NFA bidding out
milled rice supply deal
By: Ronnel W. Domingo
@inquirerdotnet
Philippine Daily Inquirer
12:26 AM June 16th, 2015
The National Food Authority is rebidding Tuesday a contract for
the importation of 100,000 tons of milled rice as the Philippines is expected
to remain among the world’s top rice importers in 2016.This volume formed part
of the 250,000 tons programmed for importation in the third quarter.In a
government-to-government auction held at NFA headquarters last week, the NFA
awarded a contract for only 150,000 tons worth $61.5 million to Vietnam Southern
Food Corp.Offers for the remaining 100,000 tons went above the NFA budget so
the NFA decided to reject the bids and hold another bidding Tuesday for the
remainder of the requirement.Joseph dela Cruz, chair of the bidding committee,
said the latest importation was expected to be delivered by July 15.In the
meantime, Economic Research Service, a unit of the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA-ERS), said the Philippines was expected to outsource between
a million and 2 million tons of the staple grain next year.
The forecast import volume is the same as those of the European
Union, Iran, Iraq, Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and South
Africa.In an earlier forecast, the USDA-ERS penciled in 1.7 million tons for
the Philippines’ importation this year.“Trade in 2016 (forecast at 42.5 million
tons worldwide) would be the third largest on record,” the American agency
said. “China is projected to remain the number one rice-importing country,
taking a record 4.7 million tons of rice in 2016, up 7 percent from 2015,
despite a record crop.”In the Philippines, the stock of milled rice rose for
the second month in a row, hitting 3.17 million tons as of May 1, according to
the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
MQM seeks $2 billion under CPEC
package for Karachi uplift
June 16, 2015
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)
on Monday urged the government to allocate $2 billion for the development of
Karachi under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) package. The MQM also
demanded apology on the floor of the House by the Prime Minister on his
statement about "Even if a fly dies, a protest strike is called in
Karachi". Taking part in the
budget debate in the National Assembly, MQM leader Sheikh Salahuddin also urged
more allocation of resources to address problems being faced by Karachi like
terrorism, unemployment and water shortage.
He said that the budget would
increase inflation and the poor class will have to bear much burden. The MQM leader further said that the
government has also proposed tax on second hand clothes and made it difficult
for the poor to buy even second hand clothes. The government should announce
more development projects like the metro bus to overcome transportation
problems in Karachi, he added. Nasir Iqbal Bosal said Pakistan was exporting 75
percent rice to Iran; however India sent a team to Iran and convinced them for
importing India rice, which negatively hit our exports. He urged the government
to form a team and send to Iran for convincing them to buy Pakistani rice to
give farmers a relief. He further said that the government should convince
China to import Pakistani rice of low standard as it is the biggest importer.
Bosal said the country's economy can be strengthened by promoting agriculture
and resolving problems being faced by the farmers.
Ghous Bux Mahar called for
reduction in duration of load shedding and demanded duty on import of solar
panels to promote use of solar energy. He further said every developed country
gives subsides and incentives to agriculture sector, however in Pakistan it is
being neglected. Agriculture sector should be given importance to increase
growth rate of the country. Ali
Gohar Khan Mahar demanded special development package for Ghotki district to
overcome lack of educational, health and infrastructure facilities. About 200
oil wells are there in Ghotki and due to heavy traffic, roads are destroyed but
no maintenance is being carried out.
http://www.brecorder.com/business-a-economy/189/1197044/
North Korea says hit by worst drought in 100 years
SEOUL
Reclusive North Korea said on Tuesday it has been hit by the
worst drought in a century, compounding chronic food shortages in a country
where the United Nations says almost one third of children under five are
stunted due to malnourishment.The North's KCNA news agency said paddies around
the country including the main rice farming regions of Hwanghae and Phyongan
provinces were drying up due to lack of rainfall. Paddies require enough water
to keep rice plants partially submerged to grow."The worst drought in 100
years continues in the DPRK, causing great damage to its agricultural
field," KCNA said, using the short form for the North's official name, the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea.The U.N. resident coordinator for North
Korea, Ghulam Isaczai, last month warned of a looming crisis due to last year's
drought caused by the lowest rainfall in 30 years.
Isaczai said he thought the food situation would not be as bad
as in previous major droughts, since communities were now more resilient and
might have some reserves.North Korea's farm production periodically suffers
from droughts and floods in the summer, although the state has learned to cut
damage by updating farming methods and switching to crops other than rice in
recent years.North Korea suffered a deadly famine in the 1990s and has relied
on international food aid, but support has fallen sharply in recent years
because of its restrictions on humanitarian workers and reluctance to allow
monitoring of food distribution.The United Nations in April called for $111
million to fund crucial humanitarian needs this year in North Korea, which it
said remains drastically under-funded.Funding for U.N. agencies in North Korea
fell from $300 million in 2004 to less than $50 million in 2014 and the country
urgently needs money for food and agriculture, health and nutrition, and water
and sanitation programmes, the world body said.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/06/16/us-northkorea-drought-idUKKBN0OW1E920150616
PH approves 805,200 T rice imports by private
traders
Reuters
Posted at 06/16/2015 1:38 PM
MANILA - The Philippines' state grains agency said on Tuesday it
has approved guidelines for the import of up to 805,200 tons of rice by private
traders, with shipments required to arrive not later than Nov. 30.Private rice
traders will be allowed to bid for import permits, with tariff for the shipment
pegged at 35 percent, at a date to be announced later, the National Food
Authority (NFA) said in a memorandum, a copy of which was obtained by
Reuters.Under the guidelines, private traders are allowed to import up to 293,100
tons each from Thailand and Vietnam, up to 50,000 tons each from China, India
and Pakistan, 15,000 tons from El Salvador and the rest from any other
countries.The volume will be in addition to the rice imports by the NFA under
deals with the governments of Vietnam and Thailand.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/06/16/15/ph-approves-805200-t-rice-imports-private-traders
Gov't to try to import rice again
ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted
at 06/15/2015 1:03 PM
MANILA - Government is taking a second shot at importing rice
ahead of the lean season that starts next month after failing to buy as much as
it wanted two weeks ago.A report from Reuters said the Philippines will invite
bids for 100,000 tons of rice from Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia.Government
bought 150,000 tons from Vietnam earlier this month when it wanted to buy
250,000 from any or all of the three countries.The Philippines needs to import
rice as dry weather from El Nino cuts local production, raising the possibility
of shortages.A failure to import last year resulted in a spike in rice prices
and general inflation. -- AN
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/06/15/15/govt-try-import-rice-again
North Korea says hit by worst drought in 100 years
North Korea has been hit by what it describes as its worst
drought in a century, which could worsen chronic food shortages in a country
where the United Nations says almost a third of children under five are stunted
because of poor nutrition.The country suffered a devastating famine in the
1990s and has relied on international food aid, but support has fallen sharply
in recent years, because of its curbs on humanitarian workers and reluctance to
allow monitoring of food distribution.The North's KCNA news agency said late on
Tuesday that paddies around the country, including the main rice farming regions
of Hwanghae and Phyongan provinces, were drying up for lack of rain. Rice must
be partly submerged in order to grow.
"The worst drought in 100 years continues in the DPRK,
causing great damage to its agricultural field," KCNA said, using the
short form of the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of
Korea.South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles ties with the North,
did not have a comment on Wednesday about the report.North Korea's farm
production periodically suffers from droughts and floods in the summer,
although the state has learned to cut damage by updating farming methods and
switching to crops other than rice in recent years.Thomas Lehman, Denmark's
ambassador to both North and South Korea, told Reuters that on a visit to the
North late last month he could "clearly see" attempts to deal with
the drought in its fields."The lack of water has created a lot of damage
to the so-called spring crop, and the rice planting is extremely difficult
without sufficient water," said Lehman, who has spoken to U.N. officials
about the drought, and visited drought-hit areas.
North Korea has mounted a campaign encouraging the public to
help out on farms, and is using mobile water pumps run on diesel and longer
pipes to draw water into fields."Farm managers reported receiving training
in dry rice planting techniques and other measures that they were trying to
conserve water," said Linda Lewis of the American Friends Service
Committee, a group that runs farm projects in the North.
The U.N. resident coordinator for North Korea, Ghulam Isaczai,
warned in a Reuters interview last month of a looming crisis due to last year's
drought, caused by the lowest rainfall in 30 years.At the time, Isaczai said he
thought the food situation would not be as bad as in previous major droughts,
since communities were now more resilient and might have reserves.In April, the
United Nations called for $111 million to fund crucial humanitarian needs this
year in North Korea, which it said remains drastically under-funded.Funding for
U.N. agencies in North Korea fell to less than $50 million in 2014, from $300
million in 2004.North Korea relies heavily on hydroelectric power and suffers
from chronic electricity shortages, which can be exacerbated by periods of no rain.
South Korea has also received
sharply lower rainfall, particularly in the northern regions, which have got
about half the rain of an average year, the national weather agency says.In
early June, Pyongyang's propaganda officials produced two new posters and
slogans to spur the fight on drought."Let's mobilize the masses and fight
with all our strength against the drought," read one poster that showed a
smiling farmer gesturing towards a field of workers with red flags and spades.
(Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/17/us-northkorea-drought-idUSKBN0OW1E920150617
Maize
imports rise as rice exports fall
|
|
Viet Nam Southern Food Corp workers pack rice at a warehouse in
the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho. The country's rice exports declined in the
first five months of this year. — VNA/VNS Photo Dinh Hue
|
HCM
CITY (VNS) — Maize imports in the first five months of 2015 are on the
rise but rice exports are on the decline, according to figures from the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.Viet Nam imported 2.87 million
tonnes of maize, worth US$622 million, up by 30.3 per cent in volume, and an
increase of 16.8 per cent in value compared with the same period last year.
The country also imported 700,000 tonnes of beans and other
materials for processing of animal feed worth nearly $1.4 billion.Meanwhile,
exports of rice from Viet Nam over the same period reached 2.08 million tonnes,
worth $875 million, a decline of 255,000 tonnes in volume and $138 million in
values over 2014.In all, the value of imported animal feed and other materials
for the food processing industry in the first five months amounted to nearly
$2.3 billion, nearly triple the total value of rice exports over the same
period.Authorities have been urged to re-structure the country's planting
systems, aiming to reduce material imports while easing the pressure on rice
consumption.The programme to re-structure rice plantation to other crops
including maize began in 2013 when the country's rice exports were stagnant.
However, the programme has faced challenges in many localities
across the country.The slump in the world's farm produce prices, including
maize prices, has caused local agricultural products to be less competitive
than imported goods.Maize prices have dropped to less than VND5,000 per kg
since the end of 2014, making maize growers' profits lower than rice growers'.It
has forced many farmers to return to rice cultivation.Huynh The Nang, chairman
of Vietnamese Food Association, said that global demand for rice had changed
greatly compared to five to 10 years ago. Rice growing countries have
increasingly raised their output, while rice buyers have also been promoting
rice production."It's time for Viet Nam to re-consider rice production and
exports with an aim to raise the added value of this product and a bigger
effort to change rice into more necessary crops," he said. —VNS
http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/271783/maize-imports-rise-as-rice-exports-fall.html
NFA rejects rice supply offers
All offers, both initial and revised, are above the reference
price, the National Food Authority says
Rappler.com
6:16 PM, Jun 16, 2015
Updated 6:16 PM, Jun 16, 2015
REJECTED. The National Food
Authority (NFA) on Tuesday, June 16 rejects offers for the supply of 100,000
metric tons (MT) of rice as both initial and revised orders are above the
reference price.MANILA, Philippines – The National Food Authority (NFA) on
Tuesday, June 16, rejected offers for the supply of 100,000 metric tons (MT) of rice as both initial and revised orders were above the reference
price.
The NFA Council is expected to
decide Wednesday, June 17, based on the provisions of the terms of reference of
the tender, if the lowest offer for the day, $416.85 per metric ton (MT), may
be considered for award.The offer was made by Vietnam’s Southern Food
Corporation (Vinafood 2) against the reference price of $408.14 per MT. All initial offers from the governments of
Thailand (represented by the Department of Foreign Trade); Vietnam (Vinafood2);
and Cambodia (Green Trade Company/Cambodia Rice Federation) were way above the
reference price with offers of $418 per MT, $417 per MT, and $459.50
respectively.
Thailand declined to make another offer.
“The price is too low, it is even lower than the last
(reference) price,” said Malou de Leon, marketing officer of the commercial
affairs of the Royal Thai embassy.Cambodia and Vietnam then revised their
offers to $455.50 per MT and $416.85 per MT respectively.De la Cruz said the 3
countries likely placed high offers because they have other markets or buyers
who can buy at higher prices. China, for instance, is keen on importing around
2 million MT, an attractive supply destination for major rice exporters.
Patricia Galang de Jesus, lawyer and executive assistant to the
NFA administrator, said the agency is deferring the decision, saying that under
the terms of reference, the mechanism is that NFA should reject the offers – if
these are above the reference price.“But the second sentence says the revised
offers will be evaluated based on the lowest price [thus] we are referring the
matter to the NFA Council for their decision,” De Jesus said.NFA bids and
awards committee chair Joseph de la Cruz said another option for the council is
to order a fresh tender using a new reference price. He added there is no
precedence to considering the lowest revised offer and that the agency may be
questioned by the state auditors.
Why import?
The 100,000 MT of rice should be imported by August to boost the NFA’s buffer stock for the lean
season.The government was able to
procure only about 150,000 MT of the 250,000 MT programmed rice importation for
buffer stocking in the second half of the year.De la Cruz said domestic stocks
are still abundant as traders and millers have large inventories at hand.The
government, however, has to pursue the importation of the remaining volume
under the programmed importation to secure buffer stock in the event of
calamities. This will allow them to respond to relief requirements.NFA maintains
a stockpile sufficient for 24 days equivalent to 750,000 MT. The state grains
procurement agency is mandated to maintain a buffer stock sufficient for 30
days. – Rappler.com
http://www.rappler.com/business/industries/247-agriculture/96558-nfa-rejects-rice-supply-offers
Vietnam’s rice exports hit 2m tones in last 5
months
HANOI:
Viet Nam earned some US$875 million from shipping nearly 2.1 million tonnes of
rice abroad in the first five months of 2015, according to the Viet Nam Food
Association (VFA).The VFA recorded year-on-year declines of 10.7 per cent in
volume and 13.6 per cent in value for rice exports. In May alone, the volume of rice exports posted a monthly decrease
of 19 per cent, mainly as a result of pressure to sell inventory and
low-quality rice stemming from Thailand and India, the Nhan Dan (People)
newspaper quoted the source as saying.According to the VFA, the reasons for the
decline are China’s adjustments to its import quota policies and limited
transactions, even across the border, and the selling of rice in stock from
Thailand and India.Asia remains the largest continent to import rice from Viet
Nam, having purchased some 1.45 million tonnes of the product and accounting
for more than 69 per cent of the country’s rice export value, followed by
Africa and the Americas.Last month, Viet Nam secured a number of important
contracts with key markets such as the Philippines, Malaysia and Cuba, while
increasing its market share in the Pacific countries and Africa
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- Jun 16
Nagpur, June 16 Gram and tuar prices moved down in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and
Marketing Committee (APMC) here on poor buying support from local millers amid high moisture
content arrival. Government decision to import pulses, fresh fall in Madhya Pradesh pulses and
downward trend on NCDEX also pushed down prices. Pre-monsoon rains yesterday evening in parts of
Vidarbha affected arrival, according to sources.
* * * *
FOODGRAINS & PULSES
GRAM
* Gram varieties ruled steady in open market here but demand was poor.
TUAR
* Tuar gavarani and tuar Karnataka reported down in open market in absence of buyers
amid profit-taking selling by stockists at higher level.
* Lakhodi dal and watana varieties quoted weak in open market here on lack of buying
support from local traders amid good supply from producing belts.
* In Akola, Tuar - 7,300-7,700, Tuar dal - 10,100-10,500, Udid at 9,100-9,600,
Udid Mogar (clean) - 10,700-11,100, Moong - 9,000-9,200, Moong Mogar
(clean) 10,700-11,100, Gram - 4,200-4,500, Gram Super best bold - 6,100-6,300
for 100 kg.
* Wheat, rice and other commodities remained steady in open market in poor trading
activity, according to sources.
Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg
FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close
Gram Auction 3,400-4,450 3,500-4,640
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction 6,000-7,050 6,200-7,120
Moong Auction n.a. 6,000-6,300
Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500
Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800
Gram Super Best Bold 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000
Gram Super Best n.a.
Gram Medium Best 5,500-5,600 5,500-5,600
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a.
Gram Mill Quality 5,200-5,400 5,200-5,400
Desi gram Raw 4,400-4,450 4,400-4,450
Gram Filter new 5,600-5,800 5,600-5,800
Gram Kabuli 5,500-7,000 5,500-5,700
Gram Pink 6,400-6,600 6,400-6,600
Tuar Fataka Best 10,500-10,800 10,500-10,800
Tuar Fataka Medium 9,900-10,300 9,900-10,300
Tuar Dal Best Phod 9,500-9,700 9,500-9,700
Tuar Dal Medium phod 8,800-9,300 8,800-9,300
Tuar Gavarani New 7,300-7,400 7,400-7,500
Tuar Karnataka 7,900-8,000 8,000-8,100
Tuar Black 11,000-11,300 11,000-11,300
Masoor dal best 8,000-8,200 8,000-8,200
Masoor dal medium 7,500-7,900 7,500-7,900
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold 10,500-10,800 10,500-10,800
Moong Mogar Medium best 9,800-10,300 9,800-10,300
Moong dal Chilka 9,200-9,600 9,200-9,600
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 9,600-9,900 9,600-9,900
Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG) 11,500-11,750 11,500-11,750
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 10,600-10,800 10,600-10,800
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 8,900-9,200 8,900-9,200
Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 4,200-4,400 4,200-4,400
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 3,200-3,350 3,300-3,350
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 3,300-3,400 3,400-3,500
Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,100 3,100-3,150
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 3,600-4,500 3,600-4,600
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,400-1,600 1,400-1,600
Wheat Mill quality(100 INR/KG) 1,550-1,650 1,550-1,650
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 1,400-1,600 1,400-1,600
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) 3,100-3,600 3,100-3,600
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,700-2,900 2,700-2,900
Wheat 147 (100 INR/KG) 1,400-1,500 1,400-1,500
Wheat Best (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,100 1,900-2,100
Rice BPT New(100 INR/KG) 2,600-2,800 2,600-2,800
Rice BPT (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,100 2,900-3,100
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 1,500-1,750 1,500-1,750
Rice Swarna new (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,300 2,100-2,300
Rice Swarna old (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,700 2,400-2,700
Rice HMT new(100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,600 3,000-3,600
Rice HMT (100 INR/KG) 3,700-4,100 3,700-4,100
Rice HMT Shriram New(100 INR/KG) 4,200-4,500 4,200-4,500
Rice HMT Shriram old (100 INR/KG) 4,400-4,900 4,400-4,900
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 8,200-10,200 8,200-10,200
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 6,000-7,200 6,000-7,200
Rice Chinnor new (100 INR/KG) 4,600-4,800 4,700-4,900
Rice Chinnor (100 INR/KG) 5,400-5,900 5,500-6,000
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,450 2,200-2,450
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600
WEATHER (NAGPUR)
Maximum temp. 34.4 degree Celsius (95.3 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp.
24.9 degree Celsius (78.6 degree Fahrenheit)
Humidity: Highest - n.a., lowest - n.a.
Rainfall : 3.4 mm
FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Rains or thunder-showers likely towards evening or night. Maximum
and minimum temperature would be around and 35 and 23 degree Celsius respectively.
Note: n.a.--not available
(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices.)
http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/06/16/nagpur-foodgrain-idINL3N0Z23AD20150616
It's So Bad in
Greece, People Are Moving Back in With Their Parents
Youth joblessness is still alarmingly high, while fertility
has cratered
June 16, 2015 — 11:46 AM PDT
Visitors
pass a view of the Acropolis Hill as they walk through the Acropolis museum in
Athens.
Photographer: Kostas
Tsironis/Bloomberg
Moving out of the house you grew up in is a rite of
passage. Moving back in with your parents is a cry for help.In Greece,
it's come to just that.The number of people too broke to afford their own
place has ballooned since 2010, when the Mediterranean nation's economic woes
began. The share of momma's boys (and girls) between the ages of 18 and
34 has grown to 63.5 percent, according to Eurostat, the European Union's
statistics agency. More than half of those between 25 and 34 live at home.
The only country that can hold a torch to Greece is Italy,
where it's a cliché how much kids love their mothers. Yet the reasons
why so many adult children live with their parents is very much grounded in
hard economic facts. Two factors are critical:
Zero job prospects
Looking at Greece's youth unemployment numbers, where more than
half of people under 25 are out of work, it's hardly surprising many of
them settle for free home-cooked meals and their childhood rooms.
Declining fertility
People in Greece just aren't
making babies. And who can blame them? Raising a family is expensive. What that
means is that the population just keeps getting older, which leaves a shrinking
workforce bearing the brunt of higher pension costs as more people retire.
For now, the parents are sustaining their adult children, but
pretty soon it's going to be the other way around. And then what?
http://www.bloomberg.com/
Amid Thai Water Shortages, Rice Farmers Defy Orders And Plant Crops
A farmer displays a pile of rice during a rally outside Thailand's
Finance Ministry in Bangkok, March 13, 2014.Reuters/Kerek Wongsa
The Thai government wants rice growers to delay planting their
crops because of severe nationwide water shortages, but a leader of central
plain rice farmers said Tuesday that most would defy the order because any
delay would risk the loss of the entire harvest, reports the
Bangkok Post. As an El Niño pattern, which brings heat and drought to
Southeast Asia, begins in the Pacific Ocean, rice paddies are quickly losing
water.
Khwanchai Mahachuenjai, deputy head of the Farmers Network of the
Central Region, said few growers would follow the Royal Irrigation Department's
orders to delay planting their main rice crop until July. A general drought in
the region caused by El Niño is expected to cause the price of rice, the food
staple for half the world's population, to surge by 40 percent,
the Bangkok Post previously reported.
"This time farmers will go ahead, whether they must find
water themselves or just hope for rain," Mahachuenjai told the Bangkok
Post. "They will take their chances. If they do not, then they will have
no income this year because later this year water coming downstream from the
north will inundate their paddy fields and rice cannot grow then."Agriculture
and Cooperatives Minister Pitipong Phuengboon Na Ayudhaya has said existing
reservoirs would be able to water only the 3.4 million rai (about 1.34 million
acres) of paddies already planted, according to the Bangkok Post. The
government is ordering the other 4 million rai to be planted in late July, when
normal levels of rainfall are supposed to return.
Wichien Phuanglamjiak, president of the Thai Agriculturist
Association, demanded Tuesday that the government provide rice growers
compensation for the delay from water shortages, along with a three-year debt
moratorium. In 2013, Thailand's government began buying domestic rice at
an above-market rate in an attempt to cut exports and control the price of rice
in the global market. In order to boost farmers' income, the government started
stockpiling what is now 14 million tons of rice, which it expected to sell
internationally at a higher price, according to the
Wall Street Journal.The strategy backfired. India and Vietnam began selling
more rice at lower prices, leaving Thailand with a huge debt and no easy way to
sell the rice. With Thailand now facing a drought that could cause a rice
shortage, the government's massive stores have begun to rot, according to a
previous article by the Bangkok Post.
http://www.ibtimes.com/amid-thai-water-shortages-rice-farmers-defy-orders-plant-crops-1969001
Monsoon to remain active over central and east India
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM,
JUNE 16:VINSON KURIAN
The monsoon did not make further progress towards North on
Tuesday, apparently waiting for the Bay of Bengal to get active and push more
rain into central and east India. Global models have been suggesting the
formation of a low-pressure area off the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha coast this week
to boost the monsoon in the region.
‘Low’ expected
India Met Department has spotted an upper air cyclonic circulation over
west-central Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coasts. Its
projections too favour the formation of a ‘low,’ which would cross coast and
travel almost along a straight line across central India towards Mumbai-Gujarat.This
would likely bring another round of heavy to very heavy rainfall over central
India and west India, covering Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather
Forecasts and the US Climate Prediction Centre agree with this outlook.The US
Centre predicts that the rains will cover entire east India and northern parts
of northwest India (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir) by
June 28.
Dipole event
The Application Laboratory (APL) of Jamstec, the
Japanese national forecaster, persists with the outlook that the Indian Ocean
would witness a ‘positive dipole phase’ soon.It could start influencing the
regional weather (which includes Indian monsoon) from August, the APL said in
its latest update.Indian Ocean Dipole mimics El Nino-La Nina in the equatorial
Pacific; the positive phase is when the western part of the ocean warms up
relative to the east, and vice versa.The positive dipole phase has come to the rescue
of the Indian monsoon in the past, notably in 1997, which was a strong El Nino
year.
July trend
It will be interesting to watch how this El Nino year
plays out with a positive phase of the dipole being forecast.The Japanese
forecaster also said that India would likely witness a deficient monsoon in
July.August may turn predictably better with excess rain seen for central India
and parts of adjoining north-west and east India. South India too may get good
precipitation. But come September, the situation may reverse again with rain
deficit forecast for most parts except in the east and north-east.This goes to
cast doubts on the strength or tenure of the positive dipole event.Earlier on
Tuesday, the Australian Met Bureau credited the good monsoon to unexpected
support from the higher levels of the atmosphere in the form of a passing wave
to the east.
(This article was published on June 16, 2015)
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/agri-biz/monsoon-to-remain-active-over-central-and-east-india/article7322483.ece
CME
Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
CME
Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for June 16
|
July 2015
|
$9.800
|
+ $0.025
|
|
September 2015
|
$10.060
|
+ $0.025
|
|
November 2015
|
$10.345
|
+ $0.040
|
|
January 2016
|
$10.605
|
+ $0.040
|
|
March 2016
|
$10.790
|
+ $0.030
|
|
May 2016
|
$10.790
|
+ $0.030
|
|
July 2016
|
$10.790
|
+ $0.030
|
Head outside to one of Burnaby’s scenic patios
by Tara Lee on June 10th, 2015 at 2:29 PM
Pleasant spots to relax over an al-fresco meal in the
’burbs include the stately Hart House Restaurant.
Sitting on the patio of Hart House Restaurant (6664 Deer Lake Avenue) in Burnaby is an idyllic experience. The
serene waters of Deer Lake shimmer in the distance, and right before 
you is the lawn where you can play croquet
or bocce if the mood strikes. This outdoor dining area is just one of the many
gorgeous Burnaby patios that warrant a visit.Over the phone, Hart House’s
general manager, Edwyn Kumar, suggests enjoying their weekly three-course
chef’s menu ($38) on the patio, with items like roasted sunchoke soup and
sous-vide sockeye salmon that showcase executive chef Mike Genest’s adept use
of local, seasonal ingredients. This month, the restaurant will also be
offering Champagne de Venoge by the glass ($18). As well, Hart House hosts
stylish alfresco events on its grounds, like a Mediterranean Garden Party on
July 22 ($68 per person), which includes winetastings, a Mediterranean-inspired
buffet, and live music.
Riverway Clubhouse.
Nongolfers may not be in the know about two
of Burnaby’s most scenic patios, at theRiverway (9001 Bill Fox Way) and Burnaby Mountain (7600 Halifax Street)clubhouses, both run by the City of
Burnaby. Of the two, Riverway’s is particularly spectacular, with its modern
wood-beam design and sweeping views of the golf greens and water.The Burnaby
Mountain patio was completely renovated this year, with elegant lounge and
table seating and views of the golf course. During a phone chat, Hugh Izumi,
general manager of both clubhouses, is particularly excited about their new
“feast for two” platters. The barbecue one features half a roasted
lemon-and-mustard chicken, a rack of barbecued baby back ribs, fries, coleslaw,
market veggies, grilled corn, and caesar salad or organic greens. The surf ’n’
turf platter includes a grilled 10-ounce Angus rib-eye, a pesto prawn kebab,
crispy calamari, and Salt Spring Island mussels. Get to both patios early to
snag seats.
Personas at the Grand Villa
Casino.
The patio at Personas (4331 Dominion Street) at the Grand Villa Casino is an
impressively lavish new space, perfect for chic sun- and food-worshipping. This
under-the-radar spot seats 100, and includes a circular bar area, lounge and
table seating, and a communal table, as well as fire pits and water features.
Live music throughout the summer adds to the ambiance.Personas’ menu includes
accessible options like California sushi tacos, tomato and bocconcini salad,
and a chicken and Belgian waffle sandwich. Their Express Lunch items, such as a
Mediterranean grilled vegetable wrap, will have you in and out in 45 minutes, aided
by free valet parking from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
High atop Burnaby Mountain you’ll find the
patio at Simon Fraser University’s Highland Pub (8888 University Drive), run by SFU’s student society and serviced
by friendly student employees. Leaning back on comfy lounge seating, you can
appreciate the clean lines of the campus architecture as envisioned by Arthur
Erickson and Geoffrey Massey. Expect pub favourites like a flame-grilled
sirloin burger, rustic vegetable chili, and of course the well-known nachos grande—as
well as draft beers like Big Rock Grasshopper Wheat Ale and Honey Brown Lager.Also
on Burnaby Mountain is Horizons Restaurant (100 Centennial Way), with a highly-sought-after patio that’s
set to open for the season in the last week of June (weather permitting). “It
has one of the best views anywhere, honestly. It looks downtown, it looks into
Burrard Inlet. You can see the North Shore,” says Diane Summers, senior
manager, during a phone interview.
After taking in the surrounding landscape,
she suggests ordering the seared albacore tuna with a citrus-y quinoa,
cucumber, and fennel salad, or the curry-spiced cornmeal-crusted rockfish with
sea scallops and saffron basmati rice. The dessert sampler—with blueberry bread
pudding, chocolate pâté, and crème brûlée—makes the view that much better.The
recently opened Burnaby location of Glowbal Group’s successful Trattoria (4501 Kingsway) will be launching its patio in the next
week or so. “It’s a Tuscan Italian garden on Kingsway, with a lot of hanging
flower baskets, flowerpots, and nice banquettes,” says owner Emad Yacoub over
the phone. He explains that they’ll be expanding the about-to-open patio into
an even larger, splashier year-round one by the fall. Start with the bruschetta
sampler trio before choosing from pastas, like the must-have truffle cream
spaghetti and meatballs, and pizzas, such as one with prosciutto, arugula, and
burrata.And with this summer promising to be a hot one, you’ll have plenty of
cloudless days for relaxing on one of these patios.
Enrollment
Open for USDA's ARC and PLC Programs
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|
WASHINGTON, DC -- Yesterday, the
U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that the Agriculture Risk Coverage
(ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for 2014 and 2015 will
officially be open for enrollment tomorrow, June 17, until September 30.
Eligible producers had until April 7 to elect whether they
participated in the ARC or the PLC program until 2018 when the current farm
bill is set to expire. Nationwide, PLC was the program of choice for rice
producers - USDA announced that PLC was selected by 99 percent of long grain
rice farms and 94 percent of medium grain rice farms.
John Owen, a rice farmer from
Rayne, Louisiana, and chairman of the USA Rice Government Affairs Committee
said, "USA Rice strongly advocated for a farm safety net program that
allowed growers to select which programs worked best for their operation and
we're grateful that adequate options were included in the final bill."
Owen continued, "Rice
growers are experiencing tough times and the safety net provided by the farm
bill will help some of us maintain our operations while commodity markets are
depressed." Producers are asked to visit their local Farm Service
Agency (FSA) office to formally sign a contract enrolling their operation in
ARC or PLC by September 30, 2015, if they wish to participate.
|
Third
rice auction attracts 40 bidders
16 Jun 2015 at 16:46 WRITER: ONLINE REPORTERS
A
bidder examines the quality of rice put up for auction by the Foreign Trade
Department in rice auction, thailand rice stockpile.A total of 40 bidders
submitted prices for a share of the 1.06 million tonnes of rice offered for
auction by the Commerce Ministry’s Foreign Trade Department on Tuesday morning.There
were 43 firms qualified to bid, but three decided not to take part in the third
stockpiled-rice auction of this year. They were not confident of the quality of
the grain, but admitted the auction was well timed as there is no freshly
harvested rice on the market.The third auction attracted less attention than
tthe first two, which had 96 and 45 bidders.
Since
taking power, the National Council for Peace and Order government has held six
auctions to release 2.01 million tonnes of rice worth 23.37 billion baht.
Around 16 million tonnes still remain in the government stockpile, but only 2.6
million tonnes of good quality rice.The government has already indicated that
the deteriorated rice may be sold off for industrial use, such as cattle feed.The
rice accumulated in the government stockpile under the policy implemented by
the previous Yingluck Shinawatra government, which later led to the impeachment
of the former prime minister on charges of dereliction of duty for failing to
stop corruption and losses in the rice-pledging scheme.
NFA charts next move on rice imports
HE NATIONAL Food Authority
(NFA) Council is expected to decide today on its next move for the remaining
100,000 metric tons (MT) of rice that have to be imported to further boost the
country’s buffer stock for the lean season starting next month, after countries
that participated in yesterday’s tender made offers that topped the
government’s budget for this purchase.
A worker climbs stacks of rice at a warehouse of the
National Food Authority in Manila in this May 12 photo. -- Reuters
“No
rejection or acceptance of offers was declared during the tender,” NFA
Spokesman Angel G. Imperial, Jr. said in a telephone interview yesterday.Mr.
Imperial noted that “offers of the countries are still higher than the
reference price,” adding that “[t]he results will be submitted to the NFA
Council.
”The council -- which is composed of representatives
of various government agencies -- will have to come up with a decision that
will be announced today.“There’s a possibility that the NFA Council will reject
all bids or just accept the lowest offer; but until then, we cannot predict
what will be the decision,” Mr. Imperial said.Yesterday’s tender covered the
balance of the 250,000 MT of 25% broken well-milled rice that the NFA was
authorized to import via government-to-government deals for this procurement
round.Existing bilateral rice agreements allow the Philippines to import from
Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.All three countries participated in the first
round of bid opening, but their offers exceeded the $408.14 per MT reference
price set by NFA.
Thailand and
Vietnam submitted offers of $418/MT and $417/MT, respectively, for the supply
of 100,000 MT, while Cambodia offered $464/MT for the supply of only 50,000 MT.
NFA Deputy Administrator Joseph Y. dela Cruz yesterday morning announced
rejection of all bids for that round.Under the terms of reference, the
countries were given the chance to revise their offers in the afternoon.Vietnam
submitted a revised offer of $416.85/MT, while Cambodia offered $459.50/MT --
both of which were still beyond the reference price.Thailand submitted a formal
letter saying it wouldn’t revise its offer, according to Mr. dela Cruz.The
contract to supply the initial 150,000 MT of rice under this procurement round
was awarded to Vietnam last week.
PRIVATE SECTOR
In a related development, the NFA also started seeking private sector offers to
bring in a total of 805,200 MT of rice under the country’s minimum access
volume (MAV) commitment for this year.In a June 10 circular that was e-mailed
to reporters yesterday, the state grains agency issued guidelines for
importation of well-milled rice under the MAV Country Specific Quota (CSQ) and
Omnibus Origins (OO).
Under its
commitment to the World Trade Organization as part of concessions for its
special treatment on rice, imports will have a lower 35% tariff under the MAV
scheme (compared to the regular 50% outside the program) this year. Under the
CSQ, the country has allotted 50,000 MT each for China, India and Pakistan;
15,000 MT for Australia; 4,000 MT for El Salvador; and 293,100 MT each for
Thailand and Vietnam. The remaining 50,000 can come from any country under the
OO, the guidelines showed.
The MAV program allows the private sector to
participate in rice importation. NFA said qualified importers can bring in up to
20,000 MT each.“All rice to be imported under this 2015 MAV Rice Importation
Program shall be levied a 35% tariff, to be paid in advance with the Land Bank
of the Philippines,” the circular read. “Final assessment shall be made by the
Bureau of Customs.”NFA also said that the program covers imports of well-milled
rice, with quality not below 25% broken or any special rice variety.
Interested NFA-licensed importers will have to submit
supporting documents and pay a P50,000 non-refundable processing fee.
Requirements include a letter of intent (LoI) as well as legal, technical and
financial documents. There are also specific documents required of each type of
business (corporation/partnership, sole proprietorship, farmers’ cooperative or
organization, etc.)
An MAV pre-qualification team, which will check all submitted documents, will
endorse applicants to the NFA Administrator within 15 days of receipt of
application.The NFA chief will then issue a certificate of eligibility (CoE) to
the importer that will specify volume to be imported based on the LoI as well
as duty and tariff to be paid.The agency will determine in the CoE the volume
that will arrive per month, until the entire allocated volume has been served.“The
applicant importer must undertake the shipment of their [sic] import allocation
on or before 30 November 2015,” the document read.Within 15 days from receipt
of CoE, the importer should submit the document to the Landbank’s International
Trade Department and pay the duty and tariff at any Landbank branch.
Seven days thereafter, Land-bank will then send a written notice to NFA’s
Grains Marketing Operations Department that will specify volume and variety of
grains to be imported, schedule of arrival, cargo type and port.An import permit
can be obtained upon submission of shipping documents prior to arrival. The
permit will be issued upon payment of P5,000 processing fee per bill of lading.“NFA
shall publish a list of importers issued the import permit, indicating the
volume and the country of origin, on the NFA Web site...,” the circular read.
The grains agency said “95% arrival of the importer’s
authorized import quota shall mean substantial compliance with the allocated
volume.”“Failure to meet the substantial compliance of the arrivals of the
allocated importations... shall disqualify the importer from future importation
of the NFA.”In the event of force majeure, an importer can ask for extension of
the import permit’s validity and arrival period, which however should not exceed
15 days. Importers seeking more time should submit a written notice, explaining
justification, within five days of force majeure occurrence.“The NFA
Administrator shall decide within three days from receipt of the written
request; otherwise, it shall be deemed approved,” the guidelines read.
The NFA identified Poro Point in La Union; Batangas;
Iloilo; Bacolod; Zamboanga City; Subic, Zambales; Tabaco and Legazpi in Albay;
Cebu; Cagayan de Oro; Port of Manila and Manila International Container Port;
General Santos City and Davao City as ports for the program.The grains agency
said it can revoke, cancel or suspend a CoE or an import permit due to
involvement in rice smuggling or hoarding.Quantitative restrictions on rice --
which should have expired in 2012 -- were extended to 2017, according to
Agriculture officials last year.As part of the extension, the tariff was cut to
35% for the a total of 805,200 MT MAV shipments starting July this year.
Prior to this, the Philippines committed to import
350,000 MT with a 40% tariff.NFA held the first tender for 2015 importations
last March, when Vietnam and Thailand bagged contracts to supply a total of
500,000 MT of rice to boost the Philippines’ buffer stock for the three-month
lean season.The NFA last month said it was also prepared to import 250,000 MT
more should the need arise in the face of an El Niño episode that is more
intense than initially expected, and the prolonged dry spell it brings.
Decision on the schedule of the additional importation has yet to be finalized
by the NFA Council.
http://bworldonline.com/content.php?section=TopStory&title=nfa-charts-next-move-on-rice-imports&id=109805
Annual Rice Station Field Day Set for July 1
06/16/2015 01:58 PM
06/16/2015 02:00 PM
CROWLEY, La. (Press Release) – The LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station Annual Field
Day will be held July 1, with a host of rice experts and speakers discussing
the latest in rice farming technology.“Anyone connected to the rice industry
will learn from the subjects covered in the field day,” said Steve Linscombe,
director of the Rice Research Station.Field tours start at 7:15 a.m., and the
last tour will leave the rice dryer warehouse no later than 9 a.m.On the field
tour, speakers will cover topics that include rice breeding, hybrid
development, agronomy, and control of weeds, diseases and insects.
A poster session will be held from 7:15 a.m. until
10:30 a.m., followed by the program in the rice dryer building.Speakers will
include Clarence Berken, vice chairman of the Louisiana Rice Research Board;
Mike Salassi, LSU AgCenter economist giving an update on the rice market and
the farm bill; Bob Cummings of the USA Rice Federation talking about the global
competitiveness of American rice; Mike Strain, Louisiana commissioner of
Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry; Bill Richardson, LSU vice
president for agriculture; Rogers Leonard, LSU AgCenter associate vice
chancellor.
Download/View On-Line the above News
in pdf format,just click the following link
