Wednesday, July 22, 2020

21st July 2020 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter

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Rizwan Bhatti Updated 21 Jul, 2020

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KARACHI: Despite negative impact of COVID-19, rice exports maintained an upward momentum and rose by some 5 percent during the last fiscal year (FY20).

After the coronavirus pandemic, global economies including Pakistan facing lower growth and the country's most exports registered a negative growth due to slow demand.

According to the Federal Bureau of Statistics, in terms of value, Pakistan earned all-time high foreign exchange amounting to $ 2.175 billion in FY20 compared to $ 2.069 billion, showing an increase of 5.12 percent or $106 million during last fiscal year.

In terms of quantity, during the period under review, rice exports moved up by 1.12 percent. Overall, Pakistan exported 4.166 million MTs of rice during July-June of FY20 against some 4.12 million MTs in the corresponding period of FY19.

During the last fiscal year, some 890,207 tons of basmati rice (including basmati steam, basmati brown, basmati parboiled) and some 3.276 million tons other varieties of rice (including 100 percent broken Irri-6, Irri-9) were exported.

Commenting on the rice exports, Convener Rice Export Committee of Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and former chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) said that despite COVID-19 and slow demand worldwide, Pakistan's rice exports posted growth in a difficult time, when the country's remaining major exports were moving down.

He said that during the initial months of the last fiscal year, rice exports were posting healthy growth; however, the last four months were difficult for the exporters due to COVID-19.

"It was a challenge for the exporters to maintain rice export growth after Coronavirus pandemic and Pakistan's exporters with the support of ministry of commerce successfully achieved all time rice exports," he added.

He informed that during the last year exporters could not travel abroad to explore new markets and focused the previous market. Exporters have planned some foreign tours during this fiscal year to find the new export markets and achieve another milestone in the rice exports.

Currently, African countries, China, and European Countries are leading buyers of Pakistani rice, which quality is much better compared to other competitors like India, he mentioned.

Suleman informed that Kenya is the one of the largest buyer of Pakistani non basmati rice and Pakistani have exported approximately 425,000 metric tons of rice during the last fiscal year. "Iran is also a potential buyer of Pakistani Basmati rice, but due to the non availability of banking channel, we are unable to export rice to Iran", he mentioned.

Pakistan has limited access in the Chinese market due to quota system, but Pakistan can increase its share with some concrete efforts. Pakistan's government should ask China for up to one million tons rice quota, he suggested.

In addition, Pakistan can enhance its rice export to Saudi Arabia, if they allow the duty free import of Pakistani rice, he added.

Convener FPCCI committee said that Pakistan can achieve $5 billion mark rice exports with improvement in rice crop and further focusing leading markets like Africa and Europe. There is also need to renegotiate the Free Trade Agreements with Indonesia and China to further enhance the rice exports.

Talking about the domestic issues, he said that Pakistan's rice crop is facing multiple challenges including Seed development, storage and higher cost of production. The federal government should support the rice exports by enhancing cultivation area and providing quality seeds to farmers for an improved and higher crop yield, he demanded.

Suleman said that there is need to develop of new rice seed varieties to get a more production and earn more foreign exchange. "The Reap has already plan to increase the rice exports from $2 billion to $5 billion rice in next five years, but it need government's attention and some serious efforts," he added.

In addition, in order to ensure the quality of rice grain, some quality standards like other should be implemented in the domestic market, he suggested.

He also appreciated the rice exporters' efforts for increases in rice exports and urged them for making more efforts to achieve another milestone in this fiscal year (FY21). Minister of Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood is also supporting exporters, he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020

https://www.brecorder.com/news/40006513/rice-exports-reach-21bn-mark-in-fy20

GI Act to provide legal protection to local products, enhance exports’

PM's adviser says Geographical Indications Law will ensure 'premium price' for Pakistan's indigenous products in the int'l market

By

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Description: https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20-5.jpg

ISLAMABAD: The Geographical Indications (GI) Law will help protect Pakistani products like Peshawari chappals, Multani pottery, Hunza apricots, Hala ajrak, Kasuri methi, Chaman grapes and Turbat dates etc. 

This was stated by Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood during a briefing to commerce ministry officials following the meeting of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Commerce.

Talking about the objectives of GI Law, Razak Dawood said the law would ensure that indigenous products of Pakistan get a premium price in the international market. “Under this act, a wide range of products, including basmati rice and mangoes, will be introduced in the international market as national brands of Pakistan.”

The adviser noted that a lot of companies in the past used to sell Pakistani-origin products without mentioning the country.

Pakistan had enacted Geographical Indications (Registration and Protection) Act, which was pending for over 14 years, in March 2020. “The GI Act, 2020, will also encourage Small and Medium Enterprises to expand their business worldwide. The protection of geographical indications will boost exports and will be helpful in supporting rural development in the country, enhancing the livelihood of agriculture producers and skilled craftsmen,” the adviser stated. “In addition, the marketing of GI products will enhance the secondary economic activities in the GI region, which will boost regional economic development.”

At the end of the session, the advisor directed the ministry officials to continuously follow up on the implementation of the GI Act and resolve any issues in this regard so that the intended objectives could be achieved with maximum benefits to the SMEs and local communities across the country.

https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/07/20/gi-act-to-provide-legal-protection-to-local-products-enhance-exports/

 

Auction date set for machinery to be purchased using RCEF

Published July 20, 2020, 10:00 PM

by Madelaine B. Miraflor

The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) had set on August 4, 2020 the start of the actual bidding of machinery it is supposed to buy and distribute using its Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) allocation.

PhilMech said that the bidding for RCEF-funded machinery, which should have been done more than a year ago or immediately after the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) was passed, will start on August 4 and will involve the purchase of nine types of farm machinery.

Pre-bidding already started this month and two machines are being featured in each bidding session, according to the agency.

To recall, one of the crucial components of RTL, which allowed unlimited rice importation in the country, is to make Filipino rice farmers competitive by giving them access to free seeds and modern farm equipment to be funded by RCEF, the collection of tariffs from rice imports.

RCEF is supposed to be injected with P10 billion annually from 2019 to 2024. Of this, P5 billion is allotted to mechanization.

However, due to bureaucratic bottlenecks, it took PhilMech more than a year to actually withdraw this cash allotment and process the procurement.

PhilMech said the second pre-bidding conference for the first batch of machineries to be procured under RCEF was held on July 14 for the supply, delivery, and testing of Mechanical Rice Transplanters and Rice Reapers.

This conference discussed and explained procedures and instructions for bidding, including eligibility requirements, technical, and financial components of the contract.

The bids for the Mechanical Rice Transplanters have 12 lots with an Approved Budget Contract (ABC) of P637.47 million, while the ABC for the Rice Reapers, which has 6 lots, is P132.51 million.

On July 10, PHilMech also conducted the pre-bidding for four-wheel-drive tractors with 27 lots and with

ABC of P2.84 billion, as well as for rice combine harvesters with 26 lots and ABC of P1.84 billion.

The pre-bid conference was held at PHilMech Auditorium and was streamed live via the DA-PHilMech Facebook account. The Zoom application was also used for other bidders and Bid Award Committee (BAC) members.

Strict protocols were observed for physically present participants in compliance for the COVID 19 precautions, PhilMech said.

In June, PhilMech assured that the actual distribution of farm machinery funded under RCEF will take place in August.

This is despite the lockdowns and quarantines imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said PHilMech Executive Director Dr. Baldwin Jallorina Jr.

Right now, Philmech is still validating eligible RCEF beneficiaries, particularly farmers’ cooperative and association (FCAs), in order to provide them with additional machines if needed.

The FCAs who did not qualify in 2019 can apply for 2020 as long as requirements set by the government are met, PhilMech Facility Management and Field Operations Division chief Joel Dator said.

RCEF currently covers 957 municipalities in the country and for rice farmers to benefit from the program, they should be part of the DA’s outdated Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).

As for RCEF’s mechanization program alone, only rice farmers who are members of an FCA who can benefit from it.

In the selection of beneficiaries, PhilMech has adopted the farm clustering and consolidation strategy to “achieve economies of scale that will pave the way to cost-efficient operations, higher crop productivity and bigger farmers’ incomes”, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said.

PhilMech has estimated farm mechanization can lower the cost of producing palay (unmilled rice) by P1 to P2 per kilo.

https://mb.com.ph/2020/07/20/auction-date-set-for-machinery-to-be-purchased-using-rcef/

 

Potential of boosting Pakistan’s exports

Islamabad needs to establish ‘commercial consulate’ in Beijing to facilitate exporters


China Economic Net

July 19, 2020

Description: https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/For-China-net1595183418-0/For-China-net1595183418-0.jpg


ISLAMABAD:

There are vast benefits of trade with China. Currently, China ranks as the second-largest market for Pakistani products with a 7% share, while the US has a share of 16.7% in total exports. China is also the second-largest source of the country’s imports.

Owing to the free trade agreement (FTA), there has been a surge in exports to China. The trade growth has increased by up to 26% because of the free trade policy from 19%.

The Chinese government has shown great interest in expanding trade with Pakistan. It is hoping to import more goods from Pakistan. Vegetables and fruits are expected to be imported by China.

Pakistan imports machinery but the industrial infrastructure requires a lot of development to make cost-effective production possible.

In China, there is a huge demand for Pakistani mangoes, berries, potatoes, wheat, rice and citrus fruit. The two countries are also working on developing genetically engineered rice. Another big project is to build reliable supply chains for halal food.

Windows of opportunities

In China, there are specific opportunities for Pakistan in the agriculture sector as the country is facing problems with the quality of its irrigated land area. There is a growing shortage of it. For some crops, it is severe.

China prefers trade for its agrarian needs with Asian countries, such as Pakistan, India, Thailand and Vietnam.

Rice trade between Thailand and China is difficult due to high tariffs. It was a success for Pakistan that grabbed the opportunity and filled the market gap. Pakistan, after being the top exporter of cotton to China, became the second largest exporter of rice to Beijing.

Pakistan’s Adviser on Commerce and Trade Abdul Razak Dawood sees the possibility of expansion. Introducing new products is essential but expanding the current product export volumes is equally important.

Sugar comes as a priority for Dawood. He notes that trade of several future items will rise, which will further solidify the Pak-China geopolitical relationship.

There is another important area which covers minerals and precious stones. Under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, tariffs have been reduced from 35% to 0%. Now, gold and copper reservoirs have also become a focus of Chinese engineers as they have been discovered in Reko Diq.

China has expressed the possibility of importing CPEC-made products in the agricultural and horticultural sectors, because of quarantine problems in the potential importing nations.

Barriers and advantages

Dawood expressed the view that Pakistan would be trying its best to increase trade with China. There are specific problems which come in the way of realising that.

Most of the Pakistani exports go to Europe and the US, but China is Pakistan’s biggest exporting destination. It is mostly raw material which Pakistan exports to China. Cotton and hard chromium account for 66% of exports. This has not changed for quite a long time.

There is a significant advantage that Pakistan has, unlike other nations trading with China, which is the FTA. It offers the potential of growth for many Pakistani products.

The FTA with China should give Pakistan an edge over other countries in several potentially high profit-generating products such as textiles and sports. But the country has been unable to take advantage of this substantial market because of non-tariff barriers.

In most of these goods that have a huge potential, Pakistani exporters have failed to make headway because of the non-tariff barriers.

The barriers noted by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) are time-consuming and high-cost bureaucratic procedures, lack of commercial judiciary, lack of transparency and non-standardised tenders.

Furthermore, there is a communication gap between the two countries, unlike Pakistan’s other trade partners. This creates hesitation among traders of both countries because they are unable to understand each other’s expectations and lack trust because of the absence of a bridging factor.

Once a deal is dropped, or a bad experience happens, it becomes difficult for the party at a loss to regain trust.

China is a big market, and sometimes it is seen that there is not enough supply on the side of Pakistan. China demands imports because it has shortage in the labour market. The high cost makes it difficult to compete with foreign competitors.

There is an issue of marketing. Pakistan needs to highlight the trade opportunities in the CPEC project because many traders from both countries do not know sufficiently about it. Due to this drawback, several opportunities remain out of the scope of local and foreign-resident traders.

Several reports indicate the discomfort of Pakistani traders with the intensive investigation of their products, which sometimes spoil the goods. This is because a Pakistani product is not highly esteemed in China.

Suggestions

Pakistan is in a huge need to shift from exporting raw material and simple manufactured goods to higher value-added products. In this way, the labour market will benefit and growth will continue to expand.

It is advised that Pakistan needs to build a “commercial consulate”, separate from the embassy in China. This will facilitate exporters to understand the Chinese demand based on research of institutes, and will connect Chinese traders with Pakistani counterparts.

It is also suggested that the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan should allocate a budget for improving the branding and marketing of Pakistani goods.

It is hoped that the government will help traders in building efficient procurement and distribution networks so that the quality of goods can be improved in the Chinese customer’s perception.

The article originally appeared on the China Economic Net

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20th, 2020.

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https://tribune.com.pk/story/2255670/potential-of-boosting-pakistans-exports

 

FIA foils smuggling bid of drug in rice bags

A campaign has been launched by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Sindh-I against hawala operators, smugglers, money launderers and other criminals.

A spokesman for the FIA Sindh said that the FIA’s Corporate Crime Circle Karachi raiding team conducted a raid on credible information that a psychotropic substance, ketamine HCl, was being exported from Karachi to Antwerp, Belgium, under the guise of rice export.

The raid was conducted in the Hussainabad area in the presence of federal inspector of drugs. A truck no.TK-684 carrying a 20-foot container was intercepted in Hussainabad, containing 18 metric tons of rice. The search of the container by the FIA & FID (Drap) resulted in the recovery of 170 one-kilogramme packets of suspected Ketamine HCl which was tactfully concealed in rice bags.

The Custom documents of consignment of rice i.e E-Form, invoice, GD, loading program of shipping line were already prepared by the accused persons in the name of the company, M/s Tedik Trading Co, Sialkot. The documents were to be entered in Weebok after reaching the container at the port.

The rough value of the recovered Ketamine Hcl is more than $3,000 per kilogramme and the total value of the seized substance has been estimated at $510,000. The suspect, Dawoodur Rehman, was present on the spot during the raid. Upon interrogation, he disclosed that the said consignment of ketamine HCL was being exported to Antwerp, Belgium.

Accordingly, an FIR No.18/2020 was registered at the FIA, Corporate Crime Circle, Karachi against Dawoodur Rehman, absconder Hifzur Rehman and others under the Customs Act 1969 read with the section 109 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Since, the Customs Act, 1969 is a predicate offence of the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Act, 2010, therefore, a widespread money laundering investigation shall also be initiated after identification and tracing of the proceeds of crimes.

The government of Belgium will also be approached to identify probable beneficiaries of ketamine HCl. Further investigations are under way.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/689318-fia-foils-smuggling-bid-of-drug-in-rice-bags

 

Boosting agriculture

Reservoirs will help produce hydro-electricity, a relatively inexpensive source of power


EditorialJuly 19, 2020

In Pakistan, the government has been providing subsidies to farmers on agricultural inputs since the early 1960s to boost food production. For the ongoing financial year, the federal government has announced a subsidy of Rs37 billion for famers on fertilisers and other agricultural inputs, especially in view of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the economy. Subsidy on financial assistance for setting up tube-wells for agricultural purposes and on electricity consumption by such irrigation devices will also likely be provided.

The subsidy package aims at boosting per hectare yield of major crops such as wheat and cotton. Efforts are also being made to provide high-yield variety of seeds to famers at subsidised rates. The government also plans to improve the canal system. More efforts are to be made for water conservation. Now most of the rainwater goes to waste as it flows into the sea, so big and small dams have been planned to be built. The Diamir-Bhasha dam is one of the significant components of the strategy aimed at overcoming water storage. The authorities have been stressing the need for building big and small dams in the country like China. Reservoirs will not only boost availability of water but will help produce hydro-electricity, a relatively inexpensive source of power. The government is making all efforts to improve the canal system and also to persuade farmers on the need for adopting efficient management of water.

In Pakistan, the per hectare yield of major crops like wheat, cotton, rice and sugar cane is much below that of China, the US, France and other developed countries. Per hectare yield of cotton is 2.5 tons in Pakistan, which is 52 per cent of what it is in China. Pakistan produces 3.1 tons of wheat per hectare while France gets a yield of 8.1 tons. Egypt’s per hectare yield of sugar cane is more than 63 per cent higher than Pakistan’s. These facts make a strong case for increasing crop yields in the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20th, 2020.

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https://tribune.com.pk/story/2255661/boosting-agriculture

CLOSE FRAME

https://agriculture.einnews.com/article_detail/522030240/ZZ6WrXQxz2jChU8S?n=2&code=VuZLay2YinrVF2-0&utm_source=NewsletterNews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Basmati+Rice+News&utm_content=article

Auction date set for machinery to be purchased using RCEF

Published July 20, 2020, 10:00 PM

by Madelaine B. Miraflor

 

The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) had set on August 4, 2020 the start of the actual bidding of machinery it is supposed to buy and distribute using its Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) allocation.

PhilMech said that the bidding for RCEF-funded machinery, which should have been done more than a year ago or immediately after the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) was passed, will start on August 4 and will involve the purchase of nine types of farm machinery.

Pre-bidding already started this month and two machines are being featured in each bidding session, according to the agency.
To recall, one of the crucial components of RTL, which allowed unlimited rice importation in the country, is to make Filipino rice farmers competitive by giving them access to free seeds and modern farm equipment to be funded by RCEF, the collection of tariffs from rice imports.

RCEF is supposed to be injected with P10 billion annually from 2019 to 2024. Of this, P5 billion is allotted to mechanization.

However, due to bureaucratic bottlenecks, it took PhilMech more than a year to actually withdraw this cash allotment and process the procurement.

PhilMech said the second pre-bidding conference for the first batch of machineries to be procured under RCEF was held on July 14 for the supply, delivery, and testing of Mechanical Rice Transplanters and Rice Reapers.
This conference discussed and explained procedures and instructions for bidding, including eligibility requirements, technical, and financial components of the contract.

The bids for the Mechanical Rice Transplanters have 12 lots with an Approved Budget Contract (ABC) of P637.47 million, while the ABC for the Rice Reapers, which has 6 lots, is P132.51 million.

On July 10, PHilMech also conducted the pre-bidding for four-wheel-drive tractors with 27 lots and with

ABC of P2.84 billion, as well as for rice combine harvesters with 26 lots and ABC of P1.84 billion.

The pre-bid conference was held at PHilMech Auditorium and was streamed live via the DA-PHilMech Facebook account. The Zoom application was also used for other bidders and Bid Award Committee (BAC) members.
Strict protocols were observed for physically present participants in compliance for the COVID 19 precautions, PhilMech said.

In June, PhilMech assured that the actual distribution of farm machinery funded under RCEF will take place in August.

This is despite the lockdowns and quarantines imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said PHilMech Executive Director Dr. Baldwin Jallorina Jr.

Right now, Philmech is still validating eligible RCEF beneficiaries, particularly farmers’ cooperative and association (FCAs), in order to provide them with additional machines if needed.

The FCAs who did not qualify in 2019 can apply for 2020 as long as requirements set by the government are met, PhilMech Facility Management and Field Operations Division chief Joel Dator said.
RCEF currently covers 957 municipalities in the country and for rice farmers to benefit from the program, they should be part of the DA’s outdated Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).
As for RCEF’s mechanization program alone, only rice farmers who are members of an FCA who can benefit from it.

In the selection of beneficiaries, PhilMech has adopted the farm clustering and consolidation strategy to “achieve economies of scale that will pave the way to cost-efficient operations, higher crop productivity and bigger farmers’ incomes”, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said.
PhilMech has estimated farm mechanization can lower the cost of producing palay (unmilled rice) by P1 to P2 per kilo.

https://mb.com.ph/2020/07/20/auction-date-set-for-machinery-to-be-purchased-using-rcef/

 

Rice exports primed for decade-low

PUBLISHED : 21 JUL 2020 AT 08:35

NEWSPAPER SECTION: BUSINESS

WRITER: PHUSADEE ARUNMAS

Thailand's rice exports are likely to plunge to 6.5 million tonnes this year, the lowest in a decade, from an earlier projection of 7.5 million tonnes because of a spate of negative factors, says the Thai Rice Exporters Association.

Chookiat Ophaswongse, the association's honorary president, said after a discussion with Commerce Ministry officials including Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit, the group offered dim export prospects for the second half, and downgraded its rice forecast to only 6.5 million tonnes this year.

"Thailand's rice exports are hampered by a host of negative factors, be it the coronavirus crisis that weakened global demand, a strong baht that makes Thai rice more expensive, or continued drought cutting into production," said Mr Chookiat.

Description: https://static.bangkokpost.com/media/content/20200721/3697031.jpg

Thailand's benchmark 5% broken rice price is now quoted at US$520 per tonne, while rice from Vietnam and India stands at $440-450 and $360 per tonne, respectively.

"Thailand's relatively more expensive prices have led buyers to opt for grains from our competitors," he said.

In the first five months, Thailand shipped 2.57 million tonnes of rice, down 31.9% from the same period last year, with an export value of 54.2 billion baht, down 13.2% for the same period.

Description: https://static.bangkokpost.com/media/content/20200721/3697027.jpg

The top five rice importers from Thailand for the period were the US (338,769 tonnes, up 41.2% year-on-year), South Africa (231,412, down 12.6%), Angola (195,438, down 1.5%), China (120,207, down 41.6%) and Japan (116,338, up 7.9%).

Mr Chookiat said for the second half of the year, Thailand is estimated to ship about 3.5 million tonnes.

For the first half, he predicted 3 million tonnes shipped, while India and Vietnam are expected to ship 5.5 million tonnes and 3.4 million tonnes, respectively. Thailand shipped 7.58 million tonnes of rice worth 131 billion baht in 2019, down 32% and 25% from the previous year.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1954663/rice-exports-primed-for-decade-low

 

HANKS NAMED USA RICE CHAIR

Bobby Hanks, CEO of Supreme Rice

Mon, 07/20/2020 - 5:47pm

ARLINGTON, Virginia

Bobby Hanks, CEO of Crowley’s Supreme Rice, has been named as the new chair of USA Rice.
New chairs for USA Rice, The Rice Foundation, the USA Rice Millers’ Association (RMA), and the USA Rice Merchants’ Association were elected by their respective Boards of Directors during annual meetings this week held via video conference calls.
All newly elected officers will assume their two-year posts on August 1.
Hanks takes over for Charley Mathews Jr., a rice farmer from Marysville, California, who has been chair of the group since 2018.
"Bobby is going to make a great chair," Mathews said. "He is well versed in U.S. rice industry issues and is a long-term member of USA Rice having joined in 1999 when he first acquired Louisiana Rice Mill.”
Hanks has served on numerous USA Rice committees, including past chair of the USA Rice Millers’ Association and current chair of the USA Rice International Trade Policy Committee.
"Under Charley’s leadership over the past two years, USA Rice finally opened the world’s largest market – China – to U.S. rice. We also solidified relationships in Iraq, did great outreach in Central America and Mexico, and received our largest ever grant from the federal government to promote U.S., rice overseas," said Hanks. "He has represented USA Rice in markets around the world, and made presentations at the annual Mexico trade mission and the annual international promotion planning conference in Colombia in Spanish!
“Here at home,” Hanks added, “Charley helped us notch wins for rice in domestic purchasing programs and federal aid programs and lent his support to retail efforts. He also visited the White House twice – something no USA Rice chairman has ever done.”
David Petter was elected chair of The Rice Foundation. Petter, a fourth-generation rice farmer from Stuttgart, Arkansas, replaces Frank Carey, who served as chair of The Rice Foundation for two years.
Outgoing RMA Chair Keith Gray passed the gavel to Keith Glover, president and CEO of Producers Rice Mill.
Ryan Carwell, vice president at Poinsett Rice and Grain, replaces Dick Ottis who helmed the USA Rice Merchants’ Association for six years.
“On behalf of USA Rice, I extend special thanks to our great board leaders who served with distinction over the past two years – Charley, Keith, Dick, and Frank,” said USA Rice President and CEO Betsy Ward. “We are very grateful for their guidance and support.”

https://www.raynetoday.com/news-local-agriculture/hanks-named-usa-rice-chair

USA Rice's Bachmann Named to USTR, USDA Trade Advisory Committee  

 

By Deborah Willenborg

Description: C:\Users\abc\Downloads\unnamed.jpg 

WASHINGTON, DC -- Last week, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue jointly appointed 25 new members to serve on seven agricultural trade advisory committees through 2024, including Peter Bachmann, USA Rice vice president, international trade policy.Bachmann was named to the Agricultural Trade Advisory Committee for Trade in Grains, Feed, Oilseeds and Planting Seeds, replacing Bob Cummings who retired from USA Rice last year but remained an active member on the Committee until new appointments were made last week.

The committees are made up of industry trade policy representatives from across all agricultural sectors who provide advice to federal agencies regarding agricultural trade provisions within existing and pending trade agreements on both a broad and sector-specific level.  The committees typically meet annually or semi-annually in-person and frequently by phone for confidential briefings.  "I see this as an opportunity to ensure that the collective voice of U.S. rice farmers, millers, and merchants is heard loud and clear in Washington both before and during U.S. government trade negotiations," said Bachmann.  "In trade agreements, details are everything, and while there are many skilled staff at both USTR and USDA, they rely on the trade advisory committees to ensure they get the details right."

USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward agrees.  "Trade is such a vital part of our domestic rice industry's business and it's even more important now, given the active and planned negotiations with several countries where U.S. rice exports could be impacted.  As an advisor on ag trade, Peter will represent U.S. rice interests and provide policy makers with the latest, most accurate

industry information available."

In addition to representation on the grain sector's technical advisory committee, USA Rice is also represented on the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee by Arkansas rice farmer and former USA Rice chair, Dow Brantley.

 

 

Slimy invader attacks La. crawfish and rice farms

Never Miss A Story

Apple snail eggs are a common sight in area marshes. [The Courier and Daily Comet/File]

   

First it came for your wetlands. Now it’s coming for your crawfish and your rice.

A foreign snail that appeared in Louisiana just over 10 years ago and quickly infested ponds, bayous and streams in about 30 parishes has recently found its way to the farms that produce two of the state’s favorite foods.

The invasive apple snail has shut down harvest at some crawfish farms in Vermilion, Acadia and Jefferson Davis parishes and has made its first devastating appearance in rice fields. In March, the invasive mollusks wiped out a 50-acre field of rice, marking the first reported case of the snail damaging the crop in Louisiana.

“Where it’s hit ’em, it’s hit ’em hard,” said David Savoy, a Church Point crawfish farmer and chairman of the Louisiana Crawfish Promotion and Research Board. “In Vermilion, it’s so bad, you pick up a trap and there’s 5 to 10 pounds of them. It’s horrible.”

Attracted by the bait in traps, the snails crowd in, leaving little or no room for crawfish. At some farms, apple snails are being caught in such high numbers — sometimes 12 crates per day — that disposal of the thick-shelled snails is becoming a problem.

Some farmers have had to halt harvests and drain their ponds early, suffering revenue reductions of as much as 50%, said Blake Wilson, an LSU AgCenter researcher.

“The impact on some of those farms, particularly where snail populations have been building for years, has been immense,” he said.

Only about 10 crawfish farms have been affected, but new reports keep coming in.

Louisiana is by far the nation’s biggest crawfish producer. The industry contributes more than $300 million to the state economy each year and employs about 7,000 people, according to the research board.

“If the problem spreads to the whole industry, economic impacts could be tens of millions of dollars annually without effective control tactics,” Wilson said.

Those tactics are currently limited to pesticides. But what kills snails will also likely kill crawfish.

Native to South America, the apple snail’s first appearance in Louisiana was in a Gretna drainage canal in 2006.

They’re popular in the aquarium trade partly because they eat the algae that dirties tanks. But they get quite big — sometimes growing shells 6 inches in diameter — and they often have a strong, swampy odor. Their presence in the wild is likely due to aquarium owners dumping them in ditches and ponds.

The snails stay below the water’s surface and aren’t often seen, but their bubblegum pink eggs are hard to miss. In clusters of 200 to 600, the tiny eggs have become an all-too-common sight on tree trucks and pilings just above the water line. Destroying the eggs is one of the best ways to reduce their numbers.

The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries recommends people scrape the eggs off with a stick and crush them, or at least knock them into the water. Be careful not to touch them because the eggs contain a neurotoxin that can irritate skin and eyes.

The snails are edible but are known to carry rat lungworm, a parasite that can kill humans and other mammals.

Rapid reproducers and voracious eaters, the snail overpopulates waterways and kills off habitat important to native fish and other wildlife.

The snail’s appearance in crawfish farms comes at a particularly bad time for the industry. Crawfish have been hit with white spot syndrome, a deadly virus that was first discovered in farmed shrimp in Asia in the early 1990s and first appeared in Louisiana 2007.

The coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll as well. The AgCenter reported that some crawfish producers have been able to sell just 15% of their catch due to pandemic-related restaurant closures and occupancy limits.

Scientists and farmers are perplexed about how the snail arrived in crawfish farms and why certain farms are swarming with them.

“It’s weird,” AgCenter researcher Greg Lutz said. “It pops up in certain regions. You can have a farm with nothing, and three or four miles down the road they’re overrun.”

It could be that the snails benefit from flooding. An Acadia Parish farm started having a snail problem after its fields were flooded from a bayou linked to the Mermentau River, which is loaded with apple snails.

The snail has been identified in just one rice field so far, but the potential for widespread destruction is strong. It’s a major pest for rice growers in Spain, Asia and Central America. In the Philippines, the snail is considered a national menace, infesting about half the nation’s rice fields during the late 1980s.

The snail left almost nothing at the rice field near Rayne. Wilson estimated the field had two snails per square foot.

“There was no trace of rice,” he said. “If you didn’t know better, you’d think it was a snail production farm.

w.houmatoday.com/news/20200719/slimy-invader-attacks-la-crawfish-and-rice-farms+

Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin will launch this November

Marvelous Europe has announced that the upcoming Action/Simulation game developed by the 2-man team at Edelweiss, Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, will launch physically and digitally within Europe and Australia on the 20th November 2020 for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.

In addition, Marvelous Europe  has also announced plans for a physical Limited Edition of Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 that will be sold on the Marvelous Games Store and from selected retailers within Europe. This Limited Edition will have an SRP of £49.99 / €59.99 with contents and pre-order availability to be announced at a later date. A standard physical edition for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 will also be available at selected retailers within Europe and Australia with an SRP of £34.99 / €39.99.

Key Features:

  • Refined Side-scrolling Platform Action: Using farm tools as weapons, chain together quick, heavy, and special attacks to take down demonic beasts while mastering the magical “divine raiment” will be essential to grapple distant platforms, evade danger, and overcome powerful enemies.
  • Detailed 3D Simulation-style Gameplay: Learn the ancient art of agriculture by following detailed steps from planting to harvesting to cultivate the perfect crop. As a harvest goddess, Sakuna’s strength grows with each successful rice crop, with attributes such as aesthetic and flavour directly correlating to her combat abilities.
  • Creating a Home in the Wilderness: Sakuna’s mortal companions make weapons, armour, and meals for her using the materials and ingredients she gathers on her adventures, and completing quests for them will unlock even more options.
  • A Fresh Take on Japanese Mythology: The heroine is part of a pantheon of gods and demons inspired by traditional Japanese mythology but featuring many unique twists. The story and world are filled with lovingly rendered details, some familiar and some completely original.
  • Refined Side-scrolling Platform Action: Using farm tools as weapons, chain together quick, heavy, and special attacks to take down demonic beasts while mastering the magical “divine raiment” will be essential to grapple distant platforms, evade danger, and overcome powerful enemies.
  • Detailed 3D Simulation-style Gameplay: Learn the ancient art of agriculture by following detailed steps from planting to harvesting to cultivate the perfect crop. As a harvest goddess, Sakuna’s strength grows with each successful rice crop, with attributes such as aesthetic and flavour directly correlating to her combat abilities.
  • Creating a Home in the Wilderness: Sakuna’s mortal companions make weapons, armour, and meals for her using the materials and ingredients she gathers on her adventures, and completing quests for them will unlock even more options.
  • A Fresh Take on Japanese Mythology: The heroine is part of a pantheon of gods and demons inspired by traditional Japanese mythology but featuring many unique twists. The story and world are filled with lovingly rendered details, some familiar and some completely original.

If you enjoy games and gaming and want more NEWS from the Gaming World Click Here

https://invisioncommunity.co.uk/sakuna-of-rice-and-ruin-will-launch-this-novembe

 

 

BEPA Seals 100 Rice Mills In-violation Of Environment Laws

 

 

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Jul, 2020 ) :Balochistan Environmental Protection Agency (BEPA) has sealed 100 unauthorized rice mills in the province for violating the environment laws.

The Director General BEPA issued orders to seal 10 illegal rice mills in Naseerabad district, 6 in Sohbatpur district and 84 in Jaffarabad district.

Talking to APP, an official of the EPA Muhammad Khan Utmankhail said "No one will be allowed to violate the Environment act 2012 and no concession will be given to the violators. Strict action will be taken against illegal factories without permission of the Environmental Protection Agency".

Muhammad Khan said that EPA has also imposed fines on dozens of industries across the province for polluting the environments and violating the laws.

In Pishin district, 7 illegal crushing plants were sealed on the orders of Director General of EPA. The EPA has also banned 16 industries in Hub, two in Chaghi and one in Jafferabad district over polluting the environments.

The industries have been imposed Rs 50,000 each fine for violating the Environmental Protection Act 2012 and all the industries concerned were required to pay the fine within 15 days of the action, he added.

In case of non-payment, action would be taken under Balochistan Environmental Protection Agency Act 2012, he added.

He said that it was the duty of us to keep the environment clean and to protect the people.

Air pollution was a major problem which was causing dangerous diseases, he added

https://www.urdupoint.com/en/pakistan/bepa-seals-100-rice-mills-in-violation-of-en-978762.html

Rice Planting Plans Reduced for Kyushu in 2020

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries released an updated report on rice projections for planting. Accordingly, three Kyushu prefectures (Saga, Kumamoto, and Kagoshima) adjusted their plans from “same as last year” (as of Apr. 2020) to “less than last year.” In the entire Kyushu-Okinawa area, only Fukuoka Prefecture plans to continue the same scale of planting as 2019. Despite the situation, the ministry anticipates rice price drop due to a continued fall in consumption. Sources: MAFF / AgriNews

Description: https://i2.wp.com/www.fukuoka-now.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/rice-field-WEB-1.jpg?resize=1400%2C834&ssl=1

Published: Jul 20, 2020 / Last Updated: Jul 20, 2020

https://www.fukuoka-now.com/en/news/rice-planting-plans-reduced-for-kyushu-in-2020/

 

Brown rice demand from industry buyers declines

Description: https://www.bworldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Brown-Rice-philstar.jpgPHILSTAR

DAVAO CITY — Supermarket sales for brown rice increased during the public health emergency, making up for the drop in demand from corporate clients, according to Sun Made Brown Rice producer Mindanao Agri Network Corp. (MANCOR).

Carlo C. Lorenzana, vice-president of MANCOR, said orders from major supermarket chains were higher during the strict lockdown months between mid-March and May.

The company also tapped online shops Pacific Bay and Hometown Grocer for distribution.

“So we were able to partly make up for the dip in (big volume) trade sales, but not completely,” he said in an e-mail interview.

Mr. Lorenzana said the boost in retail demand allowed the company to stay on time with payments to partner farmers, who needed cash as the lockdown coincided with the peak harvest season.

“We are obligated to honor our agreements with them. The core of our social enterprise where we assist farmers in planting premium palay (unmilled rice) for production of Sun Made brown… and we purchase these palay directly from them,” he said.

He added that rice farmers in general did not feel the health and economic blow of the pandemic as rural areas remained largely safe from the outbreak.

“Farmers in other areas were also able to increase the selling price of palay due to the high demand brought about by the municipal ordinances during the lockdown that restricted the selling of goods within their respective areas,” he explained.

MANCOR is currently exploring new revenue streams while adjusting to the health safety protocols in both office and mill operations.

“We view things now as the ‘next normal,’ meaning it’s the next phase of life for the whole world. So for our social enterprise, we need to adapt and evolve for the changing times,” Mr. Lorenzana said. — Maya M. Padillo

 

www.bworldonline.com/brown-rice-demand-from-industry-buyers-declines

 

Rice importers face suspension on unused SPS-IC

 

ByJasper Y. Arcalas

July 20, 2020

 

RICE traders and importers who have unused sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance could be suspended by the Department of Agriculture (DA) as about 60 percent of issued SPS-ICs in the first half, covering almost 2 million metric tons (MMT), are unutilized to date.

Latest Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) data obtained and analyzed by the BusinessMirror showed that only 1,803 SPS-ICs out of the 3,926 SPS-ICs issued from January to June have been used by eligible rice importers as of July 10.

This corresponds to a total rice volume imported of about 1.347 MMT out of the 3.261 MMT applied volume during the six-month period, BPI data showed.

About 2,123 SPS-ICs, which cover 1.914 MMT of rice, are yet to be used by registered and eligible traders, importers, firms, cooperatives, and organizations, based on BPI data.

Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar has issued a new memorandum order (MO) reminding importers that “low utilization” of SPS-ICs could be “grounds for rejection of application or their suspension as importer.” “Importers should regularly account and surrender any unused SPS-ICs to BPI,” Dar said in his MO No. 30 dated June 4 but was made public on July 6.

“They are reminded that low utilization of applied SPS-IC can affect their track record and can be grounds for rejection of application or their suspension,” Dar added.

Dar issued the new order to address the “problem of low utilization” of SPS-IC for milled rice and “ensure availability of food” during this Covid-19 pandemic.

The new order required rice importers to submit additional requirements for the application of SPS-IC which are 1) payment of certification of the consignment and 2) list of distribution points/warehouse of the said consignment.

The additional requirements shall be attached to the importers’ application together with previous requirements of proforma/commercial invoice, GMO or non-GMO certification and certificate of analysis for heavy metals, according to the MO.

In his order, Dar said failure to comply with the new requirements will result in rejection of the traders and importers’ application for SPS-IC for milled rice.

BPI data showed that the agency issued a monthly average of 654 SPS-IC while utilization by importers was only at about 300 SPS-ICs per month.

In January, BPI issued 801 SPS-ICs but only 307 SPS-ICs were used, while in February, only 227 SPS-ICs were utilized by importers out of the 1,076 SPS-ICs issued to them.

Under the rice trade liberalization (RTL) law, interested rice importers shall secure a SPS-IC—a document that certifies food and plant safety of the goods—from the BPI to be able to bring in staple from abroad.

The  implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the RTL law stipulated that “imported rice should arrive before the expiration of the SPS-IC from BPI.”

Furthermore, Dar issued MO No. 28, Series of 2019, that further specified the said provision of the IRR of the law.

Based on his MO last year, the actual rice consignment “must be shipped out from the country of origin within the prescribed date in the approved SPS-IC and must arrive not later than 60 days from the Must Ship Out Date.”

Earlier this year, Dar ordered the voiding of all unused SPS-ICs for milled rice that were issued last year as BPI data showed that some 1,752 SPS-ICs were unused at the end of 2019.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2020/07/20/rice-importers-face-suspension-on-unused-sps-ic/

Thai National Rice Policy Committee says rice prices for 2020-21 crop year will remain unchanged

Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-17 23:28:30|Editor: huaxia

BANGKOK, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's National Rice Policy and Management Committee (NRPMC) chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, announced on Friday that Thai rice prices for the 2020-21 crop year will remain unchanged from those of the previous season.

The price guarantee policy will cover five types of Thai rice.

They are white rice paddy with 15 percent moisture, jasmine (Hom Mali) rice paddy, fragrant Pathum Thani rice paddy with 15 percent moisture, glutinous rice paddy with 15 percent moisture, and provincial fragrant rice paddy.

The price guarantee policy will also offer compensation to farmers if market prices fall below the benchmark.

Meanwhile, the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said earlier this week that rice export prospects looked grim in the second half amidst sluggish global demand caused by the COVID-19 crisis.

The association also said that Thailand was once the world's largest rice exporter by a wide margin, but now is ranked third with 3.15 million tons shipped between Jan 1 and July 8, trailing behind India at 4.65 million tons and Vietnam at 4.17 million tons.

Thailand in 2019 exported 7.58 million ton of rice, down 32 percent from the year before, with a value of 131 billion baht (4.132 billion U.S. dollars), down 25 percent. Enditem

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-07/17/c_139220943.htm

 

Vietnam's rice exports may slide after one-month high

Chia sẻ FaceBookTwitter Email Copy Link

Rice exports were the only bright part in the picture of Vietnam’s farm exports in the first six months of the year. However, the achievements may not be upheld in the second half.

Reports show that though the total amount of farm exports reached 6.79 million tons, an increase of 281,000 tons and 4.3 percent compared with the same period last year, Vietnam only had revenue of $17.6 billion, a decrease of 2.3 percent because of sharp price drops.

Description: Vietnam's rice exports may slide after one-month high



In such conditions, the high turnover from rice exports was good news. With the export volume of 3.54 million tons, a modest increase of 5.6 percent, Vietnam had turnover of $1.73 billion, a significant increase of 19.4 percent.

The rice exports in May, when the quota mechanism was removed, made a great contribution to the miracle. Around 954,000 tons of rice were exported in this month, a record in Vietnam’s rice export history.

The figure was 1.84 times higher than the average export volume of the remaining 5 months, while the export price was 8.2 percent higher, at $516 per ton.

Nguyen Dinh Bich, a trade expert, in his article on Thoi Bao Kinh Te Sai Gon, commented that the figures show two things.

First, the quota of 800,000 tons initially set by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) for April and May exports was too low compared with the real export capacity of 1.46 million tons.

Description: https://vnn-res.vgcloud.vn/ResV9/images/quote-icon.png

Rice exports were the only bright part in the picture of Vietnam’s farm exports in the first six months of the year. However, the achievements may not be upheld in the second half.

Second, those who disagree on the quota scheme and oppose rice export restrictions, may be right. Soon after the strict quota scheme was removed, Vietnam’s rice exports bounced back in May.


However, the bounce could not be maintained in June, which saw export volume drop by 50 percent compared with May and 24.7 percent compared with the same period last year. The export price also slid.

The sharp fall in both export volume and export price in June was seen as a sign that the best days are over and difficulties are ahead.

According to Bich, there are two reasons for this.

First, experts have warned of the strong competitiveness of Indian rice in the world market. Thanks to plentiful water supply in the rainy season and the government’s decision to increase the rice purchase price, India is expected to obtain record high output this year. Its rice and wheat stocks are very high.

Meanwhile, the state of global financial markets is causing the rice export price in US dollar to become cheaper.

Second, Bich believes that Thailand will try every possible way to improve its competitiveness in the market which will put more pressure on Vietnam’s exports. 

https://vietnamnet.vn/en/business/vietnam-s-rice-exports-may-slide-after-one-month-high-658389.html

 

 

 

Bac Lieu expands cultivation of world’s best rice varieties

The Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu has decided to expand the cultivation of ST 24 and ST 25, two local rice varieties that rank among the world’s best, this year.

ST 24 ranked third in the World’s Best Rice Contest in 2017 and ST 25 topped the contest last year.

For the 2020 summer – autumn rice crop, the province has undertaken field demonstrations for growing the two varieties for the benefit of 60 households in five districts and Gia Rai town on a combined area of 60ha.

After the crop is harvested, the area under the two varieties will be expanded to 3,500ha using the rice – shrimp rotation model this year, according to the provincial People’s Committee.

Under the rice - shrimp model, rice is grown in the rainy season and shrimp is bred in the dry season on the same rice field. Both are clean since farmers use few chemicals under the model.

The model will be adopted mostly in Hong Dan and Phuoc Long districts and Gia Rai town.

The provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and local authorities will call on companies to tie up with farmers for growing the two rice varieties and buying the output.

Besides the province’s field demonstration models, farmers in many areas are also growing ST 24 rice for the summer – autumn crop.

In Phuoc Long district, for instance, they are growing 500ha, according to the local People’s Committee.

Tran Quang Liem, Vice Chairman of the Phuoc Long District People’s Committee, said the district would work with the province’s Agriculture Extension Centre to teach farmers techniques to improve production.

In the 2019 rice crop during the rainy season, farmers planted ST 24 on 45ha in Phuoc Long district and 120ha in Hong Dan district.

Luu Hoang Ly, director of the department, said ST 24 and ST 25 have many advantages like being resistant to salinity and disease.

They provide average yields of 6.2 – 7.7 tonnes per hectare and offer farmers an income of 30.8 – 38.5 million VND (1,330 – 1,660 USD) per hectare per crop since they are highly popular varieties, he added.

https://vietnam.vnanet.vn/english/bac-lieu-expands-cultivation-of-worlds-best-rice-varieties/451877.html

 

Move to import rice following poor boro procurement

Emran Hossain | Published: 01:10, Jul 18,2020

     

Despite a surplus rice production, the food ministry has sought advice from the prime minister on importing rice saying that it may not procure enough rice to keep the rice market stable in the COVID-19 crisis along with the floods.

The food ministry has recently sent a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office as rice millers apparently remained reluctant in supplying rice to the government at the current price.

Nearly three months into the boro rice and paddy procurement, the food ministry could achieve only 28 per cent of its rice procurement target and 12 per cent of the paddy procurement target.

The government planned to buy 11.50 lakh tonnes of rice from millers at Tk 36 a kg and 8 lakh tonnes of paddy at Tk 26 a kg by next month.

‘We shared with the Prime Minister our fear that we may not meet the procurement target and sought her advice on building rice stock through import,’ food secretary Mosammat Nazmanara Khanum told New Age.

The food ministry move came after it announced that it was considering slashing the import duty on rice if the procurement did not pick up soon.

Agricultural economists have long blamed the cumbersome procurement process behind farmers’ reluctance in selling paddy to the government.

Agricultural economist Jahangir Alam demanded an explanation from the government as to why it failed to procure rice from handpicked rice millers.

‘The government should have moved to procure through open tendering rather than opting for import,’ said Jahangir.

Bangladesh produced 3.80 crore tonnes of rice, far above its demand for around 3 crore tonnes, he said.

‘There is no justification to import when there is a surplus production,’ Jahangir said.

He said that the government was planning to spend money on rice import when the country’s farmers were in need of cash more than ever before because of the coronavirus crisis and the devastating floods in the north.

The worsening floods in the northern districts are making it difficult for farmers to preserve rice at home as deluge overtook vast areas.

Economist Md Asaduzzaman said that by repeatedly talking about import the government was frightening the farmers to give away rice at a cheaper rate.

‘It gives farmers the message that time is running out for them to sell rice,’ said Asaduzzaman.

He said that the rice millers would take advantage of the situation, convincing farmers of selling rice at cheaper prices to secure their profit margin.

Rice growers hardly get return on their investment because of their complete dependence on middlemen to sell their crop.

But agricultural economists have always advised the government against buying rice from the millers to avoid many middlemen pocketing benefits that should go to farmers.

They warned that a continued fall in income might discourage farmers from growing the Aman paddy next season.

Asad said that the food ministry should not be in a hurry to import rice because there was enough rice in Bangladesh.

‘It may not be in the government’s hand but it is in the country. The government should find a way of buying the rice,’ he said. 

The government had a stock of 12.04 lakh tonnes of food grains until July 12.

The food secretary said that the stock should be around 20 lakh tonnes to keep the market stable.

The rice millers have been demanding an increase in the rice price by Tk 4 per kg.

https://www.newagebd.net/article/111443/move-to-import-rice-following-poor-boro-procurement

 

 

Panel okays price guarantee for rice

PUBLISHED : 18 JUL 2020 AT 04:00

NEWSPAPER SECTION: BUSINESS

WRITER: CHATRUDEE THEPARAT

Description: The scheme offers guaranteed prices at the previous season's rates.The scheme offers guaranteed prices at the previous season's rates.

The National Rice Policy Committee chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday approved a rice price guarantee scheme for the 2020-21 crop year, offering guaranteed prices at the same rates as during the previous season.

Rachada Dhanadirek, a deputy government spokeswoman, said the annual 2020-21 scheme, which will be implemented between Sept 1, 2020 and May 31, 2021, is expected to use a budget of 85 billion baht.

Some 23.5 billion baht will be assigned to price guarantees, 56 billion baht to support management and quality development costs for farmers, and 5.72 billion baht to subsidise the interest rate for loans extended to stabilise domestic rice prices.

If 30.3 billion baht worth of loans to be issued by the state-owned Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives is included, the scheme will total 115 billion baht, Ms Rachada said.

The scheme covers five main types of rice: white rice paddy with 15% moisture, hom mali rice paddy, fragrant Pathum Thani rice paddy with 15% moisture, glutinous rice paddy with 15% moisture and provincial fragrant rice paddy.

·         Rice price guarantees unchanged

·         Rice price scheme renewed

·         Rice price guarantee

The rice price guarantee offers compensation if market prices fall below the benchmark.

Under the scheme, farmers will be offered 10,000 baht a tonne for white rice paddy with 15% moisture, limited to 30 tonnes per family or 40 rai.

The guaranteed prices are set at 15,000 baht a tonne for hom mali rice paddy, limited to 14 tonnes per family or 40 rai; 11,000 baht a tonne of fragrant Pathum Thani rice paddy with 15% moisture for a limit of 25 tonnes per family or 40 rai; 12,000 baht a tonne for glutinous rice paddy with 15% moisture with a limit of 16 tonnes or 40 rai; and 14,000 baht a tonne for provincial fragrant rice paddy with a limit of 16 tonnes per family or 40 rai.

Ms Rachada said the Commerce Ministry will propose the scheme for cabinet approval soon.

In a related development, the ministry reported to the committee that Thailand was the third-largest rice exporter, with 3.15 million tonnes shipped, for the period of Jan 1 to July 8. India was the world's top rice exporter in the period, with 4.65 million tonnes, followed by Vietnam with 4.17 million tonnes.

Pakistan and the US were the fourth- and fifth-largest exporters at a respective 2.07 million and 1.61 million tonnes.

Charoen Laothammatas, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said earlier this week that rice export prospects looked murky in the second half amid sluggish global demand caused by the coronavirus crisis.

The association has set a full-year rice export target of 7.5 million tonnes but is scheduled to adjust the target on July 22.

Thailand shipped 7.58 million tonnes of rice worth 131 billion baht in 2019, down 32% and 25% from 2018.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1953336/panel-okays-price-guarantee-for-rice

 

 

Rice millers want govt to end Bernas’ rice monopoly

Nora Mahpar

 -

Description: https://s3media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/padi-harvest-180720-bernama.jpgThe Malay Rice Millers Association is against Bernas’ sole importer licence being renewed when it expires next year. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: The Malay Rice Millers Association (PPBMM) has urged the government to abolish the monopoly Padiberas Nasional Bhd (Bernas) has on rice supply in the country after its import licence expires in early 2021.

Its chairman, Tirmizi Yob, said if there are more players, it would lead to the healthy development of the rice industry.

“For other industries, they give the approved permits (AP) to everyone.

“As a rice producer, we do not get any privileges from the government. If the padi is not enough, damaged or is not of the required quality, the factory will face losses. The same goes for farmers.

“Many rice mills are being closed down due to losses, but the government does not seem to care at all,” he told FMT.

Tarmizi said Bernas will however not experience the same situation as the company can cover the losses incurred with its sole ownership of the AP.

“If more APs are given, companies like us have a better chance to survive,” he said.

Tarmizi said they had previously suggested to the government to open up 30% of rice quota to Bumiputera companies, but the discussions were suspended after the change of government earlier this year.

“I hope this new government is aware of the grievances of Bumiputera producers like us.

“The Bernas monopoly needs to be removed for greater competition,” he said.

Meanwhile, Padi Rescue, a coalition of NGOs representing rice farmers and wholesalers, agreed that the sole right to import rice given to Bernas should be abolished and the industry should be fully controlled by the National Paddy and Rice Board (LPN).

“Unlike other agricultural commodities such as chilli or vegetables, this industry must be managed by government agencies as rice is one of the controlled items,” Padi Rescue coordinator Nur Fitri Amir said.

Nur Fitri said private agencies such as Bernas must not be allowed to manage the rice industry as they face a conflict of interest as they were motivated by profit.

He said as long as the government maintains Bernas’ position as the sole importer, the target of 100% self-sufficiency level will not be achieved.

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2020/07/18/rice-millers-want-govt-to-end-bernas-rice-monopoly/

 

Rice Prices

as on : 20-07-2020 06:18:48 PM

Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.

Arrivals

Price

Current

%
change

Season
cumulative

Modal

Prev.
Modal

Prev.Yr
%change

Rice

Bangalore(Kar)

3929.00

553.74

117601.00

4200

4200

-7.69

Mandya(Kar)

764.00

-6.26

17530.00

2080

1520

-

Varanasi(Grain)(UP)

135.00

NC

2197.00

2650

2640

11.34

Gondal(UP)

118.00

10.8

7376.50

2420

2420

-1.22

Dadri(UP)

110.00

22.22

1345.00

5950

5950

-

Bindki(UP)

100.00

-44.44

5440.00

2500

2500

10.62

Kalipur(WB)

82.00

NC

2933.00

2400

2400

NC

Choubepur(UP)

70.00

-22.22

1985.35

2550

2600

-4.67

Maur(UP)

46.00

-9.8

544.00

2590

2580

5.50

Kopaganj(UP)

46.00

-9.8

1505.00

2590

2580

5.93

Teliamura(Tri)

45.00

12.5

454.00

2800

2700

-3.45

Aligarh(UP)

45.00

NC

4112.00

2550

2550

0.39

Allahabad(UP)

45.00

28.57

2357.00

2525

2485

3.06

Azamgarh(UP)

45.00

18.42

5166.70

2575

2580

5.10

Mainpuri(UP)

45.00

32.35

3766.50

2576

2580

-2.05

Hardoi(UP)

40.00

60

8282.80

2470

2450

-3.52

Sindhanur(Kar)

38.00

52

301.00

1820

1925

1.11

Gorakhpur(UP)

37.00

2.78

849.70

2545

2525

-

Saharanpur(UP)

37.00

-2.63

2403.00

2730

2730

-6.19

Faizabad(UP)

35.00

-10.26

1406.00

2455

2450

3.37

Muradabad(UP)

35.00

16.67

1422.00

2630

2630

1.15

Bankura Sadar(WB)

35.00

-7.89

2134.00

2600

2600

8.33

Beldanga(WB)

35.00

-12.5

1390.00

2700

2700

5.88

Muzzafarnagar(UP)

33.00

10

4358.00

2780

2780

-5.76

Meerut(UP)

32.00

6.67

689.50

2785

2800

-6.23

Ghaziabad(UP)

30.00

-14.29

2455.00

2840

2840

-2.91

Khalilabad(UP)

30.00

NC

1670.00

2540

2540

12.89

Shamli(UP)

30.00

3.45

1072.40

2780

2770

0.72

Sehjanwa(UP)

30.00

50

2378.50

2590

2590

19.91

Firozabad(UP)

28.00

5.66

1529.60

2600

2625

-

Hapur(UP)

25.00

25

1032.00

2700

2660

-9.40

Mathura(UP)

25.00

4.17

2869.50

2560

2550

-0.39

Durgapur(WB)

24.00

-4

1111.75

2780

2770

5.70

Asansol(WB)

23.00

-8

1153.89

3100

3100

9.15

Vilaspur(UP)

21.00

5

1598.20

2630

2630

4.78

Sirsaganj(UP)

19.50

11.43

1049.50

2510

2550

-6.34

Balrampur(UP)

19.00

-20.83

1005.00

2450

2450

6.52

Utraula(UP)

19.00

31.03

406.70

2420

2420

-

Basti(UP)

18.00

-47.06

1591.50

2550

2590

5.37

Nawabganj(UP)

17.00

-5.56

696.00

2420

2420

51.25

Champadanga(WB)

16.00

-5.88

678.00

3200

3150

6.67

Etawah(UP)

15.00

15.38

2543.50

2530

2525

-4.53

Rampur(UP)

15.00

7.14

588.50

2630

2630

3.14

Kayamganj(UP)

15.00

50

1901.00

2510

2510

-4.92

Chorichora(UP)

15.00

-25

1393.00

2545

2540

6.71

Dahod(Guj)

14.30

308.57

931.00

4200

4200

-2.33

Bahraich(UP)

14.00

-7.89

1071.70

2460

2450

1.44

Farukhabad(UP)

13.00

-3.7

1072.50

2500

2500

-7.41

Banda(UP)

12.00

50

327.50

2430

2445

2.97

Etah(UP)

12.00

50

390.00

2550

2570

-0.39

Gazipur(UP)

12.00

NC

2090.00

3240

3240

0.93

Purulia(WB)

12.00

-25

204.00

2620

2640

4.80

Devariya(UP)

11.50

-4.17

1003.00

2570

2580

8.21

Paliakala(UP)

11.00

-45

561.50

2440

2430

5.63

Mawana(UP)

10.00

11.11

206.20

2775

2780

-

Karvi(UP)

10.00

42.86

578.00

2415

2450

1.68

Rasda(UP)

10.00

NC

472.00

2550

2540

1059.09

Indus(Bankura Sadar)(WB)

10.00

11.11

1148.00

2800

2800

1.82

Robertsganj(UP)

9.00

12.5

276.10

2460

2450

4.24

Mohamadabad(UP)

9.00

12.5

811.80

2480

2500

-

Raath(UP)

9.00

5.88

194.40

2350

2350

-

Fatehpur(UP)

8.80

17.33

2256.70

2510

2500

7.26

Holenarsipura(Kar)

8.00

-20

115.00

2100

2500

-

Atarra(UP)

8.00

-40.74

806.50

2425

2430

3.19

Ajuha(UP)

8.00

-11.11

341.00

2500

2480

4.17

Vilthararoad(UP)

8.00

14.29

314.00

2100

2100

NC

Barhaj(UP)

8.00

-90

9796.00

2590

2580

8.37

Bareilly(UP)

6.00

200

1942.00

2575

2575

4.04

Kannauj(UP)

6.00

9.09

444.10

2500

2500

-5.66

Raibareilly(UP)

5.50

-26.67

1510.00

2460

2460

12.33

Kasganj(UP)

5.00

-16.67

454.50

2560

2540

0.39

Nadia(WB)

5.00

NC

251.00

3700

3700

NC

Jahangirabad(UP)

4.50

28.57

224.50

2640

2640

-1.31

Mahoba(UP)

4.40

-2.22

436.60

2420

2430

6.84

Naanpara(UP)

4.40

4.76

648.70

2440

2450

9.91

Chandoli(UP)

4.00

-20

73.20

2575

2580

10.52

Mirzapur(UP)

4.00

NC

274.00

2650

2630

9.73

Milak(UP)

4.00

11.11

148.00

2610

2600

-

Kalyani(WB)

4.00

-60

84.00

3450

3500

1.47

Lucknow(UP)

3.60

-10

4952.60

6700

6700

143.64

Chhibramau(Kannuj)(UP)

3.60

5.88

586.90

2500

2500

NC

Tundla(UP)

3.50

16.67

256.50

2570

2565

-0.39

Fatehpur Sikri(UP)

3.20

6.67

126.70

2555

2560

-0.58

Auraiya(UP)

3.00

-14.29

242.10

2530

2530

-0.78

Achalda(UP)

3.00

-25

327.90

2500

2520

13.12

Mugrabaadshahpur(UP)

3.00

50

61.10

2510

2510

12.05

Kosikalan(UP)

2.80

NC

229.10

2550

2545

-0.78

Uluberia(WB)

2.80

3.7

52.80

2700

2700

-6.90

Chitwadagaon(UP)

2.50

-37.5

457.60

2550

2560

21.43

Ranaghat(WB)

2.50

NC

68.90

4200

4200

20.00

Akbarpur(UP)

2.00

33.33

383.10

2440

2435

3.39

Safdarganj(UP)

2.00

NC

75.50

1630

2410

-

Jhansi(UP)

1.60

6.67

143.40

2480

2480

4.42

Melaghar(Tri)

1.50

NC

59.70

2800

2700

3.70

Panichowki(Kumarghat)(Tri)

1.50

15.38

48.20

2970

2900

-

Baberu(UP)

1.50

7.14

77.80

2420

2440

8.76

Sonamura(Tri)

1.40

-22.22

63.20

2800

2800

-

Bangarmau(UP)

1.40

75

208.20

2460

2485

6.96

Alibagh(Mah)

1.00

NC

87.00

4200

4200

90.91

Murud(Mah)

1.00

NC

86.00

4200

4200

90.91

Lalganj(UP)

1.00

-16.67

267.80

2350

2350

-

Anandnagar(UP)

0.90

-10

209.10

2535

2540

12.67

Gurusarai(UP)

0.90

50

21.00

2485

2485

7.58

Bharuasumerpur(UP)

0.80

-68

23.40

2500

2500

28.21

Achnera(UP)

0.70

-12.5

38.90

2560

2560

-1.92

Kasipur(WB)

0.60

-7.69

1.85

2570

2620

-3.38

 

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/rice-prices/article32139465.ece

 

Auction date set for machinery to be purchased using RCEF

Published July 20, 2020, 10:00 PM

by Madelaine B. Miraflor

The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) had set on August 4, 2020 the start of the actual bidding of machinery it is supposed to buy and distribute using its Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) allocation.

PhilMech said that the bidding for RCEF-funded machinery, which should have been done more than a year ago or immediately after the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) was passed, will start on August 4 and will involve the purchase of nine types of farm machinery.

Pre-bidding already started this month and two machines are being featured in each bidding session, according to the agency.

To recall, one of the crucial components of RTL, which allowed unlimited rice importation in the country, is to make Filipino rice farmers competitive by giving them access to free seeds and modern farm equipment to be funded by RCEF, the collection of tariffs from rice imports.

RCEF is supposed to be injected with P10 billion annually from 2019 to 2024. Of this, P5 billion is allotted to mechanization.

However, due to bureaucratic bottlenecks, it took PhilMech more than a year to actually withdraw this cash allotment and process the procurement.

PhilMech said the second pre-bidding conference for the first batch of machineries to be procured under RCEF was held on July 14 for the supply, delivery, and testing of Mechanical Rice Transplanters and Rice Reapers.

This conference discussed and explained procedures and instructions for bidding, including eligibility requirements, technical, and financial components of the contract.

The bids for the Mechanical Rice Transplanters have 12 lots with an Approved Budget Contract (ABC) of P637.47 million, while the ABC for the Rice Reapers, which has 6 lots, is P132.51 million.

On July 10, PHilMech also conducted the pre-bidding for four-wheel-drive tractors with 27 lots and with

ABC of P2.84 billion, as well as for rice combine harvesters with 26 lots and ABC of P1.84 billion.

The pre-bid conference was held at PHilMech Auditorium and was streamed live via the DA-PHilMech Facebook account. The Zoom application was also used for other bidders and Bid Award Committee (BAC) members.

Strict protocols were observed for physically present participants in compliance for the COVID 19 precautions, PhilMech said.

In June, PhilMech assured that the actual distribution of farm machinery funded under RCEF will take place in August.

This is despite the lockdowns and quarantines imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said PHilMech Executive Director Dr. Baldwin Jallorina Jr.

Right now, Philmech is still validating eligible RCEF beneficiaries, particularly farmers’ cooperative and association (FCAs), in order to provide them with additional machines if needed.

The FCAs who did not qualify in 2019 can apply for 2020 as long as requirements set by the government are met, PhilMech Facility Management and Field Operations Division chief Joel Dator said.

RCEF currently covers 957 municipalities in the country and for rice farmers to benefit from the program, they should be part of the DA’s outdated Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).

As for RCEF’s mechanization program alone, only rice farmers who are members of an FCA who can benefit from it.

In the selection of beneficiaries, PhilMech has adopted the farm clustering and consolidation strategy to “achieve economies of scale that will pave the way to cost-efficient operations, higher crop productivity and bigger farmers’ incomes”, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said.

PhilMech has estimated farm mechanization can lower the cost of producing palay (unmilled rice) by P1 to P2 per kilo.

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https://mb.com.ph/2020/07/20/auction-date-set-for-machinery-to-be-purchased-using-rcef/

 

Legacy vs price: Rice exports from Vietnam and India vie for ASEAN trade post-COVID-19

By Pearly Neo

20-Jul-2020 - Last updated on 20-Jul-2020 at 01:23 GMT

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Description: Vietnam and India are competing for ASEAN rice trade post-COVID-19, with the former having gained advantage due to support from traditional partner Philippines, and the latter having come out ahead with Malaysia in terms of price. ©Getty ImagesVietnam and India are competing for ASEAN rice trade post-COVID-19, with the former having gained advantage due to support from traditional partner Philippines, and the latter having come out ahead with Malaysia in terms of price. ©Getty Images

Related tags: Rice, Vietnam, India, Asean

Vietnam and India are competing for ASEAN rice trade post-COVID-19, with the former having gained advantage due to support from traditional partner Philippines, and the latter having come out ahead with Malaysia in terms of price.

The Philippines is the world’s largest importer of rice (between 7% and 14% of its requirements) and had initially announced a government-to-government (G2G) deal in May this year to buffer national stockpiles, with Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar saying that discussions were in progress with Asia’s biggest rice producers Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, India and Cambodia.

Government agency Philippine International Trading Corp (PITC) issued a tender earlier this month for white rice imports with bids from India, Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar, and Myanmar had been in the lead to supply some 75,000 tonnes to the Philippines based on its bids whereas India and Thailand bids were rejected.

However, the Philippines later announced in a June 24 statement that these import plans would be cancelled given Vietnam’s resumption of rice exports in May.

“[The G2G deal is] no longer necessary under the current situation [as supply issues] has been properly addressed with the lifting of the rice export ban by Vietnam and the rice import arrivals of around 1.3 million metric tonnes as of the third week of June,”​ said Dar.

“[By] no longer proceeding with the planned imports, the government will be able to generate PHP8.5bn (US$170.4m) savings, a sum which can be tapped to support productivity-enhancing activities in agriculture that can assist in ensuring food security for the country.”

Vietnam made headlines in March this year when it announced a rice export ban in what many deemed to be a ‘protectionist’ move​ threatening the global supply chain. The ban was a particularly hard blow for the Philippines for which Vietnamese rice traditionally makes up some 90% of imports.

Vietnam moved to allow 400,000 tons of rice exports in April, followed by a complete lifting of the ban in May after widespread criticism and mounting reports of rice spoiling or going to waste due to the ban.

That Vietnam has managed to secure Philippines’ rice trade is unsurprising given the legacy relationship between both countries, but at a price range of US$405 to US$450 per tonne as of June 25, in terms of price it is higher than global top exporter India at prices of US$373 to US$378 per tonne – which has led it to lose out on trade from some other ASEAN countries such as Malaysia.

Malaysia signed an agreement with India earlier this year to import a record 100,000 tonnes of rice, around double the average volumes imported from India over the last five years at about 53,000 tonnes.

“[The lower prices India is offering for its rice] is making buying lucrative from India,” said​ Olam India Rice VP Nitin Gupta told Reuters​.

That said, it is also likely that political forces have come into play here – Earlier this year, India issued bans on Malaysian palm oil imports after then-Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad criticised India’s actions in Kashmir, badly affecting its exports as India was one of Malaysia’s largest palm oil buyers.

Mahathir was later ousted by his successor Muhyiddin Yassin, and since then both countries have been in discussions on solutions to repair the soured ties, and this could be one of them.

What about other countries?

According to data from Statista, India is the largest global rice exporter at 9.79 million metric tonnes, and Vietnam is the third-ranked at 6.58 million metric tonnes.

At second place is Thailand at 7.56 million metric tonnes – but Thailand has been laying relatively low as compared to India and Vietnam due to its current struggles​ with weather, economical and quality issues.

Droughts in the country have led to a low supply which has driven rice prices up to between US$514 and US$520 per tonne as of June 26, but most reports describe demand to be subdued despite an initial strong rise during COVID-19.

Thai Rice Exporters Association President Charoen Laothammathat told Nation Thailand ​that in April Thailand has exported over 640,000 tonnes of rice which was a 32.7% increase from March – but expected exports to drop after this due to prices and returning competitors.

“[The] price of Thai rice is higher than that of competitors due to limited supply and strengthening of the baht, [whereas] Vietnam, India and Pakistan have returned to the market,”​ he said.

On the other hand, rice is also a main staple in Indonesia but the country has largely remained out of top import and export lists as it struggles to decide whether or not to relax import regulations​ via its controversial omnibus law.

The Indonesian government also plans to strengthen self-sufficiency as well as potentially look to exporting rice by planting this across 2.2 million acres of land in Borneo, in what is now peatland – but the project has also come under fire by various parties.

“Peatlands in general contain few nutrients​,” Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) Basuki Sumawinata told Mongabay​.

“So if they are to be managed for rice fields, it will need thorough and serious technology, with costs that we might not be able to imagine.”

In 1995, a project deemed the Mega Rice Project (MRP) was launched and failed spectacularly due to soil conditions, and was in essence similar to the upcoming new project announced by Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

This has led experts such as Sumawinata to fear that the new project will become a repeat of past mistakes – the abandoned project area purportedly burns on a yearly basis.

“In the past, we wanted to open up a rice estate in 1970 in South Sumatra. That ended up in failure. [And] then we wanted to open 2.5 million acres in 1995. Of that, where has rice cultivation has been sustained on peatlands?”

 

 

 

 

https://vietnam.vnanet.vn/english/bac-lieu-expands-cultivation-of-worlds-best-rice-varieties/