Solon wants suspension of rice imports until harvest
ends
By
Filane Mikee Cervantes May 15, 2020, 5:13 pm
MANILA – A leader of the House of
Representatives on Friday urged the government to postpone the importation of
rice until local rice farmers have harvested their main season crop.
Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero said
bringing in imported rice in a time of pandemic could bring down rice prices,
as well as the trader’s buying price for palay (unhusked
rice).
“Though harvest peaked late last
month until early this month, many farmers are still harvesting their dry
season palay crop. Let’s wait for them to finish in about two
weeks before finalizing any rice importation agreement,” he said.
“We all know that traders are
monitoring rice prices, on which they base their buying price for the farmers’ palay produce,”
he said.
Romero noted that farmers are
currently enjoying high prices for their harvest.
“They are getting fairly reasonable
prices for their palay, unlike last year when they lost money due
to low prices,” he said.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar
said that the Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC) has officially
opened the government-to-government rice importation for the supply of 300,000
metric tons of rice, which will serve as buffer stock during the lean months.
The Department of Agriculture (DA)
has assured the public that the country’s rice supply is adequate for the
entire year with a comfortable level of inventory.
“Going into the lean months and
onto December 31, 2020, we have enough supply of food, and that includes our
major staple – rice,” Dar said.
“We remain consistent that our
total projected supply of rice by end of December 2020 would be 17.994 million
metric tons (MMT), while our total projected demand would be 14.668 MMT,
leaving a year-end inventory of 3.326 MMT,” he added. (PNA)
Rice stocks to reach 1.8 million tons by June: Bulog
President director of the State
Logistics Agency, Budi Waseso, observed the market operation at Jatinegara
Market in East Jakarta on Friday (May 15, 2020). (ANTARA/HO-Bulog/sh)
I have contacted farmers groups and some suppliers of unhusked
rice. We have the contract to absorb 650 thousand tons (of unhusked rice). I
think that, until June, we can still absorb at least 650 thousand tons of
unhusked rice
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The State Logistics Agency (Bulog) is
expected to have 1.8 million tons of rice in stock by June, 2020, the peak
harvesting season, the agency’s president director, Budi Waseso, said here on
Friday.
Bulog is targeting to absorb 650 thousand tons of unhusked rice produced by the nation’s farmers during the harvesting season from March to June this year, Budi Waseso, popularly known as Buwas, said.
"I have contacted farmers groups and some suppliers of unhusked rice. We have the contract to absorb 650 thousand tons (of unhusked rice). I think that, until June, we can still absorb at least 650 thousand tons of unhusked rice," he remarked after observing the agency's market operation in Jatinegara Market in East Jakarta.
Currently, the government's rice stock is pegged at 1.4 million tons.
“Now, we have 1.4 million tons of rice in stock. Although we used some stock for the disbursement of social assistance during the (COVID-19) pandemic, we still have adequate stock," he averred.
Bulog has set a procurement target of 950 thousand tons of domestic rice for the government’s rice reserves (CBP) for 2020.
During a hearing with Commission IV of the House of Representatives, Buwas said that 61 percent of the target would be met within the three months of April, May, and June this year.
As of May this year, the agency has absorbed 290 thousand tons of rice harvested by farmers. (INE)
Bulog is targeting to absorb 650 thousand tons of unhusked rice produced by the nation’s farmers during the harvesting season from March to June this year, Budi Waseso, popularly known as Buwas, said.
"I have contacted farmers groups and some suppliers of unhusked rice. We have the contract to absorb 650 thousand tons (of unhusked rice). I think that, until June, we can still absorb at least 650 thousand tons of unhusked rice," he remarked after observing the agency's market operation in Jatinegara Market in East Jakarta.
Currently, the government's rice stock is pegged at 1.4 million tons.
“Now, we have 1.4 million tons of rice in stock. Although we used some stock for the disbursement of social assistance during the (COVID-19) pandemic, we still have adequate stock," he averred.
Bulog has set a procurement target of 950 thousand tons of domestic rice for the government’s rice reserves (CBP) for 2020.
During a hearing with Commission IV of the House of Representatives, Buwas said that 61 percent of the target would be met within the three months of April, May, and June this year.
As of May this year, the agency has absorbed 290 thousand tons of rice harvested by farmers. (INE)
Southern NSW irrigators hopeful for summer rice crop after receiving first water allocation for two years
/ By Cara Jeffery, Mollie Gorman
Posted Yesterday, updated Yesterday
A small water allocation
in the Murray and Murrumbidgee has growers hopeful of planting summer rice.(ABC
Rural: Cara Jeffery)
Share
Irrigators in the Murray Valley of New South Wales are hopeful of
a rice crop after welcoming their first water allocation in two years.
Key points:
·
Murray
Valley irrigators indicate they will grow rice after receiving their first
water allocation since March 2018
·
An
extra 170,000 megalitres has come into Murray Valley water storages after April
rain
·
Allocations
could be zero or very low at the start of the new water year in July, but are
more likely to rise than in previous years
The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment released a
general security water entitlement of just three per cent, in the final
allocations for the 2019/20 water year.
It said rainfall in late April resulted in an extra 170,000
megalitres in the Murray Valley water storages, allowing the first allocations
since March 2018.
Finley cropper Angela Urquhart welcomed today's announcement but
said she will hold her entitlement over until later in the year.
"It gives us a little bit of security, not a lot, but just a
little bit," Ms Urquhart said.
The Price of Rice Will Stabilize as Idul Fitri Approaches: Food Task Force
A woman receives a free bag of
rice from a military-run 'Rice ATM' in West Jakarta on May 4. (JG Photo/Yudha
Baskoro)
BY :TARA MARCHELIN
MAY 14, 2020 
Jakarta. The National Police's Food Task Force has assured the
public that the price of rice will remain stable during the Idul Fitri
holiday and that the State Logistics Agency,
or Bulog, has enough rice in their warehouses to satisfy demand.
"The recommended retail
price for rice will stay at Rp 10,912 (70 cents) per kilogram as Idul
Fitri approaches," National Police spokesman Chief Comr. Ahmad
Ramadhan said on Thursday.
According to Ahmad, Bulog has 1.4 million tons of rice kept
in its warehouses around the country, more than enough to meet demand during
Idul Fitri. However, Ahmad said seven provinces are currently experiencing
a rice stock deficit: Riau, Riau Islands, North Kalimantan, Maluku, North
Maluku, Bangka Belitung and West Papua."The Food Task Force has been trying to speed up rice distribution from rice-producing regions to these provinces," Ahmad said in an online press conference from the National Police headquarters.
The task force also estimated that demand for sugar from April to May would reach 700,000 tons and noted that there is currently a sugar stock deficit of 28,540 tons.
Ahmad said the shortage could be overcome by importing sugar. If that happens, the task force will also monitor its import and distribution.
"Meanwhile, the price of sugar has gone down 4.4 percent from Rp 17,062 to Rp 16,300," Ahmad said.
Prices for garlic, chili, egg and chicken are expected to rise between 1 percent and 29 percent.
Prices of shallot, beef and cooking oil are expected to fall between 0.01 percent and 5.9 percent.
"We're closely monitoring staple food distribution by inspecting markets and rounding up hoarders," Ahmad said.
Trade Minister Agus Suparmanto has appealed for people to avoid panic buying for Idul Fitri festivities.
"We have enough stock of staple food for everyone, and the prices will remain affordable," Agus said in an online press conference from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) headquarters in Jakarta.
The Trade Ministry has also issued a Covid-19 protocol for markets to limit the spread of coronavirus. Agus said every market now has to provide free masks and gloves for sellers.
Sellers and staff at traditional markets should get tested for Covid-19 using either the rapid test or the swab test that will be available from regional governments.
"Markets should erect a barrier fence to limit the number of visitors. They should keep it at 30 percent the number of visitors before the pandemic. Each visitor should stay no more than 2.5 hours at the market," he said.
Agus also said people should avoid shopping with cash at supermarkets and keep banknotes in a plastic bag when they shop at traditional markets.
"If at all possible, you
should order your groceries online and get them delivered to your house instead
of going out to shop," he said.
Ministry to strictly manage rice exports via international border gates
Saturday, 05/16/2020, 08:10
The Ministry of Industry and
Trade (MoIT) will continue to strictly manage rice exports through
international border gates, said an official.
 |
|
Packing rice for export (Photo: VNA)
|
Tran Thanh Hai, Deputy Director of the MoIT’s Export-Import
Department, said at the ministry’s regular press conference on May 15 that
although rice is a key export staple, it is a must to ensure the country's food
security.
The ministry will also coordinate with competent forces to increase inspections in order to prevent rice smuggling across borders, he said.
Statistics showed that Vietnam shipped abroad 2.1 million tonnes of rice valued at US$991 million in the first four months of this year, up 1.1 % in volume and 4.1 % in value.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has agreed with the MoIT’s proposal to resume rice exports from May 1, in accordance with Decree 107/2018/ND-CP on rice exports.
In implementing the PM’s instructions regarding rice exports in the time ahead, the ministry has asked cities and provinces to supervise businesses’ ensuring circulated reserves at at least 5 % of the total rice export volume, Hai told the Vietnam News Agency.
In addition, the ministry has urged the 20 biggest rice exporters to sign agreements with at least a supermarket system to ensure food reserves for circulation.
The MoIT will continue its close coordination with other ministries, agencies, localities and the Vietnam Food Association to implement solutions to facilitate rice exports in terms of procedures, logistics and credit.
Notably, it will keep a close watch on the developments of domestic and global rice demand-supply and forecast actions to be taken by the world’s major importers and exporters, as well as the developments of diseases and natural disasters. Relevant reports will be submitted to the PM for decision making.
According to the MoIT, the country is projected to harvest 43.5 million tonnes of paddy this year, nearly 30 million tonnes of which is expected to be used for domestic consumption, and the rest for export.
The ministry will also coordinate with competent forces to increase inspections in order to prevent rice smuggling across borders, he said.
Statistics showed that Vietnam shipped abroad 2.1 million tonnes of rice valued at US$991 million in the first four months of this year, up 1.1 % in volume and 4.1 % in value.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has agreed with the MoIT’s proposal to resume rice exports from May 1, in accordance with Decree 107/2018/ND-CP on rice exports.
In implementing the PM’s instructions regarding rice exports in the time ahead, the ministry has asked cities and provinces to supervise businesses’ ensuring circulated reserves at at least 5 % of the total rice export volume, Hai told the Vietnam News Agency.
In addition, the ministry has urged the 20 biggest rice exporters to sign agreements with at least a supermarket system to ensure food reserves for circulation.
The MoIT will continue its close coordination with other ministries, agencies, localities and the Vietnam Food Association to implement solutions to facilitate rice exports in terms of procedures, logistics and credit.
Notably, it will keep a close watch on the developments of domestic and global rice demand-supply and forecast actions to be taken by the world’s major importers and exporters, as well as the developments of diseases and natural disasters. Relevant reports will be submitted to the PM for decision making.
According to the MoIT, the country is projected to harvest 43.5 million tonnes of paddy this year, nearly 30 million tonnes of which is expected to be used for domestic consumption, and the rest for export.
Cambodia works to enhance competitiveness of rice
export
By
A worker stacks sacks of paddy in Kandal
province.(Photo: www.khmertimeskh.com)
May 15, 2020
The Cambodian Ministry of
Commerce and relevant agencies have reviewed a study on rice export cost in a
bid to enhance the competitiveness of the country’s rice export.
Secretary of State at Cambodia’s
Ministry of Commerce Sok Sopheak chaired the discussion with representatives
from the Cambodia Agriculture Value Chain Programme (CAVAC) and Cambodia Rice
Federation on May 13.
The project on Cambodian rice
production and export cost study was proposed by the Ministry of Commerce with
technical and financial support from the CAVAC.
In full: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/cambodia-works-to-enhance-competitiveness-of-rice-export/173291.vnp
© 2020, All rights reserved.
Australian firm keen to invest in Cambodia’s rice production chain
An Australian firm is eying
investment in Cambodia’s paddy rice and milled rice production chain for export
to Australia.
Malaysia signs record rice deal with India
Import pact signals improving
ties between two countries since Mahathir's exit
PUBLISHED : 15 MAY 2020 AT 17:59
WRITER: REUTERS
Labourers
manoeuvre a cart loaded with rice sacks at a mill on the outskirts of
Ahmedabad, India. (Reuters Photo)
MUMBAI: Malaysia has agreed to
import a record 100,000 tonnes of rice from India for shipment this month and
next, in a further sign of improving trade relations between the countries
after a diplomatic spat.
The first such purchase this year
is already nearly twice the average annual volume of rice Malaysia has imported
from India in the last five years, as rival suppliers such as Myanmar, Vietnam
and Cambodia placed temporary curbs on exports to save the grain for domestic
use during the coronavirus crisis.
Malaysia’s purchases would help
trim rice stockpiles in India, the world’s biggest exporter.
“After a long time, Malaysia is
making substantial purchases from India,” BV Krishna Rao, president of India’s
Rice Exporters Association, told Reuters.
The country’s imports from India
could rise to 200,000 tonnes this year after the latest deals, Rao and executives
from three other firms said.
Malaysia’s Ministry of
Agriculture and Food Industry did not respond to a request for comment.Malaysia
bought around 53,000 tonnes per year on average from India in the past five
years, according to data from the Indian commerce ministry. Total sales to
Malaysia were a record 86,292 tonnes last year.
India is now offering white rice
for between $390 and $400 per tonne compared with more than $450 for other
countries, exporters said.
“That is making buying lucrative
from India,” said Nitin Gupta, vice-president of the rice business at the
agri-trading company Olam India.
Restriction on exports by Myanmar,
Vietnam and Cambodia could have prompted Malaysia’s state-linked rice importer
Bernas to source supplies from India, said Himanshu Agarwal, executive director
at Satyam Balajee, India’s biggest rice exporter.
Vietnam, the third-largest rice
supplier, fully resumed exports this month, after halting sales from late March
and limiting supply in April to make sure it has sufficient food during the
pandemic.
The rice deals come against the
backdrop of a massive jump in recent imports by Malaysia of other commodities
such as sugar from India, the biggest buyer of Malaysian palm oil.
India early this year restricted
imports of Malaysian palm oil as a retaliation for then Malaysian Prime
Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s repeated criticism of New Delhi’s domestic policies
affecting the country’s Muslim minority.
Mahathir resigned in February as
his coalition collapsed, and since then the countries have worked to rebuild
their ties.
“Both economics and diplomacy
have played out here,” an Indian official said on condition of anonymity,
referring to the recent uptick in deals.
“And when this palm oil thing
came in, things sort of fell in place for India,” the official said, referring
to how India’s tightening of palm import restrictions led to Malaysia signing
other deals with the South Asian country.
Malaysia is the world’s
second-biggest producer and exporter of the vegetable oil after Indonesia, and
India’s restrictions had badly affected its sales.
Malaysia signs record rice import deal with India, say exporters
Malaysia has contracted to import a record 100,000 tonnes of
rice from India for shipment this month and next. — Picture by Miera Zulyana
MUMBAI, May 15 — Malaysia has
contracted to import a record 100,000 tonnes of rice from India for shipment
this month and next, four industry officials told Reuters, in a further sign of
improving trade relations between the countries after a diplomatic spat.
The first such purchase this year
is already nearly twice the average annual volume of rice Malaysia has imported
from India in the last five years, as rival suppliers such as Myanmar, Vietnam
and Cambodia placed temporary curbs on exports to save the grain for themselves
during the coronavirus crisis.
Malaysia’s purchases would help
trim rice stockpiles in India, the world’s biggest exporter of the commodity.
“After a long time, Malaysia is
making substantial purchases from India,” BV Krishna Rao, president of India’s
Rice Exporters Association, told Reuters.
The Southeast Asian country’s
imports from India could rise to 200,000 tonnes this year after the latest
deals, Rao and officials from three other firms said.
Malaysia’s Ministry of
Agriculture and Food Industry did not respond to a request for comment.
Malaysia bought around 53,000
tonnes per year on average from India in the past five years, according to data
from the Indian commerce ministry. Total sales to Malaysia was a record 86,292
tonnes last year.
India is now offering white rice
for around US$390-US$400 (RM1,696-1,740) per tonne compared with more than
US$450 for other countries, exporters said.
“That is making buying lucrative
from India,” said Nitin Gupta, vice president of trading company Olam India’s
rice business.
Restriction imposed on exports by
Myanmar, Vietnam and Cambodia could have prompted Malaysia’s state-linked rice
importer Bernas to source supplies from India, said Himanshu Agarwal, executive
director at Satyam Balajee, India’s biggest rice exporter.
Vietnam, the third-largest rice
supplier, fully resumed exports this month, after halting sales from late March
and limiting supply in April to make sure it has sufficient food during the
pandemic.
The rice deals come against the
backdrop of a massive jump in recent imports by Malaysia of other commodities
such as sugar from India, the biggest buyer of Malaysian palm oil.
India early this year restricted
imports of Malaysian palm oil as a retaliation for then Malaysian Prime
Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s repeated criticism of New Delhi’s domestic
policies affecting the country’s Muslim minority.
Dr Mahathir resigned in February
as his coalition collapsed, and since then the countries have worked to rebuild
their ties.
“Both economics and diplomacy
have played out here,” an Indian official with knowledge of Malaysia-India ties
said on the condition of anonymity, referring to the recent uptick in deals.
“And when this palm oil thing
came in, things sort of fell in place for India,” the official said, referring
to how India’s tightening of palm import restrictions led to Malaysia signing
other deals with the South Asian country.
Malaysia is the world’s
second-biggest producer and exporter of the vegetable oil after Indonesia, and
India’s restrictions had badly affected its sales. — Reuters
Pakistan readies for
second battle against crop-devouring locusts
Zofeen T. Ebrahim
MAY 14, 2020 / 12:33 PM
KARACHI, Pakistan (Thomson Reuters
Foundation) - To many farmers in southeast Pakistan, an impending locust attack
when summer crops of cotton, sugarcane and rice are being sown, and fruit and
vegetables are ready to be picked is a much bigger problem than the coronavirus
pandemic.“If the crops are eaten up by the locusts, we will have a dire food
security issue on our hands,” said Zahid Bhurgri, a farmer from Mirpur Khas
district in Sindh province.
“The price of flour and vegetables
will sky-rocket,” making staple foods hard for some to afford, added Bhurgri,
who is also general secretary of the Sindh Chamber of Agriculture.
The United Nations’ Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates losses to agriculture from locusts
this year could be as high as PKR 353 billion ($2.2 billion) for winter crops
like wheat and potatoes and about PKR 464 billion for summer crops.
A May update from the FAO warned it
would be “imperative” to contain and control the desert locust infestation in
the midst of the additional impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on health,
livelihoods, food security and nutrition for Pakistan’s most poor and
vulnerable communities.
Last year, Pakistan suffered its
worst attack of locusts since 1993, for which the country was largely
unprepared.Farmers now have little confidence the government will help them
fight a new wave of voracious insects threatening their harvests – though
officials said extensive measures were being taken.
“Neither the central, nor the
provincial government is doing anything about it,” said Bhurgri, who grows
vegetables, red chillies, cotton and sugarcane on about 600 acres of land.
‘PERFECT SETTING’
The locusts arrived in Pakistan from
Iran in June 2019, devouring cotton, wheat and maize, among other crops.
The invasion was initially expected
to subside by mid-November. But it has persisted due to favourable weather
conditions for continued locust breeding, linked to global warming, according
to FAO’s Pakistan office.
“Good vegetation due to plentiful
rain and a sandy soil provided a perfect setting for the insects to multiply,”
said Muhammad Tariq Khan, technical director at the Department of Plant
Protection in the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.
In a recent letter to Prime Minister
Imran Khan, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah warned of a “massive locust
attack” expected on local farmland when swarms from Iran reach his province in
mid-May, which could “prove more harmful” than last year’s invasion.
With little time to waste, farmer
Bhurgri decided to take matters into his own hands and “fight the locusts
myself”.
Using a power sprayer fixed on a
tractor, he plans to douse them with pesticides while they rest on trees at
night, and get his farmhands to clang pots and pans during the day to drive the
pests from his land.
But there are many small-scale
farmers who lack the means to deal with the locusts on their own, he added.
Some do not feel confident enough to
invest in their crop this year or are cutting costs by not using the required
amount of fertiliser, he noted.
CLIMATE CONNECTION
Mubarik Ahmed, national coordinator
for locust control at FAO’s office in Karachi, told the Thomson Reuters
Foundation that Pakistan had been taken by surprise last year when locusts
wreaked havoc in all its four provinces.
Unprecedented rains that led to
vegetation cover in Sindh’s Tharparkar desert had enabled the locusts to breed
and then attack crop areas, he said.
The country was “relatively better
prepared” to meet the challenge this year, he added. But the situation could
get worse with huge swarms expected to arrive in the coming two to three months
from Iran, Oman and the Horn of Africa.
Locust swarms are not new in East
Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. But climate scientists say erratic
weather linked to climate change has created ideal conditions for the insects
to surge in numbers not seen in a quarter of a century.
Warmer seas have led to more
cyclones in the Indian Ocean, causing heavy rainfall along the Arabian
Peninsula and in the Horn of Africa, producing the perfect environment for
breeding.
Experts say insect populations have
found new homes across Pakistan and are now laying eggs in nearly 40% of its territory,
including Sindh but mainly in the southwest province of Balochistan.
FAO locust forecaster Keith Cressman
said locusts that had unusually stayed in parts of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
and the Indus Valley during the winter would now move southeast to their summer
breeding areas in the Cholistan and Tharparkar deserts from May to July.
Swarms breeding in Pakistan’s
deserts will likely be joined by others from southern Iran in a few weeks, with
more likely to arrive from the Horn of Africa around July, experts predict.
The swarms are expected to be much
larger than in 2019, because their numbers increase on average 20-fold with
each generation. They travel in swarms of between 30 million to 50 million
insects, covering a distance of 150 km (93 miles) and devouring 200 tonnes of
crops per day.
NATIONAL PLAN
Khan of the Department of Plant
Protection, who is the state’s focal point for locust control, said the
government had been preparing for the next wave of locusts since last year.
In January, the ministry shared a
national action plan for surveillance and control of the desert locusts with
the prime minister, who declared the locust attacks a national emergency in
February.
That helped drive things forward
with funding, surveillance and control operations, coordinated with provincial
agriculture departments, the National Disaster Management Authority, the FAO
and the army, said Khan.
In addition, officials from the FAO,
Afghanistan, India, Iran and Pakistan meet each week to discuss and plan for
the regional situation, he added.
Khan said Pakistan now had “a fairly
foolproof plan”, including aircraft and ground vehicles to spray the insects,
pesticides and more than 1,000 trained teams of four people that can be
deployed at short notice across the country.
Timely action since February in the
remote desert of Balochistan, with support from the army, had so far helped
tame the threat, he added.
Surveys detected the locusts’
breeding ground and the hoppers – or young locusts – have been sprayed regularly
to kill them before they become adults, he said.
If control operations go according
to plan, he remains hopeful Pakistan will not suffer the high levels of
infestation now being experienced in the Horn of Africa.
“One of the reasons I say this with
such confidence is that I know what their level of preparation is and what is
ours right now,” he added.
Reporting by Zofeen T. Ebrahim;
editing by Megan Rowling. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the
charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers the lives of people around the
world who struggle to live freely or fairly. Visit news.trust.org/climate
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters
Trust Principles.
Bumper harvest: Foodgrains output to touch 296 mt in 2019-20
Our Bureau New Delhi | Updated
on May 15, 2020 Published
on May 15, 2020
The output of rice is likely to go up by 1.5 MT to 117.94 MT.
SHARE
Record production of most crops,
barring pulses, in 2019-20, has helped India posta bumper foodgrains harvest of
295.67 million tonnes (mt), nearly 3.7 per cent more than 285.21 mt produced in
2018-19, according to the third advance crop estimates released by the
Agriculture Ministry on Friday.
Wheat and coarse cereals accounted
for much of the increase in production. While wheat output is estimated to be
107.18 mt in the current crop year (July-June) compared to 103.6 mt in the
previous year, coarse cereals production may increase by nearly 4.5 mt to 47.54
mt. The output of rice, too, is scheduled to go up by close to 1.5 mt to 117.94
mt compared to the previous crop year.
At 33.5 mt, oilseeds production
is projected to be 2 mt higher than 31.52 mt in the previous year, whereas
pulses production is estimated to increase by 1 mt to 23.01 mt.
After a slump in production last
year, the cotton yield is expected to look up with a record 36 million bales (1
bale is 170 kg) this year. Sugarcane production, as expected, is down by 47 mt
to 358 mt in 2019-20.
May 15, 2020
Monsoon to hit Kerala coast on 5 June, says IMD
·
Govt is banking on a normal
monsoon season to boost farm output, revive economy
·
According to IMD, this year, the
monsoon is expected to be normal
NEW
DELHI :
The southwest monsoon, which irrigates more than half of India’s agricultural
land, is likely to make a delayed onset this year, arriving over the Kerala
coast on 5 June, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday.
The
forecast carries a model error of +/-4 days, according to the weather office.
The normal onset date for the June-September rainy season is 1 June.
The
government is banking on a normal monsoon season to boost farm output and
revive the economy as manufacturing and services have been ravaged by the
coronavirus-induced nationwide lockdown. A delayed onset of the monsoon can
impede sowing and affect production of crops such as rice, cotton and sugarcane.
Last
year too, the monsoon started late over Kerala on 8 June. Its progress over
rest of the country too remained sluggish, leading to below-normal rain in
June. This year, however, prospects look better in the first half of the
season.
According
to IMD, this year, the monsoon is expected to be normal and in line with the
long-term average of 88 cm.
The
southwest monsoon provides two-thirds of the annual rainfall in the country.
The onset and duration of this main rainy season along with the quantity of
rainfall are important factors in the agricultural planning, food security, and
the lives of around 250 million people dependent on farming and allied sectors.
This
year, the global ocean phenomenon ENSO, which influences the monsoon is also in
neutral phase and likely to remain so over the next few months, and slightly
tilt toward La Niña at the end of the year, according to latest global
forecasts. This is a good sign, considering La Niña phase augurs well for the
monsoon and is associated with above normal rain.
The
forecast of the monsoon this year has been made according to the new dates for
the normal onset of the monsoon in different parts of the country. As per the
new normal, the monsoon sets over Kerala around 1 June, nearly same as the existing
normal date, but its advancement over other parts of the country is delayed.
According
to IMD, there could be a 3-7 days delay in the normal arrival of monsoons in
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh,
Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and parts of Uttar Pradesh as compared to existing
normal dates, except for west-central India where it may show early progress.
Monsoon
rains generally begin over south Andaman Sea around 22 May after which the
monsoon winds advance north-westwards across the Bay of Bengal and reach Kerala
around 1 June. This time, the advance has been favoured by a low pressure area
over the south Andaman Sea.
According
to the weather office, the system is continuing to intensify and may develop
into a cyclonic storm by 16 May.
Click here to read
the Mint ePaperLivemint.com is now on Telegram. Join Livemint channel in
your Telegram and stay updated
Crucial Monsoon Rains in India May Come Later Than Usual
By Pratik Parija
May 15, 2020, 1:45 PM GMT+5
·
Monsoon rain to reach Kerala on June 5, weather
office says
·
This year’s rain seen at 100% of 50-year average: IMD
Rice
grows in fields of farmland near Hisar, Haryana, India.
Photographer: Prashanth
Vishwanathan/Bloomberg
The monsoon, which waters more than
half of India’s farmland, may be delayed this year, potentially affecting
planting of crops such as rice, corn, soybeans and cotton.
The showers, crucial for growth in Asia’s third-largest economy,
may reach the country’s southern coast in Kerala on June 5, the India
Meteorological Department said on Friday. That compares with the normal onset
date of June 1 and private forecaster Skymet Weather Services Pvt.’s predication of May 28. The meteorological
department’s forecast has a margin of error of four days.
The June-September rainy season is
critical to Indian agriculture as it not only waters some fields directly, but
also fills reservoirs that help irrigate winter-sown crops. It shapes the
livelihood of millions and influences food prices.
Farmers generally wait for the
monsoon to arrive before planting crops such as rice, corn, pulses, cotton and
sugarcane. Any deficit in showers during the early part of the season could
delay sowing and hit yields, even if rains gather pace later.
The weather office in April predicted that this year’s monsoon will be 100% of
the long-term average of 88 centimeters. Last year’s monsoon rainfall was 10%
more than normal, the highest since 1994.
About 60% to 90% of total annual
rainfall occurs during the four-month rainy period over different states,
except the southern state of Tamil Nadu, which gets only about 35% of its
annual rainfall during the monsoon.
More areas likely to come under basmati this year
CHANDIGARH, MAY 15, 2020 05:27 IST
Punjab and Haryana farmers expect better returns from improved demand
Expecting better returns on
account of improved demand for basmati rice, farmers in Punjab and Haryana are
likely to bring more area under the crop this kharif season than last year,
trade experts and officials told The Hindu.
Farmers earned good returns in
the previous season (2019-20). As the demand for basmati is expected to remain
strong in the domestic and international markets, farmers are likely to bring
more area under the crop this year. Rice traders have been advising farmers to
grow more basmati as they expect the price to stay strong.
“We are expecting the area under
basmati in Punjab to increase to 7 lakh hectares this season from 6.50 lakh
hectares. Farmers have been getting a good price for basmati, and the trend is
expected to continue this year. Last year, we sensitised the farmers to the
need for judicious use of pesticides, and this campaign has yielded results,”
Punjab Agriculture Secretary Kahan Singh Pannu said.
Basmati brings higher returns,
requires less water and, being a short-duration crop, it can be sown late.
Driven by these factors, farmers in Punjab and Haryana grow this premium
variety. Both States account for over 70% of India’s basmati output.
“Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and
the global lockdown, there is a clamour for buffer stocks in Arab nations. Many
of them are placing huge orders for basmati rice from India,” said Ashok Sethi,
Director, Punjab Rice Exporters Association.
“Rice mills are ready to meet the
demand, and hope the farmers are gearing to plant basmati in more area. We
expect an increase of 5-7% in area under basmati this year. Basmati prices have
ruled firm between ₹3,200 and ₹3,300 a quintal. And they are likely to remain firm on more
demand,” he said.
“We have even made an appeal to
the basmati growers to buy quality seeds, especially for the 1718, 1509 and
1121 varieties, which have a huge demand. We are assuring them that their
entire output will be lifted at a remunerative prices by exporters,” he said.
M.P. Jindal, former president and
now member of the All India Rice Exporters’ Association, said the area under
basmati in Punjab and Haryana is likely to rise as the prices are expected to
stay firm. “We are expecting basmati to fetch better returns on improved
demand. Hence, farmers will be inclined to plant more area with basmati than
last year,” he said.
INDIAN FARMERS TO HARVEST
RECORD RICE, WHEAT CROPS THIS YEAR
5/15/2020
NEW DELHI, May 15 (Reuters) - India
is expected to produce a record 107.18 million tonnes of wheat this year, the
farm ministry said in its third forecast for the crop year to June 2020,
marginally higher than a previous estimate of 106.21 million tonnes.
Rice output in the world's biggest
exporter and No. 2 producer is estimated at 117.94 against 117.47 million
tonnes forecast in February.
The farm ministry forecast this
year's total grains output at a record 295.67 million tonnes, up 1.27% from the
previous estimate 291.95 million tonnes.
The government cut rapeseed output
estimates to 8.70 million tonnes from 9.11 million tonnes estimated in
February.
Production of chickpea, a popular
variety of pulses, is likely to be 10.90, down from 11.22 million tonnes
estimated earlier. (Reporting by Mayank Bhardwaj, editing by Louise Heavens)
© Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020.
Click For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
Funding
Request Links Food Aid to Pandemic Relief
WASHINGTON,
DC -- On Monday, almost forty members of the agricultural trade community
signed off on a letter to the U.S. House and Senate Appropriations Committees
requesting additional funding for U.S. global food assistance programs in
response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the letter asks for a $1
billion injection in the next COVID-19 supplemental funding package for
procurement and distribution of U.S. commodities through U.S. international
food aid programs. To date, COVID-19 supplemental funding has not
included additional funding for global food assistance.
The U.S. agricultural community, including USA Rice, has provided food and nutrition to food insecure nations and vulnerable populations around the world for more than sixty years and has become increasingly alarmed by forecasts of an emerging global hunger crisis. While the U.S. food supply chain is under duress due to the ongoing pandemic, the actual production and supply of most food continues uninterrupted and remains bountiful enough to feed the world.
The letter cites recent remarks from David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP), warning of dire circumstances facing many developing countries and "the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II." Recent WFP reports note almost 1 billion people either going to bed hungry or facing crisis levels of hunger or worse.
The letter also reminds legislators that American farmers and the U.S. food supply chain are well positioned to provide essential nutrition to those most vulnerable across the world and that this is a critical leadership role the U.S. must continue to play.
A bipartisan letter was also sent on Monday to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), penned by House Committee on Agriculture Members Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and GT Thompson (R-PA), calling for increased shipments of U.S. commodities through food aid.
The letter said: "In 2019, USAID's Office of Food for Peace purchased and shipped more than 1.5 million metric tons of American-grown commodities to dozens of countries around the world. At a time when farmers are facing low farm gate prices and tremendous surpluses, these programs can help both at home and abroad."
Last year, more than 79,000 metric tons of U.S. rice were shipped through U.S. international food aid programs, primarily driven through demand in the USDA McGovern-Dole Program.
An additional $1 billion spread throughout the three main international food aid programs would significantly boost the tonnage of U.S. food shipped in 2020, including a welcome boost to rice shipments. As needs increase in the summer and fall, U.S. agriculture, including USA Rice, will be ready to help fill that void overseas.
The U.S. agricultural community, including USA Rice, has provided food and nutrition to food insecure nations and vulnerable populations around the world for more than sixty years and has become increasingly alarmed by forecasts of an emerging global hunger crisis. While the U.S. food supply chain is under duress due to the ongoing pandemic, the actual production and supply of most food continues uninterrupted and remains bountiful enough to feed the world.
The letter cites recent remarks from David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP), warning of dire circumstances facing many developing countries and "the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II." Recent WFP reports note almost 1 billion people either going to bed hungry or facing crisis levels of hunger or worse.
The letter also reminds legislators that American farmers and the U.S. food supply chain are well positioned to provide essential nutrition to those most vulnerable across the world and that this is a critical leadership role the U.S. must continue to play.
A bipartisan letter was also sent on Monday to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), penned by House Committee on Agriculture Members Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and GT Thompson (R-PA), calling for increased shipments of U.S. commodities through food aid.
The letter said: "In 2019, USAID's Office of Food for Peace purchased and shipped more than 1.5 million metric tons of American-grown commodities to dozens of countries around the world. At a time when farmers are facing low farm gate prices and tremendous surpluses, these programs can help both at home and abroad."
Last year, more than 79,000 metric tons of U.S. rice were shipped through U.S. international food aid programs, primarily driven through demand in the USDA McGovern-Dole Program.
An additional $1 billion spread throughout the three main international food aid programs would significantly boost the tonnage of U.S. food shipped in 2020, including a welcome boost to rice shipments. As needs increase in the summer and fall, U.S. agriculture, including USA Rice, will be ready to help fill that void overseas.
Paddy To Cover 4.6 M Acres In Punjab
More than 46.18 lakh acres of land would be brought under paddy crop during Kharif crop season in various rice growing areas of the Punjab
SIALKOT (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th May, 2020 ) : More than 46.18 lakh acres of land would be brought under paddy crop during Kharif crop season in various rice growing areas of the Punjab.Sources in Agriculture department while talking to APP here on Friday said that the department had chalked out a well-knitted training programme to create awareness among the growers about the use of recommended seed and proper use of fertilizer to attain the fixed target in Punjab.
In this regard, special training teams were visiting various villages for providing proper guidance and assistance about the use of inputs, nursery sowing and transfer of plants into fields to the rice growers in the Punjab.
The paddy would be sown on 91083 acres in Sialkot, 78053 acres in Daska, 103098 acres in Pasrur and 44796 acres in Sambrial teshsils of Sialkot district,the sources added.
CORONAVIRUS: Kano Govt, Police Shun Court Order Unsealing Tiamin Rice Factory
May
15, 2020
A Nigerian policeman stands guard as All Progressives
Congress (APC) party supporters march
towards the Independent National
Electoral Commission Office in Port Harcourt during a demonstration calling for
the cancellation of the presidential election in the Rivers State on March 29,
2015. Thousands of supporters of Nigeria's main opposition party demonstrated
in the southern state of Rivers, calling for the cancellation of elections
locally because of alleged irregularities. AFP PHOTO / FLORIAN PLAUCHEUR (Photo
by FLORIAN PLAUCHEUR / AFP) . The Kano State Government and Police Command are still yet to
unseal the premises of Tiamin Rice Factory in the State capital after a Federal
High Court in Abuja ordered them to do so about two-week.
The Kano State on a controversial
allegation of ‘air pollution that aggravates Coronavirus patients’ had shut
down Tiamin Rice, a leading rice mill in Kano, which produces 320 metric tonnes
of rice daily, and has 223 workers on its payroll and additional over 100
casual staff.
Justice Okong Abang had on Monday,
May 4, 2020, ordered the unsealing of the commercial facility, after the State
Government ‘illegally’ shutdown the company over the COVID-19 allegation
without any lawful court order..
However, PRNigeria gathered that the
Rice Factory was still under lock and key as of Thursday (today).
Both the Police Commissioner, Habu
Sani and Spokesperson of the Command in the State, Abdullahi Haruna did not
pick reporter’s calls, nor responded to text messages, for comment over the
case.
But one of the aides to the
Commissioner, who pleaded anonymity, said the state police boss has received
the court orders and minuted on it.
The aide assured that the necessary
action will soon be taken on the matter by the leadership of Police Command.
Meanwhile, Justice Abang had
threatened to jail the Kano Attorney General and Police Boss, for failing to
comply with their Federal High Court’s order.
He warned that unless the Attorney
General and the Police Commissioner obeyed his judgement ordering the unseal of
the rice company, they “will be guilty of contempt of court and will be
committed to prison.”
The threat of the judge followed the
refusal of the Attorney General and the police boss to appear before him to
give reasons on why they sealed up the rice company and stopped production
without a lawful court order.
The Tiamin Rice Mill, Tiamin
Multi-services Global Limited and Alhaji Aliyu Ali Ibrahim, had jointly dragged
the Inspector General of Police, Kano State Commissioner of Police, Kano State
government and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) seeking the
enforcement of their fundamental rights.
They had complained of unlawful
closure of their rice mill without any court order and prayed Justice Abang to
order them out of the company to enable them resume production.
Although, Justice Abang ordered the
four respondents to appear before him on April 27 to defend their actions, non
of them however, obeyed the court order and were not represented by lawyers
despite being served hearing notices and newspaper publications to that effect.
Justice Abang while granting the
prayers of the three applicants, declared them as “lawful owners and occupiers
of their property in Kano and are entitled to own property and enjoy or
occupation, possession, and use of same.”
The court also ordered that “the
sealing off of the rice processing mill and denial of lawful access without any
order of competent court of law backing up the sealing off constituted a
violation of the owners’ fundamental rights under Sections 33, 34, 43 and 44 of
the 1999 Constitution and is therefore illegal and unconstitutional.”
Justice Abang voided the action of
Kano State in sealing off the rice company and stopping of production without
any notice or fair hearing, declaring it as an unlawful act.
The judge ordered the Inspector
General of Police, the Kano State Police Command, their agents and privies to
immediately take possession of the rice mill company from the state government
and grant access to the rightful owners for the purpose of continuing their
lawful business.
Justice Abang restrained the four
respondents and their servants”from continuing their unlawful acts of sealing
off the rice company”, and ordered the Inspector General of Police and the
NSCDC to unconditionally unseal the factory.
The judge while restraining Kano
State government from further interfering with, demolishing or attempting to
cause harm to the owners, ordered the respondents to pay a sum of N300, 000 to
the applicants before taking any step in the proceedings and that the
applicants “shall endorse Form 48 on the enrolled judgement order and serve same
on the four respondents.”
Solon wants
suspension of rice imports until harvest ends
By Filane Mikee
Cervantes May 15, 2020, 5:13 pm
MANILA – A leader of the House of Representatives on
Friday urged the government to postpone the importation of rice until local
rice farmers have harvested their main season crop.
Deputy Speaker
Mikee Romero said bringing in imported rice in a time of pandemic could bring
down rice prices, as well as the trader’s buying price for palay
(unhusked rice).
“Though harvest
peaked late last month until early this month, many farmers are still
harvesting their dry season palay crop. Let’s wait for them to finish in
about two weeks before finalizing any rice importation agreement,” he said.
“We all know
that traders are monitoring rice prices, on which they base their buying price
for the farmers’ palay produce,” he said.
Romero noted
that farmers are currently enjoying high prices for their harvest.
“They are
getting fairly reasonable prices for their palay, unlike last year when
they lost money due to low prices,” he said.
Agriculture
Secretary William Dar said that the Philippine International Trading Corp.
(PITC) has officially opened the government-to-government rice importation for
the supply of 300,000 metric tons of rice, which will serve as buffer stock
during the lean months.
The Department
of Agriculture (DA) has assured the public that the country’s rice supply is adequate
for the entire year with a comfortable level of inventory.
“Going into the
lean months and onto December 31, 2020, we have enough supply of food, and that
includes our major staple – rice,” Dar said.
“We remain
consistent that our total projected supply of rice by end of December 2020
would be 17.994 million metric tons (MMT), while our total projected demand
would be 14.668 MMT, leaving a year-end inventory of 3.326 MMT,” he added. (PNA)
Malaysia signs record rice import deal with India: exporters
Rajendra Jadhav
ReutersMay 15, 2020
Outbreak of coronavirus disease
(COVID-19) on the outskirts of Ahmedabad
By Rajendra Jadhav
MUMBAI (Reuters) - Malaysia has contracted to
import a record 100,000 tonnes of rice from India for shipment this month and
next, four industry officials told Reuters, in a further sign of improving
trade relations between the countries after a diplomatic spat.
The first such purchase this year is already
nearly twice the average annual volume of rice Malaysia has imported from India
in the last five years, as rival suppliers such as Myanmar, Vietnam and
Cambodia placed temporary curbs on exports to save the grain for themselves
during the coronavirus crisis.
Malaysia's purchases would help trim rice
stockpiles in India, the world's biggest exporter of the commodity.
"After a long time, Malaysia is making
substantial purchases from India," B.V. Krishna Rao, president of India's
Rice Exporters Association, told Reuters.
The Southeast Asian country's imports from
India could rise to 200,000 tonnes this year after the latest deals, Rao and
officials from three other firms said.
Malaysia's Ministry of Agriculture and Food
Industry did not respond to a request for comment.
Malaysia bought around 53,000 tonnes per year
on average from India in the past five years, according to data from the Indian
commerce ministry. Total sales to Malaysia was a record 86,292 tonnes last
year.
India is now offering white rice for around
$390-$400 per tonne compared with more than $450 for other countries, exporters
said.
"That is making buying lucrative from
India," said Nitin Gupta, vice president of trading company Olam India's
rice business.
Restriction imposed on exports by Myanmar,
Vietnam and Cambodia could have prompted Malaysia's state-linked rice importer
Bernas to source supplies from India, said Himanshu Agarwal, executive director
at Satyam Balajee, India's biggest rice exporter.
Vietnam, the third-largest rice supplier, fully
resumed exports this month, after halting sales from late March and limiting
supply in April to make sure it has sufficient food during the pandemic.
The rice deals come against the backdrop of a
massive jump in recent imports by Malaysia of other commodities such as sugar
from India, the biggest buyer of Malaysian palm oil.
India early this year restricted imports of
Malaysian palm oil as a retaliation for then Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir
Mohamad's repeated criticism of New Delhi's domestic policies affecting the
country's Muslim minority.
Mahathir resigned in February as his coalition
collapsed, and since then the countries have worked to rebuild their ties.
"Both economics and diplomacy have played
out here," an Indian official with knowledge of Malaysia-India ties said
on the condition of anonymity, referring to the recent uptick in deals.
"And when this palm oil thing came in,
things sort of fell in place for India," the official said, referring to
how India's tightening of palm import restrictions led to Malaysia signing
other deals with the South Asian country.
Malaysia is the world's second-biggest producer
and exporter of the vegetable oil after Indonesia, and India's restrictions had
badly affected its sales.
(Additional reporting by Krishna N. Das and Mei
Mei Chu in Kuala Lumpur; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
How a scientist developed jackfruit juice, chocolates and cookies
Bengaluru,
May 14, 2020 15:57 IST
Updated: May 15, 2020 13:31 IST
Jackfruit in chocolates, cookies, and seed flour that can be stored for a year... CK Narayana, Principal Scientist at Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, is giving the fruit new forms
The Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), in Bengaluru has developed a technology to make jackfruit juice, chocolates and cookies. “It took me three years of research to develop this technique,” says CK Narayana, Principal Scientist, and Former Head of the Division of Post Harvest Technology, IIHR, Hessaraghatta.Jackfruit, unlike the mango, was largely ignored until a few years ago. “Jackfruit is believed to have originated in the Western Ghats and finds mention in traditional systems of medicine,” says Narayana. Its benefits are varied. “100 grams of jackfruit bulbs provide 95 calories of energy, which is better than honey. The fruit is made of soft, easily digestible flesh with simple sugars such as fructose and sucrose that replenish energy instantly.”
Narayana spoke to MetroPlus on what makes jackfruit special. Excerpts:
How much jackfruit is grown in India?
As per the National Horticulture Board Statistics, we produce 1.74 million tonnes annually. Tripura, Odisha, Assam, West Bengal, Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand produce more than one lakh tonnes. Most are natural hybrids and each has a unique taste and texture. Many farmers grow jackfruit in their field bunds or backyards for their consumption. Huge quantities come from forests where they grow wild.Could you talk about the field gene bank?
IIHR Bengaluru, a subsidiary of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), is a National Active Germplasm Site (NAGS) for jackfruit. We maintain a collection of more than 75 types collected from all over India. This is a continuous process and we keep enriching our gene bank. We help custodian farmers who have been conserving jackfruit trees in their homes or orchards for several generations. We recognise and reward these farmers, and also spread these rare types among other farmers and growers.
Arka Halasuras
Was jackfruit always a part of our traditional diet?
Long ago, before India became self-sufficient in food grains, people from Kerala, coastal Karnataka, and Maharashtra used to boil jackfruit seeds and eat them during the rainy season or drought as no other food was available. After rice and wheat was made available in plenty, post the Green Revolution, people stopped eating jackfruit seed as it was seen as a symbol of poverty. Over the last few years, jackfruit started getting attention from global scientists, policy makers and farmers.What is IIHR doing to build awareness of the nutritional benefits of jackfruit?
We have been organising jackfruit diversity shows for the last three years. I have also started researching ways and means to use every part of the fruit (edible flake, seeds and rind). As part of this project, I developed three products using jackfruit seeds, one from the pulp and one animal feed formulation using the rind.Could you tell us about the products you have developed?
I have developed a process to make a ready-to-drink beverage, without added sugar or acid that can be stored for up to six months at room temperature without any preservative. We also have a process by which jackfruit seeds can be converted into flour that can be stored for up to one year. At IIHR, we have standardised the optimum ratio to be blended into rice or wheat without the taste being compromised. After our laboratory trials, we collaborated with a food processing industry (an IIHR off-site incubatee) in Mangaluru district to introduce this into the market as ready-to-eat chapatis.We have also developed a jackfruit seed chocolate, where the seed flour is blended with other food additives and non-sugar sweeteners and wrapped in chocolate. The jackfruit comprises almost 50% of the weight of each chocolate, reducing the calorific value by one-third, while raising its mineral content, as the fruit seed is rich in iron, zinc and calcium and other phytochemicals.
