Rice exporters seek zero-rated tax regime
PUBLISHED FEB 27, 2016 06:44AM
KARACHI: The Rice Exporters Association of
Pakistan (REAP) has urged the government to declare rice as a separate industry
and place it under zero-rating along with five major export-oriented sectors.In
a statement issued on Friday, Patron-in-Chief of REAP Abdul Rahim Janoo said
that apart from textiles, rice exports were much ahead of other four
export-oriented sectors. He feared that neglecting this sector would discourage
rice exports and the country would lose its traditional markets.
Mr Janoo said the government would have to go
for “no payment no tax” policy to ensure corruption-free export trade and
encourage exporters. “There is no logic in first paying taxed and then getting
refunds of the same. This results in corruption and blocks huge working capital
of export trade.”As exporters funds are held back by the Federal Board of
Revenue (FBR), they had to go for bank borrowing and pay extra amount towards
mark-up, he saidhttp://www.dawn.com/news/1242139
Reap
seeks zero rated regime for rice exporters
May 27,
2016
Lahore :
The Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) has appealed to Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for the grant of zero
rated regime, as granted to other five export-oriented sectors.Abdur Raheem
Janoo, Chief Patron of REAP, Ch Shafique, Chairman REAP and Nauman Ahmad
Sheikh, Senior Vice Chairman REAP, also welcomed the statement of Javed
Bilwani, Chief Coordinator for five Zero Rated Export Sectors, in which he had
called for also including the rice sector in the zero rated regime in the
upcoming budget and assured full cooperation in this regard.
REAP
Chairman Ch Shafique said the rice sector was the second largest foreign
exchange earner for the country, surpassing more than $2 billion annually.He
also demanded the government to withdraw all duties on the import of all kinds
of rice machinery in the upcoming budget.
“If rice sector is discouraged, the exporters will lose established markets and will get disheartened,” he said, adding, “If the government’s intentions are good then ‘No Payment, No Refund’ policy would curb corruption.
“If rice sector is discouraged, the exporters will lose established markets and will get disheartened,” he said, adding, “If the government’s intentions are good then ‘No Payment, No Refund’ policy would curb corruption.
”
“If the
government wants to increase exports, then why to penalise the export sector by
making it to pay first and then get refunds,” he queried.Shafique said that the
working capital of the exporters had got blocked, as their refunds had been
pending for many years.
Conveying gravity of the situation, he said, “People have to borrow loans to run their units or shut them down. He also called for merging other taxes/cess on all export items in one tax, to be collected through banks at the time of negotiating documents or on receipt of payments.
Conveying gravity of the situation, he said, “People have to borrow loans to run their units or shut them down. He also called for merging other taxes/cess on all export items in one tax, to be collected through banks at the time of negotiating documents or on receipt of payments.
“This
will increase the government’s revenues and eliminate corruption.
Besides that its calculation formula is very easy,” Shafique said.He also demanded exemption for exporters from sales tax on packing material, local supply and electricity bills.
“It will give a peace of mind to them, and their exports will increase and once the exports increase the government revenue increases,” he noted.“If all these demands are met on war footing, REAP assures to increase rice exports to $4 billion by the end of 2018,” he concluded
Besides that its calculation formula is very easy,” Shafique said.He also demanded exemption for exporters from sales tax on packing material, local supply and electricity bills.
“It will give a peace of mind to them, and their exports will increase and once the exports increase the government revenue increases,” he noted.“If all these demands are met on war footing, REAP assures to increase rice exports to $4 billion by the end of 2018,” he concluded
http://nation.com.pk/business/27-May-2016/reap-seeks-zero-rated-regime-for-rice-exporters
Uganda’s expenditure on transportation of rice imports high
May 27, 2016
Uganda spends about $105m
(Shs367b) every month in transport costs to import rice from Pakistan.
Uganda spends about $105m
(Shs367b) every month in transport costs to import rice from Pakistan.
While signing off a farming partnership between rice farmers in
the country and Kingdom Rice – a new rice milling factory – on Tuesday in
Namanve Industrial Park, outgoing State minister for Investment Gabriel Ajedra
said Uganda has no reason to continue being ranked among poor countries of the
world because the money Uganda loses to purchase and transport food like rice
that can be locally grown here, explains the amount of money we waste as a
country.
“Last week at the World Economic Forum, it was noted that in
2020, there is going to be a global food crisis and interestingly, Uganda was
mentioned among the six countries in the world which can avert it if only they
fixed their agricultural systems,” he said.
Cost of transport
Explaining the Shs367b bill, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA)
commissioner customs field services Stephen Magera, who attended the meeting
said every month, URA receives 300,000 metric tonnes of rice imported from
Pakistan and another 25,000 metric tonnes from Tanzania yet the cost of
transporting a metric tonne of rice together with other logistical arrangement
is $350 (Shs1.2m) without the actual cost of the rice.
On the same day, Uganda Development Bank and Kingdom Rice signed
a Memorandum of Understanding in which the bank is going to capitalise the rice
company to help it raise rice production in the country.
http://exchange.co.tz/ugandas-expenditure-on-rice-imports-high/
Brazil’s rice exports to Saudi Arabia increased
From January to April, the Arab country imported 6% more product
than in the comparable year-ago period. Total exports from Brazil grew 10.9%.
São Paulo – Rice exports from
Brazil to Saudi Arabia increased 6% from January to April 2016 from the
comparable year-ago period. Data from the Brazilian Ministry of Industry,
Foreign Trade and Services compiled by the Brazilian Rice Industry Association
(Abiarroz) and the Arab
Brazilian Chamber of Commerce shows
that in the first four months of this year, the country shipped USD 1.83
million worth of rice to the Arab country. From January to April 2015, it had
shipped USD 1.73 million. Volume shipped was up 20.7% from 2,990 tons through
April 2015 to 3,610 tons through April of this year.
Abiarroz and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) have partnered up for the Brazilian Rice overseas promotion project. Project manager Gustavo Ludwig told ANBA that rice exports to Saudi Arabia are going up as a result of Brazilian Rice’s promotional actions, such as going to Dubai’s food industry expo Gulfood for the last four years.
“Prior to 2012, exports to Saudi Arabia were nil, we did not business at all with them. In 2012 we began taking companies to Gulfood and having business matchmaking sessions. Since then, the orders started coming in. This growth in sales is a result of the project, because all of the exports were made by companies affiliated with Brazilian Rice,” he said.
Ludwig said sales to Arab countries will likely keep growing in the next few years because the region holds great promise, especially in Saudi Arabia, a market that’s deemed a priority for Abiarroz’s and Apex-Brasil’s project. Priority markets are the primary targets of promotional actions. Other Brazilian Rice target markets include the United States, Peru, Angola, South Africa and Panama.
“This year we should visit Foodex Saudi (a food industry fair in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) and look into going again next year, this time as exhibitors),” Ludwig said. In addition to Saudi Arabia, the Brazilian rice producers ship product to the UAE, Algeria, Oman and Jordan, but the amounts are still minor.
Total rice exports from Brazil reached USD 108.2 million through April, up 10.9% from a year ago. Volume shipped was up 50.9% to 331,400 tons.
“These sales have grown as a consequence of the project’s actions, but also due to the price of the dollar, which reached BRL 4 early on in the year. Brazil is regarded more and more as a major global rice-producing country,” Ludwig asserted.
Abiarroz and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) have partnered up for the Brazilian Rice overseas promotion project. Project manager Gustavo Ludwig told ANBA that rice exports to Saudi Arabia are going up as a result of Brazilian Rice’s promotional actions, such as going to Dubai’s food industry expo Gulfood for the last four years.
“Prior to 2012, exports to Saudi Arabia were nil, we did not business at all with them. In 2012 we began taking companies to Gulfood and having business matchmaking sessions. Since then, the orders started coming in. This growth in sales is a result of the project, because all of the exports were made by companies affiliated with Brazilian Rice,” he said.
Ludwig said sales to Arab countries will likely keep growing in the next few years because the region holds great promise, especially in Saudi Arabia, a market that’s deemed a priority for Abiarroz’s and Apex-Brasil’s project. Priority markets are the primary targets of promotional actions. Other Brazilian Rice target markets include the United States, Peru, Angola, South Africa and Panama.
“This year we should visit Foodex Saudi (a food industry fair in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) and look into going again next year, this time as exhibitors),” Ludwig said. In addition to Saudi Arabia, the Brazilian rice producers ship product to the UAE, Algeria, Oman and Jordan, but the amounts are still minor.
Total rice exports from Brazil reached USD 108.2 million through April, up 10.9% from a year ago. Volume shipped was up 50.9% to 331,400 tons.
“These sales have grown as a consequence of the project’s actions, but also due to the price of the dollar, which reached BRL 4 early on in the year. Brazil is regarded more and more as a major global rice-producing country,” Ludwig asserted.
http://www2.anba.com.br/noticia/21871492/agribusiness/brazils-rice-exports-to-saudi-arabia-increased/
As rice fields give way to suburban sprawl, farmers ponder what's nextIndustry will meet in a region that's ideal for growing the grain
May 26, 2016 Updated: May 26, 2016 9:45pm
Photo: Mark Mulligan, Staff
Rice farmer Wayne England has irrigation canals running through
his fields near Brookshire. "You make a living, but you don't have a
pension," England said of his profession. "You have what you make.
It's hard ... more
As thousands of agriculture professionals descend on Houston
next week for the rice industry's annual conference, farmer Wayne England will
be busy tending to his 325 acres.
England's family has grown long grain rice in Brookshire, just
west of Katy, since 1940, when his uncle bought the land and planted his first
seeds. Now 65, England will be the last rice farmer in his family line, in a
region that was home to thousands more acres of the crop before development
turned Katy in a suburban residential direction.
His fields produce 14,000 pounds of rice per acre between
planting in March and the last harvest in August each year.
"I've never really had a summer vacation," he said.
For those in the rice industry who aren't tired from
back-breaking labor or encroaching suburban sprawl, the business is still
challenging. Many of those professionals will be in Houston next week for the
Rice Market Technology Convention.
The conference, scheduled to bring 500 attendees from 33 countries
to Houston Tuesday through Thursday, comes at a time when production costs are
higher than the price of rice. Farmers are getting $10.45 per 100 pounds of
rough rice, compared to a peak of $16.60 in 2013. Some of that deficit is
offset by government subsidies, but farmers still typically need prices of
about $14 to break even.
BUSINESS
Oil prices, too, are making it difficult for U.S. rice producers
to find buyers. Countries like Venezuela that rely on oil exports and typically
import U.S. rice are buying less of the product during the downturn. Meanwhile,
the strength of the U.S. dollar is making American rice more expensive for
other countries.
Half of all rice grown in the United States is expected to be
exported. The upcoming conference will cover niche topics like rice markets in
Peru and Colombia, the role rice will play in feeding India's booming
population and U.S. agriculture policy.
Many in the U.S. rice industry are focused right now on opening
up markets in Cuba and increasing exports to onetime big buyers Iraq and Iran.
This will be the conference's first year in Houston.
Previously, it's been held in Miami, Mexico and Costa Rica. Many
of the attendees, from Latin America and Asia, are excited to gather on the
Gulf Coast, with rice farms and rice mills just outside the city.
England is the only farmer left in his family, though others
still help out.
One cousin does the books, one works for the farm part-time and
the rest of the family pitches in during harvest and planting.
England discouraged his two children from entering the farming
business.
"You make a living, but you don't have a pension,"
England said. "You have what you make. It's hard work."
Long legacy
The work has a long legacy in the region.
Rice made its way to Houston from the East Coast in the
mid-1800s. The crop really took off after 1892, with the launch of the Beaumont
Rice Mill, the oldest rice mill in Texas. It's still in operation today, run by
the great-grandson of its founder, Joe Broussard.
"The soil, the weather, the landscape along the Gulf Coast
was found to be ideal for farming rice," said Dwight Roberts, president of
the Houston-based U.S. Rice Producers Association, which is hosting the
conference.
"It's relatively flat, we have a lot of water, it's warm and
there's plenty of sunshine. The heavy clay subsoil is good for holding a flood.
Things flood easily here, and rice likes to be flooded."
When rice prices were at their peak in the 1970s and '80s, Texas
dedicated 500,000 acres to it each year, all concentrated in the eastern part
of the state. The crops started in Victoria, southwest of Houston, and
continued along U.S. 59 into Louisiana. The land is too wet for any other
grain.
Much has changed in recent decades.
Less rice from Katy
"Katy was one of the largest, most important rice-growing
countries in the world at one point," Roberts said "Now it's mostly
shopping malls."
The rest of the rice in the United States is grown in Arkansas,
California, Mississippi and Missouri. U.S. farmers, like those in Texas, mainly
grow long grain rice, which is often used in dry cooking, and doesn't stick.
At his Brookshire farm, England grows 723, a hybrid long-grain
seed produced by RiceTec. (The farm has always grown long-grain rice, except
for a short-lived experiment with soybeans.)
This year has already seen Houston's heavy rains wipe out the
fields' levees, and the rice needs more water still.
"There's a lot of satisfaction in seeing rice grow,"
England said.
And he'll be making sure it does grow, while economists, scientists
and agriculture professionals discuss what lies ahead.
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/As-rice-fields-give-way-to-suburban-sprawl-7948114.php
05/27/2016 Farm Bureau Market Report
Soybeans
High
|
Low
|
|
Cash
Bids
|
1083
|
1012
|
New Crop
|
1070
|
1021
|
Riceland Foods
Cash
Bids
|
Stuttgart: - - -
|
Pendleton: - - -
|
New
Crop
|
Stuttgart: - - -
|
Pendleton: - - -
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Futures:
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Soybean Comment
Soybeans closed higher today, as strength in
the meal and oil markets continues to help soybeans maintain recent gains. Last
week and earlier this week it looked as though soybeans were headed back below
$9, but then sharp increases in meal prices pulled soybeans back within a few
cents of highs. The new crop market closed up 6 3/4-cents on the week, thanks
to a 25-cent gain on Wednesday. The soybean market needs
meal demand to remain strong as the forecast of large supplies in 2016/17 will
continue to weigh on soybean prices.
High
|
Low
|
|
Cash
Bids
|
491
|
446
|
New
Crop
|
491
|
466
|
Futures:
|
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Wheat Comment
Wheat prices ended higher again today as wet
weather continues to threaten the wheat belt. For the week, wheat saw sharp
gains of 13 3/4-cents. Wheat began the week looking as though it may retest
contract lows, then rains across the wheat belt are expected to hurt the crop,
the market will closely watch Tuesday's crop condition
report to see if wheat quality has been affected. Wheat is near resistance at
$4.84, and may need some help getting prices over the hump.
High
|
Low
|
|
Cash
Bids
|
411
|
368
|
New
Crop
|
350
|
320
|
High
|
Low
|
|
Cash
Bids
|
413
|
386
|
New
Crop
|
415
|
405
|
Futures:
|
|
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Corn Comment
Corn prices closed higher today as prices
resisted the urge for profit taking ahead of this long weekend, thanks to the
USDA reporting a 5.1 million bushels sale for 2015/16. This continues to add to
the bullish tone of the market thanks to strengthening demand. For the week,
December corn ended up 13 3/4-cents. As we head into June prices could see
additional volatility as the market anxiously awaits the acreage report at the
end of June.
Futures:
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Cotton Comment
Cotton futures retreated a bit to close lower
after failing to generate any buying interest above Thursday's
highs. July is now testing resistance at the recent high of 64.75 cents.
December shattered previous resistance and set a new high for the move on Thursday. Above that, the next resistance for December is
the January chart gap between 64 cents and 64.08 cents. Export commitments
reached 99% of USDA's projection for the marketing year, and shipments now
total 77%. Of course, USDA projects total exports to be down 20% from the
previous marketing year. Reports indicate that China's daily auctions are
slowing down. Cumulative sales are reportedly over 500,000 metric tons, or
about 2.3 million bales. Planting progress is now running behind the 5 year
average at 46% planted. Arkansas farmers are ahead of their usual pace, though,
with 94% of the crop in the ground, compared with a 5 year average of 84%.
High
|
Low
|
|
Long
Grain Cash Bids
|
- - -
|
- - -
|
Long
Grain New Crop
|
- - -
|
- - -
|
Futures:
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Rice Comment
Rice futures continued lower today. Arkansas
farmers have now planted 98% of their intended acres. The question remains,
though, will they stop there? The five year average for this date is 89%, so if
conditions remain favorable, the crop might get bigger, at least 1.6 million
acres are likely. This large crop could limit the upside potential of the
market, however, dry conditions in other rice growing regions of the world
could provide support. The market needs to see better export movement, though.
Weekly export sales of 78,600 tons this week were not enough to inspire any
buying interest. The chart has taken on a negative appearance. The uptrend in
July has been broken and futures closed right on previous support at the recent
low of $10.76.
Futures:
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Live Cattle:
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Feeders:
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Arkansas Prices
Cattle Comment
Cattle prices closed higher again today as both
the feeder and live cattle markets were able to close the gap left following
the cattle on feed report. Cattle futures continue to be supported by strong
cash cattle prices. With continued weakness in beef prices today, the market
could have difficulty maintaining gains longer term.
Futures:
|
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Field Report:
California
Drone footage of Bosworth using a
GPS scraper tractor to level his field |
WHEATLAND, CA -- Like many rice
growers in northern California and across the mid-South, Michael Bosworth has
spent the last couple weeks flooding his rice fields and finishing up
planting. And like fellow rice growers, Bosworth employs strategic
conservation practices during this crucial stage of rice production in an
effort to use resources responsibly and deliver the strongest crop for
consumers.
"We use precision technology
to help us grow quality crops while using minimal resources," said
Bosworth. "We utilize yield mapping and fertilizer prescriptions in
order to put just the right amount of fertilizer on every acre, which protects
against over-fertilizing and ensures we have a more even crop. We also
utilize GPS drag scrapers on all of our farm acres to use less water and also
have a more uniform water depth across the field." (see the above video)
So far, these practices are paying
off and things are looking good on Bosworth's farm. He finished planting the
last of his rice earlier this week and will start ground spraying herbicide
application next week to help the rice crop outcompete the surrounding
weeds. After that he will begin preparing his farm equipment for harvest
the first week of September.
Bosworth shares the stages of rice
production on his social media channels, (@rueandforsmanranch on Instagram and @ruseandforsman on Twitter), with explanations of his
sustainability practices to help consumers visualize and understand the process
their rice goes through before ending up on their dinner tables. "We
have to be mindful of the public. There are other people you talk to that
aren't farmers and don't know the steps we take to engage in sustainable
practices while still delivering a quality crop. I think it can be a very
impactful message."
Bosworth raises organic and
traditional rice, walnuts, and cattle. He also serves as USA Rice's
California social media ambassador, helping to tell the story of rice to the
public using the hashtag #thinkrice.
USA Rice Daily, Friday, May 27
AP EDA Agri Exchange Newsletter - Volume 1482
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Researchers, rice industries exchange information
By Fred Miller
FAYETTEVILLE — A new initiative to share
scientific knowledge with rice processing industries was announced during the
annual Rice Processing Program Industry Alliance Meeting.
Hosted by the University of Arkansas System
Division of Agriculture in the nation’s No. 1 rice producing state, the meeting
provides an arena for industry leaders and scientists to compare notes,
research and resources. More than 100 industry representatives, rice growers,
equipment suppliers and consultants attended this year’s meeting, May 24-25.Ya-Jane
Wang, professor of food science, and Rusty Bautista, grain quality engineer at
RiceTec, Inc., announced the development of short courses offered by the
Division of Agriculture’s department of food science.
The courses will be designed to transfer
research-based knowledge about rice chemistry, quality and applications to
industry employees and rice farmers. Development of the courses is sponsored by
the American Association of Cereal Chemists International.“The courses will
offer knowledge to help improve rice production and processing,” Wang said. She
added that the courses will be a two-way street, allowing the industry to
provide feedback about how division research can help meet production and
processing challenges.Meeting participants were given a survey by which they
could suggest priority needs the short courses could address.
Research and industry presentations during the
meeting covered advances in rice production, storage and processing practices,
as well as consumer studies.“This is a signature event for our program,” said
Terry Siebenmorgen, University Professor of food science and director of the
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Rice Processing
Program. “Not only does the industry support us with funding and equipment, but
they also provide us important end-user feedback.”Siebenmorgen said the Rice
Processing Program team investigates a wide range of topics from kernel
development to consumer wants. The team’s expertise includes plant physiology,
carbohydrate chemistry, process engineering, plant pathology and sensory
analysis.With alliance support, program scientists are tackling some of the
biggest challenges in the rice industry. One of the best examples of this
partnership, Siebenmorgen said, has been the discovery and understanding of the
role nighttime air temperatures play in determining rice processing quality.
The entire Rice Processing Program team
contributed to the many pieces of information that collectively identified high
nighttime air temperatures as the culprit, Siebenmorgen said, and the Division
of Agriculture’s relationship with rice processing companies was a valuable
asset during their investigation.— Fred Miller is with the U of A System
Division of Agriculture
Seme Customs Command impounds N23.9m rice
By Daily Post Staff on May 27, 2016
The Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service
in Lagos State said on Friday it had seized 2,131 bags of smuggled rice with a
duty paid value of N23.9 million.The Controller, Mr Victor Dimka, said in
statement at Seme, a border post between Nigeria and Benin Republic that the
seizures were made through intelligence gathering.“The bags of rice were
smuggled into the country from Benin Republic through the Ere creek in Ikoga
and they were stored in an uncompleted building in the area.
“Officials
of the command got wind of this and moved in to make the seizures; the seizures
were made without hitches.“They came in through the water because the road
leading to Seme border has been `fortified’ against smuggling by officers of
the command,’’ said the statement, a copy of which was obtained by the News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Badagry.“Investigation is being carried out to
ensure that the suspects are apprehended and brought to face trial.’’The statement warned smugglers to desist from their nefarious activities and go through the land borders to clear their goods to shore up the nation’s revenue.It lauded the synergy between the customs, the Nigerian Army and other security agencies in the fight against smuggling and insecurity particularly at the borders. (NAN)
http://dailypost.ng/2016/05/27/seme-customs-command-impounds-n23-9m-rice/
Rice importation to continue
posted May 28, 2016 at 12:01 am by
John
Paolo Bencito and Macon Ramos- Araneta
DAVAO CITY—The importation of rice will
continue for the meantime to address the country’s impending rice
self-sufficiency issues, former North Cotabato governor and incoming
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said Friday.Piñol, who was appointed to
his new post by President-apparent Rodrigo Duterte, said they will look at
overhauling policies and review existing rice purchase plans by the state.“I
cannot make projections on the country’s efforts to achieve rice sufficiency
until I have fully reviewed the existing infrastructure. In the meantime,
importation is the only answer to the shortfall,” Piñol told The Standard
Friday.
He made his statement even as Senator Cynthia
Villar said the country now had a better shot at curbing the perennial
smuggling in the agriculture sector after President Benigno Aquino III signed
into law a measure imposing higher penalties on the crime that she sponsored.“Harsher
penalties are now imposed to serve as a deterrent to smuggling activities,”
said Villar, the head of the Senate’s agriculture and food committee. Republic
Act 10845, or the act declaring large-scale agricultural smuggling as economic
sabotage, was signed into law by Aquino on May 23.
Private traders are allowed to bring in annual shipments of up to 805,200 tons with a 35-percent tariff. Rice importation is regulated by the NFA, which issues import permits and allocations. In a radio interview, Piñol earlier said the new administration will bar private traders from importing rice and put the task entirely in the hands of the National Food Authority.
“The directive of our president-elect is that there will be no more rice importation by the private sector. It will only be the NFA,” Piñol said.While Duterte’s initial directives continue to be in effect, Piñol said, that they will have to review the administration’s policy statements on banning private rice importers. “These will have to be reviewed in view of the impeding shortage because of El Niño,” Piñol said.
While El Niño is now weakening, farm officials have warned of more crop damage later in the year when La Niña brings intense rain. NFA spokesman Angel Imperial said there was no urgent need to import rice at the moment given the ample stocks. The Philippines has been a net rice importer for the last 50 years
http://thestandard.com.ph/news/-main-stories/top-stories/206733/rice-importation-to-continue.html
Researchers, rice industries exchange information
By Fred Miller
FAYETTEVILLE — A new initiative to share
scientific knowledge with rice processing industries was announced during the
annual Rice Processing Program Industry Alliance Meeting.
Hosted by the University of Arkansas System
Division of Agriculture in the nation’s No. 1 rice producing state, the meeting
provides an arena for industry leaders and scientists to compare notes,
research and resources. More than 100 industry representatives, rice growers,
equipment suppliers and consultants attended this year’s meeting, May 24-25.a-Jane
Wang, professor of food science, and Rusty Bautista, grain quality engineer at
RiceTec, Inc., announced the development of short courses offered by the
Division of Agriculture’s department of food science.
The courses will be designed to transfer
research-based knowledge about rice chemistry, quality and applications to
industry employees and rice farmers. Development of the courses is sponsored by
the American Association of Cereal Chemists International.“The courses will
offer knowledge to help improve rice production and processing,” Wang said. She
added that the courses will be a two-way street, allowing the industry to
provide feedback about how division research can help meet production and
processing challenges.
Meeting participants were given a survey by
which they could suggest priority needs the short courses could address.Research
and industry presentations during the meeting covered advances in rice
production, storage and processing practices, as well as consumer studies.“This
is a signature event for our program,” said Terry Siebenmorgen, University
Professor of food science and director of the University of Arkansas System
Division of Agriculture’s Rice Processing Program. “Not only does the industry
support us with funding and equipment, but they also provide us important
end-user feedback.”
Siebenmorgen said the Rice Processing Program
team investigates a wide range of topics from kernel development to consumer
wants. The team’s expertise includes plant physiology, carbohydrate chemistry,
process engineering, plant pathology and sensory analysis.With alliance
support, program scientists are tackling some of the biggest challenges in the
rice industry. One of the best examples of this partnership, Siebenmorgen said,
has been the discovery and understanding of the role nighttime air temperatures
play in determining rice processing quality.
The entire Rice Processing Program team
contributed to the many pieces of information that collectively identified high
nighttime air temperatures as the culprit, Siebenmorgen said, and the Division
of Agriculture’s relationship with rice processing companies was a valuable
asset during their investigation.— Fred Miller is with the U of A System
Division of Agriculture
http://pbcommercial.com/news/area-digest/researchers-rice-industries-exchange-information#sthash.Jzss4Xir.dpuf
Different methods considered to mitigate effects of lifting of trade restrictions on rice
WITH the impending removal of trade restrictions on rice, different ways of cushioning the effects on the local rice farmers’ livelihood are being considered.
“We have been discussing possible schemes
together with the National Food Authority on what mechanisms we can put in
place,” said Fredelita C. Guiza, secretary of the Presidential Assistant for
Food Security and Agricultural Modernization, in a statement released by the
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), on the possible situation of
farmers when the quantitative restrictions (QRs) on rice imports have been
lifted.The Philippines maintains government trade quotas on rice with the aim
of protecting local producers against cheap imports. It currently limits the
amount of rice allowed to enter the country via the minimum access volume (MAV)
scheme which is set at 805,200 metric tons at reduced tariffs of 35%. Shipments
outside the MAV are slapped with higher rates of 40%.
By June 2017, the country’s QR on rice imports will be scrapped, with 35% levied on all imports.For his part, IRRI’s deputy director general for communication and partnerships, Dr. Bruce Tolentino, raised the need to lower the country’s cost of production so as to support farmers and boost their income considering the World Trade Organization will not agree to another extension of the QR.“One of the reasons why the country’s rice is not as competitive as the commodity is in Vietnam, Thailand, and other rice-producing countries is the high cost of production,” Mr. Tolentino said. “This can mostly be attributed to our high labor costs because food is expensive. Why is food expensive? Because rice prices are high. Once we’re able to manage rice production and make it less expensive and comparable to, say, Vietnam, we will then be able to manage production costs,” he added.
Ms. Guiza also expressed interest in promoting a water-saving technology called alternate wetting and drying (AWD) which may eliminate the traditional method of keeping farmers’ rice fields continuously flooded.In AWD, the water level in a rice paddy is allowed to drop to 10-15 cm below the soil surface before reflooding the field. A perforated water tube, which could be either a polyvinyl chloride pipe or bamboo, is used for farmers to monitor the water level below the soil.
“Most irrigation systems in the Philippines currently charge farmers a flat rate, regardless of the actual amount of water they use. But, if the farmers are saving water then the cost should be reduced,” said James Quilty head of IRRI’s Zeigler Experiment Station. Adopting the AWD system on a large scale should be done collectively and with incentives for irrigation. -- Janina C. Lim
By June 2017, the country’s QR on rice imports will be scrapped, with 35% levied on all imports.For his part, IRRI’s deputy director general for communication and partnerships, Dr. Bruce Tolentino, raised the need to lower the country’s cost of production so as to support farmers and boost their income considering the World Trade Organization will not agree to another extension of the QR.“One of the reasons why the country’s rice is not as competitive as the commodity is in Vietnam, Thailand, and other rice-producing countries is the high cost of production,” Mr. Tolentino said. “This can mostly be attributed to our high labor costs because food is expensive. Why is food expensive? Because rice prices are high. Once we’re able to manage rice production and make it less expensive and comparable to, say, Vietnam, we will then be able to manage production costs,” he added.
Ms. Guiza also expressed interest in promoting a water-saving technology called alternate wetting and drying (AWD) which may eliminate the traditional method of keeping farmers’ rice fields continuously flooded.In AWD, the water level in a rice paddy is allowed to drop to 10-15 cm below the soil surface before reflooding the field. A perforated water tube, which could be either a polyvinyl chloride pipe or bamboo, is used for farmers to monitor the water level below the soil.
“Most irrigation systems in the Philippines currently charge farmers a flat rate, regardless of the actual amount of water they use. But, if the farmers are saving water then the cost should be reduced,” said James Quilty head of IRRI’s Zeigler Experiment Station. Adopting the AWD system on a large scale should be done collectively and with incentives for irrigation. -- Janina C. Lim
http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Economy&title=different-methods-considered-to-mitigate-effects-of-lifting-of-trade-restrictions-on-rice&id=128162
Climate-smart rice technologies seen to boost Philippine rice production
IRRI, Los Baños, Laguna — Cultivating
climate-smart rice varieties in unfavorable environments could boost local rice
production on rainfed rice farming areas that often experience low
productivity, poverty, and hunger, according to Department of Agriculture (DA)
Assistant Secretary for Operations Edilberto de Luna.Assistant Secretary De
Luna spoke on Thursday before rice department heads and scientists from 10
Asian countries at the 15th Annual Steering Committee Meeting of the Consortium
for Unfavorable Rice Environments (CURE) on May 24-26 at the Bellevue Hotel in
Filinvest City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
Funded by the International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD), CURE, a “network of networks,” focuses on rice farming
systems where low and unstable yields are common and extensive poverty and food
security prevail.De Luna said climate-smart rice can withstand the ill effects
of drought, flooding, and salinity that pose great threats to rainfed rice
areas.
The DA official also assured that the government
will ensure the availability of seeds of climate-smart rice varieties and will
promote their use in less favorable areas through informal seed systems such as
community seed banks.DA Secretary Proceso Alcala graced the international
gathering and lauded that “indeed, CURE provides an integrated platform to help
the poor farmers in unfavorable rice areas in Asia by creating, validating,
disseminating, and adopting new rice technologies for adverse environments.”
Secretary Alcala cited “undeniably, the platform
has become a beacon of hope for resolving key problems in rice farming systems
through strengthened partnership among the national agricultural research and extension
staff, IRRI researchers, farmers, and extension workers.
“The time, effort, and resources invested under
CURE are now beginning to pay off with bountiful gains and achievements,” he
added.
The Agriculture Department Secretary said that
“significant victories we have gained in technology research and development
innovation should further inspire renewed commitments by national governments
to strengthen global and regional partnerships in creating better options for
resource-poor and climate change-vulnerable rice farmers in the region.”Yoichiro
Kato, agronomist at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) revealed
that “around 27 percent of the Philippine land area is rainfed and this rainfed
agriculture sustains many farmers in the country and contributes about 26% of
the Philippines’ total rice production.”
According to Dr. Calixto Protacio, executive
director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) the contribution
of these varieties to the country’s food security is even more crucial because
the Philippines is one of the countries that is most vulnerable to climate
change.
“To date, the Philippines, a member country of
CURE, has released 19 drought-tolerant rice varieties for the rainfed lowlands,
four for the uplands, and 15 for saline-prone environments” Dr. Protacio
disclosed.Dr. Aurora Corales, supervising science research specialist at
PhilRice added that aside from being more resilient, climate-smart rice
varieties have other outstanding qualities.“The recently released drought-tolerant
rice variety, NSIC Rc282, yielded up to 7.9 tons per hectare during the 2016
dry season in an on-farm trial in Cuyapon, Nueva Ecija,” explained Corales
noting “farmers also liked NSIC Rc282 because it has more tillers, long
panicles and less grain shattering.”
Lakbay Binhi (travelling seeds) is another way of
making these climate-smart varieties more accessible to farmers, according to
Protacio.Lakbay Binhi project brings high-quality seeds to Filipino farmers
through mobile seed centers. It was pilot-tested at three sites affected by
Typhoon Lando (Koppu).“The adoption of technologies in the country is more of a
bottom-up approach,” said Dr. Digna Manzanilla, IRRI social scientist and CURE
coordinator.Manzanilla added that “CURE involves potential or actual seed
growers within the community to ensure good seed supply. Agricultural
technicians conduct village-level demonstration trials and technologies are
learned from one farmer to another.”
CURE is also helping 100 million farm households
dependent on rice in unfavorable environments in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Indonesia,
Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, India, Bangladesh and Nepal. PNA/
northboundasia.com
- See more at:
http://northboundasia.com/2016/05/28/climate-smart-rice-technologies-seen-boost-philippine-rice-production/#sthash.ZdtAjtqj.dpuf
Weathering El Niño with better preparations
Our blog from on the road and behind the scenes at key science and development events
28/05/16
With the worst of El
Niño now over, there is a general sense of relief that one of the strongest
weather events on record didn’t lead to food shortages and spikes in food prices, particularly for
rice. During the 2007-2008 food crisis when there was also an El Niño, albeit a
milder one, rice prices on the world market more than doubled. This time,
prices went up by a more manageable 10-15 per cent despite rice stocks dipping
at their lowest in three years.
Everybody has apparently learned from the last food crisis, says Samarendu Mohanty, social sciences division head of the International Rice Research Institute, on the sidelines of the 15th Review, Planning and Steering Committee Meeting of the Consortium for Unfavourable Rice Environments held in Manila (24 May).
Massive information and warnings about a strong El Niño since early last year prepared governments for its onset. A number of countries increased their seed buffer stocking to ensure production normalises immediately once favourable weather returns.
Everybody has apparently learned from the last food crisis, says Samarendu Mohanty, social sciences division head of the International Rice Research Institute, on the sidelines of the 15th Review, Planning and Steering Committee Meeting of the Consortium for Unfavourable Rice Environments held in Manila (24 May).
Massive information and warnings about a strong El Niño since early last year prepared governments for its onset. A number of countries increased their seed buffer stocking to ensure production normalises immediately once favourable weather returns.
But Mohanty says that the most important lesson from the
2007-2008 food crisis is not to panic. At that time, major rice-exporting
countries such as India and Vietnam restricted rice exports,
causing panic buying among rice-importing countries like the Philippines. Some
countries purchased more than necessary, which drove up prices.
Advances in rice research and technology in the past decade have managed to save millions of farms worldwide, which otherwise would have been rendered unproductive and useless. More countries have now resorted to adopting salt-tolerant, drought- and heat-resistant rice varieties in unfavourable environments.
Mohanty, however, warns of complacency as politics and successive disasters could easily sway policies and affect supplies in the market. Moreover, he says research should continue to provide better varieties and more profitable returns to encourage farmers to continue planting rice.
This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s South-East Asia & Pacific desk
Advances in rice research and technology in the past decade have managed to save millions of farms worldwide, which otherwise would have been rendered unproductive and useless. More countries have now resorted to adopting salt-tolerant, drought- and heat-resistant rice varieties in unfavourable environments.
Mohanty, however, warns of complacency as politics and successive disasters could easily sway policies and affect supplies in the market. Moreover, he says research should continue to provide better varieties and more profitable returns to encourage farmers to continue planting rice.
This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s South-East Asia & Pacific desk
http://www.scidev.net/asia-pacific/disasters/scidev-net-at-large/weathering-el-ni-o-with-better-preparations.html#sthash.iyzN8nFw.dpuf
