Monday, February 08, 2016

8th February 2016 Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Ricpelus Magazine

 Today Rice News Headlines...
·         SMEDA asked to resolve issues of SMEs
·         Four-year rice deal with Indonesia will bail out troubled sector
·         Pak loses Geographical Indication bid for Basmati rice before Chennai appellate
·         Pakistan loses Geographical Indication bid for Basmati rice
·         Rice experts worldwide to convene in Galveston March 1-4
·         MP bid to get GI tag for basmati hits roadblock
·         MOHALE: NEGLIGENCE IN PADDY PROCUREMENT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED
·         Expert canvasses rice revolution for food security
·         RICE HUSK, NO MORE A WASTE
·         Inside track: Rice revelations
·         FCI Sends Rice Stock 'Packing'
·         Chhattisgarh grain 'scam': Minister says action taken against guilty
·         New cropping pattern boosts mustard cultivation
·         SEMINAR ON CLIMATE-RESILIENT CROPS HELD
·         44m tons of rice per anum by 2050: BRRI
·         Rice starch market research on 9 companies with forecasts to 2021 released by a top publisher

·         APEDA RICE COMMIDITY NEWS

News Detail...

SMEDA asked to resolve issues of SMEs

·         PPI
February 08, 2016
KARACHI: The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) invited the attention of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) CEO Alamgir Chaudhry to the difficulties faced by the SME rice growers, millers, processors and exporters and urged study and examination of the issues of the rice industry and suggestions for remedial measures to the ministries of agriculture and commerce to save the rice industry.

UNISAME President Zulfikar Thaver said it is incumbent upon SMEDA to look into the predicament of the SMEs engaged in the rice business, which is in jeopardy due to the issues of the industry and unable to survive under such circumstances, especially when there is a global decline in the commodities market.Thirdly, there is no research for new varieties and fourthly there is no marketing support from the government. Fifthly, due to poor logistics the rice industry remains behind our neighbouring country India which is competing with Pakistan.
One important point which needs to be seriously looked into by the Pakistan Standard Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) is the sub standard fertilisers and counterfeit fumigation medicines supplied for destroying insecticides and pesticides. The SME farmer is paying through the nose for these inputs and suffering losses because of its ineffectiveness or low potency. The modern day logistic companies have a system of collateral management which is comprehensive and covers inspection at different stages, risk management with insurance, warehouse receipt financing, speedy movements and tracking, thus making banks comfortable in financing the SME rice traders before and after shipments.

It is high time the rice industry modernised, and SMEDA can play an important role in its up gradation and modernisation. They also complained about the poor representation and advocacy of the Basmati Growers Association (BGA) at the forum in India whereby Pakistan was denied the Geographical Indication (GI) inclusion of basmati rice.

Basmati is grown in India and Pakistan since more than centuries and not including Pakistani basmati rice in the GI amounts to a very apparent and serious error in judgment but the SMEs fail to understand why on earth the BGA challenged the Indian application in the Indian court when India was aiming at identification in India only and it was not a global GI application. Secondly having challenged it, why did it not do its homework and advocate the case wholeheartedly.
However, it is unfortunate that the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) did not take interest in the matter and pursue to expedite the GI law in Pakistan. Alamgir Chaudhry has promised and assured UNISAME that he would discuss future strategy with his team on priority to secure the interest of the SMEs in the rice sector. 
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/business/08-Feb-2016/smeda-asked-to-resolve-issues-of-smes

Four-year rice deal with Indonesia will bail out troubled sector

Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders Patron Shahid Rasheed Butt on Sunday said the four-year rice export deal with Indonesia would bail out the troubled sector and stabilise prices at home.He demanded more long and short term agreements with other countries to boost rice exports as the sector has been facing problems for the last few years.Butt said in his statement that export of rice to Indonesia would boost overall exports to 4.6 million tonnes which would be a record and for which the government deserved credit.Pakistan’s export forecast had recently been raised by 0.1 million tonnes in the wake of a deal with Indonesia, he added.He said the reasons behind the crisis in the rice sector were high production cost, the exporters focusing on profit instead of quality and the availability of Indian rice on low rates.
Local exporters wanted to sell rice at $950 to $1100 per tonne while the Indians offered prices as low as 720 to 850 per tonne because of the low production cost and hidden subsidies in their country, he added.India’s move to sell basmati at lower prices took a toll on Pakistan’s exports but its exporters remained unwilling to bring down their prices, Butt said.The business leader said that Iran was another promising market where Pakistani rice was in great demand but the payment mechanism continued to discourage the exporters.India would be a major competitor to Pakistan in the Iranian market for which exporters and the government need to make an effective strategy, he added.

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2016/02/08/business/four-year-rice-deal-with-indonesia-will-bail-out-troubled-sector/

 

Pak loses Geographical Indication bid for Basmati rice before Chennai appellate

 

Manish Raj | TNN | Feb 6, 2016, 02.11 PM IST
(Representative image)
CHENNAI: Pakistan has lost ts battle to obtain the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag for basmati rice, owing to its failure to play by mandatory rules.Lahore-based Basmati Growers Association (BGA) had moved Intellectual Property Appellate Board here, challenging the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority's (APEDA) application seeking GI tag for basmati rice cultivated in seven states — Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Utarakhand, Haryana, Pun ab and J&K — in India.
More importantly, BGA opposed grant of GI tag basmati to India "in totality". It argued that the assistant registrar of GI in Chennai had "gravely erred that rice produced in arearegion of Madhya Pradesh, or for that matter any part of India can bear the basmati tag", the appeal added. On Friday , however, IPAB rejected the arguments saying BGA had "miserably failed" to comply with the rules.
After APEDA's application was advertised in the GI journal in May 2010, BGA served it a notice. Even though it received a counteraffidavit to its notice and in spite of two extensions, BGA failed to provide evidence supporting its opposition — within the prescribed time and format -under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. So the registry rejected the opposition as `abandoned' on December 31, 2013, IPR attorney P San jai Gandhi said.

BGA moved IPAB, challenging the registry's order BGA's counsel said the asso ciation filed its evidence "diligently" and it was APEDA that countered with missing documents.
Underlining the require ment for strict compliance of rules, APEDA's counse said BGA's "explanation was an afterthought and an excuse to cover up gross neg ligence." A bench of chair man Justice K N Basha and technical member (trade marks) Sanjeev Kumar Chaswal said there was no explanation to justify the de lay for filing its evidence.

Pakistan loses Geographical Indication bid for Basmati rice

Manish Raj | TNN | Feb 7, 2016, 01.44 AM IST
Chennai: Pakistan has lost its battle to obtain the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag for basmati rice, owing to its failure to play by mandatory rules.Lahore-based Basmati Growers Association (BGA) had moved Intellectual Property Appellate Board here, challenging the application of the India's Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) seeking GI tag for basmati rice cultivated in seven states - Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. More importantly, BGA opposed grant of GI tag basmati to India "in totality." It argued that the assistant registrar of GI in Chennai had "gravely erred that rice produced in the region of Madhya Pradesh, or for that matter any part of India can bear the basmati tag." On Friday, however, IPAB rejected the arguments saying BGA had "miserably failed" to comply with rules.

After APEDA's application was advertised in the GI journal in May 2010, BGA served it a notice. Even though it received a counter-affidavit to its notice and in spite of two extensions, BGA failed to provide evidence supporting its opposition - within the prescribed time and format - under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. So the registry rejected the opposition as 'abandoned' on December 31, 2013, IPR attorney P San jai Gandhi said.
BGA's counsel said his client moved IPAB, challenging the registry's order. He said the association filed its evidence "diligently" and it was APEDA that countered with missing documents. Underlining the requirement for strict compliance of rules, APEDA's counsel said BGA's "explanation was an afterthought and an excuse to cover up gross negligence."
A bench of the chairman Justice K N Basha and technical member (trade marks) Sanjeev Kumar Chaswal said there was no explanation to justify the delay for filing its evidence.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Pakistan-loses-Geographical-Indication-bid-for-Basmati-rice/articleshow/50884469.cms

Rice experts worldwide to convene in Galveston March 1-4

·         Writer: Kathleen Phillips, 979-845-2872, ka-phillips@tamu.edu
·         Contact: Dr. Lee Tarpley, 409-752-2741, ltarpley@tamu.edu
·         Dr. Ted Wilson, 409-752-2741, lt-wilson@aesrg.tamu.edu
  • Writer: Kathleen Phillips, 979-845-2872, ka-phillips@tamu.edu
  • Contact: Dr. Lee Tarpley, 409-752-2741, ltarpley@tamu.edu
  • Dr. Ted Wilson, 409-752-2741, lt-wilson@aesrg.tamu.edu
GALVESTON — More than 400 rice scientists, industry representatives, consultants and growers are expected to gather in Galveston March 1-4 for the 36th Biennial Rice Technical Working Group meeting at Moody Gardens in Galveston, officials said.
“We’re expecting scientists from across the U.S. as well as a number of people from Asia, Latin America, Africa and Europe,” said Dr. Ted Wilson, center director at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center-Beaumont, which is hosting the event.

Registration and conference details are at http://www.rtwg.net. The meeting takes place every other year and is held in Texas once a decade.
Wilson said the event will cover everything about rice production, management and varietal improvement.“As scientists, we often focus narrowly on one topic,” Wilson noted. “Consultants have to focus on the whole crop from agronomy to pest management to economics. And growers have to do the same thing but at yet another level. So these interactions that we will have at the meeting are really helpful, because by partnering with growers or consultants, we can do so much more than we can by ourselves.”

Dr. Lee Tarpley, AgriLife Research plant physiologist in Beaumont and program chair, said the conference will include 270 presentations.“One of the really neat things about this meeting is that we have such a wide range of disciplines,” he said. “We’ve got talks on economics and marketing; weed control and growth regulation; rice culture; breeding and genetics; grain quality, processing and storage; and plant protection against disease and insect pests.”          Tarpley said six symposia are being held during the meeting to focus on the most important and timely issues facing the U.S. and world rice industry. Symposia topics are: Sustainable Organic Rice Production, Water Conservation Technologies for Sustainable Rice Production, Rice Value-Addition, Updates for Crop Consultants, The Role of Climatic Stress on Rice Yield and Quality, and Blast Disease.

“Although the U.S. only produces about 2 percent of all rice in the world, we are leaders in many of the scientific areas,” Wilson said. “What makes us a leader with our partners overseas is complementary expertise. It is not just us; it’s us working with them that really does it.”          Wilson noted that AgriLife Research scientists over the past 25 years have identified eight key traits in rice plants that interact to explain almost 80 percent of the average variation in yield. Traits such as producing leaves quickly or slowly, or the location on the plant where the flower head is formed help determine yield and are key to the inbred and hybrid rice breeding programs at Beaumont.

How plant traits interact to determine rice yield performance under conditions of temperature stress also will be addressed as part of the climatic stress symposium.           The rice stink bug will be a focus of the pest management topics at the meeting,  according to Dr. Mo Way, AgriLife Research entomologist in Beaumont. Attendees will learn about possible changes in the threshold numbers that determine when it is economically advantageous to use control measures on the insect.

Attendees will also get an update on blast, a serious disease on rice and wheat, according to Dr. Shane Zhou, AgriLife Research plant pathologist in Beaumont.
“Blast is an important disease and causes significant damage to rice around the world,” Zhou said. “Wheat blast is the biggest threat to wheat production in South America, and it poses a threat to wheat production in the U.S.”“Right now in the U.S., the crop doesn’t have wheat blast, but it has the potential to spread, so our speakers will focus on developing global strategies for management of rice blast and wheat blast.”           Tarpley said the conference will include a wide variety of information applicable not only for rice but for various other cropping systems.

MP bid to get GI tag for basmati hits roadblock

Over three lakh farmers in Madhya Pradesh cultivate basmati in over four lakh hectares. They were hoping for a favourable order which would help them in exports.

More than three lakh farmers in Madhya Pradesh cultivate basmati on over four lakh hectares of land and were hoping for a favourable order, which would have earned them more in exports. (Source: File | Reuters)
Madhya Pradesh’s battle to get the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for basmati rice grown by its farmers in several districts has hit a hurdle, with the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) ruling against it.The assistant registrar of the Geographical Indications Registry had ruled in favour of Madhya Pradesh on December 31, 2013. But the Delhi-based Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) challenged the order. The Chennai-based IPAB has now sided with the APEDA, which had argued against allowing GI tag for basmati rice grown by MP farmers.More than three lakh farmers in Madhya Pradesh cultivate basmati on over four lakh hectares of land and were hoping for a favourable order, which would have earned them more in exports.

“We will move the Chennai high court. We will eventually succeed,” Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Minister Gaurishankar Bisen told The Sunday Express, a day after Justice K N Basha and technical member Sanjeev Kumar Chaswal gave their ruling.Principal Secretary (Agriculture) Rajesh Rajora said the state and other applicants had submitted detailed documentary evidence, such as the gazetteers during the British rule, to shore up the state’s case. He said the appeal will be filed in the next few days.Though there are hundreds of varieties of long grain and scented rice grown all over the world, basmati is the best known due to its unique properties attributable to agro-climatic conditions prevailing in a geographical area.

The assistant registrar had asked APEDA to include some districts in Madhya Pradesh that grow basmati before giving GI tag to the rice grown in parts of seven states, including Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.The APEDA, which functions under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, had challenged the “erroneous” order on several grounds. While arguing against MP’s inclusion, APEDA claimed to have legally challenged in 40 countries third party attempted registrations in the name of basmati or any deceptive variations.Saying MP’s evidence was based on improper verification and illegible and unreadable documents, it was argued that the state does not fall in the Indo Gangetic Plain. In the 235 goods granted GI tag by the registry, only two have been challenged so far.

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/mp-bid-to-get-gi-tag-for-basmati-hits-roadblock/#sthash.NILMYqtv.dpuf

MOHALE: NEGLIGENCE IN PADDY PROCUREMENT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED

Sunday, 07 February 2016 | Staff Reporter | RAIPUR | in Raipur
Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister Punnulal Mohale on Saturday said that the negligence in purchase and procurement of paddy for the Public Distribution System (PDS) will not be tolerated.Mohale added that there was discrepancy in the purchase of 5.30 lakh metric tonne paddy and procurement at villages Alesur and Devrisuma  was less by 18 thousand 317 metric tonne. The district administration in its investigation found the fraud, and strict action had been taken against the erring officials in the Kharif Procurement season 2014-15. The Minister said that the probe had not been done on any complaint but by the State Government and district administration on its own.  There was shortage of 8,870 tonne paddy at Alesur Procurement Centre and 9,447 tonne paddy at Devrisuma Procurement centre in the year 2014-15.

 The paddy had been released without any proper delivery order to the rice millers. Sarna variety paddy had been released on the coarse paddy Delivery Order, embezzlement in the weights and measures of paddy to the rice millers and unusual discrepancy in the quantity of paddy. There was no case against the transporters. Mohale stated that the erring officials, Devrisuma Procurement Centre In-charge Mahendra Bret and Alesur Procurement Centre In-charge Ramanuj Singh Thakur had been suspended by the MarkFed in July 2015. Investigation is going on against the two officials. F.I.R. had been registered at the Batapara Police Station in November 2015.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/mohale-negligence-in-paddy-procurement-will-not-be-tolerated.html

Expert canvasses rice revolution for food security


February 7, 2016
African governments and policymakers have been urged to improve management practices and policies as a way of increasing rice production on the continent.A professor of development economics and an agricultural development expert in both Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, Keijiro Otsuka, said that if this was done, Africa would increase its rice production capacity by 50 per cent.Otsuka, who spoke during a seminar at the International Rice Research Institute, stressed that Africa needed a Green Revolution particularly for rice, which had become very important on the continent.

According to him, currently, an African eats 25 kilogrammes of rice annually, compared with only 10 kilograms 30 years ago. This, he said, was brought about by rice mostly imported from Asia.FINALLY EXPOSED!! A Natural way to completely Reverse TYPE-2 DIABETES By Attacking The Root cause Using 100% Scientifically proven Dietary Approach. CLICK HERE
Otsuka lamented the fact that imported Asian rice accounted for more than one third of African consumption, and that in Sub-Sahara Africa alone, consumption had been rising faster than production.The Food and Agriculture Organisation had identified Africa’s inability to reach self-sufficiency in rice production as being connected with several constraints in the industry.It stated that these challenges required urgent redress to stem the trend of over-reliance on imports and to satisfy the increasing demand for the staple in areas where the potential of local production resources was exploited at very low levels.
According to an FAO report, rice is a staple in many African countries and constitutes a major part of the diet, with as many as 21 of the 39 rice-producing countries in the continent importing between 50 and 99 per cent of their rice requirements.The report added that in the past three decades, the crop had seen consistent increases in demand and its growing importance was evident in the food security planning policies.“With the exception of a few countries that have attained self-sufficiency in rice production, rice demand exceeds production and large quantities of rice are imported to meet the demand at a huge cost in hard currency. Africa consumes a total of 11.6 million tonnes of milled rice per year, of which 3.3 million tonnes (33.6 percent) is imported,” the report added.
But Otsuka, who is a former chair of IRRI’s board of trustees, stressed that “an African Green Revolution in rice is feasible as the crop is the most promising one for raising food productivity on small farms in sub-Sahara Africa.Citing a study, which showed that many areas in the SSA had attained high yields by adopting Asian-type technologies and improved management practices, he expressed the belief that if sufficient resources were allocated to capacity building for effective extension systems, a green revolution in rice was possible in Africa.
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RICE HUSK, NO MORE A WASTE

Ms Rahat Naseer

Sunday, February 07, 2016 - Rice is one of the important crops in Pakistan. According to Pakistan Economic Survey 2014,total production of rice is 6160 thousand tons in Pakistan. As rice husk comprises 20% of the paddy rice, production of rice husk comes to 1540 thousand tons annually. Rice grain contains a rough and hard outer covering, called rice husk which is inedible for human consumption and is also not being fully incorporated in livestock feeding. Rice husk contains 35 percent cellulose, 20 present hemi cellulose, 30 percent lignin, 18 percent pentose and 17 percent ash. Rice husk is one of the by-products of rice threshing process and abundantly available in the central Punjab.

Traditionally, rice husk obtained from rice thresher has been used as ingredient in ruminant and poultry feeds but the problem of low nutrients digestibility, high silica/ash content and 
abrasive characteristics are limiting factors in its utilization. According to the International Rice Research Institute, rice is one of the important staple food crops, daily food for more than 3.5 billion people of the world. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) estimated world rice production of 700 million tons in 2010. Since the husk constitutes 20% of rice, vast quantities of rice husk is disposed of as waste, or burned in open fields, polluting the environment.

In 
the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, a study was conducted in which rice husk was subjected to acid alkali water and fermentation. Different concentrations of acid and alkali were used. All these concentrations were selected carefully not to be harmful for animal consumption. A ration formulation was designed using processed rice husk. Feeding trials of Lohi sheep were carried out for two months. Results showed remarkably good acceptance of rice husk as a replacer of wheat bran in total mixed ration. 
http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=288398

Inside track: Rice revelations

In his biography The Z Factor, television mogul Subhash Chandra has been extraordinarily candid about his past.


Written by Coomi Kapoor | Published:February 7, 2016 12:05 am
Subhash Chandra
In his biography The Z Factor, television mogul Subhash Chandra has been extraordinarily candid about his past. He acknowledges what was long suspected: that he profiteered enormously from dubious rice deals with the Soviets in the early 1980s. He was awarded a lucrative contract to export basmati to Russia, on the understanding that he would share 50 per cent of his profit with his benefactors in the Congress party. Chandra confesses that it was Rajiv Gandhi who steered the deal his way through his aide Vijay Dhar. Chandra writes that he deposited half the share of profits, first with Dhirendra Brahmachari, then with Sitaram Kesri and finally with Arun Nehru.
An interesting sidelight to the story is that while the Soviets were paying for expensive basmati rice, Goyal cut corners by mixing basmati with the cheaper ‘parmal’ variety. The Russians, unfamiliar with the various grades of Indian rice, assumed that he was cheating them since their long-standing rice supplier, Tulsi Tanna, had only been supplying parmal and they thought parmal was the better quality rice. Chandra did not argue with the Russians, but made even bigger profits by exporting only parmal henceforth.

Kilogram index

At a luncheon party at Minister for Communications Ravi Shankar Prasad’s residence, when BJP president Amit Shah was questioned by journalists on the poor state of the economy, Shah retorted that the state of the economy should be judged not in terms of the rupee but in terms of kilogrammes and litres. Several journalists wondered what he meant. What Shah wanted to say was that the per capita consumption of staple goods had increased, even if the price of the rupee had fallen. At the same party, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was offered numerous suggestions on how to fix the fiscal deficit. He joked that in India while most people are known to see themselves as experts on health and cricket, the new trend is to give advice on how to manage the economy.

Togetherness
The oldest invitee at the Beating the Retreat function this year was 90-year-old N D Tiwari, a veteran Congressperson who has served over the years as Central minister, chief minister and governor. He came in a wheelchair steered by his son Rohit Shekhar, who was attired in identical clothes as his father, right down to the Gandhi cap. A few years ago, a court, acting on a paternity suit Shekhar filed, had declared him to be Tiwari’s son.

Falling apart

Vice-President Hamid Ansari was keen to study the 1920 law which created Aligarh Muslim University and asked Parliament House library to send a copy of the Act to his office. The Parliament House library could not oblige since the only available copy is in very poor condition and the pages crumble easily. The document could not be removed from the bookshelf and transported. An attempt to microfilm the papers proved futile since the microfilm was unreadable when magnified. It was suggested that the vice-president personally visit the library. Instead, someone from his office was sent to clarify a particular date.

Safe distance

M Natarajan, the husband of Jayalalithaa’s aide Sasikala, had managed to persuade President Pranab Mukherjee to attend his Pongal celebrations in Chennai on January 12. However, Mukherjee’s proposed visit was scuttled after the Tamil Nadu CM put her foot down and objected to a presidential visit at that point of time. Natarajan was, however, present at the President’s ‘At Home’ function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Republic Day. He was seen talking to BJP ministers and other dignitaries and discussing the forthcoming Tamil Nadu elections. IAS and IPS officers from the Tamil Nadu cadre kept a safe distance from him. They feared that if they were seen even greeting him, the news would be conveyed back to Amma and they might by blackballed.

Misusing his name

Initially, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar wanted to appoint Madan Mohan Jha as HRD minister in his Council of Ministers. But C P Joshi, Congress general secretary incharge of Bihar, informed the CM that Rahul Gandhi was keen that Ashok Choudhary, Bihar Congress president, be given the HRD portfolio. Recently, when the Bihar CM met Rahul he pointed out that Choudhary had been made HRD minister on his request. A shocked Rahul made it clear that he had made no such suggestion. Subsequently, Choudhary has had a tough time getting an appointment with the Congress vice-president.
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/inside-track-rice-

FCI Sends Rice Stock 'Packing'

By Express News Service
Published: 08th February 2016 05:59 AM
Last Updated: 08th February 2016 05:59 AM

JEYPORE: The Food Corporation of India (FCI) of Jeypore has returned over 800 quintals of rice to millers in the last three days citing sub-standard packing. Poor quality gunny bags used for packing rice has been cited as the reason. The gunny bags are supplied by the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation as per the direction of the State Government.According to sources, it was decided that miller agents have to deliver 70 per cent rice quota to the Corporation and 30 per cent quota to FCI after procuring paddy from the farmers and the gunny bags for packing should be provided by the Food, Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department. The weight of the gunny bags should be between 546 grams and 580 grams.
But the gunny bags supplied by the department weighed less than 500 grams. Citing poor quality of the bags, the Control Quality wing of the FCI rejected the stock.Meanwhile, the millers’ association of Koraput has appealed to the State Government and the FCI to consider the ground realities and allow them to supply rice with the available gunny bags.Jeypore FCI Quality Control Manager Dilip Dash said, “We have rejected the rice stock of millers as the gunny bags weigh below 546 grams and it would be difficult to store rice in the godowns with such low quality bags.” The FCI would not compromise with the standard, he added.Meanwhile, district civil supply sources clarified that the department had supplied the gunny bags to all districts and Jeypore office distributed it among the millers as per their requirement.

 

Chhattisgarh grain 'scam': Minister says action taken against guilty

 

By PTI | 7 Feb, 2016, 10.17PM IST
"An FIR was registered against the duo in Bhatapara police station in November 2015, besides a departmental inquiry is underway against them," Mohle said.RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Government today said stringent action has been initiated against those found prima facie guilty in irregularities in the purchase and distribution of grain, since the incident came to light. "The government and the administration of Balodabazaar-Bhatpara district has taken strict action against those found prima facie guilty in irregularities which came to light in Kharif Year 2014-15.
"The investigation revealed the shortfall of 18,317 tonne of grain out of total 5,30,000 tonne of grain purchased from farmers under the 'Minimum Support Price' policy," State Food Minister Punnulal Mohle said today. The opposition Congress alleged that a scam of Rs 130 crore had taken place at the grain storage centres in the district and that government avoided conducting probe in the same.
He said the probe has exposed irregularities in Alesur and Devrisuma storage centres in Kharif Year 2014-15. "The probe detected shortfall of 8870 tonne of grain in Alesur Storage Centre and that of 9447 tonne in Devrisuma storage centre. The probe also detected instances like rice millers getting grain without posting orders, irregularity in weight of grains etc," he said. Incharges of Alesur and Devrisuma centres, namely Ramanuj Singh Thakur and Mahendra Bareth, were suspended in July 2015 by the Chhattisgarh State Co-operative Marketing Federation in this connection, the minister said. An FIR was registered against the duo in Bhatapara police station in November 2015, besides a departmental inquiry is underway against them," Mohle said. He said a district Marketing Officer and an Incharge Food Officer were also suspended in December last year.
 "The action of recovering cost of (short-fallen) grain was initiated against officials concerned of the Markfed (State Marketing Coooperative Federation)," the minister said, adding that an FIR was registered against two rice millers while three rice millers have deposited the requisite amount. He said the government is awaiting the inquiry report of grain stored in centres in Balodabazaar in Kharif years 2012-13 and 2013-14. Mohle said the government will act swiftly against the guilty on receipt of the report in this regard.
Economic times

New cropping pattern boosts mustard cultivation

RANGPUR: Agriculture experts have said cultivation of mustard has been expanding satisfactorily under new cropping pattern making farm-activities more profitable for the farmers amid changing climatic conditions in recent years. The new cropping pattern of "Short duration Aman rice- mustard or potato-mungbean- short duration Aus (pariza) rice" evolved by RDRS Bangladesh also enables the farmers in getting four crops annually from the same land, they said. They made these observations at a farmers' field day arranged for harvesting high yielding variety BARI Sorisha-14 and exhibiting its cultivation technology in village Daud Sabuzpara under Sadar upazila of Nilphamari on Sunday afternoon, according to a report by BSS. RDRS Bangladesh and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agriculture University (BSMRAU) jointly organised the event with assistance of Krishi Gobeshona Foundation (KGF) and Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).
District Training Officer of the DAE for Nilphamari Aftab Hossain attended the field day as the chief guest and inaugurated harvesting of BARI Sorisha-14 mustard in the field of farmer Mahindra Chandra Roy of the village. With Member of Ward No-1 of local Tupamari union Prohlad Roy in the chair, Acting Nilphamari Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer Tanvir Ahmed Sarker attended the event as the special guest. Head of the Training Division of International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Dr Noel Magor, its Bangladesh Representative Dr Ahmed Salauddin, Agriculture & Environment Coordinator of RDRS Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid and its Programme Coordinator for Nilphamari district unit KM Rashedul Arefin attended, among others.

More than 200 male and female farmers of the area, officials of the DAE and RDRS Bangladesh, public representatives, local community leaders and journalists attended the occasion. Research Assistant of Krishi Gobeshona Foundation Mohidul Islam delivered welcome speech narrating the new cropping pattern and cultivation technologies for increasing food production in attaining sustainable food security amid changing climate. The new cropping pattern is being popularised among the farmers in association with BSMRAU under funding of KGF with DAE assistance in Rangpur division since 2011. He said 300 farmers have set up exhibition plots of BARI Sorisha-14 on 300 bigha lands in Nilphamari district after harvesting short duration Aman rice this season adopting the cropping pattern with the assistance of RDRS Bangladesh. Special guest Tanvir Ahmed Sarker said BARI Sorisha-14 is a short duration crop that can be cultivated between the gap of harvesting short duration Aman and cultivation of Boro rice to harvest in 80-85 days to get average yield rate of over 1.5 tonnes per hectare.
After harvesting the BARI Sorisha-14, farmer Mahindra Chandra Roy got its 1.81 tonne yield rate per hectare, which is much higher than the yield rate of the traditional varieties of the crop. The chief guest suggested the farmers for expanded cultivation of BARI Sorisha-14 along with bee farming adopting the new cropping pattern and using more compost fertilisers to increase crop yield side by side with improving soil health.-Asfar 

SEMINAR ON CLIMATE-RESILIENT CROPS HELD

Monday, 08 February 2016 | PNS | BHUBANESWAR | in Bhubaneswar
Major effective steps should be taken to tackle global warming and climate change and reduce the greenhouse gas emission, said the speakers at a seminar held by the Orissa Environmental Society (OES) on Sunday.Climate-resilient crops should be developed for the food security in the polluted environment, said National Rice Research Institute Scientist Dr Bhaskar Chandra Patra. The OES organised the seminar on the topic ‘Climate-Resilient Crops’ at its premises.Dr Patra also said Indian agriculture today faces multi-pronged challenges like flood, drought, etc. Agriculture is also further affected the extreme weather variations.
He said research on climate-resilient crop is in progress at the National Rice Research Institute and the OUAT so that the problem of food security in the changing climate can be addressed. OES president Dr Sundar Narayan Patro chaired the meeting. OES secretary Jaya Krushna Panigrahi gave a brief introduction on the topic of discusssion. OES vice-president BM Farooq gave welcome address. 

44m tons of rice per anum by 2050: BRRI

Bangladesh will need to produce over 44 million metric tons of rice to meet the growing demand for a projected population of 215 million by 2050.With the pace of rice output over the last five years, the production can reach up to 47.2 million metric tons by 2050, with a surplus of 2.6 million metric tons.
Different sector wise projections suggest that both problems and prospects equally exist on the way to reach the goal.However, it is possible to achieve the target and show the way forward to development if collaborative efforts of scientists continue.
These projections were revealed at the inaugural session of the six-day 24th Rice Research and Extension Workshop, and BRRI Annual Research Review Workshop 2014-2015 held at the auditorium of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) in the capital on Saturday; said a press BRRI.Agriculture Secretary Shyamol Kanti Gosh was present in the programme as the chief guest with BRRI Director General Dr Jiban Krishna Biswas in the chair.
Rice starch market research on 9 companies with forecasts to 2021 released by a top publisher
WhaTech Channel: Food & Beverage Market Research
 Published: 08 February 2016
Submitted by eMarketOrg WhaTech - Pro +
 Reads: 0
The market analysis provided in this 2016 – 2021 industry research report talks about 9 companies manufacturing and active in Rice Starch segment and is supported with comprehensive data tables and figures offering key statistics.
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The Global Rice Starch Industry 2016 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current market state profiling companies like BENEO, Ingredion , Bangkok Starch , Thai Flour ,AGRANA , WFM Wholesome Foods , Golden Agriculture  and more.
The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Rice Starch industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.
Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered. Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures are also analyzed.
This 166 pages Rice Starch market report supported with data tables and figures is now available with eMarketOrg.com in its manufacturing market research collection athttp://emarketorg.com/pro/global-rice-starch-industry-2016-market-research-report/.
 The report focuses on global major leading industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out.
It provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Partial list of figures and tables provided in this Rice Starch market report cover:
Figure Picture of Rice Starch 1
Figure Rice Starch Characteristics Compared to Other Starches 2
Table Product Specifications of Rice Starch 2
Table Specification Comparison of Different Types of Rice Starch 2
Figure Global Production Market Share of Rice Starch by Types in 2015 4
Figure Food Grade Picture 4
Figure Industry Grade Picture 5
Table Applications of Rice Starch 5
Figure Global Consumption Volume Market Share of Rice Starch by Applications in 2015 6
Figure Food Industry Examples 6
Table Major Consumers from Food Industry 7
Figure Pharmaceutical Industry Examples 7
Table Major Consumers from Pharmaceutical Industry 7
Figure Cosmetic Industry Examples 8
Table Major Consumers from Cosmetic Industry 8
Figure Industry Chain Structure of Rice Starch 8
Table Global Major Regions Rice Starch Development Status in 2015 9
Table Industry Policy of Rice Starch 9
Table Industry News List of Rice Starch 12
Table Raw Material Suppliers and Price Analysis 14
Figure 2010-2015 China Rice Price Trend (USD/MT) 14
Figure 2010-2015 Global Caustic Soda Price Trend (USD/MT) 15
Table Equipment Suppliers and Price Analysis 15
Figure United States Average Hourly Wages in Manufacturing (USD/Hour) 16
Figure United States Average Weekly Hours 16
Figure Euro Area Average Monthly Wage (EUR/Month) 17
Figure China Minimum Monthly Wages (CNY/ Month) 17
Figure Indonesia Average Monthly Wages in Manufacturing (IDR THO/Month) 18
Figure Vietnam Wages In Manufacturing (VND Thousand/Month) 18
Figure Thailand Average Monthly Wages in Manufacturing (THB/Month) 19
Table 2015 Global Electricity Price of Industry (USD/KW•h) by Country 19
Table Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Rice Starch in 2015 20
Figure Manufacturing Process Analysis of Rice Starch 21
Table Capacity (K MT) and Production Type of Global Rice Starch Major Manufacturers in 2015 22
Table Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Rice Starch Major Manufacturers in 2015 22
Table Manufacturing Method Status and Technology Source of Global Rice Starch Major Manufacturers in 2015 23
Table Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Rice Starch Major Manufacturers in 2015 23
Table Global Capacity (K MT) of Rice Starch by Regions 2011-2016 25
Figure Global Capacity Market Share of Rice Starch by Regions in 2011 25
Figure Global Capacity Market Share of Rice Starch by Regions in 2015 26
Table Global Production (K MT) of Rice Starch by Regions 2011-2016 26
Figure Global Production Market Share of Rice Starch by Regions in 2011 26
Figure Global Production Market Share of Rice Starch by Regions in 2015 27
Table Global Revenue (Million USD) of Rice Starch by Regions 2011-2016 27
Table Global Capacity (K MT) of Rice Starch by Types 2017-2022 127
Figure Global Capacity Market Share of Rice Starch by Types in 2017 127
Figure Global Capacity Market Share of Rice Starch by Types in 2022 128
Table Global Production (K MT) of Rice Starch by Types 2017-2022 128
Figure Global Production Market Share of Rice Starch by Types in 2017 128
Figure Global Production Market Share of Rice Starch by Types in 2022 129
Table Global Revenue (Million USD) of Rice Starch by Types 2017-2022 129
Figure Global Revenue Market Share of Rice Starch by Types in 2017 129
Figure Global Revenue Market Share of Rice Starch by Types in 2022 130
Table Global Consumption Volume (K MT) of Rice Starch by Regions 2017-2022 130
https://www.whatech.com/market-research/food-beverage/128762-rice-starch-market-research-on-9-companies-with-forecasts-to-2021-released-by-a-top-publisher
APEDA RICE COMMIDITY NEWS
                         
International Benchmark Price
Price on: 04-02-2016
Product
Benchmark Indicators Name
Price
Apricots
1
Turkish No. 2 whole pitted, CIF UK (USD/t)
4625
2
Turkish No. 4 whole pitted, CIF UK (USD/t)
4125
3
Turkish size 8, CIF UK (USD/t)
3625
Raisins
1
Californian Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK (USD/t)
2318
2
South African Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK (USD/t)
2164
Sultanas
1
Australian 5 Crown, CIF UK (USD/t)
2804
2
South African Orange River, CIF UK (USD/t)
2617
3
Turkish No 9 standard, FOB Izmir (USD/t)
1925
Source:agra-net
For more info
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 06-02-2016
Domestic Prices
Unit Price : Rs per Qty
Product
Market Center
Variety
Min Price
Max Price
Jowar(Sorgham)
1
Amreli (Gujarat)
Other
1530
2440
2
Sangli (Maharashtra)
Other
1700
3000
3
Theni (Tamil Nadu)
Other
1380
1420
Maize
1
Dahod (Gujarat)
Yellow
1525
1550
2
Sangli (Maharashtra)
Other
1460
1490
3
Theni (Tamil Nadu)
Other
1440
1500
Mousambi
1
Thirurrangadi (Kerala)
Other
3200
3400
2
Taura (Haryana)
Other
2400
2500
3
Mechua (West Bengal)
Other
2800
3000
Brinjal
1
Batala (Punjab)
Other
1000
1300
2
Satara (Maharashtra)
Other
1000
1200
3
Sainthia (West Bengal)
Other
1160
1250
For more info
Egg
Rs per 100 No
Price on 06-02-2016
Product
Market Center
Price
1
Ahmedabad
405
2
Hyderabad
375
3
Namakkal
370
Source: e2necc.com
Other International Prices
Unit Price : US$ per package
Price on 05-02-2016
Product
Market Center
Origin
Variety
Low
High
Potatoes
Package: 50 lb cartons
1
Atlanta
Colorado
Russet
17
17.50
2
Chicago
Idaho
Russet
14
16
3
Detroit
Wisconsin
Russet
16
16.50
Carrots
Package: 20 1-lb film bags
1
Atlanta
California
Baby Peeled
20.25
20.75
2
Dallas
Arizona
Baby Peeled
16
16.75
3
Detroit
California
Baby Peeled
29
30
Apples
Package: cartons tray pack
1
Atlanta
Virginia  
Red Delicious 
25.50
26
2
Chicago
Washington
Red Delicious 
22
22.50
3
Miami
Washington
Red Delicious 
24
27
Source:USDA

8th February 2016 Daily Exclusive ORYZA Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

IPAB Allows GI Tag for Indian Basmati Rice

Feb 05, 2016

India-based Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) has passed the order allowing the Geographical Indications (GI) tag to Indian basmati rice, according to The Hindu. The move is said to provide a legal protection to India's basmati rice.
The IPAB has reportedly asked the Assistant Registrar to register and issue the certificate within four weeks.
The Board has considered the basmati rice grown in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Western UP and the two districts of Jammu and Kathua for the GI tag.
The IPAB has sent back the petition for inclusion of India's Central state Madhya Pradesh to the Chennai-Registry. It is likely to pass an order within six months after hearing to related parties. It has reportedly dismissed the petition by Pakistan rice growers.
India's GI tag application had faced several legal issues since it was first initiated in 2009 by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
A GI tag distinguishes a product with its geographic origin and, under a multilateral framework, prevents traders from attributing its name and traits for products from other geographies



Italian Rice Farmers Unions Urge Government to Maintain Sufficient Water Reserves Amid Concerns of Low Rainfall

Feb 05, 2016

The farmers unions Confagricoltura of Novara, Vercelli, Pavia; and Coldiretti Novara-Vercelli-Biella, Cia Novara and Vercelli are urging the political bodies to maintain adequate water reserves amid concerns of lower rainfall and snow during the irrigation season, according to local sources.
Lack of rain and snow in Northern Italy are expected to lead to severe drought conditions in the country, impacting the rice production this year. They also noted that high consolidated snow in the northern parts usually supports irrigation in summer, however, this year's snowpack is very minimal. Drought conditions are likely to affect over 10,000 farms covering an area of at least 300,000 hectares and a induced income of at least one billion euro, according to the farmers' unions.
Italy's rice growing sector and its industrial chain today provides employment and income to thousands of persons say the farmers' unions. Therefore they are urging the government to act immediately so that the essential water resources for the next irrigation season can be kept in reservoirs. They also urged the government to standardize the minimum vital flow (DMV) of rivers to address the current situation.

Wholesale Basmati Rice Prices in India Fall on Slackened Demand

Feb 05, 2016
Wholesale basmati rice prices in the national capital have declined today due to a slackened demand from retailers against adequate stocks, according to the Press Trust of India (PTI).
On February 5, 2016, prices of Pusa 1121 declined to around Rs.3,750 - 4,650 per quintal (around $555 - $688 per ton) from around Rs.3,800 - 4,700 per quintal (around $561 - $694 per ton) on January 29, 2016.
Prices of common basmati remained stable at  previous levels of around Rs.4,900 - 5,000 per quintal (around $725 - $740 per ton).
"Low demand from retailers against adequate stocks position on higher supplies from producing regions mainly kept pressure on rice basmati prices," traders were quoted as saying.
Global Rice Quotes
February 8th, 2016
Long grain white rice - high quality
Thailand 100% B grade          380-390           ↔
Vietnam 5% broken    350-360           ↔
India 5% broken         360-370           ↔
Pakistan 5% broken    330-340           ↓
Myanmar 5% broken   415-425           ↔
Cambodia 5% broken             425-435           ↔
U.S. 4% broken           460-470           ↔
Uruguay 5% broken    440-450           ↔
Argentina 5% broken 430-440           ↔
Long grain white rice - low quality
Thailand 25% broken 350-360           ↔
Vietnam 25% broken 340-350           ↔
Pakistan 25% broken 305-315           ↓
Cambodia 25% broken           405-415           ↔
India 25% broken       325-335           ↔
U.S. 15% broken         440-450           ↔
Long grain parboiled rice
Thailand parboiled 100% stxd            370-380           ↔
Pakistan parboiled 5% broken stxd    NQ      ↔
India parboiled 5% broken stxd         350-360           ↔
U.S. parboiled 4% broken       480-490           ↔
Brazil parboiled 5% broken    520-530           ↔
Uruguay parboiled 5% broken            NQ      ↔
Long grain fragrant rice
Thailand Hommali 92%          690-700           ↔
Vietnam Jasmine         425-435           ↔
India basmati 2% broken        NQ      ↔
Pakistan basmati 2% broken   NQ      ↔
Cambodia Phka Mails             750-760           ↔
Brokens
Thailand A1 Super      325-335           ↔
Vietnam 100% broken            320-330           ↔
Pakistan 100% broken stxd    280-290           ↓
Cambodia A1 Super   345-355           ↔
India 100% broken stxd         260-270           ↔
Egypt medium grain brokens NQ      ↔
U.S. pet food 280-290           ↔
Brazil half grain          NQ      ↔



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