Thursday, July 05, 2018

5th July,2018 daily global regional local rice e-newsletter

Customs’ CG Strike Force intercepts truck of rice in Oyo

By Editor

04 July 2018 | 2:59 am

Nigeria Customs Service

One week after the Zonal Command of the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Strike Force intercepted 3,000 bags of rice at Ijebu-Ode, made another seizure of 420 bags.

The National Coordinator of the strike force, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Kirawa, said the rice were concealed in a truck carrying gravel stones in Shaki, Oyo state.Kirawa stated that since the zonal commander of the task force AC Salisu Asaba Bullah made the Ogun axis un-accessible, smugglers are moving towards the Oyo axis.
He however promised that the zonal commander will make all routes in the South -West hot and un-accessible to smugglers.

He said, “Less than a week after the zonal coordinator in Ogun Axis intercepted 3000 bags of rice, they were able to arrest another truck load of rice concealed inside gravel sand.”

“We know the smugglers are desperate and smart but we are many steps ahead of them, the interception we made was based on intelligence because we can all see how desperate they are to smuggle these contraband into the country.”But, he said Customs are always ahead of them hence the seizure.

“The seizure is attributed to the intelligence provided by the Customs Intelligence Unit and my team and we have vowed to make the southwest zone a no go area for smugglers and make sure they count their loses no mattter their antics,” he said.Kirawa also expressed gratitude to the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) over his recent appointment as the zonal coordinator.

https://guardian.ng/features/customs-cg-strike-force-intercepts-truck-of-rice-in-oyo/

Rice imports technically banned as traded goods in Nigerian ports

by AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE

July 3, 2018 | 5:08 pm

The Federal Government has finally succeeded in putting an end to the importation of traded rice into the country, BusinessDay has learnt.Consequently, Nigerians now consumes rice produced in-country by local rice millers such as Olam, Stallion and other local rice millers, in line with the objectives of the nation’s rice policy. It also means that any foreign parboiled rice found in Nigerian market today, was smuggled through the land borders.

BusinessDay understands that men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), especially Apapa Area command, which has rice import as one of its major revenue earning commodities, has confirmed that no single vessel of traded rice has ever berthed in Apapa port in the last 18 months, January 2017 to June 2018.

Recall that the Federal Government had during the last administration put in place a 110 percent import duty and levy on rice to discourage heavy importation of rice that was taking place at that time. The policy generated several economic difficulties such that government was forced to reduce the tariff regime to 70 percent for importers and 20 percent for rice millers.

Also, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2015 listed rice among the 41 items restricted from accessing foreign exchange from the Nigeria’s official foreign exchange market. By implication, importers desirous of importing rice had to source for foreign exchange from alternative markets.

Joseph Attah, Customs national public relations officer had in January 2018, disclosed to newsmen that the government will no longer issue Form ‘M’ to importers for importation of rice.

Confirming this, Jubrin Musa, Area Controller Apapa command, told members of the Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria, who paid courtesy visit on him at the command in Lagos last week, that the command has not recorded any revenue on imported rice through the port since 2017.

“Form M issuance is not within the purview of Customs. It is a document that is sourced from CBN. If, we see any consignment that has form M, we treat. All goods imported that are for commercial activities must have form M whether valid for foreign exchange or not valid. From last year till date, no importation of rice has passed through Apapa and we have not seen any Form M on rice but the reason, we do not know,” he said.

Jubrin said that despite the zero duty recorded on rice, the command has not fared badly in its revenue generation as it has adopted various measures to up its revenue. He added that since the launch of the Nigeria Customs Integrated Information System (NICIS 11), an automated platform, the command’s revenue has been on the increase.

According to him, the command collected N28 billion in April; N33 billion in May and N30 billion as at June 28th.

MSP hike to increase global price of cotton, rice

CHANDIGARH: The hike in the minimum support price (MSP) of kharif crops announced by the Narendra Modi-led government is all set to impact international price of rice and cotton—items topping list of agricultural commodities exported from the country. The hike is expected to firm up cotton prices in India, largest exporter of natural fibre, and reflect in global market soon, feel traders. To fulfill its commitment of supplementing farmers’ income and address rising distress among farmer ..

Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/64860639.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

India must ditch rice to feed growing population, scientists warn

Conventional crops use too much water and do not provide enough nutrients

· Josh Gabbatiss Science Correspondent

· @josh_gabbatiss

Biju Bro/

India must shift from growing mainly rice and wheat to other crops that are healthier and better for the environment, according to new research.

Current estimates suggest the nation will have to feed nearly 400 million more people by 2050 – a significant undertaking given that it already struggles with widespread malnutrition and lack of water.

The study conducted by an international team of scientists aims to address two key targets of the Indian government – to improve the nation’s nutrition and promote sustainable water use.

Currently, almost a third of India’s population are anaemic, and huge swathes of the country are severely lacking in waster due to heavy extraction for agricultural irrigation and less rain from recent monsoons.

Indian diets are largely based on cereal crops, but the scientists suggest that the currently favoured varieties are contributing to the country’s problems.

"If we continue to go the route of rice and wheat, with unsustainable resource use and increasing climate variability, it's unclear how long we could keep that practice up," said Dr Kyle Davis, a Columbia University scientist who led the research. "That's why we're thinking of ways to better align food security and environmental goals."

The research team looked at six grains currently grown in India: rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, and pearl and finger millet.

Man nearly strangled by 18-foot python in India

Their results, published in the journal Science Advances, revealed that rice is the least water efficient cereal in India, and wheat was playing a significant role in driving water loss due to its high irrigation demands.

In addition, they looked at the nutrient value of crops for components like calories, protein, iron and zinc.

Their results suggested that replacing the current standard crops with maize, finger millet, pearl millet or sorghum would improve iron production by over a quarter and zinc by around a tenth.

Much of India’s reliance on rice and wheat comes from the so-called “green revolution” of the 1960s, a period in which the widespread rollout of new agriculture technologies led to a massive boost in crop production.

While these innovations played a significant role in reducing widespread hunger across the region, they took their toll on the environment, increasing greenhouse gas emissions and pollution.

Dr Davis said that while changing the dietary preferences of over one billion people might be tricky, there are still regions where alternative crops are consumed in “pretty large amounts”.

Some states are already pushing for more focus on these crops, and the Indian government has dubbed 2018 the “Year of Millets”.

"If the government is able to get people more interested in eating millets, the production will organically respond to that," said Dr Davis. "If you have more demand, then people will pay a better price for it, and farmers will be more willing to plant it."

A farming revolution could be aided further if the Indian state begins providing smallholder farmers with the same kind of subsidies that current incentivise them to planet rice and wheat.

https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/india-rice-crops-farming-agriculture-wheat-nutrition-drought-columbia-university-a8431411.html

Replacing rice, wheat with ‘less thirsty’ crops could help India save water, improve nutrition, says study

Replacing rice and wheat with 'less thirsty' crops could dramatically reduce water demand in India, while also improving nutrition, a study has found.

By: PTI | New York | Published: July 5, 2018 12:44 PM According to the study published in the journal Science Advances, India will need to feed approximately 394 million more people by 2050. (Photo: PTI)

Replacing rice and wheat with ‘less thirsty’ crops could dramatically reduce water demand in India, while also improving nutrition, a study has found. According to the study published in the journal Science Advances, India will need to feed approximately 394 million more people by 2050, and that is going to be a significant challenge. Nutrient deficiencies are already widespread in India today – 30 per cent or more are anaemic – and many regions are chronically water-stressed, researchers from Columbia University in the US said. Starting in the 1960s, a boom in rice and wheat production helped reduce hunger throughout India.

This Green Revolution also took a toll on the environment, increasing demands on the water supply, greenhouse gas emissions, and pollution from fertilisers, researchers said. “If we continue to go the route of rice and wheat, with unsustainable resource use and increasing climate variability, it is unclear how long we could keep that practice up,” said Kyle Davis from Columbia University. “That is why we are thinking of ways to better align food security and environmental goals,” said Davis, lead author on the study. The researchers studied six major grains currently grown in India: rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, and pearl and finger millet.

For each crop, they compared yield, water use, and nutritional values such as calories, protein, iron, and zinc. They found that rice is the least water-efficient cereal when it comes to producing nutrients, and that wheat has been the main driver in increasing irrigation stresses. The potential benefits of replacing rice with alternative crops varied widely between different regions, depending on how much the crops could rely on rainfall instead of irrigation.

However, the researchers found that replacing rice with maize, finger millet, pearl millet, or sorghum could reduce irrigation water demand by 33 per cent, while improving production of iron by 27 per cent and zinc by 13 per cent. In some instances, those improvements came with a slight reduction in the number of calories produced, because rice has been bred to have higher yields per unit of land. In some regions there is a tradeoff between water and land use efficiency, but Davis thinks that with more attention from scientists, the alternative crops could develop higher yields as well. For now, rice replacement is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but something that should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for each district, Davis said.

The team, including Ashwini Chhatre from the Indian School of Business, wants to study Indian food preferences, to see if people would be willing to incorporate more of these alternative cereals into their diets. “There are places around India where these crops continue to be consumed in pretty large amounts and there were, even more, a generation or two ago, so it is still within the cultural memory,” Davis said.

https://www.financialexpress.com/economy/replacing-rice-wheat-with-less-thirsty-crops-could-help-india-save-water-improve-nutrition-says-study/1232253/

Swapping crops could help India save water, improve nutrition

Jul 5, 2018, 12:31 PM; last updated: Jul 5, 2018, 12:31 PM (IST)

New York

Replacing rice and wheat with 'less thirsty' crops could dramatically reduce water demand in India, while also improving nutrition, a study has found.

According to the study published in the journal Science Advances, India will need to feed approximately 394 million more people by 2050, and that is going to be a significant challenge.

Nutrient deficiencies are already widespread in India today --30 per cent or more are anaemic--and many regions are chronically water-stressed, researchers from Columbia University in the US said.

Starting in the 1960s, a boom in rice and wheat production helped reduce hunger throughout India.

This Green Revolution also took a toll on the environment, increasing demands on the water supply, greenhouse gas emissions, and pollution from fertilisers, researchers said.

“If we continue to go the route of rice and wheat, with unsustainable resource use and increasing climate variability, it is unclear how long we could keep that practice up," said Kyle Davis from Columbia University.

“That is why we are thinking of ways to better align food security and environmental goals,” said Davis, lead author on the study.

The researchers studied six major grains currently grown in India--rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, and pearl and finger millet.

For each crop, they compared yield, water use, and nutritional values such as calories, protein, iron, and zinc.

They found that rice is the least water-efficient cereal when it comes to producing nutrients, and that wheat has been the main driver in increasing irrigation stresses.

The potential benefits of replacing rice with alternative crops varied widely between different regions, depending on how much the crops could rely on rainfall instead of irrigation.

In some instances, those improvements came with a slight reduction in the number of calories produced, because rice has been bred to have higher yields per unit of land.

In some regions there is a tradeoff between water and land use efficiency, but Davis thinks that with more attention from scientists, the alternative crops could develop higher yields as well.

For now, rice replacement is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but something that should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for each district, Davis said.The team, including Ashwini Chhatre from the Indian School of Business, wants to study Indian food preferences, to see if people would be willing to incorporate more of these alternative cereals into their diets. “There are places around India where these crops continue to be consumed in pretty large amounts and there were even more a generation or two ago, so it is still within the cultural memory," Davis said. PTI

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/science-technology/story/615583.html

Govt hikes paddy MSP by Rs 200 per quintal

Hike in paddy minimum support price will increase the food subsidy bill by over Rs 11,000 crore based on procurement figure of the 2016-17 marketing year (October-September).

BusinessToday.In Last Updated: July 4, 2018 | 17:00 IST

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs at its meeting today approved the minimum support price (MSP) of 14 Kharif (summer-sown) crops. The MSP of paddy (common grade) has been increased by Rs 200 to Rs 1,750 per quintal, while that of Grade A variety by Rs 160 per quintal to Rs 1,750.

The MSP of paddy (common) was Rs 1,550 per quintal and Rs 1,590 per quintal for paddy (grade A) variety. Hike in paddy MSP will increase the food subsidy bill by over Rs 11,000 crore based on procurement figure of the 2016-17 marketing year (October-September).

The MSP of cotton (medium staple) has been increased to Rs 5,150 from Rs 4,020 and that of cotton (long staple) to Rs 5,450 from 4,320 per quintal. In pulses, tur MSP has been raised to Rs 5,675 per quintal from Rs 5,450, and that of moong to Rs 6,975 per quintal from Rs 5,575. Urad MSP has been hiked to Rs 5,600 from Rs 5,400 per quintal.

This year in February, the government had announced that the MSP of 14 notified kharif crops will be fixed at least 1.5 times higher than the production cost.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and officials of planning body Niti Ayog to give final shape to the long promised move of providing at least 1.5 times of the production cost to the farmers.

Prime Minister Modi also discussed about the financial implication of the proposed procurement mechanism -- to ensure that farmers get MSP -- if market prices fall below the government's benchmark rate. According to reports, senior officials of Niti Aayog made a presentation before the Prime Minister on the proposed procurement mechanism and its financial implication.

Niti Aayog has proposed that the states should be given the option of three models -- Market Assurance Scheme (MAS), Price Deficiency Procurement Scheme (PDPS) and Private Procurement and Stockists Scheme. Reports suggest that the Centre may have to bear Rs 12,000-15,000 crore annually to compensate farmers in case prices fall below the MSP in all crops except rice and wheat which are already being procured by state-run Food Corporation of India.

According to the Niti Aayog's proposal, MAS will be implemented by state governments which will enter the market depending on the local conditions and procure through their own state agencies or any other private agency authorised by states. States will be responsible for procurement and liquidation of the procured commodity. The Centre will compensate the operational loss.

On the other hand, the Price Deficiency Procurement Scheme has been designed similar to the Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana launched by the Madhya Pradesh government. Under this policy, farmers would be compensated the difference between the MSP and actual price subject to certain conditions and ceiling in case the sale price is below the model price.

Niti Aayog has also proposed engagement of the private sector in MSP-linked procurement through a transparent e-market platform. States would be allowed to empanel private firms via transparent bidding for purchase of farm produce when prices fall below the MSP.

In his Budget 2018 speech, then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced that Niti Aayog in consultation with central and state governments will put in place a fool-proof mechanism to ensure farmers get benefit of the minimum support price. The government wants to finalise these schemes and announce them before the harvesting of kharif crops that begins from October onwards.

(With inputs from PTI)

https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/govt-set-to-announce-new-msp-paddy-growers-rs-200-per-quintal-hike/story/279868.html

Nigeria Customs confiscates 11 vehicles smuggling foreign rice

July 4, 2018Stephanie Adams

Contraband rice seized by the Nigerian Customs Service

The Nigeria Customs Service has confiscated vehicles carrying bags of foreign rice along Kaduna, Zaria and Kano.According to a NAN report, the assistant comptroller and commander, strike force of the command, Ekanem Wills, confirmed this on Monday while speaking to journalists in Kaduna about the smuggled rice.

“We were able to confiscate eight Golf wagons and three J5 vehicles conveying smuggled rice,” he said.

Mr. Wills further explained that each vehicle had about 40 to 45 bags of rice. He said while further investigations are ongoing, culprits have been apprehended.

He said government has provided the command with new vehicles for patrol, to enhance the capacity of the personnel in the efforts to end smuggling. He assured that the command was determined to seize all goods being smuggled into the country through its area of operation. He warned smugglers to find new legitimate means of livelihood.

This incident is coming weeks after the federal government says it will shut down the border between Nigeria and neighbouring countries to avoid smuggling of foreign rice into the country.

The minister of agriculture and rural development, Audu Ogbeh, made the disclosure while speaking to youth in a leadership clinic organised by Guardians of the Nation International (GOTNI).

While Mr Ogbeh did not mention specifically which borders will be closed, he did emphasise the necessity to encourage local production and to sustain the economy of the country as the reason for this closure.

This instance is not the first time the Minister of Agriculture has threatened to shut down the border to discourage smuggling and encourage local production. According to another report by NAN in May 2017, he made a similar statement while speaking to journalists about the achievements of the federal government in the agriculture sector since 2015.

Mr Ogbeh in his statements to the press said the decision had become necessary to encourage local rice farmers and to enable the country achieve self-sufficiency in rice by 2018.

“We believe they are determined to sabotage the efforts that we are making to guarantee self-sufficiency in rice and to save foreign exchange which we don’t have, they insist on bringing in rice through the land borders, avoiding the duties and the levies we put on them and they are definitely bent on sabotaging our efforts and we are getting increasingly unhappy with them. And I must say that very soon, if they persist, we will take very nasty measures against them”.

The federal government has severally lauded its efforts in increasing local production of rice since it came into office since 2015 and has set a 2020 goal for Nigeria hitting self-sufficiency in rice production.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/274895-nigeria-customs-confiscates-11-vehicles-smuggling-foreign-rice.html

Ration card categorisation not permanent: Minister

CHENNAI, JULY 03, 2018 08:14 IST

Food Minister R. Kamaraj

Officials have erred in grouping people, charges Opposition

The slotting of ration cards into five categories as per the National Food Security Act (NFSA) by officials after a survey is not permanent and is bound to change over a variety of factors, Food Minister R. Kamaraj said in the Assembly on Monday.

Congress MLA S. Rajesh Kumar (Killiyoor) raised the issue in the House and claimed that the officials had not properly categorised the cards and had issued ‘all commodities’ cards to the rich and vice versa.

Five types

As on May 31 this year, 1,96,16,093 ration cards are categorised into five types: 76,99,940 Priority Household cards (all commodities, including rice), 18,64,600 Priority Households-Antyodaya Anna Yojana cards (all commodities, including 35 kg of rice), 90,08,842 Non-priority Household cards (all commodities, including rice), 10,01,605 Non-priority Household-Sugar cards (sugar option cards) and 41,106 ‘no commodity’ cards.

As per the NFSA norms, women-headed families, those with differently-abled/mentally challenged persons were to be marked priority cards, Mr. Kamaraj explained. The categorisation was not permanent and all would be covered in the distribution of items, he added.

He said that a total of 5,47,550 duplicate ration cards have been identified and eliminated since June 1, 2011.

PDS food grains

Mr. Kamaraj also rejected the charges levelled by Mr. Rajesh Kumar that the food grains distributed in the PDS shops were not of good quality.

Responding to an allegation levelled by DMK MLA G. Anbalagan (Kumbakonam) that rice was not being distributed properly in some places, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said it was not true and said a maximum of 35 kg of rice was issued to eligible cards.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/ration-card-categorisation-not-permanent-minister/article24317598.ece

Customs’ CG Strike Force intercepts truck of rice in Oyo

By Editor

04 July 2018 | 2:59 am

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Nigeria Customs Service

One week after the Zonal Command of the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Strike Force intercepted 3,000 bags of rice at Ijebu-Ode, made another seizure of 420 bags.

He said, “Less than a week after the zonal coordinator in Ogun Axis intercepted 3000 bags of rice, they were able to arrest another truck load of rice concealed inside gravel sand.”

https://guardian.ng/features/customs-cg-strike-force-intercepts-truck-of-rice-in-oyo/

NCS Zone ‘B’ confiscates 11 vehicles loaded with smuggled rice

Rice smuggling: NCS confiscates 11 vehicles

3 days ago

0 376 0

· Governor predicts stoppage of rice importation

· NPS harvests 400 bags of rice

· Kebbi can produce 50% rice needs of Nigerians – Commissioner

· Kaduna: NCS Zone B gets N14bn revenue in 7 mont

Rice smuggling: NCS Confiscates 11 Vehicles

By Hussaina Yakubu

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Zone ‘B’ said it has confiscated 11 vehicles carrying bags of foreign rice along Kaduna, Zaria and Kano axis.

The Assistant Controller and Commander Strike Force of the Command, Ekanem Wills who spoke to journalist in Kaduna on Monday said information about the smuggled goods was gotten from patriotic Nigerians.

“We were able to confiscate eight Golf wagons and three J5 vehicles, all carrying rice.

“ The smugglers have now devised a new means of using smaller tinted vehicles to convey the smuggled goods,” he said.

The Assistant Controller further explained that each of the eight golf wagons carried between 40 to 45 bags of rice.

“Two suspects were apprehended and investigation is ongoing to ascertain the culprits behind the recurring rice smuggle which the Federal Government has placed ban on,” Wills said.

He said government has provided the command with new vehicles for patrol to enhance the capacity of the personnel in the efforts to end smuggling.

The official assured that the command was determined to seize all goods being smuggled into the country through its area of operation and warned smugglers to find new legitimate means of livelihood. (NAN)

http://www.nan.ng/business/rice-smuggling-ncs-confiscates-11-vehicles/

Government set to announce highest increase in MSP for paddy crop

The massive hike in MSP is one of the two (the other being Rs 5-lakh health protection cover for over 10 crore families) major schemes announced by the Modi government as it enters the last lap of its term.

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Written by Ravish Tiwari | New Delhi | Updated: July 3, 2018 7:13:27 am

Like in the UPA-I, this massive hike in MSP for paddy comes in the election year of the Narendra Modi government.

The Government appears all set for the highest ever single-year raise in the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy from this Kharif season to honour its Budget announcement to ensure MSP is kept at least at one and half times of the production cost.

A highly placed government source told The Indian Express that the government is considering raising the paddy MSP to the tune of about Rs 200 per quintal. The MSP for common grade of paddy was Rs 1,550 per quintal the previous year. The previous best paddy MSP hike stood at Rs 155 a quintal (including the bonus of Rs 50) a decade ago in the 2008-09 election year of UPA-I.

Like in the UPA-I, this massive hike in MSP for paddy comes in the election year of the Narendra Modi government. This hike assumes significance given that it covers the crop which constitutes over 50 per cent of the total acreage of food grain crops during Kharif season.

This move is expected to put an additional burden of an estimated Rs 12,000 crore on account of procurement based on records of procurement in previous years. Rice procurement last year stood at over 36 million tonnes which corresponds to about 55 million tonnes of paddy.

During an interaction with sugarcane farmers last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to “approve” the implementation of 150 per cent of input cost as MSP for kharif crops during the “forthcoming meeting” of the Cabinet this week.

“I am pleased to announce that as per pre-determined principle, Government has decided to keep MSP for the all unannounced crops of kharif at least at one and half times of their production cost. I am confident that this historic decision will prove an important step towards doubling the income of our farmers,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced presenting the Budget in Parliament early this year.

The government is also considering a hike upwards of Rs 200 a quintal in the MSP for pulses (Tur, Moong, Urad) for the kharif season. In fact, the government may hike the MSP for moong to the tune of about Rs 500 a quintal.

While the move is expected to cheer the large farming community, such massive hike in the MSP may have an inflationary pressure.

Officials, however, played down these fears suggesting that the inflationary pressure depends more upon the changing consumption patterns and its demand supply-mismatch. “There need not be inflationary pressure associated depending upon the marketable surplus of the commodity, but it is definitely likely to have pressure on the government Budget,” said the source.

Many kharif corps don’t have a well-oiled procurement mechanism like paddy. So the fiscal implications of the MSP hike to meet 150 per cent of input cost of other kharif crops cannot be determined immediately. For example, NAFED procures pulses from the market and later sells it when required. It undertakes this operation with help of credit limits and seeks government help in case of losing money while liquidating its stock. The government source suggested that the MSP hike for pulses may entail an additional cost of Rs 5000-10000 crore depending upon the scale of its intervention.

The massive hike in MSP is one of the two (the other being Rs 5-lakh health protection cover for over 10 crore families) major schemes announced by the Modi government as it enters the last lap of its term.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/government-set-to-announce-highest-increase-in-msp-for-paddy-crop-5243308/

PRICES-KOCHI-COMMODITIES

· PTI

· July 2, 2018

· UPDATED: July 2, 2018 17:35 IST

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Kochi, July 02 (PTI): Ginger (Inferior) Rs.11,000/-, Ginger (Medium) Rs.14,000/-, Ginger (Best) Rs.15,000/-, Turmeric Salem Rs.8,500-9,000/-, Turmeric-Erode(Agmark) Rs.9,000/-,Nuxvomica Rs.-----, Ambahaldhar Rs.10,500/-, Kolinjan 14,000-15,000/-, Kachura Rs.------, Kapurkatchili Rs.14,000-17,000/-, Betelnuts Rs.18,000-19,000/-, Rice Raw (No.1) Rs----/-,Rice Raw (No.2) Rs.2,900/-, Rice Boiled (Sulekha) Rs.3,750/-, Rice Jaya (Boiled) Rs.3,300/-, Rice Broken Rs.2,400/-, Wheat Rs.2,550/-, Chola Rs.--------, Chillies Rs.10,800-15,800/-, Bengal Gram Rs.4,500-4,700/-, Black Gram Rs.6,000-6,600/-, Gingelly Rs.11,000/-, Green Gram Rs.7,000-7,600/-, Horse Gram 4,500/-, Peas Dal Rs.4,100-4,400/-, Toor Dal Rs.5,500-6,300/-, Pepper New Rs.33,300/- Pepper light Rs.-------, Pin Heads Rs.------, Sugar (per bag) Rs.3,600/-(All rates per quintal).

COIR YARN : Cochin Parur Thin (85 M/Kg) Rs.5,000/-, Vycom Thick 180M/Kg) Rs.5,000/-, Choriwal Thin Rs.6,700/- PTI VHN ADMINISTRATOR RBS RBS RBS

https://www.indiatoday.in/pti-feed/story/prices-kochi-commodities-1275380-2018-07-02

Amru Rice finishes rice storage facilities in Kampong Thom

May Kunmakara / Khmer Times

People pose for a group picture in front of the new rice storage facilities in Kampong Thom. Supplied

Amru Rice, a leading local rice miller and exporter, yesterday inaugurated rice-storing facilities in Kampong Thom that were financed through a government-led lending scheme.

The new warehouse and silo will help stabilise the price of rice and increase exports, Amru said. They have cost $5 million and are located in Prasat Balang district.

Amru rice is one of three rice millers awarded loans from the government to build rice storage facilities since October.

The loans are part of a government lending scheme that makes low-interest loans, known as ‘emergency loans’, available to agricultural firms that want to build rice storage facilities in four rice-growing provinces – Battambang, Kampong Thom, Prey Veng and Takeo.

The initiative aims to boost the provinces’ storage capacity during harvest season as well as bolster paddy prices for farmers.

The loans are disbursed through the Rural Development Bank (RBD) and are repaid at a five percent interest rate over a period of 10 years.

Song Saran, owner of Amru rice, said the facilities can handle between 150,000 to 200,000 tonnes of rice a year. He said they have been built by a Thai company using state-of-the-art technology.

He said the facilities will benefit farmers in Kampong Thom, Preah Vihear and Siem Reap province.

“So far, we have around 50 farming communities supplying us. The launch of the new warehouse comes at just the right time to welcome the harvest season that will start in August and September.”

“Our achievement today will ensure prices remain stable for our farmers and will allow us to export more high-quality rice abroad,” he added.

In 2016, the government launched its first one-year emergency loan offer through the RDB to help the rice sector. The emergency fund for the year 2016-2017 consisted of $27 million, but for the period 2017-2018, it was increased to $50 million.

The government later announced that an extra $30 million in loans will be made available for building silos and warehouses, with the aim of stabilising the price of the commodity and protecting the livelihoods of farmers.

Ros Silava, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, who presided over the launching ceremony yesterday, said the government’s lending scheme has been very successful.

“The launching of the warehouse and silo today are great achievements for the government and for Kampong Thom province.

“They will improve the lives of farmers, particularly by keeping the price of rice high,” he said, adding that the new facilities will serve as centres for buying and processing paddy rice for companies in Kampong Thom and Preah Vihear provinces.

Kao Thach, RBD’s director-general, praised the government-led lending scheme, saying it was needed to combat a drop in the price of rice in 2016 and a lack of storage facilities across the nation.

“After the launch of the lending scheme, the price of rice has stabilised,” Mr Thach said, adding that the price of fragrant rice has reached 1,200 riel per kilogram this year, compared to 900 riel last year.

“It will boost storage and processing capacity in the country, increase the size of orders and make stockpiles easier to manage.”

According to an official report from the Ministry of Agriculture, from January to May, Cambodia exported 240,219 tonnes of rice, down 6.8 percent compared to the same period last year.

https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50508190/amru-rice-finishes-rice-storage-facilities-in-kampong-thom/

Over 5,000 bags of rice gutted in APSWC godown

STAFF REPORTER

MACHILIPATNAM, JULY 05, 2018 08:24 IST

· 0

· PRINT

· A A A

Fire fighters in action at the State Warehousing Corporation godown in Krishna district.

Short-circuit suspected to the be reason; probe launched

Over 5,000 gunny bags of rice were burnt to ashes in the Andhra Pradesh State Warehousing Corporation (APSWC) godown at Pedda Karagraharam village near Machilipatnam on Wednesday.

The loss has been estimated at ₹40 lakh. Electric short-circuit is suspected to be the cause for the fire. All the gutted rice belonged to the Civil Supplies Department.

The APSWC staff, who came to work in the morning, noticed smoke emanating from the godown and alerted the fire department, who swung into action and rushed two fire tenders, which brought the flames under control after a two-hour operation.

“Over 5,000 gunny bags of rice have been gutted owing to suspected short circuit in the block 2, in which above 38,000 bags of rice belonging to the Civil Supplies Department are stored,” APSWC Godown Manager Chandra Sekhar told The Hindu.

There was about 40,000 tonnes of rice in the godown on Wednesday and all the stock belonged to the Civil Supplies Department and Food Corporation of India.

The rice bags gutted were recently procured as levy from rice millers for distribution to the PDS beneficiaries.

“The rice stock that caught the fire was covered under the polythene covers for fumigation. The Civil Supplies department’s quality control team has launched an investigation,” added Mr. Sekhar.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/over-5000-bags-of-rice-gutted-in-apswc-godown/article24336202.ece

No impact on price of rice

· CORPORATE NEWS

· Thursday, 5 Jul 2018

· by eugene mahalingam

image: https://www.thestar.com.my/~/media/online/2018/07/04/23/27/ismail-rice.ashx/?w=620&h=413&crop=1&hash=69EAEB3E6077FCFE5305617A6030B6F02694491E

Ismail: About 60 of the rice consumed in Malaysia is white rice, which is price-controlled. Another 30 of white rice is imported, and it’s a policy that it cannot cost more than local rice. That’s 90 of the market already.

SHAH ALAM: The termination of Padiberas Nasional Bhd’s (Bernas) monopoly to import rice will not effectively lead to cheaper prices of rice, its chief executive officer Ismail Mohamed Yusoff said.

He said liberalising the industry by introducing more players into the market would not alter or affect the price of rice – which is sold at controlled prices in Malaysia.

“About 60% of the rice consumed in Malaysia is white rice, which is price-controlled.

“Another 30% of white rice is imported, and it’s a policy that it cannot cost more than local rice.

“That’s 90% of the market already,” Ismail said at a media briefing yesterday.

He said prices can only be affected if there was a disruption to the supply chain.

“Unless something changes along the supply chain, from the paddy to the millers to the wholesalers, I don’t see how the price that is controlled now, can be lower.”

Ismail said the present Single Gatekeeper Mechanism (SGM), which gives Bernas the rights to import rice, had been in place since 1974 and has worked well to protect the welfare of local farmers and consumers, as well as provide food security.

He said having an open market would require new players to undertake responsibilities they might not immediately be ready to cope with.

“The duties (under the SGM) require commercial decisions to be made on a daily basis.

“The single gatekeeper’s (Bernas’) functions are also self-funded and we do not rely on government funding or taxpayers’ money for support.”

Ismail added that a single gatekeeper like Bernas also functioned as a “shock absorber” for the country in the case of a food crisis.

“Many people may not know that there was a world food crisis in 2008.

“This resulted in unprofitable imports for Bernas.

“Due to international price shocks, we continued to import despite making financial losses,” he said.

The SGM, which provides Bernas the sole rights or “monopoly” to import rice, has caused the company to come under scrutiny over the years.

As a result, the government announced last month that it would be terminating Bernas’ monopoly to import rice.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Salahuddin Ayub said a working paper on breaking up the monopoly would be drafted with feedback from both the ministry and other stakeholders before being submitted to the government for further action.

Bernas said it is talks with the government and recently presented a paper to the Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) on the matter.

“The presentation is so that they can have a better appreciation of the industry,” said Ismail.

“The CEP was set up by the new Pakatan Harapan Government to assist it on economic and financial matters.”

Ismail is hoping that the Government would conduct a comprehensive study before making a decision on whether or not to liberalise the industry.

“We are hopeful that a comprehensive study can be done because it’s not just about removing Bernas.

“This is about a system that has been in place since 1974 and it has worked very well for the nation.

“You need to come up with a new model that is well thought of.

“If it’s about the interest of the farmers, consumers and addresses food security, we will support it,” he said

https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2018/07/05/no-impact-on-price-of-rice/

July 05, 2018 / LAST MODIFIED: 10:36 AM, July 05, 2018

Supply adequate, yet rice prices up

Traders, millers blamed for hike as they take advantage of import duty rise

Sohel Parvez

Rice prices have gone up as millers and traders hiked prices banking on the government decision to raise import duty on the cereal to 28 percent from 2 percent, say market insiders.

Over the last ten days, prices of all types of rice shot up by Tk 3 a kilogram at retail markets in the capital.

Coarse rice, mostly consumed by low-income people, was sold for up to Tk 45 a kg yesterday, up from Tk 42 a week ago, according to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) data.

The increase in rice prices comes at a time when farmers had a good harvest in Aus, Aman and Boro seasons in the last fiscal year. Besides, 41.12 lakh tonnes of rice were imported during the period, the highest in the last 30 years.

On June 7, the government raised duty on rice import to 28 percent from 2 percent so that farmers get better prices of paddy.

Production in the previous Aus and Aman seasons also saw a rise, indicating that the overall production of the crops, including Boro, would be higher than 3.56 crore tonnes in the last fiscal year.

The country had a supply of around 3.57 crore tonnes of rice in fiscal 2017-18 against the annual consumption requirement of 3.10 crore tonnes, according to estimates by the BBS and the food ministry.

At the same time, stocks of foodgrain at public warehouses rose more than three times to 13.21 lakh tonnes on June 27, show food ministry data.

Asked, Md Arifur Rahman Apu, director general of the Directorate General of Food, said there is no logical ground behind the price hike.

“Market has ample supply because of good Boro harvest and high imports.”

The DG said his office plans to begin open market sales of rice and flour in labour-intensive areas so that the poor can get the cereals at subsidised rates.

Rice will be sold for Tk 30 a kg and flour for Tk 18 a kg, he added.

Abdur Rashid Dewan, owner of Matin Rice Agency in Old Dhaka's Babubazar area, said prices of imported rice went up following the duty hike.

Millers demand higher prices of rice on various excuses, including increase in duty on rice import, he added.

Md Mayen Uddin Manik, a rice trader in the capital's Karwan Bazar market, also blamed importers and millers for the recent price hike.

The domestic market registers an increase in rice prices at a time when prices of the grain are falling on the international market.

For example, prices of Indian parboiled rice (5 percent broken) fell 2.5 percent to $355 a tonne in the third week of last month. Prices of the same category rice in Thailand and Pakistan also declined, according to the food ministry's Fortnightly Food Grain Outlook.

Asked about the reason behind the price spike despite bumper production and huge import, KM Layek Ali, general secretary of Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mills Association, said, “This is also my question ... where has all the rice gone?”

He said many seasonal traders got involved in rice trade after the government slashed import duty on rice to encourage import and curb price hike of the staple last year.

“The government should monitor the market to see whether millers or others are increasing prices ... It is easy to shift the blame onto us since we process rice.

“Only a few millers may have stocks of rice ... Most of them started buying rice from local market after the duty increase,” he added.

Following the duty hike, rice import through Benapole, the country's biggest land port, dropped to 5,500 tonnes from 55,000 tonnes a month, reports our Benapole correspondent.

Prices of paddy went up by Tk 80-100 a maund as a result of the duty hike, said Nirod Boron Saha, president of an association of rice wholesalers and commission agents in Naogaon, one of the major Boro producing areas.

Citta Majumder, managing director of Majumder Group of Industries, said millers and traders have begun purchasing paddy from farmers in larger quantity after rice import got costlier due to the duty hike.

“We both import and process rice. After the duty hike, we have also started buying paddy,” he said.

Citta said Swarna variety of rice, grown in the Aman season, was imported mostly from India, and its price rose for duty hike and also for depleting stocks.

Besides, the traders who have stocks are releasing those slowly, he mentioned.

“But it is unlikely that rice prices will rise further as both private and public sectors have quite good stocks,” he added.

Abul Bashar Chowdhury, chairman of Chittagong-based BSM Group, one of the leading importers of essential commodities, said a section of retailers are trying to increase prices capitalising on the duty hike. But they are unlikely to succeed.

“Unlike the previous year, rice prices will not go up sharply this time,” he added.

Our Benapole correspondent contributed to this report

https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/supply-adequate-yet-rice-prices-1600249

‘Nigeria needs sustained investments to attain rice sufficiency’

by JOSEPHINE OKOJIE

July 3, 2018 | 11:32 am

| | | Start Conversation

Ade Adefeko

Ade Adefeko is the vice president- corporate and government relations, Olam Nigeria. Adefeko tells JOSEPHINE OKOJIE, in this interview, that Nigeria’s rice sufficiency depends on increasing Nigeria’s level of mechanisation use and the provision of improved hybrid rice varieties to farmers.

The Buhari’s administration has focused on increasing rice production through its Anchor Borrowers Scheme (ABS). What is your assessment of the scheme?

The Anchor Borrowers Scheme (ABS) has been quite a laudable initiative. There has been a huge effort and focus to increase rice production and productivity to improve farmers’ livelihood. The scheme did reasonably well in achieving its targets in selected states but the recoveries and pay back of loan cannot be said to be at satisfactory levels. This has created doubts on sustainability but a huge step forward nonetheless.

There are reports that Nigeria has increased its local rice production. How true is this and if yes where are the multiplier effects?

Yes we have increased our local production and millers are now able to easily buy paddy for their milling operations. Farmer incomes have gone up dramatically especially in the rural areas and is thus commendable. A lot of agro companies are also increasing their production and investment across the rice value chain.

How can local rice varieties compete favourably with other imported varieties especially in pricing?

Local varieties are well accepted in the market and are as good as any international varieties. Cost of production is unfavorable at present due to infrastructural deficiencies such as high cost of transport, inputs, and low yields among others. Olam is a market leader here with its variants of Mama’s Pride and Mama’s Choice with 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50kg.

What is the problem with the Nigerian rice industry; is it milling or production?

Both milling and production are contributing factors. Having said that, both are improving as farmers are producing more and milling capacity is also increasing. The major problem is smuggling from Republic of Benin and Niger. Close to 2 million tons gets smuggled across the borders thus undermining local producers and millers

Lack of higher yielding better varieties is still a problem. Quality of foundation and certified seeds are constraints. Lack of tractors for land preparation and harvesting and threshing are still major issues. These are directly related and are challenges to productivity increase.

The government says that the country will be rice sufficient in 2020. How realistic is this target?

Nigeria’s 2020 rice sufficiency target would not be realistic as the demand for rice grows as the population increases. Our population is increasing very fast and per capita consumption of rice is also increasing. As is evident from the current focused approach, the production and supply to the market are increasing but still would take a few more years for Nigeria to become self-sufficient because of its fast growing population. What is noteworthy however is that the journey has started and at current pace the destination is not far off provided we sustain the momentum.

What impact has Olam had in boosting Nigeria’s rice production?

Olam has contributed to the self-sufficiency drive through increased production of rice from its own nucleus estate in Nasarawa State (covers 10,000 Ha) and through a well-established out-growers scheme in Benue, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Taraba states.

The volume of paddy processed to the capacity of 200,000 MT has given over 100,000 MT of high quality rice for domestic market. This is close to 2 per cent of the supply against demand of rice in the country. This has ensured forex savings as well contributed to the food security agenda of the Federal Government.

How has insecurity impacted on Olam’s rice operations as its rice farms are located in Nassarawa, Benue and Taraba states?

The spate of insecurity had partially affected the 2017 wet season procurement but it has greatly impacted on the 2018 wet season now especially in the above three states. This might negatively impact the 2018 season more on the cultivable areas reducing the area under cultivation.

How is Olam supporting smallholder farmers in the country to boost their rice production?

Olam runs a well-knit out-growers scheme in partnership with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Incentive-Based Risks Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), GIZ and farmer cooperatives. Olam also provides farmers with all inputs and train them on Global Agricultural Practices (GAP) and FBS through a decentralized model of buy back at prevailing market prices. The fully supported out-growers scheme had 9,295 hectares cultivated by 6,967 farmers in Benue, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Taraba states in 2017. We supplied N560 million worth of inputs to farmers, bought back 29,492 MT of paddy worth of N3.3 billion paid directly to farmers, and generated 4,648 regular employments during the crop cycle of 120 days.

Olam has contributed significantly in generating higher income to the farmers thereby increasing the economic activities resulting in better livelihood in the rural communities where it operates.

How many smallholder farmers are currently under Olam’s out-growers scheme?

We have 6,967 farmers who were direct beneficiaries of Olam out-grower scheme in 2017 and we are expected to have more than 10,000 farmers by end of 2018.

Tags: ADE ADEFEKO, Olam Nigeria, RICE PRODUCTION

by JOSEPHINE OKOJIE

July 3, 2018 | 11:32 am

| | | Start Conversation

Big Read |

Analysis

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No guarantee of lower rice prices under open trading

Posted on 4 July 2018 - 03:55pm

4 July 2018 - 06:15pm

SHAH ALAM: There is no guarantee that rice prices will drop if the government carries out the rice import exercise in an open trading environment with other companies as opposed to the current model of Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) being the sole importer of the staple product.

Chief Executive Officer Ismail Mohamed Yusoff said under the single gatekeeper mechanism, Bernas had been entrusted by the government to ensure the welfare of farmers was prioritised and rice was supplied and made available to consumers at stable and affordable prices.

"About 60% of the rice consumed in the country at present is produced by local farmers and local rice prices are controlled (by the government). The current policy also states that prices of imported white rice, which accounts for about 30% of consumption, cannot be cheaper than local rice prices.

"When you talk about the white rice prices, unless something changes somewhere along the supply chain, from paddy to millers and wholesalers, I don't see how the prices that are now controlled can be lower," he told a media briefing here, today.

Under the mechanism, Bernas has managed to safeguard the welfare of about 300,000 local paddy farmers nationwide with an average monthly income of between RM835 and RM1,550, while the rice price has been kept among the cheapest in the Southeast Asian countries, at RM2.60 per kg, and has been stagnant for the past 10 years.

Meanwhile, Bernas also reiterated its support for the local paddy and rice industry by ensuring the paddy farming communities, stakeholders and all consumers' best interests have been guaranteed over the decades.

In addition to safeguarding food security, Ismail said Bernas had also maintained the quality of local paddy harvest through grading processes, as well as that of imported rice through quality surveyors.

"For over two decades, Bernas has been responsible for maintaining food security – primarily by safeguarding farmers income through ensuring the full take-up of local rice production, and consumer access to rice at stable and affordable prices.

"We will be collaborating with the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry and all industry stakeholders to determine the best operating model which suits the local paddy and rice industry. We believe our current system fulfils those requirements and that the system works," he added.

In the meantime, he said Bernas would continue to deliver and dispense its responsibilities to the industry professionally and diligently.

"We welcome any invitation to discuss how we can better service the industry and deliver our responsibilities. Ultimately, Bernas is committed to upholding the farmers' welfare and consumers' interest, and will continue to make that our main priority," he added. — Bernama

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/2018/07/04/no-guarantee-lower-rice-prices-under-open-trading

4-JUL-2018

In India, swapping crops could save water and improve nutrition

Replacing some rice with less thirsty crops could help to sustainably feed a rapidly growing population

THE EARTH INSTITUTE AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

India will need to feed approximately 394 million more people by 2050, and that's going to be a significant challenge. Nutrient deficiencies are already widespread in India today--30 percent or more are anemic--and many regions are chronically water-stressed. Making matters worse, evidence suggests that monsoons are delivering less rainfall than they used to. But a study published today in Science Advances shares a brighter outlook: replacing some rice with less thirsty crops could dramatically reduce water demand in India, while also improving nutrition.

Starting in the 1960s, a boom in rice and wheat production helped reduce hunger throughout India. Unfortunately, this Green Revolution also took a toll on the environment, increasing demands on the water supply, greenhouse gas emissions, and pollution from fertilizer.

"If we continue to go the route of rice and wheat, with unsustainable resource use and increasing climate variability, it's unclear how long we could keep that practice up," says Kyle Davis, a fellow at Columbia University's Earth Institute and lead author on the new study. "That's why we're thinking of ways to better align food security and environmental goals."

The study addresses two key objectives of the Indian government: to reduce undernourishment and improve nutrition, and to promote sustainable water use.

A Grain of Truth

Davis and his colleagues studied six major grains currently grown in India: rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, and pearl and finger millet. For each crop, they compared yield, water use, and nutritional values such as calories, protein, iron, and zinc.

They found that rice is the least water-efficient cereal when it comes to producing nutrients, and that wheat has been the main driver in increasing irrigation stresses.

The potential benefits of replacing rice with alternative crops varied widely between different regions, depending on how much the crops could rely on rainfall instead of irrigation. But overall, the researchers found that replacing rice with maize, finger millet, pearl millet, or sorghum could reduce irrigation water demand by 33 percent, while improving production of iron by 27 percent and zinc by 13 percent.

In some instances, those improvements came with a slight reduction in the number of calories produced, because rice has been bred to have higher yields per unit of land. So in some regions there's a tradeoff between water and land use efficiency, but Davis thinks that with more attention from scientists, the alternative crops could develop higher yields as well. For now, rice replacement isn't a one-size-fits-all solution, but something that should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for each district, he said.

Going Against the Grain

While the findings are promising, the authors stop short of making policy recommendations--yet. First, says Davis, they'd like to add other variables into the analysis, including greenhouse gas emissions, climate sensitivity, and how much labor and money it takes to grow each crop.

In addition, the team wants to study Indian food preferences, to see if people would be willing to incorporate more of these alternative cereals into their diets. Davis is hopeful; "There are places around India where these crops continue to be consumed in pretty large amounts," he says, "and there were even more a generation or two ago, so it's still within the cultural memory."

India's state-run Public Distribution System (PDS) could be an ally in influencing consumer preferences. PDS currently subsidizes rice and wheat to support smallholder farmers and low-income households. Those subsidies have given incentives to farmers and consumers to plant and buy those crops, but future policies could help to encourage the use of the more nutritious, water-saving cereals like millet and sorghum.

Momentum is growing in support of alternative grains. Some Indian states are have already started pilot programs to grow more of these crops, and the Indian government is calling 2018 the 'Year of Millets.'

"If the government is able to get people more interested in eating millets, the production will organically respond to that," says Davis. "If you have more demand, then people will pay a better price for it, and farmers will be more willing to plant it."

###

Kyle Davis is also a NatureNet Science Fellow with the Nature Conservancy. Other authors on the study include: Davide Danilo Chiarelli and Maria Cristina Rulli from Politecnico di Milano in Italy; Ashwini Chhatre from the Indian School of Business; Brian Richter from Sustainable Waters; Deepti Singh from Columbia University and Washington State University; and Ruth DeFries from Columbia University.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-07/teia-iis070218.php

Lower price not guaranteed on liberalisation — Bernas

Neily Syafiqah Eusoff

July 04, 2018 18:24 pm +08

Ismail: Local and imported rice are currently under price control. I don't see how a price that is (already) controlled can go lower unless something changes along the supply chain from the paddy to the miller and the wholesaler. Photo by Patrick Goh

SHAH ALAM (July 4): Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas), the country's sole rice importer controlled by businessman Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, said there can be no guarantee that prices of rice will fall when the domestic rice market is liberalised.

"Local and imported rice are currently under price control. I don't see how a price that is (already) controlled can go lower unless something changes along the supply chain from the paddy to the miller and the wholesaler," its chief executive officer Ismail Mohamed Yusoff told a news conference today.

"About 60% of the rice that we consume in the country at the moment is produced by local farmers and the price of local rice is controlled. The current policy also states that prices of imported white rice, which accounts for about 30% of the country's rice consumption, cannot be cheaper than local rice prices," he noted.

Currently, the controlled price of paddy is RM1,200 per tonne, SST5% local white rice is RM2.60 per kg and imported white rice is between RM2.80 and RM3.20 per kg.

On June 6, Agriculture and Agro based Industry Minister Salahuddin Ayub was reported as saying that the Cabinet had agreed to end Bernas' long-standing monopoly to import rice into the country.

Salahuddin said the end of Bernas' monopoly can bring down and keep prices of the staple under control as it will lead to a more open market and healthy competition.

Ismail said, however, Bernas wants the government to ensure that the welfare of farmers will continue to be prioritised and the supply and availability of rice to consumers remain at stable and affordable prices.

On its impact on the group's revenue, he said: "No, I cannot speculate on the immediate impact on Bernas from this move. We have a contract with the government that will last us till 2021 and I see Bernas as the only party that can meet several of these (social) obligations for now."

He pointed to Bernas' existing single gatekeeper mechanism, where in addition to safeguarding food security, it also maintains the quality of local paddy harvest through grading processes, as well as that of imported rice through quality surveyors.

"Single gatekeeping mechanism is for the benefits of the farmers, consumers and for the food security of the nation and that's always the pillars of the paddy and rice industry.

"At the moment, all (the social obligations) are still intact and if there are any changes or if you (the government) take out one element from the single gatekeeper mechanism which we have been practising for 45 years, you have to come out with a holistic approach to address the issue," he said.

Privatised in 2014, Bernas' pre-tax profit grew 2.6% to RM133.39 million for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2016 (FY16) from RM130.05 million in FY15, while revenue rose 2.8% to RM4.34 billion from RM4.23 billion.

http://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/lower-price-not-guaranteed-liberalisation-—-bernas

Pakistan's rice export hits 2-bln-USD mark

03.07.2018

| UkrAgroConsult

Pakistan has exported rice worth around 2 billion U.S. dollars during the last fiscal year (FY), June 2017-July 2018, local media quoted officials as saying on Monday.Officials from the country's Trade Development Authority said the country's rice export hit the 2-billion-U.S.-dollar mark for the first time since the FY2014-15 as it achieved the target of 4 million tonnes of the crop yield this year.During the last fiscal year, exporters not only fetched huge orders from a number of countries, including even the rice-exporting Indonesia, but also managed to sell rice at a higher value per tonne, taking advantage of stable market prices and focusing on exports of branded rice in consumer packaging, the report said.Average per-tonne export price of rice in the last fiscal year also rose to around 1,040 U.S. dollars, from below 950 U.S. dollars in fiscal year 2016-17. Rise in international prices of rice coupled with a higher demand of Pakistani rice and local rice exporters investment on processing and packaging of rice also contributed to the achievement.

Exporters and officials agreed that for sustaining growth in export earnings of rice, the share of higher-priced "Basmati rice," a good quality of rice cultivated mainly in Pakistan and India and sold at a good price in international market, must be increased.

http://www.blackseagrain.net/novosti/pakistans-rice-export-hits-2-bln-usd-mark

Rice exports up

July 4, 2018

In the backdrop of imports adversely affecting country’s trade balance, it is good to note that exports of various items and sectors are gradually picking up and showing positive signs. Rice, cotton are cash crops and exported to various countries around the world in varying figures depending upon demands and requirements of the foreign importers. According to the reports, rice exports have registered appreciable increase of 29.15% during the first eleven months of the outgoing financial year 2017-18.
During this period under report, 3.842 million metric tons of rice worth 1.889 billion dollars were exported as compared to 3.889 million metric tons of cash earning crop valuing 1.463 billion during the same period last year. During the first eleven months of July 2017 to May 2018, exports of basmati rice increased by 24.14 per cent as compared to previous year’s figures and the country also earned 1.411 billion dollars by exporting about 3.380 million metric tons of rice varieties other than basmati variety as compared to exports of 2.860 million metric tons valuing 1.977 billion dollars during the corresponding period of the previous year.
It is also quite good and encouraging to note that food group exports during the first 11 months of the current financial year have also witnessed about 30.80 per cent growth on the whole as different food commodities including rice, fish, fish products, meat, meat preparations, fruit, vegetable, pulses and others worth 4.479 billion dollars were exported to different countries. All these positive indicators about exports of different items showing upward trend in an appreciable manner gives rise to hopes and expectations that the country’s overall exports will register commendable growth thus minimizing the gap between more imports and less exports considerably by end of current financial year.
M MURTAZA
Lahore

https://pakobserver.net/rice-exports-up/

Dana Group dismisses 'malicious' social media messages

By Abdullateef Aliyu, Lagos | Publish Date: Jul 3 2018 1:55PM

Dana Group has advised members of the public to disregard two false and malicious broadcast messages circulating on social media requesting them not to fly with Dana Air and another message urging Nigerians not to buy a ‘’Dana’’ branded rice that arrived the country from Pakistan and did not pass Health standard because it brings a virus only seen in Pakistan.

This comes few days after another message purportedly issued by the General Overseer of Omega Ministries, Apostle Johnson Sulaiman asking Nigerians to avoid some land and air transport companies was dismissed by the affected firms.

Dana Group in a statement on Monday by the Media / Communications Manager, Dana Air, Kingsley Ezenwa said those behind the fake message were mischief makers.

"While we would ordinarily not want to dignify the perpetrators and their paymasters with a response, we felt the need to unearth their puerile, senseless and deliberate act of peddling two false broadcast messages about a single brand in one day.

"It is either their pay master is so clueless to have advised them to circulate both messages in one day or the perpetrators decided to be overzealous", the statement said.

He added that Dana brand has been in Nigeria for over 45 years contributing positively to the Nigerian economy with quality products in the areas of Aviation, Steel, Manufacturing, Automobile, Banking, Real Estate, Health, and Beverage, just to mention a few.

He explained that Dana Group as a proudly Nigerian brand stopped the importation of rice in 2015 in line with the desires and commitment of both the outgoing and incoming administrations to grow local capacity for quality rice production in Nigeria.

The statement said, "Dana Air on its part has been battling and navigating these mischief-makers since inception in 2008, when the airline took the industry by storm by offering pocket-friendly fares, on-time departures, world-class in-flight service and above all, safe and reliable air transport, which the flying public never felt was possible at the time.

"The peddlers of this baseless broadcast messages have also refused to come to terms with Dana Air’s towering status in the industry having flown over 2.7 million passengers in the last 9 years of its operation, with a creative, passionate and dogged management team that have seen the airline survive even the worst operational challenges in the industry."

"We therefore wish to reassure our teeming guests that their safety and comfort remains top-priority to us at Dana Air and our unwavering adherence to civil aviation regulations and global best practices are the reasons for our latest consecutive international recognitions."

"We advise the perpetrators to desist from this evil act of working at cross-purposes with a conglomerate that has shown massive commitment and contributed immensely to the growth and development of our country, by providing jobs for our youths, supporting worthy causes with its broad CSR initiatives and production of quality products which can compete with global brands and for the well-being of Nigerians."

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/dana-group-dismisses-malicious-social-media-messages-259189.html

Global Basmati Rice Market 2018 : Market Share, Outlook, Future Growth

July 3, 2018

Michael Dulaney

The Global Basmati Rice Market report is a basic structure of the key segments of the Basmati Rice market. Each section is quickly and consistently making and examined through this research. Market evaluation, an offering of the Basmati Rice market, and size of each segment and sub-part. The key conceivable outcomes related to the fundamental rapidly making parts of the market additionally are fused into this report. Furthermore, organize fortified geologies in the cases driving the essential regional Basmati Rice markets are considered. The Global Basmati Rice market report wraps nearby and sub-common market: South America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America, Africa, and The Middle East Sub-Region.

Central and fundamental sources are generally, Basmati Rice market from developed undertakings, and players, makers, dealers, professional networks, and affiliations identified with all sections of the business age classification. The Basmati Rice base up approach was utilized to assess the global market judge the given value to the end-applications industry and regions.

Grab FREE PDF Sample Report Click Here @ https://marketdesk.org/report/global-basmati-rice-market-2018-hc/8112/#requestForSample

Manufacturers Inlcuded In Basmati Rice Market:

KRBL Limited
Amira Nature Foods
LT Foods
Best Foods
Kohinoor Rice
Aeroplane Rice
Tilda Basmati Rice
Matco Foods
Amar Singh Chawal Wala
Hanuman Rice Mills
Adani Wilmar
HAS Rice Pakistan
Galaxy Rice Mill
Dunar Foods
Sungold

Type Inlcuded In Basmati Rice Market:

Indian Basmati Rice
Pakistani Basmati Rice
Kenya Basmati Rice
Other

Application Inlcuded In Basmati Rice Market:

Direct Edible
Deep Processing

Geographical Analysis In Basmati Rice Market:

➥ Asia-Pacific Basmati Rice (China, South Korea, Thailand, India, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and Japan).

➥ The Middle East and Africa Basmati Rice(Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt).

➥ North America Basmati Rice (Mexico, Canada, and the USA).

➥ South America Basmati Rice (Brazil and Argentina).

➥ Europe Basmati Rice (France, Russia, UK, Germany, and Italy).

Points Resolved In This Report Are:

➤ To examine and contemplate the worldwide Basmati Rice limit, generation, esteem, utilization, status (2013-2017) and gauge (2018-2025);

➤ Spotlights on the key Basmati Rice makers, to think about the limit, creation, esteem, piece of the pie and improvement designs in future.

➤ Spotlights on the worldwide Basmati Rice key producers, to characterize, depict and dissect the market rivalry scene, SWOT investigation.

➤ To characterize, depict and estimate the Basmati Rice market with sort, application, and area.

➤ To examine the worldwide Basmati Rice and key districts showcase potential and favorable position, opportunity, and test, limitations, and dangers.

➤ To distinguish noteworthy patterns and factors driving or hindering the Basmati Rice market development.

➤ To break down the open doors in the Basmati Rice market for partners by recognizing the high development portions.

➤ To deliberately break down each submarket regarding singular development incline and their commitment to the Basmati Rice market

➤ To examine aggressive advancements, for example, extensions, assertions, new item dispatches, and acquisitions in the Basmati Rice market

➤ To deliberately profile the key players and extensively investigate their development systems.

For More Detail Information About This Report Click Here @ https://marketdesk.org/report/global-basmati-rice-market-2018-hc/8112/#inquiry

Estimation of various Basmati Rice industry utilize and the regarding structure got by the market is moreover assessed in the report. Particular parameters basic in picking designs in the market, for example, client request and supply figures, cost of age, net earnings, and offering an estimation of descriptions and associations are in like way included inside the ambit of the Basmati Rice report. The report is made with a blend of the essential data depending on the fundamental Basmati Rice information on the general market, for example, the fundamental point responsible for precariousness standard with associations and descriptions

Basmati Rice showcase report Takes everything into a description, it is critical research to account Global market. Here, we express our a commitment of thankfulness is for the help and help from Basmati Rice industry chain related specific experts and propelling engineers amidst Exploration Group’s audit and group events.

Major Sections Included In TOC(Table Of Content):

Chapter 1. Industry Summary of Basmati Rice Market.
Chapter 2. Global Market Size by Type and Application (2018-2023).
Chapter 3. Company Manufacturers Profiles.
Chapter 4. Global Basmati Rice Market Competition Analysis by Players.
Chapter 5. The United States Development Status and Outlook.
Chapter 6. EU Market Development Status and Outlook.
Chapter 7. Japan Market Development Status and Outlook.
Chapter 8. China Market Development Status and Outlook.
Chapter 9. India Market Development Status and Outlook.
Chapter 10. Southeast Asia Market Development Status and Outlook.
Chapter 11. Market Forecast by Regions, Applications, and Types (2018-2023).
Chapter 12. Market Dynamics.
Chapter 13. Market Factors Analysis.
Chapter 14. Research Conclusions.
Chapter 15. Appendix.

View Described Table Of Content Here @ https://marketdesk.org/report/global-basmati-rice-market-2018-hc/8112/#toc

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Expert views: India raises local rice purchase price by 13% to woo farmers

Jul 05, 2018 06:41 AM IST | Economy

India, one of the world's key producers of an array of farm commodities, announces support prices for more than 20 crops each year to set a benchmark.But state agencies buy only rice and wheat at those prices given a lack of financial resources, limiting the benefit of higher crop prices to only 7 percent of the country's farmers.

India has raised the price at which the government will buy new-season common rice variety from domestic farmers by 13 percent, a minister said on Wednesday, as the state looks to woo millions of farmers ahead of general elections due early next year.

India, one of the world's key producers of an array of farm commodities, announces support prices for more than 20 crops each year to set a benchmark.

But state agencies buy only rice and wheat at those prices given a lack of financial resources, limiting the benefit of higher crop prices to only 7 percent of the country's farmers.

The government had fixed last year's rice purchase price for the common variety at 1,550 rupees ($22.63) per 100 kilogrammes. It also raised the support price for a superior ricevariety to 1,770 rupees, up from 1,590 rupees last year, Home Minister Rajnath Singh told reporters.

The hike in support prices will not impact on food inflation and the government is confident in reining in rising consumer prices, Singh said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government vowed in February to buy crops at 1.5 times the cost of production, a major shift after keeping the so-called minimum support price in low single digits over the past three years.

Analysts and economists have warned the move could help push up inflation, and with a fiscal deficit, prompt India's central bank to raise interest rates more steeply than expected.

Indian farmers voted overwhelmingly for Modi in the 2014 general election, sweeping him to power with an absolute majority, a first for any political party in 30 years. But his popularity has since faded.

Modi's cabinet also raised the minimum support price for soybean and long staple cotton by 10.3 percent and 20.7 percent to 3,399 and 5,450 rupees, respectively, Singh said.

https://www.cnbctv18.com/economy/india-raises-local-rice-purchase-price-by-13-percent-to-woo-farmers-249131.htm

Iraq’s treasured amber rice crop devastated by drought

Dubbed ‘royal rice’ by Iraqis, Shiites travelling between holy cities of Karbala and Najaf stop to stock up on the grain

Image Credit: AFP

An Iraqi man uses a shovel on a dry field in an area affected by drought in the Mishkhab region, central Iraq, some twenty-five kilometres from Najaf.

17:34 July 3, 2018

AFP

DIWANIYAH, Iraq: Standing on his farm in southern Iraq, Amjad Al Kazaali gazed sorrowfully over fields where rice has been sown for centuries — but which now lie bare for lack of water.For the first time, this season Kazaali has not planted the treasured amber rice local to Diwaniyah province.Facing an unusually harsh drought, the agriculture ministry last month suspended the cultivation of rice, corn and other cereals, which need large quantities of water.

The decision has slashed the income of amber rice farmers, who usually earn between 300,000 and 500,000 dinars ($240 and $400, or Dh880 and Dh1,468) a year per dunum (quarter hectare, 0.6 acres).

With a black-and-white chequered gahfiyyah scarf wrapped around his head, 46-year-old Kazaali was distraught at the absence of green shoots on his 50 hectares.

“Our eyes can’t get used to the yellowish colour of the earth, it’s too hard to look at my fields without my amber (rice),” he said, on his farm in the village of Abu Teben, in the west of Diwaniyah province.

The long-grained variety takes its name from its aroma, which is similar to that of amber resin.

More than 70 per cent of the amber crop is grown in Diwaniyah and neighbouring Najaf province, and in total, the variety makes up over a third of the 100,000 tonnes of rice grown in Iraq every year.

Fondly dubbed “royal rice” by Iraqis, many Shiite pilgrims travelling between the holy cities of Karbala and Najaf stop to stock up on the popular grain.

Exports are banned, although some of the rice is smuggled through the Iraqi city of Basra to the Gulf.

Scent of the Euphrates

Of the thousands of rice producers in Diwaniyah province, just 267 are dedicated to the centuries-long tradition of growing the amber variety.

“As my parents and my grandparents have done for hundreds of years, since the Ottoman Empire, I’ve been used to touching the grains of amber with my feet during planting and taking them in my hands during the harvest,” said Kazaali.

“It’s the water of the Euphrates River which gives it the fresh scent that we can smell for kilometres.”

But Iraq has seen its water resources dwindle in recent years — a problem soon to be compounded by the inauguration of Turkey’s controversial Ilisu dam on the Tigris River.

Planting was due to take place between May 15 and July 1, with the harvest set for late October.

Iraq’s agriculture ministry had planned for 350,000 hectares of crops this season, including staples such as rice and corn, spokesman Hamid Al Naef said.

But after the ministry for water resources warned it would not be possible to irrigate these key crops, the forecast was slashed to 150,000 hectares, mainly set aside for less water-intensive vegetables and palms.

“The ministry has therefore asked farmers not to cultivate rice, yellow or white corn, cotton, sesame and sunflower,” Naef said.

In Diwaniyah, the agriculture ministry’s provincial director, Safaa Al Janabi, said the changes represent a total loss of 50 billion dinars ($42 million).Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi has said the government will compensate farmers, particularly rice producers. But Kazaali feared that the promise would not be kept.“We could be forced to leave agriculture and the region,” he said.

“Some farmers have tried to carry on regardless and plant their rice anyway, but the ministry for water resources has removed their pumps, which has destroyed their crop.”

https://gulfnews.com/news/mena/iraq/iraq-s-treasured-amber-rice-crop-devastated-by-drought-1.2246099

Rice Exports 29.15% Increased As Compared To Last Year

Faizan Hashmi 7 hours ago Thu 05th July 2018 | 08:33 AM

Rice exports from the country during 11 months of current financial year witnessed 29.15 percent increase as compared to the exports of corresponding period of last fiscal year.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Jul, 2018 ) :Rice exports from the country during 11 months of current financial year witnessed 29.15 percent increase as compared to the exports of corresponding period of last fiscal year.

According to data, the rice exports were recorded at 3.889 million metric tons during same period of last year.

During the period from July-May, 2017-18, 461,472 metric tons of basmati rice worth 478.853 million dollars were exported as against the exports of 406,824 metric tons of same period last year, Radio pakistan reported.

In last 11 months of financial year 2017-18, basmati rice exports grew by 24.14 percent as compared to exports of the corresponding period of last year.

https://www.urdupoint.com/en/pakistan/rice-exports-2915-increased-as-compared-to-387649.html

Supply adequate, yet rice prices up

Traders, millers blamed for hike as they take advantage of import duty rise

Rice prices have gone up as millers and traders hiked prices banking on the government decision to raise import duty on the cereal to 28 percent from 2 percent, say market insiders. Over the last ten days, prices of all types of rice shot up by Tk 3 a kilogram at retail markets in the capital. Coarse rice, mostly consumed by low-income people, was sold for up to Tk 45 a kg yesterday, up from Tk 42 a week ago, according to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) data. The increase in rice prices comes at a time when farmers had a good harvest in Aus, Aman and Boro seasons in the last fiscal year. Besides, 41.12 lakh tonnes of rice were imported during the period, the highest in the last 30 years. On June 7, the government raised duty on rice import to 28 percent from 2 percent so that farmers get better prices of paddy.

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) is yet to estimate the total production of rice in the just concluded Boro season. But overall production is expected to exceed the government target of 1.90 crore tonnes. Production in the previous Aus and Aman seasons also saw a rise, indicating that the overall production of the crops, including Boro, would be higher than 3.56 crore tonnes in the last fiscal year. The country had a supply of around 3.57 crore tonnes of rice in fiscal 2017-18 against the annual consumption requirement of 3.10 crore tonnes, according to estimates by the BBS and the food ministry. At the same time, stocks of foodgrain at public warehouses rose more than three times to 13.21 lakh tonnes on June 27, show food ministry data. Asked, Md Arifur Rahman Apu, director general of the Directorate General of Food, said there is no logical ground behind the price hike. “Market has ample supply because of good Boro harvest and high imports.” The DG said his office plans to begin open market sales of rice and flour in labour-intensive areas so that the poor can get the cereals at subsidised rates. Rice will be sold for Tk 30 a kg and flour for Tk 18 a kg, he added. Abdur Rashid Dewan, owner of Matin Rice Agency in Old Dhaka's Babubazar area, said prices of imported rice went up following the duty hike. Millers demand higher prices of rice on various excuses, including increase in duty on rice import, he added. Md Mayen Uddin Manik, a rice trader in the capital's Karwan Bazar market, also blamed importers and millers for the recent price hike. The domestic market registers an increase in rice prices at a time when prices of the grain are falling on the international market. For example, prices of Indian parboiled rice (5 percent broken) fell 2.5 percent to $355 a tonne in the third week of last month. Prices of the same category rice in Thailand and Pakistan also declined, according to the food ministry's Fortnightly Food Grain Outlook. Asked about the reason behind the price spike despite bumper production and huge import, KM Layek Ali, general secretary of Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mills Association, said, “This is also my question ... where has all the rice gone?” He said many seasonal traders got involved in rice trade after the government slashed import duty on rice to encourage import and curb price hike of the staple last year. “The government should monitor the market to see whether millers or others are increasing prices ... It is easy to shift the blame onto us since we process rice. “Only a few millers may have stocks of rice ... Most of them started buying rice from local market after the duty increase,” he added. Following the duty hike, rice import through Benapole, the country's biggest land port, dropped to 5,500 tonnes from 55,000 tonnes a month, reports our Benapole correspondent. Prices of paddy went up by Tk 80-100 a maund as a result of the duty hike, said Nirod Boron Saha, president of an association of rice wholesalers and commission agents in Naogaon, one of the major Boro producing areas. Citta Majumder, managing director of Majumder Group of Industries, said millers and traders have begun purchasing paddy from farmers in larger quantity after rice import got costlier due to the duty hike. “We both import and process rice. After the duty hike, we have also started buying paddy,” he said. Citta said Swarna variety of rice, grown in the Aman season, was imported mostly from India, and its price rose for duty hike and also for depleting stocks. Besides, the traders who have stocks are releasing those slowly, he mentioned. “But it is unlikely that rice prices will rise further as both private and public sectors have quite good stocks,” he added. Abul Bashar Chowdhury, chairman of Chittagong-based BSM Group, one of the leading importers of essential commodities, said a section of retailers are trying to increase prices capitalising on the duty hike. But they are unlikely to succeed. “Unlike the previous year, rice prices will not go up sharply this time,” he added. Our Benapole correspondent contributed to this report

https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/supply-adequate-yet-rice-prices-1600249

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Thursday, July 05, 2018

Customs’ CG Strike Force intercepts truck of rice in Oyo

by AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE

July 3, 2018 | 5:08 pm

India must ditch rice to feed growing population, scientists warn

Replacing rice, wheat with ‘less thirsty’ crops could help India save water, improve nutrition, says study

Replacing rice and wheat with 'less thirsty' crops could dramatically reduce water demand in India, while also improving nutrition, a study has found.

Swapping crops could help India save water, improve nutrition

Jul 5, 2018, 12:31 PM; last updated: Jul 5, 2018, 12:31 PM (IST)

Govt hikes paddy MSP by Rs 200 per quintal

Hike in paddy minimum support price will increase the food subsidy bill by over Rs 11,000 crore based on procurement figure of the 2016-17 marketing year (October-September).

Nigeria Customs confiscates 11 vehicles smuggling foreign rice

Officials have erred in grouping people, charges Opposition

Five types

PDS food grains

Customs’ CG Strike Force intercepts truck of rice in Oyo

NCS Zone ‘B’ confiscates 11 vehicles loaded with smuggled rice

Rice smuggling: NCS confiscates 11 vehicles

Related

· Governor predicts stoppage of rice importation

· NPS harvests 400 bags of rice

· Kebbi can produce 50% rice needs of Nigerians – Commissioner

· Kaduna: NCS Zone B gets N14bn revenue in 7 mont

Government set to announce highest increase in MSP for paddy crop

The massive hike in MSP is one of the two (the other being Rs 5-lakh health protection cover for over 10 crore families) major schemes announced by the Modi government as it enters the last lap of its term.

PRICES-KOCHI-COMMODITIES

Amru Rice finishes rice storage facilities in Kampong Thom

Over 5,000 bags of rice gutted in APSWC godown

Short-circuit suspected to the be reason; probe launched

No impact on price of rice

Supply adequate, yet rice prices up

Traders, millers blamed for hike as they take advantage of import duty rise

‘Nigeria needs sustained investments to attain rice sufficiency’

by JOSEPHINE OKOJIE

July 3, 2018 | 11:32 am

Ade Adefeko

The Buhari’s administration has focused on increasing rice production through its Anchor Borrowers Scheme (ABS). What is your assessment of the scheme?

There are reports that Nigeria has increased its local rice production. How true is this and if yes where are the multiplier effects?

How can local rice varieties compete favourably with other imported varieties especially in pricing?

What is the problem with the Nigerian rice industry; is it milling or production?

The government says that the country will be rice sufficient in 2020. How realistic is this target?

What impact has Olam had in boosting Nigeria’s rice production?

How has insecurity impacted on Olam’s rice operations as its rice farms are located in Nassarawa, Benue and Taraba states?

How is Olam supporting smallholder farmers in the country to boost their rice production?

How many smallholder farmers are currently under Olam’s out-growers scheme?

by JOSEPHINE OKOJIE

July 3, 2018 | 11:32 am

Big Read |

Analysis

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Global Basmati Rice Market 2018 : Market Share, Outlook, Future Growth

Iraq’s treasured amber rice crop devastated by drought

Rice Exports 29.15% Increased As Compared To Last Year

Rice exports from the country during 11 months of current financial year witnessed 29.15 percent increase as compared to the exports of corresponding period of last fiscal year.

Traders, millers blamed for hike as they take advantage of import duty rise