Whopping
increase in prices of tomatoes, potatoes, eggs and rice while wheat prices
remain stable
ISLAMABAD – As the PML-N
government entered the fourth year of its third stint under prime minister
Nawaz Sharif, a massive increase in prices of tomatoes, potatoes, eggs,
and rice was observed while wheat prices remained fixed.
According to the latest data
rolled out by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, prices of commodities witnessed a
mixed trend with price of wheat going down and price of tomatoes going up.
Change in prices from March 2016
to March 2017
If we delve into the details
further, we realise that the price of wheat over a period of one year
stretching from March 2016 to March 2017 saw a downward trend and it shed by
1.43 percent.
For average quality ‘gur’ the
price went down by 1.62 percent while it went 4 percent down for sugar.
Likewise, wheat flour bag saw a
2.06 percent reduction in price and red chilli powder saw a 2.67 percent cut
over a period of one year.
On the other hand, lentils which
are utilised by a majority of people in the country also saw a downward drift
as PML-N entered into the fourth year of governance.
For washed pulse masoor, the
price went down by 10.86 percent while it went a bit further 17.97 percent for
moong. The price of mash pulse saw a maximum fall and it decreased by 26.88
percent.
Contrary to the reduction in prices,
consumers also had to purchase some essential household items at an
extended rate.
For instance, there was a 47.99
percent increase in the price of potatoes, considered an important element of
any meal followed by tomatoes that saw a 136.19 percent increase.
And as the country is facing gas
crises as well, Liquid Petroleum Gas used as an alternative also went hard on
consumers with a 28.23 percent increase per 11 kilogrammes.
A 14.42 percent swell was
observed in price of eggs while Basmati broken rice was sold at an enhanced
8.72 percent rate.
Popular cigarette brands observed
a 12.29 percent rise in cost while the petrol price soared by 16.28 percent.
The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics
also analysed rate of Pakistan’s most popular drink tea and its findings
revealed that a 20.69 percent hike was detected over a period of one year from
March, 2016 to 2017
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/
Oil, Rice, Chabahar: India-Iran
Trade Issues Demystified
Economically tied with high volume trade in crude oil and
politically tied with similar interests for stability in the Middle East,
Afghanistan, India and Iran have traversed a long and tumultuous journey to
maintain a healthy trade relationship.
This received further impetus after Iran signed the Joint Comprehensive
Plan of Action with six world powers, which led to the removal of economic
sanctions imposed on Iran.
In an interview with Hassan Nourian, consul general of the
Islamic Republic of Iran, Hyderabad, The Dollar Business explores current
issues in the India-Iran bilateral relationship.
Speaking about diverse areas from the ambiguity in payment
settlement mechanisms to problems in basmati rice exports, the diplomat lucidly
explains the dynamics in India-Iran relations. Below is the full text of the
interview:
TDB: How are the unresolved issues in payments settlement
between India and Iran being dealt with?
NOURIAN: The JCPOA opened banking routes for Iran and
caused the old payment mechanism to become defunct. Opening up of SWIFT to
Iranian banks has supplemented current payment methods. Minor issues still
exist between Iran and India, which are in the process of being resolved.
Some of the Iranian banks have submitted proposals to the RBI
[Reserve Bank of India] asking for permits to open branches in India,
particularly Parsian and Pasargad. Opening up of branches in India will go a
long way in introducing ease in business between the two countries.
Iran seems apprehensive in the use of dollar for foreign
trade. Which currency is being used currently?
There are different categories of sanctions, some imposed
internationally and others specifically by the US government. The newly imposed
international sanctions have been lifted recently by the United Nations
Security Council, but the old American sanctions are not among these
international sanctions.
The government of Iran is interested in diversifying its use of
various currencies for foreign trade. With many countries, transactions are
made in their respective currency, for instance, yuan with China and euro with
the EU.
What is the strategic significance of Chabahar Port for India
and Iran?
India, Iran and Afghanistan signed a tripartite agreement last
year during the visit of [Indian] PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Tehran, to
develop the Chabahar Port into a transit hub. India has committed to a $500
million investment for the same.
Until 1947, Iran and India were neighboring countries. Since the
separation of Pakistan, India has not had a direct trade route connecting it
with Central Asia and Afghanistan. Easy trade access to Central Asia is the
prime strategic reason behind India’s investment in Chabahar Port.
Chabahar is not only an economically beneficial area but also an
important strategic area. Through investments from countries like India, Iran
hopes to bring about the development of many undeveloped villages and cities in
the Chabahar region.
What is India’s role in bringing stability to Central Asia,
weighed down by terrorism and extremism?
Our region is suffering from problems of extremism. Afghanistan,
due to an unstable and weak government, is a breeding ground for terrorist
groups to emerge and grow. Poverty and a weak economy are the root causes for
the emergence of extremism.
Empowering business environment and economy in these regions can
help secure the region from growing terrorism, and that is why investment in
the eastern part of Iran, which will provide a direct link to Afghanistan and
Pakistan, may help empower small groups of people with productive tools of
education and business, cutting off their ties to extremist ideologies.
Japan and China have also expressed interest in investing in the
Chabahar region.
What are the supply-demand statistics of basmati rice in Iran?
Per capita consumption of basmati rice in Iran currently stands
at 37–40 kg annually, or 104 grams per day. While Iran’s annual production of
basmati rice averages 1.8 million-2 million tons, consumption is around 3
million tons. To fill in for this deficit between demand and supply, Iran
imports rice to the tune of 1 million tons every year, mostly from India.
What is India’s share in Iran’s total import of basmati rice?
The quality of Indian basmati rice is ideal and suitable for
Iranian consumption. As much as 700,000 tons of the Iranian annual basmati rice
imports are sourced from India. Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam and other European
and Latin American countries account for the remaining 30% imports.
Many other countries are competing for India’s massive share of
the pie. India must keep its prices competitive to secure its edge.
Why has the Rice Importers’ Association in Iran capped import
prices at $850/ton?
A price hike of 50% in October 2016 caused Indian
exporters to demand high prices for their produce. This compromised
affordability for the Iranian citizen.
Iran has off-late cut down import tariffs on rice from 40% to
26%, to boost affordability. With the same objective, the Iranian government
recommends a price cap of $850/ton for rice imports.
Why does Iran temporarily ban rice imports for a few months
every year?
Iran imposes import restrictions not only on rice but on all
agricultural products during their respective domestic harvest season.
Averaging 3-4 months, the temporary barring of imports is a policy common for
all of Iran’s agricultural produce.
What are some other concerns regarding basmati rice trade
between India and Iran apart from prices and temporary import restrictions?
India’s negligence in meeting quality standards raised a few red
flags at Iran’s Health Ministry. Instances of some Indian samples being laced
with arsenic had aroused some quality concerns.
To override the triple hurdles of quality, price hike and
seasonal import restrictions, a trade delegation from India had visited Iran in
January 2017. During the high-profile visit, India invited Iran for laboratory
visits to perform quality checks.
What impact will the oil price rise due to the OPEC deal have on
India-Iran trade?
India, being a fast-developing nation, has a very high demand
for energy. Complementing this need, Iran is the most stable and resourceful
country in the region for India to import oil reliably from.
Due to a drop in global prices of oil, India-Iran trade volume
dropped from $13 billion in 2015 to $9 billion in 2016, despite an increase in
the volume of oil imports by India from Iran.
We do not wish for our economy to rely excessively on oil
exports. With this objective, Iran has adopted the policy of Resistance
Economy.
India-Iran trade is mostly confined to crude oil. What are some
other areas of focus for increasing bilateral trade?
More than 70% of the India-Iran trade are currently in crude
oil. Rice, dal [pulses] and other edibles make up for most of the remaining
trade volume.
Iran would like to go beyond this traditional trade relationship
and engage with India in advanced sectors like IT, aerospace, biotechnology and
pharmaceuticals.
Hyderabad has immense potential for both industries, pharma and
IT. About 70% of India’s manufacturing capacity in pharmaceuticals are housed
in Hyderabad.
In fact, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore are three of the
southern IT hubs, which fall under our jurisdiction.
https://financialtribune.com/articles/economy-domestic-economy/61874/oil-rice-chabahar-india-iran-trade-issues-demystified
Trump Asking for More Information and Enforcement on Trade
By Michael Klein
WASHINGTON, DC - On Friday, President Trump
signed two executive orders (E.O.) dealing with trade issues, both of which are
of interest to the U.S. rice industry.
The first provides for enhanced collection and
enforcement of antidumping and countervailing duties and for stepping up
enforcement of existing U.S. trade and customs law.
The second E.O. directs the Secretary of
Commerce and the office of the U.S. Trade Representative to prepare, within 90
days, an Omnibus Report on Significant Trade Deficits for the President's
review.
This report will contain "...current and
comprehensive information regarding unfair trade practices and the causes of
United States trade deficits." The
report is expected to identify those trading partners with which the United
States had a significant trade deficit in merchandise in 2016 and address the
causes of the deficit and whether the foreign country is unfairly burdening
U.S. exports or the commerce of the United States, among other requirements.
Media reports indicate that the Report will
focus on trade deficits with the following countries: China, Japan, Germany, Mexico, Ireland, Viet
Nam, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, India, Thailand, France, Switzerland, Taiwan,
Indonesia, and Canada. Several of these
countries are either major export markets for U.S. rice or competitors on the
global rice market.
"USA Rice has long called for increased
action by the U.S. government to make sure that other countries are acting
fairly in international and U.S. markets and living up to their international
obligations. These two executive orders
show a shift in focus, and we look forward to providing information to the
administration as details about implementing the president's directives become know,"
said USA Rice COO Bob Cummings.
Customs Arrest 7
Vehicles Loaded With Smuggled Rice In Katsina
He said that the smugglers ran and abandoned their vehicles
loaded with the rice when they sighted customs on the road who went there using
intelligence information.
“Our men rounded up the area; this scared the smugglers and they
ran and abandoned the vehicles.
“We were able to apprehend all the seven vehicles loaded with
smuggled rice.
“No smuggler was shot or killed during the operation, but one
person got injured while attempting to run and has been taken to the hospital
for medical attention.
“The injured person will be prosecuted after receiving treatment
to serve as deterrent to others,’’ Tanko said.
He reaffirmed the determination of the command to ensure zero
tolerance on rice smuggling and other items whose importation into the country
was prohibited by the government.
https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2017/04/05/customs-arrest-7-vehicles-loaded-smuggled-rice-katsina/
SKUAST-K to
expand Mushkbudgi and Kamad rice in 5 more districts
SRINAGAR: Sharing and expanding production and
productivity of Mushkbudji and Kamad at Mountain Research Centre for Field
Crops, Khudwani, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences &
Technology of Kashmir held Seed Distribution-cum Advisory function on improved
Mushkbudji and Kamad for newly identified ecologies across the Valley.
The function was held on Wednesday at Rice Station Khudwani in collaboration with the financial assistance from National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
Under this programme Mushkibuidji and Kamad varieties will be introduced in five other district viz. Kupwara, Budgam, Kulgam, Anantnag and Baramulla. These district locations have similar climatic and altitude conditions for growing of these rice varieties.
Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-Kashmir, Prof Nazeer Ahmed, felicitated the function as Chief Guest while as Deputy Commissioner, Kulgam Showkat Ajaz Bhat, was Guest of Honour.
Speaking on the occasion VC, SKUAST complimented scientists of the Rice Research Station of Khudwani and the farmers for revival and promotion of Mushkibudji and Kamad varieties.
VC complimented the farmers of Sagam and Dandiwatpora who have earned cash award of Rs. 10 lacs from Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for preservation and promotion of Mushkbudji and Kamad varieties.
Vice-Chancellor also distributed Seeds of these varieties among the farming community of the five districts viz. Kupwara, Budgam, Kulgam, Anantnag and Baramulla. Under this programme 35 farmers of each district have been identified who will introduce Mushkbudji and Kamad in these districts.
Further calling upon scientists and Programme Coordinators of the respective KVKs, Vice-Chancellor laid stress for constant monitoring of these demonstration units and to extend all possible help to the farmers popularizing the crop. He also advised farmers for Integrated Farming System approach for income enhancement and employability.
He requested the officers of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development for devising plan for funding Integrated Farming System for the benefit of farming community in this endeavor. Deputy Commissioner, Kulgam, Showkat Ajaz Bhat hailed the efforts of the University scientists in promotion of prized rice varieties. He pitched for seed village concept which would be serving as demonstration units for better learning among the farming community of the district. He also requested the University to lay special emphasis for promotion of vegetables, floriculture and temperate seed production of vegetables in the district.
The function was held on Wednesday at Rice Station Khudwani in collaboration with the financial assistance from National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
Under this programme Mushkibuidji and Kamad varieties will be introduced in five other district viz. Kupwara, Budgam, Kulgam, Anantnag and Baramulla. These district locations have similar climatic and altitude conditions for growing of these rice varieties.
Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-Kashmir, Prof Nazeer Ahmed, felicitated the function as Chief Guest while as Deputy Commissioner, Kulgam Showkat Ajaz Bhat, was Guest of Honour.
Speaking on the occasion VC, SKUAST complimented scientists of the Rice Research Station of Khudwani and the farmers for revival and promotion of Mushkibudji and Kamad varieties.
VC complimented the farmers of Sagam and Dandiwatpora who have earned cash award of Rs. 10 lacs from Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for preservation and promotion of Mushkbudji and Kamad varieties.
Vice-Chancellor also distributed Seeds of these varieties among the farming community of the five districts viz. Kupwara, Budgam, Kulgam, Anantnag and Baramulla. Under this programme 35 farmers of each district have been identified who will introduce Mushkbudji and Kamad in these districts.
Further calling upon scientists and Programme Coordinators of the respective KVKs, Vice-Chancellor laid stress for constant monitoring of these demonstration units and to extend all possible help to the farmers popularizing the crop. He also advised farmers for Integrated Farming System approach for income enhancement and employability.
He requested the officers of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development for devising plan for funding Integrated Farming System for the benefit of farming community in this endeavor. Deputy Commissioner, Kulgam, Showkat Ajaz Bhat hailed the efforts of the University scientists in promotion of prized rice varieties. He pitched for seed village concept which would be serving as demonstration units for better learning among the farming community of the district. He also requested the University to lay special emphasis for promotion of vegetables, floriculture and temperate seed production of vegetables in the district.
Director Research, Dr M.Y. Zargar highlighted research attainments in rice and complimented the scientists of the Station in their endeavour for revival of these two scented varieties. He also informed that university is striving hard to tune its research aiming at benefiting the farming community.
DGM, NABARD, Pushpas Pandey, also spoke and highlighted the role of the bank in facilitating the financial assistance to the farmers. He assured of all possible help for expansion of the prized varieties of rice in the valley.
http://kashmirreader.com/2017/04/06/skuast-k-expand-mushkbudgi-kamad-rice-5-districts/
Duterte: Govt must protect rice
farmers
APRIL 5, 2017
TALAVERA, Nueva Ecija—President Duterte on Wednesday said he is
more partial to protecting Filipino farmers, and allow them to supply the rice
requirement of the Philippines than import the
staple.
“There’s free trade, and the
Philippines is an open market; but, you know, you have to protect the Filipino
[farmers],” Duterte said in his speech during
SL Agritech Corp.’s Grand Harvest Festival held here.
“I would look foolish if the government
would continue to give assistance to farmers, but they would remain helpless,
because rice imports are cheaper,” he added.
The President vowed to ensure
that farmers will receive enough assistance from the government to improve
their productivity. “We will be able to feed millions of Filipinos if we use
government funds wisely.”Duterte’s pronouncement came three months before the
quantitative restriction (QR) on rice expires on June 30. The Philippine waiver
on the special treatment on rice, which was approved by the World Trade
Organization’s (WTO) Council for Trade in Goods, has allowed Manila to
implement the QR until this year.
Upon the expiration of the
waiver, and no later than June 30, Manila’s importation of rice shall be
subject to ordinary customs duties in accordance with the WTO’s Agreement on
Agriculture.
In his speech, the President also
said he fired Office of the Cabinet Secretary (OCS) Undersecretary Halmen A.
Valdez over the importation of rice done by the private sector under the minimum
access volume (MAV) scheme of the WTO.In a news briefing after SL Agritech’s
event, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol confirmed to reporters that
Valdez was fired by the President. The President placed the NFA under the
supervision of the OCS.
“The President ordered the
dismissal of Valdez over the importation of rice. It was Valdez who actually
dealt with the NFA regarding the rice imports,” Piñol said.“NFA Administrator
Jason Aquino wanted the government to import rice so that the government could
take hold and control it instead of giving [the imports] to the private
sector,” he added.
Because of the bumper rice
harvest, Piñol said the President has decided to put on hold the purchase of
250,000 MT of rice from abroad. Citing Duterte, Piñol said the
government would first evaluate the need to import the staple.“The President
today acted on the appeal of our farmers that the importation of rice be
temporarily halted in the face of the bountiful harvest in the first quarter.
This does not mean we are against importation; we will import when we needed,”
he said.
Farmers are currently harvesting
the dry-season rice crop. Piñol said the President would decide on rice
importation by the end of the dry season in May.
The Department of Agriculture, he
said, sees no immediate need to import rice to boost the buffer stock of the
NFA during the lean months, which would start in July.
Earlier Piñol said the country’s
rice production in the January-to-March period expanded by 5.34 percent to 4.14
million metric tons (MMT), from the 3.93 MMT recorded in the same period last
year despite the decline in harvest area. The DA chief attributed the hike in
output to good weather and the use of high-yielding hybrid-rice seeds by
farmers.
As early as January, the NFA had
requested the NFA Council (NFAC) to allow the importation of 250,000 MT of rice
to beef up the food agency’s stocks. To date, the NFAC has not acted on the
request of the NFA.
“Delaying further the approval
for the government-to-government importation of the 250,000-MT balance could
make it more difficult for the NFA to maintain the minimum levels of
food-security rice requirement during normal times, more so during the lean
months,” Aquino said.The NFA had planned to bring in the imports this month to
preposition the stocks in calamity-prone areas.
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/duterte-govt-must-protect-rice-farmers/
Millers push for
China access
Wed, 5 April 2017
Rice is harvested from a field using a small
harvest machine in Tbong Khmum provice last year. Heng Chivoan
Amid
concerns that the European Union could reject shipments of Cambodian rice,
exporters are pushing for more access to China as an alternative market for the
Kingdom’s principal agricultural commodity. Hun Lak, vice president of the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF), said just 26 Cambodian millers have satisfied China’s sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards, making them eligible to export rice to the Chinese market.
However, another 55 millers “have the quality and capacity to export to China” and have requested an inspection by China’s AQSIQ (General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine) to approve their shipments for export.
“We met Ministry of Agriculture officials to seek their assistance in opening the door wider for rice exports to China,” Lak said yesterday. “We hope that officials from AQSIQ China will come to inspect the rice millers’ production lines soon.”
According to Lak, Cambodia’s rice industry has struggled since 2015, with about 10 millers forced into bankruptcy and others deep in debt. He said the global market has become increasingly “narrow and strict”, and unless Cambodian exporters can develop new markets the rice industry could soon collapse.
The latest challenge to the sector is the EU’s call on farmers to eradicate the use of the fungicide Tricyclazole in rice production. The European Commission has given Cambodian producers of white rice until June and fragrant rice until December to meet its revised threshold levels – 0.01 milligrams of Tricyclazole residue per kilo of rice, far below the current limit of 1 milligram per kilo.
While the extent of Tricyclazole use in Cambodia is unclear, Lak said it could be difficult for producers to ensure the compound’s complete eradication in such a short timeframe.
“We are concerned that if we cannot comply with their requirement we will lose this market, even though we have requested that the EU give us more time to build our capacity before the regulation comes into effect,” he said
The EU is Cambodia’s largest market for rice, accounting for 63 percent of the 542,144 tonnes the country exported last year. China, however, has grown to become a major buyer in recent years, importing 127,460 tonnes of Cambodian rice last year and agreeing to import up to 200,000 tonnes this year.
Song Saran, CEO of Amru Rice, one of the country’s biggest exporters, said that while the EU’s decision to eradicate Tricyclazole poses a challenge, Cambodia’s use of the fungicide was still quite limited compared to its rival rice-producing neighbours.
“It’s a new challenge for us, but we should be able to manage as this chemical is not used extensively in rice production here,” he said. “However, the government should control rice imports and smuggling to prevent low-quality [tainted rice] from being mixed in with our exports.”
Saran said the Ministry of Agriculture should work quickly to have more rice millers approved for export to China given the market’s size and potential growth.
“The 26 [approved] rice millers will not be able to supply the annual quota set by our agreement with China,” he said.
Hean Vanhan, undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Agriculture, said rice millers need to understand more about the demands and criteria of buyers in order to compete in international markets.
“If they have suitable quality and standards they will be able to export their rice and expand their markets, including in big markets like China,” he said.
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/millers-push-china-access
Switch to
low-emission rice farming to cut greenhouse gases
April 05, 2017 01:00
By THE NATION
By THE NATION
19
A PLANNED shift to low-emission rice farming in Thailand is
expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 26 per cent over the
five-year span of a project backed by a multi-donor fund.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives is working with the
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on the plan, which will be funded
by a multi-donor Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) facility.
The shift will involve 100,000 rice farmers and will drive
wide-scale adoption of the rice standard of the Sustainable Rice Platform that
is said to offer a framework for promoting climate-smart best practices and
improving the livelihoods of rice smallholders.
Thailand is among the top 15 countries most affected by
climate-related impacts. With the ratification of the Paris Agreement in
September 2016, the government committed to contribute to global efforts to
achieve climate change mitigation. Agriculture is Thailand’s
second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases and one of the most vulnerable sectors
to climate change. The country’s rice sector ranks as the world’s fourth
largest emitter of rice-related greenhouse gases, mainly methane.
“Thailand’s Rice Department , under the Ministry of Agriculture
and Cooperatives, which is a member of the National Committee on Climate
Change, is the main implementing agency for the sustainable development of the
rice sector. The Rice Department will participate in and support the
implementation of Thai Rice NAMA,” said Anan Suwannarat, the director-general
of Rice Department.
Established in 2013, the NAMA facility is a multi-donor
fund that supports developing countries to implement green projects. The Thai
Rice NAMA, which was submitted with support from GIZ (German International
Cooperation), is one of seven such projects that will receive preliminary
funding for detailed preparation of their projects
“The project will work with farmers and farmers’ associations in
six provinces in the Central Plains of Thailand in shifting from conventional
to low-emission rice farming, and promote its replication on a national scale
and in the Asean region,” said Matthias Bickel, GIZ project director.
“The switch to low-emission cultivation of rice is
estimated to help reduce baseline emissions from irrigated rice by more than 26
per cent over the five-year lifespan of the project, with increasing annual
mitigation potential.
“Rice is an important crop to millions of small farmers in the
Asia and Pacific region and an important contributor to food security,
livelihoods and income of rural populations.”
Dechen Tsering, regional director for UN’s Environment Asia and
the Pacific Office, said: “This project will not only help boost production of
this critical staple, but also protect the environment, safeguard livelihoods
and mitigate climate change impacts.”
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/business/EconomyAndTourism/30311294
Rice Plantingting begins in nation’s top rice state
Tuesday
Posted
Apr 4, 2017 at 5:06 PMUpdated
Apr 4, 2017 at 5:11 PM
By Ryan McGeeney Special to The
Commercial
Rice planting in Arkansas has begun in earnest, as growers in
the nation’s top rice-producing state seed their fields beneath dark skies and intermittent
rains, experts said.
Jarrod Hardke, rice agronomist for the University of Arkansas
System Division of Agriculture, said that despite weather forecasts that have
contained much rain over the past two weeks, the prep work completed by many
growers over the winter months allowed producers to move into the fields in
mid-March.“We made a surprising amount of progress the last two weeks,” Hardke
said.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s March 26 report on crop progress in the state estimated that about 2 percent of the projected rice acreage had been planted, just shy of the five-year average of 3 percent planted at this point in the season.
“While a lot of the delta did get 1-2 inches of rain the weekend of March 25, it wasn’t everywhere,” Hardke said. “I was surprised by how much it dried up. We did have progress starting up again Monday afternoon, moving into Tuesday.”
In 2016, heavy rains in March kept the planting rate to zero for several weeks into the traditional planting window.
Early planting, cautious optimism
Hardke said there is some concern that producers inclined to invest heavily in the earliest phase of the recommended planting window may suffer negative consequences if 2017 does indeed turn out to be similar to 2016, although he was cautiously optimistic.
“We’re just now knocking on the door of what we consider to be
the truly optimum time for planting in the northern part of the state,” he
said. “But at this point, we’re still staying pretty warm, continuing to get
some rice in the ground and make some progress. We’re right in line with where
we need to be.”
In the second Arkansas Rice Update, a weekly newsletter
published by Hardke and Division of Agriculture Weed Scientist Bob Scott, the
authors reiterated several important staples of sound farming, including the
importance of planting conventional rice varieties ahead of hybrids, in order
to leverage the best yield potential from the available seeds as the planting
window proceeds through the summer, and the importance of reevaluating seeding
rates each year.
“Every year’s a little different, and it does affect the amount
of seed in a pound,” Hardke said. “The weather did seem to change the grain
size last year, enough to where we needed to adjust our seeding rates.”
While federal law requires that any seed sold must guarantee a
germination rate of at least 80 percent, growers may have come to expect considerably
higher actual germination rates, Hardke said. Growers should check the actual
estimated germination rate on new bags of seed, in order to calculate the
optimum seeding rate for the current season.
Tight margins
Although 2017 hasn’t yet presented any unusual natural obstacles
for growers, Hardke noted that the gap between inputs and market sales have
become exceedingly thin.
“The margins seem to be even tighter than they have been the last couple of years, and that’s really saying something,” he said. “Just like 2016, timeliness and efficiency are really going to be crucial to making a profit in 2017.”
Hardke said that input costs for rice, not including rent, are ranging between $600-$750 an acre across the state, while market prices hover at about $4.50 per bushel. In 2016, the average Arkansas rice yield was 153.7 bu/ac, producing about $690 per acre.
“When you start doing the yield calculations on that — what you
need to hit in order to cover those costs — it gets very concerning,” he said.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers
all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without
discrimination.
— Ryan McGeeney is with the U of A System Division of
Agriculture
Traders use truck strike as pretext to cut paddy prices
THE HANS INDIA | Apr 05,2017 , 02:40 AM IST
Nellore: Traders on the pretext of the lorry
strike have slashed the paddy price in their efforts to push the farmers to the
wall. Citing zero exports to southern states due to trouble from agitating lorry
operators, the traders have resorted to exploiting the farmer taking advantage
of the strike.
In the district, a single crop of paddy—very
late in the kharif season—was raised in an extent of eight lakh hectares. The
paddy was ready for harvesting in Penna delta and at some other places and the
harvested paddy was stored in drying yards. The yield is predicted to be at
least 23 lakh puttys.
Highlights:
•
A putty of paddy should fetch at least Rs 22,000 to Rs 25,000 if kg Masuri rice
is sold at Rs 50
• But, traders reduced price of putty to Rs
11,000 to Rs 13,000 from Rs 17,000-19,000
One putty is equal to 850 kg. According to
farmers Raghavaiah, Ramanamma and Kappala Venkateswarlu of Alluru, they have no
facility to store the paddy. Annually, the state government ropes in Indira
Kranti Patham, DRDA, Civil Supplies Corporation and the Food Corporation of
India to lift paddy from the farmers.
However, this year their role appears to be
only nominal. Taking advantage of the sticky situation of the farmers, the
traders and middlemen are out to exploit them. Citing the lorry strike, they
reduced the paddy price from Rs 17,000-19,000 for a putty of the paddy to Rs
11,000 to Rs 13,000. The farmer has to
suffer a loss of up to Rs 5000 per putty.
The cumulative loss to the farmer by way of
fall in prices is put at Rs 150 crore. In fact, there is no need for the
traders to slash the prices in the wake of the strike by lorry operators. At
this hour of the year, harvesting of paddy is ruled out in other states and
districts.
Going by the open market price of Masuri rice,
which is selling at Rs 50 or Rs 60 a kg, a putty of the paddy should fetch at
least Rs 22,000 to Rs 25,000. The paddy is purchased in the district to the
contrary of this. The official machinery is falling short of responding to the
situation and come to the rescue of the farmers
http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Andhra-Pradesh/2017-04-05/Traders-use-truck-strike-as-pretext-to-cut-paddy-prices-/291203
INTERVIEW-U.S.
rice exporters look to sell to Turkey while Russian row simmers
Maha El Dahan and Eric Knecht
CAIRO, April 5 (Reuters) - U.S.
rice producers are looking to increase exports to Turkey after the government
effectively halted purchases of Russian agricultural products, a major U.S.
rice trade association said on Wednesday.Last month Turkey put purchases of
some Russian agricultural products on hold by imposing high import tariffs.
Ankara denies it has imposed an import ban but Moscow has said the move is
hindering a further improvement in relations, which soured when Turkey shot
down a Russian fighter jet in 2015.
While the official reason for the
hike in tariffs remains unclear, the Turkish economy ministry has said the
improvement in political ties is not "fully reflected yet in economic
relations" and restrictions on visas and obstacles for contractors in
Russia remain.
Greg Yielding, a representative
for the private rice association U.S. Rice Producers visiting Egypt as part of
a U.S. Department of Agriculture trade mission, sees the Turkey-Russia row as
an opportunity.
"Some Russian rice was going
into Turkey and now there are problems, so we see it as an opportunity to sell
more into Turkey," Yielding said.
"Turkey is a huge market,
and even rough rice goes to Turkey, which is paddy rice," he said.
Turkey imported about 71,700
tonnes of paddy rice from the United States and 67,400 tonnes from Russia in
the 2015-16 season according to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture report.
Turkey is a hub between suppliers
and neighboring countries such as Iraq and Syria, with exporters estimating that
roughly 300,000 tonnes of rice are being transhipped through Turkey, the USDA
report said.
EGYPT REPLACEMENT
U.S. rice growers have benefited
in recent years from the absence of Egyptian rice in Middle East markets amid
that country's export ban, Yielding said.
Egypt first imposed a ban on rice
exports in 2008 saying it needed to save rice for local consumption and also
wanted to discourage farmers from growing the crop to save water.
The ban has been repeatedly
lifted and reinstated in recent years, creating a gap in regional markets such
as Jordan, Syria, and Gulf Arab states that traditionally relied on Egyptian
medium grain rice.
"(U.S. rice) has replaced it
because Egypt has been in and out of the market several times," Yielding
said.
Beyond taking market share from
Egyptian rice regionally, Yielding also sees an opportunity for U.S. rice
exports into Egypt itself, where a longstanding dispute over domestic prices
has created intermittent shortages in the local market.
Farmers last year refused to sell
government mills their crops despite a plentiful harvest, arguing that the
buying price of 2,400 Egyptian pounds($133.19) per tonne of rice paddy was too
low.
"If it's not in the market
and the market needs it, so that's the reason there are Egyptian companies that
are interested in importing milled rice, and some are interested in trying the
southern medium grain," said Yielding.
"With the growth of the
population in the Egyptian market at around 2.5 million people per year, it's
huge, so there's great opportunities." ($1 = 18.0200 Egyptian pounds)
(Editing by Greg Mahlich)
http://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/05/reuters-america-interview-us-rice-exporters-look-to-sell-to-turkey-while-russian-row-simmers.html
Stallion Farms To Increase Rice
Yield To 1.5m Tonnes Per Annum
Stallion Popular Farms and Mills Limited has
assured an annual increase in locally farmed rice from 450,000 metric tonnes to
1.5 million tonnes, using integrated rice value chain and enhanced milling
activities, the group director, Hapreet Singh, has affirmed.
Singh made this pledge while acknowledging the Inside Business Commendation Award (IBCA), ‘Outstanding Projects and Business Leaders of the Year Award,’ recently conferred on the company for its remarkable role in integrated rice value chain and enhanced local rice production.
He said that the company decided to increase farmed rice yield to compliment President Muhammadu Buhari’s agri-business agenda to make Nigeria self-sufficient in food production, while also applauding Chief Audu Ogbeh’s agrarian backward integration initiative.
“Our vision has always been to preserve and enhance rice production in Nigeria by ensuring genetic integrity of seeds, encourage scientific agricultural practices and promote world-class processing techniques to emerge as industry benchmark for product quality,” he added.
Singh thanked the IBCA for creating a platform to acknowledge real positive change makers in the agric sector where Popular Farms & Mills, which began farming activities in Nigeria 10 years ago, was distinguished as outstanding projects and business leaders of the year.
“We owe this accomplishment to President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership aptitudes and agri-business agenda,” Stallion Farms & Mills director said.
Adding that the farm would leverage on the impulse provided by the federal government through its transformation agenda, Singh said that Stallion has already established integrated agricultural operations such as world-class rice mills at strategic locations to promote milling and paddy cultivation in captive areas to make Nigeria self-sufficient in rice production.
A farm division of Stallion Conglomerate, Popular Farms and Mills Limited produces premium varieties of rice from locally farmed paddy, currently branded and marketed nationwide as Royal Stallion Shinkafa, Tomato Aroso, and Super Champion. The company has also established collection centres across rice producing states in Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Kebbi to not only help farmers embrace modern farming techniques, but also focus on distributing farm inputs through farmers’ cooperatives and associations to ensure rice revolution in Nigeria.
The agrarian establishment, however, promises to safeguard timely provision of certified seeds, fertilisers, advisory irrigation and crop management as well as buy-back mechanism to help farmers get good and profitable yields, especially during harvest.
Singh made this pledge while acknowledging the Inside Business Commendation Award (IBCA), ‘Outstanding Projects and Business Leaders of the Year Award,’ recently conferred on the company for its remarkable role in integrated rice value chain and enhanced local rice production.
He said that the company decided to increase farmed rice yield to compliment President Muhammadu Buhari’s agri-business agenda to make Nigeria self-sufficient in food production, while also applauding Chief Audu Ogbeh’s agrarian backward integration initiative.
“Our vision has always been to preserve and enhance rice production in Nigeria by ensuring genetic integrity of seeds, encourage scientific agricultural practices and promote world-class processing techniques to emerge as industry benchmark for product quality,” he added.
Singh thanked the IBCA for creating a platform to acknowledge real positive change makers in the agric sector where Popular Farms & Mills, which began farming activities in Nigeria 10 years ago, was distinguished as outstanding projects and business leaders of the year.
“We owe this accomplishment to President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership aptitudes and agri-business agenda,” Stallion Farms & Mills director said.
Adding that the farm would leverage on the impulse provided by the federal government through its transformation agenda, Singh said that Stallion has already established integrated agricultural operations such as world-class rice mills at strategic locations to promote milling and paddy cultivation in captive areas to make Nigeria self-sufficient in rice production.
A farm division of Stallion Conglomerate, Popular Farms and Mills Limited produces premium varieties of rice from locally farmed paddy, currently branded and marketed nationwide as Royal Stallion Shinkafa, Tomato Aroso, and Super Champion. The company has also established collection centres across rice producing states in Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Kebbi to not only help farmers embrace modern farming techniques, but also focus on distributing farm inputs through farmers’ cooperatives and associations to ensure rice revolution in Nigeria.
The agrarian establishment, however, promises to safeguard timely provision of certified seeds, fertilisers, advisory irrigation and crop management as well as buy-back mechanism to help farmers get good and profitable yields, especially during harvest.
https://www.leadership.ng/news/580148/stallion-farms-to-increase-rice-yield-to-1-5m-tonnes-per-annum
Brazilian rice enters Mexican market
after years of negotiation
Mexico consumes 900,000 tons of
rice per year
Brazil Business
While Mexico was previously
hesitant to open its rice market to Brazilian products, strained relations with
the U.S. have pushed the market open.
Trade details
Rio Grande do Sul, responsible
for 85% of the Brazilian rice production, should dominate exports. Producers
expect that a higher international demand might push prices up in Brazil. The
measure would concentrate on exporting paddy rice (with the husk).
Although the two countries
already have a food health agreement established between them, diplomats still
have certain trade details to sort out. A Brazilian committee on rice exports
will travel to Mexico this month to finalize the agreement
http://plus55.com/brazil-business/2017/04/brazilian-rice-enters-mexican-market
Global Organic Rice Market
Research Report: Top Manufactures, Regional Analysis and Forecast by 2022
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Size (Value) and Applications
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Rice Status and Outlook
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Policies
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Rice Market Competition by Manufacturers (2017 – 2022)
• Organic
Rice Market by Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers
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and Share by Manufacturers
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Price by Manufacturers By Market
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Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Type
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Competitive Situation and Trends
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Concentration Rate
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• Company
Name
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Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors
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Rice Market by Product Type, Application and Specification
• Company
A Organic Rice Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin
• Main
Business/Business Overview
• Organic
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– 2022)
• Market
Capacity, Production and Growth
• Revenue
and Growth of Market
• Production,
Consumption, Export and Import
• Organic
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• Revenue
and Market Share by Type
• Price
by Type
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Growth by Type
• Organic
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• Organic
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• Consumption
Growth Rate by Application
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Drivers and Opportunities
• Potential
Application
• Emerging
Markets/Countries
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• Production
Market, Production Value and Price by Regions (Provinces)
• Production
and Market Share by Regions (Provinces)
• Production
Value and Market Share by Regions (Provinces)
• Sales
Price by Regions (Provinces)
• Consumption
by Regions (Provinces)
• Production,
Consumption, Export and Import
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• Key
Raw Materials
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Trend of Key Raw Materials
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Suppliers of Raw Materials
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Concentration Rate of Raw Materials
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Materials
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Cost
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Expenses
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Process Analysis of Organic Rice
• Industrial
Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers (2017 – 2022)
• Industrial
Chain Analysis
• Upstream
Raw Materials Sourcing
• Raw
Materials Sources of Organic Rice Market by Major Manufacturers
• Downstream
Buyers
• Marketing
Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders (2017 – 2022)
• Organic
Rice Marketing Channel
• Direct
Marketing
• Indirect
Marketing
• Marketing
Channel Development Trend
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Positioning
• Pricing
Strategy
• Brand
Strategy
• Target
Client
• Distributors/Traders
List
• Market
Effect Factors Analysis (2017 – 2022)
• Organic
Rice Market by Technology Progress/Risk
• Substitutes
Threat
• Technology
Progress in Related Industry
• Consumer
Needs/Customer Preference Change
• Economic/Political
Environmental Change
• Organic
Rice Market Forecast (2017 – 2022)
• Organic
Rice Market by Capacity, Production, Revenue Forecast
• Production,
Import, Export and Consumption Forecast
• Production
Forecast by Type and Price Forecast
• Consumption
Forecast by Application
• Organic
Rice Market Production, Consumption, Import and Export Forecast by Regions
(Provinces)
• Production
Forecast by Regions (Provinces)
• Consumption
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HTTP://WWW.MILITARY-TECHNOLOGIES.NET/2017/04/06/GLOBAL-ORGANIC-RICE-MARKET-RESEARCH-REPORT-TOP-MANUFACTURES-REGIONAL-ANALYSIS-AND-FORECAST-BY-2022/
FAO and Irri collaborate for Apac rice
sustainability programme
The International Rice Research
Institute will work more closely with the UN’s agriculture agency to support
sustainable rice production in developing countries in a bid to improve food
security.
The Philippines-based rice institute,
which focuses on the development of more productive rice strains, as agreed to
share its scientific knowledge with the Food and Agriculture Organisation so
the two organisations can “expand and intensify their work globally”.
The partnership will first analyse
sustainable rice-based farming systems and help governments draw up
sustainability strategies.
"The world faces very
significant changes over the next few decades to produce the volume and quality
of nutritious food to feed a global population heading for 10bn people,"
said Irri director-general Matthew K. Morell. "Addressing these issues
relies on global partnerships."
With almost half of the world’s
population eating rice every day, the crop is central to the world’s food
security plans. At the same time, its production is vulnerable in many countries
to the growing impact of climate change, said the FAO’s official for climate
and natural resources, Maria Helena Semedo.
“By teaming up with Irri, already a
long-standing partner, we will be able to scale up, complement and amplify our
work towards reaching this goal."
Both organisations have been actively
promoting more sustainable rice practices. Irri has also been working to
improve rice’s nutritional properties, while the FAO is promoting enhanced crop
resilience across Asia-Pacific.
Together, they plan to help rice
producers adopt adapted rice varieties and enhance the availability of
certified seeds. They will also train growing communities on issues like pest
management though initiatives such as schools for farmers.The International Rice Research Institute will work
more closely with the UN’s agriculture agency to support sustainable rice
production in developing countries in a bid to improve food security.
