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Rice production in Pakistan holds an important position in agriculture and the national economy. The country is the world’s 4th largest producer of rice. It is the second largest export commodity after textile placing Pakistan in the top five rice exporting countries of the world. Rice is the third largest crop after wheat and cotton which is grown over 10 percent of the total cropped area. Rice is highly valued cash crop and it accounts for 6.7 percent in value added in agriculture and 1.6 percent in the GDP. Pakistan grows enough high quality rice to meet both domestic demand and allow for exports of around one million ton per annum.
Unfortunately, the rice export industry has been facing severe suffering since the last couple of years and unable to compete in the world market due to which its exports were in decline. The present PML-N government has taken many good measures to strengthen the country’s economy including a successful completion of the IMF program, relief packages for the textile sector and the Kisan package for the agriculture sector. In the same way, the government should make some arrangements to enhance rice exports. The export of rice will not only bring more foreign exchange into the country but the domestic rice industry will also overcome the crisis.
Engr Mansoor Ahmed
Faisalabad
UNISAME URGES
IPO FOR FAST TRACK PROCESS FOR GI & TM
The Union of Small and Medium
Enterprises (UNISAME) expressed concern on slow progress of the
Geographical Indications (GI) and also Basmati rice trade mark (TM) ownership
and urged the Intellectual Property Organization (IPO) to expedite matters to
enable the rice sector to enjoy the benefits of the GI and TM.
President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver
requested Ayesha Makhdoom executive director IPO to update the house on the
progress of the draft GI law and the TM issue of basmati rice at the session
held by IPO on 25th January 2017 at a local hotel at Karachi.
Thaver congratulated the IPO for
completing the IPO strategy 2017-2021 for TM, copyrights, design, patents
and GI and urged the IPO to ensure infrstructure and perfect set up for its
implementation.
He said the draft GI law prepared
by IPO and experts needs to be taken to the level of law and infact become law
otherwise it will just remain a document.Regarding basmati trade mark the IPO
needs to take steps to give the ownership to the Trade Development Authority of
Pakistan (TDAP) as it belongs to all stakeholders from the growers, processors,
exporters and domestic merchants as well.
He emphasized the need to include
all stakeholders in deliberations and at the same time requested the
stakeholders to participate proactively in all deliberations.
Regarding counterfeits and fake
copies which are prevalent in the markets he complained that unfortunately
there are second copies and fake goods available of several leading brands and
even those manufactured by SMEs.
He explained that it is for the
bonafide owners of TMs and copyrights to protect their rights by taking legal
action against infringements. There is a wrong conception that the TM registry
and IPO will initiate action. It is essential that a complaint is made and
simultaneously legal action is taken
Basmati rice (Lal Quila) Rs
10,700, Shri Lal Mahal Rs 11,300, Super Basmati Rice Rs 9,700, Basmati common
new Rs 6,900-7,000, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs 5,600-6,800, Permal raw Rs 2,050-2,075,
Permal wand Rs 2,150-2,200, Sela Rs 2,800-2,900 and Rice IR-8 Rs 1,850-1,860,
Bajra Rs 1,425-1,465, Jowar yellow Rs 1,750-1,800, white Rs 3,500-3,700, Maize
Rs 1,600-1,610, Barley Rs 1,800-1,820
New Delhi, Jan 24 Rice basmati prices firmed up by Rs 500 per
quintal at the wholesale grains market today on brisk buying by stockists
following uptick in demand against restricted supplies.
However, other grains held steady in thin trade.
Traders said brisk buying by stockists, driven by upsurge in
domestic as well as exports demand against restricted supplies from producing
regions, mainly pushed up rice basmati prices.
In the national capital, rice basmati common and Pusa-1121
variety shot up by Rs 500 each to Rs 6,900-7,000 and Rs 5,600-6,800 per quintal
respectively.
Following are today's quotations (in Rs per quintal):
The latest Oxford Business School report has revealed that only
34 percent of rice consumed in the country is produced locally, resulting in
the importation of 680,000 tonnes annually.
Even though the country’s domestic production has increased by 12 percent over
the 2010-15 period, states the report, domestic consumption increased by double
that rate over the same time frame. As a result, Ghana imports between $300
million and $500 million of rice annually. The report further states that,
between 1999 and 2008, rice consumption grew from 17.5 kg to 38 kg per capita
and is expected to reach 63 kg per capita by 2018.
With population growth, urbanisation and shifting consumer preferences, demand
for rice is expected to continue expanding in the coming years. Reversing the
country’s import-dependence has been a tough nut to crack by successive
governments of the fourth republic, with a number of initiatives failing to
boost local rice production to appreciable levels.
In 2008, under President John Kofour, the National Rice Development Strategy
(NRDS) was out doored, with the goal of doubling rice production by 2018 and
improving quality to increase demand for domestic rice.
As part of the NRDS and the Food and Agricultural Sector Development Policy II,
adds the report, the government provided extension services, stabilised prices
through the National Buffer Stock Company, which was formed to intervene in
staple markets such as maize and rice in order to set minimum prices at the
beginning of the growing season. The erstwhile government under President John
Mahama also introduced a number of programmes.
In the 2015 budget, the rice production sub-sector received GH¢22 million to
boost rice production. Also under the Enhanced Access to Quality Rice Seed
Initiative, 200mt of improved rice seed were distributed to 10,000 farmers in
the Volta, Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions to increase
productivity. Again, to boost local rice production, 77 tractors, 49 power
tillers, 20 rice threshers, 11 rice reapers and six rice mills with their
respective components were assembled and sold to farmers.
In addition, 100 units of Cabrio tractors, with multi components, were
assembled for sale to farmers on hire purchase. But a number of challenges
continue to bog down the sector, including the lack of adequate rice mills. In
the Northern Region, for example, where nearly 40 percent of the country’s rice
is produced, thousands of bags of rice are locked up in warehouses due to the
unavailability of mills to process the commodity, a situation that has
compelled the farmers to use manual means of rice processing, which do not meet
market demand.
In an interview with the B&FT at last year’s Rice Festival, Mike Bartels,
German Cooperation—Green Innovation Center for The Agriculture and Food Sector,
Ghana, said there is tremendous opportunity in the rice industry if the private
sector increases its participation. “We believe that there is a huge potential
in rice production in Ghana which is untapped.
I don’t believe that it is the task of only the government to promote the local
rice industry. It is the responsibility of the government to create a conducive
framework for innovations that work so that the private sector takes over the
task of investing in machinery and logistics that will help the industry
thrive,” he said.
Sri Lanka to import rice from neighbouring countries
ByadminJanuary 25, 2017 17:16
Sri Lanka is to look at importing rice
from neighbouring countries, the
Government
information department said today.The cabinet has noted that the Ministry of
Rural Economic Affairs has taken steps to issue 90,958 MT of paddy of the Paddy
Marketing Board in district level to private paddy mill owners and Lanka
Sathosa to be processed into rice.It further considered that though Lanka
Sathosa has already processed the paddy and a kilogram of rice is being traded
through Sathosa outlets at Rs. 76/-, private mill owners have still not issued
them to the market.
The cabinet has decided to appoint a cabinet
subcommittee to issue the rest of the stocks in a suitable method and to take
action against mill owners who have failed to issue rice stocks to the market.The
cabinet has also taken note that the Government of Indonesia will donate 10,000
MT of rice to Sri Lanka on a request made by President Maithripala Sirisena and
it will arrive in Sri Lanka soon.It also paid attention to the need of
importing rice from neighbouring countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam unless
the price of rice is reduced. (Colombo Gazette
Federation of All India Rice Millers’
Association (FAIRMA) national president Tarsem Saini on Wednesday asked the
government to take stern steps to check corruption in the Food Corporation of
India (FCI) which collects levy from the rice millers.Speaking at the executive
committee meeting of the federation, the delegates from all over the country
discussed the problems faced by rice millers across the country.“The federation
will not side with the erring rice mill owner,” he assured.
Mr. Saini said a uniform policy should be
implemented on power charges collected from rice mills all over India. The
software developed by the Central Government for FCI was useful and helped
cashless transactions between the corporation and the rice millers. He alleged
that some corporation employees were creating hurdles in the use of the
software.He demanded that the government increase milling expenses to Rs. 50
per quintalhttp://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/Check-corruption-in-FCI-demand-rice-millers/article17096521.ece
VN rice exports set to face another tough year
Despite facing difficulties, Viet Nam will strive to achieve rice
exports of more than 5 million tonnes this year, the Viet Nam Food Association
has said.
Despite facing difficulties, Viet
Nam will strive to achieve rice exports of more than 5 million tonnes this
year, the Viet Nam Food Association has said.
Speaking at a meeting to review the
VFA’s performance last year in HCM City on Monday, its secretary, Huynh Minh
Hue, said last year only 4.89 million tonnes were exported for $2.12 billion, a
25.5 per cent fall in volume and 20.57 per cent decline in value.There was
excessive supply in the global market last year, and there has been a recent
trend of major importing countries increasing domestic production to reduce
imports, he said.
Viet Nam’s rice exports are likely
to face another difficult year as supply outstrips demand and global
competition intensifies, he said.
He quoted the US Department of
Agriculture as saying global rice output in 2016/17 is estimated to increase by
1.6 per cent from last year to 480 million tonnes due to an expansion in the area
under rice in many countries including Australia, Myanmar, Brazil, India,
Indonesia, North Korea, Pakistan, Thailand, and the US, he said.
Global exports are expected to rise
by one million tonnes or 2.6 per cent to 40.6 million tonnes, he said.
Stockpiles have been increasing for
the last three years and are expected to reach the highest levels since 2001/02
crop, he said.
Huynh The Nang, VFA chairman, said
despite the hurdles, rice businesses would strive to export higher volumes than
last year to ensure farmers can sell off as much of their outputs as possible.In
the long term the domestic rice sector targets exports of high-value rice to
affluent markets, he said.He said the Plant Protection Department and other
relevant agencies should take measures to improve the hygiene and food safety
of Vietnamese rice to enable more exports to choosy markets.
The association said rice exporters
should meet hygiene and food safety standards and strengthen linkages with
farmers to ensure a steady source of the grain to meet market demand.Hue called
on the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to build an international
standard laboratory in Can Tho to help exporters check their rice quality,
especially look for plant protection chemical residues, instead of sending to
other countries for analysis as is done now.Nang said authorities in rice
growing localities need to do more to instruct farmers in producing rice
meeting safety standards, encourage them to use more certified rice seedlings
and improve technical and financial support systems.Do Ha Nam, chairman and
general director of Intimex Group Joint Stock Company -- one of the country’s
10 largest rice exporters -- said while exports of other kinds were down,
exports of Japonica and sticky rice went up by 136.95 per cent and 96.59 per
cent.“But farmers have [since] rushed to grow more sticky rice, which [poses a]
risk.”
He said the Government should work
with China to facilitate exports of Vietnamese rice to that country.
“We face severe competition in
terms of price from Pakistan and India.“There may be difficulties but if we
choose to invest in varieties like fragrant rice and sticky rice, there will be
opportunities.”
Le Thanh Tung of the Crop
Production Department said Viet Nam has the potential to boost exports of
sticky, fragrant, Japonica and high-quality rice varieties.Besides improving
quality, Vietnamese firms should also focus on building brands, he said.
Rice stockpile
The association on Monday called on
the Government to approve a programme to stockpile rice temporarily from the
winter-spring crop to ensure farmers do not lose.Tung said the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development, based on rice production and consumption in
February and March, would make specific recommendations for it.The quality in
the 2016/17 winter-spring crop would be better than last year’s, he added
ARLINGTON, VA -- USA Rice released a new coloring
booklet for children ages 2-6, to teach them about rice grown in the USA.
This new resource joins USA Rice's collection of other educational resources
including the U.S.-Grown Rice in the Classroom pamphlet and the Think Rice
classroom curriculum, which are regularly requested by extension agents,
educators, and others conducting youth programs including county fairs, Ag in
the Classroom projects, and other local events.
"The U.S.-Grown Rice in the Classroom
pamphlet is always a hit with kids, but since its content is geared toward 4th
- 6th grade students, it left out younger kids," said Mary Jemison, USA
Rice meetings and member services associate. "So we decided to
create a simple, fun, and easy-to-print coloring activity that tells the
farm-to-table story of U.S. rice while also being age appropriate for the
younger audience."
The four-page activity features a map of the
U.S. on the front and asks kids to color in the six outlined rice growing
states. The center page spread shows the lifecycle of rice by season and
allows kids to color in different scenes from the farm. The last page
brings rice to the table where kids can color in a family making dinner and
draw a MyPlate inspired dish with rice.
"Since kids are seeing MyPlate all the time
at school, it's a good opportunity to show them that rice has a place on
MyPlate too," said Jemison. The coloring sheet will make its big
debut at the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show next month which attracts 20,000
visitors. Jemison says, "Kids love visiting the USA Rice booth to
spin the prize wheel, and we're really excited to have this new activity and
USA Rice colored pencil sets to distribute."
The new coloring booklet is available for
download onthinkrice.comand physical copies can be requested by emailingUSA Rice.
What’s in store for world rice
markets?
‘One rice forecast I got very right and one rice forecast I got
very wrong’
Five years ago, I got China
right. But I got India all wrong. I predicted that China would be a huge rice
importer. I did not in my wildest dreams imagine India, so desperately short of
water, would so rapidly accelerate its water consumption beyond any other Asian
nation and then flood the world with cheap rice exports.
We live and we learn. Don’t we?
Erick Hoffer, wrote in his book,The True Believer: “In times of change the future
belongs to the learner while the learned will find beautiful ways to cope with
a world that no longer exists.”
When it comes to the rice market,
I urge you to not be a learned know-it-all, living in a rice market that does
not even exist. Instead, become a rice market learner, every day.
This is a survival skill for your
operation in this exponentially changing world with a new U.S. President no one
predicted would win. I liken the shock at Trump’s surprise victory to the
bearishness in the rice market right now.
No one thinks the rice price can
recover for many months, if not years. The bull party is on the outside looking
at the incumbent, pervasive market opinion of low rice prices forever.
Do not be so sure you are right
(learned) and know all about this rice market. I have been trading or advising
it for 35 years and have bought millions of tons and tens of millions of
dollars of rice. Expect the unexpected. It is a Texas rattlesnake that can bite
you in the wallet in a New York hedge fund minute.
Let me briefly explain to you one
very good reason why the rice price is so low now. The reason is spelt
I-N-D-I-A.But first let’s do a quick overview of my book, “When
Rice Shakes the World,” I wrote and where we are right now.The
world is divided into the haves and the have-nots. There are parts of the Earth
that have less water on tap -- color them red. Then there are parts of the
world that have lots of water -- color them green. Parts of Asia, Africa, the
Middle East and the Western United States are arid to semi-arid. These regions
will never grow rice, which takes twice the water of dryland wheat.
Rice grows largely below the
latitudinal line that crosses north Arkansas. Half the Asian rice belt, which is
south of this latitudinal line, suffers from intense water problems. North of
this belt line, folks can grow a lot of barley, corn, wheat and soybeans but
about zero rice. The Earth has a shortage of area with good soils and flat
terrain that can grow rice, if we should encounter a rice supply problem.
I want to leave you with three
amazing facts.
·Five years ago, I was telling our
subscribers that China would be the largest rice importer in the world. That
came to pass.
·What is incredible to me is that
the entire rice production in the Western Hemisphere is about equal to what is
produced in Vietnam, just a tiny sliver of the Asian rice belt on the eastern
edge of southeast Asia.
Vietnam is obsessed with putting
rice first to keep people from starving. People are not starving there; just
rice farmers who are starving there financially as the government makes them
grow a losing proposition, which is rice.
China is the good guy for world
rice farmers. The price there is high at about $18 per cwt. and China imports
rice like South Korea and Japan. But China imports rice because it cannot
supply its citizens with the rice they want. Imported rice is not just cheaper
but it is also edible. About 10-30 percent of its rice land produces rice no
one wants to eat. End of story.
That should be bullish on the
price but perhaps not quite yet. China is now bent on setting aside millions of
hectares of polluted farm land, which is a very good idea. India should also
curb its rapidly accelerating water use as well. Then, the world rice market
would become rational again.
·What amazes me is that India is
an exporter, massive exporter of rice.
That is a mystery to me I did not
in any way predict five years ago. India has a massive and growing over use of
its groundwater. Half of India is arable, while only 15 percent of China is
arable. So, India gives away water virtually for free so rice farmers will
elect politicians. It is about growing votes, not just rice. I got India all
wrong.
The rice market had a price
earthquake or rather volcano in 2008 and the world rough rice or paddy markets
blew apart. China hiked its rice price to the moon because it is a good guy.
India pushed billions of dollars’ worth of subsidized inputs to keep its rice
price dirt cheap. All paddy markets are sinking towards that $7 per cwt. price
in India. Ouch!
No county in Asia with collapsing
water tables should grow rice for $7 per cwt. But India is doing just that and
burying the market with 10.5 million metric tons of exports each year.
Any forecast of rising world rice
prices must include a turnaround in the paddy price in India. I think India has
declining rice stocks and wheat stocks and things could get very interesting in
2017. If the rupee gets stronger against the U.S. dollar, their price will rise
just as it has weakened with the weak rupee.
The demonetization of the rupee
and the lack of cash banknotes for trading have created a huge mess, may cut
winter wheat plantings and perhaps leave rice to rot because there is no cash
to plant wheat or buy rice now.
So, that is the rice world and it
is a bit crazy.
What about your market? Well two
things determine the price you will receive: world paddy trends I just
discussed and then the basis, the local difference between cash minus futures.
You want to sell your rice when the local basis is strong. That can make a $1
to $2 difference in what you receive for your rice.
We watch all the regional rough
rice markets for long- and medium-grain as well as rough rice markets in every
major rice country of the world. On our website and in our newsletter, we watch
the basis: Arkansas, the Mississippi River delivered price, CIF NOLA, Texas,
SWLA, and even California medium-grain. We have been doing this since 2003.
Visit our website, www.firstgrain.com, and learn about the global and local
side of your rice market.
Become an unassuming learner, not
a presumptuous, learned person. The market in the next 12 months will not be
dull. It will be violently volatile. Be prepared for the unexpected.If everyone
whispers in your ear who will win for sure, be prepared for a dark horse to
take it all in Washington, D.C. and in Chicago. And I am not referring to the
Cubs or their momma bears either.
Trump's push
against trade deals disappoints some of his supporters
Donald Trump’s push against trade
deals he says have devastated small-town U.S. workers is bringing
disappointment to another key piece of his rural American coalition: Farmers
and ranchers who heartily supported the president in hopes of less regulation and
lower taxes.
Trump’s decision Monday to pull
out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which would have reduced tariffs and
strengthened economic ties between the U.S. and 11 other countries, will cost
the agriculture industry as much as $4.4 billion a year in potential sales,
according to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the biggest U.S. farmer
group.
Reopening talks over the North
American Free Trade Agreement, which Trump has called a "disaster"
and plans to bring up in a meeting later this month with the Mexican president,
risks dealing an even bigger blow for agriculture, one of the few sectors of
the American economy with a net trade surplus.
"I feel nervous and anxious
about what is next," said Ron Heck, who has 4,000 acres of soybean and
corn crops in central Iowa. "I know that President Trump has concerns with
manufacturing and he didn’t take this step lightly, but now we have to wait and
see what better deals can be negotiated."
Exports of corn, cotton, soybeans
and other goods in the year that started Oct. 1 are estimated at $134 billion,
the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in November. The three biggest
destinations for U.S. farm products: China, Canada and Mexico. Adding to the
malaise, the threat for exports comes at a time when U.S. farm incomes have
already fallen for three straight years, the longest slump since 1977.
The prospect of Trump’s
presidency has always been a mixed bag for farm groups. Positions restricting
immigration and trade were less popular, while that was balanced by hopes that
reductions in regulations and taxes may offset any negative effects on the
industry.
Voter Differences
The split on key campaign issues illustrates the difference between "farm
voters" and "rural voters" among Trump supporters, said Gary
Blumenthal, president of World Perspectives Inc. in Washington. Farmers are
iconic in American culture and influential on Capitol Hill, where agriculture
groups give more dollars to candidates than the defense and transportation
industries.
But manufacturing and service
workers are more numerous in rural America, and Trump’s message was more
narrowly focused on their needs than they were to agriculture’s, Blumenthal
said.
"When Trump is talking about
trade he’s talking about factories," a big job generator in the industrial
Midwest, where voters in small cities and rural areas gave Trump the victories
that won him the White House, Blumenthal said. "Agriculture is a different
fit."
The National Grange, the oldest
nationwide farm organization, acknowledged as much, saying it opposed TPP for
the sake of its neighbors. As a farm group, "we understand the value"
of TPP, its President Betsy Huber said in a statement. Still, she added,
"the Grange also represents the interests of residents of rural areas and small
communities, who produce other products and may not expect to fare as
well."
Other farm groups may also be in
an uncomfortable position, and not just on trade, Blumenthal said. Biofuel
skeptics have found a home in the new administration, and conservative groups
have called for less government spending on agricultural subsidies.
‘Concerted Effort’
In response, "there’s been a concerted effort to remind the White House
about the importance of agriculture to the rural vote," Blumenthal said.
"There’s a feeling that once the administration puts two and two together
they’ll realize that agriculture’s important to jobs in rural areas, and trade
is important to agriculture.”
After Trump dumped TPP, the Farm
Bureau said it was disappointed in the decision. The group’s president, Zippy
Duvall, a Georgia farmer and friend of the president’s Agriculture Secretary
nominee, said in a statement the administration needs to work "immediately
to do all it can to develop new markets for U.S. agricultural goods."
In lieu of TPP, the
administration plans to pursue bilateral trade deals with individual countries
that Trump believes will result in better deals for Americans, White House
spokesman Sean Spicer said Monday at the daily press briefing.
"We do understand that trade
and TPP specifically were a campaign issue," said Tracy Brunner, president
of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and a fourth-generation rancher
in Kansas.
Cattle and beef producers
overwhelmingly supported Trump, even with his protectionist stance on trade,
because they believed he was much more likely to lessen regulations than his
rival Hillary Clinton, who also came out in opposition to TPP, Brunner said.
Not having a trade deal like TPP costs the cattle industry $400,000 in sales a
day lost to other countries with lower tariffs, such as Australia, according to
the cattlemen’s group.
Trade is key both for
commodity-crop groups, with as much as a third of products like soybeans and
corn going to China, and the meat industry, where countries included in the TPP
and Nafta for more than 60% of foreign purchases for U.S. red meat, according
to the U.S. Meat Export Federation.
‘Key Markets’
“In some of these key markets, the U.S. red-meat industry will remain at a
serious competitive disadvantage unless meaningful market access gains are
realized,” Philip Seng, president of the USMEF, said in a statement. “We urge
the new administration to utilize all means available to return the United
States to a competitive position.”
Not every farm group said leaving
TPP was a bad idea. The proposed agreement reflected a "continuance of our
nation’s deeply flawed trade agenda," The National Farmers Union, the
second-largest farmer group and a trade-agreement critic, said in a statement.
The organization, which has associated with Democratic Party policy positions
in the past, said it was pleased with the Trump administration’s move.
For now, farmer groups said they
still have hope in the new president, looking forward to what’s good for them
while trying to change his mind on the less favorable.
"We will work with the hand
we were dealt, and we will continue to try to explain the benefits of trade in
every avenue we have," Brunner of the cattle group said.
“Why do you hang on to your
calves?” the beef economist asked cow-herd owners in the room.
Scott Brown answered his own
question: “Because their price is going up. Right?”
Brown, with University of
Missouri Extension, cautioned, “There are still downside risks.”
Risk remains in spite of slowing
of sharp price declines since October. Some stability appears in beef prices.
“Unforeseen events cause
volatility,” Brown reminded the gathering of producers of Show-Me-Select
replacement heifers. “Market shocks occur in response to news.”
He gave an example. A release of
the USDA cow inventory Jan. 31 might contain surprises, Brown said. “If cow
numbers are sharply higher, that could cause a drop in beef prices.
“I get arguments in both
directions, up and down, on cow numbers,” he said. However, he admitted he
thought there would be more cows reported in the U.S. herd. One reason is
continued holding back of more heifers.
Brown had already explained that
there is a mountain of meat — pork, chicken and beef — facing U.S. consumers.
A growing cow herd will only add
to the supply of beef to be sold.
News after the cow count release
could drag markets down. “You might consider future downside risks when
deciding when to sell calves,” Brown said.
However, when he asked herd
owners if they increased their herds, few held up their hands. “I could be
wrong on a growing cow herd,” he said.
“If we can’t sell beef abroad, that
means that meat must be consumed here at home. The main way to move more meat
is to lower prices.”
Brown went on to explain that
international trade plays a big part in the price of domestic meat. Trade
policy and value of the dollar both affect that foreign trade.
“Recognize that those changes
affect your marketing decisions,” he said.
A strong dollar makes prices
higher in other countries for buyers of U.S. beef. “If we can’t sell beef
abroad, that means that meat must be consumed here at home,” Brown said. “The
main way to move more meat is to lower prices.”
As always, Brown urged producers
to consider risk management in their marketing.
In his overall outlook on cattle
prices, Brown said, “We may be returning to what is a long-term normal price
level.”
Managers must realize that input
expenses don’t adjust down as quickly as market receipts.
Brown reminded producers that
weather is a big player in determining the size of the cow herd. Drought,
especially in the south-central plains, started the huge drop in cow herd size
that led eventually to record high cattle prices in 2014.
Changing economics affect
individual farm decisions. Major events affect all of agriculture. Price swings
in commodity prices make for planning headaches for beef producers.
“It’s a series of unforeseen
events that caused recent volatility,” Brown said.
The Show-Me-Select heifer
producers follow management and genetic guidelines developed at the University
of Missouri. Protocols, such as for calving ease, add value to heifers coming
into the herd.
Heifers with proven genetics add
price premiums to replacements sold in the annual spring and fall heifer sales.
Brown tells beef producers that
adding quality is a form of risk management.
Repeat buyers at the sales learn that heifers with better
genetics outperform old cows they replace. Return buyers bid more at the next
sale to buy quality.
Action likely to be taken against rice
millers who did not process government paddy
Wednesday, 25 January 2017 - 18:49
A Cabinet Sub Committee has been
appointed to take action against rice millers who bought paddy from the Paddy
Marketing Board but did not process the stocks thus far. Cabinet Spokesman
minister Gayantha Karunathilaka told the media briefing to inform Cabinet
decisions held in Colombo today that minister of Special Project Dr. Sarath
Amunugama will chair this Subcommittee.
Meanwhile, Joint Cabinet Spokesman Minister Rajitha Senarathna said that the
Prime Minister was unaware of the circumstances behind the tyre factory when he
participated recently at its foundation laying ceremony at Wagawatta in Horana
Looking to Eat Well? Keep It Simple to Make It
Stick with Minute Rice
TORONTO, Jan 25, 2017 (BUSINESS
WIRE) --
At the start of 2017, many of us
vowed that this year would be different. In 2016, we were too busy to grocery
shop, our kids turned their nose up at dinner - so we caved and got takeout
more than we'd like to admit. But this year it was going to be different. We
were going to eat better, take proper care of ourselves and our families, and
not fall into the same traps. But chances are old behaviours have already
started rearing their heads, prompting many of us to ask: what am I doing
wrong?
You're doing nothing wrong.
Contrary to popular belief, it can take anywhere from 18 to over 250 days to
form a new habit. Every single one of us operates on a different timeline,
which means our environment greatly influences our success. And when it comes
to forming new eating habits, what we keep in our kitchen - or put in our
pantry - can sway what we actually end up eating.
Not to mention, getting a meal on
the table during the week is no easy task. There is a reason why dinnertime has
earned the title of the "witching hour." From picky eaters, to
turning into a short-order cook, or being just too tired to shop, these
parental pain points have us yearning for a mid-week win. Well, wait no longer.
Help is on the way, with the Minute Rice(R) #WeekdayWin Challenge. Need a
15-minute recipe for a real? A meal your picky eater will actually eat? Our
#WeekdayWin network - a community of moms, foodies and family experts - has the
answers. For the next eight weeks, our network will uncover the best,
mom-endorsed recipes and meal planning tips to solve the most common pain
points for Canadian families. Sourced from their community of moms, our network
will help families across Canada to create a new habit with simple meals they
can feel good about. After all, who knows better than Mom?
So just what are those dinner time
dilemmas for parents?
Shop your pantry for that mid-week
win.
Recent Canadian Minute Rice(R)
Research confirms that eight-in-ten women (82%) say that when they're too busy
to grocery shop, they rely on a stocked pantry with key items like rice, pasta
or oliveoilto prepare easy, wholesome meals at home. As much as many of us
romanticize the idea of the daily, European-style shop, our busy North-American
lives rarely - if ever, during the week - allow for it.
"When you spend as much time
online as we do, you can be lured into falsely believing that every meal you
make needs to be an original creation, with carefully-sourced ingredients that
were bought day-of," says family food blogger and #WeekdayWin Network
member Julie Albert, who co-founded Bite Me More with her sister Lisa Gnat.
"We love cooking like that occasionally, but we can't do that every day.
Our pantries are packed with simple basics that we can quickly match up with a
few other ingredients to satisfy our families when we have lots of other things
going on," echoes Lisa.
Kid Friendly meals? The struggle is
real.
Every parent has experienced it in
one form or another - the long-faced, pouty-lipped expression coupled with an
"I don't want to eat this" (or on worse days a "you can't make
me.") Minute Rice's study reveals that nearly four-in-ten parents admit to
struggling to find kid-friendly meals their family will eat, and 36% avoid
dinnertime altercations altogether by preparing a different meal or dinner for
their kids than they do for the adults.
If the adults want fish and veggies
with rice, it's easy enough to substitute scrambled eggs in place of fish, or
fruit in place of veggies, without having to create a second full meal from
scratch. Interestingly also, a person's willingness to do this may somewhat
depend on where they live: the research shows that people in Ontario are almost
twice as likely to customize meals for kids as those from the Prairies.
"Between school, work, and
activities many parents have limited time with their kids these days,"
says Julie. "Many simply don't want to spend family time fighting over
dinner. Pantry ingredients like instantriceallow for easily adaptable meals that every member of the family
can enjoy."
In keeping with these sentiments,
the majority of women (79%) feel that meals they can make at home in 15
minutes, with fewer ingredients, make their life easier during the week. And
simple ingredients can help solve that dinnertime dilemma.
Wholesome doesn't have to be pricy.
The study also revealed that 67% of
Canadians want their family to eat wholesome and natural foods, but they feel
it's expensive to do so consistently. In reality, it doesn't have to be. There
are many wholesome foods available that don't cost an arm and a leg - and many
of them can live in your cupboard, which can come as a surprise to some
Canadians.
For example, half of us don't know
that instantriceis simplyricethat's been partially pre-cooked, a fact men and women equally
agree on. One in four of us admit to not knowing what instantriceis at all.
"Rice is a grain we've been
eating for thousands of years, that is simple, delicious, naturally fat-free,
gluten-free, and non-perishable," says Norma D'Onofrio, Senior Brand
Manager, Minute Rice. "Our instantriceis justricethat's been partially pre-cooked and dried so that people can save
time at home. No additives, and it's just one ingredient. It's really that
simple."
This means that those who stock
their pantry with staples such as instantriceare in a position to save cooking-time, while also eating a
wholesome grain that's been around for ages.
"Once you've decided thatriceis going to be a part of the family meal, you only have to select
a veggie and a protein to complete your plate," says Lisa. "A simple
solution is imagining your meal in terms of 'thirds'. Pairing a grain, a
serving of vegetables and a protein - like beef or chicken - can be your
family's formula to making dinner time easy in three simple steps."
What's your #WeekdayWin?
Most Canadians decide what's for
dinner about an hour before they start cooking, and when you're in the middle
of your busy week, it's fair to assume that creativity is waning. So start your
year off right by following #WeekdayWin for our network's inspiration, tips,
and the winning mom-tested recipes tasted and scored by our network of savvy
moms and Canadian families. And there's more. This February 8th, Bite Me More
will provide some mid-week inspiration on our Facebook Live debut which tackles
15 minute meals (for real). Need further motivation? Visit MinuteRice.ca for
versatile, delicious and easy 1-2-3 meal ideas and see our network in action.
You'll soon get used to the
satisfaction of consistently getting a meal on the table that's good for your
family - and that you can feel good about serving. Achieved your first Weekday
Win? Celebrate with us and share your #WeekdayWin to inspire others. We'll bask
in your glory, and you may even have the opportunity to be showcased on our
site.
About Minute Rice:
Made by the Catelli Foods
Corporation, Minute Rice pre-cooked instantriceis available in tastes and formats that suit all palates.
Wholesome, 100% Natural, Premium Long Grain White Rice; Premium Whole Grain
Brown Rice - that's ready in ten minutes; convenient Ready to Serve Cups;
flavourful Basmati and Jasmine varieties. For more information, visit
MinuteRice.ca.
About the Research Study:
A survey of 1578 Canadians was
completed online between November 28th and December 1st 2016 using Leger's
online panel, LegerWeb. A probability sample of the same size would yield a
margin of error of +/-2.5%, 19 times out of 20.
PUBLISHED:12:12 GMT,
25 January 2017|UPDATED:12:54
GMT, 25 January 2017
A formerly overweight forklift driver has
revealed how he ate his way to a striking body transformation - by eating 4,500
calories a day.
Jon Woollard, 30, from Buckinghamshire, was
16 stone at his heaviest and struggled through years of yo-yo dieting before
overhauling his diet and becoming a personal trainer.
In his twenties, Jon did no exercise and
lived on a diet frozen dinners, chocolate, crisps and energy drinks to get him
through long days in manual labour as a forklift driver and removal man.
Scroll down for video
Jon in 2012,
left, and now, right. In his early twenties Jon was 16 stone, being stuck
in a routine of no exercise, frozen dinners and binging on energy drinks to get
him through long days
Now he now weighs a lean 12stone 10lbs,
having reduced his body fat from an 'excessive' 30 per cent down to 12 per
cent.
Despite shedding more than 3 stone and toning
up, Jon, who is now the proud owner of a rippling six-pack, now eats
substantially more than he did at his heaviest.
On a daily basis he gets through a staggering
seven meals, totting up an intake of around 4460kcal - but insists he's never
been healthier.
Jon, now a personal trainer, claims he has
achieved his dream physique by carefully altering his diet to gain muscle and
get lean - and treats his body like a 'machine'.
He now wants to spread the message that
skipping meals and cutting down calories can be harmful.
JON'S SEVEN
MEALS A DAY
Jon's meal
prep for one day including lots of chicken breast, rice and broccoli
6.30am75g rolled oats, 1 scoop of whey protein and
a banana
9amTuna steak, whole wheat pasta and vegetables
11amChicken breast, Basmati rice and vegetables
1pmChicken breast, basmati rice and vegetables
3pm(Pre workout meal) Chicken breast, basmati
rice and spinach
6.30pm(Post workout meal) Rump steak or chicken
breast, Basmati rice and vegetables
8.30pmChicken breast with vegetables or 2 Ryvita
with high protein peanut butter
When he initially decided to lose weight, Jon
tried cutting down his calorie intake.
But although he lost weight by restricting
his calories and lifting weights initially, he wasn't gaining muscle and felt
regularly exhausted.
After researching nutrition online Jon
discovered health retailer Musclefood.com, which he says helped him transform
his eating habits.
Now, in his new job as a personal trainer,
Jon guides his clients through diet and exercise tips - and insists there are
much better ways of losing weight than cutting down your food intake.
Jon, a former
forklift driver, now weighs a lean 12stone 10lbs, having reduced his body
fat from an 'excessive' 30 per cent down to 12 per cent and dropping more than
3 stone
Jon shows off
his muscles. In his new job as a personal trainer, he guides his clients
through nutrition tips - and insists there are better ways of losing weight
than just cutting food intake
Dedicated:
Jon's daily diet consists of rolled oats, bananas, tuna steak, whole wheat
pasta and vegetables, chicken breast, Basmati rice and vegetables - totting up
4,500 calories
An 'afternoon
snack' for Jon now consists of five egg whites, two whole eggs, spinach, two
slices of wholemeal toast and hot sauce. The personal trainer no longer scrimps
on calories
Jon said: 'Cutting out meals and
snacking on low calorie foods is not the way to achieve a long-term, healthy
body transformation.
'Solely focusing on cutting out food is
a slippery slope, people need to make sure the body still gets everything it
needs.
'Generally, short-term weight loss is
achieved by reducing food intake but this type of diet is not sustainable. As
soon as food intake is increased weight will return dramatically.
'When you suddenly eat much fewer calories
your body goes into a type of energy saving mode, and your metabolism slows
right down.
The personal
trainer in a holiday snap before losing the weight. When he initially
decided to lose weight, Jon tried by cutting down his food intake - but often
felt exhausted
Jon hits the
gym. Jon, now a personal trainer, says he's achieved his dream body by
carefully altering training and diet to gain muscle and get lean - not by
counting calories
'This can result in making you feel tired,
irritated and generally lowers mood and motivation. These things can of course
have a knock-on effect on everything.
'In the extreme, eating less could even lead
to malnutrition, resulting in unhealthy weight loss and nutrient deficiencies.'
He added: 'People should try to
think more about what they're eating and how often rather than how much.
'Try and treat your body like an engine;
without the right fuel you won't perform at your best.'
Mika darts sits on a table inside of B52 Cafe
in Lawrenceville on Monday, Jan. 16, 2017.
The ingredients for mika darts are laid out
inside of the kitchen of B52 Cafe in Lawrenceville on Monday, Jan. 16, 2017.
The fried onions lay on the counter inside the
kitchen of B52 Cafe in Lawrenceville on Monday, Jan. 16, 2017.
Owner and Chef Omar Abuhejleh poses for a
portrait inside of B52 Cafe in Lawrenceville on Monday, Jan. 16, 2017.
Owner and Chef Omar Abuhejleh poses for a
portrait with the dish mika darts in front of him inside of B52 Cafe in
Lawrenceville on Monday, Jan. 16, 2017.
Fried onions lay on the counter as Omar
Abuhejleh fries fresh onions during the making of mika darts inside of the
kitchen of B52 Cafe in Lawrenceville on Monday, Jan. 16, 2017.
B52 Vegan Cafe
Hours: 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays (espresso
bar opens at 8 a.m., with full menu available at 9 a.m.); 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Saturdays; 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays
Cuisine: Middle Eastern-American fusion vegan
Prices: Salads, $12; sandwiches, $18; soup,
$4.50; platters, $6 (serves one) to $30 (serves six); small plates, $4.50;
flatbreads, $6 and $7; espressos, $2.25 to $5.25.
Omar Abuhejleh's passion for cooking began in his mother's kitchen
and grew as he traveled the world, living in Los Angeles, Saudi Arabia and
other parts of the Middle East.
It continued even during college and law school where, unlike most
students who subsist on campus food and take-out, Abuhejleh preferred to make
his own meals, thus sharpening his culinary skills.
After moving to Pittsburgh for law school, he eventually bought
Allegro Hearth Bakery in Squirrel Hill, and recently launched a second venture
— B52 in Lawrenceville — a vegan cafe that blends Abuhejleh's growing interest
in animal welfare and his affinity for Middle Eastern cuisine.
“I wanted to create something new that I enjoy … to cook things I
like to eat,” says Abuhejleh, 45, who left his law practice to become a
full-time restaurateur. Located at 5202 Butler St., B52 serves lunch, dinner
and Sunday brunch, and has a full-service espresso bar. Everything is meat- and
dairy-free and made from scratch, including hand-pressed almond milk, cashew
cheese, a spicy, roasted red pepper sauce (harissa) and hand-dipped chocolates.
“I stopped eating meat about 12 years ago, when I realized that I
can exist and be healthy and be satisfied and not consume animal products,”
says Abuhejleh, who, when he lived abroad, experienced slaughtering lamb for
Muslim holiday meals — a practice he found jarring, “Watching the life go out
of an animal affected me, and I didn't enjoy eating the meat.”
The B52 menu offers classic platters of hummus, falafel, labneh,
fried cauliflower and fried tomatoes; flatbreads (manakish) served with
accompaniments such as mixed herbs (za'atar) or shitake mushrooms; seitan- and
tofu-based sandwiches; soups such as lentil and butternut squash, and salads
that include a Mediterranean slaw made with pickled turnips and tahini.
Abuhejleh features fermented items such as daikan napa cabbage,
yogurt and kombucha, a lightly effervescent tea. “The main reason is that
fermented flavor tastes good, but fermented foods are healthy, too,” he says.
Abduhejleh developed most of the recipes himself, incorporating
organic herbs such as cilantro, parsley and dill into many of his dishes, and
smoking the eggplant for baba ghannouj over applewood chips in-house. One of
his go-to spices is cardamom, which is commonly used in the Middle East, even
in coffee. Abduhejleh infuses it into B52's nitro cold-brew coffee.
B52 attracts a mixed crowd, including meat-eaters who are curious
or looking for a change of pace, says Abduhejleh, who often steers them to
dishes like Kofta Tofu Scramble, which uses seitan — a dense, chewy product
made with high-protein wheat.
Abduhejleh worked with architect Jason Roth to create a welcoming
interior that features a decorative tin ceiling, retro-tile and Courtesan oak
floor, quartzite countertops at the espresso bar, and walnut and shoji-paper
pendant lanterns by local sculptor Isaac Bower of Polish Hill.
Deborah Weisberg is a Tribune-Review contributing writer.
MUJADARRA
This classic Middle Eastern dish has ancient origins and is a
delicious alternative to meat, says Abuhejleh, noting that it also is
economical. “You can make this recipe for four for about a buck.”
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup green lentils
1 cup Basmati rice
13⁄4teaspoons salt
3⁄4teaspoons cumin
1⁄4teaspoons cinnamon (optional)
1⁄8teaspoons cardamom (optional)
Approximately 3 cups water
Optional garnish of crispy fried
onion
1 onion, julienned-diced
To prepare mujadarra: In a small pot, fry diced onion in 2
tablespoons olive oil for approximately 15 minutes, add salt and spices, and
fry for another 5 minutes.
Rinse lentils and add to pot with 21⁄2cups water. Bring to a boil and let
boil for 30 minutes. Rinse rice and add to pot with lentils and onions. Add
approximately1⁄2cup water, or just enough to cover
rice and lentils. (How much water you add at this point depends on how much
water boiled off while cooking lentils.)
Cover pot, bring to a boil, lower to simmer and cook for
approximately 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat, let sit for
5 to 10 minutes and fluff.To prepare optional garnish: Fry julienned-diced
onion in saute pan with enough olive oil to cover on medium heat for
approximately 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside to drain on a paper
towel.You can also pour 1-2 tablespoons of oil used for frying on mujadarra.
PHILIPPINE PRODUCTION of
agricultural products is expected to have increased in 2016-2017, including a
nearly 2% increase in rice output, according to data from the World Bank.
Rice production is expected to
increase nearly 2% in 2016-2017, driven by favorable growing conditions in
Indonesia, Thailand (the world’s top rice exporter), and the Philippines. --
World Bank’s January 2017 Commodity Markets Outlook –AFP
According to the bank’s January 2017 Commodity Markets Outlook,
“Rice production is expected to increase nearly 2% in 2016-2017, driven by
favorable growing conditions in Indonesia, Thailand (the world’s top rice
exporter), and the Philippines.”The Philippines ranks 8th in rice output and is
seen to produce 11.5 million metric tons (MT) of rice or 2.3958% of the world
production in 2016-2017, increasing from last year’s 11.4 million MT of rice
produced in the country.
Leading the countries in rice production is China, followed by India,
Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar.Meanwhile, Philippine
imports of rice are projected to fall to 1.3 million MT in 2016-2017 from 1.6
million MT in 2015-2016.
The Philippines ranks 2nd in maize production at 114.1 million MT or 10.99% of
the world’s maize production.According to World Bank, “combined global supply of wheat,
maize, and rice are projected to reach 2,838 million MT during the 2016-2017
season, nearly 5% higher than last season’s record supplies.”“These
projections, which are highly likely to materialize given that the season is at
an advanced stage, implying that 2016-2017 will be the fourth consecutive
surplus year,” according to the report.The Philippines also continues to lead
in coconut oil production, taking up over 35% of world output in 2016-2017.
The World Bank expects the Philippines to recover in coconut oil production in
2016-2017 after a slump in 2015-2016.Coconut oil production is expected to have
increased to 1.0 million MT in 2016-2017 from the 909,000 MT in 2015-2016,
which was lower than 1.099 million a year earlier.
Indonesia accounts for nearly 32% of global coconut oil output. A far 3rd is
India with over 13%.
Coconut oil consumption is also expected to increase to 219,000 MT in 2016-2017
from 187,000 MT in 2015-2016.Meanwhile, the Philippines ranks 5th in coffee
consumption. The country consumed 5.875 million 60kg coffee bags in 2016-2017.The
Philippines is also a strong consumer of wheat, ranking 5th in wheat
consumption.
According to World Bank data, the Philippines consumed 5.875 million 60kg bags
of wheat or 3.83 of the world’s wheat consumption in 2016-2017. --Danica M. U
