Louisiana's Jemison Handing the Reins to Webb
KINDER, LA - For 16 years, the face and voice of USA Rice in
Louisiana has been Randy Jemison, but as with other good things, this too must
come to an end. Later this month, Randy will retire to spend more time
with his family and grandchildren here, and while replacing Randy is not
possible, his good work will be carried on by Kane Webb.
"Randy has been a tireless advocate for Louisiana's rice
farmers and the whole industry; we thank him for his years of service and we're
going to miss his work ethic, vision, and humor," said Eric Unkel, a
Kinder, LA rice farmer, president of the Louisiana Rice Council, and a USA Rice
Board member. "Kane's work is cut out for him on a lot of fronts,
but Randy is turning things over in good shape and we are excited to have Kane
as our new representative."
Kane was raised on a rice and cattle farm south of Iowa, LA, and
is a graduate of McNeese State University with a BS in Agronomy and an alumnus
of the LSU Agricultural Leadership Development Program, Class VII.
Kane knows rice, having begun his professional career as a TILT
specialist scouting rice fields in south Louisiana for disease and rendering
treatment recommendations, and then going to work for Helena Chemical out of
Crowley, assisting rice farmers in Acadia and Vermillion parishes, as well as
other areas of southwest Louisiana.
Kane serves on the Mavericks Board of the MSU Alumni Association,
is President of Rotary of Lake Charles, and participates in various other civic
organizations around the community. He lives in Lake Charles with his wife and
two daughters and they are members of the St. Luke-Simpson United Methodist
Church, located in Lake Charles.
When not thinking about, speaking for, or eating rice, Kane can be
found spending time with his family, hunting and fishing, and even golfing from
time to time.
USA Rice Daily
New agreement will allow US rice
exports to China
21 July 2017
From the sectionBusiness
The agreement gives US farmers access to the world's biggest
rice consumer, with China importing about 5 million tonnes last year.
It follows trade talks between the two countries that resulted
in little progress on other issues.
While China opened its rice market in 2001, a lack of protocols
on pests and plant diseases effectively stopped imports taking place.
Inspections
The organisation representing the US rice industry said the new
agreement was the most complex of its kind, and set strict standards for US
exporters to protect against the introduction of certain pests to China.
USA Rice added it would work with the US Department of
Agriculture (USDA) to make sure the industry complied with the rules.
"We know China wants to send a team here to inspect mills
and facilities certified to ship to China, and we are working with USDA to make
that happen in the quickest and most efficient way," said Carl Brothers,
chairman of the USA Rice International Trade Policy Committee.
'Exceptional
opportunity'
US authorities and the industry have both hailed the agreement
as a huge win.
"This market represents an exceptional opportunity today,
with enormous potential for growth in the future," said US Agriculture
Secretary Sonny Perdue.
According to OECD projections, the average person in China will
consume 75kg of rice a year by 2024, compared with an average of 13kg in North
America and 5kg in Europe.
USA Rice said China consumes the equivalent of the entire US
annual output every two weeks.
Steel progress?
Agriculture appears to be a bright spot in an otherwise thorny
trade relationship between the two countries.
The announcement follows a round of contentious trade talks in
Washington that appeared to end with little progress on tricky issues like
China's steel exports or its $347bn (£268bn) trade surplus with the US.
The two sides didn't issue any joint statement following the
talks, and cancelled scheduled press conferences.
The US has indicated that it might impose tariffs or quotas on
Chinese steel, but since the talks wrapped up China has suggested that there
was some progress on the issue.
Beijing's embassy in Washington said the two sides "had
in-depth discussion on cutting excess steel production capacity in the world
and agreed to active and effective measures to jointly address this global
issue"
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-40678191
US to export rice to China
Jul 20, 2017 10:35 PM PSTUpdated: Jul 20,
2017 10:40 PM PST
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
Sonny Perdue and China's Vice Premier Wang Yang have signed a long-stalled
phytosanitary protocol that will permit the import of U.S. milled rice into
China, according to a press release from USA Rice, a lobbying group for rice
producers.
"This is a tremendous leap
towards selling U.S. rice in China," said USA Rice Chairman Brian
King. "Today's signing caps a decade of effort by the rice industry
and the U.S. government to open access to the world's largest rice
importer. President Trump's focus on reducing trade deficits with big
partners like China put the spotlight on rice, and Secretary Perdue told us he
would get this done, and he did. We're thankful for the administration's
commitment - from the President on down - to U.S. rice farmers and
marketers."
"The President and Secretary
Perdue have opened the door; now it's time to move to our technical to-do list
so that rice shipments can occur," said Carl Brothers, chairman of the USA
Rice International Trade Policy Committee. "We know China wants to
send a team here to inspect mills and facilities certified to ship to China,
and we are working with USDA to make that happen in the quickest and most
efficient way."
The protocol, that is the most complex
rice phytosanitary agreement the U.S. has ever entered in to, contains an
operational workplan that spells out the responsibilities of companies wishing
to export in order to protect against the introduction of certain pests into
China. USA Rice led efforts over the past two years to assemble a list of
interested exporters, and with USDA to certify compliance with the workplan.
"The focus of our work is
now on supporting a successful visit by China's inspectors," said USA Rice
President & CEO Betsy Ward. "We waited a decade for the protocol
to be signed and our members are anxious to meet the demand of China's
consumers for safe, high-quality U.S. rice."
Ward said China consumes the
equivalent of the entire U.S. rice crop every 13 days and the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) expects China to import 4.8 million metric tons of milled
rice in 2017/2018, by far the world's largest import market. Imports have
surged since the beginning of this decade, and have recently been between 4.5
million and 5 million metric tons annually. China opened its rice market
when the country joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, but U.S. rice was
barred from the market because of the lack of a phytosanitary protocol between
the two governments. Southeast Asia supplies much of China's import
demand; a situation that will likely continue.
Demand for U.S. milled rice, at
least initially, is expected to be strongest in coastal areas among higher
income consumers and in the hotel and restaurant trade.
"Food safety is a major
issue for China's consumers, and U.S. rice is well positioned as a safe, high
quality food," according to Chris Crutchfield, chairman of the USA Rice
Asia/Turkey Promotion Subcommittee. "We have promotion programs up
and running in China in anticipation of today's signing and exports to
come. We'll tailor our promotion activities going forward to include
large trade seminars here and in China to educate Chinese consumers about the
types and qualities of U.S. rice. We will also focus on quality and the
capabilities of our industry in our stepped up trade servicing activities.
http://www.katc.com/story/35932657/us-to-export-rice-to-china
China will import American
rice for the first time
How to negotiate a trade deal
The world's
largest rice producer is hungry for more and looking to the U.S. for supplies.
China
will import American rice for the first time after a new trade deal was agreed
to Thursday.
"The
agreement with China has been in the works for more than a decade and I'm
pleased to see it finally come to fruition, especially knowing how greatly it
will benefit our growers and industry," said U.S. Agriculture Secretary
Sonny Perdue in a statement.
China
produces 20 times more rice than the U.S., but it's also the world's biggest
consumer. Recently it has been buying more rice abroad, spending way over $1
billion in some years, to feed its population.
Last
year, China imported about 5 million tons, according to the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
The U.S.
alone couldn't satisfy that demand. America exports between 3 million and 4
million tons a year, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
China
was once largely able to feed itself, especially with rice. But it's been
relying more on imports in recent years, said Rob Bailey, an expert in food
security at Chatham House, a policy institute in London.
Rising
food imports partly reflect challenges in Chinese agriculture. The rural population
is aging, crop yields are low and there are high levels of soil depletion.
Pollution and climate change also threaten production.
Bailey
said China was being smart in finding new sources of rice because temporary
export bans from other Asian countries have caused problems in the past.
"China's
probably thinking, 'If we are going to import rice, let's not be too reliant on
the Asian market'," he said.
The USDA said exports to China can begin once
Chinese officials have completed an audit of U.S. rice facilities.
China's
Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Commerce did not immediately respond to
requests for comment.
The
breakthrough comes two months after the U.S. Commerce Department
announced a dealthat will allow U.S. beef and natural gas
exports to flow into China.
And it
comes in the week that top Chinese and U.S. officials met to talk about trade.
Nevertheless,
the relationship remains strained. President Trump
has called out Beijing for what he considers to be unfair trading practices,
and he wants to reduce America's huge trade deficitwith China.
This
sentiment was echoed by U.S. officials after the Wednesday meetings, with a
statement saying there was a "shared objective to reduce the trade
deficit" with China.
A
Chinese statement that came out later mentioned the deficit, but focused on
many more issues that the two sides should cooperate on over the coming year.
Meanwhile,
the issue of steel trade continues to be a delicate matter. Trump's
administration may soon slap tariffs on Chinese shipments of steel to
the U.S.
--
Nanlin Fang and Donna Borak contributed to this report.
The U.S. Can Now Ship Rice to
China for the First Time
By Megan Durisin and Alan Bjerga
July
20, 2017, 10:39 PM GMT+5 July 21, 2017, 9:00 AM GMT+5
·
Two
countries reach agreement on final protocol, USDA says
·
Deal
comes about a month after China opened to U.S. beef
Trump Says U.S. Working on Major
Trade Deals With China
The U.S. can now ship rice to China for the first time ever,
signaling a win for President Donald Trump in his efforts to reshape the trade
relationship just after talks between the nations broke down Wednesday.
Officials from the nations finalized a protocol to allow for the
first-ever American shipments, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Thursday
in a statement. China is the world’s biggest rice consumer, importer and
producer.
The rice deal comes just a month
after China reopened its market to U.S. beef imports for the
first time in more than a decade and is the latest in a flurry of trade
negotiations between the nations. China is also approving more biotech products
and increasing U.S. natural gas imports.
The most important market news of the day.
But if the nations are to make any meaningful dent in the U.S.’s
$347 billion trade deficit with China that’s the object of Trump’s ire, they
may have to keep negotiating beyond the modest agreements already signed. And
there are signs the relationship may be turning a bit sour. High-level economic
talks in Washington broke up Wednesday with the superpowers, the world’s
two largest economies, unable to produce a joint statement.
Rice trade talks have been taking
place between the two countries for more than a decade, U.S. Agriculture
Secretary Sonny Perdue said in the statement.
China’s appetite for the grain
helped push the nation’s imports up tenfold in the past decade to 5 million
metric tons in the 2016-17 season, USDA data show. Still, it could be difficult
for the U.S. to get a meaningful piece of that market. American shippers will
have to compete with those in Vietnam, Thailand and Pakistan. The countries
were China’s biggest suppliers in 2016 and are also among the world’s biggest
shippers. The U.S. is No. 5.
Rice traded in Chicago was
initially little changed after the USDA announcement, before rising as much as
1.6 percent. September futures were up 1.5 percent at $12.04 per 100 pounds as
of 12:38 p.m. local time.
Trump’s goal of reducing trade
deficits put a “spotlight” on rice, Brian King, the chairman of industry group
USA Rice, said in a statement. China is planning to send a team to inspect U.S.
mills and facilities certified for shipment, and the group is working with USDA
to ensure that happens quickly, said Carl Brothers, chairman of the group’s
international trade policy committee.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-07-20/in-a-china-win-for-trump-u-s-can-now-ship-rice-for-first-time
US rice to be
exported to china for first time
By CBS NEWS July 20, 2017, 7:11 PM
In this Aug. 18, 2016, photo,
grain elevators ready for last year's rice harvest tower above Lonoke,
Ark.
AP PHOTO/KELLY P. KISSEL
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue called
this agreement "an exceptional opportunity" with "enormous
potential for growth" in a press release.
China is the largest consumer,
producer, and importer of rice, as the nation eats the equivalent of the entire
U.S. rice crop in under two weeks, according to USA Rice, an industry
association. Each year China fills its plate with almost 5 million tons of
imported rice, according to the USDA.
When China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, U.S. rice imports were
barred due to strict pest and pathogen protocols between the two countries,
according to USA Rice spokesman Michael Klein.
However, a decade of negotiation
has left American rice industry leaders confident. "We have high food
quality standards in the U.S. and this is something the Chinese are very
interested in," Klein said. USA Rice worked with USDA on this agreement
and Klein noted that it will likely be months before rice is shipped due to
final required inspections.
Rice is typically grown in six
states: Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas.
One farmer, Chris Crutchfield,
42, is a third-generation rice miller in California and called the closed
Chinese market "frustrating," and that he is "very
appreciative" of Secretary Perdue for pursuing this agreement.
This rice decision comes two
weeks after the announcement that U.S. beef would again be allowed in China. To
celebrate the beef agreement, Secretary Perdue joined U.S. Ambassador to China
Terry Branstad in Beijing and sliced a thick cut of Nebraska prime rib to
celebrate.
For American rice farmers,
Crutchfield said that any celebration will likely be subdued as many in the
U.S. rice market try to respect the crop and its cultural relationship to Asian
history.
However, Crutchfield added,
"I imagine that some farmers in the States will say a toast tonight at
dinner, over rice.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/u-s-rice-to-be-exported-to-china-for-first-time/
On the path to vitamin A in rice
The lack of vitamin A in food is a major cause of health
problems worldwide and can lead to blindness and even death. This is especially
a problem in threshold or third-world countries, where children are likely to
suffer from a lack of vitamin A or its precursor beta-carotene due to
malnourishment. Among their many functions, carotenoids are responsible for the
bright orange color of sweet potatoes as well as their namesake, the carrot.
Thanks to its intense color, beta-carotene is used in the food industry in soft
drinks, yoghurts, and other food and is known as food coloring E160. Rice,
which is the most important basic nutrient in Asia, has no beta-carotene in its
kernel, but there are carotenoids in the leaves of the rice plant. These long,
fat-soluble pigments are used by the plant not only in photosynthesis, during
which the plant generates energy and oxygen, but in other processes as well.
One of the first precursors to beta-carotene is phytoene, which
is colorless and not water-soluble and can be found in the lipid bilayer of
plastid organelles - in other words, in the outer layer of these closed
cellular compartments, which is involved in many processes including
photosynthesis. Here, the enzyme phytoene desaturase (PDS) transforms the
phytoene into the next intermediate of synthesis, which already has a yellowish
color. Researchers in the labs of Prof. Dr. Peter Beyer at the Faculty of
Biology and Prof. Dr. Oliver Einsle at the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy of
the University of Freiburg have successfully elucidated the three-dimensional
structure of phytoene desaturase in rice, along with the mechanism of phytoene
transformation. In order to achieve this, Dr. Sandra Gemmecker and Anton
Brausemann had to isolate the highly pure enzyme and crystalize it, so they
could obtain a three-dimensional structural image through diffraction
experiments with X-rays. They then discovered that the PDS becomes partially
immersed in the lipid bilayer of the plastid organelles and contains a
hydrophobic tunnel that leads into its interior. Catalysis begins when the
phytoene molecule enters this tunnel and reaches the reaction center of the
enzyme, where one half of the phytoene molecule is transformed into the next
intermediary carotenoid stage. After this intermediary product leaves the
tunnel the same way it came, it enters another PDS enzyme right next to the
first, where it is completely transformed. A helper molecule known as a quinone
then regenerates the enzyme. The quinone accesses the enzyme through the same
tunnel and takes up excess electrons, thereby preparing the enzyme for the next
reaction cycle.
If the PDS enzyme in a plant does not function properly, for
example due to a reaction to a herbicide, then the plant's seedlings become
pale and whitish instead of green and the plant dies within a few days. Since
the early twentieth century, scientists worldwide have been working to reveal
the exact mechanisms of carotene synthesis. This has proven difficult, however,
due to the complicated composition of various enzyme complexes and because of
their relatively low numbers in plant cells. The researchers from the
University of Freiburg were able to elucidate the structure of the PDS enzyme
using a specialty: They added a molecule of norflurazon, an herbicide developed
in the 1970s, during the isolation of PDS. Due to the presence of norflurazon,
PDS is deactivated and thus no longer available to the growing plant, causing
it to bleach and die. Knowledge about the position and orientation of this
bleaching herbicide within the enzyme can therefore be useful to researchers
when developing new agents in the future. It is now also possible to induce
specific changes in the sequence of the enzyme and use biotechnological
procedures to give crops an advantage over weeds.
###
Original Publication: Anton
Brausemann, Sandra Gemmecker, Julian Koschmieder, Sandro Ghisla, Peter Beyer
& Oliver Einsle (2017) Structure of Phytoene Desaturase Provides Insights
into Herbicide Binding and Reaction Mechanisms Involved in Carotene
Desaturation. Structure. DOI: 10. 1016/j. str. 2017. 06. 002
For more information about Golden
Rice, which is enriched with beta-carotene, please visit:http://www.goldenrice.org
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Peter Beyer
Institute of Biology II
University of Freiburg
Phone: +49 (0)761/203 - 2529
E-Mail: peter.beyer@biologie.uni-freiburg.de
Prof. Dr. Peter Beyer
Institute of Biology II
University of Freiburg
Phone: +49 (0)761/203 - 2529
E-Mail: peter.beyer@biologie.uni-freiburg.de
Prof. Dr. Oliver Einsle
Institute of Biochemistry
University of Freiburg
Phone: +49 (0)761/203 - 6058
E-Mail: einsle@biochemie.uni-freiburg.de
Institute of Biochemistry
University of Freiburg
Phone: +49 (0)761/203 - 6058
E-Mail: einsle@biochemie.uni-freiburg.de
https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-07/uof-otp072117.php
Video: Herbicide-resistant rice
variety could help address ‘superweed’ problem affecting non-GMO crops
101
As weeds become more resistant to herbicides, plant breeders are
faced with the challenge of developing new varieties that are resistant to new
or older herbicides. A new rice variety being released by rice researchers at
the Louisiana State University (LSU) AgCenter is showing promise.
For more than 15 years, farmers have been growing Clearfield rice
varieties, a [non GMO] line that [has been breaded to be] resistant to the
herbicide, Newpath….
Over time, weeds have been showing resistance to Newpath, forcing
plant breeders to develop a new line.
Scientists at the LSU AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research
station are introducing the Provisia line of rice they believe will complement
Clearfield lines well…
…
…
[Steve Linscombe, a rice breeder with the LSU AgCenter] expects
the Provisia line to be available to growers [in 2017] on a limited basis.
Having another option for fighting weeds will give farmers the opportunity to
alternate between Provisia and Clearfield lines, giving them another tool to
combat weeds.
…
Louisiana has roughly 400,000 acres of rice planted this year, a
decrease of more than 8 percent. The crop suffered limited damage from Tropical
Storm Cindy.
[Dustin Harrell, a rice specialist with the LSU AgCenter] added
[that] the significance of damage will not be known until harvest.
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this article to reflect the
diversity of news, opinion and analysis. Read full, original post: New Rice Varieties Offer
Options to Combat Herbicide Resistant Weeds
Agreement permits
export of American rice to China
Southwest Louisiana rice farmers
could soon be selling and exporting their crops to China.U.S. Secretary of
Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced Thursday that the Department of Agriculture
has reached an agreement with Chinese officials on final details of a protocol
to permit the import of U.S.-milled rice into China.“This news about China is
great and has been long awaited,” said Jeff Davis Rice Growers Association
President Kevin Berken.
“It couldn’t come at a better
time. We’ve been experiencing depressed prices for several years now. This will
be a shot in the arm for Louisiana rice growers and millers.”China is the
world’s largest producer of rice, but it is also the largest consumer in the
world — using the equivalent of the entire U.S. rice crop every 13 days. Last
year alone, it imported nearly 5 million tons of rice, mainly from Vietnam and
Thailand.
The agreement will allow more
U.S. rice farmers, including those in Southwest Louisiana, to move more rice
off the market and create a new market for locally grown rice by opening up
more export opportunities, said LSU AgCenter economist Mike Deliberto.
“With this protocol, the U.S. has
the opportunity to gain a new rice export customer, and that customer is the
largest in the world,” Deliberto said. “That is encouraging news to rice
producers who have been facing lower commodity prices over the past couple of
years.”U.S. rice futures soared Thursday shortly after the announcement,
Deliberto said.China opened its rice market when the country joined the World
Trade Organization in 2001, but U.S. rice was barred from the market because of
the lack of a phytosanitary protocol between the two governments.
As part of the agreement’s
implementation, China will send inspectors to the U.S. to look over rice mills
and packaging facilities.“The focus of our work is now on supporting a
successful visit by China’s inspectors,” USA Rice President Betsy Ward said in
a news release. “We waited a decade for the protocol to be signed and our
members are anxious to meet the demand of China’s consumers for safe,
high-quality U.S. rice.”
http://www.americanpress.com/news/local/agreement-permits-export-of-american-rice-to-china/article_71c7a6d6-6e24-11e7-9055-cf3eda3cde4d.html
Iraq expects to produce 250,000 tonnes of rice
in 2017 season
Reuters | Jul 22, 2017, 11:50 AM IST
* About 20,000 hectares planted with rice for 2017 season
* Iraq needs about 1
million to 1.25 million tonnes a year
* Trade Ministry has been
struggling to attract import bids
BAGHDAD, July 22 (Reuters) - Iraq's Agriculture Ministry said
on Saturday it expected to produce 250,000 tonnes of rice in the 2017 season.
The figure suggests gap to be filled by imports of about 1
million tonnes, as demand annually stands at between 1 million to 1.25 million
tonnes, according to government sources.
"The expected production is around 250,000 tonnes for this
year, the harvest should start in October and we hope the figure will be close
to this," Agriculture Ministry spokesman Hamid al-Nayif told Reuters.
Around 200,000 dunums (20,000 hectares) have been planted with
rice, Nayifsaid. The planted area varies from
one year to the next according to water availability.
Iraq, a major rice importer, has been struggling to buy the
grain from abroad this year after introducing new payment and quality terms
that have kept traders away from its tenders.
Iraq's Trade Ministry is responsible for procuring strategic
commodities, including rice, for the country's ration programme.
The rationing programme, created in 1991 to combat U.N. economic
sanctions, includes flour, cooking oil, rice, sugar and baby milk formula.
Impoverished Iraqis continue to depend on the system, which analysts say is
corrupt and wasteful. (Writing By Maha El Dahan; Editing by Edmund Blair)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/iraq-expects-to-produce-250000-tonnes-of-rice-in-2017-season/articleshow/59710902.cms
Iraq expects to
produce 250,000 tons of rice in 2017 season
Reuters, Baghdad Saturday, 22 July
2017
Iraq’s
Agriculture Ministry said on Saturday it expected to produce 250,000 tons of
rice in the 2017 season. The figure suggests gap to be filled by imports of
about 1 million tons, as demand annually stands at between 1 million to 1.25
million tons, according to government sources.
“The expected production is around
250,000 tons for this year, the harvest should start in October and we hope the
figure will be close to this,” Agriculture Ministry spokesman Hamid al-Nayif
told Reuters.
Around 200,000 dunums (20,000
hectares) have been planted with rice, Nayif said. The planted area varies from
one year to the next according to water availability.
Iraq, a major rice importer, has
been struggling to buy the grain from abroad this year after introducing new
payment and quality terms that have kept traders away from its tenders.
Iraq’s Trade Ministry is responsible
for procuring strategic commodities, including rice, for the country's ration
program. The rationing program, created in 1991 to combat UN economic
sanctions, includes flour, cooking oil, rice, sugar and baby milk formula.
Impoverished Iraqis continue to depend on the system, which analysts say is
corrupt and wasteful.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/business/economy/2017/07/22/Iraq-expects-to-produce-250-000-tons-of-rice-in-2017-season.html
Grains: In
restricted activity, prices of rice basmati
and
non-basmati declined at the wholesale grains market during the week largely due
to fall in demand against adequate stocks position. However, barley and maize
prices went up on increased offtake by consuming industries. Traders said
easing demand from stockists against adequate stocks position, mainly weighed
on rice basmati and non-basmati prices. Meanwhile, sowing area under paddy has
gone up by 4.5 per cent to 126 lakh hectares so far, the Agriculture Ministry
said. In the national capital, rice basmati common and Pusa- 1121 variety
slipped to Rs 6,500-6,700 and Rs 5,250-5,300 from previous week's levels of Rs
6,800-7,100 and Rs 5,500-5,550 per quintal, respectively. Non-basmati rice
permal raw, wand and sela settled lower at Rs 2,200-2,225, Rs 2,250-2,275 and
Rs 2,400-2,500 as compared to last close of 2,225-2,250, Rs 2,275-2,300 and Rs
2,500-2,600 per quintal, respectively in line with basmati trend. However,
other bold grains like barley and maize edged up to Rs 1,340-1,345 and Rs
1,500-1,510 from previous levels of Rs 1,335-1,340 and Rs 1,450-1,460 per
quintal, respectively.
http://www.dnaindia.com/business/report-grains-in-restricted-activity-prices-of-rice-basmati-2510558
Italy demands
origin labels for pasta and rice
Italian Minister of Agriculture
Maurizio Martina attends a demonstration by Italian agricultural association
Coldiretti in Rome March 31, 2015. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini
(REUTERS)
By Crispian Balmer and Rod Nickel
ROME/WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) - All packets of pasta and rice sold in Italy
will have to include labels of origin showing where the produce was grown, the
government ruled on Thursday, in a move it said was aimed at protecting local
farmers.
The agriculture and industry
ministers signed a decree ordering the new labeling policy, saying it would run
in an experimental fashion for two years, and criticizing the European Union
for not introducing the measure across the 28-nation bloc.
"We are putting Italy in the vanguard of
Europe when it comes to labeling as a competitive tool for the Italian
(agriculture) sector," Agriculture Minister Maurizio Martina said in a
statement. Canadian exporters and farmers fear the move will depress prices in
Canada, the biggest global exporter of durum, the wheat used to make pasta. It
would require Italian pasta makers to segregate supplies by country, adding to
costs. Annual Canadian sales to Italy are worth an estimated C$248 million
($197 million), based on average export volumes and International Grains
Council price data. The government decree said that pasta packaging must reveal
where the wheat was grown and milled into semolina for pasta-making. Rice
packaging will state where the rice was grown, treated and packaged.
Industry Minister Carlo Calenda said most
Italian consumers wanted to know the origin of their food, adding that it was
important to promote Italian farmers. "We want to emphasize the importance
of 'Made in Italy' and the quality of our production in order to compete with
greater strength on international markets," he said in a statement.
The Canadian government is seeking
clarification from Rome and assessing Italy's trade obligations under the World
Trade Organization and free trade agreement between Canada and the European
Union, a spokesman for Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay said. There is no
indication that Italy's move has affected trade yet, he said. Cam Dahl,
president of Cereals Canada, whose members include Cargill Inc and Richardson
International, said he expected Italy's labels to take effect early next year.
"That would unquestionably harm
our exports," he said. Italy is Canada's second-biggest durum export
market so far in the 2016-17 crop marketing year as of May, importing 676,000
tonnes. The United States is also a significant durum producer. Italy may be
subject to infringement proceedings from the European Commission, a process
aimed at member states which breach EU law, according to Dahl. ($1 = 1.2587 Canadian
dollars) (Reporting by Crispian Balmer in Rome and Rod Nickel in Winnipeg,
Manitoba; editing by Mark Heinrich and Jonathan Oatis)
Vietnam
Consolidates Rice-Exporting Capacity
Hanoi,
July 21 (Prensa Latina) Vietnam has consolidated itself as the world's third
largest rice-exporting nation by selling 2.66 million tonnes in the first half
of the year, which brought $1 billion and 650,000 USD, according to the
National Food Association.
These
figures accounted for 0.25 and 1.85 percent increases, respectively, compared
to the same period of 2016. This association had these positive results due to
the increase of demand and few variations in supply. Its main buyers -in the
first half- were Asian nations, which reached about 70 percent of the total and
were led by China (43.8 percent), the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore.
According to FAO, 50 million tonnes of rice are needed above current levels in
order to meet world demand, whose satisfaction depends greatly on Asia and
Africa.
http://plenglish.com/index.php?o=rn&id=15906&SEO=vietnam-consolidated-rice-exporting-capacit
Rice deal with
India unlikely
Production
forecast of main staple lowered
Bangladesh
could suspend a plan to import rice from India due to high prices, the
country's food ministry said on Thursday while a deal with Thailand edged
closer. Bangladesh, the world's fourth-biggest rice producer, has emerged as a
major importer of rice this year due to depleted stocks and record local prices
following flash floods.
It
could import as much as 1.2 million tonnes this year, and has so far struck
deals with Vietnam and expressed interest in Thai and Indian rice. But it now
said deals with the world's biggest rice exporter, India, might not happen.
"Chances are very thin as their offer seems high," Badrul Hasan, the
head of Bangladesh's state grain buyer told Reuters. India's 5 per cent broken
parboiled rice prices fell by $6 to $405-$408 per tonne this week on sluggish
demand. Hasan said Bangladesh could reconsider if India could assure an immediate
delivery, but it is already looking to Cambodia to replenish stocks.
A
Bangladeshi delegation, led by Food Minister Kamrul Islam, will visit Cambodia
early next month to sign a memorandum to import rice, two food ministry
officials said. Its deal with Thailand is also making progress. A Thai
delegation is due to visit Dhaka next week to finalize a
government-to-government rice deal of up to 200,000 tonnes, Hasan said. The
Thai Rice Exporters Association told Reuters last week the process could take a
month and a half. Thai private traders also hoped to secure deals with
Bangladesh, saying weak demand from abroad has led to a constant decline in
rice prices since they reached the highest level in almost four years at a
market average of $455 per tonne on June 22.
Thailand's benchmark 5-per cent broken rice
was quoted at $395-$405, free-on-board (FOB) Bangkok, on Thursday. Thailand's
commerce ministry said there was a significant interest from Sri Lanka, but it
has yet to strike anything with the would-be first-time buyer of Thai rice.
Vietnam, the world's third biggest rice exporter, is observing a slow trade.
The country's benchmark 5-per cent broken rice dipped to $400-$405 a tonne, FOB
Saigon, from $405-$410 last week. Vietnamese traders are currently eyeing deals
with the Philippines, one of the world's biggest rice importers.
On
July 25, the country will open a tender for 250,000 tonnes of rice to boost its
thinning stockpile ahead of the typhoon season later this year. Traders from
Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore are expected to submit bids. Bangladesh will also
open its fifth tender since May to buy 50,000 tonnes of rice on July 27. A
report by the world-grain.com adds: An expected smaller harvest of Boro rice
has led to a lowering in the rice production forecast for Bangladesh, according
to a July 13 Global Agricultural Information Network report from the Foreign
Agricultural Service (FAS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Rice
production in Bangladesh for the 2017-18 marketing year was forecast at 34.18
million tonnes, down from 34.578 million tonnes in 2016-17 and compared with
34.5 million tonnes in 2015-16.
"The Boro rice production estimate is
lowered to 17.8 million tonnes on crop losses caused by neck blast disease as
well as adverse weather, including hailstorms and repeated flash floods, during
an unusually heavy pre-monsoon rain 20 days before harvest: heavy rainfall fell
from late March to the middle of May," the USDA noted in the report.
"The flooding damaged over 1 million tonnes of Boro rice crop across
400,000 hectares of wetlands (in Haor) and lowlands in nine districts."
The USDA noted that rainfall in Bangladesh during April was the highest in 35
years, and the crop loss was aggravated by a fungi attack on a limited area of
Boro rice crop at several northern and southern districts of the country.
The
forecast for rice imports in 2017-18 was raised to 1.2 million tonnes,
reflecting expectations of "robust consumer demand, expanding food safety
net program, lower public stocks, and relaxed trade and financial policy
impact," the USDA said. The USDA noted that 2016-17 wheat production is
forecast to be 3% lower at 1.2 million tonnes on reduced cultivation area as
some farmers sought to avoid risk of a recurrence of wheat blast. Meanwhile,
the 2017-18 wheat production forecast held steady at 1.3 million tonnes,
assuming normal weather conditions, according to the USDA. The forecast for
wheat imports in 2017-18 was raised to 6 million tonnes on "expected
resilient domestic demand and lower international prices," the USDA said.
Rice rules stripped
JULY 19, 2017
Restrictions on rice growing in the Murray
Valley have been reduced, with Murray Irrigation Limited’s decision to remove
its Rice Growing Rules and an associated Rice Growers Charge.
The historic rules limit the area that can
be sown to rice based primarily on early soil type research and potential
impacts on the water table.
Ricegrowers Association of Australia
president Jeremy Morton said new knowledge and research and development has
shown that some excluded soil types can be just as productive without impacting
on the environment.
He said removing the rules allows growers to
make decisions based on economics, rather than outdated formulas.
‘‘Rice is historically a ponded crop and it
possibly did contribute to high water tables in certain areas,’’ Mr Morton
said.
‘‘But we just don’t have the water table
concerns we did in the 1970s and 1980s and earlier, with it mostly under
control now.
‘‘The rules say clay depth must be at least
three metres, and that with clay depth to two and a half metres you could only
grow rice one in every four years.
‘‘If you look at some of the data now, you
can grow a rice crop with as little as one metre of clay and have a low water
use paddock.
‘‘With the rules gone, it’s now up to the
individuals — no one is going to grow a crop in a high use paddock because it
is not economically viable.’’
Mr Morton said taking away the impediment of
crop placement could potentially result in more rice sown in the Murray
Irrigation area overall.
He said it would not be a ‘‘free-for-all’’
however, with guidelines to be prepared to ensure best management practice
environmental standards are still being met.
‘‘Since the start of the year, the RGA and
its Murray Valley representatives have been working with Murray Irrigation to
seek the removal of these rules, while implementing a framework that not only
ensures the current water table levels are maintained but also encourages
increased rice production and water use across the system,’’ he said.
‘‘We consider this announcement a
significant win for the RGA and Murray Irrigation ricegrowers.
‘‘Murray Irrigation, together with other
irrigation companies, plays an important role in monitoring rice water use on
farm, with this data being a useful source of information for the rice research
and development program.’’
Mr Morton said RGA applauds Murray
Irrigation for its commitment to the collection of water use data across all
crop types, including rice.
‘‘The RGA also thanks Murray Irrigation for
its forward thinking and collaborative approach to decision making,’’ he said.
‘‘As the most significant water user within
the Murray Irrigation system, the RGA is confident that the industry and Murray
Irrigation will continue to work closely together to implement strategies that
encourage the production of rice within the MIL system.’’
Mr Morton said the RGA was also pleased to
see Murray Irrigation remove the Rice Growers Charge, which is levied at $220
per landholding that is growing rice.
‘‘The removal of the rice growers’ charge
represents a significant cost saving for our growers, as many growers own or
operate multiple landholdings,’’ Mr Morton said.
Vietnam exports 2.66 mln tonnes of rice in first half
HCM City (VNA) – Vietnam exported nearly 2.66 million tonnes of rice in the
first half this year with free-on-board value of 1.65 billion USD, reported the
Vietnam Food Association.
The figures were up 0.25 percent in volume and 1.85 percent in value, respectively.
The growth was attributed to increased demand and limited supply. Notably, japonica rice export saw the highest increase by around 300 percent year-on-year, accounting for 4.57 percent of Vietnam’s total rice export compared to around 1 percent in late 2015.
Japonica rice was shipped mostly to Australia, making up 5.24 percent of market share.
However, Vietnamese rice was predominantly delivered to Asia (about 70 percent), including China (43.8 percent), the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore.
Premium white rice, glutinous and broken rice shipments also went up 34 percent, 51 percent and 127 percent, respectively.
Among exported rice in the six months, jasmine rice made up 28.8 percent, followed by premium white rice (28.6 percent).
As of June 30, 1.46 million tonnes of rice were registered for export but yet to be delivered, roughly 490,000 tonnes of which will be shipped to Cuba, Malaysia and Bangladesh.-VNA
The figures were up 0.25 percent in volume and 1.85 percent in value, respectively.
The growth was attributed to increased demand and limited supply. Notably, japonica rice export saw the highest increase by around 300 percent year-on-year, accounting for 4.57 percent of Vietnam’s total rice export compared to around 1 percent in late 2015.
Japonica rice was shipped mostly to Australia, making up 5.24 percent of market share.
However, Vietnamese rice was predominantly delivered to Asia (about 70 percent), including China (43.8 percent), the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore.
Premium white rice, glutinous and broken rice shipments also went up 34 percent, 51 percent and 127 percent, respectively.
Among exported rice in the six months, jasmine rice made up 28.8 percent, followed by premium white rice (28.6 percent).
As of June 30, 1.46 million tonnes of rice were registered for export but yet to be delivered, roughly 490,000 tonnes of which will be shipped to Cuba, Malaysia and Bangladesh.-VNA
http://en.vietnamplus.vn/vietnam-exports-266-mln-tonnes-of-rice-in-first-half/115210.vnp
Bangladesh Bank relaxes deferred
payment rules to boost rice import
2017-07-21 00:35:57.0 BdST Updated: 2017-07-21 00:35:57.0 BdST
In another step to increase supply
in the market and curb prices, Bangladesh Bank has relaxed the foreign exchange
transactions rules for traders by allowing them to open Letter of Credit (LC)
against deferred or usance basis or under buyer's credit to import rice.
In a notice issued on Thursday,
it notified the chief executives of all banks about the latest decision.
It said LCs against deferred or
usance basis or under buyer's credit up to 90 days’ term for import of rice
might be issued until Dec 31 this year.
About the circular, a central
bank official of the relevant department, seeking anonymity, told bdnews24.com
that fertilisers, capital machinery and raw industrial materials are
beingimported using that same facility.
“Traders can import them against
deferred payment or buyer’s credit taken from a bank of that country. The
interest rate of that 90-day credit is maximum 6 percent.”
The official said Bangladesh Bank
decided to extend the same facility to the traders to encourage them because
they have to pay 9-15 percent interest against the credit taken from local
banks for importing goods.
It also aims to control the
prices of rice in local markets, the official added.
On Jun 19, the central bank also
instructed all banks to allow private traders to import rice without any
deposit against LC margin.
The new rules allowed the traders
to import rice first and make the payments afterwards.
The LC margin varies from bank to
bank depending on relations between bankers and customers.
The next day, import duty on rice
was slashed to 10 percent, from the existing 25 percent, to encourage traders
to purchase more from abroad.
The moves later appeared to have
somewhat worked as rice prices went down in the past few weeks, but are still over
Tk 40 per kg of any kind.
http://bdnews24.com/business/2017/07/21/bangladesh-bank-relaxes-deferred-payment-rules-to-boost-rice-import
ASIA
RICE-BANGLADESH RELUCTANT ON INDIAN DEALS, SET TO BUY FROM THAILAND
7/20/2017
By Patpicha Tanakasempipat and Ruma Paul
BANGKOK/DHAKA, July 20 (Reuters) - Bangladesh could suspend
a plan to import rice from India due to high prices, the
country's food ministry said on Thursday, while a deal with
Thailand edged closer.
a plan to import rice from India due to high prices, the
country's food ministry said on Thursday, while a deal with
Thailand edged closer.
Bangladesh, the world's fourth-biggest rice producer, has
emerged as a major importer of rice this year due to depleted
stocks and record local prices following flash floods.
emerged as a major importer of rice this year due to depleted
stocks and record local prices following flash floods.
It could import as much as 1.2 million tonnes this year, and
has so far struck deals with Vietnam and expressed interest in
Thai and Indian rice.
has so far struck deals with Vietnam and expressed interest in
Thai and Indian rice.
But it now said deals with the world's biggest rice
exporter, India, might not happen.
exporter, India, might not happen.
"Chances are very thin as their offer seems high,"
Badrul
Hasan, the head of Bangladesh's state grain buyer told Reuters.
Hasan, the head of Bangladesh's state grain buyer told Reuters.
India's 5 percent broken parboiled rice prices
<RI-INBKN5-P1> fell by $6 to $405-$408 per tonne this week on
sluggish demand.
<RI-INBKN5-P1> fell by $6 to $405-$408 per tonne this week on
sluggish demand.
Hasan said Bangladesh could reconsider if India could assure
an immediate delivery, but it is already looking to Cambodia to
replenish stocks.
an immediate delivery, but it is already looking to Cambodia to
replenish stocks.
A Bangladeshi delegation, led by Food Minister Kamrul Islam,
will visit Cambodia early next month to sign a memorandum to
import rice, two food ministry officials said.
will visit Cambodia early next month to sign a memorandum to
import rice, two food ministry officials said.
Its deal with Thailand is also making progress. A Thai
delegation is due to visit Dhaka next week to finalise a
government-to-government rice deal of up to 200,000 tonnes,
Hasan said.
delegation is due to visit Dhaka next week to finalise a
government-to-government rice deal of up to 200,000 tonnes,
Hasan said.
The Thai Rice Exporters Association told Reuters last week
the process could take a month and a half.
the process could take a month and a half.
Thai private traders also hoped to secure deals with
Bangladesh, saying weak demand from abroad has led to a constant
decline in rice prices since they reached the highest level in
almost four years at a market average of $455 per tonne on June
22.
Bangladesh, saying weak demand from abroad has led to a constant
decline in rice prices since they reached the highest level in
almost four years at a market average of $455 per tonne on June
22.
Thailand's benchmark 5-percent broken rice <RI-THBKN5-P1>
was quoted at $395-$405, free-on-board (FOB) Bangkok, on
Thursday.
was quoted at $395-$405, free-on-board (FOB) Bangkok, on
Thursday.
Thailand's commerce ministry said there was a significant
interest from Sri Lanka, but it has yet to strike anything with
the would-be first-time buyer of Thai rice.
interest from Sri Lanka, but it has yet to strike anything with
the would-be first-time buyer of Thai rice.
Vietnam, the world's third biggest rice exporter, isobserving a
slow trade. The country's benchmark 5-percent brokenrice <RI-VNBKN5-P1>
dipped to $400-$405 a tonne, FOB Saigon,
from $405-$410 last week.Vietnamese traders are currently eyeing deals with the
Philippines, one of the world's biggest rice importers.On July 25, the country will open a tender for 250,000tonnes of rice to boost its thinning stockpile ahead of the
typhoon season later this year.
from $405-$410 last week.Vietnamese traders are currently eyeing deals with the
Philippines, one of the world's biggest rice importers.On July 25, the country will open a tender for 250,000tonnes of rice to boost its thinning stockpile ahead of the
typhoon season later this year.
Traders from Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore are expected tosubmit
bids.Bangladesh will also open its fifth tender since May to buy50,000 tonnes
of rice on July 27.(Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat in BANGKOK and Ruma
Paulin DHAKA; Additional reporting by My Pham in HANOI, RajendraJadhav in
MUMBAI and Panu Wongcha-um in BANGKOK; Editing by
Elaine Hardcastle)
Elaine Hardcastle)
Quote of the Day
"What you leave behind is not
what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of
others."-Pericles
