Monday, February 22, 2016

22nd February 2016 Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine-Latest Rice News Updates

Pak-Iran trade hostage to failed trade diplomacy: PBIF

February 20, 2016
KARACHI: Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF) on Friday said Pakistan and Iran could become important trading partners for which serious efforts are needed.
Gas import deal that was to bring a revolution in the Pakistan's energy market is still under sanctions, therefore the two countries should ink new energy deals, it said.Bilateral trade, which was once $1 billion, has now come down to $128 million despite the agreement between both countries to boost trade to $5 billion, said PBIF President Mian Zahid Hussain. He said that sliding exports reflects the failure of trade diplomacy on the part of Pakistani authorities despite the fact that Pakistani rice, fruit, vegetable, sports goods and IT services are in demand in the neighbouring nations.

Hussain said that the government as well as private sector should initiate efforts to boost trade, which include opening of banking channels that are currently under sanctions and improved transport infrastructure.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/business/20-Feb-2016/pak-iran-trade-hostage-to-failed-trade-diplomacy-pbif

 

Writ Plea from Madhya Pradesh Seeks Quashing of IPAB Order on Basmati Rice

Published: 18th February 2016 04:01 AM
Last Updated: 18th February 2016 04:01 AM

CHENNAI: The State of Madhya Pradesh, through its Additional Director of Agriculture, has moved the Madras High Court with a writ petition seeking quashing of an order, dated February 5, 2016, of the City-based Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB).The February 5 order, among other things, held that the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), a statutory body in New Delhi, is entitled to get Geographical Indications (GI) tag for Basmati rice in respect of the area and region specified in the certified copies of the maps annexed with its GI application No 145 and consequently, the Assistant Registrar, GI Registry, Chennai, shall proceed with the registration and issue the certificate of registration within four weeks.The writ petition came up before the first bench of Chief Justice SK Kaul and Justice MM Sundresh on Wednesday.

The bench ordered notice to the IPAB, APEDA, Assistant Registrar of GI and others. It also directed that, till a decision is taken on the writ petition, no precipitating action will be taken by APEDA in respect of the produce from the State of Madhya Pradesh quo the existing areas where such rice is alleged to have been growing.Petitioner’s senior counsel submitted that the issue of inclusion of certain areas of MP as Basmati rice growing areas would have to be examined by the Assistant Registrar of Geographical Indications in view of the impugned order of the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) and there were already directions to conclude that aspect within six months.

The issue which is sought to be raised before the Bench, as per the submissions made, is that certain States have been included in toto, while actually what should have been included was certain specified areas of those States where the cultivation of Basmati rice goes on. It is the counsel’s contention that such a plea was not capable of being raised in the proceedings before the Assistant Registrar of GI and can be raised before this court as a consequent of the impugned order.

APEDA senior counsel stated that the petitioner never assailed the earlier order of the Assistant Registrar of GI dated December 31, 2013 and had thus lost the right to raise the issue as otherwise they could always raise it before the Assistant Registrar of GI, subject to the meeting of the terms and conditions required for raising such an objection.The aforesaid is the limited controversy which will have to be examined by this court as agreed to by both the sides. Let counters be filed by the parties to the case restricting to the aforesaid aspects within three weeks, the bench said. Rejoinder if any be filed within two weeks thereafter, the bench added and posted the matter for April 5
The  Indian Express

Is Iran’s Comeback a Double-Edged Sword for India?


Iran’s reengagement promises both more opportunity and more competition for India.
By 

Description: Is Iran’s Comeback a Double-Edged Sword for India?February 21, 2016
Since 2014, buoyed by the economic pitch of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has been in the global economic spotlight. In 2016, however, at least some of the focus will shift to Iran, as it rejoins the global economy following the lifting of sanctions. What does this new Iran really mean for India? As much as it can benefit from a more open Iran, India will also face some more serious competition, from both Iran and its potential partners.There is no doubt that India will benefit from cheaper commodity prices and an Iranian shopping spree.

With Iran boosting its oil production and exports amid a global supply glut, major crude oil importers like India will benefit immensely from the cheaper oil. For India, cheaper oil helps it to reduce its import bill, reducing trade and current account deficits. The Indian government has already taken the opportunity to hike excise duties on fuels, which are expected to yield additional government revenue at a time of fiscal consolidation.

But Iran’s comeback means more than just cheaper oil and better fiscal position. Besides agro and allied products, which have been India’s biggest exports to Iran, exports of Indian pharmaceuticals, IT, commodities, and general goods are all expected to increase. The Indian government is moving swiftly to expand trade ties with Iran. During the second meeting of the Joint Working Group on Trade and Commerce in November 2015, Iran and India agreed “to open up a channel for exchange of information” to start preliminary consultations for a preferential trade agreement (PTA).Indian companies are also expected to play a greater role in Iran’s infrastructure projects.


In fact, Iran hasasked India to invest $8 billion in infrastructure projects, particularly in connectivity plans. India has already signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran to develop the strategic Chabahar port and pledged to invest about $85 million. India is also keen to develop Iran’s railways, participating in the Chahbahar-Zahedan-Mashhad railway line as well as supplying rail tracks, rolling stock, signaling and other equipment.Energy is another area where India is seeking for greater access. During the 18th session of the India-Iran Joint Commission in December 2015, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj conveyed India’s interest in exploring Iranian oil and gas blocks and asked Iran to allow India to develop Farzad-B gas field, which was discovered by a consortium of Indian companies in 2008.

More Competition
Despite the much-hyped expectations of opportunities in post-sanctions Iran, India is likely to face more competition in engaging with Iran. During sanctions, India was one of the few countries that continued trade links with Iran. Food, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment were explicitly excluded under the sanctions, and Iran imported basmati rice, sugar, soymeal, corn and other products from India, whose exports to Iran almost doubled in the years since 2011. With the sanctions lifted, however, Iran now has more options for both its exports and its imports – all major exporting countries are keen to tap the Iranian market. China moved first when President Xi Jinping visited Iran last month to expand trade and strengthen ties. On February 15, a cargo train from China arrived in Tehran in an attempt to revive the ancient Silk Road. This will only buttress Iran’s geostrategic position.

Competing with others in the Iranian market is not the only concern. India now will have to compete with Iran itself for foreign investment. Less than two weeks after sanctions were lifted, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani signed megadeals worth billions during his state visit to Europe. Iran now expects to attract up to $50 billion in foreign investment and finance in the next fiscal year, which begins on March 20.

The upsurge of global interest in the Iranian market is clearly evident. China and Europe are already racing to get a slice of the pie. A bilateral investment pact between Japan and Iran was signed early this month, while Joint Economic Committee meeting between Iran and South Korea will be held tomorrow with the expectation of signing more than 15 agreements. With Iran emerging as the next frontier for investment, India is no longer a sure thing to remain the world’s most favored investment destination when U.S. primary sanctions against Iran are lifted.Iran’s reengagement with the world certainly promises great opportunities to India. However, India is not the sole beneficiary, and New Delhi will need to consider its strategy carefully.

Dr. Soyen Park is a South Korean national, currently living in New Delhi where she works as a researcher on the Indian economy.

Trilochan Mohapatra is now Secy, ICAR

 

Staff Reporter, New Delhi
20/02/2016   
 
Trilochan Mohapatra, Director-cum-vice Chancellor, IARI, ICAR, New Delhi, has been appointed as Secretary, Department of Agri Research & Education-cum-Director General in the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. In August 2015, Mohapatra was appointed as Director of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), which played a major role in the country's Green Revolution after remaining headless for more than a year.

 Mohapatra, previously also headed Odisha-based Central Rice Research Institute, Bureaucracy Today has learnt.  Mohapatra, who has been working in the area of molecular genetics and genomics, has published over 145 research papers in national and international journals of repute.He has developed the first high-yielding basmati rice variety resistant to bacterial sequencing of rice and tomato.

https://bureaucracytoday.com/top_news.aspx?id=154042

 

Korean researchers find black rice helps reduce body fat

 

Updated: 2016-02-22 14:03:36 KST


More people are eating different types of rice for a healthy lifestyle.Black rice contains one of the highest levels of anthocyanin antioxidants, which act as anti-cancer agents.The rice is also good for anti-aging and prevention against various diseases.And according to research, black rice also fights against obesity.Substances found in the outermost layer of black rice, including anthocyanin, inhibit lipogenesis and fat absorption.The researchers fed ten out of 20 mice with black rice extract for three months.

Compared to the control group, the mice that were fed the extract saw a nearly 26 percent reduction in obesity index and a 27.five percent reduction in abdominal fat. Their blood cholesterol was also reduced by ten.five percent.Post-menopausal women who took black rice extract capsules for 12 weeks also saw a more than five-percent reduction in abdominal fat.Korea's Rural Development Administration will transfer its extraction technology of black rice to companies, which will produce medicines and various health products.
Park Se-young, Arirang News.
Reporter :
http://www.arirang.co.kr/News/News_View.asp?nseq=188470




Nigeria spends $1.8b yearly on rice import, says Dangote


Posted By: Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezieon: February 22, 2016

Launches Rice Outgrowers Scheme
Description: Nigeria spends $1.8b yearly on rice import, says DangoteAfrica’s richest man and President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has lamented that Nigeria spends nearly $1.8billion per year importing (approximately 3.2 million) metric tons of rice to feed its population.He said this huge foreign exchange (forex) would have been used on more impactful social development interventions if they were not needed for food imports.Speaking during the launch of the Dangote Rice Outgrowers Scheme in Jigawa State at the weekend, he  said the nation’s  agricultural commodities and food imports bills averaged over N1trillion in 2013 and 2014, with foods such as sugar, wheat, rice, fish accounting for 93 per cent of the total cost of imports
He described the situation as unacceptable for anyone who loves the country. To check the the unncessary waste of forex on food importation, the Dangote Group has made investment in the agrci sector to create jobs and assure food security in the country.The Rice Outgrowers Scheme was launched in Hadejia, Kafin-Hausa Local Government Area of Jigawa State.Starting with 20,000 hectares of rice cultivation to be expanded to cover 800, 000 hectares over the next three years, Dangote said there was no better time than now to turn to agriculture to save the  economy.
The scheme started  with the distribution of treated rice seedling for planting to some 5000 farmers.He said: “We are committed to the development of outgrower scheme by providing local, value added products and services that meet the ‘basic needs’ of the populace. To this end, the Dangote Rice Farm Ltd, will run an initial pilot in Hago-Fadama, Kafin Hausa and Auyo areas which would see Dangote Rice developing small hold farmers by providing quality inputs (certified seeds, fertiliser, agro-chemicals and petrol), improved agricultural practices and technology to increase yield and produce quality rice paddy which would also be bought back from them by Dangote Rice Limited.
“The programme in Jigawa State is expected to create more than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs to the host communities.”Aside the outgrowers aspect of the investment, he said Dangote Rice is planning to plant approximately 150,000 hectares  of long grain white rice and produce near one million tons of high quality par boiled white rice for sale into the market.Furthermore, he said the internal policy within Dangote Rice Ltd is to procure 30 per cent of rice production from local farmers who will be developed into outgrower groups. According to him these outgrowers will be simultaneously developed alongside the company’s commercial farming operations.
Dangote said before the discovery of oil, the economy was built around potentials from palm oil, ground nut, cotton, and rubber plantations. “Now the price of oil has plummeted from a peak of $116 per barrel in June 2014 to as low as $29 per barrel in January this year. This means there is huge loss of revenue to the government,” he said.Currently the average yield of rice in the country is between 1.8 to 2.5  metric tone per hectare (MT/ha), depending on the region and the crop (wet or dry) and with or without irrigation 1.8 MT/ha, which is significantly lower than the best practice yields in Africa of 9.2 MT/ha generated in Egypt. Locally produced rice is more expensive than imported rice due to the high cost of production relative to the low yields in the country because of poor agronomic practices.
In addition, the Federal Government has implemented policy incentives that encourage investment in domestic rice production and milling.Dangote disclosed that the Dangote Rice Outgrowers Scheme was designed as a one stop solution for the rice value chain.In his remark during the rice seedling distribution, Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heneiken Lokpobiri lauded the initiative of Dangote, saying the intervention in the government efforts at providing food security for the citizenry, creating jobs and reducing dependence on food importation is appreciated by being boosted.According to him, so much forex is spent on importation of food items that could be produced locally.
While expressing the government readiness to provide all the needed support to make the Dangote Rice Outgrowers Scheme a success, the minister said the government is putting in place a strategy that will make farmers have greater access to farm implements to help them produce with ease.Also speaking the Special Adviser to Alhaji Dangote on Rice and Coordinator of the Outgrowers Scheme, Mr. Lulu Carlos explained that 6.1million metric tone (mmt) of rice is consumed annually but not more than 2.6 million metric tons are produced locally leaving the rest to importation.Lulu said: “We are happy to start today the partnership with the First Out Growers bloc of 200 hectares, shared among 8 communities. I have seen the same project grow in my country, Brazil, whereby from 2.5 Mt tons in the beginning to today where we reached 9 tons of paddy rice per hectare in productivity.
“This has transformed our country (Brazil), from a net importer of Rice in the year 2000 to a neýt exporter in the year of 2009.   This was achieved through a big out grower scheme in the rice region, which today involves thousands of independent farmers responsible for 80 per cent of the 12 million tons locally produced rice and a small number of large Commercial farms supplying the remaining 20 per cent.“Also, Alhaji Aliko, has   instructed me to conduct the project here for at least 30 per cent from out growers and 70 per cent from our commercial farm to be established in the state. But this is not our limit. We are today convinced that this equation will have more and more out growers participation in the future, due to very good and welcome response we are getting from all the communities we are dealing with.
“We are bringing to the people top quality seeds, fertilizers and chemicals as well the training and teaching the best and most modern agriculturalý practices, to enable you to boost your productivity and quality of your rice. We are also committed to roll out the scheme to cover another 1,000 hectares for the coming rainy season in June / July, using the experience of this 1st plot to guide our progress.”
The Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Badaru Muhammed Abubakar thanked the Dangote Rice Limited for choosing Jigawa as the pilot state for the project. He pledged the readiness of his administration to provide all necessary support to the project.He said, the project was part of his government’s commitment to improve agriculture and industrialize the state for job creation and poverty eradication.
“Right from my inaugural speech, I made it clear that, agriculture was one of my government cardinal points and we are ready to collaborate with private investors in achieving the desire goals.“The project we are launching today is one of the numerous projects we intend to embark in collaboration with private investors from within and outside the country and we have already signed memorandum with many of them,” the governor said.The governor then assured Dangote Group of the state government’s support in making any policy and intervention that will make the investment profitable and generate jobs for the teeming population of the state.
http://thenationonlineng.net/nigeria-spends-1-8b-yearly-on-rice-import-says-dangote/


Aurora’s festival puts the spotlight on brown rice

Description: PhilRice-brown rice
Eight of the best suman makers in Aurora competed during the Farmers’ Day, in what was to be their first official attempt at using unpolished or “brown” rice in creating the best tasting suman, 15 February."Every year, the local government holds a Pinaka Contest. This 2016, we are holding the Pinakamasarap na Brown Rice Suman as suman is one of the most sought-after delicacy  that visitors and tourists buy in Aurora. It is also in response to the call of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to eat brown rice," said Venecia B. Estacio, focal person for organic agriculture and high value crops.

Suman is a steamed rice cake wrapped in fresh coconut palm or banana leaves. A native delicacy made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, sugar, and salt, suman has become a staple in typical Filipino fiestas."In our promotion of organic farming, we have heard farmers and non-farmers alike express their growing concern for their diet and health. We also note that their awareness and demand for pinawa or brown rice is increasing. Hence, the twist in our suman-making contest, "Estacio added.

Brown rice is the common term for the whole grain form of any kind of rice. It still has the bran, the part that is removed during polishing to make rice white.  Thus, its brown color. Because of the bran, brown or unpolished rice has more protein, dietary fiber, minerals, antioxidants, B vitamins, and vitamin E compared to white rice.“We want to make Filipino rice consumers healthier through the promotion of unpolished or brown rice. Since Filipinos also eat rice during snacks, we also want to develop and promote rice-based food products made of brown rice. Hence, the event,” explained Hazel V. Antonio, Be RICEponsible campaign director.

The Be RICEponsible Campaign of DA, has since 2014, been raising awareness as well as improving the consumption and production of brown rice in the Philippines. The promotion of brown rice is one of its pillar messages in making Filipinos responsible rice consumers."Junk foods are sold almost everywhere. We need to promote healthier alternatives to these like brown rice suman for snack and breakfast to nourish our children [and people] better," said Eleanor De Mesa-Olivar, tourism officer and co-chair of the Suman House exhibit.Farmers' associations and rural improvement clubs from the eight municipalities of Aurora joined the contest: Baler, Casiguran, Dilasag, Dinalungan, Dingalan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, and San Luis. San Luis' milky soft suman bagged first place, taking home P10,000, followed by the latik-laden entry of Maria Aurora with P7,000, and the cheesy variant of Baler with P5,000.

Description: PhilRice-brown rice-suman
Reviving lost tradition

The recently erected mini Suman House, a two-storey wooden hut decked with colorful suman-shaped decorations and other indigenous embellishments reminiscent of the Pahiyas of Quezon province, served as the venue for the taste off."We are pouring efforts to showcase Aurora's suman-making heritage not just for the sake of marketing but to inspire community participation in helping revive the Suman Festival, which we last held in 2004," Olivar added.From 1997 to 2004, Aurora is home to the grand celebration of the Suman Festival, which also coincides with the province's founding anniversary.

It is believed that the suman of Aurora started even before the Japanese came. Travelers from Nueva Ecija and Manila, journey from three to five days by walking or riding on a horse. This long journey entailed extra work like bringing food that would keep them full while traveling. This triggered the preparation of suman, which was easy to bring and less perishable.


Healthier, taste even better
Description: PhilRice-brown rice-suman entry

"All the pinawa suman tasted so good that you can hardly say that the makers used unpolished rice. I think they even tasted better than all the suman (made with polished rice) I have ever tasted," remarked Antonio.Lydia Amatorio, a contestant from Baler, said that although pinawa required more time to cook, it has a natural flavor that makes the resulting product taste better than that made with polished glutinous rice.

"The secret to making a milky rich and soft suman is in the soaking and amount of coconut milk used," Melba Eberio, the master cook from the winning San Luis team."If unpolished glutinous rice will become accessible, it is possible for us to use it regularly for our suman," Eberio added.Meanwhile, suman maker Josie Mambalo of Brgy. Suguit, Maria Aurora has already begun selling brown rice suman to her clients on a made-to-order basis since their cooperative acquired a brown rice milling unit in 2015.The Pinakamasarap na Brown Rice Suman Contest was organized by the local government of Aurora in partnership with the Be RICEponsible Campaign of DA.

International Benchmark Price
Price on: 19-02-2016
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)
2306
2
South African Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK (USD/t)
2153
Sultanas
1
Australian 5 Crown, CIF UK (USD/t)
2754
2
South African Orange River, CIF UK (USD/t)
2752
3
Turkish No 9 standard, FOB Izmir (USD/t)
1950
Source:agra-net
For more info
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 20-02-2016
Domestic Prices
Unit Price : Rs per Qty
Product
Market Center
Variety
Min Price
Max Price
Maize
1
Davangere (Karnataka)
Local
1340
1400
2
Kopargaon (Maharashtra)
Other
1330
1414
3
Derol (Gujarat)
Other
1460
1470
Paddy(Dhan)
1
Kasargod (Kerala)
Other
1450
1550
2
Aheri (Maharashtra)
Other
1450
1450
3
Dehgam (Gujarat)
Other
1350
1380
Mousambi
1
Thirurrangadi (Kerala)
Other
3500
3700
2
Taura (Haryana)
Other
2000
2000
3
Sultanpur (Uttar Pradesh)
Other
2300
2400
Onion
1
Kannur (Kerala)
Other
1500
1600
2
Palitana (Gujarat)
Other
500
675
3
Barnala (Punjab)
Other
800
1100
For more info
Egg
Rs per 100 No
Price on 20-02-2016
Product
Market Center
Price
1
Ahmedabad
360
2
Chittoor
378
3
Nagapur
323
Source: e2necc.com
Other International Prices
Unit Price : US$ per package
Price on 18-02-2016
Product
Market Center
Origin
Variety
Low
High
Onions Dry
Package: 40 lb cartons
1
Atlanta
Peru
Yellow
23
24.50
2
Baltimore
Peru
Yellow
22
23
3
Chicago
Nevada
Yellow
34.50
34.50
Cauliflower
Package: cartons film wrapped
1
Atlanta
California
White
24
26.50
2
Dallas
California
White
26.50
27.50
3
Philadelphia
Arizona
White
23
24
Grapes
Package:18 lb containers bagged
1
Atlanta
Peru
Red Globe
26
28.50
2
Chicago
Peru
Red Globe
23
25
3
Miami
Chile
Red Globe
22
26
Source:USDA