19th
October,2017 Daily Global Regional local rice e-newsletter
Unedited
Version
by Riceplus Magazine
www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com
Contact:
mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com
Pakistan offers lowest bid for Iraq’s rice tender
October 18, 2017
HAMBURG: The lowest price
offer in the tender from Iraq’s state grains buyer to purchase at least 30,000
tonnes of rice was $427 a tonne c&f free out for rice to be sourced from
Pakistan, traders said on Tuesday.No decision about a purchase was believed to
have been made in the tender, which closed on Tuesday with offers remaining
valid up to Oct 22.The offer was made for 40,000 tonnes from Pakistan, they
said. No other offers from Pakistan were reported.
This was followed by an
offer of 40,000 tonnes rice from Thailand at $432 a tonne c&f. Other offers
for Thai rice were made at prices between $447 to $485 a tonne c&f free
out.The lowest offer for rice from the United States was around $653.5 a tonne
for 30,000 tonnes. Another offer of US rice was made at $658 a tonne c&f.Indian
rice was offered at $543 a tonne c&f free out with only one offer made.
Rice optionally from
Argentina or Uruguay was offered at $572 a tonne. The lowest offer from
Argentina only was $579 a tonne c&f and lowest from Uruguay only was $584 a
tonne c&f.Volumes in Iraq’s tenders are nominal and the country can buy
more than requested in the tender. In its last report tender on Aug 31, Iraq
purchased a total of around 60,000 tonnes to be sourced from Pakistan and
Uruguay.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1364430/pakistan-offers-lowest-bid-for-iraqs-rice-tender
Pakistan
investors seek trade deals in Kenya
TUESDAY
OCTOBER 17 2017
Kenya’s High Commissioner
to Pakistan Prof. Julius Kibet Bitok (centre) with Pakistan chamber of commerce
officials in Islamabad. FILE PHOTO | NMG
In Summary
·
The
investors who arrived in the country on Monday said their mission will take
three days.
·
Kenya
and Pakistan enjoy friendly relations spanning several decades.
·
Pakistan
is currently the leading importer of Kenyan products and more than 80
per cent of the rice imported into Kenya comes from Pakistan.
ADVERTISEMENT
A delegation of Pakistan
traders, including tycoons from Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(GCCI), have pitched tent in Kenya in search of investment and trade deals.
The investors who arrived
in the country on Monday said their mission will take three days.
“The 15-member Gujarat
Chamber delegation led by their president Mr Abrar Saeed Sheikh will be in
Kenya for three days, they will have roundtable business discussions with
potential investors in the country as they scout for trade deals in
agribusiness, leather, textile, jeweler, electrical appliances and furniture in
the country,” said Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI)
chief executive Angela Ndambuki.
Ms Ndambuki said that
during their stay in the country, the delegation from GCCI will also sign a
memorandum of understanding (MOU) with KNCCI to promote trade between the two
countries.
Kenya and Pakistan enjoy
friendly relations spanning several decades.
Leading importer
Pakistan is currently
the leading importer of Kenyan products and
more than 80 per cent of the rice imported into Kenya comes from Pakistan.
Data from the Kenya
National Bureau of Statistics shows that in 2016, Kenya’s total exports to
Pakistan dropped to $178.19 million from $186.87 million in 2015.
The total imports from
Pakistan increased from $359.03 million in 2015 to $394.65 million in 2016.
The total volume of trade
between the two countries stood at $572.84 million in 2016, in favour of
Pakistan.
http://www.nation.co.ke/business/Pakistan-investors-seek-trade-deals-in-Kenya/996-4143606-dmwhwgz/index.html
Japan Officials Visit USA Rice
Amid Strong U.S. Rice Sales
ARLINGTON, VA -- Representatives of Japan's
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) visited USA Rice
yesterday. MAFF is the sole purchaser of rice under Japan's import
commitment to members of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
"We welcome MAFF's regular visits to USA Rice so that we can have an exchange of views on U.S.-Japan rice trade and discuss other topics of mutual interest," said USA Rice COO Bob Cummings.
MAFF regularly tenders for rice imports throughout the Japan fiscal year (April-March) in order to fulfill Japan's annual import commitment of 682,200 metric tons (milled basis) to WTO members. These tenders utilize two systems - minimum access and Simultaneous-Buy-Sell (SBS). Minimum access tenders account for the lion's share of Japan's imports, and purchases under SBS are passed through MAFF to end users, which are largely in the food service sector.
Japan has tendered for just under 225,000 MT of rice to date, and U.S. exporters have supplied nearly half of this amount. U.S. sales have been particularly strong in the SBS tenders, accounting for just over 70 percent of the 25,000 MT purchased.
"U.S. rice is especially competitive this year against domestic Japanese rice for food service use, and we believe U.S. rice will continue to enjoy success in SBS purchases this year," said Chris Crutchfield, a California rice miller and chairman of the USA Rice Asia/Turkey International Promotion Subcommittee. "We are confident that for the first time in a decade Japan will import the total annual allocation of 100,000 MT of rice under SBS."
The Japan and U.S. governments are currently engaged in high level discussions as part of the U.S.-Japan Economic Dialogue which began following the withdrawal of the United States in January from the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. USA Rice is supportive of this dialogue and sees this engagement, along with most of U.S. agriculture, as a vehicle to improve market access in Japan.
"We welcome MAFF's regular visits to USA Rice so that we can have an exchange of views on U.S.-Japan rice trade and discuss other topics of mutual interest," said USA Rice COO Bob Cummings.
MAFF regularly tenders for rice imports throughout the Japan fiscal year (April-March) in order to fulfill Japan's annual import commitment of 682,200 metric tons (milled basis) to WTO members. These tenders utilize two systems - minimum access and Simultaneous-Buy-Sell (SBS). Minimum access tenders account for the lion's share of Japan's imports, and purchases under SBS are passed through MAFF to end users, which are largely in the food service sector.
Japan has tendered for just under 225,000 MT of rice to date, and U.S. exporters have supplied nearly half of this amount. U.S. sales have been particularly strong in the SBS tenders, accounting for just over 70 percent of the 25,000 MT purchased.
"U.S. rice is especially competitive this year against domestic Japanese rice for food service use, and we believe U.S. rice will continue to enjoy success in SBS purchases this year," said Chris Crutchfield, a California rice miller and chairman of the USA Rice Asia/Turkey International Promotion Subcommittee. "We are confident that for the first time in a decade Japan will import the total annual allocation of 100,000 MT of rice under SBS."
The Japan and U.S. governments are currently engaged in high level discussions as part of the U.S.-Japan Economic Dialogue which began following the withdrawal of the United States in January from the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. USA Rice is supportive of this dialogue and sees this engagement, along with most of U.S. agriculture, as a vehicle to improve market access in Japan.
SWAT DEBUNKS NEGATIVE REPORTS ON ‘BELLA LUNA’
RICE
A
major Liberian rice importer, Supply West Africa Traders (SWAT) has termed as
“slanted news,” report insinuating that a consignment of Bella Luna Indian
Parboiled Long Grain Rice contaminated with harmful substance is headed to West
Africa from an unknown destination.
The
Chief Executive Officer of SWAT, George N. Nehme, has told journalists in
Monrovia that information regarding the cereal grain is false, misleading and
lacks any iota of true, indicating, “this is something that constantly comes
from our detractors who have attempted to undermined gains we have made in this
country.”
Chief
Executive Officer Nehme used the opportunity to commend and gratify the
Government and people of Liberia for a smooth and peaceful atmosphere afforded
the company’s management since it resumed operation in Liberia.
From
customers’ point of view, the cereal grain (Bella Luna Indian
Parboiled Rice Long Grain 5% Broken) is one of the most widely consumed staple
foods and is perceived as a top premium brand from a trusted rice dealer with
several years of delivering dependable and consistent quality.
Sources
in the business community have also acknowledged that the company has the
capacity to supply rice on the Liberian market throughout the year with the
quantity and quality of the product fit for the market and is always available
and channeled through its many distributors and retailers throughout the
country.
A top source at the
Ministry of Commerce told the In Profile Daily Wednesday,
October 18, 20 17, that the Bella Luna Brand has been tested both locally
and internationally and is guaranteed to satisfy consumers’ needs, noting,
“they mostly prefer the cereal grain.”
Meanwhile,
according to Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) in Liberia, Rice, at
248 average grams daily per capital, is the only important source of cereal
carbohydrates in the Liberian diet.
It
is noted that imported rice is the lion’s share of rice availability in
Liberia, having gone up 75% since 2011, now comprising almost 70% of rice
consumption.
The
rice importing industry is consolidated as four importers control around 95% of
all rice imports in the country.
·
BUSINESS
BUSINESS
·
OPINION
·
SPORTS
·
COLUMNS
·
LIB LIFE
Home Columns Agriculture LADA Commits US$2 million to Improve Food Security
LADA Commits
US$2 million to Improve Food Security
By
-
October
19, 2017
138
(L-R)
Mrs. Watchen Bruce, and LADA’s Chief of Party, Willem Van Campen visiting the
booth of Angie Howard, cassava processor.
The
Deputy Chief of Party for Programs at the Liberia Agribusiness Development
Activity (LADA), Watchen Harris Bruce has disclosed that her institution has
already committed over US$2 million from its US$3 million matching grant
fund to help improve various agribusinesses in the country.
She
made the disclosure last Monday during a program commemorating this year’s
World Food Day.
World
Food Day is celebrated globally every year to highlight food security
challenges facing the world. The theme of this year’s celebration was “Change
the Future of Migration; Invest in Food Security and Rural Development.”
It
was celebrated in Liberia by the Ministry of Agriculture and several
development partners.
Mrs.
Bruce said the innovative approach will attract over US$9 million in total to
increase private sector investment that would improve the income of many
smallholder farmers.
“These
grants will serve as a vehicle for introducing new technologies and business
models that once proven successful can be replicated by entrepreneurs without
donor involvement in the future,” she stated.
She
said further that her institution is currently finalizing the procurement of
two integrated commercial scale rice mills for two rice milling enterprises in
Voinjama and Foya Districts, Lofa County.
“We
have also finalized the procurement of smaller scale commercial rice mills for
two farmers cooperatives in Nimba County and expect to have them commissioned
in January 2018,” she added.
According
to Bruce, each of the large rice mills that will be assigned in Lofa has the
capacity to produce 10 metric tons of high quality parboiled rice per day
through automated processes to meet acceptable market standards that can
compete with imported rice.
“The
two smaller mills will produce 8 to 10 metric tons per day of properly polished
and stone free milled rice. These interventions are expected to support Liberia
in producing roughly 15,000 metric tons of good quality milled rice per year
and develop a ‘Made in Liberia’ brand,” she said.
The
LADA deputy chief of party for programs mentioned that the goal is to reduce
rice imports to below 30 percent by end of 2020.
She
added that to improve the cassava value chain, LADA is procuring a high output
commercial scale cassava processing equipment that will upgrade the processing
capacity of four cassava processing enterprises in Bong, Montserrado, Nimba and
Lofa counties.
“Four
cassava processing enterprises’ capacity will be upgraded to supply high
quality cassava products to local consumers, restaurants and supermarkets,” she
said.
Mrs.
Bruce said to improve the vegetable value for increased income of smallholder
farmers, LADA has ordered deep freezers, cold storage and a freezer truck for
an aggregator who is working with smallholder farmers to develop
quality fruits and vegetables for the local market.
“This
is expected to improve the income of many smallholder vegetable farmers,” she
stated.
“We
are also working on the establishment of a post-harvest technology service
center at the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI). The post-harvest
technology service center will serve as a training and demonstration facility
where smallholder farmer organizations, aggregators and agro-processors can
physically see various post-harvest technologies and their application as
well as acquire new knowledge and skills in post-harvest through site
visits and practical demonstrations,” she disclosed.
Meanwhile,
Bruce said plans are underway for her institution to upgrade the National
Standards Laboratory at the Ministry of Commerce to meet international
standards.
“This
initiative will create increased market access for smallholder farmers for
better income opportunity and enhance food safety,” she said.
LADA
is a 5-year Feed the Future U.S Government initiative that aims to increase
private sector investment in the Liberian agribusiness sector to improve the
income of smallholder farmers in the rice, cassava, vegetables, cocoa
and aquaculture value chains.
https://www.liberianobserver.com/news/lada-commits-us2-million-to-improve-food-security/
Rice output likely grew 13.9 percent in
Q3–PSA
By
-
October 18, 2017
·
·
Philippine palay production in the third quarter likely rose by
13.9 percent to 3.38 million metric tons (MMT), from last year’s 2.97 MMT,
according to the latest report of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The PSA’s latest palay output forecast for the July-to-September
period was slightly higher than the 3.36 MMT it projected in August.
Data from the PSA showed that harvest area in the third quarter
likely expanded by 14.31 percent to 851,758 hectares, from the 745,140 hectares
recorded last year.
However, the PSA’s report, titled “Updates on July-September
2017 Palay and Corn” and published on October 18, showed that its latest
forecast was lower than the 3.39 MMT it projected in July.
“The probable reduction in palay production may be attributed to
rat infestation in Davao Sur and Cotabato; incidence of rice black bugs in
Batangas, Davao Sur and Sultan Kudarat,” the report read.
The PSA added that it revised its forecast following reports
that there were lodging of palay in Isabela caused by Typhoon Jolina and flash
floods in Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato and North Cotabato.
The report noted that about 297,190 hectares, or 34.19 percent,
of the standing crop for the July-to-September period have been harvested.
It added that around 1.602 million hectares, or 87.1 percent, of
the farmers’ planting intentions for the fourth quarter have materialized.
“Of the [2.157 million] hectares standing palay crop, 26.1
percent were at vegetative stage; 55.5 percent at reproductive stage and 18.4
percent at maturing stage,” the PSA said.
The expected increase in the country’s paddy-rice output this
year prompted the United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign
Agricultural Service (FAS) to revise downward its projection for Philippine
rice imports to 1.1 MMT, from 1.6 MMT.
In its earlier Global Agriculture Information Network report,
FAS said Philippine rice harvest area in marketing year 2016-2017 could expand
to 4.705 million hectares, 2.28 percent bigger than the FAS’s previous forecast
of 4.6 million hectares.
https://businessmirror.com.ph/rice-output-likely-grew-13-9-percent-in-q3-psa/Scientists
Claim to Have Found Giant Rice
Wednesday,
18 October 2017 | 14:39 WIB
New
rice that can grow as high as 2.2 meters.
CHINA,
NETRALNEWS.COM - Scientists introduced new types of rice crop that can
grow as high as 2.2 meters or about seven feet.
They
expect the 'giant rice' to feed more people as the yield could be 50 percent
higher than ordinary rice, according to a report by China's People's Daily Online.
Experts
from China said they have spent 10 years in research, which was inaugurated on
October 16.
A
team of researchers from the Institute
of Sub-tropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has planted
and harvested 'giant rice' on the trial grounds, according to People's Daily Online report,
quoting the Xinhua
News Agency on Wednesday (10/18/2017).
The
experimental field is located in Jinjing Township in Changsha County, Hunan
Province in central China.
Xia
Xinjie, a researcher involved in the project, estimated the results of the
'giant rice' to surpass 11.5 tons per hectare. Xia said the yield per hectare
is 50 percent more than ordinary rice.
Xia
added that experts have harvested more than 500 grains of 'giant rice' stems.
This
'giant rice paddy' is considered to be very beneficial to China which faces the
shortage of farmers and growing human population.
http://www.en.netralnews.com/news/currentnews/read/13328/scientists.claim.to.have.found.giant.riceMining industry, supporters
rally opposition to Minnesota wild rice water quality rules
By JOHN MYERS | Forum News
Service
October 18, 2017 at 1:33 pm
DULUTH, Minn. — One week before public hearings begin on
Minnesota’s proposed new rules for protecting wild rice from sulfate pollution,
the state’s mining industry, Steelworkers and Iron Range officials
and activists are restating their fervent opposition.
Critics say the new rule could
cause increased regulation for taconite iron ore processing operations and some
municipal sewage treatment plants.
If the new rules are applied and
enforced, critics say it could cost millions of dollars for the mining
companies to comply, spurring mine shutdowns and layoffs.
The Iron Mining Association of
Minnesota, which represents the state’s mines and 150 companies that supply
them, will be joined at a media event in Virginia on Thursday by the Range
Association of Municipalities and Schools, the Iron Ore Alliance, United
Steelworkers of America union leaders, local chambers of commerce, Jobs for
Minnesotans, Better in our Back Yard and others opposed to the proposed wild rice
sulfate standard that the groups say threatens the economic vitality of the
region.
Several environmental groups also
oppose the new rules — but that’s because they say they don’t go far enough to
protect wild rice from industrial pollution.
Supporters of strong wild rice
protection say the mines have long been given a free pass to release high
levels of sulfate into local waters. It’s that sulfate, when converted to
sulfides in the sediment on the bottoms of lakes and rivers, that scientists
say damages wild rice. High levels of sulfate and thus sulfides render some
areas uninhabitable for the wild plant that’s considered critical for wildlife
and a key cultural food for the Ojibwe and other Minnesotans.
The Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency in August announced a new wild rice sulfate standard, years in the
works, developed after an old standard was deemed too difficult for industry to
meet. A law in place since 1973 limited sulfate pollution in waters that hold
wild rice to 10 parts per million. But the PCA said that rule was too broad —
that some water could handle more and some waters less sulfate.
The new rules will instead study
the water chemistry of each wild rice lake and river to determine what sulfate
level they could handle and still grow wild rice. The new rule, if enacted,
will limit sulfides to 120 micrograms per liter.
There are about 1,300 lakes and
rivers listed so far on the statewide list of wild rice waters About 350
of those wild-rice waters are downstream of industries that discharge sulfate
and are the most likely to be affected by the changes.
Hearings are scheduled for:
·
Monday
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the state’s Harold E. Stassen Building, 600 N. Robert
St. in St. Paul
·
Tuesday
from 4-9 p.m. in the Mesabi Range Community College Theater in Virginia
·
Oct.
25 from 4-9 p.m. in the Beaux Arts Ballroom at Bemidji State University
·
Oct.
26 from 3-7 p.m. in the Fond du Lac Community College Amphitheater, 2101
14th St. in Cloquet
·
Oct.
30 from 4-9 p.m. in the Central Lakes Community College Cafeteria in Brainerd.
·
A
statewide videoconference also is scheduled for Nov. 2.
Written comments on the wild rice sulfate plan will be
accepted through Nov. 2 at minnesotaoah.granicusideas.com/discussions or mail
to Office of Administrative Hearings, P.O. Box 64620, St. Paul, MN 55164-0620
(Docket 80-90030-34519).
http://www.twincities.com/2017/10/18/mining-industry-supporters-rally-opposition-to-minnesota-wild-rice-water-quality-rules/g largely sidestepped the
massive problems of herbicide-resistant pigweeds, Louisiana is largely an
outlier in the Mid-South. That doesn’t mean the state’s growers aren’t paying
close attention to what’s happening in neighboring states.
“Louisiana does have glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth and
common waterhemp,” says Daniel Stephenson, LSU AgCenter weed scientist.
“However, it’s not at near the density or the widespread geographic footprint
of areas like there is in Arkansas, the Bootheel, northern Mississippi and
Tennessee.”
Most parishes where row crops are produced do have
glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth or waterhemp, “but not severe
infestations. However, northwest Louisiana has a significant infestation of
resistant weeds that’s steadily moving down the Red River. There are also
pockets in northeast Louisiana with substantial amounts of Palmer amaranth.”
One thing that has Stephenson excited for Louisiana growers
“is they’ve really learned and paid attention to this problem and how to
avoid it. They read the Delta
Farm Press and those who travel to Arkansas and Mississippi
see what pigweeds can do and come back and tell everyone else. That’s led to a
lot of growers to physically remove pigweed from the field. That’s great.
“We’ve also always used multiple modes of action for weed
control in the state. That wasn’t started specifically for pigweed control or
resistance management but because the weed spectrum in the state requires it.
Louisiana farmers can have six different broadleaf and four different grass
weeds in a single field and only one herbicide just won’t suffice, so
tank-mixing is a must.
“Our guys also rotate crops – corn to cotton/soybean to corn
with grain sorghum worked in somewhere – so crop rotation leads to herbicide
rotation, as well. There is also a lot of tillage in Louisiana.
“So, if you look at the strategies to manage herbicide
resistance, Louisiana growers have already used them simply out of necessity.”
More of a mix
With sugarcane, ratoon rice and crawfish, Louisiana has some
things in the cropping mix those farther north in the Mid-South don’t. How do
those figure in for Louisiana growers?
“Sugarcane is grown from Alexandria in the central part of the
state down to the Gulf coast,” says Stephenson. “Rice is predominately produced
in south Louisiana, but it is grown in north Louisiana also. They just don’t
have Palmer amaranth in great populations, although it’s shown up in isolated
fields.”
Glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth can be currently found “in
areas dominated by corn, cotton, soybean, not in sugarcane/rice areas –
row-crop areas that are similar to Arkansas. I do not have sugarcane or rice
responsibilities, but I know Merrill’s nightshade is quite troublesome in
sugarcane.
“For rice, a big problem is most ‘weedy rice’ which encompasses
red rice, outcrosses, etc. For both issues, LSU AgCenter weed scientists are figuring
out how to control them.”
Xtend
What about Xtend crops in 2017?
“I don’t know the exact acreage, but know a lot of growers who
planted Xtend crops just to see how they’d do. They wanted to get a feel for
how they’ll do in our environments.”
As far as dicamba, “there wasn’t much sold. There were only
three official complaints regarding drift incidents. Now, I’ve been told there
was more drift but it was handled between growers.”
This was a positive year for activating herbicides, says
Stephenson. “Pre-emergence or early post-emergence residual herbicide
applications oftentimes received rain very soon after application, which worked
out perfectly. Essentially, the residual herbicides worked just like
planned in 2017.
“I’ve asked many growers why they didn’t use dicamba this year.
Their first response is: ‘because the residuals worked.’
“If we’d been dry, would more dicamba have been used in our
pigweed areas? Yes, quite possibly. However, we were very lucky this growing
season to have the residuals work.”
Research
What has Stephenson been studying?
“We’re absolutely evaluating weed control programs in Xtend
cotton and soybeans. We’re also studying Enlist cotton. The Enlist soybeans
haven’t been approved by China yet so our research has been under a ‘crop
destruct’ designation.
“But, yes, I’m working on this and so is Dr. Donnie Miller,
who’s based in the northeast part of the state. At this point, we do not have
enough information to recommend the use of the (Xtend) technology.”
Until the data is in hand, “we’re staying neutral.”
Stephenson sees “Xtend,
LibertyLink, Enlist, the old technologies, as tools. If there’s a problem, you
need the right tool whether you’re trying to take a bolt off a machine or kill
a weed. It’s our job to study that tool and find its strengths and weaknesses,
share that information with the growers and they can decide if they will use
the tool. We stand on data. If a tool doesn’t work as advertised, then we’ll
call a spade a spade.
81st Annual International Rice Festival begins Thursday, Oct 19
Posted: Oct
18, 2017 5:17 PM PSTUpdated: Oct 18, 2017 5:17 PM PST
The 81st Annual International
Rice Festival will kick off tomorrow, Thursday, October 19 and continue until
Sunday, October 22 in Crowley.
The Rice Festival is rooted in
tradition thanks to years of dedication from residents, organizers, and the
City of Crowley. The festival was started in 1936 as way to celebrate the
abundant rice harvest in the region and now honors those farmers and the industry
that continues to make Crowley the state's "Rice Capital."
The weekend will see several
events for those heading out to the festival. Attendees will be able to take in
the full enjoyment of the festival with food, parades, musical entertainment,
various contests such as Jr. King & Queen Contest, Rice Queen Contest,
International Rice Eating Contest, Rice and Creole Cookery Contest, Accordion
and Fiddle Contest, International Rice "Poker" Run, Classic Car Show,
Rice Grading Contest, Rice Threshing Demonstration and 5K Run Walk, as well as
a carnival for all ages.
For more information on the
festival and the schedule of events visit their website at ricefestival.com or
the festival's Facebook Page.
http://www.katc.com/story/36623984/81st-annual-international-rice-festival-begins-thursday-oct-19Construction has begun on Willows rice straw plant
A forklift unloads bales of
rice straw at the location west of Willows where a plant will be constructed to
convert the straw into medium density fiberboard panels. Steve Schoonover — Enterprise-Record
By Laura Urseny, Chico
Enterprise-Record
Three
huge piles of rice straw bales are growing in this photo from September at the
site west of Willows where a plant will be built to convert the straw into
medium density fiberboard panels.Steve Schoonover —
Enterprise-Record
Willows >> Work has begun on CalPlant
1 LLC, which will eventually be turning post-harvest rice straw into fiberboard
for furniture construction.
For weeks, truck after truck has been
delivering baled rice straw to the plant site on Highway 162 west of Willows.
After weighing, trucks deliver their load to one of many long rows of bales,
which could number 20 or more for storage.
Plant owner CalAg cleared a portion of
the 273-acre site to make way for storing the rice straw feedstock.
Construction on the $198 million project
was expected to start in the fall, with a late 2018 or early 2019 launch of
production. Knife River Construction of Chico is grading the site for the
plant, which is the dream of founder, CEO and rice grower Jerry Uhland of
Willows, who holds the patent for the fiberboard process using rice straw.
Stockpiling the rice straw feedstock is
the current focus, according to chief operating officer Fran Eck. Roughly
80,000 tons is being collected this season, with 200,000 tons expected next
year, he said.
Eck said, “We have a unique co-op like
grower program. For years 2017-2019, growers pay $25/acre to have their straw
baled and removed. The fourth year this service is free and the fifth year the
companies anticipates establishing a profit-sharing pool that will pay growers for
their straw.
“You can think of it as a partnership
vesting period.”
CalAg has ordered the complete plant for
rice-straw processing from Siempelkamp, which is based in Krefeld, Germany.
According to Siempelkamp’s website, it
will “plan, build, supply, install and start up the entire machine technology
for the Willows location ...” The value of the plant was given at 75 million
Euros, or about $88 million.
Several of Siempelkamp’s subsidiaries
will also be involved, including Pallmann, Buttner and CMC.
The plant process includes removal of
bale twine and well as straw shredder, a cleaning system to remove coarse
pieces and dust. The project also includes two refiners to turn rice straw into
fiber.
A natural gas fiber dryer will be used to
clear moisture from the fiber.
At the core of the plant will be an
energy efficient press, Siempelkamp noted.
Among the end users of the board will be
Columbia Forest Products, “One of the largest U.S.-American suppliers of
wood-based products and main purchaser of the fiberboards.”
Both Siempelkamp and Columbia are minor
investors in the project.
The plant also includes sanding
processes, plus stacking and storing.
According to Siempelkamp, CalAg will
produce 200,000 cubic meters of fiberboard annually.
Contact reporter Laura Urseny at
896-7756.
THURSDAY
October, 19 2017
·
Home
·
About
Us
·
Archive
·
RSS
·
linkedin
·
Twitter
·
Facebook
84% Rise in Rice Imports
1.
Economy
Thursday, October 19, 2017
84% Rise in Rice Imports
More
than 1.05 million tons of semi and wholly milled rice worth close to $996
million were imported into Iran during the first half of the current Iranian
year (March 21-Sept. 22), registering an 84.4% and 108.4% surge in weight and
value respectively compared with the corresponding period of last year. The
rice imports accounted for 6% and 4.2% of the volume and value of Iran’s
overall imports respectively during the six-month period, Mizan Online
reported. Imports are taking place while every year and during the rice harvest
season, the government bans rice imports in support of local farmers and
domestic production.
“The ongoing seasonal ban on rice imports will be in effect
until Nov. 21,” Deputy Agriculture Minister Yazdan Seif recently said, noting
that the ban went into effect in August.
Rice importers bypass the ban during the harvest season by
receiving the import permit before the ban period. Deputy Agriculture
Minister Abbas Keshavarz said nearly 2.3 million tons of rice have been
produced in the country in the current crop year. Iranians annually consume 3
million tons of rice. The two northern provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran are
home to a majority of Iran’s paddy fields
https://financialtribune.com/articles/economy-domestic-economy/74482/84-rise-in-rice-importsEU SET TO BAN INDIAN BASMATI
October 18, 2017
325
Basmati
rice could be banned in the new year
by LAUREN CODLING
BASMATI rice could be banned in the UK
from the new year if a resolution is not found over the use of a pesticide used
by farmers in India.
Conservative MEP Syed Kamall warned last
Sunday (15) of a price rise as well as a “disastrous” impact on basmati farmers
in India if the matter was not sorted out soon.
The controversy is over the use of
tricyclazole pesticide after the EU commission ordered manufacturers to reduce
the amount being used. The limit is due to be slashed from one milligram to
0.01 milligram per kilo, a hundredth of its current legal level.
India produces 60 per cent of the
world’s basmati rice and accounts for 80 per cent of the EU’s imports, Kamall
said.
Approximately 360,000 tons of the
fragrant rice are imported each year by the EU, 150,000 of which come to
Britain.
The
fragrant rice could be banned in the UK if a resolution is not found (Pic:
DESHAKALYAN CHOWDHURY/AFP/Getty Images)
Earlier this summer, Indian government
officials said they needed at least two crop cycles to adopt the new EU guidelines
on tricyclazole.
However, if no resolution is found in
the next few weeks, basmati from India could be banned in this country from as
early as January 2018.
Kamall said: “You don’t need a PhD in
business and economics to realise that if you ban imports from a country that
grows 60 per cent of the world’s basmati rice, the price will go up.
Conservative
MEP Syed Kamall
“This could have a disastrous effect on
farmers’ livelihoods in India – and at the same time we in Britain will end up
paying more for our favourite rice.”
A spokesperson for one of Britain’s
leading rice brands told Eastern Eye on Tuesday (17) that the import of
the distinctive long-grained fragrant rice was going to be “tricky” in three
months’ time.
“We have known about this issue for a
long time and we have taken action accordingly,” the spokesperson said. “The
imports from India are going to be quite tricky from January 2018 and it’ll be
very difficult to import basmati rice from India because of tricyclazole
concerns.”
The spokesperson added that there was
uncertainty about revising the limits, although
there was an expectation that the evaluation process by the EU commission and Food Safety Agency (FSA) could take up to 18 months.
there was an expectation that the evaluation process by the EU commission and Food Safety Agency (FSA) could take up to 18 months.
“We are expecting the limits to be
revised down in June 2019. That is a huge amount of issue for the trade because
you have to either import basmati rice from India now or you can’t supply any
basmati and you have to go depend on Pakistan – which increases the price for
the product,” the spokesperson explained.
The spokesperson also confirmed that
prices of rice would increase due to the interest and storage cost of
reimporting the product from India in 2017 to then supply it in 2018 and 2019.
India is arguing that the new
restrictions for the use of the pesticide, used to combat rice blast disease,
are “drastic” in contrast to other markets. In the US and Japan, the limits are
3mg/kg compared to the EU restrictions of 1mg/kg.
The Indian government said the limited
time in which rules have been implemented is not enough for farmers to adapt
their procedures.
Kamall called on the EU commission to
delay the regulations, in order to make sure Indian farmers had time to make
their crops conform, “especially since no-one is seriously claiming that Indian
basmati rice had suddenly become unsafe to eat”.
Baroness Sheehan, a spokesperson on
international development for the Liberal Democrats, said if the review
concluded the measure should still be executed, enough time should be given to
allow adaptation by Indian farmers.
She added that while the UK is still a
member of the EU, asserting influence on the commission would be viable.
However, she went on: “Once we leave,
there will be very little we can do to support Indian farmers and ensure this
is done properly”
The Indian High Commission in London did
not respond for a comment as Eastern Eye went to press.
Muneer Ahmad, first secretary from the
Pakistan High Commission, confirmed to Eastern Eye that Pakistan exports of
basmati rice are expected to increase in the EU markets.
Alex Waugh, the association secretary
for UK Rice Association, said the issue has been under discussion for “quite a
long time”.
“The government in India has been
working hard to educate farmers and there has been quite a discussion over here
on how to manage things,” he said.
A spokesperson at Indo European Foods
Ltd confirmed that the company is taking necessary steps to ensure the product
– Kohinoor basmati – they offer is “compliant” with EU standards.
“The issue will not affect our company
adversely,” the spokesperson said. “We have always sourced basmati from both
India and Pakistan and offer different products under different brands/labels
in our portfolio. This strategy will continue.”
Surya Foods managing director Harry
Dulai said the news was “great” as it ensured more diligence and care within
the supply chain, as well as commenting consumers would not be subjected to
high levels of pesticides.
Dulai also confirmed the pending EU
regulation changes would have no bearing on the food chain. “We fully endorse
these changes for improvement on farming methods and a credible sustainability
path across the supply chain for the safety of our customers,” he added.
In the summer, Indian grain exporters
had previously raised concerns about the EU regulations and said the trade
could shift to Pakistan.
Earlier this year, Gurnam Arora,
Kohinoor Foods Joint managing director, was quoted in
Indian media reports as saying that the EU norms are “unjust, one-sided and not in the interest of farmers,” and raised concerns the trade would shift over to Pakistan, which does not use the pesticide on its rice supplies.
Indian media reports as saying that the EU norms are “unjust, one-sided and not in the interest of farmers,” and raised concerns the trade would shift over to Pakistan, which does not use the pesticide on its rice supplies.
A joint statement from the European
Commission following the 14th India-EU Summit in New Delhi on October 6 said:
“With regard to import tolerance level of tricyclazole in rice (Commission
Regulation (EU) 2017/983) the relevant plant protection companies will be
invited to present new scientific data in order for the European Food Safety
Authority to carry out an additional risk assessment without delay.
“On this basis, the European Commission
would expeditiously consider whether to review the above mentioned regulation.”
Kamall said: “Like most Brits I love a
curry – and I like it with basmati rice. Nothing else is as aromatic and tasty.
I don’t really think we need the EU banning imports because of scientific
measurements rather than any overnight health concerns.”
https://www.easterneye.eu/eu-set-ban-indian-basmati/LT Foods sets up ready-to-heat organic rice plant in US
LT Foods’ initial capex investment on the plant
is $5 million and is expected to generate revenue of $21 million in the next 5
years
The products would be launched
under the company’s organic foods brand EcoLife. Photo: Pradeep Gaur/Mint
Mumbai: Leading basmati rice firm LT Foods on Wednesday said it has set
up a ready-to-heat organic rice plant in
US with an investment of $5 million.
“The initial capex investment on the plant is $5 million and
expected to generate revenue of $21 million in next 5 years,” the company said
in a statement. The products would be launched under the company’s organic
foods brand EcoLife.
The company, which sells basmati rice under the Daawat brand,
added that the new plant would manufacture 20 million pouches of ready to heat
organic rice pouches in the initial phase and expand it to 70 million pouches
by 2018. It expects to capture a market share of 8% in initial phase and
increase to 12-15% over the next 5 years.
The market size for ready to heat rice products in US currently
stand at approximately $265 million and it is growing at 14% on year. The
company’s basmati rice brand ‘Royal’ is already the largest brand in US with a
market share of more than 40%.
“We already have a strong presence in US through our Basmati rice
brand Royal and we will be leveraging our strong presence and experience to
grow our US market even further,” LT Foods chief executive officer and
managing director Ashwani Arora said.
“Convenient, ready to heat rice options appeal to millennials, who
are more likely to eat away from home or to snack rather than have a sit-down
meals. We always closely observe changing consumer behaviour and we will keep
launching new innovative products in line with consumer needs and preferences,”
he added.
http://www.livemint.com/Industry/bWFumES2vOiEm4UT5v8iaN/LT-Foods-sets-up-readytoheat-organic-rice-plant-in-US.htmlRiceBran
Technologies Set To Turn Lowly Rice Bran Into High Tech Growth Sector
, FORBES
STAFF
I'm
Forbes' Chief Insights Officer & write about thought leadership.
RiceBran
Technologies
Robert Smith, CEO, RiceBran Technologies
A Series of Profiles of Thought Leaders
Changing the Business Landscape: Robert Smith, CEO, RiceBran Technologies
To understand what Robert Smith is up to at RiceBran Technologies,
one must know a bit about rice bran. The world will produce about 480 million
metric tons of rice in 2017. Much of this rice will be milled to remove the
outer bran layers from the whole grain to produce white rice, which is how most
of the world consumes rice. In all, some 40 million metric tons of bran is
produced as a byproduct. Much of it is sold as a low value animal feed or
discarded, despite the fact that rice bran is high in protein, healthy fats,
dietary fiber and vitamins. RiceBran Technologies wants to change that.
“Today, less than one percent of the rice bran produced globally
is marketed as a food ingredient. At RiceBran Technologies, we aim to increase
that percentage significantly by marketing the nutritional, functional and
health benefits of stabilized rice bran,” says RiceBran Technologies CEO Robert
Smith.
“The outside layers of brown rice represent only about 10 percent
by weight of a grain of brown rice but contain much of the nutritional value.
However, because the bran turns rancid within hours of being milled, due to oil
degrading enzymes that occur naturally in the grain, the bran is unpalatable
and not suitable for manufacturing food products that require longer
shelf-lives. Our Company uses its proprietary technology to stabilize the bran
within minutes after it is milled. It’s then sold as a value-added, nutritious,
clean-label ingredient for the food, companion pet and animal nutrition
markets. This also benefits rice mills by providing additional outlets and
premium value for their co-product.”
ADVERTISING
“RiceBran Technologies has opened up a large opportunity to
transform a commodity co-product into a value added ingredient for food
companies that are seeking to adopt novel ingredients to address consumer
demands for minimally processed and “better-for-you” foods. Considered a
clean-label ingredient—non-GMO and free of all major allergens — stabilized
rice bran offers food companies a naturally abundant and wholesome ingredient
that can help reduce highly processed or synthetic ingredients.”
Part of RiceBran Technologies’ challenge is not only solving that
technological barrier, but also educating consumers and food companies about
rice bran’s availability and nutritional benefits. That’s where Smith’s science
background has proved valuable. He is a scientist by training with a Ph.D. in
molecular genetics and cell biology. “I'm not your traditional CEO,” says Smith
with a laugh. “And I certainly did not approach it from the business world. I
came at it from science and from overseeing operations. I'm really more of an
ag/biotech person, more academic in that sense than a business-track CEO.”
Recommended by Forbes
Ten Reasons To
Fire A New Employee On Their First Day
The Toughest Jobs
To Fill In 2017
Job Hoppers: What
To Do With Your Old 401(k)
Antoine Blondeau's
Sentient Technologies: AI For The Unknown Unknowns
Sujai Hajela
Builds Mist To Be Next Generation For Wi-Fi Architecture
Angus Davis Builds
Upserve To Serve As Management Platform For America's One...
Matt Rizai Builds
Workiva To Meet Demand For Financial, Regulatory And Performance...
The 10 Most
Dangerous U.S. Cities
Ten Reasons To
Fire A New Employee On Their First Day
The Toughest Jobs
To Fill In 2017
Job Hoppers: What
To Do With Your Old 401(k)
Antoine Blondeau's
Sentient Technologies: AI For The Unknown Unknowns
Sujai Hajela
Builds Mist To Be Next Generation For Wi-Fi Architecture
Angus Davis Builds
Upserve To Serve As Management Platform For America's One...
Matt Rizai Builds
Workiva To Meet Demand For Financial, Regulatory And Performance...
The 10 Most
Dangerous U.S. Cities
Ten Reasons To
Fire A New Employee On Their First Day
The Toughest Jobs
To Fill In 2017
Job Hoppers: What
To Do With Your Old 401(k)
“I learned about the opportunities at RiceBran Technologies about
five years ago and was intrigued that this milling co-product was
under-appreciated. I came on board initially to provide technical support for
Sales and Marketing and to oversee the development of new products. From there,
I transitioned into operations. And then, just over a year ago, I was elevated
to the CEO role,” says Smith.
“To be fully adopted, stabilized rice bran will require some level
of explanation to consumers and food companies — its origin, its
benefits and its application in various products. My science background helps
me articulate how companies can leverage the value of this ingredient to grow
their business while delivering better-for-you products to their customer base
is exciting and worth pursuing.”
His path to the company leadership wasn’t typical. A Midwesterner
by birth, he lived outside the U.S. until he came back for college. “My
childhood was a little different. My father worked for International Harvester,
selling tractors and trucks for farming and construction. I grew up mostly in
Europe and in South and Central America, and was always interested in biology.”
He studied biology at the University of Chicago as an undergrad,
then stayed on to get his Ph.D. in molecular genetics and cell biology. From there,
he did a post-doc in plant molecular biology at the University of Missouri in
Columbia, Missouri. He then went to Rutgers University as an assistant research
professor working on plant biology.
There he was recruited to join DeKalb Genetics, a major seed
company where he led several research and development projects in major crops.
He then directed research and development programs at PhycoGen Inc. and Global
Protein Products Inc. before joining Herbal Science Group, a leader in the
development of evidence-based functional ingredients from botanicals, as head
of Business Development.
“I was initially intrigued with the business potential of rice
bran when I was overseeing a research project for NutraCea, which was the
former name of RiceBran Technologies. Not only did I come to realize that rice
bran was mostly unrecognized by food companies as a key nutritional ingredient
but learned the overall benefits of this co-product in supporting healthy
nutrition. There is an abundance of valuable nutrients in rice bran. In
addition to stabilizing the bran, we employ a patented process that combines
the use of enzymes and separation technologies to produce value-added
ingredients that command significant premiums because of their evidence-based
health functionalities,” says Smith.
Prior to Smith taking the CEO reins, the company had raised a lot
of capital that funded a number of acquisitions and investments that, in
retrospect, were not core to what the company is about today. “Going forward,
we’re refocused on stabilizing rice bran and making value added premium
ingredients from rice bran,” says Smith. “We are divesting non-core assets,
consolidating core operations in rice-growing regions of the country, and
cutting out significant costs in the process. And in doing so, we are repairing
our balance sheet and positioning our company for growth by securing additional
bran supplies on the west coast and in the mid-south.”
The RiceBran team is looking to expand their presence in premium
equine feed and companion pet markets, as food ingredients for major CPG
companies for cereals, pastas, snacks, baked goods, and meats, and in premium
ingredients in several health and wellness markets.
“Looking forward, we’re focused on delivering on executing our
business plan. Our goal is to become the leading provider of rice bran
ingredients to the food and animal nutrition markets and to keep developing the
future generation of rice bran ingredients that ultimately provide the
nutritional and health benefits consumers are seeking. We’re optimistic about
our growth potential over the coming two or three years — it’s really just a
matter of everybody being on the same page and pulling together to execute the
plan,” says Smith.
Bruce H. Rogers is the co-author of the recently published book
Profitable Brilliance: How Professional Service Firms Become Thought Leaders
https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucerogers/2017/10/12/ricebran-technologies-set-to-turn-lowly-rice-bran-into-high-tech-growth-sector/#4a2c11426cd8Vietnam
masters rice-seed production technology
VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam can
control up to 70.5 percent of seed production technology, with 90 percent for
purebred rice and 66 percent for hybrid rice.
The figures were released by Pham Ngoc Ly, deputy general director of Vinaseed (Vietnam National Seed Corporation), who presided over the research project which assessed the current situation, technological capability and demand for technology renovation in hybrid rice breeding in the north and central coastal areas.
The project is part of the national program on technology renovation by 2020, one of the science & technology programs implemented by the Ministry of Science & Technology (MST).
“Vietnam can master the rice seed production technology. However, while the production of purebred seeds can satisfy domestic demand, the production of hybrid seeds can meet only 33 percent of the demand. The other 67 percent must be fed by imports from China and India,” Ly said.
A survey of 17 companies in the north and the central coastal provinces found that only Vinaseed and Thai Binh Seed have modern drying, processing and packaging systems. Vinaseed can produce 30,000 tons of rice seeds a year, while Thai Binh Seeds 15,000 tons.
The high quality machines are imported from Germany and Denmark.
|
Vietnam can control up to 70.5 percent of seed production
technology, with 90 percent for purebred rice and 66 percent for hybrid rice.
|
The majority of other companies
run with simple drying, processing and packaging system, churning out
5,000-7,000 tons a year.
At the meeting with agricultural scientists held recently by the Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development (MARD), Prof Tran Dinh Long, chair of the Vietnam Seed Association, said Vietnamese are proud to be a big exporter of 12 farm produce items. However, Vietnamese can only pocket a modest amount of money.
“The export turnover is about $3 billion a year, while the cost is up to $2.9 billion,” he said, adding that the money is spent on pesticides, fertilizers and seeds.
Scientists have urged acceleration of the protection of plant varieties, considering this an important solution to help develop new varieties.
According to MARD, vegetable & fruit exports brought $1.7 billion in the first six months of 2017, making up 18.6 percent of total value of major farm export items, surpassing rice to become the second largest farm export item, just behind coffee.
However, according to the Plant Variety Protection Office (PVPO), in 2004-2016, the number of applications for plant protection titles in the sector just accounted for 13.7 percent of total applications, including the applications from foreign subjects.
The same situation can be seen in the coffee industry.
PVPO said there have been only 15 applications for protection for plant varieties which do not belong to the group including rice, maize, short-term industrial crops, vegetables, flowers and fruit.
At the meeting with agricultural scientists held recently by the Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development (MARD), Prof Tran Dinh Long, chair of the Vietnam Seed Association, said Vietnamese are proud to be a big exporter of 12 farm produce items. However, Vietnamese can only pocket a modest amount of money.
“The export turnover is about $3 billion a year, while the cost is up to $2.9 billion,” he said, adding that the money is spent on pesticides, fertilizers and seeds.
Scientists have urged acceleration of the protection of plant varieties, considering this an important solution to help develop new varieties.
According to MARD, vegetable & fruit exports brought $1.7 billion in the first six months of 2017, making up 18.6 percent of total value of major farm export items, surpassing rice to become the second largest farm export item, just behind coffee.
However, according to the Plant Variety Protection Office (PVPO), in 2004-2016, the number of applications for plant protection titles in the sector just accounted for 13.7 percent of total applications, including the applications from foreign subjects.
The same situation can be seen in the coffee industry.
PVPO said there have been only 15 applications for protection for plant varieties which do not belong to the group including rice, maize, short-term industrial crops, vegetables, flowers and fruit.
1. INDYEATS
HOW TO MAKE MUSHROOM PILAU RICE
MasterChef winner's alternative
to mushroom risotto
·
a day ago
|
|
|
|
1
|
CLICK
TO FOLLOW
INDY/LIFE
INDY/LIFE
"The first time I made this
was for a vegetarian friend who complained that every time she went to a dinner
party she was given mushroom risotto, said MasterChef 2010 winner Dhruv
Baker.
"I am delighted to say that
she loved the flavours of the earthy mushrooms along with the wonderful spices
– as far from an average mushroom risotto as you could imagine," he added.
How to make Mushroom pilau rice
Ingredients
·
250g basmati rice
·
6 tbsp vegetable oil
·
6 green cardamom pods
·
2 cinnamon sticks
·
10 cloves
·
2 bay leaves
·
1 onion, thinly sliced
·
125g white mushrooms, sliced
·
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
·
½ tbsp. salt
·
500ml water
·
Small pinch of saffron
·
2-3 tbsp flaked almonds (optional)
Method
Start by rinsing the rice in cold
water until the water runs clear. Set aside in a sieve to allow as much water
as possible to drain off.
Heat half the oil in a large pan
and add the cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, cloves and bay leaves; stir for 1
minute. Add half the sliced onion and cook for 5 minutes, then add the
mushrooms and garlic and fry for another 10 minutes.
Add the rice and salt and stir
until the rice is well coated in the oil. Add the water and bring to the boil.
After about 4-5 minutes much of
the water will have evaporated. Stir in the saffron strands, cover and reduce
the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the
rice is tender.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil
in a pan and fry the remaining onion slices until golden brown. Remove from the
pan and drain on kitchen paper.
To serve, scatter the fried onion
over the top of the pilau along with the flaked almonds, if using.
Tilda is once again partnering with the World Food
Programme and donating a meal for every bag of Pure Basmati Dry (5kg, 1kg) and
TSB sold in the UK to new and expectant mums in Bangladesh.
To support the campaign, a host of personalities have
donated recipes to create the Mums Helping Mums cookbook, which can be
downloaded
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/how-to-make-mushroom-pilau-rice-a8006856.htmlRice
basmati rises on festive demand
New
Delhi, Oct 18 PTI) Rice basmati prices advanced by another Rs 100 per quintal
at the wholesale grains market today on the back of rising demand from
retailers. However, other grains held steady in a thin trade. Traders said
besides surging demand from retailers, short supplies kept rice basmati prices
higher. Rice basmati common and Pusa -1121 variety advanced by Rs 100 each to
Rs 7,300-7,400 and Rs 6,000-6,100 per quintal respectively. Following are
today's quotations (in Rs per quintal): Wheat MP (desi) Rs 2,100-2,350, Wheat
dara (for mills) Rs 1,785-1,790, Chakki atta (delivery) Rs 1,795-1,800, Atta
Rajdhani (10 kg) Rs 260-300, Shakti Bhog (10 kg) Rs 255-290, Roller flour mill
Rs 960-970 (50 kg), Maida Rs 990-1,000 (50 kg)and Sooji Rs 1,060-1,080 (50 kg).
Basmati rice (Lal Quila) Rs 10,700, Shri Lal Mahal Rs 11,300, Super Basmati
Rice Rs 9,800, Basmati common new Rs 7,300-7,400, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs
6,000-6,100, Permal raw Rs 2,200-2,225, Permal wand Rs 2,250-2,275, Sela Rs
2,300-2,400 and Rice IR-8 Rs 1,850-1,875, Bajra Rs 1,180-1,185, Jowar yellow Rs
1,400-1,450, white Rs 2,800-2,900, Maize Rs 1,280- 1,285, Barley Rs
1,435-1,445.
Date: 18-Oct-2017
Rice basmati rises on festive
demand
New
Delhi, Oct 18 PTI) Rice basmati prices advanced by another Rs 100 per quintal
at the wholesale grains market today on the back of rising demand from
retailers. However, other grains held steady in a thin trade. Traders said
besides surging demand from retailers, short supplies kept rice basmati prices
higher. Rice basmati common and Pusa -1121 variety advanced by Rs 100 each to
Rs 7,300-7,400 and Rs 6,000-6,100 per quintal respectively. Following are
today's quotations (in Rs per quintal): Wheat MP (desi) Rs 2,100-2,350, Wheat
dara (for mills) Rs 1,785-1,790, Chakki atta (delivery) Rs 1,795-1,800, Atta
Rajdhani (10 kg) Rs 260-300, Shakti Bhog (10 kg) Rs 255-290, Roller flour mill
Rs 960-970 (50 kg), Maida Rs 990-1,000 (50 kg)and Sooji Rs 1,060-1,080 (50 kg).
Basmati rice (Lal Quila) Rs 10,700, Shri Lal Mahal Rs 11,300, Super Basmati
Rice Rs 9,800, Basmati common new Rs 7,300-7,400, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs
6,000-6,100, Permal raw Rs 2,200-2,225, Permal wand Rs 2,250-2,275, Sela Rs
2,300-2,400 and Rice IR-8 Rs 1,850-1,875, Bajra Rs 1,180-1,185, Jowar yellow Rs
1,400-1,450, white Rs 2,800-2,900, Maize Rs 1,280- 1,285, Barley Rs
1,435-1,445.
Date: 18-Oct-2017
Rice output likely grew 13.9 percent in
Q3–PSA
By
-
·
·
Philippine
palay production in the third quarter likely rose by 13.9 percent to 3.38
million metric tons (MMT), from last year’s 2.97 MMT, according to the latest
report of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The PSA’s
latest palay output forecast for the July-to-September period was slightly
higher than the 3.36 MMT it projected in August.
Data from
the PSA showed that harvest area in the third quarter likely expanded by 14.31
percent to 851,758 hectares, from the 745,140 hectares recorded last year.
However,
the PSA’s report, titled “Updates on July-September 2017 Palay and Corn” and
published on October 18, showed that its latest forecast was lower than the
3.39 MMT it projected in July.
“The probable
reduction in palay production may be attributed to rat infestation in Davao Sur
and Cotabato; incidence of rice black bugs in Batangas, Davao Sur and Sultan
Kudarat,” the report read.
The PSA
added that it revised its forecast following reports that there were lodging of
palay in Isabela caused by Typhoon Jolina and flash floods in Sultan Kudarat,
South Cotabato and North Cotabato.
The
report noted that about 297,190 hectares, or 34.19 percent, of the standing
crop for the July-to-September period have been harvested.
It added
that around 1.602 million hectares, or 87.1 percent, of the farmers’ planting
intentions for the fourth quarter have materialized.
“Of the
[2.157 million] hectares standing palay crop, 26.1 percent were at vegetative
stage; 55.5 percent at reproductive stage and 18.4 percent at maturing stage,”
the PSA said.
The
expected increase in the country’s paddy-rice output this year prompted the
United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) to
revise downward its projection for Philippine rice imports to 1.1 MMT, from 1.6
MMT.
In its
earlier Global Agriculture Information Network report, FAS said Philippine rice
harvest area in marketing year 2016-2017 could expand to 4.705 million
hectares, 2.28 percent bigger than the FAS’s previous forecast of 4.6 million
hectares.
https://businessmirror.com.ph/rice-output-likely-grew-13-9-percent-in-q3-psa/
Vietnam rice industry should focus on
quality: experts
Vietnamese rice producers and exporters should focus on quality
and supplying products that are in demand to sustain the production and export
of the grain and add value to the grain, heard a meeting in Ho Chi Minh City on
October 17.
 |
Speaking at the meeting held to
discuss Vietnam’s Rice Market Development Strategy from 2017 to 2020, Phan Van
Chinh, head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s import-export department,
said the global rice market had seen changes, with major importing countries
increasing domestic production.
“Free trade agreements theoretically create opportunities
for Vietnam to boost exports to these markets, but to do so Vietnamese rice
must meet the quality standards set by these markets.”
To achieve sustainable production and export, the
Government has approved a strategy for the 2017–20 period.
Tran Xuan Long of the import-export department said one of
the goals of the strategy was to gradually reduce rice export volume but
increase value.
Between
2021 and 2030 the annual volume is expected to be around four million tonnes,
earning US$2.3 billion - 2.5 billion. The make-up of the exports would also be
restructured then, with a focus on increasing the export of fragrant,
speciality, japonica and high-grade white rice, he said.
Vietnam would focus on Asian and African markets, with
China, Bangladesh and ASEAN members such as the Philippines, Malaysia and
Indonesia remaining key markets.
Huynh Minh Hue, general secretary of the Vietnam Food
Association, said the main varieties of rice traded in global markets are
basmati, parboil, fragrant, white broken rice, sticky rice, japonica, and white
long-grain rice.
Vietnam is well placed in terms of sticky rice, fragrant,
white broken rice, and white long-grain rice, he said.
He said rice traders should “capitalise on their advantages
to develop nearby and traditional markets whose demands dovetail with Vietnam’s
conditions.”
To improve the competitiveness of rice traders, which is
one of the measures in the strategy, businesses should focus on improving
quality and marketing and cut costs, he said.
Rice traders and exporters should establish links with
farmers to ensure supply meets market demand and efficiency, he said.
Pham Thai Binh, general director of Trung An Hi-tech
Farming JSC, said rice traders who have contracted farmers that use safe
production processes have bagged export orders from the beginning.
The country should have zoning plans for each variety of
rice based on soil conditions in different areas and use technology to improve
the quality and value, he said.
Delegates at the meeting called on the Government to speed
up negotiations and sign agreements on hygiene and food safety standards with
importing countries.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development should
decide on and apprise exporters about the process of quality inspection and
hygiene and food safety regulations in line with those agreements, they said.
Relevant agencies should review seaport planning and speed
up loading and unloading of goods at ports to reduce logistics costs, they said.
They called for cooperation among traders in promoting
exports.
According to the VFA, Vietnam is expected to export 5.6
million tones of rice this year.
http://english.vov.vn/economy/vietnam-rice-industry-should-focus-on-quality-experts-360605.vov
Vietnam
targets US$2.5 billion in rice export revenues by 2030
|
|
Tuesday, 2017-10-17 10:19:03
Font Size: | Print
|
|
|
Font Size: |
|
|
NDO - The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) has set
the target of raising Vietnam’s rice export revenues to between US$2.3 and
2.5 billion by 2030.
|
|
The target was announced at a conference on realising
Vietnam’s rice export strategy during the 2017-2020 period, with a view
towards 2030.
Under the strategy, Vietnam will gradually reduce its
rice export volumes whilst increasing the proportion of high-earning
varieties, with the annual volume for the 2017-2020 period targeted at 4.5-5
million tonnes and shrinking to 4 million tonnes by 2030.
Specifically, low and medium-quality white rice will
not exceed 20% of the total export volume by 2020, while high-quality white
rice accounts for approximately 25%, fragrant, speciality and Japonica rice
around 30% and glutinous rice 20%.
By 2030, fragrant, speciality and Japonica rice will
make up 40% of Vietnam’s rice export volume, with glutinous rice at 25% and
other nutritious rice at over 10%.
According to the delegates at the conference, in order to achieve this target, Vietnam needs to deal with a number of issues that are currently plaguing Vietnam’s rice industry.
At present, Vietnam’s rice export growth is heavily
skewed towards volume growth, rice farming is not linked to the market demand
and exports are highly dependent on a number of markets.
In addition, Vietnam’s rice exporters have not been
able to build well-known brands or meet the market’s diverse demands.
At the conference, the delegates discussed a number of
solutions, such as re-organising production and post-harvest processing and
storage, building national rice brands, strengthening international
cooperation and enhancing the capacity of domestic rice traders.
|
Share this story
More news
stories
Most Recent Newshttp://en.nhandan.com.vn/business/item/5575002-vietnam-targets-us$2-5-billion-in-rice-export-revenues-by-2030.html
Rice exports remain
strong
Chea Vannak / Khmer Times Share:
The
country’s main association of rice producers recently announced new limits on
the use of the fungicide Tricyclazole – which came into effect late September –
and which have had virtually no effect on the country’s rice exports, arguing
awareness campaigns aimed at farmers have been highly effective.
Hun
Lak, the vice-president of the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF), said the new
directive regarding the use of Tricyclazole is already in effect and that
stakeholders in the rice sector have done a good job of spreading the word
among the nation’s farmers about the new limitations on the use of the chemical.
“It
hasn’t been a problem to limit the use of the fungicide because we have
educated farmers on the use of the chemical,” Mr Lak said.
“Anyway,
it wasn’t a big issue because Cambodia was never too reliant on chemical
fertilizers,” he added.
The
European Union said in March that Cambodia must eradicate the use of the
fungicide on its milled rice it exports to the European market. The new EU
directive demands milled rice does not contain more than 0.01 milligram of the
chemical per kilogram of grain.
Hean
Vanhan, the director-general of the general directorate of agriculture at the
Ministry of Agriculture, told Khmer Times in October that efforts to increase
awareness on the new limits on the use of Tricyclazole have been highly
successful.
“The
farmers now understood the ban, and as we are complying with EU regulations, we
don’t face any problems in this regard,” Mr Vanhan said.
Meanwhile,
according to Mr Lak, the EU has encouraged Cambodia to increase its exports of
milled fragrant rice to the European market.
“Although
exports of milled rice to the EU have remained almost unchanged for the first
nine months of the year compared to last year, we hope that exports will
accelerate by the end of the year and for the years to come,” Mr Lak said.
“The
EU wants Cambodia to export fragrant rice because demand for this product is
high and doesn’t compete with varieties grown locally in countries like Spain
and Italy.”
As of
September this year, Cambodia exported some 422,000 tonnes of milled rice to
international markets, a 16.7 percent increase compared with the same period
last year. Of this, 209,000 tonnes was shipped to the EU, nearly a 50 percent
increase over the same period last year.
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5086691/rice-exports-remain-strong/100,000
tons of parboiled rice to come from India in January
·
Published at 11:26 PM
October 17, 2017
·
Last updated at 12:32 AM
October 19, 2017
The total amount of rice will be imported at a cost of Tk 377.65 crore
– each ton costing $455 or Tk37,487
- 68
- 68SHARES
The government has decided to import 100,000 tons of parboiled
rice from India to meet the growing domestic demand created by crop losses in
recent floods.
The cabinet committee on public purchase approved the purchase
on Wednesday
A Food Ministry official said Bangladesh will buy that total
amount of rice at a cost of Tk 377.65 crore – each ton costing $455 or
Tk37,487. The rice will be imported under government-to-government (G2G) basis.
The rice will be supplied by Project and Equipment Corporation
of India Ltd, under the Indian Commerce Ministry.
After the meeting , Additional Secretary of Cabinet Division Md
Mostafizur Rahman told reporters the rice would be purchased for $455 dollar
per ton and the total cost will stand at Tk377.65cr.
“We hope that the rice will reach Bangladesh within January next
year,” he said.
The Food Ministry official said that this price is Tk823 higher
than the rice imported from Myanmar.
The 100,000 tons rice import will be the first of its kind
arrangement between Bangladesh and India in recent years. India on September 3
had decided to export around 500,000 tons of parboiled rice to create a buffer
stock.
According to the Food Ministry proposal, the India government’s
authorised agro cooperative National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing
Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) will export the rice to Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is currently facing a shortfall of 1.5 million tons
of rice due to heavy crop losses during the recent flooding in different
districts across the country. After the floods, around 150,000 tons of rice has
been exported to Bangladesh by private traders from India until now.
Amid strained relations with Myanmar over the Rohingya refugee
crisis, last week the cabinet committee on public purchase had also approved
the Food Ministry’s deal on procuring of 100,000 tons of rice – each ton
costing $442 or Tk36,416 – from Myanmar in a bid to bring down the prices in
local markets.
http://www.dhakatribune.com/business/commerce/2017/10/17/bangladesh-import-100000-tons-boiled-rice-india/THE NEWS SCROLL18 OCTOBER 2017 Last Updated at 2:57 PM
Rice
basmati rises on festive demand
New Delhi, Oct 18 PTI) Rice basmati prices advanced by another Rs 100 per
quintal at the wholesale grains market today on the back of rising demand from
retailers.
However, other grains held steady in a thin trade.
Traders said besides surging demand from retailers, short
supplies kept rice basmati prices higher.
Rice basmati common and Pusa -1121 variety advanced by Rs 100
each to Rs 7,300-7,400 and Rs 6,000-6,100 per quintal respectively.
Following are today's quotations (in Rs per quintal):
Wheat MP (desi) Rs 2,100-2,350, Wheat dara (for mills) Rs
1,785-1,790, Chakki atta (delivery) Rs 1,795-1,800, Atta Rajdhani (10 kg) Rs
260-300, Shakti Bhog (10 kg) Rs 255-290, Roller flour mill Rs 960-970 (50 kg),
Maida Rs 990-1,000 (50 kg)and Sooji Rs 1,060-1,080 (50 kg).
Basmati rice (Lal Quila) Rs 10,700, Shri Lal Mahal Rs 11,300,
Super Basmati Rice Rs 9,800, Basmati common new Rs 7,300-7,400, Rice Pusa
(1121) Rs 6,000-6,100, Permal raw Rs 2,200-2,225, Permal wand Rs 2,250-2,275,
Sela Rs 2,300-2,400 and Rice IR-8 Rs 1,850-1,875, Bajra Rs 1,180-1,185, Jowar
yellow Rs 1,400-1,450, white Rs 2,800-2,900, Maize Rs 1,280- 1,285, Barley Rs
1,435-1,445
https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/rice-basmati-rises-on-festive-demand/1170129The
Rain Impact
The Rain
Impact
A late-season surge in monsoon rain may help rabi crops, but the
real impact on farmers will depend on remunerative pricing.
In a country like India that depends heavily on rain-fed
irrigation, the southwest monsoon has always been critical for the agriculture
sector. Conditions were relatively favourable this year (June-September 2017),
leading to a cumulative rainfall that was only 5 per cent below the long-period
average or LPA. Most parts of the country received normal-to-surplus rainfall
while the regions with deficient monsoon rain - Punjab, Haryana, and parts of
Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Madhya Pradesh (MP) - could fall back on the irrigation
network. However, excess rain over the period and consequently, floods, led to
huge crop loss in several states, including Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra
Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan. There came a hint of the possible outcome on
September 25 when the Ministry of Agriculture released the first advance
estimates of major kharif crop harvest. According to government estimates,
total foodgrain output in the 2017/18 kharif season is likely to reach 134.67
million tonnes compared to last year's 138.52 million tonnes, a dip of 2.8 per
cent. Rice production is likely to fall by 1.91 million tonnes; production of
maize may go down by 0.52 million tonnes; oilseed production could be lower by
1.72 million tonnes, a 7.7 per cent drop from last year's 22.40 million tonnes,
and pulses may fall by 0.72 million tonnes. So far, sugarcane is the only crop
likely to witness a significant growth - an estimated 337.69 million tonnes
against last year's 306.72 million tonnes.
Former agriculture secretary Siraj Hussain is hopeful, though.
According to him, the late revival of monsoon rain in the southern states is
good news for farmers as better residual moisture will help them at the time of
sowing rabi crops. "As for Punjab, Haryana and Western UP, the rainfall had
been lower than average. So the residual moisture would also be lower for the
rabi season. These regions have adequate irrigation facilities, but it also
means farmers will have to spend more to avail those. Although the rabi crops
may do well, income could be adversely affected depending on total
production," he adds. Hussain says (better) production makes more sense
when seen in connection with the overall impact it will have on consumer-end
prices, leading to higher price realisation. While it is too early to predict
retail prices, higher production does not necessarily ensure proportionate
benefits for Indian farmers. "I have just been to Kota mandi (wholesale
market for agro products) and found that soybean production is higher than last
year. But prices continue to be lower than the minimum support price fixed by
the government and no procurement has started," he says. The
bottom line: Governments cannot do much to control monsoons or natural
disasters. But they can play a key role to make sure the prices farmers get
would keep them in business in the long run. The real challenge here is to
ascertain how farmers may get remunerative pricing.
Date: 18-Oct-2017
Thailand: Thai rice price up 15% this year on high demand
The
Thai Rice Exporters Association has indicated a 15 percent increase in the
average price of Thai rice this year due mainly to high demand among importers.
Pol Lt Charoen Laothamatas, President of the Thai Rice Exporters Association,
reported that the Kingdom has exported more than 8.2 million tons of rice since
the beginning of this year. Given the export volume during the last three
months is projected to be around 900,000 tons monthly, the president said the
association has set the yearly export target at 10.8 million tons, which is
close to the Commerce Ministry's figure of 11 million. Mr Charoen added that
most mill houses currently do not have any grains left in stock, resulting in a
surge in demand overseas as well as the price of Thai rice. Compared to last
year, the price has gone up by 15 percent; however, it is still on par with the
rates of competitors. Although some rice plantations in Thailand have been
damaged by recent floods, the high precipitation this year is expected to help
boost the country's rice output by about 10 percent.
Author Name: http://www.blackseagrain.net/novosti/thailand-thai-rice-price-up-15-this-year-on-high-demand
Rice exports remain strong
The
country’s main association of rice producers recently announced new limits on
the use of the fungicide Tricyclazole – which came into effect late September –
and which have had virtually no effect on the country’s rice exports, arguing
awareness campaigns aimed at farmers have been highly effective.
Hun
Lak, the vice-president of the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF), said the new
directive regarding the use of Tricyclazole is already in effect and that
stakeholders in the rice sector have done a good job of spreading the word
among the nation’s farmers about the new limitations on the use of the
chemical.
“It
hasn’t been a problem to limit the use of the fungicide because we have
educated farmers on the use of the chemical,” Mr Lak said.
“Anyway,
it wasn’t a big issue because Cambodia was never too reliant on chemical
fertilizers,” he added.
The
European Union said in March that Cambodia must eradicate the use of the
fungicide on its milled rice it exports to the European market. The new EU
directive demands milled rice does not contain more than 0.01 milligram of the
chemical per kilogram of grain.
Hean
Vanhan, the director-general of the general directorate of agriculture at the
Ministry of Agriculture, told Khmer Times in October that efforts to increase awareness
on the new limits on the use of Tricyclazole have been highly successful.
“The
farmers now understood the ban, and as we are complying with EU regulations, we
don’t face any problems in this regard,” Mr Vanhan said.
Meanwhile,
according to Mr Lak, the EU has encouraged Cambodia to increase its exports of
milled fragrant rice to the European market.
“Although
exports of milled rice to the EU have remained almost unchanged for the first
nine months of the year compared to last year, we hope that exports will
accelerate by the end of the year and for the years to come,” Mr Lak said.
“The EU
wants Cambodia to export fragrant rice because demand for this product is high
and doesn’t compete with varieties grown locally in countries like Spain and
Italy.”
As of
September this year, Cambodia exported some 422,000 tonnes of milled rice to
international markets, a 16.7 percent increase compared with the same period
last year. Of this, 209,000 tonnes was shipped to the EU, nearly a 50 percent
increase over the same period last year.
Date: 18-Oct-2017
Inflation creeps up on rice
price hike
Inflation
accelerated for the second consecutive month in September thanks to the rise in
food prices backed by the staple rice. Last month, inflation stood at 6.12
percent, up 23 basis points from August, according to data from the Bangladesh
Bureau of Statistics. Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal yesterday released
the inflation data of the last two months but did not give a breakdown of food
and non-food inflation -- both of which were departures from previous practice.
On May 16, Kamal had announced that the government will make public the
Consumer Price Index data on a quarterly basis instead of the global standard
practice of monthly reporting -- a move that gave rise to an air of suspense
surrounding the release of inflation statistics. True to his word, his next
release of inflation data, which came in July, was on a quarterly basis -- for
the April-June quarter -- but he went back to monthly reporting the following
month, disclosing the figure for July.
Inflation
declined for the first time in eight months in July: it stood at 5.57 percent,
0.3 percentage point lower than the previous month. In September, there was
radio silence from both the planning minister and the BBS on inflation figures.
Yesterday, he disclosed two months' numbers at once. Kamal said inflation will
come down gradually from next month. “Inflation rose slightly as rice
production was hampered due to heavy rainfall and floods. People had
apprehended that there would be a price spiral but that did not happen.” By the
end of the year, inflation will get back to within the target, he added. Many
analysts said the chaotic inflation reporting comes from the government's wish
to mask the rising prices of rice, a staple food item in Bangladesh and thereby
plays an important role in determining inflation. In recent months, rice prices
rose to record highs, reflecting the dwindling supplies following flood-induced
losses to the main boro crop in 2017 coupled with reduced production and
imports in 2016. About 20 lakh tonnes of boro crop have been damaged, according
to the food ministry. Yesterday, coarse rice price went up 24.32 percent from a
year earlier to Tk 44-48 a kg, according to data from the Trading Corporation
of Bangladesh, which tracks the prices of several items in Dhaka city. The prices
of all other varieties of the staple went up between 22 percent and 29 percent
in the last one year. In the latest monetary policy unveiled in July, the
central bank said the food price uptrend caused by the flash flood in the last
quarter of fiscal 2016-17 in the haor regions poses risks of inflation.
The fiscal 2017-18's monetary programme of the central bank seeks to set a
prudent, flexible course towards containing the 12-month average CPI inflation
within 5.5 percent. Inflation is expected to be above 6 percent in June 2018,
according to the BB's latest inflation expectation survey. The central bank's
projection shows the average annual inflation for the first half of the fiscal
year would be 5.5-5.9 percent. “Looking ahead, given the domestic inflation
dynamics, food price developments and tapering base effects, some price
pressures may emerge during fiscal 2017-18 and will need to be monitored and
contained carefully,” said the monetary policy statement of the BB.
Date: 18-Oct-2017
India’s methane emissions stable: study
October 18, 2017:
A group of researchers have concluded that there has been no increase in the levels of methane emissions in India between 2010 and 2015. This is the first time that an independent assessment of India’s methane emissions has been carried out.
The study used a combination of satellite, aircraft and surface observations to find out the actual amount of methane emissions from India between 2010 and 2015. The average emissions over the period were found to be similar to what India has officially reported to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Ruminants or cud-chewing animals (such as cows, buffaloes), waste and fossil fuels were found to contribute equally to India’s methane emissions.
Ruminants digest their food through the process of fermentation, producing methane gas which escapes into the atmosphere. Other sources of methane include rice fields and biomass burning. Wetlands and rice paddies have water-logged soils and unique communities of plant and animal species that have evolved and adapted to constant presence of water. Due to this high level of water required as well as warm weather, they are one of the largest sources of methane. In winters, people burn more fossil fuels to keep themselves warm, resulting in a rise in methane emissions.
The study has also revealed an increase in methane emissions in June-September followed by February–March which matches the signature of rice and winter heating.
While India has the world’s largest ruminant population, the Ministry of Agriculture has reported 3% decrease in ruminant population between 2006 and 2014, which means that emissions from this sector are lesser. In the same way, changes in rice growing practices such as draining rice paddies in mid-season and using different fertilizers can reduce methane emissions. The use of alternate methods of keeping warm in winters too may have also helped.
The net result of all this could be no increase in methane emissions. The results of the study were published in journal Nature Communications.
Methane is the second most potent greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. In contrast to carbon dioxide which stays in the atmosphere for about 100 years, methane has greater per molecule contribution to global warming, but only for about 9 years. It is for this reason methane has been identified as a target for greenhouse gas emission reduction schemes. Greenhouses gases trap heat leading to increase in temperatures on Earth.
The research team included Anita L. Ganesan (University of Bristol); Abhijit Chatterjee (Bose Institute, Kolkata); Yogesh K. Tiwari (Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune); Matt Rigby, Mark F. Lunt, Robert J. Parker, Hartmut Boesch, N. Goulding from UK; Taku Umezawa from Japan; Andreas Zahn from Germany, Ronald G. Prinn from US, Marcel van der Schoot and Paul B. Krummel from Australia.
(India Science Wire)
Twitter handle: @monikaksrivast1http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/science/indias-methane-emissions-stable-study/article9914800.ece
(This article was published on October 18, 2017)
A large group of mining supporters will gather in Virginia Thursday to voice concerns about how a proposed rule affecting the wild rice habitat may affect the mineral industry and residents.
The issue puts two industries at odds. Ojibwe and Dakota people consider wild rice particularly important to protect for economic, cultural and spiritual reasons. Mining, which produces water effluent that allegedly harms wild rice growth, supports thousands of Iron Range jobs and residents. The rule also could affect community water treatment plants.
The dispute involves the interaction between sulfide and sulfate how they affect discharged water. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency researchers have discovered the complicated process varies among water bodies.
An existing rule limits sulfate to 10 milligrams per liter in wild rice waters. New MPCA research suggests that sulfide in the sediment in which wild rice grows is a concern. The proposed rules are designed to limit sulfide to 120 micrograms per liter. One microgram is one thousandth of a milligram.
In a Tuesday statement, the Iron Mining Association believes the proposed standard "could have devastating economic implications for communities in Northeast Minnesota that discharge into wild rice waters – including municipal wastewater treatment facilities and the iron mines," said Kelsey Johnson, president. The association contends the standard may have no impact on protecting wild rice.
The IMA represents Minnesota’s iron mines and 150 companies that supply goods and services to the mines. It will be joined at a Thursday press conference by the Range Association of Municipalities and Schools, the Iron Ore Alliance, the United Steelworkers Union, local chambers of commerce, Jobs for Minnesotans, Better in our Backyard area legislators and local elected officials.
“We believe the changes we’re proposing are an innovative and precise approach to protecting wild rice,” MPCA Commissioner John Linc Stine said in August. “The proposal also allows for flexibility in permitting for facilities that discharge to wild rice waters.”
Click here for more information about the IMA's position.
