were characterised
by winding queues. Designating a selling point to serve an entire Local
Government Area and demanding bank teller instead of cash made the whole process cumbersome. We call
on the state government to decentralize the sale outlets and make the purchase
seamless. The LAKE rice should not be a seasonal affair. It should be available
at all times for people to buy. Officials who are in charge of distributing and
selling the rice should be monitored to guard against unwholesome practices
that may defeat the purpose of the laudable effort. Beyond this, if the
potentials and capacity are well annexed, the collaboration can catapult
Nigeria to a big market in Africa, especially with Kebbi’s comparative
advantage in production and Lagos’
consumption market. The joint venture can be replicated with other
commodities like cocoa, soya beans and sorghum
Biometric
system in fair price shops to save over Rs 800 crore annually’
By Express News
Service | Published: 11th January 2017 04:10
AM |
Last
Updated: 11th January
2017 04:10 AM | A+A A- |
HYDERABAD: The State Consumer Affairs, Food
and Civil Supplies department has succeeded in saving Rs 85.5 crore in the last
five months, said commissioner CV Anand, who had taken charge of the department
many months ago, while addressing media on Tuesday.
“Our discussions with various stakeholders
including rice millers and fair price shop dealers brought about a positive
change. Allotment of paddy millers has become systematic, electricity
consumption has reduced, defaulters are booked under Preventive Detention Act,
gunny bags worth Rs 66.5 crore have been recovered and with installation of GPS
on 1,150 vehicles, transporting rice allotted as per PDS are being tracked and
monitored,” said Anand explaining the measures adopted.
Talking about measures, he said the
introduction of biometric system in fair price shops will save at least Rs 800
crore per annum. The department, said Anand, in the new year has come up with
five wings of the corporation to improve the efficiency of functioning.
http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2017/jan/11/biometric-system-in-fair-price-shops-to-save-over-rs-800-crore-annually-1558399.html
Tanzania: TFDA Allays Fears Over
'Plastic Rice'
By Deogratius Kamagi
Dar es Salaam — When reports emerged that Ghana and Nigeria have
impounded what has been termed as 'plastic rice' imported from China, many
Tanzanians did not concern themselves believing that the two countries are very
far away.But earlier in the week reports surfaced that similar merchandise has
been impounded in Kenya's shops and this jolted some Tanzanians given the
proximity.
But the watchdog, Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA), has
allayed fears among Tanzanians noting that it was keenly and closely supervising
all food imports, especially rice, in a bid to ensure that the plastic rice
does not find its way into local retail outlets.
TFDA also assured The Citizen on Sunday that it will continue
with its impromptu inspections in shops in case such merchandise is smuggled
into the country through illegal routes.The watchdog move to assure Tanzanians
comes only days after a famous Kenyan blog, 'BuzzKenya' reported on Thursday
that some people have reported to have eaten the plastic rice during the past
holidays
http://allafrica.com/stories/201701090253.html
PHL rice supply down 2.98% in
December–PSA
JANUARY 10, 2017
In its monthly report, titled “Rice
and Corn Stocks Inventory”, the PSA said the December figure was 1.11 percent
higher than the November inventory of 3.3 MMT.
“The total rice inventory for
[December 2016] would be adequate for 98 days,” the PSA report read.
“Stocks in the households would be
good for 49 days, those in commercial warehouses for 32 days, and those in NFA
[National Food Authority] depositories for 17 days,” it added.
Of the rice inventory as of
December 1, the PSA said 50.25 percent were with the households; 32.85 percent
were in commercial warehouses; and 16.90 percent were in NFA depositories. The
majority, or 79.35 percent, of NFA stocks consisted of imported rice.
PSA data showed that NFA stocks
during the period reached 564,180 metric tons (MT), while commercial warehouses
accounted for 1.096 MMT. Rice in households reached 1.67 MMT.
“Compared with 2015, rice stocks in
the households and in commercial warehouses increased by 2.01 percent and 12.40
percent, respectively,” the report read.“On the other hand, stocks in NFA
depositories decreased by 31.25 percent,” the report added.
On a monthly basis, rice stocks in
all sectors were higher compared to their levels last November. The PSA said
stocks in the households expanded 0.04 percent, while those in commercial
warehouses grew by 1.66 percent. Stocks in NFA depositories declined by 3.33
percent.
Philippine rice inventory is expected
to be boosted by the arrival of rice imported under the minimum access volume
(MAV) scheme. The NFA said qualified rice traders have purchased 53,044 MT of
imported rice. The figure accounts for 7.66 percent of the 692,340 MT approved
rice volume to be imported by the private sector under the 2016 MAV Rice
Importation Program.
The NFA said 20 farmers’
organizations and private firms brought the imported rice into the country.
More than three quarters, or 78.17 percent of the 53,044 MT, were bought from
Thailand, the NFA report showed. The remaining volume, which amounted to 11,580
MT, came from Vietnam.
The government allows rice imports
within the MAV scheme to enter the country at a lower tariff of 35 percent.
Imports in excess of the MAV are slapped a higher tariff of 50 percent.
The PSA data also showed that the
country’s corn inventory last December rose by more than a quarter, or by 38.83
percent, to 369,980 MT, from 265,200 MT recorded a year ago.
However, the December corn-stock
inventory is 39.51 percent lower than the November inventory of 604,790 MT.
The PSA said more than half of the
total corn-stock inventory, or 69.73 percent, last December were in commercial
warehouses, while 40.68 percent were held by households.
Corn in commercial warehouses
reached 218,430 MT, stocks in households accounted for 150,520 MT of the total
inventory, while corn stored in NFA warehouses amounted to only 1,030 MT.
“Year-on-year, corn stocks in the
households and in commercial warehouses grew by 55.34 percent and 30.83
percent, respectively. However, stocks in NFA depositories dropped by 23.71
percent,” the report read.
“Compared with last month, stocks
in commercial warehouses and in NFA depositories grew by 69.41 percent and
190.40 percent, respectively. However, stocks in the households dropped by
38.12 percent,” the report added.
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/phl-rice-supply-down-2-98-in-december-psa/
The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
Tanzania: TFDA Allays Fears Over
'Plastic Rice'
By Deogratius Kamagi
Dar es Salaam — When reports emerged that Ghana
and Nigeria have impounded what has been termed as 'plastic rice' imported from
China, many Tanzanians did not concern themselves believing that the two
countries are very far away.But earlier in the week reports surfaced that
similar merchandise has been impounded in Kenya's shops and this jolted some
Tanzanians given the proximity.But the watchdog, Tanzania Food and Drugs
Authority (TFDA), has allayed fears among Tanzanians noting that it was keenly
and closely supervising all food imports, especially rice, in a bid to ensure
that the plastic rice does not find its way into local retail outlets.
TFDA also assured The Citizen on Sunday that it
will continue with its impromptu inspections in shops in case such merchandise
is smuggled into the country through illegal routes.
The watchdog move to assure Tanzanians comes
only days after a famous Kenyan blog, 'BuzzKenya' reported on Thursday that
some people have reported to have eaten the plastic rice during the past
holidays.
It started last month when authorities in the
neighbouring country said they had impounded 100 bags of what was thought to be
synthetic rice but tests showed that it was normal rice though it was badly
contaminated and unfit for human consumption.But a few days later, Tana Athi
River Board director Mureithi Kangara warned Kenyans about the fake rice saying
it was imported into Kenya and repackaged to make it seem as if it was locally
produced.
But TFDA's Communication and Public Relations
officer Gaudencia Simwanza told The Citizen on Sunday that so far the watchdog
has not received any reports of plastic rice in the country.
She noted that TFDA was keen to ensure no fake
products, including the man-made rice, entered Tanzania's markets.
She said usually, before importation of any
foot stuff, one has to apply for permits from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food
Security and Fisheries Development."For one to get a permit he should
submit a sample of the product he wants to import and a permit is issued only
after laboratory tests prove that the commodity is safe for human
consumption," she said.
"In a bid to ensure that the safety of
consumers is promoted, we have been making a number of impromptu inspections to
wholesalers' stores and shops to oversee whether the fake rice is being sold.
So far, we have found nothing, meaning that it is yet to be imported," she
added.
She noted that the authority has deployed food
inspectors and screening machines to all 32 official entry points and
substandard products are not allowed once detected."There are food
supplements which have been rejected in entry points because of safety and
quality shortcomings. They are condemned. Products which have not been
registered in the country are also not allowed in," she emphasised.
She said the Authority has also been
undertaking anti-smuggling operations in collaboration with other government
institutions such as Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Immigration Department
and the Police.
She said, most of the time they are being
tipped off by citizens living across borders when they notice people smuggling
illegal goods into the country."We acknowledge the support by good
Samaritans and other government institutions for the cooperation. The impromptu
operations to shops and stores will continue," she said adding that for
border smuggling, operations will be conducted upon the receipt of information
from citizens.
For their part, rice importers have asked the
government to strengthen the war against substandard, counterfeit, expired and
smuggled products as a way forward to promoting locally produced foodstuffs.A
Sales and Marketing manager of local based Yemtaz Trading Company dealing with
importing and exportation of food products, Mr Mohammed Al-Banani, said it was
high time the government ensured the local market was dominated by rice
produced and processed in Tanzania.
"I have strong trust in the quality of
rice produced by farmers in various parts of the country. It has got good taste
and I think the government should go further and impose total ban of
importation of rice as there is no extra demand currently," he
said."We urge the government to reject importation of such products, and
once identified they must be seized and legal measures taken against those
involved," he saidhttp://allafrica.com/stories/201701090253.html
Procure 1.2 lakh mt rice: Etala
tells millers
Minister for Finance and Civil
Supplies E Rajender today asked the millers to procure 1.2 lakh metric ton fine
rice to fulfill its target of supplying the same among welfare hostels. He held
a review meeting with rice millers and officials here he warned of serious
action if irregularities are found. As the government has taken a decision to
give better support price to the farmers and supply the rice millers should
procure fine rice on time which will reduce cost Rajender said.
The Government is spending huge
funds for the subsidy rice among poor and the officials should monitor that the
Public Distribution System is implemented properly. The minister hoped that
more paddy is expected next season and said that he will conduct a meeting who
sought to sort out the issues and allot paddy making 10 districts a
unit. He asked the people to remain responsible and return ration
cards instead of selling Rs 1 a kg rice which is available at Rs 24 a kg at
open market. The Government spends Rs 576 for supplying six kg rice to a family
of four persons and spending Rs 2395 cr subsidy a year. When the people not
using ration rice they should return the cards to the government and enable it
to supply the same to other poor family, he added.
Steps being taken to cleanse up
the civil supplies wing of irregularities is giving positive results Rajender
said and asked to strengthen the task force. He also said that civil supplies
department procured 15.28 lakh mt against the target of 18.27 lakh mt and gave
15.13 lakh mt to padding for milling. (NSS
http://www.siasat.com/news/procure-1-2-lakh-mt-rice-etala-tells-millers-1105359/
Ministry
Scraps Rice Inspection Fee
The government has removed the
fee for inspection services on milled rice slated for export, aiming to reduce
the cost of Cambodia’s rice and increase its competitiveness in international
markets.The $6.25 shipment inspection service fee was scrapped late last month,
according to a statement from the Commerce Ministry released on December
22.Most shipping containers for rice hold between 500 tons and 1,000 tons.
Soeung Sophary, spokesperson for
the Commerce Ministry, said yesterday that the removal of the fee will help
reduce the cost of logistics for Cambodian rice and bring the selling price
down in other countries.“It will help reduce the cost of exports because our
milled rice selling in markets is more expensive than others compared to
neighboring rice producing countries, so we removed the checking service fee,”
she said.Camcontrol, the government body in charge of the inspections, will
still pore over milled rice due to be exported, Ms. Sophary added.
The price of Cambodia’s milled
rice is higher than other rice exporting countries in international markets.
Experts say the cost of electricity, fertilizers, petroleum and poor logistics
systems all factor in to Cambodia’s high rice prices.The government has made an
effort to lower the cost of rice in international markets in a number of ways,
reducing the price of containers from $10 to $5 last year.Song Saron, CEO of
Amru Rice, applauded the move, saying it will bring the price of Cambodia’s
milled rice down.
“It is the removal of a barrier
which is a positive step in reducing all both official and unofficial
expenditures, because sometimes 25,000 riel is the real payment, but in fact,
the real expenses may be higher than this,” Mr. Saron said.
However, he told Khmer Times that
the cost of milled rice will only go down significantly when the government
looks into the entire production process and reduces the price of agricultural
fertilizer and electricity.
Last year, Cambodia exported
542,144 tons of milled rice, a 0.7 percent increase compared to the year
before. China was the largest market for Cambodia's milled rice in 2016,
importing nearly 130,000 tons. They were followed by France, which imported 78,329
tons and Poland, which brought in 64,035 tons.
Hun Lak, vice president of the
Cambodia Rice Federation, said that the fall in milled rice exports was
expected. “We already predicted that rice exports would fall sharply
in 2016. There were external factors beyond our control,” he told Khmer
Times.In the first quarter of last year, a severe drought affected rice
production and through the year rice millers had been complaining of the flow
of low-grade cheaper rice into the country from Vietnam.
Last March, rice millers and exporters wrote to the government urging intervention due to stiff competition in export markets as well as domestic ones. In the letter, they said they were facing a cash crunch due to a flood of low-grade rice from Vietnam. In late September, the government responded by making out a $27 million loan to rice millers to purchase paddy rice from farmers, in a bid to prevent rice prices from falling further.
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/34115/ministry-scraps-rice-inspection-fee/
26 millers pass
China test
Two rice millers, which had passed
initial inspections, were deemed ineligible to export rice to China after
failing quality and food hygiene tests applied by Chinese experts. The number of rice millers eligible
to export to China now stands at 26 after Chinese experts scratched two off a
list of potential candidates, said Hean Vanhan, director-general of the
Agriculture Ministry’s agriculture department yesterday.Cambodia had submitted
a list of 28 rice millers from more than 50 that had applied to export milled
rice to China. After Chinese experts inspected the 28, they found that two rice
millers did not meet their requirements in terms of sanitation and
phyto-sanitation, Mr. Vanhan said.“After they inspected all of the selected
rice millers, they found that 26 passed this inspection, meaning that our
assessment and the assessment made by Chinese experts is nearly the same. Only
two failed the test,” he said.
Last month, a delegation of Chinese
experts inspected the quality and safety at 28 rice mills during a week-long
visit to Cambodia. All of the rice mills passed the initial quality and food
hygiene tests. In October, China doubled its quota of imported Cambodian milled
rice to 200,000 tons per year, up from 100,000 tons in previous years.
According to Mr. Vanhan, the 26 selected rice mills will export milled rice to China from January 27.Hun Lak, vice-president of the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF), said that his organization does not set a quota for each rice mill and the total export amount for each rice mill depends on them finding a Chinese partner to export to the world’s most populous country.“The CRF doesn’t set a quota for each rice mill. The amount of export depends on finding partners in China, so the rice mills can export a large amount,” Mr. Lak said.
He added that the reduction in the
number of rice mills would not affect the ability to export the specified
amount of milled rice to China.“Last year, we were given only 100,000 tons per
year to China but the amount of exports to China was over the quota, while the
number of rice mills was just over 10,” Mr. Lak added. “So, we’re not worried
about not being able to export the 200,000 tons per year to China.”China was
the biggest market for Cambodia’s milled rice in 2016, importing nearly 130,000
tons. Cambodia shipped a total of 540,000 tons to supply international markets.
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/34060/26-millers-pass-china-test/
Future rice yield losses due
to climate change could be extreme
Climate warming poses a major threat to rice's role in our
global food security.
Rice is a
staple food for more than half of the world’s population. Rice yields depend on
numerous factors, such as agricultural practices, but they also depend on
the temperature at which the crop is grown. Previous studies have shown
that temperatures above rice's optimum physiological temperature can
reduce crop yield.
As a
result, the International Food Policy Research Institute has
stated that the effects of rising temperatures from climate change would
likely reduce rice yield by 10 percent by 2050. This could have
dramatic impacts across the world, as hunger and malnutrition are already
significant problems.
But little
is known about the physiological mechanisms through which rice plants respond
and adapt to climate change. Previous investigations have left a lot of
uncertainty, as they've used different methods to develop crop
models. To address this, an international team of scientists has
explored how rising temperatures affect the sensitivity of rice yields using a
new compilation of data from 83 field warming experiments at 13 sites across
the globe. The team also evaluated three modeling approaches (statistical
models, local crop models, and global gridded crop models) to understand one of
the sources of uncertainty.
Crop model predictions
The team ran
five crop models (global gridded crop models) with daily weather outputs
generated by five representative high-warming climate models; all of these
set carbon dioxide emissions at the present day value (excluding
relevant benefits from carbon dioxide fertilization in the future), meaning
carbon would continue to accumulate in the atmosphere throughout the century.
This procedure enabled the team to isolate the influence of climate warming on
rice yield. The climate models predicted an increase in the mean air
temperature of 3.3 to 5.0 Kelvin over rice-growing areas during growing
season.
The median
value of the climate-induced rice yield change that resulted was -27 percent.
That's a dramatic decrease compared to today, and it would put global food
security in significant danger. But the drop ranged from 6.6 percent to
42.4 percent, primarily due to the significant uncertainty inherent in
climate predictions. This range encompasses everything from an utter disaster
to problems that could be compensated for by improved agricultural practices.
The
team also determined the sensitivity of the rice yield to warming by the
end of the 21stcentury. The long-term sensitivity essentially
indicates how much the yield will change per degree of temperature change (in
this case, degrees Kelvin) above present-day values. The team found that all
combinations of the crop models and climate models yielded drops between
1.3 and 9.3 percent for each Kelvin of climate change. (Note that the
temperature is expected to change by several Kelvin under business-as-usual
emissions.)
Comparisons
The scientists
assessed the validity of their model predictions using real-world data. In
field experiments, rice lots have been warmed during the crop cycle, and
the effects on yield were recorded. More than 80 percent of the 83
field experiments exhibited a rice yield loss under warming conditions. On
average, the rice yield dropped by 5.2 ±1.4 percent for each Kelvin of
warming. When the field experiment data was taken into account, it reduced the
error on the maximum likelihood value of rice's sensitivity to warming and
made the effect more severe than the models alone predicted—a drop of 8.3
± 1.4 percent per Kelvin. It also reduced the variation among the models by 33
percent.
Other
publications have used local, rather than global, crop models to interpret
field trials. These local crop models are often tailored to specific rice
varieties and cultivation practices. Analyzing a number of local crop
models, however, generated a similar impact on rice's sensitivity to
climate change, with a drop in yield of 6.3 ± 0.4 percent for each Kelvin
of change.
The outlier
among the analyses performed in this paper are the statistical models, which
predict rice yield sensitivity to temperature changes based on observed
year-to-year variability. Statistical crop models suggest a minimal impact
of warming on rice yields, with a drop of only 0.8 ± 0.3 percent for each
Kelvin of temperature change. Global gridded crop models that
compare present-day yields and long-term trends are also
less negative, predicting a drop of 2.4 ±3.7 percent for each Kelvin of
temperature change.
Finally, the
International Food Policy Research Institute has its own analysis,
which projects a reduction of 4.2 to 6.4 percent for each Kelvin of
temperature change.
This
investigation suggests that future yield problems may be more significant than
we'd been expecting. If that's right, the equally significant measures are
likely required to prevent severe rice yield losses. Preventative measures such
as genetic improvements that produce rice strains that are more tolerant of
heat should be seriously considered to mitigate the risk inherent in the more
extreme numbers seen here.
http://arstechnica.com/science/2017/01/future-rice-yield-losses-due-to-climate-change-could-be-extreme/
China’s AQSIQ approves 26 local rice
exporters
Wed, 11 January 2017
China's General Administration of
Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) approved 26 out of 28
Cambodian rice miller applicants for exports to China, after they satisfied
sanitary and phytosanitary requirements, Hean Vanhan, an undersecretary at the
Ministry of Agriculture, said yesterday.
The ministry had shortlisted the
28 millers from a pool of 50 applicants last year, after which AQSIQ inspected
the potential rice exporters in December to determine their eligibility to
access the Chinese marke
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:P3MVH1SkuMYJ:www.phnompenhpost.com/national/chinas-aqsiq-approves-26-local-rice-exporters+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pk
Rice stocks enough 98 days
MANILA, Philippines – Stock inventory of Filipinos’ main staple
remains sufficient for 98 days, latest data from the Philippine Statistics
Authority (PSA) showed.Local rice stock inventory stood at 3.34 million metric
tons (MT) as of the end of December 2016, down three percent year-on-year
but slightly higher than the previous month’s inventory of 3.3 million MT.
Stocks held by households are sufficient for 49 days while those in
commercial warehouses are good for 32 days.The National Food Authority,
meanwhile, has depositories enough for 17 days.Filipino households held half of
total inventories while commercial warehouses held 33 percent. Supplies from
NFA depositories cornered 17 percent of the total.
Stock levels increased in households and commercial warehouses by
two percent and 12 percent, respectively, but supplies in NFA depositories . Meanwhile, corn stock inventory stood at 369,980 MT as of the end
of December, down almost 40 percent year-on-year.
Of the total, 59.04 percent was in commercial warehouses, 40.68
percent in households, and 0.28 percent in NFA depositories.
Year-on-year, corn stocks in households and commercial warehouses
went up 55 percent and 31 percent, respectively, while stocks in NFA
depositories declined 24 percent
http://www.philstar.com/business/2017/01/11/1661461/rice-stocks-enough-98-days
NFA assures
sufficient rice during calamities
January 10, 2017
Leonard T. Pineda I
ILOILO CITY, Jan. 10 (PIA6) ---
The National Food Authority (NFA)-6 assured the public that the food
agency has adequate rice stocks for Western Visayas during times of disasters
or calamities.In a media release, NFA-6 headed by Regional Director Rex
Estoperez, said that it has sufficient stocks in its provincial warehouses to
meet the rice requirement of the region during calamities or emergencies.
As of January 5, 2017, NFA-6 has a
total of 1,151,421 bags which is good to last for 20 days based on the region’s
daily rice requirement.With its commitment to ensure food security, NFA-6 also
said that it activates its regional and provincial operation centers during any
tropical depression, calamity, or emergency.
These regional and provincial
operation centers immediately respond within 24 hours to act on staple cereal
requirement and closely coordinate with local relief agencies and monitors
weather bulletins.
Meanwhile, NFA is also increasing
the number of its accredited rice outlets nationwide to make affordable
government rice more accessible to the consuming public.NFA Officer-In-Charge
Tomas R. Escarez directed all field offices to accredit additional rice retail
outlets not only inside the market but even in remote barangays to make NFA
rice readily available especially to the marginalized sector.
NFA rice is still being sold at P
27.00 per kilogram for 25% brokens and P 32.00 per kilogram for 15% brokens.To
enable those who are interested to become an NFA accredited rice retail outlet,
Escarez said that field offices were instructed to ease the requirements for
accreditation.
He said that interested applicants
can be issued a temporary accreditation pending completion of inspection and
submission of requirements so they can immediately sell NFA rice to the
consuming public. (JCM/NFA/LTP/PIA6 Iloilo) .Food prices rose
29.3 percent in Egypt, with bread and cereal rising 54.1 percent, rice rising
77 percent, and flour rising 52.7 percent, the Central Agency for Public
Mobilisation and Statistics said (photo by Mohamed El-Shahed/AFP/File)
http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/2421484028315/nfa-assures-sufficient-rice-during-calamities#sthash.rQ5W1LDf.dpuf
Egypt inflation quickens to
highest level in years
Egypt's annual inflation rate rose to 24.3 percent in December,
official figures showed on Tuesday, two months after the government floated the
pound sparking the biggest price hikes in years.
Summary⎙ Print Egypt's annual inflation rate rose to 24.3 percent in December,
official figures showed on Tuesday, two months after the government floated the
pound sparking the biggest price hikes in years. Consumers have been hit by
surging prices since November when then government floated the currency and
slashed fuel subsidies as part of an economic reform package linked to a $12
billion...
Author AFPPosted January 10, 2017 15:31 GMT
Consumers have been hit by surging prices since November when
then government floated the currency and slashed fuel subsidies as part of an
economic reform package linked to a $12 billion International Monetary Fund
loan.The Egyptian pound, which had been pegged at 8.83 to the dollar, was
trading at more than 18 pounds to the dollar on Tuesday.The inflation rate is
the highest since at least January 2011, according to central bank figures
available online.Food prices rose 29.3 percent, with bread and cereal rising
54.1 percent, rice rising 77 percent, and flour rising 52.7 percent, the
Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics said in a statement.
Clothing and shoes prices rose 20.3 percent, while health care
costs rose 33.3 percent, the bureau said.Annual inflation stood at 20.2 percent
in November, the statistics bureau said.In addition to the pound's devaluation,
authorities also increased tariffs on hundreds of imported items to up to 60
percent in December and introduced a value added tax in September.The IMF
approved the $12 billion loan in November after Egypt saw its foreign currency
reserves plunge amid political and economic turmoil since the 2011 uprising
which toppled longtime pres ident Hosni Mubarak.The tourism sector, one of the
main sources of foreign currency, has been badly hit by a persistent jihadist
insurgency.President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who led the 2013 military overthrow
of Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first elected civilian president, vowed to get the
economy back on track after his election the following year
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/afp/2017/01/egypt-inflation-prices.html
Indonesia Food Security Monitoring Bulletin
Special Focus: Rainy season, Volume 5, December 2016 [EN/IN]
Key messages
Summary
The above-normal rains continued across
Indonesia through November and brought more floods, landslides and consequently
bigger losses, more infrastructure and crop damages. Weather conditions were
however favourable for paddy planting.The weather outlook for January, February
and March shows abovenormal rains in the eastern parts of the country and
below-normal in western Indonesia. Despite the below-normal conditions, the
rainy season is predicted to peak in the December-January-February period and
the actual amount of rains received is expected to be high for most of
Indonesia.
The peak rainy season is typically also the
peak "flood and landslide season", therefore more disasters and
damages (e.g. crop, infrastructure, casualties) need to be anticipated. On the
other hand, the main season’s paddy area planted is expected to be higher due
to the early start of the 2016 rainy season that created good conditions for
planting.
Recommendations
• Continue monitoring weather patterns and
related disasters, its impact on food production, livelihoods, and nutritional
and health status in at risk and affected communities
• Intensify floods and landslides preparedness
efforts
• Share weather information and early warnings
for floods and landslides for communities at risk
• Provide services for communities at risk:
• Improve irrigation system for management of
excess water
• Prepare appropriate agricultural inputs for
planting
• Prepare for crop processing and storing
• Improve management of sanitation facilities
http://reliefweb.int/report/indonesia/indonesia-food-security-monitoring-bulletin-special-focus-rainy-season-volume-5
Rice Prices
as on : 10-01-2017 08:10:43 PM
Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.
Arrivals
|
Price
|
|||||
Current
|
%
change |
Season
cumulative |
Modal
|
Prev.
Modal |
Prev.Yr
%change |
|
Rice
|
||||||
Pilibhit(UP)
|
3500.00
|
1150
|
87120.00
|
2245
|
2240
|
2.28
|
Bangalore(Kar)
|
2397.00
|
-
|
40967.00
|
4300
|
-
|
4.88
|
Nalbari(ASM)
|
471.00
|
-
|
2772.00
|
2300
|
-
|
-
|
Bangarpet(Kar)
|
427.00
|
-
|
2547.00
|
1750
|
-
|
4.17
|
Gadarpur(Utr)
|
420.00
|
-76.14
|
48650.00
|
2238
|
1805
|
21.63
|
Allahabad(UP)
|
380.00
|
-2.56
|
2590.00
|
2240
|
2240
|
13.13
|
Kanpur(Grain)(UP)
|
310.00
|
-
|
7135.00
|
2200
|
-
|
4.76
|
Jaunpur(UP)
|
240.00
|
-
|
890.00
|
2165
|
-
|
11.60
|
Sultanpur(UP)
|
217.50
|
-
|
3159.00
|
2300
|
-
|
6.48
|
Badayoun(UP)
|
200.00
|
-
|
270.00
|
2090
|
-
|
-
|
Hardoi(UP)
|
200.00
|
-
|
1554.00
|
2260
|
-
|
-
|
Baxirhat(WB)
|
200.00
|
-
|
1125.00
|
2300
|
-
|
-
|
Gondal(UP)
|
166.00
|
-26.22
|
3367.50
|
2150
|
2150
|
NC
|
Azamgarh(UP)
|
165.00
|
-
|
1462.00
|
2130
|
-
|
1.91
|
English Bazar(WB)
|
165.00
|
-1.79
|
826.00
|
2400
|
2300
|
-
|
Ballia(UP)
|
160.00
|
60
|
1070.00
|
2130
|
2130
|
-
|
Sainthia(WB)
|
158.00
|
-1.86
|
1720.85
|
1930
|
1910
|
-
|
Birbhum(WB)
|
154.50
|
NC
|
2159.00
|
1920
|
1920
|
-
|
Bahraich(UP)
|
124.00
|
4.64
|
1455.00
|
2220
|
2220
|
6.47
|
Dhing(ASM)
|
120.00
|
14.29
|
650.00
|
2000
|
2100
|
11.11
|
Faizabad(UP)
|
105.00
|
-
|
790.00
|
2200
|
-
|
3.77
|
Bhivandi(Mah)
|
103.00
|
-
|
66959.00
|
2200
|
-
|
-28.57
|
Basti(UP)
|
102.00
|
-1.45
|
795.00
|
2110
|
2110
|
1.93
|
Siliguri(WB)
|
95.00
|
1.06
|
1300.00
|
2700
|
2700
|
-
|
Aligarh(UP)
|
85.00
|
13.33
|
1615.00
|
2550
|
2560
|
18.06
|
Barabanki(UP)
|
85.00
|
-
|
85.00
|
2115
|
-
|
-
|
P.O. Uparhali Guwahati(ASM)
|
72.00
|
-26.53
|
1608.80
|
2230
|
2230
|
-
|
Kalipur(WB)
|
62.00
|
3.33
|
2651.00
|
2200
|
2200
|
4.76
|
Vasai(Mah)
|
60.00
|
-
|
466.00
|
2740
|
-
|
-
|
Shahjahanpur(UP)
|
60.00
|
-
|
20522.20
|
2350
|
-
|
-
|
Devariya(UP)
|
55.00
|
NC
|
697.00
|
2065
|
2055
|
-
|
Gazipur(UP)
|
52.00
|
30
|
843.50
|
2150
|
2165
|
13.16
|
Kasimbazar(WB)
|
51.00
|
2
|
910.00
|
2350
|
2400
|
0.43
|
Saharanpur(UP)
|
50.00
|
6.38
|
1493.00
|
2290
|
2280
|
12.81
|
Dadri(UP)
|
50.00
|
-
|
682.00
|
2260
|
-
|
9.18
|
Golagokarnath(UP)
|
50.00
|
-
|
50.00
|
2010
|
-
|
-
|
Samsi(WB)
|
50.00
|
NC
|
150.00
|
3200
|
3200
|
14.29
|
Pandua(WB)
|
48.00
|
6.67
|
674.00
|
2950
|
2950
|
22.92
|
Mainpuri(UP)
|
43.00
|
-28.33
|
692.00
|
2250
|
2280
|
-
|
Cachar(ASM)
|
40.00
|
-33.33
|
1450.00
|
2200
|
2200
|
-18.52
|
Jorhat(ASM)
|
40.00
|
60
|
238.00
|
2800
|
2700
|
-
|
Raiganj(WB)
|
40.00
|
NC
|
544.50
|
2450
|
2500
|
-5.77
|
Chintamani(Kar)
|
37.00
|
-
|
387.00
|
2200
|
-
|
15.79
|
Jayas(UP)
|
36.00
|
-
|
71.00
|
1960
|
-
|
-
|
Khatra(WB)
|
36.00
|
5.88
|
580.00
|
2050
|
2050
|
-6.82
|
Yusufpur(UP)
|
35.00
|
-12.5
|
420.00
|
2170
|
2170
|
16.04
|
Beldanga(WB)
|
32.50
|
-7.14
|
1591.00
|
2400
|
2425
|
4.35
|
Bareilly(UP)
|
32.00
|
-
|
332.20
|
2275
|
-
|
4.36
|
Fatehpur(UP)
|
31.00
|
-
|
168.50
|
2150
|
-
|
0.94
|
Ramkrishanpur(Howrah)(WB)
|
26.60
|
5.14
|
344.50
|
2500
|
2500
|
NC
|
Balrampur(UP)
|
26.50
|
-
|
301.50
|
2125
|
-
|
-1.16
|
Bidar(Kar)
|
25.00
|
-
|
25.00
|
2300
|
-
|
-
|
Palghar(Mah)
|
25.00
|
-
|
171.00
|
3306
|
-
|
-
|
Lakhimpur(UP)
|
25.00
|
NC
|
368.00
|
2150
|
2160
|
-
|
Jalpaiguri Sadar(WB)
|
23.00
|
4.55
|
117.00
|
2500
|
2500
|
-9.09
|
Bohorihat(ASM)
|
21.00
|
68
|
108.00
|
2500
|
2450
|
19.05
|
Pratapgarh(UP)
|
21.00
|
-16
|
249.00
|
2230
|
2250
|
-
|
Karimganj(ASM)
|
20.00
|
-
|
60.00
|
3100
|
-
|
-
|
Alipurduar(WB)
|
20.00
|
-
|
140.00
|
2250
|
-
|
-
|
Giridih(Jha)
|
18.95
|
-
|
242.81
|
3500
|
-
|
-
|
Falakata(WB)
|
18.90
|
-
|
65.30
|
2000
|
-
|
-
|
Dhekiajuli(ASM)
|
18.00
|
-
|
318.50
|
2200
|
-
|
15.79
|
Rampur(UP)
|
15.00
|
-
|
234.00
|
2500
|
-
|
14.42
|
Ranaghat(WB)
|
15.00
|
87.5
|
95.00
|
2300
|
2300
|
-
|
North Lakhimpur(ASM)
|
13.20
|
94.12
|
462.30
|
1900
|
1900
|
NC
|
Bethuadahari(WB)
|
12.00
|
-20
|
57.50
|
2300
|
2500
|
-
|
Tamluk (Medinipur E)(WB)
|
11.00
|
22.22
|
221.00
|
2400
|
2400
|
4.35
|
Khair(UP)
|
10.00
|
-
|
15.00
|
2540
|
-
|
17.59
|
Champadanga(WB)
|
10.00
|
-16.67
|
264.00
|
2650
|
2700
|
10.42
|
Kolaghat(WB)
|
10.00
|
25
|
209.50
|
2400
|
2400
|
4.35
|
Deogarh(Ori)
|
9.00
|
-
|
126.50
|
2500
|
-
|
NC
|
Dibrugarh(ASM)
|
7.00
|
-12.5
|
288.30
|
2250
|
2250
|
-
|
Cherthalai(Ker)
|
7.00
|
-12.5
|
47.50
|
11600
|
12350
|
-
|
Sheoraphuly(WB)
|
7.00
|
-12.5
|
157.50
|
2900
|
2900
|
16.00
|
Chengannur(Ker)
|
6.50
|
NC
|
147.00
|
2400
|
2400
|
-4.00
|
Jeypore(Kotpad)(Ori)
|
6.00
|
-14.29
|
153.00
|
4400
|
4400
|
6.02
|
Mirzapur(UP)
|
6.00
|
-14.29
|
258.50
|
2010
|
2015
|
4.42
|
Jeypore(Ori)
|
5.50
|
-21.43
|
157.00
|
4300
|
4300
|
4.88
|
Uluberia(WB)
|
4.80
|
4.35
|
100.60
|
2300
|
2350
|
-
|
Hailakandi(ASM)
|
4.00
|
-
|
43.00
|
2200
|
-
|
-18.52
|
Tileibani(Ori)
|
3.00
|
-
|
12.00
|
2500
|
-
|
NC
|
Melaghar(Tri)
|
3.00
|
50
|
37.50
|
2350
|
2450
|
-2.08
|
Sirsaganj(UP)
|
3.00
|
20
|
40.50
|
2240
|
2260
|
-
|
Jahangirabad(UP)
|
2.50
|
NC
|
23.50
|
2260
|
2270
|
-
|
Siyana(UP)
|
2.50
|
25
|
55.50
|
2260
|
2260
|
10.51
|
Bonai(Bonai)(Ori)
|
2.00
|
100
|
10.60
|
2500
|
2500
|
25.00
|
Kalimpong(WB)
|
1.40
|
NC
|
22.30
|
2600
|
2600
|
8.33
|
Kolar(Kar)
|
1.00
|
-
|
2.00
|
1600
|
-
|
-11.11
|
Srinivasapur(Kar)
|
1.00
|
-
|
1.00
|
2600
|
-
|
-
|
Akola(Mah)
|
1.00
|
-
|
6.00
|
4650
|
-
|
-
|
Bangarmau(UP)
|
0.80
|
-46.67
|
86.30
|
2050
|
2050
|
-
|
Kasipur(WB)
|
0.80
|
14.29
|
11.00
|
2200
|
2200
|
-3.51
|
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/article9470682.ece
Thailand aims to cut rice output and increase exports
Jan 09, 2017 18:33 PM GMT+0530 |
BANGKOK, Jan 9 (Reuters) -
Thailand will aim again to cut rice production this year, while increasing
exports, a government official said on Monday.The world's second-biggest rice
exporter failed in its attempt to get farmers to grow less in 2016 despite weak
prices. It still holds a stockpile of eight million tonnes resulting from a
previous government's subsidy scheme.Thailand will target paddy rice production
of 25-26 million tonnes for 2017-2018, Wiboonlasana Ruamraksa, the commerce
ministry's permanent secretary, told reporters after a meeting of the
government's rice management committee.
The country produced about 30 million tonnes of rice in the last crop year."The government seeks to reduce rice growing areas," Wiboonlasana told reporters.She said Thailand wanted to increase exports to 10 million tonnes, from 9.63 million tonnes in 2016, when it was second only to India.The agriculture ministry would be in charge of drawing up this year's rice production plan, Wiboonlasana said.
Thailand announced a similar goal of curbing production at 27 million tonnes last year, but failed to get farmers to grow less rice and turn to other crops.Prices of Thai benchmark 5 percent broken rice <RI-THBKN5-P1> are close to where they were nine years ago. The grain was quoted at $360-365 per tonne, FOB basis, on Monday.Wiboonlasana said the government will start auctioning rice in state stockpiles to private companies shortly. It held its last auction in August.The stockpile was built up under the previous government of Yingluck Shinawatra, which spent billions of dollars to subsidise farmers. That elected government was ousted by the army in 2014.The junta has said it plans to clear the stocks by the end of this year
http://economynext.com/Thailand_aims_to_cut_rice_output_and_increase_exports-3-7043.html
15 percent VAT on
rice riles millers
Prosper Ndlovu, Business Editor
THE grain milling industry has written to Government proposing that it reverses the 15 percent value added tax (VAT) on rice, which was announced in the 2017 national budget statement. Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe chairman Mr Tafadzwa Musarara appealed to Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Acting Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Joseph Made during their tour of milling companies in Bulawayo Thursday, to engage Treasury over the issue.
He said millers were not happy with the policy, which they felt
would inflate pricing, burden the consumer and curtail demand for the product.“Before
the budget there was no VAT tax on rice, it was exempted. Now the 2017 budget
is proposing an introduction of 15 percent VAT on rice. This ultimately means
an increase of at least 15 percent on the cost of rice,” said Mr Musarara.
A 2kg pack of rice costs about $1.90. He said rice plays a critical
role in the dietary requirements of locals despite the fact that much of it is
not grown locally. As such millers feel increasing its price now is
“unfortunate and sad reading” as consumers opt for cheaper options in a difficult
economy.“Government wants to collect money but there was no consultation. We
have written to the minister (Chinamasa) to raise that. We want that the
situation that obtained before the budget continues, which is no VAT on rice,”
said Mr Musarara.
In response Acting President Mnangagwa pledged to engage Finance
Minister Patrick Chinamasa over the issue. He, however, said there was a need
to balance what Government wants and industry interests.“But you (millers) have
not been articulate on what that VAT does to this particular product. The first
thing you mentioned is that it increases the price of rice. Is it only
increasing the price because you want to maintain the level or margin of
profits? But we will look into that and see. If we survived before without it,
will we survive in the future without it,” he said.
“Those are the issues, which we will interrogate and come to
some compromise. But do not hesitate to inform us about any challenges you face
in the industry, which you think the Government can help. We work together and
not against each other to ensure we both succeed.”
Bangkok Post
All state rice stocks to be disposed of
this year
Plans should not affect domestic grain
prices
- 10
Jan 2017 at 06:50
- NEWSPAPER SECTION: BUSINESS
| WRITER: CHATRUDEE
THEPARAT & WICHIT CHANTANUSORNSIRI
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha wants all existing state
rice stocks to be disposed of within this year.
Wiboonlasana Ruamraksa, permanent secretary for commerce, said Gen Prayut,
who chaired the national rice policy committee's meeting yesterday, has ordered
officials handling state rice sales to clear the entire 8 million tonnes of
rice in the stockpiles within this year.Most of the existing 8 million tonnes of rice stocks is white rice, 5 million tonnes of which is poor quality grain unfit for human consumption.
The remaining 3 million tonnes is mixed-grade in quality, suitable for human consumption.The Commerce Ministry is now in talks with the Energy and Industry ministries to find proper ways to use rice stocks unsuitable for human consumption for industrial purposes, such as biomass and ethanol production.For good-quality grain, the authorities plan to call general auctions at opportune periods.Since the May 2014 coup, 8.68 million tonnes of rice has been sold via 23 auctions, fetching 89.2 billion baht.
Government-to-government rice deals have unloaded an estimated 3.8 million tonnes worth 50 billion baht.State-held rice stocks have fallen sharply from the 18.7 million tonnes accumulated through various rice-pledging schemes during 2011-14.The government has been paying about 500 million baht a month for rice warehouses.However, Gen Prayut insists that the government's rice-selling plans should not affect domestic rice prices.According to Ms Wiboonlasana, the government will not impose a volume target of rice exports this year, shifting the focus instead to increasing the shipments of processed products -- a move it hopes will increase the value of rice products.
However, she remains optimistic that rice exports will rise this year thanks to higher demand.Thailand shipped 9.63 million tonnes of rice last year, second only to India, which exported 10.2 million tonnes.Vietnam came third with 4.87 million tonnes, followed by Pakistan with 4.2 million tonnes.Ms Wiboonlasana said last week the government would strike a better balance between rice supply and demand during the 2017-18 season in a bid to stabilise prices.The state's rice management plan this year will be demand-driven, taking into account expected needs from key buyers in Asia, the Middle East and Africa for white rice and in Hong Kong, China and Singapore for hom mali fragrant rice.
Responsible officials will later call for talks with all stakeholders including farmers, millers and exporters to evaluate proper demand, be it domestic and overseas or existing global stocks, before coming up with a production plan for the 2016-17 season, she said.In the meantime, the state-run Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) is optimistic that its packed rice sales will more than double to 25,000 tonnes this year after using Thailand Post's network as a transport channel.Thailand Post, under a memorandum of understanding signed with the bank, cut its delivery rate for the packed rice to 8 baht per kilogramme from 30 baht, said senior executive vice-president Apirom Sukprasert.
After shipping costs are included, buyers of the packed rice pay 195 baht for a 5kg package, he said.Grains to be sold by the BAAC are those are pledged under the 23.7-billion-baht storage credit scheme for 2 million tonnes of hom mali rice.Only rice farmers who grow the hom mali subvarieties Khao Daw Mali 105 and Gor Kor 15 in 23 provinces in the North and Northeast can participate in the scheme, designed to temporarily keep a surplus of 2 million tonnes of hom mali rice from the market to prevent prices from further sinking.
Rice mill closed down
after Minister’s raid in Kottayam
KOTTAYAM: JANUARY 10, 2017 07:45 IST
A team
led by Minister for Food and Civil Supplies P. Thilothaman, at the private mill
which was found involved in serious irregularities at Aarpookkara in Kottayam
district on Monday. | Photo Credit: JOMON PAMPAVALLEY
×
Low-quality rice, machinery and pigments to polish rice
found
A private rice mill at Aarpookkara near here has been closed
down after a raid conducted under the leadership of Minister for Food and Civil
supplies P. Thilothaman found serious irregularities in its functioning.The
dramatic events began with the Minister and his party arriving by 1.30 p.m. on
the premises of Rani Rice Mill which had the licence to mill the paddy procured
by the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation and return the processed rice to
the Corporation for distribution through the PDS.
However, there had been complaints against the miller that
he was bringing low-quality and rejected rice for polishing and adding colour
to it. This low-quality rice was being returned to the Civil Supplies
Corporation instead of the high-quality rice from the locally purchased paddy
given to them for processing by the Corporation. It was alleged that the
high-quality rice was sold in the open marker under the brand name Rani rice.
The Minister’s team found large quantity of low-quality
rice, machinery used to process it and pigments used in polishing the rice from
the mill’s premises.Following this the Minister convened a meeting of District
Collector C. A. Latha, District Supply Officer (DSO) and Additional District
Magistrate (ADM) where the decision to close the mill was taken.An inquiry by a
team which includes the DSO and ADM has also been instituted
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/Rice-mill-closed-down-after-Minister%E2%80%99s-raid-in-Kottayam/article17016909.ece
