Chines Rice WineMarket

http://ibnservice.com/2018/02/15/chinese-rice-wine-market-manufacturers-include-nuerhong-shazhou-jiashan-guyueloutai-pagooa-kuaijishan/

16th February,2018 daily global regional local rice e-newsletter

Scholarship Winner Visits USA Rice 

By Deborah Willenborg

 

ARLINGTON, VA -- If you're Ana Little-Saña from San Diego, California, and one of your assignments as a high school senior is to research and apply for five different scholarships, you don't just google "scholarships," you google "fun, eclectic, unique, and weird scholarships."  Because Little-Saña believes in heading down the road less traveled.  If she has a comfort zone, you can bet she's going to break out of it.

And the National Rice Month (NRM) Scholarship Video Contest she found online was definitely a departure for this student growing up in the San Diego suburbs who knew nothing about agriculture.  But with a little groundwork and a lot of creativity, Little-Saña produced an award-winning video for last year's first ever NRM scholarship video contest.

The money she received from Dow Agro-Sciences helped Little-Saña trade her picture perfect San Diego lifestyle for the more challenging climate and environment of Washington, DC, as she chose to study at George Washington University (GWU), located across the Potomac River from the USA Rice office here.

Little-Saña is in her second semester at GWU where she's majoring in political science, is a Cisneros Scholar with a commitment to leadership and community service, and currently has an internship at the Truman Center for National Policy.

What little free time Little-Saña has is either spent competing on the GWU intramural water polo team or exploring the many facets of Washington DC.  "Our school doesn't have a dining hall but we have a meal card that is accepted at a lot of different restaurants around the city," said Saña.  "I make a point to get out of the geographic comfort zone around GWU and discover new places to eat while checking out unfamiliar parts of town."

Earlier this week, Little-Saña added to her favorite restaurants list when she made the trek from GWU to USA Rice and shared a sushi lunch with USA Rice staff.  From her research, Little-Saña remembered that most sushi rise consumed in the U.S. is produced in her home state of California.  She also said her mother's family, who live in Spain, has an affinity for U.S.-grown rice even though Spain has its own rice growing region.  reminder that doing the unexpected and going against the grain runs in the Little-Saña family!

Another

Rough Rice FuturesSettlements

All market data contained within the CME Group website should be considered as a reference only and should not be used as validation against, nor as a complement to, real-time market data feeds. Settlement prices on instruments without open interest or volume are provided for web users only and are not published on Market Data Platform (MDP). These prices are not based on market activity. 

·        

Month	Open	High	Low	Last	Change	Settle	Estimated Volume	Prior Day Open Interest
·       Last Updated: Thursday, 15 Feb 2018 06:00 PM ·       About This Report
MAR 18	12.200	12.200	11.950	11.975	-.300	11.950	750	5,201
MAY 18	12.435	12.435	12.185	12.210	-.300	12.185	478	3,063
JLY 18	12.600	12.600	12.420	12.440B	-.315	12.415	61	796
SEP 18	11.900	11.985	11.825	11.845A	-.170	11.785	17	684
NOV 18	-	-	-	-	-.170	11.645	0	0
JAN 19	-	-	-	-	-.170	11.645	0	0
MAR 19	-	-	-	-	-.170	11.645	0	0
Total							1,306	9,744

Grains Commentary

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http://www.cmegroup.com/trading/agricultural/grain-and-oilseed/rough-rice_quotes_settlements_futures.htmlFEBRUARY 15, 2018 / 11:25 PM / UPDATED 16 HOURS AGO

Wild crops could save chickpeas from being blitzed, scientists say

Thin Lei Win

3 MIN READ

ROME (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - They are nutritious, versatile and a dietary staple for millions of people from South Asia to Ethiopia, but scientists have warned that the humble chickpea is under threat from climate impacts such as higher temperatures, drought and pests.

The key to saving the chickpea could lie with a project cross-breeding domestic and wild varieties - found only in southeastern Turkey near the border with war-torn Syria - said a study published this week in the journal Nature Communications.

Unlike domestic crops, which receive dedicated care in the form of fertilisers and pesticides, their wild relatives are able to adapt to changing conditions, according to scientists.

“It will take another five years before it’s in the hands of a farmer in Ethiopia ... but we are well on the road to being there,” Eric J. B. von Wettberg, a plant geneticist at the University of Vermont, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

He said researchers were working with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), an India-based agricultural research body, to ensure that the resilient seeds make it to market once they are available.

About one in five people globally depend on legumes such as chickpeas as their primary source of protein, Von Wettberg said.

He called for better protection for and conservation of wild varieties of crops, which could have traits that would allow them to survive and thrive under climate pressures.

“They (wild crops) may be our most potent weapon against climate change,” said Chikelu Mba, plant geneticist at the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

“They are irreplaceable,” he said by phone, adding that chickpeas were vital for nutrition in many developing countries.

Scientists are also assessing wild rice varietals to combat climate change, with one species growing in northern Australia’s crocodile-infested waters raising hope for a more nutritious grain that is drought- and pest-resistant.

Reporting By Thin Lei Win @thinink, Editing by Robert Carmichael and Kieran Guilbert; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, corruption and climate change. Visit www.trust.org

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-agriculture-crops/wild-crops-could-save-chickpeas-from-being-blitzed-scientists-say-idUSKCN1FZ2II

The benefits of rice water for hair and skin

by Neeti Jaychander | February 15, 2018, 10:00 AM IST

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This age-old magic beauty ingredient has seen a revival in recent times! So what is rice water exactly, you may ask? Quite simply, rice water is the water that is left over once rice is either soaked or boiled in it. You can either soak the uncooked rice in water and use the residue, or boil rice in twice the amount of cooking water that you normally need, and use the remaining water once done.

It is preferable to use organic rice, clean filtered water, and rinse the rice thoroughly before use to get rid of any topical pollutants and pesticides. White rice is preferred over brown or red rice – since the water from the former has more extensive benefits.

How long has it been used?

The Chinese village of Huangluo, home to native Red Yao women, is in the Guinness Book of Records as the ‘world’s longest hair village’. The women here boast long, lustrous and healthy hair that is consistently maintained. The villagers believe that it is a symbol of luck, longevity and prosperity. So what is the secret to their fabulously-maintained hair? An ancient but extremely simple Chinese remedy – rice water! This magic potion, used as a natural shampoo and rinse for centuries now, clearly works wonders. In fact, women usually don’t start graying until they’re almost eighty years old! But China doesn’t hold monopoly over rice water. Around 1,200 years ago, women in Japan – especially those at the Imperial Court – used rice water to rinse their hair as well as wash their face. This solution was highly acclaimed and termed ‘Yu-Su-Ru’. Geishas especially used it, to keep their skin smooth, even-toned and supple. Even Korea (which has now seen a revival in traditional beauty techniques) and other South East Asian countries like Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia have a history of using rice water as a key beauty supplement. So why is this simple ingredient such a potent solution, and how can you harness its benefits today? Let’s take a look.

What does it contain?

Rice water has a multitude of components with nutritional value for the skin and hair. Around 16 percent of these are proteins, the building blocks essential to cell health. Triglycerides and lipids each make up 10 percent of the rice water composition, while starch (an extract still used in Japanese cosmetics), is present at 9 percent. Carbohydrates, inositol, phytic acid and inorganic substances are other components in rice water. This is what you get when you boil an average handful of white rice in two cups of hot water, and strain out the residue liquid.

What are its skin benefits?

Over the years, various studies have been testimony to the fact that rice water, part of Asia’s culinary legacy, is also part of its beauty legacy. And for good reason. There are several benefits to using rice water for the skin. In 2002, a study from the Department of Toxicology at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium determined that patients with skin conditions like inflammation, rashes and dermatitis benefitted greatly from taking a bath in rice water twice a day. So people with sensitive skins, rejoice! It is the most natural astringent you can ever imagine, thanks to its high starch content. It is also a natural sunscreen, protecting from the harmful effects of UV rays. In addition, rice water can be used to treat sunburns. Just apply it on sun-damaged skin, and it will help your skin recover faster. It also helps tighten open pores. Skin texture is greatly improved, and elasticity is restored, especially in the case of dry and dehydrated skin. Rice water is rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, flavanoids and phenolic compounds. In addition, it contains ferulic acid and allantoin, all of which are necessary for skin function. One of the key functions of rice water is brighter skin and an even skin tone. If you dip a cotton ball in fermented rice water and massage it into your face, it really works wonders. You’ll find sunspots, pigmentation, hyperpigmentation and freckles lightening. Not only does it promote cell growth and regeneration, keeping your skin supple and smooth, it also has antioxidants, which keep various skin cancers at bay and also act as an anti-ageing agent. You can even use it as a bath soak – just add two cups of rice water into regular water that’s in your bath rub, and finish up with a few drops of lavender essential oil. Soak for about half an hour to reap the skin benefits of rice water all over the body, while the lavender lulls you into a comfortable sleep-like state.

What are the hair benefits?

In 2010, a study was published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science, where researchers clearly stated that using rice water as a hair treatment offered several benefits including improved elasticity, texture and lesser friction and frizz. This is largely due to the presence of inositol, a carbohydrate. Using it as a shampoo to wash out your hair may not be as convenient as a store bought shampoo, but it comes without chemicals and preservatives, and you don’t even need to follow it up with a conditioner. Rice water keeps your hair’s natural oils intact and its pH levels are similar to that of the scalp! For added benefits, a few drops of your preferred essential oils can be added to rice water, and this mix can replace your regular shampoo.

What is pitera – the magic ingredient?

To make the solution more potent, allow it to ferment for a day or two – it may smell funny, but this will definitely give you an added benefits. Fermented rice water is the elixir of youth! It contains pitera, a natural byproduct that boosts cell regeneration. It is rich in minerals, vitamins and amino acids, all of which are essential to anti-ageing. This ingredient has been rediscovered by scientists recently, and is all the rage in keeping skin youthful. To give you an example, sake, a Japanese fermented rice liquor is based on pretty much the same principles as rice water. It was found that workers at a sake factory had exceptionally youthful hands compared to the rest of their skin! Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the pitera found in fermented rice water and its offshoots, was responsible for this miraculous occurrence.

What are the other ways it helps?
Including rice water in your diet is beneficial in more ways than one. It can cure a number of ills such as stomach infections, gastric problems and nausea. It improves gut health drastically, which in turn reflects on the outside, giving you smooth and radiant skin. Rice water is also used extensively across Asian cultures for babies who are weaning off nursing, to settle their stomachs. Drinking it up is a natural cure for eczema, fever and other bacterial infections. Rice water is full of energy, with a low-cal but high-carb way of providing your body with the boost it needs to get through the day effectively. In south India, Kanji, a fermented gruel made from rice water is part of the daily staple diet, especially among farmers and agriculturists. In the hot tropical summers, it prevents dehydration, replenishing lost nutrients and reducing chances of ailments. To prepare Kanji, cook a cup of rice in four cups water. Once the rice is semi-cooked, strain out the water, add some salt if required, and drink up. Your body will thank you for it, and so will your skin. Kanji can also be made from brown and red rice variants, depending on your taste and preferences. Just remember to keep it organic as much as possible.

Is it used in store-bought cosmetics?

Japanese and South Korean cosmetic giants have been using rice water and pitera in their cosmetics, and marketing them as combining the best of science and nature. Several high-end brands now feature this key ingredient, technologically modified to fit into a bottle of serum or face wash. While we recommend you try the undiluted, freshly made version everyday, there is no denying that store-bought versions come with benefits too. Firstly, the shelf life is longer, and you don’t need to keep making a fresh batch every couple of days – which can be a pain if you’re hard-pressed for time. Secondly, it comes with a multitude of other ingredients, which offer a holistic, all-round benefit in one product. Thirdly, if you go to a reputed cosmetic company, you’re assured of the quality of rice water used, and won’t really need to worry about what brand of rice to pick up from the supermarket! Just remember to do your homework before you pick up any product, make sure it is suited to your skin type and also provides the benefits that you would like for your skin.

What are its environmental implications?

When you use rice water, you are using a by-product of boiling rice – and this is a single ingredient trick, which means you’re not really digging into anything else. What’s more, you don’t have to deal with the implications of using disposable plastic waste that just reaches landfills, and you can spare the earth of that many more toxins and toxic waste. If you actually cook for a cartload of people, don’t even throw away the water used to rinse the rice – you can even just store it in a bucket and use it to bathe your body. Also, rice water costs virtually nothing! Instead of opting for expensive store-bought serums and toners, just use this really affordable (read, free!) DIY product and you’ll find you don’t really need to clutter your bathroom shelf with much else.

What are the cons?

Rice water is not a miracle cure, but a slow, healing process. While you’ll see visible benefits using it for a few days or even weeks, to reap its real benefits means making a lifestyle change. It’ll need to be a part of your daily routine just as much as eating breakfast or brushing your teeth. Also, try to get certified organic white rice, since non-organic versions may have extensive traces of dirt, pollutants, bacteria and pesticides that you are privy to, resulting in skin problems like eczema and so on. Since the product is homemade, it doesn’t contain preservatives. So you’ll need to keep an eye out for when it’s going bad and whip up a fresh batch every couple of days.

Celeb speak

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is one celebrity who swears by rice water. Whenever her skin needs a little pick-me-up, she opts for a rice water facial, massaging concentrated amounts into her skin and letting it sit for a while, which is her secret to youthful and radiant skin. She also takes it one step further, mixing it up with rice flour for an exfoliating scrub. Internationally, London-based facialist Su-Man Hsu boasts a clientele that includes Juliette Binoche, Anne Hathaway and Freida Pinto, and makes her own skincare products. A key ingredient in this Taiwanese facialist’s anti-ageing kit is rice water. She goes back to beauty recipes that her mother and grandmother used, for inspiration.

Face packs to try out

- Mix 2 tbsp rice water with a tbsp of ground gramflour and a teaspoon of honey. Mix well and apply all over face and neck. Rinse with lukewarm water after 20 minutes and pat dry. This pack helps get rid of suntans and facial impurities caused by pollutants.
- For a probiotic face mask, take half a cup of curd and mix 2 tsp rice water into it. Let it sit for ten minutes. Then apply all over face and neck, and leave on for 10 minutes. Wipe with a wet washcloth and pat dry. This pack has anti-ageing and skin firming benefits.
- Mix half a cup of rice water with half a mashed banana in a blender. Add a few drops of castor oil and apply all over face, including a very thin, careful layer under the eyes. Dip some cotton wool in a teaspoon of rice water and slowly remove the pack. Once every inch of the paste has come off, splash water on your face and pat dry. For tired and dull looking skin, this pack is ideal.
- Here’s a real treat! This antioxidant scrub will have your skin glowing in no time. Add 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder to a tbsp of rice water and mix well. Scrub this into the skin in slow upward strokes. Then rise well and pat dry with a towel.

Photos: Shutterstock

Lullaby Gets govt import rice at most unfortunate time

A rice seller in Senen market in Jakarta on Jan. 2. 2017. (Antara Photo/Sigid Kurniawan)

By : Adinda Normala | on 1:08 PM January 17, 2018
Category : Business, Commodities, Featured

Jakarta. Different databases kept by Indonesia's agriculture and trade ministries were allegedly the main culprit in the government's late decision to import rice so close to a harvest season — a decision roundly criticized by farmers for putting pressure on the price of local rice.

"The government had trusted the data put forward by the Agriculture Ministry, wrongly so," Dwi Santosa, a professor from Bogor Institute of Agriculture, told the Jakarta Globe on Tuesday (16/01).

Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman said last month the country had produced more rice than it needed last year, meeting President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's target of rice self-sufficiency.

But the price of rice in the market tells a different story. Trade Ministry data showed that on Jan. 12, medium quality rice cost Rp 11,500 ($0.93) per kilogram, above the recommended retail price of Rp 9,450 set by the ministry.

The Agriculture Ministry said January’s rice production is expected to reach 2.8 million tons, more than the monthly consumption of around 2.5 million tons.

But the Trade Ministry's number is different, with rice production in the same month expected at a much lower 900,000 tons.

Dwi said the country’s rice stock started to fall in July-September last year, after a lean harvest season caused by infestation in several parts of the country, including in Indonesia's biggest rice bowl, East Java.

"The Indonesian Farmers' Seed Bank Association [AB2TI] has been encouraging the government to start importing rice since last year," Dwi said.

Dwi said the timing of the current rice import is less than ideal since local farmers expect a major rice harvest in the first quarter of this year.

Importing rice so close to harvest season may cause a "price collapse" for local rice.

Dwi strongly recommended that rice import should arrive in the first two weeks of February so as to not interfere with local rice harvest.

Import Plans

The Indonesian government has decided it will import 500,000 tons of medium quality rice by the end of January to boost the country’s stockpile.

Coordinating Economics Minister Darmin Nasution said on Monday the buffer rice stock at national procurement agency Bulog tops out at 875,000 tons, not enough to keep the price of rice stable until the next harvest season.

"We need to import rice to protect not only consumers but also farmers," Darmin said in a press conference.

Indonesia's rice import will come from its traditional suppliers Vietnam and Thailand, but no shipment plan has been decided.

The head of Indonesia's Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Suhariyanto, warned the government to keep price rice under control if it wants inflation to stay under the 2018 state budget's target of 3.5 percent.

"The rising price of rise is worrisome. The government needs to keep food price volatility down," Suhariyanto said.

BPS data showed the price of rice was the fourth biggest contributor to national inflation last year, accounting for 0.16 of the total 3.61 percent.

How to Avoid Data Disparity

The government has asked BPS and the Technology Assessment and Application Agency (BPPT) to compile data on rice production in harvest areas to be used as the main references for Bulog's database.

"This should prevent over-optimistic prediction of rice production," BPS head Suhariyanto said.

The government will also release a one-map policy in August which will contain data on planting areas and irrigation.

Task teams will be formed to verify data and minimize mistakes in estimating rice production.

The issue of rice import has been a thorn in the side for President Jokowi, who wants to keep food prices down — rice import will help this — but also wants to pursue the agenda of rice self-sufficiency to protect farmers.

BPS data showed Jokowi's administration has already imported 2.9 million tons of rice worth Rp 16.6 trillion from 2014 to 2017.

Rice consumption in Indonesia is among the highest in the world, with each Indonesian consuming 114 kilograms every year.

In comparison, average annual rice consumption in Vietnam is at 191 kg per person, in Thailand 147 kg, in India 78 kg and in China 75 kg, according to data compiled by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in 2016.

http://jakartaglobe.id/business/lullaby-gets-govt-import-rice-at-most-unfortunate-time/

Bangladesh scraps Thai rice deal

·       15 Feb 2018 at 20:30 

·       WRITER: REUTERS

BENGALURU, India: Bangladesh scrapped a plan to import Thai rice, citing delays in finalising a deal, as rice prices in India and Thailand fell this week, pressured by sluggish overseas demand.

Bangladesh, which has emerged as a major importer of rice since 2017 after floods damaged its crops, scrapped a plan to import 150,000 tonnes of rice from Thailand, agreed at $465 a tonne in October.

"We had to cancel it as they were taking too long to finalise the deal. We're getting supplies from neighbouring India ... At the same time, we are getting good response in our local procurement drive," Badrul Hasan, head of the state grains buyer, told Reuters.

In India, prices for 5% broken parboiled rice fell by $12 to $420-$424 a tonne, having touched their highest since September 2011 a couple of weeks earlier.

"Demand is weak. Buyers are postponing purchases, expecting a further drop in prices," said an exporter based in Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

A statement released by a government body last week said that India's April-December non-basmati rice exports had jumped by 39.5% from a year ago to 6.34 million tonnes as Bangladesh and Benin increased purchases.

Meanwhile, Thailand's benchmark 5% broken rice rates fell to $400-$419 a tonne, free on board (FOB) Bangkok, compared with $420-$430 last week.

"Many exporters are waiting on big markets like Indonesia, Philippines, Iran and China, but so far there are no fresh bids," one Bangkok-based rice trader said.

"Prices did not fluctuate much this week because many rice mills are closed due to the Chinese New Year," he added.

The Lunar New Year is not an official public holiday in Thailand, but many businesses close for the occasion.

The exchange rate, with a firmer baht, is another important factor behind the slump in demand, another trader said.

In Vietnam, the world's third-largest rice exporter, financial markets are closed for the Feb 14-20 Lunar New Year holiday.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1412755/bangladesh-scraps-thai-rice-deal

Affordable and quality rice for all

Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:12 AM February 16, 2018

Lately I have been thinking about the continuous price hikes on basic commodities in the country, and I have noticed how the poor suffer from them. They can no longer fill their empty stomach with enough food to serve their family, and it pains me to see them that way.

I am talking about this because I see how unfair the government system is to the poor, while the rich seem unaffected by the price hikes. The poor can no longer buy rice as their staple food following the passage of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act that increased prices by P1-P2 per kilo due to the petroleum price hike. The farmers’ livelihood is also at stake. Farmers are continuously in debt in addition to being landless. It holds true as vast lands of haciendas are still existing in the country and landlords monopolize the rice industry. The World Trade Organization agreement also strengthened rice importation.

This now brings me to what we can do in order to push for an affordable and quality rice. Forums, discussions, and demonstrations can be done in order to get the attention of the government to act on this, while also getting the support of the masses to further strengthen the call.

I hope that this can help spread the need to act on such a very important issue: a call for an affordable and quality rice for all.

SARRYNA GESITE, gesitesarryna@gmail.com

http://opinion.inquirer.net/111059/affordable-quality-rice

Rice imports to be 32-year high

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Star Business Report

Rice imports are on course for a 32-year high this fiscal year on the back of insatiable demand from private traders for high prices in the local market.
As of February 9, imports of the grain stood at 28.90 lakh tonnes in contrast to 1.33 lakh tonnes brought in to the country in fiscal 2016-17, according to data from the food ministry.
Of the amount, private traders brought in 21.29 lakh tonnes and the government 7.61 lakh tonnes. The last time higher quantities of rice was imported was back in fiscal 1998-99, when 30.08 lakh tonnes arrived from abroad.
And as of January 27 this year, letters of credit have been opened to import 37.55 lakh tonne of rice.
The buoyancy in imports continues even though farmers are cultivating boro after harvesting aman paddy, the production of which is estimated by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to fall due to the three-day-long unseasonal heavy rain in December.

The US agency in a report last week raised its forecast on Bangladesh's rice import to 34 lakh tonnes of rice in 2017-18, which is more than double its earlier prediction of 16 lakh tonnes in November last year.
“The private importers are aggressively taking the maximum benefit of a 2 percent tariff rate,” said the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service in its January issue of the Grain and Feed Update on Bangladesh.
The report said private sector imports have soared due to higher prices in the local market amid fears of possible lower production in the next boro rice season because of flood risks.
“A record high amount of rice imports did not contribute significantly to retail rice price reductions in the local market,” the agency said. The report, citing Bangladesh Bank estimates, said rice imports from India cost Tk 37.89 ($0.46) each kilogram -- 19 percent less than the average retail prices of Tk 45 a kg in Dhaka.
The rice production estimate has been reduced slightly on account of lower aman production due to three-day-long unseasonal heavy rain in the harvesting month of December. “Some farmers reported that they had yield-loss due to 75 percent lodging during the grain maturing stage caused by heavy rains combined with high speed winds,” the USDA said.
Aman production estimate has been reduced to 1.25 crore tonnes. Last fiscal year, aman production was 1.36 crore tonnes, according to data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. As a result, Bangladesh's rice production may decline to 3.26 crore tonnes in the current year from the USDA's November prediction of 3.30 crore tonnes.
BBS is yet to release its estimates on aus and aman production this year.
The Department of Agricultural Extension of Bangladesh has targeted rice planting on 47.25 lakh hectares area during the current boro season to ensure production of 1.90 crore tonnes of rice this season.

www.thedailystar.net › Business › Export

New agency to certify rice origin

Some of the many varieties of rice grown in Cambodia. KT/Chor Sokunthea

The Ministry of Commerce launched a new agency whose aim is to inspect the production and supply chain of rice branded as ‘made in Cambodia’ to guarantee its origin and provide assurance to foreign buyers. With Cambodian rice having won multiple international awards for its quality, the move seeks to prevent the sale of foreign rice falsely claiming to hail from the kingdom. The initiative is precautionary as, according to a ministry official, very few cases of ‘fake’ Cambodian rice have been reported to date. The new working group is staffed by officials from the commerce and agriculture ministries, as well as members of the Cambodian Rice Federation.

A total of 12 individuals will make up the team, which has the authority to look into data related to every stage of the production and supply process, including processing, storing and exporting the product. “We export rice to foreign markets like the EU with certain benefits, like being exempted from paying tariffs,” said Seang Thay, spokesman at the Minister of Commerce. “We don’t want buyers complaining about having purchased rice that wasn’t grown in Cambodia, because we could lose some of those trade benefits. “We have to ensure that the rice is grown and processed here.” Mr Thay said the ministry has yet to receive a single complaint from a buyer who has been sold ‘fake’ Cambodian rice, but justified the creation of the new agency by saying it will prevent any such cases from happening in the future . He said the agency will guarantee that buyers continue to trust Cambodian rice. Despite the lack of official complaints, there has been a few documented cases of rice from third countries being deceptively sold as Cambodian rice, Mr Thay said. Hean Vanhan, director-general of the general directorate of agriculture, said the new agency will help keep the reputation of Cambodian rice intact. “We aim to guarantee the purity of our rice, and make sure that foreigners are not sending their rice to Cambodia, and selling it from here as Cambodian rice,” he said.

“We have heard of some cases in which rice from other countries was sold as Cambodian rice, but we don’t have strong data on this,” Mr Vanhan said, adding that perpetrators were looking to benefit from the tariff exemptions that Cambodia enjoys with key markets like the US and the EU. Khy Maly, sales and export manager at Amru Rice, also welcomed the new agency, saying buyers will now have certainty that they are buying real Cambodian rice. “It is a great move to guarantee that the rice is grown, processed and packaged in Cambodia,” she said. Last year, exports of Cambodian rice increased by 17.3 percent, reaching 635,679 tonnes, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50108701/new-agency-to-certify-rice-origin/

·       BS PRODUCTS 

Basmati rice stocks rally; KRBL up 8% on fund buying

Kohinoor Foods, KRBL and LT Foods were up 8% to 15% on BSE in intra-day trade.

SI Reporter  |  Mumbai Last Updated at February 14, 2018 10:48 IST

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Shares of basmati rice producers rallied by up to 15% on the BSE on back of heavy volumes in otherwise subdued market after the Pabrai Investment Fund bought nearly three percentage point stake in KRBL through open market purchases.Kohinoor Foods (up 15% at Rs 79.85), KRBL (8% at Rs 647) and LT Foods (8% at Rs 99.65) have rallied more

www.business-standard.com/article/markets/basmati-rice-stocks-rally-krbl

PH eyes satellite rice production abroad

 February 16, 2018, 12:05 AM

By PNA

The Philippine government is aiming to clinch a deal with Papua New Guinea (PNG) for Filipinos to be able to grow rice there and supply the staple back here.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said in a media conference in Quezon City on Wednesday that Malacañang had given its thumbs up for his travel to PNG soon, so he and authorities there can finalize the arrangements.

“The idea is for the Philippine government to enter into a bilateral agreement with PNG on the matter,” he told reporters, saying the planned satellite rice production could boost the availability of affordable rice for Filipinos.

If plans push through, he said Filipinos would be able to grow rice in satellite farms in PNG, initially supplying the grains there while that country is developing its rice industry. The excess produce would then be shipped to the Philippines.

Earlier, Piñol said he presented to Malacañang such concept of rice production outsourcing, so Filipino entrepreneurs abroad can help grow and ensure supply of this staple grain.

Latest data indicate the Philippines is heading towards rice sufficiency by 2020, he said.

Ballooning population and decreasing agricultural land in the country highlight the need for finding rice production alternatives like outsourcing in satellite farms abroad, the agriculture chief noted.

Piñol is optimistic about the outsourcing prospect with PNG, noting the country of about 8 million people has a total land area of around 46 million hectares.

Australia has ongoing agricultural activities in about 400 hectares there, he said.

The Philippines’ initial five-year target to develop one million hectares of PNG land for rice can produce around 8 million metric tons (MT) annually — more than enough to meet PNG’s rice need of only about 200,000 MT.

At present, PNG sources its rice overseas and has sought the Philippines’ help in developing its rice industry, according to Piñol.

Filipino-produced inbound rice shipments from PNG would boost the availability of rice in the Philippines, Piñol said.

“Those shipments will be treated as imports that may enter the country as National Food Authority (NFA) rice,” he said.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/02/16/ph-eyes-satellite-rice-production-abroad/

Bumper harvest inches Philippines closer to rice self-sufficiency

By philstar.com

February 16, 2018

  

Bumper harvest inches Philippines closer to rice self-sufficiency

Louise Maureen Simeon (The Philippine Star) – February 16, 2018 – 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is inching closer to its goal of achieving rice self-sufficiency.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said the country is 96 percent self-sufficient in rice and expects to achieve 100 percent rice self-sufficiency level by 2020.

Palay (unhusked rice) production reached 19.4 million metric tons (MT) last year from 17.8 million MT in 2016.

“This was the highest production in the history of the rice industry in the country. The production of palay is actually already above and beyond the national requirement, but we are not declaring rice sufficiency yet because there are factors to be considered,” Piñol said in a briefing on Wednesday.

The country has a national inventory of 2.7 million MT, which is good for 88 days.

About 3.1 million MT of rice are also expected in the first quarter.

This means that the Philippines has potentially 5.8 million MT in its inventory, of which 2.8 million MT will only be consumed in the first three months as per  national consumption.

“Our second quarter buffer stock will be about three million MT, good for 96 days and that is the highest volume of buffer stock in recent years,” Piñol said.

“I will stick to our 2020 rice self-sufficiency target. But even if we achieve rice self-sufficiency by 2020 we will not be able to sustain it for so long because of population growth,” Piñol said.

“The best scenario is for about five to 10 years because as population grows it will overtake our rice production because our rice farms are already limited,” he added.

To address this, the agency is now increasing its adoption of high quality seeds, intensifying farm mechanization, improving access to credit and promoting integrated crop management, among others.

http://portal.jip.ph/bumper-harvest-inches-philippines-closer-to-rice-self-sufficiency/

Imported rice starts arriving at various ports

News Desk

The Jakarta Post

Jakarta | Thu, February 15, 2018 | 11:33 am

Workers unload Vietnamese rice at Tenau Port in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara on Feb. 13. (Antara/ Kornelis Kaha)

Imported rice has started arriving in a number of ports across Indonesia as the commodity price remains above the ceiling set by the government.

State Logistics Agency (Bulog) procurement director Andrianto Wahyu said that 57,000 tons of rice had arrived since Tuesday in three Indonesian ports – Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta (41,000 tons), Merak Port in Banten (6,000 tons) and Tenau Port in East Nusa Tenggara (10,000 tons).

A further 24,750 tons of rice is expected to arrive on Thursday -- 20,000 tons at Panjang Port in Lampung and 4,750 tons would arrive at Benoa Port in Bali --, he said, adding that Bulog was still waiting for the arrival of another 261,000 tons of rice by the end of this month.

Andrianto said that as of Wednesday, the 1,500 tons of rice that arrived at Tenau Port had been stored at Bulog’s warehouse in East Nusa Tenggara. "We will keep [all of] the rice at Bulog’s East Nusa Tenggara warehouse [before being distributed],” he said as reported by tribunnews.com.

The workers were still unloading the rice that had arrived at Tanjung Priok and Merak was also still in the unloading process, he added.

Currently, Andrianto said the Bulog rice stock stood at 630,000, including the government rice reserve.

The government’s decision to import rice sparked controversy as a number of regional leaders opposed the imports, arguing that their farmers produced enough rice. (bbn)

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/02/15/imported-rice-starts-arriving-at-various-ports.html

 Ricegrowers : Strong North Queensland rice harvest paves way for $4M research program

02/15/2018 | 12:10am EST

Leading Australian branded food company SunRice has reported strong dry season performance across North Queensland's Burdekin rice growing region, with 4,200 tonnes of premium rice variety Doongara harvested in December.

The appetite to integrate rice as a complementary crop for sugarcane growers remains strong, with all contracts filled for the wet season crop, which is currently in the ground and close to reaching the Panicle Initiation growth stage across the Burdekin, Tully, Ingham and Gordonvale.

Extensive R&D program to commence in the coming weeks

SunRice General Manager AGS, Grower Services and Agronomic Development, Tom Howard, said to complement the interest in rice as a favoured crop option across North Queensland, a new research and development program would soon get underway focused on breeding and selecting rice varieties specifically for tropical conditions:

'North Queensland has the ideal environment for growing rice as a rotational high value crop that complements the sugarcane farming system. It can assist growers to improve their cash flow by utilising fallow land and generating significant profits for their farm business, along with potentially improving soil condition and breaking disease cycles through crop rotation.

'We've had a good recent harvest and ongoing research and development projects are designed to improve on productivity.

'We are delighted to see that this research work will get a significant boost with $4 million committed by the Federal Government under the Rural R&D for Profit program, which will commence in the coming weeks to support the expansion of the North Queensland rice industry.'

Delivered in partnership with AgriFutures, the University of Queensland, the University of Southern Queensland, the NSW Department of Primary Industries and SunRice subsidiary Rice Research Australia Pty Ltd (RRAPL), the program will focus critical research into rice varieties, farming systems, pest and disease management, agronomic practices, market return maximisation and post-harvest handling to develop a sustainable northern rice industry.

Commenting on the North Queensland rice industry, Mr Howard said:

'North Queensland has strong synergies with SunRice's strategy to develop alternative sources of domestic supply to target premium markets and help us continue to meet solid international demand for clean and green Australian rice. We are committed to building a sustainable rice industry in North Queensland to benefit local growers and their communities.'

Media inquiries: Sally Edgar, Sauce Communications, 0425 247 133
sally@saucecommunications.com.au

About SunRiceSunRice is a $1.1 billion global food business and one of Australia's leading branded food exporters. With sales, marketing and operations spanning the globe, we supply domestic markets and close to 50 countries with diverse and nutritious food products, from table rice, flour and snacks, to rice meals and companion animal and livestock products. For more information visit www.sunrice.com.au

http://www.publicnow.com/view/CF5A3E762D3C018444ED3EB7A6BB8C96DFAE1BAD

 

http://www.4-traders.com/news/Ricegrowers-Strong-North-Queensland-rice-harvest-paves-way-for-4M-research-program--25995867/

New agency to certify rice origin

Chea Vannak / Khmer Times 

Some of the many varieties of rice grown in Cambodia. KT/Chor Sokunthea

The Ministry of Commerce launched a new agency whose aim is to inspect the production and supply chain of rice branded as ‘made in Cambodia’ to guarantee its origin and provide assurance to foreign buyers.

With Cambodian rice having won multiple international awards for its quality, the move seeks to prevent the sale of foreign rice falsely claiming to hail from the kingdom.

The initiative is precautionary as, according to a ministry official, very few cases of ‘fake’ Cambodian rice have been reported to date.

The new working group is staffed by officials from the commerce and agriculture ministries, as well as members of the Cambodian Rice Federation.

A total of 12 individuals will make up the team, which has the authority to look into data related to every stage of the production and supply process, including processing, storing and exporting the product.

“We export rice to foreign markets like the EU with certain benefits, like being exempted from paying tariffs,” said Seang Thay, spokesman at the Minister of Commerce.

“We don’t want buyers complaining about having purchased rice that wasn’t grown in Cambodia, because we could lose some of those trade benefits.

“We have to ensure that the rice is grown and processed here.”

Mr Thay said the ministry has yet to receive a single complaint from a buyer who has been sold ‘fake’ Cambodian rice, but justified the creation of the new agency by saying it will prevent any such cases from happening in the future .

He said the agency will guarantee that buyers continue to trust Cambodian rice.

Despite the lack of official complaints, there has been a few documented cases of rice from third countries being deceptively sold as Cambodian rice, Mr Thay said.

Hean Vanhan, director-general of the general directorate of agriculture, said the new agency will help keep the reputation of Cambodian rice intact.

“We aim to guarantee the purity of our rice, and make sure that foreigners are not sending their rice to Cambodia, and selling it from here as Cambodian rice,” he said.

“We have heard of some cases in which rice from other countries was sold as Cambodian rice, but we don’t have strong data on this,” Mr Vanhan said, adding that perpetrators were looking to benefit from the tariff exemptions that Cambodia enjoys with key markets like the US and the EU.

Khy Maly, sales and export manager at Amru Rice, also welcomed the new agency, saying buyers will now have certainty that they are buying real Cambodian rice.

“It is a great move to guarantee that the rice is grown, processed and packaged in Cambodia,” she said.

Last year, exports of Cambodian rice increased by 17.3 percent, reaching 635,679 tonnes, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50108701/new-agency-to-certify-rice-origin/

Asia Rice: Slow demand weighs on top exporters; Bangladesh scraps Thai deal

Koustav Samanta

•        

•         BENGALURU (Reuters) - Rice prices in India and Thailand fell this week, pressured by sluggish overseas demand, while Bangladesh scrapped a plan to import Thai rice, citing delays in finalising a deal.

File Photo: A shopkeeper sews at a rice wholesale market in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata May 7, 2008. REUTERS/Parth Sanyal

In India, prices for 5 percent broken parboiled rice fell by $12 to $420-$424 a tonne, having touched their highest since September 2011 a couple of weeks earlier.

“Demand is weak. Buyers are postponing purchases, expecting a further drop in prices,” said an exporter based in Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

A statement released by a government body last week said that India’s April-December non-basmati rice exports had jumped by 39.5 percent from a year ago to 6.34 million tonnes as Bangladesh and Benin increased purchases.

Bangladesh, which has emerged as a major importer of rice since 2017 after floods damaged its crops, scrapped a plan to import 150,000 tonnes of rice from Thailand, agreed at $465 a tonne in October.

“We had to cancel it as they were taking too long to finalise the deal. We’re getting supplies from neighbouring India ... At the same time, we are getting good response in our local procurement drive,” Badrul Hasan, head of the state grains buyer, told Reuters.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s benchmark 5 percent broken rice rates fell to $400-$419 a tonne, free on board (FOB) Bangkok, compared with $420-$430 last week.

“Many exporters are waiting on big markets like Indonesia, Philippines, Iran and China, but so far there are no fresh bids,” one Bangkok-based rice trader said.

“Prices did not fluctuate much this week because many rice mills are closed due to the Chinese New Year,” he added. 

The Lunar New Year is not an official public holiday in Thailand, but many businesses close for the occasion.

The exchange rate, with a firmer baht, is another important factor behind the slump in demand, another trader said.

In Vietnam, the world’s third-largest rice exporter, financial markets are closed for the Feb. 14-20 Lunar New Year holiday.

https://in.reuters.com/article/asia-rice/asia-rice-slow-demand-weighs-on-top-exporters-bangladesh-scraps-thai-deal-idINKCN1FZ1KZ