Monday, August 01, 2016

1st August,2016 DAILY GLOBAL,REGIONAL & REGIONAL RICE E-NEWSLETTER BY RICEPLUS MAGAZINE



Locally bred rice varieties to be launched in Africa next year: expert

NAIROBI (Xinhua) -- Locally bred indigenous rice varieties are set to be available in the sub-Saharan Africa market next year, an expert said on Friday.Kayode Sanni, Project Manager for Rice with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), an agricultural think tank promoting use of agricultural technologies in Africa, said that 30 varieties will be unveiled in Kenya and Tanzania respectively by early 2017."The varieties have been submitted to national regulation authorities and are currently undergoing National Performance Trial (NPT) that is expected to approve the varieties before end of this year," Sanni said in Nairobi at a meeting.

He noted that the new varieties, which have been developed using a two-line rice hybrid technology, have the potential to produce seven to 10 tons per hectare, up from 2.3 tons per hectares.

"The new hybrid varieties are expected to produce grain quality that are resistant to diseases and also be of high yielding quality," he added.

With this breakthrough, Africa will realize its own high yielding hybrid seeds, consequently boosting production and moving closer to self-sufficiency in rice production.Sanni revealed that once the varieties are unveiled in Kenya and Tanzania, the high yielding hybrid seeds be rolled out to other East, Central and Southern African countries to help boost production and self-sufficiency in rice production.

"Kenya alone imported rice valued at 15 million U.S. dollars in 2014 while Africa imported 13 million tons of rice amounting to 5 billion dollars," he revealed.Kenya relies on rice imports since its annual demand of milled rice is 550,000 tons. The country last year imported 420,000 tons that was not enough to cater for demand, leaving the country with a deficit of 15,000 tons.

While global production of rice has risen steadily from 132 million tons in 1960 to 491.5 million tons in 2015, Africa has not contributed much to the increase, producing only three percent, with Asia accounting for 90 percent of the global production.Rice demand on the continent exceeds production and Africa has been forced to rely heavily on importing large quantities of rice to meet demand at a very huge cost.

So far, Egypt is the only country that has developed its own rice hybrids. http://www.coastweek.com/3931-Locally-bred-rice-varieties-to-be-launched-in-Africa-next-year-expert.htm


TDAP organises agro food traders’ visit to Qatar  

ISLAMABAD: The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) recently organised a visit of an agro food trade delegation to Qatar, aiming to promote Pakistani food products and enhance the country's export in this regard.
In this connection, the Embassy of Pakistan in Doha arranged Pakistani food festival at the Intercontinental Hotel, Doha on Wednesday.
The event was attended by diplomats from more than 60 countries, concerned government officials, Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry officials, local importers of food products and chief executives and other management officials of big retail companies and outlets like Lulu Hyper Markets, Al Meera Hyper Marts, Hassad Foods, Widam, Family Food Centres etc. Qatar Chamber of Commerce Vice Chairman Mohammed Bin Ahmed Tawar Al Kuwari was the chief guest of the occasion.
Further, on Thursday and Friday, Pakistan Qatar Business Forum (PQBF) organised Pakistan Food Festival in Ezdan Mall, Gharafa, said a statement issued by the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan.
The shopping mall was located in the centre of Doha and attracted big crowds on the occasion.
The display area of the mall was decorated with publicity and promotion material related to Pakistani agro food products, LED screens showcasing documentaries on Pakistani mangoes, rice and red meat, while mangoes and Biryani tasting events were also organised for the occasion.
The purpose of the programme was to introduce three premium Pakistani product groups, namely rice, mangoes and red meat, to the Qatar market.
During the events, the importers showed great interest in Pakistani mangoes, rice and red meat while Pakistani exporters received many serious inquiries.
http://dailytimes.com.pk/business/30-Jul-16/tdap-organises-agro-food-traders-visit-to-qatar



TDAP holds food festival in Qatar
By our correspondent
KARACHI: The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) has organised food festival to showcase Pakistani products in Qatari markets, a statement said on Friday.The purpose of the event was to introduce three premium Pakistani product groups, rice, mangoes and red meat to the Qatari market.During the festival, importers showed great interest in mangoes, rice and red meat, according to the statement.
The TDAP organised agro food trade delegation to Qatar from July 27-30. On the occasion, the Embassy of Pakistan, Doha arranged Pakistani food festival in Doha, Qatar on July 27, 2016.
The event was attended by diplomats from more than 60 countries, government officials concerned, officials of Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, local importers of food products and chief executives and other managements of big retail companies and outlets such as Lulu Hyper Markets, Al Meera Hyper Marts, Hassad Foods, Widam, Family Food centers etc.
Mohammed Bin Ahmed Tawar Al Kuwari, vice chairman of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce was the chief guest of the occasion, the statement said.
Further, from July 28-29, 2016, Pakistan-Qatar Business Forum (PQBF) organised Pakistan Food Festival in Ezdan Mall, Gharafa, Qatar.  The shopping mall is located in the center of Doha and attracted big crowd of people.

Pakistan ‘Agro Food Festival’ a huge draw
July 30 2016 10:24 PM


From left: Ahmad Hussain, president of Pakistan-Qatar Business Forum; Wajahat Hashmi, first secretary, embassy of Pakistan; and Mehmood Arshad, chairman of Pakistan-Qatar Business Council of FPCCI, at the event.

“If the world’s peace depended on mangoes, you can rest assured, Pakistan would be one of the go-to countries. The king of all fruits — and probably, even ‘queen’ if Sindhri from the country’s Sindh province is taken into account — does not taste as sweet and succulent anywhere in the world than Pakistan,” Ahmad Hussain, President of Pakistan-Qatar Business Forum (PQBF), said in his opening address at the two-day Pakistan ‘Agro Food Festival’ at Ezdan Mall, Gharaffa.

Themed ‘Taste of Pakistani Delicacies’, the show was jointly organised by Trade Development Authority of Pakistan and Zaoq Restaurants, Qatar, under the umbrella of PQBF.
Held in a festive atmosphere, the event was attended in large numbers and graced by Qatari dignitaries, government officials, Pakistan embassy officials, foreign diplomats, senior officials of catering companies and supermarkets besides importers. Members of PQBF were also present on the occasion.

It was aimed at creating awareness amongst the stakeholders and importers by demonstrating and promoting the quality and taste of Pakistani agro-food products.A number of major exporters from Pakistan, who are already established entities in GCC, Europe and the US were present on the occasion and displayed their range of products as well as publicity material. The festival saw dedicated kiosks to enable Business-to-Business (B2B) meetings between prospective customers and exporters from Pakistan. Dominated by mango, rice and meat, the fruit had the easier of other draw, with Hussain explaining to an eager participant why its summer arrival across the globe made headlines: “fertile soil, tropical climate — with plenty of sun — and organic methods of growing”.
“There is a reason why ‘mango diplomacy’ even assumed such a halo — Islamabad manages to keep leaders in important world capitals in good humour thanks to its sweet after-taste. Now, if only disputes could be resolved over a Chaunsa basket,” he suggested.

It was opened to the general public on Friday, where people of multiple nationalities in vast numbers savoured the delights of the Pakistani fruit.
The annual mango production in Pakistan is over 1.8mn tonnes on average with yearly exports reaching 120,000 tonnes. With more than 30 listed varieties, the country remains one of the preferred choices for global export.

Mehmood Arshad, chairman, Pakistan-Qatar Business Council, an apex body of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI), invited potential investors to profit from Pakistan’s rich growth base, citing the surplus citrus chain as an example. He felt Qatar’s proximity to Pakistan in terms of physical reach with a barely two hour-flight meant the access was a huge advantage.

In all the mango hysteria, rice did not lag behind in making an immediate impact — Pakistan is the world’s fourth largest rice exporter, turning 9.1% of the global export last year alone. A few interested consumers after sampling a dish wanted to know how and why Pakistani Basmati rice with a “fine texture, long grain and distinguished taste was so light”. Another enthusiast wished to know how not to lose its taste to spices. The short answer was to be content with the “natural aroma” and not to spice it up, literally! It was explained that the “open secret” lay in the lexicon — “Bas” means fragrance and “mati” queen; in other words, the “queen of rice”!
A pitch was also made for increasing the volume of halal meat given its demand in Qatar and the quality associated with Pakistani livestock.

Responding to a question, a Pakistani embassy official informed that the annual trade volume with Qatar was approximately $380mn, of which food component of the export from Pakistan alone was around $80mn, with rice constituting 60% of it.
In response to a poser, the PQBF president trotted out three salient reasons for why Pakistan would hold the potential investor’s interest in Qatar: “One, the consistency in quality and taste; two, affordability since Pakistan is in an advantageously close reach; and three, availability, which in many cases means surplus produce
http://www.gulf-times.com/story/505376/Pakistan-Agro-Food-Festival-a-huge-draw



Microbiologist vs dengue leads science awardees

By: Jocelyn R. Uy@inquirerdotnet

Philippine Daily Inquirer

03:26 AM July 31st, 2016

Dr. Raul Destura receives his award. FACEBOOK PHOTO/CECILIA ACUIN
A microbiologist who developed a portable kit that can detect within an hour the presence of dengue virus in the blood and a University of the Philippines (UP) professor who used computer programs to develop designer drugs against tuberculosis were among the winners of this year’s National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) Awards.
The five awardees also included an agricultural scientist who researched rice varieties that can adapt to different soil moisture levels, a science administrator who created an enabling environment for UP science researchers and a university scientist whose research on precision food processing can help stakeholders comply with the demand for safe and nutritious food.
Given the Outstanding Technology Commercialization Award was Dr. Raul Destura, while Dr. Junie Billones and Dr. Roel Suralta received the Outstanding Research and Development Award for Basic Research. Dr. Alonzo Gabriel was recognized with a Development Award for Applied Research, while  Gisela Concepcion received the Outstanding Science Administrator Award.

At the opening ceremonies of the annual NSTW on Monday, Science Secretary Fortunato dela Peña of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) gave the five awardees a certificate of recognition, a plaque and the P150,000 cash prize. Dengue diagnostic kit
The NSTW, celebrated every third week of July since 1993, recognizes the contribution of science and technology to the country’s development and was meant to draw support from public and private institutions for its sustainable development.
Destura was recognized for his successful commercialization of the breakthrough diagnostic kit called Biotek-M Dengue Aquakit that can diagnose dengue within an hour at a more affordable cost. By adding nucleic acid to a blood sample, doctors can detect the presence of the dengue virus when the blood turns green. Uninfected blood turns orange.
The kit was initially tested in 2012 at Rizal Medical Center, National Children’s Hospital and Philippine Children’s Medical Center.
Destura, a microbiologist and an infectious disease specialist who works for the UP Manila National Institutes of Health and the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, was the leader of the Lab-in-a-Mug Project, which includes the dengue rapid test kit.
The kit was developed in 2012 as a joint undertaking between the DOST’s Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, Department of Health’s National Epidemiology Center, Biotech-Manila and  Philippine Genome Center.
“Such quick testing makes the Philippines one of the first countries in the world to develop this kind of diagnostic device. Biotek-M is likewise as accurate as the currently available Polymerase Chain Reaction technology, yet less costly,” the DOST said.
Designer medications
Billones, a university scientist and professor at UP Manila, received recognition for his pioneering studies that used computer programs to develop a new class of designer medications against tuberculosis, one of the top causes of death in the country.
The DOST said the use of computer programs led to the “swift discovery” of new drugs without the need to perform costly lab experiments.
Suralta, an agricultural scientist at the Philippine Rice Research Institute, was recognized for his outstanding scientific research on rice crops and the flexibility and adaptability of their roots to fluctuating soil moisture conditions, such as drought or flooding.
According to the DOST, Suralta’s breakthroughs and pioneering initiatives in researching rice production in climate change-affected areas are crucial in shaping the future of the country’s rice supply.
Food processing
Gabriel, a full professor and a university scientist at the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at UP Diliman’s College of Home Economics, was cited for his research on precision food processing, which can lead to safer and more nutritious food products.
Concepcion, UP’s vice president for academic affairs, was chosen as this year’s outstanding science administrator for her many accomplishments, which included lobbying for the creation of the UP Diliman-based National Science Complex, and the grant of a heftier funding for master’s degree and doctoral scholarships.
The UP official also simplified the Balik Scientist program to allow Filipino scientists based abroad to return to the UP campuses and enhance their teaching capabilities.  Concepcion initiated as well another program that sends faculty members, research and professional staff for short-term training and internships abroad.
“Dr. Concepcion has fostered an enabling environment for researchers in UP by providing university funds, which faculty and researchers use to carry out interdisciplinary and basic or applied research and creative work,” the DOST stated in its citation. TVJ
Rice crops that can help farmers cut costs and reduce pollution

IANS |
TORONTO: A team of Canadian and Chinese researchers has identified "superstar" varieties of rice that can reduce fertiliser loss, thereby helping farmers cut costs and reduce environmental pollution in the process.

The rice varieties that the researchers identified belong to both Indica - the world's most popular rice type commonly grown in India, China and Southeast Asia - and Japonica (the rice used in sushi) genotypes.Zhongjiu25 (ZJ25) and Wuyunjing7 (WYJ7) were the most effective genotypes among Indica and Japonica varieties, respectively, the study said."We have this bucolic idea of agriculture - animals grazing or vast fields of majestic crops - but the global reality is it's one of the biggest drivers of environmental pollution and climate change," said one of the study authors Herbert Kronzucker, Professor at the University of Toronto Scarborough.

Kronzucker in collaboration with a team at the Chinese Academy of Sciences looked at 19 varieties of rice to see which ones were more efficient at using nitrogen.

"Anything we can do to reduce demand for nitrogen, both environmentally and for farmers in the developing world struggling to pay for it, is a significant contribution," Kronzucker said.

The researchers identified a novel class of chemicals produced and released by the roots of rice crops that directly influence the metabolism of soil microbes.

They found that key microbial reactions that lead to an inefficiency in nitrogen capture can be significantly reduced in certain varieties of rice plants through the action of those specific chemicals released from root cells.

One of the main reasons crops waste so much fertiliser is that they were bred that way. In the past fertilisers were relatively inexpensive to produce because fossil fuels were abundant and cheap.

As a result, plant geneticists bred crops that responded to high fertiliser use regardless of how efficient they were at using nitrogen.

"These inefficiencies used to be of little interest, but now, with fluctuating fuel prices and growing concerns over climate change, it's a much bigger issue," Kronzucker said.


The researchers hope that this study, published in the journal New Phytologist, will help inform rice-growing strategies throughout Asia.
One option could be to provide farmers with government incentives like tax credits, to switch to a more nitrogen-friendly variety.

Another outcome could be better breeding programmes where even better species of crops can be produced.


"There's no reason a crop can't result in less pollution while also saving farmers money; the two aren't incompatible," Kronzucker said.

 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/pollution/Rice-crops-that-can-help-farmers-cut-costs-and-reduce-pollution/articleshow/53463523.cms


Chong – gang – a potential green manure plant for rice cropping system



Aug 01, 2016 thesangaiexpress

After the publication of  an article on “Organic farming technology and its transfer” (The Sangai Express, 28, 29, and 30 May, 2016), the present writer received interesting queries on green manure technology including from one of the senior correspondents Indo-Asian News Sciences, Kolkata. In this article, the writer made an attempt to answer some of the issues raised by the readers.
Definition of Green Manure

Green manure is defined as a plant material incorporated into the soil while green or at maturity. For soil improvement, a green manure crop is grown for the purpose which is ultimately converted into manure while still green or soon after its maturity.

Plant used as green manure for rice cropping system
Many nitrogen fixing plants have been used as green manure either legumes including woody legumes or non –legumes. For details please refer to “Green Manure and Rice farming” – proceeding of symposium on sustainable agriculture on the role of green manure crops in rice farming systems (25-29 May,1987) published by the International Rice Research Institute in collaboration with the application of Science to Agriculture, Forestry and Agriculture (1988).

About Chong–gang

The scientific name of Chong–gang is Aeschynomeneaspara L (confirmed by BSI, Howrah vide CNH-I-I(193)/2002- Tech II (1767) – belong to the family Fabacea. A little branched stout herb upto 1-1.5 m in height, the stem attaining of diameter of about 2cm, bark greenish, grey, warty, deep green underneath the cuticle. Leaves 7.62-15.24 cm long stipules auricled, deciduous. Leaflets 60-100, .25 to .38 cm by 2.5 cm to 5cm oblong or linear 1- nerved. Raceme 3.75 cm to 7.5cm long, latex flowered and often branched, clothed with bristly, hairs, pedicels 3.75cm to 7.5 cm long hairy. Calyx 1.5 cm to 1.6 cm long hispid, supported by a pair of hairy bracteoles. Corolla 1.5 cm to 1.75 cm long, yellow hispid pod. 3.81 -7.62 cm by 7.62 cm of 3- 6 joints, each 1 cm long, indented along both sutures, echinate over the seeds.


Distribution of Chong-gang(Aeschynomeneaspera L) in NE India

Aeschynomeneaspera L. grows abundantly in wet and wasteland of Manipur valley like Lamphelpat, Takyel, Lamshang, Langjing, etc. In Imphal West District; Takhok Loubuk, Sagolmang-Pukhao Loubuk, etc in Imphal East district in areas near paddy fields in Thoubal district like Thoubal Athokpam, Kakching Loukol, Wabagai Loubuk etc. And near paddy fields in Bishnupur district. In Mizoram, it was found growing in the paddy field in Aizwal, Lunglei area specially in waste but wastelands near paddy fields. In Nagaland, it grows in Mokokchung, Thesang, Phek regions near the places where the rice is cultivated.


 In Arunachal Pradesh, it grows in East Kameng District, West Kameng and Tirap region where this plant is found in wastelands. In Meghalaya,it grows in the hill terrace of East and West Khasi hills, Garo hills and Jaintia hills. In Tripura, it grows in the wastelands of South Tripura and Dholai Districts. In Assam it is grown in wasteland of Barak Valley, Brahmaputra valley, such as Jallukbari area in Kamrup district, Nagaon and Golaghat districts in the wastelands near paddy fields.
Popularization of Green Manure Technology

Green manure technology is being popularised by training and demonstration through the officials of the state Agriculture Department, NGOs representing marginal and progressive farmers.The training cum demonstration programmes were organised during 8 to 9 June, 2002 at the Life Sciences Department, Manipur University, Canchipur. Fifteen trainees attended the programme. Again another training cum demonstration programme on the use of Aeschonomeneaspora as green manure for rice cultivation for 20 representative of NGOs and poor and marginal farmers of Manipur was organised during 13 to 14 July, 2002 at the Life Sciences Department, Manipur University, Canchipur. Again, training cum demonstration programme on the use of Aeschynomeneaspera as green manure representatives of NGOs of Manipur during 9 to 10 August 2003 was arranged at the some place. Fifteen representatives attended the programme.


If green manure is to become popular to those areas, it is essential that it be fitted into local cropping patterns without competing with other economic enterprises. The technology will be viable only if unit costs of green manure production stability and to minimize risks of green manure crop loss (IRRI,1988).

Challenges for Green Manure technology
How do we choose the best green manure crop for providing nitrogen requirement for our rice crop? The answer is the selected green manure crop should suit the growing conditions-the climate, soil and waterare available in the area selected.It should be easy and cheap to grow, it should not need extra irrigation, fertilizer or pesticides. And its growing season must fit the time available between rice crops. That is, it must not delay planting the main crop.


The use of nitrogen fertilizers in various proportions (Urea alone; 60:40N. Aeschynomeneas-peraand 50N:50N.A.aspera) did not improve the yield any further. Since A. aspera could be produced by the farmers in his own land without disrupting farming, the net value for using A. aspera as green manure was substantially higher than the control (Devi;2010). Therefore, the use of A. aspera will reduce the cost of cultivation and raise the net value of output from the rice field used. The study of stem nodules of A. aspera as green manure for high yielding rice variety in Manipur condition for three consecutive kharif crops (2006,2007 and 2008) revealed green manure technology employing A. aspera helped in increasing rice yield by reducing the cost of cultivation but raised the net value of output from the rice field (Devi;20100). The only challenge is how to popularise green manure technology in NE India.

Importance of green manure technology in NE India
The farmers of NE India are generally unsound economically. Further, the costs of chemical fertilizers are shooting up annually. As such it is beyond their reach to buy sufficient chemical fertilizers. On the other hand, the climate of NE India is favourable for mass cultivation of Chong-gang (Aeschynomeneaspera L.) in their own paddy fields. As such incorporation of Chong-gang(Aeschynomeneaspera) into the soil@ 10t/ha significantly improves soil structure. An advantage of this green manure plant is that because it nodulates both on roots and stems.  Thus, it fixes atmospheric nitrogen more actively than other known legumes. It is economical and easily adaptable by the small and marginal farmers of NE India. Moreover, Aeschynomeneaspera is eco-friendly and non polluting to the environment.


Discussion
Chong-gang (Aeschynomeneaspera L.) grows well in wet and wastelands of Manipur valley as well as rest of the NE India(Singh,2004). The stem nodules are infected by Rhizobium sp. (MTCC-10038) through the root primordium which occurs at the pre-determined sites independently by bacterial infection without infection thread. The nodule growth is determinate of the aeschynomenoid type.


Agronomic trials with the stem nodules of A. aspera revealed as potential green manure to high yielding rice variety (Devi,2010). Available data indicate that the soil fertility maintenance require for sustainable rice production is enhanced by a judicious combination of green manure and inorganic fertilizer. This approach is critical in the areas where land holdings are small, the resource base is weak, production and productivity have reached a plateau and soil neutral deficienciesor imbalances have emerged. A sizable area in South, South East and East Asia qualifies these criteria (IRRI,1988).

Conclusion
The best strategy is to use green manure in conjugation with chemical fertilizers. This combination may reduce application rate of inorganic fertilizers and may reduce risk of environmental pollution and can also provide sustainability to crop production system. Hence, green manure technology through Chong-gang (Aeschynome-neaspera L.) can be recommended for use by farmers of NE India in their own paddy fields.

(The writer is former Professor (Higher Academic grade/Life sciences, Manipur University) and former Dean, School of Life Sciences, MU and can be reached at irabanta.singh@gmail.com)


https://www.whatech.com/market-research/consumer/188844-overall-rice-bran-oil-market-share-growth-rate-and-key-players-profiles-in-a-new-research-report

Overall rice bran oil market share, growth rate and key players’ profiles in a new research report

WhaTech Channel: Consumer Market Research
Submitted by eMarketOrg WhaTech Premium
News from
Viewed: 8 times
Rice Bran Oil market sales are thoroughly studied for its competitive landscape, growth, trends and more in a new report.
The current state of worldwide rice bran oil market is studied at length in this research report that provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The rice bran oil market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.
Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (India, Thailland, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.
Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out.Whats more, the rice bran oil industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.

https://www.whatech.com/market-research/consumer/188844-overall-rice-bran-oil-market-share-growth-rate-and-key-players-profiles-in-a-new-research-report






Rice Crops That Can Save Farmers Money And Cut Pollution
By News Staff | July 31st 2016 11:00 AM | Print | E-mail | Track Comments
There are more than 120,000 varieties of rice stored at the germplasm bank at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines, but a new paper focused on varieties that met important criteria - currently grown by farmers, have a high yield potential, be disease and pest-resistant, grow to the right size and have strong enough roots to withstand monsoon-force winds - to find out which ones could were optimal in regards to nitrogen.

Nitrogen is one of three main nutrients required for crops to grow, it also costs the most to produce. They concentrated only on Japonica (the rice used in sushi) and Indica, the world's most popular rice type commonly grown in China, India and Southeast Asia and identified 19 "superstar" varieties of rice that can reduce fertilizer loss and cut down on environmental pollution in the process. 

Nitrogen, when applied as fertilizer, is taken up inefficiently by most crops. In tropical rice fields, as much as 50 to 70 percent can be lost. The problem is that nitrogen negatively impacts water quality by contaminating nearby watersheds or leaching into ground water. It's also a significant source of gases such as ammonia and nitrogen oxide, which are not only harmful to aquatic life but also a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions.
The study identified a novel class of chemicals produced and released by the roots of rice crops that directly influence the metabolism of soil microbes. They found that key microbial reactions that lead to an inefficiency in nitrogen capture can be significantly reduced in certain varieties of rice plants through the action of those specific chemicals released from root cells.
One of the main reasons crops waste so much fertilizer is that they were bred that way. In the past fertilizers were relatively inexpensive to produce because fossil fuels were abundant and cheap. As a result, plant geneticists bred crops that responded to high fertilizer use regardless of how efficient they were at using nitrogen.

Optimizing food crops scientifically will make them both cost-effective and better for the environment. Spurred on by Greenpeace and other anti-science groups, the Philippines has been scared about agriculture science, but studies like this may show that cost and impact aren't incompatible.


http://www.science20.com/news_articles/rice_crops_that_can_save_farmers_money_and_cut_pollution-177500

Saturday, July 30, 2016

30th july,2016 daily global regional and local rice e-newsletter by riceplus magazine




Qatar- Doors always open to Pakistani traders: Kuwari 

 MENAFN - The Peninsula - 28/07/2016

(MENAFN - The Peninsula) Muhammed bin Ahmed bin Towar Al Kuwari, Vice Chairman of Qatar Chamber (second right) with Shahzad Ahmad (second left) Ambassador of Pakistan to Qatar during the Pakistani Mangoes, Meat and Rice festival at Inter Continental Doha City, yesterday. Pic by: Abdul Basit / The Peninsula

DOHA: Pakistan Embassy in collaboration with the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan has hosted senior officials from Qatar Chamber, ambassadors and local businessmen to introduce Pakistani food products during the event 'Tasting of delicious Pakistani Cuisine” held yesterday at Intercontinental Doha City. The event was all about testing the new Pakistani trader";s products - rice, red meat and different varieties of mangoes.

'We set up several stalls to introduce Pakistani traditional dishes made of rice and meat imported from Pakistan, said Ambassador of Pakistan,” Shahzad Ahmad. 'A separate stall for Pakistan mangoes, the king of the fruits is also available. People at the stations will intoduce products to the gusts and take feedback,” he added. Vice-Chairman, Qatar Chamber Mohammed bin Ahmed bin Towar Al Kuwari opined that Pakistani cuisine is similar to Arabian cuisine.

'We, the chamber look forward to the quality products from Pakistan. Our doors are always open for the Pakistani traders, companies and business. We assist the Embassy. This event will enhance the relation between Qatar and Pakistan and gave a better look towards the food and tradition of Pakistan”, said Al Kuwari. Many ambassadors were present. A delegation from Pakistan was also present and it was was headed by Mehmood Arshad- Chairman Pak- Qatar business council. We have been exporting vegetables and fruits to Qatar far 15-years. We exported four tons of vegetables and three tons of fruits, said Saeed Khan, Vice Chairman of Pakistan fruit and vegetable exporters, importers and merchants Association

http://www.menafn.com/1094874573/Qatar--Doors-always-open-to-Pakistani-traders-Kuwari

Sowing of rice, pulses, oilseeds keeps kharif acreage on track

New Delhi, July 29:  
Increased sowing of rice, pulses, coarse cereals and oilseeds pushed the total area covered under kharif crops till the end of July up by 6.3 per cent to 799.51 lakh hectares (lh) from a total acreage of 752.29 lh in the same period last year.The acreage under pulses continued to expand with total sowing up to July 29 at 110.35 lh against 78.25 lh in the same period last year.
Karnataka and Maharashtra witnessed the steepest increase in acreage during the period. Pulses sowing increased to 10.01 lh (3.34 lh) in Karnataka and to 13.94 lh (8.52 lh) in Maharashtra.
Transplanting of paddy on 231.92 lh at the end of July was higher than 225.68 lh in the same period last year, with States such as Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab posting an increase.
Coarse cereals sown increased to 150.76 lh (144.84 lh). While there was a rise in acreage under maize, jowar, small millets and ragi, sowing of bajra declined.
Acreage under oilseeds rose to 159.78 lh compared to 147.98 lh in the same period last year with groundnut, soyabean and sunflower higher and sesamum, niger and castor lower.
Cotton sowing picked up slightly in the last week of July as rains progressed throughout the country, with total acreage at 92.33 lh compared to last year’s 101.91 lh. The difference in acreage compared to last year narrowed to 9.6 lh from about 13 lh a week ago.
Sugarcane sowing till July 29, at 46.83 lh, marginally exceeded last year’s acreage of 47.40 lh, mainly due to a slight increase in acreage in Uttar Pradesh. Cumulative rainfall this monsoon season has been normal at 436.9 mm. About 28 metrological sub-divisions accounting for 77 per cent of the geographical area of the country have received normal-to-excess rains, while the remaining 8 sub-divisions have received deficient rainfall.
(This article was published on July 29, 2016)

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/sowing-of-rice-pulses-oilseeds-keeps-kharif-acreage-on-track/article8918068.ece


Apex agriculture body sits on 'ambiguous' funds running into crores

Published: 30th July 2016 05:50 AM
Last Updated: 30th July 2016 05:50 AM
NEW DELHI: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Agriculture, is facing a unique funds problem.
The apex body for coordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture has been sitting on foreign funds received since 2014, but is unaware of which of its research unit is the real claimant of the foreign grant. It received Rs 16,50,000 from International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics, but the purpose of the foreign fund is not available with the council.
Similarly, it received approximately Rs 14 lakh from International Potato Centre in Lima, Peru, on December 1, 2014 but the purpose is not known. An amount of Rs 5,70,000 was received from International Rice Research Institute, Philippines, on April 2, 2014 but council said that details regarding the purpose of the remittances were not mentioned.
A total 14 remittances worth over Rs 90 lakh were received in 2014-15. Of these, only 11 mentioned the purpose as research and development.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research  in a letter to several directors of research units said information regarding implementing ICAR units was not known. “Therefore, all the DDGs/Directors of ICAR institutes/research centres/project directors are requested to send request for the grants, whichever pertains to them along with mandatory documents,”   It said.
An amount of approximately Rs 7 lakh is also lying in the bank since November 27, 2013. The money was transferred through NEFT by International Food but no other information is available in the certificate of foreign inward remittance.
In 2015-16, approximately Rs 46 lakh was received by the council but research units for which it is intended have not claimed so far. At least Rs  25 lakh received in the last quarter of the financial year from Wien, Nairobi and Srilanka only mentioned ‘grant’ in purpose of remittance.


Arborio Rice Market Size, Share, Growth and Analysis Report 2022: Research Corridor

Research Corridor has published a new research study titled “Arborio Rice Market – Growth, Share, Opportunities, Competitive Analysis and Forecast, 2015 – 2022”. The Arborio Rice market report studies current as well as future aspects of the Arborio Rice Market based upon factors such as market dynamics, key ongoing trends and segmentation analysis. Apart from the above elements, the Arborio Rice Market research report provides a 360-degree view of the Arborio Rice industry with geographic segmentation, statistical forecast and the competitive landscape.
Browse the complete report at http://www.researchcorridor.com/arborio-rice-market/
Geographically, the Arborio Rice Market report comprises dedicated sections centering on the regional market revenue and trends. The Arborio Rice market has been segmented on the basis of geographic regions into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW). The RoW segment consists Latin America and the Middle East & Africa. The Arborio Rice market has been extensively analyzed on the basis of various regional factors such as demographics, gross domestic product (GDP), inflation rate, acceptance and others. Arborio Rice Market estimates have also been provided for the historical years 2013 & 2014 along with forecast for the period from 2015 – 2022.

The research report also provides a comprehensive understanding of Arborio Rice market positioning of the major players wherein key strategies adopted by leading players has been discussed. The Arborio Rice industry report concludes with the Company Profiles section which includes information on major developments, strategic moves and financials of the key players operating in Arborio Rice market.

Key Takeaways:
  • Market Dynamics in the Arborio Rice Market
  • Key Ongoing Regional Trends
  • Arborio Rice Market Estimates for Years 2013 – 2022
  • Arborio Rice Market Positioning of Key Players
  • Key Strategies Adopted by the Leading Players
  • Attractive Investment Proposition
  • Arborio Rice Market Inclination Insights
Related Reports
http://www.researchcorridor.com/arabic-gum-market/
http://www.researchcorridor.com/aqueous-metal-antirust-paint-emulsion-market/
http://www.researchcorridor.com/aquatic-products-market/
About Research Corridor
Research Corridor provides End to End Solution for Market Research Consulting and Custom Research Reports. Database of Over 10000 Global Market Reports Research Corridor is world leading company in syndicated market Research Reports.
For More Information, Visit Research Corridor
Media Contact
Company Name: Research Corridor
Contact Person: Vikram
Email: sales@researchcorridor.com

Sowing of rice, pulses, oilseeds keeps kharif acreage on track

Our Bureau

New Delhi, July 29:  
Increased sowing of rice, pulses, coarse cereals and oilseeds pushed the total area covered under kharif crops till the end of July up by 6.3 per cent to 799.51 lakh hectares (lh) from a total acreage of 752.29 lh in the same period last year.
The acreage under pulses continued to expand with total sowing up to July 29 at 110.35 lh against 78.25 lh in the same period last year.
Karnataka and Maharashtra witnessed the steepest increase in acreage during the period. Pulses sowing increased to 10.01 lh (3.34 lh) in Karnataka and to 13.94 lh (8.52 lh) in Maharashtra.
Transplanting of paddy on 231.92 lh at the end of July was higher than 225.68 lh in the same period last year, with States such as Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab posting an increase.
Coarse cereals sown increased to 150.76 lh (144.84 lh). While there was a rise in acreage under maize, jowar, small millets and ragi, sowing of bajra declined.
Acreage under oilseeds rose to 159.78 lh compared to 147.98 lh in the same period last year with groundnut, soyabean and sunflower higher and sesamum, niger and castor lower.
Cotton sowing picked up slightly in the last week of July as rains progressed throughout the country, with total acreage at 92.33 lh compared to last year’s 101.91 lh. The difference in acreage compared to last year narrowed to 9.6 lh from about 13 lh a week ago.
Sugarcane sowing till July 29, at 46.83 lh, marginally exceeded last year’s acreage of 47.40 lh, mainly due to a slight increase in acreage in Uttar Pradesh. Cumulative rainfall this monsoon season has been normal at 436.9 mm. About 28 metrological sub-divisions accounting for 77 per cent of the geographical area of the country have received normal-to-excess rains, while the remaining 8 sub-divisions have received deficient rainfall

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/sowing-of-rice-pulses-oilseeds-keeps-kharif-acreage-on-track/article8918068.ece

Pakistan exports rice worth $1.86 billion in 2015/16

July 29, 2016

ISLAMABAD: The country earned $1.860 billion by exporting rice during the financial year 2015/16 as compared to the exports in the corresponding period of the last year.
Around 4,262,216 metric tons of rice was exported during the period from July-June 2015/16, according the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
However, rice exports witnessed decrease of 8.60 percent during the financial year 2015/16, as its exports were recorded at 3,861,406 metric tons, valuing $2.035 billion during the financial year 2014/15.
During the period under review, 503,037 metric tons of basmati worth $455.249 million was exported as compared to the export of 523.450 metric tons, valuing $601.268 million during the same period of the last year.
Meanwhile, besides basmati, around 3,759,179 metric tons of rice costing $1.405 billion was exported during the financial year 2015/16 as compared to the exports of 3,337,956 metric tons worth $1.433 billion during the financial year 2014/15.
At the same time, exports of spices from the country were recorded at $76.160 million during July-June (2015/16) as compared to the exports of $66.216 million in July-June (2014/15).
In terms of quantity, the exports increased by 8.29 percent by going up from 6,713 metric tons to 20,281 metric tons.
In June 2016, the total exports of spices were recorded at 4.551 million as compared to the exports of 6.276 million in June 2015.
The overall food exports from the country during FY16 decreased by 12.56 percent as compared to FY15. The food exports during FY16 were recorded at $3.990 billion as compared to the exports of $4.563 billion in FY15.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/138363-Pakistan-exports-rice-worth-186-billion-in-201516

Rice exports fetched $1.86bn in last fiscal

29-Jul-16
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan earned $1.86 billion by exporting rice in last fiscal year.
 About 4,262,216 metric tonnes of rice were exported during the period from July-June, 2015-16, according to the data of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. However, rice export witnesses 8.6 percent decrease as its export was recorded at 3,861,406 metric tonnes valuing $2.035 billion in financial year 2014-15.
 During the period under review, export of 503,037 metric tonnes of basmati rice earned Pakistan $ 455.24 million as compared to the export that fetched $601.268 million last year. About 3,759,179 metric tonnes of rice other then basmati valuing $1.405 billion were exported during financial year 2015-16 as compared to the export of 3,337,956 metric tonnes valuing $ 1.43 billion in financial year 2014-15. Similarly, export of spices was recorded at $ 76.16 million during July-June (2015-16), compared to the export of spices worth $ 66.216 million in July-June (2014-15). In terms of quantity, the exports increased by 8.29 percent by going up from 6,713 metric tonnes to 20,281 metric tonnes. In June this year, total exports of spices were recorded at $4.551 million compared to the exports worth $6.276 million in June 2015. It may be recalled that overall food exports during the FY 2016 decreased by 12.56 percent compared to FY15. Food exports during the FY16 were recorded at $3.99 billion as compared to $4.56 billion in FY15.

07/29/2016 Farm Bureau Market Report

Soybeans

High
Low
Cash Bids
1045
952
New Crop
1018
931


Riceland Foods


Cash Bids
Stuttgart: - - -
Pendleton: - - -
New Crop
Stuttgart: - - -
Pendleton: - - -


Futures:

SOYBEANS


High
Low
Last
Change





Aug '16
1033.75
996.25
1032.75
+29.25
Sep '16
1021.50
984.00
1020.25
+27.00
Nov '16
1004.75
968.75
1003.25
+25.25
Jan '17
1004.25
969.00
1003.25
+24.75
Mar '17
991.50
959.75
991.00
+23.00
May '17
984.75
956.00
984.75
+21.75
Jul '17
983.50
956.50
983.50
+19.75
Aug '17
970.25
948.25
970.25
+14.50
Sep '17


936.00
-10.75



Soybean Comment

Soybeans saw sharp gains today after the USDA reported another large export sale. With today's lower dollar, the market is getting even more bullish on demand with prices being near 12-week lows.


Wheat

High
Low
Cash Bids
410
360
New Crop
457
432


Futures:

WHEAT


High
Low
Last
Change





Sep '16
412.75
403.50
407.75
-2.50
Dec '16
440.25
431.25
435.50
-1.75
Mar '17
464.00
455.50
458.75
-3.25
May '17
476.00
468.50
471.75
-3.50
Jul '17
483.50
475.50
478.75
-3.50
Sep '17
494.00
490.00
491.75
-2.75
Dec '17
510.00
509.25
510.00
-2.50
Mar '18
525.25
525.25
525.25
-1.50
May '18


530.50
-6.25



Wheat Comment

Wheat prices continued to decline as the market continues to reel from lackluster demand. Even today's lower dollar was not enough to spur Bulls back into the market. With more than 1 billion bu forecast in 2016/17 stocks wheat continues to face a bearish fundamental outlook.


Grain Sorghum

High
Low
Cash Bids
299
235
New Crop
310
235



Corn

High
Low
Cash Bids
366
298
New Crop
352
298


Futures:

CORN


High
Low
Last
Change





Sep '16
333.75
328.75
333.50
+2.25
Dec '16
342.00
336.00
341.75
+3.00
Mar '17
350.50
345.00
350.25
+2.75
May '17
356.00
350.50
356.00
+2.75
Jul '17
361.25
355.75
361.25
+2.75
Sep '17
365.75
360.50
365.75
+3.50
Dec '17
372.00
366.00
371.75
+3.50
Mar '18
378.00
378.00
378.00
+0.25
May '18


383.00
-1.75



Corn Comment

Corn prices closed higher today as the market gained support from a lower dollar. While US corn remains lower priced than Brazilian, we have yet to see significant demand develop. Corn needs new demand, as the market expects a 15 billion bu plus crop.


Cotton
Futures:

COTTON


High
Low
Last
Change





Oct '16
74
71.76
74.16
1.14
Dec '16
74.1
71.68
74.04
1



Cotton Comment

Cotton futures were higher today. December found support yesterday at the recent low of 71.54 Bu continues to bump up against resistance at 75 cents.The market is finding some support in continued hot weather conditions through the major cotton growing areas. This week's export report was supportive as it brought all cotton committments to 108% of USDA's projections and shipments are at 98%.


Rice

High
Low
Long Grain Cash Bids
- - -
- - -
Long Grain New Crop
- - -
- - -


Futures:

ROUGH RICE


High
Low
Last
Change





Sep '16
989.0
972.5
985.5
+8.5
Nov '16
1015.5
1000.0
1015.5
+11.0
Jan '17
1030.5
1023.5
1023.5
-5.5
Mar '17


1050.0
-5.0
May '17


1069.0
-5.0
Jul '17


1083.0
-5.0
Sep '17


1083.0
-5.0

Rice Comment

Both September and November rice charted a bullish key reversal in today's trade, potentially signaling that the market has found a bottom for the time being. Large carryover stocks and large acreage with a lack of significant crop problems are limiting the upside potential. Weekly exports of only 17,400 metric tons were disappointing to say the least. 67% of the crop is in good to excellent condition, and the crop is ahead of schedule, at 57% headed. That's compared with a 5 year average of 41%.


Cattle
Futures:

Live Cattle:

LIVE CATTLE


High
Low
Last
Change





Aug '16
113.975
112.800
113.200
-0.125
Oct '16
112.650
111.225
111.625
-0.475
Dec '16
113.100
111.700
112.250
-0.425
Feb '17
112.450
111.175
111.700
-0.300
Apr '17
110.875
109.725
110.100
-0.300
Jun '17
104.200
103.150
103.625
-0.200
Aug '17
103.800
102.900
102.900
-0.525

Feeders:

FEEDER CATTLE


High
Low
Last
Change





Aug '16
142.100
139.200
140.425
-0.050
Sep '16
140.800
138.100
139.150
0.000
Oct '16
139.625
137.100
137.900
-0.450
Nov '16
136.850
134.425
135.325
-0.100
Jan '17
132.550
130.450
131.225
-0.100
Mar '17
131.600
129.400
129.975
-0.125
Apr '17
131.800
130.750
131.600
+0.850
May '17
131.400
130.250
131.400
+0.400



Cattle Comment

Cattle prices continued thier slide today as the market faces lackluster cattle demand. While beef prices were mixed, the market continues to search for additional demand to help pull prices higher.


Hogs
Futures:

LEAN HOGS


High
Low
Last
Change





Aug '16
70.150
68.700
68.975
+0.125
Oct '16
60.425
59.125
59.300
+0.100
Dec '16
56.225
54.775
55.075
+0.250
Feb '17
60.600
59.275
59.500
+0.225
Apr '17
65.325
64.125
64.200
+0.200
May '17
70.025
69.925
69.925
-0.200
Jun '17
75.400
73.650
74.275
+0.625
Jul '17
74.800
73.950
73.950
+1.075
Aug '17
73.525
73.300
73.525
+1.575


USA Rice News
WASHINGTON, DC -- USA Rice completed its first-ever global evaluation, where a third party assessed the effectiveness, validity, and importance of our international promotion programs.  A combination of consumer and trade surveys were conducted in order to gain a holistic view of some of our export markets. 

Nearly 1,000 consumer surveys were conducted in nine countries (Canada, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Turkey and the UK) and dozens of trade interviews were conducted via phone. 

While there were specific observations and recommendations for each country, on a global basis the findings illustrated the importance of rice in the consumer diet, as at least three-fifths of the respondents in each country indicated that they eat rice on a weekly basis.   The data indicates, however, that consumer knowledge of different ways in which rice can be used could be strengthened. 

Accordingly, when asked how many rice recipes they knew how to prepare at home, aside from Japan and Canada, the target market participants only knew about 3 to 6 ways in which to use rice.  These findings suggest that USA Rice should continue to conduct in-store demonstrations and cooking classes in order to educate consumers on the various ways in which rice can "easily/conveniently" be used in everyday meals, reinforcing the "versatility" message. 

The evaluation found that "health" messaging is very weak internationally and would be a great opportunity for the industry, as a means of fostering long-term growth. 

"More information should be given to us and to consumers about the health benefits of rice," said a rice importer from Guatemala.  "We don't know a lot of them and because rice is such a staple or basic product, it's just something that people buy often.  They don't think much about it because it's a need."

Also in line with global trends, professionals interviewed in most every country discussed the importance of "convenience," as consumers are looking for "ready to eat" solutions such as microwave-ready packaging. 

"This very extensive document is a great way for us to get an outsiders view of our international promotion programs and validate many of our promotion activities," said John Valpey, chairman of the USA Rice International Promotion Committee.  "This global evaluation will be available to all International Promotion Committees and Subcommittees for the purpose of considering relevant changes to our international activities as well as our Unified Export Strategy, a document we annually submit to USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service outlining our programs in detail."


Global Survey Validates USA Rice Programs, Provides Road Map       

By Sarah Moran

             
            Taking stock

Upcoming Rice Field Days:  Mark Your Calendar

Aug. 3 - RiceTec Arkansas Field Day
15329 Hwy 1, Harrisburg, AR
Contact: Dr. Brian Ottis, (573) 391-0366 bottis@ricetec.com

Aug. 10 -- Arkansas AgExpo (Rice Field Day)
University of Arkansas Rice Research and Extension Center, 2900 Hwy 130 East, Stuttgart, AR
Contact: Dr. Chuck Wilson, (870) 673-2661 cwilson@uaex.edu

Aug. 31 -- California Rice Field Day
8:30 a.m. -- General session (registration from 7:30-8:30 a.m.).  Field tours start at 9:30 a.m. followed by lunch at noon
California Rice Experiment Station, 955 Butte City Hwy, Biggs, CA
Contact: Dr. Kent McKenzie, (530) 868-5481 ksmckenzie@crrf.org

Sept. 2 -- Missouri Rice Field Day
Jake Fisher Delta Research Center, Portageville, MO
Contact: Tina Clark, (573) 379-5431 clarktr@missouri.edu

Plan to attend the event in your area.


USA Rice Daily




Missouri’s cotton, rice crops look good


Farmers and MU Extension experts say this year’s cotton crop is looking good, but to keep an eye on the weather the rest of the growing season. Missouri’s cotton acreage is up by 62 percent this year compared to 2015.
July 28, 2016 5:33 pm  •  By Benjamin Herrold, Missouri Farmer Today
Farmers and University of Missouri Extension personnel are optimistic about that state’s cotton and rice crops, although some key weeks and months remain for crop development.
In 2015, Missouri ranked fifth nationally in rice production and eighth in cotton production, despite only raising those crops in one corner of the state, Southeast Missouri.
South of Cape Girardeau, the terrain flattens out into the Mississippi Embayment region, also called the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. Aided by irrigation, it is one of the most fertile regions in the country.
Clint Stephens farms there, in Stoddard County.
“The rice is looking good,” he said July 18. “It’ll probably be heading in another week or so.”
Stephens said the cotton was also looking good, but it was running a couple of weeks behind the normal development pace.
“Normally you’re supposed to see blooms by the Fourth of July,” he said. “I think it’s a little behind, but it’s looking good.”
Home stretch for cotton
Andrea Jones, a University of Missouri Extension cotton specialist based in Portageville, says the Missouri cotton crop has recovered after a slow start.
“It’s looking really well,” she says. “We kind of had a rough start with lots of rains and cool weather.”
Jones says this year’s crop is paralleling last year’s to this point, and last year was Missouri’s second biggest cotton crop ever. Like last year, square retention is good, meaning bugs have not been as big of an issue.
“Square retention is phenomenal this year,” she says. “It was last year, too. We’re usually fighting bugs.”
Jones says most farmers in her area had only sprayed cotton twice, with some spraying it a third time. Usually they have sprayed it five times by now, she says.
The first 40 days are especially important for cotton, and Jones says the cold, wet weather set the cotton crop back. But the weather down the stretch will determine how good this cotton crop is.
“It all depends on the fall,” she says. “If the fall stays warm longer, it’ll have more time to develop.”
Jones says she recommends rotating cotton ground, and most farmers grow cotton as part of a crop rotation.
Some go with cotton year after year, and she notes one field at MU’s Delta Research Center in Portageville has grown cotton every year for 53 years and still has pretty good average yields. But the rotation is the ideal, she says.
Still, lower grain prices have led to more farmers going with cotton, Jones says.
“Cotton prices have not necessarily increased, but with grain prices low, cotton is where you can make money,” she says.
Jones says preliminary reports had predicted a 14 percent increase in Missouri’s cotton acreage for 2016, but it actually turned out to be a 62 percent increase.
Rice growers cut costs
Sam Atwell, an MU Extension agronomy specialist based in New Madrid County, is optimistic about the rice crop.“We’ve got a good crop,” he says.Atwell does say lower rice prices have led to cost-cutting in a few fields.
“It’s probably because of economics, we’ve got a little bit more weeds in a few fields because of not using the technology that’s available to keep it clean,” he says. “...We’ve seen some farmers go a little more conventional.”
Atwell says this means farmers have chosen in some fields to not use Clearfield rice, which is herbicide-tolerant rice that helps with weed control. It’s similar to “Roundup ready” soybeans, but it is not a GMO product.
“Rice has got (economic) problems like anything else,” he says, “and the cost of production is right on the edge. The farmers are doing whatever they can to cut costs.”
Atwell says this isn’t in a huge percentage of fields, just a little more than usual. He says most people grow rice in a rotation with soybeans, and soil type usually drives crop planting decisions.
“We have some very specific soils here that are very good for rice production,” he says. “Those soils generally are not good for corn and cotton. Our rice land is primarily the heavy clay soils that are wet and low.”
There is some rice grown in the sandier, loamy soils, but it doesn’t fare as well.
Atwell says the irrigation in Southeast Missouri means the state’s rice crop is usually pretty good.“The rice looks good,” he says. “It’s generally always good.
http://www.missourifarmertoday.com/news/crop/missouri-s-cotton-rice-crops-look-good/article_541f5c08-5513-11e6-99d7-073e99417075.html

Can flooded rice fields be a solution in California water war?

July 28, 2016 Updated: July 28, 2016 12:00pm

Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle
Jacob Katz, California Trout senior scientist, walks on a check between rice fields in Woodland, (Yolo County).
California is the country’s second-largest rice producer, after Arkansas, and the $5 billion crop is particularly well suited to the Sacramento Valley’s clay soil
http://www.sfchronicle.com/recipes/article/Can-flooded-rice-fields-be-a-solution-in-8473915.php


Singapore scientists take big lead in growing 'mini-brains' the size of a rice grain for research

Professors (from left) Tan Eng King, Ng Huck Hui and Shawn Je helped lead the research that is a world first in creating midbrain tissue. The resultant "mini-brains" are a much simpler version of the human midbrain.PHOTO: A*STAR'S GENOME INSTITUTE OF SINGAPORE.
Published
Jul 30, 2016, 5:00 am SGT

Tissue mass, the size of a rice grain, will be used to develop treatments for ageing-linked diseases such as Parkinson's

Singaporean scientists have taken a big leap forward in studying the human brain by growing "mini- brains" for research.
Measuring about 2mm to 3mm long, they are no bigger than a grain of rice and it is hoped they will be able to help researchers develop treatments for, and conduct studies into, Parkinson's disease and other ageing-related brain diseases.
They are composed of a mass of tissues that have been grown in a laboratory and are a much simpler version of the human midbrain.The tissue contains functionally active neurons, its cells can divide, cluster together in layers, and become electrically and chemically active in a three-dimensional environment - like the human brain.
While other researchers have successfully grown other parts of the brain, this research is a world first in creating midbrain tissue.
SCIENTIFIC LANDMARK
The human brain is arguably the most complex organ, and chronic brain diseases pose considerable challenges to doctors and patients. This achievement by our Singapore team represents an initial, but momentous, scientific landmark, as we continue to strive for better therapies for our patients.
PROF TAN ENG KING, research director and senior consultant at the National Neuroscience Institute's department of neurology.
Importantly, the local team's midbrain tissue created neuromelanin, a pigment found in the human midbrain. It has been associated with protecting cells from dying, and is diminished in the brains of patients with Parkinson's disease.
The midbrain is termed the information superhighway of the human body, and controls a person's hearing, vision and body movements. Problems with the midbrain are often linked to disorders such as Parkinson's.
Prior to this discovery, researchers studying Parkinson's often relied on simulations or studies on animals. Studies on the mini-brains can be conducted in the laboratory on cells that mimic the functions of the section of the brain that is affected by the disease.

'Game-changer for drug research'

Said Professor Tan Eng King, research director and senior consultant at the Department of Neurology at the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI): "Chronic brain diseases pose considerable challenges to doctors and patients. This achievement by our Singapore team represents an initial but momentous scientific landmark."
Parkinson's is a gradually progressive neuro-degenerative disorder which affects a person's control of movement, including speech. According to the Health Ministry, three in every 1,000 Singaporeans aged over 50 are afflicted by the disease.
Prof Ng Huck Hui, executive director of A*Star's Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), who led the effort, said: "Considering that one of the biggest challenges we face in Parkinson's... research is the lack of accessibility to the human brain, we have achieved a significant step."
Another project leader, Assistant Professor Shawn Je from Duke-NUS Medical School, said: "Now we can really test how these mini-brains react to existing or newly developed drugs before treating patients - which will be a game changer for drug development."
Associate Professor Wang Hongyan, interim director of the Neuroscience and Behavioural Disorders Programme at Duke-NUS, who was not involved in the research, said "the midbrain organoid will... bring our findings from basic research much closer to the bedside".
The research was done by GIS, Duke-NUS and NNI with the Lieber Institute for Brain Development, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the United States and Nanyang Technological University. The findings have been published in the prestigious scientific journal Cell Stem Cell
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-scientists-grow-mini-brains


Ancient Rice DNA Sequenced
Friday, July 29, 2016

(Masahiko Kumagai)
OXFORD, ENGLAND—It had been previously believed that the first rice grown in northern China, Japan, and on the Korean peninsula was only of the sticky japonica variety, which requires cultivation in dry fields. But a team led by Masahiko Kumagai of the University of Tokyo obtained DNA from carbonized rice ranging in age from 900 to 2,800 years old found at archaeological sites in Japan and Korea.

The scientists then compared the genomes of the ancient rice samples to a database of more than 200 cultivated and wild rice DNA samples from around the world. They found that some of the ancient grains seemed to be more similar to the indica variety of rice, which has a long grain, grows submerged in water, and is usually associated with the tropics. This suggests that the crops were moved long distances. Michael Purugganan of New York University told The Christian Science Monitor that early farmers may have tried to grow “everything they could get their hands on,” until they developed a crop that adapted well to the environment. To read about the earliest evidence for tea drinking in China, go to "The Price of Tea in China."
http://www.archaeology.org/news/4689-160729-rice-japonica-indica

Nigerians Criticize Ban On Rice Importation

As the economic down­turn and recession continue to bite hard­er with prices of goods, espe­cially food items rising dai­ly, Nigerians have called on the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to lift the ban on im­portation of rice through the land borders to ease the cur­rent hardship.A market survey indicat­ed a sharp increase in the price of rice as a bag now sells between N17,000.00 and N18,000.00 from N9,000.00 and N10,000.00 last year.
In separate interviews, some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abu­ja, appealed to NCS re-con­sider the ban because rice re­mains one of the stable foods Nigerians eat and that the high cost of purchasing it has further affected their well-be­ing negatively.

“Rice has become gold, one mudu now sells at N500, you have not talk of the ingre­dients to cook it. This is too much suffer, let Customs lift the ban on rice importation through the lands borders, we are suffering, most families cannot afford this increase,” Mrs. Betty Okoro, a primary school teacher lamented.Another resident, Mr. Bisi Adegboyega, who works in a private firm, urged NCS to think of the plight of the aver­age Nigerians and lift the ban.
“There is no food, nothing is working, yet the prices of food and goods are sky-rock­eting, only the rich now afford rice, Customs should not just think of revenue for govern­ment alone, but what people go through daily to eat rice. I want the policy to be re-vis­ited because it has made liv­ing more difficult,” he posited.Also speaking, another re­spondent, who gave his name as Abubakar and works as a civil servant spoke in the same vein.

He argued the need for Customs to revise the policy since it has further impover­ished Nigerians.
“In an era when salaries are being owed workers, Customs placed a ban on rice through land borders, everyday, we hear of seizures and Nigerians are groaning buying a mudu of rice at N500. How do they want us to survive?” He que­ried.
It would be recalled that the Sultan of Sokoto, Al­haji Sa’ad Abubakar III, had urged Customs to consider lifting the ban on rice impor­tation through the land bor­ders when the Comptroller-General of the Service, Col. Hameed Ali (retd), visited him in his palace in Sokoto.
”The policy should be re­visited with a view to make amends and ameliorate the suffering of Nigerians.

“There is no food in the country hence the need for the borders to be reopened for rice importation,” he was quoted as saying.The sultan had said that he had been receiving “cries’’ from the masses on their plight over hardship in the land, and appealed to the ser­vice to address the issue ur­gently

NCS had re-introduced the restriction order across the country in March, 2016.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Retd) gave the approval for the reversal of an earlier poli­cy in October 2015 which al­lowed rice imports through the land borders, once ap­propriate duty and charges were paid.

NCS spokesperson, Wale Adeniyi, had said that at a re­view session with comptrol­lers of border commands and FOUs held in Abuja, the ser­vice noted that dwindling revenue from rice imports through the land borders do not match the volume rice landed in neighboring ports. Rather, reports from bor­der commands indicated an upsurge in the tempo of rice smuggling.
He had noted that imple­mentation of the restriction order got off to a smooth start, with a high level of compli­ance in October 2015, but rev­enue started dwindling from January 2016, with importers blaming access to forex as ma­jor impediments.
Source: BreakingTimes
https://www.informationng.com/2016/07/nigerians-criticise-ban-on-rice-importation.html



India to buy 6.7 percent more summer-sown rice for welfare schemes


A labourer stacks sacks of flattened rice on a handcart at a wholesale market in Kolkata, India, April 18, 2016.
Reuters/Rupak De Chowdhuri/Files
India is planning to buy 33 million tonnes of summer-sown rice from farmers in the 2016/17 season for its food welfare programmes and meet emergency needs, it said in a statement on Friday.The world's second biggest rice producer had bought 30.93 million tonnes of rice a year before.
The government agencies usually start paddy rice procurement in September and buy mainly non-basmati rice. The purchases help farmers in avoiding distress sales.
As on July 29, farmers have cultivated rice on 23.19 million hectares, slightly higher than 22.56 million hectares during the same period a year ago.
(Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Sunil Nair


Singapore: market, gateway for Thai rice



PETCHANET PRATRUANGKRAI
THE NATION
SINGAPORE July 29, 2016 1:00 am

Various kinds of Thai rice are on sale at a Singapore modern-trade outlet. Health-conscious Singaporeans favour speciality grains such as brown rice.SINGAPOREAN traders are ready to import more Thai rice, including for re-export to third countries, as long as its quality is good, its prices are stable, and the Thai government does not implement any more farmer-subsidy programmes, according to Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn.After leading a mission to promote Thai rice in Singapore this week, she said the island republic could be a strategic partner as a major market for Thailand's Hom Mali (jasmine) rice and speciality rice grains. Singaporean consumers have good purchasing power and prefer healthy food like Thailand's brown rice, red rice, Riceberry and unpolished rice.

Moreover, as Singapore is a centre of regional trading, it could help Thailand distribute its rice to third countries.For all these reasons, the ministry will continue to promote rice exports to this market, she said.Each year, Singapore imports about 420,000 tonnes of rice for domestic consumption, of which Thailand is a major supplier, exporting about 130,000 tonnes to the country each year. Singapore also has many international traders, shipping about 10 million tonnes of rice to many countries, mostly in Africa and the Middle East.
Apiradi said that after hearing opinions from Singaporean traders, she found that they wanted the Thai government to ensure good-quality rice for export and not return to a subsidy project that would damage the market mechanism and make the rice harder to sell.

She said her ministry would cooperate with exporters to promote the sale of Thai rice in Singapore, focusing on Hom Mali and speciality rice grains and value-added products made from rice.

In an attempt to increase the value of rice export, the government has a strategy to promote rice in various markets. Singapore is one of the targeted markets for increasing sales of Thai rice as it is a main staple there, while its consumers have high purchasing power.

During the mission, Apiradi met with seven key rice traders in Singapore, while also surveying modern traders and restaurants in the country on the feasibility of getting them to sell Thai rice.

Besides Hom Mali rice, Thailand is promoting other speciality grains such as Riceberry, Sung Yod rice (which is a geographical-indication product) and organic brown rice.

Products made from rice have also been promoted, such as cooked rice for senior people, vitamin-added rice for children, cosmetics, snacks and supplements.

In 2014, Thailand exported 162,977 tonnes of rice to Singapore worth Bt4.3 billion. The volume dropped to 128,941 tonnes worth Bt3.63 billion last year. In the first five months of this year, export volume dropped 7.9 per cent to 51,194 tonnes, while value dropped 11 per cent to Bt1.34 billion.

Thailand is expected to export about 130,000 tonnes of rice to Singapore this year.

Ho Siang Ow, manager of Wee Tiong, a major Singaporean rice-trading company, said traders wanted Thai rice to be stable in quality and price so that they could continue to sell it in the home market as well as to other countries.

He said that as Myanmar and Vietnam have fragrant rice and very competitive prices, if the price of Thai rice fluctuated and its quality were not stable, traders might not be able to sell it in the future. Moreover, Thailand should no longer subsidise the rice price as that interferes with the market price and causes low-quality production as farmers are concerned only with yield.

He added that Singaporeans now favoured healthy foods. Thai rice could serve that demand, but promoting new varieties could take time, and quality needed to be maintained.

Charoen Laothamatas, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said Singapore was a high-potential market for high-quality rice because of its citizens' high purchasing power, while it has more than 30 modern traders to help distribute Thai rice to consumers.

Exporters need to promote Thai rice under brands that are already trusted by consumers, he said.

Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the association, said exporters foresaw Asia as an increasingly bright market as consumers' purchasing power rises while they favour rice as a main food.

Thailand's rice shipments to Asian markets could surge from 20 per cent of the total export volume of between 9 million and 10 million tonnes to 30 per cent in the near future, he said.

Currently, Africa is a major export market for Thai rice.

Chookiat called for the government to continue promoting rice in Asian, European and Middle Eastern countries, while ensuring stable prices and good production quality.




Land Borders Opened For Rice Importation Effective August 1



                       
            The Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism have reviewed the ban on the importation of rice through the land borders.In view of this, ELUBO, SAMPA and NKRANKWANTA borders will be opened for importation of rice with effect from 1st AUGUST, 2016.

Read below the full statement:


OPENING OF ELUBO, SAMPA AND NKRANKWANTA ENTRY POINTS FOR OVERLAND IMPORTATION OF RICE.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism have reviewed the ban on the importation of rice through the land borders.

In view of this, ELUBO, SAMPA and NKRANKWANTA borders will be opened for importation of rice with effect from 1st AUGUST, 2016.

It would be recalled that the Ministry of Trade and Industry on 4th October, 2013 issued a directive that all imports of rice should be done through only Kotoka International Airport, Takoradi and Tema ports which became effective from 1st November, 2013.
The directive was to institute administrative procedures to curb the numerous unfair trade practices like evasion of import duties and other taxes, under-invoicing, infringement of trademarks and smuggling.

Importers of rice through the designated entry posts such as KOTOKA  International Airort, Tema and Takoradi ports, ELUBO, SAMPA and NKRANKWANTA are therefore requested to play according to the laid down procedures.






http://www.peacefmonline.com/pages/local/news/201607/286926.php

Rice crops that can save farmers money and cut pollution

July 29, 2016
U of T Scarborough Professor Herbert Kronzucker has helped identify "superstar" varieties of rice that can reduce fertilizer loss and cut down on environmental pollution in the process. Credit: Ken Jones
A new U of T Scarborough study has identified "superstar" varieties of rice that can reduce fertilizer loss and cut down on environmental pollution in the process.
The study, authored by U of T Scarborough Professor Herbert Kronzucker in collaboration with a team at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, looked at 19 varieties of rice to see which ones were more efficient at using nitrogen.
"We have this bucolic idea of agriculture - animals grazing or vast fields of majestic crops - but the global reality is it's one of the biggest drivers of environmental pollution and climate change," says Kronzucker.
Nitrogen, when applied as fertilizer, is taken up inefficiently by most crops. In tropical rice fields, as much as 50 to 70 per cent can be lost. The problem is that nitrogen negatively impacts water quality by contaminating nearby watersheds or leaching into ground water. It's also a significant source of gases such as ammonia and nitrogen oxide, which are not only harmful to aquatic life but also a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions.
While nitrogen is one of three main nutrients required for crops to grow, it also costs the most to produce, adds Kronzucker.
"Anything we can do to reduce demand for nitrogen, both environmentally and for farmers in the developing world struggling to pay for it, is a significant contribution."
Kronzucker's study for the first time identifies a novel class of chemicals produced and released by the roots of rice crops that directly influence the metabolism of soil microbes. They found that key microbial reactions that lead to an inefficiency in nitrogen capture can be significantly reduced in certain varieties of rice plants through the action of those specific chemicals released from root cells.
One of the main reasons crops waste so much fertilizer is that they were bred that way. In the past fertilizers were relatively inexpensive to produce because fossil fuels were abundant and cheap. As a result, plant geneticists bred crops that responded to high fertilizer use regardless of how efficient they were at using nitrogen.
"These inefficiencies used to be of little interest, but now, with fluctuating fuel prices and growing concerns over climate change, it's a much bigger issue," says Kronzucker, who is the Director of the Canadian Centre for World Hunger Research at U of T Scarborough.
There are more than 120,000 varieties of rice stored at the germplasm bank at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines, but Kronzucker's team only focused on varieties that met important criteria. For one they concentrated only on Japonica (the rice used in sushi) and Indica, the world's most popular rice type commonly grown in China, India and Southeast Asia. The varieties also had to be currently grown by farmers, have a high yield potential, be disease and pest-resistant, grow to the right size and have strong enough roots to withstand monsoon-force winds.
"They had to be proven in the field as viable options. It's not practical if a rice farmer isn't going to touch it," adds Kronzucker.
Going forward the hope is for this study to inform rice-growing strategies throughout Asia. One option could be to provide farmers with government incentives like tax credits, to switch to a more nitrogen-friendly variety. Another outcome could be better breeding programs where even better species of crops can be produced.
"There's no reason a crop can't result in less pollution while also saving farmers money; the two aren't incompatible," says Kronzucker. "If we can produce more responsible plants that don't waste fertilizer needlessly, everyone wins."
http://phys.org/news/2016-07-rice-crops-farmers-money-pollution.html

Rice importation ban reviewed: 3 borders re-opened

Jul 29, 2016 at 11:39am

The Ministry of Trade and Industry and the parliamentary select committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism have reviewed the ban on the importation of rice through the land borders.

Consequently, the Elubo, Sampa and Nkrankwanta entry points have been re-opened for overland importation of rice, a statement from the Ministry of Trade and Industry signed by Nana Akrasi-Sarpong, Acting Director in charge of Communications and Public Affairs, said.

The Ministry said the three borders will be open for importation of rice with effect from 1 August 2016.

It would be recalled that the Ministry of Trade and Industry, on 4 October 2013, issued a directive that all rice imports should be done through only the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) as well as Takoradi and Tema ports. The ban took effect on 1 November 2013.

The Ministry said the directive was part of measures to institute administrative procedures to curb “numerous unfair trade practices like evasion of import duties and other taxes, under-invoicing, infringement on trademarks and smuggling”.

In view of the re-opening of the three borders, the Ministry said importers of rice, through designated entry posts such as KIA, Tema and Takoradi ports, as well as Elubo, Sampa and Nkrankwanta are, therefore, requested to play according to the laid down procedures”.


Source: Ghana/ClassFMonline.com/91.3FM/https://news.ayekoo.com/1.9615256








Ricegrowers Association of Australia annual conference at Deniliquin looks to the future to keep industry viable

JOHN CHANTER
RICEGROWERS Association of Australia president Jeremy Morton says the industry must embrace new technology to remain viable.The association will hold its annual conference at Deniliquin on Thursday, August 4, and Friday, August 5, under the theme “Looking forward, looking back”.“The one thing we can be sure of is the world will continue to change around us, particularly in terms of technology, policy settings, the climate and business opportunities,” Mr Morton said.
“In order to remain competitive and harness opportunities these changes may present, we all need to be able to adapt to change quickly and effectively.”
Guest speakers at the conference, to be held at the Deniliquin RSL Club, include former Queensland premier Campbell Newman, who now is a director and board chairman at Swarm Farm Robotics.
Country Women’s Association’s NSW chief executive Danica Leys and Mike Wade, Californian Farm Water Coalitio, will also speak at the conference
http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/4054768/eyes-on-future-for-rice-industry/

Will tax cuts on agriculture machinery spur sector?

By Billy Rwothungeyo
Added 29th July 2016 09:09 AM
Male Joe, a farmer in Gayaza says such a move is long overdue, and that government needs to start taking agro-processing seriously if Uganda is to achieve middle income status.
Government removed 18% Value Added Tax (VAT) on the supply of machinery used for the processing of agricultural or dairy products
To encourage more people to get into agribusiness, government in the financial year that started on July 1st decided to strike down 18% Value Added Tax (VAT) on the supply of machinery used for the processing of agricultural or dairy products such as hullers; oil press; tillers, grain dryers, manure spreaders among others.

What kind of impact will this move have on the agriculture sector?

Male Joe, a farmer in Gayaza says such a move is long overdue, and that government needs to start taking agro-processing seriously if Uganda is to achieve middle income status.
“I honestly believe this will have a great positive impact on general development. Definitely, machinery prices may lower a little down such that even smallholder famers can afford. Remember these are the biggest population of the farming community. For example: I deal with Power tiller tractors and Rice De-stoner machines with this tax exempt I am seeing many farmers groups potentially showing interest to buy these machinery,” he reasons.

Importers will also not pay any VAT on fertilizer distributor, trans planters, juice presses and rushers, seed and grain shellers, silage chopper machines; color sorters for coffee, and coffee roasters.Orwothwun Charles, the manager credit and portfolio management at the Uganda Development Bank (UDB) says as much as the changes on VAT are a good thing, a lot more needs to be done to transform agriculture in this country.

 “When you slash the taxes on agricultural inputs, what does this mean for the common man? If you slash VAT on tractors, how many farmers in Uganda use tractors?”

One of the sectors that UDB is heavily involved in is agriculture. Orwothwun says stakeholders should first focus on re-organising farmers through cooperatives.

“We emphasize that as a country, we need to go into agro processing, but how many people have that capacity? We have not addressed the fundamental question which is who is doing agro-processing? The same people doing agro-processing are the middle-men milling maize, processing coffee.
http://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1431125/tax-cuts-agriculture-machinery-spur-sector

APEDA Agri Exchange Newsletter - Volume 1526



 















Egg
Rs per 100 No
Price on 28-07-2016
Product
Market Center
Price
1
Ahmedabad
450
2
Chittoor
453
3
Nagapur
410
Source: e2necc.com
Other International Prices
Unit Price : US$ per package
Price on 27-07-2016
Product
Market Center
Origin
Variety
Low
High
Onions Dry
Package: 40 lb cartons
1
Atlanta
Georgia
Yellow
20
20.50
2
Chicago
Oregon
Yellow
32.50
32.50
2
Detroit
California
Yellow
25
25.50
Cucumbers
Package: cartons film wrapped
1
Atlanta
Canada
Long Seedless
13
15.50
2
Dallas
California
Long Seedless
16.50
16.50
3
Miami
Honduras
Long Seedless
15
16.50
Grapefruit
Package: 7/10 bushel cartons
1
Baltimore
California 
Red
29
30
2
Dallas
California
Red
23.50
23.50
3
New York
California
Red
24
24
Source:USDA













International Benchmark Price
Price on: 27-07-2016
Product
Benchmark Indicators Name
Price
Honey
1
Argentine 85mm, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
2140
2
Argentine 50mm, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
2160
3
Argentine 34mm, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
2180
Peanuts
1
South Africa, HPS 70/80 peanuts CFR main European ports (USD/t)
2064
2
South African, HPS 40/50 peanuts CFR main European ports (USD/t)
1950
3
Argentinean 38/42 runners, CFR NW Europe (USD/t)
1420
Sultanas
1
Australian 5 Crown, CIF UK (USD/t)
2951
2
South African Orange River, CIF UK (USD/t)
2895
3
Turkish No 9 standard, FOB Izmir (USD/t)
1650
Source: oryza, agra-net
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 26-07-2016
Domestic Prices
Unit Price : Rs per Qty
Product
Market Center
Variety
Min Price
Max Price
Rice
1
Chala (Kerala)
Other
2920
3030
2
Dibrugarh (Assam)
Other
2000
2900
3
Khatra (West Bengal)
Other
2170
2250
Wheat
1
Haveri (Karnataka)
Local
1750
1875
2
Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh)
Other
1615
1981
3
Nagpur (Maharashtra)
Other
1685
1825
Papaya
1
Barnala (Punjab)
Other
2200
2500
2
Solan (Himachal Pradesh)
Other
1800
2000
3
Bharuch (Gujarat)
Other
1000
1450
Onion
1
Palayam (Kerala)
Other
1200
1300
2
Ropar (Punjab)
Other
700
900
3
Jatni (Orissa)
Other
1350
1550
Floriculture
Unit Price : US$ per package
Price on 26-07-2016
Product
Market Center
Origin
Variety
Low
High
Rose Flower
Package: bunched 10s
1
Boston
Ethiopia
Assorted Colors
8.50
8.50
Orchid Flower
Package: bunched 10s
1
Boston
Thailand
Dendrobium    
16
16
Lilies Flower
Package: per bunch
1
Boston
Canada
Asiatic  Type
13.50
13.50
Sunflower
Package: per stem
1
Boston
Ecuador
Large Head
1.40
1.50
Source:USDA