Domestic
Rice Was Grown in China 9,400 Years Ago
A new study offers evidence that prehistoric villages in the area of
Shangshan were growing half-domesticated rice
By Jason
Daley
SMITHSONIAN.COM
For years, archaeologists and researchers have been trying to
figure out where
and when rice was first cultivated. There's evidence that rice first
came from Japan, Korea, China, even Australia.
Now, reports Sarah
Zhang at The Atlantic, a new study suggests the process to
domesticate rice from its wild form likely began in southern China.
In the early 2000s, Stephen
Chen at the South China Morning
Post reports, archaeologists first discovered 18
prehistoric villages in the area of Shangshan along
the Yangtze river with some evidence that the people were eating and
perhaps cultivating rice. Rice hulls (hard protecting coverings of grains of
rice) were used to strengthen their clay pottery and researchers also
discovered early agricultural tools and large mortars and pestles used to
de-hull rice. But it was not clear whether these early settlers were collecting
wild rice or had begun to domesticate and cultivate rice.
That’s what the current study investigates. While acidic soils
decompose and destroy the organic matter from rice, including its grains and
stems, rice plants produces microscopic bits of silica called phytoliths that
form in distinctive patterns in rice leaves. Compared to wild rice
varieties, domesticated rice has distinctive phytolith patterns. By counting
the “fish scales” in these patterns, researchers can tell the difference
between cultivated and wild rice since cultivated rice has more than nine
scales, Chen reports.
According to a
press release, the researchers examined the phytoliths in each layer
of three of the village sites, finding that over time the percentage of rice
with more than nine fish scales steadily increased, indicating that the
villagers were producing a larger and larger percentage of cultivated rice
versus the wild stock. They also sifted enough of the tiny particles to test
them using carbon-14 dating, finding that the oldest rice phytoliths in
Shangshan date to 9,400 years.
“We have a high confidence it is not wild rice,” Lu Houyuan, professor
at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and lead author of the study in The Proceedings of
the National Academies of Science, tells Chen. “It is not the same
as rice today, either. It’s a half-domestic species.”
Jiang Leping from Zhejiang’s Institute of Cultural Relics and
Archaeology, tells Chen that he believes the Shangshan village sites were
surrounded by rice paddies and that the team hopes to continue excavations in
the area to find evidence of that.
But not everyone is convinced that these villages along the
Yangtze are the epicenter of Chinese rice. Wang Zixuan, also a professor at the
Chinese Academy of Sciences, tells Chen that a large scale genetic study of
rice published in the journal Nature in
2012 suggested that it emerged in a single location along the Pearl River
valley, not on the banks of the Yangtze. “They could spread,” Wang tells Chen.
“It is likely that the early farmers along the Pearl River took the rice seeds
up north to the Yangtze during migration.”
While Chinese rice may be the earliest found so far, it
doesn’t mean it’s the only place rice was developed. While
researchers agree the rice variety known as japonica first appeared in China, some
argue that another strain, known as indica was domesticated in an area between
India and Indochina. Genetic studies show a third major variety, a
drought-tolerant variety known as aus rice, was likely developed in
the area of India and Bangladesh from wild strains.
Decoding the
plastic rice rumour
Written by: Vicky Nanjappa
Subscribe to Oneindia News
Scientists have said that plastic is not biodegradable and the digestive system
of humans does not tolerate it. While stating that there is no way it can be
consumed, scientists also expressed doubts that it can be manufactured.
The Telangana civil supplies department tested samples of
rice and announced that no plastic element had been found but the samples would
be sent to the state food controlling unit for further chemical tests. The
Nigerian government too released research reports on 'plastic rice' on December
24, 2016, which also held that the rice was not plastic.
http://www.oneindia.com/india/decoding-the-plastic-rice-rumour-2457788.html
Flood Recovery: Govt. mulls donor conference
2017-06-08 00:00:58
However, Minister Karunanayake,
as Foreign Affairs Minister, suggested that the government should declare an
emergency situation first for such a conference to be called. The government
was not receptive to this idea at the Cabinet meeting as it would have serious
ramifications on other sectors of the economy, mainly tourism.
Then, the President asked the
assigned ministers to study the situation and recommend how to proceed with
this proposal. Finally, it ended up to be a tentative proposal, pending other
requirements to be fulfilled. For it to be done, a need assessment of the five
affected districts should be done. Alongside, the Foreign Minister was asked to
engage with the head of diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka to do some preparatory
work. Therefore, it is a time-consuming exercise to call for a donor
conference.
Rishad
complains of his Cabinet paper leakage
At Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, Industry and Commerce Minister
Rishad Bathiudeen made a cry that his Cabinet paper - seeking approval to
privatize Lanka Mineral Sand Ltd - had been leaked out to some undesirable
hands. As such, he sought to withdraw the paper. He said he would resubmit a
fresh one to the Economic Management Committee headed by Prime Minister Ranil
Wickremesinghe later.
Initially, he had proposed to bring an Indian investor for this company.
Initially, he had proposed to bring an Indian investor for this company.
Not all
Basmati rice varieties are of proper quality
Rice trading was embroiled in a
sort of crisis after a video footage went viral on the internet that imported
‘Basmati rice’ looked like it was made of plastic. In a video footage widely
shared in the social media, a lady demonstrated how her Basmati rice turned
pasty after it was cooked. She formed lumps of cooked rice and butted them on
the floor to see them bouncing off a little. She even said her cooked rice
remained fresh relatively for a long time. She tried to drive home the point
that ‘freshness could not be retained for so long if it were natural.
“This looks like a conspiracy of local mill owners to mislead
consumers about imported rice varieties. If rice is made of plastic, it would
cost at least Rs.1,000 a kg. Then, we cannot sell them”
This made a blow to Basmati rice
trading in Sri Lanka. The Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE), which sold
Basmati rice in this case, denied these reports. Instead, it said this appeared
to be a conspiracy hatched with vested interests to bring CWE or SATHOSA to
disrepute.
Basmati rice is imported mainly
from India and Pakistan through the normal trading channel. Besides, a certain quota of Basmati rice is imported
under duty-free conditions from Pakistan under the provisions of the Free Trade
Agreement (FTA) with Sri Lanka. The private sector was involved in the import
of this duty free quota of Basmati from Pakistan. However, the CWE took it over
from the private sector.
Under the FTA, Sri Lanka has
given a tariff rate quota of 6,000 tonnes of Long Grain Basmati Rice from
Pakistan. In fact in 2014, the government stopped issuing licence to import any
variety of Basmati rice from Pakistan till the exhaustion of this quota under
the FTA. The Certificate of Origin, issued by the Pakistani authorities was
accepted on the first-come-first-served basis till this quota was exhausted.
However, this practice has now
been done away with. The Basmati variety, that is allowed, has grains with long
slender shape. The milled length of a grain should be more than 6.6 mm,
and the milled breadth 2 mm.
Outside the tariff rate quota, different other varieties of
Basmati rice are being imported to the country, and some of them however, do
not belong to the best quality category.
Against this backdrop, let alone another online dialogue has been initiated by those advocating the international best practices of trading and consumer rights.
Against this backdrop, let alone another online dialogue has been initiated by those advocating the international best practices of trading and consumer rights.
These groups refer to the code of
practice, adopted in the UK on Basmati rice. It has been done to provide
improved protection for people who consume Basmati rice and assist local
authorities in their enforcement work.
According to sources, the code
applies to pre-packed as well as non pre-packed rice, and where rice is used as
an ingredient in other foods.
Basmati rice is recognised for
its unique cooking properties and distinctive aroma, and sells for two to three
times the price of other long grain rice varieties.
The UK code of practice on
basmati rice is a result of work by the UK rice industry, British Retail
Consortium (BRC), Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services
(LACORS), and the Association of Public Analysts (APA). It lists the varieties
that are currently approved by the Indian and Pakistani authorities that could
use the description ‘Basmati’, and lays down the minimum specifications and
labelling requirements for rice sold in the UK.
The present crisis, involving
basmati rice trading seems to have been triggered by the lack of knowledge on
the quality of food items imported to the country and the measures adopted for
quality assurance. Also, it is needed to have proper anti-dumping laws. Once
that is done and information disseminated to consumers, such issues could be
averted in the future.
Meanwhile, the Association of Importers of Essential Commodities
scoffed reports that ‘plastic rice’ had been imported under the pretext of
basmati.
A spokesman for the body said such plastic rice, as claimed, does not exist.
“This looks like a conspiracy of local millers to mislead consumers about imported rice varieties. If rice is made of plastic, it would cost at least Rs.1,000 a kg. Then, we cannot sell them,” he said.
A spokesman for the body said such plastic rice, as claimed, does not exist.
“This looks like a conspiracy of local millers to mislead consumers about imported rice varieties. If rice is made of plastic, it would cost at least Rs.1,000 a kg. Then, we cannot sell them,” he said.
JO not in
favour of talks
The Joint Opposition (JO) engaged
in an intense debate on reports that President Maitripala Sirisena is
contemplating talks with his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa on the measures for
uniting the party.
After the talks, the JO, led by
MR decided forthwith that such talks were no longer necessary. It assigned MP
Kumara Welgama, a close confidante of MR to announce it publicly for the people
to know.
The JO is sceptical that this
would yet be another ploy by the President to dupe it. Instead, it is trying to
hone strategies in its own in view of the future elections without any
alignment with the President’s SLFP. It has come to realize that it is not
feasible to work out any unity between the incumbent President and his
predecessor as acrimony between them is so bad.
MR is currently on a visit to
Japan to attend some religious functions. Once he returns, the JO is planning
some measures to mount a campaign urging the government to conduct the local
authorities’ election as soon as possible. The election is overdue for more
than two years as of now.
Already, it has started engaging
the diplomatic community in Colombo about the delay in conducting the polls.
Earlier, the JO leaders such as Dinesh Gunawardane met with EU Ambassador
Tung-Lai Margue. Alongside, he called on Canadian High Commissioner Shelley
Whiting on the same matter.
In this task, the JO has chosen
to talk the embassies and High Commissions of the countries that espouse
elections as the pillars of democracy.
NP Ministers
face corruption charges
Northern Province Chief Minister
C.V. Wigneswaran appointed a committee to investigate allegations of corruption
and malpractices against the Provincial Board of Ministers.
It is learnt that evidence has been given before this committee
against these ministers mostly by those representing the TNA. It looks like an
internal issue of the TNA as a result
The report was to be submitted to
the Chief Minister yesterday. The TNA controls the Provincial Council. All the
provincial ministers belong to the TNA. Nonetheless, it is learnt that evidence
has been given before this committee against these ministers mostly by those
representing the TNA. It looks like an internal issue of the TNA as a result.
http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Flood-Recovery-Govt-mulls-donor-conference-130465.html
Thailand sells 1.66 mln T of rice
from state stockpiles
Wed Jun 7, 2017 4:57am
GMT
BANGKOK, June 7 (Reuters) - Thailand sold 1.66 million tonnes of rice worth
$49 million from state stockpiles on Wednesday, the commerce ministry said.The
amount sold accounted for 90 percent of the amount open for auction last month.
Thailand is the world's second-biggest rice
exporter after India, and still has stocks of about 3 million tonnes left over
from the previous government's rice-buying scheme, which paid farmers well
above market rates.
The current military government has been trying
to sell off stockpiles from the scheme through several state auctions since it
took power in 2014.It said it will be able to offload the remaining stock,
including 160,000 tonnes of rice and 2.7 million tonnes of spoiled rice, by
year-end.
Thailand officially aims to export 9.5 million
tonnes of rice this year, but the commerce ministry said 10 million tonnes was
also achievable. ($1 = 33.99 baht) (Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat;
Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL3N1J41ZE
Rice storage
offers price security
The new warehouse in Battambang
province could be used to store rice when prices were low and released to be
sold when prices recovered. KT/Chor Sokunthea
Rice millers can expect a certain degree of
price stability in their exports with the construction of a 200,000-tonne
capacity rice warehouse and a 3,000-tonne silo facility in Battambang province.
The silo is expected to be finished
by the end of the year and the warehouse will be fully operational for the 2018
harvest season, according to the CEO of the Cambodia Rice Bank. Phou Puy, CEO
of the Cambodia Rice Bank, said that once the facility is ready, it will help
stabilise prices during the harvest season and will benefit farmers in
Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Pursat and Siem Reap provinces.
“We spent about $5 million on
machines and other facilities for silos and all of these facilities will be
installed in July,” Mr Puy said.Cambodia Rice Bank, which won the $15 million
contract to build the facility from the state-run Rural Development Bank in
April signed a construction and design agreement with the Cambodian company NGY
Investment on the warehouse.
It also signed two other agreements
with Taiwan’s Agrosun Co and Thailand’s International Rice Engineering Co to
supply machinery for the silos. Mr Puy
said farmers will no longer have concerns about rice production and price
fluctuations after harvests. The rice, he said, could be stored when prices
were low and released to be sold when prices recovered.
Phon Nary, director-general of Heng
Huch Rice mill in Battambang, said the facility would not benefit his mill but
would be of use to farmers. He said his warehouse could store about 3,000
tonnes of paddy rice and his silo processes about 45 tonnes of milled rice per
day.
“It is good for farmers in the
context of preventing the flow of rice to neighbouring countries, but for me as
rice miller, I cannot purchase rice to store there,” Mr Nary said..Last
September, the price of fragrant rice fell to about 600 riel ($0.15) per kilo,
leaving many farmers complaining that the price was too low to support their
families and pay back farming loans.
The farmers used to receive 800 riel
($0.20) per kilogramme. The fall came after rice mills did not have enough
funds and space for storage. There was also a lack of silos for drying and
processing paddy rice while the global rice price fell.
The Ministry of Economy and Finance
allocated about $20 million from the emergency budget fund to the Rural
Development Bank to implement a special government programme. The money would
be used to both stabilise currently falling prices and pay farmers, at market
prices, for their newly harvested rice.
Through this programme, the
government will purchase about 90,000 tonnes of rice from farmers, which should
increase the rice price to more than 940,000 riel ($235) a tonne
Ag Leaders
Meet with Secretary Perdue on Critical FAS Programs
WASHINGTON, DC -- Twelve members of
the U.S. Agricultural Export Development Council (USAEDC) representing a broad
cross-section of agricultural groups met yesterday with Secretary of
Agriculture Sonny Perdue to discuss the future of USDA Foreign Agricultural
Service (FAS) programs. President
Trump's 2018 budget completely eliminates funding for the Market Access Program
(MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD).
The group, that included USA Rice's
President and CEO Betsy Ward, pointed out that USDA Export Market Development
programs continue to achieve what Congress intended when they were created:
U.S. agricultural exports have increased in value and volume to more than $150
billion annually, support 1.1 million full-time U.S. jobs, and have contributed
substantially to farm income, boosting the overall U.S. economy.
USA Rice is one of 80 agricultural
organizations now utilizing the MAP and FMD program funds that have helped open
new markets at a time when agriculture exports account for one-third of total
farm sector gross earnings in 2017.
Ward noted that even at existing
funding levels, $200 million for MAP and $34.5 million for FMD, the U.S. has
fallen way behind global competitors in terms of government support for export
promotion activities.
"I had the opportunity to
elaborate on how, as one of the most sensitive and protected commodities in the
world, rice relies heavily on the FAS overseas staff as our boots on the ground
when there is a trade dispute or trade disruption. The sale last week of rice to Iraq is just
the most recent example of how the partnership works in practice," she
said.
Ward touched on another value of the
FAS programs: industry unity."These programs unite an entire industry
behind a single strategy that brings a lot of concentrated firepower to the
marketplace. It keeps rice aligned and
speaking with one voice in support of USDA's trade policy and strategic
objectives of increasing exports," she explained.
Ward said these programs work for
U.S. agriculture for several reasons, including the public/private partnership
that leverages MAP/FMD funds with industry contributions. She said USA Rice members contribute seven
dollars for every dollar of FAS money allocated.
The programs are also results and
outcome based, making them easily evaluated. And, finally, cooperator programs,
representing all 50 states and thousands of farms and agri-businesses, unite
behind one coherent strategy executed against other regions/countries that, in
some cases, have more resources. Secretary Perdue was impressed with the
metrics and results the group provided and recognized that, with the programs'
matching requirements, every ag group has "skin in the game." Perdue encouraged continued USAEDC efforts to
educate Congress about the programs' value.
"Secretary Perdue has already
demonstrated to us that he is a great proponent of trade," said Ward. "We appreciate being given a forum to
explain why the FAS programs and partnership with industry is critical to our
future success in exporting rice."
USA Rice
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Network
formed to create climate resilient rice in Mekong Delta
Can Tho (VNA) – Five Mekong Delta provinces
and 11 agencies have signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in
forming the Mekong Partnership for Climate Resilient Rice Research Network
(MPCRR-N).The document was inked at a workshop in Mekong Delta Can Tho city on
June 6.
The signatories were the departments of agriculture and rural development of An Giang, Kien Giang, Ca Mau, Bac Lieu and Soc Trang provinces, along with such agencies as the Crop Production Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta Rice Research Institute, Can Tho University, the Integrated Coastal Management Programme, and the International Rice Research Institute.
Dr Dao The Anh from the Field Crops Research Institute said the MPCRR-N will take part in the development of coastal rice cultivation systems in the Mekong Delta in a sustainable and climate- resilient manner.
It will share information about programmes, projects and studies on saltwater- and drought-tolerant rice while also testing these rice varieties. Through this network, those who are interested in saltwater-resistant rice and agricultural value chains in coastal areas will be connected.
Tran Xuan Dinh, Deputy Director of the Crop Production Department, said drought and saltwater intrusion led by El Nino from 2015 to the latter half of 2016 devastated hundreds of thousands of hectares of rice in the Mekong Delta, resulting in a loss of about 1.3 million tonnes of paddy rice.
As climate change is forecast to happen faster and more strongly, millions of rice farmers in the Mekong Delta – the rice hub of Vietnam – will fall into poverty if adaptation solutions are not swiftly carried out, he added.
MA Pham Trung Kien from the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute said regional provinces lack information about drought and saltwater tolerant rice varieties, while some local varieties with good tolerance and quality are yet to be popularised.
He noted it is an urgent need for sharing information about these rice varieties, exchanging experience in drought adapted cultivation, and developing value chains of saltwater-proof rice and crops.
Dinh said the establishment of a network for researching and selecting saltwater-resistant rice varieties that match each area’s conditions is an effective method since it bases on assessment of producers and localities.-VNA
The signatories were the departments of agriculture and rural development of An Giang, Kien Giang, Ca Mau, Bac Lieu and Soc Trang provinces, along with such agencies as the Crop Production Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta Rice Research Institute, Can Tho University, the Integrated Coastal Management Programme, and the International Rice Research Institute.
Dr Dao The Anh from the Field Crops Research Institute said the MPCRR-N will take part in the development of coastal rice cultivation systems in the Mekong Delta in a sustainable and climate- resilient manner.
It will share information about programmes, projects and studies on saltwater- and drought-tolerant rice while also testing these rice varieties. Through this network, those who are interested in saltwater-resistant rice and agricultural value chains in coastal areas will be connected.
Tran Xuan Dinh, Deputy Director of the Crop Production Department, said drought and saltwater intrusion led by El Nino from 2015 to the latter half of 2016 devastated hundreds of thousands of hectares of rice in the Mekong Delta, resulting in a loss of about 1.3 million tonnes of paddy rice.
As climate change is forecast to happen faster and more strongly, millions of rice farmers in the Mekong Delta – the rice hub of Vietnam – will fall into poverty if adaptation solutions are not swiftly carried out, he added.
MA Pham Trung Kien from the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute said regional provinces lack information about drought and saltwater tolerant rice varieties, while some local varieties with good tolerance and quality are yet to be popularised.
He noted it is an urgent need for sharing information about these rice varieties, exchanging experience in drought adapted cultivation, and developing value chains of saltwater-proof rice and crops.
Dinh said the establishment of a network for researching and selecting saltwater-resistant rice varieties that match each area’s conditions is an effective method since it bases on assessment of producers and localities.-VNA
http://en.vietnamplus.vn/network-formed-to-create-climate-resilient-rice-in-mekong-delta/112881.vnp
Agriculture
department launches ‘Rice Derby’ in Negros
Wednesday, June 07, 2017
By ERWIN P. NICAVERA
THE Department of Agriculture in Negros Island Region (DA-NIR) on
Tuesday, June 6, launched the Rice Derby in Bacolod City to showcase the best
practices in rice production that can be replicated by Negrense farmers. Joyce
Wendam, DA regional director said Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol is
pushing for the implementation of Rice Derby to promote the use of hybrid seeds
as method to increase yield. “This is like a competition where participating
seed companies will vie for the highest production or yield per hectare,” said,
adding that the project was piloted in Samar. Under the Rice Derby initiative,
DA-NIR will utilize the contiguous eight-hectare farm of the Provincial
Government of Negros Occidental in Barangay Cabadiangan, Himamaylan City.
Of the total area, four hectares will be managed by private seed
companies namely Syngenta, SL Agri Tech, Bayer, and Seed Works using their
respective protocol or technologies. The remaining four hectares will be under
the DA and Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) protocol. Wendam said
the companies will provide farm inputs like hybrid seeds and fertilizers for
the farm they will manage. For the DA-OPA protocol, the agency will utilize the
Mestiso rice seed variety of the Philippine Rice Research Institute. OPA’s
counterpart, meanwhile, includes labor and manpower expenses, Wendam said.
“The farm will serve as a demo area where local farmers can observe
and learn various practices that can help them improve their production,"
the DA official said, adding that the initiative promotes location-specific
seeds. Meaning, farmers will be equipped with knowledge on what specific seeds
are suitable for a certain area. The delivery of seeds is scheduled on June 15
while planting starts second week of July thus, the first harvest is expected
in October. The DA-NIR will conduct farm tours for farmers in the province
during vegetative and harvesting stages. For the private seed companies,
meanwhile, the recognition to be given by the DA especially to the firm with
the highest yield will surely provide marketing boost to its product, Wendam
said.
She pointed out that Negros
Occidental currently has “positive” rice productivity, and it is “something
that needs to be sustained.” DA-NIR records showed the province’s rice productivity
is pegged at 4.82 metric tons per hectare. The figure is higher than the
country’s target yield of 4.15 metric tons per hectare, it added. Ads by
Kiosked Tags: DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURERICE DERBYNEGROS ISLAND REGIONJOYCE WENDAMOFFICE OF THE PROVINCIAL
AGRICULTURIST Published in the SunStar Bacolod newspaper on June 07, 2017
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/business/2017/06/07/agriculture-department-launches-rice-derby-negros-546128
Rainfall Harming Rice Crops
It’s
been 11 straight days of rain and it’s causing some problems for farmers.
According to experts from the LSU Agriculture Center say that all of this water
paired with hot, humid temperatures is actually the perfect recipe for disease
to develop in rice farms.It’s a disease called, “Sheath Blight” and with rice being such a staple in Louisiana it has a lot of farmers worried about their turnout from the crop this season.
Rice farmers always pay extra attention to their crop this time of year and this weather hasn’t made their jobs any easier.
“We just have to deal with what we get dealt with the weather we make the best of it. When you get these rainy times it delays timely fertilizer application, it delays fungicide applications, it’s not good we welcome the rain but everything in moderation.” says Alan Lawson, a rice farmer in Acadia Parish. He says rice is pretty resilient but if water covers the crop that’s a different story. “These overcast days and these rainy days don’t help with the production of seed.”
These are perfect conditions for Shealth Blight to blow up in fact I’ve been getting a lot of calls over the last week with a lot more sheath blight in the area.
Dustin Harrell, a state rice specialist at the LSU AG center says Sheath Blight can actually decrease the yield in the rice field 20-30 percent. Harrel says when it’s not raining there are ways to prevent it from spreading. “If it’s at a certain level they’ll actually spray a fungiscide to project that rice from shealth blight.”
Alan says the economic conditions for rice farmers haven’t been the best in the last couple years but he’s is not jumping to any negative conclusions quite yet. “A lot can change between now and the beginning of august when we’re harvesting. We hope the storms stay away until we finish.”
This years crop of 400 thousand acres in Louisiana is about 8 percent lower than last year.Manila Times: "Rice supply critical by end June – NFA "
Rice supply
critical by end June – NFA
07.06.2017
The National Food Authority (NFA) warned that rice stocks in
government-owned warehouses will be critically low by the end of June if the
country will not start the importation process in the next few days.
The agency said that by the end of the month, rice stocks will only be good for two days.
Under the law, the NFA should have at least a 15-day buffer stock at any given time, and 30-day buffer stock during the lean months.“Based on the projected domestic purchases and rice sales/distribution, NFA stock will be down to just 64,000 MT which will be good for just two days by end of June 2017,” the grains agency said.
The agency said that by the end of the month, rice stocks will only be good for two days.
Under the law, the NFA should have at least a 15-day buffer stock at any given time, and 30-day buffer stock during the lean months.“Based on the projected domestic purchases and rice sales/distribution, NFA stock will be down to just 64,000 MT which will be good for just two days by end of June 2017,” the grains agency said.
The government-negotiated importation of 250,000 MT, which was approved by the previous administration, would replenish the rice inventory but it will not be enough to fill up the needed buffer stock requirement because the lean season starts in July and ends in September.NFA spokesperson Marietta Ablaza said the available stock can be stretched to last for seven days in July, noting the actual average withdrawals of 2,500 MT per day.She stressed the need to import the grain, saying it takes 28 days to finish the entire bidding process.
Ablaza noted that despite the low rice inventory, prices of the staple remain stable because of the release of some 54,000 MT withheld in ports.
The local harvest in September would also help beef up the supply, she said.
Meanwhile, sources said that it would take two more weeks before the NFA Council could approve the terms of reference for the importation of 250,000 MT of rice.“Bad blood between the current NFA leadership and the Council members makes it more difficult in approving recommendations by the NFA management,” a source said.
Another reliable source said NFA Council members are still discussing the proposed terms of reference and that a meeting was set for mid-June.
They expressed fears that the imported rice may not arrive in time for the lean months because of the defiance of the NFA leadership to include specific transparency mechanisms for the government-led importation.
One of the recommendations from the Office of the Cabinet Secretary is the extension of the arrival period for the standby volume to December this year to allow more traders to participate in the bidding.
“To date, only Vietnam has the capacity to supply the rice requirement since Thailand and other rice exporting countries have already finished their harvest season. If the NFA would follow its initial recommendation, this would mean that Vietnam will be the lone bidder if the open tender will be conducted now,” the source said.
Why price of
local rice is high – Rice millers
Rice millers in Kano State have attributed the high cost of
locally-produced rice to the increasing cost of production of the commodity in
the country.Mr Liman Muhammed, spokesperson, Medium and Small Scale Rice
Millers Association in the state, said this during a visit to some rice mills
in Kano on Wednesday.The price of 50kg locally-produced rice ranges between
N20,000 and N22,000 while that of imported rice is between N12,000 and N15,000.“For
locally-produced rice, the cost of production is high. Our people are used to
the imported rice but with government’s intervention, we are seeing good
quality rice.
“Most imported rice have
spent more than 10 years in the storage and are not good enough but the local
rice has more nutritional value.“The number of people consuming local rice is
increasing and if everybody along the rice value chain is empowered, the cost
of production will reduce,’’ he said.
He commended the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers’
Programme, noting that it had empowered rice farmers and millers across the
country.Muhammed called on government at all levels to provide necessary inputs
to rice farmers to boost production in the country.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/06/price-local-rice-high-rice-miller/
Rice sowing
target in Kazakhstan exceeded by 11%
07.06.2017
Despite the late arrival of
spring, planting in Kazakhstan has already almost caught up with last year’s
progress, even outpaced it in some regions. The lag in individual grain growing
regions results from rainy weather at the plantings time.According to
Kazakhstan’s Ag Ministry, spring spiked cereals were sown on an area of 12.53
Mln ha as of May 31, 2017 (87.5% of the plan) that is 4.6% less than at the
same time last year (13.13 Mln ha or 89.6% of the plan).
As of the reporting date, corn plantings already totaled 127 Th ha (89.8% of the plan).
As of the reporting date, corn plantings already totaled 127 Th ha (89.8% of the plan).
The rice sowing target in the
country has already been exceeded by 11%. Kazakh farmers planted 102.7 Th ha of
rice by the reporting date, or 14.5% more than at the same time last year (89.7
Th ha).
http://www.blackseagrain.net/novosti/rice-sowing-target-in-kazakhstan-exceeded-by-11
REFILE-Nagpur Foodgrain Prices
Open- JUN 07, 2017
© Reuters. REFILE-Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- JUN 07, 2017
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices - APMC/Open Market-June 7 Nagpur, June 7 (Reuters) - Gram and tuar prices firmed up again in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) auction on increased demand from local millers amid weak supply from producing regions. Reported demand from South-based millers also helped to push up prices. About 1,050 of gram and 950 bags of tuar were available for auctions, according to sources.
FOODGRAINS & PULSES
GRAM
* Gram varieties ruled steady in open market here in absence of
buyers amid adequate
stock in ready position.
TUAR
* Tuar gavarani and tuar Karnataka reported higher in open
market on increased buying
support from local traders.
* Lakhodi dal recovered in open market on good buying support
from local traders amid
weak supply from producing belts.
* In Akola, Tuar New - 3,600-3,700, Tuar dal (clean) -
5,400-5,600, Udid Mogar (clean)
- 8,200-9,200, Moong Mogar (clean) 6,800-7,200, Gram -
5,500-5,800, Gram Super best
- 7,200-7,400
* Wheat, rice and other commodities moved in a narrow range in
scattered deals and settled at last levels in thin trading
activity.
Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for
100 kg
FOODGRAINS
Available prices
Previous close
Gram Auction
4,400-5,175
4,400-4,850
Gram Pink Auction
n.a.
2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction
3,500-3,815
3,400-3,740
Moong Auction
n.a.
3,900-4,200
Udid Auction
n.a.
4,300-4,500
Masoor Auction
n.a.
2,600-2,800
Wheat Mill quality Auction
1,500-1,630
1,500-1,624
Gram Super Best Bold
7,500-8,000
7,500-8,000
Gram Super Best
n.a.
n.a.
Gram Medium Best
6,700-7,000
6,700-7,000
Gram Dal Medium
n.a.
n.a
Gram Mill Quality
5,100-5,200
5,100-5,200
Desi gram Raw
5,750-5,950
5,750-5,950
Gram Yellow
7,200-7,500
7,200-7,500
Gram Kabuli
12,300-13,400
12,300-13,400
Tuar Fataka Best-New
5,800-6,000
5,800-6,000
Tuar Fataka Medium-New
5,400-5,600
5,400-5,600
Tuar Dal Best Phod-New
5,200-5,500
5,200-5,500
Tuar Dal Medium phod-New
4,800-5,000
4,800-5,000
Tuar Gavarani New
3,850-3,950
3,800-3,900
Tuar Karnataka
4,050-4,200
4,000-4,150
Masoor dal best
5,200-5,500
5,200-5,500
Masoor dal medium
4,600-5,000
4,600-5,000
Masoor
n.a.
n.a.
Moong Mogar bold (New)
7,000-7,500
7,000-7,500
Moong Mogar Medium
6,500-6,800
6,500-6,800
Moong dal Chilka
5,500-6,500
5,500-6,500
Moong Mill quality
n.a.
n.a.
Moong Chamki best
7,000-8,000
7,000-8,000
Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 8,500-9,500
8,500-9,500
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG)
7,000-8,000
7,000-8,000
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG)
5,200-5,500
5,200-5,500
Batri dal (100 INR/KG)
5,200-5,500
5,200-5,500
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg)
3,100-3,300
3,100-3,200
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG)
2,900-3,000
2,900-3,000
Watana White (100 INR/KG)
3,400-3,600
3,400-3,600
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG)
4,000-4,500
4,000-4,500
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG)
1,950-2,050
1,950-2,050
Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG)
1,750-1,850
1,750-1,850
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG)
2,150-2,350
2,150-2,350
Wheat Lokwan new (100 INR/KG)
1,850-2,050
1,850-2,050
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG)
2,200-2,400
2,200-2,400
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,100
1,900-2,100
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG)
n.a.
n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG)
3,100-3,500
3,100-3,500
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG)
2,300-2,800
2,300-2,800
Rice BPT new (100 INR/KG)
2,900-3,400
2,900-3,400
Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG)
3,500-4,000
3,500-4,000
Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG)
3,000-3,200
3,000-3,200
Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG)
2,500-2,800
2,500-2,800
Rice Swarna new (100 INR/KG)
2,300-2,500
2,300-2,500
Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG)
2,600-2,800
2,600-2,800
Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG)
2,400-2,500
2,400-2,500
Rice HMT New (100 INR/KG)
3,600-4,000
3,600-4,000
Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG)
4,500-5,000
4,500-5,000
Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG)
4,100-4,300
4,100-4,300
Rice Shriram New(100 INR/KG)
4,800-5,200
4,800-5,200
Rice Shriram best 100 INR/KG)
6,500-7,000
6,500-7,000
Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG)
5,800-6,200
5,800-6,200
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG)
10,000-14,000
10,000-14,000
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG)
6,200-8,500
6,200-8,500
Rice Chinnor New(100 INR/KG)
4,600-4,800
4,600-4,800
Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG)
6,000-6,500
5,800-6,300
Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG)
5,500-5,800
5,100-5,300
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG)
1,900-2,200
1,900-2,200
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG)
1,800-1,900
1,800-1,900 WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 40.8 degree Celsius,
minimum temp. 28.1 degree Celsius Rainfall : 0.4 mm FORECAST: Generally cloudy
sky with one or two spells or rains or thunder-showers likely. Maximum and
minimum temperature would be around and 40 and 27 degree Celsius respectively.
Note: n.a.--not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant
delivery prices, but included in market prices)
Most edible
rice in old stockpile now sold
7 Jun 2017 at 14:52
The National Rice Policy Committee has approved the
16.56-billion-baht sale of 1.66 million tonnes of old rice to auction winners,
leaving only 160,000 tonnes of edible rice in the stockpile.
Duangporn Rodphaya, director-general of the Foreign Trade
Department, said on Wednesday the committee endorsed the sale of the rice that
24 bidders won in the second auction of old government rice this year, on May
24.
She said 90.84% of the 1.82 million tonnes put up for auction were
sold.
This leaves only 160,000 tonnes of edible rice in the government's
old stockpile, and means the government has for the most part solved the
stockpile's influence on rice markets, and the burden its storage, Mrs
Duangporn said.
The government has yet to release 2.7 million tonnes of
deteriorated rice to the industrial sector. It would organise auctions for the
inedible rice in June and July, she said.
The government's rice stockpile soared due to the rice-pledging
scheme of the previous government. This affected the price and competitiveness
of Thai rice, which plunged on global markets on oversupply and concerns about
the quality of the ageing stockpiled grain.
Since the May 2014 coup, the military government has sold more than
14 million tonnes of old rice by auction, fetching about 130 billion baht.
The Commerce Ministry plans to call for bids for old rice fit for
animal feed this month, and for ethyl alcohol production next month.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1264266/most-edible-rice-in-old-stockpile-now-sold
