Global warming will cause explosion in insect numbers:
scientists
9:06am
Aug 31, 2018
A
warmer world likely means more and hungrier insects chomping on crops and less
food on dinner plates, a new study suggests.Insects now consume about 10
percent of the globe’s food, but that will increase to 15 to 20 percent by the
end of the century if climate change isn’t stopped, said study lead author
Curtis Deutsch, a University of Washington climate scientist.
The study looked at the damage
bugs like the European corn borer and the Asiatic rice borer could do as
temperatures rise.
It found that many of them will
increase in number at key times for crops. The hotter weather will also speed
up their metabolism so they’ll eat more, the researchers report in Thursday’s
journal Science.
A colony of Russian wheat aphids
in a wheat leaf. (AAP)
Their predictions are based on
computer simulations of bug and weather activity.
“There’s going to be a lot of
crop loss, so there won’t be as much grain on the table,” said study co-author
Scott Merrill, an ecology professor at the University of Vermont.
The researchers calculate
additional losses of 48 million metric tons in wheat, rice and corn from hungry
bugs if the temperature rises another 1.5 degrees Celsius from now.
The study estimates that in that
warmer scenario, American corn, wheat and rice losses from insects will jump by
a third above current levels.
Bug damage to Russia’s rice crop
would jump sixfold. And nine countries — North Korea, Mongolia, Finland,
Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Bhutan, Armenia, the United Kingdom and Denmark — would
see at least a doubling of wheat loss from bugs.This undated image made
available by Frank Peairs in 2007 shows a European corn borer. (AAP)
If there are no drastic cuts in
emissions from coal, oil and gas, the world will reach that 1.5 degree mark and
extra insect loss around 2050 — give or take a decade or so, Deutsch said.
“In the history of agriculture,
one of the most important themes is the continuing struggle between farmers and
insects,” said Stanford University environmental institute director Chris
Field, who wasn’t part of the study.
“Based on this study, climate
change tilts the balance in the insects’ favour.”
The Russian wheat aphid is a good
example because “the populations are absolutely insane ... they are born
pregnant,” Merrill said. “If you increase the temperature a couple degrees you
can see the population growing much faster.”
The researchers acknowledge that
richer countries may be able to reduce projected losses with insecticides and
other pest-fighting techniques.
The study comes as insect experts
across the globe worry about declining numbers of flying insects,
especially beneficial pollinators like bees and moths. But while many insects
may be declining for a variety of reasons those associated with agriculture
crops — especially invasive species — seem to be doing better, said University
of Delaware’s Doug Tallamy, who wasn’t part of the study, which he considered
too broad.
University of Illinois
entomologist May Berenbaum, called the study distinctive.
“Problem insects are expanding
their ranges with climate warming,” she said in an email. turtles are becoming a rarity in
Queensland
Another study in the journal
looked at how the world’s vegetation changed since the last ice age and applied
that concept to current warming.
The study logged massive changes
to Earth’s landscape around the globe over more than 14,000 years from the last
glacier period.
The same magnitude of warming —
more than 4 degrees Celsius — is projected to occur with human-caused climate
change, but may be in only 100 years or so, said study co-author Jonathan
Overpeck, a University of Michigan climate scientist.
“It really paints a picture that
is a lot more dire,” Overpeck said, calling it “vegetation chaos.”
No limits: Philippines gears up
to scrap caps on rice imports
MANILA (Reuters) - The
Philippines is gearing up to scrap more than two-decade-old caps on rice
imports in the face of raging inflation and the possible threat of trade
sanctions over the policy, a revamp that could bring relief to consumers but
pain to farmers.
GRAPHIC: Philippine rice industry - tmsnrt.rs/2LAKqH5
SPECIAL TREATMENT
The Philippines was allowed to
keep the cap when it joined the World Trade Organization and lifted non-tariff
barriers on other agricultural products in 1995. It limits private sector
imports to 805,200 tonnes a year.That special treatment aimed at protecting
local farmers was extended several times until 2017, but some WTO members
bargained for non-rice trade concessions. Manila decided not to seek any
further extension to avoid more trade-offs.“We are technically in violation of
the WTO agreement, which means they can impose sanctions on us anytime,” said
Roehlano Briones, a research fellow at policy think-tank Philippine Institute
for Development Studies.
The price spikes have been much
more pronounced in the country’s southern provinces, where residents recently
scrambled for limited supplies following a crackdown on rice smuggling that had
remained unchecked for years.The crisis in Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and
Tawi-Tawi provinces, where residents formed long queues to buy limited
emergency supplies, has prompted calls for the resignation of food security
officials, including Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol.
Smugglers bring as much as
600,000 tonnes a year into the Philippines, based on unverified industry
estimates.Pinol said in a Facebook post that while the import caps should be
lifted, the country should be wary of becoming overly dependent on cargoes from
abroad, especially as climate change and population growth could wreak havoc on
international supply down the line.“There will be a time in the near future
when the demand for food from their own people would effectively prevent
(producers) from exporting,” Pinol warned.
“We would end up paying more ...
or we would have the money, but there would be no rice available.”
Basmati exporters on boil as Iran importer defaults
NEW DELHI, AUGUST 31
Indian rice exporters have a sum
of nearly ₹1,000 crore stuck mainly because an Iranian importer has
defaulted on payments due for aromatic rice exported to the Gulf country, an
exporter has said.
The All India Rice Exporters’
Association (AIREA) admitted that there was a fraud by an Iranian company, but
said the things are being sorted out with the both governments seized of the
matter.
“The industry has around ₹ 1,000 crore outstanding from Iran,” said Gurnam Arora,
Joint Managing Director of Kohinoor Foods Ltd. According to Vijay Setia,
President of the AIREA, one particular Iranian importer owes a lot of money to
Indian exporters. It seems that the Iranian firm has siphoned off the funds, he
said.
The Iranian government has been
giving the currency at a concessional rate to importers so that they can make
payments towards exporters from India.
The Iranian Rial has witnessed a
sharp fall of over 100 per cent against the dollar since March this year on
return of US sanctions and worsening economic crisis.
“Three Indian exporters had given
us a complaint which we have forwarded to the Apeda and Indian embassy in
Tehran,” he added.
Rice exporters are also in touch
Iranian Embassy in Delhi. When appraised him of the fraud committed by the
Iranian firm, a senior official at the Embassy assured them of all help.
According to the Agricultural and
Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) data, Indian firms
exported basmati 4,26,034 tonnes of basmati rice worth ₹ 3,089 crore during the first three months of the current
financial year.
Shipments up
In 2017-18, Iran imported
8,77,422 tonnes of basmati worth ₹ 5,830 crore, according to the official data.
Iran accounts for close to 25 per
cent of basmati rice exports from India and as a result, it becomes a major
differentiator for basmati rice export business, said Gurnam Arora, Joint
Managing Director, Kohinoor Foods Limited.
China beckons
Arora said the trade may be
disturbed due to prevailing US sanctions on Iran but was confident that the
rice exporters will be able to find newer markets. “If nothing else, we may
have to look for other markets. China, for instance. We are planning a road
show in China soon. It’s true that Chinese people prefer sticky rice, but no
harm in trying to introduce them to basmati,” Arora said.
Apeda is taking a team to China
in the third week of September to explore the business opportunities there.
AIREA held a meeting of its
members on Thursday in which many of those who are exporting rice to Iran
expressed the feeling that the sanctions will not affect their prospects much.
Apeda has already issued an
advisory to all exporters saying that if any firm wants to deal with this
particular Iranian company, it has to get an authentic payment commitment
against by it would issue valid orders.
Next
'Focus on the Farmer' Series Starts Monday
ARLINGTON, VA -- The USA Rice Daily is
taking a break for the Labor Day holiday. But, as we all know, social
media never sleeps so be on the lookout Monday for the start of this
month's USA Rice "Focus on the Farmer" Facebookseries featuring Sidney Robnett, a young
rice farmer from Stuttgart, Arkansas.
Follow along with Sidney all week, and look, "like," and, most importantly, share the posts to help spread the U.S. rice story!
Follow along with Sidney all week, and look, "like," and, most importantly, share the posts to help spread the U.S. rice story!
China
Trade Trouble Continues
By Lesley Dixon
WASHINGTON, DC -- Representatives from the U.S.
and China concluded two days of negotiations over trade issues last Thursday
with no resolution being reached. The meetings wrapped up on the same day
the Trump Administration enacted a 25 percent tariff on an additional $16 billion
of Chinese imports, bringing the total amount of tariffs levied against Chinese
goods to more than $50 billion in an ongoing trade dispute.
In response, China has added several U.S. agricultural products, such as wood pellets and fish meal, to the list of goods subject to the 25 percent retaliatory tariff originally implemented on July 6.
U.S. rice exports are one of the commodities targeted by this initial retaliation from China, despite the fact that China does not currently accept imports of U.S. rice. In a countermeasure, the U.S. has proposed levying a duty of 10 percent on Chinese rice and a range of other imports. USA Rice is asking the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to raise that number to a reciprocal 25 percent to increase pressure on China to open its markets.
The Chinese delegation, led by Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen, met with a U.S. team headed by Treasury Undersecretary for International Affairs David Malpass. President Trump stated on Monday that he did not expect these mid-level meetings to result in an agreement, and is prepared to continue his hardline toward China even if it means dragging out tariff disputes. Leaders of both nations will convene at the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires at the end of November, a timetable that added urgency to the talks last week.
"The objective is to start meaningful discussions about the trade relationship between China and the United States," said Michael Rue, California rice producer and chair of the USA Rice Asia Trade Policy Subcommittee. "At this point, that's all anyone can really say. We don't know how detailed the negotiations were or what it will mean for rice yet, but we are all hopeful that the Administration's efforts to improve the conditions of trade with China will be successful."
Meanwhile, Monday wrapped up six days of hearings at the USTR in Washington on the Trump Administration's latest round of proposed measures against Chinese imports. Close to 360 business leaders, trade experts, and industry representatives testified on the potential consequences of what is to be the third round of tariffs on Chinese goods. While there was general agreement among those testifying that measures must be taken to curtail China's unfair trade practices and intellectual property theft, most companies and trade organizations told the administration that tariffs are not a long-term solution.
"Continuing trade disputes with China are likely complicating our long-term efforts to open the Chinese market, and hampering recent progress made after many years of effort by the U.S. rice industry," said USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward.
In response, China has added several U.S. agricultural products, such as wood pellets and fish meal, to the list of goods subject to the 25 percent retaliatory tariff originally implemented on July 6.
U.S. rice exports are one of the commodities targeted by this initial retaliation from China, despite the fact that China does not currently accept imports of U.S. rice. In a countermeasure, the U.S. has proposed levying a duty of 10 percent on Chinese rice and a range of other imports. USA Rice is asking the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to raise that number to a reciprocal 25 percent to increase pressure on China to open its markets.
The Chinese delegation, led by Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen, met with a U.S. team headed by Treasury Undersecretary for International Affairs David Malpass. President Trump stated on Monday that he did not expect these mid-level meetings to result in an agreement, and is prepared to continue his hardline toward China even if it means dragging out tariff disputes. Leaders of both nations will convene at the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires at the end of November, a timetable that added urgency to the talks last week.
"The objective is to start meaningful discussions about the trade relationship between China and the United States," said Michael Rue, California rice producer and chair of the USA Rice Asia Trade Policy Subcommittee. "At this point, that's all anyone can really say. We don't know how detailed the negotiations were or what it will mean for rice yet, but we are all hopeful that the Administration's efforts to improve the conditions of trade with China will be successful."
Meanwhile, Monday wrapped up six days of hearings at the USTR in Washington on the Trump Administration's latest round of proposed measures against Chinese imports. Close to 360 business leaders, trade experts, and industry representatives testified on the potential consequences of what is to be the third round of tariffs on Chinese goods. While there was general agreement among those testifying that measures must be taken to curtail China's unfair trade practices and intellectual property theft, most companies and trade organizations told the administration that tariffs are not a long-term solution.
"Continuing trade disputes with China are likely complicating our long-term efforts to open the Chinese market, and hampering recent progress made after many years of effort by the U.S. rice industry," said USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward.
USA Rice Daily
How Much Rice Can One Plant Produce?!
Published on Aug 30, 2018
Numbers of how much rice
a plant produces is dependent on a variety of factors: the rice farmer, rice
variety, region the rice was planted (soil type and weather patterns), and
more. I just thought this was such a great question that I needed to dedicate
an episode of Rice Farming TV to it. Let me know if you have any questions
about rice production or farming rice in California. Please share this episode
if you found it entertaining and/or educational. Don't forget to subscribe! 🔴
Recommended Playlist "Rice Farming TV | Starting at Episode 1": https://goo.gl/j25ujs
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Egypt
agrees to import 1 million tonnes of rice from Việt Nam
Update: August, 31/2018 - 15:12
 |
|
Egypt to import 1 million tonnes of white rice from Việt Nam. —
Photo tapchitaichinh.vn
|
According to the Vietnam News Agency
correspondent in Cairo ,
Rajab Shehata said that the visit of the President of Việt Nam to Egypt resulted
in a trade co-operation agreement involving the supply of one million tonnes of
white rice, with the agreement coming into force next week.
He said these quantities were in batches of
three to four months, which would strengthen the strategic reserve of rice for
the next year and the presence of domestic rice stocks in the markets.
The Ahram online
newspaper reported that in an attempt to make the best use of water resources, Egypt this
year reduced the area allowed for water-intensive 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 one million tonnes 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 fromChina .
He did not mention the price of Vietnamese rice but said it would be cheaper than the rice imported from
India’s rice export rates dip as rupee flounders; markets eye
Philippine boost
Rice export in five months declines by over
100,000 tons compared to same period of last year
Submitted by ttwin on
Fri, 08/31/2018 - 16:19
Writer: Zeyar Nyein
Myanmar has exported over 900,000
tons of rice and broken rice over the past five months, starting from April in
the mini budge year, declining by over 100,000 tons compared to the same period
of last year but earning more than US$15 million, according to Myanmar Rice
Federation.
From April 1 to August 17 this
year, 909,376 tons of rice and broken rice were exported, earning US$315.283
million.
In the previous 2017-2018 fiscal
year (from April to August 2017), 1,024,459 tons of rice and broken rice were
exported, earning nearly US$300 million.
Thus, this year saw a decrease of
115,073 tons but the income has increased by over US$15 million.
Thanks to extended global rice
market, Myanmar was able to export nearly 3.6 million tons of rice last fiscal
year, making a record high in over 50 years.
However, an official from Myanmar
Rice Federation said rice export could increase this year only if export of
rice to China is good.
"Rice export via maritime
trade route is just normal. It will not decrease. But I am concerned about
border trade route. We cannot say exactly about rice export situation. It
depends on situation in China and its minimum support price. Maritime trade
route will go as it is," said Lu Maw Myint Maung, joint general secretary
of Myanmar Rice Federation.
As US dollar price increases now,
rice export will increase income. Under the system of letter of credit (LC),
Myanmar rice exporters have to weigh up extended export within this period.
"Exporter cannot sell their
rice immediately. When they load rice onto a vessel and an LC comes out, they
will make a profit. However, as global rice prices decrease despite dollar
appreciation, buyers will want to see loading next two or three months. So,
exporters dare not risk. They will make a profit only if loading happens early,"
said Than Oo, secretary of Bayintnaung Rice Wholesale Centre.
In the previous years, export of
rice via border routes increased, accounting for 70 percent. Sea route trade
was just about 30 percent.
Last 2017-2018 fiscal year, rice
export by sea increase up to 48 percent.
Arroyo open to NFA
abolition after rice tariff law
RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News
Arroyo also believes that the agency should import the staple
grain "at this point in time."
"They have to import and when we tariffy importation, maybe
NFA can be abolished because then it will be liberalized so it’s something that
can be debated on," she told reporters at the sidelines of her visit to an
Aeta community in Pampanga.
"It can stay, it can go. To me, I’m neither here nor there
about the situation but right now the most important thing is we should be able
to import rice and make it arrive before October," she said.
Arroyo said she will check on the status of the measure in the
Senate seeking to impose taxes on rice imports since the House of
Representatives has passed its version.
She said when she saw Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea
during budget deliberations earlier this week, she relayed that during the
administration's economic managers' discussion, "everything has been
addressed except the importation of rice."
"He said exactly from the budget hearing he was going to to
Malacanang to have a meeting on the importation of rice," said Arroyo.
Arroyo also said that government will relax import restrictions
on fish and meat, according to Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.
Calls for the abolition of the NFA have snowballed following the
increase in prices of rice as well as the discovery of weevil-infested imported
rice.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/31/18/arroyo-open-to-nfa-abolition-after-rice-tariff-law
Rice-growing bodies support proposed ASX listing of SunRice
A rice crop growing in the
Riverina earlier this year. Photo: Rod Gribble
RGA has encouraged its grower members to vote in support of the
proposal because it is seen as enabling SunRice to raise capital required to
implement its five-year growth strategy.RGA said this capital would help SunRice deliver a more competitive price for rice growers to ensure the crop remains a viable option within farming systems, and secure future success for the rice industry in southern NSW’s Riverina district.
RGA president, Jeremy Morton, said RGA did not believe the proposed listing would change the fundamental purpose of SunRice.
“We feel that this proposal enhances SunRice’s ability to achieve its overarching purpose of receiving, processing and marketing rice, in order to achieve long-term improvement in both the returns for growers and the profitability of the company,” Mr Morton said.
SunRice sells branded and value-added rice products on the domestic and export markets, and its growth strategy includes investment in farming systems, supply chains, infrastructure and marketing.
The RMB is responsible for obtaining the best possible monetary return for ricegrowers in accordance with NSW Government vesting and export legislation, and said it has found no reason to expect an adverse impact on vesting arrangement from the proposed listing.
RGA has asked its members to review information available to them and gain advice when needed about the proposed listing ahead of the vote on whether to support it at SunRice’s annual general meeting on 20 September.
“The RGA strongly encourages every grower member to make their vote count. In doing so, we recommend growers consider the current and future opportunities and challenges faced by the Australian rice industry.”
The Riverina rice industry has lost area to cotton in recent years due to high prices for the fibre, and increased ginning capacity.
Tree nuts and some other crops have also cribbed area from rice.
The board of SunRice announced plans to list on the ASX in May through the transfer of its B-Class shares from the National Stock Exchange.
If approved by shareholders, the ASX listing will remove current B-Class share ownership restrictions and the 5 per cent shareholding cap, and will allow anyone to invest in SunRice B Class shares up to a new maximum 10pc shareholding cap.
This will allow the company to take advantage of investor appetite for Australian branded fast-moving consumer goods and agri-stocks, while retaining its dual class structure and A- Class grower shareholder control.
For the proposal to proceed a 75pc majority vote of both A and B Class shareholders is required.
For the year ended 30 April, 2018, SunRice reported a consolidated revenue of $1.2 billion, a 6pc increase on the previous year (FY17), and a net profit after tax of $45.1 million, a 32pc increase on the previous year.
Source: RGA, RMB and SunRice
Jowar
falls on reduced offtake
PTI |
Aug 31, 2018, 14:41 IST
New
Delhi, Aug 31 () Jowar prices came down by Rs 100 per quintal at the wholesale
grains market today after consuming industries slowed down their buying
activity against sufficient stocks position.
However,
other grains including wheat and rice basmati held steady on scattered demand. Traders said besides easing demand from consuming industries, adequate stocks position, mainly weighed on jowar prices.
In the national capital, jowar yellow and white fell by Rs 100 each to Rs 1,700-1,750 and Rs 2,900-2,950 per quintal, respectively.
Following are today's quotations (in Rs per quintal):
Wheat MP (desi) Rs 2,320-2,420, Wheat dara (for mills) Rs 1,970-1,975, Atta Chakki (delivery) Rs 1,980-1,985, Atta Rajdhani (10 kg) Rs 250-280, Shakti Bhog (10 kg) Rs 275-310, Roller flour mill Rs 1,070-1,090 (50 kg), Maida Rs 1,170-1,180 (50 kg) and Sooji Rs 1,200-1,210 (50 kg).
Basmati rice (Lal Quila) Rs 10,700, Shri Lal Mahal Rs 11,300, Super Basmati rice Rs 9,900, Basmati common new Rs 7,600-7,700, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs 6,700-6,800, Permal raw Rs 2,425-2,450, Permal wand Rs 2,525-2,575, Sela Rs 3,050-3,150 and rice IR-8 Rs 2,025-2,075.
Bajra
Rs 1,350-1,355, Jowar yellow Rs 1,700-1,750, white Rs 2,900-2,950, Maize Rs
1,340-1,345, Barley Rs 1,560-1,570. SUN KPS ADI ADI
Gavel falls on final state rice
auction
Sale of inedible grains brings clearance closer
- 31 Aug 2018 at 04:09
- NEWSPAPER
SECTION: BUSINESS
| WRITER: PHUSADEE
ARUNMAS
The government is inching
closer to fully unloading its hefty rice stocks after selling a combined
267,300 tonnes for animal feed and energy purposes at Thursday's final auction.
The burdensome rice stocks have taken four years to clear, amounting to 17-18 million tonnes accumulated from state-sponsored rice pledging schemes.
The government is estimated to incur a loss of
at least 500 billion baht from the costly populist programme.
Manatsanith Jirawat, deputy director-general of the Foreign Trade Department,
said five bidders offered the highest bids for 245,000 tonnes of inedible-grade
rice for industrial use and animal feed that is being stored at 18 state
warehouses, making up 100% of the amount.The combined value totalled 1.66 billion baht, with the winning bid prices averaging 6,670 baht a tonne.
In a separate auction for energy purposes, five bidders won 22,300 tonnes kept at 20 state warehouses nationwide, representing 100% of the amount put up for auction. The latter auction fetched 114.19 million baht, with maximum bidding prices averaging 4,584 baht a tonne.
Results of the final auctions will be forwarded to the panel handling the state rice sales next week, with approval by the Rice Policy and Management Committee scheduled for next month.
"The department's task of handling the rice auctions has been completed," Mrs Manatsanith said. "Since the government took control of the country's administration, the department has organised 32 rice auctions and sold 25,000 tonnes of rice stocks under government-to-government contracts to Indonesia's State Logistics Agency. In total, the department has sold 16.91 million tonnes worth 146.17 billion baht."
She said the department is about to finalise the exact amount of state rice stocks accrued by previous governments before the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) assumed management.
The State Audit Office, which was assigned by the Rice Policy and Management Committee to handle the audit of state rice stocks controlled by two key state agencies (the Public Warehouse Organisation and the Marketing Organisation for Farmers), reported on July 2, 2014 that the government controlled a total of 18.7 million tonnes.
But the audit committee set up by the NCPO to check state rice stocks later found that the supply totalled just 17.76 million tonnes -- indicating that 940,000 tonnes of rice were missing.
Adul Chotinisakorn, director-general of the Foreign Trade Department, said the department expects to conclude by September whether the stocks are actually missing or the initial estimate was incorrect.
As of Wednesday, Thailand had exported 7.45 million tonnes, up 1.7% year-on-year, with an export value of US$3.75 billion (123 billion baht), up 18.4%.
Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said the latest rice pledging programme saw an estimated loss of at least 500 billion baht.
The previous governments spent about 700 billion baht on similar schemes that offered to buy rice at higher-than-market prices.
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