Thursday, December 21, 2017

21st December,2017 daily global regional local rice e-newsletter by riceplus magazine




Customs discovers new method of smuggling rice
ON DECEMBER 20, 20175:25 PMIN NEWSCOMMENTS
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has uncovered new methods of smuggling rice at the commercial border town of Mubi in Adamawa. The Adamawa/Taraba Area Comptroller of the service, Mr Adetoye Francis, said this while inspecting a tipper lorry truck and two tricycles loaded with suspected smuggled rice in Mubi town on Wednesday. Francis warned smugglers that the service under the present administration has zero tolerance for any act of economic sabotage. He said that the command had identified new ways smugglers adopted to conduct their nefarious activities such as using tipper lorries carrying sand with bags of rice beneath the sand in an attempt to deceive custom officials. Rice “They (smugglers) are using the cover of on-going construction work going on in Mubi by using tippers meant for conveying sand for smuggling by covering the items with sand.
“The lorry you are seeing here was arrested along the Mubi-Sahuda border road with 52 bags of rice covered with sand,” Francis said. He commended the officers and men of the Mubi office of the command for their commitment to check smuggling at the border town and assured them of support at all time. The comptroller, who also addressed some members of Mubi business community, cautioned them on the dangers of smuggling on the economy and the consequences if caught.
Earlier, the Officer-in-Charge of Mubi Unit, Mr Aliyu Bunza, who narrated the successes recorded by the unit in checking the activities of smugglers around the border town, lauded the support and cooperation the command is receiving from other security operatives in the area. Also speaking, some representatives of Mubi business community, Alhaji Sanusi Hassan and Malam Sali Manaja, declared support of their members to customs’ effort to check smuggling. They promised to continue to educate their members against smuggling.


NPS harvests 400 bags of rice from farm in Plateau
 ON DECEMBER 20, 201712:31 PMIN NEWSCOMMENTS
The Plateau Command of the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS), has harvested 400 bags of rice from its farm at Lakushi in Shendam Local Government Area of the state. Mr Luka Ayedoo, the command’s Public Relations Officer, made this disclosure in a statement he made available to newsmen in Jos on Wednesday. He explained that the bumper harvest was recorded due to the repositioning of the farm by the current leadership of the organisation.
 Ayedoo noted that the drive was in tune with the President Muhammadu Buhari’s policy of diversifying the economy through agriculture. According to him, the Service had invested a huge sum of money in rehabilitating the farm and stocked it with modern farm equipment that eased farming activities. He added that the inmates were trained on modern ways of handling some of the modern machines and farming techniques with a view to moving the Service toward food self-sufficiency. “The Lakushi farm is one of the 17 prison farms that are into rice production and because of its comparative advantage and the recent repositioning, we have harvested 400 bags of rice from it this year.
“It is our determination to key into the Federal Government’s diversification plans, by improving agricultural activities even within our various formations. “Before now, we have been recording poor harvests, but with the radical approach to the farm, alongside modern farming tools procured for the farm on the directives of the Controller-General of Prisons, there have been an improvement.    . “Besides this great stride for the Service, it will also go a long way in shaping the the life of the inmates involved in the activity, as it will make them better persons after their jail terms,” Ayedoo said. He said the farm produce would be sold to contractors supplying food to various prisons, which on one hand, will minimise the activities of middlemen, while the proceeds become part of government revenue.



Rice shipments to resume to Pawleta with local officials’ approval
Wednesday, December 20, 2017


By -Salai Gei
Rice transports will once again be permitted to Chin State’s Pawleta Township beginning on January 20 provided village and township administrators give their consent, said Amyotha Hluttaw MP Aik Tan. 
“Each person is allowed to carry two bags of rice, and inspections have been carried out since December 2. The public has been worried – restrictions [on rice transport] are not good. The Tatmadaw was worried that [the rice] will end in the hands of bad people,” Aik Tan said.
“We negotiated with the Chin State chief minister and [state] Municipal Minister Issac Khen and the [Tatmadaw’s] 289th Infantry Battalion’s commander yesterday [December 18]. They told us that it would be alright [to transport rice] to villages, provide there are endorsements from the village and township administrators. But merchants aren’t allowed [to transport the rice] yet,” he added.
Commodity prices have soared in Paletwa due to the prohibition on rice transports, as well as hostilities between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army.
“As sufficient stores of rice cannot be transported due to the fighting, the cost of meal is rising from K1,500 to K2,000 at restaurants. Villagers already couldn’t afford to buy [food],” said John Kim Kham Man in Paletwa.
Civil society groups have also been unable to access the area due to fighting, which has displaced thousands of local residents.

ED probe likely against defaulting rice millers

December 20 2017
Cuttack: The civil supplies department has threatened to order an enforcement directorate (ED) probe against millers who did not return rice after taking paddy from the government.
The civil supplies department has asked the defaulting millers to return the rice by December-end. Sources said the government has not yet receives rice worth `100 crore from millers for the 2016-17 kharif marketing season.
Apart from that, many millers have failed to deposit their earlier rice dues with the civil supplies department. “The government has decided to take action against defaulting millers. Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Surya Narayan Patro has asked officials to confiscate the assets of defaulting millers,” said an official of the civil supplies department.
It is learnt that officials of the civil supplies department have raided several defaulting rice mills in the state. Sources said five millers of Cuttack district have failed to deposit rice worth Rs 15 crore with the civil supplies department in 2009-10 and 2013-14 financial years.
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Manage holiday food intake - DA

 December 20, 2017
QUEZON CITY, Dec. 20 -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) reminds the public to be mindful of their food consumption this holiday season during the culmination of #RICEponsiblePlateChallenge, a social media campaign that encourages consumers to prepare the healthiest and most balanced meal in a plate.
“Wastage and eating more of what our body requires are prevalent in this season of food abundance. So we try to lessen this behavior through the prompts we launched during the National Rice Awareness Month. Let’s SET rice! Save rice, eat healthy, and try brown rice,” Myriam G. Layaoen, campaign director of DA’s Be RICEponsible campaign, said.
The 8th National Nutrition Survey of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology showed that 14 grams of rice were wasted in Filipino households. Moreover, 7 in 10 Filipino households do not meet their dietary energy requirement.
“Improving food security by minimizing food wastage is gaining momentum in the country with the filing of legislative measures including House Bill No. 5746 and Senate Bill No. 357 and 984, known as Zero Food Waste Act. But there’s more work to be done, especially on conscientiously finishing our food,” Layaoen said.
Layaoen, also a senior science researcher at Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), said that eating more rice does not equate to getting the right nutrition.
She explained that Filipino’s usual dependence on too much rice for energy may not be the healthiest option as the sugar content of a bowl of rice is equivalent to more than that of two cans of soft drink.
Pinggang Pinoy, the country’s guide on healthy eating habits, recommends that rice should only be 33% of the plate and that each food group must have the same portion.
“It is interesting to note that the entries we evaluated in the #RICEponsiblePlateChallenge comprised the appropriate quantity of rice based on the participant’s age and sex. Healthy forms of rice such as pigmented rice, rice with camote, and brown rice were also included on their plate,” the campaign director said.
Production and consumption of brown rice, Layaoen said, is supported by Presidential Decree 1211 or “Regulating the milling of rice” signed by former Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos on 12 Oct 1977; Senate P.S. Resolution No. 321 or “Urging the committee on agriculture  and food to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on ways to support the farming and production of brown rice in the Philippines with the end in view of curbing the rice production deficit in the country”; and House Bill No. 3445 or “An act providing for the consumption of brown rice through food and retail establishments as an alternative to white rice.”
“As we celebrate the holidays, we may want to pattern our family feasts after the plates of those who won the challenge. They have proven that healthy food are fun, cheap, and delectable,” Layaoen added.
Among the 500 submissions across the country, entries from Benedicto B. Gonzales, Nestor C. Humiwat, and EJ Cruz were chosen first, second, and third, respectively. Other than Layaoen, contest judges were Rosaly V. Manaois and Dr. Riza A. Ramos, PhilRice food scientists; and Jomarie Tongol, nutritionist and dietician at the National Nutrition Council. The winning entries are posted in the Be RICEponsible Facebook page. (DA)


DA sees farm output growing by 5%-6% despite typhoon

In Photo: A farmer piles up grain harvested from a rice field in Nueva Ecija.
Agriculture production for 2017 would still register an expansion of 5 percent to 6 percent despite the damages caused by Typhoon Urduja (international code name Kai-tak) in some provinces, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Urduja damaged nearly P370 million worth of crops, but Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said he remains confident that full-year farm production would still grow by 5 percent to 6 percent.
“The damage report as of the morning of December 19 reached P369.94 million. [The figure] is not much compared to the damages caused by previous typhoons,” Piñol told reporters in an interview on Tuesday. “I don’t really think it will pull down the growth of the agriculture sector.”
Piñol said the DA expects a bountiful harvest in the fourth quarter, especially for rice, which would boost growth during the period.
“Crops in Biliran are just on the vegetative stage. There will be no effect in the supply and we are already expecting a bountiful harvest this year,” he said.
Based on initial reports of the DA, Urduja damaged 7,880 metric tons (MT) of crops planted in 25,348 hectares. The typhoon affected rice, corn, high-value crops, livestock and poultry in Regions 5 and 8.
The bulk of damages, or about 77 percent, was recorded in the rice sector. Losses incurred by rice farmers reached P286.08 million.
The total affected rice area was 23,717 hectares, equivalent to 8.1 percent of the total standing crop of 291,746 hectares in the two regions.
The lackluster performance of the livestock and fisheries subsectors slowed the expansion of the country’s farm output in the third quarter, based on the latest data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
In its quarterly report, titled “Performance of Philippine Agriculture,” the PSA said farm-production growth in the July-to-September period settled at 2.32 percent. In the same period last year, output expanded by nearly 3 percent. From April to June 2017, the farm sector grew 6.18 percent.
Paddy production
Favorable planting conditions could drive the country’s unmilled-rice production in marketing year (MY) 2017-2018 to reach 19 million metric tons (MMT), 2.43 percent higher than the 18.549 MMT recorded in MY 2016-2017, according to a Global Agricultural Information Network (Gain) report.
The Gain report, which was prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service in Manila, said the figure is also 6.87 percent higher than its earlier forecast of 17.778 MMT.
“Increased output is expected as a result of favorable weather conditions and increased use of high-yielding varieties,” the Gain report, titled “Philippine Grain and Feed Situation and Outlook” read, which was published on Wednesday.
“There were noticeably fewer intense typhoons that passed through major rice production areas compared to previous years,” it added.
The Gain report noted that the delay in the passage of a law that would allow the tariffication of rice imports would prevent some farmers from planting other crops.
Earlier, Gain reports published this year indicated that the removal of the country’s quantitative restriction on rice would displace some rice farmers.

Smuggling of Parboiled Rice from Across the Borders

 


Tuesday, December 19, 2017 02:17PM / Ade Adefeko*

Rice consumption in Nigeria is almost entirely of parboiled rice. In West Africa only Nigeria consumes parboiled rice. Other West African countries including all the neighboring countries to Nigeria ( Niger, Benin, Cameroon, Chad) are not consumers of parboiled rice. In Africa only South Africa is the other major country that consumes parboiled rice.

The shipments of parboiled rice from India and Thailand into Lome , Cotonou and Douala ports is a very fair estimate of smuggled rice into Nigeria as none of these countries have internal consumption of parboiled rice. All the imports of parboiled rice into these countries finally find their way into Nigeria.

Smuggling of Parboiled rice from across the borders (mainly Benin Republic) is creating a major disaster for the rice industry in Nigeria. The below data which is collated from the customs department of exporting countries, shows the amount of rice that are being shipped to Benin, Cameroun, Niger etc. These neighboring countries don’t consume parboiled rice! All these rice is eventually smuggled into Nigeria with the full knowledge of these countries respective authorities.



Such huge quantities of rice cannot be smuggled in without them being loaded into big trucks or barges! These needs proper roads and hence can be intercepted easily.

If the border management is difficult due to the huge swaths of land border, the authorities can raid the markets and confiscate contraband commodities. Once this is done no trader would ever buy smuggled rice! If we can’t beat them at the borders then choke the market place which is within our territory.

The Nigeria rice farmers and millers are losing livelihoods to smuggling! The government is not only losing revenue but the self-sufficiency goal as well due to the heavy influx of smuggled rice from across the borders.

The industry associations have been notifying the government of this menace but little has been achieved so far! Moreover the rice millers have found that it is a challenge to procure large quantity of paddy in a reliable way. As a result most of the rice mills are operating below capacity.


Hun Sen vows to launch new bank for SMEs

Hor Kimsay | Publication date 21 December 2017 | 06:49 ICT
Employees shell cashew nuts in Kampong Thom province at a small enterprise’s processing centre in 2013. Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday vowed to create a state-run bank to provide financing to such businesses. Hong Menea
Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday pledged to start a new bank with an initial capital of $100 million to provide financing for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), with industry players saying its success hinged on whether concessional or low interest rates could be provided to fledgling businesses.
Speaking to garment workers in Phnom Penh yesterday – though, apparently not to the country’s financial regulators – Hun Sen said he would create a new state-owned SME bank, similar to the existing Rural Development Bank, in the hope that it would boost local processing plants and strengthen export capacity.
“Today I would want to release a message to all SME owners that the government will create a bank for SMEs with initial investment capital at $100 million,” the premier said yesterday.
However, the premier was scant on details, even suggesting that the plan was yet to be approved.
“It is not officially decided, but once the prime minister has said this, it cannot be withdrawn,” he said.
The move comes after SMEs complained of government apathy in October, saying multiple requests to open up export channels, reduce taxes and help with a lack of financing had gone unheard.
Finance Ministry spokesman Kim Sopheak said yesterday that he had heard nothing about the premier’s proposal. National Bank of Cambodia General Director Chea Serey, meanwhile, would not say whether she had been informed of the proposal beforehand, or whether an official application had been made for the bank.
“The setting up of a policy bank for SMEs is timely and line with the recent development in Cambodia and the region,” she said. yesterday that he had heard nothing about the premier’s proposal.
National Bank of Cambodia General Director Chea Serey, meanwhile, would not say whether she had been informed of the proposal beforehand, or whether an official application had been made for the bank.
“The setting up of a policy bank for SMEs is timely and line with the recent development in Cambodia and the region,” she said.
In a similarly conciliatory move, the government last year pledged to disburse $27 million from the Rural Development Bank (RDB) to rice millers, who had also complained of a lack of financing for years.
However, in the first few months of the rollout, less than $2 million had been lent to rice firms. Lending picked up this year, but mostly went to larger firms looking to build rice storage warehouses.
Industry experts yesterday questioned the necessity of a new bank targeted at SMEs, noting the proliferation of commercial banks and microfinance institutions in the country. In order for such an institution to attract borrowers, they said, the bank would need to replicate the RDB’s long-term, low-interest loans.
Lim Heng, vice president of the Cambodian Chamber of Commerce, said the loans needed to be around the 5 percent mark, potentially as low as 3 percent, to attract small businesses. Keo Mom, director of food processing SME Ly Ly Food Industry, also pegged the maximum interest rate SMEs could swallow at 5 percent.
“I hope the new state-owned bank will also help to eliminate some complicated [loan] requirements and collateral requirements,” Heng added.
Ngeth Chou, senior consultant at Emerging Markets Consulting, said cheap financing for SMEs was always welcome, but rather than create an entirely new bank the existing, and underutilised, RDB could be used.
“Using the existing state-owned bank, the Rural Development Bank, to support this project is more efficient and saves cost,” he said.
Contact author: Hor Kimsay



Review: Rumi's offers enough Persian parts to make a meal

Tuesday, December 19, 2017


Jane Slaughter on Tue, Dec 19, 2017 at 3:55 pm

Jordan Buzzy
To check out Rumi's, I took along a friend whose ex was from Iran. He was in the habit of cooking stews in big quantities, she said, and his prowess in the kitchen was not a reason they broke up. She looked forward especially to scoring some fesenjon, a thick stew made with ground walnuts and pomegranate juice.
At first glance, Rumi's menu seems to downplay the "Persian" in its name in favor of the "Mediterranean." (Present-day Iran is nowhere near that sea, in case you're wondering.) It leads with the hummus, kabobs, kaftas, and shish tawook we're familiar with from scores of Lebanese places.
But then you notice unfamiliar appetizers like must-e-mouseer and tahdig, and that none of the stews are ghallaba. There's plenty to make many a meal solely from the Persian parts, which is what we did.
Turns out that the combination of walnuts and pomegranate juice produces a strong, bright, distinctive flavor that veers between sharp and sweet — and induced a wave of nostalgia in my friend. There's chicken in the dark stew, too, but you don't taste it. It's served with a giant helping of basmati rice, each grain discrete, and it was our favorite dish. It was also recommended by a neighboring diner who said, "My mom's Irani."
The hefty appetizer zeytoon parvardeh also uses pomegranate juice, this time with green olives, and you'll have to imagine the tartness of the pomegranate with the musty bitterness of the olives to get the effect. I found in my notes, "Complex. Sweet? Sour?"
Another appetizer with some sourness to it is kashk bademjoon, which is very like baba ghanouj but served warm and with a spoonful of kashk on top. The website Persian Mama says kashk is made by straining firm yogurt, drying it, and then reconstituting it (which sounds like a lot of work, if you have a fridge to keep your yogurt in). But what do I know? The bademjoon turns smokier as it cools, becoming more like baba ghanouj.
We weren't too thrilled with our lentil soup — a standout in most Mediterranean restaurants — as it was bland and a little thin. More interesting was a foamy, minty, salty yogurt drink called doogh, which my experienced friend said was perfect in summer. At Rumi's, you can get it by the pitcher.
There's no alcohol, but water comes with a welcome lime wedge rather than lemon, and if you google "Persian cuisine," you'll find a picture of tea in a clear handled glass exactly like the one we were brought at Rumi's. It came with a covered glass dish of sugar cubes; the traditional method is to put a cube on your tongue and let the tea flow through it.
Turning to more entrées, which are all generously sized, I was very happy with the only lamb dish on the menu. The big shank is super tender, cooked with some tomatoes and green peppers. It's served with baghali polo: basmati rice mixed with lima beans — the bane of my childhood, but rendered a different vegetable by Rumi's chef — firm rather than mealy.
I also liked gheimeh, which is velvety eggplant cooked with lots of tomatoes, split yellow peas, onion, and dried lime, the latter being another Persian touchstone that adds a twist of interest to the familiar flavors. I managed to hold off on trying the gheimeh till I unwrapped it at a potluck, where it was met with universal acclaim. Beef can be added, but I predict its flavor would get lost.
That happened with ghormeh sabzi, which includes kidney beans, spinach, dried limes, and lots of herbs. Persian Mama says, "I could honestly say not too many Persian stews can match the unanimous popularity of ghormeh sabzi," and a Rumi's server said it was one the Iranian regulars order most. That did not hold true at our table, where we found the dish smoky but mostly sour.
The menu on Rumi's website has more dish descriptions than the one you're handed at the restaurant, so you might want to study up in advance, or come prepared to ask questions. Or look at the fairly detailed descriptions provided by Farmington's (Hills) other Persian restaurant, Pars, noting that spellings vary: must-e-mouseer becomes maust-o-moosir. Rumi's is a newer, smaller, and less expensive place, though owner Naser Tagavi plans to knock down a wall and incorporate the space next door before Persian new year in March.
Rumi's is named after the 13th-century poet, and a non-Iranian server told me it was knowledge of that master that got her the job three years ago. If you become a regular, she said, it's the kind of place where she and the rest of the staff will remember what you like.


8 amazing ways to prepare Prawns in mixed pepper sauce

·         RACHEL MADISON

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Editor's note: Mariah Adeboboye, the NAIJ.com partner blogger, in this article, explains eight amazing ways to prepare Prawns in mixed pepper sauce.
Mariah is an amazing cook, who is passionate about her family and inspires other families to ensure best meals are on their tables on a daily basis.
She is the owner of food bog called Mariellasmenu, the platform she uses to share recipes in order to inspire people to cook for their families.
Mariah could be contacted via: Mariellasmenu or +2348173155778, +2348126766674
More details in NAIJ.com’s step-by-step guide for guest bloggers.
Today I am offering a delicious prawn sauce that is bound to tickle your fancy. This dish unearths the richness and versatility of prawns. With the additions of mixed bell peppers, scotch bonnets for some heat, and fragrant spices, this sauce surely will become a staple at your home after trying it out for the first time.
It is no secret that I love prawns, and this is because it is versatile and can easily be made into various dishes. There is so much I can make, just from having a bowl of prawns in my kitchen.
It cooks quickly too, thus making it almost always included in my recipes. You can use it for rice dishes, curries and sauces too.
A plate of prepared Prawns in mixed pepper sauce. Photo credit: Mariah Adeboboye
READ ALSO: Breaking: PDP faction reportedly emerges, opens secretariat in Abuja
It can be fried, grilled and even made into a salad, it can also be added into our Nigerian soups like okra and efo riro (see sample here) or made into prawn soup with other condiments like sweet corn or mushrooms. Whatever you decide to make with prawns, you are sure of a really tasty hearty meal.
A pot of prepared Prawns in mixed pepper sauce. Photo credit: Mariah Adeboboye
A big bowl of garnished basmati rice could never taste better than it does when served with this sauce, the creamy richness of the sauce just makes it right for an amazing family dinner. Follow my recipe below and let me show you how to make this.
Let’s cook!
Ingredients:
1) Prawns 1kg
2) Mixed bell peppers (red, yellow, green) 250g
3) Scotch bonnet peppers 3g
4) Onions 1 medium sized bulb
5) Garlic 6 cloves
8 amazing ways to prepare Prawns in mixed pepper sauce. Photo credit: Mariah Adeboboye
6) Ginger 2g
7) Corn flour 2 table spoons
8) Olive oil 20mls
9) Seasoning 8g
10) Salt 1g
Directions:
1) Prepare the ingredients by first washing them thoroughly, then peel the prawns and de-vein.
2) Chop the mixed bell peppers, scotch bonnets and onions
3) Now blend the peeled ginger and garlic with water to make a running paste. This increases the quantity of the sauce
4) In a clean pan, add in the olive oil and allow it heat up for about 1 minute, quickly add in the onions and allow this to sauté for one minute then pour in the ginger and garlic paste and stir, while this heats up for about two minutes
5) Now add in all the chopped peppers and prawns at the same time, I do not like overcooking bell peppers or prawns, so just give this another 3 minutes while you keep turning the prawns on all sides so it cooks through
6) Add in the seasoning and salt
7) Now make a running corn flour paste with two table spoons of corn flour
Cooks tip: Just enough corn flour to thicken the sauce, you do not want it overly thick, just about 2 tablespoons will do.
8 amazing ways to prepare Prawns in mixed pepper sauce
8) Add this into the pan and stir. Lower the heat and allow the sauce to simmer for another two minutes, so that all of the spices are well incorporated and your delicious prawn sauce is ready!
Serve hot with a bowl of garnished white rice or pasta. Have you made a pasta dish lately? How did it taste? Comment below, I will like to know.
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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported about six amazing ways to prepare home-made pizza.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of NAIJ.com.
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Vietnam’s 2017 exports, imports hit record US$400bn
Men load rice bags to a ship for export at a rice processing factory in Vietnam's southern Mekong delta, July 6, 2017. (Reuters photo)

HANOI, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Vietnam's 2017 exports and imports combined set a record, topping US$400 billion, the customs department said on Wednesday.
Vietnam exported roughly $204 billion of goods as of Dec 15, the department said in a report, while imports in the same period were $201.3 billion. Trade has jumped four-fold in a decade, the department said in a statement on Tuesday. The department estimated Vietnam would have a trade surplus of $3 billion this year. Vietnam posted a trade surplus of $596 million in November, higher than a government forecast.


Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- December 21, 2017

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-December 21
 
Nagpur, Dec 21 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices today showed weak tendency in Nagpur AgricultureProduce Marketing Committee (APMC) on lack of demand from local traders amid high moisturecontent arrival. Fresh fall on NCDEX, downward trend on NCDEX and easy condition in MadhyaPradesh gram prices also affected sentiment.
About 400 bags of gram reported for auctions in Nagpur APMC, according to sources.  
 
    FOODGRAINS & PULSES
     
   GRAM
   * Gram varieties ruled steady in open market here on subdued demand from local traders 
     amid ample stock in ready position.
   
   TUAR
      
   * Tuar gavarani and tuar Karnataka reported higher in open market on renewed marriage 
     season demand from local traders.
 
   * Moong Chamki reported down in open market on lack of demand from local traders. 
                                                                   
   * In Akola, Tuar New – 4,000-4,150, Tuar dal (clean) – 5,700-5,800, Udid Mogar (clean)
    – 8,200-9,000, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,000-7,300, Gram – 4,525-4,675, Gram Super best 
    – 7,300-7,500
 
   * Wheat, rice and other foodgrain items 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                  3,300-3,940         3,400-3,950
     Gram Pink Auction            n.a.           2,100-2,600
     Tuar Auction                n.a.                3,500-4,040
     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        1,600-1,658        1,600-1,640
     Gram Super Best Bold            6,600-7,500        6,600-7,500
     Gram Super Best            n.a.            n.a.
     Gram Medium Best            6,000-6,300        6,000-6,300
     Gram Dal Medium            n.a.            n.a
     Gram Mill Quality            3,900-3,950        3,900-3,950
     Desi gram Raw                4,750-4,950         4,750-4,950
     Gram Kabuli                12,200-13,000        12,200-13,000
     Tuar Fataka Best-New             6,100-6,300        6,100-6,300
     Tuar Fataka Medium-New        5,700-6,000        5,700-6,000
     Tuar Dal Best Phod-New        5,500-5,700        5,500-5,700
     Tuar Dal Medium phod-New        5,200-5,500        5,200-5,500
     Tuar Gavarani New             4,150-4,250        4,100-4,200
     Tuar Karnataka             4,650-4,900        4,600-4,850
     Masoor dal best            4,800-5,200        4,800-5,200
     Masoor dal medium            4,600-4,800        4,600-4,800
     Masoor                    n.a.            n.a.
     Moong Mogar bold (New)        7,500-7,800         7,500-7,800
     Moong Mogar Medium            6,600-7,000        6,600-7,000
     Moong dal Chilka            5,800-6,500        5,800-6,500
     Moong Mill quality            n.a.            n.a.
     Moong Chamki best            7,400-7,900        7,500-8,000
     Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 8,200-9,300       8,200-9,300 
     Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG)    5,800-6,500        5,800-6,500    
     Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG)        5,200-6,400        5,200-6,400     
     Batri dal (100 INR/KG)        5,000-5,500        5,000-5,500
     Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg)          2,900-3,000         2,900-3,000
     Watana Dal (100 INR/KG)            3,100-3,200        2,900-3,000
     Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG)    3,400-3,800        3,400-3,800   
     Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG)        1,900-2,000        1,900-2,000
     Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG)    1,750-1,800        1,750-1,800   
     Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG)         2,100-2,300           2,100-2,300         
     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)    3,000-3,600        3,000-3,600    
     MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG)    2,400-2,800        2,400-2,800           
     Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG)        3,200-3,600        3,200-3,600    
     Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG)        2,800-2,900        2,800-2,900    
     Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG)         2,200-2,400        2,200-2,400      
     Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG)      2,600-2,700        2,600-2,700   
     Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG)      2,400-2,500        2,400-2,500   
     Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG)        3,800-4,200        3,800-4,200     
     Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG)        3,300-3,600        3,300-3,600    
     Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG)      4,900-5,200        4,900-5,200
     Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG)    4,500-4,700        4,500-4,700   
     Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG)    9,500-13,500        9,500-13,500     
     Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG)    5,000-7,500        5,000-7,500    
     Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG)    5,800-6,000        5,800-6,000    
     Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG)    5,200-5,500        5,200-5,500   
     Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG)        2,000-2,200        2,000-2,100    
     Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG)         1,800-2,000        1,700-2,000
 
WEATHER (NAGPUR)  
Maximum temp. 29.5 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 12.0 degree Celsius 
Rainfall : Nil
FORECAST: Mainly clear sky. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 29 and 09 degree
Celsius respectively.
 
Note: n.a.--not available
(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices)


Myanmar exports more rice to Africa
Eleven on Wed, 12/20/2017 - 16:12
Writer: Zeya Nyein
A rice warehouse in Bayintnaung wholesale market (Photo-Shine Lin Aung)

African countries have bought more rice from Myanmar and about 60 per cent of rice carried from sea routes are exported to Africa, said Lu Maw Myint Maung, joint general secretary of Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF).

The African countries mostly bought 25-mark rice and broken rice from Myanmar, he said.

Myanmar exported over two million tonnes of rice within nine months of this fiscal year – a 50-year record, said Dr Aung Thu, Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation on December 15.

Myanmar is exporting rice via sea routes and border gates.

High quality rice is exported to European countries such as Italy, Russia, Spain, Turkey and England.

Lu Maw Myint Maung said about 500,000 tonnes of rice is expected to be exported in the remaining three months and it will break the record.

The MRF is expected to export about three million tonnes of rice in 2020.




GIEWS Country Brief: Dominican Republic 19-December-2017

Published on 19 Dec 2017 View Original
FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT
·         Cereal production in 2017 estimated at above average level
·         Cereal imports in 2017/18 marketing year forecast to increase
·         Prices of rice and maize were stable in November, prices of beans increased
Cereal production in 2017 estimated at above average level
Cereal production for 2017 is estimated by FAO at 996 000 tonnes, marginally above last year’s level and significantly above the country’s five-year average. The increase reflects a good rice output. Despite significant flooding caused by hurricanes Irma and Maria, between September and October, rice production is estimated at 953 000 tonnes above last year’s level and 6 percent above the five-year average. The high rice output is due to the good main first season rice crop, harvested in August before the storms. Continued Government assistance in the form of provision of high yielding variaties and fertilizers also contributed to the increase in production. Maize ouput is estimated virtually unchanged from 2016 at 41 000 tonnes and about average. Due to uncertainty about this year’s weather, after two years of continuous droughts, farmers marginally reduced the planted area.
Cereal imports in 2017/18 marketing year forecast to increase
Cereal imports in the 2017/18 marketing year (July/June) are forecast to increase from last year and reach close to 1.7 million tonnes. Maize imports, which account for almost 70 percent of all cereal imports, are expected to increase by 1 percent to 1.1 million tonnes, mainly as a result of high demand from the feed sector.
Prices of rice and maize stable in November, prices of beans increased
Prices of rice in November were unchanged and about 2 percent above year-earlier levels reflecting seasonal trends. Prices of maize were also stable in November and less than 3 percent above year-earlier levels pressured by seasonal factors and high demand from the feed sector. Prices of red and black beans increased in November and were above year-earlier levels, as seasonal trends strengthened by a reduction in 2017 output of beans.


Beltran: Rice tariff to cut down prices

 (The Freeman) 
CEBU, Philippines — Imposing a tariff system on imported rice is seen to bring down prices of the staple as it will encourage cheap rice to enter the market.
But a local economist warned the government that smuggling of the goods could still persist.
Economics professor Fernando Fajardo, executive director at Cebu Business Club, agrees that lifting the quantitative restrictions (QR) on rice imports in favor of tariffs will bring several benefits to the economy, among them, slashing the retail price of the food staple.
But he warned that higher tariff could still encourage smuggling activities.
"(Yes it could bring down rice prices) but if the tariff is high, smuggling will still persist," he told The FREEMAN.
In his economic bulletin, Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran said that replacing the QR system with a tariff system would cut retail rice prices by about P7 per kilo.
A reduction in rice prices would be beneficial to the majority of the poor as they spend at least 20 percent of their household budget on the staple, he said.
Beltran noted cutting down rice prices is crucial to poverty reduction because this staple is a major inflation driver.
The Department of Finance said this would introduce competitive pricing to the market for rice while the tariff revenue will be given to the affected farmers to boost their productivity or help them switch to high-value crops
The Philippine government intends not to apply for another extension of the QR system by the World Trade Organization.
WTO first allowed the Philippines to impose a 10-year QR on rice imports in 1995 to give farmers more time to prepare for free trade. It was extended in 2004 until 2012, and then was renewed again in 2014.
During the negotiations for the second extension, which was granted in 2014, the Philippines had agreed to, among others, increase the Minimum Access Volume (MAV) to 805,200 metric tons and reduce the in-quota tariff to 35 percent corresponding to the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) duty and a most-favored nation (MFN) rate of 40 percent for volumes imported outside the MAV.
The proposed tariff system filed as House Bill 4904 has yet to be approved by the Committee on Agriculture and Food.
The bill amends Republic Act 8178 and authorizes the President to set import duties on the staple grain upon the expiry of the country’s waiver for the special treatment on rice granted by WTO on July 1.
The imposition of a tariff system on imported rice will also help increase funding for conditional cash transfers, which could cut poverty by up to three percentage points, DOF said.
“The tariff revenues that will be generated from rice imports can augment the funds used for the government’s social welfare programs for the poor (e.g., Conditional Cash Transfer) and rice productivity programs that will enhance efficiency. Tariff revenue is estimated at P27.3 billion annually from 2017 to 2023,” Beltran said.
Beltran said a three percentage-point reduction in poverty incidence is equivalent to about 730,000 people.
The Duterte government aims to cut the poverty rate from the current 21.6 percent in 2016 to 14 percent by the end of its term in 2022. (FREEMAN)


Sunrice records $24.1 million half-year net profit

by Grain Central, 20 December 2017
Key points:
  • Consolidated revenue for the Group of $544.9 million, down 4.1pc on HY17
  • Net Profit after Tax (NPAT) of $24.1 million, up 15.9pc on HY17
  • FY18 profit guidance (NPAT) has been upgraded to around $45 million
……………………………………………………………..
SUNRICE’s half-year consolidated revenue for the group has come in at $544.9 million, a 4.1 per cent decrease compared to the previous corresponding period ending 31 October 2016 (HY17).

Rob Gordon
Net Profit After Tax (NPAT) was $24.1 million, a 15.9pc increase compared to HY17.The business’s financial results were driven by a combination of several factors that included: the larger Riverina rice crop of 802,000 paddy tonnes that was harvested in 2017; the gradual positive turnaround in profitability in Trukai, CopRice and Riviana; favourable FX gains; partially offset by continued challenging trading conditions in several key SunRice markets.
“SunRice has built a commercially resilient and diversified business that is able to both withstand challenging trading conditions (as demonstrated in FY17) and quickly recover when markets improve,” SunRice CEO, Rob Gordon, said.
“During HY18, the larger Riverina C17 crop of 802,000 tonnes resulted in a 21pc uplift in Rice Pool revenue and Net Profit Before Tax increased by 33pc increase compared to HY17. However, these Half Year financial results do not fully reflect the improved quality and diversity of SunRice’s earnings.
“As a consequence of SunRice’s strategy to focus on exporting Australian rice to premium markets and to secure alternative sources of rice beyond the Riverina, our international trading activity has developed into an important pillar of the business, generating increased earnings to balance other segments such as Trukai, CopRice and Riviana, which have all experienced a gradual turnaround in trading conditions during the half.
“We expect the improved quality and diversity of earnings will flow through into Full Year results, especially given current market trends. In addition, several business segments traditionally experience seasonal trading uplifts during the second half and tender markets are also anticipated to drive volume expansion during the remainder of FY18.
“Following this pleasing start to the year and the positive outlook for the second half, we have upgraded our guidance for Net Profit after Tax for FY18 to around $45 million (previously $40 million).”

Rice Pool:

Rice Pool revenue increased by 20pc compared to HY17, driven by the larger C17 crop and the ability to once again place the Riverina crop into key premium markets where SunRice brands command strong prices. Manufacturing efficiency improvements and favourable milling yield also contributed to a positive start to the year.

International Rice:

International Rice’s net profit before tax (NPBT) declined by 11.2pc compared to HY17. Due to the larger Australian C17 crop, there was less of a requirement in HY18 to source from international supply chains.
Trukai leveraged its in-market brand strength and optimised its product mix to generate positive NPBT growth during the Half, despite weak trading conditions in Papua New Guinea impacting sales. SunFoods’ performance was impacted by lower volumes (due to the larger Australian crop) and the increasing cost of rice paddy in the California market. Participation by SunFoods in market tender processes is expected to bolster revenues for the business during the second half of FY18.
The segment was impacted by a $4.0 million gain due to hedged exposures no longer expected to occur.

Rice Food:

Sales volumes and revenues remained relatively flat compared to HY17 and NPBT declined to $1.5 million. The microwave rice category continued to grow its dominant presence in the ANZ market during the period, and now generates almost half of this segment’s sales revenue. The recent introduction of new Adult Mini Cakes is anticipated to underpin sales revenue growth in the snacking category over the remainder of FY18. The rice flour category experienced competition from Vietnamese imports during the Half.

Riviana:

Riviana NPBT increased by 9.4pc, having benefited from ownership of the Felhbergs business for a full six months (compared to the previous corresponding period). Challenging trading conditions in the foodservice sector and restructure costs also impacted on the Riviana result. A seasonal uplift is expected during the second half as Christmas and Easter festive seasons improve retail sales.

CopRice:

CopRice NPBT experienced a positive turnaround of $4.0 million during the half, having posted a loss before tax of $1.5 million in HY17. Positive pricing mix and margin growth in speciality and grocery segments drove the business’s improved performance during the Half. Dairy and sheep feed segments are expecting a seasonal uplift during the summer months, which should benefit CopRice over the remainder of FY18.

FY18 outlook

Following SunRice’s positive start to FY18, we now anticipate that NPAT for FY18 will be around $45 million (an upgrade from previous guidance of $40 million).
However, achieving guidance over the remainder of FY18 will be dependent on: macroeconomic conditions in key markets; trends in global rice markets; exchange rate movements; and several issues specific to PNG.

C17 Full Year Paddy Price

The estimated paddy price range for base grade medium grain (Reiziq) is $335-$365/tonne.
A continuation of positive price movement in international markets, coupled with SunRice’s ongoing strategy of placing Australian rice in higher returning markets and securing rice from alternative international supply chains, has supported positive revisions of the C17 paddy price range since the start of FY18. Earlier in FY18, the C17 Pool opened with a range of $300-$320/tonne.
While SunRice is hopeful positive movements in global markets will continue, any softening in markets and a further strengthening of the Australia dollar will naturally influence the final pool result.
Source: Sunrice

https://www.graincentral.com/news/agribusiness/sunrice-records-24-1-million-half-year-net-profit/


Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Rice R&D News - Chinese scientists reveal a novel signaling pathway for chilling tolerance in rice

Chinese scientists reveal a novel signaling pathway for chilling tolerance in rice

CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES HEADQUARTERS
  
The ability of plants to tolerate chilling stress is fundamental in determining the growing season and geographical distribution of plants. Local temperature anomalies caused by global climate change directly threaten crop production.
Improvement of chilling tolerance in rice varieties requires clarifying the regulatory mechanisms of chilling signaling pathways.

The primary signal transduction pathway of chilling tolerance in rice has been established already, but how the diverse components are regulated is not clear.
OsbHLH002 is one of more than 100 members of the bHLH transcription factor family in rice and has the highest homology with Arabidopsis ICE1 protein, which is one of the core members in the cold signaling pathway in Arabidopsis (hence OsbHLH002 is also called OsICE1).
The research team led by Prof. CHONG Kang from the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has revealed a new mechanism for chilling tolerance mediated by OsMAPK3-OsbHLH002-OsTPP1 in rice.
The research team had shown in 2009 that overexpression of the wild rice gene OrbHLH2 enhanced tolerance to osmotic stress in Arabidopsis.
This time they discovered that the cold-activated protein kinase OsMAPK3 phosphorylates the transcription factor OsbHLH002/OsICE1 directly to enhance its transactivation activity.
Moreover, OsMAPK3 attenuated the interaction between OsbHLH002 and E3 ubiquitin ligase OsHOS1, which led to reduced ubiquitination and degradation of OsbHLH002.
The increase of the protein content and transactivation activity of OsbHLH002 effectively activates the expression of OsTPP1 (encoding trehalose-6-phosphatase) to promote the hydrolysis of trehalose-6-phosphate, increasing the trehalose content and enhancing the chilling tolerance of rice.
These results established a novel pathway OsMAPK3-OsbHLH002-OsTPP1. This pathway transduces the cold signal from the kinase cascade system to the nucleus and promotes synthesis of an osmotic protectant to regulate the chilling tolerance in rice.
###
This finding has been published in Developmental Cell in an article entitled "OsMAPK3 Phosphorylates OsbHLH002/OsICE1 and Inhibits Its Ubiquitination to Activate OsTPP1 and Enhances Rice Chilling Tolerance."
The study was supported by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.