Wednesday, December 27, 2017

27th December,2017 daily global regional local rice e-newsletter by riceplus magazine

Rice exports beat low expectations in 2017
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the level of rice exports in December was estimated at around 400,000 to 450,000 tonnes, bringing the total export volume for the entire year to 5.9 to 6 million tonnes, over 1 million tonnes higher than last year’s figure. A recent update from the General Department of Customs showed that as of 15th December, the level of rice exports reached 5.66 million tonnes, worth around 2.6 billion USD.
This figure represents a rise of 20.9 percent in volume and 23.8 percent in value over the same period last year. In 2016, the level of rice exports was only 4.9 million tonnes, worth 2.2 billion USD. After disappointing results in 2016, the sector has set a modest target to export 5 million tonnes of rice in 2017, due to an anticipated decline in demand and changes to the rice import policies of destination markets. However, the demand for rice in many markets, such as China, Malaysia, the Philippines and the Republic of Korea, increased significantly in 2017, which, together with the efforts to penetrate new markets, such as Bangladesh and Iraq, have helped to improve the country’s level of rice exports, experts have said. Rice import companies also saw a successful year.
Nguyen Van Don, director of Viet Hung Company Limited, stated that the increase in rice exports was largely due to China, the largest market for Vietnam. Don added that rice exports to China are expected to help boost his company’s value of exports by 20 per cent, compared to 2016. Rice exports to other markets, such as the Philippines, Malaysia, Iraq, the Republic of Korea and Saudi Arabia, also saw a significant increase. Dang Thi Lien, director of the Long An Foodstuff Limited Company, forecasted a positive outlook for rice exports, as there are many orders from the Philippines and China.
According to Nguyen Thanh Long, director of the Gao Viet Limited Company, the level of rice exports will continue to improve in the first quarter of 2018, if supply is ensured. Many forecasts highlight an improved global rice market in 2018. According to a report by the United States (US) Department of Agriculture, global rice trade is projected to grow by 1 percent in 2018, to reach 42.3 million tonnes. Vietnam’s rice exports could increase by 400,000 tonnes in 2018, due to higher demand from Southeast Asian markets.
Vietnamese rice is now exported to over 130 markets. However, experts are still calling for quality to be improved, to enhance competitiveness. In October, the Ministry of Industry and Trade announced its rice export strategy for the 2017 to 2020 period, which aims to decrease export volume but increase value. Accordingly, the country’s average rice export volume was set at 4.5 to 5 million tonnes per year to 2020, at an average value of 2.2 to 2.3 billion USD. Between 2021 and 2030, Vietnam plans to export 4 million tonnes per year on average, worth around 2.3 USD to 2.5 billion USD.-VNAAuthor Name: http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/192716/rice-exports-beat-low-expectations-in-2017.html

 

 Narendra Modi government has not overlooked farmers’ concerns

In fact, the govt has tried to protect farmers through import tariff hikes and MSP-procurement operations though the latter has caused losses for it

By: Tejinder Narang | Published: December 27, 2017 4:18 AM

Higher stocks compel FCI to sell wheat at low OMSS in the market—this also suppresses farmer’s realisation in open market. (Reuters) IBPS Clerk result 2017: Prelims scores to be declared soon, mains exam to be held in January, check ibps.in
Farm distress, like the one in Gujarat that saw the incumbent BJP routed in the state’s agrarian Saurashtra region, is often attributed to inefficient agro-policies, and this time too, many fingers have been pointed at the Union government. But that is far from rational. In the last three and a half years, the Union government has pursued many pragmatic policies—relating to food-grains, pulses, oilseeds, sugar, etc,that are supportive of farmers and farm trade. There could have been issues arising out of macroeconomic policies or due to weather disturbances/drought, but the government has reacted prudently in correcting market turbulences and addressing the concerns of all stakeholders. Take wheat, for instance. In April 2014, FCI and other procuring agencies had stocks of about 18 million tonnes (mt), and they reduced their holdings to about 8 mt in April 2017. Reduction in stocks, some of which are stored in unscientific conditions, is a welcome development that cuts carrying costs that stands at around Rs 5,000-6,000/tonne. This entails a minimum saving of Rs 5,000 crore on annual storage costs. In April 2013, the wheat inventory with the government was 24 mt—about 16 mt more than the minimum stock required to be held. Higher stocks compel FCI to sell wheat at low OMSS in the market—this also suppresses farmer’s realisation in open market. When the government makes procures in excess, it prevents farmers from taking advantage of higher market prices.
There has been negative annual (wholesale) wheat inflation of 6%, thanks to liberal imports with calibration of the duty structure applicable. By allowing wheat imports by the private sector, policymakers achieved the three objectives of (i) ensuring stability in local prices, (ii) balancing buffer stocks and (iii) avoiding public-sector tenders for import. The government procured 30 mt of wheat from farmers in FY18 at MSP—about 63% of total market arrivals of 48 mt—and this is up by 7mt from the previous year’s procurement. This will pare down imports this year. Coming to rice, India has become the world’s largest exporter of rice with annual non-basmati rice exports of 6.5-7.5 mt to Africa, West Asia and South Asian countries, in competition with Thailand, Vietnam and Pakistan. The government has refrained from interfering with any ad hoc policy decisions on this commodity. Additionally, there is an annual export of basmati rice, of about 4mt wherein Iran and Saudi Arabia are largest buyers of 1.5-2 mt. India’s total rice (non-basmati + basmati) export amounts to around 11-12 mt per annum—that is about 25% of the world rice trade of 42 mts. In the last six years, Indian rice export stood at roughly 60-65 mt.
In fact, the prohibition on export of non-basmati rice from 2007 to 2011 had no justification and merely led to excessive rice stocks in the country. Many export-oriented rice millers suffered losses during the period of ban and that pain is sure to have been transmitted to farmers. This year, large-volume non-basmati rice export has also taken place—with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka buying—both by the public and private sector, primarily due to improved logistics and right pricing. Had India been out of the market as far as non-basmati rice is concerned, world prices would have almost doubled by now. Indian power and presence in rice exports is well-acknowledged worldwide. Rice export takes place 24X7 and round the whole year at market-determined prices. On pulses, the government’s initiatives have been positive for farmers. To check the slide in pulses’ prices, government agencies procured about 2mt last year. Now, the government is stuck with massive stocks, and the loss will be to the account of the government. That is a risk that India’s officialdom took though, financially, it is an imprudent decision to have state-owned companies stocking and selling pulses because of erratic market prices.
Import restrictions have been placed for some pulses—imports are capped at 0.2 mt annually—to support Indian pulse-farmers. A steep import duty, of 50%, is imposed on yellow peas that are the cheapest form of protein—nearly 2 mt is imported annually. No yellow peas import is foreseen till the 50% duty stays. Consumers may suffer because chana and other dal prices may rise, but farmers seem to benefit from such tariff hikes. Farmers in MP, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan and other pulses-growing states will have benefited from such a policy. As all oilseed prices fell below MSP, a deep sense of distress was settling in on farmers. The government, therefore, promptly decided to give relief. There has been across-the-board duty hike on imports of crude soybean oil 30% (the earlier duty was 17.5%), soybean refined oil 30% (20%), palm crude oil 30% (15%), RBD palm oil 40% (25%), sunflower crude oil 25% (12.5%), sunflower refined oil 35% (20%), canola/mustard oil crude 25% (12.5%), canola/mustard oil refined 35% (20%). Farmers must appreciate the bold decision taken by the government on oilseed-related issues.
On a pan-India basis, sugar’s price climbed by 37% in the last two years as last year’s sugar output fell to 21mt. Policymakers protected farmers and the industry by hiking import duty from 40% to 50% to block cheaper imports while permitting selective import of about 0.8 mt raw sugar in two tranches for the coastal mills, out of which, 0.3 mt was permitted with 25% duty. Farmer’s arrears of sugarcane have substantially come down due to such supportive policies. There is a need to induct new seed technologies for high-yields, thereby reducing the cost of production and improving farm profitability. It is in this aspect that the government has dithered. MSP can be hiked whenever necessary, but that is no panacea or remedy for the farmers as it is applicable to 6-7% of the total crops grown in India. It is deemed to be a political tool and being much higher than international prices, it implies that inefficient production is being promoted by public policy. Many state governments have tried to waive off farmers’ loans against the wishes of Union finance ministry. Thus, the concerns of farmers have never been overlooked. Lack of liquidity due to demonetisation, GST-related confusions and stock limits on trade have affected farmers. Broadly, the government has been highly supportive of farmers.

Agri university, IRRI discuss role of social science in farm research

HYDERABAD, DECEMBER 27, 2017 00:00 IST
UPDATED: DECEMBER 27, 2017 03:54 IST

Speakers stress need to take technological advances to farmers’ doorstep

Speakers at an interactive brainstorming session on the “role of social science in agricultural research and development system” jointly organised by Prof. Jayashankar Talangana State Agricultural University and India office of International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) here on Tuesday underscored the need to take technological advances to the doorstep of farmers.
University Vice-Chancellor V. Praveen Rao said social scientists have a key role in ensuring that the advancements reach farmers to help bring about improvement in their lives.
He added that efforts are also needed to bridge the gap in productivity of various crops, particularly paddy (rice), to ensure higher income for farmers.
Stating that the university was ready to join hands for mutual cooperation in supporting the farming community in South Asian region, he invited international panel members to join the university as experts in the fields concerned to help students as well as the State.
He thanked the IRRI for extending support for capacity building among the faculty members and students, and for offering sharing of rice germ plasm with the university.
South Asia Representative of IRRI Nafees Meah said strategies adopted by the institute would strengthen the social science research in the region.
Prof. Keijiro of Otsuka, Japan, Prof. C. Ramaswamy, former vice-chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Tin Hut, Permanent Secretary (Agriculture) of Myanmar, Tahlim Sudarayanto of Indonesia, H.N. Bhandari from Bangladesh and Aldas Janaiah, T. Pradeep and Prakasan C. Veettil from the varsity took part.

Demand for High Quality Food Products to Accelerate Production of Hybrid Rice

This press release was orginally distributed by SBWire
Brooklyn, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/26/2017 -- Qyresearchreports.com has added a new report to its research repository. The report is titled, "Global Hybrid Rice Seeds Market Research Report 2017." The market examine report is an extended and wide accumulating of substances relating to the market close goliath data into the viewpoints having a negative or enduring result on the advance of the market in the standard years.
Hybrid rice is any family history of rice created by crossbreeding various types of rice. Likewise with different kinds of hybrids, hybrid rice commonly shows heterosis (or hybrid life) to such an extent that when it is become under an indistinguishable conditions from equivalent high-yielding innate rice assortments it can deliver up to 30% more rice. High-yield crops, similar to hybrid rice, are a standout amongst the most vital apparatuses for fighting world nourishment emergencies. The most punctual high return rice was developed by Henry 'Hank' Beachell in 1966, however it was not until the 1974 that the main hybrid rice assortments were discharged in China.
In edit rearing, in spite of the fact that the utilization of heterosis in original seeds (or F1) is notable, its application in rice was constrained as a result of the self-fertilization character of that product. In 1974, Chinese researchers effectively exchanged the male sterility quality from wild rice to make the cytoplasmic hereditary male-sterile (CMS) line and hybrid combination. The original of hybrid rice assortments were three-line hybrids and delivered yields that were around 15 to 20 percent more noteworthy than those of enhanced or high-yielding assortments of a similar development term.
The hybrid rice seeds market has been efficiently analyzed on by the author of this report. The creator has considered viewpoints that are probably going to have an immediate or aberrant and long haul or here and now effect on the development of the market amid the specified gauge time frame. The market knowledge report investigates changing perspectives, for example, convergence of crude materials and release of finished results, imports and fares, approaches and controls of governments, execution of the market in the worldwide and territorial level, items spread and sold, and producing limit of the mechanical unit. The report additionally puts accentuation on the development tract of the hybrid rice seeds market with uncommon concentrate on drivers, restrictions, and openings.
Based on product, the market has been bifurcated into 2-line breeding systems and 3-line breeding systems. The companies operating in the market are Zhongnongfa Seed, China National Seed Group, Longping High-tech, Advanta, Bayer CropScience, and Dupont Pioneer.
Table of Contents
Global Hybrid Rice Seeds Market Research Report 2017
1 Hybrid Rice Seeds Market Overview
1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Hybrid Rice Seeds
1.2 Hybrid Rice Seeds Segment by Type (Product Category)
1.2.1 Global Hybrid Rice Seeds Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2012-2022)
1.2.2 Global Hybrid Rice Seeds Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 2016
1.2.3 3-line Breeding Systems
1.2.4 2-line Breeding Systems
1.3 Global Hybrid Rice Seeds Segment by Application
1.3.1 Hybrid Rice Seeds Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)
2 Global Hybrid Rice Seeds Market Competition by Manufacturers
2.1 Global Hybrid Rice Seeds Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)
2.1.1 Global Hybrid Rice Seeds Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)
2.1.2 Global Hybrid Rice Seeds Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)
2.2 Global Hybrid Rice Seeds Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)
2.3 Global Hybrid Rice Seeds Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)
2.4 Manufacturers Hybrid Rice Seeds Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type
2.5 Hybrid Rice Seeds Market Competitive Situation and Trends
2.5.1 Hybrid Rice Seeds Market Concentration Rate
2.5.2 Hybrid Rice Seeds Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers
2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion
3 Global Hybrid Rice Seeds Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)
3.1 Global Hybrid Rice Seeds Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)
3.2 Global Hybrid Rice Seeds Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)
3.3 Global Hybrid Rice Seeds Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)
3.4 Global Hybrid Rice Seeds Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)
3.5 North America Hybrid Rice Seeds Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)
...
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GCU, PARB seal the deal on research

December 27, 2017
Lahore (Press Release) - The Government College University (GCU) Lahore Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Punjab Agriculture and Research Board (PARB) for research collaboration in agriculture sector. 
GCU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Hassan Amir Shah and PARB Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Noor ul Islam Khan signed the 17-point accord at a graceful ceremony organised by the GCU Directorate of Academic Planning and External Links (AP&EL) at the University’s Syndicate Committee Room. PARB Executive Member Dr Muhammad Younas and GCU Registrar Mr Saboor Khan were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Noor ul Islam Khan called upon the researchers to focus on applied research which plays a direct role in development of the country. He said that the government had increased their budget for research from Rs 200 million to Rs 700 million to enhance sustainable productivity of crops in the agriculture sector.
He said that PARB had the adequate funding available, and they were looking forward to valuable research projects which could enhance sustainable productivity of high value crops, reduce poverty and ensure food security.
The PARB CEO highlighted the need to bring their framers out of ‘four crops syndrome’; wheat, cotton, rice and sugarcane, and promote the high-value crops like Pista and Zafran. He also asked the researchers to bring forward research projects on bio-pesticides, saying that organic pesticides would soon become redundant because of resistance in the soil against them.
Dr Noor ul Islam Khan revealed that PARB had sought the collaboration from HEC, so that no researcher could get double funding for the same project. He said that Pakistan should also work on value addition of its crops, adding that more than 4500 products could be developed from corn. 
Addressing the ceremony, Vice Chancellor Prof Hassan Shah expressed gratitude to PARB for awarding Rs 21.9 million research project to GCUDepartment of Environmental Sciences for cost effective improvement in nutritive value of rice and wheat crops through nano-particles dopted biochar in saline-sodic soils. He also said GCU was actively strengthening research and academic ties with foreign and national universities for research collaboration, training of faculty members and exchange of students at postgraduate level.
Earlier, GCU AP&EL Director Ms. Fouzia Shaheen briefed the delegation about the scope of the accord and other active research collaborations of GCU . She said that GCU and PARB would also hold joint conferences, training workshops and seminars.
GCU Dean Faculty of Science and Technology Prof Dr Islam Ullah Khan and Dean of Engineering Prof Dr Raiz Ahmed also addressed the MoU signing ceremony.



New campaign promotes premium grade rice

·       27 Dec 2017
·       NEWSPAPER SECTION: BUSINESS | WRITER: PHUSADEE ARUNMAS
A worker drives a forklift to load rice bags in Ayutthaya. WALAILAK KEERATIPIPATPONG
The Commerce Ministry is planning a new campaign called "Think Rice: Think Thailand", aimed at promoting the export of premium-grade rice instead of focusing on commodity grades, says Deputy Commerce Minister Chutima Bunyapraphasara.
She said the scheme is due to kick off in 2018 as a pilot project to raise the export volume of premium-grade rice by around 200,000 tonnes within six months to one year.
Premium-grade Thai rice includes hom mali, or fragrant rice, and coloured rice such as violet-hued riceberry, which is known for its specific health benefits, said Ms Chutima.
"We aim to penetrate new markets with premium-grade rice. The ministry will start the campaign in focused markets, introducing major premium-grade rice brands to large importers," she said.
After experiencing a sharp fall in exports after the Yingluck government's rice pledging scheme a few years ago, the Thai rice market is starting to recover. Thailand is one of the world's top three exporters, with annual shipments of 9-10 million tonnes. Of the total annual exports, 70% is commodity-grade and the rest is hom mali, while some special grades such as riceberry make up a very small amount.
Ms Chutima said the ministry will work with the Agriculture Ministry to prepare plantation areas to help control production and avoid oversupply, as well as create new marketing channels and campaigns to promote Thai rice abroad.
The Commerce Ministry also plans to revive government-to-government (G-to-G) rice sales, which are expected to increase annual rice exports substantially.
She said the government aims to revive rice trade talks with some traditional buyers such as China, Iran and Nigeria, which, combined used to import 2-3 million tonnes of Thai rice per year via G-to-G contracts.
But the Yingluck administration's rice pledging scheme pushed up the price of Thai rice, forcing those buyers to switch to cheaper sources, in particular grains from Vietnam.
Thailand has exported 10.3 million tonnes of rice this year, up 16.3% year-on-year, according to Commerce Ministry data.
The country is forecast to export 9.5 million tonnes in 2018 as a stronger baht could trim sales.

RELATED STORIES


Rice body chooses best paddies

Sok Chan / Khmer Times  

The Cambodia Rice Federation (CFR) yesterday selected the best three varieties of Cambodian paddy during the second edition of its prestigious annual contest.
Sen kro ob (a type of fragrant rice), phka romduol (often also called phka malis or Cambodia jasmine rice), and an IR variety were all found to be the best paddy varieties for 2017.
They were chosen for the coveted recognition among a pool of 44 samples from 38 different agriculture communities across the country. The names of the specific brands, along with the communities that produced them, will be made public during the sixth rice forum, which will be held next month.
Moul Sarith, the CRF’s secretary general, said the process of selecting the winners involved officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Cardi), as well as rice millers and rice seedling producers, examining samples for purity and quality using advanced equipment.
CRF president Sok Puthyvuth said the competition pays homage to the hard work and outstanding performance of agricultural communities across the kingdom that specialise in fragrant and white rice.
“It will serve to raise the profile of these farmers and producers,” Mr Puthyvuth said.
Last month, the Ministry of Agriculture unveiled a new purified seedling of sen kro ob that it plans to distribute among farmers across the nation in 2018.
“We have produced three samples of purified fragrant rice seedlings which are expected to yield up to eight tonnes of rice per hectare,” said Ouk Makara, director of Cardi, the government agency that produced the seeds.
Yon Sovann, the director of Bayon Cereal, one of the leading rice exporting companies in Cambodia, said there is a huge international market for sen kro ob rice, but added that current production levels are insufficient to meet that demand.
“I am very happy that the Ministry of Agriculture produced a purified sen kro ob rice seedling. It is a positive step to increase exports,” Mr Sovann said. “Buyers from Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau and other countries are always asking for our fragrant rice.”
Phka romduol, phka romeat and phka rumdeng are popular fragrant rice varieties harvested during the wet season, while sen kro ob and sen pidao are grown during dry months.

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More than 99% milled rice collected by Telangana govt

"For the first time ever, more than 99 per cent CMR has been recovered from rice millers," Civil Supplies Commissioner CV Anand.

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By AuthorSharjeel  |   Published: 27th Dec 2017  12:16 am Updated: 26th Dec 2017  11:50 pm
Hyderabad: For the first time ever, the full quota of Custom Milling Rice (CMR) was collected by the Civil Supplies Department, and that too before the set deadline.
Civil Supplies officials told ‘Telangana Today‘ that the full quota of CMR for Kharif and Rabi seasons in the year 2016-2017 has been collected successfully, with only minor exceptions. The government of Telangana was hence able to save about Rs 64 crore, officials said.

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As a clear manifestation of recent reforms taken up by the Department, rice millers have submitted 99.99 per cent of CMR in Kharif and 99.98 per cent of CMR in Rabi season. Officials said the scientific implementation of CMR policy has put an end to all irregularities, both on the official and ground level.
In Rabi season, 37.20 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of CMR was allotted to millers by the department. The millers returned 25.26 lakh metric tonnes of rice to government as against the goal of 25.28 lakh metric tonnes. This 99.98 per cent return was achieved for the first time in the history of the department.
Similarly, for Kharif season, as against the allocated 16.48 lakh metric tonnes of rice, millers returned 11.03 lakh metric tonnes to the government out of their full submission of 11.04 lakh metric tonnes, which is 99.98 per cent positive.
Civil Supplies Commissioner CV Anand credited the success to good planning and official cooperation.
“For the first time ever, more than 99 per cent CMR has been recovered from rice millers. This was made possible by planning strategically and in advance. Thanks to cooperation at all levels in the department, we were able to make the change in the behaviour of rice millers, who were in the habit of holding back CMR submissions for years on end,” said Anand

Narendra Modi government has not overlooked farmers’ concerns

In fact, the govt has tried to protect farmers through import tariff hikes and MSP-procurement operations though the latter has caused losses for it

By: Tejinder Narang | Published: December 27, 2017 4:18 AM
Higher stocks compel FCI to sell wheat at low OMSS in the market—this also suppresses farmer’s realisation in open market. (Reuters) IBPS Clerk result 2017: Prelims scores to be declared soon, mains exam to be held in January, check ibps.in
Farm distress, like the one in Gujarat that saw the incumbent BJP routed in the state’s agrarian Saurashtra region, is often attributed to inefficient agro-policies, and this time too, many fingers have been pointed at the Union government. But that is far from rational. In the last three and a half years, the Union government has pursued many pragmatic policies—relating to food-grains, pulses, oilseeds, sugar, etc,that are supportive of farmers and farm trade. There could have been issues arising out of macroeconomic policies or due to weather disturbances/drought, but the government has reacted prudently in correcting market turbulences and addressing the concerns of all stakeholders. Take wheat, for instance. In April 2014, FCI and other procuring agencies had stocks of about 18 million tonnes (mt), and they reduced their holdings to about 8 mt in April 2017. Reduction in stocks, some of which are stored in unscientific conditions, is a welcome development that cuts carrying costs that stands at around Rs 5,000-6,000/tonne. This entails a minimum saving of Rs 5,000 crore on annual storage costs. In April 2013, the wheat inventory with the government was 24 mt—about 16 mt more than the minimum stock required to be held. Higher stocks compel FCI to sell wheat at low OMSS in the market—this also suppresses farmer’s realisation in open market. When the government makes procures in excess, it prevents farmers from taking advantage of higher market prices.
There has been negative annual (wholesale) wheat inflation of 6%, thanks to liberal imports with calibration of the duty structure applicable. By allowing wheat imports by the private sector, policymakers achieved the three objectives of (i) ensuring stability in local prices, (ii) balancing buffer stocks and (iii) avoiding public-sector tenders for import. The government procured 30 mt of wheat from farmers in FY18 at MSP—about 63% of total market arrivals of 48 mt—and this is up by 7mt from the previous year’s procurement. This will pare down imports this year. Coming to rice, India has become the world’s largest exporter of rice with annual non-basmati rice exports of 6.5-7.5 mt to Africa, West Asia and South Asian countries, in competition with Thailand, Vietnam and Pakistan. The government has refrained from interfering with any ad hoc policy decisions on this commodity. Additionally, there is an annual export of basmati rice, of about 4mt wherein Iran and Saudi Arabia are largest buyers of 1.5-2 mt. India’s total rice (non-basmati + basmati) export amounts to around 11-12 mt per annum—that is about 25% of the world rice trade of 42 mts. In the last six years, Indian rice export stood at roughly 60-65 mt.
In fact, the prohibition on export of non-basmati rice from 2007 to 2011 had no justification and merely led to excessive rice stocks in the country. Many export-oriented rice millers suffered losses during the period of ban and that pain is sure to have been transmitted to farmers. This year, large-volume non-basmati rice export has also taken place—with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka buying—both by the public and private sector, primarily due to improved logistics and right pricing. Had India been out of the market as far as non-basmati rice is concerned, world prices would have almost doubled by now. Indian power and presence in rice exports is well-acknowledged worldwide. Rice export takes place 24X7 and round the whole year at market-determined prices. On pulses, the government’s initiatives have been positive for farmers. To check the slide in pulses’ prices, government agencies procured about 2mt last year. Now, the government is stuck with massive stocks, and the loss will be to the account of the government. That is a risk that India’s officialdom took though, financially, it is an imprudent decision to have state-owned companies stocking and selling pulses because of erratic market prices.
Import restrictions have been placed for some pulses—imports are capped at 0.2 mt annually—to support Indian pulse-farmers. A steep import duty, of 50%, is imposed on yellow peas that are the cheapest form of protein—nearly 2 mt is imported annually. No yellow peas import is foreseen till the 50% duty stays. Consumers may suffer because chana and other dal prices may rise, but farmers seem to benefit from such tariff hikes. Farmers in MP, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan and other pulses-growing states will have benefited from such a policy. As all oilseed prices fell below MSP, a deep sense of distress was settling in on farmers. The government, therefore, promptly decided to give relief. There has been across-the-board duty hike on imports of crude soybean oil 30% (the earlier duty was 17.5%), soybean refined oil 30% (20%), palm crude oil 30% (15%), RBD palm oil 40% (25%), sunflower crude oil 25% (12.5%), sunflower refined oil 35% (20%), canola/mustard oil crude 25% (12.5%), canola/mustard oil refined 35% (20%). Farmers must appreciate the bold decision taken by the government on oilseed-related issues.
On a pan-India basis, sugar’s price climbed by 37% in the last two years as last year’s sugar output fell to 21mt. Policymakers protected farmers and the industry by hiking import duty from 40% to 50% to block cheaper imports while permitting selective import of about 0.8 mt raw sugar in two tranches for the coastal mills, out of which, 0.3 mt was permitted with 25% duty. Farmer’s arrears of sugarcane have substantially come down due to such supportive policies. There is a need to induct new seed technologies for high-yields, thereby reducing the cost of production and improving farm profitability. It is in this aspect that the government has dithered. MSP can be hiked whenever necessary, but that is no panacea or remedy for the farmers as it is applicable to 6-7% of the total crops grown in India. It is deemed to be a political tool and being much higher than international prices, it implies that inefficient production is being promoted by public policy. Many state governments have tried to waive off farmers’ loans against the wishes of Union finance ministry. Thus, the concerns of farmers have never been overlooked. Lack of liquidity due to demonetisation, GST-related confusions and stock limits on trade have affected farmers. Broadly, the government has been highly supportive of farmers.

Rice basmati rises on stockists' buying

PTI | Dec 26, 2017, 14:52 IST
New Delhi, Dec 26 () Prices of rice basmati rose by Rs 100 per quintal at the wholesale grains market today on emergence of stockists' buying following uptick in demand against restricted arrivals from producing belts.
However, barley ended lower due to reduced offtake by consuming industries.
Traders said fresh stockists' buying due to pick-up in demand from retailers against restricted supplies from producing regions mainly led to a rise in rice basmati prices.
In the national capital, rice basmati common and Pusa-1121 variety went up by Rs 100 each to Rs 7,600-7,700 and Rs 6,200-6,300 per quintal, respectively.
On the other hand, barley fell by Rs 20 to Rs 1,470-1,480 per quintal.
Following are today's quotations (in Rs per quintal):
Wheat MP (desi) Rs 2,080-2,280, Wheat dara (for mills) Rs 1,770-1,785, Chakki atta (delivery) Rs 1,780-1,785, 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 1,050-1,060 (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 7,600-7,700, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs 6,200-6,300, Permal raw Rs 2,300-2350, Permal wand Rs 2,350-2,400, Sela Rs 2,700-2,900 and Rice IR-8 Rs 1,925-1,975, Bajra Rs 1,215-1,220, Jowar yellow Rs 1,375-1,425, white Rs 2,750-2,850, Maize Rs 1,285- 1,290, Barley Rs 1,470-1,480. KPS SBT

Delicious New Year’s Eve traditions

Daniel Neman Monday, December 25, 2017

Credit: Tribune News Service

Vasilopita, a Greek dessert cake to celebrate the new year. (Christian Gooden/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/TNS)


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The first time my parents left my brother and me alone overnight, it was New Year’s Eve. Being the wild-eyed, raucous partiers that we were, we celebrated our freedom by watching one of those countdown shows on television, popping a batch of popcorn and drinking Dr Pepper.
And thus was a tradition born. For the next several years, we observed New Year’s Eve, separately or together, with popcorn and Dr Pepper.
The point is that New Year’s Eve traditions are easy to make. But around the world, they seem to share a couple of themes.
Many cultures look to New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day as a time to hope for prosperity. That is why many cultures celebrate with a pot of beans or lentils, which, because there are so many of them in a serving, represent abundance.
Other cultures focus on the end-of-year, beginning-of-year theme of continuity, by specifically serving foods that are round.
And some cultures combine these two ideas by placing a prize — often a coin — inside a round cake or bread. Whoever gets the piece with the prize or coin is said to be assured of wealth and good luck in the coming year.
That’s the case with the Greek tradition of serving Vasilopita.
Vasilopita is named for St. Basil, whose feast day is Jan. 1 for the Eastern church and Jan. 2 for the Western. Practically every family in Greece has its own recipe for Vasilopita, but the one I baked from “Food from Many Greek Kitchens” is truly stunning.
This elegant cake is dense and not too sweet. It is flavored with the zest of orange and lemons, scented with vanilla and brandy, and graced with a hint of almonds. It can also be beautiful; it is traditionally decorated with sliced almonds in a pretty pattern or with powdered sugar sifted over a doily.
I chose to decorate mine in another traditional method for the New Year, cutting out the numbers of the year 2018 to use as a stencil, with powdered sugar flurried over the cake. When I removed the numbers, their crisp image was clear in the sugar, reminding all of the reason for the celebration.
For my next New Year’s inspiration, I looked to the American South, where I can attest that Hoppin’ John is indeed a staple of the holiday. Hoppin’ John is nothing less than black-eyed peas cooked with a ham hock, and yet it is also, somehow, so much more.
Perhaps it is the fact that this simple dish of ham-and-beans is made with 16 ingredients, proof of the extra care that is taken for the New Year’s celebrations. Even so, it is just beans cooked with ham and mirepoix (onion, carrot and celery), spiced with a hot pepper and flavored with a bay leaf and thyme, served on basmati rice.
Typically, Hoppin’ John is served on plain white rice, but the recipe I used gets great mileage out of the basmati substitution. Even better is this brilliant idea: It uses the flavored water that the beans were cooked in to also cook the rice. These simple tricks elevate an everyday dish to a comforting treat worthy of the new year.
In Italy, the holiday is also often celebrated with a plate of beans, only in this case it is sometimes lentils. The lentils are frequently cooked with sausage, but because that is too close in concept to Hoppin’ John, I decided instead to go the vegetarian route with Polenta with Lentils in Tomato Sauce.
What could be more Italian than that?
It’s a straightforward dish, lentils plus garlic plus mirepoix plus tomatoes on polenta, but I made my own version of it fancier by pan-frying the polenta. All it takes is the forethought to make the polenta the night before. By morning, it can be cut into wedges and then fried until it is crisp and golden on the outside, and creamy on the inside. It’s almost too good for lentils, but not quite.
Finally, I turned to Japan for a tradition that is said to assure a long life. Every New Year’s Eve, many Japanese eat Toshikoshi Soba, a noodle soup. The idea is that the noodles represent longevity, especially when they are slurped up without breaking them.
As with so many Japanese dishes, the base is dashi, a broth you can make yourself from bonito flakes, but I just used boiling water and a powder I bought at an international market. To this I added kaeshi, a blend of soy sauce, mirin and a little sugar that I did make myself. Combined, the two have a marvelous umami taste that is the perfect backdrop for soba noodles, which are made from buckwheat.
If you want, you could just serve the dish as is, but much of the fun of Toshikoshi Soba is deciding which ingredients to add into it. Chopped green onions are almost required, but I also added spinach leaves, a very popular seven-ingredient red pepper spice called shichimi togarashi and thin, dried seaweed called nori.
In Japan, it is often served with fishcakes called kamaboko, which I once saw described as a Japanese version of gefilte fish. And I know one Japanese native who adds a raw egg, allowing the heat of the broth to cook it. That’s not necessarily typical, but she does it because she likes it.
Isn’t that how traditions begin?
———
VASILOPITA
Yield: 12 servings
1 coin, such as a quarter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 heaping tablespoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (1 large orange)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/4 cup brandy
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup blanched almonds, finely chopped
Powdered sugar, for dusting
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 113/4-inch springform cake pan. Thoroughly wash the coin with soap and water until it is impeccably clean. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together into a bowl.
2. Whip the butter and sugar together with handheld beaters in a large bowl until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each one. Beat in the vanilla and the orange and lemon zests. In turn, fold in one-third of the dry ingredients, the brandy, another third of the dry ingredients, the milk and the remaining dry ingredients. Fold in the almonds. Scrape into the springform pan. Drop in the coin, trying to keep it upright, not flat.
3. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire cake rack to cool completely.
4. Put a doily on top of the cake and dust with powdered sugar before removing it to reveal a lacy pattern. You can also cut a stencil of the numbers of the new year and dust that.
Per serving: 402 calories; 18 g fat; 9 g saturated fat; 99 mg cholesterol; 7 g protein; 52 g carbohydrate; 27 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 168 mg sodium; 115 mg calcium
Recipe from “Food from Many Greek Kitchens,” by Tessa Kiros
HOPPIN’ JOHN
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
1 cup dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight or boiled 2 minutes and kept in the hot water for 1 hour
7 cups water
1 medium onion, cut into quarters
1 carrot, peeled and cut into quarters
1 celery rib, cut into quarters
1 smoked ham hock or 1/4 pound slab bacon
1 dried hot chile
1 bay leaf
1 thyme sprig
Large pinch of kosher salt
2 cups basmati rice
3 scallions, chopped
2 tomatoes, halved, seeded and chopped
Several basil leaves, chopped or torn
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup tomato chutney or your favorite hot sauce
1. Wash and pick over the peas, removing any misshapen ones or pebbles. Place the peas in a large saucepan, add the water and bring to a simmer. Add the onion, carrot, celery, ham hock, chile pepper, bay leaf, thyme sprig and salt, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.
2. Drain the peas reserving the broth. Remove bay leaf, onion, carrot, thyme, pepper and celery. Remove meat from ham hock and chop into bite-sized pieces. Return peas and chopped meat to the pan, along with a little broth to keep them moist.
3. Transfer 31/2 cups of the reserved broth to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the rice and cook until it is fluffy and tender and has absorbed almost all of the liquid, 16 to 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the rice continue to steam, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes while you reheat the peas. Add the remaining broth to the peas and reheat gently. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
4. Transfer the rice to a serving bowl and spoon the warm peas and broth on top. Scatter the chopped scallions, tomatoes and basil over the peas. Drizzle everything with a little extra virgin olive oil and finish with a large dollop of the chutney.
Per serving (based on 6): 342 calories; 10 g fat; 2 g saturated fat; no cholesterol; 13 g protein; 49 g carbohydrate; 5 g sugar; 6 g fiber; 541 mg sodium; 43 mg calcium
Adapted from “Frank Stitt’s Southern Table,” by Frank Stitt
POLENTA WITH LENTILS IN TOMATO SAUCE
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
2 cups medium-grind cornmeal
2/3 cup brown lentils
1 bay leaf
1 medium garlic clove
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, minced
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced small
1 celery rib, diced small
1 (14.5-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1. Place 8 cups water in a large pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add 2 teaspoons salt and lower the heat to medium. Whisk in the cornmeal in a slow, steady stream; this should take almost 2 minutes. Make sure to whisk the cornmeal continuously to prevent lumps from forming. Continue whisking as the cornmeal comes back to a boil. Simmer, whisking constantly, until the polenta starts to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Reduce the heat until the polenta is at the barest simmer. Cover and cook very slowly, stirring with a wooden spoon every 10 minutes until the cornmeal loses its raw flavor, 35 to 40 minutes.
3. While the polenta is cooking, bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the lentils, bay leaf and garlic, and simmer over medium heat until the lentils are tender but still a bit firm, about 25 minutes. Drain, discard the bay leaf and garlic, and set aside.
4. While the lentils are cooking, heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, carrot and celery, and sauté over medium heat until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes. Simmer until the sauce thickens somewhat, about 10 minutes. Add the lentils and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. When the polenta has finished cooking, stir in the butter and add more salt if needed. Divide the polenta among large individual bowls. Spoon some of the lentils and sauce over each portion. Serve immediately with grated cheese passed separately at the table.
7. For extra elegance, make the polenta the night before and refrigerate it in a couple of skillets, making sure the polenta is no more than an inch or so thick. The day you are serving the dish, slice the polenta into wedges and pan fry a few wedges at a time in plenty of butter over medium-high heat. Cook on one side until golden brown and lightly crispy, then flip and cook until the other side is the same.
Per serving (based on 6): 345 calories; 13 g fat; 4 g saturated fat; 11 mg cholesterol; 11 g protein; 50 g carbohydrate; 4 g sugar; 10 g fiber; 121 mg sodium; 58 mg calcium
Adapted from “The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook,” by Jack Bishop.
TOSHIKOSHI SOBA (YEAR-END NOODLE SOUP)
Yield: 6 servings
6 ounces dried soba noodles
5 cups basic dashi stock (homemade, or buy the powdered form)
3/4 cup soy sauce
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) mirin
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Spinach, optional
Kamaboko (fish cakes), optional
Shichimi togarashi (seven-ingredient red-pepper spice), optional
Nori seaweed, optional
Wasabi, optional
Eggs, optional
1 green onion, finely chopped
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add soba noodles and lower the heat to a simmer; do not cook in a rolling boil. Cook until the noodles are cooked through but still chewy, about 3 minutes. Drain the noodles immediately and rinse in a bowl of cold water. Change the water several times to remove all starch from the surface of the noodles. Place in a colander and set aside.
2. Make the dashi stock in a large pot and add the soy sauce, mirin and sugar. Heat, and when the stock is hot, add the soba noodles; simmer gently until they are heated through.
3. Place noodles into serving bowls and add soup. Add any of the optional toppings you desire; if using eggs, make sure the soup is very hot before cracking the egg into the bowl — the heat of the soup will somewhat cook the egg. Garnish with the chopped green onions.
Per serving (without optional ingredients): 143 calories; no fat; no saturated fat; no cholesterol; 7 g protein; 25 g carbohydrate; 2 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 2,089 mg sodium; 33 mg calcium
Adapted from justhungry.com
———
©2017 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Visit the St. Louis Post-Dispatch at www.stltoday.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
V
Vhttp://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/tasty/30334774

Rice prices rise, reserves fall

Update: 13:10, Dec 26, 2017
The price of rice has remained high for some time now, with little hope of any relief. The government’s initiatives have done nothing to salvage the situation and the present reserves indicate that the prices will not go down anytime soon.
The price of rice has had an impact on the economy. According to the research institute South Asian Network on Economic Modelling (SANEM), the 30 per cent increase in the price of rice over the past few months has pushed 500 thousand people below the poverty line. The finance minister has rejected the report, though admitted that the increased rice price has been a problem for some.
There may be debate over how many people have been pushed into poverty because of the rice prices, but when the price of coarse-grained rice is Tk 44 to Tk 46 per kg, it is certainly difficult for many to bear.
It is even more alarming that the price of rice in the international market is on the rise. That means import costs will go up. And the government food reserves are at a precarious level. The government has no tool to control the impact of rising rice prices on the market. Unscrupulous traders can take full advantage of the situation, pushing prices up even further. The government’s food grain storage capacity is 1.7 million tonnes, but it presently has only 375 thousand tonnes of rice and 250 thousand tonnes of wheat in reserve.
According to experts, the government loses significant control on the market if its food grain reserves fall below 1 million tonnes. And it fully loses control if the reserves fall below 600 thousand tonnes. That means the situation is alarming.
The government, on principle, has taken several measures to control the price of rice. It has cut down import duty to facilitate import of rice by the private sector. But the food ministry has completely failed to boost its food reserves. There is obvious need for supervision from the highest level. Round-the-clock monitoring of reserves, supply and imports is essential.
Rice is the staple food of the country and attention must be paid to the social and economic impact of the rising rice prices. If this trend continues, people above the poverty line will fall below and the ones already below, will become ultra-poor. This will consolidate poverty further and the country will be gripped by malnutrition. Efforts must now be directed towards increasing government food reserves. We hope the government focuses on this task.

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- December 27, 2017
DECEMBER 27, 2017 / 1:00 PM /
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-December 27

Nagpur, Dec 27 (Reuters) – Gram prices moved down in Nagpur Agriculture Produce Marketing
Committee (APMC) on lack of demand from local millers amid high moisture content arrival. Easycondition on NCDEX and downward trend in Madhya Pradesh gram prices also affected sentiment inlimited deals.
About 200 bags of gram reported for auctions in Nagpur APMC, according to sources. 

    FOODGRAINS & PULSES
    
   GRAM
   * Gram varieties ruled steady in open market here but demand was poor.
  
   TUAR
     
   * Tuar gavarani moved down in open market in absence of buyers amid increased supply
     from producing regions.

   * Moong dal chilka reported weak in open market in absence of buyers amid good arrival
     from producing belts.
                                                                   
   * In Akola, Tuar New – 4,100-4,200, Tuar dal (clean) – 6,100-6,300, Udid Mogar (clean)
    – 7,800-8,800, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,000-7,300, Gram – 4,300-4,400, Gram Super best
    – 6,200-6,800

   * Wheat, rice and other foodgrain items moved in a narrow range in
     scattered deals and settled at last levels in weak trading activity.
      
 Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg
   
     FOODGRAINS                 Available prices     Previous close  
     Gram Auction                  3,100-3,575         3,400-3,700
     Gram Pink Auction            n.a.           2,100-2,600
     Tuar Auction                n.a.                4,000-4,350
     Moong Auction                n.a.                3,900-4,200
     Udid Auction                n.a.           4,300-4,500
     Masoor Auction                n.a.              2,600-2,800
     Wheat Mill quality Auction        1,600-1,686        1,600-1,650
     Gram Super Best Bold            6,400-7,000        6,400-7,000
     Gram Super Best            n.a.            n.a.
     Gram Medium Best            5,800-6,100        5,800-6,100
     Gram Dal Medium            n.a.            n.a
     Gram Mill Quality            4,350-4,450        4,350-4,450
     Desi gram Raw                4,650-4,750         4,650-4,750
     Gram Kabuli                12,400-13,000        12,200-13,000
     Tuar Fataka Best-New             6,600-6,800        6,600-6,800
     Tuar Fataka Medium-New        6,100-6,300        5,100-6,300
     Tuar Dal Best Phod-New        5,800-6,100        5,800-6,100
     Tuar Dal Medium phod-New        5,500-5,700        5,500-5,700
     Tuar Gavarani New             4,300-4,400        4,350-4,450
     Tuar Karnataka             4,650-4,900        4,650-4,900
     Masoor dal best            5,200-5,400        5,200-5,400
     Masoor dal medium            4,800-5,000        4,800-5,000
     Masoor                    n.a.            n.a.
     Moong Mogar bold (New)        7,200-7,500         7,200-7,500
     Moong Mogar Medium            6,500-7,000        6,500-7,000
     Moong dal Chilka            5,800-6,600        5,900-6,700
     Moong Mill quality            n.a.            n.a.
     Moong Chamki best            7,500-8,000        7,500-8,000
     Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 8,000-9,000       8,000-9,000
     Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG)    5,800-7,000        5,800-7,000   
     Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG)        5,200-6,400        5,200-6,400    
     Batri dal (100 INR/KG)        5,000-5,500        5,000-5,500
     Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg)          3,000-3,100         3,000-3,100
     Watana Dal (100 INR/KG)            3,100-3,200        2,900-3,000
     Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG)    3,400-3,800        3,400-3,800  
     Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG)        1,900-2,000        1,900-2,000
     Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG)    1,800-1,850        1,800-1,850  
     Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG)         2,100-2,300           2,100-2,300        
     Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG)    2,200-2,400        2,200-2,400   
     Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG)   1,900-2,100        1,900-2,100
     Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG)    n.a.            n.a.
     MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG)    3,000-3,600        3,000-3,600   
     MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG)    2,400-2,800        2,400-2,800          
     Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG)        3,200-3,700        3,200-3,700   
     Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG)        2,800-2,900        2,800-2,900   
     Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG)         2,300-2,500        2,300-2,500     
     Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG)      2,600-2,700        2,600-2,700  
     Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG)      2,400-2,500        2,400-2,500  
     Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG)        4,000-4,200        4,000-4,200    
     Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG)        3,500-3,700        3,500-3,700   
     Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG)      5,000-5,300        5,000-5,300
     Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG)    4,600-4,800        4,600-4,800  
     Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG)    9,500-13,500        9,500-13,500    
     Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG)    5,000-7,500        5,000-7,500   
     Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG)    5,800-6,000        5,800-6,000   
     Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG)    5,200-5,500        5,200-5,500  
     Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG)        2,000-2,200        2,000-2,100   
     Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG)         1,800-2,000        1,700-2,000

WEATHER (NAGPUR) 
Maximum temp. 29.8 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 7.8 degree Celsius
Rainfall : Nil
FORECAST: Mainly clear sky. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 29 and 08 degree
Celsius respectively.

Note: n.a.--not available
(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, butincluded in market prices)
   


Rice exports beat low expectations in 2017
Contrary to pessimistic forecasts earlier in 2017, after a drop in 2016, the country’s rice exports had a successful year in 2017, with some higher-than-expected figures.

A rice warehouse of Co May Company, Chau Thanh district, Hau Giang province.


According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the level of rice exports in December was estimated at around 400,000 to 450,000 tonnes, bringing the total export volume for the entire year to 5.9 to 6 million tonnes, over 1 million tonnes higher than last year’s figure.
A recent update from the General Department of Customs showed that as of 15th December, the level of rice exports reached 5.66 million tonnes, worth around 2.6 billion USD.
This figure represents a rise of 20.9 percent in volume and 23.8 percent in value over the same period last year. In 2016, the level of rice exports was only 4.9 million tonnes, worth 2.2 billion USD.
After disappointing results in 2016, the sector has set a modest target to export 5 million tonnes of rice in 2017, due to an anticipated decline in demand and changes to the rice import policies of destination markets.
However, the demand for rice in many markets, such as China, Malaysia, the Philippines and the Republic of Korea, increased significantly in 2017, which, together with the efforts to penetrate new markets, such as Bangladesh and Iraq, have helped to improve the country’s level of rice exports, experts have said.
Rice import companies also saw a successful year.
Nguyen Van Don, director of Viet Hung Company Limited, stated that the increase in rice exports was largely due to China, the largest market for Vietnam. Don added that rice exports to China are expected to help boost his company’s value of exports by 20 per cent, compared to 2016.
Rice exports to other markets, such as the Philippines, Malaysia, Iraq, the Republic of Korea and Saudi Arabia, also saw a significant increase.
Dang Thi Lien, director of the Long An Foodstuff Limited Company, forecasted a positive outlook for rice exports, as there are many orders from the Philippines and China.
According to Nguyen Thanh Long, director of the Gao Viet Limited Company, the level of rice exports will continue to improve in the first quarter of 2018, if supply is ensured.
Many forecasts highlight an improved global rice market in 2018.
According to a report by the United States (US) Department of Agriculture, global rice trade is projected to grow by 1 percent in 2018, to reach 42.3 million tonnes. Vietnam’s rice exports could increase by 400,000 tonnes in 2018, due to higher demand from Southeast Asian markets.
Vietnamese rice is now exported to over 130 markets. However, experts are still calling for quality to be improved, to enhance competitiveness.
In October, the Ministry of Industry and Trade announced its rice export strategy for the 2017 to 2020 period, which aims to decrease export volume but increase value.
Accordingly, the country’s average rice export volume was set at 4.5 to 5 million tonnes per year to 2020, at an average value of 2.2 to 2.3 billion USD.
Between 2021 and 2030, Vietnam plans to export 4 million tonnes per year on average, worth around 2.3 USD to 2.5 billion USD.-VNA


Bangladesh buys 200,000 tonnes of rice under G to G agreement

Bangladesh has offered to buy an additional 200,000 tonnes of rice from Myanmar under a government to government agreement before the end of December, said associate secretary Lu Maw Myint Maung of the Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF).
Myanmar and Bangladesh signed a memorandum of understanding to buy 300,000 tonnes of rice under the agreement, a major increase from the 100,000 tonnes of Myanmar rice already sent to the neighbour this year in response to a shortfall.
Rice demand in Bangladesh increased with a sense of urgency this year after floods damaged most paddy fields in the country.
Bangladesh has imported 1.2 million tonnes of rice but still requires around another one million tonnes, said Lu Maw Mying Maung. So far, Myanmar has exported about one million tonnes of rice to Bangladesh, he said.
Myanmar exported over two million tonnes of rice over the first nine months of this fiscal year, breaking a record that stood for some 50 years, said Dr Aung Thu, minister for agriculture, livestock and irrigation on December 15.
Lu Maw Myint Maung said the federation expected about 500,000 tonnes of rice will be exported in the remaining three months of the fiscal year, and that it would break the record.



LSU AgCenter schedules rice producer meetings for 2018

Topics will include controlling weeds, insects and diseases, research for variety development and agronomic practices, an economic outlook for rice and the upcoming farm bill.
Dec 26, 2017
The LSU AgCenter will hold a series of meetings to help rice farmers prepare for the 2018 crop.
Don Groth, resident coordinator of the LSU AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station, said farmers will be able to get advice for key decisions made early in the year, including variety selection and field preparation.
“Topics to be covered in the clinics will include controlling weeds, insects and diseases,” Groth said. “We also will talk about our research for variety development and agronomic practices in addition to an economic outlook for rice and a discussion of the upcoming farm bill.”
The sessions, which will include lunch, will be held:
— Jan. 4, at the Acadia Parish LSU AgCenter office, 157 Cherokee Road, Crowley. Registration at 7:45 a.m. and the program at 8:10.
— Jan. 9, Welsh Community Center, 101 Palmer St. Registration at 8 a.m. and the program at 8:15.
— Jan. 9, Vermilion Parish Farm Bureau office, 3139 Veterans Memorial Drive, Abbeville, at 12:30 p.m.
— Jan. 10, Ville Platte Civic Center, 704 N. Soileau St. Registration at 7:45 a.m. and the program at 8.
— Feb. 1, Avoyelles Parish LSU AgCenter Extension office, 8592 La. Highway 1, Mansura, at 8:15 a.m.
— Feb. 6, Rayville Civic Center, 827 Louisa St., at 9 a.m.
http://www.deltafarmpress.com/rice/lsu-agcenter-schedules-rice-producer-meetings-2018

 



Tuesday, December 26, 2017

26th December,2017 daily global regional local rice e-newseltter by riceplus magazine




Rice prices rise, reserves fall

Update: 13:10, Dec 26, 2017
The price of rice has remained high for some time now, with little hope of any relief. The government’s initiatives have done nothing to salvage the situation and the present reserves indicate that the prices will not go down anytime soon.

The price of rice has had an impact on the economy. According to the research institute South Asian Network on Economic Modelling (SANEM), the 30 per cent increase in the price of rice over the past few months has pushed 500 thousand people below the poverty line. The finance minister has rejected the report, though admitted that the increased rice price has been a problem for some.There may be debate over how many people have been pushed into poverty because of the rice prices, but when the price of coarse-grained rice is Tk 44 to Tk 46 per kg, it is certainly difficult for many to bear.

It is even more alarming that the price of rice in the international market is on the rise. That means import costs will go up. And the government food reserves are at a precarious level. The government has no tool to control the impact of rising rice prices on the market. Unscrupulous traders can take full advantage of the situation, pushing prices up even further. The government’s food grain storage capacity is 1.7 million tonnes, but it presently has only 375 thousand tonnes of rice and 250 thousand tonnes of wheat in reserve.

According to experts, the government loses significant control on the market if its food grain reserves fall below 1 million tonnes. And it fully loses control if the reserves fall below 600 thousand tonnes. That means the situation is alarming.

The government, on principle, has taken several measures to control the price of rice. It has cut down import duty to facilitate import of rice by the private sector. But the food ministry has completely failed to boost its food reserves. There is obvious need for supervision from the highest level. Round-the-clock monitoring of reserves, supply and imports is essential.

Rice is the staple food of the country and attention must be paid to the social and economic impact of the rising rice prices. If this trend continues, people above the poverty line will fall below and the ones already below, will become ultra-poor. This will consolidate poverty further and the country will be gripped by malnutrition. Efforts must now be directed towards increasing government food reserves. We hope the government focuses on this task.



Unisame for granting industry status to rice sector

December 26, 2017


Unisame for granting industry status to rice sectorLahore - The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has urged Pervaiz Malik, the federal commerce minister, to grant the status of industry to the rice sector, on the basis of its merits.
UNISAME President Zulfikar Thaver said the rice growers, millers, processors and exporters all contributed towards the economic growth of the country collectively and hence the sector deserved the status of industry for its recognition and promotion on fast track basis.
Thaver said all rice sector stakeholders, who had formed a rice syndicate and were on the same page, demanded and urged the ministry to oblige the sector with industrystatus due to its contribution to the GDP and economic growth which was substantial. 
He emphasised the need for ending the step-motherly treatment, which was causing hardships to the sector which was second to the textile sector in every respect and met all the parameters set for gaining the industry status . “It is indeed surprising and this omission is perturbing to the stakeholders. It is by all means a full-fledged industry , as it employs huge number of people from the farms to the markets: both domestic and overseas, and is day by day getting modernized and on recognition as an industry it will be promoted and developed more,” Thaver argued.
The domestic turnover tax on rice of 0.2 percent imposed on turnover of Rs two million is unwise as during new crop arrival season it gets exhausted in couple of days and two million limit for the fiscal year is unrealistic. Secondly rice needs 0 rating like the five other sectors exempted from taxes. Thirdly it is important to make the export of rice competitive to meet global challenges he pinpointed.

Unisame for granting industry status to rice sector

December 26, 2017
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Unisame for granting industry status to rice sector


Our Staff Reporter
Lahore - The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has urged Pervaiz Malik, the federal commerce minister, to grant the status of industry to the rice sector, on the basis of its merits.
UNISAME President Zulfikar Thaver said the rice growers, millers, processors and exporters all contributed towards the economic growth of the country collectively and hence the sector deserved the status of industry for its recognition and promotion on fast track basis.
Thaver said all rice sector stakeholders, who had formed a rice syndicate and were on the same page, demanded and urged the ministry to oblige the sector with industrystatus due to its contribution to the GDP and economic growth which was substantial. 
He emphasised the need for ending the step-motherly treatment, which was causing hardships to the sector which was second to the textile sector in every respect and met all the parameters set for gaining the industry status . “It is indeed surprising and this omission is perturbing to the stakeholders. It is by all means a full-fledged industry , as it employs huge number of people from the farms to the markets: both domestic and overseas, and is day by day getting modernized and on recognition as an industry it will be promoted and developed more,” Thaver argued.
The domestic turnover tax on rice of 0.2 percent imposed on turnover of Rs two million is unwise as during new crop arrival season it gets exhausted in couple of days and two million limit for the fiscal year is unrealistic. Secondly rice needs 0 rating like the five other sectors exempted from taxes. Thirdly it is important to make the export of rice competitive to meet global challenges he pinpointed.
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http://nation.com.pk/26-Dec-2017/unisame-for-granting-industry-status-to-rice-sector Agriculture Ministry Ensures Food Production Safe Ahead of Christmas, New Year
Monday, 25 December 2017 | 06:49 WIB

  
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Office of Ministry of Agriculture.
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JAKARTA, NNC - Ahead of Christmas and New Year, Ministry of Agriculture makes sure that food production is safe because some areas, including Central Java, harvest regularly throughout December 2017.
Director General of Horticulture at Agriculture Ministry Spudnik Sujono said that the directorate has deployed all directors in the Directorate General of Horticulture at Ministry of Agriculture to review rice cultivation condition throughout Central Java since Monday (12/18/2017) to check the concrete situation in the field and dismiss the issue of rice import as the supply of medium rice decreased.
In fact, the person-in-charge of the Special Efforts of Rice, Corn and Soybean (Upsus Pajale) of Central Java stated that Mangli Village, Randudongkal Sub-district, Pemalang, Central Java has just harvested 120 hectares of land.
"Look at the field, we do not need imports. I will report this to the Minister and the President, Central Java rice is safe, no imports necessary," Spudnik noted, Sunday (12/24).
Concerning the rice price hike, according to him, it is just the market situation because the traders raising the price reasoning they have bought at the average price of dried milled grain (GKG) of IDR5,500 hence the tendency to be premium rice, not medium one.
Spudnik also expressed his appreciation to the farmers and agricultural field extension officers (PPL), the ranks of Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) and the National Police (Polri) who continue to oversee food sovereignty in the country because the production of grains in Pemalang during December reached 500 thousand GKG from 5,000 hectares of land.
The production, he said, shows Pemalang rice is surplus by 190 thousand tons because its consumption is only 125,000 tons.

People suffered when rice price crossed Tk 50

Says Muhith

Finance Minister AMA Muhith
Finance Minister AMA Muhith. File photo
Staff Correspondent

People faced some difficulties when the price of rice crossed Tk 50 a kg and might have run out of their savings to cope with the high price, Finance Minister AMA Muhith said yesterday. 

He said there was no doubt that people had suffered because of the high price of rice. 
"We also wanted the price to increase to some extent. It is good from that point. But when it went beyond Tk 50 a kg, some people faced problems and might have run out of their savings,” he told reporters at the secretariat.
Muhith's comments came in response to a think-tank's new research finding that says 520,000 people have fallen into poverty due to sharp increase in the price of the staple this year.
Using a computable general equilibrium model, Dhaka-based South Asian Network on Economic Modelling (SANEM) on Saturday said it found a 35 percent increase in the price of rice and the results show that there is likely to be a rise in headcount poverty rate by 0.32 percentage points due to the rice price hike this year.
This means that 520,000 people have fallen into poverty because of increasing the rice price, according to SANEM.
This report should not be trusted. One should wait at least for a year to find out whether the poverty rate has gone up or down, Muhith said, adding that his position is that he will not accept the report until a year passes.  
Rice prices hit a record high mid-August, triggered by a rumour of India banning export, by a drop production owing to crop damage caused by recurrent floods, depleting public stocks and inadequate supply from millers and traders.
On September 16, retail prices of coarse grains, consumed mainly by the poor and low income groups, shot up to Tk 50-54 a kg in Dhaka city, according to the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).
The prices, however, have come down below Tk 50 a kg thanks to huge imports and availability of subsidised rice through open market sales. 
Yesterday, coarse rice was sold at Tk 44-46 a kg, which was Tk 40-45 a month ago and Tk 35-38 a year ago, according to the TCB's market monitoring report.
Prices of fine rice varieties rose 26 percent year-on-year yesterday and coarse price 23.29 percent, showed TCB data.   
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