Saturday, June 20, 2015

19th June (Friday),2015 Daily Exclusive ORYZA Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Nepal Plans to Launch Three-Year Paddy Mission to Boost Production, Cut Down Imports

Jun 19, 2015
The government of Nepal plans to launch the first paddy mission from the fiscal year 2015-16 (August 2015 – July 2016) to boost output and help the country become self-sufficient in rice production, according to local sources.A three-year time frame has been set to implement the mission in about 670,000 hectares in 13 Tarai districts. The total planned area will be divided into five cluster areas—Jhapa, Sunsari and Morang; Bara, Sarlahi and Parsa; Rupandehi and Kapilvastu; Dang, Banke and Bardia and Kailali Kanchanpur.
The government aims to increase the average yield to around 3.43 tons per hectare in the first year (i.e, 2015-16) from the current 3.17 tons, and further increase to 3.57 tons per hectare and 3.66 tons per hectare in the subsequent two years respectively. It also aims to increase the paddy output from the current 4.78 million tons to around 4.94 million tons, 5.22 million tons and 5.4 million tons respectively in the three years.The Nepalese government is planning to reduce the imports to around 277,000 tons in the first year, 96,000 in the second year and become self-reliant in rice or be able to export about 10,000 tons of rice in the third year. Currently, Nepal currently imports about 530,000 tons of rice annually.
It has allocated around Rs.100 million (around $983,478) for the three-year project, but the actual requirement for the project has to be assessed, the Assistant Spokesperson of the Ministry of Agricultural Development was quoted. He noted that the targets are not too ambitious and can be achieved. He added that the government is also planning to launch “chaite dhan” scheme under which it would plant paddy from mid-March to mid-April, in areas where there are irrigation facilities.
The official also noted that the government would support farmers by providing improved varieties of paddy seeds and subsidies on farm machinery, irrigation and other tools in the selected areas. It would also train farmers in these areas.The Agriculture Ministry estimates Paddy production in 2014-15 to decline about 5.71% to around 4.78 million tons from around 5.04 million tons in 2013-14 due to a late monsoon and untimely rainfall.USDA 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. It estimates Nepal to import around 350,000 tons of rice in 2015.

Pakistan Rice Exports Continue to Decline for Second Consecutive Month in May 2015

Jun 19, 2015
Description: http://oryza.com/sites/default/files/field/image/150619pakistanriceexports.jpg
Pakistan's total exports declined sharply in May 2015, continuing to decline for the second consecutive month after increasing about 33% m/m in March 2015.Pakistan exported around 263,044 tons of rice (including basmati and non-basmati) in May 2015, down about 27% from around 360,446 tons exported in April 2015, according to provisional data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). In terms of value, Pakistan's rice export earnings declined about 16% to around $152 million in May 2015 from around $180 million earned in April 2015.Year-on-year, Pakistan’s exports increased about 11% from around 236,843 tons exported in May 2014. In terms of value, they declined about 7% from around $163 million in May 2014.
Pakistan exported around 30,944 tons of basmati rice in May 2015, down about 10% from around 34,568 tons exported in April 2015, and down about 57% from around 72,573 tons exported in May 2014. In terms of value, Pakistan's basmati rice exports earned $38.3 million in May 2015, down about 10% from around $42.5 million earned in April 2015, and down about 57% from around $88 million earned in May 2014.Pakistan exported around 232,100 tons of non-basmati rice in May 2015, down about 29% from around 325,878 tons exported in May 2015 and up about 41% from around 164,270 tons in May 2014. In terms of value, Pakistan's non-basmati rice exports earned $114 million in May 2015, down about 17% from around $137.5 million earned in April 2015, and up about 53% from around $74.63 million earned in May 2014.
Pakistan has exported around 3.71 million tons of rice (around 458,995 tons of basmati and around 3.25 million tons of non-basmati) in the first eleven months of FY 2014-15 (July 2014 - June 2015), up about 6% from around 3.49 million tons (around 613,655 tons of basmati and around 2.88 million tons of non-basmati) exported during the same period in FY 2013-14. In terms of value, Pakistan's exports earned around $1,902 million (around $487 million from basmati and around $1,415 million from non-basmati) in July 2014 - May 2015, down about 5.5% from around $2,013 million (around $703 million from basmati and around $1,310 million from non-basmati) earned during the same period in 2013-14.

Oryza Afternoon Recap - Chicago Rough Rice Futures End Week on Bearish Note as Negative Grains Exert Downward Pressure

Jun 19, 2015
Chicago rough rice futures for Jul delivery settled 9.5 cents per cwt (about $2 per ton) higher at $9.720 per cwt (about $214 per ton). Rough rice futures erased yesterday’s gains and once again moved lower, adding to losses sustained earlier in the week. The market remains range bound and will technically remain so until either support at $9.400 per cwt (about $207 per ton) is breached or resistance at $10.000 per cwt (about $220 per ton) is taken out. The other grains finished the day mostly lower, with wheat being the only contract to manage to finish with a slight gain; Soybeans closed about 0.6% lower at $9.7150 per bushel; wheat finished about 0.1% higher at $4.8850 per bushel, and corn finished the day about 1.3% lower at $3.5325 per bushel.U.S. stocks traded mildly lower on Friday following the Nasdaq's record close as investors eyed developments in the Greece debt talks.
At an emergency summit on Monday, euro zone officials are expected to discuss how to handle a Greek default if no new Greek reform proposals arrive, Reuters reported. Athens has said without further aid, it will be unable to make a 1.5 billion euro ($1.7 billion) debt payment to the International Monetary Fund due on June 30. Meanwhile, large deposit outflows from Greece have raised concerns that Athens may have to implement capital controls. The European Central Bank expanded emergency funding for Greek banks as savers pulled out 1.2 billion euros in a single day on Friday, bankers said in a Reuters report, but Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras insisted the nation's future in the euro was secure. Friday also marks quarterly expirations, which will likely add some volatility. The major averages remain on track for weekly gains of about 1% or more. The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded down 57 points or 0.31%, at 18,058. The S&P 500 traded down 7 points, or 0.33%, at 2,114, with energy leading seven sectors lower and health care leading advancers. The Nasdaq traded down 17 points, or 0.30%, at 5,119. Gold is trading nearly flat, crude oil is seen trading about 2.1% lower, and the U.S. dollar is seen trading at about even at about  1:00pm Chicago time.Thursday, there were 1,632 contracts traded, down from 2,137 contracts traded on Wednesday. Open interest – the number of contracts outstanding – on Thursday decreased by 331 contracts to 10,453.

Government of Thailand Expects Domestic Paddy Prices to Increase About 10% Due to Drought

Jun 19, 2015
The domestic prices of paddy are expected to increase by about 10% to 8,500 baht per ton (around $253) due to lesser supplies from the main crop as well as potential impact of the El Nino, Bloomberg quoted the Deputy Secretary General of the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE).The OAE is reportedly expecting the paddy output from the 2015 main crop (which accounts for about 70% of the total output) may drop by 600,000 tons or about 2% to around 26.5 million tons, from around 27.1 million tons from last year. The government has been instructing famers in 22 provinces of the Central region to delay planting until July for the main rice crop due to lesser water levels in the reservoirs of the Cho Phraya river basin. It has decided to cut water supplies to more than half of the rice land in the region.Of the 1.184 million hectares of rice land in the region, about note that about 4 million rai (around 640,000 hectares) is reportedly unaffected by the reduction in water supplies.
However, farmers in the affected regions are not happy with the government's instructions since some of them had already invested in land preparation and other initial work. The Leader of the Farmers Association noted that since agriculture is livelihood for many of the farmers. He demanded a compensation of about 3,000 baht per rai (around $557 per hectare) for farmers in the affected 22 provinces, as well as a three-year debt moratorium including interest as farmers will not be able to earn sufficiently if they are not allowed to grow crops.Some farmers are also planning to go ahead with their plans and take a risk.USDA estimates Thailand to produce 28.4 million tons of paddy rice (around 18.75 million tons, milled basis) and export around 11 million tons of rice in MY 2014-15 (January - December 2015).

Myanmar Confirms Adequate Domestic Rice Stocks Amid Rising Prices

Jun 19, 2015
The Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF) has confirmed today that the country has sufficient rice stocks to meet the local demand and the rising rice prices are not because of shortage of stocks, Xinhua News Agency quoted a semi-official media report.The MRF stated that the recent increase in local rice prices is due to increased exports and appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the kyat. It also ruled out market reports that rice prices would continue to increase till the monsoon paddy harvest. It noted that domestic prices have peaked and are likely to reverse shortly.
Despite increasing exports, about half of the rice produced last year is still in stocks as part of strategic reserve to meet domestic consumption, the Federation quoted a regional farmers' association as saying.Myanmar exported around 1.8 million tons of rice in MY 2014-15. Last month, the Federation expressed confidence that the country would export about 2 million tons of rice in the fiscal year 2015-16 (April - March) due to increasing demand from China, Africa and Europe.
It noted that especially cross border rice exports to China, which slowed down between August 2014 to February 2015 due to lack of a proper trade agreement between the two countries have reportedly resumed again following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the MRF and China's COFCO to export 100,000 tons this year. Around 4,000 tons of rice is reportedly being exported to China currently through borders every day.According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the domestic prices of most commonly used Emata rice have increased about 33% since November 2014. In June 2015, they are recorded at around 446,010 kyat (around $400) per ton, up about 17% from their year ago levels.USDA estimates Myanmar to export around 1.85 million tons of rice in 2015. Export prices of Myanmar 5% rice currently stand at around $420 per ton.

Oryza Weekly: Increased Demand from Philippines, On El NiƱo Concerns, May Push Up Global Rice Prices

Jun 19, 2015
The Oryza White Rice Index (WRI), a weighted average of global white rice export quotes, ended the week at about $398 per ton, down about $5 per ton from a week ago, down about $8 per ton from a month ago and down about $62 per ton from a year ago.
The USDA forecasts 2015-16 global milled rice production to reach a record high of 481.7 million tons due to higher acreage (a record 161.8 million hectares).  The USDA forecasts global rice trade to decline in 2016 to about 42.4 million tons, down about 2% from 2015.
The National Food Authority Council of the Philippines has decided to import 100,000 tons of 25% long-grain white rice from Vietnam at a higher price than its reference prices of $408.14 after receiving higher bids twice in the June 16 G2G tender. The tender was originally planned for 250,000 tons and the NFA imported 150,000 tons of rice from Vietnam under government-to-government (G2G) tender.
The NFA has approved private traders to import up to 805,200 tons of 25% well-milled rice under the WTO minimum access volume to maintain buffer stocks and avoid potential price spikes amid fears of an impending El Nino weather pattern.
The agency is authorized to import another 250,000 tons if the El Nino weather pattern intensifies.
A high demand from the Philippines is expected to push up the global rice prices, which have been subdued since the beginning of this year due to increased supplies and lower demand.
Thailand
Thailand 5% broken rice is today shown at about $365 per ton, up about $5 per ton from a week ago, down about $10 per ton from a month ago and down about $20 per ton from a year ago.
Thailand’s Public Warehouse Organization (PWO) has declared about 650,000 tons of rice as rotten, which is not fit for human and animal consumption or for ethanol production.  The rice can, however, be used as fuel in electricity generation.
Domestic paddy prices are expected to increase by about 10% to 8,500 baht per ton (around $253) due to reduced supplies from the main crop as well as potential impact of the El Nino, Bloomberg quoted the Deputy Secretary General of the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE) as saying. The OAE is reportedly expecting the paddy output from the 2015 main crop (which accounts for about 70% of the total output) to drop by 600,000 tons or about 2% to around 26.5 million tons, from around 27.1 million tons from last year. The government has been instructing famers in 22 provinces of the Central region to delay planting until July for the main rice crop due to lesser water levels in the reservoirs of the Cho Phraya river basin. It has decided to cut water supplies to more than half of the rice land in the region.
Thailand’s third auction for about 1.06 million tons of rice this year has attracted less interest than the first two auctions.
India
India 5% broken rice is today shown at about $370 per ton, down about $10 per ton from a week ago, down about $5 per ton from month ago, and down about $70 per ton from a year ago.
Planting for India 2015-16 Kharif (main) rice crop (June - December) which began on May 8, 2015 is picking up fast and stands at around 833,000 hectares as of June 19, 2015; up about 1.6% from around 820,000 hectares planted during the same period last year, and up about 77% from last week’s 471,000 hectares, according to preliminary data released by the Indian Agriculture Ministry.
According to Bloomberg, India received 11% above normal rainfall as on June 17, providing required support to the kharif rice and other crop plantings.
The government of India approved a proposal to raise the minimum support price of paddy for the 2015-16 kharif marketing season.  The new price is about 3.6% higher, bringing it to about $220 per ton.
Vietnam
Vietnam 5% broken rice is today shown at about $350 per ton, down about $5 per ton from a week and a month ago and down about $50 per ton from a year ago.
In the period January 1-June 11, Vietnam exported about 2.123 million tons of rice, down about 29.6% from the first half of 2014.  Average rice export price so far this year stands at around $421 per ton (FOB), down about 2.3% per ton from the same time last year.
Pakistan
Pakistan 5% broken rice is today shown at about $380 per ton, down about $5 per ton from a week ago, down about $20 per ton from a month ago and down about $65 per ton from a year ago.
Pakistan has exported around 3.71 million tons of rice (around 458,995 tons of basmati and around 3.25 million tons of non-basmati) in the first eleven months of FY 2014-15 (July 2014 - June 2015), up about 6% from around 3.49 million tons (around 613,655 tons of basmati and around 2.88 million tons of non-basmati) exported during the same period in FY 2013-14.
The Rice Dealers Association in Pakistan is urging the government to revive the Rice Board in order to address various problems faced by the country’s rice sector. The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has also urged the government to set up a rice development board, which can address all the issues related to the rice sector
The government of Pakistan is planning to enact a Geographical Indication Law (GI Law) to bring international distinction to indigenous Pakistan products, including basmati rice.
Central & South America
Brazil 5% broken rice is today shown at about $550 per ton, unchanged from a week and a month ago and down about $115 per ton from a year ago.
Brazil’s Conab has forecasted the country’s 2014-15 paddy rice production at around 12.544 million tons, up about 3.5% from 2013-14.
The Brazilian paddy rice index maintained by CEPEA reached around 33.71 real per 50 kilograms as of June 15, 2015, up about 1.6% from around 33.18 real per 50 kilograms recorded on June 8, 2015.
In terms of USD per ton, the index reached around $217 per ton on June 15, 2015, up about 2% from around $213 per ton recorded on June 8, 2015.
The government of Guyana is preparing for bilateral talks with the government of Venezuela to extend the oil-for-rice PetroCaribe deal, which will expire this year.  Under this deal, Venezuela buys rice from Guyana and sells oil to Guyana.
Five percent broken rice from Uruguay and Argentina is today shown at about $565 per ton, unchanged from a week and a month ago, and down about $60 per ton from a year ago.
U.S.
U.S. 4% broken rice is today shown at about $455 per ton, down about $15 per ton from a week ago, down about $20 per ton from a  month ago and down about $125 per ton from a year ago.
Other Markets
The European Union is considering importing aromatic rice from Myanmar as the demand for aromatic rice in the region is increasing.
The European Farmers’ Union COPA is opposing a mid-term review of the current EU Common Agricultural Policy, which was approved in 2014 and is valid until 2020.
The Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF) has confirmed that the country has sufficient rice stocks to meet the local demand and the rising rice prices are not because of shortage of stocks. The recent increase in local rice prices is attributed to increased exports and appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the kyat.
Iraq has invited international tenders to purchase about 30,000 tons of rice from the U.S., Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, and India, with bids due June 28.
The government of Indonesia aims to procure 2 million tons of rice from local farmers during the dry season (June-mid-December). It has issued a new regulation on basic commodities prices, which allows the government to anticipate price hikes of certain commodities such as rice, whose prices peak during the festive seasons
The government of China is taking steps to enhance its grain storage capacity to about 95% of the total grain output by 2020 in order to ensure grain supply and safety.
North Korea is experiencing its worst drought conditions in a century and about 30% of its paddy rice acreage has dried up as a result. Representatives from the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) who visited North Korea to assess the impact of a reported drought on the country's crop production estimated the country's 2015 paddy production to decline about 12% to around 2.3 million tons from around 2.6 million tons in 2014.
The boro paddy and rice (January-May) procurement drive in Bangladesh has not provided the expected respite to farmers in terms of prices.  The government is reportedly procuring milled rice from millers rather than paddy from farmers. It has already procured around 313,000 tons of milled rice from the millers. Due to this stance by the government, farmers are at a loss as they are not receiving the government set price of $283 per ton, and are forced to sell to millers and traders at much lower prices. Traders and miller s on the other hand are not offering decent prices to farmers as the market is flooded with low quality rice imports from India.
The government of Nepal has planned to launch the first paddy mission from the fiscal year 2015-16 (August 2015 – July 2016) to boost output and help the country become self-sufficient in rice production and cut down imports.
The UN’s FAO estimates Madagascar’s 2015 paddy rice production will be below-average due to erratic rainfall and dry conditions.
The UN’s FAO has agreed to support the rice sector in Zambia under its technical cooperation program.

Government of Pakistan Urged to Set Up Rice Development Board; May Enact GI Law Soon

Jun 19, 2015
Description: http://oryza.com/sites/default/files/field/image/150619pakistanbasmati.jpg
The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has urged the government to set up a rice development board, which can address all the issues related to the rice sector, according to local sources.In a letter to the Commerce Minister and the Food Security and Research Minister, the FPCCI Senior Vice President noted that setting up a rice development board would help promote different rice varieties as well as focus on increasing rice exports, which have in the recent years stagnates due to lack of research and development. He emphasized on the need for developing new rice varieties that provide higher yield at low costs and are more acceptable in the global market. "Competitors had come up with such products due to market-oriented and demand-driven research in consultation with all stakeholders," he reportedly added.
Pakistan has exported around 3.45 million tons of rice (around 428,051 tons of basmati and around 3.02 million tons of non-basmati) in the first ten months of FY 2014-15 (July 2014 - June 2015), up about 6% from around 3.25 million tons (around 601,273 tons of basmati and around 2.71 million tons of non-basmati) exported during the same period in FY 2013-14.Separately, the Commerce Minister told local sources that the government is planning to enact a Geographical Indication Law (GI Law) to bring international distinction to indigenous Pakistan products, including basmati rice.
He noted that the Ministry of Commerce has been instructed to coordinate with the concerned stakeholders of the intellectual property organisation Pakistan, ministry of national food security and research, concerned provincial departments and private sector.The Minister added that the government has been under pressure from the basmati growers and exporters to enact GI law as it would help get a premium to Pakistan basmati rice. A GI law would also help Pakistan file such applications in other countries to protects its products in those countries.Geographical Indications associate certain product to a specific location, thus identifying its originality and uniqueness. Such an indication to any product distinguishes it from the rest of same kind thus bringing premium to its price.

Monsoon Rains Boost India 2015-16 Main Paddy Rice Sowing

Jun 19, 2015
Planting for India 2015-16 Kharif (main) rice crop (June - December) which began on May 8, 2015 is picking up fast and stands at around 833,000 hectares as of June 19, 2015; up about 1.6% from around 820,000 hectares planted during the same period last year, and up about 77% from last week’s 471,000 hectares, according to preliminary data released by the Indian Agriculture Ministry.According to Bloomberg, India received 11% above normal rainfall as on June 17, providing required support to the kharif rice and other crop plantings.
A likely drought-inducing El Nino this year is expected to lower production prospects this year. In its second forecast for 2015, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has lowered its estimate for this year's monsoon rains to 88% of normal, from a previous estimate of 93% due to reports of a strengthening El Nino. It is expecting rainfall to be 85% of the normal in the states of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The IMD expects the El Nino pattern to reach to moderate to a strong one during the monsoon season (June – September).The government of India, in its third advance estimates for major crops, has estimated India's rice production for 2014-15 marketing year (October 2014 - September 2015) at around 102.54 million tons, down about 4% from an estimated 106.65 million tons in 2013-14, according to a statement from the agriculture Ministry.The total Kharif crop sown area stands at 9.16 million hectares as on June 19, 2015, down about 7% from around 9.89 million hectares during the same period last year, according to the Agriculture Ministry.

Philippines Decides to Import 100,000 Tons of Rice from Vietnam

Jun 18, 2015
The National Food Authority (NFA) Council has decided to import 100,000 tons of 25% long-grain white rice, part of June 5 tender to import 250,000 tons, from Vietnam at its revised offer of $416.85 per ton, local sources quoted the Philippine News Agency.The NFA initially sought to import 250,000 tons of rice in a government-to-government (G2G) tender on June 5 to maintain adequate stocks during the lean season (July - September). It invited Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia with which it has import agreements. However, it imported only 150,000 tons from Vietnam at $410 per ton from Vietnam.
It re-invited bids from the three governments for the remaining 100,000 tons on June 16. But all the three bids were much higher than its reference price of $408.14 per ton. Therefore, they were asked to revise the bids. While Thailand backed out, Vietnam's bid at $416 per ton and Cambodia's bid at $455 were again higher than the reference price.The NFA referred the matter to the NFA Council to decide whether it can import rice at the lowest bid, which is from Vietnam.Now, the NFA imported all the 250,000 tons from Vietnam at an average price of $412.81. The NFA Administrator noted that they want the rice to be delivered by July 1, that is before the beginning of lean months.
The NFA is in a hurry to complete import arrangements as it is mandated to maintain a 30-day buffer stock during the lean season. The NFA currently holds a buffer stock of 750,000 tons of rice, which is expected to last only for 24 days.The Philippines imported 750,000 tons of rice (550,000 tons from Vietnam and 200,000 tons from Thailand) so far this year. Earlier this week, the NFA invited private traders to import up to 805,200 tons of rice under the WTO's minimum access volume (MAV) quota at 35% tariff. It is also authorized to import another 250,000 tons if the El Nino weather pattern intensifies. The decision on this additional volume will be decided next month after assessing the impact of El Nino on the paddy production, according to the NFA Deputy Administrator.Both FAO and USDA are estimating the Philippines to import 1.7 million tons of rice in 2015.

'Star Wars' Stormtroopers Help Kids Plant Rice

Jun 19, 2015
Young school children in Japan witnessed a special treat when they recently began planting rice for their rice paddy art projects: Imperial Stormtroopers from Star Wars were in attendance to make sure everything went smoothly.  Who knew Stormtroopers could be so helpful in the paddy fields?
The event was a promotion for the new movie in the franchise, Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, due out later this year.
Image source: Cinema Today

Thailand, Pakistan Rice Sellers Increase Some of Their Quotes; Other Asia rice Quotes Unchanged Today

Jun 19, 2015
Thailand rice sellers increased their quotes for 100% broken variety by about $5 per ton to around $370-$380 per ton today. Pakistan rice sellers increased their quotes for 25% broken rice and 100% broken rice by about $10 per ton and $5 per ton to around $345-$355 per ton and $300-$310 per ton, respectively. Other Asia rice sellers kept their quotes mostly unchanged today.                                                                                                                        
5% Broken Rice
Thailand 5% rice is indicated at around $350 - $360 per ton, about a $5 per ton premium on Vietnam 5% rice  shown at around $345 - $355 per ton. India 5% rice is indicated at around $365 - $375 per ton, about  $15 per ton discount to Pakistan 5% rice shown at around $380 - $390 per ton.
25% Broken Rice
Thailand 25% rice is shown at around $340 - $350 per ton, about a $15 per ton premium on Vietnam 25% rice shown at around $325- $335 per ton. India 25% rice is indicated at around $350 - $360, about $5 per ton premium on Pakistan 25% rice shown at around $345 - $355per ton, up about a $10 per ton from yesterday.
Parboiled Rice
Thailand parboiled rice is indicated at around $360 - $370 per ton. India parboiled rice is indicated at around $360 - $370 per ton, about a $40 per ton discount to Pakistan parboiled rice shown at around $400 - $410 per ton.
100% Broken Rice

Thailand broken rice, A1 Super, is indicated at around $315 - $325 per ton, about $5 per ton premium on Vietnam 100% broken rice shown at around $310 - $320 per ton. India's 100% broken rice is shown at around $280 - $290 per ton, about a $20 per ton discount to  Pakistan broken sortexed rice shown at around $300 - $310 per ton, up about a $5 per ton from yesterday.
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Thursday, June 18, 2015

18th June (Thursday),2015 Daily Exclusive ORYZA Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

About 30% of North Korean Paddy Rice Acreage Dried Up Due to Drought, Says KCNA

Jun 17, 2015
North Korea is experiencing worst drought conditions in a century and about 30% of the country's rice land has dried up, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on June 16."Water level of reservoirs stands at the lowest, while rivers and streams (are) getting dry," said the report. Official sources are predicting the production of rice to decline by about 20% of the average production if the shortage of water continues till July.USDA estimates North Korea's 2015 milled rice production at around 1.7 million tons, down about 10% from around 1.88 million tons in 2014.

Asia Rice Quotes Unchanged Today

Jun 17, 2015
Asia rice sellers kept their quotes mostly unchanged today.                                                           
5% Broken Rice
Thailand 5% rice is indicated at around $355 - $365 per ton, about a $10 per ton premium on Vietnam 5% rice  shown at around $345 - $355 per ton. India 5% rice is indicated at around $365 - $375 per ton, about  $15 per ton discount to Pakistan 5% rice shown at around $380 - $390 per ton.
25% Broken Rice
Thailand 25% rice is shown at around $340 - $350 per ton, about a $10 per ton premium on Vietnam 25% rice shown at around $330- $340 per ton. India 25% rice is indicated at around $350 - $360, about $15 per ton premium on Pakistan 25% rice shown at around $335 - $345per ton.
Parboiled Rice
Thailand parboiled rice is indicated at around $360 - $370 per ton. India parboiled rice is indicated at around $355 - $365 per ton, about a $45 per ton discount to Pakistan parboiled rice shown at around $400 - $410 per ton.
100% Broken Rice
Thailand broken rice, A1 Super, is indicated at around $315 - $325 per ton, about $5 per ton premium on Vietnam 100% broken rice shown at around $310 - $320 per ton. India's 100% broken rice is shown at around $280 - $290 per ton, about a $15 per ton discount to  Pakistan broken sortexed rice shown at around $295 - $305 per ton.

About Half of Rice Land in Central Region Will Not Be Affected by Reduced Water Supplies, Says Thai Agriculture Ministry

Jun 17, 2015
Thailand's Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry has announced that about 3.4 million rai (around 544,000 hectares) of rice land, or 46% of the total rice land in the Central region will not be affected by the government's decision to cut water supplies from the Chao Praya River basin to irrigated lands, according to local sources.The Agriculture Minister noted that the drought was most severe in 22 provinces of the Central region, where about 7.4 million rai (around 1.184 million hectares) of rice land receive an irrigated water supply from the Chao Praya River. It advised the rice farmers in about 4 million rai (around 640,000 hectares) land to wait until there is sufficient rain at the end of next month. He urged the farmers to understand the situation and follow the government advice to delay planting until the water levels in the reservoirs improve.
Separately, the Prime Minister told local sources that the government has instructed the  Department of Royal Artificial Rain-making and Agricultural Aviation to monitor the weather conditions and accordingly create artificial rain in areas with reservoirs in order to increase the supply.Meanwhile the Thai Rice Mill Association (TRMA) President expressed concern that the prolonged low rice price in Thailand may force many rice millers to shut their operations. He told local sources that more than 100 mill operators are affected by the falling rice prices.
Currently, the price of 15% moisture content rice is ruling at about 7,500 – 7,700 baht per ton (around $222 - $228) down from the previous 8,000 – 8,500 baht per ton (around $237 - $252). Average farm price of paddy is at around 6,700 – 7,000 baht per ton (around $199 - $208), he said.

Bangladesh's Boro Rice Procurement Drive Fails to Provide Respite to Farmers

Jun 18, 2015
The boro paddy and rice (January – May) procurement drive has not provided the expected respite to farmers in terms of prices, according to local sources.Despite the ongoing procurement drive, farmers are forced to sell their paddy at almost half of their production costs. They are currently selling freshly harvested boro rice between Tk 480 - 500 per 40 kilograms (around $146-$162 per ton) against the government's estimated production cost of around Tk 800 per 40 kilograms (around $260 per ton).
The government began the procurement of one million tons of 2015 boro paddy and 100,000 tons of boro rice from May 1, 2015. The procurement drive will continue till August 31, 2015. It has fixed the procurement price for paddy at Tk 22 per kilogram (around $283 per ton) and that for rice at Tk 32 per kilogram (around $412 per ton). 
However, local sources say the government is currently procuring milled rice from millers rather than paddy from farmers. It has already procured around 313,000 tons of milled rice from the millers. Due to this stance by the government, farmers are at a loss as they are not receiving the government set price of $283 per ton, and are forced to sell to millers and traders at much lower prices. Traders and miller s on the other hand are not offering decent prices to farmers as the market is flooded with low quality rice imports from India.Farmers are worried as they are unable to recover their production costs and also they are not in a position to hold their output until the government starts procuring paddy from them.
The government imposed a duty of 10% on rice imports in May this year to curb increasing imports from India. Though this action by the government increased boro paddy price by about 20%, farmers had not benefitted out of it. Most of the farmers reportedly sold their output from the boro harvest season even before the duty imposition and were not left with any stocks to take advantage of the increased prices. According to local sources, this decision was also meant to benefit millers who stocked enough paddy from the ongoing harvest.Either way, farmers stand at a loss, according to local sources.The government is estimating the output from the 2014-15 ongoing boro crop at around 19 million tons.
USDA estimates Bangladesh’s MY 2014-15 (July 2014 – June 2015) milled rice production to slightly increase to about 34.5 million tons from an estimated 34.39 million tons in MY 2013-14. It estimates Bangladesh to import 1.1 million tons of rice in 2015.   

EU Seeks Aromatic Rice Import Deal from Myanmar

Jun 18, 2015
The European Union (EU) is considering to import aromatic rice from Myanmar as the demand for aromatic rice in the region is increasing, according to local sources.A delegation from the European Commission (EC) had met with the representatives of the Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF) on June 17 to discuss the country's ability to export fragrant rice to the EU in the mid- to long-term. The General Secretary of the MRF reportedly told the delegation that Myanmar can produce both short and long grain aromatic rice and can meet the EU demand through the contract farming system. Myanmar produces two types of fragrant rice - Lone Thwal Hmwe and Paw San.
The MRF Vice-Chairman told local sources that exporting fragrant rice to the EU will help Myanmar rice farmers to diversify their market but they need to increase the aromatic rice production if they have to export it to the EU as the current production is sufficient only to meet the local demand. He also noted that since the local price of Paw San is quite high, most of the farmers do not want to export. He added that the export price of Paw San would be in the range of $900 per ton.According to the MRF data, Myanmar exported around 100,000 tons of rice to the EU in 2014 and the government is targeting to export 200,000 tons this year.The EU statistics show that Myanmar's rice exports (both milled and semi-milled) to the EU increased about 120% to around 45,240 tons during September 2014 - April 2015 from around 20,848 tons during the same period last year. The EU imports rice from Myanmar under the Everything But Arms (EBA) agreement at zero percent import duty."An export deal with Myanmar on aromatic rice strains would “create a win-win situation, as we don’t produce them and we want and eat them,” a member of the EU delegation was quoted as saying.Separately, Myanmar rice exporters are planning to attend an exhibition in Milan next month as part of efforts to promote Myanmar rice in Italy and other EU markets. So far, China is the largest export market for Myanmar rice, but the government is keen on diversifying its export market and reduce too much dependence on China.

Government of Guyana Seeks to Extend PetroCaribe Deal with Venezuela

Jun 18, 2015
The government of Guyana is preparing for bilateral talks with the government of Venezuela to extend the oil-for-rice PetroCaribe deal, which is to expire this year, according to local sources. Under the deal Venezuela buys rice from Guyana and sells oil to Guyana.Under the existing agreement, Guyana is expected to sell about 210,000 tons of paddy and polished rice annually to Venezuela. The value of this supply is reportedly $130 million.According to the Minister of State, the government is seeking to extend the PetroCaribe deal with Venezuela at a time when other South American countries are eyeing a major share in the Venezuelan rice market. However, he expressed confidence that the deal could be extended given the long-standing relationship of Guyana with Venezuela. "We believe that because of the length of time that we have been shipping rice to Venezuela market they might have become accustomed to Guyana's rice and we stand a better chance of being able to negotiate a longer term arrangement," he was quoted as saying.
He also noted that the Foreign Affairs Minister will deal this matter with the support of other Ministers.At home, stakeholders of the rice market have been complaining of the government's lethargy in making payments to the farmers. They blame the government for mostly focusing on finding markets for private rice exporters and negotiating prices overlooking internal problems.Recently, there was an uproar about mismanagement of the PetroCaribe fund. The Minister of State noted that the fund was empty and the government needs to arrange about $15 million to pay farmers.The deal is very important for Guyana as it had helped Guyana's rice industry develop significantly with increasing production and exports. It has been providing higher prices compared to other countries' offers. The deal also helped to achieve food security in the Caribbean region.
Guyana produced around 633,000 tons of rice in 2014, up about 18% from around 535,212 tons from 2013; and exported around 501,208 tons of rice in 2014, up about 27% from around 394,000 tons exported in 2013, according to the Agriculture Minister. The Caribbean nation aims to produce about 618,000 tons of milled rice and export around 521,000 tons in 2015.USDA estimates Guyana to produce 650,000 tons of milled rice in the MY 2015-16(January 2015 - December 2015) and export about 500,000 tons in 2015. The FAO estimates Guyana to produce 570,000 tons of milled rice and export around 460,000 tons in 2015.
Global Rice Quotes
June 18th, 2015

Long grain white rice - high quality

Thailand 100% B grade            365-375           ↔
Vietnam 5% broken      345-355           ↔
India 5% broken           365-375           ↔
Pakistan 5% broken     380-390           ↔
Myanmar 5% broken    415-425           ↔
Cambodia 5% broken   430-440           ↔
U.S. 4% broken           450-460           ↔
Uruguay 5% broken     565-575           ↔
Argentina 5% broken   555-565           ↔

Long grain white rice - low quality
Thailand 25% broken   340-350           ↔
Vietnam 25% broken    325-335           ↓
Pakistan 25% broken   335-345           ↔
Cambodia 25% broken             410-420           ↔
India 25% broken         350-360           ↔
U.S. 15% broken         440-450           ↔

Long grain parboiled rice
Thailand parboiled 100% stxd 360-370           ↔
Pakistan parboiled 5% broken stxd      400-410           ↔
India parboiled 5% broken stxd            360-370           ↑
U.S. parboiled 4% broken        555-565           ↔
Brazil parboiled 5% broken      570-580           ↔
Uruguay parboiled 5% broken             NQ       ↔

Long grain fragrant rice
Thailand Hommali 92%             840-850           ↔
Vietnam Jasmine          465-475           ↓
India basmati 2% broken          NQ       ↔
Pakistan basmati 2% broken    NQ       ↔
Cambodia Phka Mails   820-830           ↔

Brokens

Thailand A1 Super       315-325           ↔
Vietnam 100% broken 310-320           ↔
Pakistan 100% broken stxd      295-305           ↔
Cambodia A1 Super     350-360           ↔
India 100% broken stxd           280-290           ↔
Egypt medium grain brokens   NQ       ↔
U.S. pet food   350-360           ↔
Brazil half grain            NQ       ↔


All prices USD per ton, FOB vessel, oryza.com

Government of India Increases 2015-16 Paddy MSP by About 3.6% to $220 per Ton

Jun 17, 2015
Oryza.com - 
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the proposal by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) to increase the minimum support price (MSP) for common paddy during the 2015-16 kharif marketing season (October - September) by about Rs.50 per quintal (around $7.8 per ton) or about 3.6% to around Rs.1,410 per quintal (around $220 per ton), according to local sources.The CCEA has also increased the MSP for Grade A/superior paddy by about Rs.50 per quintal (around $7.8 per ton) or about 3.6% to around Rs.1,450 per quintal (around $226 per ton).
For the 2014-15 kharif marketing season, the government increased the MSP for common grade paddy by about 3.8% to around Rs.1,310 per quintal (around $218 per ton) and increased the MSP for Grade 'A' paddy by about 4% to around Rs.1,345 per quintal (around $223 per ton).Analysts say percentage wise, there has been a steady decline in the paddy MSP hike over the last few years, except for the crop year 2011 when there was no hike. In 2012-13 Kharif marketing season, the government increased the paddy MSP by 15.74%.Meanwhile, amid fears of lower rainfall due to an El Nino weather pattern, the government is reportedly preparing to deal with exigencies which are likely to arise due to a deficient monsoon. The major rice growing states such as Punjab, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Odisha have so far received excess or normal rainfall since the beginning of the monsoon season on June 1.
USDA estimates India's MY 2015-16 (October - September) milled rice production at 104 million tons, up about 1.5% from an estimated 102.5 million tons in MY 2014-15. It expects India to export around 10.2 million tons of rice during 2015, slightly up from an estimated 10.15 million tons in 2014.

Oryza Afternoon Recap - Chicago Rough Rice Futures Fail to Maintain Morning Momentum and Slide into the Close

Jun 17, 2015
Chicago rough rice futures for Jul delivery settled 7 cents per cwt (about $2 per ton) lower at $9.730 per cwt (about $215 per ton). After trading higher overnight and for the majority of the day session rough rice futures reversed direction and closed lower. The market once again failed at nearby overhead resistance noted around the $9.900 per cwt (about $218 per ton) level and now look poised to trade lower towards the bottom of the current $9.400-$10.000 per cwt (about $207-$220 per ton) trading range. The other grains continued higher today, with impressive gains noted in both the soy and corn pits for the second consecutive day; Soybeans closed about 1.2% higher at $9.6900 per bushel; wheat finished about 0.5% higher at $4.9125 per bushel, and corn finished the day about 1.5% higher at $3.5925 per bushel.
U.S. stocks traded mostly lower on Wednesday as investors digested the Federal Reserve statement. The Federal Open Market Committee concluded its two-day meeting in the afternoon. The statement was due at 2:00 p.m. ET and Fed Chair Janet Yellen is scheduled to hold a press conference at 2:30 p.m. Stocks reversed opening gains to trade lower ahead of the statement release. With consensus for a September rate hike, most investors do not expect major policy changes from the central bank's announcement. U.S. stocks closed higher on Tuesday as the Fed began its two-day meeting and investors attempted to shake off worries about Greece debt talks, which reached an impasse over the weekend. The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded down 48 points, or 0.27%, at 17,854. The S&P 500 traded down 6 points, or 0.28%, at 2,090, with telecommunications leading all 10 sectors lower. The Nasdaq traded down 8 points, or 0.15%, at 5,047. Gold is trading about 0.2% lower, crude oil is seen trading about 1.5% lower, and the U.S. dollar is seen trading about 0.1% lower at about  1:00pm Chicago time.Tuesday, there were 2,162 contracts traded, up from 1,825 contracts traded on Monday. Open interest – the number of contracts outstanding – on Tuesday decreased by 31 contracts to 11,101.

Oryza Overnight Recap – Chicago Rough Rice Futures Capture Overnight Support from Firmer Grain Complex and Weaker Dollar

Jun 17, 2015
Chicago rough rice futures for Jul delivery are currently seen trading 3 cent per cwt (about $1 per ton) higher at $9.830 per cwt (about $217 per ton) ahead of floor trading in Chicago. The other grains are seen trading higher; soybeans are currently seen trading about 0.6% higher, wheat is listed about 1.5% higher and corn is currently noted about 0.6% higher.U.S. stock futures pointed to a flat to slightly higher open on Wednesday, with the spotlight shifting from the crisis in Greece to the Federal Reserve. The U.S. central bank concludes a two-meeting with a statement and new economic and interest rate forecasts at 2 p.m. ET.
Fed chief Janet Yellen holds a 2:30 p.m. press briefing amid talk that the Fed is gearing up for a September interest rate rise as the economy recovers. U.S. stock futures pared early gains, with Dow Jones industrial average futures trading more than 15 points higher during the European morning session. Wall Street shares closed higher on Tuesday as the Fed began its two-day meeting and investors attempted to shake off worries about the Greece debt talks. Later on Wednesday, the European Central Bank is expected to hold a meeting to review emergency funds, known as the Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA). Greek banks are reliant on this funding and analysts warn that if the central bank curbs this liquidity, Greece may have no option but to impose capital controls. Gold is currently trading about 0.3% lower, crude oil is seen trading about 1.9% higher,  and the U.S. dollar is currently trading about 0.2% lower at 8:30am Chicago time.

Oryza U.S. Rough Rice Recap - Prices Slip as Window to Market Old Crop Narrows

Jun 17, 2015
The U.S. cash market was slightly weaker today as buyer interest remains limited while those with rice left to sell see their window to market their crop narrow as new crop in South Louisiana approaches harvest late next month.Analysts contend that export demand will have to increase substantially to help make room for new crop and stabilize prices; however, most doubt that tomorrow’s USDA exports sales report will show a significant increase from the last two weeks' sales figures which were tepid, at best.

Thailand, Vietnam Rice Sellers Lower Some of Their Quotes; India Rice Sellers Increase Some of Their Quotes Today

Jun 18, 2015
Thailand rice sellers lowered their quotes for 5% broken rice by about $5 per ton to around $350-$360 per ton today. Vietnam rice sellers lowered their quotes for 25% broken rice and Jasmine rice by about $5 per ton and about $10 per ton to around $325-$335 and $465-$475 per ton, respectively. India rice sellers increased their quotes for parboiled rice by about $5 per ton to around $360-$370 per ton. Pakistan rice sellers kept their quotes mostly unchanged today. 
5% Broken Rice
Thailand 5% rice is indicated at around $350 - $360 per ton, down about a $5 per ton from yesterday and about a $5 per ton premium on Vietnam 5% rice  shown at around $345 - $355 per ton. India 5% rice is indicated at around $365 - $375 per ton, about $15 per ton discount to Pakistan 5% rice shown at around $380 - $390 per ton.
25% Broken Rice
Thailand 25% rice is shown at around $340 - $350 per ton, about a $15 per ton premium on Vietnam 25% rice shown at around $325- $335 per ton, down about a $5 per ton from yesterday. India 25% rice is indicated at around $350 - $360, about $15 per ton premium on Pakistan 25% rice shown at around $335 - $345 per ton.
Parboiled Rice
Thailand parboiled rice is indicated at around $360 - $370 per ton. India parboiled rice is indicated at around $360 - $370 per ton, up about a $5 per ton from yesterday and about a $40 per ton discount to Pakistan parboiled rice shown at around $400 - $410 per ton.
100% Broken Rice
Thailand broken rice, A1 Super, is indicated at around $315 - $325 per ton, about $5 per ton premium on Vietnam 100% broken rice shown at around $310 - $320 per ton. India's 100% broken rice is shown at around $280 - $290 per ton, about a $15 per ton discount to  Pakistan broken sortexed rice shown at around $295 - $305 per ton.

What Are India's Options for Rice Straw Disposal?

Jun 17, 2015
India, the second largest rice producer in the world, produces nearly 130 million tons of rice straw annually. While half of it is used as cattle feed, farmers want economically viable means of disposing the other half, according to an article published in a UK magazine.Unable to find economically lucrative methods, most farmers burn the straw in their fields to quickly get rid of it before the new season begins. However, burning of rice straw is not environmentally safe process as it releases gases such as gases like carbon dioxide, methane, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, sulphur oxide and large amount of particulate matters, which adversely affect human health as well as the environment.
Farmers are yet to realize the importance of rice straw as a form of manure and as a profitable raw material for various industries. In the major rice growing states of Punjab and Haryana, farmers have tried various means of disposing the rice straw while earning them some income.Brick manufacturing companies, power companies, and paper and packaging industries use rice straw as a raw material. But farmers say those industries don't offer decent prices, and considering all rice production costs, they are not sure of assured returns.
Some agricultural specialists have devised a composting technique, which can convert huge piles of rice straw into organically rice soil. However, since the whole process takes about 45 days, farmers have found it very labor-intensive. Similarly, another method called "mulching" was also suggested. In this process, straw is spread across the soil surface and allowed to decompose naturally into the soil by the activity of worms and other organisms. Though some farmers have adopted this process, it has not become very popular.In this backdrop, the author says farmers want quick and easy solutions and they are very much aware of the multiple options available for managing agro-waste. But they will give up burning rice straw only if they receive lucrative returns. The author suggests that the governments could convince farmers to stop burning rice straw and help them earn lucrative returns through international carbon trading.

Philippines May Import 100,000 Tons of Rice at Higher Price from Vietnam

Jun 17, 2015
The National Food Authority (NFA) of the Philippines may consider to import 100,000 tons of 25% broken well-milled long grain white rice from Vietnam at a higher price than its reference price of $408.14 after receiving higher bids twice in the June 16 government-to-government (G2G) tender, according to local sources.On June 16, when the NFA invited bids for the remaining 100,000 tons of the June 5 tender, Thailand offered to sell 100,000 tons at $418 per ton, Vietnam and Cambodia offered at $417 per ton and $464 per ton respectively. The NFA rejected all the bids and asked the bidders to submit revised bids by 07.00 GMT.
However, Thailand backed out of the bidding as the reference price set by the NFA was too low compared to the global prices. On the other hand Vietnam revised its bid to supply 100,000 tons of rice at $416 per ton and Cambodia revised its bid to supply 50,000 tons of rice at $455.5 per ton. Both the bids were still higher than the reference price set by the NFA. However, the NFA is reportedly considering to import rice at the lowest bid rate, which is from Vietnam.Since the NFA has no authority to accept bids that are higher than the reference price, the matter has been referred to the NFA Council, which has set the terms of reference for G2G contracts, according to the Presidential Adviser on Food Security and Modernization (PAFSAM), noted that the decision on imports is pending. He noted that the NFA Council will meet on Wednesday to decide on the matter.
The imports are meant to maintain buffer stocks during the lean season (July - December). The NFA currently holds a buffer stock of 750,000 tons of rice, which is expected to last for 24 days. Since the NFA has to maintain a 30-day buffer stock during lean months, it is dependent on the 100,000 tons imports.
“It’s just that we need to beef up and increase our buffer stock for the lean months in line with our commitment to the government policy that every July 1 we should have at least 30 days. We need to be compliant with our commitment to good governance,” the NFA Deputy Administrator was quoted as saying.



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