Tuesday, September 01, 2015

1st September (Tuesday), 2015 Daily Exclusive ORYZA Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine







Drought Affects 185,451 Hectares of Paddy Fields in Cambodia

Aug 31, 2015
Persisting dry conditions have affected rice seedlings in about 185,451 hectares of paddy fields in Cambodia, Khmer Times quoted a report by the Agriculture Minister.
According to the report sent to the Prime Minister, about 9,240 hectares of paddy fields have been completely damaged. It noted that around 2.12 million hectares of rice fields, or about 82.7% of the total rice acreage of about 2.57 million hectares in the country. Planting usually begins in May, but it has been delayed due to early-season drought which led to lack of water in reservoirs.
USDA estimates Cambodia's average yield per hectare at 2.43 tons. Based on these estimates, Cambodia may have about 450,000 tons of paddy affected by flooding this year. Cambodia produced around 9 million tons of paddy rice in 2014, according to the local sources. 
USDA estimates Cambodia MY 2014-15 (January 2015 - December 2015) paddy rice production at around 7.344 million tons (around 4.7 million tons, milled basis), slightly down from around 7.383 million tons (around 4.725 million tons, milled basis) in MY 2013-14. It estimates Cambodia to export around 1.1 million tons of rice in 2015, up about 10% from an estimated 1 million tons in 2014. 
 Global Rice Quotes
August 31st, 2015

Long grain white rice - high quality
Thailand 100% B grade          370-380           ↔
Vietnam 5% broken    325-335           ↔
India 5% broken         365-375           ↑
Pakistan 5% broken    320-330           ↔
Myanmar 5% broken   415-425           ↑
Cambodia 5% broken             425-435           ↔
U.S. 4% broken           485-495           ↔
Uruguay 5% broken    535-545           ↔
Argentina 5% broken 530-540           ↔

Long grain white rice - low quality
Thailand 25% broken 340-350           ↔
Vietnam 25% broken 310-320           ↔
Pakistan 25% broken 295-305           ↔
Cambodia 25% broken           410-420           ↔
India 25% broken       340-350           ↑
U.S. 15% broken         460-470           ↔

Long grain parboiled rice
Thailand parboiled 100% stxd            360-370           ↔
Pakistan parboiled 5% broken stxd    415-425           ↔
India parboiled 5% broken stxd         355-365           ↔
U.S. parboiled 4% broken       570-580           ↔
Brazil parboiled 5% broken    545-555           ↔
Uruguay parboiled 5% broken            NQ      ↔
Long grain fragrant rice
Thailand Hommali 92%          830-840           ↓
Vietnam Jasmine         455-465           ↔
India basmati 2% broken        NQ      ↔
Pakistan basmati 2% broken   NQ      ↔
Cambodia Phka Mails             830-840           ↔

Brokens
Thailand A1 Super      315-325           ↔
Vietnam 100% broken            305-315           ↔
Pakistan 100% broken stxd    280-290           ↔
Cambodia A1 Super   355-365           ↔
India 100% broken stxd         295-305           ↔
Egypt medium grain brokens NQ      ↔
U.S. pet food 335-345           ↔
Brazil half grain          NQ      ↔
All prices USD per ton, FOB vessel, oryza.com




India Average Wholesale Rice Prices Increase Slightly in August 2015

Aug 31, 2015
India average wholesale rice prices increased slightly in August 2015 after declining for last two months. The increase can be attributed to fears of a shortfall in production due to below-average monsoon rains.
Average monthly wholesale rice prices in India increased to around Rs.2,663.31 per quintal in August 2015, slightly up from around Rs.2,650.04 per quintal in July 2015, and down about 18% from their year-ago levels of around Rs.3,254 per quintal.
In terms of USD per ton, wholesale rice prices in India stand at around $403 per ton (using current exchange rates) in August 2015, down about 3% from around $416 per ton (using historical exchange rates) in July 2015, and down about 26% from around $542 per ton (using historical exchange rates) in August 2014.     
India’s average prices are likely to increase further if India’s production is dampened by a moderate drought-inducing El Nino weather pattern, which is expected to persist between July and September. Weather bureaus in Australia and Japan are forecasting an intensifying El Nino weather pattern, which is already causing dry conditions in South East Asian countries, including Thailand, North Korea, Indonesia and the Philippines.
The government of India is monitoring the impact of El Nino on monsoon rains in the country, which are expected to be about 16% below normal during the second half (August-September) of the monsoon season (June-September). The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts a deficit of over 10% in September rainfall.
However, below-average rains have so far not affected this year's kharif rice planting operations. Total rice planted area stood at around 34.59 million hectares as of August 28, 2015, slightly up from around 34.55 million hectares planted during the same time last year.
USDA estimates India's 2015-16 (October - September) production at around 104  million tons, up about 1.5% from an estimated 102.5 million tons in 2014-15. It estimates India's 2015 rice exports at around 10.2 million tons, slightly up from an estimated 10.15 million tons in 2014.

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

Aug 31, 2015
Thailand rice sellers lowered their quotes for Hommali rice by about $5 per ton to around $830-$840 per ton today. India rice sellers increased their quotes for 5% broken rice and 25% broken rice by about $5 per ton each to around $365-$375 per ton and $340-$350 per ton respectively. Other Asia rice sellers kept their quotes mostly unchanged today.                                     
5% Broken Rice
Thailand 5% rice is indicated at around $360 - $370 per ton, about $35 per ton premium on Vietnam 5% rice shown at around $325 - $335 per ton. India 5% rice is indicated at around $365 - $375 per ton, up about $5 per ton from Friday and about $45 per ton premium on Pakistan 5% rice shown at around $320 - $330 per ton.
25% Broken Rice
Thailand 25% rice is shown at around $340 - $350 per ton, about $30 per ton premium on Vietnam 25% rice shown at around $310- $320 per ton. India 25% rice is indicated at around $340 - $350 per ton, up about $5 per ton from yesterday and about $45 per ton premium on Pakistan 25% rice shown at around $295 - $305 per 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 $60 per ton discount to Pakistan parboiled rice last shown at around $415 - $425 per ton.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
100% Broken Rice
Thailand broken rice, A1 Super, is indicated at around $315 - $325 per ton, about $10 per ton from 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 shown at around $280 - $290 per ton.

Thai Supreme Court Rejects Former Premier's Pleas in Rice Pledging Case

Aug 31, 2015
Thailand's Supreme Court has rejected the former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's plea to allow the trial to be taken up by the Administrative Court as the case was not within jurisdiction of the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders , according to local sources. The Court also denied her plea to reject additional documented evidence from 23 witnesses submitted by the prosecutors. 
The nine judge panel headed by the Supreme Court's Deputy President denied to transfer the case to Administrative court on grounds that the ongoing trial against the former Prime Minister is a criminal case and the Administrative court is not authorized to deal with criminal cases. It also rejected the other pleas saying it has every right to seek truth by summoning and questioning more witnesses.
The court adjourned the hearing to October 29. 2015.
The former Prime Minister is facing charges of dereliction of duty in preventing multi-billion dollar graft in running the controversial rice pledging scheme introduced by her government in October 2011. The scheme is estimated to have caused losses to the extent of about 500 billion baht (around $14 billion) to the government. If proved guilty in the present case, she may have to face imprisonment for 10 years, according to local sources.  

Oryza U.S. Rough Rice Recap - Cash Offers Firm as Sellers Wait To See Yield Results

Aug 31, 2015
The U.S. cash market was firmer today as many sellers took to the sidelines as the futures market rallied. Analysts not that sellers are taking a wait and see approach as they would like to see how their crop yields before they  make any pricing decisions.
In the meantime, the USDA estimates that as of August 30th,  97% of the crop had headed which was the same percentage as this time last year and 2% ahead of the previous 5-year average. As of now, the USDA estimates that 99% of the rice crop in Arkansas had headed compared to , 90% in California, 100% in Louisiana, 98% in Mississippi, 90% in Missouri, and 100% in Texas.
The USDA estimates that  26% of the crop had harvest which was 10% ahead of this time last year and 1% ahead of the previous 5-year average. As of now, the USDA estimates that 16% of the rice crop in Arkansas had been harvested compared to , 0% in California, 84% in Louisiana, 22% in Mississippi, 0% in Missouri, and 75% in Texas.
The USDA estimates that 66% percent of the crop is in good to excellent condition, which was unchanged from last week week and 8% worse than this time last year. As of now, the USDA estimates that 67% of the crop in Arkansas is in good to excellent condition compared to, 70% in California, 61% in Louisiana, 71% in Mississippi, 63% in Missouri, and 52% in Texas.

Nepal's Rice Import Value Surges Sharply in FY 2014-15, Says NRB

Aug 31, 2015
Nepal has imported rice worth Rs.24.75 billion (around $231 million) in the fiscal year 2014-15 (August - July), up about 43% from around Rs.17.26 billion (around $161 million) during FY 2013-14, local sources quoted the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB).
The increase in imports is attributed to poor summer harvests. The country's paddy output has declined by about 258,435 tons or about 5.1% to around 4.78 million tons in this fiscal year due to a late monsoon and untimely rainfall, according to the Agriculture Ministry. Most of the imports are from India, according to local sources.
Agriculture experts told local sources that the Agriculture Ministry's plan to reduce rice import bill by about two-thirds to about Rs.6 billion (around $56 million) in FY 2014-15 has miserably failed. They said a drop in paddy production has put pressure on imports and is likely to continue in FY 2015-16 as well. “The country is also likely to see significant imports of rice this fiscal as droughts in most of the Tarai districts, the country’s food basket, have affected paddy transplantation,” an agro expert and scientist was quoted. Based on the current paddy transplantation estimates, he noted that that rice import value could cross Rs.40 billion (around $373 million) next fiscal year.
The Agriculture Ministry has also estimated that the country would lose paddy worth Rs.25 billion (around $233 million) this year, the expert added. He noted that the government should give more importance to paddy production as it contributes to about Rs.100 billion (around $932 million) to the country's GDP. He suggested that the government come up with a long-term plan to avoid the impact of perennial droughts or floods on the country's paddy production.
USDA estimates Nepal to import around 400,000 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.

Thailand Plans to Sell 732,806 Tons of Stockpiled Rice on September 8, 2015

Aug 31, 2015
The government of Thailand is planning to auction about 732,806 tons of stockpiled rice on September 8, 2015, Reuters quoted a statement from the Commerce Ministry.
Qualified bidders' names will reportedly be announced on September 7, according to the statement.
This is the sixth auction this year and tenth one after the military government took over in May 2014.The government sold around 4.31 million tons of rice raising around 46.3 billion baht (around $1.3 billion) from the first nine auctions.
The Thai military government is still holding about 14 million tons of stocks accumulated from the rice pledging scheme introduced by the previous government.

USDA Post Estimates Thailand Milled Rice Production to Decline 7% y/y in MY 2015-16 Due to Drought

Aug 31, 2015
USDA Post forecasts Thailand's milled rice production in MY 2015-16 (January - December 2015) at around 18 million tons (around 27.3 million tons, basis paddy), down about 7% from around 19.35 million tons (around 29.35 million tons, basic paddy) in MY 2014-15 due to drought conditions that had impacted planting operations of the country's main season rice crop.
Planting for the 2015-16 main rice crop planting is complete in major growing areas. According to the Ministry of Agriculture's Disaster Center report, around one million rai (around 160,000 hectares) of main rice crop had been affected by drought, particularly in the lower northern region and central plains.
The Post reports that reservoir levels in major dams (that supply irrigation for main-crop rice in the northern and central plain regions) in August 2015 are lower than the previous year due to lack of rain. The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) reported that cumulative rainfall was about 15% below normal as of August 19. The TMD expects slightly below normal rainfall between August and October. This is likely to result in lower reservoirs for next dry-season crop in 2016.

In its July report, the Post estimated Thailand's 2015 rice exports at around 10 million tons against the earlier estimated 11 million tons due to a competition from Vietnam especially for 5% broken white rice. 

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31st August (Monday), 2015 Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine


Currency moves to tag-team El Niño in Asia rice markets


By Clyde Russell, Reuters August 31, 2015 | 3:20 pm EDT

Market wisdom is that Asian rice prices are set to rally as El Nino cuts output and bulging stockpiles are steadily eroded.There's nothing wrong with this view, but as is often the case there are some offsetting factors that make a strong rally far from a sure thing, as can be seen by recent price movements in the grain, the staple for some two-thirds of the world's population.Benchmark Thai 5-percent broken white rice staged a 10 percent rally from a 7 1/2-year low of $367.50 a tonne on June 24 to a recent peak of $405 on July 17.However, since then, it has dropped back to a fresh low of $362.50 a tonne on Aug. 27, making the rally very short-lived.Part of this is the general malaise that has roiled most commodity markets, but part is also that buyers have been demanding lower prices because of the depreciation of the Thai baht.The baht has lost 10 percent of its value against the U.S. dollar since its 2015 closing high of 32.33 in April to Thursday's close of 35.64.The fall in the baht has caused the baht price of rice to whipsaw about, but overall it is down about 6 percent so far this year, or less than half the 13.3 drop in dollar terms.It's much the same situation for Thailand's regional competitor in rice exports, Vietnam, which has seen its currency, the dong, slip 6.7 percent against the dollar from the year high in early February to the close of 22,534 on Thursday.Vietnamese 5-percent broken white rice has surrendered 12.9 percent so far this year to $337.50 a tonne, but is down only 8.2 percent in local currency terms.With the outlook for ongoing dollar gains, especially against emerging market currencies, the chances are that buyers will apply additional pressure on sellers to keep prices low in dollar terms.

El Nino Looms

But what of El Nino, the weather phenomenon that brings dry, hot weather to Southeast Asia and Australia, but wetter conditions to North America.Weather forecasters have been upping their predictions for a strong El Nino, which would last into next year and most likely cut output of rice, as well as that of Australian wheat, soybeans in India and corn in China.Any rice production shortfall will have to be made up from stockpiles, but how much more rice is likely to be needed and will it be enough to significantly dent Thailand's rice mountain, built up by the ousted government as part of its generous support measures for farmers?

Indonesia, traditionally a rice importer but trying hard to become self-sufficient, still expects to increase its harvest by 7 percent in 2015 despite El Nino.However, El Nino may delay rice crops and lead to imports of as much as 1.6 million tonnes this year, according to analysts, a step that would help curb rising domestic rice prices, already the second-highest in Southeast Asia.The Philippines, another heavy importer, also plans to boost domestic rice production in 2016, but will import more in 2015 to meet a shortfall in this year's output.The government has already bought 750,000 tonnes this year and may import another 250,000 before the end of the year. Private traders may add as much as 805,200 tonnes by Nov. 30, subject to a 35 percent tariff.

China's early season rice output dropped 0.9 percent to 33.69 million tonnes in 2015 from a year earlier, according to official figures, raising the possibility of higher imports by the world's second-biggest economy.While it seems likely that Asia's top importers will increase purchases, there is still the question of large stockpiles that need to be worked through.Thailand's 13-million tonne rice mountain may actually contain only about 9 million tonnes of edible rice because of spoiling from long storage periods, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).The FAO also says that inventories have been dropping steadily in the world's five biggest exporters, after strong shipments in 2014, and the stock-to-use ratio, the level of inventories relative to domestic consumption and exports, will drop to 19 percent in 2015/16, the lowest since 2007/08.This indicates a tightening of supply, but still suggests there is plenty of rice available even as El Nino makes its presence felt.While rice prices should rise, the chances are that the process won't be even and will be influenced by currency movements, with those exporters experiencing stronger depreciation against the dollar likely to seek to maximize their advantage.


http://www.agprofessional.com/news/currency-moves-tag-team-el-ni%C3%B1o-asia-rice-markets

NFA hit for ‘excessive’ rice importation


 (The Philippine Star) | 


East Africa: Exit Kenya's Sugar, Enter Tanzania Rice - Kampala's New Trade War
The East African (Nairobi)
30 AUGUST 2015
By Julius Barigaba

Even as recent trade wars in the East African Community have mostly featured Kenya and Uganda over sugar exports, Kampala has for the past two months been locked in a dispute with Tanzania over an 18 per cent value added tax on the latter's rice.The EastAfrican has learnt that tens of thousands of tonnes of rice grown and produced in Tanzania are either lying at Mutukula and Port Bell or in other border towns on the Tanzanian side.Uganda says it is invoking its internal law as opposed to the EAC laws. Article 15 (1) and (2) of the EAC Customs Union Protocol prevents discrimination and imposition of internal tax on products of partner states.The five EAC partner states have not yet harmonised domestic tax laws and as such, Uganda's VAT Act applies in this case, according to Moses Egwapu, a tax policy officer at the Ministry of Finance.

"Why should rice from Tanzania not pay VAT? The VAT Act states that rice from outside Uganda attracts VAT... VAT is a domestic tax," Mr Egwapu told The EastAfrican.Mr Egwapu added that the VAT Act applies to all rice imports so as to protect the local industry and give incentive to Ugandan millers to add value to their rice.This, however, plays into the same nationalistic and protectionist motives that Kenya was using to block Ugandan sugar millers from exporting their excess sugar to Kenya to which Kampala responded by blocking beef imports from Kenya, until Presidents Yoweri Museveni and Uhuru Kenyatta agreed to end the long running trade war.But the rice lobby in Uganda, which boasts 120 dealers who buy both locally as well as import from the EAC and elsewhere, is citing the EAC Customs Union Protocol and the EAC Customs Management Act as it heads to the courts to interpret the laws and arbitrate in this dispute."We are waiting for them to write to us formally about their stand and we shall then take them head on."We are going to fight this legally and morally. If this is not solved in the next few days, we will campaign the Protocol, highlighting the discrimination against rice in favour of sugar," said Issa Sekitto, spokesman of the Kampala City Traders Association, the business lobby to which the rice importers belong


http://allafrica.com/stories/201508311255.html

NFA hit for ‘excessive’ rice importation



Data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics show that the June inventory was 30.9 percent higher than the 2.31 metric tons the nation had in June last year. Philstar.com/File

MANILA, Philippines - The National Food Authority (NFA) is under fire for the “excessive importation” of 2.1 million metric tons of rice for this year.As of June 1, the country had a total rice stock inventory of 3.02 million metric tons, Bayan Muna Representatives Neri Colmenares and Carlos Zarate quoted the Department of Agriculture (DA) as saying.Data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics show that the June inventory was 30.9 percent higher than the 2.31 metric tons the nation had in June last year, they added.Despite the higher level of stocks, the NFA imported or authorized the importation of 2.1 million metric tons for this year, Colmenares said.

The 2.1-million metric ton importation includes 500,000 MT the NFA procured from Thailand and Vietnam – 250,000 MT programmed for the lean season, 250,000 MT as reserve volume, 300,000 MT delivery under last year’s minimum access volume (MAV), and 805,200 MT private sector imports from China, India, Pakistan, Australia, El Salvador, Thailand, and Vietnam, he added.Given the rice self-sufficiency figures from the DA,  the approval and excessive importation of a total of 2.1 million MT in rice imports for 2015 is highly irregular and doubtful, Colmenares said.Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

 “Even NFA has admitted that the importation would cause the farm-gate price of palay to go down from its current price of P17 per kilo,” he said.Zarate said the Aquino administration is doing what the Arroyo administration had done.Aquino criticized his predecessor in his previous State of the Nation Address speeches for over-importing rice, especially during election time.
And yet, his administration is importing more rice at a time when the next elections are just around the corner, Zarate added.Aquino has not kept his promise to go after NFA officials and other persons behind the over-importation of rice during the Arroyo administration, he said

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2015/08/31/1494187/nfa-hit-excessive-rice-importation

 

 

Despite rain deficit, kharif sowing completed in 92% of area

Our Bureau
Acreage gap over last year down to 1%

New Delhi, August 28:  
The divergence in Kharif season sowing figures this year compared with the last season narrowed further this week, according to data released by the Agriculture Ministry on Friday. The area under crops, such as rice, cotton, soyabean and sugarcane, is estimated at 967.83 lakh hectares (lh), just 1.1 per cent higher than the corresponding period of the last year.The acreage of pulses continues to be higher — 12 per cent more currently — while the area under cotton has continued to fall.

Rainfall deficit

The overall acreage gap has been closing since mid-July and has become more pronounced in recent weeks. With nearly 92 per cent of sowing completed, steady rainfall over September is pivotal for yields.Drought conditions have continued to prevail across vast tracts of the Southern Peninsula and Central India, which are traditionally rain-fed. As of Friday, India received 12 per cent deficient rainfall due to the El Nino phenomenon, which agencies around the world says is the strongest in history.According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data, there is a 20 per cent rainfall deficit in peninsular India and a 15 per cent shortfall in the Central region. While the North-West had recorded a surplus through the beginning of August, it now has a 7 per cent deficit. Of the 36 sub-divisions, 15 have received deficient rain. Marathwada, central Maharashtra, north interior Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Bihar, east and west Uttar Pradesh are among the most acutely affected regions.

Crop data
Pulses, such as arhar (tur), urad and moong, have been sown across 105.52 lh (94.18 lh). Moong and urad coverage is up nearly 20 per cent and 13.3 per cent, respectively.The area under coarse cereals is up a little more than 3 per cent over the year with 172.5 lh being covered so far with crops, such as jowar, bajra and Kharif maize.

Oilseeds acreage stands at 174.59 lh, only 1.4 per cent higher than the 172.26 lh recorded in the same period last year. Soyabean and sesamum areas are higher, but castor and groundnut coverage have slipped nearly 11 per cent and 3 per cent, respectively. Cotton sowing has taken place over 112.68 lh — around 8 per cent lower than the 122.5 lh sown at the same time last year. The area under jute and mesta remains stagnant and continues to be about 4 per cent lower.
Rice, the main Kharif foodgrain, has been planted on 345.89 lh, marginally higher than the corresponding coverage last year, while the sugarcane area is up 3.5 per cent at 48.84 lh, the same as last week.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/despite-rain-deficit-kharif-sowing-completed-in-92-of-area/article7591437.ece

 

El Nino, depreciation impact rice market

10:35 am, August 30, 2015

ReutersLAUNCESTON, Australia — Market wisdom is that Asian rice prices are set to rally as El Nino cuts output and bulging stockpiles are steadily eroded.There’s nothing wrong with this view, but as is often the case, there are some offsetting factors that make a strong rally far from a sure thing, as can be seen by recent price movements in the grain, the staple for some two-thirds of the world’s population.Benchmark Thai 5-percent broken white rice staged a 10 percent rally from a 7½-year low of $367.50 a ton on June 24 to a recent peak of $405 on July 17.However, since then, it has dropped back to a fresh low of $362.50 a ton on Aug. 27, making the rally very short-lived.Part of this is the general malaise that has roiled most commodity markets, but part is also that buyers have been demanding lower prices because of the depreciation of the Thai baht.

The baht has lost 10 percent of its value against the U.S. dollar since its 2015 closing high of 32.33 in April to Thursday’s close of 35.64.The fall in the baht has caused the baht price of rice to whipsaw about, but overall it is down about 6 percent so far this year, or less than half the 13.3 drop in dollar terms.It’s much the same situation for Thailand’s regional competitor in rice exports, Vietnam, which has seen its currency, the dong, slip 6.7 percent against the dollar from the year high in early February to the close of 22,534 on Thursday.Vietnamese 5-percent broken white rice has surrendered 12.9 percent so far this year to $337.50 a ton, but is down only 8.2 percent in local currency terms.With the outlook for ongoing dollar gains, especially against emerging market currencies, the chances are that buyers will apply additional pressure on sellers to keep prices low in dollar terms.But what of El Nino, the weather phenomenon that brings dry, hot weather to Southeast Asia and Australia, but wetter conditions to North America.

Weather forecasters have been upping their predictions for a strong El Nino, which would last into next year and most likely cut output of rice, as well as that of Australian wheat, soybeans in India and corn in China.Any rice production shortfall will have to be made up from stockpiles, but how much more rice is likely to be needed and will it be enough to significantly dent Thailand’s rice mountain, built up by the ousted government as part of its generous support measures for farmers?

Indonesia, traditionally a rice importer but trying hard to become self-sufficient, still expects to increase its harvest by 7 percent in 2015 despite El Nino.However, El Nino may delay rice crops and lead to imports of as much as 1.6 million tons this year, according to analysts, a step that would help curb rising domestic rice prices, already the second-highest in Southeast Asia.The Philippines, another heavy importer, also plans to boost domestic rice production in 2016, but will import more in 2015 to meet a shortfall in this year’s output.

The government has already bought 750,000 tons this year and may import another 250,000 before the end of the year. rivate traders may add as much as 805,200 tons by Nov. 30, subject to a 35 percent tariff.China’s early season rice output dropped 0.9 percent to 33.69 million tons in 2015 from a year earlier, according to official figures, raising the possibility of higher imports by the world’s second-biggest economy.While it seems likely that Asia’s top importers will increase purchases, there is still the question of large stockpiles that need to be worked through.Thailand’s 13-million ton rice mountain may actually contain only about 9 million tons of edible rice because of spoiling from long storage periods, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The FAO also says that inventories have been dropping steadily in the world’s five biggest exporters, after strong shipments in 2014, and the stock-to-use ratio, the level of inventories relative to domestic consumption and exports, will drop to 19 percent in 2015/16, the lowest since 2007/08.This indicates a tightening of supply, but still suggests there is plenty of rice available even as El Nino makes its presence felt.While rice prices should rise, the chances are that the process won’t be even and will be influenced by currency movements, with those exporters experiencing stronger depreciation against the dollar likely to seek to maximize their advantage

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0002387027


Dow licenses genome-editing method for use in Chinese rice research

 


Dow AgroSciences LLC said late last week that it has granted the Institute of Crop Sciences at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (ICS-CAAS) a research and commercialization license to use Dow's EXZACT genome-editing technology to produce genetically modified rice in China. Under the terms of the agreement, Dow will give ICS-CAAS a royalty-free, non-transferable license to use Dow's EXZACT Precision Genome Editing Technology. 

Dow AgroSciences, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Michigan-based Dow Chemical Company, will be collaborating with ICS-CAAS scientists to develop a rice-genome-editing platform.
 ICS-CAAS scientists will use Dow’s EXZACT technology to increase their expertise in rice genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and cell biology. That could accelerate the integration of scientific knowledge about rice to rapidly develop valuable rice products for the Chinese market. 

Tim Hassinger, president and CEO of Dow AgroSciences, said the collaboration on genetically modified rice holds great promise.
 “We have a long-term commitment in China as a strategic partner for agricultural sustainability and best practices,” Hassinger said. “The EXZACT Precision Technology collaboration with CAAS is a strong example of this commitment, which will significantly enable Chinese scientists to improve rice research and product development, thus benefiting China’s long-term food security.” 

http://cropprotectionnews.com/stories/510635872-dow-licenses-genome-editing-method-for-use-in-chinese-rice-research

Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report

A comprehensive daily commodity market report for Arkansas agricultural commodities with cash markets, futures and insightful analysis and commentary from Arkansas Farm Bureau commodity analysts.
Noteworthy benchmark price levels of interest to farmers and ranchers, as well as long-term commodity market trends which are developing. Daily fundamental market influences and technical factors are noted and discussed.
Soybeans
High
Low
Cash Bids
910
831
New Crop
907
841


Riceland Foods


Cash Bids
Stuttgart: - - -
Pendleton: - - -
New Crop
Stuttgart: - - -
Pendleton: - - -


Futures:
High
Low
Last
Change
Sep '15
898.00
880.75
897.50
+4.25
Nov '15
888.50
871.00
887.50
+2.00
Jan '16
893.25
876.00
892.25
+1.50
Mar '16
894.75
877.75
893.75
+1.50
May '16
897.25
880.75
896.50
+1.50
Jul '16
901.00
884.75
900.25
+1.75
Aug '16
899.75
885.00
899.75
+2.50
Sep '16
876.50
873.00
888.00
+2.50
Nov '16
884.50
867.75
883.75
+4.00

Soybean Comment

Soybeans continue to see gains today's. Another large export sale was reported today which may indicate that foreign markets are taking advantage of low soybean prices. While there remains some concern about the size of the crop all eyes remain on China. Soybeans need this market to remain robust if prices are to stay between $8.50 and $9. Should the China market weaken more and this lead to slower demand we could easily see soybean prices tumble, especially given the prospects for another big South American Crop.


Wheat
High
Low
Cash Bids
350
350
New Crop
492
382


Futures:
High
Low
Last
Change
Sep '15
484.00
470.75
482.50
+5.50
Dec '15
486.50
476.50
485.00
+1.25
Mar '16
492.75
483.75
490.25
-1.50
May '16
497.50
489.00
494.25
-2.75
Jul '16
502.00
493.00
498.00
-3.25
Sep '16
508.75
502.00
506.50
-4.25
Dec '16
521.50
515.25
519.50
-4.75
Mar '17
529.25
-4.50
May '17
532.50
-4.50

Wheat Comment

Wheat prices were able to post modest gains despite continued weak fundamentals. Wheat prices have little support from the fundamentals at this time and however, prices look to be trying to find a bottom and could see a technical recovery if the broader market will provide support for prices.


Grain Sorghum
High
Low
Cash Bids
370
332
New Crop
370
333



Corn
High
Low
Cash Bids
375
333
New Crop
375
337


Futures:
High
Low
Last
Change
Sep '15
365.25
359.75
363.75
+0.50
Dec '15
377.00
370.50
375.25
+0.25
Mar '16
388.00
382.00
386.25
-0.25
May '16
394.50
388.50
392.75
-0.25
Jul '16
399.00
393.50
397.25
-0.25
Sep '16
394.00
388.00
391.75
0.00
Dec '16
401.25
395.75
399.50
+0.50
Mar '17
409.00
408.00
409.75
+0.25
May '17
415.50
415.50
416.00
+0.25

Corn Comment

Corn prices posted modest losses today as the market continues to search for bullish news. The forecast remains mostly favorable for corn production; however the market will closely watch this to see if the warm dry weather begins to affect the crop. The market continues to wait for additional demand news before a major rally. Longer term traders will be watching to see if the U.S.crop shrinks which would result in a further draw down in stocks this year.


Cotton
Futures:
High
Low
Last
Change
Oct '15
64.1
64.1
63.74
-0.01
Dec '15
63.53
62.4
63.
0
Mar '16
63.24
62.17
62.58
-0.1

Cotton Comment

Cotton futures ended mostly lower with most active December unchanged. The market continues to be concerned about a global economic slow down and China in particular, as it has the potential to impact cotton demand. That concern is overshadowing the smaller U.S. crop for now. December futures continued to retrace the gains charted in reaction to the monthly supply/demand report with the next support at the contract low of 61.25.


Rice
High
Low
Long Grain Cash Bids
- - -
- - -
Long Grain New Crop
- - -
- - -


Futures:
High
Low
Last
Change
Sep '15
1194.0
1160.0
1188.0
+29.0
Nov '15
1224.5
1180.0
1216.0
+27.5
Jan '16
1246.0
1238.0
1245.0
+27.0
Mar '16
1278.0
1269.5
1270.0
+26.0
May '16
1291.5
1291.5
1294.0
+25.5
Jul '16
1294.5
1294.5
1313.0
+40.5
Sep '16
1195.0
1195.0
1215.5
+42.0

Rice Comment

Rice futures continued to climb today. The market has taken the rice stocks report pretty much in stride, as the totals weren't entirely unexpected. Rough rice in all positions on August 1, 2015 were up 61% from the 2014 total. Stocks held on farms totalled 1.48 million cwt and off farm stocks totalled 41.3 million cwt. Milled rice stocks were up nine percent from a year ago at 4.06 million cwt. November found resistance at $12.25 today, with additional resistance at the recent high of $12.34.


Cattle
Futures:
Live Cattle:
High
Low
Last
Change
Aug '15
147.325
144.400
145.500
-1.025
Oct '15
144.550
142.950
143.175
-0.800
Dec '15
146.725
145.200
145.325
-0.725
Feb '16
146.525
144.875
145.025
-0.875
Apr '16
145.150
143.500
143.525
-1.150
Jun '16
136.850
135.425
135.575
-1.025
Aug '16
135.100
133.650
133.675
-1.275
Oct '16
137.325
135.950
136.100
-1.225
Dec '16
137.275
-1.125
Feeders:
High
Low
Last
Change
Sep '15
204.725
201.550
202.425
+0.025
Oct '15
200.950
197.725
198.350
-0.575
Nov '15
198.400
194.975
195.375
-1.200
Jan '16
192.275
188.875
189.475
-1.100
Mar '16
189.975
186.400
186.825
-1.825
Apr '16
190.300
187.000
187.100
-2.225
May '16
190.000
186.900
187.500
-1.450
Aug '16
190.000
188.600
188.050
-0.650

Cattle Comment

Cattle prices closed lower today. The late rally last week failed to carryover, concerns about the broader economy and strong dollar remain a concern for demand both in the domestic and international markets.


Hogs
Futures:
High
Low
Last
Change
Oct '15
68.225
66.400
68.025
+1.600
Dec '15
63.725
61.975
63.525
+1.475
Feb '16
67.650
66.150
67.450
+1.275
Apr '16
71.275
70.075
71.025
+0.975
May '16
75.500
75.500
75.725
+0.900
Jun '16
79.500
78.500
79.500
+1.000
Jul '16
78.500
77.725
78.500
+0.900
Aug '16
77.400
76.500
77.350
+0.725
Oct '16
66.950
66.750
66.950
+0.625

Hog Comment



Shell Eggs

National Turkeys

Delmarva Broilers

http://www.arfb.com/ag-markets-statistics/report/



Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- Aug 31


Nagpur, Aug 31 Gram prices reported higher in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and
Marketing Committee (APMC) here on increased festival season demand from local millers amid weak supply from producing regions. Healthy rise in NCDEX, upward trend in Madhya Pradesh gram prices and reported demand from South-based millers also jacked up prices, according to sources. 
 
               *            *              *              *
 
    FOODGRAINS & PULSES
    GRAM
   * Desi gram zoomed up in open market on increased demand from local traders amid 
     thin supply from producing regions.
 
     TUAR
   * Tuar varieties reported down in open market here in absence of buyers amid release 
     of stock from stockists.   
 
   * Batri dal and Lakhodi dal reported strong in open market here on good festival 
     season demand from local traders amid weak supply from producing regions. Sharp rise 
     in other most usable pulses prices also helped to push up these commodities.     
                                                                                    
   * In Akola, Tuar - 9,800-910,100, Tuar dal - 13,800-14,200, Udid at 9,400-9,700, 
     Udid Mogar (clean) - 11,300-11,700, Moong - 7,600-7,800, Moong Mogar 
    (clean) 9,200-9,800, Gram - 4,500-4,800, Gram Super best bold - 6,000-6,0200 
     for 100 kg.
 
   * Wheat, rice and other commodities remained steady in open market in thin trading 
     activity, according to sources.
       
 Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg
 
     FOODGRAINS                 Available prices     Previous close   
     Gram Auction                   4,100-4,920         4,040-4,810
     Gram Pink Auction            n.a.           2,100-2,600
     Tuar Auction                n.a.                8,500-9,775
     Moong Auction                n.a.                6,000-6,400
     Udid Auction                n.a.           4,300-4,500
     Masoor Auction                n.a.              2,600-2,800
     Gram Super Best Bold            6,500-6,800        6,500-6,800
     Gram Super Best            n.a.                
     Gram Medium Best            5,900-6,100        5,900-6,100
     Gram Dal Medium            n.a.            n.a.
     Gram Mill Quality            5,800-5,900        5,800-5,900
     Desi gram Raw                5,000-5,100         4,900-5,000
     Gram Filter new            6,200-6,400        6,200-6,400
     Gram Kabuli                6,400-7,500        6,400-7,500
     Gram Pink                6,800-7,000        6,800-7,000
     Tuar Fataka Best             14,000-14,500        14,200-14,600
     Tuar Fataka Medium             13,500-13,800        13,600-13,900
     Tuar Dal Best Phod            12,500-13,000        12,600-13,100
     Tuar Dal Medium phod            12,000-12,300        12,100-12,400
     Tuar Gavarani New             10,000-10,200        10,350-10,450
     Tuar Karnataka             10,300-10,600        10,450-10,750
     Tuar Black                 12,200-12,500           12,600-12,900 
     Masoor dal best            8,600-8,800        8,600-8,800
     Masoor dal medium            8,150-8,450        8,150-8,400
     Masoor                    n.a.            n.a.
     Moong Mogar bold               9,600-9,900         9,600-9,900
     Moong Mogar Medium best        8,200-8,800        8,200-8,800
     Moong dal Chilka            8,600-8,800        8,600-8,800
     Moong Mill quality            n.a.            n.a.
     Moong Chamki best            8,400-9,200        8,400-9,200
     Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG)    11,700-12,000       11,700-12,000
     Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG)    10,600-11,000        10,600-11,000
     Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG)        9,400-9,800        9,400-9,800
     Batri dal (100 INR/KG)        5,200-5,600        5,150-5,550
     Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg)           4,000-4,200         3,850-4,050
     Watana Dal (100 INR/KG)        3,150-3,350        3,150-3,350
     Watana White (100 INR/KG)        3,100-3,300         3,100-3,300
     Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG)    3,200-3,600        3,200-3,600
     Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG)        1,400-1,500        1,400-1,500
     Wheat Mill quality(100 INR/KG)    1,600-1,700        1,600-1,700
     Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG)        1,350-1,550           1,350-1,550
     Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG)    2,250-2,400        2,250-2,400
     Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG)    1,950-2,100        1,950-2,100
     Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG)    n.a.            n.a.
     MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG)    3,400-3,700        3,400-3,700
     MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG)    2,750-2,900        2,750-2,900        
     Rice BPT New(100 INR/KG)        2,800-3,000        2,800-3,000
     Rice BPT (100 INR/KG)               2,900-3,100        2,900-3,100
     Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG)        1,700-1,900        1,700-1,900
     Rice Swarna new (100 INR/KG)      2,300-2,450        2,300-2,450
     Rice Swarna old (100 INR/KG)      2,700-2,800        2,700-2,800
     Rice HMT new(100 INR/KG)        3,400-3,800        3,400-3,800
     Rice HMT (100 INR/KG)               3,900-4,300        3,900-4,300
     Rice HMT Shriram New(100 INR/KG)    4,200-4,500        4,200-4,500
     Rice HMT Shriram old (100 INR/KG)    4,600-5,100        4,600-5,100     
     Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG)    8,000-10,000        8,000-10,000
     Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG)    7,000-7,500        7,000-7,500
     Rice Chinnor new (100 INR/KG)    4,500-4,900        4,500-4,900
     Rice Chinnor (100 INR/KG)        5,400-5,700        5,400-5,700
     Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG)        2,100-2,350        2,100-2,350
     Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG)        2,400-2,500        2,400-2,500
 
WEATHER (NAGPUR)  
Maximum temp. 29.7 degree Celsius (85.5 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp.
24.5 degree Celsius (76.1 degree Fahrenheit)
Humidity: Highest - n.a., lowest - n.a.
Rainfall : 0.1 mm
FORECAST: Generally cloudy sky. Rains or thunder-showers likely. Maximum and minimum temperature
would be around and 34 and 24 degree Celsius respectively.
 
Note: n.a.--not available
 
(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but
included in market prices.)


Arkansas Rice Update 8-28-15


Author: Jarrod Hardke, Rice Extension Agronomist

August 28, 2015                         No. 2015-26

Dr. Jarrod Hardke, Dr. Trent Roberts, & Scott Stiles

Crop Overview


The old saying goes if you don’t have anything nice to say then don’t say anything at all.  I do wish there were nicer things to say right now, but hopefully better days are on the horizon.To echo previous comments, yields in the southern half of the state continue to support an estimate of a 10% decline compared to recent years and milling yields don’t sound too great either.  This is certainly not what anyone needed this season.  However, “recent years” of 2012-2014 represent the three highest state average yields ever for Arkansas.  There was always going to be a fallback from that, we were just hoping to ride the wave for one more year.

There is still hope out there.  The rice that has been harvested to date was all planted in the early window of late March through the first week of April.  As we move into the later window, I do believe that the yield situation will improve.  Early numbers from the northern half of the state suggest yields closer to recent years.From looking at fields that have been or are being harvested, it doesn’t look like our decline is from lack of pollination.  In most cases, nearly all kernels are full on the plants, the panicles are just small and there aren’t that many kernels.

The number of panicle branches and number of kernels per panicle are set around internode elongation.  So the field observations suggest that conditions weren’t favorable around internode elongation for plants to maximize these yield components.  Conditions during this time period were daytime highs in the 90s with overnight lows hovering around 75 degrees in the southern half of the state.  Mixed into that were unseasonable cool snaps.  Just speculating, plants may not have known which way was up during that period and maybe that’s part of the reason for the yields we’re currently seeing.According to DD50 enrollment, 69% of fields have reached harvest moisture (20%) (Table 1).  Dry conditions, but with heavy morning dews and low overnight temperatures seem to have drying conditions at a moderate pace at best.

Grain Moisture and the DD50 Program

The DD50 program provides an estimate of 20% grain moisture.  This is inevitably a built in guess according to a set number of days because of the many factors that can greatly influence the grain dry-down process, including N rate, drain date, temperature, rainfall, humidity, and dew period.  However, at this time based on samples we’re taking from plots in Stuttgart, rice cultivars ranging in maturity from Roy J to CL111 appear to be hitting 20% grain moisture right in line with the DD50 estimate.  If you don’t already have fields enrolled in the DD50 program you can do so here: http://dd50.uaex.edu/ to get predicted dates for 20% grain moisture.

Blackbird Repellent for Headed Rice

There have been a number of calls over the last couple of weeks about blackbirds in headed rice.  There is a product labeled in Arkansas called ‘Avian Control’ that appears to have some utility for managing this problem.  Plot work involving blackbirds is virtually impossible, so we have put out a handful of demonstrations with some growers to evaluate how well the product works for us.  Results are only observational – blackbirds aren’t like insects, we can’t go out and catch them in a sweep net.
In general the results have all been positive.  In situations where birds were roosting in nearby tree lines and frequenting the adjacent field, there was success in treating only the portion of the field closest to the tree line.  However, in fields with no obvious near source of blackbirds, it was necessary to treat the entire field.  There is a wide rate range on the label – we’ve looked at the 24 and 32 oz/acre rates.
Please remember that this product acts as a deterrent, it doesn’t mean that birds will completely stop entering the field and it doesn’t kill them.  They don’t like the taste and move on.  The product is fairly short-lived, but we were told to expect 7-14 days of bird deterrence with 7 days likely if it rained after application and 14 days more likely if it didn’t rain.  So far that seems to hold pretty true for our demos.
Information provided on this bird repellent is simply a “passing along info” effort.  Use the product at your own risk and discretion as we have only seen it in a few large demos.  Yes, it causes rice to be distasteful to birds, but we have no indication that it will cause any change in taste of the rice – this product and others like it are labeled and used on many fruits, vegetables, and cereal grains.

There are likely other products with a similar active ingredient out there that are labeled for a similar use, this is just one such product we have had the opportunity to demo.  Find what works best for you at the best price.  My understanding is the cost works out to around $13/acre at ~24 oz/acre – confirm before ordering.  Not cheap, but cheaper than some of the other methods I’m hearing people using to scare them off.

Cover Crops – Planning for Success

To read the first installment in a series on cover crops, including tips in rice production systems, please visit the following link:

Weekly Market Summary

The CME September and November rice futures contracts settled 29 cents higher on the day Friday, but 4 to 6 lower on the week.  Both contracts posted solid gains Friday to erase most of the week’s heavy losses that occurred on Monday. In addition to pressure from outside markets, export sales were modest last week and the U.S. dollar posted four straight days of strong gains. From a technical perspective, in spite of wide trading ranges this week that took   November rice futures down as low as $11.435, the contract did manage to find support and settle no worse than the $11.59-$11.60 area. Friday’s strong gains indicate prices may again retest the $12 to $12.20 range.
CBOT Rough Rice futures settlements ($/cwt)

CME November 2015 Rough Rice, daily.

Crop Progress:
For the week ending August 23, U.S. rice harvest was 18% complete, versus the five-year average of 16%. Harvest progress is well ahead of the average pace in Louisiana at 75% complete. Texas is slightly behind average at 55%. Arkansas is 6% harvested and Mississippi 10%, both of which are in line with the five-year average.
Export Sales:
Net sales of long-grain rough rice totaled 13,856 metric tons (MT) last week; up from 7,212 the previous week.  Venezuela and Mexico were the top buyers.
Long-grain milled rice net sales totaled 10,993 MT; down from 17,950 the week prior.  Haiti and Saudi Arabia were the two largest buyers.
Long-grain rough rice sales are running about 3% ahead of last year, while long-grain milled rice sales are 75% ahead of last year.  The two large 60,000 MT sales to Iran and Iraq account for about 56% of new crop milled rice sales to date.  Iraq announced Monday a tender to purchase 30,000 MT of rice from the U.S., Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil and India.  Bidding will close on September 6, 2015.

Other News:
Egypt’s ministry of trade and industry announced Thursday a ban on the export of all types of rice starting September 1.  Last October Egypt lifted a ban medium-grain rice exports. No indication was given as to how long the export ban would remain in effect.

USDA-NASS released its’ August 1 Rice Stocks report Thursday.  The total U.S. rough rice stocks held on and off-farm on August 1, 2015 was 61% higher than a year ago. On-farm stocks were 1.48 million cwt, compared to 305,000 cwt. last year. Off-farm stocks were 41.3 million cwt., compared to 26.3 million a year ago. Milled rice stocks were up nine percent from a year ago at 4.06 million cwt.
Looking specifically at Arkansas, a considerable amount of rough rice has moved out of bins since June 1.  At that time NASS estimated there was 6.4 million cwt. (14.2 million bushels) held on-farm.  As of August 1, NASS estimates there is 940,000 cwt. (almost 2.1 million bushels) of rough rice still in on-farm storage.  As rice futures rallied this summer, about 12.1 million bushels of rice moved out of on-farm storage between June 1 and August 1.
Fuel:
After trading as low as $37.75 Monday, crude oil futures made very strong gains late in the week.  The nearby October contract traded Friday just above $45 per barrel.  Diesel futures (Heating Oil) are following crude oil sharply higher and now trade about 20 cents of the mid-week lows at $1.59. This price correction in crude oil may extend into the $48 to $54 range.  The current price levels still represent a favorable diesel buying opportunity in the cash market or as a level to start hedging 2016 fuel.
NYMEX  Diesel (heating oil), daily nearby.

Upcoming USDA reports:
September 11 (11:00 a.m. central):
·         Crop Production
·         Supply/Demand (WASDE)
September 30 (11:00 a.m. central):
·         Grain Stocks
·         Small Grains Summary

NASS Crop Progress is released each Monday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. central.
NASS Rice Stocks. Next release date is October 29, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. central.
FAS Export Sales are released each Thursday morning at 7:30 a.m. central.
USDA-FSA information on projected 2014 and 2015 PLC payment rates are available at this link:

Additional Information

Arkansas Rice Updates are published periodically to provide timely information and recommendations for rice production in Arkansas.  If you would like to be added to this email list, please send your request to jhardke@uaex.edu.
This information will also be posted to the Arkansas Row Crops blog (http://www.arkansas-crops.com/) where additional information from Extension specialists can be found.
More information on rice production, including access to all publications and reports, can be found at http://www.uaex.edu/rice.

Acknowledgements

We sincerely appreciate the support for this publication provided by the rice farmers of Arkansas and administered by the Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board.
The authors greatly appreciate the feedback and contributions of all growers, county agents, consultants, and rice industry stakeholders.
http://www.arkansas-crops.com/2015/08/28/arkansas-rice-update-28-15/



India APEDA Commodity News


International Benchmark Price
Price on: 28-08-2015
Product
Benchmark Indicators Name
Price
Apricots
1
Turkish No. 2 whole pitted, CIF UK (USD/t)
5125
2
Turkish No. 4 whole pitted, CIF UK (USD/t)
4625
3
Turkish size 8, CIF UK (USD/t)
3625
Sultanas
1
Australian 5 Crown, CIF UK (USD/t)
2968
2
Iranian natural sultanas (Gouchan), CIF UK (USD/t)
2024
3
Turkish No 9 standard, FOB Izmir (USD/t)
2350
White Sugar
1
CZCE White Sugar Futures (USD/t)
786
2
Kenya Mumias white sugar, EXW (USD/t)
691
3
Pakistani refined sugar, EXW Akbari Mandi (USD/t)
600
Source:agra-net
For more info
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 29-08-2015
Domestic Prices
Unit Price : Rs per Qty
Product
Market Center
Variety
Min Price
Max Price
Jowar(Sorgham)
1
Shirur (Maharashtra)
Other
1751
1751
2
Haveri (Karnataka)
Local
1600
1600
3
Dhone (Andhra Pradesh)
Other
1500
1530
Maize
1
Bellary (Karnataka)
Local
1539
1572
2
Shirur (Maharashtra)
Other
1500
1500
3
Senjeri (Tamil Nadu)
Other
1350
1500
Pine Apple
1
Jagraon (Punjab)
Other
1800
2100
2
Ampati (Meghalaya)
Other
2000
2500
3
Nagpur (Maharashtra)
Other
1000
2700
Brinjal
1
Shahkot (Punjab)
Other
1200
1500
2
Banki (Orissa)
Other
2500
3000
3
Satara (Maharashtra)
Other
1000
1600
Source:agra-net
For more info
Egg
Rs per 100 No
Price on 30-08-2015
Product
Market Center
Price
1
Pune
305
2
Nagapur
275
3
Namakkal
300
Source: e2necc.com
Other International Prices
Unit Price : US$ per package
Price on 27-08-2015
Product
Market Center
Origin
Variety
Low
High
Onions Dry
Package: 50 lb sacks
1
Atlanta
Colorado
Yellow
19
21
2
Baltimore
California
Yellow
17
18
3
Detroit
Canada
Yellow
16
16.50
Cucumbers
Package: cartons film wrapped
1
Atlanta
Canada
Long Seedless
9
10
2
Dallas
California
Long Seedless
12
14
3
Miami
Honduras
Long Seedless
10
10
Grapes
Package:19 lb containers bagged
1
Atlanta
California
Red Globe
25
26
2
Dallas
California 
Red Globe
27
27
3
Detroit
California
Red Globe
25
29
Source:USDA

Searca study: State support to agriculture crucial as Asean economies integrate

 

 

Threshing palay in Nueva Ecija, file photograph by Bernard Testa, InterAksyon.com
SANTIAGO CITY, Isabela - Herculano "Joji" Co, longtime president of the Philippine Confederation of Grains Associations (Philcongrains), says his counterparts in the Asean continue to wonder why subsidy has become a dirty word among Filipino officials.Business leaders of the region acknowledge that Asian rice-producing nations subsidize their farmers to make them competitive in the rice market, just as Japan subsidizes its farmers to ensure they continue to plant glutinous rice.For this reason, Co stressed, he gets to be ribbed as to the reason why the Aquino administration seems to abandon palay producers to the vagaries of the market.He noted that the study conducted by a team from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) led by the late Minda C. Mangabat of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS), Eduardo B. Sanguyo of BAS and Mercedita A. Sombilla of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), underscored the crucial importance of supporting the rice industry, which is the linchpin of the rural economy.


Crucial support

Searca director Dr. Gil C. Saguiguit Jr. stressed the importance of the Mangabat study, since it delved into the reasons why the total factor productivity (TFP) for rice in the country was low, which means farmers do not maximize output from the use of fertilizer, other inputs, mechanization, labor, improved seeds and new technology.The Searca study confirmed that higher-yielding varieties now comprise 80 percent of the aggregate rice output of the country, Saguiguit noted.

What the 38-page paper showed was that better rice seeds, improved technology and irrigation, as well as optimal training of farmers are crucial factors that lead to higher yields, and these are the inputs that farmers gobbled up in the 1960s and 1970s to raise the aggregate output and achieve rice self-sufficiency for a spell.


Co stressed that a presentation by Dr. Flordeliza H. Bordey of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), who headed a 21-member team that conducted a study of rice production in six Asian countries from January 2013 to June 2013, confirmed that five rice-producing nations generally provided their farmers subsidies, counting China, India, Indonesia, Thailand and down to Vietnam.


Whose rice is cheapest?

The Bordey paper entitled "Who Produces Cheap Rice?" was presented during the Global Rice Market and Trade Summit held in Bangkok from October 30 to 31 last year.The Bordey study pointed out that, yield-wise, the Philippines harvested 6.34 metric tons (MT) per hectare, fourth among the six nations, with only Vietnam, Indonesia and China ahead.Production cost was lowest in India at $883 per hectare, followed by Vietnam at $1,059, Thailand at $1,207 and the Philippines at $1,479. China had the most expensive cost at $1,879, followed by Indonesia at $1,849.The level of mechanization in the Philippines was still low, and this has resulted in the country's employing 69 man days per hectare per cropping, largely due to manual harvesting and transplanting, second-worst to Indonesia's 80 man days per hectare.In contrast, Vietnam only expends 23 man days per hectare, far behind Thailand's 10 man days per hectare.


Even as Filipino rice producers use power threshers, the average power cost was still $204 per hectare, in roughly the same league as Thailand at $229 per hectare and China at $218 per hectare, although both countries use combine harvesters extensively.


Fertilizers and inputs

Fertilizer cost runs up to $229 per hectare for Filipino rice farmers, cheaper than $241 per hectare for Vietnam and $340 per hectare for China. An Indian farmer only spends $93 for fertilizers per hectare while an Indonesian rice producer pays only $139 per hectare.Co noted that for urea, a Filipino farmer spends $0.51 per kilo, the same price paid by a Thai farmer, but potash is most expensive in the Philippines at $0.76 per kilo.Pesticide use in the country is also declining, with rice farmers paying only $42 per hectare and applying pesticides and other inputs six times per season, the second cheapest cost among the six countries surveyed.Finally, the study said that the production cost for Philippine rice was $233 per MT, the cheapest among importing countries since the cost in China was $287 per MT and $277 per MT in Indonesia.


Among the exporters, the cheapest rice was in Vietnam at $156 per MT, India at $188 per MT and Thailand at $212 per MT.The rice exporting countries are hugely dependent on pesticides and other agricultural inputs to battle infestation even as they come out being cost-efficient and have the highest yield and lowest unit cost.


Subsidizing the industry

Buoyed by the Bordey findings, Piedad F. Moya, an economist and a team member from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), told participants in a PhilRice conference on September 3, 2014 that "subsidizing the agriculture industry is better than subsidizing farmers directly."She added: "The Philippines can be competitive, come ASEAN Integration, with the right support from the national government. Something must be done to the costly production of rice in the country."Moya explained that, in other Asian countries, the subsidy goes directly to the agriculture industry, in such forms as fertilizer and seed companies."In this way, every farmer benefits from the subsidy, compared to giving seeds directly to them because it is difficult to track if the seeds are fairly distributed," she stressed.As expected, Co said, the Philippines provided the least subsidy to its rice farmers, pushing farmers to pay 4% monthly interest to loan sharks who effectively "service" up to three out of four poor farmers trapped in the debt cycle.


Small farm holdings

In batting for rice self-sufficiency, the Searca team led by Mangabat pointed out in their paper titled "Productivity in the Rice Sector in Philippine Agriculture" that "rice is cultivated in small farms that average slightly higher than a hectare."It is the major source of livelihood of most small farmers and agricultural landless workers. It is in consideration of the small farm characteristics that increasing the incomes of rice households remains a big challenge."Hence, the continuing objective of the country's agriculture sector is to increase yields in pursuit of self-sufficiency for his major grain as well as to increase incomes and improve household welfare."

Irrigation

Co explained the Searca study was correct in arguing for irrigation coverage that is much higher than the 68% (roughly two thirds) of all rice farms being served today.The Bordey study confirmed that China, India, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam provides free irrigation services, while the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), complained farmers belonging to the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), charges them five cavans of palay or P4,500 for every hectare watered for an entire year.Without irrigation for the thirsty rice paddies, Co said, farmers would incur more losses and turn to the loan sharks with their 4% per month interest, while Thai farmers pay only 0.6 percent in interest to lenders.Co said that, with up to 75% of poor farmers dependent on informal lenders, the situation effectively renders both the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), which does not lend to individual farmers anyway, and the rural banks, hugely irrelevant.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/116867/searca-study-state-support-crucial-as-asean-economies-integrate  31/08/2015


Vietnam focuses on coastal eco-system, mangrove forest protection

The safeguard of coastal eco-system and mangrove forest in the Mekong Delta region will be given a push as phase two of the Integrated Coastal Management Programme (ICMP) recently kicked off in An Giang province.The ICMP, built with a total budget of 8.8 million EUR (US$9.7 million) sourced from the German, Australian, and Vietnamese Governments, will be carried out during 2015-2018 in An Giang, Kien Giang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, Soc Trang provinces. It aims to efficiently manage and protect coastal ecosystems in the Mekong Delta region to mitigate and adapt to environmental hazards related to climate change.According to ICMP Director Nguyen Van Son, the ICMP phase two will focus on evaluating climate change impacts on the Mekong Delta region and piloting charging forest environment fees among fish farms in Ca Mau province.Technical and economic norms, mangrove tree planting techniques, building regulations on protective forest management as well as improvements in the cultivation of rice, fish and shrimp will be introduced through the programme.

The project will give support to the large-scale rice field programme and rice cultivation in response to climate change while coordinating with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute (CLRRI) in applying information and technology to manage rice cultivation.In addition, it builds strategies and aquaculture investment plans in the region as well as accelerate aquaculture production in mangrove areas and construction of wave-breaks in Tran Van Thoi district, Ca Mau province.

Son, who is also Vice Director of the forest project management board under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, underscored that the ICMP will work with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Blue Solution to build a water management process and an inter-provincial irrigational system in Long Xuyen quadrangle.During the framework of the programme, representatives joined a field trip to study the rice-shrimp transformation model in Phu Thuan commune, Thoai Son district, An Giang province.The first phase of the project was implemented from 2011 to 2014.

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/environment/140124/vietnam-focuses-on-coastal-eco-system--mangrove-forest-protection.html


Amber Rice Training Georgia's Future Agriculture Teachers at UGA Tifton



Friday, August 28th, 2015
The newest addition to the University of Georgia Tifton Campus faculty has a hefty goal: train the best agriculture teachers in the nation and produce enough graduates to fill all of the open agricultural education teaching positions in Georgia.Amber Rice, who joined UGA prior to the beginning of fall semester, specializes in agricultural education and has a 75 percent teaching appointment. Agricultural education is the campus’ most popular major, with 26 students enrolled in the major this fall.

Amber Rice teaches in the ALEC Department on the UGA Tifton Campus. Image credit: Clint Thompson/UGA.
“We were delighted to welcome Amber Rice to the UGA Tifton Campus. She leads the agriculture teacher preparation major at UGA Tifton, offering cutting-edge courses and experiences for emerging teachers,” said Kay Kelsey, head of the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication. “Dr. Rice specializes in pedagogical content knowledge, or researching the ability of teachers to transmit knowledge to learners.”Rice is participating in research to make sure future agriculture teachers graduate with top-notch training. Pedagogical training involves researching ways to teach a particular subject to a specific audience. In Rice’s case, she is searching for ways to teach agricultural knowledge more effectively.“How can we better prepare our student teachers to teach content in the best ways. What are the best ways to teach plant science so that students are really grasping that material?” Rice said. These are just some of the questions she hopes to answer with her research, which is mostly qualitative through student and teacher interviews.
Working in an agricultural community like Tifton and becoming a member of the college faculty was an opportunity Rice could not pass up. She cherishes the one-on-one training she’s able to provide students on a small campus like UGA Tifton.“I really enjoy working with students. I like the small atmosphere of the Tifton Campus with the resources and perks of being at a land-grant university like UGA,” Rice said. “Especially with these students, probably 95 percent of them are going to be agriculture teachers. Everybody has their own strengths and things they want to work on. Having that personal relationship and being able to work with each individual student, I feel like it’s going to make them better teachers in the classroom.”

The number of agriculture teachers and programs is growing rapidly in Georgia. Kelsey said there are more than 38,000 National FFA Organization members, up from 35,000 two years ago. Agriculture teachers typically serve as advisors for these students.But, the number of UGA students interested in becoming teachers is decreasing. There were more than 50 agriculture teacher openings in Georgia last year, but only 25 new UGA agricultural education graduates were available to fill them.“The rest came from other states, other disciplines (science teachers) and industry (people) who were not traditionally certified,” said Kelsey.Rice says the shortage of qualified agriculture teachers is a problem across the nation.

“We’re just not producing enough to fill all the positions,” she said. “Last year, 100 percent of our agriculture teachers found jobs. The industry wants them. They want our Tifton graduates. There are jobs for them in Georgia.”To learn more about the agricultural education program on the UGA Tifton Campus or to contact Rice, call (229) 386-3528. Information about the academic program at UGA Tifton can also be accessed at caes.uga.edu/campus/tifton.



USA Rice Participates in FECARROZ Meeting

 FECARROZ
From left: Ernesto Baron (USA Rice), Jacobo Paz Bodden (Minister of Agriculture - Honduras), Sady Andonie and Jose Velez (INDECASA-- largest rice mill in Honduras)
ROATAN, HONDURAS—

The Central American Rice Federation (FECARROZ) invited USA Rice here earlier this month to present at their board of directors meeting.  USA Rice provided an update on the current U.S. crop and also discussed USA Rice's proposal to develop a FECARROZ standard in order to minimize variability in the quality of rice that is exported.  Several variety developments from both the public and private sectors were discussed during the presentation; these varieties specifically address the requests and needs of the Central American consumer.  The progress in varietal development was well received as several attendees still had concerns about chalk and amylose content in U.S. rice.

"These types of meetings go a long way in strengthening rice industry relations between our countries," says Ernesto Baron, USA Rice's representative for the region.  "We continue to look for opportunities for USA Rice and its members to engage with our international consumers."

Michel Hawit

During the meeting, a new FECARROZ Director was elected for a two-year term.  Michel Hawit, president of Baprosa (rice mill) in Honduras, replaced outgoing Director Mario Solórzano, a rice miller from Guatemala. "I would like to thank Mario Solórzano for an excellent job leading this organization and congratulate Michel Hawit on his election as the new president of FECARROZ.  We are looking forward to our two organizations continuing to work together," said Betsy Ward, president and CEO of USA Rice.

USA Rice also spoke about our region's promotional activities aimed at increasing U.S. rice consumption.  Currently, USA Rice conducts promotional activities in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.  Activities are primarily aimed at the retail level and encouraging rice usage amongst consumers.  FECARROZ expressed interest in working together on several marketing campaigns, to increase the usage of rice in the region.Central America, as a region, is our third largest export market this year at over 260,000 MT through June.



Crop Progress:   2015 Crop 97 Percent Headed  

WASHINGTON, DC -- Ninety-seven percent of the nation's 2015 rice acreage is headed, according to today's U.S. Department of Agriculture's Crop Progress Report. 

Rice Headed, Selected States 
Week Ending
State
 August 30, 2014  
August 23, 2015 
August 30, 2015
2010-2014 average
Percent
Arkansas
97
97   
99
97  
California
94
85   
90 
81
Louisiana
100 
99
100
100
Mississippi
98
97
98
97
Missouri
92
84
90  
92  
Texas
100
100
100 
99
Six States
97  
94
97
95


CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures   
CME Group (Preliminary):  Closing Rough Rice Futures for August 31
Month
Price
Net Change

September 2015
$11.880
+ $0.290
November 2015
$12.160
+ $0.275
January 2016
$12.450
+ $0.270
March 2016
$12.700
+ $0.260
May 2016
$12.940
+ $0.255
July 2016
$13.130
+ $0.405
September 2016
$12.155
+ $0.420

 

Mustard: An ingredient for every meal



BY NATASCIA LYPNY, LEADER-POST AUGUST 31, 2015



Salty mustard peanut brittle at the Great Saskatchewan Mustard Festival held at Willow on Wascana in Regina on Aug. 30, 2015. (Michael Bell/Regina Leader-Post)

Photograph by: Michael Bell , Regina Leader-Post


REGINA — This ain’t your French’s-on-a-hotdog mustard.For eight years, the Great Saskatchewan Mustard Festival, held Sunday in Regina, has striven to prove that mustard is so much more than a condiment; it’s a standout ingredient in its own right.“The food’s fantastic, and that’s because there are some immensely talented chefs in Regina, in Saskatchewan, and they come here and they show off,” said organizer Greg Hanwell of Beer Bros. and Willow on Wascana, where the event was held.

“When you take a Saskatchewan product like mustard and you put it in the hands of these chefs, you got a winner.”Hanwell said the event also serves as an important showcase of local talent and local ingredients.“This is showing people, ‘This is the talent here. This is how good the food is in Saskatchewan if you give it a shot,’” he said.
The Leader-Post set out to determine whether the festival’s 24 culinary creators could prove that mustard is good any time of day.

Breakfast
Often a stranger to mustard, breakfast was a toughie to pin down — until bacon’s cousin was located.Crave sizzled up some slow-roasted, mustard-crusted porchetta doused in honey mustard aioli. It was served with local lemon and English cucumbers flavoured with dill and mustard. A dill pickle with mustard and veggie skewer were served on the side.
Lunch
Sprout Catering whipped out mustard and turmeric cream puffs. They were served as sliders with chicken marinated in a spicy mustard hot sauce for 24 hours, topped with a maple Dijon mustard sauce.
A side of potato salad made with Dijon mayonnaise and toasted mustard seeds, and sprinkled with pickled mustard seeds, rounded out that meal.
Snack
Bocados concocted a creative spin on peanut brittle for midday cravings.
Roasted peanuts dry dusted in salt were combined with mustard powder and jalapeno juice, then added to a traditional peanut brittle recipe.
Supper
A pub favourite, butter chicken was on hand at the Beer Bros. station.
The curry was fashioned with five different kinds of mustard and poured over a mustard-infused basmati rice.
Dessert
Mustard and sweets aren’t the strangers you might think they are. Orange Boot Bakery produced apricot mustard turnovers spiced with buttermilk caramel and creme-anglaise.The event was packed with mustard enthusiasts: More than 1,500 were expected to attend.A mustard festival first, Hanwell hopes the proceeds stemming from the hundreds of visitors can support scholarships in the culinary arts.
twitter.com/wordpudle
http://www.leaderpost.com/index.html




Dow Chemical, ICS-CAAS Team Up for China Rice Development

By Zacks.com August 31, 2015, 02:10:00 PM EDT

The Dow Chemical Company 's DOW  fully-owned subsidiary Dow AgroSciences LLC has signed a collaboration agreement with the Institute of Crop Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (ICS-CAAS). Per the agreement, Dow AgroSciences provided ICS-CAAS a royalty-free, non-transferable research and commercialization license for its patented EXZACT Precision Genome Editing Technology that will be used in rice in China. Both parties intend to develop an industry-leading rice genome editing technology platform through this partnership. They further believe that this platform will help the scientists of ICS-CAAS to reap the benefits of their major investment and technical expertise in rice genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and cell biology. It will also enhance their scientific knowledge about rice, thereby enabling them to develop advanced products for China. 

Shares of Dow rose around 6.2% to close at $43.60 on Aug 27. 


Dow AgroSciences was previously granted an exclusive license by Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. under a collaborative agreement, per which, the company developed the EXZACT Precision Technology platform. Both Dow AgroSciences and ICS-CAAS will now combine their expertise and capabilities, and use this platform to further rice research and product development in China. 

According to ICS-CAAS, the collaboration is a significant step as it will speed up the development of rice genome editing technology platform in China. Moreover, it will aid the development of significant new agronomic traits in rice. 

According to Dow AgroSciences, being a strategic partner of China for agricultural sustainability, this is part of its commitment to provide innovative and sustainable solutions to increase food security and safety in China. The EXZACT Precision Technology collaboration with ICS-CAAS is proof of Dow's commitment toward improving rice research and product development for continued food security in China. 

Dow currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). 

Better-ranked stocks in the chemical space include Innospec Inc. 
 , LyondellBasell Industries N.V. 
 and Akzo Nobel N.V. 
 . While Innospec sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), both LyondellBasell and Akzo Nobel carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). 

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days . Click to get this free report >>


The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.

http://www.nasdaq.com/article/dow-chemical-ics-caas-team-up-for-china-rice-development-cm515222


Drought affects 185,451 hectares of rice seedlings in Cambodia

Xinhua

Monday, 31 August 2015


PHNOM PENH (Xinhua) -- Some 185,451 hectares of rice seedlings have been affected by drought in some areas in 13 provinces and cities of Cambodia, according to a report by Agriculture Minister Ouk Rabun, released to the media Monday.
"A lack of water has affected 185,451 hectares of rice fields in which 9,240 hectares have been completely damaged," the minister wrote in a report sent to Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Rains usually begin to fall from May of the year, but this year, an early-season drought lasting a long time has resulted in a lack of water. He said so far, the country has planted more than 2.12 million hectares of rice seedlings in equivalent to 82.7 percent of the 2. 57-million-hectare production target.Agriculture is one of the four major pillars supporting the country's economy. The Southeast Asian nation produced over 9 million tons of paddy rice last year.

 

http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/15134/drought-affects-185-451-hectares-of-rice-seedlings-in-cambodia


Drought affects 185,451 hectares of rice seedlings in Cambodia
 
2015-08-31 16:17:27     
PHNOM PENH, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Some 185,451 hectares of rice seedlings have been affected by drought in some areas in 13 provinces and cities of Cambodia, according to a report by Agriculture Minister Ouk Rabun, released to the media Monday."A lack of water has affected 185,451 hectares of rice fields in which 9,240 hectares have been completely damaged," the minister wrote in a report sent to Prime Minister Hun Sen.Rains usually begin to fall from May of the year, but this year, an early-season drought lasting a long time has resulted in a lack of water.

He said so far, the country has planted more than 2.12 million hectares of rice seedlings in equivalent to 82.7 percent of the 2. 57-million-hectare production target.Agriculture is one of the four major pillars supporting the country's economy. The Southeast Asian nation produced over 9 million tons of paddy rice last year.





The government allocates highest amount in the history for purchasing paddy.

The Paddy Purchasing Board says the Government has allocated highest amounts of funds for purchasing Paddy at the certified price in the Yala season.  The Government buys 1 kilogram of Paddy per certified price of 50 rupees.  The Paddy purchasing programme is carried out under the direct purview of Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe.  The People's Bank and BOC has released 6 billion rupees for the project.  The Government is to purchase more than 120,000 metric tons of Paddy in the Yala season.  It is the highest amount of Paddy which has been purchased by any government. 

137 stores countrywide have been prepared to store the stocks.  The Board says the farmers have showcased high interest on selling Paddy to the Government due to the certified price.  According to the Board, only half of the allocated money has so far been spent.  Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe has advised the Board to deploy lorries to some centers to carry Paddy stocks for the convenience of the farmers.  

 

 

Rice price enticer


CARA JEFFERY
31 Aug, 2015 04:00 AM
 This is a continuation of the strong price paid to growers for 2014
 SunRice chief executive officer, Rob Gordon, and SunRice chairman and grower Laurie Arthur, Moulamein, with the new range of SunRice Brown Rice Chips at the compay's annual general meeting at Jerilderie.

 IN a bid to secure as much Australian grown rice as possible SunRice says it intends to increase the paddy price return to its growers in an effort to also stave off competition from other southern irrigation crops.Chairman and Moulamein grower, Laurie Arthur, told this month's annual general meeting the SunRice Group achieved impressive revenue and profit growth last trading year, while also making a significant investment in its operations, products and people.

It also had resounding success in driving sales across its multiple markets.He said following a strong first quarter for the rice pool business SunRice was able to increase the 2015 crop full-year paddy price by $10 to between $360 a tonne and $380/t for medium grain (Reiziq), with higher prices for specialty varieties. "This is a continuation of the strong price paid to growers for 2014 - with the potential for further positive movement in the price subject to market conditions," Mr Arthur said."We trust our growers will be encouraged by these indicators."
Meanwhile, the final 2014 pool price for medium grain - $394.62/t - was up 34.4pc on last year, while specialist variety Koshihikari was $524.62/t, up 30pc."For 2014 we made paid more than $330 million in paddy payments to our A-class shareholders (growers) reflecting our commitment to Riverina-grown rice both now and into the future," he said."These strong returns were made possible by SunRice's sole and exclusive export licence which allows us to maximise prices for NSW growers in export markets."More than $17m was also paid in dividends to B-class shareholders, about 68pc of whom are also growers (A-class shareholders)

SunRice paid a record fully franked 31 cents a share to its B-class shareholders in 2014-15 - up 34.8pc on the previous year.In total, this represented a payout ratio of 40pc.SunRice chief executive officer Rob Gordon said SunRice Group's consolidated revenue of $1.25 billion for the trading year to April 30 was up 8.3pc on the previous year's $1.15b.The company is enjoying an enviable position where global demand for its bulk and value-added products far outstrips the rice supply southern NSW growers can deliver.

But this demand comes at a time when water allocations are at new lows and coincides with high temporay water prices luring growers to plant cotton, corn and nut crops in place of rice.The 2015 harvest resulted in a delivery of 690,215t from Australian growers - a far cry from the 1.15m tonnes of rice required to supply premium markets secured by SunRice.To make up the shortfall SunRice sourced rice internationally to go to markets requiring Australian quality rice but not specifically Australian grown.


"We encourage our growers to plant as much rice as they can in what we know are very difficult circumstances," Mr Arthur said.Mr Gordon said ideally SunRice wanted to receive 900,000t from the Riverina - the 2014 harvest was close to the mark with 830,000t delivered."We are very conscious of water availability and pricing ahead of the next planting in the Riverina and while continuing to encourage local production, we are also putting in place contingency plans for a smaller crop than the one delivered this year," he said.Mr Gordon also delivered an update on the SunRice Group's strategy and outlook noting net profit after tax lifted 46.8pc to $49.2m for 2014-15.

The company anticipated group profit in 2015-16 would be broadly in line with the past year's result "subject to the continuation of existing market conditions".However, the group faced a number of challenges in the year ahead."We continue to closely monitor a number of issues which impacted the risk profile for Trukai (the Papua New Guinea subsidiary) in the past year, including the liquidity of the Kina and the the PNG government's intention to develop a policy that seeks to align investment in the local industry with the right to import rice," he said

 

ASX listing decision set for October


The SunRice board will not make a decision on its long-running capital structure review and the proposed listing of a SunRice Fund on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) until October.
Company bosses are continuing to consult with their 2200 growers and shareholders and an announcement on whether the proposal will be put to a shareholder vote is still about two months away."The board and I firmly believe the potential new capital structure is an opportunity to retain grower control into the future while securing our capital base and building a business that can carry us forward for generations to come," chairman Laurie Arthur told shareholders last week.

"The potential model will improve SunRice's ability to access capital beyond what is available under the current model, while preserving the key features that exist today, including enduring A Class grower shareholder control."He addressed several misnomers regarding the proposed capital restructure including fears grower control of the business was at stake.He said the model was enduring and did not include clauses or any elements that had seen other agricultural companies lose control on the ASX.

"The model separates A-class shareholder control from SunRice business investors to protect both sets of interests - investors will not have trading rights in SunRice and they cannot acquire them in the future without A class shareholder approval," he said."If the proposal does go forward SunRice will not be listed on the ASX- a separate legal entity known as the SunrRice Fund would be listed on the ASX."SunRice will remain intact exactly as it is today- with the same board, management and business structure."Investors are acquiring a non-voting security, all they can receive is a dividend from SunRice."

http://www.farmonline.com.au/news/agriculture/agribusiness/general-news/rice-price-enticer/2741413.aspx?storypage=0


Former Thai PM appears at Supreme Court over doomed rice subsidy scheme

BANGKOK | 
Mon Aug 31, 2015 6:28am BST
Ousted former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra gestures as she arrives at the Supreme Court in Bangkok, Thailand, August 31, 2015.

REUTERS/CHAIWAT SUBPRASOM
Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra appeared before the Supreme Court on Monday to review evidence in a case involving rice subsidies that haemorrhaged billions of dollars and could see her jailed for up to 10 years for negligence.Yingluck's flagship election policy helped sweep her to office in a landslide in 2011, but its failure saw her banned from politics for five years in January by a legislature appointed by the generals who toppled her government.The grain policy, which has since been discontinued, aimed to boost farmers' incomes by buying their rice at above market prices.

Yingluck's government was attacked for refusing to abandon the scheme when the rice and debt piled up.It caused an estimated $16 billion in losses and left Thailand with a rice mountain it is still struggling to shift. The current stockpile is 13.9 million tonnes.Prosecutors on Monday provided an evidence dossier of 60,000 pages and 23 additional witnesses in the case."These were not seen or reviewed (by all parties)," Yingluck told reporters. "Today we're going to hear about this and hope that we will get justice."

She insists she acted honestly in administering the policy, which was widely criticised for distorting global prices and saw Thailand lose its crown as the world's top rice shipper.Yingluck, 48, was greeted with applause and handed red roses by a crowd of supporters as she arrived at the court."I came to give moral support," said Sangiam Thongnak, 61. "She did the right thing."
Yingluck's supporters see the court case as another strike by a royalist establishment threatened by the rapid political rise of a clique of upstart capitalists from outside Thailand's traditional patronage network.

She won millions of votes by reviving the populist policies of her billionaire brother and former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, whom the Supreme Court jailed in absentia in 2008 for abuse of power, two years after he was ousted in a coup.Prosecutors expect the Supreme Court proceedings to last at least six months. Some experts have said the junta risks a backlash if Yingluck's supporters perceive the verdict as unfair.(Additional reporting by Juarawee Kittisilpa; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Nick Macfie)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/08/31/uk-thailand-politics-idUKKCN0R00EA20150831


FG to Review Import Policy on Rice, Fish, Others

31 Aug 2015

Bags  Rice 
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Mr. Sonny Echono, has disclosed that within the next three years, the federal government will review the import policy on staple food items such as rice, fish and wheat into the country.


Echono, who disclosed this in Abuja during a meeting with the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, Uju Hassan-Baba, described the current import policy on staple foods as “unfavourable,” adding that it would ensure that Nigeria becomes self sufficient in food production before the restriction of the importation of these food items.
According to a statement from the ministry on Sunday and obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Echono said: “The ministry would in the next three years seek the review of the current unfavourable policy by the federal government which allows the importation of staple food items such as rice, wheat and fish into the country.”

He also stressed the need to link Nigerian farmers to the market, adding that it was one of the critical factors that would determine productivity and incomes of farmers as well as promote exports through value addition.The statement noted that the ministry and the Nigeria Investment and Promotion Commission (NIPC) had resolved to partner in the promotion of strategic investments in the agricultural sector.It said the permanent secretary in the FMARD, together with the executive secretary of NIPC, made the resolution when the investment promotion commission’s boss paid Echono a working visit in his office.
Echono underscored the need for attraction of more investments in the sector and explained that Nigeria had comparative advantage in the development of agricultural sector in view of its vast arable land, huge population and markets.

He pointed out that the main target of the ministry was to guarantee food security for the country as well as export food items to other countries in the West African sub-region.In her reaction, Hassan-Baba called for the reestablishment of synergy that had existed over the years between the commission and the agriculture ministry.She said there had been an increase in the demand of market information on agricultural activities in Nigeria by foreign investors, adding that a desk officer from the Ministry should be posted to the NIPC’s one-stop shop.The NIPC boss further disclosed that the commission would organise stakeholders’ forum on promoting investment in the agricultural sector, noting that the ministry had a critical role to play in order to ensure the success of the proposed forum which comes up in Abuja soon.


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http://wwaw.thisdaylive.com/articles/fg-to-review-import-policy-on-rice-fish-others/218964/