Rice prices still high
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:05 AM December 18,
2018
Although
rice prices have continued to decline, a member of the country’s monetary board
said it was difficult to say whether prices will go back to year-ago levels.
Monetary
board member and former International Rice Research Institute executive
director Bruce Tolentino said there were many variables that need to be
considered.
“One answer
is to apply the anticipated inflation rates for 2019 and 2020 to the price of
rice moving forward from now. That should provide a fair approximation of the
range,” he said.
The Bangko
Sentral ng Pilipinas expects the country’s inflation rate in 2019 and 2020 to
hit 3.18 percent and 3.04 percent, respectively.
As of the
first week of December, the average price of regular-milled and well-milled
rice declined to P42.17 and P45.73 a kilo, respectively, data from the
Philippine Statistics Authority showed.
However,
compared to prices a year ago at P38.06 and P42.24 a kilo, respectively, these
are still higher by 10.80 percent and 8.74 percent.
Prices are
also still higher than the suggested retail prices of P39 and P44 a kilo for
local regular-milled and well-milled rice.
https://business.inquirer.net/262359/rice-prices-still-high-2#ixzz5a7a8mR2L
https://business.inquirer.net/262359/rice-prices-still-high-2#ixzz5a7a8mR2L
Nutritionists have called a kind of rice that
protect against weight gain
By paradox
18.12.2018
Black rice slows the growth of
fat tissue.
Journal of Medicinal Food
published a report on the study of South Korean scientists from Seoul
University and Sejong University, have studied the properties of black rice. As
a result of scientific experts came to the conclusion that the addition of
germinated black rice in the diet protects against obesity against eating foods
high in fat.
Biologists from South Korea have
been exploring the mechanisms of development of obesity, and also are searching
most effective methods of protection against this violation. The experts have
conducted a number of laboratory studies, allowing to understand, whether
sprouted black rice have a tangible impact on the appearance of excess weight.
The interest of scientists to
this product is not accidental. Black rice is known for the large amount of
protein. In addition, it includes vitamins b, E, folic acid, significant
amounts of magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and manganese. In addition, black risk
is a source of anthocyanins antioxidants – substances that help people deal
with diseases of the heart and brain, cancer and other serious illnesses. Also,
experts indicate that the black rice compared to the usual half the sodium that
contribute to the development of heart failure.
The authors of the new project
experimented with mice. Animals were divided into four groups. The first group
received normal feed, the second feed with a high fat content, the third and
fourth groups of fatty food, in which was added sprouted black rice. In the
diet of rodents from the third group black figure was 2.5% of the daily food
ration of mice from the fourth group – 5%.
As a result, scientists were able
to ascertain that the inclusion of black rice in saturated fats diet
effectively protects against the growth of fat tissue. The effect of black rice
experts connect with a high content of protein and dietary fiber. When the
assimilation is a slowdown in the metabolism of sugar. Black rice in this
regard can be very useful for diabetics.
“The results of the eight-week
experiment showed that adding black rice in the diet significantly reduced the
lipid accumulation in liver and adipose tissue,” – said experts.
China
may park $2b in Pakistan reserves this month
ISLAMABAD: In a positive
development, China is most likely to park $2 billion in Pakistan reserves
sometime in the ongoing month of December, and, more importantly, the economic
diplomacy with the UAE is also going to fetch the dividends. And in the month
of January 2019, the country is most likely to attain $6 billion facility as is
managed from Saudi Arabia, a senior official, privy to the development, told
The News.
“UAE will also deposit $3 billion
in Pakistan reserves, but in installments’ mode, and would also extend oil
facility of $3 billion on deferment payment too.”
To a question the official said
that China will deposit $2 billion not in installments but most likely in
one-go. He further explained saying that apart from it, Pakistan authorities
are also in process to finalise the purchase of 15 billion RMBs (Yuan) at
commercial rate almost at the cost of over $2 billion for trade with China in
local currency which will help Pakistan come out of US dollar’s pressure too.
The expected relief from China in
December and from the UAE in January next year will provide mammoth solace to
the PTI government. However, he said, China wants Pakistan not to highlight its
assistance for strengthening the reserves.
The official said that the latest
statement by Asad Umar that Pakistan is not in a hurry for the IMF bailout
package indicates that impending relief from China and UAE to support the
foreign reserves is on the cards.
The official, while referring to
Asad Umar, the Finance Minister of Pakistan, who is also on the record saying
balance of payment issue is over, said that Mr Umar was in knowledge that
things are moving with China and UAE in positive trajectory and now
behind-the-scene talks with both the countries have got matured indicating that
China and UAE are all set to come forward to bailout Pakistan from the current
economic morass.
Pakistan has already got $2 billion
out of $3 billion promised by S Arabia to strengthen the foreign exchange
reserves. Only $1 billion is left that Pakistan is yet to receive from S
Arabia. According to State Bank of Pakistan Abid Qamar country will get
remaining $1 billion from S Arabia in the month of January 2019. Apart from it,
Pakistan has started availing the oil facility of $3 billion on defer payment.
However, the official said that
Pakistan’s authorities are still in touch with IMF for about $6-7 billion
package. Pakistan direly needs the comfort letter for the Fund for move
financial ties with international financial institutions (IFIs).
It is pertinent to mention here
that The News, in its edition of November 7, 2018, had published the story of
this scribe quoting a cabinet member that China has indicated that it will
place $2 billion in Pakistan reserves to provide Pakistan’s financial managers
a sense of confidence with regard to reserves situation.
The News also broke the story while
quoting Federal Commerce Minister Razzak Dawood that Beijing offered Pakistan
to double its exports to China from $1.2 to $2.2 billion by end of ongoing
financial year 2018-19 and in case Pakistan succeeds to do that, China will
also encourage Pakistan to increase it exports by one billion dollars more.
In addition, Beijing also indicated
to extend to Pakistan a special quota for export of sugar and rice which will
also help Pakistan have a massive surge in exports to China. This will help
reduce trade deficit with China which stands at over $14 billion. The official
said that Pakistan can increase its exports by just $500 million by sending to
Chinese market one million tons sugar and one million tones rice.
He said China’s imports stand at $2
trillion, but Pakistan entrepreneurs lack the ability to harness even one
percent share in China’s total imports. But, unfortunately, Pakistan has not
required export surplus to avail the Chinese offer to triple its exports to
China.
Forecasts down for season
Grim
predictions ... Crop forecasts are down for this season.
Victorian crop production is
expect to more than halve this season, as thousands of hectares of wheat and
canola are cut for hay.
The grim seasonal outlook was
delivered in the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and
Sciences December crop report.
Winter crop production in
Victoria is forecast to decrease by 51 per cent in 2018-19 to 3.7million
tonnes, the lowest since 2015-16.
Planted area is estimated to have
fallen by 12 per cent because significant area planted to wheat and canola for
grains and oilseed production was cut for hay.
Wheat and canola were savaged by
the poor season, with productivity plummeting by 51 and 63 per cent
respectively to see 2million tonnes of wheat and 275000 tonnes of canola
produced.
With much canola cut for hay, the
figures were the lowest yield since 2008-09 while the area sown for canola fell
by a third and 10 per cent less land was used for wheat.
The productivity of barley almost
halved in 2018-19, yielding 1.1million tonnes, despite only a small four per
cent fall in the amount of land used for the crop.
Victorian winter crop prospects
deteriorated in September due to lower than average September rainfall and
significant frost events.
Minimum temperatures were the
lowest on record in most cropping regions while above-average temperatures and
insufficient rainfall in October led to reduced yields in most cropping
regions.
Summer crop planting has already
begun in many regions and is expected to continue until February, but will be
adversely affected by the current low levels of soil moisture, which are likely
to constrain planting in the absence of further rainfall during the summer crop
planting window.
Australia-wide the area planted
to summer crops is forecast to fall by 18 per cent in 2018-19 to 1.1million
hectares driven by forecast falls in area planted to rice and cotton.
Area planted to grain sorghum is
forecast to increase by eight per cent in response to favourable prices.
Summer crop production is
forecast to fall by 24 per cent to 3.1million tonnes.
DA targets 2019 agri
growth of up to 3.5%
THE Department of Agriculture
(DA) is aiming for Philippine agricultural growth of as high as 3.5 percent in
2019 as it expects subsectors to bounce back.
In a press conference on Tuesday,
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said he expected the crops subsector to
recover from the typhoons that hit the country in the third quarter with help
from the Rice Competitive Enhancement Fund (RCEF) of the government’s rice
tariffication program.
“For crops, especially rice, we
are expecting a boost from the RCEF. With” a minimum of P10 billion worth of
support “every year, we” expect to meet our farmers’ need for “good-quality
seeds,” he said.
The department is looking to
produce 19.17 million metric tons (MT) of palay (unhusked rice) this year, a
1.19-percent decrease from the agency’s previous forecast.
“It’s not as bad as we thought it
would be, actually, because our forecast was 19.4 million MT,” Piñol said.
The DA also expects corn
production to grow by 5 percent to 8.18 million MT in 2019. This is higher than
the 7.79 million MT—a 1.55-percent increase from the 2017 figure—the department
is expecting to record this year.
Piñol also expects fisheries to
start growing in 2019 after it posted a series of contractions in the first
three quarters.
“We are investing about P300
million for postharvest facilities,” he said. “For livestock and poultry, we’re
expecting these subsectors to grow further, especially now that we are focusing
or producing more fingerlings.”
The agriculture chief also said
the country’s economic managers have directed the DA to maintain agricultural
growth of at least 2 percent annually, which he described as “doable.”
They asked that figure
“because…it has to keep up with the population growth of 1.7 percent,” he
added.
“I think 2 percent is doable and
we are confident that we could hit it, given the fact that right now there are
specific interventions,” Piñol said.
Bare growth
According to the official, the country’s total agriculture and fisheries volume slightly grew by 0.15 percent in the first three quarters from the figure in the same period last year.
According to the official, the country’s total agriculture and fisheries volume slightly grew by 0.15 percent in the first three quarters from the figure in the same period last year.
Department data showed that the
marginal increase was driven by growth in the livestock (2.15 percent) and
poultry (5.45 percent) subsectors, which he credited to the surge in “hog,
cattle, goat and dairy production as a result of the sustained demand for milk
processing due to efficient control of diseases” and to the rise “in chicken,
chicken egg, and duck egg production.”
The data also showed that the
crops subsector posted a 3.64-percent decline, which was blamed on weaker palay
and corn production at 5.17 percent and 14.82 percent, respectively.
The reduction “can be attributed
to the damages brought by typhoons Henry, Inday, Josie and Ompong. Delayed
planting [was] due to the ongoing rehabilitation of irrigation facilities and
late release of irrigation water in Northern Luzon…” Piñol said.
Fisheries output also dropped,
due to the downtrend in milkfish, tiger prawn, roundscad and yellowfin tuna
production.
The Agriculture secretary,
however, noted that coconut, sugarcane, banana, pineapple, coffee, mango,
tobacco, avocado, tomato and rubber production increased.
Agriculture
department vows to keep suggested rice retail price
The
Department of Agriculture warned the distribution of cheap
government-subsidized rice will be affected once the rice tariffication bill is
enacted into law. - Business Nightly, ANC, December 18, 2018
Rice farmers want increased security for dry season
farming
A group of rice farmers, whose harvest was recently burnt down by
Boko Haram insurgents have called for more security in the area as they prepare
for dry season farming. Hundreds of hectares of rice farms were completely
razed down at Koshebe village in Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State on
December 1 by suspected Boko Haram insurgents.
In an interview,
Malam Hassan Zabalmari, the Chairman of the Farmers Association in the area,
called for the deployment of additional troops and security personnel, to
enable them engage in dry season activities. Zabalamari described the call as
imperative to protect farmers, encourage agriculture activities and enhance
food security. Zabalmari is a farming community located about 10 kilometres
away from Maiduguri. A group of the farmers interviewed recalled that the
insurgents attacked the farmlands on Dec. 1, ravaged the plantations and set
harvested crops ablaze. One of the farmers, Alhaji Bello, said the insurgents
burnt to ashes crops harvested from his 18-acre farmland.
Bello said that
he had harvested his crop and left it at the farm in preparation for final
evacuation to the mill when the insurgents attacked and destroyed it. He
recounted that the insurgents attacked the farms at about 5:30 pm; after the
farmers left for home. “I produced 250 bags of paddy rice in the same 18 acres
of farmlands during the previous rainy season. I also recorded high yields this
season. “The insurgents burnt the produce and destroyed the farm,” he said.
Adamu Usman, who corroborated Bello, described the damaged as colossal, adding
that over 100 rice farmers lost their produce in the attack.
Usman added that
he had cultivated rice and harvested 360 bags of the produce, lamenting that he
and other farmers lost their investment in the attack. Another farmer, Sidi
Ibrahim, alleged that the insurgents had intensified attacks on farmers and
killed many of them during the last cropping season. “We go to the farms under
military and vigilante escort. The troops escort and waited throughout the day
to enable us work in the farms. After we finished work in the farms they escort
us back to our homes in Zabalamari. “We are thankful to them because without
their protection we could not cultivate our farmlands.
“The insurgents
attacked from the axis of the deserted Dannari village, which is a distance of
about five kilomentres from Koshebe plantations,” he said. Some of the crops
cultivated in the area include rice, wheat, water melon, onions and vegetables.
Indo-Iran: The next
frontier
With
a shared historical legacy, India and Iran carry the robust possibility of
building strong diplomatic ties in an era of untoward western dominance Prof
Ujjwal K Chowdhury18 Dec 2018 6:56 PM Just a few weeks ago, India and Iran
inked an agreement by which India will import crude oil from Iran using a
rupee-based payment mechanism, 50 per cent of those payments being used for exporting
items to Tehran, especially Basmati rice. Russian and Chinese shipping
companies are pitching to facilitate India-Iran trade. Around one-fifth of all
oil and petroleum sales from Iran are to India, pegged at USD 12 billion a
year, while Iran is the largest importer of rice (especially the Basmati) from
India, pegged at USD 4 billion annually. Both are now victims of US-dominated
tools of trade and currency exchange, with Iran also currently facing US
sanctions.
Hence,
from an economic perspective, Iran is the second-largest supplier of crude oil
to India, supplying more than 425,000 barrels of oil per day and, consequently,
India has been one of the largest foreign investors in Iran's oil and gas
industry, affected to an extent in recent times due to the US sanctions. India
has recently reduced oil intake partially. History India has shared nearly a
thousand years of relations (earlier with provinces of the pre-Mughal period)
with erstwhile Persia, now Iran, later subverted by the British.
After
the attack of Persian aggressor Nader Shah in 1739, there have been three
hundred years of friendship, cordial relations and a great exchange of
language, culture, art, architecture and trade between India and Iran. In fact,
Iran later supported Humayun in stabilising his rule in India. Persian or Farsi
has been an integral part of pre-British Indian life, art, language and
culture, effectively damaged by British rule in India. In fact, Persian and
Indus civilisations were highly evolved in historical times. Even Vedic
references to Persian culture and language exist. Indo-Persian architecture in
several monuments, especially the Taj Mahal, is a great testimony of our
civilisational relations. Sufism in India has Persian roots. Guru Nanak had
visited Persia and was influenced by Sufism.
Even to this day, the Academy of Persian
Language and Literature in Iran encourages literary and cultural bilateral
relations. Later, forefathers of the Supreme Leader of Iran Revolution, Imam
Ayatollah Khomeini, had studied in India. However, the West, especially the US,
has always attempted to make Iran and India look at each other through the
prism of their interests and not of these two great nations, made worse in the
current digital media age with the West controlling most channels of
information. Iran's Regional Stability Outlook Iran's approach to regional
stability in South Asia and the Middle East calls for an advanced Indian
developmental role, especially in neighbouring Afghanistan.
Iran
feels that post-colonial Asia's obsession to look at regional issues through
the Western prism should end and the attention should now be towards the
interests of other Asian and African nations. Hence, there has been a conscious
foreign policy shift by Iran towards the East, especially towards India, China
and Russia. On Kashmir, Iran has earlier held that it is 'a festering wound' of
the past, but is now unequivocal in condemning western interference and
suggests a bilateral solution to the vexed issue. Following the 1979
revolution, relations between Iran and India strengthened momentarily. However,
Iran's continued support for Pakistan and India's close relations with Iraq
during the Iran–Iraq War impeded further development of Indo-Iranian ties. In
the 1990s, India and Iran supported the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan
against the Taliban regime. They continue to collaborate in supporting the
broad-based anti-Taliban government led by Ashraf Ghani and backed by the
United States. The two countries signed a defence cooperation agreement in
December 2002. And that led to the improvement in ties. Iran frequently
objected Pakistan's attempts to draft anti-India resolutions at international
organisations such as the OIC and the Human Rights Commission. India welcomed
Iran's inclusion as an observer state in the SAARC regional organisation. A
growing number of Iranian students are enrolled at universities in India, most
notably in Pune and Bengaluru. The clerical government in Tehran sees itself as
a leader of Shiites worldwide, including India. Indian Shiites enjoy state
support such as a recognised national holiday for Muharram.
Lucknow
continues to be a major centre of Shiite culture and Persian study in the
subcontinent. Further, India and Iran need to come closer to combat the western
impact on their languages, culture, media freedom, cinema and values. Western
commodification of women and derision to traditional Indian and Iranian values
needs to be questioned. Strong people-to-people relations between these two
nations can create an alternative narrative, approach and indigenous
technology, and the two governments will be led to closer relations. In fact,
Indo-Iran relations were rudimentary during the Shah dynasty before the Islamic
Revolution in Iran in 1979, largely due to the western dominion of Iran then.
The situation is much different today and there is the need for a new phase of
Indo-Iran relations going beyond governments, with many institutions and
people-to-people ties evolving.
Indo-Iran
Trade & Other Possibilities Iran today expects India to stand strong and
resist the US pressure in its own long-term interests. There can be several
areas of investments for India, as in transport, IT, pharma, biotech, among
others. People-to-people cooperation exists immensely in cinema, culture,
education, tourism, etc. On May 22, 2016, Prime minister Narendra Modi paid an
official visit to Iran. The visit focused on bilateral connectivity and
infrastructure, energy partnership and trade. Interestingly, the Modi
government had welcomed the adherence of all IAEA norms by Iran earlier and the
signing of the Joint Declaration of Iran and the other major nations, which was
later deserted by the Trump-led US.
.
Chabahar Port A highway between Zaranj and Delaram is being built with
financial support from India. India's BRO is laying the 213 km Zaranj-Delaram
road. It is a part of India's USD 750 million aid package. The Chabahar Port in
Iran has also been jointly financed by Iran and India. India alone plans to
invest USD 20 billion towards the development of Chabahar Port, and it is
expected to be fully operational within the next decade. India is helping
develop Chabahar Port, which will give it access to the oil and gas resources
of Iran and the Central Asian states. By doing so, India hopes to compete with
the Chinese, who are building Gwadar Port in Pakistan's Balochistan.
Iran plans to use Chabahar for trans-shipment
to Afghanistan and Central Asia while keeping the port of Bandar Abbas as a
major hub primarily for trade with Russia and Europe. India, Iran and
Afghanistan have signed an agreement to give Indian goods, heading for Central
Asia and Afghanistan, preferential treatment and tariff reductions at Chabahar.
The Chabahar Port project is Iran's chance to end its US-sponsored economic isolation
and benefit from the resurgent Indian economy. Along with Bandar Abbas,
Chabahar is the Iranian entrepot on the North-South corridor. A strategic
partnership between India, Iran and Russia is intended to establish a
multi-modal transport link connecting Mumbai with St Petersburg, providing
Europe and the former Soviet republics of Central Asia access to Asia and
vice-versa.
Way
Ahead Indo-Iran relations can only progress if they are delinked from Western
interests in the region and are developed purely in their own economic,
sociocultural and geostrategic interests. The Indian government has recently
given a list of 120 items that Iran can import from India, sanctions
notwithstanding. And, India cannot ignore the crude oil and gas imports from
Iran, more so in an election year.
Further,
the historical context and, consequent possibilities of people-to-people
relations are an icing on the cake. (The author is a noted media academic and
columnist and has recently visited Tehran for a week. He is the Media Dean of
Pearl Academy, Delhi and Mumbai, and has been earlier the Media Dean of
Symbiosis and Amity Universities. The views expressed are strictly personal)
http://www.millenniumpost.in/opinion/indo-iran-the-next-frontier-332361
http://www.millenniumpost.in/opinion/indo-iran-the-next-frontier-332361
Rice Prices
as on : 18-12-2018 12:55:13 PM
Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.
|
Arrivals
|
Price
|
|||||
|
Current
|
%
change |
Season
cumulative |
Modal
|
Prev.
Modal |
Prev.Yr
%change |
|
|
Rice
|
||||||
|
Barhaj(UP)
|
110.00
|
37.5
|
5854.00
|
2280
|
2290
|
-
|
|
Sahiyapur(UP)
|
34.50
|
-5.48
|
3052.50
|
2225
|
2210
|
-
|
|
Vishalpur(UP)
|
21.00
|
-19.23
|
895.00
|
2300
|
2325
|
-
|
|
Kaliaganj(WB)
|
20.00
|
-50
|
570.00
|
3250
|
3150
|
22.64
|
|
Ahirora(UP)
|
16.00
|
-3.03
|
420.35
|
2400
|
2400
|
14.83
|
|
Sheoraphuly(WB)
|
10.10
|
NC
|
156.20
|
3100
|
3100
|
NC
|
|
Utraula(UP)
|
9.00
|
-25
|
184.70
|
1650
|
1630
|
-
|
|
Chitwadagaon(UP)
|
8.00
|
14.29
|
507.70
|
2100
|
2100
|
-1.41
|
|
Tamkuhi Road(UP)
|
7.00
|
16.67
|
1111.00
|
2150
|
2150
|
-
|
|
Mirzapur(UP)
|
6.00
|
20
|
1069.00
|
2300
|
2290
|
-
|
|
Mau(Chitrakut)(UP)
|
3.50
|
NC
|
128.60
|
1775
|
1825
|
-
|
|
Jahangirabad(UP)
|
3.00
|
NC
|
251.00
|
2575
|
2580
|
9.57
|
|
Nautnava(UP)
|
3.00
|
-40
|
96.50
|
2250
|
2250
|
10.29
|
|
Sehjanwa(UP)
|
3.00
|
20
|
279.70
|
2160
|
2160
|
-
|
|
Amroha(UP)
|
2.00
|
NC
|
123.82
|
2600
|
2600
|
5.26
|
|
Doharighat(UP)
|
1.50
|
NC
|
72.00
|
1900
|
2000
|
-
|
Published
on December 18, 2018
Rice prices still high
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:05 AM December 18,
2018
Although
rice prices have continued to decline, a member of the country’s monetary board
said it was difficult to say whether prices will go back to year-ago levels.
Monetary
board member and former International Rice Research Institute executive
director Bruce Tolentino said there were many variables that need to be
considered.
“One answer
is to apply the anticipated inflation rates for 2019 and 2020 to the price of
rice moving forward from now. That should provide a fair approximation of the
range,” he said.
The Bangko
Sentral ng Pilipinas expects the country’s inflation rate in 2019 and 2020 to
hit 3.18 percent and 3.04 percent, respectively.
As of the
first week of December, the average price of regular-milled and well-milled
rice declined to P42.17 and P45.73 a kilo, respectively, data from the
Philippine Statistics Authority showed.
However,
compared to prices a year ago at P38.06 and P42.24 a kilo, respectively, these
are still higher by 10.80 percent and 8.74 percent.
Prices are
also still higher than the suggested retail prices of P39 and P44 a kilo for
local regular-milled and well-milled rice.
DA: Rice, crop supply to rebound in 2019
By CNN Philippines Staff
Updated 14:16 PM PHT Tue,
December 18, 2018
1702
The Agriculture Department expects rice harvest to improve in January
to June of 2019. (FILE PHOTO)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 18) — The government sees a recovery in rice production in early
2019 after the agriculture sector suffered sizable damage from calamities this
year, a Cabinet official said Tuesday.
In his yearend report presented in a media briefing, Agriculture
Chief Manny Piñol they are looking at a possible rice harvest of around 4.7
million metric tons (MMT) in January to June 2019 from 4.46 MMT in the same
period this year.
He said the agriculture sector sufffered billions of pesos in
damage from storms "Henry", "Inday", "Josie" and
"Ompong." Typhoon "Ompong," in particular, caused ₱26
billion pesos worth of crop damage.
This has resulted rice prices reaching as high as ₱65 per
kilogram in some markets, prompting the government to issue a suggested retail
price (SRP) of ₱37 to ₱47 per kilogram in October to stabilize prices. Rice
prices were among the factors that pushed the inflation rate to a nine-year
high in October.
However, some markets continue to defy the SRP. Piñol said they
will take steps against National Food Authority (NFA) personnel in these
areas.
"We have issued stern and strict warnings to the NFA
personnel and officials in those areas to implement the SRP or face
administrative sanctions," he said.
Meanwhile, Piñol said a major supermarket chain has taken the
step to sell imported rice at an affordable price.
"At least one commercial supermarket has already started
selling imported rice at prices between ₱35 and ₱39 per kilo. And this is
Robinsons. They have already started selling this in 81 branches all over
greater Manila area and I think they're spreading to the provinces," he
said.
Piñol said his agency is also planning to implement a
"Climate Change Policy," which means they might move the planting
schedule from October when storms usually hit the country.
Laos achieves rice export target to China
| Publication date 18 December 2018 | 14:46 ICT
Share
Laos achieves its target for exporting rice to China this month.
VIENTIANE TIMES
THE VIENTIANE TIMES/ANN: Laos has
achieved its target for exporting rice to China this month after the IDP Rice
Mill of Laos signed a trading agreement with China National Cereals, Oils and
Foodstuffs Corporation (Cofco) in November.
Last year, the Chinese government
agreed to purchase 20,000 tonnes of rice from Laos through Xuanye (Lao) Co Ltd,
but up to October the country had exported just 16,800 tonnes, according to the
Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
The company first exported 1,000
tonnes of rice and will be exporting the remaining 2,200 tonnes by the end of
this month, Minister of Industry and Commerce Khemmani Pholsena informed
Parliament.
The government plans to export
more rice to China in the near future as well as other agricultural products.
To increase the exports to China,
the government will support Lao companies and encourage them to register with
the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine
(AQSIQ) of the PRC in China, she said.
Last year, Laos earned more than
$31.16 million from rice exports, with the major markets being Vietnam,
Thailand and China. However, the figure was lower than that for 2016, according
to the ministry statistics.
This year, the government is
hoping to earn more than $45.56 million from rice exports.
For other crops, the ministry’s
Department of Trade Promotion is negotiating to help sugar producers export
more product to China.
China is still the largest rice
export market for Laos, and the second biggest trading partner of the country.
In the first eight months of this
year, Lao’s exports to China comprised 38 per cent of its total exports,
excluding electricity, of which Thailand gets 28 per cent and Vietnam 19 per
cent.
China mainly imports wood, ore
sand, rubber and rubber products, copper and copper products and fertilisers
from Laos. VIENTIANE TIMES/ANN
The trade value of exported
products to China in the first six months of this year reached $619 million and
around $1.27 billion to Thailand, of which electricity earned the largest
revenue.
The export value to China had
reached $372.5 million in 2013, $672.7 in 2014, $1 billion in 2015 and $1.13
billion in 2016.
The total trade value of both
countries reached $3 billion last year, according to a Laos-China Cooperation
Commission report.
CRF: Kingdom’s rice exports do not impact EU farmers
Cheng Sokhorng | Publication date 18 December 2018
| 08:30 ICT
CRF vice-president Hun Lak claims the Kingdom’s rice exports do
not impact EU farmers. Heng Chivoan
The Cambodia Rice Federation
(CRF) has urged the EU to revise its Safeguard Clause as it could prove
devastating to the Kingdom’s rice industry. The EU committee has not announced
its final decision.
Its move comes as the Committee
of Professional Agricultural Organisations-General Confederation of
Agricultural Cooperatives (Copa-Cogeca) last week urged the EU to speed up its
enforcement of the safeguard clause on rice imports from Cambodia and Myanmar.
The Copa-Cogeca said the Trade
Promotion General Directorate submitted a proposal during a December 4 meeting
to enforce the safeguard clause on rice imports from Cambodia and Myanmar for a
vote at the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Committee.
With no comment on the
enforcement, it said the Committee intends to take action on the issue.
“The Committee delivered a ‘no
opinion’ decision, which allows the [European] Commission to move forward with
the adoption of the legal proposal."
“The safeguard investigation
carried out by the Commission reached the same conclusions – the increasing
imports of rice from Cambodia and Myanmar have caused serious difficulties for
the entire EU rice sector,” said the Copa-Cogeca.
However, this has been disputed
by the CRF, which previously explained to the EU committee that Cambodian rice
does not impact the EU rice industry, said its vice-president Hun Lak.
“It is not the first time Italy
and Spain complained about the slowdown of their rice industry, but this is not
caused by us. [We supply] a different type of rice and it is the consumers’
choice of which variety they prefer,” he said.
Impact of tariffs
Customs duty will be imposed at
€175 ($198) per tonne in the first year, €150 in the second year and €125 the
year after, according to the first draft of the safeguard clause, issued on
November.
Italian rice farmers first
complained about rice imports in 2014 and argued that the imports were harming
EU farmers.
“Tariffs will impact the supply
chain. Our infrastructure is not yet ready to save the cost of logistics. We
will face heavy competition in our rice market with neighbouring
countries."
“It is unfair to us . . . our
farmers also try their best to produce good quality rice to make a living and
we are still a developing country,” he said.
Noting that the EU’s safeguard
clause including all types of rice was an oversight, he called on the EU
members to intervene in the matter. “They also support us and are willing to
veto or choose not to be in the voting meeting. It is really a very sensitive
issue for Cambodia,” he said.
Amru Rice CEO Song Saran said
more than 75 per cent of Cambodian rice exports to the EU is fragrant rice,
stressing this does not impact EU farmers.
“The majority of rice we export
to EU countries is fragrant rice, which is not able to grow in their countries.
I would like to request the European Commission not to include fragrant rice in
the safeguard measure,” he said.
Grain import plunges 75pc on bumper rice output
FE Report | Published: December
18, 2018 10:49:33
File Photo (Collected)LCs worth $1.56 billion were opened during July-September of 2017 as rice prices soared following loss of boro crop due to consequent floods.
People familiar with the situation told the FE that better rice production is the main reason behind the fall in its import.
"Imports plummeted this season because we produced a record rice," Abul Bashar Chowdhury, chairman of the Chittagong-based BSM Group, said.
He said this has had an impact on other food imports, including wheat, as people take the grain as substitute of rice.
The two consecutive rice seasons saw bumper rice production last year ending on June 30.
During Boro season, the largest by output, production reached 19.5 million tonnes this year against 18.2 million tonnes the year before.
The Aman had nearly 13.9 million tonnes production last year, compared with 13.5 million tonnes a year earlier.
This has happened at a time when the global grain production is estimated to go down by around 30 per cent following bad weather, according to local importers and international media reports.
They said drought in Australia, bad weather in Russia and Ukraine and heavy rainfall in Argentina impacted the global grain production this year.
Thailand, a major rice-exporting country, may also have lower production of rice following poor water supply, according to the US Department of Agriculture report.
The USDA estimates Thailand's rice production to be 20.7 million tonnes in 2018/19 (milled basis), down 2.0 per cent from the last year.
Last year, Bangladesh imported nearly 3.9 million tonnes grain-rice and wheat combined.
The government stocks of food grain stood at more than 1.1 million tonnes at the end of November, according to directorate general of foods.
The department said it may not import rice following the bumper crops.
"We usually target rice procurement locally, last year we procured rice following the production loss in the country," Md Arifur Rahman Apu, director general at the Directorate General of Food (DG food).
He hinted that they had much higher procurement during the Boro season and for this reason they would not import rice this year.
But he said like previous years, it will import wheat as this is much cheaper than the local procurement of the same.
The department aims to procure around 600,000 tonnes of wheat this year. On the other hand, the department has a target of procuring around 2.2 million tonnes of rice from local sources this year.
Earlier, the USDA had predicted total import would dip to 600,000 tonnes during 2018-19 due to higher production in Boro season and the reinstatement of import tariff.
The private and public sectors imported 3.892 million tonnes of rice during July-June of 2017-18, the highest in three decades, according to the Food Ministry data.
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- DEC 19, 2018
DECEMBER 19, 2018 / 1:13 PM
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-December 19, 2018
Nagpur, Dec 19 (Reuters) – Tuar prices showed weak tendency in Nagpur
Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) on poor demand from local
millers. Downward trend trend in Madhya Pradesh gram prices and high moisture
content arrival also affected prices in thin trading activity. About 100 bags
of tuar reported for auctions in Nagpur APMC, according to sources.
GRAM
* Desi gram reported down in open market on lack of demand from
local traders.
TUAR
* Tuar varieties ruled steady in open market on subdued demand from
local traders.
* Wheat mill quality and wheat Lokwan reported down in open market
here on poor
demand from local traders amid good supply from producing belts.
* In Akola, Tuar New – 4,200-4,600, Tuar dal (clean) – 7,000-7,300,
Udid Mogar (clean)
– 7,300-8,200, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,800-8,300, Gram – 4,600-4,700,
Gram Super best
– 6,700-6,900 * 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 3,700-4,300 3,750-4,350
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction n.a. 4,000-4,300
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 1,950-1,990 1,950-2,040
Gram Super Best Bold 7,000-7,200 7,000-7,200
Gram Super Best n.a. n.a.
Gram Medium Best 6,600-6,800 6,600-6,800
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a
Gram Mill Quality 4,800-4,900 4,800-4,900
Desi gram Raw 4,450-4,550 4,500-4,600
Gram Kabuli 8,300-10,000 8,300-10,000
Tuar Fataka Best-New 7,100-7,300 7,100-7,300
Tuar Fataka Medium-New 6,800-7,000 6,800-7,000
Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 6,400-6,600 6,400-6,600
Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 6,000-6,300 6,000-6,300
Tuar Gavarani New 4,550-4,650 4,600-4,700
Tuar Karnataka 4,900-5,100 4,900-5,100
Masoor dal best 5,200-5,400 5,200-5,400
Masoor dal medium 4,700-4,900 4,700-4,900
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold (New) 8,000-8,500 8,000-8,500
Moong Mogar Medium 6,000-7,000 6,000-7,000
Moong dal Chilka New 6,200-7,500 6,200-7,500
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 7,800-9,000 7,800-9,000
Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 7,800-8,500 7,800-8,500
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 6,000-7,000 6,000-7,000
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 4,000-4,400 4,000-4,400
Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 5,500-5,600 5,500-5,600
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 4,800-4,900 4,900-5,000
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 5,500-5,600 5,500-5,600
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,100 5,800-6,100
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,300 2,200-2,300
Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,150 2,150-2,200
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,600-2,700
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,400 2,300-2,500
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,600-4,000 3,600-4,000
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,600-3,100 2,600-3,100
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,200 2,100-2,200
Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,800 3,200-3,800
Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 2,600-3,000 2,600-3,000
Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,000 2,900-3,000
Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,700-2,800 2,700-2,800
Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600
Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 4,100-4,500 4,100-4,500
Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,600-4,000 3,600-4,000
Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG) 5,200-5,500 5,200-5,500
Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 4,800-5,000 4,800-5,000
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 9,500-14,000 9,500-14,000
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 4,800-7,000 4,800-7,000
Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 6,800-7,500 6,800-7,500
Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 6,500-6,700 6,500-6,700
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,350-2,550 2,350-2,550
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 2,050-2,250 2,050-2,250 WEATHER (NAGPUR)
Maximum temp. 24.5 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 9.6 degree Celsius Rainfall :
Nil FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Maximum and minimum temperature likely to be
around 25 degree Celsius and 10 degree Celsius. Note: n.a.—not available (For
oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in
market prices)
Rice Prices
as on : 19-12-2018 11:51:29 AM
Arrivals in tonnes;prices in
Rs/quintal in domestic market.
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Arrivals
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Price
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Current
|
%
change |
Season
cumulative |
Modal
|
Prev.
Modal |
Prev.Yr
%change |
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Rice
|
||||||
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Atarra(UP)
|
14.00
|
7.69
|
480.00
|
2200
|
2200
|
10.00
|
|
Nautnava(UP)
|
5.00
|
66.67
|
106.50
|
2260
|
2250
|
10.78
|
|
Doharighat(UP)
|
1.50
|
NC
|
75.00
|
1900
|
1900
|
-
|
|
Khairagarh(UP)
|
0.90
|
12.5
|
137.40
|
2560
|
2550
|
1.59
|
|
Achnera(UP)
|
0.70
|
16.67
|
36.80
|
2560
|
2560
|
0.39
|
|
Jagnair(UP)
|
0.70
|
-22.22
|
102.60
|
2560
|
2550
|
2.40
|
Basmati rice exporters face Iran defaults woes; exports drop 7.2% in Q1
Exports should be against formal orders which
include quality specifications and a mechanism for resolution of disputes
Dilip Kumar Jha
| Mumbai Last Updated at August 9, 2018 02:09 IST
81
Default by Iranian importers on
some Indian basmati rice brands
under bilateral deals have hit our export of these products in the June quarter.
The government has cautioned exporters to avoid private transactions with
Iranian importers.Data from the government's Agricultural and Processed Food
Products Export Development Authority (Apeda) show our shipment of basmati
declined by 7.2 per cent to 1.17 million tonnes for the April-June period,
first three months of the financial year, from the same period last year.
Iran is the largest importer of
India’s branded and unbranded aromatic rice (it took a third of all its export
in the June quarter). Hit by trade restrictions from America, Iranian importers
pay to Indian basmati exporters in
rupees.
Many such transactions are done on a private basis without involving banks and regulators. Informed sources say a number
of importers dealing primarily with private basmati exporters had
defaulted in making payment of around Rs 5 billion.“Usually, exporters get a
certificate from Apeda and proper processes are followed. As per trade sources,
several large basmati rice exporting firms have become
non-performing assets with their bankers, due to non-receipt of payments
against export of large volumes to importers in these brands,” said a senior
Apeda official, on condition of anonymity.According to trade sources, some Indian exporters were dealing privately with Iranian importers without opening of Letters of Credit, which guarantee the receipt of money from importers. According to the Apeda official, around a third of India’s basmati exported to Iran faces threat of default.
“We have taken up the issue with
the trade ministry in Iran. But, it seems, Indian exporters would have to go
only through the legal route to recover the money,” added the official.
Apeda has advised exporters not to
register contracts for export of basmati or make arrangement for payment before
applying to it in this regard. Exports should be against formal orders which
include quality specifications and a mechanism for resolution of disputes.
“The situation might normalise in a
couple of months,” said Gurnam Arora, joint managing director of Kohinoor
Foods, an exporter of basmati.
https://www.business-standard.com/article/markets/basmati-rice-exporters-face-iran-defaults-woes-exports-drop-7-2-in-q1-118080900046_1.html
Belgium
supports FAO’s early actions to protect the livelihoods of rice farmers in
Mindanao against potential El Niño
REPORT
Published on 18 Dec 2018
18/12/2018
The Philippines is frequently affected by natural disasters. The social and economic cost of
natural disasters in the country is increasing due to population growth, change
in land-use patterns, migration, unplanned urbanization, environmental
degradation and global climate change. The Philippine archipelago is constantly
at risk of a multitude of hazards including earthquakes (as the country sits along the Pacific
Ring of Fire), volcanic eruptions, drought, cyclones, floods and tsunamis.
In response to the potentially
adverse impacts of drought brought about by El Niño to the country’s poorest
and most vulnerable communities, the Government of Belgium, through the Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities (SFERA), generously contributed to FAO
to pilot an Early Warning Early Action(EWEA) initiative to protect the
livelihoods of rice farmers in selected areas of Mindanao.
This project builds on the
piloting of a drought EWEA system established in February 2018, in particular
on two municipalities in Maguindanao and North Cotabato provinces in Mindanao.
These two areas were selected due to their high vulnerability rates, combined
with their high exposure to drought. When affected by El Niño, the Philippines alternate
climatically between intense droughts and typhoons. As the climate changes, the Southern
Oscillation is increasing in frequency and severity, and in turn increasing the
intensity of natural disasters. Such changes are testing the traditional
resilience methods of the country and being able to protect the population from
these shocks is becoming increasingly challenging.
FAO aims to assist 1 500 small-scale farming families who on average cultivate 1 ha of land each through early
actions for drought in order to protect their rice production
by providing irrigation systems and inputs, and offering alternative
livelihoods such as livestock farming and high-value commercial crops to
prevent asset depletion and increase resilience.
This project will be implemented
in coordination with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and concerned local government units. FAO
will utilize the early warning system designed as a monitoring tool to build evidence and
confidence about the development and potential impact of El Niño. The system has been set up to provide timely
information in advance, ensuring enough lead time is provided to launch and
implement early actions on the ground.
Thanks to this partnership, FAO
is able to develop early actions together with government partner agencies and
stakeholders to protect vulnerable farmers against the extreme weather conditions brought by the impending El Niño.
Adoption of GMO cowpea, rice could offer
substantial boost to Ghana’s farmers and consumers, study says
Fred Dzanku et al. | International Food Policy Research Institute |
December 18, 2018
A farmer examines his cowpea plants
Cowpea is the most widely
produced grain legume in Ghana and a key food security crop. In northern Ghana,
where most of Ghana’s cowpea is produced, the crop helps households overcome
the annual hunger gap between planting and harvesting times. This is important
for regions that have a monomodal rainfall distribution with a long lean season.
…
Rice is a staple food across
Ghana. Some estimates suggest that rice is the most consumed cereal per capita
after maize ….
This paper uses an innovative
research process to quantify the potential impacts of releasing and adopting
insect-resistant (IR) cowpea and nitrogen-use efficient (NUE) rice in Ghana ….
Ghana’s stakeholders selected the two genetically modified (GM) technologies
discussed here based on their assessment of these GM products’ regulatory
advancement and their economic and political importance …. [T]he authors
estimate that the benefits of adopting IR cowpea are between US$5.5 million and
US$125.3 million, and between US$1.9 million and US$153 million for NUE rice.
These findings underscore the
opportunity for policymakers and decision makers to invest in policies that ….
foster conditions to increase farmers’ and consumers’ uptake of these
technologies. Investments in effective extension practices and seed delivery
might be one such policy that could merit the attention of decision makers.
Festival honours Vietnamese rice’s position
|
|
Wednesday, 2018-12-19 12:27:27
|
|
|
 The logo of Vietnam's national rice brand |
|
NDO – The third Vietnam Rice
Festival, aiming to honour and improve the position of Vietnamese rice in the
world and promote rice production and export, officially opened in the Mekong
River Delta province of Long An, on December 18.
|
|
The logo of Vietnam's national
rice brand was announced at the opening ceremony of the festival.
The festival features numerous
activities, including a rice contest, an exhibition on Vietnamese rice
exports and several important seminars.
Co-organised by the Vietnam
Farmers' Union (VNFU) Central Committee, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development (MARD), the Long An provincial People's Committee, Ho Chi Minh
City Institute of Development Economics Research, Can Tho City Institute for
Socio - Economic Development Studies and the Cuu Long Delta Rice Research
Institute (CLRRI), the event also aims to honour the contributions of
farmers, managers and businesses to Vietnam's agricultural and rice
development.
The third Vietnam Rice Festival
2018, which gathers the participation of 1,058 businesses from 612 localities
in the provinces and cities of the Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City and the
Southeast Region, displays many types of products such as rice, machinery,
equipment for agricultural development, agricultural supplies, green
agricultural products, urban agriculture, high technology agriculture and
other fields.
The event also is considered as
an opportunity for managers, businesses, scientists and farmers to approach
and update market information and advanced technologies in rice production
and business from around the world.
|
A HISTORY OF RICE CRISIS IN THE PHILIPPINES
While the
Philippines is known for its agricultural lands,
the country continues to face recurring rice crises over the years
the country continues to face recurring rice crises over the years
BY ALEX EVANGELISTA
DECEMBER 19, 2018
DECEMBER 19, 2018
Published 11:00 AM, December 19, 2018
Updated 11:00 AM, December 19, 2018
MANILA, Philippines – President
Rodrigo Duterte's administration was mired in rice problems during his second
year in office, pulling it away from his target of 100% rice self-sufficiency
by the end of the year. While cause for deep concern, these issues are not entirely
new to Filipinos.
Soaring prices, weevil infestations, and
the depletion of reserves in
several areas worried Filipinos in 2018, causing an uproar and even raising
questions on the leadership of National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator
Jason Aquino.
The situation hit a low point in
April when Aquino revealed that the agency had only less than two days' worth of buffer
stock. The NFA is required to maintain a 15-day stock at any
given time, and a 30-day stock from July to September to prepare for
calamities.
Filipinos continued to feel the
brunt of the impending crisis, as prices in September reached up to P46 for
well-milled rice, and P43 for regular milled rice.
It was only in October that the
rice situation seemed to have eased, when Duterte finally lifted restrictions on
rice imports to reduce inflation. In the previous year, he discouraged rice importation in order
to protect local rice farmers. (READ: [OPINION] Solving our 'unli' rice
crisis)
The Department of Agriculture also
set suggested retail prices for rice to
combat inflation. Rice prices have gone down week-per-week from October, and
have eased to 8.1%during the
first week of December.
For a country teeming with
agricultural land, the Philippines continues to suffer from rice crises every
few years. Here’s a look at the rice woes that previous administrations had to
deal with in the past.
Marcos administration: 1965-1986
President Ferdinand Marcos opened
his term with the Green Revolution which pioneered scientific research into
high-yielding varieties of rice in the country.
However, things took a turn when
Martial Law was declared and as millions of Filipinos faced a dwindling rice
supply due to various political and environmental factors.
In the 1970s, the country was
visited by strong storms that
caused tremendous damage to the agriculture sector. Things worsened in 1972
when Typhoons Edeng and Gloring ravaged Luzon, causing great floods especially
in the central plains. The country also suffered from a major drought the
months after.
Aside from these, political
tensions in Mindanao and a growing incidence of tungro,
a rice-infecting pest, contributed to low rice supplies.
Local rice production also
dropped to a low 17%. To address this, the government relied on heavy imports
with 455,000 tons in 1972 from just 10 tons in 1968. This, however, failed to
address the problem.
Rice stocks were almost gone in
1973 that they had to mix in corn grits to continue supply. A New York Times reportsaid
that white rice disappeared from the markets and “block-long double lines” of
people waiting for rice rations swamped Manila and other provinces.
It took 6 years before the rice
supply finally stabilized.
Corazon Aquino administration:
1986-1992
Still recovering from the rice
crisis in the 70s and Martial Law, former president Corazon Aquino’s government
was not safe from impending rice issues.
Increases in rice prices were
also felt during this time, brought about by the looming Asian financial crisis
and El Niño. (READ: FAST FACTS: Rice prices in the
Philippines)
A sudden spike in rice imports
was seen from 1988 to 1990, around the same time El Niño affected
agricultural regions such as Cagayan Valley and Southern Mindanao. According to
a PAGASA study, the affected rice and corn area from the 1989-1990 drought
totaled 283,562 hectares.
While Aquino failed to dismantle
the NFA’s monopoly on the international trade of rice, she launched the Grains
Sector Development Program (GDSP) in 1990 which sought to finance agricultural
programs and overcome institutional and investment constraints that can hinder
food security.
However, agreements with
financial companies on the GDSP were only finalized in 2000.
Ramos administration: 1992-1998
Filipinos suffered the brunt of
the 1995 rice crisis in the country which stemmed from poor government
planning. Rice demand increased by 5.7% in that year, but local output was
stagnant due to droughts the year before.
Despite this, Ramos took the
advice of then agriculture secretary Roberto Sebastian to import only about
300,000 metric tons (MT) of rice, as compared to the 700,000 MT suggested by
the NFA.
Price ceilings imposed by the
National Price Coordinating Council, along with panic-buying from consumers,
aggravated the shortage problem. Like Marcos, the Ramos administration resorted
to heavy rice imports, which reached as much as 722,000 MT in 1997, and 2.17
million MT in 1998.
Millions of Filipinos queued for
hours at NFA’s Bigasang Bayan outlets to buy cheaper rice at P10.25
per kilo, as commercial rice prices soared from P21 to P28 per kilo.
Estrada administration: 1998-2001
While there were no huge rice
problems during former president Joseph Estrada’s term, his administration was
the second largest importer since the Marcos era.
Under Estrada, yearly average
rice importation was at 1.02 million MT – nearly double that of the yearly
average importation of 520,562 MT during Ramos’ time.
In 1998 alone, rice imports
reached 2.2 million MT from 722,756.50 MT in the previous year. The huge
increase in imports was influenced by the effects of El
Niño on palayproduction, which prompted the government to seek ways
to stabilize rice prices.
Estrada, however, managed to
increase average rice production growth to 12.47% and imports returned to lower
levels in the next two years at about 800,000 MT.
Arroyo administration: 2001-2010
The Arroyo administration had to
face the 2008 global rice supply crisis that drove international rice rates
upwards.
According to the World Rice
Statistics and Food and Agriculture Organization, the Philippines, despite
being the 8th largest rice producer in 2008 (at 16.8 million MT), was also the
world’s top rice importer (1.8 million tons) which could mean that the country
was directly affected by the crisis.
By March, NFA reserves were down
to up to two weeks' worth of supply, and average price for regular milled rice
had gone up to about P43 per kilo by June – almost a 50% increase from the
usual P25 to P30 per kilo.
The Kilusang Magbubukid ng
Pilipinas (KMP) claimed that Arroyo had known about the impending rice crisis
as early as February that year. It is also important to note that Arroyo,
together with the NFA, signed contracts with other countries like Vietnam in
2007 to import 2.2 million MT – the highest in a decade.
The government, however, was
quick to deny the existence of a rice crisis, insisting only on a “price
crisis.”
These events fueled panic among
Filipinos, who began stockpiling rice in homes and lined up for
government-subsidized NFA rice for cheap prices at P18.25. Due to the huge
number of people lining up, however, NFA had to decrease the limit of rations
from 3 kilos per family to just one.
Arroyo ordered a crackdown on
hoarders and rice smugglers – who allegedly bought subsidized rice and sold
them at higher prices – to “ensure that cheap government rice ends up on the
tables of the intended consumers – the country's poor.”
The rice crisis drove millions of
Filipinos to poverty and hunger. In a study by the Asian Development Bank, the
number of self-rated poor Filipinos peaked at 59% in the second quarter of
2008.
While prices stabilized a year
after, heavy imports continued until the end of Arroyo’s tenure in 2010.
Benigno Aquino III
administration: 2010-2016
AGRICULTURE
DOWN. Production of palay went up by 3.28% but the agriculture sector, as a
whole, slowed down in the first quarter of 2014. AFP file photo
One of former president Benigno
Aquino III’s promises when he started out was to achieve 100% rice self-sufficiency
in the country by 2013. However, he failed to fulfill this promise.
As early as April 2011, just a
year into Aquino’s term, a confidential report by the National Intelligence
Coordinating Agency (Nica) that was leaked to the media warned the former
president of a looming rice shortage brought by changes in the international
food market and weather systems.
Quelling fears, the government
managed to increase rice production in the same year and slashed rice imports
from 1.3 million MT to 660,000 MT. The United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization also saw stable production for the next two years.
It was in 2014 when rice prices
began to rise, with average
retail prices going beyond P40 per kilo, reminiscent of the 2008 rice crisis.
Because of this, the government had to resort to more imports, adding
500,000 MT for immediate importation to the original set imports of 800,000 MT
for the year. (READ: Rice self-sufficiency: A question
of geography?)
Aquino also urged a crackdown
against hoarders who allegedly stockpiled NFA rice for selling at higher
prices. Rice smugglers were also targeted. According to the United States
Department of Agriculture, rice smuggling was more prominent during Aquino’s
time at 2.3 million tons from 2011-2014, as compared to 500,000 tons smuggled
in 2005 to 2009 under Arroyo.
According to the Trade Union
Congress of the Philippines, however, price spikes must not be blamed on
smugglers, but on reduced imports in 2013 in line with the rice
self-sufficiency program.
In 2015, the Philippines was hit
by El Niño which drove prices higher again due to low production.
Rice self-sufficiency fell to
88.93% from 96% in 2013, as imports continued to boom. Aquino managed to boost
this number to 95% by the end of his term in 2016. – Rappler.com
Seed-Co developing rice varieties
By Newsday
December 19, 2018
Regional
seed producer Seed-Co says it is working on developing rice varieties suitable
for the local climatic conditions in order to scale back the country’s reliance
on rice imports.
BY Staff Reporter
Naturally, the cereal requires more water than any other crop;
it grows well in fertile river basins.
Zimbabwe, which is striving to become a food self-reliant
nation, imports upwards of 90% of its rice requirements, with government
estimates putting money spent on rice imports at $80 million annually.
“As Seed-Co, we are working on developing rice varieties; our
research and development department is currently undertaking trials, and soon
we should be able to report back to the market that we have a product,”
regional managing director Denias Zaranyika told journalists in Harare yesterday.
“Almost all the rice that is consumed in this country is
imported mostly from Asian countries, and we are looking to stop that so that
we can produce it on our own and save the scarce foreign currency,” he said.
The top 10 rice-producing countries in the world account for 90%
of the world’s rice consumption. These are India, China, Indonesia, Bangladesh,
Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, the Philippines, Cambodia and Pakistan.Zaranyika
added that the company was also working on developing potato varieties.
Over the past seven years, Seed-Co has invested over $28 million
towards research and development, as the company intensifies efforts to compete
on the global market.This year alone at least $6 million has been budgeted
towards the same cause.
The agro company, which unbundled its regional operations and
subsequently listed on the Botswana Stock Exchange, reported a fair set of
earnings for the half-year to September 30, 2018.
Revenue for the period rose 82% to $29 million from $15 million
during the same period in the prior year, driven by a 115% jump in maize
sales.During the period under review, profit from continuing operations
amounted to $5,9 million from a loss position of $35 million, mainly driven by
earlier than normal timing of maize seed sales as well as growth in finance
income.
Net finance income doubled due to income earned on Treasury
Bills held.
Other income came in 24% lower on account of lower commodity
sales. Operating costs largely remained flat due to cost containment measures
prior to the inflation run that ensued from October.
Margins remained steady due to better product mix. Assets
declined to $191 million from $248 million during the prior comparable period
due to the unbundling of regional operations under Seed Co International that listed
on the Botswana Stock Exchange.
Vietnam Rice Festival kicks off in Long An province
Wednesday,
December 19, 2018 14:04
The third
Vietnam Rice Festival was opened in the Mekong Delta province of Long An last
night with 1,058 stalls of 621 localities and businesses registering to attend
the event.
The festival was organized by
Vietnam Farmers Association, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development,
the People’s Committee of Long An province and Mekong Delta Rice Research
Institute from December 18 to 24.
The organization board has built a
rice path with 600 yellow ripe rice pots meaning for the prosperity and
well-being of Vietnamese rice.
Deputy chairman of Long An province
People’s Committee Nguyen Van Duoc said that the festival aims to honor
contributions by farmers, businesses and government agencies for the
development of agriculture in general and Vietnamese rice in particular.
That is also a chance to honor
organizations, individuals, businesses, farmers and scientists for their
valuable contributions to economic development achievements in the Mekong
Delta.
Within the frameworks of the
festival, there will be two seminars on rice farming adaptation to salt
intrusion and drought and clean rice farming.
Right after the opening ceremony,
the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Vietnamese Farmers
Association organized a ceremony to unveil Vietnamese rice logo.
IIRR
celebrates foundation day with theme ‘Agrarian Change and Agrarian Crisis in
Rural India’
19 December, 2018 3:22 PM IST By: Chander Mohan
Share this
article
The ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice
Research (IIRR), Hyderabad celebrated its 3rd Foundation day. Prof. Gummadi Nancharaiah,
Emeritus Professor, University of Hyderabad and former Vice Chancellor, Dr.
B.R. Ambedkar Central University, Lucknow marked his
presence as the Chief Guest and delivered foundation day lecture. He emphasized
on the problem and said that the benefits of agricultural technologies not
being fully reaped and utilized by the farmers belonging to lower section,
tenant farmers and agricultural laborers. He suggested various measures to
deal promptly with the situation. Prof. P. Anand Kumar,
Emeritus Scientist, ICAR-IIRR was the Guest of Honor for the function.
Dr. S.R. Voleti, Director,
ICAR-IIRR, in his welcome speech, briefed about the historical progress made by
the institute from AICRIP to Directorate of Rice Research culminating to
present upgradation to IIRR. He also discussed about receiving
of Padmasri Awards by two Ex-Directors of the institute - Dr.
S.V.S. Shastry and Dr. E.A. Siddique.
The theme for the Foundation Day
was “Agrarian Change and Agrarian Crisis in Rural India: A Perspective”.
Dr. M. Sheshu Madhav,
Principal Scientist (Crop Improvement); Dr. A.P. Padma Kumari,
Principal Scientist (Crop Protection); Dr. B. Sailaja, Principal Scientist
(Crop Production) and Dr. B. Nirmala, Senior Scientist (Social Sciences)
were also conferred with “Best Research Paper Awards” by the Chief Guest and
other dignitaries during the occasion. The function was attended by the
representatives of local ICAR institutes
It’s Time to Get Arsenic and
Other Toxic Substances Out of Baby Food
It’s time to get arsenic and other heavy metals out of our infants’
diets
Many babies' first solid food is rice cereal. It is a childhood
staple, commonly recommended by pediatricians. And it is often poisoned—at
least a little bit. Studies have found that many brands contain measurable
amounts of inorganic arsenic, the most toxic kind. It's not just rice: an
August 2018 study by Consumer
Reports tested 50 foods made for babies and toddlers,
including organic and nonorganic brands such as Gerber, Earth's Best, Beech-Nut
and other popular labels, and found evidence of at least one dangerous heavy
metal in every product. Fifteen of the 50 contained enough contaminants to pose
potential health risks to a child eating one serving or less a day.
Heavy metals can impair cognitive development in children, who
are especially at risk because of their smaller size and tendency to absorb
more of these substances than adults do. Inorganic arsenic in drinking water
has been found to lower the IQ scores of children by five to six points. And as
heavy metals accumulate in the body over time, they can raise the risk of
cancer, reproductive problems, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and
cognitive issues. Of course, finding out your favorite brand is contaminated is
not a reason to panic. Low levels of exposure for short periods are unlikely to
cause devastating effects, and parents should focus on reducing the overall
levels of these toxic substances in their children's total diet to limit harm.
Heavy metals occur naturally on Earth and are present in soil
and water. But pesticides, mining and pollution boost their concentrations, and
farming and food manufacturing processes can contribute even more. Some crops
inevitably absorb more heavy metals. Rice, for example, readily takes in
arsenic both because of its particular physiology and because it is often grown
in fields flooded with water, which is a primary source of the metal.
Cereal makers are clearly capable of keeping baby food
poison-free: roughly a third of the products Consumer
Reports tested did notcontain
worrisome metal levels. Companies just do not take enough safety steps. “If
industry can do a better job of sourcing the raw food, that would go a long way
[to reduce the danger],” says James Dickerson, chief scientific officer at Consumer Reports. “And then if
[manufacturers] consider contamination through internal pathways—equipment,
processes and the containers they use for the food—I think we can get there.”
Some companies are already trying to investigate the sources of
contamination in their products and reduce them. More should follow and be
transparent about these efforts. But the best chance of real change from food
companies most likely will come with regulation.
Currently there are no U.S. rules on acceptable levels of heavy
metals in baby foods. In 2012, 2015 and 2017 Congress tried and failed to pass
legislation imposing limits on arsenic and lead in fruit juice and rice
products. The FDA proposed issuing new caps on the amount of arsenic allowed in
rice cereal in 2016 and in apple juice in 2013, but neither of these proposals
ever came to fruition. A March 2018 Government Accountability Office report
found that the FDA has not moved quickly enough to finalize the rules or
communicate the potential risk to the public. The agency needs to set safe and
strict targets, supported by scientific studies, for these substances, ideally
by establishing incremental benchmarks that lower the allowable levels over
time.
And this is just a start. In 2018 a group of scientists and
policy experts suggested a variety of interventions at every step of the
pathway from farm to table. These steps would help fight the problem both in
the U.S. and abroad, especially in developing countries where toxic substances
in baby food can be devastating to children who already suffer from poor
nutrition. For one, researchers should conduct more studies on which foods in
our diet are the primary contributors of heavy metals and the best ways to
reduce the contamination in each of those crops. Food manufacturers can do
better and more frequent testing of their source crops as well as their factory
methods. Scientists, doctors and governments can also better communicate these
health risks and the best ways to avoid them to the public. For instance,
cooking rice in copious amounts of water can help flush contaminants out, and
parents should feed babies a variety of grain cereals rather than just rice.
There are many ways to deal with this problem. Congress, the
FDA, the food industry, scientists and doctors should unite to tackle a serious
threat to our most vulnerable population
Việt Nam’s rice trademark unveiled
at festival
|
Update: December, 19/2018 - 09:00
Rice products on display at
exhibition on the sidelines of the 3rd Việt Nam Rice Festival.—VNS Photo
Hoàng Nguyên
|
The winning logo features an ear of rice with
rice leaves shaped as the image of chim lạc (legendary birds).
The phrase ‘Việt Nam Rice’ is
written on the green oval-shaped logo.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development (MARD) last year launched a logo design contest for the Vietnamese rice
trademark with the aim to promote the reputation of the country’s rice.
The contest, which received nearly 500 entries
from across the country and abroad, was part of a project to develop Việt
Nam’s rice brand.
According to Nguyễn
Quốc Toản,
acting director of MARD’s Agricultural Market Processing and Development, Việt Nam had filed an international
trademark registration application to the Madrid system - a system built on the
basis of the Madrid Protocol and the Madrid Agreement - for its rice in April
2017.
With the participation of 62 countries in the
agreement, it is considered a regimen to obtain protection worldwide for Việt Nam’s rice.
After the application is viewed by all members
of the Madrid system, MARD will work with relevant agencies and businesses to
adopt regulations on the use of the logo on the global market.
|
image:
http://image.vietnamnews.vn//uploadvnnews/Article/2018/12/18/rice197993500PM.jpg
 |
|
Việt Nam’s rice brand logo was
unveiled at the 3rd Việt Nam Rice Festival, held in Tân An City in Long An
Province on December 18.—VNS Photo Hoàng Nguyên
|
According to the ministry, the introduction of
the logo would have significant meaning for the rice industry.
It would promote Vietnamese rice in the global
market, and encourage businesses and farmers to invest in producing higher
quality rice.
As of November this year, Việt Nam had shipped around 5.63 million
tonnes of rice for US$2.83 billion. The figures are expected to rise to 6.15
million tonnes and $3.15 billion by the end of the year, an increase of 5.7 per
cent and 19.6 per cent respectively year-on-year.
Around 80 per cent of the grain exported was
fragrant rice, which was an advantage that Việt
Nam should take advantage of, according to Toản.
Việt
Nam’s rice is sold in 150 markets around the world with Asian markets
accounting for more than 68 per cent of the total export volume.
The one-week festival, co-organised by the Việt
Nam Farmer’s Union, MARD and Long An Province’s People’s Committee, also
features a wide range of activities, including an exhibition on rice production
and export achievements, machinery and materials used in the agricultural
sector, and a rice quality contest.
The exhibition, which was attended by 1,100
enterprises and localities, served as a platform for farmers and businesses to
promote their products and for organisers to strengthen links between farmers,
businesses and other stakeholders.
In addition, two workshops on saline intrusion
and drought and on promoting Vietnamese rice will be held on December 20 and 21
with input from industry experts and climate change scientists.
A special publication on Việt
Nam’s rice, to be published on the occasion, aims to honour scientists,
researchers, businesses and farmers who have contributed to the development of
the rice industry.—VNS
Read more at http://vietnamnews.vn/society/482343/viet-nams-rice-trademark-unveiled-at-festival.html#XRA7qafQAbgCkmj2.99
Export
Promotion: TDAP, REAP to work together for resolving regulatory issues
Trade Development Authority of
Pakistan (TDAP) is making efforts to facilitate the trade bodies in resolving
their regulatory issues with different Government agencies so that exporters
can invariably focus on their export activities, Mr. Riaz Ahmad , Director
General, TDAP RD-Central, expressed these views while chairing a meeting with
Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP)’s delegation headed by Mr. Safder
Hussain Mehkri.
During the meeting, matters related to defunct Quality Review
Committee were discussed. It was explained that there is a dire need to conduct
research for rice sector. New markets for rice exports are also needed to be
explored as appreciated by Chairman. The meeting was concluded with vote of
thanks from Mr. Riaz Ahmad to Chairman REAP and other senior office bearers of
REAP.***
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/407771-export-promotion-tdap-reap-to-work-together-for-resolving-regulatory-issues
