Friday, January 15, 2016

14th january 2016 Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine-Latest Rice News Updates

Today Rice News Headlines...
·         BPL families set to get subsidized sugar soon
·         USA Rice Outlines 2016 Legislative Priorities
·         APEDA Rice commodity News
·         Educational opportunities at Mid-South Farm & Gin Show
·         Chhattisgarh develops rice variety to fight malnutrition, drought
·         Arkansas Crop Production Down For Most 2015 Commodities
·         Three executives and four firms indicted in fake G-to-G rice deal
·         Top 10 this week: Beltwide, El NiƱo, hybrid rice, flooding, more
·         Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open-Jan 14
·         Asia races to find drought-resistant rice
·         Rice millers to be charged over pledging scheme
·         Coming up with right varieties crucial to tropical Queensland's rice future, Rice Research Australia manager says
·         Brunei Develops Inbred Drought-Tolerant and High Yielding Rice Variety
·         Commodities Buzz : Vietnam Reduces Rice Cultivation Area For 2016
·         Rice millers to be charged over pledging scheme
·         Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report
·         Seaweed Extract May Boost Rice Production
·         N10billion investment expected in Cross River rice project

News Detail...

BPL families set to get subsidized sugar soon

Vithika Salomi | TNN | Jan 14, 2016, 10.38 PM IST
Patna: The Bihar government will soon provide subsidized sugar to BPL families in the state covered under the National Food Security Act (FSA). State food and consumer protection minister Madan Sahni said though the modalities are still to be finalized, every poor family will get about 1.5kg of sugar per month for Rs 18.50.Addressing a press meet, Sahni said, "Till now, only subsidized wheat, rice and kerosene were made available to the FSA beneficiaries. But, very soon, the government will also provide sugar to them, so that the poor too can prepare sweet dishes."Attacking the opposition parties for trying to corner the government on paddy procurement, Sahni said, "We have set a target of 30 lakh tonnes. Till date, about 60,000 tonnes of paddy have been procured. The figures are better than last year and we will achieve the target by the end of the procurement season." The government has also formed a team to look into any irregularities or complaints related to paddy procurement.The state government had dues outstanding with 2,024 rice millers. Of them, FIRs have been lodged against 1,197, while 199 have been arrested, 836 surrendered and speedy trial is underway against 95. "A total of Rs 1,583.29 crore was due with the millers, of which Rs 241.46 crore has been paid by 331 millers," Sahni said and added that no work will be taken from the defaulting millers. "More than 1,800 other millers have registered this year and offered their services to the government."At present, about 8.57 crore people in Bihar are covered under the FSA and anyone whose ration card is yet to be made can get it made at the RTPS (Right To Public Service) counters across the state.
"We are also working to link the ration card of beneficiaries with their Aadhaar numbers, besides introducing new PDS control in the next one or two months to plug all the loopholes in the FSA," state food and consumer protection secretary Pankaj Kumar said and added that the ration coupon scheme has been received well by the people.The department will also distribute Android-based mobile phones to its officials at the block, district and state level so that they can monitor PDS and update the inspection inputs in real time.
Refuting the claims that Food Corporation of India (FCI) has been asked not to procure paddy, Sahni said, "Since farmers are closely associated with primary agriculture cooperative societies (PACS), the state government has decided that 90% procurement should be done by PACS and 'Vyapar Mandal', while FCI will do the remaining 10% procurement."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/BPL-families-set-to-get-subsidized-sugar-soon/articleshow/50582263.cms
USA Rice Outlines 2016 Legislative Priorities 
 WASHINGTON, DC -- After nearly a month-long recess, the U.S. Senate returned to the Capitolon Monday following their counterparts in the House of Representatives who kicked off their legislative year the previous week.As Congress begins work on their legislative agenda, USA Rice is finalizing priorities and planning for the year ahead.Ben Mosely, USA Rice vice president of government affairs, shared his thoughts on what the industry will focus on in 2016, saying, "Obviously, protecting the great work we accomplished in the 2014 Farm Bill will be a strong priority for us. 
With such a weak farm economy, the Title I (Commodity Title) safety net programs built into the Farm Bill are all that's keeping some producers in business until the markets make a turn for the better."On the same note, reducing the burden on rice operations that will result from the new Actively Engaged in Farming regulations will be near the top of our list.  In addition, we are continuously advocating for the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development funding that are vital to the industry and have proven to be well worth the investment by Congress."
 In addition to Farm Bill-related legislation, Mosely mentioned several other priorities for the rice industry:  "We want to ensure that global rice trade is being legitimately regulated by the World Trade Organization in a fair and legal fashion, and we need to press for policies that will reverse the trend of U.S. exports losing market share to the bad actors.  USA Rice will remain the leader in calling for a lifting of the trade embargo between the U.S. and Cuba to help reopen an important rice market. Keeping in-kind food aid contributions at their current levels is another battle we're constantly engaged in, especially considering fortified rice was developed for food aid programs and is currently underutilized.  Also in the trade arena, while it looks as if the much ballyhooed Trans Pacific Partnership is moving to Congress's back burner and likely won't see action until after the 2016 elections, USA Rice will continue to monitor the deal and its implications for U.S. rice."
 Other priorities for USA Rice include reducing the regulatory burden on U.S. agriculture by legislation such as the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) and other overly-duplicative EPA regulations.  We will continue to support the sound tax provisions made permanent in 2015 for Section 179 and bonus depreciation that incentivize equipment and construction investments and generate jobs on and off farms.
USA rice daily
APEDA Rice commodity News

International Benchmark Price
Price on: 11-01-2016
Product
Benchmark Indicators Name
Price
Garlic
1
Chinese first grade granules, CFR NW Europe (USD/t)
2100
2
Chinese Grade A dehydrated flakes, CFR NW Europe (USD/t)
2000
3
Chinese powdered, CFR NW Europe (USD/t)
1800
Ginger
1
Chinese sliced, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
2150
2
Chinese whole, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
2300
3
Indian Cochin, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
2850
Guar Gum Powder
1
Indian 100 mesh 3500 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t)
3850
2
Indian 200 mesh 3500 cps basis, FOB Kandla (USD/t)
1250
3
Indian 200 mesh 5000 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t)
2370
Source:agra-net
For more info
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 12-01-2016
Domestic Prices
Unit Price : Rs per Qty
Product
Market Center
Variety
Min Price
Max Price
Rice
1
Chala (Kerala)
Other
2480
2780
2
Dhing (Assam)
Common
1600
2000
3
Samsi (West Bengal)
Fine 
2790
2820
Wheat
1
Haveri (Karnataka)
Local
1620
1650
2
Kadi (Gujarat)
Other
1520
2000
3
Nagpur (Maharashtra)
Other
1500
1620
Mousambi
1
Taura (Haryana)
Other
2000
2500
2
Barnala (Punjab)
Other
2400
3000
3
Sultanpur (Uttar Pradesh)
Other
2400
2550
Carrot
1
Bolangir (Orissa)
Other
1800
2000
2
Karad (Maharashtra)
Other
1000
1300
3
Sirhind (Punjab)
Other
400
600
For more info
Egg
Rs per 100 No
Price on 13-01-2016
Product
Market Center
Price
1
Pune
430
2
Chittoor
413
3
Hyderabad
395
Source: e2necc.com
Other International Prices
Unit Price : US$ per package
Price on 13-01-2016
Product
Market Center
Origin
Variety
Low
High
Potatoes
Package: 50 lb cartons
1
Atlanta
Colorado
Russet
16
16.50
2
Chicago
California
Russet
28.50
28.50
3
Detroit
Idaho
Russet
13
14.50
Cucumbers
Package: cartons film wrapped
1
Atlanta
Mexico
Long Seedless
21.50
22.75
2
Chicago
Canada
Long Seedless
17
17.50
3
Miami
Honduras
Long Seedless
9.50
10
Grapes
Package: 18 lb containers bagged
1
Atlanta
 Peru 
Red Globe  
26
30.25
2
Chicago
Peru 
Red Globe
23
25
3
Detroit
Peru   
Red Globe
26
28

International Benchmark Price
Price on: 11-01-2016
Product
Benchmark Indicators Name
Price
Garlic
1
Chinese first grade granules, CFR NW Europe (USD/t)
2100
2
Chinese Grade A dehydrated flakes, CFR NW Europe (USD/t)
2000
3
Chinese powdered, CFR NW Europe (USD/t)
1800
Ginger
1
Chinese sliced, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
2150
2
Chinese whole, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
2300
3
Indian Cochin, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
2850
Guar Gum Powder
1
Indian 100 mesh 3500 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t)
3850
2
Indian 200 mesh 3500 cps basis, FOB Kandla (USD/t)
1250
3
Indian 200 mesh 5000 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t)
2370
Source:agra-net
For more info
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 14-01-2016
Domestic Prices
Unit Price : Rs per Qty
Product
Market Center
Variety
Min Price
Max Price
Jowar(Sorgham)
1
Gulbarga (Karnataka)
Hybrid
1455
2185
2
Barshi (Maharashtra)
Other
1600
3200
3
Theni (Tamil Nadu)
Other 
1560
1620
Maize
1
Haveri (Karnataka)
Local
1420
1420
2
Kota (Rajasthan)
Other
1471
1510
3
Rahata (Maharashtra)
Other
1350
1350
Orange
1
Manjeri (Kerala)
Other
1800
2000
2
Shrirampur (Maharashtra)
Other
1500
2000
3
Barnala (Punjab)
Other
2000
2500
Cucumbar
1
Aroor (Kerala)
Other
2300
2500
2
Jalgaon (Maharashtra)
Other
900
1600
3
Bonai (Orissa)
Other
2000
2000
For more info
Egg
Rs per 100 No
Price on 14-01-2016
Product
Market Center
Price
1
Chittoor
413
2
Hyderabad
395
3
Namakkal
402
Source: e2necc.com
Other International Prices
Unit Price : US$ per package
Price on 13-01-2016
Product
Market Center
Origin
Variety
Low
High
Potatoes
Package: 50 lb cartons
1
Atlanta
Colorado
Russet
16
16.50
2
Chicago
California
Russet
28.50
28.50
3
Detroit
Idaho
Russet
13
14.50
Cucumbers
Package: cartons film wrapped
1
Atlanta
Mexico
Long Seedless
21.50
22.75
2
Chicago
Canada
Long Seedless
17
17.50
3
Miami
Honduras
Long Seedless
9.50
10
Grapes
Package: 18 lb containers bagged
1
Atlanta
 Peru 
Red Globe  
26
30.25
2
Chicago
Peru 
Red Globe
23
25
3
Detroit
Peru   
Red Globe
26
28
Source:USDA

Educational opportunities at Mid-South Farm & Gin Show

Feb. 26-27, Memphis
Jan 13, 2016Farm Press Staff | Delta Farm Press


At the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show, 95 percent of the exhibit space is dedicated to agricultural products and services, a reality that draws thousands of visitors to the show each year. Another major attraction is the opportunity to attend an array of educational seminars.“Educational opportunities abound at this show,” says Tim Price, show manager and executive director of the Southern Cotton Ginners, which sponsors the event, with Delta Farm Press as co-sponsor. “Each year, we develop two or three special seminars aimed at helping farmers to be more profitable in some way.” This year’s educational seminars include:

The Mid-South Ag Forum: “Profitability and Stewardship Together – Through Technology” will be held Friday, Feb. 26, at 1:30 p.m. Featured speakers include Mike Daniels, environmental management specialist, University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service; Bill Robertson, professor, cotton Extension agronomist, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Newport, Ark.; and Steve Stevens, farmer, Desha County, Ark. “At this seminar, you can learn from Extension specialists and farmers who are seeing results about production techniques that enhance profitability while protecting and enhancing natural resources,” Price says.

Southern Corn Production Success – 486 bushels per acre and counting!This seminar, to be held at 11:30 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 27, will feature Valdosta, Ga., grower Randy Dowdy, the 2015 National Corn Growers Association corn yield contest winner, who will discuss the production strategies he follows that focus on maximizing corn yield by minimizing the stress plants experience throughout the growing season.“His forward-thinking approach to corn production challenges traditionally accepted practices and focuses on extracting as much yield as possible from each planted seed,” Price says. “This seminar will cover Understanding Plant Physiology and Components of Yield, Capturing Genetic Yield Potential, Alleviating Inevitable Stress a Plant May Face, Nutrient Uptake: Understanding Timing vs. Availability, and Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone.

Special rice marketing seminar: “What a Rice Farmer Needs to Know to Prosper,” will be held Saturday, Feb. 17, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Milo Hamilton, co-founder and senior agricultural economist of Firstgrain, Inc., will be the speaker. “The formation of the rice price in the Delta is not well understood, “ Price says. “Rice futures are an Americas, not an Asian contract, and a lot of the hype and worry are misdirected. Climate trends, water, and relative value of rice to other things will drive the acreage planted in the U.S. and the profitability of growing rice in Brazil or Arkansas.”All special seminars will be held in the mezzanine level meeting room of the Cook Convention Center.

Farmers interested in attending these sessions should pre-register for the show by visiting the Farm and Gin Show website (www.farmandginshow.com). Click on “Attendee Registration,” complete the form, and print out the confirmation form. Take that form to the show and staff on-site will help complete the process and provide a name badge for entry onto the show floor.
Show hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday. More information is available at www.farmandginshow.com.
http://deltafarmpress.com/soybeans/educational-opportunities-mid-south-farm-gin-show
Chhattisgarh develops rice variety to fight malnutrition, drought
Zinc Rice-1 is first zinc bio-fortified rice variety in country
R Krishna Das             |  Raipur
January 15, 2016         Last Updated at 13:15 IST
Chhattisgarh’s agriculture scientists have developed a rice variety with high zinc content that would be of great use to deal with the malnutrition.  A team of researchers from Raipur-based Indira Gandhi Agriculture University (IGAU)-led by Professor Girish Chandel have explored the two varieties of high zinc rice of which one has been recently released. The variety had been named “Chhattisgarh Zinc Rice-1”, the first zinc bio-fortified rice variety in country. “The variety discovered with the rich zinc content will have a maturity period of 110 days and will be suitable in adverse climatic condition,” Chandel told Business Standard. Even in the drought condition, the variety would give a good yield, he said, adding that the productivity of the paddy is expected to be about 50 quintal per hectare.
The proposal had been sent to the Central Variety Release Committee (CVRC) for the notification of the seed that had already been approved by the state-level committee facilitating its distribution within the state.The authorities had distributed seeds to 2,500 farmers across the state of Chhattisgarh for trial and response from the farmers. After getting the approval, the commercial production of seed would start for distribution beyond state boundary.
According to Chandel, the zinc content in the paddy variety would vary from 22-24 parts per million (PPM) that would be about 8-9 PPM more than the regular variety available in the country. He added that the rice variety would be helpful for the government campaign against malnutrition as a small proportion of zinc content in food makes big difference in the health condition.
Medical researchers had underlined that zinc is most famous for its immune-boosting perks. It helps balance body’s response to infection, besides preventing out-of-control inflammation.
http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/chhattisgarh-finds-rice-variety-to-fight-malnutrition-drought-116011500347_1.html

Arkansas Crop Production Down For Most 2015 Commodities

Published 01/14 2016 08:50AM
Updated 01/14 2016 08:50AM
LITTLE ROCK, AR
The National Agricultural Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday issued its Crop Production 2015 Summary and for Arkansas, growers saw decreases in acres harvested, average yield and total production in corn, cotton, long grain rice and soybeans. In 2014, corn, rice and soybeans all saw record high yield numbers.
 By the numbers
CORN -- Arkansas corn production fell almost 20 percent, from about 99.1 million bushels to about 80.5 million. Nationally, the crop dropped 4 percent from 2014 production numbers. Corn was harvested from 445,000 acres, down 16 percent from last year. Yield was estimated at 181 bushels per acre, down six from the previous year's record high.
 
COTTON -- Arkansas cotton production dropped 40 percent to 475,000 bales, a record low. Nationally, cotton production dropped 21 percent from 2014. Acres harvested dropped to 205,000 acres, down 40 percent from the previous year, and an all-time low. The crop yield was estimated at 1,112 pounds per acre, down 33 pounds from the previous year.SORGHUM - The state's grain sorghum production experienced a gain of 169 percent to about 43.1 million -reflecting the 167 percent increase in acres planted over 2014 to 440,000. Stiles said that as market prices for grain sorghum have collapsed over the last year, growers were likely reduce their sorghum acreage back to 2014 levels, when growers harvested 165,000 acres of the grain. Sorghum yield was pegged at 98 bushels per acre, up one bushel from 2014.

SOYBEANS -- Arkansas soybeans did not meet NASS forecasts of another record year for yields, fell slightly from 2014 in acres harvested, average yield and production. Growers produced about 155.3 million bushels of soybeans, down 2 percent from adjusted 2014 numbers. Nationally, soybeans production increased slightly. Yield was estimated at 49 bushels per acre, down a half bushel from the previous year's record high.RICE -- Overall Arkansas rice production, which includes both long grain and medium grain rice, fell 16 percent from 2014 numbers to 94.3 million hundredweight. While medium grain rice increased from 214,000 acres harvested in 2014 to 240,000 acres, long grain rice dropped about 20 percent from about 1.27 million acres to about 1 million acres harvested in 2015. Nationally, rice production fell 13 percent from 2014.
 Jarrod Hardke, extension rice agronomist for the division, said that although production has fallen, and U.S. rice stocks are reportedly the lowest they've been in eight years, the commodity price will likely continue to remain relatively low, and will not likely change Arkansas growers' current decisions regarding acreage allocations one way or the other. 
http://www.nwahomepage.com/news/arkansas-crop-production-down-for-most-2015-commodities

Three executives and four firms indicted in fake G-to-G rice deal


BY EDITORON 2016-01-14THAILAND
Three executives and four firms indicted in fake G-to-G rice deal

BANGKOK: — Three executives and four companies were today (Wednesday) indicted by the Office of the Attorney-General in the Supreme Court’s criminal division for political office holders for their alleged involvement in corruption in the rice pledging scheme of the Pheu Thai-led government.
Named as defendants in the fake G-to-G rice deal with a Chinese company, Guangdong Stationery & Sporting Goods Corp, are Kitthavee Yasothorn rice mill limited partnership, Kitthavee Yasothorn Rice Company, KMC Inter Rice 2002, Jia Meng Company and their three executives namely Mr Thavee Artsamat, Mr Pakorn Leesirikul and Mrs Prapit Manatunya. Deputy attorney-general Chutichai Sakhakorn alleged that the seven defendants bought rice from the External Trade Department for export to the Chinese firm but the rice were not actually exported and were sold locally instead.
He said that the OAG had sufficient evidences to prove the seven defendant’ wrongdoings and the damages caused to the state.He also said that the case against the seven defendants was linked to another case earlier brought by the OAG against former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom and 20 associates and many of the witnesses of the two cases are the same group of people. Hence, he asked the court to combine the two cases as one.Regarding the Chinese firm and six Chinese nationals implicated in the fake rice deal with China, Mr Chutichai said the case was not completed yet. Moreover, there is a problem of notifying them about the charges against them because they are living in China.
Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/three-executives-and-four-firms-indicted-in-fake-g-to-g-rice-deal
http://news.thaivisa.com/thailand/three-executives-and-four-firms-indicted-in-fake-g-to-g-rice-deal/128049/

Top 10 this week: Beltwide, El NiƱo, hybrid rice, flooding, more


Jan 14, 2016Ed Phillips | Delta Farm Press
The 'Godzilla' El NiƱo and the flooded Mississippi River dominated much of the news during the past week. Also popular with Delta Farm Press readers was information coming out of this year's Beltwide Cotton Conferences, including a look at the state of the industry and market prospects. And be sure to check out editor Hembree Brandon's popular blog about the never-ending conspiracies attached to agriculture.

10. Monster weeds: It’s all a plot by evil chemical companies (not!)  Agriculture has become a fertile ground for conspiracists, who alas, often include some in the mainstream media who employ misrepresentation or exaggeration to make a story more dramatic or credible. One can only wonder if it is not somehow wired into our genetic makeup, the willingness with which we accept the existence of conspiracies.
9. Hybrid rice plantings could expand significantly in coming years Farmers in the United States and China now plant about 50 percent of their acres to hybrid rice, according to Michael Gumina, global CEO for RiceTec Ag, a seed company that focuses primarily on the relatively new type of rice. 

8. Growers could see pricing opportunities for 2016 cotton Jarral Neeper, president of Calcot Ltd., Bakersfield, Calif., says cotton futures could reach the low 70s if a stronger El NiƱo reduces production to 96 to 98 million bales in 2016. Such a reduction could push world ending stocks below 90 million bales for the first time in years.
7. Rice bird repellent AV-1011 granted conditional registration AV-1011 Bird Repellent for rice seed has been granted a “conditional” registration by the Environmental Protection Agency until Jan. 5, 2018. A conditional registration under FIFRA allows for the product to be used while the manufacturer, Arkion Life Sciences, completes a final data requirement.
6. Strong El NiƱo could reduce U.S. cotton production, exports Under normal circumstances, Calcot’s Jarral Neeper says he would expect U.S. cotton acres to increase from last year’s 8.55 million to 9.15 million in 2016. Those estimates seem to be changing daily, but Neeper believes those who think the 2016 figure could be closer to 11 million acres are way off course.
5. Boom and bust agriculture - it's all about the economyYou don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that the economy is in a time of change. A more sophisticated way to say this might be to use the word “transition.” However you say it, the economy is the driving force behind almost everything and this is especially true in agriculture.
4. Mississippi River crest pushes through Mid-South  As the Mississippi River crest moved through the Mid-South, it wasn't expected to cause the devastation once feared. “From what I understand this is the third-highest volume of water on record,” says Arkansas Rep. Rick Crawford. “That’s the bad news.

3. ‘Godzilla’ El Nino could put excitement back in 2016 cotton market How strong will it be? That has become the question of the year or maybe the decade for folks in the western half of the U.S. But it could also have a major impact on how much cotton the world’s farmers produce in the coming year.
2. Cotton industry looking for ways to avoid economic disaster Over the decades, cotton’s leaders have managed to pull a number of “rabbits out of their hats” just when it seemed the industry was going down for the count because of a combination of low prices, pest problems or high input costs. Has the cotton industry done the impossible again in its efforts to address the economic woes that currently beset U.S. cotton?
1. Beltwide discussions cover the gamut of cotton industry issues The Beltwide Cotton Conferences have changed their format, but the National Cotton Council-sponsored event, continues to draw a large number of specialists from across the cotton-producing portions of the U.S. and the world.
http://deltafarmpress.com/rice/top-10-week-beltwide-el-ni-o-hybrid-rice-flooding-more

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open-Jan 14
Nagpur, Jan 14 Gram and tuar prices recovered strongly in Nagpur Agriculture Produce
and Marketing Committee (APMC) here good seasonal demand from local millers amid thin supply
from producing regions. Reports about weak production in this season, fersh rise in Madhya
Pradesh pulses and reported demand from South-based millers also pushd up prices, according to
sources.

    FOODGRAINS & PULSES
    GRAM
   * Gram mill quality reported higher in open market on increased demand from local
     traders amid restricted supply from producing regions.

     TUAR
   * Tuar varieties ruled steady in open market here matching the demand and supply
     position.

   * Watana dal firmed up in open market on good festival season demand from local
     traders amid weak supply from producing regions.   
     
   * In Akola, Tuar New - 8,400-8,700, Tuar dal New - 13,700-14,300, Udid -
     12,600-13,100, Udid Mogar (clean) - 14,800-17,000, Moong -
     8,600-8,800, Moong Mogar (clean) 9,800-10,100, Gram - 4,300-4,500,
     Gram Super best bold - 5,800-6,200 for 100 kg.

   * Wheat, rice and other commodities moved in a narrow range in
     scattered deals, settled at last levels.
      
 Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg

     FOODGRAINS                 Available prices     Previous close  
     Gram Auction                4,000-4,790         3,800-4,600
     Gram Pink Auction            n.a.           2,100-2,600
     Tuar Auction                7,700-9,280         7,700-9,200
     Moong Auction                n.a.                6,400-6,600
     Udid Auction                n.a.           4,300-4,500
     Masoor Auction                n.a.              2,600-2,800
     Gram Super Best Bold            6,000-6,500        6,000-6,500
     Gram Super Best            n.a.            n.a.
     Gram Medium Best            5,700-5,800        5,700-5,800
     Gram Dal Medium            n.a.            n.a
     Gram Mill Quality            4,750-4,950        4,700-4,900
     Desi gram Raw                4,750-4,900         4,750-4,900
     Gram Filter new            5,100-5,300        5,100-5,300
     Gram Kabuli                5,800-7,800        5,800-7,800
     Gram Pink                        6,300-7,200        6,300-7,300
     Tuar Fataka Best-New             14,100-14,600        14,100-14,600
     Tuar Fataka Medium-New        13,200-13,800        13,200-13,800
     Tuar Dal Best Phod-New        12,500-12,800        12,500-12,800
     Tuar Dal Medium phod-New        11,000-12,000        11,000-12,000
     Tuar Gavarani New             9,000-9,100        9,000-9,100
     Tuar Karnataka             9,600-9,700        9,600-9,700
     Tuar Black                 14,900-15,300        14,900-15,300
     Masoor dal best            6,500-6,800        6,500-6,800
     Masoor dal medium            6,100-6,300        6,100-6,300
     Masoor                    n.a.            n.a.
     Moong Mogar bold            9,600-10,500        9,600-10,500
     Moong Mogar Med            9,000-9,700        9,000-9,700
     Moong dal Chilka            8,500-9,500        8,500-9,500
     Moong Mill quality            n.a.            n.a.
     Moong Chamki best            8,500-8,700        8,500-8,700
     Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG)    15,000-17,500       15,000-17,500
     Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG)    12,300-14,800        12,300-14,800   
     Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG)        9,400-10,700        9,400-10,700    
     Batri dal (100 INR/KG)        5,700-6,100        5,700-6,100
     Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg)          4,400-4,850         4,400-4,850
     Watana Dal (100 INR/KG)            3,250-3,400        3,200-3,350
     Watana White (100 INR/KG)           3,200-3,400           3,200-3,400
     Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG)    3,300-3,800        3,300-3,800  
     Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG)        1,700-1,800        1,700-1,800
     Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG)    1,675-1,775        1,675-1,775  
     Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG)         1,650-1,850        1,650-1,850
     Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG)    2,100-2,450        2,100-2,450   
     Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG)   1,950-2,200        1,950-2,200
     Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG)    n.a.            n.a.
     MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG)    3,600-3,950        3,600-3,950   
     MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG)    3,000-3,200        3,000-3,200          
     Rice BPT best New(100 INR/KG)    2,600-2,850        2,600-2,850   
     Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG)        2,100-2,300        2,100-2,300   
     Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG)         1,800-2,000        1,800-2,000
     Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG)      2,200-2,450        2,200-2,450  
     Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG)      1,850-2,250        1,850-2,250  
     Rice HMT best New (100 INR/KG)    3,100-3,400        3,100-3,400   
     Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG)        2,600-2,900        2,600-2,900   
     Rice Shriram best New(100 INR/KG)    4,400-4,500        4,400-4,500   
     Rice HMT medium New(100 INR/KG)    3,700-4,000        3,700-4,000   
     Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG)    9,800-11,700        9,800-11,700    
     Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG)    7,800-8,000        7,800-8,000   
     Rice Chinnor best New(100 INR/KG)    4,600-4,850        4,600-4,850   
     Rice Chinnor med. New (100 INR/KG)    4,000-4,400        4,000-4,400   
     Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG)        1,800-2,200        1,800-2,200   
     Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG)         1,700-1,800        1,700-1,800

WEATHER (NAGPUR) 
Maximum temp. 29.2 degree Celsius (84.5 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp.
12.2 degree Celsius (53.9 degree Fahrenheit)
Humidity: Highest - n.a., lowest - n.a.
Rainfall : n.a.
FORECAST: Mainly clear sky. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 29 and 13 degreeCelsius respectively.
Note: n.a.--not available
(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, butincluded in market prices.)
Asia races to find drought-resistant rice
Amy Kazmin
The monsoon rains are essential for growing rice in India, but their inconsistency affects productionHalf of all people in the world, mostly those living in Asia, depend on rice as a staple food, eaten up to three times a day.But, compared with other food grains, global production of rice has always been finely balanced against demand, with little surplus traded on the market. As Asian weather patterns, especially the distribution of monsoon rains, become more erratic due to climate change, policymakers are concerned about the stability of global rice production and the long-term welfare of rice farmers and consumers.
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The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), based in the Philippines, is working to develop seeds for new rice varieties that will be able to resist the kind of climate stresses, such as floods, drought and soil salinity, that are expected to become more frequent due to global warming.
Flood-resistant rice strains, whose development by the IRRI started in the late 1970s, are already paying off in India, Bangladesh and Nepal, where millions of farmers now grow rice varieties that can survive total submergence in water for between 14 and 20 days. Previously popular high-yielding rice varieties would be destroyed after just four or five days under water.
Uma Shankar Singh, who leads the IRRI mission in India and Nepal, says researchers are also making progress in developing drought-resistant rice varieties, which could be available to farmers within a few years.
“The world talks about climate change adaptation, but we hardly have anything to show on the ground,” says Mr Singh, the regional co-ordinator for IRRI’s Stress Tolerant Rice for Africa and South Asia (STRASA) project, which is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “This is a direct example.”
Climatic stress is acute in South Asia, home to about 37 per cent of the world’s rice-growing area and prone to floods, drought, salinity, or some combination of those problems. Floods are increasingly frequent, but so are periods of severe dryness during monsoon seasons. Many days can go by between rains, a contrast to the predictable daily downpours that older farmers say they remember. “It’s not that the total amount of rainfall has changed,” says Mr Singh. “But its uneven distribution is creating both flood and drought.”Rice-consuming countries saw the impact of disruptions in the global supply of rice in 2008, when Bangladesh, the Philippines and parts of west Africa all suffered food riots triggered by spiralling global rice prices that had jumped 300 per cent, from $300 to $1,200 per ton, over four months.
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Old production methods are being rethought to increase output
The price spike had several causes, one of which was the imposition of export restrictions by India. Another factor was panic buying by several large rice-consuming countries including Bangladesh, which was facing a rice shortage after severe flooding in the summer of 2007 caused damage to 2.2m acres of cropland.In fact, global rice stocks were not very low at the time and both the panic and prices subsided after a few months. But it was a warning about the kind of global ripple effect that could ensue should a shortfall occur. “There is not much surplus rice for the international trade,” says Mr Singh. “If there is any serious flood in China or India, no one can supply the rice. What rice is produced is consumed; the situation is tight.”

IRRI’s plan to develop rice that can tolerate extreme weather relies on a bank of seeds from around 127,000 traditionally cultivated rice varieties, known as “landraces”, as well as on wild rice collected from around the world.Many of the traditional varieties are disdained by contemporary farmers due to low-yields or poor grain quality. But, having adapted over centuries in various climactic conditions, some have evolved to be able to withstand local climactic stresses.Abdelbagi Ismail, head of the STRASA project, describes IRRI’s seed bank as “a treasure collected from all over the world, adding: “It has all the diversity and all the traits we look for in rice.”For decades, IRRI scientists had searched for rice varieties that could combine the genes required for flood tolerance with those of other high-yield varieties developed during the Green Revolution of the 1960s, which transformed wheat and rice farming in irrigated parts of north India.
Then, in 2002, researchers identified the precise gene in a landrace from eastern India that allowed it to survive a submergence of up to 20 days. By 2006, IRRI had combined that gene with a popular high-yielding rice variety and had provided 200 grammes of the seed to the Indian government’s own rice research institute. By 2013, nearly 5m Indian farmers had some fields planted with this flood-tolerant rice, covering about 1.7 to 2m hectares in total.The institute is now using similar methods in its effort to develop drought-resistant rice and the process has been accelerated by recent developments in genetic mapping. “We are now testing lines that are both drought and flood tolerant,” Mr Singh says. “We must make a variety that can tolerate any condition.”It’s not that the total amount of rainfall has changed, but its uneven distribution is creating both flood and drought
- Uma Shankar Singh, leader of the IRRI mission in India and Nepal
The challenge is not merely scientific, but also political and logistical. South Asian governments must approve new seed varieties, then distribute these seeds to farmers, who must in turn be educated about their benefits and correct use.In the past, regional governments have subjected new IRRI seed varieties to years of additional testing before approving them for use by their own farmers. But India has shortened the testing period and in 2014 the governments of India, Nepal and Bangladesh agreed that seed varieties approved for use in one country will be automatically approved for use in all.
“We want these new varieties to reach the farmers as fast as possible,” Mr Singh said. “The biggest challenge we are facing is making seeds locally available to farmers in remote area and taking information about these new varieties to the farmers. We have to gear up the whole system to do this.”

Rice millers to be charged over pledging scheme
KESINEE TAENGKHIAO
THE NATION January 14, 2016 1:00 am
THE OFFICE of the Attorney-General has resolved to sue seven executives of four rice mills accused of supporting an alleged “irregularity” involving the previous government’s rice-pledging subsidy programme.Public prosecutors yesterday filed their petition with the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders against the private-company executives. They were alleged to have collaborated with former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom in a rice deal that was claimed to be between the Thai and Chinese governments.The seven executives bought rice from government stocks, supposedly to be delivered to China. However, it is alleged that the rice was circulated in the Thai market, deputy attorney-general Chutichai Sakhakorn told a press conference yesterday.
"Public prosecutors will produce evidence to the judges and the public to prove that damage was done and that there was irregularity involving the four contracts," he said.The deputy attorney-general identified the rice mills as Kit Thawee Yasothon, Kit Thawee Yasothon Rice, KMC Inter Rice (2002), and Chia Meng. The prosecutors also submitted with their petition 300 boxes of evidence, consisting on 2,280 files of documents containing 85,990 pages.Chutichai said public prosecutors had asked the court to include their additional petition against the seven Thai executives in the original case against Boonsong and 21 others.
"The additional petition aims at showing that state authorities and private-sector executives worked together in the irregularity in a systematic way," he said.The additional petition was approved by Attorney-General Pongniwat Yuthaphanboriparn.The supposed government-to-government rice deal was made between the Commerce Ministry and China's Guangdong Stationery and Sporting Goods Imports and Exports Corp.The public prosecutors have yet to sue seven Chinese entities and individuals involved in the allegedly phoney rice deal, as they need to collect more conclusive evidence, the senior prosecutor said.
He said the prosecutors still had time to bring the Chinese nationals involved under the Thai justice system, adding that this case's statute of limitations was 20 years.At the same press conference, deputy attorney-general Kitinun Thatchapramuk said the prosecutors had no concerns about the case, as they had ample time to build it against the defendants.In a related development, the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders is scheduled to begin tomorrow its first hearing of witnesses in a separate case against former prime minister YingluckShinawatra, also in connection with the rice-pledging scheme.Yingluck is required to show up at the trial. She has said that she will attend it.
The prosecution's witnesses are Nipon Puapongsakorn from the Thailand Development and Research Institute and deputy auditor-general
Prachak Boonyoung.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Rice-millers-to-be-charged-over-pledging-scheme-30276847.html
Coming up with right varieties crucial to tropical Queensland's rice future, Rice Research Australia manager says
Updated Thu at 5:05am
Rice Research Australia (RRA) is studying different rice varieties to determine which will be most useful for farming in the Mackay region.
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The Mackay region's first commercial rice crop was harvested last year and although the industry is still very small in the area, it appears set for rapid growth, mainly in rotation with sugar cane crops.RRA manager Russell Ford was in Mackay this week and said the region should ideally have several different varieties at its disposal."We are trying to get the mix right for the farmer," he said."Trying, obviously, to get something that works in the environment that we are working in, [which is] a tropical environment most of the time, or tropical to sub-tropical."[The rice plant] needs to work in rotation with cane quite often and then it needs to have a root and plant system that can grow out of water."By that I mean a system of alternate wetting and drying. It is a bit like you water cane down the farrows and this is unique, believe it or not.
"It is not used around the rest of the world too much."The rice variety currently used in the Mackay region is doongara, which has proven successful in the dry winter and the wet summer.
Mr Ford said the rice industry would never take over from sugar cane as the biggest agricultural crop in the Mackay region, since sugar cane was still so well suited to the environment.
However, he expected production to grow significantly from its small beginnings last year
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-14/rice-research-australia-works-on-new-varieties-for-queensland/7085194
Brunei Develops Inbred Drought-Tolerant and High Yielding Rice Variety
Jan 13, 2016
Brunei's Department of Agriculture and Agrifood has developed a new inbred rice variety called "Brunei Darussalam Rice 5 (BDR5)" that is drought-tolerant and high-yielding, according to the Brunei Times.The new variety is developed by cross-breeding between laila rice (a modern rice variety) and beras pusu (a popular traditional rice variety in Brunei). It will be launched soon, according to an agronomist from the Agriculture Department.The agronomist told reporters that: "BDR5 can be a replacement for traditional rice varieties because it has inherited the drought tolerant characteristics of traditional rice but has the higher yield of modern rice varieties." She also noted that the BDR5 can produce a yield of 3 to 5 tons per hectare while the yield from the traditional varieties is only 1 ton per hectare.
She also noted that the new variety can be planted in areas which are not rain fed and also do not have proper irrigation facilities. BDR5 faces less risk of plant dislodging from the soil because it is shorter in height compared to traditional varieties.“This will create a positive impact on the domestic rice production because half of the rice production areas in Brunei still do not have access to proper irrigation infrastructure,” she added.Brunei produces only 2% of the nation’s domestic annual rice consumption of around 40,000 tons.
Brunei’s rice production has remained at around 1,000 tons since 2002. Brunei imports 95% of its rice requirement from Thailand. Brunei imported about 23,357 tons of rice from Thailand in the first eleven months of 2015, according to data from the Thai Rice Exporters Association (TREA). It imported a total of 42,207 tons of rice in 2014.The USDA estimates Brunei to produce 1,000 tons of milled rice and import around 40,000 tons in 2015, to meet a consumption demand of around 41,000 tons.
ORYZA

Commodities Buzz : Vietnam Reduces Rice Cultivation Area For 2016

capital market | Mumbai | January 14, 2016 12:46 IST

Commodities Buzz : Vietnam Reduces Rice Cultivation Area For 2016

The agricultural sector plans to slash rice cultivation by 100,000 hectares in 2016 to grow other grains used to feed animals, said Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat.About 7.6-7.7 million hectares of land will be set aside for rice cultivation with a total yield of 44.5 million tonnes, he stated, highlighting that the sector will enhance quality while reducing costs of rice production by using high-quality varieties with high value and applying comprehensive cultivating methods. The Ministry will continue projects on restructuring the rice sector and building rice trademarks, together with developing such plants as cashew, pepper, tea, cassava, fruit trees, vegetables and flowers which have good markets.In addition, the Ministry will enlarge maize planting areas to 1.22 million hectares, up 22,000 hectares from 2015. A high-yield variety will go into mass production, with a total expected yield of 5.5 million tonnes.

The Department of Crop Production will submit a national maize production plan for 2020 to the Ministry for approval, and draw up specific plans to shift ineffective rice cultivation to growing corn, in line with natural and socio-economic conditions, in each locality.In 2015, about 157,000 hectares of land were affected by drought, 5,000 hectares of which suffered from critical loss of crop, and cultivation could not be done in other 36,000 hectares. During the year, localities nationwide converted 34,600 hectares of inefficient rice cultivation to planting grains and aquaculture.

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http://www.indiainfoline.com/article/capital-market-commodity-futures-mid-session-commentary/commodities-buzz-vietnam-reduces-rice-cultivation-area-for-2016-116011400470_1.html
Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report

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


Futures:
High
Low
Last
Change
Jan '16
1086.0
1082.5
1085.5
-22.0
Mar '16
1135.0
1082.0
1088.0
-42.0
May '16
1152.5
1111.0
1117.0
-41.5
Jul '16
1190.0
1142.5
1144.5
-41.0
Sep '16
1145.0
1145.0
1143.5
-34.0
Nov '16
1165.0
-30.5
Jan '17
1165.5
-30.5
Mar '17
1165.5

Rice Comment

Rices prices closed lower again today. The market remains under pressure following a bearish USDA report earlier this week. Adding additional pressure to prices today was the export sales report which showed sales off 15-percent from last week and the 4-week average. Growing demand from Central America had fueled a rally, if these sales dry up this arrest could be in trouble as the market continues to look for demand to utilize some of the large stocks.
http://www.arfb.com/ag-markets-statistics/report/
Seaweed Extract May Boost Rice Production
This gamma-radiated seaweed extract can increase rice production by about a third and guard against major pests. Science and Development Network | January 14, 2016 | In the Lab AsianScientist (Jan. 14, 2016) - by Paul Icamina - Extracts from seaweeds, with a little tweak of gamma irradiation, can increase rice production by about a third and guard against major pests. Scientists at the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) have developed the carrageenan plant food supplementor (CPFS), which is derived from carrageenan extracted from red edible seaweeds. Carageenan is widely used for its gelling, thickening and stabilizing properties in the food industry and as a binder in toothpaste and shampoo.
In a study published in Radiation Physics and Chemistry, the PNRI scientists showed that carrageenan-derived polysaccharide, a carbohydrate, enhances rice growth when degraded through a “very small dose” of gamma radiation. Plant food supplements are substances that improve the overall health, growth and development of plants, says lead researcher Lucille Abad, chief of PNRI’s chemistry research section. The agricultural benefits of carrageenan are achieved from its building blocks: the long-chain carrageenan polymer that can be broken down into shorter chain fragments known as oligomers (“oligo” for few), Abad explains. These oligomers are readily absorbed by the plant to help their growth and development and also improve their resistance to diseases. “Using gamma radiation, we were able to cut up the polymer into oligomers without using chemicals or complicated and expensive processes,” she says.
 “CPFS can be made with nothing more than the organic carrageenan and water processed by gamma radiation. The product that is formed is not and can never be radioactive. It is a clean and additive-free method that is safe, non-toxic, environment friendly and, most of all, effective.” Abad says the CPFS formulations will be registered with the Philippines’ Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority as soon as results are verified from field trials in around 37,000 hectares nationwide for two planting seasons. Once adopted by farmers, the new technology may boost rice production by at least 30 percent. However, in one experiment in Bulacan province which is near Metro Manila, results showed a 65 percent increase.
Gil Magsino, a scientist at the National Crop Protection Center and who headed the field trials conducted in Bulacan, says three bags of chemical fertilizer per hectare combined with 200 parts per million or 20 milliliters per liter of CPFS yielded higher rice grain weight of 450 grams per 10 hills (mound of soil that is planted with seeds). In contrast, conventional farmers’ practice of applying nine bags of chemical fertilizer per hectare yields a grain weight of only 275 grams per ten hills.
Abad and her research team first tested the CPFS in pot experiments inside greenhouses at PNRI. Various concentrations were sprayed on the leaves of rice. Results showed rice stems and the length of the panicles that bear the grains were significantly higher in the test crops compared with conventional crops. CPFS also induces resistance against rice tungro virus and bacterial leaf blight, both major rice pests. The CPFS was also sprayed on Chinese cabbage, mungbean and peanut, resulting in a product yield of as much as 200-300 percent in the vegetables. “Apparently, spraying the CPFS enhanced the presence of friendly insects such as ladybird beetles and spiders that help control harmful insects like the brown plant hoppers and green leaf hoppers,” Abad notes. The article can be found at: Abad et al. (2015) Characterization of Low Molecular Weight Fragments from Gamma Irradiated Īŗ-Carrageenan Used as Plant Growth Promoter.
Source: SciDev.Net; Photo: James Morgan/Panos. Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff. Tags: Agriculture, Gamma Radiation, Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, Philippines, Rice, Seaweed Read more from Asian Scientist Magazine at: http://www.asianscientist.com/2016/01/in-the-lab/seaweed-extract-boost-rice-production/
http://www.asianscientist.com/2016/01/in-the-lab/seaweed-extract-boost-rice-production/

N10billion investment expected in Cross River rice project

The governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, on Wednesday said the state was expecting a N10 billion investment in its rice production project in the state.He said his administration would work with foreign partners for the success of the project.Speaking to journalists after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House Abuja, Mr. Ayade said the state had engaged a Swiss-based company that would construct modern rice mill to ensure high input and throughput rate.“This is part of what I discussed with the president. Since we have a special commercial credit facility, we have requested for N4.8billion.“If we have that, it will support us. But basically in terms of the investment outlay, the investment is over N10billion and there is also a foreign element, which is a function of what the foreign partners are bringing.
“We are also in contact with a company in Switzerland that is building a Rolls Royce category of what a modern rice mill will look like, with a very high input and throughput rate with a very high return,” he said.The governor explained the state had decided to go for the high-end technology to avoid losses during production. He explained that with some of the old rice mills, 45% losses were recorded from an input of 80% paddy. Mr. Ayade told journalists that as part of the economic reforms of the state, the Bakassi Deep Sea Port will kick off in a short while.
He said the preliminary works had been completed and equipment moved to the site.The governor added that Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA, would soon be concluded.“The project is real and that is part of what I discussed with Mr. President and the president has given his commitment that he will support the deep sea port and the evacuation corridor, which is the 260km super highway,” he said.The governor also declared support for Mr. Buhari’s anti-graft war, saying it had restored the business image of the country.
President Muhammadu Buhari welcomes Gov. Ayade of Cross River in Abuja
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/south-south-regional/196717-n10billion-investment-expected