31st august,2018 daily global regional local rice e-newsletter

Thrust Laid on Fulfilling Prime Minister’s Dream of Doubling Farmers’ Income: International Rice Research Institute Expert

August 29, 2018

2 Min Read

A Correspondent

JORHAT: The Department of Agriculture, Government of Assam, Assam Agricultural University (AAU) and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) arranged an exposure visit and technology showcasing at a glittering function held at the Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS) at Titabor. The function was attended by Binod Seshan, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Government of Assam, Sudanshu Singh, co-coordinator of IRRI Team-India, Dr Ashok Bhattacharjee, Director Research, AAU, and Dr Tomiuddin Ahmed, chief scientist of RARS-Titabor. Scientists and farmers gathered at the day-long Implements and Instruments demonstration programme held at RARS experimental field on Tuesday.

“The thrust is on doubling the income of farmers by 2040, which is a dream plan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The World Bank has come forward to assist the department, especially in the paddy-growing areas of the country,” said Sudhangshu Singh, the team leader of IRRI, India. “In this project, we are trying to bring a number of rice varieties like Swarna-56, Bahaduur-56 and Ranjit-56 which are tolerant to flash floods. Even if a flood occurs for two weeks, they either survive or regenerate and almost give equal yield in comparison to the normal variety. IRRI is also introducing drought-tolerant varieties in collaboration with Assam Agricultural University as well as a multi-tolerant variety which will survive both in flood as well as drought,” he added.

Earlier, Dipak Sarma, the District Agriculture Officer (DAO), Dr. Ashok Bhattacharyya, Director of Research (AAU), Dr. Tomiuddin Ahmed, chief scientist of RARS-Titabor, discussed about doubling farmers’ income by reducing the cost of production of farmers in the field by utilizing instruments which need less manpower for agricultural sorting.

https://www.sentinelassam.com/news/thrust-laid-on-fulfilling-prime-ministers-dream-of-doubling-farmers-income-international-rice-research-institute-expert/

Global Basmati Rice Market 2018 | Industry Key Players, Type, Applications, world’s regions, Analysis & Forecast to 2025

 Mark Lightfoot  August 30, 2018  0 Comment  Basmati Rice Market 2018, Global Basmati Rice Market

The Basmati Rice market research report analyzes the Global Basmati Rice Market 2018 economy standing and prediction categorizes the Basmati Rice market size by vital players, varieties of types, application and Basmati Rice market distribution by top vital regions. This report guides through various segments of the global Basmati Rice market with market size status and forecast 2023.

The Basmati Rice report also serves an extensive analysis of different sections and sub-segments which offers market insights toward the historic Basmati Rice market scenarios along with the future growth and prospects. The leading manufacturers of Basmati Rice market are identified on the basis of their product portfolios, marketing strategy, and latest advancements. The Basmati Rice report also provides Basmati Rice business overview and monetary data of each of these manufacturers.

Global Basmati Rice Market Summary:

Global Basmati Rice Market report keep a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The first overview section of the report comprised with a definition of the global Basmati Rice market, classification and regional outlook of the market. The global Basmati Rice industry growing at a high CAGR of during 2018-2025.

The in-depth approach towards Basmati Rice market segments depicts the market investment areas and marketing strategies to achieve informed growth in global Basmati Rice market. The information on trends, developments and focuses on markets and materials, capacities, technologies and the changing structure of the  Basmati Rice industry in the world. The Basmati Rice industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.

For More Information about Basmati Rice Market download sample report: 
http://ereports.market/global-basmati-rice-market-2018-report/#Request-Sample

Basmati Rice Market Key Segment Of Report:

1)  Major Players of Basmati Rice Market:  

·       Tilda Basmati Rice, Dunar Foods, Galaxy Rice Mill, Aeroplane Rice, Adani Wilmar, Best Foods, Amira Nature Foods, Matco Foods, HAS Rice Pakistan, Sungold, Amar Singh Chawal Wala, Kohinoor Rice, KRBL Limited, LT Foods and Hanuman Rice Mills

2) Type:

·       Indian Basmati Rice, Pakistani Basmati Rice, Kenya Basmati Rice, Other

3) Applications:  

·       Direct Edible, Deep Processing

 4) Regions:

·        North America:  United States, Canada, Mexico

·        Asia-Pacific:  China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam

·        Middle East Africa:  GCC Countries, Turkey, Egypt, South Africa, Rest of Middle East & Africa

·        Europe:  Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Rest of Europe

·        Central & South America:  Brazil, Rest of South America

Basmati Rice Market Competitive Insights

The study provides company profiling, product picture and specifications, sales, market share and contact information of key manufacturers of Global Basmati Rice Market. The Basmati Rice market is growing from last few years and demand for Basmati Rice is increasing new in developing regions.  And also with the rise in technological innovation, competition and manufacturers activities in the industry many local and regional vendors are offering specific application products for varied end-users. The new manufacturer contestant in the market are finding it hard to compete with the international vendors based on quality, reliability, and innovations in technology.

Do more inquiry about Basmati Rice market research report here: 
http://ereports.market/global-basmati-rice-market-2018-report/#Inquiry-Before-Buying

The Basmati Rice report helps businesses compete better using this scale of reference, although planning their future de

velopments to counter the movements of the other players and stay ahead in the competition. Finally, the overall market research of Basmati Rice conclusions also offered.

https://dailybizreport.com/global-basmati-rice-market-2018/

Rice production saved Nigeria $800m in 2 years – BoA

August 30, 2018 BluePrint Newspapers Agriculture 

The Bank of Agriculture (BoA) yesterday disclosed that the federal government has saved about $800 million by encouraging local production of rice in the country.
Executive Director, Finance and Risk Management, BoA, Niyi Akenzua, disclosed this at a media briefing in Lagos ahead of the “Meet the Farmers Conference 2018 scheduled for October 10 in the nation’s commercial hub. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference, which is organised by Crenov8 Consulting, is aimed at exposing African farmers to the opportunities in agro-export, especially to Dubai and other Middle-East countries.
Akenzua commended the initiative of the government to diversify the economy with special focus on agriculture, urging Nigerians to key into the programmes because of their allround benefits.
He said the government restructured the BoA in 2016 to enable it render critical assistance to the agricultural sector in terms of food security and increased export of agro-products to boost the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“The Central Bank of Nigeria facilitated a N250 billion intervention fund for the BoA which is being disbursed through the Anchor Borrower’s Programme.
“In 2017, we disbursed about N100 billion to farmers and we have also disbursed about N50 billion so far in 2018,” Akenzua said.
He said rice production had increased to a level that people could ever imagined and that the government was targeting early 2019 to fully stop importation of rice.
Akenzua said emphasis was being placed on standardising and packaging of agricultural products from Nigeria to make them acceptable to the export market.
A representative of Crenov8 Consulting, Mrs Bola Oyedele had said Dubai imported over $100 billion worth of food in 2017 from Africa, which was expected to rise to about $400 billion in the next eight years.
Oyedele urged Nigeria and other African countries to tap into the huge opportunities that exist to export various agricultural products such as cocoa, rice, gum arabic, palm oil, wheat, maize among others to Dubai particularly and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
She said participants at the conference will be exposed to a wide range of topics such as agro commodity trading in Dubai and GCC, import and exports requirements, laws and policies, financing, shipping and insurance among others.

https://dailybizreport.com/tag/global-basmati-rice-market/

Nigeria saves $800m from rice production

Posted By: Our Reporter On: August 30, 2018 In: Money

The Bank of Agriculture (BoA) on Wednesday disclosed that the Federal Government has saved about 800 million dollars by encouraging local production of rice in the country.Prince NiyiAkenzua, the Executive Director, Finance and Risk Management, BoA, said at a media briefing in Lagos ahead of the “Meet the Farmers Conference” (MTFC) 2018 scheduled for Oct. 10 in the nation’s commercial hub.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference, which is organised by Crenov8 Consulting, is aimed at exposing African farmers to the opportunities in agro-export,  especially to Dubai and other Middle-East countries.

Akenzua commended the initiative of the government to diversify the economy with special focus on agriculture, urging Nigerians to key into the programmes because of their all-round benefits.

He said the government restructured the BoA in 2016 to enable it render critical assistance to the agricultural sector in terms of food security  and increased export of agro-products to boost the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“The Central Bank of Nigeria facilitated a N250 billion intervention fund for the BoA which is being disbursed through the Anchor Borrower’s Programme.

“In 2017, we disbursed about N100 billion to farmers and we have also disbursed about N50 billion so far in 2018,” Akenzua said.

He said rice production had increased to a level that people could ever imagined and that the government was targeting early 2019 to fully stop importation of rice.

Akenzua said emphasis was being placed on standardising and packaging of agricultural products from Nigeria to make them acceptable to the export market.

Earlier, Mrs Bola Oyedele , a representative of  Crenov8 Consulting, said Dubai imported over 100 billion dollars worth of food in 2017 from Africa and it is expected to rise to about 400 billion dollars in the next eight years.

http://thenationonlineng.net/nigeria-saves-800m-from-rice-production/

Kheer, khichdi and the like spice up Indian politics Sachidananda Murthy AUGUST 29, 2018 07:22 AM I...

 https://english.manoramaonline.com/news/columns/national-scrutiny/2018/08/28/upendra-kushwaha-bihar-bjp-alliance.html

Texas rice farmers experiencing bumper 2018

Texas Crop and Weather Report – Aug. 28, 2018

Rice maturing near Beaumont.

Adam Russell | Aug 30, 2018

Texas rice farmers are seeing near-record yields of good quality grain and many are considering a second harvest, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Research experts.Dr. Lee Tarpley, AgriLife Research crop physiologist, Beaumont, said despite a few problems for some growers, a near-record yield is expected for producers who planted their fields early in spring. 

Producers in the state’s rice-growing coastal region who were able to take advantage of planting windows before late March avoided heavy spring rains that caused delays for other growers. Delays into April exposed late-planted rice to hot spells that may have hurt yields.

“Folks that planted late got hit by hot periods in July,” Tarpley said. “Daytime temperatures were in the upper-90s to over 100 degrees with nights above 77 degrees, which decrease yield when they coincide with flowering.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Texas green yields were 9,000-11,000 pounds per acre with good quality. There were also reports of market uncertainty and falling prices related to ongoing trade disputes with China and negotiations with Mexico and Canada regarding the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Dr. M.O. Way, AgriLife Research entomologist, Beaumont, said about 190,000 acres of rice were planted this season and half the acreage was planted in hybrid varieties. Way said good growing conditions have many farmers considering growing a ratoon crop, that is to allow another crop to grow from the stubble left after harvest.

Ratoon cropping could produce an additional 35-50 percent of the main harvest, he said, with little input costs beyond fertilization and water. Around 60 percent of Texas rice acres are ratoon cropped typically.

“Main crop yields and quality are excellent in general,” he said. “I estimate early harvested fields, which are usually the highest yielding, averaged about 8,000 pounds per acre wet with some fields over 10,000 pounds per acre wet.”

Way said there was plenty of water for rice fields in 2018, but there were a few problems, including rice water weevil, stink bugs and injury to some fields from a new herbicide. Damages from birds and wild pigs were a problem, and producers noted increased wild pig activity.

Producers controlled pests for the most part, and other crop damage was limited, Way said. But heat damage to later-maturing fields was reported as high nighttime temperatures caused some panicle blanking.

Way also said increased rice acreage and good yields have caused problems with storage of rice post-harvest because there are not enough facilities to accommodate the crop.

Tarpley said ratoon cropping early planted fields might improve net profits. Later-planted fields could be ratoon cropped if temperatures remain above 50 degrees into early November.

“I don’t have a good feel for what percentage of producers will ratoon this year,” he said. “But if it stays warm they could see another harvest with less input costs, and that could mean a better bottom line.”

AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries:

The 12 Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Districts

The 12 Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Districts

CENTRAL: Some rainfall helped green up pastures and meadows, but moisture was still very short. Recent rains allowed some hay fields to recover enough to get a partial hay cutting. Supplemental feeding was needed for livestock on pastures. Cotton harvest was underway. Nearly all counties reported short soil moisture. Overall rangeland and pasture conditions were poor in nearly all counties. Overall crop and pasture conditions were fair in most counties.

ROLLING PLAINS: Topsoil moisture from recent rains allowed some farmers to work the ground and apply fertilizer on early wheat acreage. In some areas, pastures improved slightly and were in fair condition, while other areas were still very dry. Pastures, rangeland and cotton fields were showing signs of moisture stress. Cotton fields were reaching cut out stage with limited yield potential. Irrigated fields were average to above average condition. Livestock were in fair condition as supplemental feeding increased over recent weeks. Ranchers were still searching for hay as supplies dwindled. Without much rainfall it doesn’t look like there will be much hay produced this year.

COASTAL BEND: Hot and dry weather continued. Cotton harvest was in full swing with yield reports ranging from 1.5-3 bales per acre. Hay, soybean and rice harvests continued, with corn harvest nearing completion. Rangeland and pasture conditions continued to deteriorate at a rapid rate from lack of rainfall and extreme heat. Producers were worried about tank water getting low. Supplemental feeding increased significantly over recent reporting periods. Hay producers reported issues with managing armyworms and were trying to hold onto any growth for the next hay harvest. Some ranchers were beginning to look for hay but having difficulty finding bales in this part of the state. Cattle remained in good condition.

EAST: Summer forages continued to decline in quality and volume as dry conditions linger on without consistent measurable rainfalls. Many area pastures showed signs of drought stress and high temperatures, which caused great concern for producers. Cherokee and Marion counties received scattered rainfall that provided slight short-term relief. Marion County rain caused grass to grow, and some producers were able to get another cutting of hay. Producers in Anderson, Houston and Smith counties reported such short hay production that producers searched outside Texas for hay. Anderson, Gregg and Wood counties reported drought conditions continued to slow and, in some cases, stop hay and crop production. Pasture and rangeland conditions overall were poor to very poor except in Henderson, Polk, San Augustine, Gregg and Tyler counties, which reported fair conditions. Anderson County cotton looked good with no disease and about 15 percent of bolls open. Anderson County’s pecan crop was so heavy limb breakage occurred. Topsoil and subsoil conditions were adequate in San Augustine county, with all other counties reporting short conditions. Producers in Gregg County continued to cull cattle due to dry conditions. Houston County reported cattle prices were up per hundredweight while Shelby County reported a downward trend in prices. Light stink bug damage was reported in Anderson County, as was pecan leaf scorch in some orchards. Armyworms continued to cause damage in Anderson, Cherokee, Henderson, Houston, Marion, Shelby and Smith counties. Grasshopper infestation was reported in Cherokee County. Henderson County reported wild pig damage and high fly numbers.

SOUTH PLAINS: Subsoil and topsoil moisture levels were adequate to short. Some counties received 2-3 inches of rain. Irrigated cotton fields benefitted from the rain, but it was not enough to help dryland cotton. Producers were supplementing with irrigation to finish out the final stages of cotton maturity. Area crops continued to mature. Producers continued to conduct pest and weed management. Good numbers of beneficial insects were helping keep pests at bay. Winter cover crops were planted. Pastures and rangelands remained in fair condition. Cattle were in good condition.

PANHANDLE: Temperatures were near average. Some moisture was received, but more moisture was needed throughout the district. Rain amounts in some areas ranged from a trace to 2.5 inches. Soil moisture conditions were excellent for all crops in some areas but was short for most areas. Grasses and rangelands were finally starting to green up, and sorghum was all headed. Producers continued to irrigate crops. Corn in Deaf Smith County was doing well under irrigation, and most fields were close to dent stage. Silage harvest began. Wheat planting started as producers were trying to create grazing opportunities. Cotton under irrigation pivots was coming along. Dryland cotton started to look better with irrigated acres looking very good. Sugarcane aphids and headworms were being sprayed on grain sorghum. Wheat preplant activities continued with the expectation of early wheat planting for fall pasture starting soon. Dryland grain sorghum and cotton looked fantastic. Stocker cattle gains were very good due to milder temperatures.

NORTH: Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels ranged from mostly adequate to short across the district. Temperatures were hot with dry conditions. Pastures were greening up from recent rains, but forage growth was slow. Camp County continued under a burn ban. Rain was needed in all counties. Corn harvest neared completion, and a few soybeans were being harvested. Cotton didn’t look good, and most fields had bolls opening. Some producers were harvesting hay. Armyworms were reported in Kaufman and Hopkins counties. Cattle continued to look good.

FAR WEST: Temperatures were into the triple digits with lows in the 70s. Hot, windy and dry conditions persisted with scattered showers. Rainfall averaged a trace to 2 inches. August has been hard on the little bit of cotton that was maturing, and farm service agencies began to receive dryland crop failure data. Producers continued to water cotton and pecans. Some wheat was planted before the rain showers. Insect problems were still an issue in pecans. Mosquitos and flies were becoming a problem. Preparation of soils for fall forage planting started. Fire danger was becoming more prevalent as right of ways and pastures were dry. Producers continued to feed livestock and wildlife. Livestock will be culled if no rains arrive in the next 30 days.

WEST CENTRAL: Recent rains eased drought stress in rangelands and pastures, but conditions were dry this reporting period. Forages looked better, but drought conditions still persisted. Stock tanks were at critical levels. Livestock remained in fair condition, and many producers were trying to figure out what to do about depleted hay supplies. Not much hay was available for sale and what little there was averaged $110-$120 per round bale. Cotton fields improved slightly and were mostly in fair to good condition overall. Grain sorghum harvest was underway, and some producers were preparing for early wheat planting. Cattle demands were good with an active market and all classes selling steady.

SOUTHEAST: Conditions were hot and dry. Some parts of the district received late rains, but other areas had not received rain in over a month. The rice crop was progressing. Late rice had all headed for the most part. High temperatures and scattered rain showers were not good for flowering rice. Some pastures were getting very dry, and grasses were not growing. Livestock still looked good and healthy. Rangeland and pasture ratings varied from fair to very poor with good ratings being most common. Soil moisture levels throughout the district ranged from adequate to very short with short being most common.

SOUTHWEST: Hot, dry weather continued in all counties. Soil moisture, pasture and rangeland conditions declined and were in desperate need of a good, steady rain. Streams and rivers were drying. Fall shearing of sheep and goats was underway. Some supplemental feeding of livestock began. Auctions reported increased sale numbers due to drought and producers’ inability to feed livestock. Corn and sorghum harvests were complete with below-average yields reported. Very little hay was being made. Cotton was defoliated and awaiting harvest.

SOUTH: Most parts of the district reported a continuation of hot, dry weather conditions with short to very short soil moisture levels. Western parts of the district reported adequate to short moisture levels. Triple-digit temperatures were reported. Dryland cotton was being harvested and the harvest in irrigated fields should begin soon. Irrigation pivots continued to run on cotton, peanuts, Bermuda grass, watermelons, cantaloupes and other crops. Some producers were reporting worse conditions than in 2011 —  the worst drought on record. Bermudagrass and sorghum hay were being cut and baled. Pasture and range conditions were poor, and supplemental feeding of livestock continued. Livestock producers in some parts reported increased supplemental feeding and began to cull herds, selling older cows and young calves. Some producers began to haul water or move cattle to other pastures as stock tanks started to dry up. Surface water levels were declining. Body condition scores on cattle were mostly fair. Pecan orchards were in good condition, and producers expected a good harvest. No insect pressures were reported. Oat planting and spinach seed bed preparation were expected to begin soon.

https://www.southwestfarmpress.com/extension/texas-rice-farmers-experiencing-bumper-2018

Controlling my life is hard. Controlling my burrito bowl is easy.

A bowl of supergreens, basmati rice, tomatoes, olives, roasted red pepper hummus, harrissa, cucumbers at Cava. (Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post)

By Amy Fusselman

August 30 at 11:38 AM

It’s summer, it’s lunchtime, and I have a minor problem: I don’t know whether to have portobello mushrooms or watermelon in my salad. The meaty portobello’s strong taste can overwhelm, but the watermelon must be ripe — but not overripe — or the whole meal is ruined. I stand on my side of the clear shield, eyeing sweet and savory.I am definitely not alone in my desire for this type of meal. From Chipotle to Sweetgreen, from Cava to Buredo, you can join a line of fellow diners standing at the glass to watch as your grain bowl, your salad or your burrito is constructed. You are both the audience for, and the director of, this food play, which can be cast with seemingly any ingredient under the sun. Non-GMO basmati rice and quinoa, roasted chicken and simmered tofu, raisins and umami walnuts — it’s like someone decided that Thanksgiving didn’t happen often enough and that we needed a daily, not yearly, reminder of the American cornucopia.

I have come to view this situation as lunch-assembly theater, and I have been considering what I get out of it, because I have a hunch it’s more than food. After all, eating, like seeing, is a primary way human beings take the outside world in, and the outside world has lately presented me with more than I am happy to swallow, thank you very much. It was only three months ago that Americans were told to avoid romaine lettuce because of E. coli , and in late August, federal health officials determined that more than 500 people had been sickened by salad at McDonald’s — an eatery, it must be noted, that has yet to adopt the assembly-as-theater model.

[Iceland’s president is a hero, because pineapple on pizza is an abomination]

How comforting it is, then, to stand and watch as seemingly hyper-clean food is handled by plastic-gloved workers who are merely adding ingredients together using simple math — one cup of rice, half a cup of beans, more guacamole than seems reasonable, but only if you pay extra — not combining them behind closed doors via some complicated chemistry involving restaurant-grade Bunsen burners. This kind of helicopter-y observation offers the solace of seeing with one’s own eyes, and as such, it’s a surveillance that is more intimate than the one made constantly and anonymously by our ubiquitous urban security cameras. The control this offers is illusory, of course: We’re generally not privy to the workings of the supply lines that feed these restaurants, as we learned last summer when Chipotle was hit with a norovirus outbreak.

Nonetheless, the allure of this approach beckons. At Sweetgreen, at least, more glass often reveals the workers who are prepping the food that then will go to the assemblers. It’s as if the entire place is a living portrait of food prep as styled by M.C. Escher.

There is a certain flagrant rejection of any chef/diner trust here. To take flour, butter and sugar, for instance, and transform them into a cupcake — how quaint the cupcake seems now, as a food fad — is nothing less than a kind of alchemy, and to consume that magic involves a faith not unlike that of an audience member who feasts her eyes on a magician’s sleight of hand. Sure, you know that what you are seeing is a calculated feat requiring hours of laborious practice, but allowing yourself to consume it is still to be vulnerable, in a way — to be “tricked.” And many of us, given the problems with food of late, let alone politics, don’t have much of an appetite for that.

The problem with assuming control, however, is that it’s easy to screw it up. There should be a hashtag for the failure I have caused more than once: of ambitiously mixing too many things in my bowl, only to end up with a muck of sauces, proteins, grains and greens. #failbowl? #justtoomuchsalad? #crapucopia?

[Why are we so bad at imagining the food of the future?]

Ah, well, there are worse coping behaviors than poorly micromanaging your lunch. After all, eating, as any therapist can tell you, is a potent locus of human control, and for those like myself who are watching this presidency unfold in horror, it is important to hold onto some sense of stability in a world that seems to have truly gone insane. What better way to subjugate feelings of helplessness than by never letting your lunch out of your sight? And for those cheering on a leader who they see as at last representing them and their interests, well, I am not sure what to say. Let’s have lunch, maybe?

My favorite lunch place this summer has been Sweetgreen, the wildly popular salad and bowl emporium started by three Georgetown grads. I find one moment of culinary choreography particularly instructive: when the assembler takes the plastic bottle of dressing, squeezes your desired amount onto your gathered ingredients, and then introduces the dressing to the ingredients by banging tongs against the bowl while twirling it. This flourish — one that the chain is, alas, abandoning — is a bit like watching salad and dressing being forcibly introduced like two families at a boozy shotgun wedding. The party, having been cacophonously joined, is then poured calmly into your takeout bowl.

I see something of our current condition in this routine, where separate foods are carefully mixed under clinical lighting. Ours is not the moment to sit and wait while someone blends ingredients together sight unseen, presenting them to us only after they have undergone their transformation. We want to know how it all happens, and we want to see it all ourselves. That is the secret ingredient, I think, that makes the theater of the assembled lunch so appealing. What we are hungry for most, in 2018, is transparency.

Twitter: @AmyFusselman

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/controlling-my-life-is-hard-controlling-my-burrito-bowl-is-easy/2018/08/30/eee2e50c-aaf2-11e8-8a0c-70b618c98d3c_story.html?utm_term=.1ddcac5d9482

Louisiana Legislator Gets Rice Farm Welcome

By Kane Webb

 Rep. Johnson along for the ride

KINDER, LA -- Last Friday, Representative Mike Johnson (R-LA), who represents Louisiana's 4th District, traveled here to hold a town hall meeting, the last of several he participated in at his home base last week.  Kinder City Hall was standing room only for the event where citizens and public servants talked with Johnson about local, state, and federal issues.Following the meeting, Johnson was hosted on the Unkel Farm, a fourth generation family rice farm, by brothers Eric and Hine, and their nephew Aaron.  Others gathered at the farm to meet with Johnson were David Unkel, Philip Bertrand of Farmers Rice Mill, Zach Hamilton of First South Farm Credit, and Mary Jemison and Kane Webb, both with USA Rice.  The group spent time discussing issues affecting the U.S. rice industry including trade and market uncertainty, the 2018 Farm Bill and its positive provisions for rice, immigration reform for agricultural labor, and conservation.

"We are appreciative of the time that Congressman Johnson spent on our farm and the opportunity to showcase what it takes to produce the highest quality rice in the world," said Eric Unkel, Louisiana rice farmer and vice chair of the USA Rice Council.  "He was very receptive to our asks and concerns when it comes to the issues we face as rice growers and millers, and his level of knowledge and shared concern for the rice industry in not only his district, but the entire country, makes him a great advocate we're proud to have in Washington."

While most tours of this nature tend to be limited to time available on a busy schedule, Johnson made the most of the afternoon by walking the field with the group, learning more about best management practices, farm input costs, and the conservation benefits involved in rice production, as well as riding the combine through a full round, complete with unloading on the go to save time and keep the harvest moving.

"America's farmers not only provide a safe, sustainable food supply for the people of our nation, they also provide a boost to our local and state economies," said Johnson.  "Rice farming has played a particularly important role in Louisiana for generations.  It is among the top commodities grown here and exported around the world, making Louisiana one of the top rice producing states in the nation.  I look forward to continuing to work with our farmers here at home and across our country to ensure the rice industry can continue to thrive and expand to new markets."

From left: Eric Unkel, Mary Jemison, and Rep. Mike Johnson

Chef Competition Gets Creative with Calrose 

By Jim Guinn

TOKYO, JAPAN -- Last week, USA Rice Vice President for International Sarah Moran attended the sixth annual chef competition here sponsored by USA Rice.  The theme of this year's competition, "new style sushi with U.S. medium grain rice," required competitors to use Calrose when crafting their creative sushi dishes.  

Of the nearly 600 contest applicants, 11 finalists were chosen to compete.  Each contestant created a unique sushi style dish for either a restaurant or a deli store, keeping in mind criteria such as a reasonable price point and whether the dish could be replicated in an appropriate amount of time.  

Five judges evaluated each entry, determining whether the dish enhanced Calrose's features and if it was a tasty and desirable sushi dish.  Judges included Mr. Makoto Fukue, CEO of the Tokyo Sushi Academy; CEO of Recipe & Market Mr. Daisuke Kaneko; well-known chef Mr. Kuniaki Aoshima; Mr. Takehiro Nagasaka from the Mizkan Company which makes rice vinegar; and Ms. Yuko Asai, the editor-in-chief of Shibata Publishing Company.

"These types of competitions encourage chefs and even the media to become more comfortable with Calrose and how it can be used in creative, modern applications," said Moran.  "All of the dishes were quite tasty, although my personal favorite was a sushi mosaic which combined numerous flavors and colors to create a beautiful dish."

Asimakis Chaniotis’s recipe for stuffed tomatoes

A perfect dish for late summer evenings, filled with flavour and quick to make

Asimakis Chaniotis

Thu 30 Aug 2018 06.00 BST

 Asimakis Chaniotis’s stuffed tomato. Photograph: PR Company Handout

This is one of my favourite recipes to cook on a weekday when I’m working and need something fast and tasty. It is a dish that my mum used to make in summer, when tomatoes in Greece are of top quality. Tomatoes are one of the ingredients with the most umami, and so this dish brings me a lot of memories, as well as loads of flavour.

Serves: 1
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins

100ml vegetable stock
3 tomatoes
100g aromatic basmati rice
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp caster sugar
½ bunch of dill, finely chopped
½ bunch of mint, finely chopped
½ green pepper, finely diced
2 maris piper potatoes
½ tsp salt

Method

Slice the tops off the tomatoes and hollow out with a spoon. Add the flesh to the vegetable stock and set aside.

Mix the rice, garlic, onion, sugar, dill, mint, green pepper and salt and boil using the stock (adding little by little until the rice is cooked). Then, stuff the tomatoes with the rice until full, and replace the tops.

Peel the potatoes and cut in wedges. Place the stuffed tomatoes and potato wedges on a baking tray. Pour any leftover stock on to the tray so the steam will cook the potatoes. Cover with aluminium foil and place in the oven at 180C/gas mark 4 for around 15 minutes. Then take the foil off and roast for another 15 minutes.

Take the tray out of the oven and let it cool. Transfer to a plate, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

• Asimakis Chaniotis is the chef de cuisine of Pied à Terre, London

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https://www.theguardian.com/food/2018/aug/30/fast-food-stuffed-tomato-recipe-asimakis-chaniotis

Climate change projected to boost insect activity and crop loss, researchers say

Date:

August 30, 2018

Source:

University of Washington

Summary:

Scientists report that insect activity in today's temperate, crop-growing regions will rise along with temperatures. Researchers project that this activity, in turn, will boost worldwide losses of rice, corn and wheat by 10-25 percent for each degree Celsius that global mean surface temperatures rise.

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Symptom of stem borer on corn cause by Ostrinia furnacalis.

Credit: © patiparn46 / Fotolia

Scientists have already warned that climate change likely will impact the food we grow. From rising global temperatures to more frequent "extreme" weather events like droughts and floods, climate change is expected to negatively affect our ability to produce food for a growing human population.

But new research is showing that climate change is expected to accelerate rates of crop loss due to the activity of another group of hungry creatures -- insects. In a paper published Aug. 31 in the journal Science, a team led by scientists at the University of Washington reports that insect activity in today's temperate, crop-growing regions will rise along with temperatures. Researchers project that this activity, in turn, will boost worldwide losses of rice, corn and wheat by 10-25 percent for each degree Celsius that global mean surface temperatures rise. Just a 2-degree Celsius rise in surface temperatures will push the total losses of these three crops each year to approximately 213 million tons.

"We expect to see increasing crop losses due to insect activity for two basic reasons," said co-lead and corresponding author Curtis Deutsch, a UW associate professor of oceanography. "First, warmer temperatures increase insect metabolic rates exponentially. Second, with the exception of the tropics, warmer temperatures will increase the reproductive rates of insects. You have more insects, and they're eating more."

In 2016, the United Nations estimated that at least 815 million people worldwide don't get enough to eat. Corn, rice and wheat are staple crops for about 4 billion people, and account for about two-thirds of the food energy intake, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

"Global warming impacts on pest infestations will aggravate the problems of food insecurity and environmental damages from agriculture worldwide," said co-author Rosamond Naylor, a professor in the Department of Earth System Science at Stanford University and founding director of the Center on Food Security and the Environment. "Increased pesticide applications, the use of GMOs, and agronomic practices such as crop rotations will help control losses from insects. But it still appears that under virtually all climate change scenarios, pest populations will be the winners, particularly in highly productive temperate regions, causing real food prices to rise and food-insecure families to suffer."

To investigate how insect herbivory on crops might affect our future, the team looked at decades of laboratory experiments of insect metabolic and reproductive rates, as well as ecological studies of insects in the wild. Unlike mammals, insects are ectothermic, which means that their body temperature tracks the temperature of their environment. Thus, the air temperature affects oxygen consumption, caloric requirements and other metabolic rates.

The past experiments that the team studied show conclusively that increases in temperature will accelerate insect metabolism, which boosts their appetites, at a predictable rate. In addition, increasing temperatures boost reproductive rates up to a point, and then those rates level off at temperature levels akin to what exist today in the tropics.

Deutsch and his colleagues found that the effects of temperature on insect metabolism and demographics were fairly consistent across insect species, including pest species such as aphids and corn borers. They folded these metabolic and reproductive effects into a model of insect population dynamics, and looked at how that model changed based on different climate change scenarios. Those scenarios incorporated information based on where corn, rice and wheat -- the three largest staple crops in the world -- are currently grown.

For a 2-degree Celsius rise in global mean surface temperatures, their model predicts that median losses in yield due to insect activity would be 31 percent for corn, 19 percent for rice and 46 percent for wheat. Under those conditions, total annual crop losses would reach 62, 92 and 59 million tons, respectively.

The researchers observed different loss rates due to the crops' different growing regions, Deutsch said. For example, much of the world's rice is grown in the tropics. Temperatures there are already at optimal conditions to maximize insect reproductive and metabolic rates. So, additional increases in temperature in the tropics would not boost insect activity to the same extent that they would in temperate regions -- such as the United States' "corn belt."

The team notes that farmers and governments could try to lessen the impact of increased insect metabolism, such as shifting where crops are grown or trying to breed insect-resistant crops. But these alterations will take time and come with their own costs.

"I hope our results demonstrate the importance of collecting more data on how pests will impact crop losses in a warming world -- because collectively, our choice now is not whether or not we will allow warming to occur, but how much warming we're willing to tolerate," said Deutsch.

---

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Washington. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

---

Journal Reference:

1.     Curtis A. Deutsch, Joshua J. Tewksbury, Michelle Tigchelaar, David S. Battisti, Scott C. Merrill, Raymond B. Huey, Rosamond L. Naylor. Insect metabolic and population growth rates predict increasing crop losses in a warming climate. Science, 2018 DOI: 10.1126/science.aat3466

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180830143058.htm

Hundreds of millions at risk of malnutrition, here's why

The visual dramatic spike in CO2 is quite scary, makes you think

Wednesday, August 29, 2018, 3:23 PM - Climate change is making food less nutritious, an environmental win for the Arctic, how air pollution harms your kidneys, and the counterintuitive results of conservation announcements. It's What's Up in Climate Change.

CLIMATE CHANGE WILL PUT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS AT RISK OF MALNUTRITION

Rising carbon emissions are making rice and wheat less nutritious, and a new study reports that by 2050 over 175 million people will become zinc deficient, 122 million people will be protein deficient, and more than 1 billion women and children could lose a large proportion of dietary iron intake.

These deficiencies can cause serious health implications such as increased risk of anemia, impaired cognitive function, autoimmune diseases, and psychological disorders. The current level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is around 410 parts per million (ppm), and current climate projections show that the carbon concentration could increase to 550 ppm in the next few decades, which means serious changes in the atmosphere that crops are used to growing in.

The different atmospheric composition will alter the nutrient contents of the crops that grow in them and have outcomes such as higher carbohydrate content, lower protein content, and decreased zinc and iron levels between 3-17 per cent compared to current conditions. Plants provide the majority of nutrients for most people's diets globally - vegetable sources provide 63 per cent of dietary protein, 81 per cent of iron, and 68 per cent of zinc, and are critical for optimal health.

Rising carbon emissions reduce the nutrition of staple foods and increase drought conditions, which will make it challenging to feed Earth's growing population. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The regions most at risk include India, China, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia, whereas many countries in North America, South America, and Western Europe are at a lower risk due to diets that are heavy in animal-sourced foods. Majority of the countries most at risk for increasing rates of malnutrition already have high proportions of the population suffering from one or more deficiency, and increasing carbon levels could exacerbate the existing health burdens related to nutritional deficiencies.

The study notes that the world has made considerable improvements in improving global nutrition over the past couple decades, but the gains have been uneven and some of the highest-risk areas have seen minimal progress. India has made significant progress in reducing the rate of underweight children since 1990, but nearly 35 per cent of Indian children are still underweight, whereas the developing country average is approximately 20 per cent.

The researchers state that projections were made assuming dietary patterns stayed more or less the same, even though projecting future diets is subject to large uncertainty. Demographic, economic trends, and climate change all play large roles in the global production, availability, and distribution of food, and unfortunately the countries that are currently struggling the most with malnutrition are likely to be hit the hardest by lowered crop quality due to climate change.

SUCCESS IN PREVENTING POLLUTANTS FROM ENDING UP IN THE ARCTIC

Some Arctic regions are void of humans for hundreds of kilometres, but traces of human-made pollutants appear in snow and animals. This is because atmospheric circulation patterns transport pollution across the globe towards the Arctic where they settle and contaminate wildlife and the environment. Polar bears are one species that suffer from transported pollutants, as they have been shown to cause brain damage and hormonal disruption, which affects their population's livelihood. Governments and other organizations have implemented various efforts and studies to prevent the Arctic from transported pollution and the subsequent human health consequences when the contaminants enter the food chain, and a new studyshows that market removal and increased regulation have proven to be effective strategies.

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The data shows that legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the Arctic, pollutants that remain in the environment for a long time after they are emitted and do not easily degrade, have declined over the past 20-30 years, and the only increases of POPs occurred from local sources. This is likely due to the recent introduction of national and international regulations that control the emitted amounts of certain pollutants and the voluntary phasing out of producing perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in the United States. The data linked the decrease in contaminants with the United Nations Stockholm Convention in 2001, an international treaty signed by 152 countries to restrict, minimize, or eliminate the production of the 12 most common POPs.

Despite successful regulations and market removals, banned pollutants are still found in the environment in levels that could cause adverse effects to human, animal and environmental health. Recently, a mysterious source of a banned greenhouse gas, CFC-11, had been tracked downto 18 factories in China that had been secretly emitting the pollutant since 2012. Even though international regulations are effective at controlling pollution, small companies still continue to find loopholes and hidden methods to conduct dangerous production.

AIR POLLUTION FOUND TO HARM KIDNEYS

A new study is adding to the long list of negative health impacts we experience from air pollution. While it has been known for some time that inhaling polluted air can cause infections and disease, new researchshows that fine particulate matter, specifically air particles that are less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5), is connected to chronic kidney disease (CKD), a common condition that typically causes loss of kidney function over time and carries an increased risk of death, cardiovascular disease, and end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

The extremely small size of PM2.5 allows these particles to deeply penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream, which causes inflammation and interferes with regular functioning. Combustion activities, like car emissions and wood burning, are a source of PM2.5, which has a relatively large surface area that can carry other toxins on it, such as heavy metals. The study analyzed over 1 million adults above the age of 65 years in the United States to investigate the link between their health and PM2.5 concentrations in regions that the individuals lived.

A blanket of smog sits over Mexico City in 2010. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The results indicate a clear pattern of higher CKD prevalence in large central metropolitan areas. Overall the analysis found that 17.2 per cent of the individuals had CKD, 18.4 per cent prevalence in large central metropolitan areas, and a decreasing trend of 16 per cent and 15.1 per cent in micropolitan and non-core counties, respectively. In areas with polluting combustion activities, such as the Ohio Valley that is populated with coal mining plants, men had a 19 per cent higher relative risk of developing CKD and a 13 per cent higher relative risk for women compared to non-mining counties. In light of the US EPA’s proposal to revitalize the domestic coal industry, the risks for developing CKD could dramatically increase.

Kidneys are sensitive to both climate change and increasing amounts of air pollution - previous research has noted that the warming temperatures can increase the chance of kidney stones by causing higher rates of dehydration. As more air pollution research is produced, it will likely reveal that air pollution has harmful effects for the entire body, not just one group of organs and will add to the urgency for increasing air pollution regulation and mitigation efforts to prevent a public health crisis.

ANNOUNCING PLANS TO SOLVE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE MAY INITIALLY WORSEN IT

Before a large-scale effort to deal with an environmental problem is announced, there is typically mounting evidence for why the issue must be addressed and attention from those that both support and oppose action. The trending plastic straw bans are raising awareness of how climate change and pollution are harming oceans, and a new studyhas discovered that discussing these issues in advance could lead to a preemptive resource extraction before the conservation initiative is implemented.

Overfishing harms marine ecosystems and careless waste disposal practices contribute to a significant amount of ocean pollution. The researchers studied the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA) located in the central Pacific and found that as soon as the area announced it would eventually receive a protected status, fishers more than doubled their fishing efforts. If other marine areas announced similar intentions to restrict fishing activities to improve the environmental conditions, it is expected that the share of over-extracted fisheries would temporarily increase from 65 to 72 per cent.

A U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment member and a Ghanaian navy sailor inspect a fishing vessel suspected of illegal fishing during the Africa Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership in 2014. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

It is reasoned that humans are highly inclined to form expectations in response to new information and can perform preemptive behaviours that undermines intended policy goals. The researchers provide a comparative example of the gun control debate in the US - a mass shooting can spike firearms sales because some Americans fear gun control legislation will prevent these purchases.

Regulating resource extraction from marine areas are proven to be effective in increasing biodiversity and improving marine health. The recommendations from this study include increased monitoring of fishing activities globally and reducing policy design periods so there is a shorter transition into the new regulation and less opportunity to spike harmful fishing practices.

Sources: Nature - Climate Change| Science of The Total Environment| PLOS one| PNAS

https://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/whats-up-in-climate-change-rising-carbon-malnutrition-kidneys-air-pollution-arctic-regulation/110215

Global Rice Flour Market Forecast to 2025 Insights Shared in Detailed Report

This press release was orginally distributed by SBWire

Maharashtra, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/30/2018 -- Rice Flour Market

Global Rice Flour Market, which is backed by extensive primary and detailed secondary research, involving numerous static databases, national government documentation, latest news articles, press releases, company annual reports, financial reports, pertinent patent and administrative databases, as well as a range of internal and external proprietary databases.

Request for a free sample report @ https://www.reportsmonitor.com/request_sample/87069 

Rice flour (also rice powder) is a form of flour made from rice. It is distinct from rice starch, which is usually produced by steeping rice in lye. Rice flour is a particularly good substitute for wheat flour, which causes irritation in the digestive systems of those who are gluten-intolerant. Rice flour is also used as a thickening agent in recipes that are refrigerated or frozen since it inhibits liquid separation.

This report focuses on the Rice Flour in global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.

Scope of the Report

Key players in the market include :

Burapa Prosper, Thai Flour Industry, Rose Brand, CHO HENG, Koda Farms, BIF, Lieng Tong, Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods, Pornkamon Rice Flour Mills, HUANGGUO and Others.

Key Regions of Rice Flour is:

United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India, Central & South America.

Get Discount On this Report @ https://www.reportsmonitor.com/check_discount/87069 

Additionally, this report covers the manufacturers' data, including business distribution, shipment, gross profit, cost, price, revenue, interview record etc., which allows the consumers in better understanding about the leading competitors operating in the market.

Key Types Of Rice Flour are :

Rice Flour, Brown Rice Flour, Glutinous Rice Flour and Others.

Key Applications Of Rice Flour are:

Rice Noodle and Rice Pasta, Sweets and Desserts, Snacks, Bread, Thickening Agent Others.

The Rice Flour Market consists of data accumulated from numerous primary and secondary sources. This information has been verified and validated by the industry analysts, thus providing significant insights to the researchers, analysts, managers, and other industry professionals.

Research objectives

To study and analyze the Global Rice Flour market size by key regions/countries, product type and application, history data from 2017 to 2018, and forecast to 2025.

To understand the structure of Rice Flour market by identifying its various sub-segment.

Focuses on the key Global Rice Flour players, to define, describe and analyze the value, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis and development plans in next few years.

There are Major Chapters to display the Rice Flour research report:

Chapter 1, to describe Rice Flour Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;

Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Rice Flour , with sales, revenue, and price of Rice Flour , in 2016 and 2017.

Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;

Chapter 4, to show the Global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Rice Flour , for each region, from 2013 to 2018;

Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the market by countries, by type, by application and by manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;

Continued…

Browse Complete Report with TOC of Rice Flour Report, Visit: https://www.reportsmonitor.com/report/87069/Global-Rice-Flour-Market 

In the end, Rice Flour Industry report specifics the major regions, market scenarios with the product price, volume, supply, revenue, production, market growth rate, demand, forecast and so on. This report also presents SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.

Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like Asia, Global, Europe.

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House leader prods Senate: Pass rice tariffs measure

By Jovee Marie de la Cruz

August 31, 2018

This April 12, 2017 file photo shows different varieties of rice being sold at a local market in Manila.

A LEADER of the House of Representatives on Thursday urged the Senate to pass the proposed Revised Agricultural Tariffication Act to address the country’s problems on rice supply and high prices.

In pushing the passage of the proposed Revised Agricultural Tariffication Act,  Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. said: “The sooner we institutionalize a rule-based system of importing rice, the  better. That’s the  only way of legally bringing in rice;  all other methods are  smuggling. The House has passed the rice tariffication bill, the Senate should do the same,” said Andaya.

The bill is currently pending before the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food.

Andaya, however, also admitted that replacing quantitative import restrictions on rice with duties is only one of  the ways to make rice affordable and abundant.

“We must also look into the budget of the DA [Department of Agriculture] and overall public spending for food security. [In areas where there is] scarcity [or the rice supply is not enough], the government can rush stocks to beef up the buffer,” he added.

“The long-term view  is to stick to the existing road map for food security. Let us fund and implement it so there will be no repeat of the turbulence  rocking the rice  sector,” he said.

The lawmaker added price speculators and hoarders should also be “fumigated and flushed out of the system.”

The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading earlier this month House Bill 7735, which seeks to liberalize rice imports by replacing the quantitative import restrictions on rice with tariffs, and create the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.

The bill aims to protect producers of agricultural products, ensure food security and make the agricultural sector viable and globally competitive.

Earlier, House Committee on Agriculture and Food Chairman Jose Panganiban Jr. of ANAC-IP party-list said the P20-billion projected annual tariff to be collected from imported rice is a big help to the country’s  rice farmers.

Panganiban said the country will have about P29 billion to P30 billion that will directly benefit the rice sector.

The P20 billion will come from the annual rice tariff, and the additional P9 billion from the Department of Agriculture.

With the advent of the rice tariffication regime, Panganiban said the country must improve the local rice production to reduce the production cost of rice farmers.

Also, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte, an author of the tariffication bill, said it is a “win-win” situation for consumers and farmers at this time when Filipinos are reeling from higher-than-target inflation.

Villafuerte said the measure liberalizes the entry of cheaper rice and consumers will benefit from this because the lifting of the QR on rice imports is expected to slash the retail cost of the staple by as much as P7 per kilo.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/house-leader-prods-senate-pass-rice-tariffs-measure/

ASIA RICE-INDIA RATES DIP AS RUPEE FLOUNDERS; MARKETS EYE PHILIPPINE BOOST

8/30/2018

* India prices fall by $3 per tonne

* Philippines to import additional 132,000 tonnes

* Bangladesh imports could dip to 600,000 tonnes in 2018-19: USDA

By Vijaykumar Vedala

BENGALURU, Aug 30 (Reuters) - A dip in rice export prices as the rupee plunged failed to stoke fresh demand for the Indian variety this week, but potential orders from the Philippines and elsewhere could provide fresh impetus to markets in Thailand and Vietnam.

In top exporter India, rates for 5 percent broken parboiled rice <RI-INBKN5-P1> fell by $3 to $386-$390 per tonne this week.

The Indian rupee has fallen over 10 percent in 2018, hitting a record low on Thursday, increasing exporters margin from overseas sales.

"Right now, demand is weak. Even after the recent price fall, African buyers are not active in the market," said an exporter based at Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

India's rice exports in April-July edged up 1 percent from a year ago to 4.15 million tonnes on upbeat demand from Senegal, Benin and Iran, a government body said.

In Thailand, a stronger domestic currency saw benchmark 5 percent broken rice <RI-THBKN5-P1> quoted at $393-$395, free on board (FOB) Bangkok, narrowing slightly from last week's $390-$395, traders said.

"We heard nothing about any new deals but some exporters are expecting things to pick up next month from markets in this region like the Philippines and China," a Bangkok-based trader said.

The Philippines will import an additional 132,000 tonnes of rice to boost stocks in southern provinces, where prices have surged in recent weeks due to limited supply, its agriculture minister said on Wednesday.

The Philippines, one of the world's biggest rice importers, usually buys from top producers Thailand and Vietnam.

In Vietnam, rates for 5 percent broken rice <RI-VNBKN5-P1> remained unchanged at $395-$400 a tonne, but prices are expected to pick up over the coming weeks.

"The summer-autumn harvest has come to an end and we have heard about new orders from regional customers," a Ho Chi Minh City-based trader said.

The government's General Statistics Office on Wednesday said farmers in the Mekong Delta provinces have started growing rice for the autumn-winter crop, but prolonged rains are slowing down sowing.

Meanwhile, rice imports from Bangladesh are expected to fall to 600,000 tonnes in the 2018-19 marketing year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a report this month.

"The high rate of import duty may deter imports and increase paddy prices indirectly, but it also may affect prices in the retail market and transfer the burden to consumers," the report said.

Bangladesh, which had emerged as a major rice importer since 2017 after floods damaged its crops, imposed a 28 percent tax on rice imports to support its farmers after local production revived.

Bangladesh imported a record 3.9 million tonnes in 2017-18, food ministry data showed. (Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um in Bangkok, Khanh Vu in Hanoi, Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai, Ruma Paul in Dhaka; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

https://www.agriculture.com/markets/newswire/asia-rice-india-rates-dip-as-rupee-flounders-markets-eye-philippine-boost 

Liberia: Commerce Ministry Refutes Claims of UCI Plastic Rice

By Admin On Aug 30, 2018

Monrovia – The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has refuted reports of that a very rice is currently being sold on the Liberian Market.

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Report by Willie N. Tokpah, willie.tokpah@frontpageafricaonline.com

---

The Ministry’s disproval comes in the wake of recent allegations of plastic rice being imported into the country by the United Commodities Incorporated (UCI).

UCI is one of five importers, granted the rights to import rice in Liberia by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The rice being talked about is said to be labeled in a pink bag with an inscription written on it as ‘United Grain’, and at the same time bearing an ID NSL/RS/792.’

But the Deputy Minister for Administration at Commerce and Industry, Mr. Wilfred Bangura, told newsmen Wednesday, August 29, that since news pop out about the rice being unsafe for consumption, the particular consignment was quarantined for testing.

Dep. Min Bangura, however, noted that recent scientific tests conducted by the National Standard Laboratory disproved allegations that the rice has plastic characteristic.

“The Ministry of Commerce is therefore pleased to announce to the public that the tests revealed that the sample of rice submitted is identical, organic and has a characteristic of normal rice and not plastic rice,” Bangura said.

Minister Bangura noted that all the necessary experiments were conducted on the rice and results prove that the ‘pink-bagged’ rice under consideration is safe for consumption.

According to report from the National Standard Laboratory, a copy of which is in the possession of FrontPageAfrica, the United Grain Rice has a solid grain type, an ambient condition along with a normal room temperature of 25C.

The scientific result shows that during the test, sample of the rice was boiled and cooked as normal rice; it was free of filth, foreign matters and unpleasant smell making it safe for consumption.

He assured that the Ministry is committed to ensuring that various commodities coming to Liberia, especially food, are safe for consumption and will not do anything on the contrary.

At the same time, Bangura disclosed that an investigation conducted by the Ministry has revealed, that one of the five rice importers in Liberia is behind the scheme spreading falsehood of the rice.

He refused to reveal the name of the importer under question on grounds that discussions are still being held with all importers, but assures that such name will be made public next week.

Minister Bangura then lauded all stakeholders and the public for the patience and cooperation during the period of investigation and experiment on the rice.

According to the Ministry, UCI is so far the highest distributors of rice on the Liberian market.

The Deputy Commerce Minister believes such allegation against one of Liberia’s highest rice importers does not augur well for the improvement of the Liberian marketing sector.

The Ministry of Commerce is the regulatory agency of government with the responsibility to regulate the market and protect Liberians from unsafe commodities coming into the country.

 0

https://www.foodnavigator-asia.com/Article/2018/08/30/Philippine-rice-crisis-escalates-as-shortages-push-prices-to-a-three-year-high

‘Let smugglers import rice’

Agri chief stirs uproar with his plan; senators cry sabotage

August 31, 2018 at 01:45 am by Macon Ramos-Araneta

Senators on Thursday slammed Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol for suggesting that rice smugglers be allowed to operate in Mindanao as legitimate importers so that the price of the staple would go down.

In an interview with radio dzMM, Piñol said the areas of Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi have long relied on smuggled rice and consider it “traditional trading.”

But prices shot up when smuggling stopped as a result of talks between President Rodrigo Duterte and Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

“That’s the reason they ran out of rice in the Zambasulta area,” he said in Filipino.

Piñol suggested setting up a trading center in the south where smugglers can supply rice as legitimate importers, a proposal senators were quick to lambast.

Senator Cynthia Villar, chairperson of the Senate committee on food and agriculture, slammed the idea as economic sabotage.

“We cannot encourage rice smuggling. Even if it’s happening everywhere. It’s against the law,” Villar said in a mix of Filipino and English, on the sidelines of the Agriculture and Fisheries Technology Forum.

She said the law views the smuggling of rice worth more than P10 million as economic sabotage.

Senator Joel Villanueva branded as “horrible” Piñol’s performance following his proposal to legalize rice smuggling in some parts of Mindanao.

“With the statements that he made... I think it’s terrible,” said Villanueva as he expressed disbelief that Piñol suggested legalizing rice smuggling in the Zambasulta area.

“I don’t know if that’s his intention. I’m sure he doesn’t mean it. You have to be more circumspect of what you say when you become the head of the agency. You just have to be careful about it,” he said.

Senator Nancy Binay on Thursday called on Malacañang to step in to end the apparent standoff between two of its agencies in charge of food security.

Binay urged Malacañang to mediate between the National Food Authority and the NFA Council, saying disagreements between the two have hurt the supply of low-cost NFA rice for more than a year now.

The prolonged deadlock, she added, has resulted in bouts of food insecurity.

The NFA is mandated to maintain a rice buffer stock for 15 days at any given time and 30 days during lean months, based on the country’s daily consumption rice requirement of 32,150 metric tons.

“It’s been one year that we’ve had a shortage of NFA rice, but we still have not fixed the problem,” Binay said in a mix of Filipino and English.

She said the immediate concern is the availability of affordable government-subsidized rice and to find solutions to the shortage by addressing the 30-day NFA rice buffer stock.

Villar, meanwhile, also questioned the Agriculture department’s policy to import rice and fish, saying this puts the livelihood of farmers and fishers at risk.

Her statement came after the department approved the importation of 17,000 metric tons of galunggong from China, in a bid to lower prices for the fish.

“Importation should not be our automatic reaction to problems besetting the agriculture sector. We should work for long-term solutions that will make us self-sufficient and competitive,” Villar said.

Villar said importing galunggong will not solve the problem of the dwindling fish stock.

“Why is there a need to import galunggong? Can we not find another replacement for galunggong?” Villar said, adding that protein can also be obtained from consuming other local catch such as bangus, hasa-hasa, ayungin and many others.

Villar also proposed for the imposition of a price ceiling to stop the spike in the prices of goods and to mount a no-nonsense campaign against cartels and smuggling.

“We all know there are cartels that control the prices of prime commodities. We alrady passed a law against agriculture smuggling… but sadly, nobody has been punished under this law,” she said.

Villar also stressed the need to implement “measures that will make the produce of Filipino farmers and fisherfolk competitive in this age of liberalization.”

“We need intervention from government that will provide an alternative source of income for fishermen when we close the fishing grounds and allow the catch to recover. To encourage inland production of fish, we need to strengthen our fingerlings distribution program,” she said.

In the case of rice farmers, Villar said mechanization will substantially reduce the cost of producing palay and farming with inbred seeds will improve the yield from four to six metric tons per hectare.

Under a rice tariff bill Villar will sponsor in the Senate, a P10-billion Rice Competitive Enhancement Fund will be created to bankroll programs designed to improve farmers’ productivity.

But Piñol said the only way to curb rice smuggling in the south and to stabilize prices was to let smugglers bring their shipments to a trading center.

“We are left with two options: We either allow smuggling to continue and just close our eyes, or we take full control of the situation. We set up a rice trading center,” he said.

He said this would let the government control the volume of rice entering the southern part of the country, and can let in just enough for the needs of the Zambasulta area, so that farmers on the mainland of Mindanao are not hurt by the entry of cheap, smuggled rice.

http://manilastandard.net/news/top-stories/274369/-let-smugglers-import-rice-.html

'Fumigate the bigger pests' in rice crisis: hoarders, price speculators

House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya suggests ways to address the ongoing rice crisis

Mara Cepeda

@maracepeda

Published 3:25 PM, August 30, 2018

Updated 3:25 PM, August 30, 2018

RICE CRISIS. House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya says the government should go after rice hoarders and price speculators. File photo by Angie de Silva/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya urged the government to go after rice hoarders and price speculators as parts of the country continue to face a rice crisis.

"Tirisin din ang mga mas malaking bukbok – ang mga price speculators and hoarders (Crush the bigger pests – the price speculators and hoarders). They should be fumigated and flushed out of the system," said Andaya in a statement on Thursday, August 30.

The Camarines Sur 1st District representative made the statement after Makabayan bloc lawmakers filed two resolutions calling for separate congressional probes into the importation of rice infested with weevils or bukbokfrom Thailand as well as the rice shortage in Zamboanga City.

Zamboanga City was placed under a state of calamitybecause of the rice shortage, which drove up commercial rice prices to as much as P70 per kilo in remote villages.

Andaya also called on the Senate to pass the bill seeking to replace quantitative restrictions on rice imports with the imposition of tariffs or taxes. The House already approved the measure on 3rd and final reading.

But Andaya said the rice tariffication bill is just one way to make rice affordable and abundant.

He suggested that the government institutionalize a "rules-based system" of importing rice and thoroughly assess the Department of Agriculture's overall public spending on food security.

"The long-term view is to stick to the existing road map for food security. Let us fund and implement it so there will be no repeat of the turbulence rocking the rice sector," said Andaya. – Rappler.com

https://www.rappler.com/business/210740-fumigate-bigger-pests-rice-crisis-hoarders-price-speculators

Ex-technocrats join call for abolition of NFA

August 30, 2018 | 9:52 pm

WORKERS display the 10-kilo repacked NFA rice which sells for P360 a sack at a stall inside the Pritil Public Market in Tondo, Manila. The 10-kilo sack offers P36 per kilo NFA rice to consumers is part of the “Tulong sa Bayan” affordable rice program of the Department of Agriculture. — PHILSTAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

By Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio

THE Foundation for Economic Freedom said on Thursday that it is throwing its support behind Senators Cynthia A. Villar and Sherwin T. Gatchalian, who have called for the abolition of the National Food Authority.

In a statement, the FEF, whose members include prominent former economic ministers, said that the “NFA has caused and aggravated rice inflation and rice shortages in several regions, compounded the debt and losses of the national government, and provided opportunities for graft and corruption for its officers and employees, from the purchase of imported rice to the distribution and transportation of subsidized rice.”

According to the FEF, which tends to support free-market economic policies, food security does not depend on the existence of the NFA, and a smaller agency can be created to manage and maintain buffer stocks of rice to prevent shortages that raise prices.

“[T]he NFA has been inefficient and clueless on the right timing for importing rice and its distribution. The private sector should be free to import rice from any source in whatever quantities the market needs. This is the only solution to the current rice shortage crisis and to the pervasive malnutrition caused by high food prices,” the FEF said.

The FEF called for the immediate passage of the rice tariffication bill by the House of Representatives and in the Senate.

“We support a version of the bill that will abolish the National Food Authority and its powers, including imposing import quotas on the private sector in the importation of rice and licensing traders and importers,” FEF said.

The NFA has said that it used its funds to repay maturing loans and avoid paying higher interest rates, limiting its ability to purchase rice from farmers.

“Our funds are committed to paying off maturing loans,” NFA Spokesperson Rex C. Estoperez said in a phone interview.

“The funds are all accounted for,” Mr. Estoperez added, adding that heavier interest payments would affect the financial capacity of the NFA if these are not paid.

Meanwhile, in a chance interview on the sidelines of the 14^th Agriculture and Fisheries Technology Forum and Product Exhibition in Mandaluong, Ms. Villar said that the NFA should not have used the funds to repay debt but to maintain buffer stocks to prevent supply problems, particularly in the supply of low-cost rice, which poor families depend on.

“The NFA was given a P7-billion budget and they did not buy from farmers,” Ms. Villar said.

“Those funds were not intended for paying down debt, they should have used it for buffer stock to enable the agency to sell low-cost rice and keep traders from controlling the supply of rice,” Ms. Villar added.

Ms. Villar, who chairs the Senate’s committee on agriculture and food, apologized for the rising price of rice.

“I think we have failed in our job to serve our fellow Filipinos. I am apologizing on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, the National Food Authority and the Department of Trade and Industry for failing to control the spiraling price of rice,” Ms. Villar said in her speech during the forum.

In a statement, the NFA said some local shortages were beyond its control.

“The rice crisis in Zamboanga happened not because of NFA’s inefficiency or incompetence. It was due to the significant depletion of commercial rice stocks; the unavailability of commercial rice sources due to the closure of the Malaysian border which led to the sudden price surge; and the declaration of a State of Calamity in Zamboanga City to allow the local government to control rice prices and purchase buffer stocks using calamity funds,” NFA said.

“We are open for scrutiny anytime. Those who want to verify what we have been doing can check our records, go around the country and ask the people. For the first time in many years, indigenous peoples, small farmers, fisherfolk, island dwellers, the urban poor, those living in resettlement areas — the real marginalized sectors of our society — are happy and thankful that they have access to quality, low-priced NFA rice,” it added.

NFA also said it received P5.1 billion in subsidies from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) based on a Notice of Cash Allocation issued on Feb. 24, 2017. Of the total, the Bureau of Treasury (BTr) automatically deducted 10% or P510 million as payment for previous years’ guarantee fees while P2.5-billion represented its annual contribution to servicing the P8 billion worth of 10-year Treasury Bonds issued to finance the NFA in February 2008.

The agency said that it received on March 1, 2017 net proceeds of P2.09-billion.

“The 2.09 billion net subsidy was used to pay for importation and palay procurement, which is in accordance with the General Appropriations Act. In fact, the subsidy fell short as NFA’s total cost of importation in 2017 amounted to P5.2 billion pesos,” NFA added.

http://www.bworldonline.com/ex-technocrats-join-call-for-abolition-of-nfa/

We deserve better! Jojo Binay slams lazy, inefficient presidential appointees amid rice crisis, NAIA runway mess

On Aug 30, 2018

It’s time to appoint competent managers and administrators instead of political allies to ensure efficient operations of government offices, former Vice President Jojo Binay said recently.

In his latest newspaper column, Binay said many presidential appointees were clueless and inexperienced to lead government departments and agencies.

He made the statement after authorities struggled to handle the “pandemonium” at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport caused by an airplane runway mishap as well as the weevil infestation of rice imports.

“The public deserves better governance. As taxpayers, they require better service from public servants. They should not be at the mercy of the lazy, the clueless, and the inefficient,” the former veep said.

“Unless we make these changes in governance, we will always be asking what’s happening and who’s in charge,” he said.

http://politics.com.ph/we-deserve-better-jojo-binay-slams-lazy-inefficient-presidential-appointees-amid-rice-crisis-naia-runway-mess/

Gov’t sets 3-month price freeze, other anti-inflation measures

 August 31, 2018, 12:06 AM

PUNCHLINE

By FRED M. LOBO

Fred M. Lobo

The government and manufacturers of basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPC) have agreed to hold off price increases in the next three months or up to the end of the year.

Price freeze will be warmly welcomed by long-suffering consumers.

***

Malacanang  likewise approved the suspension of special safeguard duty on onion and chicken imports and close monitoring of government rice importation and distribution.

No more supply-price choke. Time to mitigate  soaring inflation.

***

 Senator Cynthia Villar said she will sponsor for plenary deliberations the  rice tariffication measure which will boost rice supply, and even led to the eventual abolition of the erratic National Food Authority (NFA).

More open rice importation could bring prices down, she said.

***

DTI Undersecretary for Consumer Protection Group Ruth Castelo said BNPC manufacturers, representing the 235 items listed in the expanded suggested retail price (SRP), agreed in principle to stop increasing their prices in the next three months or until December 30 this year.

Yes to corporate social responsibility. No to greed and  dizzying price increases.

***

“We requested manufacturers of basic necessities and prime commodities to hold off any price increase at least for the next three months. Response in principle is very positive…” said Castelo.

“Not a moratorium” in violation of the Price Act but a heeded appeal from government and Laban Konsyumer, she said.

***

 Castelo added that some manufacturers even agreed to hold off SRP price increases until the first quarter of next year.

“Our appeal is preferably until next year.(So) some manufacturers will not increase their BNPC prices until next year,” she added.

***

 Castelo said that so far,  a firm commitment on price freeze was given by manufacturers of coffee, noodles, laundry and bath soap, soy sauce, patis (fish sauce), vinegar,  bread and candles though manufacturers of  canned sardines and meat have yet to commit.

Coffee and noodles cheers! Let other goods follow later.

***

The DTI confirmed that 40 percent of items under the SRP list have earlier increased their prices.

No more price violations or face the ire of consumers.

***

Meanwhile, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said that the President’s economic managers, other Cabinet members, and tariff authorities met recently and “ they decided  to pursue (five) measures to lower prices firstly by approving the importation of round scad.”

The importation of galunggong gets priority.

***

 Roque added  the government would also temporarily suspend the special safeguard duty on  imported chicken and onions.

In reduced price of  onions, there is strength, men would naughtily say.

***

Roque  said Agriculture Sec. Manuel Pinol   also gave pork importers one month to maximize their importation and told vegetable importers to submit to “regular inspections” of their warehouses.

Yes to needed  importation but no to hoarding.

***

 Roque also assured the public there will “close monitoring” of  rice  importation and distribution by the NFA in the wake of complaints that most imports have not yet reached the market.

Yes to more cheaper rice. No to memo-rice!

https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/08/31/govt-sets-3-month-price-freeze-other-anti-inflation-measures/

FMARD sheds light on why Nigerian rice is expensive and scarce

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has revealed and given reasons for the scarcity and high price of the locally made rice in the market.

The Ministry, on Wednesday August 29th, 2018 gave reasons for the scarcity as being a disconnect between integrated rice millers and the supply chain.

Deputy Director , Rice Value Chain in the ministry, Fatimah Aliyu whilst speaking at the 2nd National Congress, Policy Dialogue and Inauguration of the Board of Trustees of Rice Assured Advocacy Forum (RAAF), facilitated by John A. Kufuor Foundation (JAKF).made this known in Abuja

She said though there was a huge market for local rice, integrated millers were reluctant to push out their products for fear of price competition with imported rice.

Mrs Aliyu was responding to complaints by representatives of some rice millers who claimed that most Nigerians preferred imported rice to local rice because of its cheap price.

The millers blamed the high price of local rice on production cost, resulting from poor power supply, high transport fare and smuggling of foreign rice.

Mrs. Aliyu said;

“There is market for Nigerian rice. There are people willing to pay the high price for it because of its high nutritional value, but they cannot get it to buy. There is that market disconnect that has to be looked into’’

She urged stakeholders in the rice value chain under the RAAF’s platform to brainstorm on the issue and come out with suggestions on how to tackle the problem.

“We are open to all those suggestions because it is part of policy advocacy.

“Once you, the stakeholders, give us those suggestions, the government is going to look at them because the situation is also a problem to the government.

“Integrated millers have invested so much in the business, and even government has also invested so much in it. So, it is of importance that integrated millers succeed’’ she said.

The first National Deputy President of RAAF, Rafau Lawal, called for a policy to encourage consumption of Nigerian rice as is done in Tanzania and other countries.

Mr Lawal said that one of the policy measures being looked at was the branding of Nigerian shops for local rice.

https://tvcnews.tv/2018/08/fmard-sheds-light-on-why-nigerian-rice-is-expensive-and-scarce/15

SMC’s parallel NFA

BY JOJO ROBLES ON AUGUST 31, 2018OPINION ON PAGE ONE

JOJO ROBLES

PERHAPS it’s about time we allow the private sector to take over the rice business, which has been the source of grief for many millions while making only a few cartelized traders, smugglers and crooked government officials rich. And if tariffication, which allows anyone to import the staple, becomes possible, the delicate balance of keeping both consumers and rice farmers happy may just happen.By now, you’ve probably heard of San Miguel head honcho’s proposal to build a spanking new P750-billion airport in Bulakan, Bulacan. But the high-flying chieftain of the country’s biggest conglomerate has also set his sights on the rice trading and distribution market, which he promises to shake up by dramatically increasing the buying price of palay for farmers while making significant imports from our rice-producing neighbors in order to drive down the price of rice for consumers.

As Ang sees it, the mandate of the government as far as rice is concerned is simple: keep enough farmers planting more and more rice to improve production while sparing consumers the spikes caused by reduced supply and cartelization that causes price manipulation.

Ang’s SMC knows all about purchasing, storing and contracting staples, through the supply chain built by its B-Meg feeds outfit and the contracting of poultry and other meat growers in order to supply its Purefoods unit.

San Miguel’s network of storage silos and buying stations is very much like a parallel National Food Authority (only with a lot more money), with facilities from the farthest points north of the country in Luzon to its southernmost tip in Mindanao.

SMC also processes 5 million tons annually of corn, sorghum and other imported grains to create its food products and animal feeds in a Batangas facility. In the coming years, according to Ang, San Miguel intends to double the capacity of its feed mills and silos in order to expand importation of such commodities for its food and feed business.

In other words, San Miguel, an acknowledged leader in the food and feed businesses, knows all about telling farmers to grow stuff for profit and about importing and storing grains. And with impending tariffication of rice which will allow anyone to import the staple — the proposed enabling law for this scheme has just passed the House of Representatives on third and final reading — SMC, more than any other business, seems ready to capitalize.

But going into the rice business is not strictly a for-profit move for Ang and his diversified conglomerate. Because of his knowledge and experience in contract growing and grains trading, he is surprised that the government cannot simply hike the buying price of palay to benefit farmers and import more cheap rice from Vietnam and Cambodia to flood the market and keep prices stable.

According to Ang, the government could easily expand its budget for the purchase of rice if it was really serious about attracting more farmers to plant the staple, instead of spending for things like the expanded Unconditional Cash Transfer dole-out program. By his estimate, if San Miguel more than doubled the NFA’s palay buying price of P17 a kilo and bought the unmilled harvest at P40, it would ensure that farmers would keep planting in the years to come.

If the farmers are given a 10-percent yearly increase in their target harvest every year for 10 years, that would mean that SMC-contacted rice farmers would double their production in a decade. And the country’s food security would be assured, besides.

As far as importing rice is concerned, Ang has an even better idea: By importing rice in bulk (without sacks), he says that milled rice can be purchased from Vietnam and Cambodia at half the price of retail in places like Metro Manila. Because he checks regularly on grains prices, the SMC boss knows exactly what the price of rice is in big producers like Indochina — and that the cause of the markup for imported varieties is the sacks used in packaging.

Imagine that: the sacks that imported rice comes in immediately double the price. If people were encouraged to bring their own containers or if retail outlets used cheaper packaging, the price of rice would go down very significantly, Ang believes.

“The idea is to keep prices low and stable for consumers by buying cheaper in bulk from abroad, while ensuring food security and happy farmers by purchasing their produce at significantly higher prices, if they increase production consistently,” said Ang. “With tariffication, we can enter the market and do exactly that.”

The government has, for many decades since the postwar period, thrown immense resources at the rice problem, with so little to show for it by way of stable prices or increased food security. Maybe, just like San Miguel’s Bulacan airport proposal, this is an idea whose time has finally come.

* * *

Yesterday was the 84th birth anniversary of the greatest media owner I have ever had the pleasure of working with – the late Antonio L. Cabangon Chua. Ambassador Cabangon Chua was the owner of Aliw Broadcasting Corp., which is probably more known to most people as AM radio station dwIZ 882, where I have been hosting the popular “Karambola” program with Conrad Banal, Jonathan de la Cruz, RJ “Thinking Pinoy” Nieto and Trixie Cruz Angeles since the beginning of 2015.

As someone who’s been toiling for more than 30 years in media, I’ve seen all sorts of owners of media enterprises. Without disrespecting these fine, committed people, I think Tony Cabangon Chua is still ahead as far as supporting his workers by giving them everything they need to get the job done and standing by them when terrible political and other forces are brought to bear in order to shut them up.

It’s people like Ambassador Cabangon Chua (and The Manila Times Chairman Emeritus Dante A. Ang) who keep enterprising journalism alive. And one day, if I’m up to it, I shall reveal specific incidents of how great media owners helped nurture my own career as a lifelong journalist.

Maraming salamat po, Amba.

https://www.manilatimes.net/smcs-parallel-nfa/436472/:40

 

Blame Rice Millers For Scarcity Of Local Rice In Market – Ministry

By Jesuwale Stephen

August 29, 2018

Ministry of Agriculture

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said the scarcity of local rice in Nigerian markets should be tied to disconnect between integrated rice millers and the supply chain.

Deputy Director, Rice Value Chain in the ministry, Fatimah Aliyu, stated this in Abuja.

Aliyu spoke at the 2nd National Congress, Policy Dialogue and Inauguration of the Board of Trustees of Rice Assured Advocacy Forum (RAAF), facilitated by John A. Kufuor Foundation (JAKF).

She said though there was huge market for the local rice, integrated millers were reluctant to push out their products for fear of price competition with imported rice.

Aliyu was responding to complaints by representatives of some rice millers who claimed that most Nigerians preferred imported rice to local rice because of its cheap price.

“There is market for Nigerian rice. There are people willing to pay the high price for it because of its high nutritional value, but they cannot get it to buy.

“There is that market disconnect that has to be looked into,’’ Aliyu said.

She urged stakeholders in the rice value chain under the RAAF’s platform to brainstorm on the issue and come out with suggestions on how to tackle the problem.

“We are open to all those suggestions because it is part of policy advocacy.

“Once you, the stakeholders, give us those suggestions, government is going to look at them because the situation is also a problem to government.

“Integrated millers have invested so much in the business, and even government has also invested so much in it. So, it is of importance that integrated millers succeed,’’ she said.

However, the millers blamed the high price of local rice on production cost, resulting from poor power supply, high transport fare and smuggling of foreign rice.

https://www.concisenews.global/2018/08/29/blame-rice-millers-for-scarcity-of-local-rice-in-market-ministry/

 

CIBIL score mandatory for milling govt paddy in Punjab

PTI August 30, 2018 22:52 IST

     Chandigarh, Aug 30 (PTI) Rice millers, desirous of milling government paddy in Punjab, should have a CIBIL score not less than 600 and should also submit credit report, according to a new custom milling paddy policy.
     The decision is aimed to check allotment of government paddy to non-eligible rice millers.
     Punjab cabinet led by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today gave nod to the new policy, with the aim of ensuring seamless procurement of paddy from farmers and delivery of rice into the Central Pool from more than 3,710 mills operating in the state.
     "To strictly check allotment of government paddy to non-eligible parties for the first time ever, the millers would be mandatorily required to submit a certified credit report, along with complete Credit Information Bureau India Limited (CIBIL) report for all their financial transactions from their bankers for this purpose.
     The miller desirous of doing milling of government paddy should have a CIBIL score not below 600 and CIBIL Micro, Medium and Small Enterprises Rank (CMR) should be 6 or lower," according to an official spokesperson.
     In addition, the miller would have to submit a bank guarantee equal to the value of five per cent of acquisition cost of total paddy to be stored in mill premises, he said.
     The scheme for Custom Milling of Kharif 2018-19 paddy would be followed by all the procuring agencies -- PUNGRAIN, MARKFED, PUNSUP, Punjab State Warehousing Corporation (PSWC), Punjab Agro Foodgrains Corporation (PAFC), including Food Corporation of India and the rice millers with the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Punjab acting as the nodal department.
     A spokesperson said the sole criterion for allotment of free paddy to mills during Kharif marketing season 2018-19 would be the miller's performance in the previous year and an additional percentage-wise incentive would be provided to mills as per their date of delivery of rice against milling of custom milled paddy.
     Mills which had completed their milling by January31, 2018 would be eligible for additional 15 per cent of free paddy, the spokesperson said, adding that those who had completed delivery of rice by February 28, 2018 would get an additional 10 per cent of free paddy.
     For the first time, mills with dryers and sortexes already installed in the premises would be eligible for five per cent additional allocation of paddy on account of each separately, the spokesperson added.
     The newly established rice mills shall be allocated 2,500 MTs of paddy for one tonne capacity with subsequent allocation of additional 500 MTs of paddy for every additional tonne of capacity, subject to maximum allocation of 4,000 MTs.
     The state was expected to procure 190 Lakh metric tonne of paddy and the target was to complete the Custom Milling of Paddy, thereby delivering all due rice to Food Corporation of India, by March 31, 2019.
     Under the milling schedule prescribed, millers would have to deliver 35 per cent of their total rice due by December 31, 2018 and 60 per cent of total rice due by January 1, 2019; 80 per cent of total rice due by February 29, 2019 and total rice due by 31st March, 2019.
     For time-bound redressal of any dispute, a first-time provision of an Arbitral panel of three arbitrators has been made in the policy. PTI CHS MKJ

https://www.theweek.in/wire-updates/business/2018/08/30/nrg41-cibil-paddy-millers.htmls

Why Nigerian rice is expensive, scarce – Govt

August 29, 2018Agency Report

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Wednesday blamed the scarcity of local rice in Nigerian markets to disconnect between integrated rice millers and the supply chain.

Fatimah Aliyu, a Deputy Director, Rice Value Chain in the ministry, stated this in Abuja.

Mrs Aliyu spoke at the 2nd National Congress, Policy Dialogue and Inauguration of the Board of Trustees of Rice Assured Advocacy Forum (RAAF), facilitated by John A. Kufuor Foundation (JAKF).

She said though there was a huge market for local rice, integrated millers were reluctant to push out their products for fear of price competition with imported rice.

Mrs Aliyu was responding to complaints by representatives of some rice millers who claimed that most Nigerians preferred imported rice to local rice because of its cheap price.

The millers blamed the high price of local rice on production cost, resulting from poor power supply, high transport fare and smuggling of foreign rice.

“There is market for Nigerian rice. There are people willing to pay the high price for it because of its high nutritional value, but they cannot get it to buy. There is that market disconnect that has to be looked into,’’ Mrs Aliyu said.

She urged stakeholders in the rice value chain under the RAAF’s platform to brainstorm on the issue and come out with suggestions on how to tackle the problem.

“We are open to all those suggestions because it is part of policy advocacy.

“Once you, the stakeholders, give us those suggestions, the government is going to look at them because the situation is also a problem to the government.

“Integrated millers have invested so much in the business, and even government has also invested so much in it. So, it is of importance that integrated millers succeed,’’ she said.

The first National Deputy President of RAAF, Rafau Lawal, called for a policy to encourage consumption of Nigerian rice as is done in Tanzania and other countries.

Mr Lawal said that one of the policy measures being looked at was the branding of Nigerian shops for local rice.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that RAAF is a national dialogue platform, aimed at harmonising rice value chain actors in Nigeria to advocate for better policies in the sector.

It was set up during the first phase of the Competitive African Rice Initiative (CARI), between June 2014 and June 2018.

The platforms are currently operating in 17 states in the country. (NAN)

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/281773-why-nigerian-rice-are-expensive-scarce-govt.html

BUSINESSECONOMY

Poisonous Rice: Ebonyi Reopens Abakaliki Rice Mill After Sanitation

The Ebonyi government on Thursday ordered the re-opening of the Abakaliki Rice Mill Limited two days after it was sealed following alleged poisonous bags of rice that were discovered in the mill.

By The Eagle Online On Aug 30, 2018

 11

The Ebonyi government on Thursday ordered the re-opening of the Abakaliki Rice Mill Limited two days after it was sealed following alleged poisonous bags of rice that were discovered in the mill.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Governor David Umahi ordered the sealing of the mill on Tuesday, after the state ministry of environment received reports and subsequently discovered bags of rice allegedly labeled ‘not fit for human consumption’ inside the mill.
Dr Kenneth Ugbala, Leader of the inter-ministerial committee, set up by the government to investigate the matter, told newsmen at a news conference in Abakaliki on Thursday that the mill will re-open immediately.
Ugbala, who is also Governor David Umahi’s Senior Special Assistant  on Internal Security, said that the mill was reopened because it had been sanitised, the poisonous products confiscated and culpable shops sealed.
He said: “The committee alongside experts and security agencies evacuated the adulterated products from the affected shops and generally sanitised the mill with security agencies making some arrests.
“The state governor reopened the mill to save innocent millers and buyers from untold economic losses and also due to the mill’s importance to the state’s economic survival.
“Ebonyi citizens and buyers from across the country are hereby assured that the suspected products have been identified and evacuated, so they could freely process and purchase rice from the mill.”
The committee leader said that the shops where the poisonous products were confiscated would remain shut till all investigations are concluded.
Ugbala said: “Citizens who purchased rice from the mill within the period under scrutiny should present such products to the concerned ministries of health, agriculture, environment among others, for thorough screening.
“The government expresses serious disappointment with the mill’s leadership and subsequently suspends it for failing to be an effective liaison between the mill and the government.
“The disappointment is more profound because some of the shops where the poisonous products were discovered allegedly belonged to some leaders of the mill.
“We will consult adequately to appoint a caretaker leadership for it.”
He debunked the notion that the matter was aimed at witch-hunting the Mill’s Chairman, Joseph Ununu for winning a mock-delegate election.
Ununu is contesting the Abakaliki state constituency seat at the state House of Assembly under the Peoples Democratic Party.
He said: “No member of the committee is from Ununu’s state constituency or even local government area as issues of delegates’ election are entirely the party’s affairs.
“We have also not received any formal notification that he is presently declared missing by his relatives as the entire mill’s leadership was suspended and not only one person.”
Chief Donatus Njoku, the State Commissioner for Environment, disclosed that a total of 317 bags were confiscated from 10 shops at the mill during the committee’s screening exercise.
Njoku said: “Two shops identified to be using substandard weight measurements were also sealed alongside those where the poisonous products were found until all investigations are concluded.”
Prof. Fidelis Okpata, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, assured the public that any government official found culpable in the matter would be punished no matter how highly placed.
Okpata said: “This is a responsible government which will not mortgage the lives of its citizens for the unwholesome commercial dealings of few individuals or groups.”

https://theeagleonline.com.ng/poisonous-rice-ebonyi-reopens-abakaliki-rice-mill-after-sanitation/

 

Why local rice is scarce in markets, by ministry

Posted By: Our Reporter On: August 30, 2018 In: News, News Update

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development yesterday blamed the scarcity of local rice in the markets to disconnect between integrated rice millers and the supply chain.

The ministry’s Deputy Director, Rice Value Chain, Mrs Fatimah Aliyu spoke at the 2nd National Congress, Policy Dialogue and Inauguration of the Board of Trustees of Rice Assured Advocacy Forum (RAAF), facilitated by John A. Kufuor Foundation (JAKF).

She said though there was huge market for the local rice, integrated millers were reluctant to push out their products for fear of price competition with imported rice.

Aliyu was responding to complaints by representatives of some rice millers, who claimed that most Nigerians preferred imported rice to local rice because of its cheap price.

The millers blamed the high price of local rice on production cost, resulting from poor power supply, high transport fare and smuggling of foreign rice.

“There is market for Nigerian rice. There are people willing to pay the high price for it because of its high nutritional value, but they cannot get it to buy. There is that market disconnect that has to be looked into,’’ Aliyu said.

She urged stakeholders in the rice value chain under the RAAF’s platform to brainstorm on the issue and come out with suggestions on how to tackle the problem.

“We are open to all those suggestions because it is part of policy advocacy. Once you, the stakeholders, give us those suggestions, government is going to look at them because the situation is also a problem to government.

“Integrated millers have invested so much in the business, and even government has also invested so much in it. So, it is of importance that integrated millers succeed,’’ she said.

RAAF National Deputy President Alhaji Rafau Lawal, called for a policy to encourage consumption of local rice as is done in Tanzania and other countries.

Lawal said one of the policy measures being looked at was the branding of Nigerian shops for local rice.

http://thenationonlineng.net/why-local-rice-is-scarce-in-markets-by-ministry/

 

Katy Rice Festival

Friday, October 12 – Sunday, October 14, 2018
901 Avenue C. 
The City of Katy will be hosting the 2018 Katy Rice Festival the 2nd weekend in October in Downtown Historic Katy. The event will be a first-class, family-friendly event featuring quality art & craft vendors, excellent live music and food options, beer garden and carnival. They are also bringing back some great aspects of the festival – the rice cooking competition and student arts competition – and implementing new aspects to the event; it will be fun for the whole family and promises to bring big crowds! But the best part is that ALL proceeds will be given back to the community in student scholarships and local charities through the Rotary Club of Katy.
The weekend starts on Friday, October 12 as the event kicks off with an “Octoberfest” style evening – live music, food trucks, beer garden and carnival (no art & craft vendors) – from 6-11 PM and is free to the public. Saturday, October 13 will begin with a parade at 9 AM and then gates to the festival will be open from 10 AM-10 PM (admission is $5/adult and kids 12 & under are free). On Sunday, October 14 the festival will be open from 12-6 PM (admission is $5/adult and kids 12 & under are free).
Come visit us and enjoy of this iconic festival in Downtown Historic Katy!

October 12th 2018 Posted to City of Katy Events,Community Events,Events in Katy Texas,Family Events,Holiday Events,Pet Events,Visual & Performing Arts Events | Comments Off on Katy Rice Festival |

http://www.katymagazine.com/katy-rice-festival/

Rice bran oil: exports on the rise

12:00 AM, August 30, 2018 / LAST MODIFIED: 12:33 AM, August 30, 2018

Sohel Parvez

Bangladesh's rice bran oil is gradually making headway in the international market thanks to manufactures' efforts to sell the antioxidant-rich edible oil abroad.

The country shipped more than 20,000 tonnes of rice bran oil for the second consecutive fiscal year in 2017-18.

They exported the item to more than a dozen countries, including India, the US, the UK, Australia and Japan in 2017-18, fetching $21 million, according to the Export Promotion Bureau.

Some manufacturers said the prospect of edible oil exports is bright provided a smooth supply chain of rice bran is developed, and logistics, ports and other infrastructures are improved.

“We are mainly exporting to India as demand is higher there compared to our domestic market,” said Chitta Majumder, managing director of Majumder Group of industries that runs two rice bran oil plants.

Majumder, one of the leading rice millers and importers, has been exporting rice bran oil in crude form since 2014.

Some other firms such as Agrotech International Ltd (AIL) and traders export the oil, which is popular in Asian countries such as Japan, India, Korea and China.

The export volume of rice bran oil was 17,515 tonnes in 2015-16, according to data from the plant quarantine wing under the Department of Agricultural Extension.

The export volume reached that level in less than a decade after some local rice millers joined the foray to extract oil from rice bran, banking on Bangladesh's strides in rice yield.

Today the sector, which began its journey in 2009, has 14 firms with an annual production capacity of more than 2.50 lakh tonnes of rice brain oil. Yet, the active mills cannot use the full capacity because of the dearth of supply of raw materials.

A study by the Bangladesh Tariff Commission (BTC) in 2015 found that the industry needs about 13 lakh tonnes of rice bran to make the most of the capacity.

But it does not get the required amount due to the export of rice bran or the demand of the feed industry.

The study said conversion of manual rice mills to auto- and semi-auto rice mills will increase the production of rice bran, meeting the requirement of extraction plants serving domestic and overseas markets.

If 100 percent of the paddy is processed by auto- and semi-auto rice mills, 7.16 lakh tonnes of refined rice bran oil might be obtained, according to a paper published in the Bangladesh Journal of Tariff and Trade by the BTC.

“Availability of rice bran is not an issue; the main problem is supply chain of rice bran is not well-established in our country,” said Moinul Hasan, controller of finance of AIL, which has been exporting rice bran oil since 2015. It takes three to five days to load a truck with 15 tonnes of rice bran. Besides, not all rice bran is suitable for extracting oil, he said, adding that the production of milled rice and rice bran will increase through the modernisation of rice mills.

Hasan said the domestic demand for the edible oil is growing thanks to the expanding middle- and upper middle-income groups.“Export potential is bright if we can ensure quality. But the main challenge is the country's image,” he said.

“Building capacity to deliver the item in large quantities and improving the country's image are key to tapping the export market.” 

Hasan said some buyers are doubtful about local millers' capacity to deliver a higher volume at a time.

“Our logistics and infrastructure is weak, which affects buyers' confidence,” said Hasan, citing that the company could not send a consignment to South Korea on time last month because of the congestion at the Chittagong Port.

Osman Ali of Mim International said his firm exports both rice bran and crude rice bran oil through Benapole land port when it finds higer prices in India.

Refined rice bran oil faces higher tax in India compared to that of crude oil, added Ali. Mim International exported 500 tonnes of crude rice bran oil in 2017.

Majumder called for cash incentives to increase the export of rice bran oil.

https://www.thedailystar.net/news/business/rice-bran-oil-exports-the-rise-1626550

Asia Rice: India rates dip as rupee flounders; markets eye Philippine boost

Vijaykumar Vedala

AUGUST 30, 2018 / 6:15 PM /

BENGALURU (Reuters) - A dip in rice export prices as the rupee plunged failed to stoke fresh demand for the Indian variety this week, but potential orders from the Philippines and elsewhere could provide fresh impetus to markets in Thailand and Vietnam.

FILE PHOTO: Farmers plant saplings in a rice field in Srinagar June 5, 2018. REUTERS/Danish Ismail/File Photo

In top exporter India, rates for 5 percent broken parboiled rice fell by $3 to $386-$390 per tonne this week.The Indian rupee has fallen over 10 percent in 2018, hitting a record low on Thursday, increasing exporters margin from overseas sales.“Right now, demand is weak. Even after the recent price fall, African buyers are not active in the market,” said an exporter based at Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.India’s rice exports in April-July edged up 1 percent from a year ago to 4.15 million tonnes on upbeat demand from Senegal, Benin and Iran, a government body said.

In Thailand, a stronger domestic currency saw benchmark 5 percent broken rice quoted at $393-$395, free on board (FOB) Bangkok, narrowing slightly from last week’s $390-$395, traders said.“We heard nothing about any new deals but some exporters are expecting things to pick up next month from markets in this region like the Philippines and China,” a Bangkok-based trader said.The Philippines will import an additional 132,000 tonnes of rice to boost stocks in southern provinces, where prices have surged in recent weeks due to limited supply, its agriculture minister said on Wednesday.The Philippines, one of the world’s biggest rice importers, usually buys from top producers Thailand and Vietnam.

In Vietnam, rates for 5 percent broken rice remained unchanged at $395-$400 a tonne, but prices are expected to pick up over the coming weeks.“The summer-autumn harvest has come to an end and we have heard about new orders from regional customers,” a Ho Chi Minh City-based trader said.The government’s General Statistics Office on Wednesday said farmers in the Mekong Delta provinces have started growing rice for the autumn-winter crop, but prolonged rains are slowing down sowing.Meanwhile, rice imports from Bangladesh are expected to fall to 600,000 tonnes in the 2018-19 marketing year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a report this month.

“The high rate of import duty may deter imports and increase paddy prices indirectly, but it also may affect prices in the retail market and transfer the burden to consumers,” the report said.Bangladesh, which had emerged as a major rice importer since 2017 after floods damaged its crops, imposed a 28 percent tax on rice imports to support its farmers after local production revived.Bangladesh imported a record 3.9 million tonnes in 2017-18, food ministry data showed.

https://in.reuters.com/article/us-indonesia-markets-cenbank/indonesia-rupiah-nears-1998-crisis-levels-central-bank-intervenes-in-fx-bonds-markets-idINKCN1LG0ZG

Rice paddies down in 2018: data

2018/08/30 12:00

SEJONG, Aug. 30 (Yonhap) -- Rice paddies in South Korea declined 2.2 percent this year from last year as farmers opted to grow other crops instead of the staple grain, data showed on Thursday.

According to the data compiled by Statistics Korea, nationwide rice cultivation area stood at 737,000 hectares this year, compared to 754,000 hectares in 2017.

The government has been prodding farmers to convert their rice paddies into fields for the cultivation of other crops as part of a greater effort to deal with a chronic supply glut.

South Korea has been suffering from an oversupply of rice for years. The annual rice consumption of the South Korean population has been on a sharp decline due mainly to changes in diet and eating habits.

sam@yna.co.kr

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2018/08/30/0200000000AEN20180830003300320.htm

No notable changes in new rice export regulations

The new Decree 107/2018/ND-CP on rice export operations, which will take effect on October 1, has yet to remove all barriers hindering local rice traders from exporting rice. The new rules are more relaxed, but they do not introduce significant changes.

Commenting on the new rules, Dau Anh Tuan, head of the Legal Department at the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, remarked that the latest decree has relaxed some stringent regulations, enabling rice exporters to operate more easily.

The new decree allows rice exporters to hire at least one warehouse and one milling facility in accordance with national standards and reduces the volume of stored rice, creating more favorable conditions for medium and small-sized enterprises (SMEs) as they need not invest a large sum of money in building processing facilities to set up their businesses.

The rental contracts must be signed for a minimum of five years and must have legal documents in line with prevailing regulations. Traders receiving rice export certificates must not sublease their facilities and warehouses to other traders.

The new decree also stipulates that the General Department of Vietnam Customs will take over from the Vietnam Food and Foodstuff Association the responsibility of sending periodically updated reports to the Ministry of Industry and Trade on the quantity, value and types of rice sold as well as the target markets for rice exports.

However, Decree No.107 does not bring about significant changes to the methods of managing rice processors and traders, Tuan noted. For instance, rice traders will still need to seek approvals, prepare multiple reports and meet many other requirements to start their businesses.

The decree is partially beneficial to SMEs and firms exporting organic rice, parboiled rice or nutritionally enhanced rice as they need not follow the new rules and do not require rice export certificates.

According to Vo Hung Dung, an agricultural expert, the new decree relaxes many rules but is incomplete in its scope. He pointed out that it took eight years to issue Decree No.109, which was unsatisfactory to several rice exporters and associations for years, as they called for amendments to it. While the decree was in effect, many rice traders missed the opportunity to export rice as they had failed to meet the requirements of the old decree.

Data from the Central Institute for Economic Management issued last year revealed that after Decree No.109 took effect, the number of rice exporters plummeted from more than 200 units to 145 firms, while the actual number could be lower.

Saigon Times

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/207752/no-notable-changes-in-new-rice-export-regulations.html

Production and Trade Flow Map: Tanzania Rice (August 2018)

MAP

from Famine Early Warning System Network

Published on 30 Aug 2018 —View Original

Download PDF (1.46 MB)

About Production and Trade Flow Maps

Production and Trade Flow Maps capture the market networks for a product in a given country or region, including their catchments and trade flow patterns. These maps are available for key products in most FEWS NET countries.

https://reliefweb.int/map/united-republic-tanzania/production-and-trade-flow-map-tanzania-rice-august-2018

Egypt agrees to import 1 million tons of rice from Vietnam over 3-4 months

Reuters , Thursday 30 Aug 2018

A farmer in a rice field in Vietnam (photo: Reuters)

Egypt has agreed with Vietnam to import 1 million tons of white rice in three to four months after curtailing cultivation earlier this year, the head of the rice division of the Egyptian Federation of Industries said on Thursday.

"The visit of the President of Vietnam to Egypt resulted in a trade cooperation agreement involving the supply of 1 million tons of white rice, with the agreement coming into force next week," Rajab Shehata told Reuters by telephone.

"These quantities are in batches of three to four months, which will strengthen the strategic reserve of rice for the next year and the presence of domestic rice stocks in the markets."

In an attempt to rationalize the use of water resources, Egypt this year reduced the area allowed for rice cultivation and imposed tough new penalties on farmers who cultivate it illegally.

Traders said the policies would most likely push Egypt to import up to 1 million tons of rice next year after decades of surplus domestic production.

"Importation will be the responsibility of the government, not the private sector," Shehata said.

He did not mention the price of Vietnamese rice but said it would be cheaper than the rice imported from China.

Egypt consumes about 3.3 million tons of rice annually, and still expects to cover most of that amount through local harvest, which is usually done in August and September.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/310552.aspx

 

Rice Export Price Dips As Rupee Fall Fails To Boost Demand

India's rice exports in April-July edged up 1 per cent from a year ago to 4.15 million tonnes on upbeat demand from Senegal, Benin and Iran.

Economy | Thomson Reuters | Updated: August 30, 2018 20:16 IST

The Indian rupee has fallen over 10 per cent in 2018, hitting a record low on Thursday.

Bengaluru: A dip in rice export prices as the rupee plunged failed to stoke fresh demand for the Indian variety this week, but potential orders from the Philippines and elsewhere could provide fresh impetus to markets in Thailand and Vietnam. In top exporter India, rates for 5 per cent broken parboiled rice fell by $3 to $386-$390 per tonne this week. The Indian rupee has fallen over 10 per cent in 2018, hitting a record low on Thursday, increasing exporters margin from overseas sales.

"Right now, demand is weak. Even after the recent price fall, African buyers are not active in the market," said an exporter based at Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

India's rice exports in April-July edged up 1 per cent from a year ago to 4.15 million tonnes on upbeat demand from Senegal, Benin and Iran, a government body said.

In Thailand, a stronger domestic currency saw benchmark 5 per cent broken rice quoted at $393-$395, free on board (FOB) Bangkok, narrowing slightly from last week's $390-$395, traders said.

"We heard nothing about any new deals but some exporters are expecting things to pick up next month from markets in this region like the Philippines and China," a Bangkok-based trader said.

The Philippines will import an additional 132,000 tonnes of rice to boost stocks in southern provinces, where prices have surged in recent weeks due to limited supply, its agriculture minister said on Wednesday.

The Philippines, one of the world's biggest rice importers, usually buys from top producers Thailand and Vietnam.

In Vietnam, rates for 5 per cent broken rice remained unchanged at $395-$400 a tonne, but prices are expected to pick up over the coming weeks.

"The summer-autumn harvest has come to an end and we have heard about new orders from regional customers," a Ho Chi Minh City-based trader said.

The government's General Statistics Office on Wednesday said farmers in the Mekong Delta provinces have started growing rice for the autumn-winter crop, but prolonged rains are slowing down sowing.

Meanwhile, rice imports from Bangladesh are expected to fall to 600,000 tonnes in the 2018-19 marketing year, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a report this month.

"The high rate of import duty may deter imports and increase paddy prices indirectly, but it also may affect prices in the retail market and transfer the burden to consumers," the report said.

Bangladesh, which had emerged as a major rice importer since 2017 after floods damaged its crops, imposed a 28 per cent tax on rice imports to support its farmers after local production revived.

1 COMMENT

Bangladesh imported a record 3.9 million tonnes in 2017-18, food ministry data showed

https://www.ndtv.com/business/rice-export-price-dips-as-rupee-fall-fails-to-boost-demand-1908832

Vietnam Jan-Aug coffee exports seen up 14.8 pct y/y; rice to rise 8.2 pct y/y

in Freight News 30/08/2018

Vietnam’s coffee exports for the January to August period rose an estimated 14.8 percent from the same period a year ago, while rice exports increased an estimated 8.2 percent during the same period, government data showed on Wednesday.

COFFEE
Coffee exports from Vietnam will rise an estimated 14.8 percent between January and August from a year ago to 1.3 million tonnes, equal to 21.78 million 60-kg bags, the General Statistics Office said in a report on Wednesday.

Coffee export revenue for Vietnam, the world’s second-biggest coffee producer, fell 3.1 percent annually to $2.5 billion in the eight-month period, the report said.

August coffee exports were estimated at 135,000 tonnes, worth $246 million.

RICE
Rice exports in January-August from Vietnam were forecast to rise 8.2 percent from a year ago to 4.43 million tonnes. Revenue from rice exports in the period was forecast to rise 23.6 percent year-on-year to $2.23 billion.

August rice exports from Vietnam, the world’s third-largest shipper of the grain, were recorded at 500,000 tonnes, worth $236 million.

ENERGY
Vietnam’s January-to-August crude oil exports plunged 46.6 percent year-on-year to an estimated 2.64 million tonnes.

Crude oil export revenue in the first eight months of 2018 fell 24.6 percent to $1.51 billion.

Oil product imports in the eight-month period were estimated at 8.6 million tonnes, while the value of product imports rose 26.4 percent to $5.7 billion.

Vietnam’s January-to-August liquefied petroleum gas imports increased 2.9 percent from a year earlier to 972,000 tonnes.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Mai Nguyen; editing by Richard Pullin)

https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/vietnam-jan-aug-coffee-exports-seen-up-14-8-pct-y-y-rice-to-rise-8-2-pct-y-y/

Global Warming Means More Insects Threatening Food Crops — A Lot More, Study Warns

 

Wheat, corn and rice are staple foods for 4 billion people. A new study suggests crop damage from climate change may be far worse than projected as pest risks rise.

BY BOB BERWYN, INSIDECLIMATE NEWS

AUG 30, 2018

New research suggests the risk climate change poses to agriculture is higher than scientists realized because of the way insects respond to warmer temperatures. Credit: Paul J. Richards/Getty Images

Growing swarms of hungrier and hyperactive insects may wipe out big percentages of the world's three most important grain crops—wheat, corn and rice—even if the world manages to cap global warming at 2 degrees Celsius, the upper-end target of the Paris climate agreement, scientists warn.

The biggest crop losses are expected in temperate areas where global warming will increase both insects' population growth and their metabolic rates. That includes the major breadbaskets of North America and Europe.

Altogether, the potential scale of the damage is so high, it could threaten global food security, according to research published today in the journal Science. 

"We're turning the dial up in the temperate zones, and insects, for the most part, thrive in a warmer climate," said co-author and sustainability researcher Josh Tewksbury, director of Future Earth at the University of Colorado. "It gets better and better for them."

For people accustomed to the pace at which today's crop-destroying insects migrate, the rapid and widespread changes fueled by global warming may come as a shock. Farmers will need to adapt, Tewksbury said. That could mean overhauling crop rotations, more genetic research and rethinking pesticide use to avoid severe damage.

"Get ready, because the fight is coming to you," he said.

The researchers project that, globally, crop yield losses for wheat, corn and rice will increase 10 to 25 percent for every degree of global warming. If global temperatures rise 2 degrees Celsius over the 1971-2000 average, they project that the rise in insect pest activity would increase wheat yield losses by a median of 46 percent, corn by 31 percent, and rice by 19 percent. 

Those three food crops are staples for about 4 billion people, and account for about 42 percent of direct calories consumed by humans worldwide, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

University of Washington climate researcher and co-author Curtis Deutsch explained the impact this way:

"Insect pests currently consume the equivalent of 1 out of every 12 loaves of bread (before it ever gets made). By the end of this century, if climate change continues unabated, insects will be eating more than 2 loaves of every 12 that could have been made," he wrote.

'This Sets Off Alarm Bells'

The researchers relied on fundamental insect physiological data, based on decades of lab studies and field research, that show how warmer temperatures accelerate the metabolism of insect pests like aphids and corn borers at a predictable rate. That makes them hungrier, and warmer temperatures also speed up their reproduction in most regions.

By 2050, growing-season temperatures will probably be warmer than anytime during the past century, according to the study. The temperature increase alone is expected to reduce crop yields as heat waves intensify and ground dries out more quickly. But most previous projections for the impact of global warming on crops "rarely considered impacts on insect pests," the study's authors say.

Currently, the world loses about 30 percent of its crops to pests, weeds and various pathogens, said Western Sydney University environmental researcher Markus Riegler, who wasn't involved in the research but wrote a related article on the findings. The losses projected by the new study are staggering, he said.

"This sets off alarm bells," Riegler said.

Clues to the amount of damage insects can do in a warmer world are also contained in ancient fossils from an era of abrupt climate change linked to rapidly climbing CO2 levels about 56 million years ago, he said. In a studylooking at about 5,000 fossils from that era, a separate group of researchers found that plant damage from insects correlated with rising and falling temperatures, reaching a maximum during the warmest periods.

The results suggest that insects will cause a lot more damage to all plants as the climate warms, and they highlight the need start protecting crops now. Farmers, industries, policy-makers, and wider society must all be involved because the actions needed include big changes to food systems, Riegler said.

"I'm concerned about the loss of political progress toward stopping global warming, and this highlights one of the big risks of no action." With 800 million people already suffering daily hunger, now is the time to act to ensure future global food supplies, he said.

What Can Farmers and Governments Do? 

There are steps that farmers and policymakers can start taking, beyond reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that are fueling climate change, Riegler said.

 "We are going to have to be smart about how we manage insect pests. We'll need integrated pest and crop management and really think about what plants to plant when and where and in what sequence," he said.

"We also have to improve quarantine procedures. That will be an additional twist," he said, explaining that insects pests traveling via growing international commerce will more easily find footholds in new areas.

And there needs to be more emphasis on protecting natural genetic diversity, because there are opportunities to work with plants that have natural resistance to pests, he added.

That requires thinking in a systematic, global way, Tewksbury added.

"The answer is not finding new bugs that kill bugs, or just using more pesticides," Tewksbury said. "We need a science-based approach that takes into account the natural evolution of the plants and what insects co-evolved with them. Our lack of attention to that knowledge is going to come back to bite us."

A global database of crop pathogens would be a good place to start, said North Carolina State University ecologist Rob Dunn, who was not involved in the study. Widely shared global information would help identify changing pest problems early, giving time to find a solution before it becomes a crisis.

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/30082018/insect-damage-agriculture-food-crops-climate-change-wheat-corn-rice-study

New, ‘improved' Rice Krispies make consumers snap

 Updated Aug. 30, 2018, 5:16 p.m. | By Wendy Knowler

The Rice Krispies fans are cross - very cross! Without warning, Kellogg’s totally changed the recipe for those Krispies - and the Coco and Strawberry Pops, too - and consumers are so not loving the so-called new, improved versions. For now, Kellogg’s is just smiling and waving in response… So what was the cereal maker thinking?

Wendy Knowler

There’s an all-new Rice Krispies product on supermarket shelves, and according to many, it’s far from nice. Listen to the podcast below, or read the details under that.

As anyone who spends any time on social media will know, there’s not much that unites South Africans across racial, gender, and culture lines, but there appears to be one issue Mzansi does agree on, and it’s that Kellogg’s really, really shouldn’t have messed with its Rice Krispies recipe.

The cereal may have retained its iconic name, but its formula has shifted from Rice Krispies to multigrain Krispies - it still contains some rice flour, but now also corn and wheat flour. And most notably, the sugar content has gone from 9% to 21,7% - so even the children are complaining that it’s too sweet. A vanilla flavour has been added, and apparently the Snap, Crackle, Pop has gone.

Thus at a time when there’s a huge shift to lowering sugar content of processed food and drinks, as evidenced by South Africa’s recently introduced sugar tax on sugary beverages, this is rather strange.

Read: Whey Overstated

I asked Kellogg’s about the sugar issue, and the response I got from the company’s director of research, nutrition, and technology, Xolile Mbatha, was that the new vanilla Rice Krispies did have “a thin coating of sugar” to enhance crispiness - equivalent to 1.5 teaspoons per serving.

“But we acknowledge that there is more room for improvement by way of both consumer education as well as our ongoing commitments to make our products better and to meet consumers’ needs,” she said.

Classic corporate-speak.

Here’s a taste of what consumers are saying on Kellogg’s SA’s Facebook page - and it’s not too sweet:

“I bought two boxes and my son HAAAAATES them!” said Gugulethu Zungu.

"And it's shady how you guys just put them there like they are the originals cos the vanilla flavour wording is so small and unnoticeable. Please stop production and return the original Rice Krispies.”

“What were you thinking?” asked Mohammed Sader. “Epic fail. You are just destroying a strong household brand. My four-year-old nephew refuses to have the new product…”

Andre Botha said: “Kellogg’s, please fire your research team as they clearly have no clue what they are doing. Secondly, count the complaints vs the compliments on your Facebook page and do the math. You don’t need a degree to understand that you messed up. Cut your losses, apologise and bring back the old recipe.”

I haven’t seen South African consumers this cross about a product change since Unilever messed with its Sunlight dishwashing liquid bottle - turning it upside down and putting a funny nozzle on it.

Apparently Kellogg’s did consumer research before making the radical change.

A tasting test group included “both existing Rice Krispies consumers and those who had lapsed or had never consumed it - all of them mothers and their children,” Mbatha said.

“While we understand there are differences in everyone’s taste, the results from this market research indicated that the Rice Krispies Vanilla concept and food was significantly liked by all consumers,” she said.

Go figure.

The move from a single grain (rice) formula to multi-grains allowed Kellogg’s to source all their major ingredients locally, she said, “whereas previously we imported all main ingredients”.

“The new recipe also contains nine vitamins and iron, which deliver better nutritional benefits.”

At first Kellogg’s responded to every negative Facebook review with a cheery: 'Thanks for getting in touch. We appreciate your valuable feedback!’ and then later the stock response changed to: 'We’re are sorry to hear that! We are grateful and indebted to our customers that have supported our products and hope that our numerous other products will continue to bring joy to you and your family.'

To those who are pleading for the return of the old Rice Krispies, Kellogg’s says: “Unfortunately at this stage we have phased out the plane (sic) Rice Krispies. Over the years we have received numerous indications that our customers in SA want innovative, tasty new recipes and products and thus New Rice Krispies was introduced."

In her response to me, Mbatha said that in order to improve consumer awareness of this new Rice Krispies Vanilla, the company would be “conducting sampling in stores and expanding the sample base over the coming months."

Companies seldom admit they got it wrong with a change, and revert to the original product, but it’s not unheard of - Unilever dropped its upside down bottle fairly quickly in the face of a furious consumer backlash, and that was before the days of social media.

And incidentally, that company also insisted that its consumer research had revealed great acceptance of the new bottle. 

Maybe the problem lies with the quality of market research.

To contact Wendy, go to her Facebook page and click on the send email tab.

https://www.ecr.co.za/east-coast-breakfast-darren-maule/new-improved-rice-krispies-make-consumers-snap/

2018-2023 Global Rice Syrup Market Research: Market Overview, Market Size, Industry Growth Analysis,Status,Trend, & Forecast

Uncategorized

 August 30, 2018 Sampada.P

The “Rice Syrup Market Report” gives a clear understanding of the current market situation which includes of antique and projected upcoming market size based on technological growth, value and volume, projecting cost-effective and leading fundamentals in the Rice Syrup market. Rice Syrup industry report is to recognize, explain and forecast the global Rice Syrup industry based on various aspects such as explanation, application, organization size, distribution mode, region. The Rice Syrup Market report purposefully analyses every sub-segment regarding the individual growth trends, contribution to the total market, and the upcoming forecasts.

Description:

·       Worldwide and Top 20 Countries Market Size of Rice Syrup 2013-2017, and development forecast 2018-2023.

·       Main manufacturers/suppliers of Rice Syrup worldwide and market share by regions, with company and product introduction, position in the Rice Syrup market.

·       Market status and development trend of Rice Syrup by types and applications.

·       Cost and profit status of Rice Syrup, and marketing status.

·       Market growth drivers and challenges.

Ask for Sample Report of Rice Syrup Market for in depth information @ https://www.360marketupdates.com/enquiry/request-sample/11686325

Global Rice Syrup market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Rice Syrup sales volume, Price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD), Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data, Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players including: 

·       Wuhu Deli Foods, Axiom Foods, Wuhu Haoyikuai Food, California Natural products (CNP), Cargill, ADM, ABF Ingredients

Split by Product Types, with sales, revenue, price, market share of each type, can be divided into: 

·       Brown Rice, White Rice, Certified Organic Rice

On the basis on the end users/applications, Rice Syrup market report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate for each application, including: 

·       Confectionery, Processed Foods, Dairy Products, Ice-creams

Global Rice Syrup Market: Regional Segment Analysis (Regional Production Volume, Consumption Volume, Revenue and Growth Rate 2013-2023):

·       North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)

·       Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia, Spain and Benelux)

·       Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, Southeast Asia and Australia)

·       Latin America (Brazil, Argentina and Colombia)

·       Middle East and Africa

Have any special requirement on above Rice Syrup market report? Ask to our Industry Expert @ https://www.360marketupdates.com/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/11686325

Key questions answered in the Rice Syrup Market report:

·       What will be the market growth rate of Rice Syrup in 2022?

·       What are the key factors driving the Global Rice Syrup?

·       What are sales, revenue, and price analysis of top manufacturers of Rice Syrup?

·       Who are the distributors, traders and dealers of Rice Syrup Market?

·       Who are the key vendors in Rice Syrup space?

·       What are the Rice Syrup Market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the Global Rice Syrup?

·       What are sales, revenue, and price analysis by types, application and regions of Rice Syrup?

·       What are the market opportunities, market risk and market overview of the Rice Syrup Market?

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Finally, Rice Syrup Market report is the believable source for gaining the market research that will exponentially accelerate your business. This research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geography, technology and applications. It gives the principle locale, economic situations with the item value, benefit, limit, generation, supply, request and market development rate and figure and so on. Rice Syrup industry report additionally Present new task SWOT examination, speculation attainability investigation, and venture return investigation.

https://businessanalyst24.com/270872/2018-2023-global-rice-syrup-market-research-market-overview-market-size-industry-growth-analysisstatustrend-forecast/

Rice Milling Machinery Market Report Presents an Overall Analysis, Development Trends, Driving Forces, Opportunities and Future Potential 2023

Rice Milling Machinery Market report delivers information on types, applications and its regional markets including past and expected Opportunities. Rice Milling Machinery Market report delivers data on manufacturers, geographical regions, types, applications, key drivers, challenges, Opportunities, annual growth rate, market share, revenue and the actual process of whole Rice Milling Machinery industry.

Rice Milling Machinery Market also provides comprehensive information about the industry for business expansion, new entrants, supply, consumption, market size, market shares, prices, trading, revenue, race, and value chain along with top player’s information.

Ask for Sample Report @ https://www.absolutereports.com/enquiry/request-sample/12820727

Rice Milling Machinery Market Segmentation by Types:
Mobile Jaw Crusher
Vertical Roller Mill
Horizontal Roller Mill
Others

Most widely used downstream fields of Rice Milling Machinery market covered in this report are:
Commercial
Industrial

Major Key Vendors of Rice Milling Machinery Market Report: Beijing Time Progress Technology, Shenzhen Wandaan Precision Technology, Fowler Westrup, Lianyungang Huantai Machinery, Savco Sales Pvt Ltd., G.S International, Shenzhen Seetop Science and Technology, American Milling Group, G.G. Dandekar Machine Works Ltd., Zhengzhou Whirlston Machinery, Satake, Zaccaria Brazil, Satake Corporation, Kingka Tech Industrial Limited, Mill Master Machinery Pvt Ltd, Buhler, Alvan Blanch, Lushan Win Tone Machinery Manufacture .

Geographical Regions: – North America, Europe, China, Japan, Middle East & Africa, India, South America, Others

The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Rice Milling Machinery manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the Rice Milling Machinery Market.

Browse Detailed TOC, Tables, Figures, Charts, and Companies Mentioned in Rice Milling Machinery Market @ https://www.absolutereports.com/12820727

TOC of Rice Milling Machinery Market Report Includes: –

·       Market Overview

·       Industry Chain Analysis

·       Rice Milling Machinery Market by Type, Application

·       Market by Region (Production, Consumption, Export, Import, Market Status and SWOT Analysis)

·       Competitive Landscape (Company Profiles, Market Positioning, Target Customers, Production, Value, Price, Gross Margin, Market Shares)

·       Market Analysis and Forecast by Type and Application

·       Rice Milling Machinery Market Analysis and Forecast by Region

·       New Project Feasibility Analysis (Industry Barriers, New Entrants, New Project Investment)

·       Research Finding and Conclusion

Price of Report: $2960 (Single User)

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As the Rice Milling Machinery market facing a slowdown in global economic growth, the market continued a fairly positive progress in the past few years and market size will maintain the average annual growth rate by 2022. Rice Milling Machinery Market report also provides market forecast data, according to the history of this industry and the future of the industry faces what situation, growth or failure.

https://thetacticalbusiness.com/224987/rice-milling-machinery-market-report-presents-an-overall-analysis-development-trends-driving-forces-opportunities-and-future-potential-2023/

Country’s rice situation expected to normalize next month, says Malacañang

August 30, 2018, 4:56 PM

By Genalyn Kabiling

The country’s rice situation is expected to normalize with the onset of the harvest season next month, Malacañang said Thursday.

(PIXABAY / MANILA BULLETIN)

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque tried to assure the public about the country’s rice supply following the reported shortage of the commodity in some parts of the country.

“We foresee the rice situation normalizing because the main harvest is beginning to come in by next month,” Roque said in a statement.

Roque also defended Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol from criticisms about his alleged proposal to legalize rice smuggling in some areas in Mindanao, saying he was misquoted on the issue.

He said Piñol actually proposed the establishment of a rice trading center that would help ensure a steady of supply of rice in the region.

“The recommendation of the Department of Agriculture (DA) is to establish a rice trading post where government can collect customs duty on legally imported rice with import permit from the National Food Authority (NFA),” he said.

Roque acknowledged that the amount of imports to be allowed would be enough to cover the needs of the ZAMBASULTA (Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi) area.

Piñol earlier drew the ire of some lawmakers for allegedly proposing to legalize smuggling of rice in Zambasulta amid problems of commodity supply and price. Lawmakers urged the government to support local farmers instead of vigorously promoting importation of food staples such as fish and rice.

Rice prices in Zamboanga and nearby areas have reportedly increased due to the shortage of the commodity supply. Authorities later attributed the rice price hikes to the government’s intensified campaign against smugglers.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/08/30/countrys-rice-situation-expected-to-normalize-next-month-says-malacanang/

No to more rice importation

ABS-CBN News

Posted at Aug 31 2018 04:43 PM

Members of a fisherfolk group stage a 'boodle fight' in front of the Department of Agriculture on Friday to protest the importation of food products. Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol proposed the importation of more commodities, such as rice and fish, to augment the limited supply of these basic commodities and help curb inflation. 

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/multimedia/photo/08/31/18/no-to-more-rice-importation

 

NFA rice available in more outlets nationwide

By  PTV News - CD

 August 30, 2018

MANILA — As prices of commercial rice continue to escalate, the National Food Authority (NFA) has intensified its rice distribution to make its low-priced rice more accessible and available to more consumers.

To date, a total of 15,892 accredited rice retail outlets are selling NFA rice nationwide, including the 1,873 in the National Capital Region, located in public markets and barangays (villages).

Even the local government units, local parishes and farmers’ cooperatives are tapped as NFA conduits in the distribution of the low-priced but quality NFA rice at PHP27 and PHP32 per kg.

Aside from the regular accredited outlets, the NFA is also deploying mobile stores through its “Tagpuan Day Rice Response Delivery” (TRRD), in partnership with the accredited operator and local government units in remote barangays and resettlement areas around the country.

These mobile stores will serve marginalized consumers, especially the indigenous peoples and those affected by recent calamities and crises, such as Zamboanga City.

TRDD is a rice distribution strategy where the PHP27 per kg. NFA rice is sold directly to poor and marginalized beneficiaries in the area at an appointed time and place in close coordination with the local barangay.

The NFA distributes an average of 58,000 bags of rice a day. Dedicated outlets, those selling only NFA rice, mostly located in public markets get an average of 20 to 50 bags in weekly allocation while ordinary accredited retailers are allocated with five to 20 bags weekly, depending on their capitalization.

With the improved weather condition, NFA Administrator Jason Aquino said the unloading and delivery of imported rice to the agency’s warehouses are being fast-tracked.

He added that NFA personnel in the field are working double time to ensure the continuous supply of the low-priced NFA rice in the market.

“We have also stepped up our monitoring activities to protect our consumers against businessmen who may take advantage of the situation. We are closely monitoring our accredited retail outlets to ensure that NFA rice is being sold at the government-prescribed price,” Aquino said.

Aquino also urged the public to be more vigilant.“We need the cooperation of the public. This is not the sole responsibility of the agency but everybody’s concern, especially at this time when price spikes are noted in basic commodities. We should not let erring businessmen take advantage of our poor kababayans,” he said. (NFA PR/PNA)

https://www.ptvnews.ph/nfa-rice-available-outlets-nationwide/

BUSINESSECONOMY

Poisonous Rice: Ebonyi Reopens Abakaliki Rice Mill After Sanitation

The Ebonyi government on Thursday ordered the re-opening of the Abakaliki Rice Mill Limited two days after it was sealed following alleged poisonous bags of rice that were discovered in the mill.

By The Eagle Online On Aug 30, 2018

The Ebonyi government on Thursday ordered the re-opening of the Abakaliki Rice Mill Limited two days after it was sealed following alleged poisonous bags of rice that were discovered in the mill.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Governor David Umahi ordered the sealing of the mill on Tuesday, after the state ministry of environment received reports and subsequently discovered bags of rice allegedly labeled ‘not fit for human consumption’ inside the mill.
Dr Kenneth Ugbala, Leader of the inter-ministerial committee, set up by the government to investigate the matter, told newsmen at a news conference in Abakaliki on Thursday that the mill will re-open immediately.
Ugbala, who is also Governor David Umahi’s Senior Special Assistant  on Internal Security, said that the mill was reopened because it had been sanitised, the poisonous products confiscated and culpable shops sealed.
He said: “The committee alongside experts and security agencies evacuated the adulterated products from the affected shops and generally sanitised the mill with security agencies making some arrests.
“The state governor reopened the mill to save innocent millers and buyers from untold economic losses and also due to the mill’s importance to the state’s economic survival.
“Ebonyi citizens and buyers from across the country are hereby assured that the suspected products have been identified and evacuated, so they could freely process and purchase rice from the mill.”
The committee leader said that the shops where the poisonous products were confiscated would remain shut till all investigations are concluded.
Ugbala said: “Citizens who purchased rice from the mill within the period under scrutiny should present such products to the concerned ministries of health, agriculture, environment among others, for thorough screening.
“The government expresses serious disappointment with the mill’s leadership and subsequently suspends it for failing to be an effective liaison between the mill and the government.
“The disappointment is more profound because some of the shops where the poisonous products were discovered allegedly belonged to some leaders of the mill.
“We will consult adequately to appoint a caretaker leadership for it.”
He debunked the notion that the matter was aimed at witch-hunting the Mill’s Chairman, Joseph Ununu for winning a mock-delegate election.
Ununu is contesting the Abakaliki state constituency seat at the state House of Assembly under the Peoples Democratic Party.
He said: “No member of the committee is from Ununu’s state constituency or even local government area as issues of delegates’ election are entirely the party’s affairs.
“We have also not received any formal notification that he is presently declared missing by his relatives as the entire mill’s leadership was suspended and not only one person.”
Chief Donatus Njoku, the State Commissioner for Environment, disclosed that a total of 317 bags were confiscated from 10 shops at the mill during the committee’s screening exercise.
Njoku said: “Two shops identified to be using substandard weight measurements were also sealed alongside those where the poisonous products were found until all investigations are concluded.”
Prof. Fidelis Okpata, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, assured the public that any government official found culpable in the matter would be punished no matter how highly placed.
Okpata said: “This is a responsible government which will not mortgage the lives of its citizens for the unwholesome commercial dealings of few individuals or groups.”

https://theeagleonline.com.ng/poisonous-rice-ebonyi-reopens-abakaliki-rice-mill-after-sanitation/

New, ‘improved' Rice Krispies make consumers snap

 Updated Aug. 30, 2018, 5:16 p.m. | By Wendy Knowler

The Rice Krispies fans are cross - very cross! Without warning, Kellogg’s totally changed the recipe for those Krispies - and the Coco and Strawberry Pops, too - and consumers are so not loving the so-called new, improved versions. For now, Kellogg’s is just smiling and waving in response… So what was the cereal maker thinking?

Wendy Knowler

There’s an all-new Rice Krispies product on supermarket shelves, and according to many, it’s far from nice. Listen to the podcast below, or read the details under that.

As anyone who spends any time on social media will know, there’s not much that unites South Africans across racial, gender, and culture lines, but there appears to be one issue Mzansi does agree on, and it’s that Kellogg’s really, really shouldn’t have messed with its Rice Krispies recipe.

The cereal may have retained its iconic name, but its formula has shifted from Rice Krispies to multigrain Krispies - it still contains some rice flour, but now also corn and wheat flour. And most notably, the sugar content has gone from 9% to 21,7% - so even the children are complaining that it’s too sweet. A vanilla flavour has been added, and apparently the Snap, Crackle, Pop has gone.

Thus at a time when there’s a huge shift to lowering sugar content of processed food and drinks, as evidenced by South Africa’s recently introduced sugar tax on sugary beverages, this is rather strange.

Read: Whey Overstated

I asked Kellogg’s about the sugar issue, and the response I got from the company’s director of research, nutrition, and technology, Xolile Mbatha, was that the new vanilla Rice Krispies did have “a thin coating of sugar” to enhance crispiness - equivalent to 1.5 teaspoons per serving.

“But we acknowledge that there is more room for improvement by way of both consumer education as well as our ongoing commitments to make our products better and to meet consumers’ needs,” she said.

Classic corporate-speak.

Here’s a taste of what consumers are saying on Kellogg’s SA’s Facebook page - and it’s not too sweet:

“I bought two boxes and my son HAAAAATES them!” said Gugulethu Zungu.

"And it's shady how you guys just put them there like they are the originals cos the vanilla flavour wording is so small and unnoticeable. Please stop production and return the original Rice Krispies.”

 “What were you thinking?” asked Mohammed Sader. “Epic fail. You are just destroying a strong household brand. My four-year-old nephew refuses to have the new product…”

Andre Botha said: “Kellogg’s, please fire your research team as they clearly have no clue what they are doing. Secondly, count the complaints vs the compliments on your Facebook page and do the math. You don’t need a degree to understand that you messed up. Cut your losses, apologise and bring back the old recipe.”

I haven’t seen South African consumers this cross about a product change since Unilever messed with its Sunlight dishwashing liquid bottle - turning it upside down and putting a funny nozzle on it.

Apparently Kellogg’s did consumer research before making the radical change.

A tasting test group included “both existing Rice Krispies consumers and those who had lapsed or had never consumed it - all of them mothers and their children,” Mbatha said.

“While we understand there are differences in everyone’s taste, the results from this market research indicated that the Rice Krispies Vanilla concept and food was significantly liked by all consumers,” she said.

Go figure.

The move from a single grain (rice) formula to multi-grains allowed Kellogg’s to source all their major ingredients locally, she said, “whereas previously we imported all main ingredients”.

“The new recipe also contains nine vitamins and iron, which deliver better nutritional benefits.”

At first Kellogg’s responded to every negative Facebook review with a cheery: 'Thanks for getting in touch. We appreciate your valuable feedback!’ and then later the stock response changed to: 'We’re are sorry to hear that! We are grateful and indebted to our customers that have supported our products and hope that our numerous other products will continue to bring joy to you and your family.'

To those who are pleading for the return of the old Rice Krispies, Kellogg’s says: “Unfortunately at this stage we have phased out the plane (sic) Rice Krispies. Over the years we have received numerous indications that our customers in SA want innovative, tasty new recipes and products and thus New Rice Krispies was introduced."

In her response to me, Mbatha said that in order to improve consumer awareness of this new Rice Krispies Vanilla, the company would be “conducting sampling in stores and expanding the sample base over the coming months."

Companies seldom admit they got it wrong with a change, and revert to the original product, but it’s not unheard of - Unilever dropped its upside down bottle fairly quickly in the face of a furious consumer backlash, and that was before the days of social media.

And incidentally, that company also insisted that its consumer research had revealed great acceptance of the new bottle. Maybe the problem lies with the quality of market research.

https://www.ecr.co.za/east-coast-breakfast-darren-maule/new-improved-rice-krispies-make-consumers-snap/

 

Rice Transplanter Market Research 2018-2023: Growth Factors, Key players ,Product Types and Application by Regional Analysis & Forecast

August 30, 2018

Mrudula.k

Global Rice Transplanter Market Report 2018-2023 offers a comprehensive analysis on Rice Transplanter industry, delivering detailed market data and penetrating insights. The report provides analysis which is beneficial for industry insider, potential entrant and investor. The Rice Transplanter report will the thorough study of the key business players to grasp their business methods, annual revenue, company profile and their contribution to the world Rice Transplanter market share. The report covers a huge area of information including an overview, comprehensive analysis, definitions and classifications, applications, and expert opinions.

Description:

• Worldwide and Top 20 Countries Market Size of Rice Transplanter 2013-2017, and development forecast 2018-2023.
• Main manufacturers/suppliers of Rice Transplanter worldwide and market share by regions, with company and product introduction, position in the Rice Transplanter market.
• Market status and development trend of Rice Transplanter by types and applications.
• Cost and profit status of Rice Transplanter, and marketing status.
• Market growth drivers and challenges.

Request for Sample Report of Rice Transplanter Market @ https://www.360marketupdates.com/enquiry/request-sample/11781631   

Global Rice Transplanter market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Rice Transplanter sales volume, Price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD), Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data, Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players including: 

• Yanmar, Kubota, Branson, Nantong FLW Agricultural Equipment, Iseki, Toyonoki, DongFeng, ChangFa, ShiFeng

On the basis of product type, Rice Transplanter market report displays the production, revenue, price, Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) and growth rate of each type (2012-2022), primarily split into: 

• All-Automatic, Semi-Automatic

On the basis on the end users/applications, Rice Transplanter market report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate for each application, including: 

• Residential, Commercial

Global Rice Transplanter Market: Regional Segment Analysis (Regional Production Volume, Consumption Volume, Revenue and Growth Rate 2013-2023):

• North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)
• Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia, Spain and Benelux)
• Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, Southeast Asia and Australia)
• Latin America (Brazil, Argentina and Colombia)
• Middle East and Africa

Inquire for further detailed information about Rice Transplanter industry @https://www.360marketupdates.com/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/11781631

Key questions answered in the Rice Transplanter Market report:

• What will be the market growth rate of Rice Transplanter in 2023?
• What are the key factors driving the Global Rice Transplanter?
• What are sales, revenue, and price analysis of top manufacturers of Rice Transplanter?
• Who are the distributors, traders and dealers of Rice Transplanter Market?
• Who are the key vendors in Rice Transplanter space?
• What are the Rice Transplanter Industry opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the Global Rice Transplanter?
• What are sales, revenue, and price analysis by types, application and regions of Rice Transplanter?
• What are the market opportunities, market risk and market overview of the Rice Transplanter Market?

The Rice Transplanter Market Report provides a comprehensive overview including Current scenario and the future growth prospects. The Rice Transplanter Industry report sheds light on the various factors and trends in forthcoming years and key factors behind the growth and demand of this market is analysed detailed in this report

 https://thetradereporter.com/rice-transplanter-market-research-2018-2023-growth-factors-key-players-product-types-and-application-by-regional-analysis-forecast/150833/.

 

Global Rice Flour Market Forecast to 2025 Insights Shared in Detailed Report

This press release was orginally distributed by SBWire
Maharashtra, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/30/2018 -- Rice Flour Market
Global Rice Flour Market, which is backed by extensive primary and detailed secondary research, involving numerous static databases, national government documentation, latest news articles, press releases, company annual reports, financial reports, pertinent patent and administrative databases, as well as a range of internal and external proprietary databases.
Request for a free sample report @ https://www.reportsmonitor.com/request_sample/87069 
Rice flour (also rice powder) is a form of flour made from rice. It is distinct from rice starch, which is usually produced by steeping rice in lye. Rice flour is a particularly good substitute for wheat flour, which causes irritation in the digestive systems of those who are gluten-intolerant. Rice flour is also used as a thickening agent in recipes that are refrigerated or frozen since it inhibits liquid separation.
This report focuses on the Rice Flour in global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.
Scope of the Report
Key players in the market include :
Burapa Prosper, Thai Flour Industry, Rose Brand, CHO HENG, Koda Farms, BIF, Lieng Tong, Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods, Pornkamon Rice Flour Mills, HUANGGUO and Others.
Key Regions of Rice Flour is:
United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India, Central & South America.
Get Discount On this Report @ https://www.reportsmonitor.com/check_discount/87069 
Additionally, this report covers the manufacturers' data, including business distribution, shipment, gross profit, cost, price, revenue, interview record etc., which allows the consumers in better understanding about the leading competitors operating in the market.
Key Types Of Rice Flour are :
Rice Flour, Brown Rice Flour, Glutinous Rice Flour and Others.
Key Applications Of Rice Flour are:
Rice Noodle and Rice Pasta, Sweets and Desserts, Snacks, Bread, Thickening Agent Others.
The Rice Flour Market consists of data accumulated from numerous primary and secondary sources. This information has been verified and validated by the industry analysts, thus providing significant insights to the researchers, analysts, managers, and other industry professionals.
Research objectives
To study and analyze the Global Rice Flour market size by key regions/countries, product type and application, history data from 2017 to 2018, and forecast to 2025.
To understand the structure of Rice Flour market by identifying its various sub-segment.
Focuses on the key Global Rice Flour players, to define, describe and analyze the value, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis and development plans in next few years.
There are Major Chapters to display the Rice Flour research report:
Chapter 1, to describe Rice Flour Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;
Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Rice Flour , with sales, revenue, and price of Rice Flour , in 2016 and 2017.
Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;
Chapter 4, to show the Global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Rice Flour , for each region, from 2013 to 2018;
Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the market by countries, by type, by application and by manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;
Continued…
Browse Complete Report with TOC of Rice Flour Report, Visit: https://www.reportsmonitor.com/report/87069/Global-Rice-Flour-Market 
In the end, Rice Flour Industry report specifics the major regions, market scenarios with the product price, volume, supply, revenue, production, market growth rate, demand, forecast and so on. This report also presents SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.
Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like Asia, Global, Europe.
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Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.
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Rice millers warn state-wide strike if demands not met

TNN | Aug 29, 2018, 23:35 IST

Pilibhit: As October 1, the day the government is scheduled to start paddy procurement in UP, draws near, rice millers across the state have threatened to not procure any paddy if their demands are not met. Leaders of the UP rice millers association (UPRMA) have decided to counter the government’s policies, which they believe are unreasonable and are resulting in their losses.
This decision was taken after the meetings between UPRMA leaders and chief minister Yogi Adityanath failed to yield a fruitful outcome. If rice millers do go on a strike, it would bring the paddy procurement process to a standstill across the state and affect the supply of rice, since the procured paddy is supplied to rice mills for custom hulling, said sources in the UPRMA.

Talking to TOI over the phone, Vinay Shukla, the state general secretary of UPRMA, said that the government takes back 67% of the paddy, which it procures from farmers and gives to rice millers. However, the actual rate of rice recovery from the paddy is below 60%, which always leaves rice millers owing the rest 7% to the government.

Shukla added, “For the last 30 years, the government had been paying rice millers a constant price of Rs 10 per quintal for processing and transporting rice to Food Corporation of India (FCI) depots. The actual cost of milling has increased to Rs 90 per quintal now, thanks to a galloping hike in plants’ maintenance, electricity, diesel, transport, labour charges etc.”

According to the secretary of a rice millers’ association in Pilibhit, Shailendra Gupta, the millers also face the problem of damage and breakage of rice during processing. The more moisture the rice has, the likelier it is to break. To sell off broken rice, or rice that has more moisture in it than the designated amount of 17%, millers need to pay bribes to officials at the FCI depots.

It should be noted that rice from all regions do not have the equal amount of moisture. While crop from a region that receives relatively more amount of rain is likely to have 23-24% moisture, rice from a dry region is likely to have around 17% moisture. Earlier, there have been demands of fixing the amount of moisture the rice is allowed to have based on the region it comes from, but it didn’t come to anything. “Millers have to bribe FCI officials so that they pass off their rice as having no more than the designated amount of moisture and get fleeced by them in return,” alleged both Shukla and Gupta.

Area manager of the FCI in Bareilly, Akhileshwar Ojha, denied the allegations, saying no case of the kind had been brought to his notice by any rice miller so far.

Meanwhile, Shukla said that he had met the chief minister twice, along with an UPRMA delegation in a month’s time to seek solutions to the millers’ problems, but nothing substantial had come of those meetings. “Even though the chief minister accepted that our situation was extremely grim, the government has done nothing practical to resolve it.”

The rice millers had also proposed to the chief minister that the government take over the rice mills and pay Rs 350 per quintal of rice to them as rent. However, they haven’t received a proper reply.

Times of India

Wholesale prices of Oils, Sugar, Commodities in APMC

Bengaluru, Aug 30 (UNI) Following were the wholesale prices in the Bengaluru APMC here on Thursday.

OIL (per 10 kg) :
Groundnut 1250-1350
Coconut 1250-1600
Gingely 1500-1800
Castor 1000-1100
Sunflower 1250-1350
Butter 4500-5500
Ghee 4400-4600
SUGAR: (per quintal) Rs 3500-3800
COMMODITIES: (per quintal)
Rice Basumati 7600-14600
Sona Fine 5000-5600
Medium (Old) 4100-4500
(New) 3300-3400
Coarse 2400-2800
Ragi Fine 2800-3100
Medium 2300-2600
Jower 2200-2600
Wheat Bansi 2500-3000
Jower (Bijapur) 2900-3500
Wheat Atta 2100-2400
Maida 2250-2750
Soji (W) 2800-3000
Soji Bansi 2700-3000
Jaggery 4000-4300
Corriander 5500-12000
Chilly (Byadgi) 14000-19500
Guntur 9000-10200
Potato 2000-2200
Onion 1000-1200
Tamarind 9500-16000
Garlic 2000-3900
Coconut (1000) 10000-25000
Horse Gram 3500-4000
Green Gram 6500-7000
Green Peas 6900-7400
Wheat 2300-3100
Turmeric 7500-12600
Soyabeans 4200-4600
Jeera 18500-21500
Poppy Seeds 38000-40000
Maize (Popcorn) 3000-3800
Ginger 3500-5800
Bengal Gram 4800-5200
Avare 4800-5100
Tur Dhal 5900-6900
Green Gram Dhal 6600-7200
Black Gram Dhal 5000-8000
Avare Dhal 6000-6800
Bengal Gram Dhal 4900-5200
Mustard 5000-5900
Gingly (White) 10000-11800
Gingly (Black) 7500-8900
Groundnut 5100-5200
Maize 1600-1900
Bajra 2000-2500
Groundnut Seed 7500-8200
Copra 15500-17000
Cowpea 4600-4800
Soapnut 3300-4000
Paddy 2700-2900
Cashewnut 85000-89000
Pepper 36000-40000
Areknut 32000-35000
Black Gram 5200-5900.

United News of India

http://thenationonlineng.net/why-local-rice-is-scarce-in-markets-by-ministry/

Punjab Cabinet's nod to custom milling of paddy policy for kharif marketing season 2018-19

Chandigarh, Aug 30 (UNI) Punjab Cabinet has given the nod to the Punjab Custom Milling of Paddy Policy (Kharif 2018-19) with the aim of ensuring seamless procurement of paddy from farmers and delivery of rice into the central pool from more than 3710 mills operating in the state.

The scheme for Custom Milling of Kharif 2018-19 paddy would be followed by procuring agencies PUNGRAIN, MARKFED, PUNSUP, Punjab State Warehousing Corporation (PSWC), Punjab Agro Foodgrains Corporation (PAFC), including Food Corporation of India and the rice millers/their legal heirs with the Punjab Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs department acting as the nodal department.

A spokesperson for the Chief Minister's Office said the sole criterion for allotment of free paddy to mills during KMS 2018-19 would be the miller's performance in the previous year i.
e.KMS 2017-18, and an additional percentage-wise incentive would be provided to mills as per their date of delivery of rice against milling of Custom milled paddy, including RO paddy in the previous year.

Mr Dhindsa and Mr Bhundur said “we want to put on record that the Kotkapura dharna was lifted peacefully but there was a most unfortunate incident later at Behbal Kalan village in which two youth lost their precious lives.

Punjab plans to cut pesticides use in basmati rice

By Prashant Krar, ET Bureau|

Aug 30, 2018, 12.13 PM IST

Rice exporters and millers have also recruited people to push the drive in rural areas.

CHANDIGARH: Basmati grown in Punjab this year is likely to witness a major reduction in use of pesticides and fungicides that lead to rejection of export consignments from India. Alarmed by hurdles in export of rice from India, the state government is reaching out to farmers through Gurugwaras, public meetings and social media to dissuade use of Acephate, Cabandazim, Thiamethoxam, Tricyclazole and Triazophos—chemicals responsible for higher residue level in rice.

“There will be significant decline in use of hazardous chemicals in rice this year that cause hurdles in exports,” KS Pannu, Commissioner Food and Drug Administration Punjab told ET. “Any adverse effect on export of rice will have adverse effect on Rs 50,000 crore business in India and hit hard economy of the state,” he said. He maintained that an exhaustive awareness campaign is underway by joining hand with pesticide dealers, commission agents farmers and rice industry.

Punjab Agriculture University has already recommended alternatives to these five pesticides and fungicides. This season, Punjab, is expected to harvest a record output of rice. But stricter pesticide residue norms in global markets are posing hurdles to rice from the country.

As per study of Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), over 400 refusals have been recorded of exports from India owing to presence of higher than approved level of pesticides residue. “But banning these chemicals is beyond the purview of state government as they are registered with the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee, ” Pannu said.

In paddy, much of the pesticide and chemical is used in September and October. Dealers meetings are being held at district level as well as block level to dissuade them from selling these chemicals. “Posters are doting dealers markets across rice growing districts to aware farmers of harm caused by these chemicals,” an official of Punjab agriculture department said.

A nodal officer has been appointed for each district to monitor the awareness campaign. Rice exporters and millers have also recruited people to push the drive in rural areas.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/punjab-plans-to-cut-pesticides-use-in-basmati-rice/articleshow/65604479.cms

Philippine rice crisis escalates as shortages push prices to a three-year high

By Pearly Neo

30-Aug-2018 - Last updated on 30-Aug-2018 at 01:38 GMT

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Rice costs in the Philippines continued on an upward trend despite imported supplies arriving in June. ©Getty Images

Related tags: Rice, Philippines, Price, Government

The price of rice in the Philippines has increased for the eighth month straight and hit a three-year peak, despite the injection of rice imports.

Inflation in the country has also reached a five-year high.
Rice costs continued on an upward trend despite imported supplies arriving in June. Philippines’ National Food Authority (NFA) has admitted the lack of effect the imports have had on the predicted lowering of prices, especially in Manila, the nation’s capital city.
“As of now, no effect. There are areas that have minimal reduction but here in Metro Manila, where we do not have rice production, there is none,”​ it said in a statement.
The imports of 500,000 metric tons (MT) worth of rice were commissioned earlier in the year by NFA. This was in an effort to deal with the NFA’s shortage of rice reserves, which at one point had dwindled down to two days’ worth, as reported by the state-run agency.
The NFA is a government agency responsible for safeguarding the stability of rice supply and prices in the country. Rice is the nation’s main staple food.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the average wholesale price of well-milled rice had risen to USD 0.81 (P43.18) per kilogramme this month, a rise of 10% from a year ago. Its average retail price saw a 9% year-on-year increase to USD 0.86 (P45.71).
Regular-milled rice was hit even harder, rising 13% year-on-year to USD 0.75 (P40.08) in wholesale prices, and 11% to USD 0.79 (P42.26). Palay (unhusked rice) also rose 13% year-on-year, to USD 0.41 (P22.11).
PSA previously only predicted a ‘slight increase’ in rice prices as of late last year.

Inflation woes in the Philippines​

The rising cost of rice is only one of Philippines’ concerns, as food inflation rates are also the highest they have been in five years.
Since the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law in January this year, the inflation rate has also been on an upward trend, and hit 5.7% in July. This is the fastest rate of increase registered in the Philippines since 2012 was set as the base to determine inflation.
Despite this, the government remains confident that this is a temporary situation, and will stabilise by the end of the year. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said: “The current surge in inflation is partly an initial reaction to the implementation of TRAIN and is expected to be short-lived and should taper off over the coming months.​
“For 2019, inflation is assessed to go back to target,” he added. “We expect inflation to peak in the third quarter and taper off by October.”​

What is TRAIN?

TRAIN forms the first part of the Philippine government’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP). Its aim is to “create a more just, simple, and more effective system of tax collection, as per the constitution, where the rich will have a bigger contribution and the poor will benefit more from the government’s programs and services,”​ as per the Philippine Department of Finance website.
Implementation of the TRAIN law served to raise or enforce new taxes on products like sugary drinks, vehicles, petroleum and others.
The Philippine Department of Finance has been adamant that TRAIN has played no part on inflation. Pernia disagrees, saying of the situation: "Oil prices are really going up […] Also, the depreciation of the peso and the TRAIN [law] is also a culprit."

Trouble within the NFA

Others have pointed to organisational and management issues within the NFA as a contributor to rising rice prices as well as food inflation rates.
"There is [a] shortage of NFA rice in the market. You implement TRAIN and you are not ready with the price of rice,"​ said University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman School of Statistics dean Dennis Mapa.
After NFA administrator Jason Aquino announced the shortage of rice buffer stock earlier this year, he was questioned in a Senate inquiry. Queries surrounded Aquino’s reasoning for not procuring lower-priced local grains during these months to maintain supply.
“You should have buffer to make sure traders would not take advantage of the farmers. You'll say there's no NFA rice but it's your job. Why are you announcing that you could not do your job?”​ asked Senator Cynthia Villar, chair of the Senate committee on agriculture and food.

Upcoming rice tariffication bill

In an effort to ease the effects of inflation, the government is all set to pass its rice tariffication bill into law within the year.
This would amend the existing 22-year-old Agricultural Tariffication Act of 1996, which gives rice import monopoly to the NFA. Passing this bill is expected to directly reduce the inflation rate by 0.4%
"The private sector will start importing. The more private sector imports, the supply of rice enlarges and therefore the price of rice goes down,"​ said Pernia.

AUGUST 30, 2018 / 2:00 PM / A DAY AGO

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- AUG 30, 2018

6 MIN READ

·        

·        

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-August 30, 2018

Nagpur, Aug 30 (Reuters) – Gram prices reported higher in Nagpur Agriculture Produce Marketing

Committee (APMC) on increased demand from local millers amid weak supply from producing regions.

Fresh rise in Madhya Pradesh gram prices and reported demand from South-based millers also

jacked up prices

About 100 bags of desi gram reported for auction in Nagpur APMC, according to sources. 

    FOODGRAINS & PULSES   

     

    GRAM

    * Gram varieties ruled steady in open market matching the demand and supply position.

    TUAR

    * Tuar gavarani and tuar Karnataka recovered in open market on good seasonal demand

      from local traders. 

    * Major rice varieties moved down in open makret here on lack of buying support

      from local traders amid good supply from producing belts.

                                                                           

   * In Akola, Tuar New – 3,850-3,900, Tuar dal (clean) – 5,600-5,750, Udid Mogar (clean)

    – 6,900-7,600, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,300-8,100, Gram – 4,000-4,050, Gram Super best

    – 5,100-5,200

   * Wheat 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                  4,000-4,100         3,900-4,000

     Gram Pink Auction            n.a.           2,100-2,600

     Tuar Auction                n.a.                3,500-4,035

     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        1,950-2,030         1,850-1,975

     Gram Super Best Bold            5,800-6,000        5,800-6,000

     Gram Super Best            n.a.            n.a.

     Gram Medium Best            5,400-5,600        5,400-5,600

     Gram Dal Medium            n.a.            n.a

     Gram Mill Quality            4,000-4,100        4,000-4,100

     Desi gram Raw                4,000-4,100         4,000-4,100

     Gram Kabuli                8,000-10,000        8,000-10,000

     Tuar Fataka Best-New             6,100-6,200        6,100-6,200

     Tuar Fataka Medium-New        5,700-6,000        5,700-6,000

     Tuar Dal Best Phod-New        5,600-5,800        5,600-5,800

     Tuar Dal Medium phod-New        5,200-5,500        5,200-5,500

     Tuar Gavarani New             3,950-4,050        3,900-4,000

     Tuar Karnataka             4,350-4,450        4,300-4,400

     Masoor dal best            4,900-5,200        4,900-5,200

     Masoor dal medium            4,600-4,800        4,600-4,800

     Masoor                    n.a.            n.a.

     Moong Mogar bold (New)        7,500-8,500         7,500-8,200

     Moong Mogar Medium            6,500-7,300        6,500-7,300

     Moong dal Chilka New            5,800-6,800        5,800-6,800

     Moong Mill quality            n.a.            n.a.

     Moong Chamki best            7,500-8,500        7,500-8,500

     Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 7,000-7,500       7,000-7,700

     Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG)    6,000-6,500        6,200-6,500   

     Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG)        4,000-4,300        4,200-4,500    

     Batri dal (100 INR/KG)        5,500-6,000        5,500-6,000

     Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg)          3,800-3,900         3,800-3,900

     Watana Dal (100 INR/KG)            4,900-5,000        4,800-5,000

     Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG)    5,300-5,600        5,300-5,600  

     Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG)        2,000-2,100        2,000-2,100

     Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG)    2,100-2,150        2,100-2,150  

     Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG)         2,250-2,400           2,250-2,400        

     Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG)    2,400-2,500        2,350-2,450   

     Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG)   2,150-2,350        2,100-2,300

     Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG)    n.a.            n.a.

     MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG)    3,400-4,000        3,400-4,000   

     MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG)    2,600-3,000        2,600-3,000          

     Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG)        2,100-2,200        2,100-2,200

     Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG)        3,200-3,600        3,400-4,000   

     Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG)        2,600-3,000        2,800-3,200       

     Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG)         2,900-3,000        2,900-3,000     

     Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG)      2,600-2,800        2,700-2,850  

     Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG)      2,500-2,600        2,500-2,650    

     Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG)        4,000-4,200        4,200-4,400    

     Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG)        3,500-3,700        3,700-3,900       

     Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG)      5,000-5,500        5,200-5,500

     Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG)    4,500-4,800        4,600-4,800      

     Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG)    9,500-14,000        9,500-14,000    

     Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG)    5,000-7,500        5,000-7,500   

     Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG)    6,500-7,000        6,500-7,000   

     Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG)    6,200-6,400        6,300-6,500       

     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. 28.8 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 23.8 degree Celsius

Rainfall : 1.2 mm

FORECAST: Generally cloudy sky with one or two spells of rains or thunder-showers. Maximum and

minimum temperature would be around and 28 and 24 degree Celsius respectively.

Note: n.a.--not available

(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but

included in market prices)

https://in.reuters.com/article/nagpur-foodgrain/nagpur-foodgrain-prices-open-aug-30-2018-idINL3N1VL3U3

AUGUST 31, 2018 / 1:07 PM / UPDATED 5 HOURS AGO

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- AUG 31, 2018

6 MIN READ

·        

·        

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-August 31, 2018

Nagpur, Aug 31 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices showed weak tendency in Nagpur Agriculture

Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) on lack of demand from local millers amid high moisture

content arrival. Easy condition on NCDEX and fresh fall in Madhya Pradesh gram prices also

affected sentiment in limited deals.

About 200 bags of desi gram and 50 bags of tuar reported for auction in Nagpur APMC, according

to sources. 

    FOODGRAINS & PULSES   

     

    GRAM

    * Desi gram raw reported down in open market here on lack of demand from local

      traders.

    TUAR

    * Tuar varieties ruled steady in open market here but demand was poor. 

    * Lakhodi dal moved down in open makret here on poor buying support

      from local traders amid good supply from producing belts.

                                                                            

   * In Akola, Tuar New – 3,850-3,900, Tuar dal (clean) – 5,600-5,750, Udid Mogar (clean)

    – 6,900-7,600, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,300-8,100, Gram – 4,000-4,050, Gram Super best

    – 5,100-5,200

   * Wheat 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                  3,350-3,905         3,500-4,050

     Gram Pink Auction            n.a.           2,100-2,600

     Tuar Auction                3,300-3,700         3,500-3,800

     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        1,900-2,040         1,950-2,030

     Gram Super Best Bold            5,800-6,000        5,800-6,000

     Gram Super Best            n.a.            n.a.

     Gram Medium Best            5,400-5,600        5,400-5,600

     Gram Dal Medium            n.a.            n.a

     Gram Mill Quality            4,000-4,100        4,000-4,100

     Desi gram Raw                3,950-4,050         4,000-4,100

     Gram Kabuli                8,000-10,000        8,000-10,000

     Tuar Fataka Best-New             6,100-6,200        6,100-6,200

     Tuar Fataka Medium-New        5,700-6,000        5,700-6,000

     Tuar Dal Best Phod-New        5,600-5,800        5,600-5,800

     Tuar Dal Medium phod-New        5,200-5,500        5,200-5,500

     Tuar Gavarani New             3,950-4,050        3,950-4,050

     Tuar Karnataka             4,350-4,450        4,350-4,450

     Masoor dal best            4,900-5,200        4,900-5,200

     Masoor dal medium            4,600-4,800        4,600-4,800

     Masoor                    n.a.            n.a.

     Moong Mogar bold (New)        7,500-8,500         7,500-8,200

     Moong Mogar Medium            6,500-7,300        6,500-7,300

     Moong dal Chilka New            5,800-6,800        5,800-6,800

     Moong Mill quality            n.a.            n.a.

     Moong Chamki best            7,500-8,500        7,500-8,500

     Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 7,000-7,500       7,000-7,700

     Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG)    6,000-6,500        6,200-6,500   

     Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG)        4,000-4,300        4,200-4,500    

     Batri dal (100 INR/KG)        5,500-6,000        5,500-6,000

     Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg)          3,700-3,800         3,800-3,900

     Watana Dal (100 INR/KG)            4,900-5,000        4,800-5,000

     Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG)    5,300-5,600        5,300-5,600  

     Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG)        2,000-2,100        2,000-2,100

     Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG)    2,100-2,150        2,100-2,150  

     Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG)         2,250-2,400           2,250-2,400        

     Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG)    2,400-2,500        2,350-2,450   

     Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG)   2,150-2,350        2,100-2,300

     Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG)    n.a.            n.a.

     MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG)    3,400-4,000        3,400-4,000   

     MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG)    2,600-3,000        2,600-3,000          

     Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG)        2,100-2,200        2,100-2,200

     Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG)        3,200-3,600        3,200-3,600    

     Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG)        2,600-3,000        2,600-3,000       

     Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG)         2,900-3,000        2,900-3,000     

     Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG)      2,600-2,800        2,600-2,800  

     Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG)      2,500-2,600        2,500-2,600    

     Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG)        4,000-4,200        4,000-4,200    

     Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG)        3,500-3,700        3,500-3,700       

     Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG)      5,000-5,500        5,000-5,500

     Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG)    4,500-4,800        4,500-4,800      

     Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG)    9,500-14,000        9,500-14,000    

     Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG)    5,000-7,500        5,000-7,500   

     Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG)    6,500-7,000        6,500-7,000   

     Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG)    6,200-6,400        6,200-6,400       

     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. 30.0 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 23.5 degree Celsius

Rainfall : 0.1 mm

FORECAST: Generally cloudy sky with possibility of moderate rains. Maximum and minimum

temperature would be around and 30 and 24 degree Celsius respectively.

Note: n.a.--not available

(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but

included in market prices)

https://in.reuters.com/article/nagpur-foodgrain/nagpur-foodgrain-prices-open-aug-31-2018-idINL3N1VM3RJ