Central Louisiana Rice Growers Association (CenLa) Receives
Industry Update
BUNKIE,
LA -- In the midst of rice planting, growers from four parishes in central
Louisiana took time to come together Monday night to receive reports on efforts to address
issues that impact their industry. Michael Klein, USA Rice vice
president of marketing, communications and domestic promotion, addressed the
major changes happening in Washington and what they will mean for rice.
He noted that there are still many appointments to be made by the President and
confirmed by the Senate, including Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue who
many believe will be good for rice. Klein mentioned agriculture's and
especially rice's efforts to remind the Trump Administration of the importance
of trade to ag and that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is
actually a success story for rice, so any adjustments to the deal need to
preserve what works for the U.S. industry.
Klein also reported on the USA Rice Domestic Promotion team's current activities to raise awareness and increase usage of U.S.-grown rice with a focus on foodservice. He further highlighted USA Rice's work to keep members informed about industry issues and the USA Rice Council's use of state promotion funds through the organization's daily e-newsletter, the USA Rice Daily, and the hard copy tabloid, the USA Rice Whole Grain, which is published three times a year.
Dr. Carrie Castille, USA Rice contractor, briefed CenLa members on the outlook for the upcoming Louisiana legislative session and possible issues that could impact agriculture. She brought attendees up to speed on ongoing efforts of Governor John Bel Edwards and Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Dr. Mike Strain to secure additional disaster relief for the spring and summer floods that caused damage from Shreveport to Baton Rouge to Lake Charles. Castille said, "We will be monitoring in-state legislative activities daily and working hard to make sure our decision makers understand your concerns and the overall importance of the rice industry to the state."
Also addressing the group was DU Rice Stewardship Coordinator Kyle Soileau who reported on the recently approved USA Rice Mid-South Graduated Water Stewardship Program, a Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) awarded through its USA Rice-Ducks Unlimited Rice Stewardship Partnership. Soileau encouraged growers to apply for available cost-sharing conservation payments, noting that signup for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) portion would begin this fall and for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) portion in 2018.
Klein also reported on the USA Rice Domestic Promotion team's current activities to raise awareness and increase usage of U.S.-grown rice with a focus on foodservice. He further highlighted USA Rice's work to keep members informed about industry issues and the USA Rice Council's use of state promotion funds through the organization's daily e-newsletter, the USA Rice Daily, and the hard copy tabloid, the USA Rice Whole Grain, which is published three times a year.
Dr. Carrie Castille, USA Rice contractor, briefed CenLa members on the outlook for the upcoming Louisiana legislative session and possible issues that could impact agriculture. She brought attendees up to speed on ongoing efforts of Governor John Bel Edwards and Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Dr. Mike Strain to secure additional disaster relief for the spring and summer floods that caused damage from Shreveport to Baton Rouge to Lake Charles. Castille said, "We will be monitoring in-state legislative activities daily and working hard to make sure our decision makers understand your concerns and the overall importance of the rice industry to the state."
Also addressing the group was DU Rice Stewardship Coordinator Kyle Soileau who reported on the recently approved USA Rice Mid-South Graduated Water Stewardship Program, a Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) awarded through its USA Rice-Ducks Unlimited Rice Stewardship Partnership. Soileau encouraged growers to apply for available cost-sharing conservation payments, noting that signup for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) portion would begin this fall and for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) portion in 2018.
One-Day Summit Brings Farm Bill into Focus
Conservation panelists expressed the need to make farmers more aware of the current economics of agriculture, technological advancements, run-off management, and conservation programs. "Seventy percent of the land in the lower 48 states is owned by regular people," said Dave White, a former chief of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services and current partner in the 9b group, conservation consultants. "The quality of the environment will be determined by the quality of the decisions made by the men and women who own that land and that is why we have to help them stay informed."
Those on the panel for how the farm bill can help bring the next generation back to the farm focused on the need to create finance programs specifically designed to help beginning farmers, succession planning, and the crucial role the internet plays in attracting millennials back to rural America. "We should view the issue of spreading internet to rural communities as our leaders viewed the spread of electricity after the Great Depression," said Travis Medine, a Louisiana sugarcane farmer. "The internet is as necessary to current agriculture infrastructure as tractors and grain storage facilities. Data collection and basic communication technologies play a fundamental role in the development of rural economies just as electricity did in the past."
The event also featured speakers from both sides of the aisle on the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. Representative Mike Conaway (R-TX), House Ag Committee Chairman; Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), Senate Ag Committee Chairman; Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Senate Ag Committee Ranking Member; and Representative Collin Peterson (D-MN), House Ag Committee Ranking Member all encouraged farmers and ranchers to voice their needs and concerns early in order to have the farm bill passed in a timely manner.
"The legislative process and timeline for the next Farm Bill seem to be right on track," said USA Rice Vice President of Government Affairs Ben Mosely. "USA Rice will stay engaged as the Ag Committees work toward the September 2018 deadline, ensuring rice priorities stay at the forefront as the new bill is crafted."
PH needs to import 250,000 tons
of rice to avoid tight supply: NFA
ABS-CBN News
Rice supplies may become tight if the National Food Authority's
(NFA) request to import is not approved soon.NFA spokesperson Director Marietta
Ablaza said the country has enough rice stocks right now, but supplies may get
tight in the "lean months" if the country does not import 250,000
metric tons by April.
Ablaza said in an interview over radio DZMM that the NFA Council
needs to approve the agency's request for importation soon because it takes
time to import the rice stocks and distribute them to NFA regional
centers. She said the rice imports will ensure that the country's supply
of the staple will remain stable from June to September, when rice harvests
stop.
The NFA is recommending a government-to-government transaction for
the rice imports.
Ablaza said international rice prices are relatively cheap right
now at $330 per metric ton.
In 2008, a global rice crisis saw
prices spike from $300 per metric ton to around $1,200 per metric ton. In the
Philippines, consumers had to endure long queues just to buy rice
http://news.abs-cbn.com/business/03/21/17/ph-needs-to-import-250000-tons-of-rice-to-avoid-tight-supply-nfa
Farmers advised against distress sale of paddy
THE HANS INDIA |
Mar 22,2017 , 12:22 AM IST
Kothagudem: Joint Collector M Ramkishan has assured paddy farmers
of establishing purchase centres within their reach and advised them against
making a distress sale of paddy to the middlemen. He was reviewing arrangements
for lifting paddy with officials of Civil Supplies department, rice millers,
market committee secretaries, lorry owners and farmers here on Tuesday.
He asked Civil Supplies officials to equip the paddy purchase
centres with instruments that measure moisture content in paddy, scales and
adequate number of tarpaulins. The
responsibility of testing paddy quality rested with the agriculture department
officials, he said categorically.
He asked the rice millers to mill the paddy and supply fine rice to
the social welfare hostels and government schools. In fact, 45 paddy purchase centres were being
established in the district, he said. In addition, maize purchase centres will
be set up at Illandu, Mulkalapali and Dammapeta.
Civil Supplies officer Amruta Reddy, Central Bank Deputy General
Manager Naveen, Rice Millers’ Association president Jugal Kishore, Lorry
Owners’ Association leaders and others were part of the meeting
http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Hans/2017-03-22/Farmers-advised-against-distress-sale-of-paddy/288335
Selling Rice to Japan Minnesota tribes marketing wild rice to
the world
By
Maya Rao
Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services
Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services
The
Washington lobbyist for Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe flew this month to Japan with
10 pounds of wild rice, displaying them alongside offerings of salmon from
Alaskan tribes and olive oil and wine from California Indians.He was on a
mission to find importers at Foodex, the largest food show in Asia.
“It
could be an economic boom for the reservation,” said Richard Robinson, division
director of the tribe’s Division of Resource Management.
Leech
Lake is moving to expand its wild rice harvest from a sporadic enterprise
involving mostly tribal members to a full-fledged business with international
reach. Leech Lake has hired a marketing specialist and is going to food shows
to talk up the savory and nutritional qualities of the rice that grows on
tribal waters. It’s backed by a $250,000 grant from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) under a program that helps smaller food producers grow their
business.
It
might seem odd to try to make money by exporting rice to Japan. While Japan is
one of the largest export markets for rice produced in the U.S., unfavorable
trade policies and declining demand from an aging population pose challenges to
domestic rice producers sending their goods there.
But
Andy Burmeister, the lobbyist, said wild rice isn’t actually classified as rice
in the market — rather, it’s an aquatic grain because it grows in bodies of
water, and subject to fewer export restrictions.
“Our
stuff is something different,” he said.
As
the Ojibwe story goes, tribal people were told to migrate west until they came
upon “the food that grows upon the water.” Wild rice, called manoomin, is
sacred on Leech Lake. Every fall, residents go out on canoes to harvest the
rice, selling much of it to the tribal government for up to two dollars a
pound.
The
tribe sells some of the bounty to nearby stores and distributors, and sometimes
to other reservations. But most of the 145,000 pounds they’ve sold in the past
2? 1/2 years has been on or around Leech Lake.
The
grant has paid for the tribe to hire a sales and marketing manager, Amarin
Chanthorn. He said the tribe’s wild rice operation never had a professional
business plan.
“I’ll
be frank with you, it’s been very unorganized and it’s not sales-oriented, it’s
not a continual push for established contracts or long-term agreements,” he
said of the tribe’s work with outside suppliers.
In
recent years, the tribe’s wild rice operation has been in the red. He wants the
grants to help them “make a turnaround on this and find a way to continue our
cultural importance and also make some business sense out of it.”
The
Leech Lake band operates other businesses — it has three casinos, an office
supply operation and two convenience stores. But increasingly, Leech Lake sees
the most opportunity in marketing its wild rice to restaurants and stores. It
recently shipped wild rice to the upscale food store Dean & DeLuca.
“Today,
a lot of organic and health options are a big craze, and we feel like a lot of
people don’t know the difference between store-bought rice on the shelves and a
product that’s right from the lake,” said Chanthorn.
He
said the wild rice is softer, cooks faster and has an earthy, nutty taste
compared with conventional rice. Chanthorn hopes they export an additional
10,000 pounds of rice a year. The tribe is fronting its own money to buy the
wild rice to sell, but the USDA has agreed to reimburse them up to an extra
$300,000 — in addition to the grant — for those purchases.
In
its grant application, the tribe suggested it would look to expand its domestic
market, too, by attending food shows in Colorado, Wisconsin and Illinois.
Leech
Lake received a boost last year when it sold some wild rice to the USDA for
$270,000 under a program that distributes native-grown food to low-income
American Indians who qualify for food assistance around the country.
Daniel
Cornelius has worked with Leech Lake and other tribes in the Midwest to help
them sell more of their food through federal programs and export markets.
“Economic
development is one of the driving factors but … there’s a growing recognition
and understanding that growing our own foods, providing healthy food, it’s a
necessary strategy in addressing diet-related illnesses as well as helping to
revitalize culture,” said Cornelius, who’s a technical assistance specialist
for the Intertribal Agriculture Council.
While
the nonprofit council has been working with tribes to sell their crops since
1994, Cornelius sees a rising interest in native food. He’s also working with
the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community to help them sell surplus onions and
radishes to the USDA.
The
council was the organization that brought together various American Indian
tribes, including Leech Lake, at the Foodex show in Japan, where they vied for
the attention of 70,000 attendees alongside vendors from Italy, Belgium,
Portugal, and around the world.
Burmeister
met various importers, including one for a Japanese airline.
Last
year, the tribe sent 30 pounds of wild rice to a man in Japan who’s trying to
sell it to importers and distributors. Burmeister also attended a food show in
Paris to display the food and is thinking about markets in Europe — say, the
U.K., or Nordic countries.
Without
these programs there would be very little opportunity for a tribe like Leech
Lake to participate in export markets, according to Burmeister. That’s because
it’s expensive to go to food shows and the export markets can be highly
specialized.
“It
would be difficult for tribes and, I would say, for any small business,” he
said
http://www.farmforum.net/2017/03/20/selling-rice-to-japan-minnesota-tribes-marketing-wild-rice-to-the-world/
Import substitution: The other side of the rice coin
By Nonso Obikili,
Contributor | 21 March 2017 | 3:48 am
The
Nigerian government is a big fan of import substitution policies, a branch of
protectionism. The logic is simple. The government argues that Nigerians import
too much of said product, and that the country would be better off if we
produced said product locally. The government then proceeds to ban or increase
tariffs on said imported product with the hope of spurring domestic production.
Sometimes the tariffs are combined with other supportive policies. If the
products start getting produced locally then it is touted as a successful
policy.
The
policy framework has been implemented in Nigeria many times before for things
such as fruit juice, cement, and cars. The latest flavour of the month is rice.
The government has recently launched a war on imported rice. It has combined
increased tariffs and bans on rice importation through land borders with other
actual war-like tactics, like militias, also known as customs agents, running
around shooting people illegally importing rice. It has also implemented a
couple of other supportive policies such as, the Central Bank’s much promoted
anchor borrowers programme which tries to provide cheaper financing for
farmers. There has also been some supportive policies for the rest of the rice
value chain with particular emphasis on rice millers. Some genuinely good
stuff.
So is
the policy working? Well in a country as big as Nigeria, almost anytime the
government bans or raises tariffs on something, there will be an increase in
domestic production. Especially if it’s something that is not technically
difficult to produce. Like fruit juice or cement. It appears to be the same
with rice. Although the official numbers are not yet out, it does appear that
we will produce more rice this season than we have in a while. Is the increased
rice production enough to say that the policy is working?
To answer that question we first need to look at the other side of the coin; the consumers of rice. One side effect of the import substitution strategy is that it raises relative prices for the targeted product. These increased prices help spur domestic production. The governments war on imported rice has resulted in relative increases in the price of rice, which is all good if you produce rice. But what this also means is that everyone who consumes rice has taken a loss due to the policy. And we have a lot of rice consumers in Nigeria. Just pulling a statistic out of thin air, I would argue that at least half of the 190m Nigerians eat rice at least once a week. Which means that the price increases have led to a serious loss of welfare for rice consumers.
For the
policy to be deemed a success, it would have to be the case that the increase
in welfare from the increase in rice production, and the revenue from tariffs,
is more than the loss of welfare from Nigerians having to pay more for rice. If
you have taken economics classes and are familiar with the concept of dead
weight loss then you know that, all things being equal, the welfare loss is
typically greater than the welfare increase from a tariff. Unless something
else changes, tariffs typically results in overall welfare losses.
That
something else is typically productivity. The productivity in the rice value chain
would need to increase enough, to make up for the welfare loss from the tariffs
on imported rice. Increased productivity should eventually result in prices
lower than their imported competitors. Given that rice prices are still higher,
then it means the productivity increases required, have not happened yet. So
let us not call the policy a success.
If we are being honest, the policy, even if it could, isn’t really expected to be successful overnight. It takes time to move from a low level of productivity to a higher level. It takes time to increase yields, it takes time to develop high quality milling capacity, and it takes time to build a reputation. Will the productivity increases required happen this time around? I don’t know. But I do know that in almost every instance where protectionist policies have led to increased productivity, the focus has always been on exports. Unfortunately, exports are not our focus here but a misguided quest for self-sufficiency. So I am not optimistic.
On a
final note, the government is always quick to point to South Korea and Taiwan
as examples of cases where protectionism is associated with increased
productivity. It would be nice if they also talk about the failures as well,
such as much of Latin America, and our very own Nigeria. Perhaps we should be
asking what else the South Koreans and Taiwanese did besides being
protectionist.
•Nonso
Obikili is an economist currently roaming somewhere between Nigeria and South
Africa and tweets @nonso2. The opinions expressed in this article are the
author’s and do not reflect the views of his employers.
Jeremy Vincent — Curry favour with flavour
JEREMY VINCENT, The Weekly Times
BEEF AND POTATO CURRY
Serves 8-10
CURRY PASTE
2 medium shallots, unpeeled
2 small heads garlic, unpeeled
5cm piece galangal, peeled and thinly sliced
5cm ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp coriander seeds
5-10 dried red chillies or to taste, stemmed and roughly chopped
2 tbsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp mild curry powder
2 tbsp roughly chopped coriander stems
2 tbsp shrimp paste
1½ tbsp salt
6 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and thinly sliced
THE CURRY
750g oyster blade beef, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
750ml coconut milk
250ml coconut cream
3 medium shallots, quartered
3 large kipfler potatoes, peeled and cut into 4cm pieces
2 tbsp grated palm sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
Make the paste: Heat a large heavy-based frying pan over
medium-high heat. Place shallots and garlic on a piece of foil and fold into a
tight package; add to pan. Cook, flipping once, until soft, about 25 minutes.
Let cool, then peel and roughly chop; set aside. Place the galangal and ginger
in a single layer on a piece of foil and fold into a flat package; add to pan.
Cook, flipping once, until soft, about 7 minutes; set aside. Heat coriander seeds
in pan until seeds begin to pop, 1-2 minutes; let cool slightly. Place in a
spice grinder and pulse until finely ground, and set aside.
Place chillies in a bowl and cover with 2 cups boiling water;
let sit until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserve 2 tablespoons of the
liquid. Place the chillies in a small food processor with the shallots, garlic,
galangal, ginger, coriander, turmeric, curry powder, coriander stems, shrimp
paste, salt, and lemongrass; pulse until roughly chopped. Add the reserved liquid
and puree the mix until smooth. Set 1 cup aside; refrigerate remaining paste
for future use up to 2 weeks (or freeze).
Make the curry: Bring the beef and coconut milk to a simmer in a
large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is
very tender, about 1 hour. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a bowl
and reserve 1½ cups of the coconut milk; set the beef and coconut milk aside.
Heat coconut cream in a large saucepan or wok over medium heat.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the oil is separated, about 30 minutes. Add
the 1 cup curry paste; cook, stirring, until slightly browned, about 7 minutes.
Add the reserved coconut milk to the saucepan along with 3 cups water; bring to
a boil. Add the reserved beef, plus the shallots and potatoes. Reduce the heat
to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are very tender,
about 40 minutes. Stir in palm sugar and fish sauce. Serve with basmati rice on
the side.
TIPS FOR MAKING A GREAT CURRY
USE basmati rice and always rinse rice before cooking to remove most
of the starch dust. This stops rice being sticky.
IT’S worth investing in a small food processor or coffee grinder to
use exclusively for spices. If you are patient, a mortar and pestle provide a
good hands-on approach.
IF THE recipe calls for marinating meats, do so for as long as you can.
It makes a big difference. At least 1 hour, or overnight if you can.
TASTE as you go. Hold off on some of the intense ingredients such as
chilli. If a recipe calls for three, you might like to add one first and check
on the heat your dish will generate. The same for water. Add water or stock
judiciously. You can add more if the consistency of the curry is too dry.
ROOT vegetables are always a good addition — try sweet potato,
pumpkin and carrots. Leave them out until meat is cooked then simmer another
hour. Cauliflower is often a star ingredient for vegetable curry.
DON’T forget the extras. Pappadums are easy to prepare and raita —
yoghurt with finely chopped tomato and cucumber — is also a handy side dish
Dish of The Week: Rice Pudding
MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017 AT 8 A.M.
Taste the pudding that's made its way around the
world.
Photo by rpavich
From classic comfort foods to regional standouts and desserts,
we'll be sharing a new recipe with you each week. Find other dishes of the week here.This week, we’re sharing a dish that has made its way around the
globe: rice pudding.
Rice pudding is made of rice — usually white rice that can be short or long
grain — mixed with milk, cream or water and flavorings, often cinnamon and
raisins. Other popular ingredients include egg yolk, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom,
honey, vanilla, almond, pistachio, dates, orange, lemon and other
fruits. The dish can be sweetened and served as a dessert or served as a
sweet or savory meal.
According to foodtimeline.org, its origins can be traced back to
grain pottages of the ancient Middle East, and it has long been associated with
good nutrition and digestion.
The dish is especially popular in Asia and Latin America, where
rice is a staple. In Asia, forms of rice pudding (or rice porridge) span from put chai ko in
Hong Kong to kiribath in
Sri Lanka. In Latin America, arroz con leche is a mainstay, with variations
including orange peel and raisins soaked in rum, sherry or tequila in Mexico;
and coffee, butter, vanilla, cinnamon and cloves in Colombia. Cultures around
the world have embraced the pudding. In Israel, it is often flavored with
rosewater; in Sweden, it's a Christmastime staple; and in Jamaica, toasted
coconut and crushed pineapple are likely to make an appearance.
This recipe, from Ina Garten, ups the
ante on traditional rice pudding by adding a splash of dark rum.
Rum Raisin Rice Pudding
Ingredients yields 6 to 8 servings
3/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons dark rum
3/4 cup white basmati rice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
5 cups half-and-half, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1 extra-large egg, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons dark rum
3/4 cup white basmati rice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
5 cups half-and-half, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1 extra-large egg, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Directions
In a small bowl, combine the raisins and rum. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the raisins and rum. Set aside.
Combine the rice and salt with 1
1/2 cups water in a medium heavy-bottomed stainless steel saucepan. Bring it to
a boil, stir once and simmer, covered, on the lowest heat for 8 to 9 minutes,
until most of the water is absorbed. If your stove is very hot, pull the pan
halfway off the burner.
Stir in 4 cups of half-and-half and sugar and bring to a boil.
Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, until the rice is very soft. Stir often,
particularly toward the end. Slowly stir in the beaten egg and continue to cook
for 1 minute. Off the heat, add the remaining cup of half-and-half, the vanilla
and the raisins with any remaining rum. Stir well. Pour into a bowl, and place
a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding to prevent a skin from
forming.
Serve warm or chilled.
http://www.houstonpress.com/restaurants/how-to-make-rice-pudding-9282406
Exporters contract one million tons of rice this year – Agriculture – Economy
The Hanoitimes – Member enterprises of the Vietnam Food Association (VFA) have already clinched export
contracts for at least one million tons of
rice with delivery scheduled for this year.
Most of the volume will be
delivered to customers this year based
on the contracts that VFA’s member enterprises signed with importers last year. The volume is 200,000 tons higher than the
same period last year. The demand for rice of the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia is forecast to jump, but Vietnam will
have to compete with Thailand, which wants to reduce its huge rice stockpiles.
China, a major importer of Vietnamese
rice in recent years, is said to have inked a memorandum of understanding to
purchase two million tons of
rice from Thailand this year. Concerns have risen among domestic rice exporters for
tougher competition from India and Pakistan as
these two nations have cut prices of their low and medium-grade rice to compete
with similar products of Vietnam.
According to VFA, Vietnam had exported 5.96 million tons of
rice from January 1 to December 18 last year, falling 11% against the previous year. Up to 83%
of the volume was shipped to Asian and African countries
and the rest to America, Europe and Oceania.
Last year, Vietnam’s FOB rice export prices averaged
US$439 per ton, inching up 2% per ton against 2013. The price of low-grade rice
slightly increased while that of 5% broken rice decreased 4-5% from the year’s
beginning to US$393 per ton at the end of last year.
To order to boost rice shipments this year, the Ministry of Industry and Trade suggested rice exporters diversify
markets, and seek to make full use of the opportunities from bilateral and
multilateral trade agreements, and follow updates on importing markets. The
ministry also urged VFA and relevant agencies to enhance the quality of
Vietnamese rice and help local rice exporters cope
with challenges.
https://www.vietnambreakingnews.com/2017/03/exporters-contract-one-million-tons-of-rice-this-year-agriculture-economy/
Rice export
behind target, to focus on quality
By Htin Lynn Aung
| Tuesday, 21 March 2017
The rise of the US dollar value in currency exchange markets is leading to an
increase in rice export volumes when compared to the previous financial year,
said U Ye Min Aung, managing director of Myanmar Agribusiness Public
Corporation (MAPCO) and the general secretary of the Myanmar Rice Federation
(MRF).
Farmers
prepare paddy field for rice harvest. Kaung Htet / The Myanmar Times
According to figures up until March
3, Myanmar’s rice export has risen by about 25,000 tonnes compared to the
export volume in the fiscal year 2015-16, he said. This year’s rice export is
likely to go up to nearly 1.5 million tonnes, he also said at a
course-completion ceremony on rice export sector held on March 13.
Unfortunately, MRF’s initial
expectation to export about 2 million tonnes of rice for this fiscal year seems
unlikely to be met.
“We can export about 1.5 million
tonnes this year. This situation shows that the supply of rice is sufficient
for domestic consumption … and demands from Sri Lanka and China are also
increasing. But the most important part is that the exchange rate helps
exporters produce healthy profits and pushes them to export more,” said U Ye
Min Aung.
In this financial year, the
exchange rate for the US dollar rose to K1400 and K1365 on March 13. This fact
encourages rice exporters to export more rice, he said.
In the last fiscal year, Myanmar
exported 1.473 million tonnes of rice but this year’s export has reached about
1.498 million tonnes, roughly totalling US$700 million.
China is beginning to thoroughly
examine rice being exported across the border this fiscal year –exporting rice
across the border area is on the decline. In the past, annual rice exported
through the border area was more than 900,000 tonnes. This fiscal year, the
cross-border export was only 600,000 tonnes and 100,000 tonnes through shipping
containers, said U Toe Aung Myint, permanent secretary of the Ministry of
Commerce.
According to cross-border export
data, in the past two fiscal years there were roughly 12.2 million tonnes of
rice exported for 2015-16. 240,000 tonnes of that amount were done through
shipping containers in the fiscal year 2015-16. For 2014-15, there were more than
18 million tonnes of rice, 5 million tonnes of which were also exported through
shipping containers in that year.
“After improving the private
sector, rice export is mainly for cross-border export. In this year, exporting
through shipping containers is increasing by connecting individual
entrepreneurs,” he said.
In the fiscal year 2016-17,
shipping exports was nearly 600,000 tonnes and cross-border trade fell to about
900,000 tonnes.
The MRF is expecting to reach US$1
billion from the rice sector in 2020. The sector can grow and increase the
revenue by exporting high quality rice, said U Ye Min Aung.
“For our objective and vision in
2020, by then between US$35 million and US$40 million should be achieved by
exporting quality rice ... We will improve our revenue by focusing on quality
and exporting qualified rice instead of boosting the quantity of exports,” he
added.
Myanmar legally exports to China
through shipping on the basis of a quota system since the fiscal year 2014-15.
Now, the amount of export is nearly 200,000 tonnes, according to the legal
contract, and the signing of new contracts this month will amount to an export
of 100,000 tonnes, he said.
However, exports according to the
contract can only take place in the upcoming fiscal year.
Myanmar has no well-established
export market for rice apart from China, but that country’s crackdown on
illegal importshas left Myanmar with a growing surplus of unsold paddy.
A potential export agreement with
the Philippines in 2015 fell through, mainly because Myanmar rice proved too
expensive and so the Philippines decided to make a deal with Vietnam instead.
Attempts to renew a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia are still under
way and have not yet finalised.
U Khin Maung Lwin, deputy secretary
at the commerce ministry, told the Myanmar Times back in November 2016 that the
government was pursuing exports to the EU and Indonesia, and trying again to
form an agreement with the Philippines. He was hopeful that it would not take
long for the Indonesia agreement to finalise.
In November, the Myanmar Times
reported that MAPCO signed an agreement worth around US$3 million with South
Korean firm SK networks to import 100 grain dryers for rice and corn. The
dryers would go to the agribusiness service centres MAPCO was in the process of
setting up in Yangon, Mandalay and Ayeyarwady regions
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/business/25404-rice-export-behind-target-to-focus-on-quality.html
Rice
self-sufficiency
http://manilastandard.net/opinion/editorial/88755/rice-self-sufficiency.html
Rice Bran Oil Market Trends
by Key Players, Manufacturing Process, Machinery, Raw Materials, Cost and
Revenue in USA 2021
The Rice Bran Oil market provides detailed market segment level
data on the USA market. The Rice Bran Oil market report addresses forecast and
growth patterns by company, regions and type or application from 2017 to 2021.
In this introductory section, the Rice Bran Oil market research report
incorporates analysis of definitions, classifications, applications and
industry chain structure. Besides this, the report also consists of development
trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.
Browse Detailed TOC, Tables, Figures, Charts and Companies
Mentioned in Rice Bran Oil Market Research
Report@http://www.360marketupdates.com/10536638
The report starts with a basic Rice Bran Oil market overview. It
also acts as a vital tool to industries active across the value chain and for
new entrants by enabling them to take advantage of the opportunities and
develop business strategies.
Rice Bran Oil Market Key Players Analysis:
• Ricela
• Kamal
• BCL
• SVROil
• Vaighai
• P. Refinery
• 3F Industries
• Sethia Oils
• Jain Group of
Industries
• Shivangi Oils
• Balgopal Food
Products
• King Rice Oil
Group
• CEO Agrifood
Limited
• Kasisuri
Continued……
Rice Bran Oil market report helps the companies to better
understand the market trends and to grasp opportunities and articulate critical
business strategies. Also includes company profiles of market key players
contact information, gross capacity, product details of each firm, price, and
cost are covered.
Get Sample PDF of Rice Bran Oil Market Research Report@
http://www.360marketupdates.com/enquiry/request-sample/10536638
The Rice Bran Oil market research report shed light on Foremost
Regions: The West, Southwest, The Middle Atlantic, New England, The South and
The Midwest.
This section of the market research report includes analysis of
major raw materials suppliers, manufacturing equipment suppliers, major players
of the Rice Bran Oil industry, key consumers, and supply chain relationship.
The contact information is also provided along with this analysis.
Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis:
• Manufacturing Cost
Analysis
• Raw Materials
Analysis
• Price Trend of Key
Raw Materials
• Key Suppliers of
Raw Materials
• Market
Concentration Rate of Raw Materials
• Labour Cost
Along with this, analysis of depreciation cost, manufacturing cost
structure, manufacturing process is also carried out. Price, cost, and gross
analysis of the Rice Bran Oil market is also included in this section.
Trade and Distribution Analysis:
• Marketing Channel
• Marketing Channel
Development Trend
• Market Positioning
• Pricing Strategy
• Brand Strategy
• Distributors/Traders
List
This section of the Rice Bran Oil market report consists of
marketing channel status and end buyer price analysis. It also provides contact
information of the traders and distributors.
Market Effect Factors Analysis:
• Technology
Progress/Risk
• Substitutes Threat
• Technology
Progress in Related Industry
• Consumer
Needs/Customer Preference Change
• Economic/Political
Environmental Change
No. of Pages: 117
Price of Report: $3800 (Single User Licence)
Purchase Rice Bran Oil Market
Report@http://www.360marketupdates.com/purchase/10536638
This particular section of the Rice Bran Oil market report includes
analysis of gross margin, cost and price.
The Rice Bran Oil industry research report is a valuable source of
guidance and direction. It is helpful for established businesses, new entrants in
the market as well as individuals interested in the market. The Rice Bran Oil
market report provides important statistics on the existing state of the said
market
http://www.satprnews.com/2017/03/21/rice-bran-oil-market-trends-by-key-players-manufacturing-process-machinery-raw-materials-cost-and-revenue-in-usa-2021/
