Rice sector woes: Stock
shortage, lack of interest to hamper rice exporters
Published: November 12, 2016
LAHORE: Pakistan’s rice exports could see a further
dip in the coming years as lack of interest from growers, and almost zero
carry-forward stocks, especially in Super Basmati variety, could create trouble
for exporters in meeting international orders, said different farmer lobbies.
Additionally,
the lack of interest from government institutions to market Pakistani rice and
find new markets are creating issues for stakeholders, associated with this
crop, they added.
“Super Basmati variety this year could see a
crisis-like situation, as all existing stocks have already been sold to Iran
last year,” Faisal Cheema, chairman of the Rice Mill Association, told The Express Tribune.
The worst
scenario growers faced over the last couple of years was discouraging for them,
as there were abundant rice stocks available but no one was there to purchase
them. This year many growers were not interested in sowing the crop, he added.
Rice is the
second biggest commodity generating export revenue after textiles. Pakistan
exported $1.86 billion worth of rice in 2015-16, down 8.6% year-on-year when it
crossed $2 billion.
Pakistan can
produce around 6.9 million tons of paddy annually, out of which 3.4 metric tons
of rice is produced in Punjab, 2.8 million tons in Sindh, 0.6 million tons in
Balu, Balochistan and 0.1 million tons in K-P.
Pakistan’s
local rice consumption stands at 2.6 million tons annually.
The
government for the next year has set a rice production target of 6.9 million
tons, up from 2.8 million; however, lobbies claim that the final production
could be in between 6 million to 6.5 million tons with a dominant share of
coarse variety.
Rice
production, according to the Economic Survey of Pakistan, has already witnessed
a dip of 2.7% in 2015-16 with a 4.92% decline in production area.
However,
exporters as well as agri experts believe that Pakistan could significantly
increase rice production and export revenues with the same production area.
“Pakistan’s
rice production could easily touch 8 million tons by adopting up-to-date
technologies and curbing post-harvest loss,” said Agri Forum Pakistan chairman
Ibrahim Mughal. Our production cost is almost 33% more than our neighbour India
which produce around 85-90 million tons of rice annually, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 12th,
2016
http://agriculture.einnews.com/article/353566222/bUrrRlFRQQkI5u3P?lcf=mfbGzFqDS4bNQ1jDta8oRvPjgESunH4NfqaGB2CDatA
Kharif paddy procurement to begin from Nov 15:
Minister
November 13, 2016
Bhubaneswar: Amidst the stalemate
over procurement of Kharif paddy from mandis (procurement centre) with the
talks between All Odisha Rice Millers’ Association and the Food Supply and
Consumer Welfare department failing yesterday, the Odisha government today said
the procurement will begin in the state from November 15.Briefing media persons
here, Food Supply and Consumer Welfare minister Sanjay Dasburma said the
procurement would begin in Atabira, Godabhaga and Kolapani blocks in Bargarh
district while procurement committee in the remaining districts will decide on
the date for procurement.Stating that 16 rice millers have been registered for
Kharif paddy procurement in Bargarh district, the minister said his department
is currently reviewing the issues of the rice millers. “If necessary, there
will be another round of meeting with them,” he added.
Talking to media persons after a
meeting with the managing director of Odisha State Civil Supply Corporation Ltd
(OSCSCL) yesterday, chairman of All Odisha Rice Millers’ Association (AORMA),
Santosh Agrawal, hoped that the concerned minister and department would convene
another meeting to fulfil the justified demands of the Association.
“We are ready to run our mill.
What we want to say is that if the state government is unable to pay money to
us on various heads, it should work under the guidelines on the
responsibilities of the rice millers. The responsibility of the millers is to
return the rice to the government after milling the paddy. But the other works
bestowed on us like transportation, mandi handling and supply of sacks for
purchase of paddy are not the responsibilities of the rice millers. We demand
that we will not take these extra responsibilities. Let the government pay us
the money for the work we will do and assign the other works to some agencies
or organisations,” AORMA general secretary Santosh Sonthalia said.
Asked about the matter, the
minister said his department will have a meeting with the rice millers to
discuss about their issues.“I would seek cooperation from all to streamline the
process for paddy procurement to ensure that the farmers, who are the major
stake holders, will be entitled to get the minimum support price (MSP). Since
the rice millers have a major role in this process, the procurement programme
cannot be successful without them,” he pointed out.
http://odishatv.in/odisha/body-slider/kharif-paddy-procurement-to-begin-from-nov-15-minister-176029/
Watkins watches economical side of farming
Saturday
Posted Nov 12, 2016 at 10:00 AM
By Dawn
Teer / Stuttgart Daily Leader
Editor's Note: This is the sixth question and answer session
with scientists conducting research at Stuttgart's University of Arkansas Rice
Research and Extension Center (UARREC).
Wife, Melanie
Watkins; daughter, Jessica Watkins, 15; son, Aaron Watkins, 13.
When did you become interested in
rice research?
I became
interested in rice research when I worked on my master thesis. I actually
became interested in land tenure and rental arrangements in eastern Arkansas
agriculture, which is what my thesis was about. In working on my thesis, I
became interested in eastern Arkansas agriculture in general. Rice happens to
be a major crop grown in this part of the state, and I naturally gravitated
towards work on rice production economics.
What courses did you take that
steered you into the field that became your career?
Courses in
microeconomics, many math and statistics courses, science courses — chemistry,
biology, animal and plant science courses — and courses specific to agriculture
— agribusiness management, agricultural prices, futures trading.
What do you do at UARREC?
I have a 75
percent research appointment and a 25 percent extension appointment. The
primary focus of my research program is identification of production systems
and/or management practices that reduce inputs and lead to greater
profitability in rice production. My extension program is devoted to
dissemination of economic information related to alternative cropping systems,
management practices and/or technologies that promote the long-term economic
and environmental sustainability of rice production in Arkansas. I also work on
economic evaluation of alternative government programs and other important
economic problems related to Arkansas agriculture.
What are you currently working on
or developing? And why?
I am presently
working on several things. They include:
• Economic Analysis of Representative Rice Farms
— I am working with other economists in the state on a project to evaluate the
financial health of rice farms using representative panel farm data for four
Arkansas farms growing rice. This framework will also be used to evaluate the
economic impact of present Farm Bill programs and the economic impact of future
programs that will likely be proposed during discussions of the next Farm Bill.
• Economics of the University of Arkansas
Foundation Seed Program — My research associate and I are evaluating the costs
associated with the University of Arkansas rice, soybean and wheat foundation
seed program. All economic aspects of the program from production to bagging of
foundation seed for sale to certified seed growers are being evaluated. The
objective of this work is to improve the economic efficiency of this important
program.
• Economics of Organic Rice Production — I am
currently a member of a USDA NIFA Organic Agriculture Research and Extension
Initiative (OREI) grant in which I evaluate the economics of growing organic
rice. Organic rice is a niche market and is grown without the use of inorganic
inputs — inorganic fertilizers and pesticides — that are used in conventional
rice production. Organic rice is sold at over twice the price rice producers
typically receive, but produces much less yield due to the absence of inorganic
inputs. It has great profit potential, but requires a large learning curve to
overcome relative to conventional rice. It also requires yearly inspection and
recertification to be sold as organic.
• Economic Impacts of the August 2016 Rain Event
on Arkansas Crop Production — This is a collaborative effort with University of
Arkansas agricultural economists, crop agronomists and county agents to produce
a report of preliminary estimates of physical and monetary damages to Arkansas
crops resulting from the heavy rainfall and flooding that occurred in August of
this year.
What research that you have done
has been able to help the average rice farmer?
I have conducted
much research on the profitability of various production practices used in rice
production with an aim of identifying practices that are most cost efficient
(e.g., management practices that use inputs in the right combinations necessary
to achieve cost minimization). This work has pointed to the importance of
proper irrigation management (i.e., applying water in a timely manner using
technologies like multiple inlet irrigation or making capital improvements to
the land via precision leveling that result in less water applied). I have also
done research identifying economic optimum nitrogen rates for rice production
in Arkansas.
On the extension
side, I participate with other University of Arkansas agricultural economists
in farm bill education to Arkansas row crop producers, land owners and agricultural
lending agencies. These efforts generally occur when a new farm bill is either
being proposed or has been introduced with new program provisions. The most
recent farm bill — 2014 Farm Bill — was the most complex farm bill implemented
to date, requiring many decisions to be made on the part of both land owners
and agricultural producers. I participated with other extension economists and
University of Arkansas. Extension personnel in supplying information aimed at
helping crop producers and land owners make educated economic choices among the
myriad programs and options available to them in the 2014 Farm Bill.
What are some of the research
differences between what you do and the Dale Bumpers National Rice Research
Center?
My work and the
work of all the other scientists here at the UARREC is much more
applied relative to the work conducted at Dale Bumpers. My task is to identify
production practices that are profitable to crop producers in the state. The
work at Dale Bumpers is more science oriented (DNA analysis, discovery and
mapping of plant genes, etc.)
What are some of the collaborations
with DBNRRC?
I am currently
collaborating with Dr. David Gealy (plant pathologist, DBNRRC) in a study
evaluating the economics of using weed-suppressive rice cultivars in rice
production systems. The objective of this research is to determine if using
weed-suppressive rice cultivars would result in a reduction in herbicide inputs
applied to rice. We are finding that they do have potential to reduce herbicide
inputs in conventional flooded rice systems.
I am also
currently working in collaboration with Dr. Anna McClung (director, DBNRRC) on
the organic rice grant mentioned above. I am working with Dr. McClung on
economic evaluation of the various rice cultivars used (or with potential for
use) in organic rice production. These are rice cultivars that Dr. McClung has
identified in her organic rice breeding program.
What would people be surprised to
learn about your job and what you do?
People generally
know little about the type of work that I do, so I typically explain my work
using very general terms. I am often confused for an accountant.
Do you have a support staff that
assist you in your research? Who are they and what do they do?
I have a
research associate. His name is Ranjit Mane, and he assists me with all aspects
of my research program. He is currently working on evaluating the use of crop
insurance in Arkansas agriculture and has taken a lead role in conducting the
economics of the University of Arkansas rice, soybean, and wheat foundation
seed program. He is also working with Dr. Chris Henry (hydrologist, RREC) on
economic analysis of various irrigation technologies
http://www.stuttgartdailyleader.com/news/20161111/watkins-watches-economical-side-of-farming
Are scientific efforts a priority for Trump?
Rice prof and former presidential adviser unsure
November 12, 2016 Updated: November 12, 2016
12:35pm
It would certainly seem science
is going to take a back seat to Trump's aforementioned priorities.
If that's the case, funding for
research could diminish. Or maybe not.
No one, not even Neal Lane,
former science adviser to President Clinton, knows for sure how science will
ultimately fit into the Trump agenda.
"Trump certainly said a lot
of things during the campaign, some of which were contradictory, some things he
can't get done," said Lane, who is the senior fellow of science and
technology policy at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.
"Everything that people are saying is entirely speculative. He is a most
unconventional president-elect."
While Trump has expressed a
desire to undo many of President Obama's executive actions that pertain to the
environment, he has not really addressed his scientific priorities such as
sending humans to Mars, the cancer "moon shot" program or the BRAIN
initiative, which aims to advance our understanding of devastating brain
disorders while also developing new technology and treatment through innovative
research.
That program, which was launched
in 2013, has provided millions of dollars in grant funding to several Houston
area scientists. You could read about some of them on Planet Texas and in the
Houston Chronicle.
Also in question is the future of
the National Institutes of Health, a federal agency Trump has called
"terrible."
It invests about $30 billion a
year in medical research and supports the work of about 300,000 researchers.
Last fiscal year, the University of Texas system received about $636 million in
NIH funding.
"I just don't know what to
think about that," Lane said of Trump's comments about NIH. "I hope
he forgets he said that. NIH is not terrible by any means, but it is one of the
larger sources of government spending."
In September, the Baker Institute
released a report that urged the next president to quickly appoint a science
adviser and pull together a team for the White House Office of Science and
Technology Policy.
The report's authors recommended
the new science adviser be a leader in science and engineering with strong
connections to the global science and technology community.
"The primary benefit of
getting an adviser in there quickly is to help the president make decisions
about the people who will ultimately run some of the government agencies,"
Lane said.
No word yet on who might be
Trump's science adviser. It has been widely reported that Myron Ebell, a
climate change skeptic from the Competitive Enterprise Institute will head
Trump's EPA transition team.
If you care about science and
want to know more about how president-elect Trump stands on the issues, one of
the best sources of information is Scientific American which, along with
ScienceDebate.org, got three of the four presidential candidates to answer
questions on everything from neuroscience to biodiversity
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/planet-texas/article/How-does-science-fit-into-Trump-s-priorities-One-10609074.php
Mekong Delta plans hi-tech moves
The Mekong Delta region seeks to
improve agricultural production and seafood processing by increasing
partnerships with countries that have expertise in advanced technologies, the
director of the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Can Tho chapter has
said.
The conference aims to promote cutting-edge technologies and
improve cooperation between delta firms and foreign partners in hi-tech
agricultural trade and investment.The event, which ends on Sunday, is also
showcasing agricultural technology machinery and equipment from Japanese
companies.
Yuichi Nishizawa, of Tokyo-based Vox Trading Co. Ltd., which
exports rice powder mills, said the conference was a platform for his company
to introduce smart technologies in food processing.Truong Quang Hoai Nam, vice
chairman of Can Tho People’s Committee, said the Mekong Delta had an
advantageous geographical position and abundant natural resources, and that the
business environment had improved since 2009.The region supplies more than 90
per cent of the nation’s rice and 50 per cent of seafood, as well as many other
agro-forestry-fishery exports every year.
In the next 10 years, the region’s economy is expected to achieve
a high growth rate, supported by the rapid improvement of transport and
electronics as well as low labour costs and an abundant food supply.Vo Hung
Dung said investment prospects in the region’s food sector were relatively
high, considering the many free trade agreements Viet Nam had already signed,
including the Trans-Pacific-Partnership (TPP) and the Viet Nam-European Union
Free Trade Agreement.In addition, Dung pointed out that there were many
challenges facing the region, especially the agriculture sector, including
climate change.Dung also said the use of advanced technologies in agricultural
production and processing to add value was still limited.
The rate of mechanisation in agriculture remains modest and is
only 65 per cent for rice harvesting.“These factors have resulted in low
productivity, value addition and competitiveness,” Dung said.Every year, rice
farmers in the region have incurred a loss of more than VND3.2 trillion
(US$143.32 million) during post-harvest due to a low rate of mechanisation,
according to the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute.Takimoto Koji, chief
representative of the Japan External Trade Organisation, said the delta, with a
location between Hong Kong and Singapore, had great potential to become a
logistics centre in Asia.“The region has not had enough foreign investment, but
it has become more attractive to Japanese companies for its fertile land, low
labour costs, improved transport infrastructure and well-developed industrial
zones,” Koji told Viet Nam News.Last year, Viet Nam and Japan signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in agriculture, he said.Under
the MoU, both countries have organised survey groups and held a networking
exhibition to improve cooperation in agriculture, especially high-quality farm
produce.
Foreign investment
The Mekong Delta is currently
calling for investment in 50 projects in agriculture, with a projected total
investment of $1.385 billion, according to VCCI Can Tho.Dung said more and more
foreign investors were coming to the delta to explore business opportunities, adding
that foreign direct investment (FDI) in the region had increased sharply in
recent years.As of last year, FDI in the region had reached 13 per cent of the
country’s total FDI, a sharp rise from 5 per cent recorded for many years,
according to the agency.
FDI reached $1.67 billion in the first nine months, accounting for
10.2 per cent of the country’s total FDI.As of last month, the region had
attracted 50 agricultural projects with total registered capital of $209.64
million.Hong Kong is the biggest investor with five projects worth $67.93
million, followed by Taiwan with nine projects worth $41.98 million, Japan with
five projects worth $30.02 million, Australia with seven projects worth $19.85
million, two American projects worth $11.96 million and Israel with one project
worth $5.2 million.
Nguyen Khanh Tung, director of the Can Tho Centre for Investment,
Trade and Expo Promotion, said that 27 foreign delegations with 100 business
executives had visited the Delta this year, most of them from Japan, South
Korea, Thailand and India.South Korean investors have expressed interest in
high-tech agriculture, food and beverage processing, with some Korean companies
keen to make Can Tho a smart city, he said.
Japanese investors are particularly interested in agriculture and
tourism.The conference was co-organised by VCCI Can Tho and the Mekong Delta
Club of Promotion Centres for trade, investment and tourism.
The event has attracted 350 local and international delegates,
including delegates from Japan, the UK, the Netherlands, the US, Canada, South
Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.In a related issue, a Japan-Vietnam
cultural and commercial exchange programme is being held on November 11-13 by
the VCCI Can Tho and the Japanese General Consulate in HCM City in Can Tho.The
event includes a traditional Japanese music programme and an exhibition
introducing Japanese culture and products as well as Vietnamese products
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/166868/mekong-delta-plans-hi-tech-moves.html
Việt Nam needs to create a rice
brand: experts
Update: November, 12/2016 - 09:00
Developing
a national brand name is an urgent need for improving the competitiveness of
Vietnamese rice, a conference heard in HCM City yesterday.– Photo vietnamnet.vn
HCM CITY
– Developing a national brand name is an urgent need for improving the
competitiveness of Vietnamese rice, a conference heard in HCM City
yesterday.The fourth rice symposium, organised by Việt Nam Economic Times with support from Bayer Vietnam and titled
“How to enhance Việt Nam rice quality and brand positioning to meet market
needs” gathered more than 150 experts and officials from Government agencies
and representatives of rice trading companies.Experts told the conference that
Vietnamese rice had been exported to over 80 markets including Southeast Asia,
the US, Japan, Africa, and the Middle East.But in recent years exports were not
stable and were diminishing due to the lack of clear plans to develop global
trademarks for its rice.
Đào Thế Anh, director of the Centre for
Agrarian Systems Research and Development, told the conference that without
national brands, Vietnamese rice was often packaged with the name of exporting
companies or importing countries.Even in the domestic market, Vietnamese rice
varieties are less competitive than those imported from neigbouring countries,
according to Anh.Some companies have started to build their own brands, but
these are yet to become well-known.It is now imperative to have a national
brand name.
Huỳnh Văn Nghiệp, deputy director of the Mekong
Delta Rice Research Institution, said the advantage of low labour costs no
longer existed.Production costs kept increasing while rice prices were down due
to problems related to quality and trademark.Besides ensuring quality,
expanding the distribution system and improving packaging, Việt Nam should also
develop a national brand name for rice, he stressed.The gathered experts agreed
that the brand name for Vietnamese rice must be based on quality.
Anh said Vietnamese rice quality was not
uniform because there were many varieties of paddy."In the Mekong region
alone there are 100 varieties," he pointed out.He admitted it was very
difficult to manage a national trademark with many kinds of paddy, citing the
examples of Thailand, whose rice trademark is just for two varieties, and
India, for whom it is only for basmati.Speaking about how to create Vietnamese
rice brand names, Kohei Sakata, general director of Bayer Việt Nam, said: “The
missing part now, from my perspective, is to really make sure that the quality
is as high as required in other markets. We also need to ensure equal quality
across different farms and sectors. So in order to achieve high quality at an
equal level in many places, the value chain needs to be close to each other.”
Nghiệp said it was a big challenge to develop a
national brand for Vietnamese rice.It needs co-operation among various sectors
and companies and a clear plan, according to Nghiệp.He suggested having
national standards for each rice category, saying from that there would be
studies to develop them.Various rice strains should be planted in different
areas with different technologies to produce rice of quality that meets
international standards, he said.Food hygiene standards should also be created,
he added.Along with these, the experts said, there should be co-operation among
companies to avoid small scale of production.This year Viêt Nam has been facing
many challenges and heightened concerns over the Mekong Delta’s future due to
an extremely severe drought which resulted in higher salinity levels in the
delta as seawater intruded unusually deep into rivers. –
VNS
http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/346120/viet-nam-needs-to-create-a-rice-brand-experts.html#K8yXrzdRdfOXB3Fp.99
Climate Change, Dams Threaten
Vietnam Rice Industry
November 13, 2016
Scientists say Climate Change and Dams threaten agriculture and
fisheries on the Mekong River. Research into new crops is part of the effort to
keep the Mekong Delta area productive.
The government of Vietnam is
seeking to help the main rice-producing part of the country deal with difficult
agricultural issues.
The area is known as the Mekong
Delta. It is home to 18 million of Vietnam’s 94 million people. More than half
of the country’s rice is grown in the area, which feeds more than 145 million
people in Asia.The Mekong begins in Tibet. It passes through six countries:
China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Some of these countries
are building dams that are affecting the river.
Climate change
The Mekong River is a major river of Southeast Asia.Worries about the future of the Mekong Delta increased after an
extreme lack of water this year caused the area to become saltier than normal.
The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization, or FAO, said rice
production fell by 1.1 million tons.Philip Hirsch is a professor at Sydney University.
He says climate change is causing sea levels to rise and bringing more storms
to the area. “One of the big concerns is the amount of salt water and the
distance the salt water moves up various Mekong tributaries into the Delta, which again threatens
the viability of rice farming,” he said.
International scientists are
working with scientists in Vietnam to find solutions to the problems. Their
project is called CLUES, which stands for climate change affecting land use in
the Mekong Delta.
N.D. Phong is one of the leaders
of the project. He said among the issues the Mekong Delta faces are rising
levels of salt and fresh water, higher temperatures, rising greenhouse gases
and a large population. The Delta also faces the possibility of lower rainfall,
reduced numbers of farm laborers and reduced valuable land.
CLUES scientists are developing
kinds of rice that can grow in areas of rising salinity, when water levels are
too high, and in dry conditions.
Australia’s Center for International Agricultural Research, or
ACIAR, is also helping Vietnam improve rice production. ACIAR scientists say
Vietnamese rice farmers have adapted to changing conditions over the past
30 years. They are still worried about the future however.Leocadio Sebastian is
based in Vietnam as a regional program leader for South East Asia for the
International Rice Research Institute, or IRRI. He says Vietnam is going to try
to increase farm incomes and rice quality. He says IRRI and the Vietnamese
government are going to try to get farmers to grow two crops a year instead of
three. They also want them to grow higher-value grain.
Sebastian told VOA “they have to
position the Vietnam rice to a higher quality and higher priced level so that
the farmers now and in the future can have a better income from rice
production.”
Hydropower dams
Scientists say the area also
faces a threat from the increasing numbers of hydroelectric dams being built on
the Mekong River in China, Laos and Cambodia.
Chris Barlow is an ACIAR
fisheries expert. He says the dams will have a severe effect on the lower
Mekong area.In a report about the conflicts between hydro-power and fisheries,
he wrote that “China has completed three large dams on the Mekong and five
(more) are being built or being planned. These dams have major impacts on
hydrology and completely block fish migration in the Upper Mekong.”
He said plans for nine high-level
dams in Laos and two being built in Cambodia will have “severe impacts” on
fisheries and food security.Scientists say the dams will change the flow of
rivers and tributaries and lower water temperatures, among other effects.
Barlow says hydro-power may produce economic gains, but “the
fishery and other ecosystem services provided by the river will be permanently degraded.”
Le Anh Tuan is the deputy head of
the Institute of Climate Change Research at Can Tho University. Le told
Vietnamese media that damming threatens the future of the Mekong Delta.
Sydney University’s Hirsch says Vietnam’s government needs to be
“more assertive”with
members of the intergovernmental Mekong River Commission. He says the group
should “try and put a brake on the very rapid pattern of hydrological development in the
upstream countries.”
Hirsch fears the area’s
most-productive years may have been before damming on the river began. He says
in the early 1990s, Vietnam, once a large importer of rice, became the world’s
second largest exporter.
Hirsh says efforts by China, and
more recently Laos, to put dams on the river may have started a drop in food
production in the Mekong Delta area.
I’m John Russell.
Correspondent Ron Corben reported this story from Bangkok.
Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it into VOA Special English. Mario Ritter was
the editor.
http://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/climate-change-and-dams-threaten-vietnam-rice-industry/3587618.html
MRF allows 3 months of rice
exports
Submitted
by Eleven on Sun,
11/13/2016 - 15:58
Writer: Nilar
The Myanmar
Rice Federation says it will export 300,000 tonnes of
rice from now until January, in cooperation with its
members. The move would encourage domestic rice
demand, stimulate the market and bring great benefits
to everyone in the supply chain, it said. The country
would earn around US$90 million from 300,000 tonnes of
rice, the trade body said. The MRF said it
would not support exports that would harm small- and
medium-sized rice millers at a time when the
country should lay down
a clear-cut policy for long-term development.
Entrepreneurs
should think about exports only after getting the nod
from the government. According
to state-owned newspapers, Dr Than Myint, union
commerce minister,
said the ministry would allow entrepreneurs to
export rice in November temporarily to
help farmers cover their production costs. The
commerce ministry held talks with rice organisations and
export companies on declining prices. The ministry decided
to allow rice exports for a limited time
and tonnage.
http://www.elevenmyanmar.com/business/6586
RiceBran Technologies' (RIBT) CEO
Robert Smith on Q3 2016 Results - Earnings Call Transcript
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