Basmati Rice
The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) convened a meeting of basmati rice experts involved in rice business since many years to examine the causes of decline in exports and to suggest remedies. President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver endorsed the views of many participants that since the invention of grain seed of 1121 by India which has high yield and low cost of production the farmers prefer to grow 1121 instead of super basmati. Secondly due to facilities & subsidies given to growers in India the 1121 variety has caught on. Thirdly the 1121 variety has extra ordinary grain length in raw form as well as after cooking also.
Fourthly the Pakistani super basmati rice grain length has dropped due to the seed getting old and yield per acre is also become less. Besides no facilities or subsidies are given to growers of super basmati rice in Pakistan. The cost of production is high due to seeds being old and low in yield ability and also no facilities from the government resulting in high cost of production. Expert in rice business for many years said Pakistan can renter super basmati only if new seed grain of super basmati is introduced with DNA approved protocol with good yield capability after adequate research and reasonable facilities and subsidies are given to the growers.
Other super basmati rice exporters said the government needs to finance exports to third world countries under export credit guarantee insurance on low premium. Others insisted on the ministry of commerce persuing the geographical indication (GI) with Intellectual Property Organization (IPO) and the trade mark issue with the Registrar of Trade Marks on top priority basis.It is pertinent to note that Pakistani super basmati rice has rich aroma is tasty and has good cooking ability but now needs research to rejuvenate it to ensure higher yield look and length to attra06/28/2016
Farm Bureau Market Report
ct growers to grow it with lower cost of
production.
Rice
|
High
|
Low
|
|
|
Long
Grain Cash Bids
|
- - -
|
- - -
|
|
Long
Grain New Crop
|
- - -
|
- - -
|
|
|
||
|
Futures:
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rice Comment
Rice futures ended lower and the charts are
taking on a negative appearance. Crop conditions remain generally favorable,
with 68% of the crop rated good to excellent for the second week in a row.
July's close below $10.75 is worrysome, as there is little technical support
above the recent low of $9.70. The market needs to see better export movement
to generate buying interest. Net sales for this week totaled 50,100 tons for
the 15-16 marketing year cancellations resulted in -100 tons for 2016-2017
delivery.
APEDA AgriExchange Newsletter - Volume 1504
|
Market Watch
|
||||
|
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 25-06-2016
|
||||
|
Domestic Prices
|
Unit Price : Rs per Qty
|
|||
|
Product
|
Market
Center
|
Variety
|
Min
Price
|
Max
Price
|
|
Rice
|
||||
|
1
|
Manjeri
(Kerala)
|
Other
|
2800
|
3700
|
|
2
|
Dibrugarh
(Assam)
|
Other
|
2000
|
2900
|
|
3
|
Sainthia
(West Bengal)
|
Common
|
2180
|
2200
|
|
Wheat
|
||||
|
1
|
Manvi
(Karnataka)
|
Other
|
1750
|
1750
|
|
2
|
Alappuzha
(Kerala)
|
Other
|
1800
|
1900
|
|
3
|
Umared
(Maharashtra)
|
Other
|
1600
|
2300
|
|
Banana
|
||||
|
1
|
Batala
(Punjab)
|
Other
|
1100
|
1300
|
|
2
|
Asandh
(Haryana)
|
Other
|
2000
|
2800
|
|
3
|
Kangra
(Himachal Pradesh)
|
Other
|
2400
|
2600
|
|
Carrot
|
||||
|
1
|
Palayam
(Kerala)
|
Other
|
2700
|
3000
|
|
2
|
Sahaspur
(Orissa)
|
Other
|
1000
|
1100
|
|
3
|
Ahmedabad
(Gujarat)
|
Other
|
1500
|
2000
|
|
Source:agmarknet.nic.in
|
||||
Rice Foundation Accepting
Applications for 2017 Rice Leadership Development Program
|
|
|
|
|
It could change your life!
|
STUTTGART, AR -- The Rice
Foundation is accepting applications for the 2017 Rice Leadership Development
Program. Rice producers or industry-related professionals between the ages of
25 and 45 are eligible to apply for the program. The application deadline is October 1.
The Rice Leadership Development
Program provides a comprehensive understanding of the rice industry, with an
emphasis on personal development and communication skills. During a two-year
period, class members attend four one-week sessions designed to strengthen
leadership skills through studies of all aspects of the rice industry.
The class is comprised of five rice
producers and two industry-related professionals chosen by a committee of
agribusiness leaders. The committee evaluates the applications of all
candidates, reviews letters of recommendation, and conducts personal interviews
with the finalists. Interviews will be conducted at the USA Rice Outlook
Conference in Memphis, Tennessee, in December.
The program is sponsored by John
Deere Company, RiceTec, Inc., and American Commodity Company through The Rice
Foundation and managed by USA Rice.
Additional information on the Rice
Leadership Development Program and an application form can be found on the USA Rice website
USA Rice Daily,
A worker stacks sacks of rice in Phnom Penh
earlier this year. Hong
Menea
New restrictions aim to curb rice imports
Wed, 29 June 2016
The Ministry of Economy and Finance announced
on Monday that the government will block all illegal rice imports at its
borders and limit legal rice shipments from Vietnam based on production cost.
As part of the new regime, only milled rice
with a production cost of $300 to $600 per tonne can legally be imported from
Vietnam. The goal, according to the ministry, is to eliminate cheap Vietnamese
rice that sells for $200 or less per tonne from the Cambodian market.The
ministry also requires identifying features, such as the name of the rice
producer, rice variety and any trademarks, to be visible on imported packages
in order to assess its true cost.Moul Sarith, secretary-general of the
Cambodian Rice Federation (CRF), the industry body representing the Kingdom’s
rice millers and exporters, said the new policy would help Cambodia’s
struggling rice sector survive amid an onslaught of cheap Vietnamese milled
rice.
“This
mechanism will control the flood of rice imports from Vietnam as well as rice
smuggling,” he said yesterday. “It will also control the quality rice in the
market.” According to Sarith, Vietnamese rice produced for $200 to $300 per
tonne was cheaper than locally milled rice, even with a 17 per cent import and
VAT tax assessed.He also said the government will exempt rice producers from
paying a 15 per cent tax on day-worker salaries, as well as give a $20 million
to $30 million loan to the CRF to help keep the local industry afloat, provided
the organisation can produce a transparent spending budget.
In
March, the CRF called on the government to take urgent
measures aimed at addressing two key challenges to the
domestic industry: millers’ insufficient access to capital and the flood of
illegal rice imports from neighbouring countries.The request followed a
separate initiative by the Cambodian Rice Industry Survival Implementation
Strategy (CRISIS) group, which provided a nine-point action plan to address
what it described as an industry on the brink of collapse.
The
government agreed to strengthen entry points along
Cambodia’s borders to block illegal rice imports on March 30.According to Kann
Kunthy, CEO of Battambang Rice investment Co Ltd, the government has always
claimed to support the rice sector, yet in reality provides little assistance.
“We need
the government to take better action instead of talk a lot,” he said. “The
government should take action on rice smuggling as it is much more prevalent
than legal rice imports.”
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/new-restrictions-aim-curb-rice-imports
Rice: more breakthroughs to increase yields positive
Charles Benoni Okine
28 June 2016
Like adults, children love to enjoy rice.
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There seems to be a breakthrough in the quest
to have increased rice yield, a major staple worldwide. In every grocery shop,
supermarkets and in many open market places, rice is not just the most common
grain but in fact, the most patronized.As a cereal grain, it is the most widely
consumed staple food for a large part of the world's human population,
especially in Asia. In Africa, rice is also heavily loved and consumed but for
its availability in large quantities. It is the agricultural commodity with the
third-highest worldwide production, after sugarcane and maize, according to
2012 FAOSTAT data. Since a large portion of maize crops are grown for purposes
other than human consumption, rice is the most important grain with regard to
human nutrition and caloric intake, providing more than one-fifth of the
calories consumed worldwide by humans
Rice by size
Rice is an ancient grain that has been
cultivated for centuries. Rice is commercially classified by size: long, medium
or short grain. Long-grain rice is 4-5 times its width and is available in
white and brown varieties, which are light, dry grains that separate easily
when cooked. Basmati rice is a perfumy East Indian variety of long-grain rice.
According to Food.com, short-grain rice has fat, almost round grains that have
a higher starch content. When cooked, it tends to be quite moist and viscous,
causing the grains to stick together. Also called pearl rice or glutinous rice
(although it's gluten-free). Other varieties of short-grain rice are Arborio and
Mochi. Medium-grain rice has a size and character in between the other two.
Rice can be further divided into two other
broad categoriess: brown and white. Brown rice is the entire grain with only
the inedible outer husk removed. The nutritious, high-fiber bran coating gives
it a light tan color, nutlike flavor and chewy texture. Brown rice takes
slightly longer to cook. White rice has had the husk, bran and germ removed.
Regular white rice is sometimes referred to as polished rice. For converted or
parboiled white rice, the unhulled grain has been soaked, pressure-steamed and
dried. Converted rice has a pale beige cast and takes slightly longer to cook
than regular white rice. Instant or quick white rice has been fully or
partially cooked before being dehydrated and packaged.
Case for rice
Some people have argued that, without rice, the
world will come to a standstill because the staple grows fast and can converted
into many recipes and can also be eaten with many other plants or vegetables.In
Africa for instance, the production of rice is not in large quantities because
many parts of Africa is dry and therefore not conducive for the production of
rice which grows better and nice in mushy areas. As a result, rice is imported
in large quantities from other parts of the world such as the United States of
America (USA), Japan, China, and Thailand among many other countries.
In Ghana for instance, it is reported that rice
imports amounts to more than US550 million per annum. This is because the
people mostly prefer the imported perfumed rice than the locally grown rice.
This pressure and more from the growing population on the continent means that,
imports will have to increase to be able to meet demand.In those countries
where this precious grain is grown, the lands used for cultivation are either
static or dwindling as a result of human settlements. This means that there is
the need for some radical measures to be undertaken to ensure that yields
increase to be able to meet the even growing demand for the staple.
The are a number projects in Ghana for instance
to ensure that rice is grown in areas where the soil is not as rich as its
natural place where the areas planted are expected to be mushy to enable the
rice grow to yield much. There is variety called upland rice. This is grown in
the sahalian area. This rice variety does not depend much on water to grow.
There is also a confined field trials of GM rice, all in the quest to increase
yield which will eventually make the grain more available to reduce the country’s
import bill as far as rice is concerned.
The breakthrough
According to an article posted on the website
of B4FA, there is news from Britain that a strain of genetically modified rice
that promises 50 per cent greater yield and uses significantly less fertiliser
has been developed by British scientists.It is hoped that their research will
lead to a wave of more efficient staple crops to cope with rising food
demand.Researchers have shown in field trials in China that a particular
protein found naturally in rice helps it to access more of the nitrogen in soil
or fertiliser.
When the [expression] of the gene that makes
this protein is artificially increased the rice can make better use of the
nutrients available. The British scientists have licensed the technology to
companies looking to insert the same gene into cereal crops in the hope that it
could increase global food production in other staple foods as well as
rice.Plants tap into two main sources of nitrogen. One is ammonium in the soil,
the other nitrates. The genetically modified strains of rice could make better
use of both forms. This means that with the same amount of fertiliser, the
yield can be dramatically improved and so help to reduce the environmental
impact associated with nitrogen-based fertilisers. It is obvious that some may
not like the idea that rice is being genetically modified but to feed the world
some breakthroughs in biosciences is needed to achieve as far as the food
produced is wholesome.
http://www.graphic.com.gh/business/business-news/rice-more-breakthroughs-to-increase-yields-positive.html
Govt Approves Rice Loans
The
government has come to the rescue of rice millers and exporters, currently in
the throes of a serious financial crisis, with loans of between $20 and $30 million
to the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF). This is to help the sector purchase rice
from farmers after the harvest this November, to store in warehouses and
process them for export, said the CRF.
Hun Lak,
CRF vice president, told Khmer Times yesterday that he and key rice millers and
exporters had met with economy and finance minister Aun Pornmonirath on Monday.
In the
meeting, Mr. Hun Lak said, important issues like an emergency budget to revive
the rice sector following the severe drought that affected production, the flow
of low-grade rice into the country from Vietnam, and high taxes imposed on rice
millers were discussed.
“The
government agreed to make out the loans of between $20 and $30 million to CRF,
with the foundation acting as a guarantor. The CRF in turn will screen all
applicants and hand out the money to deserving rice millers and exporters,” he
said.
Mr. Hun
Lak said the government would charge an interest rate of about seven to eight
percent for the loans. “These loans would enable rice millers and exporters to
purchase rice from farmers to store in their warehouses and later process them
for export.”
Mr. Hun
Lak said the CRF had already formed a working group with representatives from
the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Rural Development Bank to process
all the loan applications.
“We hope
to complete all the formalities immediately after CRF’s annual general meeting
on July 2,” he said.
“All CRF
members have to submit their loan request forms if they want to apply for the
grants. There will be a formula for vetting the applicants to ensure that the
loans would be put to good use to revive their businesses,” added Mr. Lak.
In
March, rice millers and exporters wrote to the government urging intervention
due to stiff competition in export markets as well as domestic ones. In the
letter, they said they were facing a cash crunch due to a flood of low-grade
rice from Vietnam while stressing that bankruptcy was widespread among farmers,
millers and exporters alike.
The letter
said Vietnamese companies were snapping up high-quality Cambodian paddy for
export from Vietnam and flooding the Cambodian market with low-grade rice.
This, the letter said, was driving domestic millers out of the market.
To make
matters worse, many millers, exporters and farmers are in financial doldrums
due to the severe drought early this year that saw rice production fall
drastically.
Economy
and Finance Minister Aun Pornmoniroth, stressed that Cambodia would not totally
stop importing rice from neighboring countries. However, he said the government
plans to reduce the export duty of milled rice.
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/26615/govt-approves-rice-loans/
Four biofortified food
scientists share 2016 World Food Prize
By Jim Webster
©
Copyright Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.
WASHINGTON, June 28, 2016 -- Four
scientists affiliated with the World Bank-led
agricultural research network will be honored with the 2016 World Food Prize
for developing and implementing biofortified food crops to improve nutrition in
chronically hungry populations.
Maria Andrade of Cape Verde, Robert Mwanga of
Uganda and Jan Low and Howarth Bouis of the United States were recognized today
at the State Department as pioneers in the process that breeds important
vitamins and nutrients into staple crops such as sweet potatoes, sorghum, wheat
and rice. They will receive the honors at a ceremony in Des Moines, Iowa, in
October and split the $250,000 prize.
Andrade, Low and Mwanga are affiliated with the
International Potato Center, part of the Consultative Group for International
Agricultural Research (CGIAR). They were instrumental in development and
introduction of a disease-resistant, drought-tolerant, orange-fleshed sweet
potato that can thrive in sub-Saharan Africa.
Andrade and Mwanga, plant scientists in
Mozambique and Uganda, bred the Vitamin A enriched sweet potato and Low, a
former Michigan State scientist, structured nutrition studies and programs that
persuaded almost 2 million households in 10 African countries to plant or buy
and eat the nutritionally fortified food.
Like what you see on the Agri-Pulse website?
See even more ag, rural policy and energy news when you sign up for a four-week free trial
Agri-Pulse subscription.
Bouis, the founder and director of HarvestPlus,
associated with CGIAR's Washington-based International Food Policy Research
Institute (IFPRI), led the implementation of a multi-institutional approach to
biofortification as a global plant breeding strategy. He is credited with
improvement of crops such as iron- and zinc-fortified beans, rice, wheat and
pearl millet, and Vitamin A-enriched cassava, maize and sweet potatoes in more than
40 countries.
Kenneth Quinn, president of the World Food
Prize Foundation, said the work of the honorees “truly achieved what the Greek
medical pioneer Hippocrates imagined more than two millennia ago,” when he is
believed to have said, “Let food be thy medicine.”
Their breakthrough achievement has improved
health for “millions and millions of people,” Quinn said. “More than 10 million
people have been positively impacted by biofortified crops, with a potential of
several million more in coming decades,” he said.
http://www.agri-pulse.com/Four-biofortified-food-scientists-share-2016-World-Foo-Prize-06282016.asp
Brexit: What's its impact on rice, cotton, grain prices?
United Kingdom votes to leave European Union
Jun 27, 2016 | Delta
Farm Press
A Vote to Leave campaigner holds a placard at a
rally for votes to leave the European Union in the referendum.
Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
On Thursday, June 23, UK voters totally shocked
global market participants with a vote to leave the European Union. Markets are
repositioning with volatility high. After the "Brexit" vote, market
participants embraced the safety of the U.S. dollar, U.S. treasuries, and gold.
Rice, cotton, soybeans, corn, wheat, and oil
experienced price weakness, which was totally expected given the leave vote, as
preferred risk assets like U.S. equities and commodities mostly saw price
weakness as markets moved into a risk-off mode.
Collectively, market participants were stunned
and in disbelief. The United Kingdom had just voted to leave the European
Union.
Stunned, shocked and in disbelief, the best
money managers always position for the unexpected. Pre-BREXIT vote, shrewd
money managers had initialed a vast array of hedging and money management
strategies in case the unexpected happened with a UK exit vote succeeding.
• Market volatility seemed to be on steroids
after the leave vote was known. Market participants remained in an attentive
defensive posture throughout Thursday night and Friday.
Delta Farm Press Daily
• The weekend of June 25-26 was greatly needed
for all: political leaders, central bank leadership; and market participants
had time to prepare for the June 27 global market activities.
• The degree of global market volatility, the
week of June 27 will be a function of how well global market participants have
protected their positions pre-BREXIT vote and their confidence in government
and central bank intervention to maintain market stability throughout the week.
• All involved in fiscal and monetary policy,
markets, and social issues must now give greater consideration to a global
marketplace adjusting to slow global growth with building political, social,
and economic risks and building market uncertainties and a potential black
swan event.
This is a pivotal historic event
In the United Kingdom (UK)/European Union (EU)
membership referendum (Brexit vote), 51.9 percent of UK citizens decided to leave
the European Union and 48.1 percent votied to stay.
Why leave? The
United Kingdom voted for control of its national destiny, sovereignty,
taxation, immigration, etc. It said thumbs down to building repressive
socialism and European Union oversight and thumbs up to renewing its
relationship with democracy and capitalism.
Make no mistake, this process will be painful
and slowly implemented, but potentially rich with future economic and social
rewards.
Today’s advanced European socialism is burying
Europe’s economic and social future under unsustainable debt.
Leaving EU a two-plus year process
The UK voted to start a two-plus year process
of breaking away from building intrusive dictatorial European Union/Brussels
controls and demands.
• No country has ever left the European Union,
so the process is filled with dangerous knowns like political reprisals and
unknowns such as a potential Black Swan Event.
A catalytic EU event: The UK’s
departure vote will encourage contagion with other EU membership countries
likely following their lead. There is huge potential for EU leadership to make
the leaving process as painful as possible for the United Kingdom to discourage
other countries from leaving.
• On the one hand many acknowledge the
likelihood of major political reprisals, but on the other hand the European
Union could accelerate the UK exit to slow a building list of potential EU
countries (like the Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Hungary, and others) from
following the United Kingdom’s lead.
United Kingdom faces separatist challenges from within
• The United Kingdom is comprised of four
countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• According to BBC News
Reports, Scotland’s first minister has said a second
independence referendum is “highly likely” after the UK voted to leave the EU.
Popular Now
— Nicola Sturgeon said it was “democratically
unacceptable” that Scotland faced the prospect of being taken out of the EU
against its will.
— She said the Scottish government would begin
preparing legislation to enable another independence vote.
— Scotland voted in favor of the UK staying in
the EU by 62 percent to 38 percent.
Conclusion
• Risk event: This
was a very dangerous global market risk event and one for the history books. It
was a given that this type of event would happen, what was not known was when.
With building market and public awareness, this risk event will serve as a
catalyst for future economic, political, and social change.
• Trend change underway:
Building global debt deflation, now being publically recognized, has global
markets adjusting to a sustained period of slow global growth with building
political, social, and economic risks and building market uncertainties and
potential black swan events.
• Event risk: Bluford
“Blu” Putnam, managing director and chief economist of CME Group, points out in
today’s global economy, managing event risks going forward will be important
and to expect more from UK planned exit.
• Second UK referendum: There is
movement under way in the United Kingdom for another referendum that would
overturn the exit victory.
• Separatists movements: Do not
underestimate social mood, throughout the world, and its impact on separatists’
movements. These movements in the European Union and globally are on the rise.
This is simply a symptom of anemic growth in country after country around the
world.
• Governments and central banks:
Globally, governments and central banks are in crisis management mode. One
certainly cannot underestimate their ability individually or collectively to
respond, but the size of the market wave generated by their intervention will
cause many to add an additional layer of risk management protection.
Near-term market impact:
• U.S. treasuries are very likely to remain
bullish with sideways to lower yields.
• Near-term, the dollar should be sideways to
up, but the dollar is likely to remain range bound. Remember, the Fed has real
concerns about reaching and maintaining its 2 percent inflation objective in a
stagnant global economic setting. To achieve this objective it would be helpful
for oil prices not to resume their earlier declines and the dollar not to rise
significantly, like they did on June 24.
• We will need to watch U.S. equities, but
quality investment options exist in this sector given global economic
uncertainty. Near-term, let price action provide guidance.
• Near-term rice, cotton, soybeans, corn, and
wheat are coming off mostly supportive global reflation intervention activities
since February. Corrective price action, therefore, was already under way. With
the shock of the UK voting to leave the EU, a potentially strengthening dollar,
and global market participants in a risk-off mode, expect more price softness
than strength near-term. USDA’s June 30 acreage report will be important to
this group of commodities, as will fundamental news that impacts their
individual sheets.
Robert Coats is a professor in the Department
of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, Division of Agriculture, University
of Arkansas System. E-mail: recoats@uark.edu.
http://deltafarmpress.com/cotton/brexit-whats-its-impact-rice-cotton-grain-prices
Shortage of staff in Pak missions to Latin American, African countries
28-Jun-16
701
Popular
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DUBAI: Former world champion E ...
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry has
said the Pakistani missions in Latin America and the African continent are
facing a shortage of staff and fewer missions as well and the Foreign Office
required more funds for opening new missions there.
He was briefing the Senate panel on Foreign Affairs,
which was held under the chair of Nuzhat Sadiq at the premises of Pakistan
Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS).
The committee was briefed by the Foreign
Office, the ministry of commerce and the Board of Investment on Foreign policy
regarding Latin America, Caribbean Islands, Caribbean Pacific, Atlantic Islands
and African countries.
While briefing the panel, Aizaz Chaudhry said
that the committee members were right in stating that Pakistan needed more
concentration in Latin America, Caribbean and African countries.
He said currently Pakistan was spending $ 150
million on purchasing, rents and other expenses in these countries. More than
70 per cent missions were one-man missions. “We need more resources. Turkey
increased its missions and resources and also increased a lot exports
especially in the African continent” he added.
He said the Pakistani missions except South
Africa and Egypt, had one or two persons and others were one-man missions.
The foreign secretary said that Pakistan had
diplomatic relations with 14 African countries out of 34. The Foreign Office
was celebrating Africa Day for the last three years in which all the African
countries’ ambassadors participated.
He informed the committee that due to the
complaint against the principal of Sheikh Rashid Bin Al Makhtoom School, Dubai,
an inquiry committee had been formed, which would soon submit the inquiry
report.
Earlier the Director General Americas at the
Foreign Office, informed the panel that Pakistan had diplomatic relations with
29 Latin American and African countries. Pakistan was exploring economic and
defence opportunities in Latin American countries. Pakistan had a $ 364 million
trade pacty with Argentina and a $ 300 million pact with Brazil. These
countries had an agricultural base too and Pakistan wanted to do more trade
with them.
But due to the geographical distance, language
bearers and less Pakistanis residing in Latin America Pakistani mission were
functioning in Brazil, Argentina, Cuba and Mexico only.
The prime minister of Pakistan recently gifted
15,000 metric tones rice to Cuba. Now Cuban inspectors were in Pakistan to
check the quality of that rice because they rules were strict about the quality
and it could also be an opportunity for Pakistani rice in the Cuban market.
He said following the 2005 earthquake in
Pakistan more than 2000 medical teams came to Pakistan and they also announced
1,000 medical seats for Pakistanis.
He said that Pakistan was working on a
preferential trade agreement with the regional organisation MERCOSUR. Pakistan
was also thinking to open at least one diplomatic mission in the Caribbean
Islands. The member of the committee, Senator Karim Khawaja said that Brazil
was an emerging economy so Pakistan should concentrate on it. He suggested that
the increasing of staff and opening up new Pakistani missions in these regions
would be helpful. Shibli Faraz suggested enhancing trade with the region.
Farhatullah Babar suggested that Pakistan could
learn from the experience of Latin American countries as to how these countries
tackled the issue of enforced disappearing.
Senator Khawaja said that when the problem of
enforced appearing was there at the time the UN made his grandfather G.A Allana
as Rapporteur in the 1970s. Later on, even Chilean General Augusto Pinochet was
punished after findings based on his report.
The Additional Secretary, Middle East and
Africa said that Africa was the continent of the future and 27 countries, out
of the 57 OIC were from Africa. He said through the “Look Africa” policy renewed
a focus on relations with African countries.
Pakistan was the second largest contributor to
the UN peace-keeping operations in Africa. Pakistan has a three billion dollars
trade with African countries. Still, there was more potential, he said.
Mushahid Hussain Sayed suggested a reception
for African ambassadors from the platform of the committee in order to improve
relations with these countries
http://dailytimes.com.pk/islamabad/28-Jun-16/shortage-of-staff-in-pak-missions-to-latin-american-african-countries
Wheat weakens on reduced offtake
PTI | Jun 28, 2016, 03.28 PM IST
New Delhi, Jun 28 () Wheat and barley prices fell by up to Rs 30 per quintal at the
wholesale grains market today due to reduced offtake by flour mills against
adequate stocks.
Barley also eased owing to subdued demand from
consuming industries.
Traders said increased offtake by flour mills
against sufficient stocks kept pressure on wheat prices.
In the national capital, wheat dara (for mills)
drifted lower by Rs 30 to Rs 1,770-1,775 per quintal. Atta chakki delivery followed suit and traded lower
by a similar margin to Rs 1,775-1,780 per 90 kg.
Atta flour mills, maida and sooji too ended
lower at Rs 930-960, Rs 990-1,000 and Rs 1,060-1,070 against last close of Rs
970-980, Rs 1,020-1,030 and Rs 1,070-1,080 per 50 kg, respectively in line with
wheat trend.
Barley shed Rs 10 to Rs 1,670-1,675 per
quintal.
Following are today's quotations (in Rs per
quintal):
Wheat MP (desi) Rs 2,285-2,835, Wheat dara (for
mills) Rs 1,770-1,775, Chakki atta (delivery) Rs 1,775-1,780, Atta Rajdhani (10
kg) Rs 275, Shakti Bhog (10 kg) Rs 275, Roller flour mill Rs 930-960
(50 kg), Maida Rs 990-1,000 (50 kg) and Sooji Rs 1,060-1,070 (50 kg).
Basmati rice (Lal Quila) Rs 10,700, Shri Lal
Mahal Rs 11,300, Super Basmati Rice Rs 9,700,
Basmati common new Rs 5,800-6,000, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs 4,700-5,650, Permal raw Rs
2,000-2,050, Permal wand Rs 2,175-2,250, Sela Rs 3,000-3,050 and Rice IR-8 Rs
1,870-1,880, Bajra Rs 1,660-1,670, Jowar yellow Rs 1,900-2,000, white Rs
3,500-3,600, Maize Rs 1,625-1,635, Barley Rs 1,670-1,675. SUN KPS SRK MR
19th annual U.S.-Japan rice technical meeting held
These annual meetings are an important part of strengthening the rice trade between our two countries by providing an opportunity to discuss and resolve technical issues," said Alex Balafoutis of PGP International, Inc. and the U.S. chairman of the Japan Technical Group.
By
Kristen Dayton
USA Rice Federation
USA Rice Federation
Posted Jun. 27, 2016 at 1:03 PM
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Representatives
of the U.S. and Japanese rice industries met hereWednesday and Thursday for the
19th annual U.S.-Japan rice technical meeting.
"These
annual meetings are an important part of strengthening the rice trade between
our two countries by providing an opportunity to discuss and resolve technical
issues," said Alex Balafoutis of PGP International, Inc. and the U.S.
chairman of the Japan Technical Group.
The two
sides reviewed rice production, trade, and utilization in both countries; key
upcoming supply and demand developments in both markets, and discussed quality
characteristics of U.S. rice exported to Japan.
Following
a day-long session on Wednesday, the Japanese delegation toured a rice farm on
Thursday with U.S. delegation member and farmer Michael Rue, who provided
information on rice production, drying, and storage, followed by a mill tour of
Farmers' Rice Cooperative.
"USA
Rice also participates in technical meetings with Korea and Taiwan, however
having 19 years of technical meetings with Japan has resulted in more
transparency of trade between our two countries by working together to rectify
technical issues," concluded Balafoutis.
Japan
imports about 325,000 metric tons of U.S. rice each year with a value of more
than $275 million dollars, making it one of the largest markets for the United
States.
Both
sides agreed that the 20th U.S.-Japan Rice Technical meeting will be held in
Japan next year
By
Kristen Dayton
USA Rice Federation
USA Rice Federation
Posted Jun. 27, 2016 at 1:03 PM
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Representatives
of the U.S. and Japanese rice industries met hereWednesday and Thursday for the
19th annual U.S.-Japan rice technical meeting.
"These
annual meetings are an important part of strengthening the rice trade between
our two countries by providing an opportunity to discuss and resolve technical
issues," said Alex Balafoutis of PGP International, Inc. and the U.S.
chairman of the Japan Technical Group.
The two
sides reviewed rice production, trade, and utilization in both countries; key
upcoming supply and demand developments in both markets, and discussed quality
characteristics of U.S. rice exported to Japan.
Following
a day-long session on Wednesday, the Japanese delegation toured a rice farm on
Thursday with U.S. delegation member and farmer Michael Rue, who provided
information on rice production, drying, and storage, followed by a mill tour of
Farmers' Rice Cooperative.
"USA
Rice also participates in technical meetings with Korea and Taiwan, however
having 19 years of technical meetings with Japan has resulted in more
transparency of trade between our two countries by working together to rectify
technical issues," concluded Balafoutis.
Japan
imports about 325,000 metric tons of U.S. rice each year with a value of more
than $275 million dollars, making it one of the largest markets for the United
States.
Both
sides agreed that the 20th U.S.-Japan Rice Technical meeting will be held in
Japan next year
Price of rice in NegOcc increases
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
THE National Food Authority (NFA) in Negros
Occidental has monitored a slight increase in the wholesale price of commercial
rice entering the province while supply remains at comfortable level, its top
official said.Marianito Bejemino, provincial manager of NFA-Negros Occidental,
told Sun.Star Bacolod they noted an increase of about P20 to P30 per sack of
commercial rice on a wholesale basis, which will translate to about P0.50 per
kilo increase in the retailer level.
Bejemino pointed out that as harvests end in
source-provinces like Iloilo, Cebu, Bohol, and Mindoro rice inflow in Negros
Occidental also becomes lower.
“During this period, decrease in the volume of
commercial rice transported to the province is a normal trend since other
provinces can only send out their excess supply,” the NFA official said,
stressing that low rice output will eventually push market prices upward.
Currently, average prices of regular-milled
rice among markets in the province range from P32 to P36 per kilo while those
of special varieties of commercial rice range from P45 to P60 per kilo,
NFA-Negros Occidental monitoring showed.
Bejemino said that amid the possible constant
increase on the prices of commercial rice especially with the approaching lean
months, the agency has already prepared its accredited rice outlets.
Whether the demand is low or high, it is making
sure that the P27 per kilo NFA rice is visible and available in local markets,
he added.
Moreover, despite the slight increase in the price
of commercial rice, supply situation in the province remains stable.
As of June 23 Rice Situation Report of
NFA-Negros Occidental, the province has a total inventory of 2,166, 343 bags of
rice, which can still supply its average daily consumption requirement of
22,220 bags for 96 days.
Of the total rice inventory, 1,175, 295 bags
are commercial sector stocks mainly from rice mills, warehouses, wholesaler,
and retailers. This supply alone can last for 52 days, it said.
In terms of household inventory, the province
has 427, 398 bags of rice that can meet the province’s daily consumption
requirement for the next 19 days.
For government inventory, or those remaining
NFA rice stocks stored at the agency’s warehouses, the province is secured for
12 days with the remaining 261,608 bags, the report added.
Bejemino had earlier said that Negros
Occidental is expected to receive additional 200,000 bags from Iloilo as June
to August buffer stocks.
“Starting July, demand is expected to increase,
yet we are still assured of stable rice supply that can even stretch until
September,” he added.
Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on
June 28, 2016.
Latest issues of Sun.Star
Bacolod also available on your mobile phones, laptops,
and tablets. Subscribe to our digital editions at epaper.sunstar.com.ph and get
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http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/business/2016/06/28/price-rice-negocc-increases-482066
Zambo crop production declines by 10 percent due to El Nino phenomenon
FILE PHOTO
The online news portal of TV5
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The City Agriculture Office
has reported the crop production has declined by at least 10 percent due to the
prolonged drought brought about by the El Niño phenomenon the country has
experienced the past months.
The country started experiencing El Niño on the
later part of 2015. The weather phenomenon has intensified earlier this year
and has greatly affected the agriculture sector.
City Agriculturist Diosdado Palacat told the
Philippines News Agency that the agricultural production declined since the
crops of some farmers were damaged while the others were unable to plant due to
the dry spell.
Palacat said the El Niño phenomenon have
affected 3,000 farmers and have damaged 1,500 hectares of vegetables, rice, and
corn worth P23 million.
He said the rice production from January to May
this year has declined by 3,949.4 metric tons (MT) to 5,726.8 MT from 9,676.2
MT during the same period last year.
He said the corn yield from January to May this
year dropped by 3,532.95 MT to 1,707.75 MT from 5,240.7 MT of the same period
last year.
The vegetable production was lesser by 860.63
MT from 6,171.31 MT for January to May last year to 5,310.68 MT for the same
period this year.
Palacat said the city government and Department
of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as well as Department of Labor and
Employment (DOLE) have provided assistance to the affected farmers to cushion
the effects of the El Niño phenomenon.
Meanwhile, Palacat said the farmers have
started to plant with the onset of the rainy seasons.
He said the city government has provided the
necessary seedlings, which included corn, rice, and vegetables and farm inputs
to the farmers
http://interaksyon.com/article/129645/zambo-crop-production-declines-by-10-percent-due-to-el-nino-phenomenon
Drought in Vietnam Holds Back Growth as Farming Takes Knock
June 28, 2016 — 7:06 AM PKT Updated on June 28, 2016 — 9:32 AM PKT
A drought hit plot of land in Vietnam.
Photographer: Christian Berg/Getty Images
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- Agriculture production contracts 0.8% in first half of year
- Growth in exports slowing, reflecting weakening demand
Economic growth in Vietnam was little changed
in the second quarter as a crippling drought hurt farming output and demand for
exports weakened.
Gross domestic product rose 5.6 percent from a
year earlier after expanding 5.5 percent in the previous three months, the
General Statistics Office said in a statement in Hanoi on Tuesday. The economy
expanded 5.52 percent in the first half of the year, lower than the 5.8 percent
median estimate of four economists in a Bloomberg News survey.
As the world’s biggest
producer of robusta coffee and a major exporter of
rice, the worst drought in three decades is weighing on Vietnam’s economy
this year. The longer-term outlook remains good though as the nation benefits
from a manufacturing industry that’s grown in importance over the years after
companies such as Samsung Electronics Co. set up plants there to export
smartphones.
“We are still optimistic,” said Long
Ngo, a research manager at Viet Capital Securities JSC in Ho Chi Minh
City. “Given all the challenges that we are facing now, like the sell-off in
the emerging-markets, export markets are slowing down and the zero growth in
agricultural production, Vietnam is still doing quite well. We are still
outperforming other countries in the region.”
Agriculture output dropped 0.8 percent in the
first six months of the year compared with the same period in 2015, the
statistics office said. That was offset by a 10 percent jump in manufacturing
and strong growth in construction and services.
“We expect growth to be buoyed in the second
half on higher manufacturing output as the government is trying to help
companies with more lending and steps to boost demand,” Nguyen Bich Lam,
head of the statistics office, told reporters in Hanoi. The economy needs to
expand 7.6 percent in the second half in order to meet the government’s target
of 6.7 percent expansion this year, he said.
The central bank last month delayed tightening
its lending rules to help spur investment in the economy. The International
Monetary Fund is forecasting growth of about 6 percent this year “reflecting
the adverse agriculture shock, lower external demand and spillovers of tighter
global financial conditions,” it said in a statement on Monday.
Growth in exports slowed to 3.3 percent in June
from 4.9 percent in the previous month, official data shows. Rice shipments in
the world’s third-largest exporter of the grain is down 6.8 percent in the
first half of the year compared to the same period in 2015, according to the
statistics office.
“Despite the slowdown, growth of 5.5 percent
still makes Vietnam one of the top-performing economies in the region,” Gareth
Leather, senior Asia economist at London-based Capital Economics Ltd., said in
an e-mailed note to clients. “We think the prospects remain bright. Once
weather patterns return to normal, agricultural output should start to
recover.”
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-26/risk-rout-deepens-as-pound-slides-further-on-post-brexit-turmoil
Auction of 1.11 tonnes of rice expected to yield a good price
PETCHANET PRATRUANGKRAI
THE NATION June 28, 2016 1:00 am
THE Rice Policy Management Committee yesterday agreed to sell 1.11 tonnes of rice to 29 traders, which should earn the country Bt11.54 billion.Duangporn Rodphaya, director-general of the Foreign Trade Department, said that with demand for rice rising in the market, the government could gain a good price from the latest auction.
The traders were among the 64 that joined the year's fourth round of bidding for 2.23 million tonnes of rice. The government has managed to dispose of 6.59 million tonnes of its rice worth Bt69 billion via tender in the past two years, leaving 9.5 million tonnes in its inventory. It will try to unload as much of this rice as possible this year. The government will continue to release rice via many methods including open general auctions to serve both domestic and overseas consumption during the drought.
"The drought has caused lower rice supplies. The government will try to manage rice stocks efficiently and be aware of the impact on the rice price in the market," Duangporn said.Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn said the government planned to continue selling rice under government-to-government contracts with many countries.Recently, the Philippines and Indonesia showed strong interest in placing a big order for rice from Thailand - for more than a million tonnes combined.
The ministry will send a mission to promote rice sales to many markets with potential, including Singapore, South Africa, Mozambique and Oman, which is seen as the gateway to East African countries.
Rice Merchants lament high rate of rice smuggling in Nigeria
Rice merchants have expressed concern over the
high rate of rice smuggling in Nigeria.
They say smuggling of the commodity through the
nation’s porous borders causes loss of revenue for investors and the
government, which in turn result in massive lay off of workers.
Neighbouring countries like Benin, Niger and
Cameroon are said to benefit from the situation because of increased activities
at their sea ports.An industry expert, Johnson Idowu lamented that shipping
lines and many other businesses are pulling out of Nigeria.The rice merchants
urge the government to protect advancements made in growing and processing of
rice in the industry by curtailing smuggling activities.
http://africa.tvcnews.tv/2016/06/28/rice-merchants-lament-high-rate-rice-smuggling-nigeria/
Nigeria will be self-sufficient in rice production in 18 months – Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in Abuja
said his administration would make Nigeria self-sufficient in rice production
within 18 months.The president, who was speaking at the Ramadan breaking of
fast with members of the business community, said 13 states of the federation
had been identified for the production of the crop.He said the Minister of
Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, had already been briefed on how best to achieve the
target.Mr. Buhari decried how the nation’s scarce resources were wasted on the
importation of food items by the previous regimes.He said the nation had no
option than to concentrate more on agriculture and solid mineral activities.
The president also condemned “the ruthless
devaluation of naira’’, saying he was yet to be convinced about the economic
benefits of the exercise.“How much benefits have derived from naira devaluation
in the past?
“I don’t like the returns I get from the CBN
because that coupled with the demand that let us devalue the naira, in August
1985 when the naira was N1.3 to a dollar now you need N300 or N350 to a dollar.
“What do we derive from that, how much benefit can we derive from this ruthless
devaluation of the naira?
“I’m not an economist neither a businessman, I
fail to appreciate what is the economic explanation.“What has happened to us
now is that we have maneuvered ourselves into mono-economy which led to the
collapse we are seeing now.
“A lot of responsibilities now fall on your
shoulders now. You have a lot of investments, a lot of people you employ,’’ he
added.
In his remarks on behalf of the business
community, Kola Jamodu, expressed the readiness of the private sector to
partner the administration in addressing the economic challenges facing the
country.He thanked the president for inviting them for the breaking of fast
dinner. (NAN)
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/business/206014-nigeria-will-self-sufficient-rice-production-18-months-buhari.html
Machinery training underway in Bong
Created: Tuesday, 28 June 2016
15:05
Published: Tuesday, 28 June 2016
15:05
Written by Papa Morris from
Gbarnga, Bong County
A three-week training
of Machinery Fabricators and Artisans on fabrication of ASI Threshers has
commenced in Gbarnga, Bong County. The training, which has brought
together participants from various parts of the country, is intended to
impact knowledge to local artisans on the fabrication of modern ASI rice
threshers and other agricultural machineries with a view to build
fabrication capacities of artisans in twelve of the counties of Liberia.
The training - sponsored by SAPEC under the
Ministry of Agriculture, is being implemented by Africa
Rice. Speaking at the opening of the training on Monday, the
Director General of the Central Agriculture Research Institute or CARI,
Dr. Walter Wiles, praised the effort to train artisans in the
various parts of the country.
Dr. Wiles indicated that as Liberia is highly
dependent on the importation of rice to feel its people, it would be
difficult to feel itself using hooks and cutlasses. He said
mechanized farming is a major solution to the food problem of the country.
Dr. Wiles told participants at the training that
land preparation for farming was essential, but added that it is labor
intensive and the use of machine could further help in such
direction. He reminded participants that working together as a team will
further enable them make more machines.
In his statement, Africa Rice Country Representative
Innousa Akintayo said the training is the first of its kind in Liberia as
artisans are being motivated to engage in the production of agricultural
machines to help farmers make their work easy.
Dr. Akintayo noted that on several occasions,
imported agricultural machines failed as farmers found it difficult to get
spare parts, saying if local agricultural machine producers are
capacitated, they will provide the needed machines to assist famers and
easily have access to damaged parts, instead of the imported ones that are
very difficult to obtain.
The sixteen participants currently taking part in
the training were drawn from Bong, Lofa, Grand Kru, Lofa, as well as
Nimba, among other counties.
By Papa Morris from
Gbarnga, Bong County
http://www.thenewdawnliberia.com/news/10766-machinery-training-underway-in-bong
Annual Rice Field Day, Aug. 31, Biggs
Wednesday, August 31, 2016 • Biggs, CA
If you’re in the California rice industry, mark your calendar now to attend
for the annual Rice Field Day on Aug. 31, 2016 at the Rice Experiment Station
(RES) in Biggs, Calif.The purpose of the event is for rice growers and other industry members to learn about rice research underway at the RES.
Agenda:
7:30 a.m. - Registration
8:30 - General Session (CCRRF annual membership meeting, rice research trust report, and the California rice industry award)
9:30 – Rice research field tours (focusing on variety improvement, disease resistance, insects and control, plus weeds and control)
Noon – Lunch
Posters and demonstrations will be available from registration through lunch.
The Rice Field Day is sponsored by the California Cooperative Rice Research Foundation and the University of California.
The RES is located at 955 Butte City Highway (Hwy. 162), approximately 2.5 miles west of Hwy. 99 north of Biggs.
For more information, visit http://www.crrf.org.
Posters and demonstrations will be available from registration through lunch.
The Rice Field Day is sponsored by the California Cooperative Rice Research Foundation and the University of California.
The RES is located at 955 Butte City Highway (Hwy. 162), approximately 2.5 miles west of Hwy. 99 north of Biggs.
For more information, visit http://www.crrf.org.
Agri Min launches app for Bihar farmers
June 28, 2016 | UPDATED 20:55 IST
New Delhi, Jun 28 (PTI) Agriculture Minister Radha
Mohan Singh today released an app, Crop Manager for Rice-based
Systems (CMRS), for better crop and nutrient management for Bihar farmers. CMRS provides irrigated and rainfed farmers with rice-based cropping systems in Bihar with a crop and nutrient management guideline customised to the needs of an individual farmer, an official statement said.
Singh released the app in a programme organised at ICAR-RCER in Patna, it added.
The app is designed for use by extension workers, crop advisers, input providers and providers of services who interview a farmer using a personal computer, smartphone, or tablet, it added.
CMRS was adapted, evaluated and verified in Bihar through collaboration of Indian Rice Research Institute (IRRI) with the Indian Council for Agricultural Research- RCER (ICAR) and other institutes. PTI LUX ABK
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/agri-min-launches-app-for-bihar-farmers/1/703087.html
