China Offers Food Aid to North Korea Suffering Worst Drought in a
Century
© AP Photo/ Kim Kwang
Hyon
ASIA & PACIFIC
10:32 19.06.2015(updated
12:03 19.06.2015) Get short URL
"We hope that the government
and people of North Korea will tide over the disaster at an
early date and the Chinese side is willing to provide assistance
at the request of North Korea," said Lu Kang, China's foreign
ministry spokesman.
"We express sympathy to North Korea for the
serious drought," he added, as quoted by the Yonhap news agency.
© AP PHOTO/ AHN YOUNG-JOON, POOL
The
dry spell has already affected approximately 30 percent of North Korean
paddy fields badly hitting the main rice-growing provinces. According
to South Korean authorities, grain production in the North could fall
by 20 percent compared to 2014.The news sparked fears that drought
would lead to food shortages in a country where memories of the
famine in the 1990s are still fresh.The United States has declined
to offer assistance to North Korea. Earlier this week, US State Department
spokesman John Kirby said that he had no "specific information
about the validity of the drought" and was not aware of any
US plans to provide food assistance, according to Yonhap
Commerce Ministry to sell cheap rice to low-income people
June 19, 2015 2:49 pm
The Commerce Ministry will sell cheap rice to about 200,000
low-income earners via co-operatives to help ease their financial burden.The
project is expected to require a budget of Bt100 million. About 5,000 tons of
white rice will be sold in 2-kg packages to low-income earners through
cooperatives across the country. To ensure the target demographic has access to
affordable rice, the Interior will undertake a survey of low-income earners
countrywide and forward the data to governors who will oversee distribution.
The target number of customers is estimated at 200,000.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Commerce-Ministry-to-sell-cheap-rice-to-low-income-30262666.html
NFA OKs $100M rice importation from
Vietnam
By: Riza T. Olchondra
@inquirerdotnet
Philippine Daily Inquirer
05:19 AM June 19th, 2015
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The National Food Authority
(NFA) Council has approved the purchase of about $100 million worth of rice
from Vietnam after accepting a revised offer from Hanoi as the state agency
scrambles to build up buffer stocks of the staple in anticipation of the June-August
lean season.According to an NFA statement, the interagency NFA Council, in a
special meeting last June 17, awarded the contract for the supply of 100,000
metric tons (MT) of long grain white rice (25 percent brokens) to Vietnam
“based on their revised offer of $416.85/MT under the government-to-government
procurement scheme.”Vietnam was earlier awarded the supply contract for 150,000
MT, 25 percent brokens well-milled long grain rice. With the 100,000-MT supply
contract, it now has a total contract award of 250,000 MT.The average price of
$412.81 per MT for the 250,000 MT is lower than the $421/MT offered last
February and $475/MT in September 2014. The total price for the 250,000 MT to
be supplied by Vietnam is $103.2 million.The NFA said the first rice shipment
from Vietnam is expected to arrive in the country by August 15.
Vietnam’s winning revised offer was above the $408.14 per MT price
ceiling set by the Philippines.The NFA Council accepted Vietnam’s revised offer
after the NFA committee on government-to-government procurement (CGGP) elevated
the case to the council.The CGGP initially rejected the offers from Cambodia,
Thailand and Vietnam, which are way above the government’s reference price for
100,000 MT well-milled long grain white rice at 25 percent brokens.Thailand
offered $418 per MT for 100,000 MT; Vietnam offered $417/MT for 100,000 MT; and
Cambodia offered $464/MT for 50,000 MT.In the second round of bidding, Thailand
withdrew, saying that the Philippine government’s reference price was too low
against the average prevailing price in the world market.Cambodia revised its
offer to $455.50/MT for the supply of 50,000 MT, while Vietnam offered $416.85
per MT for the supply of 100,000 MT. Both offers were still beyond the price
ceiling set by the NFA Council. It was at that point that the CGGP elevated the
case to the NFA Council.The 100,000 MT is part of the 250,000 metric tons
approved by the NFA Council for importation through the recommendation of the
food security committee in preparation for the lean season when supply of rice
is traditionally low and prices are high.The NFA has to maintain a 30-day
buffer requirement beginning the lean month of July. The NFA has at present a
buffer stock of 750,000 MT of rice. This is enough for the next 24 days.The NFA
Council is chaired by Francis N. Pangilinan, the presidential assistant for
food security and agricultural modernization, with representatives from the
NFA, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Development Bank of the Philippines, Land
Bank of the Philippines, Department of Finance, Department of Trade and
Industry, National Economic and Development Authority and a farmer’s
representative.
http://business.inquirer.net/193789/nfa-oks-100m-rice-importation-from-vietnam#ixzz3dagiqsdS
Commerce
Ministry to sell cheap rice to low-income people
June 19, 2015 2:49 pm
The Commerce Ministry will sell cheap rice to about 200,000
low-income earners via co-operatives to help ease their financial burden.The
project is expected to require a budget of Bt100 million. About 5,000 tons of
white rice will be sold in 2-kg packages to low-income earners through
cooperatives across the country. To ensure the target demographic has access to
affordable rice, the Interior will undertake a survey of low-income earners
countrywide and forward the data to governors who will oversee distribution.
The target number of customers is estimated at 200,000.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Commerce-Ministry-to-sell-cheap-rice-to-low-income-30262666.html
Rice trade: Formation of development board
proposed
Published: June 19, 2015
Rice exports have stagnated at $2
billion per annum mainly due to lack of research and development work on new
varieties. STOCK IMAGE
KARACHI:
FPCCI Senior Vice President Abdul Rahim
Janoo, in a letter to Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan and Federal
Minister of Food Security and Research Sikander Hayat Khan Bosan, said this
would help promote different rice varieties, especially the unique basmati rice
as well as regular paddy.
“Rice exports have stagnated at $2 billion
per annum mainly due to lack of research and development work on new varieties
that yield more at lower costs and are acceptable in the global market,” Janoo
said, adding competitors had come up with such products due to market-oriented and demand-driven research in consultation
with all stakeholders.
Published in The Express
Tribune, June 19th, 2015
http://tribune.com.pk/story/906034/rice-trade-formation-of-development-board-proposed/
Myanmar to export 200,000 tonnes of rice to EU
Rice warehouse
Myanmar expects to earn US$1 billion on exports of 200,000
tonnes of rice to European Union countries during the 2015-16 fiscal year,
according to Ye Min Aubg, the secretary of the Myanmar Rice and Paddy
Federation.“We want to earn US$1 billion because at this moment we are getting
between $6 million and to $7 million from the rice and paddy sector. Fewer
exports than imports causes instability in the currency exchange rate. So we
need to promote the export sector. Promoting the rice and paddy sector will
benefit both farmers and merchants. And we will control the quality of the rice
we sell. If we export low-quality rice, we won’t get paid enough. But if we
export good-quality rice, not only will we get paid a good price, but also will
not have to export as many tonnes of rice,” said Ye Min Aung.He added that the
rice export sector was officially promoted in 2010.In previous years, Myanmar
has exported rice to EU countries such as Belgium, Denmark and Poland.Myanmar
exported 1.4 million tonnes of rice in the 2012-13 fiscal year, 1.3 million
tonnes in 2013-14 and 1.8 million tonnes of rice in 2014-15.
http://www.elevenmyanmar.com/business/myanmar-export-200000-tonnes-rice-eu
Monsoon, defying El Nino threat, boosts crops
A better-than-expected start to
the rainy season has eased concerns of dry weather fuelling inflation in India
A better-than-expected start to the monsoon in an El Nino year has
eased concerns of dry weather fuelling inflation in India, where food costs represent
almost half of the consumer price index. Photo: HT
New Delhi: Planting
of crops from rice to cotton and soybeans in India is gathering pace as farmers
benefit from an increase in monsoon rains, defying forecasts that a developing
El Niño would curb rainfall.Almost 80% of India received excess or normal
downpours since 1 June, allowing farmers to begin sowing of rice, cotton, corn
and soybeans in the south, west and central regions, according to the India
Meteorological Department.
The good showing is set to
continue through June, it estimates.A better-than-expected start to the monsoon
in an El Niño year has eased concerns of dry weather fuelling inflation in
India, where food costs represent almost half of the consumer price index.
Normal rainfall is critical for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plan to accelerate
economic growth in a country where smartphone makers to gold jewellery
retailers derive the bulk of their sales from 833 million people living in
villages, most of whom depend on farming.“We can’t thank god enough for the
good rains so far,” said Rao Saheb Devrao Ingole, a 53-year-old cotton farmer
from Maharashtra. “Good rainfall in June has always helped sowing.”Farmers
depend on the monsoon, which accounts for more than 70% of annual rainfall, to
grow crops and produce hydro- electricity, and for drinking water. The rainfall
during the June-September season waters more than half of nation’s farmland,
where sowing begins in June.
While rainfall has been 11% more than the average between 1951 and
2000, showers in July hold the key to a bumper harvest, according to TransGraph
Consulting Pvt., a Hyderabad- based commodity consultant. Precipitation in July
accounts for more than a third of the season’s total of 89 centimetres,
according to the weather bureau.The developing El Niño will curb monsoon
rainfall to 88% of average this year, the second back-to-back shortfall in
three decades, the IMD says, while private forecaster Skymet Weather Services
Ltd predicts precipitation will be 102% of the average.“The recent rains have
eased concerns and we expect good progress in crop sowing,” said Nagaraj Meda,
managing director of TransGraph Consulting. “Most of the crops, except pulses,
are available in abundance. Global supply is also good for most of the crops
and if rains fail, India can import and control inflation.”Consumer prices
jumped 5.01% in May while foodcosts rose 4.8%, the statistics ministry said on
12 June. Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan, who cut interest rates
three times this year, has said further action will hinge on the monsoon rain.
He flagged a shortage of precipitation as the biggest risk to the
economy because agriculture accounts for about 15% of gross domestic product.El
Niño poses a risk for the global economy in the second half because the event
may hurt crops and boost world food inflation, Citigroup Inc. said this week.
In India, forecasts for a weak monsoon after a heatwave in parts of the country
should be a warning to policymakers as it could have an impact on rural
consumption and food prices, HSBC Holdings Plc said.“Though timely arrival of
rains is good, distribution is more important and we have to see how the
monsoon unfolds in July,” said K.K. Singh, head of weather bureau’s agriculture
meteorology division. Bloomberg
http://www.livemint.com/Politics/FBgiUnYOJsGEcmd9wfVVUI/Monsoon-defying-El-Nino-threat-boosts-Indias-crops-economy.html
Kharif planting gains pace as monsoon progresses
Total acreage down 7.4% so far as area under coarse cereals,
sugarcane trails
NEW DELHI, JUNE 19:
As of Friday, kharif acreage
touched 91.61 lakh hectares (lh), down from 98.88 lh registered in
2014-15.Acreage of rice, pulses and oilseeds, have risen marginally while
coarse cereals such as jowar and ragi have witnessed a sharp fall.Rice has been
sown across 8.33 lh against 8.2 lh earlier while pulses have a recorded a 4.4
per cent increase to 4.51 lh as compared to 4.32 lh previously.
Coarse cereals acreage is,
however, down more than 42 per cent, with 7.19 lh covered so far this year
against 12.42 lh at the same time last year.Significantly, the Centre had hiked
the minimum support price (MSP) for ragi by ₹100/quintal earlier this week, from ₹1,550.The MSP for jowar varieties
and bajra were raised by ₹40 and ₹25 per quintal, respectively.
Monsoon
progress
Though the onset of monsoon this
year was delayed by about five days, the quick progress in last two weeks has
resulted in 10 per cent rains above normal for the current season from June
1-18.About 16 of the 36 meteorological sub divisions, accounting for 54 per
cent of the area of the country, have received excess rains so far.Meanwhile,
the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that the South-West monsoon
— currently estimated at 86.5 mm, is likely to remain strong this month with
another storm system building over the Bay of Bengal, which should bring more
rain to parts of central and eastern India.“Conditions are favourable for
further advance of southwest monsoon into some more parts of Chhattisgarh,
Odisha and West Bengal during next 48 hours.
Conditions are also favourable
for further advance into some more parts of north Arabian sea and Gujarat
during the next 72 hours,” said the Met agency.The IMD has predicted the
four-month long monsoon to be at 88 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA)
of 89 cm.An agency official, however, stated on Friday that rain is expected to
be at 92 per cent of the LPA in July. Sowing of oilseeds has registered a
marginal uptick to 2.79 lh from 2.22 lh while sugarcane is down to 41.58 lh
from 43.92 lh earlier.Cotton acreage has also fallen slightly to 19.66 lh from
20 lh at the same time last year.
Jute and mesta has been sown across 7.55 lh this year against
7.81 lh previously.
(This article was published on June 19, 2015)
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/agri-biz/kharif-planting-gains-pace-as-monsoon-progresses/article7333826.ece
PM repeats rice-delay plea
19 Jun 2015 at 20:58
Prime
Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has repeated his plea to farmers to delay planting
of the main rice crop because of a water shortage."I do not want to force
things but please help out by switching to crops that need little water, or by
switching to aquaculture, livestock or alternative crops," Gen Prayut said
on his weekly Returning Happiness to Thai People
broadcast on Friday night.The appeal may have come too late, however. Many
farmers say they are determined to go ahead and plant rice because they have
already bought their seed and other supplies for the season.The Agriculture
Ministry has said that there is only enough water in reservoirs to irrigate the
3.4 million rai of paddy fields already planted in the main rice bowl of the
Chao Phraya River basin.Farmers holding another 4 million rai in 22 provinces
have been asked to delay planting until normal levels of rainfall return, expected
around late July.
"This
year, Thailand is facing a recurrence of drought," Gen Prayut said on his
broadcast. "The causes may be climate change and deforestation. The latter
has resulted in a diminished amount of raw water available, an amount that was low
to start with."Today, we see how water in dams, canals and rivers is
depleted. Farmers grew crops in quantity last year, resulting in continuously
reduced raw water supplies. This has been exacerbated by the lowered amount of
rainfall now."Let this be a lesson and let us turn this crisis into an
opportunity. I must ask for cooperation in delaying the planting of in-season
rice and in abstaining from the planting of off-season rice."He also
encouraged farmers to think of innovative ways to supplement their
incomes."I have seen on television that frogs and turkeys are being raised
for export. Livestock might be kept in rubber plantations and paddies might be
converted to vegetable fields," he said.
"The
government is considering support toward alternative farming such as raising
crickets — these can be eaten as a source of protein. Earthworms could be
raised to generate more income and for use in soil improvement. Much of our
soil has deteriorated."At the same time, the premier acknowledged that the
authorities needed to do a better job of water management."The government
does not deny any responsibility for the well-being of people and the task of
finding water sources," he said."Some plans call for water to be
drawn from the Salween River and from the Mekong," he said, though this
would be quite costly.He also noted a report from the Ministry of Natural
Resources and Environment that said only 10% of groundwater was being utilised
and there was much more potential for its use.Other sources, he said, might be
available to replenish reserves in dams and then fed into the irrigation
system."We will do our best, and we ask for a little patience," he
said.
There
should be an agricultural diversification programme for small farmers in the
rice industry
Dear Editor,
The rice industry has gone from strength to strength, in terms of
acres under cultivation and yield per acre, now averaging two tons per acre,
that is, 32 bags at 140 lbs per bag per crop, due mainly to higher yielding
varieties produced at the Burma Rice Research Station, and improved cultivation
and husbandry practices. However, the industry has been slow to respond to
acquiring markets for the increased production.As a result of new technology,
drying and milling systems have improved, resulting in better recoveries from
paddy to rice.A lot is being said now of monies that are owed by millers to
farmers, by the Guyana Rice Development Board to the millers and by farmers to
input suppliers, but nothing is mentioned of monies owed by millers to
commercial banks, and the pressure the millers are under to dispose of the
paddy in a timely manner, so as to pay the farmers.
The problem of millers owing the farmers could have been non-
existent, if the money that was made available to Guyana (about $3 billion) by
the European Union for the rice industry, was put in a revolving fund as in
Suriname, rather than in the Consolidated Fund after the first year.Because of
the rapid increase in production, those looking for markets have been caught
with their pants down. This is bearing in mind, that Guyana exports about 75
per cent of its production, while only 4 per cent of world’s production is
traded.The entry of Venezuela, although offering a higher price than Europe and
the Caribbean, has caused some serious confusion in the rice industry, as they
are only purchasing about 40 per cent of the production. All farmers on the
other hand, are asking for prices based on the Venezuelan price, which is not
possible.A lot of numbers have been thrown around in relation to the price of a
bag of paddy, some very ridiculous, resulting in more confusion.
Return on investments:
The commercial banks are offering 3 to 4 per cent per annum on
fixed deposits. The return on investment for most businesses, is considered
good, at 20 per cent per year.It costs a farmer about $65,000 to produce two
tons per acre per crop. Therefore, the total cost per acre per year (2 crops)
equal $130,000. If the farmer were to make 20 per cent on his investment, he
would expect $130,000 plus $26,000 equalling $156,000.Considering 32 bags per
crop equals 64 bags per year, the price per bag should be $156,000/64 equalling
$2,437, which can be easily sustained by the Caribbean and European markets, which
are readily available.An additional $200 per bag on paddy can be available to
the farmer, if cost savings can be considered in the areas of the levy to the
GRDB, charges at the export ports, etc.
Assuming a farmer will live relatively comfortably on $80,000 per
month, that is, $960,000 per year, with him earning $26,000 per acre per year,
he will need to cultivate $960,000/ $26,000 which is equal to 36.9 acres. The
majority of farmers in the rice industry are way below this acreage, resulting
in constant complaining, which is justified.So the big question is whether it
is an industry problem or a social problem, seeing that the farmers have no
other means of income.Obviously, it is not possible to make 36.9 acres
available to all the farmers in the rice industry.This is where a new ADP
(Export Agriculture Diversification Pro-gramme) should kick in, and encourage
the farmers with a small acreage to concentrate on other crops, which will
result in them earning 20 per cent or more on their investment.The average
price for paddy is $3,000 per bag presently, resulting in the farmer earning
$192,000 per acre, resulting in an excess of $62,000 per year that is a return
on investment of 48 per cent.
Yours faithfully,
Beni Sankar
Another Chance for
TPA
Friday, June 19, 2015
WASHINGTON, DC-- Following what looked to be defeat during a
complicated series of votes in Congress one week ago, Trade Promotion Authority
(TPA) looks back on track and could be sent to the president's desk prior to
the July 4 Congressional recess. The
House passed stand-alone TPA legislation yesterday, and Senate leadership hopes
to vote on the measure next week. TPA sets specific objectives for the
administration to follow in negotiating trade agreements and provides
consultation requirements as negotiations proceed. In exchange, Congress agrees to forego the
ability to amend completed trade agreements when these agreements are sent to
Congress for approval.
The agreements receive an up-or-down vote by Congress.Nonetheless,
hurdles remain. Opposition to TPA is
strong among many Democratic and some Republican Members, and this opposition
defeated a renewal of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) last week in the House. TAA was paired with TPA and its defeat
sidetracked a complex plan to approve TPA."This has been a confusing week
in trade, but it's important to remember that TPA is absolutely necessary to
convince our trading partners that the U.S. is serious about concluding trade
agreements and to get the other side to put their best offer on the
table," said Bob Cummings, USA Rice COO.
"TPA was necessary to
complete NAFTA and the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, both very good for
the U.S. rice industry, and support for TPA is part of USA Rice's push for good
outcomes in the two big negotiations currently underway - the Trans Pacific
Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership,"
Cummings continued. "While we're behind TPA for our long term interests,
we're very focused on making sure the administration is getting the best deal
possible for U.S. rice farmers and exporters in the current TPP negotiations,
and we'll assess our support for TPP on the deal's merits."
Contact: Colleen Klemczewski
(703) 236-1446
|
CME
Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
|
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|
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- Jun 19
Nagpur, June 19 Gram and tuar prices reported strong in Nagpur Agriculture Produce
and Marketing Committee (APMC) here on increased buying support from local millers amid
restricted supply from producing belts because of rains. Fresh rise on NCDEX, upward trend in
Madhya Pradesh pulses and reported demand from South-based millers also boosted prices,
according to sources.
* * * *
FOODGRAINS & PULSES
GRAM
* Desi gram raw recovered in open market on renewed demand from local traders amid
weak supply from producing regions.
TUAR
* Tuar black reported down in open market here on poor buying support from local
traders. Reports about good overseas arrival also pushed down prices.
* Wheat mill quality and Sharbati varieties reported higher in open market on seasonal
demand from local traders amid tight supply from producing belts like Punjab and
Haryana.
* In Akola, Tuar - 7,300-7,700, Tuar dal - 10,100-10,500, Udid at 9,100-9,600,
Udid Mogar (clean) - 10,700-11,100, Moong - 9,000-9,200, Moong Mogar
(clean) 10,700-11,100, Gram - 4,200-4,500, Gram Super best bold - 6,100-6,300
for 100 kg.
* Other varieties of wheat, rice and other commodities remained steady in open market
in poor trading activity, according to sources.
Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg
FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close
Gram Auction 3,500-4,700 3,500-4,540
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction 6,200-7,290 6,200-7,130
Moong Auction n.a. 6,000-6,300
Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500
Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800
Gram Super Best Bold 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000
Gram Super Best n.a.
Gram Medium Best 5,500-5,600 5,500-5,600
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a.
Gram Mill Quality 5,100-5,300 5,100-5,300
Desi gram Raw 4,450-4,500 4,400-4,450
Gram Filter new 5,600-5,800 5,600-5,800
Gram Kabuli 5,500-7,000 5,500-5,700
Gram Pink 6,400-6,600 6,400-6,600
Tuar Fataka Best 10,500-10,800 10,500-10,800
Tuar Fataka Medium 9,900-10,300 9,900-10,300
Tuar Dal Best Phod 9,500-9,700 9,500-9,700
Tuar Dal Medium phod 8,800-9,300 8,800-9,300
Tuar Gavarani New 7,250-7,350 7,250-7,350
Tuar Karnataka 7,900-8,000 7,900-8,000
Tuar Black 10,900-11,200 11,000-11,300
Masoor dal best 8,000-8,200 8,000-8,200
Masoor dal medium 7,500-7,900 7,500-7,900
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold 10,400-10,700 10,400-10,700
Moong Mogar Medium best 9,700-10,200 9,700-10,200
Moong dal Chilka 9,100-9,500 9,100-9,500
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 9,600-9,900 9,600-9,900
Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG) 11,500-11,750 11,500-11,750
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 10,600-10,800 10,600-10,800
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 8,900-9,200 8,900-9,200
Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 4,200-4,400 4,200-4,400
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 3,200-3,350 3,200-3,350
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 3,300-3,400 3,300-3,400
Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,100 3,000-3,100
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 3,600-4,500 3,600-4,500
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,400-1,600 1,400-1,600
Wheat Mill quality(100 INR/KG) 1,500-1,650 1,500-1,600
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 1,400-1,600 1,400-1,600
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,400 2,200-2,400
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,100 1,900-2,100
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,650 3,100-3,600
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,850 2,500-2,800
Wheat 147 (100 INR/KG) 1,400-1,500 1,400-1,500
Wheat Best (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,100 1,900-2,100
Rice BPT New(100 INR/KG) 2,600-3,000 2,600-3,000
Rice BPT (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,400 3,200-3,400
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 1,500-1,750 1,500-1,750
Rice Swarna new (100 INR/KG) 2,150-2,450 2,150-2,450
Rice Swarna old (100 INR/KG) 2,600-2,800 2,600-2,800
Rice HMT new(100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,600 3,100-3,600
Rice HMT (100 INR/KG) 3,600-4,000 3,600-3,900
Rice HMT Shriram New(100 INR/KG) 4,000-4,500 4,000-4,500
Rice HMT Shriram old (100 INR/KG) 4,500-5,200 4,500-5,200
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 8,200-10,200 8,200-10,200
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 6,000-7,200 6,000-7,200
Rice Chinnor new (100 INR/KG) 4,700-4,900 4,700-4,900
Rice Chinnor (100 INR/KG) 5,200-5,600 5,200-5,600
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,450 2,200-2,450
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,600
WEATHER (NAGPUR)
Maximum temp. 35.2 degree Celsius (95.4 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp.
22.5 degree Celsius (72.5 degree Fahrenheit)
Humidity: Highest - n.a., lowest - n.a.
Rainfall : 46.4 mm
FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Rains or thunder-showers likely towards evening or night. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 35 and 23 degree Celsius respectively.
Note: n.a.--not available
(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices.)
GI law yet to be finalised after 15 years
ISLAMABAD: A draft law on
geographical indications (GIs) is lying with the government for the last 15
years, and has yet to be finalised.Pakistan may lose ownership rights of hybrid
variety of super basmati rice if it fails to finalise the law promptly, sources
said.The sources further added that the country has yet to enact the law to
register the super basmati as local GI which will provide our policymakers
legal grounds to contest the issue of super basmati with India at an
international forum.
The proposed law could also
provide protection not only to rice, but also to other products, like apricot,
Peshawari chappal, Multani halva, Hala’s ajrak, Sargodha’s kinno, Kasuri methi,
Sindhri mango, Dir’s chakoo (knife), wild mushrooms of Swat, Neeli Ravi
buffalo, Chaman grapes, etc.The law will enhance visibility of several
Pakistani export items in the international market as it will protect the
ownership rights of goods that have a specific geographical origin and possess
a quality, reputation or other characteristic.Geographical Indications are place
names (in some countries also words associated with a place) used to identify
the origin and quality, reputation or other characteristics of products.
It is a concept of international
trade which associates certain product to a specific location, thus identifying
its originality and uniqueness. Such an indication to any product distinguishes
it from the rest of same kind thus bringing premium to its price.The draft GI
law has since been vetted many times by the relevant authorities, but no action
had been taken in this regard, said a source.On Thursday, Commerce Minister
Khurram Dastagir Khan directed the officials of his ministry to initiate
coordination with relevant stakeholders immediately which include Intellectual
Property Organisation Pakistan (IPOP), Ministry of National Food Security and
Research, relevant provincial departments and the private sector.The minister
admitted that some spade-work was done on the GIs law by the previous
governments during the last decade, but it was not brought to its logical
conclusion.
The government had established
IPOP for legislation of similar kinds of laws to provide protection to the
local products in the international market.WTO members need to give protection
to GIs under Article 22-24 of the TRIPs agreement.Unless Pakistan provides GI
protection to its goods by its law, Islamabad could not obtain GI protection
for its goods in other countries that have the GI law.The separate law would
make Pakistan capable of filing such applications in other countries to protect
its various GIs in those countries.It was also proposed to set up a GI registry
at Lahore or Karachi and appointment of an officer of the government as
registrar, besides sub-registrars and assistant registrars as necessary for its
prime office and sub-offices.According to an official statement, commerce
minister said that his ministry will enact a new GIs law to bring distinction
to indigenous Pakistani products.
Published in Dawn, June 19th,
2015
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/paddy-farmers-bitter-over-paltry-increase-in-msp/article7328361.ece
Details of Ramazan package unveiled
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister
Ghulam Murtaza Khan Jatoi announced on Thursday that under the Rs1.3 billion
Ramazan Relief Package 18 food commodities and items would be sold at
subsidised rates at about 6,000 outlets of the Utility Stores Corporation (USC)
across the country.Briefing media personnel, the minister for industries and
production said that market players increased the prices of essential
commodities each year ahead of Ramazan, but the government was unable to do
anything about it. “Therefore, the PML-N government decided in 1991 to provide
relief to the public through the USC,” he said.
Mr Jatoi said that under the
package, subsidy of Rs80 per 20kg would be given for wheat flour, Rs20 per kg
for ghee, Rs10-15 per kg for gram pulses, Rs15 per kg for white gram, Rs14 per
kg for gram flour, Rs50 per kg for dates, Rs56 per 950 grams (packet) for black
tea, Rs16 per kg for Basmati rice, Rs17 per kg for broken rice, Rs16-41 per kg
for parboil rice, Rs10-15 per kg for moong, masoor and maash (pulses) and Rs15
per litre for packed milk. Spices would be sold at 90 per cent of the prices
mentioned on their packets.The USC would sell another 1,000 items at a discount
of 5-10 per cent, in collaboration with various vendors, the minister said.He
said the performance of the USC would be monitored closely and the people were
being encouraged to file complaints, if needed.Mr Jatoi said the finance
ministry had released Rs1bn as subsidy and the industries ministry had
constituted a monitoring team to ensure transparency in the programme.
Published in Dawn, June 19th,
2015
