Riceplus

Riceplus
A Voice for Rice Community

Monday, October 26, 2015

26th October ,2015 Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Pact for $40m food processing plant at Sohar Freezone


Sunday 25th, October 2015 / 19:33 Written by Oman Observer 
in Business
JOINT VENTURE: Usher Agro announces partnership with Sohar Food Cluster firm –
Business Reporter –
MUSCAT –
Oct 25: Indian agribusiness firm Usher Agro Ltd, through its 100 per cent subsidiary Usher Worldwide FZE and Prime Trading LLC, has signed a Joint Venture Agreement with Al Mada Project Management Company (AMPMC) and Sohar Food Cluster Company LLC for setting up a rice and pulses storage, processing and packaging facility at Sohar Port & Freezone. Alpen Capital India Private Ltd acted as the sole financial advisor to Usher Agro on this project.The initial facility will be set up at a total estimated project cost of $40 million and will feature a polishing, grading, blending and packaging unit for 100,000 tonnes per annum (TPA) of premium long grain rice including basmati rice and a state-of-the-art milling unit for 100,000 TPA of pulses.The facility will also incorporate a 25,000 TPA capacity rice fortification plant based on patented technology provided by PATH — a non-profit organisation supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The rice will be fortified with vitamins and minerals to address nutrition requirements and is envisaged to be sold as a premium product and also supplied to the government for welfare activities in the wider MENA region.The basmati rice products of the facility will be distributed within MENA countries whereas pulses products from the facility will be distributed in India and MENA Countries. The parties expect to commence the operations of the facility by end of FY 2016.“The proposed food logistics and processing hub at the Port of Sohar (SIPC) will provide a unique opportunity for the new Joint Venture in a strategic location, capitalising on direct access to agro/food berths and proximity to many export markets in the GCC and the MENA region,” said Essa al Ghurair, Promoter & Managing Director, Sohar Food Cluster Company LLC. “We are delighted to partner with Manal al Abdwani of AMPMC and Essa al Ghurair of SFCC to set up a rice and pulses distribution hub at Port of Sohar. India is the largest exporter of rice and net importer of pulses. The Joint Venture company aims to participate in this two-way trade with Port of Sohar as a hub.

 We are confident that this project once launched will help in food security efforts of the region and contribute to the creation of significant shareholder value,” added Dr Vinod Kumar Chaturvedi, Promoter and Managing Director, Usher Agro.
“We are extremely delighted that all parties have come to a mutually beneficial agreement to commence the execution of this project. We are proud to be associated with AMPMC, SFCC and Usher Agro and hope that our expertise in the GCC-India corridor will add value to this landmark project at Port of Sohar,” stated Rohit Walia, Executive Chairman, Alpen Capital India Private Ltd and Alpen Capital (ME) Ltd.

Rice mills falling on hard times

 


 October 25,2015, 04.37 AM  IST | | THE HANS INDIA

Karimnagar: Like other agro-based industries, the rice milling industry is also in a deep crisis in the district. While some of the mills are already closed, more number of industries are on the verge of closure. The situation is pathetic in Sultanabad where the highest number of rice mills are located in both the Telugu speaking States. As many as 30 mills belonging to Sultanabad, Manakondur and Peddapall were closed and machinery of 15 mills sold. The number of labourers like drivers, hamalis, supervisors, gunny bag repairers and other workers were left jobless following the closure of the rice mills.

Though there are a number of reasons for the present pathetic situation, the increase in the prices of electricity, transportation and labour charges were some of the main reasons for the industry being pushed into a catastrophe.Compared to the previous years, there is huge jump in the price of current bills, labour and transportation charges, which were vital to run rice mills. But there was no change in the remuneration being paid to rice millers by the State government towards custom milling charges. At present, Rs 15 and Rs 22 were being paid per a quintal of raw and boiled rice respectively. Apart from these issues, the Minimum Support Price (MSP) is also playing a vital role in staying rice exporters away from state. Not interested to spend huge amounts on procuring rice from the State, they are approaching millers of other states such as Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharastra where there was no MSP for paddy.

Speaking to The Hans India here on Monday, P Muralidhar, owner of Maruthi Industries, Sultanabad, said that the remuneration for custom milling was fixed 20 years ago. There was no change in the payments for custom milling though the prices of all commodities like diesel, electricity and other were hiked hundred times, he opined.Another rice miller from Sultanabad, Poleti Maruthi said that they had brought the issue to the notice of the State government a number of times in the past, but the successive rulers did not heed to their request. However, he expressed the hope that the present Telangana State government would protect the interests of rice millers.

According to the official figures of the District Rice Millers Welfare Association, there were 536 rice mills including 242 boiled mills in the district out of which, 111 were located in the surroundings of Sultanabad mandal headquarters itself.  More than 15 mills were already closed while 80 percent of mills belonging to Sultanabad were in crisis.Rice millers from the district have pinned their hopes on the Finance and Civil Supplies Minister, Eetala Rajender, who assured the protestors, a few months ago, that he would help them in resolving their crisis.  Moreover, Rajender’s candidate Bachu Bhaskar has been elected as the president of district rice millers association in the elections. All the candidates withdrew from the contest based on the instruction from the Finance Minister, it was leant.


By:Raghu Paithari
http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/2015-10-25/Rice-mills-falling-on-hard-times-182329  











UNVDA helps farmers cope with climate change, boost production
YAOUNDE, (Xinhua) -- A program by a government agro-industry body is helping rice farmers in the Cameroon’s north and west regions to adopt better crop varieties, use water more efficiently and adapt to climate change so as to increase output.
The program, run by the Upper Noun Valley Development Authority (UNVDA), is also in partnership with Cameroon’s Institute of Agricultural Research and Development (IRAD).“In the last 15 years, scientists have released 18 varieties under a line called New Rice for Africa (NERICA), developed by the Africa Rice Center which crossed an African species tolerant to local stresses, including drought and pests, and a high-yielding Asian species. These varieties can resist submersion, droughts and high temperatures including pests and diseases,” said UNVDA General Manager Richard Chin Wirnkar.
He said that local development authority is involved in a project led by the Africa Rice Center which has established a “rapid impact” seed programme to distribute new high-yield seed varieties to farmers and also promotes post-harvest technologies like rice milling and packaging, processing activities, and stronger links with input dealers and micro-finance institutions.The project thus gives households opportunities to raise their income by developing new rice-based products like rice flour and husks for fuel, and exploring the use of rice in fortified foods, including vitamin-rich cereals.
The government acknowledges that achieving its plan to make Cameroon an emerging economy with double-digit growth by 2035, and implementing the new U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty and hunger depend largely on the economic empowerment of rice farmers, particularly women.“With renewed government interest in the rice sector in recent years, Cameroon has the potential to become a rice granary for the Central African sub-region, according to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI),” said Wirnkar.

“But making this a reality requires strengthening rural infrastructure such as roads, irrigation, and rice milling and rice processing facilities as well as farmers’ ability to market their produce.”In the last few years, Cameroon grew less than 20 percent of the rice it needed. In 2012, the country produced only 102,000 tonnes of paddy rice and had to import up to 375,000 tonnes to meet national demand, according to figures cited by the IRRI.
It should be noted that in previous decades, the government’s reluctance to boast local production saw the massive importation of rice into the country which almost killed the local rice sector. The customs department of the Ministry of Finance put the rice importation figures in 2014 at 552,000 tonnes, up from 540,000 tonnes in 2013, mainly from Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, China and South Korea.
But over the last few years, the government has been mapping out strategists to revamp the rice sector and some institutions have been put in place to ensure this transformation, including UNVDA in the North-West and the Company for the Expansion and Modernization of Rice in Yagoua (SEMRY) project in the Far-North Region to boost local rice production.

In Cameroon, areas where rice production is currently going on include the Ndop and Mujang plains in the North-West Region, Tonga, Bandounga and Santchou in the West Region, Yagoua and Kousseri in the Far-North Region, and Nanga Eboko in the Centre Region with support from Chinese company Sino-Cam Iko.Despite all these efforts, some constraints are still hindering the country from expanding and intensifying its rice production, including a lack of good-quality seeds and adequate equipment for labour-intensive tasks, and a lack of post-harvest technologies to make local rice competitive in the market. Thus, the country’s rice production has not yet been able to keep pace with the increasing national demand.

http://www.coastweek.com/3843-agriculture-03.htm


PH national scientist Benito Vergara dies

Vergara, who was named National Scientist in 2001 for his contribution on rice research, dies at the age of 81

Reynaldo Santos Jr
@reysantosjr
Published 11:34 PM, October 25, 2015
Updated 11:44 PM, October 25, 2015
RICE RESEARCH. In a photo taken in 1991, Benito Vergara is seen conducting a study on a rice field.

MANILA, Philippines – National scientist and plant physiologist Benito Vergara died on Saturday, October 24.Vergara's death is confirmed in a Facebook post by the Philippine Horticulture Society Inc. (PHCI), where he served as an honorary member.The cause of death of the 81-year-old Vergara is not immediately clear.Vergara was given the title National Scientist in 2001 due to his significant contribution on rice research.In an Instagram post by the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), Vergara is said to have brought "rice science and technology closer to the popular consciousness.""He worked on the physiology of deep-water rice and flood-tolerant rice plant. His work has been adopted by national breeding programs leading to the identification of parent materials with excellent flood tolerance," said in the post.NAST added that he is also behind the "conceptualization of a model for the super rice, an even higher-yielding rice, based on a new ideotype with the correct panicle morphology, grain development, and low tillering habit as key components."

Vergara worked at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) from 1961 until 1995.His other contributions include the book Farmer's Primer on Growing Rice which has been translated into more than 40 languages, and the development of the Riceworld Museum and the Philippine Science Heritage Center.Vergara obtained a bachelors degree in botany from the University of the Philippines in 1955, a masters degree in botany from the University of Hawaii in 1959, and a doctorate degree in plant physiology from the University of Chicago in 1960.He was born on June 23, 1934.According to PHCI, Vergara's body lies at the Arlington Memorial Chapel in Quezon City from October 25 to 26. It will then be brought to Los Baños in Laguna for a wake until October 28. – Rappler.com

Filed under:irrinational scientistplant physiologistup los banosuplbbenito vergara


Bill Gates deputy visits PH for rice research updates


(2nd UPDATE) Pamela Anderson, a director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has been meeting with IRRI officials, but reports say the world's richest man himself also visited
Rappler.com
Published 4:32 PM, April 08, 2015
Updated 1:13 PM, April 09, 2015

BILLIONAIRE'S LIST. Microsoft co-founder and philantropist Bill Gates is still the world's richest man in 2015. File photo by Cole Burston / EPA

MANILA, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) – The world’s richest man, Bill Gates, was reportedly spotted in Los Baños, Laguna – the hub of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) on Wednesday, April 8.A few social media posts and online reports said the billionaire philanthropist was seen in IRRI Wednesday morning.Tony Lambino, IRRI head of communications, neither confirmed nor denied the visit.Lambino told Rappler, however, that Dr. Pamela Anderson, the agricultural development director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) had been in IRRI since the weekend.

He said Anderson and other senior officers of the BMGF were in the country to get updates on the food and nutrition security programs the foundation is supporting, with an annual commitment of $18 million. The briefings of IRRI officials with Anderson concluded Wednesday morning."The foundation is IRRI's largest philanthropic donor," Lambino said in a text message.Apparently, a private jet with registration number N887WM and tied to Gates, was in the country as early as April 4, Interaksyon.com reported.An IRRI employee shared with Rappler that social media sites, like Facebook and Twitter, were blocked in the premises of the institute at around 8:00 am to 3:30 pm, before and after the chopper reportedly carrying Gates landed at IRRI. The chopper was at IRRI from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, the employee shared.

Research in progress
Scientists at IRRI updated the BMGF team on advances in research on climate-change-ready rice and varieties that promise to help solve micronutrient deficiencies.“We are thankful that the BMGF has come for updates on the food and nutrition security initiatives that they support,” said Robert Zeigler, Director General of IRRI.“The foundation is a staunch partner in applying the best of science so that people in the rice-eating world will not go hungry.”The foundation has invested in IRRI’s research for Golden Rice, a genetically modified crop that is seen to help solve hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.

"It is hoped that Golden Rice will help improve the health of millions of children and adults across the Philippines and Bangladesh," the foundation said in a statement.Environmental groups oppose the GMO-developed rice, warning of its potential hazardous impact to the environment.The BMGF team was also shown experimental rice plots for the development of flood- and drought-tolerant rice. These varieties promise to improve the livelihoods of the world's poorest farmers by ensuring a good harvest despite weather and climate upsets.For instance, flood-tolerant rice are supposed to thrive even after more than 14 days underwater. Non-tolerant rice normally die after just 4 days of submergence.

Philanthropist

BIllionaire philanthropist Gates, with an estimated fortune of $79.2 billion according toForbes, stepped down as chairman of Microsoft in 2014, and has been since focusing on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.Co-chaired with wife Melinda, the foudation teams up with partners around the world to take on some tough challenges: extreme poverty and poor health in developing countries, and the failures of America’s education system."We focus on only a few issues because we think that’s the best way to have great impact, and we focus on these issues in particular because we think they are the biggest barriers that prevent people from making the most of their lives," the Gates earlier wrote, explaining the foundation's work. – with a report from Lynda C. Corpuz, Pia Ranada / Rappler.com


http://www.rappler.com/nation/110625-national-scientist-benito-vergara-dies

Nearly P10B in rice wasted yearly–study

 Sunday, October 25, 2015
 By JEANDIE O. GALOLO

ABOUT P27 million worth of rice is wasted in the Philippines every day, a loss that, unless abated, will go up to nearly P10 billion in a year’s time.Citing a study by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PRRI), Mary Agnes Militante, regional information officer of the National Food Authority (NFA) in Central Visayas, said that one person, on average, wastes two tablespoons of rice daily or some 3.3 kilograms in a year.“We are calling on our consumers not to waste rice because, for one, the Philippines is not rice-sufficient. We are even importing some of our rice from Thailand and Vietnam,” Militante said.The NFA is running a nationwide information campaign that urges Filipinos to pledge to become food guardians. As food guardians, they should: (1) not waste rice (BeRiceponsible campaign); (2) help in making sure that rice is available, accessible, affordable, and visible to the public (Bantay Bigas Campaign); and (3) follow the correct food handling procedures to ensure that rice is safe for consumers (Food Safety Campaign).The agency is aiming to gather one million signatures nationwide through its social media accounts and offices for the commitment to become food guardians.
In Central Visayas 1,850 have volunteered to become food guardians. Nationwide, the number stands close to 60,000.

To better equip food guardians with the right knowledge about grains and the rice industry, food guardians are also advised to attend free seminars about post-harvest technology, food handling, food quality, food safety, and production-consumption-importation analysis.According to Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan in recent reports, the country may have to accelerate rice imports in order to keep prices stable and cushion the impact of recent crop losses from typhoon Lando and the prolonged dry spell due to El Niño.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/business/2015/10/25/nearly-p10b-rice-wasted-yearly-study-437826

Unreasonable mechanism clips the wings of rice exporters
VietNamNet Bridge - Five big rice exporters, including Thailand, India, Vietnam, Pakistan and the US, are all under the influence of new economic circumstances. However, Vietnam is the only country which has seen exports fall.
Huynh The Nang, chair of the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), said the current conditions do not support rice exports. First, there is an abundant world supply. Second, the prices are getting more competitive. Third, some new rice exporters have turned up such as Cambodia and Myanmar. Fourth, rice importers are now following self-sufficient food policies. However, an analyst pointed that the factors have had an impact on all the countries involved in the global rice trade, not only Vietnam.
 Vietnam even has advantages over other exporters. Vietnam’s rice is believed to have the most competitive price. Vietnam’s 5 percent broken rice is priced at $330-340 per ton, which is only more expensive than Pakistan, which sells at $310-320 per ton.Experts believe that unreasonable policies are behind the unsatisfactory rice export performance. Nguyen Van Sanh, head of the Mekong River Delta Research and Development Institute, noted that rice cultivation and export are covered by 200 legal documents with overlapping content and unreasonable regulations which hinder the normal operation of links in the supply chain.Pham Thai Binh, director of Trung An Company in Can Tho City, discussing the unreasonable policies for the rice industry, mentioned the Prime Minister’s Decision No 68 on the policies to help ease losses in agricultural production.

Binh said the decision only benefits farmers, while export companies cannot enjoy any benefits.In order to implement the large paddy field model, i.e., the agricultural production mode under which businesses are responsible for farmers’ rice consumption, businesses have to make heavy investment to develop dryer systems to ensure product quality. Meanwhile, they don’t receive support from the State.“It is enterprises which have to spend money on processing machines, not farmers,” he said.The State Bank of Vietnam has committed that the banking system would give financial support to implement the large-field model. However, it is still difficult to access banks loans. 

Investors who develop the large field model in Can Tho City, for example, only get money disbursed for the projects in Can Tho, not in other localities. Regarding rice exports, Dr. Nguyen Duc Thanh from VEPR, an economic policy research institute, pointed out that the government Decree No 109, since the day it took effect, has weakened the competitiveness of Vietnamese rice exporters.The decree, which has many strict requirements on rice exporters, only allows a small number of enterprises to export rice. 


TBKTSG
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/143856/unreasonable-mechanism-clips-the-wings-of-rice-exporters.html




Salt water showing up in rice growing areas



Posted by at No comments:

26th October,2015 Daily Exclusive ORYZA News by Riceplus Magazine

Drought Affects 418,000 Hectares of Rice Fields in Indonesia, Says Agriculture Ministry

Oct 23, 2015

Extending drought conditions have affected about 418,000 hectares of rice fields in Indonesia, Bloomberg quoted an Agriculture Ministry report.The drought has damaged about 148,749 hectares of cultivated rice area mostly in West Java, Central Java and South Sulawesi, according to the Agricultural Ministry's Director General for Food Crops.Due to a likely reduction in this year's rice output , the government has decided to import rice in order to maintain adequate stocks and curb price hikes.

The President told reporters that the government has secured rice imports from Vietnam and Thailand and can be shipped to Indonesia whenever needed. He noted that the government would decide about shipping rice from overseas based on the weather condition in the last week of October. The government has reportedly signed import agreement for one million tons of rice from Vietnam. However, it is not clear about agreements with Thailand. Last month, the Vice-President hinted that Indonesia would require about 1.5 million tons or rice imports to maintain adequate stocks and protect prices.

 

Asian Rice Quotes Remain Unchanged Today

Oct 23, 2015

Asian rice sellers kept their quotes unchanged today.
5% Broken Rice
Thailand 5% rice is indicated at around $355 - $365 per ton about $15 per ton discount on Vietnam 5% rice shown at around $370 - $380 per ton. India 5% rice is indicated at around $350 - $360 per ton, about $45 per ton premium on Pakistan 5% rice shown at around $305 - $315 per ton.
25% Broken Rice
Thailand 25% rice is indicated at around $330 - $340 per ton, about $20 per ton discount on Vietnam 25% rice shown at around $350- $360 per ton. India 25% rice is indicated at around $330 - $340 per ton, about $50 per ton premium on Pakistan 25% rice shown at around $280 - $290 per ton.
Parboiled Rice
Thailand parboiled rice is indicated at around $360 - $370 per ton. India parboiled rice is indicated at around $340 - $350 per ton, about $65 per ton discount to Pakistan parboiled rice last shown at around $405 - $415 per ton.                            
100% Broken Rice
Thailand broken rice, A1 Super is indicated at around $305 - $315 per ton, at par with Vietnam 100% broken rice shown at around $305 - $315 per ton. India's 100% broken rice is shown at around $290 - $300 per ton, about $15 per ton premium on Pakistan broken sortexed rice shown at around $275 - $285 per ton.

Oryza Weekly - Increasing Demand from Indonesia and Philippines Supports Global Rice Prices

Oct 24, 2015
The current El Nino weather pattern is strengthening and it is considered as one of the strongest patterns since 1950. It is likely to extend to early next year. While countries in Asia, South American and Australia will experience drought conditions, countries in North America will get heavy rains. Production is likely to decline in India, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.
Global rice prices are continuing to increase amid fears of lower supplies and increased demand from Indonesia and the Philippines
The Oryza White Rice Index (WRI), a weighted average of global white rice export quotes, ended the week at about $395 per ton, up about $3 per ton from a week ago, up about $8 per ton from a month ago and down about $59 per ton from a year ago.

Thailand
Thailand 5% broken rice is today shown at about $360 per ton, down about $5 per ton from a week ago, up about $15 per ton from a month ago and down about $65 per ton from a year ago.
Thailand’s Foreign Trade Department approved the sale of 112,000 tons from the auction conducted on September 29, at an average price of 10,000 baht (around $283) per ton.
The Thai Commerce Ministry plans to introduce a new pledging scheme for Hom Mali rice in efforts to control prices during the harvest season.
Vietnam
Vietnam 5% broken rice is today shown at about $375 per ton, up about $15 per ton from a week ago, up about $15 per ton from a month ago and down about $65 per ton from a year ago.
In August, Vietnam exported about 461,035 tons of rice, down about 24% from July, and down about 27.5% from August 2014.
Cambodia 5% broken rice is today shown at about $420 per ton, unchanged from a week and an month ago, and down about $50 per ton from a year ago.
India
India 5% broken rice is today shown at about $355 per ton, unchanged from a week ago, down about $5 per ton from a month ago, and down about $65 per ton from a year ago.
Researchers from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute will help the government promote the use of black rice.
Pakistan
Pakistan 5% broken rice is today shown at about $310 per ton, unchanged from a week ago, down about $5 per ton from a month ago and down about $90 per ton from a year ago.
Pakistan exported around 659,567 tons of rice (including 89,950 tons of basmati and 569,617 tons of non-basmati) in the first three months of FY 2015-16 (July - June), up about 16% from around 569,799 tons (121,496 tons of basmati and 448,303 tons of non-basmati) exported during the same period in FY 2014-15,
Central & South America
Brazil 5% broken rice is today shown at about $500 per ton, unchanged from a week and a month ago and down about $50 per ton from a year ago. The Brazilian paddy rice index maintained by CEPEA reached around 40.38 real per 50 kilograms as of October 18, 2015, slightly up from around 40.32 real per 50 kilograms recorded on October 12, 2015.  In terms of USD per ton, the index reached around $208.33 per ton on October 18, 2015, slightly up from around $207.33 per ton recorded on October 12, 2015.  Month-on-month, the index has increased about 6% from about 38.06 real per 50 kilograms on September 18, 2015. In terms of USD, the index increased about 9% during the month.
Five percent broken rice from Uruguay and Argentina is today shown at about $535 per ton, unchanged from a week ago, down about $5 per ton from a month ago, and down about $65 per ton from a year ago.
Venezuela reportedly plans to import rice from Suriname, which will likely end the oil-for-rice deal with Guyana.
U.S.
U.S. 4% broken rice is today shown at about $500 per ton, unchanged from a week ago, down about $35 per ton from a month ago and up about $5 per ton from a year ago.
Chicago rough rice futures for November delivery saw some gains midweek before dropping off towards the end of the week.  After opening at $12.130 per cwt (about $267 per ton) on Monday, futures climbed to a weekly high of $12.290 per cwt (about $271 per ton) on Wednesday before falling to close at $11.900 per cwt (about $262 per ton) on Friday.
The U.S. cash market was weaker later in the week, falling in sympathy with the futures market as most sellers choose to store their rice and wait for prices to improve.
Taiwan purchased a total of 36,750 tons of the 2015 U.S. CSQ of 64,634 tons, as of October 13.
Other Markets
The European Commission will implement new regulations for limiting inorganic arsenic in rice and other food starting January 1, 2016.
Cambodia has signed a contract with China to export about 100,000 tons of rice starting in early 2016.During the first nine months of 2015, China has imported about 2.314 million tons of rice, up about 34% from the same period last year, according to the China Customs General Administration.
A preliminary report by the Philippines Agriculture Ministry noted that about 463,692 tons of rice worth 7.09 billion pesos (around $152 million) have been damaged by the Typhoon Koppu. By the end of October, the government of the Philippines will decide on importing an additional one million tons of rice in the first quarter of 2016, according to the National Food Authority Administrator.  The government held an emergency meeting this week to discuss the potential of additional rice imports.
Extending drought conditions have affected about 418,000 hectares of rice fields in Indonesia. The government  is discussing possible rice imports with the governments of Thailand and Vietnam due to concerns about lower production as a result of extending drought conditions.  The President confirmed that the government will import rice if the dry season continues until November.
The Italian Telematic Commodity Exchange has developed a new online platform for international agricultural trade, called “International Market,” to extend the benefits of an electronic commodity exchange to non-European countries.
Iraq has invited international tenders to purchase about 30,000 tons of rice from the U.S., Uruguay, Argentina, and India with the last date for submitting bids November 11.
The government of Malaysia has decided to review the Super Tempatan 15 (ST15) rice subsidy scheme, under which it provides subsidized rice to low-income families, following criticisms that it has failed to achieve the stated objectives
The Guyana Rice Producers Association (RPA) Chairman has advised the government to tap the Caribbean and Europe rice markets after losing the Venezuelan market,

Government of Malaysia Begins Review of Subsidized Rice Program

Oct 23, 2015

The government of Malaysia has decided to review the Super Tempatan 15 (ST15) rice subsidy scheme, under which it provides subsidized rice to low-income families, following criticisms that it has failed to achieve the stated objectives, Bloomberg quoted local sources.The Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry is reportedly conducting a survey to determine whether the scheme needs to be improved or scrapped, the Agriculture Minister was quoted. He noted that the Ministry received several complaints on the conduction of the scheme. The Ministry has taken requisite measures but the scheme, which is intended for only low-income people is being misused, he said. Even non-Malaysians are using the scheme, he added."The outcome of the study will be announced soon.

 We are considering a new mechanism to ensure that the government's aim to aid the poor will achieve its goal," he said.The Minister assured that the government will try to fix the leakages in the scheme and ensure that the targeted group is benefited.In March this year, Malaysia's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) urged the government to suspend the ST15 scheme as it has not been able to achieve the objectives set by the Ministry of Agriculture as well as Agro-based industry, but huge funds have been used for the program, which began in 2008.

 

Typhoon Koppu Damages 463,692 Tons of Rice Worth $152 Million, Says Agriculture Ministry Report

Oct 23, 2015

A preliminary report by the Philippines Agriculture Ministry noted that about 463,692 tons of rice worth 7.09 billion pesos (around $152 million) have been damaged by the Typhoon Koppu, according to Bloomberg.
The typhoon affected about 335,885 hectares of rice fields. About 94% of the fields have a chance of recovery, according to the Ministry. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is estimating the country's total paddy output in the last quarter (October - December) at around 7.95 million tons.
The Economic Planning Secretary told reporters that the output in first quarter of next year would decline as drought conditions have significantly affected the planting operations. He noted that the government will consider importing one million tons of rice in the first quarter of 2016 to compensate losses from the typhoon. He however noted that the country currently has sufficient stocks.
The National Food Authority (NFA) Council will meet next week to decide on the imports. It has already approved for 1.8 million tons of rice imports this year and 500,000 tons in the first quarter of 2016.
On the other hand another typhoon ‘Lando’ is likely to further damage rice crops leading to more losses and more imports.

Global Rice Quotes
October 26th, 2015

Long grain white rice - high quality
Thailand 100% B grade          365-375           ↔
Vietnam 5% broken    370-380           ↔
India 5% broken         350-360           ↔
Pakistan 5% broken    305-315           ↔
Myanmar 5% broken   415-425           ↔
Cambodia 5% broken             415-425           ↔
U.S. 4% broken           490-510           ↔
Uruguay 5% broken    535-545           ↔
Argentina 5% broken 530-540           ↔

Long grain white rice - low quality
Thailand 25% broken 330-340           ↔
Vietnam 25% broken 355-365           ↑
Pakistan 25% broken 280-290           ↔
Cambodia 25% broken           400-410           ↔
India 25% broken       330-340           ↔
U.S. 15% broken         500-510           ↔

Long grain parboiled rice
Thailand parboiled 100% stxd            360-370           ↔
Pakistan parboiled 5% broken stxd    405-415           ↔
India parboiled 5% broken stxd         340-350           ↔
U.S. parboiled 4% broken       590-610           ↔
Brazil parboiled 5% broken    545-555           ↔
Uruguay parboiled 5% broken            NQ      ↔

Long grain fragrant rice
Thailand Hommali 92%          815-825           ↔
Vietnam Jasmine         475-485           ↓
India basmati 2% broken        NQ      ↔
Pakistan basmati 2% broken   NQ      ↔
Cambodia Phka Mails             830-840           ↔

Brokens
Thailand A1 Super      305-315           ↔
Vietnam 100% broken            305-315           ↔
Pakistan 100% broken stxd    275-285           ↔
Cambodia A1 Super   355-365           ↔
India 100% broken stxd         290-300           ↔
Egypt medium grain brokens NQ      ↔
U.S. pet food 330-340           ↔
Brazil half grain          NQ      ↔


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

Guyana Advised to Tap Caribbean, European Rice Markets after Losing Venezuelan Market

Oct 23, 2015

The Guyana Rice Producers Association (RPA) Chairman has advised the government to tap the Caribbean and Europe rice markets after losing the Venezuelan market, according to local sources.Last week, Venezuela has decided to import rice from Suriname in 2016 under a new PetroCaribe deal, officially cancelling deal with Guyana. The RPA Chairman noted that as Suriname would supply rice to Venezuela, Guyana should consider tapping Suriname's traditional markets in the Caribbean and Europe.

“Suriname’s rice production is not that big so it depends on how much they supply to Venezuela and so depending on how much they supply to Venezuela then that corresponding amount will be available for us (Guyana) to supply the Caribbean and Europe,” he said.He noted that Venezuela was an important market for Guyana because export earnings from Venezuela accounted for about 75% of the total export earnings of the country though the volume of exports comprised of only 38% of the country's total export volume.Guyana and Venezuela are reportedly involved in a border controversy after Venezuela sought to claim a part of Guyana’s territory.

Oryza Afternoon Recap - Chicago Rough Rice Futures Tumble as Market Breaks through Technical Support and Demand Remains Slack

Oct 24, 2015

Chicago rough rice futures for Jan delivery settled 28 cents per cwt (about $6 per ton) lower at $12.140 per cwt (about $267 per ton). The other grains finished the day with mixed results after trading sharply lower for the majority of the session; Soybeans closed about 0.6% lower at $8.9600 per bushel; wheat finished about 0.1% lower at $4.9050 per bushel, and corn finished the day about 0.4% higher at $3.7975 per bushel.

U.S. stocks traded higher Friday after the Chinese central bank cut interest rates and after three tech giants posted better-than-expected earnings. The People's Bank of China cut interest rates for the sixth time since November to 4.35%, effective from Oct. 24. Stocks opened sharply higher, with the Dow Jones industrial average briefly trading more than 150 points higher, while the Nasdaq Composite opened up 2%. The Nasdaq also traded above 5,000 for the first time since Aug. 19. The indexes held higher in late-morning trading, but off their session highs, as the Dow pared its initial gains. On the data front, investors took in the latest manufacturing PMI data, which came in at 52, below the expected 52.8. In Europe, equities traded sharply higher, with the pan-European STOXX 600 index closing 1.99% higher.

Overnight, Asian stocks closed higher, with the Nikkei 225 rising 2.11%, while the Shanghai Composite rose 1.32%. The IMF is working on a deal that could add the Chines yuan into the fund's basket of reserve currencies. The Dow Jones industrial average traded up 105 points, or 0.6%, at 17,594. The S&P 500 traded up 16 points, or 0.81%, at 2,069, with information technology leading six sectors higher as utilities led decliners. The Nasdaq traded up 97 points, or 1.97%, at 5,017. Gold is trading about 0.3% lower, crude oil is seen trading about 1.6% lower, and the U.S. dollar is seen trading about 0.8% higher about  1:15pm Chicago time.

Thursday, there were 2,976 contracts traded, up from 1,853 contracts traded on Wednesday. Open interest – the number of contracts outstanding – on Thursday decreased by 114 contracts to 12,807.

Contents have been published with written permission of ORYZA.com with thanks


Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)