Saturday, February 07, 2015

4th February,2015 Daily Global Rice E_Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

PH to boost rice production

 

The Senate agriculture and food committee expressed confidence yesterday that the state-of-the art Lloyd Evans Plant Growth Facility of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los BaƱos, Laguna, would help sustain and boost the country’s rice production despite climate change.“I know that this facility, with its controlled environment rooms and plant growth chambers, will serve a very important purpose as a key international resource and venue for biotechnological research and conservation of genetic diversity,” Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, committee chairperson, said.

Villar said that once the facility becomes fully operational it would enable to nurture and study plants, particularly rice, in a wide range of environment, controlling for temperature, relative humidity, light intensity, photo period systems, water management systems, and the precise control of atmospheric gases.She described the entry of Llyod Evans Plant Growth Facility as a “welcome development” at the latest IRRI facility.She braces for what the facility can develop that will help sustain rice production even during difficult climate conditions

 

Source with thanks: http://www.tempo.com.ph/2015/02/03/ph-to-boost-rice-production/

 

The ban on forex for rice importation


BY OUR REPORTER ON FEBRUARY 3, 2015

With the collapse of world oil prices, it was only a matter of time before Nigeria tightened up its finances.  It was, therefore, no surprise that the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, announced last week that the Federal Government would no longer make foreign exchange available to rice importers in the country. He also rightly deplored the expenditure of so much foreign exchange on importation of rice and other goods that could be produced locally.  The importation of these products, he said, puts severe pressure on the Naira and depletes the nation’s scarce forex reserves.
In addition to rice, Emefiele lamented Nigeria’s dependence on imported toothpicks, tomato paste, furniture, fish, sugar, and petroleum products, which he described as  misplaced and a waste of national resources. The apex bank has already banned the use of dollars purchased at its bi-weekly auctions for the importation of electronics, telecommunications equipment and generators. It maintains it would, however, not ban the importation of rice but would not provide the foreign exchange for it in order to stem the rising tide of speculative dollar demands.The CBN’s decision restricting access to forex for certain categories of imports is timely and well thought out. It rhymes with the Federal Government’s policy on encouragement of investment in domestic rice production.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has a goal to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production by the year 2017.The Federal Government has also been encouraging investors with sweet deals like the preferential duty rates by which investors with verified domestic rice production plans would enjoy import duty of 10 per cent and import levy of 20 per cent.  Rice traders, on the other hand, would be liable to 60 per cent levy in addition to the 10 per cent import duty.
Nigeria spends a whopping N1 billion daily on rice importation. The imports   regime is embroiled in controversy as the Federal Government is now trying to recover some N36.5 billion from rice importation companies being duty for excess rice imported in violation of their approved quota. The government had approved importation of 223,902 metric tons of rice by the companies in order to bridge the gap between domestic production and national consumer demand but the companies went ahead to import 732,555  metric tons, which is 508,653.55 metric tons in excess of government allocation.The government is, indeed, right in its bid to recover the duties that ought to have been paid on the rice imported in excess of  approved allocations.
It is important to recover this money to send a strong message that there will be inescapable consequences when government’s policies are flouted with impunity.We urge the Federal Government to be steadfast on this new rice policy because it is right.  Commodities that can be produced locally ought not to be allowed to constitute a drain on our foreign exchange.  With more than 82 million hectares of arable land and millions of capable hands, there is no doubt that the country can grow enough rice to meet local demand and have some to spare for export.
In addition to encouraging our local and small-scale farmers to do more, the FMARD must continue to liaise with the Dangote Group to be sure that there would be no delay or administrative bottlenecks in the company’s $1 billion rice project for which it has acquired 150,000 hectares of land across five states for the commercial production of rice paddy.The Dangote project is clearly the arrowhead of the country’s drive for self-sufficiency in rice production and must be encouraged and helped to succeed.  Not only is it going to be the single largest investment made in Africa for rice production, its mill  has a massive 960,000 metric tons capacity or about 46 per cent of rice imported into the country.It is gratifying to note that investment in rice production has grown significantly in the last few years. The new rice policy should engender even greater increase in local production.
Although it will, in the short term, likely make imported rice more expensive in the country, the increased local cultivation and processing of the product will ultimately bring down the price and serve Nigerians better in the long run.We enjoin the government to remain committed to this policy and ensure that it achieves the desired objective. The stoppage of access to forex for rice imports, however, calls for close monitoring of the pricing of the product in the market by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.  This is to ensure that the cost of rice, which is a local staple, does not go beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians. It will also help the government to predict and, if need be, pre-empt scarcity of the product.
Source with thanks: http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=102973

Nigeria: 2015 - Jonathan Has Failed in Agriculture - APC

Tagged:AgribusinessBusinessGovernanceNigeriaWest Africa

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation, APCPCO, has accused the President Goodluck Jonathan administration of massive corruption in the country's agricultural sector."President Jonathan has failed woefully in the agricultural sector, and all the self-praise of the administration on agriculture is simply a ruse," the APCPCO said in a statement released on Sunday, February 1.The statement, signed by Garba Shehu, pointed out that whereas President Jonathan had promised in 2010 to make Nigeria self-sufficient in rice and wheat production by 2015, "the grim reality on the ground today is that Nigeria emerged as the world's highest importer of rice in 2015, and a whopping $11 billion is spent annually by Nigeria to import rice, wheat, sugar and fish."

The statement added that according to the former Acting Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sarah Alade, Nigeria as at 2014 spends $4 billion on rice importation - that is about N600 billion annually on the importation of 2.1 million metric tonnes of milled rice."This is after the Federal Government had approached the China Exim Bank for a loan of $1.2 billion for the financing of 100 large-scale rice processing plants with a total capacity of 2.1 million metric tonnes."The troubling truth today, is that Nigeria is nothing close to self-sufficiency in rice production and what we have at hand is a close web of corruption where government cronies stumble over each other to get import licenses for rice."The statement also noted that a similar unacceptable situation pertained to the importation of wheat.

"According to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, Nigeria's wheat consumption as at year 2000 was about two million metric tonnes. But, by 2010, wheat importation to the country had risen to four million metric tonnes and Nigeria spends N635 billion annually on wheat importation."Five years into the Jonathan's administration, Nigeria spends even more than we did in 2010 to import wheat; yet the government continues to brandish false achievements in the agricultural sector - a situation that is completely at variance with what President Jonathan promised Nigerians in 2010, saying that his government would make Nigeria save N635 billion annually on rice and wheat importation.

"On fertilizer accessibility to farmers, the APCPCO faulted the claim by government that local farmers now have unhindered access to fertilizer through the Growth Enhancement Scheme.On the contrary, Mr. Shehu says that what gets to each farmer under the e-wallet arrangement, which he described as, "excessively laborious and technically difficult for the farmers to work through" are two bags of fertilizer throughout the entire farming season, "and government has not come out in one instance to tell Nigerians how much it receives as grants on fertilizer distribution to farmers from donor agencies.""The government will want to give us the impression that fertilizer is being given to farmers free of charge. But we know that what subsists is a 50 per cent subsidy per bag of fertilizer.

Our farmers are being shortchanged under this so-called e-wallet arrangement because of lack of transparency."We may be looking at another subsidy scam over fertilizer unless the Jonathan administration comes out clean to tell us how much it has received as grants over fertilizer and how it comes about the 50 per cent subsidy per bag of fertilizer," Shehu said.

The statement dismissed President Jonathan's claims of achievement in the agricultural sector, pointing out that "throughout the periods preceding the Jonathan's administration, the contribution of agriculture to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was at 7 per cent, while under the so-called transformation agenda of President Jonathan, agriculture's contribution to the GDP has been consistent at 5 per cent - an all-time low.

 

"In any case, food commodities are items Nigerians buy on a daily basis. If the Jonathan administration was sincere with the statistics it reels out on agriculture, why would the government buy pages of newspaper advertorials and TV commercials to force bitter falsehood of its achievements down the throats of Nigerians? The Jonathan administration has failed woefully in its agricultural policies and the facts are self-evident out there at those food stalls in our markets."In 2015, Nigerians know they spend far more to buy food than they did in 2010. That reality, in itself, is President Jonathan's scorecard in agriculture," the APCPCO concluded.

 

Garba Shehu

 

Directorate of Media & Publicity

APC Presidential Campaign Organisation

Source with thanks: http://allafrica.com/stories/201502020714.html

 

About 5000 workers left jobless as over 300 rice mills stop operation in Rangpur

Our Correspondent

RANGPUR, Feb 2: Around 5000 workers turned jobless as more than 300 rice mills and boilers have been closed at Mahiganj area under Rangpur city as supply of paddy to the mills remained suspended due to transport problem amid prolonged blockade and shutdown enforced by BNP led 20 party alliance.Besides, a good number of rice mills at different upazilas in the district were also compelled to stop or lessen production owing to difficulty in sending rice to the capital city and other parts of the country, leaving thousands of workers unemployed.According to sources usually during this time the rice mills in the district remain busy husking paddy and the workers are engaged in boiling and drying of paddy.

During this time a huge number of trucks loaded with rice are sent to Dhaka and other parts of the country from this region everyday. But the ongoing political turmoil like blockade and shutdown made the mills idle and as a result the workers are passing tough time amid uncertainty of income and the mills owners are incurring huge losses.Owner of Rafiq Rice Mill at Mahiganj area Rifiq said, his rice mill has been closed for more than a  couple of weeks due to scarcity of paddy which forced the labourers working in his mills jobless.

He has already suffered huge losses and if the situation continues for long he will have to incur more losses, he apprehended.Sakina Begum (38), a worker of the mill told the Financial Express that she has been passing hard days with her family in near starvation as presently she has no work. She blamed the political parties for the situation saying they do not care to think about the misery of the poor people. "If the situation continues we will have to die", she lamented

Talking to The Financial Express a number of rice mills owners expressed their disappointment over the prevailing situation saying the rice millers of the region generally   procure paddy from Bogra, Pabna,Sirajganj Joypurthat,  and Dinajpur. After husking the rice   in their mills they supply those to Dhaka and some other districts.  But presently both procurement and supply works are seriously being hampered on account of political turmoil.They also expressed their apprehension about paying labourers' wages, electricity bills and interest of bank loans. They urged the political parties to give up tough political programmes such as shutdown and blockade.

sayedmofidulbabu@gmail.com

 

Source with thanks: http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2015/02/03/79034

 

 

 

Rice Millers Fail to Meet Centre Target

By Express News Service
Published: 03rd February 2015 06:00 AM
Last Updated: 03rd February 2015 04:28 AM

BHUBANESWAR: Even as the Centre has set a deadline for delivery of custom milled rice to the Central pool, rice millers of the State have failed to meet the target due to their low milling capacity.The State Government has asked district managers of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department to take necessary steps for expeditious delivery of custom milled rice (CMR) to Food Corporation of India (FCI).The State had set a target for the millers for delivery of 10.58 lakh tonnes of rice to FCI by January 21.
 But the millers have delivered only 1.45 lakh tonnes to the Central pool and another 25,000 tonnes to Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation for distribution under PDS.Though the rice delivered to the Government is only 16 per cent of the target, the performance of the millers is better compared to the corresponding period of last kharif marketing season (KMS). Only 38,701 tonnes of CMR were delivered by January 20, 2014.The Government agencies procuring paddy directly from the farmers had procured 15.60 lakh tonnes of paddy equivalent to 10.58 lakh tonnes of rice till January 21.
As the KMS starts from October 1, delivery of CMR to FCI should be completed before September 30. The Ministry of Food had directed FCI not to accept CMR delivered beyond December 31.With limited storage and milling capacity, the State Government has sought more time from the Centre to complete the delivery of CMR.
The State Government had set a target to procure 30 lakh tonnes of rice during 2012-13 KMS. The Government procured over 54 lakh tonnes of paddy which is equivalent to 36 lakh tonnes of rice. It delivered 33.60 lakh tonnes of rice to the Central pool including 4.11 lakh tonnes after December 31, 2013.Setting a target to procure 30 lakh tonnes during the current KMS, the State Government has set an initial target of 17.69 lakh tonnes for the districts. Bargarh district, considered to be rice bowl of the State, had procured over 5.6 lakh tonnes of paddy equivalent to 3.80 lakh tonnes of rice. The district has so far delivered about one lakh tonnes of CMR.

Source with thanks: http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/Rice-Millers-Fail-to-Meet-Centre-Target/2015/02/03/article2650387.ece

 

 

2014 Farm Bill Decision Aid Demos in Arkansas This Week

LITTLE ROCK -- Farmers are racing to beat the clock and learn as much as they can about the 2014 Farm Bill in order to make critical decisions to meet upcoming deadlines.James Richardson, a co-director of the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M and co-developer of a web-based tool to help farmers make these critical decisions, will be in Arkansas demonstrating the program on Thursday, February 5 in Stuttgart and Friday, February 6 in Jonesboro. 

"The 2014 Farm Bill provides farmers three major farm program options:  payment Yield Update, Base Reallocation, and the choice between three safety net programs," said Robert Coats, extension economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. "Time is running out for making these one-time, irrevocable decisions."

 Deadline for base acreage and yield decision is February 27.

Deadline for program election for agricultural risk coverage  and price loss coverage is March 31.

The demonstration schedule this week also includes two webinars on February 5, starting at 9 a.m.  Webinars will last about 30 minutes and participants can register using this link:

https://uaex.zoom.us/webinar/register/c6ed14053234bd3e4ac87b605f06faf5.

There is no cost to attend either the in-person workshops or the webinars.

 For more information about the Farm Bill series, contact your county extension office or visit www.uaex.edu/farmbill.

 Contact:  Mary Hightower (501) 671-2126

Source with thanks: USA Rice Federation

 

 

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures  

 

CME Group (Preliminary):  Closing Rough Rice Futures for February 2

Month
Price
Net Change

March 2015
$10.305
- $0.265
May 2015
$10.555
- $0.285
July 2015
$10.790
- $0.280
September 2015
$10.590
- $0.205
November 2015
$10.760
- $0.205
January 2016
$10.850
- $0.205
March 2016
$10.850
- $0.205

Source with thanks: USA Rice Federation

 

USDA's February 10, 2015, World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates Report to Incorporate Changes to Rice Table

USDA Office of Communications sent this bulletin at 02/02/2015 04:00 PM EST

You are subscribed to USDA Office of Communications.

Release No. 0025.15

Contact:Brenda Chapin (202) 720-5447

bchapin@oce.usda.gov

 USDA's February 10, 2015, World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates Report to Incorporate Changes to Rice Table

 WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2015 - The Feb. 10 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report, which will be released at 12 noon ET, will include two new rice prices in the "Medium & Short-grain" rice section of the table on page 14. USDA is forecasting these two new additional rice prices that are part of the program parameters introduced in the 2014 Farm Bill for the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs.

The two new prices will be located directly under the "Average Farm Price" line and will include:

California

Other States

Two lines have been added at the bottom of the rice table under the sub-heading "Medium & Short-Grain Rice." The two new prices are a sub-category of the combined medium- and short-grain average farm price. No other lines were added or deleted from the table.The first publicly available information for the 2013/14 "California" and "Other States" prices became available in the January issue of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service's Agricultural Prices report that was released on January 30, 2015.An example of the change is found on this sample WASDE page (PDF, 46KB).

Background on USDA's WASDE report and past issues are available at: www.usda.gov/oce/commodity/wasde/.

 

#

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

 

Source with thanks: http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAOC/bulletins/ee2a6e

 

 

Educational seminars highlight 2015 Mid-South Farm & Gin Show

Jan 30, 2015Farm Press Staff | Delta Farm Press

 

Description: Mid-South Farm & Gin ShowAttendees at the 63rd annual Mid-South Farm & Gin Show, scheduled for Feb. 27- 28 at the Cook Convention Center in downtown Memphis, will have an opportunity to attend several educational seminars during the two days.Over 400 exhibitors from more than 40 states will be on hand, showcasing the latest technology and innovation a in agriculture.
 The show is sponsored by the Southern Cotton Ginners Association and Foundation and Delta Farm Press.Ag Update Seminars are scheduled for Friday, Feb. 27 and Saturday, Feb. 28, beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the convention center’s lobby meeting room. Speakers will include Sledge Taylor, incoming chairman of the National Cotton Council; Carl Brothers, Riceland Foods; and Joe Nicosia, of Louis Dreyfus. Richard Brock, of Brock Associates, will headline the Saturday, Ag Update seminar, providing his unique perspective on grain marketing, as well as a market outlook.Plans are also being finalized for the Mid-South Ag Forum, a seminar focusing on successful technology adoption from research to the farm. Scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
Friday in the convention center mezzanine level meeting room, this seminar will feature researchers and farmers who will explore irrigation innovations and technology adoption on the farm.A special rice seminar, What the U.S. Rice Farmer Needs to Know to Prosper, is set for Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in the mezzanine level meeting room. Milo Hamilton, Co-founder and senior ag economist of First Grain, Inc., is the featured speaker.
All this information, and more, is available on the updated Farm and Gin Show mobile app, which can be downloaded from iTunes or from the Android app store. The app features show schedules and updates, speaker biographies, and maps and exhibitor information, all designed to enhance the showgoing experience. The app has proven to be very popular. Regular updates to information will be made to the app during the two days of the show.Those planning to attend the show are encouraged to pre-register online, which speeds up the process of on-site printing of name badges.
Go to the show website (www.farmandginshow.com), click on the “Attendee Registration” button, complete the form and print out the confirmation. Bring that form with you to the show and staff on-site will help you complete the process and get your name badge so you can quickly get onto the show floor.Anyone who pre-registers for the show by Feb. 16 will be entered into a drawing for $1,000. The winner will be notified Feb. 17, and must collect the prize at the Registration Booth at the show.Show hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday. More information is available at www.farmandginshow.com.

 

Source with thanks: http://deltafarmpress.com/markets/educational-seminars-highlight-2015-mid-south-farm-gin-show

 

 

Thai Junta to Cut Rice Crop to Combat Glut as Reserves Sold

(Bloomberg) -- Thailand, the world’s biggest rice exporter, plans to cut production to reduce a local surplus and boost prices, complementing a drive by the government to sell record stockpiles that are clogging warehouses nationwide.Rough-rice output may be cut to 33.73 million metric tons by 2016-2017, down from an average of 35.11 million over the past six years, according to Apichart Pongsrihadulchai, vice farm minister. Growers will be encouraged with incentives including soft loans to shift from rice to sugar cane or to mixed farming with livestock, Apichart said in an interview.

Thai authorities, led by military-leader-turned-prime minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha, are grappling with the legacy of the previous government’s rice-buying policy. Yingluck Shinawatra’s administration paid rice growers guaranteed, above-market prices for their crop, spurring increased production and the buildup of the country’s biggest ever stockpiles. Prayuth’s government last week offered almost 1 million tons for sale from the state reserves, which it wants to clear over the next two years.“We need to restructure our rice production to solve a surplus problem,” Apichart said in Bangkok on Jan. 30. “We aim to slash production to be balanced with local consumption and exports. Hopefully, that will boost prices.”Thai 5 percent broken rice declined 7.1 percent last year, extending a 23 percent drop in 2013. The Asian benchmark price was at $422 a ton on Jan. 28, the day before Prayuth’s government offered the 1 million tons for auction. Rough rice futures fell as much as 0.6 percent to $10.505 per 100 pounds in Chicago on Monday, the lowest since August 2010.

 

Manage Risk


“The plan will have more chance of succeeding if there are active extension efforts to educate farmers about the best techniques for planting alternative crops,” David Dawe, a Bangkok-based senior economist at the United Nations’ Food & Agriculture Organization, said in an e-mail. It’ll also be important to provide ways for growers to manage risk, as most crops are riskier to plant and market than rice, he said.Over the next two years, about 700,000 rai (112,000 hectares) are targeted to be switched from rice to sugar cane, and a further 1.1 million rai will be switched to mixed farming, said Apichart.

 The government also plans to eliminate rice planting during the dry season across 400,000 rai, he said.Targeted output of 33.73 million tons would return Thai rice production to the same level as it was in 2009-2010, according to the plan. The projected surplus -- the excess of output over local demand and export needs -- will drop from about 1.1 million tons in 2016-2017 to just 200,000 tons in 2019-2020. The policy to shift land away from rice is subject to approval by a rice-policy committee, Apichart said.

 

Record Crop

Under Yingluck’s rice-buying spree, production climbed to a record in 2011-2012, while reserves expanded to 17.8 million tons last year. That’s equivalent to more than 40 percent of global trade.Earlier this month, Thailand’s junta-appointed legislature impeached Yingluck and banned her from politics for five years for her role in overseeing the rice-buying program. The Attorney General’s office said criminal charges will follow.Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Petipong Puengbun Na Ayudhya said in an interview in October that there would be incentives for growers to switch crops to curb oversupply, notably from rice to sugar.

To contact the reporter on this story: Supunnabul Suwannakij in Bangkok atssuwannakij@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: James Poole at jpoole4@bloomberg.netJake Lloyd-Smith, Claudia Carpenter

 

Source with thanks: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-02/thai-junta-to-slash-rice-crop-cut-glut-as-stockpiles-sold-off

 

Declining exports of basmati rice

The domestic market is overwhelmed with a basmati rice glut; the government is stuck with bigger issues of national economy and security and is unable to help stabilise the rice trade; and the prices are sliding. The farmers’ panic, therefore, is understandable.
Description: Picture shows a rice field. The main question now facing the market is how 
to clear the trade surplus of basmati following a fall in the export of the 
commodity. — Dawn/FileThe basmati variety is currently being traded at around Rs3,000 per maund, against Rs4,500 last year. More importantly, the quantum of trade is low. With production at the same level and exports receding over the last four years, the country now is estimated to have around 1m tonnes of stock though the actual figures is not known as the stocks are spread over the entire supply and trade chains.
Firstly, till 2011, exports were over 1m tonnes and domestic stocks were emptied each year. From then onwards, exports started dropping for a number of reasons that have been pointed out in the media. In 2012, foreign sales dropped to 968,941 tonnes. Next year, they went down to 630,035 tonnes, leaving a domestic glut of around 350,000 tonnes. Last year, they sustained the trend and touched 733,860 tonnes, adding over 250,000 tonnes to the glut.
Till last season, the country was holding a carry-over of 600,000 tonnes. This season might add at least another 400,000 tonnes, taking the total tally beyond 1m tonnes.Similarly, the price has gone down by 33pc from last year.
The main question now facing the market is how to clear the trade surplus. If it remains in the country, it is big enough to rig the domestic and export markets for some years to come, till it is either sent out or domestic crop fails to eat it away. One certainly cannot wait for the domestic crop to fail; thus, the only option left with the farmers and, more importantly, with the government, is to somehow clear it, even if it costs some money in shape of subsidies.
Picture shows a rice field. The main question now facing the market is how to clear the trade surplus of basmati following a fall in the export of the commodity. — Dawn/File

The region has big buyers like Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq, all of which import just under 1m tonnes of rice each year, mostly from India. The market is there, if Pakistan can somehow capture it


The exporters don’t have the capacity (read: market), or will or incentive to clear such a huge stock.They used to export over 1m tonnes but then lost a major portion of it to Indian competitors. Currently, their exporting capacity is down to 600,000 tonnes, which itself now seems to be an impossible task given the international scenario.Luckily, the region has some big buyers like Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq — all of whom import just under 1m tonnes of rice each year, mostly from India. This shows that the market is there, if Pakistan can somehow capture it.The ministries of food security and research, finance and commerce need to put their heads together and see how the local glut can be cleared through bilateral or even barter agreements.The federal government also needs to step in because it announced compensation package of Rs5bn for basmati growers after last year’s floods, but seems to have forgotten it. None of the basmati growers have received the promised Rs5,000 per acre, and they have been left to suffer the brunt, both of a reduction in yields and a massive reduction in price. The same money can be used to ensure exports.Besides, the provincial governments, who now fully own the sector and proudly announce achieving their production targets, also need to improve their marketing activities. This dichotomy needs to be taken care of, where provinces ensure production but are unwilling to play a role in marketing them.
Punjab, which is the only producer of basmati, is not willing to help clear the glut, and has left the trade to players it has no control over. These issues must be solved through mutual cooperation, understanding and policy development, involving all stakeholders.The basmati variety that fetches almost three times higher price as compared to other coarse varieties is too important to be left to lesser players. Even in the current recession, basmati is being traded in the international market at $900-1,000 per tonne, against $300-350 per tonne for coarse varieties.This basmati variety also has a huge role to play in poverty alleviation in rural Pakistan. Being mainly an export variety (with 60pc of its production going overseas at one time), it also fetches precious foreign exchange. All these factors make it too important for social and economic reasons to be left too inefficient market forces.
Published in Dawn, Economic & Business, February 2nd, 2015

 

Source with thanks: Dawn News Pakistan

 

 

Japan on cusp of major compromise on rice with U.S. in TPP talks

January 31, 2015
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

Japan appears set to offer key concessions to the United States over its demands on rice import quotas in Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade talks, a move that is bound to anger farmers at home.According to sources, Japanese negotiators are ready to offer a counterproposal agreeing to an annual import ceiling of up to 50,000 tons of U.S. rice with no or low tariffs in tandem with an offer to lower the levy on imported beef to 9 percent from the current 38.5 percent over a 10-year-plus period.“Negotiations will collapse if we do not give an inch to the other party,” said Akira Amari, the state minister in charge of the TPP talks, on Jan. 30.The new plan emerged after Tokyo declined to meet Washington’s initial demands that it remove or reduce its tariff on imported rice.
U.S. negotiators later proposed a quota for 200,000 tons of rice and processed rice products from the United States.At present, a tariff of 341 yen ($2.90) is imposed on every 1 kilogram of imported rice.Japan imports about 770,000 tons of tariff-free foreign rice annually to fulfill its "minimum-access" rice-import obligations.Of that total, U.S. rice amounted to 360,000 tons in fiscal 2013.The new quota for U.S. rice imports, if it materializes, will be in addition to the minimum access obligation, according to the sources.Japanese officials initially tried to meet the U.S. request within the framework for the minimum-access rice-import obligation.But Washington, seeking even greater access, called on Tokyo to lock in specific quantities that it will import.
Imported rice is a contentious issue in Japan. Many domestic rice growers fear that prices of the grain they produce will fall if more foreign rice enters the market.The government plans to buy the same tonnage of rice from Japanese growers for its national reserves that it imports in order to prevent downward pressure on domestic prices, the sources said.Still, government officials are concerned that Vietnam and other rice-producing countries participating in the TPP negotiations will make similar demands if Tokyo and Washington agree on a quota.
(This article was written by Kenji Oyamada, senior staff writer, and Takuya Sumikawa.)

Source with thanks: http://ajw.asahi.com/article/business/AJ201501310052

 

S. Korea faces possible oversupply of rice on record output, imports

Published : 2015-02-02 10:38
Updated : 2015-02-02 10:38South Korea may face an oversupply of rice this year as its output reached a five-year high while rice consumption continues to shrink, government officials said Monday.According to the officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the country's self-sufficiency rate for rice is expected to reach 97 percent in 2015.The country's overall output of rice inched up 0.3 percent on-year to some 4.24 million tons in 2014.South Korea is also required to import at least 408,700 tons of rice every year under a special agreement with the World Trade Organization, which had allowed the country to postpone opening its rice market over the past 20 years.South Korea liberalized its rice market through tarrification at the start of this year.

The oversupply problem will likely be further accelerated by a drop in the country's rice consumption, the ministry officials noted.n 2014, the country's annual intake of rice per person dipped 3.1 percent on-year to a record low of 65.1 kilograms.The per capita consumption is again expected to shrink this year, continuing its steady decline over the past 40 odd years since 1970 when it hit a record high of 136.4 kg, officials said. (Yonhap)

Source with thanks: http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20150202000462

 

 

Korea faces oversupply of rice

Published: 2015-02-02 20:52
Updated: 2015-02-02 20:52
Korea is expected to see an oversupply of rice this year due to a five-year high in output and a continued fall in demand, officials said Monday.The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said the self-sufficiency rate for rice would likely reach 97 percent in 2015. 
Description: http://res.heraldm.com/phpwas/restmb_idxmake.php?idx=60&simg=%2Fcontent%2Fimage%2F2015%2F02%2F02%2F20150202001175_0.jpgThe ministry data showed that the country’s overall output of rice jumped 0.3 percent from a year ago, to some 4.24 million tons in 2014. The nation also has to import at least 408,700 tons of rice every year under a special agreement with the World Trade Organization.In contrast to the high output of rice, the nation’s rice demand has rapidly dwindled, amid increased consumption of foreign food.Last year’s annual consumption of rice per capita fell 3.1 percent on-year to a record low of 65.1 kilograms. Ministry officials expected that the problem would worsen as consumption of rice continues to drop.

Image:South Korean workers stack bags of rice. (Yonhap)

Source with thanks: http://m.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20150202001068&ntn=0

 

 

NFA partners with group to help curb rice anomalies

 JEAN SAPALLO
POSTED ON 02/02/2015 3:32 PM  | UPDATED 02/02/2015 9:10 PM

VULNERABLE. Rice and corn farmers are among the country's poorest, despite being at the forefront of feeding the nation. File photo by Jay Directo/Agence France-Presse

Description: VULNERABLE. Rice and corn farmers are among the country's poorest, despite being at the forefront of feeding the nation. File photo by Jay Directo/Agence France-Presse  MANILA, Philippines – The National Food Authority (NFA) is collaborating with Kaya Natin! (KN), a civil society organization, to help monitor anomalies in the rice industry and thus help government in ensuring food security.The NFA has been confronted by the problems of rice shortage, alleged corruption in rice imports,smuggling, price manipulation by private sectors, hoarding and repacking, all resulting to “false shortage," among many others. (READ: PH agriculture, why is it important?)

Around 74% of NFA rice are smuggled, while only 26% of its supplies reach the poor, NFA reported. (READ: PH road to rice self-sufficiency)

Called "Bantay Bigas," the campaign will involve KN volunteers to monitor rice movements in their localities.NFA admits it cannot do the job alone to totally eradicate anomalies in the rice industry. This led newly appointed NFA Administrator Renan Dalisay and his council to seek help from a non-governmental organization like KN to complement the agency's work on the ground.  Rappler.com

Jean Carla Sapallo is a Rappler intern. She is a 4th year journalism student at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

Source with thanks: http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/hunger/82689-nfa-kaya-natin-curb-rice-anomalies

 

 

Vietnam to sell 240,000 T rice to Malaysia -sources

Description: http://advertisement.bizedge.com/www/delivery/lg.php?bannerid=246&campaignid=146&zoneid=44&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theedgemarkets.com%2Fmy%2Farticle%2Fvietnam-sell-240000-t-rice-malaysia-sources&referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com.pk%2F&cb=423ade20f4By Reuters / Reuters   | February 2, 2015 : 12:26 PM MYT   
HANOI (Feb 2): Vietnam has reached an agreement to sell 240,000 tonnes of rice to Malaysia, although the small volume and an eight-month loading schedule mean grain export prices will stay near multi-month lows, a state-run newspaper and traders said on Monday.The country will ship the 5-percent broken rice to Malaysia over April to November, the Vietnam Economic Times newspaper said, coinciding with the peak for Vietnam's main winter-spring crop harvest that is expected to provide more than 5 million tonnes of unhusked rice mostly for export.
An official at the Vietnam Food Association, which oversees the country's rice exports, declined to comment on the deal with Malaysia, the third-biggest buyer of Vietnamese rice after China and the Philippines.While the report did not give any detail on the deal price, a Vietnamese private trader estimated that both sides may have agreed to a price of $385 a tonne, free-on-board (FOB)."Vietnam has yet to publish the price of the deal as it is still eyeing a demand from the Philippines," another rice exporter said.The Philippines plans to import up to 500,000 tonnes for delivery between March and May to boost stockpiles and might go for a government-to-government deal, government and trade sources said last week.
The price for Vietnam's 5-percent broken rice fell to $358-$360 a tonne on Monday, FOB, from $360-$370 last week. The lower end of the range is the weakest price for the grain since mid-September, 2013, Reuters data shows.Traders in Ho Chi Minh City said they do not see any upside to Vietnamese rice export prices from the deal with Malaysia given its long loading duration. Malaysia took 470,000 tonnes of Vietnamese rice in 2014, up 1.5 percent on year."With some 30,000 tonnes to be shipped per month (April-Nov 2015), this small volume will not affect the market supply and prices," said a trader at a foreign firm in Ho Chi Minh City.

Source with thanks: http://www.theedgemarkets.com/my/article/vietnam-sell-240000-t-rice-malaysia-sources

 

Government to slash rice crop, sell stockpiles to cut glut

Published: 2 Feb 2015 at 15.55
Online news: News
Writer: Bangkok Post and Bloomberg News

Thailand, the world’s biggest rice exporter, plans to cut production to reduce its surplus and boost prices, complementing a drive by the government to sell record stockpiles that are clogging warehouses nationwide. Rough-rice output may be cut to 33.73 million tonnes by 2016-17, down from an average of 35.11 million over the past six years, according to Apichart Pongsrihadulchai, vice agriculture minister. Growers will be encouraged with incentives including soft loans to shift from rice to sugar cane or to mixed farming with livestock, Mr Apichart said in an interview.A Suphan Buri rice farmer tends to his crop in this October 2014 photo. The government plans to cut production to reduce a local surplus and boost prices as it tries to sell record stockpiles that are clogging warehouses nationwide. (Bangkok Post photo)
Thai authorities, led by military-leader-turned-prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, are grappling with the legacy of the previous government's rice-buying policy. Yingluck Shinawatra's administration paid rice growers guaranteed, above-market prices for their crop, spurring increased production and the build-up of the country's biggest ever stockpiles.
The government last week offered almost one million tonnes for sale from the state reserves, which it wants to clear over the next two years."We need to restructure our rice production to solve a surplus problem," Mr Apichart said in Bangkok on Jan 30. "We aim to slash production to be balanced with local consumption and exports. Hopefully, that will boost prices."Thai 5% broken rice declined 7.1% last year, extending a 23% drop in 2013. The Asian benchmark price was at $422 a tonne on Jan 28, the day before the government offered the one million tonnes for auction.Over the next two years, about 700,000 rai are targeted to be switched from rice to sugar cane, and a further 1.1 million rai will be switched to mixed farming, said Mr Apichart.
 The government also plans to eliminate rice planting during the dry season across 400,000 rai, he said.Speaking after Monday's meeting of the National Rice Police Committee in Nakhon Ratchasima, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the government and farmers need to work together to grow crops suitable for their land."Farmers should focus on growing quality rice that matches the amount of (available) water in order to fetch high prices. If some locations cannot produce quality rice, farmers should be supported to grow other crops," he said.A buyer looks at a sample of rice as he walks past stacks of the grain during a pre-auction rice inspection at the warehouse of the Boonnapa rice mill in Chok Chai, Nakhon Ratchasima province on Jan 26. (Bloomberg photo)
Smaller harvests
Targeted output of 33.73 million tonnes would return Thai rice production to the same level as it was in 2009-10, according to the plan. The projected surplus — the excess of output over local demand and export needs — will drop from about 1.1 million tonnes in 2016-2017 to just 200,000 tonnes in 2019-2020. The policy to shift land away from rice is subject to approval by a rice-policy committee, Mr Apichart said.Under Ms Yingluck's rice-buying spree, production climbed to a record in 2011-2012, while reserves expanded to 17.8 million tonnes last year. That's equivalent to more than 40% of global trade.
Last month, the National Legislative Assembly impeached Ms Yingluck and banned her from politics for five years for her role in overseeing the rice-buying programme. The Attorney General's office said criminal charges will follow.Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Pitipong Phuengboon Na Ayudhaya said in an interview in October that there would be incentives for growers to switch crops to curb oversupply, notably from rice to sugar.At the Phimai Agricultural Cooperative Monday, Gen Prayut said he had instructed the Interior Ministry to take the lead in developing a database containing Thai farmers' incomes, careers and other identifying information ib their agricultural products in order to facilitate the government's assistance programmes.

Source with thanks: Bangkok Post

Wednesday, February 04, 2015

4th February(Wednesday),2015 Daily Exclusive ORYZA Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Asia Rice Quotes Unchanged Today

Feb 04, 2015
Asia rice sellers kept their quotes mostly unchanged today.
5% Broken Rice
Thailand 5% rice is quoted at around $405 - $415 per ton, about $50 per ton premium on Vietnam 5% rice shown at around $355 - $365 per ton. India 5% rice is quoted at around $395 - $405 per ton, about $40 per ton premium on Pakistan 5% rice quoted at around $355 - $365 per ton.
25% Broken Rice 
Thailand 25% rice is quoted at around $365 - $375 per ton, about $40 per ton premium on Vietnam 25% rice shown at around $325- $335 per ton. India 25% rice is quoted at around $360 - $370, about $50 per ton premium on Pakistan 25% rice quoted at around $310 - $320 per ton.
Parboiled Rice
Thailand parboiled rice is quoted at around $405 - $415 per ton. India parboiled rice is quoted at around $390 - $400 per ton, about $10 per ton discount to Pakistan parboiled rice quoted at around $400 - $410 per ton.
100% Broken Rice
Thailand broken rice, A1 Super, is quoted at around $320 - $330 per ton, about $15 per ton premium on Vietnam 100% broken rice shown at around $305 - $315 per ton. India's 100% broken rice is shown at around $295 - $305 per ton,  about $15 per ton premium on Pakistan broken sortexed rice quoted at around $280 - $290 per ton.

Nepal Imports 97,098 Tons of Rice from India in First Six Months of FY 2014-15; Up 42% from Last Year

Feb 04, 2015

Description: Description: http://oryza.com/sites/default/files/field/image/150204nepalpaddyfields.jpgNepal has imported about 97,098 tons of rice from India through the Belhiya (Bhairahawa) transit point in the first six months of the current fiscal year 2014-15 (August 2014 - July 2015), up about 42% from around 68,397 tons imported during the same period in FY 2013-14 according to the Customs officials. Nepal's rice imports from India have been increasing over the last few years due to Nepalese preference for fine rice over medium and coarse rice, according to an official from the Ministry of Agricultural Development.According to Nepal Rastra Bank's (NRB) statistics, Nepal imported rice worth Rs.12.37 billion (around $121.45 million) in 2013-14, up about 46% from around Rs.8.47 billion (around $83.16 million) despite surplus rice stocks of around 800,000 tons from the previous fiscal due to rising disposable incomes and the Nepalese preference for better quality rice.
According to MoAD, rice imports are expected to increase this year also due to an expected decline in production. Nepal's 2014 paddy rice production is likely to decline about 5.1% to around 4.78 million tons from around 5 million tons last year due to a late monsoon and untimely rainfall, according to MoAD sources. The decline is primarily attributed to below average rainfall during the transplantation time.
USDA estimates Nepal to import around 350,000 tons of rice in 2015. It estimates Nepal’s MY 2014-15 (October 2014 – September 2015) paddy rice production to decline to about 4.655 million tons (around 3.1 million tons, basis milled) from an estimated 5 million tons (around 3.36 million tons, basis milled) in MY 2013-14.
Global Rice Quotes
February 4th, 2015

Long grain white rice - high quality
Thailand 100% B grade           415-425           ↔
Vietnam 5% broken     355-365           ↔
India 5% broken          395-405           ↔
Pakistan 5% broken     355-365           ↔
Myanmar 5% broken   410-420           ↔
Cambodia 5% broken 440-450           ↔
U.S. 4% broken           495-505           ↔
Uruguay 5% broken    NQ       ↔
Argentina 5% broken   NQ       ↔

Long grain white rice - low quality
Thailand 25% broken 365-375           ↔
Vietnam 25% broken   325-335           ↔
Pakistan 25% broken   310-320           ↔
Cambodia 25% broken            420-430           ↔
India 25% broken        360-370           ↔
U.S. 15% broken         485-495           ↔

Long grain parboiled rice
Thailand parboiled 100% stxd             405-415           ↔
Pakistan parboiled 5% broken stxd      400-410           ↔
India parboiled 5% broken stxd           390-400           ↔
U.S. parboiled 4% broken       550-560           ↔
Brazil parboiled 5% broken     570-580           ↔
Uruguay parboiled 5% broken             NQ       ↔

Long grain fragrant rice
Thailand Hommali 92%           925-935           ↔
Vietnam Jasmine         450-460           ↔
India basmati 2% broken         NQ       ↔
Pakistan basmati 2% broken    NQ       ↔
Cambodia Phka Mails 785-795           ↔

Brokens
Thailand A1 Super       320-330           ↔
Vietnam 100% broken             305-315           ↔
Pakistan 100% broken stxd     280-290           ↔
Cambodia A1 Super    350-360           ↔
India 100% broken stxd          295-305           ↔
Egypt medium grain brokens   NQ       ↔
U.S. pet food   405-415           ↔
Brazil half grain           NQ       ↔
All prices USD per ton, FOB vessel, oryza.com

Italy to Review Development of Rice Seed Sector

Feb 03, 2015
Description: Description: http://oryza.com/sites/default/files/field/image/150203italyriceseeds.jpgItaly will review the development in the rice seed sector in a meeting on February 4, 2015, which will be attended by the Ente nazionale risi, the National Agency for Rice, the CRA-SCS (Council for Research and Testing in Agriculture, and for Seed Testing and Certification), and Assosementi, which includes about 30 companies involved in seed research. The meeting will be conducted in the premises of the Centro ricerche sul riso (National rice research center) in Castello d'Agogna, according to local sources.
Issues such as the introduction of new rice seed varieties, their resistance to diseases like rice blast and their requirement of nitrogen fertilizers will be dealt with in the meeting. The meeting will also review the results of testing of various methods that deal with the use of sewage sludge in agriculture; and the results of agronomic testing and the seeding activities conducted by the National Agency for Rice in co-operation with CRA-SCS and Assosementi. Seed companies will be encouraged to present new seed varieties and awards will be presented to seed breeders.

Japan Buys and Sells 895 tons of Whole Grain Rice and 500 Tons of Broken Rice in 6th SBS Tender of FY 2014

Feb 03, 2015
Japan has bought and sold a total of around 895 tons of whole grain/brown rice of the U.S., Australia, Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam origins; and around 500 tons of broken rice of the Thailand and Vietnam origins, in the sixth SBS (Simultaneous Buy-Sell) tender, according to official sources.The tonnage and price details of different types of rice imported are as follows:
Whole grain rice:
Broken rice:
A tax equivalent to about 8% is applicable on all purchases and sales.Under the SBS tender, Japan government buys rice of various origins from Japanese traders at one price and then simultaneously sells the rice back to those same companies, at a higher price, for sale in the domestic market. Usually the difference between the buying price and selling price is set by the government.

TREA Estimates 2015 Thailand Rice Exports to Decline 9% y/y to 10 Million Tons

Feb 03, 2015

Description: http://oryza.com/sites/default/files/field/image/150203thairice.jpgThe Thai Rice Exporters Association (TREA) is estimating Thailand's 2015 rice exports to decline to around 10 million tons, down about 9% from about 10.97 million tons exported in 2014 due to strong competition from Vietnam, according to Reuters.The TREA Chairman told reporters that Vietnam is likely to capture more market share as it had lowered prices. He also noted that the government may not be able to sell its targeted 10 million tons from its stockpiles as there is limited appetite for old rice crop. Declining demand from African countries, especially Nigeria (as falling oil prices are reducing their buying capacity), would also impact Thai parboiled rice exports, he said.
According to Bloomberg, the TREA Chairman also noted that Vietnamese rice has become more competitive since the devaluation of Dong, while the strengthening Baht has made Thai rice less competitive in the global markets.Currently, Thai 5% rice is quoted at around $405 per ton compared to about $360 per ton of Vietnam 5% rice, about $400 per ton of India 5% rice and about $360 per ton of Pakistan 5% rice. The TREA President said he is expecting the current price of Thai 5% rice to drop by about 3% over the next few weeks.

USDA Post Estimates 2015 Japan Rice Imports at 700,000 Tons; Up 8% from Last Year

Feb 03, 2015

Description: Description: http://oryza.com/sites/default/files/field/image/150203japanpsd.jpgThe USDA Post has estimated Japan to import around 700,000 tons of rice in 2015, up about 8% from an estimated 650,000 ton in 2014 due to an expected decline in production. Based on production data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), the Post reports that the 2014 rice production declined about 2% to around 7.679 million tons from around 7.832 million tons in 2013. The decline is attributed to a decline in the planting area by about 1.5% y/y to around 1.573 million hectares.
The Post reports that demand for imported rice has been declining since 2012 as an increase in production led to adequate supply in the local markets and a decline in local rice prices. The Post also reports that Japan imported only 8,943 tons of rice in five Simultaneous Buy and Sell (SBS) in the first ten months of Japan's financial year (April - March) 2014-15. The Post expects Japan not to import the targeted 100,000 tons under the SBS tenders. However, the Post reports that imports under the Ordinary Minimum Access (OMA) quota have been similar to the last year's pace. While China's share in the OMA rice increased, that of Thailand and the U.S. has decreased according to the Post. However, the U.S.'s share in the SBS rice remains same as last year, shares of China and Thailand have increased, and the share of Australia has declined, reports the Post.  

Contents are published with permission of ORYZA.com

Download/View above news in pdf format,just click the next link: